MidValleySports.Com

By Tim Byrnes

Preseason is approached by each coach and franchise differently.  All use these games to evaluate drafted players and depth pieces for the 53-man roster deadline, which is this Tuesday at 4pm EST.

In recent years, expected starters have seen less and less playing time as the risk of getting injured and altering a season before it begins is too high. Take Sean McVay and the LA Rams, for example. If McVay isn’t playing you in week 3 of preseason, then you are likely on the team already and he is keeping you healthy. The preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns was a contrast in team goals.

While Cleveland ran out week one announced starting quarterback Joe Flacco and the rest of the starters, the Rams countered with their third and fourth units. The Rams became the posterchild for bad preseason juju in 1999 when they lost starting quarterback Trent Green to a broken leg. Ironically, an unknown store clerk named Kurt Warner went on to take his slot and lead the Rams to their first Lombardi Trophy. The Rams learned from the situation, now know better, and sat quarterback Matthew Stafford, running back’s Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, and the top wide receivers on the depth chart.

Being the Browns, they immediately shot themselves in the foot during their first offensive series when starting center Ethan Pocic went down with a knee injury. He didn’t return, was seen on the sidelines in a brace, and it is unknown the extent of the injury. Browns GM Andrew Berry, when speaking to game announcers confirmed the team views depth at quarterback as an opportunity rather than a problem, opening the door to keep all four quarterback’s they have currently. This is an important remark given the poor performance of Shedeur Sanders in the preseason finale.

Injuries have a way of derailing the best of games. Now York Giants rookie cornerback TJ Moore had the play of his young career when he intercepted a Ben Wooldridge pass and ran it 41 yards to the house. However with four minutes left in the 42-10 blowout of the New England Patriots, Moore fractured his right femur during punt coverage and will likely miss most of the season. He underwent successful surgery Friday with no timetable for returning. While the Giants have turned heads in preseason, averaging nearly 36 points per contest, and they are deeper after a fine draft, they have the most difficult schedule in the league and have to play 10 teams from the 2024 playoffs.

There has been an obvious change in the attitude as all preseason it didn’t matter who was plugged in on offense, there was production. If Russell Wilson goes down, rookie Jaxson Dart looks NFL-ready to lead and was among the best performing rookies in preseason. Probable AFC playoff teams also limited starters in different ways with the Buffalo Bills choosing to sit quarterback Josh Allen the entire season while the Kansas City Chiefs waited until the preseason finale to give Patrick Mahomes and the starters some reps. They scored on all three drives they participated in and Mahomes was his usual self: 8-for-13, 143 yards with a touchdown, and an 18 yard run.

Breaking News: Las Vegas backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell has a broken right wrist and is out 6-8 weeks. With only Cam Miller to backup Geno Smith, look for the Raiders to scour the league for a viable replacement behind Smith.

Pittsburgh quarterback Skylar Thompson threw for nearly 500 yards in preseason with 4 TD’s/1 interception and with Mason Rudolph throwing behind receivers Thompson may be moving up the depth chart. He completed an amazing 84% of his passes while Coach Tomlin has a floating interception into triple coverage to remind him Rudolph hasn’t changed much.

Spotlight Players:– Pitt rookie DE Yahya Black (2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 6 tackles)-Atl rookie WR Nick Nash (6-87 Saturday/12-136 preseason) Nash was a Triple Crown winner in 2024 with 104 receptions-1382 yards-16 TDs yet went undrafted.