MidValleySports.Com

Photo by Duane Barker

By Tim Byrnes

With the first week of preseason games in the books, rookies/2nd year players are shining, vets are hearing footsteps, and legends are facing their legacies.

“Remember, Football is a Game.”
The game between the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons was called at 6:31 of the fourth quarter after Lions safety Morice Norris Jr. had his head snapped back on a tackle.

Players gathered as Norris began to have seizure-like symptoms and he was attended to by medical staff for over 20 minutes on the field before being transported to a local hospital.

From the hospital, Norris posted on social media, a Bible quote:
1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ.”
He is listed in stable condition.

“He did what?”
The world came to see Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter do his best “Neon Deion” impersonation by playing both offense and defense and be the latest in a small list of modern day two-way NFL players.

Hunter found himself part of an unlikely team celebration of a record that WASN’T.

Jaguars kicker Cam Little, a 2nd-year player out of Arkansas lined up a kick against the Pittsburgh Steelers and launched a “70” yard monster field goal!

Unfortunately for Little, preseason records don’t count as NFL records, so Justin Tucker’s 66 yard field goal at Detroit, in 2021, remains the standard while he celebrates and does his best 1972 Dolphins impression.

Almost an afterthought Hunter played 18 snaps (10 off/8 def) with an uneventful two receptions for nine yards at tight end and didnt factor on defense with only a missed open-field tackle in his pro debut.

“Is he worth a 5th round pick?”
Shedeur Sanders is NOT a 5th round talent!

He appears to be a first round talent with a poor attitude.

His statline is a modest 14/23-138 yards-2 TD’s and four rushes for 19 yards but Sanders showed he is faster than his college game film suggested.

He had good movement in and out of the pocket and impressed with the way he directed his receivers to where he wanted them.
He hit passes in tight coverage, double-coverage and had three touchdown drives in just over 3 quarters.

One should note that he failed to score versus Carolina’s starting unit and he still shows his immaturity doing his “Rolex Flex”.
He has to clean that up.

“This is where legends are made.”
On January 4th 2020, New England Patriots quarterback Legend Tom Brady took a 20-13 playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans, and with that, wrapped up his career with the Pats.

By 10pm on that July 4th evening, a Tom Brady statue should have been erected!

The Patriots righted the timing miscue by recognizing the 6x Patriots Super Bowl winner (he has a 7th win with Tampa Bay) by unveiling his bronze statue in Patriot Place Plaza before the Patriots 48-18 drubbing of the Washington Redskins.

Standing tall in front of the Gillette Stadium Lighthouse is a fitting tribute for the holder of just about every quarterback record there is but one has to wonder why they chose to celebrate the GOAT in preseason.

When the Las Vegas Raiders tied Seattle 23-23 in Thursday nights game, it must have been surreal for Raiders Coach Pete Carroll to look across the field and see the “culture” he himself built.

Carroll coached the Seahawks 14 seasons and brought the franchise its lone Super Bowl win in 2014.

Running up and down the sidelines chomping his gum, he looks half of his 73 years and the 12th man fanbase was kind to him and gave him a warm welcome.

“Who is shining early?”
–NE Patriot running back TreVeyon Henderson took his first professional touch 100 yards for a kick return touchdown.

–LA Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett went 16/24-188 yards-2 TDs/1 int and ran for 11 yards, to show Rams fans why they should trust in Coach Sean McVay and GM Les Snead. He commands the offense effectively.

– New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart looked like he belonged, as he went 12/19 for 154 yards, a touchdown, and ran for 24 yards on three carries.
He is throwing guys open and while Russell Wilson may be the starter, his bridging the quarterback gap until Dart is ready may be a short span.

–Vikings 2nd-year linebacker Gabriel Murphy shined with three tackles, a tackle for loss, 1.5 sacks, and five quarterback hits to make his presence felt while teammate cornerback Kahlef Hailassie showed hawk-like skills by intercepting two passes on three passes defensed.

–LA Chargers rookie cornerback Eric Rogers was all over the field, with two interceptions with a 43 yard touchdown, three passes defensed, 5 tackles (4 solo).