LEADING OFF
NO, of course there are no gay overtones in football.
As the shadows get longer, and the air gets cooler, we all wait in joyous anticipation for having an excuse to sit on the couch eating, drinking, and swearing for nine hours every Sunday. Until then, the NFL preseason rumbles on, and this is the place to get an early read on how things will unfold once they begin kicking the ball in anger on September 11, well actually there’s that one game on September 8, but you get the idea. So let’s do this thing.
NFL PRESEASON JOURNAL WEEK 3
SAINTS 37, PATRIOTS 27 (Halftime- Patriots 24, Saints 16)
The Takeaway- When the Deuce’s groin pops loose around week ten, you can look back to when he had 20 carries in a preseason game and send Jim Haslett a nice fruit basket.
Saints Notes
Offense
Saints coach Jim Haslett responded to his team’s dismal performance against Seattle the previous week by leaving his starters in for a long, long time in this game. Deuce McAllister carried the ball 20 times, which in a preseason game is really unconscionable. He had 88 yards. The Self Proclaimed Great Quarterback, Aaron Brooks, was his usual self, looking good at times and awful at others. He finished his day 14 of 23 for 158 yards. The highlight of his day was a 34 yard third quarter TD pass to Devery Henderson. Donte Stallworth and Joe Horn combined for 70 yards on 6 catches. An encouraging sign for the offense was that they ran the ball very well against a top notch defense, rolling up 187 yards on the ground. John Carney was a perfect 3 for 3 on field goal attempts.
Defense
Former Super Bowl MVP Dwight Smith, who the Saints signed from Tampa this offseason and expect to make a big impact in the secondary, intercepted Tom Brady on the first play of the game.
B Team
Second stringers Jason Craft and Tony Bryant both had sacks of Pats rookie QB Matt Cassell. Veteran RB Antowain Smith had 54 yards on 13 carries. Nate Poole had 46 yards on 4 catches and caught a late TD pass from Todd Bouman. RFA DE/Long Snapper L.P. LaDouceur sacked Cassell in the fourth quarter, and the resulting fumble was scooped up by rookie DE Jimmy Verdon and taken into the end zone for a touchdown.
Patriots Notes
Offense
Tom Brady threw an interception on the first play of the game. Apparently the ball slipped out of his hairy palms. Either that or he’s going blind. That’s what that internet porn will do to you. Corey Dillon didn’t play, neither did WR Deion Branch. Fullback Patrick Pass was the feature back in this game and led the team with 88 yards on 11 carries, and scored a first quarter TD. Tim Dwight connected with Brady for a 45 yard catch.
Defense
Safety Rodney Harrison was awesome, notching 10 tackles and picking off Aaron Brooks. New Patriot LB and longtime Seahawk mainstay Chad Brown had 6 tackles. Third round CB Ellis Hobbs (Iowa St.) had seven tackles and intercepted a Todd Bouman pass.
B Team
Doug Flutie came on at QB in the second quarter, and took the team 41 yards on 2 plays to a 29 yard TD catch by RFA WR Jason Anderson (Wake Forest). RFA RB Kyle Eckel (Navy) had a 3 yard touchdown run. Backup LB Matt Chatham had 3 tackles and a sack.
“What did you say, Talking Pie? You want me to have my injury prone, highest paid player in franchise history carry the ball 20 times in a preseason game? Yes master!”
**************************************************
TITANS 24, FALCONS 21 (Halftime- Titans 16, Falcons 14)
The Takeaway- Norm Chow will replace Jim Mora Jr. as the greatest Chinese football coach in history.
Titans Notes
Offense
Steve McNair looked very good on the team’s first drive of the game, taking the team 80 yards in 12 plays to a 25 yard Ola Kimrin field goal. All but 2 of the 78 yards came through the air, with the highlight being a 34 yard pass to third round WR Brandon Jones (Oklahoma). Jones finished with 5 catches for 89 yards. McNair later threw an 11 yard TD pass to Chris Brown, and finished the day 14 of 19 for 137 yards. Tennessee’s other third round WR, Courtney Roby (Indiana), also had a good game. He caught 6 passes for 84 yards. Brown rushed 10 times for 45 yards. Drew Bennett caught 4 balls for 31 yards. The O line did not allow a sack the entire game, an important stat given McNair’s brittle body.
Defense
Other than allowing a 72 yard TD run by TJ Duckett in the third quarter, the Titans defense played very well. New acquisition Kyle Vanden Bosch had another good game, he had 2 sacks, including one of Michael Vick. The special teams play was nightmarish, though. The Titans gave up a 101 yard kickoff return for a TD, Kimrin blew an extra point, and Rob Bironas missed two field goals.
B Team
Reserve RB Jarrett Payton continued to do his hometown of Arlington Heights, IL, proud, canceling out the weekly embarrassment I bring upon that same hometown. He rushed 15 times for 39 yards and capped off a 12 play, 94 yard drive with a 1 yard TD run. RFA WR OJ Small (Florida) caught a 4 yard TD pass from rookie QB Shane Boyd (Kentucky) to give the Titans the lead for good with 1:33 remaining. Boyd led a nice two minute drill to give the Titans the win. The key play was a 34 yard hookup with RFA WR Alonzo Nix (Chattanooga). Reserve LB Rocky Boiman continued his impressive preseason, picking off Matt Schaub in the 4th quarter.
Falcons Notes
Offense
Vick played three series, looking great on one and subpar on the other two. The first drive was perfect. Vick broke a 21 yard run, completed 3 out of 4 passes, and capped the drive with a 4 yard TD pass to Brian Finneran. After that though, Vick was hampered by sacks and penalties, and couldn’t keep the ball rolling. He finished 6 of 9 for 64 yards. The Falcons top 2 running backs, TJ Duckett and Warrick Dunn, combined for 98 yards on 6 carries. WR Peerless Price suffered bruised ribs and a concussion in the game.
Defense
Second year LB Demorrio Williams, who is slated to start at outside linebacker, had nine tackles. Third round LB Jordan Beck (Cal Poly) had seven stops, and Ike Reese, who comes over from Philly, had six. Linebacker is going to be a big strength for Atlanta. A troubling stat is that they weren’t able to pressure the QB, and had no sacks. Bear in mind though, that they were playing without Keith Brooking, Ed Hartwell, and Patrick Kerney.
B Team
Second year DB Etric Pruitt had an interception. 6th round pick DeAndra Cobb (Michigan St.) had the 101 yard kickoff return.
**************************************************
BENGALS 24, REDSKINS 17 (Halftime- Bengals 14, Redskins 10)
The Takeaway- The Redskins can’t seem to get their defense off the field. With Patrick Ramsey as their QB, that might be a good thing.
Bengals Notes
Offense
The offense sputtered throughout the first quarter before coming to with an 80 yard TD drive early in the second. The capper to the drive was a 45 yard pass from Carson Palmer to Kelley Washington for six. Palmer led the team on a 93 yard drive to paydirt to close the first half. Backup running back Chris Perry scored the touchdown on a 13 yard pass. RB Rudi Johnson didn’t have a very good day, averaging only 2 yards on 10 carries. Chad Johnson caught 3 passes for 25 yards.
Defense
Rookie MLB Odell Thurman (Georgia) is going to be a stud. The second round pick played well for the second straight week, and had a sack of Patrick Ramsey. CB Tory James picked off Ramsey twice.
B Team
John Kitna completed 4 of 5 passes, and found Kevin Walter for a 22 yard touchdown in the third quarter. Chris Perry, who is recovering from hernia surgery, continued to progress. He had 70 all purpose yards. Reserve LB Marcus Wilkins had 5 tackles.
Redskins Notes
Offense
For the second straight week, Mark Brunell outplayed Patrick Ramsey by a lot. That’s not what the Redskins want to see. Patrick Scissorhands was picked off on two consecutive second quarter drives. There were some encouraging signs though. He did dial up James Thrash for a 25 yard TD pass immediately following a Bengals turnover. Ramsey also connected with David Patten on three long receptions. Clinton Portis did not play, but Rock Cartwright and Ladell Betts combined for 74 yards on 12 carries.
Defense
CB Carlos Rogers, the ninth player taken in the draft, had an interception. The Redskins had a hard time generating a pass rush, and didn’t record a sack on the day. The defense couldn’t get itself off the field. The Bengals held the ball for 9:15 of the second quarter, and over 10 minutes of the first quarter.
B Team
Seventh round pick RB Nehemiah Broughton (Citadel) has been the surprise of the Redskins preseason. He has been a big contributor to the offense. He scored a late touchdown on a 3 yard run, and caught 5 passes for 45 yards. He is going to make the team as a short yardage specialist. Mark Brunell was efficient as the second half QB, throwing a key 21 yard pass to third year wideout Antonio Brown on the fourth quarter TD drive. Backup LB Warrick Holdman had a strong game, recording 5 tackles. In a curious move, 1st round QB Jason Campbell did not play.
Ramsey
Ramses
Carson Palmer
Harry Palmer
**************************************************
JETS 28, VIKINGS 21 (Halftime- Jets 14, Vikings 7)
The Takeaway- Only the Pennington man shall pass, if his rotator cuff is OK.
Vikings Notes
Offense
All systems are go in the Vikings passing game. The Vikings first offense parlayed a 42 yard pass from Daunte Culpepper to Marcus Robinson into a 1 yard Moe Williams TD run in the second quarter. Culpepper played very well, completing 11 of 13 passes for 146 yards. First round pick Troy Williamson made his debut in a Viking uniform and was spectacular. He and third string QB Shaun Hill hooked up for a 54 yard completion, and a 13 yard third quarter TD. Williamson has been bothered by foot pain in practice this week though. From the looks of the embryonic weeks of his NFL career, Williamson is going to be productive, but brittle. Travis Taylor and Nate Burleson combined for 69 yards on 5 catches. The same rave reviews cannot be given for the running game. Michael Bennett struggled for the second straight game, and had only 14 yards on 8 carries, and the Vikings could only muster 67 rushing yards, averaging 2.6 yards a carry. Bennett has been hampered by a sprained neck and coach Mike Tice has said he is only “an outside shot” to play in the opening regular season game.
Defense
The Vikings run defense was stout, holding the Jets to 79 yards on the ground. Starting LB Dontarrious Thomas had 7 tackles and a sack. DE Darrion Scott, who is trying to hold off rookie Erasmus James for a starting job, also had a sack.
B Team
Don’t be surprised if Bennett’s struggles lead to rookie RB Ciatrick Fason (Florida) gets a turn as the Vikings’ feature back this year. Fason averaged over 6 yards per on three carries.
Jets Notes
Offense
Fans of the Jets wait with bated breath to see if QB Chad Pennington is recovered from his offseason rotator cuff surgery. The early results are good. Pennington completed 9 of 10 for 86 yards and threw a 20 yard score to Lavaerneus Coles. Coles had a very nice game, catching 6 passes for 57 yards. Wayne Chrebet caught an 18 yard TD pass from Jay Fiedler. The Jets couldn’t get the running game untracked. New #2 running back Derrick Blaylock got the bulk of the team’s carries but averaged less than 3 yards per.
Defense
The Jets have to be encouraged by the fact that the Vikings could not run the ball effectively against them. Daunte Culpepper carved up the pass defense though, a bad sign for a shaky secondary. The team eagerly awaits the return of DE John Abraham, who is said to be returning to the fold after a prolonged holdout by early next week.
B Team
A lot of backups made big plays on defense. RFA DE Joey Evans had a sack, as did DB Darrien Johnson and DE Radell Lockhart. 4th round CB Kerry Rhodes (Louisville) had a late interception. Second string LB Mark Brown led the Jets with 7 tackles.
***********************************************
BROWNS 21, LIONS 13
The Takeaway- Charlie Frye and Braylon Edwards show a glimpse of the future.
Browns Notes
Offense
After looking atrocious in their first preseason game, the Browns first offense looked much better in this contest. Trent Dilfer hooked up with Antonio Bryant for a 51 yard first quarter TD pass. Dilfer completed 9 of 13 for 136 yards. William Green started at running back after a good performance the week before, and did pretty well averaging over 4 yards on 7 carries. Green outperformed Reuben Droughns, who is also competing for the feature back job. Droughns had 30 yards on carries.
Defense
Starting ILB Ben Taylor led the team with 6 tackles, followed closely by Orlando Ruff with 5. Romeo Crennel’s defense was very opportunistic, forcing 5 turnovers. Former Vikings DB Bryan Russell had an interception.
B Team
The Browns showed a lot of life on defense, and it was the backups leading the charge. Ivory McCoy, a tight end who is converting to linebacker, sacked Dan Orlovsky to force a fumble. Reserve DB Michael Jameson ran an errant lateral on the last play of the game in for a TD, and also had an interception. Former Patriots DB Antwan Harris also had a pick. The real story of the game though, was Braylon Edwards pulling down a 7 yard TD pass from Charlie Frye to give the Browns the lead late in the game. Frye and Edwards represent the future of the Browns’ offense, and the ending of this game had to make Browns fans feel good about that future.
Lions Notes
Offense
For the second week in a row, Joey Harrington looked as if he has made strides toward being a legitimate starting QB. On the Lions’ opening drive, he spread the ball around and got Detroit down to the Browns’ 4 yard line before settling for a Jason Hanson field goal. The crown prince for the QB job, Jeff Garcia, was inconsistent. He led the Lions on a methodical drive, using his legs and arm effectively, and capped it with a 29 yard TD pass to Charles Rogers. He later was intercepted twice. Kevin Jones carried 6 times for 33 yards. 1st round pick Mike Williams had 2 catches, and Roy Williams had a 13 yard grab. The Lions turned the ball over 5 times, and had 2 more fumbles that they got back.
Defense
CB Dre Bly was the man beaten on Antonio Bryant’s long TD reception. DE Kalimba Edwards had a sack.
B Team
LB Alex Lewis had 8 tackles. Reserve DB Keith Smith had an interception. Rookie QB Dan Orlovsky (Connecticut) led the team 48 yards to a fourth quarter field goal but was intercepted on the first pass of a two minute drill in the waning moments. RB Artose Pinner had 32 yards on 10 carries.
**************************************************
BILLS 27, PACKERS 7 (Halftime- Bills 17, Packers 7)
The Takeaway- JP Losman a little bit better.
Packers Notes
Offense
When looking for clues on how the Pack’s offense looks, you have to throw out anything that happens when Brett Favre’s not on the field. That said, the Packers offense looked good. They went right down the field on their opening drive against a good Buffalo defense, taking what they were given and capitalizing with a 12 yard TD pass to Ahman Green. First round QB Aaron Rodgers struggled again, showing impatience in the pocket and getting picked off deep in his own territory. TE Bubba Franks finally signed a long term deal this week and will end his holdout.
Defense
First round safety Nick Collins limped off the field in the second quarter. The Packers surrendered 158 rushing yards, although 36 of those yards came on scrambles by Losman. Kabeer Gbaja Biamila had an apparent sack for a safety negated after a penalty. The Packers had 2 special teams breakdowns that gave the Bills the ball inside the Packer 30 early in the game. Free agent signing Raynoch Thompson had 5 tackles.
B Team
The Bills used backup QB Craig Nall as target practice, sacking him 3 times. Najeh Davenport led the Pack with 34 yards on 8 carries. DE Kenny Peterson had a fumble-forcing sack, and LB Roy Manning also had a sack.
Bills Notes
Offense
JP Losman looked lost, man, in his first preseason outing, but was much better this week. Yes, he was blessed with some great field position due to a couple of long kick returns, but he was able to convert on that field position. His seven yard scamper on a third and five play kept an early touchdown drive alive. He caught a break when the officials overturned a safety on a play where he was sacked, and he made a key pass to Lee Evans to set up a Ryan Lindell field goal later in that drive. Willis McGahee was solid, picking up 32 yards on 9 carries and scoring a second quarter TD. Josh Reed led the Bills with 35 receiving yards. WR Eric Moulds was hung out to dry on a sailing Losman pass over the middle and had to leave the game with bruised ribs.
Defense
Veteran DT Sam Adams had three tackles and a sack. LB Takeo Spikes had 5 tackles, and London Fletcher had 4.
B Team
RFA DE Constantin Ritzmann (Tennessee) has had a monster preseason. He had 2 sacks, giving him 4 in 2 games so far. Rookie RB Lionel Gates (Louisville) had 36 yards on 7 carries and broke a 14 yard TD run late in the contest. Backup corner Jabari Greer had an interception. Kelly Holcomb was 7 of 9 for 79 yards in relief of Losman.
********************************************
JAGUARS 20, BUCS 17 (Halftime- Jags 6, Bucs 6)
The Takeaway- Gruden takes Cadillac for a test drive.
Jaguars Notes
Offense
Byron Leftwich utilized Jimmy Smith, rookie Chad Owens, and Reggie Williams very effectively in leading a 16 play, 87 yard drive to a field goal in the second quarter. Leftwich was 14 of 21 for 125 yards on the day. The running game continued to struggle without Fred Taylor, who is being held out of preseason games due to offseason knee surgery. Rookie WR Matt Jones continued to impress, leading the Jaguars with 48 receiving yards.
Defense
The Jags allowed only 78 yards rushing.
B Team
Jacksonville got big performances out of a lot of backup defensive players. Veteran DE Rob Meier had 2 sacks. Backup safety Nick Sorenson had an interception and a forced fumble. LB Nate Wayne had six tackles. On offense, backup QB David Garrard and RFA RB Derrick Wimbush both had rushing TDs.
Bucs Notes
Offense
The game saw the preseason debut of Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, who was the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft. Cadillac didn’t exactly set the world on fire, gaining 13 yards on 5 carries. The first offense managed only 3 points, which were a gift due to a muffed punt deep in Jaguar territory.
Defense
The Bucs weren’t able to put pressure on the Jags quarterbacks, and did not record a sack. Second round LB Barrett Ruud had another impressive game, leading the Bucs with six tackles.
B Team
Paris Warren, a 7th round wideout from Utah, caught a 45 yard TD pass from Luke McCown. Second year running back Earnest Graham had 20 yards on a team leading seven carries. 7th round DB Hamza Abdullah (Washington) had an interception.
The Cadillac Sittin In the Back No It Isn’t Me
************************************************
TEXANS 19, RAIDERS 17 (Halftime- Raiders 17, Texans 7)
The Takeaway- Raiders Offense Scary Good, Raiders Defense Scary Bad
Raiders Notes
Offense
The Raiders chose to pound the ball on the ground on their first drive and went right down the field to a touchdown. Lamont Jordan had a 17 yard run and a 27 yard run that set up a 4 yard Kerry Collins pass to Doug Gabriel for six points. On the next drive, they went vertical, and Collins found Gabriel for a 70 yard score. All in all, a great performance for the first team offense. The only downer was Collins had a pass intended for Randy Moss picked off in the end zone shortly before halftime. Sebastian Janikowski missed a 49 yard and a 52 yard field goal attempt.
Defense
The Raiders gave up 143 yards on the ground. That’s a bad thing, because Randy Moss isn’t going to make a very big impact on a game when he’s standing on the sideline for 2/3 of the game watching the Raiders defense peel themselves off the turf. With all that free time he may get bored and succumb to the desire to fire up a marijuana cigarette, or “dooby”. The first team defense surrendered an eight minute touchdown drive on the Texans’ first offensive campaign of the game. Longtime Falcon D lineman Ed Jasper had a second quarter sack.
B Team
RB Justin Fargas had 55 all purpose yards. WR Alvis Whitted had 4 catches for 42 yards. RFA DT Antajj Hawthorne had a sack.
Texans Notes
Offense
David Carr engineered a 15 play, 76 yard TD drive to answer the Raiders’ first touchdown. Carr put the finishing touch on the drive with a 2 yard touchdown pass to former Lion Reggie Swinton. Texans coach Dom Capers must have decided to have Carr quit while he was ahead, as he pulled him out of the game after only one drive. Domanick Davis had 6 carries for 22 yards. Kris Brown was perfect in 3 field goal attempts, including a 53 yard and a 46 yard attempt.
Defense
The first team defense looked absolutely terrible. The Raiders did whatever they wanted to do against them. On the first drive they ran, on the second drive they struck with a long bomb. Safety Marcus Coleman intercepted a pass in the end zone. Corner DeMarcus Faggins was the man victimized on both Doug Gabriel touchdowns. Rookie safety CC Brown continued his strong play with 9 tackles.
B Team
Third round RB Vernand Morency (Oklahoma St.) had a big game, gaining 90 yards on 19 carries. RFA WR Sloan Thomas (Texas) led Houston with 42 yards on 3 catches. LB Frank Chamberlin had 6 tackles and a sack. LB Charlie Anderson had 1 ½ sacks. Backup safety Jason Simmons had an interception.
Randy Has Been Trapped In A Box So Far
***********************************************
GIANTS 27, PANTHERS 21 (Halftime- Giants 17, Panthers 14)
The Takeaway- Eli hurt. Giants now face prospect of accepting Jesse Palmer’s rose.
Giants Notes
Offense
Eli Manning hurt his elbow and the Giants should be very concerned. The word right now is that he will be able to play in the season opener, but we’ll see. Before getting hurt, Eli hooked up with David Tyree for a 90 yard touchdown pass, and with Amani Toomer for a 41 yard TD pass. Other than that it was not a good night for him though. Besides getting hurt he was sacked in the end zone by Julius Peppers and the resulting fumble was recovered for a Carolina TD. He also completed only 3 passes in nine attempts. Plaxico Burress went without a reception. The O line yielded 5 sacks.
Defense
The Panthers rolled over the Giants D for 171 rushing yards, and held the ball for 11 minutes more than the Giants did. The Giants won the game because they generated 6 turnovers. Will Allen intercepted Jake Delhomme to snuff out an early Panthers drive which lasted almost seven minutes. Third round DE Justin Tuck (Notre Dame) also had an interception. The Giants’ top draft pick, CB Corey Webster (LSU), had a huge game, registering 7 tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble. Veteran DT Fred Robbins had a sack and a fumble recovery. CB Will Peterson sprained a knee ligament and won’t play again until the start of the regular season.
B Team
DB Curry Burns had an interception. Tim Carter had 3 receptions for 32 yards and caught a touchdown pass from Tim Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck, who becomes a lot more important with Eli’s injury, was 7 of 15 for 96 yards. TE Visanthe Shiancoe had a 34 yard reception.
Panthers Notes
Offense
The offense was effective, but turning the ball over 6 times will lose you a lot of games. What’s really troubling is that the first offense had 3 of those turnovers. Jake Delhomme was picked off twice and Steve Smith lost a fumble. Other than the interceptions, Delhomme was great. He completed 15 out of 19 and capped a 10 play drive in the first quarter with a 2 yard TD pass to TE Mike Seidman. DeShaun Foster continues to be uninspiring as the first string running back, he had 39 yards on 11 carries. Rookie Eric Shelton averaged over 5 yards on 5 carries. Wideouts Steve Smith and Keary Colbert were in midseason form. They combined for 13 catches and 138 yards, and will be a dangerous combination this year.
Defense
The Panthers lost starting safety Colin Branch for the season. He tore his ACL and MCL during Tyree’s 90 yard TD reception. Carolina was putting heat on Giants QBs all night long. Julius Peppers sacked Eli in the end zone and recovered the fumble for a TD. CB Ricky Manning also had a sack, and the Panthers in total had 5 sacks on the night.
B Team
Rookie QB Stefan LeFors (Louisville) found Taylor Stubblefield for a late touchdown, but threw an interception t extinguish the game ending drive. Jamal Robertson had 37 yards on 5 carries. Former Bears LB Bryan Knight had 1 ½ sacks.
*********************************************
BEARS 24, COLTS 17 (Halftime- Bears 14, Colts 7)
The Takeaway- Can you have upsets in the preseason?
Bears Notes
Offense
QB Chad Hutchinson looked absolutely friggin awful in this game. Basically, it was a win for the Bears if the offense could get off the field without him throwing an interception. Not helping matters was that the cheesecloth offensive line gave up 5 sacks. The first team offense did manage a touchdown due to the defense setting them up with some good field position, and RB Adrian Peterson running tough to finish the job. Peterson had a great night, spelling Thomas Jones, who the Bears are handling like fine china now that it is becoming clear that Cedric Benson won’t be in uniform for the foreseeable future. Although the Bears passing game looked ugly for the most part, wideouts Mark Bradley and Muhsin Muhammad combined for 87 yards on 6 catches. Bobby Wade returned a punt 54 yards for a first quarter TD.
Defense
The Bears defense is good. They held the Colts to 1.7 yards a carry on the ground, and forced 2 Edgerrin James fumbles.
B Team
Bear fans are already looking for 4th round QB Kyle Orton (Purdue) to be the team’s savior. He was 6 of 10 in this game for 67 yards, and had a case of the fumblys, putting the ball on the ground twice. RFA running backs Zack Abron and Antoneo Harris combined for 92 yards on 23 carries, with Harris scoring the game winning TD on a 1 yard run in the 4th quarter. Ian Scott, Greg White, Alfonso Boone, and Alain Kashama all registered sacks. Safety Bobby Gray was lost for the season with a knee injury.
Colts Notes
Offense
Well, it is only preseason, but the Colts offense has looked very very far from the unstoppable juggernaut we all know and love. Peyton Manning played until well in the second quarter, finally exiting on a positive note after finding Dominic Rhodes for a 25 yard touchdown play. Before that, Edgerrin James, who is notorious for not wanting to play in exhibition games, coughed up the ball twice deep in his own territory.
Defense
DE Robert Mathis victimized the Bears’ weak offensive line for three sacks, 2 of which forced fumbles. MLB Gary Brackett had 2 interceptions. First round CB Marlon Jackson gave up a couple of 10+ yard completions to Muhsin Muhammad.
B Team
DE Blake Lobel sacked Kyle Orton, causing a turnover. RFA Darrell Reid had a sack. Backup QB Jim Sorgi completed 12 of 16 passes. WR Brad Pyatt had 2 catches for 38 yards. James Mungro had a 1 yard TD run.
************************************************
EAGLES 20, RAVENS 14 (Halftime- Eagles 17, Ravens 7)
The Takeaway- Don’t forget about Brian Westbrook.
Eagles Notes
Offense
Brian Westbrook made his preseason debut, and showed why he, not Terrell Owens, is Donovan McNabb’s most important offensive weapon. Westbrook took a pass out of the backfield and went 51 yards for a touchdown. The long score was a needed relief, as the offense had been struggling prior to that play. McNabb was intercepted by Samari Rolle, and finished 6 of 9 for 107 yards. The special teams made up for its atrocious play the previous week against Pittsburgh, with Dexter Wynn breaking a 74 yard punt return for the game’s first score. But they also made another key mistake, having a 60 yard field goal blocked and returned for a TD by Chris McAlister.
Defense Notes
Safety Michael Lewis was possessed in this game. He had a sack of Kyle Boller which caused a turnover, and an interception. M.Patterson also had a sack. Safety Brian Dawkins had a pick. The Eagles defense held the Ravens, a strong rushing team, to only 65 yards on the ground, and an average of 2.1 yards a carry. Mike Patterson, a rookie DT from USC, played with the big boys and had a sack and a fumble recovery.
B Team
Rookie WR Carlos Perez (Florida) had 4 catches for 36 yards. Rookie RB Ryan Moats, who is going to play a key role for the team now that Correll Buckhalter is out for the season, broke a 26 yard run, and had a 16 yard reception. Reserve LB Jason Short had 8 tackles, and converted center Dominic Furio had a sack.
Ravens Notes
Offense
Kyle Boller looked awesome again. Yes I am being sarcastic. He was picked off on the game’s first drive, engineered a three and out, then was picked off again. Then he led the team on another three and out, then he got sacked and lost a fumble. Boller said of his early performance, “It’s probably my worst quarter-and-a-half in the NFL.” That, my friends, is saying a lot.
He wrapped up his day by throwing a TD pass to David Wilcox. Chester Taylor again started in place of Jamal Lewis and ran well, picking up 47 yards on 15 carries. Derrick Mason was Boller’s most reliable target, catching 4 passes.
Defense
The Eagles rolled up 150 rushing yards on the Ravens’ defense, which is very un-Raven like. The good news is that most of it came in the second half, and the varsity defense did very well against a good Eagles offense. Free safety Will Demps had a sack, as did LB Terrell Suggs.
B Team
Randy “Garbage Tyme” Hymes has been the Ravens’ most effective receiver this preseason, even if it has been in garbage time. He had 5 catches for 44 yards. Tellis Redmon had a one yard TD run, and Anthony Wright was 14 of 23 for 140 yards after replacing Boller. RFA LB Roderick Green (Central Missouri St.)had 2 sacks, 1 of which came in the first half against Donovan McNabb.
***********************************************
CARDINALS 24, CHIEFS 17 (Halftime- Chiefs 10, Cardinals 0)
The Takeway- Can you kick? Call Dick Vermiel. Don’t make him cry though.
Cardinals Notes
Offense
RB Marcel Shipp, who is being pressed heavily for playing time by rookie JJ Arrington, really helped his cause in this game. Shipp carried 7 times for 56 yards. Arrington, meanwhile, struggled to only 24 yards on 9 carries. The first offense did not put any points on the board, although they did have a 49 yard TD pass from Kurt Warner to Anquan Boldin nullified by a holding penalty. For the second straight week, the Cardinals offensive line did not allow a sack, something they need to put a heavy emphasis on.
Defense
CB David Macklin had a horrific game, getting called for 3 pass interference penalties, which led to 10 KC points. The first team defense did a good job of bottling up Priest Holmes, who averaged only 2 yards on 8 carries, and that was including a 13 yard run. DT Darnell Dockett had 4 tackles and sacked Trent Green.
B Team
DE Calvin Pace had 2 sacks. Rookie corners Eric Green (Va Tech) and Jermaine Hardy (Virginia) both had interceptions, as did fellow rookie Ernest Shazor (Michigan). Green took his pick 27 yards to the house to tie the score at 10. Backup QB Josh McCown, who started most of last season, had 2 TD passes, one to Charles Lee, and one to Reggie Newhouse. McCown led a second half comeback which gave the Cardinals the win. Third string QB John Navarre didn’t fare as well, going 0 for 6.
Chiefs Notes
Offense
KC scored on its opening drive with the help of a 33 yard pass interference penalty on Cardinal DB David Macklin. Holmes couldn’t get loose, but Larry Johnson was again impressive, carrying nine times for 49 yards. WR Samie Parker was responsible for drawing a few pass interference penalties, amd caught an 8 yard TD pass from Trent Green. Kicker Lawrence Tynes missed 2 field goal attempts, one from 46 yards and one from 37 yards. “He’s in the tank,” Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said of Tynes. “You miss two field goals like that — not in the National Football League. He has thrown the red flag up the entire training camp in regard to being an accurate kicker on our practice field. So we have a real concern.” Vermiel then cried like a baby for 15 minutes, then left for a stroll through his vineyards.
Defense
LB Scott Fujita had a big game, leading the Chiefs with seven tackles and forcing a fumble. The first team defense, which a lot of effort went into upgrading this offseason, can feel good about holding the Cardinals scoreless in the first half. They would have liked to get a little more pressure on the quarterback though.
B Team
Backup QBs Damon Huard and rookie James Kilian (Tulsa) had remarkably bad stat lines. Huard was 1 of 12, and threw 2 interceptions. With current #2 Todd Collins injured, the Chiefs are a Trent Green injury away from having Huard as their starter. To remedy this situation, the Chiefs signed Jonathan Quinn this week, who put on some of the worst performances since the advent of the forward pass in his brief stint as the Bears’ starter last year. Kilian was 5 of 20 for 74 yards, and was picked off once, and also lost a fumble. He did have the distinction of throwing a TD pass, hooking up with John Booth for a 5 yard score.
Punching McCown
***********************************************
STEELERS 17, DOLPHINS 3 (Halftime- Steelers 10, Dolphins 0)
The Takeaway- Don’t let any of the Dolphins hold your baby, they’ll fumble it.
Dolphins Notes
Offense
Even though he is signed and was in uniform, second overall pick Ronnie Brown did not play in this game. In his absence, the Dolphins could manage only 43 rushing yards. Ricky Williams started and had 9 yards on 5 carries. He has had a very bad preseason. RB Lamar Gordon is rumored to be on the trading block, but if Williams doesn’t start to show he is NFL ready they may need to hold on to Gordon. Gus Frerotte started at quarterback and didn’t accomplish much except to fumble on a sack and have it returned for a TD. He was 7 or 18 for 87 yards. About the only good thing you could say about the offensive performance was that the other QB, AJ Feeley, showed good chemistry with WR David Boston, who is trying to resurrect his career. Boston caught 5 catches from Feeley for 34 yards. The Dolphins fumbled the ball an amazing 8 times, losing 6 of them. Coupled with a Sage Rosenfels interception, the Dolphins turned the ball over seven times.
Defense
The Dolphins first defense played very well, limiting the Steelers offense to only a field goal in the first half. LB Channing Crowder, a rookie out of Florida, has been absolutely awesome this preseason. He had six tackles and a sack. Another Dolphin draft pick, DE Matt Roth, a second rounder out of Iowa, also had a sack. Veteran corner Reggie Howard picked off Ben Roethlisberger. The Dolphins first team did give up a 37 yard run though, but other than that did a good job containing the Steelers’ vaunted ground attack.
B Team
Wes Welker, a second year wideout out of Texas Tech, had a 42 yard reception. Maurice Mann, an RFA from Nevada, had 4 catches.
Steelers Notes
Offense
Second year RB Willie Parker played with the first team and was very impressive. He broke a 37 yard run to set up a first quarter field goal, and finished with 58 yards on 6 carries. With the exception of Parker’s run, the Steelers starting offense had a hard time getting anything going. Ben Roethlisberger was 6 of 11 for 51 yards and threw an interception.
Defense
LB James Farrior sacked Frerotte, and fellow LB James Harrison scooped up the fumble and went 69 yards for the game’s first score. It was one of two fumbles forced by Farrior. As mentioned earlier, the Steelers D forced 7 turnovers. LB Clark Haggans had a sack.
B Team
Rookie LB Rian Wallace (Temple) forced 2 fumbles. DB Janssen Patton had an interception. Noah Herron led the Steelers with 13 carries, but averaged less than 3 yards per. Verron Haynes scored a third quarter TD on a 1 yard run.
************************************************
BRONCOS 26, 49ERS 21 (Halftime- Broncos 10, Niners 7)
The Takeaway- Niners reserve O lineman Thomas Herrion collapsed and died after the game. Cause of death is unknown pending a toxicology report.
Niners Notes
Offense
The #1 overall pick in the draft, QB Alex Smith, was no better in his second preseason bow than in his first. Smith was 2 of 7 for 18 yards, was sacked 3 times, and fumbled a snap. Tim Rattay entered after, and threw a 58 yard TD pass to Arnaz Battle. This week, the team announced that Rattay will start the opener. Let’s flashback, shall we, to a statement made in this very column, the second of June, Anno Domini 2005, to my analysis of the Niners selecting Smith with the first overall pick:
“You heard here first that he won’t be the starter in Week 1, Tim Rattay will. Prove me wrong Alex, prove me wrong.”
Did I not tell you last week that sometimes I whittles the future?
Kevan Barlow, who is feeling serious heat from rookie Frank Gore for the starting running back position, had a good game. He rushed 8 times for 36 yards and led the Niners to their first touchdown of the game. Gore averaged 9 yards on 3 carries.
Defense
The Broncos rushed for 266 yards in this game, making it surprising that it was Thomas Herrion that collapsed and died after the game, and not Mike Nolan. OLB Jamie Winborn had 5 tackles and a sack, playing until late in the third quarter.
B Team
DE Tony Brown had 6 tackles. 2nd year QB Cody Pickett, who is battling Ken Dorsey for the third string job, broke a 23 yard TD run, and was 7 of 11 for 70 yards.
Broncos Notes
Offense
The Broncos moved the ball at will when the first offense was on the field, and for most of the game. Mike Anderson again got the nod as the starter, and rushed 5 times for 39 yards. Anderson also caught a 2 yard TD pass, and had a TD run negated by a penalty. Ron Dayne and Tatum Bell both had field days, Bell picking up a touchdown along with 62 yards on 11 carries, and Dayne rolling to 87 yards on 18 carries. Jake Plummer enjoyed success as well, completing 7 of 9 passes for 95 yards and a TD.
Defense
Trevor Pryce had 2 sacks of the young waif Alex Smith, and DJ Williams got in on the action as well.
B Team
RFA WR Todd DeVoe is having a great preseason. He led the Broncos with 42 receiving yards, and had a 32 yard grab. Backup DE John Engelberger had his second sack in as many games. QB’s Bradlee Van Pelt and Matt Mauck both struggled. Van Pelt completed only 7 of 18 passes. Mauck had only 3 attempts but was intercepted once.
Tim Rattay Will Start the Opener, Tim Couch, errr.. Alex Smith.. Will Sit
***********************************************
CHARGERS 36, RAMS 21 (Halftime- Chargers 27, Rams 14)
The Takeway- The Chargers are for real, brah.
Rams Notes
Offense
The Rams didn’t get as many reps on offense as they would have liked, due to the Chargers controlling the ball for most of the game. Still, the Rams were down 17-0 before they got the offense rolling. WR Kevin Curtis had a monster game, catching 4 passes for 127 yards and 2 TDs. One of the scores was a 78 yard connection with rookie QB Ryan FitzPatrick in the 4th quarter. Marc Bulger threw TD passes to Curtis and Torry Holt. Stephen Jackson averaged over 7 yards per on 7 carries.
Defense
It was just a miserable performance by the Rams defense. San Diego rolled up 215 yards on the ground, and led time of possession by 11 minutes. The defense did not generate any turnovers, and could only manage one sack. The first defense gave up 27 points in 2 quarters.
B Team
Keep on eye on former Harvard QB Ryan FitzPatrick. I will put on my soothsaying hat and say that he is going to be somebody’s starting quarterback by 2008.
Chargers Notes
Offense
LaDanian Tomlinson had a pretty efficient days work. He had one carry, and it was a 55 yard TD run. No fuss, no muss. Drew Brees managed the game well, protecting the ball and leading the Chargers to 27 first half points. All of a sudden it looks like San Diego has a pretty good trio of wideouts in Eric Parker, Reche Caldwell, and Keenan McCardell. The three combined for 109 yards on 11 catches, and will benefit from having Antonio Gates back when he finally finishes serving his team levied suspension in week 2 of the regular season. Gates was bitch slapped by the Chargers in his holdout attempt, and ended up signing a $380K tender offer AND getting suspended for the season opener for missing a drop dead date set by the team to report to camp. The mini-strike waged by a few select players this summer has been an unmitigated disaster for those that chose to try and take their teams to the mat.
Defense
The Chargers put a lot of pressure on Mark Bulger, sacking him 3 times. LB Shaun Phillips had 2 of the sacks, and Steve Foley had another. CB Drayton Florence picked off Bulger, and took it 44 yards for a touchdown. LB Donnie Edwards had seven tackles.
B Team
RB Michael Turner is opening a lot of eyes this preseason. The Northern Illinois product rushed for 67 yards on 8 carries against the Rams first unit, scored a touchdown, and matched LT’s 55 yard run. 4th round pick Darren Sproles (Kansas St.) also played well, generating 47 combined rushing and receiving yards. Philip Rivers has also had a good preseason. He completed 7 of 8 passes.
************************************************
COWBOYS 18, SEAHAWKS 10 (Halftime- Cowboys 10, Seahawks 7)
The Takeway- Hey DeMarcus, save some for the season.
Cowboys Notes
Offense
You can talk all you want about Drew Bledsoe and whatever impact he will have on the Cowboys, but “Orange” Julius Jones is the straw that stirs the Cowboys drink. He carried the Boys on an 11 play drive that led to a go ahead TD pass from Bledsoe to RB Lousaka Polite. Jones rushed 12 times for 58 yards on the day. To his credit, Bledsoe played pretty well after a bad performance against Arizona, completing 7 of 11 for 56 yards and no interceptions. Patrick Crayton, a second year wide receiver, played with the first team and played well. He had 5 catches for 82 yards.
Defense
It was all about first round monster DeMarcus Ware. The defensive end/linebacker put on a show in the first quarter for the national TV audience. On the first drive of the game, he stuffed Shaun Alexander for a 1 yard loss, then on the next play sacked Matt Hasselbeck and recovered the fumble. Later in the quarter, he dropped into coverage and picked off a pass intended for Jerramy Stevens. Bill Parcells brought in Lawrence Taylor to work with Ware this offseason, and the Cowboys hope he will continue to develop into a dominating presence. The rest of the defense played well too. Seattle could manage only 62 yards rushing.
B Team
Veteran DE Eric Ogbogu had 2 sacks, including one for a safety. 4th round RB Marion Barber (Minnesota) was impressive, rushing for 62 yards on 18 carries. Neither Tony Romo nor Drew Henson did anything to stake claim to the #2 QB job in this contest. They combined to complete only 6 of 16 passes.
SEAHAWKS NOTES
Offense
Matt Hasselbeck looked great on one drive, and pretty bad on the rest. After the sack by Ware, he rebounded on his next drive to complete 7 out of 7 passes on an 80 yard jaunt that ended with a 7 yard TD pass to WR DJ Hackett. He was picked off by Ware on the next series though, and had an erratic and inconsistent night despite posting some nice stats. WR Bobby Engram and TE Jerramy Stevens played big roles on the touchdown drive.
Defense
The Cowboys ran at will against the Seahawk defense, and the Hawks couldn’t put any pressure on statuesque Drew Bledsoe. The Seattle defense was pushed around all night.
B Team
Backup QB Seneca Wallace was bad. He completed only 8 of 20, and fumbled twice, neither of which resulted in a turnover. Backup LB’s Kevin Bentley and Tracy White tied for the team lead with 5 tackles apiece. CB Jordan Babineaux had a fumble return for a TD nullified by a penalty.
Julius Makes The Boys Offense Go
PIMPS UP HOS DOWN
Well, another week of preseason NFL is in the books. Here today and now forever tossed in the dumpster of history. This weekend, we should see a lot of the superstars we know and love, as most teams typically use the third preseason game as a dress rehearsal for the real thing, so next week’s column is a must read!
In the meantime, check out these young men:
Slayer tells you which D1 Coaches must win, or see Thomas Herrion at the crossroads.
Omar Padilla fills all you younguns in on how the NHL playoffs used to work. Before they tried to become the NBA on ice skates and failed miserably.
Patrick is the only person I’ve ever seen that likes to talk about his own balls more than I do. Trust me that’s saying something.
Jay has Pine Tar for sale, which is better for you than Black Tar Heroin.
Murtz Jaffer covers tennis. And he regularly talks to people that you see on your televisiola.
Phil is our new NBA writer!
Okay that’s it for this week boy-os, see ya next Friday.
