NFL preseason Week 3 rapidly approaches as football fans and fantasy owners tighten their focus on starting lineups. Typically these are the closest representation of Week 1 regular season to hit the gridiron in August.
Let’s take a look at the five games between Thursday and Sunday most worth catching.
(All times p.m. ET)
New York Giants at New York Jets (Friday at 7:30 p.m.)
Geno Smith will hold off Michael Vick for the starting job barring anything catastrophic, so Eric Decker and the WR corps’ chemistry with Smith is more important to evaluate than any QB “competition.” On the other side, many in Gang Green’s injury-riddled defensive backfield will get a chance to impress Rex Ryan and solidify a roster spot on Friday.
Small-school rookie Corey Washington has been doing his best Victor Cruz impression late in preseason games. Tearing apart the Jets’ thinned secondary depth would be the natural next step. Cruz seems the perfect fit for new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo’s scheme and should get ample chance to gash the Jets.
FYI – #giants and #jets were two of seven teams to scout Corey Washington at his pro day..reported to run 4.48
— GiantsWFAN (@giantswfan) August 13, 2014
Washington Redskins at Baltimore Ravens (Saturday at 7:30 p.m.)
Gary Kubiak may have found his latest one-cut back and the next vehicle to his zone scheme in Bernard Pierce — at least that would be ideal. Encouraging results compared to last season for him and Ray Rice thus far.
Ex-Cowboy Jason Hatcher received a handsome deal this offseason and is the most crucial new element on D for the ‘Skins. How well this front-seven performs hinges on how Hatcher adapts from his career year in 2013 as a 3-tech to his end role in Washington DC Jim Haslett’s scheme. And of course ditto for the offense and Robert Griffin after a concerning display Monday night.
Jason Hatcher and Stephen Bowen going hard in drills. Bowen is a big man, but Hatch is just a monster #RedskinsTalk pic.twitter.com/26kF2jrTwT
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayCSN) August 18, 2014
St. Louis Rams at Cleveland Browns (Saturday at 8 p.m.)
The Rams possess the talent and toughness in the trenches to escape from a brutal NFC West with at least an appearance on wild-card weekend. The “X” factor is Sam Bradford’s ability to find the form from just before he went down against the Carolina Panthers early last season. Bradford’s play against the Packers Saturday left optimism after his first start in 300 days, going 9-for-12 including a strike for six to Lance Kendricks. Cleveland struggled to protect Manziel against Washington and Johnny Football missed his receivers badly both low and behind. This Rams’ defensive line provides a particularly tough test for young opposing passers working out the kinks, especially with the added interior penetration of rookie first-rounder Aaron Donald.
#Browns offense just doesn’t look good right now. The #Rams D has a chance to get some momentum rolling on Saturday. — Myles Simmons (@MylesASimmons) August 19, 2014
Minnesota Vikings at Kansas City Chiefs (Saturday at 8 p.m.)
Send out whatever transparently click-desperate tweets you want, Mike Zimmer will see no value in making Adrian Peterson prove anything this Saturday. Cordarrelle Patterson is absolutely lethal in space and Travis Kelce is an emerging a physical freak that add young sparks to their respective offense.
In his first appearance at Arrowhead since boos rained down on his crumpled state, Matt Cassel will again take the start over Teddy Bridgewater as the rookie tries to close the gap to QB1. It’ll take a performance like Bridgewater’s game-winning drive last week to do so, coupled with Cassel returning to his latter-day Chiefs form.
Yeah, pretty much… #Chiefs #Vikings pic.twitter.com/NnDU5H7RTj
— Nolan Woodford (@TeamACW) August 19, 2014
Cincinnati Bengals at Arizona Cardinals (Sunday at 8 p.m.)
The John Brown hype train rolls on with Cards general manager Steve Keim as conductor and a national television audience waiting at the next stop. It will be interesting to see if he can give them Andre Roberts production-plus right off the bat his rookie year. More importantly, on defense Frostee Rucker must now make up for the loss of starting lineman Darnell Dockett in a depleted front-seven. How much ex-OC Jay Gruden held Andy Dalton back and vice versa is a source of intrigue that’s already playing out this preseason, with Dalton looking very comfortable in Hue Jackson’s offense thus far. Obviously the regular season and playoffs will define this matter, and we’ll get the best glimpse yet on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
I’m telling you though. Andy Dalton is going to look good in this Hue Jackson offense. More hot streaks, less cold streaks. — NFL Philosophy (@NFLosophy) August 16, 2014
