Andy Richardson
It was a great weekend: actual NFL games! OK, they don't count. But for the people playing in them, fighting to make a roster, to earn a starting job, to impress the new coaching staff or the new fan-base, they really do.
Here are the five things that most impressed me in the first week of preseason games.
1. The Bills' no-huddle offense: What's old is new again. The Bills are planning to run the no-huddle offense almost exclusively this year, just like they did back during the Marv Levy era. My theory is that their primary goal is to keep defenses from being able to make substitutions, thus obscuring the fact that their offensive line is horrible. Whatever the case, it's going to be fun to watch, and should mean good numbers for Trent Edwards (as long as he stays in one piece) and lots of receptions for Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, and of course the Terrell Owens-Lee Evans tandem. I don't know how well it will work, but if the single-wing can make a comeback (you know it as the "Wildcat"), why not the no-huddle.
2. Mark Sanchez: Nice debut, rookie. His first snap was a perfectly thrown 48-yard completion. His one drive went the length of the field for a touchdown. So the guy only started one full season in college. Lots of four-year starters are lost at the NFL level. Obviously, it's too early to say anything about Sanchez, but he hasn't made many missteps since being drafted, and there's no reason to think he can't be this year's Joe Flacco, if perhaps not Matt Ryan.
3. The Texans: I don't know why I don't like Matt Schaub. Maybe I just hate drafting quarterbacks that I can't reasonably count on to play 16 games. Until a guy does it, he's not a good bet to do it. Still, as long as he does stay healthy, this is going to be a pretty exciting offense down there in Houston. Quality wideouts, great receiving tight end, exciting young running back with speed and receiving ability. None of my drafts has worked out this way yet, but I feel the need to get me some Texans on my roster.
4. The Titans: It's kind of a shame this team didn't get by the Ravens last year. They've got talent on both sides of the ball and good depth, and you have to like head coach Jeff Fisher. (Some criticized his fake punt against the Bills in the exhibition opener; I thought, what the hey, isn't it nice to give the paying fans something cool to see in a preseason game?) Rookies Kenny Britt and Javon Ringer looked good. Vince Young looked almost like he actually wanted to still play football! And although this defense will miss Albert Haynesworth, it's still got a lot of good players on it. Everyone may write this team off this year; not me.
5. The Steelers: I saw two impressive young wideouts for the Steelers: second-year man Limas Sweed, and rookie third-rounder Mike Wallace. Both looked like they'll contribute this year, and on an offense that needs to pass the ball because of offensive line issues and possibly marginal talent at running back (sorry, Rashard Mendenhall, but you've got to show me something at the NFL level), that will be important. Nobody wants to draft Ben Roethlisberger in any of my leagues; I think he'll have a very productive year with his receiving corps. Even if it's primarily because he'll have to.
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