Week 1 of the preseason didn’t produce the most exciting games, yet had some intriguing storylines that are worth paying attention to as the month of August goes forward. Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels had exciting debuts, while J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix provided a glimpse of what could be to come for their respective franchises.
There’s always room for overreactions in the preseason, especially regarding quarterback competitions and the top performing rookies. Let’s dive into some of them based on some of the top storylines from Week 1 of the exhibition slate.
The Chiefs passing game is in trouble without Hollywood Brown
Overreaction or reality: Reality
Kansas City certainly had a scare on Saturday night when Brown injured his shoulder on the team’s first offensive play. Brown spent the night in the hospital with sternoclavicular joint dislocation, the same injury that cost Tyreek Hill four games in 2019.
If Brown misses time, how will the Chiefs’ passing game look? Kansas City still has Travis Kelce, but Brown was supposed to be the veteran that provided stability at the position. Of course, the Chiefs still have Rashee Rice, but he’s facing a possible suspension by the league for off-field incidents. That leaves rookie Xavier Worthy, Skyy Moore, and Mecole Hardman as the top wideouts.
Mahomes will be throwing to Kelce underneath a lot, as Worthy will need time to acclimate himself to the league as more than a deep threat. The Chiefs need to figure out the Rice situation and home Brown doesn’t miss a significant amount of time.
Overreaction or reality: Reality
The Vikings had to like what they saw from J.J. McCarthy in Saturday’s preseason opener. McCarthy went 11 of 17 for 188 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, relieving starter Sam Darnold after the Vikings’ first series. McCarthy threw a 45-yard touchdown strike to Trishton Jackson and a 33-yard touchdown pass to Trent Sherfield, showcasing more confidence as the game progressed.
McCarthy can play well this preseason, but the Vikings seem set on starting Darnold in Week 1. The biggest indicator was Darnold playing one series before departing. Minnesota may give way to McCarthy during the year, yet the Vikings appear set with Darnold opening the season.
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
The Seahawks traded for Howell this offseason in what was essentially a pick swap. Seattle received Howell, a 2024 fourth-round pick, and a 2024 sixth-round pick in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick and a 2024 fifth-round pick. The Seahawks believe they can resurrect Howell’s young career after he threw a league-high 21 interceptions last season.
Howell will be the No. 2 quarterback behind Geno Smith, but the early returns from the preseason opener are positive. He completed 16 of 27 passes for 130 yards with a touchdown — a 13-yard pass to Brady Russell — starting the game and playing into the third quarter.
Could Smith actually lose his job to Howell if he struggles this year? Smith isn’t head coach Mike Macdonald’s hand-picked quarterback, even though he is the starter. This is the last year of guaranteed money on Smith’s three-year deal, so the Seahawks owe him nothing past 2024 (and save $25 million in cap space if they release him after the year).
Smith is essentially a one-year rental right now in Seattle. If he plays poorly, the franchise may give Howell a shot.
Right now, it’s too early to overreact to Smith’s future. It would take Seattle being eliminated from the playoffs in early December to think about that scenario.
Nate Wiggins is the next Pro Bowl cornerback from the Ravens
Overreaction or reality: Reality
The Ravens certainly know how to find talent in the draft. Wiggins may be the latest one, having an impressive debut after Baltimore took him in the first round of this year’s draft. In his preseason debut, Wiggins had three pass breakups on the first series as the Eagles continued to challenge him.
Wiggins isn’t expected to start over Marlon Humphrey or Brandon Stephens, but the Ravens cornerback made his case for significant playing time — thanks to his ability to cover on the outside and shut down receivers at the boundary.
Sure Wiggins only went against second-team wideouts, but he has the makings of a special player. Humphrey and Marcus Peters were two of the latest pro Bowl cornerbacks in Baltimore. Wiggins appears to be next.
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
The Steelers decided to sit Russell Wilson in their preseason opener and start Fields, giving Fields an opportunity to improve his chances at winning the starting job. The results were a push at best.
Fields finished 5 of 6 for 67 yards in his three series, having impressive throws in his debut. Those passes were negated by two fumbles, on the center-quarterback exchange. The first one stalled a drive and led to a punt and the second was on the first play of the possession (which also led to a punt).
Giveaways aren’t going to win Fields the job, no matter his big play potential. Fields could have closed the gap on Wilson, but may have damaged his chances of winning it.
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Author: Jeff Kerr
August 12, 2024 | 12:56 pm
