Hello, readers! I'm going to be making full use of my 7-day free trial for NFL Game Pass to watch a whole bunch of preseason games simultaneously and make random, potentially insightful observations. (One of my favorite football websites, WalterFootball, is run by a guy who does the same thing.) Don't expect any detailed technical analysis. Here's what I noted today in the two main games I watched:
Packers 22, Patriots 11
- Scott Tolzien looks extremely promising. Many questioned his ability to serve as a competent backup for Aaron Rodgers, but he looked the part in this game, most notably threading the needle to Jeff Janis for a touchdown early on. In general, Tolzien was excellent with the exception of an errant 3rd and 4 throw to second-year tight end Justin Perillo (who had a great 16-yard catch earlier in the game after which he impressively outmuscled a Patriots defender.) The Packers should consider trading Tolzien to a team that needs an emergency quarterback, as they just drafted Brett Hundley.
- What's the deal with Josh Boyce? For some inexplicable reason, he started the game and played throughout. Garoppolo kept throwing to him and repeatedly missed. Garoppolo had an underthrow to him nearly picked off by Rollins in the second quarter, and a mediocre pass in the third was deflected around and intercepted by Gunter. At one point, Jeff Howe tweeted that Garoppolo had completed 15 straight passes when not targeting Boyce.
- "Mediocre" is a good word to describe Garoppolo's performance as a whole. He flashed potential but for the most part looked incapable of leading the quarterback-dependent Patriots. Regardless of the quality of the supporting cast, it'll be difficult for this team to accomplish much in the month of September.
- We saw none of last year's playoff-game-starting quarterback for the Cardinals, and Patriot as of Monday, Ryan Lindley.
- Stop calling Garoppolo "Jimmy G," Patriots color commentator and former failure of a tight end Christian Fauria. Not everyone needs a nickname.
Ravens 30, Saints 27
- Exceptional quarterback play overall — with Brees sitting out, Luke McCown performed well against the Ravens' first team defense, and Ryan Griffin impressed me the most of any quarterback I saw today, most notably leading an excellent two-minute drill before halftime. The Saints commentators say other teams, including St. Louis, have wanted him in the past. New Orleans should trade him, since they just drafted Garrett Grayson. Yes, I know I just wrote this exact thing for Tolzien and Hundley. It's true that much of the preseason is just showing off your players' talents for other teams.
- As for the Ravens, having Matt Schaub as a backup is a nice luxury, though Joe Flacco doesn't get injured often enough to justify the expense.
- Tim Hightower still exists?! And he plays for New Orleans? Apparently he last played a game for the Fall Experimental Football League's travelling Blacktips after two seasons out of football. He still can't have a decent YPC average; apparently nothing has changed.
- Painful to watch Zach Hocker miss a field goal when all the commentators have to talk about is his competition with Dustin Hopkins for the kicker spot. At least he atoned for this later by drilling two kicks from a similar range.
- Not surprising given the quality of play in preseason that a game was decided by an incredibly obvious pass interference penalty. Yet I love the preseason all the same, in spite of its flaws.
Miscellaneous notes:
- I watched Dolphins-Bears just long enough to hear some commentator say that Jimmy Clausen, who inexplicably played most of today's game, played for Denver at one point. Uh, no.
- McLeod Bethel-Thompson is not a good name to have as a quarterback. McLeod Bethel-Thompson is also not a good quarterback, as evidenced by his pair of interceptions. However, he has inexplicably passed current fourth-stringer and former Tampa Bay "franchise quarterback" Josh Freeman, who went 5 for 16, on the Dolphins' depth chart.
- With newly minted wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, former Kansas City standout Dwayne Bowe, and potential starting running back Duke Johnson ruled out, there wasn't much to say about the Browns offense. So of course the commentators decided to do what they usually do and manufacture Johnny Football news. According to Michael Irvin and LaDainian Tomlinson, who should know better, Manziel's 12-yard touchdown run is proof that he is a "real quarterback." Yes, indeed, running is what quarterbacks do best.
- Golden Tate was excellent. With Calvin Johnson drawing defenders away from him, he should be able to shine this season, if his two catches from Stafford were any indication.
- I find it incredibly funny that, after the 0-16 season and bouncing around to three other awful teams (including the Peyton-less Colts), Orlovsky is suddenly a third-string quarterback for none other than the Lions. If you're a Lions fan, wouldn't you want him to be forever erased from existence?
- How exactly did Bryce Petty, playing the vast majority of the game, manage to complete only ten passes for an average of five yards per pass?
- Good to know that the Cowboys are employing a quarterback, Dustin Vaughan, from a school at which Ryan Leaf coached. (This game is going on as I write.)
Expect more of these spontaneous notes, coming soon! Tomorrow's slate of games will be quite intriguing.
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