Thursday Night Football didn’t disappoint in the end, as Johnny Manziel and Tyrod Taylor both impressed despite doing little scoring in a 11-10 affair on ESPN. The Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins put up far more points, but weren’t on national television. That may have been for the best, as Robert Griffin III looked awful in the ‘Skins loss.
Friday night brings two more NFL preseason games as we get more into the second week of action. There’s still plenty to see tonight, so let’s dive into the top things to watch for:
Falcons Running Backs
Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman are supposed to be in a battle to prove which one should be Atlanta’s top running back this year. Trouble is, neither is healthy. One or both could get past hamstring issues to take the field tonight, though, and their competition could then carry on. Any other Falcons running backs that take the field will be worth checking out, too, since so many injuries have bogged down the position (Antone Smith is also nicked up).
Russell Wilson and Seattle First Team Offense
Wilson is always fun to watch, and after playing very little in the first preseason game, Seattle will probably let him go a little longer against the Chiefs. Wilson looked OK in week one, but he didn’t score and wasn’t able to accomplish a whole lot. How he works with star tight end Jimmy Graham will be important to note, while we’ll also want to pay close attention to Seattle’s running backs behind Marshawn Lynch. Robert Turbin figures to be Beast Mode’s top backup again, but both Cristine Michael and Thomas Rawls could be vying for a bigger role.
Chiefs First Team Offense vs. Hawks
Alex Smith didn’t play much in week one and may want to try to find some success in his second preseason game. The same goes for the entire first team offense in KC, who will get an awesome test against Seattle’s starting defensive unit. How Smith, Travis Kelce, Jeremy Maclin and possibly even Jamaal Charles fare will be very interesting.
The Beard
Ryan Fitzpatrick got the starter treatment in the first preseason game, as he played one series and put up just 16 yards before getting benched. He should play a lot more tonight, as he and the first team offense try to get acclimated in a setting closer to the regular season. The first team Falcons defense isn’t one really to fear, but that could be good for the Jets to try to get into a groove. How The Beard operates with Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker will be good to see.
Bryce Petty’s Progress
While Ryan Fitzpatrick looks to be the unquestioned starter for Gang Green right now, rookie passer Bryce Petty will still get some nice exposure. He’s not ready to take over an NFL offense just yet, but wasn’t awful in his first preseason appearance and could get a lot more work in week two. The Falcons reserves shouldn’t offer much resistance, so there’s a chance he finds a decent amount of success.
More Lockett, Please
Going back to Seattle, fans will want to get their eyes on rookie wide receiver Tyler Lockett, who burned the Denver Broncos in week one as a return man. He could easily dazzle again on special teams, but what we’ll really be looking for is if/how the Seahawks use him in the offense as an actual receiver.
Got something better to watch for in tonight’s preseason games? Fill us in via the comments below!
