The first NFL preseason game is in the books, as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings faced off on Sunday night in the annual Hall of Fame game. It was a forgettable matchup with little scoring (Vikings won, 14-3) and many star players sidelined. The action figures to pick up quickly during the rest of week one’s action, though, with games being played on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Let’s slow play the anticipation as we focus specifically on Thursday night’s slate and why you should tune into some of those games:
New-Look Saints
Drew Brees and co. hit the field without Jimmy Graham or Kenny Stills as they figure to operate a more run-balanced offense. How they proceed will be key, but also how they incorporate each new piece into the offense. How C.J. Spiller is used will be fun to watch, as will be the growing roles of Brandin Cooks and Josh Hill.
Geno Ball
Geno Smith enters year three of his attempt to be a successful quarterback for the New York Jets, although early signs out of camp are that he’s finally made major progress. It will be interesting to see if that indeed is the case, and how he mixes with all of his weapons – especially new receiver Brandon Marshall.
Lions Running Backs
Joique Bell is supposed to be Detroit’s lead back this year, but he’s been held back by knee and foot issues. He probably won’t take the field on Thursday, which leaves the door wide open for rookie rusher Ameer Abdullah to inch closer to stealing the starting gig. The dynamic runner has impressed thus far in camp and a good showing on Thursday could bode well for his first year prospects. Right behind him are Theo Riddick and undrafted rookie Zach Zenner, who will both use their playing time to solidify a spot on the roster.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Tom Brady might hit the field for the Pats when New England takes on the Green Bay Packers, but all eyes will really be on Jimmy Garoppolo. With Brady currently slated to serve a four-game suspension, Garoppolo is looking like the team’s starting quarterback for the first four weeks of the 2015 season. He’ll need plenty of practice to gear up for the pressure of that role, so we can expect to see a good amount of him in the Pats’ first preseason game of the year.
RG3 vs. Johnny Football
It’s unlikely we actually see Robert Griffin III and Johnny Football both taking the field with the first team offenses, but we could see them battling each other in the same quarter. RG3 is said to be looking at “at least” a quarter of action, while Manziel will surely get about a quarter, himself. RG3 looks locked in as Washington’s starter under center, but the troubled Manziel has yet to prove his worth. How both fare will still be interesting to see when Thursday gets rolling.
Chicago’s 3-4 Defense
The Bears were a trash defensive unit the past couple of years and they’re trying to rectify that by switching to a 3-4 base defense. It could be a disaster, but we’ll get our first clean look at it and how specific pieces will be used. Safety has been an issue for a while for the Bears, so that is one key position to keep an eye on in the new system, while Jared Allen also tries out as a stand-up pass rusher on the outside. If Allen can be a hit in the new defense, he could go a long way in helping the transition be a quick success.
‘Boys Backfield
DeMarco Murray is gone so a huge story-line out of Big D this year is what is going to happen with their running backs. Joseph Randle is regarded as the tentative starter and he does have some upside after averaging 6.7 yards per carry last year. He’s unproven, though, and he’s going to be competing with the always banged up Darren McFadden. Unknown rusher Gus Johnson may be an interesting guy to keep tabs on, though, as he’s now third and line and if he looks good in preseason play could even push Run DMC.
Melvin Gordon’s Debut
Ryan Mathews is out and rookie running back Melvin Gordon is in. The former Wisconsin Badger has reportedly had some issues with blocking assignments, but he’s the most talented running back on San Diego’s roster right now and is slated for a featured role. He obviously needs to crush it in all respects, but seeing how he handles pass protection could be key in his development.
Think there is an even better reason to check out the NFL preseason games on Thursday night? Tell us it in the comments below!
