The NFL kicked off Week 2 of the NFL Preseason last night with the Steelers beating the Eagles and the Patriots defeating the Bucs both in convincing fashion. The Mountaineers were represented in both games and I'll recap those games on Tuesday.
This weekend, we find a several former Mountaineers fighting for roster spots, while others look to solidify their position on their respective teams. In Week 2 of the NFL's Preseason, teams usually tend to let their starters play longer and mix in some of the backups to see how they fare in live game action against veterans. That said, expect to see players like Chris Neild of the Redskins and Scooter Berry of the Texans see more action than they did last week.
Friday, August 19
Washington Redskins vs.
Indianapolis Colts
7:00
Player Summary: Selvish Capers is in a battle to make the Redskins roster. Practice reports from camp regularly bring news of Capers getting pushed around. He could be on the bubble of making the team. After the Redskins drafted Chris Neild with the next-to-last pick in the NFL Draft, many people thought that his ability to clog holes on the D-line would ensure him of a roster spot. The latest reports out of Redskins camp say that Neild is on pace to earn a spot on the practice squad, and that if he doesn't make it this year, he's a definite project guy to have around to bring along. He played sparingly during the 2nd half, but also played on the kick return team. He lost his shoe. He should see more playing time this week. The report does preface those comments about Neild by saying that they haven't seen him enough yet. For the Colts, Pat McAfee has made a pair of 75 yard field goal attempts in practice.
Detroit Lions vs.
Cleveland Browns
7:30
Player Summary: Jarrett Brown played in the fourth quarter of last weeks game against Green Bay, and threw an interception in his only pass attempt. There are rumors that Cleveland may pursue former Ohio St. QB, Terrelle Pryor. Before last week's game, Brown had been praised continually by head coach, Pat Schurmur, for his arm strength and mobility. If Brown doesn't play better against the Lions, the Browns could take a chance at Pryor in Monday's NFL Supplemental Draft.
Saturday, August 20
New Orleans Saints vs.
Houston Texans
8:00 NFL Network
Player Summary: Texans' Head Coach, Gary Kubiak has already said that Steve Slaton will not play in the game. Scooter Berry played during the fourth quarter of Monday night's game against the Jets. Right now, Berry is a long shot to make the Texans' roster.
Buffalo Bills vs.
Denver Broncos
8:30
Player Summary: Corey McIntyre will start at FB for the Bills, and is a key contributor on special teams. He is more of a blocking FB than one to run the ball, but he has been known to lay out some big hits on special teams.
Sunday, August 21
Cincinnati Bengals vs.
N.Y. Jets
7:00
Player Summary: Robert Sands had a strong performance in his first game as a member of the Bengals. He recorded 4 tackles in the game. He was picked on some in the passing game by Lions' TEs. This week, look for much of the same from Sands. Ellis Lankster had a good all-around game against the Texans on Monday night in pass defense, on special teams, and putting pressure on the quarterback. He should get some play late in the game.
Monday, August 22
Chicago Bears vs.
N.Y. Giants
8:00 ESPN
Player Summary: J.T. Thomas missed his possible debut last week with a leg injury, but he will play on Sunday night. He will also see more playing time than he normally would, as starting OLB, Lance Briggs, will be out with a bruised knee. Darius Reynaud has had an impressive training camp with the Giants, but that only translated into 1 catch for 5 yards against the Panthers last week. He tweaked one of those tweakable things in practice this week (his hammy) and has sat out of practice most of the week. At the time of this writing, I have not seen whether or not he'll play on Sunday.
Other Player News
- Brandon Hogan, Carolina Panthers- Before Training Camp began for the Panthers, Hogan failed his physical. He is trying to recover from a torn ACL he suffered in December. He told reporters this week that he was working with trainers trying to get his leg stronger so he can pass a physical. If he doesn't pass the physical soon and get back on the field, the Panthers will likely put him on IR or the PUP list. If he goes on the PUP list, he'll automatically miss the first six weeks of the season. This is bad news for both Hogan and the Panthers. One of the weakest positions on the Panther roster is at CB.