The results of NFL pre-season games are evidently meaningless, but there’s plenty one could take away from them.
Rather than looking at the stats, it’s important to focus on other factors such as the usage of a certain player, or how well a player fits into a new scheme. Even though the starters usually play only two possessions, you can learn a lot from watching the film.
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Here are five takeaways from Week 1 of the pre-season:
Manziel closes gap on Hoyer: Brian Hoyer entered the pre-season as the favourite in the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback competition, but that may not last for long. Although he played against backups, Johnny Manziel was the far more intriguing player in the pre-season debut against the Detroit Lions. Manziel’s dynamic potential was obvious—not only did he make plays on the edge, something that is a critical part of Kyle Shanahan’s offence, he displayed noticeable improvement from the pocket. Coach Mike Pettine has yet to name a starter for the second pre-season game but it should go to Manziel. He earned that chance.
Bortles could be ready sooner than later: Speaking of rookie quarterbacks, Blake Bortles was the best of the bunch this weekend. He looked decisive and in command while completing seven of 11 passes for 117 yards against Tampa Bay. Most impressive was his ability to thrive under pressure and take chances down the field—a nice change from what Jags fans were used to under Blaine Gabbert. If Bortles continues to shine in pre-season contests, it could force the Jaguars to change their original stance, which was to play veteran Chad Henne for the season.
Jets will regret off-season approach at cornerback: After cutting Antonio Cromartie and striking out on a number of free agents, the Jets were already thin at cornerback. Now the position is in disarray after top corner Dee Milliner and rookie Dexter McDougle, who the team had high hopes for, suffered significant injuries this past weekend. McDougle won’t play again this season and Milliner was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, a usual four-to-six week injury that is especially tough on defensive backs. Because of Rex Ryan’s tendency to dial up blitzes, his defence relies on strong play from his cornerbacks. Ryan’s secondary was a problem last year and now it could be an even bigger concern this coming season.
Bucs have problems at guard: Once veteran guard Carl Nicks announced his retirement, many were concerned whether the Bucs could hold up at the position. Against Jacksonville, those issues were apparent. Tampa Bay’s interior was flat out abysmal. Josh McCown would agree. He was harassed (two sacks, two fumbles and a pick-six) in the process. It was so ugly that one of the starters from the game (Jamon Meredith) has already been demoted from the starting lineup. If this doesn’t get turned around, it could derail the progress of an intriguing Bucs team that is considered to be a possible sleeper team in the NFC South.
What the heck were the 49ers thinking? Boy did Blaine Gabbert look atrocious in his debut with the San Francisco 49ers. The former Jag completed only three of 11 passes for just 20 yards (an average of 1.8 per pass!) against Baltimore’s second-string defence. It was so tough to watch that Jim Harbaugh, who usually goes to extreme ends to defend his players, admitted that the backup position is up for grabs. Not even a quarterback guru like Harbaugh may be enough to resuscitate Gabbert’s career.