PFF broke down the numbers immediately after every NFL preseason game, including scores, rookie standouts, offensive line performances and more.
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Hall of Fame Game | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3
HALL OF FAME GAME
Cleveland Browns 21, New York Jets 16
Offensive spotlight: Aaron Rodgers’ backup, Zach Wilson, put together a positive performance in his first action of 2023, going 3-for-5 for 65 yards and one big-time throw en route to a 69.0-plus PFF grade on first review.
On the Browns' side, 2023 third-round pick Cedric Tillman was able to show why Cleveland was high on him, notching a notable two receptions for 35 yards and first downs in the first half. In addition, fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson showed off his ability to contribute with his arms and legs Thursday evening, finishing 8-for-11 for 82 passing yards and a touchdown while being hampered by two dropped passes en route to an 80.0-plus passing grade on first review in addition to five carries for 37 yards (not including kneel-downs).
Defensive spotlight: It's not often that a cornerback shows out against the run during the preseason, but Jets CB Brandin Echols finished with an impressive three run stops — one of which went for a loss or no gain. Given that productivity, it shouldn't be surprising that Echols finished with an impressive 80.0-plus run-defense grade on first review.
Browns LB Tony Fields II had an eventful and productive evening defending the run, especially in the first half, as he notched three stops — two of which went for a loss or no gain — in just eight first-half run defense snaps. He added two more run stops (five total) in the second half to round out his performance.
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Week 1
Houston Texans 20, New England Patriots 9
Offensive spotlight: Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton made the play of the game late in the first quarter with a well-timed leap to snatch the ball out of the air down the left sideline with Jalen Pitre closing on him, picking up 27 yards on the throw from quarterback Bailey Zappe. The 2022 second-round pick has reportedly been somewhat underwhelming in training camp thus far, so it was good to see him make a splash play in his first preseason action of 2023.
Defensive spotlight: Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud was promptly welcomed to the NFL in his first preseason outing, taking a 15-yard sack (Daniel Ekuale) and then throwing an interception to Patriots cornerback Jalen Mills on just his second passing attempt in the first series of the game.
Stroud saw rookie wide receiver Nathaniel “Tank” Dell create a mile of separation and then start to work back toward the line of scrimmage, but didn’t see Mills break on the ball leading to an ugly interception. Dell was running free for much of the night, though a lot of his work was just beyond the line of scrimmage. The third-rounder bobbled a perfect back-shoulder throw from Davis Mills in the front left corner of the end zone but displayed impressive concentration to corral the touchdown.
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Seattle Seahawks 24, Minnesota Vikings 13
Offensive spotlight: Vikings backup running back Ty Chandler ran hard to kick off the game, with five carries for 27 yards to go along with two receptions for 12 yards. Chandler finished the first half with 41 rushing yards and 29 receiving yards, touching the ball on seemingly every snap for Minnesota. He was decisive and frequently made sharp cuts upfield in a hurry, and his overall stat line did not reflect his effectiveness after turning would-be losses into small gains and would-be small gains into bigger gains. Chandler could carve out a role behind Alexander Mattison as the Vikings pivot to a committee approach in the backfield after releasing Dalvin Cook earlier this offseason.
Defensive spotlight: Seahawks sophomore cornerback Coby Bryant brought a serious edge to the first week of the preseason, making several key tackles in the first half, including a big hit on Jalen Reagor over the middle that drew a penalty flag. Vikings edge defender Luiji Vilain registered the lone sack of the first half, taking down quarterback Drew Lock and adding another pressure on just six total first-half pass rush snaps.
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Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17
Offensive spotlight: The Steelers ran it back with their 2022 trio of quarterbacks, handing Kenny Pickett (seven dropbacks), Mitch Trubisky (four) and Mason Rudolph (15) snaps — in addition to rookie Tanner Morgan (nine) — in this Week 1 affair. And Pickett proved to be the most effective, similar to last year.
The second-year signal-caller completed six of his seven attempts for 70 yards and a score to earn an 85.0-plus passing grade on first review. Rudolph made two big-time throws on his larger workload.
Defensive spotlight: All of the hype surrounding Nick Herbig is warranted, at least for now. The rookie played only eight pass-rushing snaps and still managed two sacks. Pending final reviews, he was the highest-graded defender in this game.
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Atlanta Falcons 19, Miami Dolphins 3
Offensive spotlight: If you enjoy ground-and-pound, running back-centric football, this game was for you. Miami and Atlanta combined for 270 rushing yards on 52 carries.
Godwin Igwebuike was the Falcons' top back, forcing a missed tackle and gaining 33 of his 70 yards after contact, pending review. Myles Gaskin featured for Miami and racked up seven missed tackles as a runner.
Defensive spotlight: Dolphins edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah played the first quarter and was efficient on his 11 snaps. He earned an 87.6 PFF grade on first review after winning two of his seven pass-rush reps en route to a quarterback hit.
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Green Bay Packers 36, Cincinnati Bengals 19
Offensive spotlight: Jordan Love had looked cautious during joint practice with the Bengals during the week, but he wasted no time in taking a deep shot in this preseason game, coming very close to hitting Christian Watson down the left sideline. It was one of just three incompletions for Love, who completed seven of 10 attempts for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Love’s arm strength was clear to see, and the majority of his passes leaned heavily on that zip, but the touchdown to Romeo Doubs showed some nice touch, as well.
Defensive spotlight: One of the biggest questions for a well-settled roster this season is how second-year defensive back Dax Hill will perform stepping in for Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell, each of whom departed in the offseason.
Hill made one of the plays of the game, breaking up the deep shot from Jordan Love to save a touchdown as he came over from the middle of the field. Hill showed outstanding range and was able to get in front of Christian Watson, who had gotten behind rookie DJ Turner and was open for a big play. Hill looked good outside of that flash play and will help the Bengals feel good about their succession plan in the secondary.
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Detroit Lions 21, New York Giants 16
Offensive spotlight: The Detroit Lions would have been expecting big things from Jameson Williams heading into his second season before he landed a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. That suspension doesn’t kick in until the regular season, though, so the Lions got him as much work as they could in this game. Williams played 25 snaps and didn’t cover himself in glory. He dropped a deep pass when he had managed to get a step on the defender and the ball was well delivered. Overall, he caught just two passes for 18 yards but went some way toward redeeming himself with a nice one-handed snag on a two-point conversion.
Defensive spotlight: Lions rookie safety Brian Branch picked up in NFL preseason where he left off in college, looking like one of the best defenders on the field. Branch’s best play was tracking Cole Beasley across the field and burying him with a big hit just after the ball arrived, dropping the receiver for a loss on the play on first down. Branch played 16 snaps, 12 of which were in coverage, lining up in the slot and performing much the same role as he had in college.
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Washington Commanders 17, Cleveland Browns 15
Offensive spotlight: Quarterback Sam Howell started and led three offensive drives into the second quarter with the rest of the Washington starters. Howell picked up a third-and-6 with his legs on the first drive, showing off his scrambling ability just that once in this game. He went on to throw for 77 yards on 9 for-12 passing, which included a 26-yard touchdown pass to second-year wide receiver Jahan Dotson, who made a nice adjustment on a high throw to reel the pass in, make two Browns’ defenders miss and walk into the end zone.
Defensive spotlight: Jim Schwartz’s first game as the Browns’ defensive coordinator was without Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II and Grant Delpit. The defense got off to a strong start through the first two drives with new defensive end Za’Darius Smith drawing an offensive holding penalty in the end zone that led to a safety, which ended up being the Browns' only score of the first half.
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Arizona Cardinals 18, Denver Broncos 17
Offensive spotlight: The Broncos played its first-team offense well into the second quarter as they struggled to find their footing early led by Russell Wilson under center going up against a number of Cardinals’ second and third-teamers. Finally, the fourth offensive drive with Wilson and company led to a Jerry Jeudy 21-yard touchdown, one play after he had a key drop on third down. Wilson finished this game with just a 53.8% completion rate and 93 yards through most of the first half.
Defensive spotlight: The Cardinals have been experimenting with two former first-round defenders, Zaven Collins and Isaiah Simmons, in new positions this offseason, and this was the first game action where we go to see how that looked. Collins played every defensive snap through the first two drives exclusively on the edge, performing well with a QB hit and a nice unblocked tackle for no gain on the backside of a run play. Simmons played three defensive drives and played 93% of those snaps as a true safety, which he only spent 6% of his snaps doing last season.
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Chicago Bears 23, Tennessee Titans 17
Offensive spotlight: Roschon Johnson handled 12 carries en route to 44 rushing yards. The Bears rookie earned an 80.0-plus rushing grade on PFF's first review of the film thanks to three forced missed tackles and 47 yards after contact — three more yards than his final game total.
Defensive spotlight: A hefty workload for Bears second-round rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson yielded mixed results. The Miami (FL) product played 31 coverage snaps and gave up six catches on eight targets, albeit for only 50 yards. He had good coverage on a dropped interception of Will Levis.
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Buffalo Bills 23, Indianapolis Colts 19
Offensive spotlight: Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir was the highest-graded player on offense from either team, earning an initial 90.4 overall grade with an 87.5 receiving grade — all pending review. He finished the game with two catches on four targets for 25 yards, with one being an explosive play that was also a catch in traffic. But he did have a frustrating drop later in the game, which was emblematic of some highs and lows for him thus far in training camp.
Defensive spotlight: Damar Hamlin suited up for his first game since suffering cardiac arrest late last season in a game against the Bengals. He came up with a few key tackles, including a fourth-down stop that ended a Colts drive. In total, Hamlin played 15 snaps and made three tackles, earning an initial 73.4 overall grade with an initial 72.4 grade in run defense. Hamlin looked comfortable and confident — which is good on its own, and incredible given the circumstances.
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New York Jets 27, Carolina Panthers 0
Offensive spotlight: Third-year quarterback Zach Wilson looked in control against the Panthers – which signals much-needed progress from his early days as a starter. Wilson played the entire first half, going 14-for-20 with 123 passing yards and one passing touchdown.
Wilson appears to be more calculated in his approach to facilitating the ball. He posted 6.2 yards per attempt, but that wasn’t a bad thing. He may not have recorded a big-time throw, but he also did not record a turnover-worthy play. The Panthers were constantly pressuring the pocket, and he was taking his check-down throws appropriately.
Defensive spotlight: There were a handful of defensive players who could have been the spotlight here, but Panthers interior defensive lineman Derrick Brown gets the shoutout for what he was able to do in the first few series of the game. Brown, who played 12 total snaps, recorded a 77.9 initial overall grade with a game-high 76.5 run defense grade.
On the Jets' side of things, their entire first- and second-team pass-rushers were putting on a show. Jermaine Johnson, Will McDonald, Quinton Jefferson, Solomon Thomas and Bryce Huff all recorded at least one pressure in the first half. As a team, the Jets recorded 10 pressures on the day. New York looks to boast one of the deepest and most talented defensive lines in the league this season.
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Jacksonville Jaguars 28, Dallas Cowboys 23
Offensive spotlight: Tight end Jake Ferguson may make Cowboys fans quickly forget Dalton Schultz, as he showcased impressive receiving skills during his allocated snaps in the first half. As a rookie, Ferguson proved to be an effective short-to-intermediate receiving option; however, he was able to stretch the seam a bit Saturday, making an acrobatic 26-yard reception in the first quarter while sustaining a thunderous hit that tacked on an extra 15 yards. In totality, Ferguson recorded three receptions (from three targets) for 38 yards and two first downs, finishing 2-for-2 on his contested catch opportunities in the process.
Defensive spotlight: Cowboys linebacker Damone Clark was all over the field during the first half, making multiple positive plays for the Dallas defense against the run and pass. With his first full offseason, Clark finally appeared to play to his athletic potential, as he made quick decisions that enabled his physical gifts to put him in position to make plays. Clark finished with five total tackles and two stops Saturday evening.
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Baltimore Ravens 20, Philadelphia Eagles 19
Offensive spotlight: Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley had a strong showing against the Eagles. Huntley finished the game 8-for-11 passing with 88 passing yards and one passing touchdown. He also added 13 yards on the ground on two carries.
Huntley started four games last season, going 2-2 to close out the regular season. The Ravens also have NFL journeyman Josh Johnson on their roster, so the QB2 battle in Baltimore is heating up, as Johnson finished this game 8-for-12 with 45 passing yards and a passing touchdown.
Defensive spotlight: Jalen Carter’s scouting report was a complex one due to off-the-field concerns, but one area that was never a question mark was what he was capable of on the football field. It took exactly one play in an NFL uniform to remind us of that.
Carter only played a handful of snaps against the Ravens, but in doing so earned a 90.8 initial overall grade with an 86.5 pass-rush grade, including that pressure and QB hit shown above.
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Los Angeles Chargers 34, Los Angeles Rams 17
Offensive spotlight: Quarterback Easton Stick started for the Chargers and played the entire first half. Stick targeted rookie first-round pick Quentin Johnston heavily throughout the half, including on a deep pass down the sideline about 45 yards through the air that went right through the hands of the TCU product. Fortunately, the next time the duo connected on a pass, it went for an eight-yard touchdown near the end of the half.
Defensive spotlight: The Rams’ defensive line lacks established starters, which leaves plenty of opportunities for depth players to earn a spot on the main roster with strong play this preseason. Edge rusher Keir Thomas stood out with 1.5 sacks, both in the second half to go along with five total tackles on the day. Thomas posted 10 sacks in his final college season at Florida State, so the Rams should be happy to see him deliver some much-needed production for their defensive line this preseason.
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New Orleans Saints 26, Kansas City Chiefs 24
Offensive spotlight: Justyn Ross is back in the spotlight. The former Clemson star went undrafted in 2022 due to his injury history and missed his rookie season after undergoing foot surgery, but he justified the training camp buzz surrounding him on Sunday. Ross caught two of his five targets, one for a score, in his first NFL game action. It wasn't a flashy performance, but it was a reminder of everything Ross proved capable of as one of the best receivers in college football back in 2018 and 2019.
Defensive spotlight: Although he played only 13 snaps, linebacker Leo Chenal recorded two run stops and allowed two receiving yards on two targets into his coverage. It was a solid day for the second-year man in all facets, and he finished initial reviews as the Chiefs' highest-graded defender.
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Las Vegas Raiders 34, San Francisco 49ers 7
Offensive spotlight: Trey Lance got the first taste of action between him and Darnold, and it was a rather shaky showing. On the surface, he recorded one touchdown pass. PFF, however, heavily downgraded Lance for, well, this turnover-worthy … score.
Lance did make one big-time throw to boost his grade, but it will likely end up as a sub-60.0 mark after final reviews.
Defensive spotlight: A former top-five pick of the Raiders, Clelin Ferrell showed out against his former squad. On just five pass-rushing snaps, he managed a sack and another rep where he beat his blocker. Ferrell also made a run stop in the revenge game before his day ended.
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Week 2
Philadelphia Eagles 18, Cleveland Browns 18
Offensive spotlight: Browns wide receiver Austin Watkins put on a show Thursday night, reeling in seven of his eight catchable targets for 139 yards, one touchdown and five first downs. While he did drop one pass, five of his receptions went for a gain of 15 or more yards, and he went a perfect 2-for-2 on his contested targets.
Defensive spotlight: Veteran linebacker Zach Cunningham played 37 snaps for the Eagles. He made his presence felt in the run game, where he produced three defensive stops, tackling the ball carrier just 1.33 yards past the line of scrimmage on average.
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New York Giants 21, Carolina Panthers 19
Offensive spotlight: Giants quarterback Daniel Jones led the team on a 75-yard touchdown drive to start the game and looked extremely comfortable on his 10 snaps. He went 8-of-9 for 69 yards and a touchdown, his lone incompletion the result of a pass breakup. He threw just 4.7 yards downfield on average but averaged 7.7 yards per attempt for the day.
Defensive spotlight: Linebacker Bobby Okereke played 21 snaps in his Giants debut, contributing four tackles — and two defensive stops — across run defense and coverage.
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Atlanta Falcons 13, Cincinnati Bengals 13
Offensive spotlight: Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder completed seven of his nine passes for 80 yards on the night, but he was also quite unlucky. His red-zone interception was the result of a deflected pass that fell kindly to a nearby defensive lineman, while he also had a pass dropped in the end zone.
Defensive spotlight: Bengals rookie cornerback D.J. Turner II was targeted three times on the night, and he allowed three catches for 45 yards and one first down. He made four tackles — and one defensive stop — and missed one tackle attempt in coverage.
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Jacksonville Jaguars 25, Detroit Lions 7
Offensive spotlight: Jaguars rookie running back Tank Bigsby once again showed why many think he can make an impact in the NFL. Seeing 13 carries in the game, Bigsby racked up 70 rushing yards — 41 of which came after contact. Fellow running back D’Ernest Johnson scored both of the team’s rushing touchdowns.
Defensive spotlight: James Houston showed out for the second week in a row, making plays throughout the game for the Lions. He was on the field late in the fourth quarter, securing the final of his four tackles for loss with three minutes left in the game and adding a sack.
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Miami Dolphins 28, Houston Texans 3
Offensive spotlight: Miami’s strong rushing performance in the preseason continued. Salvon Ahmed topped 100 yards on just 10 carries before getting another couple of carries and finishing at 99 for the day — or just 8.3 yards per attempt. Raheem Mostert also had 5.0 yards per carry, generating 4.3 of that after contact.
Defensive spotlight: With the stellar rookie performance from the likes of Sauce Gardner and Tariq Woolen last season, Derek Stingley Jr. enters his second season under some pressure to prove he was worthy of the praise he garnered at draft time. He was thrown at just once by the Dolphins despite extensive playing time, and that ball was not completed. Stingley also made a tackle in the run game.
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Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Buffalo Bills 15
Offensive spotlight: The Steelers' first-team offense was supposed to get a solid run out in this game but was on the sideline halfway through the first quarter after putting up 14 points, albeit aided by a short field. Kenny Pickett completed three of four attempts for 43 yards, including a perfect pass up the seam that was the entirety of the offense’s second scoring drive. Pickett put it perfectly on tight end Pat Freiermuth after a big Calvin Austin III return had set the offense up with a short field. The Steelers' starting offense has looked outstanding so far in the preseason.
Defensive spotlight: The Buffalo first-team defense saw a solid amount of playing time (20 snaps) but wasn’t able to slow down the Steelers' offense. Taron Johnson, Matt Milano, Tre’Davious White, Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde each saw 20 snaps, and Hyde made the most notable contribution of the group, notching a couple of defensive stops and three tackles. The Bills' secondary was banged up all last season, and they would like to see it performing better than this when healthy.
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Indianapolis Colts 24, Chicago Bears 17
Offensive spotlight: Colts wide receiver Juwann Winfree made a few key grabs, including the touchdown reception from Gardner Minshew over the outstretched fingers of Bears rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Indianapolis signed former Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver James Washington this week, and he made a gorgeous one-handed catch down the left sideline for 42 yards on a nice ball from quarterback Sam Ehlinger.
Bears quarterback Nathan Peterman threw a dart to the back right corner of the end zone, where Daurice Fountain made a nice snag over a defender for the score. Fountain had four receptions for 59 yards and the touchdown, leading all receivers in yards.
Defensive spotlight: Colts second-year safety Trevor Denbow out of SMU had a tackle for loss and followed that up with a sack when left unblocked. Sixth-round rookie edge defender Titus Leo also added a sack and a tackle for loss.
Bears edge defender Terrell Lewis forced a fumble on a sack where he cleanly beat rookie tackle Blake Freeland and then showed good bend to sharply turn the corner and make the play.
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Kansas City Chiefs 38, Arizona Cardinals 10
Offensive spotlight: Mahomes led an explosive drive to end the first quarter, delivering strikes to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justyn Ross before showing some touch to feather the ball over a defender on an easy touchdown pass to Justin Watson after scrambling to his right.
For Arizona, it was good to see wide receiver Marquise Brown flash early with a 12-yard reception, showing off his shiftiness. Rookie quarterback Clayton Tune continues to show flashes, with an efficient touchdown drive in the two-minute drill to close out the first half.
Defensive spotlight: Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton produced a pass breakup to go along with a pressure and a tackle in the first half, and 2022 first-round edge defender George Karlaftis also tallied a pressure.
Cardinals linebacker-turned-edge defender Zaven Collins registered three quarterback pressures, and while linebacker-turned-safety Isaiah Simmons didn’t show up in the box score as much as he did on film, he was always near the play with good closing speed in coverage. Fellow safety Jalen Thompson tallied two defensive stops to lead all players in the first half.
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San Francisco 49ers 21, Denver Broncos 20
Offensive spotlight: Brock Purdy made his much-anticipated return following his elbow surgery this offseason. On his lone drive of the night, the second-year quarterback completed four of his five attempts for 65 yards, averaging an impressive 13 yards per attempt.
Defensive spotlight: Fred Warner reminded everyone why he’s the linebacker in football Saturday night. He’s the second-highest-graded defender from the game on first review (79.8) and had a pair of stops on just eight coverage snaps.
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Tennessee Titans 24, Minnesota Vikings 16
Offensive spotlight: Both teams rested the majority of their starters, including Derrick Henry on the Titans’ side. With Henry out, rookie third-round running back Tyjae Spears was arguably the most impressive starter on offense. After rushing for 5.3 yards per carry on six attempts last week, Spears continued to shine with 8.1 yards per carry on seven attempts in this game. Spears totaled 57 yards on the ground, with 53 of those yards coming after contact. He also added a 33-yard touchdown to open the scoring.
Defensive spotlight: The interior of the Vikings' defensive line suffered a big loss this offseason with the departure of Dalvin Tomlinson to the Cleveland Browns, so someone will need to step up and help fill the void this year. Seven-year veteran Sheldon Day didn’t play in 2022, but he has looked like a potential impact player over the past two weeks. Last week, he posted an 88.2 pass-rush grade. In Week 2, he landed a strip sack to add to his three total pressures as he started the game and played well into the third quarter.
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Las Vegas Raiders 34, Los Angeles Rams 17
Offensive spotlight: The Raiders gave us our first look at new starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo under center, and he drove the offense efficiently down the field for a touchdown score. Garoppolo threw four passes without an incompletion for 39 yards, including an 18-yard pass with pressure in his face to another new Raider, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
The Rams gave Stetson Bennett the start at quarterback, and he played well into the third quarter as the favorite to back up Matthew Stafford in the regular season. Bennett had some ups and downs, including a pick-six near the end of the first half. He also showed off a lot of the flashes that have put him in this position to be the Rams’ primary backup, as he went 15-for-24 for 142 passing yards and ran in a four-yard touchdown himself.
Defensive spotlight: The Rams released Bobby Wagner, who played over 1,000 defensive snaps for them at linebacker in 2022, this offseason. With Ernest Jones expected to step into a much bigger role at the position in 2023, the answer as to who will start alongside him could be 2022 UDFA out of Iowa State Jake Hummel. Over the past two games, Hummel has been the starter with Jones out and has played an every-down role while Christian Rozeboom has rotated off in sub-packages. Hummel led the team in tackles and came up with a pick-six for the Rams’ lone touchdown of the first half.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13, New York Jets 6
Offensive spotlight: This game was Part 2 of the Bucs' 2023 quarterback battle, as Kyle Trask got the start instead of Baker Mayfield, who started Tampa’s first game.
In this contest, Trask got even more extended playing time after backup quarterback John Wolford left the game with a neck injury. Trask went 20-for-28 for 218 passing yards and one touchdown, playing most of the game.
The Bucs offensive line struggled throughout the first half, but Trask was able to show some promising play. With pressure on more than one occasion, he made some plays outside of structure on the run, including a nice 6-yard run where he made two defenders miss.
Defensive spotlight: The Jets defensive line has been on a tear this preseason, and that continued against the Buccaneers. The highlight player was Bryce Huff, who recorded a sack on a devastating speed rush and recorded another pressure, as well.
Huff’s 26.0% pass rush win percentage was the highest in the NFL last season. Huff is showing that number was no fluke, even if he may not repeat such a high percentage in 2023.
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New England Patriots 21, Green Bay Packers 17
Offensive spotlight: Packers wideout Romeo Doubs continued his strong offseason, catching both of his targets for 52 yards and two first downs. He was targeted on 22.2% of his routes but was targeted 25.5 yards down the field on average.
Defensive spotlight: Sophomore edge defender Kingsley Enagbare rushed the passer just eight times, but he recorded two sacks and forced a fumble.
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Seattle Seahawks 22, Dallas Cowboys 14
Offensive spotlight: Cowboys rookie running back Deuce Vaughn started the game off hot. On his first carry of the contest, he scored on an impressive 14-yard run where he made multiple defenders miss with a beautiful jump cut into a spin move, putting his electric elusiveness on display from the get-go. Unfortunately for Vaughn, it was tough sledding after that, as Dallas' offensive line struggled to create opening running lanes for the rookie running back.
Defensive spotlight: Seahawks edge defender Boye Mafe may life extremely difficult on Dallas' “starters” Saturday night, as he was constantly generating pressures in addition to getting his hands in passing lanes. Mafe finished with three pressures and a batted pass across just 14 pass-rushing snaps. Additionally, Mafe also made his presence felt against the run, posting two run stops on the evening.
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New Orleans Saints 22, Los Angeles Chargers 17
Offensive spotlight: Second-year guard Zion Johnson played 16 snaps with the starters and looked comfortable from his spot at left guard. He didn't allow a single pressure across 11 pass-blocking snaps, and he also graded well as a run-blocker.
Defensive spotlight: Chargers second-round edge defender Tuli Tuipulotu recorded one pressure across his seven pass-rush snaps and came up with a big tackle for loss against the run late in the first quarter.
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Washington Commanders 29, Baltimore Ravens 28
Offensive spotlight: Commanders quarterback Sam Howell completed 19 of his 25 pass attempts for 188 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in his two quarters of action. He was aggressive, throwing the ball 8.5 yards down the field on average and 52.0% of attempts past the first-down marker, but he still recorded an impressive 79.2% adjusted completion percentage on the night.
Defensive spotlight: Third-year cornerback Ar'Darius Washington did his job against Washington's slot receivers. He allowed three catches from three targets, but those catches went for just 20 yards. He allowed just one first down and produced two defensive stops.
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Week 3
Pittsburgh Steelers 24, Atlanta Falcons 0
Offensive spotlight: Kenny Pickett has been nothing short of stellar this preseason. He completed all four of his passes in Atlanta for 86 yards. The second-year quarterback posted a perfect 158.3 passer rating this preseason, the only quarterback to accomplish that feat so far.
Defensive spotlight: The weakest part of the Steelers’ defense is easily the linebacker unit, but new starter Elandon Roberts performed very admirably in the win. He finished with a sack, a tackle for loss and a coverage stop on just 10 snaps Thursday night.
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Indianapolis Colts 27, Philadelphia Eagles 13
Offensive spotlight: Bernhard Raimann was impressive as a rookie last year, earning a 73.3 grade as the Colts’ starting left tackle. This preseason, he’s picked up right where he left off. He didn’t allow a pressure on any of his 33 pass-blocking snaps across his two games, 21 of them coming against the Eagles. Raimann also posted an 81.2 run-blocking grade on first review.
Defensive spotlight: With Shaquille Leonard and Zaire Franklin leading the way, the Colts have one of the better linebacker units in the league. It was Franklin who led the way tonight, finishing with two tackles for loss or no gain on just 12 run-defense snaps. The sixth-year linebacker from Syracuse forced an incompletion, as well.
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Detroit Lions 26, Carolina Panthers 17
Offensive spotlight: The Panthers played their starting offense for two drives, with 2023 first-overall pick Bryce Young leading the way at quarterback.
Young had his most productive game of the preseason — a positive sign heading into Week 1 — and went 7-of-12 for 73 yards and a touchdown through the air. Young also ran three times for 21 yards, showing off his ability to scramble and still come away with positive yardage.
Young’s go-to target during the two drives was veteran Adam Thielen, who was targeted five times and caught four passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Defensive spotlight: James Houston didn’t play until Week 12 of last year, but he finished the year with eight sacks on fewer than 100 pass-rush attempts.
Houston’s impressive sack rate has continued this preseason — he posted eight pressures and a sack on 29 attempts through the first two preseason games, and he managed to add to that this week. Houston combined for a sack with Romeo Okwara on Bryce Young and then split another one in the fourth quarter.
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Tennessee Titans 23, New England Patriots 7
Offensive spotlight: Titans QB Ryan Tannehill played three offensive snaps and handed the ball off on all three plays before his day was done.
Malik Willis took over the rest of the way, and while he started the game 1-of-5 with an interception, he flashed on a number of plays the rest of the way and finished strong. He ended the night 15-of-20 for 211 yards and two touchdown passes. He also ran the ball eight times for 17 yards.
Defensive spotlight: Titans defensive lineman Denico Autry looked in mid-season form, as he dominated the Patriots offensive line during his short stint in the game. He played just 10 snaps before his day was done at the end of the first quarter. On just five pass-rush attempts, he recorded two total pressures, which included a strip sack against Bailey Zappe.
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Los Angeles Chargers 23, San Francisco 49ers 12
Offensive spotlight: Joshua Kelley broke off the game's biggest play — a 75-yard scamper to the end zone. Although he took only two carries, the explosive touchdown run earned him a 90.0-plus rushing grade, per PFF's first review of the game.
Defensive spotlight: Javon Kinlaw posted a team-high two quarterback pressures on 10 pass-rushing snaps. The former first-round pick didn't fare as well in run defense, though.
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Kansas City Chiefs 33, Cleveland Browns 32
Offensive spotlight: Things didn’t start out well for the Browns offense, with a botched handoff between Deshaun Watson and running back Jordan Wilkins resulting in a turnover on their first drive before a three-and-out on their second. A short field allowed them to score on a nice throw from Watson to tight end David Njoku.
Their next drive could have turned sour again with another botched handoff between Watson and Wilkins on the opening play of the drive, but the running back was able to get the ball back. That drive would lead to another score, and the biggest play came when Watson found Amari Cooper wide-open for a 53-yard gain after evading pressure. That wrapped things up for the mostly starting offense, with a mix of big plays and errors with Watson on the field.
For the Chiefs, wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette had another big game as he attempts to make the final roster. He caught all four passes thrown his way for 101 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown.
Defensive spotlight: Browns defensive backs Juan Thornhill Rodney McLeod and Caleb Biggers all had interceptions in the game, with Thornhill breaking on the ball perfectly before making a couple of cuts on his way to taking it back for a score. McLeod’s interception came off a tip drill, with 2022 third-round cornerback Martin Emerson forcing the incompletion before it bounced to his fellow defensive back. Biggers later took advantage of a dropped pass to pick off backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert and return that for a score too.
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Arizona Cardinals 18, Minnesota Vikings 17
Offensive spotlight: Few significant players on either side were appearing in this game, but rookie Clayton Tune start and hasn’t been ruled out as a Day 1 starter over veteran Colt McCoy while Kyler Murray continues to rehab his torn ACL. The fact that Tune was playing at all suggests he’s behind in that race, but he outperformed David Blough, who relieved him later in the game. Tune averaged 7.1 yards per attempt at an average depth of target of 8.6 yards and one of his incompletions was a dropped pass.
Defensive spotlight: Another player whose appearance in the game in the first place isn’t a great sign for his standing on the depth chart is Vikings cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. He started at corner and played 16 snaps, 10 of which were in coverage. He was targeted once, allowing a catch for 26 yards on the play. Booth was a second-round pick of the team a season ago but lost most of his rookie year to injury. With a new scheme in place this season, he is battling to be a factor in a young defense.
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Buffalo Bills 24, Chicago Bears 21
Offensive spotlight: Both teams gave their starters some playing time in this game, and Josh Allen looked like he knocked any rust off with his performance. He completed 5-of-7 attempts, with one of the incompletions a dropped pass, averaging 7.0 yards per attempt in the process. The ball was out of his hands quickly and crisply unlike last week, with an average time to throw of just 2.53 seconds.
Defensive spotlight: Damar Hamlin isn’t just back on the field for Buffalo after his horrific cardiac incident and near-death experience during last season, but he’s playing as much as anybody. His 35 snaps in this game were the second-most on Buffalo’s defense. Hamlin made two defensive stops, tied for the most on the Bills defense and even rushed the passer a couple of times on the blitz. Hamlin figures to feature again for Buffalo, something that seemed inconceivable for a while last season.
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Green Bay Packers 19, Seattle Seahawks 15
Offensive spotlight: Jordan Love needed to use his legs on the Packers' opening drive, picking up a pair of first downs on five and 11-yard runs respectively. He didn’t complete a pass on that drive though, going 0-for-3 despite the Packers managing a field goal. He did heat up as a passer on the Packers' third, and his, final drive of the night though, ending with a nice back shoulder throw to wide receiver Christian Watson for the touchdown.
Drew Lock played all but the final drive of the game for the Seahawks, going 16-for-25 for 150 yards and a touchdown pass that went to Jake Bobo. Lock has had an up-and-down preseason, earning a 44.8 PFF passing grade against the Minnesota Vikings in their preseason opener, but bouncing back to earn a 78.7 PFF grade on six dropbacks last week. He’s locked in as their backup quarterback, but the Seahawks would be in big trouble if Geno Smith went down.
Defensive spotlight: Seahawks linebacker Jon Rhattigan led all players in the game with 12 tackles, seven of which were solo and one which resulted in a loss of yardage. Cornerback Michael Jackson, a 2019 fifth-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys, had a pair of pass breakups.
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New York Jets 32, New York Giants 24
Offensive spotlight: The offensive spotlight in this game comes in two parts. The first is Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers suited up in a game for a team not named the Green Bay Packers for the first time in his career, and he wasted no time in reminding people that a different jersey doesn’t mean his top-tier passing talent changed. On two drives, Rodgers went 5-of-8 for 47 passing yards and a beautiful touchdown pass to wide receiver Garrett Wilson.
Wilson is Part 2 of our spotlight, finishing the game with three catches on three targets for 30 receiving yards and that touchdown. If Saturday night was any indication of what's to come, expect a monster season from Wison with Rodgers as his new quarterback.
Defensive spotlight: The Jets' defensive line was once again stealing the show in this game. Both Jermaine Johnson and Bryce Huff recorded sacks against the Giants before their nights were done.
Johnson, whose sack is shown above, finished the game with an initial pass-rush grade of 85.6. It was Johnson’s second sack of the preseason, giving him some great momentum to be a regular-season contributor on a loaded defensive line.
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Washington Commanders 21, Cincinnati Bengals 19
Offensive spotlight: The Washington Commanders may have named Sam Howell their starting quarterback for the regular season, but veteran backup Jacoby Brissett showed them that he’ll be able to deliver if they need to call on him.
Brissett finished the game 10-for-15 for 96 yards and a touchdown, earning a 70.0-plus passing grade on first review. Two of his passes were also dropped, which elevated his adjusted completion percentage to 85.7%.
Later in the game, former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm came in for Brissett and played well, finishing 13-for-18 with 144 passing yards and two passing touchdowns.
Defensive spotlight: Commanders linebacker Khaleke Hudson was a standout from this game. He racked up two tackles for loss but also performed well in coverage, earning a high PFF coverage grade on first review.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26, Baltimore Ravens 20
Offensive spotlight: Named the starting quarterback for the Buccaneers this week, Baker Mayfield went 6-of-6 for 43 yards and a touchdown pass to Chris Godwin on two drives. Backup Kyle Trask finished the game, and he looks comfortable as the team’s backup quarterback, going 19-of-31 for 192 yards and a touchdown.
Rookie Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu started and played most of the game at left guard, so it was fair to assume that John Simpson has indeed won the job. And head coach John Harbaugh confirmed as much after the game. Simpson played 70 snaps this preseason, earning an 82.7 PFF grade and allowing zero pressures from 44 pass-blocking snaps.
Defensive spotlight: Ravens 2022 fourth-round draft pick Jalyn Armour-Davis saw his first action of the preseason, with the majority of his snaps coming as an outside cornerback. Ar'Darius Washington started in the slot again, and unless the team’s starting slot cornerback is Arthur Maulet, who has yet to feature this preseason, or a player not already on the roster, it looks like he will be manning that spot in Week 1.
The Buccaneers' defensive backs were active in getting their hands on the ball in the game, with Kaevon Merriweather, Keenan Isaac and Dee Delaney all forcing pass breakups.
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Jacksonville Jaguars 31, Miami Dolphins 18
Offensive spotlight: Jaguars starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence started the game and played the opening two drives. The first drive ended with a Tank Bigsby fumble, but the second saw Travis Etienne score from three yards out. Lawrence went 8-of-10 for 92 yards, with an average depth of target of 10.0 yards on the night.
On the opposite sideline, starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa played a single drive for the Dolphins, going 4-of-6 for 67 yards. He wasn’t really pushing the ball downfield, though, with an average depth of target of just 2.8 yards.
Defensive spotlight: Safety Jevon Holland was the standout on defense for the Dolphins, with their starters seeing a good run out in the first quarter and a half of this game. Holland forced and recovered the fumble by rookie running back Tank Bigsby on the Jaguars' opening drive.
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Dallas Cowboys 31, Las Vegas Raiders 16
Offensive spotlight: Cowboys quarterback Will Grier finished the game 29-of-35 for 305 passing yards and two passing touchdowns while adding 53 yards on the ground and two more touchdowns as a rusher.
With Cooper Rush the assumed QB2 in Dallas, and with the Cowboys just trading for Trey Lance, Grier is the odd man out. However, this performance should have other teams vying for Grier's services.
Raiders rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell, who is becoming a bit of a preseason legend, also had another solid performance. He finished this game 17-of-26 for 178 passing yards. He’s making quite the statement as a fifth-round pick and looks to be ready if the Raiders need him, even as a first-year player.
Defensive spotlight: Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith had a tough game against the Seahawks. But his performance against the Raiders was much better.
Smith looked much more explosive than he did against Seattle, playing with less hesitation and more confidence. That’s a good sign for the Cowboys' first-round pick heading into the regular season.
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Denver Broncos 41, Los Angeles Rams 0
Offensive spotlight: Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham was the standout offensive player of the game. He finished 17-for-28 for 236 yards and a touchdown, earning a 90.0-plus passing grade on first review.
Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam caught the touchdown pass and ended the game with seven catches for 109 yards. The fourth-year tight end went into the preseason finale with a roster spot on the line, and this performance seemed to really help his case.
Defensive spotlight: Broncos slot cornerback Essang Bassey grabbed another interception, which gives him a pick in all three of Denver’s preseason games.
Cornerback is always a tight group to narrow down come cutdown day. Bassey is showing that his takeaways mentality deserves to be on that final roster.
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Houston Texans 17, New Orleans Saints 13
Offensive spotlight: In a win for football nostalgia, Jimmy Graham‘s odds of making the Saints' 53-man roster seem high after tonight's performance. The longtime tight end caught three of his four targets for 34 yards, a touchdown and another first down, and he went 2-of-3 in contested situations.
Defensive spotlight: Cornerback Shaquill Griffin played 23 coverage snaps in the first half. He was targeted twice and allowed one catch for just 2 yards. He forced an incompletion on the other pass thrown into his coverage, finishing the day with an 80.0-plus PFF grade on first review.
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