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Week 3 of NFL Pre-season is widely regarded as the most important of the four. The regular season Week 1 starters usually get their most playing time, meaning it is a true dress rehearsal of how the team looks while preparing for a 2019 championship push. It was another good week for the AFC East, with 3/4 of the teams coming away with the win yet again. However it was a different team who let the division down this week, Max Hillman writes.
More Stidham Success for the Patriots in Pre-season.
- Patriots 10 – 3 Panthers
– The Patriots made it to a 3-0 Pre-season record with a W in Carolina. A familiar story in Jarrett Stidham’s success meant that the backup QB battle is swaying in his favour. Other backup battler Brian Hoyer didn’t see a single snap in Week 3, while Stidham threw an impressive 15/19 for 134 yards. A lesser known QB called Tom Brady also made his way onto the field and threw for a quick 75 yards on 8 completions. The scores in the game came from the rushers. With Michel, Bolden and Brossette combining for 110 yards and last seasons 99 yards AFC East Team of the Season member James Develin rushing once for one yard and one TD.
Four sacks by the Pats D also helped stop the Panthers in their tracks. Ufomba Kamalu had one of those sacks and also a team high 5 tackles, while my Breakout player prediction Kyle Van Noy also brought down the Panthers QB for a sack. This Pats team is definitely looking like a possible contender (again), without many of its starting receivers on the field.
Dolphins Swim Past the Jags
- Dolphins 22 – 7 Jaguars
– Starting QB favourite Ryan Fitzpatrick was in his Week 1-3 form. He bombed the Sacksonville D for 126 yards and a TD while only throwing 18 times (completing 12). Rosen also had a brief appearance under center with a 5/7 rate and 59 yards. Miami’s rushers had a successful evening, with Patrick Laird flying to a team high 26 yards and a TD on 6 carries. Lesser known name Mark Walton got the Dolphins only TD reception on the game.
However it was the defence that took the headlines both on and off the field. 5 tackles and a pick for Eric Rowe wildly increased his stock in the minds of fans and analysts alike. But off the field, it emerged a possible trade for Jadeveon Clowney could be brewing in Miami. With Clowney meeting with Dolphins reps, a trade that would surely improve the Defence provided they dont give up too much (Tunsil) in return.
Do Buffalo Billieve They Can Compete or is Pre-season a false positive?
- Lions 20 – 24 Bills
– Another win for the Bills meant they too are on a 3-0 record, and they did so by tanking the Lions to 0-3. It was a Matt war at New Era, with Detroit’s Stafford and Buffalo’s Barkley showing up massively. Barkley showed he could be a starter in many franchises, with 142 passing yards and a TD on only 14 attempted throws. Starter Josh Allen and University of Buffalo alum Tyree Jackson played for a limited amount of time and didn’t really generate many talking points. Rushers created most of the Bills points, including a star snap by 3rd round pick Devin Singletary who rushed for 9 yards in just one carry which was brought to the house for a TD.
Other news from the game included sophomore Tremaine Edmunds with 8 total tackles. While the headliner from the first two weeks of Pre-season in the name of Christian Wade didn’t even get on the field. Showing a 53 man roster spot is a long shot, but starring for the practice squad is a real possibility.
Jets crash in New Orleans
- Jets 13 – 28 Saints
The Jets defence allowed two Saints QBs to throw for over 100 yards. Neither of them were named Drew Brees. Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill flew past the lacklustre defence for a combined 270 yards. In a game where it was hard to find positives for the Jets, Sam Darnold had a decent game throwing for 97 yards and a TD. Trenton Cannon also rushed for 51 yards from only 6 carries, a good average of 8.5 yards per carry. Receiver Robby Anderson had two catches for 60 yards, and that’s really all to talk about from that game! The Jets fall to 1-2 in Pre-season, but as we know pre season records dont matter all that much, and with Le’veon Bell and others still to come into the Jets team, there isn’t much cause to worry just yet.
- With just over a week to go until the regular season starts, the franchises starters go into lockdown. However Pre-season week 4 will still be a good one to watch as players not originally considered for a starting spot will attempt to star their way into the roster. Feel free to get into contact @18hillman with your thoughts!
(image credits to neworleanssaints.com)