Couple preseason standouts make Raiders debut vs Cardinals

Tashawn Bower — who led NFL in preseason sacks (4) — among those making Raiders debut today

No one wants injuries to happen, but they’re inevitable in the NFL. The Raiders suffered injuries to several starters in the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. Center Andre James, linebacker Denzel Perryman, and safety Tre’von Moehrig were all ruled out on Friday and are among the team’s inactives today against the Cardinals.

As a result, a couple of the team’s preseason standouts will make their Raiders debut in the team’s preseason opener today.

Tashawn Bower led the NFL with four sacks this preseason. He was inactive for the season opener last week and gets the nod today, becoming the fifth edge rusher on the game day roster.

Darien Butler finished seventh in the league with 21 combined preseason tackles (13 solo). The Perryman injury has him and fellow undrafted linebacker Luke Masterson both active.

Along with Butler and Masterson, two other undrafted rookies are active — CB Sam Webb and S Isaiah Pola-Mao. This will also be Pola-Mao’s NFL debut. And it means that all four of the undrafted rookies on the Raiders roster are active today.

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WATCH: Former Texas QB Sam Ehlinger makes his NFL debut on Thursday Night Football

The smile says it all.

Former Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger made his NFL debut on Thursday Night Football. Continue reading “WATCH: Former Texas QB Sam Ehlinger makes his NFL debut on Thursday Night Football”

Chiefs rookie Creed Humphrey’s NFL debut dispels left-handed center myth

#Chiefs rookie center Creed Humphrey was just about perfect in his NFL debut, dispelling a league myth about left-handed snappers.

When the Kansas City Chiefs drafted Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, there was a lot of chatter about his ability to succeed in the NFL because of how he snaps the football.

Left-handed snappers at the center position have been particularly rare in the NFL. Most recently you had James Stone, who snapped out of the shotgun with his left hand, but under-center with his right hand. Before that, Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae infamously snapped with his left hand after breaking his right hand as to not lose his consecutive snap streak. But really, there hadn’t been much success in the NFL with left-handed snappers.

That all changed on Sunday when Humphrey played in his NFL debut against the Cleveland Browns. Not only was Humphrey perfect snapping the football, but he was also perfect in about every other regard too. According to Pro Football Focus, in 41 pass-blocking snaps, Humphrey allowed no sacks and no pressures.

Humphrey also came in as the Chiefs’ third-highest graded run-blocker on the offensive line behind tackles Lucas Niang and Creed Humphrey.

If we’re being nitpicky, Humphrey was flagged for an ineligible player downfield penalty during the Chiefs’ lone two-point conversion attempt during the game. But you can hardly blame him for that on a play where things didn’t go as planned anyways.

The truth is, Chiefs fans should be extremely pleased with the performance of Humphrey. NFL talent evaluators, on the other hand, should be kicking themselves for letting the former Oklahoma Sooner fall to Kansas City at pick No. 63.

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How to watch Sam Ehlinger make his NFL debut with the Colts on Sunday

Ehlinger will make his NFL debut today!

Former Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger will make his NFL debut on Sunday.

Ehlinger was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft and was widely viewed as a developmental quarterback at the professional level. When he entered training camp with the Colts, his best case scenario was to try and become the primary backup to Carson Wentz.

However, Wentz is currently sidelined with a foot injury and the timetable of his return is unknown. Ehlinger clearly knew the opportunity that presented itself, and he’s now in an intense position battle with second-year quarterback Jacob Eason for meaningful snaps this season.

Eason and Ehlinger are now splitting first-team reps at practice, but the Colts’ three preseason games will be crucial for each of the young quarterbacks who have yet to throw an NFL pass.

Will the rookie continue to provide a spark in more of a game-like setting?

Here’s how to tune in to Ehlinger’s NFL debut on Sunday.

When

Sunday, August 15, 12 p.m. CST

Where

Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN)

How to watch

ABC, CBS, FOX, NFL Network