Tag: NFL preseason

Broncos injuries: Good initial news for CB Damarri Mathis

Broncos CB Damarri Mathis (ankle) had X-rays come back negative on Sunday. “I don’t think it’s anything significant,” Sean Payton said.

Story update: An MRI on Monday revealed that Damarri Mathis has a high ankle sprain. His timeline for a return is uncertain. See our original post below. 

Denver Broncos cornerback Damarri Mathis suffered an ankle injury early in Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Mathis was carted off the field and underwent X-rays, which came back negative. There’s still more testing to be done, but that’s a positive early sign.

“The images were real positive, so I don’t think it’s anything significant,” coach Sean Payton said when asked about Mathis on Sunday night. “That’s good news.”

Elsewhere on the injury front, Denver pass rusher Durell Nchami suffered a hamstring injury and wide receiver Phillip Dorsett injured his leg. Dorsett later returned to the game. There’s been no word yet on Nchami’s status.

When the Broncos set a 53-man roster on Tuesday, they are allowed to place two players on injured reserve with a designation to return. If Mathis is placed on IR with such a designation, he would be eligible to return after four weeks. That’s a moot point, of course, if it’s not a serious injury.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

15 photos from Broncos’ preseason win over Cardinals

The Broncos defeated the Cardinals 38-12 in their preseason finale on Sunday. Here are our favorite photos from the victory.

The Denver Broncos defeated the Arizona Cardinals 38-12 in their preseason finale on Sunday afternoon. Here are our favorite photos from the victory.

Commanders WR Martavis Bryant may have won a roster spot with one play

One play could help Martavis Bryant make Washington’s roster.

When the Washington Commanders signed veteran wide receiver Martavis Bryant two weeks ago, it was mostly viewed as roster depth. There was no way a player who had been out of the NFL for six years could make the team.

But Bryant is different than most. The fact he has been out of the NFL that long and even has the opportunity to make a team should tell you everything about Bryant’s talent.

At 6-foot-4, 208 pounds, Bryant ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds back in 2014. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the fourth round of that draft.

Bryant once appeared destined for superstardom, but multiple suspensions for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy derailed his career. He last played a game in the NFL in 2018. During his absence from the NFL, Bryant had stints in the CFL, Indoor Football League, FCF, and XFL.

However, in 2023, the Dallas Cowboys signed Bryant to their practice squad. While he never played in a game for the Cowboys, he impressed then-defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is now the head coach of the Commanders.

Earlier this offseason, the Commanders brought Bryant in for a workout but didn’t sign him. After seeing their receivers for a few weeks into training camp, Washington chose to sign Bryant.

In Sunday’s preseason finale against the Patriots, Bryant caught three passes for 20 yards, including a four-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, and drew a pair of pass interference penalties.

Here’s the touchdown.

While that is impressive, Bryant’s effort on Washington’s go-ahead touchdown earlier in the fourth quarter will excite general manager Adam Peters and the coaching staff.

Check out Bryant here, blocking in the fourth quarter of a preseason game. It was a key block, too, as running back Michael Wiley scored on the play.

It’s that type of effort that Bryant showed that helps coaches decide between a player or two. It’s all about effort. Bryant is a player who once had it all and is now fighting for his football life. He’s happy to be here and willing to do whatever it takes for another shot at the NFL.

Bryant’s effort is part of the reason the Commanders soured on 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson before trading him to the Philadelphia Eagles last week.

One play doesn’t make or break anyone, but Bryant gives Washington something it lacks: Size at the wide receiver position. When you also factor in his effort and athleticism, Bryant impressed the Commanders over the past two weeks and has a chance of making the 53-man roster.

Second-half observations from Commanders vs Patriots’ preseason finale

Some observations from the second half of Washington’s preseason finale against the Patriots.

The Washington Commanders wrapped up the preseason with a 20-10 victory over the New England Patriots. Here are some observations from Sunday’s second half of the Commanders’ final preseason game.

  1. A play that illustrates how hard it is to evaluate a wide receiver: Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint clearly had his corner defender beaten deep. However, Trace McSorley badly underthrew him, forcing him to slow down. The defender caught up to him, and the pass was incomplete. Had the pass been better thrown, it would have been a 40-yard gain for Rosemy-Jacksaint. Later, Rosemy-Jacksaint made an adjustment to make a nice catch on a pass underthrown by McSorely.
  2. I don’t know if Phidarian Mathis is going to make the squad. However, he just batted down his second pass of the second half. Is the last tackle spot a battle between Mathis and John Ridgeway?
  3. Running back, Michael Wiley took an inside run, bounced it outside, and then displayed the ability to stay in bounds while diving to the pylon. Excellent footwork by Wiley for the 9-yard touchdown.
  4. When I was ready to declare Colson Yankoff the fourth tight end, Cole Turner made a very nice catch with his arms extended. It was clearly Turner’s best catch of the preseason. I have no idea how coaches are evaluating this battle. Last week, I noticed Yankoff really hustling on special teams.
  5. Another area where this is so deceptive is that a decent quarterback would have had a touchdown on three opportunities on this fourth-quarter drive alone. Joe Milton has no sense of touch or how to pass, though he has a huge arm. The Patriots had people wide open for touchdowns three times in that drive, and Milton could not deliver. On the other hand, Commanders’ coaches saw how badly those plays were being defended.
  6. But 34 players did not dress for the Commanders tonight. Martavis Bryant exhibited his size on Sunday night, making contact on the goalline and catching a touchdown pass from McSorley. It’s been since 2018 since he played in an actual NFL game. I have no idea what coaches are thinking here, other than maybe how thin they think the receiver room might actually be?

Commanders defeat Patriots 20-10 in preseason finale

Washington wraps up the preseason with a 20-10 win over the Patriots.

The Washington Commanders defeated the New England Patriots 20-10 on Sunday night to complete the 2024 preseason.

The Commanders went into halftime trailing 7-0, as the offense failed to get going in the first half. However, things began to shift in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarterback, behind quarterback Trace McSorley.

McSorley, an Ashburn native signed less than two weeks ago, led the Commanders to 20 second-half points. McSorley led four scoring drives, including two touchdown drives. Washington’s first touchdown came in the fourth quarter when undrafted rookie running back Michael Wiley scored his second touchdown of the preseason.

After a defensive stop, McSorley led an impressive nine-play, 86-yard drive culminating with a four-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Martavis Bryant. Like McSorley, Bryant only recently signed with the Commanders after being out of the NFL for six years.

Another newcomer, kicker Cade York, made both of his field goal and point-after attempts.

McSorley completed 12 of 21 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. McSorley also rushed for 40 yards. Jeff Driskel started the game and completed 12 of 18 passes for 73 yards with an interception.

The Commanders rushed for 114 yards with McSorley leading the way.

Washington finishes the preseason with a 1-2 record and now prepares for a Week 1 game at Tampa Bay.

WATCH: Commanders QB Trace McSorley levels defender and teammates love it

McSorley had all of his teammates fired up.

Trace McSorley is living his best life right now. Growing up in Ashburn, Virginia, McSorley was a fan of the Washington NFL franchise. Less than two weeks ago, a dream came true for McSorley when the Commanders signed him to be their fourth quarterback with rookie Sam Hartman injured.

McSorley got his first taste of action against the Miami Dolphins in last week’s second preseason game.

However, this weekend was even more special for the 29-year-old former Penn State star. McSorley would be Washington’s primary backup quarterback, with Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota receiving the night off. That would mean McSorley would play most, if not all, of the second half in front of the home fans at Commanders Field.

Things went well for McSorley, who led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to give the Commanders a 20-10 win over the New England Patriots in the final preseason game.

On Washington’s final touchdown drive, McSorley excited his entire team as he carried the ball toward the sideline and put his shoulder into Patriots cornerback Azizi Hearn, dropping him to the ground.

Everyone was fired up. Daniels, linebacker Frankie Luvu, and rookie safety Tyler Owens were among those who celebrated McSorley’s “hit.”

Whether or not the Commanders keep McSorley on their 53-man roster, he lived out a dream. As far as his play, McSorley completed 12 of 21 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 40 yards on four attempts.

 

NFL preseason Week 3 fantasy football recap

Reviewing all of the notable fantasy football performances from Week 3 exhibition play.

While NFL preseason stats ultimately don’t matter in the quest for a fantasy football championship, that’s not to say it those numbers are entirely useless to track. Exhibition action gives us a glimpse into unearthed gems and allows gamers to recalibrate late-round flier rankings. After all, just getting an opportunity to showcase one’s talent can be the difference in making a roster or not, which creates an inroad for a chance during the regular season.

With that established, here’s a spin around the noteworthy performances — good and otherwise — over the final week of the preseason. Since the NFL splits the games up over several days, be sure to check back multiple times for updates.

As you can tell below, most teams rested key players, so we weren’t left with much for fantasy implications this week.

Patriots lead Commanders 7-0 at halftime of final preseason game

Penalties were the highlight of the first half.

The Washington Commanders sat 34 players ahead of their final preseason game on Sunday night against the New England Patriots. With so many players sitting, it’s no surprise that New England leads Washington 7-0 at halftime.

Third-string quarterback Jeff Driskel received the start at quarterback for the Commanders.

While Washington rested its starters, New England had most of its starters on the field for the first drive. Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett got the start for the Patriots, and the goal was for him to play one or two drives. However, on the first drive, Commanders defensive end K.J. Henry takes advantage of a confused Patriots offensive line and drops Brissett to the ground. Brissett, who was with Washington last season, departed the game.

Rookie Drake Maye entered the game for the Patriots and looked fantastic on his first drive, completing several passes on an 11-play, 88-yard drive that he finished with a touchdown pass to running back Kevin Harris. Maye, the No. 3 overall pick — one pick behind Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels — finished the first half by completing 13 of 20 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown.

Driskel completed 12 of 18 passes for 73 yards for Washington but did throw an interception. Driskel was often under pressure in the first half. Wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley caught four passes for 37 yards. Tinsley is battling to earn one of the final spots on the roster.

Penalties were the first-half theme, with the two teams combining for 12 penalties for 90 yards.

Twitter reacts to Zach Wilson’s performance in Broncos’ preseason finale

That was an impressive performance from Broncos quarterback Zach Wilson!

Denver Broncos third-string quarterback Zach Wilson posted an impressive stat line in the team’s preseason finale on Sunday, going 16-of-25 passing for 251 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers. Wilson also rushed twice for 22 yards and a score in a 38-12 victory.

Here’s a sampling of how fans and pundits reacted to Wilson’s performance on Twitter/X on Sunday afternoon.

Following his performance against the Arizona Cardinals, Wilson seems likely to make Denver’s 53-man roster. Broncos coach Sean Payton has hinted that all three QBs — Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Wilson — will make the active roster. Denver’s cuts could begin as early as Monday.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Twitter reacts to Broncos’ preseason win over Cardinals

The Broncos defeated the Cardinals 38-12 in their preseason finale on Sunday. Here’s how Twitter/X reacted.

The Denver Broncos defeated the Arizona Cardinals 38-12 in their preseason finale on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a sampling of how fans and pundits reacted to the game on Twitter/X.

With preseason now wrapped up, Denver will turn its attention toward roster cuts. The Broncos have until Tuesday afternoon to finalize a 53-man roster for the 2024 regular season.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]