Tag: NFL preseason

Steelers EDGE position battle heats up after Week One

The Steelers seem to have all the pass rushers they need.

It’s been a strange week for the Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebackers. First, the Steelers re-signed former Pittsburgh outside linebacker Markus Golden. This seemed to be the missing piece of the puzzle for depth as an edge rusher.

Then just days later, Golden retires. What? So now, rather than having everything the Steelers need at outside linebacker, they are back to square one, right? Maybe not.

The team’s first preseason game was Friday night and while the Steelers lost to the Houston Texans, two of the best players on the field for Pittsburgh were outside linebackers.

No, not those outside linebackers. It wasn’t T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith that stole the show. It was Jeremiah Moon and DeMarvin Leal. Each guy had a sack against the Texans and played very well.

The Steelers claimed Moon off waivers back in January. He spend his rookie season on and off of the Baltimore Ravens active roster. But the former Florida edge had a long six-year career extended by injury and COVID.

As for Leal, he’s trimmed down and it was great to see him actually taking some reps at outside linebacker in addition to being defensive end. Leal struggled in 2023 but it’s clear he’s taken it as a wakeup call.

Oh and we can’t forget last season’s backup Nick Herbig who only played 11 snaps on Friday night.

As we look to update our roster projection, It’s hard to keep Moon off the 53-man roster thanks to his play last week and Leal cemented his spot on the depth chart. Do the Steelers still need help at outside linebacker? Maybe not.

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Steelers EDGE position battle heats up after Week One

The Steelers seem to have all the pass rushers they need.

It’s been a strange week for the Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebackers. First, the Steelers re-signed former Pittsburgh outside linebacker Markus Golden. This seemed to be the missing piece of the puzzle for depth as an edge rusher.

Then just days later, Golden retires. What? So now, rather than having everything the Steelers need at outside linebacker, they are back to square one, right? Maybe not.

The team’s first preseason game was Friday night and while the Steelers lost to the Houston Texans, two of the best players on the field for Pittsburgh were outside linebackers.

No, not those outside linebackers. It wasn’t T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith that stole the show. It was Jeremiah Moon and DeMarvin Leal. Each guy had a sack against the Texans and played very well.

The Steelers claimed Moon off waivers back in January. He spend his rookie season on and off of the Baltimore Ravens active roster. But the former Florida edge had a long six-year career extended by injury and COVID.

As for Leal, he’s trimmed down and it was great to see him actually taking some reps at outside linebacker in addition to being defensive end. Leal struggled in 2023 but it’s clear he’s taken it as a wakeup call.

Oh and we can’t forget last season’s backup Nick Herbig who only played 11 snaps on Friday night.

As we look to update our roster projection, It’s hard to keep Moon off the 53-man roster thanks to his play last week and Leal cemented his spot on the depth chart. Do the Steelers still need help at outside linebacker? Maybe not.

[lawrence-auto-related count=”3″]

Steelers EDGE position battle heats up after Week One

The Steelers seem to have all the pass rushers they need.

It’s been a strange week for the Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebackers. First, the Steelers re-signed former Pittsburgh outside linebacker Markus Golden. This seemed to be the missing piece of the puzzle for depth as an edge rusher.

Then just days later, Golden retires. What? So now, rather than having everything the Steelers need at outside linebacker, they are back to square one, right? Maybe not.

The team’s first preseason game was Friday night and while the Steelers lost to the Houston Texans, two of the best players on the field for Pittsburgh were outside linebackers.

No, not those outside linebackers. It wasn’t T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith that stole the show. It was Jeremiah Moon and DeMarvin Leal. Each guy had a sack against the Texans and played very well.

The Steelers claimed Moon off waivers back in January. He spend his rookie season on and off of the Baltimore Ravens active roster. But the former Florida edge had a long six-year career extended by injury and COVID.

As for Leal, he’s trimmed down and it was great to see him actually taking some reps at outside linebacker in addition to being defensive end. Leal struggled in 2023 but it’s clear he’s taken it as a wakeup call.

Oh and we can’t forget last season’s backup Nick Herbig who only played 11 snaps on Friday night.

As we look to update our roster projection, It’s hard to keep Moon off the 53-man roster thanks to his play last week and Leal cemented his spot on the depth chart. Do the Steelers still need help at outside linebacker? Maybe not.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

How to watch and stream Broncos’ preseason game vs. Colts

The Broncos preseason game against the Colts will be nationally televised on NFL Network today. Locally, the game will be broadcast on KTVD.

The Denver Broncos are set to go on the road this week to face the Indianapolis Colts in their preseason opener on Sunday, Aug. 11.

It will mark Bo Nix‘s first game in the NFL and the contest will be locally televised in the Denver area on KTVD and nationally televised across the country on NFL Network. Football fans can stream the NFLN broadcast on fuboTV (try it free).

Kickoff between the Broncos and Colts has been set for 11:00 a.m. MT (1:00 p.m. ET in Indy). Greg Rakestraw and Rick Venturi will serve as commentators for the Colts broadcast in Indiana.

Steve Levy (play-by-play) and Ryan Harris (color analyst) will serve as the commentators for Denver’s broadcast on KTVD. Scotty Gange (9News) and Cynthia Frelund (NFLN) will report from the sidelines.

In addition to the NFL Network broadcast, the following networks will also air the game, according to 506sports.com:

(Courtesy: 506sports.com)

In Mexico, all of the Broncos’ preseason games will be televised internationally on Fox Sports Mexico.

After facing the Colts, Denver will have two more preseason games this month and they will also be nationally televised (full schedule here).

The Broncos are ultimately preparing for a regular season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, a road game on Sunday, Sept. 8 in Week 1.

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Former Wisconsin linebacker leads Cincinnati Bengals defense in breakout effort

Former Wisconsin linebacker leads Cincinnati Bengals defense in breakout effort

Former Wisconsin Badgers and current Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Maema Njongmeta had a breakout game in his NFL debut on Saturday.

That debut came in the Bengals’ 17-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first week of the 2024 NFL preseason. He finished the contest with a team-high 10 tackles (seven solo) and two pass deflections.

Related: Every former Wisconsin Badger currently on an NFL roster entering 2024 training camp

The former Badger signed with the Bengals in April after going unselected during the 2024 NFL draft. He is listed as a fourth-team inside linebacker on the Bengals’ roster, along with several other post-draft signees.

His debut performance has Njongmeta’s stock soaring as the preseason schedule continues. Bengals writers and fans were surprised by his strong debut showing:

The multiyear starter at Wisconsin will get two more preseason opportunities before the Bengals must decide on their 53-man roster. The next chance comes on Saturday, Aug. 17 against the Chicago Bears.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. 

Jaguars open preseason with 26-13 victory over Chiefs

Jaguars open preseason with 26-13 victory over Chiefs

Off to a good start.

The Jaguars opened their 2024 preseason with about as convincing a win as they could have hoped for in an exhibition game, defeating their reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs 26-13 at EverBank Stadium.

Starting Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence went three-of-four passing for 42 yards and one touchdown. Backups, C.J. Beathard went 7-of-14 for 125 yards and one touchdown and Mac Jones went 9-of-11 for 98 yards.

15 different Jaguars wide receivers caught a pass, with rookie Brian Thomas Jr.’s 41-yard deep reception and Devin Duvernay’s 35-yard long touchdown being the highlights of Jacksonville’s passing game. Both passes came from Beathard.

Jacksonville’s defense, under the tutelage of new coordinator Ryan Nielsen, suffocated Kansas City’s offense to the tune of 4.5 yards per play and 2-of-13 on third downs.

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offensive starters managed seven plays for 43 yards on their lone drive but were held to a field goal before backups rotated into the lineup.

Defensive linemen Esezi Otomewo, Breeland Speaks, Myles Cole and Tyler Lacy, and linebacker Yasir Abdullah, combined to record Jacksonville’s four sacks. Safety Terrell Edmunds forced two fumbles, as well.

But the most exciting moment of the night came on special teams, just as the NFL intended by overhauling kickoffs this offseason.

Wide receiver Parker Washington took Jacksonville’s first return attempt under the league’s new kickoff rules back 73 yards to set the Jaguars’ offense up in the red zone for its first possession, at the 20-yard line.

The run-back paved the way for Jacksonville’s first touchdown of the night, secured by the first-team offense four plays later. Lawrence found Travis Etienne Jr. on an angle route for a seven-yard score.

The Jaguars will remain in Jacksonville for Week 2 of the preseason, scheduled to host Tampa Bay at EverBank Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Vikings rookie QB wows in NFL debut

J.J. McCarthy had the best pro debut of any rookie quarterback.

It didn’t take long for Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy to impress in his preseason debut. The Vikings beat the Las Vegas Raiders 24-23 on Saturday and McCarthy dazzled with a huge performance.

For the game, McCarthy went 11-for-16 passing in limited action. He finished with 188 passing yards and two touchdowns to one interception. McCarthy also chipped in 18 more yards on the ground.

You can see McCarthy’s best pass of the game in the tweet below as he threw an absolute dime to wide receiver Trent Shefield for a 33-yard touchdown pass. McCarthy also had a 45-yard touchdown pass to Trishton Jackson.

McCarthy is hoping to replace Kirk Cousins and if his first game is any indication, he is ready to go.

The Vikings selected McCarthy out of the University of Michigan with the No. 10 overall pick after McCarthy led the Wolverines to a CFB National Championship.

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3 Steelers on the roster bubble after the loss to the Texans

Multiple Steelers played poorly enough vs the Texand they are on the roster bubble.

Friday night’s preseason loss to the Houston Texans did not go according to plan for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Texans had a one-game head start on the Steelers and it really showed.

There were a few excellent performances from guys like rookie linebacker Payton Wilson and backup running back Diajun Edwards but there were also several guys who did nothing to hold their spots on the roster.

Here are three guys who were bad enough they could find themselves on the roster bubble this week.

WR Quez Watkins

If you are not going to have any impact in the passing game, you have better not mess up two punts if you want to make the team. Quez Watkins was pretty awful against the Texans and might not make it to the start of the season.

C Nate Herbig

A pair of bad snaps when you are being pushed by rookie Zach Frazier is not how Nate Herbig wanted the night to go. Herbig had a miserable game while Frazier was rock solid. Herbig makes too much money to play so poorly.

S Damontae Kazee

Kazee is another guy making too much money and with too much competition around him to play as badly as he did. Kazee struggled and is facing stiff competition to stay on the team.

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WATCH: Former Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen rips highlight run, trucks defender in NFL debut

WATCH: Wisconsin great Braelon Allen rips highlight run in NFL debut

Former Wisconsin great Braelon Allen is wasting no time making his presence felt at the NFL level.

Allen made his professional debut in the New York Jets’ 2024 preseason opener against the Washington Commanders on Saturday. The rookie running back, who will enter the season No. 2 on the depth chart behind Jets star RB Breece Hall, began his career with a dominant drive of six carries for 54 yards.

Related: Full highlights, best runs from Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen’s New York Jets debut

For those doing the math, that’s a 9 yards-per-carry average.

His most explosive carry from the contest looked a lot like many of his highlight plays from his three years with the Badgers. The running back took the handoff, made a smart cut up the field, found space and finished the run by bowling over an opposing safety.

The highly touted rookie will have no trouble keeping a consistent role with the Jets if some of his runs look like that.

Related: Every former Wisconsin Badger currently on an NFL roster entering 2024 training camp

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

QB that the Paul Chryst Wisconsin Badgers defeated in a bowl game is dominating in first NFL start

Jayden Daniels couldn’t score against the Paul Chryst Wisconsin Badgers

Here at Badgers Wire, we have a tendency to view national headlines through a Wisconsin-centric lens. Today, those headlines are dominated by Week 1 of the NFL preseason, which includes a first look at many of this year’s top incoming rookies.

The current center of that focus is Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Related: Every former Wisconsin Badger currently on an NFL roster entering 2024 training camp

Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft out of LSU, is making his first NFL preseason start against the New York Jets. His first drive as a professional: 2/3 passing, 45 yards, 15 yards per attempt and a rushing touchdown.

He is off to a dominant start, to say the least. His debut suddenly has many looking at Washington’s long-term future after the franchise chose him at No. 2 over former North Carolina QB Drake Maye, Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy, Oregon QB Bo Nix and Washington QB Michael Penix.

We are not here to relitigate the 2024 draft, or Daniels’ college career and 2023 Heisman Trophy campaign. Instead, it’s necessary to note Wisconsin’s tie to the top news of the day:

Daniels was soundly defeated by the Paul Chryst-led Wisconsin Badgers in the 2021 Las Vegas Bowl — that back when he played for head coach Herm Edwards and Arizona State.

Wisconsin won the contest 20-13 thanks to 159 rushing yards from Braelon Allen, a touchdown reception by Jake Ferguson and a suffocating defensive effort. Daniels threw for only 159 yards and an interception in the game, while adding 40 rushing yards.

Arizona State gained 219 yards of total offense that evening, compared to Wisconsin’s 294.

The Badgers famously closed the game with a 18-play, 90-yard, 10-minute drive that killed almost the entire fourth quarter off the clock.

A lot has chanced since that date. Daniels transferred to LSU and blossomed into a rising star, while Chryst was fired after the Badgers started the 2022 season 2-3.

It’s safe to say that the young quarterback has improved greatly since being unable to score against the vaunted 2021 Wisconsin defense.

 

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.