While the opening preseason game for most teams carries little intrigue as players from the back end of the roster try to strut their stuff, several story lines will be worth following Thursday night.
Start in the New Jersey Meadowlands and in Seattle.
Top overall draft pick Mayfield will see some action against the Giants, who have their own prized rookie in second overall selection Saquon Barkley. The Browns might not be counting on too much from Mayfield early on as veteran Tyrod Taylor is Cleveland’s starter, but New York expects a huge boost for its offense from the Penn State running back.
On the other coast, the Colts plan for their recently luckless quarterback to take some snaps against the Seahawks. Luck hurt the right shoulder in September 2015 against Tennessee, missed two games, then returned to make four more starts before sustaining a season-ending lacerated kidney. He played through shoulder pain in 2016, then had surgery that sidelined him for all of last season.
It’s been roughly 600 days between starts for the Colts star.
Elsewhere on the first full night of preseason games, it’s Carolina at Buffalo, Chicago at Cincinnati, New Orleans at Jacksonville, Tampa Bay at Miami, Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore, Washington at New England Cheap Darius Leonard Jersey , Tennessee at Green Bay, Houston at Kansas City, and Dallas at San Francisco.
What to look for Thursday night around the league:
BAKER AND BARKLEY
Brimming with optimism coming off a 0-16 season, Cleveland’s plan is to have Mayfield sit and learn as a rookie behind Taylor, who will start at MetLife Stadium and play one or two series before giving way to Mayfield, who is expected to play two quarters.
“When you get the energy level up, you’ve got to be able to execute, so that’s why I’m excited about Thursday as well,” Mayfield said. “You get people hyped up, you actually get some contact in and you can focus in and do your job when there are distractions around.”
New Giants coach Pat Shurmur, who led the Browns in 2011-12, hasn’t indicated how much Barkley will play.
“I am hoping I am good to go for that game,” Barkley said. “I am more than capable to playing now. I am just happy inside to play in my first NFL game. Hopefully I can maximize every rep.”
LUCKY COLTS
Luck is expected to play most of the first quarter, likely one or two series playing in a revamped offense with an overhauled offensive line.
“I’ll be excited and a little nervous,” Luck said. “There were one or two moments where I wondered if, ‘Am I ever going to be able to do this again?'”
Seattle is also revamped. The names Sherman Cheap Lamar Jackson Jersey , Avril, Bennett and Chancellor that used to don the backs of jerseys are no longer around. It’ll be the first look at an overhauled defense where the big questions center on the secondary — star safety Earl Thomas is holding out — and what kind of pass rush can be generated.
VRABEL’S DEBUT
Mike Vrabel says he really hasn’t spent much time thinking of any pregame speech in his debut as Titans coach.
“Never really got a great motivational speech as a professional athlete,” Vrabel said. “Just had a job to do, was prepared, knew the game plan and went out and played.”
Another man with Patriots ties, cornerback Malcolm Butler, plays his first game for Tennessee. He most memorably was benched on defense for the Super Bowl in February even as New England’s secondary was torn apart by Philadelphia.
A season-ending knee injury to Packers inside linebacker Jake Ryan left a hole in the run defense. Third-round pick Oren Burks will get the first chance at replacing Ryan in the base defense.
FLORIDA MATCHUP
Miami’s eyes will be on Ryan Tannehill, who like Luck sat out last season when injured. He’ll make a brief appearance against Tampa Bay, which won’t have top draftee DT Vita Vea (calf injury).
PENNSYLVANIA MATCHUP
Two teams with Super Bowl possibilities, though the regulars barely will get on the field.
Pittsburgh, of course, is without outstanding running back Le’Veon Bell, who is holding out. All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown and QB Ben Roethlisberger will sit.
With Carson Wentz still not cleared for contact and Nick Foles, the Super Bowl MVP, sidelined by muscle spasms in his shoulder and neck, third-year pro QB Nate Sudfeld starts.
CALIFORNIA MATCHUP
No Harold Landry Titans Jersey , the Cowboys don’t call California home. They do spend a few weeks there in the summer, and now they’ll visit the 49ers.
Dallas is searching for leadership with tight end Jason Witten gone to ESPN and WR Dez Bryant cut.
San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo, 7-0 as a starter in his four-year career, will be taking his first snaps in a game since signing a five-year, $137.5 million contract. He’s looked good during training camp.
POUNDING THE ROCK
New Orleans and Jacksonville expect to get a brief look at their revamped ground games.
Saints running back Terrance West is trying to prove he’s the guy to fill in for Pro Bowl starter Mark Ingram, who will serve a four-game suspension to start the regular season.
Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette dropped more than 15 pounds since the start of last season and will have a retooled line with All-Pro left guard Andrew Norwell.
“I feel healthier,” said Fournette, down to 223 pounds thanks partly to 50 push-ups a night. “I want to be great. That is my w Max Kepler drew a two-out walk with the bases loaded in the 13th inning and the Minnesota Twins outlasted the Chicago White Sox 2-1 Thursday.
The Twins pushed across the go-ahead run after Logan Morrison doubled off left fielder Charlie Tilson’s glove with two outs. Hector Santiago (2-3), the sixth White Sox reliever, intentionally walked Ehire Adrianza before walking Jake Cave and Kepler.
Alan Busenitz (2-0), the Twins’ sixth reliever, pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win.
Minnesota bounced back after the White Sox tied it with two outs in the bottom of the ninth when closer Fernando Rodney walked pinch-hitter Daniel Palka on four pitches to force in a run.
Rodney quickly got the first two Chicago hitters in the inning, but ended up blowing his fourth save in 21 chances. Yolmer Sanchez singled, Rodney hit Tim Anderson with a pitch and Charlie Tilson walked before Palka also walked.
Morrison hit his ninth homer deep to right to lead off the seventh for a 1-0 lead. The drive was just Minnesota’s second hit off White Sox starter Lucas Giolito, who didn’t allow any until Eddie Rosario lined a double off first baseman Jose Abreu’s glove with one out in the sixth.
Twins starter Jake Odorizzi tossed six shutout innings in his best outing in more than a month, allowing three hits and striking out eight. The righty was 0-3 with an 8.77 ERA in his six previous starts.
Giolito recovered after walking the bases loaded in the first for his lowest-scoring outing this season. The 6-foot-6 righty Leonard Williams Jersey , who entered with a 7.01 ERA, allowed one run on four hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings. He leads the AL with 51 walks.
Giolito escaped the first without allowing a run despite throwing just 11 of his first 26 pitches for strikes.
The White Sox barely threatened against Odorizzi.
BOOTED
Anderson, Chicago’s shortstop, was ejected for the second time in his career in the 11th when he argued with umpire Gerry Davis after being caught stealing second.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: RF Taylor Motter hit the wall hard trying to catch Yoan Moncada’s double in the sixth. Motter stayed down on the warning track for a couple of minutes, but was tended to by the trainer and remained in the game until Kepler pinch hit for him in the seventh. . INF Jorge Polanco (PED suspension) was scheduled to DH in one game and play shortstop in the other in a doubleheader for Triple-A Rochester on Thursday. He can be reinstated on July 5. . OF Byron Buxton (fractured left big toe) will play DH and play center field for Rochester.
White Sox: Sanchez left the game in the 13th after tripping on first base when he ran out a grounder. . Manager Rick Renteria said OF Nicky Delmonico (broken right middle finger) will start swinging a bat soon, but isn’t close to beginning a rehab assignment.
UP NEXT
Twins: Ace RHP Jose Berrios (8-5, 3.15) takes the mound against LHP Mike Montgomery (2-2, 3.39) as the Twins move across town and meet the Cubs in the opener of a three-game interleague set that starts Friday. Berrios has won his last three decisions over five starts in June and has a 2.10 ERA during the span.
White Sox: RHP Dylan Covey (3-2, 3.45) faces RHP Yovani Gallardo when Chicago opens a three-game series at Texas on Friday. Covey left in the fifth inning of his previous start, last Saturday, with a right hip flexor strain, but after throwing a bullpen session on Tuesday said he felt fine.
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15.08.2018 05:37
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