| A lot happened in the first week of | | | | opener, and refused to take it back a day |
| preseason. New coaches, of which there are | | | | later after watching film! Pay careful |
| ten this August, did very well in their | | | | attention to the performance of the Giants |
| debuts, especially at home. There weren't a | | | | defense this weekend (at home against KC) to |
| lot of key injuries, with the exception of | | | | see if they are angry, too. |
| Washington RB Clinton Portis. If you look | | | | |
| carefully, you can find a lot of tidbits that | | | | The Browns have two huge weaknesses on |
| can be revealing about teams. | | | | offense. One is that there is almost no QB |
| | | | experience, with Charlie Frye, Ken Dorsey, |
| For instance, the Eagles and longtime | | | | and Derek Anderson. Secondly, the offensive |
| defensive coordinator Jim Johnson have put in | | | | line has been decimated this preseason, with |
| a lot of new wrinkles, including some new | | | | the loss of center LeCharles Bentley, their |
| nickel packages. Johnson has said this | | | | star free agent signing, and several other |
| defense has more speed than any he's had | | | | linemen. They were shut down in Philly over |
| since coming here with head coach Andy Reid | | | | the weekend and could struggle the rest of |
| in 1999. His intent has been to create more | | | | the preseason. |
| confusion for opposing offenses. | | | | |
| | | | Another team with a preseason QB concern is |
| Among the most noticeable changes have been | | | | the Patriots. They did not bring a veteran |
| six defensive backs and only three down | | | | backup into camp this season, for the first |
| linemen and one true linebacker. The | | | | time in a long while, because they feel young |
| formations are designed to set up more | | | | Matt Cassel can be the No. 2 QB. Don't be |
| effective zone blitzes and better attack | | | | fooled by Cassel's 13-for-26 for 229 yards |
| angles to the quarterback. Philly is 2-0 | | | | and as TD against the Falcons. All that came |
| under the total thus far in preseason, so the | | | | late. Against the second and third stringers, |
| defense is deep and improved. They were 23rd | | | | Cassell struggled badly. |
| in total defense in 2005, quite a drop for a | | | | |
| Super Bowl team in 2004-05. Also, notice what | | | | A team that appears to have a very deep QB |
| LB Jeremiah Trotter said this week: "We're | | | | rotation is Atlanta. Michael Vick, Matt |
| hungry. Everybody is hungry. Obviously we're | | | | Schaub, Bryan Randall and D.J. Shockley |
| embarrassed by last season and sometimes it | | | | played well in the opener and the quartet |
| takes a butt-kicking to get you back and | | | | gives defenses very different looks and |
| going again. A lot of guys worked hard this | | | | problems. Vick, Randall and Shockley are |
| off-season, and I think it's showing." If | | | | great runners, while Schaub is a fine passer. |
| they keep going under the total, you will | | | | Throw in rambunctious rookie tailback Jerious |
| know why. | | | | Norwood, who was impressive, and Atlanta |
| | | | seems to have a lot of preseason tools on |
| Speaking of quotes, here was one this week | | | | offense. Their first game went over the |
| from NY Giants coach Tom Coughlin: He called | | | | total. |
| his defense "soft" after the preseason | | | | |