There are formally extra preseason video games behind us than in entrance, which implies that true and bonafide soccer is correct across the nook. The great occasions are right here, of us.
With soccer to any diploma taking place although, our ideas and opinions on the state of the NFL are always altering. New issues are being unveiled, previous issues are being proven to be barely totally different and scorching takes are flying left and proper.
Right here at The Skinny Put up we, Michael Peterson and RJ Ochoa, do our greatest to sift by means of the entire noise and get to a very powerful issues and happenings from the Soccer League of Nationwide so that you’re caught up.
What have you ever modified your thoughts on essentially the most up to now?
I don’t assume it’s a scorching take to say that the Minnesota Vikings have been in a bizarre spot for some time. Bizarre isn’t essentially unhealthy, but it surely was bizarre nonetheless.
It sounds bizarre (there’s that phrase once more) to behave like shedding Sam Darnold was going to be what sunk their battleship. I don’t know that I felt that method, however I carried (and nonetheless do to a point) doubts about whether or not or not J.J. McCarthy might reside as much as his first-round billing from a yr in the past.
Clearly we’re solely within the preseason, however I believe that I really feel assured and able to say that I don’t assume they’ll skip a lot of a beat. This can be much less of a I FULLY BELIEVE IN MCCARTHY NOW take and extra of a affirmation that Kevin O’Connell is likely one of the finest coaches within the league. However yeah, the Vikings really feel tremendous protected proper now.
After watching the Rams transfer the ball between the 20s virtually at will through the their 23-22 win over the Chargers on Saturday, I’ve fully modified my thoughts on simply how good that unit could be for Sean McVay.
I don’t know if it’s the system or the backs or a mix of the ability gamers merely taking part in above themselves to hold an in any other case non-notable group up entrance, however they acquired completed what they needed to for a lot of the evening, together with in opposition to 80 p.c of the Chargers beginning protection.
If McVay can get this way more out of his offensive line than what it appears to be on paper, then I’d be frightened concerning the Rams being one of the crucial underrated groups within the league this yr.
Did the Browns rookie QB Dillon Gabriel do sufficient in his preseason debut to eclipse Shedeur Sanders’ efficiency?
We lastly acquired our first glimpse of Gabriel, who was chosen by the Browns within the third spherical of this yr’s draft. That was infamously two full rounds forward of the place his eventual teammate Sanders went, to a lot of the nation’s disbelief.
With Gabriel nursing an harm through the Browns’ first preseason recreation, Sanders acquired the prospect to play a lot of the recreation and he impressed with a pair of landing passes and nil turnovers. In distinction, Gabriel threw zero touchdowns and had an interception however general was pretty environment friendly going 13-for-18 on his cross makes an attempt.
With every rookie getting one recreation of motion, has something modified within the thoughts of Kevin Stefanski on who the higher quarterback is correct now? Will we see Sanders leap up from his QB4 spot on the crew’s first unofficial depth chart?
Perhaps not this week, however I’d really be shocked if backup Kenny Pickett, who has been harm this complete preseason, continues to be above Sanders when it’s all mentioned and completed.
The Browns have already named Joe Flacco as their starter so this complete state of affairs feels form of insignificant to me.
I don’t understand how the depth chart will finally shake out in Cleveland, however I do assume Shedeur has the prospect to stay round longer. That will take a while earlier than it’s mirrored in an official method, but it surely feels inevitable.
It’s about that point for drafting… who’s your prime fantasy sleeper?
For a very long time now, the Arizona Cardinals backfield has been dominated by James Conner. That he’s nonetheless producing at such a excessive degree seems like a narrative that ought to get informed extra usually.
With all due respect to Conner it seems like that is the yr that Trey Benson totally takes over and turns into a star within the backfield. He’s my choose.
The Vikings made the commerce for former 49ers backup Jordan Mason as a result of they needed to strengthen the depth behind beginning operating again Aaron Jones whereas additionally not forcing him to the touch the ball practically as a lot as he did in 2024 at his superior age.
I believe Mason will get a really wholesome workload because the crew’s RB1b and I’d not be shocked if he finally ends up main the backfield in touchdowns as a large vulture of Jones as soon as they get contained in the five-yard line. If that’s the case, he could possibly be a really stunning RB1 in fantasy, as effectively.
Does something in any respect within the preseason really matter?
The commonest sentiment concerning the preseason is that nothing issues in any respect and it’s dumb to get in any method emotional about an consequence or efficiency you didn’t like. The factor is, I don’t assume that’s totally true.
Outcomes and win-loss data of the preseason clearly don’t matter or have any impact in your crew’s precise document for the common season. This can be a reality. Nonetheless, I believe there’s nonetheless loads that occurs within the preseason that may maintain some weight.
The exhibition video games are nonetheless performed by your second and third-string gamers. These guys are nonetheless going on the market and doing their finest to impress their teaching workers in hopes of retaining a job by means of the following calendar yr. So sure, the efficiency of those gamers does in actual fact matter as a result of they would be the subsequent guys up in case your starters get injured.
Additionally, in case your backups beat one other crew’s backups, it most likely means you’ve got the higher backups! Or it means your teaching workers is nice sufficient to educate worse gamers to victory over one other crew’s teaching workers.
So sure, there’s nonetheless loads to care about even when the sport doesn’t “matter” in direction of making the playoffs or profitable a Tremendous Bowl.
I believe that this time of yr is vital and might present context. We are able to study issues and take what occurs and retailer it away as meals for thought.
That being mentioned… in case you are drawing exhausting conclusions on account of preseason soccer then you might be actually taking it too significantly. There’s a joyful medium for all of this and that’s the place I’m making an attempt to reside.
In the end, as all the time, a very powerful factor within the preseason is for everybody to outlive it and emerge wholesome. That may by no means change.
