There are formally extra preseason video games behind us than in entrance, which implies that true and legit soccer is correct across the nook. The great instances are right here, people.
With soccer to any diploma occurring although, our ideas and opinions on the state of the NFL are continuously altering. New issues are being unveiled, outdated issues are being proven to be barely totally different and sizzling takes are flying left and proper.
Right here at The Skinny Submit we, Michael Peterson and RJ Ochoa, do our greatest to sift by way of all the noise and get to crucial issues and happenings from the Soccer League of Nationwide so that you’re caught up.
What have you ever modified your thoughts on probably the most to this point?
I don’t suppose it’s a sizzling take to say that the Minnesota Vikings have been in a bizarre spot for some time. Bizarre isn’t essentially dangerous, but it surely was bizarre nonetheless.
It sounds bizarre (there’s that phrase once more) to behave like dropping Sam Darnold was going to be what sunk their battleship. I don’t know that I felt that manner, 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 suppose they may 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 secure proper now.
After watching the Rams transfer the ball between the 20s nearly at will in the course of the their 23-22 win over the Chargers on Saturday, I’ve utterly modified my thoughts on simply how good that unit might be for Sean McVay.
I don’t know if it’s the system or the backs or a mix of the talent gamers merely taking part in above themselves to hold an in any other case non-notable group up entrance, however they acquired carried out what they needed to for many of the evening, together with towards 80 p.c of the Chargers beginning protection.
If McVay can get this far more out of his offensive line than what it seems to be to be on paper, then I’d be fearful concerning the Rams being some of the 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 in the course of the Browns’ first preseason recreation, Sanders acquired the possibility to play many 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 total was pretty environment friendly going 13-for-18 on his go 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 soar up from his QB4 spot on the crew’s first unofficial depth chart?
Possibly not this week, however I might truly be stunned if backup Kenny Pickett, who has been harm this complete preseason, remains to be above Sanders when it’s all mentioned and carried out.
The Browns have already named Joe Flacco as their starter so this entire state of affairs feels sort of insignificant to me.
I don’t know the way the depth chart will in the end shake out in Cleveland, however I do suppose Shedeur has the possibility to stay round longer. That will take a while earlier than it’s mirrored in an official manner, 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 typically.
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 might not be stunned if he finally ends up main the backfield in touchdowns as an enormous vulture of Jones as soon as they get contained in the five-yard line. If that’s the case, he may very well be a really shocking RB1 in fantasy, as effectively.
Does something in any respect within the preseason truly matter?
The commonest sentiment concerning the preseason is that nothing issues in any respect and it’s dumb to get in any manner emotional about an consequence or efficiency you didn’t like. The factor is, I don’t suppose that’s totally true.
Outcomes and win-loss information of the preseason clearly don’t matter or have any impact in your crew’s precise report for the common season. It is a reality. Nonetheless, I believe there’s nonetheless a lot 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 way of the subsequent calendar yr. So sure, the efficiency of those gamers does actually 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 in all probability means you’ve the higher backups! Or it means your teaching workers is nice sufficient to teach worse gamers to victory over one other crew’s teaching workers.
So sure, there’s nonetheless a lot 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 essential and might present context. We are able to be taught issues and take what occurs and retailer it away as meals for thought.
That being mentioned… if you’re drawing exhausting conclusions on account of preseason soccer then you’re actually taking it too critically. There’s a pleased medium for all of this and that’s the place I’m making an attempt to reside.
Finally, as all the time, crucial factor within the preseason is for everybody to outlive it and emerge wholesome. That may by no means change.
