Week 2 of the NFL preseason resumed on Saturday. Here are six takeaways from the action.
Patrick Mahomes is already in midseason form
In the Kansas City Chiefs‘ 24-23 loss to the Detroit Lions on Saturday, Mahomes showcased the brilliance NFL fans have become accustomed to. He finished the day 8-of-14 for 93 yards (6.6 YPC), but one moment stood out.
In typical Mahomes fashion, he turned a botched play into a positive for the Chiefs when he completed a behind-the-back pass to All-Pro Travis Kelce for first down in the opening quarter. The two-time MVP revealed afterward that he made the throw “out of spite” because his tight end ran the wrong route.
Cleveland Browns make controversial decision to play rookie DL in legal trouble
On Tuesday, Browns second-round pick Mike Hall was arrested and charged with domestic violence. Despite this, the team controversially allowed the former Ohio State standout defensive lineman to practice with the team during the week and play in Saturday’s 27-12 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Hall is, of course, innocent until proven guilty. But, considering the seriousness of the allegations, which include threatening his fiancee with a gun, having him suit up for a preseason game isn’t the best look for the Browns.
Tua Tagovailoa looked worth every penny in preseason debut
Tagovailoa didn’t wait long to prove why he was worthy of a lucrative $212 million contract extension. The much richer signal-caller couldn’t have been better during his preseason debut in the Miami Dolphins’ 13-6 victory against the Washington Commanders, finishing 5-of-5 through the air for 51 yards (10.2 YPC).
He capped off his only drive (11 plays, 61 yards) with a beautiful 13-yard hook-up with receiver River Cracraft in the end zone. It’s safe to say that Tagovailoa won’t see another this preseason; he doesn’t need the work.
Bills hit with the injury bug during tough week
The Bills’ 9-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday came at a cost. After losing All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano for at least the next few months after he suffered a torn bicep earlier in the week, injuries continued to pile up.
While no starters like Milano went down against the Steelers, the Bills’ depth may have taken a severe hit. On top of losing 2024 fifth-round pick defensive end Jacob Solomon (calf) and tight end Quintin Morris (shoulder), Buffalo saw backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (knee), wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling (neck) and defensive tackle Austin Johnson (calf) leave without returning.
Sam Howell may be putting Geno Smith on notice
Smith is in line to be the Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback this season. But, the veteran signal-caller might be on shaky ground considering the play of Howell, his backup for now.
In Saturday’s 16-15 loss against the Tennessee Titans, Howell finished 11-of-14 for 153 yards (10.9), including a sweet back-shoulder throw to wideout Easop Winston Jr. for a 23-yard score. During the preseason, the former Washington Commanders QB has completed 27 of 41 pass attempts for 283 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions.
Daniel Jones struggles mightily coming off injury
To the Giants’ relief, Jones walked away from the New York Giants‘ 28-10 loss to the Houston Texans healthy in his first game back from a torn ACL suffered in 2023. But that may have been the only silver lining to come out of his preseason debut.
Jones wasn’t extremely sharp, finishing 11-of-18 for 138 yards (7.7). Meanwhile, his decision-making wasn’t up to par, throwing two interceptions in the first quarter alone (one returned for a pick-six by safety Jalen Pitre).
