Training Camp Update Volume 9, Issue 2 8/12/14
WR: Antonio Brown continues to show the young receivers on the team how to properly work
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WR: Antonio Brown continues to show the young receivers on the team how to properly work and become better. Much like the other starters, his play was limited Saturday. Brown caught two passes for 21 yards. Markus Wheaton was used as a receiver and a runner. He took an end-around for a 10-yard gain in the first quarter while still playing with the starters (minus Roethlisberger). He also caught a 28-yard pass from Gradkowski in the second quarter on a 3rd-and-2 play. Justin Brown got a chance to practice as the top slot man in front of Lance Moore this week. However, it was Moore who saw the field first on Saturday. Moore didn’t catch a pass, but he was targeted on Roethlisberger’s last attempt – an incompletion in the end zone where Moore ran a wheel route. Neither player was at fault. The defensive back knew the route was coming and bumped Moore off of it, ruining the play before it could be successful. Brown was a hit in spring OTAs but caught just two passes on Saturday. He received a deep target from Gradkowski that didn’t connect. It will be interesting to see if he can continue to push Moore in practice and get more snaps with the starters. Rookie Martavis Bryant received a handful of snaps with the first team in practice this week, but he still has work to do to get consistent game reps. He caught just one pass for 19 yards and fumbled twice (one lost) on Saturday. TE: The tight end position didn’t do much of significance on Saturday, and the pecking order is pretty much set already – particularly the first and second spot with Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth. Miller should be a nice red-zone option, but he didn’t receive any targets there Saturday. The team couldn’t sustain any offense. Defense: Rookie Stephon Tuitt got the start at defensive end and performed reasonably well. The rest of the defensive line held up well against the Giants offense, with the exception of a 73-yard touchdown run by Rashad Jennings. The linebackers and safeties, however, were the ones who missed their assignments. Rookie first-round pick Ryan Shazier missed Saturday’s game due to a knee injury he sustained last Sunday. The team doesn’t seem too worried about it, but it would be nice to see what the super-athletic rookie can do in a game situation. Sean Spence started for Shazier and performed well. Second-year player Jarvis Jones recorded a sack of Eli Manning early in the game, a sight Pittsburgh hopes to get used to. He had just one sack in his entire rookie season. The secondary wasn’t bad against the pass, but the safety duo contributed negatively to Jennings’ long touchdown run. Strong safety Will Allen – in the game for Troy Polamalu, who was held out electively by Mike Tomlin – missed a tackle, and free safety Mike Mitchell took a bad angle and couldn’t track down Jennings. Mitchell was playing after missing a lot of time early in camp with a groin injury. K/P: Against the Giants, kicker Shaun Suisham made field goals of 26, 38 and 22 yards, but hit the upright on a missed 38-yard attempt. Brad Wing continued to work exclusively as his holder while Adam Podlesh has been out due to his wife’s pregnancy. Wing noted last week: “To take all the reps has been good for me. That’s the only way you can get experience in this league is to get the reps and do it… I think if I keep my head down and keep working, good things will happen for me.” OL: Under the tutelage of new offensive line coach Mike Munchak, the Steelers’ offensive line is emphasizing a gap blocking system (as opposed to zone blocking). There is an air of accountability that several sources speak of as an improvement over last season. Overall this group looks to be much improved, especially in the run game. One player that is not much improved is backup tackle Mike Adams. Adams was drafted to be a starter by now, but is not performing well in second team action. Most of the concern with this unit focuses on the depth players, such as Adams, and backup center Cody Wallace. Wallace was flagged for holding during the last preseason game. Steelers Depth Chart QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Bruce Gradkowski, Landry Jones RB: Le′Veon Bell, LeGarrette Blount, Dri Archer (KR/PR), Tauren Poole, Miguel Maysonet, Josh Harris FB: Will Johnson WR: Antonio Brown (PR), Markus Wheaton (KR), Lance Moore, Justin Brown, Derek Moye, Martavis Bryant, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kashif Moore, Lanear Sampson, Jasper Collins, James Shaw TE: Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, Michael Palmer, David Paulson, Rob Blanchflower LT: Kelvin Beachum, Guy Whimper LG: Ramon Foster, Wesley Johnson C: Maurkice Pouncey, Cody Wallace RG: David Decastro, Nik Embernate RT: Marcus Gilbert, Mike Adams K: Shaun Suisham NT: Steve McLendon (inj), Hebron Fangupo, Daniel McCullers, Al Lapuaho DE: Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Cam Thomas (NT), Brian Arnfelt, Nick Williams ILB: Lawrence Timmons (R), Ryan Shazier (L) , Vince Williams (L), Terence Garvin (R), Sean Spence (L), Jordan Zumwalt (R), Daniel Molls OLB: Jason Worilds (R), Jarvis Jones (R), Chris Carter (L), Arthur Moats (R), Vic So′oto CB: Ike Taylor, Cortez Allen, William Gay, Brice McCain, Antwon Blake, Isaiah Green, Shaquille Richardson, Ross Ventrone, Lew Toler S: Troy Polamalu (SS), Michael Mitchell (FS), Shamarko Thomas (SS), Will Allen (FS), Robert Golden (FS), Jordan Dangerfield St. Louis Rams QB: Sam Bradford sat out the Rams' first preseason game of the year. Bradford is expected to be ready to start in Week 1 of the regular season, but the Rams are wisely not rushing him back onto the field. That gave the team a chance to look at new backup quarterback, Shaun Hill. Hill was sharp in his debut. He threw for 84 yards and two touchdowns on just seven attempts. As well as Hill played, he is clearly established as a backup and no threat to Bradford barring injury. RB: Tre Mason caught the eye of onlookers during his NFL debut, but he is still working his way up the depth chart. This appears to simply be a matter of making the rookie earn his place, as Mason is expected to be a key part of the Rams running game alongside Zac Stacy. Stacy had four impressive carries against the Saints, finishing the game with 22 yards Isaiah Pead was held out of the game with a hand injury. Pead should still be considered the favorite for a third down role in St. Louis, but if he can't get on the field, Benny Cunningham may grab the role away from Pead. Cunningham also had a productive display against the Saints,; he had five carries for 24 yards. WR: It feels like an annual occurrence, but the Kenny Britt excitement is building again. Britt didn't have a catch against the Saints, but he has been impressive in camp. That alone could be enough to assume Brian Quick's spot on the roster is tenuous. Quick’s poor play appears to be catching up on him. He hasn't developed the way the Rams thought he would. Another player who appears to be falling out of favor is Chris Givens. Givens was a starter last year and does appear to be a talented player, but he is running with the third-team in his third year in the league. Givens and Austin Pettis were guaranteed their roster spots at this time last year, but they may be fighting each other for places on the depth chart at this point. On the other hand, Stedman Bailey is showing signs of life after his subdued rookie season. Bailey is a favorite of many draft writers. While Bailey is talented, he will be suspended for the first four games so he needs to impress more than most. Bailey's suspension could mean that the Rams really don't finalize their depth chart until after their fourth game of the regular season. TE: It appeared that Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks would retain their spots atop the Rams depth chart by default before training camp began this year. They likely will still do that, but undrafted rookie Alex Bayer is at least going to try and push them during the preseason. Defense: Aaron Donald's ability was easy to see for everyone watching the Rams and Saints game, but that doesn't mean he is ready to be a dominant player. Donald and Michael Sam were the main attractions on the defensive side of the ball. Sam played relatively well in his debut, but he should still be considered a long shot to make the roster. Even though Sam and Donald stole most of the attention, it was another rookie who arguably had the most impressive display. E.J. Gaines started with the first team at cornerback and played very well. The Rams have both starting cornerbacks from the end of last season returning to the roster, and the addition of Lamarcus Joyner who will likely play both safety and cornerback as a rookie, but Gaines is in a position where he could win a starting role with a strong preseason and training camp. K/P: In the loss against the Saints, kicker Greg Zuerlein made three extra points and a 45-yard field goal, but missed two field goals wide left in the fourth quarter – a 46-yarder with five minutes remaining and a 59-yarder on the final play. Johnny Hekker averaged 43.3 yards on thee punts, while camp leg Bobby Cowan averaged 50 yards on two punts. Cowan also handled one kickoff, while Zuerlein took the first three of which two were touchbacks. OL: With several starters missing (left tackle Jake Long, center Scott Wells and right guard Rodger Saffold) from the Rams’ first preseason game, there was a ton of work for the young players. Second overall pick Greg Robinson saw time at both guard and tackle. Robinson and backup center Tim Barnes had a miscommunication that led to a sack, but overall Robinson acquitted himself well at both positions. Robinson admitted to being a little nervous before the game, but it was an overall positive debut for the talented player. Davin Joseph filled in for Saffold while Mike Person started for Long at left tackle. Person played well and he is likely to be the swing backup once the season starts. Rams Depth Chart QB: Sam Bradford, Shaun Hill, Austin Davis, Garrett Gilbert RB: Zac Stacy, Benny Cunningham (KR), Tre Mason, Isaiah Pead (KR), Chase Reynolds WR: Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey (susp), Tavon Austin (KR/PR), Brian Quick, Chris Givens, Austin Pettis, T.J. Moe, Justin Veltung, Emory Blake, Jordan Harris TE: Jared Cook, Lance Kendricks, Corey Harkey, Justice Cunningham, Alex Bayer, Brad Smelley, Mason Brodine (IR) LT: Jake Long, Mike Person LG: Greg Robinson, Brandon Washington C: Scott Wells, Tim Barnes, Demetrius Rhaney RG: Rodger Saffold, Barrett Jones RT: Joe Barksdale, Graham Pocic, Mitchell Van Dyk K: Greg Zuerlein DT: Kendall Langford, Michael Brockers, Aaron Donald, Matt Conrath DE: Robert Quinn, Chris Long, William Hayes, Eugene Sims, Michael Sam MLB: James Laurinaitis OLB: Alec Ogletree (W), Jo-Lonn Dunbar (S), Ray-Ray Armstrong, Phillip Steward, Daren Bates, Sammy Brown, Etienne Sabino, Kourtnei Brown CB: Janoris Jenkins, Trumaine Johnson, Brandon McGee, Quinton Pointer (FS), E.J. Gaines, Greg Reid, Darren Woodard S: T.J. McDonald (SS), Rodney McLeod (FS), Lamarcus Joyner (FS/CB), Mo Alexander (SS), Christian Bryant, Matthew Daniels (FS),Cody Davis (FS) San Diego Chargers QB: The Chargers' trio of quarterbacks were impressive in the first preseason game against the Cowboys. Philip Rivers played only one series, but he was 4-for-4 for 61 yards and a 118.8 passer rating. He marched the team on a 90-yard opening drive, going without a huddle much of the time. Kellen Clemens went 5-for-5 for 134 yards and a touchdown, earning a perfect 158.3 passer rating. Clemens had had a few rough practices leading up to the game, but was quick and sharp in his reads against the Cowboys. Brad Sorensen went 5-for-7 for 48 yards. While he appears unlikely to pass Clemens for the number two role, he continues to make a case for the Chargers to keep three quarterbacks. RB: There was good news and bad news regarding Ryan Mathews' performance in the first preseason game. The good news is that the elusiveness he's shown in practice was also evident against the Cowboys: he made a potential tackler miss on his first carry. Mathews was effective on the Chargers' first drive until his goal-line carry, and here is the bad news: he tried to jump over the pile, but a defender's helmet struck the ball and caused a fumble. Over the past two seasons, Mathews has fumbled four times on 531 touches. After the game, head coach Mike McCoy dismissed the idea that the fumble would put Mathews' role as the lead back in jeopardy. "No, he's our bell cow," McCoy said. "He's jumped over the top a number of times and scored his entire career here. The safety put his head on the ball, and the ball came out, so that's all part of the game." Danny Woodhead appeared to be in mid-season form when he took a swing-pass for a 25-yard gain. Donald Brown rushed for 22 yards on three carries, showing the vision and balance that he's demonstrated throughout camp. One of the stars of the game for the Chargers was undrafted free-agent rookie Branden Oliver. Oliver had been turning heads in practice, and played in the game ahead of fifth-round pick Marion Grice. He was impressive. He rushed seven times for 64 yards (9.1 yards per carry) and a touchdown, reminding some of former Charger Darren Sproles. Consider Oliver a strong favorite to win the fourth RB spot over Grice. WR: Keenan Allen, Malcom Floyd, and Eddie Royal, the Chargers' top three wide receivers, got only one series on offense against the Cowboys; only Royal caught a pass. Vincent Brown entered training camp as the fourth wide receiver on the depth chart; but a calf injury that has kept him sidelined since the second day of camp now has him in a four-way battle, along with Dontrelle Inman, Seyi Ajirotutu, and Tevin Reese, for (presumably) three roster spots. Brown is expected to miss at least one more preseason game, which will continue to give his competition the chance to shine in his absence. Dontrelle Inman led all Charger receivers with three catches for 107 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys. His 70-yard touchdown reception was an over-the-shoulder catch of the sort that Inman and Eddie Royal have been working on together after practice. With his performance in the first two weeks of practice, in addition to his impressive display against the Cowboys, Inman appears to be a strong favorite to make the final roster. Seyi Ajirotutu may not be one of the six best pure wide receivers in camp, but he has been improving as a receiver, and his exceptional special teams play gives him a solid chance to make the final roster as well. After getting off to a hot start in Week One, Tevin Reese was inconsistent in the second week of training camp practices. He was targeted once against the Cowboys, converting a third-down play into a 17-yard reception on a crossing route for a first down. TE: Antonio Gates got the night off against the Cowboys, and Ladarius Green got only one series. Green caught two passes from Philip Rivers on the team's first drive, and should be a much bigger part of the team's offense this season than he was in 2013. Chargers beat writer Kevin Acee expects Green to double last season's 376 yards and three touchdowns. David Johnson was an unsung hero of the first preseason game. While he is listed as a tight end, he sometimes lines up at fullback, and Branden Oliver's two big runs were both sprung by blocks from Johnson. Johnson has no fantasy value as a receiver, but his blocking – which has drawn comparisons to that of former Charger Lorenzo Neal – could enhance the fantasy value of the Chargers' RBs. John Phillips has had a quiet training camp, but is projected to make the final roster as the fourth tight end. Defense: One of the training camp battles being fought is for the number two nose tackle position behind Sean Lissemore. Last year's UDFA Kwame Geathers, who looked strong against the Cowboys' first team offense, appears to be solidly ahead of this year's fifth-round pick, Ryan Carrethers. This year's UDFA, Tenny Palepoi, is also threatening to move ahead of Carrethers. Palepoi has impressed the coaches with his constant hustle. On the pass-rushing front, Dwight Freeney sat out the first preseason game, but both Melvin Ingram and Jeremiah Attaochu succeeded in pressuring the Cowboys' quarterback. There is a close battle brewing for the fifth OLB spot between Tourek Williams and Thomas Keiser. Williams has been the better all-around linebacker in training camp, but Keiser made a splash in the first preseason game with a sack and a forced fumble. At inside linebacker, Manti Te'o expects to stay on the field in passing situations this year, making him a three-down linebacker. Cornerbacks Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett both missed the first preseason game, but are on track to play in the regular-season opener. They are in a three-way battle, along with Shareece Wright, for the two starting spots on the outside. Wright and Flowers appear to be the favorites, with Verrett likely to play in the nickel. Yet another training camp battle pits Marcus Gilchrist against Jahleel Addae for the starting strong safety spot. That one is too close to call at this point. K/P: “I’m not gonna put a number on it and say, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna play until I’m whatever age’, but if I’m still playing when I’m 40, it wouldn’t shock me,” noted punter Mike Scifres last week. He did not have any punts in the preseason win over Dallas, while camp leg Chase Tenpenny averaged 38 yards on a pair of punts. Kicker Nick Novak made field goals of 24 and 44 yards and added three extra points. OL: Right guard Johnnie Troutman got the start against the Cowboys in the team’s preseason opener. Troutman had been losing the competition against rookie third rounder Chris Watt, but Watt was injured in one of the last practices before the game. Both players are battling for the right to replace Jeromey Clary, who is still recovering from offseason surgery. With interior options limited, versatile backup Rich Ohrnberger played most of the game. Starting left tackle King Dunlap had a mostly solid game, however was called for a holding penalty on Jeremy Mincey. Right tackle D.J. Fluker has no problem with the heat of preseason practices. Chargers Depth Chart QB: Philip Rivers, Kellen Clemens, Brad Sorensen RB: Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead (3RB), Donald Brown, Branden Oliver, Marion Grice, Kerwynn Williams FB: David Johnson, Zach Boren Directory: 2014 2014 -> For want of a nail 2014 -> The Global Warming that Wasn’t 2014 -> Assembly, No. 3901 state of new jersey 216th legislature 2014 -> Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act of 2014 2014 -> Ihbb asian Championships 2014 middle school bowl Round 4 First Quarter 2014 -> Unit: Automotive and Auto Body 2014 -> Ihbb european Championships 2014 Bowl Round 4 First Quarter 2014 -> International History Bee and Bowl 2013-14 Asian Division Question Set Bowl Round Six 2014 -> United states patent and trademark office 2014 -> Walnut creek, ca branch executive committee meeting minutes Download 1.05 Mb. Share with your friends:
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