Here are Matt Williamson’s observations from Saturday’s slate of preseason games, finishing off Week 1 of full NFL action.
Oakland Raiders 14, Los Angeles Rams 3
The Raiders successfully rode DeAndre Washington to start this game. Washington is somewhat of a forgotten man in this backfield, but he showed some of the same enticing skills against the Rams as we saw from him early in his career. That being said, Washington’s all around skill set doesn’t compare to what Josh Jacobs can do, especially from a physicality standpoint. Expect a similar approach offensively going forward, but with Jacobs the one with the ball in his hands and Washington possibly as quality depth.
Kansas City Chiefs 38, Cincinnati Bengals 17
A big thing to take out of this game is that when Cincinnati had the ball, they lost repeatedly in the trenches. With Clint Boling retired and Jonah Williams out for year, the Bengals offensive line was rightfully an area of concern even before the preseason began. That being said, the Chiefs front deserves credit too. This unit could become even more of a strength to Kansas City’s defense than in previous years.
Mecole Hardman was also a positive note for Kansas City. There will be obvious comparisons to Tyreek Hill and while that might be a little rich for any explosive speed receiver, the usage and skillset between these two is apparent. Hardman scored on a jet sweep (Hill terrifies defenses in jet motion) in which the rookie looked like he was shot out of a cannon. It is also important to note that Hardman planted his foot in the ground and cut sharply almost at a 90 degree angle towards the end zone, something that straight line sprinters often can’t pull off. Hardman also drew two defensive pass interference calls early in the game.
Another offensive rookie, Darwin Thompson, showed more power than many might have expected as a ballcarrier and some every down traits. Couple this with Thompson clearly being more dynamic in space than Damien Williams and Carlos Hyde, and you can’t help to be intrigued considering what is around him on this offense. You don’t have to squint too hard to see Thompson as the Chiefs best running back before long. Andy Reid’s wheels must be spinning trying to best figure out how to get the amazing wealth of receiving weapons in the best spots to make plays for Patrick Mahomes this year.
San Francisco 49ers 17, Dallas Cowboys 9
The 49ers had very many of their top guys sidelined for this game and their defensive front is battling a lot of injuries. San Francisco still has a very promising defensive front line after their offseason additions, but one guy that doesn’t look like the others is Sheldon Day. Unlike DeForest Buckner or Arik Armstead, who have rocked-up basketball player bodies, Day is built low and uses that leverage quite well. Blockers don’t have much to get their hands on with Day and he has a great get off. Day gave Dallas’ offensive line fits in the first half and could be an excellent change up during the regular season.
How great was it to see Travis Frederick back at center for the Cowboys? Before his autoimmune disorder, this was the best center in football. It was only one rather uneventful series for Frederick, but his presence on the field alone is an extremely positive situation for Dallas’ offense. On the Cowboys homegrown defense, a real up and comer is Chidobe Awuzie. He made play after play in San Francisco early on. It is time that Awuzie becomes a household name. He makes things happen.
A former scout for Pitt, Akron, and the Cleveland Browns, Matt Williamson worked with ESPN’s Scouts, Inc. for years. He is a contributor to Touchdown Wire and currently works for the Steelers Nation Radio Network.
