What We Saw: Preseason Week 1 2018

Browns vs. Giants

Here’s the storyline that will grab the most headlines from the game- RB Saquon Barkley on his first carry got 39 yards! He flashed all the promise that justifies his place as the 2nd overall pick in this year’s NFL draft showed why so many analysts have him ranked very highly in fantasy drafts as well. It really was an incredible run with Barkley breaking some ankles on a cut-back before he lit up a big hole and broke away with some great speed.

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However, the rest of the game was very ho-hum. If the Giants’ O-line cannot perform better, it seems like Barkley might spend 2018 being met in the backfield. His 3 other rushes were for -3, 4 and 3 yards.

QB Eli Manning did take a sack, and might have had another if not for a neutral zone infraction from the Browns. Now I say this in all seriousness and not just as a fan- the Browns have a pretty good defensive front, but the leaky O-line the Giants are currently working with does not make me want to draft any Giants in the 1st round.

QB Davis Webb just did not look good out there. Most of his passes looked off target. Given, the Giants’ receivers did not seem to be able to catch much either, but I don’t imagine anyone’s excited for Webb to eventually take over for Manning. With that, it’s hard to judge the Giants’ pass-catchers. TE Jerrell Adams failed to catch a pass from Webb that was a little high, but definitely seemed catch-able. Probably would have been a completion if it was on target. WR Kalif Raymond might have had a huge play for a touchdown except that he seemed to end his route a tad early, but the pass might have been just a bit too far from Webb.

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Overall, it was a disappointing night for anyone that wasn’t part of the Giants 1st team, and there is nothing in this game to make me want Giants players. The thing to watch over the next two preseason games is the state of the offensive line. If they start to gel and look competent by week 3, give me Barkley in the top 6 or OBJ as the 1-3rd receiver off the board. If they don’t… well, maybe it’s ok to let someone else take the risk of a high draft bust.

For the Browns, there will be a lot of talk about getting 1st pick QB Baker Mayfield some play time after a very promising performance, but starting QB Tyrod Taylor ain’t no schlub. Taylor had one great pass to WR Jarvis Landry for a big completion over Giants’ CB Janoris Jenkins, and another nicely placed pass to TE David Njoku which turned into a touchdown.

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There has been quite a lot of talk about a strong connection between Landry and Taylor in camp and it appears to be true. WR’s Rashard Higgins and Antonio Callaway put up some great performances as well, justifying the trade for next-to-nothing of Corey Coleman to the Bills. Higgins and Callaway both definitely pass the eye test, though it is important to temper expectations given that it was a preseason game against 2nd stringers.

Still, anyone that has followed the Browns for an appreciable amount of time will justifiably have big expectations for this season, following the disastrous 0-16 from the year before. Taylor and Mayfield are leagues above the slew of bad quarterbacks from years past, and they have the makings of a great WR corps. If WR Josh Gordon ever makes it back on the field, it’ll be huge. Mayfield threw two touchdowns, the first of which went to David Njoku (that’s right, the up-and-comer TE had 2 TD’s to open the preseason) in a tight window.

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Mayfield’s second TD went to Antonio Callaway. That pass was a magnificent catch-and-run where Mayfield led Callaway in stride.

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Mayfield wasn’t perfect, and I think he really should have a year behind Taylor to learn but he made several great throws and showed poise in the pocket. Don’t sleep on this year’s Browns!

-Sam Turrubiartes