Winner: Veterans in QB contests

Baker Mayfield USATSI Baker Mayfield was already locked into the Panthers’ starting quarterback job, but he looked sharp on his 15 carries, zipping around the ball and leading some scoring drives. He also won’t have to worry about Sam Darnold appearing in the background for now after the latter suffered a sprained ankle during his own drive. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Mitch Trubisky showed solid touch behind a weak line while starting against the Lions, likely keeping him slightly ahead of rookie Kenny Pickett in the race for QB1 duties. And Geno Smith’s solid, if unspectacular performance for Seattle won him the Seahawks job. Speaking of QB contests, the former Broncos sharpshooter basically put himself out of business during Seattle’s tough loss to the Cowboys. His arm was active, sure, but at least two of his three picks were offensive, and Geno Smith once again proved more reliable, if unexciting, hence Pete Carroll crowning the former Jets star his guy for the 1st week.

Winner: Mobile rookie QB

Malik Willis USATSI Who doesn’t love a young QB with legs? The Titans got more predictable but chain juice from Malik Willis, who again overshadowed the lackluster pass rush with long drives, including a 50-yard run for a near-score against the Cardinals. The Commanders let Sam Howell handle all of the QB work against the Ravens, and his toughness made him the team’s leading rusher. Baltimore, in the same game, saw Anthony Brown Jr. fill the highlight reel with his athleticism, perhaps securing a No. 3 spot behind fellow tight ends Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. Check the opt-in box to confirm you want to join.

                Thanks for subscribing! 


                Monitor your inbox. 


                Sorry! 


                An error occurred while processing your subscription.

Loser: The Patriots offense

To be honest, they’ve been losing all offseason, so their flop against the Raiders in a 23-6 loss wasn’t necessarily a surprise. Again, Las Vegas mostly deployed backups, so there is real cause for concern here. Mac Jones made a bad pick and the unit couldn’t get into a rhythm. Maybe don’t have old defensive backs and special teams coaches develop your QB!

Winner: AFC South Rookies

Dameon Pierce USATSI Specifically, Dameon Pierce and Treylon Burks, who could have starting roles in Week 1 for the Texans and Titans, respectively. Pierce averaged more than six yards per carry as the most consistently explosive man in a crowded Houston backfield against the 49ers, while Burks stepped into the end zone after returning from an in-game injury against Arizona. The latter is probably more important to his team as a whole, but both youngsters could make or break their team’s offenses.

Loser: Saints offensive line

Not because they’re porous like the Steelers’ passing unit, but because rookie left tackle Trevor Penning, who was drafted to replace veteran Terron Armstead, went down with a serious injury that will require surgery and keep him out. indefinitely. Now there’s even more pressure on Jameis Winston to stay fit as he recovers from his injury. Denzel Mims USATSI If you’re going to request a trade days before final cuts, entering your third season as a neglected former second baseman, you’d better show up in the preseason. He did, hauling in 102 yards and a big score on seven catches against the Giants. Now it’s up to the Jets brass to determine if he really belongs on the roster, with a real role, outside of wideout.