NFL Pre-Season Week One Wrap-Up: AFC

Added on Aug 16, 2010 by Eric Galko in

NFL

The pre-season is near-irrelevant when it comes to evaluating a teams chances in the coming season. However, it still features some intriguing story lines and devastating injuries that could alter a team’s plan or even an entire defense.

We’ll take a look at the pre-season in a two day installment, as we will every Monday and Tuesday, at the most important story lines and headlines from the week and evaluate what they could mean for the future.

Shawne Merriman Returns from Holdout, said it “Accomplished Nothing”
So, finally one of three of the Chargers holdouts gets back in camp and prepares for the season. Shawne Merriman, former defensive player of the year a few years and one serious knee injuy ago, is back with the team and will be competing for his starting job opposite Shaun Phillips and battling with Larry English.

While he said that his holdout “accomplished nothing”, other Charger teammates holding out (Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeil) have much more money at stake, and probably a better reason to holdout than Merriman.

No Big Ben to Start Pre-Season
Rumors were swirling that the Steelers franchise quarterback, yet not opening day quarterback because of his suspension, would play and maybe even start the team’s first pre-season game. Just hours before the game, coach Mike Tomlin explained that Big Ben wouldn’t be playing at all, and Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon got the quarterback duties.

Also, the commissioner ruled that the suspension will be the full six games, not the expected reduced four games. So Steeler fans, whip out your Leftwich jerseys and hope for the best the first part of the season.

Ben Tate Out of Houston Starting Battle, and for Season
It’s always tough for a team to have an injury happen in the pre-season when it’s a guy competing for a starting job. It’s always tough for a rookie to face an injury in the pre-season. It’s very tough when a rookie fighting for starter carries to get hurt this early, but that’s the situation Ben Tate and the Houston Texans are faced with.

With two other capable players (Steve Slaton and Arian Foster), they should have enough talent at running back to get by for the season. But we’ll have to wait until next season to see if Ben Tate can be the long-term starter for this team.

Stafon Johnson Suffers Heartbreaking Injury, Recovery Optimistic
While I covered this story in a complete article elsewhere on the site, I think it’s important to talk about what this means for this young man. Stafon Johnson suffered his devastating and horrific weightlifting accident that left his larynx crushed at USC, and recovered enough to give the NFL a shot.

Now he’s faced with a dislocated right ankle in his first pre-season game with the Titans. Reports now are that he could be back as early as 8 weeks. We wish him the best, and hopefully things work out for this young man in the NFL.

Dumervil Hurt Hurt, May Be Back by Mid-Season
Elvis Dumervil, one of the main reasons why the Broncos had a very respectable season a year ago and the NFL returning sack leader, suffered an injury early this season and reports were that he would be out for the year.

However, now we’re hearing that team officials are claiming he could be back as early as mid-season. Whether the Broncos will still be in playoff contention, I don’t know (I think they will, though), but having a presence like Dumervil back in the lineup will be crucial to this team down the stretch, regardless of their record.

Jason Campbell Needs “Time” in Oakland
The trade for Jason Campbell was maybe the smartest signing/trade in the past five years for Al Davis and the Raiders. Though he struggled in Washington at times, the constant changing of offensive coordinators and the pressure of the NFC East was alot for a still young quarterback to handle, and he’s a more than capable starter.

However, he needs overall “time”. He needs time to learn the playbook. He needs time to gain chemistry with his receivers. He needs time in the pocket. All were things I noticed he needs to address in his pre-season game, and all should improve by the start of the season, which bodes great things for the Raiders.

Ty Warren, Staple of Patriots Defense, Out for the Season
When fans look at the top defenses in the league, they rarely look at interior defensive lineman or defensive ends in a 3-4 unless they put up massive numbers or have a massive contract (Haynesworth). However, you can ask any Patriot player, current or former, or any of the AFC East lineman how valuable Warren is to New England, and they’ll tell you he’s the main reason their successful.

It looks as though he’ll be out for the season, which is a huge blow to the playoff dreams of the Patriots. They don’t have two man defensive lineman that can replace him, but they’ll have to move on, find a stop gap answer, and hope that offense performs as well as 2008.

Darrelle Revis Still M.I.A. From the Jets
This may be unrelated to pre-season play, but it’s not unrelated to the Jets pre-season and training camp. They are still very, very far apart in their negotiations, and now when they say that they are ready to move on without him for the season, they might actually mean it.

They like what they see out of Antonio Cromartie alot, and Kyle Wilson is more than able to start this season. So, while the team likely wants the best cornerback in the NFL on the field, they’ll likely stand their ground and move on in 2010 for a majority of the year minus Revis.

“Hard Knocks” With the Jets on HBO is Great TV
One final note on some thing I’ve noticed this year. I’ve watched “Hard Knocks” in the past on HBO, but never found it all that interesting and more of a reality show than a training camp breakdown.

However, watching Rex Ryan breakdown the team, Joe Namath moonlight for comedy, team personalities clashing for fun, and Mike Tannenbaum suffer through the Revis situation, I can’t wait to watch more. If you can, either on HBO or online, check it out. If you’re a football fan, you’ll like it.