We are in for another weekend of football as Week 2 of the preseason schedule kicks off Thursday. Last week was the first opportunity for fans to see their teams in action this season, and for some it was a better performance than others.
Here’s a look at what Week 2 has in store for the AFC West.
Oakland Raiders at Green Bay Packers, Thursday 8 PM EST
The Raiders won last week, defeating the Arizona Cardinals 31-10, with a few breakout performances.
Last week, George Atkinson III made the most of his playing time averaging 19.4 yards per carry with two touchdowns. Given his struggles in the past, he is fighting hard for a spot on this roster and eyes will be on him in Thursday's matchup for a duplicate performance.
DeAndre Washington is also making the most of his minutes, earning himself the number two running back position heading into Thursday’s game. He had an impressive performance last week, and the Raiders need some depth at the running back position behind Latavius Murray.
The offensive line showed some struggles against the Cardinals defense, as Derek Carr was under pressure early. They also had some mishaps with a false start penalty and a delay of game. Granted it was just the first preseason game, but those are things this team needs to fix before regular season play is underway.
The battle between Matt McGloin and Connor Cook is an intriguing one as both QBs showed strengths in their preseason debuts. Cook was far better in game action than what was seen during training camp, but McGloin continues to be a strong backup for Carr.
Arizona Cardinals at San Diego Chargers, Friday 9 PM EST
The Chargers lost their preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans 27-10. They did so without star tight end Antonio Gates who was active, but didn’t enter the game.
Philip Rivers had a nice, but short, outing, completing 2/3 passes with a touchdown.
The backups struggled, and the run defense proved to be an area of concern against the Titans as the Bolts’ defense allowed 288 yards and three touchdowns against the run.
Needless to say, it was evident the Chargers need Joey Bosa, and the two sides have yet to reach an agreement.
This week, the Chargers face an even better offense in the Cardinals. This is a playoff caliber team with a solid backup quarterback with experience.
Look for the starting offense to get more time and make strides as they prep for regular season action, but also important for this matchup is the position battle for the backup quarterback position.
Neither Kellen Clemens, Zach Mettenberger, or Mike Bercovici took charge against the Titans. They will all get a lot of playing time as preseason winds down and decisions have to be made. This is the time to step up and make a statement.
San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos, Saturday 9 PM EST
The Broncos were victorious last week, defeating the Chicago Bears 22-0.
All eyes are on the quarterbacks when it comes to the Broncos as it is a heated battle for the starting position. Mark Sanchez completed 10 passes on 13 attempts, throwing for 99 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Trevor Siemian completed seven of 12 passes for 88 yards, and Paxton Lynch completed six of seven passes for 74 yards.
Sanchez hasn’t run away with the starting job, as these fellow quarterbacks are making it interesting for Coach Kubiak and company.
Again, this week will be all about the quarterbacks and how they perform. According to reports, players have shown they want a decision to be made regarding the starting quarterback before the end of preseason to get in rhythm and work on timing with the offense.
Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Rams, Saturday 10 PM EST
The Chiefs lost their first preseason matchup in a close one as they fell 17-16 to the Seattle Seahawks. KC lost due to an inability to score in the fourth quarter.
Alex Smith was only on the field for one drive, but was able to lead the Chiefs downfield for a touchdown against the always dangerous Seattle defense. Jeremy Maclin is listed as day to day, with his status for Saturday’s game unknown.
Big news for the Chiefs, however, is Jamaal Charles was taken off the physically unable to perform list and will be able to practice on a limited basis. Charles suffered a torn ACL last year, which ended his season, but there’s no doubting this offense is much stronger and complete with him at running back.
The Chiefs are a team that needed little adjusting this offseason. They are a competent team ready to compete in the tough AFC West as they gear up for the 2016 season.