Five players to watch in NFL preseason week 2
The NFL preseason continues with week 2, Thursday to Monday. Here are the top five players to pay attention to as they try to make an impact in week 2.
The NFL preseason week 1 and Hall of Fame game have given us a nice introduction back into football season and it continues this week when we might get the opportunity to see some of the starters make an appearance. Even still, there are some rookies and backups with interesting storylines that we shouldn’t ignore. Here are five players you should be watching in week 2 of the NFL preseason.
Jordan Love, QB - Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love had a terrible performance in the Packers’ preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers. He threw three interceptions and struggled to make quick decisions.
Although coach Matt LaFleur insists that he was happy with Love’s performance and that the interceptions were just back luck, Love’s position as the QB2 could now be in danger - especially when you consider how well Danny Etling played. Of course, it’s not likely, but a second poor performance by Love when they play the New Orleans Saints this Sunday could change that likelihood. It’s definitely something to watch for.
Cooper Rush, QB - Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys’ preseason opener against the Denver Broncos was painful to watch. It also made very clear that they badly need a reliable QB2. If they lose Prescott for any reason, the Cowboys at this point would be doomed to fail. Cooper Rush completed just 12-of-20 passes for 84 yards, against the Broncos’ second-string defense. He will have another chance on Saturday against the Los Angeles Chargers, but it’s not looking good for Rush. If he has another bad performance, it’s time for Dallas to start shopping the market.
Dakota Allen, LB - Cleveland Browns
In the Browns’ preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Allen stood out in a good way. He had eight tackles, one for a loss, and killed it at stopping the run. A former standout at Texas Tech University, Allen hasn’t done much in the NFL so far and is fighting to stay on the active roster with the Browns. He should get another chance to prove his worth this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. He’s competing for a backup spot with Tony Fields, Willie Harvey, and Jacob Phillips.
Deejay Dallas, RB - Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks will play the Chicago Bears this week, and all eyes should be on running back Deejay Dallas. Seattle already has their RB1 in Rashaad Penny, but the battle for RB2 rages on. When the Seahawks played the Pittsburgh Steelers in their preseason opener, Dallas had a huge game, with 73 yards on 10 rushes - a significant contrast to the lackluster performances by Travis Homer and Kenneth Walker. With Drew Lock out with covid-19 and the QB situation so uncertain in Seattle, the running back battle will be something to watch.
Tom Kennedy, WR - Detroit Lions
Tom Kennedy made quite an impression in the Lions’ preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons. He caught 8-of-12 targets for 104 yards.
He is currently competing for playing time with Kalif Raymond and Kalil Pimpleton, and he’ll have another opportunity to prove he can keep up that production this Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts.