Analysis
8/20/23
6 min read
NFL Preseason Week 2 Takeaways: Jordan Love Flashes in Strong Outing
Eleven NFL preseason games took place Saturday, with several teams playing their starters a hefty amount. But who stood out the most in Week 2 of the NFL preseason? Here are six of the biggest takeaways from all the action on Saturday.
6 Preseason Week 2 Takeaways
Jordan Love Has Had a Strong Preseason
Outside of an errant throw or two, Jordan Love has had an excellent preseason that should be encouraging for Green Bay Packers fans. Love didn't do anything extraordinary on Saturday, but he did complete five of eight passes for 84 yards and a score.
The touchdown throw was to Jayden Reed on a play-action pass where Love climbed the pocket and delivered a strike. Love is playing with confidence, and it's clear he's ready for the starting job. He still needs to grow as a passer, but his preseason progression has been noteworthy.
Steelers Are Humming on Offense
It’s important to remember it’s only the preseason, but one of the loudest drumbeats of the offseason has been the improvement on offense for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The starters have played three drives in the preseason (two against the Buffalo Bills) and scored a touchdown on each. Second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett looks much more confident than a year ago, and the Steelers are attacking the middle of the field.
The most impressive player on the offense might be Jaylen Warren, who is listed as the No. 2 running back behind Najee Harris. Warren received just one carry Saturday but took it 62 yards for a touchdown. Harris is the former first-round pick, but it's clear as day Warren is the better and more explosive back.
Pittsburgh needs more splash plays on offense, and it's only a matter of time before Warren is the lead back for the Steelers.
Bills TE Dalton Kincaid Already Looks Like a Stud
The Bills looked incredibly sloppy Saturday against the Steelers, with 12 first-half penalties. The offense under Josh Allen stalled on all three drives, and Pickett and company shredded the first-team defense. The good news is that the Bills have a rising star with Dalton Kincaid.
Kincaid caught three passes for 45 yards in the first half, as Pittsburgh didn't have a suitable matchup for him. He's too quick for linebackers, but he is so much bigger than defensive backs and does an excellent job of shielding defenders away from the ball. His best play came on a slant route where he beat Cole Holcomb across his face for a big gain.
Great route by @BuffaloBills rookie @_DaltonKincaid 👏
📱: Stream #BUFvsPIT on #NFLPlus https://t.co/L9mPiySUki pic.twitter.com/8MzXvF99z9
— NFL (@NFL) August 19, 2023
If the Bills want to be more consistent on offense this year, they'll find ways to get Kincaid involved. Rookie tight ends have historically failed to produce big numbers, but Kincaid might be the exception. He is a perfect fit in Buffalo's wide-open offense and could easily finish second on the team in receptions in 2023.
Patriots Finally Have a Functional Offense
The New England Patriots had one of the league's most dull and predictable offenses last season. That wasn't a shock; they had a former defensive coordinator (Matt Patricia) calling plays for the first time in his career. Now Bill O'Brien is back, and the offense looks functional. More importantly, Mac Jones appears more comfortable and is back to getting rid of the ball quickly and on target.
On the game's opening drive, the Patriots drove the ball down the field using several RPO and play-action passes. Here is a clip of one of several completions by Jones off of an RPO:
Patriots calling RPOs for Mac. A welcome sight pic.twitter.com/QTDPbRVdTd
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) August 20, 2023
The Patriots used 11-personnel on every play on the game's opening drive. It's easy to hope this is a sign the Patriots plan to open up their offense and attack more downfield this year under O'Brien.
Rashee Rice Might Be the Answer at WR for the Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions, but you can make a case they have the worst wide receiver room in the NFL.
Kadarius Toney was expected to have a more significant role in the offense this year, but he is already dealing with an injury that could cause him to miss Week 1. The only proven receiver on the roster is Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who is more of a downfield option than a No. 1 or No. 2 target.
However, one player who could have a significant impact as a rookie is Rashee Rice. During the first half of Saturday's game, Rice caught seven of eight targets for 85 yards and was the team’s leading receiver. His best play was a slant he took for 25 yards after making a defender miss in the open field.
Big things ahead for Chiefs 2nd-rounder Rashee Rice?
📱: Stream #KCvsAZ on #NFLPlus https://t.co/L9mPiySmuK pic.twitter.com/e4XCYQalSN
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2023
Rice isn’t the most polished receiver, but he is highly athletic and is exceptional in the open field. With a lack of proven talent at receiver for Kansas City, it wouldn't be a surprise if Rice rose up the depth chart early in the season. Don’t be surprised if it’s Rice who ends up being the top wide receiver on this team by the end of the 2023 season. Rice has a fantastic opportunity to have a significant role on this team early in the year.
Trey Lance Steps Up
After a rough preseason outing in Week 1, Trey Lance bounced back in a big way in Week 2. It wasn’t perfect — he still had an interception and missed some throws — but Lance did show some more confidence.
Lance led the team on a 64-yard drive to kick the winning field goal with no time remaining. He finished the game averaging 9.6 yards per attempt with a touchdown, but the game's final drive might have been the best of his career. The best thing for Lance was that he did not take a sack after taking three in the first quarter last week. He quickly got rid of the ball and seemed much more comfortable in the pocket.
Lance is still far from challenging Brock Purdy for the No. 1 spot, but this was a big step forward for the former No. 3 pick from the 2021 NFL Draft.
