Category: NHL

The Phinsider Mailbag is back to answer your questions ahead of the Miami Dolphins’ Preseason Week 3 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Tonight’s game is the last chance for roster bubble players to show the coaches they deserve a spot on the 53-man roster. It is also the last tune up the Dolphins get before they head into the regular season and start playing games that actually matter.

This week, we asked for your questions and you responded. You asked questions about Miami’s backup quarterback, the importance of preseason results, and the ghost of Joe Philbin hanging over the team. It is time to get into the answers. As we did last week, Marek Brave and I had a round table like discussion to bring you our thoughts to your questions.

MB: I’m on record as saying that I don’t believe Miami’s QB2 is currently on the team’s roster. Quinn Ewers has been abysmal outside of Mike McDaniel’s offense — and he wasn’t all that good in that offense either. Cam Miller has gotten slightly better as the preseason has progressed, but he’s got a long way to go. Jon-Eric Sullivan needs to be scouring the waiver wire after cut-down day this Sunday.

KN: I think I am in the “show-me” crowd. Ewers is the backup until the team makes a move. Do I think they will make a move? I am probably 50/50 on that. If this team were in “win-now” mode, I would absolutely be screaming that they have to address the position as soon as possible, but since this team is looking toward the future, rather than a Super Bowl run this year, I do not know if Ewers being the backup actually matters. If the Dolphins are relying on Ewers for any stretch this year, they probably are in the market for a new quarterback in 2027 and an earlier draft choice might be a better option. I want this team to win now, and I am never going to be someone who advocates for a “tank” season, but I also think the Dolphins have to be smart about how they use their already limited salary cap space, and I am not sure a move at quarterback is the one I would make.

MB: I don’t give any importance to them at all.

KN: Absolutely agree.

MB: We’ve seen Miami’s starting offense for a single drive this preseason, and they scored a touchdown. Does that mean the Dolphins will be an offensive juggernaut this season? Umm… no. But, I think Malik Willis will be an impressive player, the team will show heart and fight each week, we’ll find out we have the right head coach and GM moving forward, we’ll be happy with our rookie class and we’ll earn the right to have some hope heading into the 2027 season. If you’re expecting much more than that from this team this season, you are probably setting your expectations too high.

KN: I do not think head coach Jeff Hafley has put any time into preparing for the specific games Miami has played this summer. He is more concerned with the players on the roster and their individual and group performance. Even when the Dolphins are getting trounced, the individual player responsibilities and performances are what Hafley is trying to see. Do I want to feel better about the team because they won this weekend? Of course. But I do not think Hafley and the rest of the coaching staff are looking at the scoreboard at all. And, like the question said, everything that happened in these three games will be forgotten as soon as Week 1 starts.

KN: We as fans live and die by the week when it comes to the Dolphins. This year for the Dolphins, the weekly results do not matter. They need to grow. Are they looking like a better team in Week 18 than the one that took the field in Week 1? That is the true measure. This team is pieced together with rookies, new free agents, and younger players seeing extended playing time for the first time; they will need time to get everyone on the same page. I expect rookie mistakes – even out of the veterans – early in the season because they are still growing together. I want to see those cleaned up throughout the year and a more competitive product on the field late in the year.

MB: Jeff Hafley has said himself that wins and losses won’t be the measure of success for Miami this season, so it shouldn’t be for Malik Willis either. Hafley wants to see leadership from the QB position. I think Willis has already shown a high level of leadership through the way he speaks with the media, in addition to the way he has taken accountability for getting the offense on the right page during practices and team meetings. Also, I’m a believer in all three rookie wide receivers, so to say there’s a lack of receiving talent without letting those guys attempt to prove themselves in meaningful games is a bit premature for me.

KN: I skipped over that part, but you are right. There is a ton of potential talent on the roster for Miami this year. You do not select 13 players in a single draft and not come away with potential talent. We as fans have to be content with letting them have the time to develop and blossom. We all want immediate results and we are ready to call a player a bust the first time we see him get beaten on the field. This year has to be about patience. The wide receivers have the potential to be stars. Maybe we should let them turn the potential talent into talent.

MB: I think he’s more of a practice squad candidate for my money. He’s an intriguing player and someone you want to keep around for sure, but I don’t know if he’s ready to be a primary backup just yet. Maybe he makes the team initially to keep him off of the waiver wire through the first round of claims, but I’m not so sure he’s on the main roster once the regular season kicks off.

KN: I am probably a bit higher on Mulbah than you are. I think he does have a shot at making the roster. He is right on the bubble for me – though in today’s 53-man roster projection, I have him on the wrong side of the cut line. I agree he is a practice squad option, especially since I think he is battling Matthew Butler for one roster spot. But, if he plays well tonight, I could see Miami looking for a way to keep him on the roster.

MB: Whoa, whoa, whoa… Calm down. In my opinion, Hafley and Philbin couldn’t be any more different. Don’t judge the new head coach on a mostly meaningless preseason game. The Dolphins lack depth. That’s because the Dolphins lack money. Their highest paid player will be playing AGAINST them in tonight’s preseason finale. Let’s give the new guy a bit of a grace period before we start comparing him to Mr. Queasy himself — this is a rebuild after all.

KN: I am so glad you answered this question first. The only comparison between the two is Green Bay. I have not seen or heard of Hafley walking around at practice picking up trash. Just based on personality alone, I think Hafley seems more like a head coach than Philbin ever did. I also go back to, I do not think Hafley had any interest in trying to scheme to win that game. I think the coaches knew what they wanted to see from the players on the field, and they called the game to get that film, not to win the game. The play calling, player packages, and formations will be different when the games matter. But, like you said, this is a rebuild. The coaches and front office know they are here to clean up a roster and a salary cap that had gotten out of control. There will be growing pains this year, and there will be times when the Dolphins simply cannot matchup to the opponent, but that is the nature of a rebuild.

The New Orleans Saints face the Dallas Cowboys in the final game of the 2026 NFL Preseason.  This game is Kellen Moore’s final chance to evaluate talent to round out the 2026 roster, so don’t expect any starters to play any type of significant time.  The certified starters, who have their roster spots locked up, will likely not see any time on the field today as the Saints should be expected to protect their stars for the regular season opener on September 13th.

The Saints will need to use today’s game to decide who will ultimately round out the Week One roster as the regular season is finally upon us.  Here’s to a safe game for both teams, and here’s to the end of another Saints preseason.

Here are your links to follow all of today’s preseason action:

Game time:

Friday, August 28th – 5:00pm PST / 7:00pm CST / 8:00pm EST

Location: 

AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas

Weather Forecast:

80º – Clear (Retractable roof likely to be closed)

TV Broadcasts:

NFL Network (Re-broadcast) – Sunday 8/29 8:00 a.m. CST

WVUE FOX 8 New Orleans (Live)

Featuring: Joel Meyers, Sean Kelley, and Jon Stinchcomb

YouTube TVNFL Sunday Ticket:

Preseason games not included in the package

Radio:

WWL 870AM/105.3FM New Orleans

-Featuring: Mike Hoss, Deuce McAllister, and Steve Geller

New Orleans Saints radio network affiliates can be found here

Dallas Cowboys radio network affiliates can be found here

Online Streaming:

 ESPN Unlimited (Subscription Required)

iOS/Android Streaming:

ESPN Unlimited (Subscription Required) 

Odds: 

Saints +7; Over/Under 49.5

Opponent Blog:

Blogging The Boys

It is Day 16 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are looking back at the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys history. The countdown will leads us right up to the opening game of 2026. Our look back doesn’t depend on just one criteria for our rankings. We take into consideration things like how big the game was for the organization, how memorable the game was, games that had unusual events take place, games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games where the Cowboys just plain dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have all different kind of Cowboys games to review. At the bottom, we’ll link each day of the countdown so you can go back and check out any you missed.

Strap in for Day 16 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, when we revisit the afternoon the Cowboys’ 1990s dynasty first began to feel possible. Dallas went into Soldier Field with a young roster, a backup quarterback and no playoff victory since the 1982 season. But Jimmy Johnson’s team delivered the postseason breakthrough that opened the door to everything that followed. 

Sunday, December 29, 1991 — 12:30 p.m. ET

Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 17, Chicago Bears 13

The Cowboys, having finished 11-5, returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1985. However, Troy Aikman was still recovering from a knee injury, leaving Steve Beuerlein to start against an experienced Chicago team that had also gone 11-5. Despite the Bears producing more yardage throughout the afternoon, Dallas protected the football, created takeaways, and repeatedly stood firm near their own goal line. 

Bill Bates helped create the opening points by forcing Jim Harbaugh to fumble on Chicago’s first possession. Defensive end Tony Hill recovered near midfield, and Ken Willis eventually converted a 27-yard field goal to give Dallas a 3-0 lead. 

Special teams then presented another opportunity. Darrick Brownlow blocked a Bears’ punt, and Ken Norton Jr. recovered at the Chicago 10-yard line. Four plays later, Emmitt Smith scored from one yard out, extending the Cowboys’ advantage to 10-0 during the first quarter. 

Chicago moved the ball effectively, but struggled to convert drives. During the second quarter, they reached the Dallas two-yard line, but Jack Del Rio and Tony Tolbert stopped consecutive rushing attempts, forcing a turnover on downs. Chicago later returned to the two-yard line but settled for Kevin Butler’s 19-yard field goal just before halftime, leaving Dallas ahead 10-3. 

Butler added a 43-yard field goal during the third quarter to reduce the margin to four. Dallas answered with its most important offensive possession of the game, travelling 75 yards in 14 plays. Beuerlein kept the drive alive with two 22-yard completions to Michael Irvin before finding Jay Novacek for a three-yard touchdown on third-and-goal. The methodical response restored a 17-6 lead. 

The Bears continued their relentless pressure in the fourth quarter. Another drive reached the Dallas seven, but Harbaugh’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete. However, Chicago eventually scored when Harbaugh connected with Tom Waddle for a six-yard touchdown, cutting the score to 17-13. This gave the Bears one final opportunity to secure the victory. 

Mike Saxon’s 52-yard punt pinned Chicago at its own four-yard line with 1:50 remaining. Three plays later, Bates intercepted Harbaugh at the Bears’ 16, allowing Dallas to run out the clock. The veteran who connected the Landry era to Johnson’s rebuilding project had made the first and final defensive plays that shaped the victory. 

This game belongs on the countdown because it was the moment Dallas’ young core gained postseason credibility. The Cowboys lost heavily at Detroit in the Divisional Round the following week, but the victory in Chicago proved the rebuilding process had reached a new stage.

Interesting Facts About the Game

The victory was Dallas’ first postseason win since defeating Green Bay in the 1982 NFC playoffs.

Countdown to kickoff 

100, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 91, 90, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 81, 80, 79, 78, 77, 76, 75, 74, 73, 72, 71, 70, 69, 68, 67, 66, 65, 64, 63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58, 57,56, 55, 54, 53, 52, 51, 50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17

In the final stages of building out their 2026 roster, the Los Angeles Rams took time out to knock off their roommates, the L.A. Chargers, 20-18 in the preseason finale. In perfect Hollywood fashion, the game and roster build was shrouded in mystery, a last-minute plot twist, and a touch of drama.

Mystery still surrounds the fate of Aaron Donald’s return. Just hours before the kickoff, the Rams turned the the table on roster projections by trading running back Jarquez Hunter, in the midst of a heated roster battle, for wide receiver Tutu Atwell, a roster lock. The controversy, amongst fans at least, is that Atwell had spent his first five years in L.A. with more potential than distinction and wasn’t offered a contract after the 2025 season. 

For the Rams newcomers, this roster was gong to be tough to make, there were just a few positions in play. General Manager Les Snead has filled the coffers with players that fit into Head coach Sean McVay’s exacting protocols. The Rams coaching staff has put together a mentally/physically tough squad that plays hard to the whistle. 

While the Charger game had a few watch-worthy individual performances, It appeared that the game had little effect on a roster reset. In fact, it was the few players that didn’t/hardly participate that told the story.

Here’s my final roster reset, an opening 53 projection (players in bold), a 17-man practice squad (PS), and individual snap counts (in parentheses) from the Rams/Chargers game.

Quarterback (3)

Matthew Stafford, Ty Simpson (48), Stetson Bennett

No changes, the only debate is the “official’ naming of QB#2. Simpson looked decisive and sharp on the short throws and it was cool to see Matthew Caldwell (26) get some play time. McVay doesn’t usually give his QB#4 camp arms that much action. 

Running back (3)

Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, Ronnie Rivers

All of the roster battle debate went out the window before kickoff with the trade of Jarquez Hunter.  The Rams do not usually give up on draft picks, unless their just not a fit. I’m going with Dean Conners (38) over Jordan Watwers (36) for a PS berth.

Wide receiver (6)

Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith, Tutu Atwell

Welcome home, Tutu. “You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.”

His addition almost assures that both CJ Daniels (34) and Brennan Presley (53) are the odd men out. Both are likely destined for the PS. I thought Presley was outstanding throughout the preseason slate, the best of the L.A. receivers. Tyler Scott (42) showed flashes over the preseason, but as is in his past, not near enough to justify a roster spot. Goodbye to Tru Edwards (38) and Alex Bachman (32). 

Tight end (5)

Colby Parkinson, Terrance Ferguson, Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, Max Klare (41)

No surprises, most fans would agree that this was always going to be the lineup. Mark Redman (24) to the PS for sure and the Rams initial monetary investment in Dan Villari (20) gets him there as well. Rohan Jones (12) only received a handful mop-up offensive reps over three games.

Offensive line (10)

Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, Warren McClendon, Beaux Limmer, David Quessenberry, Justin Dedich, Keagan Trost, Dylan McMahon

Throwing in Dylan McMahon as the surprise 10th offensive lineman, he really played solidly in the first two games and got the night off in the finale. RG Austin Blaske, C Wyatt Bowles, LT AJ Arcuri, and RT Bryce Henderson all played every snap, 74. Bill Murray (30) was the fifth starter. In the first two drives, against most of the Chargers first teamer’s, they had their hands full, but over a body of work, all handled themselves quite well. Blake Hance stepped in for Murray.

Tough battle for the PS. As much as I liked Wyatt Bowles effort and C/G versatility, the combination of AJ Arcuri, Austin Blaske and Bill Murray offers the Rams comprehensive versatility insurance.

Special teams (3)

Ethan Evans, Harrison Mevis, Joe Cardona

No need to worry about the specialists, all three are solid. Again, double-teaming the gunner’s on punt returns, could really open things up. Upgrade onkick coverage? Well, fans will believe it when they see it.

Defensive line (5)

Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, Tyler Davis, Ty Hamilton

The defensive interior, as a whole, has not played well in preseason. Bill Norton (30) has led the way, he’s tough to move, but doesn’t get much push. Tim Keenan (24) needs plenty of seasoning. Larrell Murchison (26) looks to be near the end. Although Payton Zdroik (27) and Jaxson Moi (27) both looked to have improved over three games, neither are ready to contend with higher grade competition.

Edge (5)

Myles Garrett, Byron Young, Josaiah Stewart, Desjuan Johnson, Wesley Bailey (2)

The biggest recipient of the defensive line’s ho-hum play will be Bailey. I think the Rams will want to protect him, he strikes me as the only player at the bottom of the roster that would not clear waivers. Darryl Peterson (42) improved incrementally over his three outings and wins a PS role. Latecomers Tomon Fox (45) and Devean Deal (23) were always here as camp bodies.

Off-ball linebacker (4)

Nate Landman, Omar Speights, Shaun Dolac, Grant Stuard

Another position where the end result was never in doubt. Nikhai Hill-Green (49) got in a lot of work over three games and while not outstanding, showed enough for a PS berth. Elias Neal (21) is cut from the same cloth, a good guy to have on the practice squad. Monty Rice (26) was added just for preseason games.

Safety (5)

Kamren Curl, Quentin Lake, Kamren Kinchens, Jaylen McCollough, Nick Andersen (8)

I’m going to stay with Andersen (8) making the 53. He appears to be from the Rams toughness/effort/IQ mold and played generally well. Nate Valcarcel (42) doesn’t justify a opening roster bid, but is a good prospect for the PS. Alex Cook (49) could challenge for the PS, but doesn’t have as much growth potential. Coaches love Tanner Ingle (29) for his hustle and work ethic, but he still struggles to take good angles.

Cornerback (4)

Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Emmanuel Forbes, Josh Wallace

The Rams got Cam Lampkin (36) plenty of work both outside and in the slot, but I’m not sure his preseason play was enough to crack the billet. AZ Hamilton (44) had some flashes and will get development work on the practice squad. Didn’t see enough consistency from Alex Johnson (17) over three games, but he could sneak onto the PS. Nyzier Fourqurean (39) is in the same boat. Steven Gilmore (10) mopped up.

Practice squad (17)

RB Dean Conners

WR Brennan Presley

WR CJ Daniels

TE Mark Redman

TE Dan Villari

OL Austin Blaske

OL Bill Murray

OL AJ Arcuri

DL Tim Keenan

DL Bill Norton

E Darryl Peterson

LB Nikhai Hill-Green

LB Elias Neal

S Nate Valcarcel

CB Cam Lampkin

CB AZ Hamilton

P Jack Bouwmeester (Exchange)

The AD effect and final roster thoughts

If the Rams do come to terms and activate Aaron Donald by Monday, I would guess that edge Wesley Bailey becomes the odd man out. Bailey does strike me as the likely most sought after of the Rams final cuts and could therefore be snapped up, but 9 of 10 Rams fans would prefer Donald back in horns over a youngster who still needs a lot of development work.

The opening roster may be in line for a couple of tweaks before the opener with the 49ers, depending on a few outcomes. Fans are still in the dark about about possible suspensions to Alaric Jackson and Puka Nacua, while the severity of Keagan Trust’s hamstring also needs adjudication. And of course, the Rams Pro Personnel Department will be scouring the waiver wire and practice squads, when set, for any possible poach candidates the braintrust favors.

Tell the forum about your opening roster thoughts! 

The New England Patriots officially traded wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans this week, receiving safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028th seventh-round draft pick in return.

Boutte’s departure comes after a long offseason full of speculation over his future.

The 24-year old requested a trade this past spring as he enters a contract year and was set to see both his playing time and production dip after the Patriots upgraded their wide receiver depth chart with A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Mike Vrabel even revealed Boutte would have been inactive during the season, barring injuries.

As New England’s wide receiver room remained deep even beyond Brown and Doubs, the decision was made to move off of Boutte, who never eclipsed the 600-yard mark, to add depth elsewhere on the roster and open up more opportunities for players like Kyle Williams.

But for a Patriots team that remains Super Bowl hopeful — where they currently are tied with the fifth-highest odds on FanDuel Sportsbook to hoist the Lombardi Trophy this season — many believed the team should have kept the pass catcher, who has strong chemistry with quarterback Drake Maye.

That is why in the results of the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, 30% of participants voted the trade as a neutral C.

Much of comment section agreed, largely do to what was viewed as a minimal return:

SlotMachinePlayer

The grade for this draft depends on two things:

1. Brown staying healthy, since Boutte was the guy most likely to fill that role if he’s hurt.
2. Reed turning into a useful depth player; something Boutte was.

The draft pick was meh. Could have likely gotten a higher comp pick if Boutte went elsewhere at the end of the year. Looking like a D right now, since safety wasn’t a position of need, and Reed didn’t play much.

PatriotPapa

C. Should have gotten a much higher draft pick beyond the 1-for-1 player trade. Patriots had Houston needing to make the trade having just lost Jayden Higgins with torn ACL. Getting much needed help in run defense was a solid move, but a higher draft pick IN 2027 should have been demanded.

For Pats Sake

F-
Patriots got fleeced.
Should have been for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2027 3rd or 4th Round Pick.
Instead we got a freaking 2028 7th and a player that has not been as productive as Boutte.

Sportsbozo52

I think they got what they wanted. A viable player and a 28 draft choice. Boutte will do well in Texas. May he continue to grow! I am a fan of his and will remain a fan of his, just not when he plays the Patriots. I don’t know much about Jaylin Reed, let’s hope he sticks with the Patriots and can be a contributor for the upcoming season.

new_phal3123

I think C+ in the sense that it’s just right down the middle. It’s the reality of the market for that type of WR. I think Boutte is a valuable player but in his role with 1 year left, there’s just not a huge market. The plus comes from getting an immediate contributor rather than just a future day 3 pick.

Todger

Thirty two teams could be looking for a replacement WR, due to a season ending injury, within one week of the season start

All in all, this week’s survey results look as follows:

Some were in favor of the trade, as 5% of voters graded the move as an A with 24% giving the deal a B. That may have to do with the potential of Jaylen Reed taking on a larger defensive role in New England and becoming the third safety the team was looking for to pair with Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson.

Most fans were on the opposite end of the spectrum, however, as 16% of voters grading the trade as a F with another 25% awarding it a D.

Following the move, the Houston Texans are now tied with the Patriots in Super Bowl odds on FanDuel Sportsbook. According to executive vice president of player personal Eliot Wolf, the Patriots were not worried about sending Boutte to a fellow AFC contender.

“No, there was no concern about that, and I don’t think there was any concern for them to send us a safety that we think can play,” Wolf said.

The Seattle Seahawks are just hours away from their preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs. Once Friday night is over, they’ll have until Sunday afternoon to cut their 90-man roster down to an initial 53 players for the regular season.

To get you up to speed on the state of Seattle’s roster, this is a final unofficial depth chart check for August. In fact, it’s so unofficial that the flip card for the Chiefs game is already obsolete. Chris Paul Jr was waived with an injury designation, so he’s off the linebacker depth chart, while offensive tackle Kellen Diesch has joined the team as a waiver wire claim. We’ll still roll with it because it’s 97.8% accurate in terms of players who are on the team.

Seattle Seahawks offense

Irv Charles being that high up the unofficial depth chart seems a bit odd. He’s never had an NFL target in four seasons and was brought in for special teams, but he’s put up a whopping zero preseason snaps. I’d consider Foster to be higher up the ladder despite how this reads.

With Mason Richman on IR, it’ll be interesting to see if Bryce Cabeldue really is the go-to at left guard for the Chiefs game over Beau Stephens, who had been with the third-team in preseason alongside Cabeldue. When Richman went down, Cabeldue took Mason’s left guard snaps.

Zach Charbonnet is obviously at the back-end of the depth chart for injury reasons and will go on regular season PUP by the end of this weekend.

The aforementioned Diesch is listed as a tackle and would be at the back-end, much like the recently signed Derrick Graham.

Seattle Seahawks defense

We obviously have to cross out Paul, although it doesn’t change much regarding Smith and Echols’ respective statuses. If nothing else, absent Julian Neal, almost all of the defensive depth chart is pretty much how it’s actually played out in preseason.

Incidentally, similar to Charbonnet, Emmanwori’s injury has him deceivingly at the back of the chart even though he’s not even on PUP anymore. He also cannot go back on PUP, and unless his ankle surgery recovery had some sort of setback I can’t envision him starting the regular season on IR.

Seattle Seahawks special teams

Cody White has been the main kick returner in preseason alongside Emmanuel Henderson. He’s also had punt return duties but I imagine in the regular season it will just be Shaheed and Horton (whenever Tory is back from his mysterious injury).

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cardinals fans and fans across the country.

The Arizona Cardinals have tried to fix their defense over the last couple of seasons and yet for fans, it is incredibly worrisome.

That is why when we asked what position group are fans most worried about, the overwhelming amount picked a defensive position, with the edge position being the one most are concerned about.

Fans are concerned about the entire front seven of the defense and it makes sense. They were bad last year and they didn’t do much to change things. Yes, Roy Lopez is back, and they added Andrew Billings, Jack Gibbens and Andrew Wingard, but that did not change things for fans.

And of course they did nothing at the edge position, so that makes sense that it is the biggest concern.

It is also interesting that the offensive line, despite heavy investment is still the second biggest concern out of all position groups.

The thing is, I think every team can say this about the offensive line.

Of course when you are seeing the yo-yoing of Jeremiyah Love’s rushing total week-to-week from our friends over at FanDuel Sportsbook, it makes sense that there are concerns. Love’s total plummeted last week to 725.5 yards on the season, and moved back up to 775.5 yards this week. Does the line concern you that much combined with the ankle issue?

Ty Simpson again stole headlines in the Los Angeles Rams’ 20-18 win over the Chargers on Thursday night, yet fellow rookie CJ Daniels has earned a chance in the spotlight. Following a second straight promising game, Daniels has seemingly done enough to earn a roster spot, as he’s been one of the Rams’ most consistent wideouts this preseason.

We’ll get into that more shortly, but let’s dive into the good, the bad and the ugly against the Chargers in the preseason finale on Thursday night.

The Good

Ty Simpson has secured the backup position … maybe

Did Simpson secure the backup position? There’s a chance, but Sean McVay is going to take his sweet ass time making a decision.

The quarterback battle in Los Angeles shouldn’t be a battle at all given what we’ve seen this preseason. Simpson has simply outplayed Stetson Bennett and should be rewarded with the backup role. Why should the Rams put up with mediocrity behind Matthew Stafford? They haven’t put up with average with the rest of the roster.

There’s more on that in a bit. The rookie has truly been sensational this preseason. He didn’t make a single mistake in his three appearances, which is crucial to note. Additionally, he demonstrated high efficiency and poise like someone who has played in this offense for years.

Simpson’s performance in the Chargers game proves he was the team’s option all along, because through three preseason appearances, he already looked more NFL-ready than Bennett has after FOUR SEASONS.

For crying out loud McVay, this shouldn’t be a difficult choice to make. Ride the hot hand and see where it takes you.

Defense did just enough

This was perhaps the defense’s worst showing of the preseason, yet they did what they could to finish on a high note.

Yes, Justin Herbert tore them up early on, and the Chargers’ running game racked up over 200 yards. Outside of Herbert, they remained strong against the pass.

DJ Uiagalelei and Trey Lance were held to a combined 11-of-20 for 141 yards and no touchdowns. Lance had zero completions, so a terrible showing is pretty on brand for him. Both QBs were also sacked four times. The Chargers were also held to a combined 3-of-10 on third- and fourth-down, and 0-for-1 in the red zone.

This preseason, the Rams finished by giving up 30 points in three games, which is really good. They also only allowed two touchdowns in that span, both coming against the Chargers.

It wasn’t the prettiest effort, yet the unit didn’t break and did enough to keep LA in a position to win every game. I can’t say it enough, but if this is how the backups play, imagine how much fun the defense will be once the regular season kicks off.

Best preseason showing in the McVay era

Who says preseason efforts don’t matter? Well, I mean, they don’t, yet an undefeated showing is nothing to sneeze at, as many of the team’s backups got valuable reps.

It goes without saying that this was the best preseason showing in the McVay era, and it’s not remotely close.

The Rams went 2-2 in each of their first three preseason slates with McVay at the helm. They’ve finished close to unbeaten in each of the last two seasons following an 0-3 finish in 2023, which hilariously included a 41-0 loss to the Broncos in Denver.

For a team that regularly doesn’t play its starters during the exhibition series — with McVay usually even handing off his play calling duties — it was refreshing to see effort. Part of what helped was Simpson’s play, which has undoubtedly made this preseason more enjoyable to watch than others.

During the 2021 campaign when LA most recently won the Super Bowl, they also finished 0-3. In all likelihood, that doesn’t mean a darn thing heading into the 2026 season. Either way, it’s still interesting.

The Bad

The CJ Daniels waiting game

Daniels should make the roster. There I said it.

After a quiet start to preseason, Daniels ended the exhibition matches with back-to-back quality games against the Saints and Chargers. In those two games, he had 13 catches for 110 yards on 19 targets. While he didn’t reach the end zone, it shouldn’t matter, as he’s been one of the team’s most consistent receivers the past two weeks.

The only issue is, his efforts might be in vain, which would be deeply unfortunate.

LA trading back for Tutu Atwell before the game certainly complicates things. It shouldn’t, though, because when has this team ever used Atwell correctly, or at all?

Daniels deserves a roster spot due to him being a quality young option who can rack up decent production and be a reliable target. If Atwell’s return is going to cut into another receiver’s reps, why should that be allowed?

Since we know enough about Bennett to know he’s not the guy, shouldn’t the front office have already known Atwell is in a similar spot? We’ve been waiting for Tutu to break out for how many years now? Give his reps to someone more deserving, like Daniels, to see if they can take off and make the most of the opportunities Atwell never could.

The waiting game is maddening while cutdowns happen, and keep your fingers crossed for Daniels. LA might regret it if they let him go to another team and it pans out.

Coaching staff’s management of QBs in a pointless battle

If there’s one gripe I’ve had about preseason — besides the common complaint that it’s pointless — it’s that the Rams completely mismanaged the quarterback situation.

A week ago, we were wondering where Simpson was. This week, we were asking the same about Bennett. Not that I was clamouring to see him attempt to cosplay as an NFL QB, but still.

With Bennett not playing Thursday, does that mean he unofficially locked up the backup job? Were the Rams preserving his health in case they intend to trade him before the season? Has McVay seen enough from him, which again, could be a good or a bad thing? What does it all mean?!

In last week’s Good, Bad and Ugly, I complained that Simpson didn’t play enough against the Saints. Every rep he receives is valuable, and it made zero sense not to have him on the field for longer. We’re already well aware that Bennett isn’t in the team’s long-term (and possibly) short-term future.

The coaching staff playing Simpson longer this week doesn’t make up for his lack of reps against New Orleans. It stole more opportunities to get valuable NFL experience that could significantly benefit him down the road should he earn the backup role.

Regardless of whatever happens, my head still hurts, and I’m off to pop a couple aspirin.

The Ugly

None for the second straight week. The Rams’ backups looked great and ended preseason on a high note. Now, we’re on to the regular season. Bring it on!

The San Francisco 49ers’ preseason is officially over. The team will make roster decisions. The coaching staff should know by now who will make the team. Realistically, we’re talking about 3-5 spots up for grabs.

Kyle Shanahan said he likes when players make it easy on him. Jacob Cowing did that with an 80+ yard punt return in the second preseason game. De’Zhaun Stribling’s roster spot was never in doubt, but he made an impact in both games.

Defensively, Jack Jones had the ball production the 49ers so desperately covet at cornerback. He gave Raheem Morris confidence during the preseason.

Now that the preseason is over, who surprised you?

Who was the biggest surprise of the preseason for the 49ers?

It’s always fun to read what people-watching practice is saying and then see for yourself how the players perform. In a practice setting, it’s easy to get caught up in one flashy play and ignore what happens on a down-to-down basis. That brings me to my answer. I have two: one pleasant surprise, and one…not so much.

Jordan Watkins is the kind of player who has preseason production in the box score, but once you go under the hood and focus on him, I’m not sure he’s an NFL player. Not for the 49ers, at least.

Football is a violent game. Unfortunately for Watkins, there were too many exposures during the preseason of him either shying away from contact or failing to produce through contact.

If we use the final preseason game as an example, Watkins turtled up on his first kickoff return when he was about to get tackled. He had an opportunity to block a safety, but he waited and was driven back instead of being the aggressor. Then you get into tracking the ball in the air, and you’re left wondering whether Watkins is worth investing in, or if you should listen to the signs he’s telling you and move on.

Kurtis Rourke only played in one game. He’s closer to Mac Jones than Adrian Martinez. It’s too bad that Rourke was banged up, because it would have been fun to see him grow over three weeks with extended reps. The good news is that we saw him drop back 16 times, and that was more than enough to see a quality backup.

Half of Rourke’s completions went for first downs. He was selectively aggressive—which is another reason multiple games would have been fun, to see if Rourke would’ve opened it up even more. Rourke completed all four of his passes beyond 10 yards. The 32-yarder to Stribling on third down was a thing of beauty, and the type of aggressive decision Kyle Shanahan wants at the position.

Rourke handled pressure well, and even avoided a sack. I thought he looked the part and wouldn’t dare think about losing him to waivers.

Who surprised you the most this season?