Buckeye News around the Net EXTRA
Because there is too
much Buckeye news to wait
By Bill Smith
Preseason NFL Report
QB Troy
Smith (Baltimore) will start the team's next preseason game Aug. 16.
Smith was 5-for-12 for 74 passing yards in the team's first preseason game
Thursday, Aug. 7.
RG Rob
Sims (Seattle)
is home again starting at RG. Last
year he played LG. In the game against Minnesota, Sims looked
very good. The team ran against the #1
run D in the league last year. He was up
against Kevin Williams an excellent player.
Sims is comfortably entrenched in the starters job at RG. Because the starters only played.
WR Roy
Hall (hamstring) did not participate in the Colt's preseason game Saturday,
Aug. 9.
Ashton
Youboty did not start but was on the nickel and dime coverage packages in
the Bills preseason game against the Redskins.
He helped his cause significantly by getting an interception in the
game. He started and played well with
the second unit. Even so, he is still in
danger of not making the 53 man roster.
CB Shawn
Springs had to start at free safety Saturday, Aug. 9, because the Redskins
had a thin secondary due to injuries.
The
Associated Press reports Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said the
team is going to have some problems on the defensive line because of injuries
including the one to DT Ryan Pickett (hamstring).
The Good
Cleveland
signed former Ohio State defensive back Brandon Mitchell, who joins the
Browns after spending his 2007 rookie season as part of the Houston Texans
practice squad. The Browns are very very
thin at DB. They traded away their best
corner to get Shaun Rogers DT, and then lost their 3rd corner Daven
Holly to a season ending knee injury.
They hoped that former CB/S Gary Baxter might finally be able to
contribute after tearing both patella tendons on a single play in 2006. But Butler
was released because he did not pass his team physical. The bottom line is that Mitchell will be
given every chance to not only make the 53 man roster but contribute this year.
LB Mike
Vrabel (undisclosed) was removed from the Physically Unable to Perform list
Tuesday, Aug. 5. Vrabel participated in the team's practice Tuesday, Aug. 5,
but is uncertain to play in the preseason opener.
The Baltimore Sun reports “Breaking sharply from what had been
the norm over the past several days, all 3 Ravens QBs had good outings during
yesterday morning's practice at McDaniel
College in Westminster. Kyle Boller, Troy Smith and
rookie Joe Flacco all had zip on their passes. Boller's best pass was during a
7-on-7 drill with WRs Matt Willis and Marcus Smith , a rookie, running similar
post patterns, with Willis a few yards deeper. Boller slung the ball over Smith
and CB Corey Ivy to a wide-open Willis, who would have added substantial
yardage downfield. Flacco hit his WRs in stride. He launched a pass before
Smith made his move on a deep post pattern, and Smith didn't break his rhythm.
Troy Smith's ability to scamper out of collapsing pockets and turn losses into
modest gains can only help the patchwork offensive line. On one play, Smith
bounced to his right to get out of the pocket before turning upfield.”
After the
practice each QB was interviewed on NFL Channel. Both Boller and Flacco talked about
themselves trying to get the #1 spot.
Smith, however, talked about the team.
“This is preseason. There's a lot
to come out of this. I know we're going
to get the same amount of playing time.
The cards will fall whichever way they will and hopefully our
preparation will get us wins.”
We here at
BrutusReport.com congratulate Troy
on his attitude and wish him luck in the season.
The Bad
The Atlanta Falcons signed free-agent
C Doug Datish (Colts) Thursday, Aug. 7. Terms of the deal were not
disclosed. Datish was released by the
Colts earlier in the week. While he
played well in the Hall of Fame game, he was a casualty of numbers because the
Colts drafted 3 centers in 08 including their first choice Mike Pollak (2nd
Round-59th choice) and their 2nd 6th round
choice Steve Justice with the 201st pick.
WR Drew
Carter (knee) sustained a right knee injury during the team's preseason
opener Friday, Aug. 8, and did not return.
FS Bryan
Scott worked with the first-team defense Monday, Aug. 4, because SS Donte
Whitner (ankle) was not participating.
Whitner has an ankle injury he suffered Saturday, Aug. 2. Whitner is
scheduled to have an MRI.
WR Joey
Galloway (groin) did not play in the team's preseason opener Saturday, Aug.
9, against the Miami Dolphins. Galloway has been held out of morning practice since
Tuesday, Aug. 5.
Bill Smith is a
former coach of several semi-pro teams and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for http://BrutusReport.com. He has
also published several novels on http://ebooks-library.com/index.cfm and edits http://fryingpanpolitics.blog.com