Week three of the NFL preseason is usually regarded as the most important one. Teams generally leave their starters on the field for longer to iron out any remaining creases, and it is the final week before the first round of roster cuts take place, therefore serving as the final opportunity for many roster bubble players to impress their coaches. As usual, big performances came from established players. Philip Rivers (nine-of-ten for 85 yards and one touchdown), Drew Brees (9-of-15 for 128 yards and two touchdowns), Marshawn Lynch and Julio Jones (both with one touchdown each) all delivered expectedly strong performances, and recent featured players such as Blake Bortles and John Brown impressed yet again.
This week I'll be taking yet another look at five outstanding performances from this pivotal week of preseason action.
Mark Sanchez
Seriously. He of 'Buttfumble' fame finds himself in my top performers list after posting a solid, and comical mishap-free, performance against the Steelers. Sanchez appears to be revitalised in Philadelphia; on Thursday he completed seven of nine passes for 85 yards and led the Eagles to two touchdowns. While Nick Foles is firmly entrenched as the Eagles' starter, but Sanchez's strong preseason showings have seen him emerge as a viable option for the St. Louis Rams. The Rams have lost Sam Bradford to a torn ACL (again) and Sanchez could be a starter in the NFL sooner than anyone anticipated.
Corey Washington
A few seasons ago, the Giants watched in awe as an undrafted rookie wide receiver, ominously wearing a single-digit jersey number, lit up the preseason. Victor Cruz torched the Jets for 145 yards and three touchdowns, and would finish the preseason with 297 yards and led the league with four touchdowns. Flash forward to 2014, and Corey Washington is turning heads in a similar fashion. After being cut by the Arizona Cardinals, Washington has amassed 152 receiving yards and four touchdowns. His 31 yard touchdown against the Jets on Saturday was his third game-winning effort this year.
Jace Amaro
The annual 'Snoopy Bowl' provided a glimpse of the Jets' offensive future. Tight end Jace Amaro has reportedly struggled since being drafted, and has seen his first NFL offseason plagued by drops. Reassuringly for the Jets, their second round draft choice reeled in four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown in the absence of the injured Jeff Cumberland. His blocking also showed signs of improvement, making it a good night for the Texas Tech product.
Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Moreno experienced a career renaissance in Denver last season, but wasn't set to even start in Miami following a tumultuous offseason that has seen the running back miss extended time with the team. Lamar Miller has practiced well and was listed as the incumbent starter on a recent Dolphins depth chart, with Moreno positioned fourth. The status quo changed on Saturday when Moreno, splitting carries with Miller in the first-team offense, rushed for 64 yards on ten carries. Against Dallas he showed good decisiveness, vision, burst and a finishing ability that Miller has lacked so far.
Larry Fitzgerald
He's back. Normally someone like Larry Fitzgerald wouldn't need to prove himself heading into a new season, but after a down year in 2012 (with Kevin Kolb, John Skelton and Brian Hoyer throwing him passes) and a 2013 that saw him battle injuries, Fitzgerald finds himself in such a situation. He appears to be in good health and enjoying the presence of Carson Palmer under centre, and posted hauled in three catches for 71 yards, including a diving 23 yard circus grab and an emphatic 43 yard catch-and-run. In the highly-competitive NFC West, the Arizona Cardinals will need all the offensive firepower they can muster to successfully challenge the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers.
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