NFL Monday Morning Review - Top Performers From Preseason Week Two

Week two of the 2014 NFL preseason was laced with big performances. Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall rekindled their prolific relationship on Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars; all of the New England Patriots' quarterbacks ran riot over the Philadelphia Eagles, Jimmy Graham looked to be in mid-season form as he caught two touchdowns on Friday night; and Andy Dalton took some steps towards easing concerns about his new contract when he went eight-of-eight for 144 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets.

This week I will once again be taking a look at players who impressed this week and look set to have big 2014 seasons.

Blake Bortles

Many people were surprised that the Jaguars took Bortles, and not a certain J. Football, with the third overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft. Chad Henne had played well last season and the Jaguars were going to bide their time with the 6' 5" quarterback out of UCF. Through the first two weeks of preseason, Bortles has made a more-than-convincing case to be the starter in week one against the Philadelphia Eagles. Against Chicago Bortles went 12 of 17 for 130 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and led the team to scores on all three drives. He'll need some reps with the first team, but the future could be now for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Justin Hunter

The Tennessee Titans may have fallen short (31-24) against the New Orleans saints on Friday, but their first team enjoyed a stellar outing against the Saints' first team defence. Sophomore wide receiver Justin Hunter was a huge part of that success, and shredded the much-vaunted Saints secondary. Hunter has impressed all training camp, and hauled in four passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Most alarmingly for defences playing the Titans this season, he made it look frighteningly easy.

Ryan Shazier

The first-round linebacker has seen a slow start to his career in the Steel City, but was omnipresent on his debut against the Buffalo Bills. Shazier showcased his impressive range as he racked up nine tackles on defense, two on special teams and a freakishly athletic interception that saw him use his sub-4.4 speed to return it 27 yards. Pittsburgh's defence needs an injection of youth, and Shazier could very well be the man to lead the ageing unit's resurgence.

Kyle Rudolph

Since being drafted in 2011, Rudolph has been an almost peripheral figure in a Minnesota Vikings' offense that has largely - and understandably - been 'The Adrian Peterson Show'. He enjoyed a breakout year in 2012, in which he caught nine touchdowns and made his way to the Pro Bowl, but cooled off last season. Injuries limited him to only eight games, but made an emphatic return to form against the Arizona Cardinals as he caught four passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. Tight ends traditionally thrive under Norv Turner (see: Gates, Antonio and Cameron, Jordan) and Rudolph could be a far bigger component this season than at any point previously in his career.

Jadaveon Clowney

Through two preseason games, Jadaveon Clowney has been reminding fans exactly why he was the first overall pick. In pass rushing situations, Clowney has been exactly as advertised: breathtakingly fast, powerful and a ferociously hard-hitter. He is already emerging as a human highlight reel, and in Houston's 32-7 win over the Falcons he viciously de-cleated running back Antoine Smith, and sacked Matt Ryan in two brief series. It's noteworthy that J.J. Watt was rested for this game, potentially putting to bed any doubts about Clowney's effectiveness when not playing alongside the reigning league defensive MVP.

A Giants Fan's Perspective: Who Knew Losing Could Feel This Good?

A slightly misleading title, perhaps. It's *probably* a good idea for me to clarify that nothing about the first six weeks of the Giants felt 'good' - from the missed opportunities of week one in Dallas to the landslide defeat at home against Denver in week two, the lifeless performance of week three in Carolina and the second-half meltdown at Arrowhead Stadium in week four. The Giants showed some signs of life against Philadelphia and Chicago - a testament to the mental fortitude they've maintained under Coach Coughlin - and bagged consecutive wins against Minnesota and Philadelphia in weeks seven and eight.

As might be expected, there are some positives heading into the second half of the season. The Giants defense appears revitalised with Jon Beason steering the ship and defensive coordinator Perry Fewell simplifying the playbook, and the offense has followed suit: for two weeks, Eli Manning has not been playing 'flashy' football, but he has been playing 'smart' football. No complaints here. Similarly, the run game has been resurrected behind Peyton Hillis and John Conner and has brought some much-needed balance to the offense.
There's also reason for optimism when looking at the records of the Giants' NFC East inmates - the Cowboys, Redskins, and Eagles have all been struggling mightily so far.

But is optimism really a good thing during this, hopefully, unique season?

Giants fans are well-versed in late-season pushes, overcoming the odds and "getting hot at the right time", but they can in 2013.

There are some more-than-tough games on the horizon - two top 10 defences in Seattle and Green Bay, and a plethora of very good quarterbacks in Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Tony Romo, Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers, and Robert Griffin III.
With an 0-6 start and a fiendish second-half schedule, I am left contemplating the idea that a losing season might just be the best possible outcome this year.

The beauty of the NFL comes from the parity between its teams. A season after they finished 2-14, you only need to look at the 9-0 Kansas City Chiefs to see this system at its finest. The Giants have had some forgettable seasons recently, but since 2007 they have been picking in the winning end of the first round and GM Jerry Reese's policy of taking 'the best player available' has arguably led to a roster that is arguably mediocre throughout. Reese won't trade up the draft board, but the Giants need to be picking at the right end more than they need to be one-and-done in the playoffs.

In Hakeem Nicks and Eli Manning the Giants have some great players who have underwhelmed, but it is clear that there are far too many positions on both sides of the ball that have been neglected and are subsequently filed with ageing veterans on expensive contracts.

In the offseason, the Giants will have a chance to draft a number of prospects who can fill positions of need and make an immediate impact in 2014, such as South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney, UCLA's Anthony Barr and Texas A&M's Jake Matthews.
Jerry Reese will also have considerable cap room to play with, meaning that - as painful as it might seem - this offseason is a golden opportunity to build another championship squad, and losing now is the fastest way to win later.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments section or on Twitter: @TomMacFootball