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SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2011 PAGE 7C
CLEVELAND BROWNS
SAINTS VS. RAIDERS
N E W YO R K G I A N TS
Players know drill with delays
Postponements due to weather conditions is nothing new to New York Giants. By TOM CANAVAN AP Sports Writer
AP PHOTO
Quarterback Drew Brees will lead the New Orleans Saints against Oakland Raiders tonight.
Raiders are preparing for stiff test vs. Saints New Orleans and Drew Brees will face Oakland tonight in key preseason game.
By JOSH DUBOW AP Sports Writer
OAKLAND, Calif. — There are plenty of questions about the Oakland Raiders defense after being shredded by big pass plays by Arizona and gashed by the run by San Francisco in the first two exhibition games. With Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints coming to town tonight for what is considered a regular season dress rehearsal, the Raiders know they will be exposed on national television if they haven’t solved those problems. “This is probably the best test that we can get playing against a tremendous offensive football team with a quarterback that I think is one of the best in football,” coach Hue Jackson said. “It’s a great test for our football team.” With starters usually getting their most extensive playing time of the preseason, the third exhibition game is often viewed as the best gauge for where a team stands heading into the season. Rarely has that game predicted what was to come better than it was two years ago when New Orleans came to Oakland and dismantled the Raiders 45-7. The Saints went on to win their first 13 regular season games and then the Super Bowl a little more than five months later, topping 40 points in four of the first six contests. The Raiders, on the other hand, went on to their NFLworst seventh straight season of at least 11 losses, with five of those losses coming by at least 20 points. In the game two years ago, Brees completed 14 of 17 passes for 179 yards and drove the Saints to touchdowns on all
three drives he played. The offense clicked so well that coach Sean Payton pulled most of his starters early in the second quarter instead of playing them into the third quarter as planned. “They’re obviously a much better team than they were two years ago,” Brees said. “I feel like we have the ability to be a better team than we were two years ago. That’s our goal, to build this team and develop young players. We just want to play well. If we walk away from that Oakland game and we play well ... it makes you feel like we have a chance to play well and continue growing in that first game.” Mark Brunell led a pair of touchdown drives after that as the Saints took a 31-0 halftime lead, outgaining Oakland 344-60 in the first two quarters. Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt needed little reminding this week about what happened two years ago and said he views this game as a good barometer for what’s to come this season. “This is definitely going to be a test to see where we are, mentally, physically, just as a whole defense, offense,” Routt said. “It’s going to show a little bit of where you’re going to be able to start the season.” The Saints have split their first two exhibition games with vastly different defensive performances. New Orleans used an aggressive, blitzing defense to beat San Francisco 24-3 in the opener before giving up 436 yards in a 27-14 loss at Houston last week. New Orleans is looking for a bounce-back performance in what may be the last opportunity for many starters to play this preseason. “The Raiders have a great running game, so that’s a great early test for us,” linebacker Will Herring said. “For me personally, anywhere I’m lining up, my goal has to be to stop their run. We’re going to get a good barometer of where we are right now.”
AP PHOTO
Browns defensive tackle Phil Taylor made a big push toward establishing himself on Cleveland’s line when he threw his weight around against Eagles quarterback Michael Vick on Thursday.
Taylor impressing Browns No. 1 pick defensive lineman Phil Taylor looked good against Philadelphia Eagles. The Associated Press
BEREA, Ohio — Phil Taylor stands out in a crowd at 6-foot-3, 335 pounds. The Cleveland Browns’ top draft pick is showing the potential to be a standout defensive tackle, too. Taylor made a big push toward establishing himself on Cleveland’s line when he threw his weight around against Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick on Thursday night. “There were flashes of what you want from a defensive tackle in this league,” coach Pat Shurmur said after Taylor spent a good part of the first half causing havoc in the Eagles’ backfield. Taylor forced Vick to fumble on a sack and pressured an Eagles lineman into committing a holding penalty. He also drew a double team that enabled linebacker Scott Fujita to pressure Vick into an overthrow, and applied pressure in the backfield at least four other times. After the last play of the second quarter, Vick gave the Browns’ big lineman a fist bump. “He said, ’Good play, keep playing hard,’ “ Taylor said. Taylor’s play is welcome to a
team with several players sidelined by injuries. Shurmur gave the squad a day off Saturday. It meant starting offensive lineman Eric Steinbach and running back Brandon Jackson did not miss more time away. Shurmur doesn’t know when either may be back, saying Jackson will be out for an “extended period” with a toe injury. Steinbach has a disc problem in his back — not a good sign for a 6-6, 295-pounder who has missed only three games in eight seasons and played every snap the past two seasons. Surgery would likely end his season. Taylor is fresh and eager to make an impact, however. “I am just getting better in practice each week,” he said. “It showed a lot more this week. I’m just doing the extra things in practice and I got a lot better this game.” Shurmur is keeping Taylor’s performance in perspective, noting much of the good play came against two Eagles rookies, right guard Danny Watkins and center Jason Kelce. Watkins was Taylor’s teammate at Baylor and Philadelphia’s top choice. Shurmur stopped short of giving Taylor a perfect grade. “There were some areas in the game where he needed to be a little more explosive and consistent,” Shurmur said. “Generally,
he’s making steady progress and that’s good.” Taylor said he enjoyed his 14yard sack and forced fumble on the Eagles’ third play, but agreed that an NFL defensive lineman can’t just live on knocking down opponents. “You have to use your hands a lot more at this level,” Taylor said. “In college, you can get by with just bull rushing a guy and things like that. At this level, guys have more technique, so you have to use your hands better.” Taylor can make his presence felt even without getting sacks. “If I am drawing a double team on every play and not getting tackles, then the linebackers should be making all the tackles,” he said. “A good game for me is to just going out there and doing whatever I need to do for the team.” Putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks is a priority for the Browns this year. That’s a prime reason why they made Taylor their top choice and went to four down linemen, a set that has him playing alongside beefy Ahtyba Rubin. “He’s helping me out a lot because he’s a veteran,” said Taylor. “In the game, he’s just helping me out with things to look for from offensive linemen and things like that.”
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Being forced to adjust their schedule because of the weather isn’t anything new for the New York Giants. They got used to it last season when a blizzard first delayed their trip to Minnesota, then forced the game to be moved to Detroit when the Metrodome’s roof collapsed. The Giants are adjusting again with the East Coast being hit by Hurricane Irene. The category 1 storm forced the Giants, Jets and the NFL to move Saturday’s game at MetLife Stadium from Saturday to Monday night. The Giants announced the postponement on Friday night, with the team learning about it while in meetings. The team practiced on Saturday. “I thought the guys adjusted,” quarterback Eli Manning said. “We came in today and I thought we really had a crisp, sharp practice. Guys were flying around, moving around. I got to see a few more Jets looks, since we had a short week in the first place. I think guys are now set on going home, resting up today and tomorrow.” Coach Tom Coughlin sent his players to their homes after practice on Saturday to be with their families. They have been told to return Monday for a team meeting and pregame meal. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. “First and foremost, our thoughts are for the safety and well-being of everybody who has been and will be impacted by the hurricane system,” Coughlin said inquotesreleasedbytheteam.“We pray that all those people have taken the necessary precautions and that the aftermath is something that can be managed effectively.” Coughlin isn’t worried about the Giants (1-1) being ready for the annual preseason game against the Jets (1-1). “We’re getting good at midstream adjustments,” Coughlin said. “I don’t know if that is something you necessarily want to perfect, but I think we’re close.” Manning said this year’s delay is different. “Last year, we were traveling around and staying in hotels and we didn’t know where we were going to play or what was going on,” he said. “That was different. With this game, we know when we’re playing, we know the time. We adjustedandgottohaveanextrapractice.” The delay might help the Giants. They had a short week to prepare for the Jets, having played the Bears on Monday night. The negative is the Giants won’t have any time to prepare for the preseason finale against the New England Patriots on Thursday night in Foxborough, Mass.
PRESEASON NOTEBOOK
Eagles receivers Maclin, Smith finally practice; Bengals waive a Palmer The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — Eagles wide receivers Jeremy Maclin and Steve Smith practiced on Saturday for the first time this year. Maclin was cleared by doctors earlier this month after being stricken by an unknown illness during the offseason. Smith, signed away from the New York Giants, underwent microfracture surgery in December. Both were placed on the Eagles’ active roster. Maclin, 23, caught 70 passes for 964 yards and 10 touchdowns last year and has 125
receptions for 1,726 yards and 14 scores in two NFL seasons. Smith, 26, caught 220 passes for 2,386 yards and 11 touchdowns in four seasons with the Giants, including 107 receptions for 1,220 yards in his 2009 Pro Bowl season. He’s one of six former Pro Bowl players the Eagles added during the offseason. With Maclin and Smith both back, only offensive lineman Winston Justice and defensive end Brandon Graham haven’t practiced yet. Both are recovering from knee surgery.
Washington Redskins ASHBURN, Va. — While the Washington Redskins quarterback race has kept everyone on tenterhooks, the running back competition has become a oneman show. Tim Hightower has separated himself from the pack and is all but certain to be the starter for the regular season opener against the New York Giants on Sept. 11. Coach Mike Shanahan said Saturday he isn’t ready to announce Hightower has the job yet, but says “if you were betting
my junior year.” Cut by the Minnesota Vikings after reporting to training camp Cincinnati Bengals at 387 pounds, McKinnie signed a two-year contract with the CINCINNATI — The Bengals Ravens last week and is eager to have waived quarterback Jordan start the next phase of his caPalmer, who came to training reer in the NFL. Baltimore Ravens camp hoping to compete for a “I have a lot of motivation,” OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Still job but didn’t get much of a he said. “So you are definitely massive at roughly 370 pounds, chance. going to see a lot of pancake new Baltimore Ravens left offen- (blocks) this year.” Palmer was the backup quarsive tackle Bryant McKinnie terback last season to brother McKinnie played left tackle Carson Palmer, who has decided says he’s working hard to get with the Vikings, and the Ravto retire rather than play anoth- down to his usual playing ens have every intention of weight of 350 pounds. er season for the Bengals. Jorkeeping him there. So Michael “I play at like 355, not 335,” dan Palmer led workouts with Oher will shift back to the right McKinnie said Saturday. “I Cincinnati’s offense during the side, where he played as a rooNFL lockout and tutored rookie haven’t been that since college, kie two years ago. in Vegas, you’d probably bet in that direction.”
quarterback Andy Dalton. The Bengals decided to make Dalton the starter and signed veteran Bruce Gradkowski, an indication they didn’t plan to keep Palmer.