It’s time to get excited for the preseason. We’re on to Week 3, which means we’ll see plenty of the stars of each team getting their last live reps before taking a break for the regular season. Below we take a look at Ben Roethlisberger and his Pittsburgh Steelers take on a Buffalo Bills squad currently embroiled in a quarterback competition. The Philadelphia Eagles are also in action as they roll into Green Bay, as the Packers get ready for a season without Jordy Nelson.
Which teams get the last laugh before resting their starters ahead of the regular season? Read on as we preview this pair of exciting matches.
There are still plenty of preseason games for your betting pleasure. Check out the preview for the Cardinals vs. Raiders and 49ers vs. Broncos as well as the complete Week 3 breakdown.
[sc:Football ]Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills
Where: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, NY
When: Saturday, August 29, 4:00 PM ET
Line: Pittsburgh Steelers (+2.5) at Buffalo Bills (-2.5); total: 42.5 – view all NFL lines
It took some time to get himself going, but Ben Roethlisberger was in fine form, finishing 11 of 14 for 100 yards passing and a touchdown in Sunday’s match against the Packers. Antonio Brown finished with four catches for 24 yards, but had a 58-yard touchdown reception wiped away due to an offensive pass interference penalty.
[sc:NFL240banner ]When Roethlisberger exited the game, third-stringer Landry Jones went to work – passing for 172 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Tyler Murphy and Shakim Phillips caught 20-yard passes from Jones in the fourth quarter to seal the 24-19 victory over Green Bay Packers.
Expect the Pittsburgh passing game to be even more explosive in the third week of the preseason as Roethlisberger plays for an extended amount of time.
The Bills could give Roethlisberger and his receiving corps trouble, though. Buffalo has a promising rookie in cornerback Ronald Darby. The second-round pick from Florida State intercepted two passes from Cleveland starter Josh McCown in Week 2 of the preseason. He should be given plenty of playing time, especially with starter Leodis McKelvin expected to miss the start of the regular season.
Buffalo also showcased a strong pass rush with Jerry Hughes, Marcell Dareus, Corbin Bryant and Merrill Noel finishing with a sack each against Cleveland. The Bills’ defense is pretty solid, so the spotlight remains on the quarterback controversy between Matt Cassell and E.J. Manuel.
Cassell has played in just two drives this preseason, going 7 for 8 for 45 yards in Week 1 against Carolina. On the other hand, Manuel has looked solid; he went 4 for 8 for 77 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. The third-year quarterback then completed 9 of 14 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown as he led a Buffalo comeback 11-10 victory over Cleveland this past Thursday.
Writer’s Prediction
Manuel wins the starting job as the Bills beat Pittsburgh.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
When: Saturday, August 29, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers; total: 49.5 – view all NFL lines
Now that’s some awful bad luck. The Green Bay Packers lost a vital piece of their offense when wide receiver Jordy Nelson exited the team’s Preseason Week 2 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers with an apparent knee injury. Nelson landed awkwardly after catching a pass on the Packers’ first drive, and his left knee buckled. He may miss the season if tests on Monday show a torn ACL.
With Nelson’s absence, Randall Cobb could be in for a much bigger season after catching 91 passes for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. But he’s just 5’10” tall, and won’t be able to replicate the same bruising style as the 6’3” Nelson.
The Packers still have a solid receiving corps though; Davante Adams could be elevated to start beside Cobb after tallying 446 yards and three touchdowns last season. Andrew Quarless could also be a threat after catching three touchdowns last year. Running back Eddie Lacy also has some solid receiving skills after receiving 42 passes for 427 yards and four scores.
Green Bay’s offense has certainly been strong, but Philadelphia’s has been simply unstoppable this preseason. The Eagles throttled Baltimore 40-17 in Week 2 this past Sunday. Sam Bradford and DeMarco Murray had successful but limited debuts. Bradford went 3 for 5 for 35 yards in his only series in the game, an 84-yard touchdown drive. Murray rushed for 17 yards and a score on five carries.
It was the night for the relievers of Philadelphia. Ryan Mathews, expected to back-up Murray this regular season, ran for 19 yards and a 14-yard touchdown on just three carries. Backup quarterback Mark Sanchez had a solid outing too, making 14 of 20 passes for 118 yards.
While the Eagles’ offense promises an explosive game, the Packers remain strong at home. Green Bay won its last two preseason games at Lambeau Field.
Writer’s Prediction
The Packers hand Philadelphia’s first preseason loss. Create a betting account now and get into the exciting Week 3 preseason games.
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