And just like that, the NFL preseason has come to an end. Over the past four weeks, we’ve seen players battle for roster spots, some rookie quarterbacks secure their starting jobs, and a number of storylines begin to come into focus ahead of the season.
That being said, are there any more games for us to focus on tonight? Or will we need to wait for the NFL season to get Monday Night Football action?
Are There Any Football Games Tonight?
As you can guess from above, there are no more preseason games today. The 2024 preseason ended last night with the New England Patriots taking on the Washington Commanders.
It was a fitting way to end the preseason, with all eyes on rookie QB Drake Maye, as he made the case to be the team’s starter in Week 1. With an early injury to Jacoby Brissett, Maye was able to show flashes of what we saw during his time at North Carolina. However, as long as he is healthy, it looks like the starting job remains Brissett’s.
Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein spoke with Patriots coaches and executives this week, including offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf. This excerpt from her story tells you all you need to know about New England’s QB competition:
“The Patriots will continue to evaluate through the season whether Brissett is still the best man for the job, a decision that will be influenced by the team’s surrounding cast, Brissett’s performance and Maye’s development.
“But for now, Van Pelt says Brissett is ‘way more equipped to handle the opening day.’”
This touchdown was negated by (ANOTHER) penalty on Okorafor, but what. a. throw by Drake Maye pic.twitter.com/gPxLgkY0fT
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) August 26, 2024
Well, at least we will have some preseason highlights of Maye to hold us over until he eventually takes up the mantle as the starter.
Some other preseason finale highlights included a surprise resurgence of Zach Wilson in Denver, an almost amazing 107-yard kick six, a Spencer Rattler masterclass, and a 79-yard TD return.
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Speaking of Wilson, he completed 16 of 25 passes, accumulating 251 yards and throwing two touchdowns. It was not only one of his best games as a quarterback but one of the best preseason performances of the year.
The aforementioned 107-yard kick six was sadly negated by Samson Nacua’s foot ever so slightly stepping out of bounds at the 3-yard line, but it was fun while it lasted.
NFL Week 1 Schedule
- Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs
NBC | 8:20 p.m. ET (Thursday) - Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Brazil)
Peacock | 8:15 p.m. ET (Friday) - Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Atlanta Falcons
FOX | 1 p.m. ET - Arizona Cardinals vs. Buffalo Bills
CBS | 1 p.m. ET - Tennessee Titans vs. Chicago Bears
FOX | 1 p.m. ET - New England Patriots vs. Cincinnati Bengals
CBS | 1 p.m. ET - Houston Texans vs. Indianapolis Colts
CBS | 1 p.m. ET - Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Miami Dolphins
CBS | 1 p.m. ET - Carolina Panthers vs. New Orleans Saints
FOX | 1 p.m. ET - Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants
FOX | 1 p.m. ET - Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers
CBS | 4:05 p.m. ET - Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks
CBS | 4:05 p.m. ET - Washington Commanders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
FOX | 4:25 p.m. ET - Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns
FOX | 4:25 p.m. ET - Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions
NBC | 8:20 p.m. ET - New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers
ESPN | 8:20 p.m. ET (Monday)