All articles tagged with #offense
Jets coach Robert Saleh urged a sharper offense after a rocky preseason showing, praising Cam Ward’s early drive but noting missed deep throws and a costly fourth‑and‑1, with the unit aiming to clean up mistakes before Week 1 against the Jets.
The Chicago Cubs hammered the Seattle Mariners in a 19-2 blowout after falling behind 2-0, sparked by Ian Happ’s third-inning grand slam. Seattle’s early lead was erased as Cubs reliever Aaron Civale delivered four scoreless innings following an early exit for Shota Imanaga. Contributions came from Pete Crow-Armstrong and PCA with RBI hits, and Pedro Ramirez added a second grand slam in the late innings to cap the rout, helping Chicago push through the West Coast trip with hopes of catching the Brewers in the division race.
In a rain-soaked preseason win over the Dolphins, the Giants’ depth impressed according to Pro Football Focus, highlighted by J.C. Davis’s 89.3 overall grade at left tackle and a string of solid run/pass-block numbers along the offensive line, notable performances from Dalen Cambre and Eric Gray, and a dominant defensive showing led by Dru Phillips (96.3) and Deonte Banks (85.3). The defense produced several top grades across the secondary, while Odell Beckham Jr. had a costly drop and roster battles intensified as final cuts loom.
BYU's Fall Camp scrimmage showcased an offense that looked explosive and in command, with Bear Bachmeier and a receiving corps and star RB LJ Martin fueling the attack. Defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga praised the day and said BYU could be among the nation’s best offenses if they finish drives, while the defense aims to rebound. Bachmeier’s continued development and improved red-zone ball placement hint at a higher finish rate, potentially elevating BYU’s offensive profile.
Los Angeles is in a slump on offense and in the bullpen, dropping three of four to Milwaukee and slipping three games back in the NL lead. Since July the Dodgers rank near the bottom in runs per game, wRC+, walks and OBP, with stars Tucker, Freeman, Betts and Ohtani going 5-for-50 in the Brewers series. Roberts blames a lack of a consistent plan and attention to every pitch, amid injuries to Will Smith and Dalton Rushing that stress depth. Help is on the way as Skubal’s addition and a looming full-strength rotation—including Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani’s return—could restore the edge, but until offense and late-inning work tighten, a deep playoff run remains in doubt.
Philadelphia's rebuilt offense looked far from ready in a 24-7 preseason loss to Baltimore, as backups mustered just six first downs, racked up penalties, and saw Dalton and McKee struggle to move the ball; Cole Payton provided a small bright spot with a late TD, but the ongoing safety rotation saw Marcus Epps sit while Michael Carter II started, signaling uncertainty ahead of Week 1 and a need for the joint practices with New England to bring clarity.
With Aaron Judge sidelined by a fractured rib, the Yankees’ offense has stalled, especially in the early innings, putting pressure on manager Aaron Boone as the team struggles to recapture Judge’s first-inning punch and restore its scoring rhythm.
With Patrick Mahomes and the starting RB out, Kansas City's first preseason drive looked much like the past couple of seasons—predominantly shotgun passes and limited under-center work—raising questions about when the team will deploy a more physical run game and play-action, despite Kenneth Walker’s signing and a hint of under-center carries from Emmett Johnson.
Detroit’s latest camp session featured a short, high-intensity focus on late-game scenarios, with the offense showing strong crunch-time execution in situational drills. OL/DL one-on-ones saw Sewell and Hutchinson hold their own against standout peers; Scruggs shifted into a starting center role and impressed. Defensive backs were physical, contributing plays and pass defenses, while seven-on-seven work highlighted Luke Altmyer connecting with Dominic Lovett. In the six situational drills, the offense won several drives, including a late Goff-to-Williams completion and a TD to Amon-Ra St. Brown as time expired, underscoring Detroit’s emphasis on end-of-game preparedness.
Miami’s 20-7 preseason loss to Washington offered a mix of optimism and questions: Malik Willis delivered a poised 14-play, 93-yard TD drive, highlighting QB upside in a rebuild year, while the rest of the QB group struggled and underscored the depth issues at quarterback. Ollie Gordon II and De’Von Achane flashed at running back, Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington stood out as the top healthy receivers, and Will Kacmarek and Caedan Wallace impressed with blocking. Jalen Reagor disappointed, and several linemen showed mixed pass protection, leaving a path for progress but multiple roster battles to resolve.
Ahead of the first preseason game, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said the focus will be on executing the operation, clean assignments, and extreme effort, with players rotating reps to gain live experience. He praised Jalen Hurts’s consistency and explosiveness, discussed balancing the new offense with ball security, and noted that roster decisions—especially at wide receiver and along the line—remain fluid as the team tests versatility and builds depth without revealing game plans.
Jalen Hurts has looked faster in Eagles training camp, with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio praising his movement and star defender Jalen Carter noting Hurts’ speed in live drills. The team is implementing a more dynamic, play-action–heavy offense under Sean Mannion, spreading passes to new targets like Darius Cooper, Elijah Moore, and Dontayvion Wicks, while DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon are sidelined with hamstring injuries. The defense already believes Hurts is adapting well to the new scheme and pace heading into the season.
Bears coach Ben Johnson told The Athletic he wants to build the NFL’s highest-scoring offense ever, aiming to surpass the 2013 Denver Broncos’ 37.9 points per game, while noting that breaking scoring records doesn’t guarantee a Super Bowl and that winning remains the ultimate goal.
Seattle’s playoff hopes are fading as Cal Raleigh’s drastic decline from last year’s MVP-level performance helps fuel a team-wide offensive collapse. Raleigh’s OPS sits at .571 with 12 homers in 85 games, while others like Josh Naylor, Julio Rodríguez and J.P. Crawford underperform, leaving the Mariners with MLB’s fewest runs, OPS, and RISP. Despite a decent pitching staff (3.78 ERA), the offense is Seattle’s biggest weakness as they sit 56-63, 4 games out of a wild-card spot, and face a tough remaining schedule in a bid to return to the postseason for the first time since 2001.
Day 10 of the Saints' training camp sees a defensive surge that keeps the offense from thriving, with Nick Underhill providing exclusive analysis in subscriber-only coverage.