‘Hoos In The NFL: Benkert Gets Off To Quick Start For Falcons

Not one, but two former University of Virginia quarterbacks saw plenty of playing time for the Atlanta Falcons Friday night as NFL preseason action kicked off this weekend.

That duo of Matt Schaub and Kurt Benkert also happen to be Nos. 1 and 2 on the Cavaliers’ all-time single-season passing yards list.

Schaub, expected to be Atlanta’s primary backup QB, got the start as Matt Ryan watched from the sideline, and did not disappoint. Schaub, now back with the team that drafted him in 2003 after stops in Houston, Oakland and Baltimore, was a perfect 9 for 9 for 54 yards and finished with a 91.7 rating.

Undrafted rookie Benkert then came in to start the second half and completed his first NFL pass attempted, a 27-yard strike on the first play of the third quarter to Dontez Byrd.

“Besides an 80-yard touchdown, you couldn’t script it much better than that,” Benkert told D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution of his first play. “[Byrd] just ended up coming open late and he did a good job of saving space for me on the sidelines so it was a play that we knew would be there if we got the right look.”

Benkert completed three of his first four passes for 61 yards — including a 23-yard toss to Devin Gray on what turned out to be a 3rd-and-12 after another former ‘Hoo – guard Austin Pasztor – was whistled for a false start on the previous play. Benkert was 9 for 17 on the night for 125 yards and ran twice for a total of 11 yards in the 17-0 loss to the New York Jets.

Despite throwing an interception and getting shut out, Benkert was living the dream.

“It was fun,” said Benkert. “I had a lot of fun out there. I made some plays and didn’t make some plays. (There are) some good things to learn from. I think it’s a good starting point to use as a stepping stone to start my career.”

Two Wahoo alums found the end zone Thursday. Taquan “Smoke” Mizzell (Class of 2016) ran one in for the Chicago Bears in a 30-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. It was his second preseason game after the Bears participated in the Hall of Fame Game last week in Canton.

Mizzell, who is battling for the No. 4 running back slot on the Bears roster, has 17 carries thus far in those two contests for 42 yards, and has also returned three kickoffs for 68 yards.

Bengals rookie defensive end Andrew Brown wasn’t able to go Thursday due to a recent hamstring injury, but could be ready Saturday at Dallas.

Also scoring a touchdown Thursday was Darius Jennings (2014) for the Tennessee Titans at historic Lambeau Field. Jennings was on the field with the first-team offense and capped the opening drive with a 4-yard TD catch from Marcus Mariota — his only target of the game — for the game’s first points.

Two former Cavaliers intercepted a pass in Week 1 preseason action. Thursday, Baltimore’s Maurice Canady (2015) nabbed one off a deflection against the L.A. Rams for nine yards, while Minnesota’s Anthony Harris (2014) picked off Denver’s Paxton Lynch, which led to a Vikings touchdown Saturday.

Here’s a look at a few other highlights from former Virginia players:

• Defensive tackle Brent Urban (2013) recorded a pair of tackles (one solo) for the Ravens against the Rams; on the other side of the ball, last year’s leading tackler, Micah Kiser, led the Rams Thursday with six stops (two solo). Kiser was in on 47 defensive snaps and also played on special teams.
• Chris Long (2007) and Rodney McLeod (2011) both started for the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in Thursday’s 31-14 loss to Pittsburgh, but neither recorded any stats. Another former Wahoo, LaRoy Reynolds (2012) had four tackles (all solo) and a sack for the Eagles.
• Undrafted rookie Quin Blanding had a solo tackle for Washington Thursday at New England as he tries to make the Redskins roster. Skins offensive tackle Morgan Moses (2013) has been battling a foot injury and did not play. For the Patriots, offensive lineman Luke Bowanko (2013) made a tackle of his own after a teammate fumbled.
• San Francisco defensive end Eli Harold (2014) started in the 49ers’ 24-21 win over Dallas Thursday and finished with a solo tackle.

Week 2 gets underway Thursday as Long, McLeod, Reynolds and the Eagles face the Patriots at 7:30 in a Super Bowl rematch.