‘Hoos In The NFL: Week Two Update

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Posted on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, 5:23 pm

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A few Virginia alums made some noise in their first taste of life in the National Football League last week, while others will continue to try to make a splash as round two of the preseason kicks off this evening.

Jordan Ellis led the Cincinnati Bengals in both rushing (3 carries for 11 yards) and receiving (5 receptions, 44 yards and a touchdown on 6 targets — all team highs) in his NFL debut against the Chiefs. 

Ellis hauled in a 10-yard TD grab from former NC State QB Ryan Finley with 11:22 left in the game. Teammate Andrew Brown registered a pair of stops, including a sack and 3 QB hits in the 38-17 loss to Kansas City. The Bengals will face Morgan Moses and the Redskins tonight at 7:30.

Undrafted Free Agent Olamide Zaccheaus has been catching passes from two former Cavaliers — both Atlanta reserve quarterback Kurt Benkert and Matt Schaub — in Falcons camp.

Zaccheaus recorded a few highlight grabs in practice, and then made an excellent diving snag along the sideline — and miraculously kept both feet inbounds in the process — in the Falcons’ second preseason game in Miami.

Zaccheaus had 2 catches for 31 yards against the Broncos and added two more grabs for 35 yards against the Dolphins. He has also seen some action on the punt return team.

Benkert had a big first game, but has been placed on the injured reserve list. He went 19 for 34 for 185 yards and a touchdown (and also added a nice 17-yard run) against Denver in the Hall of Fame Game loss to Denver on Aug. 1, suffering a toe injury early in the fourth quarter.

Schaub is still fighting for the backup job behind starter Matt Ryan. He’ll now be in competition with Matt Simms and Danny Etling for the position. Schaub finished the Hall of Fame opener with just 10 yards and an interception on 4-of-14 passing, but bounced back last week in a 34-27 loss at Miami.

The 38-year old journeyman started against the Dolphins and went 12 of 19 for 172 yards, improving his QB rating from a 9.8 (vs. Denver) to a much more respectable 92.4 last week. The Falcons will look for their first win of the preseason when they host former ‘Hoo Eric Smith and the New York Jets tonight at 7:30.

Baltimore cornerback Maurice Canady played 79 percent of the defensive snaps and made 3 solo tackles, while another Wahoo UFA, defensive tackle Marcus Applefield, saw five snaps on defense and five on special teams in the Ravens’ 29-0 blanking of Jacksonville last week. The Ravens host the Packers tonight at 7:30.

After signing with Buffalo in the spring and recording a solo tackle in the Bills’ preseason-opening win against the Colts, former UVA standout Eli Harold was traded to the Eagles the next day. Philadelphia recently lost DE Joe Ostman to a season-ending torn ACL injury and decided to acquire the former Cavalier, who played his first three seasons in San Francisco before spending last season in Detroit.

Harold will have a Wahoo teammate in safety Rodney McLeod, who is still recovering from an ACL/MCL injury that ended his 2018 season in Week 3. McLeod has been practicing, but is still not considered a full participant. The Eagles are back in action tonight at 7 against the Jaguars.

Here’s a look at how some of the other former Wahoos fared in Week 1, along with this week’s matchups:

Juan Thornhill had 3 solo tackles, tied for the second-best on team, in Kansas City’s big win over Cincinnati. The Chiefs travel to Heinz Field to face the Steelers Saturday night at 7:30 on NFL Network.

Chris Peace had 2 tackles (1 solo), including a sack, as the Chargers fell to the Cardinals last Thursday. After not being drafted in April, Peace will look to build on his impressive debut when Los Angeles hosts the Saints at 4 p.m. Sunday (CBS).

Tim Harris finished with 3 solo tackles, while La’Roy Reynolds had the second-highest total on the team of 5 tackles (4 solo) and a sack as the 49ers held off the Cowboys, 17-9. San Francisco travels to Denver Monday night at 8 (ESPN).

Andre Levrone put up 4 receptions (tied for the team lead) for 51 yards (led team) on 7 targets (led team), while Quin Blanding had a pair of solo stops in the Panthers’ 23-13 win over Chicago. Levrone was in on 31 offensive snaps (48 percent), while Blanding played 31 defensive snaps and 9 on special teams.

Smoke Mizzell had 2 carries for 14 yards and 2 catches for 21 yards (3 targets) for the Bears. Carolina hosts Buffalo Friday at 7, while Chicago plays at the Giants Friday at 7:30 on NFL Network.

Micah Kiser, who is expected to start at linebacker, recorded 4 tackles (2 solo) in 19 snaps in the Rams’ 14-3 loss to Oakland. Kiser and the Rams are back in action Saturday night at 10 against Dallas (NFL Network).

 

Atlanta Falcons

Flowery Branch, GA

QB Kurt Benkert (2017)

QB Matt Schaub (2003)

WR Olamide Zaccheaus (2018)

Preseason schedule:

(All Times Eastern)

Thursday, Aug. 1 — Denver 14, Atlanta 10 (Hall of Fame Game in Canton, OH)

Thursday, Aug. 8 — Miami 34, Atlanta 27

Thursday, Aug. 15 — vs NY Jets, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 22 — vs Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — at Jacksonville, 7 p.m.

 

Baltimore Ravens

Owings Mills, MD

T Marcus Applefield (2018)

CB Maurice Canady (2015)

Preseason schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 8 — Baltimore 29, Jacksonville 0

Thursday, Aug. 15 — vs Green Bay, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 22 — at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — at Washington, 7:30 p.m.

 

Carolina Panthers

Spartanburg, SC

DB Quin Blanding (2017)

WR Andre Levrone (2017)

Preseason schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 8 — Carolina 23, Chicago 13

Friday, Aug. 16 — vs Buffalo, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 22 — at New England, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — vs Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. (NFL Network)

 

Chicago Bears

Bourbonnais, IL

WR Taquan Mizzell (2016)

Preseason schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 8 — Carolina 23, Chicago 13

Friday, Aug. 16 — at NY Giants, 7:30 p.m. (NFL Network)

Saturday, Aug. 24 — at Indianapolis, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — vs Tennessee, 8 p.m.

 

Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati, OH

DE Andrew Brown (2017)

RB Jordan Ellis (2018)

Preseason schedule:

Saturday, Aug. 10 — Kansas City 38, Cincinnati 17

Thursday, Aug. 15 — at Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 22 — vs NY Giants, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — vs Indianapolis, 7 p.m.

 

Detroit Lions

Allen Park, MI

OL Oday Aboushi (2012)

OL Luke Bowanko (2013)

Preseason schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 8 — New England 31, Detroit 3

Saturday, Aug. 17 — at Houston, 8 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 23 — vs Buffalo, 8 p.m. (CBS)

Thursday, Aug. 29 — at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.

 

Kansas City Chiefs

St. Joseph, MO

DB Juan Thornhill (2018)

Preseason schedule:

Saturday, Aug. 10 — Kansas City 38, Cincinnati 17

Saturday, Aug. 17 — at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m. (NFL Network)

Saturday, Aug. 24 — vs San Francisco, 8 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — at Green Bay, 8 p.m.

 

Los Angeles Chargers

Costa Mesa, CA

DE Chris Peace (2018)

Preseason schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 8 — Arizona 17, LA Chargers 13

Sunday, Aug. 18 — vs New Orleans, 4 p.m. (CBS)

Saturday, Aug. 24 — vs Seattle, 10 p.m. (NFL Network)

Thursday, Aug. 29 — at San Francisco, 10 p.m. (NFL Network)

 

Los Angeles Rams

Irvine, CA

LB Micah Kiser (2017)

Preseason schedule:

Saturday, Aug. 10 — Oakland 14, LA Rams 3

Saturday, Aug. 17 — vs Dallas, 10 p.m. (NFL Network)

Saturday, Aug. 24 — vs Denver, 9 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — at Houston, 8 p.m.

 

Minnesota Vikings

Eagan, MN

S Anthony Harris (2014)

Preseason schedule:

Friday, Aug. 9 — Minnesota 34, New Orleans 25

Sunday, Aug. 18 — vs Seattle, 8 p.m. (FOX)

Saturday, Aug. 24 — vs Arizona, 1 p.m. (NFL Network)

Thursday, Aug. 29 — at Buffalo, 7 p.m.

 

New York Jets

Florham Park, NJ

T Eric Smith (2016)

Preseason schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 8 — NY Giants 31, NY Jets 22

Thursday, Aug. 15 — at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 24 — vs New Orleans, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — vs Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

 

New England Patriots

Foxborough, MA

WR Dontrelle Inman (2010)

Preseason schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 8 — New England 31, Detroit 3

Saturday, Aug. 17 — at Tennessee, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 22 — vs Carolina, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — vs NY Giants, 7:30 p.m.

 

Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia, PA

DE Eli Harold (2014)

S Rodney McLeod (2011)

Preseason schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 8 — Tennessee 27, Philadelphia 10

Thursday, Aug. 15 — at Jacksonville, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 22 — vs Baltimore, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — at NY Jets, 7 p.m.

 

San Francisco 49ers

Santa Clara, CA

CB Tim Harris (2018)

LB La’Roy Reynolds (2012)

Preseason schedule:

Saturday, Aug. 10 — San Francisco 17, Dallas 9

Monday, Aug. 19 — at Denver, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Saturday, Aug. 24 — at Kansas City, 8 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — vs LA Chargers, 10 p.m. (NFL Network)

 

Tennessee Titans

Nashville, TN

WR Darius Jennings (2014)

OL Austin Pasztor (2011)

DL Brent Urban (2013)

Preseason schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 8 — Tennessee 27, Philadelphia 10

Saturday, Aug. 17 — vs New England, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 25 — vs Pittsburgh, 8 p.m. (NBC)

Thursday, Aug. 29 — at Chicago, 8 p.m.

 

Washington Redskins

Richmond, VA

T Morgan Moses (2013)

Preseason schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 8 — Cleveland 30, Washington 10

Thursday, Aug. 15 — vs Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 22 — at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29 — vs Baltimore, 7:30 p.m.