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The 2024 NFL preseason is now complete, which means it's time for all 32 teams to evaluate the exhibition season and decide which players will survive each of the NFL's roster cutdown from 90 to 53 on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. 

Here's is how the final slate of exhibition games went this past week plus all the important plays as we spotlight the good, bad and ugly for every team in Week 3 of the 2024 preseason. 

Arizona Cardinals

The good: Arizona's depth at linebacker. Jesse Luketa, a 2022 seventh-round pick, and Cameron Thomas, a 2022 third-round pick, were the best Cardinals on the field in what was otherwise an ugly performance. Luketa totaled a forced fumble, a sack and two tackles whereas Thomas racked up a sack and three tackles. Tough showing in the secondary, but they have some depth in their front seven. 

The bad & the ugly: Allowing Broncos backup quarterback Zach Wilson to shred them to the tune of 251 yards and two passing touchdowns on 16-of-25 passing while also adding 22 rushing yards and a touchdown on two carries. Yes, it's backups versus backups, but please have some pride. 

Atlanta Falcons

The good: Nothing stands out as "good" in a 31-0 defeat. Yes, Jacksonville played its starters to begin the game while the Falcons rocked with backups the entire game, but a better showing wouldn't hurt. 

The bad & the ugly: Atlanta's offense. The Falcons had nine offensive possessions that were downright offensive with five punts, three turnovers on downs and the end of the first half concluding another drive. Third-string quarterback Taylor Heinicke was uneven with 81 yards on 8 of 17 passing, and anything could happen to him on roster cutdown with the preseason he put together. Heinicke completed 20 of his 44 passes (45.5%) for 206 yards (4.7 yards per pass attempt) and no touchdowns or interceptions while mostly competing against backups as Atlanta's third-string quarterback. Tough three games for a player who has 29 career NFL starts at quarterback. 

Baltimore Ravens

  • Result: Lost to Green Bay Packers (30-7)

The good: There wasn't much to write home about for the Ravens in a game where their starters didn't suit up, but 2021 fourth-round pick wider receiver Tylan Wallace made the most of his opportunity. He scored a touchdown on a 48-yard catch-and-run score from longtime backup quarterback Josh Johnson, zigging and zagging down the field for the score on his only target of the day. 

The bad & the ugly:  Backup quarterback Devin Leary's outing. The sixth-round rookie was strip-sacked, which led to a scoop-and-score touchdown for Packers safety Anthony Johnson Jr. Leary threw two interceptions for a grand total of three turnovers while completing 6 of his 13 passes for 34 yards.  

Buffalo Bills

  • Result: Lost to Carolina Panthers (31-26)

The good: Undrafted rookie running back Frank Gore Jr. making his future Hall of Fame father, Frank Gore, proud. Fighting to make the 53-man roster, the Bills rookie balled out for 101 rushing yards and a touchdown -- a five-yard run -- on 18 carries. That's good for a stellar 5.6 yards per carry. Gore had 62 rushing yards on 15 carries entering the preseason finale, and he eclipsed those marks quickly against the Panthers. If Buffalo doesn't give him a 53-man roster spot, some other team probably will. 

The bad & the ugly:  Kicker Tyler Bass from 50 yards or further. He hit on all six of his preseason field goals from under 50 yards, but he hooked his 51-yard attempt to the right of the goal post, further casting doubt on his long-range accuracy. A missed field goal from Bass played into Buffalo being eliminated at home by the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC divisional round last postseason, and it looks like head coach Sean McDermott will have to put the ball in the hands of quarterback Josh Allen more often on fourth down. 

Carolina Panthers

The good: Bryce Young led the Panthers to a touchdown on his only drive of the game, an eight-yard scoring strike to tight end Jordan Matthews, after completing six of his eight passes for 70 yards. Young showed the poise in the pocket to hang in there and make throws. New Carolina head coach Dave Canales has revived both Geno Smith's career with the Seattle Seahawks, and Baker Mayfield's career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Let's see if he can pull the rabbit out of the hat one more time in 2024. 

The bad & the ugly: Carolina got gashed by undrafted rookie running back Frank Gore Jr. Fighting to make the 53-man roster, the Bills rookie went off for 101 rushing yards and a touchdown, a five-yard run, on 18 carries. That's good for a stellar 5.6 yards per carry. Gore had 62 rushing yards on 15 carries entering the preseason finale, and he eclipsed those marks quickly against the Panthers. 

Chicago Bears

The good: Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent. He capped off the opening drive with a five-yard touchdown run, but his highlight of the night was hitting Nsimba Webster for a 44-yard pickup prior to that score. After a clean preseason with 207 yards, two touchdowns, no picks and the rushing touchdown, he is a lock to be Caleb Williams' backup. 

The bad & the ugly: DeAndre Carter's second-quarter punt return. He allowed the football to bounce, and he then moved up to block a players on the Chiefs' return team. Carter was then pushed backward, and the football bounced and touched his legs. Kansas City recovered the live ball. He is fortunate Chicago intercepted Chris Oladokun's pass a few plays later. 

Cincinnati Bengals

The good: Bengals backup safety Jordan Battle's 14-yard pick six of Anthony Richardson. Cincy sat its starting defense, but Battle still made a great play on Richardson against the Colts' offensive starters. He noticed Richardson staring down his first read after a successful first drive in which he completed seven of eight passes, and pranced into the end zone for the interception return touchdown. Great instincts by the 2023 third-round pick. 

The bad & the ugly: Cincy's offensive backups. The Bengals punted on six of their first seven full offensive possessions and lost a fumble on the other full drive that didn't end in a punt to begin the game. They didn't score a touchdown until the penultimate possession of the game when both sides had plenty of end-of-the-roster players in the game. Rough showing. 

Cleveland Browns

  • Result: Lost to Seattle Seahawks (37-33)

The good: Fifth-round rookie wide receiver Jamari Thrash. The Louisville alum caught all four of his catches for 73 yards and a touchdown while operating with Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Thrash made the play of the game, burning the Seahawks defense up the middle with a 46-yard touchdown catch in the back of the end zone. This rookie may be more involved in the Browns' regular-season offense than originally anticipated. 

The bad: Running back D'Onta Foreman departed in the first half with a rib injury and didn't return to action. This marks Foreman's second malady of the offseason after suffering a neck injury in training camp. 

The ugly: Undrafted free agent rookie linebacker Winston Reid out of Weber State was ejected in the second quarter following an unnecessary roughness penalty after Reid used his helmet to lead into a hit on Seahawks wideout Easop Winston Jr.

Dallas Cowboys

The good: Rookie wide receiver Ryan Flournoy's red zone performance

It's now been two weeks in a row that rookie sixth-rounder Ryan Flournoy has caught a goal-line fade touchdown pass from backup quarterback Trey Lance. Last week in Las Vegas, Lance hit Flournoy on a one-yard toss to the right corner of the end zone, and against the Chargers he connected with the Southeast Missouri State alum for an 11-yarder to the left corner of the end zone. Flournoy has likely secured a spot on Dallas' 53-man roster. 

"Flournoy missed some time during training camp, but, boy, he's bouncing back so strong," Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said postgame on Saturday. "Such a physical player, tough player, smart player. Without seeing the video, I was impressed."  

The bad: Backup quarterback Trey Lance's ball security. 

FYI, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones already made it clear Lance is making the 53-man roster before Saturday's preseason game against the Chargers. That security didn't help Lance take care of the football as he produced uneven production. 

Lance excelled at running the ball (90 rushing yards and a touchdown -- a 46-yard read-option run -- on 11 carries) and struggled passing the ball (323 passing yards, one passing touchdown and five interceptions while completing 33 of his 49 passes). His fifth interception occurred on a somewhat nonchalant throw to the end zone off his back foot that sailed on rookie wide receiver Cam Johnson and into the hands of Los Angeles rookie corner Robert Kennedy. He flashed athleticism that few NFL quarterbacks have, but he also failed to complete some of the throws that come standard with being an NFL quarterback.

"Ups and downs for sure," Lance said postgame when describing his afternoon. "I turned the ball over too many times. I think that's kind of the story. We had a chance to still win it at the end and yeah, I just have to take care of the ball better. Super proud of these guys. We competed our asses off, regardless of coming off the turnover, and the defense as well kept us in it, so excited for that. My confidence isn't going anywhere. This sucks. This is one that I'm not going to forget about anytime soon, but it's part of it. You just have to flush it, turn the page and be able to do that. Give me 12 hours, and it'll be all good tomorrow. But yeah, these suck." 

The ugly: Cornerback Andrew Booth's role in the Chargers' first two touchdowns 

Booth was acquired with a trade from the Minnesota Vikings on Aug. 9, and he hurt his chances of making the Cowboys' 53-man roster after a nice camp showing. He was blocked out of the play and to the sidelines, which played a part in Los Angeles wide receiver Derius Davis sprinting into a 78-yard rushing touchdown on an end-around on their first offensive play from scrimmage. 

Booth also got sautéed down the sideline in coverage of ex-Dallas wide receiver Simi Fehoko as he fell, which led to Fehoko scoring a 78-yard receiving touchdown. Brutal outing. 

Denver Broncos

  • Result: Beat Arizona Cardinals (38-12)

The good: Zach Wilson looks like someone who would get drafted No. 2 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He threw for 251 yards and two touchdowns on 16 of 25 passing, and he added a rushing touchdown and 22 yards on a couple of carries. Wilson may have earned himself a roster spot on Sunday. 

The bad & the ugly: The Broncos played a nearly perfect game, so the only issue here was cornerback Damarri Mathis, a 2022 fourth-round pick who was competing for the second starting cornerback spot with Riley Moss, suffered an ankle injury and needed to be carted off. Not what you want to see in your preseason finale. 

Detroit Lions

  • Result: Beat Pittsburgh Steelers (24-17)

The good: Backup quarterback Hendon Hooker stuffs the stat sheet. Hooker hasn't been perfect since returning from the torn ACL, but he played well enough to help lead Detroit to victory with 114 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception (that was deflected because his target ran a bad route) through the air. Hooker also led the game in rushing yards with 93 on 10 carries. He has improved plenty with regular game reps this preseason, but there is still more room to grow. 

The bad: Kicker Jake Bates missed a 30-yard field goal. He made up for it by hitting on a 46-yarder right up the middle, but that missed field goal and a missed extra point against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2 of the preseason provide cause for some concern. 

The ugly: The Lions' backup offensive line. Hooker was sacked four times in the first quarter, and three of them occurred concurrently on the first offensive drive. Detroit's subs need to watch tape and figure out what went wrong. At least they didn't give up a sack in the second half with Hooker using his legs much more to take off and run. 

Green Bay Packers

  • Result: Beat Baltimore Ravens (30-7)

The good: New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley's swarming defense. The Packers defense forced four turnovers, two interceptions and two forced fumbles, including a 24-yard scoop-and-score touchdown for safety Anthony Johnson Jr. after Packers edge rusher Arron Mosby smacked the ball out of sixth-round rookie quarterback Devin Leary's hands for a strip-sack. 

The bad & the ugly: Second-year kicker Anders Carlson missing a 32-yard field goal. He has been under intense scrutiny since missing a 41-yard field goal in with 6:21 left in what ended up as a three-point Packers defeat in the NFC divisional round at the San Francisco 49ers. Carlson did also hit from 54 yards against Baltimore, but seeing Carlson miss a field goal a yard short of an extra point at Lambeau Field and in a preseason blowout victory is concerning. After years of stability with Mason Crosby, Green Bay is in uncertain times at the kicker position. 

Houston Texans

  • Result: Beat Los Angeles Rams (17-15)

The good: Running back Cam Akers' revenge game. He totaled his 2024 preseason-best 53 rushing yards on seven carries for a robust 7.6 yards per carry. He also chipped in 19 receiving yards on three catches. Akers may or may not make the Texans' roster, but he proved he has enough juice in the tank to contribute to one of the league's 32 teams. Perhaps the running back-starved Dallas Cowboys just up the road?

The bad & ugly: Punt returner Desmond King's muffed punt, which resulted in the only turnover in the game. King is an eight-year veteran defensive back. He has been around too long to have mental mistakes like that. 

Indianapolis Colts

  • Result: Beat Cincinnati Bengals (27-14) 

The good: Anthony Richardson's opening drive. He completed seven of his eight passes, including a nine-yard passing touchdown to second-round rookie Adonai Mitchell. Head coach and offensive play-caller Shane Steichen schemed up a number of quick passes to get Richardson in rhythm early, and that formula worked like a charm. 

The bad & the ugly: Richardson's 14-yard pick six to Bengals safety Jordan Battle. He locked on to his first read, allowing Battle, a 2023 third-round pick, to undercut the throw with ease and jog into the end zone for a touchdown. The quick passing game was elite on the first drive, but Richardson, who is essentially like a rookie after only playing four games before a season-ending shoulder injury in 2023, needs to learn to go through his progressions or at least avert his eyes initially before choosing to throw. 

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Result: Beat Atlanta Falcons (31-0)

The good: Trevor Lawrence shredding the Falcons' backups on defense. He looked as good as you would hope a starting quarterback would be against backups. He completed eight of his 10 passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, both to tight end Evan Engram. 

Engram was everywhere: aligning at tight end, out wide, in the slot and even at fullback on a few snaps. There typically isn't much takeaway from preseason performance against backups, but perhaps Engram should go higher than you think in your fantasy football draft. 

The bad & the ugly: Nothing. They won 31-0 and didn't commit any turnovers. Jacksonville is ready for Week 1. 

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Result: Lost to Chicago Bears (34-21)

The good: Undrafted rookie running back Carson Steele. His 31-yard run that was originally ruled a touchdown and then changed to be ruled short of the goal line was the highlight of the night for the Chiefs. He looked like he was shot out of a cannon on the play and dished out multiple stiff arms en route to the goal line. Steele then punched the football in for a one-yard rushing touchdown on the very next play. 

There isn't a ton of high-level depth behind starting running back Isiah Pacheco, providing the rookie the chance to have actual playtime for the back-to-back defending champs in 2024. 

The bad & the ugly: Cornerback Jaylen Watson's preseason debut. The 2022 seventh-round pick, who returned after having shoulder surgery, bought a play-action fake early, and that allowed Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent to connect for a 44-yard strike. Larter that evening, he surrendered a completion down the sideline on a pass from Chicago third-string quarterback Brett Rypien. Kansas City still doesn't know who its No. 2 cornerback will be opposite of All-Pro Trent McDuffie. 

Las Vegas Raiders

The good: Wide receiver Tyreik McAllister. After playing primarily as a running back in college at Charleston, Tyreik McAllister needed to go to the Canadian Football League to sharpen his skills as both a receiver and return man. 

Mission accomplished as he recorded an 81-yard punt return touchdown, the first punt return touchdown of the 2024 preseason across the league.  

He also hauled in a 35-yard passing touchdown from rookie quarterback Carter Bradley, showing he is more than just a specialist. With his performance today, McAllister should have a spot on Las Vegas' 53-man roster locked up. 

The bad: Las Vegas' rushing offense. As a unit, the Raiders totaled just 60 yards rushing with Sincere McCormick leading the way with 26 yards on five carries. Otherwise, no one had more than 12 rushing yards on the night. Vegas will need its starters to show better than its backups as run-blockers in the regular season in order to build a sustainable offense around quarterback Gardner Minshew. 

The ugly: Allowing a tie to happen. Yes, it's the preseason, so there isn't overtime, and the games don't mean anything as far as the scoreboard. However, ending in a tie should be avoided, whether teams try going for the win or maybe the league should even consider ways to avoid a tie finish -- like have a field goal-kicking shootout or something like that to resolve such issues.

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Result: Beat Dallas Cowboys (26-19)

The good: The Chargers' big-play offense and veteran safety Tony Jefferson. Wide receiver Derius Davis took the first Los Angeles offensive play from scrimmage 78 yards for touchdown on a wide receiver reverse, a strong start for the 2023 Second Team All-Pro return man on offense. 

Two drives later, Chargers backup quarterback Easton Stick burned Dallas deep for a 78-yard touchdown. Nice showing against the Cowboys' backups on the road. 

Jefferson, a 10-year NFL veteran who didn't catch on with an NFL team in 2023, took over the game with two interceptions of Lance, and he forced a fumble as well. That type of production will get him back in the league on Jim Harbaugh's Chargers. 

The bad & the ugly: Los Angles' quarterback contain. Lance broke free for multiple double-digit scrambles, including this 46-yard touchdown run. At some point, just put a regular quarterback spy out there.

Los Angeles Rams

  • Result: Lost to Houston Texans (17-15)

The good: Dresser Winn locks in temporary hold on Rams' third quarterback spot. The Canadian Football League passer led a couple of scoring drives capped off by goal-line touchdown runs for running back Zack Evans. Winn took care of the football, completing 9 of his 16 passes for 72 yards. He will likely be the Rams' third quarterback behind Matthew Stafford and Stetson Bennett during Jimmy Garoppolo's two-game suspension to begin 2024. 

The bad & the ugly: The Rams backups were unable to find much rhythm in the passing game with only 72 yards, something that should be cleaned up with the starters on the field for Week 1. 

Miami Dolphins

  • Result: Lost to Tampa Bay Buccaneers (24-14)

The good: Backup quarterback Skylar Thompson. He outperformed Mike White to earn the backup quarterback job behind Tua Tagovailoa. He completed 19 of his 27 passes for 190 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Upon his entrance into the game against Tampa Bay, the Dolphins marched 70 yards on seven plays, and Thompson got them on the board with a 20-yard touchdown pass. 

The bad & the ugly: Mike White's outing. He started the game and completed just five of his nine passes for a meager 37 yards in four possessions, which got him benched for Thompson, who immediately produced a touchdown. As a result, the Dolphins cut White, and they are moving forward with Thompson as their backup quarterback. 

Minnesota Vikings

  • Result: Beat Philadelphia Eagles (26-3)

The good: Backup quarterback Jaren Hall balled out. The 2023 fifth-round pick powered the Vikings to five scoring drives while compiling 189 passing yards and two touchdowns on 17 of 25 passing. Hall made the most of his opportunity against Eagles backups to stake his claim on a 53-man roster spot. Rookie kicker Will Reichard's 4-for-4 kicking day, including a 57-yarder on his final field goal with 2:15 left in the game provides the Vikings hope they haven't had in decades at the kicker position. 

The bad & the ugly: Nothing. Minnesota's backups played about as well as expected. 

New England Patriots

The good: Quarterback Drake Maye, the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of North Carolina, looked like an NFL starting quarterback again this past weekend. He threw for 126 yards and a touchdown on 13 of 20 passing, and he added 17 yards rushing on three carries. Time and time again, Maye used his feet to scramble his way into a better throw or take off and run. Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo has a tough quarterback decision to make. The decision itself has more to do with protecting Maye from his own struggling offensive than it does with the ability both he and journeyman Jacoby Brissett have in 2024. 

Maye even threw for a first down despite an offensive lineman stepping on his foot and knocking one of his cleats off. Remarkable balance and poise. 

The bad & the ugly: The Patriots offensive line. Maye had to fight through two poor snaps, a false start and one of his lineman being shoved into him, forcing the rookie to throw with only one cleat on. Brissett took such a huge hit after an offensive lineman whiffed his block that he had to leave the game with a shoulder injury. It's scary for New England up on its offensive front. 

New Orleans Saints

The good: Fifth-round rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler's coming out party. His first drive of the game concluded with a 21-yard dime of a touchdown pass to Equanimeous St. Brown on third-and-12. That throw was stunningly the only touchdown pass for Saints quarterback this preseason. All of his possessions on Sunday led to points: three touchdowns and a field goal. If Derek Carr has another slow start in 2024, the New Orleans faithful may be chanting for Rattler. 

The bad & the ugly: Allowing Titans wideout Calvin Ridley to have no one in his zip code, which resulted in a 33-yard gain. Ridley signed a four-year, $92 million contract this offseason and was the Jacksonville Jaguars' No. 1 wide receiver last season. It's unacceptable for the Saints to lose him of all people in coverage. 

New York Giants

  • Result: Lost to New York Jets (10-6)

The good: New defensive coordinator Shane Bowen's defense is ready to roll. They shut out the Jets in the second half, and they completely stifled their passing attack as Adrian Martinez and Andrew Peasley combined to throw for 174 yards on 17 of 31 passing with no touchdowns and no interceptions.  

The bad & the ugly: Tommy DeVito's performance. He was sacked eight times and barely mustered a completion percentage over 50% (14 of 27) for 103 yards. The magic that led the Giants to a few ill-timed regular-season wins, which caused them to miss out on Drake Maye, wasn't on display in the preseason finale. 

New York Jets

  • Result: Beat New York Giants (10-6)

The good: Israel Abanikanda making the most of his opportunity. The 2023 fifth-round pick spun out of a tackle and then went pedal to the metal for a 45-yard rushing score. It's clear he opened some eyes with that play because he didn't play in the second half after finishing with 83 rushing yards on nine carries (9.2 yards per carry) along with the touchdown. Should Abanikanda somehow not make the 53-man roster, the Dallas Cowboys among other running back-thirsty teams, would likely be happy to have him. 

The bad & the ugly: The Jets offense. New York didn't score again after Abanikanda's 45-yard touchdown run that ocurred just under a minute into the second quarter. Neither Adrian Martinez nor Andrew Peasley could get into any kind of rhythm at quarterback for Gang Green. Nathaniel Hackett's passing offense specifically works with Aaron Rodgers at the controls. If he isn't in the game, his offenses can look stuck in the mud. 

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Result: Lost to Minnesota Vikings (26-3)

The good: Rookie second-round pick cornerback Cooper DeJean made his NFL debut after a hamstring injury ate up most of his preseason. DeJean's activity (four tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass defensed and one punt return for seven yards) show promise. It will be intriguing to see where the rookie slots into the Eagles' secondary rotation against Jordan Love's Green Bay Packers in Week 1. 

The bad & the ugly: Philadelphia quarterback play. Tanner McKee (13 for 21, 115 yards and an interception), Kenny Pickett (6 for 9, 58 passing yards) and Will Grier (4 for 6, 16 passing yards) failed to move the ball all game long against the Vikings' subs. The Eagles better pray quarterback Jalen Hurts remains healthy this year because if he gets hurt, Philly could be in a world of hurt. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Result: Lost to Detroit Lions (24-17)

The good: Pittsburgh finds the end zone twice early, beginning with a 31-yard explosion of a TD run by longtime Arthur Smith favorite Cordarrelle Patterson, who followed the coach from the Falcons to the Steelers this offseason. Running back La'Mical Perine scored after the Steelers recovered a fumble off of a Nick Herbig strip sack. 

The bad & the ugly: Neither Russell Wilson (2 for 2, 26 passing yards) nor Justin Fields (3 of 4, 40 passing yards and two carries for four rushing yards) could stand out against the Detroit Lions' defensive backups. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has a difficult decision on his hands when it comes to naming a starting quarterback after lackluster preseasons by both Wilson and Fields. 

San Francisco 49ers

  • Result: Tied Las Vegas Raiders (24-24)

The good: Backup running back Jordan Mason's showing in place of 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey and backup Elijah Mitchell. He averaged a robust 5.3 yards per carry on eight carries for 42 yards, including the game's first touchdown on a four-yard run. Great work.

The bad & the ugly: Everything that went down on quarterback Brock Purdy's interception. San Francisco right tackle Colton McKivitz surrendered an immediate quarterback pressure, which caused Purdy to rush the pass. Pro Bowl wide receiver Deebo Samuel couldn't separate from his defender, which led to the throw being tipped and picked, and Purdy ended up diving to shove Raiders safety Chris Smith II out of bounds while leading with his throwing shoulder. This is a play that will keep head coach Kyle Shanahan up late at night with nightmares. 

Seattle Seahawks

  • Result: Beat Cleveland Browns (37-33)

The good: Geno Smith is ready to bounce back with new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. He only played five snaps, but he made the most of them: Smith threw for 62 yards on 4-of-5 passing, including a 21-yard touchdown pass to DK Metcalf in the left corner of the end zone. All five snaps were passes, but Smith made marching down the field look easy. 

The bad & the ugly: Some of Seattle backups are struggling to execute new head coach Mike Macdonald's defensive scheme early as they got torched by both Tyler Huntley (146 yards and three passing touchdowns on 17 of 22 passing) and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (115 yards and a touchdown on 11 of 20 passing). Thompson-Robinson's scoring strike was a 46-yard dart to fifth-round rookie wide receiver Jamari Thrash in the back of the end of zone. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Result: Beat Miami Dolphins (24-14)

The good: Quarterback Baker Mayfield looks ready to roll in new offensive coordinator Liam Coen's offense. Mayfield made his 2024 preseason debut and completed all three of his passes against Miami's backup defense for 54 yards. Running back Rachaad White looked like a solid RB1 with five touches for 33 yards (four carries for 16 yards and a touchdown -- a four-yard rush -- and one catch for 17 yards. 

The bad & the ugly: The Buccaneers' kick and punt coverage units. The Dolphins returned three punts for 42 yards and three kickoffs for 84 yards. Those are big numbers, and it will be something to monitor in terms of whether this is just a preseason problem or if it will extend into the regular season. 

Tennessee Titans

  • Result: Beat New Orleans Saints (30-27)

The good: Quarterback Will Levis comes out firing. He completed his first four passes and finished the day with 118 yards on 7-of-8 passing, helping lead a touchdown drive capped by a one-yard run from Tony Pollard. His second and final drive concluded with a 39-yard made field goal from Nick Folk. Levis' best play of the day was connecting with a wide-open Calvin Ridley on the second drive off a play-action pass for a gain of 33. Sure, it was against New Orleans' backups, but it was an encouraging sign with regular-season games under two weeks away. 

The bad & the ugly: Braydon Narveson's 58-yard field goal miss resulting in a 106-yard return for the Saints. Tennessee failed to score, thanks to the hustle by Thomas Odukoya, knocked Saints wide receiver Samson Nacua out of bounds three yards short of the end zone. Incredibly poor tackling fundamentals and pursuit angles were on display by the Titans special teams unit on this play. 

Washington Commanders

  • Result: Beat New England Patriots (20-10)

The good: Backup quarterback Trace McSorley's second half. Coming off the bench, he helped lead four scoring drives in five possessions (two touchdowns and two field goals). He threw for 125 yards, including a four-yard touchdown, on 12-of-21 passing while also leading the Commanders in rushing with 40 yards on four carries. He may or may not make the 53-man roster as he is competing with Jeff Driskel for the third quarterback spot, but McSorley did everything he could in the preseason finale. 

The bad & the ugly: Washington only got home for one sack against the Patriots' porous offensive line. At times, New England's offensive line looks overmatched in the way some lower level FBS teams' offensive lines do in the new "College Football 25" video game. 

The Commanders definitely should have taken down Patriots quarterbacks more than once for the entire game in their preseason finale.