Rams 10 - Browns 20: 2nd Half Open Thread

Breathe.

Everybody, just breathe.

It's the first game of the preseason. We all know this is a glorified practice. This tells us little about the team in the regular season. They've got more than a week to improve on the first half and a full month to prep for the regular season opener against the Cardinals in the Ed.

So let's just breathe. Good? Ok.

Plain Pain

- Rodger Saffold's injury. It's a left shoulder injury, so we'll have to wait on the tests to see how serious.

RT Rodger Saffold has a shoulder injury. Return doubtful.

— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) August 9, 2013

Room to Improve

- For someone who's trying to outplay a week one suspension, RB Isaiah Pead's first-touch fumble was...not helpful.

- Alec Ogletree looked like a rookie in his first NFL preseason game. Tape study this week will be, and I'm trying not to overstate things, important.

- The WRs had three drops on passes that hit them in the hands. Daryl Richardson dropped one early, Austin Pettis palmed away a diving attempt and Tavon Austin's debut consisted of a pressure-influenced drop.

- The first drive saw the Browns convert their first three 3rd down opportunities. They got in an offensive groove that they sustained throughout the 1st half.

- You're not supposed to give up 91-yard punt returns. Ever. Credit to Travis Benjamin, but that met our season quota.

- Greg Little won a jump ball on a tipped ball when Jordan Cameron mishandled a Brandon Weeden rocket straight up into the air. The defense, young though they are, should have known to play the man on a tipped pass and not the ball.

Carryovers

- Sam looked very good. He read the field well, and hit his receivers in stride even when he knew it meant he had to take a hit. The touchdown was a great example of him sticking in the pocket and scanning the field to wait for an open man. Speaking of...

- Chris Givens made the case that his rookie year was anything but a fluke and more of an opening chapter. A 59-yard grab preceded his TD reception. Yay.

- Aside from the Saffold injury, the offensive line looked pretty solid against a solid front seven. Room to improve, but not a bad showing IMO for a unit that will make some offensive lines look bad this season.

- The run defense looked pretty spectacular. Brandon Jackson had an 11-yard run. Dion Lewis had a nine-yard scamper. Take those out? Totaling 11 rushes for just 16 yards, less than 1.5 per run.

- Greg Zuerlein can kick footballs far.

If I missed anything, let's put it in the comments.

It's time for roster-trimming auditions. Let's keep a shred of perspective as we go into the first week of post-game analysis.

Damnit football, I missed you. Never leave me again.