Sam Darnold sparkled in his NFL debut Authentic Customized Bengals Jerseys , Teddy Bridgewater looked sharp and healthy, and the New York Jets earned the franchise's first preseason home shutout by beating the sluggish Atlanta Falcons 17-0 on Friday night.
Darnold, the No. 3 overall draft pick in April, was the Jets' third quarterback of the game, following Josh McCown and Bridgewater. The former USC star was greeted by loud cheers and a standing ovation as he jogged onto the field at MetLife Stadium with 8:41 in the first half.
Darnold's first series ended in a punt and his non-throwing left hand was checked out by trainers on the sideline after it was stepped on 鈥?but he was fine and wore a glove in the second half.
He got the crowd on its feet again just before halftime, throwing a 14-yard touchdown pass to Charles Johnson that gave New York a 17-0 lead.
The 21-year-old Darnold showed the poise of a veteran on the drive while completing six straight passes to get to the Falcons 3. He would've had a seventh consecutive completion, but his throw into the end zone was dropped by Johnson. Darnold went right back to Johnson on the next play, and the receiver caught a 3-yard pass for a TD 鈥?but was called for offensive pass interference. On third-and-14, Darnold again threw to Johnson while rolling to his right and zipping in a pass to his receiver for the score.
Darnold, who finished 13 of 18 for 96 yards, missed the first three days of training camp before his representatives and the Jets agreed on details of his fully guaranteed four-year Cheap Pernell McPhee Jersey , $30.25 million deal that included a $20 million signing bonus. He quickly made up for the missed time, and is being given every opportunity to win the starting job.
RAIDERS 16, LIONS 10
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) 鈥?Coach Jon Gruden was a winner in his return to the sideline for Oakland when the Raiders got a touchdown pass from Connor Cook.
in a 16-10 victory over the Detroit Lions on Friday night.
Gruden was welcomed back warmly to the Coliseum for his first game here as Raiders coach since beating the Jets in a playoff game Jan. 12, 2001. Gruden was traded to Tampa Bay after that season and has spent the past nine years as an ESPN analyst.
Raiders owner Mark Davis lured Gruden back to the sideline with a 10-year contract worth a reported $100 million following a disappointing six-win season under Jack Del Rio.
The Gruden era appeared to get off to a rousing start when Marshawn Lynch ran 60 yards for a TD on the third snap, but the score was called back on a holding penalty by rookie tackle Kolton Miller.
Oakland settled for a punt on the only drive with starting quarterback Derek Carr, but scored three times in five drives with Cook at the helm. Cook threw a 7-yard TD pass to Ryan Switzer in the second quarter and led Oakland to a pair of field goals by rookie Eddy Pineiro. Cook finished 11 for 19 for 141 yards.
The Lions also welcomed a new coach in Matt Patricia, who opted to rest star quarterback Matthew Stafford. Matt Cassel got the start and went 5 for 10 for 46 yards, leading Detroit to one score on three drives, with Ameer Abdullah capping it with a 1-yard TD run .
Lynch once again sat during the national anthem. Lynch also sat for the anthem all of last season but never gave a reason for his decision. No other players on either team demonstrated during the anthem, with the Lions all standing together with locked arms.
Jon Gruden is football through and through. It doesn't matter what level Bills Jeremy Kerley Jersey , what age, or where.
The former and now current coach of the Raiders displayed that again Tuesday by overseeing the distribution of funds and equipment to four Oakland youth football programs through the DICK'S Sporting Goods Sports Matter Program. Gruden has been a major spokesman for that initiative for more than four years.
In the afternoon at Raiders headquarters, Gruden presented grants of $15,000 to the head coaches of McClymonds High School and Oakland Tech. He invited the coaches of both teams to the Raiders main office for a "special behind- the-scenes tour" and discussion of football in Oakland. When the tour ended, Gruden handed over the checks to the surprised coaches.
At night, coaches and players from the East Bay Panthers and San Leandro Crusaders headed to a "friendly scrimmage" at Burrell Field. When the teams ran onto the field, they were stunned to see new football helmets, pads, balls and water bottles laid out on the field for them.
Each league received a $50,000 grant.
"Being back in Oakland and getting back into coaching has only fired me up more to work with DICK'S Sports Matter program to help more kids have the opportunity to play," said Gruden Justin Reid Jersey Elite , who also gave the Panthers and Crusaders a pep talk. "Like so many other cities in the U.S., we have an issue with youth sports funding here in Oakland. Costs are rising 鈥?kids can't afford to play and coaches can't afford to coach.
"Seeing these kids' faces light up and knowing that sports will teach them so many valuable lessons they will carry with them off the field is really special."
Gruden encourages other youth sports program struggling to get by "to visit SportsMatter.org to apply for help."
"If you give your absolute best effort on the field, the lessons that sports teach will stay with you forever, and help you to be your best in every part of your life," he said.
Oakland has an 18.9 percent poverty rate, and the highest crime rate of any city in California.
Many areas in cities across the country need funding for their youth sports and school athletic programs. According to Up2Us Sports, a nonprofit whose research, training, and on-the-ground initiatives empower sports programs to become an agent of positive social change, billions of dollars have been cut from school sports budgets in recent years. These cuts disproportionately impact students in low income areas, and students from low-income families are four times more likely to decrease participation in sports due to costs.
Student athletes have an 11 percent higher graduation rate than non-athletes Joe Montana Jersey , Up2Us Sports reports. The U.S. Department of Education adds that students who participate in sports are four times more likely to attend college.
DICK'S and its foundation created Sports Matter in 2014, pledging more than $50 million to support youth sports programs in need and raise awareness of the funding crisis. To date, Sports Matter has helped fund tens of thousands of youth sports programs and impacted hundreds of thousands of young athletes nationwide.
"It's days like today that make it all worth it, and we can't thank coach Gruden and DICK'S enough," said Jacob Davis, president of the East Bay Panthers. "We love these kids and know how important sports are to keep them off the streets and doing positive things in their lives. This money will go a long way in helping our leagues survive and thrive."