He tied Zavier Gooden for the best time among linebackers in the short shuttle 4. He was third in the three-cone drill 6. And yet, whether it was because of his off-field troubles or that he played on a defense overshadowed by Chip Kelly's up-tempo offense, Alonso went somewhat overlooked in the draft. The Bills selected him 46th overall, believing he was a three-down player and capable of filling an immediate need on a retooled defense under new coordinator Mike Pettine.
Pettine has crowed about Alonso's abilities all offseason. He was particularly impressed with how Alonso batted away what appeared to be a sure touchdown pass to Coby Fleener in the back of the end zone in Buffalo's preseason-opening win at Indianapolis.
He's well ahead of where we thought he would be," Pettine said. This story is from ESPN. Wire index. He makes it that much easier for me to learn because he's very detailed. While having to train for the season from home, I was doing a lot of stuff that we would do in individual drills. Although I was working from home, it almost felt as if I was at the facility with him.
He put an emphasis on getting my technique right before getting to training camp, which was extremely helpful. I was so ready to hit the field my first few days at the facility. I just wanted to get out there with the guys and see how I was stacking up that first day. We went through all of the testing and onboarding.
But once we were all cleared, I was ready to go! That first practice, I wasn't anxious at all because I'm never really anxious.
I'm never really nervous, honestly. A lot of people think they can really come into this league man, but it's hard. And it's hard work to be in this league and stay here. I see it. I've only been practicing for probably a month and I see the work that everybody puts in.
I see how they take care of themselves to come out and go full speed the next day. Everybody says we've got some of the fastest offensive linemen, and I see that. I'm like, "that's an offensive tackle running by me like that? But it's starting to slow down for me a lot since the first day. The first day it was like a hurricane was in my head — so much going on and wheels spinning like crazy. I've been able to connect with everybody on the team.
Literally everybody. I've been able to build relationships with different guys on the team which has also helped me with my development as a player. Two highly regarded first-round draft picks registered touchdowns almost immediately.
It could be the first of many Crimson Tide connections with quarterback Jalen Hurts. And after San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo fumbled on his first snap of the game in Detroit, rookie Trey Lance came in for a couple snaps on the next drive. Lance rushed for a yard on his first snap, then came in for a first-and-goal play at the Lions' 5-yard-line.
Result: A touchdown on his first NFL pass. At the end of the first half, Chase had three catches for 80 yards and a touchdown -- after registering only one reception and three drops in the preseason.
Will Urban Meyer become another Jimmy Johnson? Or another in a lineup of hype-heavy coaches who brought immense credentials from the college level — Chip Kelly, Bobby Petrino and Steve Spurrier, among them — only to fall flat on their playbooks in the NFL?
Those are just two of the fascinating story lines in the NFL's season-opening Sunday. Of course you want to start the new season off with a win. We're here to help. Our fantasy football experts have valuable advice to get the most out of your lineup. Submit questions now and he'll give you up-to-the-minute lineup advice, starting at noon ET. For your convenience, we've updated our position-by-position rankings for this week's games.
Adjust your lineups accordingly. Fantasy studs, duds and sleepers for Week 1. Fantasy breakout candidates for the season. How prop bets can make you a better fantasy player. There are 32 teams hoping to use the opening weekend of the season as a springboard to Super Bowl 56 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. USA TODAY Sports ' panel of experts made prognostications for every game this weekend , predicting which teams will open the season on the right foot with a victory.
Running back Zack Moss, was an unexpected addition to the Bills inactive list on Sunday morning. There was no reason listed for his absence on the Bills' game-day roster against Pittsburgh.
Devin Singletary will likely get the start. Raheem Mostert is the starter, but the third-round pick was expected to have a significant role. Also, Falcons running back Wayne Gallman is inactive against the Eagles and Washington wide receiver Curtis Samuel is inactive for today's game against the Chargers. On Chargers side, running back Austin Ekeler is active after missing practice time during the week with a hamstring injury. Dak Prescott explains his postgame comments to Brady.
Jerry Jones addressed the Cowboys' kicking woes after the loss. There are numerous storylines to monitor throughout the league. Which teams will make the playoffs? Of those teams, which will advance to square off in Super Bowl 56? Who will be the MVP? Offensive and defensive rookies of the year? Of course, Lazor has a history with Dalton, having coached him in Cincinnati, and Nagy will be calling plays again in Fields is a bit of a hit-or-miss candidate for this award.
This award has become quarterback-centric in today's pass-oriented game, but running backs should not be counted out. Pittsburgh understands that Ben Roethlisberger may no longer be capable of carrying an offense with his right arm. Harris gives the Steelers a bruising three-down back with qualities similar to former Steelers star Le'Veon Bell. Harris is a tenacious runner with good vision and the agility to make tacklers miss when needed.
He should stack up rushing yardage, but his ability as a pass catcher and touchdown maker could be the difference if he is to win the award. The clear-cut favorite has several things going for him, in addition to his immense talent. He's played plenty of high-leverage football on big stages, so the jump to a smaller-market team in Jacksonville where he has a long runway to succeed should take some pressure off of him.
He has a decent offensive line in front of him if it can stay healthy , and the continued presence of Clemson teammate Travis Etienne should create positive chemistry early on. It's also worth noting that the Jaguars added Marvin Jones at wideout, and the offense will twice see Houston and Tennessee -- two pass defenses that ranked in the bottom third of the league in Despite throwing for 4, yards and 41 touchdowns in a season that culminated with an Alabama victory in the national championship game, Jones didn't make my top In general, he has received somewhat-tepid acclaim as he heads into the pros.
The former Tide QB will have to navigate a modest group of wideouts and a battle for playing time against veteran Cam Newton , but if he has the it factor that is so hard to quantify, we could see him on the field earlier than expected, which could give him a chance in the OROY race.
Follow Lance Zierlein on Twitter. Where do pick mavens Kevin Byard and Trevon Diggs rank? Maurice Jones-Drew identifies four running backs who are poised for a second-half breakout. Which teams will be playing for the title at SoFi Stadium on Feb.
Who'll take home the Lombardi Trophy? Daniel Jeremiah updates his ranking of the NFL's 25 best rookies. Can Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs make the playoffs? Gregg Rosenthal's QB Index features a whole lot of movement at midseason, particularly in the top 10 slots. So, who sits on top? Which rookie jumped up six spots? And which former top-three pick is holding up the rear?
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