UpdatedAug 13, 2011 6:23 AM ETWe shouldn't judge football teams Colin Kaepernick Jersey Replica based on exhibition games, anymore than we should judge paintings based on penciled outlines orarchitecture based on a stack of wood.The idea is just not to look bad. A new receiver doesn't have tomake seven catches. But nobody wants to see him look up too latefor a pass, have the ball bounce off his head and then run straightinto the oversized inflatable Justin Smith Stitched Jersey mascot in the end zone.Because that sort of thing Colin Kaepernick Jersey Red can lead a team owner to throw hisluxury-suite cheeseburger at his general manager.The Falcons played their firstexhibition 49ers Colin Kaepernick Replica Jersey of 2011 Friday night against the Dolphins. Curtis Loftonprobably had put it best earlier when asked what he hoped to see,saying: "We want to look like we know what we're doing."They did.But this night was less about the 49ers Justin Smith Authentic Jersey Falcons in general than it was JulioJones in particular. We only saw him for only three series. Thatwas enough.He caught a 21-yard pass. He caught a 22-yard pass. He washanded the ball on a reverse and took Authentic Colin Kaepernick Jersey Red off for another 12.This is when Falcons fans must tell themselves,"I know he played for Nick Saban, but I'm OK with that."Thomas Dimitroff, the general manager, traded a boatload ofdraft picks for Jones. He sent two first-rounders, a second and twofourths to Cleveland so the Falcons could slide up Premier Justin Smith Jersey Red 21 spots andgrab Jones.Some screamed, "No!"Soon, you'll scream for other reasons.Jones' early fireworks Premier Justin Smith Jersey White Friday Custom Eagles Jersey night suggest that his No. 11jersey is destined to become a hot item, Customized Philadelphia Eagles Jersey and he'll become one ofthe team's most popular players.He can be that special. Quarterback Matt Ryan targeted him onthe first two plays from scrimmage, but threw behind him on bothoccasions. But on the second possession, a third-and-3 play fromthe Miami 35, he stepped away from the rush and threw short toJones underneath.Then it was like somebody pushed the turbo button. Jones tookoff for a 21-yard gain, eventually setting up a 2-yard touchdown byMichael Turner.Coach Mike Smith couldn't get enough. He wanted to see Ryan andJones together for a third possession. So the next time the Falcons got the ball, on a difficultsecond-and-12 from their own 15, Ryan stepped back and found Joneswide open over the middle for 22 yards.On the next play, the rookie took a handoff from Ryan on areverse and gained 12 yards. Soon it was 14-0.Opening night became the Julio Jones Show.The last time we saw the Falcons, they were rolled by thePackers 48-21 in a home playoff game. The initial thought most hadwas that this team needed help on defense. But more than anything,they needed a game-changer, and Jones can be that.As important as defense is in the NFL, the past two Super Bowlwinners, New Orleans and Green Bay, both had explosiveoffenses.For that matter, even Pittsburgh the year before could throw itdeep (before Ben Roethlisberger morphed into mutant frat boy.)The Falcons are anxious to use thispreseason to find out what this bunch can do. The addition ofJones, Official Eagles Jersey the return of wide receiver Harry Douglas, now two yearsremoved from a major knee injury, and the drafting of running backJacquizz Rodgers gives the offense the potential for pyrotechnicsthat we haven't seen in some time, if ever.Dimitroff was careful not to attach too much Authentic Colin Kaepernick Jersey significance toFriday's exhibition, saying, "The preseason Justin Smith Jersey White to me is just a littlemore than a practice setting. It's Colin Kaepernick Authentic Jersey a little more live, a littlemore real. But you can't get too up or down about it."That had to be difficult Friday.Jones had everybody up.
UpdatedAug 13, 2011 6:24 AM ETKANSAS CITY, Mo.Make of it what you will. Scoff at it if you must. When it comesto one-liners, crack 'em if you got 'em.After all, Authentic Vernon Davis Jersey it was a preseason game. A glorified practice. Adress rehearsal. After all these years, you know such games are notto be trusted and even the best of moments are not to beremembered.On the other hand, it could have been worse.The Tampa Bay Bucs could have Official Taylor Mays Jersey looked as wretchedas the Kansas City Chiefs.They did not. The Bucs opened Friday with a tidy,promising little 25-0 victory, which, we can all agree, is betterthan the other way around. Winning is always better than losing,and playing well is preferable to playing poorly, and youngry isbetter than yugly.Like many of you, I have a lot of years invested in poking funat preseason football, the NFL's version of a rock band's soundcheck. There have been too many August wonders Premier Vernon Davis Jersey Red and too many yearswhen preseason success faded away on the other side of LaborDay.Still, you could argue that this is one of the most intriguingpreseason openers the Bucs have had - and given thecircumstances, maybe the most important.Oh, the 49ers Vernon Davis Jersey first one, back in '76, was probably interesting beforethe losing began. And the opener in 2003, when the Bucs went to Japan after winning Authentic Justin Smith Jersey theprevious Super Bowl, had everyone tuned in. And every new coach theBucs have hired probably thought hisopener was important, too.For this team, Friday night's game, preseason or not, had alittle bit of weight to it. For one thing, the entire offseason hadbeen squandered, and the Bucs' coaches have a lot of catchingup to do. They needed a good first step to help show that last yearwasn't a fluke, that Josh Freeman really is ready to sneak onto thelist of elite quarterbacks, that the Authentic Taylor Mays Jersey Red young pass rush holds promise,and that Mason Replica Taylor Mays Jersey Red in the Middle is ready to be a linebacker in Raiders Jersey theNFL. They needed the new kickoff artist/punter to show why he'sworth a winning lotto ticket every year. They needed the offensiveline to be solid, and the receivers to be flashy, and the defenseto be better.First impressions?Check. And check, and check and check. Check, check, check. Andfurthermore, check.Here's a question:Did this game help you to buy Vernon Davis Authentic Jersey in? Even a little?It should have. The Bucs pretty much bass-drummed theChiefs, who spent much of 2010 being Tampa Bay's mirror image. Lastyear, the Chiefs followed their second-year coach from four wins to10. (The Bucs followed theirs from three to10). They had a young quarterback who improved to a 93.0 rating,largely by reducing his interceptions from 16 to seven. (The Bucs' Freeman improved to a 95.5rating as he reduced his picks from 18 to six.) The Chiefs' fanswanted a glimmer of hope out of this game, too.Instead, the Bucs overwhelmed the Chiefs. Asthey say about Kansas City, everything was up to date.The checklist?1. Josh Freeman: Freeman didn't force the issue often, exceptfor one throw that barely missed connecting with Mike Williams inthe end zone. He did hit 9 of 13 attempts, including a crisp14-yard pass to Sammie Stroughter on third and 4. He also ran for atouchdown, which probably took about a year off Raheem Morris' lifeexpectancy.Want to know the best thing Freeman did? He managed not to gethis thumb broken, which he did in last year's preseason openeragainst Kansas City.2. Mason Foster: For those used Customized Oakland Raiders Jersey to seeing the Bucs' middle linebacker play everyplay, it might have looked odd to see Foster leave the field innickel packages. Nevertheless, Foster always seemed to be movingforward, and he Authentic Vernon Davis Jersey White recovered a fumble and had a nice hit on thesideline. He has a ways to go, but you could see what the Bucs see.3. Adrian Clayborn: He was active all night, and there didn'tseem to be a lot of rookie to him. A fine start.4. The young receivers: Williams didn't Justin Smith Jersey Red do a lot, and ArreliousBenn didn't play. But Dezmon Briscoe turned the game into a bid forthe No. 2 wide receiver job. Hint to Benn: Heal quickly, youngman.5. The offensive Authentic Oakland Raiders Jersey line: It looked sturdy, which should be arelief to Freeman. And everyone else. On Freeman's 16-yard pass toBriscoe, he had enough time in the pocket to read a book. Maybeenough to write one.6. Mike Koenen: Is it too soon for this guy to ask for a raise?The kicker had three touchbacks on his first four kicks, and theChiefs did the Bucs a favor by bringing the otherkick out. They were stopped at their 8-yard line.7. Josh Johnson: Is there any thought to making him the team'sthird-down scatback? And if not, why not?At this point, you are allowed to shrug and roll your eyes. Noone Reebok Vernon Davis Jersey is suggesting the Bucs clinched the playoffs Friday.In the preseason, however, all a team can do is play well. All itcan suggest is that it has the potential to have some holes filled.All it can say is "maybe."Friday night, the Bucs managed to be interesting.In a preseason game, what else can you expect?