NFL Preseason 2013: Redskins win injury-plagued game against Steelers

The second-year receiver returned to practice on a limited basis on Thursday, but won’t be travelling with the team to San Francisco.

The league has implemented new concussion guidelines for the 2013 season: Independent neurotrauma specialists are now assigned to each game and are responsible for the treatment of possible head injuries. Once a player is diagnosed with a concussion, they are to be treated and then must pass a series of tests before returning to play.

Both Flacco and Newton figure to get extended playing time in the third preseason game, though, as their teams prepare for the regular season.

The Ravens have plenty of new faces from the team that won the Super Bowl, but Baltimore appears to have picked up right where it left off. Flacco has been solid and the first-team defense has played well, despite replacing several key players.

With most teams using the third week of the preseason as a dress rehearsal for the regular season, Brady, Stafford and other starters will likely play into the second half. That could mean plenty of offense considering this is a matchup of two of the NFL’s top three teams in yards per game from a year ago.

After sitting out last week to rest his bruised knee, Johnson is expected to be active and play against New England.

The preseason continues to be like life: short, empty, and ultimately full of too much Chris Berman. Oh, Chris Berman. You get assigned preseason football and the Home Run Contest, and yet you can’t take the hint.

-1: Kenjon Barner’s final line: 5 rushes for 6 yards, 1 reception for -1 yards, and a muffed punt return. All in front of his own college coach, too.

Cousins’ career line is 33-for-48 for 466 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions in three regular-season games.

• Two Carries, Six Yards: The tragic story of Ricky Bell

The Steelers defense played well at times, at least. Coolong highlighted the play of two rookies: Safety Shamarko Thomas and outside linebacker Jarvis Jones. Thomas was arguably the Steelers’ player of the game, notching six tackles including a forced fumble on a vicious hit on Redskins running back Chris Thompson. Jones also forced a fumble and quieted some of his critics in the process.

• Dustin Keller suffers complete knee tear

Meanwhile, Bell was the biggest injury casualty for the Steelers. He suffered a foot injury as well after missing last week’s preseason game with a sore knee.

The Redskins were favored by 2.5 points in the game and covered the spread.

According to Russell, the index and middle finger on Cofield’s right hand were taped up after he came out of the game, and the initial prognosis is not positive.

• Dustin Keller suffers complete knee tear

RGIII does so many things, and does them all so well, it’s hard to keep track. We heard something, something about pull-ups during Monday’s preseason game broadcast. And then we saw this.

And then we saw Twitter going crazy with unsolicited exercise advice!

RGIII knows plenty about inspirational sayings, copyright law and the pistol formation. He also knows where his bread is buttered, as the kids these days like to say.

‘Sup, Dr. James Andrews.

Here’s a look at Cousins’ injury.

UPDATE: Cousins is out with a sprained foot, the severity of which is not known at this time.

According to Burt Lauten of the Steelers’ public relations department, Bell suffered a foot injury and will not return to the game. The severity of Bell’s injury is not yet known.

Bell carried the ball 382 times as a senior at Michigan State and had over 600 rushing attempts during his college career.

Sure, it’s easy to laugh at the preseason. And bashing it has now arrived at the point where it’s more annoying than the glorified tryouts the NFL is spreading out over FIVE DAMN DAYS this week. Let’s take a moment to appreciate full-priced exhibition football, before your hipster friends start forming preseason fantasy leagues when they get bored with reinventing bumper pool and Miller High Life.

Based on what we know right now, here are some wildly off-base conclusions to send you to the betting window wearing nothing but a knowing smile (because we’re imaging this betting window at a nude beach in some lawless island nation).

Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

• Brady is fine, Manuel is effective and more Friday observations

• Longform: Olympian Marquise Goodwin seeks success on the gridiron

Fleener was hurt earlier in the preseason with a concussion, so the injury bug has really taken a liking to the Colts’ second round pick of 2012 out of Stanford University. Coach Chuck Pagano said after the game that he didn’t think Fleener’s knee was of great concern, per PFT.

As Josh Wilson points out at Stampede Blue, Fleener has looked good in camp but fallen apart when the lights are brightest.

Be sure to check out SB Nation’s team blogs, Hogs Haven and Behind The Steel Curtain, for more analysis and highlights from the game.

Add these fine follows to your Twitter timeline:

Oliver was later smiling after getting hit in the face, and for his part Harnish apologized too.

The Giants entered the game as two-point favorites, failing to cover the spread.

• Brady is fine, Manuel is effective and more Friday observations

Watch.

Luck’s made some of his usual incredible throws in this game. This was his worst throw of the night, and Wayne bails him out with that catch. Credit to Aaron Ross for dropping the interception too.

Cruz immediately went to the locker room for X-rays after the injury. Before exiting the game, Cruz did not have a single catch.

At this point, the Giants will be waiting for the results of the X-rays. Cruz has been durable throughout his three-year career, catching over 80 passes the past two seasons.

Cardinals blog Revenge Of The Birds was happy with the win, of course, but they were less happy with the erratic play of quarterback Carson Palmer:

KD Drummond at Blogging The Boys is pleasantly surprised that the Cowboys gave up only three field goals despite the turnovers and ugly play:

Sunday, Aug. 18, 7 p.m. ET

MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.

The second week of the preseason continued with four games on Saturday. There was plenty of action to pay attention to, so let’s get to what you might have missed.

This game wasn’t quite as close as the score would indicate. Both starting quarterbacks played well, as Miami’s Ryan Tannehill completed 10 of 15 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown, while Houston’s Matt Schaub completed 8 of 11 for 92 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Ed Valentine writes Terrell Thomas might finally be healthy on Big Blue View:

Be sure to check out SB Nation’s team blogs, Stampede Blue and Big Blue View, for more analysis and highlights from the game.