{"id":18305,"date":"2025-08-11T18:08:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T18:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/sport\/nfl-pre-season-review-results-hunter-sanders-dallas-cowboys\/"},"modified":"2025-08-11T18:08:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T18:08:09","slug":"nfl-pre-season-review-results-hunter-sanders-dallas-cowboys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/sport\/nfl-pre-season-review-results-hunter-sanders-dallas-cowboys\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL pre-season review & results: Hunter, Sanders & Dallas Cowboys"},"content":{"rendered":"


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<\/picture><\/span>Image source, <\/span>Getty Images<\/span><\/div>
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Travis Hunter played on both sides of the ball during his debut<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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Paul Higham<\/p>\n

BBC Sport Journalist<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Results do not mean too much, but NFL pre-season games do offer the first set of clues about what will happen in the new season.<\/b><\/p>\n

The league’s major stars will not play too often in the opening build-up games, but some top rookies have already made good first impressions as competition for starting places hots up.<\/p>\n

Most of the big talking points revolve around the quarterbacks, but there is also the NFL’s ‘unicorn’ and a new Patrick Mahomes bodyguard worth discussing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Two-way Travis makes Jaguars debut<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Travis Hunter signalled his intention to play both offence and defence as he made his debut working as a receiver and cornerback for the Jacksonville Jaguars.<\/p>\n

The second overall pick of this year’s NFL Draft admitted he “was a little nervous at first” as he started one of the most high-profile debut seasons in the league.<\/p>\n

Hunter had two catches for nine yards in his 10 plays as a receiver before switching and playing eight snaps on defence.<\/p>\n

Jaguars head coach Liam Coen labelled it a “solid” start and plans to give Hunter more defensive work next week – with the team intent on deploying their talented rookie on both sides of the ball. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Talking point – can Sanders earn starting spot?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Shedeur Sanders: Can he start for the Cleveland Browns?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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Shedeur Sanders made an eye-catching debut<\/a> for the Cleveland Browns that raised suggestions he has a chance to be the team’s starting quarterback this season. <\/p>\n

It would be quite the turnaround after his high-profile draft slide down to 144th overall<\/a> – but beyond the hype he still faces an uphill battle, with veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett ahead of him along with another rookie in Dillon Gabriel.<\/p>\n

Cleveland did not field their starters against the Carolina Panthers and Sanders has not had any practice time with the first team – only getting a start on Friday because of injuries to Pickett and Gabriel.<\/p>\n

But he made the most of his opportunity and despite head coach Kevin Stefanski insisting he was “in evaluation mode” and “not diving into a quarterback competition”, Sanders has given him a selection headache.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Have Chiefs found the man to protect Mahomes?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Patrick Mahomes threw just one pass for one yard in his first outing since being on the losing side in the Super Bowl – but it was for a touchdown in his brief 48-second seasonal debut.<\/p>\n

So, of more interest was the impressive debut of rookie left tackle Josh Simmons.<\/p>\n

He is the man the Kansas City Chiefs hope can solve the problem they had all last season – protecting their star quarterback.<\/p>\n

The Chiefs used four left tackles last year but their issue keeping Mahomes upright ultimately cost them a Super Bowl three-peat as he was sacked six times and manhandled by the Philadelphia Eagles.<\/p>\n

Simmons showed enough in his first 11 snaps to suggest he could be the answer to their problems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Rookie quarterback watch – Dart on target for Giants<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Jaxson Dart <\/b>may just be Russell Wilson’s back-up but his impressive debut has excited New York Giants fans singing his praises.<\/p>\n

He threw for 154 yards and a touchdown and ran for 28 yards in a poised and balanced outing – against some Buffalo Bills starters – that probably just topped Sanders for the best performance by a rookie quarterback.<\/p>\n

Number one overall pick Cam Ward<\/b> played just two series for the Tennessee Titans but his second was an 11-play touchdown drive where he showed promising chemistry with top receiver Calvin Ridley.<\/p>\n

Second-round pick Tyler Shough<\/b> replaced Spencer Rattler in the second half of the New Orleans Saints’ 27-13 defeat by the Los Angeles Chargers and had a 54-yard touchdown pass and a ‘pick six’ in an up-and-down display.<\/p>\n

Although not technically a rookie, JJ McCarthy<\/b> will play his first season with the Minnesota Vikings after a knee injury cost him the entire campaign last year.<\/p>\n

McCarthy had a tear in his eye before his first game in 364 days, where he led one solid 13-play drive in what could be his only action before the NFL season opener.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

A comedy of errors for the Cowboys<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Dak<\/picture><\/span>Image source, <\/span>Getty Images<\/span><\/div>
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CeeDee Lamb (r) and Dak Prescott (l) see the funny side but Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was not amused<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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A messy first Dallas Cowboys game for new head coach Brian Schottenheimer culminated with even Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb getting a flag – despite not even being on the field.<\/p>\n

Lamb was on the sidelines for the defeat against the Los Angeles Rams but strayed almost onto the field and was hit by an official racing down the touchline.<\/p>\n

That led to Lamb not only taking a big hit but also Dallas getting one of 11 flags in the game, which cost them 83 yards and angered the new man in charge.<\/p>\n

“I hope the guy’s OK. But we have to be better than that,” Schottenheimer said. “CeeDee knows better. We know better.”<\/p>\n

Dallas, who have star defender Micah Parsons watching on despite requesting a trade away from the team, will hope that comedy of errors is not a sign of things to come this season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

NFL pre-season – week one results<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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