Tennessee
6 Players to Watch in Seattle Seahawks Preseason Tilt at Tennessee Titans
![6 Players to Watch in Seattle Seahawks Preseason Tilt at Tennessee Titans 6 Players to Watch in Seattle Seahawks Preseason Tilt at Tennessee Titans](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2434,h_1369,x_452,y_255/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/all_seahawks/01j5gjwsw95ebt9ysxcv.jpg)
Looking to finish off a productive week of joint practices in Nashville with second straight exhibition road victory, the Seattle Seahawks will continue their preseason slate by dueling with the Tennessee Titans on Saturday night.
Unlike a week ago where Seattle played quite a few starters on both sides of the football, after two grueling padded practices testing their wits against Tennessee earlier this week, coach Mike Macdonald made it clear few starters were expected to suit up this week. While fans in attendance won’t get to see Geno Smith, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and other notable starters play, however, their absence presents yet another prime opportunity for players on the bubble to stake a claim to a roster spot with cut down day less than two weeks away.
Which players should fans be watching closely in Saturday’s contest at Nissan Stadium? Six players to watch in Week 2 of the preseason:
In the heat of a tight battle for the third down role against undrafted rookie George Holani, McIntosh stepped up to the plate as a runner in Seattle’s preseason opener with a team-high 40 rushing yards. Showing more punch than expected in the physicality department, per Pro Football Focus, he forced five missed tackles and averaged north of four yards per carry after contact. Replicating that production in Tennessee would certainly help his chances of making the 53-man roster, but he’s going to have to be much more effective in the passing game in general. He only caught two passes for two yards last week and on his lone pass blocking rep, he got blown up by a blitzer and allowed a sack, not demonstrating any progress in that department. If he can’t perform at a much higher level in those two aspects of his game, Holani will have this competition close to wrapped up.
As he did last preseason, Winston rose to the occasion for the Seahawks with limited chances last week and made the most of his targets, catching a pair of passes from PJ Walker for 31 yards on only seven pass play snaps. He also pitched in a 10-yard punt return on special teams, which remains his potential ticket to a roster spot. With Smith-Njigba and possibly Laviska Shenault not playing on Saturday night and Dee Eskridge battling another injury that puts his spot on the team even more in peril, the former Washington State standout should see extensive work on offense out of the slot against the Titans and likely will be the primary return option on kickoff and punt teams as well. With another strong outing, he could push himself onto the right side of the roster bubble due to his special teams upside.
Being a fourth-round pick with expectations to at least contribute on special teams immediately, Barner would have been a player worth monitoring closely in Saturday’s preseason game before teammate Pharaoh Brown went down with a foot injury in Thursday’s joint practice. Now, depending on the severity of Brown’s injury, the rookie from Michigan could be positioned to play a far more impactful role on offense as the primary Y-tight end, but he will have to earn those snaps. He didn’t record a single catch in his NFL debut last week, with his lone target being negated by a penalty, while Brady Russell scored a touchdown with three receptions. The second preseason game will give him another crack at showing he can be more than an inline blocker and improve his standing within the tight end room heading towards the regular season.
With Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed checking out of action quickly, Morris played as much as any Seahawk defender in the preseason opener, tallying 34 snaps with one tackle, one run stop, one quarterback pressure, and yes, a beautiful pass breakup in coverage, not something expected from a 6-5, 300-pound defensive lineman. Fully healthy after missing most of his rookie year with a shoulder injury, his roster spot likely isn’t in jeopardy regardless of what happens on Saturday night, but if the ex-Michigan standout wants to earn a substantial rotational role on a deep, crowded defensive line, he will have to demonstrate a bit more consistency at the line of scrimmage while logging snaps as a 3-tech, big defensive end, and off tackle two-point rusher.
Squarely on the bubble after a solid offseason program and training camp, O’Connell helped his cause vying for a roster spot with a stellar exhibition debut last weekend, registering four tackles, a run stop, and a pass breakup while receiving an elite 88.2 grade from PFF on 22 defensive snaps. In a similar situation to Winston, the ex-Montana star should be in line for even more playing time on Saturday night with both Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker not expected to play and Jon Rhattigan sidelined by a heel issue. It’s possible he could start alongside Tyrice Knight with a chance to show off his versatility playing some snaps at middle linebacker, which would put another feather in his cap as he tries to snag one of the final roster spots as a reserve defender and core special teamer.
Battling in the deepest position group on Seattle’s roster, James had an up-and-down NFL debut against the Chargers, only allowing one catch for five yards on two targets in coverage but also missing his only tackle attempt. Seeing close to a 50/50 split between boundary corner and slot corner last weekend, he could get the start inside on Saturday night alongside fellow rookie and ex-Auburn teammate Nehemiah Pritchett, providing a quality audition opportunity for both players as they try to prove themselves against stiff competition. The sixth-round pick will have to be more willing to come up and make plays against the run and after struggling a bit in joint practices this week, he’ll be in need of a rebound in coverage as well to put him back on the right side of the bubble.
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Tennessee
Former Tennessee Vols RB Jabari Small injured in Titans vs Seahawks preseason game
![Former Tennessee Vols RB Jabari Small injured in Titans vs Seahawks preseason game Former Tennessee Vols RB Jabari Small injured in Titans vs Seahawks preseason game](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/08/18/PNAS/74846127007-ds-81724-nfl-titans-seattle-0711027.jpg?auto=webp&crop=3723,2095,x0,y127&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Former Tennessee Volunteers and current Tennessee Titans running back Jabari Small suffered an injury during the Titans’ preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday at Nissan Stadium.
Small, who played at Briarcrest Christian, left the game in the fourth quarter, with the Titans later saying his return was questionable with a concussion.
Near the end of the third quarter, Small took a hard hit on a run toward the goal line. He stayed in for the rest of the drive, but early in the fourth quarter, he was seen leaving for the locker room.
Small had seven rushes for 13 yards and four receptions for 24 yards in the game.
The 22-year-old played four seasons for the Volunteers. As a senior, he gained 470 yards rushing, averaging 5.0 yards per carry, and scored two touchdowns.
Small was signed by the Titans as an undrafted free agent this summer. He’s currently listed as the fifth running back on the depth chart, behind Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, Hassan Haskins and Julius Chestnut.
Tennessee
Plane Crash in Tennessee Kills a Motorsports Legend
![Plane Crash in Tennessee Kills a Motorsports Legend Plane Crash in Tennessee Kills a Motorsports Legend](https://img1-azrcdn.newser.com/image/1553660-12-20240817054502.jpeg)
The crash of a single-engine, vintage plane into a barn in Tennessee on Friday morning has claimed the life of a 60-year-old dirt track racing legend. The Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the remains are “believed to be that of Scott Bloomquist,” who NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace described to NBC News as “the greatest dirt racer to ever live.” The FAA says the only person on board the Piper J3C-65 Cub was the pilot. The crash, reported at 7:47am, occurred on the Bloomquist family farm in Mooresburg, Tennessee—in a location close to the address for Scott Bloomquist Racing. More;
Tennessee
POLL RESULTS: Favorite coffee shop in West Tennessee – WBBJ TV
![POLL RESULTS: Favorite coffee shop in West Tennessee – WBBJ TV POLL RESULTS: Favorite coffee shop in West Tennessee – WBBJ TV](https://www.wbbjtv.com/content/uploads/2024/08/i/l/455345457-893992606098482-6702642077250624993-n.jpg)
The results are in! After over 19,000 votes, our viewers have chosen the top 5 coffee shops in West Tennessee.
On Monday, we asked our audience on social media which coffee shop was their favorite.
After receiving your submissions and several days of voting, here are the top results:
- Besso’s Coffee (34%)
- Brickhaven Coffee Company (13%)
- The Roasted Bean (12%)
- Overflow (9% or 1845 votes)
- Moody Cat Coffee Shop (9% or 1777 votes)
We appreciate all of our viewers for their participation. For future polls, stay with us on air and online.
To see some of our previous poll questions and results, click here.
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