Mixed results for locals in preseason openers
The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene.
REID, EAGLES START OFF ON RIGHT NOTE
With expectations entering the season already sky high for the Philadelphia Eagles following numerous high-profile offseason acquisitions, the Eagles began their preseason Thursday with a 13-6 win against the visiting Baltimore Ravens.
The Eagles, who won the National Football Conference’s East Division last season and qualified for the playoffs before losing to the eventual-Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, brought in corner back Nnamdi Asomugha and quarterback Vince Young and several other big-name acquisitions who made their debut with Philadelphia.
The Eagles, seeking their first championship since 1960, have been dubbed the “Dream Team” by some and regarded as one of the top contenders vying for the Super Bowl by the national media.
Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid, a former Glendale Community College football player, downplayed the team’s tag Tuesday.
“The reality is we get out here and work,” Reid told Yahoosports.com. “I don’t get caught up in labels. The [Dream Team] started with Vince kind of saying it in jest, and people ran with it. But nothing’s changed.”
Philadelphia will next travel to meet the Pittsburgh Steelers in a preseason game at 5 p.m. PDT Thursday. The game will be shown live on FOX.
JACKSON, RAIDERS LOOK TO SHORE THINGS UP
Oakland Raiders first-year Coach Hue Jackson, a former Glendale Community College quarterback, wasn’t pleased with Oakland’s preseason debut Thursday. Oakland committed 10 penalties in a 24-18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
The Raiders sputtered on offense, getting inside Arizona’s 25-yard line three times before having to settle for three field goals by kicker Sebastian Janikowski.
Arizona reserve quarterback Max Hall connected with wide receiver Isaiah Williams on a 28-yard touchdown pass with 39 seconds remaining in the game to beat the Raiders, who didn’t qualify for the playoffs last season. Janikowski booted a 57-yard field goal to give the Raiders an 18-17 advantage with 2:42 left.
“There are 31 other teams with the same issues,” Jackson told the Associated Press. “I’m not going to make an excuse. What we have to do is find a better way to address these issues. That’s my job. I’ll get those addressed.”
Oakland will next travel to face the San Francisco 49ers in an exhibition game at 5 p.m. PDT Saturday.
BARDEN STILL RECOVERING FROM INJURY
Former Flintridge Prep and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo wide receiver Ramses Barden didn’t play in the New York Giants’ 20-10 preseason road loss against the Carolina Panthers on Saturday.
Barden, who was drafted by the Giants in the third round in 2009, is still on the team’s physically unable to perform list because of an ankle injury.
New York Coach Tom Coughlin said it wasn’t clear when Barden would return. The Giants will next compete against the visiting Chicago Bears in an exhibition game at 5 p.m. PDT Monday.
