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The NFL preseason kicked off in earnest on Thursday night with 24 teams in action. And the Virginia Cavaliers were well represented in some of the night’s top plays.
This punch-in brought to you by @Smokee_4.#Bears 14 | Bengals 14#CHIvsCIN pic.twitter.com/BGmkWfTjtS
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 10, 2018
In Cincinnati, running back Taquan Mizzell scored on an easy dive from just a yard out of the end zone. Mizzell is in his second year out of UVA and is fighting for a roster spot in the Bears’ new-look backfield.
Elsewhere in the AFC North...
The whole squad was hype for that @MauriceCanady26 interception. pic.twitter.com/BrrfuaR7rP
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 10, 2018
Wowzas. Canady has 12 appearances to his credit over the past two seasons in Baltimore. Plays like that ought to earn him a little more action in his third year.
On the same field, Micah Kiser had a big night for the Los Angeles Rams.
This is nothing new for Wahoo fans, but Micah Kiser (@kiser_rollin) led all players in tackles for a game ... AGAIN! Kiser in his NFL preseason debut last night for @RamsNFL, notched a game-high six stops in front of his hometown crowd of Baltimore. #HoosInTheNFL pic.twitter.com/gEY89ElnTT
— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball) August 10, 2018
One of the Hoos turning the most heads in training camp has been Darius Jennings with the Tennessee Titans. New head coach Mike Vrabel specifically called out Jennings as someone who had impressed him and the other coaches in preseason workouts, and added that they were trying to find a role for Jennings on special teams.
Jennings may have an even bigger role on his mind.
Mariota ➡️ @DariusJennings_ Touchdown #TENvsGB
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 10, 2018
Scoring Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 4:38 pic.twitter.com/vWcMUmmWZ0
Playing with Tennessee’s first-team offense, Jennings makes a nice adjustment to a slightly misplaced throw and shimmies his way into the end zone. His speed and elusiveness could make Jennings a serious candidate for situational packages in Nashville after several seasons on the fringes of the Browns, Bears, and Jets.
More Hoos will be in action on Friday night, including Kurt Benkert, Austin Pasztor, and Matt Schaub for the Atlanta Falcons; Oday Aboushi for the Oakland Raiders; and John Montelus and Cam Johnson for the Detroit Lions.