1 takeaway from every Week 3 preseason game

Three weeks down, one to go.

Some teams rested their starters, but most played their first team for an extended period as a dress rehearsal for the regular season. The result was the summer's most intriguing slate of games.

Here are the biggest takeaways from all 16 contests:

Browns 5, Eagles 0

Nick Foles may have lost his magic. We know, preseason statistics don't mean a whole lot, but Foles was dreadful against the Cleveland Browns, throwing two interceptions and struggling under pressure.

If star quarterback Carson Wentz isn't cleared for Week 1 - or suffers a setback during the year - the defending Super Bowl champions could have trouble replicating the offensive production from their 2018 playoff run. The Eagles may need Foles, but he's yet to show he can be relied on this summer. - Alessandrini

Panthers 25, Patriots 19

Will someone please tell Cam Newton it's the preseason. The quarterback, once again, needlessly put his body, as well as the Carolina Panthers' season, on the line by leaping head first on a scramble.

Newton was fine, but it was a painful reminder that the quarterback still needs to be saved from himself. And considering the Panthers' offensive line suffered another injury, this time to Jeremiah Sirles, Newton should be avoiding extra punishment at all costs. - Browne

Giants 22, Jets 16

Please welcome your Week 1 New York Jets starting quarterback, Sam Darnold.

The rookie didn't exactly impress with his steady performance against the Giants, finishing 8 of 16 with one touchdown pass, but the reality is, he didn't need to.

In fact, Darnold's turnover-free play likely bolstered the Jets' confidence that he's ready for the rigors of being a first-year starter. Where this leaves Teddy Bridgewater, who also played well, remains to be seen. - Browne

Broncos 29, Redskins 17

It likely says more about the current state of the Washington Redskins' backfield than Adrian Peterson's skill set, but the former NFL MVP looked like the team's best runner in an impressive preseason debut.

Peterson averaged 5.1 yards on 11 first-half carries, including a 15-yarder in which his patented uber-violent running style was on display.

It's too early to say if Peterson has enough left in the tank to be the Redskins' starter for the entire season, but it appears we'll find out as he likely earned the role for Week 1. - Browne

Vikings 21, Seahawks 20

The Vikings' offensive line troubles reared its ugly head against the Seattle Seahawks. Mike Zimmer's squad has been hit by multiple injuries in recent weeks, leading to questions regarding the team's depth.

Against Seattle, though, four of Minnesota's projected five starters suited up, and the results were uninspiring. The unit was overmatched, as the offense averaged just 2.1 yards per carry in the first half, while quarterback Kirk Cousins was forced to make a number of quick throws.

If Minnesota's blocking deficiencies persist into the regular season, the team's Super Bowl aspirations could take a major hit. - Alessandrini

Lions 33, Buccaneers 30

Jameis Winston is determined to silence his doubters in 2018. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback continued his strong preseason play against the Detroit Lions, completing 6 of 10 passes for 60 yards and a pretty touchdown pass to Chris Godwin.

Though Winston is suspended for the first three games, he's looked like a quarterback ready to take the next step in his development this summer. The former No. 1 pick should easily retain his job Week 4 against the Chicago Bears. - Alessandrini

Raiders 13, Packers 6

The Green Bay Packers prioritized their defensive backfield early in the 2018 NFL Draft, selecting cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson with their first two picks.

The duo continued their incredible preseason Friday against the Oakland Raiders, displaying advanced coverage abilities while each recorded an interception (though Jackson's was nullified due to a penalty).

Green Bay's pass defense has been leaky in recent seasons, but the team may have found two future stars to fill the void and give Aaron Rodgers the help he needs in shootouts. - Alessandrini

Bears 27, Chiefs 20

The Kansas City Chiefs' offense receives the bulk of the attention, and for good reason, but has their playmaking potential overshadowed a greater issue?

Kansas City's defense was exploited Saturday versus the Bears. The team displayed poor tackling, a lifeless pass-rush, and deficiencies in coverage.

Andy Reid's squad allowed 24 first-half points to a Chase Daniel/Benny Cunningham-led offense. That production, or lack thereof, is not going to cut it during the regular season. - Alessandrini

Rams 21, Texans 20

Rams star running back Todd Gurley finished second in MVP voting last season, so it's not like Los Angeles was in need of more talent at the position.

But, with the vast majority of the Rams' starters on the sidelines, rookie John Kelly made his case for a significant role in Sean McVay's offense, rushing for 64 yards and two scores on 15 carries.

The sixth-round pick's hard-running style could be the perfect complement to the game-breaking Gurley. If Kelly allows the Rams to manage Gurley's workload and keep him fresh for later in the season, the rest of the NFC should be scared. - Browne

Steelers 16, Titans 6

Over three preseason games, the Titans' new-look offense has fallen far short of expectations, scoring just 37 total points.

Tennessee's first-team unit was shut out in the first half by a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that few would consider dominant, with Marcus Mariota completing 5 of 8 passes for 43 yards and an interception.

Perhaps new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur is keeping things vanilla in the preseason and will unleash his up-tempo, spread-based playbook on an unsuspecting NFL in a few weeks. But right now, the Titans look far less than the sum of their parts. - Browne

Colts 23, 49ers 17

Andrew Luck continued to look healthy in his likely final preseason action, but he may struggle to stay that way if the Indianapolis Colts don't fix their protection issues.

Despite the addition of first-round guard Quenton Nelson, Indy's longstanding issue looks no closer to being fixed. Too often, Luck was forced off his spot by the San Francisco 49ers' talented defensive line.

The return of injured left tackle Anthony Castonzo should stabilize the line, but Indy's lack of another starting-caliber bookend is a major concern ahead of the regular season. - Browne

Jaguars 17, Falcons 6

There was hope that the Falcons' production under offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian would improve in his second year following a lackluster 2017, but it's difficult to remain optimistic after Saturday's effort.

Atlanta's offense failed to score a touchdown and sputtered in each trip into Jaguars territory.

Sarkisian and Co. have less than two weeks to right the ship, or this could be his final season running the Falcons' offense. - Alessandrini

Ravens 27, Dolphins 10

Rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson had his best game of the preseason, displaying the natural traits that made him a first-round pick.

The Baltimore Ravens' dynamic passer had mostly struggled this summer, but flashed playmaking ability with his arm and legs Saturday. The rookie completed 7 of 10 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown and tallied 39 yards and a touchdown on the ground as well.

Jackson may not start during his rookie campaign, but NFL defenses will have something to worry about soon enough if he continues his rapid development. - Alessandrini

Saints 36, Chargers 7

If you weren't already aware, the Los Angeles Chargers got a steal when they selected Derwin James No. 17 overall.

The versatile safety played 37 snaps versus the New Orleans Saints and was all over the field in coverage. The rookie stood his ground when matched up against dynamic running back Alvin Kamara, and notched an impressive interception off Drew Brees.

If James carries this momentum into the regular season, he should contend for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. - Alessandrini

Bengals 26, Bills 13

Following a strong Week 2 performance, it appeared Josh Allen was on course to earn the Buffalo Bills' starting job. Then, the Cincinnati Bengals' pass-rush happened.

Allen was sacked five times and was forced from the field just before halftime after his head bounced off the ground, ending his day with just 34 yards on 6 of 12 passing. To complicate matters further for Bills head coach Sean McDermott, Nathan Peterman continued to put his awful NFL debut behind him.

Peterman completed 16 of 21 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown in his third strong preseason performance. Now, Buffalo must not only decide if Allen is ready to start, but if they feel comfortable putting him behind one of the league's worst lines and risk hurting his development. - Browne

Cardinals 27, Cowboys 3

Some takeaways require a deep dive, while others are blindingly obvious. The Arizona Cardinals' defense and specials teams provided the latter against the Dallas Cowboys, registering a mind-blowing eight turnovers, including a pick-6 from Patrick Peterson. It's evident that this team could still make some noise in the NFC West.

Regardless of who's under center, the Cardinals should be a run-first team with David Johnson back, and therefore will need its other two units to step up and give the offense extra possessions.

The losses of Calais Campbell and Tyrann Mathieu in successive seasons has caused Arizona's once-vaunted defense to lose some of its luster, but a ridiculous 16 total preseason turnovers should give new head coach Steve Wilks confidence that the unit can remain among the league's best. - Browne