Mahomes looks sharp in Chiefs' pre-season finale

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Paul Higham

BBC Sport Journalist

41 minutes ago

The third and final week of NFL pre-season is in the books.

The dress rehearsals are over and the auditions completed ahead of the big show that is the start of the new season.

Patrick Mahomes looked sharp for the Kansas City Chiefs, while Micah Parsons looked thorooughly fed up being with the Dallas Cowboys.

Here’s our pick of week three’s action.

Mahomes & Chiefs starters looking sharp

Patrick Mahomes took the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl defeat personally, and he’s been fired up all summer training hard ahead of a revenge tour this coming season.

He certainly looked sharp as he threw for 143 yards and a touchdown, and had another pass dropped in the end zone when showing his trademark playmaking ability, while also landing a 58-yard completion.

“I was super excited to get out there, especially at Arrowhead and get real reps,” Mahomes said after leading the Chiefs starters to 17 points in just over a quarter of action against the Chicago Bears.

The Chiefs actually lost the game 29-27 after Mahomes and the first team left the field, but despite going 0-3 in pre-season head coach Andy Reid will be happy with the hunger and sharpness of his starting offence.

That’s more than can be said for new Bears boss Ben Johnson, an offensive mastermind for the prolific Detroit Lions who hopes to spark 2024 overall first pick Caleb Williams into life this season.

Johnson bemoaned some “really sloppy football” from Williams and the starters, before back-up Tyson Bagent, who went viral with his tears of joy when signing a $10m contract, threw three touchdowns to win the game.

Parsons looking for Cowboys exit

Micah Parsons on the sidelines lying on a table during a Dallas Cowboys game

Superstar defender Micah Parsons still wants to leave the Dallas Cowboys, and is starting to show his frustration on the sidelines as he was spotted lying down on a treatment table during their final game against the Atlanta Falcons.

“Without talking to Micah, I need to figure out what he was doing and why he was doing it,” said new head coach Brian Schottenheimer after witnessing Parsons’ slightly bizarre actions.

Parsons is a huge talent and his future is a huge storyline this summer – as his contract dispute with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shows no signs for being sorted any time soon.

Shedeur sacked but still hopes for job

Shedeur Sanders was back on the field for the Cleveland Browns but endured a torried time as he was sacked five times – including a 24-yard loss when he was caught scrambling backwards.

Sanders impressed in the opening pre-season game, but looks to be fourth choice for Kevin Stefanski, although the head coach has not yet named a back-up to confirmed starter Joe Flacco.

Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Picket still look to be ahread of Sanders, but things could change as the Browns seem to have decided to keep all four quarterbacks

“We have a room that we like all the guys in there,” said.Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry. “We don’t really see that as a problem. We more see it as an opportunity.”

Shedeur’s brother Shilo Sanders also endured a tough week as he was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being ejected from their win over the Buffalo Bills for throwing a punch.

“You can’t throw punches in this league – that’s inexcusable,” said head coach Todd Bowles. “They’re going to get you every time. You’ve got to grow from that.”

Giants hold real hope for Jaxson Dart

Jaxson Dart, Tommy DeVito and Jameis Winston of the New York Giants

There’s genuine excitment in New York for Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who could well got a shot sooner rather than later at replacing starter Russell Wilson.

The first-round pick had another solid outing in their easy victory over the New England Patriots, throwing his third touchdown pass of pre-season – where he’s also managed not to throw an interception.

Fourth string quarterback Tommy DeVito threw a hat-trick of touchdowns in an emphatic win over the Pats – with linebacker Abdul Carter, the third pick of the draft, causing havoc.

Ravens relief over Jackson, Stafford’s back an issue

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said “prayers do get answered” after positive X-rays came back of star quarterback Lamar Jackson’s foot.

The two-time MVP had his foot stepped on in training to force him out of Baltimore’s emphatic 30-3 win over the Washington Commanders – and he has his boss worried.

“I told the guys, ‘Prayers do get answered,'” Harbaugh said. “I was praying.”

Matthew Stafford has bigger problems, as the Los Angeles Rams quarterback has an aggrevated disk in his back that he’s been trying to deal with all summer.

The 37-year-old Super Bowl winner admits his back is “day to day” and his availability for the start of the season is still undecided, with his injury tough to predict.

Even if Stafford can make the opening game of the season, there’s serious doubts he can make it through a full campaign.