Thursday NFL News and Notes

NFL Preseason Preview - Washington (2-1) at Jacksonville (2-1)

(Sports Network) - A pair of teams looking to polish off winning preseasons will meet at ALLTEL Stadium Thursday night, when the Jacksonville Jaguars play host to the Washington Redskins in the final tune-up for each.

One season after disappointing their respective fan bases by failing to return to the playoffs, both Jacksonville and Washington are seeking to build toward bounce-back years in 2007.

The Jaguars have picked up some momentum by winning their last two preseason games, downing the Buccaneers (31-19) and Packers (21-13).

Roster questions remain for Jack Del Rio's squad, with a contentious battle at wide receiver among the top storylines heading into Thursday's contest. The Redskins game will mark an opportunity for players like former first-round pick Reggie Williams and youngsters Charles Sharon, John Broussard, and Mike Walker to make their bid for roster spots.

Williams has placed his employment in jeopardy with a quiet preseason in which he has only three receptions for 38 yards.

Elsewhere on the roster, quarterback Byron Leftwich, who is attempting to establish his place as the starter after an injury-plagued 2006, has played reasonably well during the warm-up period. Leftwich is 19-of-38 passing for 226 yards and a touchdown in his three August appearances.

Leftwich should play only briefly versus Washington.

The Redskins' main directive on Thursday night, meanwhile, could be to stay healthy in advance of the regular season opener against Miami.

Washington received a scare in its preseason loss to Pittsburgh on Aug. 18th, when quarterback Jason Campbell suffered a left knee bruise following a low hit. Campbell did not play in last week's lightning-shortened 13-7 win over Baltimore, and his status for Thursday's contest is in question.

A couple of new faces will be in the lineup for Washington, however, as recently acquired guard Pete Kendall and fullback Fred Beasley are each slated to see time. Kendall was picked up in a trade from the Jets earlier this week, while the former 49er Beasley was signed off the free agent wire.

The Redskins and Jaguars have met one other time in the preseason, with Jacksonville pulling out a 17-15 home win prior to the 2003 campaign.

Washington also faced Jacksonville in Week 4 of the 2006 regular season, scoring a 36-30 overtime victory at FedEx Field.

NFL Preseason Preview - Buffalo (1-2) at Detroit (2-1)

(Sports Network) - The Detroit Lions will have one more opportunity to prove to their fans that they are headed in the right direction on Thursday night, when Rod Marinelli's crew welcomes the Buffalo Bills to town in the final preseason warm-up for both clubs.

One season after finishing 3-13, Detroit has won two of its three preseason games and has shown signs of progress in doing so. Prior to last week's 37-10 loss at the hands of Indianapolis, a game in which the Lions were playing without quarterbacks Jon Kitna and Dan Orlovsky, Detroit had displayed offensive fireworks in wins over the Browns (27-26) and Bengals (23-20).

Kitna is an impressive 15-of-21 passing for 189 yards with a touchdown for a passer rating of 115.0 during the preseason to date. The veteran, who missed last week's loss with back problems, could appear briefly against the Bills.

Orlovsky (turf toe) is not expected to play, however, meaning J.T. O'Sullivan will again take most of the Lions' snaps. Recently-resigned rookie Phil Horvath will also be available in the game.

O'Sullivan was 24-of-34 for 232 yards with a touchdown pass and two interceptions versus the Colts last week.

Buffalo, meanwhile, will be seeking to build on its finest offensive performance of the preseason to date, which came in a 28-17 loss to Tennessee last Friday.

Three Bills quarterbacks combined for 305 passing yards in the loss, with starter J.P. Losman (9-of-20, 180 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and backups Trent Edwards (7-of-10, 100 yards) and Craig Nall (4-of-7, 38 yards) all getting in on the act.

Losman and the rest of the Bills' offensive starters are expected to play sparingly in the preseason finale, though that allowance might not extend to the defense.

While the offense played well against Tennessee, the Buffalo defense allowed a preseason-high 28 points and struggled to contain quarterback Vince Young (13- of-19, 162 yards, 1 TD).

Detroit leads the all-time preseason series with the Bills, 15-10-1, but was a 20-13 home loser in the last such matchup, prior to last season.

The Lions rebounded to win the '06 regular season meeting between the clubs, a 20-17 victory at Ford Field in Week 6.

Buffalo head coach Dick Jauron was defensive coordinator of the Lions in 2004-05, and was interim head coach for the final five games of his tenure there.

NFL Preseason Preview - N.Y. Giants (1-2) at New England (1-2)

(Sports Network) - A pair of teams trying to avoid posting losing marks in the preseason will convene at Gillette Stadium Thursday night, as the New England Patriots play host to the New York Giants in the final tune-up for each.

The Patriots, who are a popular pick to win Super Bowl XLII, are looking for a touch of positive momentum heading into their regular season opener against the Jets on Sept. 9th. Bill Belichick's squad was dominant at times in its most recent contest, a 24-7 win at Carolina last Friday night.

Quarterback Tom Brady was a sharp 17-of-22 passing for 167 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the victory.

Brady and most of his New England starting brethren are expected to see little-to-no time in the final preseason game, though Patriots fans will be on the lookout for a couple of notable team members that could be active.

Cornerback Asante Samuel could be in uniform for the first time this preseason after holding out for most of training camp due to a contract dispute. Samuel returned to the team on Tuesday, and his playing status has not been determined for the Giants game.

Less likely to play is wide receiver Randy Moss, who has been battling a hamstring injury since the eighth day of training camp and has yet to appear in a preseason game with New England.

The Giants, meanwhile, will be simply hoping to emerge from the Patriots game without any new injuries. Tom Coughlin's club is in particular peril at the wide receiver spot, where David Tyree is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a broken wrist and Plaxico Burress has recently missed practice time with back problems.

One position that could be worth watching for the G-Men on Thursday is quarterback, where Anthony Wright, Jared Lorenzen, and Tim Hasselbeck are battling for a space on the depth chart behind starter Eli Manning. None of the three has completed 50 percent of their passes during the preseason, and Lorenzen is the only member of the backup trio who has thrown a touchdown pass.

Lorenzen did not play in last week's 20-12 loss to the Jets after suffering a concussion in the club's previous outing, however.

The Giants hold a 11-5 lead in the all-time preseason series with the Patriots, including a 31-23 home victory prior to last season.

The Patriots hold a 4-3 advantage in the regular season series, and will look to extend that edge when the teams meet on Dec. 29th at Giants Stadium.

NFL Preseason Preview - Cleveland (2-1) at Chicago (3-0)

(Sports Network) - The Chicago Bears will try to polish off what would be the NFL's only perfect record of the 2007 preseason on Thursday night, when Lovie Smith's team welcomes the Cleveland Browns to Soldier Field in the final tune- up for each club.

Chicago, which has defeated Houston (20-19), Indianapolis (27-24), and San Francisco (31-28) by a combined seven points during the month of August, is attempting to go 4-0 in the preseason for the first time since 1994. That season, the Bears went 9-7 during the regular season and made the playoffs under then-head coach Dave Wannstedt.

More important than the record for Chicago, however, will be the play of quarterback Rex Grossman. Grossman has endured a shaky, turnover-laden preseason in which he has made questionable decisions and had trouble receiving the snap from center.

Grossman was 13-of-20 for 211 yards with a pair of touchdown passes in last week's win over the 49ers, but also fumbled a snap and threw an interception that was returned 52 yards for a touchdown by San Francisco cornerback Walt Harris.

Grossman is expected to start against the Browns but is not expected to play more than a few series, along with the rest of Chicago's regulars.

Quarterback play will also be a hot-button topic for Cleveland, which is trying to find a starter out of a group that includes incumbents Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson.

Neither Frye (22-of-32 passing, 232 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT) nor Anderson (20- of-33, 215 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT) have distinguished themselves with their preseason play to date, but both appear to be the only realistic candidates to start in the Browns' regular season opener against Pittsburgh on September 9th.

Rookie Brady Quinn, the No. 22 overall draft pick out of Notre Dame, has outplayed both of the veterans, albeit against lesser competition.

Quinn is 20-of-31 for 236 yards and three touchdown passes in two appearances, for an excellent passer rating of 119.8. Quinn could see extensive time on Thursday night, and could fuel the present debate about his starting prospects with another strong outing.

Ken Dorsey (13-of-18, 120 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT in the preseason), who appears to be a long shot to make the 53-man roster, is expected to play as well for the Browns.

Cleveland leads the all-time preseason series with Chicago, 15-7, but was a 20-7 home loser when the teams met prior to the 2006 campaign.

NFL Preseason Preview - Green Bay (2-1) at Tennessee (2-1)

(Sports Network) - A pair of teams vying to polish off winning preseason records will meet in the Music City on Thursday night, when the Tennessee Titans play host to the Green Bay Packers in the final warm-up for both squads.

The host Titans come off their strongest performance of the preseason to date, a 28-17 takedown of the Buffalo Bills last Friday night. In the win, Tennessee quarterback and reigning NFL Rookie of the Year Vince Young posted his finest performance of the preseason to date, completing 13-of-19 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown in the victory.

Previous to the Bills game, Young had only made headlines of the negative variety, first getting into a practice field scrap with teammate Donnie Nickey then serving a one-game suspension for going AWOL from the Titans' team dormitory for a night.

Young is unlikely to see much time on Thursday, in keeping with preseason tradition, meaning backups Kerry Collins and Tim Rattay should receive a majority of the snaps.

One player that could be worth watching for Tennessee is recently-signed defensive tackle Corey Simon, who figures to be wearing a Titans uniform for the first time. Simon, who last played in 2005 as a member of the Colts, would likely see only limited snaps if he is deemed able to play.

Green Bay, meanwhile, will be seeking to rebound after falling to Jacksonville (21-13) last week in its first loss of the preseason.

Quarterback Brett Favre looked sharp in defeat, however, completing 14-of-20 passes for 130 yards in a losing effort. Running back Brandon Jackson, who is expected to serve as the Pack's No. 1 running back as a rookie, added a one- yard touchdown run in the triumph but was also knocked out of the contest after suffering a concussion.

Favre, Jackson, and the team's other starters are expected to play no more than two or three series against the Titans.

With Vernand Morency (knee) not yet ready to return to the field, most of Green Bay's rushing on Thursday will likely be performed by rookie DeShawn Wynn and fellow backup Noah Herron.

One injured Packers defender not expected to see action is rookie safety Aaron Rouse (hamstring).

Tennessee leads the all-time preseason series with Green Bay, 4-3, breaking a deadlock in the series with a 35-21 road victory prior to last season.

NFL Preseason Preview - Dallas (2-1) at Minnesota (1-2)

(Sports Network) - A pair of teams trying to end the preseason on a winning note will meet at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Thursday night, as the Dallas Cowboys visit the Minnesota Vikings in the final August warm-up for each team.

Dallas was handed its first setback of the preseason last week, when Wade Phillips' squad dropped a 28-16 decision to Houston. Minnesota, meanwhile, was a 30-13 loser at Seattle.

The Cowboys didn't play particularly well in any phase against the Texans, though quarterback Tony Romo did enough in a 14-of-22, two-touchdown passing performance to reassure Dallas fans that he can deliver the goods during the regular season.

Romo heads into the Minnesota game, where he will likely play only limited snaps, with a solid preseason passer rating of 89.7. Backups Brad Johnson and Matt Moore will likely see most of the time at signal-caller for Dallas on Thursday.

Among the injured Cowboys who won't take part on Thursday are cornerback Terence Newman (heel) and linebacker Greg Ellis (Achilles).

As for Minnesota, Thursday will mark a final opportunity for expected starting quarterback Tarvaris Jackson to polish his skills in advance of the team's regular season opener against Atlanta September 9th.

Jackson, a second-year pro out of Alabama State, has played to mixed reviews thus far in the preseason. The quarterback has completed 19-of-33 passes for 212 yards without a touchdown or an interception in three appearances.

Succeeding Jackson in Thursday's lineup will be backups Brooks Bollinger, Tyler Thigpen, and perhaps recently-acquired veteran Kelly Holcomb.

Holcomb, who started 22 games in Cleveland and Buffalo since entering the league in 1995, is expected to battle Bollinger for No. 2 quarterback duties. Thigpen, a rookie out of Coastal Carolina, is reportedly headed for the practice squad, meaning the loser of the Bollinger/Holcomb duel would be the Vikings' third-stringer.

Minnesota starters are slated to play one series against Dallas.

Minnesota owns a 4-3-1 advantage in its all-time preseason series with Dallas, including a 10-10 tie when the teams met in the 2006 preseason.

The Vikings and Cowboys will also square off in regular season play, with their date scheduled for Oct. 21st at Texas Stadium.

NFL Preseason Preview - Pittsburgh (3-1) at Carolina (1-2)

(Sports Network) - The Carolina Panthers will attempt to close out a shaky preseason on a strong note Thursday night, when John Fox's squad hosts the Pittsburgh Steleers in the final tune-up for both squads.

Carolina has been more or less dominated in a pair of preseason games, falling hard to Philadelphia (27-10) and New England (24-7) after opening the warm-up period with a 24-21 win over the Giants.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme has played to mixed reviews, completing 25-of-44 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns with an interception for a passer rating of 80.7, and the depth chart behind him is uncertain as the preseason nears its end.

Expected No. 3 quarterback Brett Basanez was lost for the year with a broken wrist suffered in last week's loss to the Patriots, while backup David Carr is expected to be held out of action on Thursday with a broken toe. Delhomme (side) is also not 100 percent heading into the Pittsburgh game, meaning Dalton Bell, the club's fourth-stringer out of West Texas A&M, is slated to receive most of the Panthers' QB reps versus the Steelers.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Bell has completed 3-of-5 passes for 19 yards during the preseason to date.

For the Steelers, the Thursday night focus will be in a different part of the backfield, namely at the running back position.

The depth chart is crowded behind starter Willie Parker and probable No. 2 Najeh Davenport, with Carey Davis and Dan Kreider and tailbacks Gary Russell and Verron Haynes all battling for what could be just two open spots on the 53-man roster.

The first-year players Davis (137 yards on 14 total touches in the preseason) and Russell (28 carries, 129 rushing yards) have played extremely well during the preseason to date, and another strong performance from either or both could make it very difficult for new head coach Mike Tomlin to cut them.

Pittsburgh's starters are expected to play only sparingly against the Panthers, in keeping with final game of the preseason tradition, and luminaries such as wide receiver Hines Ward (broken nose) should be held out altogether.

The all-time preseason series between Pittsburgh and Carolina is tied, 4-4, with the Panthers knotting the series by virtue of a 15-13 road victory prior to last season.

The teams also met in Week 15 of the 2006 season, with Pittsburgh laying a 37-3 blowout on Carolina in Charlotte.

NFL Preseason Preview - San Francisco (1-2) at San Diego (2-1)

(Sports Network) - The San Francisco 49ers will be looking across the field at a familiar face on Thursday night, when Mike Nolan's squad visits the San Diego Chargers in the final preseason game for each team.

Chargers head coach Norv Turner, a Bay Area native who spent last season as offensive coordinator in San Francisco, now finds himself at the helm of a club who some expect to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XLII. Prior to arriving in San Diego, Turner received high marks for molding a Niners attack that last year saw quarterback Alex Smith and running back Frank Gore post breakout seasons.

Gore has yet to play in the 2007 preseason after suffering a broken hand early in training camp, and is not expected to be in uniform on Thursday. But Turner will get an up-close-and-personal look at Smith, who has looked sharp under the tutelage of new coordinator Jim Hostler this summer.

Smith, who is expected to play only briefly against the Bolts, is 16-of-25 passing for 211 yards, a touchdown, and a passer rating of 103.9 in three preseason appearances.

The former No. 1 overall draft pick out of Utah will be followed in Thursday's lineup by backups Trent Dilfer and Shaun Hill.

Turner's Chargers, meanwhile, are expected to feature their starters on both sides of the ball for roughly 10 plays each.

That group will not include top running backs LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner, however. Tomlinson does not appear in the preseason for precautionary reasons, and Turner will sit out with a broken ankle.

That should spell a large number of carries for former Kansas State star Darren Sproles, who has had an impressive preseason thus far.

Sproles has carried 13 times for 83 yards and a touchdown out of the backfield, has caught a team-best 12 passes for 117 yards, and also scored on an 81-yard punt return against St. Louis in the Chargers' second tune-up of '07.

The 49ers hold a 18-17 lead in their all-time preseason series with the Chargers, breaking a deadlock in the series with a 23-14 home win prior to last season.

The teams also met in Week 6 of the 2006 regular season, with San Diego earning a 48-19 triumph at Monster Park.

The most memorable game played between the two franchises was Super Bowl XXIX, won by the Niners, 49-26.

NFL Preseason Preview - Oakland (2-1) at Seattle (2-1)

(Sports Network) - Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin will get one more opportunity to evaluate his quarterbacks on Thursday night, when Oakland visits Seattle in the final preseason tune-up for each team.

Signal-callers Josh McCown, Andrew Walter, and Daunte Culpepper have each received one start in the preseason to date, and all have fared reasonably well during their time in the lineup.

Kiffin made the QB picture a bit clearer earlier this week when he declared the quest for the job as a "two-man race" between McCown and Culpepper. That was bad news for Walter (20-of-33 passing, 154 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT), who started eight games last season but is subject to being cut if and when Oakland signs No. 1 overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell.

McCown (19-of-35 passing, 277 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT in the preseason) will start Thursday's contest, with Culpepper (15-of-28 passing, 200 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT) succeeding him in the lineup.

Oakland, which opens the regular season at home against Detroit on Sept. 9th, has defeated the Cardinals (27-23) and Rams (20-10) so far this preseason, while falling to the 49ers (26-21).

The Raiders finished a league-worst 2-14 last year, after going 4-1 in the preseason.

Like Oakland, Seattle goes into its final preseason tilt with some intriguing roster battles still unfolding.

The Seahawks reportedly have key decisions to be made at safety, linebacker, and tight end, with veterans such as Michael Boulware, Kevin Bentley, and Niko Koutovides needing strong outings against the Raiders to guarantee their positions on the 53-man roster.

Seattle's starters, including quarterback Matt Hasslbeck and running back Shaun Alexander, are expected to see only limited reps in the final preseason tune-up.

The Seahawks have sandwiched preseason wins over the Chargers (24-16) and Vikings (30-13) around a blowout loss to the Packers (48-13) at Lambeau Field.

Seattle will open the regular campaign at home against Tampa Bay on Sept. 9th.

The Seahawks lead the all-time preseason series with the Raiders, 3-2, breaking a deadlock in the series with a 30-7 home victory prior to last season. Seattle also claimed a 16-0 decision when the teams met at Qwest Field in Week 9 of the 2006 regular season.

NFL Preseason Preview - Miami (2-1) at New Orleans (2-2)

(Sports Network) - The work-in-progress offense of the Miami Dolphins will receive one more opportunity to brush up on Thursday night, when Cam Cameron's club visits the New Orleans Saints in the final preseason tune-up for each.

Cameron, the first-year head coach and former offensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers, has been fighting an uphill battle in shaping his offense while also contending with his own heightened level of responsibility.

Quarterback Trent Green is the most notable of the new faces on the Miami offense, and has played to mixed reviews thus far in the preseason. The 37- year-old veteran has completed 17-of-33 passes for 143 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions and a passer rating of 47.9.

Despite his struggles, Green is being tabbed to play sparingly if at all on Thursday before yielding to backups Cleo Lemon and John Beck, while starting running back candidates Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman are not expected to be in the lineup.

One offensive player that needs a strong game against the Saints is first- round draft choice Ted Ginn, Jr., whose preseason output has thus far consisted of four catches for 38 yards. Ginn has also handled punt and kickoff returns with very little fanfare.

Defensively, Miami will once again be without linebacker Joey Porter (knee), who recently returned to the practice field but is targeting the Sept. 9 regular season opener against Washington for his Dolphins debut.

New Orleans' tack on Thursday night will be to avoid injury, as quarterback Drew Brees and many of his fellow starters will be rested for precautionary reasons.

Veteran backup Jamie Martin, who has completed 27-of-40 passes for 259 yards with an interception during the preseason to date, will get the start on Thursday before yielding to third-string candidates Tyler Palko and Matt Baker.

Running backs Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush are also expected to be held out of New Orleans' preseason finale.

First-round draft choice and wide receiver Robert Meachem, who has four catches for 32 yards and a touchdown in August, should receive extensive playing time for Sean Payton's squad.

The Saints open the regular season next Thursday at Indianapolis in the NFL's formal 2007 debut.

Miami leads the all-time preseason series with New Orleans, 11-6, extending its advantage with a 20-19 victory in the last such meeting, at the Superdome prior to the 2004 season.

NFL Preseason Preview - Kansas City (0-3) at St. Louis (1-2)

(Sports Network) - The Kansas City Chiefs will be trying to avoid their second winless preseason in the last three years on Thursday night, when Herm Edwards' squad visits the in-state rival St. Louis Rams in the final August tune-up for each team.

The Chiefs, who are 3-12 in the preseason since 2003, have dropped warm-up contests against the Browns (16-12), Dolphins (11-10), and Saints (30-7) thus far in August. Kansas City last went 0-4 in the preseason in 2005, rebounding for a 10-6 regular season but missing the postseason under then-head coach Dick Vermeil.

At the heart of the Chiefs' problems during this preseason has been an offense that has produced a grand total of two touchdowns in three games. The team's scoring average of 9.7 per game is the lowest in the NFL during the 2007 warm- up period.

In response to the struggles of second-year quarterback Brodie Croyle, Edwards last week named veteran Damon Huard the starter heading into the team's regular season opener at Houston Sept. 9th.

Croyle comes into St. Louis having completed just 16-of-36 passes for 176 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions during the preseason, for a woeful passer rating of 34.0

Huard did not play against the Saints last week due to a calf problem, and is not likely to be in uniform on Thursday, meaning Croyle will get one more opportunity to redeem himself.

Also expected to be held out is running back Larry Johnson, who is working himself back into game condition after an extended holdout and is eyeing a return to the field against the Texans.

Fellow running back Priest Holmes is not slated to play either.

The Rams, meanwhile, have not been much better offensively than their Show-Me- State rival during the preseason, ranking ahead of only the Chiefs with 36 points scored thus far.

Playing for most of August without star running back Steven Jackson, whose '07 preseason resume' consists of two receptions for eight yards, quarterback Marc Bulger has yet to throw a touchdown pass during the warm-up period. Bulger, who is expected to play sparingly if at all on Thursday, is 22-of-40 passing for 230 yards with two picks during the preseason to date.

Both of St. Louis' TD passes in the preseason have gone from second-string quarterback Gus Frerotte to backup wideout Marques Hagans.

The Rams open the regular season at home against Carolina on Sept. 9th.

St. Louis holds a 10-7 edge in the all-time preseason series with the Chiefs, but was a 16-12 road loser when the teams met prior to last season. Kansas City also defeated the Rams in a 2006 regular season meeting, claiming a 31-17 triumph at the Edward Jones Dome in Week 9.

NFL Preseason Preview - Arizona (0-3) at Denver (1-2)

(Sports Network) - The Arizona Cardinals will try to avoid their first winless preseason since 1990 on Thursday night, when first-year head coach Ken Whisenhunt leads his team into Invesco Field at Mile High to meet the Denver Broncos.

The Cardinals have long been regarded as one of the NFL's most hapless franchises, but for all its struggles, Arizona generally manages to find the win column a few times during the warm-up period. The Cardinals have posted a winning preseason mark eight times since 1990, while managing to finish above .500 in the regular season just once over that span.

In 1990, Arizona followed an 0-4 preseason by going 5-11 in the regular season under then-first-year head coach Joe Bugel.

This preseason, the Cardinals have looked good at times but have dropped consecutive decisions to the Raiders (27-23), Texans (33-20), and Chargers (33-31).

Arizona's 93 points allowed in the tune-up period are the most surrendered in the league this year.

The Cardinals, who will open the regular campaign on Monday, September 10th at San Francisco, are expected to rest many of their starters in keeping with final-game-of-preseason tradition.

The Broncos are also expected to feature their starters sparingly in preseason game number four, which means quarterback Jay Cutler will make only a brief appearance if he sees action at all.

Cutler has been steady in his first preseason as the starter, completing 17- of-31 passes for 191 yards with a touchdown in three appearances.

Expected starting running back Travis Henry (knee), who did not play in last week's 17-16 loss to Cleveland, is closer to returning to the field but will likely be held out of the Arizona contest for precautionary reasons.

The Broncos open the regular season on September 9th at Buffalo.

Denver holds a 12-5 edge in the all-time preseason series with Arizona, including a 29-23 road victory prior to last season.

The Broncos are 7-0-1 against the Cardinals in the regular season series, including a 37-20 road victory in Week 15 of the 2006 campaign.

NFL Preseason Preview - Houston (2-1) at Tampa Bay (2-1)

(Sports Network) - Roster spots will be at stake at Raymond James Stadium on Thursday night, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play host the Houston Texans in the final preseason tune-up for each club.

Jon Gruden's Bucs are attempting to establish their depth chart behind starting quarterback Jeff Garcia, with Bruce Gradkowski and Luke McCown each trying to secure the backup job.

Gradkowski, who mostly struggled in 11 starts as a rookie in 2006, has bounced back with an impressive preseason. The Toledo product has completed 23-of-38 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns for an impressive passer rating of 108.1.

McCown, a one-time starter for the Cleveland Browns, has also been solid, completing 21-of-30 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown in his first year removed from a serious knee injury.

Former starter Chris Simms, the fourth quarterback in Tampa Bay camp, has not played in the preseason while recovering from a ruptured spleen, and is likely to be placed on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) list or cut when the club pares down its roster to the 53-man maximum on Saturday.

Houston's major roster dilemma is in another part of the backfield, namely at running back. Holdovers Ron Dayne, Samkon Gado, and Wali Lundy are all looking for backup jobs behind starter Ahman Green, and only two of the three are likely to make the final roster.

Also at issue is the fullback position, where Vonta Leach looks secure as the starter but veteran Jameel Cook and rookie Jon Abbate will have just one more opportunity to make their case for a job.

Defensively, Houston has a dilemma at strong side linebacker, where newcomer Danny Clark has outplayed holdover Charlie Anderson and can affirm his status as a starter with a solid performance on Thursday night.

Both the Texans and Buccaneers are expected to rest many of their starters in keeping with final-game-of-the-preseason custom. Houston opens at home against Kansas City in Sept. 9th, and Tampa Bay travels to Seattle for its regular season lid-lifter.

Tampa Bay has a 4-1 lead in its all-time preseason series with Houston, but was a 16-13 road loser when the teams met prior to last season.

The Texans will play host to the Buccaneers for a regular season matchup on December 9.

Dolphins, Saints will rest starters, but showcase young QBs
By ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW ORLEANS -- The fact most starters will sit out when the Dolphins and Saints meet for their final preseason game Thursday night only raises the stakes for those who will play.

''You call this game whatever you want,'' first-year Miami coach Cam Cameron said. ''But there is going to be a whole group of guys in Dolphin uniforms that this is the biggest game of their life. It really is. No one looks at it that way. But the guys playing are, because this is their opportunity.''

NFL coaches will have to cut 22 players this weekend to trim their rosters from the current preseason limit of 75 players to 53 for the regular season.

Cameron said he does not expect any of his projected starters to play a down in New Orleans. Included among those being rested are running backs Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman, even though they are still competing for the starting nod.

Also expected to sit out is top draft pick Ted Ginn Jr. The former Ohio State receiver is not a projected starter. To the contrary, he has struggled. But he also has been hampered by a minor thigh injury.

Saints coach Sean Payton said he normally would prefer to rest all his starters in the preseason finale, but wants his top two receivers, Marques Colston and Devery Henderson, to get some work after they missed the past two exhibition games.

Henderson has been out with a hamstring pull from an Aug. 10 game against Buffalo. Colston has been sidelined by soreness in his right knee that gradually developed during the first three weeks of training camp, when the Saints were practicing twice a day.

Both receivers practiced this week and are expected to play for at least a few series with No. 2 quarterback Jamie Martin, who'll get the start while Drew Brees sits out.

''Obviously, the injury and sitting out a couple days has kind of slowed me, but it feels good to be back out running around,'' Colston said. ''I'm just anxious to get back into a game situation.''

Meanwhile, the Saints' top draft pick, receiver Robert Meachem, needs to perform well once Colston and Henderson come out. While Meachem is all but certain to make the roster, his playing time could be limited if he doesn't improve his reliability catching the ball.

As happens sometimes with talented rookies, Meachem made a few remarkable catches during training camp, but dropped too many routine ones. He also has been bothered with right knee soreness as he recovers from athroscopic surgery performed a few weeks before training camp began.

While Payton appears satisfied with Meachem's attitude, the coach has shown an aversion to playing anyone who makes more than the rare mistake or struggles to play at full speed.

''His work ethic is outstanding. He stays after practice. He desires to be successful,'' Payton said. ''The thing is getting him back to 100 percent and getting him up to speed with what we're doing. ... It's tough when he's hampered. But he's been a great worker and he prepares hard and does a good job in the classroom, as well.''

Even if the game has little bearing on who sees the most action when things count, it will feature a pair of rookie quarterbacks who've provided fans with some excitement when they've gotten a chance.

John Beck, seen as Miami's quarterback of the future, threw for 162 yards and two scores in the second half of the Dolphins' 31-28 exhibition loss to Tampa Bay last weekend.

Tyler Palko, who in college starred at Pittsburgh, energized the Louisiana Superdome crowd while playing nearly three quarters against Buffalo earlier this month. He's expected to play the second half.

Payton kept only two quarterbacks on the active roster much of last season, but has said he's willing to keep Palko as a third based on the rookie's progress so far.

''Coach has given me a chance to improve and keep working with this offense and hopefully develop into something,'' said Palko, who is 21-of-37 for 244 yards during August.

Palko has one touchdown pass - an impressive toss to Meachem in the corner of the end zone - but also has been intercepted three times.

''My (number) plate is still above my locker, so I'm going to keep working my tail off to where hopefully I'll get a chance to compete and continue to move up,'' Palko said. ''I'll be ready to go for whatever (Payton) calls and execute it, have fun and hopefully get everybody in that Superdome all riled up again.''