Top preseason games to look out for
With the 2010 NFL preseason in full swing after the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Cincinatti Bengals on Sunday’s Hall of Fame game, it's now time to take a look at which preseason games are likely to generate a lot of hype because of the players or teams involved.
New Orleans Saints at New England Patriots
The NFL Preseason will continue on Thursday night when quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots square off against the defending Super Bowl champions at Gillette Stadium. This preseason matchup has the potential of being the 2011 Super Bowl preview. President Barack Obama welcomed the New Orleans Saints to the White House on Monday, to congratulate the players, owner and coaches for their success last season. Now that they have meet Obama, it’s time for the champions to get back to work and get ready to defend their throne.
Brady is expected to play the first offensive series for New England and Drew Brees is set to do the same for New Orleans. The starters will see limited action in week one of the preaseon, but coaches will use this game to measure their starters’ progression during the first series, and evaluate the backups and rookies.
The last time the Patriots and the Saints met dates back to last season at the Louisiana Superdome, which saw the Saints roll over the Patriots, 38-17 on Monday Night Football.
Although this is just a preseason exhibition, both coaches don’t take too kind to losing and are used to seeing their team win. Thursday night should be no different.
Philadelphia Eagles at Cincinnati Bengals
Terrell Owens is enjoying his preseason and it seems that all his games are against former teams. He had a chance to play the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday’s Hall of Fame exhibition, and caught Carson Palmer’s only two completion of the night for a total of 18 yards. Now he sets his sights on the Donavan McNabb-less Eagles. Although Owens may have played for the Eagles, this is not the same team. McNabb is gone, Brian Westbrook is gone and Kevin Kolb is their signal caller.
Look for Palmer to continue to look for Owens and keep their newly acquired receiver happy. "We're a work in progress," Owens said. "We're getting there. It [Sunday’s game] felt just like practice."
Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears
Quarterback Matt Leinart, who was drafted with the 10th overall pick of the 2006 draft, has had issues with inconsistency on the football field which allowed veteran Kurt Warner to take the reins in Arizona. Now that he is retired, Leinart will get his second chance to prove that he was not a draft bust.
With Anquan Boldin traded to the Baltimore Ravens in March, Larry Fitzgerald is going to see plenty of Leinart’s passes in his direction, as well as double coverage from opposing teams. Coach Ken Wisenhunt made it clear from the outset that the former Trojan was the guy that the team was going to rally around. Even if he struggles early in the preseason, Leinart should be the guy to start the regular season for the Cardinals.
Buffalo Bills at Washington Redskins
The Buffalo Bills have a three-headed monster at the running back position with Fred Jackson, Marshawn Lynch and rookie C.J. Spiller. These RBs will be asked to carry the ball and the team in the process. But the Redskins are not impressed and have their own potent three-back rotation in Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson and Willie Parker. Despite the fact that this game will feature six gifted and talented runing backs, the focus will still be on Washington’s quarterback Donovan McNabb. If he steps onto the field, this will be the first game that McNabb plays in after being traded from Philadelphia.
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