The Tennessee Titans' quarterback battle is over. A source with knowledge of the situation told NFL.com and NFL Network reporter Michael Lombardi of NFL Network that Jake Locker is the pick, which means there is only one mystery left in the league. Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin may keep it that way for a little while.
Pete Carroll and Ken Whisenhunt haven't named starters either, but it's not difficult to read between the lines. Matt Flynn is the only quarterback to play with the Seattle Seahawks' starters in the preseason. John Skelton will start this week after another troubling outing by Kevin Kolb.
In Miami, Philbin will show his hand when he announces his starter for the third preseason game. It may not even be much of a mystery. We expect it will be similar to the situation in Tennessee. Tie goes to the young guy.
A Good Weekend For...
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- A lot of injuries that looked serious this weekend turned out to be not so bad. Brandon Jacobs' knee issue shouldn't be a long-term problem and LaMichael James will be on the practice field this week. Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo and safety Brandon Meriweather appeared to avoid serious problems. The same goes for New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw. Only one week left of injury-avoidance left for coaches and fans to sweat through.
- Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy was all smiles after getting Jermichael Finley and Greg Jennings back on the practice field over the weekend.
- Sam Bradford looked more comfortable in his second preseason game under offensive coordinator Brian Schottenhimer than at any point under Josh McDaniels.
- It was only the preseason, but Blaine Gabbert's effort against the New Orleans Saints was his most encouraging as a pro. We'll have more on this later in the day, but the big difference with him has been pocket presence. He completed four passes in which he got hit by Saints defenders. He stood tall.
Position Battling
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- Vince Young has all but wrapped up the Buffalo Bills' backup quarterback job with a good second preseason game. Tyler Thigpen seems likely to get cut.
- Mike Shanahan started Alfred Morris at running back in the team's preseason game. The unheralded rookie trucked over a few defenders, but struggled in blitz pickup. The Washington Redskins are likely to go with a rotation at running back, but we'd still view Evan Royster as the favorite.
- Kevin Ogletree and Cole Beasley both made moves in the Dallas Cowboys' No. 3 wideout competition. Ogletree played more with the starters and had a nice deep grab during his 60-yard effort. Beasley went over 100 yards and puked on the way. So he's got that going for him.
Not a Good Weekend For...
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- Everyone watching Sunday Night Football probably thought the same thing when Indianapolis Colts receiver Austin Collie was helped off the field: "I hope that's not what it looks like."
It was. Collie was tested for concussion symptoms, which is code for he suffered a concussion. His 2010 season included three concussions in short order. We wish Collie the best. It's hard not to worry this will become a long-term problem.
- Oakland Raiders receiver Jacoby Ford's foot injury could keep him out into the regular season. Denarius Moore's hamstring still isn't right either. Oakland's first-team passing attack has looked out of synch all preseason.
- LeGarrette Blount says his groin injury isn't serious, but he's going to miss at least a week of practice and the third preseason game. Doug Martin should be the lead back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1 and beyond.
- The Arizona Cardinals don't have a quarterback or a left tackle. Levi Brown wasn't great, but he was the best Arizona had on the roster. This passing game is fighting a major uphill battle.
On the Agenda
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We've got a big Monday planned. We'll have a roundup of the rookie quarterbacks, best plays from the weekend, and I'll break out the notebook after spending my Sunday in front of Preseason Live. The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots play tonight. For a deeper recap of the weekend, check out our award-winning what we learned columns from Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday. (Note: I gave out the awards.)
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
