The veterans will see a lot of action. For the rookies, it may be their last action.
The first cutdown day in the NFL looms - to 75 players next Tuesday, August 28. With only two games left in the preseason, the proving time for rookies and veterans on the bubble is getting short.
Time to impress the coach even more.
"With rookies and young guys in general, you can't give up on them too soon," says Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith, fresh off his team's 27-24 Monday night triumph over Indianapolis. "If a guy shows you he is successful right away, good. If he doesn't, you have to give him a little time before you make an evaluation that he can't play. You can make a quicker evaluation that a guy can play, but don't make a quick evaluation that a player can't play."
NFL cutdown dates
Those evaluations will continue to be made through the next two weeks. And fans can make their own during four national television games this week:
JACKSONVILLE at GREEN BAY (Thursday, FOX, 8:00 p.m. ET): The QBs look hot!
Learning his third new offense (under new coordinator Dirk Koetter) in the past five years, Leftwich led three first-half scoring drives last Saturday against Tampa Bay. "We started off slow, but we finished the first quarter and the beginning of the second strong," he said.
Favre, who can become the NFL's all-time TD pass leader this year, definitely looked ready for the bell in a 48-13 win over Seattle on Saturday. He drove the Pack to 17 points in its first four drives. He also seemed to be in sync with two rookies. Favre handed off to running back Brandon Jackson (second round, Nebraska) for a one-yard score, and connected on a 16-yard TD strike with wideout James Jones (third round, San Jose State), who is vying for the No. 3 receiving spot.
NEW ENGLAND at CAROLINA (Friday, CBS, 8:00 p.m. ET): A rematch of Super Bowl XXXVIII and quarterbacks Tom Brady and Jake Delhomme, sure, but let's watch the defenses. Both seem primed for the season.
The Pats showed they are ready last week against Vince Young and the Titans, even without starting ends Richard Seymour and Ty Warren. They limited Tennessee to 99 yards in the first half, with its lone touchdown coming on an interception return. New England starters sacked Young four times.
"We took some positive steps in the right direction, but we're far from where we want to be," says Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs.
Carolina, which finished seventh overall on defense last year (New England was sixth), has been getting solid performances from its "D" this summer, particularly from second-year defensive end Stanley McClover. In Week 1 of the preseason, starting for Mike Rucker, McClover had three tackles, including a sack and a quarterback hurry against the Giants. Last Friday night at Philadelphia, subbing for Julius Peppers, he added three more tackles, a half-sack and another hurry.
"I have a year under my belt," says McClover. "Now I'm comfortable. I know what I'm doing and I can play fast."
PHILADELPHIA at PITTSBURGH (Saturday, NBC, 8:00 p.m. ET): Looks like Donovan is back!
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNnabb - sporting an "all-bald" look - certainly looks like he has recovered from his knee injury of last year. Against Carolina last week, the five-time Pro Bowl QB led Philly to 10 points on four possessions, lighting things up in the first quarter by finishing six-for-nine for 138 yards, including a 58-yard hookup to tight end Matt Schobel.
"It wasn't a test for me at all," said McNabb afterwards. "I know I can play this game at a high level."
Meanwhile, the Steelers will use the next two weeks to decide who the starters will be on their offensive line. "We're getting extremely close, but we're going to continue to watch these guys," says first-year head coach Mike Tomlin. "We feel like we've got eight guys who are capable starters. We're going to leave no stone unturned in allowing those guys the opportunity to compete."
Cincinnati at Atlanta (Monday, ESPN, 8:00 p.m. ET): Fine tune those offenses! That will be on the agenda for both teams Monday night.
The Bengals think they have their third receiver after Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh in three-year man Tab Perry. They went to him a lot last Saturday against New Orleans. Quarterback Carson Palmer will continue to do so this week.
"T.J., Chad and Carson really have good timing and they're all on the same page," says Perry. "I'm trying to get there. I've got to hurry up and pick things up quick."
The Falcons, who led the NFL in rushing the past three years, will have a pass-oriented offense this season under new head coach Bobby Petrino.
New quarterback Joey Harrington will spend the next two weeks perfecting that passing game with veteran Roddy White, newcomer vet Joe Horn and third-round draft choice Laurent Robinson, who leads the Falcons in preseason with nine catches for 103 yards.
"There are so many opportunities to get balls in this offense," says White. "There's more opportunities going around."
OTHER INTERESTING GAMES THIS WEEK: There are three "bragging rights" bowls (in addition to Philadelphia-Pittsburgh). Baltimore will play at Washington… Dallas at Houston…and the New York Jets at the New York Giants. "It's unspoken," says former Giants linebacker Carl Banks of the rivalry with the Jets. "There's sort of this unspoken fight for bragging rights. It's always intense."……Rookie Cleveland quarterback Brady Quinn will see more playing time at Denver after his two fourth-quarter TD passes against Detroit last Saturday……and newly named QB starter Trent Green of Miami will see action against another veteran, Jeff Garcia of Tampa Bay.
