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[size=2][font=Arial]SATURDAY'S GAMES 8/19/06

Miami Dolphins - QB Rotation: Daunte Culpepper, Joey Harrington, Cleo Lemon, Brock Berlin.

Secondary thin. Cornerback Travis Daniels (twisted ankle) is hurting along with CB Mike Lehan (knee surgery), while CB Will Poole (knee) was released. CB Eddie Jackson has a pulled abdominal muscle. With so many injuries, rookie safety Jason Allen found himself on the cornerback Tuesday. "We had him at corner because we don't have any corners," said Nick Saban. Jason Allen split time between safety and cornerback during team drills and looked good playing both.

More speed on offense: No. 3 receiver, rookie Derek Hagan, who has the size (6-2) and speed to pose problems in the slot, is making a very strong push for the job, which will be determined in preseason games. WR Kelly Campbell remains a candidate for the No. 3 job because of his speed. Safety Travares Tillman said Miami's offense has been tougher to defend in camp than last year not only because of Daunte Culpepper, but because "Campbell stretches the field a lot."

Mike Mularkey is the new offensive coordinator of the Dolphins. When he was last an offensive coordinator (Pittsburgh, 2003), the Steelers were a pass-happy team. In Mularkey's first two seasons as coordinator, the Steelers ranked third and fifth in the NFL in offense, and QBs Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox enjoyed the best seasons of their careers.

Tampa Bay Bucs - QB Rotation: Chris Simms, Tim Rattay, rookie Bruce Gradkowski, Jared Allen.

QB Luke McCown, a third-year veteran who was expected to contend for the No. 2 job behind starter Chris Simms on the Bucs' depth chart, underwent surgery in June to repair a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and will miss at least the start of the regular season. QB Jay Fiedler's rehabiliting a shoulder injury that required surgery in December. Fiedler said he hopes to be 100 percent by the start of the season.

Gruden says he might not play RB Carnell Williams much, if at all.

Carolina Panthers - QB Rotation: Jake Delhomme, Chris Weinke, Stephan LeFlors, rookie Brett Basanez.

RB Eric Shelton has been impressive in camp, along with rookie RB DeAngelo Williams.

All-pro wide receiver Steve Smith is back. Smith sat out 17 days (counting off days) and missed 24 practices while he rehabilitated.

Jacksonville Jaguars - QB Rotation: Byron Leftwich (1-2 series), David Garrard (will follow), Quinn Gray (3rd Q+), rookie Paul Pinegar.

Backup QB David Garrard will take the majority of the snaps. The club hopes to play starter Byron Leftwich sparingly because of soreness in his throwing arm. Leftwich will play the first two series Saturday before Garrard enters the game. The coach also wants to see No. 3 QB Quinn Gray take snaps earlier in a preseason game "to get a better evaluation of him against good people."

Jack Del Rio ruled out OL Dan Connolly (dislocated and broken finger), TE Brian Jones (knee), TE Marcedes Lewis (ankle), S Gerald Sensabaugh (ankle) and OL Mike Williams (back) for this weekend's game against Carolina.

Carl Smith begins his second season as offensive coordinator. He is a proponent of play action. Smith said, "We're going to use the whole field."

Wideout depth thin: WR Matt Jones (ankle) and Troy Edwards (hamstring) have had some nagging injuries.

Two young running backs have impressed. Jack Del Rio thinks RB Greg Jones is finally regaining the form he lost when he suffered a serious knee injury in his junior year at Florida State. Del Rio also likes the running of Maurice Drew, the Jaguars' second-round pick this year.

The Jaguars are thin at tight end with Marcedes Lewis sidelined with a high ankle sprain and Brian Jones out with a knee injury.

Arizona Cardinals - QB Rotation: Kurt Warner (1st Q), rookie Matt Leinart (2nd Q), John Navarre (3rd Q), Rohan Davey (4th Q).

Starter Kurt Warner will play the first quarter, with rookie Matt Leinart taking over in the second and playing at least a full quarter. John Navarre will play in the third quarter, and it's possible Rohan Davey also could play. Rookie Matt Leinart finally signed and practiced Tuesday, taking most of the snaps with the second-team offense. Leinart will compete with John Navarre for backup quarterback. Navarre was shaky against Pittsburgh, finishing with two interceptions.

Offensive line problems: Starting RT Oliver Ross (knee) is out two months.

Cardinals coach Dennis Green wants to run a one-back, three-receiver offense.

Don't look for RB Edgerrin James to play much in the preseason.

LB concerns: One of the team's best linebackers, Karlos Dansby, hasn't even practiced yet. A couple of others, starter Calvin Pace and Darryl Blackstock, are playing new positions. And James Darling and Gerald Hayes are in a tight competition to start in the middle. So no one is quite sure what the depth chart at linebacker will look like when everything is settled.

New England Patriots - QB Rotation: Tom Brady (1st Q+), Matt Cassel (2nd-3rd Qs), Todd Mortensen, Corey Bramlet.

QB Tom Brady’s workload figures to increase this game, though back QB Matt Cassel will get plenty of playing time against the Cardinals. They want to see if he can handle the No. 2 quarterback responsibilities. He was disappointing in the opener. On many throws he was off-target, missing a handful of wide open receivers. On other occasions he held the ball too long, leading to a costly strip sack in the second quarter, or he took off running too quickly.

WR depth is thin, losing David Givens to free agency and trading Bethel Johnson this summer. The team's top wide receiver Deion Branch, who wants a new contract, is holding out.

The Patriots are trying a different rotation at cornerback, with Ellis Hobbs manning one spot and converted safety Eugene Wilson the other. Asante Samuel, a starter last season, still sees plenty of action in the nickel packages.

Linebacker depth thin: Injuries to Tedy Bruschi (wrist) and Monty Beisel (undisclosed). Taking reps in their place were career special-teamers Don Davis, Larry Izzo and Eric Alexander, as well as veteran scrap-heap acquisition Barry Gardner. Rookie free agents Corey Mays and Freddie Roach are also in the mix.

Atlanta Falcons - QB Rotation: Michael Vick (1st Q), Matt Schaub (2nd Q), Bryan Randall, D.J. Shockley.

A rash of injuries along the Falcons' offensive line has depleted depth and some starters will play extended snaps at Green Bay. Guards Ben Claxton and Tyson Clabo and tackle Quinn Ojinnaka all suffered ankle or foot injuries last week and are not expected to play. "My thought is to play the starters a little bit more," said coach Jim Mora. "We might leave the starting offensive line in with Matt Schaub for a series or two, then, whoever is healthy has to play, which is fine."

Rookie tailback Jerious Norwood also has been impressive but veteran T.J. Duckett, who reported to camp in top shape, has put up more than a tough fight for the backup tailback spot.

The Falcons don’t do live tackling in practice. Some say that's why they allowed too many rush yards in the opener. Having close to a whole new group of players up the middle of the defense also could have had something to do with it. Darrell Shropshire is the new starter at nose tackle. Ed Hartwell, who missed nearly a year after recovering from Achilles’ tendon surgery, was really rusty and safeties Lawyer Milloy and Chris Crocker are still trying to get acclimated.

Secondary concerns: Backup safeties Cam Newton and Nick Turnbull will be tested at length in Saturday's exhibition at Green Bay. The Falcons must evaluate whether they need to pursue help or if they feel comfortable with these small-school products as insurance for Milloy and Chris Crocker, Jim Mora said. Veteran Kevin Mathis will be the main backup to Crocker, but he could be held out of his second straight exhibition to avoid aggravating his surgically repaired knee.

Green Bay Packers - QB Rotation: Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Arth, Mark Roman, Brain Wrobel.

First-year head coach 42-year-old Mike McCarthy takes over. He was the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator last season.

Offensive line thin: The Packers have lost backup tackles Adrian Klemm and Kevin Barry to season-ending injuries.

Secondary banged up.

The Packers' new zone-block run game still is finding its legs. Coach Mike McCarthy gave the run game a chance playing against the No. 2 defense, but on three possessions the starters didn't get much of anything on the ground.

Running game thin: RB Samkon Gado (groin) is hurting. If all goes right, Green Bay Packers RB Ahman Green will make his season debut in a Monday exhibition game against the Cincinnati Bengals Aug. 28. Najeh Davenport will start this week.

Bob Sanders is the Packers new Defensive Coordinator, promoted from defensive ends coach. So Green Bay has its fourth defensive coordinator in four years.