[BangTheBook]

SATURDAY'S GAMES 8/18/07

Houston Texans - QB Rotation: Matt Schaub (30 snaps), Sage Rosenfels, Bradlee Van Pelt, rookie Jared Zabransky (4th Q).

QB Matt Schaub will take 30 snaps at Arizona on Saturday and play almost three quarters in the next game against the Cowboys. QB Zabransky is slated to play at least the fourth quarter against the Cardinals.

30-year old RB Ahman Green won't play much. The bulk of the carries likely will be split between Wali Lundy and Samkon Gado, who are battling for the No. 3 job.

Coach Gary Kubiak said Steve McKinney again will start in place of Chester Pitts at left guard against Arizona on Saturday. Pitts, suffering from a lower back injury, will have to get in some makeup work against Dallas and Tampa Bay in the last two preseason games.

The Texans have lost starting strong safety Glenn Earl for the entire 2007 season. Starting free safety C.C. Brown will move to the strong safety spot. Von Hutchins and Jason Simmons will work at free safety, and veteran CB Dexter McCleon will get snaps at safety.

New offensive coordinator Mike Sherman is putting in a plan for more balance to the offense this fall.

Arizona Cardinals - QB Rotation: Matt Leinart, Kurt Warner, Shane Boyd.

The starters are scheduled to play well into the second quarter Saturday, with backup quarterback Kurt Warner taking over for Matt Leinart for a couple of series before the half. Coaches don't want to play Warner behind the second-team offensive line.

The Cardinals won't have a game plan for Houston, but Whisenhunt, who calls the plays, will enter the game with a set number of plays that he wants to make sure to use.

Potential season-ending injuries to two starters have moved first-round draft pick Levi Brown into Arizona's starting lineup and triggered a battle for the outside linebacker job. Offensive right tackle Oliver Ross and outside LB Chike Okeafor were hurt Saturday and both might require surgery. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said Brown, the No. 5 pick overall in this year's draft, would move to Ross' spot, with Darryl Blackstock and Calvin Pace competing for Okeafor's job.

Ken Whisenhunt, the 2006 Steelers offensive coordinator, is the new Cardinals head coach. Whisenhunt is going to call plays.

The new coach wants the Cardinals to be more of a run-oriented team.

Detroit Lions - QB Rotation: Jon Kitna, J.T. O'Sullivan, Dan Orlovsky.

The No. 1 offense will play well into the second quarter -- with Jon Kitna at quarterback. Gaining first downs -- the No. 1 offense had three in the exhibition opener -- and controlling the ball is a priority. J.T. O'Sullivan will be the first one to relieve Kitna again. Dan Orlovsky will play the fourth quarter.

QB Drew Stanton (knee) had arthroscopic surgery and is out for the year.

Three starters on the defensive line probably won't play Saturday: Kalimba Edwards (ankle), Dewayne White (groin) and Shaun Rogers (ankle).

Marinelli and defensive coordinator Joe Barry said starting jobs have not been settled. Fernando Bryant and Stanley Wilson have to work to remain the starters.

The Lions are increasing the amount of game-plan preparation for the last two exhibition games, but the emphasis is still on how they perform, not the opponent. Coach Rod Marinelli will spend part of the practice time preparing for the next two opponents -- at Cleveland on Saturday and at Indianapolis on Aug. 25 -- but the focus remains on the Lions executing their own assignments. "It's going to be on us," Marinelli said. "It's how we do our basics. Are we playing our gaps? Are we running our routes? Are we rerouting?"

Cleveland Browns - QB Rotation: Derek Anderson (1st Q), Charlie Frye (2nd Q), Ken Dorsey, rookie Brady Quinn (see below).

Coach Romeo Crennel said he's leaning toward starting Derek Anderson at quarterback. "I've been talking about being as equal as I can in this competition, so I might let Anderson start," he said. Crennel said no clear starter had emerged following Saturday's 16-12 victory over the Chiefs.

Crennel said Anderson and Frye will probably play the first half again and rookie Brady Quinn will see action in the second half. Quinn worked with the first-and second-team offense yesterday while Ken Dorsey ran the scout team. But Crennel would not concede that Quinn has been moved ahead of Dorsey.

Crennel did make one concession to the two quarterbacks. After they complained about alternating each series last week, he agreed to let them play two consecutive series tonight. "If a guy gets into a flow, he'll stay on the field longer, so all he has to do is get into a flow," said Crennel. With Frye winning Round 1 against the Chiefs, tonight's game is pivotal for Anderson. If he comes out on top, the two might emerge in a tie. If he's head and shoulders above Frye, he might even win the job outright.

Rob Chudzinski is the Browns new offensive coordinator.

Starting left guard Eric Steinbach, the Browns' blockbuster signing of the off-season, fell on his right knee in practice Tuesday and could miss up to two weeks. The line has been in flux with right tackle Ryan Tucker getting suspended the first four games of the season because of steroid use. That bumped rookie Joe Thomas up to the starting job at left tackle and moved Kevin Shaffer from left to right. Backup guard/center Lennie Friedman has worked in Steinbach's place.

Browns DE Orpheus Roye, a 12-year pro, will undergo arthroscopic on his right knee and be lost for the rest of the preseason. It's a blow to their 3-4 defense. While Roye is out, four players will try out in his place: backup NT Shaun Smith, J'Vonne Parker, Simon Fraser and Orien Harris.

Crennel said he expects CB Leigh Bodden to play Saturday against the Lions and their premier receivers Roy Williams, Mike Furrey and rookie Calvin Johnson. If Bodden is idle Saturday, rookie Eric Wright and Daven Holly will probably start.

New Orleans Saints - QB Rotation: Drew Brees (1st Q), Jamie Martin (2nd Q+), Matt Baker (second half) rookie Tyler Palko, Jason Fife (see below).

Sean Payton said most of the starters will play the entire first half Saturday. Drew Brees will call it a night after the first quarter so backup Jamie Martin can work with the first-string offense. Martin will start the second half before turning the game over to Matt Baker. QB Matt Baker will get a chance to audition for the No. 3 QB job when he plays most of the second half. Palko and Fife are not expected to play.

Third game for the Saints, after opening in the Hall of Fame Game (8/5).