[BangTheBook]

Washington Redskins - QB Rotation: Jason Campbell (first half), Todd Collins (will follow), Mark Brunell, rookie Jordan Palmer.

The starters will play similar to last week, about a half. QB Todd Collins will be the second QB into the game.

RBs thin: RB Clinton Portis missed 2 days of practice with knee tendinitis. RB LaDell Betts (neck) and Derrick Blaylock (ankle) are hurting, so they signed RB Dee Brown this week.

OT Chris Samuels (knee) is out a few more weeks. Journeyman Mike Pucillo will start at LG Saturday in place of injured Todd Wade.

Backup Mark Brunell is coming off shoulder surgery, and the Redskins want him to get plenty of work to make sure he has recovered. That doesn't leave a lot of throws for the other QBs.

San Diego Chargers - QB Rotation: Philip Rivers (first half), Billy Volek, Charlie Whitehurst.

Starters will play the first half Saturday at St. Louis. Said Norv Turner: "Hopefully we'll look a lot more in sync. We need to play with more consistency. We're going to play a half."

RB LaDainian Tomlinson doesn't play in the preseason, so Michael Turner will start.

Norv Turner is the new head coach. He was the 49ers OC last year, and was fired by the Raiders in 2005 after going 9-23 in two seasons.

The Chargers will be without starting WR Eric Parker for as many as six games (toe surgery).

St. Louis Rams - QB Rotation: Marc Bulger, Gus Frerotte, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brock Berlin.

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a cracked rib and is unlikely to play. Brock Berlin gets another opportunity to impress the bosses.

The Rams plan to use more two-tight end sets this season.

They have a revamped defensive front with Leonard Little at left end; former Detroit Lion James Hall at right end; La'Roi Glover and rookie Adam Carriker at tackle.

In five preseason games since Linehan became head coach in January 2006, the Rams' first offensive unit has yet to score a touchdown.

Denver Broncos - QB Rotation: Jay Cutler, Patrick Ramsey, Preston Parsons.

Patrick Ramsey's extended bench time the past two years is why Broncos coach Mike Shanahan had him play three quarters against the 49ers. More will be expected from Ramsey in the next preseason game, Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Four of Cutler's projected top five receivers - Brandon Marshall, Tony Scheffler, Brandon Stokley and Rod Smith - are banged up. Rod Smith is coming off hip surgery and out. The Broncos expect the No. 2 WR Brandon Marshall to play, but No. 3 WR Brandon Stokley continues to be bothered by a thigh injury.

Offensive line thin. Left guard Ben Hamilton has missed significant time with a concussion. Left tackle Matt Lepsis has been out with a pulled groin. Right guard Chris Kuper was replaced on the first-team Monday by Montrae Holland.

Lepsis' injury caused the Broncos to move Erik Pears from right tackle to left tackle one day, then back to right tackle the next. Adam Meadows has been playing whatever tackle position is opposite Pears, and Chris Myers has been filling in for Hamilton. Another backup left tackle, rookie Ryan Harris, hurt his back Thursday.

Denver Broncos first-round draft pick Jarvis Moss injured his left knee during 1-on-1 pass-rush drills and is out.

Mike Shanahan fired most of the defensive staff in the offseason, including DC Larry Coyer, and hired Jim Bates, whose M.O. is forcing turnovers by getting pressure on the quarterback.

Dallas Cowboys - QB Rotation: Tony Romo (first half), Brad Johnson, Richard Bartel and Matt Moore.

HC Wade Phillips said he plans to play his starters for the first half on Saturday against the Broncos.

WRs thin. WR Terry Glenn is getting arthoscopic knee surgery and will miss the first 2 preseason games and rookie WR Isaiah Stanback has shin splints.

Look for more blitzing: The Cowboys were a read-and-react defensive scheme under Bill Parcells, but Phillips and new DC Brian Stewart bring in more of an attacking, disruptive philosophy. They also want defensive players to take third-down conversions personally.

Phillips has tweaked the 3-4 defensive scheme, moving strong safety Roy Williams closer to the line of scrimmage and allowing outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware, and when healthy, Greg Ellis to blitz more.

Wade Phillips is the new coach (Chargers' defensive coordinator in 2006).

Seattle Seahawks - QB Rotation: Matt Hasselbeck (2-3 series), Seneca Wallace, David Greene, rookie Derek Devine (see below).

Matt Hasselbeck will start Saturday, but it won't be much more than the one series he got against San Diego. Mike Holmgren said he has to see No. 3 QB David Greene play.

RB Shaun Alexander, fullback Mack Strong, WR Bobby Engram, TE Marcus Pollard and right guard Chris Gray, all front-line players, will see a little more action than they did last week. None, however, will play past the first quarter, said coach Mike Holmgren. Coaches will spend most of the game evaluating backups and rookies.

Injuries and precaution will keep the following players from making the trip: LB Leroy Hill, defensive back Jordan Babineaux, tackles Walter Jones and Sean Locklear, tight ends Will Heller and Leonard Stephens, WR Courtney Taylor and defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs.

Defensive coordinator John Marshall is devising more blitz schemes, involving more players.

The Seahawks are playing without injured tight ends Will Heller and Ben Joppru, and possibly Leonard Stephens, and had only two healthy tight ends available. Facing an injury-depleted roster at tight end, the Seahawks signed TE Andy Stokes.

Green Bay Packers - QB Rotation: Brett Favre (25-30 snaps), Aaron Rodgers, Ingle Martin, rookie Paul Thompson (see below).

Coach Mike McCarthy said he is committed to starting Brett Favre against Seattle and Jacksonville. Favre's performance in those two games will determine how much, if at all, he is used at Tennessee. The plan is for Favre to play 25 to 30 snaps against the Seahawks.

RBs thin. Vernand Morency (knee) will miss the first two preseason games and RB P.J. Pope hurt his knee. Rookie RB DeShawn Wynn (thigh) also will sit out another game with a thigh injury that dates to Aug. 7.

Defensive tackle Justin Harrell is off to a sluggish start. The 16th pick in the 2007 draft is trying to play himself into shape after not having played football since mid-September because of a torn biceps.

Oakland Raiders - QB Rotation: Andrew Walter (1st Q), Josh McCown, Daunte Culpepper, Jeff Otis, JaMarcus Russell.

QB Andrew Walter will start. If Walter doesn't wow with the first-team offense, don't be surprised if Daunte Culpepper gets a crack next week, after which Kiffin is expected to make a final decision.

Strong safety Donovin Darius injured his left calf and does not know if he'll be able to play Saturday. Featured in the team's 4-2-5 defense, he has gotten some first-team snaps with the regular 4-3 defense this week.

Raiders coach Lane Kiffin was hospitalized Monday with mono. He's back in camp.

"No one of the three has emerged as the clear-cut guy by any means," HC Kiffin said. "We don't need to have a starter right now. We're going to let them play and do the best that we can."

Former USC offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, 31, is the Raiders new head coach.

San Fran 49ers - QB Rotation: Alex Smith, Trent Dilfer, Shaun Hill.

Pro Bowl RB Frank Gore broke a bone in his right hand and might not play in the preseason. That means running backs Michael Robinson, Maurice Hicks and Thomas Clayton will take most of the pounding in camp and throughout much of the preseason.

"We'll just take it a day at a time," Nolan said. "We want Michael and Mo (Hicks), in particular those two players, to get the bulk of the first group's work while Frank is down." HC Mike Nolan said Gore could return as early as the final preseason game at San Diego. Nolan said Robinson could fill in as the third quarterback if an injury occurred.

Starting NT Aubrayo Franklin (knee) will miss the entire preseason. He is the centerpiece of Nolan's three-year scheme to install a true 3-4 defense in San Francisco. Isaac Sopoaga and rookie Joe Cohen will get the first chance to replace Franklin.

Cornerback Walt Harris is still recovering from a mild calf bruise, which is why he did not play in the game against Denver. He might miss another practice day or two, Nolan said. This is giving coaches a chance to look more closely at Shawntae Spencer.