Saturday Preseason NFL Game Notes

[BangTheBook]

Cleveland Browns - QB Rotation: Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey.

QB Derek Anderson left Monday's game with a concussion and bruised hand.

After the loss to the NY Giants: "Unbelievable," Romeo Crennel said. "Evidently we didn't do enough work. I told the team it's my fault for trying to save them in practice by not hitting. We're not very good right now."

The change Browns have made a change in defensive coordinators from Todd Grantham to Mel Tucker.

WRs thin: Pro Bowl WR Braylon Edwards (foot) is out for two exhibition games. WR Joe Jurevicius is out until November with an infected knee, while offensive lineman Ryan Tucker is expected back later this month after June hip surgery.

4-year LB David McMillan -- and not rookie Alex Hall -- gets first crack at replacing injured Antwan Peek as the strong (left) side pass rusher in nickel defenses. McMillan had been working behind the starters at strong and weak outside linebacker until Peek had arthroscopic knee surgery last week. Peek will miss the entire preseason.

Detroit Lions - QB Rotation: Jon Kitna, Drew Stanton, Dan Orlovsky.

QB Drew Stanton has been the No. 3 quarterback since camp opened and has struggled at times.

The Lions are committed to the running game. There were 24 pass attempts and 35 running plays in the opener. The Lions ranked 31st last year and had the fewest running plays of any team.

The defense is beginning its third year in the Tampa Two system, and it's the second year under coordinator Joe Barry, while Jim Colletto is the new offensive coordinator.

The Lions looked fast and young on defense while disrupting the Bengals offense.

New offensive coordinator Jim Colletto promises a more balanced attack. That starts with the fierce backfield competition between Tatum Bell and rookie Kevin Smith.

Next up for the Lions is the first look at nose tackle Shaun Rogers in a Browns uniform. The Lions play the Browns in the third exhibition game at Ford Field. Rogers was traded to Cleveland in the offseason in a deal that gave the Lions cornerback Leigh Bodden and a third-round draft pick.

NY Giants - QB Rotation: Eli Manning, Anthony Wright, rookie Andre Woodson, David Carr.

HC Coughlin is concerned with a number of minor but nagging injuries that have cut into the Giants' depth. The newest injury is starting right guard Chris Snee, who sat out with a sore shoulder and will have an MRI to see why he's experiencing discomfort. Kevin Booth replaced Snee with the first unit.

Tom Coughlin said WRs Amani Toomer (knee), Steve Smith (hamstring) and Mario Manningham (quad) are "supposed" to return to full activity.

NY Jets - QB Rotation: Brett Favre (will start), Kellen Clemens, rookie Erik Ainge, Brett Ratliff.

Eric Mangini defended QB Kellen Clemens and attempted to cool the Brett Ratliff worship. Ratliff has had two strong preseason performances and has had a good camp while Clemens has struggled. "There were three drops that could have easily been long completions," Mangini said. "The numbers weren't indicative on how he played and decisions he made."

Brett Favre indicated that he spoke to coach Eric Mangini yesterday about trying to pare down the number of offensive plays in order for him to get comfortable as he crams for the start of the season. He said the JetsNew York Jets ' offense "is totally different" from the Packers system he was in the last 16 years.

The offense is in the third year of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's high-tech scheme that features an array of shifts and motions.

Washington Redskins - QB Rotation: Jason Campbell (1st half), Todd Collins, Derek Devine, rookie Colt Brennan.

Coach Jim Zorn plans to give his starters their heaviest workload of the preseason Saturday, expecting the starters to play most of the first half against. Washington's starters have played the first quarter to this point. Zorn said they could play deep into the second quarter.

Starting tailback Clinton Portis, generally averse to any preseason work, will also play against the Panthers.

Defensive end Erasmus James will make his Redskins debut Saturday at Carolina. He will play with the second team this weekend. Starting free safety LaRon Landry is unlikely to play.

This is the fourth game for the Redskins, after playing in the Hall of Fame Game (8/3).

The Redskins could end up relying heavily on youngsters to fill out the secondary, with safeties Kareem Moore and Chris Horton displaying an ability to deliver big hits and close on the ball. Corners Justin Tryon and Matteral Richardson have made plays as well. Most of the depth in the secondary could be filled by inexperienced players, with the coaches hoping that what they lack in savvy they can compensate for with youthful athleticism.

Carolina Panthers - QB Rotation: Jake Delhomme, Matt Moore, Brett Basanez, Lester Ricard.

Jon Fox said the third exhibition, Aug.23 at home against Washington, is when the first-teamers will see sustained action.

Revamped Panthers offensive line: The coaches urged the guards and tackles to get bigger during the offseason.

WRs thin: Players who missed practice Monday included WRs Muhsin Muhammad (ribs), D.J. Hackett (toe) and Ryne Robinson (knee), and tight end Gary Barnidge (glute).

RB DeAngelo Williams has been dazzling in practice and the first exhibition game. He appears to be running more assertively and confidently. His quickness and cutting ability looks even sharper than last season. Coaches say he's matured and is working harder at his craft.

New Orleans Saints - QB Rotation: Drew Brees, Mark Brunell, Tyler Palko.

Secondary thin, with Cornerbacks Usama Young (hamstring) and Randall Gay (right triceps) ailing.

Defensive line concerns: First-round draft choice Sedrick Ellis has an apparent ankle problem. He was riding a stationary bicycle, along with fellow DT Brian Young (foot). Hollis Thomas has a torn triceps muscle that is expected to sideline him until mid-October. Fifth-round draft pick DeMario Pressley is on injured reserve after fracturing his foot in the first week of practice.

That left veteran Kendrick Clancy and Antwan Lake, who have both been starters in their NFL careers, and first-year pro Orien Harris to carry on in practice although Ellis could be available for Saturday's exhibition game. That left veteran Kendrick Clancy and Antwan Lake and first-year pro Orien Harris to carry on in practice although Ellis could be available for Saturday's game.

Cincinnati Bengals - QB Rotation: Carson Palmer, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jeff Rowe, Jordan Palmer.

Wide receivers thin, which is why they re-signed WR Chris Henry. Wrs Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Andre Caldwell missed Tuesday practice.

New defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer takes over and said the team will stay with a four-lineman base.

Under new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, the Bengals are playing a lot of man-to-man with their cornerbacks.

Offensive line changes: Right guard Bobbie Williams worked with the first-team offense at center during practice. Projected starter Eric Ghiaciuc worked with the second team. A potentially serious ankle injury to backup center Dan Santucci Monday heightened the emergency. In addition to Williams' switch, Stacy Andrews moved from right tackle to right guard. The five players average 6 feet, 6 inches and 333 pounds.

Secondary young: CB Leon Hall, starting free safety Marvin White, backup strong safety Chinedum Ndukwe and CB David Jones are starting their second NFL seasons. Jonathon Joseph is beginning his third, as are potential backup safeties Herana-Daze Jones and John Busing. Former Canadian League star Kyries Hebert, 27, is a first-year NFL player.

Bengals defensive end Antwan Odom, the club's major offseason free agent acquisition, sprained his foot July 28 and won't play in preseason. Odom had eight sacks last season for the Titans and was signed by the Bengals to team with fellow end Robert Geathers to bolster what was the NFL's weakest pass rush in 2007. The Bengals had just 22 sacks.

Jacksonville Jaguars - QB Rotation: David Garrard, Cleo Lemon, Todd Bauman.

Coach Jack Del Rio indicated there's no competition for the backup quarterback job. He said Cleo Lemon is the backup, and Todd Bouman is No. 3.

Jacksonville has a new defensive coordinator in Gregg Williams, who was with the Redskins last fall under Joe Gibbs.

Because of injuries to Jerry Porter (hamstring) and Reggie Williams (knee), there's a chance that Dennis Northcutt could take on the role as the Jaguars' No. 1 receiver for the second consecutive season. WR Troy Williamson is practicing, but he's not going full speed.

Offensive line is a weakness. The Jaguars will be without center Brad Meester for eight to 10 weeks.

Tampa Bay Bucs - QB Rotation: Jeff Garcia (first half), Luke McCown, Brian Griese, Chris Simms, rookie Josh Johnson.

Jeff Garcia returned to practice and is ready to go. After missing the majority of the past three weeks with a strained right calf, Garcia returned to practice Tuesday and took the majority of the snaps at quarterback. Garcia said he felt comfortable and hopes to play as much as a half against the Jaguars on Saturday.

WRs thin. With WR Joey Galloway out, Maurice Stovall and Antonio Bryant have been splitting the reps at first-team split end. The Bucs have also worked Micheal Spurlock and rookie Dexter Jackson at that spot.

The Bucs offense desperately needs a speedy receiver to clear out the middle of the field for its flanker, tight end and backs, so the split end is a key component.


INFORMATION COURTESY OF Jimfiest.com


K.C. Chiefs - QB Rotation: Brodie Croyle, Tyler Thigpen, Damon Huard.

Herm Edwards said the starters, including QB Brodie Croyle, would play into the third quarter Saturday in Miami. He would like Croyle to be able to lead a live two-minute drill, something he hasn't done in either of the first two games. Edwards hinted that the Chiefs might simulate a two-minute drill at another point in the game.

Damon Huard is the Chiefs' third QB, but he did not play last week. Herm Edwards said Huard, a 12-year veteran, doesn't need as many preseason snaps as Thigpen and starter Brodie Croyle. Edwards has said since training camp started that he wanted to devote more time to observing the Chiefs' young QBs, Croyle and Thigpen, who are 25 and 24, respectively.

Rookie defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, the centerpiece of their rebuilding effort, injured his left knee in practice. Dorsey could return to the starting lineup this week.

LBs thin.

The Chiefs spent the offseason overhauling the line, but with rookie left tackle Branden Albert likely out for the preseason because of a sprained foot, the team won't be able to build the continuity coach Herm Edwards wants. With Albert out, veteran guard Brian Waters has to hold down the left side.

Tank Tyler replaced Ron Edwards as a starting defensive tackle in practice, marking the second lineup change on the line and the third on the defense since the start of training camp. Edwards has been a solid if unspectacular run defender. But the Chiefs think Tyler, in his second season, has more potential and has earned the spot. Edwards will play as part of the defensive line rotation. The Chiefs now line up with Tyler and Glenn Dorsey at tackle, and Tamba Hali and Turk McBride at end.

Herm Edwards said the Chiefs are experimenting with some defensive players in unusual positions or schemes to take advantage of the team's speed. Edwards said the Chiefs are tinkering with the defense to create mismatches for offenses and because Kansas City spent the offseason retooling with speed in mind.

"We built this defense for speed," Edwards said. "We've got some speed guys. That.5?s the flexibility we have." Derrick Johnson practiced at weak-side linebacker Monday, and he also might line up sometimes as a pass rusher, Edwards said. Demorrio Williams also might rush the quarterback at times. Edwards also is experimenting with the defensive line, using end Turk McBride and tackle Tank Tyler with the first team.

The Chiefs will take kickers Nick Novak and Connor Barth to Miami. The Chiefs don't appear sold on either of the two. Coach Herm Edwards seemed particularly disappointed when Barth missed a 46-yard field-goal attempt last week against the Cardinals.

Miami Dolphins - QB Rotation: Josh McCown, John Beck, rookie Chad Henne, Chad Pennington.

The Dolphins continue to shop John Beck and indicated they would like a fourth-round pick in return.

RB Ronnie Brown (sprained right thumb) won't play Saturday.

The offensive line will certainly see its share of shake-ups, which likely will cause some considerable changes to the depth chart throughout the preseason. Justin Smiley is currently listed as the starter at left guard, and Trey Darilek is listed at right guard. Given Smiley's recent struggles on the left side and Donald Thomas' recent emergence on the right side, there's likely to be some different combinations used before anything is settled at that position, too.

Linebackers thin.

Tony Sparano is the new head coach, a former assistant with Bill Parcells in Dallas. He is a proponent of a balanced offense.

On the lookout for WRs: Miami rejected overtures from Eric Moulds and Koren Robinson but hasn't ruled out Terry Glenn if his knee improves.

Pittsburgh Steelers - QB Rotation: Ben Roethlisberger, Byron Leftwich, rookie Dennis Dixon, rookie Mike Potts.

The Steelers signed Byron Leftwich. QB Charlie Batch broke his right collarbone against the Eagles. Batch will have surgery to repair the damage and insert a plate in his clavicle and is expected to be out six weeks.

Pro Bowl strong safety Troy Polamalu returned from a pulled hamstring. Coach Mike Tomlin said he will gauge Polamalu's progress this week before determining if, or how much, he will play against the Vikings.

Tomlin said center Justin Hartwig, who started the second preseason game against Buffalo, will start against the Vikings -- an indication that he likely has won the starting position from incumbent Sean Mahan. Mahan, though, has performed very well in the preseason, as has Darnell Stapleton, an undrafted rookie free agent in 2007 who impressed the coaching staff last season, too.

Santonio Holmes said he is "a little nervous" about getting to return punts against the Vikings because he hasn't done it since his rookie season in 2006.

Minnesota Vikings - QB Rotation: Tarvaris Jackson, Gus Frerotte, John David Booty, Brooks Bollinger (see below).

QB Tarvaris Jackson suffered a bruised right knee in Saturday's preseason game at Baltimore. It seems unlikely Jackson will be on the field Saturday. All signs point toward 37-year-old Gus Frerotte getting the start in the most meaningful game of the preseason.

Wide receiver Bernard Berrian is battling turf toe.

Lots of passing: Vikings coach Brad Childress tried something different when the offense ran 10 consecutive passing plays in the opener. No doubt Childress was preparing his team for the seven-and eight-man fronts they faced last year and will again this year as opponents try to stop running back Adrian Peterson.

Safety Madieu Williams could six weeks because of a neck injury. It's a setback for a pass defense that finished last in the NFL in 2007 and was counting on having a top-notch cover safety in Williams, a big free agent signing, for all 16 games. Rookie safety Tyrell Johnson will be called on to fill in for him.

Childress has dramatically altered his approach with this team. Rather than overwork his players with day after day of hitting, Childress has allowed his team to practice in shorts and shoulder pads early in camp, unlike the last two years.

Baltimore Ravens - QB Rotation: Troy Smith, Kyle Boller, rookie Joe Flacco.

Coach John Harbaugh said there is a chance that the Ravens might not know their starter for the regular-season opener until the week leading up to it. Kyle Boller and Troy Smith have not separated themselves in the Ravens' quarterback battle. Harbaugh also ruled out starting rookie first-round pick Joe Flacco in the preseason. Harbaugh said the Ravens could wait to name a starter "anywhere after third preseason game 'til five minutes before the regular-season opener against the Bengals."

The QBs will be operating behind a makeshift offensive line and without running back Willis McGahee, who had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee last week. Baltimore's injury list includes offensive tackles Jared Gaither (ankle) and Adam Terry (ankle) and tight end Todd Heap (calf).

Secondary problems. It appears there are increased doubts whether S Ed Reed will be ready to play in the regular-season opener. CB Chris McAlister (knee), Samari Rolle (knee) are ailing. Of the secondary reserves, only Derrick Martin stepped up, while Frank Walker stepped down.

Harbaugh has been running the players hard, a physical practice. One team official estimated that Harbaugh has had more full-contact plays in his first week than Billick had in his entire camp last year.

John Harbaugh is the new head coach, the former Philadelphia Eagles secondary coach. Harbaugh has never been a head coach during his 24 seasons.

St. Louis Rams - QB Rotation: Marc Bulger, Trent Green, Bruce Gradkowski, Brock Berlin.

The Rams have a new offensive coordinator in Al Saunders, who ran high scoring offenses in K.C. under Dick Vermeil.

RB depth a concern with star Stephen Jackson holding out. Backups Antonio Pittman and Brian Leonard already have gotten enough reps to last a couple of training camps. Pittman's workload might be limited by a thigh injury.

Secondary woes: Starters Oshiomogho Atogwe (hamstring) and cornerback Fakhir Brown (shoulder) are out with injuries. With backup safety Jerome Carter expected to miss tonight's game with a groin injury, and rookie cornerback Justin King (toe) out for the season, the depth of the secondary will be tested.

Upgrading the O-line is a key: Ram QBs were sacked 48 times last season and the running game was 25th.

RG Richie Incognito is in a three-way tussle with Brett Romberg and Mark Setterstrom for two starting slots: center and right guard. Romberg (center) and Setterstrom (right guard) opened camp as first-teamers, but both have missed time. When Romberg had a sore hand and couldn't snap the ball for several days, Incognito put in time at center. And with Setterstrom out now with a strained muscle near his knee, and Romberg back at center, Incognito is back at right guard.

Arizona Cardinals - QB Rotation: Matt Leinart, Kurt Warner, Brian St. Pierre, rookie Anthony Morelli.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt is handing off most of the offensive play-calling duties for the upcoming season to coordinator Todd Haley.

WRs thin. WR Anquan Boldin (hamstring) is not 100% and WR Early Doucet (hamstring) is ailing. Boldin has asked to be traded.

O-line concerns: Cardinals starting center Al Johnson underwent surgery on his left knee, and the team is hoping he can return by the first or second game of the season. The Cardinals have taken two serious hits at center. Third-team center Scott Peters suffered a severe knee injury and is out for the season.

Backup Lyle Sendlein is a capable starter, but there isn't much depth. Coaches discussed the possibility of moving guard Elton Brown to center but decided Brown is young and needs the work at guard.

Secondary thin. CB Antrel Rolle (left-ankle sprain) and CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (left-ankle sprain) are not 100%.

Because starters usually play sparingly in the fourth and final preseason game, the third one is usually the best indicator of coaches' plans for the regular season. Ken Whisenhunt said that's not necessarily the case with the Cardinals, and that "some people blow that out of proportion."

Oakland Raiders - QB Rotation: JaMarcus Russell, Andrew Walter, Marques Tuiasosopo, rookie Sam Keller.

Offensive line concerns: New left tackle Kwame Harris is still learning the new blocking scheme; Returning right tackle Cornell Grzeen struggled to contain edge rusher Derrick Burgess in practice, while second-year tackle Mario Henderson remains a work in progress.

Center stage: Kiffin will let the competition at center go another week, but he said Jake Grove "seems to have a small edge" over John Wade. Grove took the first-team snaps Tuesday and considers himself the starter until told otherwise.

Secondary thin: Mike Huff, the starting free safety, has an ankle injury, backup Hiram Eugene hurt his hip and backup strong safety Tyvon Branch had hand surgery last week. That leaves starter Gibril Wilson and backups Baker and Jarrod Cooper as the only healthy safeties. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall (hand) is still not 100%.