Tonight’s Preseason Clashes: Panthers-Steelers and Patriots-Giants—Bubs, Battles and Bragging Rights

Steelers vs panters

Key Matchups Tonight

The NFL Preseason Week 3 wraps up with two marquee Thursday night games:

  • Pittsburgh Steelers @ Carolina Panthers
    • Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. ET
    • Broadcast: NFL Network (also on NFL+ for streaming)
  • New England Patriots @ New York Giants
    • Kickoff: 8:00 p.m. ET
    • Broadcast: Amazon Prime Video and NFL+

These matchups are the final preseason tune‑ups before rosters are slashed and the regular season opens on September 4.

Storylines & Players to Watch

Panthers vs. Steelers

  • A true “bubble battle” as players scramble for final roster spots:
    • Shemar Bartholomew (CB) vs. Corey Thornton
    • Brycen Tremayne (WR) impressing in camp
    • Thomas Incoom (OLB) needs game impact
    • Jaden Crumedy (DT) banking on injuries to gain opportunity
    • Trevor Etienne (RB) eyeing special teams and offensive roles
    • Jacoby Windmon (ILB), UDFA leader in tackles
    • Ryan Fitzgerald (K) in a tight kicking battle

Patriots vs. Giants

  • Dante “Turbo” Miller (RB) making waves on special teams/receiving
  • Darius Alexander (3rd‑round rookie DL) recovering from injury, needs to flash
  • Secondary battles: Raheem Layne, Nic Jones
  • WR depth battles: Beaux Collins vs. Dalen Cambre vs. vets
  • Targets: not just 53‑man roster, but also practice squad positioning
  • Leadership: Jabrill Peppers (S) offering guidance—emphasizing discipline and using the moment to showcase for all 31 other teams as roster cuts loom

Wider Preseason Landscape

  • Week 3 spans August 21–23, culminating into the final weekend before the regular season begins Labor Day week.
  • Other matchups to catch later in the week:
    • Eagles @ Jets, Vikings @ Titans, Falcons @ Cowboys, Bears @ Chiefs on Friday, August 22
    • Saturday, August 23 features a full slate, including Jaguars @ Dolphins, Seahawks @ Packers, Ravens @ Commanders, Bills @ Buccaneers, Chargers @ 49ers, Raiders @ Cardinals, and more.
  • Additional notable offseason battles:
    • Titans: Keep an eye on rookie QB Cam Ward, secondary depth around L’Jarius Sneed, and unresolved positional fights
    • Jaguars vs. Dolphins (Saturday): Rookies and rookies-esque matchups in the trenches—Anton Harrison, Matthew Judon, Jonah Monheim, Jordan Phillips, cornerback Jourdan Lewis, and speedster Dee Eskridge highlight positional battles for readiness and contribution.
    • Seahawks vs. Packers joint scrimmage: Focus on center battle (Sundell vs. Oluwatimi), rise of Zach Charbonnet, Uchenna Nwosu’s return, and Jake Bobo’s emergence.