08/10 7:30 PM EST NFL (279) NEW YORK GIANTS VS (280) PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Take: (280) PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Reason: The Giants QB rotation drops off after Eli Manning, with David Carr, rookie Ryan Nassib and Curtis Painter. Tom Coughlin is 4-5 SU in Week 1

08/09 8:00 PM EST NFL (269) ARIZONA CARDINALS VS (270) GREEN BAY PACKERS
Take: (269) ARIZONA CARDINALS
Reason: The Cardinals head to Green Bay with a new coach and plenty to prove, while the Packers have nothing to prove and have had a tough camp banged up with injuries. The Cardinals QBs are improved with Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, Ryan Lindley and Caleb TerBush. HC Bruce Ariens filled in for Chuck Pagano in Indianapolis last year and did a great job on a team with a young team that made the playoffs despite plenty of holes. Green Bay has offensive line concerns so there's no sense in risking the health of QB Aaron Rodgers. So you will see plenty of QBs Graham Harrell, B.J. Coleman and perhaps even Vince Young, whom they signed this week! They lost left tackle Bryan Bulaga for the season, a guy who protects the QBs blind side; WR Jordy Nelson will miss the rest of the preseason after undergoing knee surgery Monday. Along with those two, running back Alex Green (knee), tight end Ryan Taylor (knee) and defensive end Datone Jones (illness) missed practice Tuesday. Wide receiver Randall Cobb (bicep) and defensive tackle Johnny Jolly (cramps) both left practice, so grab the young team with the new coach and something to prove. Play the Cardinals.

08/08 8:00 PM EST NFL (257) CINCINNATI BENGALS VS (258) ATLANTA FALCONS
Take: (257) CINCINNATI BENGALS
Reason: A young and up and coming Cincy team with great depth, especially on defense, plays an established Atlanta team that has nothing to prove and only wants to stay healthy. The Bengal QB rotation is above average with Andy Dalton, Josh Johnson and Zac Robinson. This has been one of the top defensive team in the NFL the last two years and they are loaded with defensive talent and depth. The Falcons have Matt Ryan, but he's their franchise and won't play much, which means they will use Dominique Davis, rookie Seth Doege and rookie Sean Renfree. The Falcons have very little offensive position battles going on this offseason, a team that was in the NFC title game in January. Coach Mike Smith doesn

Panthers are on a 2-4 SU/ATS preseason run. WR Steve Smith (foot) is still out. Last week against the Miami Dolphins, the Carolina Panthers' offensive starters ran 21 plays before taking a seat for the night. Head coach Ron Rivera looks to increase that total Sunday night in a nationally televised exhibition against the New York Jets, and said his starters may even play into the second half.

08/25 08:00 PM EST NFL (277) ST. LOUIS RAMS VS (278) DALLAS COWBOYS
Take: (277) ST. LOUIS RAMS
Reason: The Rams are much improved with Coach Jeff Fisher, and have a fine QB rotation with Sam Bradford and veteran Kellen Clemens. They come off an impressive 31-17 win over KC. Fisher has said that he likes to use the preseason as a gradual build for his team leading into the regular season. This week against Dallas, Fisher said the playing time will be about the same for the starters, something in the range of 25 snaps. That could mean a larger workload for the starters in the preseason

08/24 07:30 PM EST NFL (257) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES VS (258) CLEVELAND BROWNS
Take: (258) NFL High Roller: Browns.
The Eagles lost starting QB Mike Vick on Monday night for the rest of the preseason, and on short rest and could care less about this one. The played Monday night at New England, short week and their second straight road game. Eagles coach Andy Reid approached the second preseason game the way he annually does the third preseason game, so Reid will play very few regulars. Even with the win and cover Monday night, Reid is still 22-31 SU, 23-28-2 ATS in preseason, caring little about winning August games. The Browns are a perfect 2-0 SU/ATS in preaseason despite having not played a home game yet, winning at Detroit and Green Bay. They go with QB Brandon Weeden, but have experienced QBs behind him with Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace. Pat Shurmur said McCoy and Seneca Wallace are still being evaluated every snap. "We'll make a decision when we have to line them up," said Shurmur. "That's where it is." Look for a huge effort by the home team against the disinterested visitors. Play the Browns.

08/23 07:00 PM EST NFL (251) GREEN BAY PACKERS VS (252) CINCINNATI BENGALS
Take: (252) CINCINNATI BENGALS
Reason: The Green Bay Packers have endured a lot of changed in preseason. The running backs are beat up and there are a ton of new faces on what was a bad defense last year. The Green Bay Packers drafted Jerel Worthy and Mike Daniels in the first four rounds, signed veterans Phillip Merling and Daniel Muir off the street and stayed with Mike Neal and Anthony Hargrove despite their multigame suspensions. Training camp is 3

The Philadelphia Eagles' starters will play anywhere from a full half to the three quarters. "I'll just get a feel," coach Andy Reid said. "We'll just see how it all rolls and go from there." Eagles coach Andy Reid is approaching the second preseason game the way he annually does the third preseason game, meaning the Eagles' starters will play into the third quarter. The first-team defense will be tested more than they will be at any other point in the preseason. The Eagles still have not finalized some of their personnel groups, especially on defense. The Eagles have two different nickel groupings, plus a dime group Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha will practice on Thursday after missing Tuesday's practice with whiplash and a lacerated lip suffered on Monday. Asomugha avoided a major scare when his head collided in safety Nate Allen, but the injury did not keep him out for long. Eagles QB rotation for Monday's game will be Michael Vick, Mike Kafka, Trent Edwards and Nick Foles. Rookie Foles will be the second-string quarterback behind Michael Vick. QB Nick Foles will play the fourth quarter, and possibly longer, depending on when Mike Vick comes out of the game. The Pats play their final three exhibition games played over a 10-day span.

Andrew Luck looks to be the real deal in Indianapolis this season. And that

08/17 08:00 PM NFL (411) BUFFALO BILLS VS (412) MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Take: (412) MINNESOTA VIKINGS. The Bills' first-team offense was inconsistent in the opener, and the penalty count (14 for 134 yards) was atrocious in a 7-6 exhibition loss to Washington. Now they go on the road and Chan Gailey has never cared about preseason, with a 4-15 SU, 6-13 ATS August record. The Vikings come home from a road trip at San Francisco have QBs Christian Ponder, mobile Joe Webb and veteran Sage Rosenfels. The defense went without veterans Jared Allen, Kevin Williams and Antoine Winfield (all healthy scratches), but they will play this week. Look for a big bounce back effort by the young coach in front of the home fans. Play the Vikings.

08/16 08:00 PM EST NFL (401) CINCINNATI BENGALS VS (402) ATLANTA FALCONS
Take: (402) ATLANTA FALCONS
Reason: The Bengals have injury problems to deal with. The offensive line is thin as left guard Travelle Wharton is lost for the season after injuring his right knee on the team

08/10 07:30 PM EST NFL (263) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS VS (264) MIAMI DOLPHINS
Take: (263) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Reason: The battle for the pride of Florida with new coaches. The Buccaneer QBs have plenty of NFL experience in Josh Freeman, Dan Orlovsky and Brett Raitliff. New coach Greg Schiano comes over from Rutgers, an organized, disciplined leader who did a terrific job in college. They add TE Dallas Clark and WR Vincent Jackson, too. In Week 1 of preseason Tampa Bay is 7-1-1 ATS and faces a Miami team with all kinds of weaknesses for new coach Joe Philbin. He has installed a safe, conservative West Coast offense, but inherits a team with a bad QB rotation Matt Moore, David Garrard, rookie Ryan Tannehill and Pat Devlin. They were 23rd in passing offense last year and lost WR Brandon Marshall. Play the Bucs!

08/09 08:00 PM EST NFL (259) GREEN BAY PACKERS VS (260) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Take: (259) GREEN BAY PACKERS
Reason: Packers coach Mike McCarthy is 14-10 ATS in preseason and the defense has a chip on its shoulder -- along with a lot of hungry young players competing for time. The defense hurt their title defense that last season ranked last in the NFL in yards allowed, passing yards allowed and sacks percentage. GM Ted Thompson used his first six picks on defensive players. Moreover, he traded four extra picks to move up three times to do it, led by DE Nick Perry (USC) first round and MSU DT Jerel Worthy. The Chargers won't use QB Philip Rivers much and No. 2 QB Charlie Whitehurst won't play (Knee injury), so you will see Jarrett Lee and Kevin O'Connell. The Chargers still have a long list of minor injuries. Outside linebacker Jarret Johnson pulled himself from Saturday's practice when his hamstring tightened up; Wide receivers Eddie Royal, Richard Goodman, Roscoe Parrish all missed practice. Royal (groin) will be out one to two weeks, likely missing the team's first preseason game Thursday against the Packers. Cornerbacks Antoine Cason and Marcus Gilchrist were sidelined and Left tackle Jared Gaither is hurting. Play the Packers!

8/05 08:00 PM EST NFL (241) ARIZONA CARDINALS VS (242) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Take: (241) ARIZONA CARDINALS. Reason: When the Saints are a dog in preseason they are terrific because of all that offense with a 31-19 ATS record. However, they are favored in this game and New Orleans is 17-25 ATS as chalk in August. And they had a terrible offseason with several suspensions to players and coaches, including Sean Payton. They are also working in a new defensive coordinator. QB Drew Brees won't play much, which means you will see more of QBs Chase Daniel, Luke McCown and Sean Canfield -- quite a dropoff from Brees. The Cardinals have excellent depth in the secondary, which is needed against New Orleans, and their is excellent competition on offense with QBs Kevin Kolb and John Skelton battling for the No. 1 job, plus rookie Ryan Lindley has impressed and Richard Bartel started last year. The Cardinals likely will keep three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, which means Kolb, Skelton and either Lindley or Richard Bartel, who has five seasons in the NFL. Play the Cardinals.

09/01 08:00 PM NFL (123) CLEVELAND BROWNS (124) CHICAGO BEARS
Take: (123) CLEVELAND BROWNS
Reason: Cleveland (1-2 SU/ATS) has a new coach in Pat Shurmur, who is also the offensive coordinator, while Dick Jauron is the new defensive coordinator. Under new coordinator Dick Jauron, the Browns are switching from a 3-4 to 4-3 defense. The offense has looked good in preseason and has a good QB rotation with Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace. The Browns are throwing the football more and having an offensive-minded head coach calling the plays has been a plus. The Bears (1-2) QB rotation is Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie, Nathan Enderle and they have been unimpressive the last two games, losing to the NY Giants Monday night, 41-13, and a 14-13 loss at Tennessee. The backups are slated to play most of the game Thursday. Jay Cutler won

08/27 09:00 PM EST NFL (277) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS VS (278) DENVER BRONCOS

Take: (278) Preseason Game of the Year: Denver Broncos.
Seattle has a lot of problems under Coach Pete Carroll. With Matt Hassellbeck gone, QB Tarvaris Jackson is the starter, Charlie Whitehurst the backup -- two guys they overpaid for in money and draft picks. They have problems on the offensive line and have not played well: The starters fell behind the Chargers 10-0 at the half, then last week they laid an egg at home in a 20-7 loss to Minnesota. Seattle is 2-4 SU, 2-4 ATS in preseason under Carroll. They run into a Denver (1-1 SU, 2-0 ATS) team that has a new coach in John Fox, the former Carolina coach. New coaches want to play well at home and Denver did last week, winning by 14 points. The QB rotation is experienced/versatile, with QB Kyle Orton the starter and Brady Quinn. The Broncos starting offense and defense will play into the third quarter Saturday against Seattle. This is the second straight home game for Denver and they looked sharp last week, a 24-10 win over Buffalo, leading 24-3 in the third with Quinn and Orton completing 20 of 29 passes for 265 yards, 2 TDs and no picks. The home team holds all the cards against the thin and disorganized visitors. Play the Broncos!

08/26 08:00 PM EST NFL (259) ST. LOUIS RAMS VS (260) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Take: (259) Pro Football Exclusive High Roller: Rams.
The Rams (2-0 SU/1-1 ATS) have QBs Sam Bradford and veteran A.J. Feeley, playing hard for coach Steve Spagnuolo and new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who has brought in the spread attack he ran in Denver and New England. St. Louis beat the Colts, 33-10, then the Titans, 17-16. Running the football and stopping the run are very important to Spagnuolo, who has an old-school mindset when it comes to those facets of the game. He was not pleased that the Rams managed only 44 yards on 21 carries, or 2.1 yards per rushing attempt last week. And given his defensive background, Tennessee's 198 yards rushing on 35 carries - a 5.7-yard average - was particularly galling. When asked what he saw out of the Rams' run defense Saturday, Spagnuolo said with rare sarcasm, "I didn't see very much. I didn't think the tackling was very good, either. It's concerning." So look for a big effort by the angry coach and note that the Rams are 9-1 ATS in preseason against the AFC and Spagnuolo is 8-2 SU/7-3 ATS in preseason. Kansas City (0-2 SU/ATS) has QBs Matt Cassell, Tyler Palko and rookie Ricky Stanzi, playing awful. The Chiefs again spent little time this week preparing for their upcoming exhibition game. That inexperienced showed in a 25-0 home loss to Tampa Bay and a 31-13 loss at Baltimore. The Chiefs had just 137 yards and had trouble blocking for their quarterbacks in the opener, the ran for just 3.5 ypc against the Ravens. Haley said he is preparing for the Chiefs for the regular season, which begins Sept. 11 against Buffalo at Arrowhead Stadium. KC Coach Todd Haley is 1-9 SU, 0-10 ATS in preseason, so grab the motivated visitors. Play the Rams!

08/25 07:30 PM EST NFL (253) CLEVELAND BROWNS VS (254) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Take: (253) CLEVELAND BROWNS
Reason: Cleveland (1-1 SU/ATS) has a new coach in Pat Shurmur, who is also the offensive coordinator, while Dick Jauron is the new defensive coordinator. Jauron guided the Eagles secondary as Philadelphia finished third in the NFL with 23 interceptions, so he faces his old team here. Shurmur works with QBs Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace, a fine preseason rotation. McCoy has been impressive, with a 27-17 preseason victory over Green Bay opener and 10 of 18 last week in a 30-28 home loss to Detroit as the offense had 271 yards. Having an offensive-minded head coach calling the plays has been a plus. The Philly (1-1 SU/ATS) defense has already had two key injuries: Eagles defensive tackle Mike Patterson has been released from a hospital after suffering a seizure last week at practice, while DE Victor Abiamiri blew out his achilles. And their are offensive line concerns: The starting right tackle is on the PUP list, the starting right guard is a rookie and the center is coming back creakily from microfracture surgery. The first two of those are the main blind-side protection elements for a left-handed quarterback. Philly had a 13-6 win over Baltimore, despite running for just 88 yards, 2.8 yards per carry, and a 24-14 loss at Pittsburgh, down 21-0 at the half, so this O-line has some problems. The Eagles have a number of players who are spending a lot more time with the team's training staff than they are with the coaching staff. They include veterans such as offensive tackles Winston Justice and Ryan Harris, defensive end Juqua Parker, defensive tackles Antonio Dixon and Trevor Laws, and safety Marlin Jackson, and younger players such as second-year defensive end Daniel Te'o-Nesheim and rookie linebacker Greg Lloyd. Justice, who started 13 games at right tackle last season, still hasn't recovered sufficiently enough from February knee surgery to practice. Coach Andy Reid historically cares less about preseason with a record of 20-30 SU, 21-29 ATS in August. Philly is 3-13 ATS against the AFC in preseason and Reid is 10-18 ATS as chalk, 9-15 ATS at home in exhibition play, and this Cleveland offense has more than enough to keep this close. Play the Browns!

8/20 8:30 PM EST NFL (423) BUFFALO BILLS VS (424) DENVER BRONCOS
Take: (424) DENVER BRONCOS
Reason: A long road trip for Buffalo and the home opener for Denver's new coach. The Bills (0-1 SU/ATS) QB rotation is Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tyler Thigpen, Brad Smith and Levi Brown. They looked lost in a 10-3 loss at Chicago with just 190 total yards. This is the second straight road game for Buffalo, now 0-5 SU/ATS away in preseason. A shakeup of the inconsistent Buffalo Bills offensive line began this week. During Tuesday afternoon's practice at St. John Fisher, Levitre -- who has started in all 32 consecutive games of his Bills career -- was demoted to second team as Rinehart played left guard. Everyone from coach Chan Gailey on down is making a point to say the move is to raise the level of competition, yet this change is a strong signal from the coaches that they aren't pleased with the play on the offensive line. The big loser in the shuffling is Levitre, the Bills' second-round pick in 2009 and the 51st pick overall. Bills Coach Chan Gailey is just 4-10 ATS in preseason, 0-6 ATS in away August games. Denver has a new one in John Fox, the former Carolina coach. The QB rotation is experienced/versatile, with mobile Tim Tebow and Brady Quinn, plus veteran QB Kyle Orton all fighting for jobs. Look for a big effort by the home team with the far better QB rotation. Play the Broncos!

08/19 07:30 PM EST NFL (409) CAROLINA PANTHERS VS (410) MIAMI DOLPHINS
Take: (409) Inner Circle Preseason Game of the Year: Panthers.
Carolina (1-0 SU/ATS) has new coach Ron Rivera (former Chargers defensive coordinator) and new DC Sean McDermott, who previously headed up an attacking Philadelphia Eagles defense. They beat the Giants, 20-10, and go with rookie QB Cam Newton, Jimmy Clausen and No. 3 QB Derek Anderson. All the Carolina quarterbacks will have Steve Smith available to throw to for Friday's matchup, as the veteran wide receiver returned to practice this week after sitting out the opener with an injured hand. Former Bears tight end Greg Olsen added punch to the Panthers' offense. Olsen seems thrilled to have landed in Charlotte, where the tight end figures prominently in offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski's offense. Chudzinski came with Rivera from San Diego, where he worked with Antonio Gates. "Energy" was the word new Panthers coach Ron Rivera kept using in his postgame news conference. And it fit on a night that felt like the Panthers clicked a light switch and saw it brighten the room for the first time in a year. They take on a Miami team with a lot of new looks and a lousy QB rotation of Chad Henne, Matt Moore, Tom Brandstater and Pat Devlin. Miami (1-0 SU/ATS) came from a 17-0 deficit to win at Atlanta, 28-23, though the offense had just 263 total yards and averaged 2.3 yards per rush. It was a lackluster preseason debut by the starters that included two interceptions, some clear miscommunication and a struggling running game. There are also problems with the secondary, with Will Allen out, and Vontae Davis and Sean Smith are playing on different sides than they did last year. Miami was favored once last preseason and lost 16-6 at home to Atlanta. They are far too big a favorite against the team with the new coaching staff that has a chip on its shoulder. Play the Panthers!

08/18 07:30 PM EST NFL (401) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS VS (402) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Take: (402) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Reason: The Patriots (1-0 SU/ATS) have QB Tom Brady, who did not play last week, second-year QB Brian Hoyer and rookie QB Ryan Mallett (Arkansas). This is largely a veteran team, outside of the QBs, and Bill Belichick won't ask the veterans to do too much. The Patriots have 13 defensive linemen. That's a truckload for a 3-4 team, especially one that has averaged 6.7 defensive linemen on the season-opening 53-man roster the past three years. Tampa Bay (1-0 SU/ATS) comes in with a young, hungry team. The defensive players were talking all week in practice about setting an identity for this D-line. The team dominated the Chiefs in the opener, 25-0, facing two weak backup QBs. QB Josh Johnson's performances may not help him become a starter in Tampa Bay, but the next four games could open doors for him elsewhere. After this season, Johnson, 25, will become an unrestricted free agent. In pitching their first preseason shutout since 2002, the Buccaneers unleashed a relentless pass rush at Arrowhead Stadium, sacking Kansas City quarterbacks six times as rookie defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers made their pro debuts. "For the most part, they rushed as a unit,'' Coach Raheem Morris said. "They were flying around and they played with great energy and great aggression.I liked the effort. We have to improve on some of our timing and precision things, which you knew would be missing a little bit.'' Tampa Bay posted only 26 sacks last season, prompting the Bucs to choose Clayborn and Bowers with their first two draft picks. Morris said he expected both Gerald McCoy and DT Brian Price (pelvis) to play against New England in Thursday night's preseason matchup at Raymond James Stadium. The presence of two new defensive line coaches, Keith Millard and Grady Stretz, has energized McCoy. "Our D-line coaches are two insane guys, but they can coach and they have a different mentality for us," McCoy said. "They tell us you've got to be animals, you've got to be relentless. You run over your own teammate to get there. Everybody is flying off the ball." Look for a fierce effort by the young team in front of the home fans. Play the Bucs!

With limited full pad contact this preseason, its evident that these initial games will find some teams not making as many tackles as they normally would. Still we have had some pretty exciting games and some lopsided affairs. I'm looking at taking the Texans tonight. Coach Gary Kubiak says we will be getting a long look at Matt Leinart at QB. Matt Schaub has nothing to worry about as the starter and will likely play a few series here on Monday. TJ Yakes will likely come in sometime in the 4th quarter. But what really makes me be on the side of Houston here is that Kubiak does try to win these games, evidenced by their higher scoring affairs in these preseason matchups. The Jets will start QB Mark Sanchez here, followed by Mark Brunell and then rookie Greg Mcelroy. Sanchez and company won't have newly acquired WR Plaxico Burress to throw to, as he is out with an ankle injury. What also intriques me here is to see how the Texans new 3-4 defense, installed by Wade Phillips works out. This defense was last against the pass last season and really responsible for the club's 6-10 record. Houston's overhauled defense and new scheme will want to stand out early and I like that here on Monday. I'm looking for the Texans to put forth a lot of effort. The Jets know they have a great defense and nothing to prove in this preseason. I'm taking the Texans here on Monday.

08/13 8:00 PM EST NFL (277) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS VS (278) ST. LOUIS RAMS
Take: (278) ST. LOUIS RAMS
Reason: 25-Star Preseason Bookie Buster: Rams.
The Colts QBs don't have Peyton Manning, so QBs Curtis Painter, Dan Orvlovsky and Scott Tolzien will run the offense. Beyond the starters, Colts

ake: (267) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Reason: Tampa Bay comes in with a hungry QB rotation of Josh Freeman, Josh Johnson and Rudy Carpenter. Josh Johnson's performances may not help him become a starter in Tampa Bay, but the next four games could open doors for him elsewhere. After this season, Johnson, 25, will become an unrestricted free agent. "The only thing I'm expecting is what I've always demanded from them and that's the play fast, hard, smart, consistent thing," Raheem Morris said. "That's what I base them on and how we're going to win. There will be some scenarios where we watch the young guys and we won't have any idea what they're going to do in pads, other than what they've done in college, or under the lights, so that's the fun part of our job." Morris expects DE Da'Quan Bowers, who had offseason knee surgery, to play. Kansas City has QB Matt Cassell, but after that it's Tyler Palko is the No. 2 quarterback instead of rookie Ricky Stanzi. The Chiefs have made no move for an experienced backup quarterback for Matt Cassel. The Chiefs have no quarterback with significant NFL experience behind starter Matt Cassel. Their other quarterbacks are journeyman Tyler Palko and rookie Ricky Stanzi. KC Coach Todd Haley is 1-7 SU, 0-8 ATS in preseason and Kansas City may have home field, but they are 3-19 ATS in preseason against the NFC! Play the Bucs.

08/11 10:00 PM EST NFL (259) ARIZONA CARDINALS VS (260) OAKLAND RAIDERS
Take: (259) ARIZONA CARDINALS
Reason: Arizona unveils new QB Kevin Kolb, a huge upgrade, and backup QBs Richard Bartel, Max Hall and John Skelton all got starts last season. Ken Whisenhunt said it's important that the first-team offense to get a set amount of plays, particularly to help new quarterback Kevin Kolb mesh with the offensive line and receivers. Oakland has a new coach in Hue Jackson, the offensive coordinator from last season, and they lost a ton of talent in the offseason. The QB rotation is lousy with Jason Campbell, Trent Edwards, Kyle Boller and Jordan LaSecla. Oakland has lost four of its top six players

08/11 07:30 PM EST NFL (251) BALTIMORE RAVENS (252) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Take: (251) Inner Circle Preseason Game of the Month: Ravens.
Baltimore was a beast in preseason last year under John Harbaugh, starting 3-0 SU, 2-0-1 ATS the first three games. The QB rotation has Joe Flacco, Tyrod Taylor and Hunter Cantwell and the Ravens filled their big-back void by adding RB Ricky Williams. There is a lot of depth on defense for this team and defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano said pass-rusher Sergio Kindle finally will make his Ravens' debut Thursday night against the Eagles and that first-round draft pick Jimmy Smith also might see action, even though he has been hampered by a groin injury for the past week. I can't see the Eagles going much with franchise QB Mike Vick for this game against the Baltimore defense, as he is the key to the season. Remember, the last year this team has dealt away QBs Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb, so they can't afford an injury to Vick. Which means plenty of time for QBs Vince Young, Mike Kafka and Jerrod Johnson. There are WR concerns: Jeremy Maclin has been out and WR Desean Jackson just ended a holdout. Plus offensive line concerns as the starting right tackle is on the PUP list, the starting right guard is a rookie and the center is coming back creakily from microfracture surgery. The first two of those are the main blind-side protection elements for a left-handed quarterback. Coach Andy Reid historically cares less about preseason with a record of 19-29 SU, 20-28 ATS in August. The Eagles were just 1-3 SU/ATS last preseason. Play the Ravens!

Take: (120) CLEVELAND BROWNS

Reason: The Bears (0-3 SU/ATS) have had a bad August, losing 25-10 at San Diego, a 32-17 home loss to Oakland and Saturday

Take: (272) HOUSTON TEXANS

Reason: 30-Star Preseason Game of the Year: Texans.
This is the fourth game for Dallas, having played in the Hall of Fame game, so they want to get preseason over with. A huge concern is that the Cowboys have virtually no depth on their offensive line. Doug Free and Stephen Peterman, a starter with Detroit, are the only ones who aren't busts or appear headed that way. They come off a 16-14 win at San Diego, but didn't really play well, with only 194 total yards, just 2.3 yards per rush, so this offensive line still needs help. The Cowboys haven't cared about preseason with Coach Wade Phillips, 6-8 SU, 5-9 ATS in his three+ years here in August. Cowboys quarterbacks have been sacked 12 times in three preseason games and averaging 2.77 yards per rush. While the Cowboys have nothing to play for, Houston (0-2 SU/ATS) has not played well, off a 38-20 pasting at New Orleans. This team led the NFL in passing last season, so look for the most work yet by QB Matt Schaub. And the head coach was furious with the team's play: "Our starters are going to play at least three quarters," Gary Kubiak said. "I better not have to appeal to them on anything. If they watch this film and feel good about what we were doing, then something's wrong. We're going to spend a lot of time (Monday) in this (meeting) room and talk about some issues that we have

ake: (259) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Reason: The Eagles have a good QB rotation of Kevin Kolb and Mike Vick. Andy Reid said the starters will play three quarters and the second unit will play the fourth quarter. After rolling up 496 yards (285 passing, 211 rushing) in a 28-27 win over the Jaguars, Philly was embarrassed after a 22-9 defeat at Cincinnati. They catch a break this week against a rebuilding Kansas City team that can't score and has all kinds of defensive troubles. They have really been out of sync in preseason under coach Todd Haley, 0-6 SU/ATS while averaging 13 ppg. They opened with a 20-10 loss at Atlanta with 3 turnovers, then a 20-15 loss at Tampa Bay. The defense has been mostly awful. The inside linebackers are continually in flux, the line rarely overachieves, and that leaves a young and talented secondary that doesn

Take: (252) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Reason: We haven't seen a lot of QB Tom Brady in preseason, but Week 3 is when you see the starters the most. And the Patriots starters and backups have looked great (2-0 SU/ATS). The Rams come to town with all kinds of problems. The offensive line has been poor, as has the offense under Rookie QB Sam Bradford. And for this game, 10-year veteran A.J. Feeley (sprained right thumb) won't play, so Bradford is forced to start, with Keith Null and rookie Thaddeus Lewis in reserve. Because of the short work week, Bradford and the rest of the Rams have only two practices to prepare for the Patriots before traveling to New England. Bradford has struggled so far this preseason, completing only 44.4 percent of his passes (12 of 27) for 81 yards in two games. He has no touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 51.8. St. Louis got flattened at home by the Vikings, 28-7, as the offensive line was awful, but looked much better in Week 2 with a 19-17 win at Cleveland. The first team offense under Feeley was very good, but the backups struggled. Once Feeley left the game, the Rams got nothing generated offensively for the rest of the half, and much of the second. Bradford completed six of 12 passes in the opening half for 24 yards. For the better part of the first half, the offensive line did a credible job of keeping unreasonable pressure off Feeley (one series) and Bradford (six series). The Rams managed 178 total yards, one week after gaining only 150 in a loss to Minnesota. This team is banged up due to the physical training camp conducted by coach Steve Spagnuolo. The Patriots are 5-1/ATS their last six August games and reports are that they are very serious this training camp. Bill Belichick is 33-25-4 ATS in preseason and he took down photos and awards of recent championship teams, as if he wants this group to forge its own identity. They are and will have no trouble here. Play the Patriots.

Take: (424) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Reason: This is the third game for Dallas (1-1 SU/ATS), and they come off a loss at home to Oakland. One concern is that the Cowboys have virtually no depth on their offensive line. Right tackle Marc Colombo just had surgery on his right knee, left guard Kyle Kosier sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee and will miss four to six weeks. Montrae Holland will start Saturday's preseason game at San Diego in Kosier's place. Robert Brewster will replace Colombo at right tackle. Even with two-fifths of the line being filled by backups. Cowboys quarterbacks have been sacked 11 times in two preseason games and they are averaging 2.96 yards per rush. Tony Romo will start Saturday but how long the quarterback plays will be determined by how well the offense is moving the ball and protecting him. The Cowboys haven

Take: (420) CAROLINA PANTHERS

Reason: Inner Circle Preseason Game of the Year: Panthers.
The NY Jets (0-1 SU/ATS) didn't play well in the opener, giving up 31 points in a loss at home to the NY Giants. And it's a short week losing on Monday night. Coach Rex Ryan took a different approach to the preseason opener since there was such a long wait, having his starters play almost the entire first half (a few defensive linemen were the first to sub out at the tail end of the second quarter). The starters won't play past the first quarter in Saturday's trip to Carolina, Ryan said. The secondary lacks depth with CB Darrelle Revis holding out. The first-team defense played well, and the reserves had "no fire," Said Ryan. He said the drop-off was a combination of skill and intensity. Ryan is safe with this job, but Carolina Panthers coach John Fox is on the hot seat. His team played hard, especially on defense, in a 17-12 loss at Baltimore last week. The Panthers were No. 3 in the NFL with 156 yards rushing per game last season and rolled up 143 rushing (5.5 ypc) last week, while the defense allowed just 223 yards (61 yards rushing, 2.3 ypc). Despite the absence of DE Julius Peppers (gone to the Bears), the outsider rushers have been surprisingly effective so far. This shapes up as an excellent spot for the home team. Play the Panthers.

The Giants go with QB's Eli Manning, veteran Jim Sorgi and Rhett Bomar. The starters will get 15-18 snaps, that should translate to roughly one quarter of action. The offensive line is banged up: Add Rich Seubert to the list of the New York Giants' walking wounded. The team's starting left guard is going to be sidelined indefinitely because of a broken bone in his left hand. Left tackle David Diehl has moved to Seubert's spot and second-year pro Will Beatty will start at left tackle. Mounting injuries are a concern for the Giants. Pro Bowl center Shaun O'Hara hasn't practiced since the team opened training camp on Sunday because of a swollen left ankle. Free agent lineman Reuben Riley also suffered an injury to his medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Tom Coughlin said the Giants will hold out a bunch of players because of injuries. They are: WRs Steve Smith, Sinorice Moss (groin) and Tim Brown(groin/hamstring), RG Chris Snee (knee), TE Kevin Boss (hamstring/ankle), S Kenny Phillips(knee), G Rich Seubert (hand), LB Keith Bulluck (knee) and S Michael Johnson (back). Coughlin wouldn

The Broncos have been hit by more than a dozen injuries so far, most notably linebacker Elvis Dumervil's torn chest muscle that's expected to sideline him for the season. Top draft pick WR Demaryius Thomas apparently injured his left foot last week -- the same one he broke during predraft workouts. Rookie receiver Eric Decker also suffered an injury to his left foot. Their top three tailbacks are sidelined because of injuries, so the Broncos signed veteran free agent RB Justin Fargas. With the Broncos not expected to take Knowshon Moreno (hamstring), Correll Buckhalter (neck/back) or LenDale White (left leg) on the trip because of injuries, they figure to start Lance Ball in the backfield. Coach Josh McDaniels is 1-3 SU, 2-2 ATS in preseason, with the offense failing to top 19 points in all four. The Bengals (0-1 SU/ATS) play their second preseason game, limping home from a dreadful performance in a Hall of Fame game Sunday night, a 16-7 no-show loss to Dallas. The offense had 179 yards and turned it over 4 times, with QBs Carson Palmer, veteran QB J.T. O

Take: (259) BUFFALO BILLS

Reason: Inner Circle: Bills.
Bills camp has been far more physical under Chan Gailey, who took over as coach in January. Unlike Dick Jauron, who preferred walkthroughs and little hitting, Gailey has had his players practicing in pads throughout camp and even allowed tackling during team goal-line sessions. The QB rotation has Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick, plus Brian Brohm and Levi Brown. Washington has a new Coach in Mike Shanahan and QB Donovan McNabb, but the 33-year old McNabb won't play much. You will see more of Rex Grossman and Richard Bartel. After suffering through an abysmal campaign in 2009, the Redskins' offensive line has three new starters, including left tackle and No. 1 pick Trent Williams. Washington's wide receivers are either unproven, coming off injuries or past their primes. Likely a close one with more defense than offense, providing excellent value with the dog. Play the Bills.

Take: (257) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Reason: Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio is a fiery, demanding coach and it's not surprising that "college-style rah-rah" coaches do very well in preseason. Del Rio is 19-9 SU, 18-9-1 ATS in August. For 2010, they have a lot of new looks, so there has been tough competition in camp for jobs. The QB rotation has veterans David Garrard and Luke McCown and 13 wide receivers on the roster! They like to air it out in preseason, going 3-1 over the total last August with aggressive OC Dirk Koetter. The Philly rotation has new starting quarterback Kevin Kolb, followed by Mike Vick and rookies Mike Kafka and Joey Elliot. The wideouts have been hurting: Eagles WR DeSean Jackson suffered a lower back strain last week and WR Jeremy Maclin left training-camp practice on a cart after injuring a knee. Philly Coach Andy Reid is 17-27 SU, 19-25 ATS in preseason and 0-6 ATS in Week 1 of preseason the last six years. Look for a better performance by the visitors. Play the Jaguars.

Take: (255) OAKLAND RAIDERS

Reason: First game for Oakland, second game for Dallas. Yes, the Cowboys looked sharp in the opener Sunday, but note that Dallas is 2-3 SU/ATS the first two weeks of preseason the last two+ years, usually not caring under laid back Coach Wade Phillips, who is 6-7 SU, 5-8 ATS in his three+ years here in August. Oakland has good QB depth with newcomer QB Jason Campbell, Kyle Boller and they signed QB Colt Brennan this week. All have seen plenty of time in preseason. The Raiders blasted the Cowboys in the preseason opener a year ago, 31-10, and Dallas has nothing to prove after the win on Sunday over the Bengals. Play the Raiders.

Inner Circle: Vikings.
There's no reason to look at the visitors this game. Dallas is 0-5 SU/ATS its last 5 road preseason games, they didn't show up in their only road game (31-10 loss at Oakland), and Rudy Carpenter will quarterback most of the game. Carpenter's preseason has consisted of one kneel-down snap at the end of the Tennessee game on Aug. 21! The Vikings (3-0 SU/ATS) have had a great preseason. Their QB rotation is pretty good, with Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels. The Vikings defense has been dominant thus far, a 13-3 win at Indy in the opener, with 198 yards rushing, a 17-13 win over KC and Monday

The Jets have played hard for new coach Rex Ryan, which is common in preseason with new coaches. They have home field here and play a veteran Philadelphia team that coach Andy Reid said will not being using the starters much. QB Donovan McNabb won't play, so Kevin will start and Michael Vick will play in the first half. Vick will start the second half at quarterback, Reid said. Reid rarely uses his starters in the fourth preseason game. Reid is 17-26 SU, 19-24 ATS in preseason. The Jets have a decent young QB rotation in rookie Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens and Erik Ainge. The starters will see limited playing time, but plenty of younger players will get one more chance to impress the coaching staff and fight for a roster spot. Play the Jets.

The Vikings (2-0 SU/ATS) have veteran QBs Brett Favre and Sage Rosenfels, plus young players in Tarvaris Jackson, John David Booty and rookie Sean Glennon (Virginia Tech). QB Tarvaris Jackson has been the most impressive, with 202 yards passing (12-of-15, 2 TDs) last week. When Brett Favre is done playing Monday night, the plan is for Tarvaris Jackson to be the second quarterback who enters the game, followed by Sage Rosenfels. Coach Brad Childress has said that Favre will start and play at least the entire first half. The Vikings defense has been dominant, a 13-3 win at Indy in the opener, with 198 yards rushing, and a 17-13 win over KC. 2-0 Under the total. Vikings are 3-0 SU/ATS last 3 preseason road games. Houston (1-1 SU/ATS) has a decent QB rotation of Matt Schaub, Rex Grossman and Dan Orlovsky. They didn't turn the ball over in the opener, a 16-10 win at KC, but coughed it up 3 times at home last week, a 38-14 loss to New Orleans. Houston coach Gary Kubiak is playing most of the starters for three quarters. Considering the way the Texans were demolished 38-14 by New Orleans last week, just about every defensive starter should be worried about losing his job entering the last two preseason games against Minnesota and Tampa Bay. The defense has problems: Outside linebacker Brian Cushing (sprained knee) continues to improve but won't play against the Vikings. He'll see his first action of the preseason at Tampa Bay on Sept. 4. Defensive tackle Travis Johnson (hernia) is out. Texans linebacker Cato June was placed on injured reserve with a broken forearm and will miss the entire season. Texans cornerback Dunta Robinson has been a camp holdout, plus Texans starting cornerback Jacques Reeves broke his leg. Houston is 1-6-2 ATS as a favorite in August.

You know the NFL executives had fun: Jay Cutler returns to the franchise that just dumped him! The Bears (1-1 SU/ATS) are off an easy home win over the Giants and come into Denver with an evolving offense under newcomer QB Jay Cutler, unimpressive backups Brett Basanez and Caleb Hanie. The Bears exploded for 372 yards last week (150 rushing) in taking apart the seemingly disinterested (and banged up) Giants. Lovie Smith doesn't care much for preseason, carrying a 2-4 SU/ATS August run into this game. Denver (0-2 SU/1-1 ATS) is still learning new schemes under coach Josh McDaniels with QBs Kyle Orton, Chris Simms, Tom Brandstater, Ingle Martin. "We're starting the National Football League season, and that's a serious thing. Every one of those men in (the locker room) takes their job seriously," McDaniels said Friday, hours after punishing WR Marshall. "For one or two people, or one or two instances, to stereotype an entire group of men as a certain type of guy or organization, I think it's dead wrong." By taking a stand for his team, the stature of McDaniels grew. The rebuilt secondary should get its first opportunity to play together here on Sunday. Safety Brian Dawkins missed the first two preseason games after breaking a bone in his hand during the first week of training camp. He practiced last week, but did not travel to Seattle. He is back to full duty now as the team prepares for Chicago. The Broncos have more to prove here as McDaniel wants a win under his belt to get some cohesiveness to this club. Look for the Broncos to want this game much more than the Bears.

The starters play the most in Week 3, and no one wants to face this Baltimore starting defense. The Panthers have injuries, problems at stopping the run, plus turnovers. The Panthers have fumbled 10 times in their first two exhibitions, losses against the New York Giants (six) and Miami Dolphins (four). They've lost five of them. Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams has a "sore knee" and is likely out. Worse, the Carolina defense has been soft up front, allowing 139 and 141 yards rushing in two games. It's been another week of bad news for the Panthers' defense. As they prepare for their third preseason exhibition, the Panthers have learned they'll be without linebacker Jon Beason (sprained knee) and safety Charles Godfrey (broken hand) for an indefinite period. Nose tackle Maake Kemoeatu (torn Achilles) has already been lost for the season. The wrong team opened as the favorite. Play the Ravens.

Preseason Game of the Year: NY Giants.

This is a battle for the pride of NY, so both teams do get up a bit for this preseason game. And the Giants have superior talent, as evidenced by their Super Bowl title less than two years ago. I don't like the Jets (0-2 SU, 1-1 ATS) QB rotation with rookie Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens and Erik Ainge. And they will be facing a ferocious pass rush here. It's a short week for the Jets, having lost Monday night in Baltimore. The NY Giants have a good QB rotation in Eli Manning and David Carr. The Giants defense was awesome in overwhelming the Panthers in the opener, with four sacks, eight quarterback hits, four forced fumbles and six pass deflections. And none of the starters was still in the game at halftime. Play the NY Giants.

Green Bay (2-0 SU/ATS) has been terrific so far. QB Aaron Rodgers is a combined 13-of-19 for 200 yards with three TDs, producing a passer rating of 142.5. Rodgers has led the first-team offense to five touchdowns in six drives. It was the second straight dominant defensive performance of the preseason for the Packers, who are making the transition to a 3-4 alignment under new DC Dom Capers. The defense had four interceptions in a 17-0 shutout of Cleveland. Capers has put in fire-zone blitzes and the Packers' have nine takeaways in two preseason games! Arizona (0-2 SU/ATS) coach Keb Wisenhunt has taken it easy on this players this preseason, similar to Tony Dungy. For this game, their top two wide receivers are out: No. 3 wide receiver Steve Breaston is out with an injured knee, and WR Anquan Boldin (hamstring) won't play. Boldin's injury would mean Jerheme Urban would start along with Larry Fitzgerald. Play the Packers.

The Dolphins (2-0 SU/ATS) have had a great preseason, with a strong defense plus QBs Chad Pennington and Chad Henne are an excellent one-two preseason punch. Miami's run defense has been great, allowing 66 yards (3.1 ypc) in the opener, then holding a strong Carolina ground game to 98 yards, just 3.8 yards per rush. The Miami offensive linemen played into the third quarter last week to develop cohesiveness. Not only is the line still refitting itself around new center Jake Grove, but Thomas might as well be a newcomer, too. Tampa Bay (1-1 SU/ATS) has new looks everywhere, starting with Head Coach Raheem Morris. They have virtually no QB experience with rookie QB Josh Freeman, Josh Johnson, Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown. They also have WR problems with Michael Clayton (hamstring) and WR Antonio Bryant (hamstring) ailing. Miami coach Tony Sporano is 5-1 SU/4-1-1 ATS in preseason. The wrong team opened as the favorite. Play the Dolphins.

The NY Jets have a new coach in Rex Ryan (DC of the Ravens), facing his old team here. They didn't look so hot in the opener, giving up 193 rushing yards in a 23-20 home loss to the rebuilding Rams. The QB rotation is suspect with rookie Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge and rookie Chris Pizzotti (Harvard). "Before halftime, both Sanchez and Clemens will be in there," Ryan said. Erik Ainge will play the majority of the second half. Jets offensive line has problems: Alan Faneca (finger) and Damien Woody (head) practiced, but will not play. C Nick Mangold (knee) practiced and is "probable." Ryan said he will likely play, but wasn't sure for how long. On defense, NT Kris Jenkins (calf) didn't practice and is out. Clemens, Sanchez and Erik Ainge make up a very inexperienced QB rotation...and what about that awful run defense in the opener? Baltimore (1-0 SU/ATS) is off a laugher, a 23-0 blowout of the Redskins. After QB Joe Flacco, they have QBs Troy Smith, Todd Bouman and John Beck. The starters will play into the second quarter and perhaps a half. Too many questions still for the Jets in this one as the Ravens look to be way ahead so far this preseason. Take the Ravens over the confused Jets here on Monday.

The Redskins got shut out at Baltimore last week and coach Jim Zorn worked the team hard in practice while calling them "soft." The Steelers (1-0 SU/ATS) are off a nice win, but QB Ben Roethlisberger hurt his ankle Thursday in practice and limped off the field. That leaves young QB Dennis Dixon and veteran Charlie Batch healthy. The offensive line has some injury concerns and looked weak against the Cardinals, a 20-10 win, with 90 yards rushing but just 2.8 yards per rush. Washington has good QB depth with Jason Campbell, Todd Collins and Colt Brennan. But they were awful in the opener, a 23-0 loss at Baltimore getting outgained 500-196! "We missed tackles, we were soft in other areas, both offensively and defensively, soft playing with that kind of intensity," Zorn said. RB Clinton Portis is expected to see his first preseason action here. Zorn said, "I want to see the offense come together and really move the ball. We're facing a really difficult defense, and yet we need to be successful. Play the Redskins.

Inner Circle: Dolphins.
A short week for Carolina, after a 24-17 loss at the NY Giants Monday, so this is their second straight road game. The Panthers played without Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith, who stayed back home in Charlotte with a bruised right shoulder. RB Jonathan Stewart continues to rest his sore Achilles, sitting out practice for the seventh straight day. The defense allowed 139 yards rushing. The Panthers need a veteran defensive tackle to help fill the void left by Maake Kemoeatu's season-ending Achilles injury. Jon Fox has taken it easy on the team this preseason. Miami coach Tony Sporano is 4-1 SU/3-1-1 ATS in preseason. This is their second straight home game and they have good QB depth with Chad Pennington and Chad Henne. Henne was solid in his two quarters of play (7 of 11 for 94 yards). Miami's run defense was awesome, allowing 66 yards (3.1 ypc). Play the Dolphins.

Inner Circle: Falcons.
The Atlanta QB rotation is decent with Matt Ryan, Chris Redman and mobile D.J. Shockley. The backups have seen a lot of preseason minutes over the years. The Rams (1-0 Su/ATS) lost QB Marc Bulger to a small fracture in the pinky finger of his throwing hand on Monday. He will miss at least two weeks, meaning Kyle Boller will start for the Rams against Atlanta on Friday. The rotation is now Boller, Brock Berlin and rookie QB Keith Null -- not good. Even in winning 23-20 at the NY Jets, the young defense allowed 340 yards. And the pass defense allowed 17-of-25 completions and 238 yards. Play the Falcons.

Philadelphia rolled up 420 yards (304 passing) against the Patriots, but lost 27-25 with sloppy play (98 yds of penalties). Andy Reid made it clear he wants to see improvement. The Eagles have excellent depth, especially at QB with Donovan McNabb and A.J. Feeley. McNabb will play the entire first hald and Feeley will start the 3rd quarter. The Eagles are 10-0 ATS the last 10 years in Week 2 of preseason! Indy had a stark history of not caring about preseason under Tony Dungy, who took it easy on his veterans, and new coach Jim Caldwell appears to be of the same ilk, showing nothing in a 13-3 home loss to the Vikings. The Colts had 142 TOTAL yards! Just as bad, the defense allowed 351 and was gouged for 198 rushing yards. QB Peyton Manning was sacked three times (6 sacks for all their QBs). The rotation has QB Peyton Manning, then a pair of rookies in Chris Crane (Boston College) and Curtis Painter (Purdue). The team signed rookie QB Chris Crane to compensate for the hamstring injury that likely will keep backup veteran QB Jim Sorgi out for a couple of weeks. Indy had 11 starters out of the opener, with a lot of defensive injuries. The loss was the Colts' 17th in their past 20 preseason games. Play the Eagles.

Look for a lot of intensity from the Jaguars team in preseason. In contrast to practices in recent years, the Jaguars practiced this week hard. Coach Jack Del Rio had the team in full pads for the morning and afternoon practices and he had the players running 20-yard sprints after plays at the end of practice. Defensive end Reggie Hayward said this was the first time in his nine years in the NFL that he practiced twice in pads on one day. Offensive lineman Tony Pashos said, "When last season ended, we were willing to do whatever to it took to win games around here. We welcome it." Jack Del Rio said QB David Garrard will play the first quarter,

Inner Circle: Titans.
The Titans already have a game under their belt, winning the Hall of Fame Game, 21-18, while this is the opener for a Tampa Bay team with new looks everywhere. The Bucs have a new coach in Raheem Morris. They have virtually no QB experience with rookie QB Josh Freeman, Josh Johnson, Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown. Talk about a shoddy rotation! WRs Antonio Bryant (knee), Michael Clayton (hamstring) and Kelly Campbell (quad) will be sidelined Saturday, along with center Jeff Faine (groin), linebacker Angelo Crowell (hamstring), kicker Matt Bryant (hamstring) and punter Josh Bidwell (hip). Tennessee (1-0 SU, 0-1-1 ATS) pulled out all the stops in the first half Sunday against the Bills, with a 21-6 halftime lead. They have a good QB rotation with veteran QBs Kerry Collins and Patrick Ramsey and mobile QB Vince Young. Fisher is 16-9 SU/13-10-2 ATS the last six+ pre-seasons. Play the Titans.

This is the second game for Buffalo, the opener for the Bears. One problem with acquiring QB Jay Cutler is that the Bears gave up all their draft picks and QBs for him. Cutler won't see much time in the opener, and the backups are unimpressive Brett Basanez and Caleb Hanie. And the Bears have more problems than just QB depth, with a weak offensive line and few receivers. The secondary is hurting, with Charles Tillman (back surgery) and Zack Bowman (hamstring) continuing to progress from their injuries, the Bears could enter their first exhibition without three starters from the secondary. And with Manning hobbled, the Bears have to fill two defensive positions plus special teams. Lovie Smith doesn't care much for preseason, carrying a 1-3 SU/ATS August run into this game. Buffalo has a decent QB rotation of Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt Baker and Gibran Hamdan. Buffalo coach Dick Jauron is on a 3-1-1 ATS run in preseason. Buffalo operated the no-huddle often and will do so again. Play the Bills.

Vikings coach Brad Childress said he had not decided on a starter for Friday night's preseason opener. That means there is good competition between veteran Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson. The Colts are favored here, but QB Peyton Manning won't play much and will give way to a pair of rookies in Chris Crane (Boston College) and Curtis Painter (Purdue). The team signed rookie QB Chris Crane to compensate for the hamstring injury that likely will keep backup veteran QB Jim Sorgi out for a couple of weeks. Painter will see the most time, as Manning will be 1-2 series only. The Colts have ruled 11 players out of Friday night's preseason opener against Minnesota, including five starters. Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea, cornerback Kelvin Hayden, right tackle Ryan Diem, tight end Dallas Clark and wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez are all on the list. Bethea is out with a cracked bone in his right hand. Clark has a slight concussion. Hayden has been resting a hamstring injury and Diem has been out with a back injury. Gonzalez is a new addition to the injury list. Coach Jim Caldwell blamed a strained hamstring. Bob Sanders, the NFL's 2007 defensive player of the year, remains on the physically unable to perform list. Play the Vikings.