The first week of the preseason is in the books, and the second week is about to get underway. Position battles kicked into gear and should continue into Week 3, but it did seem like starters played a bit more than usual in Week 1, so who knows what we’ll see this week? We’ll take a look at the upcoming games below.
2013 NFL preseason Week 2 schedule: Plenty of position battles to watch
There are plenty of position battles to pay attention to in Week 2 of the NFL preseason. We outline every game here.
Leon Halip
Thursday, Aug. 15
Detroit Lions vs. Cleveland Browns (7:30 p.m. ET): The Browns will give running back Trent Richardson his preseason debut, and if he's healthy, he should see a decent amount of time. Meanwhile, the Lions are still trying to establish more weapons alongside Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford on offense, so there should be some good competition to watch out for.
Carolina Panthers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (7:30 p.m.): The big story here is the quarterback battle raging on in Philadelphia. Michael Vick looked good in Week 1 and will see some more snaps, while Nick Foles tries to unseat him and rookie Matt Barkley tries to make an impression.
Atlanta Falcons vs. Baltimore Ravens (7:30 p.m.): Baltimore will be trying to get one of its young receivers or tight ends to step up. The team traded Anquan Boldin away and lost Dennis Pitta to injury, so the Ravens need somebody to fill that void. It's the team's biggest question mark at this point.
San Diego Chargers vs. Chicago Bears (8 p.m.; ESPN): Chicago is still installing an entirely new offense and simply looking coherent in said offense is most important in these early games. The Chargers, on the other hand, find themselves potentially without three of their top receivers and need someone to emerge at that position.
Friday, Aug. 16
Minnesota Vikings vs. Buffalo Bills (7 p.m.): The big story here is the quarterback battle between E.J. Manuel and Kevin Kolb. Manuel started in Week 1, but that's due to Kolb having missed a good deal of practice. Things should heat up if he's good to go for Week 2.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs (8 p.m.): Alex Smith will take on the 49ers for the first time in his career, while the 49ers continue to evaluate young receivers and cornerbacks, the two most-contested positions on the team.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New England Patriots (8 p.m.; Fox): In Week 1, the Patriots ran all over their opponent with Stevan Ridley and LeGarrette Blount. Smart money is on those backs getting fewer carries with more focus going to Tom Brady's backup quarterbacks, Ryan Mallett and Tim Tebow.
Oakland Raiders vs. New Orleans Saints (8 p.m.): At this point, the Saints are just getting back into the swing of things with Sean Payton, while the Raiders have battles all over the place, including the quarterback position. That's what to watch out for there.
Saturday, Aug. 17
Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals (4:30 p.m.; NFL Network): The Cardinals are just hoping to see their quarterbacks continue their Week 1 production, as it is the biggest question mark on the team. Dallas is hoping to establish a running back hierarchy this preseason.
Tennessee Titans vs. Cincinnati Bengals (7 p.m.): Tennessee has some significant battles underway on the defensive side of the ball, and needs more from its pass rush. That will be a point of focus against the Bengals. Meanwhile, the Bengals are still searching for a running back to emerge as the starter.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New York Jets (7:30 p.m.; NFL Network): Both of these teams have quarterback competitions ongoing. Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne will continue to fight it out for Jacksonville, while Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith will battle for the Jets.
Green Bay Packers vs. St. Louis Rams (8 p.m.): The Rams are basically set on defense outside of the safety position, and are hoping some of their younger receivers will step up and provide a solid weapon for quarterback Sam Bradford.
Miami Dolphins vs. Houston Texans (8 p.m.): Miami has its quarterback in Ryan Tannehill, but its focus has been getting Lamar Miller to break out and shine as the starting running back. If he doesn't, Daniel Thomas may get an opportunity and take away Miller's opportunity.
Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks (10 p.m.; NFL Network): The Seahawks established themselves among the NFL's best last year, and this year they want to get all of their backup positions set and, like the Broncos, simply want out of these games with no injuries.
Sunday, Aug. 18
Indianapolis Colts vs. New York Giants (7 p.m.; Fox): The Colts have their franchise quarterback in Andrew Luck, but still need to sharpen the weapons around him, especially the running backs. That will be their focus. For the Giants, they continue their search for starting linebackers.
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