Week 2 of the NFL preseason continues Sunday with two games featuring a few of the best teams in the game. The defending AFC champions will hit the field for their second tune-up while some interesting position battles continue.
2014 NFL preseason: Sunday’s schedule, Cam Newton’s return and more
Four playoff teams hit the field with plenty of position battles brewing.
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Sunday’s schedule with times and TV:
4 p.m. ET (National: NFL Network, Away: KTVD, Home: KPIX 5)
Denver's defense will have a different look after outside linebacker Danny Trevathan went down in practice on Tuesday with a broken shin. Trevathan is out four to eight weeks, leaving the position open to competition. Brandon Marshall will likely have first crack at the position, followed by Jamar Chaney and others. Now that Wesley Woodyard is with the Tennessee Titans, the Broncos find themselves short at the position.
Another area of concern is running back. The Broncos have the least experienced backs in all of football, with the entire group having a combined 266 career carries.
San Francisco has plenty to keep an eye on as well. The 49ers are without middle linebacker NaVorro Bowman for at least the first month of the season, giving rookie Chris Borland and second-year pro Nick Moody a chance to see playing time. Nose tackle is also wide open with Ian Williams still recovering from a broken leg suffered against the Seahawks in Week 2 of last year. Glenn Dorsey was the starter but is out for the season with a torn triceps. Currently, Quinton Dial appears to be the starter but could be pushed with Williams at least back on the field.
8 p.m. ET (National: FOX, Away: WDAF, Home: WJZY 46)
Carolina will welcome back quarterback Cam Newton, who sat out the preseason opener as he was still recovering from his offseason ankle surgery. The fourth-year star out of Auburn is hoping to have another successful season after throwing for 3,379 yards and 24 touchdowns last year. Newton will have a plethora of new targets with Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell and Ted Ginn Jr. all wearing different uniforms. In their places are Jerricho Cotchery and rookie Kelvin Benjamin. Benjamin is expected to see plenty of red zone opportunities with a frame of 6'5 and 240 pounds.
For Kansas City, Ron Parker, Marcus Cooper and Sean Smith are rotating through the top two corner spots. Parker and Cooper started in Week 1 against the Bengals, only to see Parker dismantled by A.J. Green. Cooper held up, not allowing a completion. When Smith came in, he had a pick-six of Jason Campbell. Also, Eric Berry will likely be held out with tendinitis in his heel. Berry also missed the opener, with Daniel Sorensen playing instead. Sorensen is an undrafted rookie out of BYU who the Chiefs are high on after a solid camp.
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