Now that all 32 teams have one game in the books, it’s time to get ready for another slate of preseason matchups with Week 2 set to kick off on Thursday night. It’s a light schedule featuring just two games, but there’s no shortage of storylines to follow.
NFL preseason 2015 schedule: Bills’ QB battle highlights Thursday’s slate
There are just two games on the preseason schedule for Thursday night, but both feature key position battles and interesting storylines that you’ll want to follow.
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We should see some significant playing time from many of the starters now as they get ready for the start of the regular season, which is less than a month away. Games should be a little cleaner, as teams shake off the rust from daily training camp practices and get more reps under their belts.
One interesting twist to this week’s schedule is that the NFL is experimenting with eight-man referee crews for 13 of the games, including both on Thursday. The league has used seven officials since 1978 when the side judge was added. The eighth ref will be placed in the offensive backfield and the intent is to help fill in some of the gaps when officials are required to monitor multiple areas of the field that may not be near each other.
The evening gets started with Washington hosting the Detroit Lions at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by a nationally televised matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Here's a closer look at the slate of games on Thursday night, something to watch for and how to watch (all times Eastern, stations via 506sports):
Detroit Lions at Washington
(Away: WJBK-FOX 2, Home: WRC-NBC 4) -- 7:30 p.m.
The Lions notched a 23-3 win over the New York Jets in their preseason opener, highlighted by an eye-opening performance from running back Ameer Abdullah. The rookie out of Nebraska rushed for 67 yards on seven carries, including an impressive 45-yard jaunt up the middle in the first quarter. Abdullah was a very talented runner in college, and if he can prove that his effort last week in his professional debut was no fluke, he could be a real asset to the Lions' running game this season and perhaps one of the team's most exciting players.
For Washington, once again all eyes are on Robert Griffin III, who this week made headlines when he said he was "the best quarterback in the league" during an interview with a local television station. That's a lot of confidence from a guy who last year threw four touchdowns and six interceptions in seven games and was benched in November. At the very least, the former Heisman winner has to prove that he's the No. 1 guy for Washington, and that starts with showing more consistency in the pocket during Thursday night.
Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns
(National: ESPN) -- 8 p.m.
The Bills are one of the most interesting teams to watch this preseason, and not just because of the new guy calling the plays on the sideline. They've got a bona-fide quarterback competition going on, with Matt Cassel, Tyrod Taylor and EJ Manuel fighting for the top spot on the depth chart. Cassel got the start in the first preseason game and was efficient in completing 7 of 8 passes for 45 yards in two series. Taylor, who impressed with his dual-threat skills last weekend, will be under center to begin the game against the Browns. Manuel acknowledged this week in an interview with the Associated Press that his future in Buffalo may be in doubt, and needs a strong showing to keep pace with Taylor and Cassel in the QB race.
The Browns are another team that is looking to get back into the playoff mix after a long drought. Josh McCown made his debut with the Browns last week and completed all five of his passes in his one series, leading them to a touchdown on the opening drive. Johnny Manziel, trying to turn things around after a tumultuous rookie campaign, ran for a touchdown and looked more confident as he completed 7 of 11 passes for 42 yards with no interceptions. Odds are he'll eventually be the starter in Cleveland, and he needs to continue to show that he has not only the talent to be a quarterback in the league, but also the poise and maturity to lead a team.
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