The second week of the NFL preseason concludes on Saturday, and how exciting it's been so far (kinda ... maybe?). Just like regular season football, we've had touchdowns, interceptions, sacks and highlights to overreact to, except it's mostly meaningless during the preseason. So if you fancy getting angry about something that really couldn't matter less to fans, then you're in luck!
NFL preseason 2016 schedule: Saturday features full 7-game slate
Seven preseason games will be played on Saturday and here’s what to look forward to (or not).
After six games on Thursday and just three on Friday, Saturday features a full slate of seven games, including both of last year's Super Bowl teams, though they won't be playing each other. The Denver Broncos will continue to evaluate their quarterbacks against the San Francisco 49ers, who will only be chiefly evaluating one of their quarterbacks. Blaine Gabbert will start again on Saturday while Colin Kaepernick will miss yet another game due to injury.
The Carolina Panthers, meanwhile, will face off against the Tennessee Titans in the first matchup of the day. That game begins at 3 p.m. ET, and an hour later, the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills will kick off, airing nationally on the NFL Network.
Later, the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts will also be carried by the NFL Network, beginning at 7 p.m. Andrew Luck and the other Colts starters are expected to play well into the second quarter, so there could be some real, meaningful football played if you happen to be wondering if the Colts have improved after falling apart last season.
Below, we’ve got a list of games set for Saturday as well as when you can watch them and on what channel. Live streams of preseason games are handled by NFL Game Pass.
Carolina Panthers at Tennessee Titans
3 p.m. ET
Away: WCCB-CW 18, Home: WKRN-ABC 2
Luke Kuechly didn't get to hit anyone when he made a brief appearance for the Panthers last week in their preseason opener. That will likely change Saturday because Kuechly really, really wants to hit something, and this week that something will be Titans players. But he'll have his hands full chasing Titans running backs, led by DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, who looked great in the preseason opener.
Watchability: 6/10 -- Not yet sold on the Titans, or the Panthers’ devotion to a second preseason game, but that running attack might just be something.
New York Giants at Buffalo Bills
4 p.m. ET
National: NFL Network, Away: WWOR-My 9, Home: WKBW-ABC 7
Cardale Jones was drafted almost as an afterthought, it seems. But the stocky quarterback with a big arm looked good throwing the football in the preseason opener, and seeing what he does his second time around, against an untested Giants secondary, should be nice to watch. The Bills maintain Jones is not really an option for the regular season, but you never really know. Also, Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. will be back after head coach Ben McAdoo decided to sit them a week ago.
Watchability: 5/10 -- Look, Jones may be a highlight, but there’s really no good reason this game is on national TV. Four of these fives points are just for the chance that Beckham does something ridiculous in the short time he’ll play.
Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts
7 p.m. ET
National: NFL Network, Away: WMAR-ABC 2, WXIN-FOX 59
Both the Ravens and the Colts were hot messes last year. The Ravens aren't far removed from a Super Bowl but it didn't show, and the Colts were supposed to take the next step and become one of the NFL's elite teams. They certainly were not that, and Luck, though he struggled with turnovers and injuries, got a big extension this offseason. Many think the Ravens overpaid Joe Flacco -- will they be saying the same about Luck in the near future?
Watchability: 7/10 -- Luck, who hasn’t taken the field since November, is expected to play into the second quarter, after all.
7:30 p.m. ET
Away: WTTA 38, Home: WJXT 4
The Jaguars keep having actual expectations -- or close enough to actual expectations -- with Gus Bradley at the helm, but they keep falling short of them. It seems like the potential is there but it’s unclear if they’ll ever actually get there. The Buccaneers also have those questions, though they’re much earlier in their “break it all down and rebuild” process.
Watchability: 7/10 -- This one might surprise. The debut of Jalen Ramsey is hotly anticipated and all eyes are still on his former Florida State teammate, Jameis Winston. The Bucs' second-year quarterback showed a lot of promise last year, and this week he earned praise from the Jaguars defenders in their joint practices.
8 p.m. ET
Away: WVUE-FOX 8, Home: KTRK-ABC 13
The Texans sure paid an awful lot of money to steal Brock Osweiler away from the Broncos, and that fact will be hammered home every single time he takes the field. Whether the Texans can turn that into a positive narrative is surely one of the more interesting aspects of the season, especially in a questionable AFC South. The Saints, meanwhile, will try to prove that they actually have made improvements on defense. Or at least tried to.
Watchability: 4/10 -- Osweiler’s performance might be interesting but it sure won’t be pretty, and the rest of the game doesn’t have a whole lot to offer.
San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos
9 p.m. ET
Away: KPIX-CBS 5, Home: KTVD-My 20
Colin Kaepernick is supposed to be battling Blaine Gabbert for the starting quarterback job, but he will sit out for the second straight week. To make matters worse, the 49ers lost quarterback Thad Lewis to an ACL tear, and in a desperate move for depth they ended up signing Christian Ponder. The Broncos have some quarterback issues of their own and any further clarity on that situation — like more game time for rookie Paxton Lynch — can only help.
Watchability: 6/10 -- The 49ers will probably suck this year, but quarterback concerns always make for interesting (even in a perverse way) viewing. The Broncos probably won’t suck this year, but we still want to see how the Mark Sanchez-Trevor Siemian-Paxton Lynch battle shakes out.
Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Rams
9 p.m. ET
National: NFL Network (joined live in progress), Away: KCTV-CBS 5, Home: KCBS-CBS 2
Football returns to Los Angeles ... for the second week running! It's not so much a highlight this time around, but yes they are still the newly minted Los Angeles Rams and it's still weird, especially if you're a sports writer who hasn't gotten used to typing it just yet. Oh, and also Jared Goff will probably play and we get to see more of the player the Rams gave up so much for. Plus the Chiefs will be there or something.
Watchability: 7/9 -- A contract extension for Jeff Fisher is actually coming, you guys.
See More:
