Thursday......

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NY Giants - QB Rotation: Eli Manning (1-2 series), Anthony Wright (will follow), David Carr, rookie Andre Woodson.

Starters will not go past the first quarter. Eli Manning will start Thursday in Detroit but won't play very long. "We'll probably try to play them all, Eli just a little bit and then play the other guys," said Coughlin, who added Anthony Wright will follow Manning.

HC Coughlin is concerned with a number of minor but nagging injuries that have cut into the Giants' depth. The newest injury is starting right guard Chris Snee, who sat out with a sore shoulder and will have an MRI to see why he's experiencing discomfort. Kevin Booth replaced Snee with the first unit.

Several players will not play in Detroit, leaving the receiver corps especially thin with the absences of Plaxico Burress (ankle), Steve Smith (groin), David Tyree (knee) and Mario Manningham (quad). Amani Toomer (leg) will play briefly. Brandon London sat out Tuesday practice with a hip flexor. His status for the game is unknown.

Backup guard Shane Olivea sat again and will have tests to determine the extent of the injury to his back. After saying he would not get on the field until next week, linebacker Gerris Wilkinson passed his physical, was removed from the physically unable to perform list and finally made his training camp debut, working with the third-team defense.

Detroit Lions - QB Rotation: Jon Kitna, Drew Stanton, Dan Orlovsky.

QB Drew Stanton has been the No. 3 quarterback since camp opened and has struggled at times.

WRs thin. Shaun McDonald (knee) and tight end Dan Campbell (elbow) will be held out until next Monday.

HC Rod Marinelli's primary objective remains evaluating players. But playing against another team is an important part of the process. "I'll have a better feel when we play somebody else as we go," Marinelli said. "What I do like about them is their hustle. They're working on the details."

The defense is beginning its third year in the Tampa Two system, and it's the second year under coordinator Joe Barry, while Jim Colletto is the new offensive coordinator.

Defensive coordinator Joe Barry wants his defense to be aggressive and create turnovers.

NY Jets - QB Rotation: Chad Pennington, Kellen Clemens, rookie Erik Ainge, Brett Ratliff.

Secretive Eric Mangini didn't reveal his starting quarterback, saying he hadn't yet picked between Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens.

"There's a lot of factors that go into that, so I'll get together post-practice, watch the tape," Mangini said. "I'll spend some time with the staff, see what their input is and then make a decision after that. But you've got to also look at who's playing in terms of the offensive line, some of the other things that go into the mix."

The offense is in the third year of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's high-tech scheme that features an array of shifts and motions.

Cleveland Browns - QB Rotation: Derek Anderson (1st Q), Brady Quinn (2nd-3rd Qs), Ken Dorsey (4th Q).

HC Romeo Crennel said he'll play the starters for about a quarter, maybe a little more. Quinn will then play in the second and third quarters and Ken Dorsey will play the fourth.

Brady Quinn, who's been somewhat in erratic in camp so far, might get an entire half Thursday night to get his rhythm going. "When we take Derek Anderson out, we'll put Brady in, maybe a half," said coach Crennel.

The change Browns have made a change in defensive coordinators from Todd Grantham to Mel Tucker.

WR Joe Jurevicius is out until November with an infected knee, while offensive lineman Ryan Tucker is expected back later this month after June hip surgery.

4-year LB David McMillan -- and not rookie Alex Hall -- gets first crack at replacing injured Antwan Peek as the strong (left) side pass rusher in nickel defenses. McMillan had been working behind the starters at strong and weak outside linebacker until Peek had arthroscopic knee surgery last week. Peek will miss the entire preseason.

Baltimore Ravens - QB Rotation: Kyle Boller (1st half), Troy Smith (3rd Q), rookie Joe Flacco (4th Q).

Kyle Boller will be the Ravens' starting quarterback. HC Harbaugh said Boller likely will go most of the first half against the Patriots. Troy Smith and first-round pick Joe Flacco will split time in the second half.

QB Smith has looked good in camp, Flacco is still up and down. Smith will start the second preseason game.

John Harbaugh is the new head coach, the former Philadelphia Eagles secondary coach. Harbaugh has never been a head coach during his 24 seasons.

Harbaugh said no one has taken the lead in the team's quarterback race. Throughout training camp, Kyle Boller, Troy Smith and Joe Flacco have rotated with the starting offense.

RB Ray Rice will start against New England, with RB Willis McGahee (knee) not 100%.

Wide receivers thin. Tight end Todd Heap (right calf) and WR Mark Clayton (sprained right shoulder) are ailing, along with WR Demetrius Williams (leg).

Harbaugh has been running the players hard, a physical practice. One team official estimated that Harbaugh has had more full-contact plays in his first week than Billick had in his entire camp last year.

New England Patriots - QB Rotation: Tom Brady, Matt Cassel, Matt Gutierrez, rookie Kevin O'Connell.

QB Tom Brady was limping in practice this weekend (calf). Cassel, Gutierrez and rookie Kevin O'Connell are all battling for the No. 2 QB job.

Offensive line thin. The Patriots' signing of veteran free-agent offensive lineman John Welbourn is an indication that the team's decision-makers have concerns with the depth along the line. They have 11 linemen, meaning only two layers of a depth chart could be filled (three layers would be ideal).

Tackle is the specific trouble spot, with Matt Light, Ryan O'Callaghan and Oliver Ross (PUP) all sidelined -- and Anthony Clement placed on injured reserve Saturday. Guard Stephen Neal is also on PUP. The second line is comprised of Barry Stokes, Dan Connolly, Russ Hochstein, Pete McMahon and Jimmy Martin and rookie free agent Ryan Wendell. Those six are likely to earn the bulk of the playing time Thursday, essentially serving as the second and third string.

K.C. Chiefs - QB Rotation: Brodie Croyle, Tyler Thigpen, Damon Huard.

Coach Herm Edwards said that Brodie Croyle's job is safe and that he will enter training camp as the starter. "It's his team now," Edwards said.

Last year's starter Damon Huard is now the No. 3 quarterback, behind second-year passer Tyler Thigpen.

The Chiefs remain impressed by rookie running back Jamaal Charles' speed.

Rookie defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, the centerpiece of their rebuilding effort, injured his left knee in practice Saturday. Dorsey won't play Thursday but Edwards said he was hopeful Dorsey could play in the against Arizona on Aug. 16. Tank Tyler, a third-round draft pick last year, will replace Dorsey in the starting lineup.

Chicago Bears - QB Rotation: Kyle Orton (1st Q), Rex Grossman (2nd Q), Caleb Hanie (see below).

QB Kyle Orton will start Thursday, with Rex Grossman also playing in the first half. HC Lovie Smith plans to play the first team the entire first half so both quarterbacks get plenty of opportunities. The two QBs will flip-flop roles next week at Seattle, with Grossman getting the starting nod.

Rookie RB Matt Forte will start this game.

O-line concerns: Rookie 1st round pick left tackle Chris Williams has a back problem and is probably out. His continued absence threatens to alter the Bears' plans for him this season.

Williams was drafted No. 14 overall in the belief he would step right in at left tackle, with John Tait shifting to the right side. John St. Clair has been working with the first team at left tackle, but odds were he'd start the season at left guard instead of Terrence Metcalf.

Injuries have hampered the offensive line from the start of camp. Center Olin Kreutz missed some time with a sore Achilles' tendon. Then Williams went down. Now Metcalf has missed the last two practices with a knee injury and wasn't at practice Sunday.

New Orleans Saints - QB Rotation: Drew Brees (1st Q), Mark Brunell (2nd Q), Tyler Palko (3rd Q).

Sean Payton said QB Drew Brees will likely play the first quarter, but could take a seat a little earlier depending on how many plays he gets. The second rotation should play sometime after that first quarter, with third-teamers taking over during the third period. Backup QB Mark Brunell may play into the third quarter before Tyler Palko finishes up.

WR Marques Colston (knee) is questionable, while WR Devery Henderson (hamstring injury) is out.

RB Deuce McAllister, TE Jeremy Shockey and CB Mike McKenzie are among the players who won't play Thursday.

To help the defense, the Saints paid particular offseason attention to the line, adding free-agent defensive end Bobby McCray and drafting defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis with the seventh overall pick. They also added cornerback Randall Gay via free agency.

Offense has new looks, with a healthy RB Deuce McAllister, new TE Jeremy Shockey, and speedy WR Robert Meachem, who was inactive for all 16 games last season.

Arizona Cardinals - QB Rotation: Matt Leinart (1-2 series), Kurt Warner (1-2 series), Brian St. Pierre, rookie Anthony Morelli.

QB Matt Leinart will start at quarterback, and Kurt Warner is likely to get some work behind the first-team line, too. That means neither quarterback is likely to play beyond two series.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt is handing off most of the offensive play-calling duties for the upcoming season to coordinator Todd Haley.

WRs thin. WR Anquan Boldin (hamstring) is not 100% and WR Early Doucet (hamstring) could miss the first preseason game.

O-line concerns: Cardinals starting center Al Johnson underwent surgery on his left knee last week, and the team is hoping he can return by the first or second game of the season. The Cardinals have taken two serious hits at center. Third-team center Scott Peters suffered a severe knee injury and is out for the season.

Backup Lyle Sendlein is a capable starter, but there isn't much depth. Coaches discussed the possibility of moving guard Elton Brown to center but decided Brown is young and needs the work at guard.
 

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Let the games begin; Lions vs. Giants


There is no better team for the Lions to face Thursday night in their exhibition opener than the New York Giants ? and not just because the Giants won the Super Bowl last season.





To coach Rod Marinelli, the Giants show how close the Lions were last season and what kind of style they want to play this season.

The Lions and Giants met at Ford Field about nine months ago, on Nov. 18. Both teams were 6-3 at the time and in the thick of the NFC playoff race. The Lions had chances to win, but they stumbled down the stretch and lost, 16-10.

In the emotional aftermath, quarterback Jon Kitna said the Lions gave away the game to a team that was not better than them.

Well, the Lions went on to finish 7-9. The Giants went on to finish 10-6 and pull off one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history, beating the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

Marinelli said he watched the tape of the Nov. 18 game Monday night. ?It?s just doing the things we?re supposed to do when we?re supposed to be doing them,? Marinelli said. ?It?s not just beating ourselves. They?re a great team, and they did a nice job, but we had penalties that hurt us bad in that game. ? We turned the ball over a couple times. You just can?t do that against a team like that.?

Marinelli appreciates the Giants? old-school approach ? limit mistakes, control the ball, control the clock, harass the passer.

?They?re not going to turn the ball over,? Marinelli said. ?They?re going to kick field goals and make their points and play tough defense. And they run the ball well.?
Even Marinelli?s emphasis on the punt team this year might be traced back to the Giants.

"He?s a defensive coach,? punter Nick Harris said. ?I think he probably saw the Super Bowl and saw the Giants? defensive line win it for them. It didn?t matter what kind of offensive power New England was. He just saw their defense win it.

?Their punter just so happened to put a couple balls out of bounds inside the 10-yard line in that game and backed them up, put them in the hole. I don?t know if that played into it, but I mean, he loves backing guys up, getting safeties.?

You could point out the Giants had pieces last season the Lions don?t have. They had Michael Strahan, a pass rusher headed to the Hall of Fame now that he is retired. They had, and still have, a quarterback with a great pedigree in Eli Manning, outstanding defensive players like Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, and so on.

But Marinelli quickly responds that the Giants lost star running back Tiki Barber to retirement and star tight end Jeremy Shockey to injury last year. Previously unknown players like running back Ahmad Bradshaw, a seventh-round pick last year, and tight end Kevin Boss, a fifth-round pick last year, helped fill the void.

?I think every rookie made their squad and contributed in some form ? offense, defense or special teams,? Marinelli said. ?That?s great. That?s great ball. ??It?s a great model for this league. I don?t know if they had all the talent of anybody in the league, but they play good team football. They play good defense. They got up the field. They ran the ball. The quarterback, when it counted the last seven or eight games, didn?t turn it over. They had few penalties, and they won. And they?re very physical, an extremely physical football team. I thought that was just an awesome job of coaching football.?

INJURY UPDATE: Linebacker Buster Davis (concussion) has been cleared to play. Linebacker Ernie Sims (knee), defensive tackle Cory Redding (groin), guard Edwin Mulitalo (elbow) and defensive tackle Langston Moore (shoulder) will be held out with minor injuries. Tight end Dan Campbell (elbow), wide receiver Shaun McDonald (knee) and safety Daniel Bullocks (knee) remain on the physically unable to perform list.
 

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Dan Orlovsky eager to prove he's 'the guy'


Dan Orlovsky doesn't want to make too big a deal out of it. It's just a game. It isn't the end of the world. He needs to stay within himself and not try to do too much to impress everyone.


If he dwells on everything, he said, it would consume him. After three years with precious little playing time -- and plenty of doubt, within and without -- now it's time to prove himself, starting with Thursday night's exhibition opener against the New York Giants.

"I'm not dumb," Orlovsky said Tuesday. "I know this league. I know it's my contract year. I know they're probably wondering what I can do, if I can be the guy.

"But it comes down to, I can't make them think I'm the guy unless I think I'm the guy. The 10 other guys on the field aren't going to think I'm the guy unless I think I'm the guy."

By "the guy," Orlovsky doesn't mean the backup quarterback. He means the starter, at least someday.

"The guy," Orlovsky said. "The guy who this organization looks to and says, 'That's our starting quarterback.' That's what I want to be. That's my goal.

"Is that going to happen? I can't tell the future. But I'm doing everything I can to make them see that, to prepare myself for that moment, so when it comes I'm ready for it."

Orlovsky may be competing against himself. Jon Kitna is a 12-year veteran and established as the starter. Drew Stanton is essentially a rookie after landing on injured reserve with a knee injury early in training camp last year.

Coach Rod Marinelli won't call this make-or-break time for Orlovsky, just a crucial phase of his development because the Lions need a solid backup.

"He's got to keep growing," Marinelli said. "Injuries in this league are like that. I don't want to miss a beat in that area."

But if Marinelli doesn't want to miss a beat, he has to know he can trust Orlovsky if Kitna goes down. And Orlovsky has to show it.

Orlovsky has attempted 17 passes in regular-season action -- none since 2005, the year the Lions drafted him in the fifth round out of Connecticut. He didn't have much of a chance to compete in the exhibition season last year.

The way Orlovsky recalls it, he took all the reps with the second team the first day of camp -- then didn't take a single rep for the next 11 days. Mike Martz, then the offensive coordinator, preferred J.T. O'Sullivan. (Both are now 49ers.)

"I was perfectly healthy," Orlovsky said. "That was a very ... probably one of the most difficult times of my life because I didn't have any answers of why. I wasn't talking to anybody. I was just trying to stay focused, keeping the faith and doing my job."

Orlovsky played in the first exhibition. The next week of practice, according to his recollection, he got maybe eight to 10 reps. Then he suffered a toe injury in the fourth quarter of the second exhibition and didn't get any reps the rest of the year.

"It's almost like I haven't played in two years, to be honest," Orlovsky said. "Trust me, it's itching.

"It was difficult for doubt not to creep in because you start to think, 'OK, why am I not playing? I haven't played. Can I play?'...

"I wouldn't say this if I didn't think it was possible, but I honestly think I can play and be good -- really, really good. I wouldn't say that if I really didn't believe it because then I'm setting myself up to be a joke, a laughingstock. But that's just what has kept me going, just knowing, 'I think I really can play.' "

Kitna was close to Martz. Stanton was not. Orlovsky is diplomatic.

"To sit here and tell you all the things I learned from him, I wouldn't have enough time," Orlovsky said. "Whether they were things that people perceived as good or bad, I learned from them."

Orlovsky said he used to feel, as a later-round pick, he needed to make an impression by making big plays. But now he wants to just manage the game, move the chains and take advantage of opportunities for big plays when they come.

He said he knows the offense better, and this summer he finally grasped the concept of letting the last play go -- good or bad -- as Marinelli teaches. He is striving to be more consistent. The time has come.

"It's just a matter of me getting an opportunity," Orlovsky said. "But then when I get that opportunity, to not give it back to anyone else."
 

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Giants Notes and Quotes:



WR Plaxico Burress? agents were in Albany yesterday and negotiations continued on into the evening, fueling speculation that a new deal could be close. ?I?m sure we?ll spend the night talking with the Giants and into (today),? said Burress? agent. ?This is the third time we?ve been up here. We?re certainly working as hard as we can to get this done.?

All four quarterbacks are scheduled to see some playing time on Thursday.

Coughlin on which young guys he wants to see in action on Thursday: ?All of these rookies, obviously. As many of the rookies as we can. I would have to say that (OT/OG) Na?Shan Goddard of late, he has had a couple pretty good days of practice, and I?m really looking forward to seeing him. (LT Guy) Whimper. People who have had some experience need to play a lot. I think when you look at our safety position, you want to see a lot of those kids play. (S Nehemiah) Warrick, you want to see him in action. Continuous advancement of (S) Michael Johnson. You want to see the running backs, which we have some depth, I want to take a real good look at Kay-Jay (Harris) and Danny Ware. Obviously those young receivers are all going to get a ton of plays.?

Coughlin on OT/OG Na?Shan Goddard: ?He has a chance to be a good player. He has had a couple of days here of late which have been very good in terms of putting together his assignments and his responsibilities and playing with a little power as well. We are trying like heck to see his advancement, hopefully it will continue.?

Linebackers Coach Bill Sheridan on rookie linebackers Bryan Kehl and Jonathan Goff: ?They?re both really smart, so they?ve picked up the defense. They can learn in the classroom and then go out and apply it to the field, which is really encouraging. They both can run and Bryan can really run, he?s a really good athlete, which is what we thought when we drafted him. Even in the padded practices we?ve had, even though we don?t technically scrimmage and tackle, they?ve demonstrated that they?re both going to be physical. You know, they?ll come up and punch blockers and get off blocks and that kind of stuff. I think both him and Jon are going to be excellent players, I really do. They?re showing to be good picks.?
 

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Cards focus on flag-free preseason opener




GLENDALE ? Of the Arizona Cardinals' eight losses last year, six were by seven points or fewer. And Lyle Sendlein thinks he knows one reason why.
The team finished at the bottom of the NFL in both total penalties and yardage lost to penalties. The 137 flags cost the team 1,128 yards last season ? or 94 fewer yards than Edgerrin James' season rushing total (1,222).
"Some of those penalties might have made the difference," said Sendlein, who is the starting center until injured Al Johnson (knee) returns.
Coaches and players were not oblivious to the issue last season, and mistakes ? or striving for a lack thereof ? are a top priority through training camp.
A chance for progress comes today in the preseason opener against New Orleans on ESPN.
"There's going to be mistakes; I've said it before," quarterback Matt Leinart said. "Everyone knows there's going to be mistakes. We just have to limit those mistakes and penalties, and it starts in preseason: The snap count, all the guys getting lined up, all those little things."
Coach Ken Whisenhunt has talked this week about training camp being better than last year's edition, when players and coaches were still getting accustomed to new philosophies and playbooks.
He said he has seen quicker, more efficient practices, and, with most of his players in their second go-round with his staff, fewer errors and less hesitation.
"I think the guys get it," Leinart said. "(Penalties) are going to happen, but if we can clean it up ? It starts in practice, and it starts Thursday night."
It is also why they play these games, the first of four designed to take stock of a roster and grease up any squeaky wheels.
"That's what preseason is for, to get mistakes and those things out of the way," Sendlein said.
While penalties are a focus, the coaching staff is also looking forward to analyzing several situations:
● With Anquan Boldin sitting out tonight, how will Steve Breaston fare as the No. 2 receiver?
● Has Antrel Rolle grasped the move from cornerback to safety? Is he a possible kick returner alongside Breaston?
● Will any of the rookies and free agent acquisitions make a good first impression on the offensive line?
● How does the team respond to finally hitting someone else?
"I'd like to see the guys out there under the lights and see how they react in different situations," defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast said.
"It's obviously different in practice."
 

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What to watch in the New Orleans Saints-Arizona Cardinals game


by Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune

FIRST QUARTER ?
Two years ago, Reggie Bush cranked the hype even higher when he broke off a 44-yard run in the preseason opener at Tennessee. He needs another highlight like that to get people believing again. Tonight will be the first real opportunity to see how fast and fluid Bush looks heading into Year 3, because the Saints don't do much full-speed, full-contact work in practice.

SECOND QUARTER
Tonight is expected to be a big audition for second-year cornerback Usama Young. He'll be the No. 3 corner while veteran Mike McKenzie is out with a knee injury. Young will join the first-teamers in the nickel package, then line up in base defense with the backups. From top to bottom, the Saints' cornerback competition is more jumbled than any other position battle.


THIRD QUARTER
There is a battle going on at defensive tackle, as well. Tonight will be our first look at rookie Sedrick Ellis against live competition. He's likely to start alongside Kendrick Clancy while Brian Young is out with a knee injury, but veterans Hollis Thomas and Antwan Lake will rotate into the mix. And we might even get a glimpse of the much-anticipated pass-rushing package where end Charles Grant slides inside to tackle.

FOURTH QUARTER
Second-year quarterback Tyler Palko has struggled during training camp, but last year he was at his best during game action. He's an instinctive player, although he tends to take off running before he gets too deep into his progressions. He's expected to play most of the second half after Drew Brees plays the first quarter and Mark Brunell plays the second.
 

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Kansas City:

Five things to watch in tonight?s Chiefs-Bears game


The three QBs
Brodie Croyle still hasn?t won a game as the Chiefs? starter, so don?t tell him the preseason doesn?t count. Croyle and the Chiefs would love any kind of win, and a few early passing touchdowns would help endear Croyle?s teammates to the young passer. Backup Tyler Thigpen also needs to show why coaches promoted him past veteran Damon Huard.

the RETURN OF Larry Johnson
The Chiefs? veteran running back says he is 100 percent after missing the second half of last season because of a foot injury. Johnson needs to prove he can carry the full load of carries and, although he?ll come out after 20 or so snaps, remind everyone he?s the same old LJ.

The offensive line
Last year?s line was old, tired and ineffective. The Chiefs spent the offseason overhauling the line, but with rookie left tackle Branden Albert likely out for the preseason because of a sprained foot, the team won?t be able to build the continuity coach Herm Edwards wants. With Albert out, veteran guard Brian Waters has to hold down the left side.

The Chiefs? young players
About half the Chiefs didn?t experience last year?s nine-game losing streak, and that?s probably a good thing. The Chiefs are trying to start fresh and build chemistry. Tonight?s game will be the first look at whether this year?s team is positioned for a different kind of season than 2007.

Rookie CB Brandon Flowers
The rookie cornerback will start on the right side tonight, and he?ll be the Chiefs? highest draft pick in the starting lineup. Edwards expects Flowers to be a starter for a long time, and Flowers will have a chance to show off against the Bears? suspect passing game.
 

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Most Chiefs starters may get extended playing time against the Bears



Four exhibition games are usually plenty for most NFL teams, but this preseason can?t possibly be long enough for the Chiefs.

?I wish we had five or six preseason games,? said wide receivers coach Eric Price, who is busy sorting through several candidates for playing time. ?I?d like to just keep on playing those things.?

Price?s wish is shared by each of the Chiefs? coaches, Herm Edwards included. So don?t expect the exhibition norm ? one, perhaps two series and finished for the starters ? in tonight?s preseason opener against the Bears at Soldier Field.

Excepting selected veterans like Tony Gonzalez and Larry Johnson, Edwards indicated most starters could expect extended playing time, which he didn?t define. All of their new components, particularly on offense, demand it, he said.

?The young guys need to play a lot,? Edwards said. ?It?s according to what kind of team you?ve got. That?s the point we?re at right now. We?re not a veteran football team anymore. We?re the other way, so these guys have to play a lot.

?The way they learn the best is by playing. The more we can put them in game situations ? playing Chicago will be another step for them ? it helps a lot of guys learn that all of a sudden teams do things differently than the guys you see every day (in practice).

?That?s what you have to adjust to. That?s the thing about pro football for young guys. They have to adjust to what the other team is doing, the speed of the other guy you?re playing against. When you practice against the same guy every day, you kind of understand the tempo, you kind of understand the guy. When you play against somebody new, for a young guy, it?s a whole different experience.

?I like what we?ve done so far. We?ve still got a long way to go.?

On offense alone, the Chiefs have a new coordinator and system, a quarterback beginning his first full season as a starter, an offensive line featuring three new starters and a fourth in a different position, a new starting wide receiver and a new fullback.

The Chiefs barely had time to make introductions in their two weeks of training camp. It?s little wonder that the new coordinator, Chan Gailey, said his biggest concern was getting his starters enough preseason time together.

?We need to play together as a unit more than we have in years past in preseason ballgames,? Gailey said. ?The only way to create consistency is to have guys play together. We have to try to get that done and yet be smart about it at the same time.?

Edwards is hoping the Chiefs, unlike in either of his first two seasons, can come out of the preseason with some momentum. They had disjointed preseasons in each of the last two years and then started the regular season slowly.

They gave many of their preseason snaps last year to Casey Printers and Jeff Terrell, two quarterbacks who didn?t make it with the Chiefs to the regular season.

This year, most of the work will go to Brodie Croyle and Tyler Thigpen, their two top quarterbacks.

?Hopefully, we?ll play just until we get in there and get rolling and kind of get some momentum going into the next week,? Croyle said. ?We probably need to play a little bit more than normal with a new offense, a new offensive line and everybody trying to get their timing together. It might be two series, it might be four series. You never really know until you get out there.?

Edwards indicated the loss of rookie left tackle Branden Albert, who won?t play because of a sprained foot, wouldn?t impact how much Croyle would play.

?We?ll just have to make sure we do some things to protect him,? Edwards said. ?When you run (bootlegs and rollouts), that always protects your quarterbacks some. With that in your offense, it gives you the ability to protect your quarterback just by doing that.?

The Chiefs want to get a long look at a rebuilt offensive line which includes two players who have never started an NFL game (left tackle Herb Taylor and center Rudy Niswanger) and one who has never played in a game for the Chiefs (guard Adrian Jones).

They will start a new fullback in Chris Manderino, a new wide receiver in Devard Darling and a rookie slot receiver in Will Franklin.

?Hopefully, our guys will get a chance to make some plays,? Price said. ?They need the chance to be tested in a game. Right now, I?ve got a pretty good feel for what they can do on the practice field. Now I need to see who can do it when the lights come on.?
 

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Crennel looking for team cohesion

Preseason games key for coach to determine how new additions fit in






BEREA: Cohesion.

That is a word Browns coach Romeo Crennel has used and something he will be looking for as his team begins the preseason schedule at 7:30 tonight against the New York Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

With all the personnel moves during the offseason, especially on defense, Crennel and his staff need to see how the new additions work together during the four-game run up to the regular season.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Browns brought in Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams on the line and Terry Cousin in the secondary. They also added linebackers Beau Bell and Alex Hall through the draft.

''I want to see how the new people fit in with the team because we've got some new guys from other teams. We've got some young rookies, so I want to see how the new guys fit,'' Crennel said.

Of particular interest to the Browns' fourth-year coach: how the rookies respond to their first taste of game action.

''I want to see how the rookies react to the environment with people in the stands and it actually counting,'' Crennel said. ''Also in the preseason, the tempo of the game increases. . . . So I want to see how they handle that. Will they hit? That becomes an important thing ? and how they handle getting hit.''

Left tackle Joe Thomas remembers going into last season's opener with a touch of nervousness. But for the most part, players this year said they're eager to get on the field and start popping bodies that don't belong to their teammates.

''It'll definitely be a relief,'' cornerback Eric Wright said.


'' . . . We're just looking to get better so we can get some different competition, so we can see a few different wide receivers.''

This year might be different from other opening preseason games for the Browns, primarily because the starting roles are all but locked up. When Crennel and his crew analyze game film, they will be looking for a third wide receiver and depth in the defensive backfield.

Travis Wilson, a third-year receiver out of Oklahoma, knows the stakes in these games.

''Football is fun in T-shirts and shorts and running against one another, but to see someone else out there, that's just going to raise the stakes higher and it's just going to be good to be out there,'' he said.

Quarterback Brady Quinn could find himself looking for Wilson a lot, as he also is expected to see significant playing time. Quinn has had an inconsistent training camp and is looking forward to getting back on the field.

''The biggest thing is getting back into it, getting that overall feel for being out there on the field,'' he said. ''I got limited time out there last year. My biggest thing is getting more time and experience.''
For the team's starters, tonight's rehearsal against the Jets will serve as a way to knock the cobwebs out of their heads. Jamal Lewis said that more than anything, it helps him to get into shape mentally as well as physically.

''I just take it as going out there and playing against another opponent, working on some of the things that you are lacking because being a starter, I don't get that many reps in practice, but going out in a game, I really want to freshen up on some things that I really want to work on,'' he said.



Lewis not only is looking forward to delivering hits, but also to refining his pass blocking and his blitz pickups.

Wide receiver Braylon Edwards said more than anything, the game will give him a chance to work on those fine points with quarterback Derek Anderson.

''Preseason games are always really good for getting a change from your defense, getting a chance to see a live coverage and a difference, but at the same time we're working on us,'' Edwards said. ''The biggest thing for us is to be on our page, not really try to be on the Jets' page and see what they're going to try to do, but what we're going to do [tonight] and the rest of camp.''
 

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With no line, all bets are off tonight

Bears won't be able to judge Rex, Kyle, Forte if blocking is not there



There is just no way for the Bears to win tonight in their preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Oh, they should win the game. They should win it big, but doing so might create a false impression and unrealistic expectations for a team that still needs to settle key positions on offense. If the Bears win a close game or find a way to lose, then those tornado sirens you heard the other night ought to be sounded again, for potential disaster is afoot.The Chiefs, who lost their final nine games last season and traded away their best defensive player -- end Jared Allen, who now will torment the Bears with the Minnesota Vikings -- are embracing a word banished from the Bears' lexicon: ''rebuilding.''

For those who have forgotten what the word means, the Chiefs are turning over their roster and enduring extensive change as a means to construct a winning team in the future. They are young. They are beaten up at the moment. They shouldn't be much of a challenge for a Bears team that claims it can win with either of its two quarterbacks and four wide receivers in battles for starting jobs.

And that's really why the Bears can't win tonight. Their offensive line is so uncertain, it might hinder the evaluation of those positions and limit an important opportunity for rookie running back Matt Forte to prepare for the season.

''We need to see [Forte],'' offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. ''We are very pleased with everything he has done to this point, but we need to see him. He needs to play.''

Turner said he'd like to see Forte get 10 carries tonight to prepare him for the kind of contact he'll be facing on a weekly basis.

''It's a different speed, a different game in a way, and we have to see him play,'' Turner said.
All bets are off without a line

Preseason games are crucial for the Bears because they offer the only true simulation of an NFL game in terms of a realistic judgment in the quarterback duel between Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman. They can't determine which receivers should start if the passing game is limited to three-step drops. And they can't figure out what they have at running back if there are no holes to hit.

The Bears' blocking woes aren't limited to line concerns. They also lost their best blocking receiver, Muhsin Muhammad, and their best blocking tight end, John Gilmore, in the offseason.

Will Forte be able to show his stuff behind an line that is ''rebuilding''? Right now the line looks strong on the right side and questionable on the left. John St. Clair is solid at left tackle, but he's supposed to be starting at left guard with rookie Chris Williams lining up at left tackle. Williams buckled with a back problem during his first practice and hasn't been able to play since.

The Chiefs have similar problems with their vaunted rookie class. Defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, the fifth overall selection in April, is out with a knee injury that will sideline him until at least next week, and No.15 pick Branden Albert, a college guard who will play left tackle in the NFL, is out with a sprained foot. Albert was selected one pick after Williams, so the two will be compared throughout their careers. So far, they're running neck-and-neck in the training room.

Terrence Metcalf, who was scheduled to start at left guard for the Bears, will miss tonight's game with a knee injury that is likely to sideline him for some time. The Bears will fill the spot with an assortment of players who have been in the program, including Josh Beekman, Anthony Oakley and Tyler Reed.
Full-speed ahead for Forte

The endorsement Turner gave Reed could be applied to any of the who's-that collection at left guard.

''Tyler? We've had a long look at him. We've had three years of looking at him,'' Turner said. ''We're going to look at him. We'll see.''

Forte said his parents will attend because it's his first NFL game and first performance at Soldier Field, albeit in an exhibition.

''We don't tackle full speed in practice, but we hit,'' Forte said. ''The only difference is in the [preseason] games, they are going to be coming full speed and they will tackle low. We don't tackle low in practice. We hit up high.''

Forte chuckled when asked if he needs to get hit to understand the different angles at which defenders will come from in the NFL, compared with the competition he faced at Tulane .

''The goal is always not to get tackled because if you don't get tackled, you are still running,'' Forte said.

A valid point but an unrealistic goal, especially given the Bears' problems on the offensive line.
 
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