saturday rotation...

[IE]

Miami Dolphins - QB Rotation: Jay Fielder (1-2 series), A.J. Feeley, (will follow and play through the third quarter), Sage Rosenfels (4 Q), Clint Stoerner.

QB Jay Fiedler will start Saturday, but A.J. Feeley will receive the majority of the playing time, coach Dave Wannstedt said. "I want to see A.J. more," he said. Fiedler will play "a couple series in the first quarter," and then Feeley will play the remainder of the first half and the third quarter.

The first two preseason games have made clear to the Dolphins what most experts predicted when Ricky Williams retired: The team needs help at running back. Travis Minor has had little opportunity to make plays and has gained a total of 15 yards on 13 carries. Those modest numbers are partially the fault of an offensive line that has played poorly.

Wannstedt said the safety battle between Arturo Freeman and Antuan Edwards remains unresolved. Edwards appears to be the front-runner. They will split first-team repetitions this week.

Tampa Bay Bucs - QB Rotation: QB Brad Johnson (1 Q+), Chris Simms (2 Q+), Brian Griese (3 Q+), Jason Garrett.

QB Brad Johnson, who has attempted only eight passes in the preseason, will open against the Dolphins, followed by second-year pro Chris Simms and veteran Brian Griese.

With the exception of Shelton Quarles (broken wrist), a slew of injured defensive starters are expected to make their preseason debuts against Miami. ``We want to get a healthy nucleus of veteran players so we can see them play together,'' Coach Jon Gruden said Saturday.

WR Joey Galloway missed his third consecutive practice with a sore groin and Jon Gruden said there's a "good chance" he won't play Saturday.

Offensive line moves: G Matt Stinchcomb (strained calf) will start at left guard Saturday and Cosey Coleman will move over to right guard. It's not a permanent switch, but since Stinchcomb missed the first two preseason games, the Bucs want to get a look at him on the left side.

Wide receiver thin: Keenan McCardell (holdout), Joe Jurevicius (knee), Charles Lee (Hamstring) and Joey Galloway (Knee) are ailing or missing.

Secondary thin.

Cincinnati Bengals - QB Rotation: Carson Palmer (first half and into the 3rd Q), Jon Kitna (3 Q+), rookie Casey Bramlet.

QB Carson Palmer will play into the third quarter Saturday. Coach Marvin Lewis announced that Palmer would go through halftime and start the third quarter against the Falcons. Quarterback Scott Rislov was released this week. Casey Bramlet has won the job of third quarterback.

Linebackers thin.

Wide receiver Kelley Washington twisted an ankle didn't practice Tuesday. WR Peter Warrick (knee) is "probable" Saturday at Atlanta, coach Marvin Lewis said.

Rookie Kyle Larson is only healthy punter in training camp. Incumbent punter Kyle Richardson tore a biceps muscle in the preseason opener Aug. 16 at Tampa Bay and underwent surgery.

Atlanta Falcons - QB Rotation: Michael Vick, Ty Detmer, rookie Matt Schaub (see QB situation below).

QB Michael Vick practiced Wednesday, saying his strained right hamstring is "about 90 percent." All 22 offensive and defensive starters are expected to be available, and most of them will play the entire first half. "Don't be surprised to see some starters still out there for a series in the second half," coach Jim Mora said.

Vick has been bothered by a sore right hamstring in practice this week. Backup Matt Schaub, a rookie draft choice out of Virginia, will likely see a wealth of snaps after a sensational outing against the Vikings. Detmer, who did not appear last week, is still officially listed as the No. 2 quarterback.

While starters might play into the second half Saturday, the Bengals won't see much of what the Falcons will use on Sundays this fall. "We still don't want to show a lot of our stuff; we'll hold back a lot of stuff for the regular season. We're not going to show as many formations, or some of our blitz stuff."

Defensive line ailing: Starting left DE Patrick Kerney returned after missing a week with a sprained right knee. He expects to play Saturday, but the team's top three right ends are all out. Two top defensive reserves, right end Karon Riley and MLB Jamie Duncan, will miss three weeks after suffering injuries last week.

Reserve CB Allen Rossum, who was second in the NFL to Kansas City's Dante Hall with a 14-yard average on punt returns last season, will return punts Saturday for the first time this preseason, and perhaps for the entire game. WRs Michael Jenkins and Woody Dantzler will handle kickoffs.

Detroit Lions - QB Rotation: Joey Harrington, Rick Mirer, Mike McMahon, Curt Anes (exact amount of playing time still to be determined).

RBs Kevin Jones and Artose Pinner are likely to get work in more than just the base two-back offensive formations. Steve Mariucci wants to get them familiar with the blocking responsibilities in the one-back sets, possibly beginning as soon as Saturday.

The defense is more worrisome for Coach Steve Mariucci. Three linebackers who were counted on for playing time ? Boss Bailey, James Davis and rookie Alex Lewis ? are injured. Lewis, who is been idle with an ankle sprain for two weeks, is easing back into workouts but isn't likely to be ready until at least the season opener Sept. 12. Only Davis has played in the exhibition season, and he went out in the Cleveland game because of a sprained right ankle.

Free safety Brock Marion is the only starter in the secondary who has played, and he did not play against Cleveland because of a shoulder injury. Mariucci is being ultraconservative with his defensive backs. The starters in the secondary - CBs Fernando Bryant and Dre' Bly, safeties Brian Walker and Brock Marion - will play at Baltimore, Mariucci said.

Earl Holmes will be in the middle at Baltimore on Saturday, but there will be new starters on both sides of him. Donte Curry has moved from the strong side to the weak side. Rookie Teddy Lehman has practiced on the weak side for two days. Lehman had been working in the middle, but injuries to Boss Bailey, James Davis and Alex Lewis forced a realignment. Defensive end Kalimba Edwards will not play against Baltimore on Saturday.

The Lions have a new defensive coordinator in Dick Jauron.

Baltimore Ravens - QB Rotation: Kyle Boller, Kordell Stewart, rookie Josh Harris (exact amount of playing time still to be determined).

QB Anthony Wright (shoulder) is still not available.

The Ravens are without defensive end Marques Douglas (elbow) and linebacker Peter Boulware (knee).

Secondary thin: CB Fred Weary (quadriceps) is hurting and CB Chris McAlister (contract dispute) is still not in camp. CB Corey Fuller (bruised leg) is questionable.

Offensive line got bad news when starting Ravens center Mike Flynn broke his collarbone during Monday practice and will miss six to eight weeks.

WRs Travis Taylor (groin) and Devard Darling (quadriceps) did not practice, increasing the likelihood that both may be sidelined for Saturday's game. DE Tony Weaver (ankle), CB Corey Fuller (bruised leg) and TE Todd Heap (shoulder) are questionable for the game.

 

[IE]

New England Patriots - QB Rotation: Tom Brady, Rohan Davey, Kliff Kingsbury (exact amount of playing time still to be determined).

"We've got to show the ability to do the fundamental things right consistently before anything else can happen," Bill Belichick said. "We didn't do a very good job with those last night at all."

Whenever LB Tedy Bruschi hears Belichick talking about getting back to "basics" and "fundamentals," he knows that means only one thing. "We're going to hit," Bruschi said. And so it was, as Bruschi and his teammates geared up for a full-pad, full-contact practice at Gillette Stadium. The players donned their equipment knowing Belichick would turn up the heat after an embarrassing 31-3 preseason loss in Cincinnati last Saturday.

There were a couple of healthy signs in the Patriot locker room. Richard Seymour was offended when a reporter commented that the defense in Cincinnati was sieve-like. And QB Tom Brady did not come out to talk at all, perhaps a somber demonstration that it's time for everybody to get back to work.

The passing game was disappointing for the second straight game. Tom Brady was 8-for-13 for 126 yards and one interception and backup Rohan Davey played poorly again.

The Pats haven't stopped the run yet. The Bengals' starting backs - Rudi Johnson and Kevin Watson - rolled over the Pats for 114 yards on 23 carries last week. That has led to some questions on the defensive line, where newcomers such as Keith Traylor and rookies Vince Wilfork and Marquise Hill have been adjusting to the Pats' 3-4 scheme. Belichick's defense is predicated on gap control, which means it's imperative that the linebackers "fit" behind the defensive linemen.

Carolina Panthers - QB Rotation: Jake Delhomme (first half and into the third), Chris Weinke (3 Q+), Rod Rutherford.

This is a rematch of the Super Bowl.

Expect Carolina's starters, who played the first half of Thursday's 27-20 victory against the Giants, to get about three quarters of work against New England. Coach John Fox said, "We will go a little bit longer with the starters than we did last week and have an opportunity to come out after halftime and get the feel of that as we prepare for the regular season."

Carolina Panthers defensive end Kavika Pittman will miss the season after tearing a ligament in his left knee.

Carolina's offensive line thin: Two Carolina starters ? Tutan Reyes and Matt Willig ? were carted off the field Sunday. Reyes was initially diagnosed with a sprained ankle, and Willig with a bruised knee. Reyes' injury appeared to be the more serious of the two. He left the field in obvious pain and was barely able to put any pressure on his left leg. The defending NFC champs can't afford any more injuries on the offensive line. Willig was Carolina's second-string right tackle, but was pressed into duty after free agent Adam Meadows' abruptly retired two weeks ago. Meadows had signed a five-year, $15 million contract in the offseason and was brought in to replace Todd Steussie, who was released. Right guard Kevin Donnalley also retired.

Fighting words: "It's going to be Super Bowl 2, Round 2," safety Mike Minter said. "We're going to be jacked. I can tell you that right now." "If you think this is just a preseason game, you're mistaken," said Carolina defensive lineman Brentson Buckner. "It's going to be a war. They've got the Lombardi Trophy. You want to be able to play against the best in the preseason because then you find out where you stack up." Said WR Steve Smith, "Some people are going to have to bring their lunch pails. It's going to be a construction zone."

Buffalo Bills - QB Rotation: Drew Bledsoe, Travis Brown, Greg Zolman (exact amount of playing time still to be determined).

First-round draft choice J.P. Losman, the heir apparent to Drew Bledsoe, will miss at least the first half of his rookie season after he fractured his left fibula Tuesday during practice. Losman won't make any impact after breaking his left fibula. He may be back for the final six weeks of the year, where he can resume his apprenticeship on the scout team.

The Bills haven't ruled out signing another quarterback, but for now they are prepared to finish up the preseason with Bledsoe, Brown and Zolman. Although Losman's injury is a setback in terms of his development, it won't have a major impact on the depth chart. Brown is entrenched as the No. 2 QB. He has had a good training camp, earning praise from the coaching staff.

Bills running back Travis Henry bruised his ribs in Saturday's preseason game against Tennessee. RB Willis McGahee may get his first start.

Rookie wide receiver Lee Evans started last Saturday's game, but WR Josh Reed worked with the first team Monday.

Mike Mularkey is in his first year as head coach, Jerry Gray is the new defensive coordinator, and Tom Clements is the new offensive coordinator.

Indianapolis Colts - QB Rotation: Peyton Manning (into the third quarter), Corey Sauter (3 Q), Jim Sorgi (4 Q), Joe Hamilton.

The No. 1 offensive and defensive units will see their most extensive action of the preseason Saturday. Each group likely will play into the third quarter. "It's this week that we'd like to get geared in and play real well and get that feel of playing into the third quarter and making adjustments at halftime," Tony Dungy said.

Backup RB Dominic Rhodes has missed the first two preseason games while nursing a minor groin injury. He anticipates a heavy workload Saturday against Buffalo. Dungy mentioned the plan is for Rhodes to get approximately 12 carries. Also expected to play are TE Dallas Clark (ankle) and WR Brandon Stokley (hamstring).

The Colts' second and third teams have allowed 10 sacks in two games.

The Colts defense has allowed four touchdowns and 648 yards in two preseason games. Opposing quarterbacks have completed 77.1 percent of their passes.

Secondary thin. Safety Idrees Bashir (ribs) is out along with rookie Bob Sanders. This means more playing time for Anthony Floyd, Cory Bird, Eli Ward and Waine Bacon.

Injuries have begun to crop up. WR Troy Walters will miss three months with a broken right arm. Rookie LB Gilbert Gardner is out (sprained right ankle), and starting safeties Idrees Bashir (ribs) and Mike Doss (Achilles) missed the Jets game and may be out this week.

Cleveland Browns - QB Rotation: Jeff Garcia, Kelly Holcomb, Todd Husak, Nate Hybl and rookie Luke McCown (exact amount of playing time still to be determined).

In two preseason games, RB Lee Suggs has 87 yards on 11 rushes.

Courtney Brown has been working inside as a defensive tackle, mostly on passing downs in the nickel rush package. "It's an exploratory deal," Butch Davis said. "We're taking a look at it to see what it looks like."

Secondary thin: CB Michael Lehan (left mid-foot sprain) will have his cast removed Sunday but probably will miss the rest of the preseason. Safety Chris Crocker has been limited this week because of the concussion suffered against Detroit.

Butch Davis would not say who will start at left guard, Paul Zukauskas or Enoch Demar.

K.C. Chiefs - QB Rotation: Trent Green, Todd Collins, Damon Huard and Casey Clausen (exact amount of playing time still to be determined).

This is a short week for KC, after beating St. Louis 24-7 on Monday (August 23).

The Chiefs practiced without two offensive starters, tackle Willie Roaf and WR Johnnie Morton. Roaf has a sore knee and Morton's sore Achilles' tendon may not allow him to return for a month or more. LBs Mike Maslowski and Kawika Mitchell are unlikely to play.

New defensive philosophy: New cooordinator Gunther Cunningham said, "The general philosophy of going after the opposing quarterback will not change. My history of that is: ?You want to throw it, we're coming.'" Cunningham attacked Rams QB Marc Bulger out of the slot with nickel corner William Bartee, brought blitzes by safeties Harts and Wesley and sprinkled in direct-or delayed-blitzes by his LBs throughout the half.

Secondary getting better, though banged up a bit: CB Dexter McCleon (shoulder) did not play Monday, but Dick Vermeil said McCleon would have played had it been a regular-season game. Safety Greg Wesley rolled an ankle Monday but it is not serious. Safety Jerome Woods (hamstring) could return to practice this week and play Saturday against Cleveland. Woods has been out since the second week of training camp.

 

[IE]

Oakland - QB Rotation: Rich Gannon, Kerry Collins, Marques Tuiasosopo, Tee Martin (exact amount of playing time still to be determined).

QB Rich Gannon played the entire first half last week, much longer than coach Norv Turner predicted.

Running back Amos Zereoue returned to full-scale practice after missing more than a week (bruised knee). He said he expects to play Saturday against Arizona.

Linebacker corps thin: Starter DeLawrence Grant is out (arthroscopic knee surgery.) Grant is the third Raiders linebacker to undergo surgery in the past two weeks, joining starting inside LB Napoleon Harris and fellow outside LB Sam Williams. Grant is expected to miss four weeks. All these injuries have thrown a kink into the Raiders' plans to rely heavily on the 3-4 defense.

CB Charles Woodson has ended his holdout but will not play this weekend.

Arizona Cardinals - QB Rotation: Josh McCown, Shaun King, rookie John Navarre, Chris Lewis (exact amount of playing time still to be determined).

Wide receivers thin: WR Bryant Johnson (foot), Anquan Boldin (knee) are out, while rookie Larry Fitzgerald (sprained left ankle) is unlikely to play. "Bryant and Johnson will be ready for the first game of the season, and maybe can get a little action beforehand, or maybe they don't," said Dennis Green. The current wide receiver starters are Karl Williams, Kevin Kasper and Bryan Gilmore. They added WRs Scotty Anderson and Lawrence Hamilton off the waiver wire Tuesday.

Running back Marcel Shipp (knee) is out.

Asked about the shortage of wide outs, QB Josh McCown said to reporters, "If you guys have gloves and cleats and want to come out and catch some balls . . . "

DE Kenny King (wrist) is likely out for the year. FB James Hodgins (shoulder) is expected to miss about a month. SS Dexter Jackson (back), WR Bryant Johnson (foot), WR Larry Fitzgerald (ankle), WR Anquan Boldin (knee), RB Marcel Shipp (ankle, fractured fibula), OT L.J. Shelton (back), WR Nate Poole (shoulder), OLB Karlos Dansby (hamstring) missed practice Tuesday.

 

[SPIDER]

thanks for the info, this stuff really helps out

spider

 

[Dogphish]

Second the motion

Second the motion

Thank you for posting this, saves a ton of s :thumb: urfing

 

[Betone]

Thanks for the info...... I feel that Tampa Bay's Qb deepth will cover the -3 in this game..... Thanks again for this helpful info. GL