NFL Preseason Schedule: Top-5 Must Watch Games of Week 1 by Joe Wedra 4h ago As the 2015 NFL season approaches, we’re digging in every area to get us ready for the year. When taking a brief look at the NFL preseason schedule it’s hard to ignore the impressive potential that Week One of the exhibitions will bring us.Yet another rookie class will bring us yet another star-studded group to watch through the preseason. Because of that, we’ll count down the must-watch games while you wait for the season to get rolling.We start with Week 1, and we begin first with game number 5.
Game 5 Week OneNew England Patriots vs. Green Bay PackersFor once, the world will be watching the New England Patriots for a quarterback performance from a guy not named Tom Brady.This will be a nice test run for Jimmy Garoppolo, a guy you’d expect to see the majority of the reps from. It’s no secret that the team wants to give him every opportunity possible — this will be a nice stage for the kid to get his feet wet a bit.On the Packers side, it’ll be nice to see several young rookies make their NFL debuts. Perhaps nobody will be on the forefront of conversation more than former UCLA QB Brett Hundley.The youngster will be, likely, taking his first snaps against some other youngsters in New England, including second-round “reach” Jordan Richards.A nice little subplot here lies within the Green Bay defense. After just one year of football, CB Quinten Rollins went for the NFL Draft and found his team. Now, the second-round pick will have to battle against some impressive young guns for the Patriots. It should be a very nice test early.
Game 4 Week OneNew York Jets vs. Detroit LionsHere’s a nice sleeper game that will feature a boatload of impressive rookies. The Jets will send Bryce Petty to the field for the first time to work with former Ohio State deep threat WR Devin Smith. The duo will be working against an improved Detroit defense that added impressive depth to the secondary.Jim Caldwell and DC Teryl Austin will unveil a new-look defense that consists of two former Baltimore Ravens starters, LB Josh Bynes and DT Haloti Ngata.For the Jets, all eyes will be locked on the front-seven. NFL Draft additions Leonard Williams and Lorenzo Mauldin are highly-touted. They’ll want to impress in their first game against fellow rookie RB Ameer Abdullah.Oh, and that Darrelle Revis guy? He’s back with Gang Green.A potential first series of Megatron visiting Revis Island?Yes please.
Game 3 Week OnePhiladelphia Eagles vs. Indianapolis ColtsTEBOW. TEBOW. TEBOW.Don’t get too excited about anything else this weekend: the Tim Tebow train rolls into town Sunday August 16th at 1:00pm ET ready to roll.In all honesty, this should be a good one. The Philadelphia depth on offense almost seems too good to be true. It’s a pre-season dream team. For now, they’ll provide a few nice storylines leading in, one that focuses on rookie WR Nelson Agholor.On the Indianapolis side, we’ll get to see arguably the best receiving corps in the NFL take the field. On defense it’ll be Trent Cole and Nate Irving making their Colts debut, along with rookies CB D’Joun Smith and DL Henry Anderson.A nice little sub-plot is “NFL Draft Sleeper of the Year” candidate (if it were an award) RB Josh Robinson out of Mississippi State. The bowling ball style RB has the potential to thrive in a major way in the Indy offense, stealing a roster spot with a nice preseason campaign.
Game 2 Week OneWashington Redskins vs. Cleveland BrownsIt’ll be nice to see Johnny Manziel take the field again for the Browns after spending some of the offseason in rehab. The 2nd-year QB, for all intents and purposes, has a chance at starting for the team and it’ll be interesting to get a glance at his improvements on the field.Also of note for Cleveland, two rookies: OLB Nate Orchard and DT Danny Shelton. Continuing to build on an already stout defensive front was important for the team, and they were able to do just that in the first two rounds of the Draft.On Washington’s side, it’ll be two interesting pieces on offense, OT Brandon Scherff and WR Jamison Crowder. Both have the opportunity to be impact players from the beginning with the Redskins, and both have extremely high expecations in a year that could be Robert Griffin III’s last. For RGIII to stick, both Scherff and Crowder will have to handle their business in a big way.
Game 1 Week OneTampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Minnesota VikingsIt’s Jameis Winston’s NFL preseason world, and we’re all living in it.The rookie from Florida State will get his chance to burst onto the NFL scene against Minnesota, a team which picked up a few significant starters on offense.Aside from Winston, they could be the ones to watch. CB Trae Waynes and Terence Newman will be roaming the secondary for Minnesota along with fourth-year guy Josh Robinson.Winston will get his test — one he could ace with the weapons around him.Two sleeper WRs to watch: rookies Kaelin Clay and Kenny Bell.link
