FOR USE AS DESIRED
         NFL-PRE-3        8/13/02

 

FOUR NATIONAL TV GAMES HIGHLIGHT PRESEASON WEEK 2

 Four games will be televised nationally this week – the most of any 2002 preseason week.  And each game has its own interesting scenario.

In Tennessee on Thursday night (ESPN, 8:00 PM ET), the Titans will host the Oakland Raiders, and two quarterbacks who are not afraid to run will see action – the Raiders’ RICH GANNON and the Titans’ STEVE MC NAIR.

The 15-year veteran Gannon surprised people three years ago when he took over as the Oakland starter, and took off on a run if the play wasn’t there.  Now defenses have to be wary of such a threat – even if it’s coming from a 36-year old quarterback.  Gannon was the Raiders’ third leading rusher last year with 231 yards.

For the Titans, it’s almost a surprise if their QB doesn’t run.  McNair – entering his eighth season – leads all QBs over the past five seasons in rushing – 2,397 yards -- and this year can become only the fifth quarterback in history – after JOHN ELWAY, FRAN TARKENTON, STEVE YOUNG and RANDALL CUNNINGHAM -- to throw for 18,000 yards and rush for 3,000 in a career. 

“A mobile quarterback puts a lot of pressure on the defense,” says McNair.

In St. Louis on Friday night (FOX, 8:00 PM ET), two “dominators” -- on both sides of the ball -- will meet for the first time.

It’s Chicago Bears linebacker BRIAN URLACHER, the 2001 Associated Press runner-up to MICHAEL STRAHAN for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, against AP’s Offensive Player of the Year, Rams running back MARSHALL FAULK. 

Urlacher comes in the mold of dominating Bears middle linebackers DICK BUTKUS and MIKE SINGLETARY.  Faulk, who this year can extend his NFL record of four consecutive 2,000-yard scrimmage seasons, is perhaps the league’s most explosive threat in both running and catching the football. 

In one area, though, Urlacher topped Faulk last year.  His No. 54 jersey was the best-selling among fans on NFL Shop.com.  Faulk’s No. 28 finished fifth.  “Everywhere I go, it seems there are a bunch of people out there with my jersey on,” says Urlacher. 

Saturday night in New England (CBS, 8:00 PM ET), it will be a night of football and festivities.

When the Philadelphia Eagles visit the New England Patriots, it will be a meeting of 2001 Championship Game teams.  The Eagles lost the NFC title game to the team – the Rams -- that was eventually defeated by the Super Bowl XXXVI-champion Patriots.  Two quarterbacks at the top of their game will square off Saturday, the Eagles’ DONOVAN MC NABB and Patriots’ Super Bowl MVP TOM BRADY.

They’ll do their “squaring off” at the Patriots’ new state-of-the-art home, 68,000-seat Gillette Stadium.  The venue will give fans a true New England feel, featuring a metal-frame lighthouse that sends a beacon skyward and sits vigil over a facsimile rocky shore, complete with sea grass.

The week concludes in Denver on Monday night (ABC, 8:00 PM ET) with a “Smith vs. Owens Show” as the Broncos host the San Francisco 49ers.

Quarterbacks BRIAN GRIESE of Denver and JEFF GARCIA of San Francisco (who between them, threw for 55 touchdowns last year) will be throwing, respectively, to the 2001 NFL leaders in receptions, ROD SMITH (113), and receiving touchdowns, TERRELL OWENS (16). 

 

FIRST NFL DOUBLEHEADER 40 YEARS AGO THIS SUNDAY

PRESEASON NFL FIRST:  Forty years ago this Sunday night, the first NFL doubleheader in history was played when on August 18, 1962 in Cleveland, the Detroit Lions downed the Dallas Cowboys 35-24 in a game that started at 6:30 PM, followed by the hometown Browns defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 33-10.  The Browns hosted several preseason doubleheaders in the 1960s. 

LAST WEEK’S NFL RESULTS (AUGUST 8-12)
(Home teams in caps)

 

 

THIS WEEK’S NFL SCHEDULE (AUGUST 15-19)
(All times local)