PRESEASON WEEK 3: TEXANS COME HOME,
PLUS THREE NATIONAL TV GAMES

 The NFL’s newest team makes its home debut.  And the league’s “neighborhood” teams stoke up their rivalries.

Those games and more highlight a schedule that features three nationally televised games this week as the NFL plays its third full week of preseason.

In Houston, “only” 1,419 days after it received its NFL franchise, the expansion Houston Texans will make their home debut Saturday night against the Miami Dolphins in front of 69,500 excited Houstonians at new Reliant Stadium, the NFL’s first retractable-roof stadium.

It will be the first NFL game in Houston since December 15, 1996, when the Houston Oilers lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 21-13. 

 “I never assumed success,” says Texans owner BOB MC NAIR of his chances of bringing NFL football back to Houston.  “But I never considered defeat.”

Neither will the fans in New Jersey and Oakland this week as their neighborhood teams take on each other.  And it’s not only for the fans’ “bragging rights!”

“Once you enter the stadium,” says New York Jets quarterback VINNY TESTAVERDE about his team’s game Saturday night against the New York Giants, “and you see who it is in person, you get that excitement.  You get the feeling that, hey, it’s for bragging rights to the city.”

In Oakland Saturday, it will be for Bay bragging rights, as the San Francisco 49ers travel over to Oakland to play their neighbors the Raiders – a 30-mile ride that brings them into the cauldron of Network Associates Coliseum.

“The place is unbelievable,” says 49ers head coach STEVE MARIUCCI of the Raiders’ stadium.  “The fans have such a passion.”  And Saturday is only a preview.  The Niners visit Oakland in the regular season on November 3.

That kind of atmosphere is sure to develop in another new stadium that will open this week as the Detroit Lions unveil their new 65,000-seat Ford Field when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday night.  The design of the downtown facility includes a six-story atrium and a giant glass wall that provides a picturesque view of the Detroit skyline.

This week’s three nationally televised games all feature interesting quarterback matchups, pitting young QBs against established veterans.

On Thursday night in St. Louis (CBS, 9:00 PM ET), it will be Rams quarterback KURT WARNER, the Associated Press 2001 NFL MVP, facing San Diego Chargers second-year QB DREW BREES, who has just been named the Bolts’ starter by new head coach MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER.   

That scenario is repeated the next night (FOX, 8:00 PM ET), as the Baltimore Ravens travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles and their quarterback who led them to the NFC Championship Game last season, DONOVAN MC NABB.

CHRIS REDMAN, the Ravens’ third-round draft choice in 2000, has been named the starter, and is being given the bulk of work in preseason ahead of veteran JEFF BLAKE.  “Chris needs all the reps he can get,” says Ravens head coach BRIAN BILLICK.

On Monday Night Football in Green Bay (ABC, 8:00 PM ET), it will be three-time NFL MVP BRETT FAVRE against 25-year-old TIM COUCH of the Cleveland Browns, who thinks this might be the four-year-old team’s “year.”  “Hopefully, we can go way into the playoffs,” says Couch.    

Another interesting game this week is “The Visor Bowl” in Tampa, where two NFL head coaches known for wearing visors and new to their teams meet when the Washington Redskins take on the Buccaneers Saturday night.

“I think JON GRUDEN will do well in Tampa,” says new Redskins head coach STEVE SPURRIER, returning to the state where he built a 122-27-1 record at the University of Florida.  “I like his style.  He also prefers (like Spurrier) to be in charge of the offense, and he’ll stay on top of those quarterbacks down there.”  

LAST WEEK’S NFL RESULTS (AUGUST 15-19)

(Home teams in caps)

THIS WEEK’S NFL SCHEDULE (AUGUST 22-26)

(All times local)