FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-PRE-2        8/10/04

ALL TEAMS IN ACTION; FIVE NATIONAL TV GAMES FEATURED;
NEW COACHES SMITH & GREEN VISIT OLD HOMES

***************************************************************************************************************************************

COACHES VALUE PRESEASON

“There are certain things you can do in preseason to establish the foundation of your team,” says Houston Texans head coach DOM CAPERS.  “We place great value on the development of our team through the use of preseason games."

****************************************************************************************************************************************

The NFL is in full tilt this week. 

Every club is in action.  Five games will be on national TV.  Several debuts will be watched closely, and some returns highly anticipated. 

It starts on Thursday night when the Atlanta Falcons visit the Baltimore Ravens on ESPN at 8:00 PM ET.  Falcons quarterback MICHAEL VICK begins his preseason preparation – under new Atlanta head coach JIM MORA – while a new Ravens QB – KORDELL STEWART – debuts.

The game also marks the return of broadcasting legend PAT SUMMERALL, who will replace MIKE PATRICK in the ESPN booth while Patrick recuperates from surgery.  Summerall underwent a successful liver transplant in April, and will handle the play-by-play chores on ESPN’s four NFL preseason games.

That same night, another of the NFL’s seven new head coaches, LOVIE SMITH of the Chicago Bears, returns to the city in which he built a staunch defense as the St. Louis Rams’ defensive coordinator from 2001 through last season.

On Friday night in a game televised live on NFL Network (8:00 PM ET) – the NFL’s 24-hour, all-football network will televise 54 preseason games in 25 days this summer – the No. 1 overall selection in this year’s NFL Draft will make his debut when quarterback ELI MANNING and the New York Giants host the Kansas City Chiefs.

Another key game Friday takes place in New England, where the team that has won two of the past three Super Bowls, the Patriots, faces the club that has played in the past three NFC Championship Games, the Philadelphia Eagles.

On Saturday, there will be two more closely watched NFL debuts.  In Tampa, the Buccaneers host the Cincinnati Bengals and their new starting quarterback CARSON PALMER, the No. 1 NFL overall draft choice of 2003 and Heisman Trophy winner who has been named the team’s QB after not throwing a pass his rookie year.

In Houston that night, the Texans host the Dallas Cowboys, which means they should see the quarterback they drafted in the sixth round of 2003 even though he was playing minor league baseball – former Michigan QB DREW HENSON.  The 24-year-old returned to football this year (“I missed it more than I thought I would,” he says), and was traded in-state by the Texans to the Cowboys.  

With those debuts Saturday will be another homecoming for a head coach.  New Arizona Cardinals coach DENNIS GREEN returns to the Metrodome in Minneapolis where he led the Vikings from 1992-01, taking them to eight playoff berths in those 10 years.

Saturday’s final game will be on NFL Network (10:00 PM ET) when the Indianapolis Colts visit the San Diego Chargers.  Featured will be 2003’s passing-yards leader, Colts quarterback PEYTON MANNING (4,627), and the first running back in history with a 1,000-yard rushing, 100-reception season (2003), the Chargers’ LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON.  

NFL Network will carry more debuts on Sunday night (7:00 PM ET) when the Denver Broncos visit the Buffalo Bills and new head coach MIKE MULARKEY.  Seeing his first-ever NFL preseason action will be the Bills’ first-round draft choice of 2003, running back WILLIS MC GAHEE, who missed last year with a knee injury suffered in college.  McGahee scored four touchdowns in a scrimmage last week against Cleveland.  “I’m anxious for the first game,” says McGahee.  

The week concludes on Monday night with a rematch of one of last season’s exciting playoff games when the Seattle Seahawks visit the Green Bay Packers on ESPN at 8:00 PM ET.  Last January 4 in an NFC Wild Card game in Green Bay, the teams waged a see-saw battle before Packers cornerback AL HARRIS returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown 4:25 into overtime to give Green Bay a 33-27 victory.

 

LAST WEEK’S NFL RESULTS

Monday, August 9
Washington Redskins 20, Denver Broncos 17

THIS WEEK’S NFL SCHEDULE (AUGUST 12-16)
(All times local)