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FOR USE AS DESIRED ****************************************************************************************************************************************** COACHES VALUE PRESEASON “Obviously, preseason is important for players who are fighting for positions and for a team with a new coaching staff,” says new Atlanta Falcons head coach JIM MORA. “It is important for another reason, too. The preseason gives both coaches and players a feel for the way things will be in the regular season. It is a chance to go against another opponent and see how they react to our schemes. Preseason sets the tempo for the regular season.” ******************************************************************************************************************************************
NATIONAL TV SUPER BOWL
REMATCH ON TAP The week starts and ends with RBs facing their former teams for the first time. In between is a Super Bowl XXXVIII rematch. The day after the week ends is a mandatory cutdown day. Things, as usual, are simmering in the NFL. Week 3 of preseason features four national television games, starting on Thursday night in Philadelphia (ESPN, 8:00 PM ET) when the Eagles host the Pittsburgh Steelers. And if the Eagles think they are seeing double, they are actually seeing “Duce,” as in DUCE STALEY, the seven-year Eagles running back who signed with the Steelers this offseason. Staley finished his Eagles career as the third leading rusher in Philadelphia history with 4,807 yards. The teams meet again during the regular season on November 7 in Pittsburgh. On Friday night (FOX, 8:00 PM ET), two of the top running backs in the NFL will be on display when the Washington Redskins visit the St. Louis Rams. And both are primed for milestones this year. New Redskin CLINTON PORTIS, obtained in a trade with Denver, can become the first player ever to rush for 1,500 yards in each of his first three seasons. The Rams’ MARSHALL FAULK, an 11-year veteran who is “Mr. Scrimmage Yards,” needs 787 rushing/726 receiving yards to become the first player with 12,000/7,000 yards in the categories. On Saturday night (CBS, 8:00 PM ET), the Carolina Panthers will be looking for revenge and also to improve a post-Super Bowl record when they host the Super Bowl XXXVIII champion New England Patriots. Last February in Super Bowl, the two waged an epic battle that came down to the final four seconds and ADAM VINATIERI’s winning 41-yard field goal. They’ll go at it again on Saturday, and Carolina not only will be looking for payback for that game but to spruce up the Super Bowl losers’ side of a preseason post-Super Bowl record. Since 1990, five of the winning Super Bowl teams have won the six rematches that have taken place the next preseason. The only time the winner lost the next summer was on August 14, 2000 when the Tennessee Titans defeated the Rams 30-3. The week concludes on Monday night (ABC, 8:00 PM ET) with yet another “RB Redux” storyline when the Titans visit the Dallas Cowboys. In the Cowboys’ backfield will be a familiar sight for the Titans – their all-time leading rusher EDDIE GEORGE (10,009 yards), who signed with Dallas after his release this summer by Tennessee. When all this action is over in Week 3, the mandatory NFL roster cutdown to 65 players by 4:00 PM ET takes place on Tuesday, August 31. For some players, this is the final week to impress. “This is the hard part of the year,” says Tennessee head coach JEFF FISHER. “But it is something that has to be done.” NFL cutdown dates:
LAST WEEK’S NFL RESULTS
(AUGUST 19-23)
Friday,
August 20 Saturday, August 21
Monday, August 23
NEXT WEEK’S NFL SCHEDULE (AUGUST 26-30)
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