NFL Preseason Week 3: What to Watch for in Saturday's Action

This is the dress rehearsal—Week 3 of the 2016 NFL preseason. On Saturday, 12 teams hope to get a better feel for how they're looking with the regular season just two weeks away.

In order to get you prepared for the last Saturday of preseason action this summer, here's one note per team in action.

Will the Broncos Finally Find Their Starting Quarterback?

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Because veteran quarterback Mark Sanchez has not grabbed the reins, 2015 seventh-round pick Trevor Siemian will start under center for the second straight week when the Denver Broncos host the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday night.

Siemian completed 10 of 14 passes and led a scoring drive but also had a pick-six last week against the San Francisco 49ers. Sanchez's numbers weren't any better against second-teamers, and rookie first-round pick Paxton Lynch continued to excel but against scrubs.

Lynch will play Saturday, despite the fact third quarterbacks often don't see action in the third week of the preseason. That could indicate he still has a chance to unseat Siemian and/or Sanchez, but that seems far-fetched at this stage.

So, audition No. 3 for each comes Saturday, with Siemian having a chance to essentially lock down the No. 1 spot two weeks ahead of the season opener. Hard to believe, especially when you consider these are the defending Super Bowl champions.

Case Keenum Looks to Lock Up Starting QB Job in Los Angeles

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Though he completed eight of 12 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown in relief of Case Keenum in the second week of the preseason, Los Angeles Rams rookie quarterback Jared Goff remains firmly at No. 2 on the depth chart.

Those numbers don't tell the whole story, as Goff fumbled on each of his first two drives against the Kansas City Chiefs, only settling down when second- or third-teamers were in the game. Meanwhile, the veteran Keenum was a solid 4-of-5 for 53 yards and a touchdown, bringing his preseason passer rating to 133.0.

"What I've been saying since day one is we're going to be patient with him," Rams head coach Jeff Fisher explained to reporters about Goff on Sunday. "Case is our starter. [Goff is] progressing; he's getting better. As he said, he's learning from his mistakes; he doesn't dwell on them. ... Case is our starter right now and, again, patience is the word. You can put it in quotes. We're going to be patient with him."

What is this "patience" he spoke of? Didn't know that existed in professional football these days. It's refreshing, but it probably means Keenum would have to fall on his face Saturday in Denver to lose the starting job.

What Can the Giants Get out of Victor Cruz?

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For the first time in 22 months, Pro Bowler Victor Cruz looks as though he's going to play in an NFL game.

Cruz, who missed the majority of the 2014 season with a knee injury, 2015 with a compensation calf injury and most of this offseason with a groin injury, returned to New York Giants practice Tuesday and reportedly looked good, per ESPN's Jordan Raanan.

That could be huge for the Giants, because the 29-year-old is one of the only experienced receivers on the roster. They hope that rookie second-round pick Sterling Shepard can play a major role as a complement to Odell Beckham Jr., but a healthy Cruz would serve as the ultimate safety valve for quarterback Eli Manning.

Fans probably shouldn't expect much from Cruz in Saturday night's game against the New York Jets, but we will see what the veteran can do in his first live game action since October 2014.

Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg Fight for Reps with Jets

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When veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick re-signed with the New York Jets this summer, conventional wisdom suggested Geno Smith would return to a backup role. But Smith has been outplayed this preseason by 2015 fourth-round pick Bryce Petty, and Smith could be fighting for a roster spot.

Last week against the Washington Redskins, the 2013 second-round pick and former starter completed just six of 13 passes for 47 yards while throwing an interception. Petty, meanwhile, was 16 of 26 for 242 yards and two touchdowns in the second half, albeit against weaker defenders.

Jets head coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday that Smith will be the No. 2 quarterback when the team hosts the New York Giants on Saturday night, per the New York Daily News' Peter Botte, but Petty should also get some reps, and rookie second-rounder Christian Hackenberg could factor in.

The Jets are taking a conservative approach with Hackenberg, but he may still wind up on the roster, potentially leaving Smith and Petty to scrap for the other quarterback spot.

Saturday might represent Smith's final shot to hold his backup job—and Petty's final shot to leapfrog his teammate.

Ravens' Joe Flacco Takes the Field for the First Time in Nine Months

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Victor Cruz isn't the only accomplished veteran playing his first game in an extended period of time. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is also apparently set to make his preseason debut nine months after suffering a season-ending knee injury.

"You need to get back out there. You need to get your mind used to getting ready for a game," Flacco said in a Tuesday interview with Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio. "And then, yeah, I need to get over that last hurdle, which is going out there and being a live target for guys to hit and see how I react to it."

The 31-year-old Super Bowl XLVII MVP has looked good in training camp despite wearing a knee brace, and he said he could have played in the team's first two preseason games.

The Ravens offense has been through a lot of late, with top receivers Steve Smith and Breshad Perriman battling injuries after missing a majority and all of the 2015 season, respectively. That's why it's important for Flacco to get some work in with his depleted receiving corps when Baltimore hosts the Detroit Lions on Saturday night.

Who Will Be Matthew Stafford's Backup in Detroit?

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Headed into the preseason, the quarterback pecking order for the Detroit Lions seemed obvious. Franchise pivot Matthew Stafford would be the starter, veteran backup Dan Orlovsky would serve as the No. 2 and rookie sixth-round pick Jake Rudock would be the third-stringer.

The problem is the 33-year-old Orlovsky has thrown two pick-sixes in as many games this preseason, while Rudock has completed 72.7 percent of his 22 passes for 162 yards.

Most of that has come late in games, and Rudock hurt his cause with an ugly interception last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, but the upside is there, and we've probably already seen Orlovsky's ceiling.

"We're still looking for the best player at that spot," Lions head coach Jim Caldwell said Sunday of the backup quarterback position, per Justin Rogers of the Detroit News.

So don't be surprised if both quarterbacks see action Saturday night when the Lions visit the Baltimore Ravens—or if the better performer winds up in the backup spot come Sept. 11, when Detroit opens the season against the Indianapolis Colts.

Colts Try to Fill Gaps in the Secondary

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The Indianapolis Colts' secondary has been rocked by injuries, which could make things interesting when they host the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night.

With Pro Bowl cornerback Vontae Davis expected to miss at least a month with an ankle injury and veteran corner Patrick Robinson dealing with a groin injury, the team signed 10-year veteran Antonio Cromartie on Monday, but Cromartie will not play Saturday against the Eagles, according to ESPN.com's Mike Wells.

As Wells pointed out, corners D'Joun Smith (knee), Darius Butler (hamstring) and Jalil Brown (foot) have also been beset by injuries, leaving the Colts with few options for their most important preseason game.

It's OK if you've never heard of Tay Glover-Wright, Christopher Milton, Tevin Mitchel, Winston Rose, Darius White and Frankie Williams, because Wells noted they've combined to play a total of one game at cornerback. But all of them should get plenty of work against Philadelphia.

That could be good for Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel, as well as for any of those relative unknowns who play well.

Can Paul Turner Keep Pushing for a Roster Spot with the Eagles?

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A lot of eyes will be on the Philadelphia Eagles' receiving corps when the team takes on the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night, not just because it looks as though new receiver Dorial Green-Beckham will get some action, but also because regulars Nelson Agholor and Josh Huff could be pushed by a guy named Paul Turner.

Who is Paul Turner? Not the bassist or the rugby player. Or the director. Or the pastor. No, we're referring to the 5'10" undrafted rookie out of Louisiana Tech who has far more catches and receiving yards than anyone else on the Philadelphia roster this preseason.

Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich sang Turner's praises Monday, per ESPN.com's Tim McManus:

"

You know what? He has been as consistent as you can be at that position. I mean, he has been impressive. He's tough. You can just tell he's a mentally and physically tough guy. He competes very hard; he's an instinctive route-runner; he has really good feet. As we coaches say, he can put his foot in the ground and stop on a dime. So, he's done a nice job.

"

Sure, Turner has done most of his damage against reserves, and the Eagles have plenty of talented receivers. But with Jordan Matthews still dealing with a knee injury and Rueben Randle and Chris Givens not guaranteed anything, Turner could have a chance to sneak his way onto the roster.

A big performance in Indianapolis would go a long way.

Can Jeremy Langford Cement the Top Running Back Spot in Chicago?

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With Matt Forte gone, a lot of folks were expecting a committee at running back for the Chicago Bears. But Jeremy Langford appeared to seize the starting job with 63 yards and a touchdown on nine touches last week against the New England Patriots.

Langford sustained a foot injury in the game, but ESPN.com's Jeff Dickerson noted the 2015 fourth-round pick was back at practice Wednesday.

That should give him a chance to lock up the No. 1 job with a strong performance in the Bears' dress rehearsal against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday afternoon.

Langford will try to hold off Ka'Deem Carey and Jacquizz Rodgers, neither of whom has done much this preseason, as well as rookie fifth-round pick Jordan Howard, who has 58 yards on 16 carries in two preseason games but has yet to work with the first-team offense.

The Chiefs Will Try to Lock Down a Starting Cornerback

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The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to solve several puzzles in their important third preseason game Saturday afternoon against the Chicago Bears, but the most important quandary might come at cornerback, where Marcus Peters remains the top gun, but several guys are fighting to replace departed starter Sean Smith.

There's 2014 third-round pick Phillip Gaines, who entered camp as the favorite to earn that job. But Gaines, who has started eight games in his two NFL seasons, is still fighting to come back from a torn ACL.

There's also 2015 third-rounder Steven Nelson, who, according to Pro Football Focus, played just 57 snaps last year and surrendered five catches on six targets for 38 yards as a starter in the Chiefs' preseason opener.

And then there's rookie sixth-round pick D.J. White, who performed well against backups in the opener and then gave up just one catch on two targets as a starter opposite Peters last week against the Los Angeles Rams.

Veteran Marcus Cooper has also seen some snaps with and against first-teamers, and rookie third-round pick KeiVarae Russell could regain a shot, too. Russell barely played against the Rams after struggling mightily versus the Seattle Seahawks in the opener.

The coaching staff has plenty of opportunities to hand out Saturday in Chicago, especially with a starting gig and nickel job up for grabs.

Can Tajae Sharpe Continue to Make His Case for a Key Role with the Titans?

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The Tennessee Titans surprised a lot of people by trading 2015 second-round wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham on Aug. 16, creating a gap veterans Andre Johnson, Kendall Wright, Justin Hunter, Harry Douglas and Rishard Matthews were expected to fill.

But instead, a dude named Tajae Sharpe has been the Titans' most productive receiver this preseason. The rookie fifth-round pick has been a standout at camp and in games, catching eight passes for 103 yards in Tennessee's first two preseason affairs.

Sharpe appears to be locked in as a starter, and he can cement himself as a key cog with a strong performance Saturday night at the Oakland Raiders.

Fantasy drafters should keep a close eye on him.

Can the Promising Raiders Offense Get Back on Track?

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Few if any teams have received as much hype this offseason as the Oakland Raiders, who have a young three-headed offensive monster in Derek Carr, Latavius Murray and Amari Cooper, as well as a strong offensive line that got better with the offseason addition of versatile veteran Kelechi Osemele.

And yet the Raiders were held to just 73 yards of total offense in an abysmal first-half effort last week against the Green Bay Packers.

"Well, if we play the way we did tonight, we won't have to worry about the playoffs or anything like that," said Murray, who rushed for just 19 yards on six carries, per ESPN.com's Paul Gutierrez.

"We have a lot of improvement to do and a lot of things to work on, so we will go back home and get better. We just weren't able to get anything going. We just didn't play like we know we are capable of playing."

Carr did complete nine of his 13 passes, but only one went for more than seven yards, and he threw a silly interception on a second-down play in the second quarter.

But he isn't worried.

"I don't know what the reason was [for the offensive struggles]," said Carr, per Gutierrez. "It is hard to know, but I definitely felt that on both sides, throwing it and running it. I think it is nothing to worry about. We are going to be just fine. We will get all those things corrected and move on."

He's right. It's just one exhibition game, without much game-planning. But a second consecutive poor performance Saturday night against the Tennessee Titans would cause a lot of Oakland fans to at least break a sweat.

This is a team, after all, that is flirting with moving and hasn't made the playoffs in 13 seasons.

No pressure.