Steelers vs. Redskins: NFL Preseason TV Schedule, Radio, Game Time and More

Where: FedEx Field

When: Friday, 7:30 p.m. EST

Watch: KDKA-TV Pittsburgh, Comcast Sportsnet, NBC-4 Washington; online at NFL.com (must pay $19.99 for full league-wide package), live look-ins on NFL Network; game replay: 4 p.m. Saturday, NFL Network

Hear: WDVF-FM 102.5 and WBGG-AM 970 Pittsburgh, ESPN 980 Washington

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Redskins square off Friday night at 7:30 p.m. EST at FedEx Field in what should be a pretty intriguing matchup. The Steelers are the defending AFC champions and coming off of a very disappointing Super Bowl loss to the Green Bay Packers.

The Steelers' chance to defend their AFC crown will start in the preseason, believe it or not. There are always a ton of critics when it comes to the preseason, but the fact of the matter is that the games are extremely important to the teams. It gives them a chance to get their starters a bit of real-time game action and, sometimes more importantly, figure out the depth charts.

Washington is coming off a very disappointing year in general, but will be looking to turn things around in coach Mike Shanahan's second year. They have position battles going on all over their roster, so the preseason is going to be huge in determining those roster spots.

The quarterback position is one of interest. Veteran Rex Grossman is trying to win the starting job over John Beck. Beck seems to have the upper hand, but he has been a bit banged up in training camp.

The 'Skins also have quite a logjam in their backfield. They have a plethora of good running backs that can contribute, so look for them to have lots of variety in the backfield.

Steelers Key Addition: The Steelers didn't really add much in free agency, but they did make a huge re-signing by locking up Lamarr Woodley for a long-term deal. I like rookie defensive lineman Cam Heyward. He is big and talented, but most importantly he fits the scheme, which is a big part of the Steelers defense.

Redskins Key Addition: The 'Skins traded for former Arizona running back Tim Hightower. I like the way he runs, and he is incredibly valuable in third-down situations. He excels out of the backfield as a receiver, which I think will be a huge help for whatever quarterback gets the starting job.

Steelers Biggest Loss: Losing offensive tackle Flozell Adams was a huge loss for Pittsburgh, in my opinion. The Packers really exploited their line during the Super Bowl, and the speed on the outside really neutralized Pittsburgh's ability to make big plays in the passing game. Big Ben needs some time back there, so this loss will come back to hurt them.

Redskins Biggest Loss: I'm still not sure why the Redskins didn't want to work things out with quarterback Donovan McNabb. Looking at their depth chart, quarterback McNabb would still be the most talented option, so it's baffling to me why they didn't keep him around.

What They're Saying:

Mark J. Miller of Yahoo! Sports seems rather concerned about injuries during training camp and Pittsburgh's depth perhaps being a little bit shallow in some positions. The biggest injury so far has been to rookie running back Baron Batch, who has been impressive at camp, but will be out for a while.

The biggest news out of the Redskins camp is the status of quarterback John Beck, who was presumably the starter before suffering a groin strain. Rich Campbell of the Washington Times reports more on the depth chart situation in Washington, and how the injury might affect the quarterback position.

What's Worth Watching:

Personally, I am most intrigued by Washington's position battles. Obviously there is the quarterback one, but with Becks injury we might not see much of him this game. The running back position is four deep though, so it will be interesting to see who Shanahan will give the most reps to right off the bat.

As far as the Steelers are concerned, this is going to be a big game, even in the preseason. Their attitude and demeanor coming into this season will tell us a lot about how they took the Super Bowl loss. The window is closing rather quickly for the Steelers, so I'm interested to see if they will just bust it open, or accept their fate.

Biggest Storyline:

It has got to be the quarterback battle for the Redskins. Lots of people are hoping that John Beck can overcome his nicks and bruises to take over the starting position. They feel he is more talented and gives the 'Skins the better chance. Rex Grossman is a long-time professional though, and his experience may give him the edge.

For More NFL Preseason News Check Out Our Bleacher Report NFL Page.

-Andrew Kulha