NFL Preseason Schedule 2012: When to Catch Most Important Battles of Week 3

I love the preseason. 

Position battles, an excess of thrilling rookies challenging their veteran counterparts, more position battles and, most importantly, it's simply an early start to the season.

Most people don't like it, but it's the NFL and there is still plenty on the line. That's all the excitement I need.

With that being said, let's take a gander at when to catch the most integral matchups of the coming week.

Note: You can find the complete NFL preseason schedule at NFL.com.  

Arizona Cardinals at Tennessee Titans (Thursday, August 23 at 8 p.m. EDT)

"Oh yeah, look at this guy ballyhooing the Cardinals versus the Titans on Thursday night. He's credible."

Well, imaginary person, there is more to this battle than meets the eye—most notably, under center. 

For the Cardinals, John Skelton is slowly but surely taking the starting job from Kevin Kolb and will get the start in this one while the most expensive backup in the league tries to win his spot back. On the other side of the field, Jake Locker has already been named the starter, but it will be important to see how he does against a first-team defense for the first time this preseason. 

You won't see this much heated quarterback play this late in the preseason anywhere else in the league. 

Seattle Seahawks at Kansas City Chiefs (Friday, August 24 at 8 p.m. EDT)

Apparently, the Seahawks are ready to take after their division rival in terms of how to pay a backup quarterback. 

Just five months after Matt Flynn signed a $26 million deal with the 'Hawks, he has been replaced by rookie Russell Wilson. To be fair, Seattle's Week 1 starter is still up in the air, but "Dange-Russ" will start against the Chiefs on Friday.

If he continues his impressive ways, he'll win the job. So, yeah, there's a little bit riding on this game. 

Indianapolis Colts vs. Washington Redskins (Saturday, August 25 at 4 p.m. EDT)

Oh. My. Goodness. We're only three weeks into the preseason and we already get to see Andrew Luck vs. Robert Griffin III, the rookie QB duo that will continue to be compared against each other for the next infinity years?

Usually, if you want to see these two put their unique skills up against each other, you would have to turn on ESPN and wait for at least 15 minutes. 

All we're missing is some Tebow. 

Seriously though, both of these guys are going to be stars in the NFL, and if you want to get an early look at what figures to be one of the best rivalries of the next decade, check this one out. I'm sure there's no way it will fail to live up to expectations. 

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