NFL Preseason Schedule 2015: Dates, Ticket Info and More for Early Showdowns

Pat yourself on the back—you actually made it to football season.

Technically, you made it to preseason eve with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings squaring off Sunday in the Hall of Fame Game, but that sure beats a long summer without any pigskin except for training camp updates and Deflategate stories.

The preseason serves as the appetizer to the main course that is fall Sundays, and there are plenty of developments to watch before the real thing. Quarterback races will be decided, rookies will get their first taste of game action and fans will undoubtedly overreact to impressive stat lines with dreams of Super Bowl glory.

With that in mind, here is a look at the complete 2015 NFL preseason schedule and broadcast information, as well as marquee storylines fans should focus on before the games count in the standings.

Hall of Fame Game	Date	TV	Stream
Week 1	Date	TV	Stream
Week 2	Date	TV	Stream
Week 3	Date	TV	Stream
Week 4	Date	TV	Stream
Pittsburgh vs. Minnesota	Aug. 9	NBC	NBC Sports Live
Carolina at Buffalo	Aug. 14	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Dallas at San Diego	Aug. 13	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Denver at Seattle	Aug. 14	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Green Bay at New England	Aug. 13	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Indianapolis at Philadelphia	Aug. 16	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Kansas City at Arizona	Aug. 15	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Miami at Chicago	Aug. 13	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
New Orleans at Baltimore	Aug. 13	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
NY Giants at Cincinnati	Aug. 14	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
NY Jets at Detroit	Aug. 13	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Pittsburgh at Jacksonville	Aug. 14	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
San Francisco at Houston	Aug. 15	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
St. Louis at Oakland	Aug. 14	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Tampa Bay at Minnesota	Aug. 15	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Tennessee at Atlanta	Aug. 14	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Washington at Cleveland	Aug. 13	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Buffalo at Cleveland	Aug. 20	ESPN	WatchESPN
St. Louis at Tennessee	Aug. 23	Fox	Fox Sports Go
Cincinnati at Tampa Bay	Aug. 24	ESPN	WatchESPN
Atlanta at NY Jets	Aug. 21	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Baltimore at Philadelphia	Aug. 22	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Chicago at Indianapolis	Aug. 22	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Dallas at San Francisco	Aug. 23	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Denver at Houston	Aug. 22	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Detroit at Washington	Aug. 20	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Green Bay at Pittsburgh	Aug. 23	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Jacksonville at NY Giants	Aug. 22	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Miami at Carolina	Aug. 22	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
New England at New Orleans	Aug. 22	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Oakland at Minnesota	Aug. 22	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
San Diego at Arizona	Aug. 22	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Seattle at Kansas City	Aug. 21	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Detroit at Jacksonville	Aug. 28	CBS	NFL Game Pass
Seattle at San Diego	Aug. 29	CBS	NFL Game Pass
Houston at New Orleans	Aug. 30	Fox	Fox Sports Go
Arizona at Oakland	Aug. 30	NBC	NBC Sports Live
Atlanta at Miami	Aug. 29	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Chicago at Cincinnati	Aug. 29	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Cleveland at Tampa Bay	Aug. 29	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Indianapolis at St. Louis	Aug. 29	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Minnesota at Dallas	Aug. 29	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
New England at Carolina	Aug. 28	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
NY Jets at NY Giants	Aug. 29	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Philadelphia at Green Bay	Aug. 29	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Pittsburgh at Buffalo	Aug. 29	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
San Francisco at Denver	Aug. 29	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Tennessee at Kansas City	Aug. 28	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Washington at Baltimore	Aug. 29	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Arizona at Denver	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Baltimore at Atlanta	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Buffalo at Detroit	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Carolina at Pittsburgh	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Cincinnati at Indianapolis	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Cleveland at Chicago	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Houston at Dallas	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Jacksonville at Washington	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Kansas City at St. Louis	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Minnesota at Tennessee	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
New Orleans at Green Bay	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
NY Giants at New England	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Oakland at Seattle	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Philadelphia at NY Jets	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
San Diego at San Francisco	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Tampa Bay at Miami	Sep. 3	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass

Ticket Info: Tickets and information for NFL preseason games can be found at ScoreBig.com.

Early Storylines 

Jimmy Garoppolo, Come on Down

The NFL Players Association is searching for a resolution to Tom Brady’s four-game suspension, but Jimmy Garoppolo is the assumed initial starter at quarterback for the New England Patriots if the penalty holds.

While Brady can play in the preseason even if his suspension is ultimately upheld, logic would dictate New England plays Garoppolo with the first team at some point in the preseason. After all, he needs to develop a rapport with his offensive playmakers if the Patriots hope to avoid a disappointing start.

New England is the defending Super Bowl champion, and the Eastern Illinois product doesn’t have to be brilliant with the surrounding talent. Rob Gronkowski is still going to resemble a football-playing cyborg who is impossible to defend, and Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola are all capable of making plays in open space.

Garoppolo just has to get them the ball. 

LaFell suggested that Garoppolo is in a position to succeed in an interview with Sirius XM NFL Radio, (via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com):

"

I feel like studying behind Tom has been great for him. If we have to be without Tom for the first couple games, I’m pretty sure Tom will be in Jimmy’s ear helping him prepare each and every way he can to go out here and lead this team. I think we have a great group of guys around him that will kind of take the pressure off Jimmy so he won’t have to feel like he has to go out there and win the game himself with me, Gronk, Edelman, Scott Chandler, we have all great guys around here—LeGarrette Blount, Aaron Dobson—a few guys who can go out and make a lot of plays for him so he doesn’t feel like he has to go out there and win the game himself. Everybody just has to up their level of play to help out.

"

Remember, we are not talking about someone who has never picked up a football. Garoppolo threw for 5,050 yards and 53 touchdowns in his final season at Eastern Illinois and proved more than capable of making deep throws and connecting on underneath routes. 

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

An impressive preseason showing from the youngster, especially with the first team at times, would undoubtedly play wonders for his confidence.

From a personal standpoint, Garoppolo can become one of the most desired backup quarterbacks in the league if he puts up solid numbers. That could lead to a major contract down the road a la Matt Cassel when he put up 3,693 passing yards and 21 touchdowns for the Patriots after Brady hurt himself in 2008.

For now, Patriots fans would likely settle on a solid preseason performance to bolster their 2015 expectations.

Finishing the Meat Left on the Bone in Dallas

Running back DeMarco Murray was one of the best players in the entire league last year and racked up 1,845 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground for the Dallas Cowboys. Alas, he is now with the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles, which means Dallas must find production on the ground elsewhere.

Joseph Randle turned heads when he said Murray left “a lot of meat on the bone,” per the team’s official website, in 2014, and he will have the chance to prove he won’t do same during the preseason.

Fortunately for Randle, he will run behind one of the best offensive lines in football, as will fellow Dallas running back Darren McFadden. McFadden has never replicated his breakout 2010 campaign (1,157 rushing yards) thanks largely to health concerns, but he played all 16 games in 2014 and still struggled with ineffectiveness (3.4 yards per carry). 

Whether he can rejuvenate his career behind the Cowboys' offensive front remains to be seen, but Ed Werder of ESPN and Michael Fabiano of NFL.com didn’t paint an encouraging picture:

While fantasy players apparently should keep their eyes on Randle in light of McFadden’s injury woes, the former Oklahoma State Cowboy is yet to prove himself as an every-down back at the NFL level. He boasts 507 total rushing yards in his two-year career, although his per-carry average jumped from 3.0 in 2013 to 6.7 in 2014.

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

It seems like running behind the Dallas offensive line last year certainly had its benefits. 

Defenses cannot stack the box against the Cowboys because Tony Romo and Dez Bryant will make them pay. That means there will be plenty of opportunities for Randle (and McFadden if he is ever fully healthy) to pick all the meat off the bone.

It would certainly bolster confidence in Dallas if he started doing just that in the preseason.

Offensive Weapons Everywhere in Indianapolis

Andrew Luck threw for 4,761 yards and 40 touchdowns and added 273 yards and three scores on the ground last season and is still only 25 yards old. It is downright scary this blossoming superstar will have even more weapons to work with in 2015.

While Reggie Wayne is no longer on the Colts, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (1,345 receiving yards in 2014) and tight end Coby Fleener (774 receiving yards) are still around, and veteran Andre Johnson joins the aerial attack as well.

Johnson’s prime may be in the rearview mirror, but he still notched 936 receiving yards in 2014. Playing next to a game-changer such as Hilton means he will face plenty of single coverage, and Luck will surely find him downfield.

Speaking of veteran additions, running back Frank Gore joins an Indianapolis squad that didn’t have a single player top 520 rushing yards last season. For perspective, Gore has reached 1,000 yards on the ground in eight of the past nine seasons. It is impossible for opposing defenses to stack the box against the run when they face Luck, which means Gore will have plenty of running room in 2015.

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

It will likely take some time for all the pieces to completely come together, which is why the preseason is so intriguing for the Colts. If they work out any kinks in the first halves of their four preseason contests, the rest of the NFL will be in trouble for the rest of 2015.

Feel free to pencil Indianapolis in as the eventual AFC South champions already.