NFL Preseason: 5 Most Important Games from Week 1

With the 2015 Hall of Fame Game in the books, the preseason is officially underway. Sixteen games will kick off this weekend, starting with six on Thursday. As we all welcome back football into our lives, here is a closer look at the five most important games in Week 1.

Preseason games, by definition, are meaningless, but that doesn't mean they're not worth paying attention to. The importance of a preseason game will be judged by the drama surrounding the teams involved and how that drama might be affected by the game. 

How will the Patriots, for example, handle their quarterback rotation? How will rookies Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota fare in their first non-practice setting? And what are the Jets going to do in light of Geno Smith's broken jaw that came as a result of a fight with a teammate?

Those are just a few reasons to tune in to Week 1 of the preseason. Think we overlooked some important games? Want to share your thoughts on the games we highlighted? Let us know in the comments section. First, let's kick things off with some honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

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Cardinals QB Carson Palmer will make his preseason debut after recovering from a torn ACL.

Carolina Panthers @ Buffalo Bills

Friday, Aug. 14 @ 7:00 p.m. ET

The Bills went 9-7 last season, their first year with a winning record since 2004, but missed the playoffs for the 15th year in a row. Rex Ryan was hired to snap that streak, and he'll make his preseason team debut at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

The Bills have a three-headed quarterback competition among Matt Cassel, EJ Manuel and Tyrod Taylor. Ryan announced Cassel will start on Friday, according to Sal Maiorana of the Democrat & Chronicle. How Ryan rotates his quarterbacks throughout the game will be the key aspect to watch. The Bills ranked fourth in the league in total defense last season but 26th in total offense, so developing consistency at quarterback will go a long way in helping the Bills snap their postseason drought.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Arizona Cardinals

Saturday, Aug. 15 @ 9:00 p.m. ET

It's no secret that the Cardinals were 6-0 in games started by quarterback Carson Palmer last season, and now that the former Heisman Trophy winner is fully recovered from his torn ACL, the excitement level surrounding the team is high. Pete Prisco of CBS Sports even thinks Palmer will be even better than before following his second knee surgery.

Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said the starters won't play much on Saturday, according to Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic. Still, it will be an encouraging sign to see Palmer out in full uniform in a game-like setting.

Indianapolis Colts @ Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday, Aug. 16 @ 1:00 p.m. ET

There will be new faces all over the field when the Eagles make their preseason debut. The biggest question for Philadelphia will be how the quarterback snaps are divided and whether or not Sam Bradford will even see the field.

Head coach Chip Kelly was noncommittal about the issue on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Phil Sheridan. Bradford tore his ACL last season on Aug. 23, nearly a year ago. He's taken most of the first-team reps during practice, but his next big hurdle will be facing defenses in a live setting and taking a hit.

"The game speed is the biggest thing," Bradford told reporters after Tuesday's practice. "Getting back out there, playing in a game, the bullets are real, obviously the speed picks up. Really, for all quarterbacks, whether you’re coming off an injury or not, you go through training camp and through OTAs, you never get hit."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Minnesota Vikings

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Jameis Winston, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, will make his preseason debut on Saturday against the Vikings.

Saturday, Aug. 15 @ 8:00 p.m. ET

Jameis Winston, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, will make his preseason debut as the Buccaneers' starting quarterback. The first pick in the draft always draws a lot of attention during his first preseason game, and given his on-the-field accolades and his off-the-field transgressions, Winston will only add to that tradition.

The Bucs were 30th in the league in total offense last season and 28th in passer rating, numbers that Winston should be able to help improve upon. Winston has already been praised by Tampa Bay's No. 1 receiver Mike Evans, who called him an "amazing football talent," according to Joe Kania of Buccaneers.com. Developing good chemistry with Evans early on will be crucial for Winston to have early success in his rookie season.

The Vikings will be playing in their second preseason game after a 14-3 win over the Steelers in the Hall of Fame Game. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater played just one series, completing 5-of-6 pass attempts for 44 yards. The Vikings mustered just 245 total yards of offense and will hope to improve upon that number against the Bucs, who were 25th in total defense last season.

San Francisco 49ers @ Houston Texans

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49ers QB Colin Kaepernick will have to be a stabilizing force for his team after a tumultuous offseason.

Saturday, Aug. 15 @ 8:00 p.m. ET

The Houston Texans were chosen as the stars of this season's version of the HBO program Hard Knocks, but it's been the San Francisco 49ers who have had the most drama-filled offseason.

The 49ers will hardly be recognizable when they make their preseason debut against the Texans on Saturday. Gone are Jim Harbaugh, Patrick Willis, Frank Gore, Justin Smith, Michael Crabtree, Chris Borland and Aldon Smith, who was released on Aug. 7 after being arrested on DUI, hit-and-run and vandalism charges.

A welcome sight during the 49ers preseason opener will be the return of linebacker NaVorro Bowman, who missed all of the 2014 season recovering from torn ligaments in his knee. Barring any injuries or soreness, Bowman will appear in the game, according to Jimmy Durkin of the San Jose Mercury News.

For Houston, the primary focus will be on the quarterback competition between Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett. Both are listed as co-starters by the team's depth chart, and their performances on Saturday will be just the first of what will be a heavily scrutinized preseason.

Another crucial aspect of Saturday's game will be the Texans' running backs. With Arian Foster out with a hip injury that could take months to return from, per NFL.com's Dan Hanzus, Houston lists Alfred Blue as the starter for Saturday's preseason opener.

Blue rushed for 528 yards as a rookie last season, and he's backed up by Jonathan Grimes and Chris Polk. How each running back plays could shape the pecking order and instill some confidence that the team can survive in Foster's absence.

Tennessee Titans @ Atlanta Falcons

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Rookie QB Marcus Mariota will make his preseason debut for the Titans on Friday in Atlanta.

Friday, Aug. 14 @ 7:00 p.m. ET

Similar to the hype surrounding Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota will make his much-anticipated preseason debut as the Titans starting quarterback. Mariota has wowed his Titans teammates and coaching staff with his play in training camp, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, and will finally get a chance to perform in a live setting.

Mariota has yet to throw an interception during practice, which is not really that surprising considering how careful he was with the football throughout his college career. In three seasons, Mariota threw 14 interceptions in 1,167 pass attempts, or about 1.2 percent of the time. If he continues to take care of the football as a pro, he will have some immediate success this season.

For the Falcons, Friday will provide a first look at 2015 first-round pick Vic Beasley. Beasley is listed as a starter at defensive end by the team's depth chart, and he projects to be a talented pass-rusher.

The preseason opener will also be an opportunity for the team to sort out its muddled running back situation. Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, the top two running backs on the depth chart, are dealing with hamstring injuries, which means Antone Smith and Terron Ward will get opportunities to prove themselves on Friday.

New York Jets @ Detroit Lions

Seth Wenig/Associated Press/Associated Press

Jets QB Geno Smith will be sidelined for 6-10 weeks with a broken jaw.

Thursday, Aug. 13 @ 7:30 p.m. ET

Jets starting quarterback Geno Smith is expected to miss six to 10 weeks with a broken jaw after being punched by teammate IK Enemkpali after a dispute over a $600 plane ticket, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini and Adam Schefter.

The incident is an embarrassing one for the franchise, and it leaves the team in a precarious position behind center. As of this writing, the other quarterbacks on the Jets roster are Ryan Fitzpatrick and rookies Bryce Petty and Jake Heaps.

Fitzpatrick might actually be an improvement over Smith, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. The 32-year-old played in 12 games last season for the Texans and completed 62.1 percent of his passes, with a 56.7 Total Quarterback Rating and 7.96 yards per pass attempt, all better than Smith's numbers in 2014.

Fitzpatrick clearly has the inside track at the starting job, and he can cement his status with a strong preseason performance.

For the Lions, there is not a ton of drama heading into the preseason opener. There are position battles along the offensive line, particularly at left guard, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Facing the Jets' talented defensive line will be a good test for Detroit and could be an early indicator of how the competition will shake out.

Green Bay Packers @ New England Patriots

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With Tom Brady facing a four-game suspension, Jimmy Garoppolo will be a key figure for the Patriots during the preseason.

Thursday @ 7:30 p.m. ET

The Patriots' quarterback situation will be an ongoing headline-grabber throughout the preseason, and it won't be resolved regardless of what happens on Thursday. Even so, Jimmy Garoppolo will have a lot of attention on him when he takes the field against the Packers.

Garoppolo told reporters following Tuesday's practice that he did not know how much he would play during the preseason opener, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. It's safe to assume he'll see plenty of action, as the former second-round pick got limited experience as a rookie in 2014.

"Good question," Garoppolo told reporters when asked how much he'd play on Thursday. "I don't know. We'll find out Thursday; you know how that goes."

Doug Kyed of NESN says Garoppolo feels much more comfortable compared to last season, and against the Packers he should get a chance to instill some confidence in Patriots fans who are dreading having to play without Tom Brady under center.

On the Packers side of things, Aaron Rodgers is expected to play, according to Fox Sports. Clay Matthews is also expected to play, and the starters will only play for a short time.

Nick is a member of Bleacher Report's Advanced Program in Sports Media. You can follow him on Twitter @NickSelbe.