NFL Preseason 2015: Week 1 Scores, Schedule and Key Stories to Follow

The NFL preseason is a delicate balancing act for coaching staffs around the league. They want to see progress so their teams can hit the ground running in the regular season without taking too much risk in terms of injuries.

It can also be viewed through different prisms by players. For entrenched veterans, the exhibition slate is merely to shake off the rust and perhaps build some chemistry. Yet for rookies and those on the roster fringe, the experience is invaluable and their play is important.

So there are a lot of moving pieces, even in the opening week of action. Let's check out the schedule, including results for the games already played, before diving into some of the stories worth tracking over the next few days.

Week 1 Schedule

Date	Road	Home	Time (ET) / Result
Thursday, Aug. 13	Saints	Ravens	30-27 BAL
Thursday, Aug. 13	Jets	Lions	23-3 DET
Thursday, Aug. 13	Packers	Patriots	22-11 GB
Thursday, Aug. 13	Redskins	Browns	20-17 WSH
Thursday, Aug. 13	Dolphins	Bears	27-10 CHI
Thursday, Aug. 13	Cowboys	Chargers	17-7 SD
Friday, Aug. 14	Titans	Falcons	31-24 ATL
Friday, Aug. 14	Panthers	Bills	25-24 CAR
Friday, Aug. 14	Giants	Bengals	23-10 CIN
Friday, Aug. 14	Steelers	Jaguars	23-21 JAX
Friday, Aug. 14	Rams	Raiders	18-3 OAK
Friday, Aug. 14	Broncos	Seahawks	22-20 DEN
Saturday, Aug. 15	Buccaneers	Vikings	8 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 15	49ers	Texans	8 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 15	Chiefs	Cardinals	9 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 16	Colts	Eagles	1 p.m.

Storylines to Watch

Jameis Winston's Debut

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had their choice between two coveted quarterback prospects with the first pick of the 2015 draft. They opted to take Winston over Marcus Mariota, and now the long process of finding out whether they made the right decision begins.

Mariota showcased the learning curve in his first appearance Friday night, throwing an interception and losing a fumble on his first two drives. He eventually settled in, however, completing seven of eight passes for 94 yards.

Winston has endured an up-and-down camp so far, but competitive action against another team is the first real measure of progress. He's focused on bringing a winning attitude to the squad, even if it's just the preseason, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times noted.

"People always talk about preseason [like] you're not really focused about the winning and losing, but we need wins," Winston said. "That's very important to me, and I know it's important to those guys in the locker room, to get a win up under our belt."

The Bucs open on the road against the Minnesota Vikings, which ranked seventh against the pass last season. That should provide a good test for the Florida State product, at least for a few series. No conclusions should be drawn regardless of the results, but Tampa would love to see positive signs.

New-Look San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers have emerged from an eventful offseason with plenty of question marks. They watched Patrick Willis, Chris Borland and Justin Smith retire while Frank Gore and Michael Crabtree were among those to leave via free agency. More recently, they released embattled defender Aldon Smith.

The franchise also made a coaching change, with Jim Tomsula taking over after the departure of Jim Harbaugh. While the personnel losses suggest it could be a difficult season in the Bay Area, a strong preseason could at least create some hope heading into the new campaign.

It won't be easy, though. San Francisco didn't just lose a couple reserves. It lost several key contributors, and there's simply no way to replace them all in one offseason. Kevin Seifert of ESPN provided numbers to illustrate exactly how much needs to get replaced:

"

When you take the difference between snaps lost and snaps added—a measure of what's left on the roster—you find the 49ers atop the list with 5,697 net snaps lost. The Philadelphia Eagles are next [4,853], followed by the New Orleans Saints [4,271]. No other team has more than 3,500 net snaps lost.

"

That makes the preseason, which starts against the Houston Texans on Saturday night, all the more important. There are plenty of opportunities available, and the players who take best advantage of the exhibition games can work their way into key roles by Week 1.

Upgraded Indianapolis Colts Offense

Having a top-tier quarterback covers up a lot of flaws. The Colts franchise understands that better than most after having the fortune of watching Peyton Manning and now Andrew Luck. That said, those weaknesses tend to show up in the playoffs.

Offensively, Indianapolis lacked a consistent running game and a reliable possession receiver as Reggie Wayne faded from his typically high standards. The front office addressed both of those needs by adding Frank Gore and Andre Johnson.

After finishing sixth in points scored and third in yards per game last season, those additions give the Colts a realistic chance of finishing atop the league in both categories. Perhaps punter Pat McAfee summed it up best, per Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star:

The team's starters will probably only play a couple series in the opener versus the Philadelphia Eagles, as is the case of most teams as they slowly build toward a longer showing in the third week. It's important to start building a rhythm so they can reach the sky-high expectations once the games start counting.