NFL Preseason Schedule 2015: Notable Storylines to Watch on Week 2 Slate

The NFL preseason is not about football. Results of the games are meaningless. If you walk up to me on the street and attempt to tell me the score of a preseason football game, I will ridicule endlessly, find you on Twitter and block you pre-emptively.

On the other hand, things that happen in preseason do matter. Every Johnny Manziel pass draws hundreds of tweets. Every Tim Tebow pass nearly results in hospital visits. Every Ameer Abdullah run, Amari Cooper catch and Brandon Scherff pancake offers a glimpse into the NFL's future.

These are meaningless games played by players who will be making their professional exit by the hundreds in a couple weeks. But there are no meaningless moments. Every good play makes a borderline-rosterable player closer to living his dream, and every sign of slippage could spell the end for once-reliable veterans.

Week 2 of the preseason begins the most important 14-day span of the year for those players. Soon, rosters will have to be pared down to 75, with the 53-man limit due not long after the fourth preseason contest. Most coaches will begin formulating a generalized roster outlook over the weekend. With that in mind, let's take a look at some major storylines to keep tabs on.

Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream
Lions at Redskins	8/20	7:30 p.m.	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Bills at Browns	8/20	8 p.m.	ESPN	WatchESPN
Falcons at Jets	8/21	7:30 p.m.	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Seahawks at Chiefs	8/21	8 p.m.	NFL Network	NFL Game Pass
Dolphins at Panthers	8/22	7 p.m.	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Ravens at Eagles	8/22	7 p.m.	NFL Network	NFL Game Pass
Bears at Colts	8/22	7:30 p.m.	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Jaguars at Giants	8/22	7:30 p.m.	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Patriots at Saints	8/22	7:30 p.m.	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Raiders at Vikings	8/22	8 p.m.	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Broncos at Texans	8/22	8 p.m.	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Chargers at Cardinals	8/22	10 p.m.	NFL Network	NFL Game Pass
Packers at Steelers	8/23	1 p.m.	NFL Network	NFL Game Pass
Rams at Titans	8/23	8 p.m.	Fox	Fox Sports Go
Cowboys at 49ers	8.23	8 p.m.	Local Affiliates	NFL Game Pass
Bengals at Buccaneers	8/24	8 p.m.	ESPN	WatchESPN

Can Tebow Time Keep Ticking?

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

The first step in Tebow's comeback effort was a mixed bag. The former Florida star put together a near-flawless first drive, completing four of five passes while leading the Philadelphia Eagles deep into Indianapolis Colts territory before settling for a field goal. After that first drive, however, Tebow continued to exhibit the same flaws that pushed him out of the league for good two years ago.

Tebow finished the game with 69 yards through the air and 15 yards on the ground, including a seven-yard touchdown rush. Solid numbers in the macro sense, but Tebow was far from perfect. He completed one of his last six passes, took a trio of sacks and consistently struggled to drive the ball downfield after his initial success. The Eagles' final 10 points, including the touchdown scamper, came via Indianapolis turnovers.

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

“I liked how Timmy threw it,” Eagles coach Chip Kelly told reporters after the game. “I know that’s the big concern with everybody coming in, (wondering) has he really changed? And I think his sequencing is better, and he’s got his feet underneath him. When the guys ran the right routes and he had an opportunity to throw the football, I thought he threw the ball really well.”

How much time Tebow will have under center Saturday night remains to be seen.

Sam Bradford is scheduled to make his Eagles debut after sitting out the preseason opener, and with Mark Sanchez and Matt Barkley also due reps, it's possible Tebow will see minimal action. Barkley in particular looked strong against the Colts, which should give him a sizable lead over Tebow in the battle for the third quarterback job.

That said, Tebow has a fan in Kelly, per ESPN's Dianna Russini. Barkley is much closer to the trade block than making the final roster, and Kelly sees Tebow as a potential short-yardage option who could keep the brittle Bradford healthy. It'll be an interesting couple of weeks to say the least.

Carolina Panthers Begin Picking Up Post-Benjamin Pieces...Kind Of

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Breakout second-year receiver Kelvin Benjamin will miss the entire 2015 season after suffering a torn ACL in practice this week. Benjamin made 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie, emerging as Cam Newton's favorite target despite only scratching the surface of his potential. The 6'5" behemoth was expected to break out even further with Newton fully healthy after a season filled with injuries.

"He’s a heck of a player," teammate Jerricho Cotchery said, per Max Henson of the Carolina Panthers official website. "But the team has done a great job of creating competition in the room. This is one of those instances where that will benefit you."

A couple things: One, Cotchery is vastly overrating the competition in that locker room. Without Benjamin, the Panthers may have the NFL's worst receiving corps. No receiver on the roster had more than Cotchery's 48 grabs in 2014; expecting a 33-year-old career third wideout to suddenly have a breakout year might be a little much.

Ted Ginn has a chance at starting on this team. Someone named Brenton Bersin will probably make the roster. Jarrett Boykin might be the only wideout Aaron Rodgers hasn't been able to coax Pro Bowl performances out of. This is a dire situation, which only amplifies the importance of second-round pick Devin Funchess.

One problem: Funchess will miss this week's preseason game due to a hamstring injury, per David Newton of ESPN. So much for him getting time to develop a rapport with Cam Newton.

"We drafted Devin for a reason. You want to have a big, quality receiver, and Devin gives us that still,’’ Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said, per David Newton. "We’ve got to find answers for that, whether it’s a player stepping up or it’s by committee. But we’ve got to find the solution, and we will because we’ve got plenty of time right now.’’

QB Battles Continue Sorting Themselves Out

Bill Wippert/Associated Press/Associated Press

Imagine being EJ Manuel or Matt Cassel. At this time two years ago, Manuel was being promoted in Buffalo as the Bills' franchise quarterback. A year later, he was being sent to the bench in favor of Kyle Orton's brand of veteran mediocrity. Meanwhile, Cassel is on the verge of losing a starting gig for the third time in his last three NFL stops.

Who is beating them out? Tyrod Taylor, a 2011 sixth-round pick who has thrown all of 35 NFL passes.

Taylor will get the start in Thursday night's game against the Cleveland Browns after throwing for 49 yards and rushing for 47 in Buffalo's preseason opener. The former Virginia Tech star has also been by far the most impressive of the trio during training camp.

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

About Taylor, general manager Doug Whaley said to Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News:

"

It’s a production-based business. He produced with the twos so we’re excited for him to get in there Thursday with the ones to see what he can do. Everybody knows what he can do with his feet. But I’m impressed with a couple of his throws. He’s got everything you’re looking for. We just have to make sure he can produce when his time’s called.

"

With the Houston Texans, it's a far more standard affair. Brian Hoyer looked strong with the first team last week, so it's Ryan Mallett's turn to see if he can keep the competition neck-and-neck. We've had plenty of experience watching this team already on Hard Knocks, so you go ahead and choose which one is tugging at your heartstrings.

All that's clear so far is that Rick Ross-loving Bill O'Brien has a decision on his hands.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.