NFL Preseason Schedule 2016: Full TV Info, Live-Stream Details and More

The 2016 NFL preseason begins with an encounter between the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts at the Hall of Game in Canton, Ohio, the first stop on a 65-game trek toward the regular season.

As the first weekend with football in a long time, it's the perfect way to kick off the journey. Over the course of the preseason, teams will sort out and finalize 53-man rosters while finding the best players for every job.

When it comes to the broadcast schedule, as usual, the bulk of the attention goes to Week 3, where teams and coaches roll out their starters for the most playing time. The Los Angeles Rams, though, throw some of the emphasis on the opening week.

Here's a look at the nationally televised games this preseason:

Week	Date	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV
HOF Game	Sunday, Aug. 7	Green Bay Packers vs. Indianapolis Colts	8 p.m.	ESPN
1	Saturday, Aug. 13	Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams	8 p.m.	ESPN
3	Thursday, Aug. 25	Atlanta Falcons at Miami Dolphins	8 p.m.	NBC
3	Friday, Aug. 26	Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	8 p.m.	CBS
3	Saturday, Aug. 27	Tennessee Titans at Oakland Raiders	8 p.m.	CBS
3	Sunday, Aug. 28	San Diego Chargers at Minnesota Vikings	1 p.m.	Fox
3	Sunday, Aug. 28	Arizona Cardinals at Houston Texans	4 p.m.	Fox
3	Sunday, Aug. 28	Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars	8 p.m.	NBC

Full dates and kickoff times for each week are available at NFL.com.

As usual, games will also likely be available on local channels, if not on a tape delay. NFL Network will also provide games with the schedule yet to bet announced. As for live-streaming online, NFL.com will once again handle the duties.

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

No matter how fans view the games, plenty provide must see-action.

It's not the preseason without quarterback drama, and it's the main focus here. How could it not be when the biggest storyline in the league was Ryan Fitzpatrick's standoff with the New York Jets?

After slinging 31 touchdowns passes and leading the Jets to 10 wins, the 33-year-old quarterback went through a lengthy holdout that just ended last Monday with his inking a new deal, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

One of his favorite targets, wideout Eric Decker, told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News it's going to take some time to get things back to normal:

"

If he comes back, it's going to take some time. Even when you play with Peyton Manning, you still got to refine the craft in the offseason. … Last year, we were all new to this this. So, let's just figure it out. We all understand the offense and each other (now), but I still think it (will take time) to mold our game.

"

It's certainly something interesting to watch this preseason with the fate of a 10-win team from the AFC swinging in the balance when the Jets encounter teams such as the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles.

The Cleveland Browns are another team with drama under center. New head coach Hue Jackson spent some time across the AFC North with the Cincinnati Bengals and helped squeeze the most out of quarterback Andy Dalton, but now he'll have to choose between Josh McCown and Robert Griffin III.

He says the team will name a starter before the first game, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com:

Though it gets nowhere near as much attention as the other two, the San Francisco 49ers have a competition under center as well.

After a five-win campaign last year, the 49ers offer plenty of intrigue with head coach Chip Kelly at the controls, though he'll have to pick between Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert. The former only appeared in an odd nine games last year and threw six touchdowns to five interceptions, while the latter suited up for eight and threw 10 to seven, respectively.

Of course, one can't talk about the most important position in the sport this preseason without bringing up the New England Patriots. The team won't have Tom Brady for the first four games, meaning it's all about Jimmy Garoppolo against the following brutal schedule:

• at Arizona Cardinals
• vs. Miami Dolphins
• vs. Houston Texans
• vs. Buffalo Bills

Garoppolo, clearly, is one to watch during exhibitions while he attempts to get on the same page with weapons such as Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett and Danny Amendola. Head coach Bill Belichick will use tough preseason encounters such as a Week 3 clash with the Carolina Panthers to get his spot-duty quarterback ready, per NESN's Doug Kyed:

Quarterbacks are just the beginning of the preseason storylines, albeit the most visible.

The national games emphasize the special nature of the preseason. It will be fun to see the Rams for the first time in a new market, especially against the Dallas Cowboys, a team finally getting Tony Romo back from injury. 

Week 3 has plenty of standout action, though the league got it right with the Arizona Cardinals-Houston Texans showdown considering  no teams looks as fresh as the latter this year thanks to the arrivals of running back Lamar Miller and quarterback Brock Osweiler.

It's all about change. The preseason is the first look at an offseason of changes and how they might impact the league, whether it's rookies to new faces in new places.

As usual, the preseason continues to be more and more accessible, and as important and entertaining as ever. NFL fans thirsty for football to return won't be disappointed.

Stats are courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of Monday. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.