NFL Preseason Schedule 2017: Dates and Ticket Info for Week 1 Slate

August football provides some awe-inspiring performances, preseason hype for potential dark-horse teams on the rise and, most importantly, an evaluation period for coaches and general managers.

Thus far, Week 1 of the preseason has checked all the boxes above. Rookie highlights and explosive plays against third-stringers indicate it's time for the NFL to take center stage in the sports world.

The remaining games on the slate for preseason openers will kick off Friday through Sunday with storylines worth following over the next few days. 

We already know the games don't count in the win-loss column, but what's the narrative beyond the scoreboard? Why should you tune into a few games for the scoop on roster plans and development?

You can view every contest listed below in real time with an NFL Game Pass subscription. ScoreBig.com can provide tickets to watch at the venues. Of course, check your local listings for televised broadcasts. 

Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants, Friday, August 11 at 7 p.m. ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals, Friday, August 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET

San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs, Friday, August 11 at 9 p.m. ET

Tennessee Titans at New York Jets, Saturday, August 12 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams, Saturday, August 12 at 9 p.m. ET

Oakland Raiders at Arizona Cardinals, Saturday, August 12 at 10 p.m. ET

Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, August 13 at 1:30 p.m. ET

Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, August 13 at 8 p.m. ET

Will Patrick Mahomes Continue an Impressive Trend for First-Round Rookie Quarterbacks?

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

In losing efforts, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and Chicago Bears signal-caller Mitchell Trubisky put together eye-opening performances in their NFL debuts. The Clemson product scored with his legs on a 15-yard scramble. The former North Carolina Tar Heel scored on his first drive and completed 10 consecutive passes once he stepped onto the field. 

Between Trubisky at No. 2 and Watson at No. 12, the Kansas City Chiefs traded up 17 spots to No. 10 to select quarterback Patrick Mahomes in April. Furthermore, the team gave up their third-round pick and a first-round selection in 2018. It's clear the front office has plans for the Texas Tech product in the near future.

While most assume Alex Smith will start under center for the 2017 campaign, we can't say that with certainty. The Chiefs started to reshape the offense during the offseason. 

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Kansas City drafted a 6'3", 204-pound wide receiver in Jehu Chesson, released veteran wideout Jeremy Maclin and essentially elevated Tyreek Hill to the top wideout on the depth chart.

On top of all the offensive changes, the franchise parted ways with John Dorsey and hired Brett Veach to the general manager position. As the team goes through incremental changes, Mahomes could encourage more transition starting with a solid performance against the San Francisco 49ers on Friday. 

ESPN analyst Louis Riddick expects to see Mahomes shine under the bright lights (h/t Arrowhead Pride writer Joel Thorman):

"The kid has people's heads spinning as far as the throws he is making. I'm just telling you, there are people down in Kansas City who are like literally grabbing themselves around the shoulders going, 'Let's slow down here.' There are throws he's making in 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 situations that, literally, they just stop the film and they go, 'Did he just do that'?

Trust me, the hype is real with this guy. They just have to keep it under control and stay on plan. When they unveil him, look out."

Will Mahomes outdo Watson and Trubisky in his NFL debut?

Uninspiring Jets Quarterback Competition Underway

Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets will showcase a quarterback competition that most spectators want to ignore through the preseason. However, there's one worthwhile storyline connected to Gang Green's three-man battle under center.

The Jets will field one of the bottom-three rosters in the league for the upcoming season, which means they could have a shot at three intriguing quarterback prospects in 2018, assuming the collegians declare for the draft.

At 38 years old, Josh McCown won't lead this offense into the future, perhaps not past Week 4 of the upcoming season. The Jets must take a good look at their 2016 second-round pick Christian Hackenberg to determine whether he's a franchise quarterback or not. 

Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

At the moment, with Bryce Petty in the mix, ESPN.com reporter Rich Cimini calls the Jets quarterback battle even among the three signal-callers:

"Truth be told, no one has risen to the challenge, but there are still preseason games to be played. Right now, the leader is veteran Josh McCown, if only by default. Christian Hackenberg hasn't capitalized on his expanded role in practice, but he can make a statement with a strong performance against the Tennessee Titans on Saturday night." 

The Jets wouldn't gain anything in trotting out McCown as the starter in Week 1 even if he's most equipped to help this poor roster win a few games. Head coach Todd Bowles should strongly consider going through the season with a Hackenberg-Petty combination, which leads to two scenarios: discovering the franchise quarterback on the roster or a developmental year en route to the No. 1 pick.

Colts Set to Groom Tougher Defense 

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

The Indianapolis Colts defense has hemorrhaged more yards on average in every year since the 2014 season and ranked in the bottom half in points allowed in the same span.

Quarterback Andrew Luck remains on the physically unable to perform list. Center Ryan Kelly suffered a foot injury during Thursday's practice, and he'll miss extended time, per Indianapolis Star reporter Stephen Holder. Without the starters handling the sacred center-to-quarterback exchange, the offense isn't worth watching on Sunday.

However, the Colts have several young defenders who may potentially develop into playmakers. General manager Chris Ballard used six out of eight 2017 draft picks on defensive players. Indianapolis could help Luck, whenever he returns, with a stronger defense that forces more turnovers. The unit logged 17 takeaways, which ranked No. 26 in the previous campaign. 

Aside from the obvious intrigue for early-round selections, Holder expects to see fourth-round pick defensive tackle Grover Stewart turn heads during the preseason:

Defensive coordinator Ted Monachino, via Indianapolis Star reporter Zak Keefer, would like to see safety T.J. Green progress in his development within a younger secondary:

Starting Sunday, the next four weeks could shed light on a Colts defense that may either help seal victories or endure a year of growing pains before jelling into a formidable group.