It may not seem like that big a deal to the casual NFL fan, but the release of the league’s preseason schedule is our first opportunity to see the new-look teams for 2017, their fresh-faced draft picks and pricey free agent acquisitions. If you think the preseason doesn’t matter much, I’ll just point you to what the Dallas Cowboys experienced last year in the preseason and how it effortlessly rolled on in the regular season.
Hey, we’re just four months away from football. Let’s celebrate that.
Key Games
Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio
Thursday, Aug. 3 – Dallas Cowboys vs Arizona Cardinals (NBC, 8 p.m.)
This one bears mentioning because its the first game of the preseason and it will be held at the new Hall of Fame stadium that should actually be safe enough for NFL players to stand on. As a fifth preseason game, it’s doubtful the starters of either team will suit up at all, but the Cowboys are in the midst of a full defensive rebuild, so it’ll be interesting to see those players take the field.
115 days till the Hall of Fame Game!!#DallasCowboys #ArizonaCardinals #offseason #itsalmostover#cantwait
— Bethany (@Bethany_kay_99) April 10, 2017
For the Cardinals, they need a quarterback to develop, so whoever the new guy is they pick in the draft, we’ll get a healthy dose of him in this game.
Week 1
Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots (no time or TV station listed)
The defending champs take the field for the first time in the 2017-18 season and if you think we’ll see more than one series of Tom Brady in this one, you’re nuts. What we will get his a healthy dose of Jimmy Garoppolo, showing again what the Pats have in the holster for when Brady hangs up his cleats.
https://twitter.com/fearthe_beard11/status/851546255918374912
For the Jaguars, this could be a solid statement game for new head coach Doug Marrone. It’s just the preseason, but if the Jags can smack around the champs people will take notice.
Week 2
Monday, Aug. 21 – New York Giants at Cleveland Browns (ESPN, 8 p.m.)
Regardless of what the Cleveland Browns do at quarterback in the draft and on their own roster, this will give us all a solid chance to take a look at it. With the available space, I see no reason they shouldn’t keep Brock Osweiler on the roster no matter what else they do.
Week 3
Saturday, Aug. 26 – Los Angeles Chargers vs Los Angeles Rams (CBS, 8 p.m.)
It’s the first, official, Battle of Los Angeles. Both teams will be debuting new head coaches. The Rams will not only get to show off the improvements in the offense that new head coach Sean McVay brings to the table, but a new-look 3-4 defense under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. Week three is when the starters usually play at least a half, so this one will look like a real NFL game for 30 whole minutes.
Rams last played the Chargers in the regular season at the Coliseum 10/21/1979
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) April 10, 2017
For the Chargers, Anthony Lynn will get to show off a more disciplined and (hopefully) significantly tougher Chargers squad. For two teams that are going to share a facility in a couple of years, getting a win here can set the tone.
Week 4
Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans (no time or TV network assigned)
Regardless of what the Texans plan to do in the draft and free agency at quarterback, this will be their last chance to work out the kinks before the regular season starts. The Cowboys will also have a chance to knock off any defensive rust in the Battle of Texas.
Patriots, Cowboys headline 2017 Houston Texans preseason schedule https://t.co/70N5MuZxBX #kprc2 pic.twitter.com/8X2Gx4DkE0
— KPRC 2 Houston (@KPRC2) April 10, 2017
It’s doubtful how much any of the Cowboys starters will play in this one. My money is on Dak Prascott playing a series. Dez Bryant probably won’t suit up even once in the preseason and I can’t see them letting Ezekiel Elliott play in this game. So this will be the best chance Dallas has of showing off its depth and what it’s been able to develop on defense.
Here is your full schedule of NFL Preseason games with national TV games highlighted:
NFL Hall of Fame Game: AUGUST 3
Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals (NBC, 8 p.m.)
NFL WEEK 1: AUGUST 10-14
Atlanta Falcons at Miami Dolphins
Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams
Denver Broncos at Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts
Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers
Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots
Minnesota Vikings at Buffalo Bills
New Orleans Saints at Cleveland Browns
Oakland Raiders at Arizona Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers
Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants
San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals
Tennessee Titans at New York Jets
Washington Redskins at Baltimore Ravens
NFL WEEK 2: AUGUST 17-21
Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers
Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins
Buffalo Bills at Philadelphia Eagles
Carolina Panthers at Tennessee Titans
Chicago Bears at Arizona Cardinals
Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers
Green Bay Packers at Washington Redskins
Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys
Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals
Los Angeles Rams at Oakland Raiders
Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks
New England Patriots at Houston Texans
New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Chargers
New York Giants at Cleveland Browns (ESPN, 8 p.m., Aug. 17)
New York Jets at Detroit Lions
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Jacksonville Jaguars (ESPN, 8 p.m., Aug. 21)
NFL WEEK 3: AUGUST 24-27
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons
Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens
Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Chicago Bears at Tennessee Titans (FOX, 1 p.m. Aug. 27)
Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Redskins
Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos
Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints
Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers
Kansas City Chiefs at Seattle Seahawks (CBS, 8 p.m., Aug. 25)
Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams (CBS, 8 p.m., Aug. 26)
Miami Dolphins at Philadelphia Eagles
New England Patriots at Detroit Lions
New York Jets at New York Giants
Oakland Raiders at Dallas Cowboys
San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings (NBC, 8 p.m., Aug. 27)
NFL WEEK 4: AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER. 1
Arizona Cardinals at Denver Broncos
Baltimore Ravens at New Orleans Saints
Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts
Cleveland Browns at Chicago Bears
Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans
Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills
Jacksonville Jaguars at Atlanta Falcons
Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49ers
Los Angeles Rams at Green Bay Packers
Miami Dolphins at Minnesota Vikings
New York Giants at New England Patriots
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets
Pittsburgh Steelers at Carolina Panthers
Seattle Seahawks at Oakland Raiders
Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs
Washington Redskins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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