(Aug. 27th 2008 – TMRZoo.com) Final Preseason Week Presents Pats At Giants, National TV Games, Final Roster Cuts…And New QBs Making Their Mark. It’s the NFL – there’s always something boiling.

And this week – the final week of preseason – is no different. There is a lot going on!

Start with a matchup on Thursday night of the opponents in one of most memorable games of last season who met a month later in one of the most memorable games in all of NFL history – the New York Giants and New England Patriots.

Just to see these two teams on the field at Giants Stadium on Thursday will bring back images of the Patriots’ TOM BRADY and RANDY MOSS setting NFL TD-pass and TD-catch season records, respectively, last December 29 at the same stadium, and then ELI MANNING’s scramble followed by DAVID TYREE’s “helmet catch” in Super Bowl XLII. For the record, since 1990, the Super Bowl-winning team is 5-3 against its Super Bowl opponent in the next preseason.

Of course, for many of the players on the field in Thursday’s game and the 15 others in Week 4, that kind of history does not matter. What does matter is that this is the last chance – what with final NFL roster cuts to 53 players this Saturday – to make their team’s roster. The starters are basically set throughout the league as are the key backup positions. It’s the “bubble” players who will be out to impress this week, which will make the special teams play, which NFL coaches base much of their roster decisions on, even more exciting than usual.

“The young guys in the NFL, they know this is their game,” says Kansas City Chiefs head coach HERM EDWARDS. “It’s real important for a young player and a rookie trying to make a team.”

A lot of this pressurized action can be seen in this week’s two nationally televised games.

On Thursday night, the Jacksonville Jaguars will travel to Washington to take on the Redskins on NBC (7:00 PM ET). The Jags have won two of their three preseason games, including last week against Tampa Bay when quarterback DAVID GARRARD – who won the starting job with a fine preseason last summer – completed 10 of 16 attempts for 118 yards and two touchdowns.

The Redskins, after winning their first three preseason games, were handled by the Carolina Panthers last Saturday, 47-3, and know that is not the way to get ready for the season. “If we’re going to take a whipping like that, get it out of the way now and come back and respond,” says Washington quarterback JASON CAMPBELL.

On Friday night, the Arizona Cardinals will host the Denver Broncos on NFL Network (10:00 PM ET). The QB is set at one club, it’s a battle at the other.

The Broncos’ JAY CUTLER, coming off his first full season as a starter, led Denver to scores on all three of its first-half possessions last Friday against Green Bay, including a 99-yard TD drive that consumed most of the second quarter.

For the Cardinals, Friday night should decide who will start the season at QB on September 7. It’s a battle between three-year NFLer MATT LEINART and 11-year veteran KURT WARNER. Leinart threw three interceptions last Saturday against Oakland, yet Arizona head coach KEN WHISENHUNT says that was not a mark against him. “Just based on what Matt’s done this spring, what he’s done in camp, that game doesn’t negate any of that,” says the coach.

At other clubs, the vying for the starting quarterback position is over, and a new starter has taken over. Following are new starters that have been named as the NFL approaches preseason Week 4:

• BRETT FAVRE, Jets: “When you’re a Jet…” and that’s exactly what the NFL’s career leader in TD passes, passing yards and consecutive QB starts now is. And will New York be rocking this year! After two preseason games with his new team, “I feel more like myself,” says the 38-year-old. “I feel more at ease in the huddle. I feel more at ease on the field.”

• KYLE ORTON, Bears: After a spring/summer battle with REX GROSSMAN, the four-year veteran has been named the starter by head coach LOVIE SMITH. And his performance last Thursday night only reinforced the decision. Orton went 10-for-17 against San Francisco for 147 yards (including a 55-yard completion) and two touchdowns with no interceptions. “He’s our quarterback,” says Smith. “He can play some good football for us.”

• J.T. O’SULLIVAN, 49ers: It took a while (stints with eight teams), but J.T. O’Sullivan is now an NFL starting quarterback. He has been solid in all three 49ers preseason games, and comes off an impressive outing last Thursday against Chicago in which he posted a perfect 158.3 passer rating. This after not taking any snaps in 11-on-11 drills in the first seven days of training camp. “J.T. has very good command of the offense,” says San Francisco head coach MIKE NOLAN. “He’s played well. He’s at the point where he’s the best man for the job.”

• CHAD PENNINGTON, Dolphins: Favre and this former Jet and new Dolphins QB face each other on Kickoff Weekend. Meanwhile, Pennington is fresh off stellar performances in his two games with his new team, including 11-for-15 passing with a TD in the first half last Saturday. “He can manage a game real well,” says new Dolphins head coach TONY SPARANO. “I like the way the players respond to him.”

• AARON RODGERS, Packers: Replace a legend (Favre)? Four-year veteran Rodgers appears to be doing it. He produced an 18-of-22 for 193 yards and a TD night against Denver in which he led four scoring drives in his five possessions. “Aaron has done everything right from a focus standpoint,” says Green Bay head coach MIKE MC CARTHY. “He was put in a situation that’s different. He’s done a very good job of focusing through that. At the end of the day, you need to focus on playing quarterback and he’s done that very well.”

• MATT RYAN, Falcons: No. 3 is now No. 1. Atlanta’s 2008 first-round draft choice (No. 3 overall) has been named the starter by new head coach MIKE SMITH. The Boston College product went 15-of-21 in his first start last Friday against Tennessee for 102 yards with one TD and no pickoffs. Smith said that he and his staff watched everything about Ryan from this spring on, from how he interacted with club personnel and teammates to more than 3,000 snaps he took in minicamp, offseason workouts, training camp, scrimmages and preseason games. “Matt is very astute,” says Smith. “He has picked up our system. Matt is the kind of guy who might be fooled once, but the next time it comes up, he’ll be able to handle it.”

LAST WEEK’S NFL RESULTS

(Home team in CAPS)

2008 PRESEASON RECORDS

THIS WEEK’S NFL SCHEDULE (AUGUST 28-29)

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