What to Watch for in Thursday's Games That Don't Count

All eyes will be on Philadelphia Thursday night, as the Great One returns to competition.

Tom Brady hasn't played in almost a year. His blown-out knee now healed, Brady is a rare breed in today's NFL -- he's a veteran player who's actually looking forward to the preseason. As the summer schedule kicks off in earnest Thursday, Brady is far from the only interesting storyline.

New England at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. Eastern

New England

Duh. Brady's return trumps all. Expect much to be said about how long he plays, though coach Bill Belichick is unlikely to take any chances. Brady will get a couple series, and then he should find himself a nice, cool seat on the bench.

Philadelphia

Folks are raving about the play of LeSean McCoy so far. The University of Pittsburgh product is fighting to earn as much playing time as possible behind veteran Brian Westbrook. This will be McCoy's first shot against a live NFL opponent, so every touch will be important. Since Westbrook is still on the mend, McCoy will have a first-team offensive line to work behind.

Washington at Baltimore, 7:30 p.m.

Washington

It would make sense that the Redskins are embarking on a quarterback controversy. Even if you believe that Jason Campbell won't be losing his starting job anytime soon, the team has one veteran (Todd Collins) and two youngsters (Colt Brennan and Chase Daniel) fighting for the other two jobs on the team. Given how enamored people seem to be with Brennan, it's hard to imagine that he wouldn't be on the team. That means Collins and Daniel are fighting for a single roster spot.

Baltimore

The Ravens have a nice problem in their offensive backfield. Fullback LeRon McClain was actually their leading rusher last year, and veteran Willis McGahee is their biggest name. It's second-year man Ray Rice, however, who could make the biggest splash this season. On the back-burner, this may be the first chance for fans to see how newly-unretired receiver Derrick Mason looks. Mason injured his finger in practice Tuesday, and his status is still uncertain. (Update: Mason will be inactive against the Redskins)

Arizona at Pittsburgh, 8:00 p.m.

Arizona

Obviously, the Cardinals are seeking revenge. Oh, wait. This is a preseason game. The Cardinals know Kurt Warner will enter the regular season as their starting quarterback. What they're not so certain about is the future of the "heir apparent". Former first-round pick Matt Leinart is trying to avoid heading toward the Bust Motel, and he is stuck trying to fight off Brian St. Pierre for the No. 2 job. This is a high-pressure situation for Leinart, who surely isn't being paid all that money to be a gameday inactive.

Pittsburgh

Second-year back Rashard Mendenhall returns after suffering a broken shoulder on a hit from Ray Lewis last year. The Illinois product may get a chance to prove his worth with the first team, as starter Willie Parker is banged up and may not play. The Steelers seem determined to find out for certain what they have in Mendenhall, and every game he plays in could weigh heavily on the team's thinking.

Dallas at Oakland, 10:00 p.m.

Dallas

Without Terrell Owens, how functional will the first-team offense be? Tony Romo is the unquestioned leader, and he still has a top target in tight end Jason Witten. Can Roy Williams be as good as Owens, only without the serious baggage? Fans might only see a couple series out of these guys, but they're going to expect to see Romo lead his team down the field.

Oakland

Will Jeff Garcia really challenge JaMarcus Russell for the starting job? No matter who starts in Week 1, can they do enough through the air to allow the Raiders' ground attack to shine? Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden and Michael Bush are all back, and it's just a matter of the passing attack getting, well, off the ground.