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

NFL teams are now into their third week of the preseason. That means that fans can expect to see starters on both sides of the ball playing into the third quarter of this weekend's games.

It also means that the first cut -- taking rosters down to a maximum of 75 players -- is to be made by early next week. Between starters playing extra and guys fighting for a last chance at a job, there is plenty for fans to keep an eye on, even though the games don't count.

New England at Washington, 8:00 PM ET

New England

Tom Brady played most of the first half in the Patriots' preseason opener, so it shouldn't be a major issue to see him go into the third quarter Friday. However, it's worth noting that Brady got knocked around in a short appearance against Cincinnati last week, so there's no guarantee the Redskins' first-team defense won't put a hat or two on him over the course of two-plus quarters. For Brady's part, he seems willing to take the abuse, as it shows that his knee is fully operational. However, fans need to keep watching his throwing mechanics. There have been a lot of back-foot throws over the first two weeks of the preseason. It's probably nothing, but with a guy like Brady, people are bound to nitpick.

Washington

This should be a good test for coach Jim Zorn and his offensive unit. In the last nine possessions where the Patriots' first-team defense has been on the field, they've allowed no touchdowns. Yes, it's preseason, but that's still a good thing. The Redskins need to see some serious improvement with their offensive attack if they are to make a dent in the NFC East this season, so the onus is on quarterback Jason Campbell -- the so-far unchallenged starter for the team -- to lead his team to some points. There's no better time to gain confidence than this week, since the "ones" will see more playing time than any other point in the preseason.

Green Bay at Arizona, 10:00 PM ET

Green Bay

While the first-team offense has racked up five touchdowns and no punts over six possessions in two preseason games, the reserves haven't been so successful. Despite being on the field for the better part of six quarters of football so far, the Packers have scored just 13 points with the non-starters on the field. This could be a last chance for third-string quarterback Brian Brohm. A second-round pick just last year, Brohm still looks overwhelmed by the whole NFL experience. He's not the first highly-accomplished college quarterback who never had the NFL game slow down for him, and he won't be the last. However, that doesn't make it any less difficult to watch him flounder. If Brohm doesn't play well Friday, he could be among those out the door in the first round of cuts.

Arizona

Every once in a while, a late-round pick or undrafted free agent finds a way to "steal" a roster spot. Seventh-round pick LaRod Stephens-Howling, a former Pittsburgh Panther, could be that guy for the Cardinals. With Tim Hightower seemingly established as the top running back, Stephens-Howling has made an impact on special teams. He had an 89-yard kickoff return against San Diego last week, and he could probably cement a spot on the roster with another good night. Of course, keeping Stephens-Howling would mean the Cardinals have two rookie running backs on the roster (they're not cutting Beanie Wells). It's hard not to root for the late-round picks, though.