Last week we got one game, our first taste of live NFL action since winter. This week we get a full slate of all 32 teams in action. Preseason Week 1 runs Thursday through Saturday and there are two games worth circling: Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy returning to Green Bay together, and a quarterback rematch of the college national championship in Las Vegas.

Elsewhere, baseball goes back to Iowa for a special MLB one off event, golf's playoffs begin in Memphis, and a UFC superstar defends his belt in Philadelphia.

The stakes: Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers spent 13 seasons together in Green Bay and won a Super Bowl there. Now they're both in Pittsburgh, and their first game together as Steelers is against the Packers. McCarthy hasn't ruled out playing his veteran either, saying this week he plans to use his quarterbacks in three groupings: the starter for a series or two, his replacement to finish the first half, and the third quarterback for the entire second quarter onward. With Rodgers retiring after this season, this would be his final time on the field in Green Bay.

What to watch for: The two young quarterbacks behind him. Ohio State's Will Howard and Penn State's Drew Allar are both in this room, and one of them is likely the guy who takes over next season once Rodgers walks away. Whoever plays the second half tonight is auditioning for the starting job that opens next season.

On the Packers side, watch the running back room. Josh Jacobs could face a suspension this year, and Green Bay's run game struggled last season, so there are plenty of carries available. Marshawn Lloyd, a former third-round pick, along with Chris Brooks and Pierre Strong, are all competing for touches.

Skin in the Game: Back the Steelers +2.5. Pittsburgh has more draft capital in this game and more young players fighting to lock down roster spots, and that tends to matter more than starter talent in August. Green Bay simply doesn't have as many rookies who need the reps. Remember this is for fun, not your rent money.

The stakes: In this one we’ll see a QB rematch of last year’s college national championship. Fernando Mendoza went 16-0 at Indiana and won a Heisman before going No. 1 overall to Las Vegas. Carson Beck led Miami to that title game. Now they match up again, and both are in situations where a strong preseason could change their team's plans.

Beck comes in off a great first preseason game, going 15-of-19 for 188 yards and a touchdown in the Hall of Fame Game. Jacoby Brissett is still the expected Week 1 starter in Arizona, but as a rebuilding team they’ll want to find out what they have in Beck and if he could eventually become their future starter.

What to watch for: Mendoza. The Raiders have said they'll be patient, with Kirk Cousins expected to start most of the season while the No. 1 pick develops. That's the plan on paper. But if Mendoza plays well all preseason, the pressure to move him up the depth chart to compete for the starting role builds fast.

Beyond quarterback, watch the Raiders' receiver room. Brock Bowers will be the primary target in the passing game, but it's unclear who emerges behind him. That's a job available to whoever takes it over the next three weeks.

Skin in the Game: If you need some additional incentive to watch, back the Raiders -2.5. Arizona's defense got shredded last week in Canton, giving up 33 points, and between Vegas expected to give Mendoza plenty of snaps and his backup Aidan O’Connell having started a handful of games for this team over the past couple of seasons, the Raiders should have enough to take this one. Remember this is for fun, not your rent money.

MLB at Field of Dreams: Phillies vs. Twins | Tonight, 7:30 PM (Netflix): After a four-year hiatus while the site was renovated, MLB returns to Dyersville, Iowa for the third edition of the Field of Dreams game, this time in a brand-new permanent ballpark built a quarter-mile from the original movie site. The whole thing is inspired by the 1989 Kevin Costner film. Both teams will wear throwback uniforms, and players walk out through a path cut into the corn before first pitch, the same famous entrance as seen in the movie.

FedEx St. Jude Championship | Today–Sun (CBS/Paramount+): Golf's playoffs begin in Memphis. Here's how it works: the top 70 in FedEx Cup points made it here, only the top 50 advance to next week's BMW Championship, and just 30 reach the Tour Championship. That means the guys on the bubble have the most to play for. Jordan Spieth is the one to watch, sitting at No. 54 and the only player in the field without a top-10 finish all season. He needs a big week to keep his season alive.

UFC 330: Makhachev vs. Garry | Saturday, 9:00 PM (Paramount+): Islam Makhachev, a two-division champion who trains under Khabib Nurmagomedov and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings, defends his welterweight belt against Ian Machado Garry, a Conor McGregor protégé getting his first title shot. Makhachev enters on a 16-fight win streak, currently tied for UFC’s longest win streak with legend Anderson Silva. With a win Saturday, he breaks that record.

Must-watch:

Worth tuning in:

— Zach Blumenstein

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