NFL preseason kicks off Thursday night

Why is 海角大神 Science in our name?

Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The 海角大神 Science Church, and we鈥檝e always been transparent about that.

The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. Since 1908, we鈥檝e aimed 鈥渢o injure no man, but to bless all mankind,鈥� as our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, put it.

Here, you鈥檒l find award-winning journalism not driven by commercial influences 鈥� a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope.

Explore values journalism About us

Sports

NFL preseason kicks off Thursday night

NFL preseason: The games begin Thursday night, with five contests. One NFL preseason matchup Thursday features a pair of playoff teams from a year ago.

Patrick Semansky/AP

NFL preseason: Baltimore Ravens running backs Ray Rice, left, and Ricky Williams, right, walk past quarterback Joe Flacco during NFL football training camp in Owings Mills, Md., Tuesday, Aug. 9.

By Pat Murphy Staff

Aug. 11, 2011, 4:08 p.m. ET

The NFL preseason slate of exhibition games kicks off Thursday night from coast to coast.

The to play the Patriots, while Oakland plays host to Arizona.

One contest on opening night features a matchup of NFL playoff teams from 2010: the Ravens will face the Eagles on Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field.

Baltimore quarterback will get a chance to see new Eagles cornerback . The former Raider and all-Pro was one of the biggest free-agent acquisitions this summer.

In Dallas, the Cowboys will host the Broncos. Observers will be keen on watching how much Denver quarterback plays, as he battles Brady Quinn for the No. 2 quarterback position. Dallas fans will be watching quarterback as he returns from a season-ending injury last year.

After being traded to Arizona following the NFL lockout earlier this summer, former Eagles quarterback gets another shot at leading his own NFL offense as the .

The , where they will take on the Chargers in the fifth game of the preseason's opening night.