Many people would tell you that the preseason is boring to watch because most of the game it is the reserves and scrubs playing against other reserves and scrubs. In that sense, yes, it can be a bit tiresome, especially when there are the mistakes that come from the first week of the preseason. As the Arizona Cardinals send Kevin Kolb to be their field general for the first time in game action against the Oakland Raider, you have to watch the game for certain things to hold your intrigue, just in case you need something to do that.
Here are a few:
How Kolb looks overall: I don't want to read too much into one performance, but focus on the whole. Is he generally on the same page as his receivers? Is the ball looking good in general? Are his decisions the right ones?
Offensive line performance: How big are the holes that are opened up for Beanie Well, Ryan Williams and the other guys on the roster? How much time do the quarterbacks have? Are there pre-snap penalties?
How Rashad Johnson plays: Johnson has some pressure on him with Adrian Wilson out. The team has been waiting for him to step up. Will he be in the right places during the game? Does he stand out at all?
Pass coverage by cornerbacks: The young core of Greg Toler, Patrick Peterson, A.J. Jefferson and Richard Marshall have a lot of potential. Jefferson has gone from undrafted a year ago to currently number one on the depth chart. How do the lot of them look in coverage? With DRC gone, that is a concern.
Early Doucet: Does he stay healthy?
Offensive formations: I have speculated for a couple of weeks that the offensive looks will change with the tight end position now being a strength. How often will the offense come out in four-receiver sets? It was the most frequently used personnel package in 2010.
Sustained offense: Although the preseason is not always an accurate way to gauge things, the 2010 offense stalled a lot in the preseason and never stopped stalling. How many sustained drives do they have?
Obviously, there are several other things, but those are a good few to start with. Keep a roster close by. You will see a lot of numbers and players you will not know.
But if there is one thing to overlook, it is the actual scoreboard. Cardinals fans know that from years of 4-0 preseasons only to follow them up with four or five-win seasons.