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We've made it.The dog days of summer have given way to September, sweeping away meaningle s preseason fare for football games that finally matter.Thursday night's between the and bookends an offseason of unwanted drama for New England while giving fans their first look at two teams armed with aspirations.Here's what we're watching for as the travel to Gillette Stadium on : saw his four-game suspension scattered to the wind, saving this opener from looking more like an exhibition stinker. New England's star pa ser will be on the field, but the are shorthanded in the backfield due to 's one-game suspension. The have their own problems, with premier runner beginning a two-game ban and suspended for the first four weeks of the year. coach Bill Belichick could fine se a 200-yard rushing performance out of Natalie Portman, but Bell is irreplaceable for the . In his place, veteran backup becomes a focal point. center officially has been ruled out, leaving undrafted rookie and veteran -- coming off shoulder surgery -- as potential fill-ins. We trust New England to roll out a well-coached attack, but the team's interior line is a concern. New defensive coordinator Isaac Seumalo Jersey Keith Butler promised to show with Pittsburgh's pa s rush, but can , up-and-down rookie and 37-year-old get in Brady's head?The will do their damage with Tommy throwing to game-changing tight end . Wideout (foot) won't play, but we expect to see (leg) line up alongside . The name to watch for New England is , Belichick's scatback of choice for the opener and a of former CEO Joe Banner, who tweeted that it was The question is whether the ex-Cleveland and back still po se ses the speed that before fracturing his fibula two summers ago. Based off the preseason, Lewis still remains a who runs with .The argument for this being a shootout: Two secondaries that roll into the game with more questions than answers. The graded out as the worst team in the NFL against the pa s this preseason, while the were bottom-10 material, per Pro Football Focus. Preseason stats mean zilch, but Troy Polamalu has been replaced by newbie safety -- and we don't trust these cornerbacks. For New England, hero believes his secondary -- stripped of -- . The key is slowing down pa ser , who Belichick called at extending plays.We can't get out of here without again mentioning Brady, who many believed wouldn't take the field until the team's Week 6 showdown with the . Instead, the four-time champ has a chance to bury months of Deflategate chaos with a big opening night. Don't expect the to wilt under this week's of , either. Love him or hate him, Belichick is the best around at preparing his players. Oren Burks Jersey