The third week of the 2017 preseason schedule gets underway Thursday evening, with a pair of games to keep us entertained. The San Francisco 49ers play a nationally televised game on Sunday, closing out the week on NBC at 5:00 p.m. PT.
The national game on Thursday will feature the Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Miami Dolphins on NFL Network. That game kicks off at 4:00 p.m. At 4:30, the Jacksonville Jaguars play host to the Carolina Panthers.
The latter game is a fairly big deal for 49ers fans because of Cam Newton. He has not played in the preseason while recovering from his offseason shoulder surgery. He has been throwing in team drills, and Ron Rivera said he is on track to play tonight. It seems like he is on track to play against the 49ers in Week 1, but the longer it takes him to get back on the field, the more it could impact that game.