Bayoubuzz

If you pay attention to spreads, the Titans are favored over the Saints by 7 1/2 points in the preseason's final tune-up for the regular season on Thursday night at Nashville.

The Titans starters will get their most extensive playing time of the preseason, according to coach Jeff Fisher. Most will play until halftime some early into third quarter. Fisher said he'd like to get all four quarterbacks into the game, but that's going to be tough to pull off.

With their season opener against the Vikings a week away, the defending Super Bowl champion Saints aren't expected to play their starters much, if at all. Quarterback Drew Brees will not play and a number of starters won't make the trip to Nashville. Former Titans quarterback Patrick Ramsey will start at start for the Saints and play the first half until he gives way to Chase Daniel. This will the final exam for both to see who wins the backup job.

Safety Darren Sharper (knee), defensive end Will Smith (rest), tight end Jeremy Shockey (concussion), linebacker Jon Vilma (groin), linebacker Clint Ingram, linebacker Stanley Arnoux, cornerback Tracy Porter, safety Pierson Priolueau (knee) and offensive tackle Zach Strief (knee) are out,Tight end Jimmy Graham (ankle) has missed the past two games but will return against the Titans.

Cornerback Cortland Cortland Finnegan and defensive tackle Tony Brown, both coming off injuries, are expected to make their preseason debuts for the Titans.

The 7 o'clock game will be final audition before the teams remove at least 22 players from the active roster to get to the 53-man limit by Saturday's deadline.

"You'll see a lot of guys with the second teams," said Saints coach Sean Payton.; "They're battling for spots, so they they're going to have a lot of playing time. Some guys are going to play close to a full game. Hopefully, that gives us a better look at some of these players."

This game is the final chance many players have to convince Payton and his staff that they belong on the team, Some have been around since off season workouts began, some since the start of training camp five weeks ago, a few arrived during the preseason, and most won Super Bowl rings last season.

"It's the hardest part of the calendar year, the last week of preseason games where you have a lot of tough decisions to make, and a lot of these players  have been with us since last April in the offseason," said Payton.

It's possible that more than 22 players will be leaving after this game because the Saints could claim players who are released by other teams in the final cutdown.

Two veteran running backs who were signed during the preseason, Ladell Betts and DeShawn Wynn, could get extended opportunities on Thursday night. With Vilma out, Marvin Mitchell and Anthony Waters will share the snaps at middle linebacker.