“America’s Team” will be on road Saturday night when they face the Chargers in the preseason opener for both teams. Dallas will be taking the field following a headline-grabbing offseason. Shortly after the 2007 season, owner Jerry Jones managed to retain offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, who was being courted as head coach by multiple NFL teams. Garrett was given a pay raise and assigned the title of assistant head coach in Big D, moves that are seen as exerting pressure on head coach Wade Phillips.

From a personnel standpoint, Dallas made a splash by trading for troubled cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones, also drafting running back Felix Jones to push Marion Barber atop the depth chart at that position. Barber and other key starters such as quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Terrell Owens are expected to see only limited time on Saturday, in keeping with first-game-of-preseason tradition; however, it will be quite a bit more than the Chargers’ best player, LaDainian Tomlinson, who won’t see any action.

Compared to Dallas, San Diego experienced a decidedly tranquil offseason. After finishing 11-5 and advancing to the AFC Championship last January, Norv Turner’s club experienced precious little roster or coaching turnover, and is the overwhelming favorite to win the AFC West once again. On the injury front for the Chargers, wideout Vincent Jackson, tight end Antonio Gates, and center Nick Hardwick are among the players who will not see action against Dallas. With “LT” and others out, it gives us the opportunity to play AGAINST a team that will not have key starters playing against an opponent not resting its key players. Some coaches don’t see any need to risk undue injury during the exhibition season to those players whom he already knows will be starters, which is the case for Turner and San Diego.