FOXBORO — Roughly seven months since they played their last game, the Patriots will take the field for the first contest of the 2010 preseason Thursday night at Gillette Stadium against the Saints. Here are some things to keep an eye on in the preseason opener for both teams:

1. Tom Brady. In last year’s preseason opener against the Eagles, Brady took 24 snaps and finished 10-for-15 for 100 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. However, that contest was his first back after an offseason of rehab on the left knee. It will be interesting to see if he plays much more than that Thursday against the Saints. If the over/under for snaps on Thursday is 24, I’d probably take the under. The quarterback would undoubtedly love the opportunity to get some real game reps under his belt, but don’t expect him to play any more than a series or two.

2. The inside linebacker spot opposite Jerod Mayo. This has been one of the best positional battles of training camp. With the recent knee problems experienced by incumbent Gary Guyton, rookie Brandon Spikes has taken the lead, with Tyrone McKenzie seeing more and more time with the second defense. Can Spikes bring that unique approach Belichick and the Patriots have observed in practice to the field? He’ll get his chance Thursday night.

3. Left guard. Without Logan Mankins — and now, without Nick Kaczur — the Patriots have used Dan Connolly at left guard. A career backup, Connolly has done a serviceable job when called upon in the past, but if he’s the left guard for the foreseeable future, will opposing defenses start to focus their attack on the interior of New England’s offensive line?

4. The Patriots pass rush. New England struggled to put consistent pressure on the quarterback last season. Now, without Derrick Burgess, the Patriots' only dynamic pass rusher is outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain. Rookie Jermaine Cunningham has seen a lot of time with the No. 1 defense at the outside linebacker spot opposite Banta-Cain, and if he is able to flash some pass-rushing skills this preseason, it would go a long way toward ensuring he will get more reps at the spot during the 2010 season. In that same vein, if the pass rush struggles on Thursday, does New England step up its efforts to land someone like Aaron Schobel or Adewale Ogunleye in an attempt to right the ship?

5. Wes Welker. After an offseason of rehab on the injured left knee, the wide receiver is a game-day decision, according to Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. He’s certainly looked impressive in camp so far, but New England has erred on the side of caution with Welker throughout his rehab, and so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was an inactive on Thursday night.

6. Aaron Hernandez. If you’re betting on one rookie making an impact in the passing game, the Florida product is a pretty safe bet. Moved all over the field like a chess piece throughout training camp — he’s lined up at fullback, in the slot, flush against the tackles and split wide over the first two weeks of camp — Hernandez has shown versatility, soft hands and a bit of a temper. (He took exception to a hit from linebacker Thomas Williams earlier this week, and got up and winged the football in Williams’ direction.) It’s early, but it’s clear that Brady has taken a shine to the rookie. We’ll see if that translates on the field.

7. The rest of the rookies. While Hernandez has certainly been impressive and Spikes and Cunningham have gotten a lot of run with the starters early, the rest of the rookies will get their first taste of game action on Thursday night. First-round pick Devin McCourty is starting to be rotated into the mix more and more (especially with Leigh Bodden missing the last few days because of a calf injury). McCourty’s impact will also be felt on special teams, where he has already seen work on the kick return team. Zoltan Mesko, the only punter in camp, has had a bit of an inconsistent couple of weeks, but flourished in the Patriots’ only training camp session inside Gillette Stadium.

8. The coaching staff. While the Patriots aren’t going with offensive or defensive coordinators this season, it’s a safe bet that linebackers coach Matt Patricia and quarterbacks coach Bill O’Brien will serve as de facto coordinators in 2010. One thing to remember — Belichick has always preferred his defensive coordinator to wear a different color jersey or jacket on the sidelines (usually red) in an attempt to stand out from the rest of the folks on the sideline so players can see who is calling the signals. (Don't believe me? Check out this picture of ex-defensive coordinator Dean Pees. Or this one here. Or here. Or here.) If Patricia — who has been using the headset to communicate with the defensive players in camp — is wearing the red, it’s a sure sign he’s the one who will wield the most control (other than Belichick) over the defense this season.

9. Guys on the bubble. I wrote about this earlier in the week, but there are a handful of guys who are playing for a roster spot this preseason, a group that probably includes veteran wide receiver Torry Holt. After missing a couple of days of practice, it’s unlikely that Holt will get a chance to play on Thursday, but other veterans who might be on the bubble (a group that includes Terrence Wheatley, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Sam Aiken) will all get their shot to earn the coaches’ favor on Thursday. Wheatley has shown a real physical side the last couple of days as a corner and also on special teams, and a solid performance on Thursday would go a long way toward ensuring a spot on the 53-man roster this season.

10. Randy Moss. Moss has been electric for much of the last two weeks, making accomplished cornerbacks look foolish. He was slowed by New Orleans corner Jabari Greer on a couple of occasions the last two days, but as he enters the final year of his contract with the Patriots and now that he has gotten rid of the problematic shoulder he had last year, he looks primed to have a great season.