Most years, the preseason finale is the exclusive domain of the backups, the second- and third-teamers who are getting one last shot at a spot on the 53-man roster. In the wake of last week’s preseason loss to the Lions, some of the starters are expected to play Thursday night against the Giants. But there will be a collection of players on the bubble looking to make one final mark before the final round of cuts go down this weekend. Here are 10 guys who might need a strong effort Thursday night in their fight for a spot on the 53-man roster. (For the record — this list isn’t for back-of-the-roster unknowns, but for legitmate roster candidates who might be considered as being "on the bubble" when cutdown day comes around.)

Defensive end Mark Anderson: The former Chicago Bear got the preseason started with a bang when he delivered an impressive performance against the Jaguars, but since then, his role as pass-rushing, 4-3 end has since been usurped by Andre Carter. While Anderson is younger, the two do a lot of the same things, which would make one of them expendable if the Patriots wanted to add another player at a different position.

Offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger: With Ryan Wendell out because of injury, Ohrnberger has been slotted as Dan Connolly’s backup at right guard. However, Ohrnberger was tormented on Saturday by Ndamukong Suh, and while that puts him in the company of almost every other offensive lineman in the league, it wasn’t the sort of performance a guy who might be considered on the bubble needs heading into the final week of the preseason. (If Wendell isn’t healthy, Ohrnberger figures to feel a lot better about his chances.)

Cornerback Darius Butler: The cornerback survived the first round of cuts (his fellow corner Jonathan Wilhite wasn’t so lucky), but has to continue displaying value as a fourth corner — and possibly a special teamer — if he wants to make it through to the final 53-man roster. (His future could be tied to rookie Ras-I Dowling — Dowling has been banged up and struggled to see the field over the course of camp and into the preseason. If the team feels like Dowling isn’t ready to go come Week One, you would think Butler’s spot would be secure.)

Running back/fullback Sammy Morris: The Patriots cut Garrett Mills, a fullback/tight end hybrid, earlier this week. It’s also worth mentioning that offensive lineman Dan Connolly, who occasionally sees reps as a goal-line fullback, was injured last week against the Lions. As the only fullback left on the roster, these two developments improve Morris’ chances. (When talking about Morris, however, it’s important to note that the team pretty much knows what they have with him — he’s been around since 2007 — so they would probably need to see less of him than anyone on this list to get a handle on how he would fit in on this year’s roster.)

Wide receiver/kick returner Brandon Tate: The young kick returner, who was so electric at the start of the 2010 season, struggled toward the end of the year. He missed a sizable chunk of time at the start of camp, and in his only preseason action to this points, failed to display the sort of burst he had last year. Whether it’s an injury, something that happened during the lockout or the new kickoff rules, he just doesn’t look like the same guy. However, he does have a couple of things going for him: he remains one of the fastest guys on the roster and only thing resembling a deep threat among the receivers. In addition, no one else has stepped forward to really seize the mantle of kick returner.

Wide receiver Matthew Slater: Thought to have been on the bubble the last couple of years at this time, the wide receiver/defensive back/special teamer has made it through on every occasion with his willingness to do just about anything to make the team. Right now, he’s earned a spot as perhaps the final wide receiver on the roster (he’s caught two catches of at least 40 yards this preseason, both of them from Brian Hoyer), but his special teams skills are really what’s keeping him around. But as been the case the last few years, Slater certainly can’t afford to rest.

Safety James Ihedigbo: It would certainly appear that the safety has his opportunity before him. The Patriots parted ways with veteran James Sanders earlier this week and remain thin at the safety position. If the youngster out of UMass can put together a good night against the Giants, New England may have found a player who can add depth in the secondary.

Safety Josh Barrett: In the same boat as Ihedigbo. The Patriots have a whole year invested in the 26-year-old — he was waived by Denver last August with the intention of placing him on season-ending injured reserve, but New England scooped him up and allowed him to rehab all year. He’s struggled with injury this summer, but if he can stay healthy, his experience as a special teamer (he was with current special teams coach Scott O’Brien in Denver) could give him an edge over Ihedigbo.

Tight end Will Yeatman: The former college lacrosse star has muscled his way into a crowded tight end picture, but he certainly cannot afford to rest on his laurels at this stage of the preseason. Yeatman has put the Patriots in something of a difficult spot — he’s played well, but probably a little too well, as it would now be tough to get him through waivers to the practice squad.

The special teams linebacker: Whether it’s Tracy White, Ricky Brown or Niko Koutouvides, the Patriots will almost certainly go with one linebacker who’s more of a special-teams contributor. In other words, this year’s Larry Izzo. White had that role last season, and in our most recent roster projection, he wins the job again in 2011. But the special teams’ snaps bear watching Thursday night.