For the first time in an NFL game, Kevin Kolb will wear an Arizona Cardinals jersey.

Kolb will get the start Thursday when the Cardinals play the Raiders in the preseason opener, though how many snaps he takes remains to be seen.

“That’s a good question, I think we’ll just have to see what we feel like there,” Kolb said. “Obviously health is more important, still, than making a few mistakes.

“That’s Ken’s call and I’m sure he’ll talk to all of us and see how we feel.”

Kolb said the important thing is “getting that first one under our belt,” which is a moment both he and Cardinals fans alike are anxious for.

Still, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be on the field — a lot.

“As much as time as [head coach Ken Whisenhunt] gives us, that’s as much time as we’ll need,” Kolb said.

Whisenhunt has said Kolb may play more than is normal for the first of four games that don’t count simply because he needs more work in the system, but how much extra he plays will be dictated by the game itself.

The game itself, though, doesn’t matter so much. Teams generally focus on themselves, paying little attention to the squad they are lining up against. The Cardinals will be no different.

“We haven’t game-planned them or anything like that,” Kolb said, “which is usually the standard procedure this first game.

“It’s more about what we want to do as a team, getting through certain plays, getting through certain looks and then just executing and taking care of the football.”

That’s about the only thing fans will be able to tell or not, if the Cardinals took care of the ball. The preseason, and especially the first game, is more a time for coaches and players to evaluate where they are at and make necessary adjustments.

ArizonaSports.com’s Kyndra de St. Aubin contributed to this report

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