CARLISLE, Pa. -- No one would have blamed Steve Spurrier for giving Sage Rosenfels the brush-off. Instead, the second-year-man will be the Redskins' starting quarterback for their first exhibition game.

Rosenfels has never been in an NFL game. He is a holdover from the previous regime, a fourth-round draft pick whose arm-strength and mobility are nothing exceptional, who relies more on intelligence and poise when leading a team downfield.

Yet Spurrier has made him part of the Washington Redskins' three-way quarterback race. Now the unassuming ex-Iowa State player with the boyish face will have the honor of starting Spurrier's first exhibition game, the American Bowl against San Francisco on Sunday morning (Saturday night ET) in Osaka, Japan.

"It's exciting,'' Rosenfels said. "It'll be my first action playing with the first-string in a preseason game. It'll be fun.''

Spurrier said he's letting Rosenfels go first because he's the only incumbent from last year's team, even though Rosenfels sat on the bench the whole year.

Realistically, Rosenfels is playing catch-up. Wuerffel and Matthews both played for Spurrier at the University of Florida and are thus more familiar with the Redskins' new offensive system.

"He's picked it up fairly well,'' Spurrier said of Rosenfels. "I don't think Sage has been in a pass-oriented offense before this, so it's a lot for him.''

Rosenfels threw well on the first day of training camp last week, but it's been downhill from there. After a slow start, the quarterback battle has begun to define itself clearly: Matthews is emerging as the clear leader and the only one who looks ready to be an NFL starter, while Wuerffel has been consistent but not spectacular.

As for Rosenfels, he had another tough day Tuesday. His lobbed interception over the middle, intended for Jacquez Green but picked off by Mark Washington, might have been his worst throw of camp.

But the real test will be the exhibition games, so Rosenfels has a chance to make up ground in Japan. It shouldn't be hard to get motivated because this starting battle is different from most: One will be the starter, one will be the backup, and the other won't even make the team.

"It's completely different from anything thing I've ever been in quarterback-wise,'' Rosenfels said.

"I think I'm a pretty smart quarterback, and you have to be smart and tough and heady in his offense. I'm not quite as comfortable as the other two guys, but I'm getting there. I can go out there and play and try to win.''