Jordan Love and his starting offense and the team’s starting defense will all play Saturday when the Green Bay Packers host the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason finale at Lambeau Field.
“Yeah, they’re going to play,” coach Matt LaFleur said before Thursday’s practice, confirming the suggested plan he revealed earlier in the week.
Love and the starters on both sides have played in each of the Packers’ two preseason games.
LaFleur said “everybody will play,” with the lone exception being outside linebacker Rashan Gary, who is still working his way back into 11-on-11 periods.
Love played two series in the preseason opener in Cincinnati and three series last Saturday against the Patriots.
How long will the starters be on the field vs. the Seahawks? LaFleur said snaps will be decided on a case-by-case basis and no set playing time is expected.
“It’s going to be more of a gut feeling, I would say, on my part, where we’re at. I do think there’s a lot of value in getting ready for a noon kickoff,” LaFleur said.
There is a shift for players getting physically and mentally ready for an early kickoff after playing night games in Cincinnati and at home against New England, and LaFleur is excited to see how his young team responds.
The Packers coach said a younger roster this year and not performing well in Week 1 in recent years all contributed to his change of philosphy in terms of playing time for starters during the preseason.
“You always learn and grow and you try to get a feel for where you’re at as a football team and what your team needs,” LaFleur said.
After Saturday’s preseason finale, the Packers have 53-man roster cutdowns on Tuesday, Aug. 29 and can then start prepping for the Chicago Bears, who host LaFleur’s team on Sunday, Sept. 10 in the regular season opener.
