After joint practices together on Wednesday and Thursday in Green Bay, the Packers will host the New England Patriots at Lambeau Field for a preseason showdown on Saturday night.
Matt LaFleur’s team won the preseason opener in Cincinnati. After Saturday night, the Packers finish the preseason schedule with a visit from the Seattle Seahawks.
Here are five things to watch when the Packers face Bill Belichick’s team:
First-team offense
Expect to see plenty of Jordan Love and the starting offense. The Packers want Love and his young supporting cast to get as many on-field reps as possible before the regular season, so they are treating Saturday night as another opportunity for the group to take a step forward in their on-going development. Defensive looks from the Patriots will be more vanilla than the Packers saw during joint practices, and it’s even unclear if New England’s defensive starters will play, but Matt LaFleur’s team sees a lot of value in an inexperienced offense getting more reps in a game environment.
“It’s important for our offense to play together,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said Friday.
Gutekunst thinks his offense needs to “learn to play together” and can use the preseason reps to start building “instincts” and grow from seeing things for the first time together. Love and the Packers offense could play several series.
Rookie defensive backs
Two rookie seventh-round picks to watch on defense: cornerback Carrington Valentine (No. 37) and safety Anthony Johnson Jr. (No. 36). Valentine has been one of the breakout stars of Packers camp and could posititon himself as the defense’s No. 4 cornerback to open the regular season if he continues stacking strong performances. Last week, he broke up two passes and intercepted another during a tremendous preseason debut in Cincinnati. He has a good combo of length and athleticism and the Packers love his demeanor and playstyle at corner. Like Valentine, Johnson is coming off a strong preseason opener against the Bengals. Expect him to get more snaps earlier in the contest as the Packers try to figure out the situation at safety. If Johnson keeps playing fast and making plays, he could force himself into the starting conversation.
The kicking rollercoaster
The Packers stood behind rookie kicker Anders Carlson and preached patience during another rollercoaster week for the first-year specialist. Rich Bisaccia trusts the talent and mental makeup of Carlson, who is hovering right around a 70 percent success rate on kicks during training camp and needs to get more consistent before the regular season. Last week, Carlson made his first four kicks before coming undone and missing a pair of extra points wide right. The misses are coming mostly to the right, suggesting a technique issue is to blame. Saturday night will be Carlson’s first opportunity to kick at Lambeau Field against a true opponent.
Roster battle at receiver
The roster battle between Malik Heath and Grant DuBose at wide receiver will stay in the spotlight. Heath has been a standout all summer and will be tough to keep off the 53-man roster if he continues making catches and blocking in the run game. The undrafted rookie from Ole Miss has a lot of tools that fit what Matt LaFleur and the Packers want to do on offense. Meanwhile, DuBose should make his preseason debut after battling a back injury for months. The seventh-round pick has really started to flash over the last week and a half and is carrying a lot of momentum into Saturday night. While Bo Melton (hamstring) likely won’t play, the Packers should get a long look at both Heath and DuBose on Saturday night. It won’t be surprising if both make a few plays, whether it’s with Jordan Love or Sean Clifford at quarterback.
Roster battle at running back
A deep and talented Patriots defensive front should give the Packers running game a good look on Saturday night. That’s helpful because Matt LaFleur’s team is still trying to figure out the No. 3 running back. Patrick Taylor is the most experienced and well-rounded player in the group, but Emanuel Wilson’s preseason debut (NFL-high 111 rushing yards, two touchdowns) can’t be ignored. Unfortunately, Lew Nichols and Tyler Goodson are both dealing with injuries and might not play, complicating the evaluation process. But it’s an opportunity for a few young players to make a mark. Can Wilson do more as a receiver and blocker and prove he’s capable of being the No. 3 back? The Packers should give him a long look on Saturday night.
