Who Will the Packers Play in Preseason?
The Packers announced their preseason schedule, and will face off against a quartet of teams in exhibitions throughout August.
- Week 1: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
- Week 2: at Washington Redskins
- Week 3: at Denver Broncos
- Week 4: vs. Los Angeles Rams
The exact dates and times of the games will be announced in the coming weeks.
What the Packers’ preseason schedule means
The results of the exhibition season should not be taken very seriously, and that’s what is most important about the schedule. There’s a very slight correlation between the number of wins in the preseason and the probability of making the playoffs, though it’s grasping at straws.
Green Bay had been on a run of finishing the exhibition schedule against the Kansas City Chiefs, but that streak will come to an end in 2017. The two teams played annually from 2010 to 2016. From 2002 to 2009, the Packers ended the preseason against the Tennessee Titans.
The hidden meaning in a Week 3 trip to Denver
Most notable about the preseason schedule is the Week 3 matchup in Colorado against the Denver Broncos. Running back Ty Montgomery missed one game last season after symptoms flared up from a sickle-cell trait he has had since birth. The condition can affect a player’s ability to perform in high altitudes like Denver.
Given the nature of the contest in preseason, Montgomery will likely be held out of the game. It’s safe to assume the running back’s carries were going to limited in the preseason regardless, but the third game is often considered a “dress rehearsal,” as starters play past halftime.
Third straight season without a nationally televised game
Out of state fans will be disappointed to learn that none of the four games will be broadcasted on national television. Last season, the Packers' only nationally televised preseason game was cancelled after the playing field was deemed too dangerous to play.
Green Bay last played a primetime preseason contest in August 2014, when they hosted the Oakland Raiders on CBS.
Best preseason matchup for the Packers
The Week 1 opener against the Philadelphia Eagles will mark the first time Doug Pederson leads a team as a head coach into Lambeau Field. Pederson was the primary back-up for Brett Favre throughout most of Favre’s career, and spent time as an assistant coach under former Packers coach Andy Reid.
Philadelphia’s quarterback Carson Wentz had a mostly productive game against the Packers last season, and will be trying to avoid a sophomore slump starting with the preseason opener in Lambeau Field. There’s no question a few North Dakota State fans (where Wentz played his college ball) will be in Green Bay for the game.