Green Bay Packers vs Oakland Raiders: 5 matchups to watch

The Green Bay Packers are taking on the Oakland Raiders on Friday night. They have some big battles to watch on both sides of the ball.

The Green Bay Packers are heading into their third week of preseason action. Typically, this would be the week of the most intrigue for fans to watch due to increased starter play time. However, Aaron Rodgers, among other starters, played last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Heading into this week, a major storyline to watch will be the amount of playing time those starters get. Head coach Mike McCarthy will not want to risk any unnecessary injuries in a preseason game.

Roster cuts are quickly approaching, and there are still some roster battles that are yet to be decided. The performances this week will go a long way towards some of those final spots. Players that are on the roster bubble can solidify their spot, while others may fall further and risk being cut. This will also be the first sighting of Jordy Nelson in something other than the Green and Gold. While it’s only a preseason game, this will still be an emotional reunion.

Rodgers and the other starters likely won’t play as much as they normally would in the third preseason game, but they will get a couple drives. The Raiders will not be at full strength, as possible Packers trade target Khalil Mack continues to hold out. It will be interesting to see how the Packers offensive line performs, as the full five may finally get live snaps together for the first time this offseason. It’s just the preseason, but it does still matter.