Green Bay Packers v. Baltimore Ravens: 10 things to watch for

In their second preseason game the Green Bay Packers face off against the Baltimore Ravens and here is what you should be keeping your eyes on.

Tonight the Green Bay Packers will be on the road for their second preseason game of 2019, this time against the Baltimore Ravens.

This week’s game will come with a bit more excitement as a majority of the starters for Green Bay are expected to see some playing time, and that includes quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

While wins and losses during the preseason do not matter whatsoever, there is still plenty that we should be keeping our eyes on. There are a number of new faces on the defensive side of the ball, a new offensive system being implemented, and a few positional battles to be mindful of as well.

Without a doubt there is plenty more to watch for but as we get ready for tonight’s matchup, here are 10 things you should be looking for once the game begins.

Aaron Rodgers

Any time that Aaron Rodgers takes the field, of course, he is going to be a focal point. This preseason, however, we are going to be seeing a lot more of QB1. In 2018, Rodgers would play just one offensive series the entire preseason, but Matt LaFleur has already stated that he will play a quarter or so in Baltimore.

While the offense that we see from the Green Bay Packers against Baltimore is going to be a bit more vanilla, seeing how effective they can be at moving the ball as well as Rodgers’ connection with his receivers will give us an idea of how well everything is progressing.

Ty Summers

Last week against Houston, Ty Summers stole the show and with Oren Burks out for the foreseeable future, the Green Bay Packers need someone to step up at the inside linebacker position.

Summers racked up 10 tackles, including nine solo against the Texans and displayed his run-stuffing ability and that sideline-to-sideline mobility that made the Packers select him in the draft. I will be curious to see how he follows up last week’s performance.

Curtis Bolton

Speaking of inside linebackers, while Bolton’s performance last week didn’t draw that same attention that Summers’ did, he still had a very nice showing. And in the practices that followed, Bolton was getting plenty of reps with the first-team defense.

What makes Bolton intriguing is that he is better in coverage than Summers and James Crawford which could make him a very valuable member of this defense if he can prove to be a reliable option.

Tackling

For whatever reason, open-field tackling has been an issue for the Green Bay Packers’ defense in recent seasons and against Houston, that was quite apparent once again. While trying to keep in mind that is was only the first preseason game, I am hoping that we see an improvement after it was emphasized in practice this past week.

Elgton Jenkins v. Lane Taylor

Most had made the assumption but after last week’s game, LaFleur made it very clear that Elgton Jenkins and Lane Taylor were competing for the starting job at left guard.

2018 was a down season for Taylor in which he fought through injuries and one of the Green Bay Packers’ offseason acquisitions included drafting Jenkins in the second round. So far through Training Camp, he has looked every bit the part of a top-50 draft pick and is a real threat to taking the starting left guard position that Taylor had held for the previous three seasons.

Smash and Savage

To put it simply, the safety position for the Green Bay Packers in 2018 was a mess. However, with the offseason additions of Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage, a position of weakness has now become a likely strength on this defense.

We briefly saw Savage last week but I cannot wait to see the dynamic duo together on the back-end of this Green Bay defense, even if it is for just a series or two.

Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith

Like a young child unwrapping a new toy on Christmas morning, I’m just excited to see Za’Darius and Preston on the field in green and yellow.

So far through Training Camp, the defensive front has been living in the backfield and each of these players is a big reason why. I’m hoping to see them carry that momentum over to the preseason and watch them chase around the opposing quarterback.

DeShone Kizer and Time Boyle

My gut says that the Green Bay Packers will keep only two quarterbacks this season instead of three which means one of these players could end up being cut.

If we look at pedigree and allotted playing time, it would appear that Kizer is the favorite for the backup role within 1265 Lombardi Avenue, but truthfully, neither player has performed well enough to take control of the job. This game will be a great opportunity for either Kizer or Boyle to seize control.

The young cornerbacks

Green Bay’s young cornerbacks have been a big story through Training Camp up to this point. Tony Brown and Ka’dar Hollman have each made a name for themselves early on and look like they could each see some significant playing time this season.

Meanwhile, second-year corner Josh Jackson had missed the first few weeks and has just returned to practice recently. After a rough rookie season, it is important for both him and the Packers that he makes that year two leap. Jackson will be a player to keep your eyes on in Baltimore to see how he is progressing.

The wide receiver battle

This headline will probably be a topic for the remainder of the preseason. All signs point to the Green Bay Packers keeping six receivers this season and it would appear that five of those spots are all but taken by Davante Adams, Geronimo Allison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Jake Kumerow.

That leaves Trevor Davis, Darrius Shepherd, J’Mon Moore, and Allen Lazard all battling for the final spot. Each receiver has had a strong Camp and while Davis was injured during last week’s game, Shepherd, Moore, and Lazard all caught touchdown passes.

Shepherd is a darkhorse favorite of many – including myself – to make the final 53-man roster and the battle between these four receivers will be something to keep your eyes on for the remainder of the preseason.