Kickoff is just a couple hours away and I’m getting pumped for the first game of 2015 at Lambeau Field. Hang in there Packer fans, we’re about to get a much needed football fix.
Still, there are a lot of concerns going into this game.
The primary concern on the table is how much playing time Aaron Rodgers will get (if any). The season-ending injury to Jordy Nelson has everybody on edge, and rightfully so.
Typically, the third preseason game is where the starters spend a good deal of time on the field trying to rebuild the chemistry they had the previous year or work on timing and technique with players that were not starters the previous season.
But, this year McCarthy may see things a bit differently and change things up from the traditional preseason game three.
On the One Hand…
The offensive line that’s supposed to protect Aaron Rodgers is in a bit of disarray. Bakhtiari has been out for a while, and Sitton and Lang have both joined him. While they don’t appear to be so dinged up that they might miss the season opener, it does make you think twice about whether you want to trust Rodgers’ health in the preseason to a bunch of back up players.
From that perspective, it probably makes sense to not play Aaron much or even sit him the entire game.
On the Other Hand…
With the loss of Jordy, the Pack will have a different dynamic at wide receiver. There will initially be a committee of guys competing for the opportunity to be the guy on the field in week one. Those guys, and the entire receiving corps as a whole would stand to gain a lot in the way of preparation for week one if Aaron was on the field as much as he typically is in the third preseason game.
From that perspective, it would make sense to put the ball in Aaron’s hands for at least a couple drives.
What do you think? Should the Packers play Aaron tonight and how much? Or, should they just play it safe and sit the guy?
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