GREEN BAY, Wis.— The Green Bay Packers will play their second preseason game Saturday afternoon at Lambeau Field against the New York Jets. The teams have seen plenty of each other lately. They practiced together on Wednesday and Thursday.
All in the family
There are lots of personal connections between the two coaching staffs. The head coaches, Matt LaFleur and Robert Saleh, are close friends. LaFleur was the best man at Saleh's wedding. Matt LaFleur's younger brother Mike LaFleur is the offensive coordinator of the Jets.
Looking to run
Yes, the preseason loss to Houston didn't count, but the Texans' 170-49 edge in rushing yards caught the attention of the Packers' coaching staff. Rookie Royce Newman is getting a chance to win a starting job at guard. The Packers know their running game has to be solid to keep defenses from pinning their ears back to go after Aaron Rodgers. The Green Bay defense has to keep the opponent's running game in check.
Cuts looming
It's not an exaggeration to say that many Packers are playing for their professional lives. The Packers have to trim their roster to 80 players by next Tuesday and down to the regular-season limit of 53 by Tuesday, August 31. Performances against the Jets will weigh heavily in that evaluation.
Jets backup quarterback James Morgan played at Ashwaubenon High School. He calls being able to play at Lambeau Field "a dream come true."
This is the first time the Packers and Jets have played in the preseason since 2000.