Green Bay Packers 2011 Preseason Schedule: Full Preview

With the start of the NFL preseason set to begin this weekend, the Green Bay Packers will finally begin their defense of the Lombardi Trophy. 

It has been a long time since the Packers have actually taken the football field for a game and it will be exciting to see how they look after eight months away. While the majority of their roster appears to be set, there are still plenty of questions surrounding the upcoming season.

Today we will highlight each preseason game and look at what Green Bay needs to address in each of these games. 

Preseason Week 1 Overview

Who They Play: @ Cleveland Browns

Date: August 13th

What to Watch For: Who is starting, rust of players

If this game was played during the regular season, it probably would be a blowout in favor of Green Bay. However, since it is a preseason game, it could go either way as both teams will probably pull their starters after only one or two drives.

It will be interesting to see if either coach plays their first-team a little longer due to the shortened offseason. Either way, there are only a few things to keep an eye on for the Packers.

Preseason Week 1: Who Starts at Key Positions

This is a minute detail at this point of the season, but it will still be interesting to see who starts at a few key positions, mainly wide receiver and defensive end.

At receiver, Donald Driver, James Jones and Jordy Nelson all have what it takes to take the field opposite Greg Jennings. Even though Driver has been the starter for years, his age seemed to slow him down last year and he could become third or fourth on the depth chart this year. Both Nelson and James had breakout seasons last year and appear ready for more responsibility.

When Cullen Jenkins signed with the Philadelphia Eagles it left a gaping hold at defensive end. Green Bay has some good young players in C.J. Wilson and Mike Neal, but neither player has much game experience. Don't be surprised to see both players split time with the first-team defense. However, look for whoever starts to have a slight lead in the competition.

Preseason Week 1: Rustiness of Players

With all the frenzy from trades it free agency, it is hard to believe that the NFL lockout only ended two weeks ago. However, the damage has been done and players were left to deal with a shortened training camp period.

The biggest question heading into the first week of preseason is the rustiness of players. Will the players timing be off? How many silly penalties will we see due to lack of preparation? Is this first game going to be difficult to watch due to poor play?

If Green Bay comes out swinging and hitting on all cylinders, it could be a very good sign for the rest of the season. Even if the Packers struggle through the first preseason game, panic shouldn't begin coursing through your body. They still have plenty of time to right the wrongs. 

Preseason Week 2 Overview

Who They Play: Arizona Cardinals

Date: August 19th

What to Watch For: Play of rookies

Arizona will be trotting out Kevin Kolb as their quarterback, so he might play more than Aaron Rodgers as he tries to get adjusted to the Cardinals' offense. Green Bay should be able to take advantage of Arizona's secondary now that Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is in Philadelphia.

The biggest thing to keep our eyes on in game two against Arizona will be how the Packers' rookies play.

Preseason Week 2: How Will the Rookies Fare?

Green Bay had a decent draft back in April and the second week of preseason should show if any of these players will make a significant contribution in their first season.

The big name players are Derek Sherrod, Randall Cobb, Alex Green and D.J. Williams, but don't be surprised if a late-round selection such as D.J. Smith or Ricky Elmore surprise some people.

Randall Cobb should make an instant impact on special teams and Derek Sherrod might be forced to start on the offensive line, but no other rookie will see much playing time with the starters. However, this game should be a good preview for the entire rookie class as they become a little more familiarized with the pro game.

Preaseson Week 3 Overview

Who They Play: @ Indianapolis Colts

Date: August 26th

What to Watch For: How the starting offense and defense looks, weak spots on the team

For a preseason game, this should be a great one. Both teams have great offenses and both teams can get after the quarterback. Considering that the starters should play at least a half, maybe more, this could be a very entertaining game.

The biggest thing to watch for in this third preseason game is how the offense and defense are playing. How they play will be a good indication on how close they are to being ready for the start of the regular season. It will also be important to see which positions appear weak and how the Packers need to fix that. 

Preseason Week 3: Are the Starters Ready?

If Green Bay looks good against the Indianapolis Colts, it will be a good indication that they are ready for the regular season. If their offense or defense struggles, it could be a sign that the Packers could have a slow start to the season.

Aaron Rodgers will need to look precise and on target with his receivers. The biggest key on offense will be how the running game looks and who is getting more carries, Ryan Grant or James Starks.

On defense, it would be nice to see Clay Matthews getting consistent pressure on Peyton Manning. His ability to get after the quarterback will depend heavily on the defensive line, which will need to be playing solidly during the game.

At this point in the preseason, both the offensive and defensive starting lineups should be set in stone, so the lineup that Green Bay marches onto the field will be the same lineup they start against New Orleans on September 8th.

Preseason Week 3: Are There Any Weak Spots?

Hopefully, by this week, there aren't any weak spots for Green Bay, but it is possible that won't be the case.

The only area that I could see potential problems is on the offensive line. Losing Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge and Mark Tauscher caused some major depth issues that need to be figured out.

If there are any injuries across the line, the Packers could be in some serious trouble.

Preseason Week 4 Overview

Who They Play: Kansas City Chiefs

Date: September 1st

What to Watch For: Any final big changes

Being only one week away from Green Bay's opening season game against the New Orleans Saints, my advice for you is to just enjoy the game and get excited for the regular season.

Preseason Week 4: Last Second Changes

The only major thing to pay attention to this game is if Green Bay and Mike McCarthy have made any significant changes.

Is there a different starting running back? What about any new players seeing significant playing time with the starters? All these details will be important as even the smallest changes could hint at a bigger problem.

For example, if Ryan Grant had been starting every other preseason game and now James Starks is starting, what happened to Grant? These changes could show what McCarthy is thinking for the opening game against the New Orleans Saints.