Packers vs. Browns: 5 Things to Watch During NFL Preseason Week 1 Matchup

The NFL preseason has begun, which means that the regular season is just around the corner. For the Green Bay Packers' first "warm-up" game, they get the Cleveland Browns tomorrow evening.

Even with this game not meaning anything in the grand scheme of things, there will still be plenty of things to keep our eyes on on game day.

Here are five things to watch during the week one matchup between Green Bay and Cleveland.

Who Starts at Wide Receiver for Green Bay

We all know that Greg Jennings is guaranteed a starting spot, but who will be starting alongside him is still up for grabs.

Donald Driver has held that spot in recent years, but it was clear that his play is starting to go downhill after last years performance. His continued slide could open the door for either James Jones or Jordy Nelson to become a starter while dropping Driver to third, or even fourth, on the depth chart.

Of course, if Driver doesn't start it doesn't absolutely mean that he has been demoted, but it will be interesting to see who Green Bay starts in the first preseason game at wide receiver.

How Long Do the Browns Play Colt McCoy

Colt McCoy is coming off a rocky rookie season, but he appears to be the real deal for Cleveland. He struggled at times which is to be expected from a rookie quarterback, especially a quarterback with practically no help on the offensive side of the ball.

There should be no doubt that McCoy needs as much experience as possible in actual games, but teams generally only play their starters for a few drives in the first preseason game. With some new weapons on offense, we might see a little more time with McCoy on the field.

Don't expect a full game, but two quarters is certainly a possibility.

Which Running Back Do the Packers Play First

With Ryan Grant coming back from a season-ending injury, the Green Bay Packers have a rather crowded backfield. With Grant, James Starks, John Kuhn and rookie Alex Green, there might not be enough carries to satisfy all of their needs.

The biggest battle will be between Grant and Starks to see who the starter is. On one hand, Grant was a very good running back before an injury last season. On the other hand, Starks was a major contributor during Green Bay's Super Bowl run.

Whichever running back starts this first game will have a leg-up on the other to start the regular season as the feature back. 

Will Peyton Hillis Struggle with the Madden Curse

After a major breakout season, Peyton Hillis landed himself on the cover of "Madden 12." That is quite the accomplishment, but it could also be a burden considering the track record of the "Madden curse".

Some will call Hillis overrated, but the impressive numbers he put up last season were rather shocking. If he can stay healthy, he could have an even better offensive season.

Keep your eyes peeled to the few carries that Hillis is sure to receive and if you are a Cleveland fan, pray that you don't see him get up slow or limp off the field.

Performance of Rookies for Both Teams

Both Green Bay and Cleveland had good draft classes and some of the rookies could be used heavily in their first year.

For the Browns you have players like Greg Little, Phil Taylor, Jabaal Sheard and Cameron Jordan. On Green Bay, guys like Randall Cobb, Derek Sherrod and Alex Green could all play important roles. It will be interesting to see which rookies, if any, start the game and which rookies can make an immediate impact.

A great performance by Cleveland's youngsters would be a huge boost to the team's overall confidence while for Green Bay it would just an added bonus.