ON THE ROAD AGAIN - PACKERS HEAD TO DENVER
-Green Bay travels to the mile-high city for a preseason contest against the Denver Broncos, its third preseason game in 12 days.
-The Packers come into their third exhibition contest with plenty to prove. The team struggled in all three phases against the 49ers last Saturday night, a 34-6 defeat.
-The Packers now stand at 0-2 for the first time in the preseason since 1993. But, it's also worth noting that preseason records do not stand for much. The Indianapolis Colts have lost 14 of their last 17 preseason contests, yet have rebounded after a slow start to win the AFC South title each time, as well as Super Bowl XLI.
-As is customary around the NFL, projected regular-season starters are expected to see their most action of the preseason in Week 3.
-The offensive and defensive units have seen multiple starters miss time due to injury this preseason, but will look to establish some momentum heading into the season opener Sept. 8.
-Green Bay will look to recapture some magic at INVESCO Field, the site of one of its most thrilling victories last season. In a Monday night contest last October, the Packers won on the first play from scrimmage in overtime - an 82-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings. For the first time in 10 tries, Green Bay beat the Broncos in Denver (1-5 regular season, 0-4 preseason).
-This will be the first preseason meeting between the clubs since 2001. Denver holds a 6-2-0 advantage in the preseason series.
-The Broncos defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 23-13, in Denver Saturday night. Denver lost its preseason opener at Houston, 19-16.
INJURY REPORT
-A number of players were held out of practice this week. Wednesday after practice, McCarthy said some of those players were most likely out for tonight's game in Denver.
-Those most likely to be held out tonight are RB Ryan Grant (hamstring), DT Justin Harrell (back), LB A.J. Hawk (chest), S Charlie Peprah (hamstring) and DT Ryan Pickett (hamstring).
-Others will be game-time decisions, including DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (knee), T Orrin Thompson (ankle), C Scott Wells (trunk) and RB DeShawn Wynn (ankle).
-Some players will be returning to action, or seeing game action for the first time this preseason. That includes LB Desmond Bishop (Achilles), TE Tory Humphrey (Achilles), WR Greg Jennings (knee) and WR Ruvell Martin (slight concussion).
THOMPSON READIES FOR FIRST ROUND OF CUTS
-General Manager Ted Thompson and his personnel staff will get a final look at some players in uniform tonight as the first NFL-mandated roster cut looms on Aug. 26. The final cut, to 53 players, comes Aug. 30.
-Just five players will have to be released from the active roster in the first cut, so the team could carry 75 players into the final preseason game against Tennessee.
-Still, Thompson acknowledged just how difficult his decisions will be in the coming weeks.
-"I think every year you make some pretty tough calls," Thompson said. "I think this year there will be more of them, and I think that's natural as you try to grow your core."
-Added Thompson: "I think there are minimums that you keep at every position. You don't want to get too thin. But we don't have any absolutes quite frankly. Last year we had some numbers that were different than normal. On our wall in our draft room we have several different combinations of the least you could take at a position and the most you could take. Certainly special teams is a huge factor towards the bottom of the 53. Decisions you factor how you're going to suit up 45-man, who can contribute, the versatility of different guys, which we try to have at all of our positions."
{sportsad300}THE PACKERS-BRONCOS SERIES
-The Packers first met the Broncos in 1971, Denver's 12th year of existence as an NFL franchise. A Week 2 showdown, Green Bay defeated Denver, 34-13, at County Stadium in Milwaukee.
-Green Bay is undefeated in the series in games played in Wisconsin (4-0-1) and finally won its first in the series outside of its home state last year. In the Packers' first appearance at INVESCO Field at Mile High (and first trip to the city since 1999), the Packers won for the first time in 10 tries against the Broncos in Denver (now 1-5 regular season, 0-4 preseason).
-Four-time Super Bowl loser Denver recorded its first-ever win in the NFL's title game with a dramatic 31-24 victory over Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII in what many call the greatest quarterback match-up in Super Bowl history, pitting Brett Favre vs. John Elway.
-The two teams met in the preseason four straight years from 1998-2001, splitting the four meetings (two in Denver, one in Green Bay, one in Madison, Wis.), but have not met in the preseason since.
WEARING THE STRIPES
Today's officiating crew includes referee Peter Morelli (135), umpire Rich Hall (49), head linesman George Hayward (54), line judge Darryll Lewis (130), field judge Rob Vernatchi (75), side judge Greg Wilson (119) and back judge Kirk Dornan (6).
NEXT WEEK
The Packers return to Lambeau Field for their final preseason game against the Tennessee Titans Thursday night while the Broncos travel to Arizona to face the Cardinals Friday night.
