INDIANAPOLIS – The second of three preseason contests for the Packers takes place Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Colts.
Here are some topics of interest.
The backup running back battle is heating up.
The Packers got both Emanuel Wilson and MarShawn Lloyd back from injury this week, and both were taking 11-on-11 reps in the joint practice with the Colts on Thursday.
They should get their first preseason action of the summer, sharing time with veteran Chris Brooks and undrafted rookie Amar Johnson, who busted a 39-yard TD run in the preseason opener vs. the Jets last week.
With starters not expected to play in Indy, this game could start to set the stage for how the pecking order behind Josh Jacobs will line up.
The Packers want to clean up their game.
The dropped passes, penalties and turnovers made for an ugly showing last week, so whichever units are taking the field Saturday will be looking to play cleaner football.
Players who repeat mistakes, such as dropped passes and penalties in particular, hurt their chances of making the roster in some crowded competitions.
The defense is looking to take the ball away.
For all the emphasis on takeaways in training camp, the Packers' defense didn't get a single one last week. The unit didn't record any sacks, either.
Sacks and turnovers came in bunches in the joint practice with the Colts on Thursday, and that's the kind of impact the defense hopes to carry over into this game.
Individuals who played well last week can build on their performances.
Offensive linemen Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton, defensive linemen Colby Wooden and Kingsley Enagbare, and linebackers Ty'Ron Hopper and Kristian Welch, among others, played well last week despite the overall team results.
Stacking successful performances shows the coaches that players are ready for larger roles on their respective sides of the ball. Just as repeating mistakes isn't good, repeating strong outings certainly is.
