Matt LaFleur Aaron Rodgers Steelers Packers
Matt LaFleur Aaron Rodgers Steelers Packers
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ first preseason game is only a few days away. They’ll play the Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy’s former team, but it’s unclear how much, if at all, the Steelers’ starters will play Thursday night. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur sounds ready to play his starters, though.
“Anybody that’s healthy better be ready to play,” LaFleur said Sunday via Rob Demovsky on Twitter.
LaFleur on playing starters against the Steelers on Thursday:
“Anybody that’s healthy better be ready to play.”
Preseason games aren’t the same as regular-season games, even if starters are playing. Teams don’t want to show off too much in games that don’t actually matter, focusing more on evaluating players across their roster.
Still, facing the Packers’ starters could be good for the Steelers, whether or not they play their own starters. If Pittsburgh’s first team suits up, then it should get some solid work in.
The Steelers’ backups, particularly their young players, could also benefit from facing the Packers’ starters. It would be a good taste of real NFL action. Practice is one thing, but facing a different team is another beast.
LaFleur hasn’t shied away from playing his starters in preseason openers. Starting quarterback Jordan Love played two drives in Green Bay’s first preseason game last year. The Packers could do something similar against the Steelers.
Still, what the Packers do with their starters likely won’t influence the Steelers’ plan too much. Rodgers has already stated that McCarthy wants him to play in the preseason, even if he didn’t sound too excited about the idea.
However, maybe suiting up to face the team that drafted him one last time will have Rodgers more excited to play in the preseason. He’s left zero room for doubt that this will be his final NFL season. The Steelers won’t play the Packers this season unless the two teams meet in the Super Bowl. Therefore, this is Rodgers’ last chance to get on the field against the Packers.
We’ll see what each team opts to do to start this year’s preseason. There are pros and cons to playing starters in exhibition games. McCarthy has emphasized player safety in training camp, so perhaps that attitude will carry over to the preseason. LaFleur sounds ready to test his team before the live bullets start flying, though.