Packers take on San Diego Chargers in first preseason game

GREEN BAY -- The Green Bay Packers take the field vs. the San Diego Chargers Thursday, August 9th for their first preseason game. The game begins at 7:00 p.m. and will be played on San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium.

Including Thursday's game, there are four total preseason games scheduled, following last week's Packers Family night scrimmage at Lambeau Field.

The regular season opener vs. the San Francisco 49ers is scheduled for Sunday, September 9th.

The Packers hit the practice field three times in advance of Thursday's game -- two of those practice sessions held before the team departed for San Diego Wednesday.

Including Family Night, the team will have completed 11 practices when it takes to the field in San Diego.

A preseason home opener is scheduled for next Thursday, August 16th vs. Cleveland the largest contingent Green Bay had voted into the all-star game since 1967.

The Packers are adding eight draft picks to the roster this season, including:

    In their last preseason meeting at Qualcomm Stadium in August of 2006, the Chargers won, 17-3. This was coach Mike McCarthy's head-coaching debut.

    The teams have met 10 times in the regular season in a series that dates back to 1970, the year of the AFL-NFL merger. The Packers have won six straight and nine of the last 10 meetings, including a 6-0 mark in San Diego. Green Bay’s only loss in the city came in Super Bowl XXXII to the Denver Broncos.

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    Other Packers/Chargers tidbits...

    Thursday's game will be a chance for Quarterback Graham Harrell to show he can handle a significant quarterback role with the Green Bay Packers.

    Harrell figures to get plenty of playing time in the Packers' preseason opener at San Diego on Thursday night, another step for the former Texas Tech star to prove he's up to the task of serving as Rodgers' primary backup this season.

    And while he'd love to air it out, Harrell knows his first job is showing he can manage the huddle.

    Harrell says the Packers certainly have the talent to be successful.

    Harrell has been with the Packers the past two seasons, spending time on the practice squad and the active roster, but has yet to take a regular-season snap.

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    Prior to Thursday's preseason game vs. the Chargers, the Packers' injuries are beginning to pile up.

    Packers coach Mike McCarthy has ruled out at least eight players for Thursday night's preseason opener at San Diego -- including wide receiver Greg Jennings, who is recovering from a concussion.

    Also ruled out for the Packers are tight end Ryan Taylor (concussion), wide receiver Tori Gurley (groin), running back Du'ane Bennett (knee), offensive lineman Ray Dominguez (ankle), fullback Jon Hoese (hamstring), tight end Eric Lair (knee) and offensive lineman Mike McCabe (hip).

    Starting left tackle Marshall Newhouse's status remains unclear. He sustained a concussion in last Friday's "Family Night'' scrimmage at Lambeau Field.

    General manager Ted Thompson acknowledges that the injuries are somewhat concerning, although none of them seem particularly serious.

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    The NFL's first female official is excited, a bit nervous and not at all intimidated by the challenge of working a pro game.

    Shannon Eastin makes her NFL debut on Thursday night as the line judge when the Green Bay Packers play at San Diego in the preseason opener for both teams. A 42-year-old referee in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference - college football's second-highest level - Eastin has 16 years of officiating experience.

    She is among the replacement officials hired by the league while the regular officials are locked out.

    Eastin understands she is a pioneer, and is unafraid of delivering a message to women who want to follow her path. She says with "every step I hope to show it really doesn't matter if you are male or female.''

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    Update from Packer's Family Night (Friday, August 3rd)...

    Aaron Rodgers was sharp in limited work and the NFL's replacement officials weren't shy about making calls - even unpopular ones - in the Green Bay Packers' "Family Night'' scrimmage on Friday.

    A crowd of 55,605 took in the sights at Lambeau Field, many of them getting their first look at the stadium's major ongoing construction project in the south end zone -- including a massive new video board towering high over the field. The project won't be completed until 2013.

    With the NFL involved in a labor dispute with its officials, Friday night's scrimmage featured some of the league's replacement officials, who came to Green Bay to work at Packers practices earlier in the week.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.