GREEN BAY -- The Green Bay Packers are set to take on the Cleveland Browns in the preseason home opener at Lambeau Field Thursday, August 16th. The Pack is 0-1 after a loss to the San Diego Chargers in California last week. The Browns are 1-0.
Thursday marks the fourth straight year the teams have squared off in the preseason. The Browns defeated the Pack 27-17 last year in Cleveland in the preseason opener. Green Bay has won five of the last seven regular-season meetings between the two teams.
Thursday marks the first time the Packers will host their home opener at Lambeau Field on a Thursday night since 2005.
Green Bay opened its preseason slate with a nationally televised contest at San Diego, with the Chargers getting the 21-13 win in front of 55,527 at Qualcomm Stadium. QB Aaron Rodgers and the No. 1 offense played the first quarter of the game (three series), but two turnovers prevented them from generating any points.The offense was without three injured starters in TE Jermichael Finley (quad), WR Greg Jennings (concussion) and T Marshall Newhouse (concussion), while the defense was without DB Charles Woodson (rest).
Injuries reported after the game were LB Desmond Bishop (hamstring/knee), Borel (groin), CB Davon House (shoulder), Levine (back) and WR Shaky Smithson (ankle).
Including the Family Night practice, the team will have 15 practices under its belt when it takes the field vs. the Browns.
Thursday is the Upper Midwest Shrine Game, in which the Packers donate a percentage of the gate to the Shriners Hospitals for Children. The series is in its 63rd installment and has raised over $3.4 million for the Midwest Shrine’s burn centers and hospitals for disabled children. In his first season leading the Packers, Vince Lombardi made an agreement with George Halas to play in the Shrine game annually.
The team will take two days off (Aug. 17-18) from the practice field before returning on Sunday, Aug. 19.
The Packers depart for Cincinnati on Wednesday, Aug. 22. Green Bay will take on the Bengals on Thursday, Aug. 23.
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