LaFleur Hopes Practice Can Replicate Preseason Pressure
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers were supposed to play their third preseason game – what used to be considered the “dress rehearsal” to get ready for the regular season – on Saturday at the Giants.
Instead, with the COVID-19 pandemic eliminating this year’s preseason, Sunday’s practice at Lambeau Field will be coach Matt LaFleur’s attempt to fill the void.
“I think it’s going to be our closest opportunity to a game-like experience,” LaFleur said after Saturday’s practice. “We’re going to have the guys in their uniforms. It’s going to be all unscripted.”
The practice will start like any other practice, with a walkthrough of plays, team stretching and individual drills. From there, the team will go into a game-like scrimmage. Coaches will be stationed as they would during a game, with some on the field and some in the seventh-floor boxes. For the first time this summer, there will be local officials calling penalties. While there are 11-on-11 drills most days, those are scripted to make sure specific situations are thoroughly hit. On Sunday, third down, red zone, etc., will come up in the flow of the action.
“I’m really excited to see how these guys respond to that situation, to hear the call, so they can go out there and play fast. Just really excited for that opportunity for these guys,” LaFleur said.
When the horn blows for the start of practice, it will be exactly two weeks to the minute before the Packers kick off the season at Minnesota against the Vikings. Even for someone who will start in that game, such as center Corey Linsley, the practice “without a doubt” will be an important step toward getting ready for Week 1.
“I think even the few practices we’ve had in Lambeau have had a different tempo to them,” Linsley said. “It just has a little different feel to it. Bigger emphasis on communication – not that there isn’t every day, but the atmosphere gives it an added level of urgency and, obviously, practicing in the environment we’re going to play in is big.”
The practice will be especially important for players fighting for roster spots. A guy like receiver Reggie Begelton, the 26-year-old import from Canada, didn’t get four preseason games to show whether he can perform under the lights. Sunday will be his best chance to prove he has what it takes to earn a spot in an unsettled receiver group.
Still, those on the roster bubble insist there will be no added pressure.
“You can’t view it that way or you will put that pressure on yourself,” Begelton said. “Go out there, it’s football. At the end of the day, it’s football. You’re here to play football. Just go have fun. I want to wake up in the morning and be like ‘You know what? It’s a good day to play football.’ I’m going to go out there and give it my best.”
As is the case for Begelton, rookie safety Vernon Scott is battling for a roster spot. The seventh-round pick has had a solid series of practices but his ability to perform under pressure might determine whether he makes it on the 53-man roster when general manager Brian Gutekunst picks his roster on Sept. 5.
“I feel like I’m a big playmaker, so if I just bring that to the table and just do that right within our scheme and just make the right calls, make the right checks, read my keys, I feel like I should be fine,” Scott said. “I don’t necessarily press myself ever to make plays. I just want to go out there and just give my all and just give it effort and hopefully it just pays off. Not hopefully. It’s going to pay off.”
To be sure, there’s no substitute for game action, especially when evaluating players with no professional resumes. But, with a pandemic wiping out the offseason workouts and taking a big bite out of training camp, Gutekunst and LaFleur are playing the hand that’s been dealt.
“I think whenever you have more competitive periods, you put a little bit more stock in that,” Gutekunst said. “Nothing can replace the preseason games but this will give us some more competitive periods to evaluate.”
