Predominantly Orange Talks to Lombardi Avenue

The Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers square off tonight. We got to sit down with Freddie Boston at Lombardi Avenue and get his takes.

In what is a very rare preseason matchup, the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers will face off in the third preseason game. Aaron Rodgers will be the quarterback on the opposite side while Trevor Siemian will be the starter.

It will be interesting to see how Trevor Siemian does with a half of football. Vance Joseph has each quarterback taking a half each. Paxton Lynch will take over in the second half.

The third preseason game feels like a dress rehearsal. It gives both teams a chance to see more from their starters to help shape up the roster.

The Green Bay Packers are one of the teams that I believe will be competing for a championship this season. They were close last season. However, the Atlanta Falcons defeated them in the NFC Championship Game.

With these two teams facing off, I decided to chat with Freddie Boston over at Lombardi Avenue. I am curious to see what the Packers have been up to.

The Green Bay Packers are a team that a lot are voting to come out to represent the NFC in this year’s Super Bowl. What do you believe that the Packers need to do in order to reach the big game?

It’s all on the defense. The Packers are in great shape on offense. Aaron Rodgers has two new tight ends to work with in Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks, and Ty Montgomery is poised to lead a revival on the ground. Green Bay’s cornerbacks simply weren’t good enough last year and this needs to change.

Rookie Kevin King and free agent signing Davon House will make a difference, and Quinten Rollins needs to convert a good summer into strong performances during the regular season. If the defense can hold up its end of the bargain like it did in 2014, the Packers will have the ingredients to go all the way.

It is very rare as of lately to see the Broncos and Packers play each other. Do you believe meeting in the preseason for the first time since 2008 will make this a fun game?

This game should provide a good challenge for both teams, which is important for the starters in their regular season dress rehearsal. We’re going to get a taste of just how sharp the Packers’ offense is when they come up against one of the league’s top defenses. It may only preseason, but it’ll give us the biggest clue yet as to how prepared both teams are for “real” football in two weeks time.

Aaron Rodgers has continued to produce at a high level. His hail mary’s are ridiculous. What are your expectations from Rodgers for this season?

Expect more ridiculousness from Rodgers. He’s in the prime of his career, is in tremendous shape and has looked on top of his game already this summer. As long as 12 stays upright, he’ll be firmly in the hunt for a third league MVP award. Rodgers might be surrounded by the deepest crop of pass catchers he’s had since 2011, and that offense set records.

Is there one team in the NFC that you think will give the Packers some trouble in 2017?

There are a number of NFC heavyweights who could give the Packers headaches, but the bar was set last year by the Atlanta Falcons. While the Seahawks and Cowboys have excellent rosters, the Packers scored victories over both last season. The one team they need to prove they can beat is Atlanta.

The Falcons handed the Pack two L’s last year, and nobody has forgotten the crushing title game defeat. Yes, Atlanta has lost offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, and repeating last year’s record-setting campaign is a long shot, but the Falcons are loaded with talent, and their offense can dominate Green Bay’s defense.

Next: Denver Broncos Players to watch vs. Green Bay

What are your expectations for this game vs. Denver with it being the dress rehearsal game? Is there one player from Green Bay you would like to see do well?

I expect to see plenty of game time for the starters in the first quarter. Then it will be over to those on the roster bubble. My player to watch for the Packers is young wide receiver Max McCaffrey. Not to be confused with his brother, Christian, who was taken eighth overall by the Panthers in this year’s draft. Max wasn’t given much hope to make the Packers’ 53-man roster in the spring. After an excellent summer, he’s caught the team’s attention and could wrap up a spot on the roster with a strong showing at Denver.