5 Things to Watch for in Green Bay Packers’ Season Opener

5 Things to Watch for in Green Bay Packers’ Season Opener

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The Green Bay Packers will take on the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 for America’s Game of the Week on FOX. There is no question it will be an intense contest that will be physical and filled with speedy superstars. Many believe Green Bay can be victorious in the NFC Divisional Playoff rematch. However, there are many things they must accomplish throughout the game to walk away with a win.

The Packers were humiliated by quarterback Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers in the playoff loss. Green Bay has been waiting all offseason for a possible shot at redemption, and the NFL has granted them it. The Packers got spanked in front of a national television audience when the 49ers put up a whopping 579 yards of total offense. Kaepernick also rushed for 181 yards, which set an NFL record by a quarterback for a postseason game.

For one to think that the Packers just forgot about the embarrassing loss would be foolish. Green Bay’s defense has spent a majority of the offseason working on the read-option offense that San Francisco dominated them with in the loss. In fact, head coach Mike McCarthy sent his defensive coaches to Texas A&M earlier this year to learn how to stop it.

It will certainly be interesting to see if all the prep work will pay off when the two teams collide in what will most likely be the most watched game of the kickoff weekend. Make sure to click through the slideshow to see the five things to watch for in the Packers’ season opener.

5. Clay Matthews

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Outside linebacker Clay Matthews is definitely someone fans should watch during the first game of the season. Matthews is the defensive leader who will have to play out of his mind this year if the Packers want to reach the Super Bowl. The 49ers are one of the favorites to reach the NFC Championship Game so it is imperative that Matthews can get a solid pass rush against their strong offensive line. Fans will also like to see if Matthews is capable of continuing to play at a high level, even though the attention will all be on him without Charles Woodson to worry about anymore.

4. Wide Receivers

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No Greg Jennings or Donald Driver will certainly take a little time getting used to on Sundays. Thankfully, Jordy Nelson, the team’s No. 1 wide receiver, has been cleared to play in Week 1. The receivers are still one of the strongest assets the Packers have. With that being said, it will be interesting to see how James Jones, Randall Cobb and Nelson perform when the attention is all on them. In the past, these receivers benefited from Jennings and Driver being on the field, but now they will have to make big plays when being double covered.

3. Eddie Lacy

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It is no secret that the lack of a solid running game, among other things, has prevented the Packers from reaching the Super Bowl the past two seasons. However, Green Bay changed all of that when they drafted Eddie Lacy in the second round. Lacy is many experts’ pick to be the 2013 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Fans will be interested to see if the rookie will be able to pack as big of a bunch in Week 1 as he did during his playing time in the preseason. If Lacy and the Packers can get a good rushing attack going against arguably the best run defense in the NFC, then they should be in good shape this season.

2. Defense vs. Colin Kaepernick

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As I already stated, Kaepernick torched Green Bay’s defense in the playoff loss at the beginning of the year. He even set records in the process. This game will come down to if the defense has learned anything in the offseason and the summer, and if they will be able to utilize it on game day against a very fast quarterback. If the Packers are unable to keep Kaepernick in the pocket then they are good as done. The good news is the defense will have all eyes on him so stay tuned for a slugfest once he exits the pocket.

1. Offensive Line

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Anyone who has watched Green Bay play over the past several years knew that this would be No. 1 on the list. The offensive line is without question the biggest concern going into the 2013 season. Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the league. However, he is unable to do what he does best when he does not have time to assess the field and make a play. The Packers shuffled the offensive line this summer in hopes of rejuvenation. Unfortunately, with Bryan Bulaga going down with what is likely a season-ending injury, the team is forced to start rookie David Bakhtiari at left tackle. It is crucial that the line open up holes for the running game and protect Rodgers at all costs.