Preseason opponents determined

The Packers have determined their four opponents for the preseason:

Week 1: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 2: @ San Francisco 49ers
Week 3: @ Denver Broncos
Week 4: vs. Tennessee Titians

The Week 1 game against the Bengals is the Monday Night Football preseason opener. The game is the 48^th annual Bishop's Charities Game, a series started by Vince Lombardi in 1961 to raise money for the Diocese of Green Bay. The games have raised over $3.4 million. The last time the Bengals met the Packers in the preseason was in 2006, also on Monday night.

In Week 2, the Packers meet San Francisco in the preseason for the first time since 1975, before traveling to Denver in Week 3 for the first time in the preseason since 2001.

Finally, the Packers meet the Titans at home for the 59^th annual Upper Midwest Shrine Game. The tradition has raised more than $3.1 million for the Midwest Shrine's burn centers and children's hospitals. Green Bay has won the last four and eight of the last nine in the series. This is the seventh consecutive year the two teams will meet to close out the preseason.

This preseason schedule gives the Packers defense to go up against some of the rising stars of the quarterback position. In Week 1, the defense will be tested by Carson Palmer and the Bengals offense, while the (hopefully younger) secondary will be tested by wide receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. For the San Francisco game, the defense will add their two cents in to the quarterback competition between Alex Smith and Shaun Hill. Aaron Rodgers and Smith are forever linked by the 2005 NFL Draft. Rodgers and the Packers offense will go up against the re-revamped 49ers defense, featuring new acquisition, defensive end/linebacker Justin Smith.

In Week 3, the Packers return to Denver, site of their overtime victory on Monday night last October. Jay Cutler and the Broncos are not hoping for the same result, while the Broncos will try to identify the consistent starter for their rushing attack. Finally, the Packers close out the preseason against the dynamic Vince Young. The Packers linebackers will need to be on their toes, and this game will help determine the third linebacker spot, where it has been said that Brady Poppinga's job is up in the air.

Overall, the Packers could win all four of these games of the preseason, but we must remember that the preseason record does not matter. What matters is that the young guys get playing time and grow and mature, and that all position battles are taken care of.