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Will you be watching the Pack tonight?

The Green Bay Packers take on the San Diego Chargers at 7 tonight in their first preseason game on ESPN. I’m still recuperating from my back problems despite a couple of visits this week to a chiropractor, so I won’t be playing racquetball tonight. Instead, I’ll be watching the Packers.

Of course, I realize many of the players who will be key to the team’s hopes this year won’t be playing tonight or will play little. That’s particularly true given the shaky status of the club’s left tackle position, which is crucial to keeping star quarterback Aaron Rodgers from taking a blindside hit.

That’s OK, though. My wife, Cheryl, and I enjoy watching the young players. Graham Harrell will get plenty of playing time tonight, and fans might learn whether he'll be a quality backup QB. Cheryl likes to keep an eye on the rookies and see who might be a future star.

Packer fans were devastated last year when Green Bay, the reigning Super Bowl champion, quickly fell out of the playoffs in a loss to the New York Giants, who went on to win Super Bowl XLVI. That’s particularly true after the Pack finished the regular season an impressive 15-1 despite a defense that gave up yardage in massive chunks all year.

The Packer brass focused on defense in the draft to shore up that leaky unit. Has it done enough? Do you think this year’s team can bring another Lombardi Trophy to Title Town? Will you be watching tonight, instead tuning into the Olympics or doing something else?

Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or gpeck@gazettextra.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook