The New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers didn't even wait for tipoff to get a few hits in prior to Saturday's preseason game.
The New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers geared up for Saturday night's friendly with, well, some very unfriendly actions. The two teams met at midfield prior to tipoff for a brief scuffle, which appeared to involve Patriots safety Jalen Mills.
We could be in for a more emotional preseason game than normal. The Patriots and Packers are both looking to bounce back from disappointing campaigns in 2022. Green Bay has a new QB at the helm in Jordan Love. The Patriots, meanwhile, have focused on building up the defense to support Mac Jones and Bill Belichick's offense.
Belichick's no-nonsense persona could lead to a few interesting quotes after the game. The Packers have been defending themselves all summer. The post-Rodgers era has barely even started, but the team has a chip on its shoulder and a point to prove. Green Bay wants to transcend the Rodgers era, to move beyond it.
We don't know the exact reason the two teams came to blows, but hey: it's nice to see a little competitive fire this early in the year.
Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots come to blows before preseason game
On the field, Jordan Love has the chance to avenge a poor performance in this week's joint practice. New England picked Love off twice in 11-on-11 drills. Perhaps New England's defense had a few words to say before the game as a result.
The Patriots are eager to take the next step as an organization. Not unlike the Packers, New England is still operating in the shadow of a recently departed legend at QB. Mac Jones' sophomore season was nothing short of disastrous, but the Patriots are making every effort to surround him with the right weapons. JuJu Smith-Schuster arrived over the summer and will operate as Jones' top target. Meanwhile, the Ezekiel Elliott signing gives Jones a power runner to lean on in goal-line situations.
This scuffle sets the stage for two very interesting seasons from franchises at a crossroads. The result of this preseason game won't matter in the long run, but it's clear both teams are ready to get after it.
