As the NFL season draws nearer, the New England Patriots are set to continue their preseason schedule with a trip to Green Bay this week.
The Pats will head to Green Bay for joint training sessions with the Packers on Wednesday Aug. 16 and Thursday Aug. 17. The two teams will then play a preseason game at Lambeau Field on Saturday, Aug 19.
To make the upcoming regular season even more exciting, football fans in Massachusetts can now bet on Patriots games either online or in person. You can even bet on preseason games.
Players fighting for roster spots
This week in Green Bay will be a big one for players fighting for a spot on the New England roster.
The Patriot coaching staff knows who some of their top players are going to be this season, such as QB Mac Jones and LB Matthew Judon, but there are still many roster spots up for grabs.
Joint practices and preseason games against other competition give coaches a way to find more depth players on their roster. For example, teams may already know who their starting quarterback is going to be, but they may not know who their third-string quarterback or back-up cornerback is going to be. Preseason games are where they can find out.
Training camp for the New England Patriots began on July 26. Since then, the team has had 14 practice sessions and one preseason game, which they lost to the Texans by a score of 20-9.
New face in New England
Newly signed veteran RB Ezekiel Elliott is expected to practice with the team in Green Bay.
Assuming everything goes well, it would not be surprising to see Elliott get some playing time in the preseason game vs. Green Bay on Saturday.
Patriot fans are hoping Elliott and RB Rhamondre Stevenson can form a strong tandem for the New England running game this season.
Week 1 approaching
The Patriots will play their final preseason game on Friday, Aug. 25 in Nashville against the Tennessee Titans.
A few weeks later, the Patriots begin the 2023-24 season on Sunday, Sept. 10, with a home game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Pats will be put to the test early, as the Eagles are the reigning NFC Champions.
Eight MA online sportsbook apps have launched, meaning Pats fans have many betting options to choose from when placing wagers on Patriots games this season.
In addition, there are several Massachusetts sportsbook promos that new users can claim.
