NFL: Raiders-Packers in Canada for tonight’s preseason game

Published 9:33 pm Wednesday, August 21, 2019

By The Associated Press

The Raiders’ worldwide tour gets started in the preseason when they play a “home” exhibition against Green Bay in Canada.

The Raiders will be the first team to play games in three countries in one season; they also will play a “home” game in the regular season in London against Chicago on Oct. 6.

“We’ll treat it like a normal road game,” coach Jon Gruden said of the visit to Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Thursday night. “We have to respond to a tough schedule. We are going to fly a lot of hours this year and we are going to play home games in foreign countries. It doesn’t sound right, but that’s the facts.”

Gruden will likely rest most of his regulars for this game, including quarterback Derek Carr and star receiver Antonio Brown. Brown has yet to make his Oakland debut as he has dealt with frostbitten feet and a fight with the NFL over his banned helmet.

Thursday will be the third time the Packers have played a preseason game outside the United States. Green Bay defeated the Bills 35-3 in Toronto on Aug. 16, 1997, and beat Kansas City 27-24 in overtime in Tokyo on Aug. 2, 1998.

RAVENS AT EAGLES

The Ravens seek their 16th consecutive preseason victory in a matchup with Eagles, against whom they participated in a pair of joint practice sessions this week.

Coach John Harbaugh intends to start quarterback Lamar Jackson, who took 22 snaps in last week’s 26-13 win over Green Bay and engineered two scoring drives in two tries. Harbaugh indicated Jackson and the first-team offense would receive about the same amount of work against the Eagles.

PANTHERS AT PATRIOTS

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton will finally see his first action of the preseason. Newton had been expected to play last week, but coach Ron Rivera decided hours before the game to rest his quarterback as well as a handful of other star players.

Newton has not played in a game since Dec. 17. He had arthroscopic shoulder surgery in January.

This will also be the first preseason game for running back Christian McCaffrey, linebacker Luke Kuechly and tight end Greg Olsen.

Veteran QB Tom Brady and the Patriots starters should play at least a handful of series. Most starters on both sides of the ball haven’t seen the field in New England’s first two games. Brady said this week that he hopes to be out there. History suggests he will be: Dating back to 2009, he has appeared in at least two preseason games.

Thursday is also expected to be a big night for punter Jake Bailey. The Patriots this week cut Ryan Allen, who booted them to three Super Bowl victories in six seasons. Bailey, a fifth-round draft choice in April, has punted twice in the exhibition season, including a 54-yarder against Tennessee.

GIANTS AT BENGALS

Call it Manning and Jones, Part III.

Eli Manning has started the Giants’ first two games and played one series in each. The Giants failed to get a first down in the opener against the Jets, then put together a touchdown drive against the Lions’ second-team defense.

Daniel Jones, the sixth overall draft pick and Manning’s heir apparent, played one series against the Jets and completed all five passes with a touchdown. He threw a TD pass in the second game but also fumbled twice, once on a snap in the red zone and another after a sack.

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