The Cleveland Browns head to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers in the second week of the 2012 NFL preseason on Thursday night, August 16. While it does not seem likely that the Browns can beat 
the best team from 2011, remember that they are coming off a 19-17 win over the Detroit Lions last week.
The biggest advantage for the Browns comes with the news that Cleveland's starters expect to play into the third quarter. There is little reason to believe that Green Bay would risk their starters for long in this game since their only questionable area on offense is in the running game.
Cleveland wants to get their new starting quarterback Brandon Weeden serious playing time in the preseason to make sure he is ready when the regular season rolls around. In the first week, he only finished 3-for-9 passing for 62 yards with an interception. Cleveland named Weeden the starter without allowing Colt McCoy the chance to compete for the job, so they need to make sure he is for real.
It is also a good chance to see how Cleveland does in stopping the run. Luckily, they have little competition in Green Bay. The Packers starting runners are out with injuries, and they just signed Cedric Benson to come in and give some depth. With less than a week to get ready to play, there is little chance the Packers can run strong against Cleveland, allowing them to get in some work defensively and build confidence.
Finally, wide receiver Josh Gordon is the man all Cleveland fans have their eyes on. The newcomer didn't record a reception in Week 1 and hopes to get moving against Green Bay. His progression is important for Weeden, who has little in the way of talent in the Browns' receiver corps.
The Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers kick off their NFL preseason game on August 16, at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Images from Wikimedia Commons.
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