Packers try to avoid an 0-3 preseason record

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CINCINNATI - The Green Bay Packers will play at Cincinnati tonight – and of their four exhibition games, this one will look the most like a regular season contest.

That’s because the starters on both teams will play for the entire first half and maybe more. And while the goal is still to evaluate talent, the Packers feel at least some pressure to win. That’s because a loss would drop Green Bay to 0-3 in the preseason for the first time since 1993.

Receiver Greg Jennings and tight end Jermichael Finley will make their exhibition debuts. Both expect to get a lot of playing time, to get their timing set with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Also, newly-signed running back Cedric Benson will make his Packers’ debut against Cincinnati – where he played for four seasons before the Bengals decided this spring not to re-sign him. He says he doesn’t have anything personal against the Bengals, but he’d love to rack up 100 yards against them. And Benson could get that chance, with running back James Starks out with a turf-toe injury and second-year pro Alex Green still coming back from ACL knee surgery. But Benson says his main goal is to get in sync with the Green Bay offense in game conditions.

The Packers have a dozen injured players out. Starks is the biggest name on that list. Tight ends D.J. Williams and DeMarco Cosby are both questionable. Among the Bengals who might not play are running back Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis, corner Adam Jones, tight end Jermaine Gresham, and linebacker Rey Maualuga. Tonight’s game starts at six o’clock from Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.

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