The Packers will back at Lambeau Field Friday night taking on the Saints at 7 p.m. in week 2 of the NFL preseason.
Former Packers offensive tackle Mark Tauscher joined Wisconsin’s Morning News to discuss the mindset of preseason players.
“To play in the most historic stadium in all of professional sports,” Tauscher said, “…you have to be able to control your emotions. But you also want to take it in and soak up that environment.”
Tauscher said a lot of guys are “trying to win a job tonight.”
According to the former player, “things have changed” as preseason games were “weighted more heavily” back when he played. There is a stronger focus and evaluation on practice reps nowadays but he said performing when it matters most is all that counts.
“That’s great that you’re doing it at the Hutson Center,” Tauscher said, “but can you perform when it’s 80,000 people and the lights are on? If you can’t, that gives the guys a pause.”
Failing to show up and show out on the field could “be the difference” between a player making the team or not, Tauscher said.
“You need to be able to carry over what you’re doing on the practice field to when it really counts,” Tauscher said. “This is more simulated to a game…this is what to expect and if you don’t perform on that stage, there will be people in that evaluation process that will dock you.”
You can listen to the full conversation at the top of the page.
