The Green Bay Packers are partaking in their second straight week of joint practices, but this time, it's in the confines of their own home as they host the New England Patriots.

The Patriots are nothing like they were when Tom Brady was around, but they still have Bill Belichick and he can still crank out elite defenses, at the end of the day.

With Jordan Love and the Packers offense being the focal point of the offseason, it's a great opportunity for them to show what they can do.

Without further ado, let's talk about three things we need to keep an eye on over the next couple of days.

Can Jordan Love make big plays against another good defense?

Love played pretty well against the Cincinnati Bengals during their joint practice last week and his reward is the infamous Bill Belichick defense just seven days later.

The Patriots finished 2022 with the third-best defensive DVOA, per Football Outsiders. That number included the second-best pass defense DVOA and the ninth-best rushing DVOA.

New England was effective at taking away big plays in the passing game. Per Sports Info Solutions, the Patriots allowed the fifth-lowest completion rate to quarterbacks attempting passes of 20+ air yards (27.8%) and QBs averaged the fifth-worst QB rating when attempting said passes (69.2). In all, the Patriots allowed just 5.7 net yards per pass attempt, which was the eighth-lowest average in 2022.

It will certainly be a chess match and it'll be fun to see whether or not Love and the Packers offense can keep up. And vice-versa regarding the Patriots defense and Packers offense.

The trenches

The NFL is an ever-evolving game, but one mantra still stands the test of time: it all starts up front. 

Even with Josh Myers' inconsistencies, the Packers have a pretty solid offensive line. Left tackle David Bakhtiari practiced last week against the Bengals, so one would think he practices this week against the Patriots. That remains to be seen, but, the Packers' tackle positions will certainly be the spot to key in on thanks to the duo of Matthew Judon and Josh Uche.

On the other side of the coin, the Patriots offensive line hasn't been very good, so far. Per A to Z Sports' Sophie Weller, it's been a mix of injuries, youth, and inefficiency that has kept the unit from making progress.

It’s clear that one of the biggest struggles during training camp for the Patriots has been the offensive line. Several offensive linemen have been missing from training camp including Michael Onwenu and Calvin Anderson, along with Trent Brown and Cole Strange who have been sidelined with injuries. And in the preseason game, David Andrews, Brown, and Riley Reiff did not play so it was the backups who got the starting opportunity. The line consisted of Conor McDermott, Atonio Mafi, James Ferentz, Kody Russey, and Sidy Sow (from left to right). So the struggles were apparent, with the run game certainly suffering.- Sophie Weller, A to Z Sports

The Packers have a stud on the defensive line in Kenny Clark and they have the rising Devonte Wyatt. But outside of that, it's a ton of youth. While it's talented youth, that still doesn't mean anything until practice starts.

If the Packers d-line can have a good day against an inconsistent Patriots o-line, that certainly bodes well for the future.

Can the Packers tight ends make plays?

The Patriots were really good at defending against tight ends in 2022. Per SIS, the defense allowed the fifth-lowest EPA/attempt (-0.01), the seventh-lowest completion percentage (67.0%), and it led the NFL in interceptions when targeting the position (6). Granted, the unit did give up the second-most touchdowns (11), so, there is opportunity for plays to be made. 

Last week, it was the Packers receivers that looked great against the Bengals, while the tight ends were less-involved. The team obviously needs a lot out of their two youngsters in Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft and this week represents a great shot at getting on track against a good defense.

Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK