With a rain-soaked preseason opener now in the rear-view mirror, the Green Bay Packers will travel to the dry and comfortable conditions of the Edward Jones Dome to take on the St. Louis Rams Saturday afternoon. 

In wet conditions in Tennessee last Saturday night, Green Bay led for most of the game but eventually lost, 20-16. 

The Packers beat the Rams in St. Louis last August, 19-7. Aaron Rodgers threw for 134 yards on 10 of 12 passing and Eddie Lacy rushed for 40 yards on eight carries in his professional debut. 

Few teams are more evenly matched all-time: the Packers are 44-45-2 against the Rams in the regular season, 1-1 in the postseason and 2-2 in the preseason. 

Here's five questions to think about ahead of Green Bay's second exhibition game of 2014:

Will Jordy Nelson Play, and for How Long?

The Packers will need to find a healthy balance between developing timing for Rodgers and Nelson and keeping Nelson out of harm's way. The team should lean heavily toward the cautious approach. Nelson has had issues with his hamstring in the past, and strains of any sort can be a lingering issue if not allowed to heal fully. The safest bet would be to hold Nelson out and give the hamstring another few days without strenuous activity. Remember, Nelson played all of two offensive snaps last preseason and then went gangbusters to start the regular season. He doesn't need the reps. Protect the hamstring. 

Which Quarterback Will Take Advantage of the Conditions?

In driving rain against Tennessee, Scott Tolzien gained ground in the competition to backup Rodgers. He effectively attacked downfield despite the heavy precipitation. Matt Flynn struggled, but only so much can be taken away from the effort given how poor the conditions were for almost all of Flynn's appearance. Weather won't be a factor Saturday. Quarterbacks obviously need to be able to play in sub-par conditions, but a game indoors should give us a better indication of where the battle behind Rodgers stands. Expect Flynn to play better. Can Tolzien continue to play fast and make throws down the field? It'll be interesting to see how the quarterback reps are handled, and who enters the game after Rodgers plays his handful of series. This is another important test. 

Who Will Return Punts?

Running back DuJuan Harris looks like a strong bet to handle kickoff return duties, but few roles on the team appear as wide open as punt returner. Head coach Mike McCarthy said this week that he's no longer against putting his best returners on the field, even if those players have significant roles on offense or defense. Maybe McCarthy made the comment to keep his options open, or maybe he's had enough of the other options. The Packers simply don't have another great option outside of Randall Cobb or Micah Hyde. It's possible McCarthy and special teams coach Shawn Slocum will give the others another shot at redemption in St. Louis. Davante Adams, Myles White and Jeff Janis could all get an opportunity. If the struggles continue, Cobb or Hyde will likely be returning punts in Seattle Sept. 4. 

Roster Battles

Week 2 in the preseason is still mostly about figuring out the fringes of the roster. Starters will play more, but backups and third stringers will still see plenty of the field. The Packers have many positions in need of sorting. Which receiver is going to start staking a claim to the No. 5 slot? Who sticks at tight end? Which edge rushers are worth keeping behind the top-4 outside linebackers? Can Mike Pennel continue his bid for a roster spot? Will Jumal Rolle make another play or two to help his chances? And how will the safety snaps be divided now that Morgan Burnett is back in the fold? So many questions, so little time. McCarthy and the coaching staff will need every snap of Saturday's contest to inch closer to answers. 

Will the Offensive Line Respond to the Challenge?

The Packers first-team offensive line passed its first test of 2014 with flying colors, manhandling a pretty good Titans front in sloppy conditions. Starting center JC Tretter impressed in his debut as the Packers ran the ball right down Tennessee's throat. Footing and ball handling won't be an issue against the Rams, but the St. Louis defensive front will give the Packers a much stiffer challenge talent-wise. Maybe no front four in football is better, with Robert Quinn (19.0 sacks in 2013), Chris Long (50.5 sacks over six NFL seasons), Michael Brockers (5.5 sacks in '13), Kendall Langford (5.0) and Aaron Donald (13th overall pick in 2014 draft) making up a disruptive force—both off the edge and on the interior. The Rams like to play fast and get after the quarterback when playing on the home turf. Crowd noise shouldn't be a huge factor, but who knows in a dome setting. This will likely be the best tuneup for Seattle that the Packers offensive line could ask for.

Zach Kruse contributes to Cheesehead TV. He is also the Lead Writer for the NFC North at Bleacher Report. You can reach him on Twitter @zachkruse2 or by email at [email protected].