It will be a rare preseason Sunday noon kickoff for the Green Bay Packers this weekend in Pittsburgh. More important than the start time for Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy, however, is another chance to evaluate their 2015 roster and prepare for a regular season that’s only a few weeks away.

Here are five things to watch in this weekend's Packers-Steelers game:

1. Starting offense in goal-line and short-yardage situations

For as well as Aaron Rodgers and the starting offense moved the ball in New England, they couldn’t score on a goal-line series from the two-yard line, and they were unable to convert a first down on a fourth-and-two situation.

A significant reason for Rodgers surprisingly playing 33 snaps against the Patriots was to help ensure that the offense doesn’t get off to another slow start in the regular season. If Green Bay finds itself in short-yardage plays this weekend, execution will be key. It was a relative weakness of the Packers’ outstanding offense in 2014, and with new play-caller Tom Clements taking control, results will need to begin improving.

2. Don Barclay as starting left tackle

Barclay didn’t play well at all as the backup right tackle in New England. That could be somewhat overlooked, seeing as it was Barclay’s first game back after recovering from a torn ACL last year.

But with David Bakhtiari’s injury, Barclay now has to change positions and protect Rodgers’ blind side in Pittsburgh. Barclay’s roster spot isn’t really in question, but he’s penciled in as the top backup at several positions along the offensive line. If McCarthy can’t depend on Barclay to step up when called upon, it could force the Packers to keep an additional offensive line for their 53-man roster.

3. Backup running back rotation, performance

Once the night was over for Eddie Lacy and James Starks against the Patriots, McCarthy turned to Rajion Neal. Then it was Alonzo Harris’ turn. Last up was John Crockett. That’s a fairly telling sign of how Green Bay currently sees its backup running back trio.

However, Harris and Crockett both scored touchdowns in their preseason debuts. Could that be enough for McCarthy to put one of them in before Neal this weekend?

There’s a No. 3 running back job up for grabs, and the performances of those three in Pittsburgh could go a long way in deciding the winner.

4. Cornerback depth chart separation

An interception from LaDarius Gunter against the Patriots was just the latest reminder that the undrafted rookie seems to be the real deal. Has Gunter been so good that it’s perhaps too late for Demetri Goodson to catch him? It seems so, at the moment, especially with Goodson missing a lot of action (and likely Sunday’s game, as well) with an injury.

In front of Gunter, though, there are important snaps still to be determined. Quinten Rollins took advantage of his playing time in New England, while Damarious Randall stayed in Green Bay with an injury. Position coach Joe Whitt might want to give his two top draft-pick rookies a few snaps with the starting defense at outside cornerback. Or, in Rollins’ case, maybe some action in the slot with the starters. The nickel corner role currently belongs to Micah Hyde, but Rollins has momentum building right now. Can Rollins further that momentum Sunday?

5. Improved tackling, run defense from Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

The only real weakness to Clinton-Dix’s rookie season was his tackling and run support. As a centerfielder, he was quite good. And with the way Clinton-Dix ended last season (with two interceptions in the NFC Championship Game), the arrow was pointing up in that area.

Clinton-Dix only played 13 snaps against the Patriots, but he managed to miss three tackles in that short span of time. If he’s going to live up to his potential, and if he’s going to go down as one of Thompson’s better first-round picks, Clinton-Dix has to begin to show marked improvement near the line of scrimmage with his run defense.