The Packers look to bounce back in Week 2 after a tough loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. Green Bay will host the Indianapolis Colts in their home opener this Sunday. Although the Packers have not officially ruled out star QB Jordan Love, it is unlikely Love suits up for the Packers against the Colts. Without Love, Green Bay will need their other star players to step up and answer the bell if the Packers want to avoid an 0-2 start.
Green Bay did not get high level performances from Kenny Clark, Rashon Gary, and Jaire Alexander against the Eagles. Alexander did intercept Jalen Hurts but he also allowed a 67 yard touchdown and two pivotal first down catches by AJ Brown. Rashon Gary had one sack on a play where it appeared that the Eagles offensive line thought the play would be blown dead. Kenny Clark had two total tackles without any sacks or quarterback pressures. That stat line is rare for Clark.
Along with the defense, the Packers will need their offensive playmakers to contribute Sunday as well. Josh Jacobs did finish the Eagle game with 104 total scrimmage yards. He rushed for 80 yards on 10 carries in the second half. However, Jacobs only had 4 yards on 6 carries in the first half. The Packers cannot afford a slow start from their high priced acquisition if Love does not play Sunday. Especially since the Colts allowed 213 rushing yards against the Houston Texans in Week 1. A strong performance from Jacobs and his fellow running mates will certainly take some pressure off of QB Malik Willis.
No Love Means Green Bay’s Margin For Error Narrows
There is no question that the Packers shot themselves in the foot in Week 1. Green Bay racked up 10 penalties for 71 yards. Two of the penalties took touchdowns off the board. The Packers wide receivers had drops. Jordan Love missed on a few throws. Keisean Nixon dropped a INT which most likely would have been a pick 6. The Eagles first two possessions end in turnovers and gave Green Bay the football inside the red zone. The Packers only score 6 points off those two turnovers. In total, Green Bay scored 9 points off of 3 Philadelphia turnovers. To top it off, the Packers were 1-4 in the red zone.
Despite all of those mistakes, Green Bay still had a chance to win the game. In the NFL, a team’s margin of error typically is tied to their quarterback play. If Malik Willis gets the start Sunday, Green Bay cannot afford the same number of mistakes. The Packers will need to play a cleaner game and that starts with their stars. Jaire Alexander, Kenny Clark, and Rashon Gary must have better performances against the Colts. Hopefully, Jacobs can carry his strong second half into Week 2.
Despite missing their star QB, this game is winnable. The Packers get the benefit of having the home crowd. The Colts QB Anthony Richardson, although crazy talented, is raw and fairly inexperienced. That certainly should benefit a Green Bay defense that forced three turnovers in Week 1. Expect the Packers to take a similar approach to containing Richardson. If the Packers can keep Richardson in the pocket, the pass rush will need to capitalize. The season is still very much alive for Green Bay. Hopefully, their key players can rise to the occasion and carry the team during Love’s expected absence.
