The Green Bay Packers have found their groove again, thanks to the leadership of Tucker Kraft and Xavier McKinney. Tucker Kraft is gradually gaining attention. He’s not only emerging as a key player in the offense; he is becoming one of the league’s top tight ends. The Packers still face challenges in the first half of games, but they appear to find their footing by the second half. Nevertheless, the entire team needs to start faster. Falling behind consistently in games is not a winning strategy.
The Packers have experienced an unusual beginning to their season, starting in Brazil where Jordan Love sustains an injury. Malik Willis then took over as the starter for the following two weeks, despite having joined the team only three weeks prior. Upon his return, Jordan Love faced one of the league’s top defenses, a challenging task as he readjusted to the speed of the game.
Week five seemed like the perfect opportunity to get right. Yet, on Friday evening, Bill Huber dropped a bombshell report. Romeo Doubs, a leading receiver for the Packers, was absent from practice on Thursday and Friday. Since the game plan is typically set on Wednesday, there was speculation that Doubs was dissatisfied with his role in the offense. Because of this, the Packers suspended Doubs for conduct detrimental to the team.
The Packers goal with the suspension is to show that no one is above the team. Even if Doubs is struggling with things internally, the Packers expect him to be a professional. Nevertheless, the Packers offense was able to gain some momentum. The receiving game functioned with the leadership of Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft. Ultimately, the Packers found a way to win.
No Doubs, No Problem: Tucker Kraft is Instrumental
Tucker Kraft is clearly showing his importance to the Packers’ offense. He ended the day with four receptions for 88 yards and two touchdowns. What sets Kraft apart is his ability to generate yards after the catch. On his first touchdown, Kraft threw a stiff arm at a defender before reaching the end zone. Additionally, his blocking is exceptional. No matter what is asked of him, Kraft is able to deliver.
Jordan Love made his second start since his MCL injury in Brazil, and it’s clear he’s still shaking off some rust. The game began with a risky, yet beautiful throw. Jayden Reed was completely covered with three Rams defenders around him. Yet somehow, the ball dropped perfectly into Reed’s hands. It’s these kinds of plays that highlight Love’s exceptional talent as a quarterback.
Lately, Love has struggled with protecting the ball. While in his own end zone, trying to avoid a safety, he attempted to throw the ball out of bounds. However, Jaylen McCollugh intercepted it. Yet, nothing seems to rattle Love. Costly interceptions can take away all confidence. Instead, Love uses it to focus, doesn’t commit the same mistake twice and continues to make plays.
From that moment, Love was locked in, finding an offensive rhythm and leading with confidence. The absence of two receivers might cripple many teams, but the Packers have enough weapons to make it work. The offense seems poised for a breakout, similar to last year’s challenges with dropped passes and penalties. With continued work, the team’s potential for explosiveness is imminent.
Xavier McKinney Continues to Lead the Defense
It feels unreal to keep writing about the impact of Xavier McKinney for this Packers defense. Yet somehow, he keeps creating turnovers. When Kingsley Enagbare forced a fumble, who else would recover the ball other than McKinney? It is becoming something you expect from him. Yet the awe of him getting an interception has not worn off. McKinney makes playing safety look absolutely effortless.
However, the rest of the defense must step up. The pass rush win rate is becoming a growing concern. Rashan Gary isn’t dominating his matchups like he used to. Both Preston Smith and Lukas Van Ness appear to be struggling. Overall, the defensive line has to make a massive improvement if they want to be contenders.
However, there are still some bright spots on this defense. Rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, like a shot from a cannon, took down Matthew Stafford for a sack. Cooper’s speed is incredibly lethal, and he appears to get to the quarterback faster than most on the defensive line. Evan Williams, the rookie safety, came up with the game sealing pass deflection. One of the keys with this Packers defense should be to let the rookies play.
The defense is already making mistakes with the veterans. So, it would be beneficial to let the rookies learn and make mistakes. Overall, there is too much talent between Bullard, Cooper, and Williams for them not to be playing. With two upcoming home games, the Packers have the perfect opportunity to put together their strengths and play as a more cohesive unit.
