On a short week, the Packers face a quick turnaround with key injuries mounting on both sides of the ball. Some appear potentially season-ending, while others could linger as the season goes on for players who were already dealing with injuries.

With depth at several key positions suddenly looking

thin, the Packers will need to find improvements both internally and externally if they hope to make a run at the Super Bowl this season.

As for Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons, luckily, the Packers won’t be facing a team that looks like a contender anytime soon. Atlanta enters Lambeau Field at 0-2 after being outscored 54-16 through its first two games. Still, these are the types of games that always seem to become trap games for head coach Matt LaFleur.

Areas of concern

Perhaps the biggest blow was to starting right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele, who suffered another significant knee injury after working his way back from a torn patellar tendon last season.

Losing arguably Green Bay’s best offensive lineman for the remainder of the season is less than ideal for a team that was already struggling to protect quarterback Jordan Love.

Continuing along the offensive line, left guard Aaron Banks, who looked good in limited snaps on Sunday, left the game early after injuring his toe. Banks had already been dealing with a variety of injuries entering Week 2. Donovan Jennings, who stepped in after Banks went down, also suffered a hand injury.

With Bako-Bewele out and Banks’ status questionable heading into Thursday night, both the right tackle and left guard positions remain huge question marks — and the depth behind them is suddenly very thin.

The scariest injury of the many that mounted on Sunday was to wide receiver Jayden Reed, who was taken off the field on a backboard following a tackle on the Packers’ opening possession. Reed was hospitalized overnight in the New York area but later said he was doing much better.

Having two star players leave the field on carts within the opening minutes of a game is anything but ideal. For a team still looking to build continuity and establish some momentum, the injuries are mounting while the depth behind those players continues to wear thin.

It will be important for Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst to devise a plan to make sure the Packers don’t miss a step and can continue building on Sunday’s overtime victory.

How do we improve?

When you lose multiple starters to potentially long-term injuries, the first place the Packers will likely look is internally.

Some of their younger players will now be thrust into starting roles and meaningful snaps, which could ultimately aid in their development as the season progresses. On short notice, former second-round pick Anthony Belton looked solid at right tackle, and I’m hoping he can build on that performance and establish himself as the right tackle of the future. The problem with young players, however, is that the learning curve can be steep — and the Packers don’t necessarily have time to wait for them to adjust to the speed of the NFL.

One component that could aid in their development is the coaching staff. However, offensive line coach Lukas Butkus and offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich don’t exactly offer the strongest vote of confidence in that department right now.

Internal development will be the primary cog in propelling this team forward, but the Packers should also consider players outside the organization.

Former Wisconsin Badger Kevin Zeitler has had his name thrown around in conversations as of late. The veteran would provide an immediate boost and some much-needed experience to the interior offensive line, although the price required to bring him out of retirement could ultimately be more than Gutekunst is willing to pay.

Of course, there are also more familiar and less expensive options Green Bay could explore as it looks to rebuild its depth.

Another interesting opportunity could be Falcons rookie offensive lineman Ethan Onianwa. The Packers hosted the former Ohio State Buckeye on a top-30 visit during the draft process this past spring, and Atlanta eventually selected him in the seventh round. Despite his size and experience playing both tackle spots in college, Onianwa has yet to play an offensive snap through Atlanta’s first two games.

That makes Thursday night somewhat interesting from a roster-building perspective.

Atlanta has offensive line depth, while its edge-rushing group has been dealing with its own questions. The Packers, meanwhile, happen to have quality depth at edge, with Micah Parsons expected back in the coming weeks.

Could there be a deal to be made involving someone like Brenton Cox Jr. or Colin Oliver for offensive line help? It’s purely hypothetical, but Gutekunst should at least be exploring every avenue available to him.

What to expect Thursday Night Football

The Falcons will look different Thursday night with Michael Penix Jr. officially returning as their starting quarterback — which is mighty unfortunate considering how terrible Atlanta’s offense looked with Cooper Rush over the first two weeks.

Atlanta enters Thursday as the only offense in the NFL that has yet to reach the red zone this season. Penix should give the Falcons considerably more upside in the passing game, but he will also be making his first start since suffering a torn ACL last November.

I really liked what we saw last week from Jonathan Gannon’s defense, especially against the run.

It will be imperative that the defensive unit holds Bijan Robinson in check, although that’s obviously easier said than done. Atlanta will likely look to lean heavily on Robinson to take some pressure off Penix in his return.

Another player I expect to see an uptick in usage is wide receiver Drake London. I wouldn’t be surprised if Atlanta looks to target Keisean Nixon, not only because of the coverage matchup but because of the size discrepancy London presents on the outside.

On the other side of the ball, Atlanta will be without star cornerback A.J. Terrell, who was placed on injured reserve this week.

That should open up opportunities for Christian Watson and Matthew Golden to have big nights Thursday. With Terrell out and Green Bay potentially dealing with a makeshift offensive line, I expect the Packers to look for quick opportunities through the air and allow their receivers to create after the catch.

This could ultimately become a pass-heavy game with some high-scoring potential.

Most importantly, though, the offensive line needs to protect Jordan Love.

Atlanta doesn’t necessarily have an intimidating group of proven pass rushers, but a makeshift Packers offensive line could still present problems for a unit that has already struggled badly in pass protection through two weeks.

If Green Bay can protect Love, neutralize Penix and Atlanta’s passing game, and prevent Bijan Robinson from controlling the game on the ground, this could be an opportunity for the Packers to take care of business at Lambeau.

A win would move Green Bay to 2-1 heading into a mini-bye — giving the Packers some much-needed time to get healthy, build continuity and carry some momentum into the coming weeks.

And, hopefully, get a little closer to finally having Micah Parsons back in the lineup.