Paul Bretl | 10/30/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — As the Packers begin their on-field preparation for a pivotal Week 9 divisional matchup with Detroit, they were without several key players on both sides of the football during Wednesday’s practice.
Not seen going through warmups at the start of practice were Jordan Love (groin), Josh Jacobs (ankle), Josh Myers (wrist), Rasheed Walker (knee), Elgton Jenkins (glute), Evan Williams (hamstring), and Jaire Alexander (knee). All were off to the side riding an exercise bike or working with a trainer in Williams’ case.
Love would exit Sunday’s game in Jacksonville with a groin injury that he sustained early on. According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the MRI Love underwent earlier in the week showed “no significant damage.” As Matt LaFleur often says in these situations, the team will give Love up until kickoff to see where he’s at before making a final decision on his status.
“I’m going to take it one day at a time, do the best I can to be in here, do rehab, get with the trainers and try and get back as fast as possible,” said Love at this locker.
Love added that he is making progress, feeling better, and that every day, there are some improvements. Practicing at some point this week before the game would be ideal, but it’s not an absolute necessity either. As far as playing on Sunday, Love thinks it is “realistic.”
The fact that the Packers have their bye week following this game will not impact whether or not Love plays on Sunday.
“If he can go, he’ll go,” LaFleur said on Monday. “So, we’ll see where he’s at by the end of the week. But if we feel like he can’t protect himself, then we certainly wouldn’t put him in that position.”
With Love not participating in Wednesday’s practice, Malik Willis took the first-team reps and led the offense. Willis stepped in on Sunday, and with the help of Josh Jacobs, helped guide the Packers to victory. With a big matchup on the horizon with Detroit, and uncertainty around who will be starting at quarterback, Willis is just taking things one day at a time–or even moment to moment.
“Just taking it each day at a time,” Willis said. “Whatever they want to install, try to make sure I’m locked in and handle it the best that I can, and make sure I’m going home studying and seeing what they feel like the expectation of the play should be, understanding the outcome they want.”
Jacobs would suffer an ankle injury late on Sunday and hobbled off the field. Although he didn’t practice on Wednesday, at his locker he said he would be “good” come game time. And for what it’s worth, Jenkins hasn’t practiced the last few Wednesdays.
Awaiting the Packers’ offense this week is a Lions’ defense that is allowing 19.1 points per game–the eighth-lowest mark this season. Their pass rush is without Aidan Hutchinson, who is on injured reserve, but the unit still ranks 11th in pressure rate. With the help of that pass rush and an aggressive, relentless play-style, the Lions secondary ranks second in interceptions and ranks top-10 in fewest explosive plays given up.
“I mean obviously losing him, that’s a big loss for anybody,” said LaFleur of Hutchinson, “but I think they got a lot of guys that they all kind of embody that playstyle. When you watch them, I think Aaron Glenn does a great job. They all play really hard. They’ve done a really nice job of, I think they got like 10 interceptions on the year, five fumble recoveries. They’re all punching at the ball. They got a couple out last week vs. Tennessee, so I think they’ve got enough players that they can weather the storm.”
Once Williams exited the Jacksonville game, it felt like there was a domino effect to the rest of the Packers’ secondary. More pass-catchers were running open, there were breakdowns in communication, and missed tackles, resulting in chunk plays for the Jaguars’ passing game.
Williams leaving the game set off a chain reaction–forcing players to move to positions that they haven’t been getting game reps in. Javon Bullard to move back to free safety, a big jump mid-game for any rookie to make, especially without what I’m guessing are practice reps during the week in that role.
Keisean Nixon then went from playing the boundary to the nickel, which then put Eric Stokes on the boundary. Stokes’ playing time has diminished in recent weeks with up-and-down play, while Carrington Valentine has been a primary special teams player.
To make matters worse for the Packers, on the Jaguars’ final offensive play of the game, the touchdown pass to Evan Engram, Jaire Alexander came up limping. Demovsky would again have a scoop earlier in the week, reporting that there were “no significant concerns” following tests on Alexander’s knee. Demovsky then added that the team will monitor his soreness throughout the week.
“It is what it is, said LaFleur about game-planning with uncertainty in the secondary. “No different than what happened the other day. When you have installed a game plan, you’ve got to be ready to adjust. Bottom line is you’ve got to put in whatever plays or schemes or whatever is you’re trying to attack somebody with, whether it’s on offense or defense, to give you the best chance to win. You’ve got to use your best judgment in terms of the execution and how you’re going to go about that and have successful plays.”
Behind what is currently the top-scoring offense in football is one of the NFL’s best offensive line units in both the run and passing game. On the ground, the Lions have generated the fifth-most explosive runs this season and rank fifth as a team in yards per carry at 5.1. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs’ 6.4 yards per rush is currently the second-best mark in football.
Through the air, quarterback Jared Goff has been under pressure on the eighth-fewest snaps this season. When throwing from a clean pocket, he has been nearly unstoppable, completing 76.2 percent of his throws at 8.9 yards per attempt with 11 touchdowns to two interceptions and ranks top-10 in fewest explosive plays given up.
“They’re one of the most explosive offenses in the league,” said LaFleur of the Lions. “I think Ben Johnson does an unbelievable job of putting his guys in position, and when you have really good coaches, they’ve got one of the best offensive lines in all of football. I think Jared Goff is playing as good as anybody. And they’ve got weapons all around him…They’ve just got a lot of playmakers on their offense. Good scheme plus players usually equals some pretty good results.”
Against a team as formidable as Detroit, it’s going to take sound football from the Packers in all phases. But finding a way to at least contain the Detroit offense will begin up front. Green Bay cannot allow them to lean heavily on the run game, which will result in short down-and-distance situations and open up opportunities in the passing game off play-action, where Goff has again been quite good.
And whether it be winning their one-on-one matchups or through manufactured pressures drawn up by Jeff Hafley, the Packers being able to disrupt Goff’s timing and rhythm will be crucial–a task that’s easier said than done. Everything just described is a recipe for a long day for just about any secondary, especially a potentially short-handed one.
“They’re really, really good,” said LaFleur of the Lions. “And we knew that. We knew that going into the year, and it’s not shocking to me. It’s a team we’re obviously very familiar with and we’re going to have to play at our best. And it all starts with the preparation. We’re going to have to have a great week of practice.”