Craig from Brookfield, WI
The thing that makes football – and sports in general – so compelling is that you just never know what will happen next. Regardless of circumstances, it’s completely unpredictable. On the road, undefeated opponent, injuries, COVID, short week, long flight…all juju points to a Packers defeat. That’s why I’m grabbing my popcorn. Is it Thursday night yet?
I checked my calendar…and yes, yes it is. Good morning!
Skip from Spread Eagle, WI
I hope they can feel it in the air tonight.
Bill from Bloomfield Hills, MI
What a ride this season is turning out to be! After unwrapping a lousy first Christmas present and the worries about the receding depth of the gift pile, it’s been one holiday wonder after another. No need to despair with nine more surprises awaiting, these Packers have transcendent step-up talent.
As a team, you have to embrace the challenge because no season goes exactly according to plan. Adversity is going to strike at some point, whether it’s losing your All-Pro linebacker early in the season or your All-Pro left tackle to a season-ending knee injury on the eve of the playoffs. The Packers continue to find ways to win in spite of the odds and they must do that again tonight to pick up their seventh win in a row.
How do you think the Packers’ passing game will be Thursday with two receivers on COVID-19/reserve?
Multiple. We talk about this 6-0 run the Packers are on without Davante Adams but what gets lost is how they had a different player stepping up every time “17” was out. Last year, Allen Lazard (at New Orleans) and Robert Tonyan (vs. Atlanta) had career days in Adams’ absence. They need more of that tonight against Arizona, whether it’s Tonyan (again), Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon or possibly Equanimeous St. Brown. As we’ve seen all season long – it’s not about what the Packers have lost, but rather the playmakers that can be found.
Sean from Brisbane, Australia
Thursday night we have quite the conundrum. Do we try and establish the run early but also get AJ33 involved in the pass attack, or do we mix it up …? I feel confident we will be able to throw the ball around quite a bit because Aaron Rodgers will be forced to feed many mouths, keeping Arizona off-guard. But the running game could be key…
With banged-up receivers, I say play to your strengths. To me, that’s the Packers’ backfield. Run or pass, I want the ball in the hands of Jones and Dillon as much as possible.
If Davante can’t go this week, it clearly impacts the Packers’ passing game, as he’s an elite WR. However, I would have been even more concerned a couple weeks ago. Prior to the Bears game, nearly 36% of Rodgers’ passes were intended for Davante. The last two games have seen target shares of 22% and 20%, respectively, for Davante, so the passing game has been less dependent on “17” lately, which should make his possible absence easier to absorb. I hope this helps with the angst of some fans.
Branching off that, I’m curious how the Cardinals defend an Adams-less offense. If they drop a safety down to defend Jones and Dillon, that might allow Rodgers to get the downfield passing game going against single-high coverage.
83/17, nicely done Weston.
I was particularly proud of that one.
Like many Packers Backers here in high school football-crazy Texas, I’ve seen a number of great players before they became NFLers. To my eyes, Kyler Murray topped even Adrian Peterson and Cedric Benson as a teenager. He’s a human video game, the likes we haven’t seen since perhaps Barry Sanders. Yet, the Pack famously shut down Sanders a time or two. Whatever the outcome, this game should a ton of fun to watch!
Murray has won at every level he’s played. As Rodgers said on Tuesday, it would appear the young man made the right call coming back to football. He’s a special player who’s performed at an MVP level for Kliff Kingsbury this season.
