The extraordinary has become ordinary for the Green Bay Packers this season.
It was just another wacky week of preparation as the second half of the 2021 season begins for the Pack with the Seattle Seahawks coming to Lambeau Field Sunday afternoon for a 3:25 PM CST kickoff. Nine games down, nine weeks and eight games left to play.
The week began with the Green Bay Packers Incorporated writing a check for $300,000.00 made payable to National Football League Charities. Aaron Rodgers and Allen Lazard also cut checks for more than $14,000.00 to cover the fines imposed for COVID-19 protocol violations. On Tuesday, Rodgers tried to walk back some of his vaccination status tales. Wednesday, the Odell Beckham Jr. sweepstakes were just getting started and the Packers were a player until the Los Angeles Rams locked down a deal on Thursday. Meanwhile, the practice week had Jordan Love taking the game plan snaps while Rodgers continued to quarantine and learn the Seattle plan virtually. Friday arrived and the team has a good idea, but can’t be certain who their starting quarterback will be against the Seahawks.
For it to be Rodgers, he’ll have to convince the medical staff that his conditioning is strong enough to withstand a 60 minute NFL game. Since he contracted COVID-19 he won’t need a negative test, in fact, Rodgers won’t be required to even test for the virus for another 90 days. Protocol rules allow Rodgers to begin ramping up his conditioning three days before his quarantine is up and he reportedly has done some running and other cardiac work. The team expects Rodgers to pass and be brought back onto the 53 man roster before the 3:00 PM deadline for Sunday’s contest.
That means Love spent the entire week running the plays that Rodgers will be calling and trying to execute against the Seattle defense.
What looked like encouraging days for David Bakhtiari took a discouraging turn at week’s end. Elevated from the Physically Unable to Perform list to the active roster, the All Pro Left Tackle has been practicing for two weeks but apparently hasn’t convinced the medical staff he’s ready to play. Bakhtiari was listed as doubtful on the final injury report issued today. He did not participate in the last practice of the week but Head Coach Matt LaFleur said that was by design. It looks like his debut will have to wait another week. Defensive tackle Kingsley Keke (concussion) and tight end Dominique Dafney (hamstring) have also been listed as doubtful for the game.
Kenny Clark (back), Eric Stokes (knee) and Equanimeous St. Brown (ankle) have all been listed as questionable.
Time to renew what’s developed into a pretty spirited rivalry over the last decade. The Packers and Seahawks will be meeting for the 9th time since Russell Wilson was drafted by Seattle out of the University of Wisconsin. He beat out former Packer Matt Flynn for the starting job by the end of his first training camp, even though Flynn signed a huge free agent deal earlier that off-season. The first meeting ended with the unforgettable “Failed Mary” walk off touchdown, 14-12 in Seattle. Since, there have been regular season and playoff meetings, we won’t dwell on the NFC Championship game collapse in 2014, or even the Pack’s first post-season win for LaFleur in 2019. The home team has won every meeting in the series over the last eight games. How will this one play out?
When the Packers have the ball.
Regardless of who plays quarterback, and I’m assuming it will be Rodgers, the plan will be more handoff than forward pass centered. If Love has to make his second start, his accuracy issues in Kansas City is cause for concern and if it’s Rodgers, you wonder how sharp he’ll be throwing the ball after not taking a significant, full speed practice rep since before the Washington game three weeks ago. Let Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon do the heavy lifting against a Seattle defense that was on pace to give up the most yards ever in a single season until they got a bit more stout in the red zone and on third down over the last month. Keeping the safeties busy coming into the box to control the ground game should also reduce the number of pressures that clearly rattled Love a week ago, and afford Rodgers time to deliver passes on time. Both Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling got back into the swing of things last Sunday and they should continue to sharpen their route combinations. The weather forecast offers one more reason to mush on the ground. The first accumulating snow of the season is expected Sunday morning.
When the Seahawks have the ball.
Two key playmakers, one for sure, could be back for Head Coach Pete Carroll. Wilson has recovered from the broken finger suffered against the Rams a month ago. Running back Chris Carson came off injured reserve. It should give the Seahawks a boost. They love to run early and set up play action. Off that play action, or when Wilson is forced to extend plays, they typically swing for the fences with home run balls. D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are equally dangerous in different ways. Metcalf can fly but easily outmuscles defenders while Lockett creates trouble with his speed by finding space and taking off. The Packer plan will be very similar to what they showed against Arizona and Kansas City when facing even more mobile and faster quarterbacks in Kyle Murray and Patrick Mahomes. Look for the two safeties to stay deep to protect against those deep shots. The front seven will try to squeeze the pocket and eliminate escape lanes. Another strong tackling game and wins on first down by the defense will force Wilson to shake off a month’s worth of rust and beat them through the air. A tall order.
The bottom line.
Adversity means little to the Packers, they’re experts on dealing with it this season. They’re not even halfway through the meat of the 2021 schedule with division rival Minnesota waiting on the road next week and a huge conference showdown with the Rams looming. The Packers have been excellent at home under LaFleur (19-3 including playoffs), they still haven’t lost back to back regular season games under his watch. The Seahawks at 3-5 are in danger of hitting the point of no return in the NFC West race behind the 8-1 Cardinals and 7-2 Rams. They do have Russ back to cook but Wilson will be hard pressed to be in upset form against at Packer defense playing it’s best football.
I like the Pack 23-16.
