Packers vs. Eagles in Brazil
The Green Bay Packers have successfully navigated the off-season, training camp, and preseason, and now they’re set to start the 2024 regular season. This Friday night, the Packers will begin their season against the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo, Brazil. Until then, and for several weeks after, the team will have ongoing questions that need addressing.
Here are my top five questions for the Packers, which I hope will start to be answered this Friday night against the Eagles:
**Question Five – Jeff Hafley’s Defense**
Jeff Hafley has stated, “I’m gonna let it rip,” when discussing his play calling. The main question now is how the Green Bay defense will perform. The preseason didn’t provide much insight, only showing that the defense could execute basic plays. Hafley’s bold statement suggests we might start to see a clearer picture of the defense’s strategy against the Eagles. While defensive coordinators often keep their plans under wraps early in the season, Friday night should give us a glimpse of how different this defense will be compared to Joe Barry’s approach over the past three years.
**Question Four – The Packers’ Run Game**
This question concerns both the offensive and defensive run games. On offense, will Josh Jacobs dominate the carries, or will there be a rotation with Emmanuel Wilson and rookie Marshawn Lloyd (if he’s healthy)? If Lloyd is fit, he’s likely to make an impact given his explosive college performance. We’ll also be watching whether Jacobs returns to his 2022 form, where he led the league in rushing yards, or if he’s closer to his 2023 performance. Additionally, it’s crucial to see how the Packers’ run defense performs under the new defensive scheme.
**Question Three – The Safety Position**
How will the safety position shape up? Xavier McKinney will undoubtedly start, but who will be his partner? Both Javon Bullard and Evan Williams appear ready to play, and it’s possible the Packers might find a way to utilize all three safeties. Each has the capability to play slot corner as well, though Keisean Nixon is also a strong contender for that role. There’s still much to learn about how the Packers’ defensive backs will be utilized this season.
**Question Two – Who is the Number One Receiver?**
The real question isn’t necessarily about identifying a single top receiver for the Packers, especially when many teams rely on high-paid receivers to be their primary target. The Packers don’t appear to have a clear-cut number one receiver, and they might be fine with that.
Instead, the key question is whether the Packers need a designated top receiver. My belief is that they do not, though we won’t know for sure until the season progresses. It’s possible that each week will feature a different player stepping up as the leading receiver, which could be frustrating for fantasy football players.
For this week’s game against the Eagles, I’m predicting Jayden Reed will be the standout receiver. It feels like a week where he might shine. We’ll see how it plays out on Friday night.
**Question One – Is Jordan Love Still the Guy?**
The primary question is whether Jordan Love’s impressive performance in the second half of last season was an anomaly. The Packers have committed to him by making him the highest-paid player in NFL history based on those final eight games, during which he amassed 2,150 yards, 18 touchdowns, and just one interception.
If Love continues at that pace into 2024, his projected stats would be 4,569 passing yards, 38 touchdowns, and only two interceptions, potentially making him an MVP candidate. While such numbers are unlikely, especially the low interception count, a season with around 4,200 yards and similar touchdown figures, with fewer interceptions, would justify the Packers’ confidence in him.
Ultimately, the central question remains whether Jordan Love is the right choice for the Packers. The team clearly believes in him, and we should start getting answers this season, possibly beginning with Friday’s game against the Eagles in São Paulo.
Go Pack Go!
