Filed Under: FeaturedAaron NaglerPacker Fan Podcasts   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ NFL Categories: Philadelphia EaglesTags: Green Bay PackersCHTV Watch Party Like 0 points

The Supreme Court has rejected a call to overturn its landmark decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

It's the Green Bay Packers' lone Monday night game of the season, as tonight they will take on the Philadelphia Eagles from Lambeau Field at 7:15 pm CST. It's a rematch of last year's Wild Card playoff loss in Philadelphia, but this time the Packers get to enjoy some of that home cooking. Last week, the 5-2-1 Packers fell to the Carolina Panthers 13-16 in heartbreaking, yet embarrassing fashion. The team we saw the previous week in Pittsburgh seemed to be absent, and they were defeated by a field goal in the final seconds of the game. The Eagles, sitting at 6-2, are coming off a home victory against the New York Giants, 38-20. This will surely be a battle for NFC supremacy.  The last time these two teams met was in the 2024 Wild Card playoffs, where Philadelphia defeated Green Bay 22-10. The game saw Jordan Love possibly play the worst game of his career, throwing three interceptions as the Packers' offense was just stale. After losing Christian Watson to an ACL injury the week before, it seemed almost as if the offense had no answers as to what to do next, and the defense didn't fare any better. Last week was one of those games where you say, "Burn the tape, and let's focus on the next." Only you can't do that in this league. You need to learn from your mistakes, and there were many last week. The offense just seemed lost and couldn't put anything together, while the defense, though they only gave up 16 points, was uncharacteristically gashed on the ground. To make matters worse, the Packers lost star tight end Tucker Kraft for the season to an ACL injury. The Packers had a lot of self-evaluation to do in the last week.  Tonight, it's time to bounce back to championship contender form. What to See on Offense Despite only putting up 13 points against Carolina, the Packers' passing offense was still humming. They just couldn't get the ball in the end zone. Some of that was due to mistakes or just falling flat. On top of fixing that, they now have a gaping hole in their passing attack. The Packers aren't going to replace Tucker Kraft easily. But, they do have the personnel to pick up the slack. We'll have to see if Luke Musgrave can rise to the occasion or if it'll be a mix of Musgrave, Golden, plus others.  On the other side of the ball, the Eagles have Jalen Carter, who is easily a problem up the middle on the defensive line. Carter hasn't put up big stats so far, but he's always a threat to get to the quarterback. Outside of Carter, the Eagles traded for OLB Jaelen Phillips before the deadline this season, who has three sacks, and then DT Moro Ojomo has four sacks, with LB Zach Baun sitting at three. The Eagles are 26th in the league at getting after the QB, but I wouldn't write them off, as they still have a few players who can be a problem if allowed.  In the secondary, the Eagles have Quinyon Mitchell, who may be one of the best corners in the league, and then, of course, Packers social media's draft darling, Cooper DeJean, who has had a good season so far himself.  Outside of those two, the Eagles added CB Michael Carter at the trade deadline as well as former Packer Jaire Alexander. Ja$ hasn't exactly had an impact anywhere so far in 2025, only playing in two games, and unfortunately we won't get to see him reunite with old teammates tonight as he didn't even make the trip with the team to Wisconsin.  Given the Packers' tendency to spread the ball around, it should be interesting to see how the Eagles match up with their corners. Mitchell tends to match up with the "best receiver." Well, the Packers don't have a definitive best receiver. So, we'll see how they line up their corners.  On to the run. It seems to be a mystery this season as to why the Packers' running game hasn't gotten going. Is it due to Josh Jacobs' ailments? Is it the offensive line not opening things up enough? My guess right now goes to the offensive line. There are many times when Jacobs seems to be fighting to just put together a positive gain. Which is disappointing. Last year, the running game was a highlight; this year, it's kind of a lowlight. But we have a silver lining tonight. The Eagles aren't that great against the run, ranking 19th in the league. They do have a stellar group of linebackers in Nakobe Dean, Zach Baun, and Jihaad Campbell, however, who can be disruptive when handing the ball off.  Again, I have to talk about Tucker Kraft. Because Kraft's absence will leave a hole in the run-blocking game as well.  Something Luke Musgrave hasn't exactly stacked up to in replacement. I think back to over 20 years ago, when the Packers used to have tackle Kevin Barry line up as a tight end in some situations. They called it the "U71 package." It was famous enough that I used to create it myself in Madden, so I could put Barry on the field for a few running plays here and there. Fast forward to 2025, and the Packers have a tackle that could fill this role in Anthony Belton. Belton is a good run blocker with a tendency to be a mauler. And, what a coincidence, he's number 71! Perhaps it's time to bring the U71 package out of retirement to plow the roads ahead of Josh Jacobs.  What to See on Defense Well, here we go, we all know it's coming, so let's get it out of the way. It's the battle of the Tush Push.  Everyone knows the story that the Packers pioneered a proposal in the offseason to have the Eagles' famous play banned. And it almost was. But all through the process, everyone mocked the Packers' attempt to put a stop to it. But now that the season is underway, all you see is debate and complaints that the play should be flagged. Maybe the Packers were right after all? Imagine that. Regardless, the play currently stands, and I wouldn't put it past the Eagles to run it against the Packers tonight every single chance they get.  Outside of being Tush Pushed, Jalen Hurts has had a relatively good season. He has the fourth-highest passer rating in the league despite falling under some occasional scrutiny. Perhaps that's just one of the joys of playing in Philly. Last year, in two matchups, the Packers did a pretty decent job of keeping Hurts in the pocket. I would imagine they'll do much of the same this time around, but with the addition of Micah Parsons to the mix, they're going to try and take advantage of the fact that Hurts has been sacked 25 times this season and see if they can harass him a bit.  Not only would harassing Hurts keep him in the pocket, but it would prevent him from taking advantage of a Packers' secondary that's been questionable this season. AJ Brown and Devonta Smith continue to be big receiving threats, and if Hurts has too much time, he will find them downfield. Green Bay mustn't let Hurts get too comfortable, or things could get out of hand quickly. I wouldn't be surprised to see Quay Walker or Edgerrin Cooper used as a bit of a spy just in case Hurts escapes the pressure. Outside of the two receivers, tight end Dallas Goedert is still a decent threat, especially in the red zone, catching seven touchdowns already this season.  If the Packers can get to Hurts quickly, they have a good chance of slowing the Eagles' passing attack. If not, we could be in for a long night.  Of course, now we have the running game. Saquon Barkley is coming to town, and we're going to have to see which Packers' run defense is coming to face him. All year long, I've expressed confidence in the Packers' defense stopping the run. It's been a welcome change from years prior. But then Rico Dowdle came along and gashed them for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Carolina barely needed to pass the football, as they were running it all day long right down the Packers' throats.  Saquon Barkley hasn't put up the same numbers as Dowdle this season, but that doesn't mean he can't. Because he very much can. But the Eagles haven't been as effective on the ground so far this season. In fact, they rank behind the Packers in rushing yards per game. It's been a bit of an anomaly given how run-heavy the Eagles have been to this date.  Hopefully, the Packers' defense hasn't started a downward trend against the run, and we don't see the Eagles re-find their way against us.  Extra Notes Brandon McManus missed another kick last week. But does it really matter? When it comes to a game, sure, it matters; it mattered a lot as that kick may have won or at least tied the game against Carolina. But when it comes to McManus' job, it certainly doesn't seem like it matters at all. Which is curious with Lucas Havrisik still on the roster. Is he still there due to concern about McManus' injury status, or are they not quite sold on McManus being their guy? It's anyone's guess at this point, but it seems they are giving McManus every opportunity possible to redeem himself.  On the Eagles' side, they have Jake Elliott at kicker, who's 7/9 for field goals this season and a perfect 25/25 for extra points. Punting, they have Braden Mann, who has the second-best punting average this season with 52.4 yards, just ahead of Packers' punter Daniel Whelan with 51.9. Returning kicks, the Eagles have Will Shipley averaging 28.6 yards per return, and on punts, they have Jahan Dotson averaging 9.6 yards per return. Both players have explosive abilities, and the Packers' special teams will need to be disciplined to not be beaten. On the Packers' side, it seems like on punts, they're just happy to have Romeo Doubs make a catch without mistakes, and Savion Williams has had some explosive moments on kick returns but has remained inconsistent.  In the End I hate to call games "emotional" because in a way, they all are. But given the playoff defeat last year and all the drama around the "Tush Push" over the summer, the Packers want to win this one badly. The Packer fans want to win this one badly. And I'm sure if there are Eagles fans in attendance tonight, many of our fellow Packer fans in attendance are not going to want to listen to Philadelphia fans gloat all night. So, let's also win it for them.  A victory tonight over the Eagles would set things on track again for the 2025 Packers. We've had some big wins, but some embarrassing losses. After the loss to the Panthers, many are starting to count the Packers out. It's time to prove them wrong.  Next week, we travel to the Meadowlands to face the New York Giants. Let's get on that plane next week with a 6-2-1 record. Go Pack Go.    Filed Under: FeaturedGreen Bay PackersGreg MeinholzPreview and PredictionGameDay PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Greg Meinholz is a lifelong devoted Packer fan. A contributor to CheeseheadTV as well as PackersTalk. Follow him on Twitter @gmeinholz and Bluesky @gmeinholz.bsky.social for Packers commentary, random humor, beer endorsements, and occasional Star Wars and Marvel ramblings. __________________________ NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersPhiladelphia EaglesNFCNFC NorthTags: Green Bay PackersJordan LoveJosh JacobsTush PushMicah Parsons Like 0 points

  As the Green Bay Packers head into an NFC showdown with the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles, they must keep one eye on tonight’s opponent, the Eagles and another eye on its key competition in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. After Sunday’s results, the Packers are a win game behind the Lions and Bears, who both have 6-3 records. A Packers win over the Eagles puts them at 6-2-1 and keeps them in the NFC North lead.   Packers still currently 1st in the NFC North following today's games. They sit as the #3 seed in the NFC. With a win tomorrow, they will stay 1st in the North and move to #2 in the NFC. With a loss tomorrow they move to 3rd in the NFC North and 7th in the NFC. — Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) November 10, 2025 Team Record Remaining Games Packers 5-2-1 at NYG, Min, at Det, Chi, at Den, at Chi, Bal, Min Lions 6-3 at Phi, NYG, GB, Dal, at LAR, Pit, at Min, at Chi Bears 6-3 at Min, Pit, at Phi, at GB, Cle, GB, at SF, Det The last time the Packers led the division in November was in 2021, when they finished with a 13-4 record and were the No. 1 seed in the NFC. It was the third of three straight NFC North titles, and three seasons that all finished with 13 regular season wins. The 2021 season may feel like a lifetime ago since the Lions and Vikings have been atop the division the last four seasons. The Vikings finished 13-4 in 2022, before losing in a wild card playoff game to the New York Giants as the NFC No. 3 seed. The Lions have won the division the past two seasons, finishing with records of 12-5 and 15-2 in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The last time the Bears were able to win the North was in 2018, a season where the Packers went 6-9-1 and Mike McCarthy was fired in early December. All-time NFC North Titles (since 2002) Team NFC North Titles Years Packers  12 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021 Bears 4 2005, 2006, 2010, 2018 Vikings 4 2008, 2009, 2017, 2022 Lions 2 2023, 2024 For the Packers to beat the Eagles they will need the same formula they used in beating both the Lions and the Steelers, the only two winning teams they’ve beaten thus far this year. In both games there were several similarities. 1. Hit Explosive Plays in the Passing Game: In Week 1 it was explosive passes to Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed which set up scores. Against the Steelers, there were multiple explosive passes to both Tucker Kraft and Christian Watson, which led to a season-high 35 points scored. 2. Get to the Quarterback: The Packers were able to get to Jared Goff four times, highlighted by sacks by Rashan Gary, Devonte Wyatt and Micah Parsons. Against Aaron Rodgers, the Packers pass rush had three more sacks, with two more by Gary and another by Parsons. They will need to get pressure on Jalen Hurts, who has been sacked 25 times this season. The 25 sacks is ranked 9th worst in the NFL this season. 3. Take the Ball Away: The Packers were unable to generate any turnovers in their two losses and tie. In the two wins over Detroit and Pittsburgh, they got just one in each game, but they were both in critical spots. Against Detroit, Evan Williams’ interception stopped a potential Lions touchdown before halftime and against Pittsburgh, Javon Bullard’s fumble recovery put the dagger into comeback hopes for the Steelers. They will need to get that key takeaway on Monday night.   Micah Parsons on significance of #Packers’ upcoming matchup vs. Eagles. Philly has what Packers want. Parsons says his team needs to take it. Monday night is chance to send a message. “It’s going to be a very respectful and disrespectful game. It’s going to be a dog fight.” pic.twitter.com/j6nheNgkIW — Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) November 7, 2025   Filed Under: FeaturedMitchell McLaughlin PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Mitch McLaughlin is a Packers fan and shareholder residing in Sacramento, California. He will be writing Packers stories each week on Cheesehead TV. He can be found on Twitter: @McLaughlinMitch __________________________   NFL Categories: Chicago BearsDetroit LionsGreen Bay PackersMinnesota VikingsPhiladelphia EaglesTags: Micah Parsons Like 0 points

The Packers’ first eight games have been a bit of a roller-coaster. The Packers have played their way to a 5-2-1 record, first place in the NFC North, and the third-best record in the NFC. It’s hard to complain about what the team has accomplished thus far. They have quality wins over the Lions, Commanders, and Steelers, but they also have some really frustrating losses to the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers. The Packers have had their share of turbulence and adversity, so with nine more games to go, it’ll be interesting to see the true identity of this team. The Packers face the Philadelphia Eagles tomorrow night in what is expected to be an exciting prime-time matchup. It also marks the halfway point of the Packers’ season, which means it’s time to check in on the stock report of the players. There are a handful of Packers with their stocks rising, and others who are struggling. Which Packers have exceeded expectations, and which have greatly disappointed? Risers Romeo Doubs Jayden Reed has been out since Week 2 with a fractured collarbone. Dontayvion Wicks has been out for several weeks with an ankle injury. Christian Watson missed the first six games after tearing his ACL last season. Matthew Golden (shoulder) and Savion Williams (foot) are now looking like they will miss time with their respective injuries. Romeo Doubs? The one guy who has always been good to go? Romeo Doubs. He’s been the Packers’ one steady, consistent pass-catcher this season, and it’s scary to think where they would be without him. It was hard to predict what type of role Doubs would play in 2025. Reed and Wicks were both returning and expected to play big roles. Then the Packers drafted Golden and Williams with premium draft picks, indicating they had plans for them as well. Watson was going to miss some time, but once healthy, he was going to assume a role without the offense. And then there was Doubs. Romeo Doubs' name appeared in plenty of trade rumors throughout the offseason, which was understandable at the time. There was a logjam at wide receiver, and Doubs was entering the final year of his contract. Not to mention, Doubs was the center of a strange situation last season, where he missed a practice and was ultimately suspended for it. While it seemed as if Doubs and the Packers mended any ill feelings, it’s hard to forget that he just ghosted the team out of nowhere. Anyways, all of that is old news. Doubs has now solidified himself as arguably the Packers’ best wide receiver. They say the best ability is availability, something Doubs has been. He’s run 257 pass routes on 430 total snaps, both leading the team. He also leads the team in targets (52), receptions (34), and first-downs (26), and is second in receiving yards (441). Doubs has five or more targets in six of the eight games, and eight or more targets in four games. The fourth-year pass catcher has been Jordan Love’s go-to target. Oh yeah, and he’s been asked to handle most of the punt return duties as well. Doubs only has eight returns for 42 yards (5.3 yards per return), but he’s caught the ball (sadly, not a high bar to cross). Prior to this season, Doubs hadn’t returned a punt since 2021 - when he was at the University of Nevada. A lot has been asked of Doubs in 2025, but he’s been up for it. It’s hard to imagine where the Packers would be had they actually traded Romeo Doubs in the offseason. Zach Tom It’s hard to imagine Zach Tom’s stock rising, considering expectations for Tom were already high to begin the season, but his stock is as high as ever. The Packers signed Tom to a four-year, $88 million extension in July of 2025, making him the highest-paid lineman on the Packers’ roster. And he’s lived up to it. The argument against Tom’s stock not rising is that he has missed some time due to an oblique injury. He missed two games entirely and only played one snap in one game after the oblique injury flared up. In the five games he’s been available, he’s allowed only seven pressures and hasn’t given up a sack. That’s just over one pressure per game. Also, Tom has a pass block efficiency score of 97.9, which would put him in the top ten among qualified tackles. Tom’s oblique injury has sidelined him, but it hasn’t prevented Tom from still performing at a high level despite it being an incredibly painful injury. Last month, Tom shared that he normally remembers everything from a game - but he wasn’t able to since his oblique pain was so significant. When Tom’s been on the field, he’s been playing at an elite level - regardless of playing injured. Tom’s performance has earned him an overall PFF grade of 81.1, a pass block grade of 73.0, and a run block grade of 84.8 - all well above-average scores. As a unit, the Packers’ offensive line has struggled, but Tom has been pulling his weight and more. The Packers paid Zach Tom to be their best offensive lineman, and he’s been exactly that. His job is to keep Jordan Love upright and healthy, and he’s barely even allowing Love to see one pressure each game. Expectations might have been high for Tom, but he’s exceeded them all. Just absolutely love watching Evan Williams play football every week. pic.twitter.com/U4IIPpxb3j — Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) October 29, 2025 Evan Williams Brian Gutekunst hit a homer when he signed All-Pro Xavier McKinney to help fortify the safety position. But an even more impressive move might’ve been drafting Evan Williams in the fourth round of the 2024 draft. Williams’ skill set has complemented McKinney’s very well and allowed McKinney to play more freely. Williams has become one of the best players on the Packers’ defense, and his play has shown that he should never be taken off the field Williams has played 49 or more snaps every week, which is about 91% of the defensive snaps. For as well as Williams is playing, that number will continue to grow. He has one interception, one fumble recovery, and two passes defended. Williams has also recorded 51 total tackles and one tackle for loss. He’s done a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, and he’s doing it all well. Williams’ strong performance has earned a 75.8 overall grade, a 78.0 run defense grade, a 69.6 tackling grade, and a 71.8 coverage grade. All of those scores are considered above-average. Whether it’s been filling against the run or in coverage, Williams has been a versatile, reliable, and consistent piece of the Packers’ defense. Let’s not forget, he also contributes to both the kick and punt coverage units, too. Williams is proving to be one of the most valuable members of the defense, and his stock just keeps rising. Devonte Wyatt When the Packers traded away Kenny Clark right before the season began, two things happened: 1) There was an abundance of excitement with the addition of Micah Parsons, and 2) There was a lot of trepidation wondering who would fill Kenny Clark’s big shoes. Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden, both in their third seasons, had never played massive roles before. Rookies Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse were less-than-heralded prospects who wouldn’t have made some rosters. All eyes shifted to Devonte Wyatt, the former first-round pick now in his fourth NFL season. He was now the main guy expected to step up and fill some big shoes on the interior of the Packers’ defensive line. Wyatt started out 2025 with a bang. He generated 11 pressures in his first two games and was a big part of the Packers’ being one of the best run defenses in the league. In Week 3, he got dinged up with a knee injury that lingered for the next few weeks. The defense definitely missed him. He was able to return in Week 8. On the season, he has eight stops, two sacks, two batted passes, and 17 pressures. "He's having a great year," defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley shared. "Not a good year, a great year." Similar to Zach Tom, it’s hard to argue that his stock is rising when he’s only been fully healthy for five games, but it has. Wyatt was one of the most effective interior defensive linemen on the team through the first two weeks. Hafley went so far as to say, "He was like one of the best interior guys in the NFL." When Wyatt was out with a knee injury, his absence was greatly felt. Wyatt hasn't been the same player since returning, but that should improve as he gets healthier. He’s shown that he’s one of the more important players on the defense, and it's looking like the Packers will need to extend him. Told Devonte Wyatt that I thought he played at Pro Bowl level before knee injury. He didn’t want to make any big statements before season ends, but no disagreements. “I definitely feel like I was in the zone. I was moving fast, confident.” Now goal is to get back to that level. pic.twitter.com/KjvcA4m2Xt — Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) October 29, 2025 Fallers Elgton Jenkins Earlier in this piece, it was argued that the best ability is availability. Jenkins is the only member of the offensive line who has played 100% of the snaps. That should mean Jenkins has been a positive, right? Not quite. Jenkins has not been the player he was in years past. It’s important to point out that Jenkins was moved (or forced) to a new position. Not to mention, both guard spots are constantly changing. The Packers have had to shuffle between Jordan Morgan, Sean Rhyan, and Aaron Banks based on who is healthy. That makes it difficult for Jenkins to develop any type of rapport if they are always switching. Across 511 snaps, Jenkins has only allowed two sacks and ten pressures. He has a pass block efficiency of 97.8, which isn’t bad, but it’s the third lowest of his career. Jenkins has also been called for four penalties. PFF has his overall grade at 62.1 (lowest of his career), his pass block grade at 71.3 (second-lowest of his career), and his run block grade at 61.4 (third-lowest of his career). None of those numbers are bad, but they aren’t the Jenkins that most are accustomed to seeing. It’s hard to pinpoint what the issue is for Jenkins. There are times he just looks disinterested. He isn’t sustaining plays and doesn’t appear to be putting forth maximum effort. Maybe it’s stemming from the stalled contract negotiations that he had with the team this summer, maybe it’s being forced into a new position - it’s tough to say. Either way, there was a lot of optimism surrounding Jenkins’ move to center after Josh Myers’ performance left a lot to be desired, but Jenkins hasn’t lived up to the optimistic expectations. He’s not performing at the level that the team needs. The Packers need Jenkins to return to his Pro Bowl level to hopefully help get the run game going and keep Jordan Love clean. For a player who was hoping for some guarantees in his contract, he’s not exactly showing the Packers they should give him that. A day after Elgton Jenkins said “I’ve played like shit” Matt LaFleur called it a “mature response.” “He’s one of our better players so in order to win games in this league, you need your best players to play at their best. It wasn’t just him. It was all of us, myself included.” pic.twitter.com/erLGLtmGwf — Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) September 25, 2025 Aaron Banks The Packers made quite the splash in the offseason by giving Banks a four-year, $77 million deal in free agency. The addition of Banks allowed the Packers to move Jenkins to center. The duo of Banks and Jenkins was expected to be an upgrade over the duo of Jenkins and Myers. Unfortunately, none of that has really come to fruition. Injuries are obviously part of football, but if a player is unable to stay healthy, they can’t have their intended impact. Banks has really only played three full games. The rest he’s either missed or left early due to injury. Banks hasn’t really been healthy since he got to Green Bay. It seems that he’s always been dealing with something. For the little bit that Banks has been on the field, he hasn’t performed particularly well. On paper, his performance doesn’t seem so bad. He’s only allowed one sack and five pressures. He also hasn’t been called for a penalty. His pass block efficiency is 98.0, which is the highest number of his career. Those numbers are a bit misleading. Banks has been inconsistent, to say the least. He’s also not moving people in the run game at all. PFF’s overall grade for Banks is 58.3. His run block grade is only 53.3. Both of those scores are below-average. The Packers gave him a pretty significant contract to help fortify their offensive line, but he has not lived up to any of it. It’s still early, but at this point, the signing of Banks is looking to be a big mistake by Brian Gutekunst. There’s time for his stock to improve, but as of right now, his stock is falling. Brandon McManus Just last season, McManus was a savior. He came in and stabilized the Packers’ kicking woes. After failed experiments with Anders Carlson and Brayden Narveson, McManus came in and went 30/30 on extra points and 20/21 on field goal attempts in 2024. His performance earned him a three-year, $15.3 million contract to stay in Green Bay. McManus came into training camp and continued to look like an elite kicker. His stock was as high as it’s ever been. Expectations for McManus were sky high. As soon as the regular season started, everything changed for McManus. He made all of his kicks in Green Bay’s Week 1 game against Detroit, but he’s missed a kick in every game since. He also missed a kick in last season’s playoff game versus Philadelphia. That means he’s missed a kick in six out of his last seven games. Not exactly the stability the Packers thought they had. The positives: inside of 40 yards, McManus has been automatic. Unfortunately, McManus has been really poor outside of 40 yards. He’s made only three of his eight attempts beyond 40 yards. He’s even been short on some of the further kicks. That’s simply not good enough when there are kickers making 60+ yard kicks every week (including the other kicker on the Packers’ roster). At this rate, there’s going to be more and more noise calling for Lukas Havrisik to be the Packers’ kicker. How well CBs have performed preventing separation on all routes and how often they've been targeted pic.twitter.com/UDjMatrMl1 — Jrfortgang (@throwthedamball) November 6, 2025 Nate Hobbs Hobbs was the other big free agent signing this past offseason. Brian Gutekunst gave Hobbs a four-year, $48 million deal to come in and be one of the starting cornerbacks. When Gutekunst made the decision to release Jaire Alexander later that offseason, the expectations for Hobbs grew even more. Unfortunately, Hobbs hasn’t exactly lived up to the contract the Packers gave him. Hobbs was forced to miss most of the preseason and Week 1 with a knee injury. Upon returning, his performance has gotten gradually worse. In coverage, Hobbs has allowed 14 targets on 22 targets for 202 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterbacks have a passer rating of 123.7 when targeting Hobbs. He’s also been called for three penalties. When comparing Hobbs to other defenders at preventing a receiver from gaining separation, Hobbs has been poor. He has a lower score than Carrington Valentine, Javon Bullard, and Keisean Nixon. As Hobbs’ performance decreased, so has his playing time. He was essentially benched for Valentine in Week 8. He only played four snaps, and then 19 snaps in Week 9. The Packers paid Hobbs to come in and help fortify the cornerback position, but he’s done the exact opposite. Filed Under: Packers NewsFeaturedGreen Bay PackersCarter SembPackers Stock Report PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Carter Semb is a lifelong Packer fan, shareholder, and season ticket holder. He is a contributor for Cheesehead TV and Packers Talk. For commentary surrounding Wisconsin sports, he can be found on X at @cmsemb. __________________________ NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Green Bay PackersRomeo DoubsZach TomEvan Williamsdevonte wyattElgton JenkinsAaron BanksBrandon McManusNate Hobbs Like 0 points

Listen to the podcast here: Find all of my daily podcasts here. Filed Under: Aaron Nagler#PackersDailyPacker Fan Podcasts   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ NFL Categories: Philadelphia EaglesTags: Green Bay PackersPackers Daily Like 0 points

Tucker Kraft is lost for the 2025 season, and Green Bay Packers fans are still in mourning. But in the aftermath, will we finally see a Luke Musgrave emergence? It’s an intriguing question, and it’s going to be fun to find out the answer over the back half of the schedule. Following Kraft’s freak knee injury Sunday in the team’s ugly 16-13 home loss to the Carolina Panthers, Musgrave caught three Jordan Love passes for 34 yards, including one catch and run that helped set up the Packers’ lone touchdown drive. That said, the oft-injured Musgrave has just a 9-88-0 line on 10 targets through the team’s first eight games of the 2025 season. Musgrave sightings have been rare in the shadow of Kraft, who emerged as one of the best tight ends in the league heading into week 9.  For the season, the 2023 third-round draft pick Kraft had looked nearly unstoppable in amassing 32 receptions, 489 yards and 6 touchdowns. He averaged – averaged – 10.8 yards after the catch, per Pro Football Focus, and Love had a ridiculous 157.2 passer rating when targeting Kraft. He’s not going to be easy to replace, and no reasonable observer should expect any one player to do so. Head Coach Matt LaFleur said precisely that this week. But it does offer a tantalizing opportunity for the Packers’ No. 2 tight end to finally shine. Coming out of his college career at Oregon State, Musgrave earned a 9.95 Relative Athletic Score. He was a second-round pick for a reason, folks. And heck, he was drafted one round ahead of Kraft, so clearly the Packers were sold on the promise he offered. Musgrave’s measurables are, in a word, ridiculous. He’s a six-foot-five, 253-pound gazelle, as tight ends go. He earned an elite grade in his level of explosiveness. He has all the tools of a down-the-seam monster.  The main drawback is, thanks in part to his injuries and the emergence of Kraft, we simply haven’t seen more than flashes at the NFL level. For his part, Musgrave, while he isn’t openly predicting a breakout, sounds confident and ready to go to work. “I'm focused on how I show up on film, that I'm playing with good energy, good effort,” he told the media this week when discussing his three receptions Sunday following Kraft’s injury. "I always prepare like I'm going to play in a full capacity, so my preparation is going to be the same." "But I think that we're all confident in what Luke brings to the offense,” Packers wide receiver Christian Watson said of his teammate this week. “I'm excited to see him get a little bit of spotlight again." All that said, if a breakout is imminent, it may not be in the offing this week. No tight end has gone for more than 61 yards – and that was savvy veteran Travis Kelce (yes, Taylor Swift’s fiance) – against the Eagles this season. Sledding is likely going to be tough for the Packers’ offense on Monday night. Musgrave is not Tucker Kraft; he’s not a yards-after-the-catch monster like his teammate, and in all honesty, it sometimes seems like Musgrave goes down too easily when hit. But what we would all like to see from No. 88 is to offer Love a trustworthy set of hands and the ability to get open down the field. Let’s hope he might develop into a reliable third-down option to take some of the heat off of Romeo Doubs in must-have scenarios.  Musgrave has the hands, size and speed to do all of the above, and mismatch opportunities against linebackers and safeties should be plentiful down the stretch, especially when Jayden Reed returns to the lineup.  Let’s see if, with an extended look in the lineup, Musgrave can – in the words of LaFleur two years ago – “stay on his feet.” Filed Under: FeaturedKevin Gibson   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Kevin Gibson is a professional writer and author based in Louisville, Ky. He's also a former sports writer who covered high school, college and professional sports, a Packers shareholder and a fan since 1975. Even John Hadl couldn't break him. Follow him on Twitter: @kgramone __________________________   NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Luke MusgraveTucker KraftJordan LoveChristian WatsonGreen Bay PackersMatt LaFleur Like 0 points

Listen to the podcast here: Find all of my daily podcasts here. Filed Under: Aaron Nagler#PackersDailyPacker Fan Podcasts   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ NFL Categories: Philadelphia EaglesTags: Green Bay Packers Like 0 points

In Professional sports, having the ability to control your future is all you could ever ask for. Leading your division, being a top 4 seed in the conference, and a chance to play for even better standing on national television Monday Night sounds even better. For the Green Bay Packers going into week 10, all the above presents itself as true. If all you knew of the Packers came from social media since this past Sunday’s letdown of a loss to the Carolina Panthers, you’d have thought this season was on the brink of being lost.  Yet, this Monday Night the 5-2-1 Packers will host the 6-2 Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of last years Wild Card Round for a top seed in the NFC. In a week where the NFC’s top 5 seeds are either playing one another (Rams vs 49ers) (Eagles vs Packers), or another top team in the AFC (Patriots vs Buccaneers). Week 10 will provide some real movement and clarity for who is real going forward. Without a doubt, the microcosms for losing games this year in Green Bay has been worrisome. From forced passes resulting in game-swinging turnovers, to passive play-calling. Overly aggressive play-calling at ill timing, to missed kicks leaving points on the board. Despite all of that, Green Bay sits at 2 losses, atop a yet again competitive NFC North. Of the two, neither loss comes close to the comparison of losing tight end Tucker Kraft. Trade deadline deal for a tight end or not, some players simply cannot be replaced. Kraft is one of them. A captain, and type of personality you simply cannot replicate, or try to recreate. Green Bay certainly has its hands full trying to make this offense work without a captain, and immense talent in Kraft’s departure. Thankfully, there is an offensive-minded head coach who can scheme up open offensive skilled players endlessly, and a 220-million-dollar quarterback who has proven this year he is ready for the moment. Monday night offers a chance for Green Bay to fall back on the two that can make them so good. Being tied for the most wins in a Head Coach’s first 3 NFL seasons, Matt LaFleur hears no shortage of scrutiny. In large part, a key reasoning for the frustration this season comes from the lack of trust in Jordan Love. Over the past 6 weeks, 25% of Jordan Love's pass attempts have been behind the line of scrimmage, 2nd highest behind only Kyler Murray. The highest paid player in NFL history at one time, Love has proven you can ride or die with his right arm. An offense stockpiled with talent around him, if Green Bay is going to go anywhere this year, Love is going to be leading the charge. A career 0-3 record vs Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni including the playoffs, Matt LaFleur should see Monday Night as perfect timing. Coming of a 2024 season where Green Bay would finish 0-6 versus teams that finished the season at least four games over .500, the 2025 Packers do not seem to shy away from the moment of good teams, quite the opposite. There is firm reason to believe this big home game arrives at the perfect time for a team looking for a get back game. With the term floating around of “Frauds,” Monday Night at Lambeau Field vs the defending Super Bowl Champions serves up the ultimate chance to let the entire NFL and everyone watching, the Packers are the furthest thing from it.   Patriots @ Bucs Rams @ 49ers Lions @ Commanders Eagles @ Packers It’s moving week in the NFC next week. We’re about to find out a lot about which of these teams have a legit chance to win the conference. — Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) November 3, 2025 "When I watch the Packers offense, it's almost like this obsession with creation."@danorlovsky7 and @minakimes believe the Green Bay's offense can be more efficient and "take the profit" sometimes 📈 pic.twitter.com/OQa3PDCWzw — NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 3, 2025 Since becoming the starter in 2023 Jordan Love has registered 92 pass plays of 25-plus yards. That is the most in that span. Per @packers dope sheet pic.twitter.com/PMnkjtSbxj — Jacob Morley (@JacobMorley) November 5, 2025 Filed Under: FeaturedLuke Leavitt Luke Leavitt is a Contributor for Cheesehead TV, covering the Green Bay Packers. A Manchester by the Sea, Massachussetts native, Luke is a lifelong Packer fan, and 15-year shareholder. Keep up with Luke on X @LukeLeavitt7 Go Pack Go! NFL Categories: Green Bay Packers Like 0 points

We Green Bay Packer fans have spent a lot of time this season trying to figure out if our team is “a legitimate Super Bowl contender”.  The good news?  They are.  The bad news?  So is just about everybody else.  Halfway into the season, 17 of the 32 teams have at least five wins, and winning records.  Look around the league.  See any great teams?  Nope.  There are lots of good teams.  Or, at least, they can be good on a given day.  Even the teams with losing records are pretty good.  How else to explain the Packers losing to the Browns?   Did you see how good Arizona looked Monday night in dominating the Cowboys?  Last week alone, four of the so-called top teams in the league were knocked off.  Packers lost to the Panthers, Lions to the Vikings, Chiefs to the Bills, Colts to the Steelers.  Look at the NFC North standings.  A mere one and a half games separate all four teams.  In the NFC West, three teams have six wins.  The National Football League has long strived for parity.  The late commissioner Pete Rozelle didn’t like to use that word.  He would always use the term “competitive balance”, because he believed parity was a synonym for mediocrity.  But even though the league rigged the system to promote equality, they never really achieved it.  There have been dynasties winning championships for the last 65 years.  The Packers in the 1960s, the Dolphins and the Steelers in the ‘70s, the 49ers in the ‘80s, the Cowboys and Broncos in the ‘90s, the Patriots in the 2000s, the Chiefs in the 2020s.  But something feels different this season.  No game feels safe.  No team plays well consistently.  Could it be that, at long last, Pete Rozelle’s dream has come true?  His goal of complete competitive balance has arrived?  Maybe it was inevitable.  The league format is designed to bring the good teams down, and lift the bad teams up.  The draft, the schedule, the salary cap, it’s all a plot to eliminate dominance.  At long last, it seems to be working.  Even franchises that were woeful and hopeless for so many years, such as the Lions and Bears and Jaguars and Texans, finally accumulated so many picks at the top of the draft, and amassed so much cap money to splurge on free agents, they have lifted themselves into playoff contention.  The latest poster child is the Carolina Panthers.  They have been the laughing stock of the league in recent years.  But they took quarterback Bryce Young with the number one overall pick.  They have a budding superstar running back in Rico Dowdle.  They used first round draft picks on receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette.  Tackle Ikem Ikwonu, corner Jaycee Horn, and defensive tackle Derrick Brown, all Pro Bowl caliber talents, were all first round picks.  Don’t look now, but the Panthers are 5-4, and just got done outplaying the top seeded Packers at Lambeau.  Nobody’s laughing at them anymore.  You don’t think this team has as good a shot at the playoffs as anybody?  The Denver Broncos rose from the ashes in two years.  The Patriots went on a free agent shopping spree, and hit on Drake Maye, and have suddenly returned to the top of the AFC East.  Even the forlorn Miami Dolphins, destroyed by injury and poor quarterback play, sprang up and pounded a talented Falcons team 34-10 in week eight.  What has been the catalyst to all this balance?  I have a theory.  I believe it is because of the influx of so many good, young quarterbacks into the league.  Including the aforementioned Young and Maye, along with CJ Stroud,  Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Jaxon Dart, Michael Penix, Sam Darnold and Brock Purdy, they’ve all proven they can pilot their teams to impressive wins given an adequate supporting cast.  In Minnesota, JJ McCarthy got off to a slow start, but he sure looked capable leading the Vikings over the Lions on the road last Sunday.   Put these rapidly improving young pups into the mix with all the great veteran signal callers, and suddenly you have a league bursting with unpredictability and instability.  Is it mediocrity?  Maybe it doesn’t matter, so long as there is excitement and suspense, qualities this season has certainly thus far delivered.  So what does all this mean for the Green Bay Packers this season?  A lot of close games decided in the final seconds.  Outcomes determined by critical injuries, or lack of them, to key players, officiating calls, special teams, turnovers, and just the bounce of the ball.   It’s not hard to see Matt LaFleur’s team in the Super Bowl.  It’s also not hard to see them missing the playoffs altogether.  In this year of uncertainty, all outcomes are plausible.  The Packers host the Eagles Monday night.  You can be excused if you have no idea how to feel about this game.  Both teams have played beautifully and terribly, often within the same game.  Chances are, we’ll all be a nervous wreck by the final minutes.  Thanks for nothing, Pete Rozelle.      Filed Under: FeaturedGreen Bay PackersKen LassThe Lass Word   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Ken Lass is a former Green Bay television sports anchor and 43 year media veteran, a lifelong Packers fan, and a shareholder. __________________________ NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Green Bay Packers Like 0 points

Heading into Week 9, the two most important players on the Packers roster are clearly Jordan Love and Micah Parsons at numbers 1 and 2— pretty much no doubters there. The next player on that list? You could easily argue it’s Tucker Kraft. The third-year tight end had entered superstar territory not only with his play on the field, but also through his impact in the locker room. That’s why it’s such a gut punch for this team — both on and off the field — to lose one of its most important pieces to a season-ending torn ACL. Kraft has been one of Love’s top targets all season, and his numbers reflect it. With nine more games to play, Kraft was well on his way to a 1,000-yard receiving season and double-digit touchdowns. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until next season to see him reach those numbers. The question now becomes: who will fill that gap in the tight end room with Kraft on the shelf? Let’s take a deeper look at who the Packers will rely on at the position. The honor of stepping into Kraft’s TE1 role goes to fellow third-year player Luke Musgrave. We all know Musgrave’s story by now. The former second-round pick — taken one round before Kraft in the 2023 NFL Draft — was penciled in as the starter and hopeful future centerpiece of Matt LaFleur’s tight end–heavy offense. But between untimely injuries (like a lacerated kidney) and inconsistent play (such as struggling to stay on his feet), Musgrave has yet to live up to his draft status. Kraft has clearly surpassed him as the star of that draft class. Nonetheless, Musgrave is about to receive an opportunity most players don’t get — a second chance to reclaim a starting role and course-correct his career. Still only 25 years old, Musgrave has all the physical tools to help the Packers survive without Kraft. His ability to stretch the field with his size and speed will be crucial for Green Bay over the second half of the season and into the playoffs. At 6'6" and 253 pounds, he has the potential to be a matchup nightmare for linebackers and defensive backs alike. If Musgrave can stay healthy and play up to his potential — and if LaFleur doesn’t ask him to do too much — the drop-off might not be as steep as initially feared. Behind Musgrave is fourth-year tight end John FitzPatrick. The former Atlanta Falcons draft pick has been with the Packers since being claimed off waivers last season and has worked his way from fringe roster player to meaningful contributor. After eight games, FitzPatrick has played 25% of the Packers’ offensive snaps — not far behind Musgrave’s 32%. Not nearly the receiving threat that Musgrave is, FitzPatrick’s role will continue to focus on blocking. With only five receptions for 24 yards and one touchdown this season, he brings more value as a blocker. Standing 6'7" and 250 pounds, he ranked third out of 80 eligible tight ends in PFF’s run-blocking grade metric during his final college season. Since entering the NFL, his grades have fluctuated but shown improvement this year — from a 49.0 in Week 3 to 56.5 after Week 8. With more opportunities coming his way, the hope is he’ll provide the blocking presence the Packers need without Kraft, and any bonus receiving production will be a plus. Tuesday’s roster transactions brought the signing of the team’s newest active-roster member, tight end Josh Whyle. Once Kraft was placed on season-ending IR, the Packers added Whyle to fill his spot on the active roster and round out the postion. Another massive player at 6'7" and 248 pounds, Whyle presents an intriguing option in the passing game for someone previously stashed on the practice squad. He caught 37 passes for 342 yards (9.2 avg) and two touchdowns over 28 regular-season games with the Tennessee Titans. A fifth-round pick in the same draft class as Kraft and Musgrave — and someone the Packers hosted on a pre-draft visit — Whyle is an impressive athlete, recording an 8.94 Relative Athletic Score (RAS). The Packers love their high-level athletes, and Whyle fits their mold perfectly. What he can bring as a midseason call-up remains to be seen, but he’ll likely be eased into action over the next few weeks. Tuesday’s roster moves also included two new practice-squad additions at tight end to backfill depth: McCallan Castles and Drake Dabney, yes those are 2 real people. Castles is a 2024 undrafted free agent out of the University of Tennessee who has already spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, and Los Angeles Chargers. He has yet to appear in an NFL game but is another intriguing athlete at the position. His 8.64 RAS ranked 157th out of 1,144 tight ends between 1987 and 2024. While he shouldn’t be counted on to contribute in 2025, he might have the ability to stick around next summer and compete for a TE3 spot. Dabney, on the other hand, is a much more modest athlete. His 5.25 RAS ranked 591st out of 1,242 tight ends from 1987 to 2025. After going undrafted, he impressed enough during a rookie tryout with the Titans to earn a spot on their offseason roster. After being released at final cuts, he was signed to the practice squad but waived in mid-September. Since then, he’s had workouts with the Patriots and Browns but wasn’t signed by either team. It’s possible Green Bay lets the two of them battle it out on the practice squad for a few weeks before releasing one to free up a spot for another position. Based on athletic upside alone, Castles seems more likely to stick around. The hope at this point is the Packers don’t suffer any additional injuries at tight end, or things will get really interesting, and not in a good way. Filed Under: FeaturedGreen Bay PackersDan Saia -Dan Saia NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Green Bay Packers tight endsLuke MusgraveJohn Fitzpatrick Like 0 points

The Green Bay Packers did something this season that they haven’t done in more than two decades: they drafted a wide receiver in the first round of the draft. GM Brian Gutekunst selected Matthew Golden with the 23rd overall pick in front of an exited home crowd at Lambeau Field. Through the first half of the season, Golden has been solid and shown flashes of the elite talent that made him a first round pick. But in the second half of the season, it’s time for the Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur to turn Golden loose and get him more involved in the offense. So far this season, Golden has played all eight games for the Packers and started four. He has 23 catches on 29 targets for 262 yards. He has also run the football eight times for 45 more yards. The former Texas star has yet to find the end zone and is still looking to do his first Lambeau Leap. Golden has made his share of rookie mistakes. He caught a deep pass earlier in the season that could have resulted in a 96-yard touchdown had he stayed in bounds. But he also done several things well. Golden has not dropped a pass yet this season according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. He has also gotten downfield to make several long catches. Golden has been on the field for 60 percent of the Packers offensive snaps. He is third on the team in targets through eight games with 29 and third in catches. Only Romeo Doubs and Tucker Kraft have more targets and receptions and now Kraft is out for the rest of the season. One thing we haven’t seen often this season is Matt LaFleur designing plays to get Golden open and get him the ball. Golden possesses 4.29 speed in the 40-yard dash and excellent hands. He can run both deep and intermediate routes and can play on the outside or in the slot. There should be some plays that are designed to get the ball in Golden’s hands. This will both get him more involved in the offense and bolster his confidence. We have seen LaFleur run specific plays for other receivers. Savion Williams immediately comes to mind. The third-round pick gets designed jet sweeps and screen passes to make sure he gets the ball and gets a chance to use this size and athleticism to move the football. Why hasn’t LaFleur designed more plays to get the ball to Golden? Maybe the coaching staff has more confidence in Golden to know the playbook and run the right patterns than they have in Williams, but that shouldn’t stop them from designing plays for the rookie first round pick. If anything, Golden’s skill set and knowledge of the plays should give LaFleur more ways to get him the football. The return of Christian Watson to the lineup adds another option for LaFleur. Because of Watson’s combination of size and speed, defenses have to respect him and will often assign a safety to follow him downfield when he runs a deep pattern. That could free up Golden to run underneath Watson to the area vacated by the safety on that play and to catch a 15-yard pass while Watson runs 30 yards downfield. Lining Watson and Golden up on the same side of the field could open up some interesting possibilities. Right now, Golden is on pace to catch 49 passes in his rookie season. Those are respectable numbers for a rookie wide receiver, but not spectacular. But with Kraft out of the lineup, Golden should get more opportunities to catch the ball in the second half of the season. He should also be more comfortable with the offense and have a better understanding of what it takes to succeed in the NFL. As time goes by, he and quarterback Jordan Love should also develop more chemistry so they can improvise and be on the same page when plays break down. Golden has all the tools to develop into a really good NFL receiver. If he can finish the season with a strong second half, he can pick up some of the slack caused by Kraft’s absence and set himself up for a bright future. Filed Under: FeaturedGil Martin   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ You can follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers __________________________ NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Green Bay PackersMatthew GoldenChristian WatsonMatt LaFleurTucker Kraft Like 0 points

If there’s anything that remains consistent about the Packers of the last several years, it’s that it can be impossible to predict what version of the team you’re going to get in any given week. The 2025 Packers are no example. Despite having shown early signs at the beginning of the year of being a well-balanced juggernaut, the team has fallen back into old habits of killing themselves with mistakes and playing down to the level of their competition. And yes, many of these trends have existed throughout the Matt LaFleur era. Now, you’re not going to hear me call for LaFleur’s job in this column. I’m definitely not there yet. But it is very clear that he has some work to do, and that he has played a major role (perhaps the largest role) in the places where the team has fallen short this season. I saw a discussion online this week about whether the Packers would make any moves at the trade deadline. This isn’t something they frequently do, but even then, this was one year where I actually found myself thinking no, the problem isn’t necessarily with the personnel on the field (though they absolutely need more strength at the corner position), but rather with the mentality of the team at the moment. For one, LaFleur seems to be unaware that his quarterback is good. Watching the Packers offense on Sunday, it was like LaFleur was forcing Jordan Love to play with one arm tied behind his back.  As I wrote on BlueSky, it’s understandable to want to establish the run; Josh Jacobs is a great back and was the engine of the offense in 2024. But it’s 2025, and Jordan Love has become probably the team’s best offensive player. It’s time for the offense to flow through him, and that means accepting that there may be a couple boneheaded decisions per game to go along with the brilliance we see of his in the downfield passing game.  But it’s not just LaFleur who is maddeningly inconsistent; the players themselves are also not consistently making plays. The run defense performed a pretty impressive disappearing act for most of the game, as the Panthers ground out long drives to minimize the Packers’ possessions. Pass rush was virtually nonexistent, and even if it was present, it wouldn’t have mattered much given the way the Panthers were able to run the ball. On the opposite side of the ball, there’s barely any consistency in play (or personnel) along the offensive line. I’ll never for the life of me understand why the Packers thought it was a good idea to take an all pro left guard and turn him into a mediocre center. Multiple Carolina rushers came untouched through the A gap–something that should just never, ever happen.  Love himself obviously needed to play better than he did in the late game, though part of me feels his interception (and his near second) were understandable given the frustrating game plan put into place. After absolutely carving up the Steelers, Love was never really allowed to open up, and it was the downfield passing that really seemed to be working for the Packers. It wouldn’t be surprising if Love was feeling a need to force the ball in tough circumstances simply because he was hamstrung so much by his play caller. Now, that’s still not an excuse for bad decision making, but it wouldn’t at all surprise me if those two things were intertwined. It was just… ugly. And it came a week after a fairly convincing victory on the road against a pretty good Steelers team. And this is who the Packers continue to be; they oscillate back and forth depending on who they’re playing. The “young team” excuse will surely be trotted out, but these guys are professionals. They have to be able to get up for every game every week. And LaFleur is no longer a rookie coach; he’s in his seventh year and has experienced a lot in this league.  The team has to be better, and they have to be more consistent. The effort from essentially all parties on Sunday was pathetic. And now… a date with the defending champions. Wisconsin Beer of the Week This week: a true throwback! In 2015, I went to the now-defunct Brenner Brewing Company for a release of its Halloween beer, an imperial stout called Witchcraft. Supplies were limited; each customer was allowed to purchase a single four-pack, and there was a line. But I managed to secure one. The brewery itself was… interesting. It didn’t necessarily have the best reputation in the Milwaukee brewing scene. They had one really outstanding beer, an IPA called City Fox, which to this day remains one of my favorite IPAs I’ve had from a Milwaukee brewery. But beyond that, they never really created anything noteworthy… other than Witchcraft. That’s one of the things that makes Witchcraft such a unicorn of a beer. A brewery that is otherwise essentially a footnote in Milwaukee’s craft brewing scene at this point created something that ranks among the best beers I’ve ever had. The beer was so good that I figured I’d save my last bottle for a special occasion. Well, special occasions came and went. In 2018 I had one last bottle remaining, and my wife and I took it to the hospital to celebrate the birth of our first son. However, once he was born, my wife quickly realized that the absolute last thing she wanted was very high ABV barrel aged beer. So we decided to save it for another special occasion. Then it just sort of… sat. In our cellar, in our beer fridge. This particular style of beer can go a very long time without being opened, and the wax seal added some preservation.  Finally, when I came across it again a couple years ago, I decided we would wait until the 10-year anniversary of the beer to finally crack it open. And that’s exactly what we did. On Halloween Night, I cut off the wax seal, cracked the beer open, crossed my fingers, and poured it evenly into two glasses. It maintained a very nice carbonation, and it was still very molasses forward, with plenty of that bourbon flavor still there. While there were signs that the beer was past its peak, it definitely was still an outstanding beer. I’ve had a lot of great barrel-aged stouts from local breweries, but I’m not sure I’ve ever had one with a taste or mouthfeel quite like this. To this day, 10 years after its release, Witchcraft holds up as a true Milwaukee great, oddly enough from a brewery that generally failed to achieve excellence. Here’s the description, if you’re interested. It weighs in at 13.5% ABV and 70 IBU. “With the warmth behind us and cold ahead, the inaugural batch of WItchcraft was brewed under the harvest moon of 2014. This beer prepares you for the annual descent into darkness. Nine malt varieties, molasses, honey, and Anodyne coffee. Aged for one year in bourbon barrels and virgin Missouri oak barrels. The result is nothing short of perfection.” Do the Packers have what it takes to beat the Eagles? It’s almost impossible to know which Packer team is going to show up against Philadelphia on Monday night. It’s hard to believe homefield advantage will make much of a difference, given what we just saw against Carolina on Sunday. But hopefully the Panthers stinker at least lights a fire under this team and has them ready to go for primetime football against the defending champions. It'll be harder without Tucker Kraft, but great teams have to be able to overcome these sorts of backbreaking injuries. For their part, the Eagles are coming in well rested off their bye week, plus one extra day. The Packers are going to have to deal with a wide range of weapons on that Philly offense. While Saquon Barkley isn’t having the MVP caliber season he did a year ago, he did just have his best performance of the season in the Eagles’ last game, and he’s still a threat for an explosive play at just about any time of the game. After the trouble the Packers had against a bad Carolina offensive line with stopping the run, they’re going to need to be on full alert on Monday night. The defense is also going to have its hands full with the Eagles’ passing game. Jalen Hurts may be having his finest season throwing the football: 15 touchdowns to a single interception with a 70.2 percent completion percentage. AJ Brown is expected to be back in the lineup, though at the time of me writing this (Wednesday) it remains to be seen whether he will be back from injury. If so, he’s a dynamic, big-bodied receiver that could bully some of the Packers’ defensive backs. Devonta Smith is a highly capable #2 who has had a couple explosive games already this season. The Packers were unable to topple the Eagles in two different contests last year. They played them close in week one, and simply weren’t up to the task in the playoffs. The Packers are a better team (ostensibly) than they were a season ago, but it’s impossible to trust them given what we’ve seen so far this season. Green Bay is certainly capable of winning this football game. The question really comes down to whether they have the discipline to learn from their most recent game and play a complete football game for once. We really look at turnovers different than we once did I’ve been spending a fair amount of time going through old NFL highlights recently just for nostalgia’s sake. For example, I was looking at one compilation of the 1999 St. Louis Rams “Greatest Show on Turf” season, which was a lot of fun. But going through that year, something that really struck me was the number of turnovers. In 1999, the Rams had a whopping 31 turnovers. That would have been second most in the league in 2024 (34 was the most), but in 1999, it fell somewhere in the middle of the pack. THat year, the Chicago Bears led the league with 48 (!) turnovers–an average of three per game! Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles had the fewest with 17. There were 10 teams with 17 or fewer in 2024! This speaks volumes to how much offense has changed around the league. Turnovers were once just considered to be an inevitable part of the game. One of the greatest offenses of all time, that 1999 Rams team, turned the ball about twice per game. These days, that number would likely lead to firings and benchings. It’s really in the passing game that those turnovers have drastically decreased. While fumble numbers have remained relatively consistent (any decrease there is also due to decreased quarterback fumbles), interception numbers have plummeted. Quarterbacks are being more careful with the football, but offenses are also relying much more on short passing games and one- or two-read schemes that rely on routes getting guys open quickly. Long-developing routes and multi-player reads are nowhere near as prevalent as they once were, and so the risky throws are also fewer and farther between.  This increased scarcity in turnovers has that feedback loop of making teams even more risk averse. If fewer turnovers are happening, that means every single turnover that DOES happen is even more consequential. While turnovers have always had a significant correlation with the outcome of the game, that’s even truer than it ever has been considering it takes fewer takeaways than ever to win the turnover margin.  In that aforementioned 1999 season with the Greatest Show on Turf, all but six of the top 25 quarterbacks in the league by touchdown pass threw double digit interceptions. Brett Favre, Drew Bledsoe, Jake Plummer, Kerry Collins, Jim Harbaugh, Doug Pederson, and Brian Griese all threw at least as many picks as touchdowns! Compare that to 25 years later in 2024. Of those top 25 quarterbacks by touchdown pass, more than half did NOT throw double digit interceptions.  So, the game has changed noticeably. It’s one of those things you KNOW, but you don’t quite realize just how much until you’re looking back at old highlights, see great offenses making all kinds of mistakes, and the announcers don’t really make that big of a deal of it.  Around the NFC North As always, it’s time to go around the NFC North.  * The CHICAGO BEARS will take any victories they can get, though it might be hard to feel great about a victory in which your defense is absolutely shredded by a 40 year old quarterback. Still, the Bears continue to take steps forward, and now more than halfway through the season still find themselves in realistic contention for a wild card berth. Coaching truly can make a difference, it turns out.   * The DETROIT LIONS wasted an opportunity to gain some ground on the Packers by falling at home to a Vikings team quarterbacked by JJ McCarthy. Ironically, right before the game, the team on Fox NFL Sunday unanimously agreed the Lions were the NFC North’s best team and eventual division champions. Just goes to show once again that my theory about the 2025 season is correct: there are actually no truly great teams, and this year’s champions will just end up being whichever decent team manages to string together three or four good games in a row.   * The MINNESOTA VIKINGS continue their up and down season with a win over the Lions, and now suddenly talk of playoffs is back on the menu despite them currently being in the basement of the division. But with the North’s records all so tightly grouped together, anything is possible. Kevin O’Connell has proven he can make a three course dinner with table scraps at the quarterback position, so as long as Brian Flores’s defense can hold up and the team’s bevy of skill position players can help out, they’re going to be in a lot of games. The question just comes down to whether the quarterback can make enough plays to get them victories. On Sunday, he did just that. Mr. Backes’s “This or That” Every day I put a different “this or that” poll up on my whiteboard and have students leave tallies throughout the day. I then compile this information and post it here for laughs. Here’s what we’ve seen over the last week: * Six Flags defeated Noah’s Ark * Coffee defeated Tea * Sour patch defeated Skittles * Sophocles defeated Shakespeare (we’re working on a unit featuring Oedipus Rex and a Shakespearean tragedy of students’ choice) Week 10 NFL Picks Hard to know what version of the Packers we get, but if anything has been consistent about Matt LaFleur’s teams, it’s that they rarely win on the road against strong competition. Give me Philly. Eagles 30, Packers 20 The whole slate: BRONCOS over Raiders COLTS over Falcons BROWNS over Jets PANTHERS over Saints PATRIOTS over Bucs RAVENS over Vikings BILLS over Dolphins BEARS over Giants TEXANS over Jaguars SEAHAWKS over Cardinals LIONS over Commanders RAMS over 49ers CHARGERS over Steelers EAGLES over Packers   Filed Under: FeaturedTim BackesHello Wisconsin   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Tim Backes is a lifelong Packer fan and a contributor to CheeseheadTV. Follow him on Twitter @timbackes for his Packer takes, random musings and Untappd beer check-ins. __________________________ Tags: Matt LaFleurJordan Lovegreatest show on turfSt. Louis RamsAround the NFC NorthChicago BearsMinnesota VikingsDetroit LionsNFL picksWisconsin Beer of the WeekBrenner Brewing CompanyTucker KraftOffensive LineCarolina PanthersPhiladelphia Eagles Like 0 points

Filed Under: FeaturedAaron NaglerPacker Fan PodcastsPacker Transplants   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Tags: Green Bay PackersPacker Transplants Live Like 0 points

On Sunday, November 2nd, the Packers lost 16-13 to the Carolina Panthers. It was a gut wrenching, heart breaking, and all the other tragic descriptors, loss at home, in a game in which the Packers were 13.5 point favorites. That loss is the largest point-based upset of the 2025 season. It left fans and media alike scratching their heads about the direction of the Green Bay Packers, pointing fingers in every direction they can think of.  And even still, that wasn’t the biggest loss of the season.  As confirmed on Monday morning, Tucker Kraft suffered an torn ACL, and is lost for the entire season.  If you’re reading this article, well, you already knew that. I’m not pretending to be reporting any breaking news here. But it’s the second most impactful thing to happen to the 2025 Green Bay Packers. Kraft was the heart and soul of this team. Besides the franchise QB and the defender you just spent two first round picks on, he was the one you just couldn’t lose.  So far this season, Kraft was sixth in the entire league for yards after the catch. Not sixth among tight ends. Sixth among all pass catchers. In the league. He was 26th in receiving yards, tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns, and 34th in explosive receptions. With Kraft on the field, the Packers averaged 0.172 EPA per play, and a 50.2% success rate. Without him, they manage only 0.063 EPA per play, and a 39.1% success rate.  Before his injury, Kraft held a 78.1 overall grade for the season, which was on pace for the highest grade awarded to a Packers tight end since…Jermichael Finley in 2010, whose season was also cut short by injury. Forget about any feelings you have for PFF for a moment, and just think about the gaping hole now left in the Packers offense. Kraft had played 91% of offensive snaps for this team! He was an emerging superstar, one of the “next generation” of stars at the position, alongside Brock Bowers and Tyler Warren.  If the Packers want to keep competing for a Super Bowl Championship without their star TE, they are going to need to figure out how to live in a Kraft-less world. But what does that look like?  The first, and most obvious impact, is what the Packers’ tight end room will look like, moving into the rest of the season.  Currently, the Packers only have two other tight ends on the roster, Luke Musgrave and John FitzPatrick. Third year TE Josh Whyle currently sits on the practice squad, and I’d expect to see him signed to the active squad to fill Kraft’s roster spot, barring any sort of outside move and upon the IR transaction being made by the team. The team had Ben Sims on the practice squad until only a week ago, when he was signed away from the team by the Vikings. Should the Vikings choose to move on from Sims at some point this season, expect the Packers to pounce. With the trade deadline come and gone, there is no longer any way to improve the tight end room through that avenue. It’s also possible the team could choose to sign a Tight End from another team’s practice squad as well, but it’s hard to imagine any player out there having more of an impact than the two already on the roster. Something I’ve seen floating around online is the possibility of a reunion with vet TE Marcedes Lewis (assuming there is an amicable relationship there, after the team choose to let him walk in free agency, in 2023). No, to me the most likely path forward for the team is an increased snap share for both FitzPatrick and Musgrave.  They are extremely different players, which to me is one of the coolest things about the tight end position in general. They have the longest job description of almost any player on the field, and with that kind of inherent versatility, comes so much variation in play style.  FitzPatrick was a sixth round selection in the 2022 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons. After missing his rookie year with an injury, FitzPatrick was buried on the Falcons’ depth chart by the likes of Kyle Pittx, Jonnu Smith, and MyCole Pruitt. In the summer of 2024, he was waived by the team, reclaimed, and signed to the Packers a little over a year ago, and has steadily risen on the Packers’ depth chart ever since.  Musgrave was, of course, taken by the Packers in the same draft class as Tucker Kraft was. Musgrave, a second round pick, was the assumed starter entering the 2023, and was the recipient of most of the preseason hype that year.  Of the two, Fitzpatrick is probably the more “pure” tight end. He’s a bit more well-rounded, especially when it comes to contributing in the blocking game. Musgrave’s game, on the other hand, is to be a vertical stretching option, one that can dominate matchups on linebackers and safeties.  Since the beginning of the 2025 season, Fitzpatrick has created more of a role for himself within the offense, certainly more than a TE3 should. But it’s Musgrave who has played more snaps for this team, in every game except for W8 vs Pittsburg. My expectation is that this trend should continue, with Musgrave becoming the lead tight end, barring most run obvious situations.  Now, the next question we need to ask ourselves is: how does Kraft’s injury affect the way this offense has been structured, and how will Matt LaFleur adjust in his absence?  There’s certainly a tendency to adopt a Chicken Little mentality around the whole thing, and for good reason. However, and this might be risky to say out loud in the current state of the Packers-sphere, LaFleur is a really good coach. Especially when it comes to having to adjust a playbook on the fly. Remember last season, when the Packers were able to totally reinvent themselves for two weeks while Love was out with injury, and the team was left with a backup QB who didn’t know the playbook? This isn’t even an area where the entire playbook needs to be thrown out.  There are a couple of things that the Packers could, and I think will, do in order to mitigate the damage done by Kraft’s absence on the field.  #1 Run more 11 personnel So far through the season, the Packers have run 11 personnel (one tight end) at a 55% rate, and 12 personnel (two tight ends) 37% of the time, the fifth highest rate in the league. That number is going to need to plummet, unfortunately.  One of the perks of having one of the best tight ends in the entire league is that if you put another tight end out there with him, that second tight end doesn't need to be a world beater to be effective. There is so much attention being afforded to Kraft, and the run game in those situations that the odds of those plays being successful (and they were, the Packers had the 6th highest EPA ranking in that formation so far through the season), were so high that the Packers could run the ball to their heart’s content.  Without Kraft in the lineup, the incentive to run those kinds of looks at the defense is reduced considerably, because the defense doesn’t have any reason to be scared of either of those guys. Plus, you’ve just taken a WR off the field for one of those tight ends. Without Kraft, and until Musgrave / Fitzpatrick can put the defense on their back foot , you are just doing your opponents a favor by taking a more effective player off the field.  Instead, expect the Packers to keep more WRs out there, especially with Christian Watson looking great as he has been re-entering the fold.  #2 Find YAC elsewhere  As we mentioned above, Kraft’s superpower as a potential All-Pro tight end was his ability to find yards after the catch. He had just gotten done showcasing this ability on the national stage after all. Now, the Packers don’t need to abandon their mentality of balancing explosive plays with quick, YAC creation concepts. But they will need to re-tune it.  Unfortunately, the biggest piece to that particular puzzle is Jayden Reed, who is still a few weeks away from returning. Though early reports have indicated Reed could be targeting a mid-November return, it’s looking like he may have to wait until after Thanksgiving to do so. In the meantime, where can the Packers turn for that area of production? To me, the spotlight should land on the pair of rookie receivers. Golden and Williams have gotten their opportunities, but remain dreadfully unproductive on their underneath chances.  Could we see an increased role for the running backs in the underneath passing game? LaFleur has turned to the two running back “pony” packages in the past, and that could be an interesting wrinkle to throw at defenses. In addition, I’d love to see an increase in true running back screens, something that the Packers seem to have all but abandoned in 2025. Is it likely? Probably not. Green Bay has run those screens only 12 times in 2025, for a 2.45% rate. Their screen usage has dropped slightly over recent years, from 3.9% in 2022, 2.57% in 2023, and 3.02 % in 2024.  That number might sound surprising, but it’s actually above the league-wide rate for screens. The Packers run the 12th most RB screens in the league (the Dolphins have the most, the Rams run the least). Keep in mind though that the Packers throw to their running backs about 20% of the time, slightly above league average rate. So while it might not come in the form of RB screens, expect the Packers to keep relying on the RBs to help out in the passing game. It’s really a shame that Marshawn Lloyd is still recovering from that preseason hamstring injury, because this is an area in which I think he could really shine. If/when Lloyd returns to the lineup, he might still get his chance.  #3 Change up the blocking For a team that runs as much as the Packers do (43% of the time, good for sixth most in the league), losing your starting tight end is as much a blow to that part of the offense as the passing attack. Remember, modern running attacks are predicated on the existence of a sixth blocker downfield. While Fitzpatrick is a better blocker than Musgrave to be sure (a low bar, considering their run blocking grades of 54.0 to 42.7 respectively), playing Fitzpatrick only on running plays is sure to tip defenses off to the Packers’ intentions pre-snap.  The Packers will need to get creative in order to preserve production in this area without Kraft, considering Green Bay’s ever-present struggles in run blocking throughout 2025 (20th in yards before contact). Part of me wonders whether LaFleur will begin to use 6 offensive linemen, especially in short yardage situations. While the Packers have used this strategy in the past (i.e. when Marcedes Lewis was injured a few years ago), they remain one of only three teams in the league that haven’t done this so far in 2025. Anthony Belton or Darian Kinnard should be prime candidates to fill this role, which has seen a marked increase in usage this year, up to 3.75% of plays from 2.92% in 2024.  Conclusion  The Packers’ season did not end with Kraft’s injury. Packers fans know better than most that a Super Bowl can still be won without your star tight end (as the eerie similarities to that 2010 season continue to stack up).  However, I do feel a bit bummed out at one of the impacts of this injury: not only will we not get to see what this 2025 Packers offense looks like at 100% health, it’s more than likely we never will. Tucker Kraft, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, and Josh Jacobs will never be able to all take the field together. Of course, that depends on what happens with Romeo Doubs over the offseason, but his return would be extremely unlikely. That’s just such a gut-punch, isn’t it?  The Packers will need to adjust rapidly to Kraft’s absence, with a showdown against the Eagles on Monday. Green Bay blew their Super Bowl window wide open by acquiring Micah Parsons, but if that window is to include 2025 they will need to take a page from Moneyball’s Billy Beane. “Adapt or die”.    Filed Under: FeaturedKalani Jones PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Co-Owner of the thirteen time world champion Green Bay Packers. Sometimes I write about them. Follow me on Twitter at https://x.com/kjones_in_co and on Substack for film breakdowns! __________________________   NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Green Bay PackersTucker Krafttucker Kraft injuryNFC NorthJordan Love Like 0 points

Despite the Packers 5-2-1 record, there's been a continual and consistent drumbeat of complaints about offensive play calling (double entendre intended). Losing to the Browns and Panthers, while not solely attributable to the offense, has still put a focus on the inability of what's supposed to be a high-powered offense to actually look like one with any sort of consistency. Play calling is the favorite target of the pitchforks and torches internet mobs, and I fully concede that I've joined in from time to time. Personally, I don't disagree with some of the complaints, but I think the problem goes deeper than that. I think it's the game planning itself that could be at fault. During the game, LaFleur calls the plays they have selected to put on the call sheet for the week for specific down and distance situations based on the opponent and what they've seen on film. This game plan is put together by the higher-level offensive staff, with LaFleur, Offensive Coordinator Adam Stenovich and Senior Offensive Assistant Luke Getsy as the main contributors. According to LaFleur, they knew exactly what to expect from Carolina. LaFleur at halftime - (paraphrasing) "Carolina is doing exactly what we expected them to try to do this game."  LaFleur after the game - "They played the game they wanted to play. They wanted to play keep-away, run the football, make it a game where we have to consistently execute on offense." So why wasn't there a specific plan to counteract what you knew they would do? Did the Packers game approach vary much from what they have shown all season? Not really. They continue to lean on establishing the run at all costs and hoping to hit some explosive plays to generate points. Does LaFleur think they had the perfect game plan and the players just didn't execute? I would argue with that since when they finally did take a different approach on the Packers' final drive it was executed extremely well and they looked like the team they've shown they can be. There haven't been any games over the last six where the game plan impressed me. The other problem, and this is more on LaFleur, is his resistance to scrapping the game plan when things aren't going right. I can't count how many times I've yelled "go tempo" at the screen when the offense is looking stagnant.They wait until desperation time, as they did in this game, and it was pretty darn successful when they finally did it, as it usually is. Love seems to thrive in that mode of play, where he makes quicker decisions, gets the ball out quickly and moves the team down the field. There's no reason that approach can't be mixed in elsewhere in the course of a game. And note, this is just one possibility I've landed on. I'm no offensive genius, but I'm sure there plenty of other ways they can vary their approach during the course of a game when the offense is struggling. And that brings me to the other aspect of my argument. The other problem, and this is purely on LaFleur, is his resistance (stubbornness) to scrapping the game plan when things just aren't going right. Sometimes, you just need to make a new plan, Stan. Yes, even on the fly - that's what head coaches do.  As for the Panthers, after rewatching the game two times, I can see they had some specific things they wanted to do. I pointed one out in my "Three things..." post yesterday - attacking the outside edge around Rashan Gary. They ran at least four plays that I can remember, three times with a running back and once on a jet sweep where they took advantage of Gary taking an inside rush path. Another thing I saw continually was the Panthers' offensive line, playing with anywhere from 3-4 backups during the game, dominate the Packers defensive line and push them out of their gaps, creating wide lanes for their running backs. On the defensive side, the Panthers obviously saw something on tape and found they could scheme a free untouched blitzer right up the A gap into Jordan Love's face, which they did at least three times that I can remember. The Panthers had a definite specific plan beyond just, "lets run the ball, limit the Packers possessions and play soft zone on defense. They found weaknesses on tape and exploited them. I can't say studying what the Packers did gave me the same impression. Other polluted thoughts: Panthers backup and old friend Yosh Nijman looked like a Pro Bowl tackle on Sunday, handling Rashan Gary with relative ease. No sacks, no QB hits, 2 QB hurries, 1 tackle, 2 assists.. Lafleur calling for an inside handoff at the 50 yard line and 1 minute left in the half screams playing for field goal position instead of going for a touchdown.  I'm not sure what happened to the suffocating and swarming defense we saw in the first two games of the season, but if you do, please take it upon yourself to call them back to Green Bay. Packers Identity: They find ways to beat themselves. Remember my 80% comment on Love last week? Hasn't changed, but I'm beginning to believe it's possible he's being held back a bit by the game plans.  Despite all this, still more than half the season to go. Go Pack Go Filed Under: FeaturedJersey Al Bracco   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ "Jersey Al" Bracco is the Editor-In-Chief, part owner and wearer of various hats for CheeseheadTV.com and PackersTalk.com. He's a lifetime Packers fan living in the land of the Giants (and Jets). Follow Al on twitter at @JerseyalGBP.  __________________________ NFL Categories: Carolina PanthersGreen Bay PackersTags: Green Bay PackersPolluted Mindset2025 Like 0 points

Listen to the podcast here: Find all of my daily podcasts here. Filed Under: Aaron Nagler#PackersDailyPacker Fan Podcasts   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ NFL Categories: Carolina PanthersTags: Green Bay PackersPackers Daily Like 0 points

After re-watching the Packers game, here are three plays that made me go hmmm, for various reasons. In general, I either focus on a theme, more nuanced observations, or just things I didn't notice watching live. These can be but are less likely to be "highlight" plays. I present these to you with a short explanation why I picked them and then let you readers discuss the plays. Rashan Gary - It was not a good day for Rashan Gary. Perhaps he was battling something, but the energy level just wasn't there. Our old friend Yosh Nijman didn't have much trouble at all handling Gary throughout the game. The Panthers also had a specific plan and took advantage of him at least four times with plays similar to this one (including the 29 yard Dowdle run). They simply let him charge inside and then had a wide receiver or tight end wall him off as they quick-pitched the ball to the running back. This quick pitch was one of my favorite plays in high school, where I was either the tackle pulling or the tight end  blocking down on the DE. I especially enjoyed the pulling part where I got to head downfield and bulldoze a defensive back, as Nijman does to poor Nate Hobbs here. But I digress. As for Gary, as soon as he sees Nijman pull out of his stance, he should stop his inside rush and head outside. Maybe easier said than done, but his effort level seems a bit sub-par and if you notice at the end of the play, he puts his hand up asking to come out. Over the last few seasons, I've often noticed Gary asking to come out of games for a breather and honestly, I can't say I've seen any other player do this as consistently as Rashan (maybe why his snap counts always seems a bit low). I also used to see Gary hitting the smelling salts during games, but that was outlawed this year in the NFL. I don't want to imply it's a conditioning issue, as by all accounts, he's a hard worker. So maybe he just wasn't feeling it today - kind of like the rest of the team.   Quay Walker - Speaking of not feeling it, Walker has some splainin' to do on this one. As the ball gets knocked out of Bryce Young's hand, The Panther's running back immediately sprints to the ball and picks it up while Walker just kind of watches. Obviously, Walker assumed it was an incomplete pass, but why? You're taught to treat every such situation as a possible fumble regardless of what it looks like to you. Also interesting is how at the end of the play he looks over to the Packers' sideline and throws his hands up in a "what could I do" kind of gesture. Well, it's obvious what you could have at least tried to do and maybe he was getting grief from a coach on the sideline for his inaction.   Kickoff Penalty - An illegal formation penalty on a kickoff? Just when you thought the Packers' special teams had exhausted all possible mistakes, they pull another one out of their bag of tricks. Having said that, someone please explain where the illegal formation is? Javon Bullard was the player flagged but what is he doing wrong? Bullard is the second player from the right sideline in the first video view (he has a long white wrap on his right arm). The Packers have four players to each side of the kicker and two players in the middle. It looks perfectly symmetrical to me. So where is the illegal formation on Bullard? Someone please solve this mystery for me! Filed Under: FeaturedJersey Al Bracco   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ "Jersey Al" Bracco is the Editor-In-Chief, part owner and wearer of various hats for CheeseheadTV.com and PackersTalk.com. He's a lifetime Packers fan living in the land of the Giants (and Jets). Follow Al on twitter at @JerseyalGBP.  __________________________ NFL Categories: Carolina PanthersGreen Bay PackersTags: packerspanthersplaysvideo3 playsfilmCoaches Film Like 0 points

  PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ NFL Categories: Carolina PanthersTags: Green Bay PackersCarry The G Radio Like 0 points