The Green Bay Packers are back at home today for what is just their second divisional game of the 2025 season, taking on the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field at 12 PM CST. It's strange to say in late November that this is only the second divisional matchup the Packers have had, but it's the reality that the schedule makers have bestowed upon us. Last week, the 6-3-1 Packers were victorious over the New York Giants in what ended up being a more competitive game than anticipated. The 4-6 Vikings are coming off a 19-17 loss to the Chicago Bears, where they nearly came away with a win, if not for a final-second field goal propelling the Bears to victory. The Packers are looking to start a winning streak, and the Vikings are hoping to keep their season alive.   The last time these two teams met was December 29, 2024, in Minnesota, when the Vikings were victorious with a final score of 27-25. The Packers' offense was fairly limited in the first half, only putting up three points to Minnesota's 13. A second-half surge with three touchdowns was an improvement, but with the Vikings putting up two more touchdowns themselves in the 3rd quarter, the deficit was just too much to overcome.  Last week, many called the matchup against the Giants a "get right" game for the Packers. That may have been the case in a way, coming off two straight losses at home, the Packers sorely needed a good win to get back on track. The problem is, no matter what the opposing team's record says, they're not going just to be your "practice game." They're going to go out there and make you earn the victory. The Giants seemed to take advantage of Green Bay's offensive line issues, making it difficult for anything to run consistently on that side of the ball. The defense also struggled, giving up a decent game to the Giants' running backs, which is very uncharacteristic of that squad so far in 2025. A few sloppy drops by receivers didn't help either, but the Packers will be looking to bounce back.  In the first of five divisional games to wind out the final seven games of the season, the Packers are looking to start strong.  What to See on Offense Minnesota loves to blitz the QB. So far this season, they've blitzed on around half of all passing plays they've faced. The Packers' offensive line is going to need to be at its best today to pick up those blitzes and prevent them from being a problem. Last week, the Packers faced a Giants front that hadn't gotten to the QB often, but they had the talent t,o and I was talking about ensuring they didn't find their stride against us. They did a good job of doing so. Minnesota is tied for 11th in the league when it comes to sack totals, with DT Jalen Redmond leading the way with four.  That's not a large sack total for the team leader, but that's what happens when 12 other players are on the stat sheet with at least a half sack. Anyone can get home. The Vikings don't have All-Pro pass rushers, but they can still give you trouble if you don't take them seriously.  If we can contain the pass rush, Minnesota's secondary can be exploited by our receivers.  When it comes to takeaways, Minnesota's secondary is even ranked behind the Packers'. However, Minnesota does hold the seventh-fewest passing yards per game in the NFL. Packers receivers have been rather hit or miss lately, but Christian Watson certainly found his stride last week, getting in the endzone twice against the Giants' secondary. Jayden Reed started his 21-day window for coming back from IR on Friday. Don't expect him today, as he is listed as OUT for today's game, but possibly in a few days, on Thanksgiving. Matthew Golden and Savion Williams may play a larger role today, being further removed from injury, but the biggest test will be seeing who holds on to the football. The Packers' receivers were plagued by drops last week, reminding everyone of the 2024 season. Hopefully, today we can put those drops behind us.  Will Josh Jacobs play? If you ask him, he'd probably say he'll be out there today. But the medical staff may have other ideas. He's considered a true game-time decision. Just in case, the Packers have elevated Pierre Strong Jr. from the practice squad. The Vikings currently rank 22nd in the NFL with 122 rushing yards per game. If Josh Jacobs is a go today without being hindered by a snap count, the rushing attack could have a relatively decent day. Now that's not to say that if Josh Jacobs is out, the rushing attack is null and void. Emanuel Wilson has been a formidable runner in relief of Jacobs, averaging 4.2 yards per attempt on 53 carries.  Wilson isn't Jacobs, but I'd be intrigued to see what he can do in a starting role. If Jacobs can't go, could we see Wilson have a breakout game? It'll be interesting to see if Chris Brooks plays more of an RB2 role or if Pierre Strong takes that role. We haven't seen much of Brooks this season other than as a blocker or receiving target. It will be intriguing to see how he is used today, if needed as RB2.  What to See on Defense This was supposed to be the year that the Vikings showed off their new franchise quarterback returning from injury in his rookie season, and set the league ablaze. Well, JJ McCarthy has only played in five games this season, and in those five games, he hasn't exactly been stellar. He's turned the ball over eight times in those five games with a QB rating of 61.7. He's also been sacked 15 times, which is just one less than Jordan Love in twice as many games played. This is a product of McCarthy having a tendency to hold on to the ball for too long. You'd better believe that the Packers' pass rushers, Parsons, Gary, and Wyatt, are going to be dialed in to make him pay if he keeps up those mistakes this week. This week marks another chance for Lukas Van Ness to return from injury, and he, too, can factor into that pass rush.  If McCarthy can get the ball out of his hands, he has some stellar targets in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, and TJ Hockenson. McCarthy's chemistry with Jefferson has yet to be unlocked, and today is not the day for it to happen. The Packers' secondary showed a bit of improvement last week, and they're going to need to keep it up this week in the event the pass rush doesn't get home quickly. If McCarthy does get the ball out, they need to be ready for any mistakes made. The Packers dropped four INT chances last week against Jameis Winston. McCarthy tends to turn the ball over as well, so they need to take advantage of it this time. Against the Panthers and Giants, the Packers' opponents have done what they can on the ground to keep the Green Bay offense off the field as well as keep the pass rushers honest. Minnesota may try something similar this week, running the football with Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. With Jones missing four games this season, Mason has been the lead back with 489 yards on 108 carries with five TDs, but Jones isn't far behind with 256 on 52 carries and a touchdown. The Packers' run defense has done well this season, but has had a few questionable games as of late. Heading into the colder months of the season, now is not the time for the run defense to slow down.  Quay Walker is doubtful for today's game, and the Packers did elevate LB Jamon Johnson from the practice squad, so it's a good bet Walker will be OUT today. Isaiah McDuffie will likely fill Walker's role on defense, with Johnson mainly taking over McDuffie's special teams duties.  Minnesota will likely run the ball as much as they can and get the ball out of McCarthy's hands quickly when passing. The Packers have seen this often already this season and will need to find a way to halt Minnesota's offense quickly or force turnovers.   Extra Notes I don't want to talk about kickers this week; you can't make me. Okay, fine, I guess it's kind of my job here. Brandon McManus was inactive last week again after apparently re-aggravating his quad, so Lucas Havrisik took over as everyone wanted. But then Havrisik missed two extra points that can be partially blamed on wind and a poor snap/hold. We just can't have nice things. McManus was back as a full participant this week at practice, so he should be a go today. I'm going to be honest and say that at this point, I don't even care if a 76-year-old Chester Marcol runs onto the field to kick this week, just make the darn kicks.  Minnesota's Will Reichard has only missed two field goals this season (must be nice), and their punter, Ryan Wright, is 10th in the league with a 48.1 average to Green Bay's Daniel Whelan, who ranks second with 50.8.  Myles Price is Minnesota's main kick returner, averaging 25.9 yards on 38 attempts with a long of 61 on kickoffs and a 10.7-yard average on punts with a long of 43. Green Bay hasn't been gashed too badly on returns this season, outside of a few penalties extending field position, so hopefully this should not be an issue today if they stay disciplined.  On the other side, last week Minnesota gave up a 56-yard kickoff return to Chicago's Devin Duvernay, which set up a walk-off field goal. Duvernay has had a lower return average than the Packers' Savion Williams so far this season, so even though Williams hasn't looked that terribly explosive in the return game, Minnesota could be prone to another big return.  In the End Today marks the beginning of a huge three-game stretch on the Packers' schedule. With as close as the NFC North is currently, these three games could make or break the season. It's very important that we get off to a good start with home-field advantage today.  In just four days, we're back at it for some Thanksgiving football in Detroit. Let's head into it on a positive note. 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 PackersMinnesota VikingsNFCNFC NorthTags: Green Bay PackersJordan LoveJosh JacobsEmanuel WilsonPackers defense Like 0 points

The last thing any team wants to see within the first few games of the season is a star player falling victim to a long-term injury. It kills momentum in a way. With any injury, you're ready with the "next man up" mentality to quickly move on, but the loss is still deflating. Teams have their plans for the season, players have their goals set, you're trying to figure out this year's identity, and you lose one of the key players in creating that identity.  In the second game of the season, the Green Bay Packers lost WR Jayden Reed to a broken collarbone. Reed had been playing with a foot injury to begin with suffered during the preseason, but since surgery was not an immediate need, he opted to play on it. With the collarbone injury, Reed decided to just undergo both surgeries. Per Matt LaFleur, the foot his completely healed and ready to go, but the team is waiting on tests to see whether or not the collarbone is ready. There have been some cryptic tweets from Jayden Reed indicating a possible return, but the Packers were hoping to have that news sometime today.  In years long past, the term "placed on injured reserve" used to mean their season was over. You wouldn't see that player until next season. It was like a kiss of death for some players because it didn't always mean that they had an injury that would take the remainder of the season to heal. Sometimes, those players were unfortunate casualties of teams having to keep a healthy and competitive 53-man roster. They could lose their spot because the team had needs elsewhere and couldn't wait 3-4 weeks for them to be healed. Today it's much less dramatic.  Injured Reserve today is still a designation that no player wants, but if they heal up in enough time during the season, they can return and still contribute on the field before the season is over. The Packers are hoping Jayden Reed can do just this for the final months of the season.  Before going down to injury in the first quarter of the second game of the season, Reed had three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown. Reed was injured on a play where he would have scored on a 39-yard touchdown catch, had Anthony Belton not been called for holding, negating the score. Outside of Tucker Kraft, you could say Jayden Reed was the Packers' biggest YAC threat, especially in the middle of the field.  With Tucker Kraft going down in week 9, the Packers have been left without a pass-catcher who can gain that extra yardage after the reception. Given the offensive line's recent struggles to better protect Jordan Love, one solution is to get the ball out of Love's hands more quickly. But the problem with that is, when you don't have a pass-catcher that can create those yards after the catch, you limit your big-play potential with those quick, short routes. Jayden Reed's return could help provide that dynamic play-making threat when Jordan Love needs to get the ball out quickly.   Light the Spark Amongst currently active players, so far this season, Romeo Doubs has been Jordan Love's most reliable target. After Doubs, that would be Josh Jacobs and Matthew Golden. The odd part of that statement is that Josh Jacobs is a running back, and there have been countless arguments that Matthew Golden has not been properly utilized. Despite only playing in four games so far this season, Christian Watson is quickly making his way up the list with 12 catches on 17 targets for 234 yards and two touchdowns. We all know the Packers like to spread the ball around. The idea of them having a number 1 wide receiver is something that's been endlessly tossed around. They have their leading receivers, but no one is really that primary go-to. That's why Jayden Reed's return not only adds a dynamic play-making threat to the Packers' offense but also gives a boost to the rest of the lineup.  We already saw what Christian Watson's deep threat presence did for Tucker Kraft before injury, and it's a shame we don't get to see it more this season. But that same deep threat presence will also benefit Jayden Reed in the shorter and medium routes. The other way around could be said for Watson, where Reed's abilities could draw more attention and free up Watson to have more 1x1 matchups.  Reed is also a deep threat in his own right, with a few 50+ yard catches to his credit throughout his career. Two receivers capable of stretching a field on at once are bound to create mismatches.  While it will be hard to take catches away from Romeo Doubs, considering how he's become the Packers' most sure-handed receiver, Reed does take some of that pressure off as well. Reed ranked just barely below Doubs in 2024 with 29 first-down catches to Doubs' 33.  The availability of Jayden Reed could go either way, however, for Matthew Golden. While many thought Golden would be one to step up in Reed's absence, the reality hasn't been quite as fruitful. Reed's return may take even more targets away from Matthew Golden; however, it could also have the opposite effect. More focus from the defense on taking away Reed's play-making threat could mean less attention on Golden, where he could find himself open more often.  Even the running game can benefit from Jayden Reed returning to form. More threats through the air means lighter boxes for the running game. If the offensive line can start paving the road for Josh Jacobs a bit cleaner, we could see the threat of the rush increase.  First, Jayden Reed needs to be cleared to return, which looks like it could be sooner than later. Once he's back, his presence could light the spark that gets the Packers offense back on track.  Filed Under: FeaturedGreg Meinholz 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 PackersTags: green bay packersjayden reedMatt LaFleurTucker KraftJordan Love Like 0 points

The last thing any team wants to see within the first few games of the season is a star player falling victim to a long-term injury. It kills momentum in a way. With any injury, you're ready with the "next man up" mentality to quickly move on, but the loss is still deflating. Teams have their plans for the season, players have their goals set, you're trying to figure out this year's identity, and you lose one of the key players in creating that identity.  In the second game of the season, the Green Bay Packers lost WR Jayden Reed to a broken collarbone. Reed had been playing with a foot injury to begin with suffered during the preseason, but since surgery was not an immediate need, he opted to play on it. With the collarbone injury, Reed decided to just undergo both surgeries. Per Matt LaFleur, the foot his completely healed and ready to go, but the team is waiting on tests to see whether or not the collarbone is ready. There have been some cryptic tweets from Jayden Reed indicating a possible return, but the Packers were hoping to have that news sometime today.  In years long past, the term "placed on injured reserve" used to mean their season was over. You wouldn't see that player until next season. It was like a kiss of death for some players because it didn't always mean that they had an injury that would take the remainder of the season to heal. Sometimes, those players were unfortunate casualties of teams having to keep a healthy and competitive 53-man roster. They could lose their spot because the team had needs elsewhere and couldn't wait 3-4 weeks for them to be healed. Today it's much less dramatic.  Injured Reserve today is still a designation that no player wants, but if they heal up in enough time during the season, they can return and still contribute on the field before the season is over. The Packers are hoping Jayden Reed can do just this for the final months of the season.  Before going down to injury in the first quarter of the second game of the season, Reed had three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown. Reed was injured on a play where he would have scored on a 39-yard touchdown catch, had Anthony Belton not been called for holding, negating the score. Outside of Tucker Kraft, you could say Jayden Reed was the Packers' biggest YAC threat, especially in the middle of the field.  With Tucker Kraft going down in week 9, the Packers have been left without a pass-catcher who can gain that extra yardage after the reception. Given the offensive line's recent struggles to better protect Jordan Love, one solution is to get the ball out of Love's hands more quickly. But the problem with that is, when you don't have a pass-catcher that can create those yards after the catch, you limit your big-play potential with those quick, short routes. Jayden Reed's return could help provide that dynamic play-making threat when Jordan Love needs to get the ball out quickly.   Light the Spark Amongst currently active players, so far this season, Romeo Doubs has been Jordan Love's most reliable target. After Doubs, that would be Josh Jacobs and Matthew Golden. The odd part of that statement is that Josh Jacobs is a running back, and there have been countless arguments that Matthew Golden has not been properly utilized. Despite only playing in four games so far this season, Christian Watson is quickly making his way up the list with 12 catches on 17 targets for 234 yards and two touchdowns. We all know the Packers like to spread the ball around. The idea of them having a number 1 wide receiver is something that's been endlessly tossed around. They have their leading receivers, but no one is really that primary go-to. That's why Jayden Reed's return not only adds a dynamic play-making threat to the Packers' offense but also gives a boost to the rest of the lineup.  We already saw what Christian Watson's deep threat presence did for Tucker Kraft before injury, and it's a shame we don't get to see it more this season. But that same deep threat presence will also benefit Jayden Reed in the shorter and medium routes. The other way around could be said for Watson, where Reed's abilities could draw more attention and free up Watson to have more 1x1 matchups.  Reed is also a deep threat in his own right, with a few 50+ yard catches to his credit throughout his career. Two receivers capable of stretching a field on at once are bound to create mismatches.  While it will be hard to take catches away from Romeo Doubs, considering how he's become the Packers' most sure-handed receiver, Reed does take some of that pressure off as well. Reed ranked just barely below Doubs in 2024 with 29 first-down catches to Doubs' 33.  The availability of Jayden Reed could go either way, however, for Matthew Golden. While many thought Golden would be one to step up in Reed's absence, the reality hasn't been quite as fruitful. Reed's return may take even more targets away from Matthew Golden; however, it could also have the opposite effect. More focus from the defense on taking away Reed's play-making threat could mean less attention on Golden, where he could find himself open more often.  Even the running game can benefit from Jayden Reed returning to form. More threats through the air means lighter boxes for the running game. If the offensive line can start paving the road for Josh Jacobs a bit cleaner, we could see the threat of the rush increase.  First, Jayden Reed needs to be cleared to return, which looks like it could be sooner than later. Once he's back, his presence could light the spark that gets the Packers offense back on track.  Filed Under: FeaturedGreg Meinholz 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 PackersTags: green bay packersjayden reedMatt LaFleurTucker KraftJordan Love Like 0 points

We're in the Meadowlands today as the Green Bay Packers are set to take on the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium at 12 PM CST. Today may not be a "desperate must-win" game for the Packers, but it sure has that feeling. Last week, the now 5-3-1 Packers fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 10-7 in a defensive struggle of a game where, even though the Eagles have a good defense, it felt more like the Packers couldn't get out of their own way on offense. The Giants, sitting at 2-8, are coming off a 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears, where they lost a 10-point lead in the 4th quarter, and just recently had their head coach, Brian Daboll, fired. They will be looking for a little redemption today. Both teams will be desperate to perform well today, but under differing circumstances.  The last time these two teams met was December 11th, 2023, in a game many Packers fans would like to forget. The Giants defeated the Packers 24-22 with a field goal in the final seconds. That's not why fans would like to forget, though. The Packers' defense at the time under Joe Barry allowed third-string QB Tommy DeVito to go 17/21 through the air for 158 yards and a touchdown, and run the ball 10 times for 71 yards. It was at the Packers' expense that the Tommy DeVito phenomenon was born, and it really went no further after that. DeVito is currently just barely holding on to the QB3 position with the New England Patriots. Coincidentally, the Packers are facing another QB3 today in Jameis Winston, but unlike DeVito at the time, Winston is a capable veteran who should not be taken lightly.  Last week, many Packers fans hit the panic button. Normally, a three-point loss to the defending Super Bowl Champions still in contending form would be considered "not too bad." But that's only tolerable when the final score is maybe along the lines of 24-21. Not 10-7. The Packers' defense got the job done in limiting the often-potent Eagles' offense to only 10 points. But the Packers' offense couldn't get a thing going, only putting up 7, and that was late in the game. When you try to pinpoint the problem, several factors come up. The offensive line didn't hold up well to keep Jordan Love comfortable, play calling seemed very stale and predictable at times, and overall, there was just a lack of discipline and execution. The Packers desperately need to get things right before it's too late.  Today could serve as a "get right" game for the Packers, but they can't take their opponent too lightly. What to See on Offense Normally, I start this section with the pass, but not today, we're kicking it off with the run. The Packers' running game this season has been nothing short of inconsistent. It has its moments where it just looks brilliant, Josh Jacobs bursts right through for a decent-sized gain, and we think we're improving. But then the next play you see nearly the entire offensive line getting pushed back on a run call with Josh Jacobs getting swallowed in the backfield, and you wonder if the line even knew their own play call. To make matters worse, center Elgton Jenkins is now out for the season with a leg injury. Oddly enough, however, Jenkins' replacement, Sean Rhyan, did pretty well in relief on Monday night. Rhyan is playing for a second contract now with his rookie deal expiring after this season, so we'll see how things stack up with him in the middle.  This week could be the perfect game for the running attack to find its footing. The Giants' run defense ranks second-last in the league, giving up 152.1 yards per game on the ground. If there were ever a chance to "get right" in the running game, it's today.  On to the pass. If this were last year, I'd be a bit more comfortable against this Giants pass rush. But given how uncomfortable Jordan Love was last week against the Eagles, we're seeing that things are different in 2025. The Giants' pass rush may not offer a break today. Between Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence, and rookie Abdul Carter, the New York defense has many players capable of getting after the QB. But the sack numbers haven't quite shown it yet. Brian Burns leads the team with 11 sacks, but then there is a significant drop off to Thibodeaux with 2.5. Abdul Carter and Dexter Lawrence only have a half sack each.  This fact could work to the Packers' advantage, where the line may be able to keep Jordan Love clean, or it could be a disaster with those pass rushers finally getting on track. Let's hope the Packers' offensive line is the one that takes the step forward.  In the secondary, the Giants rank 23rd against the pass. CB Dru Phillips leads the team in INTs and in passes defensed with two and nine, but Phillips holds half the team's interception total, with a quarter of it held by a defensive tackle in Dexter Lawrence. Seemingly, the entire Packers receiving corps appeared on the injury report this week, but according to Christian Watson, he's good to go, and the medical staff is just "going to do what they have to do."  Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks were basically removed from the list, as well as Watson. Matthew Golden may be the only question mark heading into today's game with that group, as he didn't play the previous game, but with Malik Heath out today and no practice squad receiver being brought up, I think it's a safe bet that Golden may be good to go. Malik Heath was a surprise healthy scratch, per coach's decision. In fact, Heath didn't even make the trip to New York. The Packers run a pretty tight ship, always have, so there's a chance we never find out the true reason unless it's directly addressed. But otherwise, if the offensive line can keep Jordan Love clean, we may see some good numbers for the pass catchers today.  Matt LaFleur is always looking to establish the run. Today may be one of his best chances to do so. If he does, the run should easily open up the pass, and we will hopefully see the Packers' offense perform as expected.  What to See on Defense At one point this season, it looked like the Giants had the makings of an exciting young offense. Rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart was taking over at quarterback, another rookie, running back Cam Skattebo, was breaking out, and second-year receiver Malik Nabers was ready to shine with his new QB. What more could head coach Brian Daboll have asked for? Fast forward six weeks, and now Brian Daboll is out as head coach, Jaxson Dart is in concussion protocol, and both Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo are on injured reserve. Wow, a lot can change in a few weeks.  Jameis Winston will be at the helm today for the Giants' offense. This will be Winston's first start in a Giants uniform, and who knows which Jameis Winston is going to play today. He's always had an up-and-down career where he can be brilliant, throwing three touchdowns and no INTs, but then boneheaded, throwing no TDs and three INTs. Unfortunately for Winston, the Giants' offensive line has struggled mightily in protecting the quarterback, giving up 31 sacks so far this season. Winston isn't the most mobile player anymore, so the Packers' pass rush may have an opportunity to steal the show.   With Malik Nabers out for the season, the weapons available to Jameis Winston aren't exactly stellar, but WR Wan'Dale Robinson leads the team with 602 receiving yards, well ahead of Darius Slayton, who's second with 343 yards. They have Theo Johnson at TE, who can be a red zone threat, and unfortunately, we know how the Packers are often prone to giving up big games to tight ends; however, it hasn't been too damaging as of late.  Overall, this should be a favorable matchup for the Packers' secondary and pass rush. Lukas Van Ness returned to practice this week and is questionable for today's game. We'll have to see if he'll have the chance to cash in on this matchup as well upon his return.  On to the run. Micah Parsons was criticized for his play against the run this week. A narrative that was started in Dallas has followed him here, and I have to give a short comment on the matter. Folks, just because a player doesn't make the tackle against the run doesn't mean they're bad at it. There are 11 players on each side of the ball for a reason, and they all have a role to play. You watch a few of the running plays from Monday night, and you easily see Micah Parsons setting the edge on running plays, forcing the running back inside, and into the arms of a linebacker. That, my friends, is good against the run. Parsons recognizes the play, sets the edge to take the back's options away, and allows his teammates to make the play.    Okay, on to today's game. Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary have taken over as a kind of duo in replacement of Cam Skattebo, and so far, they haven't been much to write home about. After being gashed by Rico Dowdle two weeks ago, the Packers rose to the occasion in holding Saquon Barkley to only 60 yards on 22 carries. That was an outstanding performance.  We may see a bit more of Tracy Jr. and Singletary today. Given this is Winston's first start in a Giants uniform, they might rely on the run a little bit more to help open things up, but I just don't see that being a good idea against the Packers, who sit at 6th in the league against the run.  The Packers have a suffocating defense that can control this game; we need to see it happen again today.  Extra Notes Can we not talk about kickers this week? Oh, wait, we have to? Fine, let's get this over with. One of the joys of training camp was not caring about the kicking game; it was fine, everything was good, but now in the last month, it's been all about the kickers, and Brandon McManus is ranked 39th out of 39 qualified kickers in field-goal percentage. Yes, that means in a league of 32 teams, six backup kickers have been kicking better than our starting kicker. I'll allow you to pause for a bit and let that sink in. That's right, we can't have nice things. McManus was off the injury report this week, for a second, but now he's back on and listed as doubtful for today's game. My guess is that we're getting Lucas Havrisik today. If Havrisik has another great showing, it's going to be rough sailing for the Packers, as they'll have to decide on McManus. Does he get shelved for the season? Do they run him out next week against Minnesota if he's "better"? We shall see.  The Giants just had their kicker, Graham Gano, placed on IR, and now Younghoe Koo is looking to take over kicking duties. Maybe on our trip to the Big Apple, we can leave our kicking issues with the Giants, sorry, New York fans.  Gunner Olszewski gives the Giants a good return game, averaging 28 yards per return on kicks and 9 yards average on punts, with a long of 21. Can they pass some of that luck on to the Packers as well? Between Romeo Doubs and Savion Williams, I feel like we don't really have a returner.  Punting, Jamie Gillan averages 44.3 yards per punt, which is towards the bottom of the barrel at 28th in the league, while Packers punter Daniel Whelan continues to be the only shining beacon of hope on special teams, averaging 51.1 yards per punt, which is tied for third in the league.   In the End As said before, this is a "get right" game for Green Bay. But the Giants can't be taken lightly, especially given that they're coming off their head coach being fired the week before. As noted in the past, many teams seem to rise to the occasion and perform well for their interim head coach. The Packers simply cannot afford to be on the losing end of that statistic. With all the adversity the team has faced in the last week, it's their time to hush the critics.  Next week starts a brutal stretch of the season where the Packers will face NFC North opponents in five of their last seven games to wrap up the regular season. This starts with the Minnesota Vikings coming to town. Hopefully, the Packers come out of New York victorious today and ready to enter the next week with some momentum. 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 PackersNew York GiantsNFCNFC NorthTags: Green Bay PackersJordan LoveJosh JacobsMicah ParsonsMatt LaFleur Like 0 points

Facing 4th and 1 at their own 44-yard line with about 1:30 left on the clock, down by three points, the Green Bay Packers ran a pathetic-looking inside run to Josh Jacobs that the Philadelphia Eagles' defense just absolutely blew up for a loss of 3-4 yards. If not for Philly's questionable calls following that play, trying to end the game, this would have been it for the Packers' offense in their loss Monday night. Even if they converted, the offense was called for illegal formation, which would have pushed them five yards back, making the 4th down conversion less manageable.  It was a rushed, seemingly uninspired play call. The Packers had 26 seconds left on the play clock and two timeouts if they needed some extra time to maybe choose a better play and get set. To make matters worse, it was revealed later on, via replay, that a Philadelphia defender, DT Moro Ojomo, was calling out the play as they lined up. He could be heard yelling, "Inside zone this way, inside zone this way!" Right before the snap, as he pointed exactly where the Packers would later try to run Jacobs.  Does it get any more embarrassing than that?  You can go ahead and hand credit over to Ojomo in recognizing the play before it got off. That shows a high football IQ and that he did his homework on the Packers' offense. But the frustrating part is the reminder that the Packers had 26 seconds left on the play clock and two timeouts. You have to imagine Jordan Love, or at least someone on Green Bay's side of the ball, had to have heard Ojomo shouting this. So, why couldn't they can the call and move to a different play? Or even call a timeout to think it over? It was perhaps one of the most important calls of the game, and it was unnecessarily rushed. The levels of frustration of having to watch this happen as a powerless fan are very high.  When defensive opponents watch film leading up to a game, they learn an offense's tendencies and try to predict what they're going to do on any given play. The job of the offense is to either change it up a bit to confuse the defense or execute the plays so flawlessly that the defense can't stop them despite knowing what's coming. Any Packer fan who knows their history could tell you that Lombardi's Packers succeeded on discipline and flawless execution more than anything. Everybody knew of Lombardi's power sweep; they couldn't stop it because the Packers did it so well.  Expecting today's Packers to execute like Lombardi's would be a pipe dream, considering that era saw ten future Pro Football Hall of Famers. But they can tone down the predictability. These last few games, I can't tell you how often I've called the Packers running the ball on first down. Or even running the ball on 2nd and long. While it's true that you need to establish the run to open up the pass, that doesn't mean running the same predictable hand-off over and over in the same situation, expecting different results. That's just the definition of insanity in football form. But whether improving that comes in the form of changing play calls or pushing for better execution, that's up to Matt LaFleur to decide. And he needs to figure that out before it's too late.  Avoiding the Same Fate One of the top complaints regarding the former Packers Head Coach, Mike McCarthy, was that his approach and philosophy grew stale. He all but refused to deviate from "what worked before." As a result, the Packers grew to be predictable at times. It isn't quite the same situation, but perhaps Matt LaFleur can learn a thing or two from his predecessor.  As of late, the Packers often appear undisciplined and unprepared. Every player on that roster is a professional. They didn't get to where they are today by coasting through everything and not taking it seriously. So, we can easily toss out the "they don't care" ideas and that LaFleur needs to turn into a drill sergeant or something. Sure, Lombardi held a high standard of discipline with his players, but he still loved them all like they were his family and wasn't a stranger to having a drink or two with them in the locker room after a game. But perhaps LaFleur does need to change his approach a little bit. Ensure a focus on certain aspects of the team's preparation to avoid that stale, predictable outcome.  Does Matt LaFleur need to turn over play-calling to someone else? I don't think so. In fact, we saw Mike McCarthy turn over play-calling duties to Tom Clements years ago so he could "focus elsewhere." The result wasn't pretty. When McCarthy took back the call sheet, things got back on track. The same, in my opinion, might happen with Matt LaFleur. However, I do believe LaFleur needs to evaluate his other duties to see what he may be able to allocate to his assistants so that he may focus more on areas of greater need. Many successful coaches are very hands-on. LaFleur already excels in that category, but perhaps where he's hands-on needs to shift a bit.  It's time to get away from the stale predictability we've seen over the last few games. That isn't going to win us anything down the stretch. Whether that is achieved by changing what is called or by focusing more on execution and perfection, is something Matt LaFleur is going to have to discover quickly, before it's too late.    Filed Under: FeaturedGreg Meinholz 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 PackersTags: Green Bay PackersMatt LaFleurJordan LoveJosh JacobsMike McCarthy Like 0 points

Facing 4th and 1 at their own 44-yard line with about 1:30 left on the clock, down by three points, the Green Bay Packers ran a pathetic-looking inside run to Josh Jacobs that the Philadelphia Eagles' defense just absolutely blew up for a loss of 3-4 yards. If not for Philly's questionable calls following that play, trying to end the game, this would have been it for the Packers' offense in their loss Monday night. Even if they converted, the offense was called for illegal formation, which would have pushed them five yards back, making the 4th down conversion less manageable.  It was a rushed, seemingly uninspired play call. The Packers had 26 seconds left on the play clock and two timeouts if they needed some extra time to maybe choose a better play and get set. To make matters worse, it was revealed later on, via replay, that a Philadelphia defender, DT Moro Ojomo, was calling out the play as they lined up. He could be heard yelling, "Inside zone this way, inside zone this way!" Right before the snap, as he pointed exactly where the Packers would later try to run Jacobs.  Does it get any more embarrassing than that?  You can go ahead and hand credit over to Ojomo in recognizing the play before it got off. That shows a high football IQ and that he did his homework on the Packers' offense. But the frustrating part is the reminder that the Packers had 26 seconds left on the play clock and two timeouts. You have to imagine Jordan Love, or at least someone on Green Bay's side of the ball, had to have heard Ojomo shouting this. So, why couldn't they can the call and move to a different play? Or even call a timeout to think it over? It was perhaps one of the most important calls of the game, and it was unnecessarily rushed. The levels of frustration of having to watch this happen as a powerless fan are very high.  When defensive opponents watch film leading up to a game, they learn an offense's tendencies and try to predict what they're going to do on any given play. The job of the offense is to either change it up a bit to confuse the defense or execute the plays so flawlessly that the defense can't stop them despite knowing what's coming. Any Packer fan who knows their history could tell you that Lombardi's Packers succeeded on discipline and flawless execution more than anything. Everybody knew of Lombardi's power sweep; they couldn't stop it because the Packers did it so well.  Expecting today's Packers to execute like Lombardi's would be a pipe dream, considering that era saw ten future Pro Football Hall of Famers. But they can tone down the predictability. These last few games, I can't tell you how often I've called the Packers running the ball on first down. Or even running the ball on 2nd and long. While it's true that you need to establish the run to open up the pass, that doesn't mean running the same predictable hand-off over and over in the same situation, expecting different results. That's just the definition of insanity in football form. But whether improving that comes in the form of changing play calls or pushing for better execution, that's up to Matt LaFleur to decide. And he needs to figure that out before it's too late.  Avoiding the Same Fate One of the top complaints regarding the former Packers Head Coach, Mike McCarthy, was that his approach and philosophy grew stale. He all but refused to deviate from "what worked before." As a result, the Packers grew to be predictable at times. It isn't quite the same situation, but perhaps Matt LaFleur can learn a thing or two from his predecessor.  As of late, the Packers often appear undisciplined and unprepared. Every player on that roster is a professional. They didn't get to where they are today by coasting through everything and not taking it seriously. So, we can easily toss out the "they don't care" ideas and that LaFleur needs to turn into a drill sergeant or something. Sure, Lombardi held a high standard of discipline with his players, but he still loved them all like they were his family and wasn't a stranger to having a drink or two with them in the locker room after a game. But perhaps LaFleur does need to change his approach a little bit. Ensure a focus on certain aspects of the team's preparation to avoid that stale, predictable outcome.  Does Matt LaFleur need to turn over play-calling to someone else? I don't think so. In fact, we saw Mike McCarthy turn over play-calling duties to Tom Clements years ago so he could "focus elsewhere." The result wasn't pretty. When McCarthy took back the call sheet, things got back on track. The same, in my opinion, might happen with Matt LaFleur. However, I do believe LaFleur needs to evaluate his other duties to see what he may be able to allocate to his assistants so that he may focus more on areas of greater need. Many successful coaches are very hands-on. LaFleur already excels in that category, but perhaps where he's hands-on needs to shift a bit.  It's time to get away from the stale predictability we've seen over the last few games. That isn't going to win us anything down the stretch. Whether that is achieved by changing what is called or by focusing more on execution and perfection, is something Matt LaFleur is going to have to discover quickly, before it's too late.    Filed Under: FeaturedGreg Meinholz 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 PackersTags: Green Bay PackersMatt LaFleurJordan LoveJosh JacobsMike McCarthy Like 0 points

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

The news that absolutely no one wanted to hear dropped on Monday. Green Bay Packers breakout tight end, Tucker Kraft had torn his ACL in Sunday's loss to the Panthers and would miss the remainder of the 2025 season. Kraft was well on his way to a possible All-Pro season and was the heart and soul of Green Bay's offense. He was second on the team in receptions, first in targets, first in receiving yards, and first in receiving touchdowns. It's a tough loss, and Kraft will be missed, but just like any injury, the season goes on, and it's the next man up.  The only Packers pass catcher that comes close to Kraft's production, is Romeo Doubs. Doubs has done his job this season in being a reliable target for Jordan Love and the once-stone-faced receiver has seemed to have found his fire. In the first half of this season, on third, or even fourth down for that matter, you could expect the football to end up in the hands of either Kraft or Doubs for the conversion. You may still see Doubs as Jordan Love's go-to, but someone else needs to step up alongside him. Luke Musgrave With Tucker Kraft going down, all eyes easily turn to TE2, Luke Musgrave. A coincidence in all of that, which I'm sure Musgrave may rather have it be forgotten, is that he wasn't always TE2. After being drafted in the second round in 2023, with Kraft drafted in the third, Musgrave was above Kraft on the depth chart going into their rookie season. Musgrave proceeded to put together a good start to his rookie campaign with 33 catches for 341 yards and a touchdown in the first ten games. But after suffering a lacerated kidney in mid-November of 2023, he missed the next six games.  That's when Tucker Kraft took over. Musgrave returned for the final game of the season and the playoffs, in which he had three receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown in the playoff victory against the Cowboys, but then his 2024 season was derailed due to ligament damage in his left ankle and he never really got a chance to produce, playing in seven games with a limited role. So far, 2025 has been much like early 2024 for Luke Musgrave. On the field, but a non-factor, only posting nine catches for 88 yards in eight games. But that could all change. Musgrave was once billed as a match-up nightmare for defenders. Standing at 6'6 253 lbs, he can box out most defensive backs, and is too quick for a linebacker to cover. Outside of his injuries, though, what has Musgrave lacked that Tucker Kraft possesses as a pass catcher?  One could argue that Luke Musgrave lacks that "killer instinct." Tucker Kraft has emerged as a tight end that not only attacks and claims the ball, but will attack defenders who try to take him down afterward. This isn't to say that Luke Musgrave is "soft" or anything of that nature, it's that we just haven't seen that from him yet. There's the Matt LaFleur "Musgrave stayed on his feet!" joke that came out in 2023, and number 88 hasn't been able to shake it. After the catch, he's often hitting the deck or is taken down by the nearest defender. If he's making that catch 10-15 yards or more downfield, it's not as much of an issue. But if he's easily going down after a three yard grab, that's not what you want from a tight end.  Musgrave has all the intangibles to be a big receiving threat. This is his opportunity to show everyone that he is up for the challenge and he can be everything everyone thought he could become. Matthew Golden Despite the rookie first round wide receiver being tied for third on the team in receptions with 23, and third in receiving yards with 262, there's a lot of discourse around Matthew Golden's usage so far this season. Everyone ranted and raved about how great he looked in training camp and how crazy it was to see a rookie receiver with such poise and dedication to learning his role on the team. Packer nation was ready for Matthew Golden to quickly become that undisputed WR1 that the media was always saying they lacked. But after eight games, it's just not there.  To make matters worse, it's evident when you look back on the tape, that Golden is getting open, Jordan Love just isn't getting him the ball. Is it a lack of trust? Is it favoritism on the part of Matt LaFleur, or is the coach holding him back? All the speculative explanations are out there in the media, and LaFleur has done his best to knock them all over. It's the nature of the beast, so to speak, when you have a lot of guys that can make plays, some games you'll get it, some games you won't. They're not going to force-feed players the ball.  You don't have to force it, but it may be a good time to put Matthew Golden in a first-look role. He's shown he has the hands, he can generate yards after the catch, and he has speed. He can do much more than just catch the ball in the backfield or take a hand-off on a jet-sweep. It's time to get Matthew Golden more involved.  With Tucker Kraft off the field, the Packers lose a player who was just starting to be recognized as a star. In Matthew Golden, we might have one who's ready for his time to come as well.  Other Notables Matthew Golden and Luke Musgrave are good candidates to pick up a big chunk of the slack, but you don't replace a player like Tucker Kraft that easily. One of the biggest scheme-wise disappointments of Kraft's absence is how the return of Christian Watson could've amplified his production even further and vice versa. With Watson taking safeties with him over the top, Kraft could've had an easy 1x1 underneath, and likewise if the safety played Kraft instead. You still have Watson over the top, so who gets the middle outside of Doubs with Musgrave or Golden?    Jayden Reed is apparently inching closer to his return. What closer, though, we don't really know. What we do know is he has been working out on the sideline during practice, so that's something. Reed remains on IR with a collarbone injury, but could return within the month. Despite it still being a few games out, Reed's presence as one of the Packers' top receivers would make a big difference for the offense, helping make up for the loss of Tucker Kraft. Dontayvion Wicks has struggled to produce a bit this season. He's missed the last two games with a calf injury, but per Matt LaFleur, he could return to practice this week. Wicks has never exactly been a go-to receiver, but he has shown the capability to put up some big single-game numbers in the past. If Wicks can get back to form, he can help out the Packers' offense as well.  There will be no replacing Tucker Kraft in the Packers' offense. He brings a skillset that is not easily replicated. But the Packers are a talented bunch catching the football, and if utilized correctly, they can still be almost as effective in Kraft's absence.      Filed Under: FeaturedGreg Meinholz 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 PackersTags: Green Bay PackersMatthew GoldenLuke MusgraveTucker KraftMatt LaFleur Like 0 points