It’s not just that the Green Bay Packers lost in Week 1, it’s the manner in which they took the L.
If you like messy schadenfreude, then the following clips are for you.
For starters, here’s second-round pick and highly-touted receiver prospect Christian Watson dropping what would’ve been a touchdown on his first ever target:
How about this “how it started vs. how it finished” story featuring Jaire Alexander:
Or this from Head Coach Matt LaFleur, who had quite the in-game assessment of his team at halftime:
Questioning your team’s energy and effort one half into the first game of the year against a division rival is a tough look. And it sure as heck isn’t a great sign for a team coming out of the gate with a lot to prove. We’ve seen the Packers shake off games like that in the past. So I’m not quite ready to get out the shovels just yet. But how many more times can they get away with it before it becomes a harbinger of doom?
The thing about the Packers issues is that it isn’t just a schadenfreude thing. Green Bay also has some real health concerns on its roster. And to some of its most important players in a key cog in the offense:
Reporter Tom Silverstein shares news of the Packers calling up rookie offensive lineman Caleb Jones from the practice squad. Signing Jones onto the 53-player roster keeps other teams from poaching a young talent with room to grow. But it also might be a sign of how much faith the team has in the health of its offensive line.
It is possible that left tackle David Bakhtiari and multi-positional offensive line standout Eltgton Jenkins might be unavailable. Bakhtiari and Jenkins might not get medical green-lights to play for a second consecutive week. Both players were absent from the Packers’ season-opening loss. And you could argue the Packers could’ve used them after a day in which Aaron Rodgers took 4 sacks and 5 quarterback hits. Throw in news of guard Jon Runyan’s placement in concussion protocol, and the Packers could be without three starting offensive linemen in Week 2. That would be suboptimal news for that group. And it could leave Bears defensive linemen licking their chops.
OK, so I know what you’re thinking. Me bringing this up right now is kin to whistling through a graveyard on Halloween night. But I can’t not ignore the reality of this situation. If there ever was a time to beat Green Bay at Lambeau Field, it’s when they’re vulnerable. And you don’t get more vulnerable than a team licking its wounds — both real and metaphoric — early in the season. Plus, I’m ready to get hurt again. Losing to the Packers always stinks. But uncompetitive games in recent years can numb you to results sometimes. Maybe this is one of those “be careful what you wish for” situations. However, I’m ready for it. For now, at least…