Packers Look to Bounce Back in Week Four After First Loss of Season

Three weeks into the NFL season, the Green Bay Packers sit at 2-1. The record tells only part of the story. With statement-making wins through the first two weeks against two of last year’s top playoff teams, the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders, Green Bay looked to be one of the NFC’s top competitors through the opening weeks. However, last week’s 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns brought the first wave of uneasiness, as the game and the Packers were marked by missed steps and poor execution on both sides of the ball. With the loss, the Packers now set their sights on a Week Four high-stakes matchup against a long-time rival. 

The meeting already carried weight, but now has a few extra added layers following the blockbuster trade the teams made last month that sent Micah Parsons and Kenny Clark across opposite sides of the NFC Division. Set up to be a game with playoff-level implications early in the season, and a chance for the Packers to reverse their identity after the steps back taken in Cleveland, back to before the loss. If Green Bay is going to get back on track and take control of the game, it will start with the defensive front. The addition of Parsons has been an exciting one to watch and is already starting to turn the Packers’ pass rush into one of the league’s most impactful. Parson's ability to rush off the edge, drop into coverage, or blitz through the middle forces offenses to know where Parsons is every time the ball is snapped.

When lined up with Rashan Gary, who remains a force in one-on-one matchups and has been extremely successful early on this season in collapsing the pocket, ending plays, and leading the league in sacks currently with 4.5, this powerhouse defensive duo stands to give Green Bay a chance to decide games and make those big plays when called upon. That disruptive front has already made some big plays this season that helped the team to cover up some of the secondary issues down the length of the field. However, those secondary issues were shown last week against Cleveland; the Packers were unable to consistently stop the run, and the lack of pressure during big play moments left the Browns in control of the game. How Parsons and Gary will react this week will be a vital part in keeping their rivals’ offense off balance as Parsons goes head-to-head with old friends and teammates, such as Dak Prescott, to name one.

On the Packers' offensive side of the ball, Jordan Love has continued to show command and poise of the offense, spreading the ball across the field to a young, talented group of receivers. Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks have been proving themselves to be reliable targets for Love early on in the season. While rookie Matthew Golden has shown spurts of potential early on as well. Malik Heath has also stepped into a larger playing role, receiving more snaps as the season goes on, providing Love with another option when looking to throw down the field. However, injuries are beginning to affect the team early in the season, closing the margin for error to an even smaller window for the Packers. 

First, it was receiver Jayden Reed’s broken collarbone, leaving a hole in the middle of the field, where Reed's speed would often keep defenses alert. Now, tight end Tucker Kraft is dealing with a knee injury that could limit his availability after a strong start to the season as one of Love’s most reliable targets down the field. With those key players missing, the Packers' offense will need the run game, led by veteran Josh Jacobs, to become established early in the game and move with more consistency to keep the offense balanced. Sunday’s matchup won’t just be about the rivalry and the history of these teams. It’s a way for the Packers team to take back the narrative from one that looked unstoppable in the first two weeks but was surprisingly stoppable in Week Three. If the Parsons and Gary duo can find ways to pressure and make plays, leaving breathing room for Love and the offense to stay poised while injuries pile on, Green Bay has every chance to move to 3-1 and gain back the early-season momentum.