The Green Bay Packers will face the Indianapolis Colts, another team hoping to pick up their first win of the 2024 season, in the second week of play.
Last week, the Colts had no answer for a Texans running attack that combined for 213 yards on the ground. The Packers were their own worst enemy in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, missing opportunities in the red zone and scoring just nine points on three turnovers while being assessed 10 penalties.
The Packers are expected to be without Jordan Love this week, who is nursing a knee injury. Matt LaFleur left the door open for his quarterback to play Sunday, though it could be a bit of a game to keep the Colts on their toes.
Meanwhile, Indianapolis is battered on the defensive side of the ball after losing quarterback JuJu Brents to a knee injury against the Houston Texans. Star defensive end DeForest Buckner also missed practice this week with a back injury and is expected to make a decision during the game.
Now both teams will have to overcome injuries to get back on track.
As always, there will be a number of key matches to look out for that will aid determine the winner. Here are three of them:
QB Malik Willis vs. Colts Defense
Assuming Love doesn’t play this week, Green Bay is expected to hand the reins to backup Malik Willis. Willis has had three weeks to learn Matt LaFleur’s playbook since being acquired from the Tennessee Titans. That’s probably not enough time to learn every concept, but it should be enough to develop a competent game plan. The Packers will likely run a simplified offense that will feature run options and rollouts so Willis can take advantage of his mobility. It will be essential for the offense to avoid long downs and distance so Willis isn’t forced to throw more than he has to. He showed questionable decision-making with the Titans, so taking care of the ball and avoiding turnovers at all costs will be critical.
RB Josh Jacobs vs. Colts run defense
As mentioned earlier, the Colts had the league’s worst run defense in Week 1, giving up 213 yards, 159 of which went to running back Joe Mixon. That bodes well for Jacobs, who, after a sluggish start against the Eagles, had an competent day, totaling 84 yards on 16 carries. Without Love under center, Green Bay will likely rely on the running game, which could mean an increased workload for Jacobs. However, the team’s up-to-date running back did appear on the injury report this week with a back injury. Even if he’s a bit banged up, the Packers may have to rely on Jacobs to carry the load offensively to give them the best chance to win.
Packers defense vs. QB Anthony Richardson
As I recently wrote, Jeff Hafley’s defense did a solid job of limiting Jalen Hurts’ impact as a running back. Hurts is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but he only managed 33 yards on 13 attempts against Green Bay. Richardson will be another formidable challenge, known for being faster and more elusive than Hurts. It’s very likely that Hafley will implement a similar game plan that tries to contain Richardson in the pocket. While it’s not always right, Richardson has a gigantic arm that can do some damage if you’re not careful. Still, it might not be the worst idea for the Packers defense to take advantage of their opportunities and force Richardson to beat them through the air.
