Green Bay’s running back situation is an absolute trainwreck right now, with MarShawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, and Chris Brooks all struggling big-time, and now Brooks is likely out for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. Trying to predict who’s going to step up for them each week? Forget about it, because this committee is a mess, and that’s not even counting the offensive line issues that are totally limiting what these guys can do.
Fumbles, Injuries, and a Whole Lotta Nope
Seriously, it’s wild how much trouble these guys are having. MarShawn Lloyd can’t seem to read blocks to save his life, and he’s got a fumbling problem that just won’t quit. Then there’s Kaleb Johnson, whose fumble issues might actually be worse than Lloyd’s. Like, how is that even possible? Johnson’s out here saying he thinks he’s fixed it, and apparently, a change in shoulder pads was part of the problem. You gotta fix it fast, man, if you want any shot at a bigger role in that offense. And to top it all off, Chris Brooks is injured and will probably miss the Bears game. It’s a rough scene, no doubt, and while the offensive line isn’t helping, these unforced errors from the backs themselves are just killer.
Practice Squad to the Rescue? Maybe?
So, what’s a team to do when their running back room is in shambles? Well, the Packers had to make a move. They called up Pierre Strong from the practice squad this week, which definitely shows how uncertain Brooks’ status is. Can Strong be the guy to help this group finally bounce back? Who knows, honestly, but they’re gonna find out on Sunday. If he can just, you know, read blocks reasonably well and hold onto the football, that could be a massive upgrade over what they’ve been getting. That’s a low bar, but it’s where they’re at.
Love’s Play-Action Magic and a Defense That’s Just Too Good
It’s not all doom and gloom on offense, though. Jordan Love’s passer rating off play-action is sitting at third in the entire NFL. That’s proof you don’t even need a killer run game for play-action to work, so why aren’t they leaning into that more earlier in games? Seems like a no-brainer to get that going. They’re gonna need to score some points this Sunday against the Bears, who’ve been playing unsustainably well defensively in a few areas. Maybe they’ll get some regression to the mean there, because relying on the run game with this committee is clearly not the answer right now. Oh, and it’s also linebacker by committee with Isaiah McDuffie and Ty’Ron Hopper filling in for the injured Edgerrin Cooper. So, lots of question marks heading into this weekend.
The Packers are facing the Chicago Bears this Sunday afternoon. It’s a huge test to see if Strong can make an immediate impact and if Love can finally get more play-action opportunities. They absolutely need to find a way to get the offense clicking and score some points if they want to get things turned around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
Leave a Reply