Keisean Nixon didn’t bother soft-pedaling it. With the Packers waiting on Josh Jacobs for a Week 7 date with the Detroit Lions, the Green Bay cornerback said the team is about to look a whole lot different - and a whole lot tougher - if another major piece also comes back.
“It’s a different team now. Think they was scared of us then? We’ll see what happen when 8 get back and then 1 come back,” commented the Packers cornerback during his media availability.
The No. 8 reference appears to point to Jacobs, whose return would give Jordan Love and the Packers offense a badly needed boost. Green Bay has had trouble getting traction on the ground through its first five games, averaging just 60.4 rushing yards per game, the lowest figure in the NFL.
Jacobs’ path back opened on Monday, October 19, when the league announced it would remove him from the NFL commissioner’s exempt list. Jacobs had started the season there following an offseason legal incident, and that move cleared the way for him to return.
Nixon’s mention of No. 1 seems to be about Micah Parsons, who remains out while recovering from a serious knee injury and has yet to play this season. If he gets back, Green Bay’s defense would get a major lift.
The Packers have been tracking Parsons’ rehabilitation closely as they try to keep themselves in the mix. Nixon’s message was simple: if Jacobs and Parsons are back, Green Bay expects to be operating on a different level.
In Other News...
Packers Suddenly Have A Backfield Question Fans Didn't Expect
Green Bays 23-13 win over Dallas brought plenty of encouraging signs, from Matthew Goldens impact in the passing game to a secondary that helped keep the Cowboys in check. Jordan Loves offense moved efficiently enough despite a few drops, and Matt LaFleurs plan drew positive notice as the Packers continued to show a more balanced feel on that side of the ball.
The one unexpected wrinkle came in the backfield, where MarShawn Lloyd never found much rhythm and Pierre Strong Jr. ended up handling the bulk of the work early. For a team that left Week 6 feeling good about several key pieces, the running game suddenly looks like the place where Green Bay has to sort out who it wants carrying the load going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Offense Still Looks Broken After Another Brutal Loss
Dallas looked stuck in neutral again at Lambeau Field, where the Packers turned a promising afternoon into another rough result for a Cowboys offense still searching for answers. Green Bays defense bothered Dak Prescott throughout the day, and the game tilted quickly as the Packers built a lead that put Dallas in chase mode before halftime. Jordan Love did enough to keep Green Bay in control, throwing for 276 yards and accounting for two touchdowns as the Packers moved to 4-2.
The bigger concern for Dallas was how familiar the script felt, with the offense failing to find rhythm and the defense unable to keep the game within reach. Green Bays interceptions of Prescott were part of the damage, and the Packers never really let the Cowboys settle into anything comfortable on either side of the ball. For a team that came into the day at 2-3, the loss leaves another lingering question about how much better this offense can get before the standings start to harden around it. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Gannon Is Already Changing The Feel Of This Packers Defense
Six weeks into the season, Jonathan Gannon has already given Green Bays defense a noticeably different edge. The former Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator has helped steady a unit that looks much more disruptive and organized than it did a year ago, with several players stepping up around him and making the group more competitive on a weekly basis.
The results have shown up even with key names missing from the lineup, which makes the early turnaround stand out even more. Green Bay has found a way to stay productive and force mistakes while waiting for pieces to get healthy, and the question now is how much higher this defense can climb once the full group is available again. [Read more 🡒]