The Packers’ Week 1 offensive line performance left plenty for Matt LaFleur to sort through, and on Monday the head coach made it clear that guard is one spot the team may have to rethink.
LaFleur said the problems up front were largely tied to mental errors that turned into pass protection breakdowns. Asked whether opposing defenses might try to follow the Vikings’ blitz-heavy approach against Green Bay, he answered, “I think there’s things that we definitely have to get cleaned up that we’ll see this week.”
That question matters even more with the Jets coming to town. New York doesn’t blitz at the same level as Brian Flores’ Vikings, but it is still among the league’s most blitz-heavy teams. That gives Green Bay a chance to show it took something from Week 1 and fixed it.
If not, the pressure on the Packers’ protection issues will only grow. LaFleur was also asked whether the team could go in a different direction at guard if Aaron Banks, who is dealing with knee tendinitis, can’t get back on the field. His answer opened the door a bit, saying the Packers could “potentially” look at other options there.
That conversation has extra weight after Donovan Jennings and Jacob Monk both struggled badly against Minnesota. The other active linemen on Green Bay’s gameday roster were Anthony Belton, Jager Burton and John Williams.
LaFleur also said no major injuries came out of Week 1. He confirmed that cornerback Brandon Cisse exited because of cramps. Carrington Valentine took over for him and was targeted late as the Vikings piled on multiple scores, finishing the game on a 29-point run.
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