Heading into Week 7, the Green Bay Packers are once again facing a team with some significant questions at the quarterback position. With the Arizona Cardinals as their next opponents, injury issues mean that head coach Matt LaFleur and defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley cannot be sure who the starting quarterback will be on Sunday. Will starter Kyler Murray return to the lineup after missing last week’s game due to a foot injury, or will impressive backup Jacoby Brissett be given the nod again?
Green Bay Packers Once Again Facing Opponent With QB Uncertainty
Days before their Week 6 bout with the Cincinnati Bengals, the Green Bay Packers defense had a wrench thrown into the scouting report. The Tuesday before they welcomed the AFC North opponent to Lambeau, a quarterback trade was made. The center of the gameplan quickly shifted from Bengals backup signal-caller Jake Browning to veteran Joe Flacco, who the Packers had already faced earlier in the season when the Cleveland Browns stole a win away from head coach Matt LaFleur’s outfit.
Despite only managing 142 passing yards against Jeff Hafley and company, Flacco got the job done at home as a member of the Browns. However, even with a 219-yard performance on the road, the former Super Bowl MVP failed to earn the win with his new squad as the Packers won 27-18.
Players and coaches alike addressed the awkwardness of facing the same quarterback for a second time in quick succession, let alone on two different teams, but in both cases, the defense held Flacco-led offenses to fairly low yardage. The Packers got into the win column for the first time in three weeks, after an upsetting loss, an ugly tie, and a bye week.
This week’s trip to Glendale, Arizona also includes the defense having to do their homework on multiple opposing QBs.
Arizona Cardinals Unsure if Kyler Murray or Jacoby Brissett Will Start Versus the Green Bay Packers
Arizona has quarterback drama of their own. As the Packers defeated the Bengals, Cardinals starter Kyler Murray sat on the bench against the Indianapolis Colts due to a foot injury and watched as veteran backup Jacoby Brissett guided the team to its season-high in both yards gained and points scored.
Murray has lost his last three starts, including two winnable games at home. Now, with head coach Jonathan Gannon unsure if the former #1 overall pick will be able to suit up or not and some fans feeling that Brissett should get the nod either way, the Packers defense can’t be certain about who they will face Sunday afternoon.
Green Bay Packers Need to Be Prepared for Either Murray or Brissett to Start
Green Bay’s defensive approach would likely be dramatically different depending on who the starter is. Against Murray, known for his athleticism, Hafley could be inclined to use a linebacker to spy Murray and hope to contain his scrambling. Quay Walker would be the one most likely to be deployed in such a manner, while Edgerrin Cooper also has some experience as a spy.
While Murray’s modern dual-threat skillset that could make life more stressful on the linebackers, Brissett is coming off of a decent performance where he threw for 320 yards. Given Murray’s struggles on the season, there is speculation about if Brissett would be a better choice despite Gannon affirming Murray is the team’s starter.
Regardless of who is starting, Micah Parsons and the Packers pass rush needs to do a better job of getting to the quarterback. With just two sacks in the last two games, one of the league’s more fearsome pass rushes on paper is currently not living up to its billing. Arizona averages three sacks allowed per game, making 3+ sacks a good goal for Parsons and company for Sunday’s contest.
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