AM Quickslant: Time To Move On

With the Steelers game in the rear-view mirror and the Eagles Saturday game on the horizon, the Packers will quickly begin to find out what they have in their young wide receivers. The loss of Jordy Nelson also must be put behind them if they are going to maintain the goals set at the beginning of the year. Saturday will be a big day, one in which the ones will play their most football of the preseason but for the Packers it will also be a time to give opportunities to players filling in for the injured. 

Of course, the most talked about injured player is Jordy Nelson who was lost for the year due to a significant knee injury. The young wide receivers on this team all just got bumped up a spot on the roster because of his loss. This is the worst possible way to keep a spot on a team but as they say (whether it means anything or not) “It is what it is”.

But there is also the injury to Bhaktiari to worry about. Don Barclay no sooner stepped on the field it seemed than he was responsible for the sack/safety in which Aaron Rodgers sustained a bruised right arm. The line between bruised and broken can be very thin…so we have more to worry about than who Rodgers is throwing to. We also need to make sure he can throw at all. Barclay will presumably get plenty of reps in the upcoming game though they may move Brian Bulaga to the left tackle position after what happened last Sunday.

The Steelers game will be a chance to restore the belief that this team can be dominant without Jordy Nelson. If Barclay performs, we will all feel a lot better. I think our young receivers have the chance to make names for themselves and have the physical tools to do it. They also couldn’t be in a better place with the best coaching staff to move them forward quickly.

I also want to see the defense take the loss of Nelson seriously. This defense did some good things especially toward the end of last season and we have not seen Clay Matthews on the field yet. They need to take the loss of Nelson personally. Let me repeat that…they need to take the loss of Nelson personally. The fact that Packernation sunk into a funk with the loss of a star offensive player should be a call for this defense to make up in points defensed for the points Jordy would have scored. Our defense did some good things at the end of last season and they need to continue to be at their most dominant when the offense sputters. Time will tell and the defense has youth of its own to develop but I think this is the year that our defense needs to take a step forward.

Well, it’s Wednesday folks and football is coming again soon. This Saturday’s game has suddenly taken on a whole new meaning. Will the Packers languish in the loss of Jordy Nelson, or will they accept this challenge as the way in which Championship teams are forged.

What do you think? Will the Packers take up for their fallen brother? Let us know in the comments below or back on the Facebook Fanpage.

Go Pack!