Green Bay Packers rumors heavily revolve around the opinions of analysts, experts, and fans right now. Many NFL experts are questioning whether the Packers really have the talent to make it back to the Super Bowl and if their Week 1 victory over the Seattle Seahawks was more of a fluke than a statement game. What isn’t questionable is how easily the defense of the Packers tore apart the offensive line of the Seahawks in a 17-9 victory.
Aaron Rodgers finished with his typical 300-yard game, posting 311 passing yards, one touchdown, and an interception on his stat line.
That included a drive in the second half that ended with a Jordy Nelson touchdown reception. There were other times, though, when the offense got a bit bogged down, as the running game really struggled to move the ball.
Can Aaron Rodgers cover for a terrible running game?
During the NFL offseason, a number of Green Bay Packers rumors centered on who would become the starting running back for the team. Eddie Lacy signed with the Seattle Seahawks and names like Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles kept popping up. Both free agents ended up signing with other teams, as Peterson went to the New Orleans Saints and Charles went to the Denver Broncos. The team decided to go with what it had and check out the draft instead of investing a lot of money in a free agent running back.
On 28 rushing plays against the Seattle Seahawks, the Green Bay Packers had just 84 rushing yards. That works out to an average gain of just 3.0 yards per carry, which typically won’t get it done in an NFL game. Ty Montgomery had 54 yards on 19 carries, but that included a touchdown from inside the red zone following a fumble recovery by the defense.
Aaron Rodgers added 21 yards on seven carries, including a nice 13-yard scramble to get an important first down.
What’s up next for the Packers?
The Green Bay Packers are on the road to play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night (Sep. 18). This is a re-match of the 2017 NFC title game and it has all the billings of a great game.
It will be important for the running game of the Packers to prove that the stats against the Seattle Seahawks were just a fluke. The defense is also going to have to come up big against one of the better offenses in the entire NFL.
The Packers promoted Adam Pankey from the practice squad to help on the offensive line, so that could certainly aid the running game. That should help with depth, but it will take more than Pankey to prove that the Packers are ready to contend for another Super Bowl. In order for the team to quiet all the Green Bay Packers rumors, the NFL analysts, and the fans of opposing teams, Aaron Rodgers needs to make this a statement game and put it in the win column.
