The Green Bay Packers lackluster secondary might be without starting safety Morgan Burnett for the third straight week, according to coach Mike McCarthy.
“He’s just not ready,” McCarthy said. “Not quite there. I don’t know about this week, either.”
Burnett missed his second straight game with a hamstring injury on Sunday, even though he practiced all last week. It seems like, at this point, the Packers are being overly cautious with Burnett. He was given some phantom test on Saturday and it was then determined he wouldn’t play this week.
“It’s just a game plan we go by with the training staff and I go with their instructions,” Burnett said.
Without Burnett, the Packers’ opponents have piled up some huge numbers through the air. In week one, 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick threw for 412 yards, with 208 of those going to Anquan Boldin. By comparison, Seattle held those two guys to 127 and 7 yards, respectively, last night.
Yesterday, Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III threw for 320 yards, with 143 going to Pierre Garcon.
Clearly, the Packers secondary hasn’t been very good without Burnett and next week they face the best receiver they’ll see in the first three weeks, in Cincinnati’s A.J. Green.
If there’s any good news, it’s that the Packers have bye in week four and should have both Burnett and cornerback Casey Hayward back when they return.
John Kuhn is also nursing a hammy. Hamstrings undeniably touch upon the training and medical staff. Hear me now–and believe me later.
I was hoping for a late-year bye week but now I’m pretty happy we have one in week four. Our secondary is getting torched. We have yet to establish a running game and we can’t expect Rodgers to throw for 300+ and 3 TDs every game. Sorry, but I’m labeling James Starks 100+ day as a fluke – and I seriously hope I’m wrong.
Not going so far as to call it a fluke, but likely a combination of AR getting their heads spinning and a pretty shaky Washington run defense coming in.
Expect a different outcome against Cinti’s front 7 on Sunday. Got some meat eaters in that group.
Well, I wouldn’t expect Starks to have a 100 yards against Cincy.
Anyway, this is beyond predictable. OF COURSE, Burnett will be back after the bye. Who didn’t see that coming?
Sunday’s game was 31-0 in the 3rd quarter. The yards gained by WASH after that point mean nothing.
if it takes one more game to get Burnett back to game form, and he stays for the season, then so be it. Hayward too. I don’t want to hear that they came back too soon and got re-injured.
A lot of talk about yards given up in the secondary because of Burnetts absence, BUT….One player shouldn’t make a huge difference…Yes Burnetts a decent developing player…But its not like he’s a Pro Bowler yet…Keep in mind that McMillian was only responsible for giving up 56 yards of the 412 yards that Kaepernick passed for….McMillian got dumped on heavily, and deservedly so…But there was plenty of blame to go around…He was just that games punching bag.
They make it sound like burnett is gonna be this superhero stud that comes in and knocks some heads together. Hes only ever been an average player..and..probably wouldnt even start on most teams. What are the chances that he comes back rusty..I think Hayward coming back would make them better.
We need both of those guys. In both games we’ve played, opposing wideouts have been wide open in space numerous times, often 15-20 yards down the field and right in the middle. In fact, some of those times they’re simply standing still like you would on a short buttonhook. DBs are missing assignments badly. This needs to change and quick.