The Green Bay Packers’ secondary has given up a lot of yards to some pretty nondescript receivers this season. Namely Stefon Diggs and Marvin Jones. They’ve also held the biggest-name receiver they’ve faced, Odell Beckham Jr., in check. This week, they’ll face arguably the best receiver in the league in the Atlanta Falcons’ Julio Jones.
They’ll face him with a beat-up secondary that will likely be missing their (supposed) top three cornerbacks. So what are they going to do to slow Jones down?
Micah Hyde has an answer, although not a very good one.
“The week of (the game),” Hyde said, “every night before you go to bed, you’ve got to pray. Game day, you’ve got to wake up, you’ve got to pray. He’s just one of those guys that can get it done in all aspects of the game.
“Honestly, there’s nothing he can’t do. There’s guys that come along every now and then, you’ve got your Calvin Johnson-type guys, and he’s one of them. He’s the best in the game right now.”
Jones has a league-leading 830 receiving yards though seven games. He also carries gaudy 20.8 yards per reception.
That total is bolstered by the 300-yard game he had in week 4 versus Carolina, but Jones went over 100 the past two weeks against Seattle and San Diego, who he piled up 174 against in week 7. The thing is, Jones has also had games where he’s been nonexistent.
He caught just one for 16 in week 3 at New Orleans and two for 29 in week 5 at Denver.
So what are the Packers going to do besides pray?
We’d put LaDarius Gunter on Jones because he’s the Packers’ most physical cornerback. We’d also give Gunter plenty of safety help over the top.
Jones is probably going to get his, but the Packers can still hold him relatively in check if they execute properly. Regardless of who the team’s top three corners are on the depth chart, Gunter is best-suited for this matchup.
4 Comments
So who shows up, the Gunter against the Cowboys, or the Gunter against the Bears?
Be careful what you wish for. Matt Barkley is no Matt Ryan.
I don’t really think it matters who they put on Jones, although Gunter might be the best bet because he’s taller than the other shorties we have.
Another problem may be it’s hammy time again for the Claymolder. Gess he will get a second opinion before he steps on the field again.
PF4L
10/24/2016 at 12:47 pm
This season, is a big stinking shit pile of a mess. Sorry…it is. The players and coaches might want to have daily prayer meetings of beating the Falcons, regardless of Atlanta’s weak defense, their offense is no joke.
Depending on how we compete in this game, I will either be a buyer or seller.
Close game but we win/ lose, I will still be encouraged. Blowout loss and I’m going to focus more on the young Milwaukee Bucks.