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If you told most Packers fans before the season that their favorite team would be entering Week 5 with a 2-2 record despite Malik Willis having started two games, they likely would have been pleased.
Sure, in the NFC North, every win is important, especially with the addition of Caleb Williams and the seeming overnight reinvention of Sam Darnold, but staying firmly in that race with a player like Willis under center, who looked completely lost in Tenessee, would be viewed by most as a win, even if Jordan Love somehow doesn't have one yet this season.
Fortunately, in Week 5, Love has a prime chance to finally get his first big win of the season, as his Packers are set to take on a Los Angeles Rams team that has really struggled to put anything notable together pretty much across the board. While they may have an inside track on what Matt LaFleur likes to do since his brother Mike serves as Seam McVay's offensive coordinator, that shouldn't be enough to prevent the Packers from starting their October off on a high note.
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1. Jayden Reed shines as Jordan Love's WR1
After being a no-show at practice on both Thursday and Friday – reportedly because he was unhappy with his role in LaFleur's offense – the Packers made the somewhat controversial decision to suspend former fourth-round pick Romeo Doubs for their Week 5 game against the Rams.
Addressing the media in an official statement, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst explained his rationale behind the decision and why he hopes it's a short-term setback in a long-term march to the Super Bowl.
“Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to suspend Romeo for this week's game,” said Gutekunst. “His decisions and actions during the week negatively impacted the team and required us to take this action. While we are certainly disappointed, we are confident that we will be able to move forward in a positive manner. Romeo is a valuable member of our team, and we look forward to welcoming him back next week.”
Will Love miss Doubs on the field in Week 5? Yes, while he may not like his role, Doubs has led the team in wide receiver snaps, ranks second in receiving yards, and is tied for third in targets behind only Jaylen Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. But do you know what? Those two players are expected to be active in Week 5, plus tight end Tucker Kraft and maybe even Christian Watson, who is listed as doubtful with a sprained left ankle. Factor in Luke Musgraves, who is still waiting for his big breakout moment after being drafted in the second round out of Oregon State last year, and the Packers really do have a loaded collection of players who could help fill out the stat sheet against a below-average Rams defense.
Will players like Reed and Wicks be able to remain as effective in bigger roles? Does the pride of Michigan State have what it takes to truly look like a WR1 at the NFL level, or is his ceiling more along the lines of a high-end WR2, someone who can feast within structure but doesn't truly have what it takes to take over a game on his own?
While Week 5 won't completely answer that question, as Doubs too looks like a WR2 at best, it could serve as an important piece of data in that decision-making process, especially with some fans clamoring hard for a Davante Adams trade back to Green Bay.
2. Josh Jacobs turns in his signature Packers performance in Week 5
If there's one area of the field where a team can attack the Rams' defense, it's on the ground, as through the first four weeks of the 2024 NFL season, they rank 29th in rushing attempts allowed, 28th in yards per carry at an even five spot, and dead last in rushing yards allowed at an ugly 662.
But why? Is it because they still haven't replaced Ernest Jones or Aaron Donald with homegrown talent in the front seven? Or maybe it's because their quality collection of young defensive linemen like Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, and Bryce Young are just more concerned with attacking the pass than holding it down against the run?
Either way, if you want to defeat the Rams, the easiest way to get it done is to commit ruthlessly to attacking them in the trenches, as yards have been easy to come by, and the clock will continue to tick after each play.
Fortunately, the Packers have one of the best running backs in the NFL today in Josh Jacobs, and when you factor in the depth behind him, headlined by Emanuel Wilson, it's hard not to imagine a marquee afternoon for Green Bay's rushing attack, especially if they establish it early.
Can Jacobs unseat his current season-high rushing total of 151 yards in Week 2? If the Packers give him 32 carries once more, that feels like a borderline lock. Book it, sports betting folks.
3. The Packers win the “LaFleur Wars” in Week 5
So, if the Rams aren't very good at defending the pass, have the worst run defense in the NFL, and have been basically forced to take part in pass-heavy shootouts in every game this season, should the Packers be able to keep their winning ways alive and come out of Week 5 the victors?
Yes. Say what you will about the Rams' resilience against a steady string of injuries, but they will still be without two of their top five players and have question marks all over the field. Unless McVay pulls another rabbit out of his hat in Week 5 and really crafts a perfect game plan, the likes of which catches the Packers totally by shock, this game should go down as an all-around win for Green Bay in the “LaFleur Wars.”
