The Green Bay Packers are entering Week 10 of the 2021 NFL season with a 7-2 record and are widely viewed as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Last week, they had to play without Aaron Rodgers due to COVID-19, and only lost by a final score of 13-7 with Jordan Love as the starting quarterback. With that in mind, no one should be concerned about the loss in Green Bay.
Over the past week, rumors had been running rampant that the Packers could sign Odell Beckham Jr. following his release from the Cleveland Browns. Unfortunately, Green Bay came up short and Beckham chose to sign with the Los Angeles Rams.
For insight on the Packers' Week 10 matchup against the Seahawks, listen below:
With the option of signing Beckham gone, the Packers will move forward with the group that is currently on their roster. Davante Adams is arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL right now and behind him Green Bay will have Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, and Randall Cobb at the wide receiver position. Green Bay also lost starting tight end Robert Tonyan to a torn ACL, which was a devastating blow for the offense.
Rodgers would have been even more dangerous with Beckham on board and no one will argue against that. Now, he will have to make do with what he has and hopefully it will be enough for the Packers to make a Super Bowl run.
All of that being said, let's dive in and take a look at who the biggest X-Factor for the rest of the 2021 season is for the Packers, and it's not running back AJ Dillon.
Packers X-Factor
Quite simply, the Packers will need a wide receiver to step up as a clear-cut No. 2 option behind Adams. Opposing defenses have been able to focus their game plan on slowing Adams down. With Beckham, that would not have been the case entirely.
Due to Green Bay not being able to sign Beckham, that leaves Marquez Valdes-Scantling as the obvious X-Factor for the Packers.
Valdes-Scantling has always shown flashes of being a big-play threat for the Packers. However, he has never put everything together to be a consistent playmaker for the Green Bay offense. If he can become that player, the offense will be even more dangerous than they already are.
So far this season, Valdes-Scantling has only been able to play in four games due to injury issues. He has caught eight passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. Green Bay needs him to become a guy that can consistently catch five or six passes for 50 yards or more and to also be a deep threat for Rodgers to utilize.
Standing in at 6-foot-4 with top-notch speed, Valdes-Scantling has been able to create mismatches almost every single week. He has had some issues with drops throughout his career, but he has also proven to be a guy that can make huge plays down the field. Green Bay needs that kind of threat with defenses focusing so much on Adams.
Only time will tell whether the Packers truly have enough weapons to go up against top-notch defenses come playoff time. In years past, Rodgers has been able to make his receivers better around him. He absolutely could have used more help, but talents like Valdes-Scantling are capable of stepping up and making it a non-issue.
Expect to see the Packers rely heavily on Valdes-Scantling now that he is back healthy and ready to play. Rodgers and Valdes-Scantling have been working well together over the last two years and Green Bay will now need him more than ever to be a consistent and dangerous threat.
Follow Us
Subscribe