Three Days to Kickoff: 3 Areas of Concern
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are 2-0 after a pair of big-time offensive performances to start the season. The New Orleans are 1-1 and have a short week following a Monday night loss at Las Vegas. Nonetheless, the Packers are field-goal underdogs for Sunday night’s showdown.
Here are three potential trouble spots.
1. Kandid Kamara
Saints running back Alvin Kamara is one of the most explosive players in the NFL. He finished sixth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage in 2017 and seventh in 2018. He’s at it again this season, ranking sixth through two games.
As a runner, Kamara has three-year averages of 803 yards, nine touchdowns and 5.0 yards per carry. Where Kamara is a real X-factor is as a receiver. After three consecutive seasons with 81 receptions, he leads all NFL running backs by wide margins with 14 receptions (no one else has more than 10), 146 receiving yards (only Raheem Mostert, with 110 yards, has more than 81) and six first downs (no one else has more than four). In fact, his 145 yards after the catch are more than any running back has in total. Like Green Bay’s Aaron Jones, Kamara can beat defenses on screens, deep passes and all points in between.
Kamara caught 9-of-9 passes for 95 yards against the Raiders; Green Bay allowed 5-of-5 targets for 60 yards last week to Detroit’s D’Andre Swift.
“Alvin Kamara, he’s a guy who’s just athletic,” Packers linebacker Christian Kirksey said on Wednesday. “He’s an athlete out there and, when you split him out, that’s what makes him one of the better running backs in the league. When he becomes a receiver, that’s a threat to guys at the linebacker position or guys who may not usually be out in space. So, that makes him a good player and I think that’s the reason why he’s paid the way he’s paid. I think that’s why he can take over games because he can do both.”
2. Hill’s Thrill
The Legend of Taysom Hill is, in fact, a bit of a tall tale.
Hill went undrafted in 2017 out of BYU due to a combination of injuries (four season-ending injuries in five seasons) and age.
Despite an impressive rookie training camp, in which he turned 27, he failed to make Green Bay’s roster. The Saints were scouting Max McCaffrey, a receiver who failed to make Green Bay’s roster, but it was Hill who kept catching the eye of coach Sean Payton. So, the Saints signed him. Eventually, he became an all-around weapon.
Last season, Hill rushed for 156 yards (5.8 average), caught 19 passes for 234 yards and six touchdowns, and went 3-of-5 as a passer. In April, he signed a two-year, $21 million contract extension and is seen as a potential successor to quarterback Drew Brees. The 30-year-old hasn’t done much this season, with only five rushes and one reception.
“I think we began to fall into some of his roles,” Payton said in a conference call. “We did claim him as a quarterback. We still feel strongly in his ability to play that position. I’m going to say a few weeks into [the 2017] season, we were nicked up a little bit with our inactives. We had an extra spot. We decided we’d put him on a few special teams and it kind of took off from there. He’s obviously a gifted athlete especially for his size. I think sometimes it’s hard to appreciate his strength and his speed. So, we began to build a role for him in the kicking game and then it evolved to offense. And, it’s something that slowly took place.
“He’s unique. Obviously, he plays a lot of spots in the kicking game. Off-hand, I can’t think of someone [comparable] specifically because of the way he’s built. The one thing you do feel about the player is he really enjoys the game. You see that in his play when he’s playing. And, I think the respect he has in the locker room for the different roles he plays, and certainly his week of preparation is a little unique in that he’s in the kicking game meeting and then up with the quarterbacks. We’ve just got to keep finding ways to keep him involved.”
Presumably, Payton would like to highlight Hill against his former team. However, it’s worth noting that in the 34 games from 2018 through the start of 2020, Hill has 373 rushing yards and 252 receiving yards. That's merely 18.9 scrimmage yards per game. Throw in his 157 passing yards, that's 782 yards on offense - or 23 yards per game. He has a total of 73 rushing, receiving and passing yards in two games this season.
3. Air Jordan
Who’s going to block Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan?
The Packers and Saints have allowed a league-low one sack this season. The play of Green Bay’s front line, such a question mark to open the season, has been a real revelation. However, Jordan will be a handful. He plays left defensive end, meaning he’ll go up against Green Bay’s right tackle. Will that be Rick Wagner, who has pitched a shutout in six quarters?
“Rick’s done a great job, and I’m glad he’s stepped up the way he did,” offensive line coach Adam Stenavich said on Wednesday. “Yeah, there was some question marks just only being around him for a limited amount of time, you’re only around him for a month and a half, but the things that impressed us – obviously, a veteran guy coming in and has a lot of experience and has done a great job. Everything we’ve asked him to do, he’s done a good job.”
Or will it be Billy Turner, who missed the first games due to injury but should be ready to roll? Turner is listed as the team’s No. 1 right tackle, though the Packers could stick with Wagner and move Turner back to right guard, where he started all 16 games last year.
Jordan finished third in the NFL with 15.5 sacks last season and is third with 40.5 sacks since the start of the 2017 season.
