5 Patriots to Watch Against High-Caliber Packers Squad

After the New England Patriots barely snuck out of Florida with a win over the Miami Dolphins this week, the squad is back at it again against a worthier opponent: t he Green Bay Packers.

Although it sits last in the NFC North, the visting squad is not one to scoff at. The Packers sit 5-3, well within range to have dreams of particpating in Wildcard Weekend.

So, can the Patriots begin to put those dreams to rest? Or will New England continue its struggles against teams with winning records. Here are five players to keep a eye on.

WR DeMario Douglas

Nov 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas (3) scores a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another week means another battle for the injury-riddled Patriots. Similar to New England's last game, the team heads into the matchup without its two best receivers in A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Although M ack Hollins has since been activated off injured reserve, his game status is still up in the air as well.

Hence, the importance of Douglas this weekend The 25-year-old has surpassed 60 receiving yards in three of his past four games. Plus, his four touchdown receptions this season is already a career-high.

"After that fumble (against the Jets), I just told myself, stop doing too much," Douglas said last Sunday. "I just have to believe in my speed. Sometimes I'd think they're going to catch me. And then, today I was like, I just got to go, I got to go and do something, I've got to make a play."

EDGE Gabe Jacas

Oct 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Gabe Jacas (50) celebrates a missed field goal by the Chicago Bears during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jacas has quickly cemented himself as one of the most impactful players on the Patriots' roster. The second-round rookie dominated the Dolphins last week with his 1.5 sacks and his ability to shut down lanes in the ground game.

Against Green Bay, New England may need Jacas to dial up the pressure. Packers quarterback Jordan Love has proven to be trigger-happy at times. If the Patriots force Love into making poor decisions with the ball in his hand, New England might have a fighting chance on Sunday.

G Ben Brown

Aug 13, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots center Ben Brown (77) looks on before a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week, Ben Brown began the game out on the bench behind guard Walter Rouse. However, after the incumbent starter allowed two pressures and a sack in the first half against the Dolphins, Brown quickly took over.

After that point, it was relatively smooth sailing. The 28-year-old allowed just one pressure in the second half. With Brown likely to get back into the starting lineup against the Packers, expect his success (or lack thereof) to be key in the Patriots' chances at victory.

"Well, Ben's worked really hard," Patriots head caoch Mike Vrabel said. "I think coming in, he had worked through the knee injury – would have been Jacksonville, I think. He came back, had been working in practice, and we stuck with Walter and then wanted to take a look at Ben. So, we'll see where that goes this week, and those guys play extremely hard."

CB Marcus Jones

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington (11) scores a touchdown against New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (25) during the third quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Patriots 35-6. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

On Sunday, Jones may be dealt one of the most difficult hands on the entire Patriots roster. The 28-year-old is likely to be tasked with, at times, covering Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden. The second-year pass catcher sits top-10 in the NFL in both receptions and receiving yards.

On its own, guarding Golden is a tough task. Unfortunately for Jones, to add more fuel to the fire, he is tasked with returning punts against the second-best unit in the league in terms of fewest yards allowed per punt return. On both defense and special teams, Jones has his work cut out for himself on Sunday.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson

Nov 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) runs the ball during the third quarter Miami Dolphins quarterback Kyle McCord (14) at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Patriots quarterback Drake Maye still missing his top offensive weapons, somebody will need to step up to take some of the load off New England's passing game. Enter Stevenson. Last week, he set season-highs in carries (19) and rush yards (82). Against the Packers, expect much of the same.

"Well, he's always willing to do whatever he can to help the team," Vrabel said Monday about Stevenson. "Whether that's pass protect, whether that's being able to catch the ball out of the backfield or his ability to run and give us some tough yardage there and some good runs. ... I think by his actions, it's always easy to see that he cares about the team."

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