Green Bay Packers: 3 Matchups to watch in Week Four

Elgton Jenkins vs. Grady Jarrett

The Green Bay Packers offensive line has been arguably the best in the entire NFL this season. They are first in the league in Pro Football Outsiders’ Adjusted Line Yards at 5.42. They are also fifth in percentage of runs stuffed at just 11 percent. In pass blocking, the Football Outsiders ranks them third in adjusted sack rate with a minuscule 3.1 percent.

This all goes to show that the offensive line has been top-notch this season, creating holes and cutback lanes for running backs and keeping Aaron Rodgers upright in the passing game. Elgton Jenkins has been a huge part of that, holding down the middle and taking a few reps out at right tackle as well. In just his second year, he’s showing signs that he can be a very good player at any of the five spots on the offensive line.

This week will be one of his biggest tests as Grady Jarrett is coming to town. Jarrett is one of the best interior lineman in the league, especially as a pass rusher. In the past three seasons, he’s racked up 17.5 sacks as an interior lineman as well as 35 tackles for loss. This year, Jarrett already has 2.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, and five QB hits in three weeks. He’s a dynamic player that can wreck a whole gameplan and be extremely disruptive. He is questionable with a hip injury, but if he plays I expect him to be going at it with the same explosiveness he’s shown the past few years.

This will be a matchup of two great interior heavyweights and it will have big implications on this week’s game. With Allen Lazard out and possibly Davante Adams, the Packers are going to have to probably run the ball more and when they do pass, receivers may not win their routes and get open as quickly as Davante does, forcing Rodgers to have to hold the ball a little longer. That will mean that the entire line, especially Jenkins, will have to be extra sharp and on their game for this offense to continue to roll.