Packers: There’s “Hope” that Marquez Valdes-Scantling Can Return for Week 8
By Paul Bretl
After beating the Washington Football team to improve to 6-1 on the season, it’s a quick turnaround for the Green Bay Packers as they head to Arizona for a Thursday Night matchup.
However, despite the short week, Green Bay is hoping that the offense will receive a boost with the potential return of Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
When asked if there was hope that MVS could return Thursday, Matt LaFleur would call it just that.
"“Yeah, absolutely. There’s hope for that.”"
That’s far from a guarantee by any means, so take that as you will, and after doing some testing on Monday, we will have to wait and see how Valdes-Scantling responds.
The Green Bay Packers have missed Valdes-Scantling’s big-play ability.
Valdes-Scantling has missed the last four games on IR dealing with a hamstring injury that he suffered against San Francisco.
In three games this season, MVS and Aaron Rodgers have just missed on a few big-play opportunities. So far, Valdes-Scantling has only six receptions for 76 yards, with a long of 47, and a touchdown.
In terms of passes that traveled at least 20-yards last season, Valdes-Scantling ranked 15th in targets, eighth in yards, second in average yards per catch at 53.4, and tied for fourth with four touchdowns, according to PFF ($$). He also led the NFL in overall yards per catch at 20.9.
Overall we haven’t seen the same home run ability from this Green Bay Packers offense this season. While there are always a number of factors, Rodgers recently explained that a big one was not having MVS in the mix:
"“83 has been hurt,” Rodgers said via Packers Wire. “That definitely is a big part of it. We haven’t had a ton of that stuff in the plan. Also, we’ve seen a lot of Cover-2. With 83 not playing, and them clouding Davante a bunch, we just haven’t had the same opportunities.”"
With his 4.3 40-yard speed, there is no other member of this Green Bay Packers team that can do what Valdes-Scantling does by taking the top off of opposing defenses. But this ability doesn’t just generate big plays for himself, the attention he draws creates for his teammates as well.
This is an Arizona defense that is allowing just 16.3 points per game this season, the fewest in football, and they’ve also given up just 15 explosive pass plays—the third-fewest. Not to mention that we just learned that Green Bay will likely be without Davante Adams, who was placed on the reserve/COVID list.
We are still in wait-and-see mode, but if there’s a week to get Valdes-Scantling back, this would be a very good one.