What to Know: 4 Packers questionable vs. Atlanta including Jones and Bakhtiari

The Green Bay Packers released their final injury report ahead of their Week 2 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. Here is what you need to know.

Throughout the week, there have been three names, in particular, that everyone has had their eyes on: Aaron Jones, Christian Watson, and Quay Walker. All of whom, along with David Bakhtiari, are questionable.

Jones is listed as questionable after leaving Sunday’s game against Chicago with a hamstring injury. From the outside looking in, it has been difficult to decipher how severe the injury is. On one hand, Jones said after the game that had it been close he could have gone back in. On the other hand, hamstring injuries can be finicky and linger. Jones has not practiced at all this week.

My guess is that if there is even the slightest question mark around this injury come Sunday, the Packers will keep Jones out. As we know, they are already very conscious about his snap count throughout the course of a season, not to mention that when speaking about Christian Watson’s injury prior to Week 1, Matt LaFleur mentioned that their priority is with having Watson for hte long haul and not rushing him back for one game. I imagine the same thought process applies to Jones.

As we saw against the Bears, and in past seasons, this offense just operates differently when Jones is the focal point, whether that be as a ball carrier or pass catcher. Against a stout defensive front, the Packers are going to have to find more success on the ground this week than what they did in Chicago. Success on the ground keeps the offense out of predictable situations and can open up opportunities in the passing game.

Watson, meanwhile, is listed as questionable after being held out of Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practices with the same hamstring injury he had last week. Watson was limited during Friday’s practice, which is a step in the right direction.

If we look at Romeo Doubs’ timeline as he dealt with a hamstring injury leading up to the Chicago game, he was out roughly 12 days prior to returning for two days of practice in a limited capacity before suiting up last Sunday and playing on a snap count.

We don’t know exactly when Watson’s injury happened, but I would venture to guess that he is currently within that same 10 to 12 day time frame as Doubs was, given that he was out all of last week as well. If available on Sunday, I would anticipate Watson being on a snap count like Doubs was.

Without Watson last week, the Packers and the added speed they have on offense were able to still generate four explosive plays in the passing game without him. With that said, the Atlanta defense presents a bigger challenge than what Chicago’s did, and this is a secondary that plays aggressively, with a lot of late movement, along with challenging the receivers at the line of scrimmage.

Walker suffered a concussion on his interception and touchdown run against the Bears and has been in concussion protocol since. He is listed as questionable. There are still are other tests he has to pass before he is fully cleared, but the fact that he’s been back at practice – even in a limited capacity – is a good sign for him.

David Bakhtiari did not practice at all this week, which was the case prior to Chicago, however he is listed as questionable this time around after not having a designation last week. Matt LaFleur reiterated that this week-to-week unknown is likely going to be a constant, to varying degrees, this season. With that said, as Bakhtiari has shown repeatedly, his practice status is not much of a sign of what his availability on Sundays will be and even without those reps, he is still playing at a very high level.

If without Bakhtiari, the Packers could start Rasheed Walker at left tackle, where he saw snaps this summer with the starters, or move Zach Tom to left tackle and put Walker on the right side. Based on how training camp unfolded, Yosh Nijman seems to be behind Walker on the depth chart.

Rashan Gary, Daniel Whelan, and Anthony Johnson, who were all on the injury report this week, are good to go and do not have injury designations.

Atlanta Falcons Injury Report

Troy Anderson, LB, OUT

Jeff Okudah, CB, QUESTIONABLE

Cordarrelle Patterson was not listed with an injury designation after missing Week 1 against Carolina.