After splitting the first two meetings, the Green Bay Packers will look to get the upper hand on rival Chicago Bears in a wild-card round matchup on Saturday night. The first two games may have taken years off the lives of the two fan bases after they were each decided by one possession, which opens the door for an unlikely hero to make the difference and send their team to the divisional round.
That opportunity may have opened up for Packers wide receiver Jakobie Keeney-James. Currently on the practice squad, it seemed like it was unlikely for him to see the field during Saturday’s game, but it is now a possibility after The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman reported that Dontayvion Wicks will miss Saturday’s game as he recovers from a concussion.
While some Packers fans would think this opens a chance for Golden, it could also be a chance for Keeney-James to build on his impressive Week 18 performance.
Jakobie Keeney-James Could Be Surprise Weapon in Packers’ Showdown vs. Bears
James was only targeted twice in the 16-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18, but he caught both passes for 15 yards. Both totals were team-highs in the loss after Clayton Tune struggled to move the offense, but Keeney-James also contributed in the return game with 47 yards on two kickoff returns.
Looking at the current state of the Packers’ receiver room, the opportunity is there. Green Bay’s top three receivers are locked in as Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Jayden Reed should be featured heavily. Rookie Matthew Golden also had a quiet season and is looking for his first career touchdown reception, but Keeney-James could be elevated before kickoff on Saturday night.
A member of the Detroit Lions practice squad this summer, the Packers added Keeney-James in part due to his 4.37-second time in the 40-yard dash and 40.5-inch vertical leap, as both of those traits could come in handy as a sneaky target for Jordan Love and as a potential kick returner.
Andy Herman of the Pack A Day Podcast also stoked the fire, suggesting Keeney-James could take over Melton’s role as a kick returner after he landed on injured reserve with a knee injury suffered against the Vikings. While Keisean Nixon has been an All-Pro kick returner in the past, Keeney-James could be a workaround to his reluctance to return to the role, pairing with Emanuel Wilson.
It may not seem like Keeney-Wilson having a big role is probable going into Sunday’s game. But in a rivalry where Malik Willis may have made himself millions of dollars coming in for Love in Week 16, he could be the unlikely difference that helps Green Bay advance.