5 Packers on Thin Ice Heading Into Week 2 Matchup vs. Colts

The Green Bay Packers’ season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles was anything but smooth. The team looked disorganized from the start, making key errors across the board.

Missed tackles, dropped passes, miscommunication on offense, and the ever-present special teams blunders made for a sloppy performance. Adding insult to injury, literally, was Jordan Love’s sprained MCL, which will sideline him for the next few weeks.

With the team suddenly under pressure and trying to regroup, several players find themselves on thin ice. Here are five Packers whose performances in Week 1 left a lot to be desired and need to step up quickly before losing their grip on their roles.

1. Isaiah McDuffie

Isaiah McDuffie was a surprise starter in Week 1, beating out rookies Edgerrin Cooper and Ty'ron Hopper for the linebacker job. Injuries to the rookies certainly played a role in that decision, but McDuffie also impressed during training camp, earning his chance.

However, McDuffie’s regular-season debut left much to be desired. He logged 74 snaps in the Packers’ loss to the Eagles, earning a PFF grade of 35.7, the lowest on the defense. He struggled with missed tackles, accounting for two of the Packers nine, and allowed two receptions for 29 yards, including a touchdown.

The Packers' linebacker unit is crowded with young talent, and McDuffie's shaky performance has left the door wide open for Cooper, who shined in limited snaps. McDuffie will likely get another chance to start in Week 2, but the pressure is on. He needs a strong bounce-back game, or the Packers could be looking to shift roles at linebacker sooner rather than later.