5 Packers Still on Thin Ice Heading Into Week 3 Despite Win Over Colts
It wasn't pretty, but the Green Bay Packers dragged the Indianapolis Colts into the mud in Week 2 and came out victorious in an old-school slugfest. Despite the win, several players were on thin ice after underwhelming performances.
Green Bay has preached complementary football for years under head coach Matt LaFleur, and that philosophy is being put to the test with Malik Willis under center in place of the injured Jordan Love. The Packers cannot afford to shoot themselves in the foot, especially when fielding a quarterback who thrives when the rest of the team plays mistake-free football.
In Week 2, the Packers managed to play a relatively clean game, but the margin for error was still razor-thin. Some glaring issues need addressing if Green Bay hopes to maintain its momentum.
A few key players, in particular, must elevate their performance going forward. Here are five Packers who are on thin ice after the win over the Colts.
1. TJ Slaton
TJ Slaton was one of the surprise standouts in training camp, outplaying former first-round pick Devonte Wyatt to earn a starting spot alongside Kenny Clark. It looked like Slaton was ready to take a step forward and solidify himself as a key piece of the Packers' defensive front.
However, through two games, it appears that while Slaton may have won the battle for the starting job, he's losing the war on the field. He's already been out-snapped by Wyatt—59 to 61—and his performance has been underwhelming, to say the least.
Slaton's struggles have been particularly glaring in run defense; an area where the Packers desperately need improvement.
His Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade ranks a dismal 91st out of 100 qualified interior defensive linemen, a concerning metric for a player who was supposed to help anchor the middle of the defense.
The Packers have struggled to contain opposing ground games early in the season. Slaton's inability to clog running lanes and win his individual battles at the line of scrimmage is a significant part of the problem.