Maggie’s Pre-Game Six Pack – 2024 Week 3

The 1-1 Green Bay Packers will travel to Nashville this week to take on an unfamiliar opponent. Per the dope sheet, the last time Green Bay won a road game against the franchise was all the way back in 1992 playing in Houston against the Oilers. This is the fourth consecutive season that the Packers have started 1-1. In each of the last three seasons, Green Bay has improved to 2-1 after Week 3. Here are six things to keep in mind going into the Titans game. 

1. Down Right Offensive

The Titans have one of the worst offensive lines in football. Pro Football Focus considers Tennessee the 31st ranked o-line going into Week 3. The unit allowed 17 pressures in Week 2 against the Jets, with right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere giving up nine of those pressures himself. 

This is exactly what the Packers pass rush needs after a slow start to the 2024 season. Green Bay had two sacks against the Eagles in Week 1, but then only brought down Anthony Richardson once in Week 2 against the Colts. Will Levis is not the type of mobile threat at quarterback that Jalen Hurts and Richardson are. If the Packers can generate a pass rush on Sunday, they should be able to bring Levis down a ton. 

There’s a lot of talent in this defensive front, and the Packers have invested significant draft capital over the years to make sure of that. Rashan Gary typically rushes over the right tackle, so he’ll be due a big game on Sunday. Behind him, the Packers need to see jumps from Lukas Van Ness and Devonte Wyatt (who does have a sack this season). Levis has been sacked seven times this year. Opportunities will be there for Green Bay’s defense. The Packers just have to capitalize. 

2. Make Something Special on Teams

The Titans have already had two punts blocked in two games. In Week 1, familiar face Jonathan Owens returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, getting the Bears back into a game they eventually won. And in Week 2 against the Jets, punter Ryan Stonehouse had a second punt blocked giving the Jets great starting field position at the Tennessee 30-yard line. Rich Bisaccia is the highest-paid special teams coordinator in the NFL. His unit will have a real opportunity to alter the game on Sunday. 

For the Packers, punter Daniel Whelan is becoming a weapon in his own right. He’s punted five times this season, averaging 42.6 yards per punt. Four of those punts have landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Kicker Brayden Narveson is 6-of-8 this year on field goals, missing both kicks from 45 yards, though he did make a 46-yarder this season. He’s also perfect on extra points. If he can clean up his near misses, the Packers may have found their kicker of the future. 

3. X Gon’ Pick It For Ya 

Sorry, Twitter saw that first. The Packers got a good one in safety Xavier McKinney. In an effort to completely overhaul the safety unit for 2024, Green Bay spent big and signed McKinney, the top free agent available at safety, to a four-year, $67 million contract. He’s been worth every penny. 

In two games, McKinney has already snagged two interceptions. He’s the only safety in the NFL with multiple picks, and he ties Buffalo cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram as the only two players with multiple interceptions through the first two weeks of the season. 

McKinney’s career-best for interceptions was five in 2021. Last year in New York he had three through 17 games. While it’s incredibly unlikely McKinney can keep this streak going all season, as he’s on pace for 17 interceptions (which would be an NFL record), it does illustrate the immediate value he’s brought to Green Bay’s secondary. 

Per Pro Football Reference, McKinney has no missed tackles this season and has only allowed one completion for eight yards, allowing a passer rating when targeted of 2.8. His other two targets resulted in interceptions. More on those interception numbers later. 

4. The Belle (Cow) of the Ball 

We just gave the defensive free agent addition his flowers, now let’s give some to Josh Jacobs. It’s an entirely revamped running backs room in 2024, with Jacobs the lead back and Aaron Jones in Minnesota. With AJ Dillon on season-ending injured reserve, we expected the Packers to lean on rookie third-round draft pick MarShawn Lloyd behind Jacobs. Unfortunately, Lloyd was just placed on injured reserve this past week, too, which means the current running backs room consists of Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson, and the newly signed Chris Brooks. 

Through two weeks, Jacobs currently ranks third in the NFL with 235 rushing yards, behind only J.K. Dobbins (266) and Jordan Mason (247). While he’s yet to find the end zone this season, he’s rushed 48 times and is averaging 4.9 yards per carry. For reference, the last time he averaged 4.9 yards per carry was in 2022 when he finished with 1,653 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. That season earned him First Team All-Pro honors. Currently, Jacobs is on pace to finish the year with 1,998 yards, which would be a career-high.

The Titans defense has been pretty stout against the run, allowing only 185 yards through two weeks. They have 14 tackles for loss, getting into the backfield consistently to stuff big gains. Green Bay’s offensive line played well against the Colts in Week 2 and didn’t allow a single sack of Malik Willis. If they can keep Willis (or Jordan Love?) upright again against Tennessee, that will allow Matt LaFleur to call a similar offensive attack and should open up some rushing opportunities for Jacobs. Of course, the offensive attack looks completely different if Love is able to play, but we’ll operate under the assumption that it’s Willis time until further notice. 

5. Ridley Me This

On paper, the Titans should have a pretty solid receiving trio with DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley, and Tyler Boyd. Instead, it’s been the Ridley show all season. He was a welcomed addition from Jacksonville and leads the team with seven catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. Boyd has 44 yards this season, and Hopkins only has 17 through two games. If Jaire Alexander travels with Ridley, the secondary should be able to shut down this Titans receiving game with relative ease. 

Levis has thrown three interceptions through two games with two touchdowns. The Titans offense ranks 27th in passing yards with 274 through two games, and 29th in net yards gained per pass attempt. 

The offense really runs (no pun intended) through the rushing attack. Ridley has a rushing touchdown of his own this season, and Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears make a formidable tandem. Tennessee ranks 10th in rushing yards per attempt, averaging five yards per carry on the ground and picking up 18 first downs. 

The Packers defense sits at 27th in the league when it comes to run defense, giving up an average of 5.1 yards per carry. Even if Green Bay can shut down Ridley and the receiving game, it won’t matter if the defense is being gashed for big gains on the ground. The Packers will need to clean that up quickly after allowing 140-plus rushing yards in both contests this season. 

6. A Tale of Turnovers 

Green Bay’s defense has five interceptions through two weeks, which leads the NFL. Alexander, Evan Williams, and Eric Wilson are all on the board with one each behind McKinney’s two, while Alexander leads the team with three passes defensed. This is a dramatic improvement from a defense that only had seven interceptions in 17 games last season. 

In each of the Packers’ first two games this season, the defense has forced three turnovers. Those six turnovers also rank first in the league. Meanwhile in Tennessee, the Titans have lost five turnovers already this year, ranking 31st in the NFL. Their offense has turned the ball over multiple times in both games, and their defense has only managed one takeaway so far this season. 

For Green Bay’s defense, 28.6% of drives this season ended in a turnover. The Titans are turning the ball over on 20.8% of offensive drives. The Packers are plus-four in turnover differential while the Titans sit dead last in the league at minus-four. If the Packers protect the football on Sunday and capitalize on a few takeaways, they win this game. It’s that simple.