The Green Bay Packers are getting more fit and guarding against complacency sooner than opening the 2d half of of their season Sunday as two-touchdown favorites over the slumping Jacksonville Jaguars.
Green Bay (6-2) has withstood a chain of accidents to steer the NFC North at the halfway level of the season. Working lend a hand Aaron Jones (calf) came lend a hand closing week after missing two games and Pro Bowl offensive contend with David Bakhtiari (chest) has practiced fully this week after sitting out three games.
The Packers piece the NFC’s easiest account with Novel Orleans and Seattle.
“To be 6-2 correct now with the accidents that we’ve had and the cases feels genuinely proper,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers acknowledged. “We’re no longer going to chill or get complacent though. We’ve purchased a fancy avenue sooner than us and some mountainous dreams down the road.”
The Packers realized that lesson of their outdated home game, as they fell 28-22 to a Minnesota Vikings group that had entered Lambeau Field with a 1-5 account. Rodgers acknowledged afterward that the Packers didn’t accumulate the required energy for that game.
Jacksonville (1-7) is struggling even bigger than that Minnesota group used to be a pair of weeks within the past.
The Jaguars are 13 1/2-level underdogs and accumulate dropped seven straight games since opening the season with a 27-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. They’re allowing 418.1 yards per game, 6.4 yards per play and 30.9 points per game to noxious 31st out of 32 NFL groups in every of those three classes.
“Obviously the statistics are uncomfortable,” Jaguars coach Doug Marrone acknowledged. “That’s why we’re sitting where we are correct now. We’re upright going to retain attempting to get those guys better.”
On offense, the Jaguars accumulate benefited from an infusion of inexperienced persons.
James Robinson, an undrafted free agent from Illinois Teach, has rushed for 580 yards and has 27 catches for 225 yards. Laviska Shenault Jr., a 2d-round contend with from Colorado, has 30 catches for 323 yards. Jake Luton, a sixth-round likelihood from Oregon Teach, made his first profession delivery up closing week and threw for 304 yards with one touchdown pass and one touchdown dart.
Luton says it goes to be “somewhat surreal” matching up with Rodgers and known as the 2-time MVP “a wizard with the football in a range of methods.” He’ll face a Green Bay secondary that will almost definitely be missing big title cornerback Jaire Alexander, who left the Packers’ 34-17 victory at San Francisco closing week to get evaluated for a concussion.
“It’s someplace I’ve dreamed of taking part in,” Luton acknowledged. “Lambeau Field is somewhat historical, somewhat superior. It’d be exact frigid if it used to be rocking, a range of of us cheering against you. So, it’ll be unbiased a little various with it being empty, nonetheless I’m certain it’ll aloof be superior.”
JAGUARS’ KICKING WHIRLWIND
Jaguars kicker Proceed McLaughlin flew from Minneapolis to Jacksonville this week, most challenging to pause up lend a hand within the Midwest.
The Jaguars signed McLaughlin off Minnesota’s insist squad Tuesday and ask him to play in Green Bay after touring when it comes to 3,000 miles and no longer getting to coach. McLaughlin has to spend loads of days going thru COVID-19 protocols sooner than becoming a member of teammates for a walkthrough Saturday.
He’s the group’s sixth kicker this season, following Josh Lambo, Brandon Wright, Aldrick Rosas, Stephen Hauschka and Jon Brown.
CONTAINING ADAMS
Green Bay’s Davante Adams is off to the fastest delivery up of his profession. Even though he overlooked two games with a hamstring hurt, Adams is tied for 2d among all NFL avid gamers with eight touchdown catches, one within the lend a hand of Kansas Metropolis’s Tyreek Hill.
RODGERS’ NEW STANDARD
Rodgers has thrown 24 touchdown passes with most challenging two interceptions this season. His two interceptions each and each came in a avenue loss to Tampa Bay. Rodgers already is on the verge of surpassing his fleshy-season touchdown pass totals from 2018 (25) and 2019 (26).
SCHOBERT COMES HOME
This game marks a homecoming of sorts for Jacksonville linebacker Joe Schobert, the Jaguars’ main tackler.
Schobert is from Waukesha, Wisconsin, about 130 miles south of Green Bay. He started his college profession as a stroll-on at Wisconsin sooner than earning Associated Press All-The United States 2d-group honors in 2015, his final 365 days with the Badgers.
FORMER JAGUARS IN GREEN BAY
Green Bay’s roster involves about a of us with ties to the Jaguars franchise.
Tight pause Marcedes Lewis used to be drafted by the Jaguars within the principle round in 2006 and performed for Jacksonville thru 2017.
The Packers signed wide receiver Allen Lazard from Jacksonville’s insist squad in December 2018. Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett used to be Jacksonville’s quarterbacks coach in 2015-16 and offensive coordinator from 2016-18 sooner than getting fired.
___
AP Sports Creator Impress Long in Jacksonville, Florida, contributed to this reveal.
___
Extra AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
