Green Bay Packers

Jerry Gray Should Go For Broke On Kyler Murray

Photo credit: Rob Schumacher (Arizona Republic via USA TODAY Sports)

The Week 8 matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals has gone from a marquee can’t-miss contest to a game where the Packers will be in scramble mode.

With some of their best players already on injured reserve, Green Bay will also be without superstar wide receiver Davante Adams and fellow wideout Allen Lazard, who both landed on the COVID list. They join defensive coordinator Joe Barry, who also tested positive. Now, with Jerry Gray calling the plays, the mindset for the Green Bay defense should be to go for broke while dialing up the heat right from the get-go.

Not many are expecting the Packers to stroll into the desert and win this game on Thursday night. The saying has long been that Green Bay has a shot as long as No. 12 is under center. While this is still true, the deck is stacked against them in this matchup. With few giving Green Bay a chance, and with Barry out of the mix, why not roll the dice and get wild with the play-calling against Kyler Murray?

Statistically, the numbers say not to blitz Murray. Through the first month of the season, per PFF and relayed on Sports Illustrated, “K1” had the highest passer rating (153.8) of any quarterback when facing a blitz. However, logic says that sitting back and letting that offense feast isn’t the route to go either, given the absences for Green Bay on defense.

Last week was a perfect example of a bend-don’t-break defensive performance for the Packers. They only yielded 10 points to the Washington Football Team, but that included four red zone trips where they held Washington without a touchdown. Those numbers aren’t sustainable, especially against this potent Arizona attack. Despite Green Bay’s defense stepping up in big moments last week, they still allowed quarterback Taylor Heinicke to run for 95 yards and throw for 268. Murray is in a whole different galaxy compared to Heinicke, so if the Packers want to hang around and give their offense a chance, they absolutely have to make K1 uncomfortable.

Sitting back and worrying about covering up things on the back end against Arizona feels like a death sentence for the Packers. While the numbers say don’t blitz Murray, sometimes the numbers need to be lit on fire and tossed into a pit. If Green Bay was at full strength, sure, trust your players and your scheme. That isn’t the case entering this one, and it’s why the Packers are such massive underdogs.

After all the fresh chaos with positive COVID tests, Green Bay moved from a three-point dog against the Cardinals to +6.5, according to FanDuel. For those who dabble in the world of sports betting, that’s a significant shift during the week of a game.

It’s odd to have a 6-1 team enter a game where not a whole lot is being expected, but with everything that’s unfolded this week, it’s how many view this matchup. Thus, the Packers need to flip the script that many have used against them. They need to be the ones who take the chances and go for broke. So be it if they get torched by DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, Christian Kirk, Zach Ertz, and Rondale Moore. Wouldn’t you prefer to see them empty the tank trying to make things uncomfortable for Murray than getting picked apart play after play? Call it crazy but Green Bay would be better suited to go down swinging than to watch the Cardinals find a consistent rhythm facing a predictably hesitant defense.

It will hopefully not be a hesitant defense that Jerry Gray will be calling the plays for. The choice to hand the clipboard over to Gray with Barry back home was confirmed by LaFleur on Tuesday.

“Yeah, so, Jerry will call it,” LaFleur said. “Certainly, it will still be a collective effort from all the guys. We have a lot of confidence in our defensive staff. KO (linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti) will communicate the call to Dre (linebacker De’Vondre Campbell) on the field. That’s how we’ll roll.”

The Packers aren’t used to being the underdogs. Rare have been the times throughout Aaron Rodgers‘ career where his Green Bay teams have gone into a matchup seemingly outmatched on paper in many categories. Because of this reality, the Packers should embrace the mindset of the underdog, especially on defense.

Even without Adams and Lazard, this offense should be able to put up a valiant effort and keep pace. They’ll need the defense, led by Gray, to take an all-or-nothing approach to try and turn the tides in their favor. Sitting back won’t solve anything. For one week, go crazy with the play-calling and try to make things as lopsided as possible. It might be Green Bay’s best chance.

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