The Packers are off to a 5-1 start and on the surface, all is coming up roses. However, they have been without four of the seven players who made the Pro Bowl last season. Tackle David Bakhtiari will be sidelined at least another week. Outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith and cornerback Jaire Alexander could be lost for the season, and guard Elgton Jenkins missed three games but returned to the lineup against the Bears.
After a relatively lackluster performance in their 25-22 win over the Bengals, head coach Matt LaFluer apologized, but there was no need to. The kind of effort the Packers put out showed the kind of toughness needed for the playoffs.