The Green Bay Packers are 8-2 coming out of the bye week and beginning preparations for Sunday night’s showdown with the San Francisco 49ers, which will start a crucial six-game stretch to finish the 2019 season
Here are five important players to watch over the final six games:
DL Kenny Clark
Clark doesn’t have flashy stats in 2019, but he went into the bye week with a dominant individual performance against the Carolina Panthers in which he produced a career-high 10 pressures. Don’t be surprised if Clark resumes his status as an every-game difference-maker over the final six games. He had a week off to rest his lingering injuries, and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine had a week to figure out ways to get him more one-on-one opportunities. All the coaches agree: Clark is still playing a high level. In most cases, playing at a high level over an extended period of time eventually manifests itself in the box score. Clark is primed for a big finish to 2019.
LT David Bakhtiari
Will any player benefit more from the week off than Bakhtiari? He’s been battling nagging injuries all season and hasn’t consistently played at an All-Pro level, although his pass protection has probably been vastly underrated. How good could the Packers offense be if Bakhtiari comes out of the bye week and re-establishes his week-to-week dominance? He’ll have a big test right away on Sunday night. Bakhtiari struggled mightily against Joey Bosa in Los Angeles. Can he redeem himself against younger brother Nick in San Francisco? Other great pass-rushers (Khalil Mack, Ryan Kerrigan, Everson Griffen, Trey Flowers) loom over the final six games.
CB Jaire Alexander
Alexander is the Packers’ most disruptive coverage player. He’s given up completions, but he’s also forced incompletions at a high rate. What’s the next step for the second-year cornerback? A little more consistency down-to-down and a few more big plays. No cornerback has more dropped interceptions this season. That’s a two-sided stat: It reflects a player that is in position to make a big play, but it’s also reflects missed opportunities for big plays. The Packers defense is built around creating disruption and takeaways. Can Alexander finish a few more big plays over the final six games? It wouldn’t be surprising if he intercepted 2-3 more passes to finish 2019.
LB Blake Martinez
The Packers are going to face a bunch of good running backs and tight ends over the final six games, putting the spotlight directly on Martinez, who is playing for a new contract. It’s been an underwhelming 2019 season for the fourth-year linebacker in almost every aspect of playing his position, but he can re-write the narrative over the final month and a half. A lot is riding on his shoulders. Can the Packers be a championship defense without a big step from Martinez? Arguably no one on defense needs to improve coming out of the bye more than No. 50.
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
The Packers need a legitimate No. 2 receiver to emerge over the final six games. Allen Lazard has earned his shot at more playing time, but the Packers would probably benefit most from an impressive finish to 2019 from Valdes-Scantling. He all but disappeared after suffering ankle and knee injuries in October, but the bye week provided an opportunity for the young receiver to get closer to 100 percent health-wise. It also provided an opportunity for coach Matt LaFleur and the coaching staff to take a long look at how he was being used. If he’s healthy, and the Packers discover more efficient ways to get him involved, Valdes-Scantling could be the key to unlocking another level for the Packers offense.
