Joshua from Pineville, LA
I was going to ask why the NFL hates having a season opener at Lambeau Field, but then I checked the data. Sure, this coming season will mark the sixth consecutive away opener for GB, and the 10th of the last 12 years. But from 1986-2003, the only Packers’ road opener was in 1996. I suppose we have some catching up to do.
One of the detractors to opening in São Paulo is the fact Matt LaFleur must wait at least one more year to lead the Packers onto Lambeau Field for a Week 1 home opener. According to my research (WCBW), the Packers’ streak of six consecutive seasons opening the season on the road is the longest in the NFL. Coincidentally, there is only one other team with a road-opening streak that extends into the 2010s – Philadelphia, which last played Week 1 at the Linc in 2019 and is “hosting” this game in Brazil.
Darren from Warrington, UK
Well, so much for a long-awaited home opener how many years now?
It shouldn’t have come to this, though. The Packers should’ve opened at home in 2022 or 2023. There’s no reason for the streak to have gotten this long.
Wes, after playing in Brazil, do you think the Packers get a home game on Sunday, Sept. 15, with a noon kickoff? When was the last time the Packers opened the season at home?
I don’t know about date or time, but you’d hope the Packers will be at Lambeau for Week 2. At the same time, Green Bay went 92 years between back-to-back road games to open a season and now have done it twice in the last eight. So, who knows?
Hey II, I sincerely appreciate all the hard work and effort you all put into this column. With that being said, I would like to apologize for EVERY Packers fan who is now going to ask 3.8 million questions regarding fueling, flight schedules, and all the other oddities that will need to be accommodated for the game in Brazil. Just let people do their job and figure it out. If we couldn’t do it, they wouldn’t schedule. GPG
Thank you, Shanna. While I appreciate everyone’s thoughts on the matter, it’s not like Spoff and I are responsible for flying the plane. I promise the NFL and Packers will figure it out. They’re already probably there (or close to it).
Hi II, recently I’ve been thinking about how much Shohei Ohtani impacts his team when playing on both sides of the ball, and just how much of a star Travis Hunter was for Colorado. And with players on the Packers (Keisean Nixon) having been used in every facet of the game, do you think there’s a possibility GB ever takes a look at potential two-way players, in terms of value for having “two players for the price of one”? Or do they even try and add an offensive element to a defensive player’s game?
There’s room to sprinkle in more Nixon on offense, but the NFL game is too fast and too physical for a full-time two-way player. Injury risks aside, conditioning would be a huge challenge over a 17-game regular season – especially for a cornerback/ball carrier.
Do you believe Keisean Nixon could be looked at as the other safety? He plays bigger than his stature and is a big hitter. I’ve wondered why this hasn’t been discussed.
Because Nixon isn’t moving. He’s the nickel cornerback. The whole point of the Packers re-signing Nixon was for him to play nickel cornerback again after he did it for the first time on a full-time basis last year.
Bill from Brooklyn Park, MN
Spoff, when someone asks if Kool-Aid McKinstry would run through a wall for Jeff Hafley, the proper response is, “Oh, Yeah!”
What I enjoy most about the Prospect Primer series is it builds my own anticipation for the draft’s top guys. McKinstry’s primer even starts with Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the frame. If the Packers want to go cornerback in the first round, they could have four or five intriguing options depending on where the picks fall. McKinstry brings something on punts, too, if Green Bay wants to graduate Jayden Reed from that role.
There is no way the Pack can draft Kool-Aid. That would make a secondary with McKinney, McKinstry, Carrington Valentine, and Corey Ballentine. Heck, I can hardly type it, can you imagine Wayne Larrivee trying to announce it?
I don’t know how Wayne and Larry do it. It took me all of three months to finally get “Ballentine” and “Valentine” straight. Just ask Spoff how many takes were required to shoot my cornerback segment during our training camp preview show last summer.
Mark from Big Bear City, CA
Good morning, Wes, Prospect Primer ILB Edgerrin Cooper looks like a really good fit in the new defense. I’ve been looking at the Packerswire and the players they think are a good fit for the Packers. There have been a few edge rushers that seem to be undersized for the position. Could they possibly move them to ILB? Just wondering what you think. Thanks again for what you and Mike do.
Cooper has an All-American pedigree and those physical gifts translated to his showing at the NFL Scouting Combine. The nice thing about those “tweener” linebackers is they often bring some pass-rush prowess (e.g. Cooper’s eight sacks last season). He’s definitely a guy I’ll have my eye on later this month.
