Brutal inactive list puts more pressure on Packers' Jordan Love in home debut
Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love's first start at Lambeau Field just got much tougher.
Per the Packers inactive list for their home opener in Week 3 against the Saints, they'll be without multiple starters, including running back Aaron Jones (ankle), wide receiver Christian Watson (hamstring), left tackle David Bakhtiari (knee) on offense and cornerback Jaire Alexander (back) on defense.
Jones tested his ankle pregame, an injury that also cost him to miss Green Bay's Week 2 loss at Atlanta. Watson, meanwhile, practiced on Friday but has yet to play this season.
Love is tied for the league lead in passing touchdowns (six), dealing with those injuries well. Yet while he's first in expected points added per play through two weeks, NFL Next Gen Stats lists him second-worst in completion percentage over expected, 10.8 percent worse than expected.
Jones and Watson would have certainly been a boost against a Saints defense that's allowing 16 points per game and has only given up one touchdown this season.
All-Pro tackle Bakhtiari also missed last week's game and while the Packers managed to protect Love well against the Falcons, the line faces a much tougher test against the Saints.
In Week 2, New Orleans pressured Panthers quarterback Bryce Young on 48.7 percent of his dropbacks despite only blitzing on 15.4 percent of those plays. (h/t Pro Football Focus)
Arguably, the biggest loss is cornerback Jaire Alexander, who will miss his first game of the season. He led Green Bay in pass deflections (14) and interceptions (five) in 2022 and likely would have shadowed Saints wide receiver Chris Olave.
Without him, Green Bay's secondary will be tested against a deep Saints wide receiving unit that includes two-time All-Pro Michael Thomas and undrafted second-year pro Rashid Shaheed, who is second on the team with 152 yards this season.
The Saints should target corner Keisean Nixon early and often. The Packers defender primarily played in the slot in Weeks 1 and 2 but may have to move to the perimeter with Alexander out. In the first two weeks, Nixon allowed eight receptions on nine targets for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Green Bay has a major hill to climb without multiple starters while New Orleans has a golden opportunity to take advantage of a team that isn't 100 percent.
Love might be starting at Lambeau for the first time, but he isn't getting any home cooking.
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