Future Packers Opponent Has Been Destroyed by Injuries

Nobody felt bad for the Green Bay Packers as they lined up without Jordan Love on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, and nobody will feel sorry for them if they have to do it again against the Tennessee Titans this week.

So, don’t expect Packers coach Matt LaFleur to feel sorry for the Los Angeles Rams.

When the Rams host the Packers in Week 5, Los Angeles could be without three-fifths of its starting offensive line and its two premier receivers, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.

Kupp will miss an “extended period of time” with an ankle injury, Rams coach Sean McVay said on Monday, a day after his team was crushed by the Arizona Cardinals.

The 31-year-old Kupp has been unable to stay healthy since winning the NFL receiving Triple Crown in 2021 with 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns. He played in a total of 21 games the past two seasons and is out of commission again.

With Kupp injured last year, Nacua rose to the occasion. He was runner-up for NFL Offensive Rookie off the Year and a second-team All-Pro with 105 receptions for 1,486 yards. However, he will remain on injured reserve through at least the Green Bay due to a knee injury.

The other receivers on the roster for star quarterback Matthew Stafford are Demarcus Robinson (ninth season, 225 receptions), Tutu Atwell (fourth season, 60 catches), Tyler Johnson (fifth season, 57 receptions) and Jordan Whittington (rookie, two receptions).

Here is a look at who’s on injured reserve for the next three opponents.

Week 3 – Tennessee Titans

The Titans have five players on injured reserve, including rookie fourth-round linebacker Cedric Gray. Gray had 367 tackles during his North Carolina career.

Also on injured reserve are reserve defensive linemen Marlon Davidson and T.K. McLendon. Davidson, a second-round pick by Atlanta in 2020, started three of his five appearances for the Titans last year. McLendon started two games last year as an undrafted rookie.

Week 4 – Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings have five players on injured reserve. The headliner is quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the team’s first-round pick who is out for the season. They’ve been just fine, though, with Sam Darnold. Through two games, he is fifth in the NFL in passer rating (111.8), tied for third in touchdown passes (four), third in yards per attempt (9.52) and ninth in completion percentage (72.0).

Cornerback Mekhi Blackmon, a third-round pick last year, played in 15 games last year with three starts and one interception. He suffered a torn ACL during camp and is out for the season.

Week 5 – Los Angeles Rams

The Rams’ offense has been absolutely hammered. It’s not just Stafford’s receivers. It’s his offensive line, as well, with left tackle Joseph Noteboom, left guard Steve Avila and center Jonah Jackson on the shelf, too. Noteboom and Avila are on IR after Week 1 injuries against Detroit, and Jackson could join them after aggravating a shoulder injury vs. Arizona.

As noted by ESPN.com’s Field Yates:

Should both Cooper Kupp and Jonah Jackson land on injured reserve, 5 of the Rams' Week 1 offensive starters will already be on IR:

WR Cooper Kupp
WR Puka Nacua
LT Joseph Noteboom
LG Steve Avila
C Jonah Jackson

Just insanely terrible injury luck two games into the season. https://t.co/XGc8lI7iL9

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 16, 2024

With a banged-up offensive line and injuries at receiver, Stafford threw for 216 yards and was sacked five times last week.

Week 6 – Arizona Cardinals

Right tackle Jonah Williams, outside linebacker B.J. Ojulari and a pair of rookies, first-round defensive lineman Darius Robinson and third-round cornerback Elijah Jones, are on injured reserve.

While Williams, Robinson and Jones – who played collegiately for Jeff Hafley at Boston College – are eligible to return before the Green Bay game, Ojulari tore his ACL during training camp. He had four sacks as a rookie.

“You know adversity’s coming every week in this league,” LaFleur said on Sunday. “And you face it in game, you face it, obviously, going into the game when you don’t have your star quarterback, and you’ve just got to find a way to win because, at the end of the day, nobody cares.

“This game is about winning, and you’ve got to do it, however you’ve got to find a way, and our guys found a way today.”