FRIDAY INJURY REPORT
BUFFALO BILLS
–QUESTIONABLE: TE Charles Clay (shoulder, hip), TE Jason Croom (knee), RB LeSean McCoy (rib), RB Marcus Murphy (rib)
GREEN BAY PACKERS
–OUT: DE Muhammad Wilkerson (ankle)
–DOUBTFUL: G Justin McCray (shoulder)
–QUESTIONABLE: WR Randall Cobb (hamstring), S Josh Jones (ankle), CB Kevin King (groin), LB Nick Perry (concussion), QB Aaron Rodgers (knee)
PLAYER NOTES
–CB Bashaud Breeland was signed with Kevin King injured and Davon House on injured reserve. In four seasons with Washington, he started 58 games and intercepted eight passes. He signed a three-year, $24 million contract with Carolina in free agency but that deal was voided. “Overseas, freak accident, injured an injury I had growing up as a kid during the fourth grade,” he said. “It was a freak accident. Got hit by a golf cart. Reinjured it, had a skin graft on my foot. They said I had an infection but not a major infection. I don’t really see how that got out there like it was infected like I was losing my foot or something. But it was just a freak accident.”
–S Kentrell Brice has been part of the defense giving up long touchdown passes each of the last two weeks but he will remain the starter. “I’m all for Kentrell,” head coach Mike McCarthy said. “You’ve got to look at his whole body of work. I really like the way he’s taken his opportunity and what he’s done with it throughout the spring and the summer. Had a fast start there. We had some tough moments in the game but K.B. will bounce back.”
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: RB Aaron Jones returned from a two-game suspension last week and gave the offense a lift with six carries for 42 yards in limited playing time. The Packers will move forward with a timeshare at running back between Jamaal Williams, Ty Montgomery and Jones. Jones, however, is a difference-making back with his vision, acceleration and cutback ability. He finished second in the NFL last season with 5.5 yards per carry. “When you bring 33 back on the field, you kind of forget when he’s out the kind of dynamic abilities he can bring to a game with his running style,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “He’s a different type of runner than we’ve had here. We’ve got to find ways to get him the ball.
GAME PLAN: The Packers can’t fall behind like they did last week at Washington, where they trailed 14-0 in the first quarter. Buffalo pounced on Minnesota last week and cruised to a 27-6 victory. In that game, Minnesota ran the football only six times. Green Bay ranks 31st in run percentage. Failures in the passing game have led to too many long down-and-distance situations, so look for a more balanced attack on early downs, which will give quarterback Aaron Rodgers a better shot to succeed on third down.
Defensively, stopping LeSean McCoy will be the focal point of the game plan. The Packers couldn’t stop another veteran running back last week, with Adrian Peterson’s big day meaning a long day for the Green Bay defense. McCoy is by far Buffalo’s best player, not only as a runner but as a receiver. The Packers have to stop McCoy and force the ball into the hands of rookie quarterback Josh Allen.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Packers QB Aaron Rodgers vs. Bills S Micah Hyde. Few defenders on either side of the ball know Rodgers better than Hyde, who spent the 2013 through 2016 seasons with the Packers. Hyde had five interceptions last season for Buffalo. Rodgers has six touchdowns vs. zero interceptions this season but was off-target too often in the loss at Washington. Any off-target pass could wind up in the hands of Hyde for the type of game-changing play the Bills will need to spring another upset.
Packers RB LeSean McCoy vs. Bills S Jermaine Whitehead and/or CB Josh Jackson. Green Bay has relied on its extra defensive backs to handle dual-threat running backs Tarik Cohen of Chicago in Week 1 and Chris Thompson of Washington in Week 3. McCoy, however, is a bigger challenge, because he’s a much better runner than Cohen and Thompson. McCoy is Buffalo’s best skill player; Green Bay’s success or failure in containing him will go a long way toward determining the outcome.