Cheese Curds, 9/13: What will Packers’ passing game look like against Vikings?

It is a topic that has been discussed ad nauseum over the past few days, including here at Acme Packing Company. The Green Bay Packers’ offense changed drastically during last Sunday’s win over the Chicago Bears, largely necessitated by Aaron Rodgers’ knee injury. Furthermore, those changes were for the better, as Rodgers got into a rhythm with his quick throws, keeping the Bears’ pass rush at bay.

Against the Minnesota Vikings, those quick passes will likely be critical once again. While the Bears feature a single elite edge rusher in Khalil Mack, the Vikings’ tandem of Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter are one of the top pairs in the NFL. Granted, they will be facing one of the NFL’s best pair of pass-blocking tackles, but the need to get the ball out of Rodgers’ hands quickly will be present once again.

Rodgers did most of his damage in the Bears game with his wide receivers, however, as Chicago schemed away tight end Jimmy Graham. If the Vikings choose to do the same to Graham this week when he is on the line, those wideouts will need to pick up the slack once again — or else Mike McCarthy will need to get more creative with Graham’s alignment.

All of those factors play into whether the Packers will get a win on Sunday and whether Rodgers can stay upright. And we look at all of them in today’s cheese curds as we await the start of week two.

Packers taking it ‘day by day’ with Aaron Rodgers | Packers.com
Rodgers was in the rehab group for Wednesday's practice, and he'll probably be there again on Thursday. However, he doesn't feel that he needs any practice reps to be ready to go for Sunday's game.

Aaron Rodgers can’t walk on water but can play well after injury | ESPN
Mike Zimmer joined Ty Montgomery in praising Rodgers’ divinity this week, but it’s true that Rodgers has had some very good games after returning from injuries. Perhaps the first example was his 404-yard, 4-touchdown game against the Giants in 2010 when he came back from a concussion.

10 NFL quarterback stats that actually mattered this week - SBNation.com
Remember -- you win in the modern NFL by passing the ball and doing it at a high level. Do you hear that, Mike McCarthy? STOP RUNNING INTO SEVEN-MAN BOXES.

Packers plan to make opponents pay for taking Jimmy Graham away | Packersnews.com
Instead of the Packers using Jimmy Graham to chip opposing pass-rushers, the Bears defense essentially did the reverse, using their pass-rushers to jam him off the line of scrimmage before going after Rodgers. Clearly that tactic didn't work in the fourth quarter, as Rodgers' wide receivers got open, which is the plan if opponents keep taking that approach against the tight end.

What’s the future for Clay Matthews after disastrous Week 1 performance? | Packers Wire
The Vikings' offensive line is largely a mess, which should give Clay a chance to bounce back after an abysmal game last week. But it's no guarantee that he does, and if he fails to do so expect to see more and more of Reggie Gilbert.

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