Packers: Confirmations and surprises from win vs. Bears in Week 1

Confirmation: Jimmy Graham is ready for a big year

When the Packers invested in the former Saints and Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham, they likely were a bit disappointed in the production that was offered in 2018. A lot of that can likely be attributed to the tumultuous year the team experienced, as well as the lackluster offensive schemes.

At least, that appears to be a good conclusion to draw, after Aaron Rodgers found Graham for three catches for 30 yards and the night’s lone touchdown against the vaunted Chicago defense. On the surface, those statistics don’t appear impressive, but Graham’s presence was eye-opening when he was targeted.

Graham’s big mitts were on full display on an eight yard pitch-and-catch from Rodgers for a touchdown, where a small hop was all he needed to outreach a defensive back, and his hands took care of the rest. His athleticism was later in the spotlight as he hurdled safety Eddie Jackson in the waning moments of the first half.

The 10-year veteran has never shied away from stating his opinion and expressing his feelings. In an interview back in June, Graham declared that his mission in 2019 was to “prove a lot of people wrong.”

Even with the variety of weapons Rodgers has at his disposal, Graham’s massive frame will still stick out. If he keeps up the kind of effort and execution he displayed against a very good Chicago defense, it can be expected that he’ll have a Pro Bowl type of season.

Confirmation: This defense is for real

When a team drafts a defensive player with their first pick for the last eight years, one expects to see progress a lot faster than Green Bay has seen. Failed experiments with Damarious Randall, complete whiffs on players like Datone Jones, and eventual departures in Nick Perry and the trade of current Bears safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix have made the last decade look like a miss entirely.

As soon as Brian Gutekunst stepped in, the management of drafting and player management has appeared much savvier. Drafting Jaire Alexander, Rashan Gary, and Darnell Savage in the past two drafts’ opening round have proven so far to be spectacular moves, as they all appear to have the physical tools and intelligence to become impact players immediately.

The acquisition of the free agency pass rushers has already been addressed, and their presence cannot be understated, but the inside linebacking corps still appears to be just fine with Blake Martinez as the centerpiece. With Ty Summers looking good on special teams, the acquisition of B.J. Goodson from the Giants, and Oren Burks returning from injury, this should still be an interesting group to watch.

Even without a stable lineup at ILB, the Packers only allowed 46 yards on 15 rushes (3.07 yards per carry) against a multi-talented Chicago backfield. That’s a terrific sign for the versatility and talent that supports the run defense in the Pettine system.

The Packers defense as a whole looked better than any they’ve had in the past decade. Every player looked fast, aggressive, decisive, and hungry to win.

It’s never smart to jump the gun on calling any team a top-10 anything after one week, but many trained eyes for the game agree that this Packers defense looks like it is encroaching such territory early on. When the quarterback for the opposing offense has been consistently criticized for his inconsistency, it’s even more important to have tempered expectations regarding the ceiling of a defensive unit.

The Packers last had a top-10 defense in 2010. They won Super Bowl XLV that year.

And in the words of Aaron Rodgers himself, in 2019… “We’ve got a defense.”