Packers Notebook (at Saints)

Shuffling on the line

Last season, according to ESPN.com Stats and Information, the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line ranked No. 1 in the NFL in pass-block win rate and No. 1 in the NFL in run-block win rate.

That dominance was powered by two All-Pros, neither of whom will be in the lineup for the week one showdown against the New Orleans Saints. One is center Corey Linsley, who signed with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency. The other is left tackle David Bakhtiari, who will miss at least the first six games of the season as he recovers from the ACL tear sustained on New Year’s Eve.

Can the Packers’ front wall, which powered Aaron Rodgers’ MVP season and the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL, be anywhere close to as dominant without those two? Or even adequate?

Pro Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins will fill Bakhtiari’s shoes for the first half of the season. Jenkins had an excellent training camp, but Bakhtiari is a five-time All-Pro and perhaps the best offensive lineman in football. No matter how good Jenkins is, he’s almost certainly not going to be as good as Bakhtiari at protecting Rodgers’ blind side.

“I’m very confident that he can go do this at a high level,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “But left tackle in the National Football League is not an easy thing, and this is going to be a challenge for him.”

When Bakhtiari suffered broken ribs at San Francisco at midseason last year, Jenkins moved from left guard to left tackle for 27 snaps in the second half. His main experience has come this summer, though, as he served as the No. 1 left tackle throughout training camp. While he didn’t play in the three preseason games, his daily reps against Preston Smith and Rashan Gary have gotten him as ready as possible.

“I love it,” he said of the team’s confidence in him. “It’s a challenge to me, going out there and playing at the same standard as Bak did. I love it they had the confidence in me, and I have the confidence in myself to go out there and just keep the ball rolling and hold it down until 69 gets back.”

Maybe the problem won’t be at left tackle. Rather, if there is a problem, perhaps it will be the domino effect. At left tackle, Jenkins isn’t as good as Bakhtiari. At left guard, presumptive starter Lucas Patrick isn’t as good as Jenkins. At center, rookie Josh Myers isn’t as good as Linsley. At right guard, rookie Royce Newman might not be as good as Patrick. The only stability is at right tackle, with Billy Turner facing perennial Pro Bowler Cameron Jordan right out of the gate.

“I have not experienced two rookies, especially side-by-side like that, starting opening day,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “But those guys, they’ve got a lot of good guys around them, and we’ve got a lot of confidence in their ability to go out there and perform at a high level. I’ve thought those guys have done an outstanding job of just kind of learning each and every day. But, ultimately, they’ve got to go out there and do it.”

Maybe LaFleur and Rodgers will be able to navigate any stormy seas. Maybe Myers and Newman will grow quickly into reliable starters. Maybe Jenkins will be so good that he’ll be viewed as the best lineman in football by season’s end. But, as LaFleur said, confidence and potential aren’t the same thing as protecting Rodgers and opening holes for Aaron Jones.

“When you’re blocking for a Hall of Fame quarterback like Aaron, it’s always a high responsibility for all the five guys on the line,” Jenkins said. “We take pride in blocking for him and making sure he stays up, stays clean, just going there and getting the job done.”

Famous Jameis

With the retirement of Drew Brees, the Saints will go into the season with Jameis Winston as the starting quarterback. The change at quarterback likely means a big change in the Saints’ offense.

Last season, Brees’ average pass traveled 6.07 yards. Of 35 qualifying quarterbacks, that ranked 34th. In 2019, when Winston was Tampa Bay’s quarterback, his average pass traveled 10.36 yards. That ranked second.

Now, obviously, schematic differences play a big role in that. But Winston has a live arm, and Saints coach Sean Payton figures to use it.

“The No. 1 thing is leading your offense and moving the ball and scoring points,” Payton said. “We feel like he’s got the unique skill-set with his arm talent where he can get the ball down the field. He’s done a really good job of working through some of the progressions. A lot of that falls on us (as a coaching staff) now.”

With offensive tackles Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk, the Saints should be able to protect Winston for those deeper-developing routes. That’s especially true if Packers outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith isn’t ready to go after missing all but one practice in training camp with a back injury. However, with star receiver Michael Thomas on the physically unable to perform list, do the Saints have the weapons to make it go?

No place like road

With New Orleans hit hard by Hurricane Ida, the Saints have been displaced indefinitely from their home at the Superdome. So, this game will be played in Jacksonville. The Jaguars are on the road for week one and the Saints wanted the game played, A, in the heat and, B, at a less attractive destination for Packers fans.

Whether Packers fans will fill TIAA Bank Stadium, anyway, remains to be seen, but it will be hot. While the Packers will practice with temperatures hovering around 70 all week, the forecast for Sunday in Jacksonville is a high of 86 with 78 percent humidity. That means a “feels like” temperature of 99.

But at least the Packers, for a second consecutive year, will avoid the Saints’ deafening indoor home.

“Being at a neutral site, not being in New Orleans, they have a great fan base, they’re loud, the whole nine,” Jenkins said. “Playing at a neutral site, and we’ll be able to have our fans, they’ll be able to have their fans probably 50-50, you never know. But being able to play at a neutral site, it’s kind of an advantage for both teams.”