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The Green Bay Packers' 17-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday felt more like a step backward than a leap forward, as the team suffered yet another significant injury. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, arguably the Packers' best defensive player with Micah Parsons sidelined, tore his Achilles in the second half and had to be carted off the field.
Cooper's injury occurred on a third-down blitz when he took a step and collapsed. Initially, he looked around for a tripping culprit, but no one had touched him. It was his Achilles, and he immediately clutched his ankle. Head coach Matt LaFleur expressed his concern: "I would suspect that Cooper will miss the rest of the season."
The Packers' injury list is already extensive. All-Pro defensive end Micah Parsons, acquired at great cost last training camp, suffered a torn ACL late last season, derailing their Super Bowl aspirations and potentially costing him more games. Veteran running back Josh Jacobs remains out indefinitely following an offseason arrest. High-priced left guard Aaron Banks has played only 22 snaps in four games. Explosive slot receiver Jayden Reed suffered a season-ending neck injury on the second snap against the Jets, and standout right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele suffered a season-ending knee injury on the very next play.
With Cooper now likely done for the year, the Packers face daunting questions: How can they pressure quarterbacks without Parsons' game-wrecking ability? How will they find offensive balance without Jacobs? How can they maximize their passing game without Reed? How can they block without Banks and Bako-Bewele? How can the defense survive without Cooper's havoc? As center Sean Rhyan put it, "We've been kind of hit with some type of curse, it seems like."
Key Analysis
Injuries are a harsh reality in the NFL, but the Packers' situation seems particularly cruel. The "next man up" mantra is easier said than done when the replacements are not of the same caliber. Isaiah McDuffie, a solid and experienced linebacker, will step in for Cooper, but he is not the ascending star who single-handedly dominated the Buccaneers with nine tackles, one sack, and a critical interception in the first half alone. Cooper, in his third year, has been a dominating force with three sacks and seven tackles for losses in just three-and-a-half games, exactly as forecasted after his impressive rookie finish.
The Packers will need all hands on deck to stay afloat until Parsons returns. Everyone must elevate their play, from young standouts like Evan Williams to veterans like Zaire Franklin and Keisean Nixon. Williams, who had an early interception and two critical blitzes to help seal the win, acknowledged the somber mood: "It definitely numbs it down a little bit, the thrill of a win, just because I feel like guys all know what he means to this team, what he means to this defense. He's somebody that just sets the tone into every game."
Franklin, the defensive captain, echoed the sentiment: "That's one of those things that it's a win, but it don't feel like a win. Obviously, me and Coop, we're locked in. So, just my boy going down, that hurt. But, obviously, Duffie stepped up in a major way. That's who he is."
The road ahead is treacherous, with matchups against the juggernaut Bears offense, the explosive Cowboys, and the dynamic Lions. The Packers were already a flawed team with a limited margin for error, and now they've lost their best player. The team crumbled after Parsons' knee injury last year. Can they survive without Cooper long enough for Parsons' return to be meaningful? The situation seems bleak, but the show must go on. As Williams said, "You can't let that affect the way you play. You've just got to do your job. As soon as you start to do too much and feel like you've got to make plays or fill in for somebody that's gone, that's when there's holes in the defense and explosives start to show."
Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. He took over Packer Central in August 2019 and has grown it into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.