With Monday’s clash against the Tampa bay Buccaneers fast approaching, it seems that Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are in a bit of a tight spot. Soft tissue injuries have plagued the team this week, and the news is not getting better.

Sammy Watkins, the Packers leading wide receiver, is ruled out from their game against the Bucs. Head Coach, Matt LaFleur, predicts the Packers’ fourth-round pick rookie, Romeo Doubs, will probably, “Have to take more of a load this week.” But fans will not favor nor expect Doubs to step right in and make the numbers up for the Packers. 

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Apart from Watkins, currently, the Packers stand to lose receivers Christian Watson, and Randall Cobb, and tight ends Marcedes Lewis and David Bakhtiari as well. The Packers have listed all three of them as “Questionable” in the Friday injury report. 

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Although kicker, Mason Crosby, missed both Thursday’s and Friday’s practice sessions, he is not listed, which means that his illness might be over soon enough.

Injury-stricken Packers scramble to assemble an offense for Aaron Rodgers to lead

Both Watson and Watkins are crucial members of the Packers’ offense. And losing them both will severely affect the Packers’ offense. This means the Aaron Rodgers-led offense would have to heavily depend on receiver, Allen Lazard. But Lazard himself was a limited participant in 2 practices and missed one. 

As a replacement for Watkins, the Packers did sign receiver, Travis Fulgham, back to the practice squad. Mere days after they released him to accommodate linebacker DQ Thomas. This should ideally take some pressure off of Lazard. But having to play secondaries to any position is going to be a gamble on its own. 

The Head Coach, Matt LaFleur, last week had said that David Bakhtiari would practice, “One day on, one day off,” even when he is fit to play. But this week, they listed him as questionable to play in the next game. 

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Reportedly, Rodgers wasn’t very happy with the receiver line-up in the season openers. But losing key players to injuries is not something he’d prefer either. The only hope for the Packers is if the Bucs somehow lose their footing. Apart from their secondaries stepping up to the task, of course. 

The Bucs have their fair share of injuries, even Tom Brady seems to be suffering from a minor thumb injury. But Rodgers will not pin his hops on a Bucs misfortune. Fans and analysts alike will keenly watch Monday’s game.