Maybe the Green Bay Packers finally can break out an offensive wrinkle that was a nice change-of-pace weapon last year.
With receiver James Jones probably ready to return from a sprained knee this week, the Packers for the first time this season could have all five receivers healthy for a game.
If coach Mike McCarthy opts to activate all five, he could bring back the five-receiver package he used so well last year for a handful of plays a game to stretch defenses and force favorable matchups in the passing game.
Its a great package, receiver Donald Driver said Monday. If we ran it, theres no five (defensive backs) in the National Football League that can stop us.
McCarthy started using the five-receiver set early last season when the running game was ailing and he had a strong receiver corps and a veteran quarterback. He only used it as a change-up, usually around five snaps a game, but it generally was effective and also gave defensive coordinators one more problem for their game planning.
This year, though, with injuries to Ruvell Martin (broken finger) and Jones (knee), the Packers have never had more than four receivers healthy. The Packers held Jones out of their last game, against Indianapolis, knowing hed also have the bye week to rest and get close to full strength he missed the regular-season opener and three of the last four games because of his injury and it appears to have paid off.
Jones practiced Monday and said his knee passed the test. Theres no practice Tuesday, and the normal practice week starts Wednesday.
I ran full speed, Jones said. Tested it out and exploded, it felt good. Hopefully Ill wake up with no soreness or anything like that.
Especially with second-round draft pick Jordy Nelson coming on recently, the five-receiver package could be a way for McCarthy to maximize his depth at the position, which might be the teams strongest top to bottom. Because of the injury to Jones, who came into the season as the No. 3 receiver, Nelson has played regularly in the rotation, sometimes as a third receiver, sometimes as a fourth. There are occasional packages where hes one of two receivers on the field.
Nelson ranks third in receptions (16) among Packers wide receivers, with 15 of those coming in the last five games. Greg Jennings (37) and Donald Driver (29) are the Packers two leading receivers overall, and Martin has five receptions he missed the second and third games because of a broken finger.
The Packers practiced the five-receiver set during training camp, so McCarthy can add it to a weekly game plan without much difficulty. The grouping provides especially favorable matchups because at least two receivers are likely to be covered by the lone linebacker, a safety or the No. 4 cornerback. The Packers think Jones, Martin and Nelson should win those battles.
Every time we went with the fab five (last year) people called time out, Driver said. Hopefully, we can do the same thing this year.
The greatest downside is that package leaves only the five offensive linemen to protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers, so Rodgers and the linemen have no margin for error on blitz pickups and hot reads. However, it makes it harder for the defense to disguise blitzes.
It spreads the defense out, Rodgers said, and kind of makes them tell you what theyre going to do, if theyre going to bring pressure or drop off. Thats what I like about it, it defines what the defense is going to be.