Every week during the regular season we get an opportunity to talk with the opposing head coach via Zoom. This week it was Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. I also scanned the Green Bay media websites and the Packers website to see what else Green Bay players and coaches are saying about this week's matchup with the Lions.
Here's what they had to say:
1. The folks in Green Bay aren't necessarily looking forward to seeing Lions running back Adrian Peterson this week after he rushed for 93 yards and had 114 total scrimmage yards in his Lions debut last week. Mike Spofford of packers.com had some good numbers on Peterson this week. This will be the 20th time the Packers have faced Peterson, and he's just 25 yards shy of 2,000 for his career against the Packers. He's averaged 5.1 yards per carry over his 19 previous matchups with the Packers.
View photos of the starters for the Green Bay Packers.
Head Coach: Matt LaFleur
OC: Nathaniel Hackett, DC: Mike Pettine, STC: Shawn Mennenga
WR: Davante Adams
Backed up by Equanimeous St. Brown
LT: David Bakhtiari
Backed up by Yosh Nijman
LG: Elgton Jenkins
Backed up by Jon Runyan
C: Cory Linsley
Backed up by Lucas Patrick
RG: Lane Taylor
Backed up by Lucas Patrick
RT: Billy Turner (77)
Backed up by Rick Wagner
TE Marcedes Lewis
Backed up by Robert Tonyan, Jace Sternberger and Josiah Deguara
WR: Allen Lazard
Backed up by Malik Taylor
WR: Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Backed up by Equanimeous St. Brown
QB: Aaron Rodgers
Backed up by Tim Boyle and Jordan Love
RB: Aaron Jones
Backed up by Jamaal Williams, Tyler Ervin and AJ Dillon
DE Dean Lowry
Backed up by Montravius Adams
NT Kenny Clark
Backed up by Montravius Adams
DE: Tyler Lancaster
Backed up by Kingsley Keke
OLB: Preston Smith
Backed up by Randy Ramsey and Jonathan Garvin
ILB: Christian Kirksey
Backed up by Ty Summers
OLB: Za'Darius Smith
Backed up by Rashan Gary
ILB: Oren Burks
Backed up by Ty Summers
CB: Jaire Alexander
Backed up by Chandon Sullivan and Ka'dar Hollman
CB Kevin King
Backed up by Josh Jackson and Parry Nickerson
S: Adrian Amos
Backed up by Will Redmond and Vernon Scott
S: Darnell Savage
Backed up by Raven Greene
K: Mason Crosby
P/H: JK Scott
PR/KR: Tyler Ervin
Backed up by Josh Jackson and Chandon Sullivan
LS: Hunter Bradley
2. Count LaFleur among those who was impressed with Peterson's performance Week 1 vs. a very good Bears defense. LaFleur said Peterson looked explosive and dynamic against Chicago, and he's really defying the odds at age 35, based on what he saw on tape from last week. LaFleur said Peterson stills looks like an elite back.
3. Don't think for a minute LaFleur and the 1-0 Packers will take the 0-1 Lions lightly this week.
"They gave us everything we could handle last year," LaFleur said. "The fact that they were winning for literally 120 minutes out of 120 minutes. It was pretty much a miracle we were able to take both those games."
The Packers won both games last year on last-second field goals after trailing for the entire game in both contests. LaFleur said there was a lot more bad than good for the Packers in both those games last season, and he expects a tough game.
4. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he and wide receiver Davante Adams are building the same kind of chemistry Rodgers had with Jordy Nelson, who he threw 65 touchdowns to, which is more than any other QB/WR combo in Packers history.
"I've worked hard and Davante has as well with our communication to where I feel like games like (Sunday) are possible," Rodgers told ESPN. "He had a couple plays during the game today that kind of reminded me of the connection Jordy and I had, especially with an outside receiver, just little, subtle adjustments, especially with his angles at the top of stems was pretty fun to see us connect on."
5. LaFleur confirmed this week that Packers veteran guard Lane Taylor suffered a season-ending knee injury during last Sunday's win over Minnesota.
