Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
4 DOWNS Should the Packers have traded for Fitzpatrick?
Four observations the day after the Green Bay Packers’ 21-16 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday:
First down
With Raven Greene placed on injured reserve Monday with an ankle injury, you have to wonder if the Packers were interested in making a run at trading for defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick, the No. 11 pick overall in the 2018 draft, was granted permission by the Miami Dolphins to seek a trade and then got his wish Monday when he was sent to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a firstround draft pick in 2020, according to a story by The Associated Press (read more on Page 30). Fitzpatrick can play both cornerback and safety, and he might have been a good fit for the safetylinebacker position Greene was manning and that has become a key spot in coordinator Mike Pettine’s defense. If you were GM Brian Gutekunst, would you have paid a first-round pick for Fitzpatrick?
Second down
Xavier Rhodes has been to two Pro Bowls and last year was named firstteam All-Pro, and it always struck me that he was one of the better cornerbacks in the league. The Vikings surely think so, they’re paying him $14 million a year. But an assistant coach in the NFC North told me last week he thinks Rhodes is overrated, and maybe he’s onto something. The Vikings were looking for Rhodes to take Davante Adams out of the game Sunday, but Adams got the better of it with seven catches for an average of 15.1 yards each. Included were a 15-yarder on Rhodes that set up the Packers’ second touchdown, and two catches on him that converted third downs. Adams also had Rhodes beat for a big play down the middle of the field, so Rhodes just grabbed him and took the 25-yard interference penalty.
Third down
After missing all of training camp with a pulled hamstring, Kevin King played a little more than half the defensive snaps (42 of 73) in the Packers’ opener at Chicago. The official snap counts for the Vikings game showed King played 64 of the 65 snaps. He’s a crucial player for the Packers’ defense, but with his durability issues it’s hard not to wonder whether his body will hold up to that workload over the final 14 games.
Fourth down
The Vikings didn’t play that much of their signature Double-A-gap defense Sunday. It’s a staple of coach Mike Zimmer’s pass-rush package, with two linebackers (or a linebacker and safety Harrison Smith) lining up on either side of the center as potential blitzers, and then either blitzing or bailing at the snap. It puts a lot of pressure on offenses right up the middle. But Zimmer mostly uses that package on third and long, and the Packers didn’t have a third-and-seven or more until late in the second quarter. By that point they already led, 21-7.