Getty Packers left guard Elgton Jenkins seems confident that right tackle Zach Tom can stop Vikings sacks leader Danielle Hunter in Week 8.
The Green Bay Packers’ offensive line is bracing for its toughest challenge yet against the blitz-happy Minnesota Vikings in Week 8, but left guard Elgton Jenkins knows the secret to stopping Vikings star pass rusher Danielle Hunter.
“Zach Tom,” Jenkins told reporters at his locker following Thursday’s practice. “Zach just going out there and doing his job, just doing the gameplan. I feel like the guy that we’ve got, he’s a good player, and it’s gonna be a battle, but he’ll definitely get it done.”
Tom has been the most consistent part of the Packers’ offensive line over the first six games of the 2023 season, allowing zero sacks and 12 pressures in his new role as their starting right tackle. Hunter, though, provides him with another elite-caliber test after matching up against both Aidan Hutchinson and Maxx Crosby over the past month.
Hunter leads the NFL with nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss through the Vikings’ first seven games and has only finished one — against Carolina in Week 4 — without bringing down the quarterback at least once. If Jordan Love and the Packers offense want to get back on track against a divisional rival, they are going to need the best from Tom.
The Packers (2-4) will host the Vikings (3-4) at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 29.
Packers’ OL Has Gone From Strength to Weakness
Danielle Hunter is a problem for most offensive lines, but he is catching the Packers at a fortuitous time — for him — given their still-unsolved struggles in the trenches.
The Packers had every reason to believe their offensive line would be a strength heading into the 2023 season. Five-time All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari and Jenkins, a two-time Pro Bowler, gave them one of the most effective left-side tandems in the league. They also expected to see continued growth from several of their more experienced linemen, such as center Josh Myers, guard Jon Runyan Jr. and tackle Yosh Nijman.
Instead, less than two months into the season, the Packers are searching for answers. Bakhtiari has been lost for another season following his latest knee surgery. And his replacement — preseason standout Rasheed Walker — has given up a team-high two sacks and 13 pressures trying to cover quarterback Jordan Love’s blindside.
The Packers’ other veteran starters have also struggled to live up to the challenge without Bakhtiari anchoring their line. According to Pro Football Focus, Bakhtiari (68.6) and Tom (82.1) are the only two Packers offensive linemen with run-blocking grades that are average or better. Even Jenkins, who missed two games with injury, has been unable to live up to the reputation of a two-time Pro Bowler.
So, while the growth of Tom is encouraging for the Packers’ long-term future, they will need more than just him bringing his A game to stave off the Vikings on Sunday.
Packers List Josh Myers as ‘Questionable’ vs. Vikings
The Packers will have one more potential wrinkle to monitor for their offensive line heading into the weekend. In Friday’s final injury report for Week 8, the team officially listed Myers — their starting center — as questionable to play with an ankle injury.
Myers injured his ankle in Week 7’s loss to the Denver Broncos and did not practice on the first day of the current week, but the Packers upgraded him to a limited participant for Thursday’s practice and a full participant for Friday’s final walkthrough.
If Myers cannot play, the Packers might have to move the versatile Tom over to cover for him and bumped Nijman into the starting lineup at right tackle. Of course, it also depends on how confident they are in Nijman being able to handle Danielle Hunter.
The Packers also listed cornerback Jaire Alexander (back), linebacker De’Vondre Campbell (ankle) and tight end Luke Musgrave (ankle) as questionable for Week 8.