The Green Bay Packers will attempt to bounce back from a Week 1 defeat in Brazil when they welcome the Indianapolis Colts — who are also 0-1 — to Lambeau Field for the home opener on Sunday. Can the Packers even their record after two weeks, or will Matt LaFleur’s team be stuck with the dreaded 0-2 start?
Here’s how the staff at Packers Wire believes the Week 2 showdown with the Colts will go down:
Zach Kruse: Colts 24, Packers 16 (0-1)
While there is a (increasingly small) chance Jordan Love plays, confidence here is low in the Packers’ ability to win a game with Malik Willis under center. He might be talented, but Willis is an inconsistent thrower of the football who takes too many sacks and lacks experience in Matt LaFleur’s scheme. Jayden Reed is also dealing with a new injury, potentially limiting a key player for Willis on offense. While Anthony Richardson is sporadic, he’s the better bet to create a few big plays on Sunday. In what could be an erratic game overall, the guess here is the Packers struggle offensively and aren’t able to generate enough points to pull off the upset with a backup quarterback. Flip the scores if Love plays, which, again, looks increasingly unlikely.
Brandon Carwile: Packers 20, Colts 17 (0-1)
If Jordan Love makes an appearance on Sunday, the Packers could put up a decent amount of points. If Malik Willis gets the start, scoring will become increasingly difficult. Love was listed as questionable on the final injury report, but there’s no need to rush him back so early in the season. Matt LaFleur is a good enough coach to win with Willis under center, especially against a vulnerable Indianapolis defense. Green Bay might be able to run their way to victory, though that may take an All-Pro effort from Josh Jacobs. But hey, that’s why they signed him. The defense doesn’t have to worry about the Colts’ offensive weapons like they did against the Eagles last week. However, Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, and Anthony Richardson aren’t slouches. I think the defense has a bounce-back performance this week, forcing a late turnover to help seal the victory. On offense, Jacobs has a huge day and gets into the end zone twice, propelling the Packers to their first win of 2024.
Brennen Rupp: Packers 20, Colts 14 (1-0)
Anthony Richardson is a talented quarterback. His combination of size, athleticism and arm talent make him an exciting player to watch. For all those tools he’s still a work in progress. He’s going to miss throws and give Green Bay’s secondary an opportunity to make plays on the ball. They have to capitalize, and I think they will. After having a disappointing debut as a defensive coordinator in Brazil, I think Jeff Hafley’s squad bounces back this week at Lambeau Field to help the Packers pick up their first win of the season.
Greg Williams: Packers 27, Colts 24 (0-1)
If you needed Jordan Love to sit out a few games, this is the perfect stretch. This game against the Colts is winnable, even with Malik Willis starting under center; however, it’s not going to be easy. This isn’t a knock on Willis, there’s a chance he can put together a solid game, especially under Matt LaFleur, who’s a good enough coach to put Willis in situations where can succeed. Plus, outside the quarterback position, the Packers are arguably the better team. I would expect LaFleur and company to rely heavily on the running game, where Josh Jacobs can be expected to have a huge day after Joe Mixon ran for over 150 yards against the Colts in Week 1. That also doesn’t include giving Christian Watson and Jayden Reed some carries to spread out the Colts defense. The big concern for me will be the Packers defense. They need a nice performance after giving up 30+ points to the Eagles. Now, they play a struggling offensive line and a quarterback who can be careless with the ball, which could lead to a bounce back performance. Nevertheless, if Willis gets his first start with the Packers, it’s still a winnable game and he can come in and lead the Packers to their first of the season.
| Writer | Prediction | Score | Record |
| Zach Kruse | Loss | 24-16 | 0-1 |
| Brandon Carwile | Win | 20-17 | 0-1 |
| Brennen Rupp | Win | 20-14 | 1-0 |
| Greg Williams | Win | 27-24 | 0-1 |