“We’ve been kind of hit with some type of curse.”
Those were Sean Rhyan’s words after the Green Bay Packers’ 17-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon. Yes, the Packers got back in the win column. Yes, the team is back to 2-2 and still right in the thick of the NFC North race. Yes, the offensive line looked much better, bolstered by changes at both guard positions and facing a team with a fairly dismal pass rush.
But when Edgerrin Cooper went down with a non-contact injury in the third quarter, it felt like a massive gut punch for the entire team. Rhyan’s sentiments echo what Packers fans were surely feeling: the likely season-ending loss of yet another essential player on the Green Bay roster.
Last year it was Tucker Kraft and Micah Parsons, both of whom were playing at an All-Pro level when they tore their ACLs (and Parsons still managed to be an All-Pro anyway). This year, it has been Jayden Reed and Zach Bako-Bewele, both of whom weren’t quite at that level but who were key cogs on the offense. Now it’s Cooper, who has been pushing for All-Pro consideration as well through the first month of the season.
Cooper was even in the midst of arguably his finest game so far this season. Before his injury, he had racked up 9 tackles, a sack, and an interception, the second of his career. It’s probably no coincidence that on the Bucs’ drive immediately following Cooper’s injury, they put together a 12-play, 89-yard touchdown drive to cut the Packers’ lead to three points.
Somehow, the defense did just enough to overcome a pair of fourth-quarter turnovers from the Green Bay offense, forcing a punt and a turnover on downs late to preserve a narrow three-point win. But moving forward, the Packers’ defense will be without one of its most dynamic young playmakers, presumably for the rest of the season.
With Edgerrin Cooper out, Evan Williams shines for Packers | ESPN
The Packers’ defense found a closer on Sunday in Williams. After a first-quarter interception, he made his way into the backfield three times on the Bucs’ final series, coming up with his first career sack and another QB hit to force a bad throw on the final, decisive fourth down.