Malik Willis, Josh Jacobs and 3 more Packers who can’t afford a dud in Week 2

Jordan Love won't take the field for the Packers this week but no one in the NFL is going to feel sorry for Green Bay in the absence of their starting quarterback. Instead, the Colts will see this weekend's matchup at Lambeau Field as a golden opportunity to get their first victory of the campaign.

Love's absence will have a significant impact on how the Packers' coaching staff approaches the game. There will be an obvious emphasis on the run game as a way to reduce the pressure on backup quarterback Malik Willis. Head coach Matt LaFleur and his offensive staff will do everything they can to stop Willis from feeling as if he needs to win this game with his arm.

That does not mean Willis won't need to make a few key throws to keep the Colts' defense honest. It will be up to him and these four teammates to avoid disaster in Week 2 if the Packers are going to get their season back on track.

1. Malik Willis

The aforementioned No. 2 signal-caller is going to face a lot of scrutiny in this game. It's natural for Packers fans to look at him and expect the former first-round pick to duplicate with Love gives them on a weekly basis.

The Packers coaching staff isn't going to fall into that trap. Willis will be spoon-fed an easy game plan that sets him up for success. Look for the game plan to give him some easy throws in the first quarter to settle him into the flow of the game.

Willis also has the ability to hurt Indianapolis' defense with his legs if the Colts get too aggressive with their pass rush. No matter what, the key for Willis in this game will be to avoid turning the football over early. The Packers want to give him a lead he can protect late in the game. If he's forced to do too much it's easy to envision a scenario where Green Bay will fall to 0-2 due to his inexperience.

2. Josh Jacobs

The easiest way for the Packers to avoid heaping too much pressure on Willis' young shoulders is to give him a strong ground game to lean on. That's why Jacobs needs to come up big for his new team in his second game as a Packer.

The good news for Green Bay is that Jacobs flashed good energy in the team's Week 1 defeat. His workload should increase dramatically against the Colts. He only got 16 carries against the Eagles but that was largely due to the fact that the game developed into a shootout. 25 carries should be the minimum workload for Jacobs in this one.

Green Bay won't be content to send Jacobs plunging into the middle of the line on a consistent basis. They will work hard to get him the ball out on the edge where he can generate big chunks of offense. That sort of exotic ground game is right in LaFleur's wheelhouse as a play caller. Jacobs will get every opportunity to eat his fill this week against the Colts.

3. Josh Myers

Josh Myers endured one of his worst games as a professional last week as his PFF grade of 50.1 against the Eagles reflects. He'll face another massive challenge this week as he'll be tasked to keep Grover Stewart and company out of his backfield.

The former second-round pick lacks the power to control the middle of the line on his own. He needs to leverage his long arms to keep opposing defensive linemen at bay. Myers will need to work his angles carefully to generate open space for his team's ground game this week.

Even more important for Myers is that he helps settle his young quarterback down. He can't afford to let interior pressure spook Willis in the first quarter. Green Bay desperately needs a bounce-back performance from their young center to help stabilize the offense on Sunday.

4. Jaire Alexander

Similar to Myers, Jaire Alexander also had a forgettable performance in Week 1. He managed to nab an important interception on the night, but the rest of his play against the Eagles' aerial attack left much to be desired.

Anthony Richardson is not the most consistent quarterback in the NFL, but he has a penchant for making big plays down the field. Alexander cannot afford to give up one of those long touchdowns if his team is going to emerge victorious. His mental attention might be just as important as his physical play this week. One mental lapse could see him torched by Richardson. That could be enough to turn this game in Indianapolis' favor given the uncertainty Green Bay faces on offense.

5. Kenny Clark

The Colts would love nothing more than to run the ball down the Packers' throats on Sunday. Kenny Clark's ability to control the middle of the line with his sheer power is a big key for Green Bay's defense.

Clark was the team's worst statistical performer last week with a putrid PFF grade of 39.4. He got pushed around by the Eagles front. That can't happen again this week if the Packers want to even their record.

The bad news for Clark is that he's going to match up against a pretty talented interior front for Indianapolis. Ryan Kelly is a talented, veteran center and Quenton Nelson can be a dominant force at guard. Clark doesn't need to blow them away for the Packers to win the game but he cannot afford to get swallowed up by the Colts' massive front. A stalemate would represent a nice bounceback for Clark after his Week 1 disaster.