The Green Bay Packers haven't had a lot to get excited about this year, but enter their Week 10 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming off an impressive 20-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
Here are a few things happening in Lambeau land as Matt LaFleur & Co. prepare to begin the second half of the 2023 NFL season.
Packers rumors: Luke Musgrave is on pace to break a Packers receiving record
Taken in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the 42nd overall pick, tight end Luke Musgrave impressed his coaches and teammates from the get-go.
With ridiculous athleticism and far faster than someone who's 6-foot-6 and 253 pounds should be, the Oregon State alum had a fantastic training camp and preseason to earn a spot in the Packers' starting lineup in Week 1.
And through eight games, Musgrave has become one of Jordan Love's favorite receivers, ranking third in targets and second in receptions.
And given the issues the Green Bay receiving corps as a whole has had with drops, one would think Love would continue to target him, as Musgrave's catch percentage (77.1) ranks first among those with at least 10 targets.
Now, while 27 catches for 249 yards with one touchdown might not look all that impressive, the 23-year-old is actually on pace to break the Packers rookie record for receptions. The record is currently owned by Sterling Sharpe, who caught 55 passes as a rookie in 1988. He then led the league in receptions the following year with 90.
Prior to Sharpe, the mark belonged to Billy Howton, who caught 53 balls for a league-leading 1,231 yards all the way back in 1952.
So Musgrave is in pretty good company. His current pace would put him at 57 receptions at season's end.
Packers rumors: Devonte Wyatt ranks fourth among NFL defensive linemen in pressure rate
As with Luke Musgrave, Devonte Wyatt's simple stat sheet might not look overly impressive to those simply glancing at it.
With just 18 total tackles through eight games, last year's 28th overall pick trails 14 other Packers in that category. But that doesn't mean Wyatt, who ranks fourth on the team in sacks with 2.5, isn't making an impact.
If you were to dig a little deeper, you'd find that among every single defensive lineman in the NFL, the former Georgia Bulldog ranks fourth in pressure rate, trailing only the New York Giants' Dexter Lawrence, the Buffalo Bills' DaQuan Jones, and the Dallas Cowboys' Osa Odighizuwa.
For those unfamiliar with the term, pressure rate is the total number of pressures divided by the total number of pass-rush snaps. The average NFL pass-rusher generates pressure on approximately 10.3 percent of these types of plays.
Through the first half of this 2023 campaign, Wyatt has generated pressure on 16 percent of pass-rush plays. So, again, while the 25-year-old's overall numbers aren't super flashy, he's making an impact for the Green Bay defense.
And given some of the offensive struggles the team has endured throughout the year, Wyatt and the Packers' defense at least keeps them competitive at times.
Packers rumors: Jaire Alexander has missed practice for two straight days
It's no secret that the Packers have been bitten by the injury bug as of late.
Linebacker Quay Walker, who leads the team in tackles, missed Green Bay's Week 9 win over the Rams with a groin injury and has yet to return to practice.
Right guard Jon Runyan (neck), left tackle Yosh Nijman (back), safety Rudy Ford (shoulder), defensive lineman Kenny Clark (shoulder), running back Aaron Jones (hamstring), and left guard Elgton Jenkins (knee) have all either missed practice or been limited participants this week.
And you can now add cornerback Jaire Alexander to the list of Packers who are banged up.
Despite playing every defensive snap against Los Angeles this past Sunday, the two-time All-Pro has yet to participate in practice as he's nursing a shoulder injury.
Nobody seems to know exactly when the injury occurred, but it's certainly concerning, as the Packers aren't very deep at cornerback after trading Rasul Douglas to the Buffalo Bills.
Alexander has already missed three games this season with a back injury, two of which resulted in losses. It's not as if the Steelers have a great passing game, but Kenny Pickett will obviously have a much easier day if the Packers don't have one of their best defenders on the field.
