Packers special teams hero is pining to fix more problems in Green Bay
Green Bay Packers return specialist Keisean Nixon is looking to make an impact on the team in another way.
The Green Bay Packers are on a two-game win streak, keeping their slim playoff chances alive after beating the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football. The team has notoriously had struggles on special teams, specifically on kick and punt returns. But it seems like they have a superstar as a return specialist in Keisean Nixon.
In the Monday night game against the Rams, Nixon picked up a gain of 95 yards on three kickoff returns and 36 yards on two punt returns. This is now his fifth straight game recording over 100 return yards.
While Nixon has made a significant impact on the team in the return game, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that Nixon has been pitching to play as a slot receiver for the team.
Matt LaFleur says Keisean Nixon has been campaigning to play slot receiver
“He’s been talking to me every day about that,” LaFleur said, h/t Matt Schneidman of The Athletic (subscription required). “He saw that screen that New England ran a couple weeks ago where they threw it to their punt returner (cornerback Marcus Jones) and he took it to the house, so ever since then, it’s been, ‘I can go in there.’”
In regards to the Marcus Jones touchdown, that took place in the Patriots’ Week 13 game against the Buffalo Bills. In the first quarter, Jones received a screen pass from quarterback Mac Jones, and took it 48-yards for a touchdown to give New England an early 7-3 lead in the first quarter. The Bills ended up winning the game 24-10.
Nixon responded to LaFleur’s comments on him asking to play slot, saying “we’ll see.”
The Packers signed Nixon after he spent the previous three seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. His first 100 return yard game took place in Week 10 against the Dallas Cowboys, where he took five kickoffs for 103 yards and two punts for 19 yards in the 31-28 overtime win. Ever since, Nixon has had over 100 return yards in each game played.
Green Bay will be facing off against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Given the amount of talent the Dolphins have on offense, maybe that will be the time in which Nixon will get some reps at slot receiver. LaFleur will have to do as much as he can, considering their playoff lives are on the line for the remainder of the season.
