Edgerrin Cooper's injury is Packers' latest challenge in a season already full of adversity

Even when they win, the Green Bay Packers keep suffering major losses.

Matt LaFleur's squad got back to the .500 mark with a 17-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, but lost linebacker Edgerrin Cooper to an Achilles tendon injury in the process.

Cooper is expected to miss the rest of the season, the latest setback for a defense that is still awaiting the return of All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons as he works his way back after tearing his ACL last December. LaFleur said Monday that Parsons won’t return to practice this week.

“The guy is working his butt off to be out there, and I think we’ve made some ground in the last week,” LaFleur said. “But where and when he’ll be available, time will tell. But certainly, (we're) looking forward to that day.”

Parsons’ situation leaves the Packers without their best overall player. Now Green Bay must find a way to replace Cooper, who arguably was performing as well as any Packer through the first four weeks of the season.

Cooper had six tackles for loss and three sacks to lead the Packers in both categories. He had nine tackles, a sack and an interception Sunday before getting hurt in the third quarter.

“He’s a tough one to lose,” LaFleur said. “We all saw what he was able to do in basically a half of football, and the player that he is. My heart hurts for him and his recovery and what he’s going through, but it’s an opportunity for those other guys. (Isaiah) McDuffie’s played a lot of great football for us. I think (Ty'Ron) Hopper’s shown really well. So those guys will get an opp.”

The loss of Cooper represents the latest in a series of major injuries for the Packers (2-2).

Offensive tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (knee) and wide receiver Jayden Reed (neck) already had season-ending injuries. Left guard Aaron Banks has played in just one of Green Bay’s first four games due to knee and toe issues.

“We’ve been kind of hit with some type of curse, it seems like,” center Sean Rhyan said after Sunday’s game.

The Packers also have been playing all season without three-time Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs, who was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list after pleading no contest to two misdemeanor charges stemming from a May altercation with his then-girlfriend.

Without Jacobs, the Packers are last in the NFL in yards rushing per game (58.0) and next-to-last in yards per carry (3.2).

While there was nowhere to go but up in this regard, a reconfigured offensive line did a better job of protecting QB Jordan Love. Laken Tomlinson started at left guard less than a week after Green Bay signed him off Dallas’ practice squad. Travis Glover made his first career start at right guard. ... The defense sacked rookie QB Jalon Daniels three times and intercepted two of his passes.

The Packers committed 10 penalties, the third time in four games they’ve been in double figures. Green Bay has an NFL-high 86 penalty yards per game. ... Green Bay’s struggles to protect double-digit leads continued. After extending their lead to 17-7 in the third quarter, the Packers allowed a touchdown and then committed turnovers on their next two possessions. ... The Packers have dropped too many passes, something LaFleur referenced at his Monday news conference.

S Evan Williams intercepted a pass in the first quarter to set up a touchdown. He also recorded a sack after the Bucs had crossed midfield on their final possession. ... K Trey Smack made a 58-yard field goal. The rookie sixth-round pick is 6 of 7 on field-goal attempts. His lone miss was blocked.

RB Kaleb Johnson lost a fumble when Green Bay had first-and-goal at the 3 while trying to extend its 17-14 lead early in the fourth quarter. ... RB MarShawn Lloyd also had a fumble in the red zone earlier in the same drive, though Green Bay retained possession because the ball went out of bounds at Tampa Bay’s 16.

Along with Cooper’s injury, RB Chris Brooks hurt an ankle. LaFleur said Monday that Brooks is undergoing testing. CB Brandon Cisse also left Sunday's game, but LaFleur said that “I don’t think it’s anything long-term.”

20-8 — That’s the Packers’ record in the month of October during LaFleur’s coaching tenure, which began in 2019. The only NFL team with a better October record during that stretch is Baltimore (22-7).

After going on the road for three of their first four games, the Packers are home for three of their next four. That starts Sunday when the reigning NFC North champion Chicago Bears (3-1) come to town.

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