NFL joint practices are known to be quite testy and chippy. Players are trying to scrap and claw for roster spots and make a name for themselves. Eric Stokes is not one of those players. Neither is Jarvis Landry. After one particular whistle was blown during joint practices between the Saints and Packers Wednesday, Stokes and Landry reportedly got into it after Landry stood over Stokes. “At the end of the day, I don’t care who you are, what you do. I’m not going to be little boy’d. I am a grown man. I’m not going to be disrespected,” the Green Bay cornerback told media Wednesday after practice.
This is what fans of a blue collar town like Green Bay, Wisconsin love to see. Not fighting necessarily. But they love to see a young player not backing down from an established veteran who thinks he can get away with being a bully. The Packers defense certainly had Stokes’ back during the scuffle. “Oh, I know that for a fact, that were’re going to ride. That’s something we talk about on the daily. It doesn’t matter who it is, what type of thing we’ve got going on. If one need it, we’re all going to ride.” This is something that also can unite a team. When players see one of their own standing up for himself, they can’t help but feel the need to stand with him.
This seems to be a different Green Bay defense than ones that have been seen in years past. They have an edge to them, and they are not going to back down from anybody. That is something that has to make Aaron Rodgers very happy. He doesn’t have to carry the fate of the world on his shoulders for Packers fans by himself. He has a salty defense that is ready to go to battle with him and the offense on Sundays. This attitude could be a key factor in determining if the team can win a Super Bowl or not.
