The Sconi

Green Bay Packers’ veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis is taking a mind-over-matter attitude in the midst of the team’s three-game losing streak.

“One thing I told the guys ... in times like this, individually, when I’ve had, whether it’s a couple bad plays, play a couple games you’d rather have back, you just lean on your work,” he told ESPN this week. “We go out there and we bust our butt every day. It’s about finding our rhythm, and all it’s going to take is one, and they come in bunches after that. Time to get back to work.”

That the three losses have all come against teams the Packers were heavily favored to beat—leaving them trailing the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings (5-1) going into their Sunday night battle against the Buffalo Bills—has raised even more eyebrows. At the start of the week, Caesars Sportsbook had the Packers as a 10.5-point underdog, leaving the team in the position of being the biggest underdog they’ve been in MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ career as a starter.

While fans are clamoring for the team to make a splash trade as a way of steadying the ship, the 38-year-old Lewis preaches togetherness. Teammates quickly pointed out his locker room pep talk largely calmed their nerves and helped them reset for the next game. Despite having just one catch for two yards this season, Lewis still commands a presence in the locker room.

Besides, with Rodgers’ $150 million contract still on the books, the idea of an immediate rebuild almost seems like a fantasy.  

While Rodgers is calling for a simplification of the offense, Lewis is still working on a solution.

“It feels eerie,” Lewis said. “Like weird, almost. Just think about whenever you go out there and you got an answer for everything. I just feel like we haven’t gotten to that point yet, whether it be injuries up front, guys shuffling in and out at the receiver position. Offense, it’s tough. You need that groove. You need to be able to trust the man next to you. When you got guys in and out, it’s tough to do that. Obviously, there’s no time to sit and lick our wounds.”