Green Bay Packers Week 3: What Now?
By Kenn Korb
Because of the way the cable networks dole out the games and not having NFL Sunday Ticket, I was graciously stuck with watching the Redskins-Eagles game instead of my beloved Green Bay Packers.
Turns out FOX did me a bit of a favor, seeing as those same Packers managed a pretty miserable showing to start their three-game stretch of divisional matchups, losing 19-7 to the Detroit Lions.
Anyone with a vested interest is obviously going to be stinging from this for a bit, especially after Chicago’s win at the Jets Monday night.
Anyone with a vested interest is obviously going to be stinging from this for a bit, especially after Chicago’s win at the Jets Monday night.
Don’t get too down people; there is plenty of time for things to get positive again. In fact, things can change for the better in only a week’s time. Before then, I have some thoughts and observations that should hopefully help you all to move past this.
Green Bay seems to be making a habit of these slow starts to the year lately; this is the third straight year they have dropped to 1-2.
Things worked out OK the past two times, where they recovered to win game four – and of course ended up winning the division each time as well – so this is no time for panic.
And though I predicted a 3-1 start originally, I’m pretty sure I made it clear that these first four games would each be a hefty challenge; getting a win in any of them is commendable.
When it comes to negatives from this past game, it was always going to be difficult regardless of if the vast majority of people expected a shootout (a crowd in which I was not a part of).
The fact that Detroit could not only shut down the run (under 60 yards per-game allowed before Sunday’s game) but bust up the biggest weakness on offense (O-Line) at ease should’ve gotten more notice; the success in those aspects let them prevent Aaron Rodgers from finding any semblance of form.
Add in that there were plenty of drops by receivers and you get a simple equation that sums up the game for the Packers offensively: Bad blocking + no run game + receiver drops = 7 points all day.
It may be difficult to see it right now, but there are a handful of positives to take away from the result. It may have been 19-7, but the defense played a really strong game (FINALLY!); it only allowed 10 of those (The Lion D recovered a Lacy fumble for a TD, and took him down in the end-zone for a safety). In addition to the low amount of points, they also managed to force two INTs AND get a fumble recovery.
Players from all over were able to step up. Mike Daniels continues to ascend as a team leader through his on-field work. Davon House put up a strong game with an INT and good coverage – including nickel work over Casey Hayward. Julius Peppers had his first strong game, including multiple QB hits and a sack-forced fumble-fumble recovery of Stafford when the Lions were on the Packers 7-yard line.
Outside of one TD run by Reggie Bush, there wasn’t much gashing in against the much-maligned run defense. And while a good bunch of yards were surrendered in the passing game, they only allowed 10 points all game.
The facts are that if the Green Bay offense plays as badly as it did Sunday, the team almost certainly will lose; that goes double for a team built so reliant on their offense like the Packers.
But really, how often can this team be expected to be so abysmal in that aspect? So many things that normally don’t happen had to happen: Rodgers was uncharacteristically off, Lacy fumbling for this first time since his first professional game, the aforementioned dropped passes … all events that don’t follow the usual trends for this team.
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When you add it all up, the terrible loss is really amounts to just that: one terrible loss.
As just the third game in a 16-game season, anyone freaking out needs to attain some perspective and realize that if Green Bay can reaffirm its usual offensive prowess in the coming weeks (a good bet) and hold onto the progress the other side of the ball has made (promising possibility, though not concrete as of yet), they will be back atop the division in no time – especially with this current 3-division-game stretch.
Right now, fans have to do exactly as the team will; take a couple of days to recover from the sting of the loss, and then prepare for the upcoming game at the Bears.