Packers: Top five performers in Week 3 loss vs. Washington

5. The defense in the second half

The first half was ugly. The defense couldn’t stop the Redskins’ rushing or passing attacks. One punt and an interception by safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix were the only times the Packers could stop Washington.

Three pass interference penalties on one drive all but gave the Redskins a touchdown. Kentrell Brice badly missed playing a deep ball in the air. It looked like nothing could go right.

The second half? Well that was a different story.

The defense got key stops and was able to give the ball back to Rodgers. Alex Smith had zero, that’s right zero yards passing in the third quarter. If the defense had not been put in a bad spot by the Cobb fumble, it’s possible the defense would not have given up a point in the second half.

There was more pressure in the second half, including the now infamous sack that wasn’t.

But there was the first half. The defense was absolutely shredded during the first two quarters and despite the strong effort in the second half, the hole was already too deep.

Mike Pettine knows what he is doing. There is talent on this team on defense. Why the Packers have not yet been able to put it together for four quarters is a mystery. Teams change coordinators all the time and are able to come together quicker.

I was hesitant to put the defense on here but they did do an admirable job of giving the Packers a chance in the second half. This defense needs to put it all together. A task that just got a little more difficult with the injury to Wilkerson.

But if this defense can play more like the second half of this game and Week 1, the Packers won’t have to rely so much on a hobbled Aaron Rodgers.