Packers-49ers three takeaways: Mason Crosby delivers

2. Offense struggles on third down

There were some encouraging moments on offense in this game. Success on third down was not one of them.

Let’s start with the good. It took the Packers just four plays to find the end zone on their opening drive. Before Monday night, Green Bay hadn’t scored a single point on its opening drive all season long.

But one area the offense struggled was third down. The Packers converted just four times on 13 third down attempts. They were also stopped on fourth down on San Francisco’s four-yard line.

This offense has been unable to turn promising drives into seven points regularly enough. Monday night, they had to settle for four field goals. The only difference this week is that Mason Crosby converted all four. But the offense ran into the same problems as it did in Detroit.

Yes, the Packers have been without Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison the past two weeks. We know how important they both are. But that’s no excuse. Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been excellent the past two games, and this team still has more than enough talent on offense to find more consistency than it has so far this year.

It was hardly the Packers’ worst performance on offense. They did put up 33 points after all.

But improving the third down efficiency will be a top priority after the bye week.