Packers: Analyzing all three facets of the win vs. Vikings
By Brady Busha
A debriefing of the Green Bay Packers’ home opener.
Offense, defense, special teams. The three facets of a football team, and Green Bay was able to execute in all three well enough to hold onto a win at Lambeau Field this past Sunday.
The opening stretch of games for the Packers features some tenacious defenses, with four of the first six weeks including top-10 defenses in yards surrendered per game from 2018. Denver and Philadelphia are the only exceptions to that list, and those two teams are next up for the Packers, at home, in that order.
Given that the Chicago Bears’ defense was ranked first in the NFL for points allowed in a game in 2018, and the Minnesota Vikings were ranked ninth in the same category, it speaks volumes to how far this team has come since last December by notching victories over both of them. Starting the year off on this note, despite the growing pains, is very exciting to see.
These two victories are also a good sign for the energy first year head coach Matt LaFleur gives the locker room, as well as the quality of the players general manager Brian Gutekunst has acquired the past two offseasons. Clearly, the quick rebuild is paying off so far, with Za’Darius and Preston Smith already becoming fan favorites with their joint interview sessions, and the defense gelling early.
However, not everything is going to fire on all cylinders at all times. That much was clear after the first quarter of the Packers’ 21-16 win over Minnesota this past Sunday.