Three things the Packers must fix in Week 2 vs. Lions

3. Get the ball out on time

Aaron Rodgers’ MVP season was built on playing within the offense, making throws on time and in rhythm. When he needed to scramble and make a play on the move, he could, but it wasn’t required as often as in previous years.

For some reason, perhaps due to the Packers falling behind early, Rodgers fell back into his hero-ball ways. He wasn’t getting the ball out quickly or on time, but rather waiting, and waiting.

Part of this would’ve been on the coverage. With the Saints dropping more players into coverage, it became far easier for them to defend the pass.

Rodgers’ protection was far from perfect, and pressure led to the first of two interceptions. However, Rodgers’ average time to throw was 2.94 seconds, fifth-most in the league for Week 1, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

If the Packers can get back to the structure of their offense, which was so dominant last season, and Rodgers gets the ball out quickly and on time, they can improve from last week.

Running the ball will also help this. If Green Bay commits to the ground game and forces Detroit to consider bringing an additional defender into the box, it will help the Packers win through the air more easily.

Rodgers and the Packers offense need to get back to 2020. If they can, they should find plenty of success against the Lions in Week 2.