The Packers Fell Apart When It Mattered Most
Biggest Takeaways after Packers 25-24 loss to Falcons
Sideline Scoop Green Bay is a newsletter dedicated to all things Packers. If you’d like to join 900+ Packers fans who receive this newsletter throughout the week feel free to subscribe.
We are now two weeks into the Jordan Love era in Green Bay. The Packers are 1-1. Jordan Love has thrown 6 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and has the highest passer rating in the NFL at 118.8.
If I told you this in July, you’d be pumped. The one thing all of us cheeseheads were hoping for in 2023 was Jordan Love proving that he is the Packers answer at QB for the long haul. So far, he’s done exactly that.
But this doesn’t negate the fact that we just lost to the Falcons in heartbreaking fashion.
Most of the game it was relatively smooth sailing. Even though the Falcons consistently moved the ball down the field, the Packers defense had held up nicely. Jordan Love and the offense made it work without Christian Watson, David Bakhtiari, and Aaron Jones with 24 points after 3 quarters.
The Packers were up 24-12 entering the 4th quarter. It seemed like the game was all but won. One sustained drive by the Packers offense resulting in a field goal or touchdown would have ended the game and the Packers would be heading to Lambeau for the first home game of the season sitting at 2-0.
Instead, everything fell apart in the final 15 minutes.
The Falcons moved the ball at will. Desmond Ridder excelled in the passing game when the Falcons needed it most. Drake London made Jaire Alexander look like an average cornerback. Bijan Robinson made the Packers D look silly. Jordan Love couldn’t connect with his receivers. The Packers offensive line couldn’t hold up in the running game. AJ Dillon couldn’t power through and get 1 yard on 3rd and 1.
That’s a game the Packers could have easily won.
At first look it’s easy to heap all of the blame on the lousy run defense, and don’t get me wrong, it deserves plenty of criticism, but the Packers offense also deserves equal blame.
The Packers offense had 3 seperate chances in the 4th quarter to put the game on ice. They couldn’t muster together one first down. Here’s how each drive went.
1st 4th quarter drive: 3 plays, 2 yards, punt
2nd 4th quarter drive: 3 plays, 5 yards, punt
3rd 4th quarter drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, turnover on downs
In two drives in the 3rd quarter, the Packers put up 143 yards in 10 plays. But after that, nothing worked.
On the Packers 2nd to last drive up 24-22 Matt LaFleur decided to run the ball 3 straight times to AJ Dillon. It almost worked. But the Packers couldn’t convert on 3rd and 1. Dillon is supposed to be the power back who can convert in short yardage situations, but he lost his footing on the play, and came up short. Aaron Jones was greatly missed.
LaFleur played it safe. He stopped being aggressive, took the ball out of Jordan Love’s hands, and put the fate of the game on AJ Dillon’s shoulders. Considering Dillon has underperformed and struggled in short yardage situations, I’d say it was a mistake by LaFleur.
This feels like a common occurrence for the Packers. There were many times with Rodgers & LaFleur in Green Bay where the Packers offense crumbled in the 4th quarter. They become a shell of themselves. The Packers take their foot off the gas and play it safe when there’s a chance to finish the game. I don’t get it.
But that wasn’t the only problem…
*If you’d like to receive this newsletter in your inbox feel free to become a free or paid subscriber by entering your email below*
The defense was abysmal. The Packers had no answer in the 4th quarter.
The Falcons had 4th and 4 at the Packers 6 yard line still up 24-12. They fake the handoff to Bijan Robinson, Rashan Gary falls for the run, then Ridder pulls it out and runs it in for the touchdown. It was a genius play call for the Falcons. You gotta give them credit. The Packers were keyed in on Bijan because of the damage he had done all day.
Then after the Packers first dud of a drive in the 4th quarter, the Falcons offense marched right down the field. Ridder scrambles for a first down on 3rd and 2. Ridder then hits Bijan for 20 yards with no Packers defender in sight. They finish with a field. 24-22. Joe Barry even added an additional interior defensive lineman in the 4th quarter to combat the running game, but the Falcons countered by passing the ball and picking apart the secondary.
The Falcons then get the ball back and lead a 12 play, 66 yard drive resulting in the field goal that won them the game 25-24. In the moments that mattered most the Falcons brought their A game and the Packers couldn’t match it.
Just one week after putting together a solid day vs the Bears backfield, the Packers run defense got exposed. I was very hopeful after week 1 that our defense had turned the corner, that the youth on the defensive line had transformed the unit and that the ugly run defense of the past was out the door.
I was wrong. Very wrong.
The Falcons rushing attack finished with 207 yards at 4.7 yards per carry.
The Packers knew that the Falcons would pound the rock all game long and still didn’t have an answer. This is in large part due to the dominance of Bijan Robinson. He’s one of the best in the league. He broke tackles left and right.
Here’s the real question. What’s the problem with the run defense? Is it Joe Barry? Is it the talent?
NFL defenses have started to get lighter and quicker to try to combat the lethal passing attacks around the NFL. I remember the Packers coaches and front office after the draft stating how they want to get quicker on the defensive line. Getting quicker can also mean getting lighter, and maybe that’s the problem.
Kenny Clark and TJ Slaton have good size, but outside of them we don’t have any “run stuffers” on the interior. The Packers defensive line got pushed around in the run game and had no answers.
Here’s a look at the Packers defenders PFF grades vs the run:
This is about what you’d expect when you give up over 200 yards on the ground. Clearly the defensive line struggled.
I’ll be honest, I have no clue what the solution is. Joe Barry also didn’t have a solution. When he brought on an additional defensive lineman ,Ridder picked apart the secondary. I assume you want to stack the box and bring your big bodies on the field. But then you become weak vs the pass. Barry has been known for his “bend but don’t break defense”, but yesterday the defense bent and broke when it mattered most.
At the end of the day, the Packers started the game without 3 of their best offensive players, proceeded to lose their 2nd best offensive lineman in Elgton Jenkins, and still put up 24 points.
This gives me confidence for this offense going forward. The defense on the other hand has me concerned. While most teams don’t have a Bijan Robinson type talent in the backfield, there’s no question other teams around the league now see that they can take advantage of the Packers run defense.
These first 2 weeks could have gone much worse. The Packers are going to be competitive all season long, and that’s exciting. Jordan Love has shown lots of promise. He’s already proved to me that he’s the long term answer in Green Bay. This is still a young team that has a long way to go and issues to work out, but it’s a promising start.
*If you’d like to receive this newsletter in your inbox feel free to become a free or paid subscriber by entering your email below*