GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – There have been bad moments in Matt LaFleur’s three years and six weeks as Head Coach of the Packers but it’s safe to say after the performance against a spirited New York Jets team Sunday at Lambeau Field, the LaFleur era has hit low ebb. A 27-10 defeat at home drops Green Bay to 3-3 and two games behind Minnesota in the NFC North but even more alarming is the troubling lack of execution in every phase.
The offense’s first seven possessions of the game ended with three punts, a blocked field goal, another punt, a turnover and a 4th and 3 incompletion. If not for a quick strike, 46 yard drive in :31 leading to Mason Crosby’s 29 yard field goal on the half’s final play, the offense would have been shutout for 4 consecutive quarters going back to the long jet flight to London and back. The fact that Crosby’s kick sent the Pack into the locker room tied, spoke highly for the defense. They forced punts on New York’s first five series, giving up just a single first down. The turnover at the Green Bay 34 only led to a 32 yard Greg Zuerlein field goal with 5:46 to go in the second quarter.
Special team plays were made both ways, Quinnen Williams burst through the line and blocked Crosby’s field goal try, his first miss of the year, after a high Jack Coco snap slowed the hold for Pat O’Donnell. Newly signed Eric Williams had and answer for the Pack as he got a piece of Braden Mann’s punt on the next series but the Packers couldn’t cash in on the good field position.
Green Bay’s offensive line had trouble all day gaining an advantage against the New York front. The third sack of the day ended Green Bay’s first possession of the third. The Jets then struck for a big play, Zach Wilson hit Corey Davis for 41 yards behind Eric Stokes up the sideline. On the next snap, Braxton Berrios took an end around to the left sideline, avoided a back peddling Jaire Alexander and Adrian Amos slipped in pursuit inside the five and Berrios scored from 20 yards out for a 10-3 lead.
Disaster struck on the next possession, another sack, from Williams brought on O’Donnell but his punt never had a chance. Michael Clemons poured in for the block and the loose ball was picked up by Will Parks who covered the 20 yards with an escort for a 17-3 New York advantage.
The offense finally responded with a drive capped by Allen Lazard’s 25 yard back shoulder catch for a touchdown to make it 17-10. Complimentary football was nowhere to be found as the Jets responded with a big kickoff return and a five play, 66 yard drive, capped by rookie Breece Hall’s 34 yard touchdown run that broke open up the middle quickly.
With time getting tight, Green Bay drove to the New York 30 but an Elgton Jenkins hold (his third penalty of the day) and then a delay of game flag that brought out the loudest boos from the stands, the Packers failed on 4th and 14.
The Jets took over with 9:12 left and knowing they were going to run it, the Packers couldn’t stop it. Michael Carter gashed the defense for 25 and even though the Jets ran 8 plays from inside the five, thanks to a couple more defensive flags, they had to settle for the final three points. Only 2:34 remained and LaFleur ran up the white flag, sending Jordan Love in to mop up what was a complete mess of a day.
For the first time in his tenure, LaFleur had to explain consecutive losses in the regular season for his now 3-3 team:
Playing with a sore thumb, that was not taped for the game, Rodgers was 26 of 41 for 246 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked 4 times but was hit 9 more times dropping back or scrambling. Lazard made the only two plays downfield, a 35 yard catch in the first half and his touchdown grab. Already short on receivers with Sammy Watkins and Christian Watson still out with hamstring injuries, the Packers lost Randall Cobb in the first half to a nasty ankle injury. He got rolled up on and hobbled to the sideline before getting a teary eyed ride to the locker room on a cart. The Packers didn’t disclose how serious the injury might be. Forced to utilize Romeo Doubs along with practice squad call up Juwann Winfree and Amari Rodgers, only short routes were completed. Robert Tonyan did win more than his share of matchups, catching a single game franchise record 10 balls for a tight end, good for 90 yards.
The struggle up front and the two score deficit neutralized the run game. Dillon had 41 yards on 10 carries, a long of 19 pushed that average per carry up, while Jones had just 19 yards on 9 carries. The active defensive line and a crowded box, coupled with a depleted perimeter and the Packers couldn’t get anything going.
Defensively, robust to start, but for the second straight game, withered holding up against the run after halftime. There were more missed tackles and only sporadic pressure on just 20 dropbacks from Zach Wilson. He completed 10 of 18 for 110 yards. Rashan Gary picked up his 6th sack of the year and Kingsley Enagbare recorded the first of his NFL career. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry did mix in more man and press man coverages as promised, even having Jaire Alexander play some in the slot but the Jets didn’t need many big plays in the air because they controlled the second half on the ground. The piled up 179 yards, averaging 5.4 a carry. Hall finished with 116 yards on 20 carries.
The inactives were Watson, Rasheed Walker, Sean Rhyan, Samori Toure and Jonathan Ford.
The Wisconsin Badger band at least provided entertainment before the game, at halftime and the not so exuberant 5th Quarter afterwards.
While to a player, the Packers talked about “there’s plenty of football” left and we “have to clean up the execution”, the eye test isn’t lying. The Packers have far too much talent to look so lost against a team they were favored to beat.
Dressed in the throwback 1950’s uniforms, the Packers played an awful lot like the 1950’s teams which couldn’t post a winning record until the final year of that decade when someone named Vince Lombardi showed up.
It’s up to LaFleur to find the answers to pull his team out of a New York, New York malaise as they stare at a schedule that takes them on the road for three straight, not returning to the not so friendly confines of Lambeau until former coach Mike McCarthy brings his Cowboys to town. Saddle up fans.
