Cover 3: Quick takeaways after Packers loss to the Broncos
After every Green Bay Packers game, we will talk about three points that defined the matchup. The Green Bay Packers lost their third game in a row after falling to beat the Denver Broncos, who entered the week as the worst defense in football according to DVOA. It was a bad overall performance by the […]
After every Green Bay Packers game, we will talk about three points that defined the matchup.
The Green Bay Packers lost their third game in a row after falling to beat the Denver Broncos, who entered the week as the worst defense in football according to DVOA.
It was a bad overall performance by the entire team, but especially concerning for quarterback Jordan Love and the offense. Once again, the unit was awful in the first half and got slightly better in the second half, but not enough to secure a win.
The Packers fell to 2-4 in the season.
The coaching staff doesn't trust the offense (and Jordan Love)
It's still unclear if Matt LaFleur doesn't trust quarterback Jordan Love, the young receivers, the current version of the offensive line, or anything. But it sure seems like the Packers offensive playcaller is choosing plays as if he doesn't like his pieces.
Take a look at the first half passing chart for the Packers.
For the most part, it's been targets close to the line of scrimmage, and one or another deep shot. There's no intermediate game, there's not much playaction that should be the staple of this offensive philosophy. It's difficult to understand, and it feels like it goes beyond just pure execution — or lack of thereof by a young unit.
The production was a little better in the second half, but it was never consistent.
Talking about the coaching staff…
It's hard not to criticize the decisions this coaching staff has made. That includes leaving tackle Yosh Nijman on the bench when the offensive line has struggled, but it's also glaring on the defensive side of the ball. The offense has disappointed, for sure, but it was expected to do so with so many young and inexperienced players.
The defense, however, should be much better considering how the franchise has invested there. Can you find a unit in the league producing less with so much talent? Entering week 7, the Minnesota Vikings was 15th in defensive DVOA, and the Packers were 21st. It's evident that the Packers have more defensive talent on the roster, but the difference between Brian Flores and Joe Barry is glaring.
Down after down, the defense is dominated. Looking at the final score doesn't tell the whole story, and the defense has frequently underperformed.
Future outlook
Before the season, the silver lining for the offense was that they would face a relatively easy schedule. And that was before knowing how bad the Broncos defense would be. After six games, it hasn't mattered. The Packers offense is bad, maybe one of the worst in football. You can think of different reasons for that, but the fact is that the offense is underwhelming and there isn't a clear path to get out of that.
Next week, the Packers face the Vikings, and while Minnesota's defense is short in talent, it's a well-coached defense. Then they face the Los Angeles Rams and, well, the Pittsburgh Steelers. They will still play the Detroit Lions, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season. Suddenly, the schedule doesn't seem as easy as it did before the season.
And it's mostly because every defense looks good against this version of the Packers offense. A mini-bye is gone, the bye week is gone, and they have no answer.
If the team is bad enough to have a really high draft pick, the Packers might look at another quarterback option. Maybe Jordan Love doesn't deserve this fate after one season when he's having no chance. But you can't stop looking for a franchise quarterback unless you're 100% sure you have one.
Packers offense hits rock bottom during loss to Broncos
Expectations should be lower than ever.
