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The Morning After: Packers Drop Heartbreaker to the Vikings
By Jacob Westendorf,
1 days ago
The Green Bay Packers are 2-2 on the year.
Their season could be off to a better start. They've lost two one-score games in the early going.
They cannot get out of their own way at times.
Sep 29, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reacts after earning a first down during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Right now, this team looks like one that is supremely talented, but makes far too many mistakes to be considered among the league's elite.
That and more on this edition of the morning after.
Patience Not a Virtue
The Green Bay Packers do not have a kicker.
They can insist they're confident in him.
They can plug their ears and jump up and down saying he's young and will develop.
Maybe they'll prove to be right this time.
Last year, they were dangerously wrong. Anders Carlson was given a full season's worth of a leash, and sunk the Packers' season at the worst time.
Brayden Narveson was brought in to replace him after Carlson lost a kicking competition with Greg Joseph in the offseason.
Narveson has responded by missing at least one kick in each of the first four games.
Last week, he had one wiped away from a holding penalty, but we all watched it happen.
This week, he missed two kicks against the Vikings. Those six points proved costly as Green Bay lost 31-29. Perhaps the game plays out differently if Narveson makes his kicks.
Either way, the Packers have a problem at kicker.
The head coach insists he's not worried about that situation, saying he's confident if he had to send Narveson out there for a big kick now.
I'm not sure how anyone could feel that way. Perhaps LaFleur is watching a different game from the rest of us.
Narveson should be seeing competition come through the door on Tuesday, but with how the Packers have operated this offseason, it's unlikely.
Jordan Love and Turnovers
The bigger problem early in the season for the Packers has been Jordan Love's spotty ball placement and propensity to turn the ball over.
Love threw three interceptions on Sunday, and his decision making was spotty at best throughout the day.
Love tied a career-high with three interceptions in Sunday's loss to the Vikings.
He could have easily thrown one or two more on the day as well.
Love, to his credit, takes all the blame when things go poorly.
It's been rare that he's strung together consecutive poor performances.
The Packers need to hope that's the case for Sunday's game against the Rams.
The Packers are paying Love a fortune to be an MVP candidate.
Through two games, he's been anything but.
There's plenty of time to fix those problems, but Love needs to find his way.
Pass Rush Problems
Maybe the pass rush is a paper tiger?
After eight sacks against the Tennessee Titans, the pass rush hardly breathed on Sam Darnold.
They sacked him twice, but both of those sacks required Jeff Hafley to send more than his standard four rushers.
Rashan Gary has been MIA all season. Kenny Clark has not been great either.
Devonte Wyatt, the team's best pass rusher early in the season left Sunday's game with an injury.
Lukas Van Ness is under developed at this point.
Kingsley Enagbare goes long stretches without making an impact. Preston Smith is aging.
This Packers' pass rush was supposed to be the strength of their defense.
With Jaire Alexander on the shelf, the Packers needed this group to step up.
They failed.
Who is CB2?
Eric Stokes? Keisean Nixon? Corey Ballentine?
They all had their rough moments in Sunday's game.
Covering Justin Jefferson is tough for anyone. Losing Jaire Alexander for Sunday's game was a devastating blow the team could not recover from.
The reality is, when Alexander returns, whoever takes the spot across from him is going to be tested often.
Eric Stokes has struggled and ceded playing time to Carrington Valentine when he was healthy.
When Valentine returns, it's possible he gets more opportunities.
Nixon has done some nice things as a special teams player in Green Bay, but struggles in coverage.
The Packers need more from their cornerback group, otherwise they'll be wondering why they didn't address that situation further in the offseason.
That game yesterday will be the one the packers look back at in December when they’re fighting for their playoff lives. They probably won’t win the division now which means they’ll have to win 3 road playoff games to get to the superbowl. And that’s only if they squeeze in as a wildcard. And it’s not even October yet.
Merle Sing
1d ago
GB doesn't stand for Green Bay it stands for Got Beat don't say heartbreaker, tear jerker,it wasn't,
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