Let’s break down the Packers’ 27-19 victory over the Carolina Panthers from last week’s Thursday Night Football.

Offense~ Let’s breakdown Green Bay’s 12 possessions:

• 4 Touchdowns
• 5 Punts
• 2 Fumbles
• 1 Interception

The TD/possession ratio of 33.3% is fairly good – that would rank the Packers 4^th in the entire league if that was their pace all season (their current ranking is 14^th in the NFL with a 23.5% TD per possession ratio). The issue were the 8 other drives, mainly the 3 turnovers. While 5 punts are quite high, you always want the drive to end in a kick. Even if that’s an extra point, field goal, or punt, all better than a turnover. Ideally, instead of the 5 punts, you’d like at least 2 of those to result in a field goal attempt. Obviously putting points on the board vs. giving the ball back to the opponent. All of these issues, season long too, are self-inflicted. Whether it’s the offensive line challenges, the drops, or penalties (yes the refs are killing us, but not every penalty is fake), this team continues to prove it can’t put together a completely clean game. Given the offensive line issue and lack of rushing attack, the margin for error is already slim, therefore come playoff time (again, if they even make it), those self-inflicted mistakes will cost you your season.

Looking further into the concerns, Green Bay has failed to score touchdowns in the 4^th quarter in 5 of their eight games played this season, including the last 2 matchups which would’ve iced each game, with the Packers losing one of those (Detroit). Considering Matt LaFleur talked all offseason about “finishing games,” this is quite the concern as we’d be insane (by definition) to think this will change. The Packers also still lead the league in drops which proves how well Love has played – racking up all of the stats, 5 wins, all while the opposing defense KNOWS he’s throwing the ball. It’s not sustainable, but maybe they can pass to set up the run and hopefully the O-line improves – if that’s from improved play with the guys that have been getting snaps, Kevin Zeitler is able to make an appearance (hell, just be active), or Josh Jacobs settling in helps with everything – to give this team a somewhat balanced attack. It’s also why they struggle mightily in the Red Zone and 3^rd downs. If you’re not able to run the ball, the passing windows get real tight inside the opponent’s 20 and 3^rd downs become a play where the defense can just rush the passer with no regard for a handoff.

The good news is while Green Bay ranks 14^th in TD% and 26^th in Red Zone TD efficiency (51.7%), there’s plenty of room for improvement

Defense~ The defense keeps improving as a unit, which is a great sign because it’s not just one standout player; it’s the collective. Early in the season, Edge Rusher Lukas Van Ness, was having a field day getting home and creating havoc in the pocket for the opposing quarterback. Now it’s a slew of guys, most notably, rookie Edge Rusher, Dani Dennis-Sutton. He’s been outstanding the last few weeks and will only improve considering he’s a rookie and Micah Parsons is headed back in the next 2-4 weeks.

There’s been 1 game all season when the defense was abused, it was Week 3 vs. Atlanta, the home opener. The Packers gave up 35 points and almost 500 total yards (498) and could not stop Bijan Robinson on the ground. Prior to that game was Week 1 @ Minnesota, but most of those points were set up by the referees and short fields given by the offense, essentially a free 14-17 points were gifted to the Vikings in that game. Remember, Green Bay was up 22-10 in the 2^nd half and failed to score while giving up 29 unanswered…

Since week 4, Jonathan Gannon’s group has allowed an average of 14.6 points, 299.4 yards, and has averaged 2.6 takeaways per game. If these were their numbers for the entire 8 games played, they’d rank 2^nd in scoring defense, 5^th in yards, and 1^st in takeaways. While they faced backup QB’s in Tampa Bay and against Chicago, the promising note has been holding Dallas (7^th in offense) to just 13 points, Detroit (3^rd in scoring) to 20 points, and Carolina (9^th) to 19 points. All top-10 scoring offenses held to 20 points or fewer in each game. Since the offense is one-dimensional, it’s imperative the defense continues this trend, especially with taking the ball away. However, to win the Super Bowl, they’ll NEED to find a run game – not just for balance, but to keep the defense off the field for a majority of the game.

Many Ways to Look at the Loss in Detroit

What’s stealing all the headlines, and deservedly so, was the horrific officiating. Did it directly determine the outcome of the game? No. Did it have, yet another, major impact ON the game? That would be an emphatic YES! Sports are meant to be entertaining and the officials robbed the fans of that entertainment in the 2^nd half of last Sunday’s game. Why did the Packers lose? An answer that we’ve said 3 times already this season, too many mistakes. Whether it was the missed field goals, the dropped passes, or going for it on 4^th down when near the goal line when taking the field goal was the obvious play, all played an eventual bigger role than the refs. However, it doesn’t make it any more frustrating…and it took it happening on a national broadcast for the nation to truly see how awful it’s been for the Packers this season.

Positive Outlook – Green Bay made all of these mistakes and were still in position to win this football game. Hell, just making field goals that have a 95+% chance of conversion likely leads to a victory for the Packers, especially since they were playing a dome, the perfect kicking conditions imaginable. Making those 2 Smack missed, plus kicking on that 4^th & 4 would’ve given the Packers an additional 9 points with 3:21 left in the game…a 9-point lead with 3:21 left?!?! That’s almost certain victory, you know unless you’re the Packers in the NFC title game in Seattle or in Chicago in December of last year, but I digress.

Even though it’s a loss, the fact you gave up only 20 to the top-scoring offense in the league, on the road, in a dome, without your starting Middle Linebacker (Zaire Franklin) and still missing Micah Parsons, is extremely encouraging. Then again, trying to figure out the offense and banking on them doing that is a whole other story.

Negative Outlook – this was the latest example of letting another winnable game escape you. Mainly from self-inflicted issues. The penalties were mostly awful calls, but the drops are correctable as are most of the mistakes that are made.

The OL Will Be the Reason This Team Fails…

…until it’s not. To explain, there’s a chance that the offensive line can improve to the point where it’s “good enough” to allow the offense to operate at an extremely high level. All that’s needed is to be an average pass blocking unit and have an average ground game the rest of the way. The total season rankings/production are pretty much set, but if Green Bay can average 100+ yards a game on the ground the rest of the way, Love and company may be dynamic enough to hang some serious points against any defense. With the injection of Josh Jacobs last week, the run game was still abysmal, meaning the offensive line is the only issue plaguing this offense (aside from the drops). Hopefully having RG Kevin Zeitler play will solidify this unit to the point where they can sustain drives throughout a game and take control of games, they should have complete control of (i.e. Dallas on Oct. 18^th). Until then, regardless of how well Jordan Love is playing (which is incredibly well based on all the advanced metrics/stats), it won’t matter come playoff time because postseason defenses will feast on one-dimensional offenses – that’s assuming Green Bay even makes the playoffs.

Another Quick Turnaround

For the 2^nd time already this season, the Packers are playing an NFC South foe on Thursday Night Football after having played a road game in the Eastern Time Zone. Thankfully it’s another home game. The last showing, however, was their worst in years. Not having an answer for superstar running back Bijan Robinson and the Falcons offense was really disheartening and could’ve solidified this team as just flat “bad.” The Glass is Half Full way to look at this is there’s not time to dwell on the Detroit game and must shift their focus immediately to a desperate and dangerous Carolina Panthers team – one that came into Lambeau Field last season as heavy underdogs and beat Green Bay.

Matchup Matrix

Both teams are coming into this matchup off a loss to a divisional opponent. The desire to win is as close to a “must-win” for each team, especially Carolina, having been destroyed by Tampa Bay just 4 days ago.

Defensively, this is a dream matchup for Carolina. The Panthers have the worst rush defense in the NFL, yet are facing a historically awful rushing attack by the Packers. That’s been Carolina’s fatal flaw this season, thus far, but considering Green Bay can’t run the ball it still seems that the Packers will have to throw to move the ball which is what Carolina wants their opponents doing. The Panthers have been blown out twice this season, and in those two games they’ve allowed a combined 325 passing yards, averaging 162.5 yards per game through the air. Meaning both of those opponents (Week 1 v. Chicago and last week v. Tampa Bay) ran ALL over this Carolina defense. To look at it from another way, this is the ideal matchup for Green Bay to get their ground game going!

When Carolina has the ball, the advantage sticks with the Panthers. They rank 5^th in yards/game vs. Green Bay’s 13^th-ranked defense, and their QB, Bryce Young, has proved that patience is key when developing a young Quarterback. He’s holding a 92.9 QB rating ranking him 16^th in the NFL to go along with 12 touchdowns against just 4 interceptions while ranking 10^th in passing yards with 1,712 in just 6 games. He’s not the punching bag he once was and coupled with his standout 2^nd-year Wideout, #4 Tetairoa McMillan, pose a severe threat to defenses.

Overall, this is an even matchup on paper – hopefully, as it usually does – the top-end talent prevails and the Packers can capitalize on their advantage in that category. That and they have the far superior quarterback.

Season: 3-4
Overall: 120-81

Packers 23, Cowboys 13 – Green Bay continued their improvement, as a team, with a solid showing against a desperate Dallas team. The major area of improvement came on 3^rd down efficiency. The Packers converted 11 of their 18 (61.1%) third downs and converted their only 4^th down attempt, essentially going 12/18 on 3^rd downs. Heading into Week 6, the Packers were dead last in 3^rd-down conversion percentage with 27.59%, that was the biggest area of improvement needed, and much of that was the cause of the offensive line putting the offense in 3^rd and long predicaments. A very good sign moving forward, considering the O-line is getting healthier, and better, which is growing LaFleur’s and Love’s confidence to throw the ball down field more often.

Continuing Issues:

Penalties – Green Bay committed 11 penalties for 96 yards and yet another egregious call against Lukas Van Ness on an interception by CB Valentine which essentially would’ve sealed the game.

Rushing Attack – Green Bay rushed 26 times for only 57 yards (2.2 yards per rush), which simply won’t cut it, especially against better defenses and when the weather turns colder. They’ll need to drastically improve in this department if they have any visions of making a deep playoff run. What helps is Josh Jacobs is set to return and should have extremely fresh legs.

Where Do Things Stand Now?

With Chicago’s win on Thursday Night Football against New England, they’re now at 5-2 and sit in 2^nd place in the NFC North and hold the 1^st wild card spot in the NFC playoff picture. Therefore, with a win, Green Bay will jump them (head-to-head tiebreaker) and overtake the 5^th playoff seed, dropping Chicago to 6^th place. Again, divisional games are huge as they hold all the tiebreaking scenarios.

(4-2) Green Bay Packers @ (3-2) Detroit Lions

Heading into this divisional matchup, the Packers have an opportunity to put themselves in a strong position as one of the top teams in the NFC…couple that with the return of Micah Parsons and Josh Jacobs, it could set them up to make a strong push for the division and a solid seed in the NFC. Their schedule doesn’t get easier going forward, but winning this game would give them a 2-1 divisional record, set Detroit back to .500 and have them clawing to get back into the divisional and playoff race moving forward.

Much like the matchup v. Dallas, Green Bay will have the major advantage when on offense. Detroit’s defense might actually be worse than Dallas’, giving up almost 30 points a game and ranking dead last in pass yards and total yards given up per game thus far through Week 6 in the NFL season. Having this game take place in a dome, this sets Green Bay up for having substantial success in continuing their downfield passing attack. If they’re able to get any semblance of a ground attack with the return of Josh Jacobs, that will only help their passing game and hopefully continue the trend of improved 3^rd down efficiency and red zone efficiency. Scoring touchdowns, both early and often really sets up the Packers’ pass rush – which has seen rookie Edge Rusher, Dani Dennis-Sutton, come on strongly over the past few weeks. Both DDS (Dani Dennis-Sutton) and LVN (Lukas Van Ness) have shown to be one of the better pass rushing duos in the NFL and with the return of Micah Parsons (hopefully in the next couple of weeks) that will only improve, obviously.

Detroit does have a very potent offense, still, captained by veteran QB Jared Goff. The Lions share the highest-scoring offense in the NFL (averaging 32.8 points per game) and rank 4^th in the NFL with 393.8 yards per game and are very efficient considering they only have 1 turnover through their first 5 games, which is why they’re 3-2 with an atrocious defense. The Packers’ defense and their coordinator, Jonathan Gannon, will have their toughest test of the season come Sunday at Ford Field. Having to find a way to get the Lions offense off the field without scoring too many points. This is a game where holding Detroit to field goals, even if on every drive, might be the difference in winning or losing the game. While having one of the best/most-efficient offenses in the NFL, the Lions rank 21^st in time of possession (29:14 per game), meaning they move the ball down the field, quickly, and resulting in touchdowns. The issue is Green Bay, while better the last 2 weeks, rank 29^th in time of possession (27:42 per game) and have committed quite a few more turnovers (7 total) than Detroit, meaning the offense will need to be on point to keep the pressure on Detroit’s offense to be as perfect as possible to force them into mistakes.

This will be a fun game, because each offense will have the advantage, so per usual, whichever defense makes more plays will win the game. However, even more so now, if you can get 1-2 turnovers and score touchdowns off them, that WILL be the difference in this game.

Prediction

Since I like being a Homer > a Pessimist, I’d like to think that the momentum Love and LaFleur have created will carry on, especially with the emotional influx of Josh Jacobs’ return could have the Packers turning into a freight train that no one wants to see. Love, Golden, and Watson have created a fear in opposing defenses of having to cover the entire field on every play, thus opening all avenues of attack for the offense. I believe this will continue and it seems like Green Bay is focused on “winning the week.”

Season: 3-3
Overall: 120-80

Perfect Game at the Perfect Time

There were plenty of plays that showed Matt LaFleur’s aggressive play calling throughout the game. After Green Bay’s defense forced a punt to open the game, the Packers took possession on their own 9-yard line and to get out of the shadow of their own end zone, LaFleur called a flea-flicker Tight End screen which gained 13 yards and set the tone for the rest of the drive, and game. A perfect play call for the situation. After that, the game was in Love’s hands – scrambling for 6 yards on 2^nd & 9, then hit Golden on a crosser to gain a first down on 3^rd & 3. Green Bay then tried to establish the run, which was effective enough – especially for play action. After a 2-yard run on 3^rd and 1, LaFleur dialed up a shot play that saw Watson blow by everyone for a 42-yard touchdown to open the game. Just as I said was needed, win the toss, defer, get a quick stop on defense, then go down and score to open 7-0 and kept the tone for the remainder of the game.

The 1^st down offense was the big difference for the offense’s execution/productivity. They threw the ball on 15 of the 27 first down plays they ran. Many of which resulted in huge plays. When passing to open a drive, Love was 7/8 for 186 yards for an average of 23.35 yards per pass when starting a drive. That tells me to throw more often on 1^st downs, or maybe exclusively? It’s also the best down to pass, as long as you’re not in 5-wide.

Cleaner Game

This was a much cleaner game for Green Bay committing only 4 penalties for 25 yards. There was one crucial penalty that put points on the board for Chicago, however, no killer holding penalties that wiped out a big play. There was a ticky-tack OPI that LaFleur said made him “rage call” the next play. The next play was 3^rd & 22 from Green Bay’s own 47-yard line – while normally he would’ve called a screen or draw, or some “safe” throw. If you throw a bomb, the worst-case scenario is a sack, otherwise an interception would act as a punt. However, you could potentially get a pass interference…The risk ends up being minimal. Green Bay also was able to get just enough from their run game. The backs and Love combined for 72 yards rushing on 24 attempts (3 yards/rush). They did have 2 rushing touchdowns, both by Marshawn Lloyd, and the first was an impressive truck stick over Chicago’s Jayon Johnson.

Lastly, the drops seemed to disappear; by my count there were none, including on defense, resulting in 3 interceptions and completely shutting down Ben Johnson’s offense in doing so.

(2-3) Dallas Cowboys @ (3-2) Green Bay Packers

Coming into this matchup pits the 3^rd place Dallas Cowboys against the 2^nd place Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football. These matchups will likely have tiebreaker scenarios at the end of the season – it’s the 2^nd most important matchup other than divisional games.

We’re in the heart of the schedule now with Green Bay facing off against 6 consecutive NFC opponents, with 2 of them being against divisional foes and 4 at Lambeau Field. Green Bay dropped the first of these v. Atlanta, but has responded nicely escaping Tampa Bay with a win and crushing Chicago last week.

Dallas, per usual, has a ton of offensive talent, but has an atrocious defense. With recent injuries to DT Hargrave, ILB Cooper, and Edge Parsons still a way away from returning, it’s another example of where Matt LaFleur should put the game in Love’s hands. Until the weather flips, just air it out – also, Josh Jacobs is reportedly able to return next week, which will absolutely help the rush game.

Matchup Matrix

This is a game where something may have to give – Dallas has the worst rush defense while Green Bay possesses the worst rush offense. Depending on whether Zeitler plays, this could be an ideal opportunity for Green Bay to get their ground game going. The idea is that the Packers could get their play action game rolling again since Green Bay should have some ground success. Entering this game, the Cowboys are allowing a 120.5 passer rating through 5 games – with Love coming off his best game of the season, this is the time to keep the foot on the gas.

On the flip side, when Dallas has the ball, they have the 11^th best offense in terms of yards, and 7^th in scoring. Their 5^th ranked passing attack faces the 5^th-best pass defense in the Packers, who allow just the 4^th-best passer rating (in terms of defense) of just 76.8. Albeit against a bevy of backup QBs, this is the matchup to watch.

Looking through all the matchups, Jonathan Gannon and his defense seem to have the advantage. The defense has played really well outside of 4 quarters (4^th Q @ Min, and quarters 2-4 v Atl). This should be Gannon’s toughest test up to date. The Cowboys have scored 30+ three times already, they’re very dangerous but struggled against a backup QB in Jalen Daniels and the Bucs last week, scoring just 16 points, at home.

Prediction Time

This game, and the remainder of the season, will depend on Matt LaFleur’s aggression. Not saying he needs to go for it on 4^th downs when in Field Goal range, but pushing the ball down the field and relying on Love’s big arm and to trust him to make the right decision and make the throw.

Season: 2-3
Overall: 119-80

Good – Green Bay showed they’re capable of putting out a below-average offensive line and it proved to not only be a vast improvement, but wasn’t an issue. It was at least good enough to win against a bad football team, but a solid defense, in Tampa Bay. Jordan Love was NOT sacked and the Packers rushed for 94 yards on 21 carries (excluding Jordan Love’s 4 kneel downs for -8 yards to end the game).

The defense also came up big, creating 2 takeaways leading to 10 points, held fairly strong after 2 sudden change scenarios (offense giving the ball away with 2 turnovers), and late in the game to ice the game holding onto a 3-point lead.

Love was a different passer having not been under duress on every drop back – a welcomed sight. The 1 interception he threw wasn’t on him as the corner bailed on his assignment, gambling that Love was, correctly, targeting Golden in crunch time in the Red Zone. Love was accurate on nearly every throw and was 2 drops away from completely taking over this game.

Bad – There were still so many mental errors, which led to feeling like this was a loss even though the Packers came away with a victory. I mentioned the drops, which is still plaguing this team through 4 weeks. While an improvement, Green Bay still had 10 penalties accepted costing them 68 yards, and 2 fumbles (1 lost) and an interception, both turnovers taking at least 6 points off the board, and likely 14…completely flipping this game altogether. Just a continuation of a trend that exemplifies a poorly-coached football team.

Ugly – This is still a BAD football team. Their 2 wins came against opponents with a combined record of 1-7 (1-3 NY Jets and 0-4 Tampa Bay), and both were by only 3 points. Think of it as the inverse of the Milwaukee Brewers…the Brewers have the best manager in all of baseball and gets the sum of his parts more than the individual players whereas the Packers’ sum of its players is less than the individual players – that’s coaching, scheme, whatever you want to call it. The Packers have talent, quite a bit of it, and are one of the worst teams in the NFL (with a -32-point differential, that ranks them 29^th in the entire NFL), strictly NOT GOOD.

The other piece of this are the injuries that continue to pile up. Since November of 2025, Green Bay has lost 9 players to season-ending injuries, most notably being Micah Parsons, but now Edgerrin Cooper, who was playing at an All-Pro level, is out with an Achilles injury. A huge blow to a defense that’s been showing signs of being good to very good this season. Couple the loss of Cooper with the losses of WR Jayden Reed and RT Zach Bako-Bewele in Week 4, that’s a lot of talent at key positions Green Bay will be missing for the remainder of the season. It’s on the coaches to overcome these losses and get these players ready and put them in positions to succeed. Coaching is as, if not more, important than having an amazing Quarterback. Ideally, you’d have both.

(3-1) Chicago @ (2-2) Green Bay

Current Standing – Entering Week 5 the Bears are in 2^nd place in the NFC North and 5^th in the NFC Playoff standings. Having won back-to-back games with a backup QB and a top Defense, Chicago looks to be a top contending team in the NFC, much to the chagrin of yours truly. Meanwhile, Green Bay is a sputtering 2-2 sitting in last place in the North and 10^th in the NFC. This is about as close to a “must win” game for Green Bay as a game can be for being this early in the season.

The stakes for this game are huge, especially for the Packers. With a Bears win, they’d be 4-1 and on the heels of Minnesota for the division lead and in prime position for a strong playoff seed. A loss for Green Bay would put them at 2-3 and 0-2 in the division as well as 0-2 at Lambeau Field. It would also solidify Chicago as a powerhouse team to be dealt with for the rest of the conference, leaving the Packers to fight for air to stay alive for .500, let alone a playoff spot.

This is a statement game for Green Bay. Even though the Bears are missing QB Caleb Williams, they may actually be better off without him. Over their last 2 games, Chicago has given up 19 total points and 405 yards. While those opponents were the fluttering Eagles and dismal Jets, they still did their job shutting them down. Ben Johnson’s offense has been uber efficient and solid, amassing 492 yards just last week alone. This is a very good football team (again, very tough for me to admit) coming to Lambeau Field. Should Green Bay win, it’s the type of game that could catapult their season on the right track and instill belief moving forward – especially considering Micah Parsons is returning (hopefully) soon.

Matchup Matrix

Looking strictly at the rankings this is a mismatch of epic proportions. Other than playing to their ceiling, this doesn’t look good for the Green & Gold faithful. Chicago has the top rushing attack, averaging almost 200 yards per game, while Green Bay ranks 28^th against the run. The Packers are also giving up 26.3 points per game (23^rd) while the Bears average 28.0 points per game. That’s not even the bad news; Green Bay’s offense has been so frustrating and have given the ball away 6 times thus far while the Bears have a top defense in every category.

How Can Green Bay Win?

The offensive line should get another jolt, likely starting newcomer, Kevin Zeitler at Right Guard, which is the biggest hope/key – possessing the ball to keep the defense fresh throughout the game, is probably the biggest key. On top of that, Matt LaFleur’s scheme will need to be on point, the drops will need to vacate, and no turnovers. If all of those hold true, the Packers can come out victorious. A big ask, considering we’ve yet to see that type of performance not only this year, but almost the last 2+ years. Defensive Coordinator, Jonathan Gannon, will likely take some notes from Brian Flores (Minnesota Vikings Def. Coord.) since the Vikings shut down Chicago and held them to only 3 points in their rain-soaked Week 2 matchup at Soldier Field.

If Green Bay wins the toss and defers, they must get a quick stop to open the game, then have the offense put together a confidence-building drive and score to open the game up 7-0 with getting the first possession out of halftime. Playing from ahead, as always, is the best way to win…and Green Bay has really only done this twice this season – blowing Week 1 in Minnesota.

In addition to the quick start, winning the turnover battle is always key, but especially against a Bears team that thrives on takeaways. The Packers likely need to win the turnover battle by 2+ and scoring off those turnovers to “steal points and possessions.” Every way I look at this game, it’s unsettling due to the Bears being better in every department other than QB, but give the Packers’ OL struggles, that evens out. Maybe it’s a special teams play that can swing the game and act as a turnover or “free score,” which might be the other advantage Green Bay has.

Prediction Time

Unless most or all of these things come true, Chicago has the better play-caller, healthier team (both teams are quite injured) and momentum/confidence.

Season: 2-2
Overall: 119-79

Until the Green Bay Packers fix the offensive line it’s tough to imagine them winning another game. No, that’s not an overreaction or hyperbole, it’s been that bad up front. Green Bay can’t run the ball and can’t pass block for more than 2 seconds before Jordan Love is under extreme pressure. It’s amazing he’s been able to pass for as many yards and touchdowns as is. The OL is the lifeblood of a football team, and if it’s the worst unit the NFL has seen in decades, it doesn’t matter how well all of the other units perform during the course of a game/season. The fact Jordan Love is averaging 281 yards and 2 TD a game is nothing short of incredible. Even if the defense was the best in the league, they’d eventually get worn down and falter having to be on the field an average of 35:54 per game, or equivalent to 60% of the game. Not only is this unsustainable, it’s a strong enough trend where they may not win another game. There is zero complimentary football being played and it’s squarely on the shoulders of Ed Policy for extending Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur, both of whom allowed the roster to be what it is, therefore having the offensive line in the situation that it currently sits.

As a team, Green Bay has gained 946 yards and scored 56 points, giving them an average of 315 yards and 18 points per game. That’s simply not going to cut it. There are plenty of other areas/positions to improve, but all are moot until the offensive line gets fixed – nothing else matters at this point.

At a Crossroads

As a fanbase, we’re at a crossroads. While we obviously want to root for the Packers to win and “do well” (whatever that means), the red flags shown thus far tell me that the Head Coach has lost the team. Maybe the most eye-opening piece is the quote from Tucker Kraft after the Falcons game, “(the boos) aren’t going to help us win.” He’s been a poster boy for quotes and mindset for a football player and this is one of the softest reactions possible. Really disheartening from a team leader and tone-setter. The simple response to that is, “if you don’t want to get booed, do better.”

The crossroads come to the point of still rooting for the team to win, but knowing they’re incapable of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy – and if there’s “enough winning” in the regular season, Ed Policy has shown he won’t make a change, therefore we’re in purgatory, yet again.

Week 4: (1-2) Green Bay @ (0-3) Tampa Bay

The good news is the Packers signed offensive guards, Laken Tomlinson, Mekhi Becton, Sr., and Kevin Zeitler this week. All better options than what’s currently on the roster for the Packers. The other news that “should” help Green Bay is Tampa Bay will be without starting QB, Baker Mayfield, meaning the Packers who’ve had 3 embarrassing performances already, come into a 0-3 team’s house, starting a backup QB, play in the worst division the football, and missed the playoffs a year ago. There once was a time where all of these scenarios being in place, and should Green Bay lose, the head coach would be looking for a job the following day. Callin back the crossroads of fandom, but if losing to Tampa today jettisons Matt LaFleur, maybe that’s ultimately a good thing. Culture change seems to be necessary and it can only happen with a change from the top. However, it’s difficult to “root for a loss” for your own team, especially given that there’s enough talent to win on this team and it’s so early in the season. Also, the Packers don’t hold a 1^st round pick in 2027, so it’s really a tough spot to be in.

Matchup Matrix

Based on the numbers and rankings alone, the Packers are in a world of hurt when on offense. Green Bay is on pace to have an historically bad rushing attack and Tampa boasts the 2^nd best rush defense in the league. Tampa Bay’s defense has been very solid in every category other than scoring, which may have more to do with their sputtering offense, mainly the 7 giveaways setting up short fields for their defense to defend against. The big help is that Green Bay will be seeing a backup QB in Jalen Daniels, an undrafted rookie out of Kansas making his 1^st NFL start of his career. He’s athletic and capable, but any team worth a damn (which Green Bay would/could be with a competent OL) should make life very tough on the Buc’s already dismal offense. Strictly on stats and rankings, this is a matchup of two very bad teams and while Tampa is 0-3, they’ve been the better team between these two through the first 3 games of 2026.

Welcome Big Boys

Regardless of your opinion of General Manager, Brian Gutekunst, he identified the biggest issue of this team (an offensive line that he built) and was very aggressive in his attempt to fix it. He brought in 3 proven veterans that have had their own issues (mainly Tomlinson and Becton, Sr.), but have had a track record of success in the NFL to assist with Green Bay’s OL issues. The big question heading into Week 4’s game against Tampa Bay is if any or all would be ready to play or start to help an OL that’s absolutely killed this team.

There’s an old saying, “As the line goes, so goes the team.” That’s never been truer than the 2026 Green Bay Packers. There’s a world where if Green Bay just had average offensive line play and 2 awful roughing the passer calls, this team would be 3-0 and feeling MUCH different about the season. That’s the impact the OL has had and it’s led to an abysmal 48.7 rush yards/game, the shortest amount of time to throw for Jordan Love, and wearing the defense down because the offense can’t sustain drives on a consistent basis. Again, beating a dead horse, fixing the offensive line could potentially have this team go from a bottom-4 team in the NFL to a top-4 team in the NFL. It’s that important.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, the Packers had an average O-line last year, Josh Jacobs (who knows if/when he’s returning), and Micah Parsons (same as Jacobs), and were taking it to the best team in the NFL, Denver, on the road. That’s how close the margin of error is for this league. Fix the OL and you fix the team. Hell it may even be good enough to win the Super Bowl.

The Good News / Reason(s) for Hope

While it seems there’s no hope for change due to the same coaches doing the same things, maybe the influx of the veteran Guards (Tomlinson, Becton, Sr., and Zeitler) can stabilize the OL and help get this team back on track. It begins with putting a complete game together against an inferior opponent – then again, this was the same message heading into Week 3’s matchup vs. Atlanta…and we got our doors blown off.

Who To Watch?

All eyes will be on Tampa Bay Rookie Undrafted QB, Jalen Daniels. If Tampa can control the ball with short passes, rollouts (keep in mind, Daniels is athletic) and their ground game led by HB #7 Bucky Irving – averaging 4.5 yards/carry this season – they have a real shot to win this game. The Bucs also have a very talented 2^nd year wide receiver in Emeka Egbuka (#2) that’s capable of being a problem. He nearly had 1,000 yards receiving in his rookie campaign a year ago to go along with 6 touchdowns, but we’ll see how he fares with Daniels slinging it.

Green Bay’s offense will need to build a lead and hold the ball to allow their defense to stay fresh and in attack mode as they’ve been fairly good against the pass (10^th in yards yielded per game) this season.

It’s gotten to the point where I can’t trust the OL or offense until they prove otherwise. I believe the talent is there, but the OL coach, Luke Butkus, the nephew of Bears legend, Dick Butkus, has been so poor that it’s led to the question of Is he sacrificing his career just to sabotage the Packers with his Bear blood running thick?

Season: 2-1
Overall: 119-78

For once, Matt LaFleur and the Packers benefited from another team’s collapse. Green Bay beat the Jets, but the win still felt like a loss. The Jets made the bigger mistakes; the Packers spent more than three quarters looking sluggish and unprepared. LaFleur got the best result a coach can ask for after an ugly performance: a win and plenty of tape to correct. The trouble is that several of these problems carried over from earlier games.

Where Green Bay Fell Short

Penalties. Green Bay had 14 accepted penalties for 133 yards. Entering the fourth quarter, the Packers had gained fewer yards on offense than they had given away in penalties. Some calls were questionable, but this team has to play cleaner. A reputation for penalties does Green Bay no favors on borderline plays.

Execution. The first three drives set the tone. The Jets sniffed out the orbit motion and screen to Jayden Reed on the opening play. Reed suffered a potentially season-ending injury on the next play, and Zach Bako-Bewele was hurt on the third. On Green Bay’s first third down, Matthew Golden dropped a pass that could have moved the chains, perhaps for much more. The sloppy start lasted well beyond those opening snaps.

The Packers were not ready to play, and some of that responsibility belongs to LaFleur and his staff.

What Worked

The defense continued to handle an overmatched offense. Through two games, Green Bay has allowed 524 yards on 133 plays, an average of 3.9 yards per play. The offense’s stalled drives have made the defense’s job harder, giving opponents chances to stay close or score despite that strong play.

Lukas Van Ness had his best game as a pro when Green Bay needed it. He recorded 10 tackles, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits. His biggest play came late in the fourth quarter, with the score tied: he stuffed a fourth-and-one near midfield and gave the Packers a chance to win in regulation. The offense squandered it. Rookie edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton also pressured the quarterback throughout the game, helping the front and secondary keep the Jets out of the end zone for much of the contest. Rookie Brandon Cisse missed a chance at his first career interception on a pass that became a touchdown, but he was in position on a difficult route at the goal line. That is progress.

Week 3 Preview: Atlanta @ Green Bay

Atlanta arrives at 0–2 with the league’s lowest-scoring offense at 8.0 points per game. The Falcons have yet to run a play in an opponent’s red zone. Green Bay, now 1–1, has a top-five defense by yards allowed, but Atlanta is returning quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to the starting lineup. Penix has started 12 career games and appeared in 14, completing 59.6% of his passes for 2,757 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions, with an 85.8 passer rating. He should give Atlanta’s offense a lift.

Bijan Robinson gives Penix a dynamic option on the ground and through the air. Through two games, Robinson has 254 yards from scrimmage—155 rushing and 99 receiving—and a touchdown. He has also fumbled twice, something Atlanta will need him to clean up. Drake London and Kyle Pitts bring difficult matchups of their own. London has been a steady producer, while Pitts has the athletic gifts to do more than his production has shown. Green Bay will need to track all three. I expect Javon Bullard and Edgerrin Cooper to draw much of the work against Pitts; they are among the Packers best equipped to match his speed and physicality.

Who Has the Advantage?

Green Bay is the better team on paper, but it cannot count on that alone. The Packers appear to have the edge in most areas. The concern is the ground game: Green Bay’s rushing attack ranks 32nd, while Atlanta’s run defense ranks first. Atlanta’s defensive line also has the advantage against a Green Bay offensive line that has struggled with four-man pressure. Establishing the run early would help protect Jordan Love and keep the offense out of obvious passing situations. LaFleur said after the Jets game that he wished he had committed to the run before the fourth quarter. Thursday is his chance to do it.

Prediction

Both teams face a short week, but the Packers get to stay home. That gives Green Bay more time to settle into a routine and prepare. With the stronger roster and room to improve offensively after two uneven games, the Packers should have the edge—if they show up ready to play from the opening snap.

Season: 2-0
Overall: 119-77

A Great Opportunity to Get Right

What we saw last week – and down the stretch last season – does not feel like a simple “it’s only Week 1” anomaly. Still, we have to hope that is exactly what it was. The New York Jets present Green Bay with an opportunity to put together a complete game, restore some confidence and, most importantly, get the offensive line back on track.

The Jets entered the 2026 season with Aaron Glenn in his second year as head coach, and they are coming off a convincing 23-10 Week 1 win at Tennessee. New York and Cleveland have been prime examples of losing organizations in recent years, but Packers fans do not need a reminder that a bad opponent can still ruin a Sunday. Green Bay went into Cleveland in Week 3 last season and dropped a game to an awful Browns team.

The Jets have not made the playoffs since the 2010 season, when they lost to Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game before Green Bay beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. Since 2011, New York has produced just one winning season – a 10-6 finish in 2015 – while compiling an 85-160 record (.347).

Some believe the Jets may finally be turning things around after last week’s win. They dominated time of possession, overcame a lost turnover battle and committed twice as many penalties as Tennessee, yet still won comfortably. Their defense allowed only 195 total yards and 10 points. Then again, the Titans could be competing for the No. 1 overall pick in the next draft, and Week 1 results can be deceptive. This may still be a mirage.

How Do These Teams Match Up

There is no Matchup Matrix yet, but the Packers offense is not the Titans offense. It is hard to imagine Green Bay’s offensive line putting worse tape on film than it did last week, so the Jets should have a much tougher time holding Love and company under 400 yards, let alone near the 195 yards Tennessee managed.

Beyond the offensive line, the biggest issue to watch is ball control. Establishing the run and winning in the trenches should allow Green Bay to control possession in the first half. That, in turn, would let Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love open things up and play loose after halftime – ideally with a lead large enough that even LaFleur and the Packers cannot piss it away.

When New York has the ball, the Packers defense needs to perform the way it did last week. If that unit is not stuck on the field for more than 18 minutes in the first half, it should be good enough to win this game.

Players to Watch

Sticking with the time-of-possession theme, the Jets fully committed to the run against Tennessee: 39 rushing attempts compared with only 24 passes. New York has two capable halfbacks in No. 20 Breece Hall and former Wisconsin Badger No. 0 Braelon Allen. They combined for 32 carries, 142 yards (4.4 per carry) and a touchdown. The Jets’ other touchdown also came on the ground, courtesy of tight end Kenyon Sadiq.

Green Bay allowed 107 rushing yards on 34 attempts last week – only 3.1 yards per carry – and must repeat that performance. If the Packers can play from ahead and force the Jets to throw, the game should tilt heavily in Green Bay’s favor.

Lukas Van Ness had a solid game at U.S. Bank Stadium aside from the offsides penalty that helped set up Minnesota’s first touchdown. He and Keisean Nixon will need to keep setting the tone for Green Bay to come out victorious. That will be true every week until Micah Parsons returns.

Prediction

Packers 27
Jets 17

Season: 1-0    |    Overall: 118-77

3 Areas of Concern

1. LaFleur has reached the point where he can no longer be defended.
2. The Offensive Line situation was offensive.
3. The NFL is unable to hide their officiating problem any longer.

LaFleur Has 16 Games Left…

…to prove he’s able to close games out against tough opponents. There have been countless games over the course of his tenure where Green Bay was clearly the better team with the lead, late in games, and we’ve come up short. Typically, I’d blame the quarterback for choking, but Love has made the plays in each of these games to win – it’s been the play calling, design, and overall team attitude in such scenarios that have led to the eventual demise. Aside from Sunday where the O-line dictated that not to be on the quarterback. I may have been the last LaFleur defender, and the issue now is he spent the entire offseason talking about “finishing games,” and wanted to be aggressive to prove that he “isn’t conservative” when late in games. The issue I take with this is it’s the same problem; the lack of awareness of when to be over-aggressive vs. when to be smart and conservative. The play in particular came with the Packers leading 22-17 with 13:17 left in the ballgame and the defense had kept the Vikings in check for pretty much the entire game. It didn’t feel necessary, and keeping the points on the board meant the worst-case scenario is your offense gets the ball back late in the 4^th quarter in a tie game – had he chosen to keep the field goal on the board the game would’ve been 25-17 with just over 13 minutes left in the game. It just didn’t feel necessary, and actually felt forced, like he was trying to prove to the team and fans, “Hey, see, I’m going for the win.”

OL Situation is Bad…Is it Fixable?

The Packers started Donnovan Jennings and Jacob Monk at the guard positions (Left and Right, respectively) when they hadn’t been with the starters all camp or preseason. The headscratcher is that rookie, Jager Burton, and 2^nd year pro, Anthony Belton, had looked good, Burton especially. The continuity alone – or lack thereof – could be the reason for so many missed assignments up front. While no one should have much confidence or expect things to drastically improve, it is possible. Hell, it can’t get any worse!

The Officials Took Over the Game

The referees essentially gave Minnesota 3 free possessions on one drive. We all know when that happened…it was the ensuing drive from when LaFleur took the points off the board and Love checked to a QB sneak on 4^th and a long 1 from Minnesota’s 17-yard line in the 4^th quarter. That decision and lack of execution coupled with the assist from the refs completely swung momentum into Minnesota’s favor. Each call was more egregious than the previous, with the last being on an interception in the end zone by Evan Williams which would’ve stolen momentum right back to Green Bay and given Love and co. the ball and a 5-point lead with 6:49 left in the game.

Green Bay wasn’t alone in the disastrous zebra show on Sunday; the Saints had a game-changing play wiped away due to an explanation that makes it impossible to defend the league that it’s not rigged. New Orleans was playing the Lions in Detroit; they strip-sacked Jared Goff when the ball was jarred loose, flying backwards when a Saint defender scooped it up and scored a touchdown. The league proceeded to review it and called it an incomplete pass because Goff “intended” to throw it forward. Just an absolute farce, no other way to put it.

Breaking Down the Stats

While Green Bay had minimal issues moving the ball, even with the atrocity that was of the O-Line, the concern I had towards the end of the 1^st half was the time of possession discrepancy. The Vikings had a large advantage in that department due to the quick drives by the Packers, whether they scored or not. That’s a result from not being able to establish the run ‘nor being able to run at all. The Packers finished the game with only 66 yards rushing on 21 attempts (3.1 avg). That will wear the defense down and allow for scores by the opponent later in the game, which is exactly what we saw.

Much has been made on social media about the Packers outgaining the Vikings 419 to 239 averaging 6.3 yards per play vs. Min’s 3.9, and it should be a big deal. When a team outgains an opponent by that margin, especially on yards per play, that team should not lose. Yet, somehow Green Bay not only lost, but lost by 3 scores. It’s rare, it does happen, but it’s extremely rare. We keep saying this, but all that matters are Wins and Losses. Turnovers obviously played a part in this, but the game was essentially over after the sack-fumble, but as stated prior, the refs handed Minnesota 3 turnovers on one drive. Therefore, the turnover margin was really 5:1 in Minnesota’s favor. That’s how you end up outgaining your opponent by a significant margin, but lose the game…by 3 scores.

Is there a Bright Spot?

First and foremost, the fact Jordan Love was able to pass for 387 yards while being chased on nearly all of his 45 drop backs, is incredible. He didn’t look sharp early in the 1^st quarter, but eventually settled down and made some really impressive throws that were mostly caught. The drops didn’t seem to turn their ugly head and had Packer nation feeling “good” about how things were trending. Love finished 21 of 42 (50%) for 387 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception for a QB Rating of 88.1. It’s worth nothing the interception was due to immediate (and immense) pressure and it was tipped upon release.

The other bright spot was the defense, specifically Keisean Nixon. Nixon started the game with a tackle for loss on the game’s very first play. Then on the next play he came up with a huge interception. Prior to the Points Off The Board drive, the Packer defense allowed 141 yards on 48 plays (2.9 yards/play) and 17 points; goes without saying, plenty good enough to win almost any game. This is one of those games where the Packers gave up 39 points and the defense wasn’t to blame.

The reigning question will be “Can they close out games against tough opponents?” The good news is this team did just that on 5 occasions a season ago – but that was mainly due to their Closer, Micah Parsons. If, and that’s a BIG IF, the offensive line can get their act together and Micah returns to form – there’s hope.

New Year, Same Results?

Both teams expected last season to end far better than it did.

Green Bay was marred by injuries, which completely derailed its season and likely contributed to several late-game collapses. Minnesota entered the year coming off a 14–3 season in 2024, but its decision to let Sam Darnold walk and commit to J.J. McCarthy did not pay off. The Vikings finished 28th in total offense and 26th in scoring.

Minnesota’s defense remained its strength, finishing third in yards allowed and seventh in scoring. Once again, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts—a credit to defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

The biggest question in Minnesota is whether acquiring Kyler Murray was the right decision—and whether he is the quarterback who can right the ship (pun intended).

As for Green Bay, the Packers appear to have been stuck in neutral since the 2023 season. They have earned the No. 7 seed in each of Jordan Love’s seasons as the starter, producing only one playoff victory during that span. It is officially put-up-or-shut-up time at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.

New defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has his work cut out for him. Fan favorite Jeff Hafley vacated the position to become the Miami Dolphins’ head coach, and Gannon will begin the season without Micah Parsons for approximately four to five games.

As I covered in my previous post, Green Bay’s cornerback room is already a major concern. Couple that with the loss of its best pass rusher, and the first quarter of the season could be difficult for the Packers’ defense.

If Green Bay can remain competitive until Parsons returns—and stay healthy afterward—the Packers should have a chance to make the playoffs. Whether they can finally advance beyond the Wild Card round is another question.

How Do These Teams Matchup?

Minnesota’s defense ranked third in yards allowed and seventh in scoring last season. Green Bay’s offense finished 15th and 16th in those categories, respectively. That is the matchup to watch—and the one most likely to determine the outcome.

A season ago, the Vikings surrendered 20 or fewer points in nine of their 17 games.

Love and the Packers must play efficiently and protect the football—which, admittedly, could be said about almost any team in any game.

In Love’s lone appearance against Minnesota last season, he was efficient enough, but Green Bay’s defense—and J.J. McCarthy’s performance—ultimately won the game for the Packers. It would be dangerous to expect the same result this time. Parsons, the leader of Green Bay’s defense, will be unavailable, while McCarthy will no longer be Minnesota’s quarterback.

On the other side of the ball, Minnesota’s new quarterback faces a familiar opponent. Kyler Murray will go against Jonathan Gannon, his former head coach in Arizona. Perhaps Gannon can use what he learned from their time together to exploit some of Murray’s tendencies. It is another storyline worth watching.

Remember: Week 1 Can Be an Anomaly

The first week of the season is rarely a reliable indicator of what a team will become.

As I have covered in previous entries, good teams can look awful in Week 1 and still recover. If Green Bay gets blown out—or vice versa—it will not necessarily indicate how either team will perform throughout the season.

In a league built on overreaction, Week 1 is the ultimate catalyst for hot takes—possibly including mine.

Prediction

This game comes back to Green Bay’s offense against Minnesota’s defense.

If one of the Packers’ biggest unknowns—the offensive line—can hold up in pass protection and consistently create running lanes, Green Bay should win. Until that unit proves itself, however, I cannot confidently expect it to overcome all the turnover and inconsistency along the line.

Minnesota 23, Green Bay 20

Pick: Minnesota -1.5