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 1st 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 2nd 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 1st 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 2nd 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 (10th 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
