The Green Bay Packers are back from Brazil with a 0-1 record and a big injury question mark at quarterback. Matt LaFleur’s team struggled down the stretch, made too many sloppy mistakes and ultimately lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in Sao Paulo to open the 2024 season.
The defeat took a backseat to the injury to Jordan Love, who got hit in his knee on the third-to-last play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter. Early indications are that Love injured his MCL and will miss time.
Friday night’s 34-29 loss to the Eagles will be nothing more than a disappointing defeat if Love is fine. If he misses significant time, the injury could be season-altering.
Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers moving forward:
What went right
— Jayden Reed shined like a star. The second-year receiver turned five touches into 171 total yards and two scores. He looked dynamic, making tough catches and creating extra yards with the ball in his hands.
— Josh Jacobs started slow, but he created 80 rushing yards in the second half, including a 32-yard run, and finished with over 100 total yards. It sure looked like Jacobs’ burst as a runner is back after a disappointing 2023 season in Las Vegas.
— The Packers defense created three takeaways, including an interception and fumble recovery that set up Green Bay inside the Philadelphia 20-yard line and an interception in the end zone that took points off the board. Overall, the Packers were plus-2 in the turnover battle.
— Backup running back Emanuel Wilson turned four rushing attempts into 46 yards, including runs of 14 and 18 yards on a touchdown drive, and he delivered an excellent block on Reed’s 33-yard touchdown run. Wilson, Jacobs and Reed all had runs of at least 18 yards, and the Packers finished with 163 yards on the ground.
— While inconsistent on offense, the Packers finished with 414 total yards and averaged 7.1 yards per play.
— Rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper had a tackle covering a kickoff, a run stop on Saquon Barkley and a deflected pass on a blitz.
What went wrong
— The Packers scored just one touchdown on four trips into the red zone and turned three takeaways into just nine points.
— The Packers were charged with 10 accepted penalties and a few other offsetting or declined penalties. Early penalties killed the offense; late penalties — however questionable — kept Eagles drives alive.
— The passing game hit explosive plays but was also out of sync. Jordan Love struggled with his footing, leading to some accuracy issues, and receivers slipped coming out of breaks and had a few drops. In general, the passing game created open receivers.
— The pass-rush wasn’t consistently effective. Jalen Hurts was sacked just twice, and the Packers failed to disrupt him in big spots.
— The Eagles star power on offense was overwhelming. Barkley produced 132 total yards and three touchdowns, A.J. Brown had a 67-yard touchdown and 119 total receiving yards, and Devonta Smith had seven catches for 84 yards, including a late third down conversion.
— While the Eagles produced adversity defense after turnovers, the Packers quickly gave up a touchdown after Jordan Love’s interception. The Packers won the turnover battle but managed just a 9-7 advantage in points off turnovers.
— Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Javon Bullard and Eric Stokes all had missed tackles. The Packers also struggled to fit the run on several carries for Barkley, who had a wide-open lane on one touchdown and another huge hole on a 34-yarder in the second half.
— Despite getting three turnovers, the Packers defense still allowed 34 points in an overall disappointing opening performance from Jeff Hafley’s group.
What it means
The Packers are 0-1 and must now scramble through what could be a difficult opening stretch without Love under center. Fortunately, Love and the Packers know how to rally from rough starts — they were 3-6 before catching fire and nearly making the NFC title game last year. Matt LaFleur often talks about meeting and overcoming adversity during a football season. Well, the Packers are returning home from a daunting international road trip with a disappointing loss and an injured quarterback. We’ll see what this team is made of — both while Love is out and when he returns.
What’s next
The home opener next Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. More than likely, the Packers will be preparing Malik Willis to start at quarterback — meaning the offense might have to shift drastically to fit what Willis does well and knows within the offense. There’s also an outside chance Sean Clifford could be the better option based on experience in the scheme. Either way, the Packers need to find a way to win a game or two while Love recovers. The upcoming schedule features games against the Colts, Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings, all potentially winnable games if Matt LaFleur and the Packers can get things squared away at quarterback.
