The Green Bay Packers are 3-3 after six games, with three uninspired wins against three highly disappointing losses, including defeats in each of the last two games. What needs to improve for Matt LaFleur’s team to get this suddenly wobbly season back on track?
We attempt to break down all the areas where the Packers need to improve to get over this bad stretch and re-establish themselves as a contender:
Best players need to play better
Great teams are fueled by the play of great players, and so far, not all of the Packers veteran leaders are playing up to expectation. This includes the quarterback (see next section). Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, Aaron Rodgers, A.J. Dillon, Elgton Jenkins, Dean Lowry, Preston Smith, De’Vondre Campbell, Rasul Douglas, Eric Stokes, Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage have all played 10-grade points worse than last season, highlighting the sharp regression from the top of the roster. The Packers need that group to get it turned around for this to be a contending team.
The quarterback needs to play better
The margin for error for this team is so small, but the Packers have a $50 million quarterback coming off back-to-back MVP seasons. The greats at the position consistently elevate those around them. Rodgers, for a variety of reasons both in his control and not, hasn’t been particularly accurate and has accomplished almost nothing down the field, and he’s turned the ball over five times in six games. This is an offense in an evolution phase after losing Davante Adams, and the offensive line (see next section) needs to be much better, but the Packers aren’t getting the consistently superlative play from Rodgers that has been the standard over the last two seasons. Without it, this Packers team probably can’t get where it wants to go.
Better blocking from offensive line
Incredibly, the Packers returned David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins to the starting lineup and have actually taken a step back along the offensive line. Jenkins is still getting comfortable at right tackle, and the problems on the right side have been compounded by the consistently underachieving performance of Royce Newman. As Matt LaFleur said Monday, scheme doesn’t mean much if a team can’t block, and the Packers aren’t trending in a particularly encouraging way along the offensive line. Maybe a switch of personnel could help, but there’s no guarantee moving Jenkins back to guard and starting Yosh Nijman at right tackle will magically solve everything. It’s still worth a try. If the offensive line clicks into place, everything else on offense will suddenly become a lot easier.
More touches for Aaron Jones
After each of the Packers’ three losses, Matt LaFleur said Aaron Jones needs to get more touches. At some point, actions will match words. Teams are gearing up to take away Jones, the team’s best playmaker, but the best offenses and play callers still find ways of getting the ball to great players in good positions. That’s on LaFleur. The reliance on run-pass options/run alerts in the Packers offense is, in many ways, a good thing, but it’s also giving defenses an easy out; load up the box, and Aaron Rodgers is going to throw it. Getting the ball to Jones in the passing game is one way to counter this. He’s a dynamic and versatile player, and it shouldn’t be this difficult to get the ball in his hands.
Passing game more consistent against man coverage
This team won’t ever be consistent on offense until it proves it can win in the passing game against man coverage. More and more, teams are creeping up to the line of scrimmage, committing to stopping Aaron Jones and the run game, and daring the Packers to throw it against man coverage and single-high safeties. During many past seasons, Aaron Rodgers and the receiving crew would have chewed up this strategy and spit it out on the way to dominant performances through the air. In 2022, with young receivers learning on the fly and no true No. 1 target, defenses just aren’t scared of the Packers in the passing game. And they won’t be until the Packers can prove they can beat it. The quarterback needs to be more accurate, the mental mistakes from the protection and the receivers need to go away, and – more than anything – all 11 individuals need to execute each and every down. The scheme is great against man coverage but nothing works unless everyone is doing the right thing. If the execution doesn’t improve, an outside acquisition at wide receiver would be required.
Better/more consistent tackling
The Packers have missed 41 tackles in six games, including nine from All-Pro linebacker De’Vondre Campbell. Of the 41 misses, 30 have come in the run game – which is a big reason why the Packers aren’t consistently handling the run game. Campbell and rookie Quay Walker have to play better in terms of fitting the run and finishing plays. Far too many times this season, the Packers have been gashed up front without no one available at the second level to prevent a big play. Walker, for all his athleticism, has been easy to manipulate. Among 82 NFL linebackers with at least 40 run defense snaps, Walker’s run defense grades ranks as the third-worst (79th).
Start winning turnover battle
In a huge change from the first three years of the Matt LaFleur era, the Packers are -4 (four takeaways, eight giveaways) in the turnover margin and haven’t won the turnover battle once through six games. The Packers have turned the ball over multiple times in three games and have zero takeaways in three games. The offense can’t afford to give away possessions; this defense is too talented not to be taking the ball away. Big issues can be glossed over if a team is protecting the ball and taking it away, but the Packers aren’t doing either.
