It took all of three weeks for me to feel validated in my “Green Bay Packers are going to stink” take. Entering the season, I had them finishing last in the division, and they are on their way to doing just that. Thursday night was one of the most embarrassing losses any team might have all season long. Let’s dive into the beatdown they suffered.
No One Is Saving This Team
While watching their 35-14 beatdown at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons, I realized something. No one is coming to save the Packers. Micah Parsons is not enough to salvage a poor defensive unit. Through these three weeks, they rank 26th in points allowed per game, 13th in passing yards allowed per game, 27th in rushing yards allowed per game, last in offensive touchdowns allowed, 16th in sacks, and 24th in takeaways per game. Parsons could return at a DPOY level, and it won’t matter.
They were steamrolled by the Falcons for 242 rushing yards, 194 of which came from Bijan Robinson. Not only could they not fight their way out of a wet paper bag, but they also allowed Michael Penix Jr. to look excellent outside of his opening-drive interception. Penix went 17/22 for 239 and a touchdown, but the worst part is that 194 of those yards went to Drake London. If you can’t guard a single person, and you’re stacking the box to stop Bijan, there’s no hope for you.
What about their future savior on the offensive side of the ball? Sarcasm, of course. Josh Jacobs isn’t saving this offense either. Will it take the ball out of a player who I will discuss later? Yes, but I don’t know how you can look me in the eyes and tell me what will be different. Against Atlanta, they had 17 rushing yards. Was it because they stopped running the ball? Yes, but their offensive line is dreadful. You’re almost damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Matt LaFleur’s Seat Warming Up
It’s time to have a serious discussion about the “quarterback whisperer” in Green Bay. Matt LaFleur is more of a name and idea than a successful head coach at this point. What does he hang up his hat on at this point? His explosive offense in the post-Aaron Rodgers era? They finished 12th, 8th, and 16th in the three seasons since Rodgers left the Green and Yellow. You know what’s funny? All of those seasons ended the same. In a heartbreaking playoff loss as the 7th seed.
We are giving him grace due to the ideology and the premium that NFL organizations will pay for an offensive play-calling head coach and the two MVP seasons he helped Rodgers secure. However, those seasons ended the same way, with back-to-back losses in Green Bay as the favorite. Where’s the Packers’ high-powered offense? If you are a coach who has your hand on a side of the ball, that unit can not be poor.
Packers’ Glaring Issue
The glaring issue to me is Jordan Love. He is terrible, and the Packers have done this to themselves. He had a great stretch and defeated the Dallas Cowboys back in 2023 then Green Bay made him the highest-paid QB in NFL history at the time. That is not smart business. Let’s pay someone $55 million to be a glorified game manager.
Love is currently tied for the third-highest-paid QB in the league. Here are the players he is tied with in terms of annual earnings: Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Baker Mayfield, and Matthew Stafford. Go ahead and tell me which of those QBs he’s better than. MAYBE Baker, and that’s because of his poor start to the season.
Final Thoughts
At some point, all signs point to a teardown and rebuild. I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel for this franchise. You have the Bears on the rise, the Lions who have a talented roster, and the Vikings who are always pesky. Their next game is against the Buccaneers in Tampa, so maybe they’ll turn it around in Week 4. Do you think the Packers are cooked, or can they turn it around?
As always, thank you so much for checking out my recap of the Green Bay Packers’ horrendous loss last night and my thoughts on their season being cooked! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! Thank you for making us part of your day, and look forward to seeing you again soon.
