Paul Bretl | 11/29/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers’ offense has begun to hit its stride and find more consistency, especially situationally, as they now prepare for a pivotal divisional matchup with Detroit.
“We just work every day, strive to get better, challenge ourself in practice and then let it translate to game day,” said Elgton Jenkins of the offense’s play.
The last time these two teams met, a little less than a month ago now, the Packers were held to just 14 points. Sure, they put up yards, but the 24-3 deficit they faced is a more accurate portrayal of how this game went for them.
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During this game and for much of the first half of the season, the Packers were plagued by inconsistent play, often rooted in self-inflicted errors. These penalties, dropped passes, off-target throws, or whatever it might have been, put the Packers offense behind the sticks and in disadvantageous situations far too frequently.
The negative trickle-down effect is the offense facing long down-and-distance situations, which puts them in obvious passing downs. From a coverage standpoint, the secondary has the advantage. In short, there are only so many routes that can be ran on 3rd-and-10, and the pass rush is then able to pin its ears back. Play-calling-wise, it becomes a real challenge to get into a flow, and the gameplan can become pass-heavy very quickly.
Even for the best offenses, having to overcome those situations often is a massive undertaking that has resulted in the up-and-down play we see on Sundays, and was a leading factor in the poor red zone and third down performances from the Green Bay offense.
But now here we sit several weeks later, and this is a different and more steady Packers’ offense.
“I feel like we just found our rhythm,” said Josh Myers at his locker. “We’ve settled in. That whole time you kept hearing complementary football being thrown around everywhere, I feel like we’re doing that now. I feel like even when we were losing some of those games, we weren’t necessarily playing bad. We were just doing stupid stuff at the wrong time.”
In those key, must-have-it situations on third down and inside the opponent’s 20 yard line, we’ve seen Green Bay go from floundering to highly productive. In the last two games, the Packers have converted 48 percent of their third down attempts, which for some context, over the course of the season would be the third-highest mark in football.
In the red zone, meanwhile, the Packers went from ranking 27th in that category following the game against Chicago, to converting eight of their last 10 trips into touchdowns. Again, for more context, that success rate over the entire season would lead the league.
So, what has led to a drastic turnaround in such a short period of time? Well, as always in the game of football, there is never one answer, but many that factor into the equation. However, a catalyst has been Josh Jacobs and the running game.
“I am a huge believer in this and a ton of people are too,” added Myers, “but the offense, we definitely feel like even down there the more you can provide a run threat the more it opens everything else up, even down there.”
Led by Josh Jacobs, who has carried the ball 45 times in the last two games, the Packers have totaled 283 rushing yards as a team on 67 carries. For as potent as this passing game can be, it is the run game that is leading the charge for the Green Bay offense.
That success in the run game has been pivotal in the Packers’ ability to move the chains on third downs and to find the end zone when in the red zone. Or another way to put it, the Packers are sustaining drives and putting up points.
“I think that’s just our offense,” said Jordan Love of the run game. “Starts the front with the O-line creating those lanes for the running backs to get through there. The backs are doing a great job just making guys miss. And then I think just the scheme we have, you know, the plays we’re dialing up that Steno and Matt are dialing up, are, you know, top tier.
“So, I think it goes all around. But, you know, you get the tight ends in there blocking, receivers blocking, but everybody’s just doing their part. And, you know, letting this thing go.”
The impact of the run game on these recent third down and red zone figures is that moving the ball on the ground often keeps the offense ahead of the sticks and out of predictable passing situations. In short down-and-distance situations, the entire playbook is open for the offense, which can create opportunities for the passing game, and the defense is on its heels, having to defend the entire field while being prepared for both the run and the pass.
Playing from these advantageous situations, an already dynamic passing game that, despite the inconsistent play, has been one of the best at generating explosive plays this season, now has efficiency a part of the equation as well.
Facing a stingy Miami pass defense on Thursday night, Jordan Love was 21-of-28 passing for 274 yards at a hefty 9.8 yards per attempt with two touchdowns, and includes no interceptions over the last two games.
“I think he’s playing his best ball right now. I really do,” said Matt LaFleur. “I think he’s done a great job of taking what’s there, taking the checkdowns when they’re there, or taking the shots when they’re there. He’s moving around in the pocket really well.”
As we discussed, coming out of the bye week, a much healthier Love with improved mobility and mechanics has expanded the offensive play-calling and improved his accuracy.
His decision-making has improved as well, which was an obvious point of emphasis after a turnover-heavy first half of the season. But up against fewer long down-and-distance situations has also allowed Love to take what’s available, rather than routinely playing from disadvantageous positions behind the sticks, and trying to push the ball–or at times forcing it–in order to get back on track.
That patience and willingness to take those checkdowns or short underneath incompletions, when effective, can eventually present the opportunity to take those downfield throws. Just as we saw against Miami, when Love connected with Christian Watson down the right sideline after a barrage of rush attempts and short completions.
“Opens up a lot of stuff,” said Matt LaFleur of the checkdowns. “Those are leaky yards, and nobody wants to give up those but both those guys are so physical and they’re tough to bring down and when you do bring them down, you feel them.
“So Tuck’s an animal. I think we’d all agree with that. both him and Josh. And it’s not just those two guys. I just love the mentality of our football team. I think our guys, they strain for one another, they fight, they block, and they try to inflict pain. Which as a coach you love to see.”
As we all saw in early November, the Lions are a well-oiled machine and continue to stack wins now at 11-1 on the season. However, the Packers believe they’re in a better spot at this time than where they were the first time these two teams met and better equipped for the matchup ahead.
The combination of Jacobs in the run game, Love playing at a high level, and all of the pass-catching options is already plenty to stress a defense. But that then becomes even more magnified when how the Packers attack opponents is so balanced between the run-pass mix, along with short to intermediate throws versus downfield attempts. Defenses truly have to defend the entire field against Green Bay.
“Definitely,” said Love when asked if the offense was finding its groove. “I think areas we’ve needed to focus on, red zone, I think we’ve been doing a lot better in that area and just trying to stay on the field, keep those drives going, keep the defense off the field. So I think we’re getting in a really good groove.”