On Monday, November 10th, there was a sporting event at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. History will remember that this game was played. The Eagles will remember that this game was played. The Packers' defense will remember this game.
The offense? I'm not convinced they were ever in the stadium.
Has anyone checked if there is a doppelganger situation happening? Perhaps the MonStars have drained the offense of their skill, in anticipation of a new Space Jam movie? Is it possible this Packers offense was too powerful, and that time travelers from the future had to come back to hamstring the offense, and prevent the Packers from making the game of football too boring?
As far as explanations go, well, that might be about all I got.
There just isn't much to explain what exactly happened on Monday night. The Packers defense allowed just ten points to the defending Super Bowl champions, putting together a complete game on all levels of the field to suffocate the Eagles. What more could have been expected of them?
Evan Williams
Williams has really grown into his own this season, and I don't think it's hyperbolic to say that he might be the best safety on the team right now. That isn't to say that Xavier McKinney is even playing badly! He's not! But Willliams is just everywhere. He's making plays in the run game, he's covering downfield, he's breaking up passes, and creating havoc all over the field. I'm even willing to forgive the touchdown given up on a great play by Devonta Smith. As I said, it's impossible to expect the defense to hold an opposing team to less than ten points, and I don't really care that it was Williams who that pass was targeting. He gets Game Ball #1.
Josh Jacobs
For an offense that has failed to show up for multiple weeks now, Jacobs continues to prove that he is the best thing happening on that side of the ball. 74 yards rushing, the lone touchdown, and 33 yards receiving. Jacobs turned nothing into something multiple times over the course of the game, and is really starting to remind us of the 2024 version of himself, when he was the heart and soul of the Packers' offense.
The Offensive Line
In order for a performance like this to happen, there has to be culprits. To me, the offensive line is public enemy #1.
It's been this way all season, and it's now clear that the strategy the front office had to reinforce the line has been an abject failure. In their journey to put together an offensive line that is competitive, they have instead found themselves with a line that is quite offensive.
Maybe that's a bit harsh. After all, the line is hamstrung by injuries (more on that later), but it's clear that Jordan no longer feels comfortable in the pocket. How many times did we see open wide receivers over the middle of the field that Love just couldn't get too, because the walls were closing in around him behind the line of scrimmage? Meanwhile, the running game is also suffering. 3.8 yards per carry, with the longest run of the night coming off a Jordan Love scramble. There's just no reason to respect the Packers' run game, when you can stop it while still playing two high safeties. This leads to third and longs, which the Packers had success with early in the season, but now the line just can't protect Love long enough. The Packers started this game zero for five on third down, and finished five for thirteen.
The Disconnect Between Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love
Look, I'm not psychic. I don't have a telepathic ability to get inside the heads of Jordan Love and Matt LaFleur. What I do have is two eyes, critical thinking, and the ability to sort out that, for some reason, MLF seems to not trust Jordan to be the engine of this offense. For a QB that was just awarded the richest contract in NFL history a season ago, the Packers sure do love to not let him sling it.
There's a particular sequence that stands out in my mind. The second quarter, around the 11 minute mark. Jacobs had just rattled off a five yard run and an eleven yard run. First down: 3 yard run. Second down: -1 yard run. Third down: six yard pass. With fourth and two at your own 46, the Packers trot out to try to draw the Eagles offside, take the delay of game, and punt.
Starting off a drive with four straight runs. You finally let Love pass the ball, but you don't let him try to get two more yards. Instead, you do the thing that never works, and have to punt anyway.
That's a very small example, and not the most egregious example of what I'm talking about. Over and over, the passing attack through Love has proven itself more effective than what the rushing attack is doing, even with Josh Jacobs' play over the last couple of weeks. It's mind boggling that Love is not being asked to do more in this offense. Did Love play a good game? No, and it's okay to admit that. Just as it's okay to admit that he's also not being put into a good enough position.
Brandon McManus & The Curious Case of the Missing Kicking Competition
I don't trust what the Packers have been telling us about this kicking operation. Rewind to last week. We are told by LaFleur that there is no competition at kicker, and Brandon McManus would be starting. After the loss to the Panthers last week, LaFleur seemed to indicate that there would be some sort of open competition at kicker, early in the week. Then, three days ago, special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia declared that McManus would kick on Monday, and MLF backtracked, even going so far as to say "you read to much into my comment". The Packers have insisted, over and over, that McManus was, first and foremost, healthy enough to kick.
So why, oh why, did McManus himself indicate differently?
On Monday night's broadcast, the crew claimed McManus said that this week was the first time he had been "semi-healthy" since his quad injury weeks ago, just moments before he was trotted out for a 64 yard attempt.
Not only did McManus miss the game tying field goal (admittedly a monumental task at 64 yards), but the Packers clearly did not trust him from shorter distances either, attempting a couple of long 4th down attempts rather than long 50+ field goal attempts.
-- Today's Phrase of the Game: "Disappointing, but not surprising". Today's effort by the offense was a heartbreaking affair, but can anyone really say they didn't see it coming? After all, we've seen this movie a couple of times this season. The Offensive line was overwhelmed, the run game ineffective, Jordan was jumpy in the pocket and made inaccurate throws because of it. And all the while, the coaching staff is unable to figure out a way to elevate the roster above these problems. No, it wasn't the first time we've seen this version of the Packers, and although I hope it will be the last, my gut says it isn't.
-- For a team who is catastrophically banged up at wide receiver and offensive line, the Packers sure couldn't afford to lose who they lost today. Romeo Doubs left the game with a chest injury, and we'll be eagerly waiting for more clarification regarding his status for next week.
Even more noteworthy, however, is the loss of Elgton Jenkins. If the rumors are true, and Jenkins has a lower leg fracture, it's possible he could miss the rest of the season. There's a best case scenario where he might be able to return for the playoffs, but losing Jenkins along an offensive line that was already injured and performing below expectations might be devastating. Sean Rhyan did not seem lost as a replacement, and his play over the next weeks at center could be a trial period for the team, should Jenkins turn into a cap cut this offseason.
-- The Packers are on the road next week, and will take on the Brian Daboll-less New York Giants. It's possible the Giants could also be without their rookie QB Jaxson Dart, who left Sunday's game with an apparent nasty concussion. If he is forced to miss next Sunday's matchup with Green Bay, interim coach Mike Kafka will make his debut with Russel Wilson at QB, who was anemic at best when he began the season as New York's QB. The Giants bring a nasty pass rush to the table, and Green Bay should not look past this game, even with divisional games against Minnesota and Detroit looming on the horizon.