There was a time when the Green Bay Packers had the Detroit Lions’ number.
It was as regular as the spring thaw and summer road construction. When the Packers played the Lions, it was a win.
How much of a one sided affair was this rivalry? The Packers went 17-3 in the 2000’s against the Motor City. Three losses in a decade.
In the 2010’s, they already have as many losses as they did the previous decade.
Now granted, the Lions are substantially improved over the teams they trotted out against the Packers in the 2000’s. After so many early draft choices, they should be. So one should not be shocked that the Lions would defeat the Packers.
What is shocking is the manner in which they have done so the past two times they have played each other.
These games were not just Lions wins. They were beatdowns.
Remember the Thanksgiving Day disaster last year? A 40-10 obliteration in front of a national audience? It was one of if not the lowest point of Mike McCarthy’s tenure as the Head Coach of the Packers. Nothing worked that day. The defense was non existent. The offense was pitiful. Everyone knows Aaron Rodgers was out that game, but still, the offense did nothing that day.
Now that he is back, the first game against their long time rival should have yielded some better results, right?
Wrong. Absolutely, completely wrong.
Today’s 19-7 loss was not so much a loss, as it was an eye opener. An eye opener as to what this team may actually be: a very average team.
Where is the Aaron Rodgers of years past? Has someone replaced him with an imposter through the first three weeks of the 2014 season? It can be the only explanation for the poor start he is off to. Of course, an imposter may have been better than the 16/27 for 162 yards Rodgers put up against a Lions secondary decimated by injuries.
It doesn’t help when Jordy Nelson seems to be the only WR Rodgers has any confidence in right now. It also doesn’t help when he seems to be locking onto Nelson on every single play.
It is almost as if he has to lock onto him, since Randall Cobb can’t seem to get open anymore. That, and Jarrett Boykin apparently forgot how to catch.
Luckily the Packers have a TE who can really stretch the field on a regular basis. Oh that’s right…
Good thing the Packers can had the rock to Eddie Lacy to carry the load when the offense is struggling. Or maybe not…
With all of the individual just listed above, there is NO reason the Packers should have mustered a total of 223 yards against a Lions team that is good, but definitely not on par with the 1985 Bears.
That yardage total is what the Packers used to get in halves, not full games.
There is something very wrong with the Packers offense right now. The passing game is out of sync, and that is putting it mildly. There is no running game, at not least not like we expected with the trio of Lacy/Starks/Harris. Play calling has been suspect.
At the end of the day, the players need to execute like they have in years past. The years where the Packers offense was one of the best in the league. A level that was expected, and can be achieved again. It better, or else this season could start to get out of hand.
If this is the nadir of the Packers season, it is a good thing it came early in the season. Things can’t get much worse than they did today, in particular on offense.
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John Rehor is a writer at PackersTalk.com.
He can also be heard as one of the Co-Hosts of Cheesehead Radio. ---------------------
14 responses to “Packers Aftermath: Packers at Lions”
Absolutely correct. Nothing has changed in the past 5 yrs. Offense has not evolved at all. No misdirection, screens or anything to keep the defense guessing and off balance. Teams have figured out how to play GB. This team without Rodgers would struggle to win 2 or 3 games in a season.
The last 3 games have been down right disgusting. I believe this falls on coaching because we have way too much talent to be putting up performances like the last 3 games. I my predictions on next week is another loss.
ROGERS HAS NOT PLAYED LIKE A TOP TIER QB SINCE HE BROKE HIS COLLARBONE. THE POUROUS OFFENSIVE LINE DOES NOT HELP. LACEY LAST YEAR RAN FORWARD WHILE LOOKING FOR A HOLE TO OPEN UP, THIS YEAR HE IS JITTERBUGGING IN THE BACKFIELD. THE PLAY CALLING IN THE FIRST HALF WAS TWO RUNS A PUNT AND A PASS, TYPICAL MCCARTHY. (OFFENSIVE GURU MY _SS). GOOD TEAMS HAVE GOOD LINES BUT PROTECTING ROGERS AND OPENING HOLES FOR THE RUNNING BACK DOES NOT SEEM TO BE TT’TOP CONCERN. CAN NOT BLAME DEFENSE THIS GAME ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY WERE ON THE FIELD WAY TO MUCH AND PLAYED WELL UNTIL MATHEWS WENT OUT AND THEY GOT TIRED. TIME FOR GB TO REVAMP COACHING STAFF AND COLLEDGE SCOUTS THIS YEAR SINCE THEY WILL BE IN A BATTLE FOR THIRD PLACE IN THE DIVISION WITH MINNESOTA.
Plain and simple “Coaching” or should I say lack there of!
It’s time for all the coaches to sit down and take a long look at themselves! They have to much talent on this team to look so bad through three games!
It all starts at the “TOP” TT needs to have a meeting with these guys and simply put tell them Do or Die! Your jobs are one the line so get with it or hit the door! McCarthy needs to start putting some misdirection plays in to keep defenses off Rodgers. like the jet sweep with Cobb or the old reverse with Cobb and Janis!
From what we have seen so far in three games Boykin needs to be benched and let Adams take over #3 and Janis #4 I think he can do a better job at returns than Harris also!
I agree completely. And who in the hell calls a running play when you’re backed up in your own end zone?!!
The last 3 games have been down right disgusting. I believe this falls on coaching because we have way too much talent to be putting up performances like the last 3 games. I my predictions on next week is another loss.
ROGERS HAS NOT PLAYED LIKE A TOP TIER QB SINCE HE BROKE HIS COLLARBONE. THE POUROUS OFFENSIVE LINE DOES NOT HELP. LACEY LAST YEAR RAN FORWARD WHILE LOOKING FOR A HOLE TO OPEN UP, THIS YEAR HE IS JITTERBUGGING IN THE BACKFIELD. THE PLAY CALLING IN THE FIRST HALF WAS TWO RUNS A PUNT AND A PASS, TYPICAL MCCARTHY. (OFFENSIVE GURU MY _SS). GOOD TEAMS HAVE GOOD LINES BUT PROTECTING ROGERS AND OPENING HOLES FOR THE RUNNING BACK DOES NOT SEEM TO BE TT’TOP CONCERN. CAN NOT BLAME DEFENSE THIS GAME ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY WERE ON THE FIELD WAY TO MUCH AND PLAYED WELL UNTIL MATHEWS WENT OUT AND THEY GOT TIRED. TIME FOR GB TO REVAMP COACHING STAFF AND COLLEDGE SCOUTS THIS YEAR SINCE THEY WILL BE IN A BATTLE FOR THIRD PLACE IN THE DIVISION WITH MINNESOTA.
Plain and simple “Coaching” or should I say lack there of!
It’s time for all the coaches to sit down and take a long look at themselves! They have to much talent on this team to look so bad through three games!
It all starts at the “TOP” TT needs to have a meeting with these guys and simply put tell them Do or Die! Your jobs are one the line so get with it or hit the door! McCarthy needs to start putting some misdirection plays in to keep defenses off Rodgers. like the jet sweep with Cobb or the old reverse with Cobb and Janis!
From what we have seen so far in three games Boykin needs to be benched and let Adams take over #3 and Janis #4 I think he can do a better job at returns than Harris also!
I agree completely. And who in the hell calls a running play when you’re backed up in your own end zone?!!
MM is so under qualified to be the coach of this team…. a former SF offensive coordinator that was coming off a 2-14 season….really? And people are wondering why the offensive is struggling…really?
And TT a GM who only builds a team one way..through draft… really? That’s like building a car but saying I don’t need tires really? Should you use all the parts alotted to build a car?
Murphy….really? This guy is a bean counter…. period!I don’t think this guy could adequately serve as an AD at an NAIA school…and we have him running the most storied franchise if the NFL …really?
MM will do nothing regarding the state of this team….TT will do nothing regarding the state of this team and Murphy will do nothing regarding the state of this team! Why????
BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE TO…NO ACCOUNTABILITY!
MM is so under qualified to be the coach of this team…. a former SF offensive coordinator that was coming off a 2-14 season….really? And people are wondering why the offensive is struggling…really?
And TT a GM who only builds a team one way..through draft… really? That’s like building a car but saying I don’t need tires really? Should you use all the parts alotted to build a car?
Murphy….really? This guy is a bean counter…. period!I don’t think this guy could adequately serve as an AD at an NAIA school…and we have him running the most storied franchise if the NFL …really?
MM will do nothing regarding the state of this team….TT will do nothing regarding the state of this team and Murphy will do nothing regarding the state of this team! Why????
MM is so under qualified to be the coach of this team…. a former SF offensive coordinator that was coming off a 2-14 season….really? And people are wondering why the offensive is struggling…really?
And TT a GM who only builds a team one way..through draft… really? That’s like building a car but saying I don’t need tires really? Should you use all the parts alotted to build a car?
Murphy….really? This guy is a bean counter…. period!I don’t think this guy could adequately serve as an AD at an NAIA school…and we have him running the most storied franchise if the NFL …really?
MM will do nothing regarding the state of this team….TT will do nothing regarding the state of this team and Murphy will do nothing regarding the state of this team! Why????
BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE TO…NO ACCOUNTABILITY!
Packers fans-Mike McCarthy is a product of the West Coast style offense that the Niners ran under Bill Walsh with Montana/Rice combination. Mike Holgren, Andy Reid, Steve Mariucci, Jon Gruden and McCarthy just a few coaches influenced by that style of offense. It is predicated on quick slants, bubble screens, drags and a pocket QB. We rarely see quick slants, NO bubble screens-in fact this Packers offense seems to have forgotten what a screen is. IF McCarthy thinks he’s mastered a better “west coast” style, he better get back to the Walsh blueprints ’cause his game plan and schemes ain’t getting it done!
Packers fans-Mike McCarthy is a product of the West Coast style offense that the Niners ran under Bill Walsh with Montana/Rice combination. Mike Holgren, Andy Reid, Steve Mariucci, Jon Gruden and McCarthy just a few coaches influenced by that style of offense. It is predicated on quick slants, bubble screens, drags and a pocket QB. We rarely see quick slants, NO bubble screens-in fact this Packers offense seems to have forgotten what a screen is. IF McCarthy thinks he’s mastered a better “west coast” style, he better get back to the Walsh blueprints ’cause his game plan and schemes ain’t getting it done!