For the most part the Packers dominated the first three quarters.
But then in the fourth quarter that is when things started to fall apart.
If this sounds familiar, its because it is.
Controlling the game for three quarters then a key moment turns the game around just like that.
This time around, it was a decision Packers Head coach Matt LeFleur made.
With the Packers up 22-17, the Packers came out to kick a field goal, which was made by Trey Smack.
But an offsides penalty on the Vikings forced Coach LeFleur to make a decision.
Ether take the points or take the penalty to make it 4 and 1.
LeFleur opted to take the points off the board and go for it.
But a failed QB sneak by Jordan Love turned the ball over on downs and the Vikings never looked back and came away with a season opening victory.
But it was more than a decision from Coach LeFluer that cost the Packers the game.
Offensive Line
With new starters at left tackle (Jordan Morgan) and both guard positions (Jacob Monk & Donavan Jennings) the offensive line got little to no time together in training camp.
It was not an easy task for the new offensive line.
Their first assignment was Brian Flores, whose defenses have led the NFL in blitz rate three straight years, blitzing on 44.3% of dropbacks last season.
The numbers for the game were ugly.
Four sacks, 15 quarterback hits, seven knockdowns.
The number that jumps out of the play-by-play data is average pocket time: Love was getting rid of the ball in about 1.2 seconds.
Love threw for 387 yards anyway, which is the strange part — the big plays came from him outrunning the protection breakdown rather than working behind it.
Running Back play
Coming into the game the Packers lacked experience in the backfield and it showed.
The Packers going with a running back by committee didn’t help the Packers offense.
In fact it was non-existent vs the Vikings.
Between Chris Brooks and MarShawn Lloyd both totaledTwenty-one carries, 66 yards, 3.1 per attempt.
The longest run of day from ether back was 14 yards.
Furthermore four runs stuffed behind the line.
That’s why LaFleur’s fourth-and-1 sneak decision drew so much heat — there was no evidence all afternoon that they could get a yard.
Now the question is if the Packers will stick with the running back by committee approach or if they look for more help with Josh Jacobs still on the commissioner exempt list.
Defensive play
Statistically, Green Bay’s defense held up reasonably well for three quarters.
The defense limited Minnesota to 107 rushing yards on 34 carries.
Along with 3 sacks, 6 QB hits, and 4 tackles for a loss of 16 yards, The Packers forced an interception in the first few minutes of the game.
Everything was looking up for the Packers, even after three quarters.
But once the offense started faltering in the 4th Quarter, so did the defense.
Minnesota scored 22 unanswered points in the final period.
The turning point wasn’t a blown coverage or a missed tackle — it was flags.
After the Packers failed to convert a 4th and 1 Minnesota got the ball back at its own 17 and driving for the go-ahead score aided by three separate penalties .
Those pentalies not only kept the Packers defense on the field, it erased three different Packers defensive stops.
The Packers finished the game having allowed 39 points.
Cause to panic?
- After seeing the Packers season opening performance, should we panic and call it a season?
For some, they see a team that has lost 6 in a row since last year.
They see the same problems that cost this team last year.
But it is week one, and this is a chance for the Packers to prove that they are not the same team as last year.
But the urgency to do that is high.
Starting 0-2 would be near disastrous for a Packers team that has Championship hopes.
So I wouldn’t panic just yet.
We’ll see how this team rebounds against a New York Jets team coming off a season opening victory.
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Hau Khuong has been a Packers fan since 1996. He currently works as a video editor in Green Bay and writes for PackersTalk.com and you can follow him on twitter at @HauKhuongSports.
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