What was probably most frustrating about this loss for fans was the fact that the Packers have made some really tough road wins this season while this was to be one of their easiest road games of the season. The Chargers’ defense made Green Bay their bitch with Rodgers having his worst game of the season(23/65, 161 yards, 1TD). RB Aaron Jones had only 30-yards on the ground and had a single reception for -1. The Packers managed 184 total yards for the game while the Chargers claimed 442.
The Packers had no interceptions and no forced fumbles in a season that has relied heavily upon their ability to create turnovers. They were forced to punt 5 times while the Chargers only did so once.
The good news is that the NFC North went 0-4 this week so the Packers are still on top of the division as the Vikings fell to the Chiefs. As long as there were no major injuries sustained in the game, it’s not that big of a deal as they are now 7-2. What’s concerning is if we’re going to see this terrible play any more in the future and I am more than willing to bet that this is the worst the Packers will play this year. They face a tough game at home next week against the Carolina Panthers and then they’ll get a much deserved bye week to heal up. After that, they face the run-dominant San Francisco 49ers in an away game that is very likely to be their hardest of the season.
While it was nice to see WR Davante Adams back on the field, he ended up with an average of 5.9 yards per catch while the wunderkind Allen Lazard, who barely had a presence in the first half, led receivers with 44-yards on 3 receptions for an average of 14.7. Lazard did have an illegal block in the back penalty in the 2nd quarter, but there were a few penalties on the offense that drive.
One notable change for the game was that Tremon Smith is now returning kicks/punts in place of Darrius Shepherd — who is now on the practice squad where he belongs.
Aaron Rodgers took the loss with some class and chalked it up to a serving of humble pie:
“This is a good slice of humble pie for us,” Rodgers said after he threw for a season-low 161 yards on 23-of-35 passing for just one touchdown.
“We’re kind of rolling, 7-1, and starting to listen to the chatter maybe a little too much. I think this will be a good thing for us. We’ll regroup, go back home and play another good team [Carolina] before the bye.”
The game was riddled with low-energy performance and several false start and delay of game penalties. Let’s hope LaFleur learns to not let his team get complacent with a winning streak and to treat every game as a must-win effort.
In other news, the Patriots finally played a real team and lost. The AFC is a sad joke and has been for awhile. I’m just glad we’re doing inter-conference play unlike the old days so AFC fans can watch some real football every now and then.
From the whole mess this game was, Lazard was looking a legit WR out there. I recall a bunch of nice runs by Jamaal Williams pushing through contact. And we finally got one kickoff return go beyond the 25. Those were the bright spots.
Special teams, especially the blocking units, continue to underwhelm and teams know it. We keep getting those mortar kicks that fall short of the endzone and force a return attempt which is usually good for 20yds. Every team will choose to give their defense an extra 5-yard field length.
Martinez is starting to get victimized in coverage by other teams now. They even made it more explicit while motioning Gordon to see how Martinez would adjust.
Our run defense sucks, even though we get a couple of stonewalled runs, but more often we need 5yds to bring a RB to a stop. Yet, somehow we hold the fort in the endzone… unless of course the defense gets to play 60min when the offense can’t sniff a 1st down. The offense did NOT get back to life in this game, mind you. The Chargers let up once the game was beyond reach, so it looked like we were moving. This whole “let them run, a long as they can’t pass” only works if we play with a lead, and we know the passes are coming. When they can equally run or pass we don’t look that smart.
Rodgers was getting pressured all day. Zero adjustments to account for their rush, to the tune of Bosa-nova. Turner, Bulaga, Bakhtiari were taking turns to lose their 1-on-1s. And how many false starts did we commit?
We lost in every phase of the game and gave the Chargers a chance to look good. I hope we clean it up for the following games, as these guys just laid out the blueprint on how to beat us.
You guys lost to a better team in their home stadium. Yeah, I saw one guy post before the game how this was going to be an easy win and that LA was a home game for the Packers (that guy needs a big slice of that there humble pie). No such thing in the NFL. Okay, maybe against the Dolphins….
The reason I say the Chargers are a better team is because they are. Not by record obviously. I look at the strength of the offense and of the defense. Luck, timing, opponents, and special teams all have huge roles. Again obviously. But, halfway through the season, the average yards per game earned on O and prevented on D is a rough good picture of the team faced. The Packers and Chargers had equivalent offenses. A push there. However, the Chargers have a Top 10 D (#7 now) and the Packers have a Bottom 10 D (#26 now). Huge diff.
Everyone talks about this amazing Packers D. However, they are bad. They are that bad even with lots of luck with extra turnovers killing drives early or just in time. You can’t count on turnovers. They are that bad even with a strong offense, running much more, and with a significant time of possession advantage.
The Pettine Zoo….
Coming into this game the Packers were the worst 7-1 team in NFL history. Coming out of it they are now the worst 7-2 team in NFL history.
Hey it’s Professor Hindsight 20/20
I did not say Chargers would win before the game only saw that they were the better team and had a good chance of winning. Too many crazy bounces of the ball out there to say a win will or won’t happen. No hindsight in play here. I’m not at all surprised by the result of this game. The better team, playing at home, won. What’s to surprise?
Unless you’re talking about the Packers being the worst 7-2 team in NFL history. That’s not hindsight either. Just an observation. Hey, I might even be wrong. There could be one worse. Maybe. Can anyone identify a worse 7-2 team from NFL history?
What’s the metric? Add the ranking of their offense and the ranking of their defense as per 1-32. If they have a higher combined number and a record of 7-2 then I will agree that team was actually a worse 7-2 team than this 7- Packers team. (The Packers number right now, combined O and D, is 43)
(Yes, I know, special teams counts. But not as much and the Packers special teams this year are nothing special. Most 7-2 teams from NFL history are likely to have better special teams. Adding this factor would just make the Packers look even worse.)
LOL….and not a word about the queens……shocking.
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I can remember a time not too long ago, where a team was 5-0. A fan of that team was joyously telling us about the probability of that team going to the playoffs and the Super Bowl. well….as it turned out, that team went on to go 3-8 in their last 11 games, missing the playoffs. So my question Lonely Boy would be……
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Was that the worst 5-0 team in NFL history?
Ah, you want your Vikings update!
Let’s see: Vikings played a gutsy game in a tough teams home stadium. It came down, literally, to the last second. Kirk Cousins did not play a very good game. With a QB rating of 94.2 it was his third worst game of the year. That said, it was a better rating than 5 (FIVE!) of Aaron Rodgers’ games this year. While Rodgers threw 1 TD and almost all his yards in garbage time against easy coverage Kirk Cousins three all 3 of his TDs against full effort D (armed with Chris Jones who the Packers did not contend with).
As to your reference to the 5-0 Vikings. First, as you well know, I never “was joyously telling us about the probability of that team going to the playoffs and the Super Bowl”. This is one more lie to join your vast pile of lies. Trying to be like Trump, aren’t you?
That year the Vikings nearly the worst injuries in the NFL.
https://www.dailynorseman.com/2017/4/10/15246376/minnesota-vikings-injury-adjusted-games-lost
We lost our QB unexpectedly just before the season. We lost Adrian Peterson, our best player, for the entire year. Then the whole offensive line collapsed in injury. We lost 4 LTs alone!
To compare, imagine the Packers lose Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, David Bahktiari, a few other linemen, and the first two guys who replace Bahktiari and, after 5 games, you are playing Kizer, Williams, and some guy off a couch at LT. Not pretty!
Injuries are not choking. Or do you think Rodgers was choking when he was hurt when Anthony Barr put that fully legal excellent and appropriate hit on him? Was that Rodgers just not trying?
Trying to be like Trump? You are the one spouting unfounded conspiracy theories about the NFL refs favoring the Packers you dolt!
Is he back on the ref drama?…lol
You’re exceptionally bitter, even for a Viking fan. I can’t criticize you I guess, because I’ve never walked in your shoes. I couldn’t imagine what it’s like pulling for a team without a single championship.
It’s a shame The Lonely Boy can’t respond because he starts work so early so he is ready for his customers. But we are thankful for all he does. I know that i hate being asked to pull forward and wait for my egg mcmuffin.
At least I work, Piffle! Though you are quite wrong about what I do.
The unemployed (cough cough Piffle cough cough) should not criticize the hard workers of America.
I was giving you a compliment you ungrateful f…And btw…. good job, the egg wasn’t under cooked this time around, but the cheese still wasn’t melted and you know i like the edge of the muffin burnt a lil…fyi
Leave it to a Vikings fan to attempt to view the NFL through a vacuum. Simplistic approaches for simple minds. The NFL is a week to week league, and that is evident every week. The “vaunted ” patriots defense was gashed last night. Are they suddenly not a top ten defense? One thing not being mentioned here is the chargers made a move at offensive coordinator during the week and someone that has not called previously was calling the shots. That is very hard to gameplan for as a defense. Also, moves like that tend to act as a shot in the arm for teams, as you will often see more inspired play from them because management made a change. Every team has their week, the 97 Packers lost to an 0-11 colts team, then didn’t lose again until the super bowl. I am not calling this team a super bowl team, because they don’t pass the eye test right now. However, they are putting themselves in position to make the playoffs which is all that matters, and once a team gets in, and gets hot, anything can happen.
I also simplistically failed to note that this game the refs did not make their usual efforts to aid and assist the Packers. This unit must not have gotten the memo!
This is the kind of game the Packers will have more often than not if their 12th man (the refs) don’t step it back up.
And, you have gone full blown retard. You know who blames refs for wins and losses? Losers. But yeah, keep making unsubstantiated claims that the NFL refs favor the Packers
Kato, you can just see the calls and you’ll know it’s true. But you’d need objectivity first.
The Packers have had three games this year where the refs made repeated wrong calls (and non-calls that should have been called) in their favor. Repeatedly. More than one. The announcers and analysts agreed as well seeing it live and later when analyzed. Not just a me thing dude. Three games out of nine. Can you name another team that has three? Or two such games? No? I can’t either. Not sure I can name one! Maybe only three such games in 2019 and all were Packer games and all in their favor!
Let’s look at two things to settle this. OK, three. No, wait… FIVE!
1. Is it in the NFL’s interest to favor/help the Packers? I.O.W. motive. Answer: Yes. The second biggest population of bandwagon-riding fans belongs to the Packers. The NFL makes more money when the Packers are winning. More merchandise sold, more viewers. Motive is there.
2. Are there other indicators that serve as confirmation when looked at in their entirety? Answer: Yes. ***No games in London which is a huge burden on teams. The Packers are literally the only team that has not played in London while most have played in multiple games. 28 London games have taken place. That makes 56 spots. There are 32 teams. The average team has played in London twice. Packers zero. The. Only. Ones. Reason for this? None. There is no logical or rational reason other than wanting to favor the Packers. I’ll tell you now as well, if the NFL ever does give up its effort to shield the Packers from this game they will make sure that the London game is an “away” game for the Packers and not a home game. ***80% of Thursday night games for the Packers are at home. This is a gigantic advantage. ***Packers get lots of home games in September, 75%, so as to start off seasons with a running start to build enthusiasm on the bandwagon.
3. Look at the timing of these ref-effected (almost ref-determined) games. If random chance then it should be distributed randomly. All three (this year — every year the Packers seem to get significant ref help) games were home Packer games when the crowd will not stone the refs for stealing a game and will roll with the bad calls as long as they are good for their team. Now, look at the Packer homes games so far: Vikings, Broncos, Eagles, Lions, and Raiders. Three tough teams and two teams that are not so tough or were thought to be easier. Well! What do you know! Zonkers! All three ref-impacted games were at home versus the three toughest opponents! They got the help they needed right when they needed it! Why make up false calls and ignore penalties that should be called when the Packers are facing an easier opponent like the Raiders or Broncos?
4. Predictability. I did predict before the Vikings game that the refs would play a heavy hand in favor of the Packers. I did the same before the Lions game (though not on this site). So, what next this year? I’m not sure, the NFL has the Packers at 7-2 and the bandwagoneers are into it now. They may not view the Packers as needing or deserving more ref assistance. IF they do more assistance then the most likely locations and games for it are in Green Bay against tougher opponents. Ergo, the Panthers this week and perhaps the Bears later in the year.
5. Think about the one ref call you all want to cite as proof the refs do not favor the Packers. (First, obviously not all ref crews are a part of this and it isn’t dialed up every game.) Think hard friend. I see a hand raised. (listening) Yes, sir, you are correct! You win the fresh pineapple! Seattle, yes, in Seattle, the “Fail Mary”. Think. Think hard. Who made that call? The refs? Yes, friend, but now I want you to look deeper. Deeper now. There! You see? REPLACEMENT REFS!
^This is why mental illness is best treated with therapy, not drugs^
Jesus, can we just have the Vikings miss the playoffs already so he goes away? I cannot imagine watching a Vikings game unless they play Green Bay or a Nationally televised night game. Someone tell me (A Green Bay fan) what percentage of the Vikings home games are in September….yup no idea. Get help dude…you need it.
All I hear is blah blah blah blah. Objectivity? I will talk to you when you start being objective you parasite. Btw, I didn’t read a word of your novel. How is this for objective? If there truly were games the NFL was having the refs intentionally tilt in the Packers favor, you would see lawsuits. Also, if games were intentionally being called the Packers way, why was the terrible roughing the passer penalty called on Clay Matthews, when refs could have easily looked the other way on that and the game would have been over? How is that for being objective. Enjoy your afternoon in mom’s basement
This website could really use GIFs in the comments section. Because I would post the one of Brad Pitt asking Kevin Spacey in Se7en what it’s like to be insane
I never thought i could be so entertained after a Packer beat down.
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It should be noted….i don’t want it misconstrued that i’m picking on the Lonely Boy, i’m laughing with him, not at him. With that said, i would never joke about mental illness. I mentioned that more as a caring friend..
If giving up 159 rushing yards is by design, against a offense that rushed for 142 yards in their last 3 games combined, we might need a new architect
It’s funny PF4L, I was just thinking the same thing. At what point does Pettine’s seat start getting warm? If you are willing to concede yards on the ground to stop them in the air, don’t you have to follow through with stopping pass offenses? Last time I checked, this hasn’t happened, and they are still giving up explosive plays down the field. It is like they said on the telecast, when you are 4,5 yards on first down, literally the entire playbook is in play on second down, making it a lot harder to guess what an opponent will do.
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While the defense has made some strides this year, this is simply not good enough. Too many resources have been poured into this defense, at the expense of the offense, the past few years. Tens of millions of dollars in free agency, high draft picks, ect. Can’t use injuries as an excuse, as they have been largely very healthy. Watching this defense, they are losing a lot at the LOS. I don’t know what the deal with Kenny Clark is, but he has regressed big time. He has been largely invisible. No one else on that defensive line is playing their roles as a 3-4 lineman very well. I don’t know if they got complacent with early success or what, but they are playing like a bottom ten defense the past month. That is simply unacceptable, and if that pattern continues the rest of the season, then some people better be held accountable.
This ^^^^
Kato…if you look on paper, this defense is worse than last season, with one exception. Defensive scoring is improved by 4 points a game and that is the most important stat. For that, and while that is still in play, i gave them credit. I said awhile ago we will probably end up in the 22 PPG range when the season is said and done. Which is still an improvement, but made entirely possible by those first 3 games. In the 6 games since, the defense has given up 25.6 PPG. Last season was 25.
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We all ate up the first 3 games and i’m sure we were all like, (as i was)….”this is what i’m talking about!!”. Obviously that was tough to keep up, and chances are teams studied those games and schemed to counter it.
This is where your coaching staff is supposed to earn the big bucks and make adjustments
Agreed
The Packers spent a ton of money on defensive free agents and statistically they are right where they were at the end of last season and trending downwards. Teams are now attacking Jaire Alexander because they have found weaknesses in his game. The defense wasn’t the problem with this team though in this game.
Joey Bosa has been great all year (we face his brother in a few weeks) and now with Melvin Ingram back from being injured, the Packers offensive line had trouble with both of them. It’s not like the these guys were a surprise to anyone. The Chargers pass defense is one of the tops in the league but LaFluer seemed unprepared. The penalties were very uncharacteristic. With the return of Adams, who couldn’t escape anyone, Rodgers focused on him and once again left other guys wide open. Subtraction by addition.
By the way, as long as I’m complaining, Rashan Gary has had only 3 tackles in the last 4 games after showing flashes at the earlier this year. Brian Burns has had 4 sacks and won defensive Rookie of the Month twice. Montez Sweat has 2.5 sacks.
Also something is odd about this game. LaFluer said the guys were tired and played tired, but they arrived Friday night. Rodgers said there were bad preparation decisions made in the previous 24 hours. Makes me wonder if some of the Packers went out and partied after arriving late Friday night and were still hung over on Sunday.
Deep…although i agree about Adams getting too many targets. i’m not so sure how many times other receivers were “wide open”. Also, they pretty much abandoned the run game, way too soon imo. The way you go after the Chargers is up the a and b gaps, the Chargers were just too quick trying to run out past the edge.
In other news, former Packers great Jermaine Whitehead was cut by the browns for threatening a media member. Thankfully got rid of him.
If I am LaFleur, I am having a meeting today with Pettine to discuss a new vision/strategy with the defense. This ignoring the run defense won’t go well against their next two opponents.
As suggested above, may Kenny Clark be getting too many snaps? Tyler Lancaster is the other qualifying 3-4 NT. Lowery is rather tall for an interior D-lineman, though is fine as a 3-4 DE.
And I was nearly forgetting about Montravius Adams, also in line with the interior DL profile. Keke is rather undersized to be a run-stuffing immovable DT. We don’t have a 325+ NT, I guess that profile fell out of favor with the DTs now being needed to pressure the QB, and slipping between two OLs may be easier while being at a faster playing weight.
So, reading into Rodgers comments, it appears a number of players perhaps enjoyed their time in LA too much. This is where team leadership needs to take over and hold the offending parties responsible.
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“Just talking about the offensive side of the ball, we’ve got to be honest with our routine and the decisions we made in the last 48 hours and make sure that our head is in the right place the next time we come on a big road trip, which will just be in three weeks.” I am guessing a number of players treated the trip as a vacation/party and were not focused on the task at hand
Holy crap, so the Packers have only forced 34 punts in 9 games this year, a little under 4 a game. 14 of those were in the first 2 games against the bears and queens, leaving 20 punts forced the past 7 games.
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Looking into this a bit more, in the past 7 games, they allowed 32 (THIRTY TWO!!!!!) scoring drives, compared to 20 punts. There were also 4 missed field goals over that period of time. They forced 12 turnovers over those games, including interceptions, fumbles, and turnover on downs. That is 68 opponent possessions (not counting possessions where the opponent kneeled to run out the clock at the end of halves. They have literally allowed an opponent to score on nearly half of their possessions.
I think if killer is a good boy the rest of the year, we should get him a gift for Christmas. We shall chronicle all of his diatribes, and composite them into a composition, a memoir if you will. We will title it “A Diary of a Madman: a Memoir of “Killer”. On the cover will be a picture of Kirk Cousins in a jock strap, with a picture of “Killer” on his knees beside him. Hell, we could probably sell a few copies to his fentanyl addled Vikings fans and use the proceeds to fund some help for the guy. It is the season of giving.
People will say what they will Kato, but you have a good heart.
We are talking about a team here that went 12-4 a year ago, so don’t let any smart mouth punks, get to you. It’s likely his team didn’t reach double digits last year, and also has never won the SB.
His team likely hasn’t beaten a team that was 12-4 last year either. It was a poor game against an underestimated opponent, and a very good wake up call. The Packers are well on their way to the NFC Championship and another division title. Let the scum get in as a wildcard, they never last too long.
You make a a great point i was thinking about the other day. The Chargers aren’t as bad as people think just because they were 3-5 going into the game. As stated they were 12-4 last season and the 5 games they lost this season, they were by 3-7 points.
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As for the queens. The nice thing about this team, is that we know their fate before the season even starts. I have 50 plus years of history that backs that up.Some teams are winners, some teams are losers. But losing teams like the vikings are vital in the NFL. Without losing teams like the queens, we wouldn’t know who the winning teams are.
I like them also, for the same reasons. Always lip flap coming from over there. Always needing bits of help from former Packer players to even sniff a playoff game. They have gone far, using our old quarterbacks, receivers, kickers, and anything that carries the scent of a champion. Just that old aroma from a well worn jock strap gets them to start talking SB. Alot of their talent amassed in this way from other teams, always costs them a trip to the playoffs, while they hold hands and sing the salary cap blues to each other. If you paid QB Kirk Cousins 84 million, and can’t afford the offensive line to protect him, you probably paid too much. He’s going to be there next year too, if he don’t leave in a wheelchair first. Now that’s some management ! It’s too bad that the Viking fans have to sit over there with a Shetty Diaper On, but that’s the way it goes when you can’t draft, develop, coach, or manage an NFL team. 🤔…🏈