Author: Paul Edwards

Head Coach Matt LaFleur & Staff First, the Packers did some outstanding coaching this season just to make the playoffs. Their franchise quarterback was injured trying to pull out a come-from-behind victory in the first game of the season. Love then played injured for multiple games. Two starts were quarterbacked by their second-string passer who just stepped off a bus from Tennessee. Malik Willis had not even had his last name sewn on his jersey. He had three days of first-team reps before he started. And his experience? Three starts that all occurred in 2022 where he lost all three…

Coaching Changes and New Defensive System The Packers’ defense was labeled “the problem” by many after the 2023-24 season. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry was let go by Head Coach Matt LaFleur, who brought in Jeff Hafley from Boston College to lead a new 4-3 defense. A 4-3 system typically requires different athletes than a 3-4, as defensive ends in a 4-3 are usually heavier than 3-4 outside linebackers. Often, this leads to personnel changes through the draft, trades, or both. However, the Packers made no significant changes, keeping their 3-4 outside linebackers and transitioning them into Hafley’s 4-3 system. Preston…

The Green Bay Packers came up short in every game they played against the three teams with the best records in the NFC. Three teams and Green Bay was 0-6. The only reason the Packers won their lone division game, against the lowly Bears, was a lucky blocked field goal. Green Bay now faces a division that is better than it has been since before Brett Favre put on a Packer uniform. Both the Lions and Vikings have quality players, great offensive coaching, solid quarterback play and top talent receivers. Both teams also have good defensive coaches. Green Bay won…

A valiant effort by the Packers’ defense was wasted in Philadelphia as special teams and the offense failed to complement Jeff Hafley’s unit, leading to a disappointing loss in the playoffs. Controversial Start The game was not without controversy. Kesian Nixon fumbled the opening kickoff but seemed to recover the ball on replay. The referees waited for the scrum to fully engage before they called it recovered by the Eagles. The replay was deemed “inconclusive” and the call stood. Philadelphia quickly scored a touchdown after the gift gave them the ball on the Packers’ 28-yard line. Jalen Hurts had…

The Packers are in the playoffs, riding a two-game losing streak. In a game they dominated statistically, the Packers took a late 22-21 lead, their first of the game, with just under a minute left on a gritty 55-yard field goal by Brandon McManus.But the Packer defense could not stop the Bears’ last drive. Caleb Williams looked lost most of the day, but he did just enough to lead the Bears to the Green Bay 32. Kicker Cairo Santos made sure the Bears were not eligible for the first selection in the draft in April. Special Teams and…

Packers fans were hoping for a statement game away from Lambeau Field. Unfortunately, the Vikings beat them to it. Aaron Jones outplayed Josh Jacobs, Sam Darnold outplayed Jordan Love, and Kevin O’Connell outcoached Matt LaFleur. Viking defensive coordinator Brian Flores also outcoached Packer defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. The tone this season for Green Bay is often set by Josh Jacobs. This game was no exception. His fumble on the first offensive series carried through the entire offense. Packers Defense Shows Flashes but Lacks Consistency The Packer defense made some solid plays in the first half. The defense lined up at…

Offensive Dominance The Packers knew that a win against New Orleans would secure a playoff berth, and they came out focused. They scored three touchdowns on their first three drives, a feat not previously accomplished by a Packer team quarterbacked by Jordan Love. In the first quarter, Josh Jacobs was the bull, and the Saints were his china shop. The sturdy running back set a tone, highlighted by a stiff arm on Tyrann Mathieu that bench-pressed Mathieu off the field. Jacobs had rolled up 102 yards of offense early in the third quarter when he seemed to injure his left…

No crazy fake field goals. No last-minute interceptions that replacement refs called catches. This was a Packers-Seahawks game to relish. Green Bay came into Seattle, won the toss, asked for the ball, and rolled over the Seahawks for two quarters. The Packers played their best half of complimentary football of the season in the first half. Then the defense held on as the offense struggled in the third and most of the fourth quarter. First Quarter: A Fast Start The game started with a good kickoff return by Keisean Nixon, setting up the first drive at the Packers’ 37-yard line.…

A year before Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell quit on his current team, he was a Green Bay Packer. The former All-Pro was playing on a defense that struggled under coordinator Joe Barry. On December 19, 2023, Campbell, then a Packer, tweeted a bombshell, stating he wouldn’t play through injuries anymore or go out of his way for the team. This followed a game where he was outplayed by Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield, who achieved a perfect passer rating at Lambeau Field. Campbell did not play the next two games and was listed as inactive. After the season, when released, Campbell…

The Green Bay Packers found themselves in enemy territory, playing their third game in twelve days and trailing 10-0 in the second quarter. Their first offensive play from scrimmage was a sack that lost seven yards. Their first three possessions ended with two punts and a fumble. They were playing what is statistically the best offense in the NFL. Yes, the Detroit Lions have the best offense in the NFL, having scored 417 total points prior to the game. No team had been able to score 30 points on their defense all year. Lions’ fans smelled a blowout, but it…

After reviewing the game film, a few positives emerge from the Green Bay win on Thanksgiving. The Packer Defense Does Not Miss Preston Smith Preston Smith was a leader in the clubhouse and a veteran who stayed healthy throughout his career. But he was not comfortable in the new defensive system. The Packers traded him, a long-time defensive starter, during a push to make the playoffs. The move brought gripes from fans and even elicited a typically backhanded, passive-aggressive comment from Aaron Rodgers about Green Bay “valuing draft picks.” But that comment missed the real reason the Packers were comfortable…

Green Bay played their best first half of football on Thanksgiving, giving Packer fans lots to cheer about. They punted on their first possession but quickly recovered the muffed punt, and from there they were almost unstoppable. Jaden Reed caught a short sideline pass from Jordan Love to start the scoring. Love went without an interception for the second straight game. Without Romeo Doubs, the other receivers needed to step up, and boy did they. Tucker Kraft led the way with six catches on seven targets. Josh Jacobs caught four for seventy-four yards. Dontavion Wicks, who had multiple drops in…

Green Bay started the game with a familiar game plan: give the ball to Josh Jacobs. Jacobs obviously liked that game plan, as he tore up the 49er defense. He had 91 rushing yards in the first half. When Jacobs took a play off, Emanuel Wilson took over. Wilson had 29 yards on three carries at halftime. Jacobs broke as many tackles against the 49ers as the 49ers had offensive snaps in the first quarter. The defense had a dominant first quarter, but 49ers backup QB, Brandon Allen, led a second-quarter touchdown drive to give San Francisco life, at 17-7.…

It did not look good as Chicago lined up for a game-winning 46-yard field goal with time expiring. But Karl Brooks produced the game-saving block, and the Packers added another win over the Bears to the stat sheet. This win, the eleventh in a row over the Bears, is a historical win. Neither team, Bears nor Packers, had ever won 11 consecutive games against the other. The Packers accomplished that feat Sunday, but it was not easy. CHRISTIAN WATSON!!! 😱(via @nfl)pic.twitter.com/1aEuuBctbn — FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 17, 2024 Offensive Struggles and a Second-Half Surge Jordan Love…

The 2024 season is half over and NFL general managers have seen half the college football season. Now is the time for Brian Gutekunst to start building his draft board for 2025. Should the Packers focus their top picks on more weapons for Jordan Love? Is protecting Love the priority? Or do the Packers feel defense is a bigger need? Weapons for Love The Packers have Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson at running back. Chris Brooks fills in as third backup with so far oft injured MarShawn Lloyd the odd man out. If Lloyd does not impress…

In a game with the potential for the Packers to take control in their division, Green Bay did not match the precision of the Lions on a rainy day at Lambeau Field. The Packers dropped every chance they had to win the game, literally. Dropped passes, poor angles on catchable throws, and defensive penalties that extended drives plagued their performance. Offensive pre-snap penalties pushed the offense into poor down and distances, highlighting the Packers’ complimentary football when it came to costly errors. But the big gut buster was Jordan Love’s pick six interception just before the half. That play was…

Déjà Vu with an unwanted twist. The Packers lost starting quarterback Jordan Love. Then they lost their first half lead. But Malik Willis stepped up, leading the Packer offense on a textbook two-minute drill allowing Brandon McManus to play the hero in his second straight game. McManus nailed the winning 24-yard field goal, but Willis and Josh Jacobs were the true heroes on this sunny day in Jacksonville. This game had swings of momentum and emotions for Packer fans. The defense started with a dominating display, shutting down Jacksonville in the first quarter. Then, just as fans of the Green…

In a battle of young quarterbacks with bright futures, the Packers overcame a botched punt and two interceptions by Jordan Love to pull out a come from a behind victory on a warm sunny day at Lambeau Field. With kicking problems plaguing Green Bay for a season and a half, newly signed kicker Brandon McManus was the hero, kicking the game winner as time expired. What a memorable first field goal in a Packer uniform. Packers Offensive / Defensive Synergy This Packer win was held together with a stalwart defensive performance. Yes, the Texans had a 19-14 lead at halftime.…

Jordan Love tossed 4 touchdown passes and the Packer defense collected three fumbles on a wet and sometimes windy day at Lambeau Field. The Packer offense had two twelve play drives, and drives of eleven, ten and nine plays. The five long drives contributed 20 of their 34 total points. The Green Bay offense welcomed back Romeo Doubs who’s first 10-yard touchdown catch was an athletic highlight. Doubs had three catches, two for touchdowns, on four targets. Love found 10 different receivers for 258 total passing yards and a 119.5 quarterback rating. The Packer offense also found success on the…

The Packers defense, led by free agent acquisition Xavier McKinney, turned the first two Ram second half possessions into turnovers and the offense complimented the defensive effort with back-to-back touchdowns to turn a 13-10 halftime deficit into a 24-13 lead the Packers would not relinquish. Green Bay looked like they would go into half time tied 7-7 but Jordan Love made a critical error throwing a pick six while he tried to avoid a safety just before halftime. The Packers were backed up near their own end zone. On the possession the Packers had a multitude of miscues. Wicks started…