Packers stifled by Jets in loss; who’s to blame for offensive struggles?

By Carmen Vitali
FOX Sports NFC North Writer

What is going on with the Green Bay Packers?

Years of observing Aaron Rodgers would indicate they’ll figure out whatever offensive struggles they’re having right now soon enough. But the reality is that the last time they had such a tumultuous start to the season was 2018, which, not coincidentally, was head coach Mike McCarthy’s last campaign. The Packers finished with a 6-9-1 record that year. 

The Packers have recorded 13 wins in each season LaFleur has been in charge. But something is different this year, and not in a good way.

It would be easy to blame the loss of wide receiver Davante Adams but the wideout room is the source of just one of many struggles for this Green Bay offense. They’re averaging just 19.4 points per game through six weeks, and they didn’t even reach that total in Sunday’s 27-10 loss to the New York Jets at home.

Despite having one of the NFL's best running back duos in Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon, they rushed for just 60 yards total against the Jets. And don’t get me wrong; New York's run defense is good. They ranked 15th in rushing yards allowed per game and tied for fifth in rushing yards allowed per play coming into Sunday’s game. That is good — but it’s not scary good. It’s not ‘let’s not even try to run against this team’ good. Plus, Rodgers came into Sunday with a thumb injury suffered the prior week, wide receiver Randall Cobb went out early in the game, the line couldn’t seem to give Rodgers any time in the pocket at all — and oh yeah, there was a downpour at the start of the game. It’s like the football universe was telling the Packers to run the ball and yet, they still didn’t.

Green Bay was 4-for-16 on third down. They had an average gain of four yards per play. They committed seven costly penalties that cost them more than the 42 yards that show up on the stat sheet.

"We could never get into a rhythm," said LaFleur following the game. "It felt like we were calling plays in second-and-long all game."

That forced the Packers into some roads less traveled, navigating their way through injuries to Cobb, to multiple offensive linemen and even Aaron Jones.

Because the passing game wasn’t working, they may have rediscovered what tight end Robert Tonyan can do. He was the leading receiver on the day, catching 10 of 12 targets for 90 yards. If there is one silver lining to Sunday’s performance, Tonyan would have to be it.

But it feels like each week they find another piece of the offense, while they subsequently forget what’s worked before — like they’re respawning in a game of Call of Duty every week but starting from scratch each time.

It begs the question of why and, well, who’s to blame?

Maybe it was the offensive line?

Rodgers was sacked four times against the Jets, which was the second game this season Rodgers took four sacks. He didn’t have a single game in 2021 where he took more than three.

Rodgers was also pressured a lot — and while the Jets dominated the line of scrimmage, it didn’t seem to be all that elaborate.

"They brought about two or three pressures all day," Rodgers said. "It was a four-man rush."

What’s ironic is that the line is finally all whole and healthy. Left tackle David Bakhtiari didn’t need a rotation with Yosh Nijman, as he’s been doing this season as he eases back from injury. But the line was far from solid.

Not only did they struggle in pass blocking, letting Rodgers take four sacks on the day, they failed to help out the running backs, too, which is exactly what Rodgers pointed to when faced with the ‘why didn’t you run more?’ crowd.

"I think that it’s a feel," Rodgers said. "You could kind of tell the first few drives we were getting beat up front. They were controlling the line of scrimmage."

A similar sentiment was heard from LaFleur following the game. In a contest where each team’s offense was led by a pair of brothers, Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur seemed to be doing with the Jets’ offense what his brother, Matt, should have been doing with the Packers’ offense. The difference, upon immediate glance, seemed to be the trenches 

"Bottom line is if we don’t get it blocked up front better, it’s hard," Matt said. "We didn’t run the ball effectively, felt like there was a lot of pressure on our quarterback. I know Aaron took a ton of hits today. And that’s where the game starts. We gotta coach better and come up with something to alleviate the pressure."

The Jets outgained the Packers 179-60 on the ground. Green Bay converted just two first downs on the ground. Jones and Dillon combined for just 19 carries. New York’s rookie running back Breece Hall had 20 by himself.

So maybe it’s playcalling?

"That’s about as frustrating of a game as I’ve been a part of from an offensive perspective," LaFleur said.

Rodgers refused to put the onus on his head coach or the staff in any way following the game, though. The quarterback has a lot of autonomy over the offense and the plays they call, after all. After 18 years in the league, why wouldn’t he? Therefore, a critique of the playcalling isn’t just an indictment on the staff — it’s on him, too. And he takes responsibility for it.

"I don’t know that today was the day to stick with the run," he said of Sunday’s game. "We were at our best when we were spreading them out and dinking and dunking."

He also takes responsibility as a player for the execution of the offense, which is what he points to as the difference on Sunday against the Jets.

"The scheme is good, really good, but even the best scheme takes execution," Rodgers said. "If it’s not working it’s not because those guys (the coaching staff) aren’t working. It’s because we’re not executing."

So maybe it’s a combination of everything? Yeah, that sounds like the logical answer.

The Packers are struggling. There’s no way around that. At 3-3 they’re two games back from the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings. And now that we’ve established that, where do they go from here?

"I just think that based on how we played last few weeks, I think it's going to be in our best interest for everybody, our line, backs, receivers […] to just simplify some things and maybe that will help us get back on track," Rodgers said. "When we get into problems, it’s when we’re doing too much. This is not a new thing. This has been a part of every season — even in 2019."

In 2019, Rodgers was able to rally the team around him and end up 13-3. They went to the NFC Championship that year. They’ll need that same sort of turnaround this year and according to the 18-year vet, it starts with him.

"The best teams are player-led teams. It’s time for us as players on both sides of the ball and on teams to truly take ownership on that."

Carmen Vitali covers the NFC North for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.