In NFL Week 5, the Green Bay Packers were given a perfect opportunity to bounce back after an embarrassing loss to the Detroit Lions. With running back Aaron Jones out again due to injury, the Packers offense again looked completely anemic. Green Bay’s defense held the Las Vegas Raiders in check on the scoreboard, but the defensive philosophy of Joe Barry looked questionable yet again in big situations. In all, Green Bay came up short in the Packers vs Raiders matchup, 17-13.
With the loss, the questions surrounding Matt LaFleur and Joe Barry continue to swirl. The offense has not been able to generate much of anything even against below-average competition, and Barry’s defense has been less than impressive for almost two years now. With all the questions currently being asked, the most important one remains: Where do the Packers go from here?
Jordan Love’s Struggles Cost Packers Against Raiders | Packers vs Raiders Recap
Jordan Love Takes Step Back
Aaron Jones is clearly the best playmaker for the Green Bay Packers so his absence in this game was huge. With that in mind, Love’s play was not up to par in the slightest. Even throwing away the Lions game due to horrible offensive line play, he hasn’t looked “good” since the third quarter in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons. Since that quarter, Love’s best play is underthrown deep balls drawing pass interference penalties.
The Packers’ offense revolved around quick passes and running the ball with AJ Dillon in this Packers vs Raiders matchup. When the Packers took shots deep, or even medium depth downfield, Love’s accuracy was inconsistent at best. In a road environment that felt like a home game, Love couldn’t make plays with his arm when it was needed. While he still doesn’t have many starts under his belt, he’s been in the league for four years now and is a first-round pick. He needs to have better arm talent at this point in his career.
Offensive Grade: C-
Packers’ Pass Defense Continues to Confuse
If you ask any Packers fans what a Joe Barry defense means, they’ll tell you it struggles to stop the run every single game. What sometimes flies under the radar, but is just as bad, is Joe Barry’s defensive alignment on passing plays. Not only does Barry often put linebackers on top receivers, but he also has them playing soft coverage in the red zone or in short-yardage situations.
We can sit up here and preach about how bad Joe Barry is every week of the season if we want. At the end of the day, part of the blame falls on Matt LaFleur as well due to his unwillingness to make any changes at all. With a struggling quarterback and a defensive coordinator who has been nothing better than “below average,” this could be a long season for the Packers.
Defensive Grade: C
Green Bay Packers vs Denver Broncos Preview
The Packers now continue their road trip with a game against the Denver Broncos. Both teams have struggled mightily the past few weeks, and it could very well be a sloppy affair.
Under new head coach Sean Payton, the Broncos have somehow regressed even further this season. The one victory for Denver came thanks to a 21-point second-half comeback against the Chicago Bears. With a bad defense, the Green Bay Packers should be able to get their offense back on track. If they can’t, the Packers may have to do a real identity check on what their realistic goals are this season.
Prediction: Packers 20, Broncos 17
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