The Green Bay Packers dropped their third-straight game for the first time in the Matt LaFleur era, falling to the Washington Commanders 23-21. The Packers’ offense looked like it might have figured things out early in the game, putting up a touchdown on their second drive after Washington gifted them excellent field position.
The defense also matched that intensity, making it difficult for backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke to get into any rhythm. He completed just one of his first seven pass attempts, including an interception that linebacker De’Vondre Campbell returned 63 yards for a touchdown.
Unfortunately, after this quick start, the Packers again fell asleep on both sides of the ball, allowing Heinicke to get into a rhythm while the offense stagnated. After leading 14-10 at halftime, the defense allowed Washington to score 13 points on three drives. The Commanders killed over 17 minutes of clock while opening a 23-14 lead.
The offense breathed some life back into this game by scoring a touchdown with just over three minutes left in the fourth. However, the defense then allowed Washington to salt away more clock, only getting the ball back with under 30 seconds left. The game ended with an unsuccessful attempt at a hook-and-ladder play that saw Aaron Rodgers, of all people, short hop a throw that went between the legs of his intended target before it bounced out of bounds.
Here are five numbers to break down the Packers’ embarrassing loss to the Washington Commanders.
370
The Packers’ offense went 0/6 on third down, failing to convert a third down for the first time in 370 games. The last time the Packers failed to convert a single third down, the year was 1999, Brett Favre was under center, and they were facing the Denver Broncos with head coach Mike Shanahan.
There was a general feeling of helplessness every time the Commanders forced the Packers into a third-down situation. The offense was largely inept through most of the game. This stat on third downs highlights just how rare this offensive struggle has been for the Packers in the past two decades.
The offense scored a touchdown on the penultimate drive, but Washington’s defense bailed them out when they were penalized on third down. This inability to move the ball on third down was a microcosm of what was off with the offense against Washington.
17
The pass rush was one of the few areas where the Packers had success, as they got 17 pressures through the entire game. With Carson Wentz out and Henickie starting his first game of the season, it looked like the Packers’ defense was going to bring more pressure than usual to get him off his game early.
It worked at first, and Henickie got off to a slow start. But, eventually, he and the Washington offense dissected the Packers’ defense. Even on the last drive, they could anticipate the pressure and the extra men the defense would bring on third-and-nine. But instead of crumbling in the face of pressure, the Commanders got Terry McLaurin a quick out route and he extended the drive while staying in bounds.
Rookie Quay Walker was a positive as a pass rusher in this game. He rushed the quarterback six times and recorded a 50% win rate. If the Packers send extra men on the rush more often, Walker could find himself in a spot where he goes after the quarterback more.
8
Aaron Jones was a nonfactor on the ground today, getting just eight chances to run the ball. After the offense only gave the ball to Jones five times in Week 1, LaFleur vowed to get Jones more touches running the ball. While he made good on his promise, the last three weeks have seen Jones get 13, nine, and eight carries, respectively.
The Packers’ offense only ran the ball 12 times this entire game and to little success, gaining only 38 yards. While this might have made the play calls much more pass-happy in the later stretches of the game, almost completely abandoning the run wasn’t the way to go. Jones and Dillon are still probably the two best options this team has on offense, and with Rodgers not looking right over the last few weeks, it makes sense to rely on the run game more, not less.
Despite the paucity of attempts as a rusher, Jones still finished as the Packers’ leading pass catcher, hauling in 10 receptions for 53 yards and two scores. With the offense struggling, the Packers need to rely on Jones more, not less.
0
Zach Tom is another rookie who had a good day. He allowed zero pressures in his first start at left tackle. With left tackle David Bakhtiari out, the offensive line would have to shuffle a bit to accommodate his absence, along with their struggles of the past week. Only center Josh Meyers started in the same positions he played last week.
However, the Packers drafted multiple offensive linemen who can play different positions, and this past Sunday showed the team’s vision for the offensive line. When one person isn’t available, they can still move players around and trot out an offensive line that is more than competent.
It looks like the Packers have struck gold yet again on a mid-round offensive lineman with Tom. His ability to protect the passer is far beyond what most would have expected. Hopefully, he can eventually be a full-time member of this offensive line as he continues to develop.
3
The Packers have had three consecutive chances to overtake the Chicago Bears for the most franchise wins, and they have been unable to do it. They first had this chance in London against the Giants. At halftime, it looked like they were sure to overtake the Bears and claim the record. Instead, the Packers went on to play perhaps the five worst halves of football in the LaFleur era.
Instead of keeping pace with the Minnesota Vikings and potentially staying in the race for the division, the Packers have slipped 2.5 games in the division. They’ve also given the Bears a chance to keep the record on Monday night.
Yes, it is the Bears, and it is only a matter of time before the Packers break this record. But the fact is that this team has slipped over the past three weeks. They have gone from a presumptive Super Bowl contender to a squad with an increasingly tough path to the playoffs. With the team heading to Western New York next Sunday night to take on the Super Bowl favorite Buffalo Bills, it looks like the record might need to wait another week.
