In Madden, running the same play until your opponent proves they can stop it can be highly effective if the play is perfect. I’ve won countless online games by repeatedly calling Slot Under and hitting my receiver on the hot route. I used to run Slot Sail nonstop in the first Madden I played, Madden 15, and it caused plenty of rage quits as I kept hitting my receiver on the corner route.
If my opponent-adjusted, I’d switch it up. I often ran inside zones from the gun, used screens, and got the ball out of my quarterback’s hands quickly with slants, drags, and mostly passes to the running back in the flats, which was a cornerstone of my Madden teen years.
See? I relied a lot on Slot Sail and Slot Under in my Madden prime, but I’d adjust when my opponent figured out how to defend these “cheese plays.” If I kept running the same concepts against someone who knew how to counter, I’d be ignoring the popular definition of insanity commonly misattributed to Albert Einstein.
Let’s not get it twisted: Real-life football is completely different from a simulation game. Players and coaches spend hours in the film room breaking down X’s and O’s. That preparation and attention to detail make football a beautiful and complex sport.
However, the Green Bay Packers’ offense has fallen victim to a bad habit, particularly in most of their losses this year.
Let’s go back to the first game of the season: the Packers versus the Philadelphia Eagles. Green Bay fell 34-29 on that Friday night in Brazil. Jordan Love injured his MCL, and the season seemed lost.
In that game, Love was effective when holding the ball for less than 2.5 seconds, completing 11 of 16 attempts. However, when he held it for 2.5 seconds or more, he only completed six of 18 passes. In that game, 47.2% of Love’s passes traveled at least 10 yards. LaFleur called too many long-developing concepts, leading to the Eagles pressuring Love 17 times and hurrying him 10.
Love missed the next two games but returned for Green Bay’s Week 4 showdown with the Minnesota Vikings. Doctors suggest a sprained MCL will not heal in two weeks, so the coaching staff knew Love would have limited mobility, if any.
Brian Flores’ defense pressured him 25 times and hit him eight. Love completed nine of 24 attempts on throws that traveled at least 10 yards, finishing with a 54.8% completion rate when holding the ball for 2.5 seconds or more. The Packers were down 28-0 at halftime, and it was fair to question whether Matt LaFleur should have sat Love to let him rest the knee.
Love’s mobility took another hit after his groin injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8. Against the Detroit Lions a week later, he completed only three passes on eight attempts for throws traveling at least 20 yards.
The Lions generated 18 pressures and 16 hurries, exposing Green Bay’s failure to implement a larger package of quick-designed plays to alleviate that pressure, especially with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph in the back end. Down 17-3 at halftime, the offense had no choice but to rely on the passing game coming out of the half.
In Green Bay’s second matchup with the Lions, Love’s percentage of passes traveling at least 10 yards increased by nearly 10%, while the percentage of deep throws dropped by 10.5%. The Packers moved the ball more efficiently in that game, mainly because LaFleur adjusted the game plan and allowed Love to quickly get the ball to his playmakers.
Just like I adjusted my game in Madden’s virtual world, the Packers adjusted their approach and had a more effective offense. However, that trend didn’t carry over to Green Bay’s matchup with the Vikings in Week 17.
Although only 30% of Love’s passes traveled 10 or more yards in Minnesota, it was frustrating when Green Bay opted to take deep shots. Josh Jacobs fumbled on the opening drive, but Jeff Hafley’s defense forced Minnesota to punt on the following possession. Then, LaFleur called three straight passes, none of which were a safe option, and the Packers never crossed their 20-yard line.
Jordan Love only completed four out of nine attempts on throws that traveled 10 or more yards. Moreover, the Vikings sacked him three times when he held the football for 2.5 seconds or more.
The issue with Green Bay’s long-developing concepts goes beyond quarterback play and play calling. The Packers’ receivers can’t catch to save their lives. Jayden Reed had a pivotal drop on fourth-and-two inside Minnesota’s 25 that would have put them in the red zone.
Green Bay is a top-five team in drops. Why rely on so many long-developing concepts when you can focus on quick, easy completions to get the passing game going and simultaneously build momentum for the playmakers?
The Packers have the personnel to make the quick game work in their favor. After 15 weeks, Green Bay’s pass catchers led the league in yards after the catch per reception. Reed had averaged the fourth-most yards after the catch per reception among wide receivers, while Tucker Kraft led all tight ends with a minimum of 40 targets, averaging 9.3 yards after the catch per reception. Moreover, Jacobs leads all running backs in missed tackles forced on passing plays.
I’m not saying Green Bay must erase the long-developing concepts from its playbook. The idea is to make things a bit easier. The deep game will naturally open up if they succeed with quick, efficient plays. Get your playmakers in space and eventually take the deep shot to keep the defense honest.
There’s no reason for Love to take many five-step drops and expose himself to unnecessary hits. By doing so, the Packers maintain a dynamic offense while protecting their $220 million man.
The Packers have five losses in 2024. In four of them, relying too heavily on long-developing concepts played a role, though it wasn’t the only factor. If Green Bay doesn’t address this bad habit, it will become another obstacle to overcome on the path to postseason success.
