If The Packers Aren't Going To Block Or Run The Ball, Jordan Love Is Going To Have No Chance Like He Did Last Night
The Packers were due for a stinker and they delivered on Thursday night at the lands of the Detroit Lions. Jordan Love was shaky for the first time, the o-line was a turnstile, the defense had no idea what they were doing, and the run game was non-existent. People will focus on Love, and he's certainly not exempt from blame, but the rest of the team didn't give him a chance out there.
With the line going out there short-handed, no one stepped up. Love was under siege all night thanks to Hutchinson and co. It was ugly.
Would be nice if Bakhtiari was out there, but his days of consistent play appear over. That or he's just is waiting to get traded to the Jets in the offseason. Either way, his situation is a fucking mess.
No Bak and no Jenkins set this offensive line up for disaster. Blitzes weren't even necessary, the Lions got home on basically half of Love's dropbacks.
The Jags taking Travon Walker over Hutchinson seems more questionable by the second.
I thought Aaron Jones being back in the mix would help this travesty of a run game out. Give Love some help to balance out the offense. Nope. 12 carries for 27 yards. I'm sure Jones was on a pitch count, but it's so frustrating to see his lack of use given he's the most talented guy on the field. Dillon continues to be a train-wreck. Guy trips over his own feet the moment he touches the ball and falls forward for a yard. Useless. I get angry when he's in the game getting touches.
Then you have a defense that refuses to stop the run. They gave up always 5 yards a carry on 43 totes Thursday night. Looked all the same of the Falcons game. Joe Barry is a war criminal and should have been fired in the offseason, if not before that.
The fact that he remains as the team's defensive coordinator is blasphemous. That's on LaFleur and LaFleur only. Wake up dude and get him gone.
And for Love, yeah the first half was bad. The offense got one first down that wasn't assisted by a penalty. For the first time, he didn't looked comfortable out there. He wasn't quick with his decision making and it allowed the Lions to pounce.
The bright side? When he had a clean pocket he was 17/22, 198 yards according to PFF. The offense looked noticeably better as a whole in the second half, but these slow starts have to stop. You can't dig yourself a 2+ score deficit at half time every week. Protect Love and the rest will fall into place. Not going to be easy if your LT and LG aren't out there though. I'm done expecting anything out of Bak, but Jenkins needs to get back on the field.
Now if you asked me before the season whether I'd take 2-2 to start the year I'd sign the dotted line. You also have to factor in they're a play away in the Falcons game from being 3-1. They're also a play away in the Saints game from being 1-3. So yeah we'll take 2-2 and move onto a soft schedule in October. @LV, BYE, @DEN, vs. MINN. Have to take advantage.
I'm just gonna look at this and calm myself.
We're onto Vegas. From now until then please find a way to stop Maxx Crosby.