Packers Report: Poor Blocking, Red Zone Inefficiency, Dumb Penalties, Oy Vey!

The Green Bay Packers are light years away from the team everyone predicted them to be after the preseason.  The team’s lack of discipline when it comes to penalties is most alarming as it has been killing drives for the offense, eliminating yardage gained by special teams, and taking away opportunities for the defense to get off the field. 

Green Bay’s offense has disappointed as they have blocked poorly in both the running game and the passing game, been horribly inefficient in the red zone, and have managed not to stay healthy across the board. 

The defense, on the other hand, looks to be on the rise after an up-and-down five games to start the season.

Penalties have always been a problem for the Packers and they are well-aware of it; they finished second to Dallas last year for most in the league while leading the league in penalty yardage.  What’s disturbing is that they are on pace to finish this season with higher totals in both categories than in 2008. 

Coming out of the bye week, Green Bay was determined to limit the penalties, starting with their game against Detroit.  Jordy Nelson took the opening kickoff back the other way for a touchdown, yet the return was called back on a holding penalty.  Later in the game Chad Clifton committed back-to-back pre-snap penalties on first down which decidedly stalled a promising drive by the offense. 

And once again, late in the game, Nick Barnett made a nice move on a blitz to get to the quarterback only to take the passer down by the facemask and draw a 15-yard penalty on what would have been a sack to bring up fourth down.  In all, the Packers committed 13 penalties for 130 yards, in their first contest following their bye week, at home, against the hapless Lions who were missing Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson on offense and three of their four starting lineman on defense. 

At this point, head coach Mike McCarthy has to take the blame for the complete and utter lack of discipline displayed by this team week-in and week-out.  He has got to change the mental make-up of this team and the only other option at this point seemingly is to yank the starters for a snap or series if they commit anymore inexcusable penalties.  There has to be accountability for these mistakes.

The blocking on offense has been absolutely atrocious up to this point.  Offensive line coach James Campen and offensive coordinator Joe Philbin need to do a better job coaching or they will be in danger of getting axed while the season is still ongoing.  Rodgers is on pace to be sacked 80 times this season if the offensive line (and it is offensive) continues to allow five sacks per game on average through the rest of the season, and of course if Rodgers manages to stay healthy throughout this forcasted beat-down. 

Everyone has had a hand in the pass-protection problems.  The tackles have been losing a lot of one-on-one battles this season, a fact that is confirmed by this eye-popping statistic: every opposing team the Packers faced so far has had one defensive end sack Rodgers at least twice in the game (Adewale Ogunleye—two sacks of Rodgers, Antwan Odom—five sacks of Rodgers, Leonard Little—two sacks of Rodgers, Jared Allen—four and a half sacks of Rodgers, Julian Peterson—two and a half sacks of Rodgers).  This simply cannot continue. 

However, Rodgers has taken blame for some of his sacks this season as he’s held the ball too long at times, waiting for the big play downfield to develop rather than checking the ball down when the pressure comes. 

The line’s interior has also gained its share of criticism through miscommunications in protection calls that have allowed free rushes at Rodgers by defensive tackles.  Even the backs and tight ends have struggled; Rodgers is getting sacked by defensive lineman whom the back or tight end chipped before entering their route.  Collectively, the entire offense must perform better in pass protection for drives to succeed.

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