Packers vs. Panthers Week 2: 5 Things the Packers Can Take Away

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The Green Bay Packers had a rough start against the Carolina Panthers but they were able to bide their time and they ended up on top.  

The Packers still need some adjustment though,  First, the Pack needs to look at their passing defense and figure out what went wrong allowing Cam Newton to throw for over 400 yards.  Next, we see that Packers have the ability to make a comeback after trailing which is in part from the ability to stop teams in the red zone.  Lastly, the Packers were able to spread the ball to multiple receivers and James Starks should look to get the start next week.  

The Packers Need to Improve Their Passing Defense

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It became clear within the first two drives Carolina had that the Packers need to improve their passing defense.

The Packers have given up over 400 yards to both of their opponents.  Without Tramon Williams in the lineup, you could see that the Packers were hurting.  The Packers have an amazing defense and to watch them struggle like this is not good.  

The Packers seemed to improve as the game progressed which was promising.  Charles Woodson is playing very well, getting two interceptions against Carolina.  No doubt the Packers were not happy with today's performance but they should improve with Williams returning.  

Look for the Packers to improve this aspect of their defense because it will be key when playing against better opponents.  

The Packers Have the Ability to Make Comebacks

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Last season, the Packers never trailed by more then one touchdown during their Super Bowl run. They found themselves down 13-0 at one point against Carolina.  

The Packers were able to overcome this deficit on the road which is a great sign for them.  You can never count the Packers out of a game considering they have all the offense and defensive weapons to regain composure and put up points on the board, bringing them back into any game they play.  

The Packers Must Keep Stopping Teams in the Red Zone

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The Packers showed their defensive ability to stop teams in the Red Zone.  This is a great sign which allows the Packers to stay in games by limiting the amount of points opponents can put on the board.  

Carolina found themselves in the Red Zone six times against the Packers.  They only scored on two of those trips.  The Packers have something special with this defense.  They were able to stop Carolina four times which is one of the reasons they were able to keep Carolina off the board.  

Against the New Orleans Saints, the Saints found themselves in the red zone five times they only scored on one of those attempts.  This is a great sign for the Packers and will come in handy if they are in the postseason.  

The Packers Must Keep Spreading the Ball

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Quarterback Aaron Rodgers had 308 yards against Carolina on only 19 completions. Two of those were for very long passes.  

Rodgers was able to spread the wealth in this game, nine different players caught at least one pass from Rodgers. Jermichael Finley was the only player with more then three catches. Rodgers is doing a great job of finding his receivers and getting the ball to them. This allows Packer receivers to be a lot more dangerous and makes it a lot harder on the secondary in coverage.  

James Starks Should Take over Starting Position

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Running back James Starks carried much of the load against Carolina.  I think it is safe to say that Starks has surpassed Ryan Grant as the Packers primary back.  

Starks got nine carries and went for 85 yards, averaging 9.4 yards per carry.  Grant, on the other hand, had six carries for 25 yards averaging 4.2 yards per carry.  Starks has earned his spot on the field and has shown that he can be the primary ball carrier for the Packers. Starks should get the start against the Bears next week.