Changes the Green Bay Packers Can Make for a Better Week 2

Entering Week 1 of the NFL season, some considered the Green Bay Packers prime candidates to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Following a 36-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 of the 2014 season, however, it became clear that the gap between the two contenders was considerably larger than expected. Now Green Bay will need to change and adjust quickly entering their Week 2 matchup with Geno Smith and the New York Jets.

The key flaws that Seattle exposed were Green Bay's inability both to run the ball and stop the run on defense. As reporter Vic Ketchman points out in his “Ask Vic” segment on Packers.com, “It’s all about stopping the run-and it starts up front with the refusal to be moved.” Ketchman blamed the poor run defense as the key factor in the loss.

Furthermore, the Packers game plan to not open up the playbook and test Seahawks corner Richard Sherman was, at best, questionable. These areas will be the chief concerns heading into Sunday’s game. Let’s take a look at what went wrong in Seattle and how the Packers will need to adjust to get back to 1-1.

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Eddie Lacy, coming off an exceptional rookie season in which he rushed for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns, was shut down for the majority of the game. Averaging only 2.8 yards per carry, Lacy was forced to leave the game with a concussion in the fourth quarter.

The problem that plagued the star running back was poor run blocking. After a promising preseason, in which the offensive line looked as healthy as it had been in years, the Packers offensive line was manhandled up front. Things only got worse when right tackle Bryan Bulaga was forced to exit with a sprained MCL to his surgically repaired left knee.

In order for the Green and Gold to improve, tackle Derek Sherrod will have to step up if Bulaga cannot play Sunday. Sherrod allowed two quarterback sacks, one sack of which led to a safety when Aaron Rodgers fumbled the ball into the end zone.

If Sherrod cannot improve at the right tackle position, the run game will suffer. And that will surely put Rodgers under pressure against a powerful Jets front four consisting of Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Quinton Coples, and Damon Harrison.

Despite the poor offensive line play, rookie center Corey Linsley had a promising debut in one of the league's most hostile road environments. Look for Linsley to improve again and for the rest of the offensive line to open up holes for Lacy this week.

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On the other side of the ball, the Packers were powerless to stop Seattle’s workhorse back Marshawn Lynch, who was able to break tackle after tackle en route to a 110-yard night. Stopping the run has been a problem in recent years for Green Bay—one that the Packers hoped to address this past offseason.

The new philosophy was to become leaner and quicker, which compelled the front office to part ways with Ryan Pickett, C.J. Wilson and Johnny Jolly. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the new trio of Letroy Guion, Mike Daniels, and Datone Jones average 301.7 pounds, compared to the 334 pounds per player last season.

But while the new-look defensive front may be leaner and faster, the results in Week 1 were the same. Missed tackles was also a recurring nightmare, as ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported. Only the New Orleans Saints (23) missed more tackles in Week 1. Inside linebacker Brad Jones and rookie safety Ha-Ha Clinton Dix led the way with three missed tackles, contributing to a team total of 18 on the night.

The Jets boast a two-headed monster at running back with Chris Johnson (13 attempts for 68 yards) and Chris Ivory (10 attempts for 102 yards) that ran all over Oakland in their 19-14 victory over the Raiders. Although perhaps not as talented as Lynch, Ivory presents the same punishing style that could challenge Green Bay physically. Johnson is more of a big play threat who could make game-changing plays if the Packers tackling does not improve.

With another week of practice and NFL action under his belt, look for promising first-round pick Clinton Dix to help improve Green Bay's tackling and overall run defense.

Lastly, in order to defeat the Jets in the home opener, Coach Mike McCarthy needs to let Rodgers loose. Against arguably the best defense he has seen in years, Rodgers was limited to 189 yards on 5.7 yards per attempt. The latter was the eighth-lowest output of his career.

However, the biggest issue with Rodgers may not have been his fault. Wide receiver Jarrett Boykin, who lined up against Seattle’s Richard Sherman the majority of the game, did not receive a single target. It seemed as if McCarthy and Rodgers were afraid work Sherman’s side of the field. This approach essentially limited the Green Bay passing game to one half of the field.

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However, McCarthy denied this during Friday’s press conference following the loss. "I don't think you ever make a conscious decision not to throw to one side of the field," McCarthy said Friday. "Frankly, it was more of a decision to put Jordy on the left and see if he would come over and play him. They played their defense and obviously they did a heck of a job. I'm sure they feel good about where they are today."

Whether the decision to not throw at Sherman was a coaching decision or not, Rodgers will need to utilize all of his targets including Boykin in order to spread out the depleted Jets secondary. With tight end Brandon Bostick possibly returning for Week 2 after suffering an injury to his fibula, Rodgers could have one more healthy target to help him rebound against New York.

Despite the poor performance a week ago, the Packers will be favorites against the Jets heading into Sunday. If Bulaga can play, look for Lacy to find more success on the ground, which will open up play-action passes deep to Nelson.

Also, watch for the Packers to improve on their tackling and run defense as they will have over a week to prepare for the Jets rushing attack.

Lastly, Aaron Rodgers is primed to have a bounce-back performance as long as McCarthy is willing to open up the playbook a bit more.

Prediction:

Packers 31, Jets 23