Packers' Continued Struggles Against Top Defenses Provide Worry for Playoff Run

The once white-hot offense of the Green Bay Packers couldn't have put together a more lousy all-around performance than the one delivered during Sunday's 21-13 defeat against the Buffalo Bills. 

Dropped passes, poor quarterback play, questionable play-calling and a late safety with the game still in the balance ultimately resulted in a potentially significant Week 15 loss in terms of future playoff positioning. 

Yet more concerning than laying an egg on the road were the Packers' continued struggles against another one of the league's top defenses, a now fully developed trend that should be obvious cause for concern regarding any postseason run Green Bay plans to embark on next month. 

Of the Packers' four losses this season, three have come against defenses ranked in the top five in scoring and yards allowed. In fact, the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Bills came into Week 15 as three of the best four scoring defenses in the NFL. 

All three pushed Green Bay around. The Packers scored just 36 points over the three games and at times looked bad doing it. Struggles against the best defenses are to be expected, but the Packers were oftentimes uncompetitive. 

To get to another Super Bowl, the Packers will almost certainly have to beat a team like the Seahawks, Lions or Arizona Cardinals during the month of January. Consistently poor results against the best defenses make it fair to wonder if Green Bay can actually overcome such an obstacle, especially on the road. 

	Home	Away
Record	7-0	3-4
Points Per Game	41.1	21.1
Turnovers	3	7
Aaron Rodgers' Passer Rating	132.6	91.8

Sunday in Buffalo was a new low point. 

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw a career-high 25 incompletions and increased his season interception total from three to five. He started the game 1-of-7 passing and never recovered. His 34.3 passer rating set a new career low. 

Rodgers didn't receive much help. Packers receivers dropped at least six passes (by my unofficial count), including what would have been a 94-yard touchdown by the typically sure-handed Jordy Nelson in the second half.

And head coach Mike McCarthy—despite the Packers averaging almost six yards per designed run—called 45 passes to just 22 run plays, an unacceptable lack of balance in a game that was begging for Green Bay to just grind away on the ground.

Throw in a late safety, when Bills defensive end Mario Williams stripped Rodgers with the Packers attempting to drive 90 yards for the winning touchdown, and the offensive disaster was complete. 

The loss dropped the Packers to 10-4, which could jeopardize Green Bay's ability to secure home-field advantage in the NFC. Considering the Packers are now 3-4 away from Lambeau Field in 2014, playing postseason games at home is arguably more important to Green Bay than any other NFC contender. 

	Points	Rodgers	Turnovers
at SEA	16	23/33 for 189 yards, TD, INT	1
at DET	7	16/27 for 162 yards, TD	1
at BUF	13	17/42 for 185 yards, 2 INT	2

Green Bay is averaging just over 21 points per game on the road this season, including just 12 a contest in losses to the Seahawks, Lions and Bills. 

The best defenses have minimized Rodgers, the Packers' most obvious advantage over any of the other 31 NFL teams.

In Seattle, Rodgers averaged just 5.7 yards per attempt and finished with only 189 passing yards. The Packers scored just 16 points, including a mere six in the second half. Detroit one-upped the Seahawks two weeks later, holding Rodgers to a 59.3 completion percentage and 162 yards. Green Bay scored only seven points and was outscored by the Detroit defense (fumble return touchdown, safety). 

While both Rodgers and his receivers played poorly in Buffalo, the Bills also did an admirable job. Rodgers averaged only 4.4 yards per attempt and had two turnovers (plus a fumble leading to a safety) without providing a score. 

It's probably no coincidence that the blueprint against Rodgers and the Packers offense is one that only the best defenses can really pull off. And it's certainly no secret. The teams that can rush four and play seven-man coverages—with athletic linebackers smothering everything underneath and safeties playing a two-deep shell—give the Packers (and every other offense) fits.

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

The examples over the last handful of years are too numerous to list. But this season, the Seahawks, Lions and Bills have all pulled off the blueprint against the Packers with astonishing success. 

Green Bay's season finale should be a telling performance. The Lions will bring their top defense to Lambeau Field for a game that will likely decide the NFC North (and potentially a first-round bye). If the Packers can't figure out a top defense at home, where Green Bay is averaging 41.1 points per game, it's unlikely any Super Bowl run will come to fruition. 

To be the best, you have to beat the best. Given another opportunity Sunday in Buffalo, the Packers offense was once again thoroughly dismantled by one of the best opposing units in football. 

This troubling trend could end up defining Green Bay's 2014 season, especially if it continues into January. 

Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2