4 Takeaways from Green Bay Packers' Week 6 Loss

After rolling over the competition for their first four games, the Green Bay Packers came out of the bye week and got flattened by Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Green Bay's Week 6 loss was a disheartening and one-sided affair. After going up 10-0 in the first quarter, the Packers fell apart. Aaron Rodgers tossed two critical interceptions, and the offense failed to again produce points. Tampa went on a 38-0 run over the final three periods.

While one loss won't define Green Bay's 2020 campaign, it does bring a couple of key issues to light. One of the biggest is that the Packers are no shoo-in for the NFC North division title. We'll examine that potential problem and the other top takeaways from their first loss of the season here.

Run Defense Is Still an Issue

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The Packers' 2019 postseason run was halted by the San Francisco 49ers and their rushing attack. Poor run defense hadn't been a problem during Green Bay's 4-0 start to the season, but it proved to be a fatal flaw on Sunday.

The Buccaneers rushed for 158 yards and 4.5 yards per carry. Tampa's ability to control the clock and the tempo of the game helped keep Rodgers out of rhythm and salted away the game once it got on top.

Ronald Jones II led the Buccaneers with 113 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 4.9 yards per carry.

Green Bay ranks a respectable 16th in rushing yards allowed but just 24th in yards per carry surrendered (4.7). This is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately, as the Packers are going to face some quality running backs in the coming weeks. They'll have David Johnson and the Houston Texans in Week 7 and Dalvin Cook (if healthy) and the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8. The 49ers are looming again in Week 9.

Aaron Rodgers Isn't Perfect

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No quarterback is perfect, and this shouldn't be a huge takeaway. However, after watching Rodgers play nearly flawless football over the first month of the season—he had 13 touchdowns and no interceptions—it was a bit shocking to see him struggle against Tampa.

The 36-year-old tossed two interceptions in the second quarter, including a pick-six. He finished just 16-of-35 for 160 yards and no touchdowns.

The main problem is that with Rodgers struggling, the Packers offense was completely ineffective. It totaled just five yards in the second quarter and didn't reach Tampa territory for the remainder of the game.

"You don't even want to lose like this," the veteran quarterback said, per ESPN's Rob Demovsky.

Rodgers is going to stumble from time to time, and the Packers have to figure out how to lean on Aaron Jones and other players when he does. Otherwise, a promising season could be quickly cut short in the playoffs.

The Offensive Line Could Be an Issue

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Part of the problem for Rodgers was that he was constantly under pressure. According to Demovsky, he was pressured 12 times and completed just two of seven attempts for 10 yards when under pressure.

The veteran was sacked four times.

While it's worth noting that the Buccaneers have one of the league's better pass rushes—led by 2019 sack leader Shaquil Barrett, this is cause for concern. If the Packers cannot protect Rodgers, he's going to have more lackluster outings like the one he presented on Sunday.

Just as Green Bay faces some tough running backs in the coming week, it will also be up against some premier pass-rushers. J.J. Watt is next on the docket, while two dates with Khalil Mack and the Chicago Bears remain on the schedule.

The Bears Are a Legitimate Threat

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While not directly a takeaway from the loss itself, it's worth noting that Green Bay might not be the class of the NFC North. They got embarrassed by the Buccaneers, a team the rival Chicago Bears bested a week ago.

The Bears also picked up their fifth win of the season on Sunday, beating the Carolina Panthers 23-16.

While Chicago has been winning ugly, it has been winning. It now has a half-game lead over Green Bay in the division. The Packers seemed to be clear favorites in the NFC North heading into Sunday, but Chicago might actually be the team to beat. With a steadying presence at quarterback in Nick Foles and the league's sixth-ranked scoring defense, the Bears are at least a legitimate threat in the division.

With two games against Chicago remaining, the Packers have little margin for error if they hope to claim the division title and make a run at the NFC's No. 1 seed.