Green Bay Packers Have Serious Problems Other Than Terrible Injury Luck

The Green Bay Packers will play host to the Miami Dolphins this weekend, and for good reason, most of the stories surrounding the game will focus on the Packers' extensive list of injured players. Green Bay put 14 players on it's injury list for this week, many of them big contributors to the Packers' success.

Yet while the injuries have crippled the Packers' roster for the time being, there are other underlying problems to Green Bay's season that could be considered just as serious.

Here's a few of the less-talked about problems plaguing the Packers' season.

The Fourth Quarter 

For the first three quarters of an NFL game, it wouldn't be a stretch to call the Packers the best team in the NFL. Green Bay has outscored its' opponents 105 to 47 from the opening kickoff to the end of the third quarter. That's a dominating statistic. 

Once the fourth quarter starts, however, it seems a whole different team is wearing the green and gold. The Packers have been outscored 42-14 in the final 15 minutes (plus the overtime loss). This has cost Green Bay two games and nearly two more. 

In week one, the Packers were outscored 10-0 in the fourth quarter and needed a late fourth down stop in Packers' territory to secure a Green Bay victory. The Packers led 27-10 at the start of the quarter. 

In week three, the fourth quarter lost the Packers the game in Chicago. Leading 10-7, the Bears outscored the Packers 13-7 in the fourth. While the Packers did score a rare fourth quarter touchdown, James Jones fumbled to set up the Bears' winning score.

Then the Detroit Lions almost stole a game at Lambeau Field in week four after the Packers were outscored 6-0 in the fourth. It took another defensive stop in Packers' territory and a John Kuhn led drive to narrowly edge the Lions. 

And then again last week, the Redskins dominated the Packers in the fourth quarter. Leading 13-3 after three quarters, the Packers were outscored 10-0 to force overtime, in which Washington was able to complete the comeback with a field goal in sudden death. 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and overtime meant the Packers had again grasped a loss from the jaws of victory. 

Who's to blame for the fourth quarter inefficiencies? It'd be tough to look anywhere other then Aaron Rodgers, and the stats back it up.

Rodgers has a quarterback rating of 65.5 in the fourth quarter, including one touchdown and three interceptions. He's had plenty of opportunities to put the dagger in teams and has failed to do so. The Packers offense has only scored two touchdowns in 19 fourth quarter possessions. 

That just doesn't get it done in the NFL, where the majority of the games are decided in the fourth quarter. With the Packers gauntlet of a schedule ahead of them, they will sure to be in a handful of close games that are decided in the final 15 minutes.

If they don't improve their fourth quarter performances, they'll continue to come up short in close games and put their playoff chances in serious jeopardy.

The Ghost of Greg Jennings

Greg Jennings is an elite NFL receiver. That might not be a consensus statement among all, but for the majority of Packers' and NFL followers, it's an accurate statement. 

So how does Jennings seemingly disappear from every game? In the past four games, Jennings has caught three or fewer passes and tallied 36 or fewer yards. He also apparently displayed his displeasure of that fact on the sidelines Sunday and apologized for his actions this week. 

But why apologize? He has every right to be upset.

As Jennings said last year: “I feel like, when I get the ball in my hands, good thing happen. Period. It’s not arrogance, it’s not ‘I better get the ball.’ It’s fact. Those are the facts.”

Hard to argue with what Greg is saying. Over the past three years, Jennings has averaged 70 cathes, 1108 yards and over eight touchdowns.

Yet through five games, Jennings has caught 14 passes for 183 yards, which puts him on pace for a 45-catch, 586-yard season. That would statistically be Jennings' worst season as a pro. 

With the Packers' offense struggling, and key players dropping like flies, it's time to start getting Jennings the ball at a far higher rate. 

You'll hear the argument among Packers' fans that the offense just has too many weapons to keep everyone happy. Well guess what? Two of those weapons—Ryan Grant and Jermichael Finley—are most likely gone for the season. 

I've also heard that Jennings is nothing more then a "deep threat" and that, because the Packers have no running game, defenses have concentrated on taking away the deep pass to Jennings.

Still not buying it. Jennings is one of the best route runners in the NFL and he's one of the best after the catch. There are surely ways to get him the ball without throwing it deep. 

With all the injuries to the Packers' offense, now is the time for Jennings to start making a bigger mark on the Packers' offense. Hopefully it starts this week. 

Third Down Efficiency and First Down Penalties 

Last season, the Packers were one of the best teams in the NFL on third down—both on offense and defense. Statistically, Green Bay was third on offense (47%) and seventh on defense (36%). 

This season it's been a different story. The Packers rank 16th on defensive third downs (40%) and 17th on offense (39%). 

While the Packers haven't been terrible, and the percentages aren't way off, it's clearly hurt them on both sides. 

To me, its been especially important on offense. Seemingly all season, the Packers have faced defenses that allow Green Bay anything they want underneath, but have taken away the Packers deep plays. That means that converting offensive third downs is imperative to the Packers moving the ball. 

And that hasn't necessarily happened. Last week, for example, the Packers were 2-for-13 on third downs, and as a result, only scored 13 points.

It seemed that there were numerous times when the Packers would sustain a drive, only to have a failed third down conversion stop them before they had the opportunity to score points. 

I hate to say it, and the stats back me up, but again, Aaron Rodgers might be to blame. To be completely fair, Rodgers has been poor on third downs this season after an almost perfect 2009. He's only completing 53 percent of his third down passes with four touchdowns and four interceptions. That equates to a 65.6 rating, which again is not in the realm of what we expect from number 12. 

Then there is the defensive third downs, and while they have only been four percentage points off from last season, that number is a little misleading.

There's been no question that the Packers have had troubles getting off the field on third down (see the Lions game, or both Packers' losses), but it's the defensive penalties resulting in first downs that have killed the Packers and skewed the number a bit. 

In fact, the Packers have given up 15 first downs on defense off penalties, second worst in the NFL. That accounts for over 16 percent of the total first downs the Packers' defense has given up. Both of those numbers are simply unacceptable. 

It has been ever-apparent in both the Packers' losses in 2010. We all know about the record 18 penalties against Chicago. But it was the pass interference on the Bears last drive that allowed Chicago to both run out of the clock and kick the winning field goal. 

Then last week, in Washington, key penalties on Brady Poppinga and Charles Woodson aided the Redskins winning drive in overtime. Poppinga was called for holding on a third down and Woodson's pass interference gave the Redskins a first down in field goal range. 

Conclusion

Overall, the Packers are still a good football team, even with a rash of injuries littering the roster. Green Bay has willing backups that can fill the holes those losses have left.

But if the Packers can't correct these underlying, and in all reality, less-talked about problems, the Packers season might look a little more like 2008 then 2009.