Packers October Review: A Fall From Grace
(Credit: Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
After a strong start to the season that saw them go 2-1 in September, would the Green Bay Packers be able to carry the momentum into the month of October?
The short answer is no, and it was a painful month to be a fan of the team. But it didn’t start off that way.
Week Four vs. New England
To start the month, the Packers took on the team that was often their counterpart (at least in terms of regular season success) in the 2010s: the New England Patriots. From the outset, the game was highlighted by rookies.
Following a field goal drive, Patriots’ QB Brian Hoyer (who was filling in for Mac Jones) was injured on the second drive and replaced by 4th rounder Bailey Zappe. Following that, in the second quarter, Packers WR Christian Watson got his first touchdown in his young career, but on a 15-yard rush.
Then, to close out the half, Patriots CB Jack Johnson returned a rare Aaron Rodgers pick-six forty yards, giving the Patriots back the lead 10-7 at the half. The pick highlighted a lackluster start to the game for Aaron Rodgers, as it seemed that Bill Belichick had finally figured out the veteran QB (after Rodgers put on good showing the previous two times the teams met in 2014 and 2018). But Rodgers would get the last laugh.
After exchanging scores throughout the second half, the game would have to be decided in overtime (OT). Both teams stalled on their first drives, and it seemed that it would end up as a tie to cap off an odd game. However, the ground game (and a few nice throws from Rodgers) help set up the game winning FG as time expired. The Packers once again escaped with an ugly victory.
The story of the game, however, was that of Bailey Zappe, who finished the game with a respectable stat line of 10/15, 99 yards, and one touchdown on short notice. The Patriots fell to 1-3 and the Packers were now sitting at 3-1 and were looking to be once again a top contender in the NFC.
Then things went South as the team went East to the UK.
Week Five vs. New York Giants
The team made their UK debut on October 9th as they took on the Giants for the first time in three years. It was a de facto home game for the Packers, not only regarding their designation, but also to the fan turnout across the pond.
The game started off well, enough, as the team took a 17-3 lead in the middle of the second quarter and held a 20-10 halftime lead. The offense looked much better than the previous week, and the defense was playing well enough. But then it fell apart in the second half.
The offense was completely shutout by a stout Giants defense, and the Giants put up 17 unanswered points, led by Saquon Barkley and the ground game, with the former scoring the go ahead touchdown with 6:08 to go, and finished the day with 13 carries for 70 yards and three catches for 36 yards, including a crucial 41 yard catch and run (which is humorous considering he finished with 36) before the aforementioned touchdown.
The Packers pushed to the redzone to tie it up but were stopped on the Giants 6-yard line. The Giants would willing give up a safety (which was credited to Packers TE Josiah Deguara ironically enough) and gave the Packers one more shot at winning the game.
This was thwarted by Giants LB Oshane Ximines, who stripped sacked Rodgers as he desperately tried to heave a Hail Mary to win the game. The Packers fell to 3-2 and were left embarrassed coming back to the United States.
Week Six vs. New York Jets
Looking to rebound from their debacle in the UK, the Packers returned to Lambeau for an actual home game against a surging New York Jets. It was safe to say that the Packers were still jet lagged from their trip.
All day, the Jets dominated the Packers in ever facet of the game. The Packers abandoned the ground game almost immediately, and the Jets made the game tough for Rodgers to do anything all game. The Jets special teams also came to play, as they blocked a field goal and a punt, with the latter being returned to give the Jets a 17-3 lead in the third quarter.
From there, the Jets dominated the ground and time of possession, and the Packers would fall to another upstart team from New Jersey, this time losing 27-10. Once again, the ground game for the opposing team shined against a declining Packers defense, as they were gashed for 179 yards and two touchdowns (one by Braxton Berrios and the other by rookie Breece Hall). The lone highlight came on a nice back shoulder throw from Rodgers to Lazard late in the game.
The team now sat at 3-3, looking much less like a contender and now fighting for a wild card spot, instead of the division lead (as Minnesota now sat a 5-1). The team was looking for answers to their woes and injuries were starting to pile up as Randall Cobb was carted off with an ankle injury. Following the game, Matt LaFleur tried to reaffirm the Packers faithful that the team would figure it out going forward.
It would somehow get worse.
Week Seven @ Washington
To kick off their three-game road stand, the Packers traveled to Washington (whom they ironically faced last year in Week 7, but at Lambeau) to take on the newly rebranded Commanders.
The game started out in the Packers favor, as they were able to go up 14-3, but the offense yet again sputtered. They yet again abandoned the ground game early, and, despite a defensive score from LB De’Vondre Campbell that put them up 14-3, the defense began to unravel against the run.
Washington QB Taylor Heinicke overcame a rough start as well, as he ended up scoring two TDs in the second and third quarter and had his team up 23-14 by the fourth quarter. Rodgers would find Aaron Jones for the second time, and cut the lead to 23-21, but it would be too little too late. The Packers fell to their worst start in 16 years at 3-4 and were now on the outside looking in at a playoff spot.
Yet again, the team was criticized for the lack of use of the ground game, as Aaron Jones was used as their primary receiver and was barely used (along with AJ Dillion) to run the ball. Further complications came on the numerous penalties from the offensive line, who were penalized several times for holding and false starts. The team was in free fall and would find themselves preparing for their toughest opponent to this point: the Buffalo Bills.
Week Eight @ Buffalo
Now looking to avoid losing four straight, Green Bay would travel to a place that they have never won at, as they were 0-6 all time in Orchard Park. The team was also 10.5 underdogs going into the game, the first time an Aaron Rodgers led team faced those odds.
The game started out how many expected it to be: a 24-7 beating in the first half that saw the same old Packers (aside from an incredible catch by rookie WR Romeo Doubs in the second quarter) fail to gain any traction on the opposition and the Buffalo Bills looking like they were far and away better. The second half provided a different look than the previous four games.
The Packers began to run the ball more during the final thirty minutes, and were effective at that, save a crucial 4th down stop by the Buffalo defense. Aaron Rodgers also began to look like his old self, as the passing game began to open up with the effective ground game and hit another rookie WR in Samori Toure for a 37-yard touchdown in the fourth.
The Packers would hold the Buffalo offense to only three points and intercept QB Josh Allen twice, including in the redzone in the 4th. The Packers outscored the Bills 10-3, but a comeback bid was nixed after Mason Crosby missed a 55-yard FG with 43 seconds left and the team fell 27-17.
While the loss kept the Packers plummeting down further, there was a sense of optimism coming after the game. The offense was finally finding its footing and was able to gash a team that allowed about 75 yards per game on the ground for 208 yards. The defense was able to hold one of the best offenses in the league to a field goal in the second half, and Aaron Rodgers looked like his old self again.
November Outlook
It is incredible how much a month can change things. At this time a month ago (October 1st), the Packers were preparing for a tilt with the Patriots and ended up scraping by and going to 3-1 and looking to reclaim the top of the NFC North.
Fast forward to November 1st and the team sits at 3-5 and a game out of a wild card spot. They will conclude their road stand with a trip to Detroit on November 6th, then return home to take on their old coach Mike McCarthy and a scary Dallas Cowboys team with a defense to be feared, followed by a Thursday night tilt against a revitalized Derrick Henry and the Titans.
Finally, they travel to Philadelphia to take on a potentially undefeated Eagles squad. The team has their work cutout for them, and this month with be the true test to see if they really can contend with the best and earn a playoff spot. Their second half vs. Buffalo was promising, but they need complete performances to take down some of the best the league has to offer.
It will take a valiant effort by the team, but strides can be made for them to play mid-January football.
They can start by making a trade for a wide receiver…wait never mind, they once again did nothing at the trade deadline. It’s going to be a long month.
