Packers beat Patriots in less-than-stellar fashion, raising questions for London trip
Packers beat Patriots in less-than-stellar fashion, raising questions for London trip
A Bailey Zappe-led offense gave the Packers everything they could handle. Now, with a trip to London up next, the Packers have even more questions to answer.
Good morning!
The Green Bay Packers needed overtime to survive a valiant effort from the New England Patriots and … rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe. While the victory doesn't come as a surprise, the manner in which Green Bay arrived there surely did. The game certainly raises more questions for an offense that has yet to find its footing in 2022.
Today's edition of The Leap attempts to unpack the win and look at the biggest discussions surrounding the team as it prepares for a trip to London next week.
Thank you for reading and supporting our coverage. You can also support our work by following us on Twitter:
Jason B. Hirschhorn: @by_JBH
Peter Bukowski: @Peter_Bukowski
The Leap: @TheLeapGB
Thanks for making The Leap a part of your day.
Right now, which is the bigger concern for the Packers offense: the right side of the O-line or the receiving corps?
Jason B. Hirschhorn: For as much concern as the receiving corps has generated -- and we have certainly covered that topic plenty here at The Leap -- the right side of the offensive line currently rates as the larger concern at this point in the season. That concern starts with Elgton Jenkins, the versatile, "do-everything" lineman who hasn't lived up to his standard through three appearances.
While Jenkins has generally taken care of business as a run blocker, he has struggled mightily in pass protection. That issue came to the fore often during Sunday's matchup with the Patriots, with Matthew Judon eating his lunch on multiple occasions. The worst such instance required Aaron Rodgers to literally twirl his way to freedom in order to avoid a sack.
At this point, it only seems fair to point out that only 11 months separate Jenkins from his ACL tear. While most players make full recoveries from that injury, reaching that stage so soon after surgery remains difficult. Jenkins could realistically make more progress physically as he continues to shake off the rust and again showcase his All-Pro talent at tackle.
That said, if the situation doesn't improve in the coming weeks, the Packers shouldn't hesitate to reconfigure the offensive line. David Bakhtiari took another step forward in his recovery this week, coming off the injury report and rotating considerably less than during his 2022 debut last week. Additionally, Yosh Nijman has emerged as a bona fide starting tackle, one that could bookend Bakhtiari and allow Jenkins to return inside.
To that end, the concerns about Nijman playing right tackle seem overblown. While he has only played left tackle in the NFL, he has practiced on the right side as well. Nijman also started 10 games at right tackle his senior year at Virginia Tech. Given adequate practice time, he should do just fine returning to that spot.
Most importantly, it would free Jenkins to kick inside where he could better mask his shortcomings in pass protection while improving the Packers' run game. At a minimum, the coaching staff needs to have serious conversations about that scenario.
But until Jenkins' play improves at tackle or he moves to guard, this has to rank as the top concern for the Packers offense, which is saying something.
***
Peter Bukowski: For the sake of interest, I’m gonna go with the receivers, but there’s also a compelling case there. Rodgers did not look to be on the same page with his guys a number of times throughout the game.
He badly missed Christian Watson on a jet wheel, overthrew Randall Cobb on another deep shot, had a miscommunication with Watson (or overthrew Lazard) on another, and didn’t seem to be playing with the same rhythm in the first half of the game. The four-time MVP settled into more of a grove in the second half with better ball placement and some play-action mixed in.
That’s the piece that’s missing for me and I didn’t understand it at all. They called one play-action pass by my charting in the first half. LaFleur dialed it up a few times in the second half to create chunk plays and it feels like a cheat code LaFleur just refuses, at times, to use.
Teams are going to keep pressing their receivers, stacking the boxes, and daring them to beat single-high coverage. I trust Rodgers to get the ball out quickly enough to account for the rush, but he has to trust his receivers to be where he needs them to do it.
Rashan Gary is off to the best start for a Packers edge rusher since …
JBH: … Clay Matthews in 2010. That season, Matthews not only piled up remarkable statistics -- 13.5 sacks and, according to Pro Football Focus, 74 total pressures -- but those plays seemed to come at the most opportune moments. Rashan Gary has followed that trajectory so far, and Sunday's performance against the Patriots provided his best showcase yet. Gary's first sack not only ended a New England drive, but it pushed the offense out of field-goal range. For a game that went into overtime, that play proved critical.
Gary, of course, had more in store. His second sack more literally ended another promising Patriots drive as he stripped the ball from Zappe's grip and made his own recovery.
That turnover would have also saved points if not for Rodgers tossing a pick-six three plays later. Still, it takes nothing away from Gary's contributions.
Four weeks into the season, superstars like Aaron Donald and Micah Parsons lead the way-too-early Defensive Player of the Year debate, and for good reason. But Gary doesn't lag far behind and, if the defense has to carry the Packers for much of the season, the fourth-year pro will likely put himself squarely in that discussion come season's end.
***
PB: It wasn’t that long ago! Za’Darius Smith in 2019. How quickly we forget because he’s wearing purple now, but Big Z dominated to open his ‘19 season with the Packers, posting an absurd 10 pressures and 7 quarterback hurries in a memorable 10-7 win over the Bears. Remember, “We got a defense”?
He posted an absurd 30 pressures through five games, dominating the Bears, killing the Vikings on the ground in Week 2, and then the Cowboys in Week 5 (so I’m cheating a little).
The difference between what Z did in ‘19 and what Matthews put together in 2010 was the help. Matthews was the only pass rusher on that team outside of a green B.J. Raji. On this team, Kenny Clark is rushing the passer at an All-Pro level, Preston Smith is among league leaders in pressures, and the complementary pass rushers are producing. It’s not all on Gary’s shoulders, much like it wasn’t all on Smith. They were “The Smith Bros” after all.
Still, Smith was unreal to start the 2019 season and for most of his first two years in Green Bay. Gary playing at that level is something most did not anticipate when the Packers drafted him 12th (hi, it me) and there will be plenty of mea culpas for that this season if he keeps this up.
The Packers' biggest concern heading into next week's London matchup is …
JBH: … the health of the secondary. Jaire Alexander warmed up before Sunday's game against the Patriots but ultimately didn't play. That bodes well overall for his availability in London, but he could end up on a pitch count.
However, the larger issue concerns Adrian Amos. Green Bay's ultra-reliable safety suffered a concussion Sunday early in the first half. That would put his availability for next week in question under normal circumstances, but the travel logistics of the London trip further complicate the matter. With the Packers set to leave Thursday, Amos might not have medical clearance to fly. If he misses the team flight, the chances of him suiting up drop precipitously.
While Alexander rates as the secondary's top player, Amos would prove harder to replace. Rudy Ford took over at safety against New England, which left a gaping hole in the coverage units that the Patriots exploited. Moreover, if Ford or Darnell Savage suffers an injury, Tariq Carpenter or Dallin Leavitt would have to fill the void. That, if their preseason outings provide any indication, could prove disastrous.
***
PB: Interest. The Packers just don’t care about some of these games it seems, and Sunday was no different. They played much of the game like they’d already taken the seven-hour flight to London and had just arrived, woozy from booze and groggy from the time change.
Green Bay is wildly more talented than the Giants who struggled to beat the lowly Bears. Both New York’s quarterbacks are hurt. Even without Jaire Alexander or Adrian Amos, the Packers should beat the Giants. They can’t get on the plane believing that to be true though and that appears to be how they approach Brian Hoyer before Bailey Zappe and Co.
This same problem popped up last year when the defense in particular would clamp down Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson but let Tyler Huntley run wild.
The only way the Giants can score points is if Saquon Barkley goes off. Will they play the two-high shells they favored against a Patriots team with a quarterback who literally couldn’t throw the ball past safety depth? That’s game plan but it’s also fire because the linebackers didn’t fill hard to the ball, the defensive line didn’t give good effort to get off blocks, and Rodgers himself lacked focus and spirit to lift his team until the end.
He can’t arrive with a “This is so stupid we are playing in London,” attitude. The rest of the team will adopt it.
Parting shots
JBH: I let you down, dear readers of The Leap, and I am here to apologize.
This past Saturday, my alma mater and Peter's childhood college team battled in Camp Randall Stadium to decide the BERT Bowl. I failed to make a wager with Peter before kickoff, and it cost all of us dearly.
Why? Given our business partnership, Peter and I wouldn't have wagered any actual money. Rather, we would have come up with some form of internet embarrassment. Countless possibilities exist, but I would have settled on him recreating this screenshot as a GIF for the entire world to use:
Think of all the ways you could have trolled Peter on social media with a GIF like this. Or better, imagine Peter stumbling upon it used in an entirely unrelated conversation. We all missed a tremendous opportunity for comedy, and it's all my fault.
So, once again, I'm sorry. This mistake won't happen again.
***
PB: I hate you so much … the mustache kinda works though.