First Half Review: The Green Bay Packers are off to their best start since 2011 when they finished 15-1. It can all be credited to an MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, rookie coach Matt LaFleur, and a well-balanced roster.
At the start of the season many questioned the relationship between LaFleur and Rodgers, but since the early summer days of training camp the critiques have nearly tapered off. The dynamic duo has meshed well with Rodgers having a quarterback rating of 104 and LaFleur out shining the rest of the rookie coaches in the league. Doubts surfaced when wide receiver one Davante Adams went out September 26, but it didn’t seem to faze Rodgers and The Packers offense as they rattled off four straight wins.
Second Half Start Stinks.
At the halfway point in the season, the Packers are getting back their number one wide receiver in Adams. The team made a west coast trip as very strong favorites against the 3-and-5 LA Chargers. With Adams returning, the team looked a lot more talented on paper, but this did not make them better. LaFleur said the Chargers were coached better, more prepared and the Packers were out played.
Rodgers tried to assure the fans it wasn’t complacency. “I just think whether it was the trip, not everybody taking care of themselves the right way over the two day, or we were just tired, or the difference in temperature,” he said, “but those are just excuses, and the facts are that we just weren’t locked in from the start, and that’s a little disappointing.”
The Green and Gold that started off 7-1 and were firing on all cylinders with Superbowl aspirations echoing around the nation laid an egg. Losing a game in an embarrassing fashion can open the eyes of the team. “This is a good slice of humble pie for us, we’re kind of listening to the chatter a bit too much. I think this will be a good thing for us we will regroup go back home and play another good team before the bye,” Rodgers said after the loss.
The road doesn’t get any easier from here with the 5-and-3 Carolina Panthers coming in to town, with the number one running back in the league Christian McCaffery. This could deem to be problematic for the 26th ranked Packer defense – who is on pace to allow 2,043 rushing yards this season. Last time a Packer team let up that many opposing rushing yards, they finished 6-and-10.
LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers have a lot of work to do before next week’s game. “Coaches and players have to look inward and make sure we’re doing the right things and really learn from that experience.”
Written by Midwest Pack: Adrianna Raddatz, Logan Konitzer, and Jalyn Murphy
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8-2 BABY!