New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers after the game. The Buccaneers defeat the Jets, 13-6, in a preseason NFL game at MetLife Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, in East Rutherford. Credit:© Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
It seems like with the exit of Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers are experiencing their worst season. This is certainly backed by the team’s latest stats, which have brought serious concerns among the Cheeseheads. Now that this stat has gone viral, it has branded A-Rod as an unexpected hero.
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In a tweet posted by NFL on Fox Sports, it was reported that this has been the worst start by the Green Bay Packers in almost two decades as the franchise stares at a 2-5 record. It was also never this bad when the 4x MVP was around.
The Packers Suffer a Significant Blow Without Aaron Rodgers
It seems like 2013 all over again. At that time Rodgers was out for some games due to a broken collarbone. The star QB is once again sidelined, however, this time for an entire season. Amidst this, the update from his former team seems troublesome, as his successor, Jordan Love fails to leave a mark. FOXSportsNFL recently backed this up with stats, stating, “The Packers are 2-5, their worst start to a season since 2005. They never started a season 2-5 or worse in the Aaron Rodgers era,” in their tweet.
Back in 2013, the Packers had lost all three games they played without Aaron Rodgers. The defeats had revealed their vulnerability without him as they lost to teams like the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants, where Rodgers had been nearly invincible. The Packers’ then offensive performance plummeted without their star QB, and backups scored just 15.3 points per game in the three games he missed, compared to their previous average of 30.3. Even today, it seems like this symbiotic relationship between Rodgers and the running game has been evident.
This news has sparked mixed reactions among fans. While some poked fun at the Pack, others came in support of Love. One of the fans sarcastically wrote,
The Blues have experienced their fourth consecutive loss to the Vikings this week, with a 14-point deficit. Jordan Love has since expressed frustration with the team’s losing streak and missed opportunities. However, he is still trying to convince fans that his offense is “right there“.
Is Jordan Love right about the Pack?
The Packers’ offense is in a dire situation, characterized by a string of issues leading to a struggle to score touchdowns in the first half. Their problems include penalties, miscommunications, poor play calling, and execution. Despite their ongoing offensive ineptitude, quarterback Jordan Love believes that improvements are on the horizon, even though the team has lost four consecutive games. Love expresses frustration shared by the team but remains confident they are close to turning things around, saying,
” I feel like we’re right there. You know, we’re too inconsistent right now. On offense, we’re not making plays. We have opportunities and we’re just not capitalizing, and that’s [on] everybody. But we pretty much just said we’re right there. If we make those plays, if the ball is bouncing the other way, and we’re making those plays instead of not making those plays – these are totally different games.”
In their last game against the Vikings, they reached the red zone several times, yet failed to score a touchdown till the third quarter. They have been plagued by execution issues, preventing them from making big plays and keeping their defense off the field.
They have also particularly struggled in first halves, being outscored 73-9 in their past five games. Their offense’s struggles led to a change in the offensive line. They finally scored a field goal to end the first half but couldn’t overcome their 24-3 deficit.
Therefore, while Love’s optimism is an attempt to uplift the team’s spirits, the harsh reality suggests they are far from resolving their offensive struggles. The issues are widespread and deep-rooted, making it a daunting task to rectify the situation. What do you think?
