Since week 14, the Packers offensive line has given up 18 sacks…on the other hand, the Washington Redskins have sacked opposing quarterbacks 17 times since week 14, more than any other defense (yeah, that includes the Cardinals). Suffice it to say that the Packers have their work cut out for them if they want to advance in this year’s playoffs.
Aaron Rodgers versus Kirk Cousins would seem to be a no-brainer on paper. In light of the fact that the Packers’ quarterback has a Super Bowl ring and a couple league MVP’s to his name already, who would think the Redskins have a chance? But the 2015 season has been one of consistent inconsistency in terms of offense and the offense, while continuing to tout that “this is their week” has not had a really strong showing against a strong team since…well pretty much at all this season. And the sacks given up versus sacks taken by the Redskins indicate that Washington will send the Packers home on Sunday.
Unless the Packers can run the ball. The Packers’ running game came on strong in the 2010 run for the Super Bowl. Then we got Eddie Lacy and the offense became even more prolific. Last season Eddie Lacy was dominant and the offense averaged 30 points a game. This year, the running game faltered and the team dropped seven points a game and only converted 70 of 208 third downs. The fallout of this includes Aaron Rodgers completion percentage at just a shade over 60%…3% lower than his lowest average all time before now. The lack of running game is the first of a domino effect of offensive inconsistency that has marred the entire 2015 season. Many want to blame the offensive struggles on just one thing but each element has an affect on the others and the problems are a “reverse-synergy” in which the problems of the whole are greater than the sum of the problems of any individual part.
But if the Packers can run the ball against Washington, it will serve several purposes. 1. It will force teams to stack the box and open up opportunities for the passing game. 2. The Packers will be able to play the game “from the inside out” by slashing up the middle and then taking advantage of inside leverages for passes to the outside or back-shoulder. When the Packers can do this, they can win games. 3. Running the ball is a boon for a banged up offensive line. The Packers’ injury report has 18 players on it (sound familiar?) and the offensive line cannot withstand another game in which they have to throw the ball because they cannot run it. But if the running game gets near a hundred yards, the Packers have a chance to get a win and another week to get some people healthy.
All in all, the Packers have to get back to basic football and stop forcing the notion that they can throw the ball around with five and seven step drops and push it down the field against good defenses. Yes, Washington is banged up on defense but the opportunities for the passing game will open up when Eddie Lacy and the running game get off the ground.
So will it be “Won” or “Done” What do you think Packernation? Let us know in the comments below or back on the Facebook Fanpage.
Go Pack!
I believe the packers are done for the year Play calling is terrible, Offense is terrible Rodgers has no confidence in himself thanks to our D that plays half way good. With a bit of help and a small miracle they just might pull it out.
I disagree. Notice the players always seem to rally themselves to put together a strong 4th quarter. I think the fact that it is playoffs now, it should rally them together to start executing for a full 60 minutes.
Thanks for reading John. I think this matrix of bad elements on offense is right on the money. We may sneak through this one but yeah, I think the possibility of an early bow-out is there.
Run first my ass, they have tried it all year and it ain’t workin, short quick passes,little dumps, screen passes wil open the run, it’s the conservative play calling that’s killing this team……..remember the second half last year at Seattle, conservative Mc Carthy for gosh sake open it up!!
If they don’t run successfully….they will lose. Period. Running is not necessarily conservative and passing is not necessarily “opening it up”.
I couldn’t disagree more. I’ve read Sitton’s remarks about running the ball, and now this. There’s several problems with forcing the run game:
1) Our O-line is terrible at run blocking, including Sitton.
2) Our RBs have failed to perform and fumbled at the worst times in games.
3) Running early and often in games doesn’t allow Rodgers to get into a rhythm passing the ball, and we get many 3 and outs for this reason.
4) Teams have consistently stacked the box with 8 or 9 against us this year, daring us to pass.
Washington doesn’t really have the talent at DB to load the box and stuff our passing game, but if they try, they’ll stuff any attempts by us to run the ball. And if that’s the case, running often will play right into their strength and our weakness.
We’re a pass first and pass often team who uses the run effectively to keep the D somewhat honest up front. When Lacy gets around 100 yards, his big runs come early in games earning him more carries later on. Regardless of the amount of carries, his late game rushes rarely go for substantial gains. When we force the run game, we play down to our opponents.
When we pass on most downs, we’re tough to stop – as evidenced by the huge 4th quarters passing in several games this year when Ds were playing the pass almost exclusively. If we run 30 times and lose this game, I’ll be seriously disappointed.
Sitton is right…if we run the ball 30 times, we win the game. It is not about “forcing the run” it is about running the ball effectively and having a chance for our pass game to be effective because of it. Our receivers have proved ineffective otherwise. We win when we run effectively because it lends hesitation to the defensive backfield of the opponent. The only way our receivers will be open I’m afraid. Proof coming on Sunday.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. (Albert Einstein).
I respect your opinion, I just don’t follow your logic. We seem to have a disconnect on the term “effectively”. I’m all for running the ball when we’re consistently moving the chains, but that hasn’t happened in any game this year. There’s no magic number where we start running more effectively, Lacy consistently has his best runs early in games.
Football is a game of adjustments – you take what the D gives you. Look at what we did to Lynch, AP, Charles, and Forte (in the 2nd game). We stacked the box and shut them down. They abandoned the run because it wasn’t effective. We don’t do any better in that situation.
2 and 3 years ago we ran effectively because Ds were playing 2 high safeties and taking away the pass. Now Ds have adjusted, putting 8 and 9 in the box and run/pass blitzing on most plays. So our offense has to adjust again. Early success throwing down field will pull defenders out of the box, and THAT’S when we pound the rock with more success.
Have you seen this? Rodgers says the exact opposite to you and Sitton, and I agree with Rodgers:
“After last week’s loss against Minnesota, when the Packers in comeback mode put up 247 yards in the game’s final 19 minutes, Rodgers suggested they should open up their offense. He elaborated Thursday that he might approach the entire game more like he has in some of the fourth quarters this season when the Packers’ offense has come alive playing from behind.
“Maybe I have to adjust my mindset and kind of let it fly a little more because we’ve had some success doing that,” he said, “throwing the ball down the field, adjusting some routes, making some scramble adjustments and playing a little looser because the urgency is up in those moments. Hopefully, we can start the game in that mindset collectively and put together a better performance.””
http://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/dougherty/2016/01/08/rodgers-mccarthy-conflict-good/78410162/