Packers win again, but Rodgers still doesn't look comfortable

Week 3 of the 2019 NFL season ends with the Packers’ offense making its first tentative efforts to show some semblance of life in the second half of a game. After being shut out in the second half the past two weeks, the Packers somehow wheezed out 10 points, none too easily, in a 27-16 victory over the Broncos. As against the Vikings, the Packers got off to a hot start, with their longest play from scrimmage coming on their very first offensive possession, in this case a 40-yard TD catch by Marquez Valdes-Scantling. But this time there was no follow-up spurt, with the Packers fitfully scoring on a two-yard drive following a fumble, and another short-field touchdown after another Bronco turnover. It was frustrating to watch pass plays by Aaron Rodgers on first and second down each covering minus-1 yard--when he wasn't just throwing balls into the turf. This is Aaron Rodgers, right? Not the quarterback that Matt LaFleur was calling plays for last year, Marcus Mariota, right?

This time the Packer run game did not materially affect the outcome of the game. Aaron Jones scored on two short plunges, but he gained only 19 yards on 10 carries. Jamaal Williams did better, 59 yards on 12 carries, but this only underscored the fact that the Packers cannot depend   on a No. 1 back to propel the run game when the pass game is out of sorts, which is what it has been for the most part. Rodgers is off to the slowest start of his career, and his demeanor on and off the field seems to reflect confusion about how to square his instincts with what LaFleur wants to do, especially when some plays are more complicated in the telling, which seems to get in the way of the execution.

Defensively the Packers were once again facing a quarterback of questionable quantity, Joe Flacco, who lost his starting job to Lamar Jackson last season after Week 9. However, for the second straight week the Packers were not particularly effective in defensing the run, and while the Packer offense seemed to be busy getting off the field (converting on just 2 third downs), the Broncos seemed to make a habit of doing things not to get off the field (converting 8 third downs), but as in previous games the Packer defense was opportunistic in removing the ball from other team’s possession. 

I still say the Packers have been fortunate that the ball has taken fortuitous bounces in their favor. They still have not played a game in which they clearly dominated the opponent on both sides of the ball; at best they have been half-way there, if that.