This week it is the Packers run game that sizzles in another 40+ point performance

 

Last season the talk was about when Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense was going to get in sync with Matt LaFleur’s “system”—which some people thought was more a theory than reality.  Even after the first two games of this season, I’m not sure I’m seeing anything that looks like a “system,” but what we do see is that the Packers have been able to do something they have not done in at least three years: move the ball consistently on offense. With a 42-21 victory over the Lions, the Packers recorded their first back-to-back 40+ point games since 2011.

It wasn’t until late in fourth quarter of this game that the Packers recorded their first 3-and-out of the season. Last week, the Packers proved they could win big with the passing game; this week it was the running game, with Aaron Jones breaking open with a 75-yard run and 168 yards total, while Jamaal Williams added 63 yards. There were slightly disturbing indications of some weakness in the passing game this time, with more dropped balls and Rodgers misfires, but overall it was another impressive offensive performance for the team.

There were question marks about the defense last week, after it gave up three consecutive too easy scoring drives to end the game, and things didn’t start off well against the Lions, as the streak continued with allowing easy touchdown drives on the Lions first two possessions. While after that the defense mostly shut down the Lions offense until the fourth quarter, we have to remember that this is the Lions, a team that has a habit of blowing big leads, and whose offense under Matthew Stafford can run like either an open firehose or a leaky faucet. Last season the Packers gained slightly fewer yards on offense than they gave up on defense, and despite a 13-3 record, they were only +63 on the points side. The one helpful statistic was a +12 in turnovers; this year the Packers have only forced two turnovers (both interceptions), but have yet to record one on offense.

This season seems to be starting off like 2011, when the Packer offense (save for the Kansas City hiccup) was easily outscoring their opponents, at least during the regular season. If last season looked like it was just pure dumb luck, through the first two games the Packers look like a real deal. We will discover just how “real” this team is in the next few weeks, with “road” games against the Saints and the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers.