Packers just couldn't make any "plays" in the second half in loss to Vikings

 

Last Monday night the Vikings “shocked” the 49ers 22-17, with Kirk Cousins throwing close to 400 yards. Going into Green Bay, this was going to be either a “let down” game, or a “confidence booster,” as if they needed one playing this Packer team.

The game started predictably enough, with the Vikings taking a 10-0 lead before the Packers managed to kick a field goal as time ran out in the first half. Jordan Love took a few shots downfield to no avail early, finishing the half with just 70 yards passing. Unfortunately the third quarter did not go according to "script," as this time it was the Vikings who scored two touchdowns—one following a Love interception—to take a 24-3 lead. Not looking good at all, as the Packers had nearly as many penalties as first downs.

Still, it was not all not according to the precedent, as the Packers found themselves on a first-and-goal at the Viking one-yard line, but it took four plays before Love managed to get the ball to Doubs to make it 24-10. But then came the Vikings right back before a couple sacks and a blocked field goal attempt appeared to bring new life to Packers.

But, you know, this is the Jordan Love-led Packers. In the fourth quarter down to the Vikings 10-yard line, it was three straight incomplete passes and a loss on downs. But then Cousins limped off the field with an apparent no-contact ankle injury and in came some guy you never heard of named Jaren Hall who promptly was the subject of a sack/fumble and suddenly the Packers were back in business again.

But this Packer team couldn’t even muster a field goal—that is to say if they preferred not to. The Packers found themselves in another fourth down situation, and despite a good effort running down the field, Love just couldn’t quite make it. Hall actually completed a pass for a first down, and the Packers used their last timeout at the 4:23 mark left in the game. After the Vikings punted away as their offense was now non-existent with Cousins out, it was a matter if the Packers could take advantage of a Vikings defense uncertain if it had enough left in the tank.

Not to worry; this is, after all, a team with Jordan Love at quarterback; this guy is more likely to throw an uncatchable ball into double coverage when he needed to make those good decisions...

 

 

...while missing that wide open receiver:

 

A couple of good throws to Reed and Wicks got the ball down to the Viking 34, but for the third straight possession, it was a loss on downs; Love helped by misfiring on seven of his last 9 passes. So much for “performing” under “pressure” when the opposing quarterback is a back-up who is obligingly handing the ball back to you and daring you to do something with it.

Not much else to say about another awful home loss, 24-10. Again, who knows if things will improve with Love at quarterback. Last year Watson and Doubs were emerging stars; this year Love can’t take advantage of their skills because he just can’t make those accurate throws (Aaron Rodgers tended to just throw away balls rather than chance an interception). Watson and Doubs were targeted 17 times and managed just 7 catches for just 51 yards. Remember when Watson came off the injury list and scored multiple touchdowns in multiple games last year, including one on an end-around? Why are we not seeing that this year? Need we ask?

The Packers of course didn’t run the ball worth a damn, but then again they did better than Vikings, who only averaged 2 yards per attempt. The offensive line wasn’t great, but neither was the Vikings. Fans and commentators were complaining that the Packers were playing too “conservative” in the first half, but my thought on the matter was that Matt LaFleur feels that Love is the kind of quarterback who if you press him too early and not allow him to get in some “practice” throws early in the game, he is prone to making bad throws resulting in interceptions and thus falling behind early, which the Packers typically do anyways. 

As mentioned, Love did throw some “deep” balls early to no avail, and the Vikings took that early lead that they were a good enough team with Cousins at quarterback to expand upon. Of course it might have been a different story if Cousins had missed the third quarter too, but those are the kind of "breaks" this Packer team doesn't need to have if they want to know what kind of quarterback they have; they already have that "easy" schedule to begin with.

The Packers play at home again next week against the Rams and a familiar face in Matthew Stafford, although that is not certain since he apparently suffered a thumb injury against the Cowboys. Two years removed from their Super Bowl win, the Rams have become strictly ordinary at best, and were blown-out today. If Stafford remains on the sidelines with another no-name back-up in his place, this is a game the Packers should win, emphasis on the “should” rather than the “win.” If the Packers lose this game against a back-up, then I think the writing is on the wall for the Love “era.”