GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers (5-2) find themselves in a paradoxical position this season.
After a solid start, fueled by taking advantage of their opponents’ mistakes, the team is now grappling with its own carelessness with the football. Their most recent matchup against the Houston Texans exemplified this challenge. In a hard-fought 24-22 victory on Sunday, the Packers committed three turnovers and failed to secure a single takeaway, raising concerns about their ability to maintain success moving forward.
Despite the issues, Green Bay emerged victorious, marking their third consecutive win. The highlight of the game came from Brandon McManus, who capped off his debut with the Packers by kicking a dramatic 45-yard field goal as time expired. However, the alarming trend of turnovers was hard to overlook, especially for a team that entered the game boasting the NFL’s best turnover margin at plus-9.
“It’s hard to overcome losing the turnover battle by three in this league,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur remarked after the game. This marked a significant statistical milestone, as it was the first time since October 14, 2019, that the Packers won a game with a turnover margin of minus-3 or worse. According to Sportsradar, they previously secured a victory in a similar situation against the Detroit Lions.
While the Packers currently lead the league with 17 takeaways, their total of 11 turnovers is a growing concern. The only teams with more turnovers are the Las Vegas Raiders (16), Carolina Panthers (12), and Tennessee Titans (12). This discrepancy highlights the need for improvement as the season progresses.
Jordan Love’s Mixed Performance
At the center of this turnover issue is quarterback Jordan Love. He has thrown 15 touchdown passes, ranking second in the NFL, only behind Baker Mayfield of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite his impressive touchdown tally, Love has also thrown eight interceptions, tying him with Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Gardner Minshew of Las Vegas for the most interceptions this season. Notably, his eight interceptions have come in just 179 pass attempts, a stark contrast to the 11 interceptions he threw in 579 attempts last season.
This season’s interceptions reflect a growing confidence in Love’s arm and a willingness to attempt high-risk, high-reward passes. For example, during the game against the Texans, Love successfully threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft, despite the ball nearly being deflected or intercepted by Houston’s Calen Bullock.
“It’s the NFL,” Love said regarding his playing style. “There’s not always going to be wide-open guys. It’s going to be tight windows you’ve got to fit the ball in there sometimes, and I’m going to keep playing. I learn and grow from the mistakes, the interceptions, and just keep playing, keep moving on, but that’s not ever going to limit me.”
What’s Working
Despite the offensive struggles, the Packers’ defense stepped up in a major way during the game against Houston. The pass rush was particularly effective, sacking quarterback C.J. Stroud four times and limiting him to a career-low 86 passing yards. This marked the fewest yards allowed by the Packers to any quarterback with at least 20 attempts since Charlie Frye of Seattle managed just 83 yards on 23 attempts back in 2008.
This defensive performance illustrates that while the offense may have its flaws, the defense is more than capable of stepping up to secure victories.
What Needs Work
However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Packers on special teams. The punt return unit experienced significant breakdowns during the game. One critical moment came when Houston’s MJ Stewart recovered a fumble after a punt hit the ground and unexpectedly bounced off the leg of Green Bay’s Corey Ballentine, who was blocking on the play. Another miscue occurred in the third quarter when Jayden Reed caught a punt just outside the end zone and subsequently retreated into the end zone during his return, ultimately being tackled at the Green Bay 4-yard line.
These errors on special teams are troubling, especially as the season progresses and the Packers prepare for tougher matchups.
Stock Up
Amidst the challenges, there were notable performances worth highlighting. Kicker Brandon McManus made a significant impact in his debut, hitting the game-winning kick with the game on the line. Additionally, punter Daniel Whelan had an impressive performance, averaging 56.8 yards on five attempts with a net average of 51.6 yards, the best by a Packers punter with at least four punts since at least 1976. His 56.8 gross average was the second-best in team history for a player with at least four punts.
Linebacker Eric Wilson also made his presence felt on defense, registering two sacks and a career-high four tackles for loss. On the offensive side, wide receiver Romeo Doubs had a strong outing, catching eight passes for 94 yards, including two crucial receptions on the drive that led to the winning field goal.
Stock Down
Conversely, it was a rough outing for Jayden Reed. He misplayed a punt return in the third quarter and made a diving attempt but couldn’t secure a deep ball in the second quarter, finishing with only two catches for 10 yards. This performance will certainly be one to reflect upon as the team prepares for future games.
Injuries
Injuries are also a concern for the Packers. Linebacker Quay Walker left the game after inadvertently being struck in the helmet by teammate Kingsley Enagbare’s leg at the end of a play in the first half. Monitoring Walker’s condition will be crucial as the team looks to maintain its defensive strength.
Key Numbers
One impressive statistic worth noting is that Jordan Love has thrown for at least 200 yards and one touchdown in 16 straight games, marking the second-longest streak in franchise history. Aaron Rodgers holds the record with a streak of 19 consecutive games with at least 200 yards and one touchdown, achieved from 2010 to 2012.
Next Steps
Looking ahead, the Packers will head to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars (2-5) for the first time since 2016. This upcoming matchup carries additional significance, as the Packers had a disappointing trip to Jacksonville in 2021, where they opened the season with a staggering 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints. That game was relocated to Jacksonville due to damage caused by Hurricane Ida in Louisiana.
As the Packers continue their season, the focus will be on improving their ball security and special teams performance. With a strong defense and explosive offense, they still have the potential to make a deep playoff run—provided they can address their turnover issues and maintain consistency in all phases of the game.
