Well that sucked. Every year, each team has a game or two like this. The key is to learn something from them so the same mistakes aren’t repeated. This is especially true when you are installing a new offense. So let’s look at the big stories from this game:
The LaFleur Offense and The Adams Effect
The beauty of the new Packers offense, which we’ve been treated to for the last month, is that it’s not dependant on stud receivers. Players are schemed open, backs get a lot of catches, defenses don’t know what to expect, and everything works smooth. When we last saw Davante Adams, we were forcing him the ball, he got monster stats, and we lost. This week, we forced him the ball, he got garbage stats, and we lost. Davante Adams is a supreme talent. The challenge for the rest of the season is figuring out how to integrate him into the offense instead of changing the offense to feature him. The easiest way may just be to gameplan as though he’s not there, then let him use his skills to get more out of his reps than everyone else does.
Special Teams are Garbage
Pretty much all facets today. Why are the Packers always like this? It’s historically indescribable to have a team this good with this many different coordinators always suck at returning and covering returners. Throw in a blocked punt when backed up deep to make this a real sh!t show.
Defensive Regression
After allowing fewer than 17 points in the first 3 weeks, the Packers have allowed at least 22 points for the last 6 weeks. The pass defense let Mike Williams have his best game of the year. The run defense like Melvin Gordon have his best game of the year. The red zone defense was solid for most of the day, though, which has been the common theme throughout the year. This defense has lots of talent and solid coaching, so it’s a little head-scratching to see an embarrassment like this. I guess at 8-2, you just have to take your lumps, suck it up, and try harder next week.
.
For more postgame coverage from Week 8, check out Prediction Results: Packers at Chargers – 2019 Week 9.
I’d rather this happen all at once, than have each unit fail individually in a series of games.