3 Takeaways from Packers’ Week 1 Loss

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Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

After a strong 2020 campaign for the Green Bay Packers, much of the offseason conversation surrounding the organization centered around whether quarterback Aaron Rodgers would return. He did, and he’s once again looking to lead them to a Super Bowl title. But that quest is not off to a good start.

The Packers were blown out by the New Orleans Saints on Sunday evening, losing 38-3 in a game that was moved to TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, as New Orleans continues to recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. The neutral site did nothing to slow down the Saints, though.

Green Bay’s only points came via a 39-yard field goal from Mason Crosby as time expired in the first half, cutting New Orleans’ lead to 17-3. But the Saints kept rolling thereafter, scoring 21 unanswered points over the final two quarters.

It marked the first time the Packers lost their opener since 2014, a season in which they still ended up 12-4 and made a run to the NFC Championship Game.

Here are three takeaways from Green Bay’s disappointing loss to begin the 2021 campaign.

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Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

This was not the same Packers offense that ranked fifth in the NFL last season in total yards per game (389) or the same Rodgers who was named 2020 NFL MVP. Nothing was working for Green Bay, and it was clear what kind of day it was going to be from the start.

As the Saints scored points on each of their first three possessions, the Packers punted on each of their first two, totaling only 21 yards between the pair of drives. Rodgers threw two third-quarter interceptions, including one that came on a 2nd-and-7 on the Saints’ 9-yard line. That was Green Bay’s first turnover in the red zone since Week 6 of the 2019 season, according to Wes Hodkiewicz and Mike Spofford of the Packers’ site.

Rodgers finished 15-of-28 for 133 yards, and Green Bay had only 229 total yards and 14 first downs while committing three turnovers. The game was so out of hand that Rodgers was replaced by Jordan Love at quarterback in the fourth quarter.

“We played bad. I played bad. Not characteristic of how we’ve practiced in training camp. Obviously not how I’ve played over the years,” Rodgers said, per Mark Long of the Associated Press. “This is hopefully an outlier moving forward. We’ll find out next week.”

There are reasons to think that may be the case considering this is a unit with some big-time playmakers such as running back Aaron Jones and wide receiver Davante Adams. Rodgers is a 17-year NFL veteran with a long track record of success, so it wouldn’t be too surprising to see the Packers get on track against the Detroit Lions in Week 2.

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Tyler Kaufman/Associated Press

The Packers also struggled on the other side of the ball in Joe Barry’s first game as their defensive coordinator. The unit couldn’t get off the field early, as the Saints maximized their three first-half offensive possessions: a nine-play drive that resulted in a field goal and a pair of 15-play touchdown drives.

Green Bay’s defense had no momentum-changing plays (zero forced turnovers) and didn’t create any pressure (zero sacks). That allowed New Orleans quarterback Jameis Winston, who was making his first start since 2019, to throw five touchdown passes while guiding an offense that had the ball for 34 minutes and 36 seconds.

“They’re a great team, but we have to look at ourselves. We want to make them beat us, not beat ourselves,” Packers safety Adrian Amos said, per Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal. “Obviously, you see the score, there’s a lot that went wrong.”

It wasn’t an encouraging first showing for a defense now led by Barry, who took over after Mike Pettine’s contract expired at the end of the 2020 season. Last year, Green Bay ranked ninth in the NFL with 334 total yards allowed per game, part of the reason why it went an NFC-best 13-3.

If the Packers hope to have that kind of success in 2021, they will need to perform much better on defense than they did Sunday.

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Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Rodgers had an important reminder after Sunday’s lopsided defeat, a thought that needs to be kept in mind after the opening game of an 18-week regular season: “It’s just one game.”

“One game. We’ve got 16 to go,” Rodgers said, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.

Not only that, but the Packers aren’t even in an early hole, as the rest of the NFC North also struggled Sunday. The Minnesota Vikings lost in overtime to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Detroit Lions’ comeback attempt against the San Francisco 49ers came up short and the Chicago Bears fell to the Los Angeles Rams.

It’s the only division in the league in which no team won a Week 1 matchup. And if Green Bay’s struggles continue, there may not be a clear favorite to win the NFC North crown.

However, a one-game sample size in the NFL can be an anomaly. Just because the Packers lost to the Saints, who have made the playoffs in each of the past four years, doesn’t mean they are going to have a bad season or miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2018 campaign.

But if Green Bay loses its home opener against Detroit in Week 2, then it may be time to begin worrying.