Thousands of Green Bay Packers fans breathed a sigh of relief after their team pulled together a strong performance against the Indianapolis Colts in their home opener to the tune of 16-10.
Supported by a rabid Lambeau Field crowd, Malik Willis put together a strong performance that had him looking forward to his reunion with his former team in Week 3. The defense also showed enough grit to secure the W despite the absence of their star quarterback.
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However, everyone knows that the Packers is still Jordan Love’s team. While it’s impressive that Green Bay managed to piece together a win thanks to Matt LaFleur’s masterful tactics, the game showed one flaw that could undo the team’s season if Love doesn’t bounce back properly upon his return.
Analyst argues that the Green Bay Packers’ focus on the run game would make them predictable against better defenses
It was clear to everyone that the Packers would be running the football a lot the moment Love was confirmed to be sidelined for Week 2. Josh Jacobs had his work cut out for him, but he made the most of it by running a total of 151 rushing yards on 32 carries.
However, Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber noted that his production struggled to keep up throughout the game. In the third quarter, Jacobs had a net positive gain of one yard in four attempts, clearly showing that he was exhausted from carrying the ball.
Huber explained why Love was necessary for LaFleur’s Packers:
Without Love, everyone in Lambeau Field knew the Packers were going to run the football. The Colts only stacked the box on 23.4 percent of Green Bay’s non-Willis runs, so it wasn’t as if the Packers were consistently outnumbered at the point of attack. There just wasn’t much room to maneuver after the first half.
A run defined as a “success” keeps the offense on schedule, such as a first-and-10 run that gains 4 yards. Of 32 players with at least 10 carries in Week 2, Jacobs ranks 18th in success rate at 50.0 percent. However, he was 3-of-12 (25.0 percent) in the second half.
Green Bay Packers fans better hope their star QB will be back on the roster soon before their offense becomes all the more predictable.
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