Packers Fall Flat

The Green Bay Packers are used to playing into January. Unless there is drastic improvement, they might not be playing meaningful games in December.

The Washington Commanders handed the Packers their third consecutive loss, 23-21, on Sunday at FedEx Field. As usual, Green Bay’s offense was terrible. As usual, Green Bay’s defense wilted in the second half.

What’s not usual? The Packers are 3-4. They were 13-3, 13-3 and 13-4 in coach Matt LaFleur’s first three seasons. After not losing back-to-back games in the same regular season in LaFleur’s first three seasons, they’ve lost three consecutive games.

The trade deadline is Nov. 1. The Packers need help, especially at receiver. At the same time, does it even matter?

The Packers raced to a 14-3 lead and then ran into a pit of quicksand with a concrete wall in front of them. The Aaron Rodgers-led Packers offense didn’t cross 100 yards until the final play of the third quarter. At that point, that 11-point lead had become a 20-14 deficit.

On fourth-and-1 with the Packers close to scoring position early in the fourth quarter, receiver Sammy Watkins didn’t block anyone and Romeo Doubs dropped a receiver screen because of it.

Following the turnover-on-downs, a 26-yard completion to Curtis Samuel – Rasul Douglas missed a tackle and Eric Stokes was guilty of a stupid unnecessary-roughness penalty to tack on another 15 yards – set up the Commanders for a chip-shot field goal and nine-point lead with 6:40 remaining.

The teams combined for a woeful 87 net passing yards, the lowest amount in the league this season.