Packers Notebook (Dec. 27)

OK isn’t OK this time around

A couple years ago, AT&T ran a series of commercials with the tagline of “Just OK’s not OK.”

The Green Bay Packers played OK in beating the Carolina Panthers 24-16 on Dec. 19. Just OK won’t be OK against the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 27.

“I think we just haven’t put together a four-quarter game,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after the Carolina game. “We’ve had some really good stretches, but just not four quarters of football way too many times. We had a couple of good quarters and a couple stinkers. That’s just not consistent, winning football. So, we’ve got to figure out offensively what happened there in the second half and get ready for a good football team coming in.”

The Titans reached the AFC Championship Game last season, and they’ve showed that success was no fluke. Led by hard-charging running back Derrick Henry, efficient quarterback Ryan Tannehill and the big-play receiver tandem of A.J. Brown and Corey Davis, their offense is as good as any in the NFL. Their defense, much like Green Bay’s, has made enough plays.

Offensively, the Packers will need to play with their typical efficiency in what could be a shootout against the Titans. Green Bay scored touchdowns on its first three possessions against the Panthers before the offense fell asleep at the wheel and almost swerved into the ditch.

On those three scoring drives, the Packers gained 197 yards, picked up 13 first downs and scored 21 points. On the next seven possessions, Green Bay gained only 95 yards, picked up seven first downs and scored only three points.

What went wrong? Everything.

“We started off good on third down, and then we couldn’t hit a third down,” Rodgers said. “We didn’t run it as well. They played very soft in the secondary and couldn’t find a way to get Davante (Adams) involved a little bit more, which I think hurt some of our production. There were a couple of breakdowns in protection.”

Otherwise, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?

“We’re happy we won,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “Would rather come out of this with a win and have stuff to clean up than on the other side of this thing. You’d feel really, really crappy then.”

Rodgers’ streaks of eight consecutive games with 105-plus passer ratings and two-plus touchdown passes ended. So did Adams’ NFL-record streak of eight consecutive games with six-plus receptions and at least one touchdown. The Packers yielded a season-high five sacks after giving up a total of five sacks the previous six games.

Aside from running back Aaron Jones, who rushed for 145 yards, and a third-down completion to Allen Lazard that set up Mason Crosby’s 51-yard field goal, there weren’t many positives on offense.

“We know we need to play our best football when the playoffs come around,” LaFleur said. “You know, we’re so far from that right now. We’ve got a great, great Tennessee Titans team coming in here next week, and one that I’m very, very familiar with. I know what type of brand of ball they play. They are going to play physical, smashmouth football. And they have got a lot of weapons on both sides of the ball and our guys (have) to get ready to play a tough, physical game. There’s no doubt about it.”

On the bright side

The Packers entered the Panthers’ game on pace to allow almost 400 points. In franchise history, that was a dubious number reached only five times.

While that would seem to be a black eye on Mike Pettine’s defense, the reality is this season has been a different one for coordinators around the NFL. In fact, statistically one of the worst defenses in franchises history was actually right in the middle of the pack in the NFL. That’s not acceptable after finishing ninth in points allowed last season but it does provide some context.

“Yeah, it’s certainly been a transition,” Pettine said. “What you looked at as far as what you would accept as far as points and percentages and certain stats and yards, that certainly has changed.”

In 2017, Green Bay ranked 26th in the NFL with 24.0 points allowed per game. Before the Carolina game, Green Bay ranked 16th in the NFL with 24.8 points allowed per game.

The lack of fans has been a major and obvious factor. Meanwhile, officials have turned a blind eye to offensive holding. The five-year average for offensive holding penalties is 717. This year, the pace is 486. That’s a dip of one-third. What has that meant? For one, about 200 fewer first-and-20s than last year.

“It can be frustrating at times, knowing the offense has the upper hand,” Pettine said.

Pettine’s defense had the upper hand against Carolina. While it allowed a lot of yards, it limited the Panthers to just one touchdown. One of the worst red-zone defenses throughout the season, Green Bay kept them out of the end zone on four of five trips inside the 20. Highlighting that was Krys Barnes’ critical forced fumble of Teddy Bridgewater’s sneak at the goal line.

“I just think we’re improving each and every week,” safety Adrian Amos said. “Everybody is looking at themselves and seeing where they can be better. Personally, I’m just trying to be fast to the ball, find more ways to be effective and help the defense be great. I think there was a lot of good performances tonight on defense. I think we’re getting closer and closer to playing our best play.

“This is the time in the season where you want to start playing your best ball leading into the playoffs, getting that momentum into the playoffs and being stout on defense. Because that’s what matters a lot at the end of the season, playoff time, how your defense is playing.”

Record-setting Rodgers

Rodgers’ lone touchdown pass, to tight end Robert Tonyan on the opening possession, was his 40th of the season. He became the first player in NFL history with three seasons of 40-plus touchdowns, having accomplished the feat in 2011 and 2016, as well.

Rodgers, disappointed in the overall performance, wasn’t in a celebratory mood.

“It’s good to get that while Pat’s still young. I’m sure he’ll be bumping up that number pretty quick,” Rodgers said of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the fourth-year pro who is on track for his second 40-touchdown season. “Anytime you do something that nobody’s done before, it’s pretty special. I understand the history of the league.

“It’s a little bittersweet, though. Tonight, as fun as the first couple quarters were, it’s not going to be the easiest night of sleep thinking about the second half.”

Crosby kicks

For the second consecutive week, Mason Crosby dialed long distance for a big-time field goal. Last week, his 57-yard field goal provided key insurance points for the victory at Detroit. On Saturday, he drilled a 51-yard field goal through the Green Bay chill to give Green Bay an 11-point lead.

Which kick was more difficult? The one at Detroit because of the distance? Or the one at Lambeau Field because of the elements?

“I was actually thinking that toward the end of the game,” Crosby said. “The hardest thing, I think, about my job sometimes is a game like this where I didn’t kick the whole third quarter and three-quarters of the fourth, then you’ve got to go out there and hit that kick. That’s part of the gig. Whenever my number’s called, I’ve got to go out there and execute.

“Just can’t say enough about this team and the way we battle and getting in those positions so we can continue to take that lead, get a two-score lead and go out and close the game off.”