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The Packers are coming off a big shut-out against the Lions, but most Packer fans aren’t feeling good about the win. Yes, the Packers scored 26 points against the hapless Lions and a reawakened Packer defense held the Lions offense scoreless.
So, why the unsettling feeling about the game? Simple.
Packers/Lions Recap
Lots of good things happened for the Packer in this game. Rodgers continued his high percentage passing. He connected on 29 of the 37 passes he threw. That amounts to a astounding 78% completion rate.
Donald Driver not only broke Sterling Sharp’s record for receptions, he went over 100 yards. Driver caught the ball seven times for 107 yards for a respectable 15.3 yards per catch.
Overall the Packers dominated the Lions.
- Total yards: 435 to 149
- Rushing yards: 107 to 78
- Passing yards: 328 to 71
So, why had this 26-0 shut-out created such a unimpressed response?
For starters, the Packers once again failed to protect Aaron Rodgers. They gave up another 5 sacks for a total of 30 yards against a very weak opponent.
In addition to the sacks, GreenBay repeatedly put the ball on the carpet. Three fumbles by Jackson, Nelson, and Rodgers. One of those fumbles was a turnover, and all of them hurt drives. The Rodgers fumble was just another reminder that the Packers’ offensive line isn’t getting the job done very efficiently yet.
Once again Ryan Grant couldn’t quite push it over the 100 yard mark in the game. He finished the game with only 90 yards against an opponent that (arguably) doesn’t even belong in the NFL at this point.
Despite the shut-out, the Packers still have a lot to clean up.
Packers/Browns Preview
Fortunately, they’ll have another chance to clean up a lot of stuff before hitting a standout opponent. This week the Packers will be taking on the Browns who are probably the worst team in the league at this point in the season.
In fact, the only real weapon the Browns have is Josh Cribbs, their outstanding return man. Against the Steelers this past week, Cribbs returned three kickoffs for an average of 44 yards per return. One of those returns went 98 yards for a touchdown. If the Packer offense continues to have breakdowns, and the special teams struggles, a couple returns for TDs could be a real problem for the Packers.
The Browns also instill Cribbs in their wildcat offense. The wildcat has been doing well for Miami this season and gave the Browns a bit of a spark against the Steelers.
The Browns have been able to muster scores against opponents. They scored 20 against Minnesota, 20 against Cincinnati, and 14 against Pittsburg. All of those teams are quality teams. So, the Packers should definitely not take this Browns team lightly.
In the end, if GreenBay can minimize Cribbs’ stats, they’ll win the game.
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