The Green Bay Packers’ Aerial Struggles Heading into the Playoffs

For much of their recent history, the Green Bay Packers have been known for their high-powered passing offense. But as they head into the postseason, there are concerning signs that their aerial attack may not be as sharp as in years past. Despite a roster built for offensive success, the passing game has sputtered in the final stretch of the regular season, creating uncertainty ahead of their critical playoff matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.

A Struggling Passing Attack: A Stark Contrast to Expectations

The Packers’ passing offense, once a hallmark of their success, has shown signs of stagnation. Over the last three games of the regular season, the Packers managed only two passing touchdowns, averaging a mere 190.6 passing yards per game. This dip in production is especially puzzling given the offensive talent on the roster. While the rushing attack has carried the team, this shift has been unexpected and troubling for a franchise that has relied on its aerial prowess for years.

Quarterback Jordan Love voiced his frustration after the team’s loss to the Chicago Bears, acknowledging the missed opportunities and lack of execution. “It’s definitely been a little stagnant. It feels like we’re just missing right now,” Love said. “We’re missing on some of these opportunities that before we were hitting on. We just have to go out there and make plays. I have to be great with accuracy, ball placement, and everything. There’s a lot of stuff that we’ll clean up. If this is a playoff game, we’re going home right now. We’ve got to find a way to make those plays, execute, and stay on the field as an offense, put up more points.”

Head Coach Matt LaFleur’s Challenge: Rebuilding the Passing Game

As the Packers head into their postseason game, Head Coach Matt LaFleur has remained tight-lipped about how he plans to get the passing offense back on track. However, he hasn’t shied away from acknowledging the urgency of the situation. “It hasn’t been good. Credit to the Bears, they did an excellent job. It’s extremely frustrating right now,” LaFleur admitted. “It’s something we’re going to need to take a deep dive into, and we have been, it’s not like it’s anything new. But we gotta do a better job.”

LaFleur’s admission underscores the seriousness of the issue: the Packers can’t afford to go into their playoff game against the Eagles without addressing their offensive struggles. While the team has the talent to compete at a high level, they must find a way to click, particularly in the passing game, if they hope to make a deep playoff run.

The Numbers Don’t Lie: Potential is There, but Execution is Lacking

Heading into Week 18, the Packers ranked sixth in Expected Points Added (EPA) per dropback and 14th in dropback success rate, suggesting that the potential to succeed through the air is still very much there. However, despite these promising numbers, the lack of consistent execution has been evident in the final games of the regular season. The team’s passing offense simply hasn’t been able to capitalize on its opportunities, and this could prove to be their downfall if they don’t fix the issues quickly.

A Critical Moment: Can the Packers Find Their Rhythm?

With the playoffs now upon them, the Packers’ passing game is under the microscope. The struggles of the past few weeks cannot carry over into their game against the Eagles, who are one of the top teams in the league. The Packers must quickly clean up their mistakes and rediscover the rhythm that made them a dangerous offensive force earlier in the season.

As playoff football approaches, the stakes are higher than ever for Green Bay. While their rushing game can only take them so far, the Packers will need their passing attack to regain its form if they want to have a legitimate shot at advancing deep into the postseason. Time is running out, but there is still hope that the Packers can turn things around and find the offensive spark they’ve been missing.