How did the Green Bay Packers give up 29 unanswered points to an offense quarterbacked by Carson Wentz?
Short fields had a lot to do with it. And those short fields were created by Minnesota’s superiority in the trenches.
Smarting from a tough loss to their longtime rival, the Packers are still addressing their offensive line ahead of a trip to the potentially improved New York Jets on Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J.
Packers starting left guard Aaron Banks was unable to play in the season opener while battling left knee tendinitis. He was limited in practice Wednesday and head coach Matt LaFleur is not committing midweek to any specific alignment up front.
Banks’ absence can’t fully explain how the Packers (0-1) gave up 15 quarterback hits and four sacks of Jordan Love, including a strip-sack that set up a one-play, 1-yard touchdown drive for the Vikings as they rallied in the second half to win 39-22.
Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich, who served as offensive line coach before his promotion in 2022, said the Packers will need to determine the best five-man combination to start this week.
“I’m not gonna freak out or overreact or anything like that,” Stenavich said. “This is the first game of a 17-game season. We just gotta make sure we keep improving, we keep focusing on the things that we can control.”
Worth noting per ESPN, the Packers had a pass-block win rate of just 9%, ranked dead last in the NFL in Week 1. Next up is a Jets team with a pass-rush win rate of 65% in Week 1, ranking third in the league.
And when Jets head coach Aaron Glenn was the Lions’ defensive coordinator from 2021-24, Detroit went 6-2 against Green Bay.
“They’re gonna get hands on you at all three levels,” LaFleur said of the Jets. “They’re just a really scrappy, competitive group and I think (Glenn) does a good job schematically presenting different challenges.”
Some of the heat for the Week 1 loss belongs to Green Bay’s defense. The Packers have been outscored 90-15 in the fourth quarter and overtime over the past six games dating to last season. Minnesota scored touchdowns on four consecutive offensive possessions.
There is still an adjustment in progress for the personnel on that side of the ball with a defensive coordinator change from Jeff Hafley to Jonathan Gannon.
“You’re not going to win many games giving up 39 points,” Gannon said.
New York (1-0) held the Tennessee Titans to 195 yards in a 23-10 road win to start the season. No. 2 overall draft pick David Bailey had four tackles with one sack in his debut.
“I think each week we’re trying to make a statement. It doesn’t matter who it is,” Glenn said. “I think we all know our history and we’re trying to change that history.”
Geno Smith began his second stint as a Jet in promising fashion, completing 19 of 24 throws for 215 yards, and Breece Hall amassed 102 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
No. 1 wide receiver Garrett Wilson believes the Jets’ forlorn fan base has reason to show up for this home opener.
“They always bring the energy opening day,” Wilson said, “and the fact that we got a really good team, really good organization coming in in the Packers makes it that much better. And we’re coming off a dub. Like I said, we haven’t been 1-0, coming back home playing a game, that hasn’t been our reality here.”
The main concern coming out of New York’s season opener was health. Injuries to rookie wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle sprain) and veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (groin strain) early in the game leave a mark on the depth chart. Glenn said Fitzpatrick, Cooper, kick returner Kene Nwangwu (back) and edge rusher Joseph Ossai (foot) are week-to-week.
Rookie cornerback D’Angelo Ponds (calf), cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (shoulder) and linebacker Jamien Sherwood (knee) were limited in Wednesday’s practice.
The Jets, owners of the longest active playoff drought in the four major North American sports, haven’t started a season 2-0 since 2015.
“Each week, we’re trying to make a statement. It doesn’t matter who (the opponent) is,” said Glenn, who played defensive back for the Jets from 1994-2001. “I think we all know our history, and we’re trying to change our history.”
