The Green Bay Packers are 3-2 following an immensely disappointing loss to the New York Giants in London in Week 5. Despite leading by 17 points at one point, the Packers collapsed in the second half and lost 27-22.
The loss, of course, led to a great deal of criticism from the players, fans and NFL analysts. One such analyst, former All-Pro Jeff Saturday, had some very strong words for both Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers. Saturday, of course, has experience playing with Rodgers. He played for the Packers for the final season of his career in 2012.
Since retiring from the NFL, Saturday has become an analyst for ESPN. Earlier this week, on the show “Get Up,” Saturday had this to say:
“You want to talk about common sense isn’t common? Have a 17-point lead and then don’t run the football. And then when the Giants tie you up at 20 go three and out and take like nine seconds off the clock because you throw it three times. That is dumb football. And a team that runs the ball eight times and passes it 17 times in the second half is not a team that’s playing in their strengths. I have a big issue with (what) Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers are doing right now. Because again all these checks you see on the goal line, he hands that ball off and he walks in. I get the blitz and it’s going to be confusing and it’s going to be all these things but at some point you play to your strengths when you have two backs like that. You don’t give AJ Dillon six touches. It just doesn’t fit. And we knew the receivers were going to be at work in progress. So I understand the numbers they are what they are. I think those numbers get better as the season goes but in the interim you have to play to your strengths….right now they don’t have an identity.”
This criticism mirrors much of what has been said about the Packers since their collapse in London. They must increase their focus on running the ball. Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur each made separate comments during this week saying just that. Hopefully it is something that actually sticks with the offense this time.
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