LANDOVER, MD, (WTAQ) – Halloween is still a week away but the Green Bay Packers went to sleep in London and the nightmares are getting more severe as Daniel Jones, Zach Wilson and now Taylor Heinicke have all played the part of Freddy Krueger to upset a whiz kid Head Coach and a reigning two-time Most Valuable Player. The Washington Commanders sent the 2022 season into an even deeper funk with a 23-21 victory at Fed Ex Field on Sunday.
With a receiver corps beset by comings and goings, a starting offensive line that had to be settled at the last minute like spilling names out of a Yahtzee cup and a resistance to utilize a proven playmaker at running back, Green Bay’s offense hit new lows, managing just 76 yards by halftime (still with a lead), gaining only 38 yards on the ground against a defense that had been giving up 131 a game, going 0 for 6 on third down, the first O-fer since 1999, while scoring one touchdown in the opening quarter and another with too little time to make a difference.
Green Bay’s defense finally came up with a takeaway, a big one in De’Vondre Campbell’s 62 yard pick six for a 14-3 lead but once again, couldn’t get the stops when needed most. Terry McLaurin just plain beat Jaire Alexander on a terrific 37 yard touchdown catch to put the Commanders in front early in the third quarter. Washington then moved 72 yards in 8:48 and 61 yards in 4:42 to set up the final two Joey Slye field goals to make it 20 unanswered points.
The first two game losing streak for LaFleur is now a three game slide. They are under .500 seven games in for the first time since 2006. Scary.
How was this one explained away? LaFleur’s post-game press conference lasted all of four and a half minutes. Here’s 25% of it:
The offense lost Randall Cobb to an ankle injury last week, Christian Watson still hasn’t shaken off his latest hamstring injury but Sammy Watkins returned. Allen Lazard did have six receptions for 55 yards before leaving with a shoulder injury leaving Watson to shoulder the load with Romeo Doubs, Amari Rodgers and Samori Toure making his season debut.
The offensive line was thrown for a late week curve when David Bakhtiari was downgraded to questionable on Saturday with a sore knee. After a pre-game workout, it was determined he couldn’t go, hitting the inactive list. That forced the Packers to start rookie Zach Tom at left tackle, they moved Elton Jenkins back to left guard, swapped Jon Runyan over to right guard and had Yosh Nijman play right tackle for the first time since college. Only center Josh Myers was in his comfortable home. Washington played things straight up, rarely blitzing, playing with four rushers, letting 7 cover everything else primarily in zone and the jumbled offensive mess still couldn’t do anything.
Aaron Jones was determined on the first couple of series, getting seven total touches. Creative pitches to the edge and an in tight quarters screen that produced a four yard touchdown. He would get 9 more touches the rest of the way.
Doubs had a particularly rough day, zero catches on 4 targets with two drops. One was on a 4th and one wide screen that Kamren Curl finished after Watkins ran right past him on a different route instead of blocking.
Penalties continue to creep up. Nijman had a hold to stall a drive at the end of the first. There was an illegal formation call against Lazard. If not for defensive penalties against Washington, the Packers might not have pulled to within 2 late. Three first downs were awarded on flags before Rodgers, rolling left, threw a pretty ball that Jones pulled in with a skilled grab for the 21 yard touchdown with 3:26 left.
Dysfunction was evident everywhere. Beyond Lazard and Jones, Rodgers said they just aren’t getting a lot of help:
Rodgers finished 23 of 35 for 194 yards and two scores. The makeshift line didn’t allow a sack. The passer rating was 99.0. Jones had a team high 23 yards rushing on 8 carries, Dillon gained 15 on 4. Jones was also the top receiver with 9 catches for 53 yards. They were able to possess the ball for a measly 22:53.
As for the defense. Washington piled up 166 rushing yards. Brian Robinson had 73, Antonio Gibson picked up 59 and even receiver Curtis Samuel took a couple of pitches for 26. Heinicke stood tall under pressure which came often but got home only once, a Kingsley Enagbare sack. Too often he found escape or check down routes that hurt. McLaurin not only made the great TD catch, a 12 yard hookup late against Alexander picked up a huge first down and helped drain the clock to near zero.
While Campbell’s play was outstanding, Alexander and Rasul Douglas both had catchable interceptions. As the frustration mounted, the discipline waned. When Rashan Gary forced a Heinicke fumble that Douglas picked up and scored with a 62 yard return, Eric Stokes was called for illegal contact on the other side of the field to take it off the board. Thankfully, points were averted when Slye hit the upright from 47. Late in the game, Stokes compounded things with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after a 26 yard catch and run from Samuel that led to Washington’s clinching three points.
Another special teams miscue also contributed to three points as Amari Rodgers muffed a first quarter punt that Washington recovered at the 17 and set up their first three points.
Heinicke hit 20 of 33 passes for 201 yards and two scores with the Campbell pick, good for a rating of 85.5. McLaurin wound up with 5 receptions for 73 yards.
Other injuries of note, Gary had to leave with a concussion and Kenny Clark hobbled off late with an undisclosed injury.
The inactives were Bakhtiari, Watson, Jonathan Garvin, Luke Tenuta and Jonathan Ford.
A frightening Halloween weekend awaits as the 3-4 Packers now travel to Buffalo to face the 6-1 Bills, coming off a bye in Orchard Park next Sunday in front of a national audience. Rodgers still believes and says going there to play the Bills (and presumably playing much better), might be the best thing for us.
Hope they wake up by then or sequel number four to the nightmare is coming.
