GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers have learned the hard way how dramatically an NFL team’s fortunes can change in a week or two.
The Packers had the NFC’s best winning percentage after beating
the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 26. Just two games later, they’re looking up at the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears in the NFC North standings.
“We’ve got a special team,” running back Josh Jacobs said after the Packers’ 10-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. “I don’t think nobody in this building or this locker room has given up belief in each other and what we can do and what we feel like we can do. It’s not the end of the world. But with that being said, we do have to have a sense of urgency.”
The loss to the Eagles followed a surprising 16-13 home defeat against the Carolina Panthers. If the season ended today, the Packers (5-3-1) would have the NFC’s seventh and final playoff seed for a third straight year. They're a half-game behind Detroit and Chicago in the division race.
That’s not what Green Bay expected when it acquired Micah Parsons, believing an elite pass rusher could help a consistent playoff team develop into a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
“Honestly, it’s just super frustrating,” Parsons said. “But it’s just one of them things, like we’re going to win together, we’re going to lose together, regardless of the outcome, and just being there for our teammates, regardless of who’s playing better or which side is playing better.”
Parsons and the defense have done their part. The Packers rank fifth in the NFL in scoring defense and seventh in total defense.
The Packers haven’t given up more than 16 points in any of their three losses. The problem is they’ve scored 13 points or fewer in each of those games. They fell 13-10 at the Cleveland Browns before this current skid.
Parsons said there’s no reason for panic and that the Packers would start winning consistently once they start playing to their standard again. He believes the offense will get going again soon.
“My confidence is still high,” Parsons said. “I got Jordan Love at quarterback. I got Josh Jacobs at running back. We’re banged up at wide receiver, but we’ve still got (Romeo) Doubs, (Dontayvion) Wicks. We’ve got the weapons.”
One week after allowing Carolina's Rico Dowdle to rush for 130 yards and two touchdowns, the Packers limited All-Pro selection Saquon Barkley to 60 yards on 22 carries. The Eagles gained just 3.3 yards per rush as a team. ... The Packers have yielded a total of 285 yards passing over their last two games.
The offense continues to struggle whenever it gets beyond midfield. The Packers reached Eagles territory without scoring on five separate series. A week earlier, Green Bay got inside the Carolina 35 on five of its first six possessions but parlayed that into only two field goals. ... The offensive line struggled for much of the night, as Green Bay had just 104 yards rushing and Love was sacked three times.
LB Quay Walker had two tackles for loss. ... LB Edgerrin Cooper has forced two fumbles over his last three games. ... On a night when the Packers had trouble producing any big plays, WR Christian Watson had catches of 20 and 25 yards. He also had a 22-yard reception that was nullified by a penalty.
Love has no touchdown passes in his last two games. ... Even with an injury to Matthew Golden limiting Green Bay's receiving depth, WR Malik Heath still played just 20 snaps, his lowest total since Sept. 28 at Dallas. WR/CB Bo Melton, who has practiced primarily on defense this year, played more offensive snaps (26) than Heath. ... After setting season highs in catches (7) and yards receiving (91) against Carolina, WR Romeo Doubs had just one 5-yard reception on four targets before leaving late in the game with a chest injury.
C Elgton Jenkins left with an ankle injury. “It doesn't sound promising,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said about it after the game. WR Matthew Golden (shoulder), DL Lukas Van Ness (foot) and CB Nate Hobbs (knee) didn’t play.
40/800 — Green Bay is the first team since the 1940 Detroit Lions to allow a total of under 40 points and 800 yards in its first three losses, according to Sportradar. The Packers have given up 39 points and 780 yards in those three games.
Green Bay leaves home to face the New York Giants (2-8) on Sunday in their first game since the firing of coach Brian Daboll. Mike Kafka, who had been Daboll's offensive coordinator, is the Giants' interim head coach.
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