Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur says he’s open to making changes to an offensive line that had no answers for Minnesota’s furious pass rush during another fourth-quarter collapse.
But he noted the importance of settling on a starting five soon to build cohesiveness. Green Bay’s offensive line was a major concern throughout training camp, in part because injuries prevented the projected starters from working together very often.
“Whatever we do,
we need to make sure that we find continuity as quickly as possible,” LaFleur said Monday, a day after the Packers’ 39-22 loss to the Vikings. “I think that’s part of the problem, is we’ve had a lot of guys in and out of the lineup. I’m not making excuses. It is what it is. You’ve got to find a way to get it done.
"But I do think the more guys play together, typically the better they play together.”
The offensive line’s failings played a major role in Green Bay blowing a 22-10 lead, continuing a habit that haunted the Packers last season.
Counting its 31-27 playoff loss at Chicago last season, Green Bay has dropped six straight games. The Packers hadn’t lost that many in a row since losing their final five games in 1990 and first two contests in 1991.
Left guard Aaron Banks wasn’t available Sunday due to a knee issue. Donovan Jennings made his first career start in Banks’ place at left guard, while right guard Jacob Monk made his second career start. Right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele was limited in camp as he recovered from a partially torn patellar tendon, and Jordan Morgan was starting at left tackle Sunday for just the second time.
Green Bay’s linemen failed to protect quarterback Jordan Love, particularly after Minnesota took the lead in the fourth quarter. Minnesota’s last two touchdown drives started in the red zone after the Vikings got a strip sack and Love threw an interception under pressure.
“What’s disappointing is we had a few protection busts that absolutely should not and cannot happen,” LaFleur said.
Love was sacked four times and pressured all day.
LaFleur decided early in the fourth quarter to take points off the board when the Vikings jumped offside on Trey Smack’s 40-yard field goal. Love got stuffed on fourth-and-1 and Minnesota outscored the Packers 22-0 the rest of the way.
The Packers lost four games last season that they led by at least nine points in the second half. LaFleur was asked Monday if he needs to look at his process regarding halftime adjustments based on Sunday’s results.
“I don’t personally think that was it,” LaFleur said. “It’d be different if they came back with a totally different game plan, but it was the same plan in the second half. They just got to us a few more times.”
Green Bay’s defense produced an adequate pass rush without Micah Parsons, who'll miss at least the Packers’ first four games while recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The Packers sacked Carson Wentz three times. They totaled four sacks in the four games Parsons missed last year.
The Packers committed 12 penalties. ... Green Bay scored a touchdown on just one of its four red-zone possessions and allowed Minnesota to reach the end zone on all four of its trips inside the 20. ... The Packers gained just 3.1 yards per carry.
WR Christian Watson caught six passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns. ... WR Matthew Golden had six catches for 95 yards to set career highs in both categories. ... CB Bo Melton had a 59-yard kickoff return and downed a punt at the 4. ... CB Keisean Nixon had an interception and a half-sack.
The entire starting line of Morgan, Jennings, Sean Rhyan, Monk and Bako-Bewele struggled. ... S Javon Bullard was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the hit that knocked Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray out of the game, then got flagged again for illegal contact to wipe out a third-down sack on Minnesota’s go-ahead touchdown drive.
Aside from Banks' injury, CB Brandon Cisse left with cramps late in the second half.
90-15 — The Packers have been outscored by that margin in the fourth quarter and overtime during this six-game skid that started last November. Over their last two games, they’ve been outscored 47-6 in the fourth quarter.
The Packers are back on the road to face the New York Jets, who are coming off a 23-10 victory at Tennessee. Green Bay plays only one of its first four games at Lambeau Field.
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AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.
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