The Green Bay Packers are 2-3 and riding a two-game losing streak entering the Week 6 bye. Matt LaFleur’s offense has been inconsistent and mistake prone, and the defense has blown two fourth-quarter leads. Over the last three games, the Packers were outscored 54-6 in the first half, and Jordan Love has thrown six interceptions.
But not everything has been a ball of frustration for the young Packers.
Buy Packers TicketsHere are five pleasant surprises from LaFleur’s team after five games:
Anders Carlson's perfection
The ups and downs of Carlson’s summer presented legitimate worry over the rookie’s ability to consistently convert field goal opportunities come the regular season. Through five games, Carlson has helped put those worries to bed. He’s a perfect 7-for-7 on field goals and 10-for-10 on extra points. He’s even made two field goals over 50 yards, so not everything has been easy even if five of his field goals have come from 40 yards or in. This early stretch of excellence from Carlson should provide a bedrock of confidence should the rookie fall onto hard times at any point during the 2023 season.
Rudy Ford's impact plays
Rudy Ford is quietly enjoying a strong season. He has an interception leading to points in back-to-back games, and he’s made or assisted on 37 tackles with only two misses. Per PFF, Ford has 18 tackles against the run, which leads all NFL defensive backs. On top of the two interceptions, Ford also has two forced incompletions and five run “stops,” or tackles creating a defeat for the offense. In terms of overall grade at PFF, Ford ranks 17th among safeties with at least 180 snaps played. He’s been an above average starter at safety, a position that looked dire entering the 2023 season.
Rashan Gary's incredibly efficient and disruptive return
The Packers are still working Gary back into being a full-time player after he tore his ACL last November. But even in a limited role, Gary has been one of the NFL’s most brutally efficient pass-rushers to start the 2023 season. Over 78 pass-rushing snaps, Gary has produced a team-high 20 pressures, and he’s one of only two NFL edge rushers to create at least 20 pressures on fewer than 100 pass-rushing snaps. His pass-rush win rate trails only Myles Garrett among edge rushers. It wouldn’t have been abnormal for Gary to start slow coming off a major injury, but he’s been nothing short of terrific, and his production should only increase as he grows stronger and plays more snaps. Expect a new contract before the end of the season.
Jayden Reed's big plays
While kept in check on Monday night in Las Vegas, Reed did start his NFL career with at least one 30-yard catch or a touchdown catch in each of his first four games. The second-round pick has 13 catches for 230 yards. He’s second among rookies in receiving yards from the slot and eighth in yards per route run. The big plays are a big reason why. Reed caught a 30-yard pass on 3rd-and-10 to set up a score in Week 1, caught two touchdown passes on well-designed red-zone plays in Week 2, caught a 30-yard pass to set up the game-winning score in Week 3 and caught a 44-yard pass to set up a touchdown in Week 4. His vertical speed from the slot is an asset. Although Christian Watson is back, the Packers must continue to find ways of giving Reed opportunities to make plays down the field.
Third quarter dominance
While the Packers have really struggled in the first half of games, especially over the last three weeks, Matt LaFleur’s team has come charging out of the gates in the third quarter. The Packers rank first in the NFL at 9.2 points per game in the third quarter, and Green Bay is out-scoring teams 46-11 in the third quarter through five games. The +35 point differential in the third quarter is far and away No. 1 in the NFL. But the Packers can’t play one good quarter a game and expect to win during most weeks. Figuring out what is working to start the second half — and how to implement what they find across the other three quarters — has to be a top priority during the bye.
