Criticizing the Packers given their 9-4 record on the season might seem harsh to some. Green Bay still sits three games behind the Lions for the top spot in the NFC North standings and also resides two games behind the Vikings for the No. 2 spot in the division. Clearly, things have not gone according to plan for head coach Matt LaFleur and his staff.
Plenty of things have gone right for the Packers in 2024 but that is not the focus of this piece. Instead, the examination here will be what went wrong for Green Bay. The NFL can come down to fine margins and they've gone against LaFleur's squad this season.
Packers fans searching for answers on why their favorite team has already been relegated to chase a Wild Card berth need look no further. Here are the things thave have derailed Green Bay's 2024 campaign.
Packers weakness No. 1: The pass rush
The idea that Green Bay's edge rushers have let the defense down will come as no surprise to Packers fans reading this list. The group deserves credit for not being a complete disaster, but the absence of a true No. 1 edge rusher has been a huge weakness for coordinator Jeff Hafley's defense.
Rashan Gary leads his unit with 5.5 sacks on the year but that doesn't represent a success for a player with his talent. The fact that no one else on the defense has more than three sacks illustrates just how much trouble Green Bay's had getting opposing quarterbacks on the ground.
The team hoped Lukas Van Ness could blossom into a quality edge-rusher this season but his performance has been sporadic at best. Perhaps more troubling is the lack of anyone from the team's linebacking corps stepping up to become a solid pass-rusher. Quay Walker has chipped in with 2.5 sacks but that's not enough for a team that frequently deploys a 3-4 look on passing downs.
Changes in personnel will come to the Packers' group of edge-rusher in the offseason and those changes can't come soon enough for a defense that wants to play with more aggression. Their inabiliy to produce consistent pressure this seaosn is the biggest reason why they're out of the race to win the NFC North.
Packers weakness No. 2: Jordan Love's interceptions
Jordan Love has enjoyed plenty of high points for the Packers this season, but his propensity to turn the ball over cannot be ignored. The talented signal-caller has thrown 11 interceptions this year and has the highest turnover rate since his rookie season. He's cleaned his turnover problem up lately, but that doesn't change the fact that it cost the Packers wins earlier in 2024.
The good news for Green Bay is that Love's interceptions look more like a blip on the radar of his career rather than a meaningful trend. Some bad luck has been baked in to his interception total. Love will always turn the ball over some because of the risks he takes on deep throws. It's part of what makes him so valuable for his offense.
If anything, the Packers might look to mitigate Love's turnover tendencies by giving him a true No. 1 wideout. He does not currently have a dominant pass-catcher to go to when the stakes are at their highest. It won't be easy for GM Brian Gutekunst and his front office to add a player of that caliber in the offseason but they should still make an effort.
Packers weakness No. 3: Jaire Alexander's health
It's fair to say the Packers have not gotten what they wanted from their No. 1 cornerback this season. Jaire Alexander has only managed to play in seven games and he's exited one of those in the first quarter. His absence has forced other members of the team's secondary to be overexposed in roles they should not be occupying.
There is still time for Alexander to return to the field and prove his worth down the stretch. There's a decent chance he'll be back on the field this week for the Packers. It's still fair to consider whether or not he can be relied upon as a top starter moving forward given his injury record over the past several seasons.
It should not surprise anyone if the Packers strongly consider spending an early-round draft pick on a corner who might be ready to take over for Alexander in a year or two. His time as the franchise's unquestioned No. 1 cover corner are likely over.
Packers weakness No. 4: The lack of a No. 2 running back
Josh Jacobs has performed like a good No. 1 running back this season but Green Bay has overworked him through the first 13 games of the year. He's already racked up 239 carries and no one else on the roster has more than 69.
Part of the weakness here can be chalked up to MarShawn Lloyd's injury. The plan heading into the season was for him to soak up carries behind Jacobs. Injuries have limited the rookie to just one game and six carries on the season.
Green Bay still has time to give Jacobs some added rest down the stretch if they want him to have enough juice to make a deep playoff run. Time will tell if the team has the confidence to do that given their need to win as many games as possible to improve their postseason seeding.