Packers news: Jordan Love needs to play within himself, kicking woes, injury to key wide receiver

The Packers mounted a furious second-half comeback against the Vikings that came up just short in a 31-29 loss. Now Green Bay will be forced to play catchup since they are a full two games behind Minnesota in the race to win the NFC North. Fortunately for everyone at Lambeau Field, the news coming out of the Week 4 matchup isn't all bad for head coach Matt LaFleur and his staff.

Green Bay stumbling out of the block to go down 28-0 was the real story. Getting that far behind a good time like Minnesota is going to be a fatal mistake for any team in the NFL. The Packers know they need to start faster if they want to beat good teams.

The return of Jordan Love at quarterback garnered most of the headlines around the game. He put up big numbers in terms of yards passing and touchdowns. The downside of his performance provides the top Packers news item of the week.

Packers news: Jordan Love needs to play within himself

The Packers offense is going to struggle anytime their star quarterback throws three interceptions. Love looked particularly rusty early in the game where he forced too many throws into tight windows. He paid dearly for taking those chances with turnovers that permitted the Vikings to build a big lead.

It's easy to understand why Love was so anxious to return from injury and produce immediate results for his offense. He was simply too amped up in the first half to avoid making fatal mistakes. To his credit, he let the game come to him in the second half and almost engineered an improbable comeback.

The good news for Green Bay is that Love's performance should even out in the coming weeks. He has an undeniable hold on the starting quarterback position and he will be more comfortable in his own skin in future outings. The key for Love is to remember that he doesn't need to be a savior for the Packers offense. Playing within himself should allow his team to put up big numbers without giving the ball away as the regular season rolls along.

Packers news: Brayden Narveson's days as the starting kicker may be numbered

Plenty of Packers made crucial mistakes in the loss to Minnesota, but Brayden Narveson's two missed kicks in a two-point loss stand out. It's tough to expect a rookie to come in and play perfect football but right now, Narveson is well below-average through four games as a pro.

The rookie missed a 37-yarder on Green Bay's first drive and followed it up later by a miss from 49. Making either kick could have made the outcome much different. The Packers clearly lack his talented leg, but they cannot afford to stick with his inaccuracy much longer.

Narveson may get one more game to prove he's got what it takes to be a starter for a team with legitimate playoff aspirations. If he doesn't look good against the Rams on Sunday afternoon then Green Bay's front office should be holding open tryouts at the kicker position. Narveson has some natural ability but he's not living up to his potential at the moment. His hold on the starting kicker spot is tenuous at best.

Packers news: Christian Watson will miss time, but avoided a serious injury

Christian Watson hasn't been a huge part of Green Bay's aerial attack this season but he is one of the most gifted receivers on the team's roster. That's why team officials held their breath when he was carted off with an ankle injury against Minnesota.

Watson won't be ready to go this week against the Rams, but LaFleur believes his injury will only keep him out of action for a week "or so." The Packers have enough pass-catching depth to survive without Watson in the miss for a short period of time. If his injury had been as severe as some feared on Sunday then it could have put a real strain on the rest of the receiver room.

Dontayvion Wicks and Romeo Doubs should receive even more targets in Watson's absence. Wicks has been particularly impressive in the young season and reeled in five catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns against the Vikings. Doubs' role has been limited compared to what it was a season ago, but he's the sort of possession receiver who can soak up catches in the middle of the field with Love at quarterback.

The key for the Packers and Watson will be to exercise patience to only bring him back into action when his ankle is fully healed. He's a receiver who relies on his athleticism to get open. Losing any amount of speed or quickness would really prevent him from generating the space required to get open against quality man-to-man coverage.

Packers news: Running back reinforcements may be on the way

Josh Jacobs is the No. 1 option at running back for the Packers but the healthy options behind them on the depth chart are not inspiring. That's why the team are working out veteran alternatives this week.

Zonovan Knight and Deon Jackson both got chances to impress the team's coaching staff early this week. It's unclear if either player did enough to earn a contract, but it's a clear message to the running back room that they need to pick up their production.

It's not unusual for teams to work out veterans at this juncture of the season, but bringing in two running backs is a telling sign for Green Bay's front office. They are not satisfied with their ground attack over the first four games.