3 lessons learned in Packers’ loss to Washington

The Green Bay Packers are stuck in a time loop.

For three straight weeks they’ve been asked (and answered) the same questions over and over again: Are you worried? Will this team bounce back? What does this loss say about this year’s team? Why didn’t Aaron Jones get the ball more? Where’s the disconnect?

Green Bay continues publicly sharing a theme of calm and trust in the system. But the truth is this team looks completely lost and disjointed. If there’s anything we learned from their loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday, it’s the following three lessons.

These three lessons were carved in stone when the Green Bay Packers lost their third straight game on Sunday, this time against Washington.

1. Packers has no resilience.

Green Bay came out of the gates feeling themselves. Rasul Douglas and Jaire Alexander couldn’t stop making plays and couldn’t stop talking after the plays they made. They brought the swagger the defense has been missing for some time and the energy level was noticeably different.

Then one thing went Washington’s way–Amari Rodgers’ fumbled punt–and the Packers never recovered. The defense held the Commanders to a field goal on that possession, but the game had already turned. Washington made a few plays as the game went on. Green Bay’s defenders shrunk into their shell. A microcosm of the entire team’s mentality. Suddenly, it was the Washington playmakers talking trash and feeling themselves.

We’ve seen this multiple times this year alone. It’s also been a theme throughout Matt LaFleur’s tenure. At this point, we have to accept it for what it is.

2. Packers’ offensive scheme is broken.

The Packers look completely lost on offense. They failed to convert a third or fourth down against the Commanders–the first time that’s happened since the Brett Favre era in 1999. Aaron Rodgers’ accuracy is awful and his ability to find open receivers is even worse. He’s placing blame on everyone but himself.

Sure, they don’t have the same level of playmakers they had in the past. That’s not an excuse for being this bad. LaFleur and Rodgers have different philosophies and we are seeing that battle play out on the field. Something needs to change.

3. Packers don’t know who they are.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. That does not apply to the Packers, as they don’t have a skillset to fall back on during the most difficult times. Offensively, they can’t nor want to run the ball consistently. Their offensive line has struggled this year. Rodgers and the receivers aren’t producing. What do they do well?

Defensively, they are all over the place. They can’t nor want to stop the run consistently. Their secondary hasn’t lived up to the hype and is inconsistent in their play. Their pass rush only comes from a few players. This is a team without an identity as we near the halfway point to the season.