Although it wasn't their most aesthetically pleasing game, the Green Bay Packers still managed to claw their way to a gritty 20-17 overtime victory over the New York Jets to bounce back from their disastrous first game in Minnesota.
It's not often that a team wins a game in which they were held under 200 total yards and were outgained by 86 yards, yet the Packers executed in the fourth quarter and overtime to re-establish themselves as a resilient team on both sides of the field. This puts them in a three-way tie for the No. 2 seed in the NFC North, with Chicago and Detroit both losing their second game of the season.
There's a lot for Green Bay to learn about its outlook going forward, and some tough adjustments they might be forced into as they find their identity this season.
1. Kaleb Johnson has a real shot to steal MarShawn Lloyd's starting job.
Second-year running back Kaleb Johnson came to the Packers for pennies on the dollar this offseason after nearly being cut by Pittsburgh. Expectations for his first season in Green Bay were low, but he's already giving MarShawn Lloyd a run for the starting position.
The 23-year-old Johnson outgained Lloyd by 12 yards on two more rushing attempts (8 to 6), but Lloyd gave up a fumble in the contest and, frankly, struggled to stand out in a contest where Green Bay sorely needed him. With respect to Lloyd, the Packers might need to make a tough choice if their performance keeps trending in this direction.
2. Jordan Love needs to do a better job of getting rid of the ball while under pressure.
We give starting quarterback Jordan Love a lot of leniency, largely because he's earned it. But that doesn't mean he can afford to ease off the gas pedal, because he has plenty of room to improve. One simple yet meaningful way to do that is by learning how to get rid of the ball faster when under pressure.
Love took three sacks from a tough New York defensive front and was lucky not to lose more than nine yards in the process. Green Bay's offensive line clearly has a lot of work, and that's far from Love's fault. But knowing the situation he's in, he needs to get rid of the ball quicker to save his team from humiliation.
3. Green Bay's defensive line is still beastly without Micah Parsons.
No Micah? No problem. The Packers' defense overcame a tough Jets offensive line to pick up four sacks, pushing Geno Smith back 29 yards to stymie New York's offense on multiple occasions. Linebacker Lukas Van Ness played a huge part in that effort with four quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks, but six different Packers contributed a tackle for loss in this one.
Needless to say, this Packers defense looks like it'll be able to hold the line until Micah Parsons is ready to get back on the field.
4. Trey Smack can rise to the occasion under pressure.
Through unpredictable wind and scattered rainfall, rookie kicker Trey Smack showed no fear. The sixth-round draft pick by Green Bay made both of his field goal attempts, including the 26-yard attempt that he nailed to secure the Packers' overtime win. It takes guts to nail a kick like that, with as much pressure as possible, with the weather working against him.
Slowly but surely, Smack is earning the trust of Green Bay's coaching staff and a fanbase that's been scorned by its kickers since the heyday of Mason Crosby.
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