The Green Bay Packers should be really proud of themselves right now. They saw Las Vegas favor the Caleb Williams-less Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field, and they responded with one of the best games of the Matt LaFleur era.
The defense smothered both Bears quarterbacks; the defensive backs were draped all over their playmakers; and the offense stayed ahead of the chains for the full 60 minutes. It was a near-perfect, well-rounded performance in all three facets.
However, even the best things can be improved, and while the team's errors didn't come back to bite them this time, LaFleur and company can't look the other way: the Packers must do something about Trey Smack and MarShawn Lloyd.
MarShawn Lloyd and Trey Smack were two weak links for the Packers
Jordan Love had his best game of the season, completing 25 of 31 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns in the 31-7 win. He layered throws, pushed the ball downfield, and kept defensive backs on their heels with big throws to Christian Watson and Matthew Golden.
The running game, however, didn't do him any favors. Once again, MarShawn Lloyd failed to show the quick twitch and explosiveness Packers coaches raved about for so long, averaging just 3.1 yards per carry.
Lloyd's season-long woes have officially become a concern. He did score twice, but he was inefficient on the ground, and he's averaging just 2.8 yards per attempt this season. He's also fumbled twice, losing one.
The Packers desperately need Josh Jacobs back in the fold, but there's still no word on when or if that will happen this season. An improved offensive line should help, but there's not much to do with Lloyd's lack of patience and vision. The only thing going in his favor is that Kaleb Johnson hasn't been much better.
Then, there's Smack.
Trey Smack ran away with the placekicker spot in the preseason, and it looked like the Packers' woes at the position were finally a thing of the past. Then, when the Packers had the perfect opportunity to humiliate their most hated rivals, he left seven points on the field.
It was odd to watch him miss a PAT and two field goals, both of which would've been routine kicks for most kickers. He's even made several 50-yarders this season, so it's not like he doesn't have the range for that.
Smack is now up to three missed field goals this season, all in the 40-49-yard range. He's missed two of his 11 PATs as well. He looked like a problem-solver just a month ago, but one can only wonder how long a leash the Packers will give him if he struggles again in Week 6.
The Packers have plenty of reasons to celebrate, but to quote the late great Kobe Bryant: 'Job's not finished.' It's time to get back in the lab, watch the tape, and fix what must be fixed, even if that means looking for outside help.
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