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Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a simple idea for what his offense needs to do to get better after Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets.
Be more simple.
“Simpler. Simpler. Simplify some things,” Rodgers said moments after the 27-10 defeat.
The Packers scored just three points on eight possessions in the first half and just 10 total points on 13 drives. Green Bay’s struggling offense has contributed to a 3-3 start after six games, including back-to-back losses to the New York teams.
Rodgers, who took four sacks, elaborated slightly on his message when asked for details later.
“All of it. I don’t want to get too specific,” Rodgers said. “I’m not attacking anything, but based on how we’ve played the last two weeks, I think it’s going to be in our best interest to simplify things for everybody. For the line, the backs, the receivers. Especially with (Randall Cobb’s) injury. Simplify some things, and maybe that will help us get back on track.”
Rodgers thinks the Packers offense is making “simple mistakes on complex plays,” creating the continued in-game inconsistency.
“Very inconsistent which is why I think we need to simplify some things. On the couple of drives we moved the ball, it was very simple things. Very simple plays. No motion. We need to look at everything, the guys we got, and the things we can accomplish with them. No one works harder than Matt with the plan each week…but if it’s not working, it’s not because those guys aren’t grinding.”
Rodgers said the scheme is “really good” but the “execution” from players hasn’t been good enough, so the Packers need to dial it back and do less. In fact, this isn’t a new issue.
“It’s always been like this. When we struggle, we’re doing too much,” Rodgers said. “When we get into problems, we try and do too much…this isn’t a new thing…There are times when we need to reign it in a little bit, let’s simplify some things. Make sure our guys are playing with more confidence.”
It’s a simple idea for a complex problem, but the evaluation from Rodgers matches what the Packers have put on tape through six games. The scheme is good and works, but this collection of players can’t consistently execute the scheme and individuals are making simple mistakes, which is dooming plays and leading to ongoing inconsistency.
Can dialing it back on offense make everything easier for the Packers? Rodgers admitted he needs to play a “tick” better moving forward. Maybe playing a simpler version of the LaFleur offense will allow everyone on offense to play a tick better.
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