Packers Notebook (at Bears)

Repeat performance incoming?

For the Green Bay Packers, it could be a case of jumping from the frying pan and into the deep frier.

In Sunday night’s loss at Philadelphia, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts rushed for 157 yards. He had 102 yards after the first quarter and 126 yards in the first half before finishing with 157 yards. Had Eagles coach Nick Sirianni been inclined, Hurts might have set the single-game rushing record for a quarterback.

The record was set on Nov. 6 by Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who rushed for 178 yards against Miami.

The Packers are set to play at Chicago on Sunday. Fields sat out last week’s loss to the Jets with an injured left shoulder. Watching the Green Bay defense’s feeble performance against Hurts probably has Fields’ shoulder feeling as good as new.

“That quarterback-run game is a monster, and they did a really good job with it scheming some stuff open,” coach Matt LaFleur said of the Eagles on Monday. “There were times when we weren’t in the best position for our guys. We’ve got to look at everything just in terms of the different structures we’re presenting to an offense and make it a little more challenging on an offense.

“We had a long discussion about that today, because, shoot, we’re going against Chicago and last time I checked they’ve got a pretty darned good run game and they’ve got a quarterback that’s capable of doing the same type of things. So, it’s going to be another great challenge for us, for our defense and we’ll see the type of improvement we make this week.”

Improvement is needed everywhere after giving up 363 rushing yards — third-most in franchise history. Too often against the Eagles, Green Bay’s defensive line was blown off the ball. And when there were chances to make a play, the play wasn’t made.

By the staff’s count, the Packers missed more than 20 tackles. It was the worst performance in LaFleur’s three-plus seasons on the job. The tone was set early, when Hurts broke three tackles and gained 24 yards on the opening third-and-10.

The Packers were one of the top tackling teams in the NFL in 2021. Now, they’re one of the worst. Why?

“That’s a hell of a question. That’s a hell of a question,” LaFleur said. “I don’t know. That was by far our worst tackling performance that I’ve seen here.”

Explosive Nixon

The Packers hadn’t had a kickoff return of 50-plus yards since Jeff Janis took one 70 yards in 2015. That streak seemed destined to continue on Sunday night. On his first opportunity, Keisean Nixon dropped the ball, picked it up in the end zone and slipped and fell at the 9-yard line.

For Green Bay’s perennially downtrodden special teams, it looked like a case of the same old, same old.

Instead, Nixon emerged as one of the stars of the night. He returned the next kickoff 38 yards to the 41. He was only getting started. Nixon fielded the opening kick of the second half from 5 yards deep in the end zone and took it 52 yards. Finally, late in the game with the Packers trailing 40-30, Nixon took the kickoff from 6 yards deep and returned it 53 yards.

Just like that, Nixon became the only returner in the NFL this season with a pair of 50-yarders in one game.

“I love the guys on kickoff return,” Nixon said. “They put me in position to win and I’m not scared to hit it. I’m going to hit it for them. If they hit a good block, I’m going to reward them with a return.”

Nixon runs with more speed than the man he replaced, the since-released Amari Rodgers. Plus, his full-throttle style has him running through would-be tacklers.

“I like that he’s really fast, really physical,” special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia said recently. “He’s just got something about him. He’s got some dirt on the back of his neck and just makes him have a little bit of love for football and for everything we’re asking him to do.”

Playoff and draft picture

According to ESPN, the Packers have a 2% chance to make the playoffs. Doing so almost certainly would require sweeping the next five games to finish the season 9-8. The Eagles qualified for the postseason last year with a 9-8 record.

The Packers are in 11th place in the NFC with their 4-8 record. The Washington Commanders hold the seventh and final spot with their 7-5 record. That’s a three-game lead. Plus, they own the tiebreaker.

“When you lose games, you’re putting yourself farther out there,” Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “We have a five-game stretch. We’ve got to win all five and probably need a little bit of help.”

The Packers have no margin for error in the playoff race and they have no margin for error as far as draft positioning. According to Tankathon, the Packers currently own the eighth pick in the 2023 draft. But the situation could hardly be more fluid as they are one of 10 teams with four wins.

Sticking with Barry

Entering training camp, Green Bay’s defense looked like one of the best in the NFL. It dominated the playoff matchup against San Francisco, retained All-Pro linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and playmaking cornerback Rasul Douglas in free agency, added Jarran Reed and Nixon in free agency, and used first-round picks on linebacker Quay Walker and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt.

Instead, the Packers are 23rd in points allowed and 31st against the run. LaFleur, however, is sticking with embattled defensive coordinator Joe Barry.

“We’re not going to go down that road,” LaFleur said. “If I thought there was an issue there, then we’d make the change. But we work as a staff and, collectively, we’re all in this sucker together and it’s never just one person. It’s never one person.

It starts with myself and then it goes to our assistant coaches and then our players. And we’re all in this together. It’s not just one person. If I felt confident it was one person, then I would pinpoint it and let you guys know that. But it’s collectively and it starts with myself. I’ve got to be better for everybody here.”