Packers offense continues to impress despite early game blunders

Green Bay employs NFL’s seventh best passing offense, third best rushing offense
By: 
Luke Reimer
Correspondent

Through five games of the 2024-25 NFL season, the Green Bay Packers have totaled 1,963 yards, which ranks third in the entire NFL.

Of those, 1,139 yards have come through the pass, while 824 of them have come on the ground. While the rushing numbers may be a little skewed with Malik Willis playing in two games this season, Green Bay has done a great job of building a strong dual threat offense this season.

Though the last two weeks have been rough first halves for the Packers, it has become a theme for Jordan Love and the offense to lock in after halftime and come out hot. In the second half of games this season, the Packers rank sixth in the NFL with 647 passing yards, meaning more than half of the team’s total passing yards on the season come after halftime.

Those passing numbers are even more impressive considering Love went down in Week 1 with a sprained MCL in his knee.

“I think that he is getting better,” said Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, when asked about Love’s injury. “He looked like he was moving around pretty well today.”

Continuing to talk about Love and his injury, LaFleur noted that the offense and the team as a whole relies on more than just Love, as football is a game where every player in every position needs to be sharp to be a great team.

“It is never about one player, it is never about one person in this game – it takes all 11, and you need everybody around you to do their job so you can do your job at the highest possible level,” said LaFleur. “So, you know, there are some things that we can clean up certainly – (Love) specifically, but I was proud just how he battles.”

Speaking to LaFleur’s point about the offense specifically being about all 11 players on the field, Green Bay’s ability to run the ball this season has provided ample opportunity for Love and the passing offense to thrive.

As Packers fans saw under the leadership of Willis, Green Bay has a strong rushing game that can be used to overwhelm opposing teams.

That starts at the offensive line. Right tackle Zach Tom and center Josh Myers are having two of the best offensive lineman seasons in the NFL this season. With a “lightning and thunder”-esque running duo of Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay has been able to move the ball more effectively on the ground than in years past.

On the season, Jacobs has totaled 402 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Wilson has added another 156 yards on the ground. More than just being able to keep teams honest and work the defensive line, running the ball effectively has helped to open the play action for Love and the offense this season.

“(Play action) is a huge part of our offense,” said Love. “It is all game plan and basing and mirroring our plays off of each other. There are definitely a lot more plays that we have out there that we didn’t dial up today, but under center play-action is a huge part of our offense, and we will keep getting back to that and keep getting that rolling.”

With matchups coming up against the Arizona Cardinals and the Houston Texans, the offense is going to have to be stellar to stay in games. Both teams have the ability to score points in a hurry and to a degree probably will, so it will be up to Love and the offense to be able to match these dynamic offenses. That is all going to come down to keeping a healthy mix of running and passing the football.

While the defense has done an incredible job at forcing turnovers, this Packers offense has emerged as one of the best in the NFL and will need to continue to fire on all cylinders to stay alive in the playoff hunt.