Ball security lacking in Green Bay

Packers have committed 6 turnovers in last 2 games
By: 
Morgan Rode
Sports Editor

The Green Bay Packers are a team that takes pride in taking care of the ball, often finishing amongst the league leaders in least amount of turnovers for a season.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers owns the best touchdown to interception ratio in NFL history and has just two seasons of 10-plus interceptions in his long career. He threw a combined six interceptions between the 2018-19 seasons.

Second-year head coach Matt LaFleur has preached ball security since he was hired. The Packers finished with just 13 giveaways in his first season, which was the second-best mark in the league.

While the Packers sit atop the NFC North with a 7-3 record and are third in the league with just nine giveaways so far, six of those came across the last two games, which is certainly a cause for concern.

In his opening statement after the team’s 34-31 loss to the Colts, LaFleur pointed to the minus-2 differential in turnovers as a key reason the team came up short.

“We have to do a better job of making sure that we take care of the football,” LaFleur later stated. “You have to win that turnover battle in these types of games.”

Green Bay’s offense started the game with the ball and accumulated 41 yards on its first two plays before a botched snap led to fumble that the Colts recovered. Later in the first quarter, Rodgers threw an interception.

Luckily for the offense, the team’s defense bailed them out, only allowing three points off those two turnovers and creating a takeaway of its own. Green Bay’s defense also had an interception in the first half, which helped the team to a comfortable 28-14 halftime lead.

While it didn’t turn the ball over on its first two possessions of the second half, the Packers’ offense went three-and-out twice, which allowed Indianapolis to score 14 points and tie the game.

A fumble on the ensuing kickoff by Packers backup return man Darrius Shepherd gave the Colts great field position, which led to a field goal and lead for the hosts.

Green Bay appeared to snatch back the momentum with a last-minute drive that ended in a field goal and tie game, but handed the Colts the win when receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling fumbled on the second play of overtime.

While the Colts’ defense is among the league’s best in taking the ball away, the Jacksonville Jaguars — who had two takeways against the Packers a week prior — are near the bottom of the league.

Even after the six turnovers in the two-week span, Rodgers wasn’t too concerned, calling it “an anomaly” after the game against the Colts.

“For us, it’s about taking care of the football,” Rodgers said. “I think that’s where it starts and ends.”

“The only thing stopping us for the most part has been ourselves and not converting third downs, and then turning the ball over today obviously hurt us really bad.”

The Packers’ offense will look to get back to its early season ways of protecting the ball well when the Chicago Bears come to Lambeau Field on Sunday night for the first matchup of the season between the division foes. Chicago has been powered by its defense all season, but has surprisingly only created 11 takeaways.

The Bears started the year 5-1 and were in first place in the division, but have lost four straight and likely need a win Sunday to have a chance at overtaking the Packers for the division crown by the season’s end.

Expect the Packers to prioritize ball security all week in practice in preparation for the big game. Should the Packers win the turnover battle, they should leave Lambeau late Sunday with a bounceback win and commanding lead in the division.

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