First-Rate Third-Down Attack Drives Packers’ Offense
GREEN BAY, Wis. – If the Green Bay Packers’ 31-point output against the Detroit Lions on Sunday seemed rather mundane, it’s because it was.
For the 10th time in 13 games this season, the Packers reached 30 points. They’ve scored a league-leading 410 points – already more than in four of the previous five seasons. Aaron Rodgers topped a 100 passer rating for the 12th time in 13 games.
In other words, same old, same old.
The secret sauce has been Green Bay’s success on third down. The Packers, who were at less than 40 percent efficiency in each of the previous three seasons, are second in the league with a 49.7 percent conversion rate. If it stands, that would be their best mark since the NFL began tracking that stat in 1991.
Against the Lions, they moved the chains on 8-of-11 third-down plays. Because of it, Green Bay earned a ball-hogging 11-minute advantage in time of possession.
“I don’t know the numbers off the top of my head, but I want to say it felt like we were in a lot of third-and-manageables,” coach Matt LaFleur said.
LaFleur’s right. Green Bay faced only three third downs requiring more than 7 yards. It had seven third downs that needed 5 or fewer yards. One was a third-and-goal from the 6 early in the fourth quarter, with Rodgers running it in for a touchdown and a 21-14 lead. The last was a third-and-5, with Rodgers connecting with Robert Tonyan on a bootleg for the clinching first down.
“When you’re able to do that with the kind of caliber players that we have – our quarterback, the ability of our offensive line to hold up in pass pro – and then our guys just making key play after key play, you put yourself in a favorable position,” LaFleur said. “I think that’s going to be a key ingredient moving forward.”
The game shifted after the teams fought to a 14-14 draw at halftime. On a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter, Green Bay faced four third downs. On a third-and-7, Marquez Valdes-Scantling drew a defensive holding penalty. On a third-and-14, Valdes-Scantling got open over the middle for a huge gain of 21. On third-and-4, Allen Lazard made a falling-over-backward catch of an off-target thrown for a gain of 5. Finally, Rodgers scored on the third-down scramble.
After the defense forced a three-and-out punt, the Packers went 79 yards in 12 plays for another touchdown. Rodgers hit Tonyan over the middle for a gain of 11 on third-and-3. And on third-and-1 from the 8, Williams slammed up the middle for 4 yards. Rodgers found Tonyan for a touchdown on the next play to make it 28-14.
“Good play-calls,” receiver Davante Adams said. “I feel like we had a really good idea of how they were going to play on these third downs, so it was about executing, Aaron seeing it and getting us to plays that were really good for us, and the communication. I just felt like we were talking today – really, really speaking to each other, letting each other know. Matt came to me and told me at the beginning of the game to let him know about how I’m feeling about whatever, what I’m seeing out there, so we can get to the right things. Some great situational calls. When we do that, we’re pretty tough to beat.”
Impossible, actually, this season. When Green Bay moves the chains at a 50-plus percent clip, it is 7-0. Of Rodgers' 39 touchdown passes, 24 have come on third down. He has an NFL-high 114.7 passer rating on third down. Patrick Mahomes is second in both categories with 22 touchdowns and a 109.5 rating.
