Green Bay Packers Offense Struggles But R-E-L-A-X

The 2015 season was one the Green Bay Packers, especially on the offensive side of the ball, would have hoped to put in their rearview mirror, and never see again. However, it seems that the offense has not fixed its problems, yet.

So right on schedule, most fans are panicking about what is happening to the All Pro quarterback and the fabulous offensive play caller that is Mike McCarthy.

First of all when people say Aaron Rodgers struggled last year, do you realize that struggling for him means that NFL players voted him as the sixth best player in the league. Think about that for a minute.

Do you know what Chiefs fans would do to see Alex Smith, a fine player, have a season like that? Or, what about Bengals, Vikings, 49ers, and Bills fans?

Heck, some fans even argued that Rodgers’ girlfriend Olivia Munn is the reason for his recent struggles. And, his younger brother taking cheap shots at him to become famous can’t help the situation.

Some fans are even suggesting that Rodgers will not win another championship under the Mike McCarthy-Ted Thompson era.

But here is what is really happening.

Green Bay Packers Offense Struggles But R-E-L-A-X

New Offensive Coordinator

The struggle began in 2015, which coincided with the arrival of a new offensive coordinator. This is NOT to blame the coordinator, but rather pointing out that quarterbacks, even great ones, struggle to adjust to a new system.

Edgar Bennett, the former running back and wide receivers coach, was named offensive coordinator in February 2015, which coincided with Rodgers and the offense struggling.

A few years ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers went through the same problems as the franchise hired Todd Haley to be their offensive coordinator. While the team was struggling, fans and pundits called for everyone to be fired, but in time, everyone got on the same page, and now the offense drives that team.

Regardless of how talented a quarterback may be, and how many weapons he has at his disposition, it takes to time to adjust to the new verbal communication, and for the offense to get on the same page.

Ben Roethlisberger told triblive.com, “We would say, ‘Oh, we know this play, it’s the same thing we had, but it’s called completely different.’ So why not call it the same thing? So there was a lot of frustration with that.”

Pittsburgh Steelers 2012 and 2013

In 2011, the Steelers were 12-4, won the AFC North, had the best defense in the NFL, and one of the better offenses. Everything was going their way.

However, in the offseason Bruce Arians, their offensive coordinator, left for Indianapolis. Todd Haley was brought in Pennsylvania to replace him. Based on the recent success and talent this was supposed to be a seamless transition.

In 2012, despite their promising young talent on offense and Big Ben, the Steelers dropped to 8-8. They failed to reach the playoffs, and finished third in their own division. Their offense struggled a lot.

Keep in mind that Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Plaxico Burress, Heath Miller, Rashard Mendenhall and Ben Roethlisberger were on that team.

In 2013, they started by losing their first four games including two home humiliations to the Tennessee Titans (16-9) and Chicago Bears (40-23). That season, the Steelers averaged 86.4 rushing yards per game, which was tied for 27^th in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. They could not run the ball. Can you imagine the Pittsburgh Steelers not being able to run the ball?

The struggles were not fixed until 2014. The Browns thumped the Steelers 31-10. At that point their offense ranked 31^st in red zone efficiency. But, soon after everyone got on the same page, Pittsburgh finished 11-5 won the division and hosted a playoff game.

The Steel City’s offensive line is, now, one of the best while Green Bay’s is struggling because they have not yet adjusted to the new verbal communication. In Sunday Night’s loss to the Vikings, David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga needed to look at Rodgers to know when the ball was snapped because the quarterback and offensive line are not synchronized yet.

When the offensive line will be in sync with the All Pro quarterback, then the passing game will get back to its heyday, and the running game will improve.

The only way, they will get in sync is with time.

Conclusion

Pittsburgh started to turn it around in 2014 and since then they have become one of the most prolific offenses in the National Football League. In a candid interview with triblive.com, Roethlisberger explained how the Steelers turned it around, maybe quicker than expected.

“I think it was big of Todd to say, ‘OK, let’s change it to things you are more comfortable with,’” Roethlisberger said. “Not everything went to a change, but it was nice we all got together and sat down and said, ‘What makes sense to you, what makes sense to you?’”

Despite Green Bay’s recent struggles, they are still the class of the NFC North. In their worst year under the Aaron Rodgers – Mike McCarthy era, the Packers had the best offense in the division. They scored 23 points per game, which ranked 15^th in the league, while Minnesota was 16^th, Detroit was 18^th, and Chicago was 23^rd.

So when Green Bay struggles, they still score slightly more than everybody else in the North when they are healthy and fully loaded.

The offense is struggling now, and although no one knows exactly when they will come back to form, could be next week, next month, next year, when they do, people better look out because the best quarterback in all the land will be coming for his throne atop the football world.