The Green Bay Packers once again falter as they were dominated by the Baltimore Ravens' offense. Discover the three biggest letdowns that plagued Green Bay in this one.
There was something to play for, and the Green Bay Packers seemed to have forgotten that in the first half against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17. The Packers didn't control their own destiny as far as winning the NFC North was concerned, but with two wins and two losses from the Chicago Bears, they still could have won it.
It's all a moot point now, though, because the Packers leave Week 17 on a three-game losing skid after a 41-24 loss to the Ravens at Lambeau Field, and they are seriously running the risk of entering the NFL playoffs on a four-game losing skid.
They're literally limping in. Heck, Malik Willis wasn't even playing by the end of this one. Clayton Tune, recently pulled up from the practice squad, finished the game at quarterback for the Pack.
Credit the Pack for fighting until the very end, and they did at least make it a ballgame in the second half with 10 unanswered points in the third quarter after going into the locker room down, 27-14.
There's so little good to take from this one, though. The Packers were beaten up by the Ravens, both figuratively and literally.
There was disappointment to go around, but these three things disappointed most.
Disappointment #3: The Green Bay Packers wasted another great game from Malik Willis
There's no quarterback controversy in Green Bay because Jordan Love is "the guy", and he's also been paid like it. With that said, Malik Willis has earned himself a huge payday in free agency this offseason for how he's looked over the past two games.
He's clearly a quality NFL starter. Unfortunately, the Packers waisted yet another good start by him.
Willis completed 18-of-21 passes for 288 yards and a touchdown while rushing nine times for 60 yards and two touchdowns.
It was an epic performance, and it's a shame that it ultimately came in a 17-point loss.
Disappointment #2: The Packers got zero going on the ground against the Ravens' defense
Willis was able to get a few things going through the air and he specifically showed good connection with Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. Watson finished with five catches for 113 yards and touchdown. Doubs had three catches for 62 yards.
Willis' ability to run also made the Packers look much more dangerous on the ground than they really were. Take away his 60 yards and the Packers gained only 19 yards on the ground without him.
That included just four carries for only three yards from Josh Jacobs and just three touches for 16 yards from Emanuel Wilson.
Clearly, something is wrong with Jacobs and the Packers would be wise to shut him down next week and not even let him play before the playoffs begin. When he's healthy, he's elite, but he's no longer helping this team and he tries to gut it out through knee swelling and stifness.
Disappointment #1: The Packers let Derrick Henry run all over them
This Packers defense isn't the first unit to get scorched by Derrick Henry and there's a chance they won't be the last.
Still, this was a unit that some were calling elite just a few weeks ago, and now they look like a shell of their former selves without Micah Parsons on the field. That's no excuse in this one, though, because Parsons is an elite pass-rusher and the Ravens absolutely tore this Green Bay defense up on the ground. Yes, he's the heartbeat of this defense and an underrated run defender, but even the loss of an All-Pro like Parsons shouldn't lead to an embarrassing performance like what we saw on Saturday evening.
Henry rushed 36 times for 216 yards and four touchdowns.
Not only that, but Baltimore backup quarterback Tyler Huntley rushed eight times for 60 yards and backup running back Keaton Mitchell rushed nine times for 31 yards.
In all, the Packers gave up an abysmal 307 yards on the ground to the Ravens.
That's putrid. It's sickening. It's inexcusable.