Inbox: Everyone needs to step up everywhere

Shayne from Hortonville, WI

WOW, shocking.

Rough. That's all you can really say about that one.

Steve from Pewaukee, WI

Hey, it's 10:30 Friday morning following last night's first home game. Where's the Inbox, fellas? Struggling for credible positivity?

You can always tell the difference between the loyal readers of Inbox and those who just show up to complain (insert number of Packers losses here) times a year by who knows what time the column is posted after a night game.

Terry from Millsboro, DE

What in the world has happened to the defense? Last night's game was totally embarrassing. How can a team fall this far from last year's team? Gonna be a LONG season. Still love my Packers.

Bijan Robinson happened.

Chase from Diamond Springs, CA

I thought the defense started out fine. Time and again we see two things are true. 1) The longer a defense is out there, the bigger the edge the offense gets. So, I'm not going to get down on the defense based on this game alone. 2) If you don't have an O-line, you're not going to be much of a threat. While both need to be fixed, I think this game showed the O-line is a larger priority than the penalties.

The Falcons played to their win condition and the Packers very much did not. In possessing the ball for 37-plus minutes, Atlanta successfully took the air out of both the football and the Packers' lungs. As Robinson gained more steam, you could see Michael Penix's confidence grow every time he stepped on the field.

Steve from Stillman Valley, IL

Nobody seems to be talking about it, but the defense seemed to overrun the running plays giving the runner a cutback lane. They also missed more tackles than I've ever seen before. Did you notice this also or am I just seeing things that aren't there?

That was the No. 1 thing that stood out to me on defense whether it was Bijan/Brian Robinson running through holes or even Atlanta receivers cutting back inside after catching the ball. Maybe that's how the Falcons want to play. Maybe it's something Atlanta saw on film. But Green Bay conceded way too many yards after contact.

David from Chestertown, MD

Hello II and dejected Packer Nation. Jordan Love is too much of a leader to call out his receivers but as I watched I wondered who is responsible for missed connections? It is easy to blame the QB, but the receivers need to be at the right spot and to not drop the ball as part of the equation. Cohesive line blocking would be a great asset as well. Let's get back to .500 and remain hopeful.

Too many drops. Too many pressures. Too many missed holes in the run game. Too many missed throws in the pass game. Too little offense. Too many three-and-outs. To Matt LaFleur's point, the Packers must figure out what they do well on offense or it's going to be a long year for everyone.

Mike from Moseley, VA

Just a few thoughts. First kudos to Atlanta. They flushed two bad games and played great. Second our guys are fighters, and they will seek to do the same. All is not lost. I am puzzled by the abandonment of the run game right out of the starting gate. With O-line issues, I would think just simplify and run the ball on quick-hitting N/S runs or off tackle and settle the line down before going to gunslinger mode. What do you guys think?

They just couldn't get it going, Mike. It's not like the Packers lit the field on fire against New York, but they had enough long gains to keep the Jets honest. That threat was nonexistent Thursday. At the end of the day, you can only bang your head against the wall so many times. Adjustments are needed and I leave it up to LaFleur and Co. to find them. I will say when the Packers struggled to break the two-shell midway through Mike McCarthy's tenure, the Packers ran more short routes and screens to pick up four or five yards on first down. One way or another, Green Bay needs to cultivate more second- and third-and-manageable situations.

Patrick from Forest Lake, MN

What a night for No. 0. He would've been the headline of the evening if the team hadn't laid down to the Falcons. We started the 2023 season 3-6 and ended up surging back and waxing Dallas in the playoffs. This team is NOT that team, but I am not going to panic yet. Discouraged? Yes. Kinda peeved? Absolutely. Worried? Not just yet.

Christian Watson and Matthew Golden battled to the very end. Golden's touchdown catch was particularly impressive. Love's pass was behind Golden, but he still plucked it and pulled it into his body before Mike Hughes could bat it away. That's elite pass-catching.

Dan from Beechgrove, TN

It seems like the O-line issues have to be about three things. Mental errors, which can be coached; technique errors, which can be coached; or just not being physically up to the caliber of the opponent, which cannot be coached. No doubt a combination of the three, but what does II see as the biggest concern?

A lot of football experts out there, so I'll leave it up to them to finger point. But Love has been hit 34 times, and the Packers have rushed for 146 yards in three games for a league-low 48.7 average. That's a major problem that needs to be addressed. You can't let that hole get any deeper.

Chad from Pottstown, PA

Watching the game Thursday night, a couple of thoughts occurred to me: One, have we overestimated how talented this team really is? We say, "This team has a lot of talent", but do we really? Second, LaFleur looks lost with what to do. His coaching style is more "innovation," but without the right pieces to be innovative, are we in more need of a "motivator" style of coaching?

If you can't run the ball or stop the run, this is what it looks like. The Packers have talent, but an offensive line with question marks going into the season now has reached the worst-case scenario with Zach Bako-Bewele and Aaron Banks. LaFleur's right – Green Bay needs solutions whether it's altering the game plan, making changes to the offensive configuration/scheme or players simply stepping up.

Richard from Greenwich, NY

Bijan Robinson in The Athletic on his play style: "I'm pretty much playing peek-a-boo with (the defenders)...I'm getting them out of their gaps...Whatever the linebackers giving me I'm trying to manipulate him." Unusual and hard to defend.

That's a great way to put it. I tweeted during the game that Robinson plays with the perfect combination of patience and explosion. It's first to fourth gear with him.

Bob from Jensen Beach, FL

Wes, unless the offensive line improves, nothing else will change the outcome for this season. If no one on our squad will make a difference, should we look at a trade to get someone new?

That answer might be tied to Banks' health forecast and if he can stay on the field. Depending on the severity of Banks' knee and toe issues, I could see the Packers seeking reinforcements through some form of player acquisition down the line.

Bill from Wilmington, DE

Wes, I can't believe this roster is as bad as we've played. Hopefully the mini bye helps but I'm VERY concerned. So psyched for Packers football hope it doesn't get away from us.

It underscores both the importance of depth and how devastating it can be when your top 10 players aren't on the field. Green Bay is down four of them at the moment (and arguably five if you throw Banks in there). Regardless, that was a tough loss to swallow on your home soil – especially as the prohibitive favorite.

Scott from Iron Mountain, MI

And no first-round choice in 2027.

If you're thinking about next year's NFL Draft right now, you're focused on the wrong things.

David from Janesville, WI

Gents, there are a lot of ballgames left, but it sickens me to think of Jerry Jones rubbing his hands together in glee watching the turd sandwich that has been the 2026 Green Bay Packers so far. I expect things to improve, but if somehow, they don't we won't even get the consolation prize of a top 10 pick, and we'll have to watch the Cowboys on the clock. The horrors.

I could not possibly care less about Jerry Jones and the Cowboys right now. I didn't see any questions here about the Aaron Rodgers trade on Sunday when Lukas Van Ness was wrecking the New York Jets' afternoon.

Nick from Richmond, VA

Maybe I'm just trying to be positive but how much of the defensive collapse was due to a long OT game where the Packers were dominated in TOP with a short week? I feel like a key to short weeks is be able to run the ball on a tired front and the Falcons did just that and the Packers have no run game at all…

I believe teams working on a short week after playing an overtime game are now 3-18 all-time. So, that obviously didn't help matters.

Mahinahoku from Las Vegas, NV

On that fourth-down play, Love throws the ball away instead of giving the players a chance. Scared to throw a pick just give 'em a chance man crazy stuff.

Where did you want him to go with the football? There were three receivers in the route because Mark Redman stayed in to block. Nobody was open. LaFleur said as much after the game but watch for yourself if you don't believe him/me.

David from Houston, TX

What do you think of the boos at home? I'm generally not a fan of it but with so many three-and-outs with this offense it's hard to not want to join in a little.

Conflicted. I wholeheartedly agree with Watson that it's entertainment business and the Packers aren't putting a good product on the field right now. The other part of me also thinks, "The home crowd that routinely does the wave when the offense is on the field is now booing. Interesting."

Gary from Tompkinsville, KY

Just a comment. Three-and-out after the interception and a blocked field goal. If none of this happens the game might have turned out better.

That one hurt the most because it was an awful throw from Penix and Xavier McKinney made him pay for it. But instead of turning that takeaway into points and momentum, the Falcons got a second chance to get their young QB going.

Dave from Gwinn, MI

I didn't see the game but watched the highlights and don't think I missed much. On the positive side of the injuries, Jordan Morgan, Anthony Belton and Jager Burton will get some beneficial playing time. Jonathan Ford and Lukas Van Ness are coming into their own on defense. And as mentioned in II, our special teams are finally looking special. I hate to go as far as saying this season will be like an extended preseason for next year, but we have good depth and with solid playing time it could blossom.

Special teams have been a net positive, but the Falcons had only had 10 people on the field when they blocked the field goal. No bueno. There are no innocent parties right now. Everyone needs to step up everywhere.

Tim from Ettrick, WI

I've seen II say that the margins in the NFL are very thin. I used to agree. Now I think thin margins apply mostly to marginal teams, and right now that's what the Packers look like. Fans never get "free football" with this squad. Free football is when your team wins without many, many mistakes and you can enjoy the rest of the NFL schedule that weekend stress-free.

Thank you for your definition of "free football." I now hope to never hear that phrase again in my life.

Jeff from Indian Lake, NY

I know we can't leave anything in the refs' hands. But over the first three games of this season Jordan has taken multiple hits to the head in every game, and not a single one has been called. In each of those games the quarterback for the other team received flags when a Packers defended looked in their direction the wrong way. Obviously, I have a very biased opinion here, but this is getting ridiculous. I can't be the only one seeing this, right?

Bad call, but unlike Minnesota, it didn't affect the final outcome of the game.

Bisko from Glen Rock, NJ

This team seems unable to overcome penalties and other errors. Offensive errors result in stalled drives, and defensive errors result in opponent scores. And they are making too many errors! Is this a coaching issue?

It's all the above. But it was concerning to see Green Bay once again get gashed for a big run after that incident between Penix and Brenton Cox Jr. Once Robinson got going, the Packers could not stop him.

Simon from Denmark

I'm not panicking or shouting, "Fire everybody!" But at what point does a team go from playing to get to the big one to playing to have a job next year?

We're one NFL game into Week 3.

Juan from Miami, FL

Hello fellow II, no need to panic. Many more games ahead. I look at the bright side. I'd rather whiff some games to start the season, than to go 15-1 and whiff in the playoffs like 2011. I am old enough to remember the bad old days, just hoping to be competitive. We are not at RUN the table, so we have that going for us...Beat the Bucs...

The Packers gotta get better. That's it.

Steve from Cedar Falls, IA

Just an abject showing. Where do we go from here?

The drawing board.

Ryan from Carmel, IN

I was scared to open the app this morning. Thought my phone would catch fire. And I feared for both of you. It was really, really nice to see the more measured responses from some of the fan base. Obviously, there must've been plenty to delete. I for one will always watch and support this team, and win or lose, will carry on with the rest of my day or night. That attitude was born and raised in Ask Vic and II. Thank you, guys (and Vic), for that. Go Pack Go for life.

And so, it goes. We all have a long weekend to think this one over before Tampa.