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Rapid reaction: Packers' early path unfortunately all too familiar

Maturity must, and should, come quicker this year than last

Head Coach Matt LaFleur
Head Coach Matt LaFleur

SAO PAULO, Brazil – Going 1-for-4 in the red zone, committing 10 penalties, missing a field goal as well as a whole slew of tackles – that's obviously not a recipe for success.

Stepping back to analyze all that went wrong in a regretful 34-29 loss to the Eagles in the opener at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, it unfortunately had a familiar ring.

Many of the issues that plagued the Packers on Friday night were the same ones that bogged them down in the early and middle portions of last season, when a young team was trying to find its way.

The bottom line after Week 1 is the Packers showed they're still a young team. Everyone was hoping, of course, that they could pick up where they left off late last season, when the team hit its stride and made a thrilling playoff run.

But that proved to be unrealistic, and probably should've been acknowledged as such from the jump. Seasons are long and opponents pull surprises, which LaFleur pointed out regarding an unexpected defensive approach from the Eagles, especially early in the game.

No team can look in September how it looked last January, no matter how much wishful thinking is applied.

Examining first the offense, Head Coach Matt LaFleur described the outing as "sloppy." Receiver Jayden Reed, who had a big night, talked about the focus needed on "the little details." Fellow receiver Christian Watson discussed how the Packers simply hurt themselves.

All true.

The Green Bay Packers kicked off their first game of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.