PACKERS INSIDER
THE BIG PICTURE TURNING POINT
In a performance as bland and uninspiring as their throwback uniforms, the Packers were shut out for the first time since coach Mike McCarthy’s first season in 2006. Green Bay’s 23-0 loss — its third straight at Lambeau Field — all but extinguished any faint playoff hopes: At 5-5, the Packers trail the first-place Vikings (8-2) by three games in the NFC North and can’t be viewed as serious wild-card contenders in a highly competitive conference. The Packers will be heavy underdogs in next Sunday’s prime-time matchup at Pittsburgh and with little chance of reaching the postseason, it would make no sense for Aaron
Rodgers to risk trying to return to the field this year.
Fresh off their upset victory at Chicago, the Packers took the opening kickoff and quickly marched down to the Ravens’ 10yard line, with Brett Hundley hitting Jordy Nelson for 17 yards on the first play and
Davante Adams for 33 two plays later. But just when it seemed Hundley might be building off his strong fourth-quarter showing against the Bears, he threw a bad end-zone pass that was intercepted by Ravthe ens cornerback Jimmy Smith. After the Packers’ defense got the ball back, Hundley threw another bad interception that set Baltimore up near midfield and led to the first of Justin Tucker’s three field goals. As it turns out, those three points were all the Ravens would need.
THUMBS UP
Credit Green Bay’s defense for not allowing this game to get completely out of hand. Despite being placed in bad position time and again by a turnover-happy offense, the defense, for the most part, kept the Ravens out of the end zone. For all of the Packers’ offensive ineptitude, this was still a two-score game at 13-0 with under five minutes remaining. The Packers yielded a season-low 219 yards of total offense, the fewest they’ve allowed since Week 7 of last season when they limited the Bears to 189.
THUMBS DOWN
So now we know why McCarthy had been keeping Hundley on a short leash. Finally given more leeway Sunday after making some clutch throws in Chicago, Hundley was intercepted on each of the Packers’ first two series, threw three picks on day and also lost a fumble after being leveled by Terrell Suggs. When Hundley wasn’t giving the ball up, he frequently was heaving it out of bounds while fleeing from Ravens pass rushers. Rather than giving backup Joe Callahan a late look, McCarthy stuck with Hundley to the bitter end. The final numbers: 21-for-36 for 236 yards and an abysmal passer rating of 43.6.
BITS AND PIECES
❚ With two catches for 24 yards, Nelson moved ahead of James Lofton into third place on the Packers’ career receptions list with 532. He trails Donald Driver (743)
and Sterling Sharpe (595).
❚ The Packers fell to 4-2 in their all-time series against the Ravens (3-1 at Lambeau Field).
❚ The Packers’ inactives included cornerback Kevin King, who is dealing with a shoulder injury. The other inactives were running backs Jones and Montgomery, safety Morgan Burnett, offensive lineman Adam Pankey and defensive linemen MontraviusAdams and Chris Odom. ❚ Although paid attendance at Lambeau Field was announced as 77,945, the stadium was half-empty by midway through the fourth quarter, a rare and sobering sight.