The Packers needed a jolt on the offensive line, and they got one in Week 4 against Tampa Bay. Laken Tomlinson came in at left guard, Travis Glover slid in for the injured Jacob Monk on the right side, and the result looked much cleaner on paper: no sacks, just seven pressures allowed.
That was a dramatic shift from the first three games, when Green Bay gave up 51 pressures. More than half of those came in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, which is why the turnaround in Tampa felt so noticeable.
Still, the matchup told part of the story. Buccaneers head coach and defensive playcaller Todd Bowles did not come after Jordan Love the way most teams had been. As Rob Demovsky noted, Tampa Bay blitzed only 17 percent of the time, a huge drop from its 44 percent blitz rate entering the game, which ranked fourth in the league.
Given how much Green Bay had already struggled when opponents brought extra rushers - and given what Brian Flores has apparently done to Love’s memory bank - the Packers probably deserve some credit, but not all of it. The line looked better, yes. The setup was friendlier, too.
The numbers back that up. Green Bay’s pass-block win rate jumped to 53 percent after sitting at 16 percent over the first three weeks, another stat Demovsky highlighted. Some of that improvement is real, because it’s hard to ignore how much cleaner things looked after the Packers changed their guard rotation and moved away from Monk, Donovan Jennings and Jager Burton.
But Tampa Bay also seemed comfortable living with a different trade-off. By backing off the blitz and keeping more defenders in coverage, the Buccaneers limited the kind of downfield damage that had hurt them against Green Bay in other situations.
The Packers had just one completion of 20 or more yards, a 25-yard throw to tight end Mark Redman. Their wide receivers finished with seven catches for 66 yards.
Love’s night fit that script. He averaged just under nine yards per completion, and Next Gen Stats had him at season lows in average depth of target at 7.4 yards and average air yards per catch at 2.8. More than two-thirds of Green Bay’s passing output came after the catch.
He also got the ball out quickly. Love averaged 2.43 seconds to throw, which was faster than last week and faster than every game this season except Week 2 against the Jets.
So yes, the Packers took what was there, leaned on short throws, and avoided putting their front five in long, ugly pass-protection situations. In that sense, Week 4 may have been the easiest assignment Green Bay’s offensive line has seen all season.
That doesn’t mean the progress should be dismissed. Kevin Zeiter is still working into game shape and should be an upgrade over Glover at right guard when he’s ready, possibly as soon as this week. That part of the outlook is encouraging.
But the caution flag is just as real. Green Bay looked better, no question. The bigger question is how much of that held up because the line improved - and how much happened because Tampa Bay made life easier than most teams probably will.
In Other News...
Packers Suddenly Have New Offensive Line Questions This Week
The Packers latest injury report brought a fresh layer of uncertainty to a group that has already been under the microscope, with four players listed as non-participants and both Chris Brooks and Aaron Banks among them. For a team trying to keep its offense on schedule, any week that adds turnover up front or in the backfield tends to draw immediate attention, especially as the practice week starts to take shape.
Savion Williams at least offered a bit of movement on the other side of the ledger, as he returned to practice and opened his 21-day window to come off injured reserve. The bigger issue now is how Green Bay manages the rest of the week while Chicago deals with its own long injury list, because the Packers preparation could hinge on which pieces are actually available when the division matchup gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have A Familiar Backfield Option Fans Will Recognize
The Packers ground game has been searching for a spark through four games, and the numbers have reflected it. Green Bays current running backs have averaged three yards per carry, with MarShawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson and Chris Brooks combining for 231 rushing yards on 75 carries, a production line that leaves plenty of room for improvement as the team tries to settle into its 2-2 start.
One familiar name now hovering around the conversation is Jamaal Williams, who last played for the Saints in 2024 and recently worked out with the Patriots while reportedly looking good. For Packers fans, the idea of a reunion is easy to understand: Williams would bring a known presence to the backfield and a jolt of energy to the locker room at a time when Josh Jacobs status remains uncertain. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Love Gives Packers Fans A Reason To Believe Before Bears Week
Jordan Love has given Green Bay something it has been waiting for at the most important position on the field: steady, efficient quarterback play. As the NFC North turns toward Week 5, the Packers are watching a division landscape shaped by uneven quarterback performances, with Minnesota winning despite Kyler Murrays struggles and Chicago leaning on Tyson Bagent as part of an offense that has found ways to function. In that mix, Loves improved efficiency stands out as a reason Packers fans can believe the offense is moving in the right direction.
The timing matters because the Bears are not just surviving on offense, they have had real success doing it, which makes this week a useful measuring stick for Green Bay. Minnesotas formula has been built more on defense than quarterback production, while Murray is still auditioning for the long-term contract questions hanging over him. Love does not have to settle every debate in one Sunday, but he does need to keep showing that the Packers have stability where their division rivals still have uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]