It's the heart of autumn - a time of year that usually has Packers fans blocking off January calendars and gearing up for a postseason run.
But, the middle third of this season has arrived with unfamiliar vibes in Title Town. The Packers find themselves in a deep hole in the NFC North and barely on the periphery of the NFC playoff picture. Unlike the 2010 and 2016 teams, team's performance on the field has provided few reasons to believe.
What could possibly be worse? Knowing that they historically haven't been very good in the month of November.
November Struggles
Last year, the Packers opened November with a loss in Kansas City and, two weeks later, a shootout loss in the first of two 2021 meetings with the Vikings. Managing to shut down Seattle and L.A. after each of those respective games, they exited the month with a .500 record - the same winning percentage that Matt LaFleur holds in the month of November during his time as Packers head coach.
Compared to an overall record of 39-10 over the 2019 - 2021 regular seasons, the .500 play in November doesn't add up. But, shockingly, it's a relative improvement from the 20 wins to 25 losses recorded during the 11-year stretch of Rodgers x McCarthy.
Is the league scheduling more arduous games during that stage of the season? Is November when injuries begin piling up disproportionately for Green Bay? Regardless of the reason, a shaky track record under Rodgers-led Packers in November doesn't bode well for a season that's already very much on the brink.
A Team Already Done?
LaFleur has only known instant and sustained winning as Packers head coach - and hasn't exactly responded to this year's adversity with constructive changes.
The lack of discipline, focus and overall identity on offense all continue to plague a unit that was nearly impossible to stop just two years ago. While the Packers are missing bodies they're accustomed to having at skill positions - and are battling chronic injuries up front - the key pieces that made LaFleur's system successful early on are there.
On the other side of ball, the Packers aren't getting nearly enough out of the seven (!!!) first-round draft picks that have been invested in the defense. While some of the problems lie purely in execution, the regression we've observed from Darnell Savage, in particular, validate the shortcomings as partially due to talent gaps.
As a team, the Packers look fragmented and lost, playing down to some of the easiest opponents they'll face this season. If there's a "run the table"-type turnaround in this team, it needs to show up in November.
The Month Ahead
This year's November slate is about as difficult as those of years past, starting with what has to be a win in Detroit, followed by hosting the seemingly playoff-bound Cowboys and Titans at Lambeau. They conclude the month in prime time, facing a straight-up dominant Eagles team in Philly.
Can they pull it off? It may require finding the type of groove they haven't had since the late 2020 season.
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