Somewhere, the Detroit Lions are celebrating like it's the Super Bowl. A second consecutive loss for the Green Bay Packers on Monday night means one thing: the illusion of the Jordan Love era is crumbling.
The Packers looked by far the worst offensive team on the field. Defensively, the Packers' D only allowed two touchdowns and came up with several big plays. Not too many complaints there (just one major one, which rhymes with Bo Jerry).
On the offense, Matt LaFleur has some soul-searching to do. In what felt like the sloppiest primetime game of the week (and the Cowboys played the 49ers last night), the Packers struggled to create consistent rhythm and ultimately got let down by their supposed franchise quarterback of the future.
Here are three Packers who deserve the blame after Week 5's 17-13 loss to the Raiders.
Jordan Love
Was it just yesterday when cheeseheads were singing the praises of their new Aaron Rodgers? Well, things are starting to take a downturn for Jordan Love, and the honeymoon phase of Love's start in Green Bay may be definitively over.
Love went 16-of-28 for 182 yards and threw zero touchdowns against three interceptions, including the game-ending pick that sealed the Packers' loss.
Just five games into his full-time starter job, Love should be allowed more time to develop, more time to see the field and work out his progressions. This loss doesn't fall squarely on him.
However, as the face of the Packers' new-look offense, every mistake he makes will be magnified that much larger, and he has to accept that he's going to be scrutinized more than he ever was.
On Monday, Love's attempts to stretch the field vertically fell pathetically short (literally). According to Warren Sharp, he was 3-of-11 on passes thrown over five yards, averaging -0.78 EPA per attempt. All three of his interceptions also came on deep throws.
Love and LaFleur have to find a way to make this offense hum. Love's chemistry with Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs was spotty at best, and except for a few nice dots, he's struggling to take care of the football more so week after week.
Where was prime Week 1 Jordan Love? That's what Packers fans would like to know.
Luke Musgrave
It pains us to include tight end Luke Musgrave on this list because he was in truth one of the Packers' more reliable weapons. He finished the game with a team-high six catches for 34 yards.
While Musgrave has proven himself as a verifiable run blocker and has served as Love's safety net at times, he could be better.
His YAC numbers, for one, are nothing to write home about. Musgrave often went down to the ground after the first contact, and one would expect a tight end of his size to be able to break some tackles and muster at least a few extra yards every play.
There was also an instance in the first quarter when Packers head coach Matt LaFleur blew up at Musgrave for an unknown reason. Was Musgrave's work ethic not up to par (ala Chase Claypool)? Did he get his routes wrong?
Whatever it was, LaFleur was furious enough to bench Musgrave for a stretch in the second quarter.
Musgrave (and Romeo Doubs) also recorded a heart-sinking drop late in the fourth quarter. It's not as heinous a crime as Kadarius Toney's season-opening butterfingered performance, but it still sucks.
Joe Barry
Some NFL fans get excited about Patrick Mahomes' mind-bending throws. Others can't wait to see Christian McCaffrey to escape into space or Cooper Kupp to extend a key drive.
We, on the other hand, are rubbing our hands eagerly in anticipation for November 12 when the Packers take on the Steelers because that will be the ultimate battle of dumps, the sewer showdown between two despised creatures of vermin, the matchup that pits the most fireable coordinators against each other. Matt Canada, meet Joe Barry.
All this to say: defensive coordinator Joe Barry made at least two head-smacking choices that had Packers fans calling for his early retirement.
As a whole, the Packers' defense delivered for the most part. The run defense was predictably slushy, but Green Bay managed to limit Davante Adams to four catches for 45 yards. Most of that was probably due to Josh McDaniels' criminal misuse of a bona fide WR1. Still, Green Bay allowed only two touchdowns and can head home with their heads high.
Barry, however, will have to stick around for a brutal interrogation and answer two questions: Why was Preston Smith (and Quay Walker) guarding Davante Adams at one point? And what was up with that end zone defensive formation?
The 30-year-old Smith is a fine linebacker in his own regard, but no one -- absolutely no one -- should expect him to cover the opposing team's No, 1 threat. We're no defensive geniuses, but maybe sticking your most talented defensive back (Jaire Alexander) on Adams would give you the best chance at stopping him.
Then there's this baffling photo that shows the Packers' defense in their end zone facing a Raiders' 2nd-and-6. With Las Vegas lined up at the 10-yard line, Barry lined up his defensive backs.... ten yards off the line.
The result was a fairly easy pass to Jakobi Meyers in multiple yards of open space, who then used his momentum to waltz into the end zone.
Joe Barry, you have a season's worth of explaining to do.
