Behind Again, Green Bay Falters in Pittsburgh

 By Eric Goska

Kenny Clark and the Packers' defense allowed
Pittsburgh to score on each of its first 3 possessions.

Give Green Bay a shovel and it will dig a hole.

The Packers assumed an all-too-familiar position Sunday in Pittsburgh. They again played from behind, coming up short in a 23-19 loss to the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.

As the NFL season enters its second half, this team from Titletown, USA continues to search for an identity. What may end up defining it is its propensity to play from behind.

For the fifth time in nine outings, Green Bay trailed for more than 45 minutes of game time. Every one of the Packers’ offensive plays (65) against the Steelers was run with the team in arrears.

Adopting this laggard lifestyle began in earnest against the Saints in Week 3 when Green Bay ran 64 of its 71 offensive plays while attempting to catch up. Behind for 47 minutes, 53 seconds, the Green and Gold rallied, scoring all its points in the fourth quarter in an 18-17 come-from-behind win.

That game in late September was the last time the Packers mounted a comeback. Four days later, they trailed for 53:16 against the Lions running 50 of their 53 plays from behind in a 34-20 setback. They then posted similar numbers in losses to Denver (48:46; 61 of 61) and Minnesota (46:34; 56 of 62).

Against the Steelers, Green Bay trailed for 47:32.

Pittsburgh has been anything but an offensive giant in 2023. Prior to hosting the Packers, the team ranked 28th in yards per game (278.5) and yards per play (4.69).

Like Green Bay, the Steelers had started slowly. In eight games, their opening three possessions yielded just 17 points (two touchdowns and a field goal). Seventeen of those 24 drives ended in punts and another four were halted by turnover.

Pittsburgh had little trouble getting into the scoring column Sunday. The Steelers tallied 17 points on their first three drives with Najee Harris (4-yard run), Jaylen Warren (16-yard run) and Chris Boswell (42-yard field goal) coming through.

Not since downing Atlanta 19-16 last December had Pittsuburgh scored on each of its first three advances.

Surrendering points on three straight possessions can easily land a team in hot water. Green Bay is 11-34 since 1921 when doing so.

The five Packers passers fortunate to emerge victorious were Aaron Rodgers (6 times), Brett Favre (2), Cecil Isbell, David Whitehurst, and Matt Flynn. They prevailed because Green Bay outscored its opponent in the second half in all 11 of those contests.

That didn’t happen in Pittsburgh. Trailing 13-17 at halftime, the Packers mustered just six second-half points on two Anders Carlson field goals.

The Steelers countered with two Chris Boswell 3-pointers. And that was enough to carry the day.

Green Bay didn’t lack for yards in attempting to rally, just points. Jordan Love and Co. came away with 135 yards on 20 snaps (6.75 per play) in the fourth quarter.

The team twice penetrated Pittsburgh’s red zone. They reached the 14 with 3:32 remaining and the 16 with just three seconds left.

But both of those advances ended in interceptions. Keanu Neal snagged one and Damontae Kazee the other.

Throwing picks on the final two drives of the fourth quarter has proven fatal to every Packers quarterback going back to 1952. Green Bay is 0-18 when it closes out games in that fashion.

For Love, this was the second time in his career in which he threw two picks to shutter Green Bay’s offense. He fired two in the Packers’ 37-30 loss to the Lions to close out the 2021 season.

In 19 games as a pro, Love has thrown 13 interceptions. Nine have originated in the fourth quarter.