By Eric Goska
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| Coach Matt LaFleur's Packers are the best of the best in the first quarter. (photos by Eric Goska) |
Every journey begins with a first step.
More often than not, the Packers have been getting off on
the right foot.
Green Bay returned to its first-quarter dominance Sunday
night in Seattle. The Green and Gold outgained and outpointed the Seahawks in
the opening 15 minutes, cruising to a 30-13 win in which they never trailed.
As he often does, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur chose to
go on offense after winning the coin toss. Most teams would have deferred.
LaFleur wanted to make a statement: Get a touchdown and play
with a lead.
Quarterback Jordan Love and his offensive mates obliged. They
counted TDs on each of their first two possessions, going up 14-0 before the
Seahawks could get beyond midfield.
The Packers drove 63 yards in 10 plays on their first outing.
Josh Jacobs crashed in from a yard out.
The Packers moved 80 yards in 8 plays on their second
outing. Romeo Doubs cashed in on a 13-yard pass from Love.
Not until Geno Smith connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for
25 on the second-to-last play of the opening period did Seattle cross into
Packers territory.
Green Bay (128 yards) more than doubled Seattle’s first-quarter
output (60). It amassed 10 first downs to 3 for the Seahawks and controlled the ball
for 10 minutes, 30 seconds.
That was quite a bounce back from their effort in Detroit. At
Ford Field, Green Bay managed just 17 first-quarter yards and held the ball for
a meager 4:29.
Sunday’s game marked the 12th time the Pack has outgained their opponent in the first quarter this season. Only the Chargers and 49ers (10 times each) are in the same ballpark.
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| Jack Jacobs has rushed for 421 yards in the first quarter. |
If the season consisted solely of first quarters, Green Bay
would be world champs. What follows are the categories in which they rank first
followed by the club in second place.
- Most offensive plays: 227 (Tampa Bay 220)
- Most yards gained: 1,367 (New Orleans 1,336)
- Most rushing attempts: 130 (New Orleans 114)
- Most rushing yards: 713 (Washington 573).
- Fewest offensive plays allowed: 145 (Tampa Bay 164)
- Fewest yards allowed: 773 (Miami 845)
- Fewest rushing attempts allowed: 63 (Tampa Bay 71)
- Fewest pass plays allowed: 82 (Miami 85)
In gaining a league-high 1,367 yards and allowing a
league-low 773, the Packers own the greatest positive differential in
first-quarter production at plus-594. Tampa Bay is second at plus-421.
Not since 2014 (plus-874) has Green Bay been so top heavy in
the early going after 14 games. That team and the clubs of 1995 (plus-680) and
1993 (plus-609) are the only other aggregations in Packers history to have been better
than plus-594 since the league expanded to 14 games in 1961.
Ball control has been a factor in this gaping disparity. On
average, the Packers have held the ball for 9:17 versus 5:43 for their
opponents. Eleven times has Green Bay held the ball longer than the competition
in the first quarter.
One benefit to putting in the work early has meant the Pack
has been out front for the last 50 minutes-plus in six of its 10 wins: Colts
(55:30), Titans (51:15), Cardinals (53:55), 49ers (52:35), Dolphins (57:00) and
the Seahawks (54:19). Surely, the club has gained experience protecting a lead.
Next up for Green Bay: the Saints (5-9) owners of the third largest
first-quarter yardage differential (plus-381) this season. New Orleans’ outlay
of 1,336 first-quarter yards is second only to the Packers and it has
controlled the first-quarter clock in five of its last six games.
Jump Start
The six teams that have outgained their opponents by more
than 250 yards in the first quarter.
Offense Defense
Team Plays-Yards Plays-Yards Difference
Packers 227-1367 145-773 +594
Buccaneers 220-1327 164-906 +421
Saints 217-1336 181-955 +381
49ers 198-1224 180-854 +370
Chargers 189-1157 181-854 +303
Vikings 170-1192 195-915 +277
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