LA Rams Secondary Off To Good Start

 By John Turney 

Rams base 3-4, which they don't use a lot. They
are usually in some form of nickel—40 or Penny (5-1)

Tuesday, we wrote about the Cleveland Browns great defensive start in terms of allowing the fewest yards by a team since 1971.

The Los Angeles Rams pass defense is not off to that good a start but it's pretty good. 

Like the Browns defense ( it is a big question if they can sustain the 200 or so yards a game they are allowed) the Rams start, we have to remember, is through just six games.

What is the key stat? It's passing touchdowns allowed.

Through six weeks they have allowed just four touchdown passes -- which is tied for the second-fewest by a Rams team being the three the 1999 Rams defense allowed

Here are the top 19 (15 teams are tied for 20th):

When eras are considered the 2023 total is impressive. Seven of the 19 occurred prior to 1952 and three were in the 1930s and three were in the 1940s so there's quite a range of flavors of Rams teams.

From the six-man lines to five. Then five to four. The four to three and then back and forth between the two. From what was generally man coverages and very little passing to the early zones and the complex coverages of Ray Malavasi, Bud Carson, Fritz Shurmur, George Dyer back to Bud Carson and others to Lovie Smith's Tampa-2 to the Jeff Fisher/Gregg Williams stint and Wade Phillips's 3-4 to the quarters coverages of the Staley/Morris years. 

Rams fans shouldn't get too excited though. Many of the defenses that got off to a good start weren't able to shut down opponents' passing games -- only a handful did. That could be the case this year. The 2023 Rams secondary are not exactly a group of Pro Bowlers. 

We'll see. 

Here are examples defenses from All-22 or -- close to it -- from most of the squads on the list beginning in 1945. There is no any film for the 1930s.Cleveland Rams.

From 1945—

And 1947—

A shot from a 1949 Rams game against Green Bay—

The left linebacker is walked out to what would now
be on the border of the hook and flat zones

1951—

Rams in 5-2 with one linebacker walked out
to left and the middle guard with hand in dirt.
Often he'd drop back at the snap. 

1968—

Rams in the George Allen 4-3

1971—

Tom Catlin called the defenses in 1972 and 1972 but they
were a remnant of the Allen era

1972—

1975—

1975 and 1977 (below) were the peak of Ray Malavasi's
defense. Here they are in an overshift which they used more
often than they did in the Allen/Catlin era. The so-called "odds".

1977—

1983—

Fritz Shumur's 3-4

1992—

A TV shot of George Dyer's 4-3 with the accommodation
for Kevin Greene to be a stand-up defensive end.

1993—

Though the 1993 defense was the same but this is a TV still of a 
dime defense (4-1-6) versus the Falcons' Red Gun offense (run and shoot)

1999—

Peter Giunta and John Bunting coached the scheme
that was passed on by Bud Carson

2012—

Blake Williams ran his father's (Jeff Fisher's) 4-3 scheme in 2012
but by 2012 the Rams were running just over fifty percent nickel defense.

2015—

Gregg Williams ran the scheme himself in 2015, the last defense on
the list and ran nickel a but more than the base 4-3 using both 40 and 30 nickel.

That's it, a general idea of the Rams' deense that kept toucdhown passes to a minimun in the first month-and-a-half of their seasons.

Browns Defense of to Great Start

By John Turney  

Myles Garrett

The past weekend the Cleveland Browns upped their season record to 3-2 by defeating the San Francisco 49ers 19-17 and did so on the strength of what is showing to be one of the better defenses we've seen for a while.

The 49ers could only muster 215 total yards -- 107 -- passing which is the third-lowest total in the Kyle Shanahan era. Actually, it's second worst since last year's NFC Championship game is a fluke with the 49ers playing essentially without a quarterback.

Regardless, the Browns shut down a very good offense. Sure, Debo Samual was out and there were a couple of other nicked-up players but what happened was pretty clear -- the Browns defense did what they had been doing all season -- not allowing teams to consistently move the ball.

The win was the fifth consecutive game that the Browns' defense has allowed fewer than 300 yards and has yet to give up more than 200 yards through the air in any game this season.

What is this 1970?

Nope, -- checks calendar -- it's 2023 in a pass-happy era, one that defenses have less chance for success than ever before.

Offensive linemen rarely get called for holding pass rushers and enjoy a liberal interpretation of the false start rules. Receivers rarely get flagged for pushing a defender off to get just a little more room to make a catch and if a defender breaths wrong on someone it's holding, or worse, defensive pass interference.

Receivers and quarterbacks are (rightly) protected so there is no battle of attrition or intimidation tactics defenses in previous eras could employ. The ones reflected in the Al Davis statement, "The quarterback must go down and he must go down hard."

Why did the quarterback have to go down hard?

Because defenses wanted to rattle the quarterback and yes, knock the starter out of the game. Hurt him seriously? No. They were not barbarians it's just that they would rather face the backup passer than the starter or at the very least make the starter feel some discomfort by giving him legal, hard, but legal hits.

The same philosophy went for receivers who ran routes across the middle -- it could be a dangerous place. "Sure, you can run into the middle Mr. Split End but there will be a price to be paid," said Mr. Safety back in the day.

With those tactics long gone what the Browns have done defensively so far this season is that much more remarkable.

What have they done you ask?

Well, after five games played, since the AFL and NFL merged in 1970 only two teams -- the 1970 Minnesota Vikings and the 1971 Baltimore Colts -- have allowed fewer total yards than the 2023 Browns.

Two.

What about the Steel Curtain? The 1985 Bears? The 2000 Ravens?

No, no and no.

Obviously, those and plenty of other defenses all finished strong -- and that is the challenge for the Browns -- they have a lot yet to prove with twelve more games to go.

Clearly, yards allowed is not the only metric to look at when comparing defenses -- there are plenty of other traditional statistics as well as modern metrics to consider but you also cannot ignore the Browns allowing just 1,002 yards in five weeks.

That is special.

Also, they've not allowed more than 300 yards in a game so far and that streak of five is the longest for a Browns defense since Bill Belichick's 1994 squad.

Without a doubt, they are in rarefied air being mentioned with the '71 Colts and '70 Vikings.

What did those teams accomplish?

Most know that the Purple Gang was one of the greatest defenses of all time and they were at their peak in 1970. In the first five games, they allowed 945 yards (189.0 per game).

That Vikings defense featured All-Pro/Pro Bowl/All-NFC players Alan Page, Carl Eller, Gary Larsen, Paul Krause and Karl Kassulke. 

Alan Page, Jim Marshall, Carl Eller and Gary Larsen

Fewer younger fans remember the 1971 Colts defense. They allowed just 836 yards in the first five weeks.

They played their famed roll Cover-3 zone coverage to perfection led by Pro Bowl middle linebacker Mike Curtis who called the signals and included All-Pros defensive end Bubba Smith (who would move to defensive tackle in some passing downs), outside linebacker Ted Hendricks and free safety Rick Volk.

They also had a Pro Bowl strong safety in Jerry Logan and a cornerback (Charlie Stukes) who picked off eight passes. It was a terrific defense that is largely forgotten.

Rick Volk, Mike Curtis and Jim Bailey, Bubba Smith

Who were the other notable teams that got off to great defensive starts?

Here are the top ten defenses after the first five weeks, since 1970:

1. Baltimore, 1971—836 yards allowed

2. Minnesota, 1970—945

3. Cleveland, 2023— 1,002

4. Washington, 1974—1,005

5. Buffalo, 1974—1,032

6. Houston, 1976—1,041

7. New Orleans, 1991—1,053

8. Dallas, 1977—1,054

        Chicago, 1984—1,054

10. New York Giants, 2009—1,072

Of those ten Baltimore, Minnesota, New Orleans, Dallas and Chicago maintained their number-one status and finished first in the NFL in total defense at year's end and Washington finished second. The other three fell to fifth or lower.

Which will the Browns be?

Can defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's aggressive defense keep up the pace? Can edge rusher Myles Garrett, interior beast Dalvin Tomlinson and second and third-level guys like Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Denzell Ward, Juan Thornhill and the rest keep up their historic pace?

Schwartz likes his defensive linemen to get penetration -- which is effective against zone runs (ask Kyle Shanahan) -- rather than over-focus on reading what the offense is doing. They don't play the gap-and-a-half technique that so many of the Fangio-based defenses around the NFL -- which have spread rapidly in the last few years.

In some ways the style the Browns are playing is a throwback to defenses from an earlier era, the kind George Allen coached. You can throw in Floyd Peters' style and a few as well. 

Those coaches preached four guys getting to the passer, playing the run on the way, and covering with seven using a lot of man coverage (currently, the Browns play more man coverage than anyone).

Allen and Peters didn't have their "rushmen" reading run keys reading and reacting to the run like so many of the 3-4 defenses of yesteryear. 

Jim Schwartz

We'll see if a defense like Schwartz's -- that takes a page from styles of defenses from a previous era and adjusts it for today -- can stay on pace with those defenses,  especially with everything offenses can throw at them these days.

Regardless, in this era of the rules favoring offenses, it's fun to see a team that can compare to a couple of the best defenses the NFL's deadball era had to offer when currently the odds are so stacked in the favor of offenses.

It's impressive. If it lasts.

TUESDAY TIDBITS: "Outlined Against A Blue-Gray October Sky"

By TJ Troup 

Ken Houston

There have been football writers who just had the knack in how to phrase images on this game we relish watching. 

This past Sunday was in Cincinnati to watch the Bengals beat the Seahawks, and from my vantage point could see the skyline above the stadium, and Grantland Rice's words came alive. The hard-fought game allowed me to see how well the Bengal secondary has been coached. Though Geno Smith's strong arm moved the ball at times down the field for chunks of yardage; the Cincy DB's made key plays, and helped the pass rush late in the game. 

Since there are so many weeks to go cannot make any kind of prediction, but both these teams sure could earn a postseason berth. Each week from here on out there will be games that catch your eye, and will keep you glued to your seat. 

Come on folks respond to me, and tell me which game this weekend really has gotten your attention? How strong are the Lions? How resilient are the Ravens? 

Jimmy Conzelman

That is the game that has captured my interest the most. Mostert of Miami scored three touchdowns on Sunday, but that pales in comparison to Hall of Famer Jimmy Conzelman 101 years ago when he scored 5 touchdowns against the Evansville Crimson Giants in a 60-0 demolition. 

Have not looked to see who the Evansville Crimson Giants play this week in 2023? Oh, they are no longer a franchise in the league, and when Conzelman scored at will the franchise closed up shop. 

Let's move ahead to 1967 and visit Lambeau Field as St. Vince is on his quest for a third consecutive NFL title, and his green & gold clad Packers take on winless Minnesota. 

The Vikings defense limits the Packers to their fewest rushing yards in the season (42), and when Fred Cox kicks a 12-yard field goal in the 4th quarter and coach Bud Grant has his first victory in his storied coaching career, and the fierce rivalry truly begins. 

The New York Jets improved in 1966 as the offensive line kept Joe Willie Namath upright and he pitched the pigskin to his talented receiving corps. Quoting Street & Smith's publication "The Jets could have their best year yet in '67" the magazine read.

Joe Namath

Larry Felser hit the bullseye on that statement as New York very well could have, and probably should have won the division. Again quoting Felser, "There were times when the Oiler defenders seemed to be engaged in one long dummy scrimmage."

The Houston Oiler defense of '67 was by far the most improved unit in the AFL, and the influx on the left side of the defense was the key. Oilers traded for Miller Farr and he had a fine year at corner, while rookie George Webster was virtually unblockable at strongside linebacker. 

There is no mention of Kenny Houston in the Oiler write-up in Street & Smith's, but we all know how his career turned out. When the best strong safeties of all time are listed, he will always be in the discussion. Houston is 2-2 when they journey to Shea Stadium to take on the 3-1 Jets. New York also has a vastly improved defense and they limit Houston to just 131 yards in total offense. 

No doubt the Jets won big? Right? 

Oh, you can score in other ways than just offense? Take a look at the box score for how the Oilers scored. Kenny Houston returns a blocked field goal for a touchdown, and both Miller Farr, and Kenny Houston returned interceptions for touchdowns in a 28-28 tie. 

Namath will gain 295 yards passing on his 27 completions demonstrating to one and all this youngster can make every throw, but he also throws 6 errant passes that are pilfered by the hungry Houston secondary. 

Taking the ball away is a key aspect, yet when you return interceptions for 245 yards (AFL record), you give your offense a chance. Highlight footage of this game is must see. 

Late in the season the Jets lose three straight, and the Oilers win the division as Wally Lemm proves again he is a master defensive coach. See ya next week.

Rams' Running Back Kyren Williams Joins Elite Group

 By John Turney 

Earlier today Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams gained 158 yards on 20 carriers (7.9 average per carry in a 26-9 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

In doing so he became 21st Rams runner to run for 150 or more yards in a single game. It was the 55th time a Rams runner did it. 

Both are the most in NFL history by any franchise. However, the franchise with the second-most is the Oilers/Titans and their running backs have achieved that in fewer seasons having become a professional team in 1960. The Rams joined the NFL in 1937.

The last Ram to gain 150 or more yards was Cam Akers on December 10, 2020. 

Players who spent part of their career include four Hall-of-Fame running backs Marshall Faulk, Eric Dickerson, Jerome Bettis and Ollie Matson. 

Dickerson played four-and-a-half seasons and had 11 games of 150-plus. Faulk played seven years and had ten games surpassing the 150-yard mark. Those are the players with the most.

Other players with multiple games are Steven Jackson (five) Charles White (four), Dan Towler, Lawrence McCutcheon,  Greg Bell, and Todd Gurley (all with three)

If you count playoff games, you can add two to Dickerson's total and one each for Faulk and McCutcheon.

By adding 158 yards he took his 2023 rushing total to 456 yards which is fourth in the league. His six rushing touchdowns are tied for sixth through NFL Week 6. He's on pace for anywhere between 1,200 and 1,300 yards, if he keeps up his current pace and also stays healthy.

We'll say. In the meantime the 5-9, 194-pound former Golden Domer has to be considered of the NFL's sleepers this season. He's played very well.

No Benjamins

 By Eric Goska

(photos by Eric Goska)

100 yards rushing. 100 yards receiving. 300 yards passing.

Just one team in the NFL has yet to have an individual surpass one of those milestones in a game this season.

Can you guess which team?

With nearly a third of the regular season gone, the Green Bay Packers have yet to have a player surpass 100 yards rushing, 100 yards receiving or 300 yards passing in a single game.

Sound the alarm? Maybe, maybe not.

Hitting those marks, even with regularity, does not guarantee a winning season. But the presence or absence of such outings is one way to gauge the effectiveness of an offense.

Those with ample Benjamins tend to fire a little hotter. Those with fewer, run a little cooler.

Through five games, Miami is home to the No.1 offense in the league. The 2,568 yards it has gained is well ahead of second-place Philadelphia (2,022) and third-place San Francisco (2,013).

Not surprisingly, the Dolphins have had more 100-100-300s – ten – than anyone else. The Eagles, meanwhile, are tied with the Rams (No. 7 offense) for second with nine 100-100-300s while the 49ers sit one back of the Bills (No. 4 offense) in fifth place alone with seven.

The Packers rank 25th in total offense.

This lack of 100-100-300s is unusual for Green Bay. Except for 1991, the Packers have had at least one at this point in every season since 1978.

Few would welcome comparison to Linday Infante’s stragglers of 32 years ago. The 4,332 yards generated in his final year coaching the Green and Gold are the second fewest in a full season over the past 45 years. Infante was fired after his team finished 4-12.

Romeo Doubs had the most receiving
yards in a game (95) for the Pack.

So just how impotent are the Packers of 2023? Even reaching 75 yards in a game has been a struggle.

Four players have gotten there, one on the ground and three catching passes. A.J. Dillon powered his way to 76 yards rushing in a 17-13 loss in Las Vegas. Aaron Jones (2 receptions for 86 yards), Romeo Doubs (9-95) and Christian Watson (3-91) turned in the most receiving yards in a game.

Jordan Love had a season-high 259 yards passing in an 18-17 come-from-behind win over the Saints.

Those are Green Bay's best. Not a 100-100-300 among them.

Forecasting how the Packers will do over the course of a season based on the number of 100-100-300s it has after five games is not an exact science. The seven teams that accumulated seven or more all finished at .500 or better. The five teams that had fewer than two all wound up with losing records except the 1984 aggregation (8-8).

Perhaps more fun than predicting the won-loss record of the Green and Gold might be taking a guess as to which game they will register their first 100-100-300 of the season. Will they wait until Game 10 as in 1991? Or might they emulate the gang from 1946, the last Packers team to fail to log even one over the course of an entire season?

L.C. Greenwood—Is He a Hall of Famer?

By John Turney 

When former Pittsburgh defensive end L.C. Greenwood passed away 10 years ago, Steelers' scout Bill Nunn paid him one of the highest compliments. He compared him to teammate and Hall-of-Fame linebacker Jack Ham, calling the two "quiet assassins."

"Neither one of them would say a word, or put on a show for you," Nunn said. "They both just went about their business quietly. But when they got on the field, as far as playing ability, playing aggressively, being tough, they were both in the same category as any of the Hall of Famers. He had a lot of qualities of the Hall of Famers and probably should be in there."

Nunn should know. He's in the Hall, elected in 2021. But L.C. Greenwood? Still waiting.

A six-time Hall finalist, he never reached the final reduction to the "yes/no" round of voting, though he did make it past the first cut to 10 three times. So, at least he's had his case heard multiple times by voters. However, each time he's fallen short.

The pertinent question is: Why? If he was a finalist so often, why couldn't he cross the finish line?

For an answer, I'd suggest you look at the candidacy of another Steeler, and that's Hall-of-Fame wide receiver Lynn Swann. The elements of Greenwood's case are similar. Both were All-Pros and Pro Bowl players in the regular season but really shined in the playoffs, particularly Super Bowls. 

For years, voters and fans debated Swann's case (and still do), insisting his regular-season stats fall short of what many think is Hall-of-Fame worthy. But his greatness and dominance were apparent in postseason play, especially Super Bowls, when he made spectacular catches so important that, without them, the Steelers don't win four Super Bowls. 

It's as simple as that.

The same can be said of Greenwood.

Though unofficial, his career sacks were known to Hall voters in the 1990s and early 2000s. They were included in club press releases in the 1970s and remained in media guides for decades afterward. While many of those years were excellent, they didn't add up to 100... and that may have been a threshold for an edge rusher.

Greenwood's single-season high in sacks was 11, achieved in both 1971 and 1974. He also had nine in 1978 and 8-1/2 in 1973 for a career total of 82, which is good ... but he was more of an "eye-test" player. His consistent pressure and quarterback hurries were more noticeable than the sack totals, and his irrepressible pass rush was unmistakable in the playoffs, especially in Super Bowls IX and X.

Though he had no sacks in Super Bowl IX -- no Steeler did --  he batted down three passes and repeatedly flushed Fran Tarkenton from the pocket in a game the Steelers won, 16-6, and held Minnesota to nine first downs and 119 yards in offense.

"If you want my opinion," Ham said afterward, "the front four won the game. They were just outstanding. L.C. Greenwood really contained Tarkenton, and that was part of our defensive game plan."

The next year L.C. and the Steel Curtain were all over Roger Staubach, sacking the Dallas quarterback seven times -- including four by Greenwood -- en route to a 21-17 victory. 

Had there been an award for Super Bowl Defensive Player of the Game, Greenwood easily could've won it in both the 1974 and 1975 Super Bowls. He played as well as any defensive Steeler, including Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Ham, Blount ... anyone you can name. All told in the playoffs, he was credited with more than 10 sacks -- one of the few players to reach double digits in postseason play. 

Like Swann, Greenwood played his best when the game was on the line.

But all this is not to diminish his regular-season accomplishments. They were plentiful, too. As a member of the NFL's best defense, he was a consensus first-team All-Pro twice and a six-time Pro Bowler. Opponents couldn't run on the Steel Curtain, and when they tried to pass, their quarterbacks were sacked, knocked down or picked off.

No matter which defense you think was the NFL's best ever, the 1970s' Steelers always are in the conversation. Its defensive line was relentless, with Greenwood second only to Hall-of-Fame defensive tackle "Mean Joe" Greene as its best rusher.

"I leaned on L.C. a lot,” Greene said. "Some of the things I was able to do on the field were definitely because of his presence. We helped each other out."

A collegiate standout at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Greenwood was the 238th draft pick in 1969 and spent a couple of seasons in Pittsburgh as a rotational player at defensive end before earning a starting job in 1971. He added his signature gold-colored shoes in 1972 and, by 1973, was making the Pro Bowl almost every year.

"L.C. is a thinking man's player," said Steelers' assistant George Perles. "He likes to set guys up and then get past them. I've seen quarterbacks get off the deck, and you can tell by the expression on their faces they have no idea where he came from or how he got there so fast. .. it's because Greenwood won the battle of wits."

The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Greenwood used height and quickness to compensate for a lack of bulk. He also had a secret weapon -- extremely long arms that kept tackles away and helped him execute pass-rush moves other defensive ends could not. Though arm length was infrequently addressed then, it mattered as much as it does today and gave Greenwood an advantage over most of his peers. 

So much so that, in addition to his yearly postseason honors, Greenwood was named to the 1970s' all-decade team and the Super Bowl’s Silver Anniversary team.

That should draw the attention of Hall voters, and it has. As mentioned, selectors were sufficiently intrigued to consider Greenwood six times as a finalist. But he hasn't been discussed since 2006, his last year of modern-era eligibility, and never as a senior candidate. 

In the end, the most likely explanation for Greenwood's Hall omission is "Steelers' backlash" to so many players in Canton from the 1970s' dynasty. There are 10, one short of the 1960s' Packers, who won five titles.

Nevertheless, with Greenwood in the senior pool, it's time to give him one last look to see if a player with four rings, six Pro Bowls, two All-Pros and an all-decade selection should be outside the Hall of Fame looking in. Too many Steelers or not, the Hall should be reserved for how well an individual performs, not whom he played for.

L.C. Greenwood performed like a Hall of Famer, and it's time he had a Gold Jacket to match his shoes.

Career stats—

Love's Rating Nose Dives in Packers' Loss to Raiders

 By Eric Goska

Jordan Love in action against the Seahawks in a preseason game in August.
(photos by Eric Goska)

Jordan Love is struggling.

The Packers quarterback compiled the lowest passer rating of his fledgling NFL career Monday night at Allegiant Stadium as Green Bay fell 17-13 to the Raiders.

Love’s sixth career start was the first in which he failed to throw a touchdown pass. Another first: he tossed three interceptions in the same game.

In completing 16 of 30 passes for 182 yards, Love earned a passer rating of 32.2.  In five previous starts, he had never fallen below 65.

His performance in Las Vegas stood in stark contrast to the numbers he put up early in the season. Perhaps this low was to be expected after such a promising start.

Love posted back-to-back 100-plus ratings to open the season (123.2 in Chicago and 113.5 in Atlanta). After two weeks, his passer rating of 118.8 lead the league.

In the three games since, Love has put together an uninspiring mark of 57.7. His season rating of 77.3 ranks 28th.

TE Luke Musgrave (88) caught a team-high
six passes from Jordan Love Monday night.

Against the Raiders, Love had little success going deep. Aside from a 77-yard bomb to Christian Watson, Love’s longest completion was a pitch and catch to Josiah Deguara for 19. Fourteen of Love’s 16 completions gained 12 or fewer yards.

Love did not do enough on third down. The product of Utah State University completed 4-of-10 passes for 23 yards and a pick for a passer rating of 8.3. He converted just two third downs with his throws.

Love turned the ball over. His three interceptions included two in the fourth quarter, both of which snuffed out promising drives that had migrated into Las Vegas territory. A touchdown on either advance would have given Green Bay a late lead.

In not measuring up, Love joins a short list of three other Packers quarterbacks this century who clocked in below 35 in a game: Brett Favre (3 times), Aaron Rodgers and Brett Hundley. Favre was the only one to emerge victorious, doing so twice.

According to Stathead, there have been 316 instances of players posting a rating below 35 in the regular season since 2000 (minimum 20 attempts). Under those circumstances, teams won 25 times against 291 losses (7.9 percent).

Dare we say it? By sinking so low, Love has no place to go but up.

Favre, Rodgers and Hundley all improved the week after visiting this low-rent district. Their bounce-backs ranged from 10 to 73 points depending on the player.

Perhaps Love can go from outhouse to penthouse when he travels to Denver a week after enjoying a bye. If not, he could join Anthony Dilweg (1990), Don Majkowski (1988), David Whitehurst (1977), Lynn Dickey (1976), John Hadl (1975), Don Horn (1970) and Tony Canadeo (1943) as Packers who went two weeks in a row in the same season with a rating below 35.

The Big Chill: Hovering Near Freezing on a Passing Front
Since 2000, the seven instances of Packers QBs posting a passer rating below 35 (min. 20 attempts)

Rate   Player                  A-C-Yds-TD-INT       Date                       Opp.              Result
30.2    Brett Hundley        40-17-130-0-2            Dec. 23, 2017        Vikings        GB lost, 0-16
32.2    Jordan Love            30-16-182-0-3           Oct. 9, 2023           Raiders        GB lost, 13-17
32.4    Brett Favre             29-14-131-0-2            Dec. 5, 2004           Eagles        GB lost, 17-47
32.9    Brett Favre             37-20-174-0-3            Dec. 17, 2006         Lions          GB won, 17-9
33.5    Brett Favre             33-18-189-0-3            Sept. 17, 2000        Eagles         GB won, 6-3
34.3    Brett Favre             29-14-144-0-2            Dec. 19, 2005         Ravens       GB lost, 3-48
34.3    Aaron Rodgers       42-17-185-0-2            Dec. 14, 2014         Bills           GB lost, 13-21