Game-Changing Play of the Week: You Pick a Missed Opportunity
You pick which Packers miscue meant the most to their loss.
By TimBackes
Much like the week one loss against the Eagles, Sunday's loss against the Vikings wasn't so much the story of a turning point as it was a number of missed opportunities.
For the purposes of this article, I had a hard time picking just one play that turned the game in the Vikings' favor. Really, there are four.
Here they are:
- Two missed field goals: Brayden Narveson's missed 37-yard and 48-yard field goals ended up being more than the difference on the scoreboard. There's no guarantees that the game plays out the same way if he makes one or both of those field goals, but it at least is an issue that must be mentioned. At this point, there's no reason to feel any confidence any time Narveson steps on to the field, and the Packers need to be combing over all available kickers to find some competition to bring in. Narveson has missed kicks in every game so far, and the problem appears to be getting worse rather than better.
- A dropped Dontayvion Wicks touchdown: Dontayvion Wicks had an absolutely awful day for most of the game until two late touchdowns helped pull the Packers back into it. What's wild is that, had Wicks caught all the balls that hit him in the hands, he would have had the best game of his NFL career. But a fourth-down endzone shot by Jordan Love that could have brought the Packers within a score with much more time on the clock bounced right off of Wicks' hands. Love didn't see Wicks breaking open until late, so he wasn't able to lead him, but he still threw up a perfectly catchable ball that hit Wicks right between the numbers. It's a pass Wicks needs to catch every single time. It's a completely different game if he makes that play.
- A dropped Isaiah McDuffie interception: While it's hard to consider a play that happened on the first drive of the game to be game-changing, one has to wonder how this game would have played out differently if McDuffie held on to that awkward Darnold out pass that hit him in the hands. The Packers would not have given up a first-drive touchdown and would have been in prime position to take an early lead. The Vikings have rarely had to play from behind this season, so right off the bat it would have been a different type of ball game.
A frustrating day at the office, to be sure.
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Tim Backes is a lifelong Packer fan and a contributor to CheeseheadTV. Follow him on Twitter @timbackes for his Packer takes, random musings and Untappd beer check-ins.
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Comments (19)
Packers0808
September 30, 2024 at 05:26 pm
Maybe time to call and tryout Kicker Brandon McManus, just found not guilty and cleared to play by he NFL . 82% kicker for lifetime, 33 years old.
Coldworld
September 30, 2024 at 11:28 pm
I don’t see Murphy sanctioning that. This isn’t the Browns. That lawsuit is still live and the league didn’t did him innocent in civil or criminal terms, just that they didn’t identify a breach of their rules about bringing the game into disrepute based on facts available to them. Thats a very different and much more limited investigation and finding. He would be a good choice from a purely kicking perspective. I’m just not sure we would consider him.
I’d just say all of the above plus the Hafley game plan.
najwayaminah
October 01, 2024 at 01:13 am
.
Leatherhead
September 30, 2024 at 06:29 pm
The "dropped McDuffie interception" isn't really resonating with me. He had real good coverage and defended the pass. That's a good play. Yes, intercepting it would have been a better play.
The two missed FGs. I figure that those were balanced out when our special teams put us in business on the Viking 4. And again, for the 1,744th time, why are we so willing to give the bottom of the roster so many chances to hurt us?
On the first Viking drive, we had them at 3rd and 14 on their own side of the field. Two plays later, they were in the endzone.
More big pivots: We had the first possession of the 2nd half, and we laid a Cleveland Steamer. Then on our next possession, we laid another one. That came close to disheartening me . And then, all of a sudden the offense started to work and we clawed out of a big hole.
Final Coffin Nail: Kraft coughed it up. Up until that moment, I thought the Packers could do it, or would at least have the chance. After that, no hope.
We turned it over 4 times, missed two FGs, and failed on 4th down twice. And scored 29 points,for the 3rd time in 4 games. We're #6, right between Baltimore and SF, in scoring points. And I think we could all agree that we've left points on the field because of our own mistakes. If you like seeing the Packers put a top offense out there, you're going to like this.
We will eventually figure out how to stop teams from putting 30 on the board against us. Next up, the Rams. Their offense could fairly be described as mediocre, ranking between 10 or 20 in a multitude of offensive categories. They've had injuries. The defense is best described as bad, as they're 31st in scoring. Oh, and they cannot stuff the run, so teams don't throw on them very much, but they're still last in the league in yards/attempt pass defense.
In short, this would almost seem like the idea opponent for us to focus on this week. If we just go out and execute, we'll have the Rams under control before halftime. If we don't score at least 20 points in the first half,I'll be disappointed. Even the Bears scored 24 on them. All week, remember: Protect the ball, give it to Jacobs, get people blocked, and we should be able to win this game. This throwing 50 times a game when your QB already has a leg issue is not a good formula for victory, IMO. Then we'll be able to come home again and beat the Cardinals. We'll be 4-2
GLM
September 30, 2024 at 08:27 pm
Great take, LH... 👍
bjkdad44
September 30, 2024 at 09:31 pm
I agree!!
Bitternotsour
September 30, 2024 at 10:22 pm
the good news is that of the 31 points, most were scored in the first half, rendering them mostly insignificant.
Coldworld
September 30, 2024 at 11:30 pm
Any linebacker interception is a unlooked for plus, not an expectation.
Oppy
October 01, 2024 at 07:00 am
"This throwing 50 times a game when your QB already has a leg issue is not a good formula for victory, IMO."
This is a silly thing to say. You don't actually believe the Packers planned to throw it 50 times while Love was coming of an MCL strain, do you?
The game became incredibly pass-heavy because it was 28-7 at half and still 28-7 entering the 4th quarter.
Starrbrite
September 30, 2024 at 06:33 pm
The dropped INT was crucial—sooo many (dropped) game changing INT’s the last few years.
In last season’s playoff, if Savage catches the Purdy pass—we win.
I believe the same of McDuffie’s drop.
Go Packers!!!
dblbogey
September 30, 2024 at 09:45 pm
It was a huge drop, and right in his hands. It completely changes the momentum, pumps up the crowd and team. It could have been a completely different game.
Starrbrite
October 01, 2024 at 02:03 pm
Absolutely agree
joejetson
September 30, 2024 at 06:45 pm
My vote for game-changing play is McDuffie's dropped interception. It would have given GB the early momentum, probably early lead, and gotten the crowd whipped up.
The way it played out, exactly the opposite happened. The defense fell apart, and the bad karma just snowballed.
I sure hope Hafley has a better backup plan for any future injuries to Alexander and Valentine. And somehow light a fire under the pass rush guys.
Starrbrite
October 01, 2024 at 02:03 pm
Yes indeed
GB@Germany
October 01, 2024 at 04:00 am
What annoid me most, was the 3 and 14 on the first drive:
No blitz, the 4man rush not able to collapse the pocket and endless time for SD to get a receiver open. Felt like under Berry….
Cartwright
October 01, 2024 at 04:54 am
Didn't understand why Wicks was getting targeted all day long, it just wasn't his day and the QB should have known that and started targeting Doubs instead, that was a turning point as well as that first FG getting shanked. It had bad karma for the game written all over it.
Oppy
October 01, 2024 at 07:05 am
I mentioned this elsewhere- I can only assume the Packers viewed a specific match up with Wicks as a lynch pin to be leveraged as the basis for their entire game plan vs. the Vikings. It's either that he was literally the central focus of their game planning, or he was the only WR consistently getting open.
Coldworld
October 01, 2024 at 08:04 am
The loss of Watson would have impacted that heavily, since a lot of what Wicks was doing was as the X. Melton and Heath were only lightly used. The vast majority of snaps were Doubs, Reed and Wicks.
Minniman
October 01, 2024 at 03:24 pm
I'm going with the penalties Tim.
When you go back and look at the stats - 5 defensive penalties, 2 offensive penalties and 1 penalty on MLF......for excessive manscaping at a football match :) !