The Green Bay Packers walked into Gillette Stadium looking to prove they have what it takes to play with the best, and walked out with even more questions after a 31-17 defeat to the New England Patriots.

While Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady – and their respective teams – battled out a close game through three quarters, the Packers unraveled in the fourth. The loss doesn’t exactly end Green Bay’s season, but it does put a lot of pressure on a team that hasn’t exactly shown it has what it takes to get things together.

Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly for the Packers 31-17 defeat:

The Good

Marquez Valdes-Scantling: It’s clearer than ever that Valdes-Scantling is the second best receiver on the Packers, and he’ll likely only get better from here on out. After crossing the century mark for the first time two games ago, Valdes-Scantling did it again, catching three passes for 101 yards Sunday night. Scantling is quickly proving to be the deep threat that Rodgers hasn’t had since the heyday of Jordy Nelson. And Rodgers’ willingness to keep throwing to the young receiver even after mistakes shows just how far MVS has come in earning Rodgers’ trust.

David Bakhtiari: The best left tackle in the NFL continued to prove why he has that title and was an absolute force for the Packers throughout the game. While New England doesn’t boast the ferocious front seven that the Los Angeles Rams did, Bakhtiari was once again one of the lone bright spots on an offense filled with dimness. His ability to keep the blindside of Aaron Rodgers clean is impressive, and if the team does end up clicking, his play will certainly be a part of it.

The best left tackle in the NFL continued to prove why he has that title and was an absolute force for the Packers throughout the game. While New England doesn’t boast the ferocious front seven that the Los Angeles Rams did, Bakhtiari was once again one of the lone bright spots on an offense filled with dimness. His ability to keep the blindside of Aaron Rodgers clean is impressive, and if the team does end up clicking, his play will certainly be a part of it. The defense, sort of: Mike Pettine had seen plenty of Tom Brady coming into Sunday night’s game, and to his credit, he did a pretty good job of containing him. Through three quarters, his defense held the Patriots to 17 points, including an incredible goal-line stand and a response after the Packers special teams roughed the Patriots punter, extending a New England drive. In the end injuries, missed tackles and a few trick plays doomed the defense. Josh McDaniels and the Patriots offense picked apart the Packers in the fourth quarter. It’s shocking to say it, but the defense might actually be the best unit on this team, and until things get better on offense, they’ll continue to be looked at to set the pace.

The Bad

Bashaud Breeland: What a rough debut it was for the cornerback. After waiting a couple of weeks to play, Breeland stepped right into the starting defense and immediately got picked on. While he managed to hold his own for a couple of plays (like the fourth-and-goal stand), Breeland was also called for a couple of penalties, including a pretty bad pass interference that kept a goal-line drive going for New England. All in all, Breeland looked pretty raw, but being asked to play your first game in almost a year against Brady and the Patriots is no small task.

What a rough debut it was for the cornerback. After waiting a couple of weeks to play, Breeland stepped right into the starting defense and immediately got picked on. While he managed to hold his own for a couple of plays (like the fourth-and-goal stand), Breeland was also called for a couple of penalties, including a pretty bad pass interference that kept a goal-line drive going for New England. All in all, Breeland looked pretty raw, but being asked to play your first game in almost a year against Brady and the Patriots is no small task. Aaron Rodgers: For any other QB in the league, a year with 15 touchdowns, one interception and a 100.4 passer rating would be excellent. For Rodgers, it still might be good, but something has been off with him all season. Perhaps it’s the ailing knee that’s keeping him from feeling perfectly comfortable, but Rodgers just hasn’t looked like the world-beating, magic-making quarterback fans are used to seeing. Once again, there were a couple of throws that just looked terrible, and his insistence on taking the play clock down to zero every play is nothing short of ridiculous. He’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the game, and some of his woes can be put on play calling, but Rodgers is certainly not above blame. This Packers team is constructed to be carried by an otherworldly Rodgers, and that guy has yet to show up consistently.

For any other QB in the league, a year with 15 touchdowns, one interception and a 100.4 passer rating would be excellent. For Rodgers, it still might be good, but something has been off with him all season. Perhaps it’s the ailing knee that’s keeping him from feeling perfectly comfortable, but Rodgers just hasn’t looked like the world-beating, magic-making quarterback fans are used to seeing. Once again, there were a couple of throws that just looked terrible, and his insistence on taking the play clock down to zero every play is nothing short of ridiculous. He’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the game, and some of his woes can be put on play calling, but Rodgers is certainly not above blame. This Packers team is constructed to be carried by an otherworldly Rodgers, and that guy has yet to show up consistently. Consistency: Speaking of consistency, the offense has none of it. Much like last week, the Packers continued to get chances to go up against New England but simply couldn’t do it. After back-to-back stops late in the third quarter, the offense put up zero points and shot itself in the foot with some truly baffling calls on both drives. New England might be one of the best-coached teams in the league, but it’s simply inexcusable to not score at all with this offense after stopping Brady twice near the end of the game. Despite what the score says, this game was more than winnable for the Packers. They just couldn’t do anything when it mattered the most.

The Ugly