So far this season, the Packers are ranked 27th in 3rd down conversion percentage at 34%. Over the last three games, their percentage is a lowly 25.8%. Against the Panthers, it was 21.4%

As I'm sure you know, the Packers were faced with numerous third down situations in Sunday's game against the Panthers, most of which were third and long. The lack of a consistent running game or short passing game and piss-poor pass protection is what puts you in those third and longs, but that's a whole other series of articles.

What I want to look at here is how tthe Packers chose to attack those third downs and point out a few things that just make no sense.

The Packers first faced a third down situation at the 8:42 mark of the first quarter. After a two yard pass to Richard Rodgers and a one yard loss by Lacy, the Packers faced a third and nine. The Panthers rush six on the play and the Packers have four players run pass patterns. Three of the four run 15 yard routes and as Rodgers tries to get out of trouble, not one receiver makes an effort to come back to him. Rather, they mostly head even deeper. With no linebackers dropping into passing lanes, the middle underside of the field is wide open. yet there is no "hot" receiver whose job it is to see this and run a slant, for example. This is what the flaling Packers offense has looked like over the last few games; receivers running deep isolation routes come hell or high water, regardless of what the defense is giving you.

At the 5:02 mark of the first quarter, the Packers faced a 3rd and 12 after a delay of game penalty, and incomplete pass and a Rodgers scramble for three yards. Packers have a trips formation (not a bunch) to the right side. All three receivers run straight at their defenders and just turn around at the first down marker. Very creative. No one is really open, but Rodgers somehow completes an almost impossible pass to Adams who makes a diving catch and gets a good spot for a first down.

At the 2:34 mark of the 2nd quarter, the Packers have a 3rd and 8 after two Starks' runs gained a total of two yards. The Panthers bring 7 on the rush, and once again, there is no 'hot" receiver. If you stop the video as Rodgers is about to get sacked, every receiver has their back to Rodgers. Now, the pass protection was awful on the play and having a hot receiver may not have helped in this case, but that doesn't alter the point. We see other teams do this to the Packers all the time where they send a receiver right to the area just vacated by a blitzing linebacker or defensive back. The Packers just run their routes...

At the 0:26 mark of the second quarter, with the Packers losing 27-7, we FINALLY see an adjustment by the Packers. On a 3rd and 10, with the Panthers rushing five, Richard Rodgers runs a slant and Cobb runs a dig (square-in) to the middle of the field, which as before, has plenty of open space. Both are available fairly quickly to Rodgers, who hits Cobb in front of the safeties - first down. Shorter routes to the open part of the field - easy 18 yard gain. How about that?

The Packers came out with some fire in the second half. A quick TD pass to Cobb made it a two score game again. The defense forced a punt and the Packers were quickly on the move again. However, a 2nd down sack put the Packers in a 3rd and 13 situation. They send four receivers into the pattern and the Panthers safety makes a bad decision which allows Cobb to get open on a short post route. Rodgers seems to be eyeing Cobb just as he is breaking open, but feels pressure and doesn't make the throw (not the first or last time that happened in this game). With no safety there, it would have been an easy TD for Cobb. Instead Rodgers takes a sack, but Carolina is penalized for too many men on the field.

Thanks to the penalty, the Packers get another shot with a 3rd and 8. They come out in a bunch formation (Eureka! They really are trying!) and receivers actually get open. In fact, Cobb beats his man on a corner route that again could have been an easy TD. However, there is little protection (another recurring theme) and Rodgers doesn't even look at the bunch side. He is going to Richard Rodgers out wide all the way and there is a miscommunication on the route. the throw is to the sideline, but that's not where Richard Rodgers goes.

There was a visible change in the Packers' offense the rest of the way. We saw shorter routes, swing passes, screens even. One could argue they were taking what the Panthers were allowing, but what the heck is wrong withthat? At the 12:30 mark of the 4th quarter with the score 30-14, the Packers found themselves with a 3rd and four situation. They came out with another bunch formation (Oh Glory Be...) and inexplicably did the same crazy thing they did last week (which I wrote about here). They ran a bunch formation and had the receivers run straight downfield - no criss crossing or rub routes near the LOS. That also meant no one was freed up early for Rodgers, who would have liked to unload the ball, but instead was taken down for a sack as Bryan Bulaga whiffed on Kony Ealy.

To wrap this all up, the one positive was that the Packers did make noticeable changes to their offensive approach at halftime. Why they didn't start the game out like that is a valid question. They had plenty of time to dissect their issues and come out from the first play with a new approach. Instead, they had to be hit over the head with a 20 point deficit before the light bulb went off. And even then, they did silly things like come out in a bunch formation and not even try to confuse the defensive backs with a criss-cross or rub.

SMH...