Aaron Rodgers Shoots Down Locker Room Talk of Potentially Losing to the Jets

The Green Bay Packers offense has been truly offensive, and on the subject of their team’s execution, most Packers fans would be in favor of it.

There’s almost no classic negative football-related saying that doesn’t apply to the Green & Gold. Especially after another wretched performance against the Giants in London, which saw the Pack get completely shut out in the second half.

After Sunday’s loss, Packers CB Jaire Alexander said he wasn’t nervous about his team after losing to the Giants but would be nervous if they lost to the Jets in Green Bay this Sunday.

However, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers – who has been nearly as underwhelming as some of his rookie receivers – is not going to sit by and let negative “energy” permeate the locker room.

“Frankly, I don’t like all this conversation about losing next week,” Aaron Rodgers told reporters. “I’m a firm believer in the power of words and manifestation. We’ve got to check ourselves on that because talking about that is not winning football. There was talk about it in the locker room, and I don’t like. [Jaire’s] my guy, but we don’t need to be talking like that.

“I understand there’s a reality in this game that there’s a win and a loss every single game, but there’s also a reality in life that what you’re putting your energy toward, that’s where your focus is going to go. So I’m not going to address the prospects of losing up here other than we just lost this game.”

It’s not hard to understand why Packers players would start questioning themselves and/or their leadership. On Sunday, the Packers, a running football team, threw the ball 39 times while standout runners Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon were limited to 19 carries combined. This, despite the fact the Packers had a lead for three quarters and were tied well into the fourth. In addition, Dillon and Jones gained 98 yards on those 19 carries, putting them over five yards per rush.

Why would anyone stop running when you’re gaining over five yards a pop and have a lead? That decision-making process doesn’t make “football sense.” But, while it might be easy to identify the problem, the solution isn’t immediately obvious.

Yes, the Packers need to run the ball more. But who is calling these pass plays? Or audibling to these pass plays?

Is head coach Matt LaFleur calling run plays, and Rodgers is changing them? Or is LaFleur calling passes, and Rodgers is just executing the play?

You would probably have to be on the sideline to know the answer to that question, but whatever arrangement led to that nonsensical disparity in pass-run ratio needs to be lit on fire and discarded immediately.

Otherwise, more players in the locker room and fans in the stands are going to start becoming very nervous indeed.