'Considerable improvements' needed from Packers offense? Aaron Rodgers thinks so
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- A 21-point win over the Chicago Bears and a 32-point win over the Minnesota Vikings in a span of four days wasn't enough to satisfy Aaron Rodgers.
As he discussed the Green Bay Packers' Thursday night blowout win, Rodgers made it clear that the offense was still not where he wanted it.
"I think we have some considerable improvements to make moving forward," Rodgers said in his postgame press conference.
This coming from the quarterback of a team that had outscored its two most recent division opponents 66-0 over a five-quarter period. The Packers finished off their win in Chicago with 24 unanswered points and then got off to a 42-0 lead against the Vikings. For the beginning portion of that stretch, eight consecutive Green Bay drives resulted in five touchdowns, one field goal, one blocked field goal and one punt. That's about as good as NFL offensive efficiency gets.
Well, apparently not in Rodgers' opinion.
"A lot to improve on, I think," Rodgers said. "Offensively we were a little stagnant. We didn't have a lot of attempts in the passing game (and) didn't execute very well on third down."
Rodgers only threw 17 passes on Minnesota's defense, completing 12 of them for 156 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. But there wasn't a need for Rodgers to do any more. He didn't play at all in the fourth quarter, giving way to his backup, Matt Flynn.
But, as far as head coach Mike McCarthy is concerned, if Rodgers isn't entirely happy, then the team shouldn't be, either.
"Aaron Rodgers, he speaks for the locker room, there's no question about it," McCarthy said Monday. "He's won championships, he's been an MVP of the league. He knows what it takes and he knows what it looks like, he knows what it feels like. He also knows where we are. We're all excited about what we can be."
The only "bright spots," according to Rodgers, were the offense going 4-for-4 in the red zone Thursday and the running game finding success for the first time this season. Eddie Lacy, after going the first four games with less than 50 yards rushing in each, had more than that in just his first three carries under the lights of Lambeau Field. Lacy finished with 105 yards on 13 carries (8.1 average).
"Eddie over a hundred yards, we needed that," Rodgers said. "The more we can get him going, the more the play-action comes off of that. He's a bruising back and we need to find a way to keep him healthy and keep his legs juiced."
Follow Paul Imig on Twitter
