5 possible reasons for the Packers' struggling offense
They've got Aaron Rodgers. Jordy Nelson is healthy. Eddie Lacy lost weight. Why can't the Green Bay Packers move the ball?
The Packers entered Sunday with the 27th-most yards per game and the 29th-most passing yards per game, before being outdone by the Dallas Cowboys' rookie duo of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott in a 30-16 loss.
Last season, the offense was given a pass after they lost Nelson to a torn ACL and an overweight Lacy proved to be completely ineffective. But those issues should've been resolved.
There's no obvious reason for this season's struggles - even head coach Mike McCarthy doesn't have an answer - so here are five explanations for the offense that was ranked in the top six in 2013 and 2014.
Nothing new
McCarthy reclaimed play-calling duties this season after giving them up the season before. But his offense hasn't changed much since Rodgers took over and it was working pretty well until last year. Now that the league's defensive coordinators have gotten a good look at what to expect from McCarthy, they know where Rodgers is looking even before he is.
Bad targets
At one point, Nelson was battling to be the Packers' third receiver while names like Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, and James Jones were lighting it up. As those names left the organization, many assumed it would only be a matter of time before they re-tooled - but they haven't.
Nelson is still good, but not the elite pass-catcher he was in 2014. Randall Cobb seems to be more a gadget player than a prototypical receiver, and behind him, Davante Adams, Jared Abbrederis, and Jeff Janis haven't impressed anyone this season.
Rodgers feels alone
When Rodgers looks around the offensive meeting room, it's almost impossible he doesn't think he's by far the most talented player in there. It's inevitable.
With every dropped pass, missed block, and incorrect route, Rodgers' frustration grows. He was forced to make some ridiculous passes in Week 1 to get a win over the Jaguars, but as the season progresses, Packers fans have started to see throws they really aren't used to.
Too much running
Now that Lacy appears physically ready to be the lead back Packers fans hoped he would be, McCarthy has been somewhat compelled to hand him the rock. Green Bay entered Sunday averaging 26 attempts per game, 14th-most in the NFL, and tried another 24 runs against the Cowboys. With the issues they've had turning drives into points, perhaps Rodgers is puzzled why McCarthy isn't turning to him even more - since he's the team's most talented option.
Making assumptions
When Nelson returned, it was assumed by fans and media that the Pack Attack would be back this season. Perhaps, the players thought that too. Rodgers gained notoriety in early 2014 for his "R-E-L-A-X" mantra after a shaky start.
So when they didn't blow out the Jaguars in Week 1, or couldn't crack the Vikings elite defense in Week 2, or only beat the Lions and Giants by a score each, there wasn't an overwhelming sense of urgency. Objectively, it seems reasonable to buy into media talk, but the Packers look like they're waiting for everything to just work itself out. Heads up: that doesn't work in football.