Every non-scoring drive from the Green Bay Packers offense during Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings can be explained by some form of self-sabotage.
The Packers offense had 10 possessions against the Vikings. They scored four times — one field goal and three touchdowns.
Here is some of the self-sabotage on other six other drives:
— First drive: Josh Jacobs fumbled on a first-down run to the Minnesota 41-yard line. Turnover came after Packers won the toss and took the ball.
— Second drive: Dontayvion Wicks failed to complete a diving catch near the Minnesota 45-yard line on 2nd-and-10. Packers went three-and-out.
— Fourth drive: Jayden Reed dropped a fourth down conversion inside the red zone. Turnover on downs, zero points.
— Fifth drive: An illegal formation penalty wiped out a 7-yard run to the Green Bay 46-yard line. The Packers punted.
— Sixth drive: A 12 men in the huddle penalty turned 2nd-and-5 from the Minnesota 45-yard line to 2nd-and-10. The Packers punted.
— Eighth drive: An illegal formation penalty wiped out a 10-yard catch to the Minnesota 47-yard line. The Packers punted.
Drops and penalties — a recurring theme for the Packers in losses (and even some wins) this season.
Five different possessions against the Vikings should have or would have been at or near midfield with a first down, and another failed inside the red zone on fourth down. With a kicker who was making field goals over 60 yards in pre-game, the Packers squandered six legitimate point-scoring opportunities in a game that ended 27-25.
While the Packers defense got shredded by Sam Darnold, the offense missed too many opportunities to keep pace with the Vikings, and the comeback attempt was too little, too late.