Steven Helmer Publications

Here are my thoughts from the Green Bay Packers' 24-21 playoff loss at the San Francisco 49ers last night: I am really sick of losing to those guys. Green Bay has now lost five in a row against the 49ers, but this one felt especially heartbreaking because for around 55 minutes or so of the game, it really felt like they would pull off the upset. It reminded me a little bit of when Green Bay had the lead against the Seattle Seahawks late in the game a few years ago and collapsed to lose it. This was a game that came down to missed opportunities. Another Anders Carlson field goal miss allowed for the 49ers' go-ahead score late in the game. The failed 4th-and-1 early on (which I agree with Matt LaFleur, it was a bad ball spot by the refs) stopped the team's early momentum and kept at least three points off the board. Two dropped interceptions by the defense could have been game-changers. You just can't let the top-seeded team stay in the game like that. They had the 49ers...

 My thoughts from today's 17-9 Green Bay Packers' win over the Chicago Bears. Playoffs, baby! Let's just take a moment to reflect on what this team has accomplished, regardless of what happens in the post season. This was supposed to be a transition year with a first-year starter at quarterback and the youngest roster in the league. Plus, the guy they were counting on to help with that transition, veteran running back Aaron Jones, missed seven games. A six-or-seven-win season would have been a reasonable expectation. 9-8 and the playoffs is bonus and there's no reason to believe they don't have a chance of pulling an upset next weekend. The most amazing part of their accomplishment is the offense still isn't at full power. I've seen the difference Jones can make when he's healthy. I've also seen how wide receiver Christian Watson forces defenses to play the offense differently because of his speed and playmaking potential. We have yet to see both o...

 My thoughts from the Green Bay Packers' 33-30 win over the Carolina Panthers earlier today: This was a little too close for comfort. It was essentially a repeat of last week's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers only with a win rather than a loss. The offense played well, the special teams didn't have any game-changing mistakes, but the defense was once again a liability. In fact, if it wasn't for some great clock management by the offense on the final scoring drive, there's no reason to believe the defense could have prevented the Panthers from tying or winning. I know there are benefits to being in the booth but after seeing Matt LaFleur lighting up Devonte Wyatt following his second offsides penalty, I have a hard time believing the defense wouldn't be better with Joe Barry on the sidelines, where he can be part of the action. That said, part of me wonders if maybe things have deteriorated to the point LaFleur wants to keep him as far away as possible. I...

 My thoughts from today's 34-20 Green Bay Packers' loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm not the type of guy who normally calls for a coach firing. However, I think that conversation needs to be had about Packers' defensive coordinator Joe Barry with a change happening before the end of the season. The team has invested way too much on the defensive side of the ball for it to be gashed for big gains as many times as it has been the past couple weeks. Obviously, not all of this is Barry's fault. A coordinator's job is to get the players in a position to make a play and the rest is on them. However, how many times did linebacker De'Vondre Campbell need to get burned by wide receiver Chris Godwin before someone says, "maybe we shouldn't have him covering that guy?" At least the offense seems to be bouncing back. Last week was awful and the type of thing that could cause a downward spiral with a young team. However, other than a couple throws, Jo...

 My thoughts from last night's Green Bay Packers' 27-19 win over the Kansas City Chiefs: Green Bay is giving a new definition to the term "rebuild." The Packers, like most teams, might not have used that word but that's what this season was supposed to be. The willingness to part ways with a veteran player like Rasul Douglas mid-season is evidence of that. However, Green Bay is proving a rebuild year doesn't need to mean you finish near the bottom in the league. If the season ended today, they'd be in the playoffs with two key wins that should make the higher seeded teams a bit nervous. Jordan Love for League MVP? OK, this is admittedly an overreaction from the Packers reaching .500 on the season. Or is it? Statistically, he's right up there with the MVP favorites and he's putting up those numbers with rookie and second year receivers. If the Packers finish the year in the playoffs, I think he needs to at least be in the conversation. I mean, did...

 My thoughts from today's 23-20 Green Bay Packer's win over the Los Angeles Chargers. That was a win to build on. A lot of the game admittedly looked a little too familiar but for a team that is learning how to win in spite of adversity, this was a good start. If the offense played like this against the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders, Green Bay would be 6-4 right now. Gotta love seeing Jordan Love throwing for more than 300 yards. Aaron Rodgers didn't manage that all of last year so, once again, it's hopefully a sign the offense is starting to turn a corner. In addition to moving on from Rodgers, Green Bay moved on from long-time kicker Mason Crosby this season. I think Love is starting to prove the former was the right choice, but Anders Carlson is keeping the jury out on the latter. A missed field goal and missed extra point nearly dropped Green Bay to 3-7.  Speaking of special teams, given the questionable depth in the secondary, is it wise to keep Keisan N...

 My thoughts from today's Green Bay Packers' 20-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams. There is still a lot for Green Bay to work on but winning certainly helps. It wasn't always pretty but the victory gives the Packers something to build on. At minimum, it's better than fifth-straight loss. The defense deserves the game ball. Yes, they were up against a backup quarterback. But they controlled the run, kept one of the league's deepest receiving corps in check and made the plays that were gifted to them, making it a lot easier on Jordan Love and the offense. Romeo Doubs has already become Love's favorite receiver, but I feel like rookies Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed have also moved ahead of Christian Watson in the receiving pecking order. Watson has talent but just can't seem to get on the same page as Love consistently, possibly because of the amount of time he has missed in his first two seasons due to injury. Even his lone catch in this contest resulted i...

 My thoughts from the Green Bay Packers 17-13 loss in Las Vegas last night. This game was lost in the trenches. It's a bit cliche but true. The Packers' offensive line only had one player to fear going into the game and did nothing to stop or slow Maxx Crosby, putting Jordan Love in danger of being sacked whenever he dropped back to pass. On the defensive side of the ball, the struggles against the run continue. It wasn't as bad as it was against the Detroit Lions, but the Raiders were able to take time off the clock and do just enough to open up the pass lanes. On that note, Joe Barry's job is likely in jeopardy. The Packers have invested a lot in this defense and there are times when that shows and other times when it does not. It's not all the defensive coordinator's fault but if the inconsistency continues, someone is going to be asked to fall on the sword. I don't think it'll happen over the bye week, but you never know. The offense also needs to be...

 My thoughts from the Green Bay Packers' 34-20 loss at home against the Detroit Lions last night. Dan Campbell deserves a lot of credit for turning the Lions around. The Lions had been a laughingstock for around three decades and Campbell has turned that around in the short time he has been coach. He is energetic and aggressive, something that rubs off on his players and it feels like this team will be a contender for a while as a result. Then there's Matt LaFleur.  Look, I usually try not to place the blame for a loss squarely on the coaching. However, this isn't the first time one of his teams has come onto the field looking flat and defeated from the opening whistle. You can't even blame it on the team's youth because it's been happening long before Jordan Love was the starter at quarterback and Green Bay purged its veterans on offense. Each time, he acknowledges the problem, but never seems to know how to fix it. Had the Packers shown any sign of life in the...

Just some thoughts from the Green Bay Packers 18-17 win against the New Orleans Saints today: Jordan Love is the real deal. Was he perfect today? No. But the way he took the team on his shoulders and practically willed them to a 18-0 scoring run in the fourth quarter shows why the Packers were ready to move on from Aaron Rodgers. It's worth noting Rodgers himself was often criticized, especially early in his career, for his inability to come from behind in games. You can't say we weren't warned. It was clear from the start there would be plenty of ups and downs this season. Love is exceeding expectations in his first three games as the Packers' full-time starter but there were plenty of times when the rest of the team didn't seem to be on the same page as him. On that note, penalties nearly killed the Packers today. There are youthful mistakes, and then there is sloppiness. Nobody is perfect but it is very hard for a team to get into a rhythm when it is going backwa...

 Some thoughts from the Green Bay Packers' 24-25 loss in Atlanta earlier today: The loss stings but there were positives. Jordan Love, in particular, is far from a finished product and is going to have some growing pains but for most of the game he looked the part of a franchise quarterback. At minimum, he's not turning the ball over, though there was at least one close call in this game. All three of his touchdowns were to rookie receivers too, that's a positive sign as well. This was a game that could have easily gone the other way. Green Bay's defense dropped two interceptions. Jordan Love's quarterback sneak in the fourth quarter could have been enough for a first down and made a difference in the game had the rest of the team known what he was doing. A miscue on the first drive took them out of field goal range (and even then, Green Bay might have been better off attempting it anyway). It was a loss but a little extra from the football gods and it could have ea...

Now that quarterback Aaron Rodgers has officially been traded to the New York Jets, a new era is starting in Green Bay. For some, the change at quarterback is signaling a rebuild year in 2023. I am not one of the people who believes that. I'm not saying the team won't have its struggles but there are three big reasons why the Packers aren't starting over from scratch even without their former 4-time MVP. First, Jordan Love isn't a rookie. While he may not have played much since the Packers drafted him in 2023, fans shouldn't dismiss the experience he has gained in practices. This includes practicing with the starters throughout much of the regular season last year because of Rodgers' thumb injury. This isn't unlike Rodgers, who sat behind Brett Favre for three years before getting his chance. Rodgers only played in 7 games during his first three seasons, attempting 59 passes. Love has played in 10 games and has attempted 83 passes. And unlike Rodgers when Fa...

If Green Bay Packers' President Mark Murphy's comments are an accurate depiction of the team's mindset, Green Bay is ready to start Jordan Love in 2023. However, they still have one problem, Aaron Rodgers is still on the roster. The most likely scenario at this stage is Rodgers either choses to retire or will agree to be traded to the New York Jets, a team that has been given permission to speak to him and seems to be pulling out all the stops to have him come east. But with Rodgers remaining quiet about where he is in his thought process, there is a lot of uncertainty regarding both of those possibilities. And if he decides he doesn't want to retire but also doesn't want to play for the Jets (or they find another option before he makes his decision), Rodgers could remain a Packer one more year. If Green Bay truly wanted to move on, they would normally have the option to just cut Rodgers and give him an opportunity to sign with another team. This would seem like a n...