‘Everyone’s very frustrated:’ Packers’ tired of growing pains, learning experiences

Jordan Love did, in fact, point out that what transpired during Sunday’s 19-17 loss to the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High does indeed qualify as yet another teachable moment for the young Green Bay Packers offense.

“That’s part of the process of learning and growing,” the first-year starting quarterback said.

But truth be told, it was the way Love said that sentence that was far more noteworthy.

Maybe he sounded exasperated. Maybe it felt rehearsed and scripted, as if he felt compelled to say it.

Whatever it was, he was clearly sick of saying it — and is sick of not coming through with a chance to go win the game late.

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“We all know it’s ups and downs, but I think everyone’s very frustrated,” Love said, less than an hour after his defeat-clinching interception was snagged by Broncos safety P.J. Locke with 1 minute, 40 seconds to play in the game.

“We’ve got to find a way to win these games. We’ve been put in this position multiple times where it comes down to the offense having to go win the game, and we have not capitalized on that.

“We’ve got to find a way. That margin for error (is small), and we’re not capitalizing on these end-of-game situations. I think the situations are going to keep coming, keep being there — until we find a way to capitalize and go win.”

Sunday’s loss to the struggling Broncos (2-5) marked the Packers’ third in a row and their fourth in five games since an impressive season-opening win over the Chicago Bears on Sept. 10 — which must feel like a lifetime ago to head coach Matt LaFleur with his team sitting at 2-4.

“We’ve got to do enough to win from an offensive standpoint — and we obviously aren’t,” LaFleur said. “It’s just way too fragmented and just not consistent execution-wise.

“It is extremely frustrating, and it tests your resolve. But I do believe in the guys in that locker room in terms of the character that we have. But it does test you, no question about it.”

What was particularly frustrating about this loss to the Broncos, who came into the game with the NFL’s worst defense statistically — and not merely because that unit gave up 70 points and 726 total yards of offense to Miami a few weeks ago — and with just one win in the first six weeks, was that the Packers were coming off a bye week during which they searched for ways to make their youth-dominated offense get going.

What LaFleur got was a 9-0 halftime deficit and, after a second-half rally in which back-to-back Love-led touchdown drives gave the Packers a 17-16 lead, another late-game failure.

On Sept. 17, the Packers blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead, but Love & Co. got the ball back down 25-24 to the Atlanta Falcons with 57 seconds left on the clock and no timeouts. Needing only a field goal to go win the game, Love went 0-for-4. Instead of starting the season with back-to-back confidence-building victories, the Packers were 1-1.

Then, in their pre-bye loss at Las Vegas on Oct. 9, Love and the offense got the ball back down 17-13 to the Raiders with 1:56 to play, needing a touchdown to win the game. Although drops by Romeo Doubs and Luke Musgrave certainly factored into that failure, ultimately, it was Love who threw an interception in the end zone on a ball intended for Christian Watson that sealed the loss.

This time around, Love and the offense had the ball with plenty of time on the clock, and the possession started encouragingly enough.

After a 2-yard AJ Dillon run on first-and-10 from the Green Bay 25-yard line, Love hit Dillon off a play-action fake for a 29-yard catch-and-run over the middle, giving the Packers first-and-10 at the Denver 44-yard line with 2:22 to play.

Although rookie kicker Anders Carlson had missed a 43-yard attempt earlier in the game, the offense needed roughly 15 more yards to set him up for a 50-yard attempt and shot at redemption.

Instead, after the much-maligned Dillon’s big play, everything seemingly fell apart.

Dillon was stuffed for no gain on first down. On second-and-10, Love kept the ball on a designed quarterback draw, but two-time Pro Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins was flagged for holding, setting up second-and-20.

Love then threw behind Watson, whose leg bent awkwardly beneath him as he reached back for the errant throw. Watson limped to the sideline and collapsed, and then came Love’s fateful final throw on third down.

Instead of finding an underneath completion on third-and-20 to give the offense another shot on fourth down, he chucked it deep for Samori Touré, who didn’t have much of a chance with two defenders sandwiching him. Love said he didn’t see that one of the safeties had converged on Touré, elevating the degree of difficulty on the throw.

“I put that last one on me. (I) probably should have called a safer play where you get half of it and try to set yourself up for a manageable situation on the (fourth) down,” LaFleur said. “We took a shot and obviously didn’t come through.

“I wish I wouldn’t have put him in that spot.”

Asked if he considered finding a checkdown to pick up some positive yardage and set up a fourth-down opportunity, Love said he had yet to see replays of the interception.

“I mean, you can look back on it and say you could have done so many different things. That’s part of the process of learning and growing,” said Love, who finished the game having completed 21 of 31 passes for 180 yards with two touchdowns and the interception for a passer rating of 90.8.

“Yeah, you could check it down, go for it on fourth-and-12, who knows what happens. It’s one of those things. What if?”

Instead, the Packers are left not only with what-ifs but concerns about what it’ll take to turn things around. In a mediocre conference where even the top teams can’t seem to find consistency, it’s not as though all is lost.

But it sure felt like that in the visitors’ locker room on Sunday afternoon.

“It just seems like there’s a lot of those critical mistakes that keep cropping up. And those are the things that cost you,” LaFleur said. “Anytime things don’t work out in this league, everything gets magnified, right? That’s just the way it is.

“Every play is going to get dissected and just nit-picked apart. That’s the world we live in, and you’d better be thick-skinned and you’d better be tough-minded and just take it. All you can do is try to learn from every situation.”

Photos: View the Packers’ loss vs. the Broncos in Denver

Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon (28) runs against the Denver Broncos during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski

Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) tackles Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the Packers in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski

Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) runs against Green Bay Packers safety Darnell Savage, bottom, during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) scrambles away from Green Bay Packers linebacker Rashan Gary (52) during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski

Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (95) is tended to during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski

Green Bay Packers cornerback Rasul Douglas (29) reacts after tackling Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) is tackled by Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons (31) during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Johnson (89) cannot catch a pass in front of Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon (25) during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. Nixon was called for a penalty on the play. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski

Green Bay Packers’ Keisean Nixon (25) is tackled on a punt return against the Denver Broncos during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski

Green Bay Packers safety Darnell Savage (26) is tended to during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) gestures at the line of scrimmage during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton, left, celebrates after scoring a touchdown with wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (10) and guard Quinn Meinerz during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski

Green Bay Packers place kicker Anders Carlson, right, kicks a field goal from the hold of Daniel Whelan (19) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed, left, runs after being pushed out of bounds by Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson (22) during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) catches a touchdown pass in front of Denver Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave, rear, is hit by Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson (22) during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. Jackson was penalized for the hit and disqualified from the game after the play. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Denver Broncos place kicker Wil Lutz (16) celebrates with Riley Dixon (9) after kicking a field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) is sacked by Green Bay Packers linebacker Preston Smith (91) during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) catches a touchdown pass in front of Denver Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian (29) during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon (28) runs against the Denver Broncos during the second half of in the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski

Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke (6) is congratulated by teammates after intercepting a pass against the Green Bay Packers during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jack Dempsey

Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke (6) is congratulated by cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian (29) after intercepting a pass against the Green Bay Packers during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski

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