There are losses that feel like a tiny statistical horror show, as well as bad losses. The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Green Bay Packers 41–24 on Saturday, and in the midst of that crushing victory, there was an odd little detail: the Packers did not punt once. On its own, that would be strange enough. This was the third time this season that Green Bay has lost a game without using a penalty kick, which is more than any team has done in the Super Bowl era. This makes it historic (and a little embarrassing).
In summary, Green Bay’s offense moved the ball frequently but failed to complete enough drives cleanly. Malik Willis filled in for Jordan Love and had an incredible day, gaining 348 yards and three touchdowns. Nevertheless, the scoreboard was skewed in Baltimore’s favor due to turnovers, missed opportunities, and unsuccessful fourth-down attempts. Yes, there was a lot of yardage, not enough points, and no punts because the Packers either made mistakes, tried field goals, which they occasionally missed, or went for it on fourth down.
To put this in perspective, the 2021 Chargers and the 2024 Bengals were the only two teams in 60 Super Bowl-era seasons to lose two games in a season without punting. With three of these losses this season, Green Bay has now taken that oddity into unprecedented territory. That statistic is a strange historical footnote that indicates an offense that can move but can’t consistently convert in the crucial moments; it’s not a feather in anyone’s cap.
The play-by-play explains how the Packers accomplished this feat on several occasions. They had seven possessions against Carolina in Week 9 that resulted in a combination of fumbles, field goals, and a missed kick; they were productive in yards (369) but frugal in points (13). They lost in overtime after blowing a fourth-quarter lead against Chicago in Week 16 due to a failed fourth-and-one late in regulation. Again against Baltimore, they had similarly poor fourth-down math and turnovers, going 0-for-2 on crucial fourth-down attempts (as well as a couple of turnovers) turned the tide. Yardage without finishing, to put it briefly.
There is a ripple effect with regard to this, and that is Packers punter Daniel Whelan has only punted 41 times this season, which represents the fourth-lowest figure in the league among punters who have thrown at least 15 games, yet he has performed well when given the opportunity (league leader with a gross average of 51.3 and leads the league with a net average of 11th). It is not the fault of the special teams, but rather the offense failing to put points on the board in a manner which leads to the conventional punt.
Therefore, what can Green Bay fans learn about all of this? It is very evident that their offense is one that can gain yards, and this is definitely not the issue. Problems include completing possessions, ball security, and fourth-down decisions, especially if the season is on the line. It is one thing to have unusual season performances concerning their stats, but having three games where a punt was not attempted this season is definitely not a peculiar note to be made, and it is instead an indicator of their direction.