Billy Turner has no interest in making excuses for the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers (4-1) went from an early lead to a downright disaster during Sunday’s first loss of the 2020 season, allowing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) to come back and score 38 consecutive points in one of the worst losses of Matt LaFleur’s tenure as head coach. The collapse came in every phase, including for Turner and the Packers offense line — which allowed the Bucs to constantly pressure quarterback Aaron Rodgers and sack him five times.
“We’re pissed off,” Turner told reporters during his Zoom availability on Monday. “Like we just got hit in the f***ing mouth, to be honest with you.”
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Packers’ Stout OL Exploited Against Bucs
The Packers offensive line had been touted as one of the NFL’s best protection units through their first four performances — carrying the league’s top pass-block win rate at 73%, per ESPN — but the Bucs were just as formidable in terms of attacking the protection. What had seemed like a strength for Green Bay had devolved into chaos by the second half, amplified when All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari was injured and forced to leave the game.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Packers allowed 21 total pressures during Sunday’s loss with Turner (six) giving up the most to Bucs defenders. The timing of Tampa Bay’s pressures was also key to disrupting the offense as the Bucs brought the heat against Rodgers on eight of his 15 dropbacks on third down, the majority of which went against the Packers.
“Honestly, when you get your ass kicked, don’t get your ass kicked the next week — it’s really that simple,” Turner said of his approach to Week 7’s game against the Houston Texans. “We went out there and we started fast and made a couple of mistakes and we never regained the momentum, and that’s completely and entirely on us. With that being said, moving forward into next week, we’ve just got to make sure we execute.”
No Further Update on Bakhtiari
The Packers offensive line didn’t just get a thrashing from the Bucs on Sunday but also might have lost its most important piece after left tackle David Bakhtiari went down with an injury and left the game in the fourth quarter. The All-Pro veteran has been a full-time starter since 2013 and has only missed six starts in his career.
While LaFleur seemed to downplay the severity of Bakhtiari’s injury in Sunday’s postgame, he wasn’t able to provide much of an update when asked again Monday and said clarity on his status for Week 7’s game against the Houston Texans would likely come later in the week.
“I’m not sure what Dave’s status is, I haven’t seen him since the plane,” Rodgers said his weekly Tuesday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “He was definitely dealing with some discomfort, but if I know Dave he’s going to do everything he can to get out there and play.”
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Packers OT Billy Turner: ‘We Just Got Hit in the F***ing Mouth’