When the saying, “playing to the level of their competition” is used, it’s usually not in a positive sense. It certainly felt as if the Green Bay Packers did just that in a 24-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

In a halftime interview, head coach Matt LaFleur said it “felt flat.” He wasn’t lying. A team the Packers should’ve ran all over, were very much in the game. Hell, they had the lead at the half, 13-10. LaFleur, inexplicably, decided to dial up continuous Jordan Love passes in the first half and not with a ton of success. Love compounded the struggles with a pick six, when he should’ve just eaten the safety late in the first half. Both LaFleur and Love were doing too much.

Enter the second half and LaFleur changed his approach. He jabbed until he could hit a power shot. Running back Josh Jacobs ran hard, delivering jabs as he and the offensive line began to wear the Rams’ defense out. Then, it was tight end Tucker Kraft’s turn to shine. Kraft helped deliver power shots with 2 touchdown receptions, including a 66-yarder that would jump start the Packers offense in the second half. (At least for the third quarter.)

Defensively, Green Bay was bend but don’t break with a splash of opportunistic. Safety Xavier McKinney collected his 5th interception in five games as a Packer. (He’s been worth every penny.) It was all the bending that made it tougher than need be, but the defense got one final stop to seal the game. Have to credit the Rams, they made Green Bay earn it.

Now officially through the quarter pole of the season, we still don’t know who these Packers truly are. But you have to be encouraged by the adjustments made and the players’ ability to execute. It will do them well in their quest to being the best version of themselves.

Packers will try to take another step forward, Week 6, against the Cardinals.