BAD NEWS UPPON BAD NEWS FOR PACKERS: HE IS GONE.......

Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander was simply trying to explain why Green Bay’s defense needs to do more.

But his comments underscored how much of a concern Green Bay’s offense has become as the Packers head into their bye week.

“Yeah, I think at this point it’s pretty obvious that the defense has to not give up any touchdowns,” Alexander said after the Packers’ 17-13 Monday night loss at Las Vegas.

“I think that’s the part of being self-critical of our defense because the offense is pretty young and they’re still figuring out their mojo. So the defense, we’ve got to do more to score and stop them from scoring.”

The defense did plenty to help the Packers win a game Monday night. The offense just failed to do its part, which has been a common theme lately for a young group suffering serious growing pains.

After averaging 31 points over their first two games, the Packers have averaged just 17 over their past three. The offense’s plunge explains why the Packers are below .500 for the first time this season.

Green Bay already had entered the season with the league’s youngest roster before injuries took away two of their most proven offensive players.

Left tackle David Bakhtiari, who turned 32 on Sept. 30 and is Green Bay’s oldest player, will miss the rest of the season because of the knee issues that have bothered him ever since he tore his anterior cruciate ligament on Dec. 31, 2020. Running back Aaron Jones has missed three of the Packers’ past four games because of a hamstring issue.

Guards Elgton Jenkins and Jon Runyan Jr. and center Josh Myers were the only players on Green Bay’s first-team offense Monday with multiple years of starting experience.

That first-team offense included two rookies (wide receiver Jayden Reed and tight end Luke Musgrave), four second-year players (wide receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs and tackles Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom) and a first-year starting quarterback (2020 first-round draft pick Jordan Love).