The most surprising thing about Rodgers' uncharacteristically ineffective performance against the Bills might have been his inability to connect with receivers down the field.
It wasn't for a lack of trying.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Rodgers attempted a season-high 14 passes that flew at least 15 yards downfield but completed just two of them. Before Sunday, Rodgers had the fifth best completion percentage (51.3) in the league on such passes. He was averaging 17.7 yards per attempt and had 11 touchdowns without an interception on such throws.
Against the Bills, he completed just 14.3 percent of his passes that went at least 15 yards for an average of just 2.3 yards per attempt and also had one of his two interceptions on such throws.
Before Sunday, Rodgers had faced a defense ranked in the top three in Total QBR in Week 6 or later eight times in his career, and he was near dominant, with an 80.6 QBR, 23 touchdowns and only one interception, per ESPN Stats & Information. But against the Bills, who were second in the NFL in QBR entering the game, Rodgers finished with a season-low QBR of 17.2 and two interceptions.
The task should be much easier this week, when the Packers face a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team ranked 27th in opponent QBR, at 68.3.