Green Bay The Green Bay Packers might recall how tough it is to come out on the losing end of a close game. In 2008 they lost seven games by seven points or less and finished the season 6-10.

But that year, the Packers fought to the bitter end and could score late touchdowns.

This year, the last three games have been very close. The Packers have lost two of them, and a new small trend is developing. The Packers are not playing well on offense in the fourth quarter.

It is something Green Bay wants to correct in a hurry.

"The majority of guys in this locker room know what that's like and don't want to go down that road again," said Packers lineman Daryn Colledge. "It seems like we've got to find a way to finish in the fourth quarter.

"We're right there."

Scoring in general is down for the Packers.

Through five games, Green Bay is eighth in the NFL in scoring with a 23.8 average. That's solid, but also a dip from their 28.8 scoring average all of last season that placed the Packers third highest in the league.

That dip alone isn't enough cause for alarm. Here's what is: the scoring droughts in the fourth quarter for the Packers, especially in the last three games.

In the final quarter of the last three games, and including the seven minutes of overtime at Washington, the Packers' offense had 11 possessions and 55 offensive plays.

What to show for it?

One touchdown. No field goals. Three penalties. Two lost fumbles. And one interception.

"Unfortunately we're not playing up to our potential. It's one thing to talk about it. It's another thing to go demonstrate it," said offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. "We've got to out there and consistently perform for sixty minutes."

This stall out is unacceptable for a star-powered offense led by Pro Bowl caliber players Aaron Rodgers and Jermichael Finley (when healthy), Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, among others. This is subpar for this offensive line.

"The stats don't speak well to our fourth-quarter production," said receivers coach Jimmy Robinson. "We have a lot of work to do."

The Packers just haven't had their best performances down the stretch and have lost two games because of it, and nearly a third.

Green Bay lost, 20-17, to Chicago, getting outscored 13-7 in the fourth quarter.

And in three fourth-quarter possessions (19 plays) at Chicago, the Packers scored on a scramble by Rodgers. Otherwise, left tackle Chad Clifton was nabbed for a 5-yard false start penalty and Rodgers for a 10-yard intentional grounding penalty.

James Jones' late fumble was very costly as the Bears took that possession and converted it in to a game-winning field goal.

Against Detroit, the Packers won, 28-26, by scoring a touchdown in the first quarter, two in the second and one in the third. Again, the fourth quarter was a dud.

On two possessions (13 plays), Rodgers threw an interception and otherwise went nowhere. The Packers would have had another possession, but Jordy Nelson fumbled a kickoff and turned the ball over to the Lions.

Yet the Packers managed a saving drive of 74 yards at the end of the game to preserve the lead and hold on for a victory, even if that drive did not yield points.

Many within the team point to that as a demonstration of how well the Packers handle late-game pressure.

"We got it done when we needed it," said Colledge.

"We answered the bell," said Philbin.

But the fourth-quarter scoring drought really cost Green Bay in the 16-13 loss at Washington, where the Packers' only second-half scoring came from a touchdown in the third quarter.

It was a terrible late performance.

In four fourth-quarter possessions (17 plays), Rodgers was sacked twice for -2 and -9 yards. Andrew Quarless was called for holding to back the Packers up 10 yards. Green Bay was forced to punt three times and Mason Crosby missed a 53-yard game-winning field goal with seven seconds left.

"I think it is a mind-set of just, let's just finish teams off," said Crosby. "I was responsible for that kick Sunday but it is a team game and everybody had to do their part to make sure we don't let teams back in to it, and finish them off in the fourth quarter."

In overtime in D.C., the Packers had two possessions (six plays) with the uninspiring result of one false start by Bryan Bulaga and one interception by Rodgers.

"It is disappointing that in the last six minutes and overtime you have two penalties, a giveaway and two sacks. And you gift wrap it for them," said Philbin. "We've got to play better in the fourth quarter, there's no question about it. We have to score more points. And when the game is on the line, you can't let guys run through the A gap, you can't have penalties, you can't throw the ball to the other team.

"Yeah, that's troublesome. It's bothersome."

If the Packers can handle the late pressure - as they did in the Detroit game - then one explanation for the late droughts is that Green Bay really struggles at times on third-down conversions. But that is a concern throughout the games.

So Philbin was asked if the opposing defenses have made adjustments to the Packers at halftime, thus effectively shutting them down, and out, in the fourth quarter.

He wasn't buying it.

"Not to discredit Washington's defense; they're well coached. But the blitz they hit us with where they gave up the sack on second-and-14, we've certainly seen that one before," he said. "And then we have seen that one on the three-man rush before.

"So I don't know. It comes down to execution."


STALL ORDER

The Packers' point totals in the fourth quarter and overtime of their first five games:

Philadelphia 0

Buffalo 7

Chicago 7

Detroit 0

Washington 0