Prior to the start of the 2012 NFL season, both the Green Bay Packers and the Houston Texans were projected to be the likely winners of their respective divisions. At 5-0 coming into tonight's game, the Texans certainly look like they are on their way. The Packers? Not so much right now.
Sitting at a mediocre 2-3, and while referees of both replacement and regular stripes have certainly done them no favors overall, the Packers have to look in the mirror and blame themselves for their sorry state. They are two games behind Da Bearz and the ViQueens...the 'Queens, for gosh sakes!
Whatever the reasons there are for their failures -- including a collapse of Biblical portions in the second half of last Sunday's game versus the so-so Colts -- it's up to the players to execute, regardless of who is on the field. Yes, not having WR Greg Jennings impacts the offense in any number of ways but it doesn't explain the one touchdown to date by WR Jordy Nelson or his drops in key situations. As to the seemingly emerging malcontent TE Jermichael Finley, he should do less talking about everyone else and do his job: catch the ball! The loss of RB Cedric Benson for at least 8 weeks if not the season -- just as he was starting to get rolling as a key element of the offense -- isn't something the Packers needed. They finally had a running game that defenses had to respect. Now, unless Alex Green (who gets the start today) or James Starks or Brandon Saine can keep defenses honest the already-beleaugered Packers' offensive line is going to appear to be even more of sieve than it has through the first five games. Today, going up against what is arguably one of the best defensive lines in the NFL will be a real challenge for this offensive line. Does the name J.J. Watt ring a bell? Let's just hope he's not ringing Aaron Rodgers' bell today. Time for the line and the receivers and the running backs to step up.
On defense, communication -- particularly in the defensive backfield -- supposedly continues to be an issue. How and why this isn't resolved by this point in the season is certainly a question that needs addressing. With B.J. Raji still questionable for today's game, stopping the Texans potent offense is going to be a challenge. They have a very good passing game and strong running attack. The Packers' defense needs to bring its "A" game all day long. In fact, that would be a good motto for the Pack in today's game: play a full four quarters! That's something they really have yet to do.
What, if anything, should we say about special teams? Some brilliant play on "trickeration" as the saying goes. But K Mason Crosby had better get back to being his reliable self after his own personal collapse in last week's loss. The wild shank to the left on his final field goal attempt to send the game to overtime was something you expect to see out of a high school or college kicker, not the kicker for the Green Bay Packers. Let's just hope it doesn't come down to a field goal again today.
It's possible, of course, that this team -- players, not coaches -- felt they could step on the playing field and win on last year's reputation. Not going to happen. Teams have had plenty of time to scheme how to handle the Packers' receivers...and they are. That begins the domino effect: QB Aaron Rodgers goes through his progressions, sees everyone covered, and by that time is either running for his life because of the pass rush or is getting sacked for having held onto the ball too long rather than throwing it away.
Things are still out of sync on both sides of the ball. But tonight's game would be a great time for them to finally come together. Head coach Mike McCarthy has a good history of rallying the troops when their backs are against the wall. And, they basically are. But with Chicago having their bye week and Minnesota at Washington, the Packers could pick up a game on both with a win. That would be critical as things start to get close to the half-way point of the season. Falling three games behind in the division wouldn't necessarily end the Packers playoffs hope at this stage, but it certainly makes the hill to climb much higher. Most of the Packers' division games come in the latter part of the season, so ground can be made up there. But that doesn't leave much room for errors...especially the kind of errors we've seen on display so far and far too much this season.
What's the call then?
What's the take on this week's game? Depends upon who you read or listen to, of course. SI's Peter King says this: "File this in desperate-team-plays-better-especially-against-team-coming-off-short-week category. The Texans have to adjust to the loss of inside 'backer and signal-caller Brian Cushing, out for the season with a torn ACL suffered Monday night, and that will provide a hiccup or two to overcome. I say the Pack will have an easier time overcoming the Cedric Benson loss -- as long as Aaron Rodgers can evade a terrific rush." King calls it 23-20 in favor of the Pack.
Interestingly, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Packers guru, Bob McGinn, says the Pack will upset the Texans (who are favored by 4 points with the over-under pegged at 46.5 points), although McGinn never predicts a score. Three of his fellow writers, however, all give the win to the Texans by anywhere from 1 to 17 points...ouch! Check out their analysis and comments here.
So, what's the take of yours truly after all the above? I hate to say it, Packer fans, and I truly hope that I am wrong, but not even my green 'n' gold-colored glasses have me seeing a win for the Pack tonight. Maybe, just maybe, this is what the team needs to gel. But given what we have seen so far this season, we are looking at what is at this moment a mediocre team, and one playing on the road at the home of a very good team.
I'm calling this one in favor of the Texans, 31-24. I hope I'm wrong. I really do. The Packers need this game as much as they've needed any game in recent years.
But I can still say this and keep my fingers, toes and eyes crossed for a win: Go Pack Go!!!
Showing posts with label Cedric Benson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cedric Benson. Show all posts
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
So...Packers lost to Colts. Wait...what???
I know this is old news. Really old news. As in at least three days old. Yawn.
But I was traveling. Didn't even get a chance to watch the game. Which was probably a good thing. If there had been a gas oven nearby I met have just stuck my head in and ended it all right then and there.
Yes, it was that bad. (And, yes, we sports fans tend to fall into hyperbole and overreaction at times. So it goes.)
The Green Bay Packers -- in one of their worst second-half collapses in recent memory -- lost to the Indianapolis Colts, 30-27, on Sunday. Leading 21-3 at halftime, both the Packers' offensive and defensive units were a no-show after halftime. And usually steady kicker Mason Crosby choked not once but twice when it really mattered; making just one of his two field goals would have put the game into overtime. But let's be honest: when you're ahead 21-3 at halftime it should never come down to a last second kick to get you into overtime.
Granted, they lost running back Cedric Benson to a foot injury; he was today placed on the Injured Reserve Return list...or whatever they call it now. This was part of the last collective bargaining agreement. Basically, he's not lost for the season, at least, not yet. He can, theoretically, begin practicing after six weeks and return to play after eight weeks. That's assuming Benson can actually do both. Remains to be seen with the type of injury he has sustained.
The Packers also lost B.J. Raji and Jermichael Finley. Those absences were felt, but should have been overcome. They weren't.
Sitting at 2-3 heading into Houston for a match against the 5-0 Texans, the Pack is in a world of hurt right now, beyond just the injuries. They are two games behind Da Bearz and ViQueens. Who would have thunk it?
The Packers are 4-4 in their last 8 games. Something is not right, and it didn't just start this season. But whatever it is, coaches and players better get it figured out fast or any hope of even making the playoffs will be slipping away faster than you can say "Jay Cutler is a whiny prima donna."
The Packers are far too talented of a team to be playing as poorly as they are. They don't have long to get their collective act together. The odds are not in their favor this Sunday evening...literally: the Texans are currently listed as 3.5 point favorites. Given the defensive pressure the Texans can bring, and the problem the Packers' offensive line has had even with inferior defenders, it doesn't bode well, quite frankly. I hope I turn out to be as wrong about that as I was about my prediction for the last game.
But I was traveling. Didn't even get a chance to watch the game. Which was probably a good thing. If there had been a gas oven nearby I met have just stuck my head in and ended it all right then and there.
Yes, it was that bad. (And, yes, we sports fans tend to fall into hyperbole and overreaction at times. So it goes.)
The Green Bay Packers -- in one of their worst second-half collapses in recent memory -- lost to the Indianapolis Colts, 30-27, on Sunday. Leading 21-3 at halftime, both the Packers' offensive and defensive units were a no-show after halftime. And usually steady kicker Mason Crosby choked not once but twice when it really mattered; making just one of his two field goals would have put the game into overtime. But let's be honest: when you're ahead 21-3 at halftime it should never come down to a last second kick to get you into overtime.
Granted, they lost running back Cedric Benson to a foot injury; he was today placed on the Injured Reserve Return list...or whatever they call it now. This was part of the last collective bargaining agreement. Basically, he's not lost for the season, at least, not yet. He can, theoretically, begin practicing after six weeks and return to play after eight weeks. That's assuming Benson can actually do both. Remains to be seen with the type of injury he has sustained.
The Packers also lost B.J. Raji and Jermichael Finley. Those absences were felt, but should have been overcome. They weren't.
Sitting at 2-3 heading into Houston for a match against the 5-0 Texans, the Pack is in a world of hurt right now, beyond just the injuries. They are two games behind Da Bearz and ViQueens. Who would have thunk it?
The Packers are 4-4 in their last 8 games. Something is not right, and it didn't just start this season. But whatever it is, coaches and players better get it figured out fast or any hope of even making the playoffs will be slipping away faster than you can say "Jay Cutler is a whiny prima donna."
The Packers are far too talented of a team to be playing as poorly as they are. They don't have long to get their collective act together. The odds are not in their favor this Sunday evening...literally: the Texans are currently listed as 3.5 point favorites. Given the defensive pressure the Texans can bring, and the problem the Packers' offensive line has had even with inferior defenders, it doesn't bode well, quite frankly. I hope I turn out to be as wrong about that as I was about my prediction for the last game.
Sunday, October 07, 2012
Packers vs. Colts preview and prediction
The Green Bay Packers begin a consecutive three-game road trip today in Indianapolis. The Colts are coming off their bye week during which their head coach, Chuck Pagano, left the team to receive treatment for recently diagnosed leukemia. The Colts have a record of 1-2. The Packers are coming off a hard-fought battle against the Saints -- and the referees, for a second week in a row. With a 28-27 win, the Pack went to 2-2 on the season.
The Colts come into the game with a very good rookie quarterback in the person of Andrew Luck. Figure Dom Capers to throw a number of different looks at the young QB. Hopefully, the defense will confuse the offense rather than themselves as seemed to be the case for the Packers last weekend when it resembled last season's sieve. Of course, Luck is not Drew Brees, at least not yet. Expect the Packers to have their defense much more together than it was against the Saints. The Pack will also get a boost from the newly-activated DE Mike Neal who is coming off his four-game suspension. According to reports from Green Bay throughout the week, Neal looked very good in practice, much better than anticipated. If he views this as a bit of a new start to things, and plays the way he is capable of playing, he could be a huge factor in this game and going forward for the Packers' defense.
As for the offense, after being sluggish in their first three outings, the Packers seemed to find a bit more of their rhythm against New Orleans. Look for that to continue today agains the Colts. Cedric Benson is getting rolling and provides a much-needed and long-overdue spark to the running game. Aaron Rodgers and the receivers looked much more in sync, and that should also continue today. WR Greg Jennings, however, will not see the field as he is being held out due to his groin injury. Expect Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Randall Cobb and Jermichael Finley to get lots of action against a bland secondary. Donald Driver will appear in his 197th career game for the Pack, which ties him with QB Bart Starr for second place in franchise history. Congrats, Donald!
The pundits have an over-under on this game at the time of this writing of 48 points, with the Packers favored by 7 points. The week after the game against the Colts the Packers play the Houston Texans, who are currently undefeated at 4-0 and looking very good on both sides of the ball. This game against the Colts could be a trap game in the sense that the Packers could wind up looking past them and ahead to the Texans. I don't think head coach Mike McCarthy or the veterans on this team will allow that to happen. The Colts could also come out emotionally charged up to win one for their absent head coach. That may carry them for a while but not throughout an entire game.
I'm calling this one in favor of the Packers (shocking, I know) 34-17.
Go Pack Go!!!
The Colts come into the game with a very good rookie quarterback in the person of Andrew Luck. Figure Dom Capers to throw a number of different looks at the young QB. Hopefully, the defense will confuse the offense rather than themselves as seemed to be the case for the Packers last weekend when it resembled last season's sieve. Of course, Luck is not Drew Brees, at least not yet. Expect the Packers to have their defense much more together than it was against the Saints. The Pack will also get a boost from the newly-activated DE Mike Neal who is coming off his four-game suspension. According to reports from Green Bay throughout the week, Neal looked very good in practice, much better than anticipated. If he views this as a bit of a new start to things, and plays the way he is capable of playing, he could be a huge factor in this game and going forward for the Packers' defense.
As for the offense, after being sluggish in their first three outings, the Packers seemed to find a bit more of their rhythm against New Orleans. Look for that to continue today agains the Colts. Cedric Benson is getting rolling and provides a much-needed and long-overdue spark to the running game. Aaron Rodgers and the receivers looked much more in sync, and that should also continue today. WR Greg Jennings, however, will not see the field as he is being held out due to his groin injury. Expect Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Randall Cobb and Jermichael Finley to get lots of action against a bland secondary. Donald Driver will appear in his 197th career game for the Pack, which ties him with QB Bart Starr for second place in franchise history. Congrats, Donald!
The pundits have an over-under on this game at the time of this writing of 48 points, with the Packers favored by 7 points. The week after the game against the Colts the Packers play the Houston Texans, who are currently undefeated at 4-0 and looking very good on both sides of the ball. This game against the Colts could be a trap game in the sense that the Packers could wind up looking past them and ahead to the Texans. I don't think head coach Mike McCarthy or the veterans on this team will allow that to happen. The Colts could also come out emotionally charged up to win one for their absent head coach. That may carry them for a while but not throughout an entire game.
I'm calling this one in favor of the Packers (shocking, I know) 34-17.
Go Pack Go!!!
Monday, October 01, 2012
Packers beat Saints -- and refs -- in a close one
On a beautiful early Fall day on the as-yet-un-frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers notched a victory in what was for them -- and their opponent, the New Orleans Saints -- a must win game. The Packers needed a victory to avoid falling two games behind in the NFC North, while the Saints were just trying to get off the schnide and avoid going 0-4. The Pack also needed to respond to the heartbreaking loss in Seattle where victory was taken away by inept replacement refs. They did. But, boy, it was oh so close to being another heartbreaker. And, sad to say, the regular officials left much to be desired in their first action of the season, as well, and almost cost the Packers this game (more on that later). But the Pack prevailed, 28-27. Whew!
The Packers and Saints combined for 765 yards and seven touchdowns. Yowza! And the Packers finally scored in the first quarter, the last team in the NFL to do so. The oddsmakers certainly had the over-under correct in this game, set at 53-1/2 points. But the Packers didn't come close to beating the point spread for this game: 7-1/2 points.
There were so many key moments to this game. Including, again, blown calls by the refs which could have led to a Saints win. In particular, as the article by Bob McGinn in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says, the Saints "got an enormous break when the officiating crew led by referee Jeff Triplette missed the fact Darren Sproles fumbled a kickoff that was recovered by Green Bay's Dezman Moses at the New Orleans 30 with 7 minutes left." Because Packers' head coach Mike McCarthy had already made two challenges and lost them both, he could not challenge this obviously blown call. At that moment, Packer fans across the universe were collectively saying "Oh no!" -- because this is a family-friendly site, I will refrain from posting what most fans probably said.
Another key play occurred the one play QB Aaron Rodgers was off the field on offense. After scrambling inside the red zone and getting poked in the eye during a facemask grab, Rodgers came out of the game and backup Graham Harrell came in. The ball, following the facemask penalty, was at the one-yard line with first and goal. A running play was called, but Harrell apparently didn't get out from behind center fast enough, was stepped on by one of his offensive lineman which caused him to fall and miss his handoff to Cedric Benson. The ball was recovered by the Saints. Four plays later, Saints QB Drew Brees hit a receiver for 80-yards and a touchdown to put the Saints ahead...a 14-point swing in the game.
But, as McGinn's article points out, "The winning touchdown (for the Packers) came midway in the fourth quarter on an 11-yard slant in which Jordy Nelson beat cornerback Jabari Greer and then ran right over muscular nickel back Corey White, who was waiting for him at the 2."
Still, the Saints had a chance to up by 3 points with less than three minutes remaining in the game. A 43-yard field goal was good but negated by a holding penalty. That made the attempt 53 yards...but an offsides penalty against the Packers got five of those penalty yards back. The 48-yard field goal attempt went just wide to the left, keeping the Packers ahead 28-27.
With just under two minutes left in the game the Packers faced third-and-three after two strong runs by Benson who had a very good day, averaging 4.7 yards in 18 carries. But rather than hand the ball to Benson for a third straight time, coach McCarthy did what he will usually do in this situation: keep the ball in Aaron Rodgers' hands. Again, from Bob McGinn: "On the far right, James Jones was confronted by Greer in the bump zone. After looking first toward Finley, Rodgers came back to Jones, who had flashed him a clean release. Greer was all over Jones and with his back toward Rodgers. Jones speared the ball with his right hand almost off Greer's hip for a remarkable 8-yard reception as penalty flags flew for defensive pass interference." First down Packers. No time outs remaining for New Orleans. Game. Set. Dagger! (By the way, did I mention that James Jones probably had one of his best performance as a Packer?)
This is a game where we finally saw the Packers offense start to resemble what we saw last season. The defense, unfortunately, also started to look like the sieve that it was last season. Will be interesting to see which way things go in the long run.
Prior to the start of the season, I had predicted the Packers would be 3-1 coming out of this first quarter of the season. In fact, they were...they won that game in Seattle, just didn't have the victory awarded to them as radio voice of the Packers, Wayne Larrivee, pointed out. But the record shows 2-2 as the Packers now embark upon three consecutive road games. First up is the Colts. The Packers have something to build off of coming out of this game, and they should take it with them to Indianapolis for another win.
The first four games of this NFL season have seen many unexpected twists and turns. But the road to the playoffs and Super Bowl begins to straighten out as we get into the second quarter of the season.
Go Pack Go!!!
The Packers and Saints combined for 765 yards and seven touchdowns. Yowza! And the Packers finally scored in the first quarter, the last team in the NFL to do so. The oddsmakers certainly had the over-under correct in this game, set at 53-1/2 points. But the Packers didn't come close to beating the point spread for this game: 7-1/2 points.
There were so many key moments to this game. Including, again, blown calls by the refs which could have led to a Saints win. In particular, as the article by Bob McGinn in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says, the Saints "got an enormous break when the officiating crew led by referee Jeff Triplette missed the fact Darren Sproles fumbled a kickoff that was recovered by Green Bay's Dezman Moses at the New Orleans 30 with 7 minutes left." Because Packers' head coach Mike McCarthy had already made two challenges and lost them both, he could not challenge this obviously blown call. At that moment, Packer fans across the universe were collectively saying "Oh no!" -- because this is a family-friendly site, I will refrain from posting what most fans probably said.
Another key play occurred the one play QB Aaron Rodgers was off the field on offense. After scrambling inside the red zone and getting poked in the eye during a facemask grab, Rodgers came out of the game and backup Graham Harrell came in. The ball, following the facemask penalty, was at the one-yard line with first and goal. A running play was called, but Harrell apparently didn't get out from behind center fast enough, was stepped on by one of his offensive lineman which caused him to fall and miss his handoff to Cedric Benson. The ball was recovered by the Saints. Four plays later, Saints QB Drew Brees hit a receiver for 80-yards and a touchdown to put the Saints ahead...a 14-point swing in the game.
But, as McGinn's article points out, "The winning touchdown (for the Packers) came midway in the fourth quarter on an 11-yard slant in which Jordy Nelson beat cornerback Jabari Greer and then ran right over muscular nickel back Corey White, who was waiting for him at the 2."
Still, the Saints had a chance to up by 3 points with less than three minutes remaining in the game. A 43-yard field goal was good but negated by a holding penalty. That made the attempt 53 yards...but an offsides penalty against the Packers got five of those penalty yards back. The 48-yard field goal attempt went just wide to the left, keeping the Packers ahead 28-27.
With just under two minutes left in the game the Packers faced third-and-three after two strong runs by Benson who had a very good day, averaging 4.7 yards in 18 carries. But rather than hand the ball to Benson for a third straight time, coach McCarthy did what he will usually do in this situation: keep the ball in Aaron Rodgers' hands. Again, from Bob McGinn: "On the far right, James Jones was confronted by Greer in the bump zone. After looking first toward Finley, Rodgers came back to Jones, who had flashed him a clean release. Greer was all over Jones and with his back toward Rodgers. Jones speared the ball with his right hand almost off Greer's hip for a remarkable 8-yard reception as penalty flags flew for defensive pass interference." First down Packers. No time outs remaining for New Orleans. Game. Set. Dagger! (By the way, did I mention that James Jones probably had one of his best performance as a Packer?)
This is a game where we finally saw the Packers offense start to resemble what we saw last season. The defense, unfortunately, also started to look like the sieve that it was last season. Will be interesting to see which way things go in the long run.
Prior to the start of the season, I had predicted the Packers would be 3-1 coming out of this first quarter of the season. In fact, they were...they won that game in Seattle, just didn't have the victory awarded to them as radio voice of the Packers, Wayne Larrivee, pointed out. But the record shows 2-2 as the Packers now embark upon three consecutive road games. First up is the Colts. The Packers have something to build off of coming out of this game, and they should take it with them to Indianapolis for another win.
The first four games of this NFL season have seen many unexpected twists and turns. But the road to the playoffs and Super Bowl begins to straighten out as we get into the second quarter of the season.
Go Pack Go!!!
Monday, September 24, 2012
Packers vs. Seahawks Week 3 Preview
We're just a little more than two hours away from kickoff in Seattle for the Green Bay Packers vs. the Seahawks. Monday Night Football!
There's an interesting stat which hit the Twittersphere today: Packers' QB Aaron Rodgers is winless on the road on Monday nights: 0-4. Yikes! He's 3-0 in the friendly confines of Lambeau Field on Monday nights. Hmmm. So, what can we look at in order to figure out a possible outcome tonight?
First of all, after two weeks of replacement NFL referees, we can count on the not-ready-for-primetime-refs to throw off the Packers' offensive rhythm. The Pack likes to get to the line with no huddle and catch the defense with incorrect personnel for certain plays. The refs will be certain to mess that up as they try to figure out where to place the ball, or where to find Waldo. That's one that eliminates the Packers advantage in that category. The overall offensive advantage, however, goes to the Pack given the aerial weapons which they'll bring to bear. Plus, if they can get RB Cedric Benson enough carries and get enough push from the offensive line it can really open things up for the offense. This will be a big challenge on both fronts, though, as the Seattle defense is tough against the run through the first two games.
Secondly, there's the infamous Seattle 12th Man syndrome which makes the venue one of the loudest in the league. Again, advantage Seattle.
Third, instead of starting veteran QB and former Packers backup Matt Flynn, Seattle has gone with rookie and former Wisconsin (Go Badgers!) QB Russell Wilson. Seattle has the last-ranked passing offense in the NFL through the first two weeks. Still, Wilson has a strong arm, is smart, and can run or throw outside the pocket. He's the type of quarterback that in the past has given the Packers' defense fits. Keeping him in the pocket will be to the Packers advantage. Whether or not they can do so remains to be seen. Which defense will show up tonight for the Pack is the question: the one that looked like a sieve against the 49ers or the one that smacked Da Bearz around? Keep in mind also that the 'hawks have a powerful running back in the form of Marshawn Lynch who can take over a game if you let him; the Packers have to hold him in check or it could be a long and disappointing night.
I realize that I could and probably should be giving a lot more stats about this and that. But you can really find that info just about anywhere, right?
So let's just cut right to the chase, shall we? This is a game which the Packers should win even if they haven't totally gotten into the groove on offense yet or found their identity on defense...although Clay Matthews is certainly doing his part to help on that front! The Pack is favored by 3 or 3-1/2 points depending upon who are listening to, with the over-under pegged at 45-1/2 points.
I think the Packers will beat the spread and I'd take the under if I was a betting man...which I am not, by the way.
I'm calling it 23-17 Packers.
Go Pack Go!!!
There's an interesting stat which hit the Twittersphere today: Packers' QB Aaron Rodgers is winless on the road on Monday nights: 0-4. Yikes! He's 3-0 in the friendly confines of Lambeau Field on Monday nights. Hmmm. So, what can we look at in order to figure out a possible outcome tonight?
First of all, after two weeks of replacement NFL referees, we can count on the not-ready-for-primetime-refs to throw off the Packers' offensive rhythm. The Pack likes to get to the line with no huddle and catch the defense with incorrect personnel for certain plays. The refs will be certain to mess that up as they try to figure out where to place the ball, or where to find Waldo. That's one that eliminates the Packers advantage in that category. The overall offensive advantage, however, goes to the Pack given the aerial weapons which they'll bring to bear. Plus, if they can get RB Cedric Benson enough carries and get enough push from the offensive line it can really open things up for the offense. This will be a big challenge on both fronts, though, as the Seattle defense is tough against the run through the first two games.
Secondly, there's the infamous Seattle 12th Man syndrome which makes the venue one of the loudest in the league. Again, advantage Seattle.
Third, instead of starting veteran QB and former Packers backup Matt Flynn, Seattle has gone with rookie and former Wisconsin (Go Badgers!) QB Russell Wilson. Seattle has the last-ranked passing offense in the NFL through the first two weeks. Still, Wilson has a strong arm, is smart, and can run or throw outside the pocket. He's the type of quarterback that in the past has given the Packers' defense fits. Keeping him in the pocket will be to the Packers advantage. Whether or not they can do so remains to be seen. Which defense will show up tonight for the Pack is the question: the one that looked like a sieve against the 49ers or the one that smacked Da Bearz around? Keep in mind also that the 'hawks have a powerful running back in the form of Marshawn Lynch who can take over a game if you let him; the Packers have to hold him in check or it could be a long and disappointing night.
I realize that I could and probably should be giving a lot more stats about this and that. But you can really find that info just about anywhere, right?
So let's just cut right to the chase, shall we? This is a game which the Packers should win even if they haven't totally gotten into the groove on offense yet or found their identity on defense...although Clay Matthews is certainly doing his part to help on that front! The Pack is favored by 3 or 3-1/2 points depending upon who are listening to, with the over-under pegged at 45-1/2 points.
I think the Packers will beat the spread and I'd take the under if I was a betting man...which I am not, by the way.
I'm calling it 23-17 Packers.
Go Pack Go!!!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Packers vs. Bears: week 2 preview and prediction
As Sports Illustrated's Peter King said Wednesday on ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, tonight's game at Lambeau Field versus Da Bearz is about as close to a must-win game for the Packers as a team can have in just the second week of the season.
After losing at home to the 49ers in the season opener on Sunday, the Pack didn't have much time to straighten out its flaws. Those flaws in the first game were many: no rushing game, little pass protection, an inconsistent pass rush, and pass coverage that was nearly non-existent. Oh, and did I mention poor tackling despite the supposed emphasis on that during training camp? While we're at it, toss in some questionable play calling and time management and it was not the way the Packers were expected to perform. At all. As a result, they trail each of the other teams in the division by a game. Yes, even the ViQueens (shudder!).
It's only the first game, of course. But this is where the sense of urgency that Mr. King referred to comes into play: lose this game and after just two games into the season the Pack would already be down to Da Bearz by two games. Not good.
The Packers need this game. They're at home, on a national stage. Again. There are lots of new and young players who are obviously still trying to understand what it takes to play in the NFL and for the Green Bay Packers. There's plenty of veteran leadership on the field and in the locker room, so that will not be an issue. Performance is what it's about. The offensive line needs to get some push and open some holes so that Cedric Benson can one-up his old team...you know he is looking forward to that opportunity. And along these same lines, head coach Mike McCarthy can't be so quick to bail out on the rushing game. Benson had the ball a total of nine times the entire game Sunday; that's not going to get it done. Obviously, the offense is built around Aaron Rodgers and the receivers, but you still have to have enough of a run threat to keep the defenders honest. By bottling up the run and getting a pass rush with just three or four linemen, the Niners were able to disrupt the Pack's passing game all day long.
Another potential downside for the Pack in this game is that WR Greg Jennings is not expected to play because of a groin injury. The Packers are deep at receiver, as we know. But taking your top receiver off the field in a must-win game is not what you want to have happen. Someone will have to step up. Several receivers will have to step up. And TE Jermichael Finley will need to hang on to the ball when it's tossed his way. He had some great catches against the Niners. But he also had a key drop or two that killed drives.
Now, Da Bearz' defense isn't near the caliber of the Niners. But they will be jacked up, as always, for the game against the Pack. Execution at all levels must be much higher than it was in the opener. If not, the Pack will be 0-2 to start the season.
Still, let us remind ourselves that Da Bearz QB Jay Cutler is 1-7 against the Packers. For whatever reason, the Packers seem to have had his number over the years. One might argue that the odds have got to be in Cutler's favor at some point. Let's hope not. At least not tonight. Of course, being the diplomatic person he is, Cutler also opined on Tuesday that the Packers' defensive backs had better watch out. Let's hope he and his team pay for that challenging remark.
The way to make sure Chicago has a bad night is to get to Cutler often. When that happens, he gets happy feet and starts flinging the ball all over the place. Even fans of Da Bearz admit this (c'mon, you know who you are!) Assuming that the Packers can cover receivers better than they did Sunday, that would bode well for interceptions.
Of course, the receiving corps for Chicago got a significant boost with the addition of Brandon Marshall. If the Pack takes care of Cutler, Marshall will become less of a factor; if they don't get to Cutler, we could see a reprise of Alex Smith's aerial success Sunday. The Packers also have to contain Matt Forte...no easy task...particularly after the way they let Frank Gore et al scamper about.
Game Prediction
The Packers are favored at the time of this writing by 5.5 points. I'd be happy to see that kind of margin. Many of these games, as all true Packer fans know, are slugfests. Sometimes they are decided by special teams, as this could well be. (Does the name Devin Hester ring a bell? Of course, we can now counter with Randall Cobb, can't we?) This could be a game where everything -- including wounded pride -- kicks in for the Pack. That would be great to see. The oddsmakers have the over-under at 51.5 so they seem to be counting on a shootout.
I think this will be a close one, as the Packers still have way too much to figure out. But I think they will have figured out enough. There will be more offense than defense on both sides.
I'm calling it 27-24 Packers. My good friend, Billy Da Bearz fan, agrees with the oddsmakers and says it's going to be a shootout, and calls it 38-35...for Chicago. (I'll refrain from going into his sad personal history which obviously has led to this wild-eyed hysteria on his part.)
Go Pack Go!!!
After losing at home to the 49ers in the season opener on Sunday, the Pack didn't have much time to straighten out its flaws. Those flaws in the first game were many: no rushing game, little pass protection, an inconsistent pass rush, and pass coverage that was nearly non-existent. Oh, and did I mention poor tackling despite the supposed emphasis on that during training camp? While we're at it, toss in some questionable play calling and time management and it was not the way the Packers were expected to perform. At all. As a result, they trail each of the other teams in the division by a game. Yes, even the ViQueens (shudder!).
It's only the first game, of course. But this is where the sense of urgency that Mr. King referred to comes into play: lose this game and after just two games into the season the Pack would already be down to Da Bearz by two games. Not good.
The Packers need this game. They're at home, on a national stage. Again. There are lots of new and young players who are obviously still trying to understand what it takes to play in the NFL and for the Green Bay Packers. There's plenty of veteran leadership on the field and in the locker room, so that will not be an issue. Performance is what it's about. The offensive line needs to get some push and open some holes so that Cedric Benson can one-up his old team...you know he is looking forward to that opportunity. And along these same lines, head coach Mike McCarthy can't be so quick to bail out on the rushing game. Benson had the ball a total of nine times the entire game Sunday; that's not going to get it done. Obviously, the offense is built around Aaron Rodgers and the receivers, but you still have to have enough of a run threat to keep the defenders honest. By bottling up the run and getting a pass rush with just three or four linemen, the Niners were able to disrupt the Pack's passing game all day long.
Another potential downside for the Pack in this game is that WR Greg Jennings is not expected to play because of a groin injury. The Packers are deep at receiver, as we know. But taking your top receiver off the field in a must-win game is not what you want to have happen. Someone will have to step up. Several receivers will have to step up. And TE Jermichael Finley will need to hang on to the ball when it's tossed his way. He had some great catches against the Niners. But he also had a key drop or two that killed drives.
Now, Da Bearz' defense isn't near the caliber of the Niners. But they will be jacked up, as always, for the game against the Pack. Execution at all levels must be much higher than it was in the opener. If not, the Pack will be 0-2 to start the season.
Still, let us remind ourselves that Da Bearz QB Jay Cutler is 1-7 against the Packers. For whatever reason, the Packers seem to have had his number over the years. One might argue that the odds have got to be in Cutler's favor at some point. Let's hope not. At least not tonight. Of course, being the diplomatic person he is, Cutler also opined on Tuesday that the Packers' defensive backs had better watch out. Let's hope he and his team pay for that challenging remark.
The way to make sure Chicago has a bad night is to get to Cutler often. When that happens, he gets happy feet and starts flinging the ball all over the place. Even fans of Da Bearz admit this (c'mon, you know who you are!) Assuming that the Packers can cover receivers better than they did Sunday, that would bode well for interceptions.
Of course, the receiving corps for Chicago got a significant boost with the addition of Brandon Marshall. If the Pack takes care of Cutler, Marshall will become less of a factor; if they don't get to Cutler, we could see a reprise of Alex Smith's aerial success Sunday. The Packers also have to contain Matt Forte...no easy task...particularly after the way they let Frank Gore et al scamper about.
Game Prediction
The Packers are favored at the time of this writing by 5.5 points. I'd be happy to see that kind of margin. Many of these games, as all true Packer fans know, are slugfests. Sometimes they are decided by special teams, as this could well be. (Does the name Devin Hester ring a bell? Of course, we can now counter with Randall Cobb, can't we?) This could be a game where everything -- including wounded pride -- kicks in for the Pack. That would be great to see. The oddsmakers have the over-under at 51.5 so they seem to be counting on a shootout.
I think this will be a close one, as the Packers still have way too much to figure out. But I think they will have figured out enough. There will be more offense than defense on both sides.
I'm calling it 27-24 Packers. My good friend, Billy Da Bearz fan, agrees with the oddsmakers and says it's going to be a shootout, and calls it 38-35...for Chicago. (I'll refrain from going into his sad personal history which obviously has led to this wild-eyed hysteria on his part.)
Go Pack Go!!!
Sunday, September 09, 2012
Let the season begin! Packers vs. 49ers and season preview
Finally. It's finally here. Rejoice! Rejoice! The Green Bay Packers 2012 season kicks off this afternoon. Oh, happy happy joy joy!
As all good Packer fans know, the Pack plays the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field, with kickoff at roughly 3:25 CT. Today’s game is a matchup of the highest-scoring offense in the league in 2011 (Green Bay, 35.0 ppg) against the No. 2 scoring defense (San Francisco, 14.3 ppg) from last season. Something's gonna give, as the saying goes.
The Niners were one of the surprise teams last season, going 13-3, with some even going so far as to project them going to the Super Bowl this season. Those people, however, regardless of the outcome of today's game, are delusional.
A look at the Niners
Let's be honest, however. This is a good football team. It has a great defense, and that, rather than its offense, is what will take them to the promised land if they are indeed to get there this season. They have a maniac defensive tackle in Justin Smith, who will give LT Marshall Newhouse and LG T.J. Lang a handful all day long. If they don't slow him down, it could be a long day for QB Aaron Rodgers. See this article for more on Smith.
Ditto for handling the Niners' linebackers, which are arguably among the best in the NFL right now (don't just take my word for it...see this article for more). ROLB Aldon Smith starts this season after registering 14 sacks as a rookie who played fewer than half the snaps on defensive. He's a pass rusher and the Packers will have to find a way to handle him at the line, as well. The biggest challenge among the Niners' linebackers, however, will be inside/middle linebacker Patrick Willis. He's fast, can play the run like a beast and can drop into coverage, as well. A key match up today will be the Packers' tight ends on Willis. Jermichael Finley needs a big day against Willis to help keep the chains moving, whether through his receiving or helping open up running lanes or crossing routes for other Packer weapons to exploit.
The Niners' defensive backs are better moving forward than backward, which means that if Aaron Rogers is able to run his patented bootlegs with long downfield passes there are chances for real success. If the Pack's O-line can handle the two Smiths, and the Pack can run its four (and maybe five!) wide receiver sets, the 49ers will have their hands full figuring out who to cover. The Packers just have too many weapons in their receiving corp for defenders to stay with all day long; something will give, and when it does Rodgers will find the opening.
The Packers at a glance
As most everyone knows, the Packers' defense was its Achilles Heal last season. That's why there was a real emphasis in the draft on upgrading the defense. The Packers have added to their defensive line and linebacking corps, and some second-year players in the secondary are ready to make their mark. San Francisco has good receivers of their own and one of the keys to the game today will be how much pressure the Packers can put on QB Alex Smith. (What is it with all these Smiths on the 49ers? Did they get a deal on Smith jerseys???) We'd like to see the Pack shut down and shut up WR Randy Moss, who joined the Niners this off season. WR Michael Crabtree and TE Vernon Davis will also present their match up issues. The Packers defense will also have to keep RB Frank Gore from running loose behind a big offensive line; its often easy for the smaller backs to hide behind the big push and before you know it they've picked up five yards. The Pack can't let them happen. This will be a great test for B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett and others at the line, as well as the Pack's linebackers.
As to the Packers' offense, it's the best in the game. The quarterback is the league MVP, there are six top-notch receivers, all of whom can break a defense down, and now also a consideration in the running game for defenders in the name of Cedric Benson. If Benson can pound for several yards a carry as needed -- and hold onto the ball -- and if Alex Green and John Kuhn can pick up third down yardage on screens, it will keep the defense from loading up entirely on a pass rush or dropping into nickel coverage throughout the game.
Special teams play may also factor into this game, as it sometimes does especially early in the season where young players are getting their first exposure to the speed of NFL play. If second-year player Randall Cobb can get loose, as he did last year, he could score on a return or set the Pack up in good field position for a score. Punter Tim Masthay was rewarded with a big contract for his past performance and their should be no let down this season. Kicker Mason Crosby, however, seemed a bit inconsistent in his field goal attempts at times during the preseason and you have to hope that's not a precursor of things to come today or throughout the season.
Game Prediction
The Packers are still listed as 5-point favorites today, with the over/under set at 46.5 points, among the highest point totals for Week One.
I think this game will be closer than five points. In the first game of the season, anything can happen. This is a game that the Pack could indeed lose. Still, according to gameday notes at packers.com, "Under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, the Packers have won five straight season openers (2007-11), which matches the franchise record." So you know McCarthy will have a great game plan in place and have the team ready to go. Niners coach Jim Harbaugh will likewise have his team ready to go. So, will it be the league's highest-scoring offense from last season that prevails or the league's No. 2 scoring defense that wins the day?
I give the nod to the Packers. My prediction: Packers 24 - 49ers 23. Go Pack Go!!!
Season Prediction
I know that many bloggers and prognositcators do a whole game by game preview for you. Sorry, gang...not gonna get that here today. Not enough time. And, really, do you need another such review? I didn't think so.
So my bottom line win-loss projection for the Pack is 12-4, good enough for winning the NFC North. Playoffs and Super Bowl...yes.
I tend to break down the season by quarters. In looking at the tough first four games -- Niners, Da Bearz, Seahawks and Saints -- I think it's reasonable to assume the Pack will drop one of those games, particularly with two tough games coming within five days of each other (49ers and Da Bearz). The second quarter of the season sees the Pack playing the Colts, Texans, Rams and Jaguars. The Packers should take all of those, but playing on the road against the playoff-ready Texans will be the biggest challenge; that game could result in a loss. The Cardinals, Lions, Giants and ViQueens is potentially a tough stretch in the third quarter of the season with the Lions and Giants back to back on the road. I'd expect one of those games to be a loss. In the final quarter of the season, the Packers play the Lions, Da Bearz, Titans and ViQueens. There's one potential loss among that group. That's how I get to 12-4.
Whether 12-4, 13-3 or even the unexpected 15-1 of last season, say it with me: It's great to be a Packer fan!
As all good Packer fans know, the Pack plays the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field, with kickoff at roughly 3:25 CT. Today’s game is a matchup of the highest-scoring offense in the league in 2011 (Green Bay, 35.0 ppg) against the No. 2 scoring defense (San Francisco, 14.3 ppg) from last season. Something's gonna give, as the saying goes.
The Niners were one of the surprise teams last season, going 13-3, with some even going so far as to project them going to the Super Bowl this season. Those people, however, regardless of the outcome of today's game, are delusional.
A look at the Niners
Let's be honest, however. This is a good football team. It has a great defense, and that, rather than its offense, is what will take them to the promised land if they are indeed to get there this season. They have a maniac defensive tackle in Justin Smith, who will give LT Marshall Newhouse and LG T.J. Lang a handful all day long. If they don't slow him down, it could be a long day for QB Aaron Rodgers. See this article for more on Smith.
Ditto for handling the Niners' linebackers, which are arguably among the best in the NFL right now (don't just take my word for it...see this article for more). ROLB Aldon Smith starts this season after registering 14 sacks as a rookie who played fewer than half the snaps on defensive. He's a pass rusher and the Packers will have to find a way to handle him at the line, as well. The biggest challenge among the Niners' linebackers, however, will be inside/middle linebacker Patrick Willis. He's fast, can play the run like a beast and can drop into coverage, as well. A key match up today will be the Packers' tight ends on Willis. Jermichael Finley needs a big day against Willis to help keep the chains moving, whether through his receiving or helping open up running lanes or crossing routes for other Packer weapons to exploit.
The Niners' defensive backs are better moving forward than backward, which means that if Aaron Rogers is able to run his patented bootlegs with long downfield passes there are chances for real success. If the Pack's O-line can handle the two Smiths, and the Pack can run its four (and maybe five!) wide receiver sets, the 49ers will have their hands full figuring out who to cover. The Packers just have too many weapons in their receiving corp for defenders to stay with all day long; something will give, and when it does Rodgers will find the opening.
The Packers at a glance
As most everyone knows, the Packers' defense was its Achilles Heal last season. That's why there was a real emphasis in the draft on upgrading the defense. The Packers have added to their defensive line and linebacking corps, and some second-year players in the secondary are ready to make their mark. San Francisco has good receivers of their own and one of the keys to the game today will be how much pressure the Packers can put on QB Alex Smith. (What is it with all these Smiths on the 49ers? Did they get a deal on Smith jerseys???) We'd like to see the Pack shut down and shut up WR Randy Moss, who joined the Niners this off season. WR Michael Crabtree and TE Vernon Davis will also present their match up issues. The Packers defense will also have to keep RB Frank Gore from running loose behind a big offensive line; its often easy for the smaller backs to hide behind the big push and before you know it they've picked up five yards. The Pack can't let them happen. This will be a great test for B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett and others at the line, as well as the Pack's linebackers.
As to the Packers' offense, it's the best in the game. The quarterback is the league MVP, there are six top-notch receivers, all of whom can break a defense down, and now also a consideration in the running game for defenders in the name of Cedric Benson. If Benson can pound for several yards a carry as needed -- and hold onto the ball -- and if Alex Green and John Kuhn can pick up third down yardage on screens, it will keep the defense from loading up entirely on a pass rush or dropping into nickel coverage throughout the game.
Special teams play may also factor into this game, as it sometimes does especially early in the season where young players are getting their first exposure to the speed of NFL play. If second-year player Randall Cobb can get loose, as he did last year, he could score on a return or set the Pack up in good field position for a score. Punter Tim Masthay was rewarded with a big contract for his past performance and their should be no let down this season. Kicker Mason Crosby, however, seemed a bit inconsistent in his field goal attempts at times during the preseason and you have to hope that's not a precursor of things to come today or throughout the season.
Game Prediction
The Packers are still listed as 5-point favorites today, with the over/under set at 46.5 points, among the highest point totals for Week One.
I think this game will be closer than five points. In the first game of the season, anything can happen. This is a game that the Pack could indeed lose. Still, according to gameday notes at packers.com, "Under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, the Packers have won five straight season openers (2007-11), which matches the franchise record." So you know McCarthy will have a great game plan in place and have the team ready to go. Niners coach Jim Harbaugh will likewise have his team ready to go. So, will it be the league's highest-scoring offense from last season that prevails or the league's No. 2 scoring defense that wins the day?
I give the nod to the Packers. My prediction: Packers 24 - 49ers 23. Go Pack Go!!!
Season Prediction
I know that many bloggers and prognositcators do a whole game by game preview for you. Sorry, gang...not gonna get that here today. Not enough time. And, really, do you need another such review? I didn't think so.
So my bottom line win-loss projection for the Pack is 12-4, good enough for winning the NFC North. Playoffs and Super Bowl...yes.
I tend to break down the season by quarters. In looking at the tough first four games -- Niners, Da Bearz, Seahawks and Saints -- I think it's reasonable to assume the Pack will drop one of those games, particularly with two tough games coming within five days of each other (49ers and Da Bearz). The second quarter of the season sees the Pack playing the Colts, Texans, Rams and Jaguars. The Packers should take all of those, but playing on the road against the playoff-ready Texans will be the biggest challenge; that game could result in a loss. The Cardinals, Lions, Giants and ViQueens is potentially a tough stretch in the third quarter of the season with the Lions and Giants back to back on the road. I'd expect one of those games to be a loss. In the final quarter of the season, the Packers play the Lions, Da Bearz, Titans and ViQueens. There's one potential loss among that group. That's how I get to 12-4.
Whether 12-4, 13-3 or even the unexpected 15-1 of last season, say it with me: It's great to be a Packer fan!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Packers beat Bengals, work out some bugs.
The Green Bay Packers won their first game of the preseason last night, defeating the Bengals 27-13 in Cincinnati. The win kept the Pack from going 0-3 in the preseason for the first time since 1993. Interesting little piece of trivia there. But more importantly, we finally got to see the first team offense and defense get into a bit more sync than we've seen in the prior two games.
Having said that, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was scrambling much more than he should have been, even accounting for two rushing TDs off scrambles. You don't want the league MVP on the run that much during a game. When he had a chance to remain in the pocket, especially on quick slant throws, he and his receivers looked sharp. On the other hand, some of the deeper routes and passes didn't connect the way you expect them to once the regular season kicks in.
The other big plus on offense was seeing running back Cedric Benson, late of the Bengals, rush for 38 yards in six carries. I Tweeted during the game that he seemed quick and decisive, and with plenty of power. He runs with his shoulders down and packs a load, always seeming to be falling forward. Benson may very well bring a dimension to the Packers' running game that we haven't seen in a long, long time. He will clearly be the starting running back come game #1 of the regular season. For more on what others, including several of the scouts and personnel men from other teams had to say about Benson and the Pack, check out this fine article by Milwaukee Journal Sentinal Packers beat writer, Bob McGinn.
The starting defense also seemed to perform well, holding Cinci to three-and-out in the first two series by the Bengals offense. Linebacker Erik Walden performed well. As did rookie LB Nick Perry. The latter is particularly nice to see given that he was drafted to take pressure off Clay Matthews. Perry had some great push. On an occasion or two, Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers even lined up Perry and Matthews on the same side. Now that could get interesting in the right situation! Second-year linebacker Jamari Lattimore, playing late in the game, had a great pick-six interception, dropping into coverage, reading the quarterback and receiver, and jumping the pass lane at just the right time to take the ball into the endzone. You like to see that out of your backups. The defensive line also seemed to acquit itself well, although Ryan Pickett left in the first half with what was described as a calf injury. As to the secondary, it also seemed to perform well for the most part, although Sam Shields seemed to be a bit out of place or caught with bad footwork on a few passes.
The only casualty of the evening, if that term is even appropriate, was tight end Tom Crabtree who caught a great ball downfield a bit and was immediately popped by the defensive back. The back was flagged for an improper hit on a defenseless player (because Crabtree didn't have a chance to prepare himself for the hit, apparently), although replays showed that the hit was in fact perfectly legitimate. Crabtree left with what was reported to be a shoulder injury of an unspecified variety.
Backups Battle
After the departure of the starters for the second half, the backup brigades took the field. While some of these players may have earned themselves spots with their performances, others did themselves no favors in terms of making the team. One frustration for yours truly and many others was the fact that backup QB Graham Harrell received no repetitions with the first team offense. Instead, he was left with second, third, fourth and no-stringers to try to show what he can do. Hard to impress when you have a Keystone Cops type line in front of you. Head coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson are both high on Harrell in their public comments. They are apparently seeing more than we are. Perhaps in the final preseason game next Thursday versus Kansas City at Lambeau Field they will give him the opportunity to at least have a few snaps with the number ones.
Cuts Coming
It's clear that the Packers are deep at many positions, and definitely have the potential, barring injuries to key personnel, of a championship run. But I don't envy McCarthy and Thompson in having to make their cuts. The team roster will go from 90 to 75 by 3 p.m. CT on Monday, Aug. 27. By 8 p.m. CT Friday evening, Aug. 31, they will need to be down to the maximum of 53 players. On Saturday, Sept. 1 at 11 a.m. CT, the claiming period for players let go during the final round of cuts ends. The Packers can also start establishing their eight-man practice squad at this time. If you followed all that, and know who's making the final squad and who isn't, you must be a coach.
The Packers have young and talented receivers. One of the questions that keeps coming up during discussions of cuts is whether the Packers will release Donald Driver in favor of keeping one of the up-and-comers. I'd hate to see that happen and don't think that it will given that the Pack gave Driver a $1 million-plus signing bonus earlier this summer, and Driver cut his salary besides. My guess is they will keep Donald around this season for his veteran leadership with the younger players, as well as for his occasional role in the offense. Make no mistake, he will not get the majority of plays any longer. Last night he had his first catch of the preseason, as a matter of fact. But he can still play. More importantly, he can lead. That's worth keeping around, at least for one more season.
There will be more later on all this, especially as Monday rolls around. Probably won't be reporting anything more here until then. So enjoy your weekend, everyone. And say it with me: it's great to be a Packer fan!
Having said that, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was scrambling much more than he should have been, even accounting for two rushing TDs off scrambles. You don't want the league MVP on the run that much during a game. When he had a chance to remain in the pocket, especially on quick slant throws, he and his receivers looked sharp. On the other hand, some of the deeper routes and passes didn't connect the way you expect them to once the regular season kicks in.
The other big plus on offense was seeing running back Cedric Benson, late of the Bengals, rush for 38 yards in six carries. I Tweeted during the game that he seemed quick and decisive, and with plenty of power. He runs with his shoulders down and packs a load, always seeming to be falling forward. Benson may very well bring a dimension to the Packers' running game that we haven't seen in a long, long time. He will clearly be the starting running back come game #1 of the regular season. For more on what others, including several of the scouts and personnel men from other teams had to say about Benson and the Pack, check out this fine article by Milwaukee Journal Sentinal Packers beat writer, Bob McGinn.
The starting defense also seemed to perform well, holding Cinci to three-and-out in the first two series by the Bengals offense. Linebacker Erik Walden performed well. As did rookie LB Nick Perry. The latter is particularly nice to see given that he was drafted to take pressure off Clay Matthews. Perry had some great push. On an occasion or two, Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers even lined up Perry and Matthews on the same side. Now that could get interesting in the right situation! Second-year linebacker Jamari Lattimore, playing late in the game, had a great pick-six interception, dropping into coverage, reading the quarterback and receiver, and jumping the pass lane at just the right time to take the ball into the endzone. You like to see that out of your backups. The defensive line also seemed to acquit itself well, although Ryan Pickett left in the first half with what was described as a calf injury. As to the secondary, it also seemed to perform well for the most part, although Sam Shields seemed to be a bit out of place or caught with bad footwork on a few passes.
The only casualty of the evening, if that term is even appropriate, was tight end Tom Crabtree who caught a great ball downfield a bit and was immediately popped by the defensive back. The back was flagged for an improper hit on a defenseless player (because Crabtree didn't have a chance to prepare himself for the hit, apparently), although replays showed that the hit was in fact perfectly legitimate. Crabtree left with what was reported to be a shoulder injury of an unspecified variety.
Backups Battle
After the departure of the starters for the second half, the backup brigades took the field. While some of these players may have earned themselves spots with their performances, others did themselves no favors in terms of making the team. One frustration for yours truly and many others was the fact that backup QB Graham Harrell received no repetitions with the first team offense. Instead, he was left with second, third, fourth and no-stringers to try to show what he can do. Hard to impress when you have a Keystone Cops type line in front of you. Head coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson are both high on Harrell in their public comments. They are apparently seeing more than we are. Perhaps in the final preseason game next Thursday versus Kansas City at Lambeau Field they will give him the opportunity to at least have a few snaps with the number ones.
Cuts Coming
It's clear that the Packers are deep at many positions, and definitely have the potential, barring injuries to key personnel, of a championship run. But I don't envy McCarthy and Thompson in having to make their cuts. The team roster will go from 90 to 75 by 3 p.m. CT on Monday, Aug. 27. By 8 p.m. CT Friday evening, Aug. 31, they will need to be down to the maximum of 53 players. On Saturday, Sept. 1 at 11 a.m. CT, the claiming period for players let go during the final round of cuts ends. The Packers can also start establishing their eight-man practice squad at this time. If you followed all that, and know who's making the final squad and who isn't, you must be a coach.
The Packers have young and talented receivers. One of the questions that keeps coming up during discussions of cuts is whether the Packers will release Donald Driver in favor of keeping one of the up-and-comers. I'd hate to see that happen and don't think that it will given that the Pack gave Driver a $1 million-plus signing bonus earlier this summer, and Driver cut his salary besides. My guess is they will keep Donald around this season for his veteran leadership with the younger players, as well as for his occasional role in the offense. Make no mistake, he will not get the majority of plays any longer. Last night he had his first catch of the preseason, as a matter of fact. But he can still play. More importantly, he can lead. That's worth keeping around, at least for one more season.
There will be more later on all this, especially as Monday rolls around. Probably won't be reporting anything more here until then. So enjoy your weekend, everyone. And say it with me: it's great to be a Packer fan!
Friday, August 17, 2012
It's only preseason. But it's still an ugly Packers' loss.
The score was 35-10 Browns over the Packers last night in Lambeau Field. It's just preseason, and Cleveland was using this game as its dress rehearsal while the Packers were...well, not exactly sure what they were doing as this game looked as shambolic as the first.
After the second game of the preseason, we saw some good things with the Green Bay Packers. Primarily Aaron Rodgers being Aaron Rodgers. After missing a wide open Jordy Nelson in the endzone in the first offensive series, he came back to him about two plays later in that same series and, with tight coverage, connected for a TD. The other stat of the evening for Rodgers is that he was the team's leading rusher. Now, that cannot be good. And it isn't. But it is also indicative of how the team played after Rodgers and the starters exited early on. Which is to say...oh...let's try sucky, shall we?
With only a handful or so of practices and two games remaining in the preseason, turnovers by the offense and missed tackles by the defense continue to be areas of concern. And after seemingly take a step forward in San Diego last week, backup QB Graham Harrell took two steps backward last night. Granted, he wasn't getting much help but he also wasn't making plays when he needed to. Had a bit of the deer-in-the-headlights look which we here in Wisconsin are quite familiar with...at least when applied to scampering forest creatures crossing the roads in the Fall. It is less becoming when it's the guy you may be relying upon to fill in for the league MVP if he were to become injured and unavailable for any length of time.
This latter situation has the Twittersphere abuzz with speculation that the Pack may try to pick up a veteran backup somewhere along the way. Speculation was also flying last evening that the Browns in fact might have been showcasing their former starter and now backup, Colt McCoy. McCoy did acquit himself well last night. But whether Ted Thompson would go that route or not...? On the other hand, who would have thought that he'd bring in Cedric Benson because of obvious concerns about the running game? As mentioned earlier, with Rodgers being the leading rusher on the night that concern about the running game seems well founded.
Injuries have been and continue to be a big part of the Packers' training camp story this preseason. It has affected the running back situation in particular. But it has also taken away arguably the Packers best linebacker, Desmond Bishop, perhaps for the season. To be fair, D.J. Smith has played well in replacing Bishop. The coaching staff is high on him and he always seems to be in on plays. It changes the mix, though, and how it works out over the course of the season will be a key to the Packers' success.
I could say more but if you saw the game you probably have your own take on what worked and what didn't last night...and it was mostly what didn't. If you didn't see the game, read the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's report by Packers beat writer, Bob McGinn...it doesn't get any better than his writing.
Next Thursday night's game vs. the Bengals would be expected to be the Pack's dress rehearsal for the season opener, the game where the starters play into the second half to really get things in place for the regular season; the final preseason game is where those players on the bubble will have their final opportunity to make an impression. But given the team's injury situation and the fundamentals -- ball control and tackling -- which still seem to be lacking, who knows how McCarthy will approach the Bengals game.
The Packers are odds-on favorites to go to the Super Bowl and in some scenarios, win it. They have depth at many positions. But unless they can execute the fundamentals, and have a backup QB they can rely on to perform at a consistent level, those odds may drop. Too early to hit the panic button. As they say, it's not how you start but how you finish that matters in terms of getting into and making a run through the playoffs. That's a long way away. From where they are now, it's a very, very long way away.
After the second game of the preseason, we saw some good things with the Green Bay Packers. Primarily Aaron Rodgers being Aaron Rodgers. After missing a wide open Jordy Nelson in the endzone in the first offensive series, he came back to him about two plays later in that same series and, with tight coverage, connected for a TD. The other stat of the evening for Rodgers is that he was the team's leading rusher. Now, that cannot be good. And it isn't. But it is also indicative of how the team played after Rodgers and the starters exited early on. Which is to say...oh...let's try sucky, shall we?
With only a handful or so of practices and two games remaining in the preseason, turnovers by the offense and missed tackles by the defense continue to be areas of concern. And after seemingly take a step forward in San Diego last week, backup QB Graham Harrell took two steps backward last night. Granted, he wasn't getting much help but he also wasn't making plays when he needed to. Had a bit of the deer-in-the-headlights look which we here in Wisconsin are quite familiar with...at least when applied to scampering forest creatures crossing the roads in the Fall. It is less becoming when it's the guy you may be relying upon to fill in for the league MVP if he were to become injured and unavailable for any length of time.
This latter situation has the Twittersphere abuzz with speculation that the Pack may try to pick up a veteran backup somewhere along the way. Speculation was also flying last evening that the Browns in fact might have been showcasing their former starter and now backup, Colt McCoy. McCoy did acquit himself well last night. But whether Ted Thompson would go that route or not...? On the other hand, who would have thought that he'd bring in Cedric Benson because of obvious concerns about the running game? As mentioned earlier, with Rodgers being the leading rusher on the night that concern about the running game seems well founded.
Injuries have been and continue to be a big part of the Packers' training camp story this preseason. It has affected the running back situation in particular. But it has also taken away arguably the Packers best linebacker, Desmond Bishop, perhaps for the season. To be fair, D.J. Smith has played well in replacing Bishop. The coaching staff is high on him and he always seems to be in on plays. It changes the mix, though, and how it works out over the course of the season will be a key to the Packers' success.
I could say more but if you saw the game you probably have your own take on what worked and what didn't last night...and it was mostly what didn't. If you didn't see the game, read the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's report by Packers beat writer, Bob McGinn...it doesn't get any better than his writing.
Next Thursday night's game vs. the Bengals would be expected to be the Pack's dress rehearsal for the season opener, the game where the starters play into the second half to really get things in place for the regular season; the final preseason game is where those players on the bubble will have their final opportunity to make an impression. But given the team's injury situation and the fundamentals -- ball control and tackling -- which still seem to be lacking, who knows how McCarthy will approach the Bengals game.
The Packers are odds-on favorites to go to the Super Bowl and in some scenarios, win it. They have depth at many positions. But unless they can execute the fundamentals, and have a backup QB they can rely on to perform at a consistent level, those odds may drop. Too early to hit the panic button. As they say, it's not how you start but how you finish that matters in terms of getting into and making a run through the playoffs. That's a long way away. From where they are now, it's a very, very long way away.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Packers injuries create concerns and opportunities; sign Benson
If the 2012 preseason is beginning to make fans think of a couple years ago when the Packers were a walking MASH unit, there's good reason. There are currently something like 18 players who are being held out of practice because of various injuries. That obviously creates opportunities for those players who are the next guys in, as they say. But it also creates concerns for coaches and fans alike.
Desmond Bishop...out for season?
LB Desmond Bishop may very well be lost for the season after suffering a serious hamstring injury in the first preseason game at San Diego. He'll be undergoing surgery for the repair and then only time will tell if he is able to make it back this season. If it looks as if it will take most of the season before he's able to even begin rehab, we can expect the Packers to put Bishop on the injured reserve list to open up a roster spot. Given the lack of depth apparent on the offensive line, also due to injuries, that open roster spot might be used for an O-lineman who can play tackle and guard.
With Bishop sidelined, second-year player D.J. Smith will be getting much more playing time. The coaches like his instincts, although he is a bit undersized for the position. Still, if he makes plays he will get playing time. Check out this article by Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as to how coaches and players -- including Bishop himself -- view Smith's playing ability.
Davon House...out for a few weeks
One of the players the Packers were excited about last year, who was lost to injury, is defensive back, Davon House. Unfortunately, House -- like Bishop -- sustained an injury in the first preseason game. House injured his shoulder. It was first thought it might be a dislocation but the team is now saying it's a sprain. House is wearing a sling and will miss at least two to three weeks of practice; whether he's ready for the start of the regular season or not remains to be seen. Others will have to step in and take advantage of their opportunities.
Big problems on O-line
The unavailability of left tackles Marshall Newhouse and Derek Sherrod left the Pack starting journeyman lineman, Herb Taylor, for the Chargers game. The result was that QB Aaron Rodgers was under pressure the entire time he played, as Taylor was being outplayed by a rookie defender. The Packers have to be concerned about the lack of depth and quality, especially at left tackle right now. Newhouse was back at practice today and for that, we assume, Rodgers gave thanks to the Almighty.
Pack adds Cedric Benson to backfield
After a few days speculation, the Packers signed veteran running back Cedric Benson to help bolster an inexperienced and punchless -- so far -- running attack. Nominal starter, James Starks, had a horrible game in San Diego, dropping the ball whether it was passed or handed off to him. This apparently continues a type of play that coaches have seen to date in training camp. Alex Green wasn't able to show much, and Brandon Saine was held out of the game. Ryan Grant was still available but an analysis of stats apparently indicated that Benson had more pop left than does similarly-aged Grant. In a radio interview with Larry McCarren today, head coach Mike McCarthy said he thought Benson would be a good fit. Hope he's right. We won't have a chance to see Benson in action until the third preseason game because of CBA rules regarding "padded practices" ... or something. Go figure. The way it's gone for the Pack this training camp he'll probably get hurt before he gets in a game.
Desmond Bishop...out for season?
LB Desmond Bishop may very well be lost for the season after suffering a serious hamstring injury in the first preseason game at San Diego. He'll be undergoing surgery for the repair and then only time will tell if he is able to make it back this season. If it looks as if it will take most of the season before he's able to even begin rehab, we can expect the Packers to put Bishop on the injured reserve list to open up a roster spot. Given the lack of depth apparent on the offensive line, also due to injuries, that open roster spot might be used for an O-lineman who can play tackle and guard.
With Bishop sidelined, second-year player D.J. Smith will be getting much more playing time. The coaches like his instincts, although he is a bit undersized for the position. Still, if he makes plays he will get playing time. Check out this article by Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as to how coaches and players -- including Bishop himself -- view Smith's playing ability.
Davon House...out for a few weeks
One of the players the Packers were excited about last year, who was lost to injury, is defensive back, Davon House. Unfortunately, House -- like Bishop -- sustained an injury in the first preseason game. House injured his shoulder. It was first thought it might be a dislocation but the team is now saying it's a sprain. House is wearing a sling and will miss at least two to three weeks of practice; whether he's ready for the start of the regular season or not remains to be seen. Others will have to step in and take advantage of their opportunities.
Big problems on O-line
The unavailability of left tackles Marshall Newhouse and Derek Sherrod left the Pack starting journeyman lineman, Herb Taylor, for the Chargers game. The result was that QB Aaron Rodgers was under pressure the entire time he played, as Taylor was being outplayed by a rookie defender. The Packers have to be concerned about the lack of depth and quality, especially at left tackle right now. Newhouse was back at practice today and for that, we assume, Rodgers gave thanks to the Almighty.
Pack adds Cedric Benson to backfield
After a few days speculation, the Packers signed veteran running back Cedric Benson to help bolster an inexperienced and punchless -- so far -- running attack. Nominal starter, James Starks, had a horrible game in San Diego, dropping the ball whether it was passed or handed off to him. This apparently continues a type of play that coaches have seen to date in training camp. Alex Green wasn't able to show much, and Brandon Saine was held out of the game. Ryan Grant was still available but an analysis of stats apparently indicated that Benson had more pop left than does similarly-aged Grant. In a radio interview with Larry McCarren today, head coach Mike McCarthy said he thought Benson would be a good fit. Hope he's right. We won't have a chance to see Benson in action until the third preseason game because of CBA rules regarding "padded practices" ... or something. Go figure. The way it's gone for the Pack this training camp he'll probably get hurt before he gets in a game.
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