Graham Harrell Shuts up Critics, Moses Does Enough

For all the time spent questioning Graham Harrell's ability to be the primary backup for the Green Bay Packers this year, Harrell needed just about two quarters of PT to end the discussion. Finishing yesterday's preseason game with a completion percentage over 85, two touchdowns, no picks and a perfect passer rating, Harrell stated his case to the world and validated all the praise he's garnered from coaches and teammates alike. He made just about every throw you're looking for your quarterback to make, including an accurate (if a tiny bit underthrown) deep ball to Tori Gurley that led to a touchdown, and a pinpoint screen pass under duress that hit Alex Green in stride for a touchdown. He looked poised in the pocket, knew when to move outside the hash marks to buy time, made the correct reads and delivered accurate passes. Let's hope that we can stop talking about Graham Harrell until the next offseason.

I was sitting in the south endzone about 30 rows up, which gives you an interesting (though not ideal) perspective on the game. It gave me a great opportunity to focus on things away from the ball, and I chose to watch Dezman Moses as much as I could. By my count, he was on the field for every defensive drive except two, and likely played more than anyone on both squads. It's clear that the coaches wanted to give him every opportunity to make the team, and I believe he did just that. His performance was not perfect by any means, but he played with aggression and never looked overmatched. In the first half he lined up over the team's left tackle every snap. It was clear to me that he was focused on rushing the passer first and foremost, and he was able to power through for a couple of nice hits on the quarterback. He seemed to have his ears pinned back no matter what the down and distance. I saw multiple times when he got up the field too quickly in an attempt to squeeze the pocket, but succeeded only in neglecting his lane responsibility, which led to nice gains on the ground for the offense. My question is, was he told to focus on rushing the passer over all else, or was he simply too excited to showcase that ability at the cost of giving up a first down. Sadly, we'll never know. In the second half, he lined up on the opposite side of the field, and stopped opening up his running lane. Again, I wonder if he was instructed to play differently when lining up on the strong side, or if he was reprimanded for playing reckless early on. At any rate, he put good pressure on the quarterback, made some nice tackles, stuck his nose in on seemingly every play, and did more than enough to make the team. Meet Dezman Moses, the 2012 undrafted rookie free agent to make the Green Bay Packers roster.
Sam Shields made the obvious impact play in the secondary with his red zone interception, but he played well beyond that. He was left in man coverage quite a bit and held his own as far as I could tell. He seems to be the favorite to start at corner opposite Tramon Williams for now, thanks to a Davon House injury and shaky play frm rookie Casey Heyward. He's got the most experience and isn't afraid of big moments, as evidenced by his two interceptions in the NFC Championship game as a rookie.

It seems as though the long winded discussion of who would be the sixth wide receiver on the roster this year may have been for naught. Tori Gurley had a real opportunity to make the team last night, but let what I consider to be his best shot slip through his fingers down the left sideline. It was a decently thrown deep ball that would have been a tough but not spectacular catch by Gurley and would have put him over 100 yards receiving for the game. In other words, exactly the kind of play the coaching staff wants to see you make if they're on the fence. Diondre Borel did very little in terms of receiving during the preseason, and looked below average at best in the return game. I don't see him making the squad. The surprise here was number Jarrett Boykin. This guy came out of nowhere to pass the overhyped practice squad receivers and have a very productive preseason. He's got the best chance in my mind to make the team of any of the fringe receivers. The undrafted rookie out of Virginia Tech made play after last night, and was clearly the favorite target of fellow rookie BJ Coleman. Good measureables are all well and good, but on-field production usually leads to employment.

I've included a couple of shitty pictures of the addition taken with my cheap telephone from across the stadium. I suppose it looks nice and it will bring in plenty of extra revenue, but I wouldn't be clamouring for one of these nosebleed seats. I mean I'd sit in 'em, sure, but I'm a hopeless football addict, and cannot be counted on to make rational decisions when it comes to live football viewership. Now, BRING ON THE REGULAR FUCKING SEASON!!!!!!!!