Hey That Was Fun!

Me last week, but picture a little more handsome.

Ok so I'm back after a week of being a little crybaby. You try blogging when you're pissed off. Anyway I apologize to my hundreds of thousands of loyal readers, and I promise I will try harder to write after the next loss. Moving on...

I said two things before this game, 1. I think we're going to lose, 2. I'm almost always wrong. So, if you think about it, I was right. But more importantly the Packers whooped some ass on the road against the hottest team in football. Everyone and their mother were picking the Texans to win this game, but the Pack was having none of it. There was an air of solemnity before the game, but the looks of consternation quickly turned to smiles as the Packers built a 14-0 first quarter lead. For all the time spent complaining as a sports fan, it sure is nice to have a game like this where seemingly every break goes our way. Receivers were hauling in passes they had no business catching, Rodgers was throwing rocks (thanks Mike), the Texans committed penalty after horrible penalty, and the banged up defense played with fiery determination. We got back to having fun on the field and had our way with a very solid team. Welcome back Pack. Here's what I liked and didn't like:

What I Liked:

Not half bad for his first start ever.

       Ball Security: Yes we jumped out to a nice lead and dominated this game from the get go, but all it takes is one turnover to change the complexion of any game. Alex Green protected the ball very well in his first extensive action at running back and Rodgers showcased his trademark impeccable decision making. We were lucky that a dangerous tipped pass from Rodgers fell harmlessly to the turf, but we gotta catch a break every now and then. Cobb was his usual sure-handed self in the return game.

       Run Defense: Charles Woodson said before the game that we needed to start the game with more energy, and we needed to stop the run. The entire defense heard him loud and clear. Missing our run stopping anchor in BJ Raji, the front seven stepped up in a major way to hold the hard running Texans to 90 total yards on the ground, including a paltry 29 yards and a 1.7 yard average for the elite Arian Foster. That is the second lowest single game total for Foster since he burst onto the scene in week one of the 2010 season. We tallied seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage (not counting our three sacks), and AJ Hawk and Jerel Worthy looked particularly active in the box. The secondary deserves credit for generating three turnovers, but that all starts with making the opposing offense one dimensional, which the front seven accomplished nicely.

       Sure-Handedness: Jesus where has this been all year? Sure, Jermichael Finley looked like his usual bone-headed butter-fingered self, but other than him it was like we were playing with a velcro ball. Cobb made catches all over the field (after having one red zone drop), Nelson was unstoppable, and Jones once again had a freaking circus catch. For anyone who recorded the game, go back and watch McCarthy's reaction to JJ's catch. Even the d-backs got in on the action, with Sam Shields looking downright Woodson-esque in his diving undercut of a pick. Rookie Casey Heyward recorded his second and third career interceptions, one of which was a nothing less than awesome tip to himself in the end zone. Interceptions are commonly a 'right place at the right time' kind of play, but this looks like a sign of big things to come for Heyward. Whatever our pass catchers did to have that kind of focus this week should be bottled and sold at Patron level prices. I'd get shitty on it.

      My Boy A-Rodg is a Monster. He's a Best Bro: That's right I liked four things about this game. Big whoop. Rodgers was on. No two ways about it. After missing a wide open James Jones for a would be touchdown on the opening drive, he was on point for the rest of the day. He used his feet to buy time masterfully, ran for a couple first downs, hit damn near ever receiver at his disposal, and oh yeah tied a franchise record for most TD's in a game. Six touchdowns, no picks, two sacks, 9.1 yards per attempt, and a nearly perfect QBR of 95.8. Eat your heart out every other quarterback ever.

What I Didn't Like:

       Injuries: This week could end up hurting pretty bad. Nick Perry, Sam Shields and DJ Smith all went down with injuries that looked potentially serious. It’s pointless to guess about the severity of these injuries before we hear from McCarthy tonight, but losing any of those players would suck. Are they crucial players that can’t be replaced? No. Are they solid contributors that are a step above their replacements in terms of talent? Yep. The defense has been clicking this year and I’d rather not have to play a third stringer at middle linebacker, a rookie in the nickel and dime corner, and Erik Walden at outside linebacker. I’d rather not, but it looks like we may have no choice.

       Jermichael Finley: Believe me, I have been a big Finley supporter from day one. His size and speed combination are a mismatch that simply doesn’t come along very often. He has the ability to take over a game, and has done so in the past. Rodgers continues to give him opportunities, but he is simply not taking advantage this year. There are too many talented receivers on this team to wait around for one option to start producing. Cobb took his opportunity and ran with it. Jones has six TDs in the last three games. Jordy had three touchdowns YESTERDAY. Why should we keep pumping the ball to a guy who just can’t keep it together? He’s starting to talk again which is always bad, he doesn’t get along with Rodgers, he’s dropping balls left and right, and even his agent can’t keep his mouth shut. Finley may be gone after next year, but he’s got time to turn it around.

      Mason Crosby: Ok, this is a carryover from last week, but does anyone trust him with the game on the line? He has not proven that he can be a pressure kicker, despite having a strong leg and accurate career numbers. I won’t be comfortable with him attempting a game winner until he makes a couple, which I cannot ever remember him doing.

Football was fun again this week for the fans and the team. I know it’s a changing league, but I still feel like any good game plan starts with running the ball and stopping the run. Although Green’s numbers don’t fly off the page at you, he was productive enough to establish the run and allow for effective play action. McCarthy deserves credit for committing to the run with a backup halfback and an explosive passing game, and I hope he’ll continue this trend. I doubt there’ll be any Packers questioning the gameplanning this week.