Week Two in Review

An emphatic response to a disappointing week one road loss. The offense looked nearly unstoppable once they got into a groove, and there was no shortage of playmakers. The defense looked sharp to start out, although I think a good deal of our early success on that side of the ball was due to ineptitude on the part of Washington. Special teams units went unnoticed, which means they did well enough. Here’s what I liked and didn’t like:

What I Liked:

Aaron Rodgers: Look, I’m not going to include him every week because that would be boring and easy, but how about this guy? Completes over 80 percent of his passes, averages 9.6 yards per passing play, throws four touchdowns to three different receivers, and commits zero turnovers. Again, I won’t pour over his sparkling stat line every week, but I just had to include him again this week so that we (I) don’t start taking him for granted. He’s the best in the league.

Starting Wideout TRIO: So James Jones is back in the mix, proving yet again that the Packers realistically feature three starting wideouts. The guy had over 150 yards receiving IN THE FIRST HALF yesterday, which is ridiculous. He and Rodgers could easily have set records if we weren’t such a classy organization and decided to run up the score like the loathsome Patriots. Cobb and Nelson were back with a combined 194 yards and three touchdowns, no doubt striking fear in the hearts of defensive coordinators around the league. Did you see Jim Haslett’s face from the coach’s booth yesterday? He looked like he was getting a colonoscopy.

Run Blocking: Don't get me wrong, James Starks had himself a very good game and deserves some credit, but my game ball goes to the guards and center for the gaping holes they opened up for Starks to run through. Mike McCarthy has stated many times that the majority of running plays in his offense are designed to gain 4.6 yards. Any back in the league could have averaged that much yardage per play with the way our offensive line was pushing around Washington’s front seven. Again, credit to Starks for his creativity and effort at the second level, but the running game starts with blocking and the O-line blocked their asses off.

What I Didn’t Like:

Pass Rush: Once again, the Packers were unable to generate consistent pressure on the opposing quarterback. Believe me, this is a problem. The defense tallied just one sack and three quarterback hits, the sack coming on a broken play for Washington and from a blitzing corner by the Packers. Griffin was rushed on a decent number of plays, but we had to rush five or six defenders to get that done. Add to that the fact that we held a lead throughout the entire game, knowing the Redskins had to pass, and the lack of pressure becomes even more glaring. I’m starting to think that Thompson just doesn’t have an eye for pass rushing talent. Stay tuned on this one.

Pass Protection: Four sacks are not an outrageous number, but consider this stat (courtesy of the Pollyanna that manages the ESPN NFC North Blog, whose job I should have): Rodgers got the ball out in 2.5 seconds or less on 33 of 46 drop-backs. Translation, Rodgers relied heavily on quick passes (slants, bubble screens, hitches, etc.) in an attempt to limit the defense’s ability to put pressure on him, and yet he still suffered four sacks and six hits. First and goal from the nine yard line on the first drive of the game became third and goal from the 24 as a result of two straight sacks. Credit the coaching staff for adjusting the game plan to limit pressure, but god dammit, protect the fucking quarterback. He IS our team.

Jonathan Franklin: Is this guy really so bad in practice that he couldn’t earn a single snap even after Eddie Lacy was knocked out on the first run of the game? I understand that Starks was playing very well, but how about a screen or a draw or even a blocking assignment just to get the rookie’s feet wet? I have to blame the coaching staff here, especially considering the fact that we led 31-0 halfway through the third quarter. If he’s good enough to suit up for a game, then he’s good enough to play AT LEAST one snap in a blowout victory.

Extra Points:

-         the streak of consecutive games without a 100 yard rusher is over, so now we can get back to discussing stats that actually matter

-          Eddie Lacy suffered a concussion, which could sideline him for next week’s game against the Bengals

-          the Packers’ bye comes in week four this year, which is good in that it gives our ailing d-backs an extra week to recover, and bad in that we won’t have that week of rest later in the season, when it’s more important

-          Mike Daniels was my unsung hero of the game, since he’s barely featured on the stat sheet, but seemed to be involved in a ton of plays near the line of scrimmage

Week One in Review

So we lost by one score on the road against the defending NFC champions. In the words of Mike McCarthy, 'we're nobody's underdog,' but we could have done a lot worse in terms of week one losses. The offense was consistent and efficient, scoring one touchdown in each quarter. The defense was porous and eventually insufficient, but gamely defended a short field more than once. It's hard to blame an offense that scored 28 points while their defense gave up over 500 yards, but turnovers were the difference in this game. Eddie Lacy's debut was a clunker that featured 2.9 yards per carry and a costly fumble, and yet he was the only true halfback to get a carry. The secondary suffered in the absence of starters Casey Heyward and Morgan Burnett, but the front seven offered little help in the way of pressure on the quarterback. The defensive line remains inept at collapsing the pocket, and recent first round picks Datone Jones and Nick Perry were all but absent from the stat sheet. Johnny Jolly was fun in his return from a ridiculous three year hiatus, making an impact both on the field as a disruption in the backfield, and on the sidelines as a vocal and animated leader. He was the only veteran even-tempered enough to break up the scuffle following Clay Matthews' late hit on Kaepernick. Thank god Roger Goodell had the wherewithal to suspend this OBVIOUSLY dangerous individual from the league for so long. Anyway here's what I liked and didn't like:

What I Liked:

Aaron Rodgers: The guy is good. His one pick was a perfectly placed pass to an open receiver. He managed 8.7 net yards per passing play, which would have been a full yard better than last year's best mark, set by a fella by the name of Colin Kaepernick, who posted a 7.7 net yards ppp in a modest 218 attempts.  He's cool, calm, and collected and will be dominant all year, just like he always is. 

Starting Wideout Tandem: Cobb and Nelson both had seven catches, both had over 100 yards, and both scored a touchdown. Cobb showed some fucking toughness, and there's no other way to put it. The only negative word I've ever heard uttered by the coaching staff about Randall Cobb is that he was skipping ahead in the playbook on his personal time, trying to learn plays that were not yet being installed. Combine that brain with an ability to catch the ball in traffic and gain yards after the catch, and you've got yourself a pretty decent player. Nelson looked 100% healthy following what appears to have been a good decision to operate on a lingering leg issue during the preseason. He executed both the mundane (in running and catching a simple slant in the end zone for a score) and the spectacular (in hauling in a circus catch on the sideline for 37 yards). He's the total package, and combined with Cobb makes Greg Jinnengs (sp?) a distant memory.

(default hilarious picture earned by mentioning Raji)

Run Defense: Yes, we gave up over 500 yards of offense (again), but we held the hard-nosed 49ers to a paltry 2.6 yards per attempt on 34 carries. Frank Gore has averaged 4.6 yards per carry in his career, but managed just 44 yards on 21 carries this afternoon. B.J. Raji stuck his nose in on more than a few plays at the line of scrimmage, and the linebackers did a nice job of swarming the ball carrier before he could reach the second level. Stopping the run is job number one for any NFL defense, and it gives us a decent foundation to build off of in the weeks to come.

What I Didn’t Like:

Third Down Defense: Although the numbers aren't as ghastly as I expected, the Packers' defense was not exactly stout on third downs. The Niners converted exactly half of their 18 third down opportunities, which would have been good for tops in the league in 2012, edging the Patriots who converted 48.43% of their third down tries. The Packers were missing two of their four starters in the secondary, including the quarterback of the defense, safety Morgan Burnett. It's comforting to make excuses, but the reality is that no team finishes or even enters a season completely healthy on either side of the ball. Injuries are a fact of life in the NFL, and if your back-ups can't get the job done, you're in trouble. Let's hope we can get healthy in the secondary and stop giving up huge chunks of yards. The good news is that next week's matchup pits the Packers' secondary against Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan, a duo of receivers that have never managed more than four touchdowns in a season.

An inauspicious start for the highly touted Lacy.

Turnovers: Blame it on whoever you want (I choose Jermichael Finley), but a pick is a pick. Any one score game comes down to turnover differential, and we lost today. The rookie Eddie Lacy lost a 2^nd quarter fumble, and was promptly escorted to the bench in favor of Jimmy Starks. I agree with the decision to bench him for a quarter, I'm disappointed that he lost a fumble in his debut performance, and I'm confident he'll learn from the mistake. The good news HERE is that on the very next offensive play following Finley's bobbled interception, Rodgers found Jermichael for a solid gain. It was probably the first time that I was glad Rodgers reminded me of Favre.

Josh Sitton: For all the talk surrounding David Bakhtiari's maiden voyage at the ultra-important left tackle position, it was Josh Sitton that was left holding the bag on the offensive line. He was flagged three times for holding, wiping out the Packers' two best runs of the day. This guy is supposed to be our best lineman, not the guy getting flagged left and right. The good news here is that he has beautiful curly brown locks and a jovial disposition.

Overreact if you must, but this is a minor setback. San Francisco is a good football team, and if nothing else, we showed today that they won’t roll over us if we see them in January. There’s work to be done in the running game and on defense to be sure, but we put a lot of good things on film today. Reacting to a loss has never been an issue for the Packers under Mike McCarthy, and I’m confident we’ll respond emphatically next week. I do know this much, championship teams don’t lose two games in a row to start a season.

Extra Points:

- I already miss Charles Woodson. Not that I think he would have made a huge difference today, it's just that I really loved watching him play for the Packers, and I'll never have the privilege of enjoying that again.

- Jim Harbaugh is a douche bag.

- I can't say enough about how happy I am to see Johnny Jolly back on the field. Sincere congratulations to him on a remarkable journey back to the NFL.

- I've always liked Anquan Boldin.

- I promise to never, and I mean N-E-V-E-R never include any details about any of my fantasy football teams in a blog post. You don't care, and I respect that about you.

Here We Go Again...

Bryan Bulaga is out for the year according to espnmilwaukee.com thanks to an ACL tear during the Saturday night scrimmage.

This is a huge blow to an offensive line trying to reinvent itself following sub-par performances over the last few years. I've long since held the opinion that the left tackle is the second most important player on your team, and ours is out for the entire season.

Mike McCarthy had planned to flip flop the left and right sides of the line this year in order to position his best linemen in the most important spots. The left tackle spot is now wide open, with Marshall Newhouse being the likely front runner to start the competition.

The one and only silver lining here is that the injury occurred with enough time left before the season to hold a legitimate competition to find a replacement. There's been rumblings about rookie lineman David Bakhtiari looking good in camp, but do you want a rookie protecting Aaron Rodgers blindside? That's what this is really about. You can pretty much pencil in at least two more free shots at Rodgers' back this year, which inevitably lead to fumbles, injuries, losses, angry bloggers, etc. I am not pleased.

Of course one injury won't derail the season at this point, but god damn this is one injury that you don't want to see. We've dealt with plenty of injury issues over the past three years, so nobody within the organization is going to panic. It's just disheartening to get bit by the injury bug again so early. The Packers have lost more starts due to injury over the past three season than any team in the the league, and we've already lost 16 starts this year before we played our first preseason game.

No Charles, Thank YOU

Make no mistake, there will never be another Charles Woodson. Not at Michigan, not in Green Bay, not anywhere. His unique combination of skills and dedication to the game have placed him in the pantheon of not just defensive backs, but football players period. He’s one of the best of all time, and we were lucky enough to witness the pinnacle of his abilities for seven years.

The stats are great. 921 tackles, 17 sacks, 29 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries, an incredible 55 interceptions, nearly 1000 interception return yards, 11 touchdowns, 182 passes defensed, the list goes on. He’ll no doubt add to those over the next year or two, but if he walked away today, he’d do so as a sure-fire hall of famer. As hackneyed a phrase as it is, it fits Charles Woodson too perfectly to say that the stats only tell a fraction of the story. Woodson had every football intangible known to man, and whatever leadership he wasn’t born with, he developed.

“My mindset was, I didn’t care who it was. You know what I mean? I play this game too.”

Charles had what can only be described as incredible ‘fight,’ and he didn’t give a shit who knew it. By the way, if you didn’t know it, he’d let you know in a hurry. Whether it was fighting Amani Toomer as a true freshman during his first practice at Michigan, or fighting David Boston in the Big House versus Ohio State, or even arguing with Mike McCarthy day one in Green Bay, Woodson never took no shit. I’m reminded of one of my favorite plays by Charles. It was Brett Favre’s final game in Green Bay, and the Giants were coming to Lambeau Field for the NFC Championship game. It was colder than a witch’s tit. Game time temperature was hovering around zero, and there was no shortage of wind. The talk leading up to the game centered around New York’s three pronged rushing attack, spear headed by the massive Brandon Jacobs. Seemingly everyone in the media was questioning how the Packers were going to stop this 6’5”, 265-pounder in the cold. Woodson not only heard the criticism, but decided in truly Woodson-esque fashion to bring the fight to Jacobs right off the bat. A run off right tackle on the first play of the game saw Jacobs reach the edge, where Charles was waiting for him. He came right at Jacobs, who ran him over but didn’t gain another inch. Woodson got up slowly, but the message had been sent. Joe Buck said something to the effect of, ‘I bet Woodson’ll think twice before doing that again,’ a comment that served only to belie his alleged knowledge of the week’s matchup.

“I was on the other side of the field and I just saw him, shoot out of the sky with one hand up like a rocket. And he came down with it? Superman.” – Michigan teammate Marcus Ray on Woodson’s iconic interception against Michigan State

“If you’re gonna play in this game, and play for Michigan, you’re gonna have to hit, and you’re gonna have to tackle. That’s all you gotta tell me.”

Charles saw plays that nobody else could see. In an era that saw nearly every rule change favor the offense, and receivers in particular, Woodson reveled in every opportunity to cover. While most corners were simply trying desperately to not get burned, Charles was bating quarterbacks, playing off intentionally, attacking ball carriers, and trying to score. He was seemingly one step ahead of everybody on the field for years. This uncanny ability to slow the game down not only led to tons of picks, forced fumbles and passes defended, but also manifested itself in a less typically celebrated way. Woodson made fucking tackles. He made easy tackles, he made open field tackles, he stripped the ball while tackling, and he made circus tackles. I’m again reminded of a play that showcased both Woodson’s exceptional vision, and his outrageous tackling ability. Baltimore was threatening on the goal line, with bowling ball Ray Rice in the backfield. Green Bay was clinging to a lead at the time and needed to keep the Ravens out of the end zone. The play was a toss left to Rice, who had every block he needed. As he sprinted his way to the corner of the end zone, Charles saw what nobody else would have seen. He dove, flat out, rotated 90 degrees to split both blockers assigned to him, caught nothing more than a shoelace, and took down Rice for a three yard loss. The defense held Baltimore to a field goal, and the Packers won by 3. I was at the game, and on the other side of the field, so I had no idea what happened until the next day. But you know that something special happened when all of your friends want to talk about a tackle instead of how the points were scored.

“All of the emotion came out. Cried like I’d never cried before. You know I tried to just tell the guys, you know how bad I want it, go out there and get it done.”

A long NFL career saw Charles evolve from a petulant ‘me first’ head case, to a consummate ‘team first’ professional. He learned to fit in with the Packers, learned to fit in with Dom Capers defense, and learned to lead by example. Preferring to lead with actions rather than words, Woodson was called upon to deliver a message to the team after the 2010 NFC Championship game. The player Aaron Rodgers described as ‘the guy I respect the most’ gave a memorable speech that has received plenty of fanfare, taking aim directly at the president who got his vote, but supported his rival. The ‘one mind, one goal, one purpose’ speech was all well and good, but it was Charles’ lack of speech at halftime of the Superbowl that really showed his team how much he cared. Of course nobody outside the team is privy to what exactly was said that day, but Woodson himself has cited his inability to talk much, owing to an outpouring of emotion in the midst of the game’s biggest stage. As Woodson watched Rodgers take a knee in the ‘V’ formation to end the game, the last of his football goals was checked off. He had accomplished each and every goal he had set for himself professionally, an achievement most people can only dream of. He was a true leader that demanded respect from everyone around him, but for all the right reasons.

“No disrespect to the hospital or this award, but this is truly not about me.”

Charles had been a leader off the field as well, which isn’t as exciting but is decidedly more important. He has donated over $2 million of his own money to the University of Michigan’s Mott Children’s Hospital, and has solicited far more in donations from other Michigan alumni. It’s easy for anyone to say that $2 million isn’t much to a rich guy like Charles, but how many other NFL stars do we see donating that amount of money? And how many people never even heard about it because Charles doesn’t go around tooting his own horn? He’s a role model for NFL players young and old, on the field and off, and for regular people like us. He’s learned to use his greatness to improve the world, not just himself.

“We don’t need luck”

Charles is an inspiration to me personally, somebody I feel privileged to have watched these past seven years, and somebody to whom I feel the world owes a debt of gratitude. I’ll extend a sincere ‘thank you’ to Charles for showing us what we can accomplish by doing things the right way, working hard, and committing to what we believe in. I’ll miss him every Sunday, and won’t begrudge him a single minute played in another team’s uniform. He’s earned it and I wish him all the best.

This Loss Hurts, but we're in the Dance

Make no mistake, this loss hurts our chances at winning the Superbowl. Not only did we lose the first round bye, but we’ll also have to travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers if we’re lucky enough to beat the Vikings on Saturday. I know the bye seemed to hurt us last year, and Rodgers is a California boy, but any football insider will tell you unequivocally that you always want an extra week of rest (an one less chance to lose), and you always want to play at home. It really is that simple. Having said that, I wasn’t TOO upset with our performance on Sunday (with a few exceptions to be discussed). I don’t think we came close to revealing our full game plan for the Vikings, and I don’t think the Vikings match up particularly well against us anyway. We came out of the game pretty healthy, with the one major loss being Jerel Worthy who looked to be seriously injured. Charles Woodson has officially been cleared to play, Clay Matthews is looking intense, and Rodgers is in a groove. Safe to say I’m fucking excited about the playoffs. Here’ what I liked and didn’t like on Sunday:

What I Liked:

Game Plan: We ran what I thought looked like a rather mundane game plan, and put up 34 points. That’s pretty darn good. I’ve never seen us run the Inverted Wishbone formation that many times in one game. It’s totally not our style, and I think served to veil our true intentions against this defense if and when we’d see them again. A few years ago we were burned badly following an unnecessary ass-whooping we put on the Arizona Cardinals. We showed how we thought we should play them, and they taught us a lesson the next week in the playoffs. Here’s hoping McCarthy did indeed slow-roll the Vikings, and we put it on ‘em at Lambeau on Saturday.

Greg Jennings: That was vintage Jennings last night. He’s back, he’s valuable, and he proved it. He not only caught two touchdowns, but also showed off his trademark elusiveness after the catch. You couldn’t tackle this guy in a phone booth on Sunday, and he got plenty of looks from Rodgers as a result. Let’s hope the chemistry is there for this receiving core when it finally returns to full strength in the playoffs. Welcome back Greg, and congratulations on reminding us why we WILL miss you next season.

Dejuon Harris: McCarthy likes to go with the hot hand at running back, which is why Grant got the start, but Harris got the finish. Grant’s legs looked to have plenty of life left in them two weeks ago, and he was given the first few snaps of the game as a result. When the running game failed to get going, McCarthy plugged in Harris, who ran with purpose. He’s an angry young runner who doesn’t shy from contact in the slightest. He’s got good burst that got him into the secondary on a few occasions on Sunday, averaging 5.0 yards on his 14 carries. He also had two receptions for 17 yards. I don’t know about everyone else, but I feel pretty darn confident about our running game going into the playoffs. 

What I Didn’t Like:

Aaron Rodgers’ Behavior: I sincerely hope that Aaron Rodgers is embarrassed by the way he behaved during the game on Sunday. Jumping around like a petulant child, yelling at teammates, coaches, opposing players, and referees, generally acting very Cutler-like. I have to wonder what the conversation between Rodgers and McCarthy was like after the game concerning Rodgers’ reaction to McCarthy mistakenly throwing the challenge flag. One thing I do know for sure is that it’s bad news if a player (any player) considers himself in charge of the team. McCarthy needs to keep Rodgers in check (at least in public) and control his quarterback’s temper. Rodgers has said before that he needs to stop showing up other Packers on the field, yet seemed wholly unapologetic following Sunday’s display, which in my opinion was the worst instance yet. Being passionate about your job is great and I respect both Rodgers and McCarthy for it, but it’s time for the quarterback to grow up and learn how to act in public.

Secondary: Thank god we’re finally getting Charles Woodson back this week, because we’re REALLY going to need him after this poor performance. How do you force a talented secondary to make Christian Ponder look like Eli Manning? You beat them up with a wrecking ball of a running back until they no longer want any part of the game. Tramon Williams looked downright scared to hit Adrian Peterson, and indeed chose to avoid doing so on more than one occasion. I get it. Believe me I do. Cornerbacks are smaller guys and AP is a freight train, the coaching staff shouldn’t put a corner in a position to be the first guy hitting any running back, the defensive line or at least linebackers should put a hat on him before he gets to the edge, etc. The fact is our secondary got beat the fuck up by an old school offense and it took them out of the game. Christian Ponder is awful and I will debate anyone that disagrees till the cows come home. He is awful and he torched us for three touchdowns. We have to be better than that or we might as well just lose in the first round. What do you think a halfway decent QB will do against a secondary playing like that?

Don Barclay: According to Pro Football Focus, Barclay was the only offensive lineman to grade out negatively for the day, coming in at -4.1. He gave up all three sacks, which included the forced fumble on Rodgers that basically cost us the game. He had shown McCarthy and Tom Clements enough in his previous performances to warrant solo assignments, but I think it’s time to slide him some help.

The biggest reason I’m excited to get Charles Woodson back is for his leadership. He is the heart and soul of this defense, and I look for him to set the tone early on. I’m hoping his typically aggressive tackling isn’t hindered by his collar bone, and that it rubs off on the rest of the team. We can’t afford to leave the tackling to someone else, we’ve got to swarm this dude early and often.  He’s the only chance the Vikings have at winning, so I want Charles to let him know right away that this ain’t gonna be like the last two games we played. The weather will be cold, tackles will hurt, and we’re going to find out a lot about the toughness of our defense on Saturday.

Week 15 Review

The Packers have claimed their second straight division championship by continuing their domination of the Chicago Bears. Having won eight of the last nine matchups against Chicago, and a staggering 13 straight division games, the Packers continue to assert their supremacy in the NFC North. These are without a doubt the most important games to win during the regular season, and the current roster and coaching staff have shown a spectacular ability to do so. It’s time now to fight for a first round bye in the playoffs, and we’re in damn good position to get there. We need two wins and one San Fran loss to lock up the number two seed, but I’d rather be a healthy three seed than a banged up two seed. Let’s hope we continue to get healthier, continue to gel as a unit, and continue to win the most important games that we play. Here’s what I liked and didn’t like.

What I Liked:

If you can prove that you predicted James Jones would lead the NFL in TD's by week 15 this year, I will buy you the biggest beer you can find.

James Jones: It’s not just that he had three touchdowns. It’s not just that he leads the NFL in touchdown receptions. It’s not even that impossibly confident strut he broke out after his final score yesterday. For me, it’s the way he’s gone about his business. Take yesterday’s game for example. He scored three times on three completely different routes, from three different positions. He was split out wide right when he torched Hayden with a beautiful out and up route. He was in the slot left when he fought his way in on a crossing route. And he was lined up wide left when he scored on a fade route. James has endured plenty of criticism in his six years in Green Bay, but has never once complained. He has worked to get better, understands the value of each opportunity he gets, and has clearly mastered the offense. He is a shining example of our coaching staff’s ability to develop a young player, and prepare him to be a leader in the NFL. Receivers coach Edgar Bennett, offensive coordinator Tom Clements, and Aaron Rodgers deserve plenty of credit here, but nobody deserves as much praise as the blue collar Jones.

Clay Matthews: My god, what a difference maker this guy is. Undeniable lynchpin to the success of this defense. He had two sacks of his own, but undoubtedly contributed to the sacks recorded by d-linemen Mike Neal and Jerel Worthy. He looked to be playing at about 85% to me, and was even held out on some running downs. Give credit to the medical staff for not rushing him back, and credit to the coaching staff for picking the right times to throw him into the fray. He struck me as somewhat subdued yesterday, which is fine by me. Let him unleash the fucking maniac in the playoffs. I just really wonder what it is that makes him so damn effective at rushing the passer, and why nobody else on our defense can do what he does. Either way it’s great to have him back.

Don Barclay: I’ve said it plenty of times before, but I’m not qualified to analyze the play of an offensive lineman. Like most fans, I’m usually watching the ball, and therefore never watching the guys in the trenches. That being said, going completely unnoticed is about the most ringing endorsement I can give an o-lineman. So congratulations Don Barclay on going up against one of the toughest pass rushers in the history of the NFL, and going completely unnoticed. I gotta believe he graded out positively in yesterday’s game at the ultra-important right tackle position. Depth on the offensive line is absolutely crucial, and we appear to have it.

What I Didn’t Like:

Trick Play: Ok look, I’ve gone on record as being in favor of gadget plays. They’re exciting, can generate points, and give the opposition one more thing to think about. That being said, yesterday’s punt pass struck me as a bit hair-brained. The reality is that the play looked like it would have worked had Jeremy Ross caught the ball, but that’s not the point. We were flagged for holding, but that’s not the point either. The point is that we were up by two scores, receiving the ball, with just eight minutes left. I praised McCarthy a couple weeks ago for knowing when and when not to call an aggressive gadget play, but he sure proved me wrong here. I honestly liked the play, I just hated the timing of it.

Mason Crosby: McCarthy said in his post-game press conference that the Packers are going to stick with Mason Crosby no matter what. Color me confused. The time is now to dump this dude, bring in somebody (ANYBODY!) else, give him two weeks to get his feet wet, and go into the playoffs with a tiny shred of confidence in you kicker. If we lose in the playoffs on a Mason Crosby miss, the decision to keep him around will be second guessed till the cows come home, and I’ll be pissed off for at least a week. Crosby is finished in the NFL, and the sooner we accept that, the better.

Can't have this shit. Can. Not. Have. It.

Aaron Rodgers Taking Hits: It’s one thing if your o-line gets beat for a sack. It’s one thing if a defender hits you up high illegally. It’s another thing entirely when you take an unnecessary and potentially devastating hit reaching for a first down when we’re up by two scores and already in field goal range. Well, field goal range if we had a real kicker. How has he not learned this lesson yet? It seems to me that for a guy as smart as Aaron Rodgers to continue making the same mistake, there must be something else going on. Is he so eager to prove that he’s an athletic quarterback that he’s willing to risk his season to do it? I’m not saying that’s necessarily the case, but how else can you explain his stubbornness when it comes to taking hits on the run?

It feels great to have locked up a spot in the tournament, and it feels even better to have done so at the expense of the Bears. Just think, for just a minute, how shitty it would be to have Jay Cutler as your quarterback. He is the worst. Anyway thank god he plays for the Bears. We’ve now won eight of our last nine, and have somehow managed to stay under the radar while doing it. I guess losing a couple of games early on may not have been the worst thing for this team. We seem to be hitting our stride at the right time, and not one person in the locker room is happy with an NFC North Championship. They all want more, and they know how to get it. You better believe that nobody wants to see Green Bay in the playoffs.

Week 12 Review

Good teams win the games they’re supposed to win. Pretty simple. This game could easily have been lost, but the Packers found a way to make crucial plays at crucial times. It’s week 12, and we’ve yet to hit our stride, but 3-0 in the division and 8-4 overall is a pretty darn good spot to be in for a team playing below their potential. We still control our own destiny and continue to work our way towards a healthier roster. The NFL is about getting hot at the right time, and we’re in prime position to do just that. Here’s what I liked and didn’t like.

What I Liked:

Vision, ball skills, assignment execution, this play had it all

Young Defensive Backs: The young defensive backs continue to paint a bright picture for the future of this secondary. You'll never replace a player like Charles Woodson, but these guys are showing that they can make plays. Morgan Burnett was the obvious player of the game, and his two picks were huge plays. McCarthy said his pick in the end zone was 'the turning point in the game,' and his other pick was a beautiful Woodson-esque undercut. Casey Heyward has held opposing QBs to a passer rating of 0.0 when throwing in his direction this year. In other words, he's been playing like Al Harris with hands. Davon House has had some ups and downs, but he is flashing some great coverage ability. I think as he gets more comfortable, he'll be able to make more plays on the ball while in step-for-step coverage. I've yet to be impressed by the safeties McMillian and Jennings.

Running Game: Green and Starks combined for 27 total carries, and averaged 4.8 and 4.4 yards per carry respectively. Starks also recorded our third rushing touchdown on a beautifully blocked toss play that went for 22 yards. In total we had 36 rushing attempts to 35 passing attempts. That kind of balance on offense gets me sexually aroused. No running back on our roster will ever be a dynamic, Adrian Peterson type runner, but they are more than capable of creating balance to facilitate our explosive passing game. The patchwork offensive line deserves a ton of credit for opening up some holes for these guys. Overall it was a solid day for our ground game and hopefully a sign of things to come

Response to Adversity: The Pack was facing all kinds of adversity on Sunday. Going into the game we were down plenty of key starters and were coming off an embarrassing loss to the Giants. During the game we lost another offensive lineman and another wide receiver, leaving both positions precariously thin. Back-ups were once again forced into action and delivered. Were you comfortable watching Don Barclay waddle onto the field? Yeah right you fucking liar. Anyway he played quite well at the extremely important right tackle position, and may have unseated Evan Dietrich-Smith as the primary back-up on the offensive line. We had our backs against the wall coming out of half time with the Vikings threatening inside the ten yard line, and responded like a playoff worthy team. We ain't backing into nothing, this is the NFL, not the Big Ten.

What I Didn't Like:

Tackling: Unacceptable. Un-fucking-acceptable. Every single player on the defense should be embarrassed by the horrific display of tackling they put on yesterday. Don't they know there are children watching these games? It's exactly this kind of ole` bullshit that leads to primadona, soft as marshmallow, fundamentally flawed players taking over this previously badass league. Too many Desean Jacksons, not enough London Fletchers. Teams are only allowed to practice in pads once a week thanks to the league's 'over-react-to-cover-our-ass-before-we-get-sued-for-a-billion-dollars-over-concussions' policy. I think that's a factor, but why is it that teams like the Bears and Ravens and Steelers still tackle with efficiency and ferocity? The coaches can only do so much to encourage sound tackling, and frankly I'd rather not have our best players knocking heads with each other during practice. I think the change here needs to come from the leaders in the locker room. We need to take on a blue-collar mentality on defense that emphasizes tackling over big hits, team over individual, substance over style. Sacks and interceptions are great, but tackling wins you games. I know it sounds cliche, but it's a fact. I'm looking at you Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett.

Short Yardage Offense: Why is 3rd and 1 so hard for us? We have nobody that can gain one yard when everyone knows we only need one yard. I like John Kuhn as much as the next guy, but he's clearly not the answer in short yardage. Rodgers is not particularly good at the half-yard sneak behind the center, and I don't think our interior offensive line creates much of a push. I hate the fact that we pretty much have to throw in these situations, and it seems like the only reason we run the ball is to prevent the defense from selling out on the pass the next time around. I'm starting to think that some folks on the sideline might prefer 3rd and 5 to 3rd and 1 like I do. That's bad.

A quick note on trick plays, I like them. Rodgers made a poor decision in throwing the ball on he and Cobb’s double pass attempt, which led to an interception that equated to a punt. It was a play that didn’t work. The upside is that we put it on tape. That means opposing coaches and players are now aware of the fact that we can and will run that play. So the play didn’t work, maybe now a safety doesn’t crash down to tackle Cobb on a bubble screen and allows him to pick up a first down. Maybe a linebacker can’t pursue on the backside because he’s concerned about covering a receiver across the field even after the ball’s been handed off. My point is that just because a trick play didn’t work, doesn’t mean it’s all bad. I love that Mike Mac is willing to show some creativity and take a risk here and there. Believe me when I say that he’s considered all the possible outcomes of each trick play, assessed the risk, and put his team in a position to succeed. Rodgers should not have thrown that pass to that receiver, but other than that, the play worked.