All Pack … All the Time.
by TheVegas on October 8th, 2008 • 5 Comments »
The Packers are 2-3. Not where I expected them to be.
But one thing you can say, and I think you can say it with 100% certainty, Aaron Rodgers is not to blame for their poor start. And I don’t think if Brett Favre were our starting quarterback we would be any better off than where we’re at now.
The other day I was watching ESPN’s “1st and 10″ with Skip Bayless and two other idiots. One of their topics was about the Packers and if they would be better than 2-3 with Favre there. Piece of crap Skip Bayless said they would be 4-1 if Favre was there. He referenced Rodgers’ “falling apart” at the end of the Falcons game with a costly interception that cost them the game, as well as his 3 interceptions last week that hurt the Packers.
What he failed to mention was that for the second straight game, Aaron Rodgers was the ONLY reason we were able to put points on the scoreboard offensively. Well, with the help of Greg Jennings also. But regardless, even though it doesn’t make our record any better or make the season look much better, at least we know Aaron Rodgers isn’t the problem.
This isn’t me being one of those fans who defends a player left and right, up and down, no matter how bad he plays, saying he can’t do anything wrong. It’s me just saying what I believe to be truth. Besides Bayless, I’ve heard and read a couple of people talk about if they would be better with Brett. I don’t see how you can draw that conclusion.
Project his numbers and you get 4077 passing yards, 63% completion percentage, 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with 95.5 QB rating. (I won’t mention the 35 projected sacks). Let’s not forget that Rodgers played through a separated shoulder this past game, as well.
For the most part, I don’t think many Packer fans are putting the 2-3 on the shoulders of Rodgers. But I know that there are some out there who are still bitter about not having Brett back, contending that we wouldn’t be 2-3 if Favre were here. Favre may have been able to work some magic back in his day, but magic can’t solve a piss poor run defense, a running game and run blocking that has been lost, nor the disappearance of Nick Barnett.
We’re 2-3, but it’s not because of Rodgers. And it’s not because Favre is gone , either.
Venting = Over.
Packers
by TheVegas on October 6th, 2008 • No Comments »
Ut-oh. Remember when we were 2-0 and a top 10 team? Yeah, neither do I.
How do we let a rookie QB of a team who put up two stinkers on the road so far this year, come into Lambeau Field, and beat us?
Three losses in a row and we’re sitting at 2-3. It would be hard to consider the Packers a top 20 NFL team right now.
Some thoughts from the game:
- So much for thinking Michael Turner is only a Georgia Dome running back. Once again, the run defense gets torched for another 100+ yard day.
- My goodness, if you’re not going to record a sack, at least put some PRESSURE on the quarterback. The defensive line couldn’t even do that. Guys, this is a rookie QB. What do you do to a rookie QB on the road? You pressure him, knock him down, make him make quick decisions. Instead, we made him look like a Peyton Manning.
- Nick Barnett, where have you gone? The defense as a whole is playing like a load of poop, but Barnett isn’t playing the kind of ball he can. Not even close.
- Tramon Williams’ interception had to be the best defensive play of the year. I never saw a CB make up that much ground in that little time AND make a one handed interception.
- Is this becoming a common theme? Big play on defense to shift momentum and then just end up blowing it anyhow? Woodson did it last week against Tampa Bay and Williams did it this week.
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Packers
by TheVegas on October 5th, 2008 • No Comments »
Just got in from Sunday morning church and breakfast.
Delighted to see that Rodgers is active and in the starting lineup. It won’t be known how strong his arm will be and how much he can put on the ball until game time, but I think he’ll be ready.
I’m hoping for a big game out of Ryan Grant, something he hasn’t provided us with all year. It will be a big boost to the run game and will help take off pressure from Rodgers. I feel like this is a game where we need to pound the ball all day and make some big plays and big hits on defense.
For whatever reason, I sense a huge game out of Green Bay today. Something like a 25-30 point win. I don’t know. I just want a victory. 3-2 looks much better than 2-3.
In other good news, Hawk is ready to go as well. Did we expect anything less?
First afternoon home game at Lambeau all season long.
Both of the Falcons wins have come on the road against poor teams. They’ve lost both games on the road, 24-9. Michael Turner leads the league in rushing, but has done absolutely nothing away from Atlanta.
Let’s hope that trend continues.
A lot of random, all over the place thoughts in there. Sorry. In the end, I sense a big day for Ryan Grant and for the Packers defense. 4 turnovers.
Packers win 37-10.
Packers
by TheVegas on October 4th, 2008 • 3 Comments »
That’s the most important question entering this weekend’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Rodgers is listed as “questionable” on the injury report, meaning there’s a 50-50 shot he will go. McCarthy has said that Rodgers will be a game-time decision, so at the very latest we’ll know by 11:30 am (ET) on Sunday when McCarthy has to list his game-day inactives.
So does he play or doesn’t he? Judging by McCarthy’s history with injuries, he tends to play it on the safe side and sit players out to be cautious. But with it being our starting quarterback and a rookie behind him, does this force McCarthy to take a different stance and start Rodgers, even though he may not feel totally comfortable with it?
Even though Rodgers hasn’t thrown much at all this week, except for a couple of snaps during Friday’s practice, I would say there’s a better chance he plays than not.
The National Football Post stated that they heard from sources close to Rodgers that there is a good chance he’ll go Sunday. Rodgers himself has said that the pain is tolerable and the strength is almost all the way back.
You can bet your last dollar that Rodgers’ is going to push hard to start on Sunday. I think any starting quarterback would. But in the end, the choice lays with McCarthy.
I say Rodgers plays Sunday. What do you think?
Packers
by TheVegas on September 30th, 2008 • One Comment »
Bad news out of Green Bay.
Cullen Jenkins, probably the Packers best defensive lineman thus far this year, is done for the year with a torn pectoral muscle. The news was first reported by the National Football Post.
Just wonderful. But hey, atleast we have the beast known as Justin Harrell to step in and pick up the slack.
Packers
by TheVegas on September 29th, 2008 • 2 Comments »
If you didn’t know, Packers opponent and Falcons running back Michael Turner leads the NFL in rushing yards this year, with 422 yards and 5 touchdowns through the first four games of the year.
In two home games that the Falcons have won:
vs. Detroit: 22 rush, 220 yards, 10.0 avg, 2 touchdowns
vs. Kansas City: 23 rush, 104 yards, 4.5 avg, 3 touchdowns
In two road games that the Falcons have lost:
at Tampa Bay: 14 rush, 42 yards, 3.0 avg, 0 touchdowns
at Carolina: 18 rush, 56 yards, 3.1 avg, 0 touchdowns
77% of his yards and 100% of his touchdowns came at home during victories.
Coincidence or trend? At home against weak opponents, Turner is awesome. On the road against quality opponents…not so much. Despite two straight losses and numerous injuries, I would still consider the Pack a “quality” opponent. And the game is at Lambeau.
Just sayin.
Packers
by TheVegas on September 29th, 2008 • No Comments »
Seriously. Even before yesterday’s game, we were banged up pretty badly, with three starters listed as inactive, two reserves out, and a number of other key contributors who played, but weren’t fully healthy.
During the loss, it only got worse. A total of seven players left the game. It remains to be seen how serious the multiple injuries are and only Harris has been ruled out for sure against the Falcons, but even if some of the guys who got hurt end up playing, they still won’t be 100%. Jenkins, Hawk, Collins, Rouse, Bigby, Harris, Woodson, Jones, Lumpkin. The list goes on and on and on.
With that said, injuries are a part of the game, obviously. Football is a rough sport. Players get hurt. It’s why you want to have depth behind your top guys so injuries to a couple of starters shouldn’t set you back to the point where you can’t compete anymore. I think Thompson has done an adequate job of acquiring quality depth throughout the roster and going into the season, it didn’t appear that we were extremely thin at any position.
But when the injuries start piling up like they have for the Packers, and you have backups seeing more time and key guys playing hurt, wins become tougher to come by.
Looking back on last year, the Packers were incredibly lucky in this department. We really didn’t have any major injuries throughout the year and that’s a rarity. I had a bad feeling that the injury fairy would catch up to us eventually. Looks like now is that time.
Packers
by TheVegas on September 29th, 2008 • No Comments »
Not a good day for Packers football yesterday. Not only did the Packers lose to the Bucs 31-20, their second consecutive loss, but they may have lost their starting QB to a shoulder injury for a period of time.
Some thoughts on Packers football after a quarter of the year is through:
- Looks like Rodgers has hit his first bump in the road as the Packers starting quarterback. Had two nice touchdown passes but he made some bad decisions which led to three interceptions, although one was entirely on B-Jax. Also, while his scrambling ability may help the offense at times, it could potentially hurt it a bunch if he’s out for some time, as his injured shoulder occurred when he tried to get a first down with his feet.
- I don’t like to mention him since he’s no longer a Packer, but did Favre’s six touchdown performance, something he never did in Green Bay, make yesterday’s loss even tougher to handle?
- Isn’t it amazing what two straight losses that takes you from 2-0 to 2-2 can do to a team’s perception? After Rodgers’ second straight win and impressive performance in Detroit, the Packers were a top 7 team. Two games later, perception puts us in the middle of the pack.
- Ryan Grant, what in the hell is going on out there? I thought this week was the week he was going “cut it loose” and no longer hold anything back in his runs? If 20 yards on 15 carries and a lost fumble is cutting it loose, imagine what he could do if 100% healthy!!? He might even sniff the 50 yard mark!
- But really, what is going on? Hamstring still bothering him? Offensive line play not up to par? Was I correct when I mentioned a month ago that I thought the constant rotating in and out of different line positions would hurt them? I don’t know. Maybe it will just take a few weeks for everything to come together in the run game, like it did last year. That’s just me being optimistic, though.
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Packers
by TheVegas on September 26th, 2008 • No Comments »
The Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have played eachother 11 times dating back to the 1998 season, when they were still NFC Central rivals and played the “Bay of Pigs” rivalry game twice a year.
Well, if that history is any indicator, this week’s matchup should be tight. 8 of those 11 games have been decided by 7 points or less:
2005: TB - 17 GB - 16
2003: GB - 20 TB - 13
2001: GB - 21 TB - 20
TB - 14 GB - 10
2000: GB - 17 TB - 14
TB - 20 GB - 15
1999: GB - 26 TB - 23
1998: TB - 24 GB - 22
It’s gonna be a hot one Sunday. And also a close one.
Packers
by TheVegas on September 25th, 2008 • No Comments »
Unbelievable.
Packers
