Zero2Cool
15 years ago

[img_r]http://media.jsonline.com/images/440*399/pack110408.jpg[/img_r]Green Bay - It's so hard to stop thinking about the one that got away.

And in a tough, close loss at Tennessee, where a victory could have been a huge boost for Green Bay, three of them did.

Dropped interceptions.

Now there are a million things that already top the list of concerns for the Packers, from decision-making to red zone ineptitude to the run game.

But takeaway opportunities are another. In Green Bay's four victories this season, the Packers had late interceptions in all of them and in three of those games, the interceptions determined the outcome in Green Bay's favor.

At Tennessee, three potential turnovers fell on the ground. After the 19-16 overtime loss, the Packers gave the impression they were kicking themselves a little.

"The team that wins the turnover ratio has much larger winning percentages than the other team," secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer said. "Along with explosive plays, those are two biggest factors.

"And when you score on defense or special teams, you're probably looking 75% to 95% chance of winning."

Maybe that's one way to look at the first half of the Packers' season. As the defense goes, so go the Packers.

Green Bay's defense has saved the day before with big time interceptions:

Against Minnesota, Atari Bigby's interception late in the fourth quarter killed the Vikings' final drive, allowing the Packers to hold on for a 24-19 victory.

At Detroit, the Packers surrendered 16 points in the fourth quarter and were clinging to a 27-25 lead when Charles Woodson intercepted the Lions twice. The first led to a touchdown by the Packers, and the second he returned himself for a 41-yard score. Nick Collins capped the game with another 42-yard interception return for a touchdown.

At Seattle, Woodson's fourth-quarter interception led to a 51-yard field goal by the Packers and a commanding 27-10 lead before Tramon Williams added another interception to kill any hope for the Seahawks.

Even against Indianapolis, with the game well in hand, the Packers picked up a third-quarter interception by Collins (which he returned for a 62-yard touchdown) and a fourth-quarter interception by Aaron Rouse (which killed a very long drive). Those interceptions weren't game-changers but they took a lot of pressure off Green Bay's offense and padded the lead.

Now, consider what happened Sunday at Tennessee:

In the first quarter, neither Al Harris nor Collins yelled "I got it" loud enough because they both went up for a free ball, and they both tumbled down empty-handed.

"Al never looked behind him; all he saw was the ball," Schottenheimer said. "Nick never saw him; his eyes were on the ball. As close as they were together, you'd think, 'I got it!' Or, 'Me me me!' But unfortunately we had a foul on that play so it would have been taken away from us."

Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga was called for a 15-yard penalty.

At the start of the fourth quarter, defensive end Mike Montgomery's outstretched arms nearly hauled in an interception but his tip - he couldn't hold on - might have prevented an interception by Collins, who was breaking on the ball.

With the score tied at 16-16 and 4 minutes 37 seconds left, Bigby couldn't complete the play after getting his hands on a pass downfield. As his momentum made him fall backward, the interception slipped away at the last second.

"He was in great shape to make the play, but the receiver tipped the ball," Schottenheimer said.

Three chances, which coach Mike McCarthy said were all legitimate takeaway shots for his defense, yielded no interceptions. In a game on the road, where maybe a play or two can make the difference, any of those might have been a factor.

"We practice turnovers every day," McCarthy said. "We have a drill in our practice format that's ball security. It's based on taking the ball away. There's different types of drills that we do, and also on the other side of the ball, drills to make sure we take care of the football. We're counting on those opportunities. Those are opportunities in the football game that you have to make plays."

The Packers lead the league with 13 interceptions and with five returned for touchdowns. Though it might be unrealistic to expect them to continue at that pace, generating turnovers remains a team priority. Defensive coordinator Bob Sanders said they worked on it every day, from the secondary to the line, focusing on catching balls, stripping ball-carriers and diving on the ground for recovered fumbles.

"Our goal is to get a couple turnovers a game," Sanders said. "Our goal is to do whatever it takes to help the team win. We want to give our offense as many opportunities as we can because we have a lot of playmakers on offense, and the more opportunities your offense gets, it certainly helps us win points."

The Packers insist they haven't fallen into the trap of expecting their defense to bail them out every week.

"We had a ton of opportunities (Sunday). My goodness, we moved the ball up and down the field," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "We had six possessions on their side of the field - not counting the touchdown that we had - and we only had nine points. I don't think our guys are sitting around waiting for the defense to make a play. We look at it as we had a bunch of chances to make it on our own and unfortunately we weren't as productive as we should have been."

There's no question that Green Bay's defense has directly contributed to the successful outings so far.

"It's not a matter of counting on them to win the game," running back Ryan Grant said. "When we win the turnover battle, we win the game. When we lose the turnover battle, we lose. Plain and simple as that."


UserPostedImage
15 years ago
Ryan Grant said it all.
UserPostedImage
Bigbyfan
15 years ago
This is true with all teams...
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DarkaneRules
15 years ago
Yeah. I gotta say it is interesting hearing reporters ask the same questions every year like the game changes haha. Hey they've got to write stories ya know.
Circular Arguments: They are a heck of an annoyance
Fan Shout
Zero2Cool (8h) : Chase Young to sign $13M contract with Saints
Zero2Cool (8h) : Yosh to Panthers what noooo. Wait he didn't do crap
wpr (18-Mar) : I say that he is technically HER BIL as he married her sister. I checked it out, he's considered my BIL as well. Sad.
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : wpr, I assume its your BIL via marriage to your wife? If so, I can figure out where the smarts in the family went ;)
wpr (18-Mar) : Mucky my B-I-L is Bare Stupid. I could write a book.
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : As a teenager in Rockford IL I would get heckled by adults in public for wearing GB gear
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : if you think the online ones are bad, try *living amongst* them
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : Never doubt wprs loyalty. Poor guy is surrounded by Bears fans in Northern IL
wpr (17-Mar) : pass Martha. Thanks for the invite though.
Martha Careful (17-Mar) : blog * as the same ugly Illinois colors were adopted by the Baer
Martha Careful (17-Mar) : WPR, perhaps you should be joining the Bears fans blog has the same ugly Illinois colors were adopted by the Bears
Mucky Tundra (17-Mar) : Ah a fellow U of Illinois hater. I can respect that though I imagine it's for different reasons
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : BTW. I didn't catch the game. I just hate Illinois.
Mucky Tundra (17-Mar) : They're your Big Ten Chumps and you will like it!
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : No, not for the record. Referee's handled that BS. Orange team was trash ass
Mucky Tundra (17-Mar) : *Your* Big Ten Chumps for the record
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : No, not Big Ten Champs. IL is big ten CHUMPS
wpr (17-Mar) : Big Ten Champs
wpr (17-Mar) : !!!
wpr (17-Mar) : INI
wpr (17-Mar) : ILL
Martha Careful (17-Mar) : Wisconsin with an outstanding on in the men’s Big Ten basketball tournament. Let’s hope it continues in the NCAAs
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : Almost like taking QB in 2020 even if you don't need one is good move.
Mucky Tundra (16-Mar) : 2021 QB Draft class looking like a real clunker
Mucky Tundra (16-Mar) : A conditional 6th rounder? I remember Bears fans arguing they'd get a day 2 pick at worst lol
dfosterf (16-Mar) : So I got the no extension part right and the have to wait on the CW physical wrong
Zero2Cool (16-Mar) : Bears are trading Justin Fields for a 2025 6th-round pick that goes to a 4th-round pick based on playtime, per sources.
Zero2Cool (16-Mar) : Former Packer Jarrett Bush opens Wisconsin’s first blow dry bar in Green Bay
dfosterf (16-Mar) : If the Bears are not doing a deal with Washington, they also cannot trade Fields until Williams physical with them. All hail Caleb Williams!
dfosterf (16-Mar) : The talent is undeniable, but the (advertised) haul is obscene.
dfosterf (16-Mar) : If the Bears are cutting a deal with the Commanders, in either scenario, cannot happen until williams passes a Commanders physical
dfosterf (16-Mar) : My guess is no to the Fields extension, but yes to the trade back with the Commanders.
dhazer (15-Mar) : I think the Bears do a Love extension and they will trade out of the 1st pick and take the haul
Martha Careful (15-Mar) : that might make sense
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Justin Fields to Steelers?
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Kenny Pickett. Eagles. Done.
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : They can claim best two WR tandem.
Mucky Tundra (15-Mar) : Aaron Donald retiring
dhazer (15-Mar) : Campbell signing with 49ers
dhazer (15-Mar) : I love how the Bear Fans are now claiming they have the best skill players in the NFC North lol
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Vikings made a move to get a 2nd first round pick
Mucky Tundra (15-Mar) : That's a not a bad deal for the Bears
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Bears have traded for WR Keenan Allen sending Chargers a fourth rounder.
Martha Careful (15-Mar) : *signs
Martha Careful (14-Mar) : MLB Devon White science with the Eagles
Mucky Tundra (14-Mar) : But that was before FA started
Mucky Tundra (14-Mar) : Dhaze, I thought Kurls would be their #1 target when I read that he was an Amos comp (jack of all trades guy)
dhazer (14-Mar) : I would like to see the Packers target 2 more FA still available Kamren Curl Safety and Chase Young edge
Martha Careful (14-Mar) : wow...didn't see that coming
Zero2Cool (14-Mar) : AJ Dillon re-signing with Packers.
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