porky88
  • porky88
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
9 years ago
After showing steady progress over a four-game winning streak, Green Bay looked overmanned in the Superdome, losing 44-23 to the New Orleans Saints.

The Packers enter their bye week on a sour note, as the Saints overwhelmed them. New Orleans accumulated 495 total yards (302 passing, 192 rushing) and scored on eight of their 10 possessions.

Green Bay (5-3) is now halfway through their season, and it’s very clear they are a team with many flaws. It starts with coaching, where Coach Mike McCarthy made a couple of mind-numbing decisions on Sunday night.

I won’t fault him for the onside kick attempt, as it has worked in the past. However, McCarthy squandered a goal-line opportunity in the first quarter, after running back Eddie Lacy ran 67 yards on a screen pass to put them in position to take a 14-7 lead.

On first down, McCarthy lined quarterback Aaron Rodgers up in shotgun and ran Lacy to the right side. In order for the play to work, receiver Randall Cobb needed to execute a difficult crack-back block, which is illegal if executed improperly. Cobb missed the block, and the Saints stuffed Lacy. Asking a 192-pound receiver to make that block was probably too much, especially with the Saints playing their goal line defense.

McCarthy’s second-down call was the most controversial of the season. The Packers lined linebacker Julius Peppers out at receiver and opted to throw him a pass. However, instead of throwing Peppers -- who is 6-foot-7 -- a jump ball in the back of the end, the Packers had the veteran linebacker run a slant route. The pass fell incomplete.

The fact Green Bay felt it necessary to try unorthodox plays in order to beat the Saints speaks volume to their confidence entering Sunday night’s game.

The lack of confidence (assuming it existed) was surely the result of the defense, which was undermanned with three starters (cornerback Sam Shields, defensive lineman Datone Jones, and Safety Morgan Burnett) sitting due to injury.

Injuries are no excuse for the performance put forth by the defense, however. I thought I was watching a 2011 game, as Packer defensive backs launched their bodies at running back Mark Ingram instead of wrapping him up. Additionally, the defense looked slow on New Orleans’ turf. Receiver Brandin Cooks and tight Jimmy Graham had no problem leaving Green Bay’s defenders in their dust.

Here’s the rest of my week eight recap:

Turning Point

On New Orleans’ first second-half possession, Green Bay made a potential game-changing stop on fourth-and-2. The Packers took over at their own 43, and drove inside New Orleans’ red zone. On a second-and-3, Rodgers scrambled for about seven yards, and tweaked his hamstring while running out of bounds. He wasn’t the same after the injury. He didn’t trust his mobility in the pocket, and he wasn’t stepping into this throws. As a result, the velocity on his throws fell affecting his accuracy. The injury isn’t severe, but it would’ve been interesting to see how this game unfolded with a healthy Rodgers behind center.

Unsung Hero

Give defensive coordinator Rob Ryan credit for resisting the temptation to blitz Rodgers. The Packers are at their best when teams blitz them, so Ryan had to go against his nature and play coverage. The Saints were going to takeaway anything downfield. In many ways, they played a bend but don’t break defense. They were willing to surrender yards and field goals, as they knew their offense was capable of pouring it on Green Bay’s defense. The strategy worked, though Rodgers’ hamstring deserves an assist.

Dud of the Game

Not only did Green Bay’s corners let them down in the passing game, but they also couldn’t tackle the entire night. Cornerbacks Davone House and Tramon Williams played poorly on the edges, missing a combined five tackles. Perhaps the ankle injury that Williams sustained against Miami a few weeks back still bothers him. However, House had no excuses. He just played bad.

Looking Ahead

Green Bay historically plays well in the months of November and December. Since ‘09, the Packers have a combined November and December record of 29-14-1. Five of the losses were from last season, when Rodgers was out with a fractured collarbone.

The defense obviously needs to get better, especially against the run. The offense also has its faults. Running back Eddie Lacy has yet to carry the ball 20 times in a game this season. I understand the need to conserve him for the playoffs, but Lacy is a bell cow who gets better the more he touches the ball.

The Bears are the Pack‘s next opponent. Chicago’s struggled against the run for the better part of two seasons now. Riding Lacy in this game would be wise, as the second-year running back averaged 5.2 yards per carry in the month of October.
Zero2Cool
9 years ago
The Packers were historically dominate during October and got their butts handed to them.

Davon House is who he is and it is time to accept it. He's a less athletic Jarrett Bush.

Mike McCarthy outcoached Mike McCarthy against the Saints. Mike heard the comments from Drew Brees and pissed himself into over analyzing and second guessing everything.

Mike has slowing been giving the play calling duties to Aaron Rodgers. All QB's should be calling the plays. Yes, I say that with Jay Cutler in mind. The QB is on the field, knows what is going on more adequately than the chumps on the sideline. Feed the QB info from what you observe, let the QB make the decision. This will also help limit those delay of game penalties.
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Fan Shout
Zero2Cool (6h) : Chase Young to sign $13M contract with Saints
Zero2Cool (6h) : 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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