Tag: football

Giant Issue

Posted on by nzurich9
QB Tommy DeVito (#15) and HB Saquon Barkley (#26) combined to rush for 157 yards on 30 carries (5.2 yards/rush).

The Packers have given up 200+ rush yards in four separate games this season. That’s absolutely atrocious. Any team preparing to play Green Bay should just focus on pounding the rock for 60 minutes. Then, if close, towards the end of the game, the corners will play 12+ yards off the line of scrimmage.

The above graphic will make any defensive-minded person puke. It should come as no surprise the Packers are 0-4 in such games. If Green Bay would’ve been bailed out (twice) with a missed field goal at the end on Monday Night, it shouldn’t have sat well with anyone knowing that the Giants had no issue marching up and down the field with the worst offensive line in the NFL quarterbacked by a practice squad local…embarrassing isn’t strong enough of a word.

Special Teams are…Special

Just a couple of more penalties on special teams, paired with Nixon’s butterball routine…the Packers have the highest paid special teams coach in the entire NFL, yet nothing has improved. Hell, it may have (somehow) worsened. In the linked article, it states “To finally put an end to those annual embarrassments, LaFleur made Bisaccia the league’s highest-paid special teams coordinator, with a reported annual salary of over $2 million per year.

So far, it appears to be money well spent.”

Whether that says more about The Athletic (the publisher) or LaFleur’s choice in hiring coordinators (Joe Barry refuses to stop the run and play press man coverage on 3rd downs, unless it’s against Patrick Mahomes).

Was there any Good News?

The Packers won the time of possession. The best item about the game…Love, as we’ve seen all season, “keeps comin’.” The kid just continues to play, doesn’t ever seem to give up – that’s the 2nd best attribute a QB can have (behind clutch). After Saquon kicked the door back open by fumbling deep in Packer territory, up 5, with 4:01 left in the 4th, Love and the Packers were able to capitalize on the opportunity and score a TD. Leaving too much time for the Giants facing a Defense coordinated by Joe Barry to kick a game-winning field goal as time expired.

Chief Concern?

Posted on by nzurich9
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Christian Watson hauls in the high pass at the outstretched arms of Chiefs’ CB (#2) Joshua Williams.

If it wasn’t obvious before, this team can beat anyone. It also can lose to anyone. They’re young and keep in mind that the main goal this season was to get the kids reps. The media continues to talk about this team turning it around and that “maybe we owe Gutekunst and LaFleur an apology.” That’s not it. This season was never about winning, it was about growing and learning – learning which kids to keep and grow around.

That was one of the best games in recent memory for Green Bay fans…maybe in years. This team continues to prove they’re capable of beating anyone, including themselves…which happens with youth. First things first, Matt LaFleur may have called his best game as a play-caller of the Green Bay Packers. Starting out with long touchdowns drives on their first 2 drives is about as perfect as you can start.

In addition, Jordan Love played his best game. He finished the game 25/36 (69.4%), 267 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 118.6 passer rating. That was against the 6th best passing defense and 3rd scoring D. That’s something real. It also came without their best offensive weapon, Aaron Jones. It was also without Luke Musgrave, their up-and-coming TE weapon. No worries, LaFleur mixed in the right number of rollouts, pre-snap motions, and similar looks that opened up plays later in the game to keep control.

Special Teams Came Through

Packers’ Special Teams Coach, Rich Bisaccia, looks on during the game vs. Kansas City on Sun., Dec. 3rd, 2023 at Lambeau Field.

The Packers’ special teams came through in a huge way on Sunday night. The two 4th quarter field goals extended the lead from losing to a field goal, to not being able to lose in regulation (got the lead to 8 points, which would’ve required a successful 2-point conversion had Kansas City sored a touchdown at the end of regulation). Both kicks were clutch due to the situation. Kudos is deserved.

The Concern?

The rush defense is still a problem. The Packers allowed 148 yards on the ground on only 25 rush attempts. Isiah Pacheco was hit early, but he runs angry and gained tons of YAC (yards after contact). He almost scored after being in a pile at the 9 yard line…that simply can’t happen. Other than that, the Packers played as close to a perfect game as you can ask – hence the victory.

Should Green Bay continue to win the turnover battle and time of possession, expect good things to ensue.