"Chips Report" From Week 17 Win vs. Lions
Matt Flynn was the star of the day, and Pat Lee was a goat. But who else earned our weekly distinctions in the Packers' 45-41 win over the Lions?
Our weekly "Chips Report" will always include two blue chippers (outstanding, exceptional play), two red chippers (good, though maybe not great) and two cow chips (dud performances). From the Week 17 win against the Detroit Lions...
Blue Chips
- Matt Flynn––Arnie Herber, Bart Starr, Don Horn, Lynn Dickey, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers. None of them threw for as many yards or for as many touchdowns in a single game as Matt Flynn did on New Year's Day. Flynn got the start on Sunday when the Packers chose to deactivate Rodgers in order to avoid injury and keep him healthy for the playoffs. And not only did Flynn complete 31 of 44 passes for 480 yards, six touchdowns, one interceptions and a 136.4 passer rating, he also led the Packers to a fourth-quarter come-from-behind victory with less than one minute to go. As a free agent at season's end, Flynn made himself a ton of money.
- Jordy Nelson––With three touchdowns from Flynn, Nelson now has 15 on the year, the most by a Packers receiver in a single season since Sterling Sharpe had 18 in 1994. Nelson also put to rest any notion that he could only be effective when Greg Jennings took attention away from him. Even though he wasn't selected to the Pro Bowl, Nelson showed he was every bit deserving of such an honor. He had nine catches for 162 yards on the day.
Red Chips
- Jermichael Finley––After a stretch of a couple games with more drops than most were comfortable with, Finley bounced back with a solid performance versus the Lions and showed a good rapport with Flynn. The tight end caught seven of eight passes targeted for him for 64 yards, including the game winner with 1:10 left in the game.
- Ryan Grant––Grant continued his string of solid play that has lasted for about the past month, ever since James Starks has been limited by knee and ankle injuries. The veteran running back is showing a burst he didn't show early in the season. It was on display on his 80-yard screen pass for a touchdown, which he deftly sold by feigning pass protection. His 12 carries for 48 yards weren't spectacular but got the job done on the ground.
Cow Chips
- Pat Lee––Using Lee on kick returns was an absolute disaster. He got two attempts and muffed them both. On the opening kickoff of the game, Lee couldn't catch it cleanly and had to settle for a touchback. The second one was much more costly. Lee again muffed the kickoff in the endzone but the ball barely squeaked out onto the field of play. Lee then corralled the ball and knelt down for what he thought was a touchback. It ended up being a safety for the Lions. The two most memorable (or forgettable) things Lee has done this season is get a safety and being ejected from the first meeting against the Lions this season.
- Tramon Williams––Most cornerbacks would struggle when having to match up with the best receiver in the NFL, but the thing that made Williams' performance so disappointing was how solid he played against Calvin Johnson in their first meeting this season. On Thanksgiving Day in Detroit, Williams helped Johnson to four catches for 49 yards. On Sunday "Megatron" had 11 catches for a whopping 244 yards and a score.
Comments (44)
January 01, 2012 at 06:53 pm
Nailed it Brian.
Really hope this is but a hiccup for Tramon... He's been inconsistent all year but never THIS bad. We kinda need him to step up big time...
January 01, 2012 at 10:50 pm
Stop just Stop. Tramon still played great. Pass breakups galore. I was just about to have faith in him going into the playoffs. Still do. Its all true what he gave up, but he still played with an energy I haven't seen from him much this year. Faith going into the playoffs.
January 01, 2012 at 10:57 pm
Not so much directed at you RS, but at the reasonably easy criticism constructed against Tramon. I really thought he played great.
January 02, 2012 at 09:40 am
I take no offense whatsoever. Maybe it's because I do the same, but I never assume someone is attacking me, just my opinion on the subject at hand.
Regarding Tramon, I thought he played overconservative and was a step late all too often. It's true, a lot of Megatron's catches weren't his fault, they actually had double coverage, with Tramon playing the top end of the coverage (I don't know the actual term, if anyone care to correct me), where the player covering underneat either slipped (Bush, Hawk) or simply failed to cover properly.
But still, to Tramon's standards, it was a bad game.
January 01, 2012 at 06:54 pm
Agree on everything, but that last pass interference on Williams was bogus. The ball was wildly under-thrown. There was no way Johnson was getting back to it. What a gift for the lions.
January 01, 2012 at 07:23 pm
If Williams would play "Bump & Run", he might be more effective. You simply cannot let the WR run the route without using the 5 yards to disrupt the route timing.
CHIP to LION's Coach. A total lack of class
January 01, 2012 at 07:32 pm
It's not as though it's up to Tramon Williams as to if he plays press coverage or not- that call is up to Dom Capers, so it's hard to knock Williams for doing as he is told.
Second, I don't know that it would even be advisable to attempt to press Calvin Johnson with anyone who falls short of 6'2" and at least 220 lbs... That's a pretty big guy, and trying to press him and failing would be worse than giving him the cushion.
That's just my $.02
January 01, 2012 at 11:28 pm
The Pack doubled R. Moss one game with a CB and LB. The LB "chipped" Moss, then the CB could cover. I thought for sure that would happen today, but maybe Dom is keeping it in case the Lion's come back to Lambeau.
Schwartz is just funny!
January 01, 2012 at 07:28 pm
I love how all the Brees MVP supporters are now pointing at Flynn's performance and saying how any QB can step in with the Packers and put up Rodgers numbers...Absolutely hilarious
January 01, 2012 at 07:33 pm
That is a question that is going to be asked, especially if Flynn goes on to start for another NFL team and struggles.
January 01, 2012 at 07:59 pm
Agreed, but you and I both know there are a ton of factors that go into great QB play. It's not just a one game comparison. I saw some great throws from Flynn today and I have seen unbelievable throws from Rodgers during the last few years. Not to take away anything from Brees,(I think he is elite too), but he also has a great supporting cast. That argument can't take away anything from Rodgers. Go Pack go!
January 01, 2012 at 07:47 pm
Then take away the TD passes and yards that Brees threw against the Lions. Because they are seriously bad at pass defense on the road. I mean anyone can toss for more than anyone since YA Tittle and Joe Namath against the Lions.
January 01, 2012 at 08:12 pm
Yep, Montana was overrated, after all, they won a SB with his backup!
January 02, 2012 at 08:46 am
In that sense, B. Favre is overrated, we did win a superbowl with his backup! :)
January 02, 2012 at 01:29 pm
Not same system when Favre won, though.
January 02, 2012 at 07:03 pm
Brees backup was 3 for 3 100%. Brees 70% completions, it's obvious that NO system is a lot better than 70%. Even his backup tops his number.
January 01, 2012 at 08:59 pm
You could also say any QB could step into NO's offense and do what Brees does with their great players.
Loved what Flynn did, but Jordy helped him out with a great side-line catch and pulled a slightly underthrown ball over the middle away from the DB for another TD. Plus it didn't hurt that Grant went 80 on a short dump-off pass. A-Rod has a noticably stronger arm and is as accurate as anyone in the league. Flynn has nice touch though.
January 01, 2012 at 09:20 pm
It's not just physically, Rodgers is far ahead of Flynn in every single phase of QB play.
How many times has Rodgers driven the defense offsides with his snap count? How many times has Rodgers fooled the D with his perfect, constant ball-handling and fake ball-handling? How many times has Rodgers adjusted to the perfect call at the LOS?
Those saying that Flynn's game detracts from Rodgers' MVP campain know nothing about football, haven't watched Rodgers play and don't have a voting in the process.
Rodgers is the best player in the league, without question, and had arguably the greatest season a QB has ever had.
So, yeah, all that to say I agree...
January 01, 2012 at 09:30 pm
Skip Bayless just made the anyone can do as well as Rodgers in this system argument. That should be enough to scare anyone else from making the same mistake.
January 01, 2012 at 09:43 pm
There's no stronger argument than saying "you know who agrees with you? Skyp Bayless".
January 01, 2012 at 10:57 pm
Well, Matt Flynn, he kind of fell into a good situation today. To tell you the truth, I'm kind of surprised it took him so long to throw 6 TDs in a game...
January 02, 2012 at 02:34 am
nice...
January 01, 2012 at 07:36 pm
I thought Tramon's performance was not cow chip worthy. Stafford threw it up for grabs and Tramon did as good as anyone could. I'd cow chip Eric Walden for pile jumping on Stafford.
January 01, 2012 at 07:54 pm
I'm glad So'oto's sack was not wiped out by Walden's stupid move. It would be a shame for him to loose credit for his first career big play.
Brian Carriveau
January 01, 2012 at 08:03 pm
No, Tramon's performance on Thanksgiving was as good as anyone could. Sunday was not.
January 01, 2012 at 08:30 pm
So you're using a blue chip performance to judge this game? I thought it was a mix of good and bad, and the bad was just being outplayed at the point of the catch. Cow chip would be him on his bum at the top of the route or Zack Bowman.
January 01, 2012 at 09:08 pm
Tramon set a standard for himself last year, and he did not rise to that standard today.
January 02, 2012 at 08:48 am
...or how about Dez B.?
January 01, 2012 at 08:11 pm
Alright, hated the Lions today, but will love them next week if they win.
The MVP between Rodgers and Brees is going to be tight. Since Rodgers was calling in plays maybe he'll get partial credit for the six TDs and 400+ yards.
January 01, 2012 at 08:40 pm
Pat Lee is a Goober.
January 01, 2012 at 09:03 pm
Agreed.
January 01, 2012 at 08:58 pm
How did Clifton look? How about So'Oto, Lattimore, and Saine?
January 01, 2012 at 09:09 pm
Major cow chip to ref who flagged Ryan Grant for making snow angels...I've seen so much worse than that not get flagged.
January 01, 2012 at 09:22 pm
Wife probably denied him previous night.
January 02, 2012 at 08:49 am
I think Grant was just GASSED... he needed a break. Not a penalty IMO.
January 01, 2012 at 10:27 pm
Just don't think you can be a "goat" in a game that you win.
January 01, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Cow chips have to go to Jarrett Bush and AJ Hawk. Just like everygame that Bush is at corner, it seems like 95% of passing plays are to the man he is attempting to cover. Can't believe we don't have a better option. Stick him on special teams only. Same thing for AJ Hawk. He's not even serviceable at this point. Fails to get into the body of any person he attempts to tackle (thus he is usually dragged forward) and is a huge liability in coverage. Go Pack!
January 02, 2012 at 07:09 pm
2 500 yard passing games against he
D in the last 3 years, Jarret Bush started both, just a coincidencs, I'm sure.
January 02, 2012 at 08:51 am
Best game Finley has put together this season from a pass-catching standpoint. If he plays like this throughout the play-offs the Packers will be in great shape. Pat Lee - ugh. What a disappointment.
January 02, 2012 at 09:01 am
Even with the pick... cow chip for bush and his bush leage tactics. you pleay for the packers, not the radiers. I mean who does he think he is? Jermicheal Finley?
January 02, 2012 at 01:05 pm
In the conversations about MVP, Rodgers should be the shoo-in because of his win record and NFL QB rating record to matchup with Brees' yardage record. AR sat out one whole game, plus several qtrs of other games this yr or he might have broken the yardage record too.
I watched So'oto's play whenever he was in and he seemed to get a little more push to the QB when they let him rush. He looked a little lost on pass defense, but seems to be good at getting the ball loose on tackles. Hawk looks slow as molasses. Bush got beat some, but seems to be playing better and made some good plays too.
January 02, 2012 at 03:21 pm
Was anyone else as shocked as I was at the way Grant turned on the afterburners on his 80 yd screen TD? Who'd have thought he still had that kinda speed?
January 02, 2012 at 07:52 pm
His afterburners lasted about 60 yards, but still...at least he has them. He has pretty decent open field speed, just not that quick first step that younger guys have. That game against Dallas in '07 when he burst thru the line and rambled about 50 yards was his best run as a Packer.
January 02, 2012 at 09:35 pm
Cow chip to the whole defense, pretty much. This team has been begging for someone other than Matthews and Woodson to step up as a playmaker and no one has.