Gut Reactions: Week 13

I really love Donald Driver. Woodson, too, especially after he donated 2 million dollars to a children’s hospital than he goes out and plays like that. It’s great to have such classy players and not a bunch of thugs.

what the SI article doesn’t say is that we have some of the best players in the leauge, who seem to embrace the culture. You can thank Ted Thompson if you want to, or not. Offensive line has gotten better for what it’s worth.

* Charles Woodson: Defensive Player of the Year:
-> Absolutely. Nobody comes even close. Polamalu could, but is too hurt.
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* Great job by the offensive line, even after Clifton went out:
-> What happened to him? Is he okay? And does Barbre off/Tauscher on makes that much of a difference?
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* The red zone stuff is frustrating, but it’s a product of both how McCarthy calls plays and how Rodgers plays.:
-> We definitely could’ve run the ball more, specially on first down.
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* Cullen Jenkins was getting held on almost every play.:
-> And yet he was all over.
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* Rodgers was getting hit late again and again but nothing ever got called. Matthews grazes Stafford’s helmet…15 yard penalty. Whatever.:
-> Yeah, WTF??????? Last week was the same BS…
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* Jarrett Bush allowed some stuff but wasn’t terrible. Even made a play. But how does he not come down with that INT?:
-> Wasn’t terrible, but was still the worst player on our team.
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* Two words for the secondary, courtesy of Matt Bowen: Ball. Hawks.:
-> I’m guessing Tramon Williams will be on the good?
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* 7-4 feels pretty good, but there are plenty of things for Packer fans to worry about. :
-> Right now, it’s only about the win. We’re done projecting/worrying. It’s only about the W.
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* Happy Thanksgiving everyone.:

Nick Collins: Pay the man!
Last year it seemed teams were rallying on us late in games, and there was talk that someone was sending them copies of our playbook. Just a conspiracy theory, but it sure seems to happen regularly.
Crosby missed yet ANOTHER one. Is his inconsistency due to holders? Seems to have started when we got rid of Jon Ryan.
Go Raiders! (Beat Dallas!)

and btw, just as a positive note…we got a better record now than a year ago…so…enjoy it baby. GOPACK!!

My one worry: can I get out of this chair after the debilitating combo of wine and turkey.

There were a couple late hits last week too– one was absolutely terrible. Rodgers just doesn’t get as much publicity. Fans can do their part BY VOTING RODGERS INTO THE PRO BOWL. Get at least 10 in a day. I’m also voting for Cullen Jenkins and Charles Woodson and if I have time, Driver, Barnett and Matthews.

I’m sorry for all those typos. I’m on my iPod right now. Basically, what I said was that the problem was using Jackson more than Grant, and calling a run on second or third and long situations.

Plenty of things for Packers fans to worry about? Man, I don’t know about that. It seems that this team is finally finding a way to win IN SPITE OF their warts. That’s a big difference from last year’s crew. Yes, I know it was just the Lions. But still, good teams don’t let their weaknesses kill them, and it looks like the Packers might finally be learning that. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

PACKERS, I think we need to use the running game as a way to keep the offense balanced and a way to close games. It’s working that way. MM could even run a little more near the goal line, it would help our RZ issues.
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As for Grant comming out, the game was almost won then, no use in tiring Grant. Also, BJack is earning some carries, he’s been a pleasant surprise since caming back.
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BTW, I think I’ve said it in here before, but Grant just gets better late in the season. I think he just starts slowly. 2007, he only played late. 2008, he was injuried. But this time there was nothing, and now he’s starting to show those quick cuts and bursts. Did you see that move he made between two Lions players? He just couldn’t do it early in the season. I don’t know why, but Grant’s a slow starter, and a strong finisher…

It’s frustrating that McNugget won’t call a balanced game regularly on offense. At one point it was like 10 passes in a row. The drive predictably ended in a short field goal. The run game was great last week, and the Lions aren’t as stout up the middle as the 9ers. Why go away from it?

Aaron Nagler sez: “Charles Woodson: Defensive Player of the Year”
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Meh. Charles Woodson: League MVP.
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Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Short fields courtesy of the ST’s are a problem that must be resolved. Crosby needs to get a boot in the Ass. And they continue to leave too many points on the field.
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A nice long break to recover and get ST’s fixed! I wish!

” Watch Woodson – he attacks the ball. Collins does now too. ”

Both Woody & Collins are Pro-Bowlers for good reason……….. They’re more athletic, smarter & more responsive to coaching……. Not all the players on the field can obtain these levels….
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I’m beginning to think that ‘Bush-Bashing’ is just a psycological release used by Packer Fans for their own self-preservation ………. Fans love to point out the scapegoats….. even in a lopsided victory……… Meditation or yoga (by some) might be more effective than the relentless bitching……

Charles Woodson League MVP? Meh. How about United States Man of the Year? He just donated 2 million to the U of M Children’s Hospital for research.

Jennings deserves a little credit. He’s not putting up the stats he did last year, but he sure is getting a whole lot of attention from opposing defenses. I certainly hope Driver realizes it and thanks Jennings plenty. That gimme td for Driver today was thanks to the CB helping out with Jennings and totally ignoring Driver until it was too late.

Upside – Downside – GUT reactions:
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Playing the Detroit Kittens was good for many things (a few):
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1. Let us practice running the offense w/ a more balanced run and pass

2. Let us experiment and adjust our defense (crazy rookie thought he could pass on Woodson ? stupid!)
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3. Let us feel that “loving (winning) feeling” again and build some morale

4. Let us cheer once again for Driver, Woodson and Rogers, etc.,
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Downside: * Not to be a kill joy, but this was the Detroit Kittens we were playing!!
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1. We fumbled on the fist play that led to 7 points

2. We had 2 turn overs
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3. We granted another safety that could have turned into a touch down

4. We were defending against a 1 armed QB (e.g. who separated his shoulder just last Sunday)
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5. We committed more miserable penalties (7 – for 57 yds.)

6. We allowed almost the worst defense in the league to penetrate and put pressure on the QB to many times
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7. We allowed a 13-7 half-time score even though we had outplayed the Lions 10-1 in the 1st half.

8. Missed FG
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9. We allowed them to drive to the 2 yrd line and almost get back in the game late in the 2nd half (again, remember who we were playing!)
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But enough of that – I will enjoy the win!
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How long before Christmas…? I can’t wait to over indulge again (in food and victory) ;>)
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All in favor of renaming the award “the Goble-Goble” say Aye!
Aye!

Aaron, I’m putting the red zone problems on McCarthy moreso than Rodgers. Hasn’t this been a problem since he showed up? I know the ‘06 Pack was nearly last in the league in this category. And God knows the QB wasn’t to blame THEN:) I don’t have time to dig for stats on ‘07 and ‘08, but I thought they weren’t great for those years, either…anybody have those numbers?

Ruppert,
It’s actually my recollection that last year the Packers were leading the league in red-zone TD’s. It was nearly automatic they’d get it in the endzone when they got into the redzone. No numbers off hand, but I seem to remember seeing numerous articles on the red zone efficiency under Rodgers last season being off the charts.

Great Win. Great work CW and DD.
Need the running game for ball control and to work on the D line. Good opportunity to use those FBs.
According to Lombardi on ESPN Radio interview, the Offense will have to step up to help the Defense given the injuries to key players. Ball control might help 4th quarter D softness.
“When the offense has the ball inside the 10 and McCarthy calls 3 passes in a row NOT inside the endzone…”
Is the purpose to utilize an open area and rely on yacs to bring it in, which also would run time off the clock?

I’m simply talking about the percentage of TDs during red zone trips (inside the 20) as a team. The stat is listed on all the gamebooks on nfl.com or packers.com’s gamedays. And my contention is that McCarthy could do a better job calling plays inside the 20 to get more TDs. Rodgers’ stats are very good in the red zone, both 09 and 08. But, I believe, the TEAM TD percentage is not very good, and hasn’t been that great under McCarthy, even when he had that other QB.
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I found an article on packers.com that said they were 30th in 2006, and another article from bleacherreport that compared 2007 to 2008 through 9 games. Both years were poor. But I don’t have full-year 07 or 08 info. Anyway, that’s why I’m guessing it’s been a problem during the McCarthy area. Here are links to both of those articles.
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http://bleacherreport.com/arti...../show_full
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http://www-00.packers.com/news.....7/03/01/1/

Ruppert: I agree with you. McCarthy’s play calling defintely has something to do with it. He constantly pounds the ball up the middle on first or second and goal when the defense is already pushed closer to the line than in a normal situation. We’ve got to have more passing plays in the redzone, particularly in goal situations. Nice links by the way.

Agreed. On the season, Green Bay has 22 passing touchdowns and 9 rushing touchdowns. It’s pretty obvious what’s working here. I wish McCarthy would stop calling running plays in the redzone.

PACKERS, those numbers are worthless if they don’t come with the ammount of running plays and passing plays, and also they aren’t reffered to RZ attempts. The Packers are the second most explosive team, so a lot of those TDs came from behind the RZ, while the running TDs all came from inside… I only remember the Packers being stopped in the RZ when running against Minnesota, and I think it was Rodgers trying to sneak. We only have 1 real redzone threat, Finley, who hasn’t actually proven squat. We do, however, have an OL that is better at run blocking than pass protecting, and our RB is supposed to be a power runner… IMHO the best options would be to use screen passes and running plays. But that’s the feeling I get. I don’t have the numbers to make any strong claim…

And there are those three FBs if they want more of a power game.