"Chips Report" from Packers Week 14 Win vs. Falcons
Jarrett Bush and Andrew Quarless were two of the unlikely heroes in the Packers' 22-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Our weekly "Chips Report" always includes two blue chippers (outstanding, exceptional play), two red chippers (good, though maybe not great) and two cow chips (dud performances). From the Week 14 22-21 win vs. the Atlanta Falcons...
Blue Chips
- Cornerback Jarrett Bush––With the game and perhaps the Packers' playoff hopes on the line, Bush came up big when it counted most. After both Brad Jones and Jamari Lattimore got injured in the fourth quarter, the Packers basically had no choice but to play their dime formation defense with Bush on the field. On the Falcons' second-to-last series of the game, he broke up a fourth-down pass intended for tight end Tony Gonzalez. And then following a punt, Bush put the nail in the coffin by intercepting Matt Ryan's last ditch effort to put the Falcons in position for a game-winning field goal.
- Tight end Andrew Quarless––With Jermichael Finley lost for the season due to injury, Andrew Quarless came up with arguably the best game of his professional life, coming up with career highs in catches (six) and yards (66). He caught the game winning touchdown from quarterback Matt Flynn early in the fourth quarter, helping the Packers end their red-zone woes on after coming up empty on their three previous drives inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
Red Chips
- Linebacker Mike Neal––Down by five point in the fourth quarter, Mike Neal came up with a strip sack of Ryan in Falcons territory, causing a fumble that was recovered by Johnny Jolly. The play set up the Packers' game-winning touchdown by Quarless and helped the team come back from an 11-point deficit to stay alive in their hopes to win the NFC North division and qualify for the playoffs.
- Defensive lineman Johnny Jolly––Not only did Jolly corral a timely fumble recovery, he was a big part of the Packers' defensive resurgence that held the Falcons to only 285 yards on Sunday. He batted one of Ryan's third-quarter pass attempts on a drive that ended in a punt and also made a two-yard tackle for a loss on running back Jason Snelling on the series that ended in a missed field goal attempt in the fourth quarter.
Cow Chips
- Safety Morgan Burnett––Continuing a season-long trend of poor play from the safety position and Burnett in particular, he was exposed on both of the Falcons' two offensive touchdowns. First Burnett was caught out of position on a 36-yard catch-and-run by Drew Davis and later got sucked in on play-action fake on a wide-open two-yard connection to Gonzalez. Being the team leader in tackles is no consolation when Burnett played as poorly as he did.
- Guard T.J. Lang––Lang was responsible for at least one of the five sacks the Packers allowed on quarterback Matt Flynn, failing to pick up a second-half blitz. But that wasn't all for the Green Bay guard in what has been an otherwise good season. Lang was also called for a false start penalty on the first drive of the second half on a series that ended in a punt and made an poor effort to bring down linebacker Sean Weatherspoon on his 71-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Brian Carriveau is the author of the book "It's Just a Game: Big League Drama in Small Town America," and editor of Cheesehead TV's "Pro Football Draft Preview." To contact Brian, email [email protected].
Comments (81)
December 08, 2013 at 03:51 pm
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Burnett wouldn't even be a serviceable back- up on other teams. An epic draft & develop contract extension by TT.
December 08, 2013 at 05:14 pm
Right up there with the huge deal to Hawk.
Can't keep paying filet mignon contracts to ground round players.
December 08, 2013 at 06:26 pm
Total disaster. Guy is only better than MD Jennings, who I'm not sure actually plays on Sundays given how little I hear his name....
December 08, 2013 at 10:09 pm
The good news is that all these deals can be re-structured. Hence the Hawk deal. However, TT better wise up and make sure he's not doling out some heavy coin in that first year anymore. Make them prove it a bit that they can hang for at least a couple seasons.
Unfortunately, we overpaid Burnett this year, and probably next year, too. I can't imagine Burnett is going to be interested in restructuring after just one shitty season. .
December 08, 2013 at 11:01 pm
You realize he's only the 22nd highest paid safety in the NFL this season?
He won't even be in the top 10 highest paid safeties with current contracts until 2016.
Even if he reverts back to his performance level from last season over the life of the contract I'd say it's a good deal.
December 09, 2013 at 01:44 am
I agree 100%. I'm glad someone on here knows what he's talking about. Hawk is a joke!! He's the leading tackler on the team, but no one say's 98% of the tackles are 5-10 yards from the line of scrimmage. The last 3 games, speak for themselves. He's been all but a non- factor. He's not the whole problem on defense, but he's a big part of it. Anyone who agrees, Now would be the time to chime in. There are so called experts on here, who are going to jump all over this.
December 09, 2013 at 04:58 pm
Amen Hawk sucks so does Jones, Burnett, and MD Jennings should be sent to the Vikings. Give that Richards kid some more time get him ready for the future. I wish Lattimore did not get hurt he was great the 2 weeks Jones sat out. Poping people not grabbing for the neck.
December 08, 2013 at 09:58 pm
I'll reserve judgement until we get someone across from him who can play.
December 08, 2013 at 10:47 pm
This, thank you. Tackling can come and go at the safety position. Just look at what Dashon Goldson is doing in TB this season.
It always seems like Burnett's been close sans a few bad beats(today, Riley Cooper) and he's got elite physical tools at the position. He's just been a step slow this season for whatever reason, but if you can't see that he has the physical talent to put it all together then idk what to tell you.
December 08, 2013 at 10:14 pm
Tra Williams comments about Capers D!
The Ship might be breaking apart!
Not to mention the OL.
TT _ MM has some work ahead
December 09, 2013 at 12:01 am
"I’ll reserve judgement until we get someone across from him who can play."
That's fair, to a point. However, he seems to consistently get burnt on plays (see Gonzalez TD) where his own personal judgement is at fault.
December 08, 2013 at 03:54 pm
Proud of ya Mike Neal ...I called ya out ...many of us did and you delivered. Proud of this team on both sides of the ball really. I thought it was over when the "kick 6" happened,but we hung in there. Not sure how many yards Lacy had but he earned every one ofem. Can't think of any other rb I would rather have. All that said ......GO COWBOYS!
December 08, 2013 at 04:57 pm
"kick 6" - not bad.
December 08, 2013 at 06:20 pm
I have always givin a cowboys fan buddy shit for the pic 6 off JWitts foot ....now I can not.
December 08, 2013 at 06:32 pm
Gotta throw some love at the kick 6
December 09, 2013 at 11:52 pm
"kick 6" my hat is tipping sir.
December 08, 2013 at 03:58 pm
With all the bad stuff this happened this year, that tackling effort by lang (and the poor effort by the rest of the team) on the int return was my personal low point as a fan. Good to see them fight back and get the W though.
December 08, 2013 at 05:19 pm
"tackling effort by lang"
You know he's an OL, right? I just appreciated his hustle on a bad play he was not responsible for.
December 08, 2013 at 09:59 pm
Exactly. The rest of the team just stood there and watched it happen.
December 08, 2013 at 04:05 pm
Its a win. I'm pissed at MN for losing twice today. A MN win drops them in draft position, but no..... let Jacoby Jones KR TD; fight back; then let Flacco march down. They just can't do anything right!
While I've been skeptical, it was cool hearing the crowd chant Jol-ly; Jol-ly. Plays with twice the heart of Raji.
December 08, 2013 at 05:05 pm
What's funny is I thought the same thing with the Vikings. I was hoping they would win to drop in draft rankings.
December 08, 2013 at 04:05 pm
Can you say half time adjustments? A 1st? LOLions. I know it was the Falcons but it looked like they didn't quit. I give Lacy a blue chip too. He got a ton of tough yards after contact and caught the ball well too. The whole o-line gets a cow chip from me.
December 08, 2013 at 04:14 pm
I never thought I say thank you J. Bush, and Go Cowboys in the same breath but .....WOW!
I don't know if this is a blessing or curse? It's definitely an emotional roller coaster.
PS - our D is still despicable save Jolly and I thought Boyd played well.
Where was D. Jones? I thought he was drafted to terrorize the QB and use his length to knock down passes?
Go (cough, hack..) Dallas
December 08, 2013 at 05:56 pm
didn't datone jones make a big tackle on the falcons' last drive?
December 08, 2013 at 06:16 pm
Dude. Datone is a rookie that missed all of training camp and wasn't able to find a role on D. He's played well in spots and needs to put some things together in the offseason. Just stfu.
December 08, 2013 at 06:28 pm
Keep making excuses for TT's failures. You are really good at that.
Datone Jones has had a less than stellar rookie year. Not expecting him to be the second coming of Reggie White, but at least show something. He hasn't. Keep making excuses.
December 08, 2013 at 06:42 pm
Back at it eh? Pissed off because the pack won I guess. You fail as a fan.
December 08, 2013 at 06:45 pm
Moo?
December 08, 2013 at 06:59 pm
Oh stop. Don't "moo" me. I've been one of CowPie's biggest critics. And have been a strong TT/MM defender until this year's mismanagement (Safety position, back-up QB, defense overall)
T'was a gritty win. Can't believe we still have a shot at the playoffs. That being said, we need #12 back ASAP. Not going to be as easy in big D.
As to D Jones, he has time to redeem himself. But he hasn't exactly shown a great deal of potential this year.
December 08, 2013 at 07:04 pm
Point Packer is Cow? Who'd have guessed?
December 08, 2013 at 10:14 pm
Ok I take it back..."ooM"
December 08, 2013 at 06:58 pm
He's got 3 sacks in very limited opportunities! Put him on the field full time next year and he should be much more effective. The dumb getting dumber is all you are.
December 08, 2013 at 07:09 pm
Stroh - I hope you are correct in this prediction. Maybe Jerel Worthy will prove to be a talent as well. Or maybe will both be huge ass busts.
Oh, and I'd rather be "branded" with a Viking logo than take over the CowTurd handle.
Further, Stroh - can you defend Morgan Burnett for me one more time? Guy looked great again today.
December 08, 2013 at 08:04 pm
Try and point out when I last defended Burnett. Please try... You'll be looking for the rest of the year. And this site would be much happier about it!
December 08, 2013 at 07:18 pm
Datone had 8 total tackles to date prior to this game. Ziggy of Detroit, who just started playing football last year, has 8 sacks as a rookie, and is up for rookie of the year. I rest my case.
December 08, 2013 at 07:24 pm
Don't use facts Al Katraz, that's too much for some on this comment board. Datone Jones has played a limited amount of snaps, that's why I can count his total number of solo tackles this year on two hands...
Oh, and he has three sacks. Because sacks are a great determinant for showing proficiency at the DL position.
December 08, 2013 at 07:42 pm
Just saying... JJ Watt only had 5 1/2 sacks his rookie year. I'm not saying Jones is Watt. I'm just saying that not every player in the league has a huge impact his rookie year...
December 08, 2013 at 08:09 pm
RC you know you can't use facts w/ Al or PointPecker. They don't know what those are...
Watt didn't suffer an injury as a rookie in training camp either. That's a big reason Jones hasn't found more snaps. Ziggy has the benefit of playing next to Suh and Fairley the best DT tandem in the NFL. Makes his job MUCH easier too. Not to mention that ziggy was drafted #5 overall as compared to 26th. If they knew a F'in thing about Football they might understand. Sadly they don't and won't ever!
December 08, 2013 at 08:27 pm
Look what Aldon Smith did last year in SF when Justin Smith went down. Nothing the last few games. Big guys up front help out a lot. Detroit has 2.
December 08, 2013 at 10:02 pm
Datone looked elite in TC. In one of the preseason games, he had a kill shot on the opposing QB, but the OL tripped him, causing a high ankle sprain.
Dude's been playing hurt the entire time. He's flashed, but he hasn't looked the same.
Keep in mind this team runs a 3-4; Datone's job is to stuff the run and eat up blockers so the OLBs can get the sacks.
December 08, 2013 at 10:40 pm
That was the 1st drive of the 1st preseason game IIRC. He hurt his ankle on that play or in that game for sure. He was out the rest of training camp, so he got very few practice reps in training camp and the preseason. Once the season starts players are set in roles and get all the reps. Once the regular season started Jones isn't given many practice reps to continue to learn. Young Players need to get all the reps they can just to find a role. Jones missed out on that.
December 09, 2013 at 02:50 am
Stretch,
All words that begin with "F" don't have to be capitalized. Just trying to help ya stay perfect.
December 08, 2013 at 10:52 pm
Ya guys why doesn't our late first round draft pick have the same stats as a top 5 pick who plays a completely different position and has played twice as many snaps?
December 08, 2013 at 04:17 pm
I am proud of our boys. Jolly, Bush, and Quarless came to play ! The troll needs to go back to Dallas! Go Pack GO!,!!!
December 08, 2013 at 04:23 pm
My bad I forgot about tomorrow! I never thought I would say this either GO COWBOYS. Leaves a bad taste in your mouth! Go PAC!
December 08, 2013 at 07:22 pm
If Cowboys win were in a big hole. If the Bears win we are in a big hole. If the Lions win we stay in a big hole. Our loses to date have pretty much buried us. There is faint hope but realisticaly not all the teams in front of us will all lose.
December 08, 2013 at 08:01 pm
Only need one team ahead of us to lose. The lions! After that if we win we control our own fate. Play Bears last game of the year. Just get Rodgers back in for the stretch drive and the Packers are almost a favorite to get to the playoffs!
December 08, 2013 at 10:04 pm
Cowboys will be coming off a short week. We're gonna need that, and every advantage we can get.
Meanwhile, the Loins will be up against a very hungry Ravens team, who have something to prove.
December 08, 2013 at 04:52 pm
Lang made a poor effort tackling on the interception? He was the only one that even tried to tackle!
December 08, 2013 at 08:43 pm
Exactly, everyone else stood around with their thumb up their ass.
December 08, 2013 at 05:05 pm
boykin tried..but got bonked
December 08, 2013 at 05:56 pm
he also had a big time catch as well!
December 08, 2013 at 07:08 pm
Kuhn is the one to cow chip on the interception return. Just stood there looking dumbfounded.
December 08, 2013 at 09:54 pm
Kuhn wouldn't have caught him with a 10 second head start.
December 08, 2013 at 10:05 pm
LOL.
Truth. I hate it SO much when MIKE gives him the ball with 12 yards to go to the first down. The D could WALK to him by the time he gets to the chains.
December 09, 2013 at 12:24 am
So true! What was I thinking? In reality, from Kuhn's reaction I'm assuming he thought the ball hit the ground.
December 08, 2013 at 06:33 pm
It took Jarrett Bush to finally win a game without Rodgers. That's a fact. How crazy is that?
December 08, 2013 at 06:44 pm
Crazy but good. He had a pick in the SB too. Lead to a TD.
December 08, 2013 at 06:44 pm
That's what's great about football; anyone can step up and make a play!
December 08, 2013 at 06:51 pm
Also broke up a pass to Gon on 4th down. Even bigger play.
December 08, 2013 at 07:00 pm
Bush was huge. Couldn't believe my eyes.
December 08, 2013 at 10:07 pm
How bad was House, when he's benched for Jarret Bush?
December 08, 2013 at 11:44 pm
Well, after this game. Not really that bad. J. Bush came to play. Played well. Again, could not believe my eyes. Good for him.
If we go on a run and make the playoffs, hard to not give at least some credit to Jarrett friggin Bush.
Never thought I'd type that.
December 08, 2013 at 07:19 pm
Not knocking a team that played their gutts out. Still not crazy with MM play calling. We almost lost another one due to conservative calls.
December 08, 2013 at 07:26 pm
It got WAY better in the 2nd half though.
That being said, running Lacy on the last play of the 1st half was beyond stupid. I just don't understand why he would do that. One would argue that Lacy is the second most important player on this team.
December 08, 2013 at 07:44 pm
I felt like a cold ball made the Packers' D-Backs look better than they played. I really enjoyed the win. Getting #12 back might get the Pack past Dallas, but that is a crap shoot.
December 08, 2013 at 08:15 pm
Getting 12 back makes the Dallas game a shootout, not a crapshoot! LOL
December 08, 2013 at 10:26 pm
I meant whether he would be available at all.
Evan
December 08, 2013 at 08:48 pm
Why couldn't Bush be a half decent safety again?
December 08, 2013 at 10:00 pm
Good question.
December 08, 2013 at 10:07 pm
Because he sucks.
December 09, 2013 at 12:03 am
"Because he sucks."
Minus today.
December 09, 2013 at 12:33 am
If I were Micah Hyde I'd be in Darren Perry's office every day begging to learn how to play safety.
December 09, 2013 at 07:02 am
Definitely. I mean, is is rocket science?
Hopefully Richardson will get some things done.
Evan
December 09, 2013 at 07:25 am
At CB....sure, usually. But I still think his skill set would translate to safety - willing tackler, decent coverage skills if he keeps the play in front of him, good size. Can't be worse than Jennings, yeah?
December 09, 2013 at 07:34 am
I trust Bush in limited roles where he's playing in the box or asked to play bump-and-run out of the slot. He's a capable player if you don't ask him to play with depth or in zones. I don't know that I've seen a worse player track balls while they are in the air. When you ask Bush to navigate space and anticipate, it's a disaster. Ask him to get physical in the box or play in limited space, he's trustworthy.
It's lazy to just say, 'Bush sucks.'
December 09, 2013 at 09:06 am
All the drivel on this site lately translate very easily to lazy too. Bush sucks, Jenning sucks, Hawk sucks, EDS sucks. Theirs a whole lotta lazy going on here!
December 09, 2013 at 09:49 am
I agree with you Evan. I have said that for a while that Bush would make a better safety then CB.
If he can see plays ahead of him, he is a lot better. He is a physical player and good tackler, so I think he would be a good safety.
December 08, 2013 at 10:50 pm
Big Cow Chip to Troy Aikman. Even when he's not doing Packer games, he gets in his digs. Just before halftime in the Seattle vs. SF game, there was an offensive interference call. Aikman said "The Packers do it as well as anybody and they never seem to get called for it." What a turd TA is!
December 09, 2013 at 12:02 am
+ 10000000000000000
December 10, 2013 at 12:09 am
I've said it before "who did we piss off at fox" to have Aikman doing the fox broadcast for PACKER home games I mean WTF????