Packers 27 Lions 23: Game Balls & Lame Calls

Before I get into my usual Game Balls & Lame Calls piece, I want to acknowledge one of my colleagues, friends and brothers here at CheeseheadTV, Adam Czech.  As I sat there disgusted with the Packers and how they were performing through the first half of this game, I started feeling deflated and like this was going to be a lost season for the Pack.  After a great start, this team was imploding more and more before my very eyes.  I found myself wallowing in the reality that I was likely going to have to wait until next season, at the soonest, to see the Packers try and achieve greatness.  Then came the stern reminder that it's just a football game.  I learned that Adam was diagnosed with colon cancer, as he was brave enough to post the news on Twitter and let us know.  Perspective achieved.  Adam, we're all behind you brother.  Fight hard every day and always be #AdamStrong!

I must have started writing this piece in my head several times throughout this game and none of them were about a Green Bay Packers victory.  How could it be?  Another typical dud performance by a team that started out this season dominating some pretty good teams.  It wasn't until the second half that the Packers even got on the board and every time they did, the Detroit Lions had some sort of answer.  When the last play of the game was the "keep away lateral" that seemed to end with Aaron Rodgers being thrown to the ground, it only seemed fitting that the Lions contained #12 one last time to seal the win.  The only chance that play had was a defensive penalty to give them one more untimed down.  Enter the yellow laundry.

The Packers desperately needed a win coming into this matchup with the Lions and that's exactly how they got it done.  With a desperation Hail Mary pass that traveled over 60 yards in the air and landed safely into the hands of tight end Richard Rodgers.  Game over, Packers win.  They're 8-4 and, pending the result of Sunday's game between the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings, could be back on top of the NFC North once again.  For a team that hasn't seemed to be able to answer the bell when they have needed it most this season, the Packers pulled off one of the most improbable finishes this NFL season has seen yet.  

It remains to be seen how this game impacts Green Bay's season and whether they will go on a run or suffer a letdown, but for now, Packers fans are celebrating.  On with the best and worst of the night.

Game Balls

Richard Rodgers

Funny, Rodgers was getting a game ball with or without the last play of the game.  His catch of the Hail Mary throw from Aaron Rodgers cemented his spot at the top of this list.  Rodgers had been a topic of some unflattering conversation over the past month.  The team's #1 tight end who was slow and unable to gain any yards after the catch.  After so many seasons of Jermichael Finley and the great things he did with the ball, Rodgers almost seemed misfit for this offense.

In this game, Rodgers showed up big.  From the beginning, he almost looked like a different player.  He was seen streaking over the middle and moving faster than I've seen him move all year.  He was targeted eight times and caught all eight passes.  The eighth was one that most of us will never forget.  Last season, Rodgers came on at the end of the season and made a big impact for the Packers when it mattered most.  Was this game the beginning of another late-season surge for Richie?

Jake Ryan

I've been calling for Ryan to get on the field since the Carolina game.  Four weeks later, the light bulb finally went off in the coaching staff's heads that they might want to try Ryan at inside linebacker over the very pedestrian Nate Palmer.  Ryan led the team with 10 tackles and I realize that tackles aren't the most accurate nor reliable stat, but he was around the ball quite a bit, which was something we saw against the Panthers as well.  Ryan also came up with the fumble recovery after Julius Peppers stripped the ball from Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford's hands.  Here's hoping Ryan keeps his starting spot, as he's the type of player who seems to only get better with increased time on the field.

David Bakhtiari

This one may be a bit of a reach and I'm putting Bakhtiari on this list because he returned to the game after coming out due to injury.  That display of toughness is something that I think goes unnoticed about Bakh.  He wants to be out there, we can't deny him that.  In the first meeting between these two teams, Bakhtiari kept Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah away from Aaron Rodgers, for the most part.  He did the same again in this contest and only when Bakhtiari went out and Josh Walker replaced him did Ansah get to Rodgers, decking him to the turf after badly beating Walker off the edge.  Bakhtiari has had his struggles this season, but he's held up twice against the NFL's sack leader both times he's faced him this season.

Lame Calls

Don Barclay

Filling in for the injured Bryan Bulaga, Barclay quickly picked up where he left off earlier this season when Bulaga missed some time.  Donny boy took the hit for a sack that knocked the ball out of Rodgers hands.  Fortunately, the Packers recovered the ball.  There's a reason Barclay is a backup, but after another rocky performance, we have to hope these are some of the last times we'll see him trying to help protect Rodgers.

Eddie Lacy

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said Lacy didn't have a good week.  That meant during this past week of practice and as a result, Lacy didn't see the field until well into the game.  He ended up with five carries for four yards after two straight games with 100 yards rushing.  Lacy has battled an ankle injury most of this season and that has surely affected his play, but his extreme lack of consistency is hurting this team.  After posting two-straight 1,000 yard seasons, Lacy isn't even the team's top back anymore.  Whether he's in the dog house with the coaching staff (pure speculation) or his ankle is bothering him worse than we know, this team can't count on him and they need a running game more than ever.  In short yardage situations, a back like Lacy should be converting well over half of the time, yet Lacy is living life on the ground in the backfield.  Granted, some of the blocking leaves much to be desired, but Lacy has been, at best, a yo yo this season.

James Jones

After saving the day against the Minnesota Vikings a few weeks back, Jones has been a ghost these past two games.  He dropped a tough one that would have won last week's Thanksgiving day game against the Chicago Bears and against the Lions this week, had just one catch.  The interception by Aaron Rodgers bounced off of Jones' hands.  Sometimes that happens and the game moves fast but if the ball hits your hands, either catch it or make sure no one else does.

Any Horizontal Running Play

It's not a secret that these backs cannot get to the edge nor pick up any yards running east/west.  The toss needs to get tossed. . right out of the playbook.  Sticking with the run is good but go with those plays that are proven to get the needed yardage.  

 

Others of note

  • Ha Ha Clinton-Dix had another sack after getting his first of the season against the Vikings.  He also had another quarterback hit to his credit.  This added element to his game is a good thing to see and a much needed wrinkle for this defense
  • Julius Peppers caused the fumble of Stafford that the Packers recovered and turned into a touchdown shortly after.  Peppers also had a horrible offsides penalty on a third down and long in which he lined up in the neutral zone.  The Packers appeared to have made the stop on the play and forced a Lions punt but due to the penalty, Detroit was able to convert a first down to keep the drive alive and eventually kick a field goal to make it a two-score game
  • Mason Crosby is probably glad he won't be seeing the Lions again this season.  After the worst attempt at a field goal that I've ever seen in the first meeting, a kick that would have been a game-winner but instead was the dud that allowed the Lions their first win at Lambeau Field in over 20 years, Crosby missed another in this game.  At the time, it was early enough that it didn't seem like a back breaker, but had he converted, we likely don't need all of the drama at the end of the game and the Packers may have won more easily.  I can't say I minded the ending, but Crosby had been money early on and has had a few misses of late.  Hopefully this doesn't become any type of trend
  • Davante Adams finally found the end zone on a nice slant pass and catch.  Perhaps this will propel the youngster to better things than we have been seeing from him lately.  Adams got his hands on a few other attempts that he couldn't reel in and were referred to as drops on the game's broadcast, but they did appear to be tough catches to make in the first place.  Hopefully they're passes Adams starts to haul in.  He did have one jump ball opportunity and he was nothing short of awful, after forging a career of it in college.  This is one area the Packers need Adams to elevate his game
  • Running back John Crockett was signed off the practice squad today and the team released Alonzo Harris.  Crockett saw some carries in this game and immediately infused some life into the offense.  His stats weren't very impressive by them self, but he showed some fire and spark out there, which is something this team needs more of.  Crockett also contributed on special teams.  Will he become more of a factor as the season wears on and with so many questions surrounding Lacy?

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Jason is a freelance writer on staff since 2012 and also co-hosts Cheesehead TV Live, Pulse of the Pack and Pack A Day podcasts.  You can follow him on Twitter here

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Comments (85)

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Amanofthenorth's picture

December 04, 2015 at 06:22 am

Adam! As is you are as I Am, healed. Believe it Over and over again.

This one play makes up for 4th and 26, Terrel Owens, one of the Seattle games and...and...the John Hadl trade.

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 04, 2015 at 06:33 am

Good luck and stay strong Adam!

Best wishes to you!

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murphy's picture

December 04, 2015 at 06:38 am

The Packers led for 0 seconds? Surely you must be Lion.

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NickPerry's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:00 am

They lead when it mattered...0:00

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 04, 2015 at 06:53 am

Game Balls.

Richard Rodgers. I have been on him and calling for him to play less because he has played so poorly. But he came up huge in this game. By far his best game.

Bakhtiari. If anyone questions how good he is or isn't just watch what happened on the only play he didn't play in the game.

John Crockett. Wow, did he bring a spark to the offense. He played with energy that got infused into the offense. He has some work to do, but you can't deny the energy that he brings. Whoever decided to promote him, deserves a lot of credit for doing so.

Lame Calls -

Lacy? What is going on here? Something is definitely going on here.

Whoever's decision to keep Alonzo Harris over John Crockett. Hell I would even throw in the decision to keep him over Neal. Harris had 1 really nice run, but did absolutely nothing since.

Notes:

I have been ripping the play calling for a long time now. I still am not thrilled with it, but I saw some nice subtle changes which worked good. The TD to Adams they moved Adams which got him free. I saw a lot more motion which I think helped.

But the 3 plays that they ran with Cobb. I love the play design. But the first 2 plays I hate that they faked the reverse first then ran the reverse later which basically tipped off the defense. I think the reverse would have worked better had they ran it first.
That being said, the screen pass they ran off of that, worked really well.

If we can see more play designs like that, it will help our offense out.

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dobber's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:39 am

The thing about the Cobb motion/reverse play is that it sets up a lot of other plays later, and forces the backside defenders to stay home (now that it's a scouted look). That can turn into a jet sweep (which I think would be a nice addition to this offense), they can run or throw out of it....more than anything else, it's something new that opposing defenses need to be thinking about that might help to open up the box a little bit.

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 04, 2015 at 10:53 am

That is what I liked about it. They ran 3 plays off of that look. They could run a lot more off that look in the future. The thing I want to see is them come up with more plays off of that look.

The Jet sweep is something that they really could use in this offense. They really need to be more creative in how they attack teams.

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dobber's picture

December 04, 2015 at 12:17 pm

People talk about Janis a lot, and I don't want to blow that whistle anymore, but seeing him return kicks, I'd like to see what he could do with a jet sweep.

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FrozenTundra's picture

December 04, 2015 at 10:09 am

At one point I saw MM holding the laminated play sheets. It made me wonder if he hasn't gone back to calling some or all the plays.

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zoellner25's picture

December 04, 2015 at 10:29 am

I think he's just following along with the calls and checking his setup. but interesting to hear if he had any more input last night.

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 04, 2015 at 10:54 am

You know, I saw that and it really looked as if he was actually reading plays. I think it was a 3rd down play if I remember right.

I have heard that if he takes it over, no one will know it.

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Dan Stodola's picture

December 05, 2015 at 02:51 pm

He's been doing that all along. Following w/ the playcalls, means nothing. I think he should have been calling plays, and didn't see any reason for him to give it up. But if it helps him be able to make sure the ST and D are in line w/ his ideas/philosophy, I support it.

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packerfan9507's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:10 am

I wouldn't give him a game ball but I thought that Lane Taylor was pretty stout. Underrated performance.

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WKUPackFan's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:11 am

#AdamStrong! Pull the strap down Lawler style and beat this thing!

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Bohj's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:31 am

Best wishes and energy towards your battle Adam.

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dobber's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:40 am

Good luck, Adam! And remember: no matter how bad it gets, or how unpleasant the treatments might be, or how much you need to confront your own human frailties...the Bears still suck.

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pacman's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:42 am

Awesome to see Pack get the lucky bounces.
A win with your O line decimated - just take it anyway you can.

Even while they were way down, at least MM showed different looks.

But there is something seriously wrong with our WRs / coaches that can't squirm free from man coverage with some better schemes. Just like everyone else is doing to us! What happened to run deep and run back hard towards QB for a few yards. There should be no way to defend that in man coverage.

I still think AR's passes are simply not as good as they have been in other years and if you can't get those short yards to keep the blitzers honest, AR better toughen up.

I just hope 10 days is enough time to heal.

Still thrilled about the win but I don't see a SB. It's a shame to have your expectations lowered to just being happy to make the playoffs.

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dobber's picture

December 04, 2015 at 08:00 am

This is a nice perspective post. In the end, this is still a flawed team and they're going to have to scratch and claw for every W they get the rest of the season.

Still, for one night, they finally got the big play they needed when they couldn't make them happen against Detroit and Chicago earlier in the season.

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Bohj's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:46 am

Jake Ryan is a baller for sure. As a Michigan fan, this kid was around the ball literally every play. He started as an outside LB but ended as an inside LB where he was better suited. He never takes a play off and is quick to diagnose. The NFL will not be too big for him. Please.....keep him on the field.

Abbrederis looks like he is open quite often. I hope he can recover from his injury entirely. Bruised/broken ribs is brutal to play with. The sooner we can take Jones off the field the better. Love Jones and the much needed veteran leadership, but he isn't providing anything on the field to keep him there. Time to give the reigns to speedier youngsters.

Speaking of young receivers. Absolutely can't wait until Monty gets back. I know he will be rusty. And his snaps will be limited, but the earlier he can contribute, the more our offense can diversify. Really hope he is our late December weapon.

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zoellner25's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:55 am

Loved what I saw in Jake Ryan, instinctive and always around the ball. Not the fastest guy, but i'll take a guy with good instincts all day. You can tell he played ILB before.

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LASVEGAS-TOM's picture

December 04, 2015 at 04:22 pm

Bohj, James Jones didn't have a great game last night, but he did make 1 really important catch that you may have missed, or else I had too much to drink. With 6 seconds left in the game, on the Face Mask play, I believe he's the guy that caught the original pass from AR. I'd have to see the play again, but from what I can remember, it was a pretty good catch & run. If he don't make that catch, The Game Is Over. I stand corrected if I'm wrong.

I have 3 Game Balls to give out:

#1 I give to AR for throwing that Rainbow

#2 I give to Richard Rodgers for catching that Rainbow

#3 I give to MASON CROSBY. I believe he became the 1st Field Goal kicker in history to hit more Goal Posts than Field Goals over a 5 game stretch. CONGRADULATIONS Mason. If I were in charge, He would have been on a bus out of GB back in 2007. I would use our #1 pick next year & draft the Best Field Goal kicker in college. As I've stated several times before, He cannot be counted on. He never was Any Good. He is not reliable today, & we'll Never be able to count on him in the future. He is at the bottom of all NFL field Goal kickers.

I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT GB IS GOING TO MAKE A RUN IN THE PLAYOFFS. I've said it the last couple of weeks.

The sky didn't fall 5 weeks ago. Vegas made their money, & the fork is back in the drawer. Last nights game should not have come down to that Rainbow Mary. I CRINGE at the thought of my $$$$$ resting on a Mason Crosby kick. LVT

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ray nichkee's picture

December 04, 2015 at 06:27 pm

I have been fair with you in the past but you lvt, are so wrong about mason Crosby. He only hit one upright this year and he did miss badly against Detroit at home which would have won the game. Are you forgetting about his 5/5 game in Minnesota? I heard the blame is on the holder, the same guy who won't be punting next year for the pack.

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LASVEGAS-TOM's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:05 pm

ray nichkee, You've been fair. I've never had a problem with you. I respect your posts & your opinion. Maybe I'm drinking too much. I think Crosby has hit at least 3 goal posts recently.

I've always said he is not a clutch kicker. The Minn game doesn't really enter in here. I respect your opinion, & enjoy reading your posts. I consider you a friend as I do most of the fans here. I have absolutely No Confidence in Mason Crosby as a kicker, going back to 2007.

As I said in an earlier post. This isn't my 1st Rodeo. I really believe GB is in the thick of it this year, even though most people here have had them dead & buried for weeks now. I hope Crosby proves me wrong. I hope our season, & my $$$$, doesn't come down to Mason Crosby's leg. At best, he's 50/50 from any distance. You're right, & I don't know what's happened to the punter.

I've been a big Critic of LT Bak. I take it back. He showed me something last night. He's a Tough kid. He's playing hurt at the toughest position in
the OL. I think if he gets healthy, he'll be a good LT.

A.J. Shields I won't change mind about. He's too small. Johnson had 45 yd's. Does anyone think Shields had single coverage on Johnson last night. Johnson was double covered just about all night. The times A.J. Shields had single coverage, he got beat bad. He's Too Small, Can't Tackle, & is Highly Overpaid.

Anyway Ray, you can disagree with me on Crosby. I don't think I'm wrong. I've seen his whole career, as you have. That's what this post is all about. It's a matter of opinions. Crosby has to prove to me that he can make a field goal to win a game, not when we're 21 pt's ahead. So far I haven't seen any of that, only the opposite. LVT

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ray nichkee's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:38 pm

Were good don't worry, we've all been wrong but I think Crosby has done a great job except for that one season a few years ago. He did lose that game against Detroit at home but it should have never come down to that.

I am assuming you are referring to sam shields not a.j. shields. If so he did a hell of a job on megatron. 44 yards is nothing for him. He is a gem ted Thompson found. He seems to have a bad game here and there but he gets it done man on man. He is easily the best cover guy on the pack.

Take care lvt, I'd quit gambling before drinking by the way.

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Dan Stodola's picture

December 05, 2015 at 03:44 pm

Drinking is true. Still the James Jones love juice. He's been helpful at best, most part of the problem not the solution. Got off to a fast start due to no other options and his trust w/ Rodgers. In the past 6 games, he's been completely shut out twice and done nothing in 3 others to speak of. One good game in 6 is NOT cutting it. Face the truth, right now Jones is part of the problem, not the solution.

Thankfully, next year he won't be a Packer. Probably won't be in the NFL. Used to be a decent #3 at best, now he doesn't deserve to be on the field, except the Packers were desperate for someone Rodgers trusted.

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LASVEGAS-TOM's picture

December 05, 2015 at 05:36 pm

DS, No, you are wrong. I completely agree, & am well aware that James Jones is at the end of his career. I think he's had a Great Career as a GB Packer, & it probably would have been a lot better, but he played with maybe the Best 5 WR's ever assembled. There is No Love Juice as you put it. I think that was uncalled for.

Yeah I believe JJ won't be a Packer next year, but I wouldn't say Thankfully. I think he's been a Good GB Packer, & would like to see him retire a GB Packer. I think you're harder on James Jones than you need to be. IMO he filled a void Pretty Well this year, & should be given credit for it. If I'm not mistaken he is the 2ond oldest player on the team. Cut him a little slack.

One could have said that Amond Green had No Business being on the field when GB brought him back. I for 1 was glad they did.

GB has much more of a problem than James Jones being on the field. How about Bryan Bulaga who makes more $$$ on the sideline, than playing. How about Ed Lacy?? What about the other WR's?? What has Cobb, & Adams done that's been that much better than what Jones has done. There's plenty of blame to go around. The OL is hurt. Crosby can't be counted on.

I agree with you that Jone's performance has dropped off the last 4 or 5 games. How has it been that much worse than Cobb or Adams, who are younger?? I agree again, he's part of a problem, but it's a much bigger problem than just James Jones.

By the way, I do Very Little Drinking, & my Football Betting day's have been over for a while. It's NO Fun for me anymore, & I don't need to gamble anymore. I don't have a Dime on GB this year, but I will when they make the playoffs. While Most of you guy's had them Dead & Buried 5 weeks ago, I told all of you that they were still in the thick of it. I still feel that way. LVT

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Dan Stodola's picture

December 05, 2015 at 06:26 pm

He was a "good Packer" at best. Like I said, maybe a decent #3 WR. I don't want to hear excuses for him or why he didn't do more. If he would have gotten open more, Rodgers would have thrown him the ball more.

Bulaga is injured, can't say same for Jones... Or are you still clinging to the notion he's got the hamstring?

Yeah it turned out to be a good sign at the beginning of the season, but it isn't helping now is it? And I doubt it'll mean much more down the stretch.

If he was a good as you say he is/was (when they signed him I'm sure you said alot more than he was a good Packer. But whatever...

I don't gamble and basically only drink on Packer Game Days. Whats that got to do w/ anything? My comment wasnt regarding you drinking, as I'm sure your aware, it was about your love fest w/ James Jones.

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Packer_Pete's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:53 am

Best wishes Adam. You can beat this.

"After so many seasons of Jermichael Finley and the great things he did with the ball"
Please. Stop. You probably wanted to write "after so many seasons of Jermichael Finley and what he could've done with the ball if he had actually caught it or not dropped or fumbled"... 20 TDs career. Did most damage between own 21 and 50 yard lines. Not very effective in the red zone. Look at his situational stats and ESPN and you know what I mean. He was more WR than TE, couldn't block, and it was more the idea of what he could do than his actual production on the field.

Richard Rodgers has already 2 more TDs in his first 2 seasons that Finley had his first 2 seasons. Finley played for 6 seasons. I think that Rodgers will surpass 20 career TDs if he can play for 4 more years. He may not be fast or flashy, but he is playing to his ability. Just has to be used that way, and put into position to make plays. We have seen yesterday that he can make plays. He was the best receiver on the field, no matter the jersey.

In production, Finley never was in the same league as say a Gronk, a Graham, or even a Witten. And again, if you look at pure production, R. Rodgers is just as good if not better. With his mouth, Finley always was the best of them all. Just couldn't back it up on the field.

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brewers_rule's picture

December 04, 2015 at 09:00 am

You're putting R-Rod in the production category of Gronk or Graham? Seriously? Take away this game and the guy's entire career isn't even on par w/a guy like Eifert's yet. Yes, he's still young and I'm hoping this is a start of change but he can't even break tackles like Witten did in his prime much less dominate in fighting for the ball like those other guys. You cannot measure a TE by number of TD's or Marcedes Lewis would be not only still starting but considered one of the best TE's in the last 5 years or so.

I understand Finley was overrated to an extent. He had lots of games where he disappeared BUT he also seemed to follow them up with games where he split the seams, rumbled over tacklers after a tough catch, and ALWAYS fought for the ball. His lore I think was built more on what he COULD have been if he found some sort of consistency which we never got to find out due to his injury.

Going back to the Chmura/Jackson days, TE's in the GB offense are expected to occupy the middle of the field, beat LB's for catches, break tackles for YAC just like the WR's, and sometimes split that seam. Until last night, R-Rod wasn't showing any of that, hence the criticism. Hopefully this is a sign the kid's 'getting it' but we'll see. We all thought Bubba Franks would live up to his billing and he never did either.

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dobber's picture

December 04, 2015 at 09:22 am

"Hopefully this is a sign the kid's 'getting it' but we'll see. "

I tend to agree with your post, although Finley was a lightning rod for criticism due to his inconsistency. I think this is more a sign of Aaron Rodgers and the coaching staff saying, "here's a guy who is getting position in his match-ups and actually catches the ball...let's throw it to HIM."

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Packer_Pete's picture

December 04, 2015 at 12:27 pm

No, not in a Gronk or Graham or Witten, but I am putting R. Rodgers into the production category of Finley. And he certainly is in that one. Finley was vastly overrated in terms of production. Given that he was physically in the elite category whereas Rodgers is not, I think Rodgers plays better with his natural ability than Finley did with his. I don't think one can find a great argument against that.

Finley wasn't able to reach his potential due to injuries, but also due to mental lapses. He thought he was better than he actually was. Yes, he fought for the ball, but so does Rodgers. And if you look at the careers both have had and Rodgers still has, Rodgers is a better red zone target than Finley. And that matters a whole lot for a TE.

The problem is that people looked at Finley's athleticism and dreamed of his potential. He never reached that potential consistently. And it didn't just have to do with his injury problems. What is bothering me is that people here talk about as if Finley was the greatest TE to ever play for the Packers, and maybe he was for moments in games, but he never played well consistently. Unlike a Keith Jackson for instance. Besides that, Finley's over the top celebration for routine catches always bothered me. Rodgers catches the ball, hands it to the ref, and lines up again. That's how it should be.

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Oppy's picture

December 04, 2015 at 01:15 pm

Finley put enough special athleticism on tape, and just enough catches on tape, that defenses had to account for him on every single snap.

No, he never lived up to his potential. However, much like so many fans clamor for Jeff Janis to get offensive snaps because he could 'stretch the field' and teams would 'have to respect him, even if he was a decoy', this was the real power of having Jermichael Finley on the field.

The difference was that Jermichael proved he could run routes and catch balls at least enough of the time that the D had to all out respect him.

Those deep seams in the middle of the field opened up an awful lot for the offense to work with underneath.. The loss of Finley may have been the beginning of the death of the Packers slant routes.

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ray nichkee's picture

December 04, 2015 at 09:50 am

His name is dick-rod and his consistency puts Finley to shame. I'll take blocks and sure catches over the occasional flashy catch and run.

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Amanofthenorth's picture

December 04, 2015 at 04:09 pm

His name is Richard Rodgers

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ray nichkee's picture

December 04, 2015 at 06:40 pm

I know what his name is. Can't a guy have fun? At least I ain't constantly bashing players and reversing my opinion when they have a good game. I don't use Nick names ever. That joke would have been funny if he had a Brandon botchkick moment. I'd have at least 10 thumbs up. Some people these days. I have been quiet in my support for him and I will take him any day over Finley because I know what he will do. You know what they say about people who can't take a joke.

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GVPacker's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:53 am

Adam keep your spirits up and feel better my brother! P
lease get back behind your keyboard keep those Packer thoughts coming!

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zoellner25's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:53 am

I don't what the offensive staff did in the 2nd half to adjust but it worked. Crockett brought some life, Bakh showed some true grit RichRod showed up big tonight. Sitton was awful, he got the facemask call and one play watched him get walked back 4 yards into Crockett. The defense played pretty well for most of the game. Jake Ryan = better AJ Hawk. We were long overdue for some lucky breaks. That hail mary throw was absolutely incredible.

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dobber's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:57 am

Golden Tate after the game: ""Man, I'm still in shock. I really don't know how to feel about what just happened. That's crazy, but it just shows that the game is not over until there are zero seconds on the clock. And sometimes even then, it's not over. So it's tough to swallow, but we played a good game. We played a good game. Just one play."

Karma's a bitch, man.

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4thand1's picture

December 04, 2015 at 12:41 pm

Suck it Tate, you lying scumbag. Dam right karma.

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MarkinMadison's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:58 am

I think Sam Shields had a very good game (from what I could see on TV).

Crazy win. Banged up line. No production in the first half.

And how about this - name a better comeback game by #12.

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NewNikeShoes's picture

December 04, 2015 at 11:23 am

The Bears-Packers game in 2013 was legit.
Never Forget

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Oppy's picture

December 04, 2015 at 01:20 pm

Sam Shields is only 5' 10", he can't play cornerback in the NFL, all he is is a speed guy, he's the most overpaid player in the NFL, he won't tackle.

That's what I've heard at any rate.

Who was he covering last night? Some guy named Calvin Johnson. 3 Rec, 44 yards, 1 TD.

Weird, I looked this guy up, he's like 6'5 and called 'arguably the best WR in the game'. I must have something screwed up here.

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LASVEGAS-TOM's picture

December 04, 2015 at 05:26 pm

Oppy, You heard it right!! The TD, A.J. Shields was 1 1/2 feet from the ball. Stafford missed him for another TD that he had Shields beat badly on.. Why they didn't throw high to Johnson all night, is beyond me. I'm a betting man. I think the closest you ever got to a football field, was the 1st row of bleachers, or if you were in the band. Ever Play??LVT

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Oppy's picture

December 04, 2015 at 06:46 pm

Lol, "Ever play?", the battle cry of those who don't have any more straws to grasp for.

I'll humor you. Yeah, I tried to play, but God didn't gift me with anything resembling the speed needed to compete. Three things I never lacked for, the disposition to hit willingly, the toughness to commit to hitting willingly, and the understanding of the basic concepts of the game.

I think you'll take this the way I intend it, it's loser talk when you resort to what ifs. Here's a reason why they didn't throw at Megatron all the time: Sam Shields was covering him like a glove most of the night.

Enjoy the win, Tom, don't let the the Gambling boogie man ruin your enjoyment of the crazy Packers miracle win.

Oh, and keep my name out of your mouth from here on in, and I'll return the favor.

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LASVEGAS-TOM's picture

December 04, 2015 at 09:43 pm

Well he Gifted me, & I played. So I know a little of what I'm talking about. If you think Sam (A.J.) Shields blanketed Metatron like a glove, you were drinking more than I was. You talk & write like a Complete Idiot. The only thing you ever played on a Football Field was probably a Flute. You don't know the difference between a Good CB & the Hotdog guy. You certainly can reply here, but after this don't reply to anymore of my posts with any more of your BULLSHIT!! LVT

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ray nichkee's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:26 pm

Dementia is setting in lvt. Who the hell is a.j. shields. I know its sad but I think you are losing it. Smoke some weed, at least you can blame it on that.

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LASVEGAS-TOM's picture

December 04, 2015 at 09:50 pm

ray nichkee, I thought you'd understand. I put Sam (A.J. Shields) in the same class as A.J. HAWK. A complete waste of money. To Shields credit, I think he's 1 rung better than Hawk. Probably a 3 or 4. & 1 rung better than Williams, another OVERPAID CB, & you know what he cost us. LVT

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4thand1's picture

December 04, 2015 at 10:19 pm

LVT, I'm kinda shocked here. I disagree with your assessment of Shields. He's been playing pretty dam good football from what I've seen. Hell he's even tackling. Last I checked, the Packers won the game, no need for the infighting. Take a shot or two at useless cowpie.

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LASVEGAS-TOM's picture

December 05, 2015 at 06:00 pm

4thand1, You know I respect your opinion. I happen to think Sam Shields is too small. You saw that on the TD to Johnson. Any time I saw single coverage on Johnson, Shields got beat. Even the double coverage that would have been a TD, hit Johnson's hands with Shields right there. IMO, he's a good player with a lot of speed. I don't think he's worth $8 mill a year, just as I didn't think Williams was worth what he got.

I'd like DS, or DT, or someone Paul Caruth to weigh in here with what kind of coverage GB had on Calvin Johnson all night. I saw double coverage for the most part. Someone chime in with the facts.LVT

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Dan Stodola's picture

December 05, 2015 at 06:43 pm

I don't know what the coverage on CJ was, don't have the All-22 view. My guess is he had man coverage w/ Safety help over the top. I do know CJ had 3 rec for 44 yds and 1 TD. I'm sure Shields had alot to do w/ those numbers, even if he did have help. I'll take those numbers for CJ every time we play Detroit. What about you?

Shields is listed at 5'11, is one inch, so he's listed at 6' really going to be important? Or is it going to make you feel better?

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4thand1's picture

December 05, 2015 at 09:22 pm

LVT, the lolions don't use CJ the way they should. It's unbelievable. If he was targeted as much as hands of stone Adams, he would break every record in the books. Shields seems to have good games against CJ, and he is a top receiver in the NFL. The TD he caught, there's no defense for that.

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ktownpackfan's picture

December 04, 2015 at 08:04 am

Adam, the funniest writer on Cheesehead TV!! I look forward to your articles every week - they make me laugh out loud, and many of your opinions are similar to mine. When you moved from Wisconsin, I felt bad for you, having to live in Vikings country. Now I think it is a good thing because you are near one of the country's top cancer centers - Mayo Clinic. Stay strong, battle on, and know that we all send you our prayers, best wishes, and positive energy!!

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Tundraboy's picture

December 04, 2015 at 08:16 am

Good luck Adam. I had a cancerous tumor on my kidney removed along with half of a kidney this year and understand how you must feel. Stay strong we are all with you.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

December 04, 2015 at 08:34 am

Adam, so sorry to hear this news. "...fight in the fields and in the streets, ...fight in the hills; ...never surrender."

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brewers_rule's picture

December 04, 2015 at 08:47 am

Several things:

1) All the best Adam. Like our Packers, never stop fighting until the fight is done.

2) I am REALLY having trouble reading this team and the resulting tea leaves around them. MM seems to indicate there are simple fixes to be made in preparation, fighting for balls, and attention to details. Until now, this team seems to have followed his lead in focusing on those, resulting in a humming offense. Now, we're seeing guys mentally checking out (or so it seems) despite his calls, benchings (Lacy), and early shake ups (Abby/Janis instead of Adams/Jones). I certainly hope not but the way I see it, either we just don't truly have talent we thought we did OR, the scarier thought, this team is not buying into what MM's selling anymore & checking out. That's assuming there aren't any injury factors too. I can't remember a time a Packer team quit on a coach but with A-Rod getting pocket time & NONE of these receivers getting open or making efforts when the ball comes their way, what else could there be unless they aren't as good as billed?

3) Nice rebound by R-Rod & a little by Adams last night but what was up with MM starting w/Abby & Janis & then ignoring them the rest of the game? Abby had the 16yd catch on 3rd & 18 & then the play that may have been PI later. Janis was getting deep despite a missed catch. Why didn't they keep that up? Once Jones/Adams came back in, the offense stalled all over.

Great win, maybe one of the best Packer ones I've ever seen, and I want to believe this is the 2010 starting point the 2015 team needs to make a run but I didn't see much last night that indicates a permanent fix has been found. In fact, it feels worse considering Crockett was the only guy running the ball w/conviction even w/the OL hurting.

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dobber's picture

December 04, 2015 at 09:24 am

" I can't remember a time a Packer team quit on a coach"

Ray Rhodes in '99. He couldn't keep the attention and interest of that team.

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ray nichkee's picture

December 04, 2015 at 09:55 am

That team didn't quit. They were hung over all the time because they had no curfew. Rhoads was a players coach and it showed.

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dobber's picture

December 04, 2015 at 12:20 pm

Point taken.

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Packer_Pete's picture

December 04, 2015 at 12:29 pm

Interestingly, McCarthy was on that coaching staff :)

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Oppy's picture

December 04, 2015 at 01:32 pm

Strange, I was just listening to 1250 am the fan in MKE on thursday on my ride home from work. They had George Koonce on the air with them (Gerry Ellerson and LeRoy Butler are daily fixtures),

Gerry Ellerson asked Koonce who the best coach they had was, and Koonce replied, "The one we never really got a chance to have, RayBob(Rhodes)". Unclear as to whether Koonce meant as a HC or simply as a D-co.

LeRoy Butler added in that he felt Rhodes was never given a chance to succeed- not because he wasn't supported by management, but simply because the roster had undergone major shifts that year, and as LeRoy put it, "we were like, 'who's that guy' all the time."

I don't know what the end-all answer is about Ray Rhodes one year as HC. I find it hard to believe it's as simple as he let his players run amuck, or he didn't keep the attention of the team, or that GB simply didn't have time to waste with a black HC who went 8-8. I'd be intereste d to see someone investigate and do in depth interviews with players and assistant coaches who worked with Ray that one year and see what their takes are.

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ray nichkee's picture

December 04, 2015 at 02:26 pm

I'm not making that up. I worked with a lady that knew where to hang out with a bunch of the players on Saturday nights. I'm just putting two things together here. It seems they were always a step to slow. Ray Rhoads is a great man but not everybody is HC material. He was an assistant after that.

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Oppy's picture

December 04, 2015 at 06:49 pm

Didn't say or imply you made anything up.

Consider this, though- if you've listened to the Lombardi Packers talk about their days playing, or more specifically, their nights playing the days before they played(and I know you have), Lombardi would have been cast in the same light as you are casting Rhodes. :)

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ray nichkee's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:04 pm

I didn't say or imply you said or implied anything. Lombardi was a winner. That is the difference. I love the stories from back then. Shortly after Rhoads was coach of the year in Philly His teams went south. He was a great defensive mind going back to San Francisco but history wrote a different story for him as a head coach.

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LASVEGAS-TOM's picture

December 07, 2015 at 09:14 pm

ray, The way the story went as I recall, True or False? Ray Rhodes didn't have control over the Locker Room, or just didn't have a set of rules, & that caused friction with some of the players. Whether this is True or Not, I don't know, but it was the one thing being said at the time, that got out publicly.

Players had Boom box's blaring, & that bothered some of the players. According to the version I heard, there was No Discipline in the Locker Room. Like I said, whether that was True or Not, I don't know. That was the story going around. Maybe that was just an excuse to fire him. LVT

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tm_inter's picture

December 04, 2015 at 08:47 am

Adam, my older brother was also diagnosed with colon cancer. He had a successful operation 16 years ago, and is still hanging tough at 71. Stay positive!

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jh9's picture

December 04, 2015 at 09:47 am

I'll admit I'm a little giddy after last night's win and maybe I'm being a little generous after what I've seen these past couple of months, but I think Aaron Rodgers deserves a game ball, too.

He had a 17 yard TD run with about five minutes left in the game. And he threw an almost a 70 yard in the air Hail Mary pass dropping on a dime three or four yards into the end zone, giving his receivers the best chance to catch the ball. Very few quarterbacks can throw the ball that far that accurately.

But I feel almost equally important to those two accomplishments, was when I saw him up off the bench and on the sidelines cheering for the defense in the 4th quarter. Rarely have we seen that kind of team camaraderie from AR. Who knows..? That kind of emotional involvement with his teammates might be the glue to accomplish something special this year.

For me, that's more than enough for him to earn a game ball.

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Oppy's picture

December 04, 2015 at 01:35 pm

Couldn't agree more with this.

Something might have 'woken up' in AR last night. He did say he had "the best feeling" from that game he's ever had.

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ray nichkee's picture

December 04, 2015 at 10:02 am

The comments here are mostly Adam first, packers second. Most packer fans are as good as it gets. Good luck Adam. The packers didn't stop last night until the game was over. I expect the same from you.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

December 04, 2015 at 10:46 am

I'd mention Daniels, Shields and Ha-Ha as well. I remember Ha-Ha catching a Detroit player from behind (and blowing past Burnett who was also in pursuit) - I think it was on Abdullah's 36 yard scamper. CM3 was pretty good, and Ryan looked okay on his run fits. I'd have to watch again on his coverage. We held Megatron to 3 receptions on 8 targets for 44 yards.

Still lots of issues on offense. RBs rushed 19 times for 41 yards (20 for 40 yards if Cobb is included). WRs caught 10 of 18 targets for 85 yards. Adams caught 4 of 7 targets for 21 yards. The snap counts for the WRs should be interesting. Biggest issue in my opinion is the health of the OL. I hope the 10 days off helps those guys.

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JerseyAl's picture

December 04, 2015 at 10:54 am

Not afraid to admit I have a tear in my eye as I read some of your encouraging words for Adam. Well done Jason and CheeseheadTV readers! Well done....

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Since'61's picture

December 04, 2015 at 12:18 pm

First: Adam, sorry to hear the news. However, you can beat it, hang in there. One of my mentors was diagnosed with it back in 2001 and he is still on the Board of Directors for several organizations and we are fellow board members together for one of those organizations. Treatments have come a long way since 2001. Best of luck to you and your family.
As for Game Balls, I'm adding one for the MM and the coaching staff for going with some of our younger players. Getting Janis, Abbrederis and Crockett involved with the offense and giving Ryan a chance to start at ILB. I thought that Ryan and Crockett made significant contributions to last evening's miraculous victory. Also, give credit for changing up some of the offensive formation and the play calling. Go Pack Go! Thanks Since '61

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4thand1's picture

December 04, 2015 at 12:44 pm

Adam, best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery. Cancer is no stranger to my family, but I know it can be beat!
On other note, can we now get a new holder/punter. Crosby missed 2 big ones, the weak legged punter can move on now.

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Oppy's picture

December 04, 2015 at 01:40 pm

Adam, sorry to hear about the diagnosis. You just do what you have to do, and don't be afraid to do what you want to do, either. It's a tough journey but the nice thing is when you're battling cancer nobody can tell you that you can't eat raspberry cheesecake in your just boxer shorts at that fancy business meeting. You just do it.

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Razer's picture

December 04, 2015 at 01:43 pm

Hard to shake the disbelief of winning that game last night. It also hard not to look a gift-horse in the mouth. I saw something familiar in Detroit's refusal/inability to put this game away. We have been that team and let others back into game (cough Seahawks, cough again). So as much as we won it, Detroit did their best to give it away or not win it

I hope that this is a springboard to a strong finish. There are still problems on this team as evident by the start to this game. There is no doubt in my mind that Eddie Lacy was benched for his attitude on the field. His gestures and body language said quit. To the credit of the coaches, he got yanked. I do like the 'let the young guys play' approach to breathing some new life into this team.

Finally, I want to see us move away from this cross-training of coaches on the offense. Van Pelt may know something about QBs but he isn't helping the WRs. Edgar Bennett needs to coach the RBs and Tom Clements needs to pick up the towels. Sorry but this offense is still a cluster and will be spanked by good teams. Stop trying to run the ball laterally, stop running your WRs into each other and start using the center of the field. Oh, and throw in one Hail Mary per game - it is our best play call.

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Oppy's picture

December 04, 2015 at 02:01 pm

The way MM promotes and moves coaches is very progressive, and I understand being resistant to it- I was as well many years ago.

However, I don't know that it makes sense to tie this year's offensive woes directly to an organizational coaching model that has produced upper top ten offenses every year for a decade.

It is possible that it was a mistake to put both QB and WRs in one room under Van Pelt, sure. However, for a specific example, Edgar Bennett for instance was an exceptional WRs coach, and in general, this offense saw basically zero ill effect from the lateral and upward coaching transitions of literally a dozen coaches over MM's tenure in Green Bay.

What it has done is made GB a place that is attractive to young, bright, and ambitious coaches- they know they will have a chance to grow and learn and develop their craft, much like how often the cream of the undrafted free agent crops each year have their agents telling them Green Bay is a good situation to compete in because they will be given a legit shot to make the team.

Again, could a coaching move have been a mistake this year? Sure, it's possible. Does the track record suggest the system is a flaw that has weakened the Packers? No, not in the least. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

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Bohj's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:52 pm

Like your post oppy. With any organization, if you're not changing a few pieces around and trying to be innovative, complacency develops for sure. New angles and new approaches are always refreshing even if they don't necessarily take off the way you want them to.

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ray nichkee's picture

December 04, 2015 at 08:33 pm

Good stuff there, oppy. You should have a spot when Cory jennerjohn gets the boot. He's horrible. I'm serious.

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Mojo's picture

December 04, 2015 at 02:11 pm

Live long and prosper Adam.

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D Ernesto's picture

December 04, 2015 at 05:58 pm

1. R Rogers had a career day against a 4 win team with horrible dbacks. The other teams weve played kept him in check due to his lack of speed and agility. Great game Rog do it again, and again and again since one game don't win super bowls.
2. B J Raji is worthless. Should have passed on him and got rid of Barclay and just replaced them. Why can't Pennel take Raji's spot, he is bigger, faster and quicker.
I wonder if the coaches really evaluated the talent around them?: I meam Palmer over Ryan. Raji over Eliot or Pennel, Lacy over Starks, Adams over Janis.
Team is still in trouble but that 8th win was golden. Puts a ton of pressure on KC, Seattle, Chicago to keep pace. One more loss by either of them and put a fork in them.

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Tundraboy's picture

December 04, 2015 at 09:49 pm

KC?

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packersbrewers's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:19 pm

Game Balls

Richard Rodgers. I have whined, complained, and dragged that guy week after week for doing so little to help this team. He made a statement in this game and shut me up. Hopefully it's a start and not a one week wonder.

Julius Peppers. His strip sack was the start of the turn around for the Packers and I think helped give them some confidence that a comeback was possible.

Lame Calls

Don Barclay. He's a liability. Just throw a traffic cone out there in his place. The traffic cone might actually slow down a rusher once in awhile.

Eddie Lacy. I'm starting to think he's one of the "video game" guys. What a huge disappointment this year has been. I don't think it's as much his ankle as it is his lack of preparation and poor conditioning.

Tim Masthay. I've lost my patience with the guy. Mason had a year and figured out his mental issues. Tim's on year two of his, and I'm over to every excuse under the sun about his shanks and his 20 yard line drive punts. I'd rather send Rodgers out there to loft the ball then play the "how bad will he shank this one" game.

Mike McCarthy. I threw him on there because he was making excuses before the game. "Our guys are tired and beat up". With a head coach that has that attitude it makes me question his leadership. It was almost like he was conceding before taking the field. Just a real poor attitude to have when the team you are playing is also tired and beat up. I also want to scream at Mike for being as a stubborn as a mule over this play calling/offensive struggles. I think the issues on offense run deeper then simply having MM calling the plays, but his offense has struggled for weeks now. Make a change! If you keep doing what you are doing you will get the same results. If you want a different result change your approach. His head in the sand "no I don't wanna" attitude nearly cost the Packers a win.

I do give credit to this team for pulling out a win. I didn't think it was possible in the least being down 20-0, and they clawed and scratched out a win. I'm cautious though. I don't want this to mask all the issues that still plague this team. I'm hoping this is a confidence booster and one of those wake up calls, but I said that about Minnesota too. Hopefully getting an extra few days off will refresh the team and restart things. We need a win at home next Sunday.

Keep your head up Adam! Wish you the best in your journey. Know we're all pulling for you to kick cancer's sorry @$$.

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adamczech's picture

December 04, 2015 at 07:55 pm

Thank you, Jason, for writing this. And thank you all for the kind words.

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Morgan Mundane's picture

December 06, 2015 at 11:57 am

Way to many marginal guys on this team still. R Rogers and D Adams get benched, don't start, then get put in and have career days. Tells me they haven't taken this game seriously. DItto Eddie Lacy, Datone Jones, Perry. Guys who show up when they want to.
Datone is having a good year, but what about the previous three he never showed up for?
A lot of lackadaisical attitude on this team.

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4thand1's picture

December 06, 2015 at 12:54 pm

Datone wasn't there for the "previous 3", and he some injury issues right out of the gate. Lacy has back to back 1k years including ORTY, plus carried the team when Rodgers was hurt. He missed a curfew , don't over react, plus he's played injured. Wait till all the facts come out. So far your facts don't hold any water.

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cpheph1's picture

December 06, 2015 at 12:09 pm

Adam,
Best wishes to you during your battle.

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