Shades of TWill a few years ago on King. If you've got a bad shoulder, are you really better than that next CB on the depth chart?

First King and Jones have been oft injured since training camp. Are these another set of guys who were injury prone in college
Randall Rollins Brice. I get all vike games and there d backs are heathly, tackilng hard and playing lights out defense. Again this year
I expected toughness and solid pass d and nothing has changed. We're losing.

Completely agree on the FG attempt, it was just a stupid attempt to make, especially in THAT Stadium. That's one of the most difficult places to kink in the NFL yet McCarthy thought it was a good idea to try. I'm not sure which was worse, McCarthy actually sending his FG unit out to try it or the actual kick.

If you saw a meltdown in that game, you watched a different game than I did.

I saw a team that many (me included) thought was completely overmatched fight, scratch and claw to try to win before losing on a FG as time expired.

Yup. It's a week to week league....

It will show us something about the mental make-up of the players on this team. If they come out and play like they did against Baltimore or Detroit, it will show us a lot. Just as coming out with a chip on their shoulders like they did last night gets us thinking that this team might not be as bad as they've looked. While it might not feel good, it has a lot to do with evaluating talent and attitude, and figuring out where this team can go and what it needs to do in 2018.

"I had absolutely zero doubt, after the Steelers got the ball back that the Packers D would give up a Field Goal attempt."

Agreed. It was like the Packers getting the ball back at the end against Dallas...only the other way 'round.

Not to stick up for Capers, but our #1 CB is Davon House. I'll just say that again--in today's pass happy NFL, Davon House is our best CB. It's a fun debate--does the defense suck worse due to Capers or due to Thompson's failure to acquire defensive talent? Personally, I vote lack of talent.

No doubt MM doesn't believe in the defense to hold them either. If he had punted instead of trying a long field goal, the defense would have given up over 500 yards. So likely was better to try to score since he knew they were going to need the points.

NFL refs are total shit. Every game I watch they miss obvious calls. They are the least professional officials in professional sports.

Daniels was great. Moved him around and he played very well. I'd give him a ball too.

What did your grandma do?

"His (MM) poor clock management which led to the winning FG was inexcusable"

Huh? The Steelers got the ball on their own 30 with 17 seconds on the clock and 2 TOs. They gained 37 yards on 2 sideline passes that didn't make them burn either TO. The first 23 yards were on a spectacular catch by one of the best in the business.

Unless MM instructed the DBs to make sure they gave up intermediate sideline routes so the Steelers could move 37 yards without burning a TO, it wasn't on him that they got a chance to win.

Yes. Capers must go. 500 yards? For christ sake, time for change. I still think MM and TT must go too. They've had long enough to improve the total team with failed results each year now. Do you really want MM for year 13? Capers back with failed drfenses? Teddy with bad picks again? Our current scouting team? If you do watch Rodgers career end with ONE ring. Fact.

Had to read he posting t make sure it wasnt one of mine. TT draft and development is a sore joke with me. I see a lot of x players having solid years elsewhere and we developed them alright.
Gee case keenum would have been a great add to back up Roger's instead of three years to find out we have a guy who may never pan out.
Capers should have been gone but lets face it rogers saved capers mm and teds jobs.

"3.Why doe mcarthy refuse to play geronimo allison"

Because he's just...not...very...good. He got snaps when Adams had to take out a couple plays, but there's nothing special about Allison.

"5. Lastly, as I said a million times before DOM CAPERS sucks. "

We're fully aware...

At the time, I wanted the Packers to punt, not attempt the FG.

But finally someone that is looking at the circumstance of the decision with the facts of the game in mind. In hindsight, the miss gave the Steelers a short field but a long field was not exactly a huge obstacle for them and nobody in their right mind thought that 21 was going to hold up as the winning margin.

It is plainly obvious to me that some people will simply repeat long-standing complaints without regard to the facts of the situation when it comes to MM. Sometimes the game circumstance make them right. Other times, it does not and they look rather foolish.

With that in mind, why not go for 2 after the TD? Certainly if it was more out of 'taking a shot' then going for the win rather than the tie would've been in line with that thinking, too.

I tend to agree: it was taking a chance at getting up two scores and potentially putting pressure on a Pittsburgh team that was turning the ball over. In that light, I don't fault him for trying.

"The defense was not going to stop Pitt so it had to be tried."

If anything, it was likely a 30-yard net change in field position that saved the Packers 2 minutes on the clock.

Then if you were to bring Rodgers back when you shouldn't bring Rodgers back and he hurts himself again then you're ruining next year right off the bat by doing something stupid this year trying to save the coaching jobs when McCarthy and capers and all them need to go somebody needs to get rid of them and if somebody does not get rid of them then Harlan needs to go Murphy needs to go and Thompson needs to go we need changes now...but again i have heard no discussions about this. Also we need to already give contracts to Morgan Burnett and Davante Adams why hasn't there any been any contract negotiations that should already be taken care of there's only three or four games left we're going to do the same thing but the whole Jared Cook and we're just going to wait and wait and then we're going to lose Davante Adams and Morgan Burnett because once again the Packers Jack around like they always do what a pitiful freaking organization

you kind of like repeating yourself, don't you?

I think Santa should bring you punctuation for Christmas.

ARod makes above-average WRs look even better. This offense has been elite without a blue-chip WR for years (if, as many have postulated, Nelson is really a red-chip who looks blue chip based on #12). If there's one position where TT has been able to find players without using a #1, it's WR.

The first pick should only be a pass-catcher if that's the best player on the board. This team is desperate for blue chip talent at just about every position. This is a BPA draft if there ever was one...I'm just hoping that BPA can rush the passer.

Packers needs someone, anyone, I don't care what position, that can rush the passer and get 10-15 sacks per year, more than they need another wideout that will probably just get injured and not be available anyway.
If they hold they Steelers to their (the Packers) defensive average of 24 PPG or less, they win that game last night. Offense is fine, it's the D that needs to get fixed with a combo of players and coaching.

Jordi is getting older he probably has another year to left before he only starts maybe averaging for 500 yards season going to be cutting Randall Cobb because we have to pay Davante Adams a huge contract they won't play Geronimo Allison so I don't even know where he fits into the offense have no clue they won't play Trevor Davis so I have no clue where he fits in Ty Montgomery we don't know if he's a running back or wide receiver or what's happening with that Aaron Jones seems like a good running back I don't know if he's the answer I probably would draft a running back in the first round wide receiver in the second round or a tight end would definitely cutting probably Beluga so we're going to need a right tackle those are the first four positions we need can't waste anymore on I'm defense especially if we're going to keep Dom Capers again all we can do is try score more points than the defense can let the other team have

This was the kind of game the Packers needed to call last week against Baltimore. Very similar defenses (in my mind, anyway). MM just didn't attack them the same way he did last night.

That said, Pittsburgh didn't seem all that interested in getting after Hundley until the Packers went to halftime with a lead. Baltimore wanted to rattle him all day. The Packers also were able to capitalize on Pittsburgh's defensive break-downs to get that early lead (the one they threw away against Baltimore). Without it, last night's game plays out very differently, IMO.

You are right Spud, when you have play makers like Brown and Bell that come up even bigger in crunch time even if you are close to flawless you can get beat by being just a hair in bounds to get into field goal range. I remember in their rookie years it was a toss up who would be better, Lacy or Bell, the answer is obvious now. Almost never just one play is the key to a loss with the exceptions being Carroll not running Beast Mode to win back to back Super Bowls and T J Rubley throwing that pass in the Humpty Dome that almost gave Holmgren heart failure. What was really impressive is the defense did give the ball back to the Packers when it mattered most, we have not seen that for some time. Hats off to the coaching staff, like QB's they take a lot of flak win or lose, they did their jobs, the team was ready.

They lost the game because, when it came down to it, players > plays. Pittsburgh's talent (Brown and Bell) was something the Packers just couldn't contain and didn't have an answer for. They make Roethlisberger look good...and, frankly, I don't think he's much better than average at this point.

"whats the big deal about how well they played. a loss is a loss. they might turn around and lose to the Bucs by 21"

They might. But what we saw last night was a resilient team that bounced back, not just from a lousy game against Baltimore, but from in-game lead changes. They could have folded when Pitt went up 28-21 (and, frankly, I thought they might), but they didn't which says that the players aren't giving up.

In the long run, it's not just about this season. I don't think they have a fart's chance in a whirlwind of making the playoffs this year. There are going to need to be meaningful changes for this team next season for them to be a serious contender (which is what we all want, right?), and if they played lousy, uninspired ball last night (and from here on) assessing players, making those decisions and turning this team around would be that much more difficult.

Thank you Qoojo for making these points.

The defense needs:
- at least one more starting QUALITY CB
- a safety to replace Clinton Dix and fill in for the oft injured Burnett
- two quality LB's who can inflict some damage and get after the QB

Yes, it is time for Capers to go but let's fix the problems that he is forced to workaround so that the next guy isn't playing with the same bad hand.

The offensive scheme does need to evolve from this sideline vertical route mantra. Hundley did as well as you can expect given his college training and our stale system. Count the number of times Pittsburgh hit receivers crossing over the middle and how much they used their TE. The Packers don't play across the middle and can't spell TE.

Its all about coverage adjusting to the offense and knowing what offensive plays will be called working as a team and being on the same page doing your individual jobs knowing how to make the tackles knowing when to blitz when not to blitz or never blitz not making your defense so obvious..discipline players so they dont make unsportsmanlike conduct plays knowing when to play zone and when to play man coverage. Details on how where to place your hands and feet..learning from mistakes. Knowing if you screw up a packer player will be hurt...that there will be NO defensive celebrations on 1st or 2nd down..knowing how far your individual players can go..are they getting worn down have you rotated the players correctly have you put correct matchups at the right time have you gone over the game film properly have you exposed the other teams weakness and taken it to your advantage is sitting up in the booth better or should certain games capers should be on the sidelines knowing why certain players are not in the game are they hurt are they tired getting the mental mind set of the defense ready to play and getting the best out of their skills getting their full potential out of the players making their weaknesses their strengths. Picking up free agents and draft picks that fit your defense ex T.J Watt or Kevin King..can go on and on. Are your players in training camp exercising properly for the positions they play. Getting this team to play with a disciplined killer instinct. I could go on and on...Dom Capers does NONE of this.

Lame: 9 pressures in 49 pass attempts.

I suspect it is nearly impossible to field an average defense with that level of pressure unless the opposing QB is terrible. I have no idea how any DC could generate pressure with Perry, Daniels, Brooks, Biegel, and Fackrell as the pass rushers, particularly when your ILB is somewhat less than average in coverage, and your CBs aren't healthy even when they are able to be on the field together at the same time.

Excellent comment, Qoojo.

If DC had JJ Watt Sammy Watkins Von Miller any of those guys Dom Capers defense would still suck it is it's just the way it is... he has taken the Packers for a ride and I was seriously wouldn't be surprised if he actually threw these games for the Packers.. because he has made some boneheaded calls that just are uncalled for

So if Martinez didn't run around "wild", intercept a pass, recover a fumble and make the 15 tackles that he did, how do you think things would have worked out for the defense?

This has to be one of the most ridiculous criticisms you could have come up with.

Probably right, but the long snapping and place holding team has been a revolving door and no FG has EVER been made at Heinz Field over 51 yds. Best % favors going for it I would think. (I would have punted if I could rely on Defense which we have established already is a dismal failure). At that point w the tie and flag happy refs I world have tried a pass over the middle and get 10 yds of field position abd hope for a flag.