Packers 42 Raiders 24: Game Balls & Lame Calls

The Green Bay Packers took care of business at home and sent the Oakland Raiders home losers by a score of 42-24.

It didn't start out particularly well and the defense struggled all day long to answer the Raiders offense but the Packers offense was better.  Much better.

On to the day's good and ugly.

Game Balls

Aaron Rodgers

What didn't Rodgers do in this game?  On a day where he was sorely needed to lead an offense that had many banged up receivers, Rodgers went full MVP. 

It was vintage Rodgers at Lambeau Field and a new Packers record with him finishing with a perfect passer rating of 158.3.  If any Packers quarterback was going to set this mark, no surprise it was Rodgers, who has taken such good care of the ball and honed his accuracy throughout his 15-year career.

Before halftime, Rodgers had three passing touchdowns and hit eight different receivers along the way.  His rushing touchdown to start the third quarter completed the double dip and gave Green Bay a big lead that only got bigger.  He also showed Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby how and when the belt celebration is done.

Rodgers finished with five passing touchdowns, one rushing score and 429 passing yards.

B.J. Goodson

Huge hit on fourth down at the goal line to prevent a touchdown.  Automatic game ball and a rare one from Goodson, who found a way to make a play and shine in a big moment.

Jimmy Graham

After all of the talking heads said he was done, Graham showed up big in this game.  Converting a big first down with some actual yards after the catch and a nice touchdown grab in the fourth quarter were Graham's highlights.  

They may not come often this season, but in this game, Graham showed up and came through.

Lame Calls

Packers Defense

Pushed around and "zoned out" most of the day.  Despite the goal line stand and interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter, this wasn't a great day by the defense.  Getting picked apart by Derek Carr isn't anything to remember.  We all need to enjoy the win, celebrate the offense and forget today on the defensive side of things.

Oakland amassed nearly 500 yards of offense and easily found holes in the zone the Packers were playing.  There were also too many missed tackles, allowing many big plays by the Raiders.

Green Bay, to their credit, did make two big adjustments to help stop the bleeding on defense:  Long offensive drives and score a bunch of points.  In the end, just get it done.

 

Others to mention:

  • Blake Martinez may not have had his best game but his play on Derek Carr at the end of the first half to help create a fumble keeps him out of the Lame Call section
  • Adrian Amos, after getting run over early in the game, had two pass break up's.  A nicer showing on a horrible day by the pass defense
  • Kevin King - interception machine?
  • Feed Danny Vitale!
  • Raiders had a perfect plan for Za'Darius and Preston Smith.  The result was zero sacks for the Packers defense on the day.  They have to be able to generate more pressure when those two can't
  • Jon Gruden challenging offensive pass interference on Trevor Davis early was, in a word, cute
  • The Packers offensive line is really good.  Elgton Jenkins has elevated this group since taking over for Lane Taylor

-------------------

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

2 points
 

Comments (71)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
Lare's picture

October 21, 2019 at 06:36 am

The offensive play calling and performance is fun to watch- mixing up runs, short passes, long passes, screens, etc. The offensive line is also playing well and controlling the LOS.

On the other hand, it looks like opposing teams have figured out how to beat the Packers defense.

5 points
6
1
jlc1's picture

October 21, 2019 at 07:13 am

yep, show up with an outstanding offensive line and you will gain yards on the Packers' D. Or any D.

3 points
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dobber's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:11 am

The Raiders blocked with extra TEs and RBs most of the afternoon. The sad part is that even though they limited their route-runners, they still were getting open guys.

It's clear that without Savage, the Packers are still vulnerable to the TE and in the middle of the field.

7 points
7
0
Razer's picture

October 21, 2019 at 06:44 am

Not getting to see many Packer games this year so I am glad to read these reviews. I am also glad that Rodgers seems to be embracing a new system and sharing the love.

I will curb my enthusiasm with the juggernaut and Super Bowl talk. Our record is good but we are beating very average teams. I want to see how we really compare when we play the Chiefs, but without Mahones, we will be playing the 4 cylinder model. To this point in the season, it is as good as we could hope for especially with all the changes.

-5 points
4
9
PackfanNY's picture

October 21, 2019 at 07:34 am

You lost me at “beating very average teams”. Packers have beaten Bears, Vikings, Cowboys, Lions, Raiders and Broncos. Only the Broncos are “average”. Believe it or not, Cowboys lead their division. Vikings are at 5-2 and will probably make the playoffs. Lions are better than people give them credit for and have been in every game. Raiders are also in the mix in the AFC West especially with Mahomes injury.
Bottom line is this is not the NCAA where you need power poll points. You beat who is on the schedule. If you are so worried about who you beat go take a look at who the Patriots have feasted on.

13 points
15
2
dobber's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:16 am

"Bottom line is this is not the NCAA where you need power poll points. You beat who is on the schedule. "

Absolutely right. No column in the standings for "pretty wins" or "power wins".

We'll see what this team is made of when they have to play consistently on the road (but note they're 2-0 on the road so far). It's not who you play, but when you play them. KC without Mahomes looks very beatable. The Chargers are in just about every game they play, but seem to come up short (two goal-line runs with no time outs under 30 seconds to play? Holy crap!).

5 points
5
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flackcatcher's picture

October 21, 2019 at 10:38 am

The talent level between these teams is usually so small, it's not worth bringing it up. It come down to timing. Yup, it's not who you play, but WHEN you play them. We just found out that this Packer team is good, playing a rested opponent on a short week,says a great deal about the makeup of this roster and how this coaching staff prepares this team.

6 points
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shmelbs's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:35 am

PackfanNY, I appreciate your point and mostly agree with it. But to keep things in perspective by playing devil's advocate, we might have caught these good teams at the right time. The Bears offense has stunk all season, so all we needed was one big play against their defense to win the game. The Vikings weren't playing their best ball in week 2. Ditto for the Cowboys last week. The Raiders and the Broncos offenses did some damage against the Packers defense before getting derailed, so worry warts have something to worry about.

I'm not worried about the Packers, personally. A win is a win, and those are tough to come by. I'm truly excited about this Packers team; they're playing way beyond expectations. I'm still not sure how well our guys would hold up against a Mahomes-led Chiefs team in Arrowhead, however, or the Patriots.

Then again, I don't really care. My personal perspective is just to enjoy the ride, win or lose. You don't get on a roller coaster in order to enjoy getting off of it. Enjoy the moment. I'm loving this 6-1 moment. (And to think, we're just one yard away from being 7-0!)

3 points
4
1
Tundraboy's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:43 am

Yes enjoy it. After the misery of the last few years we deserve it.

7 points
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WestCoastPackerBacker's picture

October 21, 2019 at 11:06 am

Yes, the Vikings were not playing their best ball, but neither was GB. That goes both ways. It will depend a great deal on who is healthy at the end of the season, as far as how these teams fare against each other.

6 points
7
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shmelbs's picture

October 21, 2019 at 02:53 pm

Good point, WCP!

2 points
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PackfanNY's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:47 am

Shmelbs, I agree with most of what you said. “Catching good teams at the right time” is really irrelevant. No do overs in the NFL. All games hinge on a play or two. If Carr doesn’t fumble through the end zone....BUT that’s all if, if, if. The original post that I responded to stated Packers only beat “average” teams. Just not true.
This is a fun team to watch and I am enjoying every moment of being 6-1. I for one cannot wait for next Sunday night in KC.

6 points
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shmelbs's picture

October 21, 2019 at 09:32 am

Agreed, Packfan! Go Pack.

3 points
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RCPackerFan's picture

October 21, 2019 at 06:52 am

Game Balls:

Aaron Rodgers - What more can you say. My God was he good! And he did it without Adams. He just took what the defense gave him and he shredded them! Perhaps at the end of the year we will say that one of the best things that happened was Adams getting hurt. What it has done is has forced Rodgers to learn to trust his other WR's and RB's.
Look at this distribution chart by Rodgers.
Graham 4 Targets 4 receptions 65 yards
Allison 5 Targets 4 receptions 33 yards
Jones 4 Targets 4 receptions 33 yards
Williams 5 targets 4 receptions 26 yards
Lazard 4 Targets 3 receptions 42 yards
MVS 3 Targets 2 receptions 133 yards
Kumerow 2 Targets 2 receptions 54 yards
Vitale 2 Targets 2 receptions 43 yards.

8 different players had 2 or more receptions. When you have that kind of balance, the QB and the Play caller are in sync!

Which leads too...

LaFleur's offensive scheme - The greatest difference from previous years to this year IMO is the use of the RB's in the passing game. Under McCarthy the RB's were mostly used as pass blockers. Also the rotation of the RB's was simply just stupid. He would rotate RB's by series. Under LaFleur they rotate whenever. But LaFleur uses the RB's as weapons in the passing game. That is something that has completely changed the offense. Teams now no longer can just defend the WR's. By the RB's getting involved in the passing game it forces defenses to play the whole field. You can see now it is starting to open up more plays down the field. Also, who doesn't love the FB pass!

Redzone defense -
On a day where the defense did not perform particularly well they held up really well in the redzone. Raiders were 3-6 in the redzone. They gave up 3 TD's, but also came away with 3 Turnovers. That was the difference in this game. The game completely turned on Carr's fumble through the endzone.

Lame Calls:
Defense as a whole - They gave up way to many big plays. Coming into this game the Raiders had 2 players they needed to stop. Jacobs and Waller. Jacobs ran 21 times for 124 yards (5.9 avg). Waller had 7 receptions for 126 yards and 2 TD's. He had another TD that was taken away by penalty. They let him run WIDE open at times.

Notes:
What a game by Rodgers/LaFleur. They are starting to get on the same page. What is scary is they are doing so without one of the best WR's in the league. A Top 5 WR in the league. Imagine what this offense will look like when Adams comes back.

Lazard - Yeah, he dropped one. It ended up not costing them anything but he will want that one back. All WR's drop passes at times. Adams, Nelson, Cobb have all dropped passes. But that catch down by the Endzone! WOW!!!! Adding a guy that can do that to our offense. YIKES!!!! 6'-5" 227 lbs and he can jump like that! The surprising part is he is that big, he ran a 4.55 40 and has a 38 vertical. How was he not drafted? Honestly, I don't care, I'm just glad GB has him!

MVS - 2 catches for 133 yards and 1 TD If Rodgers his MVS in stride he has 2 TD's. I can't wait for the day until they are in sync on deep passes.

Graham - He had perhaps his best game since being in GB. He caught everything, made people miss. He caught with his hands and secured the catch. If we can get production like this game in and game out, we'd all be happy!

Goodson - I thought he did not have a good day. He got exposed in the passing game. BUT that hit at the goal line to stop Jacobs. That is why he is here!

The Defense is severely missing Savage. He is like Collins in that he covers up a lot of mistakes. The defense has regressed since he has been out.

Refs - As bad as they were, I agreed with the Kumerow TD call. There was nothing there to overturn. I was just waiting for them to overturn it. How they missed so many other things. I have no idea.
I get why LaFleur didn't challenge the PI call on Kumerow. But the NFL needs to change the way they review those calls. Because crews are not changing the call on the field. Kumerow's PI call was BS. As was Trevor Davis's to be honest.

Great Game. Lets enjoy Victory Monday!!!

11 points
12
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dobber's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:22 am

"8 different players had 2 or more receptions. When you have that kind of balance, the QB and the Play caller are in sync!"

Just as significant was that six of those receivers recorded catches that went for over 20 yards. Some of that is catch and run, but being able to threaten defenses on middle and deep routes with more than one guy is a powerful tool. Admittedly, it was the Raiders who are pretty poor at stopping QBs, but the Packers still had to execute, and they did.

The script flips next week with the Chiefs who are soft against the run and get after the passer pretty well. With Mahomes out, there's some hope that the Packers will be able to take advantage of that.

4 points
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Tundraboy's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:40 am

Yes enjoy. we deserve it.

1 points
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SterlingSharpe's picture

October 21, 2019 at 07:14 am

We're all delighted with the big W & thr 6-2 record. But the dayum Viqueens are just a game back, & if they were to beat us in Minny (where they killed Philadelphia a week after we lost to Philadelphia) then there goes the division lead.

As great as everything's been, we have to win the division.

Dalvin Cook gashed us in week 2.
Josh Jacobs gashed us yesterday. Plus we never covered Darren Waller.

This defense is going to have to get better. A lot better. They remind me of the 2009 defense. That defense "seemed pretty good". Then they got lit up in Arizona & us scoring 45 points wasn't enough. 2011, same thing kind of. Our defense "seemed" ok, opportunistic. But you can't always rely on getting gifted ints or fumbles.

We miss Savage.
And we need more from the defensive interior.
Kenny Clark needs help.

-2 points
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6
MarkinMadison's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:12 am

Who is 6-2?

5 points
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CheesyTex's picture

October 21, 2019 at 12:32 pm

Nice Post.

Answer: Washington Capitals of the NHL.

2 points
2
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Sureshot's picture

October 21, 2019 at 07:40 am

Game ball #1 goes to Matt LaFleur
What a great gameplan.
I really like the fact that he seems to taylor his gameplan each week according to the opponent.
And he is better every week doing that

Then, it goes to Rodgers, because he was basically perfect all day.

And once again, what a steady Offensive Line. These guys are a huge reason we are 6-1.

For the lame calls, the so many holes in the zone coverage. We were trashed by the TE all day. We need to improve quickly.
And we need Savage back.

Not specifically for this week but besides punting and field goals, I am concerned by our special teams.
We were so low with Zook that I was expecting a huge turnover on ST this year.
Not there yet on coverage and return units.

5 points
5
0
LambeauPlain's picture

October 21, 2019 at 01:20 pm

Coach Matt has been an outstanding General for the Offense. He is incredibly adept developing a game strategy to employ his players in the best way to attack the given opponent. The O has gotten better each week. #12 sure seems to be buying in and greatly enjoying the ride.

The D and STs are not getting better with a few key exceptions...red zone D and the Scotty punting the ball are bright spots. But between the 20s the D is squishy soft as though Dom never left. And the kick coverage and return game is still Slocumy/Zookish.

But 6-1 is an amazing result and our young coach is making a bid for Coach of the Year.

3 points
3
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jeremyjjbrown's picture

October 21, 2019 at 07:44 am

Lame call: The Vikings seams to have found something on offense and are 5-2

0 points
1
1
Swisch's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:13 am

First Red Grange out of the Wheaton, Illinois, high school Tigers -- now Danny Vitale. It's as if they churn out a football legend every other year.
In between came John Belushi as a really good football player in the mid-1960s (as I understand it) -- and, of course, me as a freshman football tight end in 1976 (I then retired, after six years of tackle football, to pursue a broadcasting career ;-).
By the way, I had the good fortune to witness Red Grange -- the "Wheaton Iceman" -- when he visited our high school c. 1978 to dedicate a new football field in his name. It was a national story. The high school was in a different building than Grange attended, which was a different building than Vitale attended.
Anyway, thanks for any indulgence for this old-timer's rambling reminiscences. Like Grandpa Simpson, I can hardly help myself.

8 points
8
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PeteK's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:33 am

As a youth ,loved reading about the Galloping Ghost. One of the first big college stars to go pro.

2 points
2
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blacke00's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:20 am

I can't say I know a lot about specifics of running a defense, but it appears to me Pettine thought zone defense instead of man to man was the best way to attack the Raiders offense. That proved to be wrong!

My concern here is that our DBs can't play MTM or was this a preordained game plan?

There was no adjustments and the DBs looked lost. Is that just a product of inexperience or lack of talent?

The other issue.....no pressure on the QB.

A combination of these two issues seemed to be the glaring problem.

Will these issues be resolved in the upcoming weeks? We'll see.

-1 points
1
2
dobber's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:28 am

I suspect that some of that (zone) was wanting to play facing the QB against a team that hasn't been lights-out throwing the ball most of the season, but has been able to bully the LOS. But they do miss Savage and what he brings on the back end.

"There was no adjustments and the DBs looked lost. Is that just a product of inexperience or lack of talent?"

They were playing with a double-digit lead most of the afternoon. That has a lot to do with defensive play calls.

4 points
4
0
LambeauPlain's picture

October 21, 2019 at 01:31 pm

He played Zone because he did not respect the Raiders pass game and feared the run game. Epic fail as the pass game was prolific with no pressure and wide open receivers and they still could not stop Jacobs.

Pettiine's D started out strong and is fading fast while the O gets better and better.

Thank goodness for JK Scott. He's the only thing keeping Menninga from getting fired mid-season. The kick coverage and return games are simply awful.

2 points
2
0
Matt Gonzales's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:25 am

For better or worse, the Packers are starting to look a lot like KC. An offensive juggernaut that plays a pick your poison kind of offense, with a defense that usually does just enough to secure wins. It remains to be seen if this is going to be enough when playoff time comes, but GB has the rest of the year to figure out the remaining question marks.

For right now, the Packers are doing much better than anyone could have reasonably expected going into the year, and have now won multiple games without their top receiving target - something that looked impossible when Adams went out.

I for one am going to enjoy the ride and see where it leads.

8 points
8
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dobber's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:34 am

I think they're starting to look more like the 2016 Falcons: one main receiving threat, an aging TE, two capable backs who can run and catch, a good OL, and a QB who can chuck it. Add to that a defense that a young defense that gives up some big plays but makes its share of plays and I see that as a good comparison. Remember that Atlanta team got better defensively as the season progressed, too. Hopfully Savage comes back and grounds this defense a little more. They need help on the DL to take some of the heat off Clark, too. Montravious Adams seemed awfully quiet yesterday and he's been ceding snaps to Lancaster. I think they can do better there.

Winning these games against credible opponents while undermanned is huge. If they dropped the game to the Lions or even this one, the fast start is nixed and they're forced to play on the road for the latter half of the season looking up at other teams in the division. They built this division lead knowing that the schedule gets much harder. Just gotta take care of business and let the chips fall.

6 points
6
0
PeteK's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:42 am

I thought Clark would be more dominant this year with all the attention payed to The Smith's. I think he's beat up. At least we have a decent rotation there.

3 points
4
1
murf7777's picture

October 21, 2019 at 11:38 am

I think part of the reason Smiths are getting as many sacks is because teams have to double Clark. Dobber, I agree about the DL and am hoping they can trade or do a pick up there that helps close the run gaps. If. You have a great line it can make up for small deficiencies at other positions. Fortunately, we learned today that we can live with our current WR group until Adams comes back and should push our capital to the DL. M Adams isn’t doing it and we have to get better if we are to make a deep run into the playoffs.

Adams injury might be a blessing in disguise as it is forcing The O to find other avenues to create offense. I’m very impressed with MLF O and how it has progressed over the past 7 weeks. Are we a SB team right NOW? Probably not, but add one strong play maker on the DL and stay healthy on the D the rest of the year and I would say other then Pats, we would be the team to beat. SF will be there but right now I would take Arod over Grappollo in a big game, which puts that game into our favor.

5 points
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PeteK's picture

October 21, 2019 at 12:10 pm

We can say the same thing with Savages' injury and Clark being banged up.

0 points
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Hematite's picture

October 21, 2019 at 12:32 pm

Enjoy the ride!!!

1 points
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Tundraboy's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:44 am

My God what a great game. In thinking about Lazard's catch,he could very well turn out to be the wide receiver we need, the perfect complement to Adams. Then we don't have to waste any picks on wide receiver and we can focus on a linebacker and more help for the D.

Feeling great this morning even though the Yankees lost.

1 points
2
1
ALLGASNOBRAKES's picture

October 22, 2019 at 04:19 am

No offense TB but NO!!!

While I'd like D-Line and ILB help I still think the Packers need to address the offense in the upcoming draft. 2009, 10, 11, and 2012 were some of my favorite offensive seasons in GB in years. The main reason was the start of the career of another HOF QB and the Packers ability to field 3 or 4 WR at any given time plus a TE which 95% of the defenses couldn't match up with.

The Packers still could use a 2nd WR to pair with Adams and MVS. Sternberger coming back soon has got me excited even if he's a rookie. MLF has shown the ability with a scheme to get TE and FB WIDE OPEN. Let's get the ball in the hands orf a TE who can actually move. THAT'S going to be fun!

0 points
0
0
PeteK's picture

October 21, 2019 at 08:49 am

We are finding different ways to win which makes us very difficult to prepare for. Also, I believe the offensive line is pass blocking very well, but run blocking is lacking. The stats would look poorer if it wasn't for Jones's elusiveness and Williams hard running. We need to get our D off the field or injuries will start piling up.

2 points
2
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Lphill's picture

October 21, 2019 at 09:17 am

Packers Defense was sloppy I wont say lame, but gave up too much, this needs to stop, have to have 3 lineman for running downs, Pettine needs to figure it out quick.

-1 points
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2
JohnnyLogan's picture

October 21, 2019 at 09:57 am

Game balls to everyone on the offense...QB, RBs, WRs, OL, TEs... it was as complete an offensive team game as one could imagine. No part of the offense disappointed.

Lame?... the obvious was allowing RB and TE to run wild. The other obvious is that our number one pick in the draft is not a good football player. Many here would like to add "yet" but it's hard to see what he brings. He has zero moves at rushing the passer other then bullrush and he's not great at that. Gute is allowed a mistake but did it have to be with the #12 pick in the draft when we're likely not to pick that high for years to come?

0 points
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4
Fubared's picture

October 21, 2019 at 01:25 pm

This is personal but I was an M fan who heard all the hoopla on Gary coming in and I followed him closely and dam, he absolutely reminded me of another player I also followed from High School Through College and then the Pro's, Perry.
When I heard the Pack may be considering Gary I quietly said oh please dont do it. Dont look at his film playing crap teams look at his film playing the good teams. Ouch.
Hate to say it but this one is gonna hurt.

2 points
3
1
flackcatcher's picture

October 21, 2019 at 10:18 am

Random comments: Jenkins continues to be the bright shinny object for some. (see Jason's post above) The rookie has made huge steps to become an average NFL offensive lineman in a very short amount of time. That's impressive. But, he is not better than Lane Taylor, who before his injury was a good NFL lineman. He still gets lost in space, and his footwork is sloppy, and his set is still too high in pass pro allowing him to get rolled way to easy. Difference: Jenkins gives Rodgers 3 seconds on his release. Taylor gave Rodgers 5 seconds before pressure. So lets not oversell the young man here. Jenkins will be good, but that he can start and not be a guy, (as Ron Wolf put it) says a great deal about Jenkins already. Defensive line is better than most folks get. Real problem is ILB are getting late to the hole and getting either taking out by secondary blockers (TE) or overrunning the play. Teams are using the Packers aggressiveness against them in the run or on play action. Pettine has accepted the risk, and so far this season it has paid off. I find it interesting that Pettine went with a cover 2 and soft zone for the game. For a team that routinely plays man and zero coverage, that cut against completely on what's on video this season. Giving his future opponents something more to worry about? More likely he decided to make the trade off of yards giving rather than touchdowns getting. Messy, but it worked, and that is all that counts. Finally: Who have ever thought the loss of Raven Greene would hurt the defense this much. Not having a second hybrid/DB to cover the TE is really opening some holes in the LOS-10 yard beyond. Still,this team is 6-1. To date, impressive, very impressive.

0 points
4
4
jlc1's picture

October 21, 2019 at 12:12 pm

Nailed it.

-1 points
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1
CheesyTex's picture

October 21, 2019 at 12:38 pm

Absolutely. Sure hope Pettine schemes better for KC TE Kelce this week...

0 points
0
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Slim11's picture

October 22, 2019 at 09:19 am

"Elgton Jenkins has elevated this group since taking over for Lane Taylor..."

I agree with this. Is Jenkins an all-Pro right now? No. Does he have room for development? No question.

However, the o-line play, with Jenkins starting, appears to play better than with Taylor starting. This is an example of the five who play best together (MLF) as opposed to the best five on the field (MM).

IMO, barring injury, this is Taylor's last season in Green Bay.

0 points
0
0
flackcatcher's picture

October 22, 2019 at 07:17 pm

Maybe. I think Tuner is more the key here. While he has become more steady as a starter (most of that is on the coaching staff for improper techniques early this season) his salary may keep him from returning next season. Or both Taylor and Tuner could go depending on the Packers cap situation. It all come down to how they value young backups like Madison, and where they want to spend what and who they cut because of lack of cap space. Going to be tight next year. A lot of veterans on this team may go.

0 points
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0
Rephaim13's picture

October 21, 2019 at 12:59 pm

I agree with much of what you said regarding Raven Green, soft cover 2 and soft zone.

I disagree with your comments regarding Jenkins. First and foremost, Jenkins is the best run blocker on the team. He has manhandled everyone he has come up against in the run game. To state that Taylor gave Rodgers 5 seconds while Jenkins gives 3 seconds of pass protection is a reach. Taylor was the weak link in run blocking and pass protection before he went on the injury list. It is possible that Taylor's lingering injury caused much of his problems but Taylor was poorly rated last year also. I suspect as Jenkins grows into his role we are seeing an elite all pro guard in the making. Taylor is a good trade chip or a decent backup at either guard and possibly right tackle. By the end of this year there will be no doubt that Jenkins belongs at left guard and with luck he may be there 8 more years. (first and second contract)
I am in a quandary over whether or not the inside linebacker position is the weak point on defense or is it our two defensive tackles. At first I thought that Martinez and whoever else played inside linebacker were late in getting to the hole to stop the opposing runners. However, in watching yesterday's game. It appeared that our inside linebackers and safeties were wading through blockers on nearly every running play. I think Montraveous Adams and Dean Lowry have under performed for much of the year. An inside linebacker who is party to 16 tackles in a game should never be questioned. The question should be, why is Martinez having to be involved with 16 stops. Something smells and I suspect our defensive front three are the culprits. That includes Kenny Clark who read too many of his own headlines this off season. Last year Clark was the man. This year Clark has been spectating.

1 points
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flackcatcher's picture

October 21, 2019 at 11:17 pm

I don't disagree, but I think it mostly a matter of judgement on what we see as fans. While I have been critical of Jenkins, I have been very clear that Jenkins will be good for this team as he gets more snaps. How good he will be is an unknown. The crunch will come when he gets injured. We know the answer with Taylor. Play injured, played hurt, started this season with a rip open shoulder over Jenkins. With that injury, Jenkins should have started over Taylor for medical reasons alone. Still, the Packer coaching staff valued Taylor enough, that they started him over a player they like. Enough said. Packers were in base 3-4 for most of this game, not their 3-3-5 package. That put the pressure on the ILB to fill the gaps. They were late. Raiders did what the Eagles did to the Packers in pushing two TE in the other gaps while the DL was locked down playing gap control. Good play design, good execution by the Raiders. Other side plays too. I believe injuries to both Savage and Greene forced Pettine to play cover 2 with a zone to keep the Raiders in front of them. Wasn't pretty, but it worked, and the Packers won because of their judgement. Good enough for me..

1 points
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Swisch's picture

October 21, 2019 at 04:02 pm

Any possibility that Rashan Gary might be good at ILB?
Maybe he's not the bendiest when rushing from the edge; but maybe he could be a monster going from sideline to sideline, while being at least adequate in coverage.
Given time, I'm hopeful he'll find a prominent place somewhere in the Packers defense, and possibly even become a star.
Perhaps even now he can contribute on a limited basis, and become more and more solid as the season progresses.

0 points
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DragonSilk's picture

October 21, 2019 at 10:42 am

Game ball to Derek Carr for sacrificing any points before the half and giving us time to score 7.

Game ball to the replay official for not reversing Kumerow's TD even though he clearly nicked the white line.

2 points
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dobber's picture

October 21, 2019 at 01:54 pm

The Kumerow TD came down to the call on the field. There wasn't going to be a reversal either way.

1 points
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Guam's picture

October 21, 2019 at 10:51 am

Game balls to MVS and Allison for playing while hurt enough to get the "doubtful" tag. Gritty performance that was absolutely needed. Game balls to Lazard and the RBs for a stellar receiving performance when the running game was struggling. I was one of the guys urging Gute to get a veteran WR - now maybe not so much. I liked what I saw yesterday and if Ryan Grant can add anything, the Packers might be just fine at WR.

5 points
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Hematite's picture

October 21, 2019 at 01:02 pm

I agree.
I think we're good with the guys we have at WR.
For now anyway.
As long as they stay healthy, when we get Davante back we'll be fine.

2 points
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splitpea1's picture

October 21, 2019 at 11:07 am

Game balls:

Especially AR, but the entire passing offense including receivers, lineman, backs, and coaches. It's hard to ask for anything more.

The Raiders' offensive line, blocking schemes, and Gruden play-calling. You have to give credit where it's due. The Packers' pass rush rarely got within arm's reach of Carr, allowing the Raiders to move the ball almost effortlessly down the field. Luckily Carr got a little too greedy near the pylon, which totally swung the momentum of the game. The Packers' defense did stiffen in the red zone a couple more times, so at least they were up to the challenge when it really mattered.

Lame call:

Myself-- I thought this game was going to be another nail-biter for sure. Glad I kept my mouth shut.

3 points
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murf7777's picture

October 21, 2019 at 12:10 pm

“Luckily Carr got a little too greedy near the pylon, which totally swung the momentum of the game.”

Was it Luck, or a great hustle play by Martinez? I say the later.

2 points
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splitpea1's picture

October 21, 2019 at 02:48 pm

Martinez barely touched Carr as he was headed toward the sideline and the pylon. Yeah, Martinez got over there, but I saw it more as a quarterback blunder than anything else.

-1 points
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4thand1's picture

October 22, 2019 at 08:36 pm

What bs comment splitpea. I suggest you watch the replay and you'll see Martinez shoving Carr and the ball is jarred lose. If he doesn't get there and shove him, he doesn't fumble, simple. You should barely not comment when you don't know WTF you're talking about.

-1 points
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splitpea1's picture

October 23, 2019 at 11:22 am

I did watch the replay, you blind ass. I stick by what I say. If you read the comment carefully, I gave Martinez credit for getting over there, but implied that Carr should have never tried such a foolish play.

-1 points
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splitpea1's picture

October 23, 2019 at 11:20 am

And I also noticed you made a comment on the Tim Backes article a couple of days ago that supported exactly what I just said--so you really don't know what to think, do you?

0 points
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4thand1's picture

October 23, 2019 at 04:10 pm

No shit, I said it was a dumb play by Carr. Martinez made it dumber by getting there and forcing the fumble, blinder ass.

0 points
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splitpea1's picture

October 23, 2019 at 06:09 pm

Although Martinez was officially credited with a forced fumble, I think Carr just lost what little grip he had on the ball. Once again, when I watched the replay, all I saw was a gentle shove from the ends of Martinez's fingers as Carr was almost completely out of bounds. How do you know Carr would have held on if Martinez hadn't barely touched him? Even Gruden admitted in his post-game interview that the ball just slipped out of his hands. So while the official statistic is on your side, we'll just have to agree to disagree. And I still don't understand why you disagreed with me and agreed with Backes over the same sentiment--doesn't make any sense. Also, there is no need for hostile potty-mouth responses to my comments--show some class and grow up.

0 points
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4thand1's picture

October 23, 2019 at 08:49 pm

Calling me a blind ass first shows immense maturity. Sorry I said you don't know WTF you're talking about.

0 points
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splitpea1's picture

October 23, 2019 at 10:25 pm

OK. Technically you were right anyway since Martinez did get credit for a forced fumble. Case closed. It was fun doing all that hair-splitting; let's do it again sometime.

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4thand1's picture

October 24, 2019 at 04:08 pm

No sweat, keep postin! GOPACKGO

0 points
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albert999's picture

October 21, 2019 at 11:33 am

Baffles me how all defensive coaches and LaFleur did not adjust off of the LAME zone defense
They passed up the middle and ran up the middle all 4 quarters
They only had to cover 1 Running back and 1 tight end and couldn’t do it
LAME

4 points
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albert999's picture

October 21, 2019 at 11:35 am

Rodgers and LaFleur and the whole offense deserve game balls
Very Impressive

4 points
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murf7777's picture

October 21, 2019 at 12:06 pm

A lot of concerns about our defense. Certainly, they are giving up a lot of yards, but some of that is from having large leads and preserving that lead. They have shown to step up when the need arises and are above average in points allowed. Get Savage back, add a quality DL, stay healthy and watch out NFL were baaaack!

1 points
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packerbackerjim's picture

October 21, 2019 at 12:11 pm

Game ball to Jake Kumerow’s white shoes.

A very picky Lame Call to Geronimo Allison being unable to turn upfield sooner than the sideline.

2 points
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ILPackerBacker's picture

October 21, 2019 at 12:50 pm

What kind of world is it where packer fans can not understand that yardage on D really does not matter? Winning matters. 4th quarter garbage time yardage and even scores don't matter because it is about sacrificing those to win.

Good gosh even bear fans get this. The bear sites are imploding with how bad the offense is and the fans CLEARLY get the garbage time scoring and yardage inflates mitchy stats but does not matter and should not be used to make decisions

1 points
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albert999's picture

October 21, 2019 at 01:29 pm

It all matters
Maybe you should be a bears fan

-3 points
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Fubared's picture

October 21, 2019 at 01:20 pm

1. Game ball to Clinton Dix for playing like he did here and allowing an easy TD to the Bears opponent yesterday. Keep up the good work Clinton. Ha HA
2. Game ball to the offensive scheme. Very effective
3. Mr Rodgers but of course
4. Receiving core for hanging in there and getting it done

Lame Calls
1. Not sure of that pass defense scheme of Pettines? You could drive a large tank into some of the spaces our defenders left and thats a coaching thing.

4 points
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Tundraboy's picture

October 21, 2019 at 02:15 pm

Haha!

2 points
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Since'61's picture

October 21, 2019 at 04:32 pm

Game Balls: Aaron Rodgers, Packers OL, MVS, Lazard and Allison. King, Alexander, Goodson and Amos. Coaching staff for short week preparation against a well rested opponent.

Lame Calls: Rush defense and Redmond and the officials.

Go Pack Go. Thanks, Since '61

1 points
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