"Chips Report" From Week 15 Loss vs. Chiefs
Ryan Grant was a weapon running the ball Sunday for the Packers, and Marshall Newhouse looked lost against Tamba Hali. But who else earned our weekly distinctions in the Packers' loss to the Chiefs on Sunday?
Our weekly "Chips Report" will always include two blue chippers (outstanding, exceptional play), two red chippers (good, though maybe not great) and two cow chips (dud performances). From the Week 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs...
Blue Chips
- Ryan Grant––On a day the Packers struggled to pass the ball, Grant was there to pick up the slack with the ground game. He gained 66 yards on 12 carries, an average of 5.5 yards per rush, including individual gains of 18 and 13 yards. It was even more impressive in light of the injury situation at running back for the Packers. It was a day neither James Starks nor Brandon Saine were available and only Grant and Kuhn were available for the Packers. The veteran back added 35 yards on three receptions as well.
- Tim Masthay––Masthay did his best to pin the Chiefs deep in their own territory. He had five punts for over a 50 yard gross average, 53.4 to be exact. His coverage unit was effective, downing three punts inside the 20-yard line, and allowing a total of 36 mostly harmless return yards. It all totaled up to a 46.2-yard net average for Masthay on the day. The most impressive moment of the day was his career long 71-yard punt in the second quarter from the Packers' own 12-yard line and downed by Jarret Bush at the Chiefs' 17.
Red Chips
- Charles Woodson––The Chiefs marched up and down the field to the tune of 438 yards, but Woodson did his best to make them work for it. He led the team with 11 tackles, ten of them in the first half and one for a loss. Woodson was effective defending the run from his slot position making a couple tackles for short or no gains. He also defended one pass.
- T.J. Lang––The more experience Lang gets, the better he seems to perform. He was a big reason the Packers had success running between the tackles, and the ground game gaining over 100 yards and 5.7 yards per carry on the road. Lang also showed his versatility by shifting over to right tackle once both Bryan Bulaga and Derek Sherrod had to leave the game with injuries and recovered a fumble to boot.
Cow Chips
- Marshall Newhouse––All it takes is one look at Tamba Hali's stat line to determine Newhouse's effectiveness: three sacks for 12 yards, a forced fumble, four tackles including one for a loss and two more quarterback hits on Aaron Rodgers. The second-year left tackle struggled with the speed and relentless pursuit of Hali off the edge. With the potential return of Chad Clifton, Newhouse may not be long at left tackle the rest of this season.
- Jermichael Finley––Finley was targeted 10 times by Rodgers on Sunday but caught only three of those passes. For the third game in a row, drops have been of particular concern for Finley who has failed to haul in very catchable passes. As a free agent at season's end, he's not doing himself any favors. He's still talented, as his third quarter 41-yard over the shoulder catch would attest, but the Packers' aerial attack would have been a whole lot more effective without his drops.
Comments (22)
December 18, 2011 at 07:22 pm
I thought Woodson was manhandled the whole day when covering man. But then again, not a lot of candidates even for a red chip out of this game...
December 18, 2011 at 07:24 pm
Has Newhouse regressed, or are opponents just "figuring him out" now that they've got the tape on him?
December 18, 2011 at 07:29 pm
what's the word on clifton's return? i was listening to "the big show" on WSSP 1250 last week and i think either gary ellerson or leroy butler said they heard that he's not going to return this season. i hope this isn't the case
December 18, 2011 at 09:59 pm
Gary Ellerson!? The former Packer!?
December 18, 2011 at 11:06 pm
yep. he has a show on WSSP called "the big show". leroy butler is a guest a few times a week and occasionally they have gilbert brown on too. http://www.sportsradio1250.com/pages/300683.php
December 19, 2011 at 02:22 am
He was awesome. Number 42 iirc. Post Jessie Clark era.
December 18, 2011 at 07:33 pm
Cow Chips:
1. MM for not running the damn ball.
2. AR for trying to throw it deep instead of checking down. All the time.
3. The entire WR crew and Finley.
4. The entire OL minus Lang
5. The entire DL
6. The entire LB corps.
7. The refs for not calling that touchback.
8. Cow 42 for being annoying. :P
Did I miss anything?
December 18, 2011 at 07:35 pm
Tebow.
December 18, 2011 at 07:42 pm
lol.
The Broncos got Tebowed.
December 18, 2011 at 09:26 pm
so the truth is annoying.
December 18, 2011 at 09:51 pm
No. You are annoying. Not the truth.
The truth is somewhere between the head-in-the-sand approach and yours.
You aren't right. And you'll probably eat it by the end. I hope you are man enough to show up when it happens.
December 18, 2011 at 07:44 pm
I think Finley was a major cause of the offense not being in sync. Aaron kept trying to go back to him to spark everyone but Finley's drops were depressing. I think the best way to let Finley know he needs to get his act together now is to start an OCCUPY FINLEY movement.
GB fans register your displeasure with his performance in a respectful and professional way by contacting his agent Blake Baratz at The Institute of Athletes.
I know some will say he knows about his performance, but my past 30 years of dealing with individuals that have an enormous ego is that only an avalanche of input changes their perspective and effort. GB will actually need him till the season's over, hopefully not one & done in the playoff's. After the season TT can make his decision.
Blake can be reached at 646-302-7287 or by snail at 3600 Minnesota Dr Edina MN 55435. Blake is also on Linkeden and twitter. I'm not aware of his email. Remember if you contact Blake use respect. Agents talk to their money trees often.
December 18, 2011 at 07:46 pm
How about an enture bag of cow chips for the entire team for not taking this game serious. I hate to say it but with all the injuries to the OL and the swiss cheese defense we may not go far in the post season.
December 18, 2011 at 07:46 pm
Cow Chip...the Packers right defensive side's inability to set the edge. When KC ran left I heard cheers of "ole" coming from the Packers. When did the league okay players wearing matador hats?!
December 18, 2011 at 08:02 pm
Big time cow chip for Finley. I get tired of his constant need to run his mouth followed by his insistence at dropping catchable passes. I said last season and I'll say it again this season- I won't bat an eye if we choose to let him walk. He didn't help us win a Super Bowl last season and he's doing little to help us now.
December 18, 2011 at 08:52 pm
Any tackles that are unsigned still left out there? We know they have to sign atleast one
December 18, 2011 at 08:56 pm
For gosh sakes why on earth would you call Finley's agent? That is so inappropriate. I hope people are not that classless to do that.
December 18, 2011 at 09:52 pm
Agreed.
December 18, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Finley cost us this game, but I think the posters here are right. MM not sticking with the run (or was it Arodge audibling?) and also Arodge not getting the ball out. I hate that.
I thought Cobb looked good. Grant and Masthay get my blue chips, but Cobb was there too. Arodge should look to Cobb for that spark.
December 18, 2011 at 11:28 pm
I think Nelson's disapearance following the two OPI calls also wasn't of much help. But there is a continuing issue with J-Mike and a seaming lack of concentration that is disquieting.
But today's problems really go back to the quality of line-play coming from both sides of the ball. That won't allow a very deap run in the post season if there isn't improvement.
December 18, 2011 at 10:06 pm
i hope ted thompson can pull a rabbit (offensive tackle) from out of his hat. for such a fantastic season, it would be a shame to see such success fail because of the lack of offensive linemen. lets remember last year...success in spite of a bloated injured reserve list, and hope that the pack can pull it off again.
December 18, 2011 at 11:13 pm
Dear Lord - we had zero pass rush today! Was Capers doing any kind of blitzing or were we just literally not getting any pressure? I don't think the safety play has been strong by any stretch, but...without a pass rush, not many safety duos in the league would look good either.
i closed my eyes for a second and i swear #18 looked like #85's little bro. can't wait to get Cobb more involved on a regular basis.