More Banjo: Week 2 @ Atlanta

[hoosier]

People can talk about the failures of the defense all they want. But when you're going up against the NFL's #1 offense, you need to score points. In the last 2 meetings, the Packers have scored a total of 7 points in the 1st half. I know they were limited in what they could do offensively tonight because of the injuries to Bulaga, Bakh and Jordy. My point is that if they're going to beat Atlanta, they're going to need the offense hitting on all cylinders. It can happen if they're healthy offensively. The defense gave up 27 points tonight. That's not great, but it's good enough to keep the team in the game if the offense is functioning properly.

Did they hold Atl to 27 or did Atl let up on the gas in the second half?

[oldbutnotdeadyet]

Did they hold Atl to 27 or did Atl let up on the gas in the second half?

Me thinks the latter...

[3irty1]

People can talk about the failures of the defense all they want. But when you're going up against the NFL's #1 offense, you need to score points. In the last 2 meetings, the Packers have scored a total of 7 points in the 1st half. I know they were limited in what they could do offensively tonight because of the injuries to Bulaga, Bakh and Jordy. My point is that if they're going to beat Atlanta, they're going to need the offense hitting on all cylinders. It can happen if they're healthy offensively. The defense gave up 27 points tonight. That's not great, but it's good enough to keep the team in the game if the offense is functioning properly.

This. Its incredibly frustrating to me that this offense will rank top 3 in output by the end of the year but at times will look like it did last night. Doing nothing on offense has a way of breaking the defense too. We got blown out and everybody is already hurt by week 3. Classic.

[bobblehead]

People can talk about the failures of the defense all they want. But when you're going up against the NFL's #1 offense, you need to score points. In the last 2 meetings, the Packers have scored a total of 7 points in the 1st half. I know they were limited in what they could do offensively tonight because of the injuries to Bulaga, Bakh and Jordy. My point is that if they're going to beat Atlanta, they're going to need the offense hitting on all cylinders. It can happen if they're healthy offensively. The defense gave up 27 points tonight. That's not great, but it's good enough to keep the team in the game if the offense is functioning properly.

And this is why I constantly harp on the ability to run the football. You have success running the ball early and everything changes. Rodgers faces more 2nd and 4, their D stays on the field and gets gassed, their O stays on the sidelines and can't get rhythm...you know, kinda like what happened to us.

[Freak Out]

When starters start dropping its tough to win...when it happens on the road in Atlanta you can pretty much forget about it. They will come back strong as long as guys like big Mike and Nelson aren't gone long.

[mmmdk]

How serious are the injuries to the various Packer players?

[Maxie the Taxi]

My takeaways from the game:
1) Our secondary at this stage of the game is about as bad as it was last year. If the opposing QB has time in the pocket, we can't stay with quality receivers. This may improve as Kevin King improves and as Dom gets his personnel sorted out. Putting Randall on Jones is not the answer.

2) Our ability to pressure the QB is about the same as last year. Whether it's scheme or players, we just weren't able to get into Atlanta's backfield consistently enough. I watched the Denver/Cowgirls game earlier and the Packers D is not anywhere near Denver's. We need to get Daniels healthy, but even then I don't think we're where we should be.

3) We live and die with Arod. Yesterday we did both. His great plays were overshadowed by his bonehead ones. Take away his interception at the end of the first half and his backward pass pick six at the start of the second and we're still in the game. When Arod tries to do too much, he's not the Super Star QB we've become accustomed to.

4) The NFL is getting to be like the NBA. OPI, DPI and blocking-related penalties are all but arbitrarily called and, as a result, their impact on the game is way too significant. I form this opinion not only by watching our game, but on other Week 1 and 2 games I've watched. Maybe the answer to this is to give each team one or two replay reviews of calls that are not now reviewable.

[texaspackerbacker]

My takeaways from the game:
1) Our secondary at this stage of the game is about as bad as it was last year. If the opposing QB has time in the pocket, we can't stay with quality receivers. This may improve as Kevin King improves and as Dom gets his personnel sorted out. Putting Randall on Jones is not the answer.

2) Our ability to pressure the QB is about the same as last year. Whether it's scheme or players, we just weren't able to get into Atlanta's backfield consistently enough. I watched the Denver/Cowgirls game earlier and the Packers D is not anywhere near Denver's. We need to get Daniels healthy, but even then I don't think we're where we should be.

3) We live and die with Arod. Yesterday we did both. His great plays were overshadowed by his bonehead ones. Take away his interception at the end of the first half and his backward pass pick six at the start of the second and we're still in the game. When Arod tries to do too much, he's not the Super Star QB we've become accustomed to.

4) The NFL is getting to be like the NBA. OPI, DPI and blocking-related penalties are all but arbitrarily called and, as a result, their impact on the game is way too significant. I form this opinion not only by watching our game, but on other Week 1 and 2 games I've watched. Maybe the answer to this is to give each team one or two replay reviews of calls that are not now reviewable.

One bright spot certainly was King looking a LOT better than he ever looked in the preseason. We were in a screwed if you do/screwed if you don't situation on blitzing. We seemingly shoulda done more of it, but that too much left single coverage. Montgomery also had a good game under bad circumstances.

I watched the Dallas/Denver game too - another case of home field being a major factor. Dallas's Corners are worse than ours and their defensive scheme is worse too. Usually their D Line and Backers are good enough to compensate - not this week. You're right, Denver's D - in this game for sure, maybe in general - is better than ours, although I recall times we shut down Adrian Peterson the way they did Ezekial Elliot.

Hell yeah, we live and die with ARod - thanks Ted for not building up the rest of the team any better. As for the "bonehead" plays, the so-called backward pass was not; It was slightly forward, as the replay showed - and the rotten O Line gets most of the blame for getting the QB clobbered that way. And the interception may have been Rodgers' mistake, but it more likely was Allison's fault at least in part.

We had a bad day on penalties, true, but I think your replay challenge thing might bite us in the ass more often than not. Unlike some of my favorite sports teams that I'm convinced get shafted regularly, the Packers most of the time get fair, even good treatment. The play where McCarthy got his penalty, as the commentators completely missed, I think he was complaining that Atlanta did the same thing that was called a pick against the Packers and got away with it on the TD play.

This was one game - a bad day and shitty circumstances. The Packers will be all right. We are as good as if not better than Atlanta probably way better than anybody else in the NFC, maybe in the NFL.

[Teamcheez1]

I have been supportive of Dom Capers over the years, but I wonder if we have any chance of ever beating the Falcons with him as the defensive coordinator.

The Bears only lost by 6 points to the Falcons. We haven't even shown a glimmer of hope in the last 3 games with the Falcons.

Of course, the offense hasn't looked much better either. They have now managed just 7 points in the first halves of the last two games.

[mraynrand]

We haven't even shown a glimmer of hope in the last 3 games with the Falcons.

This is silly. They had several stops yesterday. Yesterday was kindof a clusterfavre - a collection of failings. There are places where the defense needs to improve, and APRH by the end of the season they should. Obviously, the offense should be much better when Bac, Bulaga, Nelson and Cobb return.

[Joemailman]

I have been supportive of Dom Capers over the years, but I wonder if we have any chance of ever beating the Falcons with him as the defensive coordinator.

The Bears only lost by 6 points to the Falcons. We haven't even shown a glimmer of hope in the last 3 games with the Falcons.

Of course, the offense hasn't looked much better either. They have now managed just 7 points in the first halves of the last two games.

One glimmer of hope is that at times King looked like someone who could be able to match up with someone like Jones. He's not there yet, but I think he has the ability.

Forget about that Bear game. Falcons looked flat in that game. Some of it may have been playing on a slower field, but I think they looked past the Bears.

3 years ago, the Packers got smoked by Seattle in Week 1 and started out 1-2. By the end of the year they were arguably the best team in the NFL. Having the best team in September doesn't get you in the Super Bowl.

[bobblehead]

I have been supportive of Dom Capers over the years, but I wonder if we have any chance of ever beating the Falcons with him as the defensive coordinator.

The Bears only lost by 6 points to the Falcons. We haven't even shown a glimmer of hope in the last 3 games with the Falcons.

Of course, the offense hasn't looked much better either. They have now managed just 7 points in the first halves of the last two games.

For a fair argument, assess our D against chicago's in that debate. Eliminate defensive scores. Look at the whole picture. If we get 2 calls to be no calls and Rodgers doesn't do a 360 Favresque Pick you are thinking we lost a real tough tight game.

[pbmax]

Being on the road was the worst situation for that O line. Unsure how loud it was, but some stadiums could make that intolerable.

If you mess with Rodgers protection, he gets antsy and sometimes looks like 2008 Rodgers. That leads to some inaccuracy and then drops. tex has one thing I agree with, Rodgers can make leaky protection look good. But he needs it to be predictable and not constant. It started out OK (they had a decent number of yards early) but got worse until the Atl D wore itself out.

I am not a fan of the offensive progression being Nelson for a while, then Cobb then when there is no other choice, Adams. Adams is the only dynamic one out there. Feed him.

Bennett and Rodgers are just not on the same page yet. It sorted itself out with Cook, it will with Bennett.

On defense, the DBs all look like they have never seen a crossing route. There is never anyone on the opposite side of the field to tattoo someone. Which tells me they are pressuring, but the pressure isn't getting home often enough.

House looked old at times and then got hurt. Randall is a willing tackler, but if you put a move on him, he reacts as though someone set off a firework. I don't see him surviving in the slot. Can you imagine the knot Edelman or Welker would put him in?

I would start Jones and King and live with it until they get better. Both are able tacklers in run support. Let's keep the number of problems to a minimum for now.

[Guiness]

On defense, the DBs all look like they have never seen a crossing route. There is never anyone on the opposite side of the field to tattoo someone. Which tells me they are pressuring, but the pressure isn't getting home often enough.

This. Falcons made hay on that several times last night, and the (warranted) preoccupation with Jones allowed Sanu to eat their lunch.

[pbmax]

Packer Report‏ @PackerReport 37m37 minutes ago
From my 20-note Numbers piece:
1: Yard gained on GB's second through sixth possessions.
75: Distance of Green Bay’s game-opening TD drive.

[pbmax]

Bob McGinn @BobMcGinn 40m40 minutes ago
At http://bobmcginnfootball.com : Quinn goes to 3-0 vs. #Packers with better turnover differential, fewer penalties and stronger play at QB.


Bob (or his social media director) is laying this at McCarthy's feet. But the entries fail to capture the most important elements of the game.

#injuries to O line
#secondary ineptness
#injury to Nelson

[pbmax]

Green Bay Packers @packers 2h2 hours ago
"I thought our guys fought back, we didn't have enough"
1-on-1 with Coach McCarthy after #GBvsATL: http://pckrs.com/rc7md

Green Bay Packers @packers 10h10 hours ago
Rodgers: It was a tough game. They're a fantastic team, well-coached, MVP quarterback. #GBvsATL

Green Bay Packers @packers 2h2 hours ago
Aaron Rodgers talks about the "what if" moments in #GBvsATL

��: http://pckrs.com/3teee

[pbmax]

Kentrell Brice (groin) was injured and out for the game at some point. Probably when Jones entered the game.

Nelson (quad)
Daniels (hammy)
Evans (groin) it was noted he returned to game but unsure for how long
Cobb (shoulder)

[Smidgeon]

Being on the road was the worst situation for that O line. Unsure how loud it was, but some stadiums could make that intolerable.

If you mess with Rodgers protection, he gets antsy and sometimes looks like 2008 Rodgers. That leads to some inaccuracy and then drops. tex has one thing I agree with, Rodgers can make leaky protection look good. But he needs it to be predictable and not constant. It started out OK (they had a decent number of yards early) but got worse until the Atl D wore itself out.

I am not a fan of the offensive progression being Nelson for a while, then Cobb then when there is no other choice, Adams. Adams is the only dynamic one out there. Feed him.

Bennett and Rodgers are just not on the same page yet. It sorted itself out with Cook, it will with Bennett.

On defense, the DBs all look like they have never seen a crossing route. There is never anyone on the opposite side of the field to tattoo someone. Which tells me they are pressuring, but the pressure isn't getting home often enough.

House looked old at times and then got hurt. Randall is a willing tackler, but if you put a move on him, he reacts as though someone set off a firework. I don't see him surviving in the slot. Can you imagine the knot Edelman or Welker would put him in?

I would start Jones and King and live with it until they get better. Both are able tacklers in run support. Let's keep the number of problems to a minimum for now.

Care to expand this thought a bit?

[pbmax]

Care to expand this thought a bit?

It might only be my imagination, but it seems like there is a WR pecking order this year that hurts Adams and is hurting the offense. There are always proven players, favorites and less established players, but this year, Adams seems to have gone to the back of the line again.

Adams has had some long droughts without targets. And we have seen a focus on Nelson, Cobb and Bennett. Heck, compared to snaps, Allison gets more targets each time he steps out onto the field. There might be something going on, but Adams has proven he can carry the load and make big plays.

Cobb has been effective, but except for one TD on the free play, Nelson and Bennett have had more limited success.

This is a roundabout way of saying throw more often to Adams. Of course, its only been 2 games.