Official GameDay Thread Week 3: Packers @ Lions

[Fritz]

I am going to give Harlan 3/4 of a point, and Fritz and I can split 1/4. The O line wasn't a tire fire on the last drive. But it wasn't doing much in the running game and bled throughout the game in pass rush.

But the white knuckle pass pro meant only the short passing game was available and it wasn't working well.

There was no reason to keep sending Lacy in there when Starks was making it work.

Why is it that every year Fat Mike needs to do a midseason re-tooling? I know constant evaluation is needed, but he seems to need half a season to figure it out. He even said in his pregame that it was an early season game, teams still feeling each other out. I don't hear other coaches with that attitude.

I don't get this. I've defended TT and MM pretty often, and I said injuries had a lot to do with the teams' less-than-stellar performances, but this was a pretty healthy team getting manhandled by an infury-riddled team. What the hell?

[Carolina_Packer]

3rd and long...day.

That's 3 pretty stout front sevens we've faced in a row. Can they establish a run game vs. the Bears? We'll see. They need to in order to stay in manageable down and distances and keep the chains moving. This is what happens when you can't run the ball and Rodgers is not being his usual amazing self to bail out the offense.

So, absent Bulaga, the Packers have the same O-line as last year, so why are they struggling so badly to run the ball?

[pbmax]

Its partially a function of Thompson. You get good replacement parts, but they are not always the same size or shape as the old ones.

[gbgary]

who would have guessed the o would be our biggest problem. time of possession killed our d towards the end.

[Freak Out]

Were there any adjustments made on the offensive side throughout the game...other than some minor personnel changes at RB?

[Harlan Huckleby]

I'm rewatching the game with the sound off to test my various theories.

It looks like Datone Jone's role often is to tie-up multiple blockers. Lacy really had an off day. Not terrible. The O-line looked OK in first quarter, maybe they slipped later.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Randall Cobb is a darn good punt returner. Leave him there. If he gets hurt, they can find somebody else to not catch passes. Myles White can do his role in a pinch.

[George Cumby]

Why is it that every year Fat Mike needs to do a midseason re-tooling? I know constant evaluation is needed, but he seems to need half a season to figure it out. He even said in his pregame that it was an early season game, teams still feeling each other out. I don't hear other coaches with that attitude.

I don't get this. I've defended TT and MM pretty often, and I said injuries had a lot to do with the teams' less-than-stellar performances, but this was a pretty healthy team getting manhandled by an infury-riddled team. What the hell?

This.

Fat Mikes slow starts are getting old. A win is a win is a win, no matter if it's early or late in the season. Time to get it going, Mike. Two more division games coming up plus NE and NO. It's not going to get any easier.

[digitaldean]

The slow starts are going to bite him in the arse. Last year we lucked out with Detroit and Chicago self destructing. This year Detroit can win the division if they for once stay focused.

The O-Line got bitch slapped today. Two very physical defenses equal 2 beat downs. The yardage going into the 4th quarter was less than 60 yards. Pathetic.

[esoxx]

This.

Fat Mikes slow starts are getting old. A win is a win is a win, no matter if it's early or late in the season. Time to get it going, Mike. Two more division games coming up plus NE and NO. It's not going to get any easier.

Not to mention Carolina. That defense is fierce.

[gbgary]

I think Rodgers/MM are looking for the big too much. he's holding the ball too long looking down field when there's stuff open quick and short. maybe running no-huddle 100% of the time is a problem too.

[George Cumby]

The slow starts are going to bite him in the arse. Last year we lucked out with Detroit and Chicago self destructing. This year Detroit can win the division if they for once stay focused.

Detroit actually has a coach, not an adolescent girl pretending to be a coach. As you say, if they're focused, watch out.

[Harlan Huckleby]

The O-Line got bitch slapped today. Two very physical defenses equal 2 beat downs. The yardage going into the 4th quarter was less than 60 yards. Pathetic.

It seems to be a minority view, but Rodgers mostly had time to pass. Homer on the post game radio show weighed-in with same impression. I re-watched all the offensive series, the offensive line did not get abused most of the time. There were even some running lanes.
The Lions front 7 is very good, Levy looks like an all-pro linebacker. Rodgers had nobody to throw to most of the time, and his throws were off when he tried to squeeze the ball in.

If Rodgers had been able to connect with receivers on some quick slants, people would be saying the offensive line held their own. Starks was gouging them, if he had more carries the running game would look good.

[esoxx]

I think part of the reason for the overly negative perception of the OL today stems from the complete whiff by Lang for the safety on Lacy. That was glariing.

But Rodgers had enough time to throw in general. There were plays to be made, they just didn't make them.

[red]

I think Rodgers/MM are looking for the big too much. he's holding the ball too long looking down field when there's stuff open quick and short. maybe running no-huddle 100% of the time is a problem too.

are we not running plays with a check down dump off? or is rodgers not looking for one?

you noticed staford would look long but after awhile he would dump it off to a RB who would be wide open, usually gaining at least some positive yards. a-rod holds on forever looking deep, the scrambles, looks deep some more before taking a sack

is the check down guy not there? is he always covered? is a-rod not checking down? he does seem to be locking onto his targets more. maybe he only really does trust jordy. maybe more playing time in pre season might have fixed that problem?

[Joemailman]

I think Rodgers/MM are looking for the big too much. he's holding the ball too long looking down field when there's stuff open quick and short. maybe running no-huddle 100% of the time is a problem too.

I think they need to scrap or at least reduce the no-huddle. With Jones and Finley gone, they need to get production out of Adams and R. Rodgers. I don't think those guys know the offense well enough yet to be productive with the accelerated pace of the no-huddle. And yes, Rodgers is sometimes holding the ball too long because he wants to go downfield. That is an old story.

[red]

I think part of the reason for the overly negative perception of the OL today stems from the complete whiff by Lang for the safety on Lacy. That was glariing.

But Rodgers had enough time to throw in general. There were plays to be made, they just didn't make them.

there was also, i think it was the suh sack. where the replayed suh making the sack while both lindsay and lang were laying on their bellies from the spot where suh just came. they didn't show the whole replay. did they both just fall down? did suh make both of them his bitch?

it looked, not good

[wist43]

I missed the game... couldn't get it here, and I was too hungover to go watch it somewhere else, lol...

Based on the commentary here, and looking at the play-by-play and the stat line - it looks like they spanked up on both sides of the LOS - entirely predictable. I had the score at 45-31... so had the spread about right, but couldn't have guessed at such a low scoring game.

Stafford killed me in fantasy!!!! and I sat Bush

Anyway, sounds like MM has determined to remain as passive up front on the LOS as possible... did he run any power plays, or just more of his ZBS crap??

The defense force 3 TO's, so that was a positive - but of course we got dominated in TOP 38:13 to 21:47.

Well a 1-2 start... probably a 1-3 start after we go to Chicago. We'll likely be an underdog I would imagine.

[red]

I missed the game... couldn't get it here, and I was too hungover to go watch it somewhere else, lol...

Based on the commentary here, and looking at the play-by-play and the stat line - it looks like they spanked up on both sides of the LOS - entirely predictable. I had the score at 45-31... so had the spread about right, but couldn't have guessed at such a low scoring game.

Stafford killed me in fantasy!!!! and I sat Bush

Anyway, sounds like MM has determined to remain as passive up front on the LOS as possible... did he run any power plays, or just more of his ZBS crap??

The defense force 3 TO's, so that was a positive - but of course we got dominated in TOP 38:13 to 21:47.

Well a 1-2 start... probably a 1-3 start after we go to Chicago. We'll likely be an underdog I would imagine.

one thing you can say for sure is that it wasn't the defenses fault today

the offense was solely responsible for this loss

[denverYooper]

one thing you can say for sure is that it wasn't the defenses fault today

the offense was solely responsible for this loss

The offense scored 16 points... too bad 9 of those were for the Lions.