A damning indictment of the overall talent level of this team.Originally Posted by denverYooper
A damning indictment of the overall talent level of this team.
The Cowboys were serious contender for the Super Bowl last year and came within a hair's breadth of knocking the Packers out of the playoffs in Lambeau.
There were 0-7 without Romo.
The Patriots do not have the most physically gifted QB in the history of the League, but succeed by emphasizing his strengths and minimizing his weaknesses. They throw an entire offense of short passes at you and surprise the Defense by going medium to Gronk or LaFell.
The entire Packer offense is predicated on a Pro Bowl QB with an all world arm making it go. He is not having a great mid-year, he is getting beaten up WAY too much. And much of that is because his receivers can no longer make the old offense work (the one's that are healthy).
The re-jiggering of the Offense will begin versus the Lions this week.
We have seen this play before. Definitely in '09 and again, to a lesser extent, in 10.
Bud Adams told me the franchise he admired the most was the Kansas City Chiefs. Then he asked for more hookers and blow.
I think Stubby is holding out until after the Lions game to make any final stretch adjustments. But he is certainly counting on getting back Abby and Monty and Q. The real issue is whether the line can hold up.
I wonder who made the decisions on those long run drives in the second half to switch to passes? Packers win with two FGs.
"Never, never ever support a punk like mraynrand. Rather be as I am and feel real sympathy for his sickness." - Woodbuck
The timing of their issues is the part that is different. Last year they struggled early and we often used (09/10/12) to have a lot of discussion 'round these parts during the first 8 games about the offense struggling. Usually it seemed to be mostly the line and the lack of a run game getting Rodgers beat up. This year, more than others, it seems to be issues with the WR group.
Then there was 2011, where they surged out of the gate and started petering out by the end of the year. In 2013, Rodgers was injured and they re-routed their offense through Lacy.
Assuming they overcome their problems through re-jiggering or personnel (Abby/Monty), they probably are due for a bounce during the last quarter of the season. M3 has made references before to how he builds his strategy throughout the season so they are peaking going into the playoffs. We'll see if that holds out here.
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro ~Hunter S.
It can't all be on the receivers, and it can't all be on the QB. This offense is stale, and defenses have discovered how to blanket the receivers with man coverage. A rescheme would be greatly needed if this team plans to make a push. The receivers and the QB do need to get on the same page so that the "go" routes can be used to beat the "man" defense.
...and much of that is on Rodgers, himself. McGinn has pointed game after game just how much time Rodgers has had on some plays, yet has still taken sacks. This week it was 7.4 seconds on a play. Yes, that is on the receivers for not getting open, but it is also on Rodgers, himself. He needs to: 1. find the best option and throw; 2. throw the ball away; or 3. get whatever few yards he can with his legs and be done with it. Pushing it to the point of being sacked does no one any good.
Rodgers shows an indecisiveness that I have not seen from him in the past. Maybe its determination to not give up on a play. Whatever it is, it leads to sacks and wear and tear on his body, and probably on his o-line as well. In spite of the runs he has had, he seems less willing to run than in the past. That's OK, but don't push to the point of getting a late term sack, which often is the most physical type coming from an unexpected angle.
Yep, he's making some poor decisions. He's gun shy too - not like in 2010. Given how some of his passes look, I think he's gun shy because, for whatever reason, his accuracy is off and he knows it. Lack of confidence in receivers and his arm both gives you the outcome you're seeing. Not sure about lack of confidence in running, but agree that he need to take what they're giving him - a 1 yard run and slide is better than a sack.
"Never, never ever support a punk like mraynrand. Rather be as I am and feel real sympathy for his sickness." - Woodbuck
The accuracy thing is perplexing. His scrambles seem less controlled than in the past. While he has always made unconventional, off balance and awkward throws with accuracy, I was accustomed to see him scramble out of trouble, then "drift" when he threw. Now he extends plays in a herky-jerky fashions, and seems totally unprepared to throw much of the time. BUT, even when he is ready to throw, and throws on his initial drop back, his usually accuracy is not always there.
His movement in the pocket looks more like 2009 than anytime since. Its not always purposeful. Normally, he is maneuvering to find space to throw OR occasionally buy time. Now its almost always to buy time which doesn't always work out. I think the five man rushes have hurt his running (shoulder injury doesn't help either).
He has always held the ball too long and taken sacks when a throw might have been more advised, that isn't new. I do think the pass pro has ticked up from the back to back to back debacles where he was getting hit 20 times a game. Though the recent opponents weren't the Broncos or Panthers. I don't think his approach has changed this year. It might NEED to, but of all the fixes, I find this one least likely because he has never played that way in a sustained manner. We have seen game plans call for shorter stuff, but not sustained over multiple games.
This offense really misses big plays and has not found a way to manufacture them at previous rates. Nelson could take some of those QB scrambles and head deep. That would open up a lot of room.
I think the injury/inaccuracy/bad footwork makes him trust his receivers less, partially because he is less trustworthy. But something has to close the loop. It might be most simple to decide on what Adams can do and run that to death until opponents react. However even that is dangerous, as he is big enough that a slant shouldn't have been a problem.
Bud Adams told me the franchise he admired the most was the Kansas City Chiefs. Then he asked for more hookers and blow.
"This offense really misses big plays and has not found a way to manufacture them at previous rates"
That is on the coaching staff. I didn't expect them to "replace" Jordy, but they had plenty of time to come up with something. At this point they have come up with absolutely NOTHING. Too bad stubby hates running the ball. I really think they could set a lot up off the run if he would stick with it.
I think their belief (going back to last year) was that relying on long plays was not sustainable. I think the no huddle is an effort to get a short game up to the level of the Pats or Manning (prior to this year).
Its logical to a degree. But this is year #2 that it has failed to deliver.
Bud Adams told me the franchise he admired the most was the Kansas City Chiefs. Then he asked for more hookers and blow.
But stubby thinks it should work, so they will keep running it and failing.
One thing about the end of the Bears game...I don't usually complain about play calling. However, the Packers had the ball at the Bears 19 with 1:47 on the clock and never ran the ball again. Packers had had a reasonable pass/rush ratio up until that point. I was a little disappointed that they abandoned the run at that point.
It seems like in high stress situations, stubby always falls back on the pass. Whether it's working or not.
I agree Rut! The Denver and Carolina games became lost causes for running the ball. The Detroit and Chicago games were never really out of striking distance, and the Packers should have kept trying to run the ball in order to somehow improve the passing game. Again, it's one thing to be way behind and the opponent knows you can't realistically run to get back in the game, but if it's a close game and you go pass heavy too quickly, that is limiting your options.
"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." -Daniel Patrick Moynihan
I wondered about that, too. It was clear the passing game was not working, and there was time for at least one run. I also wondered why, down at the eight, they didn't roll Rodgers out and give him the option to run. The passing game just sucked. Or try that shovel pass to Lacy in the middle of the line. I know the clock was a factor, and maybe that was it.
But in the end, they had four shots, and twice Packer receivers could not hang on to what would have been the game-winning TD. That's not play calling. That's execution.
"The Devine era is actually worse than you remember if you go back and look at it."
KYPack
Let's break it down:
www.scout.com/embed/video/1617927
Plug that in and I think you will get a full window view of Scout.com's video of Packer WR drills. Some takeaways:
1. Abbredaris is simply a cut above in his cuts, and getting out of them quickly.
2. Adams rounds them both off, making it easier to get around him (over the top or cut underneath). In fact, not sure you can call that a cut.
3. Janis is mediocre (but he does shorten and drop his weight), but he drops both balls, one of which was behind him. He is not fast out of those cuts though.
4. Jones is just slow and rounds the route.
5. Cobb is Schroedinger's WR. His first cut is awful. The second one is much better. Wonder if he has a beat up leg that is affecting going to his right.
6. Ed Williams (19) isn't bad but he doesn't shorten his stride very much. On a wet field, he is going to slip.
Bud Adams told me the franchise he admired the most was the Kansas City Chiefs. Then he asked for more hookers and blow.
those round-offs just look lazy. Same with Janis catching. You play how you practice!
"Never, never ever support a punk like mraynrand. Rather be as I am and feel real sympathy for his sickness." - Woodbuck
You and I could do better. Think you could get us a tryout? (I make good cuts but my 40 time is 11 minutes, 4 seconds.)
One time Lombardi was disgusted with the team in practice and told them they were going to have to start with the basics. He held up a ball and said: "This is a football." McGee immediately called out, "Stop, coach, you're going too fast," and that gave everyone a laugh.
John Maxymuk, Packers By The Numbers
The lose of Nelson doesn't turn a promising receiving core into shit. There is no way that Cobb has turned to shit in less than a year because he doesn't play next to Nelson. Adams doesn't seem to have progressed the way he has needed to from year one to year two. I think having to deal with single coverage all last year and being the third option.
Jones has never been one to get separation, he uses his body well to shield defenders. His talents or lack of talents shouldn't be a surprise.
The big question is the play of Aaron Rodgers. He has always been heralded for making the players around him better. If that is the case, what the hell is happening this year?
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