Winners and Losers - Championship Edition

[MJZiggy]

By Deputy Nutz

Well I simply don’t know about the rest of the Titletown faithful, but this household is going to need to find some way of repairing...READ THE REST (http://packerrats.com)

[Bretsky]

Agree on everything but the OL being winners.

I thought they were dominated at the line of scrimmage against the run. From being at the game the main difference I saw was the Giants were pushing our DL two yards back while the Packers OL was getting absolutely no push whatsoever in the running game. Grant had no chance and MM then decided to give up on the run.

I don't understand some of MM's strategies; he was often keeping the Tight Ends in to block again on passing downs. On one play I counted two WR's out in pass patterns and five guys were covering them. Evenybody else was held back to pass block. That absolutely sickened me. I didn't think they had the depth to cover our five WR package. The rotations were also confusing. On a key third and 10 play when Ruvell Martin dropped the key pass both Jennings and Driver were on the sideline.

You could certainly put MM and our puzzled Defensive Coordinator on the losers list as well. But if we got nitpicky I think we could add most of the team there.

Bottom line is GB got their asses handed to them and today they were soft on both sides of the ball.

Poppinga also seemed to play a decent game.

[The Leaper]

I don't understand some of MM's strategies; he was often keeping the Tight Ends in to block again on passing downs. On one play I counted two WR's out in pass patterns and five guys were covering them. Evenybody else was held back to pass block. That absolutely sickened me. I didn't think they had the depth to cover our five WR package. The rotations were also confusing. On a key third and 10 play when Ruvell Martin dropped the key pass both Jennings and Driver were on the sideline.

Yep. It was 2005/2006 all over again.

You will NEVER win in the NFL by sending 2 guys out for a pass if you can't run the ball. Never.

[Deputy Nutz]

Running the ball was a significant part of the Packers offense in the last half of the season and the coaching staff just shit canned it. In the second half I saw a lot more opportunities there to run the ball, but nothing.

[The Leaper]

Running the ball was a significant part of the Packers offense in the last half of the season and the coaching staff just shit canned it. In the second half I saw a lot more opportunities there to run the ball, but nothing.

I was shocked they did not try to spread out the Giants with 4 WRs and run the ball. When they did run, they usually did so out of a power set...and there were too many bodies. The Giants also were disciplined and maintained their lanes to prevent cutbacks.

[Deputy Nutz]

Running the ball was a significant part of the Packers offense in the last half of the season and the coaching staff just shit canned it. In the second half I saw a lot more opportunities there to run the ball, but nothing.

I was shocked they did not try to spread out the Giants with 4 WRs and run the ball. When they did run, they usually did so out of a power set...and there were too many bodies. The Giants also were disciplined and maintained their lanes to prevent cutbacks.

Lack of patience all the way around, what does that tell ya?

[Maxie the Taxi]

Nutz's article is right on. Bretsky's observations are right on as well.

I think MM bought into the reputation of the Giants pass rush. Witness the first couple of roll-out plays, the flare passes to Robinson, the screen plays that went no where all night long, the two fullbacks and TE's kept in to block... I think he was gambling that with protection and time, the WR's could beat the NY secondary and Farve could hit them. Problem was the WR's were double and triple covered and the weather kept Farve from his game. The result: bad loss.

The thing I don't understand is that there didn't seem to be any adjustments throughout the game. Just kept beating away at the same game plan with no success.

At half-time MM was quoted as saying that the offense left many opportunities to score on the field. I suppose with that MM figured let's stay with the game plan and the opportunities will be converted. Problem is the opportunities just got less and less as the weather took its toll.

On defense, MM was quoted as saying he was going to stop the run and make Manning beat them. Problem is, Manning did!

I still say pressure is the key to any NFL defense. A pro QB with time will kill you, especially if Harris is playing man all night and consistently getting beat by Burris. All Manning did was wait for Burris to lose Harris.

On the other hand, Farve had all kinds of time, but MM's game plan took all but a couple of receivers out of picture. Giants double-teamed and Farve had no one to throw to. I would have done exactly the opposite: flooded the secondary with receivers and bet Farve could find an open man quickly. That's New England's game.

All in all a sad game. MM's game plan was reactive, not proactive. It didn't put the players in a position to be successful. When you don't dance with what got you there, you lose. Simple as that.

[Deputy Nutz]

The Packers also never even put Manning on his back on consecutive plays. He literally had no pass rush to worry about and the fastest way especially Manning to rattle a QB is to hit him consistantly. It didn't happen. Kampman was missing in action, Jenkins was terrible, nothing from the middle.

Blitzes didn't work because they could block our front four with one on one blocks so there were always enough blockers for the blitz.

[Maxie the Taxi]

The Packers also never even put Manning on his back on consecutive plays. He literally had no pass rush to worry about and the fastest way especially Manning to rattle a QB is to hit him consistantly. It didn't happen. Kampman was missing in action, Jenkins was terrible, nothing from the middle.

Blitzes didn't work because they could block our front four with one on one blocks so there were always enough blockers for the blitz.

One time I'd like to see our defense bring just about everyone on a blitz. They don't have that many blockers :)

I like the way Pittsburgh, Jacksonville and NY play defense. They may not get the QB everytime but they pressure every time. (Maybe NY doesn't count cause they got all-pro d-line.)

[BallHawk]

As many have said, the front four couldn't get enough pressure.

Cullen Jenkins has been a huge disappointment this season.

[Bossman641]

Terrible game all around. How does Grant only get 6 carries in the second half? They didn't even try to keep the defense honest. The defense was on the field the entire game, they didn't help themselves out any by failing to stop the Giants on 3rd down but the offense left them out to dry. Take away DD's 90 yard pass and there was absolutely no offense. 1-10 on 3rd downs. 22 minutes of possession. 1 catch for Jennings. There was nothing. No short passing game at all, everything was either a RB screen, WR screen, or throw 15+ yards downfield. Where was the short passing game? Curls, slants, outs, ins. It's like they weren't trying to get into manageable down and distances at all. The only time we saw passes under 10 yards was on 3rd and long when the Giants would give up the short stuff.

1st down - incomplete pass
2nd down - incomplete pass or short run
3rd and long - short pass

What was with all the wide receiver screens? The Giants weren't even getting that much pressure, Favre had a nice pocket to step into nearly every pass. I feel sick.

No pass rush at all. Kampman looked dead out there. Jenkins has been MIA all year.

Does the Harris-Plaxico matchup remind anyone of the Harris-TO matchup from earlier this year? It's like he gets himself tooo into the game. It was Dallas all over again. He gets caught up in these fights, talking shit play after play, getting into scuffles after every down.

What a terrible way to end a great season.

[Deputy Nutz]

One other point, where the hell was Greg Jennings last night? Where was James Jones? Talk about disappearing in crunch time.

[Partial]

I think I remember seeing Jones drop a pass. Ruvell dropped a key pass as well. Jennings only had like 3 balls come his way if I remember correctly. They certainly did not exploit the ailing Giants secondary, that is for sure!

[MJZiggy]

I kinda remember Jones having 2 drops and Ruvell had a big one. How many drops did Jennings have?

[BallHawk]

I kinda remember Jones having 2 drops and Ruvell had a big one. How many drops did Jennings have?

There was one late in the game, but it wasn't a great past and Jennings almost managed to one-hand it. Actually, I wouldn't call it a drop.

The WRa came to play, but the coaches sure as hell didn't.

[Patler]

I kinda remember Jones having 2 drops and Ruvell had a big one. How many drops did Jennings have?

There was one late in the game, but it wasn't a great past and Jennings almost managed to one-hand it. Actually, I wouldn't call it a drop.

The WRa came to play, but the coaches sure as hell didn't.

Jennings almost made two beautiful plays. The circus catch mentioned above that he didn't haul in, and on the one reception he had he juked the defender and almost slipped by for a long, long gain, but he slipped to the turf.

Unfortunately, "almost" plays get you nothing.

[Partial]

I kinda remember Jones having 2 drops and Ruvell had a big one. How many drops did Jennings have?

There was one late in the game, but it wasn't a great past and Jennings almost managed to one-hand it. Actually, I wouldn't call it a drop.

The WRa came to play, but the coaches sure as hell didn't.

Jennings almost made two beautiful plays. The circus catch mentioned above that he didn't haul in, and on the one reception he had he juked the defender and almost slipped by for a long, long gain, but he slipped to the turf.

Unfortunately, "almost" plays get you nothing.

He should put some longer cleats in.

[woodbuck27]

I just posted a long reasonse and lost the DAM thing but basically I agree with Nutz and B.

I lay a lot of the blame on how our HC and coach's handled the entire week needed to prepare for this game that was 'ONLY' ours to lose. The players had to be shielded fr. the media and not led to any distraction.This was just the NFC Championship game and the BIG one was the prize.

This one really shook me.

Practise indoors??? Give me a break. S.T.U.P.I.D!!

The OL was great in pass protection or well OK as often Favre was on his ass, but they looked terrible in support of the run. NO DAM HOLES. We need to draft 'a mouse' at Running Back. :)

Did any of you observe Logan Mankins working for the Pats OL yesterday. Impressed?? How good would that fellow look in the Green and Gold? If we had a man like that on out OL then Ryan Grant finds a hole and shoots it BIG. He had Dick all for daylight yesterday. Nothing to NOT MUCH!!

We still need to fix the OL. It has to dominate in the Big Games.

The DL.

Not very impressive. The best players on trhe DL and LBer crew were C. Williams on the DL, and of all people, Brady Poppinga at SAM. Popp was in the game like few on our side. Did anyone tell them to get a good sleep the night before the game or was it the 5:30 P M Central time zone start. Bio-rhythms!??

Nick Collins.

When will the experiment of the obscure to domination experiment mercifully come to it's reality? He's invisable packer fans. A nowhere man fr. a Secondary College that won't ever get to where TT had to hope he would when he invested a second round pick on him.

Still Ahhhhh ??

I did feel that N. Collins was a victim of an over zealous whistle blower on that call of roughing the QB on his solid blitz. The whistle sounded before the DAM ball barely crossed the LOS.

Meanwhile! Brett Favre is on his ass way too much and not one sign that he was roughed.

Our best player (certainly one of about 4-5 yesterday) will, by all indication to date, be leaving Green Bay. really nice. I'm referring to DT Cory Williams. Nice of TT to notice him so far this season. I hope he had his eyes open yesterday.

Of course we wern,t supposed to win anyway.

Mike McCarthy outcoached by of all people Tom Coughlan. Please. Give me a break.We're we throwing that game? Someone might have informed the 70 plus thousand of Packer fans at Lambeau and the millions watching fr. around the world.

Brett Favre and Mike McCarthy both looked looked like they got the word fr. head office to lay over like wet fish. Mike Mccarthy looked too numb and well Favre wasn't really there was he?

Ohhh Joe (or whatever that Dinks name is) Buck and Troy Aitkin. Can we get a few bucks up here on a contract to take these two idiots down? Anybody else but me get the distinct impression that the only team on the field was the NY Giants? Jaysus that act nearly made me puke and i seldom get pissed off at anything as I'm usually way too cool.

Those two are idiots.

Packers Forever.

[MJZiggy]

Funny, I thought our best player in that game was Donald Driver. He laid himself wide open across the middle in that game several times to try and get things done.

[Patler]

Funny, I thought our best player in that game was Donald Driver. He laid himself wide open across the middle in that game several times to try and get things done.

Mason Crosby played well.

2/2
decent kickoffs
a tackle.

:)

[MJZiggy]

I do love having a tough kicker...

[Bretsky]

Funny, I thought our best player in that game was Donald Driver. He laid himself wide open across the middle in that game several times to try and get things done.

Mason Crosby played well.

2/2
decent kickoffs
a tackle.

:)


Driver (I forgot him before and sometimes take him for granted)
Poppinga
Bigby
Crosby played well


Our coaches had their asses handed to them just as bad as our OL and DL's did

[Freak Out]

Driver was laying it on the line. That guy has a BIG heart.

No blocked punts! Woo hoo!

[esoxx]

M3 definitely deserves to be on the loser's list. That was classic Mike Sherman playoff coaching last night. Give up on the run early and put it all on the pass, in Artic conditions no less. The Giants were pounded on by Barber the week before and the Packers needed a strong dose of running the ball against them to wear them out. The latter half of the game would have been a different outcome. A WR screen on 3rd and three at the 17 was a hellva call too.

Another loser was Jarrett Bush. Jump on the damn ball. The game was in his hands and he wants to pick it up and run.

Also, the kickoff coverage unit was a loser. Two returns to mid-field in the 2nd half really helped the Giants out. This unit had been very good all year and pick the Championship game to lay an egg.

[Bretsky]

M3 definitely deserves to be on the loser's list. That was classic Mike Sherman playoff coaching last night. Give up on the run early and put it all on the pass, in Artic conditions no less. The Giants were pounded on by Barber the week before and the Packers needed a strong dose of running the ball against them to wear them out. The latter half of the game would have been a different outcome. A WR screen on 3rd and three at the 17 was a hellva call too.

Another loser was Jarrett Bush. Jump on the damn ball. The game was in his hands and he wants to pick it up and run.

Also, the kickoff coverage unit was a loser. Two returns to mid-field in the 2nd half really helped the Giants out. This unit had been very good all year and pick the Championship game to lay an egg.

The fact that MM abandoned the running game and also kept a TE and RB in for pass coverage on several plays should be an indicator of what we need to improve on next year. I swear Justin Tuck thought Colledge was about as tough as his high school girlfriend when he was dominating him all day long.

[b bulldog]

I liked Tuck coming out of ND and he abused our interior line. He is a player.

[BooHoo]

M3 definitely deserves to be on the loser's list. That was classic Mike Sherman playoff coaching last night. Give up on the run early and put it all on the pass, in Artic conditions no less. The Giants were pounded on by Barber the week before and the Packers needed a strong dose of running the ball against them to wear them out. The latter half of the game would have been a different outcome. A WR screen on 3rd and three at the 17 was a hellva call too.

Another loser was Jarrett Bush. Jump on the damn ball. The game was in his hands and he wants to pick it up and run.

Also, the kickoff coverage unit was a loser. Two returns to mid-field in the 2nd half really helped the Giants out. This unit had been very good all year and pick the Championship game to lay an egg.

I agree, the kickoff coverage was not good. We let them get too many yards on kick offs which fed the giants offense.

[Deputy Nutz]

I liked Tuck coming out of ND and he abused our interior line. He is a player.

He did alright, he was rated as a low first and went in the middle of the second round to the Giants.

[b bulldog]

Tuck is a beats on the interior, he can run and has power. I'm sure playing on the DL with 2 great DE's helps a bit.

[Bretsky]

Speaking of DE's, Kampman's pass rush was invisible and Jenkins........hell...........where the heck was Jenkins ?

I sure hope he was hurt and comes back next year strong; this year he looks like one overpaid player. And I'd note I was fine with the deal TT gave him. But Cullen, ya gotta frickin show up for work :!:

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Speaking of DE's, Kampman's pass rush was invisible and Jenkins........hell...........where the heck was Jenkins ?

I sure hope he was hurt and comes back next year strong; this year he looks like one overpaid player. And I'd note I was fine with the deal TT gave him. But Cullen, ya gotta frickin show up for work :!:

We need another DE, Jenkins provides no pass rush what so ever. We need a more complete defensive end. It sucks when he's on the field for 1st and 2nd down and then the other team passes and you know that side of the line will not have a pass rush.

[Partial]

Jenkins does have Pass Rush skills, they just did not show often this year. In TC, he looked unblockable. Anyone who consistently beat "The Big Lamborghini" and "The Eraser" has some skill.

I hope like crazy he was just hurt and not taking it easy now that he is financially secure.

[Bossman641]

I'm guessing we'll hear in the next couple of weeks that Jenkins was banged up all year. He suffered a bunch of injuries early in the year that seemed to bother him throughout the season. I hope so at least.

He looked terrible, nothing like the player from late last year or this preseason. He just had no burst at all.

[The Leaper]

The Giants were pounded on by Barber the week before and the Packers needed a strong dose of running the ball against them to wear them out.

We don't have the 1700 pound OL that Dallas has.

[woodbuck27]

Funny, I thought our best player in that game was Donald Driver. He laid himself wide open across the middle in that game several times to try and get things done.

Yup DD was as usual reliable to outstanding.

The play he made after just Xing the LOS to get wide open for that 90 yard TD was just as good as it gets for a WR (in the strength Dept.) His effort of concentration and stamina after the catch also top scale. We're so fortunate top have this special man and talent on our side.

I also was very impressed with DT Cory Williams.

I'll be pissed if TT lets him out of Green Bay. If the $ isn't over the top TT needs to sign him. He also needs to get right on the negotiations ASAP and not make the player wait as he often has a habit of doing.

This is a man at an important position for us especially given the criticism he got in the dradft with our number 1 pick. TT needs to demonstrate some respect not always playing the (Jeee am I ever cool game - when he's hardly that).

I'm willing to clean the slate with my criticisms of TT when I see something different fr. him or some growth in his way and manner of being our GM. Till then I'll be all over him like molasses on hot homemade bread.

Some of us at Packerrats have to be there or take the opposing view (at cause only). Never to just raise HELL.

[woodbuck27]

I liked Tuck coming out of ND and he abused our interior line. He is a player.

Man I was pullin for us to grab DE J. Tuck as well b bulldog. I hated that DAM draft as TT didn't do very well. It will all fall on how Aaron Rodgers performs for us. I felt we didn't need him given more pressing needs for now.

When TT selected AR he had an option for a BIG no a huge need sitting right there in the name of L.mankins and the pats (of course) get this talented (gifted) OLman.

Could he really help Ryan Grant find an opening if he was in our line-up?

Does a bear shit in the woods?