Mike Vandermause article about this disaster

[Pugger]

http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/comments/article/20120115/PKR07/120115044/Green-Bay-Packers-season-ends-with-rude-surprise

[Tarlam!]

Nothing new to see here, Pugger, but thanks for posting.

[mraynrand]

Packers have lost 4 of their last 5 home playoff games

[woodbuck27]

http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/comments/article/20120115/PKR07/120115044/Green-Bay-Packers-season-ends-with-rude-surprise

and 'Rants and Raves' based on what we saw and shaked our heads at:

http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120115/PKR01/120115048/Rants-Rants-McCarthy-s-needless-gambles-give-Giants-short-field?odyssey=obinsite

GO PACK GO !

[pbmax]

Its hard to read or post when I am having an internal argument about this team. Vandermause says 1 seeds aren't supposed to be one and done in the playoffs but that has now happened four times in recent memory. Its no excuse but I would love to know the common features.

[Joemailman]

Packers have lost 4 of their last 5 home playoff games

After beating their playoff opponent in the regular season:

2002: Lost to Atlanta 27-7 after beating them 37-34
2004: Lost to Minnesota 31-17 after beating them 34-31 twice.
2007: Lost to New York Giants 23-20 after beating them 35-13.
2011: Lost to New York Giants 37-20 after beating them 38-35.

[mraynrand]

Its hard to read or post when I am having an internal argument about this team. Vandermause says 1 seeds aren't supposed to be one and done in the playoffs but that has now happened four times in recent memory. Its no excuse but I would love to know the common features.

Overconfidence has to be a factor. Then, distractions. Like making State Farm commercials.

[Joemailman]

Overconfidence has to be a factor. Then, distractions. Like making State Farm commercials.

Do we know when those commercials were filmed though? I think the Philbin situation was probably a bigger distraction, although understandably no one on the team will admit to that.

[pbmax]

The last two were filmed in the bye week on their day off.

But Rand might be on to something, Super Bowl champions haven't been getting back to the game since '04 either.

[Fosco33]

Surprised I haven't seen this yet...

GB is the ONLY home team to lose in the 2012 Playoffs so far.

Wildcard - Giants, Saints, Broncos, Texans
Division - Niners, Pats, Ravens

Yuck

[Patler]

Parity means that the team that gets hot and is playing their best at the end of the year has the better chance of playoff success. The difference in talent between the teams is not that great. It comes down to performance. Last year the Packers got on a roll at the end of the season and carried that momentum through the playoffs. This year the Packers were smoking hot early, settled back some and sort of cruised their way into the playoffs. Yesterday they couldn't accelerate to the performance level of the Giants.

That said, the defense was what the defense has been. Special teams were what special teams have been. The offense was out of sync and lacked emotion. I do not think it is a coincidences that it is the players on offense that were probably the closest to Philbin and as a group felt the emotions of last week harder than others may have. With TJ Lang losing his father just a week earlier, as a group the offense had too very emotional weeks during which football was of lesser importance to them than were the real issues of life.

[Joemailman]

The last two were filmed in the bye week on their day off.

But Rand might be on to something, Super Bowl champions haven't been getting back to the game since '04 either.

This is the 6th year in a row that that the Super Bowl champion failed to win a playoff game the following year. The 2005 and 2008 Steelers failed to make the playoffs the following year. The rest lost their opening playoff game.

[pbmax]

Parity means that the team that gets hot and is playing their best at the end of the year has the better chance of playoff success. The difference in talent between the teams is not that great. It comes down to performance. Last year the Packers got on a roll at the end of the season and carried that momentum through the playoffs. This year the Packers were smoking hot early, settled back some and sort of cruised their way into the playoffs. Yesterday they couldn't accelerate to the performance level of the Giants.

That said, the defense was what the defense has been. Special teams were what special teams have been. The offense was out of sync and lacked emotion. I do not think it is a coincidences that it is the players on offense that were probably the closest to Philbin and as a group felt the emotions of last week harder than others may have. With TJ Lang losing his father just a week earlier, as a group the offense had too very emotional weeks during which football was of lesser importance to them than were the real issues of life.

I thought the run defense stiffened considerably even in the nickel-2 lineman formation and Raji had one of his best games.

On offense, all quite possibly true, but I think they also suffered from musical chairs. Clifton had his struggles and that did not help Lang on stunts. Starks got bull dozed in his first live action in a while on a blitz. Jennings and Rodgers seemed a step off all game. That plus two fumbles is catastrophic for this offense.

[sharpe1027]

I thought the run defense stiffened considerably even in the nickel-2 lineman formation and Raji had one of his best games.

On offense, all quite possibly true, but I think they also suffered from musical chairs. Clifton had his struggles and that did not help Lang on stunts. Starks got bull dozed in his first live action in a while on a blitz. Jennings and Rodgers seemed a step off all game. That plus two fumbles is catastrophic for this offense.

Special teams were pretty damn good. Not only did they not give up any big returns, they blocked a field goal attempt. Nothing special on the return game, but solid nonetheless.

The defense couldn't get off the field, which allowed a lot of clock to be chewed up, but it didn't give up points and created chances for the offense.

The offense was offensive. The announcer's were gushing about the Giant's defense, but I saw nothing other than the Packer's beating themselves. The Giants hardly stopped the Packer's all day. The Packer's did a good enough job of that.

[Pugger]

Yes, the only big play the Gmen had, until in the 4th quarter when they could pin their ears back, was knocking the ball out of Rodgers' hand. Had Aaron got the ball away Jennings was wide open for a TD.

[Patler]

Special teams were pretty damn good. Not only did they not give up any big returns, they blocked a field goal attempt. Nothing special on the return game, but solid nonetheless.

As they have been for most of the year.



The defense couldn't get off the field, which allowed a lot of clock to be chewed up, but it didn't give up points and created chances for the offense.

Again, pretty much what has happened all year.



The offense was offensive. The announcer's were gushing about the Giant's defense, but I saw nothing other than the Packer's beating themselves. The Giants hardly stopped the Packer's all day. The Packer's did a good enough job of that.

The primary difference yesterday was the offense.

[Harlan Huckleby]

The offense was out of sync and lacked emotion. I do not think it is a coincidences that it is the players on offense that were probably the closest to Philbin

The offensive line played well and with emotion. The defense played to their usual level. I'm not buying the flat game reasoning. The reeceivers dropped a bunch of balls and killed momentum. Giants played like world beaters. Those are two big factors.

[KYPack]

Our exit from the play-offs keeps a string going.

This will be the 8th straight season that the team with the league's best regular season record does NOT win the SB.

Last team to do it was the 2003 Pats.

[Patler]

The offensive line played well and with emotion. The defense played to their usual level. I'm not buying the flat game reasoning. The reeceivers dropped a bunch of balls and killed momentum. Giants played like world beaters. Those are two big factors.

Don't forget the fumbles. Three fumbles and perhaps as many as 6 dropped passes (not my number, I read that in an article). Fumbles and dropped passes are a lack of attention to detail, a lack of focus; things that can happen at the tail end of two emotional weeks on a personal level, which is more what I was getting at in my paragraph than the little snippet you quoted and focused on.

[mraynrand]

The primary difference yesterday was the offense.

And even then, it wasn't much. You could look at collection of little errors - maybe four - that, if erased, could have meant 20+ points. It's amazing how games hinge on these things, but they do.

[sharpe1027]

The Packers lost the game from a bunch of bad plays, few of the bad plays were caused by anything special by the Giants. The Giants played a cleaner game, plain and simple.

Was it lack of focus or just dumb luck that they all happened at the same time? There is no way to ever be certain. Sometimes shit happens.

[Tarlam!]

It's amazing how games hinge on these things, but they do.

ESPN here is replaying the game. I just watched the hail Mary TD again. That really deflated the Packers. IMHO, that is the dagger play of the game.

[PA Pack Fan]

ESPN here is replaying the game. I just watched the hail Mary TD again. That really deflated the Packers. IMHO, that is the dagger play of the game.

Nah, we were in it till the Grant fumble, 4th quarter.

[Joemailman]

ESPN here is replaying the game. I just watched the hail Mary TD again. That really deflated the Packers. IMHO, that is the dagger play of the game.

With that play my thoughts went from "We've played like crap, but we're only down 3 and get the ball first in the 2nd half" to "This doesn't look like our day". I suspect a lot of players felt the same way.

PA is right though. Grant's fumble was the dagger.

[red]

i've ben saying this for a few years now. we are not built to be a cold weather team. our style attack is better suited for a dome or in nice warm weather

home field advantage is a liability to this team the way we are built and led right now. we live and die by the long ball, we saw yesterday what happens when the long ball goes to shit

maybe its time to put a roof over the old stadium

[Joemailman]

i've ben saying this for a few years now. we are not built to be a cold weather team. our style attack is better suited for a dome or in nice warm weather

home field advantage is a liability to this team the way we are built and led right now. we live and die by the long ball, we saw yesterday what happens when the long ball goes to shit

maybe its time to put a roof over the old stadium

Why didn't it bother the Giants? Giants beat the Packers with 2 long pass plays.

[red]

Why didn't it bother the Giants? Giants beat the Packers with 2 long pass plays.

giants don't live and die with the pass. they have a coach that knows the running game is important and they have a solid defense. something we all should know by know helps in the shitty cold weather. their players where use to the cold, they knew they had to wrap up the ball and concentrate a little harder on catches.

our guys probably spent the last two weeks in the hutson center with the heat on

[Freak Out]

Overconfidence has to be a factor. Then, distractions. Like making State Farm commercials.

:) Greed got the better of them. Greed and dreams of a career in Hollywood.

[sharpe1027]

Red, I have to disagree. The Giants all but gave up running and were ineffective when they did. Their run game sucked royally. They relied heavily on the passing game.

I also don't buy that cold weather was what killed our offense. It wasn't even all that cold. What happened earlier in the year when they dropped plenty of passes? This wasn't something that just happened in this one "somewhat" cold game, it was a season-long issue that finally caught up with them.

[Joemailman]

giants don't live and die with the pass. they have a coach that knows the running game is important and they have a solid defense. something we all should know by know helps in the shitty cold weather. their players where use to the cold, they knew they had to wrap up the ball and concentrate a little harder on catches.

our guys probably spent the last two weeks in the hutson center with the heat on

Actually, the Packers worked all week to duplicate the weather conditions in practice that they would face in the game. Again, it wasn't any colder yesterday than it was on New Year's Day when the Packers caught everything thrown near them. The Giants ran the ball more than the Packers because they had the lead all day. You may be right that the Giants had a better defense, but what the hell does that have to do with the weather? Stop making excuses. The Packers loss had nothing to do with the weather.

[Bossman641]

giants don't live and die with the pass. they have a coach that knows the running game is important and they have a solid defense. something we all should know by know helps in the shitty cold weather. their players where use to the cold, they knew they had to wrap up the ball and concentrate a little harder on catches.

our guys probably spent the last two weeks in the hutson center with the heat on

I couldn't disagree any more strongly. Unless the temperature or wind are ridiculously bad, the whole cold weather thing is a myth that fans of old school football like to cling to.

Cold didn't effect the Packers or Lions in week 17, and it didn't make the Packers lose yesterday.

The Giants had 27 rushes for 95 yards, with 41 of those coming on the last drive of the game when it was all but over. On top of that, the ferocious Giants pass rush that we heard about all week never materialized.

Packers lost cause of unforced errors.

BTW, they practiced in the Hutson center with the temp set at 25 or something around there.

[denverYooper]

Again, pretty much what has happened all year.


Packers had a nearly 1 minute edge in TOP yesterday. The D had a particularly good stretch in the 3rd quarter trying to keep the Packers in the game.

[mraynrand]

I felt the dagger was the blown 3rd down to Finley. Everything cascaded to hell from there. Blown fourth, defense sags, even though it had played well during the third quarter. They needed something from the offense and when they didn't get it, they were deflated. Perhaps it was the intangible confidence that gets obliterated when your QB - for whatever reason - misses a wide open receiver, and then gets totally stuffed on fourth down. Total deflation.

[pbmax]

The blocked FG by Jones stunned me and I have not yet seen the replay outside of the game. But a block from the edge is rare and I would love to know if they drew something up or he just got there. Played normally, the edge guy can't get there in time unless there is a bobble and a reset.

[pbmax]

It wasn't just a bad set of plays, though they may have been the difference through 3 Quarters, but the Packers Offense really had trouble with the Giant D except for the first drive.

Rodgers never looked comfortable in the pocket and the receivers weren't getting open deep. If the TE and RBs can't hold on to the ball, there aren't many options left. Romeo Crennel might not have a blueprint, but that man coverage outside worked wonders with the Giant DBs. Most of their trouble was the large amount of zone they played. Whatshisname was manned up with Jennings on the deep ball and it took a remarkable throw and a nearly remarkable catch to make that play close. He was as covered as you can get.

I suspect that they were throwing a lot of looks at them for just such a purpose and kept going back to zone so the Packers couldn't get a bead on the man coverage and defeat it. Except for a blown coverage, there wasn't much to find deep.

[mmmdk]

The blocked FG by Jones stunned me and I have not yet seen the replay outside of the game. But a block from the edge is rare and I would love to know if they drew something up or he just got there. Played normally, the edge guy can't get there in time unless there is a bobble and a reset.

Me too but there was a stat later in the game that showed Tynes has had 40 FGs blocked in his career. I'd say that's a lot!? Still a good play by Jones.

[pbmax]

Don't forget the fumbles. Three fumbles and perhaps as many as 6 dropped passes (not my number, I read that in an article). Fumbles and dropped passes are a lack of attention to detail, a lack of focus; things that can happen at the tail end of two emotional weeks on a personal level, which is more what I was getting at in my paragraph than the little snippet you quoted and focused on.

I don't know about focusing solely on focus. Grant and Jennings had the ball punched out when both were bracing for a fall. I also suspect Jennings was not in normal Game Day shape as he had been inactive for quite a while. Finley, who knows; I suspected earlier he was still recovering football shape from an offseason of nothing but it continued right through the end of the season. It seems it should have resolved itself before that.

The drops I can see. On the sideline drop, it looked like Finley did not know which foot to plant on to accelerate and elevate to the ball. He and Rodgers are not only on different pages, they are reading different chapters.

[MadtownPacker]

I feel like I had something put in my drink yesterday and woke up today recalling flashes of all the messed up shit that happened. Thats has bizarro world it seemed.

[MJZiggy]

giants don't live and die with the pass. they have a coach that knows the running game is important and they have a solid defense. something we all should know by know helps in the shitty cold weather. their players where use to the cold, they knew they had to wrap up the ball and concentrate a little harder on catches.

our guys probably spent the last two weeks in the hutson center with the heat on

Actually, they spent the last two weeks in the Hutson Center with the A/C on. They set a new record for cold in there.

[King Friday]

The blocked FG by Jones stunned me and I have not yet seen the replay outside of the game. But a block from the edge is rare and I would love to know if they drew something up or he just got there. Played normally, the edge guy can't get there in time unless there is a bobble and a reset.

Jones wasn't at the very edge. He was second in from the edge I believe, and the Giants didn't put up much effort to block him for some reason. He just BARELY got there.

[MJZiggy]

Barely is all it takes.

[Pugger]

ESPN here is replaying the game. I just watched the hail Mary TD again. That really deflated the Packers. IMHO, that is the dagger play of the game.

At the beginning of the 3rd we were moving the ball but when we turned it over I had the feeling of foreboding and knew deep down it wasn't gonna be our day. :-(

[Pugger]

i've ben saying this for a few years now. we are not built to be a cold weather team. our style attack is better suited for a dome or in nice warm weather

home field advantage is a liability to this team the way we are built and led right now. we live and die by the long ball, we saw yesterday what happens when the long ball goes to shit

maybe its time to put a roof over the old stadium


Why didn't it bother the Giants? Giants beat the Packers with 2 long pass plays.

Nonsense. It didn't bother us on New Years Day against the loins. It wasn't the weather. It was fumblitis and the drops that did us in.