Who called it?

[Pugger]

Be honest here, gentlemen. How many here actually believed we were gonna win after you learned how many starters were not going to play?

[gbgary]

not me.
dal 2.0

[Zool]

Road game, best statistical offense in the NFL. I figured if they could injure Jones in the 1st half they had a chance. Damn near pulled it off.

[ThunderDan]

Be honest here, gentlemen. How many here actually believed we were gonna win after you learned how many starters were not going to play?

After the Dallas game I chalked this up as a loss.

I think we will be lucky to get to 10-6 for the season. We have Indy, Tenn, Wash, Hou, Chi and Det left that we have to win. Eagles, Viqueens, Seahags look like losses.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I was certain they would lose.
AFter the first quarter, I was certain they would win - in the bag.

They played with my emotions - unforgivable.

[Pugger]

After the Dallas game I chalked this up as a loss.

I think we will be lucky to get to 10-6 for the season. We have Indy, Tenn, Wash, Hou, Chi and Det left that we have to win. Eagles, Viqueens, Seahags look like losses.

I don't think the Seahags are the force they once were and we're getting them at home.

[Maxie the Taxi]

The suggestion seems to be that Green Bay was playing in Atlanta with house money. If this is so, it sort of begs the question: Why didn't Capers install a more aggressive defensive plan, one that entailed more risk but higher rewards? Especially in the second half? More blitzes? More stunts? More dime looks? Blitzes from the dime? Disguised coverages? All in an attempt to force mistakes and game-winning turnovers?

Maybe we still wouldn't have got to Ryan. Maybe he still would have thrown for 288 yds, 3 TD's and a 129.5 QB rating. Maybe he would have done even better. On the other hand, maybe we would have had a better chance to win.

[pbmax]

Super Bowl win this year baby.

Count on it.

Fire up the Bretsky Whammy next week.

Guaranteed or your More Banjo money back.

[hoosier]

I had a good feeling about Atl game. When everything starts going to &*^% Rodgers tends to rise to the occasion ("r-e-l-a-x"). I still thought they were going to pull it out when they got it back with 0:31 left.

[King Friday]

Why didn't Capers install a more aggressive defensive plan, one that entailed more risk but higher rewards?

Um...because we have ZERO capable CBs? It is a pretty damn stupid idea to blitz 7 and leave a bunch of practice squad caliber DBs on Julio Jones.

Despite all the injuries and such, the team still had a decent chance of pulling out a win yesterday. I don't think you can fault the coaches for their efforts this week. They coached up a depleted roster and gave the team a chance at victory for the most part.

[Maxie the Taxi]

It is a pretty damn stupid idea to blitz 7 and leave a bunch of practice squad caliber DBs on Julio Jones.Blitzing 7 would be a damn stupid idea. That's why I didn't suggest it.

Did you watch the game tonight? The Bears' secondary is about as beat up and inexperienced as ours. How did they compensate for that? They went all in on the pass rush. Bradford didn't have time to think, let alone pass. He was sacked 5 times and hurried 9 times. 228 yds passing. 1 TD. And QB rating of 88.6.

Yeah, I know, Ryan isn't Bradford. But that's not the point. The point is we'll never know if the Bears' strategy would have worked for the Packers because we never gave it a try. Instead, we let Ryan have all the time he needed to pick our secondary apart.

[texaspackerbacker]

Coulda woulda shoulda ..... I agree, a lot more blitzing would have been a good idea, and that's usually Capers' M.O. He is, however, just the D Coordinator. I suspect our hyper-cautious head coach insinuated his way of doing things and told Capers to tone it down.

I didn't think our young "practice squad level" Corners did all that bad, Gunter especially. If you do want to protect them, though, the way to do it ain't back off and play pseudo-prevent. It's maximize the pass rush.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Coulda woulda shoulda ..... I agree, a lot more blitzing would have been a good idea, and that's usually Capers' M.O. He is, however, just the D Coordinator. I suspect our hyper-cautious head coach insinuated his way of doing things and told Capers to tone it down.

I didn't think our young "practice squad level" Corners did all that bad, Gunter especially. If you do want to protect them, though, the way to do it ain't back off and play pseudo-prevent. It's maximize the pass rush.By the way, Tex, nice call on the Monday Night Vikes/Bears game! As painful as it is to say, Jay Cutler put on a clinic.

[Pugger]

Coulda woulda shoulda ..... I agree, a lot more blitzing would have been a good idea, and that's usually Capers' M.O. He is, however, just the D Coordinator. I suspect our hyper-cautious head coach insinuated his way of doing things and told Capers to tone it down.

I didn't think our young "practice squad level" Corners did all that bad, Gunter especially. If you do want to protect them, though, the way to do it ain't back off and play pseudo-prevent. It's maximize the pass rush.

I thought I read somewhere that MM lets Capers run his defense as he sees fit.

Capers was really in a pickle: blitz and expose his backup DBs as they try to keep up with Atlanta's WRs or do what he did and hope for a TO or another mistake by the Falcons and keep them out of the end zone. Had we had any kind of a running game perhaps we would have been able to sustain at least one drive in the 3rd quarter and scored a FG or TD so we wouldn't have been in that precarious position at the end of the game.

[Pugger]

By the way, Tex, nice call on the Monday Night Vikes/Bears game! As painful as it is to say, Jay Cutler put on a clinic.

Like someone said on ESPN last night after the game - Cutlet is the ultimate tease. He'll have a game like he did last night and get everyone excited and the next week he'll play like he usually does.

[vince]

Blitzing 7 would be a damn stupid idea. That's why I didn't suggest it.

Did you watch the game tonight? The Bears' secondary is about as beat up and inexperienced as ours. How did they compensate for that? They went all in on the pass rush. Bradford didn't have time to think, let alone pass. He was sacked 5 times and hurried 9 times. 228 yds passing. 1 TD. And QB rating of 88.6.

Yeah, I know, Ryan isn't Bradford. But that's not the point. The point is we'll never know if the Bears' strategy would have worked for the Packers because we never gave it a try. Instead, we let Ryan have all the time he needed to pick our secondary apart.
Here's yet another in a long line of confusing results with intent. The Bears, as is their norm, played it soft in coverage and rarely blitzed. Their front four demolished the Vikes OL but the Bears strategy was very similar to the Packers - with a different result.

[Pugger]

Here's yet another in a long line of confusing results with intent. The Bears, as is their norm, played it soft in coverage and rarely blitzed. Their front four demolished the Vikes OL but the Bears strategy was very similar to the Packers - with a different result.

MN's O line is in much worse shape today than it was in week 2.

[pbmax]

I think if the Packers played more zone, he might have blitzed more. But because they are in man, he wanted help with Jones but also the middle of the field.

That said, I am all for variety. Would have loved to see a little more blitzing. I think the sent 5 maybe twice.

[vince]

I think if the Packers played more zone, he might have blitzed more. But because they are in man, he wanted help with Jones but also the middle of the field.

That said, I am all for variety. Would have loved to see a little more blitzing. I think the sent 5 maybe twice.
I agree, particularly on the last drive. Hingsight's 20/20 and it's the luxury of us fans.

[Maxie the Taxi]

I agree, particularly on the last drive. Hingsight's 20/20 and it's the luxury of us fans.It's not all hindsight, Vince. Check out the game thread.

[vince]

Now I'm guilty of it. I went back and watched the final drive. The Packers had Peppers, Daniels, Jones and Perry rushing to start the series. I'd expect that four to get some pressure but it didn't happen. Because of that, they blitzed 3 times during that series to try to get pressure. It worked once.

The first time Burnett came free but Ryan got it out to Sanu for an incompletion. It was the play that Gunter jumped the route expecting the hot read but Sanu's hands got to the ball first.

The next play Atlanta ran a screen in anticipation of another blitz but fortunately the Packers covered and held that up for a short gain.

Later Joe Thomas blitzed up the middle but was snuffed. He was stuffed by the center and had no shot so then appeared to be spying Ryan as much as blitzing.

Then on the third and one prior to the game winner the Packers brought the house and Ryan hit the TE for a first down who was not covered due to the blitz.

The rest is history. They brought fresher guys in to try to get to the QB. Nothing really worked. So while what they did was ineffective, it's revisionist to say they didn't try to get pressure on the last drive. The intent was there. The results were not.

[wist43]

I didn't think we'd win. Then again I'm one of the few on this site that thinks we're a seriously flawed team.

[vince]

The following also may have come into play at the end of the game.

Going in, the Packers D was 7th best in the league in defensive red zone efficiency. Opponents scored a TD on 46% of their red zone trips. Conversely, Atlanta's O was 23rd best in the red zone scoring TD's at 50%. So history indicated there would be less than a 50% chance the Falcons would get a TD in that situation.

Then someone (my guess is Dix who vacated the middle of the field to double Jones) missed their assignment.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Now I'm guilty of it. I went back and watched the final drive. The Packers had Peppers, Daniels, Jones and Perry rushing to start the series. I'd expect that four to get some pressure but it didn't happen. Because of that, they blitzed 3 times during that series to try to get pressure. It worked once.

The first time Burnett came free but Ryan got it out to Sanu for an incompletion. It was the play that Gunter jumped the route expecting the hot read but Sanu's hands got to the ball first.

The next play Atlanta ran a screen in anticipation of another blitz but fortunately the Packers covered and held that up for a short gain.

Later Joe Thomas blitzed up the middle but was snuffed. He was stuffed by the center and had no shot so then appeared to be spying Ryan as much as blitzing.

Then on the third and one prior to the game winner the Packers brought the house and Ryan hit the TE for a first down who was not covered due to the blitz.

The rest is history. They brought fresher guys in to try to get to the QB. Nothing really worked. So while what they did was ineffective, it's revisionist to say they didn't try to get pressure on the last drive. The intent was there. The results were not.

Great post.

I rarely watch/rewatch highlights/films of a Packer loss. Life's full of miseries, so why suffer even more reliving a melancholic defeat?

(Disclosure: Even though my team was walloped by 40-something in a high school football game, I still watch/rewatch the highlights of that game, especially of myself shutting down Darren Charles.)

I wonder if the Claymaker would've made a difference. Probably not, not even if he was healthy, b/c the Claymaker likely would've taken himself out of the game on that crucial drive. ;-)

[Anti-Polar Bear]

The following also may have come into play at the end of the game.

Going in, the Packers D was 7th best in the league in defensive red zone efficiency. Opponents scored a TD on 46% of their red zone trips. Conversely, Atlanta's O was 23rd best in the red zone scoring TD's at 50%. So history indicated there would be less than a 50% chance the Falcons would get a TD in that situation.

Then someone (my guess is Dix who vacated the middle of the field to double Jones) missed their assignment.

I, too, am curious about that touchdown pass My first thought after the play was, "Fire Capers! How could he be so dumb by putting a LB who sucks in coverage on a receiver, especially with the game on the line?"

Capers has been calling a lot of man coverages lately, much to my displeasure b/c Hyde and Burnett can't cover anyone mano-a-mano worth a lick, but without watching the film, I think he mighta called zone on that play. Someone and his ilk fucked up, I believe.

[pbmax]

Agree, nice post Vince. I did not recall them sending 5 twice in addition to the big blitz I did remember.

[vince]

Actually when Burnett came free off the edge Perry dropped so it was more of a zone blitz. It was the only play that created pressure so if the definition of blitz requires 5 or more rushers that one doesn't qualify but it was the only one that enabled a free rusher to the QB which is the objective.

[pbmax]

Actually when Burnett came free off the edge Perry dropped so it was more of a zone blitz. It was the only play that created pressure so if the definition of blitz requires 5 or more rushers that one doesn't qualify but it was the only one that enabled a free rusher to the QB which is the objective.

Was that the blitz that sent Perry AND Jones back into a zone drop? Thought that was earlier, but could have been repeated.

[vince]

You may be remembering the play. It was the last series. 3:04 remaining.

Looking at it again now (it's tough to catch it all at once), on the play, Perry and Daniels both dropped and it was Hyde who also came from the opposite side on a blitz. Hyde got blocked up but Burnett was unabated while the whole right side of the OL stood looking for someone to block after both Daniels and Perry dropped. Ryan got it out quickly to Sanu who ran a quick out from the left slot. Gunter was playing off Jones (who was wide left) and jumped the route to break it up but was just a hair late for the pick 6.

[pbmax]

You may be remembering the play. It was the last series. 3:04 remaining.

Looking at it again now (it's tough to catch it all at once), on the play, Perry and Daniels both dropped and it was Hyde who also came from the opposite side on a blitz. Hyde got blocked up but Burnett was unabated while the whole right side of the OL stood looking for someone to block after both Daniels and Perry dropped. Ryan got it out quickly to Sanu who ran a quick out from the left slot. Gunter was playing off Jones (who was wide left) and jumped the route to break it up but was just a hair late for the pick 6.

It was my favorite blitz because of the useless lineman part.