What Packer weakness worries you the most?

[AtlPackFan]

With one week left of the regular seaon and then a bye week after that until the Packer's first playoff game, what facet of the Packers attack do you think needs the most attention?

I have four things that are a concern to me:
1. Inability to run the ball at the end of the game when needed
2. Lack of success converting on 3rd and 1, 4th and 1 opportunities...I heard they were last?!
3. The success teams have had recently running the ball on the Pack.
4. A shaky, inexperienced kicking game.

The first three speak to who is winning the battle in the trenches and while I think the offense has always struggled running the ball when needed the success teams have had in recent weeks running the ball on the Pack is very troubling heading into the playoffs. Is this due to the defensive line injuries or have teams finally figured out our true defensive weakness?

The game this past Sunday against "the team who shall not be named" makes me wonder if the Pack will be able to survive their first playoff game at Lambeau if conditions are similar.

Comments???

Anyway, I hope those of significant football knowledge can address these questions/concerns. Time for me to go put the turkey on the grill. 8-) check back later tonight.

[b bulldog]

IMO, the Dlines play is by far my biggest concern. The inability to stop the run and the inability to generate a passrush without needing to blitz. You can have the best corners in the league but if the QB keeps getting large amounts of time to throw, he will pick you apart.

[Joemailman]

I would say it is #3. With the lack of depth now at DT, the packers D needs to get off the field, and not being able to stop the run makes it difficult to do that. Also, Favre sometimes gets out of his rhythm if the other team can keep the Packers offense off the field for extended periods of time.

[cpk1994]

The problem was the 40 mph winds, not the cold or other elements. They had no problem against the Radiers in the cold so as long as there isn't any gusty winds, no issue there. Putting that aside, I have no worries becuase ultimately what happens in the regular season stays there.

[b bulldog]

Wow!

[Carolina_Packer]

The biggest concern has to be the D-line and lack of run stopping right now, as well as the lack of a pass rush without having to blitz. They still seem incapable of defending a TE too.

Hopefully there won't be any more windy games to mess up the passing attack too!

[BF4MVP]

The inability to deal with high winds.

[b bulldog]

Inability to beat the Bears :lol:

[The Shadow]

1. Secondary play. Too often, receivers seems to be left wide open,
2. Pass rush. This needs to be corrected before playoffs.
3. Inconsistent decision-making by Favre. Overall, it;s been great this year, with a few head-scratching exceptions. Consistency needed!

[packrulz]

As M3 has stated many times, the inconsistent play at the guard position has been an issue all season long.(What do you think of the guard situation after yesterday?)
"I think Jason has clearly been the most consistent of the three. As we move forward, I would say we will continue to keep him at the right guard. I'd like to get some continuity there. With Daryn and Junius, somebody needs to take control of the left guard position." Spitz has been playing better, College had the one nice block that Grant ran in for a TD, and Coston has been just a guy so far, I hope the light bulb comes on for these guys soon, like this week.

[RashanGary]

1. Stopping the run
2. Running the ball in short yardage situations or with consistancy
3. Inability to win in poor conditions (and we have a January game in Lambeau)
4. Pass protection has fallen to a point where it is not reliable
5. Pass rush has fallen, but I think the bye week rest will cure some of the fatigue on our Dline. I also think moving Harrell to a starting position would free Williams up to do what he does well (rush the passer on pass downs).

[gbgary]

What Packer weakness worries you the most?

I have four things that are a concern to me:
1. Inability to run the ball at the end of the game when needed
2. Lack of success converting on 3rd and 1, 4th and 1 opportunities...I heard they were last?!
3. The success teams have had recently running the ball on the Pack.
4. A shaky, inexperienced kicking game.



none of the above concern me as much as the continued over use of the empty backfield and the no-protection, blitz-inviting, quarterback-injuring, panic-passing, and turn-overs that it results in. it's the time of the year to throttle-back on this stuff and take what the defenses give you. 3-4-5 yards per play to eat up the clock and keep our D fresh. then when/if you have them set-up for the quick strike you take it. in the playoffs you're not gonna get fat being greedy because everyone has a good defense (unlike the regular season). we'll be one-and-done if this doesn't change...MARK MY WORDS!

[FritzDontBlitz]

The erratic play of the interior offensive line. We still don't know who our guards are two years into the McCarthy plan. If you can grind it out on the ground in bad weather you don't end up making your punter the laughingstock of the NFL.

People complain about losing Ahman Green and Javon Walker, but the biggest loss in free agency has been guard Mike Wahle. Not sure if he was suited to the ZBS, though....

[Bretsky]

#1 and #2 of original post are directly related to the lack of consistency at OG

I'm equally worried about the OL and DL

[4and12to12and4]

I would say it is #3. With the lack of depth now at DT, the packers D needs to get off the field, and not being able to stop the run makes it difficult to do that. Also, Favre sometimes gets out of his rhythm if the other team can keep the Packers offense off the field for extended periods of time.

Agreed. Said nicely. But, I look at the teams left in the NFC and no running back is that scary. AP is the only one, and with their QB play, they cannot beat us. Brandon Jacobs is not the kind of runner that will have success on us. He's too slow. I think Morris (Seattle) and Portis would have the most success against us. Maybe Dallas' two-headed running game. But, in the first round, I'm very confident we will beat whoever we play, I just hope Washington gets in and can win against Tampa, because they will give Dallas fits. I really don't want to play against the Skins, but I'd rather have them at home than the Boys in Texas.

[The Leaper]

none of the above concern me as much as the continued over use of the empty backfield and the no-protection, blitz-inviting, quarterback-injuring, panic-passing, and turn-overs that it results in. it's the time of the year to throttle-back on this stuff and take what the defenses give you. 3-4-5 yards per play to eat up the clock and keep our D fresh. then when/if you have them set-up for the quick strike you take it. in the playoffs you're not gonna get fat being greedy because everyone has a good defense (unlike the regular season). we'll be one-and-done if this doesn't change...MARK MY WORDS!

You are insane.

The only reason Green Bay is 12-3 is precisely BECAUSE of the spread formations...which earned us wins when we couldn't run the ball worth a damn.

We did throttle back on Sunday due to weather conditions...see where it got us? We are not a team built offensively to pound the ball on the ground. We cannot "throttle back" and be conservative. We have to pass to set up the run...which means any games played in windy conditions are going to be at a huge disadvantage for us. We have to aggressively attack defenses with our strength...the depth of our WR position and knowledge and capability of Favre.

Defensively, we will be just fine if we are healthy. Everyone is bitching and moaning about the DL. You guys must not really take into account the injuries we have had recently. You do realize we played without Pickett in the Bears game...and he is probably our most important player against the run. Even without him, we contained the Bears ground attack pretty well...they had to run 45 times to get 130 yards...which is less than 3 yards a carry by my calculations. Maybe some of you need to go back to math class...or just have a Michigan education to fall back on. The bye week we've earned will cure a lot of our problems on defense.

My biggest concern remains the OL. That group simply has no consistency whatsoever. Some games, they come out and run block great. Some games, they come out and pass block great. Most of the time, they come out lackluster in at least one of those areas...often at key times in the game. Without a consistent protection package to let Favre throw and a capable run blocking unit that can open enough holes for Grant to keep the defense honest I don't think we have a chance at winning the NFC. The OL has to improve drastically IMO.

[gbgary]

none of the above concern me as much as the continued over use of the empty backfield and the no-protection, blitz-inviting, quarterback-injuring, panic-passing, and turn-overs that it results in. it's the time of the year to throttle-back on this stuff and take what the defenses give you. 3-4-5 yards per play to eat up the clock and keep our D fresh. then when/if you have them set-up for the quick strike you take it. in the playoffs you're not gonna get fat being greedy because everyone has a good defense (unlike the regular season). we'll be one-and-done if this doesn't change...MARK MY WORDS!

You are insane.

The only reason Green Bay is 12-3 is precisely BECAUSE of the spread formations...which earned us wins when we couldn't run the ball worth a damn.

We did throttle back on Sunday due to weather conditions...see where it got us? We are not a team built offensively to pound the ball on the ground. We cannot "throttle back" and be conservative. We have to pass to set up the run...which means any games played in windy conditions are going to be at a huge disadvantage for us. We have to aggressively attack defenses with our strength...the depth of our WR position and knowledge and capability of Favre.




ok.......i should have been more specific. i didn't mean pound the ball on the ground. what i'm saying is run the traditional west-coast ball control passing attack. short, quick passes to wide outs and running backs first. run second. only go deep if the opportunity presents itself. my main concern is the empty back-field. Brett is getting killed by the blitz lately. he's got to have protection and time.

[The Leaper]

ok.......i should have been more specific. i didn't mean pound the ball on the ground. what i'm saying is run the traditional west-coast ball control passing attack. short, quick passes to wide outs and running backs first. run second. only go deep if the opportunity presents itself. my main concern is the empty back-field. Brett is getting killed by the blitz lately. he's got to have protection and time.

I'm not a huge fan of the empty backfield either. Our offensive strategy simply is not complex enough to offer Favre what he needs in an empty backfield. Without a RB, the defense can more easily take away slant patterns and curls...and we simply do not run WR screens or motion crossing patterns well or often enough to be successful with them.

That said...our best chance to beat a team like Dallas or New England is to play 4 WRs almost exclusively on offense and pass, pass, pass. I'd like to see more route variations and twists as well...slants and curls seem to be becoming predictable, as more defenders are sitting on our routes. We need to utilize outside screen passes to the RBs...like Chicago utilized against us this past week.

[ND72]

local ESPN radio said the Packers have ran the ball on 3rd and 1/4th and 1 just 12% of their opportunities...THAT is a problem...and THAT comes from the coach.

which, by the way, is my main concern. Our 3 losses I directly point at Mike McCarthy, as he was out coached all 3 times...I don't care about 40mph winds, the Bears dealt with it and adapted their game (30 rushes to just 10 at halftime). And blah blah blah about having Kyle Orton so they had to run the ball...which QB looked like an MVP sunday? Not Favre.

Game 1 vs the Bears our play calling in the 2nd half was a joke, which allowed Chicago to come back. And at Dallas, going outside of what we have done all year by being MORE aggressive, was a problem to...and, don't defend MM by saying Favre threw it, because McCarthy did say after the game it was their plan to attack Dallas deep.

Oh well, Detroit is up and they need to play well and get a nice win so they feel good about themselves going into the playoffs.

[gbgary]

local ESPN radio said the Packers have ran the ball on 3rd and 1/4th and 1 just 12% of their opportunities...THAT is a problem...and THAT comes from the coach.which, by the way, is my main concern. Our 3 losses I directly point at Mike McCarthy...
Game 1 vs the Bears our play calling in the 2nd half was a joke, which allowed Chicago to come back. And at Dallas, going outside of what we have done all year by being MORE aggressive, was a problem to...and, don't defend MM by saying Favre threw it, because McCarthy did say after the game it was their plan to attack Dallas deep.




you hit the nail on the head! i've been saying that all along. MM has to put the team in a position to win with his play calling. Brett laying on his back, while we all keep our fingers crossed that the ball won't be intercepted, isn't going to win games.

[oregonpackfan]

I agree with most of the arguments provided by the previous posters--except for the argument that our kicking game was a concern.

Yes, John Ryan had a miserable day with the Bears but I think he has done well. Crosby has had an excellent rookie season.

Overall, I think the Packers kicking game is strong. It hardly qualifies as a weak area, IMO.

[AtlPackFan]

I agree with most of the arguments provided by the previous posters--except for the argument that our kicking game was a concern.

Yes, John Ryan had a miserable day with the Bears but I think he has done well. Crosby has had an excellent rookie season.

Overall, I think the Packers kicking game is strong. It hardly qualifies as a weak area, IMO.

Green Bay ranks 25th in field goal percentage. All other potential playoff teams with the exception of NO rank above us. That to me is a concern.

Also, where have most of Ryan's misses come?" If memory serves me correctly - and my memory rarely serves me correctly anymore - it has been in inclement and/or windy conditions...again, I could be wrong but that is what I remember.

If I'm correct, that doesn't bode well for this week and our first playoff game.

Punting wise, they are middle of the pack (no pun intended) in net average. Dallas, NO and Tampa Bay rank above us, Minny is tied with us, Washington, NY are right below us and Seattle is towards the bottom.

[Tarlam!]

My biggest concern?

Gotta be the lack of Cheerleading talent at the professional level. I never paid much respect to cheerleading; but then I saw it's power in that film "The Replacements" and I knew, Pack are in trouble until they get that fixed.

Don't get me wrong, I have every reason to respect St. Norbert's as PR Gathering participants will confirm. Still, we need professional cheerleaders if we are to capture the big one.

[The Leaper]

Green Bay ranks 25th in field goal percentage. All other potential playoff teams with the exception of NO rank above us. That to me is a concern.

I don't feel Crosby is a big concern. His percentage is low because he has taken an abnormally high number of kicks over 40 yards in length. Kicks under 40 yards should be relatively automatic (90%+) for NFL kickers...and the more you kick under 40, the higher your percentage is likely to be.

Take a look at the numbers from the top 7 kickers in the league in kicks made:

Bironas: 32-36...23 attempts inside of 40 yards (64% easy kicks)
Gould: 30-35...19 attempts (54%)
Graham: 30-33...25 attempts (76%)
Crosby: 29-37...18 attempts (49%)
Hanson: 27-33...16 attempts (48%)
Nugent: 27-34...23 attempts (68%)
Suisham: 27-33...19 attempts (58%)
J Brown: 26-32...17 attempts (53%)

Hanson is the only guy with a greater percentage of more difficult kicks than Crosby (barely) but Hanson plays primarily in a dome, so you would figure that he is more likely to take long FGs. In fact, kicks made in a dome should be relatively easy inside of 45 yards...since wind and footing is not a factor. That probably means Crosby has taken more difficult kicks than any of these guys...and probably just about anyone else in the entire league.

Can Crosby improve? Of course he can. However, as a rookie, he's been awful impressive. A 6 point lead over the rest of the NFL kickers in total points going into week #17? Did anyone expect that coming into the season?

[ND72]

Mason Crosby will be fine, he's also a rookie and can only get better. He's had a very solid rookie season. Jon Ryan, I've said for 2 season's now, is not the answer at punter. when we need a touch punt, we booms them through the endzone, when we need a boomer, we rarely get one, only once and a great while.

[Fritz]

I'd say my greatest concern is the defensive line. When the Packer defense was stifling opponents earlier in the season, it all started with the d-line. Now they seem unable to stop the run or get pressure on the QB.

I think the offense will work itself out, somehow. I'm not sure why I think that, but I do.

It's the defensive line that concerns me.

[Fritz]

No, wait. I take that back. Ater reading what McCarthy said at his presser this week, I guess I'm actually worried most about low pad levels.

Damn low pad levels. That shit just kills ya.

[Tarlam!]

Damn low pad levels. That shit just kills ya.

So, if I understand you correctly, the height of the pad level is of more concern than the height of the panty level?

[The Leaper]

Low panty levels are of obvious concern around Lambeau Field. You don't want to see asses hanging out of size 32 jeans.

[Fritz]

Hey, wait. I wear size 32 jeans.

[the_idle_threat]

Low panty levels around Invesco field might have directly contributed to Travis Henry's tired legs down the stretch this season. :rs:

[MJZiggy]

Hey, wait. I wear size 32 jeans.

Wait, I thought 32's weren't bad as long as you didn't have the size 46 belly hanging down over the front of them...

Actually thinking about it, the low panty levels might have contributed to a few bellies hanging over the jeans on Travis' ladies as well...(see? I get your humor).

[mmmdk]

Teams that do not excel in any category are seldomly going anywhere in playoffs.

[Fritz]

Low panty levels definitely cause distraction.