Official Packers vs Lions Game Day thread

[PackerTimer]

Hey if #12 didn't like the game planning (publicly) then you know...

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/pos...ckers-approach

I mostly agree with him. I also thought they went away from what worked so well last week.

[MJZiggy]

Hey if #12 didn't like the game planning (publicly) then you know...

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/pos...ckers-approach

that can't be good

He's right.

[Brandon494]

God, Kuhn has looked terrible (and by terrible I mean white) sustaining this drive.

PJ Hillis looked pretty white today also having another 100 yard rushing game.

[gbgary]

Hey if #12 didn't like the game planning (publicly) then you know...

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/pos...ckers-approach

Rodgers said he thought the Packers should have stayed with what worked for them last week at Soldier Field: Using a spread formation and running quick-timed short- and intermediate pass routes.

kinda goes with what i said below...

I havent read the whole thread but hats off to MM for playing a relatively clean game. Very nice recovery and a nice coaching job. Bottom line I think the Lions are a better team then most think. They are hungry for wins, well coached and have some athletes. I picked them ahead of the bears in the division. Lets get used to one thing I think, the division and maybe the conference is going to be tight all year.

i didn't like the play calling for the most part. tried to get big chunks instead of first downs. led to turnovers and 3 & outs. the o was killing the d today.

[mission]

I swear -- MM hears critics and comes up with some funny-ass gameplan 'just because'... I have no idea what was going on today.

I agree.

[packerbacker1234]

I am not going to fault the defense at all today. When your offense comes out and lays a complete egg in the 2nd half, and the only points scored are off an interception return for a TD... at some point you go "hey, our D is on the field all game... how about some production offense".

Thing is, whatever the hell they did in the 1st half worked fine - but they either went away from it or the Lions adjusted well and we didn't change the plan based on how the game was flowing.

I am all for going more down field with routes and such, but you still need to provide, in the design of those plays, the 8 yard dump offs. Not necessarily design it so say, the rb on a 3 yard dump off is the go to guy, but at least give the option of dumping instead of forcing a 15 yard pass. Grant it, I don't think the gameplan was a direct result for AR's ints.

The one on the deep ball jennings... was either completely under thrown (jennings had him beat over the top for what should be a easy pitch and catch td) or was a complete miscommunciation on where GJ took that route. It was clear immediately after that throw Rodgers was very upset, and I don't know if he was disgusted at GJ for not doing what AR thought he would do, or at himself for under throwing that ball so badly. I can't seem to recall when his other int happened... anyways

The gameplan was meh, but the gameplan doesn't cause you to throw ints unless your down 21 and having to throw deep on every play. The packers ran the ball decently in the first quarter, which opened up a little PA and some passing seems that lead to the 3 td passes in the first half. We then sort of ditched the run in favor of 10 yard passes in the second and then came back to the run on the final drive, where we were able to shove it down their throat to end the game. It was fun watching Kuhn just plow and jump over people on that final drive.

It was.. odd.

AR wants the offense to spread it out more. More 3 and 4 wr sets with dump offs for runs and constantly keeping the playmakers (GJ, DD, and Finely) on the field (It was sad watching some of the 2 wr pass plays with Driver and GJ being purposely sat on the bench. One in particular was odd - they both come off the bench... then get sent back in favor of Nelson and Jones on a play they knew they were passing from in a eye set... very confusing coaching call to bench your two bes wr's in that situation when they were both already on the bench from the previous play)

In the same sense, our offense looked best tonight when we balanced effective running with the pass game, and looked bad when we went away from the run and tried to force it down the field more.

I think you need a happy medium between what AR wants and what worked with us pounding it a tad. Some drives go spread most the way, others try to keep em honest and do some PA passing. Gotta mix that up. Several drives in a row with most routes going deep = bad idea, ESPECIALLY if your not going to let GJ and DD be on the field in those situations. Hell, I saw DD being taken off the field on 3rd and longs for some odd reason. Why? Mr dependle for first down catches... lets take him off.

It's as if the coaching staff sort of laughed and said "this is the lions, watch us drop 50" and it all went wrong. This is ANOTHER reminder that "anyone can beat anyone". The colts got reminded of that today as well.

[Bretsky]

If Desmond Bishop replaces Hawk on passing downs (and plays coverage) for any reason other than death or dismemberment, I will eat my hat, then go to Green Bay and try out for ILB.

LOL, no doubt

this game should be a cake walk, if it's anything but that i'll be upset

We were in trouble right from here

[Pugger]

Also, as bad as this was at times. Being able to run the six minute drill to salt away a victory against a team with a good front 7 when you're losing the TOP battle and you're up by less than a field goal? That's always impressive.

No chit. You guys are forgetting these are not the lions of old. They gave the bares and queens fits already this season. That last drive was a thing of beauty. Everyone knew we were gonna try to run out the clock and by God we did just that. Detroit just couldn't get a stop when the game was on the line. I think it is a GREAT sign when a team plays poorly but finds a way to persevere! It isn't against the law to enjoy a win even if the guys aren't perfect ya know.

[Brando19]

If Desmond Bishop replaces Hawk on passing downs (and plays coverage) for any reason other than death or dismemberment, I will eat my hat, then go to Green Bay and try out for ILB.

LOL, no doubt

this game should be a cake walk, if it's anything but that i'll be upset

We were in trouble right from here

BRETSKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! When did you come back????? You sure have been missed, my friend!

[Bretsky]

If Desmond Bishop replaces Hawk on passing downs (and plays coverage) for any reason other than death or dismemberment, I will eat my hat, then go to Green Bay and try out for ILB.

LOL, no doubt

this game should be a cake walk, if it's anything but that i'll be upset

We were in trouble right from here

BRETSKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! When did you come back????? You sure have been missed, my friend!

Thanks Brando; popped back in yesterday as a tortured myself watching the Badgers lay an egg. Should be around more going forward.
Nice to hear from ya !
Brett

[PackerTimer]

If Desmond Bishop replaces Hawk on passing downs (and plays coverage) for any reason other than death or dismemberment, I will eat my hat, then go to Green Bay and try out for ILB.

LOL, no doubt

this game should be a cake walk, if it's anything but that i'll be upset

We were in trouble right from here

BRETSKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! When did you come back????? You sure have been missed, my friend!

Thanks Brando; popped back in yesterday as a tortured myself watching the Badgers lay an egg. Should be around more going forward.
Nice to hear from ya !
Brett

For a little bit today I thought we might lose two games to the state of Michigan in one weekend. I'm not sure I could have handled that.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Mathews was not as dominant this week compared to the other three weeks.

I think Capers had a bad game plan with the 3 man rushes on third and longs. I don't think he was as aggressive enough.

Oh well at least we won.

I actually thought they blitzes a little too heavy at times on third down. There were a few times, especially in the first half, that they allowed a third down conversion because they sent the house and had nobody defending the screen. Happened at least twice on third and long.

+1

[The Leaper]

The startling lack of any credible offensive gameplan is disturbing. McCarthy is delusional into thinking he has a running game, when he does not. He also does not have any credible receiving threat out of the backfield...which only further compounds the problem of having no running game.

This offense is in trouble. The OL is shaky...and without any threat in the running game and without any credible receiving threat out of the backfield, it allows the opposing DL to just pin their ears back and go after Rodgers all day. It eliminates play action...which eliminates Finley's threat over the middle.

Why McCarthy and Thompson can't see that they need something more than a practice squad RB is beyond me. Thompson needed a punter, kick/punt returner, and some RB help going into last offseason...and he failed to deliver on any of them. Thompson isn't the genius some make him out to be. He's good...but he's far from a genius IMO. He still makes glaring personnel mistakes IMO.