Game Impressions

[Guiness]

I finally got to watching the game today - was traveling while they were playing. Here are a couple of my impressions from the first half.

First play of the game

Great open field tackle by Bush. Wrapped up the ball carrier beautifully. He has been playing very well, and is one of the reasons ST are looking so good.

Second play of game (no, I'm not going to talk about every play!)
Bishop's sack was nice...but couldn't help noticing on the replay that Mr. Mathews was getting doubled - allowing Bishop to run free.

Underwood's ST gaff
That was a horrible call. As someone pointed out in another thread, he was dragged across the ball. Also, the ball had stopped, and should've been blown dead.

The reason the Eagles got the call was because to the refs it looked like he was moving forward, and kicked the ball while doing so. I wonder if a challenge would've reversed that?

Stark's first run
That was a great run. I think you could almost see the lightbulb go on over McCarthy's head at the end of that play!

Well's quick snap
Nice. Lucky Rodger's held on to it, but that showed great awareness.

Kuhn's catch on 3rd and 7
I know we complain about a QB locking on to a receiver, but what about a receiver locking onto a QB? He never took his eyes off Rodger's the whole route!

Crabtree gets the TD next play, and it's the end of the first quarter.

[pbmax]

I hope this new Packer Rats serialization continues so I can see how it turns out ...

[bobblehead]

Second play of game (no, I'm not going to talk about every play!)
Bishop's sack was nice...but couldn't help noticing on the replay that Mr. Mathews was getting doubled - allowing Bishop to run free.

I just watched that play to see if I remembered it differently than you. Nope, he barely engaged the RT. The RG doubled on Pickett with the center. As Bishop buried Vick the RG actually looked at Mathews for the first time, but never actually engaged him. The RT barely touched Mathews either, but that was ok, since Mathews goal on the play was to suck him in so bishop could run free. It was a well disguised blitz designed well by Capers to allow Bishop to sneak in untouched.

You can give Mathews credit for the sack if it makes you feel better, but he did next to nothing on the play and definitely was NOT double teamed (pickett was). The good news is that on the ensuing play Clay fell down and allowed 18 yards on 2nd and 19.

Look, I'm all on board with the Clay is a stud bandwagon, but some people simply see the game the way they wish too.

[mraynrand]

The good news is that on the ensuing play Clay fell down and allowed 18 yards on 2nd and 19.

Why is this good news? I'm guessing it's because:

some people simply see the game the way they wish too.

[Guiness]

tx pb

Bobble, I looked at the play a couple more times. You're right, Pickett was initially doubled, while the RT engaged Mathews. The RG came off the double team, and went to Mathews...by that time Vick was on his back. What I meant was more that Mathews was being accounted for, Bishop was not.

[Guiness]

Here are my 2nd quarter impressions.

Woodson - huge impact. Love the plays where he lines up between the MLB's!

Eagles center had a bad day. Saw Vick reaching and even jumping for a few snaps.

Jennings is a shitty blocker. On a Kuhn catch and run, he seemed a lot more concerned about getting out of the way than blocking for him!

On Rodger's run for a first down, I was surprised Coleman didn't pop him one. It's what I've come to expect this year.

What was that little fall Vick took when Pickett touched him after the whistle? Trying to draw a flag? Looked like a pro soccer player out there.

Asante Samuel should be getting a call from the league office for his hit on Quarless.

Jones drop. Beyond stupid. No way I can say anything that hasn't already been said about that!

[MichiganPackerFan]

I don't know if this has been discussed elsewhere, and i dont feel like going through that game thread, but I thought that call on Underwood was one of the worst calls i've seen this year. The ball was dead, he was pushed and pulled (could have even been by the facemask, haven't been able to rewatch) by no less than three different players. If that's the way it's intended to be called, might as well have a couple guys litterally pick up a blocker and drop him on the stopped ball and keep possession. Fucked up call that fortunately only cost us field position.

[vince]

I don't know if this has been discussed elsewhere, and i dont feel like going through that game thread, but I thought that call on Underwood was one of the worst calls i've seen this year. The ball was dead, he was pushed and pulled (could have even been by the facemask, haven't been able to rewatch) by no less than three different players. If that's the way it's intended to be called, might as well have a couple guys litterally pick up a blocker and drop him on the stopped ball and keep possession. Fucked up call that fortunately only cost us field position.

Yeah I agree that it was a screwed up call. There should have been a holding call on the blocker for grabbing his jersey and pulling him over the ball, but there are a few equally valid points...

1. The ball wasn't dead. Williams could have run up and grabbed the ball and returned it up until the point that the Eagles jumped on the ball after Underwood kicked it.
2. Underwood should have had better awareness of the situation and gotten the hell out of the way. He stupidly stayed engaged and kept fighting with the guy.

[MichiganPackerFan]

Yeah I agree that it was a screwed up call. There should have been a holding call on the blocker for grabbing his jersey and pulling him over the ball, but there are a few equally valid points...

1. The ball wasn't dead. Williams could have run up and grabbed the ball and returned it up until the point that the Eagles jumped on the ball after Underwood kicked it.
2. Underwood should have had better awareness of the situation and gotten the hell out of the way. He stupidly stayed engaged and kept fighting with the guy.

It sure looked liked he was manhandled for several yards by multiple players and had no choice about the direction he was headed. But again, that was my first impression and I haven't watched it a second time.

[Guiness]

I rewatched it a bunch of times. Can't tell if Underwood knew where the ball was or not, or was aware the play was essentially 'over'. He was still engaged, but it seemed that it was more a matter of the other guy had him off balance and he was backpeddling. It was kind of surreal the way there were a bunch of Eagles standing around the ball, and all of a sudden he comes into the picture, backpeddling as fast as he can trying to stay on his feet.

But, he was definitely dragged over the ball. Imagine someone's pushing you backwards and you're trying not to fall over. Suddenly, they grab you and change you directions - you really don't have a lot of control over where you're going. If I was to find fault with Underwood, it would be that he was beaten so badly by the guy he was trying to block that he couldn't control where he was being run around.

[CaliforniaCheez]

1) McCarthy deserves credit for being disciplined with the red flag. The officials must have told him the Underwood call was their judgement and likely not challengeable, on the Vick TD, and 2 questionable receptions. Thumbs up mike. Glad you weren't listening to the broadcast booth where they wanted several red flags.

2) Thumbs down to Underwood and Lee. Those two Yahoos were active yet they can't beat out Bush in the dime situations!! Bush got burned badly for a long TD. I expect it from Bush yet the Packers have no better player on the roster?

3) It is tough to get defensive players not to be aggressive. They did a relativvely good job on Vick mixing it up. You can't just charge after him as Raji found out which lead to one of Vick's longest runs. Once he got by Raji there was a huge gap in the defense. Glad the defense can be aggressive against QB's from now on.

4) Glad the game did NOT depend on Crosby!!

5) The Packers were outgained and lost the turnover battle but they still won.

[vince]

McCarthy deserves credit for being disciplined with the red flag. The officials must have told him the Underwood call was their judgement and likely not challengeable, on the Vick TD, and 2 questionable receptions. Thumbs up mike. Glad you weren't listening to the broadcast booth where they wanted several red flags.

Underwood was clearly held on the play IMO, but you can't challenge what wasn't called.

[denverYooper]

Instant Karma got the Eagles on that one anyway.

[Cheesehead Craig]

I hope this new Packer Rats serialization continues so I can see how it turns out ...

No kidding! He's only posted through the 2nd quarter and I want to know if we won or not! The suspense is Hitchcockian!

[Freak Out]

I'm not sure what the hell Underwood was even doing near the ball at that time? Can anyone tell in the recordings of the play if guys are yelling to stay away or not? Bogus call by the Stripes but Underwood put himself in that situation.