Studs and Duds - Week 4 GB vs NO

[ThunderDan]

I thought I would quick put something up to direct post game discussion.

First off, I can't take another week like the last two. My blood pressure is soaring and I am starting to yell at the TV again. I am still trying to decompress from the game so this won't be the usual full write up.

Studs:
James Jones - Played fantastic, caught everything he got his hands on even when the other team was grabbing him. Thank goodness that he wasn't playing like that 2 years ago beacuse we wouldn't have resigned him for what he would have demanded.

The OL- They went from 8 sacks in one half last week to no sacks today. I don't know if they got that much better or if NO sucks but they gave ARod plenty of time to throw today.

Cedric Benson - May not of done anything exceptional but he ran hard everytime he touched the ball. He definitely has the "edge" this team needs.

Jordy Nelson - 8 catches, 93 yards and a TD.

Special Teams - Great fake punt deep in our own side of the field. We kept Sproles underwraps for almost the whole game.

Duds:
The Defense - They let the NO offense light them up like last year. It seems like we need to play more bump and run against strong QBs.

The refs- After last week I couldn't believe it would be as bad. But it was. Clear fumble that probably would have sealed the game and the non-overturn of the Grahm catch. Yuck! And the offensive PI on the NO first TD that wasn't called.

Others:
ARod- Played very well but made enough bad throws to keep him off of the Studs list. It sure was nice to see him play MUCH better than weeks 1-3.

Greg Jennings - I love him when he is playing but it is now a major concern at this point. He needs to stay on the field.

[LegandofthePack15]

Hey, you stole my thunder! Actually, I think I may have stole it from you, so I am more than happy to give it back.

Shields, dud - was terrible in coverage in all day and his tackling sucked, especially on the bomb; Tackle the guy and hold NO to a FG and Pack would still be up 21-20.

Finley, stud (for 2nd str8t week) - didn't have any boneheaded drops; the drop in the endzone was well defended.

3-men rush, dud - get rid of it already! Every time Capers runs it, its automatically a 1st down other teams.

[mraynrand]

Greg Jennings - I love him when he is playing but it is now a major concern at this point. He needs to stay on the field.

Injury Prone!

[Tony Oday]

Whoa Finley needs to make that catch. AR needs to start hitting throws again. Bump n Run Dom. CMIII should not be taking on Guards...Cmon man. Benson was so cloee to breaking one today a couple of times. MM had a terrible review that almost cost us the game.

[ThunderDan]

I just thought of another positive from the game. ARod led a forth quarter come from behind win and we won a close game.

[pbmax]

Matthews gets most of his sacks on plays he faces someone other than the Tackle, so lining up in side is not unusual and has worked before. His sack came on a stunt when he took on a Guard who was busy being fooled by Worthy.

I had to listen to the radio for the beginning of the game. Did the Packers play off the LOS in coverage the whole game or did they adjust to it when the pass rush was going nowhere?

I have to suspect either that or concern about Graham and Sproles left all the other WRs in single coverage.

[pbmax]

I just thought of another positive from the game. ARod led a forth quarter come from behind win and we won a close game.

That game should be exhibit #1 why that stat is useless. A hold, encroachment and missed field goal won that game.

[LegandofthePack15]

Whoa Finley needs to make that catch. AR needs to start hitting throws again. Bump n Run Dom. CMIII should not be taking on Guards...Cmon man. Benson was so cloee to breaking one today a couple of times. MM had a terrible review that almost cost us the game.

On Finley's "drop", the Saint defender made a great play at the last second and knocked it out of Finley's hand.

Nelson's drop, now that was a bad drop. But then again, that drop made McCarthy throw the red flag, which in turn created a butterfly effect, which in turn diverted the Packers from losing the game.

[Patler]

On Finley's "drop", the Saint defender made a great play at the last second and knocked it out of Finley's hand.

Nelson's drop, now that was a bad drop. But then again, that drop made McCarthy throw the red flag, which in turn created a butterfly effect, which in turn diverted the Packers from losing the game.

To be a "stud" Finley should make that catch, simply out-muscle the defender for it. The defender made a good play, but not a particularly strong play. Finley could have come up with it, but I won't criticize him for not making it.

Finley certainly wasn't a dud yesterday, but neither was he a stud.

[LegandofthePack15]

To be a "stud" Finley should make that catch, simply out-muscle the defender for it. The defender made a good play, but not a particularly strong play. Finley could have come up with it, but I won't criticize him for not making it.

Finley certainly wasn't a dud yesterday, but neither was he a stud.

Finley's been playing good football the last couple of weeks, imo. Made some difficult catches against Seattle; had a strong start against NO before the Saints made adjustments.

[MadtownPacker]

Finley was looking like he was about to cough up another fumble all game long. Cant that MFer tuck that shit in when he is getting tackled!

JJ = Player of the game!

[sharpe1027]

Finley's leap in the end zone was a tough catch at full extension with a defender right in his lap, but it was more about Finley than the defender. He bobbled the initial catch, before the defender got his hand in the way. He catches it cleanly and it's probably a touchdown.

IMO, you can't play tight-bump coverage against NO unless you are getting consistent pressure -- we weren't doing that.

I think we saw an immediate difference with the replacement refs as both the Pack and NO suddenly could move the ball again. My take is simple, you can no longer grab the WR 10 yards down the field to slow them down. They messed up badly on three calls, but the rest of the game was pretty evenly called.

[George Cumby]

Finley was looking like he was about to cough up another fumble all game long. Cant that MFer tuck that shit in when he is getting tackled!

JJ = Player of the game!

The black Adonis playing like Tarzan. Me like.

[mmmdk]

Very nice list, Dan! And yes, JJ was the player of the game. Amazing!

[Cheesehead Craig]

It was wierd how Finley just couldn't stay on his feet. He was stumbling all over when he had the ball. Add in that on Jones' TD catch where they were both in the area, Finley fell down there too. Just thought it was odd.