Studs and Duds - Week 5 GB vs IND

[packrulz]

I'm not gonna blast the O line. You can't expect them to pass block forever. Crabtree shouldn't be blocking a DE either. What the hell? Green was okay. He didn't get a lot of touches. MM chucked the running game after Benson left. Woodson is too slow to keep up with WRs without holding. He's better off near the LOS harassing QBs and RBs. After Benson left we should have used Cobb out of the backfield a few times. Walden was all over the field. Losing Raji really hurt. After Finley left not many guys got open and Rodgers was getting hammered. With no running game the Colts could tee off and try to rip Aaron's head off.

I could see using Cobb in the Wildcat, he was a QB in college.

[hoosier]

The Packers seem to have grossly overestimated the talent level or the cohesiveness of their offensive line. Hopefully they can start to play better as a unit with time, and with more consistency Rodgers can get back in his comfort zone, which is clearly not in right now. Judging from yesterday, they also need to come to grips with Finley's consistent inconsistency. At this point he is just a drive killer with his drops. Bench him and see if DJ Williams can provide a credible downfield threat that will take some of the pressure off the receivers.

A few weeks ago I was thinking the Packers are severely underperforming, but if they could get their stuff together in the second half they could make another run a la 2010. After watching the debacle in the second half yesterday, I have come to the conclusion that this is just not a very good team.

[pbmax]

I still think its a little but of everything right now. Saturday and Lang blew one pass protection by both blocking the same guy and when Saturday when to move off him to get the free guy, he stumbled. Sack.

Crabtree left to block Mathis one on one? Rodgers holds ball too long. Sack.

Right now, what the Packers miss from last season is the ability to throw into the teeth of the defense when they expect pass. Last year they were so on it worked. This year they overthrow an open Nelson by 2 yards. Or drop TDs or INTs.

[denverYooper]

The Packers seem to have grossly overestimated the talent level or the cohesiveness of their offensive line. Hopefully they can start to play better as a unit with time, and with more consistency Rodgers can get back in his comfort zone, which is clearly not in right now. Judging from yesterday, they also need to come to grips with Finley's consistent inconsistency. At this point he is just a drive killer with his drops. Bench him and see if DJ Williams can provide a credible downfield threat that will take some of the pressure off the receivers.

A few weeks ago I was thinking the Packers are severely underperforming, but if they could get their stuff together in the second half they could make another run a la 2010. After watching the debacle in the second half yesterday, I have come to the conclusion that this is just not a very good team.

I love me some DJ Williams but he had one miss on a (screen|dump) yesterday that looked pretty bad. I don't think Rodgers went back to him after that.

[Patler]

Crabtree shouldn't be blocking a DE either. What the hell? Green was okay. He didn't get a lot of touches.

Maybe not, but this should give us all a renewed respect for Bubba Franks. The Packers had him blocking DEs alone quite often, and he was quite successful at it. For most of his career, the guy sure could block.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I'm not gonna blast the O line. You can't expect them to pass block forever.

I could be wrong on this, but I think the drop-off from Wells to Saturday has been huge. I wonder if EDS wouldn't be more effective.

Bulaga and Newhouse are doing an OK job (by OK, I mean just acceptable) of sticking with the speed rushers. But the pocket is getting crushed up the middle, so Rodgers can't step up.

You are right, there were a heck of a lot of coverage sacks yesterday. Maybe Jennings would have helped.

[3irty1]

I could be wrong on this, but I think the drop-off from Wells to Saturday has been huge. I wonder if EDS wouldn't be more effective.

Bulaga and Newhouse are doing an OK job (by OK, I mean just acceptable) of sticking with the speed rushers. But the pocket is getting crushed up the middle, so Rodgers can't step up.

You are right, there were a heck of a lot of coverage sacks yesterday. Maybe Jennings would have helped.

I was thinking the same thing. Gotta at least try EDS at some point. Really hard to believe that Saturday is part of our top 5.

[Smidgeon]

Woodson's got to lead the league in almost interceptions this year. For whatever reason, he's not hauling them in like he used to. Every one clangs to the turf.

The whole defense is like that. 5 INTs through 5 games? They averaged almost 2 per game all last season. And they didn't have any against the 9ers, Seahawks, or Saints. Lots of opportunities, lots dropped.

[Smidgeon]

I still think its a little but of everything right now. Saturday and Lang blew one pass protection by both blocking the same guy and when Saturday when to move off him to get the free guy, he stumbled. Sack.

Crabtree left to block Mathis one on one? Rodgers holds ball too long. Sack.

Right now, what the Packers miss from last season is the ability to throw into the teeth of the defense when they expect pass. Last year they were so on it worked. This year they overthrow an open Nelson by 2 yards. Or drop TDs or INTs.

Definitely. Rodgers is missing windows or choosing against ones he sees. Receivers weren't getting a lot of separation last year either (highlight after highlight of Rodgers dropping balls right into the tiniest windows), but he was throwing and they were catching. I wonder what has him so skittish.

[Patler]

Definitely. Rodgers is missing windows or choosing against ones he sees. Receivers weren't getting a lot of separation last year either (highlight after highlight of Rodgers dropping balls right into the tiniest windows), but he was throwing and they were catching. I wonder what has him so skittish.

Part of it might be that when he has lazered it into small windows, too often his receivers have not caught them.

[Smidgeon]

Studs: Raji and Benson. When they left, the defense and offense stagnated.

Duds: the receivers not getting separation and dropping the ball, the backup plan to Raji and Benson, the QB not playing aggressively or accurately, Finley not delivering on his 2010 promise, losing games that should have been easy, rookie QBs looking like pros against the Packers, close games that shouldn't be close...

I'm getting really tired if this Packers team. If they didn't have so much "talent", maybe I'd forgive it more. But they're largely the same offense that dominated almost everyone in their path last year. The defense is more aggressive with better pass rush, and holding the other team to 30 points would have been enough for a lopsided win last year. Through five games, the offense is something like 62 points behind last year (or was it 112? just read it in an article and forgot which number was which). That's a huge disparity. The Pack should be rolling. The only difference on offense is Wells to Saturday. And I can't believe that one offensive lineman is that much of a difference. As a unit, maybe they've regressed a bit, but not this much.

[Smidgeon]

Part of it might be that when he has lazered it into small windows, too often his receivers have not caught them.

Part of it also might be that he's getting put off by missing the wide open throws he routinely made last year.

[Patler]

Part of it also might be that he's getting put off by missing the wide open throws he routinely made last year.

Agreed, I was just going to edit my response to include that. He had Nelson for a likely TD yesterday, and missed him. He has been a "little off" on a throw more frequently than last year, but has been deadly precise at other times, too. While his current hesitations might be from a little lack of confidence in both himself and his receivers, I think both can be corrected.

[mraynrand]

You are right, there were a heck of a lot of coverage sacks yesterday. Maybe Jennings would have helped.

Can Jennings run the 45 yard routes better than Nelson? I like the nine step drops and all vertical patterns on obvious passing downs. It's important to see if Outhouse, Beluga, and Crabtree can pass pro premier defensive ends for 5-6 seconds. They're professionals, they should be able to.