Pink Elephant in the room

[Freak Out]

It wasn't even close with the replays I have seen. How did the Bengal get behind him for fucks sake? What a cluster.

[bobblehead]

Went to the game.

Didn't catch this bit until I watched the replay on DVR.

MM and ARod really went at one another on the sideline. What is the scuttlebutt on this exchange? The plays that were sent in prior to the squabble really did suck. Is our QB-coach relationship unraveling or what?

Tell me what's up all you insiders and local yokels.

I hear that Big Mike had a buffet picked out for after the game and Aaron told him he was too fat and a salad bar was a better choice. Well, Mike is sensitive about his weight, and this led to a heated exchange.

[bobblehead]

it sure as hell looked windy to me. thats what i assumed was screwing with all a-rods long passes

they blamed the botch kick return by ross on the wind knocking it down, and fat mike said after the game that the wind knocked it down but that was no excuse because they were dealing with the wind all pregame

maybe you were just blocked from the wind KY?

My take on that botched kick return is this. Ross should stand on the goal line when the ball is kicked. If he has to back up to catch it, he doesn't return it. If he moves forward or stands still he does. He started at the BACK of the endzone. He had to sprint to get to the ball at the 5. If you play centerfield do you lean against the fence when the pitch is thrown?

If he had been in position that was an easy catch even if the ball gets knocked down by the wind. Part of that is coaching as his positioning should have been corrected weeks ago.

[bobblehead]

This is why I didn't have a problem with the call, just the execution of the call. The big guys were run blocking pretty well all day against a pretty stout D. Unfortunately the guys got beat at the worst possible moment. We really should give Cincy credit here for busting up that play.

Edit: we didn't have FB. Kuhn didn't play. I suppose we should have put a TE in there instead.

Hey Raji...show me what you got, what you got what you got.

[bobblehead]

i liked them going for it because a field goal still opens you up for a loss if they then march down the field and get a TD

i really didn't like the call though, i was expecting a QB sneak or something quick. i really didn't like running a play with what seemed like a very deep hand off when we just needed a couple inches

in the game thread i was calling for Raji to get in the game and either get the ball or lead block

Doh!! I really gotta read ahead before replying.

[Maxie the Taxi]

I think the QB sneaks pretty much ended with Rodgers' concussion in 2010. I don't think they should have run Franklin in there without a lead blocker. Especially an inexperienced rookie.

What are the odds the QB gets concussed on a QB sneak? I think slim and none.

[Fritz]

Well, since it looks like he'd a been stuffed, then mebbe it was a bad call.

[Joemailman]

It wasn't even close with the replays I have seen. How did the Bengal get behind him for fucks sake? What a cluster.

Looks like Michael Johnson knifes between EDS and Sitton to get in the backfield. Quarless is lined up at TE on the left side and is useless. He's outside the point of attack. I wonder if things might have been different if he's been lined up in the backfield as a blocker.

[pbmax]

Yes, he was too high (there are two Bengals thoroughly blocked and in a position to do nothing but collect dust. Franklin is running into the upright ones.

But the other problem with the play is time. He has to hit the hole faster. Johnson should not be able to close that fast. Hit that hole the 3 prone Packers carved out low and drive with knees and feet, but he has to get there earlier.

[red]

Yes, he was too high (there are two Bengals thoroughly blocked and in a position to do nothing but collect dust. Franklin is running into the upright ones.

But the other problem with the play is time. He has to hit the hole faster. Johnson should not be able to close that fast. Hit that hole the 3 prone Packers carved out low and drive with knees and feet, but he has to get there earlier.

thats the problem with the very deep handoff that took place, if it had been a sneak then maybe you don't have the whole defense in there so fast.

but that handoff seemed like it was 5 or 6 yards behind the LOS at least, and it just took way to long to develop

as for pad level. yes, in the picture it looks like theres a nice neat hole for him to shoot through, but thats just because the whole defense is converging on franklin. if franklin would have gone lower, i would guess all the defenders still would have stuffed him

[red]

My take on that botched kick return is this. Ross should stand on the goal line when the ball is kicked. If he has to back up to catch it, he doesn't return it. If he moves forward or stands still he does. He started at the BACK of the endzone. He had to sprint to get to the ball at the 5. If you play centerfield do you lean against the fence when the pitch is thrown?

If he had been in position that was an easy catch even if the ball gets knocked down by the wind. Part of that is coaching as his positioning should have been corrected weeks ago.

i think, he started at or near the goal line, but once the ball was kicked he went deeper, then had to run up on it

it was a massive screw up

[mraynrand]

2010 Packers would have punted and played defense - and won. Maybe the 2013 Packers would have won the same way.

[Maxie the Taxi]

2010 Packers would have punted and played defense - and won. Maybe the 2013 Packers would have won the same way.

Maybe that's the lesson learned. I watched the game film again and, in hindsight, the perfect play would have been a fake to Franklin and a QB keeper around left end. The way the Bengals lined up, stacked in the middle in reaction to the Packers tight run formation, you would expect Rodgers to change the play, keep it on his own and roll out or call time. (On seeing the game video again, I think a QB sneak would have had to have been perfectly executed to work. EDS is no Ken Bowman.) Franklin didn't have a chance given the time it took to hand-off.

[red]

2010 Packers would have punted and played defense - and won. Maybe the 2013 Packers would have won the same way.

i don't think punting was an option, we were at their 30 yard line

47 yard field goal

[Joemailman]

Maybe that's the lesson learned. I watched the game film again and, in hindsight, the perfect play would have been a fake to Franklin and a QB keeper around left end. The way the Bengals lined up, stacked in the middle in reaction to the Packers tight run formation, you would expect Rodgers to change the play, keep it on his own and roll out or call time. (On seeing the game video again, I think a QB sneak would have had to have been perfectly executed to work. EDS is no Ken Bowman.) Franklin didn't have a chance given the time it took to hand-off.

Or...perhaps a more experienced and established RB would have bounced that run outside. The Bengals had totally sold out on stopping the inside run.