The Offense

[Pugger]

My biggest beef is we often don't take what the defense gives us. If your guys aren't getting open downfield then try quick screens and slants. Roll AR out of the pocket more. He's a hell of lot more dangerous out there anyway.

Tonight our O line stunk. And RichRod can't block to save his soul. They scored that safety when RR screwed up and Aaron got blasted. AR got hammered all night long. When he didn't get rushed nobody could break free. This game reminded me more of the Buffalo game than the one in NO. At least in NO the offense was semi-functional.

[Joemailman]

The lack of a TE threat is really hurting. As a senior at Cal, Richard Rodgers was a fairly sleek, 245 pound TE. He bulked up for the Combine to 257 and ran poorly, which was probably why he was available in the 6th round. The Packers still list him at that weight, but many think he's even bigger. So what the Packers have now is a slow Tight End who's not a very good blocker. Someone else mentioned it, but it bears worth repeating: The Packers skill players on offense are very slow.

[Patler]

I can't blame it on the lack of a TE. Except for a couple of Finley's years, they haven't had a significant TE threat at all under MM.

A lot of the short and middle plays from Denver were open because of scheme, not the ability of the players to get open. For whatever reason, the Packers can't get open at all based on scheme the last month.

Games like last night are Rodgers' Achilles' Heal. When he is under pressure, he simply refuses to throw to guys who are minimally open. When he is not under pressure, he will make those throws. The good thing is that even when the team is being dominated, they are not out of it on the scoreboard until deep, deep into the game, because Rodgers doesn't give the ball away. The bad part is that if the receivers can never get open sufficiently for Rodgers' comfort zone, you have what we saw last night, the passing game never sustains anything.

Through out the game, but especially early, Manning threw a number of passes to guys who looked fairly well covered. He hit some pretty small windows. Had he been a little less comfortable in the pocket, he might not have made those throws.

[mr_blonde]

All this blabber about the offensive problems being the WRs not getting open reminds back when the WRs were blamed for running the wrong routes resulting in Favre's interceptions ....

It's bullshit.
I refuse to buy into the hype (rationalization) that every WR on this team is crap (a role player) .... No sale.

Two things.

First, the offensive scheme is stale. Opposing defenses know what the Packers are trying to do and the Packers have failed to adjust or innovate at all this season.

Second, Aaron Rodgers has been awful.

WRs are getting open but when your first and second reads are always running 40 yard verticals downfield it makes coverage pretty straight forward. If his first or second read isn't there, he starts his little tap dance that fans and media love but results in him having trouble locating a WR when coverage begins to break down.

It is my understanding that every play called in has a run or pass option. It's Rodgers' responsibility to make the call based on the defense. Safe to say, Rodgers hasn't been doing well with his reads/adjustments so far this season ...

In addition, his passing accuracy has deteriorated this season. Missed a wide open Cobb last night and I had to chuckle when he bitched at Lacy about not running the correct route on a sideline screen play. Nevermind the fact that Rodgers threw the ball at Lacy's feet from about 10 yards ....

Rodgers is turning into Favre. A Prima Donna without the picks ....

[mraynrand]

A lot of the short and middle plays from Denver were open because of scheme, not the ability of the players to get open. For whatever reason, the Packers can't get open at all based on scheme the last month.

Denver has the defensive backs to play press, get pressure with 3-4, and totally blow up the Packer offense. Packers can't/won't play press, and with poor pass rush, they are ripe for slaughter.

Games like last night are Rodgers' Achilles' Heal. When he is under pressure, he simply refuses to throw to guys who are minimally open. When he is not under pressure, he will make those throws. The good thing is that even when the team is being dominated, they are not out of it on the scoreboard until deep, deep into the game, because Rodgers doesn't give the ball away. The bad part is that if the receivers can never get open sufficiently for Rodgers' comfort zone, you have what we saw last night, the passing game never sustains anything.

Through out the game, but especially early, Manning threw a number of passes to guys who looked fairly well covered. He hit some pretty small windows. Had he been a little less comfortable in the pocket, he might not have made those throws.

Good observation. Rodger's risk-averse stratagem is ineffective in games like last night.

[pbmax]

Only Talib was truly playing press, couple cases of bump (mostly on Jones), otherwise it was just man underneath for the Broncos. There was nothing devastating about the coverage.

The pressure caused the problems. And M3 has had a blind spot about his O line and pass pro on the road before. Even though he was chipping and had a back into protect, they were getting pressure up the gut in Rodgers' face. Given who their outside rushers are, Rodgers did not have an escape route in a lot of cases. The Packers were not running all deep routes, they were even cutting routes off when pressure presented itself. But even wide open James Jones had the ball thrown the wrong way because of pressure. Same with Cobb and RichRod short.

I would like to know what is wrong with the interior of the Packers O line and pass blocking. Its been nearly as dreadful as Bach.

This is the same issue the no huddle presented last year opening in Seattle. Its too stationary and uses no tricks for formation or motion to spring players open. And that was with Nelson.

In general, I think this is a game and opponent the Packers will always struggle to win on the road. If this game is at Lambeau, the pass rush tilts the other way.

[Maxie the Taxi]

I went back and watched the first two series of the game. IMO the pressure and protection was pretty much the same on both sides EXCEPT Manning was getting rid of the ball quickly on short throws while Arod was holding on to the ball trying to chuck it downfield. The Denver receivers were open or had lots of separation. The Packer receivers had little or no separation. DickRod was open but Arod missed him high. A better TE might have caught it.

Anyway, on his last throw of that first series, Arod tried to hit Jones long down the left side. After the throw he was tackled hard and lay on the ground his head in his hands, wincing. Somebody here commented on the game thread that he thought Arod was concussed. Watching the play again you can plainly see that Arod was kicked in the head by Bulaga. It was pretty much all downhill from there. I'm thinking Arod might have been slightly concussed. His decision-making the rest of the game was certainly atypical for him.

Unfortunately, our offensive strategy didn't change. We kept trying to go downfield, but Jones, Cobb and company were like scurrying mice with Denver defenders attached to them like shadows. Really, really dumb.

[pbmax]

Wade Phillips @sonofbum 56m56 minutes ago
Chicken Parm tastes so good-I like it especially with Cheese

Gloat away you glorious idiot.

[mraynrand]

Only Talib was truly playing press, couple cases of bump (mostly on Jones), otherwise it was just man underneath for the Broncos. There was nothing devastating about the coverage.

except that no one was open.

[Patler]

Wade Phillips @sonofbum 56m56 minutes ago
Chicken Parm tastes so good-I like it especially with Cheese

Gloat away you glorious idiot.

Can you have "chicken parm" without cheese? Wouldn't that be just "chicken" (I know, I know, with the sauce, etc.)

[Bossman641]

Some pretty damning quotes...

"Denver has [top] corners, so what you can do against Green Bay is come in and play very tight coverage, which takes the quick game away because the Packers' skill doesn't scare you," this GM said. "Now, if their skill scared you, you might play some off coverage and Aaron can see that and hit quick slants and move the chains."

"Jordy was their vertical threat," this coach said. "You saw James Jones laboring on those curl routes. [Randall] Cobb is Cobb and [Davante] Adams is too green. Good defenses can cover them. Combine that with a pass-rush like you saw in Denver and that is a recipe for disaster."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/14035571/green-bay-packers-need-more-offensive-weapons-nfl

[Rutnstrut]

I went back and watched the first two series of the game. IMO the pressure and protection was pretty much the same on both sides EXCEPT Manning was getting rid of the ball quickly on short throws while Arod was holding on to the ball trying to chuck it downfield. The Denver receivers were open or had lots of separation. The Packer receivers had little or no separation. DickRod was open but Arod missed him high. A better TE might have caught it.

Anyway, on his last throw of that first series, Arod tried to hit Jones long down the left side. After the throw he was tackled hard and lay on the ground his head in his hands, wincing. Somebody here commented on the game thread that he thought Arod was concussed. Watching the play again you can plainly see that Arod was kicked in the head by Bulaga. It was pretty much all downhill from there. I'm thinking Arod might have been slightly concussed. His decision-making the rest of the game was certainly atypical for him.

Unfortunately, our offensive strategy didn't change. We kept trying to go downfield, but Jones, Cobb and company were like scurrying mice with Denver defenders attached to them like shadows. Really, really dumb.

Except that he's played pretty much this poorly the last few games.

[Rutnstrut]

Some pretty damning quotes...

"Denver has [top] corners, so what you can do against Green Bay is come in and play very tight coverage, which takes the quick game away because the Packers' skill doesn't scare you," this GM said. "Now, if their skill scared you, you might play some off coverage and Aaron can see that and hit quick slants and move the chains."

"Jordy was their vertical threat," this coach said. "You saw James Jones laboring on those curl routes. [Randall] Cobb is Cobb and [Davante] Adams is too green. Good defenses can cover them. Combine that with a pass-rush like you saw in Denver and that is a recipe for disaster."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story...ve-weapons-nfl

This is the result of the all knowing TT sitting on his checkbook. I have always thought they were thin at WR BEFORE Jordy got hurt. Preach draft and develop all you want, in theory it's a great thing. But I think a truly great GM would not be afraid to use ALL the tools available to him. You can't be successful in anything if you are stubborn/close minded and think your way is the only way.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Some pretty damning quotes...

"Denver has [top] corners, so what you can do against Green Bay is come in and play very tight coverage, which takes the quick game away because the Packers' skill doesn't scare you," this GM said. "Now, if their skill scared you, you might play some off coverage and Aaron can see that and hit quick slants and move the chains."

"Jordy was their vertical threat," this coach said. "You saw James Jones laboring on those curl routes. [Randall] Cobb is Cobb and [Davante] Adams is too green. Good defenses can cover them. Combine that with a pass-rush like you saw in Denver and that is a recipe for disaster."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story...ve-weapons-nfl

Man, that sure confirms what a lot of us were thinking. Again, if opposing GM's can see it, why can't the Packer powers that be see it. We need the field stretched and I guess Stubby and company feel no one on the team can do that. If we had a great receiving RB, that might help.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Some pretty damning quotes...

"Denver has [top] corners, so what you can do against Green Bay is come in and play very tight coverage, which takes the quick game away because the Packers' skill doesn't scare you," this GM said. "Now, if their skill scared you, you might play some off coverage and Aaron can see that and hit quick slants and move the chains."

"Jordy was their vertical threat," this coach said. "You saw James Jones laboring on those curl routes. [Randall] Cobb is Cobb and [Davante] Adams is too green. Good defenses can cover them. Combine that with a pass-rush like you saw in Denver and that is a recipe for disaster."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story...ve-weapons-nfl

Shit, if a team can pressure the QB all night using mostly 4 rushers like what happened last night that's a formula to beat anyone.