The Offense

[Maxie the Taxi]

There have been a lot of fan complaints about the play of the O-line in pass pro. McGinn didn't find it all that bad.

I can't bring myself to watch the entire game replay, but based on the first half, I actually agree with McGinn. Arod and Manning had about the same protection. Manning just had open receivers to throw to and was decisive about it. Though both QB's had similar protection, our OL was dealing with blitzing LB's and were consistently outnumbered. On the other hand, Manning's OL consistently outnumbered our guys rushing the passer.

You'll never beat Denver at home by failing to put Manning on his ass by whatever means it takes.

[sharpe1027]

I can't bring myself to watch the entire game replay, but based on the first half, I actually agree with McGinn. Arod and Manning had about the same protection. Manning just had open receivers to throw to and was decisive about it. Though both QB's had similar protection, our OL was dealing with blitzing LB's and were consistently outnumbered. On the other hand, Manning's OL consistently outnumbered our guys rushing the passer.

You'll never beat Denver at home by failing to put Manning on his ass by whatever means it takes.

Maybe I just have a poor recollection, but I do not consider it equal when one the Oline is consistently being blown backwards (even if they stay in front of their man for the most part) and the other is holding their ground. Especially up the middle. I admit I have not re-watched any of it, but Arod did not seem to have the nice clean pocket Manning had most of the game. That doesn't that mean Rodgers is absolved of all blame, but the protection/pressures did not look like there were the same.

[Teamcheez1]

Other QB's against Denver:

Josh McCown 20-39 213 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
D. Carr 26-39 249 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
T. Bridgewater 27-41, 269 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT
M. Stafford 31-45, 282 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Alex Smith 16-25, 191 yds, 0 TD, 2 INT
J. Flacco 18-32, 117 yds, 0 TD, 2 INT

This makes the offense and Rodgers performance look even worse. The game plan and adjustments by the coaches also looks even worse.

[Fritz]

I watched the first half, and while there were plays where Rodgers seemed to have time - they didn't do badly against a tough Denver front, not at all - there was some push up the middle that might've hindered Rodgers from time to time.

But the run-blocking...ugh. Except for occasional plays, Eddie Lacey had no where to run, baby, no where to hide.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Other QB's against Denver:

Josh McCown 20-39 213 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
D. Carr 26-39 249 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
T. Bridgewater 27-41, 269 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT
M. Stafford 31-45, 282 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Alex Smith 16-25, 191 yds, 0 TD, 2 INT
J. Flacco 18-32, 117 yds, 0 TD, 2 INT

This makes the offense and Rodgers performance look even worse. The game plan and adjustments by the coaches also looks even worse.

Note the INT's. This reinforces the notion that Arod was not willing to stick the ball into tight windows and risk an INT. These other QB's did take the risk and paid for it with INT's, except Bridgewater who is really accurate.

Maybe INT's are the price of doing business against the Denver D, I don't know. All I do know is that the Pack ain't going to win against anybody if Arod throws for only 77 yards.

[pbmax]

I don't mind the lack of INTs until the end of the game. Then its time to go high variance.

[Bossman641]

Maybe I just have a poor recollection, but I do not consider it equal when one the Oline is consistently being blown backwards (even if they stay in front of their man for the most part) and the other is holding their ground. Especially up the middle. I admit I have not re-watched any of it, but Arod did not seem to have the nice clean pocket Manning had most of the game. That doesn't that mean Rodgers is absolved of all blame, but the protection/pressures did not look like there were the same.

Agreed. Manning had a nice clean pocket. The pocket around Rodgers was constantly getting caved in. It went from below average protection throughout the first half to awful protection in the second.

The other thing this game really showed me is how sloooow our RB's are. Seriously, how nice would it be to have a quick 3rd down back coming out of the backfield? When you pair that with Rodgers at TE we are really missing the 8-12 yard checkdowns that other QB's make a killing at.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Agreed. Manning had a nice clean pocket. The pocket around Rodgers was constantly getting caved in. It went from below average protection throughout the first half to awful protection in the second.

I fall on the side of this chicken-or-egg argument that the offensive line did a decent job pass blocking, the problem was mostly that Denver jammed at line of scrimmage and stuck to receivers like glue.

Eric Baranczyk does an excellent game analysis. He thought the interior three were yielding push up middle more than usual. He wants to move the pocket more, run more, play action pass.

http://media.1057fmthefan.com/a/110625597/11-02-15-eric-baranczyk-joins-bill-michaels.htm?pageid=911297

If Packers aren't able to throw over a defense that puts 11 men inside of 8 yards, the receivers are really bad.

[Maxie the Taxi]

I fall on the side of this chicken-or-egg argument that the offensive line did a decent job pass blocking, the problem was mostly that Denver jammed at line of scrimmage and stuck to receivers like glue.

Eric Baranczyk does an excellent game analysis. He thought the interior three were yielding push up middle more than usual. He wants to move the pocket more, run more, play action pass.

http://media.1057fmthefan.com/a/110625597/11-02-15-eric-baranczyk-joins-bill-michaels.htm?pageid=911297

If Packers aren't able to throw over a defense that puts 11 men inside of 8 yards, the receivers are really bad.

I think Baranczyk's analysis is correct. It seems to me that if the OL was failing in a major way to protect Arod, we would have seen Kuhn and Ripkowski in the backfield helping out with pass protection early in the game. However, they only played a total of 6 snaps between them. I think it's obvious that the Denver defense wasn't worried about getting beat over the top by our receivers.

[Bossman641]

I think Baranczyk's analysis is correct. It seems to me that if the OL was failing in a major way to protect Arod, we would have seen Kuhn and Ripkowski in the backfield helping out with pass protection early in the game. However, they only played a total of 6 snaps between them. I think it's obvious that the Denver defense wasn't worried about getting beat over the top by our receivers.

MM has shown before that he is hesitant to give the line help - the first half of the Fail Mary game. For better or worse, he puts a lot of faith in the OL and uses chips by TE's and RB's more than actually keeping people in to block.

And Rodgers was pressured on 63% of pass plays Sunday night. Ya he probably was responsible for some of the pressure with his bouncing around, but it was still a ridiculous amount of pressure.

[Maxie the Taxi]

MM has shown before that he is hesitant to give the line help - the first half of the Fail Mary game. For better or worse, he puts a lot of faith in the OL and uses chips by TE's and RB's more than actually keeping people in to block.

And Rodgers was pressured on 63% of pass plays Sunday night. Ya he probably was responsible for some of the pressure with his bouncing around, but it was still a ridiculous amount of pressure.

I guess they don't call him Stubby for nothing.

[denverYooper]

Other QB's against Denver:

Josh McCown 20-39 213 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
D. Carr 26-39 249 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
T. Bridgewater 27-41, 269 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT
M. Stafford 31-45, 282 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Alex Smith 16-25, 191 yds, 0 TD, 2 INT
J. Flacco 18-32, 117 yds, 0 TD, 2 INT

This makes the offense and Rodgers performance look even worse. The game plan and adjustments by the coaches also looks even worse.

Really? I see an awful lot of INTs on that list and not many TDs.nIt didn't help at all that they couldn't get any YAC.

For what it's worth, their only home games there were Flacco and Bridgewater. Bridgewater might have played the best but he took one hell of a beating. Is that worth it in a non-conference away game?

[mraynrand]

I think Baranczyk's analysis is correct. It seems to me that if the OL was failing in a major way to protect Arod, we would have seen Kuhn and Ripkowski in the backfield helping out with pass protection early in the game. However, they only played a total of 6 snaps between them. I think it's obvious that the Denver defense wasn't worried about getting beat over the top by our receivers.

It's kind of funny that the first play I recall seeing Kuhn on was the safety. Kuhn is Stubby's security blanket, when his sphincter is really, really tightening up. Man did that backfire. Who could know that DickRod would have such an astonishing implosion on that play?

[mraynrand]

If Packers aren't able to throw over a defense that puts 11 men inside of 8 yards, the receivers are really bad.

They're not horrible; it's just the differential with the defensive backs is more in Denver's favor; then you fact in the pressure and you have a disaster. Still, Denver's d-backs took some penalties. It's the Belichick strategy - you just be more aggressive. Even a few penalties, you still win, because they aren't gonna call everything. And in Denver's case, they just won a lot of individual battles.

[Smidgeon]

They're not horrible; it's just the differential with the defensive backs is more in Denver's favor; then you fact in the pressure and you have a disaster. Still, Denver's d-backs took some penalties. It's the Belichick strategy - you just be more aggressive. Even a few penalties, you still win, because they aren't gonna call everything. And in Denver's case, they just won a lot of individual battles.

I call that the Seattle strategy: hold on every route; they won't call everything.

Mind you, I'm not complaining about officiating. That wasn't the reason the game was so lopsided.