5 minute stretch that changed the game

[denverYooper]

There are never supposed to be excuses, but there are always reasons. Before and during the game, the DB depth was challenged with injury concerns. The Packers were relying on their rookie first rounder in Randall, were missing starter in Shields and complimentary piece in Rollins, and were forced to play late round development guy from last year, Goodson. Add to that the Packers pass rush has disappeared, which puts even more of a challenge on the coverage units. Whatever kind of in-game adjustments were necessary to produce more pass rush may have staved off these few really bad moments of big plays and flipped the script on the game. We still had the players who were helping produce a pass rush earlier. You've got to help out the coverage units more. We need to get the band back together and find a pass rush or there are going to be more big plays given up.

+1. I just wrote something similar in the chemistry thread.

Now I need to get back to solving those acid-base titration problems.

[Fritz]

Good post, Patler. At least, it is to me because it underscores the way a defense can take over a game.

The last Packers' SB team had a defense like that. I'm thinking specifically of the 9 - 0 win over the Jets, in New York, I think.

If the Packer defense that showed up for the first five games had shown up last Sunday, the outcome would likely have been very different.

I'd rather have a stout defense with a sputtering offense than a prolific offense with a weak defense.

Though right now the Packers have a sputtering offense AND a weak defense.

Does anyone think inserting Jake Ryan in the second half made a siginificant difference? I did not see much of the game. Is the guy an upgrade over Palmer?

[pbmax]

Good post, Patler. At least, it is to me because it underscores the way a defense can take over a game.

The last Packers' SB team had a defense like that. I'm thinking specifically of the 9 - 0 win over the Jets, in New York, I think.

If the Packer defense that showed up for the first five games had shown up last Sunday, the outcome would likely have been very different.

I'd rather have a stout defense with a sputtering offense than a prolific offense with a weak defense.

Though right now the Packers have a sputtering offense AND a weak defense.

Does anyone think inserting Jake Ryan in the second half made a siginificant difference? I did not see much of the game. Is the guy an upgrade over Palmer?

Palmer was missing some run fits, but nothing as egregious as the Broncos game. But I suspect that zone drops in the passing game were the cause of consternation versus the Panthers.

Of course, then Ryan leads the team in tackles. So it MIGHT have been the run fits that were the problem. The most I can say about Ryan is that he was around the ball. Palmer was often ball-adjacent, but had many fewer tackles to show for it.

[Patler]

Does anyone think inserting Jake Ryan in the second half made a siginificant difference? I did not see much of the game. Is the guy an upgrade over Palmer?

I don't know if it made a difference in that game, but it might make a difference this coming game, regardless of whether Ryan or Palmer gets the start.

When a team is playing lousy, taking out Palmer and playing Ryan is a good thing, even if Ryan soesn't play appreciably better. So to for sitting Lacy and playing Starks more. Moves like that grab the attention of everyone, not just the players involved. Starters remember that their spot isn't guaranteed, the backups and young guys realize that their opportunity could come at anytime. Raising everyone's attention level is a good thing when the team seems to have lost focus.

[Fritz]

I don't know if it made a difference in that game, but it might make a difference this coming game, regardless of whether Ryan or Palmer gets the start.

When a team is playing lousy, taking out Palmer and playing Ryan is a good thing, even if Ryan soesn't play appreciably better. So to for sitting Lacy and playing Starks more. Moves like that grab the attention of everyone, not just the players involved. Starters remember that their spot isn't guaranteed, the backups and young guys realize that their opportunity could come at anytime. Raising everyone's attention level is a good thing when the team seems to have lost focus.

By golly, maybe MM will yank Arod out for a couple series, then.

[mraynrand]

By golly, maybe MM will yank Arod out for a couple series, then.

probably a good thing to do when he is frightened.