8-10 overall; 4-5 at home, 4-5 on the road

[woodbuck27]

Hi Woody. Good to see you are back.

Where was the team spirit? The same place it has been in a number of embarrassing home losses the last two seasons. I always counted on MM having his team ready to play, but that hasn't been the case the last two years. Far too many time they have not been ready.

I wonder if some of the "old guard" like AR, CM, JN and others have lost confidence in McCarthy. I wonder if it stems from the Seattle playoff game when McCarthy seemed to lose touch with what was happening in the game, a fact he even admitted in the off season when he promoted Clements to play caller. Heck, he even admiitted to not knowing Matthews was on the sidelines for the last drive by Seattle in regulation time. Sitton and Rodger both criticized playing not to lose; how many others are thinking the same?

Does this team still trust MM to pull the right strings to give them a chance to win?

It's good to be back Patler. My annual 4 Month Vacation from my life and football is again over.

The things never forgotten that come back to haunt you forever.

You know where I stand and confidence in MM and needing a win and "Big Game".

After a Viking loss earlier in the day the game Vs Indy was huge and how could the team come out so flat? The problem with the Packers has to be internal and a cancer to the teams future. A big change will soon come.

[Pugger]

In order for injuries to be a reason, their injuries have to be more significant than other teams'. In spite of losing Nelson for the whole season, the Packers didn't lose a lot of starter games to injuries last year compared to other teams around the league. JSO had an article after the season that showed they were actually quite healthy when looking at preferred starters actually starting the games. You can argue that many played while dinged up, but what team doesn't have that?

Yesterday was a good example of what is going wrong with this team. Both teams had weaknesses and strengths, yet where the packers had an apparent strength (pass rush) matched against a Colts weakness (pass protection), the Packer made little impact. On the other hand, Colts strengths against Packer weaknesses did make impacts.

On offense not having any running game to speak of makes things pretty easy for opposing defenses.

[beveaux1]

That's all true, but the biggest turnaround on this team the last two years has been the downward spiral of the offense.

The last 6 years our drafts have been heavy to the defensive side of the ball. Skill position players, other than Lacy and Adams, have not really been addressed in the first 2 rounds. The front 7 on defense has really not been a large problem. My thought is that we have very good talent there. The safety position has also been benefitted by high draft picks. It doesn't appear to be a problem. With that much talent on defense, they should be very good to excellent. Certainly good enough to allow an offense that is slower and older at the skill positions due to lack of first and second round talent reduce their output and still win. I have to think that was the drafting plan. Making this a team that relies more heavily on the defense to bail out that offense. I merely point out that as far as this season goes, the record should be 6-2 or even 7-1 if the CB position doesn't have those injuries. With Shields, we have a legitimate chance to beat Atlanta, Indy, and either Dallas or Minnesota. We also wouldn't be wondering why we were 8-10 overall since Denver.

[Patler]

The last 6 years our drafts have been heavy to the defensive side of the ball. Skill position players, other than Lacy and Adams, have not really been addressed in the first 2 rounds. The front 7 on defense has really not been a large problem. My thought is that we have very good talent there. The safety position has also been benefitted by high draft picks. It doesn't appear to be a problem. With that much talent on defense, they should be very good to excellent. Certainly good enough to allow an offense that is slower and older at the skill positions due to lack of first and second round talent reduce their output and still win. I have to think that was the drafting plan. Making this a team that relies more heavily on the defense to bail out that offense. I merely point out that as far as this season goes, the record should be 6-2 or even 7-1 if the CB position doesn't have those injuries. With Shields, we have a legitimate chance to beat Atlanta, Indy, and either Dallas or Minnesota. We also wouldn't be wondering why we were 8-10 overall since Denver.

I can't excuse the offense that easily. They keep telling us AR is the best there is. (Personally, I don't think he has played that way for quite some time.) That's more than half the battle. The OL is good. Maybe the skill positions aren't top of the 1st round talent, but they don't have to be to be successful. I think the league caught up to MM, and he has not yet figured out his countermoves.

[beveaux1]

I can't excuse the offense that easily. They keep telling us AR is the best there is. (Personally, I don't think he has played that way for quite some time.) That's more than half the battle. The OL is good. Maybe the skill positions aren't top of the 1st round talent, but they don't have to be to be successful. I think the league caught up to MM, and he has not yet figured out his countermoves.

No argument from me. The offense doesn't get a pass, and AR is not at the top of his game. I just believe the defense would have held up their end if not for the injuries at CB. I also think the record would be much better. If ifs and buts were candy and nuts.

[Carolina_Packer]

No argument from me. The offense doesn't get a pass, and AR is not at the top of his game. I just believe the defense would have held up their end if not for the injuries at CB. I also think the record would be much better. If ifs and buts were candy and nuts.

Yes, please don't interpret my earlier post as anything excusing the performance we are seeing on the field. However, you can't completely discount it either. It can be as simple as would you rather have Don Jackson on the field or Eddie Lacy? Would you rather have a healthy Sam Shields on the field or 2nd year Ladarius Gunter? That's no knock on Jackson or Gunter. They are where they are in their development which isn't far.

Does ARod have to play with the guys who are available? Yup. Is the Packers approach on offense stubborn to get big plays when perhaps they should think about coming up with ways to just get guys open and move the sticks? "Taking what the defense is giving?" Would that be beneficial to the D? It sure would.

No matter which route tree or patterns you follow, you still need to beat man coverage. If your guys can't beat man coverage, then you have to come up with ways to do that. Have they showed signs of that?

Lastly, you need to execute. It really comes down to that. When you are coming off the corner on a blitz, you cannot let the QB side-step and get away. When your QB drops a perfectly thrown ball in your bread basket on a go, you need to haul it in. When you roll out of the pocket and find an open receiver, you need to set your feet and not sail the pass.

[Maxie the Taxi]

This is Dom Capers 8th year. Maybe his schemes are being countered by Offensive Coordinators around the league as well.

[pbmax]

This is Dom Capers 8th year. Maybe his schemes are being countered by Offensive Coordinators around the league as well.

You need to take a week off Mr. We Should Blitz More!

[Maxie the Taxi]

You need to take a week off Mr. We Should Blitz More!

I actually was pleased that they blitzed as they did. Unfortunately they didn't get to Luck as many times as they should have. A couple times he escaped and made a play. Maybe we just don't have the personnel to make the plays. We're certainly not Denver, or even Atlanta or Chicago. Peppers is no where near what he used to be and a few of our guys (Ryan, Thomas, Clark and Guion) are just not natural pass rushers. I liked that they brought Ha Ha and Burnett a couple times. I actually think it's still there best chance against an elite QB. In fact, I'd do the same thing against Mariota next week. I just don't think we've got the horses to adequately pressure the QB with only four. Maybe with Mathews. Maybe we'll get it right with practice.

[pbmax]

I actually was pleased that they blitzed as they did. Unfortunately they didn't get to Luck as many times as they should have. A couple times he escaped and made a play. Maybe we just don't have the personnel to make the plays. We're certainly not Denver, or even Atlanta or Chicago. Peppers is no where near what he used to be and a few of our guys (Ryan, Thomas, Clark and Guion) are just not natural pass rushers. I liked that they brought Ha Ha and Burnett a couple times. I actually think it's still there best chance against an elite QB. In fact, I'd do the same thing against Mariota next week. I just don't think we've got the horses to adequately pressure the QB with only four. Maybe with Mathews. Maybe we'll get it right with practice.

They need to either go for him arm and make him pull the ball down and reset OR break down and tackle. They are going full speed and getting sidestepped pretty easily.

[Bossman641]

Welcome back Woody.

It's getting harder and harder to believe, but it's certainly possible that this team will play much better down the stretch once some people get healthy and the younger players continue to improve as a result of all these unexpected snaps they are getting. The next 3 games will tell the story though. If they aren't at least 6-5 then I don't think they have a shot.

[Rastak]

It's really about the will to win.

That was a very tough loss for the Packers in Atlanta. How much did that one point loss take away from the teams ultimate preparation for the home game Vs Indy?

The atmosphere to contribute to a team win was terrific at Lambeau. All that was wasted on the Packer team as a whole.

Where was the TEAM SPIRIT !?

Hey Woody, good to see ya back.