2019 Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears Week 1 Discussion Thread

[Joemailman]

In real news, TE Jace Sternberger has been place on IR.

James Crawford not a candidate to come back as he was signed by the Dolphins.

Allen Lazard promoted to 53.

[RashanGary]

T

Yes, because they have leads.

I stand corrected. The Packers ran the ball at a good rate in the first quarter and not in the 4th. The Patriots ran slightly more in the 4th. Same for Rams. So the lead was a primary reason for that. I checked the splits by quarter and half.

[pbmax]

T


I stand corrected. The Packers ran the ball at a good rate in the first quarter and not in the 4th. The Patriots ran slightly more in the 4th. Same for Rams. So the lead was a primary reason for that. I checked the splits by quarter and half.

Now that is some research I can stand behind. And not just because it suits my priors!

[texaspackerbacker]

Tex, you do realize the Packers brought in an offensive coach who comes from the Mike Shanahan tree. Mike Shanahan, Kubiak, Kyle, McVay, Lafleur..... they all match their run plays with pass plays so it all looks alike. This is an offense that is not built around audibles like AR wants. It’s built around pace and patterning playcalls and the run game.

Oh, it’s a topic. AR or Lafleur, just like Manning and Kubiak... someone’s gonna have to bend.

And that's not necessarily a bad thing. It also does not preclude audibles - that would be stupid. Pace/no huddle has been a major part of the Packers game long before LaFleur came along. Rodgers thrives in it. He also calls a lot of the plays.

Audibles or not is not the big deal, though. The necessary thing - which I am very confident will continue - is what ya'all detractors like to call extending the play. This is something Aaron Rodgers does better than anybody else, and he does it mostly out of necessity/primarily because it is a good idea. If you're a smart mobile QB, when you're confronted by a strong pass rush - as Rodgers almost always is with this O Line, you don't just stand there and unload it into a crowd. You buy some time with your feet and then hit an open receiver if possible/occasionally taking off and running. That's just common sense - for survival as well as for success. If you're a smart coach - which I'm pretty sure LaFleur is - you realize what works with the personnel you have, and you go with it. And if you're a smart GM, you interview your new coach, and you make damn sure he sees things that way and will subordinate his ego accordingly.

And if you're a smart fan, you appreciate the QB greatness the Packers have had for more than a quarter century and the winning teams we've had virtually all that time, and you don't piss and moan and talk stupid shit about how other teams do things better.

[RashanGary]

Looking at the splits by half, the Packers did run the ball well in the first half and faltered as they got behind.

They had the 14th ranked scoring offense
.............. the 22nd ranked scoring defense
Goslin's.. 32nd ranked special teams

And honestly, the offense rarely turned it over and the defense rarely got turnovers. So the offense had to fight twice as hard for that 14th ranking and the defense is probably even worse than 22nd because they were never left out to dry by offensive turnovers.

SO..... With the new information in hand, I will go ahead and say the poor defense (highlighted by giving up points and exaggerated by no turnovers), mixed with horrible special teams, combined with AR having only one weapon he had chemistry with as the core issues with the 2018 Packers.

[texaspackerbacker]

Allen Lazard promoted to 53.

Good. As I understand the IR rules, Sternberger can return, since he was on the original 53 man roster. Hopefully, he will do that at some point, and Mercedes Lewis will get dumped.

[pbmax]

Looking at the splits by half, the Packers did run the ball well in the first half and faltered as they got behind.

They had the 14th ranked scoring offense
.............. the 22nd ranked scoring defense
Goslin's.. 32nd ranked special teams

And honestly, the offense rarely turned it over and the defense rarely got turnovers. So the offense had to fight twice as hard for that 14th ranking and the defense is probably even worse than 22nd because they were never left out to dry by offensive turnovers.

SO..... With the new information in hand, I will go ahead and say the poor defense, mixed with horrible special teams, combined with AR having only one weapon he had chemistry with as the core issues with the 2018 Packers.

If they have a number 5-7 ranked scoring offense last year (say Cobb or Graham a little healthier and Rodgers without a bum knee) and the Packers would have been a carbon copy of 3 or 4 of their teams this decade. Playoffs but with a questionable D and ST that wouldn't help.

[RashanGary]

McCarthy and Rodgers were doing a good job with the offense. The defense and special teams were downright pathetic.

[RashanGary]

If they have a number 5-7 ranked scoring offense last year (say Cobb or Graham a little healthier and Rodgers without a bum knee) and the Packers would have been a carbon copy of 3 or 4 of their teams this decade. Playoffs but with a questionable D and ST that wouldn't help.

Yeah. Gute and Murphy blew up the McCarthy/TT show. The defense got overhauled. JK Scott looks much improved. Davis is healthy. Lets hope for a better 2019!

[pbmax]

McCarthy and Rodgers were doing a good job with the offense. The defense and special teams were downright pathetic.

I think that ST has to fall to McCarthy. Practice and his coordinators plus access to starting players. A bit to Thompson because he rarely carried special team demons.

Defense falls on Thompson and Capers never getting it together after 2009/10. Perry was a perfectly good pick and fit in the D, but he was never healthy.

[RashanGary]

Honestly, truth. be told, I think Ted Thompson is mostly responsible for the last two years. McCarthy is next by not doing enough to support the defense and Special teams. But those couple bad drafts first and foremost, combined with letting Hyde and Heyward go, combined with resigning Perry just crushed our team.

Gute cut bait with the old, made up for the bad drafts with some core free agents from the 2015 draft and then drafted Alexander and a bunch of promising guys. It has a chance to be a quick turn around.

[RashanGary]

I think that ST has to fall to McCarthy. Practice and his coordinators plus access to starting players. A bit to Thompson because he rarely carried special team demons.

Defense falls on Thompson and Capers never getting it together after 2009/10. Perry was a perfectly good pick and fit in the D, but he was never healthy.

Yep. I'm pretty much in agreement. Honestly, I barely watched last year. I had a stressful job and went through a breakup with a shitty ex girlfriend so I just sort of didn't pay close attention at all. Normally if I watched every game closely, I'd know the defense and STs were pathetic. Last year was my least attentive football season. I didn't even watch half of the games.

[Bretsky]

Honestly, truth. be told, I think Ted Thompson is mostly responsible for the last two years. McCarthy is next by not doing enough to support the defense and Special teams. But those couple bad drafts first and foremost, combined with letting Hyde and Heyward go, combined with resigning Perry just crushed our team.

Gute cut bait with the old, made up for the bad drafts with some core free agents from the 2015 draft and then drafted Alexander and a bunch of promising guys. It has a chance to be a quick turn around.

Agree with this

But as Patler said, terrible mistake to trade away a natural safety for Kizer

I think MM had a lot to do with that though

[RashanGary]

Agree with this

But as Patler said, terrible mistake to trade away a natural safety for Kizer

I think MM had a lot to do with that though

Hyde, Heyward and Randall combined with an awful 2015 draft. Had he resigned Tretter we wouldn’t have had the revolving door of poop at RG last year. TT was really bad down the stretch there. The only saving grace is that he had so much cap space so Gute could make a swift turnaround. TT was bad but horrible is when you spend all the money and still suck. At least be left the next guy with a boatload of cash and some good pieces in hand.

Still, bad enough to not be Packer standard. Not at all. Murphy did the right thing to let both those guys go. Looks to be in better hands now.

[RashanGary]

Bretsky,

Rodgers, Bakh, Taulor, Linsley, Bulaga, Adams, Jones, Williams
Clark, M Adams, Lowry, Martinez, Fackrell, King
Crosby, Davis

And a boatload of cash and only one bad contract....

At least he left it in position to turn around quickly. I get the feeling with TTs illness all of the higher ups were fighting amongst each other and messing shit up. Gute is healthy and has the energy to make swift, confident decisions so it seems in better hands now.