More Banjo: Week 1 @ Chicago

[Smidgeon]

The weak players this week were Tramon Williams (Is age finally catching up with him?)

Sure, he had two personal fouls (one I didn't agree with, but who cares), but he also had two super-savvy plays that saved the game. One where he pushed the WR out of bounds and didn't care about the ball (Al and Chris talked about that one at length). The second was far more important. He screened the WR which allowed Amos to make the pick. He kept the WR out of the play completely by using his body to "look" for the ball. That was exceptional. I was surprised after the commercial break that Nagy hadn't challenged that for PI. So good.

[RashanGary]

I didn’t notice that smidge. Good point. That was intentional for sure. Him and Amos knew that play was coming. I don’t think he knew the pick would happen but he did that to legally fuck up the WRs route for sure.

Can’t believe how savvy Williams is playing. Reminds me of C Wood.

[RashanGary]

Really impressed that Aaron Rodgers was able to stay calm and not panic or press or turn the ball over against such a great defense. 95% of quarterbacks would have. He just grinded.

I’m impressed in how MLF empowers and credits the TEAM! It’s not all about him.

I’m impressed with how committed AR seems to the pace and new philosophies.

The offense didn’t play great, but there was chemistry signs between those two very important guys on offense to the point that I don’t have long term worries anymore. Imma bout to become Tex #2

[pbmax]

MVS had cramps

Can't tell if this is a report or a setup to hamstring joke later.

[pbmax]

This rivalry has turned a little darker recently.

Michael Lombardi @mlombardiNFL
Packers cornerback Tramon Williams said. "We knew they had a lot of weapons, we knew they were dangerous, we knew all of those things. But we knew if we could make Mitch play quarterback, that we'd have a chance."

[ThunderDan]

Gary took 6 defensive snaps per the NFL game summary.

[pbmax]

Brad Biggs: https://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...km4-story.html

Credit is due to the Packers, who reshaped their defense in the offseason with some bold moves in free agency, including a $36 million, four-year contract for former Bears safety Adrian Amos. Green Bay also made moves to bolster the front seven, signing outside linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith. But the Packers don’t have the 1985 Bears defense. Heck, they don’t have the 2019 Bears defense.

Looked pretty close to me.

[Patler]

This was the key play by Gary. I read somewhere he only played 3 snaps. No idea if that's true or not. Not a good sign from a top 10 pick though.

Good thing he wasn't a top 10 pick!

[mraynrand]

Good thing he wasn't a top 10 pick!

lol

[texaspackerbacker]

Really impressed that Aaron Rodgers was able to stay calm and not panic or press or turn the ball over against such a great defense. 95% of quarterbacks would have. He just grinded.

I’m impressed in how MLF empowers and credits the TEAM! It’s not all about him.

I’m impressed with how committed AR seems to the pace and new philosophies.

The offense didn’t play great, but there was chemistry signs between those two very important guys on offense to the point that I don’t have long term worries anymore. Imma bout to become Tex #2

You should - everybody with a lick of sense should.

There are some short memories around here. We played with pace a lot last season and before. As for being "committed to new philosophies", yeah, he did seem to be, but to me, that was the downside of the game. The offense woulda been a lot better if they hadn't run it into the butts of the O Linemen and wasted downs so much, and those quick passes, ughhhhh - risk of interceptions.

As for staying calm and not panicking and absolutely not turning it over, that's Aaron Rodgers - always has been/always will be, although I give the RBs and receivers some credit too for wrapping it up with both hands and not fumbling.

And R E L A X everybody about Gary. The reason he didn't play much is because the Smith boys are so damn good, not because of anything wrong with him, at least it's way to soon to conclude that.

[mraynrand]

You should - everybody with a lick of sense should.

There are some short memories around here. We played with pace a lot last season and before. As for being "committed to new philosophies", yeah, he did seem to be, but to me, that was the downside of the game. The offense woulda been a lot better if they hadn't run it into the butts of the O Linemen and wasted downs so much, and those quick passes, ughhhhh - risk of interceptions.

The longest play came off play-action, set up by commitment to run. Hopefully, their late running with Jones won't be just a fluke against a gassed defense and will be a weapon they can use to both gain chunks of yards and put defenses on their heels. If you noticed, even when Rodgers had decent protection, and held the ball longer, a lot of times, guys weren't coming open. But that may be the best defense they play all year.

[pbmax]

Another look at the INT from the end zone camera. TV showed it but Matt Bowen gives it to us again.

https://twitter.com/MattBowen41/status/1169947593784401921

@MattBowen41
#Bears-#Packers: End zone angle on the Trubisky INT. Eyes are locked-in on the corner route. That puts S Adrian Amos in a position to break on the ball & overlap the route.
@NFLMatchup

[pbmax]

Silver with a gamer and a focus on LaFleur.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001051490/article/matt-lafleur-wins-packers-debut-behind-stout-defense

On first-and-10 from the Packers' 26, LaFleur sent in a play with an alert designed to beat "quarters" coverage, with four defensive backs spread across the back of the formation: Rodgers faked an end-around to Adams, who raced behind the quarterback and across the field, causing Bears (and former Packers) safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to creep up toward the line. Tight end Marcedes Lewis ran a corner route to the left, occupying the other safety, Eddie Jackson, and leaving second-year receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling singled up with cornerback Prince Amukamara in the middle of the field. Rodgers saw it unfold and dutifully uncorked a long pass that Valdes-Scantling corralled for a 47-yard gain.

Three plays later, Rodgers did what he does best: Raced to the line, quick-snapped and caught the Bears with 12 men on the field, earning a free play. He then bought time and floated a high pass toward Graham near the right corner of the end zone, with teammate Geronimo Allison hovering behind him. Graham jumped and beasted safety Deon Bush to score the game's only touchdown.

[pbmax]

"I noticed you ran pretty fast to get that challenge flag in front of the ref," said Bre LaFleur who must have pretty good eyes, given that she and 40-plus friends and family members watched the game from Section 446 -- in the upper northeast corner of the stadium, where tissues should be handed out to combat the inevitable nosebleeds.

Well, not everyone in the LaFleur party was watching.

"I watched the whole game," Denny LaFleur said. Then, gesturing toward his wife, he added: "That woman -- not so much. She had her head down most of the time."

"Yes," Kristi LaFleur conceded, "cause I felt like I was gonna blow up."

I suspect blow up was not exactly the term she used there.

[Fritz]

https://twitter.com/zachkruse2/statu...30188034613249



This was the key play by Gary. I read somewhere he only played 3 snaps. No idea if that's true or not. Not a good sign from a top 10 pick though.

A few observations on the game:

- First, because I came of age in the 70's, I am much more comfortable watching the Packers when they play good defense (paired with a lousy offense, which was the case last night), as opposed to the years in which they had a great offense but a lousy defense. That great 2011 offense, that team that went 15 - 1 or 14 - 2? I was miserable watching that. Packers would score, then Capers's defense would let the other team go right through them like butter. I hate watching that. So, for me, I enjoyed that game greatly last night. What a difference between that defense and what Capers/Thompson were putting out there just two or three years ago! Now, some of those players last night were Thompson's (Kenny Clark is really, really, really good), but on the whole, it was just a pleasure to feel confident in that Green Bay defense. I was especially impressed with the tackling - even when Trubisky completed a pass short, the linebackers/corners/safeties tackled the receiver right away. It's also clear, already, that Matthews/Perry were out of gas a couple years ago already. The Smith boys were consistently better. If this defense can play like this throughout the year, it will be a pleasure to watch, knowing the defense can keep them in games. They might not win any more than if they had a great offense and no defense, but for me, it's more enjoyable (and less stressful) to watch a good-defense-but-crummy-offense team, as opposed to the reverse.

- That on-the-field interview after the game with Rodgers. I told my wife that I haven't seen Aaron Rodgers look that happy since I don't know when. All this time we thought he was pissed because of the offense (and I think he was), but maybe it was more that he was sick of thinking the offense had to carry the team. Rodgers was smiling like a school kid, talking to Michelle Tafoya about the Packer defense. He didn't seem upset about the offense's failings, talked about how he'd have to be better, congratulated his coach, etc. But he just seemed truly, truly happy - moreso after interviews the past few years when the Packers would win. It was very noticeable.

- I was surprised they didn't call interference on Tramon Williams on the Amos pick. Relieved, but surprised.

- Didn't like The Flower's first challenge - it seemed obvious there was no offensive PI - but the second, of course, was a good challenge.

- I thought the safety play was excellent last night. Excellent. What a difference just having two competent safeties makes.

- Pettine may be becoming the Packers' best new weapon. Our own Vic Fangio. Man, that defense looked good.

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