THE SPIKE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED

[Bretsky]

Maybe I'm breaking things down too much here, but did anybody else take note of the First and 10 Spike Green Bay chose to do with just under a minute left on the 11 yard line on that last drive and wonder why ?

I was at the game; the Rams defense seemed to be off balance and in need of a break; I've also had the theory that with a veteran QB, if the offense has the ability to keep things moving swiftly that results in a greater advantage to the offense as opposed to the defense.

Favre had plenty of time to bring the group up and get a play in and stay in the hurry up offense. I believe he looked over to MM for confirmation to spike the ball, but I'm not positive.

I'd have liked to see them call a play from the sidelines and stay in the hurry up offense.

Again the Rams seemed tired and off balance at the point; we let them regroup and Leonard Little found the energy to knock that dam ball out.

I didn't like that sequence

B

[chewy-bacca]

the fake spike would have been awesome! thats what I was looking for.

[Patler]

Re: THE SPIKE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED

Maybe I'm breaking things down too much here, but did anybody else take note of the First and 10 Spike Green Bay chose to do with just under a minute left on the 11 yard line on that last drive and wonder why ?

I was at the game; the Rams defense seemed to be off balance and in need of a break; I've also had the theory that with a veteran QB, if the offense has the ability to keep things moving swiftly that results in a greater advantage to the offense as opposed to the defense.

Favre had plenty of time to bring the group up and get a play in and stay in the hurry up offense. I believe he looked over to MM for confirmation to spike the ball, but I'm not positive.

I'd have liked to see them call a play from the sidelines and stay in the hurry up offense.

Again the Rams seemed tired and off balance at the point; we let them regroup and Leonard Little found the energy to knock that dam ball out.

I didn't like that sequence

B

Initially I did not like it, but as I thought it through, I decided that it was the right thing to do.

You have two rookie guards, a center who is not greatly experienced, a rookie WR, a third receiver who has been there 4 weeks, a fullback (if he was in the game) playing his second game, a RB (either one) without a lot of game experience in the NFL. It was important that everyone was on the same page. Stopping the clock to allow everyone to collect themselves one last time was the right thing to do with an inexperienced offense.

[Cheesehead Craig]

I liked the spike. Get the team collected and on the same page. They had the FG there, and there was no need to rush a play through. Had Favre ran a pass play and there was a mixup in the WR route and he threw a pick, everyone would have said he should have spiked the ball to get the team set.

[Harlan Huckleby]

This is a pro football team. If they can't line-up and toss a pass into the endzone, something is wrong. There was time to run 4 more plays, absolutely no justification to lose a play by spiking in that situation. A pass out of the endzone is as good as a spike, and maybe somebody springs open.

[Bretsky]

I guess the reason I really didn't like the spike is it gave the Rams, and especially their DL, time to regroup and catch their wind. I was at the game and they looked tired and for the most part were not getting a lot of pressure on Favre at the end.

[Partial]

Real question - Do we think that was Favre decision or M3s?

[chewy-bacca]

Plus, they all have play info on the arm, they couldnt send in 2 plays in a row before the spike?

I know its a young team and staff.....maybe next season they can do that. It just seems like they wanna work that no huddle and that was the perfect spot.

[Patler]

This is a pro football team. If they can't line-up and toss a pass into the endzone, something is wrong. There was time to run 4 more plays, absolutely no justification to lose a play by spiking in that situation. A pass out of the endzone is as good as a spike, and maybe somebody springs open.

What you worry about is the team not getting set, not knowing the play, missing a protection or read, running wrong routes and getting the team pushed back by penalty or a sack, or causing an interception because the receiver ran one route when Favre expected another.

The offensive team of 3 or 4 years ago would probably have had no problem running a play. They were well experienced in Sherman's offense and the pro game. Yesterday, there were simply too many neophytes to the NFL and/or the Packers. besides, the offense is new to everyone..

[Patler]

Besides, if they didn't get everyone set, Tauscher might not have been ready for one last effort from Leonard Little, Tony Moll may have been late picking up a stunting DT, Favre could have been hit and fumbled....oh...wait.....NEVER MIND!

[Harlan Huckleby]

What you worry about is the team not getting set, not knowing the play, missing a protection or read, running wrong routes and getting the team pushed back by penalty or a sack,

All you need to worry about is the first point: getting set. It's obviously a passing situation, the offensive linemen just need to pass block for a minimal time. Favre just throws the ball out of endzone if any unpleasant scenerios develop.

[chewy-bacca]

Besides, if they didn't get everyone set, Tauscher might not have been ready for one last effort from Leonard Little, Tony Moll may have been late picking up a stunting DT, Favre could have been hit and fumbled....oh...wait.....NEVER MIND!

and thats the bottom line!

[Patler]

What you worry about is the team not getting set, not knowing the play, missing a protection or read, running wrong routes and getting the team pushed back by penalty or a sack,

All you need to worry about is the first point: getting set. It's obviously a passing situation, the offensive linemen just need to pass block for a minimal time. Favre just throws the ball out of endzone if any unpleasant scenerios develop.

What you aren't recognizing is that the QB may release the ball before he realizes the receiver and he weren't on the same page. While its not rocket science, todays pro game is not as simple as you make it out to be.

The previous play had been second and 2 from the 20. They probably had one or 2 plays called before that one to use incase 2nd down hadn't picked up the first down. These were probably plays designed to get the first down and get out of bounds. I doubt they were TD shots for 3rd and 2 or 4th and 2 from the 20. What they wanted to call from the 11 was possibly quite different, and they may have even wanted one or two different players. Big bodied TEs are good in close, less so from the 20.

The Packers should still have had two decent chances for a TD, with everyone knowing exactly what they were doing on both plays.

[Harlan Huckleby]

What you aren't recognizing is that the QB may release the ball before he realizes the receiver and he weren't on the same page. While its not rocket science, todays pro game is not as simple as you make it out to be.

This is an arguement to never run a no-huddle offense. "It's too hard."

The Packers should still have had two decent chances for a TD, with everyone knowing exactly what they were doing on both plays.

They would have STILL had those two decent chances, with clock stopped, if they had first thrown a ball safely out of endzone. And they wouldn't have needed those chances if they caught a break with an open receiver.

[MadtownPacker]

Well after seeing it all playout I have to agree that a fake spike would have been this best way to go. Momentum was on the Packs side and the Rams where not stopping anyone.