Official Packers/Steelers Game Thread

[Joemailman]

Re: Official Packers/Steelers Game Thread

Well, let's see how we did.

Finally we can start to gauge what progress the Packers have made since last season. Here are some things I'll be looking for:

Can the Packers show enough of a running game to keep defenses honest? The Packers will be facing a 3-4 defense, which will be good practice for the San Diego game coming in September.

As usual, the packers struggled to run the ball against a 3-4 defense.

Will the Tight Ends be any more of a factor in the passing game than they were last year?

The early returns are not encouraging.

Is James Jones this year's Jennings, or a training camp wonder?

Probably somewhere in the middle. Has a great chance to be #3 this year.

Can Brandon Jackson start to pick up the important pass protection aspect of his position?

I didn't see any major breakdowns. I believe It was Herron who was victimized by the blitz by Polamalu.

Will Poppinga be better in pass protection than last year?

Didn't see anything definitive last night.

Is Manuel better than last year, and if not, will any of the youngsters show enough to push him?

Manuel only played one series, but Bigby and Underwood blew their chance to make a push for a starting job.

Will Justin Harrell start to assert himself and silence his critics.

Didn't play until late in the 1st half. Had some decent moments against reserves.

Who will emerge as the top candidate as the #3 CB?

Walker, Blackmon, and Bush all played well. Dendy lost ground. This is a good situation for the Pack.

Is Johnny Jolly coming into his own, or is he a training camp phenom?

Still to be determined

[The Leaper]

The Steeler announcers were idiots. I thought they had a more intelligent fan base than that.

[The Leaper]

He is in good enough condition to play or they would have sat him. In my homeristic, slightly drunken yet humble opinion, I think a better question is will Jennings challenge for #1 instead of Jones challenging for #2.

Jennings challenging for #1?

I probably will never understand the woodies some of you have for Jennings. You'd think he was a young Terrell Owens the way some of you talk about him.

Sure, he did well early last year as an unproven player against some mediocre pass defenses. Can he repeat that when defenses have more film on him to review? Can he repeat that when defenses know his weaknesses and can adjust to take advanatage of them?

Driver is proven...he is a Pro Bowl receiver. WTF makes you think Jennings can even BEGIN to think of challenging that?

[The Leaper]

West Virginia's Steve Slaton's 55-yarder was the knockout blow in a 45-27 victory over Pitt on Thursday night before 55,642 at Heinz Field and an ESPN national television audience.

When did Steve Slaton start kicking FGs?

[Packnut]

Game

After watching this game a couple of times some things jump out:

1- Our TE situation is UNFORGIVABLE. You guys who defend Teddy without question need to wake up and realize he has failed to do ANYTHING to upgrade this position and that is a FAILURE on his part. Let's not forget it's his FREAKIN job! We have the worst TE situation in the NFL. It's very sad when you read fantasy TE rankings and there are only 31 teams mentioned!

2- Rodgers looked damned good. Head and shoulders above last season. No it's not about QB ratings, it's about the type of throws he was able to make. It's about the way the team repsonded to him. It's about the energy he brought. I feel much better about him today then at any time since he was drafted.

3- Brandon Jackson will be a good RB in time, but he has a lot to learn at this point. On the job training will be painful at times but his instincts will improve with playing time.

4- Our starting O line is better than last season but the huge leaps some here were touting ain't gonna happen this season. Pitt was able to pressure Favre which resulted in the quick short passes. They did not open up holes. Expect Philly to blitz, blitz, blitz and blitz some more.......

5-Kampman and Jenkins have the potential to be down-right dominating. IF Pickett and the platoon system can elevate their game, this could be one of the top 2 or 3 D lines in the NFL. Our LB corps should take each lineman out to dinner BEFORE the season starts just to say thank you.

6- For the life of me, I cannot understand why Harrell is in such poor shape. Cardio training has NOTHING to do with the injury. Several camp observers have commented on his conditioning problems and it was evident in the game. I would think that someone who got paid the amount he did, would have at the very least come into camp in great condition. Training camp is used to get into football shape, not cardio shape. Players are expected to do that on their own. There were a few of you who gave Brestsky a hard time about Meachem being out of shape. Well, you owe him an apology, cause Teddy's boy did no better.

While some of you will say it's only the first pre-season game, I would suggest you watch a few of the other games replayed on the NFL network. Some #1 offenses actually moved the ball and picked up 1st downs.

[The Leaper]

Re: Game

6- For the life of me, I cannot understand why Harrell is in such poor shape. Cardio training has NOTHING to do with the injury. Several camp observers have commented on his conditioning problems and it was evident in the game. I would think that someone who got paid the amount he did, would have at the very least come into camp in great condition.

Harrell probably played more snaps than anyone else on defense...he was in there for at least portions of every quarter. He notched a sack on a hustle play late in the game...which probably wouldn't happen if he was so woefully out of shape as you suggest.

So, why are you so concerned about Harrell's conditioning? For the first preseason game, he looked OK to me. Birdine was sucking wind much more by the end of the game...and he didn't see anything close to the playing time that Harrell did.

[Joemailman]

According to a story in JSO http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=645796, Harrell's snap count was in the low 30's, and he was extremely fatigued at the end. According to the stat sheet, Pittsburgh ran 58 offensive plays. This would seem to prove Leaper's point that Harrell was on the field more than anyone else. Maybe he is out of shape, and this is MM's way of getting him in shape. However, in fairness to Harrell, I suspect the Pacler's other DT's would also have been fatigued if they had taken 30+ snaps.

[Packnut]

Harrell

"He tried to road-grade for long stretches but sometimes he didn't even get off the line of scrimmage," one scout said. "He showed some push as a pass-rusher but not much hand use. He wore down and they had to take him out."


Snap count means NOTHING, If you have to take plays off. Geez, this is'nt that complicated. Watch the damn thing a few times and focus on him.
He is PLAYING himself into shape and my point is still the same. He should have come into camp in better cardio condition.

[The Leaper]

Re: Harrell

Snap count means NOTHING, If you have to take plays off. Geez, this is'nt that complicated. Watch the damn thing a few times and focus on him. He is PLAYING himself into shape and my point is still the same. He should have come into camp in better cardio condition.

Running on a treadmill and doing cardio is not the same thing as playing football.

As I just pointed out, he got a sack late in the game on a hustle play...where he outworked the OL, fought through blocks, and got to the QB after several seconds when downfield coverage was solid. If he was in such ABYSMAL CONDITION, as all your whining indicates, then a hustle play late in a game where he played a majority of the snaps likely would not have occured because he would not have had the stamina for it.

The fact of the matter is that few 300 pound defensive lineman come into camp in any condition to immediately start playing 4 quarters of football...especially in 80+ degree heat. Again, as I pointed out previously, Birdine was on his hands and knees repeatedly after plays...sucking wind like a vacuum cleaner. This despite playing SIGNIFICANTLY fewer snaps than Harrell.

Was Harrell fatigued at the end of the game? Yes. Should he have been better conditioned? Probably. Was it enough to warrant your paragraph of concern? Likely not. It is only the first preseason game...and the fact he still made plays despite fatigue is actually a positive in my book.