Unsung Hero

[KYPack]

All our heroes were on ST and defense today, but I haven't seen much written or said about one guy. Jon Ryan was the holder on rookie kicker Mason Crosby's game winner. He made a hold for the ages. Rob Davis made a terrible high snap and Ryan showed decent hands in snaring the high snap. Then he plunged the ball quickly to the spot in one, quick motion. Crosby waited a quarter beat before drilling the 43 yarder thru the posts. It's cool to see these two young guys come together in a real league game.

Ryan punted really well, omitting those line drives he kicked in the past. All his punts were right to the cover & we got a couple fumble recoveries out of 'em. he did have a few shorties, but his 29 yarder was the final one we recovered on the fumble.

[RashanGary]

Good point, low punts killed us last year. He seems to have solved that and gotten some consistency.

[retailguy]

Good point, low punts killed us last year. He seems to have solved that and gotten some consistency.

Told you he was going to be good...

[LEWCWA]

The hold on the final field goal was money! Other than that I thought h punted poorly. It looks good cause Philly handed us 2, but his punting was poor to average!

[4and12to12and4]

Great post. What was important about how quickly he put that ball down is that two Eagles came flying across the ball and ran into each other milliseconds after that ball sailed past them. Talk about a game of inches!! Dallas limps out of the playoffs on almost the same type play, and our young guys came through. Crosby has proven that he has ice in his veins, and is making TT look good.

Guys, gals, our defense was unbelievable. You watch, Philly may never score less than 13 points the rest of the year.

Nick Barnett was magnificant. We always want to give Hawk praise, and want him to be the GUY, the GLUE, but, those haters out there better recognize how special a player Nick is. And to all the Hawk lovers out there, he missed an open field tackle BIGTIME. If you didn't see it, you weren't watching very closely. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the great white hope, but it just seems like everyone here wants Hawk to be our "Urlacher with Golden Locks", and I do too, he just has a stigma about him, but in the meantime, Briggs (I mean, Barnett) gets shit on in here, and yet he dominated yesterdays game, and was a key factor in containing both McNabb and Westbrook.

I just want to add that, as I watched the Bears and Chargers, Oh my God, that was an intense game, but at the same time, we went against a very similar team and faired much better. I know we scored every friggin point off turnovers, but we GOT those turnovers, and our defense was flying around looking like Chicago's, San Diego's, and Philly's. And those along with Baltimore may be the top four D's in the league. We are right there with them. If Mike Brown is lost again, Chicago is F***ed. Our defensive line is stellar, and Atari looks like the Colt's Sanders out there. He could end up being that good.

I never expected our offense to do shit yesterday, not against that dominant defense, too many rookies, Brett was a miracle man, yet, there were a couple of plays that he could've really hurt the team, he just wants to make a play so badly. We lucked out yesterday, and he only got picked once. It was a great game for our young guys to experience, because it doesn't get much harder than that offensively, and gave them a good taste for when we play the Chargers, and maybe even the Cowboys. What a win, but my player of the game is Barnett. We gotta give this guy some love for his stellar play.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Nick Barnett was magnificant. We always want to give Hawk praise, and want him to be the GUY, the GLUE, but, those haters out there better recognize how special a player Nick is. And to all the Hawk lovers out there, he missed an open field tackle BIGTIME. If you didn't see it, you weren't watching very closely. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the great white hope, but it just seems like everyone here wants Hawk to be our "Urlacher with Golden Locks", and I do too, he just has a stigma about him, but in the meantime, Briggs (I mean, Barnett) gets shit on in here, and yet he dominated yesterdays game, and was a key factor in containing both McNabb and Westbrook.

I just want to add that, as I watched the Bears and Chargers, Oh my God, that was an intense game, but at the same time, we went against a very similar team and faired much better. I know we scored every friggin point off turnovers, but we GOT those turnovers, and our defense was flying around looking like Chicago's, San Diego's, and Philly's. And those along with Baltimore may be the top four D's in the league. We are right there with them. If Mike Brown is lost again, Chicago is F***ed. Our defensive line is stellar, and Atari looks like the Colt's Sanders out there. He could end up being that good.

I never expected our offense to do shit yesterday, not against that dominant defense, too many rookies, Brett was a miracle man, yet, there were a couple of plays that he could've really hurt the team, he just wants to make a play so badly. We lucked out yesterday, and he only got picked once. It was a great game for our young guys to experience, because it doesn't get much harder than that offensively, and gave them a good taste for when we play the Chargers, and maybe even the Cowboys. What a win, but my player of the game is Barnett. We gotta give this guy some love for his stellar play.

Barnett was great, but you don't need to rip Hawk to make Barnett look better. He did miss an open field tackle. On Brian Westbrook. Plenty of guys, probably including Urlacher, have done that. The defense played great. There wasn't an obvious weakness. We got burned on a couple of misdirection plays and Tramon got burned when Al went out, but otherwise you aren't going to do any better against that offense when it is healthy, so let's enjoy this. We got a pass rush. We shut down the run up the middle. Obviously, the secondary played well because Philly did little throwing the ball. I'd guess that not too many guys, including Hawk, played poorly on defense.

EDIT: I'm right with most of what else you said though.

[4and12to12and4]

With all due respect, I DO need to "not BASH" but speak realistically of the fantasy in this forum and all the love Mr. Hawk recieves, and Nick gets shit on all the time, and he outplayed AJ all game. But few here ever steps up and admits how good he is, because we all want AJ to be the man. Well, Nick was outstanding, and I just felt that if Hawk would've gotten an interception, and Nick would've dove at Westbrook's feet and missed completely, people would be talking shit about Mr. Barnett today. Guaranteed. So, I'm just tired of this Hawk love, and dismissal of Barnett as if he's just average or something. He's one of the best MLB's in the game, Period. Let's give him his due.

[Harlan Huckleby]

So, I'm just tired of this Hawk love, and dismissal of Barnett as if he's just average or something. He's one of the best MLB's in the game, Period. Let's give him his due.

I think Barnett is the best player on the defense.

[4and12to12and4]

Hmm, do I smell sarcasm here?

[Harlan Huckleby]

Hmm, do I smell sarcasm here?

no, that was a beer fart. I really do think Barnett is the best player.

Kampman is a close 2nd. Then Jenkins, Hawk, Woodson.

[4and12to12and4]

Hawk before Wood? Now that's love.

[The Leaper]

Barnett did quite a bit yesterday that may take him out of Wist's doghouse for good. He did not look timid or weak yesterday...and in fact was the epitome of the kind of LB play Wist is looking for. On just about every run play, Barnett's number was the one flying to the football.

Granted, he needs the protection of a great DL...but most LBs do. Now that he has the protection he needs, he is set to have a monster year in 2007.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Hawk before Wood? Now that's love.

I can't help it, I love white guys who play defense. Reminds me of Ray Nitschke

(Now THAT smell was sarcasm.)

[MJZiggy]

May I please like them both and think they're both good players? I never thought Barnett was bad. Never thought he should be moved when Hodge had a good camp last year. I think they're both good players.

[PackerBlues]

I think what a lot of you have just pointed out, without actually saying it, is that "it was a team effort through and through". That little statement should put me in the running for the "understatement of the year award". From Ryan's adjustment to the bad snap, to Barnetts excellent play on Defense, to Favre's determination, to Crosby's killer leg, everyone got involved, and nobody gave up.

Without having to depend on all the free agents that I have been going on and on about wanting, the players that make up this team, have become just that, a TEAM!