First Impressions from the Green Bay Packers’ preseason game vs. the Indianapolis Colts:
Everyone’s was talking about the D, but I was looking at this as just as big a test for the OL. Can they really protect Rodgers? Evidently, they can.
Sam Shields: Overall, he held his own. As I said last week, he’s already a better corner than Bush. Always near the receiver, always aware of where the ball is and will never get outrun deep. Welcome to the roster.
Dom Capers mixed in just a smidge of other flavors tonight.
As I mentioned the other night on Cheesehead Radio, Raji continues to get turned around and lost sight of the running back on Addai’s long run. Saw it on other plays, too This is going to be a problem if it’s not corrected.
Rodgers passes to Jones often seem to be a bit off target. I think Jones surprises him sometimes.
Does anyone make more one-handed catches than Donald Driver?
The agility training Ryan Grant did in the offseason seems to have really payed off. Grant looks more athletic – leaner, stronger, quicker.
Zombo played well as a starter. Very active and involved. Got some good pressures, even before the strip. He’s made this team.
As usual, Rodgers was a bit too strong early on – hung some receivers out to dry.
MM should have challenged that catch in the early 2nd 1/4. Ball obviously hit the ground.
Would love to see MM call something different on 4th and one. At least show it to keep defenses a bit more honest…
Mike Neal was a force. Doing it strictly on strength. When he learns proper technique, Packers have themselves what they hoped Justin Harrell would be.
Packers defense is one of the best at sniffing out screens. Even the defensive linemen see it, stop, and wheel outside very quickly. Nice coaching job, there.
Somebody needs to come up with a catchy nickname for Jermichael Finley…
Safe to say, the Packers passed their only real test of the preseason.
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Jersey Al Bracco is the founder and editor of AllGreenBayPackers.com, and the co-founder of Packers Talk Radio Network. He can be heard as one of the Co-Hosts on Cheesehead Radio and is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.
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You’re blaming Raji for Addai’s long run?! How about 2 LBs missing tackles and Morgan Burnett overrunning the ball completely allowing for the cutback? I thought Raji played well, pushed the pocket well too.
Show me where I said that. I’m just using that play as an example (since it’s likely to be on the highlights), to illustrate a point. Raji too often loses sight of the ball carrier. that’s something he has to improve on.
PACKERS RULE!!! viqweens drool!
we agree…
The Jerm #88
J Fin
“Be Like J-Mike”
Preseason stats:
0 sacks given.
0 penalties on the OL.
I’m loving it.
Also, the snapcount! Oh, I called for it last year, that Favre KILLED our D with it, and we were being engulfed by opposing DLs. Well, we’re seeing it’s a strength now. I think it’s co-related, those OL stats, and the new, improved snapcount. I don’t who deserves credit. Rodgers? But Flynn was also masterful at it. So it’s gotta be MM, rigth Al?
Yes, I would guess it’s been a coaching point this offseason
I, too, noticed that Rodgers (and Flynn) has been getting some good jumps from the defense with his snap counts. Excellent work and excellent coaching.
Rodgers, Flynn and the OL deserve an Oscar. They had ME jumping with those snap counts. Seriously, its like they went and took acting classes.
Welcome, Spiderpack!
Nice website Al. Lot’s of good Packer analysis and I like your film breakdown segments.
Take a look at the Addai run again. Raji was completely mauled and tackled. It looked like Greco-Roman wrestling on that play. Not to disagree that he is still a work in process but he does get good push and I don’t believe that play was neccessarily his fault.
Jermichael Finley already gave himself a “nickname” that he put out on Twitter a month or two ago. “TGIF” Thank God it’s Finley! I’ve seen a number of people catching on to it at other sites.
Keep up the good work.
The nickname was Al being sarcastic. He came up with that nickname, TGIF. Finley kinda took it, to put it mildly…
Nothing happened to Raji that play that won’t happen every play. I’m not blaming him for the run, but he HAS to learn to keep sight of the ball..
Alas, the TGIF nickname was my creation:
https://allgbp.com/2009/12/17/tgif-green-bay-packers-new-go-to-guy-jermichael-finley/
Great game. With Manning at QB I think the coaching staff will have some great film to review. I sure would hate to be the guy that has to do the cutting, a few are pretty easy, then it gets tough. Thought that was interesting that ESPN showed all of the scouts watching the teams play. There will some good pickups for teams, no 1st stringers, but some good players to develop.
BTW, love the web site too. All you guys do a great job. Thanks.
Hey, thanks! Expect the Packers to have difficulty retaining players for the practice squad…
I don’t put much emphasis in the score or win. What does mean something was the way the offense was able to contiunue its’ development. After a very cold start the defense came to life and was making stops and take aways from the “Sheriff”. If iheard that one more stinking time I’d have thrown Jaws out of the Press Booth. And finally, I saw some real hitting and emotion on the part of the ST’s.
Overall more progress made in week 3 than any other week. Next week a plan to bring them to Philly with all the burners at full throttle.
Finley is going so awesome it’s hard to imagine what he can accomplish.
Ron, how did you like the OL play?
#1 = A
#2 = C+
the rest = C-
Oveerall this is the best Oline the Packers have had since Wahl and Marco. Of course, Clifton and Tauscher are still there from that group, but the Center and Guard positions are looking better. Maybe the heat Bulaga has applied to Colledges’ Ass is having a positive effect. On the second line instead of untested rookies and bad veterans they probably have 3 good to above average replacements available.
The one big problem that could develop would be both Tauscher and Cilfton go down. After that the backups become an issue again. But for the first time in a long time the #1 unit won’t be destroyed by an injury to 2 of the starters. And that will be the difference. I’m beginning to be optmistic about the Oline.
I’ll be watching the cuts closely. I’m guessing there maybe some surprises this week. I think Spitz, Barbre and Giacomini have a long way to go to ensure a spot on the team. That is another positive in my book.
Agree with most everything except Spitz, They had hi an center and both guards last game. He is this year’s emergency utility guy that they can pop in at any of those spots. That puts E-DS in peril.
I think the d did a nice job of making Manning have to move up in the pocket or out of the pocket. That’s hard to do with him. He’s so good that he can still turn those plays into big gains, but a lot of QBs do not perform well at all when flushed. I wish I could see the “all 22” camera view on those plays to see just how good the downfield coverage was. I have to assume it was good in quite a few cases or he would have gotten it out sooner.
Shields: right place/right time again. I love it.
Yes, for once they were able to make the quarterback move, which always makes things more difficult for them. It’s encouraging and I can’t wait to see what happens in Philly.
Overall a dominating performance, although the D was shaky the first quarter. Once Capers opened up the playbook a little more in the 2nd quarter and we started getting some pressure on Manning, the Packers took control of the game.
Few questions for you sir:
1-Are you as concerned about the Nickel Back position as I am? Underwood and Lee are not impressing me at all and the jury is still out on Shields in my opinion
2-Asked Wilde and Demovsky this also: if Jones is healthy, would you start Zombo vs the Chiefs for another long look?
3-One of McCarthy’s favorite things is rhythm-would you put any starters out there and risk injury?
Great job Al as always!
1) If the Packers can get a consistant pass rush, then I’m not worried (I like Underwood better than Lee). If the DBs are forced to cover for 4-5 seconds, then we have a problem.
2) I would alternate Zombo and Jones most of the game and see who has a bigger impact.
3) I don’t see any reason to take any chances. Let them play for a few series and then let the bubble guys have their chance.
Thanks, John…
Al
In reverse order
3)Let them have one series so they don’t feel left out.
2)Both will get play time but Zombo could be the new Dalton from Roadhouse”I thought you’d be bigger”and gets the job won and done.
1)As we know in the 3-4-4 defense,the front 3 fail the 4 lb’s get nullified and the toasting begins on the D-backs side.
Al,
Really like the site and all the good analysis and comments. What’s your take on Jason Cherry – does he have any kind of a shot to make the team?
Thanks Billy. Cherry’s chances are slim. He was brought in because he’s a speed burner, and he certainly showed it on the PR. Haven’t seen enough of him as a receiver, though, unlikely he would unseat Swain.
As always, enjoyed the read Al. Just curious, what’s your take the TE to WR ratio that TT and MM will go with into the season?
That’s the BIG question. And I think TE also depends on FB, which then depends on RB.
Regardless, I have a hard time seeing Mike McCarthy going with only 4 wide receivers. Especially when the 5th (probably Swain) is an important special teams guy.