The Green Bay Packers took care of business today, soundly defeating the New York Giants and keeping their playoff hopes alive.
The Packers excelled at my two keys to the game (see below), and shockingly ended up winning a laugher. Pregame, I predicted that forcing a “few” turnovers would guarantee a win for the Packers, but I never would have expected six and a blowout.
Lambeau Field was as loud as I can remember it (watching on TV), and the Packers played with a certain air of confidence no doubt buoyed by their near win against the Patriots last week.
How sweet that the Packers get to play the arch-rival Bears at Lambeau Field in the final regular season game for the opportunity to win a spot in the playoffs. the NFL wanted end-of-year drama, and they got it.
Bring on the Bears!
My game day impressions:
PREGAME:
MY KEY TO THE GAME: If I had to pick JUST ONE thing, it would be this: Protect Aaron Rodgers. I wrote about this in a Film Study article I posted Sunday morning.
The Giants have an equally talented, yet even more experienced defensive line than the Detroit Lions line which gave the Packers fits. Aaron Rodgers was running for his life that game, and we all know what that led to.
My 1A key to the game: Win the turnover battle and score points off of those turnovers. The Giants have been very prone to giving up the ball this season in their losses. If they can cause a few fumbles or INTs, the Packers will win.
Inactive for Green Bay on Sunday:
Harrell, Gordy, Starks, Briggs, Zombo, McDonald, Newhouse, Jenkins
Better than it has looked in a while. Jenkins, of course the most significant inactive.
MM Comments on WTMJ Pregame show:
Always good to be home for a big game. Important for us to get off to a great start and get the crowd into the game.
I like the way the week of practice has gone. The guys are dialed in.
Rodgers: We’re past lecturing Rodgers about sliding. Did that after the lions game.
Running game: We will need to run through the arm tackles today. We need to make those 3rd down conversions to win this game.
We’re a totally different football team than the one in 07
Giants Strong up front- veteran leadership on both lines. Strength of our team
We have to win first and second down against their running game and force them into 3rd down passing situations.
Our second guy in should be looking to strip the ball from their running backs.
Special teams will have a bit of a different lineup. They have to step up.
THE GAME:
Definitely looks like there is more padding in Rodgers’ helmet. Sitting a bit higher.
Nothing I love more than the patented McCarthy handoff on second and 10.
Rodgers underthrows Nelson who had a step on his man.
I would love to see the Packers try to block a punt today…
I’ve been telling folks for years Nelson has better straight line speed than you think. He still holds some state track records from HS…
I read somewhere this week that the Giants weakness on defense is covering the other team’s #3 receivers. Viola!
Trying to block Clay Matthews with a TE? Silly Coughlin.
Turnover #1: Tramon Williams INT.
Aaron Rodgers puts a lump in our throats as he takes off running. and then remembers to slide… phew!
I like the roll out on the goal line. Wish MM would do that a bit more…
And on the next day, Rodgers throws a TD on an unplanned rollout.
McCarthy keeping with the balanced offense so far; 9 runs, 8 passes
Score: Packers 14 Giants 0
2ND QUARTER:
So McCarthy decides to go all pass for a series and the pass rush pressures Rodgers into a few throwaways. Packers punt.
Woodson falls down again in coverage; this one hands the Giants a TD.
Everyone wonders why the Packers don’t run more slants – you just saw why (Jennings has to make a great catch on a very high pass). Rodgers is a bit wild on those passes. Not his best throw at all.
Driver with an amazing one-handed catch. As good as the catch was, did you see Driver turn his body as he was falling so as to not hit the ground with the football? great presence of mind…
Wow – Packers safeties nowhere to be seen on both Giants TDs…
Can somebody please tell Sam Shields not to stop running on kickoff returns?
Glad to see the Packers show some anger out on the field. Driver and Sitton both go after Terrel Thomas for his bush league antics.
Is there any doubt that the Packers run the ball better near the goal line when they’re not inside the three?
Nick Collins lets a potential pick six go right through his hands. Oh Nick…
Dopey booing fans and Troy Aikman surprised Packers go to the half quietly. Come on folks. Inside your own 15 with 40 seconds left with a 7 point lead and you want McCarthy to throw the ball up? There’s a time and a place. That’s not it.
McCarthy starting to lean more towards the pass: 23 passes in the first half, 17 runs (not including Rodgers scramble)
Score: Packers 21 Giants 14
2ND HALF:
Wow – A really weak interference call on Tramon Williams. I believe it was a makeup call because they missed a previous one where Williams did actually interfere a bit.
Nice play by AJ Hawk on the fumble, blocking Bradshaw away from the ball so he couldn’t recover his own fumble.
Maybe I’m being sensitive, but I though the last two hits on Rodgers could have been called as roughing…
Again, a slant pass by Rodgers is high and to the back shoulder. Nelson still should have caught it, but Aaron did not make it easy. Packers settle for a field goal.
At halftime, McCarthy says he wants better balance on offense. Obviously, his idea of “balance” is more passing as the Packers come out with 6 passes and one run.
Shields is still afraid of contact on kickoff returns. Slows down as soon as the things get tight.
GREAT footwork by Rodgers on the touchdown to Lee. Really impressive.
On the Nicks fumble, I think his HAND hit down, not the ELBOW when the ball comes out. Hence, he IS NOT down.
This is the SMART Rodgers we all want to see. Slide, run OOB, throw it away. Avoid the hits, Aaron!
Score: Packers 31 Giants 17
4TH QUARTER:
Shields’ foot so obviously out of bounds on his INT with the referee standing RIGHT THERE. Giants out of challenges… oh well…
James Jones with another incredible drop…
John Kuhn: 3rd most important player on the Packers offense?
Six turnovers? And it could have been more…
Fans chanting near the end of the game, “The Bears Still Suck.” Bears week is on!
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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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Amazing game. Nelson…stop stretching out with the ball when you’re getting tackled. Protect the damn ball!
Could you imagine the Packers team if they had duhBear’s Special Teams? Some day…
Yep. Did you see him do it a second time on the screen where he LOST two yards. Got to get that corrected. Jordy has a golden opportunity now especially if Jones’ case of the drospies continues.
Yep. I was screaming at the TV when he did it the second time.
They would call that team the 96 Packers…
What a game Al. As you know very well, I picked the Packers to win the Super Bowl before the 2010 NFL Season started but even I did not expect this kind of a beating they gave Big Blue today. I’m at a loss for words. Good luck next weekend.
Rob
nygreporter.com
Thanks Robert. When everything clicks for the Packers offense, they are tough to stop – especially if the line protects Rodgers.
GREAT game!
I turned to my father-in-law when GB was on the 1-yd line and said that this was the worst position for the Packers to be in.
Thankfully they proved me wrong… today. 😉
I said the same thing
McCarthy kept his foot on the gas! I was so excited that they stayed aggressive late. Glad I DVR’d this one so I can watch it again!
Wow, I just checked the box score. 35 rushes out of 74 plays. Who was coaching the Packers these past two weeks? 😉
Much better play calling today. Jones needs to focus more on the ball..bobbles even when he catches..ready for a bear beat-down!!
Now that was the offense I’ve been waiting for! Scored early, scored often! I want more. Did it appear to anyone else that the Oline was actually attacking vertically instead of floating horizontally. WR’s need to catch the ball. Dropsy could come back and bite them in the butt.
Didn’t anyone send Jones and Nelson Stick-em for Christmas? 😉
Right now one of the scariest teams in the NFL. Some will bitch about play calling, special teams, this coach that coach but for me the job TT , MM and the coaching staff has done with the amount of injuries and how many games the remaining starters have missed with injuries it is simply amazing.
Anyone that still bitches about the players and Depth TT has brought to this team is deaf dumb and blind.
MM and his coaching staff on both sides of the ball have done an amazing job getting these players to play at a high level.
14 players to I.R. , 7 starters and KEY package and back up players and still playing like they have.
I’m damn glad I will be at the game next week!
Good to see you again, Yoop. I agree with most of what you say, but I still don’t have faith in McCarthy’s game/clock management in a tight game. Not that I want to be negative today, but MM still needs to show me more in that dept. Today, he called an almost-perfect game and Rodgers executed flawlessly.
Should be “the scariest” team in football at this time but,I understand the things that have happened to this team and need not list them for all to read again and again.
MM and TT have done wonders in the area of getting players whether by draft or undrafted and shown a keen eye for talent.
Finding talent is one thing,knowing how to utilize it weekly is another.
MM looked in the mirror this week and the guy it told him”this is football not chess”stop defending against checkmate,use your men and grab checkmate.
Best game by far for MM,smart aggressive and not stupid passive.
Definitely MM’s best game of the year.
Nice wrap up. If the packers make the playoffs, this #6 seed will be deadly. Kind of reminds me of the 2007 Giants that went on to shock the world.