Packers Week 6 Stock Report: The Green Bay Packers improved to 5-0 by beating the Atlanta Falcons 25-14 on Sunday night. The Packers overcame a 14-0 deficit and the loss of Chad Clifton to get the win.
Last season at this time, there’s no way the Packers win that game. But Aaron Rodgers is so good right now that the Packers are never out of a game.
It was tough finding candidates for the falling category this week. It was equally as tough limiting the rising category to three players.
Rising
Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers is the best player in the league right now. The Packers probably lose Sunday night if their quarterback is merely good. But Rodgers is great, and he played great once again on Sunday.
Desmond Bishop
Bishop keyed the defensive turnaround by slicing through a gap and bringing down Michael Turner early in the second quarter. From there, the Packers D controlled the game and looked like the defense from last season.
Greg Jennings
Jennings typically hovers between steady and rising, but there’s no doubt where he belongs after five games. He’s one of the best route runners in the game and he’s been making plays in every game this season.
Steady
Mason Crosby
Crosby is a perfect 9 for 9 on FG attempts, including a huge 57-yarder on Sunday. Can’t be much more steady than that.
Mike McCarthy
McCarthy should probably go in the rising category, but we’ll keep him here for now. I love how open-minded McCarthy has become. He’s allowed Capers to make any type of adjustments needed on defense and he’s constantly trying new things throughout the course of a game on offense.
BJ Raji
Not only did Raji continue his stellar play on Sunday, he let the Falcons have it during postgame interviews. Much respect to Raji for taking care of business on the field, then calling it like he sees it after the game.
Falling
AJ Hawk
For those of you that play video games, go fire up your old Sega Genesis and play a version of Madden from the mid 90s, then play the latest version of Madden for the PS3. You’ll notice that the old Madden is much…more…slower than the latest PS3 version. Unfortunately, Hawk is stuck in the old version of Madden. He looks slow, and there’s no explosion whatsoever when he tries to make a play on the ball.
Chad Clifton’s Health
It looks like Clifton could be out for a while with a hamstring injury. I guess most Packers fans kind of expected Clifton to get hurt at some point this season, but that doesn’t make us feel any better about it. Hopefully he doesn’t have to go on IR and returns at some point.
Matt Ryan
I get that QBs should avoid getting hit if possible, but sometimes when your team needs a first down, you have to suck it up and take a hit or two. Ryan was about two yards from a first down in the third quarter on Sunday, and he chose to slide instead of fighting for it. He’s lucky one of his teammates didn’t slap him in the face.
The Packers opened as 15-point favorite against the Rams. I don’t care how much they win by, but I would like to see the defense continue improving and the two backup tackles to keep getting better. Green Bay could be 6-0 after Sunday. How long before the ’72 Dolphins start getting nervous?
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Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .
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Please, no talk about going undefeated! One day at a time. One day at a time. 😀
I’ve been up since Sunday night searching for a loss on the Packers schedule and I still haven’t found one 🙂
Is anyone at least concerned how our O line will handle the Lions? Their pass rush was pretty good against and admittedly shaky Bears line but still, we will probably go in with 2-3 young lineman…
I was going to call the Brown County Sheriff’s Department and file a missing persons report on A.J. Hawk. In the interest of saving taxpayer dollars, has anyone seen him around Green Bay?
Nick Barnett is sure looking good for Buffalo
I will stand on the Hawk stage and pose a question.
Can his play or the lack of according to some,be a by-product of the lack of the play on one side of the OLB and the in general lack of a pass rush.
I will venture that when Zombo returns,Hawk will turn the page and do more of what many think he can’t due solely to inept ability.I also believe that CM3 will also benefit in his sack stat via the same return of the Zombo.
You may now either give me the hook or toss tomatoes as long as I get the same opportunity if correct.
Perhaps.
My issue with Hawk isn’t entirely with his stats (or lack thereof). He’s just not making plays even when he’s in a position to make a play. RBs plow throgh him for extra yards or shake him off altogether. He’s always a step or two slow in pass coverage. When he’s pursuing the ball carrier, he rarely catches him.
I’m not a Hawk hater, and I’m not convinced Barnett would have been the answer, but Hawk needs to at least make a play or two a game when he’s in a position to do so.
Isn’t Zombo due to return this week? If so, we’ll see if you’re right. I hope you are.
Desmond Bishop is a playmaker. He’ll miss some plays, but he’ll also make some big ones when they count.
Only games that make me nervous are the Lions games.
15-1? I’ll take it!
I hate to say this but AJ Hawk does not belong on this team. He is the worst defensive player on the field. One other concern is our defensive backs, it just seems that teams can make play at will and if our offense was not so daunting, we would have a hard time playing catch up.