The Packers are not a bad football team. At least I don’t think they are.
The Packers are playing bad right now, but I don’t think they are bad.
Then again, maybe the Packers are just bad. I suppose that’s possible. But consider the following:
- Their No. 1 WR has barely played
- 95 percent of all bad calls go against them
- They drop 95 percent of their interception opportunities
- They lost their starting RB, TE and NT last week
- They played a very inspired team last week
Every team goes through stuff like that. I get that. But all of that this early in the season?
- You have to think some of those calls will start to even out
- How many more picks can Woodson and Tramon drop?
- They’ve always adjusted well to injuries and Jennings should come back eventually
- They won’t be playing a team whose coach is in the hospital with leukemia every week
Does this mean the Packers will beat the Texans? Not necessarily. But I think it will be a good game and I wouldn’t consider it much of an upset if the Packers won.
Now that all the positivity is out of the way, let’s get to the stock report. There isn’t much positivity there.
Rising
James Jones’ sleeveless turtleneck
You don’t see many guys who are able to pull off the sleeveless turtleneck look. Jones can, and he wore that sleeveless turtleneck with pride on Sunday. Screw Bill Bellichick and his ugly sweatshirts with the cut off arms. Jones and his sleeveless turtleneck are much more fashionable.
Steady
T.J. Lang
Lang is the only Packers offensive lineman that plays mean. He’s always attacking defenders. If you could combine Lang’s aggression with Josh Sitton’s talent, you’d have the perfect guard.
Clay Matthews
Good Lord, Matthews has energy. He played every snap on Sunday and went 100 mph on each one. He’s no longer on pace for 50 sacks, but he still makes other teams gameplan for him.
Falling
Jordy Nelson
So far Nelson doesn’t want anything to do with becoming a No. 1 receiver.
Charles Woodson
Can we just start the game with a couple defensive holding penalties to get them out of the way? You know Woodson is going to get called for at least two at some point during the game.
Bryan Bulaga
Remember when we thought Bulaga might be one of the better right tackles in the game?
Jermichael Finley
Another drop and another injury.
Mike McCarthy
His offense looks predictable, he forgets to run the ball and he does little to slow down the opposing team’s pass rush. Just like his team, McCarthy has been off the first month of the season.
Dom Capers
It’d be nice to have at least a little bit of leeway for when our offense is off its game. Not possible with Capers’ defense. The middle of the field remains wide open and the rush defense looks shaky again.
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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The most disturbing for me is the inability of stopping the run. Initially they plug the hole and then get driven back and the backs and LBs start grabbing and what should have been a loss becomes a 3 yard gain. We have the personel but not the drive.
Besides Matthews, they just don’t have playmakers at LB or on the D-line. Any average D-lineman or LB can get in the other team’s backfield every now and then. Only the good ones make the tackle when back there.
Why we miss Desmond Bishop.
I think they were caught without a NT when Raji went out. Look for Houston to exploit this weekend.
I’m not worried about Bulaga long term. I’ve heard enough about his balky R knee to think that’s what is bothering him. (just like Sitton last year).
I am worried about Capers and McCarthy. If those two don’t clean it up we’re screwed.
With ya Bear – MM and Capers are playing with a very poorly deisigned game plan. It seems that neither side of the ball can play competently for more than one half. Somebody has to wake up to reality. This isn’t pad levels anymore there is a serious defect that MUST be fixed NOW.
2-4 puts them behind a very big 8 ball.
I’m with ‘Bearmeat’ and ‘Ron LC’ on this one regarding MM and DC.
On the offensive side the gameplan looks stale in that defenses seem to have neutralised our offense this season. We needs changes, which might be different play choices or new play designs (or at least ones not seen much the last year or two). McCarthy also needs to adjust faster to what the other side is doing.
On defense I’d like Capers to play more in a style where the corners disrupt the receivers routes getting off the line. This may give up the occasional long play, buit hey, its not like we aren’t giving up way too many long plays with the conservative calls, so really, what’s the difference ? When the D is as bad as it has looked last year and parts of this year, saying “We need to execute better” is NOT going to solve anything. Defense needs more aggression and that does not mean they have to be blitzing all the time to do that.
When the whole team looks bad……put it on the coaches (and sometimes the front office too).
Like I’ve said before, there’s not one particular position or portion of the team that can take all the blame here. It’s just the whole stinking team because whether it be offense, defense, special teams, or the coaching staff, inconsistency is everywhere. They have all had their highs and lows this season.
I would add Rodgers to the falling list. Failing to see open receivers, only apparently focusing on deep routes and not willing to take what the defense gives him. Add those to his too frequent errant throws and holding the ball too long and you have a player that is playing like a shell of his former self. GoPack!
Rodgers has hit 68.8 percent of his targets so far this season, a career high. Just adding perspective…
The Packers are scoring a lot less points per game this season. Just adding perspective…
He also has the 5th lowest percentage of throws over 20 yards among starting quarterbacks.
So high percentage and few long balls- wouldn’t that mean that he actually is taking what the defense gives him?
With Jennings our long passing attack blossoms.
Agree on AR. I wish he would start to show his leadership by becoming a focal point of the team’s focus on improvement. To date his comentary has been very PC. Some one needs to be that catalyst.
Let me add this to the discussion. 9 out of the 21 sacks that AR has taken were on 3rd down. A lot of them 3rd and long. So, throwing away those balls or checking down for shorter yardage would have resulted in the same thing, a punt.
I would definitely rather not see ARod on the ground, but he has always preferred sacks to forced throws. Its hard to watch especially since we got used to watching a gunslinger for so many years.
I would add Aaron Rodgers to the falling section. Yes the offensive line and wide receivers aren’t doing him any favors, but you have to get rid of the ball occasionally. A lot of those sacks are on in. And the last play before the field goal where the play clock was running out? That’s inexcusable.
I thought about adding Rodgers, but can’t do it. He’s not rising, but I can’t call a guy completing 69 percent of his passes with a QB rating of 97 falling.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know he’s not playing as well as he should or up to the high standards he’s established. But if it takes Rodgers repeating his 2011 season in order for this team to be good, we’re in for a long season.
THANK YOU
I COMPLETELY disagree Adam. Look at the teams that are good year after year. What common feature do they all share?
Either breathtaking elite QB play, or amazing clutch performances time after time.
This team has been set up for AR just like the Pats are with Brady or the Saints with Brees or the Giants with Eli.
If those guys suck at any point – or are even average – their teams lose. Period.
AR is no different. He’s a superstar and needs to play like it for the team to win. And right now he’s not. He’s simply an above average QB. Like in 2008.
I agree, Bear. Rodgers needs to play better. But I can’t say he’s falling. Falling is for guys like Bulaga (25 pressures allowed so far), Nelson (not stepping up without Jennings) and Woodson (too many penalties, not enough plays).
That IS the problem. Rodgers seems more concerned with his QBr than the best interests of the team. And 80% of that 69% Cr were meaningless completions (i.e. short on 3rd down).
Mechanics aside, AR is not acting like a leader. As the QB he has to take charge and bring this lethargic Offense back to life. As a reult he has to be classified as stable. Take charge and he’d be rising fater than a helium filled baloon.
Capers has been in free fall for over a year. Time for change is near. The first 3 games gave the impression that lessons were learned. The last 2, PATHETIC effort and game plan.
The running game opened up a lot when Donald Brown started running outside the tackles. The Packers eventually adjusted, but it caught them off guard on the first few drives of the second half.
why did everyone in the nfl know that qb sneaks would be used except the packers? they were surprised everytime…inexcusable of mccarthy for not game planning for this.
I blame the play calling in the first half.It was like watching two different games.
Correction. 2nd half play calling was bad. Zone defense sucked goat-balls.
That’s a very interesting choice of testacles.
How much does this offense miss Joe Philbin?
Did a little easy number-crunching. In the first five games the Pack is 30 for 72 in third down conversions (2 for 2 in fourth down conversions). Perhaps someone can complete this by finding out the average third down conversion rate. Perhaps this can add to how much blame can be given to AR aside from holding the ball too long.
Sorry, I was referring to the average rate for the entire NFL. Obviously we know the average rate for the Pack this year is 42%.
Rodgers talked about 3rd down problems on his radio show yesterday. They were almost automatic on 3rd down last season. Not the case in 2012.
should use qb sneak more for these.
Rising: The rookie class. Some people had Perry to go top fifteen in the draft, he’s starting to show why. Hayward is also worth mentioning, he seems to make the most out of his opportunities.
AJ Hawk… I never thought I would say it but he is much more physical this year and he’s fine when he doesn’t have to play the pass.
Falling: Crosby. An nfl kicker should make one out of two of those kicks in a dome.
Oh man! How did I forget about Crosby. Yes, a definite faller.
if the team could only get another engine to team with matthews! perry had been a non-factor at best.
And to think they passed on Watt
Everybody get off the ledge! It’s early and we only played one game in our division. We were 15 and 1 last year and what did it get us ? We have played at our worst because of injuries, missed int ,and the calls have been just horrendous. We have a great blend of veteran and young talent that will blossom when the time is right at the end of the season.
i don’t know what planet you are from or what games you have been watching. highest penalized yardage in nfl, 4th most penalties in nfl. the team has issues dude!
All correctable.Similar start two seasons ago and look what happened . I hope you’re wearing a parachute DUDE !
Well, it’s hard to argue with Bearmeat.
Capers = known quantity.
Philbin Gone = Hmmmmm?
RB coaching receivers = Hmmmmm?
Tight End coaching QB’s = Hmmmmm?
QB coaching RB’s = Hmmmmm?
NOBODY (so it seems) coaching DB’s = Hmmmmm?
I wonder what the problem is!
Excellent post, very hard to disagree with anyone on the list. McCarthy believes he can pass long (Coryell & Al Davis) no matter who they play at any time, Bart Starr’s weakness was he put so much into his game plans he would not deviate during the game in a similar fashion. You have to add Crosby, he continues to choke at key times, his attempt looked like someone came out of the stands at halftime for a contest to win $10,000.
you are right about cosby. never hits under pressure and has missed too many in the last 2 years. super bowl year he was a non factor aside for missing a game winner.
face it. rodgers is regressing to the mean, but for him it is a very high mean. the absence of jennings is very obviously observable. our receivers get very little separation against mediocre dbs, which means they are used to taking the db one below in the pecking order after jennings takes number 1 and 3. and the D? well, woodson is old and not anywhere near what he was two years ago. collins is gone and not replaced in any way that matches his play. our only good ILB out for the year. the coaches not adjusting fast enough. unless rodgers plays at the improbable level he played last year and the second half of the superbowl year. face it. we are an 8-8 team
I agree with everything. This article is 2 legit 2 quit. Thank you Adam for making my day better. Although I’m still upset the Packers aren’t who we thought they were… So far.
I think this site holds some real wonderful information for everyone : D.
Just think that we need aggressiveness from the DBS ( bump and run)…
Good straight forward analysis. hit all the terrible points re: packers. hate the fact that you are right on with nelson. dude is 2nd fiddle at best and likes it that way. jones is moving up but can’t run right routes consistently. finley…get rid of this loser.
lastly, no one will agree but glad benson isn’t playing. he gave pack lots but could never take it to the house. hit the holes but 1st tackler got him. green and starks can break tackles and get tds. pack is better off i believe.
You’re right. Nobody is going to agree with that asinine comment.
I guess you survived the fall ,but had a bad brain injury. LOL
McCarthy has not focused on run game production since ’10 season and his one dimensional offense is suffering with defenses dropping safeties back, jamming WR’s at the snap, throwing off Rodgers timing on routes and release time–giving defenses more time to breakdown protection to hit or sack him. Finley’s drops hurt momentum, without run game protecting play action pass game-pass offense is off sync. Capers plays secondary in TOO SOFT coverage zones-with D-line and LB’s not getting enough pressure, opposing receivers are eating up GB. JAM RECEIVERS, KNOCK RB’S DOWN, HIT TE’s coming out in pass lanes! If it’s working against Packers, why wouldn’t Capers think it could work for GB?