The NY Giants roll into Green Bay today, brimming with confidence they have what it takes to beat the Packers. If you listen to the NY media, Giants fans and even some players, it’s practically a done deal. The Packers, however, have other plans for New York.
Still reeling a bit from the tragic death of Offensive Coordinator Joe Philbin’s son, Green Bay will be an emotional bunch today. Philbin will be back in the coaches’ box, assuming his usual game day responsibilities. On the other side of the ball, Dom Capers had some no-holds-barred film sessions with the Packers defense this week, and reportedly, nobody escaped unscathed. Let’s hope they rise to the occasion today.
Packers’ inactives:
QB Harrell, CB House, OLB Francois, T Taylor, TE Williams, NT Green, LB So’oto
Francois is the only one scratched due to injury. Some surprises at the bottom of that list. most people on Twitter are shocked at Green being inactive, with the vaunted Giants running game coming to town. Green, however, has done very little of impact over the last half of the season. He is a huge body, but hasn’t been productive. He was handled faitly easily by the Giants OL in their last meeting. This must also mean Capers is planning on running plenty of nickel today or possibly even psycho.
So’ oto is the big disappointment to me. If the Giants are in an obvious passing situation and you’re planning to bring pressure from ROLB, So ‘oto would be the guy I want in that situation (over Walden, Jones or Zombo).
The Packers have 8 offensive lineman dressed today. They normally only have seven. Rob Demovsky wondered if that means the packers were worried about Chad Clifton. I think if that were the case, they would have kept Herb Taylor active.
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Mike McCarthy Pregame Show on 620 WTMJ:
Philbin situation: I don’t have the words to express how the week went. The Philbin familyghas shown a great amount of strength and is a fantastic example to all of us.
Philbin coaching: He’ll have exactly the same duties. We met and discussed it yesterday – I told him to sleep on it. I wanted it to be his decision… Great to have him back.
NY attitude: Giants think they are going to be more physical than us. That remains to be seen
Packers’ Defense: I asked one thing – be as bold as you can possibly be. trust your instincts… The D was a big part of our championship run last season and we need them to do the same this year.
Week 13 Giants game: They were a wounded animal. Embarrassed, coming home… They came out punching. We played through our own set of challenges that game. That was a good road victory for us.
2007 game: We focused on how Eli has played THIS year. Clearly the best football I’ve seen him play.
NYG running game: You can go back in time. – as long as Tom Coughlin has been in the league, he wants to be a 50-50 split guy and have a balanced offense.
NYG DL vs. GB OL: Always a key matchup. Our OL needs to defeat their DL.
Keys for GB: Play to our strengths – QB differential and turnover differential.
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Packers vs. Giantss – First Impressions – First Half:
BJ Raji puts his actions where his mouth is. Stuffs Bradshaw on the first play of the game.
Giants quickly exploiting outside soft spots in the Packers zone.
Packers defense playing as hard as I’ve seen this season, but no difference in the results on that first drive. They’re getting pressure on manning, so that’s a positive.
Giants held the ball for over seven minutes there…
Nice block by Tom Crabtree on Ryan Grant’s 19 yard gain on the Packers first play.
Looked to me like Greg Jennings turned the wrong way on the would-be TD pass that Rodgers just missed on.
Charlie Peprah evidently has something against using his arms to wrap-up on a tackle. Result: TD Hakeen Nicks. That was hard to watch…
The Packers receive a late Christmas gift on the Tom Coughlin challenge of the greg Jennings fumble.
Giants are going for the strip on every play like the 49ers did yesterday. Hope they have a better fate than the Saints did.
Packers vs. Giantss – First Impressions – Second Quarter:
Everyone complaining about the onsides kick try by the Packers. It’s only bad because it didn’t work. If it’s successful, everyone calls it genius.
So far, good protection by the Packers OL against the greatest DL that ever lived…
So far the Packers are failing 2 out of my 3 things for a comfy win” Catch the ball and don’t give up the big play… (the 3rd was don’t drop sure interceptions)
Tramon turning his back on the receiver… SMH
Helmet to the throwing arm by Hawk. Then Helmet to the chest by Des Bishop. A few plays later, same thing from Bishop. Results in Burnett INT.
Let’s face it – there is always someone open against this secondary. Have to keep hitting Manning…
Fumble by Kuhn. Negates the Burnett INT.
I said it last week about these Giants receivers. They go get the ball.
And to that end, a Hail Mary at the end of the first half actually works. Peprah passive, Woodson can’t get up high enouugh. Nicks pulls it down. hard to fathom right now.
As tweeted by Brian Carriveau, at halftime, the Giants are averaging 11.4 yards per pass, the #Packers just 5.3. There’s your difference.
Giants 20, Packer 10
Packers vs. Giants – First Impressions – Second Half:
Rodgers with an uncharacteristically dangerous throw on 3rd down. Three defenders around Driver, but luckily he comes back to the ball for the catch.
Then disaster. Jennings all alone deep, but Omenyura strips the ball as Rodgers starts to throw. Clifton whiffs on the fumble recovery and Giants get it.
Packers defense makes a stand with the help of a favorable spot. Giants finally have to punt.
Rodgers starting to take chances with riskier throws – he has no choice…
Once again, Packers OL really block nobody on the screen. Starks with a nice gain on his own.
Packers settle for the field goal after ball bounces off of Jennings’ hands in the end zone.
That’s what this Packers defense needs. A 10 yard penalty on the Giants on first down of every drive… Packers force a punt.
Packers vs. Giants – First Impressions – Fourth quarter:
One negative on Finley – he’s no threat after the catch…
Finley slows down on his route and ball goes off his hands on an all-out dive. Rodgers turns in anger. Pretty sure he was saying “run the route.”
Grant fumbles. Giants score on the next play. 30-13 Giants
Old reliable Donald Driver – if only he were 3 year younger…
The writing is sparse here… because I can’t quite believe what I’m seeing.
It’s over, Johnny… It’s over.
The end.
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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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At least I won’t have to watch Madona in the half time show.
Time to break out the draft reports and Free Agents. I know, I’m forever optimistic.
Horrible way to end a helluva season.
Finley wants WR Franchise money? Good bye!
Right – he has to CATCH the ball. I’ve never seen so much talent wasted by an inflated ego (at least on our team).
So does everyone still think it was a good decision by McCarthy to rest the starters for three weeks.
It was a mistake. Needed to keep pedal to metal.
Well, what’s the draft look like? Our normal seven, plus 2 picks for last years trades, and a few for the 6-7 players that left in UFA?
Yep, there will be a new infusion. Hopefully a few impact players on D (who can tackle and/or rush the passer). And lets all hope Nick Collins is fine…
Nick’s return is most important. The deep coverage was a total disaster since he left. At least 1 OLB and 2 DLineman are priority. A good Olineman needed too. I’m sure Clifton has seen his last day.
Oh well, we’ve got 8 1/2 months to deal with telling TT what to do.
Thanks for a great year Al. Look forward to you and the crew supplying us with all the detail we need to be the best informed fans in the US.
Go Pack 12′
Thanks Ron. I can’t believe we have to do our player evaluations and focus on the draft already… smh
Hope Capers gets the Raiders coaching job. The defense was terrible this year.
Is Capers not allowed to have a bad year?
Would you like to nominate someone who can make his defense rank second overall in just his second year as coordinator and lead the league in interceptions despite no offseason workouts?
If mean, if you’ve got someone great, but I seriously don’t you do, and I doubt even more that Capers brilliance just decided to just take off.
Capers did everything he could, but the secondary just didn’t have proper safety help and there were no legit pass rushers outside of clay mattews.
For the most part, I agree with that Chad. But then you see a corner playing 8 yards deep on a split wide receiver on a third and one with Manning in the shotgun. You just give them an easy first down. Why? Things like that have made me wonder all year.
Simple: NO PASS RUSH. Capers was playing the odds that our O could score quick again and again. It worked for 15 games.
This is not on him. TT gambled with Jenkins/Neal and lost. Hawk and Raji regressed. Wood got a year older. Collins was lost for the year in game 2.
That’s all she wrote.
This is NOT on Capers.
Capers is terrible. How many times was there a 3 man rush? Once is too many. By Capers!
The draft must concentrate on defense, defense and defense.
My list of players and personnel that must go: Eric Walden (need I say more?), Woodson (takes too many chances going for the pick resulting in big plays for the other team, sometimes has no idea who he’s covering, has back turned in conversation with other DBacks when ball is snapped,lost more than just a step, behind Nick’s in the Hail Mary (he should know where to be)),Don Capers (if the players are the same as last year (except for Jenkins), then the coaching and play calling must be bad), Mike Neal (who is he? don’t remember him making any tackles)Grant (for $2.5 million he is over and done. we need another back to compliment Starks), Finley (too many drops, tired of him looking at his hands after he drops a ball, too many big TE’s out there better than him, oh, and he has a big mouth. Players we missed this year: Nick Collins, Tremon Williams (where did you go from last year?).
And one more player must go: AJ Hawk who has marks on his ass for being dragged by RB’s all season.
Yes, Hawk has to go!
No one saw this coming. #1 in TO differential. #1 in Passer Rating Differential. This should NOT equal GB getting clobbered at home amid losing both these important stats….
If you would have said to me “GB lost a shootout because of a couple bad bounces”, I would have believed it.
But the O was putrid. All game.
wow…just….wow
Too much time to read their press clippings, and make State Farm commercials.
Seriously?You think Rodgers was reading commercial lines instead of the defense the way he was playing?
Dumbest accusation ever.
I, for one saw i coming ALL year. I commented to my by boy, Jersey Bill, that if the offense has a bad game and/or they lose the turnover battle they will lose because of an awful defense. How many times are you going to get burnt with a stupid three man rush? I would rather see an ALL OUT blitz and I mean 9 guys rushing and see a quick touchdown than get pick apart all day long. I wanted to fly to GB and bitch slap Capers. He is just brutal. Nice tackle Peprah, that just set the tone for the entire day.
Worst defense in history of NFL!
Bummer. The Hail Mary before the half deflated everyone. Inexcusable. Bad time to play their worst game of the year. This game was winnable regardless of what anyone else says.
Same thing this year when they played poorly. Dropped passes and big plays given up by the D.
It will take time to get into the draft. The Packers just booted the chance to be something special. At least for this year.
To my Packers, having been and still am a Green Bay Packer fan for over 50 years I must say if I had done my job in the Air Force working on Avionics to keep my pilots flying and safe as you played other than Mr. Rodgers and being paid 1/8 if that of what you professionals are paid my BROTHERS and SISTERS would not have made it. I worked in the most bone chilling weather and the most horrendous heat to keep the planes flying. Defensive and Offensive players other than the line were unproffessional in play. But, I still will be and will always be Green and Gold.
Welcome Tom. Thanks for “flying” by…
D-Lineman should be priority #1. That one guy from South Carolina would be good.
Trade up, Ted.
But of course Ted will take best player.
Very painful to watch this one. Was hoping we learned some lessons through the course of the season, instead we amplified every weakness we have had all year (drops, poor tackling, no pressure up front) and added fumbling. This game will sting for a while. We looked like a 6-10 team today.
Very disappointed in the fact that the Team was not mentally prepared to play today. This includes the coaching staff. The long layoff did not help. The Packers beat themselves.
Nothing is ever in the bag. Do agree that the Packers LOST the game. The Giants were good but not great. I said all year that if, in the playoffs, if Rogers and the offense have an off day and they loose the turnover battle that the defense can’t win a game for them. The offense was unstoppable for 15 games, all wins. The offense was just average for two games, both loses.
Skip Brainless is loving this. Why the hell is he such a F****** troll? Seeing Rodgers win another Super Bowl would have been SO satisfying for me, I could have officially laughed at Skip Bayless from now on.
Dom Capers? I’m on the fence on this. I KNOW he’s a genius, but history says this guys sucks in his third year as a defensive coordinator. We lost Nick Collins, and I fully believe that Burnett and Peprah were incapapble or replacing him. Also, no defense was particular spectacular this year except the Niners and Texans. But THE MOST PASSING YARDS EVER GIVEN IN NFL HISTORY??? Keep Dom, but I’m starting to wonder.
Everyone is saying “The Giants really won this game”, blah blah, I don’t give a rat’s ass what other people’s opinion. 8 drops? 4 turnovers? And the Giants were the better team???? 17 point deficit is hard to imagine, but those who actually watched the game, they’ll see that the Pack just wasn’t focused today.
Draft a pass rusher, get Nick Collins healthy, Super Bowl 47 is in the bag.
Oh, you can laugh at him any way, chad. or do what I do. I don’t watch or listen to anything he does.
Skip who? How can I take a guy called Skip seriously.
I appreciate that Al, honestly. I’m just saying that even someone who’s as attracted to that negativity as I am (for whatever reason) could just laugh at him from now on.
So TT looked like a genious last year…and everyone just said, in ‘TT we trust’ because of the SB win. I didn’t agree, as I thought he had a poor draft. So many picks…only to release too many receivers. What a waste. Now, evidence is turned in. He failed to bring the talent on defense. He should have traded up and obtain less bodies but in the end get stronger picks on the defense. I thought he largely failed the pack with his 2011 draft. We’ll never really know until a couple years…maybe I’m wrong in the long run, but there was just no immediate contribution.
Al, My pastor (A Niner’s fan) just trash-talked me. This day just gets worse and worse….
That was the great thing about the last year. We didn’t have to take sh** from anyone. Now we’re back swimming in the shark pool.
Didn’t think we would lose this way, our O-line dominated the first half and the D was holding the giants to 13 pts (until the f$&%ing hail Mary). The frustrating part was the O-line was giving good protection in the 1st half, but the O failed to score. Rodgers was off, dropped passes and fumbles. The pack should have been up at half with a decent lead.
What a wierd game. The Hail Mary before the half summed it all up. I had a bad feeling it was going to be one if those days after that. Kuhn fumbled? Wierd.
What really was surprising to me was the so called bad giants DBs covering our receivers so well. Rodgers had time in the pocket, but had no where to throw to.
Going into this year the talk was how much depth this team had. But now its how many holes it has (especially on D).
TT will need to bit the bullet and look at a free agent or 2 if we want to be in the mix next year. I don’t see filling all the holes through one draft. There are good teams in the NFC , this will be an interesting off season.
the better team won, end of story. try not to be such sore losers. the Giants played in the same weather as the pack, and on the road. the refs did their best to help GB. the fact that the bad decisions, dropped passes, and turn-overs did the pack in…has no merit. the Giants didn’t make those mistakes. therefore, the better team won. all your players admitted it…why can’t you?
Personally, I’ve said several times the Giants thoroughly outplayed the Packers this game. The packers could have helped themselves without those mistakes and it would have been close, but that didn’t happen. Congratulations to the Giants.
There are a number of players that played their last game for GB. Namely Grant (contract),Peprah(performance),Bush/Lee (contract and performance), Donald Driver (contract/age) although I thought he was our offenses best player yesterday. Walden (inconsistency and trouble with the law). Finley’s inability to make simple catches have killed us early in games. Settling for field goals when drops caused us to stall was a killer yesterday. — Bottom line is that the defense is a shell of its former self. Tramon has regressed so badly it is hard to fathom. — Al, I agree with you regarding seeing DB’s lined up with a 9 yard cushion on 3rd and 1. Where did our press coverage go? Williams and Shields are both fast enough to run with people. Anyway, look forward to the offseason speculation. GoPack!
The most disappointing & embarrasing part of this game was the poor tackling. We were just out toughed and living in Jersey surrounded by Giant fans makes this type of lose hard to take.I’m sure all the long time Packer fans,while enjoying this season, must of had an uneasy feeling in the back of our minds because we know in order to win in Lambeau in the post season you need a hard nosed defense and a punishing running game. However, lets think positive a lose like this should make us hungry and angry
I was at the Packer/Giant game last month and we all saw 4 long passes from Manning which resulted in scores. In yesterday’s game his passes were 20 yarders down the middle (except for the Hail Mary) or 15 or so yarders to the sidelines, all to wide open, unattended receivers. Don’t recall our receivers being wide open in the center of the field because they were covered by Giants DB’s. This has been consistent throughtout the entire season with Rodgers required to make perfect passes while other QB’s had wide open receivers. And this all goes back to not putting any pressure on the QB by our DLine.
Dear Aaron, BJ and Clay; Less State Farm and more working on the farm.
B tiger, your right, the team that played better yesterday won and deserved to win. This dosn’t mean we can’t make observations about our team and the game, so go gloat somewhere else. We know we have the best franchise in the NFL and always will. So go hang out with your J buddys and pat your selves on the back. Your team deserves to be in NFC championship game, the Packers do not this year.
i’ve been a packers fan since 1963 but i can’t remember a more pitiful performance.we were not good on either side of the ball. i had a bad feeling about this one.we’ve got the best qb in the game we’ll be back. count on it!!!