Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs: 2013 Preseason Game 4
Unfiltered game day blog post of comments, observations and first impressions.
Inactives for today:
Green Bay Packers
12 QB Aaron Rodgers
24 CB Jarrett Bush
25 CB James Nixon
29 CB Casey Hayward
42 S Morgan Burnett
52 LB Clay Matthews
59 LB Brad Jones
88 TE Jermichael Finley
Kansas City Chiefs
TBA
GAME NOTES:
All eyes will be on Vince Young starting with the first unit and the bubble players – many trying to make an NFL roster for the first time.
Just before game time, I found out something very interesting. Brian McIntyre of Yahoo Sports reported that Mason Crosby agreed to restructure his contract on Thursday. Yes, that’s right. Full details can be found here.
I imagine it went like this: TT: “So Mason, if you’d like to stay here, what say you take a pay cut – then we won’t call Giorgio back – deal?”
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Mike McCarthy Pregame Show on 620 WTMJ:
Dujuan Harris injury: Like any injury, you have tomove on. Our responsibility as a coaching staff to taylor plays to the guys we have
OL vs. Seattle: There were some things that frankly weren’t very clean. Our assignment discipline was not what it needed to be. Some indecision there.
Kicking competition: Mason’s been challenged throughout training camp. It’s important for Mason to perform well tonight.
Kickoffs: It’s really about the flexibility to have 2 guys who can do it very well. Crosby is good at it but Tim has been exceptional at it.
Kickoff returns: Alex Green will start back there, Johnathan Franklin will get some reps. It’s still an open competition.
Lower-rung players: You’re playing for an opportunity to play in the NFL. Either at GB or somewhere else.
Quarterbacks: Vince Young to start, BJ Coleman will get a lot of work also.
Injured players: Tramon Williams, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb will all start the game.
Hot Night: We’re very conscientious of the heat – we cut the pre-game down.
Feelings about this camp: We grew. I wasn’t thrilled at first, but by the second preseason games, I thought we had come together and were doing things the right way.
Packers vs. Chiefs – First Impressions – First Half:
Tramon Williams; one play, one interception. Good start.
Noticed Tyrone Walker in with the first team on the third down play of the first series when Young was stopped short of a first down.
I have to say that was one of the best-looking Crosby fields goals we’ve seen in a long time. no hook or slice, and straight down the middle.
Mike Neal starting in Matthews’ spot. In three plays, he didn’t look out of place at OLB.
Johnathan Franklin gets the second series of the game at RB.
Mike Neal blows by the OT and gets a QB hit – just a half-second late. Chiefs start using a RB to chip him. Gotta say, I’m really happy with what I’m seeing from Mike Neal. Getting pass rush pressure, immovable against the run even looked good dropping back deep into zone coverage.
BJ Coleman in on the third series.
Heard several times already: “{insert GB QB name} throws inaccurately.” And then an INT happens. Coleman right to Frank Zombo. Embarrassing.
I was wondering how Brian Bostick got downfield so quickly on a punt coverage. Well now we know – got flagged for ineligible man downfield – a bit overanxious and left too soon.
Johnny jolly really causing problems for the KC offensive line. Drawing two blockers on most plays…
With the Packers starting passing attack not playing much, we haven’t seen a lot of pretty offense this pre-season. Been pretty ugly, actually…
Alex Green taking kickoffs and Micah Hyde taking punt returns. I think the Packers are thinking hard about whether they keep Jeremy Ross for his return ability or keep Tyrone Walker and let others take the return duties.
Packers pass rush has been consistently good all preseason. Call me encouraged.
Nice job by Ross getting his feet inbounds on a long pass by Young. He’s had a good two weeks as a receiver. Which he has to do to get on this team.
Andrew Datko is not making this team. Too slow – now I see why they looked at him at guard…
Packers DL actually moving people and opening lanes for the LBs to blitz through. Didn’t see that last two years…
I’m really comfortable with Micah Hyde taking punts. Making me seriously reconsider who that last WR will be.
Packers offense have really lit things up this preseason, haven’t they? Not. Zach kruse just mentioned on twitter that no team has scored fewer points coming into this game.
Halftime Score: Chiefs 13, Packers 6
Packers vs. Chiefs – First Impressions – Second Half:
They’re getting plenty of tape on Andrew Datko, but none of it’s any good. Like a statue… again.
I’ve heard others say Josh Boyd is too good to not keep, but I haven’t seen any such evidence. Practice Squad for me.
Brandon Smith has gotten beat by double moves all preseason, but otherwise, he’s done well for a recent convert from WR. Pulls down an INT…
God, there’s still 23 minutes left in this game…
Enough time for Brandon Smith to trip and give up an uncontested TD. Thanks for that Brandon…
Packers offensive line, whether starters or scrubs, continues to look overmatched as they have most of preseason. Call me concerned.
Sam Barrington shows an explosive burst to record a safety. QB had no chance
A very good thing about the #Packers kickers – they can BOTH tackle. Masthay saves a TD.
Succup screwing up the Packers plans to evaluate kick returners…
Brandon Smith beat for 3 TDs. Can I take back what I said earlier? he’s gone south tonight…
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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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Few games bored me as much as this one did. And that’s coming from someone who likes the preseason.
Other than the first 15 minutes against St. Louis, we have almost nothing from this whole preseason. Can’t wait for September 8th.
This is just wrong!
“that’s coming from someone who likes the preseason.”
I look forward to the preseason only in the sense that it mean football is right around the corner. Other than that there is little to like about the Pre-Season! Boring, meaningless football should not be something you like in any way otherwise!
There is at least one game where the starters play for one half, so there’s that. The second thing I like about it is when I see new faces make plays and you go “wow, this guy will probably make the team”.
Plus, I just like that it’s stress free. Every game I watch I swear I feel as though my heart is gonna explode because I just can’t bear the thought of losing. In preseason, I don’t experience that.
Love Gm4 preseason. Always an unexpected guy that makes the squad who gave EVERYTHING to get there.
The crazy missed assignments make for wild big plays too. Kind of “You go to the red car and turn out I’ll get it to you.” Pickup football, but world class atheletes.
NCB/TWC dispute got in the way of my Packers viewing pleasure. Thanks for the account of the contest, Al.
I’ll tell you what, if this cable dispute doesn’t get fixed right quick… as in, by the 49ers game, the entire state of WI may just take up arms. I better get my Packers telecast!!
Anything from Nate Palmer that would suggest he makes the team or is destined for the PS coming out of tonight?
Palmer is starting to come on a bit, but Barrington has out-shined him. Palmer to the PS, I think…
The only thing that stood out to me this game was Micah Hyde still made some plays despite not playing much.
I know this is preseason and all but I think the Packers scored just two TD’s in four games. Usually you get a couple on fluke plays alone. This is what happens when Rodgers only takes 45 snaps.
As a whole I thought the first string D looked good throughout the preseason and the pass-rush looks promising to me. Also the 1st teamers did well on run defense. On the bad side, the second string offense was craptacular the entire preseason regardless of who was behind center.
I don’t know if they keep stats on these type of things, but Masthay must have had the record for the highest number of punts for a four game preseason. You’d think the ST with all this practice would have improved but they seemed to get worse as time went on.
Enough of the whining. The D looks good to me – at least the first team and some of the second team guys too. I think it’s going to boil down to the first team o-line as to what type of season we have. If they give Rodgers enough time and our D keeps improving, this team is as good as any. But the depth is lacking and we can’t afford any more injuries, especially to our o-line.
I hate it when the announcers on TV have no idea what they are talking about. Can they get new ones for regular season?
Man,
Ross looks good this last week especially this game. He should make the team but where does that put Walker and Johnson? Walker is most consistent but he’s not fast, strong or versatile. Johnson has not shown enough. I’d put Johnson on PS and keep Walker. He might now clear waivers but you can’t keep everybody.
Here in Ohio, only saw first half of the game with the Seachickens.
Was Datko bad enough that he doesn’t get another season on the PS if he clears waivers? Could he be a Mike Wahle in the making at G?
Does anyone think Crosby does FGs and XPs only while Masthay punts and handles kickoffs?
Does Coleman make it to the PS for a second season?
I didn’t see Datko much in previous games, but in this one he got a lot of reps and they were not good. Whereas Bakhtiari has shown the ability to stay in front of his man, Datko let everyone get by him.
I agree with Al. O-line is still a concern. Overwhelmed most of the pre-season. Fortunately, the pre-season is already forgotten. Here comes the real deal. Week 1 is as big a test as the Packers will have all season. Thanks, Since’61
The O-Line is the only really discouraging thing about this team. If the Packers can stay with the 49ers, Redskins, Bengals in the first 3 games, come out 2-1 at the worst, then it can only get better as they start to gel. The Packers should try to find depth at Safety and O-Line in cuts this week. The fact that they’re two 1st round choices from 2010 & 11 really hurt. They have a erookie LT and a UDFA right tackle. My point being, look at EVERY team in the NFL. Very few are less than a 1st or 2nd round choice. Perhaps M.M. needs to go back to a truer west coast system. Quick 3 step drop passes so Rodgers isn’t getting hit so much. That and stop throwing deep on 3rd and 1!! It stopped working in 2011 after the K.C. Game.