Packers Stock Report: Fake spike for the win edition

Aaron Rodgers fake spike

Before we get to this week’s Packers Stock Report, what category would you put the Green Bay Packers in as a team after six games?

I’d say, overall, the Packers are steady.

They’ve done plenty of dumb things to land in the falling category and made plenty of huge plays that would merit a rising designation. When you add it all up, the Packers are right about where I, and many others, thought they’d be. They’re steady.

The Packers are relying heavily on Aaron Rodgers to make plays and lead the offense. For the most part, he’s coming through.

The secondary is anchoring an improved, but not yet good, defense. We’ll see what happens to this unit after recent defensive injuries.

There’s a mix of overachieving players (Jamari Lattimore and Corey Linsley) and underachievers (Clay Matthews and Eddie Lacy). Hopefully the overachievers keep it up and and underachievers get rolling.

The defensive line and inside linebackers have been liabilities, like everyone predicted.

Injury luck, until Sunday, was better than recent years. Sounds like the injuries to Tramon Williams, Sam Shields and Jamari Lattimore aren’t long term, so hopefully that injury luck continues.

Add all that up, combine it with a 4-2 record, and the steady description fits this team well.

Now the key is staying steady through Thanksgiving. From there, the teams who crank it up and enter the rising category will play in the Super Bowl. Hopefully the Packers are one of those teams.

Onto the Stock Report.

Rising

Aaron Rodgers
The fake spike play is getting all the national attention, but the touchdown pass to Randall Cobb in the third quarter was an amazing piece of quarterbacking. Rodgers is the first quarterback in NFL history with at least 15 touchdown passes and only one interception through his team’s first six games. And remember his only pick this season? He hit Jordy Nelson in the hands and it ricocheted to a defender.

Jordy Nelson
We’re getting close to creating a special Jordy Nelson category of the Packers Stock Report. Every week the guy is making both spectacular plays and the types of “regular” plays that a superstar receiver needs to make. Like Rodgers, it’s almost a given that Nelson will be rising every week.

Davante Adams
I think it’s safe to say Rodgers is starting to trust his young receivers. In a span of less than two months, Rodgers has gone from hesitant about his young targets to telepathically communicating with one of them, Adams, on a fake-spike play late in a close game.

Steady

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
He hasn’t been flashy, but he’s been solid, which is exactly what the Packers needed at safety. Clinton-Dix still whiffs on a tackle here and there, but he’s always buzzing around the ball. More big plays will come if he keeps it up.

James Starks
James Starks in 2014: 35 carries, 152 yards, 4.3 yards per carry. Eddie Lacy in 2014: 80 carries, 306 yards, 3.8 yards per carry. Not saying Starks should leap Lacy on the depth chart. What I am saying is that Starks has been a nice luxury to have as Lacy struggles. Those shotgun draws seem more suited for a quicker running back like Starks instead of Lacy. How about that 10-yard dash before the two-minute warning on Sunday? Great stuff.

Davon House
If Sam Shields and/or Tramon Williams miss time, get ready to see more of House. He’s been an excellent depth cornerback this season. Can he take the next step if asked to do so? We might be about to find out.

Falling

Clay Matthews
I always thought Matthews was underrated as a run defender. Not any more. His lack of discipline often leaves the edge totally exposed and he’s helpless on zone reads run in his direction. He’s disappeared on pass rushes far too often as well. Someone tell me to R-E-L-A-X about Matthews. I’m worried.

Brad Jones
Jones and Jarrett Bush were on the field at the same time for the Packers in the second half on Sunday. No wonder the defense struggled.

Rodgers’ clutch critics
Remember when people said Rodgers isn’t a clutch quarterback? Obama needs to deport those people to a different country.

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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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15 thoughts on “Packers Stock Report: Fake spike for the win edition

  1. I would definitely reverse your call on HaHa and Adams. Adams had a good day, but HaHa was a difference maker. So much so that it appears to be turning Burnett’s career around. That’s a hell of a lot for a rookie.

    I keep saying that Tretter can turn the run game around, but according to PFF, Corey Linsley once again had positive grade in run blocking. I can’t even tell what the problem with our run game is anymore. Bulaga doesn’t trust his knee anymore, and Bakhtiri has never impressed in the run game, but we have like NO run game. Although we’ve faced some really good run D’s (which I learned the Dolphins also part take of) after six games, I’m starting to get really worried.

    Just bench Clay Matthews. One it will help heal whatever injury he’s hiding and two he’ll get the point. Guy’s getting paid like a HOF, ought to play like one too.

    1. My initial thought on the run game is that we have a 230-lb primary back who likes to run sideways too often…

  2. The O-line and ILB’ers really worry me on this team. Stick Aaron Rodgers behind the Cowboys O-line and no team would keep up. We have been below average in both trenches for the last couple of years and it is setting the ceiling for this team.

    Seeing promise at safety is a relief.

    1. Spot on about the ceiling, but it seems for the last 2 games Guion, Daniels and Co. have stepped it up. Let’s hope whatever it is takes hold and it is spreads to the ILB’s as well.

      Just wish our linemen were bad-asses and every once in a while just owned the other guys.

  3. I’m going to disagree on Clinton Dix as steady. I think he’s definitely in the rising category because every week he’s getting better and better. He seems like a huge home run pick by our legendary G.M.

    I also like to add Mike Pennel in the rising category. Played only nine plays but had huge penneltration up the middle for what should have been a sack but he slipped away due to the humidity. Pennel is getting limited reps but he’s constantly showing up making splash plays almost every week since he’s been activated. I want to see more of him going forward damnit!! Huge powerful and quick. What’s not to like about this beast.

    Also one more rising. Nick Perry. Need him out there more now and maybe less of Matthews until he’s back to 100%. With no speed, Matthews is a liability or just a guy. See Frank Zombo.

    I do agree with Matthews in the falling as well as Lacy. Matthews is clearly hurting and Lacy is still trying to find his way after that early concussion, his second now.

  4. Lacy is either going to win or tie on power runs,depending of coarse on how good and quick the OL get their blocks, but will always lose on east-west running.

    Starks,though he may drop the pass ,is the saving grace for the run game to date.

    Harris is kick returning himself off the team.

    This team simply allows others to hang around for no reason…failure to launch to often.

    Secondary has been the savior and now comes the ruh-roh reality of the front seven with a depleted one.

    If Nick Perry is seen as the savior at OLB……yikes!!!

    I always said Matthews was over rated and over paid on the record,but perhaps the Peppers effect has hurt him more than helped him,especially in regard to kool-aid version..injury or not….

    It will take only a couple of down games for Nelson ,Cobb to put this team in sever jeopardy of losing games we must win…when they come is a question but the odds are there coming.

    Winning the Division at this moment is the best the appears on the radar screen. 🙂

    1. Matthews is not overrated. Overpaid yes but not overrated. He’s one of the best outside linebackers in the game WHEN HEALTHY!! Of course that’s the problem. He’s hurt again..What does he have again? a groin or something? Whatever it is he can’t run full speed that was clear on the int against the Bears and this week when he couldn’t catch Miami’s qb.

      He’s playing but he’s not effective like we are used to seeing him. He’s just a guy. Capers should just sit him and play the red hot Nick Perry in his place until he gets his speed back. Speed is what makes Matthews great. Matthews is hurting the team more than helping by playing on 1 1/2 legs. Favre did that too at times to keep his streak alive and hurt us at times.

      I do agree with you on DuJuan Harris. He’s rebelling right now on kickoff returns to show his displeasure of not being used at rb. He needs to watch it. Hope MM gives him some reps at rb this week.

      1. Over paid and over rated work hand in hand as like being under paid and under rated.

        Matthews DID NOT deserve to be the highest paid OLB then and his play since has shown it to be true to date. 🙂

  5. The run game is hurt by the fact that we don’t have a quality blocking TE. Does anyone know what has happened to Bostick? Has anyone seen him play besides on ST? Also, our OL does not win their one on ones consistently. We may see more backfield sets which include Kuhn for lead blocking purposes. On defense, I agree that CM3 is having less and less of an impact each week since his injury. Hold him out until after the bye if that is what is necessary to get him back to 100%. Hopefully our CBs and Lattimore will be back soon. Especially Lattimore, we can’t survive long with B. Jones and Hawk as our ILBs. Our DL is still an area of concern but I am seeing some positive plays from Guion and Pennel. Rotations with them, Daniels and D. Jones, when healthy, and we may have some improvement there as the season goes on. I expected the Packers to be 4-2 at this point. Our next 4 games will say a lot about how our season goes. 3 out of 4 at home with a bye in the middle. New Orleans on the road will be difficult. But as usual the most important game is the next one against Carolina at home. Another mobile QB, but I think that we can move the ball well against the Panthers D. Go Pack Go. Thanks, Since ’61

    1. Richard Rodgers has no business on the field right now. He cannot block at all and Quarless has been better in the passing game. Please get Quarless more snaps. Rodgers should be the #3 TE on this team right now.

  6. As long as we are talking about fakes…
    Now that the Packers have stable of running backs that make option plays a viable one, I wonder why Rodgers does not make any attempt to sell the fake.

    When I watch option style quarterbacks I consistently see play fakes that fool the defense. Kaepernick is masterful, he’ll fake the hand off and then saunter back to watch the running back even though he still has the ball. The camera will even bite on the fake throughout the broadcast. And Kaepernick sells the fake on every single play.
    By contrast, Rodgers makes no attempt fake the hand off what
    so ever. In fact, it is almost the opposite; he sticks the ball out almost exaggerating the hand off; you can see it coming from a mile away and I am sure the defense can read it immediately.

    Why do you suppose GB makes no attempt to hide their intentions? Is there a danger I have not considered in faking the keeper? Heck, even Favre
    threw the tomahawk pass fake…

  7. Since this is a “Stock Report”, you could call the new category for Jordy, AR and (crosses fingers) Julius Peppers ‘Blue Chip’.

  8. Dump him now category… Brad Jones poor play is not enough to get rid of him, what about when he starts injuring his teammates? Dumbazz was out of position as usual and lands on Williams ankle.

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