Bengals exploit Packers' many weaknesses

Zero2Cool

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By Chris Havel

If total humiliation is a source of motivation, the Green Bay Packers should be motivated into the foreseeable future.

In the Packers' worst performance during coach Mike McCarthy's brief tenure, the positives can be counted on one hand, minus the thumb.

  • • Dave Rayner converted a 30-yard field goal and showed good distance on kickoffs.

    • Cullen Jenkins' hustle at defensive tackle locked up a roster spot, and it might have thrust him into a more expanded role.

    • Fullback Vonta Leach actually caught a pass out of the backfield.

    • The referee mercifully stopped the debacle due to inclement weather, with the Cincinnati Bengals trashing the Packers 41-10 with 9 minutes, 9 seconds to play in the fourth quarter. Just the Packers' luck: The bad weather cleared, and the game was completed.

While the lightning above Paul Brown Stadium created a dangerous situation, the Packers were a danger only to themselves on Monday night at Cincinnati.

The first 3½ quarters of Green Bay's third preseason game bore an unsightly resemblance to all too many of the Packers' 12 losses last season.

When Brett Favre wasn't fumbling the football he was forcing it. His interception broke McCarthy's cardinal rule because he threw it late and down the middle. That point of emphasis apparently needs to be re-emphasized.

It also is clear that Favre and the offense can't function when faced with a steady diet of third-and-long situations. Favre can't make plays like he once did, the offensive line can't buy him time like it used to, and the running game is finding its legs.

Somewhere during the first-half touchdown flurry, the Bengals exposed and exploited the Packers' glaring weaknesses. The offense can't run the ball and the defense can't mount a pass rush.

At the start of training camp, Favre said: "The only way you can win is by rushing the ball and playing great defense."

The Packers did neither at Cincinnati.

Meantime, old problems flared up. There were too many turnovers on offense, too much confusion on defense and too many penalties.

The individual performances weren't too hot, either.

Najeh Davenport isn't going to cut it at running back. David Martin continued his career-long tendency to raise expectations only to drop the ball at the critical moment. Punter Jon Ryan scuffed his first punt 33 yards. And fine left tackle Chad Clifton, bless his soul, continued to false start for no reason.

Then there is the Packers' tackling, or lack thereof.

Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh made Packers cornerback Charles Woodson look like an undrafted free agent out of Whiff University. Houshmandzadeh and fellow receiver Tab Perry turned the Packers' defense inside out.

The Packers' run defense made Rudi Johnson work for his yardage, but the swarming slacked as the game droned on.

General Manager Ted Thompson has less than a week to identify 53 players worth keeping.

Oh, there was one other positive. After Chicago sees the tape of this game, I can't imagine how the Bears could take the Packers seriously in the Sept. 10 season opener.

Chris Havel can be reached by voice mail at (920) 431-8586 or by e-mail at [email protected]


He sure did stick up for Favre in this article.
 

TomAllen

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Yeah Zero, it proves the old quote:

“If you tell a lie loud enough, and big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

To get at the truth, just put the words "because the team sucks" after the sentences about Favre and you'll be closer to the mark. I have a feeling you people are going to crucify him this year, and it's all thanks TT and his "signings", or lack thereof.

But I told you this **** was going to happen months ago.
 

porky88

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Zero2Cool said:
By Chris Havel

If total humiliation is a source of motivation, the Green Bay Packers should be motivated into the foreseeable future.

In the Packers' worst performance during coach Mike McCarthy's brief tenure, the positives can be counted on one hand, minus the thumb.

  • • Dave Rayner converted a 30-yard field goal and showed good distance on kickoffs.

    • Cullen Jenkins' hustle at defensive tackle locked up a roster spot, and it might have thrust him into a more expanded role.

    • Fullback Vonta Leach actually caught a pass out of the backfield.

    • The referee mercifully stopped the debacle due to inclement weather, with the Cincinnati Bengals trashing the Packers 41-10 with 9 minutes, 9 seconds to play in the fourth quarter. Just the Packers' luck: The bad weather cleared, and the game was completed.

While the lightning above Paul Brown Stadium created a dangerous situation, the Packers were a danger only to themselves on Monday night at Cincinnati.

The first 3½ quarters of Green Bay's third preseason game bore an unsightly resemblance to all too many of the Packers' 12 losses last season.

When Brett Favre wasn't fumbling the football he was forcing it. His interception broke McCarthy's cardinal rule because he threw it late and down the middle. That point of emphasis apparently needs to be re-emphasized.

It also is clear that Favre and the offense can't function when faced with a steady diet of third-and-long situations. Favre can't make plays like he once did, the offensive line can't buy him time like it used to, and the running game is finding its legs.

Somewhere during the first-half touchdown flurry, the Bengals exposed and exploited the Packers' glaring weaknesses. The offense can't run the ball and the defense can't mount a pass rush.

At the start of training camp, Favre said: "The only way you can win is by rushing the ball and playing great defense."

The Packers did neither at Cincinnati.

Meantime, old problems flared up. There were too many turnovers on offense, too much confusion on defense and too many penalties.

The individual performances weren't too hot, either.

Najeh Davenport isn't going to cut it at running back. David Martin continued his career-long tendency to raise expectations only to drop the ball at the critical moment. Punter Jon Ryan scuffed his first punt 33 yards. And fine left tackle Chad Clifton, bless his soul, continued to false start for no reason.

Then there is the Packers' tackling, or lack thereof.

Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh made Packers cornerback Charles Woodson look like an undrafted free agent out of Whiff University. Houshmandzadeh and fellow receiver Tab Perry turned the Packers' defense inside out.

The Packers' run defense made Rudi Johnson work for his yardage, but the swarming slacked as the game droned on.

General Manager Ted Thompson has less than a week to identify 53 players worth keeping.

Oh, there was one other positive. After Chicago sees the tape of this game, I can't imagine how the Bears could take the Packers seriously in the Sept. 10 season opener.

Chris Havel can be reached by voice mail at (920) 431-8586 or by e-mail at [email protected]


He sure did stick up for Favre in this article.

Havel is Favre's 2nd biggest fan though so that's to be expected. :wink:
 

spardo62

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TomAllen said:
Yeah Zero, it proves the old quote:

“If you tell a lie loud enough, and big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

To get at the truth, just put the words "because the team sucks" after the sentences about Favre and you'll be closer to the mark. I have a feeling you people are going to crucify him this year, and it's all thanks TT and his "signings", or lack thereof.

But I told you this **** was going to happen months ago.

I think most rational people on this board deep down knew the team would suck this year. WE ARE REBUILDING, whether we or the Packers want to admit to that fact. If we would have signed every free agent people were clamoring for, it may have elevated this team from 4-6 wins, to 7-9 wins - BIG DEAL - if we were really lucky maybe we would get to 10 wins. But at what price, sacrificing the future for one shot?

IMO, you take your big shots a FA when you are almost there, not when you have Brett Favre and little if anything else. Ron Wolf was not active in FA until after he had traded for Favre, and Butler, etc. were coming into their own. This signing obviously had an impact.
 

porky88

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spardo62 said:
TomAllen said:
Yeah Zero, it proves the old quote:

“If you tell a lie loud enough, and big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

To get at the truth, just put the words "because the team sucks" after the sentences about Favre and you'll be closer to the mark. I have a feeling you people are going to crucify him this year, and it's all thanks TT and his "signings", or lack thereof.

But I told you this **** was going to happen months ago.

I think most rational people on this board deep down knew the team would suck this year. WE ARE REBUILDING, whether we or the Packers want to admit to that fact. If we would have signed every free agent people were clamoring for, it may have elevated this team from 4-6 wins, to 7-9 wins - BIG DEAL - if we were really lucky maybe we would get to 10 wins. But at what price, sacrificing the future for one shot?

IMO, you take your big shots a FA when you are almost there, not when you have Brett Favre and little if anything else. Ron Wolf was not active in FA until after he had traded for Favre, and Butler, etc. were coming into their own. This signing obviously had an impact.

I agree with this. I've been saying from the start I expect 6 or 7 wins this year. Maybe 8. That's just my opinion on the team but I also think you can't bring down this coaching staff and front office considering they haven't been here that long. I think we're going to see 2 more years of Thompson in the front office and I'm find with that. I think Thompson has a plan and I don't think he's going to break his plan for anyone including Favre. I don't think there is a thing Thompson could of done to get this team to the Super Bowl when he took over. That just my opinion. I thought this team was a mess and Ron Wolf's guys are running out.
 

LambeauEast

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"And fine left tackle Chad Clifton, bless his soul, continued to false start for no reason."

Truer words have never been spoken. With two bum knees and his constant proclivity for false starting, I just think Clifton will become a hinderance as the season wears on.

We all talk about the youth and inexperience on the inside of the line, but that wheel on the left end is definitely wobbly. Actually, he was rather stinkin' up the joint last season as well....IMO!

And as out-o-synch (or whatever ya wanna call it) as the offense was Monday, the part of all this that truly chills me to the bone is the fact that the defense was at the mercy of the Bengals' will. I really thought the defense was going to be the factor to keeping us in games this season.
 
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Zero2Cool

Zero2Cool

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TomAllen said:
Yeah Zero, it proves the old quote:

“If you tell a lie loud enough, and big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

To get at the truth, just put the words "because the team sucks" after the sentences about Favre and you'll be closer to the mark. I have a feeling you people are going to crucify him this year, and it's all thanks TT and his "signings", or lack thereof.

But I told you this **** was going to happen months ago.

I don't like it when others claim someone is someone else, but I have to ask because you are an uncanning resemblence of someone.

Are you P@ck66?
 

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