Bogart
Duke Mantee
As the shock wave begins to wear off and push past boundaries of disappointment watching the Packers climb to a franchise best 15-1 record and get blown out in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs, one must ask was this bound to happen?
Watching the game, I thought a number of things were mismanaged and something was clearly wrong from the start. Realistically, I knew the Packers had a chance of losing, I just didn't want to believe it and tried to deny it as much as I could. It may be a quarterback league, but I'm a firm believer in strong defenses and the running game; 2 things the Packers did not have going into the playoffs.
So why did they really lose? I'll leave that for everyone to make their own opinion, but I'll break this down to you how I feel about.
Rule #1. Don't blame the bye week.
I've already seen this being thrown around and it's quite laughable how one can consider they were just "rusty" from having 2 weeks or preparation. This is just an excuse of being in denial. Rodgers had an extra week off and that's why no one could catch Sunday afternoon? I guess someone should ask Steve Young and the 1994 49ers team why they were not rusty on offense after having 3 total weeks off (They benched their starters the last week) to prepare for their Super Bowl run. There is TONS of teams in years that benched their starters in the last week with the Number 1 or 2 seed and went into the playoffs and managed to make it to the Super Bowl, so don't give me that rusty talk ********, cause I ain't buying it.
What is the excuse for the Defense this time?
All year long it's been some kindhearted excuse to give this defense a break and not really bash them for how god awful they have played the entire year. You know all that "They're better than they get credit for, they really ain't all that bad" I offer now as the time to throw that in my face. The Packers defense set some of the worst records ever as a defense this year, and you can throw all those "but they did this and they did that" and it don't change nothing. To be honest, and I said this many times before the playoffs, this defense actually scared me going into the post season cause I don't trust them. The words "Blown coverage" became a common thing, and "where is the pressure". All year long the excuse was "it will be OK, they get turnovers, let's not care about how bad they are cause they'll force the turnovers" so what happens when they DON'T force turnovers and still fail to stop someone? Watching the Giants drive down the field all day long and mass up 400 and something total yards felt like watching the entire year on defense go by. Before the season started, only Randall Cunnigham in 1998 had passed for over 400 yards against the Packers. That record was broken in the first game by Drew Brees, then doubled by Cam Newton, even Phillip Rivers having his career worst season managed to throw for 400 yards against that defense, and last but not least; Matthew Stafford put his name in the books for a 5,000 yard season when this defense let him throw for over 500 against them.
While I thought all year the secondary did they best they could all year, they too, as well as Dom Capers (who I also gave a benefit of the doubt to) deserve equal blame. I had a feeling Capers would get his stuff together after losing a game, but I was wrong. And once again, watching the Giants drive up and down the field, you see linebackers just standing there in coverage, no pressure at all, blown coverage, and a secondary that looked lost out there. Same story all year long. The ONE TIME they were getting pressure to Eli Manning, he throws a pick...Don't know why you change something if it's working.
Ask yourself honestly, did you really trust this defense going into the playoffs or were you trying to deny the fact how vulnerable they really are? I'll go with option B on that, I am guity too, no denying it.
McCarthy was out coached.
I have to ask myself a few days after the game "What the hell was he thinking?". I hardly ever point the finger at McCarthy, cause most the time he knows what he's doing, but in this game he was embarrassed by Coughlin as far as coaching goes. And it starts with the onside kick.
While the Giants scored nothing from that onside kick, it just shows he don't trust his defense, and that he was panicking. It was a risky call no doubt, but when the game is tied, there is no reason to do an onside kick...unless you don't trust your defense cause you know they are lost out there.
Then comes the hail mary pass. This could have been avoided. The Giants are hurrying to the line to spike the ball and get the special teams out there and McCarthy gave them a time out. The clock could have just ran out without him calling time out, but since he did they figured oh what the hell, let's put it up there. They could have went into the locker room trailing by 6 at the most if the Giants kicked that field goal, but since he gave them a time out, they decided a hail mary was worth it and got the best out of it.
With plenty of time left in the 3rd quarter after a WTF dropped pass from Jermichael Finley and just a few yards past midfield, McCarthy went for it on 4th down when the game was only a 7 point difference. This was the dagger...All year long the Packers have struggled going for it on 4th down, seeing McCarthy call this when the game was still close just shows he was getting desperate and very panicked. And as usual, not getting the first down only helped the Giants drive down a less amount of field and kick another FG to bring the score up.
Overall I feel like he coached this game as if they were the under dog which is inexcusable when you are 15-1, and at home and have your screaming loyal fans to aid you (which btw, no offense to the people that went to that game, but I am VERY disappointed to say I heard home fans booing on the television)
Over Confidence
Another thing that contributed heavily to this loss is the over confidence of the Packers wide receivers. Some may get offended of me saying this, but I really don't care. This is my opinion and if you don't agree with it, don't let it bother you.
"I see nothing but greatness..." Going into this game there was a lot of bragging and I think it back fired on this team. Instead of focusing on catching the ball, Jermichael Finley made it a point to brag about how great he is and how Aaron still throws to him no matter how many drops, and then Jennings was a bit focused on throwing dirt to the endless war of "who's better, Favre or Rodgers" which is getting old. I think as a whole, they got extremely over confident. Even the bragging ******** about how damn good this defense is when they are ranked dead last in the league. All this was a sign of things to come true. So much for bragging about how no one can cover you when you drop so many passes while your quarterback is risking his body to throw it to you.
Dropped Passes and Fumbles
This continues from the over confident arrogance that has been displayed by Finley. I knew this was going to happen. I've said it many times that my biggest fear is when we need a 3rd down conversion in the playoffs and Finley drops the ball. My nightmare came true Sunday when it was 3rd and 5 and the game was 13-20, needing a desperate first down to keep the drive along, Rodgers fires a perfect spiral to Finley and it goes straight through his hands. He was wide open, NO ONE WAS EVEN CLOSE TO HIM and it's crunch time and the ball just goes straight through his hands. That wasn't Finley's only drop either for the day, he dropped 1 on the opening drive, dropped a screen, dropped one knowing he was about to get hit. I don't know cause I don't play, but when someone is close to Finley that hits hard I get that feeling he drops the ball because he's scared he's going to get hit too hard. Some people still like Finley, but I'm sorry for you, he's not a game time, clutch TE. Jimmy Graham, Vernon Davis, and Rob Gronkowski would have caught those passes no matter if they were getting hit or not. It all starts with your attitude. Finley is an arrogant un-appreciative "I need the ball, I don't get the ball thrown to me enough" type player. I actually thought his attitude could be fixed (Look at Vernon Davis, very much improved after being the bad seed 3 years ago) but I want a TE like Jimmy Graham, whom never brags about himself and is just appreciative he's catching balls from one of the best QB's in the game.. Finley has got to go. I want him gone, for every big play he has, he drops 2 passes.
I'm not trying to just single Finley out, cause he's not the only one that dropped balls, but he dropped the most. Jennings had some drops too, and most of those were great coverage by the Giants, I have to be fair and give credit where it's due. Jordy Nelson who has some of the best hands on this team also missed 1 or 2 from what I seen, which is verrrrry rare of him, cause he's transformed into a guy that is hard to cover.
The fumbles also were costly, and I'll be the first to say that one that got called back from Jennings, that WAS a fumble, the officials got that one wrong. Rodgers had not fumbled all year long, and that was his first of the year, John Kuhn never ever fumbles and that was his first, Grant's fumble wasn't too surprising, but overall it was just sloppy and contributes together with the dropped passes. Don't give Kuhn or Rodgers hell for fumbling in that game when they had not fumbled once all year long.
Rodgers gave it everything he had
Despite the numbers on the stat board, Rodgers gave this game everything in him. I will not blame him one bit for all the dropped passes and as many times he got knocked to the ground. They had a hard time protecting him with a healthy offensive line, but Rodgers was trying harder than anyone else on the entire offense, with or without help. When no one is open down the field, most quarterbacks force the ball to the guy they trust the most (as seen by Brett Favre) but with Rodgers, he put his body in danger and would run to pick up the first downs, and that is your difference between Rodgers, Brees, and Brady. A-Rod has that mobility in him with his legs that Brees and Brady don't which separates him easily from the two. You also could read his lips when Finley dropped that 3rd down catch, and when you seen how emotionally worked up he got and angry with Finley, you can just see Rodgers was trying and giving it his best. I'm sure he blames himself for some of it, but it's not his fault he throws some of the most beautiful passes and no one wants to catch them.
Disappointed, but I am thankful
it may be hard over here to be the first team to go 15-1 and get blown out in the first round of the playoffs, and overall the 3rd team in the NFL to go 15-1 and not even reach the Super Bowl, I am very disappointed, but thankful, and appreciative they made it that far with all the problems on defense.
So I say, no matter how bad you're disappointed there won't be a Super Bowl repeat, BE THANKFUL AND APPRECIATE WHAT WE GOT FROM THIS YEAR.
Things to appreciate -
Was there ever another team with the worst defense win 15 games?
First 15-1 record in franchise history
Rodgers broke many records this year
The offense broke records for scoring
Jordy Nelson has become a big threat on this team and should be for years to come
8-0 record at home
Last but not least, any time seeing Donald Driver get a Touchdown, be thankful. This could be his last year.
This loss may hurt really bad, but thank god, be very very thankful we didn't go 16-0 and lose in the playoffs. That would have been unbearable and forever hold a burden on this team. 20 years from now, this season can be forgotten, but if we had went 16-0 and lost in the first round, then decades passing, we'd be remembered as the other team that went undefeated and lost in the postseason, not something I think is worth memory.
If you're going to lose in the post season, it would have felt much worse if we lost the Super Bowl and would have to spend the entire year being humiliated when seeing the other team as defending champions. Be thankful for that too that we don't have to live in embarrassment and torture of humiliation like the team did back in 1997 when they made it to the Super Bowl only to be upset by Denver, that loss still feels really humiliating to this day.
I haven't posted on here all week and it has to do with personal issues, taking care of someone's child while they are having surgery is a far more important role than thinking of disappointment over a football game. I'm still disappointed, but thankful we already have a Super Bowl. Rodgers has a ring folks...don't talk and act like we haven't won anything, we have a ring, and as John Madden would say "I always say the team that won it last year is still the defending champions until after the Super Bowl"
Watching the game, I thought a number of things were mismanaged and something was clearly wrong from the start. Realistically, I knew the Packers had a chance of losing, I just didn't want to believe it and tried to deny it as much as I could. It may be a quarterback league, but I'm a firm believer in strong defenses and the running game; 2 things the Packers did not have going into the playoffs.
So why did they really lose? I'll leave that for everyone to make their own opinion, but I'll break this down to you how I feel about.
Rule #1. Don't blame the bye week.
I've already seen this being thrown around and it's quite laughable how one can consider they were just "rusty" from having 2 weeks or preparation. This is just an excuse of being in denial. Rodgers had an extra week off and that's why no one could catch Sunday afternoon? I guess someone should ask Steve Young and the 1994 49ers team why they were not rusty on offense after having 3 total weeks off (They benched their starters the last week) to prepare for their Super Bowl run. There is TONS of teams in years that benched their starters in the last week with the Number 1 or 2 seed and went into the playoffs and managed to make it to the Super Bowl, so don't give me that rusty talk ********, cause I ain't buying it.
What is the excuse for the Defense this time?
All year long it's been some kindhearted excuse to give this defense a break and not really bash them for how god awful they have played the entire year. You know all that "They're better than they get credit for, they really ain't all that bad" I offer now as the time to throw that in my face. The Packers defense set some of the worst records ever as a defense this year, and you can throw all those "but they did this and they did that" and it don't change nothing. To be honest, and I said this many times before the playoffs, this defense actually scared me going into the post season cause I don't trust them. The words "Blown coverage" became a common thing, and "where is the pressure". All year long the excuse was "it will be OK, they get turnovers, let's not care about how bad they are cause they'll force the turnovers" so what happens when they DON'T force turnovers and still fail to stop someone? Watching the Giants drive down the field all day long and mass up 400 and something total yards felt like watching the entire year on defense go by. Before the season started, only Randall Cunnigham in 1998 had passed for over 400 yards against the Packers. That record was broken in the first game by Drew Brees, then doubled by Cam Newton, even Phillip Rivers having his career worst season managed to throw for 400 yards against that defense, and last but not least; Matthew Stafford put his name in the books for a 5,000 yard season when this defense let him throw for over 500 against them.
While I thought all year the secondary did they best they could all year, they too, as well as Dom Capers (who I also gave a benefit of the doubt to) deserve equal blame. I had a feeling Capers would get his stuff together after losing a game, but I was wrong. And once again, watching the Giants drive up and down the field, you see linebackers just standing there in coverage, no pressure at all, blown coverage, and a secondary that looked lost out there. Same story all year long. The ONE TIME they were getting pressure to Eli Manning, he throws a pick...Don't know why you change something if it's working.
Ask yourself honestly, did you really trust this defense going into the playoffs or were you trying to deny the fact how vulnerable they really are? I'll go with option B on that, I am guity too, no denying it.
McCarthy was out coached.
I have to ask myself a few days after the game "What the hell was he thinking?". I hardly ever point the finger at McCarthy, cause most the time he knows what he's doing, but in this game he was embarrassed by Coughlin as far as coaching goes. And it starts with the onside kick.
While the Giants scored nothing from that onside kick, it just shows he don't trust his defense, and that he was panicking. It was a risky call no doubt, but when the game is tied, there is no reason to do an onside kick...unless you don't trust your defense cause you know they are lost out there.
Then comes the hail mary pass. This could have been avoided. The Giants are hurrying to the line to spike the ball and get the special teams out there and McCarthy gave them a time out. The clock could have just ran out without him calling time out, but since he did they figured oh what the hell, let's put it up there. They could have went into the locker room trailing by 6 at the most if the Giants kicked that field goal, but since he gave them a time out, they decided a hail mary was worth it and got the best out of it.
With plenty of time left in the 3rd quarter after a WTF dropped pass from Jermichael Finley and just a few yards past midfield, McCarthy went for it on 4th down when the game was only a 7 point difference. This was the dagger...All year long the Packers have struggled going for it on 4th down, seeing McCarthy call this when the game was still close just shows he was getting desperate and very panicked. And as usual, not getting the first down only helped the Giants drive down a less amount of field and kick another FG to bring the score up.
Overall I feel like he coached this game as if they were the under dog which is inexcusable when you are 15-1, and at home and have your screaming loyal fans to aid you (which btw, no offense to the people that went to that game, but I am VERY disappointed to say I heard home fans booing on the television)
Over Confidence
Another thing that contributed heavily to this loss is the over confidence of the Packers wide receivers. Some may get offended of me saying this, but I really don't care. This is my opinion and if you don't agree with it, don't let it bother you.
"I see nothing but greatness..." Going into this game there was a lot of bragging and I think it back fired on this team. Instead of focusing on catching the ball, Jermichael Finley made it a point to brag about how great he is and how Aaron still throws to him no matter how many drops, and then Jennings was a bit focused on throwing dirt to the endless war of "who's better, Favre or Rodgers" which is getting old. I think as a whole, they got extremely over confident. Even the bragging ******** about how damn good this defense is when they are ranked dead last in the league. All this was a sign of things to come true. So much for bragging about how no one can cover you when you drop so many passes while your quarterback is risking his body to throw it to you.
Dropped Passes and Fumbles
This continues from the over confident arrogance that has been displayed by Finley. I knew this was going to happen. I've said it many times that my biggest fear is when we need a 3rd down conversion in the playoffs and Finley drops the ball. My nightmare came true Sunday when it was 3rd and 5 and the game was 13-20, needing a desperate first down to keep the drive along, Rodgers fires a perfect spiral to Finley and it goes straight through his hands. He was wide open, NO ONE WAS EVEN CLOSE TO HIM and it's crunch time and the ball just goes straight through his hands. That wasn't Finley's only drop either for the day, he dropped 1 on the opening drive, dropped a screen, dropped one knowing he was about to get hit. I don't know cause I don't play, but when someone is close to Finley that hits hard I get that feeling he drops the ball because he's scared he's going to get hit too hard. Some people still like Finley, but I'm sorry for you, he's not a game time, clutch TE. Jimmy Graham, Vernon Davis, and Rob Gronkowski would have caught those passes no matter if they were getting hit or not. It all starts with your attitude. Finley is an arrogant un-appreciative "I need the ball, I don't get the ball thrown to me enough" type player. I actually thought his attitude could be fixed (Look at Vernon Davis, very much improved after being the bad seed 3 years ago) but I want a TE like Jimmy Graham, whom never brags about himself and is just appreciative he's catching balls from one of the best QB's in the game.. Finley has got to go. I want him gone, for every big play he has, he drops 2 passes.
I'm not trying to just single Finley out, cause he's not the only one that dropped balls, but he dropped the most. Jennings had some drops too, and most of those were great coverage by the Giants, I have to be fair and give credit where it's due. Jordy Nelson who has some of the best hands on this team also missed 1 or 2 from what I seen, which is verrrrry rare of him, cause he's transformed into a guy that is hard to cover.
The fumbles also were costly, and I'll be the first to say that one that got called back from Jennings, that WAS a fumble, the officials got that one wrong. Rodgers had not fumbled all year long, and that was his first of the year, John Kuhn never ever fumbles and that was his first, Grant's fumble wasn't too surprising, but overall it was just sloppy and contributes together with the dropped passes. Don't give Kuhn or Rodgers hell for fumbling in that game when they had not fumbled once all year long.
Rodgers gave it everything he had
Despite the numbers on the stat board, Rodgers gave this game everything in him. I will not blame him one bit for all the dropped passes and as many times he got knocked to the ground. They had a hard time protecting him with a healthy offensive line, but Rodgers was trying harder than anyone else on the entire offense, with or without help. When no one is open down the field, most quarterbacks force the ball to the guy they trust the most (as seen by Brett Favre) but with Rodgers, he put his body in danger and would run to pick up the first downs, and that is your difference between Rodgers, Brees, and Brady. A-Rod has that mobility in him with his legs that Brees and Brady don't which separates him easily from the two. You also could read his lips when Finley dropped that 3rd down catch, and when you seen how emotionally worked up he got and angry with Finley, you can just see Rodgers was trying and giving it his best. I'm sure he blames himself for some of it, but it's not his fault he throws some of the most beautiful passes and no one wants to catch them.
Disappointed, but I am thankful
it may be hard over here to be the first team to go 15-1 and get blown out in the first round of the playoffs, and overall the 3rd team in the NFL to go 15-1 and not even reach the Super Bowl, I am very disappointed, but thankful, and appreciative they made it that far with all the problems on defense.
So I say, no matter how bad you're disappointed there won't be a Super Bowl repeat, BE THANKFUL AND APPRECIATE WHAT WE GOT FROM THIS YEAR.
Things to appreciate -
Was there ever another team with the worst defense win 15 games?
First 15-1 record in franchise history
Rodgers broke many records this year
The offense broke records for scoring
Jordy Nelson has become a big threat on this team and should be for years to come
8-0 record at home
Last but not least, any time seeing Donald Driver get a Touchdown, be thankful. This could be his last year.
This loss may hurt really bad, but thank god, be very very thankful we didn't go 16-0 and lose in the playoffs. That would have been unbearable and forever hold a burden on this team. 20 years from now, this season can be forgotten, but if we had went 16-0 and lost in the first round, then decades passing, we'd be remembered as the other team that went undefeated and lost in the postseason, not something I think is worth memory.
If you're going to lose in the post season, it would have felt much worse if we lost the Super Bowl and would have to spend the entire year being humiliated when seeing the other team as defending champions. Be thankful for that too that we don't have to live in embarrassment and torture of humiliation like the team did back in 1997 when they made it to the Super Bowl only to be upset by Denver, that loss still feels really humiliating to this day.
I haven't posted on here all week and it has to do with personal issues, taking care of someone's child while they are having surgery is a far more important role than thinking of disappointment over a football game. I'm still disappointed, but thankful we already have a Super Bowl. Rodgers has a ring folks...don't talk and act like we haven't won anything, we have a ring, and as John Madden would say "I always say the team that won it last year is still the defending champions until after the Super Bowl"
