Week 3 vs Bengals.

[P-E-Z]

How many of those points can exactly be contributed to the defense? Was it the defense that allowed Ross to screw up? How many of the points today came at the hands of the defense? The first 13 for sure! The defense put the Packers in good field position how may times today and we came away with field goals or $hit on the arm of AR.

Ross fumbled we could have held them to FG. We didn't. Basically we had mistakes in all aspects of the game. What I am trying to say we a systemic problem.

 

[longtimefan]

Y
I really expected us to beat the Bengals today. And when you have a lot of hopes for the team and they lose, it makes the loss much harder to take.
So right now I am down about this.
I mean, the Bengals do not have the reputation for being as elite as the Packers.
If we can't beat these lower tiered teams, then how can a fan have any kind of bright outlook?
The Packers should have been better. Miles and miles better than they were today.

The benglas have one of the better defenses in the league, not to mention a good q/b and one of the top 5 wr...

they arent a lower tier group

 

[13 Times Champs]

Ross fumbled we could have held them to FG. We didn't. Basically we had mistakes in all aspects of the game. What I am trying to say we a systemic problem.

What I'm trying to say is the the defense isn't responsible for the 88 points. And I'm not a Capers fan.

 

[PackerFlatLander]

Tough loss today, fellas. The Bengals' D needs to be given credit. Quite frankly, I am worried about Rodgers. I'm done being quiet and sugarcoating this, been doing it too long ... collectively as a group, this offensive line sucks. The Redskins' D is subpar. So, last week - it figures. Put this group against top-tier d-lines, and they get manhandled almost weekly.

I am NOT a Ted Thompson basher - I am a supporter of his and have been, since day one. But, his gambling sucks. He gambles way too much on the o-line and we're paying for it. Not good.

 

[Raptorman]

I think that anyone who pulls up obscure stats like that DESERVES to be a Viking fan.

Actually the Packers are one of the better teams in that category. I believe they were 4th. It's just going to show that when you give up 30 points it's tough to win. The best team has been the Colts, of course that was with Manning. And even they only won 33% of them. Next was the Patriots at 25%. So, when you let the other team score 30 points, it's tough to win. You wonder why the Packers or 1-2, it's the same reason the Vikings are 0-3. The defense is letting the other team score to much. The Packer have given up 88 points. That's just under 30(29.3) a game. Tough to win. Even with Rodgers. Last year the Titan gave up 29.435 points a game and won 4. Like the Vikings, the Packers defense needs to step up. BTW, when a team scores 29 points a game the winning percentage is .925. So you can put the blame were you want, most will put it on Rodgers. But they should be looking at the defense.

 

[PackerFanLV]

Ok i have been off for a while but right now i need to vent, I am sick of seeing the packers falter in the second half of games and A-Rod not finishing in the last possessions of games. Another thing i havent seen the packer Defense look like a Defense since Nick Collins left. Is it me or am i just Mad??

 

[LeoInShawano]

Why not, exactly?

There have been many moments in great QB's careers, and I am thinking Elway, Montana, Marino, Favre, Eli where they were in a game that was ugly or didn't go their way, or was close for whatever reason, and they had one last chance to make up for all of it, and get a score at the end...... forget what happened prior to it. They had the ball in their hands late.

Rodgers has been the best QB we've ever seen so far in his career, and the stats show this. We're spoiled, lucky.

But the stats also show another truth, that for whatever reasons, he's NOT been clutch in situations like this when we need a game-saving TD to win a game.

Again, the stats back up our memories, and that's not bullcrap.

I thought he had a chance to silence those doubts today late, and expected, hoped, he'd come through. But he didn't, for various reasons.... including his stupid Int deep right to Cobb. Bad play call. Bad pass.

Rodgers is still the best QB in the world.
But down 4, 5, or 6 with 2 minutes to go, he's proven he's not the guy you want, for whatever reasons.
Some will blame McCarthy to absolve Rodgers.

But don't act like Brian Hoying and Jake Locker have great brilliant minds coaching them, and they found a way to get that last drive into the end zone.

Oh, you know it, Rodgers is going to hear it this week about that again.

frank, I hate to agree with you seeing i'm just a big homer, but I found a disturbing fact that bears out what you are saying. From Elias: In his career, Aaron Rodgers is now 5-17 in games decided by 4 points or less.

 

[Shanghai Pack]

Hey guys, I watch these games using the NFL.com replay the morning after (time zones man), so I only just finished it.

Well that sucked. I thought we'd end up losing a close one, but I didn't see it being on such a heartbreaking/fluky play as the Franklin fumble (not that Franklin fumbling was the fluke, but more how it was picked up, fumbled again and run 70 yrds back). I'm not particularly worried long term from this game though except for three things (I'll get to them in a second). But the Bengals are a good team, and solid in all aspects of the game. Their defense is very impressive. I think before the season, if you had looked at the schedule objectively, this would have seemed like the 2nd or 3rd hardest game we had for the whole year, so unless you believed the team was going to go 15-1 again, a close loss was probably the most likely outcome.

The things that concern me moving forward are:

1. The injuries. We've been the most injured team in football I think for the last three years and early into this season we're not faring any better. Starks, Lacy, Kuhn, Finley, Matthews, Hayward, Burnett and probably some others I'm forgetting have already missed big chunks of games or been declared out of them outright. The concussions can't be helped, but it does sure seem like we're losing a lot of guys to hamstrings and then that their recovery time is taking extra long. It's starting to feel like our trainers and medical staff might systematically be doing something wrong and I hope it can be righted. Luckily none of these injuries appears to be a long term/serious one and we do have the bye next, so maybe the timing of that worked out really well in the end.

2. Rodgers was right, McCarthy needed to go for it at the on 4 and at 2 in the middle of the 2nd. It's objectively the better decision (compared to a FG) and even if we got stuffed at the point of the game our defense was on fire and would have had them backed up deep. But my real concern is McCarthy's inconsistency. He was aggressive against the Skins going for it on 4 and whatever on the first TD to Cobb and aggressive on the 4th and 1 to Franklin at the end of the game. Even though that play turned out horribly horribly wrong, I think it's the right call. I don't understand his dramatic oscillation from being super aggressive to being super passive.

3. The best (worst?) for last. Jeremy Ross can't be our kick returner anymore. He's not particularly explosive in the actual returns and, just, wow, my god, does he make horrendous decisions at times. The fumble speaks for itself, but he damned near had another huge blunder on the kickoff that went out of bounds at the 2. It sure looked like to me that he was just about ready to stop the ball, pick it up and go right before it went out of bounds (I actually thought that's what he did originally before I saw it on the replay). I'm new to this site, so I wasn't here in the preseason, but my only issue with the cuts for the final roster was I had hoped Tyrone Walker or Charles Johnson made the team over Ross. Sure they're probably not great return men either, but neither is Jeremy Ross. At least they might have enough sense to not cause calamitous fumbles or destroy our field position through bad decision making.

Best news is that's really the hard stretch of our schedule and it's over. 1-2 is not ideal, but not earth-ending. We'll be down a few games to the Bears but we'll have the chances to beat them. My preseason prediction was 11-5 with us winning the division and it factored in that we'd lose to both the Bengals and Niners. So I'm sticking to it. Let's go Pack.

 

[12theTruth]

How many of those points can exactly be contributed to the defense? Was it the defense that allowed Ross to screw up? The defense put the Packers in good field position how may times today and we came away with field goals or $hit on the arm of AR.

The defense played well enough to win today. They gave up a couple of long drives but that 's just 14 points. The offense

Hey guys, I watch these games using the NFL.com replay the morning after (time zones man), so I only just finished it.

Well that sucked. I thought we'd end up losing a close one, but I didn't see it being on such a heartbreaking/fluky play as the Franklin fumble (not that Franklin fumbling was the fluke, but more how it was picked up, fumbled again and run 70 yrds back). I'm not particularly worried long term from this game though except for three things (I'll get to them in a second). But the Bengals are a good team, and solid in all aspects of the game. Their defense is very impressive. I think before the season, if you had looked at the schedule objectively, this would have seemed like the 2nd or 3rd hardest game we had for the whole year, so unless you believed the team was going to go 15-1 again, a close loss was probably the most likely outcome.

The things that concern me moving forward are:

1. The injuries. We've been the most injured team in football I think for the last three years and early into this season we're not faring any better. Starks, Lacy, Kuhn, Finley, Matthews, Hayward, Burnett and probably some others I'm forgetting have already missed big chunks of games or been declared out of them outright. The concussions can't be helped, but it does sure seem like we're losing a lot of guys to hamstrings and then that their recovery time is taking extra long. It's starting to feel like our trainers and medical staff might systematically be doing something wrong and I hope it can be righted. Luckily none of these injuries appears to be a long term/serious one and we do have the bye next, so maybe the timing of that worked out really well in the end.

2. Rodgers was right, McCarthy needed to go for it at the on 4 and at 2 in the middle of the 2nd. It's objectively the better decision (compared to a FG) and even if we got stuffed at the point of the game our defense was on fire and would have had them backed up deep. But my real concern is McCarthy's inconsistency. He was aggressive against the Skins going for it on 4 and whatever on the first TD to Cobb and aggressive on the 4th and 1 to Franklin at the end of the game. Even though that play turned out horribly horribly wrong, I think it's the right call. I don't understand his dramatic oscillation from being super aggressive to being super passive.

3. The best (worst?) for last. Jeremy Ross can't be our kick returner anymore. He's not particularly explosive in the actual returns and, just, wow, my god, does he make horrendous decisions at times. The fumble speaks for itself, but he damned near had another huge blunder on the kickoff that went out of bounds at the 2. It sure looked like to me that he was just about ready to stop the ball, pick it up and go right before it went out of bounds (I actually thought that's what he did originally before I saw it on the replay). I'm new to this site, so I wasn't here in the preseason, but my only issue with the cuts for the final roster was I had hoped Tyrone Walker or Charles Johnson made the team over Ross. Sure they're probably not great return men either, but neither is Jeremy Ross. At least they might have enough sense to not cause calamitous fumbles or destroy our field position through bad decision making.

Best news is that's really the hard stretch of our schedule and it's over. 1-2 is not ideal, but not earth-ending. We'll be down a few games to the Bears but we'll have the chances to beat them. My preseason prediction was 11-5 with us winning the division and it factored in that we'd lose to both the Bengals and Niners. So I'm sticking to it. Let's go Pack.

But the loss to the 49ers is not looking so good now as they got throttled at home by the Colts. Our only W of the year is now 0-3 after getting beat by the Lions at their own home as well. So the jury is out on how good the Packers really are at this point.

I disagree the run up the middle to Franklin was quite possibily the worst play call I have ever seen McCarthy make. Its almost as if he is stubborn, that he is going to show the world HIS offensive line can make a tough yard on a short yardage play. Everyone else knows this but him. That is so darn maddening. The key to this game is Clay Matthews injury. It seems like after he left our defense suddenly wilted. Still for the most part they played well enough to win. The Lions game in two weeks will not be easy with or without some of our injured players returning. Why? Our largely inept line especially in pass protection of Aaron Rodgers.

 

[7thFloorRA]

.....and then Clay says after the game that he will be ok, could have gone back in and it was just them taking extra precaution.

 

[12theTruth]

.....and then Clay says after the game that he will be ok, could have gone back in and it was just them taking extra precaution.

Well if thats the case then he should have went back in I would think. They desperately needed him in there.

 

[Shanghai Pack]

frank, I hate to agree with you seeing i'm just a big homer, but I found a disturbing fact that bears out what you are saying. From Elias: In his career, Aaron Rodgers is now 5-17 in games decided by 4 points or less.

I have to quibble with this. Rodgers isn't anything in close games. The Packers are 5-17 in those games, not Rodgers. And I say that not as semantics. My point is not to overreact to that 5-17 stat on its own as if it was Rodgers responsibility that we didn't come through at the end of all those game. I recognize he didn't get the TD at the end of this one, but there are a few instances that come readily to mind where he DID actually lead the offense down to score in the final few minutes of the game, only for the defense to promptly give up a final minute scoring drive of its own or Crosby to miss a field goal, or we ended up losing in OT.

Specifically I'm remembering the Dolphins game from 3-4 years ago where Rodgers tied the game on a run with about 10 seconds left, but we lost in OT. Or the Redskins game the week before that where our defense blew a 10 point lead in the last 7 minutes and we lost in OT. Or the Steelers game the season before where Rodgers played almost perfectly in the 4th quarter and got us back in the game to take the lead, only for our defense to let the Steelers roll right down the field and win the game in the last seconds.

It's also worth mentioning that of the 5-17 stat you mentioned, 7 of the losses game in Rodgers first season as a starter, which I think we can all agree is acceptable for a first year player and not something we can hang on his neck for his whole career as if he was still the same guy. In 2008 we were 0-7 in games decided by 4 points or less. Since then it's been 5-10 and considering how we've lost some of the games (I explained three of them above), I'd say really at worst, Rodgers has been completely normal/average at winning close games, which is really what you ask for.

 

[7thFloorRA]

“I’ll be good. I think today was more of a preventive measure than anything,” Matthews said, via the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “I felt like I could go back out there, but we have to be smart, especially going into a bye week. I don’t see myself missing any time. We have Detroit coming back and I’ll be out there.”

Each game matters. I understand the thought process but still.........you can not have the mindset like this is week 17 and you have home field locked up. They seem to be treating almost all the injuries like this now.

 

[longtimefan]

.....and then Clay says after the game that he will be ok, could have gone back in and it was just them taking extra precaution.

They thought they had the game?

 

[Poppa San]

frank, I hate to agree with you seeing i'm just a big homer, but I found a disturbing fact that bears out what you are saying. From Elias: In his career, Aaron Rodgers is now 5-17 in games decided by 4 points or less.

You realize that statistic excludes games with scores like 21-15 or 10-3, games which required scores late to win. It also includes missed game winning field goals as a loss. I take greater solace in the 48-8 record in all other starts (throwing out the game he left before halftime.) You know the 45+ times that they didn't need to sneak out the win. Also, we debated this sometime back in its own thread.

 

[PackerFlatLander]

If I'm Ted Thompson, I call the Browns this week and offer them a 3rd for Joe Thomas. They already rolled out the tank, so let's benefit.

 

[12theTruth]

If I'm Ted Thompson, I call the Browns this week and offer them a 3rd for Joe Thomas.

I think the Browns would want more than a 3rd rounder for one of the best if not the best tackles in football. Richardson netted a 1st rounder and he hasn't left much of a legacy yet.

 

[lambeaulambo]

They thought they had the game?

This is what I suspected - my goodness. Is this the work and call of whom? Coaches or medical staff? If it is the medical staff, then heads should roll. Reminds me of Ben Sheets and his hang nail horse****.

 

[PackerFlatLander]

I think the Browns would want more than a 3rd rounder for one of the best if not the best tackles in football. Richardson netted a 1st rounder and he hasn't left much of a legacy yet.

Fine, just do it. Seriously ... this hardcore "draft and develop" crap (without ever going outside of that thinkology), is starting to wear thin with me. I'm typically the "Sunshine Club" spokesperson and prefer to see the good in everything, and I do. But, here we are, with a frickin' rookie playing left tackle, a center who is a gamble in every sense of the word, Lang at RG, who is nothing better than serviceable at best, and ... Barclay, who was absolutely terrible today. If Randy Wright was back there, then who cares? This is Aaron Rodgers' future I'm thinking of. Something needs to change on this o-line and quickly.

 

[lambeaulambo]

Fine, just do it. Seriously ... this hardcore "draft and develop" crap (without ever going outside of that thinkology), is starting to wear thin with me. I'm typically the "Sunshine Club" spokesperson and prefer to see the good in everything, and I do. But, here we are, with a frickin' rookie playing left tackle, a center who is a gamble in every sense of the word, Lang at RG, who is nothing better than serviceable at best, and ... Barclay, who was absolutely terrible today. If Randy Wright was back there, then who cares? This is Aaron Rodgers' future I'm thinking of. Something needs to change on this o-line and quickly.

I'd offer a first and TRAMON!!

 

[Raptorman]

I think the Browns would want more than a 3rd rounder for one of the best if not the best tackles in football. Richardson netted a 1st rounder and he hasn't left much of a legacy yet.

Browns are not giving up Thomas. Not unless the Packers want to part with their first rounder. The Browns O-line did a great job today for most of the game. I certainly don't think they have thrown in the towel for the year.

 

[PackerFlatLander]

I'd offer a first and TRAMON!!

Deal. I'd do that, but giving up a 1st ... that's tough to do and I'm not even Ted Thompson.

 

[PackerFlatLander]

Browns are not giving up Thomas. Not unless the Packers want to part with their first rounder. The Browns O-line did a great job today for most of the game. I certainly don't think they have thrown in the towel for the year.

That could be, but no way around it ... the Richardson trade was about as much of an NBA tank move, as you can do in the NFL. He was quite possibly their best offensive player and easily their best skill position player, even if that ain't saying much.

 

[Poppa San]

Deal. I'd do that, but giving up a 1st ... that's tough to do and I'm not even Ted Thompson.

Yep keep the first and get another Bulaga or Sherrod for the O-line. TTs 2 first round O-line picks haven't panned out.

 

[HyponGrey]

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Why cant we have one of these ?

Because they're expensive.

No smilie face so I don't know if you're kidding. Since having a bye week began when was the last time the Packers had one the first bye week. I don't remember it happening before and if that's the case, it's the Packers' "turn".

Yeah it was a joke.