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Cheesehead
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Week 7 ....Packers Progress!!
October 23, 2006
Written by Jean Groh - PackerChatters Staff
If you're looking for negatives, don't read this, it's not for you.
1. It wasn't long ago that our special teams was downright horrid. I'd say we are currently at a respectable level. This is significant. Our kicking and our punting is not only respectable, it's downright GOOD. Anyone else besides myself believe that, had one of our own players not committed a boneheaded penalty that not only backed Rayner up the 15 yards, but resulted in the clock running out, that Rayner would’ve booted the 55-yarder thru again? I sure think he would have. Once again..."Longwell who"??
2. The O-line continues to gel – despite the continued shuffling that is going on. Kudos to Philbin – he had some big shoes to fill after Beightol left, and so far he is getting the job done. Perhaps by season-end, all of the incessant crying and belly-aching about our departed guards will migrate OFF of this board. Wouldn’t that be nice …
3. Along those same lines … If yesterday’s game wasn’t proof-positive at how much more critically valuable the role of a tackle is than a guard (specifically, LEFT tackle), then I don’t know what is. Like many of the rest of you, during the first offensive series I wondered aloud, “Where the hell is Clifton?”, as Jason Taylor proceeded to beat Brett Favre like a red-headed stepchild. The beauty of the whole thing is that it didn’t last very long – why? Because the coaching staff made adjustments!! Ahhh…. In-game adjustments. Such a beautiful thing!!
4. Ahman Green showed that THAT’S why you never give up on the run. Any minute during a game, there’s the capability to reel-off the big one. And reel it off he did. What’s that folks were saying about him “not having any more ‘burst’ left”? Nonsense. And he did this under the hot Florida sun, where his asthma certainly could have been problematic (not to mention the ‘sweating’ issues … leading to … the dreaded “f” word). But Batman held onto the rock yesterday. Didn’t he? Nice work. Especially considering he was coming off of being out for a couple of weeks.
5. Some heads-up play by our defense yesterday. Hawk, Dendy, Woodson … nice games. Defensive turnovers are something this team needs to generate more of!
6. Yes, we beat a “lousy team.” *Ahem!* - However, may I point out that, over the last several seasons, this hasn’t always been a ‘given’ for us. Recall losing games at Arizona, home v. Cleveland, etc.? We have had a tendency to play down to our worst opponents in previous years. Additionally, this was a venue where Brett Favre had never thrown a TD pass, much less won a game. I was down at Pro Player (or whatever they’re calling it these days) the last time the Packers were there – and we lost. So it was very gratifying to get the ‘W’ there yesterday. We beat a team we “should have” beat. Yes – I consider that progress, folks!
7. Anyone catch when the announcing crew was talking about A.J. Hawk – how much he “understood” what it means to put on the Green & Gold uniform, and how he loves being a Packer? Also – that his parents have purchased a home 5 minutes from Lambeau Field? Awesome. (BTW, for TT’s critics: Hawk was not a “gimme” draft pick. Just ask Texans fans about “gimme picks”…)
8. And last but not least – our #1 wide-out Donald Driver delivered once again in the clutch yesterday. Anyone who can sit there and attempt to say with a straight face that that catch he made in the end-zone, completely blanketed by two defenders (btw – I thought opponents “don’t double-team Driver”? *snicker*), is *not* the sort of catch that a #1 wide-out makes …. Well, to put it bluntly, you don't have a leg to stand on if you actually believe that. I’ll leave it at that.
(Next up: Time to avenge the last Cardinals game!!)
October 23, 2006
Written by Jean Groh - PackerChatters Staff
If you're looking for negatives, don't read this, it's not for you.
1. It wasn't long ago that our special teams was downright horrid. I'd say we are currently at a respectable level. This is significant. Our kicking and our punting is not only respectable, it's downright GOOD. Anyone else besides myself believe that, had one of our own players not committed a boneheaded penalty that not only backed Rayner up the 15 yards, but resulted in the clock running out, that Rayner would’ve booted the 55-yarder thru again? I sure think he would have. Once again..."Longwell who"??
2. The O-line continues to gel – despite the continued shuffling that is going on. Kudos to Philbin – he had some big shoes to fill after Beightol left, and so far he is getting the job done. Perhaps by season-end, all of the incessant crying and belly-aching about our departed guards will migrate OFF of this board. Wouldn’t that be nice …
3. Along those same lines … If yesterday’s game wasn’t proof-positive at how much more critically valuable the role of a tackle is than a guard (specifically, LEFT tackle), then I don’t know what is. Like many of the rest of you, during the first offensive series I wondered aloud, “Where the hell is Clifton?”, as Jason Taylor proceeded to beat Brett Favre like a red-headed stepchild. The beauty of the whole thing is that it didn’t last very long – why? Because the coaching staff made adjustments!! Ahhh…. In-game adjustments. Such a beautiful thing!!
4. Ahman Green showed that THAT’S why you never give up on the run. Any minute during a game, there’s the capability to reel-off the big one. And reel it off he did. What’s that folks were saying about him “not having any more ‘burst’ left”? Nonsense. And he did this under the hot Florida sun, where his asthma certainly could have been problematic (not to mention the ‘sweating’ issues … leading to … the dreaded “f” word). But Batman held onto the rock yesterday. Didn’t he? Nice work. Especially considering he was coming off of being out for a couple of weeks.
5. Some heads-up play by our defense yesterday. Hawk, Dendy, Woodson … nice games. Defensive turnovers are something this team needs to generate more of!
6. Yes, we beat a “lousy team.” *Ahem!* - However, may I point out that, over the last several seasons, this hasn’t always been a ‘given’ for us. Recall losing games at Arizona, home v. Cleveland, etc.? We have had a tendency to play down to our worst opponents in previous years. Additionally, this was a venue where Brett Favre had never thrown a TD pass, much less won a game. I was down at Pro Player (or whatever they’re calling it these days) the last time the Packers were there – and we lost. So it was very gratifying to get the ‘W’ there yesterday. We beat a team we “should have” beat. Yes – I consider that progress, folks!
7. Anyone catch when the announcing crew was talking about A.J. Hawk – how much he “understood” what it means to put on the Green & Gold uniform, and how he loves being a Packer? Also – that his parents have purchased a home 5 minutes from Lambeau Field? Awesome. (BTW, for TT’s critics: Hawk was not a “gimme” draft pick. Just ask Texans fans about “gimme picks”…)
8. And last but not least – our #1 wide-out Donald Driver delivered once again in the clutch yesterday. Anyone who can sit there and attempt to say with a straight face that that catch he made in the end-zone, completely blanketed by two defenders (btw – I thought opponents “don’t double-team Driver”? *snicker*), is *not* the sort of catch that a #1 wide-out makes …. Well, to put it bluntly, you don't have a leg to stand on if you actually believe that. I’ll leave it at that.
(Next up: Time to avenge the last Cardinals game!!)
