Pack vs Eagles Game Reviews & Looks Ahead

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Game Blog:

http://www.packersnews.com

Cold-blooded Crosby

Another muffed punt -- this time by J.R. Reed -- set up a memorable end to Mason Crosby's first game as a Packer. Crosby delivered a center-cut 42-yarder to give the Packers a 16-13 lead. A squib kick ended it. What a day for the Packers' special teams: all 16 points, two fumble recoveries and three field goals for Crosby. The defense also played solid football. The offense? We'll hear plenty about that this week.

No Sheppard, no problem for Eagles

Not even the absence of starting cornerback Lito Sheppard is enough to get the Packers into a rhythm offensively. They went three-and-out on their last drive, and James Jones remains relatively silent, with four catches for 29 yards. Donald Driver has six for 66. It's worth wondering how much a difference Greg Jennings' presence would have made today, especially since that would have matched up Jennings or Jones against a regular dime corner since Sheppard left. Joselio Hanson and William James both are spending a lot of time on the field with the other regular starter, Sheldon Brown. Hanson is playing the slot.

UPDATE: Hanson was injured just before the 2-minute warning. It's unclear whether he'll return; for now, the Eagles only have two cornerbacks, because the fifth on the roster, Nick Graham, is inactive. A backup safety, Quintin Mikell, is lining up over the slot receiver in nickel. Yikes.

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Favre's improv skills help Packers knot score

Chaos seems to be the best friend of the Packers offense. With little pretense of having a running game on their last drive -- they went with three receivers, two tight ends and an empty backfield for a good portion -- the Packers nonetheless got Mason Crosby in position for a 37-yard field goal that knotted the score at 13. The best play came on third-and-10 from the Eagles’ 42, when blitzing linebacker Takeo Spikes had Brett Favre by the jersey in the backfield. Favre shoveled the ball underhand to rookie running back DeShawn Wynn, who broke a couple of tackles for an 18-yard gain. Two plays later, Favre hit Donald Lee for a short gain with another Eagles hanging on his jersey. The Eagles still have the edge in yards, but the gap has closed to 242-187, thanks in part to that stalled drive to end the first half. One injury note: Right guard Jason Spitz left the game before the aforementioned third-and-10. He was replaced by Junius Coston for the rest of the drive. Trainers appeared to be retaping Spitz's left leg on the sideline -- he's been battling a calf strain -- but it wasn't clear whether that's why he came out.
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Packers getting beat on third down

A couple of third-down conversions sprung the Eagles' third scoring drive and gave them their first lead, at 13-10. The first was on third-and-7 deep in their own territory, when Charles Woodson fell down on a double move by Jason Avant, freeing Avant for a 31-yard reception. The second came in the next series, when Kevin Curtis gained 16 yards on a drag route. The Packers stopped third-down attempt No. 3, but David Akers was well within range for a 47-yard field goal. The Eagles now have converted 7 of 13 third downs. The Packers are 3-for-9.
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What were they thinking?

What were the Packers thinking at the end of the first half in their 2-minute offense? Faced with a second and 19 from the Eagles' 47 and no timeouts, Brett Favre passed over the middle to Brandon Jackson for a 15-yard gain. It was a harmless completion as far as the Eagles were concerned, because the clock ran out. The Packers blew it a play earlier when, with a first and 10 at the Eagles' 38, they failed to use their final timeout and instead attempted to hurry up and run a play. The result? A 9-yard sack loss of Favre.

The Packers weren't impressive during most 2-minute drills in training camp, and the trend has continued into the regular season.
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Packers struggling mightily on offense

In five series, the Packers’ offense has been pathetic. They have two first downs, 56 total yards and are 0 for 5 on third-down conversions. The Packers have six rushes for 21 yards, and Brett Favre is 5 for 12 for 35 yards. Those numbers are terrible, and the question all off-season, “Who is going to score?”, remains unanswered.
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Eagles offense coming back strong

The Eagles have come back strong after a rocky start. Their second consecutive sustained drive -- nine plays, 67 yards in 4:49 -- ended in a 9-yard touchdown pass from Donovan McNabb to Jason Avant. That makes it 129 yards in 22 plays over the Eagles' last two drives, which have allowed them to tie the score 10-10. There's no question they're winning the offensive battle: they now have a 179-40 edge in yards. The Packers offense continues to look like ... well, a team without many of its top weapons at 100 percent health. Brett Favre needs to make smarter decisions and get James Jones more involved.

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Harris returns ... as a mummy

The crowd cheered moments ago as cornerback Al Harris ran onto the field with a wrap over his entire right arm. Harris, who went to the locker room in the first quarter for X-rays on an elbow, didn't open this series with the Packers defense. But he got checked out on the sideline by trainers and ran on for third down. Even with one of Harris' arms taped tightly enough it doesn't appear he can flex it at all, the Packers need him. On its last drive, Philadelphia drove more than 70 yards (before a penalty on the first field-goal attempt pushed the Eagles back) and ended up with a field goal.
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Favre violates a basic rule

Brett Favre violated a cardinal rule of quarterbacking which says: Don't throw late down the middle. Favre did exactly that in the first quarter, and his pass intended for Bubba Franks was intercepted by Sheldon Brown. The turnover killed a chance for the Packers to add to their 10-0 lead.
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Eagles offense wins the first quarter

The Packers are in this game, much less up 10-0, because of two plays -- one on special teams, one on defense. The Eagles held a 111-20 edge in total yards in the first quarter, including 55-8 on the ground. Tracy White's fumble recovery for TD and Nick Barnett's INT, which set up Mason Crosby's field goal, are the sources of the Packers' lead.
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Cornerbacks could get exposed

Jarrett Bush is getting a bigger opportunity than expected -- and certainly bigger than coaches had hoped. Cornerback Al Harris has been taken to the locker room for X-rays on an elbow, so Bush is playing opposite Charles Woodson with the base defense. That puts Will Blackmon on the field in nickel situations, giving Donovan McNabb multiple young players to pick on when Philly goes three- or four-wide. Woodson is continuing to play the slot receiver in nickel. When the Packers went to a dime (six-DB) set for the first time, McNabb hit Kevin Curtis for a 37-yard gain down the right sideline -- with No. 5-turned-No. 4 corner Tramon Williams in coverage.
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Defense is paying dividends

In three offensive series, the Eagles have a grand total of one first down, 40 total yards and 0 for 3 in third-down conversions. In other words, the Packers' defensive has been extremely effective. Nick Barnett's interception of a Donovan McNabb pass on the second series led to a Packers' field goal. In building his team, GM Ted Thompson put a lot of focus on the defense, and it's paying dividends so far. On their fourth series, the Eagles drove 62 yards in 13 plays for a field goal. A 37-yard completion from McNabb to Kevin Curtis over cornerback Tramon Williams was the key play, but the defense managed to stiffen when the Eagles had a first-and-goal at the 6-yard line.
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Crosby makes impressive debut

Mason Crosby boomed a 53-yard field goal on his first official NFL attempt in the first quarter to give the Packers a 10-0 lead. That's exactly what the Packers had in mind when they drafted Crosby in the sixth round -- someone who could be a weapon any time the Packers got inside the opponent's 40-yard line. The Packers don't have a first down yet in two offensive series, but they have a 10-point lead thanks to special teams. Two of Crosby's three kickoffs have gone into the end zone, with one a touchback.

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Packers get a gift

The Packers scored a special teams touchdown for a 7-0 lead less than 2 minutes into the game, and it looked like a gift. Eagles return man Greg Lewis muffed a punt, but it looked like Jarrett Bush interfered with Lewis before he got a chance to cleanly catch the ball. In the ensuing scrum for the loose ball, Tracy White somehow came up with the football, even though he was originally at the top of the pile in the end zone. Apparently a non-call on a muff can't be challenged, because the Eagles didn't protest the ruling.
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One non-emergency averted

Alarms sounded throughout Lambeau Field for about 10 minutes, saying "an emergency has been reported" and to evacuate the building. No explanation was given after the alarms stopped, except a PA announcement saying to disregard the alarms. An ominous start, to be sure. UPDATE: The official word is exhaust fans weren't turned on in a concession stand in Section 116, which caused overheating and set off the alarms. Thanks to whoever was responsible for that slip-up for costing me some hearing in both ears.

 

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Official Pack vs Eagles Game Review

http://blogs.jsonline.com/packers/default.aspx

Final score: Packers 16, Eagles 13

Thanks to another special teams blunder by the Philadelphia Eagles, the Green Bay Packers edged the Eagles 16-13 at Lambeau Field.

Eagles punt returner J.R. Reed, on for Greg Lewis who struggled earlier on punts, fumbled a punt return with less than a minute left. That led to Mason Crosby's game-winning field goal from 42 yards with 2 seconds left. The Eagles gave the Packers 10 points on special teams.

Packers 13, Eagles 13 (end of 3rd Quarter)

The Packers answered the Eagles with a 13-play scoring drive of their own that ended with Mason Crosby's 37-yard field goal. The Packers actually penetrated to the Eagles' 11-yard line, but Brett Favre was sacked for a 9-yard loss on second-and-7. The whole drive was mostly Favre as he passed for 66 yards on the drive. Two were on vintage play by Favre. On the first, he had about three Eagles all over him but he was able to shovel the ball to DeShawn Wynn, who ran for an 18-yard gain. On the next play, Favre was almost sacked for a big loss but he threw the ball while he was in the grasp to Jackson for no gain.

Eagles 13, Packers 10 (third quarter)

The Eagles took their first lead of the game on David Akers' 47-yard field goal with 8:20 left in the third quarter. Philadelphia has now reeled off 13-straight points after trailing 10-0 early in the first quarter. The Eagles' scoring drive was 10 plays and 59 yards. McNabb had two big third-down conversions, a 31-yard pass to Jason Avant, and a 16-yarder to Kevin Curtis. To this point, the Eagles are 5 of 8 on third downs. The Packers are 3 of 9.

Halftime analysis: Packers 10, Eagles 10

So far it's a game of streaks, as the Packers jumped out to a 10-0 lead, and then the Eagles answered to tie it at 10 before halftime. The Packers looked like they might score before the intermission when they had a first down at the Philadelphia 38-yard line. But left guard Daryn Colledge was beaten badly by Eagles tackle Montae Reagor, who sacked Favre for a 9-yard loss. That forced the Packers to take their final timeout with 11 seconds left. So when Brandon Jackson caught a 15-yard pass to Favre down to the 32, the Packers didn't have enough time to spike the ball to kill the clock. Here are some notes as we get ready for the second half: On injuries. Packers CB Al Harris (right elbow) came back into the game but didn't see much action. His right arm is severely taped to the point he can't bend his right arm. Should make tackling difficult. DT Cullen Jenkins had a cramp in his right calf. He returned and looked find. For the Eagles, CB Lito Sheppard (knee) was hurt just before halftime. It was just announced he will not return; As expected, the Packers have had trouble running the ball. They have carries six times for 21 yards. As a result of the Packers' one-sidedness, the Eagles have become increasingly more effective with their defense; Protection has been a problem for the Packers. Even though Favre has been sacked twice, he's been under constant pressure; Packers LB Nick Barnett has done a great job shadowing Eagles RB Brian Wesbrook even though Barnett gave up the Eagles' lone touchdown, a pass to Jason Avant; Since starting the game 4 of 8 for 56 yards and one INT, Eagles QB Donovan McNabb has gone 6 of 9 for 55 yards and one TD. It seems he's finding a little bit more of a rhythm against the stingy Packers defense.

Packers 10, Eagles 10 (second quarter)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jason Avant to tie the game at 10, after the extra point, with six minutes left in the second quarter. The play, in which Avant beat Packers linebacker Nick Barnett, capped a nine-play, 67-yard scoring drive. Since falling behind, 10-0, to start the game, the Eagles have answered with 10 straight points of their own. In that time, the Eagles have run 25 plays for 138 yards. The Packers have eight plays for 31 yards and one interception.

Packers 10, Eagles 0 (first quarter)

The Green Bay Packers got the 2007 season off to a good start by taking a 7-0 lead over the Philadelphia Eagles just 1:33 into the game when linebacker Tracy White recovered a fumbled punt in the end zone. A few minutes and a Nick Barnett interception of a Donovan McNabb pass later, rookie kicker Mason Crosby easily made a 53-yard field goal to put Green Bay up 10-0 with 9:25 left in the first quarter. The touchdown play started on a poor, low punt by Packers punter Jon Ryan. It actually worked in the Packers' favor because Eagles returner Greg Lewis had to quickly run up and field the kick. That let Packers flyer Jarrett Bush hit Lewis a split second after he caught it at about the Eagles' 25-yard line. The ball went bounding towards the end zone. Packers safety Atari Bigby had a chance to scoop it up, but failed to do so. The ball went into the end zone and a scrum ensued. After a few minutes, White emerged with the football. The Packers have dominated play early. The Eagles have three penalties and two turnovers in the first six minutes of the game. They look all out of sorts against this fast, physical Packers defense. As Fox analyst Moose Johnson just said, "This defense is everything they were billed to be."

Jennings, Morency inactive

Welcome to opening day at Lambeau Field. Let's get to it: WR Greg Jennings (hamstring) and RB Vernand Morency (knee) are both inactive. James Jones will start for Jennings. Brandon Jackson will be in Morency's spot. Also, first-round draft pick Justin Harrell is inactive for his first game. This is not a surprise. Other inactives for the Packers: S Aaron Rouse, OT Tony Moll, OG Allen Barbre, DT Daniel Muir and DE Michael Montgomery.

 

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Review

http://www.acmepackingcompany.com/story/2007/9/9/17402/20644

Packers 16, Philadelphia 13

With so many returning starters, if they had not improved from experience and a season of familiarity under Mike McCarthy, then Philadelphia would have blown them out in this game. Last season, the Packers only beat one playoff team and that was Chicago in week 17 when Chicago had already locked up home field advantage for the playoffs. The Packers were blown out in home games against playoff bound New England, NY Jets, and Chicago, while Philadelphia blew them out in Philly. This first win was not a perfectly played game, but it is something they did not accomplish last season.

First Quarter: The special teams have been a negative the past couple of seasons, but as a unit it was the player of the game. It started right off with CB Jarrett Bush making a big hit and forcing a fumble on Philadelphia's punt return which was recovered by special teams' ace LB Tracy White in the end zone for a TD. The defense started out strong, putting a lot of pressure on QB Donovan McNabb that led to a three-and-out and forced on the next drive an INT by LB Nick Barnett. K Mason Crosby nailed a 53 yard field goal that looked like it could have been made from a few yards further out. The offense took a lot of time warming up in this game. There were only two drives worth mentioning in the first half. In this quarter, a couple of completions to WR James Jones started a good one that ended when TE Bubba Franks was beaten for the ball by CB Sheldon Brown. After a strong preseason, Franks was mixed with some moments that (like the INT) that looked like the ineffective 2006 version, but he had a couple of good catches, including a big 3rd down reception in the 2nd half. It was a small play, but on Favre's 3rd pass attempt, rookie RB Brandon Jackson dropped a short pass with no one within 5 yards of him and there was a great shot of Favre ripping his entire chin strap off in disgust afterwards. Jackson didn't have a great game, but he had no where to run as Philadelphia's DL for the most part dominated the Packers OL, and he was second on the team in receptions and receiving yards. The biggest disappointment was how Philadelphia's defensive front seven really beat the Packers offensive line. Favre was under a lot of pressure and Jackson had no where to run. RG Jason Spitz started, but had to come out later in the game and was replaced by OL Junius Coston, but the weakest link in this game was LG Daryn Colledge who had a couple of penalties and was responsible for at least one sack.

Second Quarter: This spills over from the end of the first quarter when Philadelphia started a long drive that ended early in the 2nd quarter with a field goal. Philadelphia's OL played very well during this stretch when they limited the Packers pass rush, in large part because they started blocking DE Aaron Kampman with an offensive lineman instead of their backup tight end, and they were very good on 1st and 2nd downs. During their two first half scoring drives, they always had at least one good gain on 1st or 2nd down and only had one 3rd and long. It also didn't help that CB Al Harris' elbow injury forced backup CB Tramon Williams into the game who gave up the big pass play to WR Kevin Curtis down the sideline. It was notable that Philadelphia was unable to even make an attempt deep down the middle of the field which was a major problem last season. Apparently S Atari Bigby and an improved S Nick Collins are off to a good start in pass coverage. With time running down in the half, the offense had another good drive, but this one ended not with a turnover but Favre's bad decision to dump it off to Jackson when they had run out of timeouts, and the half ended.

Third Quarter: In 2006, the Packers and Philadelphia played a close first half, but then Philadelphia just blew out (especially ex-CB Ahmad Carroll) in the 3rd quarter, so this was an important period for the Packers. The main reason that didn't happen this season was the Packers offense kept the ball for about 11 minutes, most of it on long drive that led to a field goal. The offense started clicking primarily because WR Donald Driver started catching the ball, and some luck when a desperation flip to RB DeShawn Wynn turned a big sack into an 18 yard gain. It was interesting that the Packers used Wynn as their 3rd down back, not because he is a very good receiver, but apparently they think he is better in pass protection then Jackson. On one play Wynn went in motion out of the backfield as a receiver, but he probably was only a decoy. The defense did allow a big drive that led to a field goal, but Harris returned with a heavily taped right elbow, they showed shots of him having to get help to put on his helmet because he couldn't lift his right arm, and he made a big pass deflection in the end zone that saved a TD.

Fourth Quarter: The Packers seal the deal. The best part of this quarter was a renewed push by the Packers pass rush after it was dormant in the 2nd quarter and off the field for much of the 3rd. Defensive coordinator Bob Sanders rarely blitzed but the Packers front four put pressure on McNabb and was good in pursuit and catching him from behind on a few occasions before he could run for a big gain. Philadelphia was forced to punt four times in this quarter and it didn't help that that RB Brian Westbrook, who was big in the first half, dropped at least two passes late in the game. Overall it was a crappy quarter for offense because the Packers offense did nothing either. Instead the player of the game, the entire special teams unit, won this game for the Packers. On a short punt by P Jon Ryan, Philadelphia's punt returner made a really bad choice to try and field it in the middle of a sea of Packers and he muffed it. Bush, who played great on defense as Harris' replacement in the 2nd quarter too, was once again around the punt returner and fell on the loose ball. Crosby came in after a couple of clock consuming running plays to make his 3rd field goal, and the first game winning field goal of his NFL career.

 

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Official Pack vs Eagles Game Reviews

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=659147

Packers 16, Eagles 13 Crosby's last-second field goal gives Packers victory over Eagles

Rookie kicker Mason Crosby's 42-yard field goal with two seconds left gave the Green Bay Packers a 16-13 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The Packers benefited from a second major mistake by the Eagles' special teams, as J.R. Reed bobbled a punt with 59 seconds remaining and Green Bay's Jarrett Bush recovered to give Green Bay the ball at the Philadelphia 31. Reed had replaced returner Greg Lewis, whose muffed punt led to a Packers touchdown in the first quarter. Brett Favre ran two plays before Crosby, a rookie from Colorado who beat out incumbent Dave Rayner in training camp, hit the winning field goal.

Favre struggled with a young supporting cast on offense for most of the afternoon, but still was able to tie John Elway's record with his 148th career victory as a starting quarterback. It also counted as the 37th time Favre had led the Packers from a fourth-quarter tie or deficit to a win. Favre wasn't able to get much done on offense, despite the fact Philadelphia had to play the second half without cornerback Lito Sheppard, who sprained his knee in the first half and was unable to return. Favre was 23-of-42 for 206 yards. Halfback Brandon Jackson, a second-round pick out of Nebraska, filled in for injured starter Vernand Morency. Fullback Korey Hall was playing middle linebacker at Boise State at this time last year. And rookie wide receiver James Jones also played more than expected after starter Greg Jennings was inactive with a hamstring injury.
Both teams had chances to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. The Packers got the ball at their own 49-yard line after a personal foul call on Jason Avant during an Eagles punt. But Favre was stripped of the ball on third-and-7, and Eagles defensive end Jevon Kearse recovered, putting the Eagles' offense at the Green Bay 38. The Eagles couldn't score, either, and were forced to punt. With the score tied at 10, the Eagles drove 59 yards on their first possession of the second half. McNabb converted two third-and-long situations on the drive, but Philadelphia got bogged down in Packers territory and David Akers hit a 47-yard field goal to put the Eagles ahead 13-10. Favre came back and drove the Packers 51 yards setting up a 37-yard field goal by Crosby to tie the score at 13 near the end of the third quarter. The drive included a vintage-Favre two-handed underhand flip to rookie running back DeShawn Wynn under heavy pressure for a third-down conversion.

The Packers' special teams, which were among the worst in the league last year, scored first when Eagles returner Lewis muffed a punt that was batted into the end zone, where Tracy White recovered at the bottom of a scrum. Packers linebacker Nick Barnett intercepted McNabb on the next series, and Crosby hit a 53-yard field goal to put Green Bay ahead 10-0. The Eagles answered with a 33-yard David Akers field goal and a 9-yard touchdown pass from McNabb to Avant in the second quarter.

 

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Official Pack vs Eagles Game Reviews

http://packerfansunited.blogspot.com/2007/09/packers-win-packers-16-eagles-13.html

Packers win! Packers 16 - Eagles 13

The 4th quarter started off on a great note as McNabb was sacked deep in the Eagles' own territory on third down. Unfortunately, Charles Woodson was flagged for a 5-yard penalty and an automatic first down for the Eagles. That led Philly to ignite another drive down to midfield. The Packers were able to stop that drive and force a punt thanks to a sack -- without a penalty this time. Right guard Jason Spitz left the game with what was reported as "calf fatigue." DT Johnny Jolly batted down or tipped at least 3 passes from Donovan McNabb at the line over the course of the game.

Thanks to a penalty against Philly on a punt with a little over 5 minutes left in the game, the Packers got the ball at midfield. Unfortunately, on third down, a defender got around Chad Clifton, got to Brett, who was hit on the blind side, resulting in a fumble and an Eagles' recovery at about the Packers' 38-yard line. Penetration by Johnny Jolly -- who played a great game -- pushed the ball back to the 42. On 3rd and 12, the Packers not only sacked McNabb, but took the penalty yardage from an offensive holding penalty, to make it 3rd and 22. McNabb had pressure, but was able to get it off. Fortunately, the receiver caught it out of bounds down field.

With 2:32 in the game, the Packers got the ball back on a punt at their own 22. They were able to move it down to the 40 before having to punt with about a minute to go. On the punt, the Eagles player once again muffed it and the Packers recovered at the Philly 31-yard line with 59 seconds to go. With 6 seconds left, holder (and punter) Jon Ryan handled a high snap, got the ball down, and Mason Crosby kicked his third field goal of the game, a 42-yarder to win the game!

What a way to start the season! Wow!!! It wasn't pretty. But winning ugly is still winning. Just as things began turn around for the Packers in the 90s when they finally got to play the Cowboys in Green Bay, making finally getting to play and beat the Eagles at Lambeau will be the start of yet another turnaround. This was the first time the Packers beat the Eagles since 2000. P.S. This was the Packers first home opener win after four prior season opening losses. P.P.S. This win tied Brett with John Elway for most wins by a QB. This is the first of many records Brett will own after this season is done.

 

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op: op:

 

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http://www.bratsandbeer.com/posts/2007/09/549

A Sweet Win For The Packers

It was ugly and unconventional and not very inspiring from an offensive point of view, but the important thing is the Green Bay Packers found a way to win today’s home opener 16-13 against the Philadelphia Eagles. As predicted, the defense came in and played very physical and did its best to contain the McNabb and the Eagles offense. They did give up 283 yards, including 103 yards on the ground, but they came up big when they needed to especially in the second half. The Iggles were just six of 18 on third down conversions and all but one of their second half possessions ended with a punt. That played a huge part in the Packers victory today.

It also helped that Philly recruited some players off the short yellow bus to field punts this season. Packer Nation should be sending thank you letters and cards to to J.R. Reed and Greg Lewis tomorrow for their special gifts: Lewis muffed a punt in the opening quarter that was recovered in the end zone for a Green Bay touchdown, and Reed lost the handle on the final punt setting up the Packers in range for Mason Crosby’s game-winning field goal. The Packers offense, one the other hand, didn’t win any awards today. Just 215 yards and a measly 46 yards on the ground. Atrocious! But I think there were a couple notable things to come out of the game. Brett Favre threw only one interception, which was remarkable given his recent track record when under pressure — and he was under tremendous pressure all day. Donald Driver, coming off an injury suffered in the pre-season, was a true soldier making remarkable catches on short slant routes. And DeShawn Wynn showed a little something taking the shovel pass from Favre for a first down. He might be a gamer yet.

Obviously, Mike McCarthy has his hands full trying to get this team through a full 16-week schedule. The offensive line needs a ton of work, the running game needs to improve to be even serviceable, and pre-snap penalties need to be eliminated if the Packers are going to get very far this year. (I was also disappointed to see him abandon the run there for a long stretch of the game: Running out of that spread offense the Packers looked like the UNLV Running Rebels.) But getting this win and having the defense playing well is a pretty good place to start.

 

[packedhouse01]

Official Pack vs Eagles Game Reviews

What a wonderful thing to win a game when you're not playing your best. A year ago we could never have done this.

 

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Report

http://packers.scout.com/2/677718.html

Crosby lifts Packers past Eagles, 16-13: The Packers opened the 2007 regular season by edging the Philadelphia Eagles in a game where Green Bay’s special teams and defense helped overcome a sluggish offense.

Mason Crosby’s 42-yard field goal with 2 seconds remaining lifted the Packers to a 16-13 victory over the Eagles in the regular season opener before 70,598 fans at Lambeau Field. Green Bay extended its winning streak to five games dating back to last season, but the victory was hardly convincing, and the Packers were relieved afterward to start the season on a winning note.

The Packers won their home opener for the first time since topping the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8, 2002 by a field goal in overtime. Green Bay was sparked by its special teams units and defense in topping the Eagles, whom many predict will win the NFC Championship this season.

“I’m very happy with the special teams, and what a great start for a rookie kicker,” said Packers coach Mike McCarthy. “I couldn’t be more happy with our special teams unit, particular the younger guys in the last year who have really stepped up. We’ve talked about be vastly improved in that area, and today is the first step in that.”

Despite a sputtering offense, the Packers beat the Eagles for the second time in the last six games when punt returner J.R. Reed muffed a punt after signaling for a fair catch with less than a minute left in the game. Packers cornerback Jarrett Bush pounced on the loose ball and Crosby, the team’s sixth round draft pick this season, notched his first game-winning kick. Despite a high snap from Rob Davis, Crosby split the uprights to win the game. “All I know is (holder) Jon Ryan got the ball right on the spot, and I was focusing on that,” Crosby said. “As soon as I saw the ball, everything was perfect to me. I just went after it. It felt great off my foot, and everything else just happened after that. It was an exciting moment for sure.”


Though Brett Favre struggled behind a young offense that was missing wide receiver Greg Jennings and running back Vernand Morency, he was able to tie John Elway's record with his 148th career victory as a starting quarterback. The win also counted as the 37th time Favre has led the Packers from a fourth-quarter tie or deficit to a win. "It was tough," Favre said. "I haven't played the Eagles where it was not tough. That's an ugly win, but I've had plenty of games where we played a lot better and lost...I can't say enough about our defense and special teams, which was kind of the case in preseason. We put them in I don't know how many situations and they responded every time." Green Bay was only able to generate 46 yards rushing and 215 yards passing while Favre turned the ball over on an interception and a fumble. Favre finished the day by completing 23 of 42 passes for 206 yards and no touchdowns for a passer rating of 58.2.

“It was a little rough,” said offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. “Certainly it was not as smooth as we had hoped and not as productive as we had wanted. We got an assessment of where we are at, and we’ve got a lot, a lot of work to do in every phase. We’re happy that the defense and special teams bailed us out, but it’s a team game and we’re happy that we won the game, that’s for sure.”

The Packers had 10 first downs to Philadelphia’s 13 and was 6 of 18 on third-down conversions (33 percent). The Packers were held to 3.4 yards per play on offense by the Eagles, and Favre was sacked four times by the Eagles. “There wasn’t a whole lot of rhythm offensively at any point in time,” said Philbin. “It was a battle. It was a struggle.”

Rookie running back Brandon Jackson finished with 40 yards on 15 carries for a 2.7-yard per carry average as the Packers struggled to run the ball. Wide receiver Donald Driver returned from a foot injury to lead the Packers in receiving with six catches for 66 yards. But Philadelphia’s three turnovers resulted in 13 points for the Packers.

 

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RANTS AND RAVES

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com...0070909/PKR0201/70909045/1057/PKR&located=RSS


Rave: The Packers’ coaching staff put Mason Crosby through the pressure cooker in training camp, and it paid dividends in his first NFL game. Crosby didn’t flinch on a bad snap in the waning seconds and calmly booted the 42-yard game-winner. He boomed a 53-yard field goal in the first quarter and added a game-tying 37-yarder late in the third quarter. Crosby appears to be a lethal weapon any time the Packers get inside the opponent's 40-yard line.

Rant: Brett Favre violated a cardinal rule of quarterbacking which says “Don't throw late down the middle.” Favre did exactly that in the first quarter, and his pass intended for Bubba Franks was intercepted by Sheldon Brown. The turnover killed a chance for the Packers to add to their 10-0 lead. Favre got lucky in the second quarter when he was scrambling for his life and lofted a pass into the hands of Eagles linebacker Takeo Spikes, who dropped the sure interception.

Rave: There’s no way Tracy White should have recovered a first-quarter Eagles’ punt return muff in the end zone, yet somehow, some way the Packers’ special teams star came up with the ball. White dived on the end-zone pile of humanity late and did enough pushing, shoving and jostling to find the football and score the Packers’ lone touchdown. White’s goal is to earn a Pro Bowl berth as a special teams player. He’s well on his way, if Sunday is an indication of his playmaking ability.

Rant: Remember the old Bart Starr special, when the former Packers quarterback would throw a deep pass on third-and-short and catch an unsuspecting defense napping? The Packers were locked in a 13-13 tie and faced a third and 2 at their own 29 midway through the fourth quarter when Favre threw deep to rookie James Jones. Favre put a little too much mustard on the pass and overthrew Jones, who had a step on his defender. The gutsy call was impressive, but the execution needs perfecting.

Rave: White wasn’t alone in shining on special teams. Not only did Jarrett Bush force the Eagles’ first punt muff, but he recovered the second muff that set up the game-winning field goal. When was the last time there were so many Packers’ special teams stars in the same game?

Rant: What were the Packers thinking at the end of the first half? After a 10-yard first-down completion to Ruvell Martin to the Eagles’ 38 with around 30 seconds left, they failed to use their final timeout and instead tried to hurry up and run a play. It resulted in a 9-yard sack loss of Brett Favre, leaving the Packers with a second and 19 from the Eagles' 47. When they finally got around to calling their third timeout, only 11 seconds remained. Favre then passed over the middle to Brandon Jackson for a 15-yard gain as the clock ran out. A golden opportunity was lost to set Crosby up for a long field goal.

Rave: It looked like the Favre of old in the Packers’ third-quarter scoring drive. Spikes and Joselio Hanson had the quarterback dead to rights for a sack near midfield on third-and-10, but the wily veteran shoveled the ball to DeShawn Wynn, who gained 18 yards to set up a tying field goal.

Rant: The worst question of the day heard in the locker room was directed toward Donald Driver, who was asked about Favre’s 37th victory in which he rallied the Packers from a fourth-quarter deficit or tie. Favre had nothing to do with the comeback, even if it will technically be recorded that way. After the Eagles botched a punt return, Favre handed off to Brandon Jackson twice and took a knee on third down to set up the game-winning field goal.

Rave: It was a big day for Ted Thompson's sixth-round draft picks. Besides Crosby’s heroics, 2006 sixth-rounder Johnny Jolly was a force on the defensive line by batting down three Donovan McNabb passes.

 

[TOPHAT]

THUMBS UP AND DOWN

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com...0070909/PKR0201/70909050/1057/PKR&located=RSS

Insider: Packers 16, Eagles 13

Thumbs up

The defensive coaches had plenty of choices when it came to picking a starting defensive tackle next to Ryan Pickett. Turns out, they made the right call by going with second-year pro Johnny Jolly. A year after he was a non-factor as a rookie, Jolly backed his strong preseason showing with easily the best performance of his brief NFL career. The former sixth-round draft pick, who played in only six games last season, was around the ball throughout Sunday’s 16-13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. On a day when the defense and special teams carried the Packers, Jolly made as big of an impact as anyone. He deflected three of Donovan McNabb’s passes, all of which turned into incompletions. Though he was only credited with two tackles (one solo, one assist), he cleared the way for linebacker Nick Barnett to make one of the key tackles of the game. On a first-down play from the Packers’ 38-yard line late in the fourth quarter, Jolly blew up the middle of the offensive line and allowed Barnett to stop running back Correll Buckhalter for a 4-yard loss. Jolly, who even took one snap at defensive end, was part of a defensive tackle rotation that also included Corey Williams and Colin Cole. The Packers came out of training camp saying any of the three could start depending on the game plan, but after the way Jolly played Sunday, it might be hard to keep him out of the lineup.

Thumbs down

Maybe age and experience aren’t the cure-all for the offensive line. After playing most of last season with a pair of rookie guards (Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz), the Packers were banking on it being much improved this year. It didn’t look that way in Week 1, and it wasn’t just the starting guards. The line had trouble creating running room. The Packers managed only 46 yards rushing on 17 attempts, a 2.7-yard average. It was reminiscent of the early season struggles the line had a year ago. What was equally, if not more, troubling was the pressure on quarterback Brett Favre. The Eagles sacked Favre four times and were credited with 11 quarterback hits. Left tackle Chad Clifton was at least partially responsible for two of the sacks, although on one he simply missed a dive block on a play that was supposed to be a quick throw, but the receiver was covered. Colledge gave up another, and the fourth came from a breakdown in the middle of the line. There was further unrest on the line in the third quarter, when Junius Coston replaced Spitz at right guard. It’s unclear whether the change was made due to Spitz’s recurring calf injury or because of poor performance.

Turning point

Eagles defensive end Trent Cole had just sacked Favre, forcing a fumble that teammate Javon Kearse recovered. In a game tied at 13, it gave the Eagles the ball at the Packers’ 38-yard line with 4:18 remaining. That’s when the Packers’ defense came up big. Barnett stopped Buckhalter for a 4-yard loss. Barnett and Pickett then combined on a tackle of running back Brian Westbrook for a 2-yard gain and, after a holding penalty on left guard Todd Herremans, the Packers forced McNabb into a drive-ending incompletion. Disaster averted.

Play of the game

Perhaps never has a 29-yard punt turned out so well for the Packers. That’s because Eagles return man J.R. Reed, who ran up to field Ryan’s poor punt, couldn’t handle the kick. Packers cornerback Jarrett Bush easily recovered the fumble with 59 seconds left, setting up the game-winning field goal.

Did you notice?


The Packers almost always match an opponent’s three-receiver set with their nickel (five defensive backs) package. But on a first-down play in the fourth quarter, defensive coordinator Bob Sanders stuck with his base (four defensive backs) alignment against the Eagles’ three-receiver set. McNabb threw an incompletion on the play. Sanders used a regular nickel (four defensive linemen, two linebackers, five defensive backs), a 3-3 nickel (three defensive linemen and three linebackers) and a 3-2 dime (three defensive linemen, two linebackers, six defensive backs). Bush was the nickel defensive back, and Will Blackmon was the dime back.

The big picture

The Packers won a game in which they were a 3-point underdog in large part because the Eagles gift-wrapped it with a pair of special teams blunders. Nevertheless, the Packers showed they might just have the kind of defense it takes to win a division title. However, it’s hard to imagine they’ll often be able to survive games like this if their offense, especially the running game, doesn’t improve. Just 46 rushing yards and a 2.7-yard average, combined with a 58.2 passer rating for Favre, won’t be good enough to win often.

 

[TOPHAT]

FAVRE: UGLY WIN

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com...0070909/PKR0201/70909054/1057/PKR&located=RSS

'That's an ugly win,' but Packers will take it

There are no apologies in the NFL when it comes to winning. So even though Green Bay got a late, major gift from the Philadelphia Eagles’ J.R. Reed, who muffed a punt in the last minute that set up the game-winning field goal, don’t think the Packers were anything but beaming about opening their 2007 season on Sunday with a 16-13 win over a likely playoff contender in front of 70,598 spectators at Lambeau Field. The Packers’ offensive performance was mostly abysmal on this touchdown-less day, and their running game will remain a huge concern until they prove otherwise. But the Packers also showed that their defense probably is for real, and in an ultimate bottom-line business, they came away with the kind of sneaky win they haven’t had for at least a couple of years. In fact, the Packers start this season 1-0 in part because their special teams performed much better than they did much of last season. Foremost was rookie kicker Mason Crosby, who followed up his successful training-camp battle with Dave Rayner to go 3-for-3 on field goals, including two huge ones: a 53-yarder in the first half, and one from 42 yards with 2 seconds left for the game winner.

“That’s an ugly win,” Favre said, “but I’ve had plenty of games where we’ve played a lot better and lost. The Saints and Rams were two last year. But I can’t say enough about our defense and special teams, which was kind of the case in the preseason. We put ’em in I don’t know how many (bad) situations, and they responded.”

The Packers got especially strong efforts from Barnett (13 tackles, an interception), defensive ends Aaron Kampman (six tackles) and Cullen Jenkins (five tackles and a quarterback hit), and cornerback Al Harris, who returned in the second half from a painful elbow injury and finished the game without giving up a reception while playing with a heavily taped right arm.

The only big gainers the Packers’ aggressive defensive backs allowed were a 31-yard pass to Jason Avant when cornerback Charles Woodson fell down, and a 37-yard reception by speedster Kevin Curtis over cornerback Tramon Williams, who was in the game as an extra defensive back only because Harris temporarily was sidelined. The Packers held the Eagles to field goals on both drives.

Favre was under duress most of the day (four sacks), completed barely more than half his passes (23-for-42) and finished with a passer rating of 58.2 points. However, with the offense bogged down and the Packers trailing 13-10 almost halfway through the third quarter, the 37-year-old quarterback pulled out some of the extemporaneous playmaking that was vintage Brett Favre. He converted a huge third-and-10 when he scrambled upfield a couple of steps, and just as linebacker Takeo Spikes was dragging him to the ground, flipped a short back-handed pass to rookie halfback DeShawn Wynn, who bolted for an 18-yard gain that kept the drive alive at Philadelphia’s 24. It was reminiscent of and nearly in the same spot as Favre’s two-handed push pass to Dorsey Levens under similar circumstances in the NFC championship game against Carolina in January 1997. Two plays later, while in the clutches of Eagles defensive end Juqua Thomas for an apparent sack, Favre hit tight end Donald Lee for a 6-yard gain. Those plays set up Crosby’s 37-yard field goal that tied the game at 13 with 45 seconds left in the third quarter. “Let’s face it. We needed some spark, some juice, some kind of play,” Joe Philbin, the Packers’ offensive coordinator, said of Favre. “He gave us some life, kind of made us feel like we’re going to win this game in the fourth quarter. It was a critical part of the game.”

 

[TOPHAT]

Lombardi View

http://packers.scout.com/a.z?s=61&p=2&c=677733

Thoughts on the Packers' win over Eagles; offense and defense

-- I guess it is not surprising that Justin Harrell was inactive for the game given his preseason performance and the depth of the Packers' defensive line, but it is still disappointing that he will not contribute for the foreseeable future.

-- The Eagles did everything possible to give the game away early. Those two turnovers, four crucial penalties and a lackluster start helped the Pack jump out to an early lead. The Eagles fought back for the tie at half and the momentum.

-- Favre looked frustrated and fed up at times in the first half. I wonder how long his patience will hold out.

-- The arm/elbow injury suffered by Al Harris on the punt coverage team was ugly. I actually felt myself wince when I saw the slo-mo replay. I doubt we will see him blocking gunners anymore. The punt return team may suffer because of it, but it is the safe thing to do.

-- The Packers only had five first downs in the first half (three of those were on the final hurry up drive) and no running game. I do not care how good Brett Favre is, he cannot do the impossible. Two turnovers by the Eagles led directly to those 10 first half points. The Pack only had 106 first half yards. The Patriots' Ellis Hobbs had a kickoff return that went 108 yards. No one made any plays on offense except Favre who is starting to look like Fran Tarkenton running around back there. With about six minutes left in the third quarter, it appeared that the Packer completely gave up on the run. It worked as they marched down the field behind Favre's improvisational play for a field goal.

-- Without a running game, the Packers cannot have any long-term success. Defenses will adjust and make it tough for Green Bay to move the ball without a balanced attack. The defense and special teams will not always be able to bail out the offense every week. Without a running game, play-action passes lose their effectiveness and Favre is very good with play action. It needs to improve for the Packers to consitently compete.

-- Atari Bigby looked pretty good. After one week he seems to be an upgrade over Marquand Manuel. Same goes for Johnny Jolly who seems to have a knack for tipping passes at the line of scrimmage.

-- The Packers were on the short end of the stats in almost every category, except three. They won the turnover battle, had fewer penalties and had more points. The Packers made fewer mistakes and that is why they won.

-- Lastly, as the old cliche goes, some times it is better to be lucky than good. When was the last time a team had two muffed punts in the same game. The Packers were lucky today, but so what. This is a game that last year or the year before would have ended up as a loss for the Pack. Maybe that is a good sign. Despite their shortcomings, the Packers found a way to win.

 

[TOPHAT]

SUGGESTIONS

http://packers.scout.com/2/677765.html

Suggestions to aid woeful offense:...four suggestions that the Packers should consider to jump-start their offense.

“There’s no way we can win games like that week in a week out. We have to help those guys out,” said quarterback and offensive leader Brett Favre after a 16-13 victory. “That’s no secret. We have to score points, and we have to keep them off the field.”

“I thought it was inconsistent,” said McCarthy of the running game. “Early in the game, the communication that I was getting was that we weren’t cutting, or this guy was getting beat and so forth… We have some work to do. I’ve said it before the last couple of weeks, when you don’t commit to the run game, it’s a little hard to be critical of it. We came into this game throwing the ball. That was our mindset. Running it to win was the game plan. So we’re going to get that part done. We have work to do. It’s always great to push harder after a win and we’re going to push harder on offense, I can promise you that this week.”

1. Get Vernand Morency and Greg Jennings back – SOON. Yes, injuries are essentially out of the coaching staff’s control, but without a starting back and a starting receiver, the Packers showed they have virtually no chance of finding the end zone. The Packers have been vague with Morency’s knee injury which forced him to miss all of the preseason, but McCarthy said on Sunday that Morency is working through some “unresolved soreness.” It looks like he, along with Greg Jennings, have a chance to return against the Giants. Jennings injured his hamstring on Thursday, bad enough to keep him out. When both players return, the Packers have to find ways to put them in play-making situations. They are two of a small list of players on the team who can make something happen.

2. Be more proactive with Crosby at all times. Crosby, the Packers’ sixth-round pick, hit three-of-three field goals in his first game after winning a tight kicking competition over Dave Rayner in training camp. The Packers seem to have all the faith in the world in Crosby and need to better maximize his opportunities.

3. Use Carlyle Holiday’s talents. Holiday, the No. 5 receiver, saw limited action, but should be used more as a versatile weapon. Holiday played some quarterback in college and could be a valuable play-maker on gadget plays and in certain packages. It would be nice to see Holiday on a reverse or an option pass not just once or twice a season, but once or twice a game. Not only could it provide a badly-needed spark or momentum-changer, it would give future opponents something to think about.

4. Stick with the no-huddle. The Packers started the game with a quick or no-huddle offense, but because they were unsuccessful moving the ball, it may not have been quite as noticeable. Still, if the Packers implement more no-huddle, they will have a better chance to put points on the board. They seem to work better with some type of tempo and rhythm and have an offensive line that is fit enough to keep up with a fast pace. Furthermore, Favre seems to enjoy operating in a “two-minute” type situation, so why not give him more chances? The Packers’ offense certainly has nothing to lose.

 

[TOPHAT]

PERSPECTIVE: AGREE

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=659165

Offensive shift a no-show


In setting up the Green Bay Packers' season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, Fox game analyst Daryl Johnston was selling a fresh notion about second-year coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy, according to McCarthy, has been too conservative in his approach on offense, Johnston said. That's a shift from what we had been reading and hearing in the exhibition season. Much of the focus had been on McCarthy's desire to have quarterback Brett Favre leave his riverboat gambler tendencies at home. Now we're hearing that McCarthy himself needs to be more aggressive in this thinking. "Brett Favre has been kind of fighting this decision to become a game manager," Johnston said. "Mike McCarthy (is) saying he's been a little bit too conservative, even going back to his time in San Francisco. So I expect to see the Packers open up the offense a little this afternoon even with a lot of youth on that side of the ball. "When you start throwing around the term game manager and Brett Favre at the same time, that just does not work."

But there was nothing particularly open about the Packers' approach on offense against the Eagles. The only thing it was open to was criticism, which Fox studio analyst Howie Long was only to happy to deliver at halftime. "It has not been good offensively . . . for Green Bay," Long said. "To put it into perspective, they have got 106 yards. Ahman Green has 101 for Houston." So if McCarthy has taken a new approach, he didn't try unleashing much of it on the Eagles' formidable defense. "He's let Brett take a few shots down the field," Johnston said at the end of the first half. "But the majority of the plays have been under-control-type passes, characteristic of the West Coast offense." Until Favre overthrew wide receiver James Jones on a third-and-1 play in the fourth quarter, there weren't many downfield gambles. "The Packers' offense has to do something," Johnston said. "I mean, they were dismal in the first half. They really were." As the game became a defensive struggle, Johnston noted that the Packers' offense needed a boost. "I don't know if the Packers' offense can do it on their own today without help from their defense," Johnston said. The help came not from the Packers' defense but from the Eagles' punt returners, whose miscues led to the Packers' victory. "You can't make up for some of the colossal mistakes they had during the course of this game," Johnston said. "And as unlikely as it seems, that Green Bay should be able to pull this out as poorly as they played offensively, if you give a team enough chances, eventually they are going to cash in."

 

[TOPHAT]

KEY PICS

http://www.jsonline.com/site/photographerphotos/gallery.aspx?catid=834

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McNabb sacked by Williams

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Decisive 42-yard FG by Crosby

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Favre, Wynn turn loss into big gain

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Muffed punt

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White's recovery is a TD

 

[TOPHAT]

Official Pack vs Eagles Game Reviews

http://packerama.blogspot.com/2007/09/winning-extremely-ugly.html

Winning EXTREMELY ugly

If it's going to be like this all season, the Packers will definitely finish 8-8 - depending on how many clumsy teams it can find. The only reason the Packers didn't lose is that Philadelphia couldn't figure out how to field a punt or two. There was no offense on the Packers side that showed any consistency, and Favre, while he had some moments, wasn't consistent either. The defense more or less made up for that, giving up just a couple of big plays. But it found itself in the position of a star pitcher throwing a shutout but knowing he has to shut out the other side in the next inning as well, as he's getting no support. This team needs help on offense, and fast.

 

[TOPHAT]

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY: REVIEW

GOOD:

1. K Crosby--a rookie who played like a vet performing under pressure making crucial field goals.
2. RB Wynn--when he got the ball, Wynn was productive. The key play was Favre's flip to him for a crucial 18-yard gain to set up the tying field goal.
3. WR Driver--he broke double coverage to get crucial catches leading the team with 6 catches for 66 yards.
4. Special Teams--they won the game with two recovered fumbles leading to scores.
5. CBs--CB Bush had an up-and-down game, although he made contributions on special teams, forcing two fumbles & getting one that lead to the winning field goal; CBs Harris & Woodson–generally, they shut down the opposition, although Woodson had problems with the slot receiver.
6. Defensive Line--DE Kampman (6 tackles) was shaky against the run, DE Jenkins (5 tackles) looked the best with good pressure, DE KGB stalled out, DT Williams got a crucial sack, DT Pickett did okay, & DT Jolly (batted down 3 passes) played solid.
7. LB Barnett (13 tackles and an interception) & LB Poppinga played a solid game.
8. S Bigby had an impressive first start & S Collins had a mixed performance dropping an interception. However, both players got fooled by play actions being too conservative to approach the line.

MIXED [BAD]:

1. RB Jackson–he played like a rookie showing jitters & being tentative in the early stages running poorly & dropping an easy pass. Later, he got better with a few opened holes [finally] finishing with a strong 75 total yards.
2. QB Favre--Favre had a poor production & questionable decision-making day going 23-of-42 for 206 yards, no touchdowns, one costly interception [and almost another one], one fumble [caused by a sack], and a 58.2 passer rating. However, Favre's improvisational plays, including a crucial shovel pass (to avoid a sack) to rookie RB Wynn, lead to the tie scoring drive.
3. TE Franks--he caught & dropped passes. Both TE Franks and TE Lee looked just par.
4. LB Hawk (four tackles) played a quite game getting caught up inside way too much by offensive linemen.

UGLY:

1. Offensive Line & Team–the offensive line failed to execute fundamentals in the running game opening few running lanes or in the passing game providing awful protection, especially getting beat man to man. Equally troubling was the constant pressure on QB Favre. Favre was sacked four times with 5 knockdowns, continually avoiding the rush to make crucial plays to win the game. As one reviewer put it:

"...[L]eft tackle Chad Clifton, who had allowed just 15 career sacks coming into this season, allowed Favre to be sacked and stripped for a fourth-quarter fumble; Clifton and right tackle Mark Tauscher failed to cut Trent Cole and Jevon Kearse, leading to a second-quarter sack; and left guard Daryn Colledge was beaten by Montae Reagor for a sack just prior to halftime. Favre also was sacked in the third quarter by Mike Patterson on a roll out."

As another reviewer said:

"The most startling part off the performance was the off-day by starting tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher in protecting quarterback Brett Favre. Clifton gave up a sack and a half, including one that caused Favre to get hit from behind and lose the ball, and Tauscher shared responsibility on two others. Normally, both players are very good against speed-type rushers, but both struggled against speedy Philadelphia ends....It was a tough day for the two veterans on an otherwise young offensive line. 'Almost all the time those issues of when you get beat is a fundamental issue,' offensive line coach James Campen said. 'I don't think it was anything the Philadelphia Eagles' personnel did to our players. They got out of the realm of the basics of pass protection.'"

As an ironic comparison, a sports commentator said: “It has not been good offensively . . . for Green Bay. To put it into perspective, they have got 106 yards [first half]. Ahman Green has 101 for Houston." The poor offensive performance was reminiscent of the early 2006 season struggles. Coach McCarthy admitted:

"...[F]undamental mistakes; poor blocking angles [both on the play-side & with the backside cut blocks] that didn't match the course of the backs; missed one-on-one blocks [that undermined a solid performance against the Eagles' exotic blitzes] that resulted in pressures and sacks; subpar route running [by receivers]; and decision-making by quarterback Brett Favre that left room for improvement."

As for the receiving corps, including WR Driver with a few drops, their production was not very good. As a reviewer said:

"As a group, the overall performance wasn't that good Sunday. 'The route-running needs to be better,' McCarthy said. Things might have been different if Favre had connected on a third-and-2 go route in which Jones had separated from cornerback William James, but the ball was overthrown. Still, too many times, Favre locked on to Driver hoping to pull the offense out of its doldrums. Until Jones catches up with that ball or routinely turns one of his crossing routes into big gains, the Packers are going to be an injury away from having a pop-gun passing attack. At least, that's the way it appeared on a day they faced a vulnerable Eagles secondary."

 

[TOPHAT]

QUOTES

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports/index.php?ntid=231448&ntpid=1

"This is huge for us," Packers linebacker Nick Barnett, who led the swarming defensive effort with 13 tackles and an interception. "We're going to win games any way we can. We're going to scratch and claw and get them any way we can."

I can't say enough about our defense and special teams, " said Favre, who completed 23 of 42 passes for 206 yards with no touchdowns, one interception and four sacks for a rating of 58.2. "We put them in I don't know how many (bad) situations, and they just responded every time. "Offensively, we struggled, simple as that. I haven't been in too many games where we don't score an offensive touchdown and win, but as every coach or veteran player will say, you've got to win some of those sometimes. I'm telling you now, that was a good win."

"When Brett had that turnover, as he was coming off the field, I said, 'Don 't worry, we 'll get it back for you,' ' ' Barnett said. They did, but the offense once again went nowhere, and Ryan punted the ball away again with 1:09 to go.

"If someone told me that we 'd keep No. 4 out of the end zone," Eagles linebacker Takeo Spikes said, "I would have told them we won the game easily."

 

[TOPHAT]

Re: QUOTES

UPDATED

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[TOPHAT]

TOP HAT'S REVIEW

Packers vs Eagles Game 1 Review: Ugly Win & "So Special" Special Teams

SUMMARY:

On Sunday, rookie K Crosby's 42-yard field goal in the last seconds of the game gave the Packers a 16-13 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. In spite of offensive shortcomings having no scoring TDs & 3 field goals, the Pack found a way to win. The Packers’ special teams won the game. In the first quarter, the special teams scored when the Eagles muffed a punt that LB White recovered in the end zone for a TD. In the fourth quarter, the Packers recovered a second muffed punt at the Eagles’ 31 setting up the winning field goal. A frustrated QB Favre struggled under pressure with an offensive offensive team getting just 3 field goals. Yet, he got his 148th career victory tying QB Elway’s record. Also, the game was the 37th game that Favre led the Packers from a fourth-quarter tie or deficit to a win. The defense gave up 283 yards, including 103 rushing yards, but they made the crucial defensive plays in the second half to stop the Eagles.

QUOTES:

Coach McCarthy said, “I’m very happy with the special teams, and what a great start for a rookie kicker. I couldn’t be more happy with our special teams unit, particular the younger guys in the last year who have really stepped up. We’ve talked about be vastly improved in that area, and today is the first step in that.”

QB Favre stoicly said, "It was tough. I haven't played the Eagles where it was not tough. That's an ugly win, but I've had plenty of games where we played a lot better and lost...I can't say enough about our defense and special teams, which was kind of the case in preseason. We put them in I don't know how many situations and they responded every time." Favre added, “There’s no way we can win games like that week in a week out. We have to help those guys out. That’s no secret. We have to score points, and we have to keep them off the field.”

Offensive Coordinator Philbin said, “It was a little rough. Certainly it was not as smooth as we had hoped and not as productive as we had wanted. We got an assessment of where we are at, and we’ve got a lot, a lot of work to do in every phase. We’re happy that the defense and special teams bailed us out, but it’s a team game and we’re happy that we won the game, that’s for sure.”

TURNING POINT:

With the game tied and four minutes left, Eagles DE Cole sacked QB Favre causing a fumble that DE Kearse recovered & giving the Eagles good field position at the Packers' 38 yard line. The Packers' defense was stellar holding the Eagles, forcing a punt, & creating the last minute heroics.

GOOD:

1. K Crosby--a rookie who played like a vet performing under pressure making crucial field goals.
2. RB Wynn--when he got the ball, Wynn was productive. The key play was Favre's flip to him for a crucial 18-yard gain to set up the tying field goal.
3. WR Driver--he broke double coverage to get crucial catches leading the team with 6 catches for 66 yards.
4. Special Teams--they won the game with two recovered fumbles leading to scores.
5. CBs--CB Bush had an up-and-down game, although he made contributions on special teams, forcing two fumbles & getting one that lead to the winning field goal; CBs Harris & Woodson–generally, they shut down the opposition, although Woodson had problems with the slot receiver.
6. Defensive Line--DE Kampman (6 tackles) was shaky against the run, DE Jenkins (5 tackles) looked the best with good pressure, DE KGB stalled out, DT Williams got a crucial sack, DT Pickett did okay, & DT Jolly (batted down 3 passes) played solid.
7. LB Barnett (13 tackles and an interception) & LB Poppinga played a solid game.
8. S Bigby had an impressive first start & S Collins had a mixed performance dropping an interception. However, both players got fooled by play actions being too conservative to approach the line.

MIXED [BAD]:

1. RB Jackson–he played like a rookie showing jitters & being tentative in the early stages running poorly & dropping an easy pass. Later, he got better with a few opened holes [finally] finishing with a strong 75 total yards.
2. QB Favre--Favre had a poor production & questionable decision-making day going 23-of-42 for 206 yards, no touchdowns, one costly interception [and almost another one], one fumble [caused by a sack], and a 58.2 passer rating. However, Favre's improvisational plays, including a crucial shovel pass (to avoid a sack) to rookie RB Wynn, lead to the tie scoring drive.
3. TE Franks--he caught & dropped passes. Both TE Franks and TE Lee looked just par.
4. LB Hawk (four tackles) played a quite game getting caught up inside way too much by offensive linemen.

UGLY:

1. Offensive Line & Team–the offensive line failed to execute fundamentals in the running game opening few running lanes or in the passing game providing awful protection, especially getting beat man to man. Equally troubling was the constant pressure on QB Favre. Favre was sacked four times with 5 knockdowns, continually avoiding the rush to make crucial plays to win the game. As one reviewer put it:

"...[L]eft tackle Chad Clifton, who had allowed just 15 career sacks coming into this season, allowed Favre to be sacked and stripped for a fourth-quarter fumble; Clifton and right tackle Mark Tauscher failed to cut Trent Cole and Jevon Kearse, leading to a second-quarter sack; and left guard Daryn Colledge was beaten by Montae Reagor for a sack just prior to halftime. Favre also was sacked in the third quarter by Mike Patterson on a roll out."

As another reviewer said:

"The most startling part off the performance was the off-day by starting tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher in protecting quarterback Brett Favre. Clifton gave up a sack and a half, including one that caused Favre to get hit from behind and lose the ball, and Tauscher shared responsibility on two others. Normally, both players are very good against speed-type rushers, but both struggled against speedy Philadelphia ends....It was a tough day for the two veterans on an otherwise young offensive line. 'Almost all the time those issues of when you get beat is a fundamental issue,' offensive line coach James Campen said. 'I don't think it was anything the Philadelphia Eagles' personnel did to our players. They got out of the realm of the basics of pass protection.'"

As an ironic comparison, a sports commentator said: “It has not been good offensively . . . for Green Bay. To put it into perspective, they have got 106 yards [first half]. Ahman Green has 101 for Houston." The poor offensive performance was reminiscent of the early 2006 season struggles. Coach McCarthy admitted:

"...[F]undamental mistakes; poor blocking angles [both on the play-side & with the backside cut blocks] that didn't match the course of the backs; missed one-on-one blocks [that undermined a solid performance against the Eagles' exotic blitzes] that resulted in pressures and sacks; subpar route running [by receivers]; and decision-making by quarterback Brett Favre that left room for improvement."

As for the receiving corps, including WR Driver with a few drops, their production was not very good. As a reviewer said:

"As a group, the overall performance wasn't that good Sunday. 'The route-running needs to be better,' McCarthy said. Things might have been different if Favre had connected on a third-and-2 go route in which Jones had separated from cornerback William James, but the ball was overthrown. Still, too many times, Favre locked on to Driver hoping to pull the offense out of its doldrums. Until Jones catches up with that ball or routinely turns one of his crossing routes into big gains, the Packers are going to be an injury away from having a pop-gun passing attack. At least, that's the way it appeared on a day they faced a vulnerable Eagles secondary."

SUGGESTIONS:

1. The offensive line has a long way to go quickly, the running game must quickly improve, and the cosly pre-snap penalties must be eliminated.
2. The return of veterans WR Jennings & RB Morency should bring offensive playmakers to a struggling offensive team.
3. During the game, the Pack must effectively utilize the no-huddle and two-minute offensive schemes.
4. The offensive play calling must improve using more aggressive, complex, and innovative schemes to be successful in winning games.

 

[TOPHAT]

EXCELLENT: UPON FURTHER REVIEW

http://packers.scout.com/2/678004.html

Packers-Eagles: Upon further review

Thumbs Up: Mason Crosby made his first game as a pro quite memorable. The rookie split the uprights on all three of his field goal attempts, including a game-winning 42-yarder with two seconds left.
His performance is no fluke. Though he is just getting his feet wet in the NFL, Crosby has all the composure of a veteran kicker, and he showed it on Sunday.

Thumbs down: Veteran cornerback Al Harris said after the game that he let the coaches know that he is willing to help out in any way possible on special teams. The coaches inserted Harris as a 'jammer,' whose responsibility is to block the opposing team's 'gunner.' Unfortunately, Harris sustained a hyperextended elbow and his status for this Sunday's game at New York against the Giants is questionable. Since Harris is one of the more valuable players on defense, why risk him to an injury on special teams?

Thumbs up: Brett Favre and DeShawn Wynn combined for a signature 'Favre improv' play in the third quarter. On third-and-10 from Philadelphia's 42, Favre dropped back to pass was quickly found linebacker Takeo Spikes trying to drag him down from behind. Favre spotted Wynn a few feet away and flipped the ball to the rookie, who turned the play into an 18-yard gain to the Eagles' 24. The Packers went on to get a 37-yard field goal from Mason Crosby to tie the game at 13-13.

Thumbs down: The offensive line, which has higher expectations than last year, had trouble blocking Philadelphia's defensive front seven. Favre was sacked four times and running back Brandon Jackson didn't have a whole lot of running room for most of the game.

Thumbs up: Thank goodness for Donald Driver. The veteran wide receiver was the sole highlight of Green Bay's woeful offensive performance. Coming off a foot sprain and very little practice time, Driver led Green Bay's wide receivers with six catches for 66 yards. He seemed to be the only receiver to get open consistently for Favre. Driver may have had one or two more catches if not for overthrows by Favre.

Thumbs down: Give Daryn Colledge an 'A' for effort, but he was flagged for a false start when he spotted an Eagles defender lined up in the neutral zone. Colledge quickly popped up, as if to block, but the officials said that he did not move fast enough to penalize the Eagles. Colledge later in the game was flagged for a false start, which definitely was his fault.

Thumbs up: Green Bay's defense will be fun to watch this season. The Packers bent at times, but only allowed one touchdown to the Eagles, whom many feel is one of the top offenses in the NFC this season. Nick Barnett had an interception, and defensive tackle Johnny Jolly made the most of his first start as a pro with two tackles and three passes defensed at the line of scrimmage.

 

[TOPHAT]

http://www.mytvisonfire.com/packersnation/?p=2355

Eagles at Packers Game Review

The Packers won a close game yesterday against the Eagles. While some Packer fans are panicking about the offense I am taking another approach. While our offense played terrible (they will have to improve their performance if we want to win a lot of games this season) I find it reassuring that even with our offense playing almost as bad as they possibly could we still got a victory. Our special teams and defense carried the team like they will probably for most of the season.

Key Players in Victory

Mason Crosby had an amazing game. He showed why we got a huge steal getting him in the third round. Crosby made three field goals including the game winner. Just so you know Crosby was the first rookie since 1979 to make a game winning field goal in their first game. Another fact is that it took Ryan Longwell 3 years to make a game winning field goal. One of Crosby’s kicks was from 53 yards even though it would have been good for over 60. The field goal was also against the wind. The game winning field goal was also really good because there was a high snap but it didn’t seem to fluster Crosby at all. Crosby has nerves of steel and he showed them in this game.
Nick Barnett was all over the field. He made several big plays and helped keep Westbrook in check. His interception also lead to one of the field goals that won the game.
The punt coverage teams (especially Jarrett Bush) had an amazing game. How could you do better than two punt fumbles. Jarret Bush caused both fumbles and looks to be a special teams standout. While the two punt fumbles were mostly caused by the stupidity of the Eagles returners, the Packers special teams contributed to them as well.
Johnny Jolly showed why he should be put in the starting lineup. Jolly consistently shut down the run. The more impressive stat is that he tipped 3 passes.
Brett Favre didn’t have a good game but he did well with what he had. Brett was pressured the entire game, yet he really didn’t committ many mistakes (the interception was at least half Bubba’s fault and the fumble was mostly the offensive lines fault). This season Brett Favre main objective will be to not turn the ball over. I think Brett Favre overall did a good job protecting the football.

Players that didn’t help in the victory

The offensive line had a terrible game. While they did a very good job picking up the blitz they had a ton of trouble blocking the four Eagles defensive lineman. Their blocking let too many people through which got Brett sacked 4 times and caused him to be rushed the entire game. I believe this killed the passing game. They also had a hard time opening holes in the running game. The offensive line is going to have to improve soon.
Bubba Franks had a terrible game. I believe he was mostly responsible for the INT. He should have fought for the ball. At the very least he would have been able to knock the ball down and at the best he would have caught the pass. Besides that play he dropped passes and didn’t help the team at all.

Why the Packers Won

The special teams coverage showed that they were indeed special (yes I know that was a overused terrible pun). The Packers focussed on drafting players that could help our special teams and yesterday showed that drafting these players really helped the team. Don’t expect these many turnovers from the special teams again but it would be reasonable to expect good coverage.

The Packers defense did a great job of stopping the Eagles offense. While the Packers gave up some yards for the most part they stuffed the Eagles. The Packers only gave up 1 TD and it was a series in which AL Harris wasn’t playing. I believe our defense showed yesterday that they can be a dominant defense and one of the best in the league.
Mason Crosby was a clutch kicker. Mason Crosby was cool and collected during the entire game. He converted when he was supposed to. If it wasn’t for Crosby’s nerves of steel we would have lost this game.

What the Packers Need to Improve On

The pass blocking in the game was terrible. Brett was given barely any time in the pocket. While the offensive line did a good job picking up th blitz they had a hard time blocking the defensive lineman. If the Packers don’t improve this soon every game this season will be a lot like this one. Brett will struggle to pass the ball and will be spending a lot of time on his back.

The running game needs to get going. While I don’t think our running game has to be great it deffinently has to improve over this week. The Packers only rushed for around 50 yards. That is terrible. If we can’t get a running game going we won’t be able to get a passing game going either because the opponent will focus on the pass.

 

[tromadz]

I like how people still blame Bubba for the INT even though MM said "Favre got fooled" or whatever.

 

[gopackgo]

Kind of like the 8% that voted Brett the MVP of the game at Packers.com