Studs and Duds: Green Bay Philadelphia wild card game

[lambeaulambo]

Studs:

Aaron Rodgers - didn't make the crucial mistakes and played with poise
BIG STUD James Starks - wow now I understand why they held him out of games to heal. wondering if they didnt teach him the Z scheme while out. was tremendous!
Clay Matthews - still has alot of gas in the tank. he seems almost 100 percent. nice sack on Vick.
Tramon Williams - an appropriate end to a thrilling win. Hes the best we have at corner and came up big.
Packer O line - nice run blocking scheme. where has this been? almost seem like they were playing possum. good prtection for the most part.
Special Teams - other than underwood being a complete idiot, good job not giving up a big play.
Desmond Bishop - gave Philly fits in the middle. bye bye barnett.
Crabtree - nice job coming in and no one and I mean no one expected a td from him.
Quinn Johnson - becoming the bulldozer we expected him to be. he is getting better as the season wears on.

Duds:

Underwood - what r u thinking?

Officiating - wow talk about as close to homer as it gets. helmet to helmet is a 15 yard penalty. Colledge phantom hold. 2 pt conversion was weird. injured player w no timeouts what happened there?

the NFL - college based OT - I am an advocate of sudden death. say what you will, dont like both teams getting the ball. the field is 100 yards long, not shortened which is what the OT rule implies.

James Jones - by far the biggest dud in the game. that was the kind of mistake that costs GAMES.


by far a solid win. but it was Cardiac Pack! Bring on the dirty birds! Saturday Night! GO PACK! this team has real chance to go to a place everyone has been waiting for. the eagles are a scary team. love the way the packers offense shredded that D. Didn't like the zone played at the end of the game up until the INT which sealed it but the D line got pressure during crunch time.

 

[Pat4DaPack]

Underwood got held into the ball, wasn't his fault.

 

[ThorMatthews]

Underwood got held into the ball, wasn't his fault.

By two different players to boot, can't blame the guy for that sort of thing.

 

[PackersRS]

So no Greg Jennings? Driver had also a key 3rd down drop, but he made up for it. Jones had a TD were he got himself open. Jennings had a key 3rd down drop and did basically nothing.

For the season, and going forward, I agree, Jones is too inconsistent, and Jennings is awesome.

But, for this game, Jones > Jennings.

 

[ivo610]

James Jones - by far the biggest dud in the game. that was the kind of mistake that costs GAMES.

How? He caught a frickin TD

 

[Pat4DaPack]

I honestly felt there were no duds for the Packers, we played great all around.

 

[PackerFan87]

Officiating - wow talk about as close to homer as it gets. helmet to helmet is a 15 yard penalty. Colledge phantom hold. 2 pt conversion was weird. injured player w no timeouts what happened there?

That 2pt conversion...WAS RETARDED! WHAT KIND OF RULE IS THAAAT!! RULE CHAAAANGE!!

I'll add to Studs:
[Two records]
Starks first rookie to run 123 yards in the playoffs.
Rodgers first player to throw 7 TD's in first two career playoff games. (at least, I think that's how it was worded?)

Duds: Having 30sec left before half time and choosing to go hide in the locker room instead.

 

[Incubes12]

How? He caught a frickin TD

And dropped a pass that I could've caught.

 

[dbain21]

Studs: everyone, overall.

Duds: I agree with OP, the refs were bad. Also I didnt like the eagles second to last drive where Dom capers basiclly let vick dunk passes all day long and only rushed 4, in an attempt to waste clock time.
You could also put Jones and Underwood in this category, but Jones got a TD, and Underwood was in a bad position, ill let it pass this time.

 

[lambeaulambo]

the packers should have had the ability to decline the penalty. 2 pt no good, or am I wrong?

 

[Incubes12]

Studs: everyone, overall.

Duds: I agree with OP, the refs were bad. Also I didnt like the eagles second to last drive where Dom capers basiclly let vick dunk passes all day long and only rushed 4, in an attempt to waste clock time.
You could also put Jones and Underwood in this category, but Jones got a TD, and Underwood was in a bad position, ill let it pass this time.

I thought we should've only rushed three. I wanted our guys back in coverage. Did you see the plays where we blitzed? Vick tore us apart. On that last drive, DeSean Jackson's big gain came on a blitz.

 

[NDPackerFan]

Well, if we would have declined the penalty, the 2 point conversion would have counted. Celek caught the ball with two feet in bounds...problem is, he went out of bounds first, which by rule, is a 5 yard penalty and re-try. Had he not caught the ball in bounds, the Packers could have declined, ending the 2 point try.

 

[dbain21]

Well, if we would have declined the penalty, the 2 point conversion would have counted. Celek caught the ball with two feet in bounds...problem is, he went out of bounds first, which by rule, is a 5 yard penalty and re-try. Had he not caught the ball in bounds, the Packers could have declined, ending the 2 point try.

whatever the case I think the rule should change. If you go offsides on an onside kick attempt, there's no re-kick. Thats the best example I can think of thats somewhat similar.

 

[BBalzWI]

The reason there was no 10 second run off was because it was an incomplete pass. If it would have been completed, it would've been a 10 second run off.

Since it was incomplete the clock stops anyways, that's the explanation that I was given at least. Makes sense to me.

 

[Texpackerfan]

James Jones was the biggest dud for me. That was as easy a TD as there was. It was in HIS HANDS.
Jennings had a drop as well but it wasn't as easy as that one.

I thought the refs did a fine job. There were a few plays where there was a no-call and it could have easily been called on the Packers if they were being ticky-tacky. Yes, they missed the helmet-to-helmet hit but they didn't miss much either.

Also, I can't fault Underwood for turnover. He was pushed into the ball. He was trying to avoid it.

But if I had to give the game ball it would be to the Defense. I wasn't worried at all throughout the game except when DeSean Jackson made that catch with 1:45 left.

 

[98Redbird]

I was impressed with the way they played today. I don't blame Underwood, he was trying to get the hell out of the way but was surrounded by Eagles pushing him into the ball.

The only real issue I have today is for our receivers to HANG ON TO THE ******* BALL!!!

Why do our receivers have some of the worst hands in the league. Rodgers can't do anymore than he's doing. This will lose us games. And it's not just Jones, even tho his really hurt. They all dropped balls today... and last week, and the week before, etc...

 

[Mr. StyleZ]

I didn't read everyone's post but I gotta give props to none other than Jarret Bush for his great special teams play. If you missed them, first two kickoffs he was the first one there. I believe he stopped em short of the 20 both times.

 

[PFanCan]

I didn't read everyone's post but I gotta give props to none other than Jarret Bush for his great special teams play. If you missed them, first two kickoffs he was the first one there. I believe he stopped em short of the 20 both times.

Totally agreed. Throughout the 2009 season, I thought Bush's full name was "F-in Bush" as that was what everyone called him.

But, got to give kudos where kudos are earned. He has played really well lately and deserved being captain of ST.

 

[PackwillBEback]

I love how people always blame the officials, when they prove to not even know the rules. The officiating today was very good. Pete Morelli's crew did an awesome job today, as usual. Yes the holding call and the helmet to helmet call that was missed were mistakes. The helmet to helmet either way is one of the most difficult calls, happening on the field level that quick is the easiest call to mess up.

There were terrific no calls today, the hit on Celek at the end was one of them. If they had thrown a flag, that could have been game over for us. Great job by the Back Judge to hold on to the flag. Also great catch by the crew on the hold on the last punt to Jackson. Also on calls that the crowd thought was illegal contact/DPI, they didn't throw the flag on it. They were consistent and fair all day. Very few penalties too. Their spots were excellent.

Don't be unfair and complain about things that you don't know the rules on. Anyways I agree with your studs and duds otherwise.

James Jones did have a good TD catch, but that drop was horrific. IT changed momentum for sure. This game would have not been heart wrenching AT ALL. AT ALL. If he catches that. They are up 18 going into half getting the ball. The crowd would be totally out of it, and I doubt the Rodgers sack fumble and Avant TD happens....It would have been a route.

 

[PFanCan]

Duds: Jones, no doubt. Come on, dude. You are now "Jelly-fingers" Jones to me, until proven otherwise.

Studs: Agreed with many of those already listed. How about Raji? Solid game. Clifton, too. And, finally, Wells. He had a nice snap that caught the DE off-sides and played a key role in that screen TD.

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

the packers should have had the ability to decline the penalty. 2 pt no good, or am I wrong?

You should be right but the NFL needs to rethink a lot of things. Eagles lost nothing for committing a penalty, instead they were awarded second chance! When the ball is just laying on the ground and a Packer trying to hold a block is pushed backwards and touches the ball...ruling Eagle's ball, BS, if the ball was bouncing around, the receiving team needs to get out of the way....this was not the case. I am not going to rag on that kid.

If the packer's could not decline the penalty, the only other fair calls would be pass incomplete or give the Pack credit for a safety.

 

[lambeaulambo]

the hit on Celek at the end was one of them. If they had thrown a flag, that could have been game over for us. Great job by the Back Judge to hold on to the flag. Also great catch by the crew on the hold on the last punt to Jackson. Also on calls that the crowd thought was illegal contact/DPI, they didn't throw the flag on it. They were consistent and fair all day. Very few penalties too. Their spots were excellent.

Don't be unfair and complain about things that you don't know the rules on. Anyways I agree with your studs and duds otherwise.

that hit on Celek was a no call because Collins Hit him as the ball was flying over his head. I was complaining about the rules - that rule is BOGUS. PI wasnt called because there was very little in the way of it being PI. When WR and DBs hand fight, its a two way street. the nfl is changing the rules for the playoffs it sounds like without the coaches vote on the overtime rule. And that too was BOGUS. I think you are smoking crack if you think that officiating was good. There is no way I or any of the other 50 people I watched the game with said it was officiated well. It was homerville. I could make a case for the helmet to helmet altering the game's course and giving the pack another 7 on the board. Nuff said.

 

[engelke]

i definitely agree with that ST play at the beginning of the game. the ball/play should have been dead, he got pushed into it by 2 defenders. i was HOT when that happened.
Jones had an important td for us, but that drop was ridiculous.
i think you should add Akers to the studs list..........for the 'Pack, haha.
i could have sworn any time a player got hurt, the team was charged with a time out. regardless if it was incomplete or not. so i didnt like the iggles getting all that extra time to gameplan when (i felt) the clock should have been running out to compensate for the lack of a time out on their part.

 

[Incubes12]

the packers should have had the ability to decline the penalty. 2 pt no good, or am I wrong?

That doesn't really make sense to me. If they decline the penalty, you get the alternative play on the field. So, it would be ruled a success, no?

It's like declining a DPI penalty. If the pass is caught with defensive interference and then run for a gain after the catch, you decline the penalty to get those extra yards and get the play on the field.

I know it's an awkward situation, but if you're declining the penalty, you get the play on the field, which would be a TD. Since he was out of bounds and ineligible, it wouldn't make sense to rule that a TD or an incomplete, so they have to accept it.

 

[gmann001]

The reason there was no 10 second run off was because it was an incomplete pass. If it would have been completed, it would've been a 10 second run off.

Since it was incomplete the clock stops anyways, that's the explanation that I was given at least. Makes sense to me.

Thanks for the explanation... I was trying to figure that one out