Week 15 - Carolina Panthers In Town - Saturday Edition

[Pugger]

There's really no where on either side of the ball where the Panthers have any sort of decided advantage over the Packers. Like I said previously, no easy games in the NFL, but I think this has the potential to be a tour de force kind of game for the Packers.

They don't pass great. They don't run great. They don't have true difference makers at the skill positions. They don't generate a lot of pressure, and they're weak on the backend.

All of this could add up to a decisive Packers victory.

45-17 Packers

The poor play by the OL almost cost us this game last night. When the OL plays like that we struggle mightily.

 

[Pugger]

King drives me nuts. He plays soft coverage and never wants to make contact. I’ve watched him literally back away from a tackle. Panthers just scored. Game on. Pathetic D once again.
And why do we even put somebody back on kick returns? Special teams suck, period. I will be positive when I see something that warrants it.

I have no regard for King. He drives me nuts too.

 

[Pugger]

When you are winning the game like we were; it might be better to take the sacks. And some of the sacks there was nothing he could do. A few too many of those crummy short throws in the flat. I mean, they work when they aren't really expected. We throw them too often imho.

This offense clicks when we are running the ball and the OL struggled with that in the second half. We then got into 3rd and long.

 

[PikeBadger]

Crosby has been fabulous this year.

 

[gopkrs]

This offense clicks when we are running the ball and the OL struggled with that in the second half. We then got into 3rd and long.

Yes, it is a tendency that when we run the ball really well, that we stick to it too much. Then the passing game gets stale. At least it seems that way to me. Even when the run game is doing really well; we need to be throwing the ball also.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Yes, it is a tendency that when we run the ball really well, that we stick to it too much. Then the passing game gets stale. At least it seems that way to me. Even when the run game is doing really well; we need to be throwing the ball also.

The Packers threw the ball more often than run it vs. the Panthers. They just didn't have any success doing it after the first three series.

 

[gopkrs]

The Packers threw the ball more often than run it vs. the Panthers. They just didn't have any success doing it after the first three series.

Well yeah, but you tend to look at stats for the whole game. I think in terms of series. And individual play calls. It is not so important to me that the run is working and that if we run it on a particular play; that it will work. I still think the pass should be mixed in. Even if it falls incomplete; it was not a wasted play. imo

 

[GBkrzygrl]

Just a couple of observations. Last season they seemed to struggle in the first 2 quarters or as memory serves they would score, but a lot of times they would have to come from behind or barely hang on to the lead.

This season the offense has obviously played much better but they have had some halves/quarters when they 'lost focus'.

I am by no means a football expert, but I couldn't understand some of LaFleur's playcalls. It seems obvious to me in some games the defense makes half time adjustments and the Packers don't. I don't know if the coaches think, "well it's been working so well, let's just keep doing it" or what. I was very surprised to see that Adams was dropping balls, couldn't get open or Aaron's passes were off. The OL which has been pretty good all season, must have gone home and they put some 3rd stringers in there, cuz talk about 'stinkers'. The last few games feel like a tale of two halves. I am not very optimistic if all phases can't get on the same page.


The ST seemed to play better and so did the defense. But it's frustrating that they can't seem to put a total game together.

I am not optimistic about the TN game.

I am glad we won. I am hoping that NO loses so we have a cushion but...

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Just a couple of observations. Last season they seemed to struggle in the first 2 quarters or as memory serves they would score, but a lot of times they would have to come from behind or barely hang on to the lead.

This season the offense has obviously played much better but they have had some halves/quarters when they 'lost focus'.

I am by no means a football expert, but I couldn't understand some of LaFleur's playcalls. It seems obvious to me in some games the defense makes half time adjustments and the Packers don't. I don't know if the coaches think, "well it's been working so well, let's just keep doing it" or what. I was very surprised to see that Adams was dropping balls, couldn't get open or Aaron's passes were off. The OL which has been pretty good all season, must have gone home and they put some 3rd stringers in there, cuz talk about 'stinkers'. The last few games feel like a tale of two halves. I am not very optimistic if all phases can't get on the same page.


The ST seemed to play better and so did the defense. But it's frustrating that they can't seem to put a total game together.

I am not optimistic about the TN game.

I am glad we won. I am hoping that NO loses so we have a cushion but...

I think most teams have these kinds of games, but yes, they are frustrating as hell and a possible window into the future of something we hope doesn't happen in the playoffs. Halftime adjustments are something I question too and often.

Now to look at where the Packers are in the NFL with Points scored and points allowed by Quarter. The 2nd Q is obviously their best on both Offense and Defense and the 4th just stinks for both units. Some of that 4th Q is because they are usually ahead, so take that into consideration.

Offensive Pts. scored by Q

• 1st: 5.3 (15th in NFL)
• 2nd: 13.2 (#1)
• 3rd: 6.4 (4th)
• 4th: 6.1 (27th)

Defensive Pts. given by Q

• 1st: 4.6 (12th in NFL)
• 2nd: 5.6 (#1)
• 3rd: 5.1 (20th)
• 4th: 8.6 (24th)

 

[swhitset]

Well yeah, but you tend to look at stats for the whole game. I think in terms of series. And individual play calls. It is not so important to me that the run is working and that if we run it on a particular play; that it will work. I still think the pass should be mixed in. Even if it falls incomplete; it was not a wasted play. imo

I agree with that... but don’t think it applies to this game at all. The Packers definitely never stopped passing. It’s kind of hard to take a sack (which they did way too many times) in a running play.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Well yeah, but you tend to look at stats for the whole game. I think in terms of series. And individual play calls. It is not so important to me that the run is working and that if we run it on a particular play; that it will work. I still think the pass should be mixed in. Even if it falls incomplete; it was not a wasted play. imo

Once again, Rodgers dropped back to pass more often in the second half than the Packers ran the ball as well. Unfortunately it didn't result in positive plays most of the time.

 

[swhitset]

Once again, Rodgers dropped back to pass more often in the second half than the Packers ran the ball as well. Unfortunately it didn't result in positive plays most of the time.

It seems that Lefleur agrees with this assessment as well. If you watch his press conference you will notice that he said several times that based on what the Panthers were doing, he felt they had in fact not run the ball enough. Furthermore, it was my impression that he was hinting that several of those plays were RPOs that Rodgers chose to pull out and attempt to pass where Lefleur feels that they should have been runs.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Furthermore, it was my impression that he was hinting that several of those plays were RPOs that Rodgers chose to pull out and attempt to pass where Lefleur feels that they should have been runs.

The Packers executed those RPOs pretty poorly. There was one play Rodgers actually rushed for several yards but all players involved looked pretty confused about what just happened.

 

[swhitset]

The Packers executed those RPOs pretty poorly. There was one play Rodgers actually rushed for several yards but all players involved looked pretty confused about what just happened.

Yeah he mentioned that play as well. He specifically said that he obviously would have preferred to see Jones running that ball.

 

[gopkrs]

I agree with that... but don’t think it applies to this game at all. The Packers definitely never stopped passing. It’s kind of hard to take a sack (which they did way too many times) in a running play.

I wrote about that because of one particular series where we ran and ran until we were stopped. We already had 21 points. In a way, I think it enabled Carolina to stop the run and then discovered they could stop the run and the pass w/o changing personnel. After that their rush became very potent. I just thought at the time that even though we were running the ball very well. We should mix in the pass. I always hated when McCarthy would run run run until they stopped the run. I understand the philosophy but I don't agree with it. Mix it up. It was only one series, but I thought it was important.

 

[gopkrs]

Once again, Rodgers dropped back to pass more often in the second half than the Packers ran the ball as well. Unfortunately it didn't result in positive plays most of the time.

Yes we did. Because at that time we could not run it. So again it is situational and overall stats don't mean much. I do think that LaFleur does not think ahead enough about adjustments he will make if he needs to. I love him as our coach but I think that is a weak point. And yes, I think you can think of things to do differently even before you know exactly what the D is going to do. You just don't use it if things are going well. And then maybe you tweak it when you see what they are doing.

 

[Don Barclay]

I wrote about that because of one particular series where we ran and ran until we were stopped. We already had 21 points. In a way, I think it enabled Carolina to stop the run and then discovered they could stop the run and the pass w/o changing personnel. After that their rush became very potent. I just thought at the time that even though we were running the ball very well. We should mix in the pass. I always hated when McCarthy would run run run until they stopped the run. I understand the philosophy but I don't agree with it. Mix it up. It was only one series, but I thought it was important.

I can't identify this series, looking at the play-by-play of the game. Literally every offensive series after the three touchdowns was dominated by ineffective passing and sacks, except the final series after the 2MW, which was run-run-sack. I think you are misremembering -- might be worth checking your assumptions.

 

[PackerfaninCarolina]

I will say the fact that the Rams lost to the god awful Jets at least made me feel a little better in that at least we won this one. Just serves as a reminder that you gotta find ways to win each and every week.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Yes we did. Because at that time we could not run it. So again it is situational and overall stats don't mean much. I do think that LaFleur does not think ahead enough about adjustments he will make if he needs to. I love him as our coach but I think that is a weak point. And yes, I think you can think of things to do differently even before you know exactly what the D is going to do. You just don't use it if things are going well. And then maybe you tweak it when you see what they are doing.

You're right that the Packers didn't have as much success running the ball in the second half either, totaling 37 yards on nine carries. The point remains that MLF didn't abandon the pass though.