Can You Say 2-0, Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!

The losing streak is over. The Seahawks have finally been plucked. The Bears (0-2) lost and the Lions (0-2) lost to the Vikings (1-1). After two games the Packers lead the North and are tied for the lead in the NFC and the NFL.

 

Full Disclosure up front. I predicted a 35-24 loss while wishing I was wrong. I got my wish, but you all have to understand something I'm the pessimist in our Packer Backer group while Timmer is the optimist and Andrew jumps off the couch and cusses as he blocks our view of the TV. We all do our jobs. I, of course, AM the "Pouring of the Beer" with help from Andrew, Andrew, the pouring machine.

 

The Green Bay Packers did a lot of good things Sunday night, including overcoming the glaring deficiency of Dom Capers not making adjustments at halftime and the opposing team always coming out and owning the third quarter.

 

However, this time the Packers fans, James Starks, Aaron Rodgers, Randall Cobb and my vote for game MVP Jayrone Elliott stepped up in the fourth quarter to bring the victory home.

 

Other big time contributors were right tackle Don Barclay (Turkey Leg), wide receiver Ty Montgomery (Turkey Leg), nose tackle B. J. Raji (Turkey Leg), wide receiver James Jones (Turkey Leg), tight end Richard Rodgers (Turkey Leg) and linebacker Nick Perry (Chicken Leg).

 

I also want to give a complete Butterball Turkey dinner to the Packers special teams. Mason Crosby didn't come close to missing a kick from every distance going 4-for-4 on field goals (54, 44, 21, 18) and 1-for-1 on extra points (33). The kickoff coverage team had the Seahawks bottled up inside their 20 on six of his seven kickoffs. Punter Tim Masthay had a good night. Finally and more importantly there was not a penalty on special teams.

I have noticed over the years that the Packer fans at Lambeau Field aren't very vocal and it seemed Coach Mike McCarthy did too, because he made a point during the week to ask for some noise Sunday night. Lambeau Field was rocking, except for the third quarter, but they came back in the fourth quarter when the Packers needed them the most. TWO THUMBS UP WITH A BEER BELLY CHASER.

Got Loud Lambeau

James Starks was clutch tonight and the Packers are lucky they still have him. When Eddie Lacy left the game with an injury Starks was all they had because third-string running back Alonzo Harris was inactive leaving just fullbacks John Kuuuuuuuhn and Aaron Ripkowski as the other runners. Kuuuuuuuuuhn was in on a few plays as a blocker and Ripkowski played on special teams. Richard Rodgers played in the backfield as did Randall Cobb, but it was on Starks' shoulders almost the whole game. In addition he came back from a fumble in the second quarter to break open a key 35-yard run in the third quarter. He finished with 95 yards rushing on 20 carries. TWO BIG THUMBS UP.

 

Aaron Rodgers was also clutch tonight and obversely (if that's a word), Russell Wilson was not. 9-for-9 in the fourth quarter is about as clutch as it gets. I would have liked to have gone for a touchdown late instead of the field goal, because I'm afraid of a collapse and want all the points I can get. But all in all a great job on the big stage. TWO THUMBS UP.

 

Randall Cobb with a sore shoulder led the Packers in receiving with 8 catches for 116 yards and several key catches for first downs. TWO THUMBS UP.

 

Jayrone my man. He had no tackles, but made the two biggest plays on defense in the fourth quarter. He picked off Wilson with the Packers leading 24-17 leading to a field goal and then sealed the win by forcing a fumble. Besides being the MVP he deserves the whole Madden turkey with all eight legs. TWO HANDS AND TWO FEET UP.

 

Two hands and feet up for Jayrone Elliott

Barclay didn't allow a sack. Montgomery had four catches in the fourth quarter. Do the Raji had only two tackles, but he was disruptive all game. Jones caught one ball, but it was for a touchdown and had a second TD catch disqualified in as many games. Rodgers, Jr. had three catches and a touchdown and two-point conversion. I don't remember seeing Andrew Quarless on offense.

 

Do the Raji

Finally Perry has had a rough time with injuries and lack of production, but last night he had a great game with four total tackles (3 solo) and one for a loss.

 

Nick Perry he showed up

The Packers defensive line had a great game. They held Marshawn Lynch to just 41 yards on 15 carries. If you take away an 11-yard run he averaged just 2-yards a carry. In total the line had 10 solo tackles, 2 assisted tackles and one sack (Mike Daniels). So I give them four rotisserie chickens, four prime beefs and the Ron Popeil Showtime rotisseries that made them delicious and easy. BTW I would like a Showtime rotisserie, if anyone wants to know.

 

Except for the third quarter (I blame Capers for that because it happens every game) and the two offsides (one that cost the Packers four points) the defense played much better than it did against the Bears. So Showtime rotisseries all around.

 

Set It and Forget It

LAMBEAU NOTES: Lacy, wide receiver Davante Adams and nose tackle Josh Boyd all left the game with ankle injuries. Lacy didn't return and the x-rays were negative. Adams did return in the fourth quarter. Boyd had to be carried off the field on a stretcher and was found to have a broken ankle. He then pulled a Woodson and said he wouldn't be missing many games.

 

Defensive end Datone Jones returned from his suspension and had two tackles both of Lynch (one for a 1-yard loss and the other on a 8-yard pass play).

 

NFL NORTH NOTES: That well-known wimp Jay Cutler had to leave the Bears-Cardinals game when he pulled up lame after throwing a pick-6. However, his injury may be more or less than it looks.

 

When he went down without being hit and not touching the "Interceptor" he was chasing he fell on his throwing shoulder, but, to his credit, he seemed to be limping as he walked off the field. It was reported later that the Bears decided to call it a hamstring injury, so if he returned (as if Cutler ever returns after he fakes an injury when he is having a bad game) the defense couldn't target his real injury. Was it real or was it subversion? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

NFL NOTES:

 

In the case of Charles Woodson, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in week one, he started the game against the Ravens (keeping his starting streak (34 straight games) perfect since he rejoined the Raiders) and finished with 4 tackles (3 solo).

 

In news from teams I'm not fond of the Cowboys won their game with the Eagles, but lost Tony Romo to a broken collarbone. It couldn't happen to a better team. Poor Jerry Jones and his broken heart.