While Dom Caper's defense has been iffy at best and the Mike McCarthy/Ron Zook special teams completely un-special the Tom Clements/Edgar Bennet offense have provided the only shinning moments in a somewhat dismal pre-season.
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| Which Aaron Rodgers will play? I don't know either |
QUARTERBACKS: Like I said in an earlier post I can't really say how Aaron Rodgers is playing after playing just 18 minutes and 15 seconds in the first two pre-season games and sitting out the final two. He took 46 snaps (plus one 2-pt. conversion), throwing 24 passes (completing 15), one run (for 8 yards) and suffering 3 sacks (including one for a safety). He finished with a quarterback rating of 84.4 a good 21.6 points below his career average. He also suffered a bruise to his throwing arm on the safety three weeks ago.
Rodgers should come out throwing well and leads the Packers to a victory, but if the past is prolog (the playoff loss to the Giants after sitting out the final game of the 2011 season) then he comes out rusty and the game will be up to the defense to make the new-look Jay Cutler have his usual miserable game.
Second-string Scott Tolzien was ok (28-of-46 for 250 yards with 2 TDs and 1 interception). However, it was third-string rookie Brett Hundley who was the star of the entire NFL in the pre-season. He led the NFL in touchdown passes (7) and was second in the NFL in yards passing (630) 94 yards behind Landry Jones of the Steelers, who had the fortune to play against the Packers defense (172 yards).
In the manner of full disclosure I hated the Hundley pick. I thought he was too much of a project and a waste of a pick, but I am now a Hundley lover. He showed so much poise and a knowledge of the Packer offense that I bet he is traded next year.
In fact he may become the best ex-Packer quarterback since Babe Parilli and Tobin Rote (in the Candadian Football League) from the 1950's and better than the more recent ex-Packer quarterbacks Matt Hasselbeck, Mark Brunell, Aaron Brooks and Brett Favre in his swan song season of 2009 where he fell one extremely ill-advised interception, but typical of him, of taking the Vikings to the Super Bowl.
In fact, if Rodgers was near the end Thompson would probably rip his locker out and send it to house (maybe Olivia Munn could use it to store her S&M equipment) when he trades him to the Jets.
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| Eddie Lacy doing his thing |
RUNNING GAME: The Packers averaged 91.2 yards on 26 carries a game during the pre-season. Eddie Lacy (15 carries for a 5.0 average), John Starks (13 carries, 3.6 average) and Alonzo Harris (21 carries, 7.0 average) all looked good as did the running backs who didn't make the team. Despite Starks' per carry average all seemed to be mid-season form despite playing mainly behind the second string line.
WIDE RECEIVERS: The Packers led the league passing yardage during the pre-season averaging 274.0 yards a game. Myles White led the Packers and finished 3rd in the league (16-157-2TD), but he is gone with the signing of James Jones (15-151-0TD) from the Giants.
Jeff "Rodney Dangerfield" Janis had another great pre-season (10-149-3TD), but he will never the field, so let's just forget him. Now we'll look at how the receivers who are going to play did. Rookie Ty Montgomery (4-99-0TD), Randall Cobb (2-46-0TD), Davante Adams (3-17-0TD). Like the quarterbacks this was the pre-season where the starters hardly played. However, I think we'll be fine with this unit.
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| Kennard Backman is an up-and-comer at tight end |
TIGHT ENDS: Now the tight ends did play a lot and I was impressed with rookie Kennard Backman (7-64-1TD). He was another pick I did not like, but he has won me over. He showed an ability to get open and to make the tough catch. He might be the missing Red Zone Link Rodgers has been looking for. The starters Richard Rodgers (5-58-1TD) and Andrew Quarless (7-62-0TD) also looked fine. NOTE: Richard Rodgers gave up his #89 to Jones (seems signing Jones caused all sort of commotion) and took his high school number 82, which he wore his freshman year in college before changing to 11.
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| Center Corey Linsley hasn't missed a snap |
OFFENSIVE LINE: The Packers went into the season with the most experienced and solid offensive line in recent memory who played together for the most part last season. That ended quickly this year as a rash of injury decimated the unity. The starting unit of left tackle David Bakhtiari, left guard Josh Sitton, center Corey Linsley, right guard T.J. Lang and right tackle Bryan Bulaga have only played together for the first 33 snaps in the first pre-season game against the Patriots.
Bakhtiari went down with a knee injury after the Patriots game and hasn't played since. All-Pro Sitton is still suffering from a bad toe from last year and added an ankle injury while Lang suffered a concussion against the Steelers and also hasn't played since. Bulaga also suffered an ankle injury that forced him to miss some snaps, but not as much as the others.
The offensive line is a big question mark heading into the Bears because if the Packers have to use backups they may be in trouble. Don Barclay (RT/LT), who was a rock before suffering a severe knee injury last year, is still not 100% back mentally at least, if not physically. I hope he regains the skills he had prior to the injury, but so far he hasn't. Third year J. C. Tretter (C) and Lane Taylor (LG) and first-year Josh Walker (RG) are the other reserves. While they all have their strengths heaven help us if these four have to play.
Oops, I forgot we actually have two FULLBACKS on the roster. John KUUUUUUUUUUUHN is back and he looked good blocking. Last year he was used on short yardage (24-85-1TD) and he may again on short yardage or two-point conversions. Rookie Aaron Ripkowksi played some snaps on offense (no carries, but he did catch one pass for 3 yards against the Saints) mainly in a blocking mode, but he was a beast on the special teams coverage units. He may be a find if his blocking is as good as his tackling was. This might be KUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHN's final season.
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