Mojo is Back

The Smiles and Mojo Were Back

I didn't get a chance to see the Packers win over Washington until Monday because I was covering a women's college basketball game and didn't get over to the game until the score was 32-18 in the fourth quarter.

Aaron Rodgers addressed what had happened and who am I to say anything different, “This is huge for us, it really is. I talked a lot the last couple of weeks about being able to turn it on. A lot of you probably thought that this was lip service. But we just needed a game like this to get our mojo back. We got our confidence going. I said this week, it just takes one — one performance to get us going back in the right direction and believing we can make a run.”

Offensive mojo has been lacking since Week 3 of the season and team mojo has been lacking since coming back from the Bye Week. I finally watched the entire game and it seemed to me several things were going on.

J.C. Tretter - The DC Hero

First, J.C. Tretter did a better job at left tackle than Josh Sitton, Don Barclay and even David Bakhtiari. I have been saying all season Bakhtiari was the weak link on the line and if it was left up to me I would keep Tretter at left tackle against the Cardinals, if for no other reason, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Second, the game started like the other 10 games before it with uninspired plays being called, receivers not getting open and pressure put on Rodgers. Same old, same old. It seemed the season was going to be over in another 45 minutes.

However, after the safety Coach Mike McCarthy gave some help, but not a lot, to Tretter until his muscles remembered what it was like playing on the left edge (he played left tackle at Cornell). Like I said above, leave him there. Bakhtiari has given up too many pressures and he was never much in the run game.

It also looked like McCarthy started to go to plays Tom Clements had forgot were in the playbook like the quick slants in and out. They went back to the no huddle, which speeded everything up. Receivers were getting open and Rodgers was able to hit them when they were open.

Eddie Lacy Was Back

The running game was crisp and clean. Lacy and Starks were hitting the hole fast and taking the ball up field, for the most part. With the addition of Randall Cobb in the backfield the running game was also reenergized 

Randall Cobb Was Catching Everything

Cobb had been used in the backfield during the bad streak, but somehow this time he made a difference in both the running game and the passing game out of the backfield.

Also, I have been critical of Cobb for avoiding getting open and catching the ball, butSunday he was back getting open, catching the ball and getting tackled.

Take That You Doubters

Finally, Aaron Rodgers was also back. Olivia Munn must have shown him the picture of him as Mr. Rogers and it revved him up or got him pissed. Thanks to me

Rodgers missed just a couple passes instead of most of them. He was right on the money for the first time since the Chiefs game in Week 3. Rodgers has been MIA for 13 weeks, but Sunday he was on his game and that is what the Packers needed.

Davante Adams Was Back Before He Was Out

John KUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHN did a great job blocking and punter Tim Masthay had a decent day.

KUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHNNNNNN

Finally, Jared Abberderius did a good job filling in for Davante Adams after he got hurt. It seems Adams just can't catch a break. Just when he finally gets open and makes tough catches he gets knocked out, so it seems Abberderius will have to fill in again this week. 

Clay Matthews Was Disruptive

With the Packers offense contributing for a change the defense came through also. I said the key was to get pressure on Kirk Cousins and if they got 6 sacks the Packers had a chance to win. Well, Nick Perry, Mike Neal and Clay Matthews must have been reading along with Olivia because they got 6 sacks. Thanks to me again.

Nick Perry Was Destructive

The pressure not only came from blitzes, but at least one it came with a four-man rush when Neal and Julius Peppers with the hand on the ground rushing as defensive ends.

LaDarius Gunter - The Other DC Hero

The tackling was good, for the most part, and the secondary playing without Sam Shields and later Quinten Rollins did a good job in coverage. Game Ball to undrafted free agent rookie LaDarius Gunter, who took over when Rollins went down and did a good job.

I have to give Casey Hayward some love. He probably had his best game of the season. He has been a major disappointment letting Darmarious Randall win Tramon Williams' old job and being a weak link as far as tackling and taking the right angels, but not Sunday.

The game was probably the best of the season and it didn't come a day too early as the Packers head to Arizona for the rematch of the Disaster in the Desert of three weeks ago. If this Rodgers, Lacy, Cobb, offensive line, the other receivers, and the defense show up the Packers have a good chance to make this 2010 all over again.

 

P.S. Is that positive enough Vic?

OBTW: I don't need to be scolded by the likes of you for stating the obvious and not being Suzy Sunshine.