Thoughts on Thoughts

The final preseason game was won by the Packers 24-10 over the Los Angeles Rams (still doesn’t make up for losing to them in the playoffs when they were in St. Louis and intercepted Brett Favre 6 times) and the nattering nabobs of pro footballery have come out to give their opinions on this, that and the other and as far as the Green Bay Packers are concerned the local media still hasn’t seen daylight after drinking the Ted Thompson Kool-Aid and waiting from him to bend over so they could take their usual spot up his ass.

On Cheesehead TV Zachary Jacobson in his article “Packers Vs. Rams: First Impressions” stuck his nose out and made some obvious Pro Thompson statements like “Rough start for Brett Hundley. A few missed throws, pressure in his face, not ideal. Backup offensive line will do that to you, though.” It seems everyone has to make excuses for Hundley, when he hasn’t been the second coming of Doug Pederson since his rookie preseason. I would cut him in favor of Taysom Hill.

Here’s something else I have noticed, but it seems nobody else has put 2 and 2 together to get 4. Jacobson said, “Hundley played the entire first half, a sign that the Packers may very well carry just two quarterbacks into the reguar season. Jamaal Williams began the second half at running back. An indicator that Jones is RB2 at the moment.”

I have noticed over the years the more a player plays in the final preseason game mean just the opposite of what “the media” thinks. The more playing time a player gets means he is on the bubble and will probably be cut. This has played out time and time again under Mike McCarthy.

Jacobson also said this, “The talent is there, it's just a matter of the cohesion of this group coming together and Dom Capers and co. giving the Packers their best shot at being formidable.” Well, when has Dom Capers and any of his company gave the Packers their best shot or any shot at being formidable? Even with McCarthy hamstringing the offense in the second half of games and Ted Thompson providing him the cheapest roster money can’t buy if The Dom had been competent the Packers might have been to at least three more Super Bowls, but alas poor Yorick, we know disappointment well, Horatio.

Putting falling short of Super Bowl contention year in and year out aside saying that the defensive talent is there, is an up Ted’s ass statement of rosy proportions. The Packers have had no pass rush during the preseason, so hoping the signing of Ahmad Brooks helps, is all we’ve got. Clay Matthews and Nick Perry are hurt, what else is new, and the depth behind them (before Brooks) are of the bargain basement variety (2016 #3-88 (Kyler Fackrell, 2017 #4-108 Vince Biegel) and undrafted free agents (Jayrone Elliott, Reggie Gilbert, David Talley, Johnathan Calvin, Josh Letuligasenoa).

The cornerbacks, who were a disaster last season, are on both ends of the spectrum. There are failed top draft picks 2015 #1-30 (Damarious Randall), 2015 #2 (Quinten Rollins), 2017 #2-33 (Kevin King), failed middle draft picks (2011 #4-131 (Davon House), failed lower draft picks (2014 #6-197 Demetri Goodson) and undrafted free agents (Ladarius Gunter, Josh Hawkins, Linzy Pipkins, Dontello Brown, Raysean Pringle, Daquan Holmes).

King has not shown much, but will make the team, despite being third on the depth chart behind House (who has been injured all preseason after returning from his failed Jaguars stint) and Gunter at left corner. Rollins is listed as the starter on right corner with Randall behind him.

2017 #2-61 (Josh Jones) is well liked at the slot corner spot made famous by Charles Woodson by all the kiss ass local media, but last night against the Broncos he had another missed tackle that resulted in a touchdown pass. He probably leads the team in missed tackles. Another example of The Dom “giving the Packers their best shot at being formidable.” If The Dom teaches nothing else than playing soft it is missing tackles.

Jacobson sums up what he thinks about The Dom, “A middle-of-the-pack defense is all the Packers seem to need to get Aaron Rodgers past the playoff plateau and back into the Super Bowl.”

Wouldn’t it be nice to expect a dominating defense? But the last thing the Packers will have as long as the Mark Murphy-Ted Thompson-Mike McCarthy regime is large and in charge is a dominating defense and another trip to the Super Bowl.