If We Only Had Defense

"We could while away the hours, conferrin' with the powers, consultin' with Mike Pence. And my head I'd be scratchin' while playoff thoughts were hatchin' if we only had defense."

 

Prior to the win over the Eagles last Monday Night the Packers suffered through a four-game losing streak, the longest since a 5-game streak in 2008 when Aaron Rodgers became the starter and the team fell to 6-10.

 

While the Packers offense in general and Aaron Rodgers in particular had been dysfunctional at best and downright awful at worse for 14 straight regular season games it wasn't the offense that let a 4-2 record fall to 4-6.

 

NOW Invades 1265 Lombardi Avenue

It's been an interesting week after the Packers were embarrassed in Nashville and fell below .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2008. The defense was manhandled and the offense was spotty.

 

After the game Aaron Rodgers came out of the "Sanctuary" and set us stupid idiots straight who are worried about the Packers in general and Head Coach Mike McCarthy in particular by saying this, "I think it's ridiculous. I think people don't understand how difficult it is to win in this league and win consistently. The success that we've had here, it's tough to do. We've set the standard pretty high. But I wouldn't listen to some of those people out there. I mean they're not in this locker room, they're not in the meeting rooms, they're not in the practice environments. They don't know what's going on, they don't know the type of work ethic that we have here and that Mike has here."

 

Well Mr. Rodgers put us in our place telling us unwashed masses that we don't know enough to get in out of the rain. He tells us that we should be grateful the Packers were as good as they were and that we shouldn't expect to be good this year and to "quit your bellyaching."

 

FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS, PART ZWEIUNDZWANZIG

(German because our soon to be ex-president was in Germany this past week)

 

SUBLIME

 

There is nothing sublime in Packerville these days. Actually I am wrong come to think about it. I made Frozen Tundra Chili last week and it was delicious. Here's the recipe:

Not So Frozen Tundra

 

At a Crossroads

The season is at the proverbial crossroads. The Packers are third in the North Division a game behind the Minnesota Vikings (5-3), who have lost three in a row, and a half a game behind the Detroit Lions (5-4), with a 4-4 record. Where the future of the Packers lies literally lies over the next eight games.

 

Do they rebound and win their next 8 games, do they limp alone being Just Good Enough to make the playoffs for the 8th year in a row thusly saving the jobs of Mark Murphy, Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy and Dom Capers. Or do they collapse and  miss the playoffs triggering a needed housecleaning.

 

I am on the fence on where I want this season to go. More than half of me wants the collapse so Thompson and McCarthy are gone. The lesser half of me would hate to see a collapse week in and week out, but unless something drastic happens the Packers Board of Directors will not make any needed changes.

 

Another One Bites The Dust

Every week another starter is lost to the Packers and this week it was starting center J.C. Tretter, who was put on the shelf with a knee injury.

 

Through the first seven games during which the Packers went 4-3 the Packers lost 16 players to injury for a total of  37 missed games. In fact, there hasn't been a week where the Packers didn't have a player out because of injury.

 

Week 1 Josh Hawkins (hamstring), Trevor Davis (shoulder), Chris Banjo (hamstring) and Jayrone Elliott (hamstring) sat out the game. Week 2 Hawkins, Elliott and Banjo were still out with Sam Shields added with a concussion.

 

Trade Deadline or The Day Ted Thompson Sleeps

Tuesday is the trade deadline in the NFL and I only mention this because I would make a blockbuster trade in order for the Packers to right their ship and sail into the playoffs, but normally this is a day General Manager Ted Thompson sleeps.

 

Since the end of last season Thompson has been a busy man. He re-signed OLB Nick Perry and LG Lane Taylor, which at the time I thought was quite bizarre, but little did I know they were destined to be starters with the demotion of All-Pro OLB Julius Peppers and the cutting of All-Pro LG Josh Sitton. Like I've said many times, "what do I know?"

 

He also re-signed NT Letroy Guion, PK Mason Crosby, RB James Starks and OL Don Barclay. Crosby was a no-brainer and so was Guion with the way he played two years ago, but again we didn't know that B.J. Raji would retire (ok, hiatus). Starks hasn't been Starks of the past and is now injured. Barclay found his position during the preseason, but it turned out to be center where the Packers have two good ones (albeit one is on PUP).

 

The Defensive Wheels Fell Off

For the umpteenth time since 2010 the defense let down the Packer offense in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons Sunday.

 

With Aaron "R-E-L-A-X" Rodgers seemingly channeling his old self for the second week in a row it was left to the Ted Thompson/Dom Capers led defense to come up with a big play or shut down the Matt Ryan and the Falcons air game, but as could be predicted, and I did at the time, they didn't and the Packers lost 33-32.

 

Before I get into my analysis I want to say something about the argument being made for why the Packers defense is below par. The Tedders are hanging their "suckup" hats on injuries being the main culprit (i.e. being without Clay Matthews, Sam Shields, Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins), but injuries are part of the NFL and the truly great teams have backups that step in and step up.

 

The Wheels On The Bus Are Coming Off

I've spent the past week and a half avoiding thinking about the Packers. I watched the game against the Bears at my old watering hole The Cellar with a peripheral Packer Backer with whom I've seen two previous games with over the years and liked what I saw from the Packers in general and Aaron Rodgers in particular but......

 

Rodgers had a good game, but only because Mike McCarthy was told (I'm guessing about that) to change his offensive philosophy to fit his current personnel instead of thinking he still had a fast Jordy Nelson, a sure-handed James Jones, a game-changer Jermichael Finley at tight end, a No. 1 receiver Greg Jennings and a No. 1 receiver Donald Driver, instead of a slow Jordy, a slow Randall Cobb, a slow Davante Adams, a slow Ty Montgomery, a slower Richie Rodgers and faster but unused Jeff Janis and Trevor Davis at wideout and Justin Perillo at tight end.

 

However, the Bears are bad and may not win another game this season. Today the Packers play the Falcons, who are ranked 26h in total defense and 31st in passing defense, which should mean Rodgers, during a normal year, would have a field day, but who knows what this Rodgers and this dysfunctional offense will do?

Is The Defense Really Good?

The Packers are 3-1 with the defense allowing 20.8 points a game and ranked No. 1 in the NFL in rushing defense allowing just 42.8 yards a game, 24th in passing defense (274.5) and 9th overall (317.2).

 

Under Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers the defense has been ranked 2015-15th (346.7), 2014-15th (346.4), 2013-25th (372.2), 2012-11th (336.8), 2011-32nd (411.6), 2010-5th (309.1) and 2009-2nd (284.4).

 

General Manager Ted Thompson has been trying to improve the defense through the draft with 15 draft picks, including 6 No. 1 picks, 1 No. 2, 2 No. 3, 3 No. 4, 1 No. 5, and 2 No. 6. The remaining 12 of the 27 defensive players are undrafted (9) or street free agents (3), including acquiring former Panthers No. 1 pick Julius Peppers as a street free agent from the Bears. On the practice squad there is a No. 4 pick and a three undrafted free agents.

 

The Packers Are SOOO Predictable

Before I face the wrath of the "Trust in Tedders" and "Ask Vic" I will state winning is a whole lot better than losing, so I am happy with the 34-27 win over the Lions keeping the Packers (2-1) in second place in the North behind the "Break Up The Vikings" (3-0) and ahead of the Lions (1-2) and the No Luck Bears (0-3).

 

Now I ask "Ask Vic" and the "Tedders" to tune out because I have something serious to say and those two are so far up Ted Thompson's ass they haven't seen daylight for eons or 11 years.

Week 3 - DO YOUR DAMN JOB!!!!!

Week 3 has arrived with the Packers opening their home schedule against the Detroit Lions after coming off a stinker of a game against a very flawed opponent the North's defending champion Minnesota Vikings.

 

The Packers lost 17-14 and had two chances to either send the game into overtime or win it with formerly All-World quarterback Aaron Rodgers at the helm. However, Mr. Rodgers fumbled the first time and threw the game-ending interception on the other.

FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS, PART ZWANZIG

(It's German just because)

 

SUBLIME

 

Best Wishes To Our Bart Starr

Two weeks ago it was reported that the most beloved Packer of them all Bart Starr was returning to Tijuana for another stem cell treatment.

 

“We’re really looking for big things to happen with this visit because this is probably the healthiest Bart’s been in two years,” said Cherry Starr, Bart’s wife.

 

Now that is about as SUBLIME as the Packers faithful can hope for these days as the Packers sort through their tribulations on the field.

Depression And Reality Setting In

Don't Say Anything Dad

There are possibly four things going on with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense. The first one could have been avoided and the second and third can be fixed, but the fourth is catastrophic.

Roster Rumblings

Looking around the roster the Packers kept three quarterbacks and I have no problem with that because we don't know how healthy Brett Hundley is and Joe Callahan earned at least a few weeks on the 53 because he was the only one who provided the "WOW" moments during the preseason.