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?

I'm Back and Pissed Off

It's been a while since I've posted anything and there are two reasons - well actually more than two, but I will only share just two of them - I've fallen behind in my analysis of the Green Bay Packers.

 

First, not much was happening and I had already gave my analysis of the draft and the undrafted free agents, so any further comments during the lull could wait until the "Organized Team Activities" got underway this week.

 

Second, I am a working sports reporter and we have been in the middle of softball, baseball, track and girls soccer conference, regionals and sectionals and I've been very busy.

 

But today a story out of the Falcons griped my butt forcing me to return to the fray - even though technically it has nothing to do with the Packers.

 

Some idiot named Prince Shembo was cut by the Falcons (May 29) after being charged with killing his girlfriend's little dog. Great - zero tolerance on animal cruelty - is a good thing, but this action was only the tip of the iceberg of an attitude towards women by the NFL (and other sports leagues and organizations)