New Teams for Old Packers

It took a while, but the career of former Packer Backer favorite (until he got beat for the winning TD in overtime of the 2014 “Great Collapse”) isn’t over after Tramon Williams signed a 1-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals.

You Must Listen to Aaron Rodgers

After the Packers were routed by the Falcons in the NFC championship game the "Man Who Must Be Listened To" Aaron Rodgers said this, "I don't think we need to rebuild. We need to reload We've just got to make sure we're going all-in every year to win. And I think we can take a big step this offseason."

Reading the lines were easy. Rodgers was saying it was time to bring in the final pieces of the puzzle since his time was drawing down, which is something I've been saying since before the Super Bowl. General Manager Ted Thompson built a playoff team that has made the playoffs for eight seasons in a row, but he absolutely refuses to build a Super Bowl team.

"Hail Rodgers"

I took last week off because I was busy at work and I really didn't know what to think about the Packers after dismantling the Lions in the 6h must-win in as many weeks. I felt the Lions were only downslide even though the Packers had failed to win the same game last year at Lambeau Field against the Vikings with the North title on the line.

That failure stuck in my mind heading into the game against the Giants as did the other two times Eli Manning faced the Packers at Lambeau in the playoffs and beat Brett Favre the first time and Aaron Rodgers the second.

However, this is a different Packers team facing an older and not better Eli with Aaron Rodgers at the top of his game and the Aaron Rodgers who was mired in a slump when he faced the Vikings last year.

Defense A Work In Progress

Holding the Cleveland Browns to 11 points was a bit of an illusion. Actually the Packers could have lost the game if the touchdown pass in the second quarter had counted. What I saw didn't look good as far as the starters were concerned.



Defensively it was sadly same old, same old. First: Missed tackles. Second: Busted plays resulting in long gains. Third: Being suckered into being out of position on outside containment resulting in long gains, especially the left side. Four: Only two passes defensed on 23 pass attempts. NOT GOOD.

 

Dean Lowry (#94) Has Jumped Ahead Of No. 1 Pick Kenny Clark

The defensive scheme was basically a 2-4-5 most of the game after starting the game in a 3-4-4. The official starting unit was #4 pick Dean Lowry at left end, Letroy Guion at nose tackle and Mike Daniels at right defensive tackle. I hope you notice there is no right defensive end in Dom Capers' scheme, but 2 interior linemen.