The Green Bay Packers handled the Cleveland Browns 31-13 on Sunday, despite not having several of their best players. They’re the Browns. We’re the Packers.
Supposed to happen, but here are five more thoughts nonetheless.
Jarrett Boykin. Steppin’ the fuck up!
No James Jones. No Randall Cobb. And Jermichael Finley left with a neck injury. No matter. Jarrett Boykin led the team with eight catches, 103 yards and a touch. Last week, when Boykin had to come in, he dropped more balls than he caught. On Sunday, Boykin was a boss. The Packers needed him and he came through. This is a guy who went undrafted last season and now he’s a baller. Kudos to Big Ted and The Buffoon for seeing something in a guy no one else did.
That being said, Aaron Rodgers makes anyone good.
Seriously, you and I could go play receiver for the Packers and we’d each have 100 yards and a touchdown. Not taking away anything from Jarrett Boykin, but it seems like it doesn’t matter who lines up at receiver for the Packers. Aaron Rodgers will make them awesome if they can get any kind of separation. Down two of his top three receivers — don’t give a shit. Still throws for 260 and three touchdowns.
Your days are numbered Jerron McMillian.
This cat was supposed to start at safety at some point. Now he can’t even get on the field. McMillian was awful early in the season while Morgan Burnett was out. Against Cleveland — and you probably didn’t notice — McMillian barely played. He played just one defensive snap. The Packers went to rookie Micah Hyde, who’s played well, in the dime. That was McMillian’s role. They also used undrafted free agent Chris Banjo ahead of McMillian. Banjo actually took snaps away from the other starting safety, M.D. Jennings. I don’t know where they find these guys, but it’s clear McMillian has no role on this team right now.
Brad Jones, you might not be getting your job back.
Brad Jones missed his second consecutive game due to injury. Jones has been good enough, but his replacement, Jamari Lattimore, killed it on Sunday. Lattimore was impressive in his first start. He was a badass in his second. Lattimore had a team-leading 12 tackles, a sack and he knocked down a pass. Dude makes plays. Reminiscent of when Desmond Bishop replaced Nick Barnett.
These guys can ball.
1. Davon House. How can you not have this guy on the field? First pick on Sunday. Three tackles. Knocked down three passes. I don’t know what happens when Casey Hayward comes back, but Tramon Williams should probably be looking over his shoulder. 2. Eddie Lacy. Carried 22 times for 82 yards. Caught five for 26. Ran for a score. This against a really good Browns defense. If there was any doubt, there shouldn’t be anymore. This guy makes the Packers offense better than it’s been since Ahman Green was toting the rock.
And here’s one more. Don Barclay, as much as I like him as a run blocker, is still awful as a pass blocker. Hasn’t improved. May need to be replaced.
EN 
ES 
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Anyone who thinks TT is not a genius can suck it.
Barclay will be replaced by Bryan Bulaga.
Bulaga will take the right side next season I betcha…
Bulaga, the big/nasty downhill run style blocker is a natural Right Tackle. Bakhtiari is light on his feet. I will be watching closely to see how or if he can stone Peppers & Allen. Sherrod is now a highly drafted insurance policy…
Bakhtiari’s hands are so quick & he is so mobile. Hard to believe he was the NFL’s only week 1 starter at Left Tackle.
You are forgetting Derek Sherrod. I know he hasn’t played much yet, but that’s also my point. He could be pretty good for all we know.
*The NFL’s only week 1 Rookie starter at Left Tackle …
Oh…&….LATTIMORE! LATTIMORE!! LATTIMORE!!!!
Eddie Lacy is my new favorite Packer. Love that fucking guy!
The trio of Jones, Nelson and Boykin are good enough to win in the NFL. No Findley means no pass catching TE so look for a bump in Eddie Lacy’s numbers running and catching passes out of the backfield.
It would be better if you didn’t insult coach McCarthy all the time… The dude is one of the best in the league.
MM looks good because of Arodge. If he had Alex Smith for a QB he would be average as a coach, at best.
Hypotheticals are the argument of a man who has no logical
recourse.
damn Phat, that’s awesome!
Tramon is gone at season’s end. Massive contract, I believe next year is his last on contract, with the cheap youngins… he’s doneski.
He could re-negotiate.
It seems as if he’s trying to shed his “soft” label by playing tough guy — and he winds up with silly, out of character penalties.
But he’s not the guy he was 4 years ago, now relegated to the slot — so he deserves a pay-cut.
I’ve thought earlier that it’s him or Shields, but not both — now I wonder if it’s either.
I wonder if Tramon would be willing to give up some scratch to help sign Shields? you know, being a team dude, and all that stuff.
I guess the Finley injury sealed his career at Green Bay and that of Richardson, too.
Finley will be on the shelf for another month as they figure out the severity of his injury. That’s three-fourths of the season right there — I sense GB will give up any benefit from his further efforts to safeguard his long-term health and put him on IR.
They won’t re-sign him — this injury could happen again, with more dire results.
And if they were on the fence with Richardson, they’re off it now. Richardson will likely be released: they’ve been conservative in the wake of Nick Collins’ injury, now after Finley they’ll be ultra-cautious and release him.
A spinal bruise isn’t exactly a increased probability injury like a concussion though, additionally, it’s a rare injury, as such it’s highly unlikely he’ll suffer one again.
The rest of your beliefs are possible but highly pessimistic.
from Pete Dougherty at GBPG…
http://www.packersnews.com/article/20131022/PKR01/310220433/Lacy-s-emergence-helps-keep-offense-going
Dr. Neel Anand, a surgeon and director of spine trauma at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center in Los Angeles, said that if Finley’s evaluation process is as protracted as reports suggest, then his MRI probably revealed some form of stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal) — either congenital or caused by the injury.
The long-term risks created by severe spinal bruises don’t necessarily end a player’s career, though they can.
“If he makes a complete recovery, but the MRI is not normal, he probably could still play as long as he didn’t get another episode or two,” Anand said. “And if he’s not made a full recovery and the MRI is not normal, then the chance is probably he’s going to be benched for some time.”
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less than promising news at JS…
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/return-of-jermichael-finley-unlikely-without-surgery-b99126233z1-228880141.html
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I’m not pessimistic, I’m realistic — based on the Packers’ treatment of the following players with spinal injuries: Jeremy Thompson, Nick Collins, Terrence Murphy.
There is absolutely no timetable for Finley right now. That indicates it could well be several weeks/games before he’s evaluated, re-evaluated, diagnosed, treated — at that point 12 or 13 weeks of the season have been completed. Thompson will put him on IR — bringing back an unknown post-injury commodity wouldn’t be in the team’s best interest. It will be the end of Finley’s career with the Packers — Ted won’t re-sign him, knowing a second injury could put him on the shelf permanently.
*Sean Richardson
Agreed, the Packers are extremely cautious with neck injuries, as should be expected from an organization of such repute.
The diagnosis, however, should take no more than another 1-2 weeks, the prognosis perhaps a few weeks longer. Until we have an official diagnosis, I think it’d be fair to hold that any belief or discussion that in any way implies Finley’s Packer/football career is over is premature and pessimistic.
Iff (if and only if) Finley’s injury is potentially career-threatening (e.g. A cervical spinal stenosis as mentioned in the JSOnline article, appreciate the links FWIW), then he will almost certainly never don a Packers uniform again, even if he’s capable of playing elsewhere.
Until there is an official publicized diagnosis, I will choose to believe that Finley has an undiagnosed spinal injury and that it’s possible he may play again this season, or it’s just as possible he may never play again. That is realism to me, not the apparent concept you have in which prematurely accepting the worst possible scenario is a central thesis.
“paging doctor slacker”…….
doctors say finley can play again. maybe you read the charts wrong?
“paging doctor slacker”
Damn this team is deep. Granted, it’s the Browns, but still, that’s a great week for missing so darn many guys and many of them being very recent first round picks.
Finley is such a shame. This is truly the 1st year you could say that he had entirely come into his own. Drops, gone. Hairbrain comments, gone. Community involvement-increasing. Field effort- phenomenal. Because he started so young, people forget he is still very young and hopefully has lots of game still in him. Has been a treat to watch him blossom personally and professionally.
Bring. On the Vikes.
Damn this team is deep. Granted, it’s the Browns, but still, that’s a great week for missing so darn many guys and many of them being very recent first round picks.
Finley is such a shame. This is truly the 1st year you could say that he had entirely come into his own. Drops, gone. Hairbrain comments, gone. Community involvement-increasing. Field effort- phenomenal. Because he started so young, people forget he is still very young and hopefully has lots of game still in him. Has been a treat to watch him blossom personally and professionally.
Bring. On the Vikes.
Have to agree about McMillan. Every safety and corner on the roster is playing better than he is. He is a big liability in pass coverage. Even Bush can cover better than he can, and I never thought I would say that about Bush. McMillan needs to get it together quickly, or he may be the roster spot that Sherrod takes in a couple of weeks. He is young though, so he may get an extra chance.
Finley is done. I’m telling you he will not play football again. He was nearly paralyzed for good. Insane if he thinks of going onto that field again. Nelson, Boykin, Jones, Lacy are definitely good enough. Cobb comes back in 7 weeks. Wow. Crosby kicking well again. Easy division winners. Hopefully get hot going into playoofs.
I doubt it will be Finleys decision to play football again in Green Bay. Can anyone see TT giving Finley a fat deal like the overpaid 2 year deal he got? I don’t. I hope Finley is ok, as a man. But I honestly don’t like anything about him. His mouth, his bad blocking, his penaltys. Yes, I know he’s shut his mouth this year (contract year). But he shut his mouth for selfish reasons. I haven’t forgotten anything he’s said and done over the years. He’s more bad, than good. I for one, won’t feel bad to hear he’s packin his shit.