It’s been two weeks since the Green Bay Packers had their bye. In the two games since, they’ve laid the wood to a bad Chicago Bears team and a pretty solid Philadelphia Eagles team. The Packers have scored 50-plus in both games and both were pretty much over by halftime.
Stomping teams is fun.
So here are five more thoughts on the latest beatdown.
Well, this is impressive
The victory itself was impressive, yes. However, this stat that was being bandied about is a little bit more so. The 53 the Packers put up on Philadelphia is the second week in a row they’ve scored 50. They put up 55 on Chicago the week before. That’s the first time in franchise history the Packers have put up 50 points two weeks in a row. Think of all the great teams the Packers have had since they were formed in 1919. None have scored 50 two weeks in a row. But this one has.
The NACHO! Effect?
You probably noticed that Mark Sanchez, AKA NACHO!, AKA Buttfumble was starting at quarterback for the Eagles because Nick Foles, AKA Napoleon Dynamite has a broken collarbone. Could that have contributed to the Packers’ dominance? We’re going to go with no. There have been rumors floating around that the Eagles were considering replacing Foles with NACHO! before Foles got hurt. NACHO! was great the week before against Carolina. On Sunday, he threw for 346 yards. Yes, he threw two interceptions, but the first didn’t come until the third quarter. By then, the game was, for all intents and purposes, over. Sanchez was not the reason the Eagles got worked. Their inability to pressure Aaron Rodgers and thus, stop the Packers from scoring, was why they lost the way they did. In other words, we’re chalking this win up as a quality victory, “backup” quarterback or no.
Speaking of pressure, or lack thereof…
Hey, in case you haven’t noticed, the offensive line has been playing out of their collective ass, particularly in pass protection. The line gave up only one sack on Sunday. They gave up no sacks to the Bears the week before. There were times on Sunday when Rodgers seemingly had all day to throw. And when that happens, he’s going to pick the defense apart. The offensive line’s play is at the heart of all of this scoring the past couple games. The Packers have rushed for more than 100 yards in both games as well.
Coming together
Moving Clay Matthews to inside linebacker gets a lot of credit for helping the defense. We still like that move a lot, but it’s not the only thing that has contributed to that improvement. The defensive line is playing a lot better as well. The Packers had eight tackles for loss on Sunday. Three of those were sacks, two of which came from defensive lineman (Mike Neal and Letroy Guion). Of the remaining five tackles for loss, three were by defensive linemen. Defensive end Datone Jones was responsible for two. It isn’t just Matthews and Julius Peppers out there making plays up front. In fact, Peppers only had one tackle on Sunday. It appears the defensive line is really starting to come together.
Still the same
That’s a good Seger song. It’s also a way to describe the Packers special teams units. The units coached up by the incomparable Shawn Slocum. The same week they produce a punt return for a touchdown, they also blow two PATs and have a punt blocked. That’s two punts they’ve had blocked this year, by the way. It’s almost comical how year after year Slocum’s units can be responsible for boneheaded mistake after boneheaded mistake and he still has a job. We’re not even going to bother talking about his job anymore. Clearly, he will be the Packers special teams coach for eternity, just like A.J. Hawk will be one of the team’s starting inside linebacker. Those two guys will be on the Packers’ payroll as zombies.
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Eagles were the guy who got bitch slapped by his wife after she found that she got cheated on. He just gathered his belongings and headed out the door to start over, nothing else more had to be said.
“It isn’t just Matthews and Julius Peppers out there making plays up front. In fact, Peppers only had one tackle on Sunday. It appears the defensive line is really starting to come together.”
Nothing about Dom Capers role? You blame and point the finger but never give credit when credit is due. You only mention his name when this same defense shits the bed.
When we play at home, Rodgers can change plays at the line easily. That’s how he kills defenses. He’s always 5 steps ahead of the defense mentally.
Sure, let’s rip on the STs because of one part of the unit. What about Hyde’s PRTD? which had some of the best ST blocking I’ve ever seen (including his PRTD last years). Or the fact that the coverage units were spectacular, as they have been most of the season sans 2 or 3 big returns (Including a TD in garbage time)? Yeah, the FG/XP teams had one of the worst games I’ve ever seen it have, but it had been stellar prior to this game. Our STs unit has been one of the better ones in the league this year and Slocum and Zook deserve some credit.
lol @ payroll zombies.
hey, it looks like the rejuvenated D is making the pack a threat to win vs. anybody in lambeau this year. finally, if those west coast pansies have to come into GB for a sub zero playoff game like last year, they won’t survive, and i was getting tired of losing all those early round playoff games at home like we did the last 3 years. maybe our luck with injuries is also turned around. also love it when the refs are too frostbit to call anything but the most blatant infractions, LOL. if peppers plays his 3 contract seasons like he is this year, look out, it is dynasty time!!!