Well, that was refreshing.
The Green Bay Packers finally beat the Seattle Seahawks. Their 27-17 win changed the narrative and helped exorcise some of the demons of the NFC Championship game.
It also gives the Packers command of the NFC.
Yes, we’re talking about playoffs.
How does having the NFC Championship game back in Green Bay where it belongs sound?
Sounds pretty good to us.
Here are five more thoughts on the win.
It’s about time for Jayrone
We’ve been clamoring for more Jayrone Elliott for a while now. Elliott has torn it up two preseasons in a row now, but the Packers rarely use him on defense during the regular season. Well, they used him in some key spots Sunday night and he delivered. Elliott’s one-handed interception of Russell Wilson in the fourth quarter sealed the win. He also had a forced fumble and a pass defended. So like we’ve been saying, how about some more PT for this guy?
The good and bad of the defense
A really solid effort by the defense in the win. There are a lot of guys who played great. We really like what we saw from B.J. Raji, who’s looking better than he has in years and is once again disrupting plays in the backfield. Backup safety Sean Richardson did a nice job covering Jimmy Graham, who had only one catch for 11 yards. Backup defensive end Datone Jones, one of our favorite whipping boys, actually made an impact in his return from suspension. Jones had two tackles, one for loss, and two QB hits. Cornerback Sam Shields made up for that suck game he had in week 1. Morgan Burnett was solid in his return from a calf injury. Outside linebacker Mike Neal, who we expect pretty much nothing from, looked disruptive and finished with four tackles, including one for loss. Nate Palmer looked more than capable as Sam Barrington’s replacement at inside linebacker. Defensive end Mike Daniels had his best game in longer than we can remember with five tackles, a sack and a QB hit. Defensive back Micah Hyde was solid with seven tackles. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix maybe finally figured out how to tackle. He finished with a team-leading nine. So, some guys really elevated their games. You know who didn’t? Julius Peppers. Where the hell was that guy on Sunday night? Oh, and this guy…
We’ve seen enough of Casey Hayward
As a whole, the defense played great, even with Julie M.I.A. Except for Hayward. He was the one guy who we just kept saying, man, this guy doesn’t belong on the field. We would really like to see someone from the law firm of Randall, Rollins and Gunter move into that starting cornerback spot. You drafted these guys — two of them anyway. You did that so you could stash them on the bench or the inactive list every week? The upside is higher with any one of those three rookies than it is with Hayward. Let’s get them some playing time. Casey Hayward isn’t the player he was during his rookie season. Let’s stop pretending that guy is going to show up.
Top Jimmy
Nice to have a backup running back that could probably be a starter elsewhere in the NFL, huh? Eddie Lacy goes down with an ankle injury and in comes James Starks and totes 20 times for 95 yards. That’s a 4.8 yard average. And that’s damn good, especially against one the league’s better run defenses. That says something about the offensive line too. They opened up some nice holes for Starks to run through.
Speaking of the offensive line…
Don Barclay. Great game, buddy! Your Jesus tattoo is pretty stupid, but we did not notice once that Bryan Bulaga wasn’t out there. Whatever rust Barclay had from that ACL injury certainly appears to be gone. Now, on the other side, we have some issues. David Bakhtiari. Remove head from ass, you sonofabitch! We used to think Bakhtiari had the makings of a dominant left tackle. We do not think that anymore. We kind of think Bakhtiari is the weak link on the offensive line. That dick got rag dolled on at least a couple of occasions against Seattle. Just pushed straight back into Aaron Rodgers’ grill. So, we’ve got an idea. How about when Bulaga comes back, Barclay remains in the lineup at right tackle and Bulaga replaces Bakhtiari at left?
Using language like that wont get you your foot in the door at Packernews.com Monty.
Bakhtiari was fine, he had one bad series in the third quarter, a sack, and a false start. The rest of the time he (and Barclay) were forcing thier counterparts past Rodgers and out of the play-Rodgers was only sacked twice against one of the best front 7 in football, sure 2 or 3 times he made nice escapes but he had a good deal of time most of the night. Shit Sitton got bitched on the first series nearly as much as he did the entire night. The entire line (including RichRodg) borderline dominated in run-blocking as well (Starks’ 30-yarder being a prime example). Yes, Bak-T struggles with the bull rush, never gonna be the best at handling it, but if he couldn’t deal with it at all he wouldn’t be playing because that’s all anyone would ever use against him. Wasn’t his best game by any stretch, but he was facing Michael Bennett and he kept Rodgers clean except for one play.
I was thinking something along the same lines – I thought that Bakhtiari looked decent most of the game, and that he drew a tough assignment overall. I did NOT feel that he was dominated throughout, and in general gave #12 enough time to do his job. If we count Barclay, I don’t think that any of our T’s are necessarily HOF material, but between the three of them I feel like we are a lot better off than we have been in a long time. I think that we have a great set of guards, and I also think that Linsley was one of Big Ted’s best picks ever – AMAZING value from the sixth round! If RichRog can keep improving his blocking AND we don’t get decimated by injuries, I think that we are really looking good up front overall. GO PACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bakhtiari and Barclay were responsible for 2 sacks, and 17 hurries. they had a rating of -17.5. But i dont give a shit, we won, and got that monkey off our back.
17? did you mean 7?
I don’t really care what PFF says-I know what I saw and that was Rodgers having plenty of room in the pocket except for two series in the 3rd quarter and James Starks running through massive holes including one on is 30-yarder that you literally could’ve driven a car through.
How does PFF calculate “hurries”? is it any time a QB leaves the pocket or has an unblocked defensive player within a certain yardage? For almost the entire first half Rodgers didn’t seem to be sure about Barclay and was leaving the Pocket to the right when he didn’t have to (same thing he did when McClellin broke his collarbone) and on nearly everyone of those plays he had a LB close in on him and force a throwaway.
Keep in mind PFF takes EVERYTHING into consideration, including the final result of a play. Take for example Tramon Williams. When we fought the NE Patriots last year, Tramon allowed the most receptions on his team with 9. He still graded out as the best secondary defender because he only allowed a mute 20 yards the whole game.
The reason why Bahk consistently gets such low grades from PFF, is because he’s a simply a terrible run blocker. Again, they consider EVERYTHING.
Agreed, I would not say he’s no longer a dominate left tackle based on one game against an elite defensive line. But somebody has to be the whipping boy on this site.
I would never say he was a dominant LT, but somewhere from an average to good one. But agreed on a sentiment this site loves its scapegoats. AJ Hawk is with the Bungles, Jermichael Finley is retired; Morgan Burnett, Raji, Crosby and (for now) Gingy have righted their respective ships. HHCD and Perry (sans biting on the read option once) had good games, CMIII has been doing well so far this season. The defense played well so there’s no “fire Dumb Capers” this week. We won so that gives MM a respite from all but the biggest of nutbags. Barclay didn’t look like a high school JV out there si he gets a pass and Green Julius is flying by on last week’s success so he gets a pass this week as well. That leaves Bakhtiari (even though Neal would be a more deserving candidate). If HHCD keeps dropping picks and Peppers goes absent for another game, they’ll be next.
How about some comments on why Wilson wasn’t called for intentional grounding in the 4th qtr. What was up with that shit?
No fucking shit. “Because there was a receiver in the area” my ass; the closest receiver to that pass was in the middle of the fucking field. Ironic thing is, the “Hawks fans are squawking about the refs even though they got all the calls except for one ticky-tack PI on them-James Jones getting mugged in the endzone on that almost TD for instance.
And how about the whining by Carrol when they had 12 men on the field in the 1st qtr?…..can’t he count? THERE WERE 12 OUT THERE!. Just WTF doesn’t he understand about it?
Fuckineh, he even wasted a TO so he could bitch at the ref some more about it. Funnily enough that’s not the first time he’s done that in a game vs. the Packers either.
Pete the head sea dick works the refs all game long. Does any other coach do that as much?
Nope. He did the same thing at USC. Its the definition of “class” but Seahawks and their fans included sure don’t care about “class”, just ask ’em.
6) Old Richy Sherman sure doesn’t look nearly as good without Kam covering his ass back there. Sure he only gave up one catch for 29 yards, but it was to “old-and-slow” James Jones who no one wanted because he’s “lost a step” and he couldn’t have been more open if he were a 7/11 or Jenna Jameson’s legs-because she’s a slut (*Norm MacDonald voice). He also got burned by Ty Montgomery and ot away with a couple of holds.
I think it was more than a “couple of holds.” Sherman holds, grabs, and pushes wide receivers on nearly every down. Refs could call him for defensive holding or PI on damn near every play. And the other Seahawk DBs are essentially the same. I don’t know if it’s exactly “dirty” play, but those muggings are against the rules and refs should make them pay the price. Carroll won’t like it (who cares?) but it’s probably the only way to get them to back off and play football by the rules.
Barclay’s feet are too slow to play left tackle.
Bakhtiari was up against by far Seattle’s best pass rusher in Michael Bennett. He gave up one sack to Bennett, and a more damning sack to Irvin (piss poor play there).
Yeah, there were definitely a lot of hurries (too many) but I continue to question PFF’s methodology when they can have evaluations THIS quickly after a game. I don’t see how you can evaluate individual players in less than 10 hours of game film review, and therefore, how the hell can they already have player scores posted for this game?
You’re right about Barclays feet. But i’ll also add that Bulaga has the same problem at left tackle. early on they intended for Bulaga to be the left tackle for the next decade. but he didn’t play well and they moved him to right tackle. I know they were going to flip Bulaga to left tackle after releasing Newhouse. But you have to wonder why Newhouse was starting at left tackle over Bulaga in the 1st place.
Hayward needs to go to the bench. He looks lost. The rookies are a better option…any one of the law firm partners.
Agreed…Hayward looks nothing like his rookie year.
First, did you really have to say the Jesus tattoo was stupid? Second, what tattoo? Anyone got a source for what it looks like?
I have been saying FROM THE BEGINNING, that Bakhtiari and Bulaga should switch sides! It is simply the most ideal to make of your offensive line! That being said, I am fully confident that Bahk will turn things around and play just fine. He was a fourth round pick for a reason, guy just learns a little slow.
Lastly, he’s got to get rid of that ridiculous hair. He just doesn’t pull it off I’m sorry to say.
Except Bakhtiari is a better pass blocker than run blocker.
i don’t think you fix what isn’t broken, Bak is still basically a rookie in this league, he’ll get better as he gets more games and seasons under his belt, gets stronger in the weight room. Clifton and Tauscher had problems in their 1st few seasons, and they worked out pretty well.
I’m more concerned with Bulaga staying on the field than i am worried about Bak.
When Guion comes back, I want to see Demetri Goodson gone.
Bakh-T is the second coming of Chad Clifton. I’ll take that any day. He was also injured during training camp. I doubt he’s fully healthy and will therefore give him a pass for having an up and down game against one of the best front 7’s in football.
MM typically doesn’t throw rookies to the wolves and I think that’s why Hayward has been playing even though he’s been undeserving of it. I’d much rather see Rollins, Randall, or Gunter out there.
I liked Nate Palmer. He was solid in pass coverage – which has been a problem with Barrington.
The only reason Elliot hasn’t been playing more must be how he practices because man, he sure does make an impact in the game. You just can’t argue with success. I think he’s earned more opportunities.
Sometimes a more talented player doesn’t always get more playing time, because they might not have grasped the entire defensive system. I don’t know if this is the case with Eliott, but it’s my best guess. Hopefully we get to see him more in the near future.
yep…that’s what I was alluding to.
This is the first game since 2011 that the Seahawks have lost by double digits.
During the 1st quarter. the Packers were flying around like they were possessed, on both sides of the ball. I thought they were gonna hang a 50 burger on the hawks.