Five More Thoughts on Packers’ Win Over Raiders
Well, we told you this Oakland Raiders team wasn’t quite there yet. The Green Bay Packers?
They got a win. That’s the best thing we can say about them.
Oh, they’re in the playoffs, too! That should be a short appearance.
If you watched the NFC’s playoff teams on Sunday, a number of them were impressive. Carolina just finds ways to win and their quarterback is the league MVP. Arizona is a team to be reckoned with and a team we believe is going to beat the shit out of the Packers next week. Seattle is playing some of the best football in the league right now. Minnesota is looking better than they have all year. Hell, even Washington looks like a legitimate playoff team now. Like they might be a test for another playoff team.
You can say none of those things about the Green Bay Packers.
They’re 10-4. You can say that about them. That’s a nice win total there.
There’s not a single other thing that’s eye-catching or impressive about them, however.
Gonna be a long offseason, boys!
Here we go.
Damarious giveth and Damarious giveth right back
Hey, we love Damarious Randall, but talk about a yo-yo of a game. That was Randall on Sunday. He puts seven on the board with the Packers’ second interception of the day, then he goes out and plays like Ahmad Carroll for the remaining three quarters. Randall covered Oakland’s stud rookie receiver Amari Cooper for most of the day. It was one of those strength-on-strength match-ups and Cooper got the best of it. He caught six balls for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Randall wasn’t out there playing terrible coverage. He was just getting beat by a big, physical receiver. On a couple occasions, Randall fell down or slipped. That made it easy for Cooper. If you look at the whole, Randall had a pretty bad day. Even the interception was more on Raiders’ QB Derek Carr than it was on Randall. Carr made a terrible overthrow and Randall just happened to be where the ball was. In fact, on that particular play Randall’s man had blown by him and Randall was trailing him by at least two yards. We’ll go ahead and assume he had safety help over the top. We’ll also go ahead and forget Randall’s play in this game.
And a special guest appearance by Julius Peppers!
The one Packers defender who did the most damage to the Raiders’ cause on Sunday was Julius Peppers. Old man Peppers had four tackles, 2.5 sacks and three QB hits. He certainly wasn’t great against the run, but as you can see, Peppers was near dominant as a pass rusher. He made those plays in just 50 snaps, which has been the norm this season for Peppers. The Packers try to keep him fresh by not playing him a high percentage of snaps. That big day brings Peppers’ season sack total up to 9.5, which is a pretty nice number. Peppers had 5.5 of those sacks in the first half of the season. What are we getting at? Peppers hadn’t done much in the second half of the season until Sunday. Maybe he was wearing down. Or maybe the Packers just weren’t using him effectively. We’re hoping it’s the latter and we’re hoping that has been remedied for remainder of the year.
Here’s how those revenge games played out
Charles Woodson wanted revenge on the Packers. He had three tackles, including one for a loss, and his team lost the game. James Jones said he didn’t want revenge on the Raiders, but he got a little bit anyway. Jones and his hoodie led the Packers with six catches for 82 yards and a touchdown. It’s like we said before the game. It’s hard for an individual player to dominant a revenge game in the NFL. Not only is there a ton of pressure on them, but this is a team sport more so than any other team sport. Unless you’re the quarterback, who gets the handle the ball on a regular basis, you really don’t control anything. We’re pretty sure the Packers tried to look Jones’ way a little more than usual on Sunday and it worked out for him. Charles didn’t really have a chance. He’ll have to take solace in the fact that the Raiders’ secondary limited the Packers’ pathetic passing game to just 190 net passing yards.
Let’s keep them guessing!
Yeah, we get what Mike McCarthy is trying to do. He’s trying to put Randall Cobb in favorable match-ups and make him the engine that drives the offense. That includes putting Cobb in the backfield and using him to run the football from time to time. Cobb carried four times for 18 yards on Sunday in addition to catching five balls for 40 yards.
Well, he had all kinds of issues with the game plan and play calling on Sunday. It starts with Eddie Lacy’s limited role (11 carries, 23 yards). Lacy SHOULD be the focal point of the offense since that’s the only time the offense even looks somewhat serviceable. However, if you’re going to put the focus on Cobb, then go all in. The guy should be touching the ball more than just nine times. Yes, that was it. The main cog of the offense touched the ball just nine times — four rushes and five catches. Cobb was targeted seven times, so it wasn’t like they were looking for him repeatedly and he just couldn’t make the play. The focal point of this or any offense, regardless of who it is, should be targeted at least 15 times per game. The Packers are employing the scattershot approach though. We’ll keep them guessing by spreading the ball around to everyone! Even the guys who have no business touching it!
It was only the big plays
Something about this Packers’ win just hasn’t been sitting well. The offense was total dog shit once again. Aaron Rodgers was garbage. The receivers, for the most part, are a joke. Terrible game plan and play calling. The defense didn’t inspire any confidence.
The Packers probably should have lost this game. Take away two plays and one player and they likely would have been thoroughly dominated. Let’s get rid of the two first-quarter interceptions. That takes 14 points off the board. I mean, you know the Packers offense wasn’t putting up those points by themselves. So now the score is 20-16 Raiders, which feels about right.
If you take out Julius Peppers’ huge day, it’s probably more like 27-13 Raiders. This is a team with an offense that can’t beat anyone. They rely on their defense to keep them in games and, at times, come up with big plays. The defense doesn’t always make those big plays. They did on Sunday, but when they don’t, the Packers lose. They lose because they’re so god-awful on offense and cannot count on those guys to win games for them.
Despite the record, there’s really nothing to like about this Packers team.
25 Comments
Recent Posts
So now Monty’s setting targets for numbers of runs to Lacy and passes to Cobb, why does that sound familiar.
Lacy had nearly a dozen carries at 2 yards per clip, he got his chance and didn’t come through-you don’t just force something that doesn’t work. Meanwhile Starks had 9 rushes at about 5 per.
And you can’t just fucking cherry pick plays out of a game, each and everyone counts; ask the Lions or the ’13 Packers.
And Randall had 2 good quarters, and there was nothing he could’ve done on that first TD even if he hadn’t fallen.
Exactly, why keep handing the rock to Lacy, because someone said he was rejuvenated? Yea, keep giving him the ball, so we can see him get stuffed at the LOS all game long? C’mon Monty…think.
As far as Randall, he’s a rookie, he’s learning the speed of the pro game. what you look for in rookies is potential, and he shows that, hopefully he progress and becomes the player we believe he can be. FYI…. Watch Coopers td catch with 25 seconds left in the 1st half, well fuck me Jennifer Hale, it was Heyward covering man on Cooper, while Randall was on man against Andre Holmes. for some reason, the self proclaimed best slot corner in the NFL decided to let Cooper run free into the end zone. Fuck Casey Hayward, this dude is usually lost and/or usually 2 or 3 steps short.
For God sake!
Monty, for you the glass is always half empty, don’t you?!!
The one thing about the Packers we never EVER thought we’d have occasion to say has come to pass: They have a consistent half-ass offense. For the life of me, I just can’t figure it out. Rodgers is having the worst year of his career. It’s almost like he’s playing scared some of the time, trying to find receivers who can get some separation. Did the loss of Nelson have this big an impact on a traditional powerhouse offense?
This team is playing really bad and I’m shocked the pack are 10-4 at this point. Every week I keep waiting for the offense to turn it on and give me that hope they can make a deep playoff run but unfortunately without jordy Nelson I dont think that’s much of a possibility. Green Bay should be able to beat the vikings at Lambeau in the wild card round (which is the most likely match up unless we lose week 17) but after that it looks a bit bleak. Next Sunday in Arizona will be a good measuring stick and that’s a game that could get ugly. All that being said I still hold out hope cause of my blind loyalty that this team can make a run
“All that being said I still hold out hope cause of my blind loyalty that this team can make a run”.
Agree!
Dude, Fat Eddie wasn’t the answer. The oline can’t make anything happen, so the thought process is that you need somebody with speed to make things happen himself. Ed just rams into a wall and gets 2 yards. Oline play has been garbage for the running game
I wish we’d just cut Davante
And I’m pretty sure Randall got concussed early
My view is that the short yardage game on both sides of the ball sucks. Can’t gain a yard or 2 on any down (Even on first and goal at the 2) and can’t stop anything with less than 2 to go. This needs to be the area of focus when discussing fundamentals.
Yeah, 4th and 1 against this team might be the easiest play in the league
We are in the best position of any team out there to make a playoff run and the reason why is simple. We are guaranteed to play at least three games from here and hopefully at least 4 if we can beat the Vikings at home a couple times. Odds then are that the 4 games would then be against the cardinals, vikings, vikings, & Cardinals. Talk about a chance to adjust with only 2 weeks left. We get to practice against our playoff opponents. A loss to Arizona next week would be a chance to learn what to do when we come back. Our prep is simple, focus on these two teams. Then it’s either Seattle at home or an away game at a Carolina team that is 14-0 after giving up 28 unanswered points to eli manning in the 2nd half yesterday.
I like that thinking. For the adjustmend, we need that in game too.
Actually, I believe that the team acted as if they had all been concussed . . .
This writers on here have become the biggest bitches I’ve ever seen when it comes to Packer talk. Always negative. Never excited about a win.
Would you rather see them lose every week? Now you have the redskins ahead of them?
What a joke. Just about done with this site!
I believe “Pack” that you are misinterpreting frustration for hate. What, if I may ask is wrong with calling out ineptness and poor decisions? bad passes, dropped passes, an unusually high amount of mental errors in nearly every game this year. Because even the first six games were fraught with cluster fucks. The animus portrayed in these posts is not a testament of the “Packer Unfaithful” but rather a testament from Packer fans that see the “real Packers” for what they really are . . . Paper Tigers / Keystone cops. There is something inherently wrong in the Packers Locker room, and it sure in the fuck is not with the fan base. If anything, they KNOW that they can get away with MEDIOCRITY much longer with the PACKER HOMER fan base. Just give them healthy heaping’s of Vic Ketchman and other positive hyperbole, and you fucks will eat it up for another year . . . smeh!
If the Packers want to use Cobb in an unexpected way, they should use him as QB. He was a QB in high school and he was a QB in his first years in college. Line him up in the backfield, have Rodgers hand off to him, then have him half-back option to a wide open James Jones trotting his slow legs down field all alone.
If nothing else it makes teams think twice about trying to come up to the line treating Cobb as a back.
Yes, use Cobb like Horning
in the 60’s. Wait, that’s way too
creative for this coaching staff.
Paul Hornung is one of the greatest RBs in Packer history.
Told about MM’s trying to outcoach, leaving what was succesfull check.
Told you about Randall getting targeted check. Had that lucky interception that saved his game though.
Horible at short runs, yeah let’s Lacy start from 8 yrds behind LOS.
Shall we stop Hyde doing punt returns? Janis might not be good as a receiver but he could take over there.
Burnett showed some spirit.
And as extra Arod was back to his old self taking to’s, well the refs missed one.
At the end Tolzien was slapping his helmet to congratulate but no attention at all.
I realy miss that in him, making connection to his team mates.
It is fine to criticize your team, but Jesus christ. This is just ridiculous. yeah, and take amari Cooper away from the raiders and the packers win 30-13, maybe 30-6. You can’t just cherry pick taking players off teams and declaring an outcome to your liking. Just stupid. They tried to run Eddie lacy! What about his 11 rushes for 23 yards you not understand? He was obviously ineffective. Carolina finding ways to win? So, what the packers have been doing some weeks is “finding ways to win.” Jesus fucking christ. How fucking retarded are the writers on this site? It is like they want them to fail, and some of the posters as well. Like packer Bob said, it’s as if being miserable makes you feel better.
Oh hey, just got an nfl mobile notification on my phone, Mathieu is out for the year for the cardinals. Once again, you never know what might happen. That hurts the cardinals A LOT.
Nothing wrong with pointing out things that didn’t work. But it’s article after article of crying & bitching. they are manufacturing wins. Yes they can do things better. We all know that. How about a little positivity.
Lacy wasn’t getting it done.
Can we enjoy the win for 10 mins! Jesus
You two guys sure take the Lords name in vain with no problem . . .
He ain’t my fucking Lord. All hail Lord Voldy-thingy!!
This was the stupidest piece of writing I’ve seen in awhile…but if you take a few key sentences out here and there it has a totally different outcome.
It’s interesting how Monty fantasizes about plays that happened as if they had not happened to illustrate his point. He literally uses fiction to make his point that this was really a loss masked as a win. “If only this hadn’t happened, then that would not have happened, and the Raiders would have won. And if this player hadn’t done what he really did, then that all proves the Packers should have lost.”
Luckily, McCarthy wisely abandoned Lacy and was able to make positive adjustments in the second half. The second half adjustments led to 200 yards of offense as they out scored the Raiders 16-7. The defense again stifled any hope of a comeback. Lots to be happy about. If they don’t need to score 30+ points to win anymore, perhaps they can survive without the offense we’ve grown accustomed to. And Quarless is back, so everything is perfect and the Packers will win the Super Bowl for sure and the Packers are the best ever (/sarc).