Who saw that coming? Well, I kinda did when I made my prediction on this game. This game reminded me of the 2010 Green Bay Packers’ game when they rolled into New England with Matt Flynn.
Aaron Rodgers was concussed for that affair and the game before — a loss to the Detroit Lions — didn’t really matter. That was, we’re on a national stage, we are playing the class of the AFC and we are going to perform tonight.
So the Packers rolled into Pittsburgh to face the hot-as-hell Steelers on Sunday night. They rolled in there with backup quarterback Brett Hundley, who has experienced little success to date.
Something just said the Packers would give an effort. And an effort they did give.
We’ve been bitching about the offense of late, but that wasn’t the problem on this evening.
Brett Hundley was 17-of-26 for 245 and three touchdowns. No interceptions.
Did his job and then some. Who else did their job?
Supposedly, the Green Bay Packers’ defense. Two picks and a fumble recovery. Couple that with no turnovers by the Packers and this should be a won game, no?
No.
The Packers’ defense couldn’t stop Antonio Brown or any Steelers’ receiver when it really mattered.
Brett Hundley is good boyos, can we get someone who can cover someone? Can the Green Bay Packers get a No. 1 cornerback?
Are you serious? We were given the ball by our defense forcing a turnover, and what do we do then? Go three-and-out. In the second half we didn’t sustain drives. The offense and defense played decently today. Both with their share of mistakes, both making some good plays. Play like this would have been enough for a victory against the Ravens.
Same story every year. MM and the bunch save face by making our team look better than it is against a better team. Usually by way of a completely changed game plan that throws the other team off long enough to give us hope of a win. Then, without fail, a hard fought loss.
The heat comes off the figure heads enough to give us hope. Except normally 12 is at the helm and he can literally will a win. So instead of the normal late season push into the playoffs and devastating playoff defeat (see Atlanta, Arizona, Seattle, San Fran, San Fran and NY) were looking more like a dim light slowly burning out.
I never give up love for my team. Ever.
However what’s lead us to this moment is arrogance on the part of the “highly successful NFL coach” and diminishing return on draft talent. Both need to be addressed in a manor that rectifies the situation by a spineless president and board of directors. The money is only coming in because the wins, the wins only come in because of 12. Better right this ship before 12 jumps and lands somewhere safer.
Hundley looked better though, especially when the heats taken off but dedication to the run game.
Pitsburghs ability to play down to competition gave us some inexplicable touchdowns early that allowed us to burn time and keep it close until the last play.
A few drives completely died, and you can tell it was some bad playcalling, but that’s football. Give it enough time and it can be one bad play that decides your fate.
This team will be better with Jones and Bulaga. Nobody contains AB, that’s the facts. Good job by our front 7 in containing the run, a lack of pass rush is their demise. Our secondary is scared to tackle. I love Capers but he’s been around long enough that his style is predictable.
Always hope, go Pack go.
This one’s one McC – boneheaded coaching decisions cost them chance to go to OT or possibly even win
1) Wasting an opportunity to drive for a FG at end of first half, letting clock run out with 2 timeouts left.
2) Forcing Missin’ Crosby to try a 58 yd FG – when no one ever made a FG over 53 yds in history of stadium
Hundley just gave MM, TT, and DC grounds for sticking around another season …
All true, and sad. No way MM (red) would fire TT and MM (fat).
The only other thing this games showed is why to NEVER bet money on an NFL game, just when you think you picked this week’s LOCK, you lose your house and the kids college money. The only people who made money on this game own casinos.
Idk, I was fine with not trying to drive down the field with Hundley. We have already seen what happens when they try to get aggressive with Hundley in obvious passing situations. However, I agree that kicking the long field goal was stupid. They should have went for it on 4th down. I will forever hate that call.
PF4L
11/26/2017 at 5:18 pm
I’ll take Packers 24-23 in a nail biter
Almost ……
Lol…i can take absolutely no credit for that.
Like everyone else on the planet, i thought the Packers would get their asses handed to them.
Moral victories are for losers. I will not be handing out any “we almost beat a playoff team trophy”.
But, i will acknowledge credit where due.
More to follow.
YUP, never subscribed to “almost beat a good team” propaganda !
It’s like bragging about winning the popular vote
It seemed there were portions of the game where Hundley got rid of the ball quickly and made some good plays. I wonder though how much that had to do with the Steelers simply playing soft against a bad opponent. Then there were times when Hundley made the same mistakes he’s made a lot of so far this year, like missing a wide open Adams after the fumble recovery and going three and out. Or a late slant, then taking two sacks to knock the Packers out of field goal range after the interception.
Still, Hundley played better and it was on the road. I wonder if the pressure of playing in front of a home crowd slows down his thinking.
Agreed…
I was texting a Steeler-fan buddy on Maui during the game – he indicated he was worried that Steelers could lose because they always play soft vs. sub 500 teams. When I told him Packers were actually 5-5 he said he felt better about the game ….. Friggin’ Steelers fans !
Hundley certainly showed some signs of QB-ness – still reverts back to rookie mistakes when pressured. THis is certainly a baptism in fire for the kid. He’ll get it eventually. I figure he’ll be a quality starter and his career will take off for 49ers sometime during 2018 season after TT trades him for a couple of 10th round picks.
A good CB isn’t going to make much of a difference when we generate zero pass rush. Did Ben even hit the dirt last night? I think his uni was immaculate when he stepped off the field.
I wonder who made the decision to try the 57 yard field goal. The offensive play caller who just ran 3 times to get to 31, then decided to get cute and try some 5 step drops for sacks. Or was it the head coach who was frustrated that the play caller did not try some more run plays or short passes to get within resonable field goal range before going for the bigger play. If the field goal and points were so important as I think they were get in field goal then go for the TD or big play. This is not the first time MM has made bad decisions regarding field goals or by passing field goals. Look at the first Viking game last year when MM passed up a high percentage field goal to get stuffed on 4th down. Who is to blame the play caller or the head coach?
This entire game is on the coaches and that idiot GM. This loss is 99% on MM though. I hate to give credit but the Vikings deserve some…they lost their #1RB and QB too. They’re winning. Now that defense if better than the GB sorriest pass defense in the NFL excuse of a D but in the NFL their are no excuses. McCarthy has proven over and over and over in crucial situations he makes the wrong decisions. I’d list them but I don’t have 3 hours to waste.
Didn’t McCarthy take playcalling duties back after the Edgar Bennet experiment failed?
Meant Tom Clements, my bad.
So, with a lead, MM dials up an effort for the longest field goal in Heinz Field history…….by 4 yards. I don’t think you try that against the Steelers, even in Mexico City. He still defended the decision in the post game presser.
C’mon, admit the mistake. Having faith in your team doesn’t mean you make irrational, ridiculous decisions. Punt and get the Steelers deep in their own end and have to regain field position, don’t just turn over the ball at midfield. Completely idiotic; a highly successful head coach in the NFL should know that. Packer Nation certainly did.
Weird stat line: Packers win the turnover battle 3-0, yet are outgained by > 150 yards, have barely half as many first downs, and trail in TOP by nearly 7 minutes. We anticipated a blowout, and despite the score, kind of got one.
Of course MM defended his decision to kick a 57 yard FG. He’s a highly successful coach who knows everything and is never wrong. Don’t dare question him. Have you won a Super Bowl before? That’s what I thought. MM has, so shut your damn mouth.
MM’s high level of success has vanished without Rodgers. Even with Hundley playing a good game MM still messes it up with bone headed decisions that he doesn’t view as bone headed decisions. It’s because of this that I had no faith the Packers would win SB 45. I knew they had the talent and potential, but something retarded always came up. Well, that still rings true today. The Packers had the opportunity to win against the Steelers and MM didn’t put them in the best position to do that. If Ginger Gap tooth had any balls he would take note of MM’s stubbornness and ineptitude and hold a fire to his ass. Unfortunately GGP has no interest in anything other that slides and hotels so that will never happen.
So, for those of us in the fire everybody group – a loss is a loss.
Hopefully it is just an anomaly and not the start of a trend.
Somebody said it might be enough for the braintrust to stick around another year.
Hope not. The same old problems still exist, but are hidden behind #12 or an occasional superb effort. Better personnel and better coaching would result in more consistent performances.
Now for the 57 yard mistake. That was the dumbest decision in a long time. The defense was playing reasonably well. Punt the ball. Pin them deep, or at the 20, is better than the momentum swing that comes from a missed field goal and the great field position. A 57 yard attempt at the end of the half or for the win is OK, but in the 3rd quarter is a dumbass decision. Trust in your kicking game is not the issue here. The goal posts are 18 ft 6 in wide, 10 feet in the air, and 57 yards away = too many bad things can happen. It was a stupid decision, not an aggressive one.
Agreed. It is one thing to trust (and show trust on) your guys, but it is idiotic to set them up for failure. 50+ yd field goals are not automatic by any means. Then Zook comes up saying that Crosby should have converted that one. It would be the equivalent of having a CB play 1-on-1 against Julio Jones or Antonio Brown, failing miserably, and complaining that your CB should have blanketed the WR instead of conceding a TD or two. Or sending your not-so-fast receivers on isolation routes against a strong secondary, instead of mixing in some crossing routes.
*asking him to do something no kicker has done at Heinz field, ever