One certainly got away from the Green Bay Packers in Los Angeles.
We’re through talking about Ty Montgomery and his fumble for the moment. There were some promising signs in this game. There was also some buffoonery by Buffoon himself, but what’s new?
You can say the Packers choked it away, but at the end of the day the Rams are 8-0 and the Packers are 3-3-1. If there was any good news on Sunday, it’s that the Minnesota Stinkings got throttled by the Saints. They’re only 4-3-1. So there’s that.
Now, on with it.
Opposites Attract?
The Packers’ offense and the Packers’ defense were like oil and water on Sunday. The defense played great in the first half, giving up only seven points to the high-flying Rams. Meanwhile, the offense, which had plenty of opportunities, bogged down after scoring seven on their second drive. In the second half, the Rams turned it on, scoring 21 points on the Packers’ D. The Packers’ offense woke up too, putting up 17 points. The Packers’ defense played well enough to win the game, but if they could have continued what they did in the first half, it would have been no contest. Of course, if the Packers’ offense wouldn’t have been so lackluster in the first half — the second quarter was particularly garbage — it also would have been no contest. Can any unit play a full game for this Packers team? The answer appears to be no.
Third-Down Woes and Conservative Game Plans
The offense’s problem — or at least a major one — was converting on third down. The Packers were 2-for-9 on third down against the Rams. That’s a good solid 22 percent conversion rate. Hogshit. Who’s to blame?
You could say Gravy Head’s conservative first half game plan. Aaron Rodgers more or less said that. When asked about opening things up in the second half, Rodgers had this to say.
“Yeah, that’s on… that was Mike calling the plays. Obviously I call them in the two minute, but we decided to open things up a little bit in the second half and it was working.”
In other words, you first-half game plan was something akin to a steaming pile of crap, Mike.
Speaking of Buffoon
The most buffoonish call of the game came on the Packers second-to-last possession of the first half. The Rams had downed a punt inside the Packers’ 1-yard-line. At that point, the score was 10-0. Opening play of the drive, the Packers line up with everyone tight to the line. The Rams counter with nine across their line. Mind you, the Rams have arguably the best defensive line in football. Buffoon’s play call? Run right into the teeth of it. Safety. Rams drive to score seven after the ensuing free kick. 10-7. Momentum gone.
Not sure where Gravy Head got the idea that his offensive line could push the Rams defensive line off the ball, but it was one his most buffoonish ideas to date. Fittingly, the Packers lose by two.
He Did Get One Thing Right
What have we been saying all season? Aaron Jones is your starting running back. Well, lo and behold! Buffoon finally figured that out! Jones finally led all Packers running backs in snaps. He had 32. Amazingly, it’s the first time this season that has happened. Jamaal Williams had 13 snaps. Ty Montgomery had six. What did Jones do with those snaps? Exactly what he’s done since returning from his suspension. He tore the goddam defense apart. Jones had 12 carries for 86 yards and touchdown. That’s a 7.2 yard average, friends.
Surely, he’ll be Jamaal Williams’ No. 2 next week, though.
A Clay Matthews’ Sighting!
If you would have asked me where Clay Matthews has been this season, I would have told you he must be hanging out with Sasquatch. Then on Sunday in Los Angeles, we caught sight of the mythical beast. And I’m talking about Matthews, not Sasquatch.
The Packers were substituting their outside backers liberally in this game. Kyler Fackrell was the low man with 29 snaps, which is still a substantial number. So Matthews wasn’t out there perhaps as much as he’s accustomed to. Yet, he still turned in his best game of the season. Matthews had seven tackles, a sack and two QB hits. And that’s great, but we shouldn’t get too excited. Matthews was playing in his hometown on his college field. Of course he was going to turn in a good performance. It very well could be an aberration.
And Lastly…
No one ever said we don’t travel well, but this was absurd. Some were saying it was 50/50. Some Rams fans said 60/40 and even 70/30 in favor of Packers fans in the Coliseum on Sunday. Packers fans took that motherfucker over.
Have we fired McCarthy, named Mike Pettine interim HC, released Montgomery, traded Ha Ha and activated Kumerow yet? All these moves should have been finalized by 8 AM today if Packers brass is serious about winning yet this year.
Our Special Teams blows… & it didn’t just blow this weekend, it sucked big donkey balls last season too. We lost a game to the colts because they returned a kickoff against us week 6 last season in Lambeau.
We can’t kick a touchback, our long snapper is very shaky, we can’t return kicks, we can’t cover punts & we can’t punt even though we spent a 5th round pick, ( #172 overall) which was before we drafted Valdes-Scantling BTW (fact)…let that sink in!
We can’t kick a touchback, we can’t kick a touchback, we cant ever kick a touchback! E-V-E-R
This game just hinted that we may need to use Matthews as we did with Peppers a few years ago. Reduce the number of snaps in hopes it yields better quality in his play. This approach needs Clay to accept a paycut, though, as we need to find someone else, preferably younger, to account for the remaining snaps.
I want you guys to read this quote, understand the timing of it, and see how it illuminates Aaron Rodger’s character.
Here it is:
“The Rams are a good team; we knew they’d score some points. I said coming in, ‘If we get to 30 (points), we win the game.’ We got 27, and we gave ’em two. So there you go.”
That is what Rodgers said after the Rams game. As reported by shady fringe web site NFL.com.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000980254/article/aaron-rodgers-hollywood-ending-hijacked-by-rogue-decision
We have a combination of things here which include arrogance, stupidity, poor sportsmanship, and backstabbing.
First, Rodgers claims he told the team — or someone — the exact points that would win the game prior to the game. There is an excellent chance this is a lie. If not, look how he wants to make sure reporters knew what he claimed. It is a total I-told-you-so and I’m-so-smart maneuver. It was important to Aaron to be viewed as “right” even while losing.
Although he is trying to look smart he looks quite stupid — and like a liar. Even Las Vegas does not know the exact points it will take. Way too many variables and “moving parts”. Dropped passes, fumbles, pick 6s, weird bounces, injuries. No way to tell exactly.
Another way to look at it is this way = the Vikings have a better D than the Packers and gave up 38 points to the Rams. But Aaron, with a worse D, knew… KNEW… his worse D would give up fewer points than a better D to the same team! That is arrogance and foolishness. (and a lie most likely)
The Seahawks also have a better D than the Packers and gave up 33 points to them. And the Seahawks were in their home stadium! (Week 5) Do you see how very foolish Aaron is now and how very likely what he said was a lie? If he really was telling the team to target 30 points, that is what it would take, he was really letting them down and misleading them.
Then, in a snide talking sideways poor sportsmanship manner (classic Aaron), he says they “gave” the Rams 2 points. Just “gave” it to them. So, you know, they didn’t earn it. Of course, if the Packers D had scored a pick 6 or their own safety then kudos to them and they earned it. Another team? No, they don’t earn it, we give it to them.
It also seems to be an attack on the play call. Or the blocking of the offensive line. Or both. Of course, he also leaves out how the Rams could easily have scored 7 more points on the Packers but practiced good sportsmanship via Gurley purposely staying out of the end zone.
Think about that: Rodgers knew 30 points would win it because he KNEW the Rams would not score 30 or more because he KNEW Gurley would pretty much take a knee at the goal line because he KNEW they would not want to run up the score EVEN IF THEY WERE BEHIND AND THUS WOULD LOSE THE GAME !!!!!
What’s really important to Aaron is that the world knows he was right even in losing. Gee, I guess if only the coaches would have listened to him they would not have given away 2 points and would have made greater effort to score more points. Coaches? Did he tell the coaches? Aaron did not specifically say he instructed the coaches to score 30 points. Could be the coaches let him down there. Could be his teammates. But, if Aaron did not fully notify them… why then this failure to score 30 points is all on Aaron, isn’t it?
TL;DR …
No one cares about your diatribes
Chiller’s comment was only 4 letters, Kato! Even capitalized that is hardly a diatribe.
You wrote all of that just because Rodgers made a comment about scoring 30 points? It was a general comment about a common point benchmark. Pull your panties out of your asscrack.
For those of you who assume Aaron Rodgers would have won the game if Montgomery had not fumbled — and I’m sure that includes Aaron himself — you should rethink that.
Check it out:
https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/green-bay-packers-aaron-rodgers-clutch-nfc-championship-stat-012217
Almost certainly if Montgomery had not fumbled the Packers would have lost another way.
I have to confess, much as I despise/loathe the Vikings, once the Pack lost I had to look to the future…..and that Saints #1 draft pick. Kind of hoped Vikings might win as derailing the Saints is all we can hope for. I was hoping they wouldn’t make the playoffs and guarantee a #20 at least, but that seems unlikely, just hope they don’t go far in the post-season. Packers are what they’re record says they are- average. 7-8-1; 8-7-1: what does it matter?
Big B, it is a little ironic. I, too, as much as I despise/loath the Packers, I was torn in the Rams-Packers game because a Rams loss might better position the Vikings for a playoff bye. If I had known for sure that the Vikes would lose to the Saints then I would have focused more on just at least getting the division.
It really looks like the Rams and Saints will now practically run away with the two playoff byes. The North is tight. The end winner of the division will likely only be up by a single game, if that. It looks like one of the wildcards will be Seattle.
Big B…Everyone knows why the Saints won…it was their turn. Isn’t that right Lonely Boy.