I see that a lot of Packer fans are in the doldrums following the loss to the Buccaneers. No two ways about it: the home field advantage throughout the playoffs was a once-in-a-decade opportunity, and the Packers squandered it. It’s a shame, but it should not serve to discount how remarkable a season it was, and how much excitement and sterling play this team provided to its loyal fans. During a time of national and global crisis, the Packers were a joy and an inspiration to so many of us.
Packers Wire on Tuesday published a list of “impressive stats” from the Packers’ best players during the season that just ended for the team. While we all are likely aware of the exploits of Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Jaire Alexander, and the like, this list also pays tribute to some lesser-known performances by the many stars on Green Bay’s roster – some of whom will undoubtedly not be with the team in 2021. .
Packers Wire saluted a dozen Packers’ stars of 2020 in this order: Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Maarquez Valdes-Scantling, Jaire Alexander, Aaron Jones, Robert Tonyan, Za’Darius Smith, Jamaal Williams, Rashan Gary, Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, and Mason Crosby. They also lumped together all 18 games that were played, rather than separating the regular season and the postseason. Below I’ve highlighted just a few of the stats that Packers Wire listed.
Aaron’s postseason passer rating of 104.4 is also currently (pending the Super Bowl outcome) second best of all the 2020 playoff QBs; Patrick Mahomes has a current playoff rating of 118.5. Aaron’s season-ending passing touchdown-to-interception ratio was 53-6 – no other QB was even in that ballpark in 2020.
With the two playoff games added, the stats show that Rodgers maintained his league-best regular season completion percentage (70.2). His passer rating, 119.2, was still close to his regular season number 121.5 – which is the second highest in league history. His total passing yardage came out just 59 yards shy of a 5,000 yard season.

Using the regular season plus playoff games approach, I see that Aaron has flirted with the 5,000 mark many times, and exceeded it twice. In 2009, he totaled 4,857; in the championship season of 2010, 5,116; in 2011, 4,907; in 2012, 4,826; in 2014, 4,875; and in 2016, 5,432 (counting 1,004 in three playoff games). This is extraordinary consistency and brilliance.
Turning the attention to another All Pro, Davante Adams, in the 16 games in which he played, he totaled 133 catches, 1,507 yards, and 20 TDs. The passer rating when he was targeted was 132.9.
Next up, MVS had some remarkable, and even league-leading results. He led the league during the regular season with 20.9 yards per catch, and including the two playoff games, the total only dropped off to 20.4. He also had an NFL best 4 TDs of at least 50 yards. By the way, in these playoffs, the receiver who sports the highest average yardage number is his teammate, Allen Lazard, with 22.9 ypc.
Jaire Alexander has accumulated 16 pass breakups in 18 games. While that only lands him in the top twenty, it’s remarkable considering quarterbacks seldom dare to throw his way.
Despite missing two regular-season games and almost half of the team’s final playoff game, Aaron Jones has averaged 5.6 yards per carry, he broke 44 tackles, and he totaled 1,606 yards of offense and 12 TDs.
After going 8 for 8 in catches per targets against the Rams and Bucs, Robert Tonyan increased his regular-season catch rate of 88.1 to 89.6. These are phenomenal numbers, and they are the league’s second best – read on for the league leader in catch rate. Packers Wire says Big Bob had zero drops on the season!

Za’Darius Smith finished a bit under the radar in his second season in Green Bay – but it was only because his first season here was so fabulous. In 18 games, Z had 13.5 sacks, 59 pressures, 25 QB hits, and 13 tackles for losses.
Jamaal Williams accounted for 851 total yards (593 on the ground, 258 through the air) and five touchdowns (2 and 3) in his quite-limited playing time. Moreover, with 4 catches in four targets in the playoffs, according to teamrankings.com he has the league’s highest catch rate, 89.7 versus Tonyan’s 89.6. These are two sure-handed guys.
Also in limited but growing playing time, Rashan Gary’s numbers skyrocketed from his rookie year: 6.5 sacks, 46 pressures, 14 QB hits, and 6 tackles for losses. And he just turned 23 in December.
No one talks much about the stats of Adrian Amos, but he excelled across the board this past season: 91 tackles, 10 pass breakups, 3 interceptions, and 2 sacks. When QBs targeted receivers being guarded by Amos, their cumulative passer rating was a stingy 79.0.
Darnell Savage also handily bettered his previous year: 79 tackles, 12 pass breakups, 4 interceptions and one sack. When guys he was guarding were thrown to, the cumulative passer rating, 63.0, was even better than that of his fellow safety.
Finally, 14-year Packer veteran kicker Mason Crosby was automatic when called upon to kick field goals: 16 of 16 in the regular season, and another 4 of 4 in the playoffs. That’s going to be hard to improve upon.
We fans were given the gift of watching a tremendous amount of brilliant and inspired football despite the many challenges the season presented. I choose to remember and cherish how special the 2020 Packers were.
Postscript
Near the end of his 1/29/21 “Inbox” conversation, Packers senior writer Mike Spofford had some pertinent comments:
“In the end, the Packers had everything they needed to get to the Super Bowl this year, having earned the No. 1 seed, lone bye, and home field. It came down to one contest, and they blew it. Why? (1) Because the play caller and/or MVP QB abandoned the run at multiple pivotal moments, (2) the All-Pro wide receiver dropped a TD pass, (3) the Pro Bowl running back fumbled, (4) the No. 2 corner who’s been a solid cover man when healthy played the worst game of his career, (5) the normally productive edge rushers couldn’t get to the QB, (6) the future HOF left tackle’s absence caught up with them, (7) the head coach made a questionable decision at crunch time, and (8) the officials changed the tenor of their oversight with the game on the line.”
While I previously laid much blame on Kevin King (here), I completely agree, it was no one thing that eliminated the Pack from the Super Bowl chase. Even so, there are different degrees, or weights that should be given, to reasons for the devastating loss. (Note: I added the numbers to Spofford’s comments)
#8 was beyond the team’s control. The same goes for #6 – though the loss of David Bakhtiari in itself may have been enough to tip the scales in the Bucs’ favor. #’s 2, 3, and 7 affected just one play and/or just one player or coach.
As for #1, Spoff says the run game was abandoned at multiple pivotal moments. There’s some truth to that remark, but I’d remind him that Aaron Jones missed almost the entire second half due to an injury. When he went out, there went the guy on the team with a nose for the end zone, the team’s game changer. While I’ve praised Jamaal Williams many times for playing right up to his potential, it’s Jones who made the run game go, and it’s that threat that rendered play action so productive.
As for #5, while the edge rushers didn’t get any sacks, the pressure put on Brady, especially as the game wore on, was decent, and I’ll take 3 interceptions instead of 3 sacks anytime.
Three of Spoff’s reasons, however, affected not just one moment, but a great many plays. Bakhtiari’s loss removed him from 71 offensive plays. Jones’s injury cost him about 35 plays. Kevin King’s ineffectiveness was present for all 63 of his defensive snaps.
So, if we’re going to list of reasons for the loss, I put King’s ineptitude at #1, the injury to “Showtyme” at #2, and Bakhtiari’s unavailability at #3.
I must take issue with one part of Spofford’s otherwise insightful take: the notion that King was “a solid cover man when healthy.” When King was healthy enough to play, PFF rated him 99th out of 121 NFL cornerbacks – ALL SEASON LONG! He had many bad games – this one was shown to be his worst only because the Bucs were smart enough to exploit that weakness all game long.
Ok…..this is really starting to piss me of….blaming the zebras.
” (8) the officials changed the tenor of their oversight with the game on the line.”
THAT is, in a word….BULLSHIT
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Has nobody watched the replay of the PI penalty? Is that not a fucking penalty? Explain it to me why it’s not…somebody, anybody.
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Let me be the devils advocate.
Lets see…..Well…..some may say that the refs weren’t calling those penalty’s all game, then all of a sudden, they called it.. Wow…what a concrete, conclusive argument!!
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Fine…. then show me another play in the game where a defender held the receiver that hard, and for that long (even switching hands for Christ sake) and the refs didn’t call it. Tell me…the quarter, and the time left, and i’ll watch it, i have it on dvr.
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There are various reasons why the Packers didn’t win that game. But for the most DIRECT reasons, look no further than 21 points given up on shoddy defense. Here are the 3 main reasons.
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1) 1st Quarter, Bucs first possession…Mike Evans TD…covered by Kevin King, King got beat so bad, he was so clueless, that he had to “guess” when to jump for the ball. I say clueless, because he jumped way too soon, and he was nowhere near the receiver or the ball.
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2) 2nd quarter…6 seconds left before 1/2 halftime…
Scotty Miller beats Kevin King deep for TD to end the half.
Kevin King employs the strategy of looking back at the QB for the first 80% of his route (yes, you read that right, watch the play again) Once brady releases the ball, King redirects his attention to Scotty Miller…but there is only one thing wrong, by then he’s already beat….TOUCHDOWN.
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3) Start of the 3rd quarter, Bucs first possession after fumble. Cameron Brate finds himself alone for 8 yard TD pass
Adrian Amos decides to let Brate go into the end zone, thinking his best move is to stay up at the line of scrimmage…in spite of the 7 Packers already in front of him….UNCONTESTED.
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3 plays….piss poor coverage…21 points.
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Kevin King has been an accident waiting to happen since his first game. We were all just waiting for it to happen…..it happened.
It’s Kenny King. And you are right. He finally cost them big. He helped lose some regular season games of course but not as big as this one. Too bad he played he was on the injury report, I hoped he would be a scratch. Pettine is 25% to blame too. So many 3rd down conversions.
Dang, I find myself agreeing with Piffle. What is going on? Am I sick? I better take my temperature.
Piffle, not buying into excuses and not blaming the refs like 97% of Packers fans. (“If they ain’t helping us win the game then they ain’t trying and that ain’t right!” Packer fan belches, rubs at itch on vast hairy belly.) Pretty amazing!
Yeah, the refs were maybe “letting them play” as Troy Aikman likes to put it which, again, means “letting them break the rules and letting them commit penalties and letting them cheat” in all truth. But even then, some things are so flagrant they simply must be called or all respect is lost for the game of football. The King PI was up there with the most obvious and dramatic PIs ever seen on this planet.
Also, had it not been called, almost certainly the Packers still would have lost so it is really hard to pin the loss on one obvious and necessary call.
Lafleur chose someone else to blame. Pettine. That was an easy scapegoat. Lafleur kicked him in the ass and said “Take your lousy #9 defense and big defensive improvement and #7 pass defense and 3 interceptions of Tom Brady and get the f*** out of here!”
So, no worries, obviously the Packers will have the #1 defense next year and that will allow Lafleur to go for it on 4th down. A lot of people don’t know it but the FG on 4th down was also Pettine’s fault. So was Rodgers’ arrogant interception before the half. Darn that Pettine! Come to think of it, Pettine was standing oddly close by Bahktiari when David tore his achilles….
Killer, stfu. No one here asked you what your thoughts are. Please tell me about how good Kirk Cousins is. I am dying to hear.
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PF4L, I completely agree. I get the frustration with some packers fans that there were several instances of refs letting them play before, the King penalty was very egregious. Any time a player has a handful of jersey, arm outstretched, it’s getting called, period. There were several other instances in this game the Packers could have made a play, and they failed.
I try to avoid the comments on Packers.com “inbox”. I’m not sure if the comments #1 thru #8 were all the comments regarding the main reasons for the loss? If those were the reasons for the loss I’m going to add one other item that I believe should be considered as the main reason for the loss.
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3rd down and medium to long yardage conversions. Tampa bay’s offense converted on the 3rd and medium to long yards at a higher rate than the Packers offense.
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The Packer defense made TB go to 3rd down their entire 1st drive. TB converted 3rd &4, 3&9, and 3rd&7 (TD).
The Packers also made TB go to 3rd down their 2nd drive. TB converted 3rd&1, 3rd&13, finally a sack on 3rd and 10.
3rd TB drive Packers get TB in 3rd&9. TB gets a first down on a 52 yard play. Next play a 20 yard TD run.
5th TB drive just before the half 3rd down and 4 and Redmond drops a easy INT. We know what happens next.
Last possession by TB convert on 3rd down and 4 by DPI.
King was bad at the worst times. Sullivan also had a bad game. Savage also had a poor day in coverage and run support. Let’s face it Brady had some bad throws with some receiver drops or the game could have a worse final score.
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The Packers for the most part converted most of their 3rd downs and TDs on 3rd and short. On several series the Packer’s offense had to make very few 3rd down conversions and when they did they were usually 3rd and short. 3rd&3 (TD), 3rd&2 (TD). When the Packers got into 3rd and medium to long they usually did not convert. 3rd&9 (sack), 3rd&6 (FG), 3rd&5 (fumble, short of 1st down), 3rd&5 (punt). 3rd&10 (punt), 3rd&8 (FG).
The offensive line needed the offense to stay in manageable downs with the threat of a run option. Otherwise the offensive line was not going to hold up.
Spofford was responding, on the team’s website, to this critique by “Jesus from Mesa, AZ”:
“Mike, you don’t seem to understand. Of course the team balances short- and long-term goals, and must continue to do so. But going for it means overweighting the short-term goal at the expense of the long-term goal. Drafting a first-round QB and the backup to the backup RB with your first two drafts are not “going for it.” Quit being a company-line apologist, think for yourself, and the maybe you’ll get clued into what folks are saying.”
I guess it was the final sentence that irked Spofford. He wasn’t trying to present a complete analysis of why the Packers lost, just giving several examples showing it was due to a long series of mistakes.
Sometimes during a game, it becomes quite obvious what is happening, and what is going wrong. Things like dropped passes, missed tackles, fumbles and interceptions, poor clock management; and many more maladies. What isn’t obvious to some fans is what are the contributing factors, as to why they happen. Both Howard and PF4L point out their views above, and see the not so obvious reasons that can have a big factor in the outcome, Good work, guys!
I mentioned my “direct reasons”. For more of a general reason with a broad brush.
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Call me crazy, but i’m thinking losing twice to the same team might have something to do with being sacked 10 times, and being hit 21 times, and then all the hurries.
It shouldn’t be a secret that Rodgers had protection problems against the Bucs, but if it is a secret, i won’t bring it up again.
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I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Rodgers also had 3 interceptions against Tampa.
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The Packers get stalled whenever they face a strong front.
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They slipped by the no name Panthers, even though Rodgers got sacked 5 times. The passing game was horrendous (143 yards), but they still eeked out a win.
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The hardest part with improving and being a Championship team…is proving it.
Saying it is easy…but i don’t have to tell you folks that.
After watching some of the replays of games this year, I’ve noticed that Rodgers constantly brings the clock down to within a second or two before snapping the ball. Why does this matter? #1, defenses aren’t jumping the snap count as much as in the past and #2; it’s easier for the defense to anticipate when the ball will be snapped, by watching the clock. I don’t pretend to know if this is LaFleurs’ or Rodgers’ strategy. Seems to me that the opposing DC would pick up on this and alert his troops. Could it be that this is a decision that’s made to hide the fact that this defense has holes in it, and eat up as much clock as possible; to keep the other offenses on the sideline? Also, one would think that bringing the clock down to within that time really stymies momentum on drives that are on a roll.
That’s been standard procedure for years Mick. The very fact that you try to think of the how’s and the why’s, put’s you in the 95 percentile of Packer fans.
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I’ve always wondered how Rodgers can draw the defense offsides for a free play when he consistently brings the play clock all the way down. Like….don’t the defenses know this by now?…lol
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Winning time of possession is a legit speculation as to why it’s done.
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There was a short period of time some years ago where the Packers wanted to quicken things up, run the offense quicker and increasing their number of offensive plays into the 70-75 range. That experiment didn’t last very long.
Someone on this site has bragged up the Packers #9 ranked defense by yardage. What that stat doesn’t tell you is the Packers defense this year was on the field less plays per game than any other defense. The defense had something to do with the low snap counts, but so does QB#1 taking down the play and game clocks. I have said for years, on this site, Rodgers taking down the play and game clock is to keep the defense off the field (less chance for points against, and rested) and see what the opposing defense is doing.
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If you consider the Packers defense was on the field the fewest snaps per game average in the NFL this year. Then it is fair to wonder how the defense ranks in yards per play allowed and points per play allowed. The Packers defense ranked #13 with two other teams in yards per play allowed. That doesn’t sound as good as #9. In addition the Packers defense was ranked #16 this year in points allowed per play. The Packers defense was a middle of the road defense in many categories. LaFleur wants to dominate in all three phases and That is why Pettine will not be retained and there will be a new STs coordinator.
This is why you can’t teach algebra to a 5 year old. This is why bus drivers aren’t astronauts.
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Reading a stat is simple, understanding it is another matter entirely.
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Making this point in a different, but relative fashion, i posed the time of possession differential on how it relates to the defense and it’s rankings, some weeks ago.
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I could have brought this up to the person Howard is referring to, but past experience tells me i’d have better dialogue with a head of lettuce,
NFC North news;;;;; The Lions have traded M. Stafford to the L.A. Rams for Jared Goff. In return, the Lions get a 3rd round pick this year, and a 1st rounder in 2022, and a 1st rounder in 2023. Hmmmmm!
A blockbuster! Goff is 26, passer rating in 2020, 90.0; best ever, 101.1 in 2018; lifetime, 91.5. Stafford is 32, 2020 rating 96.3; best ever, 106.0 in 2019; lifetime, 89.9. This should have considerable impact on the NFC North for a decade or more, will depend on whether a fresh start for Goff will restore him to at least second tier QB status. Initial impression is that with all those high draft choices, the Lions got the better deal by far.
Agree Rob…The trade, on it’s face, Goff for Stafford is just about a push (maybe i shade towards the Rams).
Throw in the draft picks, the Lions win. If they can pick up some good players.
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I’d say at the end of the day. the NFC North came out ahead of both. I’m not a big Goff fan.
This trade tells me teams know for certain that the salary cap will not be anywhere close to the approximately 175 mil bottom limit for 2021. In fact it screams that the 2021 salary cap will remain close to or at this years cap limit.
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I can see the Lions thinking rebuild. I can’t see the Rams thinking the same. With the dead cap hits both teams take with this trade it would put the Lions about 10 mil. Over the 2021 salary cap of approximately 175 mil. It would put the Rams at over 30 mil. above the 2021 salary cap. Both of the teams can restructure contracts or cut players. I can see the Lions doing such. I can’t see the Rams all in trade move doing so. To me, this trade appears to project good news for the 2021 NFL salary cap figure.
As i previously wrote, i agree with you on that. A 23 million cut in one year, plus a usually anticipated jump in cap space by about 10 million. That gives the teams about a 33 million gap of chaos against their financial planning.
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I’m sticking with my guess they spread it out over a few years to lessen the impact and it ends up at 190 million +/-. (mil)
New league year doesn’t officially start until March anymore i guess. So how the hell this trade is allowed i have no idea. But you gotta love ESPN trying trying to hype this trade by highlighting the Lions/Browns game from 2009 as to what Stafford could bring to the table for the Rams. Really? That far back? lol. What a world this “content” society is we live in now.
I’m in about the middle of watching Gutes press conference.
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A reporter (Ryan Wood?) is asking Gute about his defense. The reporter (17:35) claimed the Packers defense was 9th in scoring.
It just makes me wonder….is accuracy not a big deal?….Is it just like… optional?
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The other nugget i got is that drafting Jordan Love and having him sit for 3 or 4 years falls right into Gutes plan. Never mind the FACT we were one win away from the SB last season. So in Gute’s mind… giving up a first round and a fourth to have a QB sit for years was valued above using those two picks to get immediate talent on the football field.
It seems that Gute would have us believe it was a better option, to trade up and draft a player to sit and develop for years vs drafting two players for immediate help.
What i’m wondering is…if there is one other person (on earth) who agrees with him.
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I’m waiting for questions to be asked that should be asked, but i highly doubt it will come from local media who have to “play nice”. We can’t have a feather ruffled, not in cozy Green Bay.
I have to disagree with you here. What position could they have drafted instead of Love that would have made an already SB worthy team, actually get to the SB? I remember when rookies werent expected to help a team for 2-3 years. Now you people seem to think a draft will get you a SB that year. Rediculous. Can you point to what TB or Chief draft choice helped them get to the SB this year? I didnt think so.
Green Bay has been blessed beyond any known example with 2 HOF QB’s in a row. If you had a chance to do the unthinkable and make that 3 in a row? I mean another 10-15 years of HOF QB play, wouldnt you take it? I sure as hell would. See Minnesota if you dont think its worth the risk.
This team was good enough this year to go to the SB. They shit the bed at the wrong time. I cant think of any draft choice that would have taken out the players that most caused this “shitting of the bed”. So how does it effect the outcome? Honestly I dont think this team, as good as it was beats the Chiefs. Even if you had dracfted every imaginiary game changer you people seem to think we should have drafted. KC is that good. To be honest things are probably the way they should be; if anyone can beat this KC team its Tampa. Brady and a good Dline and LB’s. That combo has a shot at least.
Every team has it’s own formula. There is no same exact formula to getting to a SB.
No…i can’t point to any draft choice that got TB or KC to the Super Bowl. You’re very smart.
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What i can say is, Championship teams look to improve themselves each season. Can you point out that TB or KC did nothing to upgrade their team from last season? I didn’t think so.
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It’s not just about drafting. But if you claim to have a goal of winning now, wouldn’t you draft players that can get on the field to help? Not draft 1st rounders two years in a row to sit on the bench? Draft a running back even though you had no need there? Draft another tight end in the 3rd, as you did the year before?
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How did any of that help the team this season? It didn’t…and news flash…Most fans and talking heads across the Country, agree with me concerning last years draft.
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You preached about how could anyone turn down a 3rd HOF QB. I’ll tell you what…..
When he comes close to HOF caliber…come look me up….When he gets upgraded from 3rd to 2nd string, come look me up. When he starts his first NFL game…come look me up. When Love completes his first NFL pass…come look me up.
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Any player drafted has a “chance” to be a HOF player. Just like every power ball ticket, has a chance of being a winner.
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Lets chill on the talk of Love being a future HOF player. Can we see him complete a pass first?
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“I remember when rookies werent expected to help a team for 2-3 years.”
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Hmmm, interesting…i remember when you could smoke on a airplane.
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If you’re argument is…we already had enough talent to get to the Super Bowl.
And my argument is….add talent on the field to help achieve the goal of getting to the Super Bowl.
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I’ll stick with my argument, as yours hasn’t seemed to work out very well yet.
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Welcome back :)
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Just because a team is Super Bowl “worthy” doesn’t mean you can’t make that team even better. In 2010, the Packers picked up first year players such as Brian Bulaga, James Starks, and Sam Shields. All three of them had a huge impact in the playoffs that year. Bulaga filling in at RT. Starks pounding the football down Philadelphia’s throat and providing a run game that would have been MIA without him. Shields with his speed and two interceptions at Chicago. HUGE.
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How much value did the 1st and 4th round picks of 2020 provide this year? Here’s a hint, NONE.
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Much like Kato’s post below, I took a few week hiatus from anything football because that loss was too much for me. I had to let the emotions subside, otherwise, I would have drove myself nuts thinking about it. My time and energy is more important than that. Suck it, Mark Murphy.
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I’m now making my way through missed articles. As much as it pains me, and everyone else, to see Brady win another SB (especially after beating GB while throwing 3 interceptions), I would like to congratulate Tampa Bay’s front office for not sitting on their hands and doing what needed to be done, to get the job done. Even after having one of the best WR groups in the NFL before Brady came along, they still went out and got Gronk and Antonio Brown. As well as several other guys I don’t care to take the time to look up. I didn’t watch the SB, but congratulations to the TB defense for being a force to be reckoned with.
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Hell, maybe when Brady retires Rodgers can sign with Tampa and get himself another ring. It might be his best option.
It seems to me….if a NFL team is “Super Bowl worthy”, the one qualification of that…is proof. Not sure who defines the worthiness.
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I would think getting to a Super Bowl makes you Super Bowl worthy. With that….it seems to me there have been 110 worthy teams the last 55 years.
I was going to elaborate on that but my time and care ran out. If a team never makes it to the Super Bowl, I’m not so sure you can call them Super Bowl worthy.
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The end of year power rankings came out and the Packers were the 3rd best team in the league. That means they were the best team in the league NOT to make it to the Super Bowl. As Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar once said- “We’re not worthy! We’re not worthy!”
“We have one goal in mind and if there’s an opportunity to umm, to ya know…take some risks to help us win now, we’re certainly in that mode” – Gute.
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Hell….drafting players last April wasn’t a “risk” to help you win now and you declined.
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What’s changed?
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I guess we’re back to hearing the Packers talk out of both sides of their mouth.
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In LaFleurs presser. Someone named Bill Huber is playing hardball!!!
He was throwing high heat that glanced of LaFleurs chin. (5:20)
To be fair, he threw heat, but kind of drove Silverstien under the bus while doing it to take it off himself.
A bit of candy ass move if you ask me, he could have spoke in general terms (a reporter claimed) and left Tom’s name out of it.
Yup, I wish Gutes’ statement of “we have one goal in mind, to win now” entered his brain BEFORE last Aprils draft where it might have had an impact during the 2020 season. In coach LaFleurs’ presser, he mentioned that he is taking all responsibility for not calling time out before the Bucs TD before halftime, amongst other errors. He mentioned ALL the calls go through him, O., D., and STs’, and that ANY miscommunication is on him——- Yes it is coach! I get a kick out of the way the media tries to put frosting on a hardball question, trying not to be too abrasive thinking they are gonna get a “heartfelt, honest” answer! I, along with many others on this blog think Gute didn’t have a clue Rodgers would have a bounce back season thus, the reaching for Love
What he means….that all calls go through him is…He hears all the calls, Defensive, special teams. If he has an objection, he can voice it and reject it.
But he also has to have time to reject it, and have a time out if needed.
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I know reporters wanted him to say who made the call before 1/2 time. I think Pettine made the call, LaFleur didn’t object, and so he took the Bullitt for it.
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Plus you don’t want to disparage a guy you just terminated, that’s in bad taste. Let him find another gig, you don’t throw rocks at him on his way out.
I did a bit of research on Jordan Love in scouting reports, which were very consistent across the board.
Some people advised him to stay in school and develop more.
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Most people agree he has all the physical
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Most agree he is a project
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By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
“His size, mobility and arm talent combined with his 2018 flashes could be a winning hand that leads a team into the future or a siren’s song of erratic play and unfulfilled potential.
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Like i said, his athleticism and his physical traits will not keep him from succeeding in the NFL.
Read into that how you want. Here is a following of the consensus of things he needs to work on.
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Poor field vision
Has to improve working through his progressions
Must get more consistent at reading defenses
Often stares down his primary read
Needs to learn to move coverage with his eyes
Could stand to improve decision-making
Has some turnover issues
Accuracy issues
Will need to improve footwork
Not ready to play; needs development
Sounds like a 4th rounder career backup to me. Brett Hundley II.
I commented to a post elsewhere, where a fan voiced his opinion that he hopes Gute picks a receiver in this years draft. Then a question quickly dawned on me……
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PF4L
February 03, 2021 at 10:23 am
“I’m not sure which round they try and get one, but I’d still like to see a WR added in this draft.”
I agree….
But then i have to ask myself…if Gute didn’t think grabbing a receiver in a deep receiver draft last year was needed, Why would he think we need one in this years draft when we had the highest scoring offense?
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LOL….For whatever reason…my comment on that site, will receive a bunch of thumbs down” as usual. :)
I guess i’m not the brightest candle in the room over there…lol..cough
Four of the five starters on the chiefs offensive line have been cut multiple times. The only one that hasn’t is a 7th round choice. That is a a testament to the scouting department/coaching staff. I know a lot of people here kind of freak out about a position being taken early. You only have so many early picks, unless you continually trade away veterans for high picks. You have to be able to fill out a roster and have some potential starters that are UDFAs or late rounds picks. The math doesn’t add up for you to have 22 starters drafted in rounds 1-4, even assuming you hit on every single one, which never happens
Sorry, haven’t really commented lately, the loss hurt me pretty badly, and I didn’t really feel like talking about it for a while. I don’t take losing very well, and can make rash observations/comments until the emotion goes away and I can look at it objectively
Nobody said every starter had to be from rounds 1-4.
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But……when you go into a draft being a game away from the Super Bowl, how about you use those high picks on people who can get on the field and contribute?
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What did Jordan Love cost us, what was his TOTAL cost? Has anyone asked that question, thought about it?
We gave up a #1 and a 4 to get him.
So not only did it cost us two players, it cost us two players EACH year that Love isn’t on the field
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Some may view the 4th round trade up pick as inconsequential.
Except when you think of Packer players taken in the 4th round…Bakhtiari, Sitton, and T.J. Lang.
Trust me when i tell you, if Love doesn’t work out….it will be known as one of the biggest Packer draft day fuck ups right behind Tony Mandarich.
The book on Love is still to be penned. If Love doesn’t work out I would still rank the mistake a distant third below the Mandrich and Jamal Reynolds upper first round failures.
Yea….well, i guess we can’t always agree, that would be weird.
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Nobody disputes the book on love has yet to be penned, as i wrote…”if Love doesn’t work out”.
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But sometimes you have to look at things in totality, and read the cards that have been played thus far.
Are the Packers more committed to Rodgers now…than they were on draft day? By golly, listening to Gute and LaFleur, it sure seems that way.
Could it be spin talk if the Packers don’t redo Rodgers deal with guarantee’s? Absolutely. But those cards have yet to be played.
The bottom line is as long as Rodgers is here, Love and his 2 draft picks have been a waste (no help), that is undisputable.
Now…if the year comes, where Love is one day the starter in Green Bay, then another obstacle has to be overcome, proving himself to be a starter and worth his draft day expense.
Gutes contract could be up by then. But as i said last April on draft day. Gute picking Love almost guarantee’s himself an extension to watch and wait to see if his dream bears fruit.
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Rodgers wants to be here for at least…the next 3 seasons. Because i don’t see Love beating out Rodgers for the starting job during that time. A decision will have to be made to pick up Love’s 5th year option for roughly 20 million.
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Based on comments coming out of training camp, and the consensus of scouting reports. Love has a long hill to climb in being a NFL starting QB. That’s not me talking, that’s everyone, he’s a project.
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Jamal Reynolds?…………….Seriously?
The Packers moved up 7 spots by trading Hassleback to acquire Reynolds. That stupid mistake is relevant i guess, but so is…..
The fact (1) Love was acquired to replace a living legend in Rodgers. That contains much higher expectations than was asked of Reynolds.
The fact (2) The Packers were one win away from a SB. Instead of adding to the team for help in the first round, the Packers drafted a player for the future. A player, to sit on the bench, much like the 12th pick of the year before.
The Fact (3) An additional 4th round pick was used to chase Jordan Love.
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Because of the scenario…of Love being acquired to replace a 1st ballot HOF’r, coupled with the fact how close the Packers came to being in the SB two years in a row. It could be argued, IF he flops, that Love could be the worst pick in Packer history. Mandrich was a flop….but he was never, ever regarded to, as a project, by ANYONE, like Love is.
You and I may agree that Love should not have been last years first round pick. To me the most offensive part of the Love pick was trading up to do so. You won’t change my mind that if Love does not pan out that the Love pick would be a worse pick than Mandrich and Reynolds. As you know there is a big difference between expectations of a top ten or five pick than a bottom of the first round pick.
I’m not going to parse the position of the 1st round pick, but i understand your point. We don’t have to agree on draft bust level. We are both capable of doing our own thinking and formulating our own views.
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I think what it comes down to, for me anyway. Is the difference between trying to improve your team now, or obtain players for down the road.
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Gute clearly chose the latter in the last draft, and the 12th pick of the 2019 draft.
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I’m wondering in regards to Rashan Gary. In his 3rd year in the league, will the 12th pick overall….become a starter?
Exactly! Gute chose to draft for the future, and now he has to live; or die with it. As far as draft busts, how about in 2007, 1st rd. pick Justin Harrell? He never could shake the injury bug, playing in only 14 games in 4 years; and after being released, he never played for any one else. Or in 2011 with the pick of Derrick Sherrod. Turns out that the rap on Sherrod was he was too stiff, and not very athletic for LT. Harrell on the other hand tore his biceps and never played his senior year at Tennessee. But, TT picked him in the 1st round anyway.
In fairness to Sherrod…granted, he didn’t play that well when healthy and i didn’t like him.
But he had some bad medical complications from leg surgery performed by team medical. He had to go under the knife again because the 1st surgery was botched. I think they might have had to go outside the team for his 2nd surgeon, (specialist).
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But the difference with all those guys Mick, is they weren’t picked to replace a Legend, and the expectations that come with that. Fair or not.
I remember Sherrods family being plenty pissed off.
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I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to hear there was a settlement for loss of future earnings.
Kato…just for the record, the Chiefs present starting left and right tackles are back ups for injured starters.
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Eric Fisher (out), the Chiefs starting left tackle, was the #1 overall pick in the 2013 draft.
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Mitchell Schwartz is the starting right tackle on IR, was a 2nd round pick.
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