A punt downed at the opponent’s two yard line. A momentum play by the punt team. Packer fans were pinching themselves on Sunday. Now, fans of the green and gold probably didn’t want to break out into celebration at that moment in the game. Packer fans have become accustomed to having a punter hit one good punt while shanking one or two at a critical juncture in a game.
Packers’ New Punter: Pat O’Donnell
On Sunday, Packer punter Pat O’Donnell hit seven punts in total, with distance in order of 52, 57, 42, 46, 41, 63, and 38 yards. Only the 57 and 63 yard efforts were returned. The 57 yard boot netted 46 yards. The 63 yard rocket netted 47. Every punt landed inside the twenty yard line and the five that were not advanced were downed at the 13, 2, 11, 14, and the 11. The best field position Tampa Bay had after a Packer punt was the 25 yard line and that was a punt from the Packers 28. This punt team masterpiece included Keisean Nixon’s coverage, downing the punt at the two and good tackling from Tipa Galeai and Isaiah McDuffie.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
The first question: who is this unit and what have you done to the Packers punt team we fans know and curse weekly? Even the penalty that ruined a fantastic return by Amari Rodgers was a bogus call if you viewed the replay. Point in fact: the special teams contributed to a road win against a very good opponent. And the Packers would not have won without their positive contributions. The season has a long way to go but so far all the signs point up for Green Bay’s special teams. The weight of that relief should be physically felt lifting off fans shoulders. Ahh, what a relief it is…
Not only has O’Donnell cured the erratic punt issues of multiple seasons, but there have been no hiccups in the field goal unit so far this year either. Packer fans had valid concerns after last year’s meltdown followed by Crosby’s knee surgery that kept him from kicking in the preseason. So far Crosby has shown no signs of a negative impact from the surgery, although his two field goals and six extra points are a small sample and the weather has not yet been a factor.
The Packers stated publicly they were going to commit more emphasis to special teams. Kudos to the Packer staff for recognizing O’Donnell as an upgrade. The Bears’ new regime gave up on O’Donnell in favor of rookie late-round draft pick, Trenton Gill. Gill had four punts against the Texans, his longest allowing a 31 yard return. Going with Gill was the Packer strategy three years ago. Hopefully, the lesson learned will pay off this season for the Packers.
31 Comments
Fun fact about Pat O’Donnell: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2059113-punter-pat-odonnell-bench-pressed-more-than-jadeveon-clowney-at-nfl-combine
At the NFL Scouting Combine, O’Donnell recorded 23 repetitions on the bench press, better than 19 running backs, 21 defensive linemen (including number one draft pick Jadeveon Clowney), and all 37 wide receivers invited.
Jason, I got a Nonce verification failed about 10 minutes ago.
Competent special teams, a dominant defense, and an emerging playmaker in Romeo Doubs. Suddenly all the excuses on why Rodgers chokes in the playoffs are disappearing. Could he actually have to take responsibility this year? Let’s not talk crazy. Meanwhile Davante Adams is 0-3 in Las Vegas and Russell Wilson hasn’t made Denver any better. The grass isn’t always greener.
Tom M 2 hours ago
The grass isn’t always greener.
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I agree, now go back to your viking blog
Trying a different comment form now that will hopefully get rid of the nonce failed error. This will not allow you to log in with social media, but I doubt anyone used that anyway. Jetpack plugin sucks, fyi.
And miss out on the Brandon Bostick quips? No way Kevin! I’m here to stay! And who would you mindlessly quote if I left? You’d be back to quoting worthless Aaron Rodgers stats. And nobody wants that…..
SKOL!!
I don’t mindlessly quote.
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I quote your mindless words.
When i say mindless, i mean, galactically stupid.
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Please…do better.
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Now reboot Princess…and tell us more stories about Jordan Love’s 5th year option, being guaranteed after the draft.
Yes….galactically stupid.
Former Vikings QB Bert Favre looks to be in a bit of a pickle. Mr. Welfare Fraud…nice. He doesn’t have $8M to make that horrible State better? Maybe he could sell pictures of his dick to raise some cash.
Haha, good one Ferris. If Bert slaps an autograph on those pics I bet he could erect the asking price substantially. Although they are probably a dime a dozen in Northeast Wisconsin.
We can all read here Kevin. You don’t have to incessantly quote me. Now comprehend, that’s entirely different story. I thought you and Cheese and the rest of the girls were going to ignore me? I know know you can’t help yourself. You bitch and moan about the WR’s even though Erin’s had the best WR in football the last 7 years in Davante Adams. And he still had the best WR in the game on Sunday. His name is Romeo Doubs. Tom Brady had nothing on Sunday. Mike Evans suspend. Chris Goodwin and Julio Jones out. Yet he’s one play away from sending the game into OT. When’s the last time Rodgers has done that? Never. The great ones always find a way. Everyone else you make excuses for.
Tom Brady was one play away from sending the game into overtime Princess tells us gleefully.
WOW!
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Tommi continues to tell us….”The great ones always find a way”
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So…..The great ones always find a way….to be only one play away from sending the game into overtime.
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BRB…i gotta go write that down. in my journal.
“And he still had the best WR in the game on Sunday. His name is Romeo Doubs. Tom Brady had nothing on Sunday.”
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Stop making excuses for your boyfriend. Russell Gage was the leading receiver of the game. The Packers had guys out too. The playing field was even as can be because the situation for each team was almost identical. Both offenses were down top wr’s, both teams had a stout defense. I’d say get over it but you’ll just find some other miniscule factor to whine about.
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“Yet he’s one play away from sending the game into OT. When’s the last time Rodgers has done that? Never. The great ones always find a way. Everyone else you make excuses for.”
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LOL. The great ones find a way? That must mean Brady isn’t great because he didn’t find a way and nobody is making more excuses for him than you. Mr.Valiant Troop Leader lost and you still can’t accept reality.
Listen you two, when the game was on the line, who made a play to win the game? It was the defense, not your boyfriend. Aaron Rodgers put up zero points and threw an INT that resulted in a Bucs FG in the second half. You don’t win many games that way. Meanwhile Tom Brady with his top three WR’s and his LT out was one play away from tying the game. Aaron Rodgers couldn’t have done what Brady did in your wildest Aaron Rodgers wet dreams. After three games, we’ve scored a total of 10 second half points yet we’ve won two out of three. Thanks to the defense. The defense made a goal line stand against the Bears to keep them from crawling back in it. These three games are a microcosm of Aaron Rodgers career. The fist game, Vikings got out to an early lead and Rodgers did nothing. The second two games, Rodgers got out to a big lead and the defense held on to win. Rodgers rarely if ever comes from behind to beat anyone unless your the Lions. You’ll give me a thousand reasons why it’s not his fault. It’s never his fault.
“Aaron Rodgers put up zero points and threw an INT that resulted in a Bucs FG in the second half.”
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Brady put up zero points and an interception in the first fifty nine minutes of the game. What’s your point? Stop making excuses for your boyfriend. Dude lost fair and square.
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“Meanwhile Tom Brady with his top three WR’s and his LT out was one play away from tying the game.”
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LOL. First you say that rookie Romeo Doubs is the best WR in the game, then I call you out and mention Russell Gage was the leading reciever with more yards, receptions, and the same number of TD’s and you’re still playing the victim card for your boyfriend. I thought great ones find a way no matter what? If I wanted to whine like you and bring up a bunch of irrelevant BS I could say Rodgers was down three of his top five WR’s from last year, and this past game he was out his top offensive draft pick in Christian Watson and his top free agent signing in Sammy Watkins. Doesn’t matter. Great ones find a way to win ;)
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“Aaron Rodgers couldn’t have done what Brady did in your wildest Aaron Rodgers wet dreams.”
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HAHAHAHA. What exactly did Brady do again? He took the offense down to the goal line and failed to tie the game, let alone win the game. What a fucking dreamboat, hey? I mean, Aaron Rodgers could never do anything like that, even in my wildest deams. Oh wait, that’s EXACTLY what happened two years ago. Except Brady is a vailiant troop leader who had nothing but scrubs at the WR position and Rodgers is total scum who ruined everything all by himself. LOL. You’re such a delusional douchebag.
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“These three games are a microcosm of Aaron Rodgers career.”
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Having the defense bail Aaron Rodgers out is a microcosm of his career? You mean like when the offense put up 45 points against Arizona and still lost because the defense was so good? Or when the defense gave up 181 rushing yards to a QB? Or when they gave up the game winning touchdown against Seattle in OT, or the game winning TD against Arizona the second time in OT? Or when they showed up with giant goose eggs against Atlanta and San Francisco in the NFCCG? The offense and especially the special teams aren’t free of blame but to pin it all on one guy is ridiculous. You know who has had stout defenses his entire career? Tom Brady. No mention of that though. But the Packers beat Tampa with a good defensive perfomance and your whole world crumbles. How dare Rodgers! I never said he was allowed to have a defense! Only Tom Terrific is allowed such privilages!
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“You’ll give me a thousand reasons why it’s not his fault. It’s never his fault.”
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HAHAHA. You mean like the thousand reasons your spewing out about why it’s not Tom Brady’s fault the Buccaneers lost? Right, because it’s never his fault. It was his WR’s fault. It was the opposing defense’s fault. Next you’ll be telling us it was the knee braces fault. Aaron Rodgers beat Tom Brady on his own field. Eat your heart out.
I see Cheese. You want to quote defensive stats from a 2009 playoff loss to the Cardinals? Sure you do. Brian Gutekunst has fixed the defense and if we’re to go anywhere come playoff time it will be because the defense carries the team. Not Aaron Rodgers. He can’t. He never does. 14 points isn’t enough to beat Brady and a healthy Bucs team in the playoffs. Rodgers is going to have to do better. He’s going to have to play better in the second half of games. We caught the Bucs at the right time. Just as Minnesota caught us at the right time. Injuries played a part in both outcomes. Aaron Rodgers has a formula. Get out to a comfortable lead, pads his stats, then hold on to win. We see this over and over and it played itself out in the first two wins of the season. He gets down by more than 10 and it’s over. Or if he’s in a dog fight, he’s not the dog you want your money on. Quoting me stats from decades old playoff losses doesn’t change that. We now face 4 teams in the month of October that play into Aaron Rodgers strengths. Weak teams that Rodgers can get big leads early then coast. That all changes when we go to Buffalo November 6th. You and Kevin want to tell me Erin will rise to the occasion and out duel Josh Allen? Or will you start on the excuses? Quoting from decades old playoff losses. Or tell me it isn’t really Rodgers vs Allen. Truth be told you have no confidence that Aaron Rodgers can go to Buffalo and beat Josh Allen. For the Packers to even remotely have a shot the defense has to come up big and Rodgers has to get the ball to his playmakers even if that causes his precious stats to suffer. That means he’s going to have to feed the ball to Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson. He’s got 4 games to get them up to speed. Doubs has already passed his first test. Now it’s Watson’s turn.
You said those games were a microcosm of Rodger’s career so I mentioned MULTIPLE games from Rodgers’ CAREER and you cherry pick the oldest one so you could whine about it as if it doesn’t count. You won’t acknowledge any of the other games. Do those not count either? Are those not a part of his career? Or do they just not fit your bias narrative?
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“14 points isn’t enough to beat Brady and a healthy Bucs team in the playoffs.”
Says who, are you a time traveler? Who says they score any points. Who says they’re going to be healthy. Do you not have confidence in Gute’s championship defense to hold up in the playoffs? 14 points just beat the Buccaneers. Tampa lost to the Saints 3-38 two years ago. That wasn’t Brady’s fault though. He rallied the troops straight into the arms of defeat. What a dreamboat. The Packers lose to the same team by the same score and Rodgers is the scum of the earth. Makes total sense… Not.
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“He’s going to have to play better in the second half of games.”
According to last Sunday Brady is going to have to play better in the first 59 minutes of games.
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“We caught the Bucs at the right time.”
Maybe. Maybe not. Doesn’t matter. Tom Brady still lost to Aaron Rodgers. How do you like them apples?
“We now face 4 teams in the month of October that play into Aaron Rodgers strengths. Weak teams that Rodgers can get big leads early then coast.”
Right, because Brady has never played a series of weak teams before. He plays SB contenders every week. The AFC east is known for being a powerhouse, right? Remember when Brady and the Patriots lost to the Detroit Lions 26-10? Tom did a great job of rallying the troops that day.
“That all changes when we go to Buffalo November 6th. You and Kevin want to tell me Erin will rise to the occasion and out duel Josh Allen? Or will you start on the excuses? Truth be told you have no confidence that Aaron Rodgers can go to Buffalo and beat Josh Allen.”
Nov 6th has nothing to do with last Sunday. Brady lost to Aaron Rodgers. You’re like a kid who runs his mouth, gets beat up, refuses to accept it, and keeps talking about how your older brother is going to get revenge. Shut up already. Talk about excuses? You got a million of them for your Troop Leader. Can the Packers beat the Bills? Maybe. Buffalo is a good team. We’ll have to wait and see. That’s over a month away. Right now I’m just enjoying that fact that Aaron Rodgers beat Tom Brady. Maybe you should too. Unless you’re not a Packers fan.
So…in other words, Rodgers beat Brady.
Or…is it a team game only when Brady loses.
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Why are you always so angry Princess.
” You’re like a kid who runs his mouth, gets beat up, refuses to accept it, and keeps talking about how your older brother is going to get revenge.”
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Then ends up getting beat up by his older brother, and his sister.
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Fast forward 30 years later….
Clings to internet blogs for social interaction, despite, everyone not even wanting him there.
But Tom M, existing in an empty life, doesn’t care and stays anyway because he needs the forums and it’s the best thing he’s got going in his life.
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Carry on Tom M.
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Keep trying to do your best, and always remember, when you hit rock bottom, God loves you.
I noticed a SPT improvement since the previous games already. Returned kickoffs came seldom beyond the 25 line.
Previous seasons they were alomost every time returned beyond the 25.
One downside to this older comment form is that it removed an extra security check to keep bots from commenting about blue dick pills.
Anyway, if you see any spammy comments lmk and Ill remove them. Vikings fans do not count.
Never have.
Because they don’t know how.
Oh…lol…i don’t know, lets find out.
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Tommi…..count to 10…..bitch 😏
Take your time Tommi…
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Let me help get you started..1,2,3………..
This thing on?
Aaron Rodgers didn’t do shit after the opening drive in the playoff loss to the 49ers. Aaron Rodgers didn’t do shit in the second half of the game against the Bucs. Notice a pattern? The only reason we won is because of the defense. The same defense Kevin cries like a little girl about how we’ve sacrificed the WR position over. We beat the 49ers last September, that game didn’t mean shit come January and neither will this one. So Cheese and Kevin, don’t tug each other too hard over this game. How do I know Brady will have his receivers back for the playoffs? I don’t. But considering Mike Evans missed the game due to suspension and Julio Jones and Chris Goodwin were game time decisions it seems likely they’ll be back. And if you want to play the hypothetical game, then how do we know Aaron Rodgers will play in January? The saw cuts both ways. You have to assume both teams will be relatively healthy. At the end of the day I’m as happy as you and Kevin we won but keep it in perspective. I don’t want to face this team again in January with the ball in Brady’s hands and the game on the line. We dodged a bullet this time. We’ve seen it play out differently time and time again in the playoffs. Rodgers has to be better. Even he would tell you that…
I want you to remember what you said Cheese and I want you to repeat it after Aaron Rodgers loses in the playoffs. Because we all know he will. “The dude lost fair and square.” Enjoy the regular season wins. It’s all Aaron Rodgers gives you. If you think 14 points and a second half INT is enough to beat Tom Brady in January, then live the fantasy. It sure as shit meant nothing when we beat the 49ers last September.
Tom M 41 mins ago
I want you to remember what you said Cheese and I want you to repeat it after Aaron Rodgers loses in the playoffs. Because we all know he will.
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STAY IN SCHOOL KIDS!
“Aaron Rodgers didn’t do shit after the opening drive in the playoff loss to the 49ers. Aaron Rodgers didn’t do shit in the second half of the game against the Bucs. Notice a pattern?”
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Brady didn’t do shit for the first fifty nine minutes of the game against Green Bay. Brady didn’t do shit the entire game when he lost to the Saints 38-3. Notice a pattern? What a loser, hey?
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You know who had all his troops back last night and still lost by ten? Tom Brady. The great ones always find a way.
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“I’m as happy as you and Kevin we won but keep it in perspective.”
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You sure fooled me, and everyone else.. You’re easily the most miserable person on here. Keep it in perspective? You mean your constant debbie downer attitude? Nah, I’m good.
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“If you think 14 points and a second half INT is enough to beat Tom Brady in January, then live the fantasy”
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If 14 points can beat him in September it can beat him in any month. Tampa lost 38-3 in (gasp) November. Do you not have confidence in Gute’s championship defense? I’ll pass on the Tom Brady fantasies. That’s all you. I’m sure he’d love to deflate your balls.