Cheesehead
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,854
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Carl from Stevens Point, WI
How well is this offense spreading around the ball? Well, Aaron is ranked second in the NFL in passing yards. The receiver with the most yards? That’s MVS...currently ranked 35th in the league.
Nine players with at least 125 yards receiving through eight games, and a 10th just shy of 100. Only three times in the Favre-Rodgers era (I didn’t look back beyond that) have the Packers had at least 10 players with at least 100 receiving yards in a full season – 1996, 2007 and last year, when five of 11 had between 100 and 210. The numbers this year at the halfway point are astounding.
Michael from Berrien Springs, MI
Rodgers said something like "it all evens out" after the bad-calls outcry of the Lions game happened. I see so many missed calls or sometimes "ticky-tack" calls, even in Sunday night's game. When that wonderful drive ended in a field goal, I turned to my wife and said, "Did you see that guy hit Rodgers in the head and facemask?" Sure enough, there it was on the replay but no one called it. That would have been first-and-goal. So, I guess every team gets some give and take.
Just keep playing. Just keep playing.
Vinny from Arlington, VA
I can only imagine you both are quite tired. Having to work on Monday and watching the entire game, I know I’ve felt the afternoon fatigue setting in. So what time did you make it back to Green Bay and what is your caffeine of choice for a Sunday night road game – coffee, Red Bull, etc.? I have to imagine you needed some elixir to make it through a very long and busy night. On another note, I'll trade off a nice night of sleep for a Packers victory any time.
I’m not into caffeine drinks, but crashing early Monday night was a necessity. The plane landed around 1:30 a.m., I finished up my work and got to bed after 3, my wife left for her job at 5, I dropped my daughter off at school at 8:45 and then put in my usual Monday. Yes, victories help.
Michael from Portland, OR
On a kickoff can the returner call for a fair catch in the field of play and have the ball placed at the 25 like college? Can a punt returner after calling for a fair catch grab the ball after it hits the ground and not be hit assuming he fields it cleanly?
No and no.
Kathy from Middleton, WI
If I'm remembering correctly, this is the first year in a while the Packers have had a fairly late bye week. The timing looks to be perfect, as it will be good to be rested going into what will be one of the most challenging games of the year. Do you know if statistically speaking there is a general advantage to the timing of the bye week, in terms of late-season and playoff performance?
It has worked both ways for the Packers. The rather late bye (Week 9) in 2014 was hugely beneficial to make significant adjustments on defense. In other years, an early bye combined with a late-season mini-bye after a Thursday game (on Thanksgiving, for example) has set the team up nicely as well.
Brian from Schertz, TX
I often wonder if the “experts” and “pundits” ever actually watch the games they discuss. It seems the game reviewers rarely bring up anything that wasn’t first mentioned by the live game commentators. For example, there was only a passive mention of the play that Rodgers was hit in the helmet. Also, the announcers only said Lancaster got lucky because the ball bounced to him, but no mention that he caused the fumble. This is why your articles are so on point. You actually watched the game.
Jeff from Victorville, CA
For all the Negative Nellies I've been noticing after the Chiefs game saying we were lucky Patrick Mahomes didn't play as the Packers couldn't even make Matt Moore have a bad day. The year was 2010 in December. The Patriots, who were once again having a great year, played a Packers team with a backup QB. Matt Flynn almost beat the Patriots, losing 31-27 and actually had better stats that day than Tom Brady himself. You just are not gonna win games every time 42-10.
Not even when you jump on top 14-0 in the first quarter.
Stevo from Chicago, IL
The Packers’ D is 28th against the run and that won't cut it in December or January. I haven't heard Kenny Clark's name called much for plays being made this year. What do you suppose would help improve the run D, personnel or scheme?
If you rely on scheme you’ll inevitably leave yourself vulnerable elsewhere. The Chiefs only had 88 yards on the ground with a long of nine. The run defense has been an issue, but it wasn’t near the top of the list in KC.
Brayden from La Crosse, WI
That was quite a game to watch. You were able to see the brilliance of Andy Reid working with a third-string QB in Matt Moore. We also continued to see Aaron Rodgers continue his MVP-caliber season, but something got me thinking. Why doesn't Aaron Jones get the same recognition as players like Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara? He seems to be the same type of two-way running back. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Why do people worry about recognition so much? McCaffrey was a Heisman runner-up. Kamara won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and has played on two playoff teams with the Saints already. Jones now leads the NFL in touchdowns in 2019. The recognition will come if he keeps this up, but let’s acknowledge the other guys have done more to this point. That’s just reality.
Steve from Alexandria, VA
Other than longevity, with regard to skill sets, what doesn't Aaron Jones have in common with the likes of Thurman Thomas, Roger Craig, Marshall Faulk and other great multi-purpose backs?
There’s not a huge difference in the skill sets, but teams are going to adjust how they defend Jones. Defenses are going to start game-planning specifically for him, just like they did for those Hall of Fame names. Where he goes from here is what matters now. He is an ongoing story.
Michael from Dover, PA
Coach LaFleur deserves a ton of credit for the halftime adjustment of moving the running backs into receiving positions. Damien Wilson spent the first half terrorizing Aaron Rodgers and the second half chasing Aaron Jones. The time of possession battle paid huge dividends by wearing out KC’s defense by keeping them on the field. Not bad for a rookie coach.
A one-play turnover drive by the defense helped, too. From 10:04 left in the third quarter through 13:57 left in the fourth, Kansas City ran just that one play and the Packers scored 10 points.