To Packers Honchos: Please Do These 3 Things
We promise, they'll help.
There’s more spittle than usual flying back and forth about the Green & Gold this week, because there’s so much to argue about: Relax vs. panic, the D is broken vs. the O is the problem, take the ayahuasca away from Rodgers, or give him more.
Packer fans are passionate, have high standards and recognize how little time we have left with one of the best quarterbacks to ever play, and how uncertain the future is after that.
In times of such stress, it’s important to remember that complex problems are rarely solved with either-or solutions. And football is a complex game, another reason we love it.
So after sifting through this week’s analyses, hot takes and podcast protestations, here are some concepts for the people in charge at 1265 Lombardi Ave. to consider.
Stop laying down the same tape!
Here’s an amazing stat: So far this season, the Packers have yielded the second fewest passing yards in the league. But on crossing routes, Green Bay is allowing the most yards of any team, and it’s not even close.
You don’t get stats like that by accident. You get them by laying a putrid egg in week one, and your subsequent opponents see it and test you again and again, and you don’t change anything. You simply can’t expect to succeed if you don’t provide different, unexpected looks, so that when teams pop in your tape, they have no idea if they’re going to see the same thing this weekend.
It’s even more critical on offense. There are many reasons things are sputtering on that side of the ball, including, of course, not running enough. But one of the biggest problems is that the scheme is static. From week to week, the playbook barely changes, and never surprises. The passing game is primarily from the QB to the flats or sidelines, with the occasional low percentage shots downfield. Week in and week out. You’ve got to be willing and able to show new things to keep defenses guessing. Heck, making much more use of the middle of the field would be a start. Which brings us to:
Watch different tape!
Kirk Cousins set a Vikings record last Sunday by throwing 17 straight completions. Yes, it was against the Bears, but here’s the crazy part: Not a single one was into a tight window, according to NextGen Stats.
What that should tell you is that Kevin O’Connell’s offense is making it easy on his team with diversified play calling that defenses aren’t expecting.
This isn’t McCarthy’s offense anymore, though sometimes it seems like it’s heading back that way. Matt LaFleur has brought elements of the modern McVay/Shanahan scheme to the table, proving the foundation to innovate.
So for the love of Vince Lombardi, please start looking at what teams like the Bills, Chiefs and Niners are doing with formation, play design and using the middle of the field. Or the Raiders, or Dolphins. Watch how they iterate, with different wrinkles every week even as the base play stays the same. Every little edge matters. And you don’t need to adopt their schemes wholesale, but you can steal some plays! Plenty of them can be integrated just fine into the Packers’ system. And finally:
Start trusting your players!
This is perhaps the most frustrating issue of all. On both sides of the ball, the Packers seem intent on scheming to protect against something going wrong, rather than leveraging their talented roster and being aggressive. Rosters this talented should not be playing not to lose.
What should be happening more is what we saw on the very first play of the season, a great, punch-you-in-the-nose play call that Christian Watson unfortunately dropped. What’s happened since is that Watson has been relegated to Jet sweep duty (and is now injured).
We have some of the fastest corners in the game. But they are playing soft zone coverage most of the time, rarely pressing receivers at the line of scrimmage. If Elgton Jenkins is a better guard than tackle, how about we play him there and see if one of the 47 other offensive lineman on the roster can step up.
And as well know to nauseating degree, we have the league leading rusher in terms of yards per carry, who ranks 19th in usage.
No scheme is worth much if it doesn’t also maximize the strengths of the players. The best schemes put players in position to do their best work. This is not happening, and if that doesn’t change, the Packers could be as embarrassed by the Jets as they were by that other New York team.
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Jonathan Krim grew up in New York but got hooked on the Packers — and on hating the Cowboys — watching the Ice Bowl as a young child. He blames bouts of unhappiness in his late teens on Dan Devine. A journalist for several decades who now lives in California, he enjoys trafficking in obscure cultural references, lame dad jokes and occasionally preposterous takes. Jonathan is a Packers shareholder, and insists on kraut with his brats. You can follow Jonathan on twitter at @Jkrim.
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Comments (56)
dobber
October 14, 2022 at 09:08 am
The bottom line is to CHANGE something, and to be responsive to what's happening in games. The status quo has this team struggling to put together 60 minutes of football on a weekly basis and allowing teams to play their way back into games (and steal a win from the Packers in the case of the Giants). Keep the run as a focal point for 60 minutes--Jones and Dillon are two of this team's top offensive playmakers. Use that defensive speed to play downhill and attack rather than sit back in soft coverages or get beat to the edges on run plays.
Pete Dougherty says on JSOnline that he expects, with Watkins on IR and Watson sidelined again unlikely to develop this season due do missed practice time, that BG will likely be forced to look into the trade market for WR help. For those who can't get behind the paywall, he cites DJ Moore and Robbie Anderson from Carolina, Nelson Agholor from NE, and Brandin Cooks from Hou as reasonable targets that could become available (even though the Carolina brass has stated publicly it has no intention of dealing on Moore). He says hard pass on Kenny Golladay (who was never a good route runner, and has become lazy and disinterested with a new contract) and OBJ (who can't be reasonably expected to be anywhere near an impact player in 2022, and will likely only choose a big market team).
Coldworld
October 14, 2022 at 09:46 am
Start with Toure. He’s shown a broad route tree capability, a great ability to adjust to expand his catch radius. He’s got enough speed to go deep and he’s shown he’s a good tracker if the balm in the air. He can play true slot and Y, he can help balance this WR corps as a complimentary piece to Doubs and Lazard. He is not polished, but he’s much more so than Watson.
If Rodgers won’t throw to them then there’s nothing that can be done, but Toure is more likely to get open than Winfree and more route savvy with better hands than Watson.
RCPackerFan
October 14, 2022 at 11:15 am
I think its time to use Toure. Why keep bringing Winfree up to not really throw to him. I like Winfree, but Toure has a bigger skillset. And its time to start using him. Especially when it looks like Watson will be out this week.
jannesbjornson
October 14, 2022 at 06:33 pm
They need a deep threat as Watson likely goes to IR., joining Watkins.
The_Baloney_Stops_Here
October 14, 2022 at 03:29 pm
If Rodgers refuses to throw to guys who are open then its time to show him the bench.
Coldworld
October 14, 2022 at 06:05 pm
One way or another, that kind of attitude would likely end his career here. It can only go so far before something breaks.
RCPackerFan
October 14, 2022 at 11:13 am
Dobber -
I agree they need to change something.
However, I don't think they need a drastic overhaul on offense. The changes I would make are on the OL. They need to replace Newman imo. He just struggles too much from what I have seen. He has ended to many drives by allowing pressure. And I believe he is the lowest graded OL. They need to start looking at other options at RG. Hanson is not one of them either. I think Tom is the option at RG right now. Its the easiest move. And that way they still have Yosh to go in at LT if needed.
The only thing I would like to see more of is the use of the RB's in the passing game. Not just swing passes and whatnot. I would like to see them running routes out of the backfield. Put Cobb back there too.
Another thing I wouldn't mind seeing more of. Rather then the 2 RB sets so much. Use Deguara as the FB. I thought he flashed against the Giants.
Defensively they need to make schematically changes. They can't continue to play CB's 8 yards off the ball. Get up in the faces of the WR's. If they make that one change it may allow the pass rush to get to the QB. How many times did the pass rush get to Jones a second late. Had the CB's not been 8 yards off they maybe would have forced Jones the hold the ball a little longer and the rush would have gotten to him. Also, lets turn Quay Loose. Use his skills. Move him around and let him blitz from other angles.
This roster has the players it needs. They just have to do a little better job of putting them in the best position to win.
I don't see them trading for a WR. I would be stunned if they did.
PackyCheese500
October 14, 2022 at 11:47 am
They need change, but on the defensive side of the ball. WRs will be fine once o-line meshes more, Tonyan gets more comfortable, and we run the ball more. I would like to see more of Toure and Deguara, and maybe use Tom and Caleb Jones as specialty TEs in designed plays. We don't have a true run stuffer on the DL, that's why we should trade fr Daron Payne of the Washington Commanders. see my comment below on why.
Thegreatreynoldo
October 16, 2022 at 02:04 am
Agholar is the least like the player needed, imo. He might cost the lowest draft pick, as he is a free agent in 2023, but he would eat up at least $5.89M of the Packers remaining $7M or so in cap space. Probably a 3rd or 4th? I doubt it.
Cook fits the bill. There is no issue with his 2022 cap number. But Houston would have to eat a ton of dead money ($16.2M) and he has $18M guaranteed as a base salary for 2023. I imagine the Pack would knock that down or trade him. Probably takes a first round pick.
Moore and Anderson also probably require first round picks. Both would have minimal 2022 cap numbers. Carolina would have to eat $19.4M for Anderson (well, $9.7M for 2022 and 2023 and I suppose they'd get half a year out of the player), and $14.625M for Moore, who they just signed to a three year extension last March. Moore has almost $20M in guaranteed 2023 base salary.
If it doesn't take a first rounder, it takes multiple picks. At least, I would not trade these guys for pick 58. I might for pick 35 or better.
Coldworld
October 14, 2022 at 09:09 am
The fact that you can say this and it rings true is a searing indictment of our leadership and its acumen. This team is less than it should be by a great distance in all phases other than STs, Which have been OK.
If we don’t see significant chances in approach in this game, I think we can safely conclude that the leaders can’t or won’t face reality and, having nothing to offer, will descend into increasing acrimony.
Packers2020
October 14, 2022 at 09:10 am
Nicely said, Jonathan.
I think ML has done a great job of turning the culture of this organization around the last 3 years. I think the players like him and he seems to be the right coach chosen for that. My concern is his lack of adjustments and some of the not so great decisions he has made.
Barry is a zone scheme coach and he does not seem to want to change on that even though we have 3 CB's that play man-to-man and are better playing man-to-man.
IMO, this is why Belichek is one of the greatest coaches of all time. He is willing to make adjustments week to week and half to half in order to win ball games. He does not care what he has to do and what it looks like.
That is my concern with ML and Barry. They just do not seem to want to make adjustments or they may just not be able to.
Coldworld
October 14, 2022 at 09:49 am
I think LaFleur couldn’t lead a team out of an open door. He’s a Buddy not a leader, a facilitator not a motivator and has the tactical awareness of a lemming. I think he’s the root of the problems in all phases till they hired Bisaccia as effectively a largely independent island.
mnbadger
October 14, 2022 at 12:30 pm
P2020, totally agree about your BBelcheck comment. And if he is the GOAT coach or close, MLF is on the polar opposite side of the greatness scale.
Belicheck is willing and able to change his entire offense and/or defense from week to week based on opponents strengths and weaknesses.
MLF is like big Mike McM - "our system is the only one we need, we just need to run it perfectly"
Polar Opposites. One of the greatest vs two of the _ _ _ _ _ _ est. (fill in the blank)
I love supporting and following the GPG.
But if we lose this week playing the same stale offense and soft zone defense, I want to see Barry and MLF let go by the time the sun rises Monday morning.
GPG!
T7Steve
October 14, 2022 at 09:10 am
Jonathan, this is a real problem and resulted in my question to Coldworld yesterday. How many can you guess correctly?
CW, why do you think that they choose not to change their approach? It's not just execution they're lacking. If they change their look, even if they run the same plays out of them, they'll be ahead instead of catching up.
How many plays do you guess right before the snap just based on personnel and line up? I bet even more then I do.
Coldworld
October 14, 2022 at 09:53 am
I personally don’t think that they have the vision to deal with the issues and lack the leadership necessary to effectively implement them even where they do.
In short they don’t have answers because they never saw the questions. Part of that is an extraordinarily self-reinforcing culture. We look inwards only and tell ourselves we are great. That is typically how so many otherwise obvious contradictions not only linger but become exacerbated until the bubble bursts.
It’s not how many plays I guess, it’s how many times opponents are seemingly doing so. It seems to be increasing and, as in MMs last year, we are seeing opponents saying that they predicted routes and plays.
We have in any case gone beyond that. Running and passing into the same space means defenders can swamp everything in numbers and gives them a platform to pressure while doing so. Combine that with putting only one guy deep and often one who isn’t fast, and Ds can just key in generally. That’s why Doubs gets double covered deep. There isn’t a dual threat that they are concerned about. They can contain Lazard and Cobb ( if the ball isn’t in his hands particularly) and Ds stopped really worrying about Watson a couple of games ago, judging by coverages. We are predictable in a broader level than specific plays, such as the pick 6 towards Lazard.
T7Steve
October 14, 2022 at 09:59 am
That's what I'm talking about. If we know what the play is what do the pros know? Why even huddle, just call the play at the line and save time before you punt.
Coldworld
October 14, 2022 at 10:08 am
That’s extreme, but the direction that we are heading in if we run the plays and patterns we have been in similar numbers. It’s very very vanilla and essentially ignores the second tier and middle. Change is critically necessary in terms of personnel usage and play calling as implemented. That would help our line and our runners too-let’s not forget we forgot them twice in 3 games. Stunningly inept.
ricky
October 14, 2022 at 11:08 am
On offense, until Rodgers stops trying to play hero ball, and pad his TD stats by ALWAYS throwing the ball once the team gets inside the five-yard-line, nothing will change. The problem being, of course, is that Rodgers has the upper hand on the team. He could walk away after this season, and leave them with a crippling dead cap situation. And Rodgers knows this. This is the cost of giving away the farm to have him return.
On defense, until and unless the team decides to actually invest some money in getting a first-rate DC, they'll continue to have a second rate defense. On paper, the players are an outstanding group. What they lack is leadership, cohesion, and the ability to regularly communicate effectively, especially in the secondary.
badaxed
October 14, 2022 at 11:32 am
"Rodgers has the upper hand on the team. He could walk away after this season, and leave them with a crippling dead cap situation"
"Could" will be changed to "Will" after the way he plays this year.
Coldworld
October 14, 2022 at 12:11 pm
His cap hit gets worse if they keep him next year I think
PackyCheese500
October 14, 2022 at 11:44 am
The Packers' defensive woes could be solved by these two words: Mike Zimmer
croatpackfan
October 14, 2022 at 01:40 pm
Or Vic Fangio!
PackyCheese500
October 14, 2022 at 09:49 pm
True!
LambeauPlain
October 14, 2022 at 11:11 am
Of the 3 coordinators, only Bisaccia seems intent to start players based on their skillsets for specific situations and roles.
The kicking operations have been excellent. Coverage has fast guys and good tacklers.
That said, I cannot believe Rich, who benched Amari Rodgers after his mistakes, wants him to be the starting returner. Rich probably got a call for Murphy to keep him the returner. I am being facetious...kind of.
Meanwhile ML and Barry are morphing into MM and Capers.
Designing game plans to fit their "on paper visions", not the skills of their guys vs the players who will play across from them.
2 of the best RBs in the NFL are used sparingly just to sprinkle in some run plays to try to keep the defense honest? Alexander the Great, Stokes and Douglas are underused in soft zone against teams with wounded receiver corps (Bucs, Pats, Giants) and let a stud WR play catch the entire game (vyqueens).
PackyCheese500
October 14, 2022 at 11:43 am
Corey Ballentine, a practice squad CB-returner, should get some looks at returning, I think. I'm also surprised at Toure's lack of overall involvement; maybe try him at returner?
croatpackfan
October 14, 2022 at 01:42 pm
It is not that he has many choices. HC decide who is active and who is inactive and who can play on ST!
Coldworld
October 14, 2022 at 02:38 pm
The only punt returners with any experience on the Roster, other than Rodgers, are Cobb and Doubs. 2/3 of our healthy 3 recievers who’ve played on O. We aren’t going to risk them (Cobb would be a ridiculous choice except in an emergency now anyway).
They’ve backed themselves into a corner by not having a true alternative in camp or on the PS. I think you can sort of see Bisaccia accepting that when he’s talking about Watson and being excited by Hill as alternatives on kick returns. He’s not shy if removing Rodgers, if he sees a worthwhile option. Toure has returned kicks in the past, and in camp, but, like Watson and Hill (or the recent PS signing), no punts.
Swisch
October 14, 2022 at 02:57 pm
I'm going to go out on a limb (once again) and put in a good word for Amari Rodgers as someone who has, to me, shown promise as a punt returner this season.
I'd like to see him return punts for at least a few more games, and even get some meaningful plays on offense.
***
If the coaches really think he's still not ready to contribute in his second season, then put him on the practice squad; and if they highly doubt that he'll ever be ready, then release him.
Otherwise, give the young man a real opportunity to show us what he has to offer.
Coldworld
October 15, 2022 at 10:15 am
I just don’t see his upside as a receiver. If I did, I’d agree. I think that what we saw this preseason is a guy who struggles to get open, read the field and has a very limited catch radius. He’s not fast, he is very elusive, but to be so he seems to need to be in motion. Put the two together, and you have a guy who needs to be schemed open in space and given the chance to run. That was exactly what he was in college.
Looking at our roster/PS, I’d say that Watson and Doubs can do that as well or better now. I’d also say that Jones can too. To that i’d add Toure from what I saw in preseason and Hill and Goodson as well. That’s a long list of players. Some are faster, all are elusive runners and able to cut and break tackles as well as Rodgers. None are slower in terms of long speed.
I suppose what I’m saying is that we have a plethora of options whom I think would pose just as much of a threat in space with the balm in hand, if not more, AND have a genuine ability to contribute as a true WR or RB.
Football is a harsh game for most players, but when I can’t see a player being the best option over multiple starters and even PS types on O, I do expect him to be a standout in his ST role or I expect him to be moved on from sooner or later.
Nothing I’ve seen suggests that Amari is above adequate as a returner. For that reason, I think we need to move on. In reality they won’t use Doubs now, so that’s next year absent a surprise hitting FA. I suppose he could prove me wrong. That would be fantastic. The ball is in his court. As things stand, I am of the opinion that theres no intrinsic case to retain him on the PS for non returning reasons though.
Swisch
October 15, 2022 at 07:11 pm
Thanks for the good response, Coldworld.
Amari has been used so sparingly as a wide receiver in the regular season that it's hard to know what he can and cannot do -- although I give a lot of weight to your report on him.
It'd be frustrating to give up on Amari without him having a real opportunity to show whether or not he can get open with more experience.
For example, it may be that he's still getting a feel for the pro game as far as where to find the open spaces in a defense.
***
As I wrote, if the coaches have evaluated Amari in practices as a guy who just can't make an impact in the pro game, then perhaps you release him right away with the best of wishes for his future.
Maybe that would be the best thing for Amari if he's not going to get some meaningful snaps on offense. As it is now, perhaps there's a risk of discouraging him, even humiliating him, with faint praise and the frustration of being on the sidelines.
If I had to make the call from my couch, I'd put Amari in the next three games or so on offense and get him some targets and touches.
Let's see if he takes the ball and runs with it for good gains.
BAMABADGER
October 14, 2022 at 11:17 am
Will Head Cheerleader become Head Coach?? Stay tuned. GPG!
badaxed
October 14, 2022 at 11:34 am
"Head cheerleader" cannot find his pom poms after halftime.
PackyCheese500
October 14, 2022 at 11:41 am
In my opinion, there are 3 things the Packers need to do in order to have a chance of a deep postseason run:
1. Utilize the RBs more. MLF needs to involve the RBs more, both in running and in pass-catching. We should expect to see a 50-50 split of carries to passes. That will help the o-line as well, and Jenkins has been much better run-blocking than pass-blocking at RT.
2. Trade for Commanders DL Daron Payne. The run defense, as usual, has been bad. Wyatt was drafted in hopes of helping that, but we haven't seen much of him. This team doesn't have a true run stuffing DL. The Commanders will likely enter a rebuild after this year, and they have said they aren't going to extend Payne, so they might as well get some draft capital for him (they lack 2nd and 3rd round picks in next year's draft due to the Carson Wentz trade). We could offer a 3rd-round pick (which we usually waste anyways) and DL Dean Lowry (who we'd need to get rid of if we traded for Payne because of cap reasons). Like it or not, Murphy's decisions, such as extending Rodgers, have the Packers in a win-now mode (again) this year, so we might as well give it our best shot.
3. Fire Joe Barry and hire Mike Zimmer as Defensive Coordinator. This one may be a bit premature, and Barry recently said that he would take a more aggressive approach, but we'll see how creative he can get on Sunday. In reality, I could only see Barry going if the defense were to allow 30+ points in an upset to the Jets. We'll see if he changes, but he's said that the Packers are a "zone team" in the past. This stale approach to defense and the bad coaching, as we saw vs. the Giants most notably, has been hurting the Packers; they have way too much talent to play this bad. Enter Mike Zimmer, whose 4-3, 4-2-5 nickel on passing downs, man-press coverage, stop-the-run first defensive scheme would fit the talents of the Packers' players PERFECTLY and put them in the best position to succeed. Zimmer has a reputation for transforming bad defensive units quickly into great ones and transforming the culture of his defenses; imagine what he could do with the Packers' defensive resources at his disposal! He also has some fun double A-gap LB blitz packages that would involve Quay and Campbell more, who have only blitzed on 15 and 4 percent of defensive snaps this season, respectively.
13TimeChamps
October 14, 2022 at 12:08 pm
At 66 years old, what motivation would there be for Zimmer to revert back to being a DC at this point? He had already worked his way up to being a HC, the highest level in his profession. Sometimes, younger previous head coaches will accept a Coordinator position in the hopes of getting another crack at a HC position a few years down the line. At 66, I doubt that's in Zimmer's plans. And please spare me the 'revenge' nonsense.
PackyCheese500
October 14, 2022 at 12:44 pm
Money? His current job doesn't pay well. Vic Fangio was another name that I thought of. I can't think of anyone else who's had proven success
13TimeChamps
October 14, 2022 at 01:07 pm
Mike Zimmer was a head coach in the NFL from 2014 to 2021, making millions in salary. I seriously doubt he's hurting for money.
PackyCheese500
October 14, 2022 at 01:24 pm
Well then because that's what coaches do? He's not retired; Zimmer is currently employed as a defensive assistant at Jackson State college. I seriously think he'd prefer being the DC of the Green Bay Packers. Also there are other older guys - Pete Carroll, Andy Reid and Bill Belly are in their 70s
13TimeChamps
October 14, 2022 at 01:29 pm
Ok you win. I'm officially done with the Mike Zimmer to GB conversation. Something tells me you're not. Good luck with that.
LLCHESTY
October 14, 2022 at 10:52 pm
Especially after numerous players said he poisoned the locker room last year. His name is mud right now and it's doubtful he ever gets a chance again to coach. It's humorous to see him brought up repeatedly by people who apparently forgot the vitriol coming out of the Vikings organization after his departure.
Coldworld
October 15, 2022 at 10:01 am
There’s a difference between being a head coach and a coordinator though. I’m not pushing to hire him, but I think it’s fair to say that his style as a HC may not be ideal but that he could still be a positive DC.
PackyCheese500
October 15, 2022 at 01:34 pm
Exactly. MLF could keep him in check. Also, the Defensive side of the ball needs someone to take charge. Zimmer can do that, much to the contrast of Joe Barry's passive style.
LLCHESTY
October 14, 2022 at 11:48 pm
Do you know the difference between a 2-4-5 and and a 4-2-5? Basically zilch.
PackyCheese500
October 15, 2022 at 01:32 pm
The only difference is whether you consider the players on the edge OLBs or DEs. Another reason why the switch would be easy to make
Lphill
October 14, 2022 at 11:56 am
4. grow some balls!
Savage57
October 14, 2022 at 11:59 am
"We need to do more of what's not working, but harder!"
vin0770
October 14, 2022 at 01:34 pm
Lol… after four years of MLF I think it’s time everybody start believing what he’s been telling you he is. And watching Barry call the Defense it’s clear he’s telling us what he’s about. I’m not optimistic as I’ve been saying since preseason that things change… does a leopard ever change its spots? 
baldski
October 14, 2022 at 07:03 pm
We need to adjust our pad level.
canadapacker
October 14, 2022 at 02:05 pm
I dont think after reading the comments and the text above - that it is time to panic. After watching the Thursday Night debacle - if we lose the next two games - it will be 4 losses in a row - because Buffalo is an automatic blow out loss.
If Barry it going to let his guys play - and we probably will be without Gary. He had better tighten up on the coverage but the Jets have been good on the middle of the field and that has been our WHAT? worst in the league on crossing patterns.
On defense the Jets will probably be missing one of their good Dlinemen - and they dont blitz - so if AR is to have time - it will be now. The thing is can we run the ball - especially Jones outside - if they focus on fixing that maybe Dillon can bruise them up the middle - but our Oline needs to have one of their better games.
Time to put Watson on IR and as people have said get Toure into the mix and get Doubs running to take the top off the field - should help Lazard Tonyon and Cobb in the middle of the field -
To me these 2 games will set our season - any loss and we might just find ourselves fighting for second spot behind the Vikes.
Booner
October 14, 2022 at 03:03 pm
Mark McFly Murphy needs to put the three stooges ML, JB and Gute on notice! Pull your heads out of your ass and smell the pizza boys! Me thinks its burning!!!!!
PatrickGB
October 14, 2022 at 04:18 pm
Maybe just maybe the receivers are not that good. Yet you do make a good point. They are not wide open. I don’t know why. If they were we would not be talking about it. It seems that it’s been that way for a while. Adams could get open with skill yet the coverage was still tight.
jannesbjornson
October 14, 2022 at 07:04 pm
If you want to get it to the second tier, the O line has to perform. The wide out has to have the speed, even if he's just clearing the zone, to get downfield fast. Toure' must be on the 53. Cobb is the slot guy. They need a Playmaking TE. Doubs is now the man.
LLCHESTY
October 14, 2022 at 10:54 pm
Uh, Toure is on the 53?
LLCHESTY
October 14, 2022 at 11:01 pm
This hand wringing has just gotten funnier as the week has gone on. By DVOA they're 9th in the league overall and people are crying like they're 27th. The defense has played like crap. I think they believed their own hype and it has cost them. We'll see if last Sunday was a wakeup call. 23rd in DVOA on defense but mostly because of correctable mistakes. The offense has bogged down at inopportune times but is still 8th in DVOA and STs is much better than last year at 10th.
But hell let's fire everybody!
This mindless crying needs to stop. There is a ton of knowledge at your fingertips. For example maybe before crying about "soft coverage" all week ask Google what the top pass defenses are doing. You might see the 49ers and Bills are both playing far less man coverage than the Packers are and are 1st and 2nd in overall defense. Denver is giving up the least amount of yards through the air and they are averaging about one snap more of man coverage than the Packers. The teams playing the most man coverage in the league are two of the worst defenses. Anybody crying about zone being soft is talking out their ass. The data is out there, spend five minutes reading before typing.
Coldworld
October 15, 2022 at 10:28 am
Maybe, or maybe you are just using a stat to shield you from the glaringly obvious. It’s all perspective of course. I actually see it as ever accreting confirmation of a path that’s been developing over a long period of time. This is not a sudden impasse but a logical outcome based on where we have been heading.
On the zone point, I agree, zone is not inherently soft and that is a common misconception, but as Barry admitted this week, ours was last week and has tended to be this season.
Tundraboy
October 15, 2022 at 12:21 am
", we have the league leading rusher in terms of yards per carry, who ranks 19th in usage."
"We have some of the fastest corners in the game. But they are playing soft zone coverage most of the time, rarely pressing receivers at the line of scrimmage."
Who does that, us! And on top of that we are boring to watch, always a struggle of late, waiting seemingly a whole half for the occasional Jones Run, or Rodgers bomb.
I'm just beside myself because I can't see MLF or Rodgers changing in any way.
HarryHodag
October 16, 2022 at 08:17 am
At some point the fans will come to the realization that even with all the hoopla around Aaron Rodgers this isn't a very good team. On paper they should be great. But, then again, paper is paper.
I can only imagine what the finger-pointing will be when more losses start piling up.