Eight games in...

What has been the biggest surprise so far? Loss to Indy....hands down. Up 21-3....

Which rookie has been better/worse than advertised? Thought Nick Perry would have a bigger presence in the first few games he played. He was pretty quiet. Hayward's 4 picks are a little surprising in a good way

What have you been pleasantly surprised by or disgusted by? Pleasantly surprised by the play calling and execution (for the most part) of Special Teams.

Who is our MVP to date? Hard to argue anyone other than Rodgers on offense and Matthews on defense.

Biggest bust this year so far? Finley, although there has to be expectations in order for someone to be a bust. And I think many didn't 'expect' him to perform any other way than he did last year or the year before....drops/fumbles/inappropriate tweets

What do you expect for the rest of the season? Moments of greatness, a few 'off games' and a final record of 10-6 or 11-5. Get in the playoffs an anything can happen (i.e. - 2010 season)

Other thoughts? Would love to see this team healthy...or at a minimum, not missing so many starters. But that's part of the game I guess.

quote:

What has been the biggest surprise so far?
Which rookie has been better/worse than advertised?
What have you been pleasantly surprised by or disgusted by?
Who is our MVP to date?
Biggest bust this year so far?
What do you expect for the rest of the season?
Other thoughts?

1: Better = Hayward and Worthy. Worse = Daniels. I thought he'd be better early.

2: Disgusted by the Seattle debacle and injuries that deplete the team.

3: Matthews

4: Finley

5: Finish at 11-5. Get in the playoffs and win the SB

What has been the biggest surprise so far?

I have to agree, the Indy loss. A close 2nd would be the spats of ineptitude of our OL. A 3rd with an * would be getting screwed from on win by the replacement officials. (can't expect that, so hard to be surprised)

Which rookie has been better/worse than advertised?

I think all the rookies have performed admirably. Ups and downs as you would expect.

If you go roster, I have to pick Saturday, then maybe the rest of the OL as a surprise dissapointment. Lang, Sitton, Bulaga have all had some curious breakdowns. Yeah, I left out Newhouse, but he has at least 2 sacks on him because AR had to scramble left when he had pressure up the middle. NH had his block, AR ran into the sack.

What have you been pleasantly surprised by or disgusted by?

Pleasantly surprised? Special Teams and Cobb.
Disgusted? Saturday.

Who is our MVP to date?

Rodgers. No question.

Biggest bust this year so far?

Saturday - Vet experience, old man skills.
Starks - Seems not able to gain coaches confidence, often hurt. Hope their reason is more saving him for later than "we don't think he can do it."
Finley - "Louder words speak more than action." One bit of a block on that run play getting the backside guy, Green had a huge hole.

Consolation Prize - OL in general. Too often seeing any of the others get blown up on a run play where the handoff, within half seconds, has a guy in his face. We are lucky that we haven't had more fumbles this year when we try to run. Kudos to Green.

What do you expect for the rest of the season?

A young team with a good core base of veterans 'who have been there' growing. The veteran coaches finally starting to peel out the playbook after the bye week and putting in some packages that they haven't put on tape so far.

Other thoughts?

Lets win against AZ, get to the bye week. Get a few folks healthy. Bring out the new bits for the stretch run, then DOMINATE!!!

12-4, return as division champs.

Mark it down.

How about this for a surprise?

Bob McGinn ‏@BobMcGinn The #Packers James Jones has had a remarkable first half. The target of 57 passes, he doesn't have a drop to go with 36-401-7-11.1

What has been the biggest surprise so far?
The Special Teams have shocked me. Masthay is punting at an All-Pro level and I no longer worry the coverage units are going to blow it. I think the fact that Slocum is having Crosby kick shorter kickoffs is a testament to how well they're covering...he'd risk a return for a shot at pinning them inside the 20.

Which rookie has been better/worse than advertised?
Jerron McMillan has been better than I expected. Pre-Draft analysis made him sound like an Atari Bigby clone, great in run support but weak in coverage. He's covered well IMO. There have been communication errors, which is to be expected, but some of his pass breakups have been absolutely textbook.

For me I think Nick Perry has been a little disappointing. I know he's adjusting to a new position and certainly I cut him a ton of slack, but I have not seen the explosive speed rusher that I saw at USC. I'm not saying he's played poorly at all, I think he's done his job in a lot respects, but he hasn't lived up to the "super speed rusher" hype that we got pre-draft. He's done very well against the run and he has shown flashes of explosive playmaking, but he's not winning 1 on 1's like I expected him to. Not writing him off at all, but I haven't been impressed to this point. JMO, I think he needs to get his weight down.

What have you been pleasantly surprised by or disgusted by?
Pleasantly surprised by Casey Hayward's ball skills. I knew he was a smart, savvy player who gets the job done, but his ball skills and awareness have been unreal. He times things perfectly. Can't ask for much more.

Also have been pleasantly surprised by Cobb's expanding role in the offense. I said after Thompson drafted him that he could be our Percy Harvin and so far he has been exactly that. Any time he touches the ball I get excited he's going to do something great with it!

I've been disgusted by Finley's attitude and actions. He's turning into a TO.

Who is our MVP to date?
I think Clay Matthews has been the MVP. The pass rush is making life easier on all other areas of the defense and in turn, making life easier on the offense. He's been a beast against the run, he's embarrassed good OT's against the pass, and he doesn't lose his cool when things go wrong.

Biggest bust this year so far?
Gotta be Finley. He's complaining about not getting opportunities, but he's literally and figuratively dropping the ball when he does get opportunities. Have to earn your keep JerKmichael.

What do you expect for the rest of the season?
I expect a lot of hard games. The blueprint for beating the Packers has been laid out and we're seeing even bad teams execute and do it. It's not going to be an easy road, but if the Packers execute like they did against New Orleans and Houston then there is no one that can beat us.

I don't understand why MM is slow to go to the quick passing game when AR is getting kicked around. MM seems to be so enamored with the slow developing deeper routes sometimes... take what they give you.

quote:

I've been disgusted by Finley's attitude and actions. He's turning into a TO.

T.O. actually produced.

Touche

quote:

Originally posted by Pakrz:
1: Better = ...Worthy.

After some of the reports on here I'm shocked he gets out of bed every morning.

quote:

Originally posted by chickenboy:
How about this for a surprise?

Bob McGinn ‏@BobMcGinn The #Packers James Jones has had a remarkable first half. The target of 57 passes, he doesn't have a drop to go with 36-401-7-11.1

Damn TT for failing to trade him.

quote:

espn_nfcwest]espn_nfcwest
Packers allowing 61.5 fewer pass yds per game this season, biggest decline. Next: Cowboys -56.4, 49ers -46.9, Cardinals -38.1

espn_nfcwest]espn_nfcwest
Biggest def improvement from last yr in yards per game: Packers -69.5 allowed, Cowboys -50.8, Cardinals -42.3, Patriots -41.3, Lions -41.2.

espn_nfcwest]espn_nfcwest
49ers up 1.13 yards per play on offense from last season. Second-biggest gain behind 1.14 for broncos. Biggest drop: Packers minus 1.28.

Biggest Surprise:

On another board I had predicted the Pack would win their first few games and then lose to Houston. Before the season started, I thought that loss to Houston was almost guaranteed. Wow, total surprise to see the Pack not only win that game but absolutely and completely demolish them. Houston is a very good team, they went on to destroy the Ravens the next week. Very impressive for the Pack and the biggest surprise for me.

Shields was a pleasant surprise before he was injured. He followed up a disastrous season with a disastrous training camp and somehow fought through it to play better than he has in a long time...

With limited action Brad Jones has impressed the heck out of me. I wrote him off for ever contributing a long time ago...

Bummed Terrell Manning had his parasite issue. Who knows where he'd be at right now if he didn't have to overcome that setback. Surprised he was able to tough it out. Show's an incredible amount of will under an incredible amount of duress...

Jarrett Boykin is one of my biggest surprises. Wasn't signed until after May and figured out a way to make the team with the deepest WR core in the NFL. It's stories like Jarrett Boykin's that make the Packers one of the most desired destinations for rookie free agents...

I'm putting Walden down for a disappointment. Plays great one game and then is completely invisible in the next. His role is too important turn in that kind of inconsistency. The playoffs are 3-4 games to get all the way through. They can't have a key pressure position disappear for long stretches at a time and expect to make it through....

quote:

Originally posted by fightphoe93:
Biggest Surprise:

On another board I had predicted the Pack would win their first few games and then lose to Houston. Before the season started, I thought that loss to Houston was almost guaranteed. Wow, total surprise to see the Pack not only win that game but absolutely and completely demolish them. Houston is a very good team, they went on to destroy the Ravens the next week. Very impressive for the Pack and the biggest surprise for me.

Now you know why I'm so pissed they lost to the Giants & then open the season vs. the Niners with a loss.

This is a very good team. I don't want to see them blow the opportunity. The opportunities are few & far between. Gotta take advantage.

Biggest surprise: Lack of consistency on offensive
Rookie better/worse than advertised? Hayward has been a pleasant suprise
Disgusted by? Seattle Loss still stuck in my craw.
Who is our MVP to date? Clay
Biggest bust: Defense
What do you expect for the rest of the season? Improved O

quote:

Originally posted by FarmDog:
1 - Rookie better/worse than advertised? Hayward has been a pleasant suprise
2 - Who is our MVP to date? Clay
3 - Biggest bust: Defense

1 + 2 <> 3