+/- Packers @ Vajeens

@MichiganPacker2 posted:

Reed has disappeared the last month. As someone said in the other thread that was started about Watson, he needs Watson to stretch the field for him.

At the risk of repeating myself, yesterday and other games vs good D shows me the WR corps is not complete.  They and MLF can scheme guys all over the field vs lesser D, but when they face a team that can man up enough to screw up the timing and the routes, our passing game sputters.  It doesn't help when your OL isn't giving 10 more than a couple mississippi's to find his open guy.

Not having Watson clearly had an impact but even when healthy he is inconsistent.  If losing his ability to pull the back end of the secondary out of the middle of the field is that much of a problem, Gute needs to find another field stretcher.  OR, if we want to be more flexible, a guy 10 can count on getting open to convert a 3rd or 4th and 4.  That sounds more like a true WR1.  They can beat a lot of teams with what they have, but not the best D's.  And you can't count on an oft-injured guy being a lynchpin in your passing game.

That said, we also need to start looking at whether the WR group has improved or developed over the last 12mo.  I think Watson has made some progress as well as Reed.  Kraft has emerged if we need to include TE's.  Other than that I don't see a whole lot of difference between last season and this.  The rule of thumb seems to be that receivers don't start peaking until 3yr.  So by that we may see more improvement next season.  I just can't get out of my mind how no one could get any separation yesterday vs a secondary that isn't really loaded with CB stars.

Youth is great but at some point that youth needs to develop into something more.

100% correct DH.  I really like our receivers,  but against good teams it seems like they just line up and say “beat us” which in most cases they do not.  Watson is beyond frustrating as a player, but the one thing he does have is elite speed.   As a defense you have to honor that speed downfield even if the probability of said big play is low.  

In a way it’s similar with the corners.  For all of his issues, Jaire is a top 5 cover guy and without him in there it’s a pretty average group.  It’s less than average if the pass rush isn’t getting home at least once in a while.  That’s where maybe taking a DeJean or Arnold instead of an OL in this years draft could have helped.  As it is, they absolutely need to take a corner early in the draft in 2025.   That’s the case even if Jaire comes back as they don’t have enough decent corners. In no way shape or form should Nixon be one of your top 3 corners and it’s no surprise he’s the one usually getting picked on because frankly he’s not any good.  

The good news is Edge Cooper could become a real game wrecker for this defense and X and Evan Williams are decent.  Hell, if the pass rush was even mediocre this season this is a championship level D even with up and down corner play.  

PFF Ratings:

Best Offense
Romeo Doubs 76.5
Jordan Love 72.3
Josh Jacobs 71.8
Zach Tom 71.3
Elgton Jenkins 71.3

Worst Offense
Jayden Reed 46.1
Luke Musgrave 47.1
Sean Rhyan 59.1
Josh Myers 60.2
Dontayvion Wicks 62.8

Best Defense
Devonte Wyatt 91.9 (12 snaps)
Edgerrin Cooper 80.3
Karl Brooks 69.1
Isaiah McDuffie 65.1
Zayne Anderson 65.0 (11 snaps)

Worst Defense
Kingsley Enagbare 36.7
Javon Bullard 37.7
Arron Mosby 41.8
Eric Wilson 47.6
Colby Wooden 48.5

@DH13 posted:

Not to turn this into a draft thread but drafting pass rushers does not seem to be one of GB's strengths.  I think they need to find it in FA.

Gutekunst has established “traits” he’s looking for: Big, athletic receivers who can block, and big, “power” edge players.

His entire MO is to spite Johnny Z.

@MichiganPacker2 posted:

The Eagles beat the Packers by 5 and the Packers had the ball inside Philly territory at the end. The Vikings won by 2 points both times. The Lions just won by 3 and went for it on 4th down with less than a minute left to make sure they kicked the FG at the gun.

They are not going to treat the Packers as a bye. I hope they do, but they won't.

I guarantee the Lions, spermheads, and Eagles all know this can be a dangerous team.  I don't think GB will lay down for any of  them and they know it.

Positives:

No significant injuries

The defense gave up a ton of yards but I do think for the most  part they held  them the best they  could  given their lack of talent at some positions on defense

I really do like what Hafley does calling games but he also  needs to figure out a way to stop the pitch and catch other teams seem to do in the 4th quarter.

Negatives:

On the road in hostile environment you take the damn points.  As Brady said you don't want to give the other team momentum. 

Not having Alexander really hurts  this  secondary and they need him eventually to at least try and play

I agree with others  that they need a legit #1 WR.  Watson would seem to  be that guy on paper but he is too wildly inconsistent and cannot stay on the field.

That nonsense offsides call on the field goal ended up being costly. And what sucks even worse is when you look back at the film, there was a Viking player that was clearly offsides. His helmet was farther up than the long snappers helmet. And if you look on the other end none of the Packers were across the line of scrimmage. Yeah it might not have been a huge call, but it cost them three points in a game where we only lost by a couple points.

Bigger picture though this is still the youngest team in modern NFL history, going through growing pains. Year two of a rebuild, and at minimum the fourth best team in the NFC. And we've given all the top teams everything they can handle. I would say we're in a good spot considering where we are as a team. Let's not lose sight of that with all the tears from the crying and the whining please

All that youth needs to develop to get this team over the hump.  And another key FA or two.  The story is nice but at some point it's just a consolation prize.

The Packers are I believe 3rd in the NFL in drop percentage. Certainly Love has to play better against teams of this caliber, but this shit has been a constant all season. And it's killed drives and at times has been a key reason the Packers couldn't win these games.

Love stays patient after he looks to Doubs and it's not there on 4th-and-2. Gets to his backside slant.

This HAS to be caught. pic.twitter.com/DfIRr536P8

— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) December 30, 2024

I mean come on pic.twitter.com/IdYRrWoE60

— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) December 30, 2024

@SteveLuke posted:

PFF Ratings:

Worst Defense
Kingsley Enagbare 36.7
Javon Bullard 37.7
Arron Mosby 41.8
Eric Wilson 47.6
Colby Wooden 48.5

1) LVN and Gary.  For fucks sake just finish a rush occasionally.

2) Enagbare is an enigma.  He was absent yesterday, but there are games where he is the most disruptive factor in the backfield. 

I also have no problem with Mayo going for it on 4th down early in the game.  I'd be OK with a little more bully mentality 

Part of the drop problem is the ball isn't very catchable.

Did you see some of the catches the Vikes receivers were making? Would you call some of his balls "very catchable"?

There is a very simple rule for receivers.  If you touch it you catch it.

Packers gotta reverse trailing by double digits at half against good teams. Drops. False starts. Illegal formations. It’s been a repetitive cycle of a million self inflicted 1st half paper cuts followed by a furious rush to get within 3 when time runs out.

Finally watched the full second half.

+ as much as Cooper has been mentioned, I don't think he is mentioned enough.  Save a few plays where he got stuck behind a bunch of other guys, he singlehandedly cancelled a still potent Aaron Jones and he was on RB's behind the LOS a bunch.  He really jumps off the page.

+/- many refer to the comeback as garbage time but I don't know that 20-3 in the middle of Q4 is considered garbage time in the NFL anymore.  I didn't see MIN O trying to kill the clock or stop throwing the ball.  Flores continued to blitz his ass off and Love was burning him down.  But YES! where was that urgency and focus in H1?

+ with the D finally getting pressure on Darnold in Q4, he started showing all kinds of questionable decisions and throws.  If whoever MIN faces in the playoffs is able to do that from early on, Darnold will fly that offense into the ground.

I didn't read all this but you can't step on your dick for the 1st quarter against a good team.   consistency is still missing, but a run is always possible.

Plus #56

Minus #90

@Tdog posted:

I didn't read all this but you can't step on your dick for the 1st quarter against a good team.   consistency is still missing, but a run is always possible.

Step on Steve Luke's dick instead.

@DH13 posted:

All that youth needs to develop to get this team over the hump.  And another key FA or two.  The story is nice but at some point it's just a consolation prize.

It's time to not be the youngest team in the NFL as that appears to be holding us back. Need to draft better on defense as well.

There’s the pervy weirdo we all know

@mr21mr21 posted:

Which led to Vikings getting the ball back with 1:30 left in the half  and 3 more points. Compound that with them starting out the 2nd half with the ball. You just gotta run down the clock in that situation.

Play calling, clock management, and execution in the 2 minute warning has been problematic all season.

And the 4 years before that.  Might as well cut and paste his post game comments.

@YooperPackfan posted:

Same can be said about the secondary

Or defense in general.  

@Harry Manback posted:

Or defense in general.  

The one that's top 5 or 10 in most categories?