It is week # 5 and we finally have a Brett Favre sighting in the NFL. This is about this year’s Packers, so we will dedicate our thoughts this week to the team that is actually playing. We’ll hold our after thoughts for Brett till next week and leave it with Aaron Rodgers words in response to Favre’s comments earlier this week. When asked for a reply to Favre Rodgers stared down the old gunslinger by saying ”You know what, I’m just, the only thing I want to say is I’m just really proud of our guys and what our team did last season. It was a great accomplishment. It took all 53 of those guys and obviously it got the attention of a lot of people and we’re proud of the fact that we achieved the ultimate goal as a team.”
When asked if he found Favre to be disrespectful at all to him, Rodgers replied: ”You know what, again I’m just going to say I was really proud of our team. It takes 53 guys to win a championship. We had the right recipe last year and we’re trying to do that same thing this season.”
When asked if he found Favre to be disrespectful at all to him, Rodgers replied: ”You know what, again I’m just going to say I was really proud of our team. It takes 53 guys to win a championship. We had the right recipe last year and we’re trying to do that same thing this season.”
Game, set, match Mr. Rodgers.
Here is this week’s rematch that everyone has circled on their calendars from last year. For Green Bay it is yet another game in a long season. For the Other Guys, it is their Super Bowl/ Revenge/ We Got Sumthin’ to Prove This Week game.
On to Atlanta and the Dome and a team GB smoked in the playoffs last year, undressing Atlanta with 48 points, and 2 TD’s from CB Tramon Williams. Oh, the Falcons will be ready. Listen to WR Roddy White yap this week about how the best team did not win in Atlanta. The Packers have inspired a lot of off field chatter this week. Makes a great sound byte but Roddy is out in his own little diva island. Yeah, Roddy… the Falcons will be ready. So were the Saints. And Da Bears. Yeah, we hear ya… but can’t make out a thing you’re saying. Not until your game backs up what comes out of that hole in your face.
The Packers D is right a bit of "the best defense is a good offense". This encapsulates this year’s GB team. Put them out on the field and they can almost score at will whenever they want or need to. They have had the luxury of playing from ahead, with the exception being the early game mailing it in against Carolina. The Packers are going to be in ballgames w this offense. And even though Carolina racked up a 13-0 lead it wasn't like they were so scary talented that anyone - even them - actually believed that would hold up the whole game. When the Packers showed up to PLAY, there goes the lead.
The Packer defense does what it needs to do to get the W. Bend, resist, but don’t break. They give up yards, and points, but are still getting the job done. The pass rush is spotty but starting to level off. Has a ring of familiarity to it, doesn’t it? Learning on the fly, improvising and constantly trying to get better. They are not needed to provide the big play or the turnover, but when they happen it is a bonus, especially when the turnover ratio the Packers always seem to enjoy turn into points off turnovers, a trademark of this team’s offensive killer style. Make a mistake and the Packers will make you pay for it dearly. But the D does not need to provide that play either. That job is being capably manned by the consensus first quarter MVP Aaron Rodgers.
Atlanta has just as suspect a D as GB, maybe more so coming off their torching last year and their less than blazing start. Outside of John Abraham and Jonathon Babineaux they have also struggled in the pass rush and can't back it up with both the quality and quantity of LB's and DB's GB has. There was precious little attention paid to a D that gave up 48 points to GB in the playoffs. The conventional thinking in Atlanta seemed to be they were but one player away from going over the top.
That being said they are primarily a ball control offense that is trying to become a high flying offense (maybe trying to hard to join the "if ya can't beat 'em, join ‘em...." groups currently trying at mimicking the green and gold???). They paid a king’s ransom for ONE single player in the draft all but ignoring upgrading their D. Subtraction by addition? While rookie WR Julio Jones is a talent he has not been the missing link. He has yet to find his way to even be a link. Jones is talented as a wide out, but the real strength comes from the production of last year’s IR’d WR Harry Douglas and White along with TE Tony Gonzalez. Jones makes sense but HC Mike Smith has yet to find a way to blend him into the mix comfortably, and Atlanta is off to a shaky start, something by which they are surprised considering how almost unbeatable they looked out of the gate last year. That shakiness is reflected in their subtle yet definable shift away from what they excel at and become something they are not yet.
Atlanta's strength is actually RB Michael Turners ability to get yards, not cough up the ball, and then have reliable QB Matt Ryan be reliably underwhelming on his 8 yard outs. If Turner is running well inside it makes Atlanta better. If Atlanta controls the ball they control the clock and it keeps the team’s offense off the field. It is a strategy they have drifted from as Jones is worked into the lineup. In trying to go vertical Turner has been inconsistent and the results are spotty. And if Atlanta wants to play Russian Roulette with the Packers by seeing who has a more high octane offense it is a battle they will lose again. Even Atlanta cannot match man for man the weapons the Packers possess. They’re close, but games are measured in points and W’s, not how close they were. Few will recall with pride Atlanta’s march thru the NFC last year. They will recall the spanking they took when Green Bay came to town. It is when it matters most that Atlanta has yet to play a solid game and prove their mettle.
The Packer defense does what it needs to do to get the W. Bend, resist, but don’t break. They give up yards, and points, but are still getting the job done. The pass rush is spotty but starting to level off. Has a ring of familiarity to it, doesn’t it? Learning on the fly, improvising and constantly trying to get better. They are not needed to provide the big play or the turnover, but when they happen it is a bonus, especially when the turnover ratio the Packers always seem to enjoy turn into points off turnovers, a trademark of this team’s offensive killer style. Make a mistake and the Packers will make you pay for it dearly. But the D does not need to provide that play either. That job is being capably manned by the consensus first quarter MVP Aaron Rodgers.
Atlanta has just as suspect a D as GB, maybe more so coming off their torching last year and their less than blazing start. Outside of John Abraham and Jonathon Babineaux they have also struggled in the pass rush and can't back it up with both the quality and quantity of LB's and DB's GB has. There was precious little attention paid to a D that gave up 48 points to GB in the playoffs. The conventional thinking in Atlanta seemed to be they were but one player away from going over the top.
That being said they are primarily a ball control offense that is trying to become a high flying offense (maybe trying to hard to join the "if ya can't beat 'em, join ‘em...." groups currently trying at mimicking the green and gold???). They paid a king’s ransom for ONE single player in the draft all but ignoring upgrading their D. Subtraction by addition? While rookie WR Julio Jones is a talent he has not been the missing link. He has yet to find his way to even be a link. Jones is talented as a wide out, but the real strength comes from the production of last year’s IR’d WR Harry Douglas and White along with TE Tony Gonzalez. Jones makes sense but HC Mike Smith has yet to find a way to blend him into the mix comfortably, and Atlanta is off to a shaky start, something by which they are surprised considering how almost unbeatable they looked out of the gate last year. That shakiness is reflected in their subtle yet definable shift away from what they excel at and become something they are not yet.
Atlanta's strength is actually RB Michael Turners ability to get yards, not cough up the ball, and then have reliable QB Matt Ryan be reliably underwhelming on his 8 yard outs. If Turner is running well inside it makes Atlanta better. If Atlanta controls the ball they control the clock and it keeps the team’s offense off the field. It is a strategy they have drifted from as Jones is worked into the lineup. In trying to go vertical Turner has been inconsistent and the results are spotty. And if Atlanta wants to play Russian Roulette with the Packers by seeing who has a more high octane offense it is a battle they will lose again. Even Atlanta cannot match man for man the weapons the Packers possess. They’re close, but games are measured in points and W’s, not how close they were. Few will recall with pride Atlanta’s march thru the NFC last year. They will recall the spanking they took when Green Bay came to town. It is when it matters most that Atlanta has yet to play a solid game and prove their mettle.
The difference in this game will come down in the trenches. Advantage, Green Bay. The Packers offensive line has become a very steady and consistent unit. T.J. Lang is improving quantum leaps every week and the Packers benefit from a staunch running game. Rodgers decisions with the ball are on another planet. Quick – can you recall a time when Rodgers held the ball too long? Or when the line held everyone and got flagged for it? Or couldn’t block a door? The depth and talent is there and shows up week after week. Therein lies the differences between the two clubs.
So the question that begs to be asked is Atlanta the type of team that can beat GB? Roddy White has an all-world mouth but he hasn’t delivered in the clutch anywhere. We all know how LUCKY the Packers were last year, especially considering how every team they faced was sooooooo much better - on paper. Maybe Roddy could join Eli and Sad Jay and Michael and Big Ben and now Brett at the long line serving up sour grapes. Atlanta shot out the gate last year only to have the Packers lap them and the field from behind. Few teams are even close to Green Bay at this juncture.
The truth is the Falcons have such a team to hang with the Packers, and even beat them. But in their desire to do a complete makeover with only one significant addition they have not actually yet improved themselves yet.
The Packers now have balance AND depth and the next guy in is no clear drop off from the guy he is replacing. Atlanta has yet to show they can adapt, let alone succeed. They will have to have to win to do that.
The truth is the Falcons have such a team to hang with the Packers, and even beat them. But in their desire to do a complete makeover with only one significant addition they have not actually yet improved themselves yet.
The Packers now have balance AND depth and the next guy in is no clear drop off from the guy he is replacing. Atlanta has yet to show they can adapt, let alone succeed. They will have to have to win to do that.
Roddy, Brett... enjoy the headlines. This is the only way you'll make ‘em now. Atlanta is NOT Green Bay. Hell, they're not even as good as Atlanta last year. This will be entertaining and a back and forth game but the Pack takes advantage of the fast field again and stays unbeaten.
GREEN BAY 34
Atlanta 20
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