THE BIG UNEASY

Defense, Injuries and Drew Brees Sink Pack

The script was written and ready to be published. The Detroit Lions were down by a 21 – 0 count and the Packers took a 7-0 lead on an Aaron Rodgers bomb to Randall Cobb to open the Packers’ Sunday Night game in New Orleans. The bullet the Lions have dodged would finally find its’ mark and Rodgers and Cobb and Jordy Nelson would keep on posting off the chart numbers. The Pack would claim first place alone and the Lions would sink away like they usually do. While it wasn’t simultaneous it was all in place nonetheless.

Then…

Courtesy of some of the dumbest football seen this season the Atlanta Falcons melted down in the second half and those pesky Lions took not one but two shots at a game winning field goal with 4 seconds left, the second coming after the Lions were flagged for delay of game and a miss. The penalty and extra yards gave them extra life. After the Falcons inexplicably kept passing – with a lead – in the last minutes of the game – and kept missing the passes – the Lions roared back to grab another nail biter as time expired. The Falcons meltdown forced Green Bay into a keep pace with a win game in New Orleans. That didn’t follow the script at all as New Orleans upended the Pack in a wild 44-23 game that was no upset. New Orleans’ record of 2-4 is incredibly deceptive and they continued their mastery of the Packers at home in a boisterous Superdome Sunday night.

The loss on the field was made far more ominous when in another “Uh oh” moment Rodgers pulled up lame on a scramble as he grabbed the back of his left leg indicating a hamstring injury of some type. After Rodgers pulled up short the Packers pulled up stakes as Brees was relentless and perfect the remainder of the game. Brees truly owns the Packers D as he went yet another game with 32 attempts and no picks against Green Bay.  In the process Rodgers’ non-interception streak was broken not by one but two passes that bounced off receivers’ hands into the hands of the Saints opportunistic defense. For the year all 3 of Rodgers’ interceptions have come from deflections off the hands of the Packers’ intended targets. And from the point of Rodgers injury the Packers were never the same.

In a first period that saw Rodgers throw for over 200 yards and Eddie Lacy returning to his rookie of the year form the Pack could not punch the ball in from close range, settling for 3 Mason Crosby field goals instead. The expected point explosion and passing duel materialized on Sunday night. Forget about defense in this game; the official scorer needed a shorthand stenographer to keep up with the dizzying pace of the scoring. Drew Brees and Rodgers have had their own personal ‘anything you can do I can do better’ battle for some 5 years now and Brees is holding a decided edge.

After Rodgers led a scoring strike in the first minute Brees countered with one of his own. It took Rodgers 5 plays and 2 minutes to hit Cobb for a 70 yard catch and run and Brees took but 3:37 to drive the same 80 yards that ended with a TD run off a jet sweep by rookie Brandin Cooks to knot the score. After that it became a battle of missed opportunities and 3 pointers between Crosby and Saints K Shayne Graham. And there were chances aplenty for both teams in a game that featured gadgets and gimmicks most of which blew up in Mike McCarthy’s face.

Want gadgets? Try the Pack lining up with DE/ OLB Julius Peppers as a fullback and then sent in motion to the left where he was matched the height challenged Corey White. Up in the nosebleed sections everyone expected a jump ball toss from Rodgers to exploit Peppers 6’5” height and basketball background. But Peppers instead took a hard slant in and Rodgers fired an Aaron Rodgers dart. Rodgers’ receivers have grown accustomed to Rodgers’ fastballs. Peppers was not. “We practiced that (play) all week” said McCarthy. “He’s (Peppers) got to catch it.”

The ball clanked off his hands and the Packers were forced to settle for 3 in a head scratching end to the drive.

Want gimmicks? No sooner had the cigar blown up in McCarthy’s face an ill-timed and poorly executed onside kick attempt was trotted out on the ensuing kickoff. For those scoring at home what could have been a 14-7 Packer lead became a tie at 10 with Saints starting from near midfield after Crosby’s kick went out of bounds. Both McCarthy and Saints Head Coach Sean Payton have never been shy about trying the unexpected. Remember when Payton dialed up and onside kick to start a second half… in the Super Bowl? In the botched attempt to one-up Payton the Saints and Brees took the gift but the drive stalled inside the red zone as the Saints knotted the score.

In our previous edition we asked the question “Is the Packers defense better than their stats?” The definitive answer after Sunday’s game was a resounding “No.” Mark Ingram ran wild as he rolled to 172 yards on 24 carries. Most disturbing was Green Bay’s inability to hold the point of attack. The Packers’ run defense looked like a last place defense as not only was the defensive line overmatched the linebackers and DB’s put a clinic on of how not to tackle.

Ha Ha Clinton- Dix earned a starters role when S Morgan Burnett was scratched due to a calf injury. Clinton-Dix has steadily improved since his now comically feeble attempt and whiff on the Seahawks Ricardo Lockette in the season opener. But it was the Saints who were laughing as Ha Ha was credited with a generous “only” 3 missed tackles. Burnett’s absence also exposed the reliable Micah Hyde at the other S slot as Hyde and Tramon Williams were beaten terribly over the middle on a key 4^th down TD toss from Brees to TE Jimmy Graham in the 2^nd quarter.

Rodgers managed to gingerly take the ball in for a TD that gave the Packers the faintest of hope. But as soon as his injury became obvious the Saints ignored his ability to run and took the game to the Packers. There will be plenty of red faces in the film room this week. Rookie WR Davante Adams has grown immensely but had a rookie mistake when he caught a Rodgers toss for a first down but instead of securing the first down he moved backwards. When Payton challenged the spot of the ball he was rewarded and Adams was embarrassed. Perhaps nothing was more embarrassing that rookie center Corey Linsley absorbing an on field tongue lashing from an irate Rodgers after the Pack called for delay of game as Rodgers stood helplessly screaming and clapping for the ball in the Superloud Superdome. As soon as referee Ed Hochuli blew the whistle Rodgers literally crawled up his canter’s backside in an explicit tirade of frustration.

Rodgers hamstring was also compounded by the loss of RG T.J. Lang who left in the 2^nd quarter and did not return. His replacement Lane Taylor surrendered a sack on his first play. Lacy played like the Eddie Lacy most expected him to be but when Lang went out the Packers’ thinness in depth on the OLine was exposed. The Saints were able to collapse the pocket and load the left side when it became apparent the Packers had to run to the left side. LT David Bahktiari added to his disturbing league leading holding penalty total with 2 more in a game where only LG Josh Sitton stood out.

The Saints were very effective in taking Jordy Nelson out of the game. Matched against Saints CB Keenan Lewis Nelson was not able to shake the coverage enough to become a factor. The Saints were also aided in the fact that Rodgers could not step into and drive the ball off his left leg as he usually does.

Rodgers and Brees both passed for a staggering count to 418 and 311 yards respectively. Combined both teams amassed just short of 1,000 yards for the contest. The bye week hits the Packers at the right time. There is no help in the form of additional players coming. The woes of the run defense will be trumpeted often in the next two weeks and Rodgers health will turn many into arm chair physicians. To wit how much more does everyone know this year about how long a broken collarbone heals and how does it affect a franchise QB long term?

Rodgers insists he’ll be fine. No word on Lang yet. The biggest question is how to repair a defense that cannot stop the running game. Unless and until the Packers stop the run consistently they will face an uphill struggle as the season grinds on. With the Lions now sitting a game ahead of the Packers will have their work cut out for them.

The hope is Rodgers will be back in top form. The defense, on the other hand, still has far more questions.

BY THE NUMBERS

Pack’s Improving D Squares off against

Drew Brees in the Big Easy

Go figure the NFL these days. If anyone saw this coming someone would be paid off handsomely in Vegas. The recent monsters of the NFC Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers are in danger of not making the playoffs. Seattle trails NFC West Division leader Arizona by 2 full games – and we’re not even at the halfway point yet. The Hawks were stunned by the St. Louis Rams and looked hopelessly inept on a fake other-side-of-the-field punt return that went for a touchdown. The Niners appear as if any day Jim Harbaugh will be canned, quit, or just pack his bags for the NCAA and head off to Michigan.

The Eagles are somehow 4-2 and only the football gods know why. Maybe the biggest stunner is the league leading Dallas Cowboys. Weren’t the ‘Boys supposed to be wretched? That defense was going to be left floundering without Sean Lee. Jerry Jones passed on Johnny Football to take a lineman (Zach Martin) with Dallas’ first pick. And now they are reaping the benefits of some sound decision making.

Maybe the biggest head scratcher is the next opponent for the Green Bay Packers in New Orleans. The Saints are 2 – 4 and not winning now. The defense is a wretched shell of its’ former Bountygate past. The D hasn’t been able to stop anyone and Drew Brees is being hounded relentlessly behind a tissue thin offensive line. Brees still has swagger and bravado but the Saints are slipping. But here’s the kicker – at 2-4 they are nowhere near dead yet. “This (game with the Packers) is not a must-win situation” said Brees. The stark reality is the saints are only one game behind the Carolina Panthers and their lofty 3-3-1 record. While the game has a sense of urgency the Saints still have wiggle room and a margin for error.

The Pack is now flying high and is currently 4^th in scoring. Even a 7 point dud output against Detroit has down little to slow the Pack and Aaron Rodgers down. Since issuing his now famous and soon to be legendary R-E-L-A-X edict a few weeks ago only Peyton Manning has given Rodgers a run for his money. Rodgers tied an NFL record with Tom Brady and Manning last week with his 4th consecutive 3 TD game. Jordy Nelson has been complemented by an emerging Randall Cobb who is heating up after a very slow start.

Cobb was all but invisible in the first 3 games. Since then he has fired out like a rocket and has added some magnificent yards after catch numbers. He is also back returning punts and has obvious talent for the job makes it only a matter of time before he really breaks one off. After spotting Nelson an early lead Cobb has come on to post 8 TD’s, currently one off the pace of Antonio Gates who had the benefit of a big game on Thursday night. Nelson has put up 6 TDs of his own giving the Packers a fearsome resource of outlets for Rodgers. All Nelson has done is to quietly become the most reliable receiver for Rodgers. He is among the league leaders in catches, yards after the catch, total yards as well as the TD count. When Green Bay needs a big one Rodgers and Nelson have developed an intrinsic chemistry that looks as if they are sharing the same mind.

While the Packers overall offense is ranked in the middle of the pack in the NFL statistically the point production puts them at 4^th overall. At an average of 30.5 points/ game Green Bay is posting the kind of numbers that are turning games into laughers. When factoring a 7 point output against Detroit into the equation the offensive prowess of the Packer s cannot be denied. Eddie Lacy has yet to uncork himself and find the form that won him the Rookie of the Year Award last season. James Starks was merely an afterthought after Lacy broke out but Starks has become more than solid in his #2 role behind Lacy. Starks tweaked an ankle last week and has been limited in practice so he will remain a game time decision as to his availability.

The Packers defense has taken quite few shots for their run defense. In total yards the Packers rank dead assed last in yards allowed, the only team thus far in the NFL to surrender 4 digits rushing with 1035 rushing yards given up. Only Cleveland’s D has surrendered more average yards rushing/ game and at 147.9 yards/ game the Packers have to find other ways to become better on D. While damning the rushing numbers do not tell the whole story of the Pack’s defense.

Currently the Packers D is ranked 9^th in yards/ game passing and 5^th in completion % allowed at 59.6%. Only the New York Giants have picked off more passes with 11 INT’s than the Packers’ 10 picks. The D is tied at 6^th overall in giving up only a total of 9 TD’s allowed. And with Rodgers running the show it is no surprise that the Packers lead the NFL with a turnover differential of +10. While the run defense is the ugly eyesore everything else about the Packers defense is a solid Top 10 defense. In a passing league as the NFL has become the Packers are one of the big boys in stopping the pass.

Last week Dom Capers unveiled a never before seen alignment package that has been called the NASCAR package. The NASCAR is simple yet Green Bay may be the only team that could employ it effectively. Capers simply removes the defensive linemen and goes with 4 LB’s. At first blanch it sounds absurd. But when peeling the layers back the 4 deployed are Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, Mike Neal and Nick Perry. All are listed as LB’s on the Packers roster for the speed and athleticism but here’s the kicker – with the exception of Matthews all have played the DE position both in the pros and college. By putting these four up front with no one’s hand in the dirt it becomes a guessing game from the offense as to who is coming and from where. It is a package specifically designed for 3^rd and long situations that an offense is forced to pass. Cam Newton struggled mightily against it last week, so much so that the Panthers held the ball for exactly 9 plays on their first 3 series last week. When Rodgers blew the game wide open halfway through the first quarter to 21-0 the rout was on.

Now the Saints coming not marching in but limping in. Drew Brees and Co. held a late lead against Detroit last week but couldn’t do the Packers a favor by closing them out. Brees threw an uncharacteristic interception. The Saints are still an imposing offensive team and rank well above the median in their numbers across the board. Their 2-4 record is incredibly deceptive. Mike McCarthy said of the Saints this week “They’re (New Orleans) much better than their record.”

New Orleans has had 3 losses by a total of 6 points and has only been waxed by Dallas by a 38-17 count. They opened the year losing a shocker in OT to Atlanta, then followed that up with a putrid performance against Cleveland that resulted in a 26-24 beating. Curiously their W’s have not come as they used to either. The Saints drubbed then hapless Vikings and needed OT to put away an awful Tampa Bay squad. And last week was a heartbreaking loss to Detroit when Brees threw an in ill-timed INT with only 3:20 remaining that gave the Lions the ball and life at the Saints’ 14 yard line.

But New Orleans defense shot themselves in the foot when safety Rafael Bush was flagged for pass interference on a 4^th down play when the Saints held off the Lions. The extra life extended Detroit’s drive that ended in a TD and kept the Lions tied atop the NFC North with the Pack.

New Orleans has some firepower. As long as Brees is under center they will have a fair shot and be a defensive matchup headache for opponents. Marcus Colston and Kenny Stills are Brees’ primary targets but promising rookie Brandin Cooks is beginning to climb the depth charts. As long as TE Jimmy Graham is on the field his presence can never be overlooked or ignored. The Saints’ Achilles Heel plays right into the Packers strength. New Orleans has had a difficult time with their run game. Far too often RB’s Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas and Khiry Thomas have been bottled up forcing New Orleans into becoming one dimensional and relying on Brees for everything.

If the Packers can contain the run and force the pass on Brees it becomes a mano a mano battle as to who is better. In a passing shootout however the Saints could be overmatched by Rodgers, a QB who throws an interception as frequently as Haley’s Comet appears. The Packers D is coming on and not only showing signs of life they look to be on the upswing.

 
 

If it is a passing battle the Packers have the advantage. And when Brees and Rodgers are on the field a passing battle can be expected. The bookies are telling everyone the over/ under on this game is out the window. It could be a big night for Brees.

But it will be a bigger night for Rodgers. And Nelson. And Cobb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

   GREEN BAY 37  

 

 

 

 

 

 

  New Orleans  23   

RODGERS ROLLING NOW

Pack Buries Panthers in 1^st Period Avalanche of Points

This just in… in breaking news the Green Bay Packers are one of the NFL’s hottest and best teams right now. After spanking the Carolina Panthers all over the field from the first play of the game the Packers dominated on both sides of the ball and cruised to an almost too easy 38 -17 win on Sunday.

Aaron Rodgers is making a very strong and compelling case for the NFL’s MVP Award again. And he is doing by not padding the stats with “el cheapo” TD’s or throws that come in mop up time. Rodgers has been held out of a 4^th quarter yet again as the Pack dumped a load of snow on Cam Newton and the Panthers.

Whatever fear Newton brought with him was doused after the Packers defense – the same defense that was at one point in the season last against the run and dead last in points allowed – rose up and smothered, suffocated and stifled whatever Newton tried to throw at them. The athleticism sought by Mike McCarthy and Dom Capers was on display as the front 4 played intelligently and ferociously. DE’s Mike Daniels and Josh Boyd continually collapsed the pocket from the outside and used storming bull rushes to shove their man into Carolina’s backfield. By attacking Newton from an ‘outside in’ approach the ends went deep enough that the interior of the line could not only harass Newton they took Newton’s ability to hurt them with his legs completely away. With outside avenues gone Newton was kept in the pocket where he is less imposing.

When a defense can hold any opponent in the NFL to 3 consecutive 3-and-outs as the Packers did in the first quarter, then turn the ball over to the hotter than the other side of the sun Aaron Rodgers it will make for a very long day for the opponent. That is what the Packers defense did. On Carolina’s first three drives they were limited to but 9 plays. Rodgers did his thank-you-very-much part by staking the D to a 21-0 lead before Newton could even think of a first down. Mike McCarthy last week said he needed to expand his vocabulary to describe Rodgers’ play this season. Simply stated there are no adjectives, no descriptive nor statements about Rodgers that could be considered overstatement.

Even considering what Mr. Wonderful is doing out in Denver Rodgers’ best moniker would MVP. Peyton Manning is riding off into the sunset and is taking Brett Favre’s total TD record with him after Manning threw #509 of his career to pass Favre. Yes, Manning is a very likable guy. Yes, Manning has played tremendously well in this, his 87^th NFL season. Yes, he is the sentimental favorite and darling of the media.

But…

Consider this: The Packers are nowhere near where they are with #12. Rodgers is now setting his sights on Bart Starr’s consecutive passes without an interception streak. Rodgers has now thrown 18 TD’s against 1 interception. Jay Cutler has 1 interception before he even leaves the locker room. Rodgers just moved into 2^nd place in Packer history with 194 straight throws without being picked. Starr holds the record at a staggering 294 passes with an INT. And Rodgers tied another Packer record with his 6^th straight game without an interception.

Consider this: Green Bay scored 5 TD’s on Sunday. 2 were on the ground by Eddie Lacy and James Starks and Rodgers 3 TD’s went to his top 3 receivers in Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams. McCarthy may be seeing his vision of a balanced offensive attack come together right now. When Rodgers is on is anyone in the NFL better? And when Lacy and Starks are running a 5+yards/carry as they did against Carolina how much more deadly are Rodgers play-action fakes? There are few in the NFL that can use the play fake as well as Rodgers.

Consider this: who else this year would you want to lead a 2 minute drive with no timeouts and needing a TD or it’s a loss? Rodgers mastery of clock management was made apparent to the rest of the world last week against the Dolphins when he tossed a TD with 3 seconds left.

Nelson and Cobb are in the top of the NFL in TD grabs this year. Rodgers is on a roll. Davante Adams is becoming more of an option each week as he gains Rodgers’ confidence. The defense is becoming more defined each week. With the limited number of padded practices a team can have watching this defense come together is showing Capers’ creativity in how he is sending out the dogs. Nick Perry had a sack from the DE position and also lined up as an OLB as did Julius Peppers. Lambeau Field offered a new dish on Sunday. It was a Fig Newton sandwich with Peppers and Clay. When Cam was crunched by the Packers outside backers Matthews promptly smacked Peppers on the helmet then said something else that promptly drew a flag. The score could have been worse: a Matthews INT that he skipped in for a TD was called back on a very soft pass interference call against Tramon Williams.

Casey Hayward is backing doing what he does best when he snagged a misguided Newton toss for his 2^nd pick of the year. The loss of Sam Shields was barely felt. By the time Newton had enough time to exploit the size mismatch between Tramon Williams and the 6’4” Kelvin Benjamin the Panthers’ staff had the bus packed and ready to go.

The run defense has taken its’ fair share of lumps and knocks in the media but of late the Packers are a defense that is steadily and clearly ascending. As the players become more familiar with each other the strength of the unit as a whole becomes measurable. Carolina still leads the pathetically soft NFC South and yet managed only 108 yards on the ground. While the Pack didn’t post yardage that was much better at 122 yards the biggest difference is in how each team used the run. The Panthers tried to run but couldn’t. Newton escaped but not enough to inflict damage. Green Bay on the other hand used Starks and Lacy to average more than 5 yards/ carry. Once again the X Factor is Aaron Rodgers. As long as Green Bay has a serviceable run game – and they do – it makes Rodgers that much better and the Packers that much better overall.

When the defense can come off the field and after 3 downs and put the ball in Rodgers more than capable hands the Packers are going to be a very tough team to beat. At this moment Green Bay is among the Top 5 in the NFL as far as the mythical Power Rankings go. Yes, Manning and the Broncos are the cream of the AFC’s crop with New England and the Dallas Cowboys have stunned almost everyone with their unexpectedly solid play but the Pack is trending upward and is now officially on a roll. The suddenly vulnerable underwhelming Seahawks and 49ers aren’t even playoff eligible let alone playoff caliber right now.

This is a very different Packers squad than the one that was manhandled by Seattle to open the campaign. Seattle has approached much of the season like a boozer with a massive hangover… loud, abrasive, and obnoxious but very uneven and unsteady on their feet. They still have the capability to knock anyone off but they’re going to have to do it with more than posturing. Super Bowl Championship teams tend to carry some of that momentum forward but Seattle has been blithely ignorant to the fact that they have been manhandled in the past few weeks and are now trailing the Arizona Cardinals by 2 games. San Francisco is threatening to implode before the season is even over. There is a very strong sense that the results would be much different of the Packers were to face the Seahawks at this juncture.

The schedule favors Green Bay right now. At 5 – 2 the go down to face a New Orleans team that is a mere shell of its former self. Drew Brees is getting pounded and the defense is truly atrocious. Many Packer fans were outspokenly vociferous in clamoring for Bills S Jarius Byrd in free agency but Byrd flew south to New Orleans and is now lost for the season with a knee injury. That left the future and the door open to grab Ha Ha Clinton- Dix in the draft and that sequence of events is looking solid gold now. The Saints can still put points up in bunches but can’t seem to outscore anyone anymore as they give up even more points in bunches. The Lions picked off Brees to steal a W back away when the Saints led going down the home stretch. There should be points aplenty when Rodgers continues his march playing as he is. Mike McCarthy has said “He’s (Rodgers) playing even better than he did in 2011 (Rodgers’ last MVP season)”. After the Saints Green Bay gets a bye at the halfway point and can get some rest and look ahead to the future.

And with one of the 2 leading candidates for MVP (the other being Manning) under center in Aaron Rodgers it is a future that is nothing but optimistically bright.

CAROLINA ON MY MIND

Packers Host Cam Newton and Panthers

as they Look to Keep Rolling

After a sluggish start at 1-2 the Green Bay Packers are getting ready to start hitting their stride. Up until the first half of the game in week 4 against the Bears the Packers had been the epitome of an up and down squad destined for the NFL’s black hole of mediocrity… make that parity.

Then something happened. The Pack swarmed all over the Bears in the 2nd half, stomped the hapless Vikings, pulled out a nail-biting, last second Aaron Rodgers miracle against Miami and now the Pack is riding high once again. The numbers haven’t been pretty, especially on defense. At or very near the bottom in run defense and points allowed and the offense wasn’t exactly lighting it up either. A bottom dwelling run game looks as ugly as it sounds. Thus far James Starks has outplayed Eddie Lacy although Lacy has shown signs of getting back to his record breaking rookie of the year form.

In the comic strips Charlie Brown once told Lucy “Tell your statistics to shut up.” Mike McCarthy is also of the same mindset implying stats are for losers who can manipulate them to say anything they want to have them say. True enough. If the Packers are to be measured by their stats alone the above would paint a very bleak picture and give fuel to the media frenzy driven angst among the fans.

Statistics do not tell the entire story. Rodgers and McCarthy have come to the understanding that stats can be but are not exactly a necessary tool. The only stat that either one really cares about is the only one that really matters… the W-L column. Tied with the Detroit for 1^st place in the NFC North the Packers are ready to flex some muscle. Under new coach Jim Caldwell the Lions are a clear and present danger as Caldwell has them playing a much more disciplined game and has cut down on the mistakes for which Detroit had become famous. But the Lions now are faced with playing the next few games without Calvin Johnson, and Megatron is only the most important piece in the Lions attack.

Those are circumstances over which the Pack has no control, and it all becomes a moot point if Green Bay can’t make hay while the sun is shining. This week the Pack faces the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton. Historically the Packers have had trouble in facing these ‘new-age’ QB’s whose combination of passing prowess and ability to run make them so lethal to Green Bay. The list of rogues would in include Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick who have been veritable thorns in the side of the Pack’s D. Now they have to contend with Newton.

Newton is a big, rangy athlete whose exploits are well documented. In his rookie season he set new records for passing yards against the Pack. There is no measure of revenge to be sight; give the devil his due… Newton is a pretty solid QB. CB’s Sam Shields (knee) and Tramon Williams (ankle) are both questionable and Shields’ injury will probably keep him out on Sunday. Williams is progressing but no word has been made yet about his availability. DE Datone Jones’ bothersome ankle is cause for concern. McCarthy said earlier this week of Jones “He’s not recovering as fast as we thought. It’s not coming along. Tested it yesterday”. No word has been made of ILB Jamari Lattimore’s neck that has kept him to limited practice time this week. On the recovery front LB Sam Barrington and DT Josh Boyd were both full participants in practice this week.

Boyd’s return would help to take the load off Letroy Guion in the NT position. Guion has done the unheralded grunt work inside and has helped to create a pass rush the likes of which the Packers haven’t seen in some time. Even if Guion and DE Mike Daniels aren’t getting the sacks there is a consistent amount of pocket pressure, hurries, and hits on the QB to disrupt opponents attack strategies. Guion has found new life in Green Bay after being cut free from the Vikings. Guion was a free agent and while Julius Peppers grabbed the headlines the signing of Guion, a former first rounder, may turn out to be a long term bonanza along the lines of signing Ryan Pickett.

The Panthers are much more than Newton and his ability to stretch the paly with his feet. Head Coach Ron Rivera has cobbled together a ferocious defense even with the loss of DE Greg Hardy suspended for his off field domestic violence issues. MLB Luke Kuechly has a choir boy’s face and an assassin’s heart as he is a relentless ball of terror chasing down opponents. His high motor approach is infectious; the Panthers feed off Kuechly’s intensity.

On offense the Panthers are banged up. The entire backfield of Jonathan Stewart, Fozzy Whitaker and DeAngelo Hall are all struggling with leg injuries and only Stewart has been cleared to play. Hall and Whitaker both remain doubtful for Sunday’s game. WR Kelvin Benjamin has yet to clear the concussion protocol and will probably miss the game. Cincy’s Vontez Burfict tried to rip the ankles off Newton and his favorite target TE Greg Olsen last week, a classless move that drew Rivera’s ire.

Olsen remains the Panther’s most consistent threat in the passing attack. Chicago GM Jerry DeAngelo called releasing Olsen “…a huge mistake. We should have never let him (Olsen) go…” Olsen is a big guy with great hands and can gash a D over the middle as well as provide Newton a good target in the red zone. Peppers and Clay Matthews will have their hands full trying to corral the big fella.

On defense the Panthers’ strength is in their outstanding linebacking corps. Kuechly leads the group that also has Thomas Davis, New York Giant castoff Chase Blackburn and Antoine Cason. Keeping this bunch away from Aaron Rodgers will be a key in beating Carolina. The Panthers have been confusingly inconsistent. They barely eked out a W over a hapless Tampa Bay team and yet tied Cincinnati after Mike Nugent missed a chip shot field goal in overtime. This same group handed Detroit a solid spanking and did the Packers another favor by upending Chicago but were humiliated by the Steelers and the Ravens.

The Packers are on a high after there last second (literally) W over Miami and the 100 degree heat last week.  McCarthy and Rodgers have acknowledged that the Packers are steadily improving on offense and “...are not there – yet…” according to Rodgers. Week by week rookie Davante Adams has shown improvement and is gaining more trust from Rodgers. Last week his efforts on Rodgers now famous fake spike not only kept the drive alive it saved the game as he got the ball down to the 3 and had the presence of mind to get out of bounds to kill the clock. With #3 WR Jarrett Boykin still not cleared from a groin injury Adams is solidifying his case to become the Pack’s #3 guy.

In an interesting move last week the Packers did a bottom of the roster shuffle in releasing TE Ryan Taylor and calling up WR Kevin Dorsey.  Rookie WR Jeff Janis has been suited up and it will be fun to see the speedster from the small school get a shot. Against Carolina he just might. Casey Hayward made a big play with his first INT of the season last week and with Shields and Williams hurt he, along with Davon House and Micah Hyde, will most likely see a good bit of game time. Ha Ha Clinton- Dix is coming off what McCarthy called “…probably his best game so far…” after the win in Miami.

Hyde’s punt return in the last 2 minutes of the game helped to set up Green Bay’s final thriller of a drive. If Hyde is needed at corner McCarthy and Special Teams coach Shawn Slocumb may test Janis with some kick return duties. Lacy would love to get rolling and the Pack is waiting for that to occur. Jordy Nelson will have another big game in what has become a career year for him so far. Don’t be surprised to see a few new wrinkles this week. Would McCarthy try WR Randall Cobb in a jet sweep package?

The final bit of interesting trivia comes from the fact that Carolina Special Teams Coordinator Richard Rodgers will be looking across the field at his son by the same name in green and gold. Richard Rodgers, the younger version, is waiting for his shot at TE to get on the field. How he would love to do that and stick it to his pop is well understood. But he’ll have to earn his stripes first.

The Packers offense is gaining steam and if history is accurate they will continue to do so. Newton will take his shots and hit a few. But the Packers can overwhelm teams, and they will do so against the Panthers on Sunday as the offense kicks into high gear. They’re not rolling – yet – but they will roll over Carolina.

 

 

 

 

  GREEN BAY 37  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Carolina  17