RODGERS OVER AND OUT

Rodgers' 5 TD' Highlight Big W Over KC

It almost isn’t fair.

No matter how an opponent approaches the game, no matter what they try or how they practice, no matter how much film they study the inescapable conclusion is it just doesn’t matter right now… Aaron Rodgers will find a way to beat you and in the process reduce you and your team to a band of stumblebums.

 

How many times have teams tried to sub only to have Rodgers see the swap and catch the other guys with too many men on the field? In his post-game press conference Rodgers was asked if he ever looks across to the other team’s sidelines to see if they’re going to try to sub. Rodgers replied with and snickering “Yes, I do. When I see a couple of big bodies trying to come in we know they’ve got to go two-for-two (players) so we’ve worked on it and we’re going to make them sprint off.” And if they don’t Rodgers will make them pay.

 

Rodgers’ football IQ is not only off the charts it’s almost an embarrassment of riches as to

possessing that trait in addition to all his physical attributes. How many suckers have bitten on his hard count only to give the Packers a free play? Pro football is a damn tough game but the way Rodgers is playing it right n owe he is reducing veterans to the level of rookies. Make no mistake about it – Aaron Charles Rodgers is the best player in the game and on the planet right now and it isn’t even close. Rodgers can make every throw from every angle and does not even need to set himself to do it. When teams give Rodgers a free play it is just too easy for the kid from Chico who was once overlooked by almost everyone – including 23 other teams in the 2005 draft – is now looking down upon the rest of the NFL from a very lofty perch.

 

When asked if the game looks as easy to him as he makes it appear his response was vintage Rodgers. “No…. I don’t have that vantage point. I’m just trying to make plays.” Rodgers job has been made that much easier by an offensive line that has been nothing less than stout thus far. “It all begins up front (with the offensive line)” said Rodgers. They’ve been big all year. Three games, three sacks.” His shrug and grin told the rest of the story. Rodgers has avoided hard hits, sacks picks and is in command of his arsenal. A master of understatement Rodgers added “If they (the offensive line) keep blocking like that we’re going to be tough to beat.”

 

James Jones was on the waiver wire at the end of camp and Green Bay happily snatched him up.

Jones has been a most pleasant surprise and looks as if he has not lost any of the communication he shares with Rodgers. “We were lucky to have James available at the end of cuts” said Rodgers.  Jones chipped in with 7 catches for 139 yards and a 2^nd quarter TD when Rodgers drew the Chiefs Dontari Poe offside and hit Jones form an embarrassingly easy 6 points. Jones also was the recipient of the games longest game a nifty 52 yarder that occurede3d when the Chiefs were drawn offside yet again. Rodgers doesn’t just use his arm; the hard count that draws opponents off is typically followed by the majority of the team not playing the play through to completion. For the night Rodgers went 24/ 35 for 333 yards and 5 TD’s.

 

Jones is not the only reclamation project in Green Bay. After the last cuts of the year ILB Joe Thomas was released and was playing on Dallas’ practice squad. After Sam Barrington went onto the IR list GM Ted Thompson replucked the former Packer who found himself immediately on the field and was credited with 3 tackles, albeit at a price. As QB Alex Smith was scrambling as he started his slide Thomas was going for the big hit but ended up with a KO of DE Datone Jones when he collided with Jones’ head. Jones will undergo concussion protocol in the next week. UDFA LB Jayrone Elliott just keeps making plays. He had a sack and is making a strong case for himself every time he is on the field.

 

Randall Cobb also had a huge game with 3 TD catches of his own. Cobb was masterful around the

goal line utilizing rub routes to make what appeared to be the same play. As Cobb lined up inside in a trips formation of Rodgers saw the cornerback playing off Cobb it became a simple game of pitch and catch as the outside receiver ran inside to create congestion while Cobb ran free underneath to grab and turn into the end zone for 6.

 

The Packers dominated the game in all three

phases yet again. Rodgers and the offense are the beginning point in Green bay. But the defense is also making a case for itself. Mike Daniels continues to grow with every passing game. A former 4^th rounder from Iowa is becoming the leader of a very nasty group. The D harassed Chiefs QB Alex Smith relentlessly last night piling up 7 sacks and a pick by Sam Shields that he almost returned for a TD. As Rodgers staked the Pack to a huge lead Charles was held in check while Smith was limited to a 2 of 7 attempts and 39 yards (38 of which came on a throw  to TE Travis Kelce) as Green Bay went into halftime up 24 – 7. B. J. Raji has slimmed down considerably and in a contract year is playing like the #9 overall pick he was coming into the NFL. With Daniels and Raji both due new contracts Ted Thompson and the rest of the Pack’s brain trust are already figuring how to keep them both in Green Bay.

 

So stunningly good has Rodgers been it almost doesn’t even matter who is in or out at the WR

position anymore. WR Davante Adams left the game early after he tweaked the ankle he rolled last week. In the Green Bay assembly line of wide receivers rookie Ty Montgomery stepped up and chipped in with a TD catch of his own on a great adjustment when Rodgers was flushed out of the pocket. As Rodgers rolled to his left Montgomery jammed on the brakes to reverse field and follow his QB and take the toss, turn his shoulders and dive in for the TD. “We don’t want to give him (Montgomery) more than he can handle” said Rodgers. “Ty’s a great player and he’s going to have a long career here.”  Nothing like having the league’s reigning MVP endorse and anoint the next player in line.

 

For the 3^rd straight week the Packers have faced an elite running back. But in succession the Packers have continued to improve defensively against the run. Matt Forte toasted the Packers’ D for 141 yards in week 1. But since then the run D has been an altogether different story. Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch was help to 41 yards on the ground and the Chiefs Jamal Charles, one of the most explosive backs in the NFL was held in check with just 49 yards on 11 carries and a 4 yard TD Kansas City was held to a total of 75 yards on the ground for the night.

 

Having Rodgers and the offense does help the defense by taking elements of an opponents’ attack

away. Smith is not the QB Rodgers is, but then again no one is. And Kansas City is most decidedly not a pass-first offense. They are a ground and pound group that gets little in way of scoring form their wideouts. Jeremy Maclin finally ended the WR TD drought by hauling one in last night ending an 18 game streak ignominiously held by Smith and the Chiefs of not having a WR catch a TD pass.

 

With the Detroit Lions at 0- 3 and the Chicago Bears already having a fire sale with whatever talent they have left the Packers are perched alone at the top of not just the NFC North but the NFC itself, and if one is inclined to play the Power Ranking game if Green Bay

isn’t at the top of the NFL right now it won’t take very long to find them. The sting of the loss to Seattle last year is seen in not just the Pack’s ability to start fast but now they are focused on not letting up. In the past two games Green bay has broken fast, faltered as both Seattle and Kansas City mounted comeback attempts but rose again at the end to finish off a beaten opponent. Next they head west to their one time tormentors in San Francisco. Colin Kaepernick is coming off an ugly performance against the other NFC powerhouse Arizona Cardinals with 4 picks and 2 of them were an NFL record setting back-to-back pick 6’s. The 49ers are a total mess right now and now they have to face the red-hot Packers

 

If Kaepernick remains as shaky as he has recently been exposed to be it gives the Packers and Rodgers a few more extra chances to light up the scoreboard.

 

It almost isn’t fair.

OPEN FAST

Packers, McCarthy Look to Keep Rolling vs. Kansas City

 

After opening the season at 2- 0 and knocking off divisional rival Chicago and gaining a small measure of redemption against the Seattle Seahawks in game 2 the Green Bay Packers are poised for a monumental letdown against Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. It only stands to reason – after all didn’t the Packers simmer and stew after watching Seattle come from behind last year and then whoop the Hawks convincingly last week? Naturally a letdown is in order.

Or is it?

Mike McCarthy has become a true master of preparation and situational challenges for his squad. He has preached “Open fast” all off season and has continued the talk into the early part of the year. One big reason for emphasizing “open fast” is McCarthy knowing he has a tough early grind on the schedule. He kept the Pack from peeking ahead when facing the Bears, de-emphasized the importance of the Seattle game so keeping his team focused for KC and their scary corps of linebackers heading into Lambeau Monday is this weeks objective.

And focused the Pack needs to be. Kansas City sports two terrifying bookends OLB’s in Tamba Hali

and Justin Houston. Houston has already opened fast with 3 sacks after just 2 games. ILB Derrick Johnson gives Kansas City as good a set of LB’s in the NFL as anybody. Both Hall and Hali are smart, quick and relentless pursuers of the ball and the Chiefs defense feeds off Houston’s infectious high motor. Up front Kansas has workmanlike lunch pail groups who do the grunt work for the stars in Mike DeVito, Jaye Howard, and Allen Bailey and if that isn’t enough Dontari Poe can come off the bench without the defense giving any talent away.

S Eric Berry has been a welcome sight and the entire league is hoping he can come all the way back from last year’s bout with lymphoma cancer that cost him the season. Coach Andy Reid has not rushed Berry back into the lineup and is allowing one of the league’s elite safeties to work his way back in as he builds up his strength and stamina. Rookie CB Marcus Peters (#18 overall) has exploded in his first 2 NFL games with 2 INT’s and has hung Peyton Manning’s pelt on his wall as he picked Peyton for a 55 yard TD. Peters has build, size, speed, great hands and great anticipation that belies his lack of professional experience.

Peters will find out very quickly an arm weary, near-the-end-of-the-line Manning is very different from Aaron Rodgers who is at the apex of his powers. Rodgers is only adding to his burgeoning body of work with a near perfect start and has been lights out in crunch time in the 4^th quarter. Rodgers stats in the 4^th against Seattle last week were 9 completions in 9 attempts for 91 yards and a TD. Considering Rodgers has been working without his #1 target in IR’d Jordy Nelson it speaks volumes as to Rodgers’ abilities. Seattle didn’t even bother to blitz Rodgers last week and relied on a 4 man rush almost exclusively, and picked their poison by trying to defense the pass. Kansas City will bring the entire battalion and hope they can rattle Rodgers.

Seattle's attempt came up woefully short. Rodgers went right after Richard Sherman and burnt him

for a TD as well as embarrassing DE Michael Bennett by drawing him offside on the play. Perhaps Sherman deserves the benefit of the doubt and relaxed when he saw the flag. Maybe he didn’t think James “Leadfoot” Jones would blow past his as easily as he did.

 

Or maybe Rodgers, he of the largest chip on his shoulder the NFL has ever seen, was making his own statement as well. Yeah – you guys got us last year. And I was hurt. No complaints but let’s play this when I’m healthy. Last year was last year. This is a whole new ball game. And seeing Smith, the QB taken in front of him Rodgers may have a little something extra courtesy of that chip.

Kansas City is poised to flourish in the AFC West. Oakland is light years away from being a contender while San Diego can join Miami and Detroit  as the perpetual 8 -8 squads that are always good but never quite good enough to advance and Denver’s star is beginning to descend. KC once was a part of that illustriously average group but has drafted well and Reid has a team on the rise.

Not only has KC drafted well they have supplemented the draft with key imports. When Colin Kaepernick soared up the depth chart former #1 overall QB Alex Smith fell out of favor with Jim Harbaugh. Now Harbaugh has worn out his welcome, Kaepernick’s 49ers are reeling and Smith lands in Kansas City with QB savvy Reid. Smith has ridden a veritable merry-go-round since entering the NFL. While he watched the ‘other’ QB languish in the green room on draft day and then see him ride the pine behind Brett Favre and then see Aaron Rodgers become simply the best players in the game Smith has had to endure leaky lines, the Jim Harbaugh fun house and literally no receivers in Kansas City. Last year Smith ended up in the record book in dubious fashion. For the first time in NFL history Smith went an entire season without completing a single TD to a wide receiver.

With that Reid dispatched disgruntled WR Derrick Bowe to Cleveland and imported WRs Jeremy

Maclin and Jason Avant from his old nest in Philly. Maclin and Avant team up with Albert Wilson and promising TE Travis Kelce to at least give Smith more targets. Former #1 overall LT Eric Fisher has been demoted to RT has he never settled into the blind side protector’s role at the next level.

When discussing Kansas City’s offense every conversation begins not with the pass but with RB Jamal Charles. For the 3^rd straight week to open the season the Packers defense has to find a way to bottle up yet another elite back. Charles is faster than Forte but lacks Lynch’s licks and bruising nature. Charles is a slashing, explosive back who finds a hole and just as quickly can find the end zone. He’ll put pressure on the interior to plug the holes and force over commitments on the outside. Against Lynch Green Bay kept their gaps and set the edges and found themselves in position to make plays. Mike Neal’s one man stand your ground 1 on 1 with Russell Wilson ended up in a 3 yard sack/ loss simply by not overcommitting and wrapping up,.

To counter the Packers will have to adjust again. Last week the preparation was obvious as Green Bay devoured Lynch and neutralizing his effectiveness. Forte made the Pack’s run defense look pedestrian in game 1 and Charles is a true home run threat every time he touches the ball Dom Capers will no doubt emphasize not just hitting but wrapping up and tackling Charles and not letting him get to the next level.

On the Pack’s side of the ball questions still surround Eddie Lacy and his ability to play after rolling an ankle. James Starks stepped in and put up a healthy 95 yard night and McCarthy may be forced to dress rookie UDFA Alonzo Harris if Lacy can’t go. Davante Adams went out with an ankle injury but did manage to return. He did, however, limp noticeably after returning. With Adams’ ability limited Rodgers turned to rookie Ty Montgomery who showed great hands, balance and an unexpected toughness in his 4 targets. Most impressive was Montgomery’s catch, spin, and run that saw him shake off 3 different tacklers for a first down.

Another UDFA may have earned himself more playing time. After his 1 INT/ 1 forced fumble game

last week Jayrone Elliott might get some reps as the game wears on. The Pack lost Josh Boyd for the year in another ankle injury and DL Letroy Guion won’t be back till next week so the pressure will be put on the LB’s to make plays.

Kansas City is coming off a tough loss to Denver in a game Charles blamed himself for the loss with his late fumble. The Chiefs didn’t exactly look great in their opener against Houston, a far cry from the cream of the NFL’s crop. Playing away from their raucous Arrowhead Stadium they’ll find themselves in the lion’s den in a raucous Lambeau Field.

For Green Bay this is a statement game. The offense will have to play against what is expected to be a ferocious pass rush and KC won’t make Rodgers’ job easy. It’s on the offensive line to give Rodgers enough time and Rodgers will get his chances. The defense has to show that last week was not a fluke. If the D shows up and can bottle up Jamal Charles and force Smith to try to beat them with the pass the game tips considerably in Green Bay’s favor.

Just as long as there isn’t a letdown.

 

 

  

  GREEN BAY 29    

 

  




   Kansas City  13   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE DEFENSE MAKES ITS CASE

Packers Defense Stifles Lynch, Hawks in Big Win

The schoolyard bully final got punched in the nose.

In an impressive performance in all 3 phases of the game the Green Bay Packers came from behind to punctuate the early part of the year with a convincing 27 – 17 win over their arch nemesis Seattle Seahawks at a very raucous Lambeau Field on Sunday night before a huge national television audience and a full beyond capacity stadium.

 

The much maligned/ oft criticized and tired of hearing about how bad they are against the run

defense showed up en masse last night to stuff, snuff, and extinguish their most recent tormentors. Super RB Marshawn Lynch was held to a trifling 41 yards and was not a factor in the contest. Russell Wilson slathered himself up in grease and was typically elusive but for the most part the Pack’s D showed intelligence and discipline in containing the damage caused by Wilson, a known havoc wreaker.

 

On the weekends biggest stage it was the second string that chipped in mightily to aid the Packers’ cause. Eddie Lacy was rolling like a Mack truck until he had his ankle rolled up and left for the night. Lacy had been clearly winning the running battle with Lynch but Green Bay didn’t miss a beat when James ‘Crazylegs’ Starks took his spot. Starks ran like the James Starks who stepped up in the Packers glorious Super Bowl run and was not only a good replacement he made a very strong case for himself. Starks has become a more patient, efficient and explosive runner than he was way back when. He repeatedly gashed the Seattle line for big chunks of yardage and gave the Pack the advantage they sought in the running game.

 

Om defense unheralded LB Jayrone Elliott was the clear star with a huge pick late that he followed up with a tomahawk punch out forced fumble on the Hawks Fred Jackson that sealed the deal. Elliott has been a special teams stud and with ILB Sam Barrington out form the year Elliott made them most of his opportunity. He has been a preseason sack machine and the Packers may have found what they have been looking for.

 

There were other noteworthy performances. OLB Nick Perry’s name kept popping up last night as

he played a positionally smart game and was harassing Wilson most of the evening. A lighter and stronger looking B. J. Raji looked like he did when he was a rookie and was hugely disruptive in the Hawks backfield. Don Barclay filled in for RT Bryan Bulaga who underwent knee surgery after being injured in practice last week and was not out of place and more than held his own.

 

The usual and expected stars for Green Bay shined brightest. Aaron Rodgers is already taking a big lead early in the MVP voting and Seattle’s Michael Bennett will have a red face in the film room back in the Northwest this week trying to explain why he was suckered so many times by Rodgers’ hard count. Hawks coach Pete Carroll said after the game “We knew it (the hard count) was coming. We practiced for it coming. And when it came we still couldn’t get it done.” Rodgers is the best in the league along with Tom Brady in drawing defenses offside and Bennett gave Rodgers way too many free plays and Rodgers made the Hawks pay dearly.

 

All World CB Richard Sherman has had Rodgers number for a while. Last year Rodgers did not attempt a single throw Sherman’s way in their first meeting and only 2 in their second showdown in the playoffs, one of them resulting in an interception. But last night Rodgers as coldly as an assassin drew Bennett offside and not only threw at Sherman James Jones blew past him for a touchdown that pretty much set the tone for the rest of the evening. Mike McCarthy has preached he wants to open fast, and open fast the Packers have done in the season and did in the game last night.

 

Emotion was running high as the Green Bay faithful raised the roof and turned Lambeau into a

madhouse of noise. Seattle may have the 12^th man but the Packers have The Man in #12. The Packers took the opening kick and under Rodgers stewardship marched right down the field in a drive that ended with a strike to Jones on an offside free play. The fans were going nuts and when Seattle’s Lynch was stuffed repeatedly behind the line and the Hawks were forced to punt from deep in their end zone Rodgers came right back to stake the Packers to a 10- 0 lead.

 

Give Wilson credit for remaining cool under fire. Emotion can only carry a team so far and then the real dogfight begins. Wilson brought the Hawks back a bit as both teams swapped field goals and The Packers exited the first half with a 13-3 lead. Solid, but everyone in Green Bay knows when Seattle is the opponent no lead is ever safe.

 

Wilson and the ‘Hawks came out wining and slinging to start the second half.  With Lynch bottled up and the Packers intent on closing off his cutback lanes Wilson does what Wilson does best. He began use the ‘read – option’ to create running lanes for himself. His opening drive of the 2^nd half ended with a 5 minute drive and a TD toss to Fred Jackson to close the lead to 13 – 10. Wilson then engineered the next Seattle drive in similar fashion that put the Hawks ahead 17 – 13 when Wilson found Doug Baldwin in the end zone and once raucous Lambeau became a mausoleum of “Oh no… we’ve seen this movie before.”

 

Give the coaching staff kudos for staying the course. As the Packers saw their offense depleted with

Eddie Lacy, Davante Adams and Josh Boyd all being carted off with ankle injuries (Boyd’s by far looked the most severe) and already missing Jordy Nelson most teams would have fallen like a cheap soufflé.

 

Most teams.

 

The Packers are not most teams. The Packers are nothing if not resilient and Rodgers was once again nothing short of perfect in the 4^th quarter. With Starks racking up 95 yards on the ground Rodgers took to the air. Rookie Ty Montgomery had 4 catches for 37 yards while Randall Cobb shouldered a bigger role as his bum right shoulder gets better with 8 snags for 116 yards. The defense also made adjustments and it was the Packers’ defense – not Seattle’s – that was a menacing presence that hurried, chased and harassed Wilson. Aaron Rodgers’ strike to TE Richard Rodgers was vintage Rodgers, finding the open man in the end zone as he danced among the horde of Hawks swirling around him and tucking the ball not thru an open window but through a mail slot.

 

Without question the Seahawks defense was missing holdout Kam Chancellor and his absence last night created opportunities for Rodgers. Rodgers is not just physically talented but one of the smartest QB’s to ever play the game. Knowing Chancellor was out the Packers employed Cobb out of the backfield to confuse Seattle’s defense. “We knew he (Chancellor) was out so we thought we could get a free release on Randall” said Rodgers afterwards. The move used sparingly opened lanes up for Cobb as the last man out in the pass attack but by far the most lethal. Rodgers eschewed the big home run balls for a series of short to mid-range throws that wore the Seattle defense out. So efficient was Rodgers that his longest throw was 29 yards to James Jones for a TD early.

 

Those pesky Seahawks have some spit and fire. Wilson tried to marshal a response but Jayrone

Elliott may have earned more by stepping up. The big plays did not come from Clay Matthews or Julius Peppers or Mike Daniels. It was Elliott who stepped in front of an attempted mid field screen and snagged Wilson’s toss with one hand. So stunned was Elliott at his good fortune he took two steps and promptly fumbled the ball but got it right back. Elliott sealed the victory with a vicious blind side chop at the ball when he caused a fumble from Fred Jackson. While Micah Hyde gobbled up the gift Lambeau Field went deliriously nuts as the monkey that has been a forest of gorillas perched on the Pack’s back was finally vanquished.

 

The players can tell the press all they want about last year’s playoff debacle being last year and acting professionally detached in the process but the very nature of the intensity of this rivalry was unearthed when LB K.J. Wright tried to remove TE Richard Rodgers helmet with is head still in it. Seeing Rodgers splayed out G T.J. Lang, no stranger to mano a mano battles launched himself into Wright as an ugly scrum ensued. As Wright was booted from the game the Hawks suddenly looked vulnerable. It went to the heart of exactly how personal it was for the players.

 

The defense that so tormented the Packers previously did not have their typical swagger. Sherman

was shut up as he did not shut down Rodgers. When was the last time anyone intentionally threw at Sherman, daring him to make a play? Rodgers did with his strike to Jones early. Rodgers made his own statement about last year’s playoff game by showing had he been healthy Seattle wouldn’t have stood a chance. The Seahawks prize catch of the off season Jimmy Graham was held to 1 measly catch. Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers deserved high marks for the disciplined approach the Packers defense took to contain both Lynch and Wilson. Lynch was a veritable non-factor and his 41 yards on the ground is a measure of any defense that did its’ job well.

 

The Packers get an extra day to savor the W as they do not play again until Monday night. It isn’t the playoffs – yet – but Green Bay is certainly holding the hammer for the playoffs at 2 - 0. McCarthy has said all along wanted a fast start.

 

On Sunday he not only got the fast start he wanted he got a fast finish.

THE NON-REVENGE BOWL

Packers Face Seahawks at Lambeau in Opener;

 McCarthy Says "Don't Call it 'Revenge'"

 

Don’t call it revenge. There is no such thing as a ‘revenge’ game in the NFL.

On Sunday night before what is anticipated to be a huge national audience the Green bay Packers square off with the Seattle Seahawks, team that dealt them two of the cruelest defeats in the Pack’s storied history. No one will ever forget the epic Fail Mary and the replacement officials’ egg laying performance. And at the same time no one in Packerland wants to be reminded of the mind numbing impossible to this day to fathom meltdown in the last 3:56 of last year’s NFC Championship game when the Pack blew a huge lead and the game and the season all in one fell swoop.

In a brief synopsis in order for the Seahawks to advance the Packers had to misplay a fake field goal,

watch a 2 point desperate flutter ball by ‘Hawks QB Russell Wilson gently connect, blow an onside kick and watch a bomb explode in overtime to go home for the year… all with less than 4 minutes to play after manhandling the Hawks with a 19 – 0 lead.

At the outset of his career Mike McCarthy was tepid and indecisive. As his tenure grows so does his grasp of the moment. Most coaches would burn the tape, go home and hope his team would sleep it off and face the next season wanting to get even. Not McCarthy. He was back with his coaches the very next week dissecting  the tape of the disaster and preparing for the 2105 – 16 campaign - the very next week.

What McCarthy saw brought about sweeping changes both in personnel and philosophy. The first and most obvious move was to fire his buddy and Special Teams coach Shawn Slocum. The Packers special teams were a flop last season and McCarthy made it clear he would have a more direct influence on that element of the Pack’s game by being the 3^rd coach in the room. To clear the decks to facilitate the move McCarthy also turned over the play calling duties to Tom Clements to allow McCarthy to have more input on all the elements of his team.

Next was gassing the players responsible for the mistakes. Brandon Bostick was a promising tight

end who will join the pantheon of goats with Bill Buckner, Chris Webber and Mickey Owen for his fumble fingered flub of that fateful onside kick. Now he is out of Green Bay and out of the NFL. The 2 linebackers responsible for allowing the TD toss from holder Jon Ryan were also cut loose. A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones were both pink slipped for their slip up in coverage. The only player to survive the purge was rookie Ha Ha Clinton Dix who just watched the 2 point floater. However his 2 picks and drop of a 3^rd in that contest helped the rookie to grow albeit at a stiff price.

McCarthy is adamant. “I know who’s next” he said when asked about the upcoming game against Seattle. “We all do. We’re going to approach this as a game and nothing more. I’ve put too much emotion on teams in the past and we all learn from our mistakes so I’m not going to do that.”

McCarthy’s once indifferent style has been hardened over the years. 2 years ago he promised the running game would get better… and it did. Last year he stated the defense would be better… and it was. Now he is putting his neck out there saying the special teams will improve. While one game is not a large enough sample size it certainly would appear the return game is better with rookie Ty Montgomery.

With a win in hand already and the rest of the NFC North taking a beating last week McCarthy will have his team focused. “Look, it’s just one game. Our goal is the same as it always is. We want to come of our first home game 2 -0” said McCarthy.

For Seattle some fault lines have started to show early. Russell Wilson leads the Hawks attack but

the biggest gun in Seattle’s arsenal is heavyweight pounder Marshawn Lynch. As Lynch goes so goes the Hawks. Right now the going is as tough as it’s been in Seattle in some time. The offensive line was somewhat questionable entering the season. After losing in overtime to the St. Louis Rams an accusatory finger is being pointed at that line.

The Hawks gambled by dealing a first round pick to the Saints for All World TE Jimmy Graham but also had to include G/C Max Unger. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell was raked over the coals for not giving Lynch the ball on the goal line in the Super Bowl, a move that paved the way for the Patriots’ Malcolm Butler to steal the ball and the championship in the waning seconds of the game last year. In the opener the Hawks were facing 4^th and 1 after the Rams booted a field goal to go up in OT. Naturally it was Beast Mode time. Everyone in the house knew what was coming. So did the Rams.

DT Aaron Donald led a ferocious penetration that stuffed Lynch 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage and in the aftermath Lynch’s mother took to social media to call out Bevell labelling him “The stupidest play caller in the NFL.” So much for the warm and fuzzies on the offense.

If the Seahawks have questions about the offensive line then there has to be grave concern over the amount of yardage surrendered to Nick Foles. Foles is a fine, capable NFL caliber QB but he isn’t Aaron Rodgers. Without S Kam Chancellor the Legion of Boom has looked more like the Region of Gloom. Chancellor is in the midst of a holdout after reneging on the 5 year deal he sigend just 2 years ago. So much for the warm and fuzzies on the defense.

Yes, it’s early but something glaringly seems to be missing from the Hawks pass defense. Even self-

proclaimed super CB Richard Sherman was toasted last week by Tavon Austin. Normally as loquacious a mouth as exists in pro sports Sherman has been so far under the radar regarding this week’s feature game it defies credibility. This is the same Richard Sherman who screamed into a mic after a playoff win over the 49ers “I told you he (San Fran’s Michael Crabtree) was nothin’!” When asked about Rodgers Sherman simply conceded the point “He’s (Rodgers) the best.” Hardly bulletin board material.

When Sherman was asked about his perspective on the Packers meltdown in the title tilt a season ago he was even more vague. “Man, I just don’t remember that” he said. “We were all tired out there.” Sherman is an educated, articulate if bombastic type and he is certainly wise enough to not tempt fate by rattling Rodgers’ cage. Perhaps it’s just early but there seems to be a lack of bite, a lack of focus or a lack of intensity on Seattle’s D. Maybe they were guilty of peeking ahead to the matchup with Green Bay. At 0 – 1 the Hawks would not be helping their own cause down the road with another loss.

It is far too early to call this a playoff preview. While these two squads are on the short list of potential NFC title combatants September football is a far cry from January football. McCarthy has been steadfast in just treating this as just another game against a quality opponent. There is no revenge to be had here. A win puts Green bay at 2-0 and exactly where McCarthy wants to be. He has said repeatedly he wants to “…open fast…” and 2- 0 is exactly what he’s talking about.

Even the players downplay the revenge aspect. “That was last season” said Clay Matthews. “There’s nothing that can be done about that game (last year)” said Julius Peppers. “It’s over and it’s a new season.” McCarthy has done a superb job of preparation as is his wont and has kept from overemphasizing the importance of this game. And he has been adamant about treating it as a game against one of the best teams in the NFL. Revenge has no time or space or place in McCarthy’s mindset. So much for the defeatist blues.

ILB Sam Barrington went onto the IR after sustaining a foot injury last week, so now the next man

up has to fill the slot on the inside. Nate Palmer will see much of the field as will rookie Jake Ryan. How much the loss of Barrington will be is anyone’s guess. The Packers didn’t exactly shine in Chicago as they surrendered 141 yards on the ground to Matt Forte. Palmer was up and down but did show some promise in the pass coverage game. While Forte is one of the league’s better backs in Lynch the Seahawks have arguably the league’s best back. Lynch is a punishing bruiser and when he is in Beast Mode he is at worst difficult to stop.

It will come down to the trenches. Can the Packer’s defensive line outplay the underwhelming Seattle offensive line and plug the gaps? Will the Pack have enough inside to off not stop at least slow down Lynch? Clay Matthews will undoubtedly see more time inside this week and the very green Ryan may see the field by attrition. The Packers get Datone Jones back from his 1 game suspension but it will be up to the players, not the coaches, to make then plays. McCarthy wasn’t happy with his defenses’ play against the Bears. “I think we were in double digits in [missed] tackles” McCarthy said. With a limited number of practices the onus is on the defense to make the plays when they are there.

The Packers will also have to deal with Wilson and Graham as well as rookie Tyler Lockett who ran a punt back 57 yards for a TD last week against St. Louis. If any team has a clear advantage it is the Packers offense. Even without Jordy Nelson Aaron Rodgers was all but perfect. His offensive line kept him clean and did not surrender a sack and Rodgers was barely touched. James Jones has stepped in and hasn’t missed a beat. Eddie Lacy is Lynch’s doppelganger and can be every bit the road grader his counterpart is Seattle is. He also displayed some very soft hands and could well be a target out of the backfield. If the Hawks get too aggressive the screen pass may reappear in Green Bay. If there is anything the Pack lacks right now it is a true home run threat on a deep ball but given the chance Rodgers can offset the odds and tip the field in his favor. Seattle’s once intimidating defense looked very ordinary last week and without Chancellor they lack pop. This is the matchup to watch, the Packers offense against the Seahawks defense.

Can Sherman and Earl Thomas cover every Packer? Will Rodgers have time? Can the Pack plug the

leaks in the middle of their defense? Can the Hawks plug the leaks in their offensive line? Will Russell Wilson make the Pack pay with his scampers? Who wins the big back battle between Lynch and Lacy? Of all the battles the one between Lacy and Lynch will be the one to determine the outcome.

There are far too many storylines to follow in this key but not (yet) crucial matchup. But most decidedly revenge is not on the menu. Winning and executing is the fare of the day. McCarthy will get the fast start he wanted and put the Pack in command of their post season.

 

 

 

 

  GREEN BAY 27 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Seattle  23