Gut Reactions: 2014 Week 12 vs The Vikings
Aaron's gut reactions to the Packers' win over the Vikings.
By PackerAaron
- There are no style points in the NFL. That win is as valuable as the blowouts of the Bears and Eagles.
- Have to tip your hat to Mike Zimmer. He had a great game plan on defense, featuring two high safeties almost exclusively. He let his front seven worry about the run and made sure nothing got over the top in the passing game. Yes, his defensive backs got away with some stuff, but once it became clear they were going to let them play that way, McCarthy and Rodgers needed to adjust. They did a bit in the second half, with a slant here and a few more power runs there. But for the most part, Zimmer's group did a great, great job.
- The zone toss play continues to mystify me. I know people want Lacy to "put his foot in the ground and go" - but there simply isn't a cut back lane. Sometimes I think if he would just follow the natural design of the play rather than always looking for the cutback, he'd be better off. I much prefer the power stuff they started doing more of in the second half when they had Quarless and/or Kuhn in the backfield.
- Loved that fullback screen to open the game. Neat play design.
- So glad to see Mike Daniels getting some reps on 3rd down. Probably a result of Perry being out, which meant the rotation was different than usual. Great job with the bull rush on the sack of Bridgewater.
- Micah Hyde did not have a great day.
- Neither did Tramon.
- Matthews didn't seem to have much success against much of anyone when rushing the passer, either inside or outside. But he was active again, and disruptive. Great to see him all over the field.
- Other then jumping in Bridgewater's face on the one rollout, Peppers was pretty invisible.
- Hats off to TJ Lang for gutting it out. Guy is as tough as they come.
- That screen to Lacy was so well designed and executed - except for Adams' penalty obviously. Never did get a clean look at the penalty on replay.
- Kyle Rudolph did some damage today. I shudder to think of Gronk in Lambeau.
- Speaking of the Patriots, I have no Earthy idea how this Packers defense is going to slow down Brady and company. No idea whatsoever.
- For now, I'm going to enjoy the fact that the Packers are all alone in first place in the NFC North.
- Go Pack.
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Comments (140)
Wenis
November 23, 2014 at 03:26 pm
Trying to be pessimistic but I see Blount going Earl Campbell on us if Brady is able to stretch the field.
Packers did not play well today and let the Queens hang around to the bitter end.
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 03:52 pm
Is there anyone who didn't know that they wouldn't show up for 60 today?
Mike and Dom's theory about LeGarrete Blount, is that they WANT teams to run on them. This new defense is predicated upon the theory that, to win in today's NFL, you have to pass. This is due to the new rules against playing pass defense.
Whether or not this theory holds up remains to be seen, but so far, so good I guess.
TommyG
November 23, 2014 at 07:53 pm
My concerns are similar; lots of flashbacks to New Orleans.
FITZCORE1252
November 23, 2014 at 03:27 pm
It wasn't pretty, but it was a hard fought win, those types of games can do a team that is flying high good. Character builders.
The A-game will need to be brought next week. Pats look really, really good.
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 03:53 pm
Do the Pats routinely have "character building" games against teams that are obviously inferior?
FITZCORE1252
November 23, 2014 at 04:08 pm
No. And neither do the Packers.
Idiot Fan
November 23, 2014 at 04:24 pm
Pats gutted a close one out against the Raiders earlier this year.
TommyG
November 23, 2014 at 04:45 pm
and lost to Miami.
PackerAaron
November 23, 2014 at 06:51 pm
"Do the Pats routinely have "character building" games against teams that are obviously inferior?"
You mean like when they barely beat the Jets?
Why Packers fans hate the Packers so much is beyond me.
Tundraboy
November 23, 2014 at 09:57 pm
From the vibe of many of today's posts you would
never know we won and are 8- 3
Packer_Pete
November 24, 2014 at 07:24 pm
you call those people "fans"? Fans would mean that they support the team. Especially after a win. One can be critical, but 8-3 most teams would be glad about. So-called Packer "fans" who think the team isn't any good really need to become fans of other teams, say the Vikings or Bears, to know what loser teams for years look like.
chirsle
November 23, 2014 at 03:45 pm
yeees let the hate consume you my son...
HankScorpio
November 23, 2014 at 04:02 pm
So the Packers have a bad defense and Rodgers "looked like ass".
Pretty impressive stuff to win a division game on the road, given that.
NickPerry
November 23, 2014 at 08:56 pm
Wait a minute, last time you said the Packers won so big BECAUSE they didn't have Teddy B. Which is it? 8-3 is eating you up isn't Cow???
BradHTX
November 23, 2014 at 04:26 pm
"p.s. Rodger looked like ass."
Well... If anyone would know about looking like an ass...
Dude, seriously -- you gotta make it harder for us.
PackerAaron
November 23, 2014 at 06:56 pm
"Rodgers looked like ass."
Stop embarrassing yourself.
https://vine.co/v/O1qhUTTOlB7
PackerAaron
November 23, 2014 at 09:31 pm
Got any video of you knowing what in the hell you're talking about?
NickPerry
November 23, 2014 at 08:53 pm
How many years will it take for you to figure out you're a ASS Cow?? I normally don't resort to name calling or attacking someone but damn, are you that miserable of a human that you go to various websites, talk out the side of your neck, and always look like a fool doing it. So what, the Packers didn't win pretty but they won. The Pack is 8-3 and in first place in the NFC North. I'm pretty sure they'll do better than your prediction. BTW, they entered week 12 as the highest scoring team in the NFL, how embarrassing, McCarthy and Rodgers scoring all those points!
badaxed
November 25, 2014 at 08:27 am
We need people like Cow! otherwise this blog would be like a Mccarthy interview. BORRRRRING!
Wiscokid
November 24, 2014 at 10:23 am
The COW goes moooooooo or in this case bahwooooooo
chugwater
November 23, 2014 at 04:02 pm
Last week Sanchez missed Matthews on one pass in the second quarter. D gave them nothings else.
chugwater
November 23, 2014 at 04:17 pm
So he completes two more passes...that's suppose to negate the complete and utter domination GB demonstrated last week?
keeley2
November 23, 2014 at 04:58 pm
Stop it! That's like saying the sun rising in the west would completely change things. You really need to stop making it up as you go.
chugwater
November 23, 2014 at 06:03 pm
That's genius COW. I'll concede that if the Eagles had scored more points then it would have been a closer game. But they didn't and so it wasn't. It wasn't because Sanchez was inaccurate for the most part. It was because he was sacked by Guion and Neal, the run D held McCoy in check, and the secondary made plays (like Hyde).
Your assertion that the D can't play unless up 28 is absurd. Every game starts 0-0. If your logic held water it would be a shoot out every game. Try harder please.
Tundraboy
November 23, 2014 at 04:22 pm
8 and 3, . Again 8 and 3 Be happy for crying out loud, This week will have no bearing on how we play next week. Had to win today and did.
Ibleedgreenmore
November 23, 2014 at 03:34 pm
Better to play this way this week than next, they need to get the act together next week.
HankScorpio
November 23, 2014 at 04:04 pm
This one will definitely destroy any possibility of over-confidence.
My biggest fear is McCarthy coaching scared like I think he did vs Seattle and NO. That fear is tempered by the fact those were both road games.
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 07:22 pm
How old is Revis now?
I think Jordy's about 5 inches taller than Revis.
Tundraboy
November 24, 2014 at 07:56 am
And you know this how? Talk about pulling something from your ass.
Lphill
November 23, 2014 at 03:35 pm
I called a closer game, division win on the road against a good young defense is a good win, no need to panic over the Patriots, Brady can lay an egg plus lets see how Rodgers matches up against him, should be a fun game. 8 and 3 is nice, Lions will fade.
TommyG
November 23, 2014 at 03:36 pm
Tis the season for detroit to fall apart. I think they showed a lot of that today. The vaunted defense is gone, and their offense looked lost.
Bearmeat
November 23, 2014 at 03:50 pm
and in 2 weeks (if not next week) YOU will be gone too. HALLELUJAH!
barutanseijin
November 23, 2014 at 04:18 pm
I get the skepticism about the Packers, if that's how you really feel. Doesn't bother me. But sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Where's the skepticism about other teams? The pats are good, but they've lost a couple and looked flat sometimes.
TommyG
November 23, 2014 at 03:35 pm
Defense did just enough to keep us ahead once we got ahead.
I believe the vikes waited all year for this game, and that their preparation for our Packers showed today. The vikes had nothing to lose in this game and they played that way as well.
The run game looked good against a D designed to slow Rodgers and the WR corps.
This win and a Detroit loss make next week less important. Still, we need to show up and compete with the best. Big test of where we actually are as a team is coming to Lambeau on Sunday.
MarkinMadison
November 23, 2014 at 03:36 pm
Packers fans are going to have to bring their A-game next. Use those tickets; don't sell them. Make noise.
murphy
November 23, 2014 at 04:26 pm
How many games have you gone to? I have never experienced anything like that.
To be fair, if your real world personality matches your online one I can fully understand why people would want you to sit down and shut up
murphy
November 23, 2014 at 06:28 pm
Spoken like a true Vikings fan. I can't think of a single game where I didn't enjoy myself, but I also don't go through life looking for things to cry about.
Is there any part of the Packers that you don't feel spite towards?
jeremyjjbrown
November 23, 2014 at 07:52 pm
I saw this happen against the 49ers.
murphy
November 23, 2014 at 08:15 pm
So are you saying that it is common of Packers season ticket holders, or that you saw one isolated incident?
What was the game situation during this incident?
jeremyjjbrown
November 23, 2014 at 08:40 pm
I'm saying it happened twice while I was at Lambeau Field last season when the Packers were playing the 49ers. Once early in the first quarter and again later when the 49ers had the ball near the east end zone.
Not that it matters but I've also had the same thing happen when the Packers were at Soldier Field. That guy was probably a Bears fan.
murphy
November 24, 2014 at 09:44 am
So there's anecdotal evidence that jerks exist in more than one place. That tells me nothing new, and nothing about Lambeau season-ticket holders in general. Keep swinging, sport.
Sweep Week is a tough time for you, isn't it? There's always next year...just like last year.
murphy
November 24, 2014 at 10:27 am
Indeed, I have. It's always a lot of fun, win or lose. I encourage you to attend a game; seeing a game at Lambeau is something every NFL fan should experience at least once, regardless of which team you cheer for.
Dude - common knowledge to whom?
(Unless you mean that Sweep Week being tough for you is common knowledge, in which case I'd have to agree.)
murphy
November 24, 2014 at 02:40 pm
Nice of you to dodge the question.
And yes, while everything seems better when your chosen team is winning, the game experience itself is fun regardless of the final score. The people, the food, the beer, and the elements all help to make each game a memorable outing.
pooch
November 23, 2014 at 03:41 pm
Bet the Packers are glad there not the Chiefs today
pooch
November 23, 2014 at 03:42 pm
Didnt 95 S.B. bound Packers get beat by winless Tenessee or Indy,team was lika 0-11
Tundraboy
November 23, 2014 at 10:43 pm
That's exactly the point. Who knows what this team will accomplish. Predicting anything let alone failure is senseless. I am enjoying this season a lot more than others because I do not know what to expect week to week but things are shaping up for a great run and anything is possible.
CH Pack Fan
November 23, 2014 at 03:38 pm
GBP played like a team playing in a classic trap game. And still won. Good enough for me. Of course this effort will not be enough against Brady, Gronk and Belicheck. But I do not expect this effort against the Pats. Nor do most of you, I suspect.
If GBP played NE in NE, I would expect NE blowout win (like all the rest of the teams they have played this year in NE). But it is in GB. I expect a shoot-out. Hope GBP makes the last play, and we win. I think we will. But man, I hope I am not playing Gronk in FF next week.
chugwater
November 23, 2014 at 04:05 pm
Which is why we have Lacey to take advantage of such defensive schemes. FYI...we did win today.
Pack Fan in Fib Land
November 23, 2014 at 04:17 pm
It was a road game idiot. 25 carries got the job done. Next week they will most likely bring a higher tempo offense.
chugwater
November 23, 2014 at 04:19 pm
25 carries, 120 yards...decent special teams and winning the turnover battle may be enough.
HankScorpio
November 23, 2014 at 04:43 pm
Cow,
Didn't you say the same thing about the chances of the Packers beating Philly? I could have sworn you did. I know you said anyone that thought the Packers would go better than 8-8 must be high. (Note: They have 8 wins before Thanksgiving)
I'm sure you don't remember. When it comes to answering for failed predictions, you're like 10 Second Tom from 50 First Dates. Come to think of that, you're kinda like that no matter what.
"Hi, I'm Cow, the Packers and everything about them suck".
"Nice to met you, Cow. I'm Hank".
"Hi, I'm Cow, the Packers and everything about them suck".
"You already said that. Have anything else to offer?"
"Hi, I'm Cow, the Packers and everything about them suck".
HankScorpio
November 23, 2014 at 05:06 pm
It's a shame you couldn't figure that out before you shot off your keyboard about how Sanchez's Eagles were going to beat the Packers.
Some of us knew it all along.
BTW...Sanchez QB'ed the Eagles to 40+ points before and after the Packer shut him down completely.
chugwater
November 23, 2014 at 05:46 pm
No I am not. Lacey only gets 25 touches next week if the game is relatively close. If NE goes up by three TDs then the rushing game is out the window. If the rushing game is sound and extends drives then we most certainly can win. Brady can't score if he's on the sideline while we have the ball for 6+ minutes. Obviously we need to convert on third down and win the turnover battle. Neal, Adams, and Goodson need to avoid dumb penalties too. But this is a winnable game.
barutanseijin
November 23, 2014 at 04:42 pm
That is a mystery. You might die by Lacy, but you gotta figure that leaves a better chance than letting Rodgers go wild
PackerAaron
November 23, 2014 at 06:26 pm
No, Cow. You're comical.
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 03:42 pm
-Zimmer's "genius" defensive scheme consists of keeping two safeties back to prevent Aaron from being able to stat whore deep.
-Tough gutty win that we'll all take. But this team, as usual plays down to a poor opponent. "You don't do what is right, some of the time, you do what is right, all the time. Winning isn't a some of the time thing." So yeah, they won. As in, "scored more points."
-Those screens look good, but why they keep running them to Lacy, I do not know. DuJuan's still running if he gets the ball there.
-Does losing Perry from the line up REALLY make this much of a difference?
-This is a classic type of game we would always lose, in the pre-Eddie Lacy days.
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 03:57 pm
Because guys were running past Hawk like he was standing still.
Evan
November 23, 2014 at 03:44 pm
Throwing touchdowns is stat whoring....ha
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 03:48 pm
Aaron holds the ball even though he's got guys open, because he wants to go deep. Guys like Zimmer know this.
HankScorpio
November 23, 2014 at 04:49 pm
"Aaron holds the ball even though he's got guys open, because he wants to go deep. Guys like Zimmer know this."
=======================================
Are there guy unlike Zimmer that don't know that?
It seems to me that the tape is obvious and doesn't lie. If the pundit class knows Rodgers likes to extend plays and is very dangerous when he does, I'm willing to bet every defensive coach in the league is aware as well.
Knowing it and stopping it are two different things.
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 05:00 pm
Maybe there are teams that don't have two good safeties. Last week the Eagles went with one safety back there.
Didn't work out, did it?
HankScorpio
November 23, 2014 at 05:20 pm
The Eagles play a very aggressive defense. They want to attack the offense. Just because that is their preferred style does not mean they cannot decipher game tape.
It's not as simple as throwing 2 deep looks at Rodgers all day. If it was, Rodgers would not be as successful as he is.
chugwater
November 23, 2014 at 04:08 pm
Why keep throwing screens to Lacey? I don't know...maybe because it's effective and they've scored a couple times this year with him when they've run it.
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 05:00 pm
As opposed to the guy who has speed to take it to the house.
chugwater
November 23, 2014 at 05:49 pm
Nerd, you don't get extra points for sprinting into the end zone instead of rumbling. Like Aaron said, no style points.
PackerAaron
November 23, 2014 at 06:29 pm
Lacy doesn't have the speed to take it to the house...like he did against the Bears? I'm so confused.
HankScorpio
November 23, 2014 at 07:18 pm
Lacy is developing into a good professional RB, not just a good runner. He is a willing blocker that understands protecting Rodgers is job 1. When he does go out in the pattern, he's gaining yards and moving the chains. The screen game is revived.
I would like to see what Harris can do. And Starks has looked very good at times. But I'm liking what I see with Lacy more and more. As long as he can handle the workload, he should be the guy when the game is close, IMO. When he needs a breather or the game is getting out of hand, go with someone else.
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 03:46 pm
-AJ Hawk looked really, really slow.
-I counted about 50 tipped passes, of which we INT'd one.
-I thought ST were going to be a focus this past week. Not a good play on that punt penalty.
-Squib kick, followed by 30 yards of penalty, followed by 15 yard penalty on that punt. FAIL.
-I'm glad we got the win, and I'll take it, but these "lulls" are predictable. I'd rather have a team that's consistent, but has fewer blowouts.
murphy
November 23, 2014 at 04:39 pm
I'd rather just win, baby!
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 03:49 pm
Officials kept this game much, much closer than it would have otherwise been, imo.
So I guess they get better tv ratings and commercial revenue, but at the cost of the integrity of the game.
barutanseijin
November 23, 2014 at 04:31 pm
C'mon nerd. You sound like a Vikings fan.
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 05:02 pm
It's a well known phenomenon. Sometimes it benefits us. However, as one of the better teams in the league, it usually works against us.
Bearmeat
November 23, 2014 at 03:58 pm
I expected a blowout and if GB had acted at all interested it would have been. But GB played like they were already onto next week. Whatever. They won. Bring on the Pats. It'll be nice to see where we line up going into the playoffs (not that that matters all that much come January).
While everyone here measures ultimate success in winning a Lombardi, any season that includes a sweep over duh Bares and the hapless and tasteless Vikings can't be a total loss.
FITZCORE1252
November 23, 2014 at 04:24 pm
Wait... YOU are giving someone grief about a wayward prediction? I give it to you, you must have some brass clackers.
murphy
November 23, 2014 at 04:32 pm
What is manly about hiding behind a keyboard?
FITZCORE1252
November 23, 2014 at 04:42 pm
Good point.
Bearmeat
November 23, 2014 at 06:50 pm
Yes Cow. I was wrong about the game today. I didn't buy the "trap" talk. I thought the D had turned a corner and would force more turnovers. I also thought that the Vikes didn't have the personnel to keep Cobb (but also Lacy out of the backfield) off the scoreboard again and again and again.
I was wrong. Zimmer is a helluva coach. And the Vikes were playing like it was their super bowl. And (whether or not they'll admit it), GB looked disinterested most of the game.
This WAS a classic trap game. And GB still won. Which is what elite teams do.
Gonna be a great game next week.
Razor
November 23, 2014 at 04:06 pm
#17 looked lost out there.
I'm still not a fan of Mike Neal.
Nick Perry can't stay on the field.
Matthew's aggressiveness seems to work against him.
Hope a different Packer defense shows up next week.
Nice challenge by McCarthy (I think he tripped during the replay)
Any bets on McCarthy doing some crazy stuff next week to mess with Belichick & the Pats?
4thand1
November 23, 2014 at 06:59 pm
The booth calls for the challenge and the HC looks like an ass. Every game is different.
KenEllis
November 23, 2014 at 04:11 pm
A win is a win is a win.
The thought of Hawk covering the middle of the field against Gronkowski is brutal.
Serious question for fans, where do you hide AJ against the Pats?
Because i have a feeling the Pats are going to find him early and often.
barutanseijin
November 23, 2014 at 04:26 pm
On the bench?
murphy
November 23, 2014 at 04:33 pm
Can he long snap? Maybe Goode can play ILB. He can't be much slower.
lucky953
November 23, 2014 at 04:37 pm
They were playing Brad Jones paired with Mathews late in the game. He's an upgrade over Hawk in coverage, but I expect Brady & co to exploit the middle of the field.
FITZCORE1252
November 23, 2014 at 04:43 pm
That old saying about divisional games "throw out the records", well, there's a reason we hear that year after year, because there's some truth there.
I didn't think the game would be that tight, but I'm also aware that this was a classic sandwich game (between Philly and N.E.) against a rival looking to rain on our parade. And we still got the W, which is all that matters.
Tundraboy
November 23, 2014 at 04:31 pm
Thats's right!!
jeremyjjbrown
November 24, 2014 at 08:49 am
I'm with you. Zimmer is squeezing everything he can get out of his players and he is a very good defensive coach in his own house. A win is a win, and since a division and conference win counts for more in the tie breakers than a win against the Patriots it was a more important game than next weeks.
Clay the 1st
November 23, 2014 at 04:30 pm
I agree with the comments questioning how the Pack stops the Pats.
I was born in Wisconsin and now live in New England. It is not easy living among a-hole Pats fans and next week may really sting. My optimistic take is that if the Pats expose the Pack next week it will serve as a wake up call. I am not saying the Pack is overconfident. It is just that the Pats are the best team in the NFL right now period, and I think if the Pack gets to the Superbowl New England will be waiting. They likely beat down will help coaching to realize what it is going to take to beat New England.
FITZCORE1252
November 23, 2014 at 04:46 pm
There will be no beatdown or blood bath. The Pack could lose (I don't think they will), but they will not get beat down. Take that to the bank.
PackerAaron
November 23, 2014 at 06:32 pm
Keep saying it and eventually you'll be right!
jeremyjjbrown
November 24, 2014 at 08:52 am
They got their asses kicked by the Chiefs so stop it.
Nerd
November 23, 2014 at 05:03 pm
This team tends to play to the level of their opponent.
FITZCORE1252
November 23, 2014 at 05:09 pm
We will see the Packers raise their level of play next week. Guaranteed.
PackerAaron
November 23, 2014 at 06:31 pm
Agreed.
mmumma46
November 23, 2014 at 04:46 pm
My god, so much pessimism here. Yeah the team as a whole did not play very good. It's the NFL, and coming off two blowout wins you knew they would come back to earth a bit. Next week will be a better barometer of where this team is at. I'm not going to take much out of a close division road game other than the fact that we won. I can't imagine had they lost the game what some of the comments here would be. Chill out.
mmumma46
November 23, 2014 at 04:57 pm
Yeah, okay. What did you want them to do? win by 50?
murphy
November 23, 2014 at 08:20 pm
Nobody tell the Raiders!
4thand1
November 23, 2014 at 04:55 pm
So much for a Eddie lacy being washed up. The secondary played their worst game today. Game plan to stop Rodgers (109) QB rating and was a little off today. Pound the ball and run out the clock, good o time, smash mouth football. Vikings had the #10 D. Teams are supposed to lose trap games, good ones don't. Rodgers will not let brady outshine him in Lambeau. Packers win.
GOPACKGO.
HankScorpio
November 23, 2014 at 04:57 pm
If the prior week was all that mattered to the next week's performance, the Packers would be 0-11, not 8-3, with the way they stunk it up in the opener.
They would not have crushed the Bears either time after getting crushed by Det & NO respectively prior to those 2 games.
Heck, coming off the Philly game last week, this one would have been a laugher if all that mattered is the prior week.
That's how the NFL works. Personally, I'm a fan of getting a less than spectacular road win out of the way prior to a big home game.
digitaldean
November 23, 2014 at 05:19 pm
I have visions of AJ Hawk about 7 yards away from Gronk next week as he's running free across the middle.
Capers is going to have to have a monster game plan to hope to contain NE with the way they're playing on offense.
Could be a last team with the ball wins type of game.
Agree about the win. Ugly or blowout, a win is a win.
The knucklehead holding calls on both sides were maddening.
Read on Twitter that Lacy was sick during the game. Damn..if he plays that way when he's sick, heaven help the Pats D next week! Overall, the O-line got the job done, especially at the end of the game.
Davante Adams took a couple steps back.
Lphill
November 23, 2014 at 05:26 pm
Cow is actually angry the Packers won today , he is disregarding a solid road win to already hand the Patriots a win next week , what an Ass , nobody can tell me he is not a Vikings fan , I guess that's why the anger because the Packers swept his team . Why is he allowed to post here at all ?
4thand1
November 23, 2014 at 05:40 pm
You're right, skip cowless is pissed off. He really is a queens fan. He now has to pray the Packers go 0-5 the rest of the way. Any wagers?
HankScorpio
November 23, 2014 at 06:30 pm
4thand1,
The Packers 5 remaining opponents have the following rank in W/L: 2, 9, 19, 23, 29. Three of those games are in Lambeau, including both against teams not in the bottom half of the league.
5 wins is far more likely than 5 losses. I certainly think they'll be favored in all 5 anyways. They open this week getting a tick more than the 3 for home field as 4 point favorites vs the mighty, invincible Pats. If I had to guess I'd say 4 wins from here on out. 3 wins would be disappointing but not shocking.
Not that is matters to Cow. I have little doubt that he'll be back to kick the Packers when they're down. If they manage to pull off a championship, he'll be back in March talking about how TT is ruining the chances for a repeat by not going big in FA.
4thand1
November 23, 2014 at 07:02 pm
He'll have to wait a year.
TommyG
November 23, 2014 at 05:30 pm
The only thing that truly concerns me is that the two deep safety defense really does seem to shutdown our offense. There just has to be a way to beat that.
4thand1
November 23, 2014 at 05:41 pm
Eddie Lacy. It won the game today.
Clay the 1st
November 23, 2014 at 06:30 pm
Ok Eddie Lacy yes...but they scored 24 points. How do they put up 35 against cover two is really the question, because that is what they will need against teams that can score on the Pack's inconsistent defense.
4thand1
November 23, 2014 at 05:43 pm
The biggest bone head penalty of the day was Adams block in the back. Wiped out a 20+ yard play and the Pack ended up punting. Rookie mistake.
Bohj
November 23, 2014 at 05:58 pm
- Please ignore pessimism guy. Enjoy a divisional win. They matter more than any other game.
- Any team in the NFL that takes care of the division has a phenomenal chance of being in the playoffs. Guess what? 4-1 so far with only one loss on the road.
- Patriots......yeah.....just sit back and watch. No telling how any teams match up. But I'm a big fan of the lambeau vibe this year.
- Every game matters. So let's not be apologists for next weeks game and say we can afford a loss. Let's see how our meddle gets tested. "We're nobody's underdog.". I seem to remember Matt effin Flynn almost beating them in their building with a more talented patriots roster. Maybe McCarthy matches up well with belicheck.
- Did anyone else like closing out a game with the running game for once? Against a solid defensive front? Remember the days of punting it back to them and having anxiety attacks?
Clay the 1st
November 23, 2014 at 06:15 pm
I love the Pack dudes. I am just psychologically damaged from living in NE for 20 years...moved here the year the Pack beat NE in SB.
I am sure if the Pack is clicking at home they can hang with the Pats.
My doubt comes from the sometimes stubborn McCarthy in his play calling and Capers' game planning. Hawk literally should not see the field next week...but oh yessss there he will be chasing Gronk.
We SHOULD run all day long but will we? I feel McCarthy loves that no huddle. It's awesome but boom or bust in my humble opinion. He will test Pats secondary until he realizes Revis is a true shut down corner. By then it may be too late,
Best defense against Pats...keep Brady off the field by smashing with Lacy. Will they do that? Please in my dreams!!!!
Like I said, if the Pack loses next week so be it...they need feel the Pats' power so they will be prepared to meet them in the SUPERBOWL.
Lphill
November 23, 2014 at 06:06 pm
Hey guys , the Packers won today , Lacy had a great game , we have a center and a good young safety , no turnovers , you can't always score 50 , you have to win close games too , Adams was off today , maybe Boykin gets more downs week , and aside from 2 high safeties didn't it seem like Jordy was giving piggy back rides all game to the Vikings D B ,s ?
FITZCORE1252
November 23, 2014 at 06:26 pm
http://www.americasline.com/Stats/Odds/Football/NFL
Packers open -4 next week. Reading some of the comments, you would think they would be home dogs. Lol... RELAX
4thand1
November 23, 2014 at 07:40 pm
GOPACKGO
GOPACKGO
GOPACKGO
GOPACKGO
COWSUCKS
GOPACKGO
GOPACKGO
GOPACKGO
4thand1
November 24, 2014 at 03:31 pm
Wanna make it 2 years? I'll take the 33 points. typo. 8+8 = 16. so does 12+4, you lose by 4 games, schmuck.
zeke
November 24, 2014 at 04:50 am
Wow. If that happens we'll have to count on Imma for our weekly dose of stupid. Scary thought.
FITZCORE1252
November 23, 2014 at 10:24 pm
Aaaaaaahahaha.
As if we needed more evidence of your non-fandom.
There's the smoking gun.
Icebowler
November 23, 2014 at 10:46 pm
The Pats outside WR's are milk-toast. They can be single covered without Safety help. Heyward can cover Edelman. HHCD will handle Wright in the red zone. Mathews and Hyde will double team Gronk all day and shut him down for the most part. Our pass rush and zone blitzes will force Brady into numerous mistakes. Sure, they should just run the ball down our throats (like the Bears and Eagles should have), but they can't resist trying to get greedy through the air. Our offence will have some long drives to keep the defense fresh and they will shine. We will win the turnover battle and win by 10.
Clay the 1st
November 24, 2014 at 11:24 am
I like your well reasoned optimism Ice!
I don't know about them giving up on running though. They were content to stick with it in Indy.
Their coaching is brilliant.
Tundraboy
November 24, 2014 at 04:59 pm
Throw in some Richardson and I think your onto something. The less Hawk the better. We must control the middle on D. Breath of fresh air and confidence!.
Mojo
November 23, 2014 at 11:41 pm
Looks like Cow is getting in a years worth of negativity with the realization he could be gone in a week or two. Thought he'd wait a day to get into the Packers suck, NE is unbeatable, but I guess he couldn't hold-off.
One criticism that's legit though is about Hawks play. My God, I've never seen such a slow LB. On Randolph's first catch of the game he was pulling away from Hawk on a gimpy leg. And it's not like Hawk does other things to make up for it. No turnovers, doesn't get off blocks. I guess he starts because he's the QB of the D. Unfortunately he most resembles Geno Smith.
I know the Packers were trying to keep it away from Patterson on KO's, but where was Crosby's vaunted leg strength? Walsh is a good kicker, but the Packers were giving up around 15 to 20 yards on the kickoffs.
Not the prettiest win but I'll take it. Say what you want but even a lethargic Packers team is better than the Vikings who were playing at home. I thought it would be a hard-hitting low scoring game and it was. Bring on the Pats.
4thand1
November 24, 2014 at 03:34 pm
On that play, Hawk started to his left then realized Randolph was running the crossing route the other way. Either way it was poor reconition by an experience LBer. no excuse.
RCPackerFan
November 24, 2014 at 06:21 am
Its a shame that Packer fans can't come onto this website, and be able to have true gut reactions about the game.
This has now turned into Cow ranting (After a Packers victory), and everyone responding to Cow.
To bad we can't actually talk about the Packers actually winning a tough fought game.
murphy
November 24, 2014 at 10:05 am
A simple "Block User" function on the website would solve these woes for many. The "Friendly Comments" option is a start, but:
1) only takes a few trolls to keep bad comments visible
2) when the bad comment ratio is reached, the whole comment tree below the bad comment is hidden
packsmack
November 24, 2014 at 01:54 pm
Well, the trolls actually increase traffic, so there is no incentive for them to get rid of the trolls if they aren't making personal attacks. It is what it is, and the commentariat here just doesn't have the resolve to ignore it. I've made my peace with it.
Packer_Pete
November 24, 2014 at 08:04 pm
well said. just ignore those guys and don't respond and they go away regardless
zeke
November 24, 2014 at 09:06 am
Figuring out all the different scenarios in which the Packers can't make the playoffs must make you feel like the guy who discovered viagra. Good for you!
701Packer
November 24, 2014 at 09:55 am
Actually, going with winning %, splitting the games between DAL-PHI and SEA-SF (very plausible), Green Bay could lose both to NE and DET and be in the playoffs. GB won't lose two home games in the last five games.
701Packer
November 24, 2014 at 10:56 am
Because in that scenario, 11-5 for GB would give them 6th seed
701Packer
November 24, 2014 at 10:56 am
Because in that scenario, 11-5 for GB would give them 6th seed
Tundraboy
November 24, 2014 at 11:51 am
Glad to see you find joy in being totally miserable.
4thand1
November 24, 2014 at 03:38 pm
LMFAO, The lolions haven't score a TD in 2 games. Another one of skip cowless's elite teams. What a genius football guru.
Ruppert
November 24, 2014 at 08:33 am
Excellent work this week by the resident troll. On this post alone, he has 35 comments (still not enough to get the point across, obviously) and a cumulative -194 rating.
Solid.
Bohj
November 24, 2014 at 11:43 am
I've been reading this site and periodically posting for about five years now. COW has been entertaining at times. Laughable for sure. Pessimistic....no question. But I do agree that most of the posting section is becoming a COW gets everyone riled up......everyone tries to defend their point of view against him to no end.......He replies to get the last word in. And the content that was actually written about gets lost in the mix. This stat is bothersome to me. It means that the majority of what he says is negative and disliked by your readers.
I understand that there is an option to read only certain posts. But I hate doing that because I enjoy other points of view, even if they are pessimistic at times. But this overly pessimistic attitude even in the face of a consistently winning franchise, a winning record, and passionate fans with support for their winning team...........its too contrarian to be even the least bit insightful anymore. Try being a Cleveland fan for a day.
It's one thing to be negative and pessimistic. It's a whole other thing to be vehemently disliked as to get a rating that bad. Why do you need to post that much venom?
Please people.......ignore this guy forever!! Let's get the content the credit it deserves. And the comments shifting back to reality of the team we love. Not circular arguments that evoke senseless banter from someone who could care less about our team.
Ruppert
November 24, 2014 at 12:35 pm
I don't mind a contrarian point of view. It really is needed in a forum like this, if for no other reason than to point out things that are missed by a bunch of homers, which is what we are (by and large.) I agree with some of these contrarian points from time to time.
My issue is the sheer volume of negativity. And I have said this before. Most people read the post and some of the comments, then proceed to make a couple comments. The resident troll has now surpassed 35 comments on one post. It's unnecessary. It is clearly done to incite. And that is the issue. Start counting the number of comments. This is actually a fairly low percentage of the total comments, historically speaking.
That is what I find to be disturbing.
RCPackerFan
November 24, 2014 at 02:03 pm
What is funny, is I got on here last night and there was 155 comments on the gut reactions. Immediately, without knowing, I knew since the Packers didn't put up 50 points and blowout the Vikings, that there would be someone here ripping on them.
But I decided to see what people had to say about the game and about Aaron's comments. Problem was after a handful of comments it began. I immediately lost interest. I skipped all the comments and posted a few of my thoughts.
I'm sure there was a lot of good comments, that I would have liked to have commented on and had rational discussions with people about the Packers. The real reason why most of us are here, because we are passionate about our team.
I just am not going to weed through all of the negative comments being posted.
Tundraboy
November 24, 2014 at 11:49 am
That's sadly true. I propose a Cow free weekend next week, no reacting to Mr Doom and Gloom
Tundraboy
November 25, 2014 at 06:53 pm
No I think Ill start now if I haven't already.
Tundraboy
November 24, 2014 at 01:00 pm
So here it is back to football Gut Reactions for me:
Nail biting win, but a win in a Huge game
Why is Jones playing again?
What did Harris do? He played well in mop up time game versus Bears, so why is he under house arrest on KR returns which are just about non existent anyway.
Lacy is warming up for the home stretch ! Cant wait to see a game where he puts it all together TD rush, Long Runs, Screens....
If Hawk doesn't wake up and have his annual one good game next week, will MM dare to start playing the young guys, and bring up some of the other LB talent we have and give them a try.
How are Hubbard,Thomas?
Bottom line. Tough win was just what they needed to set their heads straight for next week. Go Pack Go
RCPackerFan
November 24, 2014 at 02:14 pm
I understand that Mathews wasn't 100% so they wanted to rest him some in the game. But why put Jones in? Why not Lattimore? I don't know what the deal is, but Lattimore from I have seen is a lot better then Jones.
Similar with Harris. I don't get why he isn't used on offense. Especially after Starks fumbled the ball, they pulled Starks. Why not give the playing time that Starks was going to get to Harris. He is a really nice change of pace RB. Would compliment Lacy perfectly.
Like it or not, the biggest reason why they like Hawk is for his command of the defense. He makes the calls and makes sure everyone is on the same page. He is the QB of the front 7.
I am curious who will be the next player brought up from the PS. Hubbard, Thomas, i could see either pending on the injury situations. Maybe they bring up Myles White, or someone else.
Bohj
November 24, 2014 at 04:30 pm
The only thing I can see with Harris is that the Pack like to use their 11-personel in their no huddle. This means 3 wides, 1 tight end, and one running back. Sometimes they used the two tight end set. But whatever the case, Lacy and Starks seem more like utility backs that can do everything, including max protect when needed and blitz pick-up. I think Harris is a bit too small in the blocking category. He does give that nice speedster piece, but the no huddle is meant to give more versatility based on the defensive presentation. The Pack aren't going to sub Harris in on a drive this year as in years past. The back in there gets the reps on that drive. Starks came out and sat because he fumbled. MM made it quite clear that you are benched if you don't take care of the football. Furthermore, Lacy stayed in there because.......feed the hot back the rock.
Tundraboy
November 25, 2014 at 06:51 pm
And the strange thing with Harris is MM has for a long time said he liked the 3 headed monster, Harris etc. I liked Hubbard a lot. Big dude with a nastystreak. Plus he is a Bama dude so Lacy and Dix could help him along