Packers Vs. Bills - 3 Plays That Make You Go Hmmm
Jersey Al picks out three thought-provoking plays from the Packers' last game.
By JerseyAl
After re-watching the Packers game, here are three plays that made me go hmmm, for various reasons.
Welcome to this special Darnell Savage edition of 3 plays... It was rather tough picking just three plays to highlight the horrendous tackling ability that Mr. Savage is showing, but I selected these to hopefully give you an overall representation of some of the worst tackling we've seen by a Packers safety since, well you know, the punchline known as HaHa. I've seen a lot of comparisons of Savage to HHCD, and I am oddly willing to defend Savage in that argument. HHCD would actually run away from ball carriers downfield. At least Savage is willing to go TO the ball carrier, it's just that not much good comes of it.
Whiff - This clip should be shown by coaches in every NFL DB room as an example of something that will get you benched. Head down, chicken wing out (as if that would do anything even if he managed to hit Allen with it) and a complete and utter miss. Allen is still feeling the breeze Savage created going by him.
2nd and inches - Here Savage does what he\'s supposed to do - when he sees it's a handoff, he fills the hole and is there to meet the ball carrier. He was never going to prevent a first down, with how far off the LOS he was, but he should at least be able to hold this play to a short gain, instead of a 12 yard run. Savage gets his arms on teh running back, who proceeds to run through him like a knife through butter. Did the running back even know he was hit? Aside from Savage, can someone tell me why Stokes and Alexander are both seven yards off the receivers on 2nd and inches? They need that much cushion because we are deadly afraid that without it, the CBs in man coverage can't stay with the receivers if they run deep routes?
Can't hold on - I thought I should include an example of downfield tackling for your viewing pleasure. Allen finds Gabe Davis wide open as the Packers again mess up with two DBs going after the same receiver while leaving the other completely uncovered. But I digress. Savage comes up to meet Davis, who doesn't particularly do much to avoid Savage, who gets both arms around him. However, Savage again falls right off the ball carrier like an annoying fly you flick off your forearm. There is just no force to his tackling attempts - like his heart isn't really into it.
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"Jersey Al" Bracco is the Editor-In-Chief, part owner and wearer of many hats for CheeseheadTV.com and PackersTalk.com. He is also a recovering Mason Crosby truther. Follow Al on twitter at @JerseyalGBP.
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Comments (29)
LeotisHarris
November 01, 2022 at 03:28 pm
Savage is the Packers Nowhere Man; a unique innate combination of the inability to be anywhere he's supposed to be infused with the ability to fail once he arrives. You can't teach that.
PackAttack4155
November 01, 2022 at 04:41 pm
I don't know if there's any better way to put it than this. I both laughed, and got a little angry; just like when watching him play.
Leatherhead
November 01, 2022 at 07:09 pm
OK, that was funny.
Starrbrite
November 01, 2022 at 09:17 pm
That’s an excellent description Leotis.
Bure9620
November 02, 2022 at 02:46 am
https://youtu.be/8scSwaKbE64
CheesyTex
November 01, 2022 at 03:35 pm
3 plays that make me go "ouch"!
I've been hoping against hope that Savage would turn it on...
Maybe this week?
splitpea1
November 01, 2022 at 03:42 pm
Play 1 is the most egregious of them all--he's not squaring up, anticipating a move to the inside, or at least forcing Allen towards Alexander, who also had a shot at the tackle. Any safety ought to be better at tackling than this, but it's especially true with this particular defense we're employing.
Switching to offense, I thought the failed fourth down conversion early in the fourth quarter deserves mention due to the usual unimaginative play calling in key situations. On MNF, the Browns, at the three-yard line brought in two extra OL, split the QB to the outside, and did a direct snap to Chubb, who cut back for an easy TD. I'm thinking, why can't the Packers do this in short-yardage situations--at least once in a while?
coolhand
November 01, 2022 at 07:19 pm
A safety should be a hard hitting punishing tackler making receivers look. Savage is nothing like that and should be benched after that performance.
PearlyBakerBest
November 02, 2022 at 04:45 am
I was praying for a naked bootleg. Rodgers would still be running.
stockholder
November 01, 2022 at 03:49 pm
What a disappointment.
jannesbjornson
November 01, 2022 at 04:42 pm
I thought he would have packed his bags last night?
Bearmeat
November 01, 2022 at 04:19 pm
Savage sucks. Stokes has regressed badly. Barry calls a game like a chickenshit. Campbell has regressed and now is hurt. Walker isn't ready. Neither is Wyatt. Meanwhile, Z is lighting it up in purple.
Watson's been hurt. Watkins and Cobb (predictably) have been hurt. Bakh and Jenkins still aren't right. Tonyan (unsurprisingly) has no wiggle back yet.
Rodgers and MLF have shown no willingness to play with the team Gute built until this past Sunday night, rather than the team they want.
What a shit burger this year has been. And while I'm not surprised the team is regressing (we were due), even I, a pessimist, am surprised at how much the wheels have fallen off.
And the future looks bleak. Over the cap for next year, with several important expiring contracts. And an old QB who is moody as hell, less effective than ever, and has all the financial leverage in the world.
Not a good time to be a Packers fan. But I can't say the front office and coaching staff doesn't completely deserve this shit. They do. Keeping 12 instead of going to 10 with massive draft capital was a firable offense.
jurp
November 01, 2022 at 05:09 pm
A shitburger with extra shit.
Packers1985
November 01, 2022 at 05:44 pm
“Rodgers and MLF have shown no willingness to play with the team Gute built until this past Sunday night, rather than the team they want.”????
Answer is right here....
Savage sucks. Stokes has regressed badly. Barry calls a game like a chickenshit. Campbell has regressed and now is hurt. Walker isn't ready. Neither is Wyatt. Meanwhile, Z is lighting it up in purple.
He built none neither the oline is strong enough to hold off that 4th and 1 when our Rb's were getting 8 yds per carry but when it mattered the most our oline gave up. Isn't Doubs the most targetted receiver all year and watson injured all year so whom did they actually miss oh yeah Toure?
canadapacker
November 01, 2022 at 05:05 pm
Does anybody know the status of Caleh Jones - Non football illness = what is going on with him. Wouldnt it be nice to kind of use him as an extra TE on those 4th and inches. As said before we need to have some bulldozer linemen to be able to push the pile on those super short yardage but we get pushed backwards. Time to get that zone blocking mentality out of our heads and get to the cream the other guys . WE cant pull we cant open holes we cant pass block - we are a disaster on the OLINE = ALL of our problems begin and end there. If you cant keep the defense off the field then you would expect them to wear down. Despite their obvious weaknesses
Coach Cleve Steamer
November 01, 2022 at 05:43 pm
He was cut today and Patrick Taylor.
canadapacker
November 01, 2022 at 06:12 pm
NO it was the OLB Cobe Jones - Calab is the big Olineman who is on non football medical
Coach Cleve Steamer
November 01, 2022 at 06:33 pm
You’re right of course. At least it wasn’t Aaron Jones. 😊
Since'61
November 01, 2022 at 05:17 pm
Savage and a few others on the defensive unit are playing like they are trying to avoid being injured. Can't play that way and coaching cannot allow to continue.
Stokes is another player who looks like he is trying to avoid injury.
Why is Stokes there to fill that gap when it should be Amos. Amos would have made that tackle in the second clip. He did make the tackle in the third clip after Savage was flung aside. At the professional level there is no excuse for Savage's poor tackling especially for a starting player. Maybe a 3rd stringer but not a starting player who is in his 4th season. This is on coaching for allowing this to continue. Thanks, Since '61
canadapacker
November 01, 2022 at 06:17 pm
I totally agree - there is a lot of players who dont want to stick their nose in and tackle. Some is technique - some is getting there quickly so the other guy cant make the move - but we dont seem to select the guys who want to stick their nose in. And I dont know if you have watched Gary - he loafs after the play - he is constantly pulling up short when following the play downfield. Used to complain about all the tackles that Blake used to make after first downs but at least he was a hustler . This team is not on defense a rally to the ball team yet.
Coach Cleve Steamer
November 01, 2022 at 05:48 pm
I’ve seen Mason Crosby tackle better than Savage. A lot better. Some guys are football players some are athletes playing football.
JerseyAl
November 01, 2022 at 06:30 pm
Crosby was a safety in HS.
Coach Cleve Steamer
November 01, 2022 at 06:36 pm
Wow! Thanks Al. Crosby’s got that look in his eye, you know. He’d have your back in a fight.
PeteK
November 01, 2022 at 07:00 pm
I thought that he would be a fast center field type of FS that QB are afraid to throw deep on. Alas, he fails at that too.
Leatherhead
November 01, 2022 at 07:08 pm
Any time that you give up a big play, the first question should be "where are the safeties?" because it's their primary job to prevent long plays. Now we know.
Tundraboy
November 01, 2022 at 10:59 pm
Our Safeties, other than Amos have been, and are anything but.
Starrbrite
November 01, 2022 at 09:33 pm
Remember shortly before the season started, we were all discussing the most likely weakness on the defense.
Some said LB, but most of us focused on, (not so) Savage.
Al has provided irrefutable evidence—he’s a problem.
Go Packers!!
Thegreatreynoldo
November 02, 2022 at 03:56 am
Dear Al,
As LLC pointed out to me, Pro Football Reference lists Darnell Savage with 2 missed tackles through the first 8 games.
It makes me wonder that their criteria are for Missed Tackles!
TXCHEESE
November 02, 2022 at 10:47 am
You would have sworn Ha Ha stole Savages jersey Sunday night.