5 Takeaways From Packers 30 - 13 Seahawks: Edgerrin Cooper Is a Game Changer
Cooper takes the Packers defense to another level whenever he is on the field.
By markoldacres
Edgerrin Cooper is a game changer
The Packers have an imperfect linebacker group. Quay Walker’s flaws as Green Bay’s every down, Mike linebacker are well documented, and while Eric Wilson and Isaiah McDuffie have flashed as blitzers and in run defense, they can be exposed in coverage.
But when Edgerrin Cooper is on the field, everything looks a whole lot better.
Cooper returned to the field from a three-game injury absence in style, racking up seven tackles, including two for a loss, a sack and a game-sealing interception.
The rookie was a menace, harassing Geno Smith and then after the Seahawks quarterback left with a knee injury, his replacement, Sam Howell.
After missing time during training camp and then in season, it is remarkable how much of an impact Cooper is able to have on a weekly basis in his first year as a pro.
He is a force multiplier, making some of the defense’s flaws less glaring. Cooper simply passes the eye test for what you’re looking for at linebacker.
Unlike his fellow highly drafted teammate Walker, Cooper consistently plays to his testing speed, flying around the field and jumping off the screen.
His instincts for the position, which are hard to coach, are impressive for a rookie. He always seems to be around the ball.
Green Bay might have something special in Cooper, and if he can continue to impact games like he did on Sunday night, it would be a huge boost for Jeff Hafley’s defense down the stretch.
Packers pass rush shows up
Another group which has toiled at times this season is Green Bay’s pass rush, but they feasted on a generous Seattle offensive line to the tune of seven sacks on the night.
They have often been kept quiet versus strong offensive lines, but throughout the year they have also shown themselves to be very capable of beating up on bad ones.
Green Bay spread the wealth on Sunday night, with six different players registering a sack. Aside from Cooper, Kingsley Enagbare picked up two, while Rashan Gary, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks and Brenton Cox Jr. all had one.
Brian Gutekunst’s decision to trade Preston Smith appears to have yielded some results, as the Packers pass rush has been better since the trade deadline, with young players grabbing the opportunity in front of them to earn more playing time.
The Packers defensive front knows they will face tougher tests than the one they just encountered, but the group dominated a bad opponent, as you would hope to see, and is trending in the right direction as the postseason approaches.
Jordan Love has the answers versus pressure
There has been a narrative mostly driven by national media folks that Love has played poorly against pressure this year.
While some of the early season numbers might suggest it was true, this take seems to be completely ignoring the context that Love was battling various injuries during that time, which impacted his mobility and ability to create off platform when put in a tight spot.
Since the bye, which is the first time Love has been truly healthy in 2024, he has markedly improved against pressure and against the blitz.
This continued on Sunday night, and his ability to throw the ball from awkward arm angles and use his legs to either buy time for a pass or escape the rush is a big part of what makes Love a high level quarterback.
His passer rating is now up to 117.08 over the last five weeks. Love has been lights out since getting healthy, and that bodes well for January.
LaFleur’s decision making remains questionable
One element of Green Bay’s game day operation which has yet to round into form is the situational decision-making from head coach Matt LaFleur.
After another ill-advised challenge on a Sam Howell incomplete pass, which he was hoping would turn into a fumble, but realistically had zero chances of winning, LaFleur is now 0 for 6 on challenges this season.
Whether he is to blame, or he needs better advice from his coaching staff upstairs, LaFleur has to get this problem corrected before the playoffs, when losing a timeout could really come back to bite the Packers.
Speaking of timeouts, LaFleur took responsibility after the game for an odd end-of-half sequence in which the Packers offense wasted a significant amount of time on a drive in which they ended up kicking a field goal from the doorstep of the end zone.
It evoked memories of the Bears’ disastrous end to their Thanksgiving matchup with the Lions, which is not something any head coach wants to be associated with.
In fairness, Love could have done more to get a play off quicker, rather than letting the clock tick down, and Green Bay still managed to get three points, but these issues regarding challenge and out timeout usage, as well as clock management, need to be cleaned up.
Doubs and Watson star on offense
After missing the previous two games with a concussion, Romeo Doubs returned to the lineup sporting a guardian cap to protect his head, and immediately reminded everyone why he is a valuable, and underrated piece of Green Bay’s offense.
He may only have had three catches for 40 yards, but two of those grabs went for touchdowns, and each score showed exactly what he is all about.
The first required catching a laser thrown by Love before bulldozing his way in, carrying two Seahawks with him, while the second displayed his ability to make tough catches, plucking the ball just before it hit the turf at the back of the end zone.
Christian Watson has had issues catching and holding onto the ball, but he continued a run of heavy involvement in the offense on Sunday night, bringing in passes and drawing pass interference calls downfield.
Besides his usual prowess at stretching the field, Watson also excelled in a couple of ‘job description’ situations for a receiver, twisting his body around to adjust to a Love pass or hauling in a low ball. He is starting to do real wide receiver things more regularly.
The Packers are almost at full strength on offense with Luke Musgrave on the path to returning from injury, and Love’s weapons are stepping up each week.
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Mark Oldacres is a sports writer from Birmingham, England and a Green Bay Packers fan. You can follow him on twitter at @MarkOldacres
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Comments (94)
Cheezehead72
December 16, 2024 at 10:47 am
Someone please steal the red flag and do not give it back to MLF. He is a perfect zero in challenges this season.
I was happy to see Kingsley Enagbare have a really good game. At the beginning of the season I said I was excited to see if he would make the next step. He has now he just needs to keep playing like that.
Love is making strides. He will need to keep playing at a high level to go deep into the playoffs.
ricky
December 16, 2024 at 11:21 am
On the TV broadcast, the announcers asked if Cooper's play might mean that Walker is not on the field much longer. Good question. Cooper has shown better instincts, plays faster and can cover in the middle. Walker has not shown much in any of these areas on a consistent basis.
Leatherhead
December 16, 2024 at 11:24 am
How does a guy who is slow, can't cover, and has no instincts lead a Top 10 defense in tackles?
Packerpasty
December 16, 2024 at 11:27 am
well you know Walker is a fav whipping boy now...
egbertsouse
December 16, 2024 at 12:05 pm
Maybe if he didn’t suck he wouldn’t be.
Bitternotsour
December 16, 2024 at 12:22 pm
there's at least one all the time. my favorite was Jarett Bush, super bowl hero.
egbertsouse
December 16, 2024 at 12:05 pm
Easy. He makes them 7-10 yards downfield and gets a lot of cheap ones by jumping on the pile. See Blake Martinez and AJ Hawk if you need further examples.
If Quay is so good why does the defense get better every time he goes out of a game?
Bitternotsour
December 16, 2024 at 12:21 pm
except that isn't true. regardless of how often you repeat it. that you don't know what you're seeing is the sad part.
Strat
December 16, 2024 at 01:06 pm
Sure it is.
murf7777
December 17, 2024 at 08:44 am
Pull the stats showing this compared to others and lets see whos right
Leatherhead
December 16, 2024 at 03:32 pm
IF that were happening, then wouldn't the rest of the metric reflect that? Because they don't.
AJ Hawk is a Packer HOFer.. Good to know that he's
not "good enough" for you.
Packers0808
December 16, 2024 at 04:11 pm
What bus you fall out of, the one you missed?
Grandfathered
December 17, 2024 at 09:25 pm
Some players need more time to develop.
crayzpackfan
December 16, 2024 at 03:15 pm
LH....I agree. But the question then isn't does QW suck for those who support him, the question is how do we get Cooper in there with Walker for a lot of snaps and where does each play respectively? Cooper is really good. Can we agree on that? If Walker is good, then lets have them both playing most of the snaps every game.
But just to keep you honest, covering stats have zero to do with tackling stats, they aren't the same thing. Walker tackles, but his coverage is mid... Anyway, being serious, why does it have to be either QW or Cooper and not both? Not that you said it, but it's what others are saying.
Leatherhead
December 16, 2024 at 03:33 pm
It doesn't. I'd play them both, a lot. Normally, we're in the 4-2-5 most of the game.
Coldworld
December 17, 2024 at 09:53 am
I have no doubt that the team hopes that Walker and Cooper would be the Mike and Will respectively on merit. That would be the best outcome. At this point Walker remains a question mark. Was he close to breaking out and unleashing his talent or will he always flatter to deceive?
I’m not convinced that Cooper is an ideal Mike either. He’s not built like one. He’s much better being a will I suspect. At least at this point. If Walker is not the man, then we undoubtedly will need to look for a replacement irrespective of Cooper blossoming. At this point I’m just thankful Wilson has shown he’s a competent Mike alternative.
Leatherhead
December 17, 2024 at 10:03 am
Everybody loves Cooper now, but he makes his share of mistakes, too.
Personally, I'd play Walker as the weakside guy in the 4-3.
LambeauPlain
December 16, 2024 at 03:45 pm
And yet Quay does! Quay and Coop are the best 2 LBs on the team.
Coop has been out while Quay began to make plays. I want to see them back on the field together ASAP.
Guam
December 17, 2024 at 08:16 am
Spot on LP. Even if you are not a Walker fan he is clearly a better linebacker than McDuffie, Wilson or Hopper. The Packers top two linebackers are Cooper and Walker and it is time for both of them to be on the field.
ricky
December 16, 2024 at 04:09 pm
Tackles are great. But it depends where the tackle is made. Remember that AJ Hawk was often a leader in tackles. The problem was they occurred several yards down the field. Same thing with Walker. He arrives late and gets credit for a tackle, but if it's after getting the first down or several yards down the field, its good for the stat sheet, but doesn't stop the opposing offense.
Packers0808
December 16, 2024 at 04:12 pm
If he made the tackles late, why did the runner get that far in the first place?
Bitternotsour
December 17, 2024 at 09:57 pm
and if he didn't make that tackle where exactly were they going to be tackled next. he made the tackle where the guy with the ball was. it wasn't like he escorted him downfield.
Leatherhead
December 16, 2024 at 11:23 am
Five Takeaways
1) The offense has scored 30 points four games in a row, and Jordan Love has not thrown a pick in those games.
2) Josh Jacobs is our MVP this season.
3) The defense turned in one of their strongest showings of the season, holding Seattle to 13 on their home field. You just don't win very many games where you only score 13.
4) The rotation on the D line is paying off. A lot of those sacks and pressures were from the rotation guys....Enagbare, Cox, Wooden. Fresh legs. Look at TGRs snap counts and you'll see that nobody is getting worn out. This is going to be a big advantage the rest of the way.
5) Kraft is a real horse. Watch him in the run game and you can see he's a big part of why we've been successful, and when he catches the ball, he runs like a .....horse. He's underappreciated, IMO. Sure, he doesn't get 10 targets a game but he helps this team move the ball and win. I would assume that as he gets more experience, he might get a bigger receiving role, but right now, he's doing what needs to be done for us.
LeotisHarris
December 16, 2024 at 04:37 pm
No, no, no, LH! Haven't you been keeping up with the talking points? Our D line sucks. No pass rush all. None of them can get home, and Kenny Clark is not only lazy, he's overpaid. It's the same with Gary. Overpaid and lazy! We should have traded both of them to the Lions for their practice squad guys. but NO, Gute is too married to his failed draft picks to see the forest from the trees. Should I mention TJ Watt?
That win in Seattle? Let me ask you this. How many downs did Steve Largent play? Huh? How about Russell Wilson? What? Can't hear you? Marshawn Lynch? Hmm? The Packers still haven't beaten a good team and they won't because this season is ruined. Ruined! Because Gute traded Rasul Douglas and now we have to rely on Jaire "The Malingerer" Alexander and a CB Room filled with PFF bottom-dwelling losers who do nothing more than intercept passes in the end zone and stifle good receivers. They tackle, too.
I'm so sick of your positive take on these coaches and players. It's almost like you see a team that's improving. Oh, and AJ Hawk, sure he's the Packers all-time leading tackler with 629 career tackles, but everyone knows *real* tackles are made behind the line of scrimmage. Get it right, buster!
Starrbrite
December 16, 2024 at 04:48 pm
Cracked me up Leotis.
Leatherhead
December 16, 2024 at 06:28 pm
Leotis "Lampoon" Harris.
Yeah, that's a pretty good synopsis, but you forgot to include firing LaFleur. I especially enjoyed the Largent point, because whenever we win, it's because the other team didn't have all their desired players at optimum health.
XXXXXXXX
On the subject of the sacks, I want to point out that there was a reason Geno didn't just unload it to an open receiver before he was hit, and that reason was that people were being covered. I haven't seen the all 22 yet, but I think some of the credit for those sacks go to the people who were doing the covering.
murf7777
December 17, 2024 at 08:48 am
Firings won’t happen till the next loss:)
LambeauPlain
December 16, 2024 at 04:47 pm
Great comments today LH!
Kraft is excelling at one of the two key roles of the TE...blocking, and Tucker seems to love doing it. He may be unappreciated by some fans, he is not in the O Room, watching the tape post game.
His 2nd key role catching passes and getting YAC will continue get better. Right now he's like a 3rd T on the team.
murf7777
December 17, 2024 at 08:50 am
He reminds most of Kittle. I remember telling a buddy that I liked Kraft better than Musgrave after they drafted them and I watched their film. I told him, I can’t believe how he runs after the catch, he’s a YAC monster.
mnbadger
December 16, 2024 at 12:07 pm
TV crew noticed that kraft got whipped during a running play.
Kind of useless feedback without showing the replay?
I don't doubt it happened, but would have loved to see it none the less.
GPG!
LeotisHarris
December 16, 2024 at 04:40 pm
It's mandatory that TV broadcasts include a minimum of 150 shots of coaches holding play sheets in front of their faces and the actual game gets in the way of that sometimes.
Bitternotsour
December 16, 2024 at 05:59 pm
it's also apparently a contractual thing that Chris Collinsworth never ever shut up. god forbid a game should have breathing room. Let's have more cuts to the sidelines, and a lot of fill by the announcers. Now that's football, padre.
Leatherhead
December 16, 2024 at 06:19 pm
I have a question. Why don't they put a large shield around the mike which would prevent lip reading? Probably a 4" diameter, or oval could do the trick. That's one less thing for the coach to worry about.
Coldworld
December 16, 2024 at 06:45 pm
Eyebrows are contractually mandated to be shown at least 5 times per quarter in any Packer Game. It’s part of the NFL pushing to take a lead in the manscaping industry. LaFleur is obligated to throw a bogus challenge flag at least once to ensure an extra bonus of eyebrow moments.
Oppy
December 17, 2024 at 01:25 am
My personal take on all the comments that certain Packers fans make about Matt LaFleur's grooming habits is that some men find themselves attracted to a well groomed man, and these feelings of arousal are conflicting and confusing because they've spent a lifetime trying to suppress their own homosexual urges. These feelings must be suppressed in order to maintain their fragile egos built around a facade of ultra-masculinity. They harbor feelings of self-hatred due to their latent homosexual desires which have been brought forth by a young, clean cut, successful coach LaFleur. The answer is simple; ridicule and criticize the thing you desire. Project the self-hatred and disgust you feel for yourself to the object that makes you feel these forbidden feelings. It's not that YOU are gay, it's that HE is gay, and you must let the world know how disgusted you are by HIS gayness.
My advice for all these closeted Packers fans in deep denial is simple: Be healed. It's okay to be a queer Packers fan. Be at peace with yourself, let the self-hatred go. Go ahead and cheer on your Packers with an extra loud "Yaaasssss Pack Yaaassss". It's okay to be you. You'll probably have a lot of explaining to do with the wife, but I'm sure she already had at least a feeling about you already.
murf7777
December 17, 2024 at 08:55 am
Sounds like you got a problem….lol
mnbadger
December 18, 2024 at 07:56 am
Totally appreciate but disagree with your point.
I'm just frustrated that our pretty coach spends more effort grooming than working on time management and play challenging skills.
Plus, that Butkus dude is the real hottie on this staff and they never show him :(
GPG
coolhand
December 16, 2024 at 06:28 pm
He did get knocked down by a DT on a run play. But it's funny they never showed all of his good blocks especially on the outside runs by Reed and Jacobs.
T7Steve
December 16, 2024 at 12:10 pm
I don't see where Walker is as bad as the picture Mark is painting of him. Cooper is an exciting prospect. Due to injuries through camp and the season he's behind on the installs and will be gradually given more to do. His play will only let Walker become better also. Walker is about the only other one you can trust to cover while the others besides Cooper only excel stopping the run or rushing the passer.
stockholder
December 16, 2024 at 12:46 pm
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SUPPORT
The pass rush was at it's best.
And this game should have been put away,
much earlier before the pick.
Leatherhead
December 16, 2024 at 06:30 pm
Technically, we had scored enough points by the end of the first quarter to win the game, 14-13. This is called Time of Knockout, and when you do it the first quarter, that's a whuppin.
Grandfathered
December 17, 2024 at 09:34 pm
Walker is not near as bad as the popular narrative supposes. IHO he is still gas majior development potential, and has been improving.
Bitternotsour
December 16, 2024 at 12:16 pm
how is your leading tackler bad. someone make it make sense.
stockholder
December 16, 2024 at 12:48 pm
because everyone here, believed the announcers.
jannesbjornson
December 16, 2024 at 07:06 pm
Cooper was the most dynamic linebacker in College Football in 2023. He is The Man. His Playmaking can never leave the field of play. Walker lacks his instincts.
coolhand
December 16, 2024 at 06:29 pm
Because all of his tackles aren't for a loss
Ian
December 17, 2024 at 03:43 pm
Walker does lead the team in TFL also....
Bitternotsour
December 17, 2024 at 03:58 pm
yes, but tackles for a loss 9 yards downfield or something.
you can lead a horticulture...
Oppy
December 17, 2024 at 01:59 am
You can't just look at a tally of tackles and make qualitative judgements about a player.
The knocks on Quay Walker are legitimate, he does not read and react like you want your bell cow MLB to read and react. He's hesitant and unsure and often takes poor angles once he figures out where he should be post snap. He IS, however, an excellent attacking linebacker- when he's given the green light to just go straight after the QB or attack/engage/shed a particular blocker, he shines. But when being asked to diagnose/key off a play to ascertain his responsibility/assignment, he is hesitant and slow to process.
If people insist on total tackles being *the* metric that tells the whole story, it should be noted that yes, Quay Walker is the leading tackler for the GBP. There are also 27 other players in the NFL that have more total tackles than Quay Walker. Assuming that those 27 other players all play for 27 different teams, and insisting on total tackles being an indication of overall quality, that means that roughly 85% of the league has a higher quality tackle machine than the Packers have out on the field.
The reality is, total tackles doesn't tell the whole story. Maybe those 27 other players have far more total snaps than Walker. Maybe teams run more against those other defenses than the have run against the Packers. Maybe it's scheme differences. There's just not enough information to say with any confidence that Quay Walker is qualitatively a lesser cowbell LB than what 85% of the league fields- it would be foolish to make that claim based solely on the fact that the Packers' leading tackler has less tackles than 27 of the other 31 teams in the league.
...And that's my point. It is foolish. It's just as foolish as insinuating that Walker can't be under-performing because he's got the most tackles on the team. You can't just point to the stat sheets. You have to watch and understand the play on the field.
Quay Walker isn't horrible, but he's far from great. He's not quite "just a guy", he does have elite attributes, but he hasn't been reliably turning in stand out performances at the position, either. There is a lot of room for improvement in his play. Perhaps it's the scheme asking him to do more of things he doesn't excel at.. but if that is the case, it strengthens the stand that we need to find someone else to fill that roll.
Not blasting Walker like some people around here do, but I think it's silly to pretend he's lived up to expectation or that the Packers couldn't upgrade at the position.. all because he's the leading tackler on the team. Much more to the analysis that the stat sheet.
Bitternotsour
December 17, 2024 at 06:23 pm
technically speaking you'd need to adjust that to tackles per play you are on the field, and then quantitatively address each team. but let's say for the sake of argument, that he's an average leading tackler for one of the 32 teams in the NFL and yet still the leading tackler for his team.
he's the leading tackler on a defensive squad that's 8th in the league and ascending. he calls the plays. he's a leader.
you want that to be bad, but buddy, it's not.
Oppy
December 17, 2024 at 09:55 pm
Walker compared to the average starting LB in the league is slow to read and react. Do I think Quay Walker is a "bad" MLB? No, I don't. I think he's about average. Average players have a place in the NFL- they often have long careers as depth/rotational players, and they often hold down the fort as starters while teams look for a better player to replace them. That's how it goes. I respect their contributions, but I also understand they are not a final solution.
You want "average" to be good, but buddy, it's not. Teams that make an intentional decision to stick with average players instead of looking for better players don't have winning programs. It's the nature of the beast.
Unless Quay Walker drastically improves his play, he is probably not going to maintain his status as a starter for the Packers beyond his rookie deal. I would say his career at this point is comparable to Darnell Savage's early career- what we want him to be isn't aligning with what he really is. We get flashes of what we're hoping he might be, but his every-down play doesn't align with the glimpses of potential. Unless there is a significant shift, Packers fans will wake up one morning and the Packers will have moved in a different direction, and those same Packers fans will suddenly realize all the things Quay Walker never was once a player who is actually above average steps into the role he was occupying.
Bitternotsour
December 17, 2024 at 10:05 pm
I need a reminder. You're the guy that quantitatively insisted Malik Willis wasn't an NFL quarterback, correct? Perhaps you should hang up your analyst spurs.
Oppy
December 18, 2024 at 04:09 am
Yes, I'm that same guy, who actually understands the basic skill set it takes to be an NFL starting QB, and Malik Willis struggles with those basic skills.
You want to play this game, I'll say it straight- you don't have a clue about how to assess NFL football play. You're a guy who doesn't understand the difference between scheme production and personnel talent.
We'll play the long game on this one: Watch Malik Willis' long term career. I'll wager he'll never hold down a starting QB position in the NFL. A desperate team will give him a shot, and he won't last.. because he can't read a defense and work through progression. Meyers will not hold his starting C job into a second contract with the Packers. He may latch on elsewhere, but he won't be a starter in GB once his contract is up. Barring significant improvement, Quay Walker will not maintain his starting position with the Packers into a second contract.
Bitternotsour
December 18, 2024 at 09:32 am
The Myers in GB is not a similar discussion. If Myers were bad they would have replaced him. Now economics will drive the discussion, not quality of play. They can't have 3 guys on second contracts on the line. The economics don't work. It's not that they wouldn't continue to go to war with Myers, it's that his rookie deal is over.
Malik Willis won two games as a starter. His only two games. Your criteria are flawed and your standards are foolish. Can he run an offense and win games in the NFL. Yes. He proved it. He has a better understanding of the field than Justin Fields and way better than the Bears current quarterback, despite his lofty draft spot. He could easily have the career of a guy like Geno Smith, or dare I say it, Will Levis. The Titans made a mistake. There are 32 teams in the NFL. I'm guessing there's a spot for a guy with an elite arm and elite wheels. Maybe he's a lifetime back-up, but he can win games. Where does that place him, top 64 on the planet. The guys you assured me were better than him don't have jobs.
Myers has proved he's a starting center. Do you suppose he'll go unsigned? That is lunacy.I see with my eyes. I don't know if Quay gets a second contract in GB, but he gets one somewhere, and I'm glad he's here now. They don't make guys like him very often.
So, in your infinite scouting wisdom, the Packers and their coaches are playing guys who don't belong on the field, are so bad that they won't be re-signed, and they're doing it why exactly. To tank? As an expression of fuck you to all of you brilliant home scouts? Your logic runs into a wall when you consider that they're playing despite your spot-on analysis, I guess in the end, it's was the coaches who were wrong, but your assessments were golden.
Oppy
December 18, 2024 at 03:24 pm
"So, in your infinite scouting wisdom, the Packers and their coaches are playing guys who don't belong on the field, are so bad that they won't be re-signed, and they're doing it why exactly"
Hey, dip shit- yes, I said dip shit, and stand on that-
The 'logic' you are attempting to use to prove I don't know what I'm talking about in the above quote.. you do realize that by applying this logic, that means that every player who has ever held a starting position on any team should have remained a starter, because clearly if they are holding a starting position, they must be worthy of holding that starting position. A starting player in the NFL would never lose their job to another player- only if the team couldn't afford to resign them? That's the logic you are presenting.
That's just plain stupid, sir. Yes, I said stupid, and stand on that. Oh, I can hear you already, "I didn't say that, you're putting words in my mouth." but you did, you just don't realize the implication of your own statement.
Teams have limited resources and managing a roster is a long play situation. There will always be players holding down starting jobs that the team would rather move on from, but you can only address so many positions in a given year, and you have to play the deck you've been delt (and drawn.).
The Packers want to develop their players, and you put trust they will. It doesn't always work out. And before you can replace a guy who isn't working out, you have to have someone better on the roster to do it.
Meyers is no more than a stop gap center. He's holding down the fort, but you should be looking for better, and the Packers will be. Same goes for Quay's level of play. He has had two or three games in his career where we've seen flashes of what we hope he'll become, but he's had more negative performances than positive. He still has time to change it up, he's young, but he's not putting the kind of play on tape down in and down out you want to see from a long-term starter at MLB in a 4-3. Malik Willis... my god, man. Wake up. The Packers win those games because they avoid putting Willis in the position that every starting QB in the league is asked to be in. You are going to end up being very confused and disappointed with Malik Willis' NFL career. Anyone who knows a god damned thing about QB play can clearly see the Packers protected him from having to work through progressions. It's that simple. There's a reason why, after 3 'impressive' starts for the Packers, the entire league isn't abuzz about where Malik Willis will be starting in 2025, or any legitimate talk about a QB controversy. Analysts feel great about Willis' performances, they're all happy he got to do what he's done, and they all know that's the result of very careful gameplanning and execution to hide his sizeable deficiencies. Malik Willis performed admirably in his starts for the Packers. He's got a strong arm and is a strong runner. He can identify defense pre-snap. He can't work through progressions to save his life.
Major Snafu
December 16, 2024 at 12:28 pm
Time to pull a Viking ploy. Offer up Alexander and or Stokes and Walker to the Lions right now for a first round pick next year. Dump these two losers and get some value for them. The Lions are in despirate need for players and maybe will bite.
Now, the Packers played great yesterday until LeFleur again decided to change things up. Its amazing how this team never blows away anyone but keeps other teams in games. LeFleur is not play calling genius thats for sure. He ran the ball with 1.47 left and ran out his own clock instead of passing for a put away touch down. DUH. Its like oh we have enough points were good!
Bitternotsour
December 16, 2024 at 12:33 pm
30--13. Sit down.
WestCoastPackerBacker
December 16, 2024 at 02:32 pm
SEA was blown away. GB always had a comfortable lead.
I don't get people complaining about wins. We didn't win the game enough. It's the NFL. A win is a win.
jannesbjornson
December 16, 2024 at 07:09 pm
One of the Tie-Breakers for Playoff seeding is Total Points scored during the season.
murf7777
December 17, 2024 at 09:03 am
Yes, but points don’t come into play until the 7th tie breaker rules. Has it ever even been used? Probably not and then it wouldn’t be something a coach would take into consideration.
davekenya
December 16, 2024 at 04:16 pm
Just how would we make a questionable trade (a healthy Alexander needed for playoffs) when the trade deadline was in November?
Bitternotsour
December 16, 2024 at 06:00 pm
Madden dude. c'mon.
Pumpkin Jones
December 16, 2024 at 06:57 pm
This, for a dominant game against a longtime rival which more or less binned their playoff hopes, while putting us “win and in” against the broken down Saints.
To each their own I guess.
NitschkeFromTheGrave
December 16, 2024 at 10:01 pm
Stokes does not belong in the league, highly doubtful we'll get anything for him.
Oppy
December 17, 2024 at 02:06 am
Stokes absolutely belongs in the league.
However, since his injuries robbed him of his once elite speed and early professional development, he's a marginal starting #2 CB at best.
He could be a very valuable back up in the league.. you just don't want to rely on him as a long term starter at this point.
splitpea1
December 16, 2024 at 12:32 pm
MLF: The challenges are more like prayers, and sometimes not particularly urgent. This is nothing new, and now he's 0 for 6. Treat timeouts like gold and be willing to let some things slide if they're not that important. Another timeout would have come in handy for that situation at the end of the half.
Passing game: Both Watson and Doubs had great nights. But I'd like to see more short and intermediate passes attempted, especially on third down. You see how good our receivers are at blocking, so why not use them more often for short conversions? Big bodies like Watson, Wicks, Kraft, and Heath should be able to catch short passes in the flat and bull ahead for the necessary yardage.
Penalties: We're doing much better here (only 5 for 27 yards), and the first one on Nixon was highly questionable.
Lame call missed: Ex-punter Ryan jiggling his goodies (or whatever that exhibition was) in the pregame ceremony. The Seahawks deserved to lose just for that alone, so this win was doubly gratifying.
EnemyTerritory
December 16, 2024 at 12:52 pm
One thing that bugs me is the ultra conservative risk averse MLF decision making at times. Endofvthe third quarter up by 2 TD ball on Lions 5 or so and fourth and one. Lions using backup QB. Why not try to ice the game and go for the 7 rather than take the 3? He needs a bit more Dan Campbell dice rolling.
murf7777
December 17, 2024 at 08:56 am
Because when you can go up 3 scores at the end of the 3rd quarter you take it all day long. Score matters when making such a decision.
NitschkeFan
December 16, 2024 at 12:53 pm
Mark, that was a good post. I think its worth mentioning that since the 'bye week and when it appears that Jordan Love got healthy, his stat line is something like ...
79/115 which is 68.7% comp
1,133 yds
9.85 yds/att
8 TD
1 Int
Team is 4-1 in those 5 games.
Solid running game, solid QB play.
Looking good.
Leatherhead
December 16, 2024 at 06:42 pm
We stopped throwing so much. After that horrendous pick before the break, we're just throwing it a lot less. The 115 passes is over 5 games, which is an average of only 23 attempts. This is Old School. This is Scott Hunter territory. And we've scored 30 in four straight games without an interception.
We're also getting mostly reliable defense. Detroit exploded on us, but in those other games since the break, nobody has reached 20 on us. Essentially, we're scoring 30 and not giving up 20 and that's where you'd like to be.
This team is rolling, peaking. It STILL leaves a lot of points on the field. Nobody stops us; we stop ourselves.
Strat
December 16, 2024 at 01:00 pm
MLF apparently a graduate of the Matt Eberflus school of time management.
Reed more involved, Cooper makes an impact as usual.
The second half the O looked lackadaisical and too comfortable with the lead.
I wouldn't be relying on PI penalties for throwing the ball up for grabs, into coverage.
Good on the D. I remember watching Howell play for Washington early on, and he looked like he had a good chance to be a good QB. Maybe he still does, but he had little time to work with yesterday.
Oppy
December 17, 2024 at 10:03 pm
"I wouldn't be relying on PI penalties for throwing the ball up for grabs, into coverage."
I think you are talking about a specific play here, and if that's the case, I will agree. That deep, low throw to Watson streaking down the right hand sideline that drew the flag- that was a risky throw that probably should not have been thrown.
If you are saying you believe this is a common strategy employed by Love/MLF, I would not agree.
NFLfan
December 16, 2024 at 01:19 pm
Who can MLF consult with in the heat of battle re: his red flags? Stenavich? I like MLF's fire and commitment but he gets in his feelings intensely and loses the big picture at those times. He needs a cooler, but competent head around him.
Bitternotsour
December 16, 2024 at 01:30 pm
how naive are you. he gets a call from the box from people watching replays to say it's worth a review. it was worth a review.
murf7777
December 17, 2024 at 09:04 am
Fire those guys:)
Minniman
December 16, 2024 at 04:23 pm
Whilst MLF's record is dreadful, the proverbial "blind freddy" could see that the call wasn't contentious.
I'm not sure if he didn't do that to give his D an extended break. If it came from another more credible red flag challenger, then I'd be certain it was gamesmanship.
I'm more peeved at the end of 2nd quarter time management...... that was Bears-esque in its incompetence!
Bitternotsour
December 16, 2024 at 05:48 pm
dare we call it Eberflusian? Perhaps try out "he Eberflused the final two minutes of the half" Thank god he didn't fail an onside kick or we'd be calling it a Campbell. Though I guess he Cambelled a fourth down call.
Minniman
December 16, 2024 at 01:43 pm
I got the distinct impression that when the Packers were well up in this game they closed the playbook.
I might be overthinking it, but I got the impression that the coaches started thinking ahead to potentially having to come back and try and do it all again.
I say this after seeing SEA in the second half stack the box to shut down Jacobs’ running between the tackles, but GB not getting active with the TE’s and seam routes to counter it.
WestCoastPackerBacker
December 16, 2024 at 02:36 pm
Good thoughts. I remember McCarthy saving some concepts for the playoffs. Not surprising that MLF would do the same.
Llew
December 17, 2024 at 08:06 am
Agreed....especially once Howell came in. I don't think they were all that concerned about a comeback. Seemed to me like there was a little more motion Sunday. I wonder if some of that wasn't eye-candy for future opponents.
WestCoastPackerBacker
December 16, 2024 at 02:37 pm
Quay has been playing much better of late, so it was a bummer seeing him have to leave the game. But Cooper is sure an exciting young player. Glad he landed in GB!
Minniman
December 16, 2024 at 04:20 pm
As Walker didn't get carted off, I'm hopeful that he'll be back for the playoffs.
They certainly complement each other's play.
jlc1
December 16, 2024 at 03:38 pm
Game changer....well that is a hot take that I'm ready to hope is a long term take.
LambeauPlain
December 16, 2024 at 03:53 pm
"He is a force multiplier."
That is a perfect label for Coop. The kid just excels playing LB...and seems to love the position, always in the middle of the action.
It is Christmas Season and Love loves this time of the year. Josh Allen and Jordan Love are playing atop of the NFL at the position right now.
davekenya
December 16, 2024 at 04:19 pm
An additional takeaway was Collingsworth mentioning that GB fans shovelled Jacobs' driveway after the first snowfall w/o being asked to. GB fans are just so awesome!
davekenya
December 16, 2024 at 04:26 pm
Does anyone know how these two things would be officiated?
1. If 3 personal fouls occur on the same play (some scruff)...two by one team and one by the other...are these all off-setting even though one team had 2 PFs?
2. On the play where Kenny Clark hit the QBs arm as the pass was being released, it was correctly ruled an incomplete pass. Watching the QB, it made me think...if this play occurred with the QB either more sideways to the line of scrimage...or more with his back to the LOS...and Clark had the same hit, could/would this same play be considered a fumble instead (b/c it would be a lateral and not a 'forward' pass)? Or...is the ruling based on the angle of the QBs arm (is it facing forward or not) to determine if it was a pass or lateral? On seeing this play initially, I thought this might be why MLF challenged...contesting it was a lateral...but that was not mentioned by the refs or commentators...so I guess not...
Bitternotsour
December 16, 2024 at 06:07 pm
i contend that it was a lateral and they blew the call. also, three personal fouls offset (2 for one team, one for the other). Same as if there were two personal fouls on one play on one team - one is declined the other accepted, only 15 yards assessed.
hanayclan
December 16, 2024 at 05:22 pm
Looks like a lot of you are looking to complain, instead of enjoying the Packers. Pray to your gods you’re
not a fan of the bottom feeder teams. I’m guessing most of you weren’t around for the lean years, between Lombardi and Holmgren. No game is perfect but this is a well run organization that has built a legacy of excellence.
Pumpkin Jones
December 16, 2024 at 06:08 pm
Some folks just fundamentally don’t like this team. That’s all I can conclude from these weekly temper tantrums.
coolhand
December 16, 2024 at 06:38 pm
Did you happen to see the Chiefs-Browns game? I think the Browns had 6 TOs and still KC only scored 21 points.
If the Packers did that the calls for everyone to be fired and traded would be intense.
Since'61
December 16, 2024 at 06:33 pm
My 5 takeaways from the Seattle game:
1. Josh Jacobs is a hard, tough runner even when the blocking fails him.
2. The Packers defense is better with Cooper on the field and will play even better when Alexander returns and Williams gets back to his pre injury mode. Williams wasn't very effective last evening.
3. Jordan Love is making good decisions and playing very well.
4. For whatever reason the Packers take too long to get the play in. This has been going on since the McCarthy era. Why does it continue to be an issue?
5. A dominating win on the road, I'll take it.
Bring on the Saints. Go Pack Go! Thanks, Since '61
Oppy
December 17, 2024 at 02:17 am
#4:: To long getting the play in
You should go back and watch some of those older games. I would contend that there has been an immediate improvement in the average time it takes to get to the LOS and at least ready to execute the play since Jordan Love took the reigns. I will admit recently- over the last 3 games or so- we have seen the playclock winding down close to zero before many snaps- but overall the last two seasons I've seen numerous if not the majority of snaps falling in the 7 second range, where previously it was almost a guarantee the ball wasn't being snapped until the clock wound down to less than 3 and often on expiration of the play clock.
IMO, tempo has improved significantly with this offense being run through Love.
cdoemel
December 16, 2024 at 09:37 pm
Momma let him play. Jerry Doucette. Haha
Nobuttkiss
December 17, 2024 at 07:56 am
Impressive first half, disappointing conservative play calling in the second half. Need to rest Jacobs fir playoffs and get ball to receivers and TE more. Too predictable.
Overall, a strong dedensive performance for sure.
Nice win 👍🏻