Cory's Corner: Consistency Resides With RBs
Is this really the No. 2 team in the NFC?
I cannot believe it. I figured that Matt LaFleur would bring stability along with more innovation as long there was complete buy-in. And after 13 games, the Packers sit 10-3.
This team has defied expectations and continues to churn out wins. And when you reside in the NFL, wins are all that matter because rankings don't matter.
Still, there is this.
"It's defintely going to make it difficult to beat those teams, let's just put it this way...We're going to need to be better," said Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga.
Bulaga isn't wrong. The next two weeks mean a lot. Chicago, who somehow still has a playoff heartbeat, and Minnesota which will ultimately determine an NFC North title.
The inconsistent Packers cannot get play inconsistent ball against division opponents and expect to beat them again. In the last two weeks, the Packers have gone 10-for-27 on third down and Aaron Rodgers is averaging 6.7 yards per pass.
The Packers have the weapons to advance to the NFC Championship. They have an excellent runing back in Aaron Jones, who has 19 carries that have gone for 10 yards. The problem is usage. Jones has proven that he can be the focal point of this offense. Remember when rookie head coach Matt LaFleur said in the offseason that the running game would be stressed again?
Well, it's time. It's December. The weather has turned and it's time for Jones and Jamaal Williams to not just get carries, but targets as well. Jones and Williams have 28 percent of the team's receptions, which is good for second and third on the team.
In order for Green Bay to be more consistent, it needs to grasp who it really is. That's a team that leans on its running game and uses it nicely with a deadly play-action game.
The Packers aren't this far along without the impressive jump by their third-year backs and they are going to need them once the postseason gets here.
Being the No. 2 seed is a big deal, but without consistency, the next two weeks will reveal who the Packers really are.
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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn
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Comments (14)
murf7777
December 10, 2019 at 06:35 am
Have we won ugly at times....Yes. Have we gotten our rears kicked twice....Yes. But, we are winners, in the end it is all about the W’s. Go Pack Go..
RCPackerFan
December 10, 2019 at 07:02 am
"Is this really the No. 2 team in the NFC?"
Yes we are. The truth is every team is flawed. Every team has issues. The 49ers were supposed to have one of the best defenses in the league just gave up 46 points. The Saints gave up 48 points. The Seahawks just got blown up by the Rams. The Vikings lost to the Packers, Bears, Chiefs, Seahawks.
Speaking of the Vikings they beat the Redskins 19-9. They beat the Lions 20-7. They barely beat the Broncos.
All teams in this league have flaws!
We were talking a lot about the Redskins game and how bad the offense looked overall. But there was 2 deep throws that were just off. If Rodgers hits Jones he has a long TD. If he hits Graham that sets them up in the Redzone. How different does that game look if we score 10 more points.
Right now GB's biggest flaws are the inconsistent passing game. Whether its Rodgers or the WR's or whatever, there just seems to be a bit of a disconnect. Also the pass blocking has a tendency to have a miscue at the wrong time. The Running game has been terrific. Getting the ball in the RB's hands definitely has to be the top priority.
Another thing that I think this offense needs to do is to start using more TE's. Look at how Baltimore's offense is ran. Look at the Eagles offense. Look at some of these offenses that use the TE's a lot. We have Graham and Lewis who may not be big time play makers but they can consistently make plays. They also have Sternberger and Tonyan who can stretch defenses a little more.
There are 3 more regular season games. All of which are against division opponents. This will be a tough stretch but one that they can get what they want if they win each of the games. Win all 3 and they will have a bye.
jannesbjornson
December 10, 2019 at 04:15 pm
If the RB and TE have the burst to get to the ball. Nothing wrong with Rodgers deep tosses, just the receivers.
ironman3169
December 10, 2019 at 08:18 pm
Wrong.
Watch the deep balls to MVS and you’ll notice he has up to 2 steps of separation every time, has to slow down for Rodgers’s under thrown ball. The opposite is true for everyone else, as the ball is over thrown.
Lphill
December 10, 2019 at 08:26 am
Aaron Rodgers has to become Aaron Rodgers the future hall of famer , and the Packers can beat anyone. Like a great man once said. “It is time” .
Handsback
December 10, 2019 at 09:14 am
This week is key. Beat the Bears, the Vikings game won't matter as much. Lose to the Bears...and the Vikings, the seeding becomes a lot more problematic.
So can the Packers sweep the remaining season? Sure they can, but as everyone who has ears or eyes can tell you that the Packer's strength, Aaron Rodgers, isn't playing that good. Can he turn it around? Sure, but will he? This week will tell us more about the team than the past month's performance.
I have one bone to pick that I keep bringing up this time of year when the Packers get close to the playoffs....is Rodgers ready for the playoffs? Sometimes hes off because he's leading a beat-up team with little LOFT left on the active list. This year his starters are ready, for the first time in many years, and he has all his weapons ready and able. There are no excuses for this team not to go far into the playoffs, except for the experience factor. That experience of being in the playoffs, first year with the current coaching staff, first year with the offense, etc. It shouldn't be an issue, but all the players are human and nerves are unpredictable. That is why I keep thinking next year is their year, but hope I'm wrong about this year and the Lombardi trophy comes home.
Packers2020
December 10, 2019 at 09:30 pm
We do not have all the weapons.
We have a 4th rounder and the rest are UDFA WR's. They do not get a ton of separation. AR is 36 years old and is not as accurate as he once was.
In the playoffs, teams will key in on the running game and RB's out of the backfield. They will make AR and the WRs beat them over the top. Good luck with that when you have what we have. Adams is all we have for a WR.
This rebuild will take one more year, maybe two. Alright, I am ready for all the thumbs downs I will get for posting this.
jlc1
December 10, 2019 at 09:54 am
Talent is probably a bigger factor although experience is also key. The talent at wide receiver is now proven to be as thin as many feared in the pre-season. Inside linebacker is constantly exploited by offensive game plans. the secondary has more talent than these previous two spots but boy do they get lit up sometimes. At least special teams, punt returning specifically, looks like it is turning around. In the end though GB just does not have the horses on this roster to go deep in the playoffs. In fact it remains possible that an 11 -5 record does not even get them in. All that said this season is a lot more fun than the last two.
TarynsEyes
December 10, 2019 at 09:58 am
Bulaga apparently looks inside the numbers or couldn't care less about them but seems to be reality based. He knows this team isn't close to being what the record or any other stat implies.
Most here will cling to the Parcells mantra of " You are what you're record says you are " but pertains merely to the record of 10-3 and NOT how or why you have it. Which demands immediate reply from the blind optimist ' A win is a win ' which also demands ignorance of the reality that even Bulaga speaks to.
Yes,the Packers are 10-3 and I'm more happy about it than most here as I got to cash in on a very nice bet which had them winning over 9 games. But I must confess, I had no idea that most of those wins would come as sloppily played and that even in the wins, this team seems to take sedatives either at games start or at halftime and worse,after the scripted plays for each game.
Unless this team awakes faster or cease to take the sedatives, from which ever moment in games each week the sedatives are induced, don't expect this team to be nothing more than they have been, a weak, one and done playoff team, and the cheerleaders of such success continue calling anyone who isn't satisfied with that demeaning success with Rodgers at the helm, a non fan....like me.
I guess Bulaga isn't a fan either of such disparaging play and limited success either,but one based in ' reality '....like me.
And Rodgers goes home and drinks his scotch in smugness believing the team is fine because they're 10-3 and in spite of him and his play,which doesn't seem to bother him, since he plays poorly the vast majority of the time.
Does Rodgers have scotch in his locker, as it could explain his play.
stockholder
December 10, 2019 at 11:02 am
It is what it is. We know they can be better. So while everybody thinks rbs. Tes. OL. Even Defense. Rodgers is thinking Wrs. Yes to Adams. But his biggest Yes, is to Allison. Allison is Rodger's target! He knows he has to get both going before the playoffs. Lafleur may have the game plan. But Rodgers is the winner that can make it happen. Don't expect Rodgers to see what works. His fire to win depends on Adams and Allison. And he knows it. The second 1/2 collapse of the skins was do to targeting. Targeting the WRs. To be successful he must get them going. So while you look to the obvious. Rodgers wants his Wrs to be feared. And the success of this team is with them.
TarynsEyes
December 10, 2019 at 11:40 am
In order for the WR's to be ' feared ' to the standards of Rodgers belief, the sparring,training that has been employed is a total failure. Since after numerous weeks of such sparring/training, for a few multiple seasons, our WR's cannot deliver a knockout punch,but rather look punch drunk and the team awarded dubious decisions/wins, via the ability of the defense to prevent a Hail Mary uppercut from landing squarely but grazing the Packers chin with enough vim and vigor to question the legitimacy of the record.
The Packers are Rocky Balboa after defeating Spider Rico but they're not getting whatever training/sparring that transformed Rocky into...ROCKY!
The Packers will be invited to fight the fight (playoffs) for the Championship,but unlike the movie, the Packers won't be there because they'll lose to a better Spider Rico in the elimination bout.
Our ROCKY is hanging out with Paulie drinking scotch as the training is obviously being ignored.
JonathanSpader
December 10, 2019 at 02:06 pm
Were you drinking scotch amd watching Rocky when you wrote this?
TarynsEyes
December 10, 2019 at 02:37 pm
Is the analogy or jealousy?
RedRight49
December 10, 2019 at 05:38 pm
The Packers have exceeded my pre-season expectations for Wins to date
With 10 wins and a shot at a 13 win regular season, or even a reasonable 11 or 12 Win season the Pack hold their own keys to the playoffs and a bye week.
They are overall pretty healthy for this late in the season, and now is the time Rodgers and one of his receivers not named Adams connect and re-connect during the next 3 games, the next 2 in particular.
Jones and Williams can keep a defense honest by making them have to defend against the run on every play, while Rodgers must connect with his receivers over the middle and on mid-range plays.
That includes the TEs too.
We are fortunate to have a talented, consistent pair of RBs.
Now we need a comparable consistent pair of WRs and a comparable consistent pair of TEs and that W column will keep rising.