Packers Vs. Panthers - 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. In general, I either focus on a theme, more nuanced observations, or just things I didn't notice watching live. These can be but are less likely to be "highlight" plays. I present these to you with a short explanation why I picked them and then let you readers discuss the plays.
Rashan Gary - It was not a good day for Rashan Gary. Perhaps he was battling something, but the energy level just wasn't there. Our old friend Yosh Nijman didn't have much trouble at all handling Gary throughout the game. The Panthers also had a specific plan and took advantage of him at least four times with plays similar to this one (including the 29 yard Dowdle run). They simply let him charge inside and then had a wide receiver or tight end wall him off as they quick-pitched the ball to the running back. This quick pitch was one of my favorite plays in high school, where I was either the tackle pulling or the tight end blocking down on the DE. I especially enjoyed the pulling part where I got to head downfield and bulldoze a defensive back, as Nijman does to poor Nate Hobbs here. But I digress. As for Gary, as soon as he sees Nijman pull out of his stance, he should stop his inside rush and head outside. Maybe easier said than done, but his effort level seems a bit sub-par and if you notice at the end of the play, he puts his hand up asking to come out. Over the last few seasons, I've often noticed Gary asking to come out of games for a breather and honestly, I can't say I've seen any other player do this as consistently as Rashan (maybe why his snap counts always seems a bit low). I also used to see Gary hitting the smelling salts during games, but that was outlawed this year in the NFL. I don't want to imply it's a conditioning issue, as by all accounts, he's a hard worker. So maybe he just wasn't feeling it today - kind of like the rest of the team.
Quay Walker - Speaking of not feeling it, Walker has some splainin' to do on this one. As the ball gets knocked out of Bryce Young's hand, The Panther's running back immediately sprints to the ball and picks it up while Walker just kind of watches. Obviously, Walker assumed it was an incomplete pass, but why? You're taught to treat every such situation as a possible fumble regardless of what it looks like to you. Also interesting is how at the end of the play he looks over to the Packers' sideline and throws his hands up in a "what could I do" kind of gesture. Well, it's obvious what you could have at least tried to do and maybe he was getting grief from a coach on the sideline for his inaction.
Kickoff Penalty - An illegal formation penalty on a kickoff? Just when you thought the Packers' special teams had exhausted all possible mistakes, they pull another one out of their bag of tricks. Having said that, someone please explain where the illegal formation is? Javon Bullard was the player flagged but what is he doing wrong? Bullard is the second player from the right sideline in the first video view (he has a long white wrap on his right arm). The Packers have four players to each side of the kicker and two players in the middle. It looks perfectly symmetrical to me. So where is the illegal formation on Bullard? Someone please solve this mystery for me!
linksman
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
__________________________
"Jersey Al" Bracco is the Editor-In-Chief, part owner and wearer of various hats for CheeseheadTV.com and PackersTalk.com. He's a lifetime Packers fan living in the land of the Giants (and Jets). Follow Al on twitter at @JerseyalGBP.
__________________________
Comments (48)
crayzpackfan
November 04, 2025 at 02:17 pm
I don't know how you were able to pick only 3 things. Now, off I go to read your article... *poof*
Leatherhead
November 04, 2025 at 02:29 pm
Walker, and Gary, may have had poor games, but we managed to hold Carolina to 16 points, regardless. Carolina is one of the better rushing offenses and they showed why. I'd also point to Leatherhead Law #11, "Good edge rushers accomplish little against good tackles".
The kick formation call makes no sense to me. Just another bad call /non-call in a game that had its fair share of them. An interception, a fumble, a turnover on downs, and a missed FG. Four possessions that ended with no points. If ANY of those possessions had put some points on the board, things maybe turn out different.
Heyward
November 04, 2025 at 02:35 pm
The defense folded like a cheap suit with the game on the line. That's what matters.
Leatherhead
November 04, 2025 at 02:57 pm
Nonsense. You will win most games where you hold your opponent to 16 or less, and you will lose most of the games where you only score 13 points. We have two losses this year, both by a FG: In one game, we scored 10 points, and in another, we scored 13. In every other game we've scored 27 or more, winning several times by more than one score.
FumundaStank
November 04, 2025 at 03:07 pm
I admire your defense of the defense Leather, but at some point they need to make a stop when the game is on the line. Especially when the offense is stinking it up all game.
Leatherhead
November 04, 2025 at 04:08 pm
The game is always on the line. Why is one stop more important than another?
MooPack
November 04, 2025 at 04:14 pm
You can't honestly say that with any conviction.
Coldworld
November 04, 2025 at 04:42 pm
The bit about the offense being the major culprit he can. I think that’s the point. 13 points on offense seldom gets a win.
MooPack
November 04, 2025 at 04:45 pm
I'm just looking at that statement on it's face.
Leatherhead
November 04, 2025 at 05:14 pm
That was exactly my point. If a team scores 14 points, and then you hold them scoreless the rest of the way and lose 14-13, or get a 13-0 lead and then lose 14-13 with two late scores, it's still an L, it's still 14-13.
13 points rarely get a win. Holding a team to 16 is usually good enough to win. If we were losing 24-23 or something, that'd be one thing, but our two losses had us scoring 10 and 13 points.
crayzpackfan
November 04, 2025 at 04:01 pm
Maybe it's our barely .500 HC coach the last 3 years?
Major Snafu
November 04, 2025 at 06:07 pm
Pack fans. Pre draft analyst who know their shit: Gary is a third round pick who lacks serious upper arm strenghth and won't fare well against bigger stronger o linemen in the NFL.
He is doing nothing even with Parsons wreaking havoc. Gary is bustomania but Gutt picked this sucker.
As an M fan, Gary missed all the big games with minor mysterious injuries to look better in the draft
Bust fans bust
Oppy
November 04, 2025 at 11:51 pm
oh, please suck it.
https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/stats?category=defense&sort=def_sck&season...
PeteK
November 05, 2025 at 10:49 am
1for 5 in the red zone for Packers ends the debate for me.
T7Steve
November 04, 2025 at 02:54 pm
It's too early in the season for me to say, "I'll just watch and see what happens without expectations." I never would have believed I could get so frustrated with a team that's only lose two games and tied another they were lucky not to lose.
I can't tell if Bullard moved a little too soon. It was probably just a makeup call that seems to be how they're making up for bad or missed calls to put the odds back on track. If that's possible in a game where the team getting beat is favored by 13.5 points.
MooPack
November 04, 2025 at 03:56 pm
At some point the team may need to start looking at drug use. Whether it's enhancing or other. Based on continuing inconsistent play, it may be other. Not something fans want to admit about their team or even conceive thinking as the league must have a handle on this and must, must be too hard to cheat. But...
"Game suspensions hurt the success of both teams and players. The Carolina Panthers have the highest amount of suspensions since 2002 at 74 games. The Green Bay Packers take the dubious honor of second place at 62, followed closely by the Washington Redskins (60), the Cincinnati Bengals (59), and the Cleveland Browns (53). The teams with the least amount of game suspensions are the Pittsburgh Steelers (6), the Buffalo Bills (6), the New Orleans Saints (7), the Chicago Bears (7), and the Philadelphia Eagles (8)."
Interesting based on team they just played, additionally...
...
"Marijuana-related suspensions have grown in the past five years, although they might either level off or drop with the NFL’s new policy that raises the THC threshold from 15 ng/ml to 35 ng/mg. They also added more steps to the intervention process before an athlete is suspended."
That's great, raise the threshold. (sarc)
Remember these are 20 somethings. I remember. Are athletes really that much different? How many times do we see guys basically throwing away a career for damning actions?
Ihappydirt
November 04, 2025 at 05:04 pm
This seems like a big stretch.
And going back to 2002 on suspensions doesn't seem to say much about the current team.
How's it been for the last 5 or so years?
MooPack
November 04, 2025 at 05:14 pm
I don’t see it as a stretch when the Packers are No. 2 and the article says marijuana has increased in the last 5 years you commented on.
[edit] In addition, I’ve read numerous articles where players have claimed that marijuana use is rampant throughout the NFL. A dirty little secret the NFL absolutely does not want to admit or seriously investigate. I was in the Army where drug testing was yearly at least. Many knew, by back channels, when and took action to flush your system with limited resources. NFL players have abundant resources. I can admit it’s most likely on both sides, but not equally by this articles data. It can be a team cultural thing.
Ihappydirt
November 04, 2025 at 05:23 pm
How many Packers were suspended for marijuana in the last 5 years?
MooPack
November 04, 2025 at 05:33 pm
Read the edit.
Also, according to the article - "Many substance violations are not publicly disclosed, as the NFL tries to keep much of this information concealed."
Brewcity_BearsFan
November 04, 2025 at 09:48 pm
The NFL doesn't want to admit, or investigate, because who gives a shit.
The NFL shouldn't even test for it.
SicSemperTyrannis
November 04, 2025 at 05:21 pm
No man, they had a bad day, it must be drugs!
/s
MooPack
November 04, 2025 at 05:29 pm
Not saying it was, but fans will always discount the data regarding their own team. I get it’s not going to gain traction. No one wants to believe it.
PeteK
November 05, 2025 at 10:58 am
Moo, go drink some unpasteurized milk. :)
Major Snafu
November 04, 2025 at 06:11 pm
I totally agree, I think the team should be doing drugs to get by the rest of the season. Mary Uwanna is okay just don't smoke right before the game okay. Day before and all days after the game no problemo
Canam73
November 04, 2025 at 04:02 pm
Thinking back to when we let Njiman go for not a lot of money. If I remember correctly one of the big knocks was he was a "left tackle only". Looked pretty good on the right side to me.
Coldworld
November 04, 2025 at 04:44 pm
Nijman was badly handled, a wasted opportunity. We would have been much better off with him and without Butkus at that price.
BAMABADGER
November 04, 2025 at 07:56 pm
Butkus along with several other coaches need to go.
Starrbrite
November 04, 2025 at 07:59 pm
Yep—agree.
SicSemperTyrannis
November 04, 2025 at 05:24 pm
Nijman got done dirty, IMHO. He did not deserve the gradual benching he got. GB phased him out to save cap space, or rather IF that's what happened that's perfectly understandable but nobody said that at the time. Whether it's because he's still playing that well or #52 has a terrible day I can't say, but he seemed to take care of business very well.
Ihappydirt
November 04, 2025 at 05:24 pm
He was pretty up-and-down to my eyes before we let him go, but he looked pretty good Sunday.
Ihappydirt
November 04, 2025 at 04:55 pm
"I also used to see Gary hitting the smelling salts during games, but that was outlawed this year in the NFL."
Hey, Al, they only outlawed the team providing them to the player. Players can bring their own, as AR did to the Steelers game.
SicSemperTyrannis
November 04, 2025 at 05:24 pm
Crazy rule.
Ihappydirt
November 04, 2025 at 05:28 pm
I used to get sideline passes and one time Bahk used a smelling salt and dropped it on the ground. I surreptitiously picked it up for a weird collectible, lol.
Major Snafu
November 04, 2025 at 06:13 pm
Gary is my total bust pick. He is pathetic. Hated this pick day one. This pick told me Gutt doesn't know his ass from a large fn hole in the ground.
Gutt has proved me right: Stokes. Alexander, Gary, Wyatt, Watson, Reed, Nixon, Lloyd.. just a host of busts when our nemesis vare loading up with quality picks.
Packers0808
November 04, 2025 at 09:06 pm
Who you think you are a Football God hero?
Since'61
November 04, 2025 at 05:20 pm
The entire game my made me go hmmm and worse. I too have frequently noticed Gary asking to take a breather during games. A few times pulling that with Coach Lombardi and Gary would have earned a permanent breather on the bench.
As for Walker I don’t know what he’s doing but it’s not the first time I’ve seen him stop and watch a play. What happened to “play until you hear the whistle.” It’s one of the first thing your taught when you play football.
As for the illegal formation on the kickoff, that is yet another example of questionable officiating by the NFl. If Bullard moved it should have been called offsides. Illegal formation on a kickoff is a new one for me.
All 3 of these plays are example examples of poor coaching by the Packers especially the Walker and Gary plays. If the illegal formation on the KO was correct that is another example of bad coaching.
MLF is in his 7th season as the HC and his team is still making fundamental mistakes that should be addressed and corrected during TC. The Packers make mistakes that High School teams don’t make. This is an inexcusable situation for a professional football team. In any case the Packers should be passed all of these fundamental errors by this point in the season.
Thanks, Since ‘61
Major Snafu
November 04, 2025 at 06:30 pm
I hated the Gary pick. I heard Gutt brimming that Gary was his pick in Feb way before the combine. As an M fan, you have it correct. He missed key games against the top teams with mysterious injuries. He was great vagainst Rutgers but missed the key games and could go missing in games as to where is he.
He got injured and learned Bosa did too and decided to forgo college to get ready for the combine. When he was cleared to return he told the team he would decide when he was ready.
I say he had an agent who told him. Stop playing get in shape for combine.
Ya he came back but was selective in his playing time.
Starrbrite
November 04, 2025 at 08:07 pm
I’m in full agreement with ‘61–well said.
Walker’s awareness at times appears to be on vacation.
jannesbjornson
November 04, 2025 at 10:22 pm
A one-dimensional LB. Poor in space. He can pressure the QB, but will not be the Plugger needed to control the gaps. It is not all on the D-line to stop the run.
Ihappydirt
November 04, 2025 at 05:20 pm
The hugest "Hmmm" was how MLF could got for it on 4th-and-8 with 11 minutes left in the game. He even got a second chance to call it off when they had to burn a t.o. due to bungled alignment. I can see why Al didn't do this one since he says he doesn't often choose ones you notice live, and this one slapped us in the face big-time.
Second-biggest "Hmmm" was MLF play calling of Jacobs-Jacobs-Doubs, ad nauseum. It was the second half, I believe, before GB ran a play-action fake. Jacobs ran hard, but it was so predictable. I thought it was MLF's worst game in two years or so. Then after somewhat over-targeting Doubs, Love tosses short into triple coverage in that wind the time he should hit Doubs for 15-20 with big YAC available.
Vachio
November 04, 2025 at 05:22 pm
Smelling salts have not been outlawed or banned, the team just cannot supply them to the players. If the players bring their own, they can use them all they want. Aaron Rodgers is apparently a big fan of them and has been seen using them several times this season. No shortage of click-bait stories from people (or AIs) about him using "banned substances".
SicSemperTyrannis
November 04, 2025 at 05:27 pm
Such a complicated fella, following the rules!
NFLfan
November 04, 2025 at 05:48 pm
Ole Aaron looked pretty skilled at it-lol
Snap the ball
November 04, 2025 at 05:50 pm
Nothing special on those runs
They ran old Vince Lombardi run plays
Snap the ball
November 04, 2025 at 05:51 pm
Yosh. Should have kept him
Tom at center Jenkins at guard would be in good shape
When you stay at home for games at noon probably doesn’t work
Tundraboy
November 04, 2025 at 09:36 pm
yeesh. What a roller coaster this team is! No discernible pattern. I can't help but think it's coaching. Or to use another analogy, a team without a real captain drifting aimlessly every other week or so.
You just never know what to expect, and not in the good way.
Leatherhead
November 05, 2025 at 01:09 pm
All the lamentations, and if we win this Sunday, we'll be in first place and one of the top contenders in the NFC.
If we don't win, we're pretenders. Yes, we're still in the playoff hunt, but if we can't defend our homefield against playoff caliber opponents then we aren't a legit Super Bowl challenger.
So, a win, everybody is happy except for the people who want LaFleur fired. If we lose, it probably means we've burned a year off the Love Window (which is only a 2 or 3 year window).