Job one accomplished

It wasn’t exactly pretty, although it did have its moments, but the Green Bay Packers did what they had to do and beat the Lions 26-0 to improve to 3-2. The Lions fielded the equivalent of a”B” team and never came close to mounting any kind of challenge to the Packers. The only team that could stop the Packers Sunday was the Packers and they did an excellent job of that with more penalties and sacks. I guess two weeks of cleaning the house wasn’t enough.

Head coach Mike McCarthy better find a new vacuum and scrub brush because whatever he is using to “clean our house” is not working. 13 penalties against the Lions? That is ridiculous, but not any more ridiculous than five more sacks of Aaron Rodgers. The Packers can beat the Lions and probably the Browns next week playing like that, but the Vikings will most assuredly give them beat-down number two when the teams meet again November 1. Rodgers did have a little more time to execute and had an excellent day with 350 yards passing and a TD on his way to a 113 passer rating.

The Packers defense welcomed Clay Matthews to the starting lineup and he was an instant hit. I love Brady Poppinga but I’m barring injury he won’t be playing much linebacker anymore for the Packers. Matthews looks to be everything the the Packers thought he was and he needs to be is on the field getting better and better each week. I think the Packers’ defense will improve as the year goes on as they learn what they can and can’t do in the new scheme. We already might be seeing more of Aaron Kampman lined up at end than we did the first four games and Kampman seemed to respond favorably.

We really can’t tell much about this win because the Lions are so depleted, but it is a win and game one of the two must-win games is in the books. The Browns are up and the Packers might actually be able to pick up some ground on the Vikings with a win. The Steelers are early four point favorites over he Queens in Pittsburgh. Just once I’d like to see complete and total domination. I mean, five weeks into the season we shouldn’t have our quarterback faking a hand-off to thin-air like Rodgers had to do Sunday, that was embarrassing. I guess we’ll see Sunday if any cleaning gets done this week.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 8:56 pm and is filed under Al Davis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • Jack in Columbus

    I am very concerned about our O-Line. Not so much their failure to execute, sustain run blocks, protect the QB or avoid multiple, drivie-killing, stupid penalties.

    I am concerned because they do not even seem to know their assignments at times. Guys rushing untouched to sack our QB, off tackle runs stuffed for -1 and -2 repeatedly.

    Do these guys really practice? Or do they just watch some film while sipping lattes, take whirlpool baths, get rub downs and collect some more piercings and tattoos?

    Color me frustrated.

  • doug r

    if you read leroy butlers column and read between the lines it’s pretty clear he doesn’t think much of MM. This is an undisciplined poorly prepared team week after week that appears unable to adjust during games. The pack is a b level team – not terrible but not close to one of the elite teams – butler also urged them to get bishop on the field -I just don’t get mm

  • Mel e Mel

    I remember his talented Saints teams in New Orleans when he was coordinator talented yet same thing undisciplined. It took a loss to the Vikes to get Matthews in the starting lineup. I remember during camp Campen was upset at the line and made them do extra running. I remember thinking what is that going to accomplish? Blaming MM is too simple. MM,Philbin and Campen. Has anyone heard a saying like this Well that Philbin up in Green Bay is doing a bang up job he will be on to bigger and better things soon. Of course no one has heard such a thing. Reminds me of Dennis Green, Dennis had a group of assistants in MN who were all yes men. Of the 1998 Vikings 15 assistant coaches only one Mike Tice is still in the NFL. We are lucky that the skill position coaches are good and that Capers brought in real coaches.
    Well if Mike Sherman keeps getting blown out by 40 maybe he can come back and coach the oline. Yeah Right.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    As much as I’d like Sherman out of here I sure as hell don’t want him anywhere near Green Bay, unless its on the other side of the field.

  • http://www.themissingrocks.com Tom from Delaware

    Everything about the O-line completely sucks. If we had the line that Orton now has, Rodgers would be slicing and dicing against any team. Matthews was good but I think anyone would have looked good in that position against the Liions. Give Matthews some time before we call him great. Poppinga has had flashes of awesomeness too. Fix the O-line and we do 10-6 easily. Don’t fix it and we’ll see a repeat of last year even thought the nfl took pity on the nfc north and gave them the easiest schedules in the league.

  • Pete H

    Matthews has made more plays this year than Hawk has ever. I don’t want to call him great, but when someone is consistently making plays they need to see the field. I remember thinking the same thing about Jenkins several years ago, and Driver when he was backing up Freeman and Billy Balless Schroeder. I did also think the same thing about Jue, but they still have to play. I know that many here aren’t Jackson fans, but now that he’s healthy, he needs to see a big role. Lets see what he can do. He’s far better than Grant at sifting thru smaller holes…clearly a better receiver…so am I for that matter….and the one asset Grant seemed to have, running thru tacklers, just hasn’t been evident in any way shape or form. Next tackle he breaks will be his first this year

  • Bob

    Al, you call me a loser, go back and look at my comment, you just stated the same thing I did last week, and you call me a vike fan and a loser??? you are a complete joke. you need to remember the words of Nancy Reagan “Just say NO to Drugs!!!!!!!!

  • Bob

    I agree we need to get Bishop on the field, but just read that he is the only one on our trading block, and when asked what he thought He was all for it, why would he be on the trading block? I see a lot of determination in him, just like Donald Driver has, He needs to be made happy right here in Green Bay!

  • Ghost of Scooter McLean

    I watched a little of the Denver / San Diego game last night and came away wondering why the “new” Denver defense gets so much more pressure on the QB than ours does. We should be pretty similar units; they have Champ Bailey and we have Harris & Woodson. You leave the corners in single coverage and send the house from a LB standpoint. They were consistently getting one rusher free to hurry Rivers; we rarely get one free. What’s the difference? Are our LB’s unable to time it right or are we simply not sending numbers?

  • roy jamison

    And now we see Ahman Green coming in for an interview. What the? Jackson will sulk in St. Looey, Kampman will be wasted in Green Bay, and Joe Thomas will remember the glory years of the Wisconsin Badgers while whittling wood in Cleveland.

  • Pack4life

    OK we didnt need Ahman Green when he was relatively injury free but now that he has been under the knife a few times he should fit right in with Blackmon Harrell & Lee.

  • Pack4life

    Scooter the diffence is the Denver O line is rock solid. On D the Pack has to be somewhat conservative because they cant count on any consistency from the offense like a running game or giving up any fewer than 5 sacks.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Ghost, the Broncos have 8 new starters on defense. I think their management went out of their way to get people to fit their new scheme even if it meant going after free agents, something we won’t do.
    I feel certain that by the end of this year or certainly next we’ll get the lineup we need and they’ll be much younger and cheaper players than Denver’s. We could have sped up the process with free agents but if we keep the core players we’re developing in this system it might be better in the long run.

  • roy jamison

    TT is starting to remind me of Carl Peterson’s days in Kansas City. Keep the team competitive…you know 8-8 or slightly better…and don’t make waves. Carl lasted over 20 years in Kansas City and they only won when Marty Schottenheimer was coach. After that, he hired the 32 year old version of Ahman Green of coaches…Dick Vermeil…and then as the ship was sinking turned to Herm Edwards to wave a magic wand and hope for a 4-12 season.

  • packer_bob

    “Ghost, the Broncos have 8 new starters on defense. I think their management went out of their way to get people to fit their new scheme even if it meant going after free agents, something we won’t do”

    Beat me to it, Mark.

  • Ghost of Scooter McLean

    Mark & PBob – honest question…

    Other than Kampman, who amongst our defensive starters is not suited to play a 3-4 and why? We have a nice contingent of linemen (Jenkins, Pickett, Raji), including a surprise beneficiary in Jolly – are the Broncos better?. We have a fine safety in Collins, who should be the equivalent of Dawkins. We have two stud CB’s and a third in training; they have Champ Bailey. That leaves the LB corps – ours sports three 1st Round Draft Picks (Hawk, Barnett & Matthews) and I don’t know anything about theirs other than they were getting great blitz pressure last night. As Jaws and Chuckie kept pointing out, they were getting it right up the middle thru the “A Gap” between center & guard.

    I’m not a brilliant football tactician; my career as a slightly built HS split-end ended almost thirty years ago! My unknowing opinion is that we’re not blitzing the LB’s much; other than Kampman they (Hawk & Barnett) appear to be dropping into coverage most of the time. Anybody who knows more than I have an opinion on the blitz packages Capers is dialing up?

  • Ghost of Scooter McLean

    My other observation, with a preface.

    I’ve never liked the Broncos; I didn’t like what Elway did to the Colts and I hated them for their upset of our beloved Packers.

    Even so, I’m actually enjoying the Broncos success, probably because of all the pre-season talk about McDaniels “ruining” the team by letting Cutler go and receiving Orton in return. Orton is not aethetically pleasing, but I can’t help but root for him and hope he outperforms Cutler (from a win/loss standpoint).

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Matthews is a really raw rookie who is starting to learn blitzing. The people we have actually have to unlearn a system they’ve been in for years. It’s going to take time boys. And, we have no choice but to be patient.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Ghost, I only liked the Orange Crush guys and Elway. I don’t like the Broncos and can’t root for them but I like what their owner did. Changing the coach and GM when he saw they couldn’t get over .500. He showed a lot of guts and a will to win. Most owners either interfere or just collect the money.

  • ChrisAZ

    OK folks Ahman Green and Dominic Rhodes both worked out for the packers. Obviously someone in the front office doesnt think Ryan Grant is the answer or atleast needs a decent backup; which we are clearly lacking. Ahman Green never worked out well in Houston and Dominic Rhodes has just been roaming around the league. Can we please get a decent running back?

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    Oh, I just can’t wait for Green to lay it down on the 4 in a 2nd and goal situation. I’m a pessimist (with a long memory). Not that we don’t have the need.

    Pete H, I liked the Jackson pick too, but I don’t think he’ll ever play; too brittle.

    Grant sure has us by the ‘nads.

  • ScottS

    James Campen was an assistant o-line coach when MM arrived and was promoted to o-line coach the next year. Offensive line play has gotten progressively worse since he took over. I think he’s the problem.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    Unfortunately, it sure looks that way. We’ve had a lot of banter about MM and TT being so tight. Lets make up a senario that Campen is a TT person (which doesn’t makes sense since he was here before TT – but for arguement’s sake) and was jammed down MM’s throat. Is it plausable that we have the MM/TT relationship wrong and MM walks. There are going to be wholesale changes in the coaching ranks at the end of the season and a lot of teams need guys who can develop the many new QBs out there, ala, Shanahan, Holmgren, etc.

    Its happened before where compensation has been given to release a coach from his contract.

    If TT is at fault for all of this, why wouldn’t MM quit? If MM is not getting the most out of the TT built roster, then TT should fire him. He can be replaced. I’ve felt that TT would make a move like that for quite some time, but have nothing to back it up with, however.

  • Pack4life

    If Campen is the problem what does that say about MM and Philbin? I remember the 1st performance when Mcarthy was hired. Got better in 07 and has trended downward ever since.
    About the sacks vs Detroit “we had some communication problems out there” Babre flat out missed the guy that lined up across from him. And we are on pace, to equal the 87 Packers in penalties. Happy times.

  • Jordan Hayton

    If communication problems were the only problem then why didn’t anyone block on that all out blitz in the second quarter.

    I felt like Rodgers should have called an audible on the play, but no one attempted to block the Backers on that play.

    Now we tightened up in the second half, but the lions were playing OL as DL at that point… That is not bad, that is sad. I hope to God that Tausch has some magic up his sleeves because we need it. BAD.

  • Jordan Hayton

    Oh and if Wells plays I think Shaun Rogers has a field day… Maybe MM was onto something when he said Wells was undersized, but I think he has lost his passion for the game more than anything else.

  • PackerPete

    OK Pack fans, sit tight and listen to this…

    Cleaning it up, and getting it right could be done if the Pack Management has any balls (doubtful).

    Hire Jagodzinski as OC and make Philbin the OL coach. I dont care if Campen is retained as an OL assistant or not, but bring in Jags.

    Jags wont come for an OL gig, but a coordinator position should be enough to get him.

    Take the play calling away from MM and make him the HEAD COACH, not the OC. He will get better and our team will improve.

  • packer_bob

    Scooter,

    To answer your question, it would be very tough for me to give you a breakdown by position of our D versus the Broncos as I hardly even watch the AFC unless we or someone in our division is playing them. I am just aware that Denver’s D was horrible last year and they had a ton of new players on D—with successful results thus far.

    Having said that, my suspicion is that our LB’s aren’t up to snuff right now—I don’t see Barnett or Hawk making plays, Poppinga is so-so, Kampman is playing a new position, etc. Our secondary has had it’s problems so far as well, although hopefully if Bigby and Collins can stay on the field that will shore things up.

    As Mark has pointed out, maybe they will round into form as they learn this new defense together. Some were terribly optimistic about this defensive overhaul with some of Caper’s past success with it in his first year, it just looks to this point that we’re not going to get that kind of turnaround in year one. I do like all the TO’s we have been producing though.

  • packer_bob

    PP,

    There’s no way in hell I see all that kind of shuffling of the coaching staff this far into the season.

    But, out of curiosity, why all the faith in Jags on your part?

  • Matt Hayton

    Word bro-
    OL is leaking like a sieve, hope you are right on Tausch. Although, heard he still won’t play against the Browns… Maybe Lang has something, but he played in garbage time against the Lions, not exactly a huge test of his skills, IMO.

    Think we’ll be drafting 2 OTs next year…especially since the trade deadline is passing quietly without bringing anyone in…which I certainly expected, but was hoping they’d make a move. Signing Green, isn’t what I had in mind either…

  • PackerPete

    PB,

    Oh ye of short memories.

    Jags has been a success everywhere he has been.

    His downfall began when he wanted to actually have some input with the Sherman regime.

    He became disenchanted and bolted because Shermy wouldnt listen to input from his asst coaches.

    Since then he has overseen success as Atl OL coach, BC head coach and got canned for actually thinking about another NFL gig.

    See where the Bucs are heading, he saw the flaws and wasnt shy about speaking out, his achilles heel, and was summarily dismissed from the sinki9ng ship known as “good ship buccanneer”

    He is collecting a nice pay check courtesy of TBB, but he is a U.P. guy and he could and would bring the rationale and performance to our “ZBS” which by the way, he was brought in for and installed.

    Without Jags the ZBS was doomed in GB.

    He made it successful in ATL. It would have worked here if he didnt bolt.

    Lets get some cahones and get the right guys on the bus and lets get the right guys under it as well.

  • PackerPete

    BTW, I love Ahman Green.

    Yeah, thats right, I love that man.

    He is what a RB oughta be.

    He is one tough SOB.

    I wish we woulda kept him, he may not be capable of another 1800 yd season, but he ALWAYS got the tough 1 yd when it was needed.

    Ahman runs about 6 inches off the ground and is a missile near the goal line.

    We couyld sure use a guy like that, ask John Kuhn and hoiw he got submarined by a queen at the goal line. That would be a sure TD if we had AG on the 45.

    Tell em you TT whiners, who is REALLY better than a 32 yr old AG?

    BJack? really??????
    DWynn? really?????

    check the stats, 2nd all time in GB rushing, lots of heart and a great short yardage back as well as a really good screen and pass catching back.

    TT and his clones (you know who Im talking about here) need to get ove rthe diaper patrol and get some GD veteran influence on this baby faced squad or we are going NOWHERE!!!!!

  • Oddball

    I recall the problem with Green is that the Texans offered him a big fat payday. I’m glad he got it, but I’m also glad we didn’t pay it.

    If he’s coming back for a last bite at the apple, and we can get him at a decent rate, he might help out a lot this year and next.