First look doesn’t disappoint

The Packers first showing of the year to at least the local masses was almost as impressive as the national media forecasts for the team. The Packers’ first-team offense and first-team defense were clicking on all cylinders and the key to the Packers’ success – tight end Jermichael Finley did not disappoint. Finley has received the most hype this offseason and how he handles his new-found fame is a key piece to the Packers’ puzzle this year.

Finley proved to be a man among boys, especially when playing against the second-team defense. The man simply is better than anybody that will be covering him unless the opponent makes a major change to their defensive game plan. Of course, with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback that just opens up other guys for big plays, either way the Packers win.

The first team defense looked every bit the force it was last year. The offense couldn’t run the ball at all and also couldn’t score in the two-minute drill. It seemed like on every running play the ballcarrier was getting smothered at the line of scrimmage or before. Granted, the Packers’ offense won’t be facing the leagues number two run defense every week, so I’m not too concerned, but damn, it would be nice to cross the line of scrimmage at least once.

The Packers’s special teams looked great, but with no tackling in those aspects of the scrimmage it really doesn’t mean anything other than from a kicking standpoint. Placekicker Mason Crosby looked better than I’ve seen in a while, but again, without the pressure of a real game to bother him. The punters looked like punters who never kicked in a game before. Anybody can boom them down the field when there is no pressure. I’m not worried about Crosby, I do admit he must be better, but the punting game is still a big question mark.

Aaron Rodgers looked like Aaron Rodgers but Matt Flynn looked like Brian Brohm, only worse. The Packers’ need for a backup quarterback was never more evident than last night when Flynn and Graham Harrell looked pitiful at best. I hate to even admit it, but Jeff Garcia would probably be the Packers’ best option at backup QB. I do love Daunte Culppeper, but Garcia is smarter and knows the offense, he could win a game or two.

The Packers kick off the preseason next weekend and we better see a better performance from Flynn. The Packers need a new Mr. October, but unfortunately, Flynn ain’t it. Oh well, the Cowboys and Bengals are about to kick off. Football is back! Football on one TV and “The Spy Who Loved Me” on the other. You don’t need sound when Barbara Bach is on screen.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 8th, 2010 at 7:12 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.

  • Pete H

    My biggest concern is that last year they tore thru the preseason as well, and then sputtered for the first half. I remember penalties being a huge problem for them every first half of the season for the last several years. They have to straighten that out before hand so they don’t dig the hole they dug last year

  • Rick

    Flynn looked a little rough at scrimmage. But with the number of #2s and 3s out there I guess we will have to just realize it is scrimmage. Basic routes and no wrinkles.
    A couple of blocking mistakes on the Oline backups. Mainly the #2s secondary looked good thanks to Flynn and the recievers.

  • Mel e Mel

    National Football Post has lost all credibility. They actually said the Bears receivers compare to the Pack. Donald Driver is better than anyone on their roster. What a Joke!

    • iccyfan

      On another site, I read a review by a Vikings beat writer where he compared the various Viking units to their Packer contemporaries, giving the Vikings a 6-3 advantage with 2 ties. I don’t remember the specifics, but he gave a big advantage to Rice / Harvin / Berrian / Shiancoe over Jennings / Driver / Packers don’t have a #3 Receiver / Finley.

      I wouldn’t agree with that assessment even assuming Favre returns, but with Tavaris Jackson at QB Rice & Berrian are neigh unto worthless. I don’t think many would argue that our ex-QB made those receivers perform “better than they really are”….

  • Mel e Mel

    No receiver on the Bears has ever gotten over 1000 yards, Driver gets that falling out of bed.

  • Pete H

    I hate the Bears with the best of em, byut they have had several 1000 yard receivers. I will, however, take our group over any out there

  • Mel e Mel

    No current Bear is what I meant sorry. In breaking news Bulaga is getting reps with the 1st team at LG. I hope this is the begining of the end of the Daryn Colledge era.
    Also I see that Joel Hilgenberg is interning as an assistant OL coach. This can only help. When he was with the Saint they were a very conservative run first team with Dalton Hilliard and Ruben Mayes. This was the 1st saints team with a winning record. Joel played in several playoff games (although they didnt win any) This is a far better resume than James Campen as a player. Of course we are with his brother who played for that team in Illinois. I believe we will live and die with the improvement of the O-line. Julius Peppers twice, Jared Allen twice, Suh, and the cheating Williams, twice thats just inside the division.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Colledge and Spitz and maybe one of the LB’s are the only players we can spare who have trade value.

  • jimmyus333333

    I thought they did a decent job with the “Victory” formation at the end of scrimmage.

  • Scot

    Sam Shields looks promising. I really can’t wait to see more of him in the preseason. I like the underdog. I do wish TT would bring in a veteran back-up QB. I like that they’re trying Bulaga at LG. Get the five best guys on the field. I can’t believe Matthews pulled his same hamstring again. Ugh.

    • Rick

      I hope we use Sam as a fast Gunner and not a returner. He has very big upside to disrupt returns and he was an excellent gunner in college. His tendency to drop punts even from the Juggs machine is not what I want to see.

      Bulaga is a Tackle but getting him some reps with the 1s anywhere is good for depth. Back up QB that I would bring in right now…maybe Garcia but there is not many other veteran QBs that I can think of available and so i say we run with what we have.

  • roy jamison

    It’s GB football season when you see this…(Spitz) and T.J., their pad level isn’t quite where it needs to be,” McCarthy said. “I think that’s common for guys that didn’t go through the spring.

  • Darryl

    Shields is obviously not being considered as a return guy. They have Jackson and Blackmond pencilled in. Maybe if he can start to catch a few balls. However, they moved him to defense because of his hands. Maybe they are small. CB or special teams speedster maybe all he is going to be…

  • monkeon

    Shields might be a good backup for returns considering Blackmons injury history.

    James Jones looked good catching balls.

    Flynn looked horrible. Right now at quarterback its one out and done…

  • Steve Cheez

    I just heard somebody crowing about the Cowgirls, how they had 20,000 people at their free scrimmage.
    We were wringing our hands because we only got 48,000 people who actually had to pay.
    Dallas sucks!

  • roy jamison

    I’m sorry Johnny Cash didn’t follow up his hit song A Boy Named Sue, with A Coach Named Lovie.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    Perhaps tonight will be the start of proving me wrong in my four year evaluation of Jackson. He sure has been getting good camp hype. By the same token its taken an awfully long time. If Harrell can even rotate all year it makes the ’07 draft super, again, IF Harrell and Jackson contribute anywhere near the pre-season clap-trap.
    You’ve just got to get more out of a one and two than a third down back and a situational substitute DE.
    With Burnett able to replace Bigby, in my mind, thats huge. I’ve always liked Bigby and forgiven his many gaffs because I think he plays (when healthy) like I like a safety to be – a hard hitter. Collins can roam all over, but you need the hard hitter back there.
    Still think the key to playoff contention is at CB, even if AR went down. I’m not comparing Flynn to AR but do feel he is a better choice than an outsider.

  • iccyfan

    I don’t disagree with one iota of your wish list, LT, but I guess I’ve missed the pre-season clap-trap lauding the efforts of BJax & JHar. In my desire to stay informed, I actually paid for a subscription to Packer Report (kinda disappointing thus far – 75% of the information is here for free). Anyway, I’ve read almost nothing about Jackson (other than his KO Return) – all the hype is for Quinn Porter. Everything I’ve read about Harrell is concerning – seemingly unmotivated and taking a knee between reps is a pretty common theme. Heck, the Journal-Sentinal writer predicted he’d not make the squad. While I haven’t lost the faith, it doesn’t really look like your hopes of vindicating the 2007 draft will come to fruition…

    • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

      Re ’07 really was a good draft except for the 1 and 2 (my opinion, of course)

      • iccyfan

        Correct me if I’m wrong, but there’s not an impact player in the group. Harrell, BJax, James Jones, Aaron Rouse, Barbre, Desmond Bishop, Korey Hall, Crosby. I mean it’s not a complete wash-out, but after three years I’d give it a C-…

        • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

          Impact maybe not, certainly not yet, but other than Rouse they are still all here. Think this will change this year, however.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    Specifically from the JS regarding BJax; ST, 3rd dn blocking/rec, and the conditioning he came to camp with. Harrell just always gets the pre-season “this could be the year” treatment because he hasn’t quit yet. Hell, I wouldn’t either for that pay check.
    In any case its hard to imagine that ’07 draftees could get eliminated in a second youth movement wave like we seem to be seeing with this new draft class. This batch of youngsters are going to be awfully hard to cut. We’ll see a lot tonight, I suspect.