Game thread, Green Bay vs. Washington, 9/23/18

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I think I'll take a week off. Only bad surprises can come from Buffalo at Lambeau.

 

The NFL is becoming really hard to watch.

[pacopete4]

Defense played well in second half. Hope sometime they can play an actual full game.

[ReverendBrewmeister]

What is Matthews suppose to do? Slow down to not hit him so hard and he can get away from him or throw it away? Do you just go hug him until they call it dead? Stupid rule and its ruining games. IT SUCKS.

 

I wish McCarthy would have gotten ejected. Someone needs to make a statement about this. It has to stop.

 

The NFL has just about figured out how to ruin the game of football. Seemingly endless replays and the targeting calls make college football a bit hard to watch, but I’ll watch NCAA football countless times more than NFL, even mid-major games. Unless the Packers are playing, I’ve basically stopped watching NFL football. Now even doing that is becoming less frequent.

[stoutdude04]

Just watched the video of Matthews tackle today. The NFL is a joke. I have not watched a single second besides the Matthew's sack and the Payne sack earlier. How Matthews gets flagged, but not Payne when he spun Rodgers to the ground is simply embarrassing for the league.

[MrTPlush]

Just watched the video of Matthews tackle today. The NFL is a joke. I have not watched a single second besides the Matthew's sack and the Payne sack earlier. How Matthews gets flagged, but not Payne when he spun Rodgers to the ground is simply embarrassing for the league.

 

Right. Matthews just tackled him straight down. Payne had to intentionally spin him, throw him down hard, and then landed on him. That tackle probably gets a penalty under the old system since he threw him down and his head seemed to hit the ground before his body (not bad, but excessive).

 

I kept hearing the announcers say, “His helmet is as his shoulder pads, too close to the head.” They are all roughly the same height! How do you get your helmet lower than his shoulders?! I mean come on.

[young guns]

Bears down 14 to arizona, though it's still early, on a game I thought they should have win easily. Combined with the packers and Vikings losing games I thought they should have won easily won as well. Not a good day for the next north. The lions play the pats tonight in a game I think they should easily lose. Should I go bet big on the lions?

[homer]

Just watched the video of Matthews tackle today. The NFL is a joke. I have not watched a single second besides the Matthew's sack and the Payne sack earlier. How Matthews gets flagged, but not Payne when he spun Rodgers to the ground is simply embarrassing for the league.

 

I kept hearing the announcers say, “His helmet is as his shoulder pads, too close to the head.” They are all roughly the same height! How do you get your helmet lower than his shoulders?! I mean come on.

 

They are throwing flags on things that are literally impossible to prevent.

[stoutdude04]

Just watched the video of Matthews tackle today. The NFL is a joke. I have not watched a single second besides the Matthew's sack and the Payne sack earlier. How Matthews gets flagged, but not Payne when he spun Rodgers to the ground is simply embarrassing for the league.

 

I kept hearing the announcers say, “His helmet is as his shoulder pads, too close to the head.” They are all roughly the same height! How do you get your helmet lower than his shoulders?! I mean come on.

 

They are throwing flags on things that are literally impossible to prevent.

 

I'm looking forward to when a defender just picks a QB up and hold him in the air for 3 seconds or whatever. A really good look for the league.

 

The XFL or whatever it's called may actually get more views than I anticipated.

[superfly]

Was having so much fun watching the Vikings lay a bigger egg than 41-0 or the Philly flop that I almost forgot the Packers played. Looks like I missed some really good stuff...bad coaching, bad refs, defense stunk, uninspired offense, the whole lot.

 

It's fantastic that we decided to bring back McCarthy for another year of uninspired football even though we fired everyone else. Nothing better than flushing another year of Aaron Rodgers down the drain, can we give the head coach a bonus for his tireless hours?

 

I'm being a bit facetious, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over...and over....and over....

[OldSchoolSnapper]

They only brought back McCarthy so he didn't feel assured he was being let go. If the season went well, he maybe returns, but I think Gutekunst has his finger hovering about the trap door and wants McCarthy gone. New GMs want their own guys.

 

Like I said in the off-season thread, this season is reminiscent to me of 05. Expiring contracts, a couple over-the-hill vet signings that smelled desperate. The talent just is not there.

 

I forecasted 8-9 wins but after seeing this group in action this could very well be a 4-6 win team.

 

Just years.of underwhelming drafts are finally catching up. With the Cobb and Matthews failures finally gone soon, they should be able to retool quickly. Remember the Packers went from 6-10 to champs in two seasons.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Anybody else just feel kind of disengaged? Maybe it's because the Brewers are still in it for a change. But I'm kind of bored and looking for an excuse to go do something else. I dunno.

 

Back in the 80's when I was a wee lad, I bled Green and Gold. In the 90's, when I was a 20-something, I was ALL IN all the time. I watched every pre-season game to the final down, I paid attention to every roster cut. I listened to the post game show and listened for three hours........ I was ALL IN, just couldn't get enough.

 

Now, I don't watch a down of pre-season football. Haven't for 3-4 years now, if not longer. Last year I watched about 4-5 Packer games, and not a single down of non-Packer NFL football.

 

I don't know..... the NFL has changed, and I just don't care for the product anymore. I'm not a "spoiled" Packer fan. I loved the hell out of this team when they were losers. I watched every game the year they went 4-12 under Favre. This just isn't football the way I, and i'm sure some others grew up watching it. I absolutely am for player safety. I understand sports change, and I get that, and I'm ok with that (and embrace it!), but this version of football just isn't one that I embrace, or honestly even care all that much about. That's ok, and I'm sure there's people that disagree with me and that's ok too.

 

(DISCLAIMER: My stance has nothing to do with the anthem stuff. My drifting away from the NFL has been going on for way longer than that. Just wanted to be very clear on that before we started going down that road)

[superfly]

they should be able to retool quickly.

 

Been retooling for about 6 years now, ever since takeaknee was running roughshod all over the field for record book performances....how quick will that retooling be?

[FVBrewerFan]

Anybody else just feel kind of disengaged? Maybe it's because the Brewers are still in it for a change. But I'm kind of bored and looking for an excuse to go do something else. I dunno.

 

Back in the 80's when I was a wee lad, I bled Green and Gold. In the 90's, when I was a 20-something, I was ALL IN all the time. I watched every pre-season game to the final down, I paid attention to every roster cut. I listened to the post game show and listened for three hours........ I was ALL IN, just couldn't get enough.

 

Now, I don't watch a down of pre-season football. Haven't for 3-4 years now, if not longer. Last year I watched about 4-5 Packer games, and not a single down of non-Packer NFL football.

 

I don't know..... the NFL has changed, and I just don't care for the product anymore. I'm not a "spoiled" Packer fan. I loved the hell out of this team when they were losers. I watched every game the year they went 4-12 under Favre. This just isn't football the way I, and i'm sure some others grew up watching it. I absolutely am for player safety. I understand sports change, and I get that, and I'm ok with that (and embrace it!), but this version of football just isn't one that I embrace, or honestly even care all that much about. That's ok, and I'm sure there's people that disagree with me and that's ok too.

 

(DISCLAIMER: My stance has nothing to do with the anthem stuff. My drifting away from the NFL has been going on for way longer than that. Just wanted to be very clear on that before we started going down that road)

 

Similar story. I watched every down of every game going back to the mid 70s when they were horrible. Followed the draft in great detail, watched a lot of other games every weekend, etc.

 

Now I still watch the Packers game, but that's it. And I don't even really look forward to the game that much. For those old enough, hearing the words "You are looking live at Lambeau Field" made me giddy with excitement. Even though back then pretty good chance I was about to see a loss.

 

What is a catch, what is a legal block, what is a wr pick, sack, pi, illegal contact etc. Its become what the game is all about. Perfect example. Bulaga gets called for holding, and he was. But the defensive player was pushing Bulagas face mask up at the same time. Blatantly and for several seconds. So the ref saw the holding but not that?

 

I don't care about making the game safe. Besides, the league doesnt care about the linemen crashing into each other every play, including Helmut to Helmut. But the camera doesnt show most of that, so its ok. I don't want to see players injured, but if it happens within the old rules I just saw it as part of the game. Lots of people go to work every day with occupations where they could be injured or even killed.

 

I believe fantasy football is the only thing keeping ratings from cratering. As for me, watching the Packers is in my DNA, so they got me.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

they should be able to retool quickly.

 

Been retooling for about 6 years now, ever since takeaknee was running roughshod all over the field for record book performances....how quick will that retooling be?

 

I know what blue means, but I'm still confused by the post. They haven't re-tooled at all, they've been filling needs with (bad) draft picks for 8 years. I think you will see a dramatic offseason in '19 with all the money coming off the books and the Rodgers contract behind them.

 

BK had to light the thing on fire before he could really get to work and that's basically what he did IMO. He made a few low-risk, front-loaded deals with FAs hoping they could do something this year, but I think he has a long-term vision that starts with firing McCarthy. Just the way Sherman hung on for one season before TT fired him.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

As an aside, this SURE is starting to feel like a year where the Bears pull off a random 12-4 season. They are undefeated right now without Rodgers's heroics.

[jerichoholicninja]

I believe fantasy football is the only thing keeping ratings from cratering.

 

This and gambling are the #1 reasons the NFL is so huge and will stay the biggest sport in the US for quite a while. When people's interest in those things start to wain, only then will the NFL see any sort of decline in ratings.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I disagree. The hardcore fans, people like me that lived for Sunday, are getting sick of it. I'm not watching next weekend.

 

There is a legitimate opportunity brewing for the XFL in 2020. They launched the product the first time at simply the wrong time. It's a different era now.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

I think the real opportunity is there for MLB. I just don't think they'll embrace it. People are craving a sport where they can trust what their eyes see. If MLB would switch to an automated strike zone, and get the pace of play shored up, I think they'd make huge gains in popularity. You'd still need all of the umpires in their usual spots and close calls would be backed up by replay as they are now. The home plate ump would get the instant ball/strike call in his ear and would still be the one signaling the call. And of course the home plate ump would still make calls on plays at the plate, check swings, HBPs, etc.

 

Every network has the strike zone permanently fixed on the screen. Having an umpire call 10-20% of pitches in contradiction to what the viewer sees is not good for the sport. If every ball and strike were called uniformly and with 100% accuracy, you'd fill the glaring need for a sport that isn't decided by the individuals officiating it.

 

Technology is there to get fair/foul balls right and even force out plays.. That combined with a replay system that only reverses egregious calls and you're suddenly putting out a product people can trust like no other. Right now, the NBA and NFL have no chance at putting out a product that's not entirely up to the judgement calls of people not even playing the game.

[FVBrewerFan]

I disagree. The hardcore fans, people like me that lived for Sunday, are getting sick of it. I'm not watching next weekend.

 

There is a legitimate opportunity brewing for the XFL in 2020. They launched the product the first time at simply the wrong time. It's a different era now.

 

Yes, people are getting sick of it. But most will still watch. XFL is a joke, people still want to see the best players and teams they're familiar with. The USFL had a chance because they pulled away some big names, but the XFL v2 will not have any top players. They may/ may not be able to carve out a niche audience, but not threaten the NFL.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

XFL was a joke. In this climate, it has new life. They have the benefit of knowing what didn't work the first time, too.

 

If there is a league in prime time TV that allows players to hit each other and is 2 to 2.5 hours long, with less replay reviews and pointless plays, the NFL will be in trouble IMO. The brand is dying.

[FVBrewerFan]

XFL was a joke. In this climate, it has new life. They have the benefit of knowing what didn't work the first time, too.

 

If there is a league in prime time TV that allows players to hit each other and is 2 to 2.5 hours long, with less replay reviews and pointless plays, the NFL will be in trouble IMO. The brand is dying.

 

What didn't work is no players or teams anyone has heard of. That's hasn't change. There won't be any XFL FFL, that hasn't changed. The only chance they have is if they could go out and get a group of big name NFL players, and they don't have the money to do that. They barely have enough money to start it up again.

[pacopete4]

I keep hearing the brand is dying and yet they are making billions each season. I don't buy it. People that hate the game today still tune in. They've got us. They know it. They don't care that we are displeased with the product because they still cash fat checks.

[GAME05]

I know a few people who quit watching because of the protests, and others who quit last year after Rodgers got hurt who simply discovered how many better things they could be doing on a weekend instead of watching tv. And even for the Packers I just can't stay up until about midnight to watch a Sunday/Monday/Thursday game.

 

Maybe the NFL will move to QBs wearing flags.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I think you guys really are drastically underestimating how many people are growing tired this product. It's becoming unwatchable. It's not at all unprecedented for leagues to rise and fall drastically in terms of popularity. I genuinely think people are getting tired of 4-hour flying laundry fests, numerous replays and challenges sucking the suspense out of the live game.

 

The generation coming up doesn't resonate with that at all. Things are streamed, watched when it's convenient, interactive and fast. The NFL is none of those things. Right now they have loyalists, but they will struggle with generating new fans.

[JimH5]

I don't care about making the game safe. Besides, the league doesnt care about the linemen crashing into each other every play, including Helmut to Helmut. But the camera doesnt show most of that, so its ok. I don't want to see players injured, but if it happens within the old rules I just saw it as part of the game. Lots of people go to work every day with occupations where they could be injured or even killed.

 

The difference between those other jobs and football is that those other jobs don't exist exclusively for our entertainment. I look at the health outcomes of football players and can't ignore that they're destroying themselves for something that's not really that important.

 

For those interested in reading two years worth of my self-righteousness on the subject, I present this link:

 

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/brewerfanpoliticalscene/watching-football-wholesome-entertainment-or-immor-t1216.html