2019 Green Bay Packers Season Thread

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

HaHa had one solid season that made it look like he would be a stud safety for a long time. Then for whatever reason he completely lost it and was absolutely atrocious. He's the type that is going to keep getting chances, though, because once in a blue moon he'll make a play that makes him look like a 1st round safety, and he looks like a prototypical stud safety getting off the bus.

 

Morgan Burnett did really well to combine leadership and smarts with his limited athleticism to at least look like a competent safety for several years. I always liked him as a player, and perhaps let fandom give him too high of a rating in my head. His lack of big play ability was striking, and somewhat telling.

 

I'm going to disagree with you on King. I don't know if he'll ever be a superstar, but when healthy, I think you could do a heck of a lot worse for a #2 CB (and the Packers have!) Of course, health has been the biggest denominator when it comes to determining his value. Even when he's on the field, he seems to be fighting some sort of malady that saps his athleticism and effectiveness. At some point you have to wonder if that's simply what he's going to be.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Every season when I check King on PFF he is grading in the 50s somewhere. I don't really buy in completely to their rankings like a lot of people do, but that and just watching him get beat constantly makes me think he's really not very good. Occasionally he will have plays where he breaks up a pass with great athleticism, but I think he's just a slightly below average NFL corner, which might be fine as a #2 if he stops getting hurt. I don't think he's ever going to be what people thought he might be when drafted.

[homer]

of the 16 teams currently with a winning record, the Packers have the most wins (4) against teams with winning records.

[adambr2]

If there's anyone who should feel uneasy despite an 8-2 record, it's ST coordinator Shawn Mennenga. This unit is historically bad. They actually have NEGATIVE total punt returns yards this year, that's right, negative.

 

Coverage units are not any better.

 

It's difficult to see him being invited back for 2020.

[Fear The Chorizo]

If there's anyone who should feel uneasy despite an 8-2 record, it's ST coordinator Shawn Mennenga. This unit is historically bad. They actually have NEGATIVE total punt returns yards this year, that's right, negative.

 

Coverage units are not any better.

 

It's difficult to see him being invited back for 2020.

 

Special teams return and coverage units in general have been a longtime roster weakness for the Packers - seems like they are among the teams who put no value on having quality gunners/coverage guys who have been around the league, many of whom are the critical blockers when setting up punt returns. They try to cycle through young WRs and DBs who aren't at the top of their depth charts. Because of that those units suffer. For awhile I feel like the focus of special teams was not to turn the ball over and get it back in the hands of Rodgers - that's ok, but it sure would be nice to at least have that unit be an advantage in flipping field position - we saw how much of an impact they had against the Bears on opening night mainly due to the punter, but adding a competent return game would be a revelation.

 

Special teams coverage units are basically an afterthought now that just about every kick results in a touchback - will be interesting to see how that changes now that weather is going to impact how far kickoffs travel in some stadiums heading towards the postseason. In general, improving team speed improves your special teams units - while the Packers have gotten faster in places I think they still have a generally slow roster, particularly when it comes to reserve LBs and DBs that typically make up most of the special teams lineups on kickoff/punt downs.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

They never actually return punts so that's not that surprising to hear. I don't think ST really are what they used to be. Can you make field goals and directional punt? That is really the only measure that matters. The way offense is played and penalties are called I just don't feel like an extra 4 yards on a PR are that significant. I think it's reflected in the resources teams use on those units now.

 

Honestly the only thing that sticks out to me without looking it up, is that the Packers seem to struggle with starting field position a lot. Like punting out of their side of the 20 a lot and having teams start drives at midfield. Stats might show Scott having a bad year, but he's a good punter, and Crosby is a good kicker. I'll take that over a few more yards on punts.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

If there's anyone who should feel uneasy despite an 8-2 record, it's ST coordinator Shawn Mennenga. This unit is historically bad. They actually have NEGATIVE total punt returns yards this year, that's right, negative.

 

Coverage units are not any better.

 

It's difficult to see him being invited back for 2020.

 

Special teams return and coverage units in general have been a longtime roster weakness for the Packers - seems like they are among the teams who put no value on having quality gunners/coverage guys who have been around the league, many of whom are the critical blockers when setting up punt returns. They try to cycle through young WRs and DBs who aren't at the top of their depth charts. Because of that those units suffer. For awhile I feel like the focus of special teams was not to turn the ball over and get it back in the hands of Rodgers - that's ok, but it sure would be nice to at least have that unit be an advantage in flipping field position - we saw how much of an impact they had against the Bears on opening night mainly due to the punter, but adding a competent return game would be a revelation.

 

Special teams coverage units are basically an afterthought now that just about every kick results in a touchback - will be interesting to see how that changes now that weather is going to impact how far kickoffs travel in some stadiums heading towards the postseason. In general, improving team speed improves your special teams units - while the Packers have gotten faster in places I think they still have a generally slow roster, particularly when it comes to reserve LBs and DBs that typically make up most of the special teams lineups on kickoff/punt downs.

 

The Packers had a top-notch gunner and solid kick-off returner and all around great special teams player in Jeff Janis, but decided against resigning him last year because he wasn't progressing as a receiver. He's now 28 years old, which should be the prime of his career. He's running a tire shop in Michigan.

 

In contrast, the Patriots have employed Matthew Slater for 11 seasons and counting.

 

I was hoping that by spending drat capital on a long snapper and a punter last year, that Gute would take special teams seriously and devote actual talent to that area. Instead, it's still being treated as a way for #32-45 on the roster to see snaps.

[nodakfan17]

Watching the Vikings lose is almost (if not more) enjoyable than watching the Packers win. Go Broncos!

[nodakfan17]

Regarding Jeff Janis, I’m surprised he hasn’t been able to stick as a #6 WR somewhere, given his special teams prowess.

[yourout]

Watching the Vikings lose is almost (if not more) enjoyable than watching the Packers win. Go Broncos!

 

That last one minute by the Broncos was pretty sad.

[nodakfan17]

No favors from the rest of the league today.

 

I guess you could count the Patriots over the Eagles as beneficial to the Packers (since they’d hold a potential tie-breaker over the Packers), but I was really pulling for the Broncos, Lions, and Cardinals today. All 3 were in it.

[adambr2]

No favors from the rest of the league today.

 

I guess you could count the Patriots over the Eagles as beneficial to the Packers (since they’d hold a potential tie-breaker over the Packers), but I was really pulling for the Broncos, Lions, and Cardinals today. All 3 were in it.

 

Eh, I'm not concerned about the Cowboys. They've already got 4 losses and we've got the tiebreaker on them so we'd have to lose 5 for them to be a factor. If that happens we'll have bigger problems than the Cowboys. The Cardinals I can understand, but I also didn't really like the idea of facing the 49ers following back to back losses at home. They've got a brutal schedule coming up. I tend to doubt they win their own division.

 

Broncos, yeah, that sucked. No two ways about it. That would have been huge. I think the Vikings have a loss coming up to the Seahawks though and maybe even the Chargers.

[KeithStone53151]

The 49ers have had a couple key injuries that have made their defense look increasingly beatable. 25, 27, and 26 points allowed the last 3 games. I guess it's possible the Cardinals for whatever reason have their number. I think we need to make a point to establish the run. We probably want to play with 2 TE a lot this week.

[adambr2]

I was shocked to read that we are only 20th in the NFL in sack percentage this year. That is with the Smith's doing what they're doing. Outside of those two we must just not be generating any pass rush whatsoever. Without looking I figured we would be near the top. Not good. And that's with a 3rd edge rusher who had 10+ sacks last season!

 

Something about this defense isn't right. They aren't nearly as productive as they should be. I don't know if it's the offenses we've faced, or if Pettine just isn't all he was cracked up to be, or if Ted Thompson just decimated the talent so much on defense that it will take years to recover. Maybe a combination of the 3.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I was shocked to read that we are only 20th in the NFL in sack percentage this year. That is with the Smith's doing what they're doing. Outside of those two we must just not be generating any pass rush whatsoever. Without looking I figured we would be near the top. Not good. And that's with a 3rd edge rusher who had 10+ sacks last season!

 

Something about this defense isn't right. They aren't nearly as productive as they should be. I don't know if it's the offenses we've faced, or if Pettine just isn't all he was cracked up to be, or if Ted Thompson just decimated the talent so much on defense that it will take years to recover. Maybe a combination of the 3.

 

Outside of Clark, they are getting little out of the D-Line. Lowry and Lancaster are just guys, and Adams has been too inconsistent. Martinez is is pretty terrible at MLB. That could be because they are expecting too much out of him, but he's getting taken advantage of in every game. When a defense is faulty in the middle, it doesn't really matter how good they are on the perimeter.

 

My hope is that they spent the bye week figuring out a way to use Burks as an asset, and hopefully getting Campbell more comfortable in his S/ILB hybrid role. He did some good things in his one game so far.

[homer]

I agree. I feel like 90% of the run game issues are because the tackles get shoved inside and the OLBs get kicked out and Martinez is too slow to fill the gap. I'd be curious to know if that hunch is correct.

[adambr2]

Is Davante Adams hurting this offense? Seriously..

 

Yes, he's the best receiver on the team and it's not even close.

 

Yet, when he was out all of October, the Packer offense was rolling. Rodgers was averaging over 300 yards per game. 10 touchdowns to 1 INT in October. Since Adams returned, Rodgers has seen the endzone twice in 3 games and is averaging a pathetic 166 yards passing per game.

 

This is frustrating to say the least. Something is different about this offense with Adams in it. I can't explain it. Is it the secondary roles that everyone else takes when Adams is in? Is it just Rodgers paying no one else any attention? Logically, if the lack of weapons is the problem, the offense should have been nonexistent when Adams was out in October. But that's not what happened.

[DuWayne Steurer]

In every game that Adams was out, the WR's were accounting for less than half of the receptions (and sometimes barely any) in every game. Jones, Williams, and the TE's were getting most of the balls. Adams in the last three games has been targeted 11, 10, and 12 times.

 

In the Chargers game he was targeted 11 times and had 41 yards. In the 9'ers game, he was targeted 12 times, and had 43 yards. Rodgers clearly attempts to force him the ball, and it seems like it's detrimental to the offense. In two of those three games, they absolutely couldn't move the ball worth a crap.

 

Nobody else is getting targeted even 5 times per game, so yeah, it seems like Adams makes the offense somewhat one-dimensional.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Some of the high targeting rates for Adams is all the short passes on what appear to be run pass options...seems like those are the force feed targets, and they haven't been nearly productive enough to keep going to those plays.

 

The other issue with the charger and 49er losses is their o-line got whipped on passing downs, and I dont think the young group of wr's know what they are doing in scramble drill plays and Rodgers isnt nearly as good as he used to be evading the rush and buying time for guys to get open. I doubt there are many plays where rodgers is able to go through his progressions before he is in pocket scramble mode when he sees his RT get pancaked as he sets his foot on a 5 step drop. Having that happen right in front of his line of site is making him skittish.

 

Adams clearly isnt as explosive as he can be when fully healthy, and the other wr's dont get open enough consistently...Adams gets targeted that much because at least Rodgers knows where he will be when he is under pressure.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Is Davante Adams hurting this offense? Seriously..

 

Yes, he's the best receiver on the team and it's not even close.

 

Yet, when he was out all of October, the Packer offense was rolling. Rodgers was averaging over 300 yards per game. 10 touchdowns to 1 INT in October. Since Adams returned, Rodgers has seen the endzone twice in 3 games and is averaging a pathetic 166 yards passing per game.

 

This is frustrating to say the least. Something is different about this offense with Adams in it. I can't explain it. Is it the secondary roles that everyone else takes when Adams is in? Is it just Rodgers paying no one else any attention? Logically, if the lack of weapons is the problem, the offense should have been nonexistent when Adams was out in October. But that's not what happened.

 

I think it has more to do with them playing a pair of teams with great defensive personnel up front. Aside from the bomb to Valdez scantling in the opener they looked feeble against the Bears all game long in the passing game, too. They have rolled against weaker defenses and I expect that to continue...but they need to figure out how to play offense against quality defenses if they have any hope of winning in january

[nodakfan17]

The Rams’ loss to the Ravens really helps solidify the NFC playoff picture. LA is currently the 7th seed at 6-5 and they still have to play the Seahawks, Cowboys, and 49ers. Had they won last night, they’d only be a game back of the 6th seed (currently the Vikings at 8-3). I doubt the Packers beat the Vikings, but as long as they go 3-1 against the other 4 teams on their schedule, a return to the playoffs seems likely.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

The Packers may not even need to beat the Vikings. It could be wrapped or require a win over Detroit to get the division. All remains to be seen. But the field of teams is more or less set, just waiting on who wins the East. The WCs will be from the West and North. It seems fairly likely that the Packers and Vikings meet a third time in the wild card. In which case, I kinda hope the Packers lose the 2nd game but still end up winning the division. If the Packers can take care of the Bears and Lions, they'd still win a tiebreaker with Minnesota with a 1-1 split.

 

And like I said prior to the 49ers game, it's still fairly conceivable the 49ers actually finish beneath the Packers, especially if the Packers win the last five. SF has road games in Seattle, Baltimore and New Orleans. The home games are not sleepers either, Atlanta and LA. Likely? No, but not impossible.

 

I think the Packers at 3/6 is most likely, which makes the question where you'd most like to go in the 2nd round. I'm inclined to say Seattle just because the defense is the worst, but I don't think it matters. I tend to think all 3 are a notch better than the Packers.

[Zad Fnark]

San Fran gets to go to Baltimore this weekend. I think they'll get handled there.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

SF has such great speed on defense I don't know if they'll get handled by anyone. I think Baltimore has to be everyone's top team at this point though. They're just crushing people like I hoped to see the Packers do in the first half of the year.

[pacopete4]

How Aaron Jones doesn't get scripted pass plays by now is baffling in itself. Get the guy the ball in open space like you try to do with Adams.