Game 7: Vikings @ Packers - Sunday, November 1st, Noon CT

[HarveysWBs]

Any chance the Packers were peeking ahead to Thursday night in San Francisco?

No, I think they just got exposed.

 

Let's not say things we can't take back in anger.

 

I'm sure they were looking ahead. My own hot take- I think they're keeping guys back that could play in games they think they don't need them in. Davante told us as much earlier this year. I suspect Bakh could have gone today, but they thought they didn't need him...

 

Bakhtiari doesn’t fix the run defense. I have my quibbles about the offense, but it’s a weird weather day taking away the strength of the team in a game that had precious few possessions (and one of those possessions ruined by a horrible PI non-call). But the defense lost that game. Plain and simple. It was another in a long line of emasculating beat-downs in the running game. I’m starting to think the defensive side of the franchise has been full of masochists for the last 19 years. (EDIT: I meant to type 9, but it has sure felt twice as long as that...)

[LouisEly]

The windy conditions didn't give them the opportunity to take advantage of Minnesota's depleted secondary.

 

Outside of the run defense, the biggest problems were the play calls and holding penalties on their first two possessions of the 2nd half. On 1st and 2nd down in those two possessions they ran 4 times and passed 9 times. Some of that was out of necessity due to the back to back holding calls on their 2nd drive, but on the first drive after the long pass to Tonyan they passed on first and 2nd down instead of running to get a few yards and a shorter 3rd down. The back to back holding calls then put them in a huge hole.

[OldHeidelberg]

 

Bakhtiari doesn’t fix the run defense. I have my quibbles about the offense, but it’s a weird weather day taking away the strength of the team in a game that had precious few possessions (and one of those possessions ruined by a horrible PI non-call). But the defense lost that game. Plain and simple. It was another in a long line of emasculating beat-downs in the running game. I’m starting to think the defensive side of the franchise has been full of masochists for the last 19 years.

 

LOL. It was brought up in the pair of MM/Rodgers articles a couple of years ago but I think there is more of an organizational problem in that the Packers are "soft". They have put a lot of money into making GB a place players want to stay but maybe they pamper their players too much while doing it. The team in general just seems to coast, when they are ahead they play downhill but any adversity and everything implodes.

[CheezWizHed]

We clearly lost the game, but that was very poorly reffed. It would've been more "meh" until they picked up that obvious PI against Tonyan. That was an absolutely horrible call as it was so obvious. DB wasn't looking, both hands on Tonyan before the ball, one hand pulling down Tonyan's arm - that should've been PI three ways. I thought the one on Alexander was legit. Jackson's was iffy. There were a couple of other poor calls going the other direction too.

 

I thought Martin looked pretty good, but kind of disappeared late. Amos also looked good, but neither was enough to elevate the defense.

 

The whole D-line was garbage, including OLBs. Clark was getting pushed back far too often. The gap between Lowry and P-Smith was horrible. So many rushes with a two-lane highway going between them. Z-Smith made a few plays, but a bone-headed offsides penalty. Gary ended far too many plays by standing and watching someone else tackle the ball carrier.

 

Dillon was strong on several rushes and one nice catch. But they obviously don't trust him in the passing game much. He disappeared in the second half.

 

Not sure what is happening to Jenkins. Back-to-back weeks with a holding penalty. MVS still a non-factor. St. Brown needs to learn to tuck the ball when going to the ground to hold the catch.

 

Good to see Tonyan and Sternberger play better. Both Wagner and Turner held up nicely for the second week in a row.

 

Overall, it looked like Vikings made half-time adjustments and the Packers relaxed too much.

[SeaBass]

I can't really recall a weather game at Lambeau that was quite like this one. Not terribly cold, clear conditions just really windy to the point it actually benefited the visiting team's style more than the Packers.

[PeaveyFury]

Bakhtiari doesn’t fix the run defense..

 

Did I say anything to imply that I thought the outcome would be different if he played?

[nodakfan17]

I can't really recall a weather game at Lambeau that was quite like this one. Not terribly cold, clear conditions just really windy to the point it actually benefited the visiting team's style more than the Packers.

 

Yeah, the weather didn’t help. Neither did the penalties. And neither did missing David Bakhtiari and Aaron Jones. I’m willing to give them a pass today and not get too hung up on this one. But I gave them a pass two weeks ago and excuses are wearing thin. Hopefully, they right the ship soon.

[yourout]

The next 5 games could very easily be 1-4 or 2-3

[SeaBass]

Right I'm not suggesting that's the reason they lost because that would be a giant stretch, I just thought it was a rare, interesting case of a bad weather home game that factored against them and it was not due to cold or rain/snow.

[PeaveyFury]

I can't really recall a weather game at Lambeau that was quite like this one. Not terribly cold, clear conditions just really windy to the point it actually benefited the visiting team's style more than the Packers.

 

Yeah, the weather didn’t help. Neither did the penalties. And neither did missing David Bakhtiari and Aaron Jones. I’m willing to give them a pass today and not get too hung up on this one. But I gave them a pass two weeks ago and excuses are wearing thin. Hopefully, they right the ship soon.

 

 

I think the difference is that Tampa is actually a really good team. This one is a clunker. Looking competent vs. San Fran would make most of us forget this one.

[HarveysWBs]

Bakhtiari doesn’t fix the run defense..

 

Did I say anything to imply that I thought the outcome would be different if he played?

 

I took your comment in the context of the larger discussion to determine why the team lost (and in a fashion that to compare to bovine excrement would be charitable). My point is that not looking ahead to Thursday (and I can’t stress this enough) likely would not have mattered. The defense had all preferred starters in the front seven. Think about that. A year after being road kill in the playoffs in San Francisco (again!), this personnel and scheme on defense is the plan. We can argue about trap games and refereeing and offensive play calls and finding second wide receivers and freaky weather and Rodgers’ body language and MLF’s ability to get the most out of players and so on until the cows come home, but the run defense is fatal. And the whole world knows it now, and there is no indication of any imminent fix.

[PinaMadness]

 

Passive aggressive shots fired in Gute's general direction.

[CheezWizHed]

 

Passive aggressive shots fired in Gute's general direction.

 

I don't blame him. There isn't a third WR on this roster. Adams, Lazard, and a bunch of roster fillers at this point.

[PinaMadness]

 

Passive aggressive shots fired in Gute's general direction.

 

I don't blame him. There isn't a third WR on this roster. Adams, Lazard, and a bunch of roster fillers at this point.

By all rights Lazard is no better than a #3 anyway. His return alone is not going to cut it.

[OldHeidelberg]

 

Passive aggressive shots fired in Gute's general direction.

 

I don't blame him. There isn't a third WR on this roster. Adams, Lazard, and a bunch of roster fillers at this point.

 

I am still not sure Lazard isn't just another Boykins either, just the best of a bunch of roster fillers who gained the confidence of a HOF QB.

[PinaMadness]

 

I know what the first step is.

[OldHeidelberg]

 

I know what the first step is.

 

 

Will be interesting to see if MLF doesn't just give lip service to the defensive problems like MM did, the "we will fix it" mantra got old near the end.

[PeaveyFury]

Bakhtiari doesn’t fix the run defense..

 

Did I say anything to imply that I thought the outcome would be different if he played?

 

I took your comment in the context of the larger discussion to determine why the team lost

 

No, two separate points.

 

 

My point is that not looking ahead to Thursday (and I can’t stress this enough) likely would not have mattered.

 

Sorry, I think this is very off base, IMO. You can implement a half-hearted game plan expecting to win vs. an inferior team while planning ahead for the better team knowing you have a short week to do so. It happens literally all the time in sports, especially when you have a quick turnaround. They probably won't admit to much, but I would bet my next paycheck that staff devoted more time to San Fran this week than usual.

[CheezWizHed]

Wow... that is a lot of hate on Lazard considering he was on pace for 69 catches, 1355 yds, and 11TDs the first three games of the year. I don't think Lazard would ever be a #1 WR (as those numbers would suggest), but has great recognition of defense, excellent hands, and just a knack for finding open spots. I think he is a #2 WR and clearly at least a #3.

[lcbj68c]

Did Kenny Clark play in this game?

[CheezWizHed]

Did Kenny Clark play in this game?

 

Yes, he was playing MLB. Or at least I kept seeing him 5-7 yards behind the LOS.

[pacopete4]

Wow... that is a lot of hate on Lazard considering he was on pace for 69 catches, 1355 yds, and 11TDs the first three games of the year. I don't think Lazard would ever be a #1 WR (as those numbers would suggest), but has great recognition of defense, excellent hands, and just a knack for finding open spots. I think he is a #2 WR and clearly at least a #3.

 

Yeah, I think people are just upset right now. If you have Lazard and Adams and add an actual slot guy to go with Tonyan and Sternberger, your offense is doing just fine.

[OldHeidelberg]

Wow... that is a lot of hate on Lazard considering he was on pace for 69 catches, 1355 yds, and 11TDs the first three games of the year. I don't think Lazard would ever be a #1 WR (as those numbers would suggest), but has great recognition of defense, excellent hands, and just a knack for finding open spots. I think he is a #2 WR and clearly at least a #3.

 

In his last game(his best game) there were 2 long passes that to his credit he caught, but he also stumbled on both and somehow didn't score when he had like 5 yards separation at the 10 yard line. I like him and am excited to get him back but he is just not the fluid athlete you like to see in an starting NFL WR. Hope he proves me wrong.

[HarveysWBs]

Sorry, I think this is very off base, IMO. You can implement a half-hearted game plan expecting to win vs. an inferior team while planning ahead for the better team knowing you have a short week to do so. It happens literally all the time in sports, especially when you have a quick turnaround. They probably won't admit to much, but I would bet my next paycheck that staff devoted more time to San Fran this week than usual.

 

No need to apologize, but we do see this thing differently. I don’t know how we’d ever prove that players and coaches were looking ahead. I mean, it has a logic to it, but we’d never get definitive proof. But what I do know is that what we see on a weekly basis from defensive scheme and personnel is that the way they perform is intentional and the product of deliberate choices stemming from an organizational ethos. Pettine has admitted as much—we want to stop the pass and just pray the run doesn’t kill us. Well, it is murdering our championship aspirations yet again. That is not to discount the other problems this team has, but I do contend that we could address those other things and still lose to a 1-5 Vikings team (especially on a day like this, which becomes more likely the further we get into winter), much less a good team like the 49ers.

 

At this point, I guess we just have to desperately hope we can hold it together to stay in playoff position despite a potentially horrific second-half schedule, and get really lucky by missing the Buccs, 49ers, or even Saints (if the game is in NO) in the playoffs. But this defense does not hang with the Steelers, Ravens, or Titans (and I bet even pass-happy Andy Reid could learn to use Edwards-Hellaire enough to de-pants us) in any potential super bowl match up, so I’m struggling to hold even a glimmer of hope. This is another lost season, and you know what? Gute drafted like it. This is what you get.

[young guns]

Did they take away the ability to challenge PI? I can't believe they picked that flag up.