Packer 2021 Team Discussion 2.0

[PinaMadness]

Here comes the outbreak.

[nate82]

Here comes the outbreak.

 

Not really surprising the new variant seems to spread faster though with more mild symptoms.

 

The NHL has also suspended play until after Christmas. I don't believe the NFL will do this but I wouldn't be surprised if some games get moved like the Saturday games. I think both of the Saturday games will be moved to Monday if there is an outbreak for the teams.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Here comes the outbreak.

 

Doubtful, actually - at least in terms of getting a huge # of players added to the COVID list after the adjustments NFL made to their testing protocol starting this league week. If a player or coach/staff is vaccinated, he now only needs to take a test if he's showing symptoms. There will be players added to the COVID lists leaguewide weekly from here on out, but it won't be 40% of the roster in the span of a few days. Almost all of the cases in the outbreak identified last week in the NFL were either asymptomatic or showing such limited symptoms that they would have otherwise been cleared to practice if not for testing positive for COVID. Had the current NFL COVID testing policies been in place at the start of the previous league week, none of the 3 games pushed to Monday/Tuesday would've needed to be pushed, because a vast majority of the players on the Browns, WFT, and Rams wouldn't have ever been placed on the COVID list because they were vaccinated and asymptomatic (i.e., wouldn't have needed to even test).

 

Obviously, unvaccinated players who hadn't already tested positive and been given the 90 day window free from testing (aka Rodgers' current situation until late January from what I recall) are still subject to daily COVID testing - at this point of the season I'd imagine the number of unvaccinated players who haven't already gotten COVID in the league is maybe a handful.

 

Unless this Omicron variant starts causing obvious symptoms with a much higher frequency than what it's recently been doing among vaccinated players and coaches across the league, there won't be any more teamwide outbreaks that lead to rescheduled games or a stoppage of the league schedule by the NFL.

[young guns]

Read from packer news that he is vaccinated and they said this about his chances of playing.

If Valdes-Scantling does not have symptoms, his chances of playing Saturday are much better. He would only need to have a negative test before the game. If he is having symptoms, then he would have to go 24 hours without and have a negative test.

[jerichoholicninja]

Adam Silver said the NBA won't be making any changes to the schedule because the virus isn't going away so teams will need to learn to live with it. Really surprised to see someone come out and say that, especially him all of the league commissioners, but I wonder if the other leagues will follow suit. The NFL's new policy certainly seems to go in that direction.

[Fear The Chorizo]

The other reason why MVS may have been tested is each week apparently a random grouping of vaccinated players are still tested even if they are asymptomatic...if he was in this week's random grouping he would have a better shot at playing Saturday because he probably was asymptomatic to begin with. Otherwise he is probably out because it seems like even vaxxed players take a week+ to test negative if they wind up having mild symptomatic infections

[Fear The Chorizo]

Adam Silver said the NBA won't be making any changes to the schedule because the virus isn't going away so teams will need to learn to live with it. Really surprised to see someone come out and say that, especially him all of the league commissioners, but I wonder if the other leagues will follow suit. The NFL's new policy certainly seems to go in that direction.

 

They also authorized signing players off the street much more easily to get through roster shortages due to COVID - they'll be fine since the worst part of these outbreaks for them is middle of the regular season when nobody cares about game results. The NFL is in a tougher spot because this will run through the start of their playoffs and each game has so much more importance on the schedule.

[OldHeidelberg]

Bakhtiari out of practice again this week. MLF says they are unloading him whatever that means, I would guess it means another setback and am starting to worry we won’t see him this year.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Bakhtiari out of practice again this week. MLF says they are unloading him whatever that means, I would guess it means another setback and am starting to worry we won’t see him this year.

 

I know it's still been less than a year since he sustained the ACL injury, but this is starting to get quite concerning about him as a player longterm. They already had to go back in and clean up his knee after his first setback a few weeks ago.

[nodakfan17]

I interpreted the ‘unloading’ of Bakhtiari to mean he has a 0% chance of playing this week, so they let him go home for Christmas.

[OldHeidelberg]

I interpreted the ‘unloading’ of Bakhtiari to mean he has a 0% chance of playing this week, so they let him go home for Christmas.

 

Even if that is what he meant the 0% chance after nearly a year is plenty of reason for concern. I guess if they hadn’t sort of hidden the surgery for a few weeks I would have more confidence they were just being careful. We really need him back, with what we throwing out there a good front 4 will kill us in the playoffs.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I interpreted the ‘unloading’ of Bakhtiari to mean he has a 0% chance of playing this week, so they let him go home for Christmas.

 

Even if that is what he meant the 0% chance after nearly a year is plenty of reason for concern. I guess if they hadn’t sort of hidden the surgery for a few weeks I would have more confidence they were just being careful. We really need him back, with what we throwing out there a good front 4 will kill us in the playoffs.

 

A good front four? Like the Rams'? Who did very little against the Packers' makeshift Oline a few weeks ago?

 

It's going to come down to scheme. Just like it would if Bahk and Jenkins were available. They'll have to make the necessary adjustments.

[tmwiese55]

Sure, but after having it be the exact thing that sunk them last year vs TB it's reasonable to have concern over it.

 

That said, what the GB OL and OL coaches have done over the last chunk of years is a really underrated part of their success. They're continuously letting proven vets go and replacing them with young inexperienced new players and they keep performing well in both run and pass. This year might be the most glaring success due to all the injuries, starting 3 rookies at times.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Sure, but after having it be the exact thing that sunk them last year vs TB it's reasonable to have concern over it.

 

That said, what the GB OL and OL coaches have done over the last chunk of years is a really underrated part of their success. They're continuously letting proven vets go and replacing them with young inexperienced new players and they keep performing well in both run and pass. This year might be the most glaring success due to all the injuries, starting 3 rookies at times.

 

TB, the Saints, the Cowboys, and the 49ers probably have better fronts than the Rams do even with a healthy Donald and Von Miller. The Packers have done an amazing job piecing together a decent offensive line all year, while my immediate concern is getting that line as solidified as possible for the postseason when they probably need to beat at least two quality defensive fronts to reach the super bowl, to me a bigger issue is if Bakh is no longer the same elite left tackle following this knee injury longterm, which will really suck since they are paying him like the all pro he was.

[homer]

I think I'm more worried about right tackle than I am about left. Nijman has been really good.

[Joseph Zarr]

I think I'm more worried about right tackle than I am about left. Nijman has been really good.

 

I have so much faith in Stenovich and Butkus I no longer even blink when the O-Line needs to shuffle.

 

Every one of my 'concerns' as a fan lies in the realm of Mo Drayton and the ST Unit. That unit will be the demise of this year's team. I wish I didn't believe this BUT, man, I am prepared for the specialest of ST gaffes in the Playoffs that will lose them a game in gut-wrenching fashion.

[FVBrewerFan]

I think I'm more worried about right tackle than I am about left. Nijman has been really good.

 

Yea, can't say enough about how the make-shift O line performs every week. But can they keep it up for 6 more games? Can they respond to yet another injury? Because expecting 5 guys to all make it through a stretch of 6 games unscathed is a tough putt. Makes Jenkins more valuable at this point, since he can play anywhere.

[yourout]

I think I'm more worried about right tackle than I am about left. Nijman has been really good.

 

Yea, can't say enough about how the make-shift O line performs every week. But can they keep it up for 6 more games? Can they respond to yet another injury? Because expecting 5 guys to all make it through a stretch of 6 games unscathed is a tough putt. Makes Jenkins more valuable at this point, since he can play anywhere.

 

+1. It easily could have been a complete disaster but the o-line coach and the game plan have really worked together and barely missed a best.

 

I think the coaching staff and ARod have done an admiral job game planning and executing around all the injuries.

[nodakfan17]

If the Packers win on Christmas Day, Matt LaFleur, who has never won the AP NFL Coach of the Year Award, will have consecutively defeated the last 4 COY recipients:

 

Sean McVay (2017)

Matt Nagy (2018)

John Harbough (2019)

Kevin Stefanski (2020)

 

No way that ever happens again, right?

[areacodes]

If the Packers win on Christmas Day, Matt LaFleur, who has never won the AP NFL Coach of the Year Award, will have consecutively defeated the last 4 COY recipients:

 

Sean McVay (2017)

Matt Nagy (2018)

John Harbough (2019)

Kevin Stefanski (2020)

 

No way that ever happens again, right?

 

It is sorta crazy that neither LaFleur or Counsell have won Coach or Manager of the Year with what they’ve done the last few years.

[nodakfan17]

It doesn’t bother me that MLF hasn’t won a COY award (or Holmgren and McCarthy for that matter). Having a HOF QB is like playing with a stacked deck in the eyes of most voters, even if you could selectively argue there have been years where they’ve each done a fine job navigating challenges.

 

The list of Johnny-Come-Latelies on the COY is laughable though:

 

Lindy Infante

Wayne Fontes

Ray Rhodes

Dom Capers

Jim Fassel

Jim Haslet

Dick Jauron

Mike Smith

Jason Garrett

Matt Nagy

[PinaMadness]

C JC Tretter out for Browns. Hope Clark has a career game.

[Fear The Chorizo]

C JC Tretter out for Browns. Hope Clark has a career game.

 

I thought Clark is still on the Covid list, unless I missed him coming off? Big shot in the arm to the defense when he does return...

 

Nm, saw he did come off and practice this week - good deal!

[Pugger]

It doesn’t bother me that MLF hasn’t won a COY award (or Holmgren and McCarthy for that matter). Having a HOF QB is like playing with a stacked deck in the eyes of most voters, even if you could selectively argue there have been years where they’ve each done a fine job navigating challenges.

 

The list of Johnny-Come-Latelies on the COY is laughable though:

 

Lindy Infante

Wayne Fontes

Ray Rhodes

Dom Capers

Jim Fassel

Jim Haslet

Dick Jauron

Mike Smith

Jason Garrett

Matt Nagy

 

Often these coaches in both sports win COY because they surprise everyone and have success.

 

I have a feeling Belichick in NE will win it this year.

[nodakfan17]

Someone at ESPN proposed the Panthers trade their first round pick for Jordan Love this off-season:

 

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/espn-proposes-jimmy-garoppolo-jordan-120020199.html