Packers at Lions GDT, Dec 13 3:25pm CST, FOX

[Yoop]

I believe in the D&D process, however when your depending on high floor, low ceiling player to make a difference in there third year, they better, or you end up with our situation at ILB, and this receiver group is nothing to brag about, minus Rodgers and they'd be selling insurance somewhere.

I hear stuff like once in the playoffs anything can happen, our problems are that is all the farther we get, 20 year with two HOF QB's and what do we have to show for ? 2 SB's

I don't mind for it to take a season of grooming for a first rounder, however first rounders make a difference on most teams, and it's not about one draft pick taking you over the top, it's about how that player enables others to elevate there performance and do so.

look you want to support this FO, I get that, and for the most part I do to, however I expect a 12 slotter to do more then Gary did last year, and he hasn't even beaten out P Smith early this year when Prestin played like a scab, and I will never get on board with the Love pick, we can't get off the field on defense and that pick is part of the reason why.

mostly though I responded to your insult of laughing at people that disagree with you.

[Christo]

But per Schlereth....incompletions are still good because it stops the clock!

If I never hear Schlereth do another game again, I will be a happy man. He tries to come across as a Bill Walsh football genius, and fails miserably.

I was really surprised becuase I loved his ESPN Radio show.

But man. Stink stinks at covering these games. Another thing he talked about was "congratulating the Lions and Packers for having Walter Peyton nominees and how big of a deal that is since it is the most respected award in football."

Yo Stink, if it's the most respected, you should probably be aware that EVERY TEAM HAS A NOMINEE FOR THE AWARD.

That shows you just how little preparation he put into the game. He has nothing to say because he didn't make the effort to study the teams he was watching.
So he falls back on the name players such as Rodgers, Stafford and Adams and fills in the time talking about the Walter Payton award.
He probably couldn't name 5 players on each team.

[YoHoChecko]

We have this posted yet?

[YoHoChecko]

Can you list me the teams this year that are top Super Bowl contenders who have larger impactors than we do from the 2020 draft? Because I really can't outside of Chase Claypool for PIT. Maybe you can also say the Chiefs rookie RB, though he is not the person people think of when they think Chiefs offense.

I think mostly the WFT, Steelers, and Colts are doing the best with their rookie classes among playoff contenders. Neither the Steelers nor Colts had 1st round picks, but Claypool mostly for the Steelers (rotational contributions elsewhere) and Pittman and Blackmon for the Colts... and of course Gibson and Chase young for the WFT.

The Ravens are indeed getting good play from Queen, but no one else and they have vastly regressed as a team despite the great rookie player.

I'm sure there are some OL along the way, as well.

I don't think CEH really counts for the Chiefs; he hasn't given them anything they didn't already have, honestly, from the RB position. He's mostly been just a guy for them after week one.

[BF004]

Why do people think Patrick Queen is playing well? Ravens fans pretty much seem to hate him this year.

Sounds mostly like he lucked his way into a few impact plays, but is awful outside of that.

[YoHoChecko]

Why do people think Patrick Queen is playing well? Ravens fans pretty much seem to hate him this year.

Sounds mostly like he lucked his way into a few impact plays, but is awful outside of that.

Huh, my market is the Ravens and he jumps out pretty routinely and my friends seem to be pleased with the selection, but I'm sure he has a ton of lesser-noticed rookie errors mixed in with the standout plays.

[Pckfn23]

Why do people think Patrick Queen is playing well? Ravens fans pretty much seem to hate him this year.

Sounds mostly like he lucked his way into a few impact plays, but is awful outside of that.

Ya, Patrick Queen is not playing well so far this season.

[BF004]

Holy smokes, his PFF grade is 28.7.

He actually looked okay last night I thought, despite the D giving up 42 points. But I've watched a few Ravens games somehow this year with an eye on him, he looks more lost than Oren Burks.

[YoHoChecko]

Holy smokes, his PFF grade is 28.7.

He actually looked okay last night I thought, despite the D giving up 42 points. But I've watched a few Ravens games somehow this year with an eye on him, he looks more lost than Oren Burks.

[go pak go]

Holy smokes, his PFF grade is 28.7.

He actually looked okay last night I thought, despite the D giving up 42 points. But I've watched a few Ravens games somehow this year with an eye on him, he looks more lost than Oren Burks.

Makes the burn of passing on my #1 draft crush go down a little easier.

[Crazylegs Starks]

[Pckfn23]

This was the first time since Game 3 that high-priced veteran Christian Kirksey and rookie free agent Krys Barnes both were ready to play defense. Kirksey had been on the field for every snap of the 6 ½ games that he played. Kirksey, Barnes and Kamal Martin played in a rotational plan depending on the defensive package until late in the first half when the only linebacker against the Lions’ two-minute offense was Barnes. In the first 12 plays of the second half, Barnes logged all 12 whereas Kirksey had two. Pettine didn’t go back to Kirksey as his lone linebacker until the Lions’ last seven snaps. Other than experience, there’s little reason to continue with Kirksey (46). He’s done more guessing than leading, offers little horsepower against the run and has become an increasing liability in coverage. Barnes (40), who hadn’t played from scrimmage since Game 8 because of COVID-19, is green as grass and not overly dependable at this point. But the coaches have praised his classroom study habits, plus he offers more knockback and ballast than Kirksey in the run game. Martin (12) obviously isn’t as far along as Barnes on assignments but deserves to keep playing in situations.

The tide may be turning.

On the outside, it was a disappointing day for Za’Darius Smith (59), Preston Smith (56) and Rashan Gary (19), who exited after one snap in the third quarter because of an apparent injury. Randy Ramsey (nine) played in the first possession for the first time in his seven games from scrimmage. Za’Darius spent most of the day trying to beat Matt Nelson, a converted defensive lineman making the first start of his two-year career. Nelson just blocked him; the Lions double-teamed Za’Darius on only one-third of his individual rushes. Za’Darius’ highlight was drawing holding penalties with theatrical dives against TE T.J. Hockenson and Nelson. Preston was back on the field for the first six snaps after beginning the past two games on the sidelines. LT Taylor Decker held him without a pressure. Gary outran Nelson for a sack in 4.0 seconds. When Gary didn’t recognize a wide screen pass going over his head, it turned into a 23-yard gain for Peterson.

Yuck... WTF is going on with this group.

Chandon Sullivan (33), the season-long nickel back, gave up too many completions. Also, he was run over on the goal line after gesturing to a teammate as the ball was being snapped. Sullivan suffered a non-contact hip injury on the punt-return team in the second half and gave way to Will Redmond (44), who did a better job in the slot against veteran Danny Amendola. Redmond, a cornerback at Mississippi State, has quick feet and is reckless with his body. He’s just small. Taking Redmond’s berth as the dime safety was rookie Vernon Scott (16), who slammed into T.J. Hockenson from behind to deny the emerging tight end a 29-yard reception. Darnell Savage (68) continued his solid play. His best moment came on an overload blitz for a sack in 2.6 seconds. Kingsley Keke wound up in the A gap forcing Savage to redirect into the B gap, a maneuver that he executed seamlessly. After the sack, there was no need for the second-year man to linger and bump Stafford. Adrian Amos (68) played more in the box than he has in recent weeks and was up and down. After a shaky first quarter and a holding penalty against Hockenson on third and 7, Amos registered the team’s only tackle for loss with a punishing hit in the flat and broke up a goal-line pass to D’Andre Swift.

[RingoCStarrQB]

I believe in the D&D process, however when your depending on high floor, low ceiling player to make a difference in there third year, they better, or you end up with our situation at ILB, and this receiver group is nothing to brag about, minus Rodgers and they'd be selling insurance somewhere.

I hear stuff like once in the playoffs anything can happen, our problems are that is all the farther we get, 20 year with two HOF QB's and what do we have to show for ? 2 SB's

I don't mind for it to take a season of grooming for a first rounder, however first rounders make a difference on most teams, and it's not about one draft pick taking you over the top, it's about how that player enables others to elevate there performance and do so.

look you want to support this FO, I get that, and for the most part I do to, however I expect a 12 slotter to do more then Gary did last year, and he hasn't even beaten out P Smith early this year when Prestin played like a scab, and I will never get on board with the Love pick, we can't get off the field on defense and that pick is part of the reason why.

mostly though I responded to your insult of laughing at people that disagree with you.

Here's some recent draft / free agent history from the Washington team defense that seems to be starting to gel. They've loaded up much differently than Green Bay. Oh, and 4 time Pro Bowler Ryan Kerrigan was a first round pick in 2011. Just sayin'.

DE Montez Sweat 24 1 13 Washington Redskins / 1st / 26th pick / 2019
DE Chase Young 21 Rook 12 Washington Football Team / 1st / 2nd pick / 2020
DT Jonathan Allen 25 3 13 Washington Redskins / 1st / 17th pick / 2017
DT Da'Ron Payne 23 2 13 Washington Redskins / 1st / 13th pick / 2018
OLB Kevin Pierre-Louis 29 6 11 Seattle Seahawks / 4th / 132nd pick / 2014
ILB Jonathan Bostic 29 7 12 Chicago Bears / 2nd / 50th pick / 2013
CB Ronald Darby 26 5 13 Buffalo Bills / 2nd / 50th pick / 2015
CB Kendall Fuller 25 4 11 Washington Redskins / 3rd / 84th pick / 2016

[BF004]

[Yoop]

right from the start Herman expands on what I've been saying, our interior sucks in coverage, biggest problem by far on this defense, and as bad as Queen has been in coverage he is still a improvement over anyone we have.

maybe we should try Alexander in the slot, simply bring some talent into those middle zones.

[Pckfn23]

Queen is not an improvement in coverage, he has been down right BAD in coverage as a rookie. So let's not bring Queen into every topic.

[Yoop]

Queen is not an improvement in coverage, he has been down right BAD in coverage as a rookie. So let's not bring Queen into every topic.

you have no idea what Queen would be on this team, and don't tell me what to do, I'll bring Queen into any topic concerning defense that I want to and he's been no worse in coverage then any ILB we have

[Pckfn23]

I didn't say he would be worse. I said he wouldn't be an improvement.

[Pckfn23]

The Packers are proving to be one of the best offenses in the NFL in controlling the clock. The Packers lead the NFL in time of possession, and the last time Green Bay finished a season No. 1 was 2009.

The Packers also lead the NFL in 5-minute drives with 27 total, which is a staunch improvement from last season when they had 25 total.

Many of these clock-killing drives are coming in the second half of games when the Packers are protecting leads. The run-to-win formula has proven to be effective under LaFleur, who is more willing to lean on the run game late. The Packers are currently seventh with 67.5 rushing yards per game in the second half.

The game stayed close on Sunday due to penalties on both sides of the ball for the Packers. There were a total of 12 penalties for 68 yards committed by 12 different players. On the 13-play scoring drive by the Lions in the fourth quarter, the Packers had five defensive penalties.

The last time the Packers committed more than 12 penalties in a single game was in Week 3 2010 against the Bears. That game featured 18 penalties for 152 yards.

For the first time in Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s young career, he was targeted more than three times in a game while catching every ball. Valdes-Scantling was a perfect 6 of 6 on passes from Rodgers for 85 yards and a TD. MVS also drew a holding penalty to move the chains on a third down.

On Sunday, he produced in areas of the field where he had been struggling – the shallow and intermediate levels of the defense. We’ve seen the big-play grabs down the field, but he was a reliable underneath target too Sunday. Rodgers has confidence and trusts MVS in key third-down and red-zone situations. Now he just needs to string together multiple strong games.

Mike Pettine dialed up a season-high 16 blitz calls against Matthew Stafford and the Lions on Sunday. The Packers did generate two sacks on those 16 calls, but the other 14 snaps saw Stafford comfortably handling the pressure.

Stafford was 11-of-14 passing for 100 yards and a TD against Pettine’s blitzes. Traditionally, Stafford and other veteran quarterbacks have had success against Pettine’s pressure schemes by getting the ball out and beating the blitz with their arms.

To me that screams tighter and more aggressive coverage on the back end. This will lead to more big plays when we don't get home, but I think it all also lead to more stops. With our offense I am not scared of a big play given up here or there.

There are many different philosophies in fielding special-teams groups. The Packers use core members like Ty Summers and Oren Burks to be the captains and fixtures of the units, but the rest of the coverage spots are mostly filled by backups and fringe roster players.

On Agnew’s return, there were no Green Bay defensive starters on the field. Is it time for the Packers’ best players to start filling snaps on special teams?

Having a tight end who can block a defensive end gives your offense tremendous flexibility in both the run and pass game. Marcedes Lewis doesn’t get his number called often, but he’s a staple of the offense.

Lewis is the in-line Y-TE in LaFleur’s offense and it’s a critical role that is needed but gets no glory. Lewis has played 340 snaps on offense and has stayed in to block on 230 of those snaps.

He is often assigned to blocking defensive ends one-on-one during play-action concepts. Hopefully, the run action slows the pass rush, but watch how it’s Lewis keeping Rodgers clean.

[go pak go]

I love Ben Fennell so much.