Game 1 - What Are You Looking For?

[Pokerbrat2000]

Fair enough. I agree, the discussions about CMIII, Capers, TT, Janis, fill in the blank, get old and repetitive, especially for those of us who have taken part in them and they probably don't need to be revisited every time one of them flushes a toilet.

 

[GBkrzygrl]

Way too many missed tackles from the starters on defense last night. Like you said in an earlier post, if we hadn't seen that theme over and over last season, I would write it off to the veterans playing a little tentative in a meaningless preseason game, not wanting to sustain a major injury. But if they don't clean that up by the regular season, this defense is going to allow opponents way to many opportunities to keep drives going while frustrating and wearing down our defense in the process. Our defense at times seems to be playing well, then you see them make a mistake or two and the ball starts rolling.

Someone else mentioned about the limited practice of tackling and I think that may have a lot to do with it. Although I was thinking at the time, "Yeah, the defense if getting so much better."

It was good to see all those interceptions though.

 

[Candidate for Deletion]

Fair enough. I agree, the discussions about CMIII, Capers, TT, Janis, fill in the blank, get old and repetitive, especially for those of us who have taken part in them and they probably don't need to be revisited every time one of them flushes a toilet.

Granted, but to be fair there was a whole lot of toilet flushing this week.

 

[Mondio]

bad chicken?

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

bad chicken?

choking something, not sure it was their chickens.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Someone else mentioned about the limited practice of tackling and I think that may have a lot to do with it. Although I was thinking at the time, "Yeah, the defense if getting so much better."

It was good to see all those interceptions though.

I kind of understand that "Can't practice tackling like we once did due to the new rules". But come on.......Clay Matthews shouldn't need to practice or hone up on his tackling skills, nor should many of these guys. Isn't that what they did in HS and college and probably why they were drafted in the NFL....they knew how to tackle and were good at it in college.

I understand the need for getting back into the football mind set and establish timing with other players, learning systems, plays, etc. after such a long offseason, but I don't buy into any excuse that their tackling skills got rusty.

 

[Carl]

I kind of understand that "Can't practice tackling like we once did due to the new rules". But come on.......Clay Matthews shouldn't need to practice or hone up on his tackling skills, nor should many of these guys. Isn't that what they did in HS and college and probably why they were drafted in the NFL....they knew how to tackle and were good at it in college.

I understand the need for getting back into the football mind set and establish timing with other players, learning systems, plays, etc. after such a long offseason, but I don't buy into any excuse that their tackling skills got rusty.

I could see any football or sport skills get rusty if's it's hardly practiced in 9 months, even in professionals.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I could see any football or sport skills get rusty if's it's hardly practiced in 9 months, even in professionals.

Feels like an excuse to me, at least for veteran players and for a skill that they should already be possessed. We don't see much of AR or Jordy in the preseason, not just to prevent needless injuries, but because they have basic skill sets down really well and use practices to knock the rust off. I understand the rookies needing to rehone and somewhat relearn their tackling skills in live action, the NFL is played at a different speed, but 3rd year and beyond players like Randall, Rollins, Gunter, Matthews, Burnett? If those guys are rusty, then I hope MM keeps working their tails off throughout the preseason practices and games, until they remember how to tackle.

 

[Carl]

Feels like an excuse to me, at least for veteran players and for a skill that they should already be possessed. We don't see much of AR or Jordy in the preseason, not just to prevent needless injuries, but because they have basic skill sets down really well and use practices to knock the rust off. I understand the rookies needing to rehone and somewhat relearn their tackling skills in live action, the NFL is played at a different speed, but 3rd year and beyond players like Randall, Rollins, Gunter, Matthews, Burnett? If those guys are rusty, then I hope MM keeps working their tails off throughout the preseason practices and games, until they remember how to tackle.

To be fair, Rodgers was very rusty to begin last season. If it was due to a lack of preseason play, I don't know. Rodgers does say he doesn't need preseason snaps.

Practicing throwing and routes is also much easier in practice since it's allowed every day, unlike tackling.

If the missed tackles trend continues into the regular reason, then obviously it's an issue, but Clay missing one tackle in the first series of the first preseason game doesn't concern me.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

To be fair, Rodgers was very rusty to begin last season. If it was due to a lack of preseason play, I don't know. Rodgers does say he doesn't need preseason snaps.

Practicing throwing and routes is also much easier in practice since it's allowed every day, unlike tackling.

If the missed tackles trend continues into the regular reason, then obviously it's an issue, but Clay missing one tackle in the first series of the first preseason game doesn't concern me.

I agree on most of that, but the last part is what does have me concerned. This is nothing new, it plagued the defense last year, including Clay, during the regular season and right on through during that pathetic showing in Atlanta. I fear this isn't just rust, the art of tackling needs to get better for our defense.

 

[Carl]

I agree on most of that, but the last part is what does have me concerned. This is nothing new, it plagued the defense last year, including Clay, during the regular season and right on through during that pathetic showing in Atlanta. I fear this isn't just rust, the art of tackling needs to get better for our defense.

You're right that the tackling certainly needs to be better than last year. We'll find out soon.

 

[Patriotplayer90]

On a positive note, Josh Jones graded out well on PFF. On a not so positive note, the second rounder we traded up for last year looks like complete garbage.

 

[easyk83]

So was CMIII at one time, which was the reason he was paid so much. I get it, there are some slippery QB's out there, but the hope for most fans is that CMIII returns to his old form and that miss reminded me a lot of his new form. I haven't give up on Clay yet, but he is one player the Packers are going to need to rely on to play at a high level.

I get it but even Clay at his old form occasionally missed, but let's wait till we have a larger sample size before we form any conclusions as to his current level of ability. It wasn't even a regular game, you have to believe that he'd be playing even harder come regular season.

 

[easyk83]

To be fair, Rodgers was very rusty to begin last season. If it was due to a lack of preseason play, I don't know. Rodgers does say he doesn't need preseason snaps.

Practicing throwing and routes is also much easier in practice since it's allowed every day, unlike tackling.

If the missed tackles trend continues into the regular reason, then obviously it's an issue, but Clay missing one tackle in the first series of the first preseason game doesn't concern me.

Rodgers says a lot of things, for instance he seemed to openly doubt the necessity of the newer offensive concepts that were increasingly relied upon a season and a half ago, ie man beater routes. Part of what makes him a great quarterback also can make him irrational unreasonable and downright foolish at times.

 

[easyk83]

I know I know it was against 3rd stringers but that play by Evans was superb, haven't seen a Packers Safety show that much closing speed since Nick Collins.

 

[gopkrs]

Finally was able to see the 1st 3 quarters. I liked the way the D backfield was swarming to the ball and trying to play the ball close. Some have mentioned that Hundley was not that good but I saw an awful lot of drops of catchable balls. So he could have had a better game if those drops did not happen. But the main thing I saw was that Spriggs was absolutely horrible! I made it a point to watch him and he was getting beat on just about every single play. And worse...he did not have any intensity. He looked meek to me. He did a pretty good job of running to the QB or the running back after the play to help him up. Mostly his fault they were on their *** though.

 

[PackFan2]

Jason Spriggs didn't look so hot. He gave up alot of plays and got beat. I'm gonna be keeping a close eye on him

 

[Reese2017]

Price and Ricky Jean looked good as second line we'll better on the d line look for breakout year from price Ricky Jean is really helping him a lot.