Not Saying This Isn't a Bad Loss, But.....

[red4tribe]

But let's consider a few things.

1. This was a loss to an AFC team, so it doesn't mean much in the way of tiebreakers.

2. The defense looked solid today, after a rough game last week.

3. Did anyone really think we were going to go in there and light up the Buffalo defense? They've only given up more than 23 points once this year. Yes, Rodgers played like crap, I wasn't expecting that(there goes my fantasy league), but we were never going to score more than 20-25 points anyway.

4. Despite the offense being ineffective, the offensive line didn't look half bad. Opened some running lanes against a tough defensive line. Only gave up one sack, and that was on the fumble at the end of the game.

4. Maybe this will humble Rodgers. Yes, he has had an amazing year, but I am so sick of hearing announcers gush over him when he has a game like this(Like they did in all of our losses). I don't know what was wrong with him, but the communication with the wr's was off all day, and so were a lot of his throws.

5. Maybe this will humble the team. For weeks now we have listened to how we are the team to beat, we're awesome, blah blah blah. That'll be out the window this week, with the very real possibility of not winning the division and even an outside chance of missing the playoffs. Hopefully it refocuses the team.

6. This reminded me a little of the Lions game in Detroit that we lost 7-3 in 2010. The offense was completely inept, with and without Rodgers(who was knocked out just before halftime), and I remember Jennings having a killer drop just like Nelson did today. It would have gone for a TD. Once Rodgers came back, the team refocused and clicked, and we didn't lose until week 15 of 2011.

This was a bad loss, but it's a loss I feel we needed, in some ways. The team needed to be knocked back down to earth, and if there was a game on the schedule to lose, this was it. Getting HFA will be difficult now, but you never know what might happen. I don't want to overreact to this loss. We lost to a good team, that matches up well with us, on the road. Now, if we lose to Tampa next week, everything I said goes out the window.

 

[Sanguine camper]

Winning on the road after a Monday night victory is nearly impossible. Packers have played 3 top 5 defenses this season and have been throttled each time so today's loss should not come as a surprise. Home field advantage now depends on the Packers beating the lions and a Seattle loss.

 

[jaybadger82]

I'm grasping for positives after today's kick in the nuts. Perhaps the loss grounds this team some before the post season.

Plus I get to root for the Vikings and 49ers this afternoon- that's different.

 

[easyk83]

But let's consider a few things.

1. This was a loss to an AFC team, so it doesn't mean much in the way of tiebreakers.

2. The defense looked solid today, after a rough game last week.

3. Did anyone really think we were going to go in there and light up the Buffalo defense? They've only given up more than 23 points once this year. Yes, Rodgers played like crap, I wasn't expecting that(there goes my fantasy league), but we were never going to score more than 20-25 points anyway.

4. Despite the offense being ineffective, the offensive line didn't look half bad. Opened some running lanes against a tough defensive line. Only gave up one sack, and that was on the fumble at the end of the game.

4. Maybe this will humble Rodgers. Yes, he has had an amazing year, but I am so sick of hearing announcers gush over him when he has a game like this(Like they did in all of our losses). I don't know what was wrong with him, but the communication with the wr's was off all day, and so were a lot of his throws.

5. Maybe this will humble the team. For weeks now we have listened to how we are the team to beat, we're awesome, blah blah blah. That'll be out the window this week, with the very real possibility of not winning the division and even an outside chance of missing the playoffs. Hopefully it refocuses the team.

6. This reminded me a little of the Lions game in Detroit that we lost 7-3 in 2010. The offense was completely inept, with and without Rodgers(who was knocked out just before halftime), and I remember Jennings having a killer drop just like Nelson did today. It would have gone for a TD. Once Rodgers came back, the team refocused and clicked, and we didn't lose until week 15 of 2011.

This was a bad loss, but it's a loss I feel we needed, in some ways. The team needed to be knocked back down to earth, and if there was a game on the schedule to lose, this was it. Getting HFA will be difficult now, but you never know what might happen. I don't want to overreact to this loss. We lost to a good team, that matches up well with us, on the road. Now, if we lose to Tampa next week, everything I said goes out the window.

What kills me, it's not that Rodgers had a bad game. It's that once again we lost a 1 score game in which we went away from the running game, even though it was productive. How do you not manage a 50/50 run pass balance in that game? I used to think it was MM being pass happy but now I think it's been Rodgers all along.

 

[jaybadger82]

Meh. Too many drops by our receivers today. That annoyed me more than the run/pass splits.

 

[easyk83]

Meh. Too many drops by our receivers today. That annoyed me more than the run/pass splits.

Mistakes happen, but how hard is it to adjust and start going with what's working?

 

[jaybadger82]

Mistakes happen, but how hard is it to adjust and start going with what's working?

Well, by the time you're down nine points in the fourth quarter, it's hard to just grind with the run game because the clock isn't on your side.

Overall, I didn't think MM (or Rodgers) neglected the run and one could argue that the threat of our passing game kept the box from becoming too crowded for Lacy. Your opinion is your opinion but the run/pass splits don't make my list of reasons the Packers lost this game. Seems like a strange thing to fixate on as opposed to all the balls our receivers let bounce off their hands this afternoon. (I'm still shaking my head.)

 

[Carl]

The double move was a great adjustment. Unfortunately, doesn't work when it's not executed.

 

[Jereycheesehead]

All things we did wrong can be fixed today hopefully it was a huge wake up call for the team sucks I got to watch Rodgers worst game of his career live at the Ralph lol

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

Everybody is due a bad game and this was the Packers' bad game.

If the Packers beat a lowly Bucs team in Tampa and the Lions at home, it still means a first round bye and home field if AZ falters.

 

[red4tribe]

Everybody is due a bad game and this was the Packers' bad game.

If the Packers beat a lowly Bucs team in Tampa and the Lions at home, it still means a first round bye and home field if AZ falters.

Seattle would have to falter too, for HFA, since we lose the tiebreaker.

 

[GoPGo]

1. This was a loss to an AFC team, so it doesn't mean much in the way of tiebreakers.

Sure it does, because it greatly increased the chances we will have to worry about tiebreakers at all.

 

[melvin dangerr]

I guess what I don't like is Buffalo getting credit for a dominating performance,,HUH!!! they had some moments Blocked Kick-INT-punt return, BUT 25or so dropped PASSES, not deflections or Int's drops, if I mean if in past tense they were completions its 300+yds for A-rod, special teams is not special at all is this not the 3rd game with a blocked kick?, and as far as kicking Mason is the man, up front is the problem and the punter should be playing for his job 30-35 yd punts will not get it really glad not for fire Dom Capers post, but he needs to drill these highly paid players, a lot harder, flag foot ball this is not, I said it before Wisconsin has a lot of wrestling champions HIRE ONE to teach take downs, J Peppers REALLY 180lb receiver puts you on your back and keeps you there, wish we could draft 3 more Clays, A-rod you got lucky you should have been picked 4times bad decisions on 3 of them, finally MM spending more time screaming at Refs for bad calls and less time at players for STOOPID penaltys...enough I can say...

 

[OldSchool101]

But let's consider a few things.

1. This was a loss to an AFC team, so it doesn't mean much in the way of tiebreakers.

2. The defense looked solid today, after a rough game last week.

3. Did anyone really think we were going to go in there and light up the Buffalo defense? They've only given up more than 23 points once this year. Yes, Rodgers played like crap, I wasn't expecting that(there goes my fantasy league), but we were never going to score more than 20-25 points anyway.

4. Despite the offense being ineffective, the offensive line didn't look half bad. Opened some running lanes against a tough defensive line. Only gave up one sack, and that was on the fumble at the end of the game.

4. Maybe this will humble Rodgers. Yes, he has had an amazing year, but I am so sick of hearing announcers gush over him when he has a game like this(Like they did in all of our losses). I don't know what was wrong with him, but the communication with the wr's was off all day, and so were a lot of his throws.

5. Maybe this will humble the team. For weeks now we have listened to how we are the team to beat, we're awesome, blah blah blah. That'll be out the window this week, with the very real possibility of not winning the division and even an outside chance of missing the playoffs. Hopefully it refocuses the team.

6. This reminded me a little of the Lions game in Detroit that we lost 7-3 in 2010. The offense was completely inept, with and without Rodgers(who was knocked out just before halftime), and I remember Jennings having a killer drop just like Nelson did today. It would have gone for a TD. Once Rodgers came back, the team refocused and clicked, and we didn't lose until week 15 of 2011.

This was a bad loss, but it's a loss I feel we needed, in some ways. The team needed to be knocked back down to earth, and if there was a game on the schedule to lose, this was it. Getting HFA will be difficult now, but you never know what might happen. I don't want to overreact to this loss. We lost to a good team, that matches up well with us, on the road. Now, if we lose to Tampa next week, everything I said goes out the window.

Overall just well said

 

[adambr2]

We are not getting the #1 seed. It would require 2 AZ losses and would require Seattle losing at HOME in Week 17,vs St Louis. It's just not going to happen.

I've accepted that and will be rooting for AZ to lock up the #1 next week over Seattle. Let's focus on winning our last 2 and getting that bye. If Seattle has to win 3 road games to get to the Super Bowl, they'll be at a tremendous disadvantage. We can win in AZ.

 

[Carl]

We are not getting the #1 seed. It would require 2 AZ losses and would require Seattle losing at HOME in Week 17,vs St Louis. It's just not going to happen.

I've accepted that and will be rooting for AZ to lock up the #1 next week over Seattle. Let's focus on winning our last 2 and getting that bye. If Seattle has to win 3 road games to get to the Super Bowl, they'll be at a tremendous disadvantage. We can win in AZ.

We could win in Seattle too. Yes, it's less likely and I'd rather play in AZ.

How cool would it be to go Seattle and win to get to the Super Bowl though?

 

[ExpatPacker]

Considering who won and who lost in the rest of the NFL today, this was not a good loss.

A loss is never good but I don't have the optimism some of you have here. Since the last half of the Falcons game and today, I do not see anything resembling a SB contender. So to play devil's advocate:

1. Our STs have been an issue all season. Blocked FGs, XPs. Mastay's punting. Kick return woes. Slocum.

2. Seattle, Detroit, Buffalo. A pattern of the offense getting shut down by good defenses. Not slowed down, shut down. Can you have any reasonable confidence if this team has to play Detroit or Seattle away, or even the Cardinals in the playoffs? Rodgers has done poorly against these teams, and today was his worst.

3. The Packers not showing they can win on the road this year. And in the playoffs, that's where they may be--on the road. Their bad road losses far outnumber their good road wins.

4. It's one thing if you lose a close one on the road and play well, but this offense was putrid today outside of Lacy and Cobb. After a strong middle season surge, the Packers now seem to be stumbling towards the end. Other teams are coming on strong, the Packers are going in the other direction.

I'm not saying the Packers are doomed. I'd be shocked if they didn't make the playoffs, but I"m not liking some of things I see from this team as we head towards the end.

 

[adambr2]

We could win in Seattle too. Yes, it's less likely and I'd rather play in AZ.

How cool would it be to go Seattle and win to get to the Super Bowl though?

I'm an odds guy. I'll take my chances with the smoke and mirrors team with a 3rd string QB and no running game over the champs in one of the toughest venues.

Satisfying as it would be to get there through Seattle, I'd rather take the path more likely to get there at all. I'm not particularly confident in our odds of winning in Seattle. They can come visit us in the divisional round instead.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

This game should humble McCarthy. You have a close game and a running back averaging almost 6.5 yards per carry but you only give him the ball 15 times? While asking your obviously out of sync QB to throw the ball 42 times?!

 

[jaybadger82]

The problem with playing Seattle on the road is that they'll do exactly what Buffalo did today: clutch and grab receivers all over the secondary. That is a mother****er for our Packers.

Refs seem loathe to flag more than one or two such penalties (illegal contact, pass interference) per game, despite the early season emphasis this year. When defenses are persistent about it, the officials eventually stop throwings flags. It's like they step back and decide to let them play rather than enforce the rules. It's ********. Add a raucous home crowd and the officials will probably be cowed into letting that Seattle defense do exactly what it did last year (i.e., plenty of clutching and grabbing in the secondary).

Not blaming today's loss on the officials but holy **** was it bad in Buffalo. I hope the Packers send some ****ing tape to the NFL offices.

 

[brandon2348]

We could win in Seattle too. Yes, it's less likely and I'd rather play in AZ.

How cool would it be to go Seattle and win to get to the Super Bowl though?

I can't even put into words how cool it would be. I would walk around the city of Seattle for quite some time with the biggest damn cheesehead I could get my hands on.

In reality we all want what we think is the easiest path to the super bowl but it rarely works out that way. 2011 and 2007 are proof of that. Our one Super Bowl in the last decade included three playoff road wins as most know.

Maybe this team is supposed to go back to Seattle. Time will tell but at this point I agree with others that this team just needs to re-focus and win these next two games and let the chips fall where they fall. Were pretty healthy and our defense is better then the last few years. Throw in Aaron Rodgers and we gotta shot against anyone.

 

[brandon2348]

The problem with playing Seattle on the road is that they'll do exactly what Buffalo did today: clutch and grab receivers all over the secondary. That is a ************ for our Packers.

Refs seem loathe to flag more than one or two such penalties (illegal contact, pass interference) per game, despite the early season emphasis this year. When defenses are persistent about it, the officials eventually stop throwings flags. It's like they step back and decide to let them play rather than enforce the rules. It's ********. Add a raucous home crowd and the officials will probably be cowed into letting that Seattle defense do exactly what it did last year (i.e., plenty of clutching and grabbing in the secondary).

Not blaming today's loss on the officials but holy **** was it bad in Buffalo. I hope the Packers send some ******* tape to the NFL offices.

Yeah. On the deflection off Boykin for example the db basically grabbed Boykins arms and pulled them back preventing him of having any chance of making a catch.

 

[adambr2]

Something to help us keep perspective after a rough game : If we win our next 3 games, we will be playing in the NFC Championship Game. And 2 of those next 3 will be at home where we haven't lost, and the other against a 2 win team.

 

[ExpatPacker]

Yeah. On the deflection off Boykin for example the db basically grabbed Boykins arms and pulled them back preventing him of having any chance of making a catch.

I think both MM and Rodgers made it clear that they didn't like the way the game was being called. Still there was a basic mistake in the Packers' game plan in that they refused to make the adjustment to having Lacy and Starks pound the ball more. The Bills were using the same defensive scheme that they did last week against the Broncos. The Packers didn't prepare for it, while on the other hand the Broncos made an in-game adjustment by running the ball down their throats, and it worked. Lacy and Starks and the OL were tearing holes in their defense, and they saw the ball only 1 out of 3 plays.


Also, how about some more screens and quick passes for chrissakes! MM and AR seem to very often default to the medium-long pass game. Why??? When everyone in the whole stadium can see that this is what the defensive secondary is playing, change it up a little! It was just like MM said: we're not going away from our normal game plan. Guess what Mike--the normal game plan didn't work!

Also, we really miss JFinley who could have run short routes across the middle all day on this kind of defense.

 

[Carl]

I'm an odds guy. I'll take my chances with the smoke and mirrors team with a 3rd string QB and no running game over the champs in one of the toughest venues.

Satisfying as it would be to get there through Seattle, I'd rather take the path more likely to get there at all. I'm not particularly confident in our odds of winning in Seattle. They can come visit us in the divisional round instead.

I can't even put into words how cool it would be. I would walk around the city of Seattle for quite some time with the biggest damn cheesehead I could get my hands on.

In reality we all want what we think is the easiest path to the super bowl but it rarely works out that way. 2011 and 2007 are proof of that. Our one Super Bowl in the last decade included three playoff road wins as most know.

Maybe this team is supposed to go back to Seattle. Time will tell but at this point I agree with others that this team just needs to re-focus and win these next two games and let the chips fall where they fall. Were pretty healthy and our defense is better then the last few years. Throw in Aaron Rodgers and we gotta shot against anyone.

Of course I'd rather not visit Seattle as well. It would just be awesome to go there and get a win.