Offensive Talent

[Mondio]

I thought he had to step out for a minute in there. I didn't see a replay. He's a very talented back, get him some space and our run game should be able to take pressure off the rest. But they have to do all the things up front to make it better.

 

[sschind]

I know he was, i watched the game too. it's what happens when you can't run the ball and they have zero respect for it and can pin their ears back and attack. 3rd and 17 is not a great position to be in. we probably had more 3rd and 7+ plays than we had runs of more than 4 yards.

I'm not advocating making this a pass first offense where we throw the ball 70% of the time again. I don't want that. I'm sure they want to run the ball more, I want to run the ball more, but they must be more successful at it. When you go zero yards, they're only going to give you so many opportunities.

I think this is where you and some others and I differ, I think they ran fewer times because it was so unsuccessful. It mostly put them behind the sticks and that's not where you want to be against the Bears. And others think the run game wasn't great because they didn't run enough and i don't agree with that.

We all agree the blocking and running and production must get better and quickly.

I agree, if it is just not working you can't force it. On the other hand I don't think production against the Bears is exactly a good judge of how productive your run game is going to be. I think we are pretty much on the same page but we are just trying to express it differently. As you said it needs to get better and I am confident it will.

 

[OldSchool101]

I'm making t-shirts!

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https://www.packers.com/news/davante-adams-wants-to-see-results-fast-on-offense

I called it Bro. Davante really means well....but he’s too late. I got this!
Can we get a patent on that? Any investors? I’m broke until Friday.

 

[Mondio]

I agree, if it is just not working you can't force it. On the other hand I don't think production against the Bears is exactly a good judge of how productive your run game is going to be. I think we are pretty much on the same page but we are just trying to express it differently. As you said it needs to get better and I am confident it will.

I definitely don't think what we saw against the Bears is as good as we'll get. I've often said, it will be weeks 4-6 until this offense starts to round out into something resembling an NFL offense. They'll surges and sputters until then.

 

[sschind]

I definitely don't think what we saw against the Bears is as good as we'll get. I've often said, it will be weeks 4-6 until this offense starts to round out into something resembling an NFL offense. They'll surges and sputters until then.

I really think everyone is making too much out of 1 game. Sure I want more and I want it now, but everyone who expected a new offense with very little live game action to come out firing on all cylinders and rack up a ton of yards and points against a very good defense (and another one to come) will be disappointed. I simply don't believe it is realistic.

I understand Poker's point that other teams didn't have rust but again I'll say this. ITS BEEN ONE GAME. Lets see if the Ravens put up 59 this week against a team that is not the Dolphins. I'm not saying it is necessarily acceptable and that we should be happy about it all I am saying is that sometime your preferred outcomes are not all that reasonable. IMO its nothing to get bent out of shape over and some people are doing just that.

As far as Adams and MLF and Aaron Rodgers, they are saying exactly what I want them to say. "We have to get better and it has to happen soon" I wouldn't expect or want them to say anything else but even if they truly feel this way I can't help but think they know it might take a little time.

Lastly, even though the Bears have one of the best defenses in the league I think a lot of Packer fan hand wringing over the lack of offensive production stems from the fact that we played the Bears. No on want to look bad against our rivals. Had we played the next best defense (I'm just going to say the Rams) the same people who are now saying " we looked like crap, we need to get better right now" would be saying well it was the Rams after all. No one wants to give the Bears credit for anything but honestly I think they had A LOT to do with how bad we looked.

 

[Mondio]

No one wants to give the Bears credit for anything but honestly I think they had A LOT to do with how bad we looked.

agree on all points I think, just wanted to mention this last part. I remember one play, looked like Jones had a crease and it was going to go for a big one, and I think it was R.Smith that came flying in and shut that down so fast. I couldn't believe. Their defense was playing at a different speed than our offense most plays. They made us fight for every single yard and that defense is legit, no doubt about that.

By the same token, it was nice to see our defense finally start making a team work for everything they got.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Roquan Smith really impressed me. He could turn out to be one hell of good pick for the Bears in 2018. The Bears have "benefited" from some dreadful seasons of late and they have done pretty well with the picks, at least on Defense.

2018- Roguan Smith (picked #8)
2016- Leonard Floyd (picked #9)
2014- Kyle Fuller (#14)

It's actually interesting and probably just coincidence, but if you look at the last 10 years of Bears drafts, in odd years their first pick was an offensive player and even years, defense.

 

[sschind]

Roquan Smith really impressed me. He could turn out to be one hell of good pick for the Bears in 2018. The Bears have "benefited" from some dreadful seasons of late and they have done pretty well with the picks, at least on Defense.

2018- Roguan Smith (picked #8)
2016- Leonard Floyd (picked #9)
2014- Kyle Fuller (#14)

It's actually interesting and probably just coincidence, but if you look at the last 10 years of Bears drafts, in odd years their first pick was an offensive player and even years, defense.

Its funny because Smith and Lloyd were 2 guys I wanted for the Packers in those two years. I didn't really expect any chance to get Lloyd given where we were picking but I was kind of thinking maybe Smith might fall to our pick at 14. Its kind of fun to think what might have happened if he had.

That said I am perfectly happy with how both first rounds turned out.

 

[Mavster]

In terms of offensive talent i think it's hard to argue that GB is anything more than average when compared to the rest of the league.

Adams is a phenomenal possession guy. But he's never going to be a threat over the top like most other top receivers in the game today. I think MVS can potentially be that player for us but time will tell. I have faith though. He can fly!

What the Packers have lacked (for years) is a talented receiving back. You take a look at any of the other top offenses in the league and the one major thing that separates us from them is their ability to dump it off to the RB that can make guys miss and pick up YAC. The Pats have done this better than any other team in the league for ages. The Saints have gifted Brees with Sproles, Ingram, and now freakin Kamara.

 

[easyk83]

At this point, I tend to agree with this and it also isn't going to be that much easier against the Vikings Defense. However, am I the only one sick of hearing this every fricking year? "The offense just needs time to jell and get rolling, they are rusty". I watched more NFL football this weekend than I normally do and I saw quite a few "first week" offenses look far from rusty. Rodgers isn't a rookie QB, this offense doesn't have a lot of new moving parts to it.

So yeah, I get it, Rodgers didn't play all preseason because of this and that, this is a new offense, etc.....but what the hell are they doing during the offseason and preseason? This isn't like they all just met last Thursday, took off their street clothes, put on the pads and decided to play together again.

I will probably take some heat over this post, but I'm really getting tired of "they just need a few games to knock the rust off". Then do THAT! In the preseason.

No you're not the only one, IMO the concern over Rodgers health in the Preseason is setting our offense back for atleast 2 games during the regular season. We need to get him more practice snaps during camp and we need to get him atleast 4 quarters of play during the PS. I get not wanting to expose him to a bunch of bubble guys desperately trying to make a roster but come on.

 

[sschind]

No you're not the only one, IMO the concern over Rodgers health in the Preseason is setting our offense back for atleast 2 games during the regular season. We need to get him more practice snaps during camp and we need to get him atleast 4 quarters of play during the PS. I get not wanting to expose him to a bunch of bubble guys desperately trying to make a roster but come on.

We are 3-0 and he has had a full 12 quarters of snaps now so I'd have to say it really didn't set us back any this season. He should be caught up by now.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

The game plan is bad. Adams and Jones both minimized against the Broncos. Just look at the Chargers. You wouldn't say they have overwhelming receiving talent outside of Allen and yet when was the last time Allen had FIVE targets in an entire game? Chargers at least scheme ways to get the ball to their playmakers, Packers make MVS and Williams the focus of theirs.

Mlf was brought in to modernize the offense. Instead, the Packers look like the Titans but with an upgrade at QB (admittedly, a very big improvement).

 

[Dantés]

The Packers lack a WR who can uncover early in the down and create quick separation. This was Cobb's role and it hasn't been replaced. This is why I was hoping for a WR of that skillset in the draft.

I don't care if you call it a #2 or #3 or whatever. Those designations are basically meaningless. It's a skill set that is absent on the roster right now. And it's a skill set that lends itself to 3rd down conversions, an area that has been a struggle for the Packers.

 

[Do7]

The Packers lack a WR who can uncover early in the down and create quick separation. This was Cobb's role and it hasn't been replaced. This is why I was hoping for a WR of that skillset in the draft.

I don't care if you call it a #2 or #3 or whatever. Those designations are basically meaningless. It's a skill set that is absent on the roster right now. And it's a skill set that lends itself to 3rd down conversions, an area that has been a struggle for the Packers.

Wait I thought everyone was high on Allison stepping in and replacing Cobb for that role. (I know you didn't say that but still, that seemed to be the premise I got from a handful of people.)

 

[Dantés]

Wait I thought everyone was high on Allison stepping in and replacing Cobb for that role. (I know you didn't say that but still, that seemed to be the premise I got from a handful of people.)

I think Allison can produce in the slot, but not in the same way that Cobb did.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Wait I thought everyone was high on Allison stepping in and replacing Cobb for that role. (I know you didn't say that but still, that seemed to be the premise I got from a handful of people.)

Speaking for myself, I never thought Alison was going to be a great slot receiver, but I think the Packers hoped that he could fill that role. I've always viewed Allison and MVS as pretty similar and both better when lined up wide. At this point, I view MVS as the better of the 2 players. But I agree with Dante's previous post, the Packers should have gone after a slot player in Free Agency or the Draft and it appears that they dropped the ball by not doing so.

So far, Allison has been a disappointment to me. 5 catches for 23 yards (4.6 ave). Cobb seemed much better at working in traffic, not afraid to take a hit and definitely knew what to do to get open when a play broke down.

I wouldn't mind seeing what Shepherd can do out of the slot against the Eagles, otherwise we may just see more of Davante in the slot. Where ever they line Davante up, he definitely needs more than the 4 targets that he saw today.

 

[GreenNGold_81]

I think we gotta get our short pass game rocking again. Gone are the days of Driver, Jones, Jennings, Jordy. We've replaced those 4 WR's with...Adams. Of course our offense is going to struggle. I agree with Pokerbrat, time to see what Shepherd can do in the slot. Part of me also wonders if the Packers have been looking ahead to the Eagles game - wanting to keep people fresh for it and not show much on tape.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Part of me also wonders if the Packers have been looking ahead to the Eagles game - wanting to keep people fresh for it and not show much on tape.

I really wish that was the case, but I think the Bears, Vikings and maybe even the Broncos were tough opponents, ones that you wouldn't want to hold anything back against, just to prepare for the Eagles.

The Packers offense just isn't all that great right now and I hope that changes and they find their groove. Unfortunately, my fear before the season started, of them putting way too much faith in a bunch of inexperienced WR's, has shown some merit, but I fully expect them to prove me completely wrong.

3 Wins for the Defense this year!

 

[Mondio]

i dont' care what their skill set is, there were 3-4 drive extending catches that weren't yesterday. that hurts. 3 more catches turns into 9 plays or more pretty quickly. It changes field position, scoring opportunities, rest for defense, builds a rhythm on offense etc. It's the same as last year, sure the offense isn't looking great, but making the plays there to be made sure helps. There was a period where it seemed the defense knew exactly the play being run, that was ugly.

 

[tynimiller]

i dont' care what their skill set is, there were 3-4 drive extending catches that weren't yesterday. that hurts. 3 more catches turns into 9 plays or more pretty quickly. It changes field position, scoring opportunities, rest for defense, builds a rhythm on offense etc. It's the same as last year, sure the offense isn't looking great, but making the plays there to be made sure helps. There was a period where it seemed the defense knew exactly the play being run, that was ugly.

MVS is dynamic, and honestly left a few receptions and another 40 yards or so out there yesterday. I'm excited to see his progression, but dude looks at times like a young James Jones who struggled with hard hands.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

Packers threw the ball 4 times to their best WR, 4 TIMES!!! Offensive talent might be an issue but the gameplan against Denver was terrible. Sure, add more talent but it won't matter if the team doesn't actually try and utilize their best players. The Chargers, another team with one dynamic WR and nothing else, managed to target Allen 17 times (!) against a better defense but the Packers couldn't figure out a way to target Adams ONCE in the second half! I feel I should also point out that a week after tearing up a great run defense, Jones saw his touches drop to 11...just think about that. The two best playmakers on the Packers' offense saw the ball a combined 15 times. Offensive talent is NOT the biggest problem in this scheme right now.

MLF is still early in his tenure but so far he's looking like the same guy that did nothing exciting in Tennessee.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

The Packers lack a WR who can uncover early in the down and create quick separation. This was Cobb's role and it hasn't been replaced. This is why I was hoping for a WR of that skillset in the draft.

I don't care if you call it a #2 or #3 or whatever. Those designations are basically meaningless. It's a skill set that is absent on the roster right now. And it's a skill set that lends itself to 3rd down conversions, an area that has been a struggle for the Packers.

Adams is actually really good at this. His release and route running are among the best in the league and he can get open VERY quickly.

 

[Dantés]

Adams is actually really good at this. His release and route running are among the best in the league and he can get open VERY quickly.

I'm aware. But we are talking about complimentary weapons. Adams cannot be a one man WR corps.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

I'm aware. But we are talking about complimentary weapons. Adams cannot be a one man WR corps.

Granted, but he can be moved around and actually utilized. If MVS and Geronimo aren't good at this, then move Adams into the slot and let the other guys do the things they're best at. Do something besides ignoring the best receiver on the team.

 

[Mondio]

Packers threw the ball 4 times to their best WR, 4 TIMES!!! Offensive talent might be an issue but the gameplan against Denver was terrible. Sure, add more talent but it won't matter if the team doesn't actually try and utilize their best players. The Chargers, another team with one dynamic WR and nothing else, managed to target Allen 17 times (!) against a better defense but the Packers couldn't figure out a way to target Adams ONCE in the second half! I feel I should also point out that a week after tearing up a great run defense, Jones saw his touches drop to 11...just think about that. The two best playmakers on the Packers' offense saw the ball a combined 15 times. Offensive talent is NOT the biggest problem in this scheme right now.

MLF is still early in his tenure but so far he's looking like the same guy that did nothing exciting in Tennessee.

the Chargers LOST, the Packers won.

i'll take 5 targets and win any day.

Jones had 10 rushes for 19 yards. Want more touches? gain more yards. No idea how he got that TD, he squirted right thru, great run, but you have to do more with the opportunities

Williams on the other hand had 1 more rushing attempt for almost 60 and 1 more passing attempt for 23 more yards in the passing game.