Packers vs Lions: Studs n Duds

[OldSchool101]

If that goofball Goober didn't harp on that incessantly last night folks wouldn't be crying about it still today. The Lions had plenty of opportunities to put us away last night and they didn't/couldn't.

Exactly.
This whining reminds me of “the catch”. Which also didn’t necessarily decide the game nor was it the last couple plays that was definitive.

This was not like the playoffs last year, whereas 1 controversial play truly cost the game. There was a ton of time left with GB playing good D and the GB Offense marching up and down the field. GB would’ve had over 500+ yards of total Offense plus more points if they wanted to. Also, don’t forget, GB chose the clock over points. They could’ve had both as they completely and deliberately controlled the finish.

This was likely a non issue either way. The Lions fought hard but GB totally outplayed them. Just Look at the stats.
3 turnovers and Detroit was still clearly inferior. Anyone denying that is deceiving themselves

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Crosby. Perfect night on a night when he needed to be perfect.

I'm banking this one for the next time the "Cut Mason Crosby Debate" comes up again, because it will!

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I know that "Winning the Stats" doesn't always equal a win, but despite all this back and forth and media outrage about penalties, hard to deny that the better team ended up winning the game last night, while turning the ball over 3 times to boot.

1st downs converted GB: 22 DET: 13

4th down GB: 4-12 DET: 3-13

Total yards GB: 447 DET: 299

Yards per play GB: 6.5 DET: 5.4

Passing yards GB: 277 DET: 243

Rushing yards GB: 170 DET: 56

Penalties GB: 6 DET: 8

Penalty Yards GB: 48 Lions: 50

T.O.P GB: 33:04 DET: 26:56

 

[Dantés]

Jamaal Williams is definitely a stud. I have questioned his talent in the past, but he's just a glue guy on this team. From afar, it seems like his attitude really fires up teammates. And he's reliable in performing what's asked of him.

Jimmy Graham is a dud. That guy just doesn't do anything well any more. He's a terrible blocker, he doesn't have speed to stretch the seam, or quicks to pick up YAC. He's really paid at this point to be a jump ball specialist, and he's not very consistent with that either. Just a bust of a signing.

 

[OldSchool101]

I know that "Winning the Stats" doesn't always equal a win, but despite all this back and forth and media outrage about penalties, hard to deny that the better team ended up winning the game last night, while turning the ball over 3 times to boot.

1st downs converted GB: 22 DET: 13

4th down GB: 4-12 DET: 3-13

Total yards GB: 447 DET: 299

Yards per play GB: 6.5 DET: 5.4

Passing yards GB: 277 DET: 243

Rushing yards GB: 170 DET: 56

Penalties GB: 6 DET: 8

Penalty Yards GB: 48 Lions: 50

T.O.P GB: 33:04 DET: 26:56

yes. And of course the most important stat at the close

GB 5-1-0 Detroit 2-2-1
I know. I know. That was just plain mean.

Jamaal Williams is definitely a stud. I have questioned his talent in the past, but he's just a glue guy on this team. From afar, it seems like his attitude really fires up teammates. And he's reliable in performing what's asked of him.

Jimmy Graham is a dud. That guy just doesn't do anything well any more. He's a terrible blocker, he doesn't have speed to stretch the seam, or quicks to pick up YAC. He's really paid at this point to be a jump ball specialist, and he's not very consistent with that either. Just a bust of a signing.

Jamaal Williams is ascending while Graham is descending. Jamaal is a good blocker, runner and receiver.

 

[Dantés]

Dean Lowry was a stud holding up against the run last night. His play is a big reason why that issue has improved.

 

[grampi]

I'm sick of hearing how the refs handed the game to the Packers with their bad calls against the Lions. I'll comment by saying the same thing that is always said when a team is said to have been robbed by bad calls...the Lions didn't play well enough to win if a couple of bad calls cost them the game...

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Can't remember what Packer reporter said it, but I got a chuckle out of it.

"Jimmy Graham is just a very expensive version of Richard Rodgers"

 

[swhitset]

After rewatching this game there was a lot of good and bad...

One huge STUD goes to Aaron Rodgers. He threw so many perfect passes in this game that I think it may have gone a little bit under the radar because of the poor performance of the guys trying to catch them. Even with all the crazy things happening in this game... it would not have been won without Rodgers.

 

[swhitset]

I'm banking this one for the next time the "Cut Mason Crosby Debate" comes up again, because it will!

After watching other teams struggling with their kickers ... I’m well off that bandwagon. I don’t care what the statistics say i’m much more comfortable with Crosby in there than I would be without him.

 

[greengold]

Can't remember what Packer reporter said it, but I got a chuckle out of it.

"Jimmy Graham is just a very expensive version of Richard Rodgers"

Aaron Nagler...

Regardless, he came up with a BIG 3rd down conversion if I'm not mistaken.

 

[greengold]

I'm sick of hearing how the refs handed the game to the Packers with their bad calls against the Lions. I'll comment by saying the same thing that is always said when a team is said to have been robbed by bad calls...the Lions didn't play well enough to win if a couple of bad calls cost them the game...

Let's add to it the fact that DET had 63 TOTAL yds. of OFFENSE in the 2nd half.... And, of course, it is ALL about the officiating...

 

[greengold]

Jamaal Williams is definitely a stud. I have questioned his talent in the past, but he's just a glue guy on this team. From afar, it seems like his attitude really fires up teammates. And he's reliable in performing what's asked of him.

Jimmy Graham is a dud. That guy just doesn't do anything well any more. He's a terrible blocker, he doesn't have speed to stretch the seam, or quicks to pick up YAC. He's really paid at this point to be a jump ball specialist, and he's not very consistent with that either. Just a bust of a signing.

Graham stayed in for an incredible block on a reception by Lewis... I know, it is odd... but true. Also, Graham had a clutch 3rd down reception to keep our drive alive late. I know what you mean, had the miss on the TD, but, he did contribute more than we might have originally thought.

 

[Mondio]

Graham did have a huge 3rd down catch where he just got pasted and held on. It was a very big catch. BUT he also only seems to be catching about 1 out of 5 balls if there is any defender there and that's not good.

 

[OldSchool101]

Dean Lowry was a stud holding up against the run last night. His play is a big reason why that issue has improved.

Yeah. We had some people calling for his job a few weeks back,

After rewatching this game there was a lot of good and bad...

One huge STUD goes to Aaron Rodgers. He threw so many perfect passes in this game that I think it may have gone a little bit under the radar because of the poor performance of the guys trying to catch them. Even with all the crazy things happening in this game... it would not have been won without Rodgers.

You’re exactly right. Imagine if 50% of those drops were catches. I know the ball was slippery, we saw that on both teams.

 

[Mondio]

to be fair, most of those people don't probably really watch.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

My hope for Jimmy G and #12 to somehow establish chemistry fades with each game. However, we are stuck with him and have to get the most we can out of him, especially while Tonyan and Jace are out. I don't think Jace would have done much as a rookie, but it would be nice to get him back and get him some snaps, that may help him and the Packers in 2020.

 

[Dantés]

Graham stayed in for an incredible block on a reception by Lewis... I know, it is odd... but true. Also, Graham had a clutch 3rd down reception to keep our drive alive late. I know what you mean, had the miss on the TD, but, he did contribute more than we might have originally thought.

I'm aware, but he has no consistency. He will make the occasional big grab, but most of the time comes up empty. He makes the occasional successful block, but often gets wrecked. He's the highest paid TE in the league and he's barely useful enough to play.

 

[HardRightEdge]

If you're sick of hearing about the officiating erring in the Packers favor, which they did, then don't be griping when they err in favor of the opponent. The NFL has a big problem everybody must live with.

 

[greengold]

I'm aware, but he has no consistency. He will make the occasional big grab, but most of the time comes up empty. He makes the occasional successful block, but often gets wrecked. He's the highest paid TE in the league and he's barely useful enough to play.

Oh, I agree. I want more from him, but, I'm happy to see him contributing, at least. I get it. Pretty much have the same feelings and expect more from him...

 

[HardRightEdge]

I don't think its a matter of the on the field refs not knowing the rules, but more of a factor of 2 things. First, refs are being asked to make split second decisions on every play. Second, each ref's field of vision is limited to what a normal person can see. Even New York, with all the angles and slow motion aren't getting every call right, so on the field refs are never going to get all the calls correct. As technology advanced, so did everyone's ability to scrutinize every call, every play, frame by frame. So after almost every game, there is this constant chatter of "blown calls and how they changed the outcome of the game". Those blown calls were always there, technology, with social media being a big part of it, has just made it something a lot of people love to talk about and break down, frame by frame.

Given that, its just a matter of what balance sits well between the NFL and its Fans. There will never be a clear opinion on that. Some want the game back to where it was pre-technology. Some want the game run as perfectly as possible, using all technology known to man. At the end of the day, the NFL does what they want, but hears the complaints and is only going to change things that assure themselves of still having what the majority of its paying audience feel is a quality product.

I don't think you got the gist of my post. The inherent problem in having on-field refs making split second decisions in real time can be largely solved by getting rid of them other than to spot the ball and get buzzed from New York when there's a penalty or review. The technology exists to do that.

You said, "...its just a matter of what balance sits well between the NFL and its Fans."

That balance becomes moot if officiating is done in New York based on the video, the same thing the fans see. Cut out the middle man who is inherently impaired.

You will never, ever roll back the technology in officiating. As I said, that would require the networks to stop showing replays and various outlets showing highlights which would expose errors no longer subject to review. That is a world no one can envision.

As with many things, you can blame Belichick. He lobbied for more cameras on the field. Now we see everything from multiple angles, even away from the ball. And if there does happen to be some dead spot in the camera coverage that is easily fixed with more cameras.

This is going to happen sooner or later. It will probably happen first with plays at the ball and go from there. Otherwise, we've reached the point where a guy who is nearly legally blind is assembling parts while we have a guy with a robot at the end of the line inspecting and fixing the errors. It makes no sense.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Demovsky reported that LaFleur and the staff counted 6 drops whereas ESPN stats counted 3.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/gb/green-bay-packers

3 looks about right to me. When a defender smacks the receivers hand, punches the ball out, or otherwise interferes without a flag, I would not consider that a drop. The first suspect play was an early sideline throw to Allison. It looked like a drop in real time. On replay, you could see the defender got a hand in there.

You don't have to be generous in a no-drop call. You're not going to say Jones didn't drop the ball because it was thrown a little behind him. He dropped it. A Detroit receiver made a good leaping, backward-leaning catch, landed flat on his back, and the ball popped out. You can understand why slamming yourself to the ground might cause the ball to come out, but these are NFL players and there is a certain threshold of expectation.

You can dock a receiver for not getting separation (a lot of that last night), but if the defender is there and slaps a hand or the ball, that ain't a drop.

If LaFluer wants to emphasize a point by being especially harsh, that's OK. But if you're going to compare players and teams on equal footing, then the ESPN count or those from the other usual suspects (which rarely vary by much), then go with that.

 

[LambeauLombardi]

Everyone knows Booger stinks, but I enjoy Tessitore.

 

[BrokenArrow]

A single still frame from that play is entirely disingenuous. The hand sliding across the facemask does not meet the criteria for "hands to the face". Further, the only hands to the face on the play was against Bak at the onset of the play. Granted, the Lions should have scored more TDs than FGs, but you can't deny the impact these calls had at the end of the game.

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Garbage post.

 

[BrokenArrow]

There was. I went back and looked at it several times. There is a point where you can see the tip of the ball break the plane. It was a good call. Although I haven't rewatched the whole game, there are at least 6 blown calls in the game. Several of them appear to have had an effect on the score. One way to prevent that from happening is to score enough points so that the ref's calls don't make a difference in the outcome of the game. Remember, it's only 6-8 plays that determine the outcome of any game. What you don't want is the refs to be determing those plays.

If you have a screenshot of the ball breaking the plane down the goal line, I'd love to see it. I did see one angle that looked like the tip overlapped the line very slightly but it was an aerial shot from a few yards behind the goal line. If you correct for parallax error, then the ball did not get that far.