Aside from the run blocking and Bennett's drop on the first play of the game, the first team offense looked pretty sharp in that ball control drive. Everything but the kitchen sink (or a RB screen) was featured in the short passing game, along with the Rodgers patented 12-man-quick-snap. I don't think we've seen a jump ball to a TE since Finley, so that's an added dimension.
Williams may need a fraction more patience for a hole to develop in the zone blocking scheme. Or maybe not; I need to see more, because it didn't look like the O-Line was getting any push for him. He certainly runs hard inside the tackles and gets push-and-fall-forward yards on contact. On one run he made a nice cutback right to an opening hole which you could see on the end zone replay but ran smack into an unblocked ILB waiting for him.
On defense, the Packers are running almost exclusively a gapping front now, which plays to Clark's strength. He looks quick and strong. On one pass rush he ran a little stunt inside with a little swim move that showed off his quickness. I was skeptical about this pick when he was getting pushed off the ball and knocked on his butt this time last year. He's making the second year jump.
I like the speed and aggression out of the whole DB crew. The early tackling issues last week seemed to have been cleaned up. Man corner is a lot like OL play in that if you don't hear a guy's name called he's probably having a good game. I think King gave up only a short out which is promising. I don't think there's any question he'll be starting week 1. Hawkins' game was not quite as clean as last week, but he's out there grinding toward the starting job. Brice continues to make a case for 3-safety dime. The one thing I've been keeping an eye on is the separation they give up. We've got guys at the ball, nobody running free, no blown assignments, no 3rd. and long receivers uncovered, all the nagging problems of last season. Now, the Redskin receiving weaponry on the field last night was not impressive, so Denver may be a better test. I hate to say it, but when Randall and Rollins are not on the field there looks to be addition by subtraction. Two more weeks for guys to make their case.
The one thing I don't like out of the starting crew is the continuing poor chemistry between Ryan and Martinez. There seems to be more competition and cooperation between them. They can't get through a game without knocking into each other at the ball carrier a couple of times. I'd leave it to the coaches to decide who's gumming up the works, but it seems to me Martinez has a habit of angling in and knocking into his mate.
The second team O-Line is dreadful. There's a lot of focus on Spriggs' feet-in-cement play given his draft status and position, but they all look pretty bad with poor chemistry. McCarren seemed to suggest Spriggs is not working all that hard to improve his game. I don't know if he inferred that from his play, or brings practice observations to that opinion, but it's clear at this point he's at the same point where he started a year ago.
Hill continues to impress....arm, legs, poise. He's an aggressive guy but that led to a couple of risky tosses (and runs risky to his health) in limited play. He needs to develop a little more control. The pass blocking didn't help matters. There's a place for him in this game especially given the sorry state of 3rd. string QBs. From what we've seen so far, I give him the edge over Callahan.
Davis...what can we say. It was a fumbled punt that sent him to the bench last year. I don't know if anybody noticed, but he was being used as a gunner last night. That indicates they were looking for some value-add as a special teamer to reinforce his case. He didn't look good doing it...speed, yes; physicality, no. Frankly, McCaffrey looks more natural fielding the ball and the way he came up to field that short kick through traffic shows the necessary fearlessness. Davis squats and body catches as though he is focusing on not fumbling, then fumbled anyway with a guy coming up in his face. You just don't get many chances in this league of a 5 yard free run before coverage converges to make up for skittishness in close quarters. He needs to step it up the next 2 weeks; McCaffrey now has the edge especially given he's showing more as a receiver.
Consistent route running, good hands and some value on special teams could decide those last few spots at WR.
), if he gets healthy, he could be the guy who has too much potential and talent to try and keep on the PS and might be that 7th WR or even unseat Janis's 3 year run of being on the 53. I hope his injury doesn't prevent him from showing us what he has, but it might be the secret to keeping him stashed away until next year.
Here I thought Janis was only confused about route running.
