Most of my list has already been mentioned, so I'll just add some points so I feel important while I let my coffee cool.
Rodgers probably has an MCL sprain and maybe even tear. maybe Meniscus involvement, but you can practically find a damaged one on anybody at any time. It will be an interesting season for us in the least. One bright spot, it might actually get us out of starting the games looking for big plays. A HUGE DUD in that game was drop back and look, drop back and look, drop back and look. Linsely and McCray were getting their ***** handed to them, Bulaga was working into form, but wasn't terrible, but the pass protection was bad. Instead of getting the offense going, they just lined it up and did it again. It's like I could smell and injury coming. When he couldn't move, it was back to running a real offense and what do you know, it worked. Adams made plays, The line blocked, Cobb made plays, Gmo made plays and Rodgers put the ball where it needed to be. Quit making it so difficult.
a fast start can be 4 first downs and a FG. It doesn't need to be a 40 yard pass play. those big plays will become regular plays with Rodgers and Co. when you establish an offense, move the chains and set things up. Rodgers will be in the training room if you keep starting games looking for big plays. Cripes, we had run, run 1st down. Then I swear we passed the ball 15 times in a row on 3 and outs. I'm probably exaggerating, but only slightly. extending plays and moving around is an excellent quality to have in your QB and offense, but it can't be the entire offense. It's as bad as a running QB.
those big 3 pass catchers made some great plays for him too. Adams, Cobb, Gmo, not sure what to say that needs to be said, everyone who saw it knows what i'm talking about. Williams in his pass protection, he picked up a couple guys that allowed some of those to happen as well. best last line of defense we have back there for Aaron on the team, by far.
on to the defense I think part of it was a lot of unscouted looks combined with getting their legs under them, etc. Once they got a feel for what they were doing they shut it down. and some of those 1st quarter passes, great catches, not perfect coverage, but pretty good. Those are plays that happen sometimes and unlike other years it was because they had to make a good play, not some busted coverage giving up 15,20,30 yards. I liked the combination of letting big guys go after them and then lining everyone up it seemed on the line and some stay, some go and it seemed to confuse them a bit. It's a read and react league, so we'll see how this grows or gets sniffed out as the season progresses. So far I like what I see. I'm not expecting a shut down defense out of the gates. I expect we're only going to get hints of what they'll be capable of here and there, and by weeks 6-8 there will be enough familiarity in game situations this defense can start playing more aggressively. I thought the young guys did very well in their first real action. I thought Alexander had a phenomenal play beating a blocker and stuffing a receiver down at the bottom of the screen.
None of them were real super studs off the top of my head, but a lot of guys made some good plays. Clark maybe, he routinely is beating 1-2 guys or holding the point and making the play. Or forcing it. Very disappointed in Matthews. He's supposed to be a leader and he almost cost us the game with practically the only play he was involved in all night. It's not his first time either. I've defended him enough in the past, but he's on my short list. Had we lost that game I wouldn't have cared much if they cut him by this morning. I know, emotional overreaction, but if you're going to make that much and not help much, you better damn well not hurt us either. He did, and now he has the rest of the season to try and atone for it
oh and Dix. Finally makes a play on a 3rd down, a pretty tough one to get Simm? I think down before the 1st down. But then he leaves an "out" wide open to the RB on the Bears last scoring drive giving up a huge run. Didn't hurt so bad because they were probably in FG range anyway I think. That just made it a chip shot and took some more time, which in the end didn't matter. But they could have stopped it right there. Matthews had contain, the line had the middle stuffed up and Dix went right to the mass of people rather than keep his position and squeeze the runner. and he shot right thru that vacancy for a big run. He's a push for me this game. Some good, some not so good. About like normal
