SB Nation - Tramon Williams

Recap: Green Bay Packers Defeat Bears, 21-14

Brandon — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:00:35 -0000

by Kiichiro Sato - AP

The Green Bay Packers are trying to pull away from the rest of the NFC for a wild card spot, so every win is a good win. Especially when it comes against a division rival, which helps in case they need it for a tiebreaker. It's their 5th win in a row, and it moved them up into the top wild card spot. Another good thing: Mike McCarthy said only 4 players were injured during the game and they all returned. Here's the big recap from the Sports Network.

A couple things that didn't make it into my play-by-play recap after the jump. I was expecting a big game from OLB Brad Jones against backup Bear RT Kevin Shaffer, but instead Jones didn't record a single stat. I also noticed during the game that there were several times when the Packers went with one defensive lineman (DE Cullen Jenkins) and 5 linebackers. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers has been showing some unusual formations this season, but that was very usual and I'm not sure it's good that he calls that defensive package 'Psycho'. It's not something I expect to see against every team, but the Bears running game has been toothless all season, so they weren't as likely to get burned by a power running formation.

This game reminded me of last week's game against the Ravens. They were in control for most of the game, but their opponent kept it close so that their opponent was able to get back into it with a couple TD drives. The Bears offense didn't do much, they only had 254 yards of offense in the entire game, but managed 136 yards on their two TD drives. I'm not sure if that's just the normal flow of the game, but it didn't make sense that the Packers were behind when it seemed like they had outplayed them. Overall it was a dangerous game, but they were better than the Bears and they deserved the win.

Packers vs Bears coverage, Packers vs Bears recap, Packers vs Bears boxscore, Windy City Gridiron

The play-by-play comes from NFL.com:

First Quarter:

2-M.Crosby kicks 62 yards from GB 30 to CHI 8. 13-J.Knox to CHI 20 for 12 yards (36-N.Collins).

I was worried about the special teams in this game, and they did a very good job on kick coverage. They didn't allow a kickoff return for more than 26 yards.

(13:23) 25-R.Grant left tackle for 62 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Well that was a surprise. Nothing exceptional about the play. The o-line blocked well and LG Daryn Colledge got into the 2nd level to block LB Lance Briggs. The cornerback was blocked, and the safety ran to the other side of the field, which left a wide open path for RB Ryan Grant on the left side.

(11:05) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler right guard to GB 44 for 21 yards (36-N.Collins). PENALTY on CHI-68-F.Omiyale, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at CHI 35 - No Play.

Usually it's the Packers who are hurt by penalties, but in this game, it was the Bears doing most of the self inflicted damage. And this was a legitimate penalty that effected the play: Omiyale held Jenkins left arm back as he tried to reach out and tackle QB Jay Cutler.

(7:49) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete deep right to 85-G.Jennings (33-C.Tillman). PENALTY on CHI-91-T.Harris, Defensive Offside, 5 yards, enforced at CHI 36 - No Play. Green Bay challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was Upheld. (Timeout #1.)

(3:40) 2-M.Crosby 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-10-M.Flynn.

How was that not a TD pass to WR Greg Jennings? I'm no rules expert, so I don't have some hair splitting reason why. Settling for a FG a few plays later added some sting to it.

(3:31) 6-J.Cutler pass deep right intended for 19-D.Aromashodu INTERCEPTED by 21-C.Woodson at CHI 48. 21-C.Woodson to CHI 39 for 9 yards (13-J.Knox).

Another one of those INTs that make all Bear fans groan. It looked like Cutler threw off his back foot with pressure in his face. Maybe he under threw it, or maybe the receiver ran the wrong route. I couldn't tell for sure.

Second Quarter:

(13:07) 2-M.Crosby 26 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-10-M.Flynn.

Unfortunately the turnover doesn't lead to a TD. They converted two first downs, including one 4th down conversion, but couldn't find the right play near the end zone. The only thing I've noticed about their red zone offense is that they don't seem to attack the sidelines. There aren't a lot of fade routes to the corner type of plays. Those are low percentage plays, but it wouldn't hurt to try something new either.

(12:07) 4-B.Maynard punts 37 yards to GB 34, Center-65-P.Mannelly. 87-J.Nelson to GB 39 for 5 yards (32-K.Bell, 65-P.Mannelly).

By this point, the Bears have had the ball 4 times and have 10 yards of total offense (plus 1 INT).

(9:02) (Shotgun) 32-B.Jackson left guard to CHI 41 for no gain (92-H.Hillenmeyer, 91-T.Harris).

This is just my preference, but I hate it when it's 3rd and short, they are in the shotgun, and they hand the ball off. I have no idea what the success rate it on these plays, but I would expect it's low.

(1:54) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass deep right to 13-J.Knox for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

The first of the Aromashodu drives. He had 3 catches for 37 yards on this drive alone. It's understandable that he might have come as a surprise to the Packers. He only had 2 receptions on the season coming into this game. I wasn't expecting anything from the Bears' receivers other than WR Earl Bennett and Knox. No flag on CB Tramon Williams on this play, he just got beat. I'm not sure why SS Atari Bigby came over so late. Was he supposed to help on deep coverage?

(:21) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 88-J.Finley to CHI 36 for 19 yards (24-A.Afalava). FUMBLES (24-A.Afalava), RECOVERED by CHI-38-D.Manning at CHI 31. 38-D.Manning to CHI 30 for -1 yards (80-D.Driver).

It was a careless fumble by TE Jermichael Finley and it took points off the board. They were at least in field goal range. But it was the 2nd game in a row that Finley was the leading receiver. He's been playing very well, this fumble aside, since he returned from injury last month. Over the last 4 games, he's been just as important as Jennings and WR Donald Driver (who was very quiet in this game).

Third Quarter:

(12:56) 12-A.Rodgers to CHI 36 for -7 yards. FUMBLES, and recovers at CHI 36. 12-A.Rodgers to CHI 38 for -2 yards (92-H.Hillenmeyer). FUMBLES (92-H.Hillenmeyer), RECOVERED by CHI-95-A.Adams at CHI 41. 95-A.Adams to CHI 44 for 3 yards (63-S.Wells).

It's Rodgers's 10th fumble of the season (4th lost) which isn't good. It's also the 2nd drive in a row that ended in Bears' territory with a Packer turnover. They could have easily had scored 30 points in this game.

(10:27) 6-J.Cutler pass deep right to 13-J.Knox pushed ob at GB 10 for 22 yards (21-C.Woodson).

(9:41) 6-J.Cutler pass short right to 19-D.Aromashodu for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

An unusual set of plays where CB Charles Woodson was beaten for 32 yards and 1 TD by two different receivers. He's having a great season, but he isn't unbeatable. This was a good 56 yard drive by the Bears, but it was their last hurrah. On their last 5 possessions, they gained a total of 69 yards.

(8:09) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 85-G.Jennings pushed ob at 50 for 25 yards (33-C.Tillman, 24-A.Afalava).

This was on 3rd and 10. There were a times when the Bears seemed to have more trouble stopping the Packers on 3rd and long then on 3rd and short.

(2:10) 32-K.Bell right tackle to GB 45 for no gain (20-A.Bigby, 56-N.Barnett).

In hindsight, the Bears probably should have gone for it. The Packers only managed two drives of more the 50 yards in the entire game, so it was unlikely the Packers would have turned this into a TD. Great play by Bigby to dive into the gap and stop it for no gain.

(:17) 6-J.Cutler pass short middle to 22-M.Forte to CHI 30 for 3 yards (56-N.Barnett). PENALTY on CHI-74-C.Williams, Illegal Use of Hands, 10 yards, enforced at CHI 27 - No Play.

I think this was the play when Bear LT Chris Williams tried to take off LB Clay Matthews's head.

Fourth Quarter:

(13:39) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass short left intended for 13-J.Knox INTERCEPTED by 36-N.Collins at CHI 42. 36-N.Collins pushed ob at CHI 11 for 31 yards (22-M.Forte).

Cutler's first INT was bad, but this was worse. Not just because of the big return by FS Nick Collins. Cutler was throwing off his back foot (again) and this time the receiver was in the right place. Cutler just didn't get enough on the throw. It was a good idea, he saw Williams come on a corner blitz and he threw it to the man Williams was covering, but he threw it far too late.

(12:46) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete short left to 80-D.Driver. PENALTY on CHI-35-Z.Bowman, Defensive Pass Interference, 4 yards, enforced at CHI 5 - No Play.

(12:42) 25-R.Grant right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.

(Pass formation) TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 12-A.Rodgers pass to 85-G.Jennings is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.

First, there is a pass interference penalty in the end zone, and it was not called on Tramon Williams. Second, the Packers retake the lead and I can relax again. Third, how can a team that has struggled in the red zone go for a two point conversion? And where has this play been: throwing to Jennings along the side of the end zone. They couldn't have tried it earlier?

(9:42) 25-R.Grant left tackle pushed ob at GB 29 for 17 yards (24-A.Afalava). PENALTY on CHI-24-A.Afalava, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at GB 29.

Thanks to the 15 yard penalty on the rookie safety, the Packers got themselves out of a hole quickly.

(8:31) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 88-J.Finley to CHI 25 for 25 yards (33-C.Tillman).

(6:10) 2-M.Crosby 42 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Right, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-10-M.Flynn.

I hated this 2 and 1/2 minute series of plays. After Finley's reception got them down to the Bears' 25 yard line, they ran three plays (two runs, and a dropped pass on 3rd down) that seemed designed to run off some clock and settle for the FG. And then K Mason Crosby missed the FG anyway. Most of his misses have been beyond 50 yards, so they've been low percentage attempts anyway, but this is the 2nd week in a row he's missed FGs that he should be making. Kickers run in streaks, so hopefully it's better that he's missing them now instead of during the playoffs.

(4:58) 6-J.Cutler pass incomplete deep middle to 82-G.Olsen (36-N.Collins). Chicago challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was Upheld. (Timeout #1.) Timeout #2 by CHI at 4:51.

This was the bizarre series of timeouts by Lovie Smith. First he called a timeout, and then he wasted another timeout for a challenge. I briefly saw his press conference after the game when he tried to explain the situation, but I had to turn it off. I didn't want to get vertigo from all the spinning he had to do to explain himself.

(3:06) 34-A.Green right tackle to GB 36 for -1 yards (95-A.Adams).

I didn't mind the Packers running out the clock here. It forced the Bears to use their last timeout, but it would have been nice if they actually had converted on 3rd and 1.

(2:19) 7-J.Kapinos punts 51 yards to CHI 18, Center-61-B.Goode. 80-E.Bennett to CHI 20 for 2 yards (51-B.Poppinga). PENALTY on CHI-21-C.Graham, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at CHI 19.

The Bears were copying the Packers' usual game plan of penalties and poor special teams.

(1:13) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass incomplete deep right to 80-E.Bennett (21-C.Woodson).

And the game ends on a 4th and 9 pass attempt that was far off the mark.

The Day After: Packers Defeat Ravens

Brandon — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:00:34 -0000

by Jim Prisching - AP

14 days ago: Green Bay Packers' Brad Jones (59) is congratulated by Clay Matthews (52) after sacking Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

View full size photo »

Mitchell had a great extended recap of the Green Bay Packers' win over the Ravens. But of all people, how can he miss a Football Outsiders Packer related Admiral Ackbar reference? I guess a lack of sleep can break even the best of NFL writers. Speaking of a lack of sleep, I'm beat after traveling back from Green Bay on Tuesday. I just managed to avoid the blanket of snow that has buried Wisconsin. So all I've got is some links back to some other great articles.

From Tom Pelissero:

But [CB Tramon] Williams also drew three pass-interference penalties (cost: 112 yards) on downfield throws and could have had a fourth for repeatedly impeding the receiver’s arm(s) while the ball was in the air.

Oh you're killing me. Sometimes he does a great job, such as the INT in the end zone, but 112 penalty yards! After the Admiral Ackbar reference, Aaron Schatz sends more sarcasm Williams's way (and he's not wrong) after announcing the Packers are now No.3 overall according to their rankings (ahead of even the Colts):

Yes, those Packers. You can't accuse them of consistency, and you can't accuse them of understanding the pass interference rules, but you can accuse them of overall greatness...

(By the way, while I was putting that table together, Tramon Williams was flagged for defensive pass interference nine more times.)

Tom Pelissero again on why Williams was targeted so often:

The Packers played 29 of 66 snaps (43.9 percent) in base or Big Okie, their third-highest percentage all season. That meant nickel CB Jarrett Bush was on the field less than usual, leaving Williams as the natural target.

In the cold weather, neither team played their safeties deep. Though QB Aaron Rodgers outplayed QB Joe Flacco overall, Rodgers was much worse on his deep accuracy (remember that long 1st half INT?). While the Ravens kept both safeties in the game, the Packers often sent SS Atari Bigby out, and LB Brandon Chillar in his place. If throwing deep is tough, defensive coordinator Dom Capers apparently decided to use the Big Okie (5 LB package) to take RB Ray Rice out of the game. The Packers played with 5 LBs a lot in the 2nd half, which is part of the reason why Flacco was challenging Williams deep.

Tom Pelissero on the rookies:

Matthews’ other sack was all him, whipping LT Jared Gaither off the initial punch.

Raji (35 snaps) had his own nice day, twice working off LG Ben Grubbs to drop a runner for loss or no gain and hitting Flacco’s arm on a late incompletion. The third key rookie on defense, LOLB Brad Jones, had four pressures, including his sack against RT Michael Oher.

It was interesting that late in the game the Packer D was rushing four rookies (Matthews, Raji, DE Jarius Wynn, and Jones) at times to finish off the Ravens.

On the injuries - from Mike McCarthy:

The two injuries I'd just like to comment on. Nick Barnett had a knee sprain. He may miss some practice time this week. I'll know more about Nick in the morning. Also Ryan Pickett had a hamstring strain, and he'll definitely miss some practice time this week.

The run defense has been outstanding this season, and Barnett and Pickett have been playing great. One big advantage of playing the 3-4 defense is that it makes it difficult to run up the middle. RB Ryan Grant couldn't go up the middle at all while the Ravens were playing both of their middle linebackers and their safeties in tight. For the Packers, that middle is usually occupied by Barnett and Pickett. The injuries aren't severe, but they could be nagging. It's something to watch this week.

Packers-Ravens Retroactive Live-Blog

Mitchell_M — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:13:49 -0000

It's been two months since I've really been active on the site. For some of you, that is a terrible tragedy. For many, many more, it is a source of endless joy. But today I decided to cater to the minority and make my presence known by throwing a mini-fiesta with my DVR, a bowl of Reese's Puffs, and a strong pot of coffee.

Before we get going with the retroactive live-blog, let me just share some of the knowledge I've gained over the course of working for 80 out of a possible 168 hours in a week:

There are few things more traumatic than the transition from college-life to real-life. I imagine it's somewhat like being born, except you're slightly more conscious and slightly less sticky.

Unlike most co-eds, I worked my way through and avoided drinking my way out of school, but nothing can truly prepare you for the real world. There's chores? You have to do them, otherwise you're living in filth. There's bills? You have to pay them, otherwise a large Italian gentleman will break your ribs. There's family gatherings you'd rather not attend? You have to go to them, because you don't have the homework excuse anymore.

Real life blows, I'm going to grad school.
Trying to keep in shape? Don't work overnights. You will have no energy whatsoever during the daytime hours. I play basketball to keep myself in shape and satisfy my over-competitiveness, and I love it. But I haven't played in two months, and I've gotten noticably soft. Amazing, considering I've lost weight.
Dry spells. Guys, when women say that they're too tired, it's generally a toss-up between them actually being tired and not wanting to deal with you. When a guy says it? Definitely tired.
Caffeine has an odd effect after consuming too much for it. The most noticeable symptom is when you're lying down after finally getting home and you get the ringing in the ears. It keeps me up for at least half an hour, and my mom (who worked 3rd shift for over a decade) says it doesn't go away. Awesome.
Watching sports is a major hassle. Not only do I miss the majority of my Sunday NFL-watching, but working nights has ruined any chance I have of watching any NBA games during the week. DVR has been my best friend, but it somehow isn't enough.

On to the live-blog! I DVR'd this last night and watched it immediately as I got home. I did not check the score at any time on Monday night, and I have no knowledge whatsoever of the outcome. Enjoy!

Pre-game observations:

I forgot how cool of an environment Lambeau is on national TV at night. Other cities have their stadiums surrounded by other big buildings with big, bright lights, but Lambeau sort of stands alone in the still-tiny Green Bay. It's kind of cool, even though it's quaint.
Another thing I forgot? Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski are still in the MNF booth. Let's put it this way: it took roughly two minutes for Gruden to make the first (of what I predict will be many) "Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood" jokes. Ugh.
Ed Reed is announced as inactive for the game. Good timing to get the Ravens without their ball-hawk extraordinaire, not to mention good time by ESPN's cameras, who immediately cut to Reed spitting an enormous loogie. Between that and the beard, he looks like a homeless guy (who makes roughly 100,000x my salary).
Ray Lewis may have lost a step or four, but he's still quite the motivational speaker. It's like if Lil' Jon was coherent and dread-less.
The Nike Kobe and LeBron puppets are back. Frowny-face.
And here comes the Ray Rice love. Am I pleasantly surprised by my alma mater's best football product? Yes. Am I ecstatic to have drafted him (against my then-better judgement) in the ninth round of my keeper league? Yes and yes.

Alright, enough of that. Let's play some ball, gentlemen.

First Quarter!

15:00 - Green Bay receives, and Jordy Nelson avoids both tacklers and fumble-itis all the way to the 43-yard line. Decent start.

14:34 - A play-action draw pass? Sounds terrible, but it gained 7.

13:59 - So that's why we still have Brandon Jackson. Excellent scramble by Rodgers to find Jackson in the flat for the first down.

12:44 - Ravens call a timeout (symptom of missing Ed Reed #1), and the next thing we see is Jimmy Football. If someone were to kick him in the groin, I would not object. Extra points for wearing a Billy Mays mask and demanding royalties from Budweiser.

12:32 - ESPN shows a graphic illustrating Aaron Rodgers' awesomeness on 3rd down, and he promptly finds James Jones for a first down. Outstanding blitz pickup by both Chad Clifton (the blocker) and Scott Wells (the center).

11:22 - Korey Hall and Josh Sitton pancake Ray Lewis, opening a hole for Grant to gain a first down. In other news, Did you know that Ryan Grant is 8th in the league in rushing yards? When did that happen?

10:08 - ESPN continues the Rodgers love-fest by displaying his red-zone stats. Apparently, he has 30 TDs and 0 INTs over the past two seasons when inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Yikes.

9:17 - Mark Tauscher comes up with a tipped pass and gets tackled for a loss. I'd criticize his decision to catch it versus batting it down, but whenever linemen get the ball, they seem so damn happy. I can't ruin it for him.

8:41 - Mason Crosby nearly shanks a 28-yarder. The Green Bay offense stalls in the red zone again, settling for the "easy" 3. Sadly, neither are surprises this season.

8:30 - Le'Ron McClain's smile is hilarious. Mark Clayton looks like 50 Cent. I can't wait to see the offensive linemen.

8:30 - And for good reason. Not only is Marshal Yanda's name funny, but he looks like an uncomfortable 7th grader who hasn't gotten used to his new body yet.

7:40 - Good containment on Ray Rice in the flat, but not good enough. First down, Baltimore.

7:01 - Flacco tightropes for a just-barely first down after being flushed out of the pocket. He may have looked like an idiot doing it, but it was probably better than getting pasted by Cullen Jenkins. I'll make fun of him either way.

5:05 - Bad decision by Nick Collins to go for the pick instead of batting down the ball. Another first down for Baltimore.

4:18 - Well, a fumble recovery certainly absolves Collins of any wrongdoing on the previous play. Clay Matthews is closing in on the "if a huge defensive play happens he must've had something to do with it" status currently held by Charles Woodson.

4:08 - Ryan Grant tries to return the favor, but his right knee looked like it could be down. Maybe. Possibly. Could go either way. This time, it goes the Packers' way.

3:48 - A great play by Dominique Foxworth that was (un)fortunately flagged as interference. The replay shows a grab or two, but probably

3:39 - No matter, Rodgers throws it directly to Tom ~~I-can't-spell-his-last-name-unless-I-check-the-recap-which-will-ruin-the-ending~~ Zbikowski.

2:06 - Now that's how you commit pass interference! Thanks ~~Atari Bigby~~ Tramon Williams! /facepalm

1:52 - Nick Collins makes everyone forget about Williams' transgression by picking off an ill-advised flea-flicker pass into quadruple coverage. Yeah, Flacco shouldn't have done that.

0:00 - An underwhelming first quarter filled with above-average defense and one boneheaded interception for both sides. 3-0, Green Bay.

Second Quarter!

14:52 - B.J. Raji sheds a block and drops Ray Rice for a big loss. Lucky he didn't get called for face masking, but a good play nonetheless.

14:12 - Derrick Mason just barely misses a catchable ball to force 4th down. I thought veteran receivers were supposed to make that play? I guess having Donald Driver on your team gives you a skewed expectation for aging wideouts.

13:14 - Great adjustment by James Jones to come back and grab the ball for a first down. He's definitely taken control of the 3rd WR spot on this team lately.

11:59 - By my count, that's three catches in this game that Jennings should have had but failed to come up with. This troubles me.

11:55 - Punting inside the 50-yard line? Greg Easterbrook would be appalled, then proceed to write a 10,000 word article about it. Shoot, if I included random interstellar factoids, referred to certain teams by ridiculous self-coined nicknames, and added superfluous cheerleader facts that allowed me to post their photos, I'd be Greg Easterbrook.

11:13 - Trey Wingo informs us that Jimmy Clausen will be entering the 2010 NFL Draft. Brady Quinn advises him to stay in school.

11:06 - Charles Woodson gets busted for mauling Derrick Mason. The groping wasn't necessary, Chuck.

11:01 - Clay Matthews asserts himself all over Joe Flacco. Jared Gaither doesn't know what just happened.

10:21 - Offsides on Clay Matthews? Jared Gaither claims to know what happened on the previous play.

9:48 - I know Jordy Nelson was dynamite at Kansas State, but I haven't seen enough promise out of him to merit keeping him on punt returns. Then again, it's more important to keep Woodson and Williams fresh, and Will Blackmon made his yearly trip to I.R. early this season.

8:30 - Haloti Ngata owns Daryn Colledge to drop Ryan Grant at the line. I wonder how long until Colledge loses his spot?

7:51 - It's plays like this that got Frank Walker traded. Thanks for the yardage!

7:42 - Ahman Green exhibits remarkable blitz pickup to spring Jermichael Finley on a big gain. Mike Tirico noted this, and Gruden promptly refers to him as Brandon Jackson (twice!) before correcting himself.

5:08 - Jermichael Finley makes another big play, thanks to another great third down throw from Rodgers. First and goal, Packers.

4:35 - I'm no psychic, but as soon as I saw Finley split out wide, I saw the quick fade coming. Fantastic throw, outstanding catch, b-e-a-utiful play. 10-0, Packers.

4:35 - I just remembered my fantasy football situation. Going into this week, three teams in my division were 7-5, with me among them. I play one of them this week and the other next week, and the other already has his victory wrapped up. I'm up 130-24 in a game I need to win to move into a tie for first place and help secure a playoff spot next week (the final week of the season). My opponent has Aaron Rodgers, Jermichael Finley, and the Packers defense playing. I have Ray Rice. Man, am I glad that his other players (Adrian Peterson, Reggie Wayne, Ricky Williams) all laid eggs.

2:00 - The two-minute warning comes up, and Mike Tirico just got done "highlighting" the Packers' 38-28 loss to Tampa Bay. In the team meeting the described, he said that the offensive line stood up and said something to the effect of "hey, you have to help us out too". I hope I misheard him.

1:50 - Rodgers gets the first on a sneak, and a fight nearly breaks out because Brandon Jackson is protecting Rodgers from what he thought was a late hit. Whether he was right or wrong, it is nice to see that kind of fight in your team.

1:24 - Donald Driver goes flying, earning Baltimore its 11th pass interference penalty on the year, leading the league.

1:18 - Green Bay ruins the momentum by giving up their first sack of the game. /facepalm

1:09 - And Rodgers gets it right back with a 20-yard scramble right up the middle. I take back my /facepalm.

0:38 - Rodgers delivers a Jon-Gruden-Quarterback-Fraternity-Approved LASER to Greg Jennings' back shoulder. Nice, except for Gruden's rambling.

0:32 - Rodgers connects with Donald Driver for a score, punctuated by two acrobatic leaps by Driver (one into the end zone, one into the stands). The Packer fan in me is ecstatic: the fantasy football owner is frantic.

0:00 - A solid defensive stand by Green Bay keeps the shutout alive. 17-0 Green Bay, at the half.

Halftime observations:

None. I have to be at work again in 8 hours (as of 1 PM), and I haven't slept yet. But the score doesn't lie. This game is totally worth staying up for.

Third Quarter!

14:07 - I don't know how they practiced for the past week and a half, but Green Bay is absolutely starving Ray Rice. He's trying his damndest, but he can't make anything happen. Why'd I start him against the #1 defense again?

12:31 - Brad Jones notches a sack from the strong side. Rookie 7th round pick? No matter. Boring name? Who cares? Buried on the depth chart? Not for long, I hope.

12:05 - Ryan Grant doesn't gain a ton of yards on this play, but it looks as if he's churning his legs and fighting for extra yardage more than I'm used to seeing from him. Did anyone else notice this?

9:57 - Rodgers gets time in the pocket, makes even more time, dances around, and finally gets sacked. Somehow, the play is negated by an illegal hands-to-the-face penalty. It seems like one of those games for Green Bay tonight.

9:30 - Then Scott Wells gets called for holding. Yep, it's definitely one of those games for Green Bay tonight, even if the score doesn't reflect it.

9:04 - Wow, I'm going to stop complaining about stupid penalties. I almost feel bad for Ravens fans. P.I. number twelve on the year for Baltimore.

8:27 - Jermichael Finley re-injures his knee. Not at all happy to see that.

8:23 - Nice connection to Driver that results in a fumble that quite possibly could be ruled an incompletion, if it was reviewed. Blah, a 17-0 lead in the third quarter shouldn't be this frustrating.

8:01 - Jon Gruden: "Somebody has to rescue the Ravens' offense right now." Yeah, that's Ray Rice's job, and he didn't come in today.

7:50 - As if on cue, Ray Rice rips off a big run. Jon Gruden gets to feel smart, and I lose a little bit of my soul.

6:07 - Jon Gruden praises Charles Woodson's ball-raking ability. The adolescent-me giggles uncontrollably.

5:18 - "Nobody strips a ball like Charles Woodson!" Adolescent-me is now crying with laughter.

5:13 - Todd Heap drops a sure-fire 1st and goal, then Tramon Williams forces Mark Clayton to drop one in the end zone with a slightly-more sneaky arm bar. Illegal? Yes. Effective? Absolutely, that's why it's illegal.

3:35 - I don't know what the refs were talking about before this drive, but they are letting the defense play. You don't see many drives last this long against a defense that's getting away with everything.

3:28 - A free play and a Kelley Washington touchdown deflates the stadium. The play gets challenged, but I'm skeptical.

3:28 - Modern Warfare 2 commercial, set to Eminem's "Til I Collapse". Best 30 seconds of non-football I've seen today. Get that game, if you can handle it.

3:28 - Turns out that I was right; the score stands. Green Bay is out of challenges for the game, unless of course they used the item cheat and got one for free. 17-7, Packers.

3:22 - Evan Dietrich-Smith comes up with the kickoff. My immediate thought: "This cannot end well." Of course he fumbled, but Green Bay was lucky enough to regain possession.

3:14 - Jared Johnson gets an interception off of Driver's shin. I'm not liking this third quarter. Too much bad mojo.

3:07 - More bad mojo with Tramon Williams' P.I. in the end zone. Actually, this one is relatively tame compared to other plays the refs have allowed tonight (today?).

2:58 - Willis McGahee pushes his fantasy-irrelevant self in from the 1. Makes my Ray Rice decision feel even better. 17-14, Packers. /double facepalm

2:43 - Jennings manages a nice gain on a 3rd and 10 slant. I was just about to start considering wondering whether or not Green Bay was possibly maybe starting to lose it.

1:52- Ray Lewis nearly decapitates Greg Jennings, and the flag takes forever to come in. But it does, which is all that matters.

0:42 - A Mark Tauscher hold takes Green Bay out of the red zone the same way they got in: on the yellow cloth road.

0:00 - I knew this game seemed too sloppy to be a blowout. 17-14, Packers, but our guys are in scoring position.

Fourth Quarter!

14:50 - Mason Crosby shanks a field goal, leaving the drive with nothing to show for it. Same score, same story. I sure hope the defense can regain its first-half composure.

13:53 - Flacco unleashes the dragon deep, Derrick Mason gets past Charles Woodson and makes the catch over him, but somehow got called for offensive pass interference. At this point, I don't know which team is trying to give the other team more breaks, honestly. And an unsportsmanlike penalty on Mason is tacked on at the end of it. A huge gain turns into a huge loss in a heartbeat. 3rd and 32 (!).

13:05 - So of course Baltimore decides to run the ball and Ray Rice nearly fumbles. Green Bay gets the ball back with decent field position.

12:30 - And here comes the replay of the Mason interference/unsportsmanlike penalties. There was definitely a hook-and-push around Woodson's waist, and Mason follows up that number with a plea for leniency to the referee. Pretty standard, right? Nah, just kidding, he pretty much shouted in the ref's face, "What the f--- was that, man?" Yeah, that's a flaggin'.

10:31 - Jermichael Finley gets another touchdown after a couple of nice short passes to get within 20 yards. Aaron Rodgers' red-zone stats improve, Jermichael gets the "Mr. Monday Night" nickname, my fantasy team starts to quiver in terror, and the score jumps to 24-14, Packers.

10:21 - Ah, Green Bay special teams, you never cease to disgust me. A massive kick return puts the Ravens deep into Green Bay territory. Then again, how hard is it to juke out Mason Crosby? The goalposts do it to him on a weekly basis.

9:46 - Tramon Williams earns yet another pass interference flag in the end zone. I thought there was a cap to how many times a player could get flagged for the same thing over and over?

/conveniently forgetting the Ahmad Carroll era

9:30 - How? How? How does a cornerback make that play? Tell me how Charles Woodson just stopped McGahee when he had a massive opening to go through? Between that and flustering the Ravens to the point of calling a timeout, I'm pretty sure Charles Woodson should gain an edge for the DPOY award after tonight.

8:47 - Joe Flacco rolls nearly 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage, avoids a sack, and tosses it nicely into Tramon Williams hands. Mike Tirico exclaimed "That is terrible!" as the ball was still in the air! I cannot believe Flacco made that throw. Downright Bad Favre-esque. Kudos to Williams for not retreating into the fetal position after all the penalties tonight.

8:38 - Still trying to figure out the last three plays of that Baltimore drive. Tackle for loss, timeout, interception, all from within the 5-yard line. When's the last time Green Bay came up with that kind of stop?

7:12 - Baltimore's defense forces a 3-and-out as the King of Third Down and James Jones miscommunicate on a fly-stop route.

6:48 - Yeah, Joe Flacco's having a bad day. This time he throws it right into the hands of A.J. Hawk, who was quietly having another solid game (which is EXACTLY WHY WE DRAFTED HIM! FOR QUIET, SOLID GAMES!) before this play. Back-to-back interceptions for the Unibrow, and I'm almost sad to see it. Remember, my fantasy team is up 130-24, but I'm playing Rodgers, Finley, and the Packer defense while starting Ray Rice. The offense I can deal with, but this stifling defense is killing me!

6:00 - Ahman Green smashes his way to gain a short first down, and the running out of the clock commences. How much time can they milk from the clock?

2:56 - Turns out they can burn a whole lot of time. Interesting graphic on Green Bay receivers, going from Sharpe to Brooks to Freeman to Driver to Jennings.

2:15 - "Hey Coach Gruden, I found a pair of your old practice shorts." If there's a better setup for a pasty white guy wearing green-and-gold short-shorts in below-freezing weather, I've never seen it.

1:56 - Crosby avoids the shank-osaurus and makes it 27-14, Packers. Solid lead.

1:52 - Gruden brings up the possibility of a Vikings-Packers rematch in the playoffs. I say, don't get ahead of yourself, but the prospect of facing what might be a slowly-fading Favre, a possibly nicked-up Peterson, and a banged-up defense in Minnesota isn't nearly as terrifying as it seems.

0:29 - Fittingly, Clay Matthews chases Flacco down for his second sack of the day. Ted Thompson deserves all the slack in the world for having the stones to trade up for this guy. He could draft Jimmy Clausen next season and I'd still like him.

0:00 - The sack is the last play of the game, and the Packers earn the win, 27-14.

Post-game thoughts:

Not many, again due to my exhaustion. But I will say this: the offense played relatively well, Aaron Rodgers carried the team with his passing. The defense was stifling for much of the game, and Charles Woodson should be the front-runner for DPOY, and even in the conversation for defensive-players-who-deserve-the-MVP-but-won't-get-it-because-they're-not-a-quarterback-or-running-back (if he wasn't already). The playcalling was really well thought out on both sides of the ball, and the execution of many of the plays was awfully impressive.

But two things stand out as glaring negatives. First was the penalties. So many penalties. If Baltimore didn't flag it up more than we did, it would stand out more. Tramon Williams has a lot of talent, but he cannot ~~get caught using~~ use that armbar anymore. It simply costs too much yardage. And Chad Clifton needs to get his business together, because he's smarter than he's playing.

The second thing was the final score. 27-14 seems like a solid win, but with all of the opportunities that the Ravens gave up, it should have been a much wider margin. Playoff teams win games like this soundly, which the Packers did. They should, they're a playoff team. But championship teams beat their opponent senseless when they come up with as many takeaways as they did (4).

All that said, this is Green Bay's fourth straight win after falling to 4-4. You can't ask for a better setup for the final quarter of the season.

And my fantasy team? They hung on for a 137-80 victory, largely because I had actually started Rashard Mendenhall instead of Ray Rice. See what working third shift does to you?

Brief Recap: Packers Defeat Ravens 27-14

Brandon — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:44:44 -0000

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Well I'm exhausted after watching the Green Bay Packers beat the Baltimore Ravens. Man that was a long game with all the passing, timeouts, and lots and lots of penalties. There were many similarities for both teams.

For the Packers: 175(!!!) penalty yards, 3 turnovers, 3.5 yards/carry.

For the Ravens: 135 penalty yards, 4 turnovers, 3.1 yards/carry.

The big difference was QB Aaron Rodgers. While neither team could stop committing penalties and turnovers, and neither team could run the ball, Rodgers was still productive with 3 TD passes, 263 yards, and QB rating of 87.8. Not his best game when you factor in the 2 INTs, but when compared to QB Joe Flacco (1 TD pass, 137 yards, 27.2 QB rating, 3 INTs) it was a clearly superior game.

The defense was outstanding, when they weren't committing penalties. The defense only allowed 185 total yards of offense, which almost equaled the 175 yards the Ravens earned on Packer penalties. They did a great job on the dangerous RB Ray Rice, who only had 71 yards from scrimmage and 1 fumble. CB Tramon Williams had an awful game by committing two pass interference penalties in the end zone, but he did attone for one of them by intercepting Flacco in the end zone.

It was another poor performance by the Packer special teams, with 1 fumble (the Packers did recover it), 1 missed FG, and they allowed a 68 yard kickoff return. But that wasn't enough to swing the game in the Ravens' favor.

Overall, it was a sloppy game, but a good win. The Packers never trailed against a good team that came into the game with a winning record. It was important just to get another W, and keep ahead of the 7-5 Giants for a playoff spot.

Extended Recap: Green Bay Packers Defeat Lions 34-12

Brandon — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:20:53 -0000

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I was nervous the entire first quarter while watching the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving. The Lions had a quick 7-0 lead, and the Packer offense had already stalled once before they missed a FG attempt. I was wondering if this was going to be like their last loss in Tampa. But once QB Matthew Stafford threw his first INT, and QB Aaron Rodgers completed a 68 yard pass to WR Donald Driver to end the 1st quarter, I wasn't nervous anymore.

The Lions weren't exactly a big test for the Packers, they beat them in most major categories like points, yards (422 to 272), time of possession (33:59 to 26:01), and turnovers recovered (5 to 2). But I'm not a big believer in tests, or teams having to prove something. I believe in wins against any team they play, as they right now control their own destiny for a wild card playoff spot. And also stay healthy, which is something they did a good job of on Thanksgiving.

The complete play-by-play recap is after the jump.

Packers vs Lions coverage; Packers vs Lions recap; Packers vs Lions boxscore; Pride Of Detroit

Play-by-play from NFL.com:

First Quarter

4-J.Hanson kicks 71 yards from DET 30 to GB -1. 87-J.Nelson to GB 21 for 22 yards (75-T.McBride). FUMBLES (75-T.McBride), RECOVERED by DET-57-J.Dizon at GB 20. 57-J.Dizon to GB 20 for no gain (87-J.Nelson).

And they started the game with a thud. The special teams were awful, committing 4 penalties (1 intentional 4th quarter delay of game), and 2 big kick returns could have even been bigger if not for saving tackles by TE Spencer Havner and K Mason Crosby.

(14:23) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 84-B.Pettigrew pushed ob at GB 6 for 12 yards (50-A.Hawk).

It was interesting that this was their first pass play. The Lions must have seen something they liked because they threw 13 passes to their tight ends, usually out in the flat. None of them were big plays, but Stafford completed 9 of them, so they were just about as successful as anything they did on offense. Unfortunately this was the last one for rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew. He suffered a season ending knee injury on the play.

(13:07) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 81-C.Johnson for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.

Instead of taking advantage of the LBs in coverage against the tight end, the Lions decided to force 12 passes to an obviously hurting WR Calvin Johnson. This was their biggest offensive play of the game, and maybe it gave them false hope that Johnson could have a big game. Instead, it just might have made CB Charles Woodson very angry.

(12:16) 25-R.Grant right tackle to GB 32 for 15 yards (41-W.James).

This was a good run in a game with few good runs. RB Ryan Grant should have had a big game against a weak Lions run defense, but instead he had a poor game (only 3.1 yards/carry). Four days earlier, he was great against an excellent 49ers run defense.

(4:43) 2-M.Crosby 43 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Right, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-10-M.Flynn.

More lousy special teams. As good as this drive was, the Packers were forced to convert four times on 3rd down and they went 3 for 4. It seemed odd since the Packers weren't taking any shots down field against a defense that was torched 4 days earlier. 10 minutes into the game, down 7-0, and I'll admit I was a little nervous.

(1:27) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right intended for 89-W.Heller INTERCEPTED by 36-N.Collins at GB 26. 36-N.Collins ran ob at GB 26 for no gain.

The Lions were getting a little something going, moving the ball 30 yards after the missed FG, and FS Nick Collins made a great reaction on the ball. Watch the replay.

(:13) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass deep right to 80-D.Driver to DET 7 for 68 yards (25-M.White).

What a way to end the quarter. The Packers were still down 7-0 at this point, but after watching them force an INT and 3 plays later attack the awful Lion secondary, it felt like they had turned the corner.

Second Quarter

(15:00) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 86-D.Lee for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

That was quite a leap by TE Donald Lee. Watch the replay.

(14:26) 34-K.Smith left tackle to DET 34 for 4 yards (36-N.Collins).

There were a few times in the game when RB Kevin Smith got a cutback lane, and it looked like he could bust out for a big gain. But there was always a Packer there to tackle him, and Smith didn't have a single carry for more than 6 yards. Everyone on defense did their part on run defense.

(8:24) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete short middle to 88-J.Finley. GB-88-J.Finley was injured during the play. His return is Probable. PENALTY on DET-26-L.Delmas, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at DET 40.

(8:19) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 88-J.Finley to DET 16 for 9 yards (25-M.White). PENALTY on DET-25-M.White, Horse Collar, 8 yards, enforced at DET 16.

It was rough going for TE Jermichael Finley on those two consecutive plays. He took one (two) for the team, and set up a 1st and goal, but they settled for a FG.

(5:28) 34-K.Smith up the middle to DET 44 for -4 yards (90-B.Raji).

(4:49) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep left intended for 86-D.Northcutt INTERCEPTED by 38-T.Williams at GB 40. 38-T.Williams pushed ob at GB 46 for 6 yards (86-D.Northcutt).

DE B.J. Raji slipped a tackle and got quickly into the backfield. His tackle set up a 3rd and 5, which was then intercepted by CB Tramon Williams. Two great plays in a row.

(1:03) 2-M.Crosby 25 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-10-M.Flynn.

Another good drive ends in a FG (or FG miss). They've been settling for a lot of FGs the past two weeks, but overall they're still about average (scoring a TD about 51% of the time in the red zone). It's a bad trend, but it's hard to call it a problem since the offense is playing so well overall.

(:04) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford sacked at DET 48 for -8 yards (52-C.Matthews).

What would you call that sack by LB Clay Matthews? Tenacious? Watch it here.

Third Quarter

(14:11) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right intended for 80-B.Johnson INTERCEPTED by 21-C.Woodson at DET 38. 21-C.Woodson to DET 38 for no gain (80-B.Johnson). Detroit challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was Upheld. (Timeout #1 at 14:06.)

He had a sack in the 1st half, but the Woodson show got going early in the 2nd half. The 1st of his 2 INTs.

(13:27) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete short right to 86-D.Lee.

Lee had a TD earlier, but he had been dropping some passes in recent games. I'd been wondering if TE Spencer Havner should be playing ahead of him. This play is another drop, and I'm not sure how he'll be going forward.

(12:41) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers sacked at DET 37 for -6 yards (59-J.Peterson). FUMBLES (59-J.Peterson) [59-J.Peterson], RECOVERED by DET-97-J.Hunter at DET 37. 97-J.Hunter to DET 37 for no gain (71-J.Sitton).

LT Chad Clifton left LB Julian Peterson unblocked, while Clifton blocked no one, and it led to the only sack of the game for the Lions on 4th down. Tom Pelissero goes into more detail about why Clifton's decision to leave Peterson unblocked was more complicated then it seemed, and that Rodgers should have gotten rid of the ball quickly since it was an empty backfield and they left no one in to block on a blitz.

(11:06) 12-A.Rodgers pass deep middle to 80-D.Driver to DET 45 for 45 yards (41-W.James).

(9:01) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 80-D.Driver to DET 31 for 7 yards (23-K.Hobbs).

(6:43) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 80-D.Driver for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN [23-K.Hobbs].

A quick 3-and-out by the defense was somewhat wasted after a 51 yard net punt pinned the Packers down at their 10 yard line. But that didn't matter because WR Donald Driver took over. 59 yards alone on the drive, including the TD reception.

(1:31) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 89-J.Jones to DET 21 for 4 yards (41-W.James).

(:47) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 89-J.Jones for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Earlier this season, I was ready to write WR James Jones off. He only had a couple catches, and it seemed like Rodgers would only throw to him if he was wide, wide open. But he's become more involved in the offense (15 receptions in the last 4 games) and has 4 TDs on the season. He might never be good enough to start, but now he's doing well as a No. 3 receiver.

Fourth Quarter

(12:35) 7-J.Kapinos punts 57 yards to DET 11, Center-61-B.Goode. 86-D.Northcutt ran ob at DET 25 for 14 yards (51-B.Poppinga).

A conservative drive, the Packers were trying to kill some clock, ended with the Packers' first punt of the game.

(12:02) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep middle to 86-D.Northcutt to GB 22 for 47 yards (38-T.Williams).

If there was one weak link in the pass defense, it was CB Jarrett Bush. WR Dennis Northcutt got behind Bush, and ran away from him for the big gain. All the comments I've read about Bush are usually hoping he'll be released soon, and he didn't do anything in this game to prove to those fans that he's becoming a better defender.

(10:09) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass incomplete short right to 81-C.Johnson [20-A.Bigby]. Ball thrown away.

(10:05) 25-R.Grant right tackle to GB 1 for no gain (90-G.Jackson).

(9:22) 25-R.Grant right end to GB -1 for -2 yards (26-L.Delmas). FUMBLES (26-L.Delmas), RECOVERED by DET-57-J.Dizon at GB -1. TOUCHDOWN. Green Bay challenged the fumble ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 25-R.Grant right end tackled in End Zone for -1 yards, SAFETY (26-L.Delmas).

A big defensive stop on the 1 yard line leads to a collapse by the run blocking. I'm sure everyone blocking on those two running plays will be hearing it from their coaches next week.

(5:05) 4-J.Hanson 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-2-N.Harris.

The drive stalled, but should Detroit have really been settling for a FG? No pass was completed for greater than 13 yards on the drive. They were just daring Stafford to make accurate, short passes. The Packers were going to let them work their way down the field, which was something they hadn't done well all game.

(3:55) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right intended for 81-C.Johnson INTERCEPTED by 21-C.Woodson at DET 38. 21-C.Woodson for 38 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

(2:51) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 82-C.Fitzsimmons to DET 41 for 13 yards (21-C.Woodson). Green Bay challenged the fumble ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 82-C.Fitzsimmons to DET 40 for 12 yards (21-C.Woodson). FUMBLES (21-C.Woodson), RECOVERED by GB-21-C.Woodson at DET 41. Referee blew the ball dead.

Unlike their last game against the 49ers, the Packer offense wasn't able to run out the clock. They give the Lions two more chances, and Woodson forced two turnovers (one returned for a TD).

The Packers Straightforward Defense

Brandon — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:03:24 -0000

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From Tom Pelissero at the Press-Gazette:

This was as straightforward a game plan as Capers has put together. The Packers played 60 of 77 snaps (77.9 percent) in nickel against Scott Linehan’s three-wide offense. The rest was base (16 snaps) and a single snap of prevent — no dime, no "corner Okie," no "big Okie," not even any goal-line defense as the Packers made a pair of key red-zone stands.

The blitz package wasn’t extensive, with extra-man pressure coming on only 11 of 47 dropbacks (23.4 percent) even as the Lions threw heavily in the fourth quarter. Slot blitzes were especially rare with CB Jarrett Bush taking Woodson’s usual spot in the nickel.

The secondary did most of its damage out of basic zones, with FS Nick Collins exploding from Cover-2 to record the first of four interceptions and CBs Tramon Williams and Woodson each getting one in quarters coverage.

As good as QB Matthew Stafford looked against the Browns, Capers must have watched the game film and saw that Stafford is still playing like a rookie QB. He mixed up the coverage a little, sometimes it was cover-2 and sometimes it was man coverage, but he didn't blitz much and he let his excellent secondary wait for Stafford to make a mistake. A good job by the coach to identify that his players could beat their players, and then to let them do just that.

New Starters: Tramon Williams and Brad Jones?

Brandon — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:09:27 -0000

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From Mike McCarthy's Monday press conference:

We just got the confirmation on both Al Harris and Aaron Kampman's results, and both individuals will have season-ending knee surgery.

I'm sure everyone reading this already knew that the Green Bay Packers have lost both of them for the season, but I keep double checking, hoping it's not true. Although CB Tramon Williams and LB Brad Jones should move into the starting lineup, McCarthy said "the natural move" is Williams as the starter, but he wouldn't name Jones the starter or who would play in the nickel or dime.

The big concern with not announcing Jones as the starter means more playing time for LB Brady Poppinga.

CB Jarrett Bush has few fans in the comments (any fans?) and the good news is that he might not actually be the nickel corner. Bush might remain the dime corner, and CB Brandon Underwood might effectively replace Harris as the right CB when he comes into the game as the nickel. Then Williams and CB Charles Woodson would not have to change their roles drastically.

Injuries: Al Harris and Aaron Kampman Are Out For The Season

Brandon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:16:44 -0000

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about 1 month ago: Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy, left, watches as trainers look at Al Harris' knee during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 30-24. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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It's been reported by the Journal-Sentinel that the Green Bay Packers just lost both CB Al Harris and LB Aaron Kampman for the year with ACL tears.

There's no way to replace what either player can do for the defense. Harris is their top cover corner, and Kampman is still their best pass rusher. A pass defense that is struggling after giving up another 3 TD performance to an opposing QB just got a little worse. With the game coming up on Thanksgiving, there isn't much the Packers can do to replace either this week. Not that there are Pro Bowl LBs or CBs looking for jobs right now.

I'd expect CB Trevor Ford and LB Cyril Obiozor are added to the roster this week from the practice squad, after Harris and Kampman are placed on I.R. Both played extensively in preseason. They are undrafted free agents who were signed back in April. Ford is a poor cover corner, but good in run support. Obi is a project of linebacker coach Kevin Greene's and a former college DE making the transition to LB. He's an athletic player, but didn't manage to put much pressure on the QB. If there's another injury in the secondary, remember the Packers have already lost CB Will Blackmon during the season, then Ford might play. Obiozor could be added to the active roster, but would still be buried deep on the depth chart.

As far as replacing them on the field, LB Brad Jones has impressed the last two week and he'll start in Kampman's spot. LB Brady Poppinga is his backup, with LB Jeremy Thompson behind them. Jones showed some promising pass rush moves this preseason, but his strength right now is against the run and in pass coverage. CB Tramon Williams will now start, with CB Jarrett Bush as the nickel. Though they've run a lot of sets with 4 CBs lately, so CB Brandon Underwood got some playing time after Harris went out. None of those players can replace what Kampman and Harris can do. The team will just have to try their best going forward, and defensive coordinator Dom Capers is going to have to make some adjustments to compensate for their absences.

Friday Injury Report: Green Bay Packers at Browns

Brandon — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:15:14 -0000

The big news is the massive injury report from the Cleveland Browns. 24 players are listed on it, mostly due to the swine flu outbreak in their locker room. Although CB Eric Wright is listed on it because of his serious car crash. The good news is that only 2 players are listed as doubtful (TE Steve Heiden and K Phil Dawson), so they should have nearly everyone available.

While the injury list is shorter than it was last week, the Packers are certainly going to miss some players. From Packers.com:

Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Brandon Chillar	LB	Neck	Limited Participation	Questionable
Chad Clifton	T	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Korey Hall	FB	Calf	Out	Out
Greg Jennings	WR	Hip	Limited Participation	Probable
Quinn Johnson	FB	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Jordy Nelson	WR	Knee	Out	Out
B.J. Raji	NT	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Aaron Rodgers	QB	Foot	Full Participation	Probable
Jason Spitz	C/G	Back	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Mark Tauscher	T	Knee	Limited Participation	Out
Jarius Wynn	DE	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Out

Some big names are listed, Rodgers especially. But he should play, along with Chillar, Jennings, Johnson, and Raji.

Clifton's loss is no surprise because it looked bad when he reinjured his ankle last week. Rookie 4th round pick LT T.J. Lang will start in his place. I don't expect he'll be great, but LG Daryn Colledge was so bad in Minnesota, and even Clifton struggled with penalties last week, that he might not seem so bad. But we should expect the rookie to have some struggles.

Hall has been out for a couple weeks, but Nelson was hurt last game when he took a shot to the knee. He's having a slightly better season than WR James Jones (Nelson has caught 58% of the passes thrown his way, while Jones only has caught 42%) but for almost the same yardage and 1 TD apiece. Jones has looked lost at times, but neither has been used much this season. CB Tramon Williams will replace Nelson on special teams as the return man.

Spitz has a bad back, and he's day-to-day. C Scott Wells will replace him, start at center for the 4th game in a row, and he's probably just as good.

I'm not sure what's up with Wynn, but the rookie has barely played this season so he shouldn't be missed. Tauscher is out again as the recently resigned veteran is still rehabbing from his ACL surgery. I'm surprised RB Ahman Green is not listed, apparently he's not hurt but still in questionable football shape. The Packers have never had more than 2 RBs active for a game this season, so Green should be inactive with RB Brandon Jackson as the backup to RB Ryan Grant.

A Most Delicious Matchup

Mitchell_M — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:58:37 -0000

Mmm...Browns...

Now, I know what you're thinking. Historically this season, I've been more negative than some of you would care for. I look at it as being more realistic, but at the same time it comes off as having a serious lack of faith in the team.

Allow me to attempt to salvage my reputation by coming out and saying that this is easily the best matchup of the year for the Packers and that they should absolutely roll on the Browns. Why do I say that? The answer is after the jump.

CLE rushing vs. GB defense: Jamal Lewis used to be the workhorsiest running back in the NFL. He's fallen off, to say the least (67 carries, 233 yards, 0 TDs). Jerome Harrison was supposed to be change-of-pace back in the vein of Leon Washington, Chris Johnson, and Darren Sproles. Needless to say, he has not realized that potential yet (61 carries, 228 yards, 0 TDs). Rookie James Davis looked promising, but was lost for the season. The Cleveland stable of running backs, ranked 18th in yardage, is mediocre at best.

The offensive line isn't much better. Joe Thomas (6'6", 312) is a stud at LT, but he specializes more in pass protection. The rest of the line is not nearly as studly. Eric Steinbach (6'6", 295) is an athletic LG who can move in space, but has historically had problems with sustaining blocks and keeping his base. Rookie center Alex Mack (6'4", 311), backup center/starting RG Hank Fraley (6'3", 310), and RT John St. Clair (6'6", 320) are merely average.

Green Bay has surprisingly turned into a surprisingly stout run defense over the course of the season. They're ranked 16th against the run, but the difference between 10th ranked Tennessee and 20th ranked New England is less than 20 yards. Nick Barnett seems to have recovered fully from his ACL injury, Brandon Chillar has continued to excel as a rotation linebacker, Clay Matthews had a small coming-out party last week, and A.J. Hawk has been relegated to the bench for over 75% of the defensive snaps.

Advantage: Green Bay. Having finally settled on a rotation for the front seven, the defense is starting to hit its stride.

CLE passing vs. GB defense: The only bright spot in the passing offense is rookie WR Mohamed Massaquoi. The Georgia product may not be able to recreate Braylon Edwards' production (or drops), but he has already established himself as a productive member of the NFL. Mike Furrey, former St. Louis safety turned receiver, is a homeless man's Wes Welker. From there, it's all downhill in Cleveland.

Derek Anderson once submitted a stat line of 2/17 for 23 yards and kept his job. That's how bad the quarterback situation is in Cleveland. Between him and Brady Quinn, it's hard to declare a winner. Quinn is easily more accurate than Anderson, but Anderson has the arm that can make all the necessary throws. If you somehow combined them into a super-conglomerate-quarterback, they might be servicable. But until then, Eric Mangini will have to continue choosing between dukey and doo-doo.

And by the way, how in the world does Eric Mangini still have a job? The Brady Quinn Era lasted all of 2.5 games. The second-best player on offense (and second-leading receiver) was Braylon Edwards, who's now a member of the Jets. They were reportedly shopping Joshua Cribbs before the deadline, presumably because they don't want to have any success on special teams.

Green Bay finally is starting to figure out a rotation of linebackers that work well with blitz packages, especially on passing downs. The group of Matthews-Barnett-Chillar-Kampman has produced well, especially when Kampman moves onto the line. Al Harris, Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Tramon Williams, and finally healthy (for now) Atari Bigby are licking their chops this week. It might get ugly.

Advantage: Definitely Green Bay. The only thing preventing this defense from dominating this week is injuries.

GB rushing vs. CLE defense: Cleveland has a defense which has been exploited like a British colony. Their 30th-ranked run defense is anchored by Shaun Rogers. Is it any coincidence that all the teams that the 6'4" 350 lb. mammoth tackle has played for have been awful against the run? Probably, especially now that Cleveland defensive star D'Qwell Jackson is out for the year. But the rest of Cleveland's front seven are non-descript. Robaire Smith and Kenyon Coleman are the main ends, with former Packer Corey Williams rotating in. Eric Barton, Kamerion Wimbley, David Bowens, and David Veikune will have to step up to replace Jackson's leadership.

Meanwhile, rumors abound of Ryan Grant's imminent departure from Green Bay. Well, perhaps "imminent" isn't the right word, but those in charge at 1265 are not pleased and have been looking for ways to improve the position. Whether or not Ahman Green can be considered an improvement is yet to be seen. In any case, Grant is still producing at a slightly-above-average clip (3.8 ypc). Perhaps his numbers are lower because of the offensive line? After all, Grant did finish last year on a relatively strong note, so maybe he is getting primed for a second-half explosion, a la Cedric Benson in 2008.

Advantage: Green Bay, because Cleveland sucks more at stopping the run than Green Bay does at establishing it.

GB passing vs. CLE defense: I played defensive back in high school, and I was good enough to not get burned on a regular basis. One week, I caught the flu, and tried playing in that week's game after starting to get over it. Two long pass plays later, I was riding the pine for the rest of the game and didn't start the next week.

The point is, if any of the Browns' defensive backs were among the players who caught the flu, they will be in for a long day.

The Browns' pass defense is ranked 23rd, a number that would likely be worse if Cleveland weren't constantly losing and having opponents run the clock out against them. The corners (Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald) are actually not horrible players, but they're constantly left alone by the putrid safety tandem of Brodney Pool and Abram Elam. If you thought Derrick Martin and Jarrett Bush were bad, wait until you see Wright matched up against Donald Driver and pass him off to the safety who isn't there.

Speaking of Green Bay's receivers, they have certainly stepped up in the last few weeks. Seven Packers have over 100 yards receiving on the season, and Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, and Jermichael Finley are all averaging over 15.0 yards per catch. As long as the drops don't come back, these guys will get open and get yards.

Oh, and Aaron Rodgers is awesome. Let's hope he stays healthy despite his dangerous work conditions.

Advantage: Green Bay by a long shot.

No-longer-so-preliminary verdict: The biggest thing that worries me about this game is the potential for the team to fall into a trap, given the looming November 1st visit from a certain NFC North team. But before we start repeating the Admiral Ackbar message from Week 3, recognize exactly how different this team is in Week 7. With Atari Bigby healthy, a more suitable replacement for Mark Tauscher, and the reunion of Aaron Kampman and the 3-point stance, this Packers team is far more capable than they were in the first quarter of the season.

Poll

What outcome do you see for Week 7 against Cleveland?

Big GB win.

505 votes

Slim GB win.

61 votes

Too close to call.

6 votes

Slim CLE win.

24 votes

Big CLE win.

16 votes

612 votes | Poll has closed