Saturday, November 25, 2017

My Take -> Week 12


Greetings, G-Force.

Well. That was ugly. A putrid performance. Shutout by a significantly below average Ravens team. At Lambeau Field. Amazingly, all hope is not lost. In fact, even if the Steelers drop 50 on us this Sunday and we fall to 5-6, we will still have a breathe. We have to beat Tampa and Cleveland and then hope the magical #12 is fit enough to come back.

As I write, I listen to John Denver’s Greatest Hits. Sitting in West Virginia, his music rings smoothly. And, yes, John: It’s “Almost Heaven.”

Here are my quick vibes from the last week:

Mike McCarthy trusted his QB. After Hundley fooled him with his impressive 4th Quarter play at Chicago. Suddenly, McCarthy had enhanced faith in his QB. Hundley quickly proved that he wasn’t a worthwhile QB. McCarthy has to be angry with himself for unleashing Hundley.

As I wrote before the game, the Packers had to protect the football against Baltimore. The Ravens feast on turnovers. Hundley was careless throughout. His interception on the first drive had me asking “if and only if” as I watched the rest of the game.

Devante Mays. What a disaster.

Jamaal Williams showed glimpses of being a legitimate RB, once again.

Davante Adams is earning himself a large contract.

Jordy Nelson was wide open for a deep TD. Hundley overthrew him. Would’ve been a game turning play.

HaHa made one beautiful interception. Should’ve had a second, too.

Clay looked dominant. Then, he got hurt. Looks like he’s going to miss the game this week as well. Need to be able to depend on him. He’s making it tough again.

Nick Perry showed moments of greatness.

Mike Daniels played another great game.

Hated seeing Kenny Clark getting hurt. He continues to be a bright spot for this defense.

Dean Lowry flashed again. He’s playing with power. He’s winning his one-on-one battle, but struggles when he meets the double team.

Stating the obvious: Brett Hundley is not ready to lead an NFL team. He seems to lack intelligence. He can’t read pre-snap defenses. He struggles to read the secondary and whether they are playing zone or man to man. He holds onto the ball too long. He appears to have very little football instincts. He’s not comfortable with the speed of the game.

With Aaron Rodgers, Jordy was a lethal target. With Hundley, Jordy is non-existent. Why won’t Hundley look his way?

This week - it’s the Steelers. In Pittsburgh. I’ll forever view the XLV Super Bowl as one of the most thrilling days of my life.

I’ll be at the Sunday Night battle. Excited to take in a game under the lights between these two historical titans. Speaking of Titans, the last time I saw the Packers play on the road was in Tennessee. The Packers gave up 47 points. After the Pittsburgh game, I suppose it’s possible that the Packers will have given up more than 100 combined points over a 2-game stretch in which I traveled to see the Packers. Let’s hope not. But, it’s certainly possible.

See, while the Packers are banged up, the Steelers are mostly healthy. They’ll have Bell, Ben, Brown and Bryant raging to go. 4/5 of their dominant OL will be in-tact. With Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro; the interior of the Steelers OL is as good as it gets in the NFL. The Steelers also will have TE's Jesse James and Vance McDonald as reliable targets for Big Ben. 10 of the 11 Steelers starters on offense will be ready to go. Top back-up WR, JuJu Smith-Schuster will miss the game, but Eli Rogers is a reliable slot WR and he'll be a dangerous target on 3rd down.

Defensively, the Steelers are healthy as well. They'll be missing their #1 CB, Joe Haden. But, otherwise, they'll be fit and ready to ball out. Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt are top-tier 3-4 DL. Javon Hargrave is a fast ascending pass rushing 3-4 DT. At LB, the Steelers have mastered the speed/size/muscle combination required to dominate the 3-4. Ryan Shazier and Vince Williams are studs at ILB. And, at OLB, the Steelers are thick with depth. TJ Watt, James Harrison, Bud Dupree, Anthony Chickillo and Arthur Moats all fit the mold of an ideal 3-4 OLB. At CB, they are vulnerable. Mike Hilton has made plays, but he can be beaten. With Haden out, Artie Burns is their best CB. At Safety, the Steelers are physical with two intimidating presences in Sean Davis and Mike Mitchell.

Let's be real. This has the feeling of a game in which it's a complete celebration for the Steel City. They're under the lights. In prime time. Poised to roll. Playing as well as anyone in football. They're seemingly positioned to drop 50 points on the Packers. We're banged up and appear to be mentally defeated.

But, maybe, just maybe, the Packers will show up inspired to represent in McCarthy's home town.

Maybe, just maybe, the Packers will take advantage of the Steelers back-up RT. Nick Perry and Ahmad Brooks win with speed.

Maybe, just maybe, Mike Daniels dominates the interior and gets in Big Ben's face. And, as we've seen before, if you get in Big Ben's face, he'll make mistakes. And, maybe, just maybe, we return one of those mistakes for a TD. We're going to need a special teams TD or a defensive TD in order to win this week.

Maybe, just maybe, Brett Hundley finds accuracy on the deep ball. I believe that the Steelers will struggle to cover the Packers on the outside. I expect the Steelers to load the box. I'd be sending Nelson, Allison and Adams on go-routes. I'd like to see Hundley try the 15-yard back shoulder throw.

Maybe, just maybe, Jamaal Williams pounds away at the Steelers DL. We've seen the Steelers defense be vulnerable to the run this year. Maybe Williams gets himself into a foot race in the secondary and busts one loose.

Meanwhile, between each snap, the Packers are eating up clock. Slowing the pace of the game. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

Maybe, just maybe, the Packers defense will keep the Steelers out of the end zone early in the game. They're holding the Steelers to 3 instead of 7.

And, if these things happen, any thing is possible. With the season hanging by a thread, is Crosby true from 43 and the win?

Packers 24.
Steelers 23.

Go Pack Go!

Talkin' S-Mac.
talkins-mac.blogspot.com












Saturday, November 18, 2017

My Take -> Week 11

Greetings, G-Force.

5-4! I love that winning feeling! And, it’s always best when it comes at the Bears expense. THE BEARS STILL SUCK. THE BEARS STILL SUCK. THEY REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY SUCK. THE BEARS STILL SUCK. That, my fellow Packers faithful, will never get old.

As I write, I listen to the recording of Widespread Panic at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, WI. 10/20/17. A magical night in my life. It was one of those “this is why I see so much live music” kinda night. “You Wreck Me” opener that was perfectly performed. Jimmy was on fire with in-your-face getting dirty with it Southern grooves. We got a couple of straight Irish leg skipping musical JoJo gigs. The Big Wooly Mammoth always offers permagrin. Bust IT Big was peace-popping, hips-hopping kind of good vibes. Jimmy really rocked out the Travelin’ Light with aggressive flair. Old Neighborhood was an appropriate 2nd set opener as I used live roughly a mile from the venue. Heavy drum and bass effects were profound throughout. Once again, Trucks proved to be a fantastic addition to the band. Schools’ bass was amped up to full capacity, which stepped up the intensity of the unit to a grand degree. Sunny offered bumping bongo bops. And, of course, JB was shining throughout. His raspy texture was best vocalized during Mercy. Great fun when you see JB pull out the mandolin because you know what’s next and the “Ain’t Life Grand” 2nd encore was the style that lives in you the morning after and beyond. Mil-wook-ee was in full vibrancy mode that evening. Sensational to re-live it.

Here are my quick vibes over the last week:

* Mike McCarthy. I believe in him. Always have. Always will. I don’t review a man’s performance by how he shines when he’s on the mountain top in winning ways. Instead, I pay attention as to how he performs when he’s beat-up, down-and-out. I often say that my favorite word in the dictionary is “mettle.” Mike McCarthy operates in his best fashion when times are tough. He’s resilient. He rallies his troops in times of trouble. And, once again, against his hated rival, his team came through in a victorious way. Right when it appeared like victory was unattainable, in the eyes of the masses.

* Credit to Brett Hundley. He stayed composed in the toughest of circumstances. Yes, he had a couple of learning curve moments as he called a timeout before the end of the 1st Quarter and then he didn’t call one as the play-clock was winding down before the crucial 3rd down pass to Adams. But, overall, Hundley played well. He picked up a vital 1st down with his legs. He hit big 4th Quarter throws. He played with confidence. He played with composure. And, he protected the football. If he plays like that over the next 4 weeks, the Packers will beat the Ravens, Bucs and Browns.

* Dear Football Gods, man, you’re making this tough on us. Why do you feel the need to strip us from Aaron Jones and Ty Montgomery? To steal both of them for what appears to be multiple-week injuries feels unfair.

* David Bakhtiari. If you haven’t watched his post-game locker room speech, you’re missing out. “I saw pads popping on defense. I saw playmakers making plays. And, Brett. I saw you being Brett.” Epic stuff. The Soldier Field visitors locker room has brought out some great words for Packers fans.

* McCarthy’s team was ready. They were determined to be the more physical team. They won the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Packers were the more focused group. The Packers wanted this victory more. McCarthy continued to trust his group. And, because of it, the Packers, once again, found their winning ways. I was surprised at how many different formations McCarthy ran. So many different looks. A wide variety of players in those formations, too. This team was coached up. Players were ready. Very cool to see.

* Nice to see Davante Adams making plays, once again.

* Brett Hundley will forever hold a spot in my heart after beating the Bears at Soldier. The Bears Still Suck! For now. And forever.

* Jamaal Williams. Ballin’ out. Running over Bears defenders. Playing with passion. A true desire. Falling forward upon contact. Displaying heart. A remarkably memorable performance from the rookie.

* Hope the Kevin King injury isn’t too serious. He was playing his best game of the year.

* If Clay Matthews, Nick Perry and Mike Daniels play in that fashion for the rest of the year, the Packers will be tough to beat.

* Brett Hundley as he was walking off Soldier Field: "Grinding it out today. First victory, baby, in the books. Feels good. We're all blessed, man. Go Pack! Keep it up. We're going strong."

* Sometime soon, the Packers need HaHa to make a play.

* Another strong game from Blake Martinez. Not his best by any means, but still impressive.

* This was an old-school black and blue NFC North battle. Mike McCarthy prevailed in riveting fashion! We saw 5-wide. We saw the I-formation. We saw 2-TE sets. We saw 3 WR sets with a single back and a TE. Mike McCarthy was not leaving anything on the table.

* Clay Matthews was taking his pass rush up the field. He was coming on speed rushes. I hope the Packers are tabling his stunt to the inside. When he applies pressure around the edge, he forces the QB off of his spot. He was consistently irritating Trubisky.

* Kenny Clark is a physical demon in the middle of the DL. Love his play.

* Brett Hundley's theme for the week: "We just have to keep this momentum going. We have to ride the wave." Yes, Brett. Yes, we do.

* Montravious Adams showed flashes of being quick off the ball. Hoping that this continues to improve with more playing time.

* This defense is so much better with Ahmad Brooks than it is without him.

* The Bears were anywhere from a 5-5.5 point favorite for most of the week. Vegas was predicting a Bears win. Packers fans were feeling the same. Bears fans were thinking Trubisky would start off 0-1 as a starter against Green Bay. McCarthy proved otherwise. I have no idea how Packers fans can have ill feelings toward McCarthy.

* I’d like to see Pipkins playing this weekend if King isn’t able to play. Would rather see Pipkins on the field than Josh Hawkins.

* You could argue that Brett Hundley outplayed Matt Ryan, Big Ben, Cam Newton, and Sam Bradford when they played at Soldier Field. You could also easily argue that Mike McCarthy’s team performed better than the Falcons, Steelers, ‘queens, and Panthers when they showed up at Soldier Field. Really impressive day for the Hundley + McCarthy combination.

* Feels like Josh Jones is going to force a big turnover soon.

* McCray, Evans, Linsley, Taylor, and Bakhtiari. Very well done, men.

* After the John Fox challenge, I was pining for the ref to say: AFTER FURTHER REVIEW, THE BEARS STILL SUCK.

* Thought that Marwin Evans would be more active than he’s been on the field. He’s been non-existent. That surprises me.

* Prior to the injury, it was fun to watch Ty Montgomery in his groove. Felt like he was going to easily top 100 yards.

* Damarious Randall has no interest in making open field tackles.

* Hundley needs to look to the TE. Kendricks is open. If he does look to Kendricks, Hundley will have his escape. It feels like Kendricks is uncovered, at times.

* Need better, Davon House. That was unacceptable.

* Good to watch RIP catching the ball in the flat for the 1st down. I’d like to see more of that.

* Trevor Davis. Catch the ball and go. No dancing. Take the ball up the field. Eat yards.

* The amount of special teams penalties is puzzling. In fact, our intelligence in nearly every facet of our special teams has been disastrous. Gotta get that cleaned up. If the Packers are going to continue to win without Rodgers, we’re going to continue to need to get sacks and we’re going to need to start forcing turnovers. We’re also going to have to execute the snap and the hold on FG’s. Further, we’re going to need a special teams TD at some point. We need to start swinging the field position battle on special teams.

This week – it’s the Ravens. At Lambeau Field. In a must-win game for the Packers. With a win, the dream is alive. With a loss, things get tricky. It’s time to elevate, Lambeau. Get loud, baby. Make a difference!

Once again, Vegas is spitting in the face of the Packers organization. The 4-5 Ravens enter Lambeau as a 2-point favorite. That's bulletin board material. Get the troops motivated, Coach Mac!

The Ravens are not a very good football team. If they don’t force turnovers or make plays on special teams, they don’t have the weapons to win on the offensive side of the ball. Mike Wallace can still run, but he wasn’t what he was 7 years ago. Jeremy Maclin has strictly become a possession WR. He can no longer stretch the field. Breshad Perriman is athletically gifted, but he’s battled injuries and hasn’t been the player the Ravens thought he’d be. Still, he’s a threat. Michael Campanaro is a solid slot WR who can cause problems on 3rd down. Benjamin Watson continues to get it done. The grizzly vet is a steady performer. He still gets open. He can still block. He’s also tough to bring down. Maxx Williams is a beast, but he hasn’t been overly productive. Nick Boyle isn’t a star, but he can do it all at TE. The Ravens are stacked with talent at TE. Joe Flacco. How did this guy win a Super Bowl? I’ll never understand. He’s a stationary passer who is prone to turnovers. Yes, he can throw the deep ball and he’s clutch in the 2-minute drill, but as an every down QB, he’s in the bottom tier of the league. The Ravens will be without Ronnie Stanley, their best OL. The Ravens OL has protected Flacco well this year, but they aren’t an intimidating bunch. The Packers DL should win the line of scrimmage. When Alex Collins is in traffic, the Packers have to slap his wrists. If so, he’ll put the ball on the turf. He’s a fumbler. Expect Danny Woodhead to be back from injury. He’s dangerous. Every time he touches the ball, he seems to find the marker. He’ll present a big challenge for Blake Martinez in the passing game. Terrance West isn’t scaring anyone.

The Ravens defense lives off turnovers. Terrell Suggs remains an elite player in the league. He’s a dominant pass rusher. A future Hall of Famer. Carl Davis, Michael Pierce, Brandon Williams, and Chris Wormley aren’t household names, but they are high energy, physical defenders. Za’Darius Smith is a tireless pass rusher as well. CJ Mosley is a dynamite ILB. Matt Judon is an intelligent, hustling strong side LB. Jimmy Smith is among the best CB’s in football. He’s hurt with a bum Achilles, but he’s expected to play. He needs to be tested deep early and often. If he’s unable to go, that’d be a big blow to the Ravens secondary. Brandon Carr is a solid CB. He has the length and the speed that you crave, but his play has been inconsistent. Ladarius Webb is a gamer. I wish he was in Green Bay. Tony Jefferson and Eric Weddle are savvy, talented safeties who can do it all. Marlon Humphrey is a promising rookie CB.

The strengths of the Ravens team is special teams, their secondary and their TE’s. Sam Koch and Justin Tucker are as good as it gets as a specialist duo. I feel as though Tucker is the best Kicker in the game. The Ravens utilize their TE’s to create mismatches on offense and to show disguise. Their confidence in their secondary allows them to blitz in abundance.

Coming off of a victory, the Packers walk into Lambeau Field with a ton of confidence. They expect to win this game. The crowd is amped as well. With temperatures in the 30’s, it’s fall football weather. I love these games. Grind it out. Physical games.

Expect the Packers to pound Williams early in the game. This sets up a 2nd and 7 play action. It’s Hundley to Adams deep down the sideline for a big game.

Nick Perry has another incredible game. He overpowers the Ravens makeshift OL. Mike Daniels does the same. Clay Matthews is flying off the edge. Matthews is disruptive. He forces the immobile Flacco off of his spot and into the arms of Ahmad Brooks for a sack. The Packers DL is in control. The crowd is rowdy. High fives, all around.

The Packers defense forces two turnovers.

The Ravens aim is to slow down the pass rush and the brute force of the Packers DL. The Packers have been awful against the screen. I expect Woodhead to grab multiple first downs in the passing game.

Defensively, the Ravens blitz. On nearly every passing down. They confuse Hundley. They frustrate Hundley. They force a bad decision that ends up in CJ Mosley’s hands.

But, Hundley gets the last laugh. He’s glowing with confidence. Showing his California swagger. It’s not the sand in your toes Ocean breeze blowing his cares away, but the brisk Titletown, U.S.A. winds keep him equally free-flowing and grounded. Hundley leads a late game-winning TD drive on a pass to Nelson.

If the Packers don’t turn the ball over this weekend, the Packers will win by double digits. Mark my words.

Packers 20.
Ravens 16.

Go Pack Go!

Talkin’ S-Mac.
Talkins-mac.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/buzzboy3

Thursday, November 9, 2017

My Take -> Week 10

Greetings, G-Force.

Much to the surprise of most Packers fans, all is not lost. Here’s the reality: the Packers are 4-4. With games against Chicago, Tampa, Baltimore and Cleveland awaiting. All games we can win. With them, we have 8 wins and if Rodgers is healthy, he returns. Without wins in those games, we’re done. But, I’m not ready to cash it in yet. A loss to Chicago would be damaging. With a win, we have a lifeline.

The Black Friday Record Store Day nears. The Ziggy Marley “Love Is My Religion” album will be making its way to wax. I can’t wait. I listen. Not to be political, but in light of world events, it’s refreshing for the ears.

Here are my quick vibes over the last week:

* Time to chill on Mike McCarthy. Of course he’s going to stand up in front of the media and back Brett Hundley. Hundley is his QB. He’s done everything in his power – within the guidelines of the new CBA – to prepare Hundley for this moment. But, the one thing you can’t simulate during practice is the speed of the game. McCarthy has to be counting on the fact that the speed of the game will slow down for Hundley over time. On multiple occasions, there were WR’s streaking WIDE OPEN. For some reason, Hundley didn’t see those WR’s. Oddly, it appeared to me as though the #1 receiver in the route was open and Hundley appears to be looking at the pass rush and not the secondary. Thus, he’s making the OL look shaky and any fundamental error is being exposed. Take, for example, the play on the opening drive in which Jones missed his block. Jordy is streaking down the middle of the field. Wide open. Hundley never sees him. The Jones missed block should’ve never been a topic, but Hundley didn’t step up and deliver a strike. If so, it’d have been 7-0 Green Bay. On a number of occasions, Hundley did not see Kendricks running open across the middle. He’s looking for the check-down too quickly. Plainly stated, Hundley isn’t seeing the field. I have confidence that – as he watches the film – he’s going to learn. Quickly. And, he’ll develop quickly. With that, wins will come.

* Great to see Vince Biegel on the field. I’ve been anxiously awaiting that moment.

* Thought Josh Jones played well. He was flying around the field. Strong showing for the rookie.

* Once again, Blake Martinez was a tackling machine.

* What was Mike Daniels doing? We have to play as close to mistake-free football as possible. The defense has scored their 3-and-out. Daniels gave it away. Huge blow.

* I’ll never understand why Dom Capers loves the zone defense. It consistently fails him. Let’s man up. Simply the defense. Put a foundation of accountabilities in place. Seems like there’s too many confused faces. And, when you man up, let’s not find Davon House lined up against a slot WR.

* It’s baffling that the Packers aren’t jamming WR’s. The CB’s are in the WR’s face, but they aren’t knocking the WR’s off of their routes and because of it, the free release is destroying the Packers. Over the last three weeks, we’ve had almost zero pass rush and CB’s aren’t disrupting routes. That’s a recipe for disaster. And, because of the clean pocket, three weeks in a row, we’ve seen QB’s torch the Packers secondary.

* Kenny Clark can play on the Packers any day. I enjoy his game.

* Kevin King showed glimpses of goodness. Hoping that he has a big play or two in him over the second half of the season. I think he’d benefit from a simplified defense. Less zone. More man. Let him run with WR’s. Let him utilize the sideline as his friend. Let him use his length.

* Need HaHa to have some game changing plays in him. Need him to be a difference maker.

* Why is Clay Matthews consistently coming on stunts to the inside? He’s best as a speed rusher. Let’s see him flying around the edge and forcing the QB to step up in the pocket. That’s when he’s best.

* Poor game by Nick Perry. He was dancing with the Tackle. Need him to power through.

* Liked seeing Randall Cobb streaking down the sideline. Finding his way into the open field.

* Thought Ty Montgomery played with a ton of heart. He should be used as our 3rd down back exclusively.

* David Bakhtiari is a stud.

* Jahri Evans can still play football.

* Nice to see Lowery making plays.

* Sad to see Bulaga go down. Have so much respect for him. He just couldn't stay healthy this year.

* Need more effort from Davante on the deep ball. Needed him to lay out for that. Someone has to elevate and be a play-maker. Davante had a shot. He failed. He looks really frustrated. Yo Davante, it's a contract year.

* Derek Hart. Disaster. Would’ve been nice to get points on the opening drive. That snap + his block were colossal failures.

* 2-minute offense was a highlight. Packers might need to play more read-option, no-huddle offense this week. Keep the defense guessing. Play with more urgency. Pick up the speed. Get Hundley in a rhythm. Hundley looked most comfortable when his blood was flowing as he rushed to the line of scrimmage.

* Wonder why Trevor Davis was utilized so much in the receiving game. Thought Geronimo would be utilized more as the #4 WR. He’s match-up problem. And, on the reverse, Janis was great on that play last year. Wonder why Janis wasn’t used on that play this year? Davis looked unsure of himself attacking the secondary with pace. He’s thinking too much. He needs to trust his instincts.

* Book it. Martellus Bennett. My least favorite Packer player. Ever.

* Ahmad Brooks coming back this week will do wonders for the pass rush. He is a difference maker. I'm hoping to see Brooks, Matthews, Perry and Biegel on the field on 3rd down. Martinez is not a pass rusher. Fackrell can't play in this league.

* Mike McCarthy teams seem to face severe adversity each and every year. And, each and every year, McCarthy seems to rally the troops. McCarthy has the buy-in of the locker room. He's trusted in times of trouble. He keeps the roster unified when things get difficult. Yes, Rodgers is injured. Yes, it appears to be bleak. But, I trust that McCarthy will have the team prepared. With Rodgers, the Packers are a top 3 team in the League. Without, we might be a bottom 10 team in the league. But, so are the Bears, Ravens, Bucs and Browns. Thankfully, they're all on the schedule. Let's win. One week at a time.

This week - it's the Bears. In Chicago. In a must-win. Win and the locker gasps a sigh of relief. Lose and things become nail biting. Through the years, the Packers have played well at Soldier Field. I have full belief that the Packers will play well this Sunday at Soldier again. McCarthy's team will be prepared. We'll be physical. We'll win the line of scrimmage.

Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen have to be contained. They offer a dangerous tandem at RB. Every time Cohen touches the ball, he's thinking about 6 points. Kendall Wright, Markus Wheaton and Josh Bellamy make up what might be the worst WR unit in the league. Dion Sims has not been the pro that most envisioned. Thus far, Mitch Trubisky has not been impressive. The Bears have taken the ball out of hands and mostly instructed him to not lose the game. Outside of the Minnesota game, he has not been turnover prone at big moments. The Packers will need to apply pressure. If so, Trubisky will weak arm balls into traffic. If Trubisky is allowed to roll out with time to see the field, that's when he plays best. I imagine the Bears will use play action and expect their OL to win the line of scrimmage. It'll be up to the Packers front 4 to win the line of scrimmage.

Defensively, the Bears have been opportunistic. Akiem Hicks has been a true star on the DL. Pernell McPhee and Leonard Floyd can get to the QB. Eddie Jackson has had a nose for the football. So has Adrian Amos. The Bears CB's have been destroyed most of the year. The Bears secondary is vulnerable. Big plays will be available. But, in order to attack Marcus Cooper and Prince Amukamara, you have to be willing to look down the field with an aggressive mentality. You can't play with fear. Hundley has to play with confidence.

Look for the Bears to try and control the clock early. They're going to run the ball. They're going to roll out Trubisky on play-action and look to get the ball to Sims or Wheaton in the flat. They'll pound Howard between the tackles. They'll flip the ball to Cohen on a pitch to the outside. They'll consistently use most of play clock on every down. John Fox will feel as though his defense and/or special teams can create a game altering play.

With each week, Hundley's confidence grows. The 4th Quarter of the Lions game proves to be a turning point for Hundley. He finds a belief in himself. He finds Kendricks over the middle for big yardage. He finds Adams on a crossing route. He hits Jordy on the deep ball for 6.

Throughout, both teams play the field position game. At times, both teams appear to be overly conservative on offense. The Bears have success converting 3rd downs until they enter the Red Zone. At that point, they settle for FG's.

Ty Montgomery grabs 4 passes. He moves sticks. Jones runs the ball successfully, once again. The Packers find a true rotation at RB.

Kevin King has a game turning moment when he grabs his first interception.

Crosby is true on a late game winner.

Packers 20.
Bears 19.

THE BEARS STILL SUCK!

Go Pack Go!

Talkin' S-Mac.
talkins-mac.blogspot.com

































Sunday, November 5, 2017

My Take -> Week 9

Greetings, G-Force.

4-3. One game in the loss column out of first place in the Division. Now is not the time to give up. In fact, now more than ever, we need to rally behind this team. The bye week came at a good time. We need to amp up the volume on Monday Night. It’s a crucial game for the 2017 Green Bay Packers.

I'm bobbing my head to Moon Taxi's Daybreaker album. You know when you go thru waves of listening extensively to a band that you normally don't have in your rotation? Well, for me, that's Moon Taxi right now. It's a pop, jam blend. Good mix of tunes. Groovy!

Here are my quick vibes since I last wrote:

* I look at what the Browns offered the Bengals for AJ McCarron and it triggers this thought: Yo, Coach McCarthy! Let’s allow Hundley to rip it. This is not the time for McCarthy to go conservative with Hundley. Hundley is our guy for 2017. The schedule is light until mid-December. If we’re aggressive and if the offense is in attack mode, we’re going to win games. If we’re passive and afraid of failure, well, then we may as well fold and play for a draft pick. That’s not my mentality and that doesn’t seem to be Mike McCarthy’s approach either. The Packers have home games against Detroit, Baltimore, and Tampa. We have road games against Chicago, Pittsburgh and Cleveland. If the McCarthy/Capers/Hundley combo can manage a 4-2 record in those games, Rodgers becomes eligible to return with the Packers at 8-5. If he’s healthy, it’d make sense for Rodgers to come off IR and for the Packers to look to salvage the 2017 season. In order for the Packers to go 4-2, McCarthy has to trust Hundley to run the offense. Hundley will finally have the starting 5 OL in front of him. He’ll have the full-group at RB. He’ll have his supporting cast at WR. Lance Kendricks and Richard Rodgers are a go. Martellus Bennett might be out. There’s no reason for the Packers to not trust their offense and to play with an offensive design aimed at dictating the tempo of the game.

* Now is not the time for Packers fans to give up. First and foremost, the Packers have to win games. Of course. But, consider this: over the last 8 games, Minnesota has games at Washington, Detroit, ATL, Carolina and Green Bay. They also host the Rams. Minnesota is not going 13-3 or 12-4. They have losses on their schedule. A loss to the Lions and the what-if game becomes less fun to play, but if the Packers can pull it off in Green Bay on MNF, there's rush of enthusiasm that'll run through 1265 Lombardi Ave.

* Aaron Jones. What a stallion. A rising star. Terrific vision. He showed the burst required to take one to the house. I questioned whether he had that in his arsenal. He proved me wrong.

* Ty Montgomery. It is not the time to get frustrated, my man. Stay focused. Stay competitive. Attack the line of scrimmage when you get your opportunities.

* Hundley has to trust his instincts. There were multiple occasions in which Adams, Cobb and Nelson were open. They’d won their battle. Hundley didn’t deliver. He played with hesitation.

* Game defining play for me was when the Packers trailed 16-14. Late third. McCarthy knew he needed to slow the Saints offense down and the Packers defense no longer looked capable of getting a stop. So McCarthy went big to start the drive. He had at least 2 TE's in the game. He was pounding the ball at the heart of the Saints. Challenging their toughness. He was setting up play action to the TE. There was 00:25 left in the 3rd Quarter. It was 1st and 10. McCarthy showed play action and designed a roll-out to the right. Lance Kendricks was the #1 target down the field. He was wide open for a TD. Hundley didn't see him in time. By the time, Hundley recognized Kendricks, he was well covered. McCarthy had the play call. Hundley didn't execute it. If Hundley had his eyes down field, it'd have been 21-16, Green Bay. Easily.

* Josh Jones had a welcome to the NFL kinda game. He was no match for Alvin Kamara. He often tried to get underneath the blocker and Kamara was too fast for him. What could’ve been short yardage gains became big chunk plays. He couldn’t get off blocks. He was clearly confused by the Saints offensive design. He was put in position to be a difference maker. He wasn’t one.

* Kevin King needs to vet up. Quickly. He’s being picked on. He’s studying the backfield. He’s guessing. He’s often wrong. Any time a WR is putting on a double move on him, he’s falling for it. He’s been prone to the big play. He needs to play with more balance. In college, I thought he used the sideline as his teammate. He has not been doing so in the NFL. He’s often playing to the outside and his eyes have been in the backfield.

* Kenny Clark. What a baller. Hope he has a 10+ year career for the Packers.

* Was bummed that Brice was put on the IR. Hoping this opens the door for Marwin Evans to play safety. Want to see Evans jumping routes. I'm sure Jones will get the first look, but I'm really wanting to see more of Evans.

* VINCE BIEGEL! I'm pining for Biegel to get 3rd down snaps. I'd be fine if Fackrell never plays another down for the Packers.

* Montravious Adams needs a shot. With Quinton Dial injured, I'm expecting Adams to see an abundance of snaps.

* Prior to the year, I was overly stoked to see CM3, Perry, Daniels, Biegel, and Adams on the field on 3rd down. This week - we might get our first opportunity to witness it.

* As fans, we've long begged for TT to be aggressive in Free Agency. I was excited about this years additions via Free Agency. But, Bennett has been disinterested and unable to separate as a pass receiver. Brooks has been injured as much as he's played. And, now, Dial is banged up.

* I can't wait to see the starting 5 OL lined up together. Let's hope for more than 5 snaps out of them.

* Damarious Randall has an interception in 3 straight games. That's noteworthy.

* Blake Martinez continues to be a beast in the run game.

* Loved seeing Davon House with the Rasta swag post his pick. What a phenomenal play!

* Need HaHa to have a streak of game changing plays. He's been a disappointment.

* I have an odd feeling that Deshone Kizer will be a Packer someday.

This week - it's the Lions. At Lambeau. On MNF. Since 1992, the Packers have lost to Detroit 1 time at Lambeau Field. The last time the Packers started their back-up QB against the Lions at Lambeau, Matt Flynn dropped 480 yards and 6 TD's on their ass in a 45-41 victory. If the Packers aren't able to pressure Matthew Stafford, it might take a similar performance from Brett Hundley to beat the Lions.

The Lions bring a top tier Offense into Lambeau. Golden Tate is a weapon at WR. He's tough to tackle. The Lions love to get the ball to Tate on quick WR screens. He's shifty with the ball in his hands and he's going to outmuscle would-be tacklers in the secondary as well. Marvin Jones torched the Packers at Lambeau last year. He has speed. He can get over the top. Kenny Golladay is a big target and an fast rising Red Zone threat. Eric Ebron has inconsistent hands, but he has no problem getting open. He's a tough match-up. I'd like to see Morgan Burnett matched up against Ebron. Ameer Abdullah has been healthy and living up to his potential. Theo Riddick is a dangerous receiver out of the backfield. Look for him to catch at least 5 passes this weekend. I expect Josh Jones to be on the field when Riddick is seeing snaps. The Lions have invested in their OL. I'll love TJ Lang forever. A Packer HOF. If you're reading; TJ, THANK YOU. You're a true throwback. A Super Bowl winner. I'm forever grateful for what you gave to Green Bay. Travis Swanson is a bully at Center. Graham Glasgow fights at Guard. Greg Robinson and Ricky Wagner were investments at Tackle. They've been inconsistent. Especially on the road. If the Packers are going to win, the Packers are going to have to win on the edges. If Wagner and Robinson are in control, this defense will get worn down. Someday, I think Matthew Stafford will win an NFL MVP.

Defensively, the Lions are banged up on the DL. But, they still have Ziggy Ansah who can flat out ball. Anthony Zettel is a hard working young DE. A'Shawn Robinson is littered with talent. I have great respect for Jarrad Davis at ILB. If you've been following this blog long enough, you know that I talked him up when he was in college. The Lions have some big-time play makers in the secondary. Darius Slay is a stallion at CB. Quandre Diggs makes plays. Glover Quin is a machine. Nevin Lawson will be grabbing all game. He can be beaten. His goal is to get in your head. He's a trash talking, undersized CB who uses his hands all-day. I expect him to get at least one flag.

The lights are on. It's time to sparkle. Hundley is given the opportunity to shine. He hits Nelson on a deep ball. The Packers grab the early lead.

The Lions try to run the ball between the tackles. But, Kenny Clark and Mike Daniels own that terrain. So, the Lions forget about running the football. They let Stafford sling it 50 times. Stafford is patient. He's not picky. He'll take the underneath stuff. The Packers struggle to get pressure. Stafford gets hot.

I asked my 5 year old, Dylan, who was going to win. He said, "Dad, don't be mad at me. I'm going to be cheering for the Packers. Really hard. But, think about it. The Lions beat the Vikings. The Packers played the Vikings without Aaron Rodgers and lost. Aaron Rodgers is still hurt. So, it's going to be hard for the Packers to win." When I've asked him how the Packers can win, he says, "#11 needs to score. Davis needs to run really fast. He's good." Call Dylan by his new name 'Nostradamus.' Look for Trevor Davis to break one this weekend.

Additionally, the Packers defense makes a big play. It's Marwin Evans stepping in front of a crossing route. It, too, leads to 6 points.

The normally reliable Matt Prater has a miss as he cuts through temperatures in the low 30's.

The Lions consistently move the ball. But, their 3 TD's and 3 FG's aren't enough.

It'll take some fortune. And, some points to come from abnormal places. It'll also require a rowdy Lambeau faithful to show up. It all happens. I'm stoked!

GET LOUD LAMBEAU!

Packers 31.
Lions 30.

Go Pack Go!

Talkin' S-Mac.
talkins-mac.blogspot.com