Saturday, October 27, 2018

My Take -> Week 8

reetings, G-Force.

3-2-1. For a moment, the season had fallen into the darkness. It was an empty feeling abyss. Until a slew of consecutive plays monumentally propelled the Packers —in rocket-like fashion— from a horrendous vibe entering the bye week. The high spirited close to the 4th Quarter temporarily masks the heavy flaws that surround this historically great Franchise. Nonetheless, for now, let’s celebrate victories and soak in the moment as the Packers are squarely in the hunt for a NFC North Division title. I don’t know what the next 5 games will bring, but I have today and with it, I’m going to hope there’s a way for the Packers to carve out 3 victories in the next 5 games.

I sit with Phish’s October 23rd show from Nashville blazing in my ears. I was fortunate to be in attendance. It was “Party Time.”

My quick vibes over the last two weeks:

Mike McCarthy came out with a solid game plan in place. There was disguise, there was motion and there was great variety in both formation and play design. The Packers raced out to a 17-7 lead and all felt right. But, as adjustments occurred the Packers took their foot off of the accelerator. SF took advantage and McCarthy never recovered.

Aaron Rodgers. We can only hope that the last five minutes of the 4th Quarter propels Rodgers into the zone. When Rodgers is in rhythm, he’s the best player in the NFL.

Davante Adams. Smooth. Clutch. Dynamite.

MVS. Kid looks like a player! He needs to get stronger, but he has natural traits that can’t be taught.

ESB. A thrilling grab to get us into FG range. A potentially defining play of the season.

Good to see Jimmy Graham making big plays. We still need to figure out how to get him the ball in the Red Zone.

Aaron Jones showed burst. He looked lethal. And, then, he disappeared.

Jamaal Williams runs hard. He takes second effort to the extreme.

I liked seeing Ty Montgomery getting into the slot and digging his way across the middle of the field. I wish Rodgers would look to him as his primary read in that case.

Kenny Clark continues to play at a Pro Bowl level. He was the lone player in the front 7 to play a full 60 minutes. Dude is a yoked up bright shining diamond!

When will Mike Daniels dominate a game in 2018?

Blake Martinez has been really up and down this year. Makes me wonder if he’s still learning the system and because of it, he’s over thinking. He had a number of bounce back plays in the second half. Hoping he can return to being the definition of consistency.

The defense has missed Jostling Jaire. They feed off of his energy. Have lost a spark of confidence without him.

Brice is an absolute liability in coverage.

Loved seeing Kevin King make the monster play late!! In a game that felt like it was a mandatory win with the pending 5-game stretch on the horizon, it was King who came to save the day.

MASON CROSBY! Way to rebound!

Great play call on the TD to Adams to tie it. MVS wins his 1 on 1 battle and forced the safety to the inside. That left Adams in single coverage on the outside. I dig.

Raven Greene lowering the boom and making his presence felt on special teams!

Thus far, HaHa has been the only player on the defense to consistently force turnovers this year. He has forced 4 in 6 games.

Kyler Fackrell showed up in stealthily positive fashion in the 4th Quarter.

Clay Matthews getting a 4th Quarter third down sack made me smile.

Nick Perry getting his hands up and swatting down balls!

At some point, I want to see Josh Jones coming on the blitz. This team needs a pash rush and Jones seems like he would bring a burst to the QB that we aren’t getting right now.

Aaron Rodgers. Appreciate the brilliance. Gamer when it mattered most.

Where’s the Reggie Gilbert that we saw in the preseason?

Kudos to the fans. It was cold. With the Brewers playing at the same time, there was distraction. But, when the team needed to be uplifted the most, the fans rose to the occasion and made things tough on the young 49ers offense.

In my weekly Fanspeak Packers Mock Draft, I look to solve the Packers pass rushing woes with heavy quantity and a wide variety of pass rushing styles. The Packers need to find a way to get to the QB. This draft would instantly change their fortunes.

Round 1a: Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky.
Round 1b: Montez Sweat, EDGE, Mississippi State.
Round 2. Joe Jackson, EDGE, []_[].
Round 3. Mitch Hyatt, OT, Clemson.
Round 4. Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford.
Round 5. Marvell Tell III, S, USC.
Round 6a. Carl Granderson, EDGE, Wyoming.
Round 6b. DeMarcus Christmas, DL, FSU.
Round 7. DeShaun Davis, ILB, Auburn.

This week – it’s the Rams. In LA. The Rams enter as a heavily favored undefeated team that walks like they’re Champions. They’re well coached and have dynamic playmakers all over the field. They expect to win. However, the Packers are coming off a bye. A bye that has led the Packers to finally be healthy. It also allowed for Mike McCarthy to do some soul searching. McCarthy went as far as self scouting to see how he could improve his ball club. Historically, McCarthy's teams have risen to the occasion when it's mattered most. This game will have a playoff atmosphere to it. I expect the Packers to be prepared. After all, over the next 5 games, it's mandatory for the Packers to win at least 2 of them, but in reality, the Packers need to win 3 as I'm not absolutely positive that this team is capable of running the table against the Cardinals, Falcons, Bears, Jets and Lions. 10-5-1 would get the Packers to the playoffs. There's even a possibility that 9-6-1 gets the Packers to the playoffs this year. But, the magic number is 10 wins. And, the race to 10 has a steep task in front of it -- over the next 5 weeks -- kicking it off with a date against the Rams.

Jared Goff is playing with immense confidence. With Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods, he has two WR’s that can beat you deep. The Rams will look to get both of them streaking down the field to expose Brice’s deep ball limitations. The Packers catch a break with Cooper Kupp likely missing the game. The Rams OL isn’t littered with big names, but they win the line of scrimmage. They often create massive holes that Todd Gurley can walk behind. Many times, Gurley has a head of steam and he’s 3-5 yards down field before he’s touched. Gurley’s power and physicality leads him to rarely get brought down by the first defender and thus, Gurley often gives the Rams 2nd and short. Sean McVay, the Rams coach, also does a fantastic job of getting Gurley involved in the passing game. McVay keeps the opposition guessing. McVay is a mastermind of creativity. In my opinion, McVay and Shanahan are the most creative offensive minds in the game. We saw what Shanahan did to the Packers defense with limited offensive weapons. Just wait to see how much misdirection and how many jet sweeps McVay throws at the Packers with high-level talent. He’ll look to get Gurley at least 5 receptions this weekend and he’ll force the Packers to tackle in the open field. Malcolm Brown is a talented back-up at RB.

Defensively, the Rams are as brute up front as anyone in the league. Aaron Donald is the premier defender in the game. Suh can still play. He dominates when he is motivated. Michael Brockers is a physical specimen who can win with both speed and power. Mark Barron is a speed demon at ILB. He can cover and he’s often given space to roam behind that massive LA front. The Rams secondary is banged up. Marcus Peters will be playing and so will John Johnson, Lamarcus Joyner and Sammy Swagga. I’m stoked that Sammy is back in the league. He was always a favorite of mine. Peters is a superstar on the other side. But, their depth is limited. So, the Packers would be wise to spread the Rams out and to attack.

The Packers can control the clock and the game by utilizing a combination of quick passes and the run game. The combination would also keep the defense honest when it came time to call play-action.

The Rams shouldn’t have an answer for Jimmy Graham. I fully expect Graham to have a big game.

As a huge underdog, look for Rodgers to find his rhythm early. Playing with a carefree spirit and a playoff intensity, Rodgers finds an open Davante Adams streaking down the sideline. The Packers find the end zone early.

The Rams are able to move the ball, but they have to settle for three. On two occasions.

Without forcing turnovers, it’ll be tough for the Packers to win. Good thing that I’m in the minority here, but for me, the jury is still out on Jared Goff. I think that he can be forced into turnovers. I believe that the Packers pick Goff off on two occasions this weekend.

The Packers quick passing game – much like the 2nd half of the Bears game – limits the Rams pass rush. Aaron Jones gets loose. There’s a bolt of confidence inside the Packers huddle.

Brace yourself. This one will be fast and furious. It’s Crosby with the game winner and once, again, there’s belief inside the fandom of the Green Bay Packers!

Packers 38.
Rams 37.

Go Pack Go!

Talkin’ S-Mac.
Talkins-mac.blogspot.com

Thursday, October 11, 2018

My Take -> Week 6

Greetings, G-Force.

2-2-1. The intent of this blog has always been to take an optimistic yet realistic approach towards the Green Bay Packers. Here’s the optimistic part: the NFC looks to be very mediocre. After 5 weeks, the Packers are still tied for the last Wild Card spot.

Here’s the realistic side: Presently, the Green Bay Packers are a team without an identity. They’re a team that’s been unable to get into an offensive rhythm, has been overwhelmingly inconsistent on the defensive side of the ball and has struggled mightily in the kicking game.

I put my mind at ease with Bob Dylan in the background. As the Packers continue their carousel at RB, I think to myself: “Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head. And pretend that he just doesn't see?”

Here are my quick vibes for the week:

We’ve reached the point in this season where it’ll be commonplace for fans to call for McCarthy to leave. At this stage, it appears as though we’ve reached that point. But, I’m not going to focus on that. I’m going to try and enjoy the season. I’m going to root on the Packers as I always have. I am going to envision Packers victories in the future. Bleak as it may seem.

Mike McCarthy actually called a decent first half. Yet, his team scored zero points. There was creativity. There were crossing routes. Good play action. But, his QB did not play well over the first 30 minutes of the game. Additionally, his normally reliable kicker was pathetic.

All things considered, the defense didn’t play terribly either. There was the bad break on the punt. By the way, that was terrible officiating. The ball hit a Lion, not King. The defense was also dealt a bad hand after the first Rodgers fumble and held the Lions to a FG.

As I watched the game, I started to feel bad for Mike Pettine. He can’t call a defense that rushes 4 people and expect to receive positive results. The Packers front 4 applies so little pressure that it’s really difficult to watch. It has to be even harder for Pettine to stomach. All in, I thought he called a decent game.

This team is built around Aaron Rodgers. Right now, Aaron Rodgers is not the QB that we are used to watching. He can’t extend plays with his legs. He’s not making good decisions and he’s missing a number of passes that we are accustomed to seeing him make. I hope this isn’t the new normal. I trust that his play will improve as the season goes along and his knee continues to feel better. A victory over SF and a bye week will be good for Rodgers’ buzz.

Through 5 weeks, it appears as though the Packers have three Pro Bowl caliber players: Davante Adams, David Bakhtiari and Kenny Clark. The slow start to the season is not indicative of their performance.

I read a tweet that sparked disbelief by the Packer Report: Rodgers ranks last in the NFL in first-quarter completion percentage.

I was so excited when Tony Brown jammed the receiver and broke up the pass. He showed attitude and physical determination. He followed it up with a nonsensical taunting penalty.

I was really happy with the way MVS and ESB played. Big games from both of the rookies.

Jimmy Graham has to catch the ball.

Thought Oren Burks showed great speed. Didn’t always wrap up, but I liked his presence.

Kevin King plays well when he can use the sideline as his friend. When he’s stuck in the middle of the field, he’s a liability.

Need more from Mike Daniels. He was in pursuit, but the Packers need a game changing play from him.

Kenny Clark. Superstar.

If you’ve followed this blog long enough, you know that I’ve been a big fan of Nick Perry since he was in college. Thus far, other than Rodgers, he’s been the most disappointing performer on the team.

I’m was more disappointed that Crosby missed the kick to beat MN than I was with his performance in DET. Post the MN kick, he hasn’t looked the same with the way he’s striking the ball. Remember that he also missed an XP against Buffalo.

My gut tells me that the Packers are on the brink of an offensive explosion.

I still want to believe that Jaire, TMon and JJ will combine for double digit interceptions. Big plays are on the horizon. They have to be!

As I think about the 2019 NFL Draft, I can’t help but think that Gutekunst is kicking himself for how he approached the 2018 NFL season at the EDGE. While I fully believe that Gutekunst was convinced that he was going to land Mack, he missed out and his team is paying the price for it. The Packers drafted 3 RB’s in the 2017 Draft and 3 WR’s in the 2018 Draft. The 2019 Draft will require 3 EDGE players. Here is my weekly fanspeak mock draft:

Round 1a.) Devin White, LB, LSU.
Round 1b.) Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky.
Round 2.) Brian Burns, EDGE, FSU.
Round 3.) Joe Jackson, EDGE, []_[]
Round 4.) JR Reed, S, Georgia.
Round 5.) Marvell Tell, S, USC.
Round 6a.) Kendall Baker, OT, Georgia.
Round 6b.) DeMarcus Christmas, DT, FSU.
Round 7.) Preston Williams, WR, Colorado State.

This week - it’s the 49ers coming to Lambeau Field. On Monday Night Football. I expect a celebratory Packers victory.

The 49ers entered the season full of hope. But, their dreams were dashed due to injury. Now, CJ Beathard will lead the 49ers into Titletown, U.S.A. You can guarantee that he'll see Mike Pettine's full arsenal of blitz packages. Pettine will be on a blitzing voyage. Matt Breida is questionable. If he plays, he's shown to be a worthy RB. If he doesn't play, Alfred Morris will get the bulk of the carries. If Alfred Morris hurts us at this stage of his career, the Packers have major problems. George Kittle is an under-appreciate, unknown TE. Kittle can flat out play. The 49ers will target Kittle in bundles. They love to run him underneath the line and to get him the ball in the flat. He's constantly in motion. He's moved all over the field. I think that Kyle Shanahan is one of the brightest offensive minds in football. He'll be creative in his ways to get Kittle open. Marquise Goodwin and Pierre Garcon are tough WR's. They'll out-physical DB's. Dante Pettis is a big target that I wanted in Green Bay. He has a bright future. The 49ers possess a strong, imposing OL. They'll duke it out with the Packers DL and should be able to win most of the match-ups in 1 on 1 battles.

The 49ers defense is better than they appear. Solomon Thomas, DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead have the length that gives the Packers OL all kinds of problems. Fred Warner and Reuben Foster are young football warriors who hunt down the ball with a mean mentality. Richard Sherman can still play CB in this league. Ahkello Witherspoon has all of the tools to be a 10-year starting CB. Jimmie Ward is a talented nickel CB. The 49ers Safety play leaves a lot to be desired. They can be beaten deep down the middle of the field. It'll be interesting to see if Rodgers is willing to look over the middle of the field on Monday Night. He's normally shy in regards to taking the field between the hashes.

The Packers need an evening to celebrate. Green Bay, WI deserves a night to celebrate. Under the lights in grand fashion.

The 49ers try to slow down the clock and the game by running the ball early and then mixing in basic underneath play-action calls. Then, Shanahan opens up the play book and attacks the Packers deep down the field. He's specifically looking at Kentrell Brice.

I fully anticipate that Aaron Rodgers has an MVP style of performance. I think he snaps out of his funk. Rodgers goes wild.

Davante tops 100 yards and scores 2. Graham also scores a TD.

Finally, the Packers have a game in which they finish Red Zone drives.

Packers 38
49ers 13

Go Pack Go!

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

Friday, October 5, 2018

My Take -> Week 5

Greetings, G-Force.

2-1-1. With uncertainty lingering and expectations at a significantly lower than anticipated level, the Packers defense rose to the occasion in a relentlessly attacking fashion. Thus, a week after thwarting the ‘queens defense for 27 points in Minnesota, the Lambeau Field Stage proved to be far too grand for the Bills rookie QB, Josh Allen.

It was an unfamiliar style of victory for the Packers. The defense dominated. The offense lacked both substance and execution. The crowd showed up without intensity. Still, without the customary offensive flash, the Packers destroyed a feisty Bills team. Kudos to Mike Pettine.

Feeling chill, I listen to Bob Marley. Focusing on hits such as “Mellow Mood” and “Lively Up Yourself” - both of which feel relevant to me right now.

Here are my quick vibes over the last week:

An aggressive Mike McCarthy is a good Mike McCarthy. On Sunday, McCarthy lacked all killer instinct. He was conservative. It almost feels like he’s so jaded by his experiences with Hundley and Kizer that he’s forgotten how to call a game with a 2-time MVP as his QB. 3rd and 11 draws and 3rd and long WR screens are now the norm. With Hundley or Kizer, sure, that’s fine. But with Rodgers, you have to let it rip!

Throughout his career, Rodgers has been among the most accurate QB’s in the history of the game. Thus far, to start the 2018 season, Rodgers hasn’t displayed the pin point accuracy that we’ve come to expect. Clearly, he needs practice. I’m hoping that his knee continues to improve and therefore, he should be able to increase his workload throughout the week. Rodgers’ mobility has improved tremendously. He’s been a warrior. He's showed guts. He’s showed toughness. He just hasn’t been as accurate as he has normally been.

Aaron Jones has superstar potential. He needs to be utilized. Hell, he even stepped up in pass protection!

Pettine mixed up his blitzes in a big way and the results were glorious! He came to Allen’s blindside and out witted the rookie QB for 60 minutes. Allen never felt comfortable. The pressure was too intense. The blitz was coming from everywhere and the Bills were unable to identify where the rush was coming from.

Davante Adams is a lethal weapon. He’s brimming with confidence. He wants to set the example for these young WR’s.

It was good to see Jimmy Graham scoring his first TD of the season.

G-Mo is a legit #2 WR. He is quick out of his breaks. He never gives up on plays. He’s mentally in tune with Rodgers.

The Bills scored ZERO points.

Loved seeing Ty streaking down the sidelines. McCarthy has to go into the play design shed and draft ways to get Jones and Ty on the field at the same time.

Jimmy Graham needs to continue to be involved in the offense. He’s a match-up nightmare. I like when he’s lined up on the perimeter. The holding penalty that he drew will be constant, if he’s targeted along the sideline.

It’s hard to interpret because it’s so uncharacteristic of our unique franchise, but for 60 minutes, Pettine graphed a defense that the Bills couldn’t decode.

I want to be a massive MVS fan. I love his size-speed combo. It's not often that you see someone who is 6-4, 205 and runs a 4.37. It's rare to find some with that physique who can play both in the slot and the perimeter. I love how fluid he moves. I like the way he carries himself. We haven’t had a tall, fast deep threat since Javon Walker in 2004. I am hopeful that MVS can still grow into that role. At this stage, McCarthy has to play to his young WR’s strengths. MVS isn’t strong enough to get off of a jam. He needs to be more physical and learn how to fight off jams at the line of scrimmage. When he gets a free release, he’s a tough cover. The 38-yard completion to MVS is the type of play that should be targeted 2-3 times per game. Right now, MVS has limited routes in his tree that he can dominate. The go-route is one in which he is a tough cover. You can’t teach speed. MVS has it. As the rest of his game is being refined, he needs to be utilized in a fashion that will get him a free release. I’d like to see him in motion. I’d like to see him in a stacked WR formation. Without a free release, at this stage, it’ll be difficult for MVS to get open.

Very well done, Byron Bell. Hard fought performance by the big guy.

The Packers are 2-1-1 and Aaron Rodgers has been mostly mediocre. Rodgers is also regaining his mobility. With that, I hold onto belief that this team has some high quality offensive football in front of them.

Bulaga and Bakhtiari balled out at Tackle. Best yet, they’re teammates. Bulaga was a gamer. All guts. In clear pain. At times, he didn’t appear to be able to get off the ground on his own power, but each time, Bakhtiari was there to lend a helping hand and what appeared to be a pep talk that was likely full of encouragement. A week after the Buffalo DL wrecked the MN offense, Bakhtiari and Bulaga were masterful in pass protection.

I was happy to see that Tony Brown was active. I like his persona, his speed and his physicality. He didn’t perform as well as I’d hoped as a gunner, but I like him as a young prospect.

If Brown is who I hope he can become and if King can be healthy, the Packers will be rich at CB for the foreseeable future. Additionally, it'll be interesting to follow how the Breeland situation plays out.

The Packers are a much better team with Randall Cobb on the field.

How is it possible for Kendricks to see so many snaps? He can’t be depended on as a receiving option. Tonyan needs a shot. Tonyan moves well, showed solid hands and was a good blocker in the preseason.

Congrats to Jostling Jaire on his first career interception. Kid moves like he’s good juju in his ears.

I think that part of the 12/MM “hug it out discussion” was that 12 wants more Jones in his life.

JJ is a hard worker. Midwest mentality. I dig.

Outside of his silly 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty, Blake Martinez was dynamite.

Kyler Fackrell. WOW! What a way to finish a game!

HaHa with a forcefully stallion style interception!

Kenny Clark is a tremendous football player.

The Packers need more from Mile Daniels.

In all, the defense had 7 sacks and forced three turnovers. Oh, and the defense didn’t give up a point.

In past years, the Packers might’ve lost a game in which the offense was sluggish. Mike Pettine was having none of that. His defense won the game.

Walking out of Lambeau Field was oddly somber. The Packers had just shutout the Bills. If the season were to have ended today, the Packers would hold a wild card playoff berth. Yet, still, the Packers Faithful half heartedly limped out of America’s most storied NFL theater. It’s important to remember that the NFL is a week-to-week league and the “Just Win, baby” mentality has never been so dear. Survive the week and get onto the next. The Packers didn’t just survive, they held another NFL team pointless. That’s joyful.

In Green Bay, we are used to seeing highly potent, proficient offenses. The victory over the Bills was certainly not that type of performance. Rodgers was grumpy, frustrated, and highly inaccurate. McCarthy was confident that the Packers could run the ball and he pounded away early. Had he stuck with Aaron Jones as his primary back, he’d likely have been rewarded with a 25-carry, 125-yard performance. Instead, McCarthy continues to feel the need to be politically correct as he shares snaps across the entire slate of RB’s.

Defense should be celebrated, too. Defensive wins are often uglier to the eye, but they count just the same. And, when the defense is rising up and carrying the responsibility, it’s the fans job to elevate and to make Lambeau Field an even more difficult place for the opposition to play. Instead, I can’t recall a 3rd down when more than 10% of the Stadium was off of their ass and on their feet.

Fret not. The offense has plenty of talent. We have to continue to gel and utilize our players properly. Aaron Jones will eventually see more than half of the teams snaps. We have to remember that our OL had played zero snaps together before the start of the regular season. Rodgers seems to be getting healthier. There are good times around the bend for the Packers offense.

The Packers really need the queens to lose at Philly this week. It’d cancel out the bad loss to Washington as both teams would’ve lost their NFC EAST game. Between the MN @ PHI game and the GB @ DET game, we will remember Week 5 in December. This is a vital early October week for football.

An NFL Season is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. At any given moment, a teams fortunes can change. A win is a win in this league. No matter how poorly one phase of the game may have played. Consider this: beat Detroit and SF. Go to 4-1-1. Rodgers gets healthy with the bye week that follows. The 5 weeks following the bye is a really tough stretch, but if Rodgers is fully fit, anything is possible.

When thinking about the 2019 Packers mock draft, I’m fairly connvinced that I want either Noah Fant (Iowa) or Kaden Smith (Stanford) at TE. I also want either Brian Burns (FSU) or Joe Jackson ([]_[]) at EDGE. In a perfect world, the Packers could get both. That’s why - for my eye - this Saturday, the FSU v []_[] game at 1:30 MST is a must watch. At this stage, my knowledge of players at DL/S isn’t as deep as I’d like, so when the players I was familiar with went off the board, I was left empty handed at those positions. Reminder: I only draft those that I’ve watched. My weekly fanspeak mock draft:

Round 1a: Brian Burns, EDGE, FSU.
Round 1b: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State.
Round 2: Joe Jackson, EDGE, []_[].
Round 3: Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford.
Round 4: Shaquille Quarterman, ILB, []_[].
Round 5: Will Grier, QB, Dub-V.
Round 6a: Jonathan Ledbetter, EDGE, Georgia.
Round 6b: Collin Johnson, WR, Texas.
Round 7: Jordan Miller, CB, Washington.

This week - it’s the Lions. In Detroit. In a game that carries a lot of importance. It’d be comforting to get off to a 2-0-1 start in the Division. In order for the Packers to earn a victory, Pettine’s unit will have to, once again, elevate to the occasion. The Packers defense will have to win the early downs. It’ll be vital for the Packers defense to force the Lions into 3rd and long situations. If so, Stafford is prone to make a mistake.

The Lions offense has tried to change their identity. Yes, Stanford’s arm is still their greatest weapon, but they’ve attempted to become more physical in the run game. They’ve brought in Kerryon Johnson and Legarrette Blount to pound away. Johnson also has a shifty texture to his game. They’ve added Luke Willson to help them become a better blocking front. They’ll be without long-time Packer star, TJ Lang, but they still have a well constructed OL that wins with power, but can be beaten with quickness on both the edge and on the inside. However, as they’re revamping the organizational structure, they know that - for today - they’re best way to win is via Stafford’s lethal right arm. Golden Tate, Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay are dangerous targets who are sure to present problems for the Packers secondary. Theo Riddick is a nightmare to cover out of the backfield.

Defensively, the Lions will be without Ziggy Ansah. Ansah is a superstar and that’s a major loss for the Lions. It’s tough to reconstruct your defense. It’s tougher to do it without your best defender. Without him, the Lions DL hasn’t been able to consistently generate pressure. Kerry Hyder can apply pressure from the inside as a high octane performer. Sylvester Williams and Da’Shawn Hand are really good football players, but they’re both learning new roles and haven’t gotten off to the type of start to the year that one would expect. Jarrad Davis is a stud at ILB. I love his game, especially in run support. Christian Jones and Devon Kennard are both active defenders with severe limitations. Neither can cover Jimmy Graham. In the secondary, the Lions have a couple of legitimate playmakers. Darius Slay is among the best CB’s in the NFL. Quandre Diggs is a tough nosed Safety who will likely be playing one week after breaking his hand. Glover Quin seems to play better every time I watch him. Nevin Lawson needs to be attacked. He is a physical, undersized CB who is quick to grab. The Packers can draw penalties on Lawson if they hit him with a double move. Jalen Tabor must be targeted as well. If MVS can get a free release against Tabor or Lawson, a big play will follow. Neither can run with MVS. I imagine that Slay will follow Adams all day.

***Quick side note - with Ziggy Ansah in the last year of his contract, don't be surprised if he's in Green Bay next year. Gutekunst will be aggressive in rebuilding his pass rush. Ansah would fill the need. I don't envision the Lions franchising him. I also don't envision the Lions making a significant push to sign him.***

Last week - Zeke Elliot had 240 total yards against DET. Matt Breida had 159 in Week 2 against DET. Crowell and Powell combined for 167 total yards in Week 1 against DET. You’re up, Aaron Jones. Give the guy 20 carries. You’ll get 100 yards.

On two occasions, the Packers have given Aaron Jones significant carries. Once, Jones went 17 carries for 131 yards against NO. The other time, Jones went 19 carries for 125 yards against Dallas. It’s time to free Aaron Jones. Feed him!

The Packers do run Jones early. The run opens up the pass. Marcedes Lewis gets his first catch down the seam off of play action.

If Allison and Adams are limited, look for MVS to play on the outside and ESB in the slot. Moore will also see perimeter snaps. Look for ESB to grab a catch out of the slot on a crossing route.

The offense will have a different feel to it. Look for some jumbo 2 or 3 TE packages with Rodgers in command at the line of scrimmage. Under center.

We might even see Tonyan this week.

Defensively, Mike Daniels has a really big game.

When the Packers have won in Detroit in recent years, the defense has forced crucial turnovers. Look for TMon to grab his first pick of the year.

It’s going to be a nail biting, somewhat frustrating game as the Packers occasionally fail to get off the field in 3rd down.

In the end, Rodgers executes! He hits Graham for the game winner.

Packers 27
Lions 23

Go Pack Go!

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