My Take -> Week 2

Greetings, G-Force.

There’s a fine line between arrogance and confidence. The Packers crossed that line and because of it, they’re 0-1. In embarrassing fashion.

As I write, I sip a Crooked Stave Juicy West Coast IPA. 6.2%. A good blend of two wildly different styles of IPA. Cloudy. Hoppy. I listen to the Saturday Night Phish show at Dicks Sporting Goods Park in Denver. The Packers must “Cool It Down” with their egos and focus on the game at hand.

Here are my quick vibes from the last week:

This was the worst version of a Matt LaFleur team that we’ve ever seen. Zero spark plug over the course of a 4 Quarter game. Things can only improve.

The NFC NORTH might be really bad. I believe that MN will be really good. But, I would like to think the Packers can go 5-1 in the division. Even with a subpar defense. This is not the time to panic. But, there were so many concerning moments.

The two things that changed the most in the offseason were the Defensive Coordinator and the OL. Both were comically bad.

Expected the new DC to be assertive. Couldn’t have been more bland. Not the 1st impressive that I anticipated we’d see. They played on their heels. Looked as poor as any team that I watched over the weekend. Interested to see how they adjust.

Aaron Rodgers showed terrific leadership skills in the press conference when asked about the OL and his protection. The interior of the OL did not play well. There was too much push up the middle. There was also few holes in the running game. Rodgers was complimentary in a public forum. In the locker room, I can guarantee that those conversations were different.

It was a lifeless 1st half. Completely unprepared. Out-coached. Saints were the more physical team as well. Couldn’t have been more disappointed. I was hoping for a TD drive to start the 3rd to ignite the season’s fire. They were in position until the Rodgers interception, which proved to be the dagger.

It appeared to me that Rodgers didn’t trust his OL. He reverted to old happy feet habits instead of standing tall in the pocket and surveying the field as he did last year.

This was an embarrassingly poor performance by the defense. There have been ugly games in recent memory. This one might have been as bad as any that we’ve witnessed against a team that appears to be lacking immense star power.

Za’Darius to the IR is not what the Dr ordered for a recovery for this defense.

Kevin King needs to return to his 2019 form or he will find himself on the bench.

I’m baffled by how confused the defense looked. They were so uncertain as to their responsibilities.

I’m not going to dwell on the defeat too much and since there were next to zero positives to reflect upon, I’m going to look onward.

Don't overlook the Chandon Sullivan contract restructuring. Gutekunst is calculated with his moves. He wanted money to be available for this year. My hunch is that he didn't want the money for future contract extensions. My gut says that he wanted the money to make a power move in-season this year. I wouldn't be surprised if Gutekunst trades for someone who is in the last year of his contract along the DL. This is the proverbial last dance for this group of teammates and Gutekunst knows that his locker room is in win-now mode.

This week - it’s the home opener. On Monday Night Football. A divisional game against the Lions. The Packers will be ready.

The Lions are in complete rebuild mode. They have a new GM. They have a new Had Coach. They have a new roster. On paper, they look like a team that is destined for 3-14. But, they’ll undoubtedly play with fire and intensity on every snap.

I’m not a Jared Goff fan. If the Packers can stop the run, Goff will make mistakes. Expect to see Swift and Williams attacking the heart of the Packers defense. Look for Hockenson to be the recipient of many targets off of play action.

Defensively, the Lions have done a decent job of adding a good mix of veteran FA’s and draft picks over the last two years. Brockers and Flowers will test the Packers on the EDGE. Williams has given the Packers trouble in the past. McNeil is an intriguing rookie. Anzalone, Okwara and Collins are versatile LB’s. In the secondary, Detroit shouldn’t have the talent to cover the Packers WR’s. Okudah’s injury was gutting for them.

The Lions will likely take on a similar strategy that New Orleans took. They’ll attempt to eat clock. They will try to control the line of scrimmage. They’ll try to pound the football, convert 3rd down and then take a shot down the field against Kevin King.

Expect Randall Cobb to touch the ball early in the game.

I anticipate that the Lions will drop two deep safeties. They’ll try to keep everything underneath. The Packers must be able to run the ball. And, Rodgers must stay patient with taking what the defense gives him. Tonyan should get 5-7 targets. Just move sticks.

If I had full confidence that the defense would not be a comedy of errors, I’d have every belief that the Packers would win handily. Unfortunately, the defense remains a work in progress. Therefore, it’s a nail biter.

Packers 31
Lions 27

Go Pack Go!

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