Wednesday, October 8, 2008

My Take -> Week 6

Greetings, G-Force.

Can you say must win? The goal for this year is to win the NFC North Division. Accomplish this goal and it's a great season. Win more than you lose and it's a good season. Anything less & I'm rooting for a top-10 pick. It's that simple.

Injuries continue to mount. Add Chad Clifton to the list. Pickett is also missing practice time. Our current injury list names 13 players that I expected to play a major role for the Packers this year. Yet, in my eyes, solid depth is one trademark of an elite team in the NFL. The Packers are showing a lack of depth at OL, DL, RB, TE, and QB. We also need an upgrade at CB & S.

Our '08 draft has failed us for this year. Prior to the draft, we mentioned names like DeSean Jackson, Steve Slaton, Martellus Bennett and Chevis Jackson. Today - they're all making plays. Meanwhile, we struggle to get any production out of any of our picks.

When you've seen someone's best and their best is simply not good enough, I vote that we move on and bid adieu with him. Tracy White was a solid special teams player, but we'd seen his best football. He had defensive limitations. Thanks for your time, Tracy. Hello Danny Lansanah! I really liked Lansanah's game in the preseason. Along with Lumpkin, he was the surprise of camp. I'm happy he's going to get a shot.

Sticking with this philosophy, I've seen enough of Michael Montgomery. While he's not solely responsible for last week's lost, he was a major underperformer. In fact, I'd go as far as calling him a complete failure. If I were GM, he'd be cut and I'd be scanning others practice squads for a potential pass rusher or a run stopping DE. Hell, I yearn for Don Davey!

I'm calling for an all-out on-the-job training for Jeremy Thompson. I want to see everything this guy has got because if he does not have the tools, we need to look to upgrade at DE early in the '09 draft. He looked unprepared and unaware vs. the Falcons. I'll excuse him as he probably did not expect that much playing time. Montgomery's injury forced him into action. I want to see what #99 brings to the table this week.

In Nick Barnett stuck in mire? What am I missing? Paging Nick Barnett. Nick? Nick, where are you? Please join our defense. We could use our middle linebacker.

I'm absolutely disappointed in our special teams performance. Willie B. has no room to run. Furthermore, we fail to make crucial tackles. Our kickoff & punt coverage is pitiful at big moments. And Frost has been awful. Wasn't he supposed to be an upgrade at downing the ball inside the 20?

I give Aaron Rodgers a lot of credit for last week. He played through pain. He was aggressive. He spread the ball to 8 different receivers. While it's noteworthy that Ryan Grant was not one of them, Rodgers did a much better job getting rid of the ball and using the center of the field. He showed poise, confidence and toughness. He earned both respect and street cred.

Nintendo Nick & Chuckie are playing at Pro Bowl level.

So, we head to Seattle for a bout with HomeGrown. Thanks for the memories, Mike. I'm happy that we get to see you one more time on your Farewell Tour. I wish the game was in Lambeau so we could give you a thanks for the '96 title.

The Seahawks are far better at home than on the road. Even though they, too, are banged up, the 'Hawks will be a stiff test. Seattle's crowd is rowdy. Their defense always seems faster at home. They also seem to get ALL of the breaks at home.

Expect Seattle to run the ball to the left side behind Mike Wahle and Walter Jones. They'll do this early. They'll do this often. We won't be able to stop it. No Cullen Jenkins. KGB at half-mass. Montgomery is bad when healthy - imagine him with an injury. And I doubt Jeremy Thompson is capable. They could rush for more than 150 yards.

The Packers will have an offensive response. It was good to see Ryan Grant running with power and desire last week. I would be surprised if we don't see him carry the ball 20 times this week. We'll also see Rodgers attack the vulnerable Seattle secondary. Spread 'em out and you'll be able to beat the Seattle defense both through the air and on the ground.

This week it's Rodgers finding 9 different receivers. Finding the open man. Using the reignited shovel pass! Where has it been? Third and short - this could be one solution.

I'm looking for the Packers to send an ALL OUT BLITZ! I'm calling for 6 men and sometimes 7. I want our defense at the line of scrimmage in people's face. Let our LB's play. Our DL is banged up. So is our secondary. With the exception of Hawk (whom I expect to play), we are healthy at LB. Let the LB core be active. I want to see them pressuring the QB. If Nick Barnett cannot get there, replace him. Let's see if Bishop can get there. We need to make plays at the LB position. Hawk's inability to cover Justin Peelle on 4th and 1 was telling. Who in the hell is Justin Peelle?

Regardless, Hasselbach is banged up and we need to get in his face and knock him around. Throw him to the ground. We won't have this option often though. Atlanta ran the ball 36 times last week and threw it 26 times. I would think Seattle might do the same.

This one will be a shootout. Again it comes down to the last 10 minutes. A nail biter.

Packers 34. Seattle 30.

OK, so maybe I'm a homer. Sometimes, I've been accused of being too fluffy. Too optimistic. Probably the case. But, that's been the case the last couple of weeks. It'll probably be the case next week as well. HomeGrown, again, thanks for the memories & the Bowl. But, this week, we get you for selling us out.

Stay away from bridges. If you encounter one, don't jump! Everythings going to be alright.

Grab a Pint,

Talkin' S-Mac.

6 comments:

patrad said...

i could be wrong, i was sittin on the opposite end zone. . but i thought i glimpsed a red zone shovel pass last week. at least i remember yelling "oh yeah baby, shovel pass is back!"

Unknown said...

Scottie, i truly do not feel you are fluffy in your optimism. Fluffy would be giving them the maximum amount of confidence points every week because (see Be Green). I do truly feel the Pack will win every week. The only game this year that i truly felt was going to be a tough game was against Dallas (Be Green still gives the max to GB). Dallas is/was a better team. Atlanta and the Bucs were games we could have and should have won. Seattle is the same way. we should up and play to our potential, with limited turnovers and limited penalties and we will win.

I think our O-line and Grant will be in sync at about 90% this week and Grant will get his first 100+yd game. Our special teams will show improvement. As we pull together in tough times to overcome injuries we will become more disciplined with less penalties. they will run on us for sure, but Rodgers will continue to improve and we will win the shootout in the Great NW. Homegrown gives the Green one more gift. Love the Green. Be Green.

Michael J. said...

I think you're pretty fluffy in your predictions. By your estimations, the Packers will never fail to execute...so perhaps in a vaccuum, your predictions are apt...but blocks are missed, tackles broken and assigments blown...you can't win every week. That said, they should win this week.

Packer defense is in a bad place right now. Difficult imagining any type of success with the current personnel playing at this level.

Stack said...

Tough week.

I did not underestimate the Falcons by any means, but I still expected a win. Last year, those games were going our way. Where I could look optimistically at the games versus the Bucs and the Falcons, I have a lot of trouble doing the same this week.

I agree that Ryan Grant looks to be running the ball with force. The was immediately noticeable, and it was good to see. And of course props to Rodgers for, as Charles Woodson put it, "doing his job."

There's so much drama surrounding Rodgers that it is sickening. We've talked about this ad nauseam. But the bigger question that I wonder is "Does the guy know how to play without hurting himself?" Don't get me wrong, I'm not jumping off the bridge, but let's face it: if your mental game doesn't match your physical game, you end up with injuries. That's a topic for another day, but you just wonder when you see Rodgers falling and sticking out his throwing elbow to break his fall.

Anyway, this game worries me for a number of reasons. First of all, the trip out west. Secondly, Seattle's defense can cause turnovers. Thirdly, HomeGrown will outcoach us within the game.

It's tough to come up with a comprehensive take for this week, because I have yet to see Seattle play this year. I'm probably better for it, but still...it's not helping me as I sit here.

Seattle's D is speedy and opportunistic. Grant put the ball on the ground twice the last time we played. His ball security looked good against the Falcons, but it needs to be there this week also. I think we need to run right at Seattle. With our zone blocking scheme.

I'm afraid that the shovel pass may be used against us this week. HomeGrown will be playing games with the right side of our defensive line, punctuated by running straight over it.

I strongly agree with the BuzzBoy's take on sending more guys to pressure Hasselbeck. It seems lately that when we've blitzed, we've sent five guys. And afterward when it hasn't worked, the coaching staff has put it's hands up in the air and said, "Well, we sent five...it shouldda worked..." We need to create pressure, however we need to do it.

The tendency of the Pack to either start slow or go through a mid-game lull scares me in light of HomeGrown's ability to make in-game adjustments.

Having said that, from everything I've read, MM is putting these guys through hell during this week of practice. We should be able to beat Seattle. Let's hope the boys get the message.

Pack 38
Hawks 24

We know what's coming. So do they. Time to execute.

Having a Schlitz.

Talkin' S-Mac said...

My apologies - but this week - the take will be posted on Saturday...

Cheers,

Talkin' S-Mac.

Stack said...

Guy,

Lookin' for the take...

Nicely,

Stack