My Take -> Week 4

Greetings, G-Force.

3-0! Emphatically. With big plays galore! Heading into a short week, which thankfully is another home game. The Packers are fortunate to not have to travel this year for the short week road game. Be sure to enjoy these times with maximum appreciation.

It’s rare that I write with raw emotion after a game. I do so today. Normally, I’ll take a second look at the game. I won’t have time to do so this week. I write with a New Glarus Break O’ Day IPA in front of me. Fruity, citrusy goodness. A damn good beer. An interesting twist on the NE IPA style. New Glarus crushes life. My headphones blast Bob Marley’s 1977 album, “Exodus.” This album is crafted to perfection. It’s among my favorite albums ever created.

Here are my quick vibes:

Mike Pettine drew up a different game plan than what we’ve seen in the first two weeks. He went with a heavy zone approach.He rushed three in the Red Zone. On 25 of 73 plays, he had two ILB’s on the field. It was a perfect approach, but he held Denver to 16 points, his unit forced 3 turnovers and they had 6 sacks. Through three weeks, Pettine has designed defensive game plans that have yet to give up 20 points in a game.

Early in games, Matt LaFleur’s offenses have been quick to the line. There is a rhythm to the unit. There’s pace. Rodgers has been walking up to Center with roughly 25 seconds to play. There’s an unpredictable feel to the offense. And, in return, we’ve seen the Packers move the football. But, as the game wears on, almost oddly, the offense reverts back to ghosts of days past. We see the play clock drip near zero. We see solely deep routes. We lose all semblance of an attacking mindset. And, sustainable results have quickly diminished.

Another sun shining day for Brian Gutekunst: The Smith Bros. combined for 5 sacks and a forced fumble. Savage had a pick. Gary had a sack and a fumble recovery. Jaire had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Through three weeks, Aaron Rodgers has been highly inconsistent. He’s flashed moments of his MVP form. And, he’s following those plays up with highly inaccurate throws and wasted plays. The TD pass to MVS was absolute perfection. The incomplete 3rd down pass to G-Mo on the second possession of the game was airmailed to brutality. If Rodgers can find his form, look out, as the sky will be the limit for this team.

Bryan Bulaga continues to play sensational football.

David Bakhtiari kept the pocket clean in pass protection.

Vitale on the wheel route!

I’m football happy!

It sure felt like Jenkins held up well at the point.

I liked seeing Marcedes Lewis grabbing the ball in space. He’s the best TE on the roster.

Bob Tonyan was open on a 1st Quarter deep ball. Had he not temporarily stopped his route, he’d have scored a TD.

Jamaal Williams was dialed in and running hard. I was surprised that he played 61% of the snaps compared to only 39% for Jones. Williams touched the ball 14 times compared to Jones’ 11. If it were me, the offense would run through Jones week in and week out.

Catch the ball, G-Mo. Focus!

“We got a defense.”

Through three weeks, the Packers are +6 in turnover differential. And, there’s no reason to think that the turnovers won’t continue to be forced.

Keep on crawlin’, Za’Darius! Big dawg has to eat!

A relentless, full-on inspiring performance by Preston!

Blake Martinez played as physical as he can play. Stacking and shedding. A sure tackler. Solid performance by Blake.

After the Gary sack, he went to the sideline for one play. When he came back out to the field after a quick breather, Gary looked hobbled. Preston Smith got in his face with an encouraging head slap and some animated words. Gary immediately looked recharged. Great leadership by Preston!

Fackrell is so close to making a game changing play. He’s putting himself in position. It’s only a matter of time before he gets home on a big sack.

I really wish Savage was wearing #36. Put him in the same jersey that we’ve seen LeRoy and Nintendo Nick wearing. Have the uniform reserved for Stallion Safeties. Savage is a beast!

Kenny Clark is unbelievably quick off of the snap. I wish he’d have finished the play on 4th down at the goal line, but nonetheless, it was great to see him bursting through the line of scrimmage to put himself in position to prevent score and that was great to see.

Another really strong performance by Lowry.

Lancaster is a really good rotational run defender. He’s tough to move and he slides down the line really well.

I was happy to see Keke getting snaps. He plays with a high powered motor. I’d like to see him, Gary and the Smith Bros. on the field for a 3rd down play in the near future.

Fadol Brown lacked burst and was held up at the line. I was hoping he’d take the next stop this year and become a solid rotational player. Thus far, that hasn’t happened.

Over the last two weeks, the defense has showed signs of weakness in the run game. The Donkeys ran right at the heart of the defense and had success. In the future, they can expect teams to mimic that approach. Run the ball on 1st and 2nd down between the tackles. Control the clock. Trust the offense to convert on 3rd and short. What’s interesting about the run defense giving up big yards is that there were many positive individual performances in the run game, but the unit — as a whole — struggled to stop the ball.

Orchestrate the celebration, Will Redmond! That’s great fun!

JK SCOTT!!! Booming the ball!

Make the kick, Mason. It would’ve been nice to see the Packers getting 30 points on the board against a Fangio defense.

When I saw Shepherd line up in the slot, I expected to see something entertaining. Instead, it was a WR screen that called for Shepherd to block. Clearly, that didn’t work.

Really up and down day for MVS. He was a statistical monster. The speed on the deep ball was eye popping. But, he also lost concentration a couple of times. The dropped passes have to stop.

Consider this: the Packers are 3-0 and the mechanics of the offense are still a work in progress. There’s been a lack of consistency on quickly getting to the line of scrimmage. Rodgers has been inconsistent. And, there have been a wide number of pre snap penalties. As the operation of the offense improves — which it should in the future — you’d have to imagine that this team will grow to be a group that is capable of winning an offensive shootout.

I thought that the Milwaukee crowd showed up really well on Sunday. The crowd was loud. The Stadium has great energy to it. If the crowd brings that type of vibrancy this year, the Packers will be really tough to beat at Lambeau.

I’m hoping for MVS to catch 10 passes that are a minimum of 30 yards this year. Through three games, he has caught two of them.

4th Quarter. Up 8. The Packers got the ball at their own 26 with 13:30 to play. The offense was coming off of back-to-back poor possessions. Rodgers and LaFleur nutted up. They responded with an 11 play, 51 yard drive that chewed up 7:41 off of the clock. Crosby connected on the FG to make it a two score game. That’s solid football.

Jimmy Graham played 24 of 57 offensive snaps. That’s 24 too many snaps.

After three weeks, the Packers have already lost two players to IR. Lane Taylor might have been struggling early in the year, but it’s a big blow to the depth of the OL to lose him for the year.

Here’s my 2020 Mock Draft:

Round 1: Isaiah Simmons, ILB, Clemson.
Round 2: JR Reed, S, Georgia.
Round 3: Grant Calcaterra, TE, Oklahoma.
Round 4: Leki Fotu, DL, Utah.
Round 5: AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College.
Round 6: Drew Richmond, OT, USC.
Round 6: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU.
Round 7: Michael Pittman, WR, USC.
Round 7: Scooter Harrington, TE, Stanford.
Round 7: Asmar Bilal, ILB, ND.

This week - it's the Eagles. It's the third straight home game and it offers the chance to remain undefeated, one-quarter of the way through the season. The more I chew on it, the more I'm excited that 5 of the first 7 games were at home. It certainly offers the Packers an opportunity to be in the driver's seat at the midway point of the season in LaFleur's inaugural season as Head Coach. Additionally, it's fair to assume that LaFleur will improve over time with his ability to make in-game adjustments. But, the Packers have to take this stretch one-game at a time. Win on Thursday night and get a mini bye! Let's fucking go, baby!

Offensively, the Eagles have a number of weapons. Carson Wentz is a master at extending plays. He throws an excellent deep ball. He is dangerous with his legs. He's a never say die fighter. DeSean Jackson won't play. JJ Arcega-Whiteside is a big, intimidating WR who has yet to make his impact. The Eagles get Alshon Jeffery back. Jeffery is a great deep threat who will challenge the Packers over the top. Nelson Agholor is a speedy WR who is often used in motion. Agholor is best in the slot. He's a tough cover. Zach Ertz is among the best TE's in the game. At RB, the Eagles have a number of weapons. Jordan Howard has often been tough for GB to tackle in the past. Miles Sanders is a weapon with the ball in his hands. Darren Sproles is still a threat. Corey Clement is a talented back who makes big plays in single back formations as a runner and a receiver. The Eagles also have a tenured OL. A unit who has mostly been together and had a lot of success together.

Defensively, even without Tim Jernigan, the Eagles are stacked up front. Derek Barnett and Brandon Graham can get to the QB on the EDGE. They're ferocious competitors. Fletcher Cox is arguably the best DT in football. Vinny Curry and Josh Sweat are very good rotational defensive line players. Nigel Bradham is a stud at ILB. Zach Brown was a score as a Free Agent. I wish the Packers would've grabbed Brown. The Eagles secondary is banged up. Ronald Darby won't play. Rasul Douglas is talented, but he's not fleet of foot and will struggle to keep up with MVS on the deep ball. Sidney Jones is still developing. Avonte Maddox is undersized and will likely only play in the slot. At Safety, the Eagles are as talented as it gets with Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Andrew Sendejo and Jonathan Cyprien.

The Eagles are a battle tested team. Sure, they're 1-2, but they aren't going to drop to 1-3 with ease. This will be a dog fight.

I expect a higher scoring affair than we've seen in 2019. I anticipate that Doug Pedersen will have a good game plan to attack the Packers DL by running between the tackles. It'll open up the play action. Look for the Eagles to challenge the Packers secondary over the top.

If the Packers don't get inside pressure, Wentz will cause all kinds of problems with his feet. Pettine should look to send Martinez on multiple inside blitzes. If so, Wentz will hold onto the ball too long and eventually give the Packers a chance to make a play defensively.

I expect Rodgers to have his best game of the year. Look for the Packers to play a lot of single back formations with Aaron Jones as the lone back. Jones didn't play much against the Broncos. I imagine that LaFleur was saving him for this week. LaFleur spreads out the depleted Philly secondary. Davante gets busy.

Jones punches his way to the second level and tops 100 yards. He gets loose on a big run.

MVS gets over the top of the Eagles defense for a big play.

Jaire gets his first pick of the season.

I have a feeling that Kyler Fackrell is going to grab his first sack of the year.

It'll be a nail biter. The Packers defense holds late to preserve a perfect September!

STAY. LOUD. LAMBEAU!

Packers 31.
Eagles 27.

Go Pack Go!

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

My Take -> Week 3

Greetings, G-Force!

2-0! In dramatic fashion. Two wins over our hated rivals, the Bears and the ‘queens. Fantastic start, Matt LaFleur! In two weeks, you’ve reminded me of what it feels like to be football happy. I’ve missed this buzz.

As I write, I sip a 4 Noses Pump Action. It brings a fully loaded pumpkin cinnamon spice. When poured, the color looks like a spilled pumpkin. It’s 7.7%. With the body of a session Pale Ale, it has a thicker pumpkin pie flavor than most in the category. It’s a 2016 GABF winner. I listen to Toots and the Maytals “In the Dark” album. Glorious!

Here are my quick vibes from the last week:

Pour yourself a pint, Brian Gutekunst! Make it strong. You’ve earned it!

How does Matt LaFleur line up to start his first home game? He lines up with two TEs. Tonyan and Lewis on the field. Yes, he had his $10 million TE on the bench in a 2-TE set. He lines Tonyan outside and motions him tight to Bakhtiari‘s side. He calls play action. It was essentially a 2-man route. The play design was perfect. The result was a big play to Adams. Rodgers clearly approved as he emphatically pointed to LaFleur after the play.

LaFleur’s first drive? 4 plays. 75 yards. A Packers TD.

The jet sweeps. The motion. The disguise. It all feels so fun.

Aaron Rodgers showed glimpses of a return to his MVP form.

Can we please lock up Kenny Clark for years to come?

Za’Darius Smith was a total stud. Throw the stats out the window. He dominated the line of scrimmage.

Preston Smith dropping into coverage and grabbing the interception has had me feeling hoarse all week.

Aaron Jones. Slippery. Powerful. Fast. Decisive. Give him a sliver. He will do the rest.

Loved the way LaFleur mixed formations. The two back set designs were creatively crafted. Nice to see Jamaal Williams plowing his way into the end zone on a gorgeously designed play.

The Lambeau Faithful. Difference makers. If you were in attendance, I offer you a hearty THANK YOU! You helped alter the outcome. For that effort, I offer you a shared smile, a handshake and a back slap. Very well done.

Darnell Savage. So much to like. His coverage deep down the field was fantastic. I wish he’d have finished the play with a pick, but those are coming, I can feel it. I love the way he attacks the line of scrimmage. I wish he’d have tried to slow down Cook on the big TD run instead of trying to sell out and make a diving tackle in the open field.

The Raven Greene injury hurts. I wondered aloud last week if he could hold up in that role. I figured he’d last more than 6 Quarters though. I don’t like the thought of moving Amos into that role. With Amos and Savage at Safety, the secondary is on lockdown. Don’t get me wrong, I am on the Will Redmond bandwagon, but I really wish there was another option at ILB so Amos could stay put. This team needs Oren Burks to get healthy.

The Raven Greene injury makes me wonder how much Josh Jones regrets his behavior. Jones remains unsigned. In two years, his best performances were most certainly as an attacking ILB. I often reflect on his dominance against the Bengals during his rookie year. If he’d have acted professionally and behaved with maturity, he’d likely be playing significant snaps this weekend. Instead, he’s unemployed.

Bryan Bulaga has been a superstar over the first two weeks of the year.

Elgton Jenkins > Lane Taylor. At least it feels that way so far.

Well played, David Bakhtiari.

The Lambeau volume stoked my football flame.

Billy Turner is concerning me. He hasn’t been able to withstand the bull rush.

Corey Linsley has been a model of consistency throughout his career. Until now. I am confident that he will find his form, but the first two weeks haven’t been friendly to him. He looks like he needed preseason football. He showed a lack of awareness in the open field and missed assignments in Week 1. In Week 2, he had a poor snap to turn the ball over and again appeared to occasionally struggle in the passing game. I’ve come to expect near perfection from Linsley. He set the bar, not me. He’s been that good for most of his career. I’m hoping he settles in this week.

Elgton Jenkins, Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith have brought a Country Strong feel to this team.

The crowd at Lambeau was so awesome.

Fully enjoyable to see G-Mo making the TD grab!

I’m tracking MVS’ 30 yard grabs. He has one so far this year. He nearly came down with a 2nd. I want 10 on the year.

Rodgers rolling to his left, flipping his wrist and tossing a dart to Adams is pure genius.

There will be many critics over the offensive production post the 1st Quarter. I’m not one. I applaud G-Mo for pushing forward to get first down yardage. Wish he wouldn’t have fumbled, but I appreciated the effort. The flukey 4th and 1 play was unfortunate. I don’t understand why LaFleur didn’t play commander and take a time out from the sideline, but I can overlook it. And, in the 2nd half of the game, there were so many near misses. MVS had two, Adams had one and Jones had one. Big plays are unquestionably waiting in the wings for this offense.

Jaire Alexander was two dropped interceptions from an All Pro performance. He’s a man on a mission right now.

Kevin King appears to be taking the next step in his career. And, I like it a lot. Terrific hustle on his interception.

Tony Brown with the blocked kick! I love his effort.

Blake Martinez was solid. He epitomizes true leadership. I still contend that Gutekunst is going to have a really hard decision ahead of him on Martinez. The Packers can’t live without him, but in 2 games, he’s been the 4th best ILB on the field. So, what to pay him?

Dean Lowry. Hard working man earning his paycheck. Dominating the line of scrimmage.

I dig Za’Darius Smith’s smile. Love his energy.

Lancaster brings fire.

Gary is providing fire. He’s coming to the line with heightened energy. He’s hustling. Chasing down plays. If he can continue to develop, this defense could become really, really special.

Fackrell is putting himself in position. Now, he must start to finish plays. If so, he will be a difference maker for this defense.

I was happy to hear Keke might get snaps in favor of Fadol Brown this week. Keke hasn’t been active yet. Meanwhile, Brown has shockingly lacked juice off of the line of scrimmage. I’m bullish on Keke’s upside.

JK Scott! Another strong performance!

Jimmy Graham is the highest paid TE in the NFL. Matt LaFleur does not care. If you can’t block, you won’t be an every down player in his offense.

Evan Baylis getting elevated is a potentially curious move. Baylis played really well in the preseason. He was a reliable pass catcher and a willing blocker. He’s a big man. In light of Graham’s pathetic effort on Sunday against MN, I wonder if there’s more to the story. Or maybe Graham is simply injured and going to be out for the next two weeks or so. But, let’s be clear, Gutekunst and LaFleur aren’t messing around. They don’t care about past years career performances or current salary cap structures. They want to win...NOW. If Graham doesn’t play with more desire than he did on Sunday, then it’s a possibility that this move will be more than a temporary roster promotion for Baylis.

Aaron Rodgers is presenting himself in interviews as a different man. He’s taking ownership for his mistakes. He looks to be having fun again. I’d love to see this offense if Rodgers could fully regain his accuracy. His miss to MVS and to Jones prevented really big plays.

The sideline interactions between Za’Darius and Davante are priceless. Those boys are teammates!

I’ve been surprised that Gary has mostly come on bull and speed rushes around the edge. I would like to see him lined next to Za’Darius and stunting from the outside to the inside.

Kenny Clark’s inside pressure is beautiful to watch. The strip sack was a riveting game changing play.

“We got a defense.”

Jaire + King = <3.

Savage + Amos = :).

Turner + Taylor = ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Preston + Za’Darius = Smith Bros. = Brotherhood.

Another potentially sneaky good Gutekunst find was the addition of Tremon Smith. Last year before the Draft, I wrote this about him: I love his punt return skills. He also makes plays on the ball in the air. A fun athlete with a nose for the goal line after an interception. Forceful tackler. Reads routes and jumps them. Flashy style to his persona. Though he's really undersized, there's a fun confidence to him.

I know most are branding Tremon Smith as purely a Kickoff Returner, but he has punt return skills as well.

For weeks, I’ve been saying that you know Gutekunst wants 10 draft picks entering the Draft next year. After trading Trevor Davis, Gutekunst now has met his assumed goal.

I couldn’t believe it, but it seemed as though the vast majority of fans were rowdy on 3rd down. That notion died after 2011. I was thrilled to hear that the fans wanted to make a difference on GameDay, once again. There was a clear cut home field advantage. Even when momentum swung to the ‘queens. The fans continued to inspire the team. Fans can motivate players with positive volume enforcement; I believe in it! Keep the good vibes rollin’!

I’m really feeling that the Packers must Draft ILB, T, G, and TE in the early portions of this Draft. I need to do more homework at the TE position to give extensive commentary on the 2020 prospects. Here is a 2020 Mock Draft:

Round 1: Isaiah Simmons, ILB, Clemson.
Round 2: Lorenzo Neal, DL, Purdue.
Round 3: Jon Greenard, EDGE, Florida.
Round 4: JR Reed, S, Georgia.
Round 5: Liam Eichenberg, OT, ND.
Round 6: Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas.
Round 6: John Houston, ILB, USC.
Round 7: Dayan Ghanwoloku, CB, BYU.
Round 7: Sean McKeon, TE, Michigan.
Round 7: Cameron Scarlett, RB, Stanford.

This week, it’s the Donkeys traveling to Titletown, U.S.A. in a game that is poised to be an emotional letdown game for the Packers. The Packers are coming off of two vital victories over Divisional opponents. And, now, they have 2 home games in 5 days. If they win both of these games, the Packers will be in great shape heading into October.

Currently, I live in CO. So, I hear a lot of Donkey chatter throughout the week. With that said, I couldn’t be happier to board a flight to go to this game. I’m flying with my two boys and it’ll be my 4 year old Son’s first NFL game. He’s really amped to attend!

While the Packers have been making crucial game saving plays at the end of games, the Donkeys have been losing 1-score games. They feel like they, too, were in position to be 2-0.

Vic Fangio has long been a competitive nemesis to Aaron Rodgers. He’s confused Rodgers. He’s irritated Rodgers. He’s been able to inflict pain on Rodgers. He forced Rodgers into bad decisions through the years.

Offensively, the Donkeys will try to establish balance on offense and they’ll try to control the ball. Joe Flacco is off to a good start at QB. He’s played fairly well over the first two weeks. He’s stood confidently in the pocket and he’s mostly thrown an accurate ball. Phillip Lindsay is a speed back that hits the hole and quickly gobbles up yards. Royce Freeman has been receiving the carries between the tackles. Noah Fant was a favorite of mine heading into the Draft. He is a pass catching mismatch with elite size + speed combination. They have three extremely talented WRs in Courtland Sullivan, DaeSean Hamilton and Emmanuel Sanders. Prior to the season, the Donkeys made JaWuan Jones the second highest paid RT in the history of the NFL. He’s injured and might not play. Former 1st round pick, Garret Bolles, has really struggled at LT. Dalton Risner, another favorite of mine heading into the Draft, starts at LG. He’s been a monster so far this year. Connor McGovern is a physical Center and Ronald Leary is equally as physical at Guard. If Jones doesn’t play, the Packers should be able to dominate the edges of the line and cause havoc for Flacco.

Defensively, thus far, the Donkeys have underperformed. They are loaded with talent and I love Fangio’s system. They will significantly improve. Let’s hope it waits a week. Miller and Chubb are a lethal combo at OLB. Derek Wolfe is a dominant interior defender on the line. Todd Davis is healthy and expected to start at ILB. Josey Jewell is a quality run stopping ILB. They have a gifted secondary. Chris Harris is a shut down CB. Kareem Jackson and Justin Simmons are physical, fast, do-it-all Safeties. Bryce Callahan is expected to make his season debut and, if so, he’s developed into a dependable CB, especially in the slot. Isaac Yiadom has the desired speed, but he’s really struggled so far. Expect Rodgers to target Yiadom early and often.

I’m really interested to see the Packers defend an immobile QB. Flacco is a statue. I want to see a Gary, Clark, and Smith Bros. pass rush. They should be able to collapse the pocket and force a couple of turnovers.

It doesn’t matter who Yiadom is covering, I want to target him. I’d love to see MVS streaking down the sideline with Yiadom in coverage. Yiadom might develop into a really good CB, but thus far, he’s not ready.

Don’t be surprised if Baylis sees significant snaps and makes a difference in the run game. He’s football smart.

Kenny Clark slows the Donkeys run game.

Jaire marks up Sanders. King slows down Sullivan.

Za’Darius grabs a sack.

Savage gets his first interception.

Not that I’m pining for a conservative approach, but with two games in 5 days, I feel it’d be wise to keep Dexter Williams active this week. And, if the Packers can get a 2-score lead, I’d give Dexter a drive to help preserve Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones.

If the weather holds, the Packers should win convincingly.

Packers 23.
Donkeys 9.

Go Pack Go!

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

My Take -> Week 2

Greetings, G-Force.

For now and forever, the Packers can claim Trump Card at Soldier Field. After all, the Halas Trophy resides in the Visitors Locker Room. When you hold Trump Card in your pocket, you walk into the opposing stadium and feel comfortable playing their style of football. You beat them at their own game. Yes, the Bears Still Suck!

As I write, I sip a 4 Noses Apricot Velvet. It’s a Milkshake IPA. It’s fruity. It’s creamy. It has a vanilla bean bite to minimize the apricot/peach strength. It’s perfectly concocted. I listen to the Beastie Boys “Beastie Boys Anthology: The Sounds of Science” album. I’m reminded: Dip dip dive — so socialize. Open up your ears and clean out your eyes. If you learn to love you're in for a surprise. It could be nice to be alive!

Here are my quick vibes from the last week:

Packers fans entered 2019 in a world of uncertainty. Bears fans entered 2019 feeling like they were destined for greatness. 25 minutes into the season, the Packers defense had the previously rowdy Bear fan booing loudly throughout Soldier Field. THE BEARS STILL SUCK!

Classy move by Rodgers to keep the game ball. To give it to LaFleur. To hand it to him and promise that he’d be better in the future. I already love their relationship.

Mike Pettine. Drawn up to perfection.

The win over the Bears was a grand moment for Gutekunst. His FA signings on defense were stellar. His pair of 1st round picks were impactful. He has to be proud!

Happy homecoming, Adrian Amos! You deserve ALL of the money.

Tip the cap, Gutekunst! I’d forgotten what it felt like to have a pair of stallion pass rushers. It’s good to be reminded. Our EDGE rushers are alive!

It’s only one game, but Savage sure looked like Nintendo Nick reincarnated.

THE BEARS STILL SUCK!

JK Scott was absolutely dynamite. He was a superstar. JK! JK! JK!

Bryan Bulaga was a fuckin’ man!

Kenny Clark was a monster in the middle. When he teamed with Amos to stuff Patterson on 3rd and 1, I literally jumped out of my seat with excitement.

In the words of Aaron Rodgers, “we got a defense.”

As a reminder, the two greatest moments in the long history of Soldier Field are the 2010 NFC Championship Game and the Grateful Dead’s 50th Anniversary Fare Thee Well 3-day Run.

The speed on the defensive side of the ball was off of the charts. Really, at all levels of the defense. Blake Martinez even looked faster closing on the ball.

Raven Greene played really well. He’s physical. A reliable tackler. He was confident coming on the blitz. I’m not sure that he can hold up all year in that role, but he certainly did in Chicago. Sneaky good Gutekunst find.

Blake Martinez was a full-out baller!

Rashan Gary. 6 snaps. 2 pressures. I’ll take it.

Another Sleeper Gutekunst find: Will Redmond. He was a weapon as a gunner.

The spirit within the leadership of the defense is absolutely infectious. Za’Darius waits for Preston to deliver a post game interview to show that they are men locked in arms. Jaire is robust with a contagious personality. Kevin King is high spirited and instantaneous in his desire to celebrate a teammates success. Blake Martinez, Kenny Clark and Adrian Amos play in do-as-I-do leadership style, which is much the contrary to the Mike Daniels approach of years past.

How good is Davante Adams? At one point, he was triple teamed!

I expect G-MO to be highly productive in 2019. He wasn’t targeted in Week 1. That won’t continue.

MVS getting over the top! I hope to see 10 catches of 30+ yards this year!

LaFleur used a lot of double TE. The Packers ran 64 plays. Graham was on the field for 35 of them. Lewis played 34. Tonyan played 20.

The last time the Packers beat the Bears 10-3? The 2010 season. The Packers won the Super Bowl that year.

THE BEARS STILL SUCK!

Good to see Jimmy Graham winning a jump ball in the end zone. It was also nice to see him drawing the Pass Interference penalty.

Good to see Tonyan making a catch and grabbing yards with the ball in his hands.

Really liked how Marcedes Lewis was utilized. Rodgers trusts him. Wish Lewis would’ve caught the ball down the sidelines late.

Adrian Amos creating a storybook ending to start the NFL’s 100th season is one I’ll always remember.

I’ve been an avid Lane Taylor supporter this Training Camp, but if he has another game like he did in Chicago, he will be benched for Jenkins. He played pathetic football. He was bulled over. He lacked vision + awareness. He was mostly a liability.

Let’s hope that Billy Turner is much better than he showed in Week 1.

Za’Darius Smith was unbelievable. He was consistently in the face of the Bears young QB. He came from all over the field. He had 3 tackles. He had a sack. He had 1 tackle for loss. He was a force all night long.

Preston Smith was dynamite. 1.5 sacks. 5 total tackles. He had 1 tackle for loss. He was energized. He was enthusiastic. He was a force in the run game.

It was fitting that on the final defensive snap of the game, Pettine called a stunt that had the Smith Bros. lined up on the right side. Za’Darius cleared the way. Preston burst thru the hole and finished off the Bears young QB to seal the victory. Teammates. Selfless play by Za’Darius.

This was not some odd twist of fate performance by the defense. They dominated the line of scrimmage. Martinez and Greene played really well in the middle of the field. And, they nearly had 4 interceptions in the 1st half. Preston Smith tipped a pass that hit Martinez in the hand, Jaire batted a ball in the air that TMon was hustling to get under, King dropped a pick, and Savage was in position to steal a 3rd down pass when he jumped the route over the middle of the field.

As a team, the Packers had 5 sacks and 6 tackles for loss. Stunningly impressive performance!

I was surprised that the Packers didn’t run the ball on 2nd and 4 from the Bears 46 with just over 1 minute left in the 2nd Quarter. I felt like they should’ve managed the game to guarantee that they had the lead at the half. Additionally, the Packers had two timeouts, so the clock wasn’t an issue.

The 100th Anniversary of the NFL Season kicked off with the NFL’s oldest rivalry squaring off. Big boy grumpy city vs small town farm boys. National TV. Just as a movie script would tell the story, the good guys won. GPG! Fuck. Yes.

As a fan, this is not the time to be fearful of the Packers offense. There will be games this year in which the Packers win in a shoot out. There will be games where Adams tops 100 yards receiving. There will be games in which Jones tops 100 yards rushing. I’m not concerned about the offense.

I am football stoked right now! The last time I was littered with such glee? Week 2 of last year as the Packers were hosting the 'queens post a dramatic victory over the hated Bears. Oh, the irony.

JK Scott was phenomenal. You know who helped him be so good? Will Redmond. Amazing gunner! Yes, that deserved a 2nd mention. Trevor Davis also showed well in the role.

The Packers offense was far from productive. But, I’m holding onto huge hope. LaFleur’s design on the 47 yard completion to MVS was exceptional. It had disguise. It had misdirection. Rodgers executed the play to perfection. I anticipate that we will see similar styles of play design in abundance in upcoming weeks. Conceptually, this offense will offer significantly more confusion as comfort levels enhance.

With full-belly, wide-smiling joy, please sing it with me! THE BEARS STILL SUCK! THE BEARS STILL SUCK! THEY REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY SUCK! OH, THE BEARS STILL SUCK!

Quick side note: Want to hear something mind blowing? Former Packers QB, Graham Harrell, is a rising star in the coaching sphere. He’s currently the offensive coordinator for USC. Do yourself a favor and watch them play this year.

For this weeks 2020 Packers Mock Draft, I, once again, try to mix up the player names as much as possible. I have not spent enough time on TE, WR and T to make assessments beyond a couple of top tier players. Here goes:

Round 1: Isaiah Simmons, ILB, Clemson.
Round 2: Ben Bredeson, G, Michigan.
Round 3: Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah.
Round 4: Marlon Davidson, EDGE, Auburn.
Round 5: Brandon Jones, CB/S, Texas.
Round 6: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU.
Round 7: Lamical Perine, RB, FL.
Round 7: Leki Fotu, DL, Utah.
Round 7: Sage Lewis, ILB, FIU.

This week - it's the ‘queens coming to Lambeau for the home opener. If Matt LaFleur’s inaugural season is going to be a successful one, the 12-day stretch that begins on Sunday will be a propelling factor. The Packers will play three home games in that time frame. If the Packers can win at home, they’ll be sitting pretty a quarter of the way through the season.

The tide has changed over the last 4 games between these rivals. The ‘queens have been in control. They’ve mostly dominated the line of scrimmage. They’ve been aggressive with contact at CB. And, offensively, at times, it’s felt like they could move the ball at will.

The ‘queens have a number of playmakers. Diggs and Thielen make up a dynamic duo at WR. Chad Beebe is a sure handed slot WR. Dalvin Cook, if healthy, is poised to have a big year. Alexander Mattison has looked the part and feels like he might be a talented compliment to Cook. Kyle Rudolph is still a top shelf blocker and a reliable target. Irv Smith is a potential weapon as a backup TE. Kirk Cousins was paid to win games like these. Historically, he has played fairly well against the Packers. The ‘queens seem to feel better about their OL this year, too. Riley Reiff is a high priced FA acquisition. Brian O’Neill is a former 2nd round pick. Reiff and O’Neill will try to contain the Smith Bros. Garrett Bradbury was their 1st round pick and will start at Center. Pat Elflein is a former 3rd round pick. He will line up with Josh Kline at Guard. I like the way the Packers front 4 matches up against the ‘queens OL.

Defensively, the ‘queens have most of the same faces that we’ve seen for many years in a row. Hunter and Griffen love to pin their ears back and attack the QB. Joseph is a monster run stopper. Shamar Stephen is a solid role player on the interior of the line. Stephen Weatherly is a good rotational DL who fits the system. At LB, Kendricks and Barr do what they do. The ‘queens have to feel good about Smith, Waynes and Rhodes in the secondary. Anthony Harris and Jayron Kearse are question marks. The ‘queens might be without Mike Hughes and Mackenzie Alexander, who are their nickel and dime CBs. It’s possible that they’ll be decimated in the defensive backfield. If so, it’ll be up to the Packers OL to protect Rodgers. With time, Rodgers might have an opportunity to make a number of plays deep down the field.

Without question, both teams are going to try to establish the run early in the game. They’ll work to slow down the oppositions pass rush by getting them on their heels via a successful run game. Then, the run game will open up play action and the screen game.

I expect the Lambeau crowd to be exceptionally rowdy. The fans have to know how much this game means to the Packers franchise. Rise up, Lambeau!

Look for Rodgers to find G-Mo across the middle.

Book it: Trae Waynes will have at least one pass interference called against him.

I want to see MVS streaking down the sidelines!

If the ‘queens try to match Rhodes one on one vs Adams, Adams will have opportunities for big plays.

With the potential injuries to the ‘queens secondary, I’d imagine that LaFleur plays a lot less two TE sets than he did in Chicago. Look for LaFleur to try and spread the defense out. LaFleur trusts his OL to win their battles and to force Zimmer’s hand to start blitzing.

LaFleur lives on screens and crossing routes.

Jaire must play at an All Pro level and eliminate Diggs.

The Smith Bros. have to collapse the edges.

Look for Gary to alter a play on a stunt from the left EDGE coming to the inside.

Look for Amos to be inching up in the box in an attempt to slow down the ‘queens run game.

Cousins gives the Packers a chance to make a play in the secondary. Savage delivers.

Crosby confidently connects.

Packers 23.
‘queens 20.

Go Pack Go!

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

My Take -> Week 1

Greetings, G-Force.

We enter the 2019 season with wild uncertainty. The Packers have a new head coach, a new special teams coach and a 2nd year defensive coordinator who might have as many as 7 different starters from Week 1 a year ago. Each year, I try to project the Packers record. And, for the most part, I’ve been fairly accurate. This year, it’s nearly impossible to do so. It wouldn’t shock me if the Packers won 11 games. It wouldn’t shock me if the Packers won 7 games. My prediction: we watch highly entertaining football, it’s a developmental year and the Packers finish either 9-7 or 8-8. It’s possible that this team needs to learn how to win with all of these new faces — most who have not come from consistently winning programs.

As I start to write, I listen to Jimmy Cliff’s version of “I Can See Clearly Now” in hopes to find some clarity of what lies ahead. I sip a 2017 Elevation Beer Co “Oil Man.” It’s nearly 11% ABV. Thick Stout goodness. Bourbon barrel aged. Potent. Malt coat on the front. Chocolate on the back.

Here are my quick vibes from the last week:

Gutekunst worked hard to try to secure a 10th pick heading into next years Draft. He wasn’t able to secure another pick, but he did get creative in trades to pick up an ILB, Goodson, and to accumulate potential Draft currency for McCray.

Prior to the 2016 NFL Draft, I wrote this on Goodson: “BJ Goodson, Clemson. Round 3-4. Have to love his game. Far from intimidated by anyone. Prideful player. True leader. Commander of the huddle. Forceful in the run game. Decent in the pass game. Can rush the passer from the inside. Might not be a 3-down backer, but definitely can step in on day 1 and play on 1st and 2nd down.”

Props to Gutekunst for parting ways with Kizer. He’s not even close to being ready. He’s also a prime example as to why I can’t be convinced that the Packers should Draft a QB over the course of the next two years.

I’m happy for Sullivan, Lazard, Redmond and Shepherd. They earned spots on the 53 man roster.

Speaking of Shepherd, I can’t help to wonder if he was kept because the Packers didn’t not trust Davis to be healthy. And, because of it, Gutekunst wanted a back up return man on the roster.

At this stage, CB is the richest position on the roster.

The Jace Sternberger injury is a buzzkill. I was overwhelmingly confident that he would make an impact at some point this year. Now, I highly doubt that he will see the field. Brutal. Unlucky.

The Cole Madison story makes me feel good. Mental health is among the most serious issues in America right now. I proudly donate time and money to the Mental Health Center of Denver. It’s heartwarming to see the way both Madison and the Packers handled the last 18 months. Cheers to Madison for raising his hand and seeking help. Thrilled he made the team. Forever pulling for him!!

It feels like the Packers kept the best 53 players that we saw in the preseason. And, because of it, I’m comfortable with the depth at all positions outside of QB, ILB and Tackle.

An interesting schedule quirk that goes in the Bears favor for 2019: the NFC NORTH plays the AFC WEST. The bears get KC and the Chargers at home. Minnesota and Green Bay have to travel for both games. I presume that road games against Oakland and Denver will be much easier than road games at KC and at LA.

I really wish that LaFleur’s first two games weren’t at Chicago and then a home game against Minnesota. Dude better be ready to manage a game because he’s being thrown into the fire. An 0-2 start to the season — with losses to arch rival divisional foes — would likely thwart the year.

The Packers have roughly $16 million in cap room. I hope they use some of it to pay Kenny Clark. With that said, it sure feels like Clark isn’t looking to give any hometown discounts. Blake Martinez’s contract needs to be considered, too.

Here is my weekly Mock Draft:

Round 1.) Trey Adams, OT, Washington.
Round 2.) Khalid Kareem, EDGE, ND.
Round 3.) Colby Parkinson, TE, Stanford.
Round 4.) Zack Moss, RB, Utah.
Round 5.) Khaleke Hudson, ILB, Michigan.
Round 6.) Bradlee Anae, EDGE, Utah.
Round 7.) Pat Bethel, DL, []_[].
Round 7.) Asmar Bilal, ILB, ND.
Round 7.) Lee Autry, DL, Mississippi State.

To kick off the NFL’s season, it’s the Packers at the Bears. Could it be more fitting? The NFL’s oldest rivalry squaring off to launch the season. The hated Bears in Week 1. Man, why does the NFL have to give me such stress to begin the year? In an interesting twist – when you consider the last decade – it’s the Bears who are considered a Super Bowl contender and the Packers who are a team full of uncertainties. The Bears have an ascending coach, a young QB on his first contract, a dominant defense and playmakers at the skill positions. On paper, they appear to be a team that’s poised to, once again, win the Division. If I were a Bears fan, anything other than a trip to the NFC Championship would be considered a disappointment in 2019. I give the Bears credit for following the 1st contract QB recipe for success.

The Bears have surrounded their young QB with a good mix between FA acquisitions and draft picks. Anthony Miller and Riley Ridley are both skilled up and coming receivers. Allen Robinson is a top level perimeter WR. Taylor Gabriel is a talented slot WR. Cordarrelle Patterson is not only a lethal kick returner, but he’s a versatile offensive peg that can be utilized in a wide variety of ways. He’s historically done significant damage to the Packers. The Bears OL also appears to be better than years past with Leno and Massie manning the ends. Cody Whitehair was moved to guard as James Daniels will get the start at Center. When healthy, Kyle Long is still a force at Guard. Trey Burton is an athletic TE option who makes plays in the passing game. The Bears also have a good range of running back styles. Cohen is a video game with the ball in his hands, Montgomery is a do-it-all style of back and Mike Davis is a bruiser.

It’ll be interested to see how the Bears defense adjusts without Fangio. They still have an imposing defensive front. Akiem Hicks is among the best DT in the game. Eddie Goldman is a forceful early down player. Roy Robertson-Harris is a worthwhile pass rushing interior player. Bilal Nichols has developed well. Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd make up an elite duo. At ILB, Danny Trevathan and Roquan Smith are among the best tandems in the game. The secondary is the question mark. Kyle Fuller had a phenomenal 2018. How will he follow it up? Prince Amukamara is a descending player. At Safety, Eddie Jackson is a budding superstar. But, he lost his wingman in Adrian Amos. Ha Ha was average over the last 2 years. How will he play for Chicago? Buster Skrine was brought in via FA. Skrine has been a liability, at times, in the past.

I fully expect this game to come down to four things:

· Can Bulaga block Mack? In the past, Mack has dominated Bulaga.
· Can the Packers limit Cohen and Patterson on special teams? In the past, both have made big plays against the Packers.
· Can the Packers defensive front apply pressure without blitzing? The Packers spent big on the Smith Bros. They drafted Gary in Round 1. It’s time for them to pay dividends.
· Can the Packers defense force 2 turnovers? The Bears young QB has been prone to mistakes in the past. He gives the opposition opportunities. It’s up to the Packers to seize the moment!

Look for the Packers to try and establish the run game early. I expect to see Marcedes Lewis helping Bulaga with Mack as an in-line blocking TE. They’re going to try and lean on Mack to wear him down. Since neither team played their starters much in the preseason, so conditioning will most likely be an issue in the 2nd half. Who will be the more fit team? That’ll play a significant role.

Look for LaFleur to use extensive motion in an effort to keep the defense guessing. He's going to look to get the ball into the flat to a WR who is running forward to aid in the ability to gain yards after the catch.

If the Packers can find a semblance of a run game early, LaFleur will quickly look to the play action with the vision of hitting on a shot play.

I see Rodgers connecting with G-Mo for multiple first down receptions on crossing routes. Yes, I expect to see the Packers using the middle of the field. I also expect crossing routes to be a common occurrence as they were in the early days of Mike McCarthy.

I expect Rodgers to hit MVS on a deep ball that quickly puts the Packers in scoring position.

I'm confident that the Packers will have moderate success moving the football. I'm not so confident as to how they'll perform when they get inside the Bears 40 yard line.

Defensively, I envision Za’Darius Smith making his impact felt early and forcing the Bears young QB into a bad decision.

If I were Pettine, I'd have Jaire follow Allen Robinson all over the field. I'd match Tony Brown on Anthony Miller. I'd have T-Mon cover Gabriel. Early in the game, I'd play a lot of man defense as I feel the Packers match up well with the Bears on the outside.

I'd play a lot of dime defense. Trust the front 4 to win their battles. Trust Clark and Lowry to eat up blocks. They'll let Martinez roam free. I'd have Raven Greene mirror the Bears young QB. If he can't use his legs to escape the pocket, it severely limits his ability to move the chains. He can't win a 60-minute game with his arm and decision making. But, if you let him use his legs, he can frustrate you. Especially on third down.

It’ll be a dog fight. A hotly contested battle. And, in the end, Crosby is the difference.

Packers 19.
Bears 17.

Go Pack Go! THE BEARS STILL SUCK!

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