Zero2Cool
14 years ago
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/39757341/ns/sports/ 

For 45 minutes each week, the Packers are one of the best teams in the NFL. Unfortunately, for the Packers football games are 60 minutes long.

The Packers have been tied or led in the fourth quarters of all six of their games this year. But opponents have outscored them 52-24 in the fourth quarter and overtime, handing the Packers three losses by field goals, two of them in overtime. When the Packers arent losing tight games in the final period, they are letting the Eagles and Lions get back into the game, turning what should have been blowouts into nail-biters. No lead is safe for the Packers, especially with Brett Favre and Randy Moss in town on Sunday night.

Many people think injuries are the Packers main problem, but they're no more banged-up than other teams. They have bigger issues. Heres a breakdown of the the Packers' issues and the ways the Vikings can exploit those late-game mistakes:

No rushing consistency
Green Bay's running game looks good enough on paper: 101.8 yards per game, 16th in the NFL. But 113 of the 611 rushing yards are from Aaron Rodgers scrambles and sneaks, and 71 more of them came on one Brandon Jackson run. Trim the fat, and the Packers average just 71.2 yards per game and 3.8 yards per rush.

The Packers rushing woes have been especially pronounced in the fourth quarter, when their backs have rushed 32 times for 102 yards (3.4 yards per carry) with just four first downs and a fumble. With Ryan Grant injured, plodders Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn have tried to carry the load, but neither has been effective at chewing up the clock. The Packers best fourth quarter runner -- by a landslide -- has been Rodgers, with seven carries for 73 yards and two touchdowns on scrambles and sneaks. Ideally, you dont want your quarterback to be your leading fourth-quarter rusher.

The Vikings can capitalize because ...
Minnesota's run defense is better than the numbers: 102.2 yards per game, 3.8 yards per rush, and two touchdowns are darn good figures after facing hard-running opponents like the Jets and Dolphins. The Pat Williams-Kevin Williams-E.J. Henderson interior defense is playing as well as ever. Once the Vikings stymie the Packers running game, theyll be able to exploit problem number two.

Strange play calls
Aaron Rodgers has dropped back to pass 23 times in the fourth quarter with the Packers leading. The running backs only have 21 carries in the same circumstances. Balance is all well and good, but youre not supposed to be balanced while winning in the fourth quarter. Youre supposed to be eating the clock.

It gets worse -- the Packers ran 15 plays from the shotgun while leading in the fourth quarter, turning in 12 passes, one handoff, one Rodgers draw, and one Rodgers scramble. The Packers use a shotgun-heavy offense, but cmon coach, were trying to put the Redskins away, here. Lets get Rodgers under center, where hes in better position to hand off.

Rodgers has thrown two interceptions and been sacked twice while trying to ice leads. In one ugly sequence against the Redskins, he was sacked on first down, completed a screen that lost a yard on second down and threw a five-yard pass on 3rd-and-13, all while nursing a three-point lead. An interception on a 1st-and-10 bomb to start the fourth quarter nearly sparked a Lions comeback. Keep handing the ball back to your opponent late in the game, and bad things will happen.

The Vikings can capitalize because ...
Minnesota allows just 9.1 yards per reception, and three of their four interceptions took place in the fourth quarters of its two wins. Passing on the Vikings late in the game is more likely to produce a mistake than a big play.

The disappearing pass rush
While the Packers' offense has gone one-dimensional in the fourth quarter, their pass rush has disappeared. The Packers have 21 sacks for the season, but theyve recorded just one fourth-quarter and one overtime sack in the last five games. Theyve recorded just two third quarter sacks for the whole season.

The lack of pressure made comebacks too easy for opposing quarterbacks. Jay Cutler was sacked three times in the first half by the Packers, then got through the rest of a close game unscathed. Shaun Hill was dumped three times in two quarters, but the Packers then let him pick them apart from a clean pocket. Donovan McNabb endured three sacks through three quarters, then had time in the fourth quarter to erase a 10-point deficit and force overtime.

The Packers must re-think their late-game defense as well as their offense. They have to keep the pressure on with Clay Matthews and their crazy blitzes, even when protecting a lead, because sitting back in zones and watching the clock tick isnt working.

The Vikings can capitalize because ...
While Brett Favre has been sacked 13 times this season, he can still carve up a defense that has eased off (see the Jets game for evidence). You want to give him time to throw so he can generate a bunch of triumphant return headlines? Didnt think so.

General sloppiness
The Packers committed four penalties in the fourth quarter against the Bears, including roughing the passer and pass interference fouls that erased Packers interceptions. (Yes, the fouls helped cause the interceptions, but you get the idea -- sloppiness).

They committed two defensive penalties in overtime to put the Redskins in field goal range. An illegal formation foul erased a punt and led to a fourth-quarter Dolphins touchdown. The Lions stayed with the Packers thanks to a facemask penalty, a fumbled kickoff, and other lapses of discipline. From dumb penalties to coverage lapses, the Packers have a gift for making mistakes at the worst possible times.

The Vikings can capitalize because ...
The Vikings were outgained Sunday 314-188 by the Cowboys. They won because of a Percy Harvin kickoff return touchdown and 91 yards of Cowboys penalties, including an offensive pass interference foul to nullify a Cowboys touchdown and a DPI flag that helped the Vikings kill the clock. If anyone can draw a flag on a borderline roughing-the-passer call, its Favre. The Vikings had to muck out a win on penalties and turnovers. Why not make it two in a row?


UserPostedImage
gbpfan
14 years ago
ouch when you read this it sure makes us look bad.
zombieslayer
14 years ago
Hmm....

Seems like a simple solution for me. Lobby the NFL to only play 3 quarters. Say something about injuries and concussions and have the media listening and we might have a shot.
My man Donald Driver
UserPostedImage
(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷
Greg C.
14 years ago
What a horrible article. Mostly he just strings together statistical patterns and pretends he is offering real insights.

What's especially stupid is how he imagines that putting pressure on a QB is a strategic decision, like something you can decide to do or decide not to do. Putting pressure on a QB is mostly a result of your players winning their matchups. Blitzing doesn't always work. The Packers got torched when they blitzed McNabb in the second half, and the Jets got torched when they blitzed Favre in the second half. This guy didn't even notice that. Did he really watch the games or did he just look at the box scores?

When he mentioned the Packers' injuries near the beginning of the article, I almost stopped reading when I reached the line, "...they're no more banged-up than most other teams." I wish I had.
blank
Packers_Finland
14 years ago

When he mentioned the Packers' injuries near the beginning of the article, I almost stopped reading when I reached the line, "...they're no more banged-up than most other teams." I wish I had.

"Greg C." wrote:



And the really fun part is that he attributes the reason why "Packers are not looking so Super" to the fact that the running game has become inconsistent due to Ryan Grant's injury.
This is a placeholder
gbguy20
14 years ago
This article basically summed up everything i've been saying which is awesome. depressing, but awesome.
BAD EMAIL because the address couldn ot be found, or is unable to receive mail.
Zero2Cool
14 years ago

This article basically summed up everything i've been saying which is awesome. depressing, but awesome.

"gbguy20" wrote:



I find it hard to consider the Packers failures as Awesome, at all.
UserPostedImage
gbguy20
14 years ago
Well that's not what my post said so ~
BAD EMAIL because the address couldn ot be found, or is unable to receive mail.
Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago
I predicted before the season began that if the Packers strung together a pair of losses, articles with just this title would begin to pop up. This is par for the course. If they win two or three games in a row, they will suddenly be Super Bowl favorites again. Sports journalists are pathological bandwagon jumpers.
UserPostedImage
wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member
14 years ago
this guy blows back and forth.

first he says

No rushing consistency



Then he says

Aaron Rodgers has dropped back to pass 23 times in the fourth quarter with the Packers leading. The running backs only have 21 carries in the same circumstances. Balance is all well and good, but youre not supposed to be balanced while winning in the fourth quarter.



Next he says

Lets get Rodgers under center, where hes in better position to hand off.



Finally

While the Packers' offense has gone one-dimensional in the fourth quarter,



I want to know how you can have no rushing consistency and yet nearly rush half of the time? How can GB consider GB to be one dimensional when the facts he provided don't show that?
He also complains about their poor rushing avg in the 4th quarter. (3.4 avg) and yet wants them to go from being "one dimensional" in passing to "one dimensional" in running the ball so they can milk the clock. If the other team knows they are going to run the ball their avg would be even worse than it is. Having Rodgers in shot gun would seem to give him and the offense a better chance of getting a 1st down and thus milk the clock instead of 3 running plays and punt the ball.
UserPostedImage
Fan Shout
packerfanoutwest (6m) : If Goodell allows an 18 game season, there will be a SB on Valentines Day
Zero2Cool (46m) : Perfect football player. - Ron Wolf on Sharpe
Zero2Cool (51m) : Sharpe didn't celebrate TD's ... crazy I didn't realize it back then
Martha Careful (7-Feb) : Congratulations Sterling Sharpe
Mucky Tundra (7-Feb) : beast, you didn't miss much with that one. Raiders didn't update their play calls, audibles etc so the Bucs D steamrolled
buckeyepackfan (6-Feb) : That was quick, one thing Jordan said was he doesn't agree with Josh Jacobs, that the Packers need to go get a proven #1 wr
buckeyepackfan (6-Feb) : J-10VE on ESPN NOW!
beast (6-Feb) : I was young and didn't get enough sleep... fell asleep during the Buccaneers/Raiders Super Bowl
Zero2Cool (5-Feb) : Patriots / Panthers feeling is what I got. didn't watch that one either
Zero2Cool (5-Feb) : Easier to get a camera on her in the suite where she can't impact the game by being distraction???
TheKanataThrilla (5-Feb) : This is the least excited I have been in a long time for a Super Bowl. Unfortunately they both can't lose.
wpr (5-Feb) : So why don;'t they have her on the sidelines and doing the halftime fandango instead of sitting on her but in a $1,000,000 suite?
Zero2Cool (5-Feb) : Think more eyes on Super Bowl with Swift fans pulling for her TE boyfriend?
Zero2Cool (5-Feb) : She dating the TE of the Chiefs.
Zero2Cool (5-Feb) : Taylor Swift has millions of fans, yeah?
Zero2Cool (5-Feb) : They did. They are going to show the post production Sunday with plethora of ads.
wpr (5-Feb) : I thought KC already won
Zero2Cool (4-Feb) : If you wanna post about the Super Bowl, please, by all means, open a topic. They are free this month! 😁
Zero2Cool (4-Feb) : There doesn't need to be a topic. There's a playoff prediction thread.
packerfanoutwest (4-Feb) : and there no SB contest over in the other Packer forum, either
buckeyepackfan (4-Feb) : #2Officially Retires!
beast (4-Feb) : Probably no SB topic as people are wore out talking about the Chiefs, Refs and Eagles
Zero2Cool (4-Feb) : Packers reportedly have their new LB coach, promoting Sean Duggan to that role
Zero2Cool (4-Feb) : WR Cooper Kupp is being traded.
packerfanoutwest (4-Feb) : why is there no SB Prediction topic?
Zero2Cool (3-Feb) : Anthony Perkins spent 2024 as a defensive quality-control coach with the Packers.
Zero2Cool (3-Feb) : Packers lose another assistant.
Zero2Cool (3-Feb) : Defensive Player of the Year and Browns star Myles Garrett has requested a trade.
Zero2Cool (3-Feb) : deleted all my browser history and autofill and passwords. gonna be fun!
packerfanoutwest (3-Feb) : too funny
packerfanoutwest (3-Feb) : Lions QB Jared Goff was the offensive MVP
packerfanoutwest (3-Feb) : for the Pro Bowl, which is flag football
Zero2Cool (2-Feb) : Rather, the murder WAS covered up to prevent ...
Zero2Cool (2-Feb) : JFK murder was a cover-up to prevent war with Cuba/Russia.
Martha Careful (1-Feb) : I have always admired the pluck of the man
Zero2Cool (1-Feb) : I remember thinking he was going to be something good.
Mucky Tundra (1-Feb) : The Dualing Banjo!
Zero2Cool (31-Jan) : Jets have named Chris Banjo as their special teams coordinator, Former Packers player
Zero2Cool (31-Jan) : Jaguars have hired Anthony Campanile as their DC. We lose coach
Zero2Cool (30-Jan) : QB coach Sean Mannion
Zero2Cool (30-Jan) : DL Coach DeMarcus Covington
dfosterf (30-Jan) : from ft Belvoir, Quantico and points south. Somber reminder of this tragedy at Reagan Nat Airport
dfosterf (30-Jan) : So eerily quiet here in Alexandria. I live in the flight path of commercial craft coming from the south and west, plus the military craft
dfosterf (30-Jan) : So eeri
Mucky Tundra (30-Jan) : Now that's a thought, maybe they're looking at the college ranks? Maybe not head coaches but DC/assistant DCs with league experience?
beast (30-Jan) : College Coaches wouldn't want that publicly, as it would hurt recruiting and they might not get the job.
beast (30-Jan) : I thought they were supposed to publicly announce them, at least the NFL ones. Hafley was from college, so I believe different rules.
Mucky Tundra (30-Jan) : Who knows who they're interviewing? I mean, nobody knew about Hafley and then out of nowhere he was hired
beast (30-Jan) : I wonder what's taking so long with hiring a DL coach, 2 of the 3 known to interview have already been hired elsewhere.
Zero2Cool (27-Jan) : Packers coach Matt LaFleur hires Luke Getsy as senior assistant, extends Rich Bisaccia's deal
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2024 Packers Schedule
Friday, Sep 6 @ 7:15 PM
Eagles
Sunday, Sep 15 @ 12:00 PM
COLTS
Sunday, Sep 22 @ 12:00 PM
Titans
Sunday, Sep 29 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Sunday, Oct 6 @ 3:25 PM
Rams
Sunday, Oct 13 @ 12:00 PM
CARDINALS
Sunday, Oct 20 @ 12:00 PM
TEXANS
Sunday, Oct 27 @ 12:00 PM
Jaguars
Sunday, Nov 3 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Sunday, Nov 17 @ 12:00 PM
Bears
Sunday, Nov 24 @ 3:25 PM
49ERS
Thursday, Nov 28 @ 7:20 PM
DOLPHINS
Thursday, Dec 5 @ 7:15 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 15 @ 7:20 PM
Seahawks
Monday, Dec 23 @ 7:15 PM
SAINTS
Sunday, Dec 29 @ 3:25 PM
Vikings
Sunday, Jan 5 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Jan 12 @ 3:30 PM
Eagles
Recent Topics
59m / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

1h / Green Bay Packers Talk / Martha Careful

23h / Around The NFL / Zero2Cool

23h / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

6-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

4-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

4-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

4-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / earthquake

4-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / earthquake

1-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / Martha Careful

1-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

29-Jan / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

27-Jan / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

25-Jan / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

25-Jan / Green Bay Packers Talk / Martha Careful

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.