Zero2Cool
15 years ago
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When stretching ended inside The Don Hutson Center on Monday morning, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy did something unusual.

Instead of proceeding directly to practice, McCarthy called his entire team to midfield, told players to take a knee and spoke for several minutes about the importance of getting their post-bye week preparations off to the right start.

It says a lot, receiver Greg Jennings said. He definitely needs us to pull it together, period.

This is what the Packers are through four games: an average football team thats done just about as much wrong as theyve done right.

They rank 14th in total offense, 18th in defense. Theyre second in turnover margin (plus-seven) but 30th in sacks (five) and dead last in sacks allowed (20).

Theyve dropped too many passes (14) and missed too many tackles. Theyve taken too many penalties (30).

Most important, theyre 2-2 after last weeks 30-23 loss at Minnesota.

We had a pretty bad taste in our mouth still from that loss, nose tackle Ryan Pickett said. Nobodys happy where were at right now. Nobody. Were 2-2, man. Thats not good. We have too much talent to be 2-2. Too many people care to be 2-2.

But thats what the Packers are 2-2, average entering a three-game stretch in which theyll wrap their home NFC North Division slate, with games Sunday against Detroit and Nov. 1 against Minnesota sandwiched around a visit to Cleveland.

Mondays roughly 90-minute practice was the Packers only on-field work in an eight-day span, as McCarthy decided to forgo a Wednesday practice last week to maximize rest following the night game and today is another scheduled off day.

McCarthy said his message to players was twofold: Clean up the mistakes and get ready for a battle with the Lions, who are 1-4 but have been competitive in their past four games.

I definitely think were ready to take it to the next level, Jennings said. The biggest thing is, we havent come nearly close to playing to our potential. In four games, each game, we havent come near it. Thats something that we can set up there and reach for.

But at the same time, we realize there are some things we have to get corrected or were going to continue this trend. Win one, lose one, win one, lose one, win when youre supposed to win, and when you should win who knows that cant happen.

That both defeats came against current division leaders 5-0 Minnesota and surprising 4-1 Cincinnati, which also has upset Pittsburgh and Baltimore during its four-game winning streak is of little consolation, given the volume of errors the Packers made in each game.

Theres no shortage of challenging games left on the schedule either, with matchups against Dallas (3-2), San Francisco (3-2), Baltimore (3-2), Chicago (3-1) and Pittsburgh (3-2) looming in the second half.

Cincinnatis playing great, but we still feel like it shouldnt even come down to that, running back Ryan Grant said. The loss to Minnesota, we beat ourselves. Had two opportunities, basically in the red zone, two turnovers, and then to get stuffed on fourth down three opportunities for points, and we (got none). Hats off to (the Vikings), because they did what they need to do to win the game. But we feel like were not far from taking that game.

We feel like we are closer. Weve just got to do it.


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gopackgo
15 years ago
They are right there. The Bears, Bengals and Vikings have all played well this season. As for the Rams, well...

I think an early bye week was a blessing to the defense. The have a small amount experience playing under Dom Capers which will hopefully develop greatly during these two weeks.

I don't mind the average start. It seems to have lit a fire under our guys, at least through the press.

But I think this sentence says it all

Theyve dropped too many passes (14) and missed too many tackles. Theyve taken too many penalties (30).



Keep working on fundamentals. This team has the potential, once they play a few games where they realize that potential, it will go a long way. Confidence is key in any sport, and the Packers may be able to get it through Detroit and Cleveland, culminating in the second Viking game.

No drastic changes need to be made. Packers need to keep improving on fundamentals and execute each week.
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Dulak
15 years ago
Nice article
Fan Shout
packerfanoutwest (6h) : Jaire Alexander says he has a torn PCL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : Even with the context it's ... what?
Mucky Tundra (20-Nov) : Matt LaFleur without context: “I don’t wanna pat you on the butt and you poop in my hand.”
beast (20-Nov) : We brought in a former Packers OL coach to help evaluate OL as a scout
beast (20-Nov) : Jets have been pretty good at picking DL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He landed good players thanks to high draft slot. He isn't good.
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He can shove his knowledge up his ass. He knows nothing.
beast (20-Nov) : More knowledge, just like bring in the Jets head coach
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : What? Why? Huh?
beast (19-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers might to try to bring Douglas in through Milt Hendrickson/Ravens connections
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : The Jets fired Joe Douglas, per sources
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Jets are a mess......
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Pretty sure Jets fired their scouting staff and just pluck former Packers.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Jets sign Anders Carlson to their 53.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : When you cycle the weeks, the total over remains for season. But you get your W/L for that selected week. Confusing.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the totals are accurate..nrvrtmind
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : I don't follow what you are saying. The totals are not the same as last week.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : ok so then wht are the totals the same as last week?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : NFL Pick'em is auto updated when NFL Scores tab is clicked
Martha Careful (19-Nov) : The offense was OK. Let's not forget the Bear defense is very very good.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Who updates the leaderboard on NFLPickem?
beast (19-Nov) : Has the Packers offense been worse since the former Jets coach joined the Packers?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Offense gets his ass in gear, this could be good.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Backup QB helped with three wins. Special Teams contributed to three wins.
bboystyle (18-Nov) : Lions played outside thats why. They scored 16 and 17 in the only 2 outside games this year
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : The rest of the NFL is catching up to Packers ... kicking is an issue throughout league
packerfanoutwest (18-Nov) : Packers DL Kenny Clark: We knew 'we were going to block' Bears' game-winning field goal attempt
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Lions seem to be throttling everyone, but only (only) got 24 lol maybe the rain is why
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Packers vs Lions game doesn't seem so bad.
beast (18-Nov) : Dennis Green "They are what we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!"
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : comment of the day Z2Cool "Bears better than we want to admit. Packers worse than we think. It's facts."
Mucky Tundra (17-Nov) : my worst case scenario: Bears fix their oline and get a coach like Johnson from the Lions and his scheme
Zero2Cool (17-Nov) : Bears get OL fixed amd we might have a problem
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : Pretty sure they already have scouting reports on guys who aren't even starting for their college team. The future is now for me.
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : I tend to let Gute and Co. Worry about the future.
beast (17-Nov) : That's great news and Packers need to keep upgrading their OL, DL and DBs this off-season, so missing one guy doesn't kill them
beast (17-Nov) : That's great news and Packers need to keep upgrading their OL, DL and DBs this off-season, so missing one guy doesn't kill them
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : Jaire and Evans Williams are both ACTIVE! Good news.
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : The badgers really need to change the whole offensive scheme. No draws no screens plus the quarterback is marginal
Cheesey (17-Nov) : If the Badgers had a decent QB, they would have won. The guy can't hit a wide open receiver
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : chop block
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : there was a very questionable job Block call that upon viewing replay was very borderline
beast (17-Nov) : How so? (I didn't watch)
Zero2Cool (17-Nov) : Badgers got hosed vs Oregon
packerfanoutwest (16-Nov) : damn,he hasn't played since week 2
Mucky Tundra (15-Nov) : poor guy can't catch a break
wpr (15-Nov) : wow. That three different things for the kid.
Zero2Cool (15-Nov) : MarShawn Lloyd has appendicitis according to Matt LaFleur.
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