Packers 24 Seahags 27
There are a few words in Packer lore that evoke immediate sick feelings in our stomach. Forgive me but, “4th and 26.” Sorry. If you don’t know that, ask a friend, they will. This season’s will be “4th and 2.” That’s what was facing us when we inexplicably punted the ball on last Thursday with a little over 4 minutes left in the game.
Now you may think, Pettine has something special drawn up. No, he didn’t. McCarthy must have spotted some glaring weakness. No, he didn’t. Kenny Clark and Mike Daniels had been injured. Mike had his shoe off and an ice pack on his ankle. Our run defense was on the bench.
We needed 2 yards. Aaron Jones was FRESH! He’d run a grand total of 6 times in the second half! We had the BEST QUARTERBACK ON THE PLANET in the backfield!! We needed 2 stinking yards. We could have had MVS, EQ, or Davante run a wildcat and gotten 2 yards by them laying across Corey’s back!! Davante is the shortest of him and he’s 6’ 1”.
When asked WHY McCarthy chose to punt he explained he was “playing the numbers”. WTH NUMBERS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??? Maybe the square root of 2396324 and the definition of dimensionality log? (Special thanks to the Harvard Movie Math database for this obscure math term). Your 2 run stoppers are on the bench! You have no chance! You have 1 time out that you inexplicable didn’t want to risk when Tyler Lockett “caught” a ball that was clearly on the ground!
You can’t blame this loss on one person. But you can blame the decision to deny your team a chance to win or tie on that one person.
And then there was a hush upon the land and a voice boomed out, ''We fully understand where we are. We understand what our record is, we need to win on the road. That's something we haven't done.'' That voice belonged to Mike McCarthy. He knows what’s at stake.
All is not lost, but unless we turn this around (like this Sunday against the Viqueens, more on that later from Kraig) all will be lost. You don’t win the playoffs in September and October. Some say you can lose your trip to the playoffs and for some teams that’s true, but for teams that are competitive and we are competitive, you can lose your way in November and December. Remember it was just a week earlier in 2016, that Aaron said, “I think we can run the table.” And we did, to the NFC North Division win, all the way to the NFC Championship. Can we do it again?
Consider the following: The Green Bay offensive line ranks number 9, in passing yards we rank 7th, in total yards we rank 8th, Aaron Rodgers holds the highest passer rating in the entire NFL over his career. Our defense ranks 17th, which while not stellar has kept us in games. The remaining schedule we have is ranked the easiest in the NFL. So what’s missing? A coach to put it all together. End of rant.
The Green Bay Packers have led or tied the last 3 games we lost in the 4th quarter. We have failed on both sides of the ball to hold that lead or gain the lead (against the Patriots). Losing by 2 to the Rams, an ill-advised run out of the end zone, tied with the Patriots and driving we fumbled, beating the Seahawks on a key pass to Tyler Lockett the Packers don’t throw the flag, despite the ball being loose and most likely called an incomplete after review. We failed to use our most potent weapons at the best times. Our defense got depleted. But like I said the previous week, Russell Wilson had the ball the last 2 minutes of this game! He had the lead, he didn’t need luck. He needed 3 first downs. With Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark down with injuries he got what he needed.
Aaron Rodgers was good on Sunday. He was better than Russell Wilson. Wilson just took better shots and was able to engineer drives when the Packers couldn’t. Rodgers was 21 for 30 for 332 yards, with 2 TD’s. Aaron Jones had 11 rushes and 5 catches for a total of 103 yards. The Seahags had a total of 173 yards rushing. In the end, that as well as not going for it in the 4th was all that they needed. We are exactly a game out of the wild card. The team standing in our way: The Minnesota Viqueens for scintillating’s, insightful, and slightly skewed commentary we turn to Mr. Kraig Pringle, after a hearty
GO PACK GO!!
(Ken Hill)
Just Sayin’
Be careful if you hear tap tap tapping, it may not be the rain rapping, it could be . . . . (well, that’s actually from an old 45 song.) BUT, it also could be the early sounds of the nails being driven into the coffin where the coaching career of the “highly successful coach in the NFL” will be laid to rest, at least as far as Green Bay goes. I read an article last week, before the Seahawks game, that was saying that the ave-rage productive career of an NFL coach is 10 years. After that, the message gets old and stale to the locker room. There are very few instances where a team has prospered after a coach has been at the helm more than 10 years. McCarthy has been in Green Bay now for 13 years. He has had some success, but in the last couple of years, he has really declined. And if it is indeed the last year for McCarthy, there is no guarantee that a new coach will come in and have the success that MM has had in the past. But if McCarthy himself returns next year, would anything be different than what we are seeing right now? And how much success could we really expect from him? If he does return, we might could see one HUGE difference. Maybe Rodgers would retire. He doesn’t need the money. He may realize that he will never win another Super Bowl with a team being led by McCarthy. With the awkward relationship those 2 have right now, there needs to be change.
As I have stated many times, and most of us have read, in many articles, MMs offense is stale and predictable. And at times, his clock management seems shaky. There just seems to be too many times where he maintains the status quo when there needs to be a shakeup.
Some points about the Seattle game. Seattle completes a pass. McCarthy could have challenged it. NOPE. He wanted to save his timeout. Someone needs to remind him that if you win the challenge, you get to KEEP the timeout. 4thand 2 with Aaron Rodgers as QB. 4 minutes to go in the game. McCarthy calls for the PUNT??? Seattle gets the ball and runs out the clock. Robert Tonyan catches this 54 yard bomb for a TD. Jimmy Graham goes out. Robert Tonyan is NOT targeted the rest of the game. Aaron Jones touches the ball 10 times in the first half. GB scores 21 points. Jones touches the ball 6 times in the 2nd half GB scores 3 points. It’s just mind boggling how MM gets out-coached week after week, even out-coached by himself.
Since I have now bashed Mike McCarthy some more, I must point out what we all know. The offense is just not playing in sync or something. While there was a punt on 4th and 2, Rodgers had a bad pass on 3rd and 2. That’s very untypical of #12. He is off this year on a lot of his throws. The knee injury from game #1 probably has some effect on his performance. The lack of practice probably has something to do with it. Also, having to play with rookie WRs has an effect as well. While they ARE talented, their inexperience sometimes shows up at the wrong times.
OK, some good points about the game. First off, Kyler Sackrell, I mean Kyler Fackrell, is certainly have a good season so far. Maybe the reason for that is that he is finally getting some meaningful playing time. Let’s hope he keeps it up. Then again, if Nick Perry gets healthy enough to play, past tendencies would indicate that Fackrell will not see much playing time. The young DBs are getting some valuable playing time. The DL is playing pretty decent. Robert Tonyan could possibly be another player that could inject some life into the anemic offense. Although, unless 2 TEs win the lottery and abruptly retire, we probably won’t see much more of him. Lord knows, we don’t need guys making plays, right?
OK, back to the first line. Go to Youtube and look up a song called Jasper Dan by sing-er Jim Stafford…
Just Sayin’
(Jimmy Smith)
GPB Hall Of Fame Report
A total of 6 prizes were handed out, would have been move if more members showed up. Weather seemed to dictate some of the door prize choices. Rain was on the mind of 328 Marge Bramlett who chose an umbrella. 463 Wayne Hansen is ready for winter with his stocking cap, while 221 Barbara Gambrell is preparing for the great blizzard with her helmet cap. 127 Kent Sargent chose a mini cooler (or some would call it an insulated lunch box), and 120 has a new license plate to adorn his vehicle. 431 Jan Zlebek gifted his friend with a Packer travel mug.
The winner of the trivia contest and a $15 gift certificate from Hall of Fame Sports Grill was 328 Marge Bramlett. With the assistance of the Club, we were able to fill in all the squares for the dollar pool. Winners were 221 Barbara Gambrell, 127 Kent Sargent, and the “Club” twice.
I hope to see many of you at 8
p.m. Sunday at the Hall of Fame Sports Grill to cheer on our Packers as they take on the ViQueens. We back our Pack through thick and thin, and I know it’s been pretty slim lately, but I will always be courageous!
(Marge 328)
Packers vs. viqueens
On Thursday night, I showed up at Hall of Fame shortly after the beginning of the second half. I was pleased to see that the Packers were on top. As I dutifully checked in at the Official GBP Processing Center, I noticed the door prize table look like a crackhead’s cupboard. The Powers That Be, aka “The Gatekeepers,” informed me that every club member present had won a door prize already, “so sorry,” but they had packed it in for the night. Obviously, a good thing for everyone concerned, and a good sign for the Packers.
Just as obviously, I was a club member (and still am pending further review) that night, and I pointed out that, like Prince William and Prince Sim Salabim of Sumatra, I was next in the line of succession. I would therefore, by definition, be assured of the next door prize!
As such, Packer John said “all right, evidently the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Pick a prize.” My initial excitement was tempered with the entirely rational thought that it would be bad luck, aka a “jinx,” to accept a door prize before something good actually happened. As such, I declined, secure in the idea that it was only a matter of time…
The cruel and unusual punishment of Packer fandom 2018 continues. However, in this Thanksgiving week, it is time to put aside the negativity and give thanks. For example, I am thankful that I only have to watch Mike McCarthy destroy us once a week. This season has been more of the Packers inventing ways to lose that nobody has even contemplated. In fairness, it hasn’t always been McCarthy’s fault. Insane sack/no sack penalties, fumbles, Aaron missing some shots, and untimely mistakes have all been nails in the coffin. The one constant is he falls short in key moments in the biggest games. Even when the team isn’t self-destructing by itself, he will find a way. He could turn Secretariat into a diarrheic donkey. It usually gives me six days to try and digest or try and get over the mindboggling way this team disappoints, but the only real way is to try and forget. Which to date hasn’t worked…
This week is about beating Minnesota. Anyone who reads this rag knows the vitriol I reserve for the Vikings. Go back and review some prior entries if you (a) haven’t read those masterpieces or (b) feel the same. The truth is that right here, right now, I don’t have the hatred/energy for the Lads in Lavender. My concern is for the Packers and our season. Further, this Minnesota team is not only better than usual, they seemingly aren’t the same worthless and pathetic punks either. What they are is very simple: In the way. In our way…
That is and can be the one and only focus. The last three losses to the Rams, Patriots, and Seahawks may end up being the death shot to our season, maybe not. They certainly showed the razor-thin margin between winning and losing. The Pack very well could have gotten all three games. But then again, “coulda, shoulda, woulda” is a catchphrase better used by the Chicagos and Detroits of the league, not us…
What I do know is this: It is not over. It may have felt like it over and over in this shitty season, but the numbers play out as follows: Running the table (6-0) gives us a better than 99% chance at playoffs and 70% at the NFC North. Going (5-1) gives us an 88% chance to dance, and 95% if that loss is not the Vikings.
These are numbers I can live with. I still believe, and I believe the worm has to turn. McCarthy is on the Hot Seat, and I hope he finally knows it…
I never got that door prize at Seattle. Nothing good happened from the time I showed up to the end of that nightmare. Unless you consider Mikey Mac’s “faith” in the defense when he punted the game away to be a good thing…
However, the entirely rational and well-grounded part of me reminds me that by observing the natural and inevitable flow of the Football Gods, I feel like I built up some cosmic-karma equity for the rest of the way. These entities owe me! And that means they owe us all!
Go, Pack, GO!!!
(Kraig Pringle)
