Packers 40 Tightens 14
Before I start about the Packer game, Let me say a few words about the Badgers. Final Score UW 42 ~ Wake Forest 28. To those that watched that game, it was one of the wackiest bowl game ever. First we spotted them 14 points before tying the score at halftime. We didn’t get the lead until 1:20 left in the 3rd. Wake Forest had 518 total yards to our 266 yet we held a 7:44 edge in time of pos-session. The reason for the UW victory? 4 INT’s by UW with a total of 176 return yards, netting TD drives of 9, 2 & 3 yards. Then to be true to the year that is 2020, the crystal football atop the “Duke Mayonnaise Trophy” comes loose in the locker room, crashing into infinite pieces.
And now to the Tightens game, if you want to call it a game. What many believed to be a tight game known as the Derick Henry Show, turned out to be nothing like that. In fact, he was the 3rd best back on the field that day (98 Yds & 4.3 ave) behind Jones (94 yards & 9.4 ave) and A.J. Dillion (124 yds & 5.9 ave). Henry’s longest run was 10 yards; even both QB’s had longer runs than that. Let’s credit two things to that, a defense that was able to stop him before he could get into beast mode and our offense that was almost unstoppable, rendering the run-ning game useless. This forced Tannehill to throw the ball where he had two INT’s and a QBR of 40.5.
As many accolades that you want to put on the offense and as many times we (Jimmy) call for the head of Mike Pettine, let’s give the defense some credit too. I love looking at the defensive stats from a game. There we see we had 2 sacks, 2 INT’s. and a forced fumble, all common knowledge, however, the ones I love are Tackles for Loss (2), QB Hits (5) and my favorite, Pass Defense. This is where we knock the pass down or get a hand inside the receivers and force an incompletion. Last week we had 7, this week we had a total of 10, which represents 42% of Tannehill’s 24 passes and 77% of his 13 incompletions. That my friends is impressive. And that my friends is what will make the Packers even more dangerous in the Playoffs.
In some ways, this was a statement game to the NFL from the Packers. They showed that as good as Rodgers/Adams combo can be, we a capable of running over teams as well. In fact, we ran more times, 31 to 25 pass attempts and more running yards, 234 to 231 passing yards. This balance, in my opinion, make us the most dangerous offense right now in the NFL.
As dominate as we were last week, it is not without concern. You can maybe blame it on the weather but our special teams still seem to lack that “special”. A missed extra point, a blocked field goal (although negated by an offsides call) and kickoffs that didn’t make the endzone still raise red flags. Perhaps the short kickoffs were meant to give us practice… perhaps. But the blocked field goal wasn’t. The one good thing, as Jimmy pointed out, is JK Scott can tackle if he needs to, the NFL has been warned!
This week it’s duh bears turn. The team that draws upon their special team and trick plays more than any other team and they have nothing to lose; so I will say this again, expect a trick play in almost every kickoff, punt and field goal situation they have… Just Sayin”.
So what is at stake? For us, of course, it’s the #1 seed and a chance for all opponent’s to enjoy the weather at Lambeau Field. A win will do that, a loss and the Hags could have a shot at our rightful place and a ‘Aints win could drop us to #3. Then to, is it more important, in light of Bahktari’s injury, to go into the playoffs with healthy starters? Even if it means playing an extra game. Duh bears could use a win to hold on to the #7 spot but an Arizona loss would net the same result. A loss for us also sets up the chance to play duh bears again next week, which would really suck cause they suck! Let’s tighten that chin strap, just win, remove all doubt and continue to (a-gainst Dr. Fauci’s advice).
Bleed Green My Friends!
(Packer John)
Just Sayin'
This was another one of those games where the offense could do pretty much anything they wanted, for the entire game. There were a lot of Packer fans that wanted to see Jordy Nelson back on the roster for this year. In my opinion, I just do not see where he would have made any difference. Rodgers and Adams have as good a connection right now as Rodgers and Nelson ever had. Adams has got to be the best WR in the NFL right now. And I think we have one of the best TEs in the league right now with Robert Tonyan. And while we do not have an ideal 2nd wide receiver, we do have many capable guys that are able to catch the ball. 8 different guys caught passes this past Sunday night. So defensive coordinators cannot know who to focus on, other than Adams, as they prepare a game plan against Rodgers and company.
Meanwhile, the defense played a whale of a game. Christian Kirksey had probably his most notable game of the season with a sack AND an interception. Darnell Savage got another pick. The defense got 2 sacks and 2 picks and were pressuring Tannehill all game long. And then to top it off, our maligned run defense held Derrick Henry to under 100 yards.
Crosby missed another extra point, so when they went for 2 on the next TD, and missed that, the final score did not look quite as good as it could have. OH, in case it slipped by some, JK Scott actually made a tackle. It was the one on the blocked field goal that was called back due to a penalty. BUT, he is working on his technique. Let's just hope he doesn't need to work on it any more…
Just Sayin’
(Jimmy Smith)
GPB In our SPARE TIME
A lot of noise and cheering were generated by the 37 Packer Backer faithful (and 2 guests) who met at Spare Time on Sunday night. As I was griping about all the night/late afternoon/flexed games this year, I was reminded that this was the price we pay for being a good and exciting team. It’s all part of supporting our team.
Pairs seemed to be the choices of the day as great door prizes went home with lucky members. 220 Jimmy Smith and 101 Jamie Ware chose tee shirts. 185 Ken Hill and 328 Marge Bramlett have warm and snuggly socks, while 242 Christina Harrison and 505 Heather Sharp will keep their footsies warm with slippers. The final pair of prizes chosen were the steak knives which went home with 243 Kasi White and 423 Melody Cox. Individual prizes went to 567 Steven Clancey who chose a dancing Santa hat, and 516 Jackie Boyd who will be wearing a warm wrap. 123 Kraig (Lewis) Pringle chose an underbed storage container, and finally, 589 Kathy McGrew got a purse. The club filled a $1 board for the football pool. Winners were 242 Christina Harrison, 117 Nick Papela, 537 Wayne Boyd, and 328 Marge Bramlett.
242 Christina Harrison also had the correct answer for the trivia contest. She was gifted with a $25 gift card from our friends at Spare Time. I have also heard that Spare Time is hosting a taco bar for members at half time during the Bears game; make sure you wear your name tags! We are so appreciative of Spare-Times support for our club.
That’s right—this Sunday we play Duh Bears (who still suck!) The NFL has also flexed this game to 4:25, but I will be there and hope to see you there, too. We really need everybody cheering, hollering, and singing loud enough to be heard in Chicago. My understanding is that winning this game ensures that every one has to pass through the “frozen tundra.” Let’s do this together…through thick and thin…
Marge 328
Packers vs Duh Bears
Duh Bears under the steady hand of Bill Nagy, who according to my cousin Gene is a distant relation to one Iron Mike Ditka, have managed to almost secure a spot in the playoffs. The only thing standing in their way is the puny Green Bay Packers.
The Packers are once again the luckiest team in duh hole league. Some people are even calling them “The Kings of the North.” Dey have somehow gotten the first place in the NFC North, and even the number one seed in duh playoffs. If dey were somehow lucky enough to eke out a victory over the Mighty Bears, dey would secure the number one spot and duh Bears would be eliminated from the playoff hunt!
Please raise your Stein of Heileman’s Old Style, and your favorite kind of sausage, and toast to Duh Bears!!
We get to travel south (north for us) to the cow pasture in the city, Soldier Field for a battle of non-epic proportions, that have given us some of the most epic games and times in recent memory. Remember Rodgers to Cobb on 4th and 8 for the win in 2013? Remember Rodgers going over and telling Boykin to pick up the ball and him running it in? Yeah, it was that game!
We all of course remember Aaron getting smushed by duh Bears defense and coming back out to will the Packers to the win in the opening game of 2019! 3 TDs in the 4th Quarter, 75 yards to Randall Cobb to win the game!! So what will happen this time?!?!
Well there are some statistical milestones for both Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers within reach.
Let’s look at Davante first, he has 109 catches for 1,328 yards and 17 touchdowns to date: 1) He needs four catches to surpass Sterling Sharpe's single-season franchise mark of 112 set in 1993. 2) He needs two touchdowns to beat Sharpe's record of 18 from 1994. 3) He needs 192 yards to top Jordy Nelson's yardage record of 1,519 set in 2014. Those are the big ones. If he gets those two TDs, he'll match Don Hutson for the most two-TD games in one season in team history (six in 1942). He's also 10 catches away from catching Nelson for third on the franchise's all-time receptions list at 550. And if he gets both 10 catches and two TDs, he'll become the first player in league history to have five such games in one season, breaking a current tie with Cris Carter at four (from 1995). Let’s also not forget that he’s doing this with a 14-game season, missing weeks 3-4 with a hamstring injury.
Aaron Rodgers also has some special numbers within reach, too, this season he's already surpassed 50,000 passing yards and 400 TDs and become the first QB in league history with 40-plus TD passes in three different seasons. For all that greatness Rodgers, who is 353-of-502 (70.3%) for 4,059 yards with 44 TDs, five INTs and a 119.4 passer rating: 1) He needs two TD passes to break his own franchise record of 45 set back in his first MVP season of 2011. 2) He needs three TD passes for his 12th three-TD game of the year to join Tom Brady (2007) as the only NFL QBs to achieve the feat in one season. He's currently tied for second with 11, also reached by Drew Brees (2012) and Peyton Manning (2013). 3) He's on the verge of breaking his own franchise mark for completion percentage in a season (68.3 in 2011). Remind me again, WHY did we trade up to draft Brandon Love?!?!
Let’s not forget who we’re playing. Remember, we had to beat the Bears 3 times to go to the Superbowl in 2011. They didn’t want us in the dance. We had to beat them in 2013 to get the NFC North and another trip to the playoffs. This time, let’s beat ‘em so we don’t have to take a trip anywhere except Tampa. After all Dr. Fauci says it’s not a good time to travel, Packer John might want to see him about that bleeding green thing. I won’t be with you this Sunday, back to Jersey for me where I’ll teach them all to yell
Go Pack Go!
(Ken Hill)
