Packers Stock Report: Flashback to 2011 Edition
Only this end zone pylon slowed down Packers WR James Jones on Sunday.
Anyone else have flashbacks to 2011 as the Packers cruised to an easy win over the Redskins on Sunday?
The lasers from Aaron Rodgers. Jordy, Randall, James and Jermichael making tacklers look like fools after the catch. The defense forcing a couple of turnovers. Sloppy tackling from the Packers defense. Not quite delivering the knockout punch.
Even though many of the players are different, the sentences in the previous paragraph would have summarized a lot of the Packers’ 15 wins during the 2011 season. The Packers aren’t about to rattle off 14 straight wins and repeat their run from 2011, but the overall stock of this team is rising right now.
Let’s take a closer look at exactly why that is:
Rising
James Jones
You could easily put Nelson and Cobb in the rising category as well, but they were risers last week and investors snatched up all the available shares. Investors who bought low on Jones — shutout in the season opener — are cashing in big time after his 11-catch game against Washington. The only thing that stopped Jones on Sunday was a fumble-inducing end zone pylon (hat tip to whomever I stole that joke from on Twitter).
Aaron Rodgers
I hate putting Rodgers in the rising category because it’s just assumed that the best QB in the world belongs in the rising category every week. After a game like the one Rodgers had on Sunday, though, he deserves to have someone physically take the time to type his name in the rising category. Rodgers obviously decided to take a couple of sacks early in the game just to make things a little more challenging for himself. That didn’t even slow him down.
Ryan Pickett
Now Big Grease is swatting down passes while filling gaps and squashing running backs. Nasty.
Steady
Mike Neal
I was a serious doubter about the Mike Neal at LB experiment, but I’m starting to come around. He can move a little better than I thought and he’s tough to get off the edge against the run. Raise your hand if you predicted that Neal would drop into coverage and get an interception sometime this season? Those of you that raised your hands, go sit in the corner and take a timeout for lying.
Mike Daniels
I know what you’re saying: “Daniels over B.J. Raji? Make sure you put yourself in the falling category, Czech.” Watch Daniels on tape if you don’t believe me. He’s active as hell. Daniels might be able to provide the athleticism that the Packers have been missing on the d-line since Cullen Jenkins left. I say “might” because Daniels is small. Let’s see if he remains disruptive once teams watch him on film and realize that they need to take him more seriously.
Falling
Datone Jones
Yes, I’m being harsh on the rookie. It usually takes rookie defensive lineman a while to get going, and it looks like Jones is no exception. In 40 defensive snaps, Jones hasn’t gotten anywhere near the QB. I’ll be patient, but for now, I’m showing Jones some tough love and sticking him in the falling category.
Jeremy Ross
It’s one thing to be inexperienced and make a few mistakes as a young returner. It’s another to be sloooooowwwwww. Ross doesn’t look anywhere near fast enough to be an adequate returner. Maybe he’d be faster if he ran forward instead of sideways.
Brandon Meriweather and Mike Shanahan
First Meriweather used his helmet like a torpedo and gave Eddie Lacy a concussion. Then he reloaded and used his helmet-torpedo on James Starks — only this time Meriweather’s launcher backfired and he ended up knocking himself out. Meriweather is a headhunter and should have been suspended for his hits (neither of which drew a flag, smh). But what about Mike Shanahan’s comments on Meriweather’s headhunting?
“To be honest with you, on the first one it looked like the running back was kind of going downhill, and when Brandon went for the tackle it looked to me like it was perfect and then all of a sudden when [Lacy] ducked his head, I couldn’t tell — I didn’t see the TV copy, I just saw the video — and that’s exactly where the contact was. The second one on the sidelines, that’s what you’re supposed to do. That’s a legal hit,”
Fines don’t work on millionaires. Suspensions might sting a little, but not that much. The blows to the head won’t stop until players and coaches hold each other accountable. Judging by Shanahan’s comments, we’re a long way away from that happening.
16 Comments On “Packers Stock Report: Flashback to 2011 Edition”
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NFL should institute a rule that if a head shot knocks a guy out, you’re gone, too. Then, if he misses more time due to a concussion, you miss double that time.
Sounds good on paper, but it’d be too easy for teams to fiddle with.
What if Jared Allen knocks out John Kuhn w/ a head-to-head blow and Kuhn gets a concussion. Wouldn’t it sort of make sense for the Packers to say Kuhn still is concussed even after he’s 100 percent healed just to keep Allen on the sideline?
I don’t believe Neal got an INT due to his coverage but the benefactor of the deflection….there is a difference.
Boldin only would have had 2 catches for 17 yards if Neal was guarding him in the season opener.
Not every interception that Woodson had was a Step-in-front-of-the-Receiver interception, with no pressure on the QB. Neal was in position with his eyes on the ball when his shot came, and he made the play.
It is even better that is was a deflection. Perry did a great job and so did Neal. That’s how it should work. Football is a team sport.
“Not every interception that Woodson had was a Step-in-front-of-the-Receiver interception” is truth but….”Neal would drop into coverage and get an interception”certainly implies he did just that…Not taking away from Neals day,just limit the homer-esk build up…what would be said ‘if’ he dropped it…..stock down????
“Homer-esk buildup.” That’s a good one, Taryn!
However you chose to look at it, Neal put himself in position in coverage to get the INT. You may want to dismiss it, but he had a good drop and made the play in front of him. That’s basically how all LB get their INT’s. Did he “make” a great play? No. But he did make a play and that’s all that matters!
I think the knock out punch came in the form of a 7 1/2 minute final drive that ended in the victory formation. Aside from that great points Adam.
I really agree with your assessment of Meriweather and Shanahan. Shanahan needs to send a message to his players to play smart heads-up football. His comments show that he is not doing that, and now Eddie Lacy has a concussion, which really ticks me off.
Other than that I am really happy with the whole team. A great win. I hope they are as ready to take on the Bengals.
First of all Neals INT was a gift on a tipped ball. Not only that but he wasn’t even supposed to be there. Don’t know if he’s contributed a lot since I don’t know what they’re asking him to do.
But from a pass-rush standpoint Neal, Dat-One and Perry haven’t shown me a lot yet. Once again, don’t know if they’ve been asked to sacrifice themselves to hold the edge against the two mobile QB’s or if they’re just not capable. We should find out against Dalton who isn’t the running threat the other two are.
Neal wasn’t supposed to be in position to make that INT? How do you figure? Do you know the specific call and coverage to prove that Neal wasn’t supposed to be exactly where he was? NO you don’t so don’t act like you do. I have no doubt Neal was supposed to be in coverage, since he WAS in coverage. That being the case, he got a good drop and made the play that was in front of him!
To Stroh; per Kevin Greene about the interception: “Neal was supposed to be rushing not dropping back on that call.”
NO don’t act like you know what you’re talking about. Just pop another handful of roids and bang your head against the wall douche.
Plus, it was 4th down i.e., Packers would have been better off if Neal simply batted it down. That said, he is playing at least as well as Perry right now. Is that good or bad?
Mojo…I agree, since we don’t know what each Dmans assignment is we can’t judge. Green Bay has a tendency to asked their linemen to penetrate and hold their ground….When you do this you sure can’t pass rush!
Shanahan..really??, what the hell tape were you viewing. Did you take a shot to the head too!
In light of recent incidents I shouldn’t use the word “shot”, blow would be better. Sorry all.
Also stock rising to the way McCarthy and crew handled the whole meriweather thing. McCarthy and packers are a class act.