October 20, 2015 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - CheeseheadTV, Uncategorized
Even though the Green Bay Packers are 6-0,there’s still a fair amount of consternation throughout the fan base about this year’s team.
The offense isn’t rolling like we’re used to. Injuries are mounting. The defense just allowed 500 passing yards. Opponents facing an early deficit are allowed to hang around and play their way back into the game. What’s up with Eddie Lacy and why can’t Randall Cobb get open?
This type of consternation annoys some people. Certain sectors of the Packers fan base think other sectors are spoiled. “We’re 6-0,” they say. “Quit whining and enjoy it.”
Of course,there are always “those fans” who are whiny and miserable no matter what,but I think they’re a tiny minority. Most Packers fans are perfectly capable of loving the fact that their favorite team is 6-0 while still pointing out flaws and talking about ways the team can get even better.
There’s also the “formality factor.” Before this season started,I wrote that Packers fans now view the regular season as a formality. Green Bay will win between 10-13 games,be in the mix for a Super Bowl and have several memorable moments from September through December. It’s what happens every season as long as QB1 is healthy.
Even though most fans will enjoy the ride of the regular season,it’s the playoffs that matter. Anything that happens in weeks 1-17 will be immediately forecasted and analyzed as to how it might impact the team in January.
Is giving up 500 yards to Philip Rivers a sign that the Packers are doomed for another playoff defensive meltdown? Are Rodgers’ recent struggles a sign that he might flounder in the postseason? Will the injuries be too much to overcome when the games matter most?
Go ahead and call Packers fans spoiled,but 10-13 wins and Super Bowl contention is just kind of what happens around here every season. It’s a whole lot of fun. It also kind of becomes routine. You want more. You can’t help but look ahead. You start nitpicking. You tell yourself not to do it but you do it anyway.
All of the sudden you sound like you’re unhappy about your undefeated football team. We’re not unhappy about our undefeated football team. We’ve just read this story before. The story had an amazing ending in 1996 and 2010. Every other time,the bad guys won,even though the book’s first 300 pages were filled with the green and gold good guys kicking ass.
Packers fans don’t want the good guys to dominate the entire book only to see the bad guys win again in the end. That’s why we sometimes talk about our undefeated team like they’re 3-3. We can’t help it. It’s nice to beat the bad guys in October on page 125 of the story. But what we really want to do is defeat the lead bad guy in January on the book’s final page.
Onto this week’s Packers Stock Report:
Rising
James Starks
Starks’ speed seems to catch teams off guard. That’ll probably change now that Starks has been getting so many carries,but for the time being,thank you,Neo,for stepping up and keeping the Packers ground game above water while whatever is going on with Eddie Lacy gets figured out.
Datone Jones
Not a bad week for Datone Jones. He had a new baby and made some key plays to help the Packers survive and beat the Chargers. As long as Jones avoids the nagging injuries,he’s continued to evolve into a very good player up front.
Lambeau Field
Is it just me,or does Lambeau Field sound louder than it has in years this season? Hats off to the Packers fans to fill the stands every Sunday. You’re more than doing your job this season.
Steady
James Jones
Even though the Packers offense might be sputtering a bit,you can still count on the Sleeveless Turtleneck for 1-2 great plays per game.
T.J. Lang
Lang didn’t do anything particularly special on Sunday,but let’s give him credit for getting on the field and playing through a knee injury that has to still be bugging him a bit. Nobody would’ve blamed Lang if he wanted to sit this one out prior to the bye week,but he got back out there and played well. We could probably say the same thing about Cobb and his shoulder and a number of other players fighting through injuries.
Falling
Eddie Lacy
If Lacy is injured,the Packers should sit him until he’s healthy. Trotting him out there for four lackluster carries doesn’t do anybody any good.
Direct TV
In my market (Minneapolis),CBS decided to show the entire overtime of the Broncos-Browns game instead of switching over to Packers-Chargers. Direct TV refused to put Packers-Chargers on a Sunday Ticket channel in my market,even though we pay around $400 per season to “never miss a minute of our favorite team.” Major fail on Direct TV’s part. Sunday Ticket is literally the only reason I put an obscene Direct TV dish on top of my roof. Put the national game on Sunday Ticket if the network doesn’t switch to it right away. Direct TV: You’re the one with scrawny arms,not cable.
NFL games on TV
Once the Packers game finally appeared on my television screen,I was treated to a long series of commercials that were occasionally interrupted by a football game. The game lasted nearly 4 hours and about 3 hours and 30 minutes of that were commercials. Stop with the score-commercial-kickoff-commercial pattern,NFL and network television. You’ll survive just fine if you knock out a handful of commercials to actually enhance the viewing experience back home.
October 18, 2015 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - CheeseheadTV, Uncategorized
WHY IS SAN DIEGO CHARGERS QUARTERBACK PHILIP RIVERS ALWAYS YELLING? WHENEVER I WATCH A CHARGERS GAME,I WANT TO GIVE RIVERS A BEER AND REMIND HIM THAT HE MAKES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THROW AN ODDLY-SHAPED PIECE OF LEATHER TO OTHER HIGHLY PAID HUMAN BEINGS. THERE IS NO NEED TO CONSTANTLY BE YELLING.
TO GIVE READERS OF THIS FINE GAME PREVIEW A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN THEY WATCH THE CHARGERS PLAY THE GREEN BAY PACKERS TODAY,I AM GOING TO WRITE THIS ENTIRE PIECE IN THE VOICE OF PHILIP RIVERS. BY THE VOICE OF PHILIP RIVERS,I MEAN I AM GOING TO YELL. A LOT. HENCE,THE ALL CAPS.
RIVERS SEEMS LIKE THE DAN MARINO OF OUR GENERATION. A GREAT QB BLESSED WITH EXCELLENT RECEIVING TARGETS WHOSE TERRIBLE DEFENSES,OFFENSIVE LINES OR INJURY LUCK RUIN HIS SUPER BOWL CHANCES EVERY SEASON BEFORE NOVEMBER.
I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS,PHILIP RIVERS,BUT AFTER TODAY,YOUR HOPES FOR A SUPER BOWL WILL ONCE AGAIN BE RUINED. YES,YOU WILL ONLY BE 2-4 AFTER LOSING TO THE PACKERS,BUT ODDS ARE YOU’LL BE SO BEAT UP AND DEMORALIZED AFTER YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL OFFENSIVE LINE ALLOWS YOU TO GET SACKED 14 TIMES THAT YOU’LL JUST THROW IN THE TOWEL.
YOU’LL CONTINUE YELLING,BUT THE YELLING WILL LOSE ALL MEANING AND PURPOSE.
I HOPE RIVERS CONTINUES PLAYING FOR A LONG TIME. HE’S A HELLUVA QUARTERBACK AND I LIKE WATCHING HIM YELL AT EVERYONE. I WISH MORE AGING QUARTERBACKS SAID TO HELL WITH IT ALL AND JUST YELLED AT ANYONE WHO GOT WITHIN A 5-YARD RADIUS OF THEM BETWEEN PLAYS.
RIVERS’ YELLING ALSO HAS LIKELY OPENED SEVERAL POST-FOOTBALL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. DEATH METAL BANDS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN YELL FOR HOURS ON END WITHOUT LOSING THEIR VOICE. DAY CARE FACILITIES NEED YELLERS TO GET THROUGH TO THE SCREAMING CHILDREN. THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL SIDEWALK CORNERS IN AMERICA THAT ARE JUST ASKING FOR A SIDEWALK PREACHER TO SET UP SHOP AND YELL AT PEOPLE AS THEY WALK BY.
ACTUALLY,SIDEWALK PREACHER WOULD BE THE PERFECT POST-FOOTBALL JOB FOR RIVERS. BUT INSTEAD OF YELLING ABOUT JESUS AND HELL AND DAMNATION,RIVERS WOULD YELL AT RANDOM PEOPLE ABOUT BLITZ PICK-UPS AND MISTAKEN PASSING ROUTES.
WOULDN’T IT BE FUN TO BE WALKING TO WORK AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN PHILIP RIVERS JUST STARTS BERATING YOU FOR FAILING TO MAKE THE PROPER READ ON A BLITZ PICK UP?
OK,ALL THIS YELLING HAS CAUSED THIS PREVIEW TO GO WAY OFF THE RAILS. LET’S CALM THINGS DOWN AND LOOK AT FIVE REASONS WHY THE PACKERS WILL BEAT THE CHARGERS LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
Offensive line
Even casual football fans know that the Chargers offensive line is all banged up and absolutely atrocious. If the Packers bombard Rivers early with unstoppable pressure up the middle,this game will be over in a hurry.
Secondary
Even without Morgan Burnett,the Packers secondary has been one of the toughest against the pass in the NFL. Rivers will try to outsmart Dom Capers and crew pre-snap,but his arm strength isn’t what it used to be and he doesn’t have much for deep threats. If the Packers secondary can sit on the short routes and not let Rivers out-wit them,they should be able to contain San Diego through the air.
Something to prove
Every week,Aaron Rodgers is basically asked over and over again what makes him and the Packers offense so great. After ho-hum performances the last two weeks,some are now questioning just how explosive the Packers’ offense is. Hold on tight,folks. When Rodgers and company feel that people are questioning them,they usually go off for a big game.
Lambeau advantage
You can’t write a “5 reasons why the Packers will win” post without mentioning the obvious: The Packers,with Rodgers and his use of the cadence pre-snap,are really,really hard to beat at home. Yes,that’s stating the obvious at this point,but it needs to be said.
Speed
When’s the last time the Packers defense has played this fast? Even the behemoths up front seem quicker and more explosive early in this season. That speed is going to be too much for the Chargers to handle,in my not so humble opinion.
RIVERS IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT TO YELL ABOUT IF HE’S ABLE TO LEAD THE CHARGERS TO AN UPSET. IF HE PULLS IT OFF,HERE’S HOW IT MIGHT GO DOWN:
Quarterback play
Rivers is not as good as Rodgers,but depending on what you think of Russell Wilson,Rivers is probably the best quarterback the Packers have faced this season. He’s not going to throw check-downs over and over again like Alex Smith or drop an easy pick-six into Quinten Rollins’ hands like Nick Foles. If the Packers are thinking too much about their bye-week vacation plans,Rivers could go off and get a W.
October 13, 2015 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - CheeseheadTV, Uncategorized
The Green Bay Packers No. 1 wide receiver is out for the season. Their No. 3 receiver has missed most of the season with a bad ankle. Eddie Lacy still doesn’t look healthy after suffering an ankle injury against Seattle and Andrew Quarless is out with a bum knee.
Randall Cobb,the Packers No. 2 receiver,is playing with a sore shoulder and T.J. Lang exited Sunday’s win over the St. Louis Rams with a knee injury.
No wonder the Packers offense is struggling.
Yes,Aaron Rodgers can turn water into wine and perform several other superhuman feats of football greatness,but even he can’t crank out Madden-like numbers week in and week out on a team that’s dealing with as many injuries as the Packers are.
And despite all the sprained ankles,messed-up knees and the “struggling” offense,the Packers are 5-0. Not only are the Packers 5-0,with the exception of about 5 minutes in the Seattle game,at no point this season have I ever felt that the Packers were in serious danger of losing a game.
Consider this as the offense works its way back to optimum health and maximum production: In the month of October during the Packers 2010 season,they scored 20 points or fewer in three games. That team also dealt with a bunch of early injuries. Eventually,they figured it out and won the Super Bowl.
The Packers defense has more than picked up the slack as the offense tries to get back on track this October. To honor the D’s efforts,we’re dedicating the entire Packers Stock Report to Dom Capers’ and his defenisve players:
Rising
Clay Matthews
CM3=DPOY. (If any Bears or Vikings fans are reading this,that translates to Clay Matthews = Defensive Player of the Year.)
Mike Daniels
Mike Daniels racked up seven solo tackles on Sunday. That’s not supposed to happen for a 3-4 defensive lineman. Daniels is not only blowing up running plays with penetration,he’s also finishing up with tackles.
Sam Shields
Sneaky move by Sam Shields in week 1. He purposely played bad so other teams would think he isn’t any good and would continuously challenge him deep. The rope-a-dope has worked. Teams are taking their shots against Shields and he keeps turning them away.
Steady
Datone Jones
Not only is Jones contributing to a surprisingly effective defensive line,he also made his mark with blocked field goal against St. Louis.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Pro Football Focus ranks Clinton-Dix as the fourth-best run-defending safety in the NFL. With the exception of a few missed tackles against Matt Forte in week 1,what I’ve seen with my own eyes matches PFF’s numbers. Clinton-Dix seems to have rid himself of that annoying habit where he’s dive at a players feet instead of making an aggressive tackle.
Falling
Aaron Rodgers
LOL. Just kidding. Rodgers was a little skittish in the pocket on Sunday,but I don’t think it’s anything to worry about. It was hard to tell if he was jumpy because Lang was out,or if he felt his receivers weren’t getting separation and the only hope of making a play was to start moving around.
October 11, 2015 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - CheeseheadTV, Uncategorized
I keep hearing over and over again how this St. Louis Rams team could be trouble for the Green Bay Packers this afternoon.
“Oooooohhhhhhh,the Rams have a great front four. Aaron Rodgers will be running for his life.”
“Ooooohhhhhhh,lookit the Rams new rookie running back Todd Gurley. He might be the next Adrian Peterson!”
“Ooooooohhhhh,the Rams went into Arizona and beat the Cardinals. Did you hear that? THE RAMS BEAT THE ARIZONA CARDINALS!!!! BE AFRAID,PACKERS. BE VERY AFRAID!!!!!”
Let me be as clear as I possibly can before proceeding. The Packers are 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.47 times better than the Rams. In fact,I feel guilty even including the Rams in the same sentence as the Packers while writing this silly preview.
Unless every Packers player catches whatever disease Matt Hasselbeck had this week,the Packers will beat the Rams by a wide margin. A 50-burger is not out of the realm of possibility,so save room if you’re eating bratwurst at your pregame tailgate. Those 50-burgers take up a lot of stomach space.
Let me refute the aforementioned talking points people are using when trying to fool us into thinking the Rams led by Nick Foles actually have a shot at beating the Packers led by Aaron Rodgers:
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With the exception of last season,the end of 2010 and most of 2011,Rodgers has spent his entire time as the Packers quarterback running for his life. It’s what he does. He runs for his life. It hasn’t stopped him from being the best player in the league before and it sure as hell won’t stop him from being the best player in the league against the lousy Rams.
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In their last three games,the Packers have stonewalled Marshawn Lynch,Jamaal Charles and Carlos Hyde. The last thing the Packers are worried about is some rookie coming off ACL surgery lighting them up. Puh-leaze.
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So,the Rams beat the Arizona Cardinals last week,eh? And I’m supposed to be impressed by this? IT’S THE ARIZONA FREAKING CARDINALS!!! We’re not talking about the Bill Walsh 49ers here,we’re talking about the ARIZONA CARDINALS! C’mon,man. Beating the Cardinals is like shooting a squirrel. It’s fun,but you don’t mount the squirrel on the wall in your man cave next to the 13-point buck.
Still not convinced that the Packers are going to roll over the Rams? Here are five more reasons why you should believe me:
Turnovers
The Rams forced three turnovers to beat the Cardinals in Arizona last week. That ain’t happening today. Rodgers does not turn the ball over in Lambeau,so the Rams and their one-trick pony Todd Gurley offense will be forced to go long distances if they want to score.
Offensive line
Everyone is talking about how tough the Rams defensive line will be for the Packers offensive line to contain. What about the Packers surging defensive line against the Rams mishmash of an offensive line? Mike Daniels and B.J. Raji are playing some of the best ball of their careers. Even Datone Jones got in on the action against the 49ers and Letroy Guion is back. The Rams have three first-year starters up front (right tackle,center and left guard). Hats off to the Rams front four. They’re talented. But the Packers defensive line isn’t too shabby,either,and I think they match up favorably with the Rams’ inexperienced o-line.
QB
We all know how great Rodgers is. We also all know that Nick Foles is…well,Nick Foles. Foles is definitely a step up from Colin Kaepernick,but it’s not like he’s going to match Rodgers throw for throw. If the Packers get out ahead early and let their defense tee off,things could be over in a hurry. I can’t see the Packers losing a game at home where their advantage at the game’s most important position is this big.
Phat Eddie
The Rams are allowing over 120 rushing yards per game,26th worst in football. After losing LB Alec Ogletree last week to a broken ankle,stopping the run won’t be getting easier any time soon. Yes,the Rams front four might be able to get after Rodgers,but that pass rush can be slowed down some if Lacy and a Packers offensive line with 287 combined starts under their belts are able to get going on the ground.
Greg Williams
The Rams defense is coordinated by Gregg Williams,the Bounty Gate guy who really,really,really loves to blitz. With the way Rodgers uses cadence to not only draw opponents offside,but also get the defense to commit to what they’re doing early,I just don’t think it’s a good idea to consistently blitz Rodgers at Lambeau. I also don’t think Williams will be able to contain himself. Look for Rodgers to buy time and make plays when Williams brings extra pressure.
If all the hype and consternation about the Rams proves to be true and they do put up a fight at Lambeau,they might be able to pull off a win if…
Copying the Bears
Why would anyone want to copy the hapless Chicago Bears? Because they almost beat the Packers in week 1 by running the ball,keeping Rodgers on the sideline,and not letting Packers receivers make big plays downfield. If the Rams do what the Bears did in week 1,they’ve got a good shot to win because the Rams are much more talented defensively than Chicago is.
October 6, 2015 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - CheeseheadTV, Uncategorized
The Green Bay Packers are 4-0. Along with that perfect record comes a MVP quarterback playing at the top of his game,a defense that’s hell-bent on sacking the quarterback and a special teams unit that no longer appears to be a glaring weakness.
Life is good if you’re a Packers fan right now,isn’t it?
It sure is,but we’re Packers fans. Even if life is good,we want (and sometimes expect) it to be better.
Even though the Packers are 4-0 with an all-world quarterback,a solid defense and a non-embarrassing special teams,that’s not going to stop us from nitpicking areas where the team could improve. Before getting to this week’s stock report,let’s nitpick the Packers and point out some areas that could be a cause for concern.
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Beating up on bad teams. You can only play the team’s on your schedule,but the teams on the Packers schedule haven’t been very good. The combined record of the Bears,Seahawks,Chiefs and 49ers is 5-11 (and that includes Monday night’s gift-wrapped-by-the-refs win for Seattle over Detroit). Beating Jay Cutler,Alex Smith and a broken Colin Kaepernick also isn’t anything to write home about.
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How ’bout a non-free play big play? I’m all about Aaron Rodgers using his cadence to draw the defense offside and get as many free plays as possible. But as the season wears on,team’s aren’t going to fall for that stuff as often. The Packers big-play offense hasn’t really been there unless Rodgers knows he has nothing to lose on a free play.
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Holding…on the Packers…again. It seems like the offensive line has been very grabby this season. The Packers have been flagged eight times for holding and several of those calls have come at less-than-ideal times as the offense is just starting to roll. With three holding calls already under his belt,David Bakhtiari leads the team.
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Shot plays,anyone? Remember when Rodgers would play-fake,roll out,and hit Jordy Nelson on a deep post for an easy 65-yard touchdown? I knew with Nelson injured,those plays would be more rare,but I thought we’d at least get a couple of shot plays through the first quarter of the season. So far,unless it’s a free play,we’re not seeing any receivers getting over the top of the defense.
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Those damn injuries. The injury to Bryan Bulaga finally caught up with the Packers against the 49ers as Don Barclay had a rough day. Is it only a matter of time before the effects of losing Nelson,Sam Barrington,Davante Adams and Morgan Burnett are magnified as well?
All of these are legitimate concerns for the Packers. Good thing they haven’t knocked Green Bay off course yet. Let’s hope the Packers keep rolling as we roll into this week’s Packers Stock Report:
Rising
Clay Matthews
Where would the Packers defense be without Matthews? Here’s hoping the hamstring gods lay off Matthews this season and he’s able to get through 16 games and the postseason.
James Jones
A dude cut by two teams this offseason is not supposed to make catches like this one.
Mike Daniels
The Packers defensive line seems more explosive this season and Daniels is a big reason why. In year’s past,the main objective of the Packers d-line was to hold their own and not get blown up. Now,Daniels and company are doing some blowing up of their own and it’s making this defense much more aggressive.
Steady
Sam Shields
Perhaps nobody told Shields that the Chicago game was the season opener and not a final exhibition tune-up,because ever since stinking up Soldier Field,Shields has been exactly the type of No. 1 cornerback the Packers need him to be. On Sunday,he made a great play on the ball to snag his second interception.
B.J. Raji
Setting an early tone against the run gives the Packers offense the time it needs to establish a lead. It also helps boost the defense for the remainder of the game. Raji’s play in first quarters has helped the Packers blow up several running plays and knock opponents off course early when it comes to trying to run at the Packers defense.
Falling
Don Barclay
I suppose it was only a matter of time before Rodgers was unable to fully compensate for Barclay’s weaknesses at right tackle. Full credit goes to Barclay for battling out there,but it’s time Tom Clements and Mike McCarthy get him some help with a tight end or running back on a regular basis.
October 4, 2015 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - CheeseheadTV, Uncategorized
I was fully confident that the Green Bay Packers were going to beat the 49ers 57-0 until I heard the reports out of San Francisco that 49ers coach Jim Tomsula let a fart rip during Thursday’s news conference.
Now the score might not be so lopsided. Tomsula’s flatulence could be the secret weapon that helps the 49ers make a game out of this one.
For instance,how will Aaron Rodgers handle it if Tomsula lets one fly during a key series in the fourth quarter,causing Randall Cobb (or whichever receiver is closest to the 49ers sideline) to immediately drop dead?
What if the noxious fumes waft their way onto the playing field? If Packers offensive linemen pass out from the stench,is that a false start penalty?
How will Rodgers himself handle the situation if Tomsula crop dusts the red zone? Rodgers has dealt with plenty of adversity in his career,but never something like this.
Or what if Mason Crosby is setting up for a game-winning field goal and Tomsula raises his leg and provides a nasty gust of wind that pushes the kick wide right?
Be worried,Packers fans. Be very worried…
On the other hand,the Packers should be well prepared to handle any and all stinky situations. The state cuisine in Wisconsin is bratwurst,cheese and beer,after all. I’m sure plenty of grossed out faces have been made at Packers team parties following dinner and an “Alright,who did that?” fart.
And I guarantee you every member of the Packers offensive line has let one go as a joke during practice or during a blowout Packers win. Bryan Bulaga,Josh Sitton,or whomever,probably thought they were being funny by clearing out the huddle early. Little did they know they were helping to prepare their teammates to face the Great Farting Tomsula in the Big Bell Bottom.
Injuries haven’t slowed down the Packers this season. Neither has a challenging first part of the schedule or playing two games in prime time. I can’t see a gassy head coach getting in the way,either.
Here are five reasons why the 49ers will be just another fart in the wind on the Packers march to the Super Bowl:
Perseverance
No matter what type of injuries you throw at the Packers,they keep chugging along. Yes,having a healthy Aaron Rodgers makes it much easier to overcome the injury bug,but it’s nice to see a team not only hold it together through injuries,but thrive and improve. That train should keep rolling later this afternoon.
Multi-faceted
It’s still too early to make bold declarations about any team,but doesn’t this Packers team seem more diverse than other years? Yes,there are hiccups,but it seems like the Packers aren’t relying so heavily on turnovers to be successful on defense and big plays to take over the game on offense. The D is capable of holding their own without taking the ball away and the offense has thrived despite the lack of deep pass plays downfield. In past matchups,the 49ers’ power running would seize control of the game and their physical secondary would frustrate the Packers’ offense. The Packers seem better equipped to handle both of those things today.
Bring on the blitz
Under new coordinator Eric Mangini,the 49ers blitz often. Rodgers’ mobility and his ability to read the defense pre-snap makes him deadly against blitzes. So,Mangini should just try and get pressure with four rushers,right? Well,so far this season,when the 49ers don’t blitz they’ve been picked apart. It could be a damned if you do,damned if you don’t kind of day for Mangini and the 49ers defense.
Right side woes
Pay attention to the right side of the 49ers offensive line. The Steelers and Cardinals had great success going after guard Jordan Devey and tackle Erik Pears. Look for Dom Capers to employ a similar strategy.
Time to win one
Because the Packers can’t lose to the 49ers again,right? Green Bay finally beat Seattle this season,now it’s time to get that smaller 49ers monkey off its back.
…but just in case the 49ers run of success continues over Green Bay,this could be why:
Kaepernick owns Capers
Much like Bears quarterback Jay Cutler can’t figure out Dom Capers’ defenses,Capers can’t seem to figure out what to do against 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick has trashed the Packers defense multiple times and is no doubt looking at today’s matchup as an opportunity to get his season — and career — back on track against a familiar foe.
September 29, 2015 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - CheeseheadTV, Uncategorized
September is way too early to declare any team in the NFL the best,the worst or anything in between. The first two months of the season are for staying in contention,fine-tuning your team and overcoming early-season injuries.
When Thanksgiving comes around,that’s when we can start talking about who’s the best,who’s the worst and who needs a couple of fortunate bounces to weasel their way into the postseason. Once the turkey is consumed and the pumpkin pie digested,we’ll start to see the good teams make their move to become great,and average teams exposed as frauds before they fall off the face of the Earth.
At 3-0,the Green Bay Packers are off to a great start. But don’t get sucked into the silly narratives and manufactured sports media debate about who’s the best team in the NFL. September is not the time to be yelling at each other about which team is on the fast track to Levi’s Stadium for the Super Bowl.
There’s no doubt the Packers are rising heading into October. But avoid the big-picture narratives for now. It’s a waste of valuable brain space less than a quarter of the way through the season.
Now that I’m done lecturing you,onto this weeks Packers Stock Report:
Rising
James Jones
If I’m a defensive coordinator preparing to play the Packers,the first thing I do is install a chip inside the brain of each of my defensive backs. This chip would send a signal to the DB’s brain that causes the DB to sprint to wherever James Jones is on the field when Aaron Rodgers has a free play. Jones has been lethal on free plays. The only way to stop him and his sleeveless turtleneck might be computer-programmed robot DBs.
(Is it even legal to implant a chip into one of your player’s brains? Probably not. But I bet the Patriots are already doing it.)
Josh Sitton
The Packers offensive line set the tone for the Chiefs game early. Sitton was his usual solid self — getting to the second level,giving Rodgers plenty of room to step up in the pocket,and generally bulldozing a path for Eddie Lacy,James Starks and even Alonzo Harris.
Sam Shields
After a miserable season-opener against the Bears,we didn’t hear a peep from Shields in pass coverage until his interception on Monday night. And that’s a good thing. Shields hasn’t given an inch since getting picked on by the Bears.
Steady
Randall Cobb
Cobb had a quiet eight catches for 116 yards (if you can possibly be “quiet” when putting up those numbers) against Seattle and kept zipping around the Chiefs’ Tyvon Branch with ease on Monday. Cobb hasn’t completely taken over a game yet,but he’s doing solid work in filling the void left by Jordy Nelson.
Mike Daniels
The Chiefs lone hope for victory on Monday night was a big game from Jamaal Charles. Daniels played a key role early in making sure Charles never got going,then revved up his pass-rushing motor later in the game. Ted Thompson: If you have a free couple of hours this week,pull out the Packers wallet and sign Daniels to a new contract.
Tom Clements
Hats off to the new Packers playcaller. The offense has been efficient,dangerous,unpredictable and successful. No doubt Rodgers’ work at the line of scrimmage and McCarthy’s input during the week also play a big role,but all has been smooth on the playcalling front under Clements.
Falling
Mike Nolan and Scot McCloughan
Who are Mike Nolan and Scot McCloughan? They were the 49ers coach and general manager,respectively,who drafted Alex Smith over Aaron Rodgers. Nolan and McCloughan: Packers fans throughout the world salute you.
Pro Football Focus
The popular analytics site gave Rodgers a negative grade for his performance against the Chiefs. Let that sink in for a moment: A quarterback who threw for 333 yards and five touchdowns was given a negative grade by a website that (supposedly) studies film of football games. I get that you have to look beyond the box score to add context to a player’s performance,but anyone who watched what went down on Monday knows that Rodgers was not an average quarterback. Yikes.
September 28, 2015 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - CheeseheadTV, Uncategorized
It’s hard to find negative things to say about the Kansas City Chiefs. They’ve got an atmosphere at Arrowhead Stadium that rivals Lambeau Field,their fans seem cool,and Kansas City is home to some of the best barbeque in the United States.
(I also love the tomahawk chop. I know it’s not politically correct to say that these days,but I can’t help it. Something about a stadium full of people chanting and making an axe-wielding motion gets me fired up.)
But just because a franchise seems friendly and harmless,it doesn’t mean I am not going to endlessly mock and ridicule that franchise on the day it plays the Packers,so let’s get to it:
The fans of the Chiefs deserve better than the team that they get every season and currently have. Remember the Marty Schottenheimer years when Kansas City would always win 10-13 games,then get snuffed out early in the playoffs like an unfiltered Marlboro Red?
Not even a new coach could rid the team of its tendency to yak in the postseason. The 2003 Chiefs under Dick Vermeil went 13-3 and got wiped out in the divisional round.
Today,the Chiefs are led by Andy Reid who puts together outstanding gameplans on a week-to-week basis,then blows it all up by making no fewer than eight clock-management blunders each half. The Chiefs also have one of the best running backs and pass rushes in the NFL,but it doesn’t matter because Alex Smith is their quarterback.
Yes,an NFL team still thinks it’s a good idea to have Alex Smith as its starting quarterback,and that team is the Kansas City Chiefs.
I want to love the Kansas City Chiefs. Everything about the organization seems fun. Except,of course,for the actual team on the field.
Here are five reasons why the Packers will beat the Chiefs on Monday night,continuing Kansas City’s streak of being good,but nowhere near good enough:
Alex Smith
So many NFL games these days come down to a handful of plays in the fourth quarter. When that time comes in the fourth quarter on Monday night,do we really think Smith is capable of rising to the occasion and making a gamebreaking throw to beat the Packers? I don’t think he is. Smith exists to not fumble the game away,not win the game when it matters most.
Rodgers’ pocket movement
One area where the Chiefs have a clear advantage over Green Bay is outside pass rush. The tag team match of Justin Houston and Tamba Hali vs. David Bakhtiari and Don Barclay should resemble an old-school wrestling squash match where the Road Warriors destroy the Mulkey Brothers in about 20 seconds. But even if Houston and Hali beat up on Bakhtiari and Barclay,the saviness of Aaron Rodgers in the pocket covers up a good chunck of the pass rush advantage Kansas City enjoys. More often than not,Rodgers is able to evade pressure,but stay around the pocket,keep his eyes downfield and make a play. In other words,even if Hali and Houston execute their finishing move,Rodgers is capable of kicking out and extending the match.
Huh?
No Chiefs wide receiver has caught a touchdown pass since Jan. 4,2014. How is that even possible? With today’s namby-pampby pass defense rules in the NFL,I bet even I could catch a touchdown pass at least once every 16 games. I would require a forklift to get the necessary air required to complete my Lambeau Leap,but I would at least catch one touchdown in a calendar year.
Depth
Injuries stink. But the draft-and-develop Packers pride themselves on having plenty of talented young players in reserve for when the inevitable injury bug starts biting. With Morgan Burnett out,no doubt we’ll see a good amount of Damarious Randall. Randall is a different player than Burnett,but I like putting hungry young players on the field in prime time early in the season. Let’s see what they do when given the opportunity and step up. More often than not,the Packers young depth holds its own.
Home field
By now,we know all the numbers about Rodgers and the Packers recent run of success at Lambeau Field. Another advantage the Packers have at home isn’t necessarily reflected in the numbers. With Barclay at right tackle,Rodgers’ use of the snap count and cadence slows the pass rush down just enough to help Barclay out a bit. Rodgers’ pre-snap barking also helps him decipher the defense and speed up his decision-making should Barclay’s (or any o-lineman’s) man break through.
If the Packers (for some reason) lose,this might be why:
Pure talent
Jamaal Charls,Travis Kelce,Justin Houston,Tamba Hali…the Chiefs have more than enough game-breaking players to compensate for Smith’s ineptitude and Reid’s clock-manaement blunders. Talent can overcome a lot of other deficiencies,and the Chiefs have the talent to cover up their weaknesses.
September 22, 2015 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - CheeseheadTV, Uncategorized
**An assembled crowd of Green Bay Packers media,board members,front office leadership and former players are gathered for a news conference in the Lambeau Field atrium. Packers CEO Mark Murphy approaches the podium and begins the event.**
“First of all,I want to thank everyone for coming today. I’ll keep this brief because I know we’re all still a little hung over from celebrating Sunday night’s win over the Seachickens. Man,I never thought I’d see Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy do simultaneous keg stands,but after a big win like that,I guess anything is possible.
I called you all in here today to announce that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been given a permanent slot in the “rising” category of the world famous Packers Stock Report at CheeseheadTV.com.”
**The crowd gasps. Murmurs echo throughout the audience and photographer flash bulbs start going off.**
The reasoning is simple: Adam Czech,the mastermind behind the world famous Packers Stock Report at CheeseheadTV.com,no longer wants to waste a “rising” slot on Rodgers since Rodgers turns in an MVP performance on a nearly weekly basis. From now on,it is assumed that Rodgers is a “riser” each and every week. Instead of wasting valuable blogosphere space on yet another paragraph describing Rodgers’ awesomeness,the world famous Packers Stock Report at CheeseheadTV.com will focus on other players who also deserve “rising” status for that particular week.
I will not be taking questions today. Instead,Czech himself will be coming to the podium to reveal this week’s Packers Stock Report live and in-person. Be sure to read the world famous Packers Stock Report every Tuesday during the season at CheeseheadTV.com.
Without further adieu,onto this week’s Packers Stock Report with the best-looking blogger in the Packers blogosphere,Adam Czech:
Rising
Jayronne Elliott
“Thank you for that kind introduction,Mr. Murphy. Just like God was a Packers fan on Sunday night,God is also an avid reader of the world famous Packers Stock Report at CheeseheadTV.com. Let’s get to it:
If Clay Matthews is going to see fewer snaps at outside linebacker,everybody in this room knows the Packers can’t rely on the likes of Nick Perry and Mike Neal to fill the void left by Matthews on the outside. Enter Jayronne Elliott. Good things seem to happen when Elliott is on the field. That was certainly the case on Sunday night. If Elliott continues his ascent,it’s great news for the Packers and scary news of offensive tackles in the NFC North.”
Josh Sitton/Corey Linsley/T.J. Lang
“Pass protection on the edges was shaky at best on Sunday night. But it didn’t matter because nothing was happening up the middle thanks to yet another stellar effort from Sitton/Linsley/Lang. From now on,I think we refer to these three maulers as one person. And I think we put a “the” in front of their name to make it more impactful. The Sitton/Linsley/Lang might be the best interior offensive line combination in football. The Sitton/Linsley/Lang is a three-headed monster that could help propel the Packers to another Super Bowl.”
B.J. Raji
“Raji played like the entire Seahawks defense kicked his dog. There was no stopping Raji from catapulting himself into the Seahawks backfield over and over again and causing chaos. All that was missing was a classic Raji touchdown dance.”
Steady
Mason Crosby
“They don’t come any more steady than Crosby these days. It wasn’t that long ago that many of you in this room wanted Crosby run out of town. Heck,the world famous Packers Stock Report at CheeseheadTV.com might have even put Crosby in the falling category a few times. But Crosby didn’t care. He kept plugging away. And now he’s the top scorer in Packers history. Good on you,Mr. Crosby.”
Falling
David Bakhtiari
“I hope Bakhtiari is healthy. He dealt with some injuries during the exhibition season and hasn’t looked like himself through the first two real games. The Packers face another tough pass rush on Monday night,so now is the time for Bakhtiari to snap out of his rut.”
Lambeau Field medial carts
“Someone needs to take all the fuel out of the medical carts at Lambeau Field and slash the tires. Those things have been on the field and moving crippled Packers from the sideline to the locker room far too often this season. If God is still a Packers fan this week,hopefully he does something about all the injuries.”
Pete Carroll
“So Pete Carroll was all whiny about the referee’s decision to award the football to the Packers after the Elliott interception and ensuing scrum following Elliott’s fumble. WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH!!!!!! Carroll’s team benefits from the most blatantly awful call in NFL history three years ago to steal a win from the Packers,and Mike McCarthy doesn’t whine about it once during his postgame presser. Carroll finally loses to the Packers and he has to get the tissues out about a fumble recovery “call.” Ridiculous. Go away,Pete Carroll.”
September 15, 2015 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - CheeseheadTV, Uncategorized
It’s far too early to place new Green Bay Packers playcaller Tom Clements in the rising,steady or falling category. But after the season-opener,I’d say things are looking good on the playcalling front.
The Packers’ offense was sharp,unpredictable and efficient on Sunday. Of course,they were typically all three of those things when McCarthy called the plays. Nonetheless,it’s reassuring to see that the transition to Clements calling plays (with plenty of input and audibles from Aaron Rodgers,no doubt) appears to be going smoothly so far.
Now comes the real test for McCarthy. After week 1,it looks like the Packers need to clean up their tackling,plug some holes in the run defense and get better on third downs. McCarthy gave up playcalling so he could be more hands on with other areas of the team,and it’s time for the head coach to get to work.
Meantime,the rest of us will move on to this week’s Packers Stock Report:
Rising
Clay Matthews
Outside linebacker,inside linebacker,safety,cornerback,nose tackle,waterboy…wherever Clay Matthews lines up,he makes plays. When was the last time the Packers had an inside linebacker who could sprint back and cover a large swath of the middle of the field like Matthews did on that interception? It’s been a long,long time.
James Jones
Media members covering Sunday’s game had easy stories to write after Jones’ big day. I have to admit,I wasn’t 100 percent sold on bringing Jones back. Well,I’m an idiot. I think it’s safe to say that Myles White would not have hauled in that first touchdown catch.
Aaron Rodgers
I kind of forgot how great Rodgers is when he has the use of both legs instead of just one. The man makes difficult plays look much easier than they really are.
Julius Peppers
I have a strict rule of only putting three players maximum in each category,but how could I leave out Rodgers or Peppers after Sunday? So,I’m breaking my rule to include Peppers as a riser. We all keep waiting for Father Time to catch up with Peppers,and he keeps laughing in our faces and chasing around quarterbacks nearly half his age.
Steady
Corey Linsley
Linsley received the highest grade of any Packers offensive linemen from Pro Football Focus on Sunday. You could easily put Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang in the steady category as well as Rodgers rarely had to deal with up-the-middle pressure and Eddie Lacy had some decent lanes early.
Falling
Sam Shields
Too many Packers fans think Sam Shields was bad last season. He wasn’t the second-coming of Charles Woodson,but he wasn’t as terrible as people thought. The Packers ask a lot out of Shields and he holds his own. Well,against the Bears,there’s no sugar-coating it: Shields was awful. Here’s hoping Shields’ bad day was more of a wake-up call than an emerging concern.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
If I’m Mike McCarthy,I call Clinton-Dix into my office and tell him this: “Son,if you continue to drop your head and dive at the ballcarrier’s feet instead of manning up and actually attempting to make a legitimate tackle,you will be holding my headset instead of playing for the world champion Green Bay Packers.”
Jay Cutler
Cutler completes half his passes and throws yet another game-breaking interception and Bears fans are actually saying he didn’t play that bad. If that’s not “falling,” I don’t know what is.
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