October 2, 2013 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers
Mike Daniels tries to chase down RGIII
While Packers first-round pick Datone Jones got the hype, Johnny Jolly grabbed the headlines and B.J. Raji wondered aloud about a new contract, Mike Daniels kept plugging away.
The undersized fourth-round pick out of Iowa made the team out of training camp and has been the most disruptive Packers pass rusher on the defensive line this season.
Despite playing only 74 of a possible 198 snaps Daniels leads the defensive line in QB hurries (3) and is one of only two defensive lineman to record a sack. He also has four solo stops — the same as B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett, who have played 115 and 95 snaps, respectively.
Daniels won’t overwhelm anyone with his size and strength, but he makes up for it with explosiveness, athleticism, and a motor that runs on high all the time. He’s kind of the DuJuan Harris of the defensive line — a rolling ball of butcher knives that is all over you before you know it.
Take a look at this video of Daniels sacking Andy Dalton.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQJq6HjMlps&feature=youtu.be
Daniels didn’t dominate the offensive lineman and make a highlight-reel sack, but he stood his ground and used his quickness and burst to disengage and make a play once Dalton tried to escape the pocket.
Do Raji, Pickett or Jolly have the athleticism to make a play like that? Maybe. But Daniels for sure has it, and he’s an excellent complement to the slower behemoths that make up the rest of the Packers defensive line.
As Jones goes through the same struggles that most rookie defensive lineman go through, Daniels has stepped up and provided the pass rush and versatility that many thought Jones would provide out of the game.
Now that Daniels has put several exceptional plays on film, we’ll see if he can keep it up as more teams become aware of his ability.
Raji, Pickett and Jolly provide a nice base along the Packers defensive line. Daniels is an excellent change of pace that can provide some much-needed pass rush up front. Will Daniels become more than just a nice change of pace? You could argue that he already has.
We’ll see if he can sustain it.
Editors Note: We interviewed Mike Daniels a few weeks ago on Packers Talk Radio Network. If you missed that, you can listen in here or download it from the Packers Talk Radio Network on Itunes.
October 1, 2013 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers
Mike McCarthy is not happy about being classified as non-essential.
For the first nine years of my professional life, I was “non-essential.”
Non-essential was never really defined. I worked hard. Went above and beyond. Got plenty of accolades. Was told my work was very important by everyone I interacted with. Got a paycheck once every two weeks.
But when push came to shove, I was categorized as non-essential.
Yes, I worked for the federal government. And whenever our wonderful elected officials couldn’t agree on a budget, a government shutdown was threatened. That’ when we found out which civil servants were essential and which were non-essential.
The essential people were designated to work through the shut down. I guess their jobs were considered really important, or something.
The non-essential people were sent home until the politicians figured out a budget. We were non-essential, so whatever, right?
I no longer work for the government, so I’m spared the humiliation of being labeled non-essential as our government shuts down today. All of you non-essentials out there reading this right now, I feel for you. You are all essential in my view. Don’t let the haters bring you down.
The shutdown got me thinking: If the Packers got shutdown like the federal government, who would be essential and who would be non-essential?
These are the things I think about. Welcome to my brain.
Aaron Rodgers
Definitely essential. He’s the best player on the team and plays the most important position. The Packers couldn’t function without him.
Mike McCarthy
Sorry, Mike, but you’re non-essential. Aaron Rodgers can call the plays and I don’t even think you can name five defensive players on your own team.
Evan Dietrich-Smith
Essential. Someone has to snap the ball to Rodgers.
Brett Goode
Non-essential. The Packers will never punt or kick field goals. Just score touchdowns. No need for a long-snapper, punter or kicker. Goode will be furloughed and play his guitar in Green Bay coffee shops until the shut down is over.
Clay Matthews
Can we furlough Matthews’ hamstring and keep the rest of his body?
Eddie Lacy
All running backs are non-essential. The Packers proved that in 2010.
Tramon Williams
He’s non-essential, but since Williams hasn’t shut down an opposing WR since 2010, he doesn’t know what the term means and hangs around anyway.
Jermichael Finley
Just to anger Packers fans and keep the comments sections at Packers blogs lively, Finley is deemed essential.
Dom Capers
Kevin Greene personally tells Capers that he’s non-essential and escorts him out of the building.
James Jones
Somebody has to rock the sleeveless turtle neck, so Jones stays on the job.
Ryan Pickett
During the shutdown, the Packers can’t afford to feed their fat players so Pickett is non-essential.
Ted Thompson
He doesn’t sign any free agents, so what’s the point of keeping Thompson around? In addition to calling the plays, Rodgers can run the draft too. He’ll probably draft 10 WRs every year, but he’ll make it work.
Brett Favre
The ‘ol Gunslinger is in the best shape of his life and will ride into Green Bay to personally save the franchise and end the shutdown. Essential!
———–
September 27, 2013 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
Packers WR Jordy Nelson celebrating yet another week in the rising category of the Packers Stock Report.
The Packers went into the bye week 1-2 and so far have accomplished all of their bye-week goals:
- Stay out of prison. No players arrested yet during the bye week. If no Packers end up in jail over the weekend, that gust of wind you’ll feel on Monday morning will be everyone in Packers management exhaling a giant sigh of relief.
- Don’t Tweet stupid things. I haven’t been on Twitter much this week, but I haven’t heard of any Packers accidentally tweeting a naked selfie or using a homophobic slur. Packers management must cringe every time they see a Tweet pop up from one of their players during the bye week.
- Do something really awesome. Technically, this didn’t happen during the bye week, but it deserves another mention. Major kudos to Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews and the entire Packers organization for making Cody Monroe’s day.
- Ignore the fans. Why ignore the fans? See the comments section of this post.
- Rest heads and hamstrings. Unless they’re going skydiving or playing pickup soccer games, all the Packers with concussions or hamstring injuries should come back at least one step closer to returning to the field.
- Read the ALLGBP.com Packers Stock Report. Without further ado:
Rising
Jordy Nelson
Remember in Varsity Blues when the QB would knock the other team’s mascot off his horse when throwing the ball away? If Rodgers tried doing something like that, Nelson would probably catch the pass. He’s that good on the sideline.
Clay Matthews
His play on the field was more than enough to move him to the rising category, but after he got hurt, his stock went up even further. Unless Dom Capers schemes an unblocked blitzing defensive back, the Packers pass rush goes bye-bye when Matthews isn’t on the field. Just in case we forget, we’re reminded of how valuable Matthews is to this team every time he goes out with his annual hamstring injury.
Mike Daniels
Daniels’ violent style of play has so far made up for him being undersized. He’s got a sack, three hurries and four defensive stops this season and might be the only defensive lineman capable of bringing a pass rush at this time. Will Daniels continue to impress now that other teams are becoming more aware of his aggression and his strengths?
Steady
Sam Shields
He got burned by A.J. Green on a touchdown Sunday, but that’s going to happen when you’re locked one-on-one with the world’s second best WR most of the day. Earlier in the game, Shields got the best of Green and came up with an interception. After a subpar game against the 49ers, Shields has really come around.
T.J. Lang
I was all set to write a piece about Lang’s lackluster play at the end of last season and in the opener against San Francisco but I just didn’t get around to it. Good thing I didn’t because Lang his picked it up since. He handled all-world defensive tackle Geno Atkins on Sunday and has posted a Pro Football Focus rating of 4.8 and 3.6 in his last two games.
Falling
Nick Perry
A batted down pass against Washington is the only stadout play Perry has made so far. When it was time to step up and get after the QB after Matthews went down Sunday, Perry was nowhere to be found.
David Bakhtiari
A rough, rough game for the rookie on Sunday. He shouldn’t be asked to cut block ever again.
Packers in late game, high-leverage situations
By now we’ve all heard Aaron Rodgers’ statistics in “clutch” situations:
- 5-17 in games decided by four or fewer points
- Only five fourth-quarter comebacks
- Another late-game flop against the Bengals
It’s unfair to pin all of those numbers solely on the quarterback. The performance of other players deserves blame. Mike McCarthy’s playcalling deserves blame. The defense giving up leads deserves blame.
We can argue forever about why the Packers have consistently failed late in close games, but the bottom line is it needs to change. Whether Rodgers, McCarthy, or someone else steps up to change it, I don’t care. Just get it done.
September 24, 2013 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers
The Packers beating the Jets was a signature win in 2010.
It seems like forever ago when everyone pegged the Packers as the NFL’s next dynasty.
It was only natural for people – including many in the Packers organization – to talk about a dynasty after winning Super Bowl XLV. A young team with a budding superstar at quarterback had just won it all with a ton of players on injured reserve. Talk of a dynasty was justified.
All that dynasty talk disappeared after the Packers went 15-1 in 2011, only to suffer an embarrassing loss to the Giants in their first playoff game.
Potential to production
Let’s rewind even further, back before the word dynasty was even in the vocabulary of Packers fans. In 2009, the Packers went on a nice run in the second half of the season to make the playoffs before losing a wild-card shootout with the Cardinals.
The 2010 season was supposed to be when the Packers took the next step. All that young talent was primed and ready to go from promising to great. Potential was to be replaced with production. Rebuilding with results. Playoff failure with playoff victory.
After six games, none of that happened. Midway through the 2010 season, Green Bay was 3-3, beat up, and spinning its wheels — stuck near the top of the mountain, unable to vault over it.
Then the Packers rattled off four straight wins, overcame a rough patch down the stretch, made the playoffs, and won the whole damn thing. The Packers not only made it over the mountain, they occupied the mountain, planted a green and gold flag on it, and claimed the mountain as their own.
They even chiseled the faces of Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy into the side of the mountain to create their own Packers Mt. Rushmore.
Falling off the mountain
Throughout the entire 2011 season, whenever another team tried to climb Packers Mountain, the Packers kicked them back down.
Then the Giants rolled into Lambeau Field for a divisional round playoff game, kicked the Packers off their own mountain, and sprayed graffiti all over the faces on Packers Mt. Rushmore.
Oh well. It was disappointing, but it happens. Mountains are high and often have difficult terrain. Every now and then, you’re going to slip and fall off.
Things got off to a rough start as the Packers tried to climb the mountain again in 2012. The 49ers booted them further down in the season opener. Fail Mary almost caused the entire mountain to disintegrate. The Colts even managed to get in the Packers’ way back up the mountain.
Finally, the Packers trip back up the mountain started gaining steam later in the season. Unfortunately, it petered out too soon when the 49ers used Colin Kaepernick to launch an all-out assault and send the Packers tumbling back down the mountain with yet another lopsided divisional round playoff loss.
The Packers’ trip back up the mountain has been as frustrating – if not more frustrating – than their initial trip in 2010.
Where are the signature wins?
When was the last time the Packers had a signature win? I’m talking about winning a game against an opponent that is a) playing well, and b) considered a legit playoff contender on the same level talent-wise as the Packers.
I’d say it was against Houston in week six last season.
Obviously, any time you win in the NFL it’s a big win. No team should ever apologize for winning, even if you just beat the Jaguars. And yes, I understand that the Packers beat the Vikings in the playoffs last season, but when you pull out the book of “Packers Signature Wins,” the time they shut down Joe Webb and beat the Vikings won’t be in there.
Here is a rundown of signature win opportunities that the Packers have had since beating Houston:
- Nov. 25, 2012 @ New York: Lost 38-10
- Dec. 30, 2012 @ Minnesota: Lost 37-34
- Jan. 12, 2013 @ San Francisco: Lost 45-31
- Sept. 8, 2013 @ San Francisco: Lost 34-28
- Sept. 22, 2013 @ Cincinnati: Lost 34-30
I can see an argument for calling the Week 15 win over Chicago in 2012 a signature win. Ditto for the week two win over Washington this season. I probably wouldn’t buy either argument, though.
Signature wins were everywhere as the Packers climbed over and claimed their mountain in 2010-11:
- Finally beating Brett Favre, week seven, 2010
- Shutting out the Jets, week eight, 2010
- Winning their last two games of 2010 to make the playoffs
- Winning four in a row on the road in the playoffs to win the Super Bowl
- 2011 signature wins included the Saints in week one, Bears in week three, Falcons in week five and New York in week 13.
The outlook
So the Packers have gone from talking about a dynasty to once again having to fight and scrap to climb back up and over the mountain, just like they had to do in 2010. Many of the faces are different this time around, but the circumstances are similar.
- Rodgers and McCarthy are still at quarterback and coach, respectively.
- It’s a young team that banks on many rookies and second-year players to contribute.
- They’re beat up and injured.
- Questions are swirling about the team’s ability to come through in the clutch and perform in big games.
Are we in some type of green and gold “Back to the Future” sequel? If we are, I hope it ends like it did back in 2010.
Fortunately, there’s time for the plot to change in that direction. We’re only three games into the season, plenty of time for the Packers to get healthy and figure out how to execute better down the stretch in important games.
There’s a good chance next Sunday will be a signature win opportunity against Detroit. There should be one more the following week in Baltimore.
If the Packers can get their next signature win out of the way early, this team will be moving right back up the mountain. Once they get rolling back up that mountain, you never know what might happen.
They just might climb over it, take it over, and start carving another version of the Packers Mt. Rushmore while the rest of us start talking dynasty again.
September 22, 2013 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers
Are you still pissed off about the Packers losing to the Bengals?
I am. What a God-awful game.
I’m going to use this space to rant and rave like a lunatic. Please feel free to do the same in the comments.
Jeremy Ross
Why is he still on the team? Forget fumbling, he simply can’t catch a kick. And on the rare occasions when the ball doesn’t clank off his hands like a Mason Crosby field goal hitting the upright, he looks slower than me on returns.
Injuries
Mike McCarthy coddles these guys during training camp then wonders why half the team sits out with a sore hamstring once the real games actually start. Half the guys that miraculously don’t pull their hamstrings end up going down with some other type of injury. When is this organization going to admit that all of these injuries every single season aren’t just bad luck and change its philosophy about tackling in training came and at practice?
Mike McCarthy
So the Packers have the best quarterback in the NFL and on fourth-and-1 on the game’s biggest play you choose to run a midget rookie running back straight into the teeth of a ferocious defensive line. Even Aaron Rodgers thought you were out of your mind today and let you know about it right in front of the TV cameras, Mike.
Aaron Rodgers
Can we get a fourth quarter comeback at some point in your career, Aaron? Please?
David Bakhtiari
If one of your coaches ever asks you to cut block again, David, punch him in the face. In addition to giving up the batted pass on the last play, the guy you were supposed to be blocking, DE Michael Johnson, finished with seven tackles, one sack and four QB hurries.
Officials
Another Packers player leaves with a concussion after getting drilled in the head on a play where no flag is thrown. Ryan Taylor gets punched in the junk and is flagged for retaliating. The Packers need to sign Steve Austin so he can deliver a Stone Cold Stunner to the next ref that hoses the Packers by missing one of these calls.
Myself
Listen to yourself, Adam. You’re insane. The Packers played the Bengals — a legit good team and a trendy Super Bowl pick — without their starting LT, top two RBs, starting S, starting slot CB, starting FB and special teams ace. During the game, they lost Clay Matthews, Jermichael Finley and James Starks. They even had Jeremy Ross in the backfield for a couple plays on their final drive. Jeremy Freaking Ross. Despite all of that, THE PACKERS ALMOST WON! The Packers will be fine. Get a hold of yourself.
I’ll be back later this week with more level-headed thoughts and analysis. Chances are good that I’ll take back a lot of what I said in this post (or just claim my computer was hacked and someone else wrote all of this). But for now, I’m still mad. This is a terrible way to enter the bye week. Grrrrr.
September 19, 2013 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers
Andrew Quarless could play fullback for the Packers on Sunday.
If John Kuhn is out on Sunday when the Packers play the Bengals, it sounds like tight end Andrew Quarless could spend some time in the Packers backfield as a fullback.
Quarless at fullback could very well be a disaster, but it intrigues me.
Back when D.J. Williams was on the team, I always thought he looked better when he lined up as a fullback than he did at tight end. I wonder if I might feel the same about Quarless after Sunday.
Quarless at fullback could give the Packers more options for pre-snap motion or other funky formations. Quarless also might operate better in space than Kuhn if Aaron Rodgers finds him on a dumpoff pass.
Of course, Quarless’s main responsibility will be pass blocking. Can Quarless be trusted to read defenses and identify blitzers like Kuhn can? If he can’t, the Quarless at fullback experiment will end quickly.
If he can pass block, Quarless would provide more versatility on third downs than Kuhn can as the backfield pass blocker. Then again, maybe Mike McCarthy won’t even put him in high-pressure pass-blocking situations.
Can Quarless clear a path for James Starks in the running game? He lined up at fullback after Kuhn got hurt against the Redskins and made a key block that sprung Starks for a 32-yard touchdown. He certainly looked capable on that play.
Sunday’s game probably won’t hinge on Quarless’s play at fullback, but when you’re trying to beat a tough opponent on the road, little things matter. One missed blitz pickup can alter the course of a game. One key block that seals the edge on a sweep can lead to a late-game first down that brings you one step closer to a win.
Quarless as a fullback will be interesting to watch.
September 18, 2013 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
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.
September 16, 2013 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers
Ryan “Big Grease” Pickett has anchored the Packers defensive line through the first two weeks.
The big three — and I literally mean the B-I-G three — on the Packers defensive line have come to play through the season’s first two games.
Packers = soft? It looks like B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly have taken it upon themselves to change that equation.
The trio, which weighs a combined 1,000 pounds, played a key role in containing Colin Kaepernick’s running and shutting down Frank Gore in week one. On Sunday against the Redskins, they collapsed the pocket in the first half, allowing blitzers to get in Robert Griffin III’s face.
Pickett even swatted a pass and Raji was wagging his finger after a couple stuffs at the line.
All three players are free agents after this season. It’s an easy talking point to say that players are better in their contract years, but I don’t necessarily buy that theory (that talking point has been proven false, for fantasy football purposes, anyway).
Pickett is a prideful leader who wants to prove he still belongs. Jolly knows he’s beyond lucky to have another shot at both life and the NFL. Raji is an uber-talented player who can be unblockable in stretches.
Whatever the reason, all three are playing great and it seems like they’re energy is giving the entire defense a boost. I’m really looking forward to what this defense can do when Morgan Burnett and Casey Hayward return and take advantage of what the Big Three are doing up front.
Sure, it’d be nice to get more of a pass rush out of the Packers’ defensive line, but if the Big Three can keep can keep winning their one-on-one matchups, it should free up others to get after the QB while keeping the run defense strong.
Another player to watch: Datone Jones.
The rookie has been invisible the first two weeks. Not sure if his ankle is still bothering him or if he’s just going through the typical struggles of a rookie defensive lineman. Either way, if he manages to come around and provide a little pass rush, this d-line could go from solid to downright dangerous in a hurry.
I know it’s early. But through two games, we can’t call this Packers defense soft (a little lost in the secondary at times, maybe, but not soft). A big reason for that is the play of Pickett, Raji and Jolly.
If Jones can get up to speed and maybe make the Big Three into the Big Four, watch out.
September 12, 2013 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
Randall Cobb showed toughness by fighting for this touchdown.
When you think of tough football players — whether they play for the Packers or not — you probably think of Mike Singletary and his stare, Ray Nitschske and his scowl or Ronnie Lott lopping off part of his finger so he could keep playing.
You probably don’t think of too many wide receivers, especially modern-day receivers with their diva-like tendencies. There’s a couple of Packers wide receivers that are the exception to that rule, though, and should be on any list of tough guys in today’s NFL.
Read this week’s stock report to learn more:
Rising
Jordy Nelson
Randall Cobb
When we talk about the Packers being a tougher, more physical team, I think most of us probably mean that the defense needs to hit harder and the offensive line needs to start pushing people around to get the run game going. We probably don’t put wide receivers into the toughness equation, but we should. Both Nelson and Cobb are coming off injuries and absorbed some wicked hits on Sunday. The kept getting up for more. They completely sold out on every single play and did whatever they could possibly do to punch back at the 49ers defense — the big bully on the block. Cobb and Nelson might not play a position defined by toughness, but they both proved on Sunday that they’re two of the toughest players on the Packers roster.
Ryan Pickett
According to Pro Football Focus, Pickett has three stops on Sunday — solo tackles that resulted in an offensive failure. Frank Gore didn’t have the space he’s used to against the Packers and Big Grease is one of the reasons why. The soon-to-be 34 year old looked as good as he ever has, absorbing double teams, winning the battle when single-blocked, and causing chaos inside.
Steady
Tim Masthay
Ging matched all-world punter Andy Lee punt for punt and even took over kickoff duties. More importantly, Masthay is fearless! He made one tackle on a kick return and nearly had another. I wonder if he can play safety?
Mike Neal
I thought the Neal-as-outside linebacker experiment would be a massive failure, but so far, so good. He’s an anchor on the edge against the run and even got after Colin Kaepernick a few times in the pass rush. He’s nowhere near an adequate complement to Matthews yet, but if he keeps making progress, who knows…
Davon House
It wasn’t Jarrett Bush who shined on special teams Sunday, it was House. Splitting double teams, making three tackles, drawing a penalty. House was everywhere on the special teams unit. We’ll see if that earns him any more playing time on defense. Sam Shields looked shaky on Sunday.
Falling
Jerron McMillian
M.D. Jennings
Besides the final score, the most frustrating thing about Sunday’s loss was watching the Packers’ receivers get drilled after they made a catch while the 49ers’ receivers never had to fear at all about taking a shot. There were a few passes that floated over the middle where it looked like the stage was set for a safety to deliver a shot, but it never happened. McMillian and Jennings looked too slow to the ball and too tentative to be starting safeties in the NFL.
Clay Matthews late hit on Kaepernick
Dumb. Just plain dumb. If you want to be a tough guy and spark your team, lay the wood on somebody when they’re actually in bounds. Then flex your muscles and chest bump your teammates. A late hit in that situation does nothing but negate a big stop from your defense.
September 9, 2013 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers
Don’t worry, coach McCarthy. I think you made the right decision to accept that second quarter penalty against the 49ers (I might be the only one to think that, though).
A lot of bad things happened after Mike McCarthy decided to accept a penalty and eschew a fourth-and-one situation near the goal line during the second quarter of the Packers’ loss to the 49ers on Sunday.
The decision gave the 49ers another crack at converting on third down — six yards away from the first down marker. Chaos ensued:
- Colin Kapernick was forced out of bounds two yards short of the first-down
- Clay Matthews launched himself at Kaepernick and drilled him after he stepped out of bounds, drawing a 15-yard penalty
- Joe Staley went after Matthews, earning a 15-yard penalty himself
- Matthews appeared to throw a punch at Staley and is lucky he didn’t get ejected
- A bunch of other players got involved and had a mini Royal Rumble
- The refs screwed up the offsetting penalty calls and wrongly replayed third down
- The 49ers took advantage of the extra opportunity and scored a touchdown
Whew. Got all that? Life would have been so much easier if McCarthy just declined the original penalty and made Jim Harbaugh decide to go for it or kick a field goal on fourth-and-one, right?
In hindsight, probably. But we don’t judge on hindsight around here. I agreed with McCarthy’s decision to accept the penalty and push the 49ers back, even if it meant giving them another crack at converting on third down.
In all likelihood, Harbaugh probably would’ve went for it on fourth-and-one anyway. And in all likelihood, the 49ers probably would have converted. McCarthy knows this — he’d seen the 49ers offensive line bully his defenders and their passing attack baffle his defensive backs for nearly 10 quarters at that point. He also knew that Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman have a handful of playcalls that the Packers just aren’t ready for (see the third-and-four pass to Vernon Davis late in the fourth quarter for exhibit A).
McCarthy also knows the numbers the 49ers have put up against the Packers lately. Check this post for the rundown. It ain’t pretty. After looking at those numbers and considering everything else, would you feel confident about the Packers ability to stop the 49ers from gaining one yard? I wouldn’t. I also would have elected to push the 49ers back another five yards to make them convert a third-and-six instead.
Kaepernick ended up about two yards short of the first down before Matthews stupidly lit him up out of bounds. Could you make an argument that if Harbaugh would have went for it on fourth-and-one that he’d also go for it on fourth-and-two? I don’t think so. One extra yard is a lot in that situation. I think Harbaugh would’ve taken the field goal.
I might be in the minority — and what happened after the decision certainly was a disaster for the Packers — but if we’re not unfairly using hindsight to judge McCarthy’s decision, I think he did the right thing in accepting the penalty.
If you’re going to be upset at McCarthy about anything surrounding that series of events, be upset that — like the officials — he didn’t know the rule about not replaying the down after offsetting deadball personal fouls. A head coach (or someone on his staff) should know the rules inside and out, and let the officials know when they are making a mistake like the one made on Sunday.
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