November 4, 2014 /
Adam Czech
/
Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
Since the Green Bay Packers didn’t play this week, it’s tough to do a traditional stock report.
I supposed we could look at what a couple of Packers players did over the bye week and rank their activities as rising or falling. For example, Jordy Nelson going to the World Series and Aaron Rodgers hanging out with Olivia Munn would land them in the rising category.
T.J. Lang whining about how he can’t block any punts in Madden would put him squarely in the falling category.
Ted Thompson doing whatever Ted Thompson does would make him steady. Ted Thompson is always steady.
An off-the-field Packers stock report could be interesting, but let’s save that one for another time. Instead, I’ll take a look at the Packers roster and try to predict who will rise, remain steady and fall over the season’s second half.
On to the stock report:
Rising
Aaron Rodgers
We’re seeing quarterbacks like Andrew Luck and Ben Roethlisberger put up some crazy videogame passing numbers. While Rodgers has been really good through eight games, he hasn’t had a video-game type of breakout yet. I think it’s going to happen.
Eddie Lacy
It wasn’t the stellar first half many of us predicted for Lacy. However, it wasn’t until November and December last season when Lacy really got going, logging three 100-yard rushing games. As the weather gets chillier, look for Lacy to warm up. He’s also showing signs of life as a pass-catcher, which will only help his cause.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
The rookie is always around the ball and is quick to close. He hasn’t made a WOW! play yet, but I get the sense that more WOW! plays are coming given how often Clinton-Dix is around the ball.
Steady
Mike Daniels
With the exception of the Seattle game, Daniels has delivered. As the Packers run defense continues to fall on its face, Daniels is going to have to remain steady down the stretch. I think he can do it.
Josh Sitton
There hasn’t been a more steady Packers offensive lineman in recent years and I don’t see any signs of that changing over the next eight games.
Mason Crosby
Hopefully I haven’t just cursed the second half of Crosby’s solid season……
Falling
Tramon Williams
Williams has looked a step slow and a few inches short on jump balls in recent weeks. I’m worried it could be a long season catching up with the aging veteran. Then again, I thought the same thing last year and Williams rebounded to have a monster second half. He even turned into an aggressive and willing tackler, something I never thought I’d see. Here’s hoping he has a similar breakout second half in 2014-15 and I’m wrong for putting him as a faller.
A.J. Hawk
What else is there left to say about Hawk? Packers fans have yearned for an alternative for years, but he’s always plugged in as the opening-day starter and he rarely lives up to starter status.
The Chicago Bears
Come Sunday at around 10:30 p.m. Lambeau Time, after another drubbing at the hands of the Packers, the Bears will have yet another reminder about why they still suck.
October 28, 2014 /
Adam Czech
/
Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
After eight games and heading into the bye week, the Green Bay Packers are about what we thought they were (cue the Denny Green soundbite).
- Aaron Rodgers is amazing and does amazing things.
- When Rodgers get hurt, even if it’s just a silly hamstring pull that he plays through, things go to hell in a hurry.
- The defense is better, but still not quite where it needs to be.
- The safety position is better than last year because 1) it couldn’t get much worse, 2) Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has a future and 3) Morgan Burnett looks improved.
- Inside linebacker hasn’t gotten worse, but it’s still no good.
- The injury situation is better, mainly because it couldn’t get much worse than it has been in recent years.
- The defensive line might be the one position that hasn’t lived up to expectations, even though those expectations were modest.
Add all that up and you get a team that’s 5-3 at the bye and on pace for around 11 wins and another division title despite its flaws. That’s about where most reasonable people pegged the Packers to finish.
The bothersome thing about this year’s team is that they’re so hard to read. Different areas of the team, including the coach’s decision making and playcalling, are up and down on a week-to-week basis.
Is that a sign of an inconsistent team that will go on a run once they put it all together? Or is that a sign of team that is good, but not quite good enough?
We’ll find out over the next two months. For now, onto the stock report:
Rising
Randall Cobb
This is about to become Cobb’s theme song after he signs a big contract, hopefully with the Packers. Will he hire a body guard named Virgil to guard against ketchup-wielding fans at Lambeau?
Eddie Lacy
Davante Adams has come along nicely as the Packers’ third receiver. After catching 100-plus yards worth of passes on Sunday, Lacy can stake claim to being the Packers’ fourth receiver.
Josh Sitton
Sitton never has a game where he’s totally worked over. He rarely even has stretches of games where his man gets the best of him. Year in year out, game in game out, Sitton shows up and gets the job done.
Steady
Mason Crosby
Will I always be nervous when Crosby trots out to kick a field goal? Probably, but perhaps it’s time we apply Aaron Rodgers’ advice to Crosby’s kicks and just R-E-L-A-X. He’s been steady as can be so far.
Falling
Michah Hyde
He just doesn’t seem fast enough to be an impact player. You can’t argue with the value the Packers have squeezed out of him as a later-round draft choice, but if injuries in the secondary persist, the Packers will need more from Hyde.
Josh Boyd
All we needed Boyd to do this season was develop into the 2010 version of C.J. Wilson: an unspectacular, but reliable and athletic run-stopper. So far, it hasn’t happened.
Refs
A small part of me died when Davon House was whistled for pass interference because he “cut off the receiver’s route.” By that definition, the very action of playing pass defense is a penalty.
October 21, 2014 /
Adam Czech
/
Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
After the Green Bay Packers throttling of the Carolina Panthers, how do you put any Packers in the falling category?
You know the Packers are on a roll when 1) the safety position is a strength; 2) Nick Perry is healthy and playing well; 3) their top cornerback is out and barely anyone notices; 4) the injury list is short, especially when compared to recent seasons; and 5) Aaron Rodgers is saying he and the team could be playing better.
Rodgers is typically overly positive when the Packers are playing poorly. When the Packers are rolling, Rodgers usually talks about all the improvements that need to happen. As Packers fans, we want Rodgers in “we can be better” mode, not R-E-L-A-X mode.
Will all this jubilation carry into the bye week after a road victory over the Saints this week? Or will the #FireCapers hashtags return after Drew Brees knocks the Packers defense down a few pegs?
Who knows. Just when you think you have a decent grip on who’s good and who’s not good in the NFL, the Rams beat the Seahawks, the Cowboys start 5-1, Kyle Orton wins a couple games as a starting QB and you start making ice fishing plans for hell.
On to the Packers Stock Report:
Rising
Aaron Rodgers
After another dazzling game from his quarterback, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers is playing better than he did during his 2011 MVP campaign. That sounds like it easily could be coachspeak hyperbole, but I think McCarthy is right. Rodgers makes a handful of ridiculously difficult throws per game (and mixes in a few nice runs, as well) and makes it all look much easier than it actually is.
Randall Cobb
Welcome to the rising category, Randall. It took you a little longer than we thought to arrive, but now that you’re here, please stay awhile. Oh, and since you’re probably going to be making a whole lot of money in the very near future, do you mind picking up the tab when the pizza delivery guy arrives? K, thanks!
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
It’s refreshing to see the Packers defense flying around again. They’re still not the physical, hard-hitting force that teams fear, but in today’s league, you don’t have to be. What’s been maddening about the Packers defense in recent years was their lack of explosiveness. They were always a step slow, and if they were in position to make a play, they’d flail at the ballcarriers feet and whiff or get dragged an extra three yards. Clinton-Dix has helped bring some of that explosiveness back. He won’t knock a guy’s helmet off with a big hit or shut down the other team’s top WR, but he’s always around the ball and his tacking is getting better each week.
Steady
Nick Perry
It looks like there’s hope for Perry, after all. In a limited role, Perry has been stout on the edge against the run and an effective power pass rusher. Now, let’s see if he can stay healthy and continue to contribute in the season’s second half.
Letroy Guion
Who put a quarter in Guion? Ever since tearing up his old team on Thursday night, Guion has held his own inside and has even provided the occasional big play. Pro Football Focus gives Guion a positive grade in each of his last three games.
Casey Hayward
All the guy does is pick off passes. You could also put Davon House in this spot. Either way, the Packers deep secondary is leading the resurgence on defense.
Falling
The fan who dumped ketchup on Randall Cobb
It had to have been a Panthers fan guilty of this offense. Packers fans know how to catch the Packers player doing the Lambeau Leap and maintain control of their food and beverage. What if Cobb is allergic tomoatos? What if he prefers sauer kraut on his dogs? What if some of the ketchup got in his eye and he was blinded the rest of the game? These are all things fans sitting in the Lambeau Leap zone need to be aware of. Keep the players clean when they make the leap.
The Chicago Bears
The Bears’ recent struggles have nothing to do with the Packers or the Packers’ next opponent. But it’s always important that you never miss an opportunity to point out how the Bears still suck.
October 14, 2014 /
Adam Czech
/
Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
Before we get to this week’s Packers Stock Report, what category would you put the Green Bay Packers in as a team after six games?
I’d say, overall, the Packers are steady.
They’ve done plenty of dumb things to land in the falling category and made plenty of huge plays that would merit a rising designation. When you add it all up, the Packers are right about where I, and many others, thought they’d be. They’re steady.
The Packers are relying heavily on Aaron Rodgers to make plays and lead the offense. For the most part, he’s coming through.
The secondary is anchoring an improved, but not yet good, defense. We’ll see what happens to this unit after recent defensive injuries.
There’s a mix of overachieving players (Jamari Lattimore and Corey Linsley) and underachievers (Clay Matthews and Eddie Lacy). Hopefully the overachievers keep it up and and underachievers get rolling.
The defensive line and inside linebackers have been liabilities, like everyone predicted.
Injury luck, until Sunday, was better than recent years. Sounds like the injuries to Tramon Williams, Sam Shields and Jamari Lattimore aren’t long term, so hopefully that injury luck continues.
Add all that up, combine it with a 4-2 record, and the steady description fits this team well.
Now the key is staying steady through Thanksgiving. From there, the teams who crank it up and enter the rising category will play in the Super Bowl. Hopefully the Packers are one of those teams.
Onto the Stock Report.
Rising
Aaron Rodgers
The fake spike play is getting all the national attention, but the touchdown pass to Randall Cobb in the third quarter was an amazing piece of quarterbacking. Rodgers is the first quarterback in NFL history with at least 15 touchdown passes and only one interception through his team’s first six games. And remember his only pick this season? He hit Jordy Nelson in the hands and it ricocheted to a defender.
Jordy Nelson
We’re getting close to creating a special Jordy Nelson category of the Packers Stock Report. Every week the guy is making both spectacular plays and the types of “regular” plays that a superstar receiver needs to make. Like Rodgers, it’s almost a given that Nelson will be rising every week.
Davante Adams
I think it’s safe to say Rodgers is starting to trust his young receivers. In a span of less than two months, Rodgers has gone from hesitant about his young targets to telepathically communicating with one of them, Adams, on a fake-spike play late in a close game.
Steady
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
He hasn’t been flashy, but he’s been solid, which is exactly what the Packers needed at safety. Clinton-Dix still whiffs on a tackle here and there, but he’s always buzzing around the ball. More big plays will come if he keeps it up.
James Starks
James Starks in 2014: 35 carries, 152 yards, 4.3 yards per carry. Eddie Lacy in 2014: 80 carries, 306 yards, 3.8 yards per carry. Not saying Starks should leap Lacy on the depth chart. What I am saying is that Starks has been a nice luxury to have as Lacy struggles. Those shotgun draws seem more suited for a quicker running back like Starks instead of Lacy. How about that 10-yard dash before the two-minute warning on Sunday? Great stuff.
Davon House
If Sam Shields and/or Tramon Williams miss time, get ready to see more of House. He’s been an excellent depth cornerback this season. Can he take the next step if asked to do so? We might be about to find out.
Falling
Clay Matthews
I always thought Matthews was underrated as a run defender. Not any more. His lack of discipline often leaves the edge totally exposed and he’s helpless on zone reads run in his direction. He’s disappeared on pass rushes far too often as well. Someone tell me to R-E-L-A-X about Matthews. I’m worried.
Brad Jones
Jones and Jarrett Bush were on the field at the same time for the Packers in the second half on Sunday. No wonder the defense struggled.
Rodgers’ clutch critics
Remember when people said Rodgers isn’t a clutch quarterback? Obama needs to deport those people to a different country.
October 7, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
Before the season, beat reporter Bob McGinn ranked the Green Bay Packers roster in order of importance to the Packers success for the upcoming season. Now that we’re five games into the season, let’s do something similar.
If the Packers are going to build off their recent success after a shaky start, which five players are going to have to remain healthy and productive? No, it’s not a full roster ranking like McGinn’s, but it gives a good overview of which players the Packers will need in order to have a shot at succeeding in January.
- Aaron Rodgers. An obvious No. 1.
- Mike Daniels. He was No. 2 on McGinn’s list and he’s No. 2 on mine. The defensive line needs all the production it can get.
- Jordy Nelson. One of the best in the game.
- Randall Cobb. Might seem high for Cobb, but if either he or Nelson gets hurt, this offense will sputter.
- Tramon Williams. The Packers secondary is legit and Williams is a big reason why.
A couple of notes on my rankings:
- Clay Matthews didn’t make the list because the Packers have more depth at OLB now with Julius Peppers. Mike Neal is also holding his own and Nick Perry is even showing signs of life.
- Williams made it because 1) he’s playing so well, 2) the secondary has been a strength of this team and needs to keep it up and 3) Williams has developed a nasty attitude, the type of attitude the defense needs.
- No Eddie Lacy, not because Lacy isn’t important, but because the Packers can win without a running game and often do.
- No offensive linemen, for many of the same reasons I didn’t include Lacy.
Now that we have our top 5 out of the way, on to the Packers Stock Report:
Rising
Tramon Williams
One of the Packers beat writers needs to go in-depth with Williams and do a story about the veteran’s transformation into one of the toughest players on the team. After the Packers Super Bowl season, Williams seemed to openly run away from contact and was a feeble tackler, at best. Starting at about the halfway point of last season, he started sticking his nose into the middle of everything and became totally fearless. Now he’s a capable tackler and his pass coverage has also been elevated a notch. Perhaps Williams’ shoulder from 2011 is finally fully healed. Or maybe the light went on one day and he realized he needed to play tougher. Either way, I love it and the Packers defense is better because of it.
Jordy Nelson
Anyone else have flashbacks to 2011 when Aaron Rodgers rolled out off of play action and hit Nelson deep on Thursday against the Vikings? That play was a staple in the Packers’ offense during that glorious season. If it makes a comeback, may God have mercy on the rest of the NFC.
Julius Peppers
Peppers, 6-foot-7, 285 pounds, and in his mid-30s, was outrunning Vikings backs and receivers on his way to the end zone after picking off a pass on Thursday. A guy I know who covered Peppers when he was in college at North Carolina said Peppers was the best athlete he’s ever seen. No kidding.
Steady
Corey Linsley
I think the center position is Linsley’s job to keep once J.C. Tretter is healthy. Looking ahead, the Packers will have a solid stable of players inside with Linsley, Josh Sitton, T.J. Lang and Tretter.
Josh Sitton
What else is there to say about Sitton at this point? He’s been good when the Packers offensive line was bad. Now that the line is showing some promise, Sitton is still good. Actually, he’s the best player the Packers have up front.
David Bakhtiari
Another week where the steady category is occupied by offensive linemen. If this keeps up, the Packers offense will be tough to stop.
Falling
Matt Flynn
It was garbage time, but you don’t want your backup QB to come in and throw a pick.
John Kuhn
After chipping Peppers and sending the Packers to the playoffs last season, Kuhn probably as a Packers roster spot for life. That’s fine, but he’s really not doing much with it at the moment.
The NFC North
Cutler is still Cutler. The Lions are really beat up. Half the Vikings roster is in prison. Now is the time for the Packers to make a run and build a lead in the division.
September 30, 2014 /
Adam Czech
/
Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
So far, the 2014 Green Bay Packers have gone from bad, to pretty good, to really bad, to TAKE THAT CHICAGO BEARS, THE PACKERS ARE BACK, BABY!!
In baseball, basketball and hockey, the good teams eventually rise to the top over the course of a long season. In football, the season isn’t that long. There’s less time for the truly good teams to separate from the bad ones. We find out who the good teams are, at least early in the season, almost on a game-by-game, week-by-week basis.
That’s why the emotional week-to-week swings in football seem so dramatic. Fans don’t want to see their favorite team’s season derailed because they fell flat for an entire month.
It’s still too early to tell how good the 2014 Packers are, but here’s what gives me hope: Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy loathe turnovers. The Packers are plus-4 in the turnover category, and if that keeps up, this team will contend like most of us thought they would.
Because there isn’t a huge talent differential team-to-team in the NFL, games are decided on a couple of mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are forced (Tramon Williams making a nice play on the Packers’ first interception on Sunday) and sometimes they’re not (Sam Shields getting a pick off a miscommunication later in the game).
Teams that avoid those game-changing miscues should win often enough to outlast the rest of the league and give themselves a chance to make a run once January rolls around. From there, you hope your quarterback or defense catches a fire that burns all the way to the Super Bowl.
Yes, it’s maddening to see the Packers get run over on defense and struggle to run the ball on offense. It’s also frustrating when the playcalling looks predictable and the rest of the offense isn’t clicking.
But if the Packers maintain a positive turnover ratio and avoid game-breaking mistakes, there’s more than enough talent on this team to do something special.
Well, there’s at least enough talent to win enough to be in the mix at the end. From there, it’ll be up to the defense to come around and the running game to figure things out.
On to the stock report:
Rising
Aaron Rodgers
A nice, relaxing 302 yards and four touchdowns earns Rodgers a spot in the rising category for the first time this season. Even if the Packers lost to the Bears and Rodgers failed to complete a single pass, I’d still probably put him as a riser solely because of the unbelievable throw he made to Davante Adams for a touchdown that got wiped out by a holding penalty. I almost stopped watching the game just so I could watch that throw over and over again. Perfection.
Jordy Nelson
Stafford/Johnson and Cutler/Marshall/Jeffrey get most of the hype, but Rodgers/Nelson is the best QB/WR combo in the NFC North, probably in all of football.
Tramon Williams
Halfway through last season, Packers fans were talking about cutting Williams. Now, he’s returned to form as the Packers’ best defensive back and one of the toughest players on the team.
Steady
David Bakhtiari
He needs to be better run blocking, but let’s be honest, the Packers don’t have Bakhtiari in there because of his run blocking prowess. His job is to protect Rodgers’ blind side, and he’s performing well.
Josh Sitton
After a rough day trying to deal with the Lions interior brutes, Sitton rebounded and had a great game against the Bears.
Bryan Bulaga
Similar to Bakhtiari, Bulaga isn’t showing much in run blocking, but his pass blocking has been excellent. When Rodgers never even gets knocked down, it’s no wonder the steady category is filled with nothing but offensive linemen.
Falling
Letroy Guion
I hope Ryan Pickett is having fun in Houston. Packers didn’t need him. Nope, no reason for the Packers to sign a 335-pound veteran to try and fix the run defense. No reason at all…
Brandon Bostick
What’s up with Bostick? I thought he was supposed to be Jermichael Finley-lite and create some space down the seam in the Packers passing attack. So far, he’s just playing special teams. Is he still injured? Does he not know the plays? Does he fall asleep during meetings? Maybe he steals Rodgers’ iPad on the sideline to play Angry Birds. It’s unfair to put a guy who doesn’t play in the falling category, but I’m doing it anyway because something is up with Bostick. He’s falling, but nobody knows why.
Clay Matthews’ groin
This is the first time I’ve put a groin in the falling category. Well, in any category. It’s kind of gross. I wish I hadn’t done it. But now that I have, I might as well talk about it. Matthews didn’t play poorly on Sunday, but he didn’t look all that explosive. I’m worried that his groin injury will hamper him all season. Then again, perhaps it’s Matthews’ atrocious beard slowing him down, not his groin. Clay: Shave your beard, heal your groin (and don’t mix up those two pieces of advice).
September 23, 2014 /
Adam Czech
/
Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
Putting together the Packers stock report is especially challenging after a loss.
The stock report takes into account a player’s recent performances, not just how they played in the last game. That’s tough to do after a loss because the screw-ups are fresh in everybody’s head. To a lot of fans, the whole team should be falling, regardless of what happened two weeks ago.
An added challenge to compiling the stock report this season has been the maddening play of the Packers.
Just when you think the defense is a lost cause, they put together a nice run. Aaron Rodgers appears to be dialed in, then he has a game like Sunday’s loss to the Lions.
Dom Capers’ defense looks like the same old sorry crew, then his guy’s turn it around and Mike McCarthy’s offense looks the sorry group.
There isn’t much consistency game-to-game, meaning you have to rely heavily on the most recent game when putting together the report.
Hopefully, the Packers develop some consistency soon. And hopefully that consistency puts the team in the rising category instead of falling.
On to the stock report:
Rising
Julius Peppers
Since coming over from the Bears, Peppers has had two sacks wiped away by penalties. He finally got Matthew Stafford on Sunday, stripping the ball out and recovering the fumble in the process. Peppers should be nice and fired up to face his old team on Sunday.
Davon House
The Packers’ secondary came to play on Sunday and House led the way. In fact, for as much crap as this defense gets, in 12 quarters of play this season, Green Bay’s defense has played just as well or better than the offense in about half of them. The secondary is a major reason why.
Steady
Tramon Williams
The late pass interference call Williams got tagged with wasn’t his fault. Williams simply made a play on the ball, but the throw was so far behind Calvin Johnson, it looked like Williams got there early. If the throw was accurate, Williams probably would have broken it up and the defense would trot off the field.
Andrew Quarless
It was Richard Rodgers who looked promising during the exhibition season, but Quarless has been the Packers best tight end so far. Quarless still not the down-the-seam threat the Packers need, but he’s been perfectly steady.
Falling
Eddie Lacy
At times, it looks like Lacy is playing Dance Dance Revolution out there. Put your head down and plow, son. Yes, the Packers have played three good run defenses, but Lacy had the opening-drive fumble on Sunday and killed two other drives by dancing around and taking huge losses.
Randall Cobb
Is it just me, or does Randall Cobb look a step or slower than what he’s been in the past? Or maybe it just looks that way because McCarthy’s unimaginative playcalling never gets Cobb the ball in open space.
Datone Jones
Has he even been active yet this season?
September 16, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
The Green Bay Packers pulled Sunday’s win over the New York Jets out of their you-know-what.
Muhammad Wilkerson getting ejected, an untimely timeout (if you’re the Jets), an injury to Eric Decker and Jets’ offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg inexplicably ditching the option and misdirection plays that worked so well for his team in the first quarter.
It sounds like I’m saying the Packers had no business winning that game. That’s not true. Any time you come back from 18 points down to win an NFL game, you deserve all the credit in the world. But you usually need some help to make that comeback happen and the Packers got it.
After two games, I still don’t know what to make of this Packers team.
Save for two quarters, the defense has looked atrocious. The offense caught fire against the Jets, but still couldn’t drive down for the dagger touchdown in the fourth quarter.
There’s no way the Packers win Sunday without Aaron Rodgers making some great throws, yet he still insists on holding the ball forever and taking unnecessary sacks. Receivers are struggling to get consistent separation without a legit pass-catching tight end, but does that matter when you’re as good as Jordy Nelson?
It sounds like I’m complaining. I’m not. The Packers are 1-1 even though they haven’t put together a full game yet. The ceiling for this squad remains high, but a few leaks still need to be patched.
On to the stock report:
Rising
Jordy Nelson
For a while, it looked like Jordy Nelson was going to try and beat the Jets all by himself. Eventually, his teammates arrived at Lambeau Field and gave him some help. But until they showed up, Nelson made play after play to keep the Packers offense from completely imploding.
Josh Sitton
Kudos to Sitton and other players on the Packers’ offense for mixing it up in the end zone after Green Bay scored to take the lead. It’s usually silly to risk a 15-yard penalty in the name of “toughness,” but in this case it was completely justified. I’m sick of seeing teams unload on Rodgers and run over our defense as our players hobble off the field and get put on injured reserve. Fight back. Be mean. Tell the other guys to eff off. You could sense the fans at Lambeau loved seeing some attitude from the team in green and gold, too. And, hey, the Packers weren’t flagged and Wilkerson was ejected for throwing punches.
Mason Crosby
A kicker in the rising category over Aaron Rodgers? Yup, a kicker in the rising category over Aaron Rodgers. I kind of assume everyone recognizes Rodgers as a riser every week, so he has to go on a really good run before I officially put him there. That allows me to recognize players like Crosby, who absolutely drilled a 55-yard field when the Packers were on life support.
Steady
Randall Cobb
Jordy Nelson got all the praise (deservedly so) while Cobb went out and hauled in two touchdown passes and a key two-point conversion. Cobb seems to be having some trouble getting separation from DBs, but he’s been reliable in the red zone when Rodgers needs him most.
Tramon Williams
When the Packers defense was getting run over early, it wasn’t because of Williams. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams was targeted six times on Sunday. He allowed one catch for zero yards and had an important interception. Williams has transformed himself from a really good, yet kinda soft cover corner to a tough-as-nails, do-whatever-it-takes veteran leader in the secondary. It used to be maddening watching Williams get run over in the flat or play soft on opposing WRs. Williams no longer gets run over and he takes on any and all WRs.
Mike McCarthy
As loudmouth bloggers like me, fans at Lambeau and Packers fans in front of their TVs screamed at McCarthy to go for it on a couple of fourth downs in the first half, the coach kicked field goals. I even tweeted this. McCarthy ignored all of it and kept putting points on the board, confident that his team would come around and eventually put it together. They did. If McCarthy wasn’t Mr. Steady and listened to all the crazies like yours truly instead of putting points on the board, the Packers might be 0-2 today. McCarthy was far from perfect on Sunday, but he was steady on those difficult fourth down decisions.
Falling
A.J. Hawk
Remember how awesome it was to see the Packers offense go toe-to-toe with the Jets after Green Bay scored to take the lead? I thought that attitude and toughness would lead to a three-and-out on defense. But on the very first play, Jeff Cumberland (who?) caught a 14-yard pass in front of Hawk. It’s time to see what Sam Barrington can do next to Jamari Lattimore.
Letroy Guion
You can’t tell me that Ryan Pickett isn’t better than Guion.
Jarrett Boykin
Davante Adams appears to have passed Boykin on the depth chart, for now. Boykin got off to a slow start last season and picked it up. Let’s see if he does it again.
September 9, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
There was a period during the Green Bay Packers’ 2009 and 2010 seasons where they couldn’t beat the NFL’s elite. You knew the Packers were good, really good, actually, but they couldn’t get over the hump against the likes of Atlanta, New England or the 2009 Vikings with Brett Favre slinging the ball around.
That all changed during a glorious six-game stretch at the end of 2010. Suddenly, the Packers’ talent meshed, the defense toughened up and the Packers were the elite team, beating 13-3 Atlanta on the road in the playoffs and the 12-4 Steelers in the Super Bowl.
That carried over throughout the 2011 regular season before crashing to a maddening halt with a divisional round loss to the Giants.
That Giants team had a tough defense and rushing attack that feasted on the soft and slow middle of the Packers’ defense. The 49ers and Seahawks have used that same formula — mixed with offensive sets and playcalling that are above defensive coordinator Dom Capers’ pay grade — to dominate the Packers in ensuing years.
Now the 2014 Packers are back to where they were in 2009 and most of 2010: Good, but not good enough to beat the best.
They managed to come around and take the next step in 2010. Can they do it again in 2014?
We’ll see. For now, on to the first Packers Stock Report of the 2014 regular season:
Rising
Josh Sitton
I wish the Packers offensive line could transfer some of it’s nastiness and attitude over to the defensive line. The o-line, led by Sitton, plays tough and mean. Those two traits don’t matter, though, if you can’t actually block anybody. Thankfully, Sitton captains a line that, when healthy, can actually block. The veteran right guard is going to need to be as good as he ever has been to make up for a lack of depth up front, especially if Bryan Bulaga misses time with yet another knee injury.
Sam Shields
Yeah, he got caught cheating on the Seahawks’ first touchdown pass, but perhaps Shields saw Seahawks center Max Unger 8 yards downfield like everyone else (besides the officials, unfortunately) and assumed the play was going to be a run. Other than that screw-up, Shields made decisive plays on the ball and was one of the few tackling bright spots on a miserable tackling night for the Packers.
T.J. Lang
After what the Seahawks did to the Packers in week 1, it’s hard to find another player worthy of the rising category. So, I’m going to give the third slot to T.J. Lang. Like Sitton, Lang is also playing well on an aggressive offensive line. But more importantly, he tweeted the following after the extended video of Ray Rice punching his then-fiance was released on Monday:
Bravo, Mr. Lang.
Steady
James Starks
Starks has managed to stay healthy for a while now and he’s grown into one of the better backup running backs in the NFL. If Lacy’s second concussion in less than a year forces him to miss some time, I’m not too worried about the Packers’ running game because of Starks. That type of reassurance is exactly what you want out of your backup players.
Clay Matthews
Perhaps the only player on the Packers’ defense who plays like he wants to destroy every single player on the other team, Matthews looked good in his newish role as a do-everything and line up all-over-the-place linebacker. His surgically repaired thumb also remained attached to his hand. Now that he’s healthy and effective again, Matthews needs to have a chat with Mike Daniels and let the defensive lineman know that all that bravado he talked during the offseason needs to start showing up on the field if this Packers defense is going to turn things around.
Falling
Brad Jones
Enough is enough. Let’s see what Jamari Lattimore and/or Sam Barrington can do.
Derek Sherrod
I’m pulling for Sherrod to develop into a player. I really am. He suffered a terrible injury in 2011 and it’d be nice to see him come all the way back and fulfill the promise of a first-round pick. After Thursday’s matador-like performance, he’s got a long ways to go.
Dom Caopers
I’ve never been a #FireCapers guy, but it’s become painfully obvious that he’s overmatched when he has to prepare for power teams that use a lot of misdirection and non-traditional formations and sets. At this point, I wouldn’t mind if Capers stepped away to *cough* spend more time with his family *cough* like former Packers linebackers coach Kevin Greene did last offseason.
August 17, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Packers Stock Report
Normally I don’t start doing the Packers Stock Report until the regular season begins. Why? I have no idea.
A Packers Stock Report after the second exhibition game seems to make sense to me, thous. So, let’s do this:
Rising
Jayrone Elliot
When you get three sacks in four plays like Elliot did against the Rams on Saturday, you end up in the rising category. I don’t care if Elliot’s outburst came against third-stringers and an obviously overmatched tackle. Three sacks in four plays makes you a riser. Period.
Sam Barrington
I hopped on Barrington’s bandwagon when the Packers drafted him. After looking good in the first two exhibition games, others are joining me for the ride. Barrington is aggressive, explosive and plays mean — characteristics we’re not used to seeing from Packers’ middle linebackers in the post-Desmond Bishop era. Hopefully the Packers keep turning Barrington loose and he continues making plays.
Casey Hayward
Not many people are talking about Hayward, but those who are say he looks great after missing most of last season. He looked great against the Rams, especially on an early deep route down the sideline that he knocked down. If Hayward returns to his rookie year form, this secondary will be fun to watch.
Steady
Aaron Rodgers
QB1 effortlessly moved the Packers down the field for two scoring drives on Saturday and had the first-team offense humming. In other words, Rodgers did exactly what we expected he would do.
Eddie Lacy
It’s probably unfair to stick Lacy in the steady category. He’s anything but steady when he runs the ball. He’s crazy. I was screaming at Lacy to go out of bounds when he approached the sideline on a run against the Rams, but instead he spun inside and plowed his way for a few more yards. Lacy knows no other way to play than all out.
Scott Tolzien/Matt Flynn
The battle for the Packers backup QB job is at a stalemate. Both Tolzien and Flynn have played well. Tolzien looked especially sharp on Saturday despite taking some shots behind a shaky backup offensive line. Whomever wins, I’ll feel much better about the Packers backup QB than in previous seasons.
Falling
Davante Adams the punt returner
Enough is enough. It’s time to end the Davante Adams as a punt returner experiment.
Derek Sherrod
As great as the Packers starting offensive line has looked, the depth players have looked just as inept. Sherrod was beat often on Saturday and took a step backward after a good showing against the Titans. He seems to have all the tools you need to be a good left tackle, but he needs to be more aggressive with hands before pass rushers get into him.
NFL preseason
Man, I hate the preseason, even if the Packers are playing. Sept. 4 can’t get here soon enough.
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