Posts about Green Bay Packers

Recapping an exciting playoff weekend in the NFL

 while eating a Bastardly Certified lunch by 6

1-14

The first weekend of this year’s playoffs was mediocre but this past weekend the NFL gave fans some of the greatest football I’ve seen in a 48 hour span. The divisional round is thought of by most as the best weekend of the entire season and this weekend’s games certainly backed up that statement. Where do I even begin? We’ll start in chronological order.

Bal-Den: What was Manning thinking with that throw across his body late in the first overtime? I was the back up QB in middle school and even I know not to throw across your body into the middle of the field. But hey, he’s the future hall of fame NFL player so i’ll defer to him. After that interception, the Ravens were able to gain enough yardage to set up the game winning field goal in the second overtime period. Second overtime! How many times do we see “2OT” on the scoreboard in the NFL? It was actually kind of odd. I know Joe Flacco had that great (elite?) pass late in the game to seal the comeback but I gotta give some props to their RB Ray Rice. Rice secretly tore up the Denver defense, rushing for 131 yards and a TD on 30 carries. Incredible game with an incredible finish.

SF-GB: I’ll be the first to admit that I was a bit skeptical about how Colin Kaepernick would perform in his first playoff start but boy did he prove me wrong. Kaepernick bounced back from an early pick-6 in record breaking fashion to lead the 49ers in an impressive victory over the Packers. Kaepernick’s stat line (pass: 263 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT; rush: 181 yds, 2 TDs) doesn’t even do him justice as he out dueled Aaron Rodgers, a proven SB winner and one of the best QBs in the league. Credit to the 49ers defense who never let Rodgers get in sync, even after the Packers took an early lead from a play made on defense. I also have to give credit to the rest of the Niners rushing attack (Gore and co) who had the Packer defense confused the entire game. Damn, the Niners are a scary team.

Atl-Sea: Another wild finish that I did not see coming. Seattle certainly had a chance to win the game after an incredible comeback but Atlanta’s big plays late in the game were the deciding factor. The Falcons finally broke their streak of recent playoff losses and even though I had the Seahawks winning the game, I actually felt good for the Falcons players. Particularly TE Tony Gonzalez, who broke down in tears after the clock expired. I have to ask about the 4th quarter: was it more Falcons meltdown or a Seahawks comeback? It was incredible to watch Russell Wilson lead the Seahawks to 21 unanswered points in the final period but it still wasn’t enough. Seems like there’s a bright future for Seattle but this season it’s the Falcons that are moving on.

NE-Hou: This game didn’t exactly live to the rest of the weekend’s games in terms of excitement but it was still impressive to see how much the Patriots dominated the Texans. Tom Brady broke the record for career playoff wins as he led the Patriots offense in a dominating victory over the Texans. Houston simply could not keep up with the Patriots offense, particularly in the second half. The Texans kept the game close through the first half but after the Patriots dominated the 3rd quarter it began to shape into a easy W for New England. Despite losing Gronkowski (for the season) during the first quarter, the Patriots offense continued to dominate but it’ll be interesting to see how the injury affects them going forward.

View All Photos ›

Trying to figure out the NFC divisional round

 after a late four martini lunch by 3

1-11

This side of the tournament was much more difficult to figure out. I could honestly see both games coming down to the final possession, whether it be a last second field goal or whatever, these games are going to be close. The Packers and 49ers played in the very first week of the season at Lambeau with the Niners dominating but both of these teams are clearly different squads. 49ers have a new starting QB and the Packers are led by a red-hot Aaron Rodgers. Down in Atlanta the momentum heavy Seahawks are looking to once again upset an opponent as the try and play spoiler to Atlanta’s party. Can Atlanta finally shed their playoff demons? There are lots of NFL fans around the country that believe Atlanta isn’t as good as it’s 13-3 record and don’t deserve the #1 seed. I can’t wait for these games to start.

Keys to each game: For the Packers, as usual, it’s going to be about how much Rodgers can carry the team on offense. Everyone knows that the Niners have an excellent defense so watch how Rodgers responds to pressure throughout the game. The Niners defense isn’t at full health so I want to see just how much pressure they actually get on Rodgers, anything to disrupt the Packers pass offense. How will Colin Kaepernick perform in the first playoff start of his career? Kaepernick’s mobility could be problem for the Packers but look for the Niners QB to find his favorite target, Crabtree, early and often. Also, both of these teams are facing issues with their kickers so watch out for that as well.

The Seahawks will have to use all of their momentum, especially on defense to stop the array of weapons that the Falcons can put on the field. Seattle is dealing with injuries at key positions on defense so it will have to be seen how much that affects the amount of pressure that is put on Matt Ryan. The biggest factor for the Falcons on offense will be how much seperation their elite receivers (Jones and White) can get against the Seahawks’ great corners. Things might get pretty intense on the sidelines with balls thrown deep. Both defenses are among the best in league in takeaways so a turnover is most likely going to result in a big play for the other team.

Prediction: I flipped back and forth between these two games, not knowing which teams to pick because I feel every single one of teams deserves to be in the NFC title game. Can Atlanta finally prove they can perform when it matters most? I’m taking Seattle and their momentum. Along with Wilson’s ability to win games from out of nowhere. Until I see Atlanta come through when it matters most, i’m hesitant to take them. Prove me wrong Falcons. As for the Packers-49ers game, everyone else’s guess is as good as mine. I think these teams are extremely close and either could take the victory. If I have to put my money on something, it’s going to be the better QB and that’s Rodgers. Packers win a very close game. Maybe we’re just destined to see a rematch of the “fail mary” to settle the score once and for all.

Enjoy the games everyone.

View All Photos ›

Lingering questions, comments and concerns about the NFL’s wild-card weekend

 after a late four martini lunch by 5

1-8

My initial plans were to post my comments yesterday, with the action from Sunday still fresh in my mind. Unfortunately, my body decided to get a flu sometime Friday night so I ended up watching the wild card games huddled in blankets. Now i’m back on track to 100% so I can post some thoughts that are still on my mind from Sunday’s games. Before I get to that, I know i’m not the first person to say that the games were a bit underwhelming as a whole. That changed Sunday so all is well that ends well.

How effective can the Texans be with Schaub? I picked the Bengals mostly because I thought the Texans were in a major rut, particularly at the QB position. Foster was much better (32 car, 140 yds, 1 TD) and defense was solid but even after all that, the Bengals still had a strong chance to win game at the end. Dalton and the Bengals weren’t able convert on 3rd down the entire game but it always felt like the Bengals were in. To Schaub’s credit, he did convert a nice pass to basically seal the game for Houston but how much further can they advance?

Are the Packers the scariest team in the NFC? Poor Adrian Peterson, I really feel bad that a RB of his caliber has to be stuck with such mediocre play at QB. The Packers threw absolutely everything at him, daring the Vikings pass game to keep up with the Packers and it ended up working for Green Bay. What surprised me the most about the Packers offense was how effective their running game was. The Packers used a Harris-Kuhn combo very well, particularly in the red zone to further open up the passing game of Aaron Rodgers and co. The result was Rodgers being able to find 10 different receivers. Scary.

Is Joe Flacco taking that next step? Flacco gets a lot of crap for calling himself “elite” and among the top quarterbacks in the league but he played very well against the Colts. It doesn’t hurt when his best receiver Boldin (145 yds, 1 TD) is able to catch any bomb that’s thrown his way. Yes, the Colts secondary isn’t known for shutting teams down but it’s the kind of game that any quarterback can use as momentum heading forward. Oh yeah, we get it Ray Lewis, it was your last home game. Stop dancing and save the energy for when you’re in Denver this weekend.

Should RG3 have kept playing? One of the hottest topics around the league yesterday and that was before it was being reported that he partially tore ligaments in a previously injured knee. The field was terrible and is part of blame but how much should land on head coach Shanahan and the rest of the Redskins staff? Chances are that this won’t be the only time RG3 is in the postseason so why would the Redskins risk a “do or die” playoff attitude right now? One of the biggest reasons people are questioning this decision not bench RG3 is because back up Kirk Cousins has shown the capability to lead them to a victory.

Ps. How great was it that Russell Wilson sprinted past Marshawn Lynch to block for him (pictured above) on the go ahead TD for the Seahawks?

View All Photos ›

Heading into week 12, who are the top 5 teams in the NFL?

 after a late four martini lunch by 3

Trying to figure out the top 5 teams in the league it a tough task, especially when trying to reason why Team A belongs but Team B doesn’t, even though Team B has a better record. It’s also great to go back and see what the rankings were like just a month ago and how different the landscape in comparison. When I look at the teams that consist of the top 5, i’m looking for the best bets to win the Super Bowl right now. This is based off recent performances, specifically the last two weeks so it’s more a power rankings or momentum rankings. Also factored in are injuries. Example: the Steelers can’t be considered until Roethlisberger is starting and performing at his usual level.

Even though the two teams with the best records weren’t very convincing this past weekend, the nod for the two leaders in the rankings go to Houston and Atlanta. Right now they’re both sitting at 8-1 and inching towards home field advantage throughout the playoffs but this past Sunday showed it won’t be an easy road. It’s still the NFL (you know, the National. Football. League. NFL) and a underdog always has a shot. Right now i’d put my money on the Texans as the true leader because despite what the Jaguars did to them, they do have an elite defense and one of the best running backs in the league. Also, everyone knows the Falcons have to prove they can do it in the postseason.

These next three were very tricky. I’m most confident about including the 49ers in the third spot. They absolutely destroyed a good Bears team even though both teams were playing without their starting QBs. I’m also going to throw in the Packers because it looks like they’re gaining momentum and a statement win this weekend against the Giants (coming off a bye) would be a huge statement. Yes, that also benefits the Cowboys. My 5th team was the hardest to decide. Last weekend it would’ve been flipped but i’m going with the Patriots as part of my elite top 5. The Gronkowski injury is alarming but they blew out a Colts team that was playing well and the Broncos did good against a Chargers team that looked like they’d given up. Where are the Ravens at 8-2? Discouraging wins as of late. I need to see some actual offense but like I said earlier, these rankings change from week to week.

Friendly reminder: the Thanksgiving games tomorrow (all times eastern) 12:30pm Texans at Lions; 4:15pm Redskins at Cowboys; 8:20pm Patriots at Jets. So even if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, go enjoy some football dammit!

View All Photos ›

Seahawks edge Packers 14-12 on last second play amid refereeing controversy

 after a late four martini lunch by 11

Is controversy the right word? What about travesty? Catastrophe? The words to describe what transpired last night between the Seahawks and Packers could go on and on. In case you’re not a sports fan or don’t entirely follow the NFL, i’ll give you a quick recap. In a tight defense battle between the Packers and Seahawks, the game came down to the final drive, filled with penalties that the replacement referees got wrong. The sum of it all was a final play in the end zone, a jump ball clearly caught in favor of the Packers but due to replacement referee incompetence, it was awarded to the Seahawks and ultimately it could not be overturn due to NFL rules.  Replays were shown over and over, clearly showing that Packers defender M.D. Jennings had possession of the ball but Seahawks receiver Golden Tate had part of his arm on the ball so the referee awarded the catch to Tate. Did I mention that right before Tate made his “catch” he blatantly pushed a Packers defender in the back? Football fans around the country were left dumbfounded wondering how something like that could happen. Ok, so the call was horrendous, we can all agree on that. What now?

How does the NFL react? How do teams (owners, coaches and players) react? How do NFL fans around the country and world react? Like many fans out there, I didn’t have a rooting interest last night but I wouldn’t want this to happen with my team being on the losing side. Many fans are throwing around ideas of boycotting the league, protesting outside of stadiums or anything that can put enough pressure on Roger Goodell and league to get this situation fixed. Action from NFL fans is necessary but it’s going to come down to Goodell. He’s the commissioner and the man with the power to get this situation fixed swiftly and effectively. This topic will continue to be discussed at length over the next few days and it’s what has to happen because anything that keeps pressure on the league and Goodell is a positive. It’s gotten to the point where the integrity of the game has been compromised. The line has been crossed.

Next Monday I will be heading to Cowboys stadium to watch my Dallas Cowboys take on the Chicago Bears, exactly one week after this incident occurred. Will this be fixed? I certainly hope so, this isn’t the type of football I expected when I paid for my tickets.

View All Photos ›

Packers defense dominates Bears in Thursday night NFL action

 in the middle of the afternoon by 1

It actually felt a little weird writing that headline. One would think that the team dominating on defense would be the Bears of Chicago but that wasn’t the case last night. The Green Bay Packers used pressure-heavy defense and a key trick play on special teams to take the victory over the Chicago Bears 23-10 last night at Lambeau Field. People thought that these Packers would be playing with desperation, not wanting to fall into an 0-2 that hole that meant doom for any team with Super Bowl aspirations such as Green Bay. It certainly looked like the Packers were the hungrier team last night, fighting offensive struggles in the 1st quarter to come out on top right before the halftime. It was probably the biggest moment of the game, right before the half, the Packers took advantage of  a Chicago turnover and converted on a trick play (pictured above) for the first Green Bay TD. It was a gutsy call that took everyone by surprise but it came at the perfect place and the perfect time. From there it was a couple of scores by the Packers and they were on their way to the first victory of their season.

On the other side of the field, the Chicago Bears had a terrible night. Particularly on offense and particularly Jay Cutler. Bears QB Jay Cutler threw 4 interceptions last night (a big ouch for fantasy owners that started him, like myself) and he was just all around miserable. He did end up with a TD in garbage time but thanks to a shaky offensive line, he was hounded all night by the Packers defense. I would be surprised if Cutler, or any quarterback for that matter, could have a good game while being sack five times and having that much pressure the entire game. Cutler is getting a lot of scrutiny today, most because he’s acting like he usually does after a lousy performance. The consensus on Jay Cutler’s body language after a loss like this is resembles a person standing in line at the DMV. I tired to think of a more accurate scenario to counter  but I can’t, it’s exactly what he looks like. Now the Bears have a couple of extra days to get back to the way they looked in week 1.

Last season I did picks every week. I thought it was a good idea until I realized how terrible I was at them so I erased that format. I do have one this week for an upset pick. I like the Jets to upset the Steelers (-6).

Until Sunday!

View All Photos ›