Random Packer News & Notes

[Leader]

Green Bay Packers: 3 reasons why the 2018 team disappointed

The Green Bay Packers now sit at 4-6-1 following a 24-17 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings. Although they are still mathematically alive for the 2018 playoffs, they are realistically eliminated from contention.

There are a lot of different reasons fans can point to the Packers disappointing 2018 campaign and many of them wouldn’t be wrong. Whether it’s the lack of creativity on offense, the 0-6 road record or any other reason, the Packers have failed to capitalize this season.

Aaron Rodgers doesn’t have much time left as an “elite” quarterback either. He’ll turn 35-years-old very shortly and is beginning to have some self-doubts creep in. That’s not a good combination for a team that has largely squandered his greatness over the seasons.

At the end of the season, changes will need to be made in Green Bay. Whether it’s minor tweaks, a complete overhaul or anywhere in between, the Packers can’t afford another season similar to 2018. Before we begin to assess what should happen, let’s review the three most prominent reasons why 2018 was a complete and utter disaster.

Undisciplined football

On the Vikings final touchdown drive of the game, Kirk Cousins faked an inside handoff and rolled out to the far side of the field. As he did so, Clay Matthews, who was responsible for outside contain, was completely fooled on the play and took a step or two inside. By the time Matthews recovered, Cousins jetted toward the line of scrimmage-forcing a defensive back to step up. As the defensive back vacated his area, Cousins dumped it off to Adam Thielen who found his way around and through multiple defenders on his way to the end zone.

That’s the type of undisciplined play that every player on this Packers’ roster has been guilty of this season. Whether it’s not being sound in their assignments, failing to take a knee on a kickoff, penalties on special teams, or not taking what the defense is giving you-it’s been a disaster.

The Packers look like a team who hardly practices. Of course, that’s not the case, but they are severely lacking in many areas of the game. Green Bay isn’t a good team and they can’t afford to shoot themselves in the foot like they so often do.

Lack of elite quarterback play

Aaron Rodgers has had his usual flashes of brilliance this season. Take the first quarter against the Vikings for example. Rodgers was his typical mobile self who was extending plays, making throws and finding his guys in rhythm. Unfortunately, that didn’t last long.

Unlike in year’s past, Rodgers hasn’t shown the ability to sustain his greatness over long periods of time. Far too often, he looks merely average. And that’s not good enough for Green Bay.

Due to the many flaws on the roster, Rodgers has been tasked with playing great football in order to give the Packers a chance to win on most weeks. However, Rodgers hasn’t been able to do that with this team and it’s been one of their major downfalls. If he had played like the Rodgers from two years ago, this team would be right in the middle of the playoff hunt.

Lack of talent

It’s fair to say Rodgers hasn’t played up to his standards this season, but it’s unfair to put all the blame on his shoulders. Even though he hasn’t been as good as in the past, this team is also very flawed and lacks talent from top to bottom.

Offensively, Green Bay lacks playmakers. They have Davante Adams and an emerging Aaron Jones, but very little behind them. Jimmy Graham has been a total disaster and Green Bay hasn’t had any consistency with their receivers. The offensive is also lacking outside of David Bakhtiari and Corey Linsley.

Defensively is even worse, as Green Bay has holes all over the place. They have a few key players in Kenny Clark, Mike Daniels, Blake Martinez and Jaire Alexander who can each hold their own. However, basically everyone else around them in below-average to average at best.

The lack of talent became apparent when Rodgers went down with an injury last season and was hammered home in 2018. In order for Green Bay to take the next step, they must reload the roster.

From MMQB

[thrILL!]

56 minutes ago, Leader said:

Hyperbole

Jimmy Graham has been a total disaster

Martellus Bennett was a total disaster.  Graham has been underused.

Edited November 28, 2018 by thrILL!

[Leader]

7 hours ago, thrILL! said:

Martellus Bennett was a total disaster.  Graham has been underused.

Hi thrILL!

I'll ask you not to edit my comments - or make it appear to be my comment/thought when it isnt. Thats not the intent of the function.

A variety of reasons could be applied to Graham's less than spectacular season. The writer of that article chose to characterize the transaction as a disaster.

I totally agree Bennett turned out to be a waste of time. I wish we'd simply signed Cook and been done with the entire enterprise.

If we had:
A). We wouldnt have needed to consider Bennett.
B). The team may have taken a more critical eye to his attitude and injury history if we wanted him
C). A didnt happen - so we needed the guy - and B didnt happen either.
D). We got screwed.

[Dubz41]

1 hour ago, Leader said:

 

I'll ask you not to edit my comments - or make it appear to be my comment/thought when it isnt. Thats not the intent of the function.

 

You posted someone else's comments.  You didn't add anything originally.  Thrill can edit what he wants. He commented on MMQB's thoughts and rightfully so.  The comment on Graham was hyperbole.  Graham was having quiet, but historically (for GB TEs) successful year.  Just not in the Red Zone.

How do we know what your intent is? Most of your posts are just reposting others' tweets.

[Leader]

6 minutes ago, Dubz41 said:

You posted someone else's comments.  You didn't add anything originally.  Thrill can edit what he wants. He commented on MMQB's thoughts and rightfully so.  The comment on Graham was hyperbole.  Graham was having quiet, but historically (for GB TEs) successful year.  Just not in the Red Zone.

How do we know what your intent is? Most of your posts are just reposting others' tweets.

Oh geez. Correct - I posted "someone else's comments" - intact. I didnt change their words. The bolded part of your comment is correct. Many if not most of my posts are simply making content available to the board for others to consider. In short form: thats my intent. Theres no hidden personal opinion to be discerned.

Edited November 28, 2018 by Leader

[Norm]

3 hours ago, Leader said:

Oh geez. Correct - I posted "someone else's comments" - intact. I didnt change their words. The bolded part of your comment is correct. Many if not most of my posts are simply making content available to the board for others to consider. In short form: thats my intent. Theres no hidden personal opinion to be discerned.

I kinda agree with both of you, just because I only saw his reply, I didn't read all that thing he quoted. It looked that's what you said haha. It was a little confusing if you aren't reading every word

[Leader]

54 minutes ago, Norm said:

I kinda agree with both of you, just because I only saw his reply, I didn't read all that thing he quoted. It looked that's what you said haha. It was a little confusing if you aren't reading every word

It's fairly simple and not a big deal. I asked a poster not to edit my comments so it appeared the edited words were mine. Thats it. Short. Simple and easy to understand. Any poster has the ability to "Quote" a comment and say anything they care to. Fine. I didnt jump down anybodies throat. Simply asked it not be done in the future. As it pertains to my comments - there is no "both sides" - just as I dont have license to amend your words above to read something other than you intended when you typed them. It's not a big deal.

[thrILL!]

5 hours ago, Leader said:

It's fairly simple and not a big deal. I asked a poster not to edit my comments so it appeared the edited words were mine. Thats it. Short. Simple and easy to understand. Any poster has the ability to "Quote" a comment and say anything they care to. Fine. I didnt jump down anybodies throat. Simply asked it not be done in the future. As it pertains to my comments - there is no "both sides" - just as I dont have license to amend your words above to read something other than you intended when you typed them. It's not a big deal.

I edited it bcuz it was the only part of the quote that I wanted to address (there was enough nonsense in there to go around).  Bennett was a disaster; Graham is nowhere near one.  It’s hyperbole regardless who said it originally but I didn’t try to paint it like it was you.  

Tbh, the fact that you think we can’t navigate a forum page and tell the difference between a quote and a poster’s comment is pretty disingenuous.  Well, except for Norm apparently. 😉

And this in spite of the fact that you failed to provide a link which is pretty basic posting.  

Edited November 29, 2018 by thrILL!
Fire MM

[Mr Anonymous]

Small anecdote on Jared Cook, as best my memory serves - Between the time the Packers signed him in late March 2016 and early June, he did some major damage to his foot/ankle while partying one night in Vegas. I believe it was the day prior to reporting for a mandatory mini-camp. Upon reporting Cook tried to play it off as an existing condition from a prior injury but he wound up requiring surgery that slowed him down well into the season. And mind you, he had a physical when he signed so the team knew his story was BS. It turns out that not bringing Cook back in 2017 was a big gaffe but that incident played a role in why they didn't make a strong push to re-sign him.

[Leader]

25 minutes ago, thrILL! said:

And this in spite of the fact that you failed to provide a link which is pretty basic posting.  

I failed to provide a link which is pretty basic posting? LOL People on this forum have commented previously about clickbait - so rather than providing the link, I indicated where the article came from. Pretty basic stuff really.

[thrILL!]

5 minutes ago, Leader said:

I failed to provide a link which is pretty basic posting? LOL People on this forum have commented previously about clickbait - so rather than providing the link, I indicated where the article came from. Pretty basic stuff really.

It looks like you posted the entire article, which unless things have changed around here, has always been frowned upon.  Ppl shorten quotes all the time in order to address specifics and even manage to not get confused by it.  But way to skip the rest of what I said. 

[Leader]

2 minutes ago, thrILL! said:

It looks like you posted the entire article, which unless things have changed around here, has always been frowned upon.  Ppl shorten quotes all the time in order to address specifics and even manage to not get confused by it.  But way to skip the rest of what I said. 

I'm done with this chatter.

[thrILL!]

5 minutes ago, Leader said:

I'm done with this chatter.

(7:39) Leader pulled from the game

[Leader]

Green Bay Gazette:

"The Packers are not the best team in football, but Green Bay remains the best football city in the country and one of the best sports cities overall.

The personal finance website WalletHub ranked Green Bay as the best city for football and 21st best for sports, slipping a little from 19th last year. It has been first in football for several years running. WalletHub compared 419 cities using 50 measures related to the five largest sports in the United States: football, basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer.

The overall ranking is remarkable because Green Bay finished dead last in baseball and hockey, and was 127th in soccer and 181st in basketball. Apparently, Green Bay's football counts more than everyone else's everything else"

[Leader]

Journal Sentinel:

"Thirty players who were part of the Super Bowl XXXI championship Green Bay Packers team will be at Wisconsin State Fair Park on Saturday, part of a reunion autograph show hosted by Ball Four Sports Collectibles. Brett Favre, former general manager Ron Wolf and pretty much every other player you remember from that 1996 team will be there, including Desmond Howard, LeRoy Butler, Antonio Freeman, Mark Chmura, Frank Winters, Keith Jackson, Chris Jacke, Gilbert Brown, Santana Dotson, Sean Jones, Don Beebe, Dorsey Levens, William Henderson, Craig Newsome and Andre Rison"