• Falcon and Rhino All Day Long

With the expected return of fullback Korey Hall, McCarthy can finally get back to his two fullback, two tight end sets. Dubbed ‘Falcon’, ‘Rhino’, and various other things, these formations were used to great effect in the playoff win against the Seahawks last season, the difference being (apart from the snow) that this time McCarthy should use them to open the game, rather than to put the game away, as he did last year. The Giants made the Seahawks defense look silly last week in the Meadowlands, but everybody knows the Seahawks have a different defensive squad at Qwest Field. The deafening crowd noise causes nightmares for visiting offenses, especially offensive linemen trying to react to the snap count. The best way for McCarthy to combat this will be to pound the football early. The Packers power formations match up well against the Seahawks and their lighter front seven. The right side in particular, with Spitz and Tauscher working against Bernard and Kerney, should be exploited by the Packers’ running game.

• Don’t Underestimate The Seahawks Pass Rush

Mark Tauscher handled Patrick Kerney last season without any help. He was so dominate that Kerney’s name failed to appear on the stat sheet one time for any reason. That won’t happen on Sunday. For whatever reason (Greg Bedard intimated that Tauscher is playing hurt in the JSOnline weekly chat - sorry, sub req) Tauscher is not playing up to his usual standards. Neither is Chad Clifton. And Seattle is not where you go when you’re having problems protecting the quarterback. Their pass rush is simply a completely different animal at Qwest Field. One need look no further than the film from the Seahawks games in Seattle against St. Louis and San Francisco and then compare it to last weeks defeat against the Giants in New York. It’s night and day. McCarthy should use ample shifts of his tight-ends, like the touchdown play to Driver, to shore up the protection. And he should look to get Greg Jennings matched up on Seahawk corner Kelly Jennings, who simply won’t be able to cover him one-on-one.

DEFENSE:

• Put Eight In the Box on Every Play
  

Seriously. The Seahawks likely starting receivers are Billy McMullen and Keary Colbert. There’s simply no way the Packers should get beat on the edges. Sanders must commit a safety to the line of scrimmage throughout the game and take away even the pretense of a Seahawks running game. Of course, this assumes Sanders employs a few run blitzes with his linebackers. If the past few weeks have taught us anything, its that the defensive line can not be trusted to control the line of scrimmage. It’s imperative that Sanders recognize that his usual M.O. of having his linebackers 5-8 yards off the line of scrimmage and reacting at the snap of the ball simply is not getting anything done against either the run or the pass. This game should be tailor-made for the Packers defense, as the Seahawks, outside of Matt Hasselbeck and possibly Julius Jones and Maurice Morris, don’t have any playmakers on offense. (Although watch rookie tight end Jon Carlson who has looked impressive)

• Help Will Blackmon - Preferably By Demoting Him

The good news: When the Seahawks go to their three wide receiver package, putting veteran Bobby Engram in the slot, the Packers counter by putting Charles Woodson against him. The bad news: This leaves Will Blackmon outside to handle someone in space. This is bad. Blackmon - for all his kick return prowess - has simply looked lost in coverage and not nearly physical enough for the style of football the Packers want to play on defense. Rookie Pat Lee, while raw, has simply looked better in coverage up to this point, and much more physical at the line. Yes, he was the victim of a ludicrous pass interference penalty this past week - but as McCarthty says, you can live with combative penalties.

One of the things that doomed Mike Sherman’s defenses were his and Ed Donatell’s stubborn refusal to go with rookies when their defensive veterans were clearly struggling. This is a mistake, especially in today’s NFL. One need look no further than last years champions, the New York Giants, to see an example of a team unafraid to play youth in the secondary. Patrick Lee, it is said, is a ‘project’ - well of course he is. But there’s no way he will progress if he’s not allowed to play. That said, he is already better than Blackmon, who struggles to locate the ball and loses his relationship between his man and the quarterback far too easily. Throw in the fact that he seems scared to be physical with receivers on the line, something Lee has seemingly taken a liking to, and it’s a no-brainer that Lee should be allowed to work as the nickel back until Al Harris’ return.

ShareThis

You’re OK with how Nick is playing?

Moss: Versus his opportunities, he’s making the plays versus his opportunities.

Do you need to free him up, get him more opportunities?

Moss: You’re asking the wrong guy.

ShareThis

I want to get healthy there. That’s the thing. When you talk about health, and you’ve heard me say it here time and time again, there are no excuses when it comes Sunday, but the thing about being healthy is it kind of runs through your whole program. The way you practice, you’ve got line, linebackers playing tight end, things are just not as clean as you would like. It’s no different for the offensive line. Chad is having some medical issues and we’re trying to get him over that, so with that that you are working a different five. I just really want to stay clean to the approach we are having them because the guys that are being challenged are Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge because they are playing positions during the week that they are not potentially playing in Sunday. So we’ve just got to keep repping those guys and try to get the continuity there that we really haven’t had since training camp.

You hear it all the time - the most important thing on the offensive line is continuity. The Packers line has been the polar opposite. Different bodies from game to game, indeed, from practice to practice. McCarthy would definitely like to sit Clifton this week and possibly next week and then head into the bye so that Clifton can get three full weeks of rest for his hamstring and the offense can have the same five guys play in the games that practice together all week.

The problem, of course, is Daryn Colledge. Corey and I have both been exceedingly critical of Colledge and his play, but he has definitely shown major improvement so far this year in almost all phases of the game. His biggest challenge, however, remains the same. Colledge is prone to having one absolute killer mental lapse per game. I mean, it’s a Lead Pipe Lock. The kid has one play in every single game where he just completely misses an assignment or gets caught flat footed or allows instant pressure. And they always turn into drive killing, if not game changing, plays. This past Sunday was no exception.

When Clifton went out and I saw Colledge in at left tackle, I assumed the game was over. All I could remember were flashes of his performance against Miami two years ago when Clifton was out. ‘Nightmarish’ is a charitable way to describe his performance in that game. (In his defense, he was lined up against Jason Taylor most of the day) Last Sunday, he was handed the assignment of blocking, mostly without help, the Falcons’ John Abraham, who is having a  Defensive-Player-of-the-Year-type season. And shockingly, Colledge was up to the task. Snap after snap, Colledge used good leverage and occasional power to keep Abraham off of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

But then.

Colledge had one of his horrible, once-per-game mental breakdowns, completely whiffing on Abraham and allowing him to crash inside and flush Rodgers out before the quarterback could even complete his drop. Rodgers, almost in the grasp, threw the ball away, but was no where near outside the tackle box. Intentional grounding was called and a 2nd and 7 became a 3rd and 19. Rodgers was intercepted on the next play.

The interception, of course, is not Colledge’s fault. But it illustrates how his breakdown at the worst possible time put the offense in a horrible position and greatly affected the outcome of the game. He had these mental lapses almost every game last year, including so many in the Dallas game that he was benched. (Funnily enough, his breakdowns also contributed to two of Favre’s most brilliant plays last year - the 54 yard touchdown to Jennings against the Chiefs and Favre’s last great improvisational play as a Packer, the shovel pass to Donald Lee while falling down in the snow against Seattle) Colledge simply MUST maintain his focus throughout all four quarters of each game if he is to fill in for Clifton for any amount of time.

ShareThis

Tracy White, who was cut late yesterday afternoon to make room for the elevation of rookie linebacker Danny Lansanah, tells Bob McGinn that the Dolphins had planned on singing Lansanah to their 53 man roster. It would have marked the second poaching of a Packer practice squad player by the Dolphins in less than a month, with Miami having signed tight end Joey Haynos a few weeks ago. It’s interesting that Parcells is zeroed in on these young players while he builds his squad in Miami. It makes you wish guys like Jarrett Bush had never been on the roster in the first place to make room for one of these guys.

And now we’ve lost White. I understand why he’s the one to get the ax and not Bush - the Packers are down to their fourth safety and Bush took snaps there throughout the offseason and training camp. They need the body there. But losing White hurts, and what hurts even worse is the intimation by White that the Vikings are interested in signing him. I bet they are, especially after having Reggie Bush make their coverage units look like little boys on national television. White would immediately improve their coverage units.

That said, White was a disaster from scrimmage, the play where he let Tampa Bay tight end Alex Smith free on a naked bootleg just one of many instances where he was less than up to the task. Going back and quickly watching some preseason action, Lansanah looks competent, if not special. If nothing else, he’ll bring speed and athleticism to a linebacking corps that has been missing both so far this season.

ShareThis

Listen to “The Falcons? Really?”

Packer loss to the Falcons, upcoming game against Seattle

Play Podcast 33 right now.

Click here to subscribe to Packer Transplants on iTunes for free.

ShareThis

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/falcons-27-packers-24

Aaron Rodgers

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/in-praise-of-aaron-rodgers

Fire Bob Sanders

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/the-packers-need-to-hire-jim-bates

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/mccarthys-shoop-phase-continues

This Week In the Packer Blogosphere

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/live-chat-tonight-new-feature

ShareThis

ShareThis

Bigby simply has to get back on the field. He is quickly becoming the Packers version of Colts safety Bob Sanders.

ShareThis

If you don’t feel like chatting, be sure to make your voice heard today by calling our Podcast Voicemail @

646-797-2909

ShareThis

This is the start. The start of McCarthy’s very own “Shoop Phase”. What’s that you ask? A “Shoop Phase” is where a head coach refuses to recognize the deficiencies of one of the coordinators on his staff, how that coordinator is holding the team back, and how that coordinator really just isn’t very good.  Named (by yours truly) for the one-time offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears, John Shoop was widely regarded as terrible by everyone in and out of football, save for Bears head coach Dick Jauron. After years of refusing to replace Shoop, Jauron was fired by Jerry Angelo, making way for the hiring of Lovie Smith.

Now, I’m not saying McCarthy is going to get fired any time soon. I am saying his team will continue to disappoint on the defensive side of the ball because of his faith in Bob Sanders. The only way this team wins a championship with Sanders as its defensive coordinator is if the defensive line goes 8 quality guys deep for the whole season. No injuries period. Because otherwise, you’ll always get what we got this year - a great pass rush from the front four the first half of the season that fades away in December and January due to worn down personnel.

McCarthy from today’s presser:

I thought Bob was aggressive with the number of five-man pressures, man free, that we had called in the game. We didn’t do a very good job pressuring the quarterback, we didn’t do a very good job of pressuring their receivers. We play bump-and-run. The receivers don’t run off the line against our coverage unit. That wasn’t the case a lot of times yesterday. Pressure was not what it needed to be from our defense yesterday.

…when you look at who’s making the mistakes, the experience level of the players. I’m talking about we had a number of young players on our defense yesterday who had an opportunity and didn’t take advantage of it, and that’s the facts. I thought some of our veteran players played solid, and we didn’t get production that we needed throughout the whole defense. It was a poor performance from our defense. That was very evident. They know it, and we’ll correct it and move on. But we had some young guys with an opportunity yesterday that really didn’t take advantage of it.

Is it really McCarthy’s contention that the play of his young secondary is at fault for the defense’s inability to pressure Matt Ryan yesterday? Because that’s absurd. The young guys need to bump off the line and cover their receivers, that is true. But the defensive coordinator should bear the ultimate responsibility for his squads deficiencies, should he not? And it should be his job to notice that along with the young corners and safeties not bumping properly at the line, variations on the same linebacker blitz over and over are not getting it done. Tramon Williams and Will Blackmon have exceptional speed and could be dangerous weapons in a great pressure package if only Sanders had the creativity to draw it up.

But no - McCarthy is content to make excuses for his very own ‘John Shoop’.

ShareThis

Not only did Rodgers play but he played well. Yes, he threw an inexcusable interception at the end of the game. But as I wrote several times this offseason - there will be bumps in the road. The key is for Rodgers to learn from the big mistake and then not repeat it.

But overall, Rodgers has been one of the more consistent performers on a team that is suddenly quite erratic. Here’s hoping McCarthy can get the rest of the team performing at a higher level to take some of  the pressure off Rodgers, because right now, he IS the offense.

ShareThis

ShareThis

Aaron Rodgers, Donald Driver, Tramon Williams

Bob Sanders, Will Blackmon, Michael Montgomery

Derrick Frost

ShareThis

The guy is out of work after one season in Denver where he was working with completely inappropriate personnel. (Note how his departure has made the Bronco defense even worse?)

I know Bates declined to be on McCarthy’s staff because he felt the head coaching job should have been his. That was four years ago. I’m sure if the Packers made a strong offer they could get Bates to join the team as Defensive Coordinator. There is enough talent, and what is lacking can be masked by someone of Bates’ caliber.

Because right now, the Green Bay Packers, a professional football team in the National Football League, are relying on a defensive line coach who got lucky and found himself in the right place at the right time. Last season, he rode a relatively healthy squad and a schedule that featured a lot of mediocre quarterbacks to the NFC Championship Game. But this season, with some key players missing, but with enough talent on the field for a competent coordinator to hide their deficiencies, Sanders is being exposed as being in waaaaayyyyyy in over his head. One need look no further than the offensive series where rookie quarterback Matt Ryan basically acted like Peyton Manning in his pre-snap adjustments and drove the ball 90 yards down the field for a touchdown. Oh, and by the way - the real Manning comes to Lambeau in two weeks.

Today’s game taught us one other thing - we found out why Sanders doesn’t like to blitz: Because he has no clue how to coach it or when to call it. He has absolutely no idea how to disguise the blitz or how players should be aligned pre-snap. Not to mention the fact that he seems to think the rules state that the defensive backfield is not allowed to blitz. I mean, when the same 8 yard ‘In’ route is being used against you to beat your blitz, but you keep calling the same linebacker blitz, and the receivers keep coming WIDE OPEN for first downs, it’s time to rethink your profession.

So throw Jim Bates a lifeline. Call a professional. Because right now, Aaron Kampman, Charles Woodson and company are being coached by an amateur. And it’s killing the Packers.

ShareThis

UPDATE:

• 1987 called. It wants its version of the Packers back…

ShareThis

• Hide the Quarterback

Regardless of whether or not Aaron Rodgers plays (and with McCarthy saying today that Rodgers is a game time decision, I’m more convinced than ever that he won’t) look for McCarthy to call for a gaggle of three-step drops and a bunch of off-tackle running plays. The Packers want no part of their old teammate Grady Jackson, who is still as stout as ever on run plays in the middle of the Falcons defense (and who could have been had at the end of July for a song. I’m sure Thompson was doing much more important things…like dealing with prima-donna quarterbacks) If there’s an opposing team with whom the Packers can get away with having a conservative gameplan on offense, it’s the Falcons. Flynn and/or Rodgers simply need to limit their mistakes and minimize the chances they take. I know I’ve been railing on and on about McCarthy needing to open up the playbook - but this isn’t the week to do it.

• Flood the Falcons Zones With Multiple Receivers

Looking at the Falcons game against the Panthers, the Falcons are playing a lot of zone. I mean a LOT of zone. Now, every team in the NFL uses zone coverage more than man to man. (The Packers are a rare exception) but the Falcons are running zone coverage almost exclusively, regardless of down and distance. With the expected  return of James Jones, the Packers will be able to run their multiple receiver package with much more confidence than they have the last two weeks. The key will be getting into favorable down and distance. If the Packers can make hay on first down, setting up second and shorts, they can then spread things out a bit and run Driver, Jones and Nelson/Martin over on one side, and put Jennings at split end on the other. If the Falcons counter by trying to shade their safeties to the multiple side, Jennings will exploit them backside. If the Falcons try to play them straight-up, Driver and Jones will have plenty of room to work the high-low route combinations McCarthy loves.

DEFENSE

• Take Away Michael Turner - But Beware Of Jerious Norwood

Packer fans can’t like the prospects of yet another bruising runner with breakaway speed coming into Lambeau, not after the beat-down Marion Barber put on the Green and Gold two weeks ago. Bob Sanders simply has to run blitz the hell out of the Falcons offensive line. The unit has overachieved so far, but it is simply not that talented. Poppinga or Barnett should be sent on a run blitz every single first down to disrupt the Falcon blocking schemes. It will also be vitally important for Michael Montgomery to set the edge on first and second downs. He got caught inside during the Cowboys game on Felix Jones’ 60 yard touchdown run. He simply can not allow Turner or Norwood to get outside. Speaking of Norwood - the Packers can’t fall asleep on this kid on third and long, or he will kill them on a draw or a screen. Discipline needs to be at an all time high for the secondary, especially Charlie Peprah, who will most likely start for ailing Atari Bigby and Aaron Rouse. Norwood is a big play waiting to happen, and losing focus on Norwood even for one play could be the difference between getting off the field on third down and six points for the Falcons. But really, the main focus is stopping Turner on first and second down. He is the entire offense for the Falcons. If they can make rookie quarterback Matt Ryan have to try to beat them, the Packers should win.

ShareThis

Listen to “The Walking Wounded”

Packer loss to the Bucs, upcoming game against Atlanta

Play Podcast 32 right now.

Click here to subscribe to Packer Transplants on iTunes for free.

ShareThis

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/buccaneers-30-packers-21

Injuries:

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/the-sweetest-words-a-packer-fan-could-hear

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/cullen-jenkins-done-for-the-year

Back To Fundamentals:

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/the-packers-need-live-tackling-at-practice

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/a-good-first-step

This Week In the Packer Blogosphere:

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/a-spin-around-the-packer-blogosphere

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/and-so-it-begins-2

Derrick Frost:

http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/intensity-for-frost

ShareThis

This years rookie class has yet to make any impact outside of Jordy Nelson’s touchdown in Detroit and his nine catches for over a hundred yards on the season. (And unfortunately, several of those came in garbage time against Dallas) The Packers, if they are to right the ship after two sub-par performances and after a slew of injuries have left the team’s available talent depleted, have several unknowns from the draft class of 2008 that should be given a chance from scrimmage from here on out.

To begin with, Patrick Lee can build upon his solid showing against Tampa. Lee was targeted once or twice by Brian Griese and more than held his own. Even more encouragingly, Lee did not seem overwhelmed when Sanders called for a rare zone coverage, keeping perfect spacing on his side of the field in what looked like a Cover 2 shell during one fourth quarter play. With Al Harris out for at least a month, and Jarrett Bush less than reliable (to put it charitably) Lee has a chance to show the coaches he can be trusted in more than just the dime package.

Secondly, Jermichael Finley should start making a contribution on offense. The Packers took him in the third round knowing full well it would take time for the 21 year old to mature into a productive role, perhaps even several years. Well, how about several games? The Buccaneers played a lot more Cover 2 than anyone expected them to and it played havoc with the Packers short passing game. Finley’s athleticism and soft hands would be the perfect counter to what will no doubt be a prevailing defense employed to stop the Packers offense. (A defense that is used on the majority of snaps by all three of the Packers NFC North foes)

Also, it’s about time for Jeremy Thompson to show what he can do. Admit it, you forgot all about Thompson, who has yet to be active for a game. With the team in dire need of some quality snaps at the defensive end position, it would be a revelation if the Packers found even modest production from this fourth round pick who by all accounts has the tools necessary but has yet to ‘put it all together’. This would be a good week for him to start doing just that.

Finally, there’s Matt Flynn, who can show everyone exactly why he was chosen to be Aaron Rodgers’ backup over Brian Brohm if he is called upon this weekend. I know a lot of people have the Packers down for a ‘L’ if Flynn takes the field. But let’s at least see him take the opening snap before we deem him a failure.

ShareThis

ShareThis

Boy was I wrong.

So far this season, Cole has done a great job of holding the point of attack and clearing the line for Hawk and Barnett to make plays, much better than in previous seasons. It seems he’s just a bit stronger this year than in years past. But where his play has really jumped is in diagnosing the pass, getting off of blocks and getting pressure on the quarterback. I mean, it’s shocking how much he’s finding himself in the opposing backfield, which simply never happened before this year.

Now don’t get me wrong - Cole didn’t become Albert Haynesworth overnight or anything. But his improved play is just the kind of thing the Packers will need to see more of in order to compensate for the loss of Jenkins for the year.

ShareThis

Even after 5 punts for a 30.2 net, I was willing to give Frost a 3rd chance.

Then I saw this quote by Frost from Tom Silverstein’s article..

“I don’t think I’m pushing hard enough. I seem to do better when I have pressure on me. I don’t know why that is. I almost feel like maybe I’m too comfortable or too relaxed. I’ve thought about anything I could change to try to bring a little more intensity to the game.”

WHAT? How about if you don’t do extremely well against Atlanta- and I mean top 8 in the NFL good against Atlanta you are fired. How about that for intensity. I wish Joey Haynos would have been given that many chances.

I miss Jon Ryan - surely he was a top 15 punter with potential - especially some jaw-dropping spontaneous much needed 4th down conversions.

BTW- the truck is here to pick up the trash at 1265 Lombardi Ave.

ShareThis

ShareThis

ShareThis

Remember all the stuff coming out of Denver in the preseason? How Slowik was going to be such and improvement over Jim Bates? Yeah, about that…

Bob Slowik. When you absolutely, positively need someone to ruin your defense.

Enjoy.

ShareThis