Tag: Quick Takes

The Green Bay Packers squandered an opportunity to play in Super Bowl LV during Sunday’s NFC Championship Game at Lambeau Field.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers stormed to a 28-10 lead in the second half and held on late to beat the Packers and clinch a spot in the Super Bowl.

Here are some quick takes from the 31-26 defeat:

– No team can make that many mistakes and miss that many opportunities and beat a good football team in a big game.

– It was quite the gut punch to go down big, claw back, and then lose in that fashion.

– There’s something so uniquely cruel about losing in the conference title game. There’s no glory, no celebration, no trophy, no Super Bowl. Just an abrupt, season-ending loss. Instantly turns a great team into a fart in the wind.  The Packers have lost four straight NFC title games.

– The Packers offense, the No. 1 scoring offense in football in 2020, will feel absolutely sick about going 0-for-3 scoring touchdowns on the final three possessions. A chance to take the lead or tie the game ended up in two three-and-outs and a field goal. The comeback needed one more drive, but they couldn’t muster it. So disappointing.

– We’ll be questioning Matt LaFleur’s decision to kick a field goal down eight points for a long time. Getting a defensive stop AND scoring a touchdown was a lot to ask in the final two minutes. The margin for error was razor-thin.

– You have to wonder if the first red-zone trip – which featured three incompletions from the 8-yard line and then a field goal – played heavily into LaFleur’s thinking on the final drive. He clearly lost some confidence in what the Packers were doing execution or scheme-wise down near the end zone.

– Turnovers ended up being the difference, but not in the way most expected. The Packers won the turnover battle, but the Bucs did more with their turnovers. Green Bay got seven points off three takeaways; Tampa Bay got 14 off two.

– The defense couldn’t stop a third down and gave up an unforgivable touchdown before the half, but three interceptions of Tom Brady in the second half certainly provided opportunities for the Packers to steal this game back.

– The Packers defense played really, really well on early downs. The run defense, which allowed 3.2 yards per carry, was particularly impressive.

– Losing David Bakhtiari really ended up hurting in this game. The Buccaneers got consistent pressure with four-man rushes because their edge rushers were winning battles against Billy Turner and Rick Wagner. Wagner, the right tackle, had an especially hard time. Turner would have been playing there with Bakhtiari healthy. The Bucs finished with five sacks, including three from Shaq Barrett.

– The Packers’ pass-rush eventually heated up, and it changed the whole game. Pressuring Brady was very effective. In fact, he nearly threw the game away under pressure.

– It’s very difficult to envision Kevin King returning next season, although he lowered his value on the open market considerably on Sunday. A brutal performance on the biggest stage, especially when superimposed against what Jaire Alexander accomplished opposite him.

– Let’s hope Aaron Jones’ final play in Green Bay isn’t the lost fumble in the third quarter. It could be.

– Hat’s off to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The Packers needed him badly, and he produced a star performance.

– A.J. Dillon created 30 yards on just four touches. I wonder if LaFleur will regret not giving him a few more opportunities in the second half.

– Allen Lazard had crucial catches on third down.

– The Packers didn’t really have an answer for Chris Godwin in the slot. He caught five passes for 110 yards and should have had a bunch more. The Bucs receivers let Brady down a bunch of times.

– This will be an interesting game to get a closer look at what happened in the passing game. The broadcast highlighted several potential missed opportunities, but there’s always necessary context to be discovered. The Packers’ dropback passing game was inconsistent.

– The Packers special teams were responsible for major swings in field position. A disappointing performance from a disappointing group in 2020.

– One final thought, and I hate that it’s about the officiating, but here it goes: Consistency in calls is possibly the single most important factor in officiating football. Any play can have a penalty, but it’s the consistency in which the rules are applied that determines everything. The consistency with certain types of calls wasn’t there today.

– A busy offseason awaits the Packers. I think everyone knows this team is going to look considerably different to start 2021.

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The Green Bay Packers raced past the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Round at Lambeau Field on Saturday, using almost 500 total yards on offense to beat the top-ranked defense.

Here are some quick takes from the Packers’ 32-18 win:

– The matchup between the top offense and top defense was nothing short of a one-sided obliteration authored by Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur. What a performance.

– The game ball goes to the offensive line. The Packers dominated the Rams’ front all night. The confidence in the offensive line was obvious right off the bat. Rodgers was hardly touched, the Packers rushed for nearly 200 yards, and Aaron Donald wasn’t a factor.

– The Packers’ plan on offense wasn’t complicated: Inside run game, move Davante Adams around, and hit plays off play-action. They executed beautifully.

– The game played out like so many Packers games this season. The offense started fast, the whole team hit a brief lull, and then the offense and defense combine to dominate the late stages of the game and create a comfortable win.

– The defense allowed just 18 points and fewer than 250 total yards. The Rams got some things going on the ground and Jared Goff played far better than expected, but the Packers were great on third down and tallied four sacks. It was a winning performance.

– Kenny Clark was due for a big night. He delivered one. So did Rashan Gary, who had 1.5 sacks, including one on third down against Andrew Whitworth, who never gives up sacks. Clark, Gary and Za’Darius Smith had all four of the Packers’ sacks.

– It was clear the crowd at Lambeau Field played a factor. Even on the television copy, the fans made noise and created energy.

– The Packers were once again dominant situationally on offense. They converted eight third downs and scored touchdowns on three of four trips into the red zone before the final, game-ending drive finished inside the 20.

– The Rams kept playing light in the box, and the Packers happily ran the ball down their throats.

– If the Packers run the ball this well, no team in the NFL can beat them.

– Rodgers was a little erratic and didn’t have perfect accuracy. He missed a couple throws he usually hits. Then again. he finished completing 23 of 36 passes and didn’t have a turnover.

– What a cool moment for Allen Lazard. He dropped what could have been the game-ending touchdown, but Matt LaFleur dialed up his number again on a similar play and they hit for the final touchdown.

– There is no 208-pound running back tougher than Aaron Jones. Not one. His 60-yard run really provided a spark to start the second half.

– Davante Adams finished with nine catches for 66 yards, but he beat Jalen Ramsey for the first touchdown and later cooked the first-team All-Pro cornerback on a 21-yard play off a slant.

– Marquez Valdes-Scantling had a chance to make a tough catch in the end zone on the Packers’ first drive. Later, his terrific effort on a bubble screen converted on third down and helped set up the final score.

– The Packers will host an NFC Championship Game for the first time in the Rodgers era.

– Props to center Corey Linsley, left guard Elgton Jenkins and right guard Lucas Patrick. They were terrific.

– The Packers were fortunate on the A.J. Dillon fumble. Rodgers was right there to recover it and advanced it forward, avoiding what could have been a huge mistake. The exchange between Dillon and Rodgers wasn’t clean.

– The Packers just did what they do well, avoided the big mistake, handled the ups and downs of the game expertly, and closed the win with a dominant finish. This team knows exactly how to use their strengths, and how they want each game to play out.

– Matt LaFleur’s first two seasons: 26-6 in the regular season, and two trips to the NFC title games.

– The Packers are one win at Lambeau Field away from playing in Super Bowl LV.

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The Green Bay Packers used another dominant effort on offense and a disruptive night on defense to blow out the visiting Tennessee Titans on Sunday night at a snowy Lambeau Field.

Here are some quick takes from the Packers’ 40-14 win:

– There just aren’t many question marks left for this team. They checked off some major boxes on Sunday night. This looks like the best team in the NFC and the favorite to represent the conference in the Super Bowl.

– Covering Davante Adams with proper footing available is hard. Covering him in the snow might actually be impossible.

– The thought of A.J. Dillon running the football in the cold at Lambeau Field was always appealing. It was even better in reality.

– Derrick Henry ran for 98 completely inconsequential yards.

– The Titans came into the game with the No. 1 scoring offense. They scored 14 points.

– The Packers outside linebackers played an excellent football game. They held the edge against Henry and consistently disrupted Ryan Tannehill in the pocket. Rashan Gary was especially good.

– What an impressive response from the Packers after leaving points on the board and then giving up two straight touchdown drives. A 19-14 game quickly turned into a 40-14 rout. The Packers survived their mini lull and then put 21 straight points on the board. Adversity hit and they found their counterpunches.

– Darnell Savage is starting to become a legitimate difference-maker. He had one pick and probably should have had one or two more.

– The Packers rushed for 234 yards, including 218 on 31 designed runs to Dillon and Aaron Jones. The offense has rushed for 180 or more yards in three of the last five games.

– Jaire Alexander broke up three more passes, including one drive-stopper on fourth down.

– Aaron Rodgers threw four more touchdown passes, giving him 44 on the season. He’s been responsible for 47 touchdowns in 15 games. Good luck to the MVP voters.

– Kenny Clark was terrific against the run. He’s been a dominant player over the last month.

– Adams became just the 11th player in NFL history with 17 or more touchdown catches in a single season. He’s one away from tying Sterling Sharpe’s team record.

– Rodgers went full Brett Favre for a second in the second half, rolling to his right and throwing back across his body to the middle of the field. It resulted in his fifth interception of the season.

– The Packers scored 40 or more points for the fourth time this season.

– Beat the Bears, and the Packers will be the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and possibly knock Chicago out of the postseason.

The Green Bay Packers (11-3) started fast, survived a lull and ended up holding on for a win over the Carolina Panthers (4-10) on Saturday night at Lambeau Field.

Here are the quick takes from the Packers’ 24-16 win:

– Such an uncharacteristic night from the Packers offense, even after the hot start. The offensive line didn’t protect well and Aaron Rodgers couldn’t find receivers downfield, but the Packers did rush for almost 200 yards and were once again perfect scoring touchdowns in the red zone.

– It wasn’t pretty after starting 21-3, but it’s been pretty a lot for the Packers in 2020. They are 11-3 and may only need a win over the Bears in Week 17 to be the No. 1 seed.

– That said, everything the Packers do must be viewed within the prism of, “Will this play in the postseason?” Rushing for nearly 200 yards and getting stops in the red zone is winning football, but the Packers probably won’t survive a lull like the one they suffered through on Saturday night come the playoffs.

– What an important play the fumble at the goal line by Teddy Bridgewater ended up being in deciding the game. It’s a much, much different game if the Panthers score a touchdown and don’t turn it over there.

– This game really was won and lost in the red zone. The Packers scored three touchdowns on three trips, while the Panthers settled for three field goals and had the goal line turnover. Carolina made five trips into the red zone but managed only 16 points.

– What a kick from Mason Crosby. Even outdoors during a night game at Lambeau Field in December, he hit the clutch field goal from 51 yards out with room to spare.

– The passing game really struggled. Rodgers took five sacks, averaged 4.9 yards per attempt and only hit one pass over 20 yards. Davante Adams caught seven passes but gained only 42 yards. In fact, the Packers averaged just 7.2 yards per completion. Everything was underneath, and the Packers accomplished little after the catch.

– The bubble screens and RPO action passes were not successful plays.

– The Packers had 96 net passing yards and still won a football game, an impressive trick to pull off in 2020.

– Kevin King had a miserable night.

– So did Lucas Patrick.

– The Packers started 4-for-4 on third down but finished converting only one of their final eight attempts.

– Adams’ touchdown streak ended at eight games. He averaged only 4.2 yards per target.

– Aaron Jones was a difference-maker early. Most of his 145 rushing yards came in the first half.

– Adrian Amos broke up three passes. The Packers broke up seven passes overall, creating half of Bridgewater’s 14 incompletions.

– Credit to the Panthers defense. They covered well and created consistent pressure. It wasn’t a good group statistically coming into Saturday night, but they played really well after going down early.

– One final thing to consider: Both Rodgers and Matt LaFleur talked this week about the unique challenge of facing the schematics of the Panthers defense, which is unlike most teams in the NFL. And the Packers had to prepare for the new looks on a short week. It might have played a factor in how the game played out after the early surge.

The Green Bay Packers delivered a decisive win over the visiting Chicago Bears on Sunday night at Lambeau Field, using four touchdown passes from Aaron Rodgers and a defensive touchdown to secure an important win in the NFC North race.

The Packers, now 8-3, sent the Bears, now 5-6, to their fifth-straight defeat and widened their lead in the division to three games after 12 weeks.

Here are some quick takes from the Packers’ 41-25 win:

– Energy was an issue in the two previous home games. It was not an issue Sunday night. The Packers came out flying in primetime against a division rival.

– Matt LaFleur dialed up awesome stuff from start to finish. The run game neutralized the Bears linebackers early, and the passing game often created wide open receivers. Aaron Rodgers played great, but it’s going to be fun to go back and look at all the different play designs creating the big plays. LaFleur was always one step ahead of Chuck Pagano.

– Three of Rodgers’ four touchdown passes came off of play-action.

– The Packers used a ton of jet motion early, helping create big running lanes and power the fast start. The motion causes hesitation at the second level and can really create leverage for blockers. The Packers used it early and often to make life more difficult on Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan.

– Rashan Gary started over Preston Smith, who responded with his most impactful game of the season. Gary earned the start, and the Packers have to love the way Smith reacted to the situation.

– The Packers offense was nearly perfect on third down and in the red zone against the NFL’s best defense on third down and in the red zone. A situationally dominant performance.

– Darnell Savage was overdue for a turnover in 2020. He used his speed to intercept two errant passes from Mitchell Trubisky.

– The three takeaways from the Packers turned into 21 points, including the fumble return for a touchdown by Preston Smith. Rodgers threw touchdown passes on the drives right after both of Trubisky’s interceptions.

– Kevin King and Raven Greene made an important play early when they combined to break up a third-down throw to Allen Robinson in the end zone. The play forced a field goal after the Packers gave up a long run on the second play of the Bears’ opening drive.

– Robert Tonyan caught Rodgers’ fourth and final touchdown pass, and he also converted a pair of fourth downs. The Packers were 3-for-3 on fourth down.

– The Packers center Corey Linsley and right guard Lucas Patrick to injuries. Something to monitor going into next week’s visit from the Philadelphia Eagles. Elgton Jenkins played center, Jon Runyan played left guard, Billy Turner moved into right guard and Rick Wagner played right tackle.

– Equanimeous St. Brown flashed. Both of his catches gained first downs, including a 24-yarder on third down.

– Guessing the defense won’t be pleased with the finish in the fourth quarter. Passive coverage, which was fine given the score, but the pass-rush hardly affected Trubisky in the fourth quarter.

– The Packers now have a three-game lead in the NFC North with five games to go.

– The win was the Packers’ 100th over the Bears in the all-time series.

The Green Bay Packers escaped a valiant upset bid from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Lambeau Field, getting a late touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Davante Adams and a defensive stop to clinch the 24-20 victory.

Here are some quick takes:

– The Packers, a 14-point favorite, were very fortunate to win. They were the vastly more talented team but they weren’t the best team on the field for most of Sunday. The Jaguars played hard and were far more physical.

– The Packers came out flat and never really got on track. For the second straight home game, Matt LaFleur’s team didn’t appear to handle the elements all that well. Somehow, this team has to find a way to generate their own energy at home, especially in the cold.

– Davante Adams dropped two passes and lost a fumble, but credit the Packers receiver for fighting through an ankle injury and catching what ended up being the game-winning touchdown pass after the Jaguars took a 20-17 lead.

– Adams and Aaron Rodgers both had uncharacteristic turnovers.

– Marquez Valdes-Scantling probably played the best game of his career. He caught the 78-yard touchdown pass to get the Packers going, and he added two other catches over 20 yards. He finished with four catches for 149 yards and a touchdown.

– The pass-rush really turned up the heat on the final few plays of the final drive. Mike Pettine’s defense was caving, but Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary made it happen on the final four plays.

– James Robinson rushed for 109 yards and broke a half-dozen tackles or more, but rookie quarterback Jake Luton wasn’t good enough for the Jaguars to pull off the upset. He threw 35 passes but produced just 169 passing yards.

– The Packers averaged just 3.2 yards per rush, with 20 of their 80 rushing yards coming on one Aaron Jones carry in the fourth quarter.

– The Packers HAVE to stop running on 2nd-and-10. It’s a bad tendency for Matt LaFleur.

– The Packers’ special teams had a terrible first half. Tyler Ervin had issues fielding punts in the wind, and the Packers allowed the punt return for a touchdown with terrible coverage.

– The officiating in this game matched the quality of the football.

– The Packers are 7-2 and will head to Indianapolis to play another physical football team next week. Hey, at least it’ll be played indoors. LaFleur’s group doesn’t look like a cold weather team.