With the NFL draft a little over a month away, the excitement has begun as to who Green Bay is looking for as far as NFL prospects are concerned. One name that has caught my eye recently is South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel. At 5’11” and 214 lbs (Cobb is 5’10” and 194 lbs), Samuel has the speed and footwork you want in a receiver. He’s very shifty on routes, his cuts on routes are crisp and precise, and he has great hands for contested catches. His stats while in college are almost identical to Cobb as well.
Cobb recorded 144 catches for 1,666 yards and had a total of 13 touchdowns in three years at Kentucky. That was good for 11.5 YPR. He was also a very good special teams player as well. As a punt returner, Cobb accumulated a total of 619 yards off of 63 total punt returns; good for a 9.8 YPR average and 2 TDs. He also had 44 kick returns for a total of 1,081 yards; good for a 24.6 YPR average. He was a very dynamic, multi positional impact player in college.
As for Samuel, he was very similar to Cobb in a lot of ways while at South Carolina. Also was dynamic as both a receiver and special teams player. He tallied 16 receiving touchdowns and 2,076 receiving yards off of 148 total receptions; good for a YPR average of 14 yards. Again, very similar to Cobb. He also had 42 kick returns for a total of 1,219 yards and 4 total touchdowns; good for an insane 29 YPR average. The only difference between them is that Samuel wasn’t as good of a punt returner; he only had 2 total returns for 8 yards in 4 years at SC.
The bottom line here is that if 2018 was Cobb’s final season, Green Bay has the option of drafting Samuel who would be an immediate threat both in the slot (Cobb’s primary position), as a kick returner, and out wide as well. I personally think he’s a 2nd round type of talent and if Green Bay is picking at #44 in that round with him still on the board at that point, you grab him without hesitation. He made a huge impact at the Senior Bowl this year and caught the eyes of many NFL scouts which makes him a very hot commodity in a very good wide receiver class. It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Green Bay takes the chance and gets him in the 2nd round.
The 2018-19 season finally ended, and whether you like them or not, the New England Patriots are once again on top. I am sure that the majority of you cannot stand New England, but they know how to get it done, and every other team, including our beloved Green Bay Packers, are looking up at them and trying to find ways to be the team that will be the last one standing in February.
The Packers had quite a season, although the negatives outweigh the positives. They finished the season 6-9-1 and out of the playoffs for the second year in a row. Let’s go back and look at some of the highlights and lowlights of their 100th season.
Win of the Year:
With only six wins the whole year, unfortunately it is not a big sample size, but what else could it be? The Packers kicked off the season on a Sunday night at Lambeau Field vs the Chicago Bears. After the Bears jumped out to an early lead, it looked like the Packers were in big trouble during the game itself and possibly for the rest of the season as Aaron Rodgers went down with a knee injury that appeared that it could possibly be season-ending. Amazingly, Rodgers came out and played the second half and delivered one of the most thrilling comeback wins in Packer history, at least for the regular season as they overcame a 20-0 deficit to win 24-23 and start their season 1-0.
Honorable Mention:
On a Monday night in October, the Packers hosted the San Francisco 49ers, who were playing without their star quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Instead of a comfortable win for the Packers, they were in for a battle on this night. The 49ers had a 30-23 lead late in the fourth quarter, but Rodgers started to get hot and found Davante Adams in the endzone late in the game to tie the score. Quarterback C. J. Beathard, possibly wanting to go for it all late in the game, threw an ill-advised pass into coverage that was intercepted by Kevin King. Rodgers, given new life after a SF penalty on third down, scrambled up the middle for 21 yards before spiking the ball and then delivering three clutch completions, all on sideline passes before Mason Crosby kicked the game-winner for a 33-30 final score.
I picked the above game over the thrilling 44-38 overtime road win over the New York Jets because the Packers were already out of playoff contention by then.
Most Deflating Loss of the Year:
All Packer losses are deflating, but some hurt more than others. In my opinion, the most deflating loss had to have been the 29-27 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams. Coming off a bye week, the Packers were trying to get some huge confidence-boosting wins after that win on Monday night vs the 49ers the week before the bye. After the Rams kicked a go-ahead field goal with under two minutes remaining, the Packers had a timeout in their possession and needed only a field goal to win it and stun the eventual NFC Champions. Instead, Ty Montgomery, who ran the ball out on the ensuing kickoff instead of taking a knee when he was two yards deep in the endzone, fumbled the ball away and ended any hope of a comeback. I really think that this was the beginning of the end of the Packers’ season. It’s quite possible that they would have missed the playoffs anyway, but you never know what could have happened had they defeated the Rams, who were undefeated at the time. Instead, they lost in such heartbreaking fashion and went 3-6 the rest of the way. Ty Montgomery was traded to the Baltimore Ravens during the week of this loss.
(Dis)Honorable Mention:
The Packers completed a stretch of four road games in five weeks, going 1-4 and losing all four of their road games during this period. They returned home to face the lowly Arizona Cardinals, who were ranked dead last in both rushing and passing offense coming into this game. The Packers were having their own struggles at times, but surely they would handle a team like Arizona and keep their fading playoff hopes alive, right? What happened instead was the nail in the coffin to their season as they lost 20-17 after Mason Crosby missed a field goal at the end that would have tied the game. The offense was just pathetic and the defense couldn’t get off the field at critical times during the game. Mike McCarthy was finally let go a few hours after the game. Joe Philbin would take over and coach the remaining four games, where he would go 2-2.
When the Packers began the season, they were coming off a 7-9 campaign where Aaron Rodgers missed a huge chunk of the season with a broken collarbone. Dom Capers was finally shown the door and Ted Thompson was reassigned. With a new general manager and defensive coordinator in place, and with Rodgers finally ready to go for the season, there were high hopes that the team would contend once again. We instead were treated to a flawed roster, greatly weakened by mediocre (at best) drafting and bad free agent additions during the few times Ted Thompson actually went that route. Also, it was clear that Mike McCarthy had overstayed his welcome in Green Bay. It was time for a change.
A little more than a week after their season ended, they found their next head coach in Matt LaFleur, who was the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans. He worked under Sean McVay, the Rams’ head coach, and once coached under Mike Shanahan. He hired Nathaniel Hackett to be his offensive coordinator and kept Mike Pettine, who had just finished his first season as the Packers’ defensive coordinator.
The coaching staff is in place, but what about the roster? Davante Adams has proven his worth as a receiver, but there are a lot of question marks at that position. Will Randall Cobb be back? Can Geronimo Allison return from his injury and be a solid #2 receiver? Will the young rookies take a huge step in their second year? Will TE Jimmy Graham be back, and if he is back, will he finally play like the guy we thought we would be getting? I think Aaron Jones is one of the most explosive running backs in the league. Jamaal Williams is a great compliment to him. We could always use a solid #3 running back. The offensive line is decent when everyone is healthy, but we need depth in that area. We also need pass rushers. The young secondary showed promise at times, but we need to find a safety or two. We need a defense that will force turnovers, something that was severely lacking in 2018.
Finally, we need Aaron Rodgers to bounce back in 2019. He has played through injuries and has produced a few thrilling moments, but his reputation has taken a huge hit last season. His accuracy seemed to be way off, and his inability to make plays at crucial moments in games cost the Packers dearly. Not too many people are calling Rodgers the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of all Time) anymore. Tom Brady just won his sixth Super Bowl, Drew Brees is still getting it done, Patrick Mahomes just won his first MVP Award, and others like Jared Goff are just getting warmed up. For the Packers to contend in 2019, Rodgers has to at least be in the conversation for the League MVP Award. It has been eight years since Rodgers and the Packers won Super Bowl XLV. At the time, it looked like they were just getting started, but they haven’t been back to the Super Bowl since then. Since 1992, we have had either Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers but have only two Super Bowl Titles to show for it. We know that this opportunity will not last forever. We want more Vince Lombardi Trophies added to the collection.
We will have to wait and see. Hopefully Matt LaFleur is the coach that we need and Brian Gutekunst is the GM who will rebuild this roster and get the players we need to capture more championships. Davante Adams was named to the Pro Bowl and said that he cannot wait to go back there next year. Aaron Rodgers talked to him and said that he will be busy instead, implying that they will be playing in the Super Bowl next year. Can we realistically expect that? Teams have overcome longer odds in recent memory. All I know is that you should bet against Aaron Rodgers at your own risk. He has proven people wrong so many times in the past. He can do it again.
I am excited for next season. There is still a lot of work left to be done, but I really believe that it will be our year again very soon. Take care Packer fans! Next season will be here before you know it.
One of the biggest problems for Green Bay in recent years has been the play of the defense; more specifically the secondary. With both Morgan Burnett and Haha Clinton-Dix gone, why not try and get another young “Bama Boy” on defense? I’m all for it, as long as it’s for the right price. Collins is young, fast, has great hands, and is very physical. All four of those traits are needed when playing in a city like Green Bay. Not only could he provide instant impact at a position of need, he could also provide depth at the position as well.
Drafted out of Alabama in the 2nd round in 2015 to the New York Giants, Collins’ college career (2012-’14) saw him tally 122 solo tackles, 13 pass deflections, 3 forced fumbles, 4 fumble returns, and 5 interceptions. All while playing in and winning a national championship (2012 vs Notre Dame). He came one game short of it in 2014 vs Ohio State, in which he had 9 tackles and one forced fumble.
Collins has only been in the NFL for three seasons; but he’s made an impressive start this far for the Giants. He hasn’t missed a game thus far in his career which speaks volumes about any durability issues. In 59 total games, he’s made 59 starts. In total, he’s racked up 8 interceptions for 93 yards & 1 touchdown, 32 pass deflections, 3 forced fumbles, 4 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, 10 QB hits, and 321 solo tackles. He’s also a first-team all-pro (2016), as well as a three-time Pro Bowler (2016-’18).
Overall, I think Landon Collins can be a great and welcomed addition to the secondary for Green Bay. The only other suitable safety they have right now is Josh Jones; who really hasn’t been used correctly as of late. He’s not a coverage guy and needs to be moved inside the tackle box in order to be more effective on defense. Collins can be a great sidekick alongside Jones. He also can be a somewhat decent coverage safety, but is most effective within the tackle box like Josh Jones.
The bottom line here is that it all comes down to whether or not Green Bay is willing to spend top dollar on a big name defensive free agent. Many fans have said Earl Thomas would be a good guy to go after as well; but he comes with injury concerns. He suffered a broken leg against the Arizona Cardinals this past season. Had it not happened, he would definitely be my top defensive FA to go after. Although he’s said recently that he only wants to go to the Dallas Cowboys. He may be a pipe dream for Green Bay at this point. Collins really hasn’t had any significant injuries; although he did have offseason shoulder surgery done that was successful back in December.
Aaron Rodgers isn’t getting any younger. He needs help around him in order to accomplish what Green Bay strives for year after year: Winning the Lombardi trophy. Landing Collins would upgrade Green Bay’s secondary immediately. It would also bolster up the entire team. I’m anxious to see what Gutekunst and LaFleur conjure up this offseason. One thing’s for sure, the culture in Green Bay is already starting to change for the better. It’s time to bring the title(s) back to Titletown.
We have a coach! The Green Bay Packers have hired Matt LaFleur, the Offensive Coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, to be their next head coach.
LaFleur was born in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and went to Western Michigan before transferring to Saginaw Valley State. He never played in the NFL, but he became an assistant coach at a young age. He was on the coaching staff of the Houston Texans and the Washington Redskins before leaving for Notre Dame for a year to coach the quarterbacks. He then went to Atlanta and coached Matt Ryan for two years. In 2016, Ryan won the MVP Award. He then went to the Los Angeles Rams to become their OC. Jared Goff had a nice sophomore year in the NFL. He then left for Tennessee to become their OC for a year. He is 39 and has worked with coaches such as Mike Shanahan and Sean McVay.
Of course with the hiring comes many questions. Why him? What does he bring to the table? Can he help Aaron Rodgers return to his MVP form? How creative is his playcalling? Can he find the right mix of running and passing, especially with some very talented running backs on the roster?
I knew that the early interviews of Chuck Pagano and Jim Caldwell were mostly for show. The Caldwell interview fulfilled the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate. Josh McDaniels was probably considered the front-runner, but I never really warmed up to him. He didn’t do well at Denver, plus I think he lost a lot of respect around the league by agreeing to become the Colts’ head coach and then pulling out after the Super Bowl. I think the Colts came out of it well after hiring Frank Reich.
Back to the Packers and Matt LaFleur, I think the team preferred a young and energetic offensive mind. I think he will work well with Rodgers. LaFleur is expected to retain Mike Pettine as the Defensive Coordinator and find a place for Joe Philbin on his staff.
I personally want to see a Packer team that has an exciting offense that scores more touchdowns and fewer field goals. I want to see fewer wasted timeouts and high percentage plays on third and fourth downs. Most importantly, I want to see plenty of wins in the regular season and in the postseason. I want to see LaFleur hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy with confetti falling on his head.
Is LaFleur the right head coach? Only time will tell. All I know is I’m excited for next season. Let’s have a great free agency period, a great draft, and a great training camp as we prepare for the 2019 regular season. I can’t wait. Welcome to Green Bay Matt LaFleur. It is a great honor to coach in Green Bay, but we have high standards here, so be ready to get to work and return the Packers to the top of the NFL where they belong.
Green Bay made their 15th head coach official today by hiring former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur. He is signed to 4-year contract with a 5th year option. This likely means his tenure will run through Rodgers’ current contract. LaFleur; 39, was the OC for Tennessee in 2018 as well as the OC for the Los Angeles Rams back in 2017. As OC for the Rams, they ranked 1st in PPG, 10th in YPG, 6th in yards per play, and 9th in third down percentage. With Tennessee, they were in the bottom half of the league in the aforementioned categories (27th, 25th, 23rd, and 15th). He also was the QBs coach for the Atlanta Falcons coaching Matt Ryan to an MVP year & a Super Bowl 51 berth.
The main reason for the criticism is because of how Tennessee struggled so bad on offense. Going from Jared Goff to Matt Ryan, and then to Marcus Mariota. Maybe the reason why they struggled was because LaFleur’s offensive system wasn’t right for Mariota, maybe he also needs a philosophy change as a player. Another thing was his percentage of run plays with Tennessee (48.4%). That likely means that Aaron Jones will get a lot more carries next year. That will only benefit Rodgers due to pressure getting taken off by not having to pass all game. He coached QBs under Kyle Shanahan (Robert Griffin III) as well as Sean McVay (Jared Goff), and Dan Quinn (Matt Ryan) so he knows how to get QBs to perform at their best. Aaron Rodgers is no different, he is definitely the best of the bunch.
I think the biggest misperception regarding the hire was LaFleur’s resume as a coach. Like I said before though, he’s been a QB whisperer each team he’s been at. I also think it was the safer pick over McDaniels too. You’re contemplating risk vs reward and I think LaFleur can offer a lot of great things to Green Bay as a team and organization. Mike Pettine was also retained as well so that means no new defensive coordinator which is great news considering how good the defense was with Pettine. Going from 22nd in 2017 to 18th in 2018 was a jump. That was in Pettine’s first year as DC for Green Bay too.
LeFleur is only 4 years older than Rodgers and he needs a younger offensive mind to help him get back to MVP form as a QB. He’ll also challenge Rodgers on the field to be the best he can be and that will be a huge plus for Green Bay as a team. While LeFleur may not be the big name that McDaniels is, he is definitely the right fit for Green Bay. Again, you’re contemplating risk vs reward and Bill Belichick understudies have proven to falter on their own (I:E: Matt Patricia with Detroit), so I definitely understand why Green Bay did what they did. He was the better long-term hire over McDaniels. I for one am very excited to see how the 2019 season plays out with LaFleur at the controls. He should add some much needed spark to a very vanilla Green Bay offense. There’s no doubt in my mind that LaFleur will make an impact on Green Bay. How much of one remains to be seen but time will tell. Onto the offseason, the next crucial step in getting Green Bay back to championship level play on the field.
The Packers ended their season with a thud as they were blanked 31-0 to the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field.
To make matters worse, Aaron Rodgers had to leave the game with a concussion. It’s the third concussion for Rodgers that we know about, the other two coming in 2010, the season where they went on to win the Super Bowl. Concussions can never be minimized as the more you have, the more likely you are to have your NFL career cut short, and it also jeopardizes your long-term health. Unfortunately, that’s the risk you take whenever you take the field in an NFL game, whether it’s in the preseason, regular season, playoffs, or even in a scrimmage.
As for the game, sloppy tackling, dropped passes, and other than a few runs here and there, DeShone Kizer did almost nothing to inspire confidence in any of us should he ever be called upon for extensive action in the future. It also should put to rest any talk about Joe Philbin returning as the head coach next season. It doesn’t matter how much Rodgers and Davante Adams want him back. They are great players, but they don’t make personnel decisions.
Speaking of which, Mark Murphy and Brian Gutekunst have a huge task ahead of them. For starters, they need to do their homework in their search for a new head coach. They need to make a great hire. They need to really evaluate this roster from top to bottom. I think that Rodgers has some MVP-caliber seasons left, but he needs playmakers around him on offense and a top-ten defense, not a mediocre D. Speaking of the defense, they have done a poor job of getting turnovers, and their tackling lately has been pathetic.
Gutekunst has said that he will be active in free agency this year. It’s time for him to put his money where his mouth is. The Draft is still important, but we don’t have the time to wait for the players to develop in three years. The time is now. We have seen how teams can go from last place to first place in just a year. Even though the Packers aren’t in last place, they have just finished their second losing season in a row. We need some significant changes during these next several months or else it will be three in a row at this time next season.
After last season ended, we fired Dom Capers, demoted Ted Thompson, and looked forward to the return of Rodgers after he had his collarbone injury. Many of us thought that we would be in the running in the NFC. As it turns out, we finished with an even worse record this year. This situation won’t be fixed with a few band-aids and some duct tape. We need a thorough evaluation of this entire organization from the front office to the waterboy.
The Packers have the 12th overall pick in the Draft. They also have the Saints’ first-round pick, and all we know is that it will be late in the first round. How far they advance will determine how late it will be. Free agency begins in March, so many of us will be glued to our TV screens and electronic devices around that time to see what they do. They have decisions to make with players such as Randall Cobb and Clay Matthews. Do they bring back Jimmy Graham despite a disappointing year? Do they stick with the young receivers and bank on them to improve significantly in their second year? These are some of the questions that the team must address.
The 100th season for the Green Bay Packers started out with a bang as they defeated the Bears 24-23 on opening night, a game many of us will not forget anytime soon. Not much went right after that. Even the wins seemed less than inspiring. The Cardinals will pick #1 in the Draft, the team that won in Green Bay, leading to the firing of Mike McCarthy. The 49ers (#2) and Jets (#3) are teams that the Packers barely beat, winning both games on the final play. Getting swept by the lowly Detroit Lions is just sad, especially when you end the season with a 31-0 loss at home. I’m ready to put this season in the rearview mirror and look forward to the offseason.
It will take a lot of work, but I think this team can make some noise next season. A lot of it depends on the health of Aaron Rodgers. He also needs to improve his mechanics and get back to putting up MVP numbers. The jury is still out on Brian Gutekunst. The team took a step back last year and we need something to give us a dose of confidence. Perhaps we will get that when they name a new head coach.
I remain optimistic that they will get this thing turned around. I wouldn’t have said this a year ago, but perhaps they can study what the Bears did to turn their franchise around. The Packers need to think outside the box a little bit. The league is constantly changing and they cannot afford to be two steps behind all of the time.
We will wait and see. There will be much to talk about in the coming weeks and months ahead. Take care as we remain loyal to the Green and Gold through thick and thin.
The Packers have one more game left in their season as they play host to the Detroit Lions at Noon Central Time on Sunday.
The Packers are 6-8-1 after their 44-38 overtime win over the Jets in the Meadowlands, while the Lions are 5-10 and have clinched last-place in the NFC North after falling at home 27-9 to the Vikings.
This is the last chance we have to see Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams in action until the summer, unless you count the Pro Bowl. I am sure the personnel and the style of offense will look a lot different next season. They did a lot of good things against the Jets last Sunday. Let’s carry that into this game.
Matthew Stafford, who struggled a lot vs Green Bay earlier in his career, seems to have some good performances when he has seen the Packers lately. Like the offense, I am sure that the defense will have a lot of new faces next season. Let’s put together a great game on defense as well and have a nice ending to this otherwise dreadful season.
Let’s not forget special teams. They were not good last Sunday vs the Jets and haven’t been too good this year overall. Ron Zook is probably gone after this season.
The Packers have had their way with the Lions throughout the years, but Detroit has won the last three meetings vs Green Bay, including two of the last three meetings at Lambeau Field. This needs to change, especially at home.
A lot of these players will not be in Packer uniforms after this season. This is our last chance to see them, especially some of the veteran players. Davante Adams is on the verge of rewriting the record books in Green Bay. I know it’s not the same as gearing up for a championship run, but we have to look forward to something the way this season has gone.
A win would give the Packers a 3-1 record under Joe Philbin. That might not be enough to bring him back, but it would be a nice ending to a frustrating season. The Packers have already conducted interviews for their next head coach, including Jim Caldwell and Chuck Pagano. It is unclear what direction the front office wants to go as far as their next head coach, but the Caldwell interview adhered to the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate.
Like last season, the Packers have already been eliminated going into their final game vs Detroit. The difference this season is that the Packers are at home this time and will have Rodgers in the finale. It’s one last chance for fans to tailgate and bond with each other before the game. For those watching on the screen, whether it is the TV, smartphone, or iPad, we have one final Packer game to cheer for (or against if you are looking for a higher draft pick) the Green and Gold before we head into the cold, long winter season.
I personally want to see a win and at least have the final memory of this season be a positive one. There is a lot of work to do in the offseason to get this team back to being a championship contender. I will focus on that at a later time. For now, let’s get a win vs the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The Packers avoided going winless on the road as they defeated the New York Jets 44-38 in overtime at the Meadowlands on Sunday.
It didn’t start out well for the Packers as they fell behind 14-0 and 21-7. In the fourth quarter, they trailed 35-20 before rallying to score 18 unanswered points to take a 38-35 lead with over a minute to go for the Jets, who got a long kickoff return and were in position to score a touchdown late, but they had to settle for a field goal and a 38-38 tie after four quarters. The Packers won the toss and marched down the field, aided by some penalties by the Jets. Aaron Rodgers finally hit Davante Adams in the endzone, ending the game and a 9-game losing streak going back to last season.
Some thoughts on the game:
The Packers won despite a poor day on special teams. They gave up a 99-yard kickoff return to Andre Roberts after scoring their first touchdown and a 51-yard return after they took a 38-35 lead, setting up the Jets’ tying field goal. Also, after the Jets scored a touchdown to take a 28-20 lead, J’Mon Moore fumbled the ball away on the ensuing kickoff return, setting up another Jets’ touchdown and a 35-20 lead. That is 17 points given up due to poor play on special teams.
Jamaal Williams had a nice day on the ground, totaling 95 yards on 15 carries and added 6 receptions for 61 yards, giving him 156 total yards for the day.
Davante Adams was busy, catching 11 passes but for only 71 yards. In fact, his longest reception was the game-winner. Obviously, the Jets took the deep ball away from Adams on this afternoon and forced other receivers to make plays. Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Jake Kumerow made some plays down the field.
Speaking of Kumerow, he came into the game totaling only 2 receptions for 16 yards. He had 3 receptions for 68 yards and his first career touchdown in this game. Hopefully it’s the start of some great things for the receiver from Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Aaron Rodgers has been ripped by the press and by fans a lot this year, and much of it was deserving, but he had his best overall game in quite a while, rushing for two touchdowns, passing for two, and throwing for over 400 yards. In fact, he is the only quarterback in NFL history to achieve all of those milestones in the same game and he has done it twice in his career. The other time was in 2011 vs Denver.
There was a lot of yellow on the field with 26 accepted penalties in this game. It’s not a big surprise when you have two teams with losing records. The Jets were flagged 16 times for 172 yards, including some killer ones in overtime.
Davante Adams has 111 receptions for the year so far and will likely break Sterling Sharpe’s single-season franchise record of 112 next week vs Detroit.
The last time the Packers won on the road before this game was at Cleveland last season as they escaped 27-21 in overtime vs the Browns, who would eventually finish 0-16. Both of the last two road wins for the Packers ended on a touchdown reception by Davante Adams in overtime.
I know the Jets are a bad team, but the Packers showed a lot of poise in coming back from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter. How many of you thought the Packers were going to win this game when the fourth quarter started?
With the win, the Packers avoid finishing in last place in the NFC North and also avoid double-digit losses for the season. It doesn’t seem like much when you aren’t going to the playoffs, but you have to look for anything positive during a lost year such as this one.
Speaking of which, there was a lot of talk about whether the Packers would be better off losing for better draft positioning. It sounds ideal on the surface, but the players aren’t going to tank the rest of the season. Many of them are fighting for roster spots next year. Also, it gives the team a chance to develop some chemistry and have something to build on for next season. Besides, what does having a top-10 pick mean anyway? There are so many examples of teams who have blown high draft picks throughout the history of the league. The Packers are going to have chances to draft quality players, so I’m not going to worry about that.
It does feel good to get a win and end that awful streak of road losses. They will have to be a lot better on the road next year if they expect to go anywhere. They have one more game left before they call it a season. Next week, the Packers return home to face the Detroit Lions, who have won their last three games vs Green Bay. Let’s enjoy this win for now before we focus on Detroit later this week.
Finally, I am sure that most of you celebrate Christmas. Hopefully you get some nice gifts, but most of all, I hope you spend some quality time with your loved ones. Whether you celebrate it or not, may you all have much joy and peace not only this week, but throughout the rest of the year and in 2019 and beyond!
In what’s been an abysmal season for Green Bay, one player has remained consistent throughout and that’s wide receiver Davante Adams. He finally eclipsed 1000 yards in his career and is only 204 yards away from setting the single-season franchise record for receiving yards set by Jordy Nelson in 2014. Nelson had 98 receptions for 1,519 yards and 15 total touchdowns that year. Adams currently has 1,315 yards and 13 total touchdowns on 100 total receptions. Speaking of receptions, Adams will also have a chance to eclipse former legendary Packer wide receiver Sterling Sharpe in franchise single-season receptions with 112 set back in 1993. He only needs 13 total receptions over the final two games to do so.
Considering he’s only in his 5th-year, those would be amazing accomplishments for him. Adams also earned a second trip to the Pro Bowl due to his impressive season still with two games to go. This season has been tough one for Green Bay but one thing’s for sure, Davante Adams continues to prove he’s a top-tier receiver in the NFL. When you’re mentioned with Packer greats like Nelson and Sharpe, you’re definitely doing something right. There’s no question that if Adams continues to perform at a high level, he’ll be among the greats as well.
The Packers, 0-7 on the road this season, have one last chance to rid themselves of that goose egg as they take on the New York Jets in the Meadowlands on Sunday at Noon Central Time.
The Packers are 5-8-1 after falling 24-17 at Soldier Field while the Jets are 4-10, losing 29-22 at home to the Houston Texans on Saturday night.
Congrats to both Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams on being selected to the Pro Bowl. While that is often a popularity contest, both players are deserving despite a down year for Rodgers.
Speaking of Rodgers, his reputation has taken quite a hit this year, but he has a chance to end the season on a somewhat positive note. One of the debates this week is if Rodgers should sit out these last two games. He is choosing to play, citing leadership. It also gives him an opportunity to develop some chemistry with the young receivers. It’s true that he is risking the possibility of a major injury, but don’t all players do so whenever they step out onto the field? I say let him play and try to end this disappointing season with a few wins.
Sam Darnold is just a rookie, and he often played like one this year, but he has the potential to be one of the better quarterbacks in the league within the next three years. The offense is not very good at all, but the Packers have faced some weak offenses before this season and couldn’t pull out a victory, mainly because their own offense has gone to sleep at critical moments of the game. This is a chance for the defense to come out and play well.
The Jets lead the all-time series 8-4 but the Packers have won the previous two meetings, including a 9-0 road win in 2010. The Packers would go on to win the Super Bowl that season.
Ron Wolf used to be in the Jets’ front office. In fact, the team planned to take Brett Favre in 1991, but the Atlanta Falcons, who had the pick right before the Jets, picked Favre, and the Jets took QB Browning Nagle instead. Both teams ended up disappointed. After one year, the Falcons traded him to Green Bay, and of course, he is now in the Hall of Fame. Ironically, Favre eventually ended up with the Jets for a season after they missed out on drafting him.
Week 1 wins can be deceiving. We know about the Packers’ thrilling comeback win over the Bears, but the Jets had an impressive win as well as they won 48-17 at Detroit on Monday night. The Jets came crashing down to earth after that game, even more than the Packers.
The last time the Packers failed to win on the road during an entire season was in 1958, going 0-6 on the road and 1-10-1 overall. It was a dreadful year for them, but it resulted in the team hiring Vince Lombardi. We all know how that move turned out.
It’s true that losing out would give the Packers a higher draft selection, but there is something about finishing the season on a winning note (albeit against two lousy opponents) despite how disappointing this season has been. Besides, they will have a chance at a quality player no matter where they end up on the draft board. It’s more important that they hit on these picks.
Like I said before, a lot of these players are competing for roster spots next season, so I expect them to come out and play well. Even if Joe Philbin is gone after the season, I’m sure he still wants to coach somewhere, so these are important games for him as well. The season isn’t over yet, and they owe us a good performance whenever they take the field.
We never know what we’re going to get, but I expect the Packers to not only be competitive, but to get a win at the Meadowlands on Sunday. Let’s finish up the season with a pair of wins, starting with the J-E-T-S!
