Ask Acme Packing Company

McCarthy’s style has been to put up a good sized lead and then slow down the game running the ball and turn it over to the defense. After a couple of too close games because the defense is not at last year’s level yet he decided to just bury the Broncos this past week. A part of me would not be surprised if he continues this going forward to make sure the team learns to finish games.

Good news for Falcon fans is that O-line looked much weaker without Bulaga in there. So protection for the Packers might be iffy.

Seemed we didn’t really need him, but we’ll probably know more about whether or not he’ll be back as the week goes along.

Our running game is a lot better than it was last year, but it isn’t something we rely on. As you may be aware, the Packers pass to set up the run. So we don’t run the ball nearly as often to teams like the Falcons. When both RB’s are active, they share the load. Starks will get more handoffs out of the shotgun formation due to his abilities as a receiver and blocker. He’ll get his fair share out of the other formations too. He’s not classified as a 3rd down back though. Grant will get more handoffs out of the I-Formation and Singleback Formation, but he doesn’t play often out of the Shotgun Formation.

1. Jermichael Finley
2. Greg Jennings
3. Jordy Nelson
4-8. Donald Driver/Randall Cobb/James Starks/Ryan Grant/James Jones?

A lot of Packer fans are on the “trade James Jones” bandwagon, but I see absolutely no reason to do so. He is capable of some amazing catches (there’s a play he & A-Rodge have perfected; AR throws at his feet & JJ cradles the ball, and keeps it off of the turf, insuring that only JJ & not a defender catches the ball), and his salary is not very high. So what if he’s way down the depth chart? He’s ready to fill in as a starter if injuries strike the WR position, and he’s probably on the other teams 4th or 5th CB if we’re lined up in 5 wide. I personally think the coaches aren’t putting him on the field enough, but maybe they’re saving him for bigger competition, and don’t want to tip their hand too much.

James Jones as the 5th (or lower) option is not an indication of his talent so much as an indication of all the other talent on the roster, which, is fine by me.

That you guys had seen him in college. I had never heard of him until GB drafted him, but he has definitely turned out better than expected. Honestly his main issue right now is getting on the field. When Finley is counted, Cobb is the 6th WR on the team and only has 8 targets so far.

The way he’s playing, he’ll probably replace Donald Driver in our offense if/when DD hangs it up. Also, Jordy just signed a three-year extension, making him the likely starter once Driver is gone.

That’s a really good question Dave. We all assume that our players will improve each offseason, but how much they improve is the big question. All offseason we couldn’t tell who was better: Jordy Nelson or James Jones. Nelson has clearly made huge strides in his development though and is solidifying himself as Green Bay’s #2 WR. Although Donald Driver is our #2 WR in name, Nelson is really the #2 WR on the field. I can’t say I anticipated Nelson being as productive as he has been so far. Nelson leads the team in YAC and is currently ranked #3 in the NFL in YAC. That was James Jones main area of expertise last year.

Seriously, though, I think you guys are underselling your team. I expected a blowout of the Broncos, they’re simply not there as a team yet. Matt Ryan has his troubles on the road, but at home he’s been really great. The playoff game last year was kind of a result of snowballing. I think it will be a much closer game than that, and will look more like last year’s regular season matchup (without, of course the special teams meltdown by the Packers). Something like Packers 31-Falcons 27.

but Matt Ryan only had like 3 or 4 incompletions for the whole game.

I know I don’t see this game as a gimmie. I’m not sure the Falcons are quite as good as many were expecting, but this is still a very good team who is able to roll with anyone in this league. It should be a great game.

I get it let’s be positive but I’m being real at this point. Can we beat this team? Yes, if we make 0 mistakes. We just haven’t been playing mistake free football circa 2010, they have been. That’s all I’m saying.

I understand respecting the Packers, because they are the world champions and have played tremendously thus far in the season. But where is all the homerism? I expect to see us play a damned good game Sunday night, and I would love nothing more than to put that first “L” on the Packer’s record.

We expected a lot from him last year before he was injured (he was slated to be the starter due to Atari Bigby’s injury) and his performance in the two training camps combined with Peprah (the back up safety’s) performance in relief last year made the starter expendable. So we obviously thought that there was something there, I don’t know that I saw him making such an impact so soon.

…to try to take the crowd out of it? And what are your weaknesses on offense?

They’ll mix in the run to keep Atlanta’s D guessing, I think, but it remains to be seen if McCarthy will take his foot off the gas pedal or if he’ll go for the kill like he did last week against Denver.

Considering how hot Rodgers and the offense is, there’s little reason to switch to the running game. Until someone proves they can stop Rodgers, he will continue to pass. Of course more successful running plays would be a pleasant surprise in frustrating the DC’s around the league even more…

Overall, Packers fans are really excited. We honestly got a whole team’s worth of “free agents” back from IR this season (Finley, Grant, etc) and added Randall Cobb to the offense. It’s going to be really tough to stop this offense this year, the main concern is that the pass defense has been a bit weak.

We are grateful for the success the Packers have had so far and the situation they are in. It’s a young team, and they will continue to improve over the next few years. There is a concern with our defense, but we are confident in Dom Capers and our coaching staff to resolve the issues and get our D back to 2010 form. Our D may not be as dominant as they were last year, but they are still clutch. They stopped both the Saints and Panthers in the final seconds of their game winning drives. Both stops occurred near the endzone.

The mood of the Packer fans tends to be that this could be a great year, but the first thing that needs to happen is to win the division. Last year the Packers failed in that, in fact an Aaron Rodgers led team hasn’t won the division yet, nor played a home playoff game. It’s time to get that done and with a quickly emerging Lions team that is not going to be a cake walk.

After winning the division, well I personally don’t see many teams in the NFC that can roll with the Packers. The Falcons have the talent, but they haven’t really put it together for a whole game yet (sorry guys just the way I see it). The Saints can, but we have also already beat them once. The Eagles have the talent, but they are imploding. The Giants and the Redskins are both a bit of mysteries due to QB issues and injury concerns. No one in the NFC West is worth mentioning. So it should be interesting once we come down the stretch of the season.

Our offense is really clicking and I don’t see it slowing down, unless the unthinkable happens. On D we are dealing w/ alot of injuries. Collins is a big blow, Tramon playing w/ a bum shoulder, Woodson a bad foot and knee, Matthews a quad. No excuses, but if we get to the bye week in good shape we should get healthy and start to play pass D more like last year.

Burnett and Peprah have to learn to play together at Safety, both have given up big plays. Mike Neal should be back in the 2nd half of the season to help Raji and Matthews w/ the pass rush.

I feel kinda like we are biding our time till we get healthy on D, then in the 2nd half of the season both Offense and Defense can get it going like the playoffs last year. Another SB is definitely in our sights!

When you make the run on Friday/Saturday buy LOTS. It helps if you add in a bottle of liquor to increase the effect (Jack Daniel’s if my weapon of choice). It also depends on the quality of the games. I tend to drink less during shootouts, and tons more in defensive battles and one-sided games. The time-release safe is only an option if you have friends that cant be trusted. If it gets to be a trend of running out on Saturday night, then when I get home from my initial run, I leave some of it out of the fridge so its warm/hot come gametime, then stock it in the fridge early Sunday when I wake up.

or go see the bootleger and pay $40 for a case of beer…lol

The best and simplest way I can explain it is that often times the Packers and their players feel like a part of the family. This is especially so since there are plenty of people who know where the guys buy their groceries and which bars they hang out at….it is an odd relationship between player and community.

Anyways, the best way I can explain it is that Farve is like an estranged uncle at this point. He’s part of the family, he may even have a special place in all the family stories, but it’s pretty uncomfortable when he shows up for Thanksgiving.

The other way I try to explain and understand the Favre / Packers conflict at this point is by retelling the story of Curly Lambeau. Lambeau himself left the Packers in disgrace. Typically his departure is listed as him causing the financial problems with some bad investments, but I have heard stories of an attempted hostile takeover of the Packers and moving the team to LA. Either way, he left the franchise to coach and manage the Chicago Cardinals and never returned to the team again. To this day the Packers have never formally retired Lambeau’s number (number 1) even though it has never been given out.

Favre’s situation is somewhat similar, a legend of the team having a messy divorce with the franchise and causing hurt feelings on both sides. Now each side is making little steps to try and heal the wounds and allow the story of Favre to primarily be told through Green Bay. It’s a wound the Packers and their fans know how to deal with, but it’s also one that will take time to mend.

He was never one of my 5 favorite players on the team. So, I think I don’t feel as wronged as some other fans might feel. I was a little surprised the way he forced himself to the Jets. He didn’t want to be in a competition for the starting job vs. Aaron Rodgers, which, I think at the time he would have won. I lost respect for him when he went to the Vikings, more or less to just stick it to the Packers. His comments last week may have been intended as a compliment, and due to him not being so bright just came out wrong, not really sure. If he meant it like it sounded, that was a total dick move. He needs to learn to keep his mouth shut, either way. Rodgers already has as many rings, more SB MVPs, and is working on getting those three MVPs (off to a good start so far).

I’m no Favre apologist, but one thing that really irks me is the Packer fans who are trying to revise the history of what he did for the team. Things like Favre being the “4th, 5th or 6th best QB in Packers history”, and acting like all he ever did was throw interceptions. Favre may have been the reason we only won one championship during his tenure, but you can’t discount the fact that he did win that one. Maybe with another QB we would have won 3 or 4 with those teams, but with another QB we might have won zero.

The best way to contain the Packers offense is to keep them off the field primarily. That means ball control offense with lots of running. Really the two offensive stars for the Falcons need to be Turner and Gonzo. If these two guys aren’t the workhorses this week the Falcons will lose.

After that the defense needs to slow down the Packers and try to cause mistakes and turnovers. Limit the big plays and force the offense to move down the field slowly. If you are able to get a turnover (tough since they don’t do it often, but there have been three in the last two weeks from the offense) then you have to turn those turnovers into points.

Last year the Packers were never down by more than 7 points. This year that has only happened once in Carolina when the Panthers moved the ball down the field slowly and efficiently with lots of passes to TE’s. On the next kickoff the Panthers caused a fumble and where able to kick a FG. Suddenly the Packers were down two scores. If there’s a way to beat these Packers it’s going to be through ball control and turnovers. Heck that’s how the Bears were able to hang with the Pack so many times last year as well.

Supposed to reply to JoshChildressAfroIsCure4Cancer

He’ll be fired soon.

It’s tough to say who on the offensive staff would be the guy to hire since it’s the defensive guys that tend to get most of the credit and attention. Part of thing with having an offensive Head Coach all the credit goes to him, while all the individual defensive guys get extra amounts of love.

One guy I would highlight though is Tom Clement. He’s the QB coach for the Packers and has been for awhile. Now it’s fairly well known that McCarthy is a QB whisperer so Clement’s role in the development of Rodgers and Flynn is questionable, but it’s worth note that the Bears tried to interview him for their OC job a couple years ago before they hired Martz and the Packers prevented that from happening. To me that says what he means to the Packers and what sort of coach he is.

Another interesting one to keep your eye on would be Ben McAdoo. McAdoo is the guy who has taken a raw talent in Jermichael Finley and turning him into one of the most explosive offensive weapons in the league. He’s also a coach that TT & MM have been loading with talent. The Packers have 5 tight ends on the roster right now and have drafted a highly athletic receiving TE in the last two drafts (Andrew Quarless in the fifth round last year and DJ Williams in the fifth round this year). I know TT loves to draft at positions of strength when there is a player or coach to build around to make a particular position group dominate. That much drafting in that area points to trust in McAdoo and could mean that he’s got some potential to some good things with an offense of his own.

The last thing I would advise is that these guys would probably bring a change of philosophy on offense. From watching Musgrave over at MN and the offense that they are running I can tell that there is a bit of a different philosophy from what was bringing from ATL and what MN did (which is fairly similar to the Packers offense). The Packers are a WCO team with a zone blocking scheme and a spread out and attack philosophy. It would probably be a new offense and terminology for the offense to learn.

The man, along w/ McCarthy have helped make Rodgers the force he is. Clements is going to make some team VERY happy when the hire him as an OC! He has HC written all over him… Only a matter of time and when he gets his shot he will be very successful!

but the person who really should…never will.