Packers 2009

I have such low expectations...any season where Packers go better than 8-8 and finish above the Bears is pleasing for me...I think it's cos I still have nightmares about the mid 80s!

me-skywalker

Not old enough to remember that only an NFL 3 years and was very strange way I became a Packers fan... never had much time for the NFL but I was hungover on the couch couple of years back during the Packers Vrs Seahawks match that was in the middle of a complete blizzard so I got enthralled...

Packers were struggling and Favre spun out of a tackle and improved a third-down underhanded a pass to Lee for an 11-yard gain to the 3 then Grant ran it in... In that 3min period I was a suddenyl a Packers fan!

THANK FCK IT WASNT SEAHAWKS I CAUGHT MAKING THAT PLAY!! phew!

WakeyTyke

Followed the Packers since the '80's when Channel 4 used to cover the sport. Always liked the concept that, unlike any other NFL team, they were owned by the community.

Last summer met an American visitor who was wearing a Packer's cap and I told him that I too supported them, so he insisted I kept the cap. He said that this was common practice with Packer fans, that they gave would give other fans that they met some Packer memorabilia - which I thought was a nice gesture.

cooker3

Big game tonight. I am confident of victory and if we do win it then we have taken a huge step towards the play-offs.
As I said in Week 13 thread the wild card race in NFC is now the Packers vs NFC East. Atlanta have a chance as there last 3 games are winnable but they are falling apart so don't give them much hope.

I think we have 1 of the easiest run ins. The cowboys have a really tough one and we hold the tie break over them. Philadelphia face NY and Dallas so they are going to dropping games to each other.

Let's hope we get it done.

eagle eye

I fancy the Ravens, they need a win to keep pace with the Broncos and Jaguars in the AFC playoff race.

I don't think that schedule is too easy at all. For sure the final game will be handy with the Cards resting players but you have the Ravens tonight, then the Bears at Soldier Field and then you have to play the Steelers in Pittsburgh also.

I think thats a tough three game stretch, you need to win two of them to make the playoffs imo. Its achievable but not easy by any means.

FlutterinBantam

Agree, won't be easy.

Packers have a very important game tonight, and need to cut out the penalties and take every opportunity they get.

If they win tonight I fancy them for a wildcard, but a loss would put them under pressure.

eagle eye

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Agree, won't be easy.

Packers have a very important game tonight, and need to cut out the penalties and take every opportunity they get.

If they win tonight I fancy them for a wildcard, but a loss would put them under pressure.

I'll tell you why I don't fancy them. Its to do with Rodgers, I've always said he holds onto the ball too long, a lot like his predecessor. He still has to learn to throw it away but he is always trying to make a play. This is a huge problem when you are facing a team with N'Gata, Suggs and Ray Lewis.

Don't get me wrong, I love watching Aaron Rodgers and he is imo one of the top QBs but I do think that if he was willing to throw the ball away more often he would be so much better.

cooker3

I didn't say it was easy but easier then Phili and Dallas which it is. Tough but winnable game tonight. Next week away to Chicago which we are favourites for. Away to Pittsburgh, I would make Steelers favourite for that tbh as they may have to run the board and it's just so hard to win at Heinz field (yesterday aside) although we certainly have a chance.
We then face Seattle, clear favourites for that and final week away to Arizona. Tough game but they maybe resting players and will likely not have much to play for while we will have everything. That could go either way.

I think 10-6 will be good enough so Ravens, Chicago and Seattle will get us across the line.
If we don't win tonight then we are in a real dog fight.

RichTea

Big game tonight. Tempted to stay up for it (but I tend to jinx the one's I stay up for).

I think we can win this one tonight, which will be a huge step towards the playoffs.

The key really is not to lose any of the NFC games. We may need a good record within the conference in a potential tie-breaker with the Eagles or the Giants (we already have the upper hand on Dallas).

Aaron Rodgers is on course to break the Packers single season records for passing yards among others. I think he'll have enough time in the pocket tonight to cause problems for the Ravens.

Packers by 3. (Hopefully)

FlutterinBantam

Nice win for the 'Pack, for some unknown reason i thought it was in Baltimore:o:o

Just looking at the highlights, Jermichael Finley is some load, must be close to starting TE at this stage.

17-0 lead and let them back into it but the D did it's job.

27-14 eventually.

From the highlights , very impressive.

RichTea

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Nice win for the 'Pack, for some unknown reason i thought it was in Baltimore:o:o

Just looking at the highlights, Jermichael Finley is some load, must be close to starting TE at this stage.

17-0 lead and let them back into it but the D did it's job.

27-14 eventually.

From the highlights , very impressive.

Defensively the Packers were fantastic. Is it a case of Dom Capers' scheme working now or individual playmakers at their best? Whatever it is, the Pack is closing in on a playoff spot. 4 straight wins is tough to do in the NFL, especially after being 4-4.

Charles Woodson is correctly cited as a potential Defensive MVP candidate. There are three other guys who have played out of their skins so far this season and especially in recent games.

Nick Barnett, Clay Matthews III, Nick Collins.

Nick Collins is balling right now. It's remarkable that he is overlooked as often as he is. When he's back there, he makes plays and is often a dependable last man.

Clay Matthews III has to be up there as a candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year (Byrd and Cushing have probably been better though). He is offering solidity, penetration and a great presence of mind to that linebacking corps. Huge fan of those USC linebackers coming out of the 2009 Draft, they haven't disappointed.

Nick Barnett has finally proven to be the leader of that defensive front. I think his all-around game has improved greatly this season, even when the Packers lost a couple early on.

cooker3

Good victory. We are set up very nicely.
Plus points are the defence for the most part and the o-line is really stepping up. Nowhere near as many sacks, hurry ups as earlier on in the season.

Bad points, oh dear god penalties. That was terrible. We have to sort that out as we have no hope in the play-offs giving away over 150 yards. The loss of Al Harris really showed itself and the idea of having Tramon Williams and his patented arm bars going up against Bouldon and Larry Fitz in the regular season finale and possibly the week after in the wild card round is pretty terrifying. That needs to be addressed or a wildcard is as good as it gets.

RichTea

cooker3 wrote: »

. The loss of Al Harris really showed itself and the idea of having Tramon Williams and his patented arm bars going up against Bouldon and Larry Fitz in the regular season finale and possibly the week after in the wild card round is pretty terrifying. That needs to be addressed or a wildcard is as good as it gets.

I really don't think Tramon Williams is a huge problem. He's got the speed and ball skills to trouble receivers. His flagrant use of the arm cost us a lot of yards against the Ravens, but a lot of other refereeing crews would not have called a couple of them. It's something to be ironed out. He'll be fine.

The point about penalties in general though is valid. It's been a problem over the last two seasons. It is the most frustrating thing about the Packers under McCarthy. I'm amazed it hasn't been sorted yet. Perhaps it's a by-product of a high intensity defensive set up rather than indiscipline.

On offense though, man oh man, I've lost count of the amount of false starts etc. On special teams it seems that most of our returns are flagged.

I wonder where we would be right now if it wasn't for our penalty woes.

Squiggler

RichTea wrote: »

I wonder where we would be right now if it wasn't for our penalty woes.

Clear favourites, I'd say. We should have beaten the Vikings, just our luck that Favre finally learned how not to throw interceptions, although I guess he's always been pretty good at not throwing to the guys in green :rolleyes:

_Buck Rogers

That makes me think. Have all packers fans turned on farve now as he join a rival team?

Or is still held in high regard?

davyjose

Squiggler wrote: »

Clear favourites, I'd say. We should have beaten the Vikings, just our luck that Favre finally learned how not to throw interceptions, although I guess he's always been pretty good at not throwing to the guys in green :rolleyes:

Yeah, those 5,000+ completions were all just flukes, right?

tallaghtoutlaws

_Buck Rogers wrote: »

That makes me think. Have all packers fans turned on farve now as he join a rival team?

Or is still held in high regard?

I spend a lot of time in Wisconsin and its 50/50 Some hate his guts other still hold him in high regard and will still follow him.

cooker3

When he retires like you know actually retires then I think he will be loved again. it might take a year or 2 but no matter what the 16 years he had will never be forgotten. The anger will subside.


But man oh man I would love us to take him in the playoffs, would be so sweet

_Buck Rogers

I think he has proven he'll never retire .

although he may end up playing for the browns with a walking stick!

tallaghtoutlaws

cooker3 wrote: »

But man oh man I would love us to take him in the playoffs, would be so sweet

They can only get each other in the Championship game right? I will be in WI when that happens and my buddy told me if they make we are going to Minnesota Happy Days Packers/Vikes NFC Championship game would be sweet.

Would be an epic game.

tallaghtoutlaws

_Buck Rogers wrote: »

I think he has proven he'll never retire .

although he may end up playing for the browns with a walking stick!

Whacking DE with his walking stick as they come in to sack him or slowly scrambling with the ball stiff arming players with his walking stick :D:D

_Buck Rogers

personal foul - walking stick through the face mask

cooker3

tallaghtoutlaws wrote: »

They can only get each other in the Championship game right? I will be in WI when that happens and my buddy told me if they make we are going to Minnesota Happy Days Packers/Vikes NFC Championship game would be sweet.

Would be an epic game.

It would depend who wins the other wildcard game. If number 3/4 seed win it then we would be lowest seed left so would get the saints assuming they don't lose number 1 seed in divisional round so yeah the chances are we would get Vikings in NFC championship game.
All we have to do is beat the saints in the superdome

FlutterinBantam

Eh ...steady lads...

tallaghtoutlaws

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Eh ...steady lads...

One can dream

cooker3

RichTea wrote: »

I really don't think Tramon Williams is a huge problem. He's got the speed and ball skills to trouble receivers. His flagrant use of the arm cost us a lot of yards against the Ravens, but a lot of other refereeing crews would not have called a couple of them. It's something to be ironed out. He'll be fine.

I just watched the highlights again. He had 3 PI penalties awarded against him. The first 2 are absolutely blatant. The third one is debatable.
I hope you are right about him because nobody is going to dare throw at Woodson. Everyone will aim for the long bombs on his side until he proves he can handle it.

Just watching the Steelers struggle against Cleveland now. I'm changing what I said a few days ago. I'd fancy us to beat them. If we do then I think the wild card is ours.

Pherekydes

Four in a row at this stage of the season is great news. The defence is now #1 in the league, which is brilliant. Capers has worked his magic again. The defensive line is beat up for this week's game in Chicago, but hopefully they'll have enough bodies to do it.

Rodgers is playing great. I can't understand Eagle eye's criticism of him. Bias, I suppose. Interesting stat I came across yesterday: only SIX QBs have reached week 12 of the season with 25+ TDs AND 7 or fewer interceptions in all NFL history! Favre and Rodgers have both managed it this year.

Furthermore, they're both projected to finish the season with 33+ TDs and fewer than 10 ints. Only ONE QB in history has achieved that.

If they can sort out their coverage on ST before they run into the Vikings and Percy Harvin again I fancy them to beat anyone.

eagle eye

Pherekydes wrote: »

Four in a row at this stage of the season is great news. The defence is now #1 in the league, which is brilliant. Capers has worked his magic again. The defensive line is beat up for this week's game in Chicago, but hopefully they'll have enough bodies to do it.

I gotta say that D is impressive alright. You had a great draft in 2009, how Raji fell to no.9 I'll never know but he has been very impressive, and again how Matthews fell to 26 and us giving that pick to you, grrrrr, another great pick though. You had other great picks as well but none better value than Brad Jones on the 7th round. I mean I didn't know anything much about the guy but how does a talent like that fall that far?

Pherekydes wrote: »

Rodgers is playing great. I can't understand Eagle eye's criticism of him. Bias, I suppose. Interesting stat I came across yesterday: only SIX QBs have reached week 12 of the season with 25+ TDs AND 7 or fewer interceptions in all NFL history! Favre and Rodgers have both managed it this year.

Furthermore, they're both projected to finish the season with 33+ TDs and fewer than 10 ints. Only ONE QB in history has achieved that.

I've nothing against Rodgers and my criticism is only of one facet of his game. I think he can be one of the greatest, I just think he needs to throw the ball away more and not take unnecessary sacks. I know all his sacks were not his fault but he has been badly caught out in the backfield too many times for my liking where he could have thrown the ball away and saved the sack.
I have always said that he is class though, love watching him play. His third down stats this year are just ridiculous.

FlutterinBantam

Same old story.... should have this fooking game iced.... behind 14-13.

Not over yet but once again let the opposition back into the game.

FlutterinBantam

Can't take too many more like this... good win 'Pack


Kicker problems could do them .yet.......:eek:

Crosby nails that 41 yarder and it's over.