Before we talk about the Packers-Lions game, let’s recap what happened on Sunday, specifically the Saints-Panthers game. Sam Darnold threw for 305 yards—216 in the first half—against that vaunted Saints defense. Jameis Winston proved that he could not be counted on if the team was put on his back—he had an even worse game than Aaron Rodgers did last week. The result was a 26-7 victory for the Panthers, and Sean Payton wasn’t exactly looking like a “genius” who had “transformed” Winston into an “elite” quarterback. Now what does that say about how the Packers played last week? Does it suggest that the Packers could be even worse than they looked? How would they play against a team quarterbacked by Jared Goff that rallied to cut a 28-point deficit to 8 points before time ran out against the 49ers?
If the Packers 35-17 victory over the Lions on Monday Night Football proved anything, it is just possible that a team that is supposed to be a Super Bowl contender needs its starters—including Aaron Rodgers—to have at least one practice in full pads before they can get their engines running. Maybe we can say the game against the Saints was that “practice” game, and given how poorly the Saints played against the Panthers, the Packer starters were in desperate need of a real “practice” game. The first half of this game seemed liked the Packers were finally finding their footing; although down 17-14 at halftime, they only had three possessions up to that point (not counting the kneel-down on the last play).
In the second half, Rodgers threw for half his total yards passing in the game during the first two drives, including a 50-yarder to Davante Adams which he looped into a perfect spot, unlike his second interception against the Saints last week. The Packers didn’t just control the scoreboard in the second half, but the defense played better—or rather, more opportunistically, forcing two turnovers and two fourth down stops. I know Rodgers talked about the “overreactions” about last week’s shameful defeat, but if he (and the rest of the team), needs these wake-up calls every other week, it could still be a long season. Some of us still remember how Rodgers’ mentally “checked out” long before the end of Mike McCarthy’s final season here.
While the team looked better, and Rodgers was better connected with his receivers, there are still issues to be corrected. Four of Rodgers’ five incomplete passes occurred when targeting Marquez Valdes-Scantling, three on deep routes; in two games, Valdes-Scantling has caught only 3 of 12 targets for just 17 yards, although admittedly not all of it his fault. At least last season his league-leading 20.9 yards per catch made up for his 50 percent catch percentage. But something has to change here; if he isn’t cutting it, then Allen Lazard should play. 15 of Rodgers 27 passes targeted just two players—Adams and Aaron Jones. Before Rodgers is forced into a throwing contest, he’s going to have to learn to work with his other receivers.
It can’t be said that the Packers offensive line changed much from last week, with Rodgers sacked three times, hit seven more times, and four tackles for losses; on the other side, the Lions offensive line allowed one sack, six QB hits and no tackles for loss, which of course is on the Packers defense, which with a new defensive coordinator is still a work in progress.
Still, you can’t argue with “success" as Rodgers threw for four TDs and no interceptions this time, and if the dominant performance in the second half of this game on both sides of the ball means that it “only” took the Packers six quarters to get “right,” then so much the better. Next week is at the 49ers; hopefully the team will continue to “get right” against a team they have had difficulty against the past few years, and keep the “trolls” off their backs.
No comments:
Post a Comment