Post Game Thread : Packers Hang On And Defeat Chargers

Why can't we run the offense that San Diego ran? There was nothing fancy, they completed about 30 slants and another 10 passes on crossing routes. You don't need separation on slants, you just need to get inside the DB. And crossing routes take some time to develop but are almost impossible to cover.

I'd have to go back and look, but the difference I think was that our DBs were giving them free releases and some cushion to work with, whereas they - and the Rams last week - have been coming up and jamming our WR and not allowing them to run clean routes. Capers is more likely to give them some underneath stuff and SD took all they wanted of it.
 
Why can't we run the offense that San Diego ran? There was nothing fancy, they completed about 30 slants and another 10 passes on crossing routes. You don't need separation on slants, you just need to get inside the DB. And crossing routes take some time to develop but are almost impossible to cover.

Overall, it wasn't our best game but a win is a win and an ugly win is way better than a pretty loss. Rodgers looked more like a game manager today than an MVP candidate and our D gave up a million yards, yet they found a way to win. This is a game we would have lost in past years, so it really makes me excited for this season because I know the offense will eventually figure it out.

ARod struggled and a lot of it was his own doing. Clements play calling was morbidly predictable. We kind of entered the 'don't lose game plan'. Aaron needs to R-E-L-A-X and take the five yard pass more. He's pushing it downfield when he doesn't have to. The whole second half we seemed to refuse to take what the defense was giving- the short quick pass. It's hard to watch the opponent throw 5 yard crossing routes as they move down the field and control the tempo of the game.
Why can't we? TE stick route is forgotten and it's hard to remember us throwing a quick slant more than a handful of time all year. UUGGHH! Yes, we won, but it didn't feel like it.

At least we shouldn't be overconfident heading into the bye week!
 
That 7 or 8-yard back shoulder toss down the left sideline was open every single time Rivers wanted it. We never had an answer for it; what is it - Capers just admired it so much he wanted to keep watching it? Rivers took both Rodgers and Clements to school today with 500 yards worth of the short routes. I wish i could say I hope they learned something, but that would probably be asking too much.
 
A little something for everybody in that game.

If you like Packers wins, that game was for you.
If you like close games with dramatic finishes, that game was for you.
If you like complaining about stuff, that game was for you.
If you hate Dom Capers and want him fired, that game was for you.
If you're part of the Janis cult, that game was for you.

It wasn't pretty, but we survived and got to that all important bye week where we can hopefully heal up and make the "big push" toward the playoffs as Vince Lombardi would say.
 
Their makeshift line handled our standard 4-man rush so well that Capers had to bring extra guys. That especially left the middle of the field open yesterday, which allowed Rivers the easy safety valve type throw. Toss in the fact that they were using their RBs as receivers and pulling another LB from the middle of the field to cover them and there was a ton of room for Rivers and his receivers to work with. Add in Micah Hyde's struggles and some general struggles by some of the DBs and Rivers had targets all day.

The whole "go downfield" mentality is already a big part of MM's and AR's make-up. They always talk about the "big play" as being key to the game. Problem is, when combined with everyone telling them that they aren't very good at it right now, I think they were pressing to make a point. Instead, what they need to do is find a balance right now with the lack of weapons. Perillo, Abby and Janis are not the guys you need to make that downfield, big play offense work. Use Janis' ability as a blocker on screens and similar plays, and his speed to force the opposition to cover deep routes and then kill them with underneath stuff and passes to the backs. (It's one complaint I have about TT/MM and this offense in that they don't really draft/keep a serious pass-receiving type threat at the RB position.)

Something also seems just a bit off about AR as well. That last drive should have sealed the win. Richard Rodgers had separation and a decent window for AR to throw into for the TD on 3rd down. How often does AR get that look and promptly toss it 5 feet over the guy's head . . . never. That is exactly the sort of tight but clear window that AR has made a living throwing into. There were other examples as well. Hopefully it's just a slump/aberration and the bye week gets things sorted out for everyone.
 
A little something for everybody in that game.

If you like Packers wins, that game was for you.
If you like close games with dramatic finishes, that game was for you.
If you like complaining about stuff, that game was for you.
If you hate Dom Capers and want him fired, that game was for you.
If you're part of the Janis cult, that game was for you.

It wasn't pretty, but we survived and got to that all important bye week where we can hopefully heal up and make the "big push" toward the playoffs as Vince Lombardi would say.

Janis Cult? That is funny. I am in the Packers Cult, and I see a struggling offense with two untested WRs in the ranks that may or may not be able to contribute in game time. Janis is one of them. You can't keep doing the same thing over and over and expect different results so I support giving Janis and Abbrederis some "real" snaps to see what they can do. I did not see much of this game but did see Janis caught two balls for 79 yards to lead the team. I saw the 33 yard catch but missed the 46 yarder.

I think the support of Janis is a result of guys wanting more from this offense and knowing there are guys on the roster that may be able to contribute. Are they going to be pro bowlers? Probably not but you'll never know what you have until you give them a shot.
 
Like everything else in a sports forum, semantics and relativity are important. I think the definition that most would associate with 'cult' in this instance is over-the-top, blind, unwarranted support. Heck, I've been a Packer fan since before Lombardi, and I wouldn't say I'm a part of the Packer Cult - when there's cause for criticism or 'calm down', I am there, as my experience on other forums verify. For a low round rookie, Janis has gotten way more ink than he deserves, mostly because he's big and fast, and Packer fans would love to have a Moss or Megatron. Your last paragraph is completely on target, but the Janis Cult folks want him in there not to see what he can do but to overpower opposing defenses with God-given measurables.
 
The Janis cult following has taken some interesting twist and turns. I think it started because he's made some spectacular plays in training camp practices. During his rookie year he'd make about 1 every practice according to the beat writers who would tweet out the highlights of the open practices. And he's flashed in preseason too. So I think that got everybody excited. Then after it because obvious he was still very raw and this was going to take some time, it became more of a running joke. People were wondering if he'd only make it to the hall of fame or would they create a separate wing just for him. It was all very tongue in cheek at that point, but there are still a few who think he'll be the next Terrell Owens (or at least Donald Driver). Yesterday was a big day for those people, and should make for some interesting talk radio this week.
 
Very interesting to compare numbers for the two QBs. Rivers had a slew of completions for 500 yards, but his YPA was a full yard under Aaron's, and he had a lightly lower passer rating (but a slightly higher QBR). It's like two different philosophies. SD was a boxer landing tons and tons of quick body blows, GB was a boxer that landed two uppercuts and a direct shot to the kidneys for the KO. The perception is that our O had a bad day but they really didn't. They left a lot out there and failed to really control the game but they're still dangerous enough where they can KO the other team with just a handful of plays.
 
Very interesting to compare numbers for the two QBs. Rivers had a slew of completions for 500 yards, but his YPA was a full yard under Aaron's, and he had a lightly lower passer rating (but a slightly higher QBR). It's like two different philosophies. SD was a boxer landing tons and tons of quick body blows, GB was a boxer that landed two uppercuts and a direct shot to the kidneys for the KO. The perception is that our O had a bad day but they really didn't. They left a lot out there and failed to really control the game but they're still dangerous enough where they can KO the other team with just a handful of plays.

Yeah, that's interesting. We all perceive that Rodgers had a mediocre game and Rivers played one of his best, but statistically and on the scoreboard it doesn't tell that story. I was looking at the play-by-play and the Chargers just had some ridiculously long drives. In terms of number of plays: 14, 12, 2 (fumble), 12, 8, 11, 10, 6, and 11. 6 drives of 10 plays or more. Not a single 3 and out on the day. Yet only 2 FGs and 2 TDs to show for it. Still kind of scratching my head about that.
 
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