Official Week 5 Green Bay vs St. Louis Thread

Mark87

Carpe Diem
Admin
Moderator
Messages
10,612
Reaction score
12,420
Website
wisconsinsportstalk.net
thedopesheet.jpg


The Green Bay Packers will take on the St. Louis Rams at Lambeau Field on Sunday. It will be the first noon kickoff for Green Bay since Week 1 of the season and one of only three scheduled at home this season.
The Packers are 4-0 for the first time since 2011 (13-0) and for just the fourth time in the last 49 years.
It is the third 4-0 start under Head Coach Mike McCarthy (4-0, 2007). The Packers are one of three NFC teams (Atlanta, Carolina) still undefeated this season and one of six in the NFL (Cincinnati, Denver, New England).
Green Bay has won each of the last four regular-season games against the Rams, outscoring St. Louis, 123-54, combined in those contests.
Dating back to 1970, this will be the 32nd meeting between the Packers and Rams, the most among teams Green Bay has not been in a division with (including playoffs).
The series against the Rams started in 1937 and is the eighth oldest for the Packers (Arizona, 1921 / Chicago, 1921 / Detroit, 1930 / New York Giants, 1928 / Washington, 1932 / Philadelphia, 1933 / Pittsburgh, 1933).
Sunday’s game will be a matchup of two teams that get after the quarterback, Green Bay (12.98%) ranks No. 1 in the NFL this season in sacks/pass attempt and St. Louis (11.81%) ranks No. 4.
Green Bay has won 11 straight home games (including playoffs), the longest active home winning streak in the NFL.
It is tied for the second-longest home winning streak of the McCarthy era. (13, 2010-11 / 11, 2012-13).
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Green Bay has scored 383 points over its last 10 regular-season home games, the highest total in team history over a span of 10 home games. Only the Rams in 1999 and 2000 (403) and the Denver Broncos spanning 2012 and 2013 (399) won 10 consecutive home games while scoring as many points as the Packers.
The Packers have rushed for 120-plus yards in each game this season, their first time doing so in each of the first four contests since 1971.
This week is the first time since the end of the 2010 season (Week 17) that the Packers are ranked in the top 10 in both offense (10th) and defense (eighth).
Green Bay has scored in the first quarter in 20 straight regular-season games, the longest current streak in the league.
QB Aaron Rodgers has registered a 100-plus quarterback rating and 15-plus attempts in 10 straight regular-season home contests, tying Kurt Warner (1999-2000) for the NFL record.
Dating back to 2012, Rodgers has thrown 486 passes at home in the regular season without an interception and 43 consecutive touchdown passes at home without an interception, both NFL records (including playoffs, 580 attempts and 48 touchdown passes).
Rodgers’ streak of 43 consecutive touchdown passes at home without an interception is twice as long as any other streak of touchdown passes without an interception in home games in NFL history.

WITH THE CALL
CBS will broadcast the game to a regional audience with play-by-play man Ian Eagle and analyst Dan Fouts handling the call from the broadcast booth and Evan Washburn reporting from the sidelines.
Milwaukee’s WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since November 1929, heads up the Packers Radio Network that is made up of 50 stations in five states. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color) call the action. McCarren first joined the team’s broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 21st season calling Packers’ games. McCarren has four times been voted Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 17th season of broadcasts together.
Sports USA Radio will air the game across the country. Larry Kahn (play-by-play) and John Robinson (analyst) will call the action, with Troy West reporting from the sidelines.
The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (WTMJ feed) as part of the network’s NFL Sunday Drive.
DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game on channel 710.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Green Bay is looking to start 5-0 for the first time since 2011 (13-0) and for the second time under Head Coach Mike McCarthy. The Packers have started 5-0 three times since 1945 (10-0 in 1962 and 6-0 in 1965).
If the Packers win, it will be the third consecutive season they have won their first three home games.
Green Bay is looking for its fifth consecutive win against St. Louis.
In Week 4, the Packers limited the 49ers to just one rushing first down, the second time they have held an opponent to only one rushing first down in the last six regular-season games (Week 16 at Tampa Bay).
In the last three weeks, the Packers defense has held the opponent’s starting running back, Marshawn Lynch (41 yards on 15 carries), Jamaal Charles (49 yards on 11 carries) and Carlos Hyde (20 yards on eight carries), to less than 50 yards rushing each.

OFFENSE
If QB Aaron Rodgers throws for 300-plus yards, it will be the 42nd 300-yard passing game of his career during the regular season.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rodgers (11) joined Peyton Manning (16 in 2013) and Don Meredith (14 in 1966) as the only QBs in NFL history to throw 11-plus touchdown passes and no interceptions in the first four games of the season.
Dating back to 2014, Rodgers has not thrown an interception in 17 of the last 20 regular-season games, including the last six. The Packers are 16-1 in those games.
Rodgers has thrown 191 consecutive passes without an interception, the fourth-longest streak in team history
Since the start of the 2014 season, Rodgers has thrown 49 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Rodgers has recorded a passer rating of 100-plus in 14 of the last 20 regular-season games.
Rodgers is 427 passing yards away from 30,000 for his career.
WR Randall Cobb needs one reception to extend his streak of consecutive regular-season games with a reception to 45.
Dating back to last season (with Oakland in 2014), WR James Jones has registered a touchdown reception in five of the last seven games. He has totaled six touchdown receptions over that span.
Jones is tied for No. 1 in the NFL with six receptions of 25-plus yards this season. His career high for 25-yard receptions in a season is eight in 2013. Jones has also recorded seven in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

DEFENSE
LB Clay Matthews recorded two sacks in the win over Kansas City in Week 3. It was his 13th career game with two or more sacks. He is one shy of tying Tim Harris (14, 1986-90) for No. 3 in team history (Reggie White, 16; Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, 15).
Since Week 8 of last season, Matthews has recorded at least one sack in nine of the last 13 games. His 12.5 sacks are tied (STL Robert Quinn) for No. 3 in the NFL over that span behind only HOU J.J. Watt (19.5) and KC Justin Houston (18).
LB Julius Peppers leads the Packers with 3.5 sacks this season. Dating back to last season (including playoffs), Peppers has eight sacks in the last eight games.
On Sunday, Peppers passed LB Rickey Jackson for No. 14 in NFL history with 129 sacks.
Over the last three games, LB Jayrone Elliott has recorded two sacks, a forced fumble and an interception.
CB Sam Shields recorded an interception in back-to-back weeks for the first time in his career (Weeks 3-4).
LB Nick Perry matched his career high with two sacks against the 49ers. It is his third straight season (2013-15) with a two-sack game. Perry joins Matthews as the only Packers to have a two-sack game in each of the last three seasons.

SPECIAL TEAMS
K Mason Crosby (276) is two field-goal attempts short of surpassing Ryan Longwell (277) for the most in team history. In Week 2, Crosby (1,070) passed Longwell (1,054) for the franchise career scoring record.
WR Ty Montgomery is No. 2 in the NFL in kickoff return average this season (31.5). In Week 1, he recorded a kick return of 46 yards, the longest kick return by a Packer since a 70-yarder by S Micah Hyde vs. Pittsburgh on 12/22/13.

THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Rams:
Regular season, all-time: 44-45-2
All-time, postseason: 1-1
All-time, at Lambeau Field: 28-19-0 (incl. Packers’ 1967 Western Conference Championship victory)
Streaks: The Packers have won each of the last four regular-season meetings.
Last meeting, regular season: Oct. 21, 2012; Packers won, 30-20, Edward Jones Dome

COACHES CAPSULES
Mike McCarthy: 105-55-1, .655, (incl. 7-6 postseason); 10th NFL season
Jeff Fisher: 169-155-1, .520, (incl. 5-6 postseason); 21st NFL season
Head to Head: 1-1
vs. Opponent: McCarthy 4-1 vs. Rams; Fisher 3-2 vs. Packers

MIKE McCARTHY…Is in his 10th year as the Packers’ 14th head coach.
Joined Vince Lombardi and Mike Holmgren as the only coaches to guide the Packers to a Super Bowl title with a win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV.
Led the Packers to their sixth consecutive playoff appearance last season, joining New England as the only two NFL teams to do so over that span. Has also led the team to seven playoff appearances in the last eight years (2007, 2009-14).
Has guided the Packers to top-10 finishes in scoring each of the past eight seasons (2007-14), joining the Patriots as the only other team to accomplish the feat; Packers finished first overall in scoring in 2014.
His .666 winning percentage during the regular season (98-49-1) ranks No. 3 among active NFL coaches (min. 50 games).
Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head-coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.

JEFF FISHER…Is in his fourth year as the Rams’ 26th head coach.
Ranks third among active NFL coaches and is 14th all-time in career regular-season wins with 164.
Spent 16 full seasons (1995-2010) as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, and also served as head coach in 1994 for the final six games.
Guided the Titans to six playoff appearances, three division titles, two AFC Championship games and one Super Bowl appearance.
Previously coached with the Philadelphia Eagles (defensive backs, 1986-88), the Los Angeles Rams (defensive coordinator, 1989-91) and San Francisco 49ers (defensive backs, 1992-93).
Played with the Chicago Bears (1981-85) as a defensive back and return specialist, earning a Super Bowl ring.

THE PACKERS-RAMS SERIES
These clubs first met in 1937, when the NFL launched its long relationship with the city of Cleveland. The franchises met every year from 1937-71 except 1943, when the Rams didn’t field a team.
Beginning in 1946, when the Rams moved from Cleveland to Los Angeles, these foes consistently played their Wisconsin games early in the year (before cold weather set in) and their warm West Coast games late in the year.
The clubs have met twice in the postseason, with the Packers topping the Rams, 28-7, in the 1967 Western Conference Championship in Milwaukee. The Rams beat the Packers, 45-17, in St. Louis, in a 2001 Divisional playoff contest.

NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Packers west regional scout Sam Seale played DB for the Rams in 1993...Rams sr. def. asst. Chuck Cecil played S for the Packers from 1988-92 and was a teammate of Packers OL coach James Campen…Rams WRs coach Ray Sherman held the same position with the Packers from 2000-04…Rams head strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson served as the strength and conditioning coord. for the Packers from 2006-08…Rams TE Lance Kendricks attended Rufus King High School in Milwaukee and played at the University of Wisconsin with Packers QB Scott Tolzien ...Rams T Rob Havenstein also played at Wisconsin...Packers VP of football admin./finance Russ Ball graduated from the University of Central Missouri in 1981 and served as the head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Missouri from 1982-89…Rams director of operations Bruce Warwick spent six seasons (2000-05) with the Packers...Packers HC Mike McCarthy coached with Rams OC Frank Cignetti at the University of Pittsburgh in 1989 and for the Saints from 2000-01…Packers QBs/WRs coach Alex Van Pelt played at Pitt during that time as well...Cignetti served as the quality control coach for the Chiefs in 1999 while Packers special teams coord. Ron Zook and asst. OL coach Mike Solari were on staff...Cignetti also coached alongside Packers assoc. HC/LBs Winston Moss and Zook while Packers TEs coach Jerry Fontenot and secondary-safeties coach Darren Perry were players in New Orleans...In 2008, Perry and Rams special teams coord. John Fassel were on the same staff for the Raiders...Fontenot played for the Bears when Rams asst. HC Dave McGinnis was on Chicago’s staff…Packers OC Edgar Bennett was teammates on the Bears with Rams asst. DL coach Clyde Simmons in 1999...Packers RBs coach Sam Gash and Van Pelt played for the Bills while Rams DC Gregg Williams was the HC...Gash and Rams asst. OL coach Andy Dickerson coached on the same Jets staff in 2006...Gash and Rams DBs coach Brandon Fisher coached together with the Lions in 2001…Solari served as the TEs/asst. OL coach while Sherman coached for the 49ers...Sherman and Zook coached together with the Steelers while Packers asst. special teams coach Jason Simmons and Perry played...Sherman coached WRs while Packers college scout John Wojciechowski worked in the scouting department for the Cowboys...McCarthy and Moss coached in New Orleans with Gullickson and Rams assistant strength coach Adam Bailey…Bailey and Packers secondary-cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. were both graduate assistants at Auburn from 2000-01…Whitt was the asst. DBs coach in 2007 for the Falcons while Rams GM Les Snead worked in Atlanta’s personnel department and off. quality control coach Andy Sugarman served as the Falcons off. asst. …Rams def. quality control coach Jeff Imamura worked with the Vikings while Packers DT Letroy Guion was on the team…Rams QBs coach Chris Weinke played QB for the Panthers from 2001-06 while Packers DL coach Mike Trgovac was on staff and Packers LB Julius Peppers was on the team...Weinke and Packers off. quality control coach Luke Getsy were teammates on the 49ers in 2007…Peppers and Trgovac were with the Panthers while Rams OL coach Paul T. Boudreau served in the same position in 2002...Gash played for the Patriots while Boudreau coached in 1997...Boudreau and Packers DC Dom Capers coached on the same staff for the Saints while Campen played for New Orleans...Rams DBs coach Dennard Wilson served as a scout for the Bears from 2008-11 while Peppers was on the team…Rams RBs coach Ben Sirmans served in the same role at Boston College from 2007-11 while Packers DT B.J. Raji was on the team...Packers G Josh Walker blocked for Rams RB Benny Cunningham at Middle Tennessee State…Other college teammates include Packers S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and RB Eddie Lacy and Rams S Mark Barron (Alabama), Packers DE Datone Jones and Rams LB Akeem Ayers and TE Cory Harkey (UCLA), Packers CB Sam Shields and Rams CB Brandon McGee (Miami), Packers T/G Don Barclay and Rams WRs Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey (West Virginia), Packers CCorey Linsley and Rams LS Jake McQuaide (Ohio State), and Packers LB Nick Perry and Rams S T.J. McDonald (Southern California).

LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON
Oct. 21, 2012, at Edward Jones Dome, Packers won, 30-20
QB Aaron Rodgers connected on 30 of 37 pass attempts for 342 yards and three TDs (132.2 passer rating).
WRs Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb both hauled in eight passes each and combined for more than 200 receiving yards and three TDs.
QB Sam Bradford completed 21 of 34 passes for 255 yards and one TD (82.4 passer rating).

Read more: http://www.packers.com/news-and-eve...530-f4f7-4707-86af-3a5ace9edbe7#ixzz3np875hYb

12074783_10206531159050258_1590958564800707072_n.jpg
 
Last edited:
Watched condensed version of Rams-Cards, couple thoughts:

1.) Nick Foles played probably the game of his life in terms of clutch, accurate, drop in the bucket throws and he will be hard pressed to duplicate that performance.

2.) 3 of STL's 4 games have been blood n'guts games, so GB better sneak those brass knuckles past security.

3.) With our WR group as banged up as it is, we will not be able to dink and dunk our way past these guys. Ogletree will be out but these guys HIT. Don't know what the answer is but probably should try not to give any of their LBs or DBs a running head start at us.

4.) Gurley was impressive in the 4th quarter against a tired D but one data point does not make a trend. He's on the radar now and our run D has been no slouch.

5.) Feels like one of those 'first team to 20 pts wins' type of games.
 
This game worries me and I agree with rpiotr01's assessment above. Rams seems to be doing some things right and the Packers will have their hands full.
 
If this game was in St. Louis differant story but it's in Lambeau Packers will win this by 10+
 
For those of you not aware this is a Jeff Fisher coached team. They will play hard and hit you in the mouth for 4 qtrs. They don't give a damn about 15 yard flags etc... they keep coming.

Someone snoozes in protection Rodgers gets nailed..Aaron leads a WR or RB too much their LB will knock the snot out of you.

I think GB wins... I think it's close. I know every ice bath and hot tub at Lambeau will be in use next Monday because these boys are not coming for a social visit.
 
I think this one could actually be close, like 10 points or less with a late score taking it to 10. The Rams defense will make AR make some early throws on 3rd down and get off the field enough that I don't think we run roughshod on them. I'm thinking 24-17 or something in that range with Crosby making a late FG to get it to 27-17 and out of reach.
 
I am concerned about the St. Louis pass rush in this game as well. Need to keep Rodgers upright and uninjured. I don't think it realistic to expect Bulaga to be ready to go this Sunday. The run defense needs to remain stout. We finally have a game where the QB isn't a big threat to run. Kaepernick, Wilson, and to some extent Smith all had some success running the ball. Foles only has 21 yards rushing in 4 games so the defense will not need to make containing the QB a huge emphasis.

St. Louis does not have a prolific offense coming in 31st in yds per game and 25th in points per game. Gurley getting in to the game and getting up to speed will help but I think the D is up to the challenge.

31-20 Pack win.
 
I agree with our defense against their offense, catcher.

Offensively, the Rams are 23rd running the football and 28th passing. At home, there is no reason our D should not shut them down pretty well. If our d-line continues to play well against the run, we can tee off on Foles and he will throw some INT's; especially, since we do not need to deal with crowd noise and can get some nice jumps on D.

St. Louis ranks 16th in total defense and gives up 22 points per game. They are 14th against the pass and 26th against the run. Now I am not sure what has happened in the last few games; however, it looks like Lacy and Starks could have solid days. With the Rams pass rush, draws and screens can keep them at bay and having a RB or TE chip block to help out Barclay would be good.
 
on paper, this game should be no contest. but i guess that's why they play the games.
 
Back
Top