- Messages
- 1,052
- Reaction score
- 823
I got to see the game on NFL Network - thankful for that, but not thankful for having to listen to the damned Bengal commentators and their stupid interviews while seldom naming Packer tacklers. I had to have my roster numbers handy most of the time.
It was a fun and entertaining game with a lot more to be happy about than not.
We got a big load of LaFleur offense and game planning - for better or worse. I was thinking early on that Love and then Casey were throwing into some tight spots and making it work. Then, of course, it bit the team in the ass a couple of times. Questionable whether those throws that Rodgers never woulda tried were a net positive or not. Tonight, they seemed to be, but going forward, who knows.
Similarly, Joe Barry's D was in full bloom and especially noticeable in contrast to the way the Bengals played. From first string all the way to the lowest scrubs, it was all out often blind penetration and pressure - again, for better or worse. After the first play or two, I don't think we had any sacks, but there was a ton of "hurries". We'll see going forward whether that is a net positive as well as whether Barry is any more than a one trick pony. I saw a lot of open space in the middle of the field that the Bengals didn't do a very good job of taking advantage of. Other teams very well might be able too.
Jordan Love looked solid but not great. Casey, you could say, looked great but not completely solid. I'm guardedly optimistic that if the rest of the team is as good as I think it is, the QBs aren't gonna make it a loser.
The receivers looked excellent from top to bottom. Toure, Wicks, Heath, and Reed all looked like keepers, Musgrave is gonna be a star too. The 3rd - 6th RBs all looked good, which means the back up O Line mostly did ok. Ditto that on pass blocking. Either they were very adequate or Love and Casey were mobile enough to make them look good, take your pick - I'd say a lot of both.
On D, the back up Corners did great Valentine and Ballentine especially. Hopper (the other 27) late in the game was decent too. Also, surprise surprise, Jean Charles had a decent game. There was a lot of good team D the whole game with hardly anybody in the front seven or Safety's standing out. Late in the game, Anthony Johnson looked good, but that was against the bottom scrubs of the Bengals.
Duds, if any? Early on, 34 - Simone Biles' husband - looked kinda out of it. Quay Walker didn't do much and was beat at least once. If Tariq Carpenter even played, I didn't even notice him. Engabare, who I really like, was kinda a disappointment. Leavitt, despite lucking into an interception, seemed to be a liability on D. Carlson, after making me think positive early, looked horrible with the two missed extra points.
On O, I saw Rhyan get beat at least once, and of course Newman took a large step toward playing himself out of a job. Caleb Jones and Tedford seemed to do good, but they probably won't be around when the season starts.
All in all, it was a decent start.
It was a fun and entertaining game with a lot more to be happy about than not.
We got a big load of LaFleur offense and game planning - for better or worse. I was thinking early on that Love and then Casey were throwing into some tight spots and making it work. Then, of course, it bit the team in the ass a couple of times. Questionable whether those throws that Rodgers never woulda tried were a net positive or not. Tonight, they seemed to be, but going forward, who knows.
Similarly, Joe Barry's D was in full bloom and especially noticeable in contrast to the way the Bengals played. From first string all the way to the lowest scrubs, it was all out often blind penetration and pressure - again, for better or worse. After the first play or two, I don't think we had any sacks, but there was a ton of "hurries". We'll see going forward whether that is a net positive as well as whether Barry is any more than a one trick pony. I saw a lot of open space in the middle of the field that the Bengals didn't do a very good job of taking advantage of. Other teams very well might be able too.
Jordan Love looked solid but not great. Casey, you could say, looked great but not completely solid. I'm guardedly optimistic that if the rest of the team is as good as I think it is, the QBs aren't gonna make it a loser.
The receivers looked excellent from top to bottom. Toure, Wicks, Heath, and Reed all looked like keepers, Musgrave is gonna be a star too. The 3rd - 6th RBs all looked good, which means the back up O Line mostly did ok. Ditto that on pass blocking. Either they were very adequate or Love and Casey were mobile enough to make them look good, take your pick - I'd say a lot of both.
On D, the back up Corners did great Valentine and Ballentine especially. Hopper (the other 27) late in the game was decent too. Also, surprise surprise, Jean Charles had a decent game. There was a lot of good team D the whole game with hardly anybody in the front seven or Safety's standing out. Late in the game, Anthony Johnson looked good, but that was against the bottom scrubs of the Bengals.
Duds, if any? Early on, 34 - Simone Biles' husband - looked kinda out of it. Quay Walker didn't do much and was beat at least once. If Tariq Carpenter even played, I didn't even notice him. Engabare, who I really like, was kinda a disappointment. Leavitt, despite lucking into an interception, seemed to be a liability on D. Carlson, after making me think positive early, looked horrible with the two missed extra points.
On O, I saw Rhyan get beat at least once, and of course Newman took a large step toward playing himself out of a job. Caleb Jones and Tedford seemed to do good, but they probably won't be around when the season starts.
All in all, it was a decent start.
