Wow! What an amazing start to the season! Do you think the mini-bye disrupts the momentum for the Packers, or is a slight breather welcome to rest and solidify their impressive performances two games in?
Given the health of some frontline players, I’d say the weekend off was probably a good thing.
Douglas from Johnson Creek, WI
I feel horrible for Austin Ekeler. But I have to ask the question, what do teams do in these blowout situations? The game was gone. Up three scores into the fourth quarter. But they “can’t quit” and now their running back is out for the year. It feels like the preseason question from a different angle. Why leave the starters out with risk of injury just to get a garbage-time touchdown and lose anyway? Yes, you can point to the teams who come back but does the outlier give a good risk/reward?
You pose interesting questions. No coach or team ever wants to wave the white flag, because that’s not a message anyone wants to send, especially in such a physically demanding and confrontational sport. That can have undesired consequences. But so can gutting it out when a game is decided, as you’ve noted. I don’t know the right answer there. I truly don’t.
I know I’m late with this question, but I wanted to ask about the play in which the Commanders’ Percy Butler picked up Matthew Golden by the leg and threw him to the ground *after* Butler had already tackled him. How was that not unnecessary roughness and flagged for it? Thank you for all you do and GPG!
That was Brad Rogers’ crew Thursday night, the same crew the Packers had in their previous Thursday night game, last December at Detroit. The fact we’re pondering only that no-call in the aftermath is a win in itself. I’ll just leave it at that.
Daniel from Rothschild, WI
I don’t know if I was the only one, but with how fast Micah Parsons comes off the line, I was expecting flags for offsides most of the time. Seems he was at the QB before the snap most plays.
He aligns himself right on the edge, and he plays every snap count right on the edge, too. He was called once vs. Detroit, and there may be some more calls coming. Big picture, if he continues to prove the risk is worth the reward, then carry on. But it’s noticeable, I agree.
Preston from Tallahassee, FL
First, I have always trusted Gutekunst and his staff…letting go of Kenny (tough), but trusting what had been developed to get Micah. Same with allowing Jaire to leave. The defense within itself is playing complementary football and it is a joy to watch. My question, with Jayden Reed out for a while, is Mecole Hardman on the practice squad and able to be called up? I like getting Savion Williams on the field more, but…who fills the spot?
The receiving corps has no shortage of capable performers – Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Malik Heath, Golden, Williams. Reed will be missed, but there’s no need to panic. Hardman from the PS is another option, maybe for the return game as much as anything. Wicks and Golden are the two who jump out to me as the guys to watch.
Everyone is impressed with Keisean Nixon‘s performance and rightly so. But Carrington Valentine is the best corner in the league that nobody’s heard of. There is a reason why Nixon had five pass defenses. It’s because Valentine has the other side locked up. How long before the league and the media realize what a gem the Packers have at corner?
I’m as gung-ho on Valentine as anyone, but what I saw was Daniels hell-bent on feeding his top guy, McLaurin, even when it wasn’t there, and Nixon was simply not having it. Kudos to him. But opponents will be studying the film from these early weeks and making adjustments. The Packers will have to adjust too. It’s a cat-and-mouse game from here on out.
Am I overstating an aspect of the defense that I think is a crucial reason for their current success? I think that these young guys were quite good two years ago, better last year, and are now beginning to reach their prime. Even without the Parsons trade, they would’ve been markedly better. Just add a generational talent to the mix, and POOF!
This defense was already built to succeed. It finished in the top six last season in both points and yards allowed in Hafley’s first year, and it was bringing everybody back except Alexander (who missed a large portion of the season anyway) and Slaton. Adding Parsons to the group simply elevated – significantly when you’re talking about a HOF talent – the potential level it can reach.
LaFleur isn’t satisfied (per Freddie Boston). I don’t disagree. Obviously, penalties and special-teams miscues were a problem, but I can give a break on a short week. However, it’s a long season. You two, besides Larry, know more than I can ever hope to about the team, besides maybe my mother. What do you see after a couple games where we can improve fundamentally? Injuries happen and players ebb and flow. But from a coaching/development standpoint what do you think is the most pressing issue?
Offensively it’s the feast-or-famine nature, which has played into the field-position issue noted earlier. For all the talent on offense, going three-and-out six times in the first two games is too many. Nobody can expect points every time, but the lulls can’t be that frequent.