Game #5 - Packers vs Cowboys

OK.  1st Quarter of the season is over!  Packers at 3 & 1, tied for first in NFC North!

I'd say OK, that is a nice start!  What is up for the 2nd Quarter???

at Dallas

home - Detroit

home Raiders

at Kansas City

Looking at the next four games, 2 & 2 would be acceptable!  3 & 1 awesome!

Now Dallas, what a history from the Ice Bowl to 2019!  Some great stuff!

Packers lead all time series - 19 wins & 17 losses.

Packers & Cowboys have met 8 times in post season - series tied 4 & 4!

So, a first look?

Packers Offense vs Dallas Defense

Pass?  Will we have Davante Adams???  Can we run the ball??  Will we have Jamaal Williams
after that cheap shot by the Eagles!!  The obvious is, we NEED both players!  And, by the way
is our starting right tackle out??  We need Bulaga also!

Packers Defense vs Dallas Offense

Last week should tell us something!  DO WE HAVE A DEFENSE?  Especially a RUN defense!
The Cowboys have Elliot, one of the leagues best & a BIG & very good offensive line!  The also have Cooper & a receiver named Randall Cobb!!!  Whoa baby!

A BIG game & a game that will show us what we have on this 2019 Packer Team!!!

Game #4 - Eagles 34 - Packers 27 - First Loss!

After 4 weeks, Packers record is 3 wins & 1 loss - tied for first in the NFL North!

Be honest, most fans would take that!

BUT, of course we are disappointed with the Eagles loss!  WHY?

1 - Packers Defense is NOT as good as we thought!  Maybe our pass defense,
but the Eagles ran all over us! Remember, the Packer Buddies were at the game.
The holes were "Gigantic"  from our seats!  The Eagle line moved our d-lineman
like they were on roller skates!  THIS MUST IMPROVE!

2 - Rodgers to Adams is a thing!  The Eagles could not stop it!  Problem is, Adams
missed the last 5 minutes!  AND, we missed him!  Turf Toe!  He cannot miss many games!

3 - Our inside linebackers have issues against the run!  First, we are STILL looking for a
second!  Martinez makes a lot of tackles, but, he is not physical enough inside!

4 - Our red zone offense could have put this game away!!  First & goal from the 1 and we
do NOT score?  CANNOT HAPPEN!

5 - Maybe our defensive coordinator was our coached?  That can happen.  He had no
real answer for the Eagles running game.

6 - The Packer running game was not there tonight!  Of course, Williams goes our with
a cheap shot(remember this is the same coach, that was the Lions head coach, that produced
cheap shots for the Lions!)  In fact, the player that knocks out Williams, caused a fumble
later in the game, he should have been ejected!

Just like the 3 previous games, things were tight!  In all four games, the feeling was any team could win it!  The first 3 games, the Packers would the turnover battles, game four NO!

Packers 2 turnovers & Eagles 0 - Eagles win turnover battle & the game!

So, good news, we re still in first!  Bad news, we have the Cowboys away, and they have a
great running game!  We will find out quickly if we can still become a great defense.  And,
we will find out if we are a playoff team?

Beat the Cowboys!!!

Next Up - Thursday Night Football - Eagles!

In the NFL, each game, each week, every day, is a test!  The next test - Philadelphia Eagles!

Two years ago, Super Bowl Champs - Philadelphia Eagles.

Head Coach Doug Pederson, was Packers back-up QB in 1996, 97, 98!

Packers lead series - 27 wins, 16 losses

Last game - 11/28/16 - Packers 27 - Eagles 13

Packers Offense vs Eagles Defense?  Look for another up & down game!  Eagles D-line
is still formidable!  Linebackers active & D-backs are hurting, best corner, Darby is out.

Packers Defense vs Eagles Offense?  More of the same!  Petine's D will confuse Went!  But
Wentz is a young Favre!  He will make plays, but not enough!

Score, somewhere around 24-13 Packers!

And, Packer Buddies will be there!

Packer Improve To 3 & 0, With 27 to 16 Win Over Broncos!

Most Packer fans would have been thrilled to be 3 & 0 going into week 4!  New coach, new players, and 2nd year GM.  A VERY young coach, unproven & a young GM, unproven!  But, as the 2109 season unfolds, a new feeling is permeating the locker room.  What I have noticed?

1 - Press conferences & interviews of players are different!  Of course, 3 wins & 0 losses help!  But, the GM & Head Coach actually answer the questions.

2 - New leadership & a new feeling on defense.  The "Smith" boys are awesome leaders, both on & off the field!  And, the back up the talk with BIG plays!  Za'Darius actually took the entire defense our for dinner & PAID for it - $5,000 check!  Our defensive coach is on his second year and has players with a little swagger!  And, team speed seems faster!  And, they create turnovers!

3 - Offense is slowing coming together.  Running game, Wvers are illiams & Jones are a decent 1-2 punch! Wide receivers are developing behind Adams!  Still not happy with use of tight ends.  And, Aaron Rodgers is scoring enough points to win. (Still unsure if this is the same Rodgers?)

4 - Special teams is better mainly because of JK Scott, our punter.  Still would be nice to see a real return man emerge!

One again, ANY win the the NFL is a good win!  The past three victories have also been against some VERY good defenses!  Bears, Vikings & Broncos!

Next up, the Eagles!  And the Packer Buddies will be there!!!!


Go Pack Go!

Games #3 - Packers vs Broncos

After two big NFC North games, the Packers take on another difficult defense!  What do we
need to win and keep those positive vibes??

1 - Home Game - defend your home field!  In the NFL, to make the playoffs, you need to win
at home!

2 - Aaron Rodgers - protect your QB!  Another defensive line to test the Packers tackles!  So far,
Bakhtiari & Bulaga have been up to the task!  They need to be on top of the game to keep Miller &
Chubb out of the back field!  Also, our rookie left guard Jenkins is getting the start.  Veteran, Taylor
is banged up, but Jenkins had been pushing hard!  My prediction, if Jenkins plays well, you will
be looking at our new left guard!

3 - Valdes-Scantling & Allison step up!  Our #1 receiver, Adams is obvious, teams will begin
to take him out with double teams - time for our #2 & #3 to have BIG games!

4 - Aaron Jones - another 100 yard rising game!

5 - Defense?  Will the early trend continue?  Pressure the QB?  Perry & Matthews who?  Smith & Smith? YES!  Young DB's will be tested!  Flacco, a veteran, Super Bowl winner will not be
rattled - and he has two good receivers!  Win the turnover battle!

6 - Special Teams?  We have had two close games!  That means special teams are critical!
Keep an eye on the return game - we traded Trevor Davis this week(6th round pick from Raiders)
Who will return kicks & punts this game?  By the way, the Packers in two games have not returned a kick.

So, a consistent offense and a defense that is developing an attitude!  Leadership?
Za'Darius Smith took the entire D our for a meal this week & paid for the $5000 bill
by himself!  LEADERSHIP!!

Go
                            Pack
                                                    Go!

Packers - Vikings, The Eye Ball Test!

Living in Pennsylvania, a Packer fan does not always see the game!  The NFL Network with its replays during the week, and recording the game for more analysis is awesome!  And, I love watching a game that I know we won!!!!!

So, tonight I watched the first half!  And, what does my EYE BALL TEST SEE????

1 - Those first 3 drives were AWESOME!!!  What was so good?  They got Adams involved early!  The plays were such, that Adams was allowed to get open without doing it on his own!  Crossing patterns, bootlegs by the QB, well designed plays!  The running plays kept the D on their toes!  Quick hitters, toss sweeps, and the line had a chance to get off the ball and attack the D-line!

2 - In the 2nd quarter, not so much for the O & they were lucky on some calls by the refs!
Big run by RB, Cook, by the Vikes for a 75 yard TD.  Packers Offense sputtered, some penalties
and dropped balls, fumble.  Vikes hit a few long passes.

3 - Overall, a typical NFL game between two GOOD football teams!  When two good teams meet,
the team that played a clean game, wins the turnover battle, has few penalties usually wins!  This
looked like a game between two possible play off teams.

Again, week two looks like a team, the Packers, with possibilities.  Any sport, the key is a team
that improves thought the year, avoids the injury bug, and plays as a team!  Will this be the
Packers year to play winning football?  So far, so good!  Make the playoffs?  So far, so good!

Next up Denver Broncos!  Home! A 12 PM Central Time Game!

Game #2 - Packers 21 - Vikings 13

Good News!  Packer Win - Packers 2 Wins 0 Losses!  Packers 1st Place NFC North!

So, First 3 Possessions

1 - TD
2 - TD
3 - TD

And, Last 11 Possessions

4 - Fumble
5 - Punt
6 - Punt
7 - Downs
8 - Punt
9 - Fumble
10 - Punt
11 - Punt
12 - Punt
13 - Punt
14 - Punt

Whoa!  From Very, Very, Very Good to Incredibly Pathetic!!

But another win!

Other Stats

Minnesota 4 Turnovers & Packers 2 Turnovers  -  GOOD!

Total Yards
Minnesota - Rush - 198 Pass - 230 Total - 428 yards
Packers - Rush - 144 Pass - 209 Total - 353 yards

Vikings win yardage battle!

So what have we learned??

1 - The Packers - Bears - Vikings are VERY close!  All three teams are not perfect!
The Lions, are not bad, and we will see how they match up.  As of today

Packers 2 - 0 - 0
Lions  1 - 0 - 1
Bears 1- 1 - 0
Vikings  1 - 1 - 0

2 - Packers - defense is still playing well.  On TD pass, Alexander could have intercepted it!
Did breakdown at times on the run defense, but, did not give up too many rush TD's.

3 - Packers Offense - started well!  Showed signs of what can be! But, have a way to go!
Jones at running back & Adams at wide receiver are good enough!  Others need to step up and Allison at wide receiver and Williams at running back can be there!

Overall, new coach, new offense, second year defense?  Packer Fans?

Patience Please!