After A Slow Start To The Season, What Will The Packers Do

Just finished watching the ESPN view of what is wrong with the Packers and they have no clue!!

1 - Did not mention the defense was missing three defensive backs - Burnett, Bush, & Hayward.

2 - Matthews went out of the game early in the first half on defense.

3 - By the end of the game, NO running backs!  Starks injured, Franklin injured, Lacy did not play, and the full back Kuhn out.

4 - Finley gets hurt early in the game!

5 - Turnovers!!!  Ross, out kick returner is cut!  Fumbles go back to last year!

The EXPERTS at ESPN mentioned none of this!!  Instead, the mentioned the Rogers & McCarthy blow up!  Sometimes I think our EXPERTS just are NOT EXPERTS!  And there should be a channel for the average fan!!!  Anyone have a few extra million to start one?  I have the name.......

The Fan

Now, what must the Packers do??

1 - Stay Healthy!!  This I have no control over, BUT weight truing, warm ups, stretching, something must be analyzed!!  This is McCarthy's JOB!

2 - Offense - How about a few new plays?
     a - To stop the pass rush - play action, draw plays, screen plays, do we have any in the play book.
     b - Attack the middle of the field with passing game!!!
     c - Stay focused on running game & use our three headed monster - Lacy - Starks - Franklin
     d - No turnovers!

3 - Defense - Starters all there!!
     a - Front 4 PRESSURE THE QB!!!!
     b - Create Turnovers
     c - Hold other team under 20 points!
     d - Play an entire game

4 - Special Teams
     a - NO TURNOVERS!
     b - Cobb must fill in until we find someone!
     c - Crosby - keep making field goals!

After the bye week the next 5 games -
Lions
Ravens
Browns
Vikings
Bears

Must win at least 4 of 5!!!

Packer Lose To Bengals, But Packer Buddies Trip To Cincinnati A Success!

As a football fan, following your team is always an emotional roller coaster!!  This weekend was one of those roller coaster rides!!

The drive out to Cincinnati starter on Friday - Lancaster, PA to Canton, Ohio!  Saturday we spent 7 hours touring Football Hall of Fame!  As a Packer Fan, this was a great day, but as a football fan even a GREATER day!

The history of professional football is an amazing story!  With the NFL forming in 1920!

             

Of course, great Green Bay Packers to read about were evident throughout the hall!

The Packer Buddies had a great visit!  If you are a football fan - A MUST SEE!!!

Phil, Bill, & Jim at Football Hall of Fame!

Then, Sunday on to Cincinnati for the Packer game!

The tough Packer loss, 34-20, to the Bengals (we will discuss later!) was hard to watch!  BUT, the trip to see Paul Brown Stadium was great!  The stadium was EASY to get to!!!  Interstate 71 takes you downtown & right to the stadium!  Parking ($25) was right bedside the stadium!!

Even with the loss - a great day!!

PackerBuddies Head to Cincinnati from Lancaster, PA!

Road Trip!

Friday - Leave Lancaster, PA for Canton, Ohio!

Saturday - Tour The Football Hall of Fame

Sunday - At the Packers vs. Bengals Game

Monday - Back to Lancaster, PA

This should be a great football weekend!  The PackerBuddies were at the Packer & Washington game last week (I had a wedding to go to)  This week we are on the road to Cincinnati to cheer for our Packers!

This is another NFL stadium I will be able to check off my "Bucket List"!

Hamstrings And The Green Bay Packers!

What is an epidemic?

From my computer dictionary:

epidemic |ˌepiˈdemik|nouna widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time: a flu epidemic.• a disease occurring in such a way.• a sudden, widespread occurrence of a particular undesirable phenomenon:an epidemic of violent crime.
Well, I'll go with, "widespread occurrence of a particular undesirable phenomenon"  That fits!!!

Checkout the Packer website:  Casey Hayward Still Out

Packers CB Casey Hayward has been ruled out for the third straight week to start the 2013 with a hamstring injury, so the earliest Hayward could see the field this season will come after next week’s bye.

“He just tells me he’s making progress,” Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. “He had a similar injury. This one wasn’t supposed to be as bad as when he hurt it the first time, the day before he came back for training camp, so he’s making progress.”

Hayward missed the first three full weeks of training camp before returning to practice, but then he aggravated the hamstring when he tried to play in the third preseason game vs. Seattle, on Aug. 23. He has not practiced since.

Also missing practice on Wednesday were CB Jarrett Bush (hamstring), FB John Kuhn (hamstring), RB Eddie Lacy (concussion) and TE Jermichael Finley (toe). Finley was on the report last week and rested the toe at times and then still played in the game on Sunday.

S Morgan Burnett (hamstring) practiced on a limited basis, but in the portion of the workout open to reporters, he was doing jog-thru work on the scout team, so he may be held out until after the bye week as well.

DE Johnny Jolly is also listed on the injury report with a neck injury, but he was a full participant in practice.

That is 4 Packers - Hayward, Kuhn, Burnett, & Bush!

I think we have a problem?  Warm up routine, strength training, drills....
SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT!!!

Bengals vs Steelers - What Do The Packers Need To Do?

Game over - Bengals 20 Steelers 10!

First, Steelers are still tough, but not very good.

Bengals?

Additional Bengal Offensive Notes:
As we expected, the MAN is AJ Green. This Bengal wide receiver is for real!  Running game is dangerous, but not extreme.  Green-Ellis & Bernard must be taken seriously!  The QB - Dalton is beatable, pressure him & stop the running game!

Additional Defensive Notes:
Tough Defense!  The front line is GOOD! Most of the night they only rushed 4!  They run a 4-3, and the D-line put on enough pressure, so they could drop 7 in pass coverage!  The LB's & D-backs are good, but can be beat!  I think the key is the Packer O-line against the Bengals D-line!

Home field looks like an advantage too.  Packers must bring the A Game!!

Early Score Prediction?

Packers 31 - Bengals 17

Packers Set To Play Third Game - Bring on The Bengals!!

It will be another tough match up for game three - Cincinnati Bengals!  And tonight the Bengals play the Steelers on Monday Night Football!  This is the second opponent in a row that will have one less day of preparation against the Packers!

So, here is my early look at the Bengals before I watch the game tonight!

Bengals Offense
Danger?  AJ Green - wide receiver!  He is strong & fast!  The Bengals 2011 top draft choice, was the top vote getter for AFC wide receiver!! Tied for second with 11 TD's and fourth in receptions with 97 in the AFC!!  Must contain - not repeat of what Boldin did for the 49ers!!!

QB - Andy Dalton is in his third year & has led the Bengals to the p[layoffs!  Not a flashy QB with crazy numbers, but each year has shown improvement!  And HE IS A RED HEAD!!!

RB - BenJarvus Green-Ellis.  Has one of my favorite first names - BENJARVUS!  Since coming over from the Patriots has been a steady performer for the Bengals.  HAd over 100 yards rising last year and is a above adequate NFL running back!

The rest of the offense is I think very good - offensive line, tight end Jremaine Gresham, receivers Sanu & Tate all make the Cincinnati offense something not to take lightly!

Bengals Defense
Bengals have a very good experienced defense.  A combination of experience & youth!  From the Cowboys - Corner - Terence Newman, from the Steelers - linebacker, James Harrison.  And maybe the most consistent player nose tackle - Domata Peko!

More to come!

Packers Get First Win Over Redskins!

Packers Win!   Packers Win!   Packers Win!   Packers Win!

Time to Look at my Packer Goals for Game #2 versus Redskins!


Offense

1 - Running Game - PLEASE give us a 100 yard running back!!!
YES!  FINALLY!!!

2 - Passing Game - more of the same!
YES!  And even MORE!

3 - Sacks - 2 or less!
NO - 4 Sacks given up!

4 - Some big plays!  40 yard run & 40 yard pass play
Pass - Rogers to Jones - 57 yards
And a bunch of other 20-30 yards pass plays & some nice runs by Stark!
YES! All in all enough BIG plays!

5 - NO TURNOVERS!
NO - But only one, and it was a great effort! Jones fumbles at goal line!

Overall, a success for the offense!!

Defense

1 - Passing Yards - keep the Redskins under 300!!!
YES - Griffin had 320, but it was junk & irrelevant yardage!

2 - Rushing - keep Morris under 100 yards
NO - Morris had 107, again mostly at games end!

3 - 4 or more sacks
NO - only one sack!

4 - Force 2 or more turnovers
NO - only one turnover!

5 - Big plays - no plays over 40 yards
NO  Griffin to Garcon 44 yards
And a few other plas under 40 yards

Special Teams

1 - Kick Returns  MUST BE BETTER! Start at the 20 yard line or better!!!

2 - NO TURNOVERS!
YES!

3 - Field Goals - 75%
Yes!  one for one

4 - No returns over 40 yards
YES!

5 - One special teams TD!

NO!

Overall, I think special teams was a draw - Redskins had a few more mistakes with penalties!

The game overall - Offense was a success, but we need more from the defense & special teams!