Packers 16, Tennessee 19 (OT)

by Brandon on Nov 2, 2008 3:41 PM CST in News Comment 8 comments

No moral victory here. They played hard, did a lot of things great, but did some things wrong, and lost a close game they could have won. Just my quick, immediately after the game is over review.

The offense had to get everyone involved. Run the ball and get all the WRs involved. It was Grant's best game of the season. He's had a bad season, but he does keep getting better. Jennings and Driver had big games, but I was hoping to see more from Nelson. Rodgers has been outstanding, but the turnovers are starting to pile up. Don't look just at the INTs, he's had a few fumbles too. His fumble and INT weren't killer, they cost the Packers at least 3 points, as much as 10 points, but in an OT, close game, they were critical.
K Mason Crosby was perfect on FGs. CB Will Blackmon took some big hits and had a couple good returns. But they really need a big return into Titans territory, forced turnover, some big play to beat a great team on the road. Yea, it's asking a lot, but they needed it.
Tennessee's offense average 4.3 yards per pass attempt, and 4.9 yards per rush. A lot of those yards came late in the game when the defense was tired, but they all still count. And a lot of them came on the game winning FG drive in OT (didn't even give the offense a chance). This complaint isn't just on the players, I wanted to see the coaches let the defense play up, commit to stop the run, and let them try to beat our corners in single coverage. I lost track how many INTs they dropped in the secondary. Two teammates went for the ball on two occassions and broke each other up from the INT. The defense was tough, physical, they did a lot right. But in the end, they couldn't stop the run, and couldn't come up with a single turnover.
This was the 3rd loss this season when the other team (Tampa Bay, Atlanta, now Tennessee) just ran the ball right down the Packers throat late in the game to win. In the other loss, they allowed Dallas to run all over them early and the game wasn't close in the 4th quarter. One way to look at that is the team could be 7-1 if the run defense could have stepped up late in the game. The other way to look at it is the run defense is going to keep the Packers from winning the close games. Since I've seen no indication that the run defense is improving, any team that has an above average run offense that can keep the score close late in the game should beat the Packers.
Mike McCarthy went for one 4th down early in the game (and called a pass play to rookie TE Jermichael Finley who to that point had never caught an NFL pass?) that led to a Tennessee FG, and defensive coordinator Bob Sanders should have done more to stuff the run. The coaching wasn't awful, but they didn't give the team an edge in a tough road game.

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I think you completely missed something here

you mentioned they needed a turnover or something. How about all the dropped picks they had go through their hands. One of those gets picked and it’s a completely different games

I just sit back and root for the taser

by Hyatt on Nov 2, 2008 4:21 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Greg Jennings

Greg Jennings lost us the game plain and simple. I am never critical of one player usually, especially a position player who only effects at most ten plays a game but I can think of three plays where Jennings’ lack of focus lost the game for the Packers:

In the first half the Packers had the ball after a long pass play and ARodg comes back inside the fifteen, looks at Jennings for three seconds straight and lofts it up. The only problem was that Jennings was in Run Block and never looked for the ball!!!

Next I forget when the play happened by ARodg lofted it up for Jennings out of the shotgun and it was clear that Jennings didn’t think the ball was come to him so he ran a half ass route. The result was ARodg throwing a perfect ball that misses Jennings by a step. If he playing full out then he makes that play for a near guaranteed touchdown.

Lastly in the second half ARodg gives Jennings another “get up there and make a play” ball and he lets go through his hands. It was pretty good defense on the play but it went right through his hands. Perfect pass but Jennings just doesn’t make the play that we are so used to him making.

No way around it Jennings blew this game to us. He did not play like a top five wide out today. I know he still had decent stats but he failed to sync with Arodg today. Also with our run defense being terrible this team will not win against good competition with winning the turnover battle. Today we lost 2 nothing and we all know the result.

Ring Out Ahoya!

by bleedbluegold03 on Nov 2, 2008 4:38 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Aaron Rodgers

You could just as easily say that Rodgers cost us the game. The interception he threw and the fumble on the sack was a swing of at least 6 points and that was what determined the game. I’m not saying it was either of their faults individually. I think it was a team effort.

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Nov 2, 2008 6:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Still proud of these guys...

hey, although we gave 170 yards plus on the ground ( about a third of that total coming off of one play), we still outgained them 420 yards to 350, they had been averaging 277 yards allowed per game. As you point out, the Packers played far from a perfect game but this effort was valiant and I am proud of these guys. Tennessee is UBER tough and sometimes, when you are playing on the road against an unbeaten team, it’s not so much what you didn’t do but what they did do. Give the Titans credit.

The game had the feel of a playoff game! It was a good learning experience and as Scottie Wells pointed out after the game, you just have to learn from your mistakes and continue growing and getting better.

by PackFaninFL on Nov 2, 2008 7:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Well I guess you can be proud...

but remember, these aren’t the Smalltown Hicks playing the Metropolis Juggernauts or anything. These are professionals. Their job is to win games. Did they give a valiant effort? I suppose. Did they do everything they could’ve to win? Certainly not. Lack of execution, mental lapses, poor fundamentals, and all of those things came back to haunt us today. It was a flaw-filled game which left me with nothing but a sick feeling in my stomach, and no room for feeling “proud.”

I don’t really have time to write up a decent fan post anymore, but I wanted to jot one about how this game reminded me of the NYG game last January. Yeah there were big differences: Grant had more than 25 yards, the Titans didn’t have a Plaxico Burress, and we didn’t get a chance to throw an INT on the opening drive of OT.

But, in general, the overall feeling I got from this game was the same. We consistently failed to make the necessary play (scoring 7 in the red zone, converting 4th and shorts, getting into scoring range to win, stopping them from getting into scoring range with little time left), yet we were somehow in position to win the game when it mattered….only to have it slip through our fingers…but then again, Tennessee fails to seal the deal at the end of regulation and gives a second chance to stop them, a redeeming moment of sorts, to make up for the last time we allowed them to march down our throats when the game was on the line…which they did with ease at the beginning of OT.

More then anything else, it seemed like the Titans were trying to give us the game, but we just didn’t want it. A championship caliber team makes game winning drives, and makes game saving stops, and we did neither. I’m starting to believe that maybe we aren’t a championship caliber team, at least not with our current mentality.

We’re 4-4, but believe it or not, we control our own destiny. All I can say is thank God for the NFC North.

"stay (green and) gold"

by Green and Bold on Nov 2, 2008 7:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Points well taken...

but I guess I’m a rare bird…my two favorite Packer seasons of all time were probably the 1990 season, the “Majik Man” year when we didn’t even make the playoffs and then probably mike mccarthy’s first year, back in 2006 (the 8 – 8 team). Actually I just love great competition and great games…and this game was it. So I can’t get too mad about it. (oh and last year’s team was right up there too…I guess you can say I like “cinderalla” type teams as well)

I though we outplayed Tennessee….and thought both teams had flaws (dont think it was a “flaw filled game” as you said, as we had just 4 penalties and 2 turnovers, so nothing outrageous there)….it was just two good teams at war and the one with the ball last happened to win.

On to Minnesota.

by PackFaninFL on Nov 2, 2008 9:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

A tough game for you guys.

I just came over here to say how much I enjoyed being a part of this site this week. It’s a great community that you have here, and I wish you luck, both with the online thing and with the rest of the season.

For me, I thought Kerry Collins was terrible all game long. Justin Gage, the alledged #1 WR for the Titans, dropped two easy 1st down passes, and beyond that, as you guys mentioned, the number of picks that KC threw was just way out of control. Granted, GB’s CBs didn’t come down with those balls, but still… KC threw them, and they were UGLY. Honestly, I was ready to see Vince Young by the 4th QTR.

I’m honestly not sure what the Pack could have done differently, but I think they were very close overall. I mean, GB easily won the Time of Possession battle. Perhaps more of a commitment to the run, especially since you were having success in the air, would have finally worn down the Titans D. But what do I know?

As I said, good luck. It was a great game—easily the toughest of the year for Tennessee.

DannoE

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
Go Titans!

by DannoE on Nov 3, 2008 8:42 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Hey thanks...

Hey I appreciate your perspective! As a Packer fan, it was useful that you brought up how the Titans came up with mistakes as well. It was an imperfect game (is there such a thing as a perfect game?) played by two tough good physical teams battling it out. I think maybe the fact that the packers are the youngest team in the league and the 3 change in Offensive line positions due to injury were key. However, the fact that the game is in Tennesse and you guys have a REALLY TOUGH defense will cause lots of teams to make mistakes.

But you are right, don’t know that the Pack could or should have done things differently. Heck if we played 10 times on a neutral field, the results might be close to 5 – 5.

by PackFaninFL on Nov 3, 2008 9:44 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs