SB Nation NFL Power Rankings - Packers Up To No. 4

by Brandon on Oct 6, 2010 12:00 PM CDT in Green Bay Packers Analysis

Barely beating the lowly Detroit Lions isn't a bad thing. It moves the Green Bay Packers up to No. 4 in our NFL Power Rankings:

The Packers shouldn't feel bad about keeping a close game with the Lions as Detroit has done that with a few good teams this year. The Packers are battling the Saints as the best team in the NFC.

Bill Barnwell's Quick Reads column is essential weekly reading. His comparison of QB Aaron Rodgers vs. QB Shaun Hill is spot on. And his analysis of WR Donald Driver's game against the Lions cracked me up:

We should probably score Driver's 48-yard catch in the second quarter as something closer to a punt than a pass. The Lions defensive backs were apparently in another universe at the time.

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This strikes me as a Hogan’s Heroes situation – everyone else just steps backwards and it looks like we stepped forwards. NOTHING compelling about that win whatsoever.

by gern blanston on Oct 6, 2010 12:47 PM CDT reply actions

Only thing is...

The Packers are now winning games like that… In the past 2 years we would have lost that game! see TB last year! So IMO, that is a step in the right direction. Learning to win when you don’t have a good day.

Otherwise yes… Nothing compelling.

by Strohman on Oct 6, 2010 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions

But this is two

bad games in a row. And the Philly game wasn’t all that pretty either. At what point do we start to admit, that maybe we’re not a great team and that these ugly games are to be expected?

BTW, I’m in a pretty cynical mood after learning we lost Lynch to a 4th and conditional 5th or 6th and that Minny gained Moss for a 3rd.

by Goldenarmadillo4 on Oct 6, 2010 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions

eh…I think we know what this team is capable of…we just need to get clicking and clearly that isn’t the case yet.

by TrevorR on Oct 6, 2010 1:22 PM CDT up reply actions

We do know what this team is capable of

See the post season game vs. the Cardinals. No personnel changes for the better and several injuries for the worst.

by Danwood on Oct 6, 2010 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions

We're seeing the same problems from last year

Poor special teams, shaky O-line (a lack of a running game makes this a lot worse), and lack of discipline/tons of penalties

Those are not traits of Superbowl caliber teams. I’ve said it a few other places, but those things above, coupled w/ predictible offense scheme, and a tough schedule, we’re an 8-8 team as stands and that doesn’t even make the playoffs (unless we move to the West)

by Goldenarmadillo4 on Oct 6, 2010 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions

Predictable offense?

I’m afraid I disagree with you pretty strongly there.

by gern blanston on Oct 6, 2010 1:40 PM CDT up reply actions

Maybe it's just me

but I feel our offense is pretty predictable. I did the QB1 thing a Buffalo Wild Wings w/ a friend. The game where you pick the plays the offense is going to run( examples are like pass deep left, run middle, etc ect.) I crushed everyone at the place simply because I dominated the Packers calling.

Now, I’m the guy who watches the game on sunday and doesn’t ever really go back and rewatch it and break it down (no cable so no ESPN or anything to do that either). If I can predict 75% of the offensive plays and I watch the game once a week, imagine how well it is to predict for someone that gets paid to watch film on the games

by Goldenarmadillo4 on Oct 6, 2010 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions

hmmm

there’s a huge difference between knowing run left, run right, throw left etc and knowing what route a receiver is going to run or the blocking scheme to be employed. You can get lots of information just by looking at the alignments, spreads, etc. But they will often show you that once in a game, then run a different play out of the same formation to confuse you the next time. You’ll see deep throws down the seam just to keep the safety deep, for example to set up another play. There’s a ton of strategy going on. The deeper you look, the more I think you’ll be impressed. MM is a pretty good X’s and O’s coach.

MM goes out of his way to mess with the other teams D coordinator with his personnel groupings and play calling.

by gern blanston on Oct 6, 2010 3:01 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Point taken

I think part of my original comment about predictability also stems from how completely 1 dimensional we are on offense at the moment w/o a go to running back (still not sold on Kuhn) And even if we remove the predictability from the list I gave, we still have at least 3 glaring issues that we’re not addressing

by Goldenarmadillo4 on Oct 6, 2010 3:13 PM CDT up reply actions

Injuries have hurt this team (no pun intended)

Blown assignments and rookie pnealties are a major problem right now (as are special teams – which I think is a coaching issue).

I’d like to say things will get better, but until we start getting some starters back, it’s going to be a long haul.

"Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser." - Vince Lombardi

by AdamA on Oct 6, 2010 1:07 PM CDT reply actions

I dont know if I agree w/ that

I would say some of our vets have been more penalty prone then rookies. Cliff and Tausch have pulled in quite a few penalties on the line. Nick Collins and his 15yd personal foul on the Chicago drive are hurting us, not rookies. Shields has stood up well, Burnett (pre injury) was doing decent, not good and he had some tackling issues, but decent. Our Linebackers (who aren’t rookies) struggle in pass coverage in the middle of the field. I think some of our starters are more of a burden and hurting at this point.

by Goldenarmadillo4 on Oct 6, 2010 1:18 PM CDT up reply actions

Hilarious quote...

And what are those rankings guys smoking? Don’t they know that since we didn’t get Marshawn Lynch, there is no way our offense can score (even though we are tops in scoring in the NFC and tied for fifth in the NFL)…

by PackFaninFL on Oct 6, 2010 1:28 PM CDT reply actions

We are racking up a good amount of points

can’t wait to see this throwing offense take the field and drop back to pass in the middle of December in Lambeau. That should go over excellently while other teams are pounding the rock at our defense, we can all take solace in knowing that Aaron waiting to throw a rock solid football in sub-freezing temps

by Goldenarmadillo4 on Oct 6, 2010 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions

you just self contradicted yourself

Thome Walks-Off Sox, Twists Knife, Continues To Make Sox Brass Look REALLY Stupid - White Sox Season Recap

by blackoutsox on Oct 6, 2010 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions

Forgot to use the sarcasm tag, I think

"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root

by Clutch16 on Oct 6, 2010 2:50 PM CDT up reply actions

lol

what is the sarcasm tag? That’s the 2nd time you’ve told me that one…I think I could use it!

by PackFaninFL on Oct 6, 2010 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions

This is how you use sarcasm...

insert text here

You basically bracket the text you want to put between @’s.

I'm just glad Scott Tolzien didn't go all Drew Tate on Nick Toon and whack him upside the head...
WHAT DO YOU MEAN I WAS BANNED FROM STAMPEDE BLUE? - Clay Matthews III
No longer using Yahoo! Sports for anything besides stat checking since 9/29/2010...

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Oct 7, 2010 10:42 PM CDT up reply actions

yup…cause all there is to the nfl is points (against teams like Buffalo).

The Packers are unstoppable, no other player could ever help the team, our guys are the best, out coaches are the best, our GM is the best

by TrevorR on Oct 8, 2010 8:52 AM CDT up reply actions

Power is shown on the field....

Power rankings are as worthless as golf rankings. Let’s go to Washington, lay the hammer on McNabb & Co, and let our special teams duke it out against the Fins SP the week after. That would be fun to watch….

by Rodgers_for_MVP on Oct 6, 2010 3:00 PM CDT reply actions