An Interview With Greg Jennings With A Quote On Their Playoff Loss

by Brandon on Feb 22, 2012 1:00 PM CST in Green Bay Packers News

Green Bay Packers news | Q&A: Greg Jennings on football, acting, fans, philanthropy | Green Bay Press Gazette. After their playoff loss to the Cardinals two years ago, I used it as the basis for what the Green Bay Packers needed to do in the offseason. I didn't expect any flashy free agent moves, but they needed depth in the secondary and they needed to adjust the defensive scheme so a quarterback like Kurt Warner couldn't torch them like that again. While the pass defense was solid for most of 2009, it all fell apart in a couple of bad, late season games.

But if I had to use the playoff loss to the Giants as the blueprint for fixing the 2012 Packers, I'd be at a loss to do anything except blow up the entire roster. Every unit played poorly, and many reliable players gave up big plays. They didn't resemble the team I've watched for the past three seasons. And that's how Greg Jennings saw it too. From the Press-Gazette:

There are times a coach will come into a team meeting after a game, and you know in your heart of hearts that there are a couple of guys who didn't live up to the requirement of their job. And the coach will say, we win as a team we lose as a team, they won't just point out a couple guys. But after that game, it was seriously and legitimately everyone.

Sometimes you just have a bad game. It came at the worst time, but that can't be changed. They didn't resemble the team I'd watched over the last three years. Fix the defense that was an obvious problem throughout the entire season and put that playoff loss to the Giants in the rear view mirror.

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the defense needs improvement - but the Packers made some bad decisions (in hindsight) that contributed to the loss

it’s not rocket science – our defense was porous all year, and against the Giants talented WR corps they got torched, especially since Eli had all day to throw. But the GB offense was also a shadow of it’s usual self, and a lot of that had to do with the fact that the Packers held Rodgers out in Week 17 when he was perfectly healthy. Now, I understand the logic of resting him once the undefeated campaign was over and we had clinched homefield, but taking that week off coupled with the bye week meant it was more than 3 weeks between games for him – and that rust/timing/rhythm really showed. Also, it was Jennings first game back, and he struggled at times too. Those are our 2 best offensive players, and both were out of sync.

Offensively, I still believe we should upgrade at RB to more of an explosive threat, maybe take a chance on a talent later in the draft, to keep defenses honest. And we’re gonna need new blood at LT, LG, and maybe C if they don’t re-sign Wells. Other than that we’re set.

Defensively, DE, OLB, CB, S should be our main priorities (safety moves up if Collins is out permanently)

But this team is close, we should need a couple tweaks. We’re definitely still a favorite headed into next season.

by rip_city_swagger on Feb 22, 2012 2:52 PM CST reply actions

Offensive woes against the Giants

I still think that the tragedy in the Philbin family affected the Packer team more than anyone has admitted. They simply looked flat the whole game. I don’t think it was the sitting out the last game of the year as much as the emotional vacuum of not knowing how to handle the tragic death and getting up for a playoff game.

by MikeDB on Feb 23, 2012 12:13 PM CST up reply actions

Combination...

Would tend to agree the Philbin tragedy probably had a bigger effect, but clearly both are in play…

Our Biggest Challenge is how we deal w/ Success!

by Strohman on Feb 23, 2012 8:13 PM CST up reply actions

We don't need a RB IMO

There are times that I wish we would give them more CARRIES though… like, say when a team is rushing four and dropping seven and it’s actually working.

As much as I love the concept of the balanced attack we just have so many awesome receivers that it doesn’t make sense.

"I wanna kiss you. I couldn't care l-l-less about the team strug-guling..." -Joe Namath

by Shamalamadingdong on Feb 22, 2012 4:30 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

reply fail :p

"I wanna kiss you. I couldn't care l-l-less about the team strug-guling..." -Joe Namath

by Shamalamadingdong on Feb 22, 2012 4:31 PM CST up reply actions

it's not our top need, but I feel an upgrade there would benefit the offense immensely

Grant is probably done, and Starks is more a north-south guy. Saine showed some flashed but he’s by no means a feature back. Alex Green is intriguing but was hurt early last season so we don’t know what we have with him yet.

I think if we were able to draft a dynamic guy, maybe a bit raw, but with solid physical tools, it would help balance the offense a bit. A recent ESPN article specifically mentioned Chris Polk from U of Washington being a good fit for the Pack in the 3rd/4th round

by rip_city_swagger on Feb 22, 2012 7:19 PM CST up reply actions

but we need to keep defenses more honest at the line of scrimmage

if they know we’re going to pass, they play us differently. Against the Giants, our only running game was Rodgers. We didn’t have anyone in the backfield they really needed to account for. Makes life a lot easier for the O-Line and the route runners if the defenses has to account for a backfield threat.

I just don’t think we should rely on our passing game to solve everything.

by rip_city_swagger on Feb 22, 2012 7:21 PM CST up reply actions

Favorite???

NO SUCH ANIMAL with a “PATHETIC” defense!!! You want Green Bay to be Favorited??? So do I, BUT——you will need about 3 RANDY WHITE CLOANS on defensive line and beef up the offensive line—-No short cuts to “FAVORITE” status—-And if Thompson thinks he can get different results with same team —-ahhhh OWNERS need to evaluate A replacement for GM Quickly!!!!

by zappop777 on Feb 22, 2012 8:59 PM CST reply actions

This would frighten me

3 RANDY WHITE CLOANS

13.

"Skip, once again, stop it; Be an analyst; don't be a douchebag."

by Wiedmann on Feb 22, 2012 10:13 PM CST up reply actions

Just to clarify, you want the management to replace the GM of the year?

13.

"Skip, once again, stop it; Be an analyst; don't be a douchebag."

by Wiedmann on Feb 22, 2012 10:14 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs

Pretty Ridiculous isn't it?!

Our Biggest Challenge is how we deal w/ Success!

by Strohman on Feb 22, 2012 10:27 PM CST up reply actions

Duh.

Fire Tadw Tomson.

by mike_o on Feb 22, 2012 10:50 PM CST up reply actions

wow...

That dog just won't hunt.

by Bush League All Star on Feb 23, 2012 12:05 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs

you realize that the Packers are currently listed as the favourite to win next year's Super Bowl, right?

those guys in Vegas usually know what they’re doing when it comes to making odds.

Not that it means they’re gonna win it, but they’re definitely right there in the top 3 or 4 and IMO still definitely the best team in the NFL – they had one bad game, it was bound to happen, it just happened at the most inopportune time. Get over it.

football does not build character, it reveals character.

by sheehan on Feb 23, 2012 2:48 AM CST up reply actions

Gotta hand it to you guys

for deciphering this, as I have no idea just what in the hell zappop is talking about.

by Tristram28 on Feb 26, 2012 12:50 PM CST up reply actions

And, furthermore,

different results with same team

isn’t this basically what happened last year on defense?

"Perfection is not attainable,
but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence!"

After further review,
The Munsters of the Midway still suck,
Skol is a four-letter word,
abd those upstarts in Detroit couldn't beat the Little Sisters of the Poor.

by NorthStarr on Feb 26, 2012 1:44 PM CST up reply actions

ELI MANNING IS THE BEST QB EVER HE SINGLE HANDEDLY WON THAT GAME

duh

REPORTER: What do you think is happening to the team?
MICHAEL RAY RICHARDSON: The ship be sinking.
REPORTER: How far can it sink?
MICHAEL RAY RICHARDSON: Sky's the limit.

by uofmike on Feb 23, 2012 1:59 PM CST reply actions