Packers vs. Rams: Offensive Review

Another week and another great performance by Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers offense. After slow starts the first three weeks of the year, the Packers have now consistently found a way to get points up in the first quarter and get out to fast starts. This is good. The last two weeks the Packers have found a way to do this through the entire game. This is better.

Once again I’m reminded of the 2010 season with how this team is playing and operating. In 2010 the offense got going slowly, relying on the deep play and not really finding a groove early in the season. Around midseason the Packers switched from looking for the big play every down to a quick strike passing game and letting the receivers do the rest. It worked and the offense slowly turned around. By the time the playoffs came around James Starks emerged with a running game and it was over for the rest of the NFL. This year the Packers have struggled the first month or so of the season, playing inconsistently and living and dying by the big play. Now they have switched to the quick strike passing game getting Randall Cobb the ball in space and Jordy Nelson for precision routes. Throw in some slants and huge catches from James Jones and this offense is clicking again. If Alex Green can come alive or Cedric Benson back from injury….well let’s say the offense could be something to behold again.

Review Of The Passing Game

Key performances

Aaron Rodgers – 30/37 342 YDS 3 TD 132.2 RTG

Jordy Nelson – 8 REC 9 TGTS 122 YDS 1 TD 52 LG

Randall Cobb – 8 REC 8 TGTS 89 YDS 2 TD 39 LG

It’s good to see the Packers’ passing game back in sync. Rodgers once again looks like a MVP candidate and simply the best player in the league. Hopefully the defense has improved where he doesn’t have to play at this super high level every week. An even bigger hope would be that a running attack can surface to take some pressure off of Rodgers. The good news is that Rodgers has the talent and ability to cover for these deficiencies for a long period of time.

Better news out of this is the receiving corp though. Last year these guys played small when Greg Jennings was out of the game and it looked like they needed Jennings there to help draw coverages and get favorable match ups. The last two weeks the Packer receivers have found a way to beat the opposing coverage and get open. In light of Jennings current contract situation with the Packers it’s critical to the long term health of the team for these receivers to be able to work without a Jennings safety net. So far they have shown the ability to do so…especially with the rise of Randall Cobb.

Review of the Running Game

Key Performances

Alex Green – 20 CAR 35 YDS 1.8 AVG 15 LG

Randall Cobb – 1 CAR 19 YDS

John Kuhn – 3 CAR 16 YDS 5.3 YDS 9 LG

Let’s face it, this is sad. I don’t care if you blame the line or Green, but this simply can’t happen. Frankly, neither looked very good out there on Sunday. Now I’m willing to stay patient with Green since he is still running a bit tentatively and I’m going to chalk that up to the knee injury (those things take about a year to recover from to get up to a true 100%)….that said my question is this: If Green is running that poorly and may still be injured where in the heck is James Starks? You all know I’m not a huge Starks guy, but how much faith as the coaching staff lost in him for him to just fall off the face of the earth like he has? Seriously, we can talk about turf toe and how it’s a nagging and chronic injury and the like, but he’s still has to be available and out there. Starks was healthy enough to be activated, why wasn’t he on the field? The more this crazy year unfolds the more I believe this is the last year for Starks in Green Bay.

Field Goal Kicking Review

Mason Crosby – 3/4 75% 48 LG

I’m already on the record saying I’m not going to dog Crosby for missing a 58 yard field goal. That’s the longest of his career and not an easy field goal for most of the kickers in this league. He was still came back and hit two more after that and nailed a 48 yarder. Crosby is fine.