Post Game: Preseason Game 1, GB 36 Bungles 19

I got to see the game on NFL Network - thankful for that, but not thankful for having to listen to the damned Bengal commentators and their stupid interviews while seldom naming Packer tacklers. I had to have my roster numbers handy most of the time.

It was a fun and entertaining game with a lot more to be happy about than not.

We got a big load of LaFleur offense and game planning - for better or worse. I was thinking early on that Love and then Casey were throwing into some tight spots and making it work. Then, of course, it bit the team in the ass a couple of times. Questionable whether those throws that Rodgers never woulda tried were a net positive or not. Tonight, they seemed to be, but going forward, who knows.

Similarly, Joe Barry's D was in full bloom and especially noticeable in contrast to the way the Bengals played. From first string all the way to the lowest scrubs, it was all out often blind penetration and pressure - again, for better or worse. After the first play or two, I don't think we had any sacks, but there was a ton of "hurries". We'll see going forward whether that is a net positive as well as whether Barry is any more than a one trick pony. I saw a lot of open space in the middle of the field that the Bengals didn't do a very good job of taking advantage of. Other teams very well might be able too.

Jordan Love looked solid but not great. Casey, you could say, looked great but not completely solid. I'm guardedly optimistic that if the rest of the team is as good as I think it is, the QBs aren't gonna make it a loser.

The receivers looked excellent from top to bottom. Toure, Wicks, Heath, and Reed all looked like keepers, Musgrave is gonna be a star too. The 3rd - 6th RBs all looked good, which means the back up O Line mostly did ok. Ditto that on pass blocking. Either they were very adequate or Love and Casey were mobile enough to make them look good, take your pick - I'd say a lot of both.

On D, the back up Corners did great Valentine and Ballentine especially. Hopper (the other 27) late in the game was decent too. Also, surprise surprise, Jean Charles had a decent game. There was a lot of good team D the whole game with hardly anybody in the front seven or Safety's standing out. Late in the game, Anthony Johnson looked good, but that was against the bottom scrubs of the Bengals.

Duds, if any? Early on, 34 - Simone Biles' husband - looked kinda out of it. Quay Walker didn't do much and was beat at least once. If Tariq Carpenter even played, I didn't even notice him. Engabare, who I really like, was kinda a disappointment. Leavitt, despite lucking into an interception, seemed to be a liability on D. Carlson, after making me think positive early, looked horrible with the two missed extra points.

On O, I saw Rhyan get beat at least once, and of course Newman took a large step toward playing himself out of a job. Caleb Jones and Tedford seemed to do good, but they probably won't be around when the season starts.

All in all, it was a decent start.
 
I still like Heath. Pulling for him to be a dark horse UDFA to make the team. I know it's going to be very hard with Watson, Doubs, and Reed locks. Then having Toure, Wicks, Dubose being draft picks who the team loves to keep.
 
One of the things that I took away from the game is that the Packers still don't feel comfortable with their long passing game. I think it could be a combination of concerns about the blocking holding up, and the accuracy of Love, and Clifford. They're good, up to maybe 12-15 yards, beyond that? We're going to find out over the next two weeks, won't we?

Valentine? Is he really this good, or is he a flash in the pan? He seems to have a nose for the ball.

So many little rays of hope out there. It's like sniffing something by accident that gives you a sudden "high." When it wears off, will it leave us with a headache and asking ourselves "What the hell happened out there?," in our best imitations of Lombardi.
 
One of the things that I took away from the game is that the Packers still don't feel comfortable with their long passing game. I think it could be a combination of concerns about the blocking holding up, and the accuracy of Love, and Clifford. They're good, up to maybe 12-15 yards, beyond that? We're going to find out over the next two weeks, won't we?

Valentine? Is he really this good, or is he a flash in the pan? He seems to have a nose for the ball.

So many little rays of hope out there. It's like sniffing something by accident that gives you a sudden "high." When it wears off, will it leave us with a headache and asking ourselves "What the hell happened out there?," in our best imitations of Lombardi.
I think the deep passing game thing is being overstated this morning, the miss was a great play by the safety more than a poor pass..he needed a bit more air on it and let it go a second earlier. All of the passing stuff fixes itself with game reps...as stated above you can't get him more with the OL depth we have. Catch -22 tc(

Love is going to have ugly games
The OL is going to struggle at times
Our DC still calls too much off-coverage and blitz's too often
GB drafted a kicker that has mental struggles far too often

Those things we can take to the bank IMHO
 
I think the deep passing game thing is being overstated this morning, the miss was a great play by the safety more than a poor pass..he needed a bit more air on it and let it go a second earlier. All of the passing stuff fixes itself with game reps...as stated above you can't get him more with the OL depth we have. Catch -22 tc(

Love is going to have ugly games
The OL is going to struggle at times
Our DC still calls too much off-coverage and blitz's too often
GB drafted a kicker that has mental struggles far too often

Those things we can take to the bank IMHO
Yep the misses are already in Carlson's head after he missed his 2nd extra point he hung his head and shook it. To me that shows the misses are in his head and that's not good for a rookie kicker.
 
No comment on Carlson. They drafted him, and will do everything they can to prove they made the right choice, even if it costs the team dearly.
 
I hadn't realized the Carlson pick was heavily influenced by Bisaccia. Seemed such a head scratcher at the time, and remains so. This is one of those that may show that it is more important when drafting players to use objectivity (use of raw data, facts, and actual performance and statistics) then subjectivity (choosing based on feelings, familiarity and fondness of the family, or on perceived potential).

That said, I hope this kid can turn it around and prove Bisaccia right.
 
My take-aways from the game:

It's a pretty nice rookie/UDFA group so far. Musgrave, Valentine, Reed, Brooks, Wooden, Clifford, Wicks, Wilson, & Heath have all looked as good or better than their draft/UDFA status. Van Ness, Kraft, Nichols, and Johnson haven't been impressive but have looked okay. The only real downsides so have have been Carlson and DuBose, the latter due partly to injury.

I think they are settled at QB. Love was okay. Clifford was better than expected for a late round QB. I've seen worse from Favre and Rodgers in exhibition games in their first year.

The RB position is DEEP. Taylor, Goodson and especially Wilson all look the part. Be interesting to see who they keep on the 53 if any of them, behind Jones and Dillon.

O-line is just okay. The injuries could hurt them. Really wish they had drafted an inside guy as their back-ups, Rhyan, Newman and Hansen are all mediocre/bad.

They have lots of options at WR with 6 guys seeming to be locks - Watson, Doubs, Reed, Toure, Wicks and Heath. A couple more will be PS candidates.

If this continues, Carrington Valentine might be the gem of Gutes draft picks in terms of getting the most value from a late round pick.
 
I thought Clifford looked poised and it didn't appear that his interceptions caused him to lose any confidence. I thought that he made some great throws.

Wicks is proving me right. He was playing well last night.

I thought that some of the back-up OL was putrid. Granted I didn't watch the whole game. But what I saw was a mess.

The WRs & TEs looked good but still have a lot of work to do.

I'm curious if Love will play in 2nd game and for how long.

No comment regarding Carlson.bh(
 
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