Week 4
September 30, 2012 - 3:25 p.m. - FOX
Lambeau Field
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Packers 28 - Saints 27
Photo credit: packers.com
One week after having a victory literally stolen from us, the Packers were able to squeak out a victory against the 0-3 New Orleans Saints. Going into this game, the Saints were 0-3, however, they are a much better team than their record represents. There were huge questions of how we would respond after the Seattle Seahawks game. The first set of good news was the regular officials were back! The first set of bad news was the Packers game had Jeff Triplette. The second set of good news was the Packers offense appeared to start clicking again. The second set of bad news was the Packers defense who was torched by Drew Brees and the Saints offense.
Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdowns in the first half and the Packers took a 21-7 lead late into the 2nd quarter. The Saints scored a touchdown just before halftime and added 13 straight points in the 2nd half for 20 unanswered points to take a 27-21 lead in the 4th quarter. The Packers had an opportunity to put points on the board in the 3rd quarter but Rodgers was poked in the eye which forced him to leave the game for a play. The first play from scrimmage, backup quarterback Graham Harrell fumbled a handoff to Cedric Benson and the Saints recovered. All the momentum the Saints built in the 3rd quarter was gaining more and more. Soon after the turnover, Drew Brees threw an 80-yard touchdown pass that gave the Saints the lead for the first time. It felt like this season just wasn't to be. Then, midway through the 4th quarter, Rodgers led the Packers on a 4th quarter comeback rally with a 11-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson with seven minutes left.
Photo credit: packers.com
Maybe the football gods were looking down on us when the Saints kicker Garrett Hartley lined up for a field goal attempt to give the Saints the lead. Hartley made the 43-yard attempt, however, it was called back for holding. After an encroachment on the Packers, Hartley then missed the 48-yard attempt! Aaron Rodgers and James Jones closed out the game with a back-shoulder play to run out the clock.
One thing I won't forget to mention is the refs blowing another call. It just feels at this point every call is going to go against us this season. Darren Sproles fumbled the ball on a kick-off return, however, the refs ruled he was down by contact when the replay clearly shows he wasn't. It didn't that the Packers didn't have any challenges remaining but still, the refs missed another one that could have contributed to another loss. However, the Packers defeated the Saints and refs.
Certainly some concerns on defense as Drew Brees torched us for 446 yards passing and three touchdowns. That's right, 446 yards. *facepalm*
Chicago Bears 3-1
Minnesota Vikings 3-1
Green Bay Packers 2-2
Detroit Lions 1-3
Week 3
September 24, 2012 - 7:30 p.m. - ESPN
CenturyLink Field
Seattle, Washington
Packers 12 - Seahawks 14
Leading up to this game, I didn't have a big problem with the replacement refs in the NFL. It's amazing how fast your opinion can change. There is no way around it; the Packers were robbed of a victory in Seattle. We won this game and it was stolen from us by a guy who was fired from the Lingerie Football League. I have never been so upset after a Packers game in my life. I was shouting. Screaming. I was throwing things all over my house. I couldn't sleep that evening because I was so upset and disgusted. Clearly M.D. Jennings intercepted that football but there wasn't one ref in the area code to see that play happen. And not to mention we didn't get any help from the replay booth.
What was the most disappointing to me was the NFL coming out the next day saying the "call on the field was correct." Okay, here's the deal, about three days after this game ended, I have moved on. I changed my attitude towards the situation. At this point, I am disappointed in the NFL and quite honestly, I am embarrassed to say I am a fan of the NFL. As a Packers fan, I wasn't requiring the NFL to overturn the result of the game. I was seeking something along the lines of an apology to the team, fans of Green Bay, and the fans of the NFL. I was looking for an admittance along the lines of: "okay, we admit it, the call was made wrong and we apologize to the Green Bay Packers and theirs fans." The only thing the NFL did was admit there should have been a pass-interference on Golden Tate. Duh. But that's never called. Ever.
The reason why I felt embarrassed to say I am a fan of the NFL is the following: I used to take pride in saying I was a fan of the NFL because it is the best and most popular sports league in the world, in my opinion. Nothing comes close. However, with these replacement refs, the game doesn't have any integrity and is being viewed as a mockery. That is not the league I grew up watching. Loving. Cherishing. As fans, we invest so much into this game. I for one, care about this league and how it is viewed. Major League Baseball (MLB) may have gone through the steroid-era recently, but they survived and are making great strides to cleaning up the game. Attendance at games is increasing. The replacement refs are placing a dark cloud over the NFL and helping the MLB make a move on the NFL for the best sports league. The shield is tarnished. How am I expected to take the NFL seriously if this is the type of officiating taking place?
Now, I've heard from a lot of people the Packers shouldn't have placed themselves in that situation. Your right. The offensive line was beyond horrendous in the first half. 8 sacks? Let's not forgot Seattle does play well at home. But anyways, we, in my opinion, dominated the 2nd half. Why, well we started running the football. Hard to sack a quarterback when he is handing the ball off. So yes, certainly we could have prevented the situation, but it's football, anyone can win on any given Sunday or Monday and I guess Thursday as well. I've heard, "Why didn't M.D. Jennings just knock it down like they are taught?" Yeah, that's a good idea. Ask the Tennessee Titans how that worked out for them.
One last thing I want to say about these replacement refs. A good friend of mine is a high school ref in the area I live in and he has a friend who's friend is a ref at the lower level Division II of college football. This guy was a ref for the M.I.A.A. Conference of Division II football. This conference consists of the team where I went to college, Missouri Southern State University. This guy became a replacement ref for the NFL. This is an example of the type of refs Roger Goodell hired to officiate our favorite game.
Finally, I want say how proud I was of Aaron Rodgers and what he had to say on his radio show, "Tuesday's with Aaron." He called a spade a spade. Aaron shouldn't be the one apologizing to the fans of the NFL on behalf of the NFL. But he gets it. Good for Aaron. #gopackgo
Chicago Bears 2-1
Minnesota Vikings 2-1
Green Bay Packers 1-2
Detroit Lions 1-2
Week 2
September 13, 2012 - 7:20 p.m. - NFL Network
Lambeau Field
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Packers 23 - Bears 10
Defense? The Packers defense finally flexed its muscle in a critical divisional game with the rival Chicago Bears. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler went 11/27 for 126 yards while throwing four interceptions. Cutler was also sacked seven times! Of the four interceptions thrown by Cutler, Tramon Williams picked two of them while Charles Woodson and rookie Jerron McMillian had the others. Clay Matthews was just about unstoppable as he finished the evening with 3 1/2 sacks. Nonetheless, a huge victory to prevent the Packers from falling into an early hole in 2012.
Photo credit: packers.com
As for the offense, we were really out of sync again. Greg Jennings missed tonight's game with a groin injury. But, the Packers offense just isn't clicking yet. It doesn't have the feel that everyone is on the same page. I'm not sure how much this is being mentioned, but I think our offense hasn't adjusted to losing Joe Philbin to the Miami Dolphins. But I want to see another game or two before I start questioning new offensive coordinator Tom Clements. Note: Packers haven't scored any offensive points on their first offensive possession yet and they also haven't scored any offensive points in the first quarter yet.
Mike McCarthy made one gutsy call with his special teams unit. Packers ran a fake field goal play and actually scored a touchdown on the play! With 1:50 left in the 2nd quarter, holder and punter Tim Masthay threw a pass to backup tight end Tom Crabtree and he was able to outrun everyone to the endzone. A huge play as it gave the Packers a 10-0 led late in the 1st half. Such a risky play call by the Packers but it worked. McCarthy said they have been working on that play for years.
With the offensive woes, a running game is certainly a way to try and spark the offense and open up the playbook. The Packers showed some small flashes of a running game against the Bears. Former Bear Cedric Benson ran for 81 yards on 20 carries. Benson also caught four passes for 35 yards.
Note: Randall Cobb is becoming a huge part of our offense. Expect to see him more involved in the offense as the season moves along.
Green Bay Packers 1-1
Minnesota Vikings 1-1
Detroit Lions 1-1
Chicago Bears 1-1
Week 1
September 9, 2012 - 3:25 p.m. - FOX
Lambeau Field
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Packers 22 - 49ers 30
This game had some effects of the loss to the New York Giants in the NFC Divisional Playoff round. Maybe because this was the first game since that... "loss." In reality, the Packers had their chance in this game, but they didn't capitalize. The offense was out of sync. In my opinion, the defense looked better as opposed to last year, however, it still wasn't good. When a guy like Alex Smith picks your defense apart, your having a bad day on defense. Anyway, the 49ers looked like the best team in the NFL through week 1. They were very solid in all three phases of the game including coaching. I thought the 49ers played great, yet we only lost by eight points and had a opportunity to tie the game on our last drive. I was telling people after the game, "we deserved to lose, however, we will get better as the year goes on and to play as inconsistent as we did and to only lose by eight points isn't the end of the world."
At least we don't have to worry about the whole undefeated season thing. We got that out of the way pretty quick. A big concern going into week 1 was the replacement refs. Now, I usually do a lot of yelling at the regular refs, but man... these guys are bad. They missed so many calls it's comical. We will have to see how this plays out going forward with the season.
I have to give David Akers a little credit. Due to a mistake by Aaron at the end of the first half, the 49ers got the opportunity to add and extra three points just before the intermission. Add three points he did with a NFL record tying 63-yard field goal. Also, must mention his kick hit the crossbar then fell over. Never thought I'd ever see a 60+ yard field goal made at Lambeau Field.
Photo credit: FOXSports.com
Seemed to be lots of panic after this game. I think Aaron summed up my thoughts exactly.
Aaron Rodgers: "It's one game. This is a team that was in the NFC championship last year. It's a good team. Hopefully we see them down the road in the playoffs."
However, a HUGE game against the rival Chicago Bears on Thursday night is quite possibly a "must-win" after the Bears won today.
Chicago Bears 1-0
Minnesota Vikings 1-0
Detroit Lions 1-0
Green Bay Packers 0-1
