Raves
How many #GoPackGo can I get on the FB fan page for this win?
This was a game everyone was thinking could be a sleeper but this team will not be denied at Lambeau. I predicted a blowout and if Capers would have stayed with his pressure defense it very well could have been but I will get to that in the rant section!
Speaking of the defense, those guys came out and made a statement early with sound coverage and stopping the run. Jamal Charles is ranked as one of the best in the NFL and even though he scored 3 TD’s they held him to only 49 yards, last week Lynch only had 41. Think about that for a minute, two of the best in the business being held to under 50 yards, I would say stopping the run has improved by leaps and bounds from last season at least through the first 3 games. Barring a few mistakes on the drive from KC on their first TD scoring drive ( which by the way was set up by a bad call on McCarthy for going on 4th and 5 on the 40 yard line! ) they played a stellar game.
We all know Aaron Rodgers is the best QB in the NFL but he made it look easy throwing for 333 yards, five touchdowns for a team record fifth time with a 138.5 passer rating for the game. Adams left the game early re-aggravating his high ankle sprain so the rookie Ty Montgomery saw a lot more snaps and scored his first career TD. And… in case all you Jeff Janis fans missed it he was targeted once also on a long pass down the sideline which Aaron overthrew but it was a first for him as well, speaking of Janis this kid is a special teams must with his speed he is the first one there on punt coverage and made a few good plays this game by hitting the return man as soon as he caught the ball for no gain!
While the special teams is not perfect it has improved and seems to be coming together so by mid-season it could be a major factor for the team’s run to the big game. The Packers brought back Joe Thomas from the Dallas PS last week and I said before the game he would play ILB this game so Matthews could play snaps on the edge which is exactly what Capers did and the kid got his first sack and also allowed Clay to get two this game. Daniels, Raji and D. Jones are making it known to whoever they play their offensive line will be in for a long day because these three are bringing it and if Elliott can get more snaps on the edge when Clay is not there he is becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Well I could rave on this game for two pages but we all get the picture the offense was stellar as usual and the defense is letting people know they are for real and look out for them this season. The special teams played very well so all three phases playing quality ball makes for wins by our beloved team!
Rants
As I said earlier I will start with Capers! I’m not sure why he goes back to his prevent defense when they get a lead you would think he learned from last years NFC championship game. Every time he does this he lets the other team get back into the game. I know it’s a way to eat up the clock but it also can backfire and cost this team a win! Bottom line is that he needs to throw away the prevent playbook and play 60 minutes of football which gets them the lead in the first place. In my opinion when they had the Chiefs down 31-7 in the third quarter the defense could have held that lead until the end if Capers didn’t revert back to this style of defense. Two times he called for a three man rush when they had KC stuck with a fourth and long, one being a 19 yarder, the reasoning for this is so they don’t get burned for a TD. I say, “BS! Take your chance and send the blitz because giving them the 20 yards needed to sustain the drive and go down to score anyway can and will come back to bite you!” Okay enough about that I’m sure you all get my point ” NO MORE PREVENT ”
Now about the call McCarthy made on the 4th and 5 on the 40 yard line, while I like his aggressiveness there is a 
time and place for this, when he saw that they did not draw KC off-sides they should have taken the penalty and punted to keep the Chiefs pinned deep but instead he gave them great field position and changed the momentum of the game as they marched down for the touchdown. Granted Rodgers and the offense came right back to tilt the game back in their favor but it still was a call you don’t make when you have the opponent on their heels.
Okay other than that I really don’t have a lot to rant about, in the end it was a great victory for the team and puts them 3-0 with a road game coming up against a team that seems to give them trouble every year the SF 49ers’ but the way this team is playing and “IF ” Capers can put the prevent away they should be 4-0 after next week.
Anyway, let Packernation know your thoughts on the game in the comments section below or on the FB fan page. And don’t forget the hastag #GoPackGo
Thanks, Jeff
Follow me on Twitter@JDHayes1313
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Pretty much agree with everything you said Jeff. This game was basically over by half time. Everyone on D and ST stepped up, and offense was sharp – until Capers went to dime and prevent in 2nd half. Was (needlessly) 2 completely different games in each half.
I could understand it if we often shut teams down with prevent, but has that ever happened? It’s not like we only give up short yardage in prevent, we give up huge chunks of yardage in bunches. And that just gives the opponent confidence and momentum in a game dictated by momentum. Even mediocre dink and dunk QBs like Smith exploit us with no pass rush to worry about. I think KC had like 60 yards of offense in first half, and ended up with about 360, 300 of which came after KC’s initial possession in 3rd – and frankly, it could have been a lot more if Maclin hadn’t bobbled almost every pass that hit him in the hands. I’ll never understand why we don’t stick with what’s been working all game on D. Not happy that we allowed Chiefs to pad stats and have a chance at a game changing onside kick.
Disappointed that we couldn’t capitalize on 4-5 more turnover opportunities, but great that we’re creating those opportunities. Only a matter of time before they pay off in spades. Penalties were a problem again, negated some big plays (1 TD and 1 INT).
Only thing I disagree with is the decision to go for it on 4th down. McCarthy was criticized (and rightly so in my opinion) for not going for the kill early in the NFC Championship Game. Can’t accuse him of not going for the kill early in this one. The way Rodgers was playing, just out of FG range, and with KC’s secondary depleted, I think it was the right decision. I just think it was the wrong offensive set and play called. Our 4 WR and 1 TE set is almost unstoppable, and that’s what I’d like to have seen in that situation. I think it was 2 for 3 inside the red zone for TDs, and would have been 3 for 3 if not for the offensive pass interference penalty on Montgomery. Go Pack go!
Definitely agree on the 4th and 5. I found myself while alone in my hotel shouting ‘WTF?’ (I may have used the long form. Repeatedly.)
The ill-discipline of the team drew way too many yard-costly penalties in the second half. That along with the Capers return to timidity let KC off what should have been a good old-fashioned a$$ whooping.
Back to the positives, the hard count and attendant free throws continue to nail the opposition. The offence play every one of those like they are 5 points down with 10 seconds to go in the Super Bowl – it is poetry to watch and elicits a giggle from me like my little girl does when I give her a bowl of ice cream. The first TD drive was relentless – a series of consecutive first downs made the KC defence look nothing short of hapless.
A great win, but it could have been much, much better!
I thought McCarthy was not calling the plays during the game.
Kathy he still makes the calls on things like going for it on 4th down or punting etc.
Shhhh don’t tell anyone but when J. Charles of the KC Chiefs did the discount double check and the Lambeau Leap he was auditioning (he hopes to be a Packer some day).