Cheesehead
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,854
- 0
Deanna from Madison, WI
Will Rashan Gary break out in Year 2?
It certainly appears he'll be given the opportunity to do so.
Brian from New Port Richey, FL
Provided the right tackle can hold up, I am optimistic that our offense will be very good this year. But after hearing Pettine's press conference in which he said that there would not be any major changes in the run defense that struggled mightily last year, I'm left scratching my head. I think our opponents will be much more committed to the run and not give up on it so easily like they did last year when they fell behind. Maybe I missed something Pettine said. What was your interpretation?
I heard him say the defense isn't changing its philosophy or approach. But regarding gap responsibility he suggested players simply need to be more cognizant when their assignment is expanded on a given play (he used the phrase "gap and a half" a few times), and second-level defenders must be better at reading and reacting to how the gaps can shift depending on the initial action up front. It's not some sexy, wholesale change, but Pettine is a firm believer that you get what you emphasize, and I think he implicitly acknowledged some of the core run-defense principles weren't emphasized enough. I agree teams are going to challenge the Packers on the ground and be more inclined to stick with it. I think Pettine knows this, too, even if other offenses aren't built like San Francisco's.
Richard from Racine, WI
Hey Insiders! Are you among those going to be allowed to go back to the office this week or are you continuing to work remotely?
Our department will still be working remotely for at least a couple more weeks.
David from Cable, WI
The greatest success Brady and Brees have had in recent years has been tied to a strong running game and a passing game that uses the running backs as receivers. Coach LaFleur's offense is taking the Packers in the same direction. And how can that be bad for an aging Aaron Rodgers?
I never said it was, but you must have the perimeter threats to keep the defense honest, which helps all the running back stuff work. The Patriots are an exception in so many ways, yet everyone could see their offense was not the same last year with only Edelman but no Gronk. The Saints had Thomas and also got 700 yards and nine TDs from Cook. The Packers haven't had a second option in the passing game, regardless of position, with that kind of production since 2016.
John from Provo, UT
Speaking of the Bill Belichick rule, it was so ironic to see Belichick's clock-burning strategy that he trolled the Jets with be used against him by Mike Vrabel in the Titans' upset of the Patriots. Can you think of other ironic football situations like that?
That was really something, by one of Belichick's former players no less. I have nothing off the top of my head but will keep thinking.
Ethan from Holly Springs, NC
Why do you think Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson haven't developed the same type of rivalry over the years that Brady and Manning have? Is it just the age difference?
Not really. It's hard for any QB rivalry to compare, frankly. Brady and Manning went head-to-head 17 times (versus eight for Rodgers and Wilson so far), including five times in the playoffs and four conference title games (versus two and one). Circumstances factored, too. Brady beat Manning the first six times they faced off, so a narrative developed that Manning couldn't beat him, similar to the one he endured in college at Tennessee when the Vols could never beat Florida. Rodgers-Wilson has been defined by just one circumstance – home field. The visiting QB has never won.
David from Los Angeles, CA
Hi Mike, in this day and age, what business makes major structural changes to their business model without asking their customers what they think? At least ask! This onside kick proposed change sounds extremely gimmicky and quite frankly, is likely to punish certain types of offenses (run-oriented), while favoring pass-happy mobile quarterbacks. Too gimmicky for my liking. If the owners were so smart, they wouldn't have gotten bullied into dropping the PI review after one season.
While I'm not in favor of the fourth-and-15 idea, and agree it's gimmicky, I don't think it qualifies as a major structural change to the business model.
Roger from Gillette, WY
All this talk about onside kicks they are dreaming up, some of it quite serious, sounds way too much like gimmicks to me. Couldn't they just declare an onside kick? Everyone knows it's coming anyway. Maybe limit the number of people on the receiving team able to be within a certain number of yards of the kick. Don't you think a team getting the ball on the 25, fourth-and-15, too many variables could alter the game that's been played for around 58 to 60 minutes way too much? Crazy.
If they don't want to allow teams to declare an onside-kick attempt and go back to the old rules, then they should just get rid of any mechanism to keep the ball after scoring. It would change the way teams have to strategize a comeback, which would be more interesting anyway. Down by 10 with five minutes and only one timeout left? Better kick a field goal by the three-minute mark so your defense has time to get a stop and get the ball back with enough time to score the TD. That sort of thing.