Cheesehead
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,854
- 0
Debbie from Delafield, WI
I'm a longtime reader but I've never asked a question. Great to see Davante Adams have a great start to the season. Did MVS and Allen Lazard play up to your expectations? I was very pleased myself.
It was big to see MVS bounce back from his two drops to make a big play. That didn't happen last year after things started to go south for him. Lazard is just solid. He can run any route required in this offense, and his hands are reliable.
Susan from Santa Cruz, CA
Hi Mike. Thanks for doing the live game blog. Being out of market, this was the only way I could track the game for most of the game. I used to be able to stream Wayne and Larry, but that is apparently not possible this year. One suggestion: Have your tech crew include the banner from the packers.com homepage that shows the score, possession, timeouts, and downs.
I'm not sure if that's possible because of the live blog being on a different platform, but I will ask about it. I probably just need to do a better job of repeating those details as I go along as well. Glad you joined in.
Karl from Bruce, WI
To think what we could have done if only we had drafted some receivers.
Imagine what Rodgers might do once the tight ends get involved. One catch for 12 yards for Josiah Deguara. That was it. In all seriousness, though, clearly the plan was to attack the young corners. Kendricks and Barr are pretty good cover guys in the middle of the field on the tight ends. Take what they give you, or what you can.
Max from Ingolstadt, Germany
Can you explain the concept of playing prevent defense? I think our defense played fantastic for the better part of three quarters, then started to play prevent defense and gave up a lot of points in very little time. What's the idea behind that?
The idea is not to give up any big plays over the top, and make the other team take a while to score. The Packers were fine with the first part, but they were playing so soft the Vikings were getting 20-yard chunks with very little resistance. Two 20-yard plays only takes an extra 20-30 seconds compared to one 40-yarder, so it has to be tightened up, no doubt.
Brad from Basalt, CO
1:16, 2:07, 1:58. You are going to get letters.
The 14 seconds at the end of the first half weren't good either. The Packers' defense had its share of rough moments. It also had an impressive sequence in the second quarter of sack-safety, third-down sack, interception. Wildly up and down like that is unsettling, for sure, but I want to see a few more games to get a handle on who they're really going to be.
Barb from Marengo, IL
I noticed in the pictures of the team heading for the plane to go to Minnesota that several players were not wearing masks. I realize they were outside. Are they required to wear them on the plane?
I believe so, yes.
Hap from Thomson, IL
Hello and thanks for all you guys do to keep us connected to the Pack. I see that the Packers brought in seven players for tryouts Saturday. Who is in attendance and who actually works out these players? I would think the coaching staff is in final prep for Minnesota and I would think it would take quite awhile to work these prospective players out.
The personnel department conducts those workouts, not the coaching staff.
Jesse from Adel, IA
A Rodgers sneak for a first down? Could the II provide his career total of first downs by a QB sneak? I feel it was good to see.
I don't have the list in front of me, but they are rare. I seem to recall at least one last year. Perhaps LaFleur is less hesitant to call it than McCarthy.
Troy from Ninety Six, SC
So that block by Deguara...
It was like a reverse welcome-to-the-NFL moment.
Mark from Grayson, GA
Guys, the Saints, Vikings and Rams are in the bottom 10 of the league for cap space. Yet, they are able to give significant money in recent contracts. How are the teams able to afford the players? Please tell me the cap is not a myth.
It's not. But if a team has limited cap space now it can always create more by structuring any new contracts to alleviate a cap crunch and push money into the future. Here's an oversimplified example: Say a player has a $6M salary, and cap number, for the final year of his contract. The team could sign him to a new five-year, $51M contract that replaces his current one (in effect a four-year extension). The new deal could have a $10M signing bonus and a $1M salary for the first year, and a $10M salary for each of the remaining four years. Because the signing bonus is prorated cap-wise over the length of the contract, the player's new cap number for the current year would be $3M ($2 pro-rated signing bonus, plus $1M salary), an immediate cap savings of $3M. The player is getting $11M in his pocket for the current year ($10M bonus plus $1M salary), an increase of $5M over what he would have pocketed for this year if he plays out his deal. His cap number jumps to $12M the following year ($2M bonus proration plus $10M salary), but the team gained some instant cap relief. Hope that helps.