Packers-Cowboys Recap
Well, I was a few off in my prediction. That usually doesn't happen. Usually I'm much further off.
At any rate, now we get to hear the "it was just against Aaron Rodgers" line until the playoffs, which is a bit of a stretch. The fact is Rodgers played significantly better than Favre, who finished 5-14 (just 35%) for 56 yards, o TDs, and 2 INTs. If Favre continued in the game, about the best he could expect would be to finish with Rodgers stat line of 18-26 (69%) for 201 yards, 1 TD, and 0 INTs.
And while Favre is quite capable of playing a good enough game to beat the Cowboys and stat lines don't tell the whole story, the fact is last night Favre didn't play well enough and the stats are indicative of the fact that Rodgers played better.
To be honest, while this may not have won them the game, Cris Collinsworth was right that the Packers' coaching staff made a mistake by kicking a field goal on 4th and 1 from the Dallas 35 with just over 5 minutes left in the game. If you're facing just about any offense in the NFC North that move probably would be just fine, but not the high-powered Cowboy offense, which also just so happens to have a RB who specializes in grinding out the clock.
At any rate, now we get to hear the "it was just against Aaron Rodgers" line until the playoffs, which is a bit of a stretch. The fact is Rodgers played significantly better than Favre, who finished 5-14 (just 35%) for 56 yards, o TDs, and 2 INTs. If Favre continued in the game, about the best he could expect would be to finish with Rodgers stat line of 18-26 (69%) for 201 yards, 1 TD, and 0 INTs.
And while Favre is quite capable of playing a good enough game to beat the Cowboys and stat lines don't tell the whole story, the fact is last night Favre didn't play well enough and the stats are indicative of the fact that Rodgers played better.
To be honest, while this may not have won them the game, Cris Collinsworth was right that the Packers' coaching staff made a mistake by kicking a field goal on 4th and 1 from the Dallas 35 with just over 5 minutes left in the game. If you're facing just about any offense in the NFC North that move probably would be just fine, but not the high-powered Cowboy offense, which also just so happens to have a RB who specializes in grinding out the clock.
Labels: football
posted by Seth Zlotocha at Friday, November 30, 2007
7 Comments:
Refs and Woodsonless.
I thought that Rodgers played very well given the circumstances. I do have some issues with our man Brett. First of all, why is he leaving the sideline to go to the lockroom with 2 minutes left in the game? Randy Moss did something similar and he was blasted for it, Brett should receive the same treatment. I thought that that was a classless move on his part. Also, I did not see Favre talking to Aaron on the sideline. I would think he would have been trying to help him out. Maybe he was, and the camera was not on him during those time.
Yeah, I thought about the Favre not helping out Rodgers thing when they showed Rodgers on the sideline between series. But then I also thought, like you, that may just be a timing issue.
And I'd say Rodgers played very well even setting aside the circumstances. His ability to scramble clearly adds a new element to the Packer offense, and he displayed a good arm and solid accuracy throughout the game. The only issue he needs to work on a bit is poise -- he looked a little jittery at times -- but that's just something that comes with experience...and knowing in advance that you're going to play helps, too.
I have to disagree about your Brett vs. Aaron comparison. Brett was having a good game, when the right plays were called. But when the O-line was not up to snuff, there is no way that the deep ball should have been called against the Dallas D-line. Both of Brett's interceptions came from getting hit, because he had to hold on to the ball too long. When McCarthy was calling for the quick release plays, like he did for Aaron, there was much higher completions.
You're right, the play-calling was a bit suspect for Favre on a couple of drives; and maybe saying that Rodgers did better than Favre would've is questionable. But the essential point I made is that had Favre stayed in the game, he couldn't have expected to do any better than Rodgers did in his place, which is a point that's aimed at the "what if" posturing of those who think the game was just a loss because of the loss of Favre.
Umnnhhh....
McCarthy and Thompson are not stupid. The short-pass game (in combination with ANY running game) is designed for success for both QB's.
As to Favre's "helping" Rogers--these guys are so different that Favre would more likely ruin Rogers than "help" him if he tried to make Rogers into a Favre-clone.
Favre throws off the wrong foot, arm-tosses, ---read ANY book on 'how to QB' and what Favre does is completely out-of-bounds.
But he's so damn gifted (and competitive) that he makes it work.
I do think that a healthy GB defense would have made a difference--about 7 points.
WONDERFUL Post.thanks for share..
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