By Totals 4 U
Green Bay (2-3) mounted a fine second half comeback last Sunday led but came up short in a 24-27 home loss to the Falcons, hamstrung by 9 penalties and a short-handed defense that has allowed 175+ yards rushing in each game of their current 3-game losing streak. Right defensive end in particular has been a nightmare where Cullen Jenkins (IR), Michael Montgomery (battling ankle injury), Kabeer Baja-Biamila (knee), and Jason Hunter have all fallen to injury. This week it could be 6’4” 270 rookie Jeremy Thompson that gets the call with the others chipping in a play at a time. The 161.4 yards per game and 46 first downs the Packers have surrendered on the ground have mostly come from lack of gap discipline that has left players reaching rather than DT’s 6’2” 330 Ryan Pickett, 6’3” 320 Johnny Jolley, and 6’1” 330 Colin Cole getting blown off the ball. WLB Brady Popinga (23 T), MLB Nick Barnett (27 T), and SLB AJ Hawk (31 T, 2 S) have all fallen into this trap of trying to do too much and must stay home for better results. The Green Bay secondary has also been shredded by injuries but the openings have given the opportunity to a couple of your players that have responded. The loss of Al Harris to a torn spleen elevated 2nd-year 5’11” 191 RCB Tramond Williams (21 T, 2 INT) to the starting job where he has snatched a pick in each of the last 2 games. That moves 3rd-year 6’0” 206 CB Will Blackmon (16 T, FF, FR) up to the nickel in addition to his job as return man where he has averaged 12.8 yards per punt with a score. 4th-year FS Nick Collins (26 T) has returned two of his three interceptions for touchdowns but his mate SS Atari Bigby missed last week with a hamstring injury. Bigby is an absolute hammer over the middle and without him 2nd-year 6’4” 223 Aaron Rouse (23 T) has stepped up but is himself now batting a knee injury. Both are currently being tested for weekend availability. These kids have talent for the big play with 9 sacks, 9 picks, and 3 fumble recoveries but youth has also incurred a NFL worst 12 first downs by penalty.
Coach Mike McCarthy’s (24-15 in 3rd season) is in much better shape with plenty of talent at all the skill positions but an offensive line that has got to get their act together. 6’2” 220 QB Aaron Rodgers (103 of 163 for 1274 yards, 9 TD, 4 INT) has been flat-out superb in his first season as a starter, this past week playing in sometimes extreme pain with a sprained shoulder. Rodgers excels at throwing on the run and can scramble (21 rushes for 82 yards and 2 TD rushing) with the best of them and he has needed to be. This skill has bailed out the front wall repeatedly but they have still allowed 11 sacks and been continually flagged for holding and false start penalties. After veteran LT Chad Clifton – a dynamite player having a terrible season – left with a hamstring injury against Atlanta, 3rd-year 6’4” 308 LG Daryn Colledge moved over to take his spot with 2nd-year 6’4” 305 LG Allen Barbre taking his. After that the Pack played much better and got the run going with 6’1” 226 RB Ryan Grant (73 for 269 yards) finally looking like the player that dominated the 2nd half of 2007 while 5’10” 220 RB Brandon Jackson (20 for 104 and TD rushing, 12 for 69 receiving) has produced when given the rock. FB Korey Hall has missed time with injury and 6’0” 259 FB John Kuhn clearly is a major drop off, getting blown up multiple times. Given the time, Rodgers has weapons all over the field. Starting receivers Donald Driver (19 for 242 and 2 TD) and 3rd-year phenom Greg Jennings (29 for 569 and 3 TD) are tough as nails and willing to go after the tough catch in traffic. Backups 6’4” 220 Ruvell Martin (4 for 44) and 6’1” 218 James Jones (5 for 38 and TD) bring huge size and over the last 2 years have each produced big games. TE Donald Lee (15 for 109 and TD) has downfield skills while 3rd-year 6’2” 255 TE Tony Humphrey had his biggest week as a pro last week with 4 grabs and 67 yards. The numbers are decent with 26.6 points per game on 337.4 yards are decent and will get better if the line does.
Seattle (1-3) allowed the Giants to score on their first 6 possessions and amass 523 total yards of offense in an absolute 6-44 debacle last week – the 8th time they have lost following their bye week over the last 10 seasons. In the third snap from scrimmage 6’4” 225 QB Matt Hasselbeck (58 of 118 for 656 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT) went grabbing his knee but did return to play – at least into the 3rd quarter when the game was long lost. He will certainly go this week and will finally have someone to throw the ball to. Nate Burleson is on the IR, Koren Robinson missed last week with a knee injury but Seattle did get the return of Deion Branch and Bobby Engram, each of whom played for the first time last week and combined for 11 catches and 92 yards. Until then only 6’4” 215 WR Billy McMullen (7 for 124) and 6’5” 251 rookie TE John Carlson (12 for 168) contributed much of anything through the air for a passing game that has managed only 156.0 yards per game at just 5.5 yards per attempt and 2 scores. Pass-happy Coach Holmgren vows to pound the ball this week on the ground as he has many times over his career (often not doing so) and has reason to be hopeful for success if he does. 6’0” 242 FB Leonard Weaver (10 for 40) is the strong lead blocker that Holmgren has always used well, 6’0” 254 RB TJ Duckett (25 for 96 and 3 TD) has superb size for short yardage, and 5’10” 208 RBV Julius Jones (78 for 373 yards and 2 TD) will get Maurice Morris (6 for 31) back this week to share the rushing load. The veteran crew of LT Jones, LG Wahle, C Spencer, RG Womack, and RT Locklear has struggled in pass protection with 9 surrendered sacks but have dominated on the ground with 143.2 ground yards per game at 4.7 yards per carry. If Holmgren follows through with his stated game plan, this season could turn on a dime.
Or a nickel, which might make all the difference this week as well. The Seahawk secondary has been routinely scorched for big plays this year with opponents racking up 237.0 yards of passing per game at a ridiculous 8.4 yards per attempt. Not per catch, per attempt. LCB Marcus Trufant’s (12 T) partner RCB Kelly Jennings was knocked out in the first quarter last week with a concussion and his replacement couldn’t do much worse. 2nd-year 5’9” 192 nickel back Josh Wilson (24 T) stepped in for Jennings and racked up a team-best 11 tackles using the great wheels that have produced 23.0 yards per kick return by him this season. Safeties 6’2” 215 SS Deon Grant (21 T, INT) and 6’2” 210 FS Brian Russell (17 T) have plenty of size but just don’t seem to possess the change of direction ability to recover and help keep made plays from becoming big plays. Seattle’s starting defensive line has piled up 8 of the squad’s impressive 11 sacks with 6’5” 272 LDE Patrick Kearney (11 T, FR, 4 S) and 6’4” 271 rookie RDE Lawrence Jackson (14 T, 2 S) crashing the pocket and tackles 6’1” 314 Brandon Mebane (9 T, S) and 6’3” 308 Rocky Bernard (10 T, S) very productive players up the middle. With this type of pressure, there really should be more to show for it that 1 interception and 3 fumble recoveries. Such is the case for this entire team so far: tons of talent but little results and the linebacker corps is a good example. WLB Leroy Hill (34 T), MLB Lofa Tatupu (23 T), and SLB Julian Peterson (22 T, 2 S, FR) should make up the best group in the league but where are the game-changing plays that we have seen these guys pile up in the past? By the numbers, the Seattle stoppers allow 31.0 points on 366.5 yards per game including 129.5 yards per game on the ground at 4.6 yards per carry.
FREE SELECTION: Don’t write either of these 2007 division winning franchises off just yet. The Seahawks are better than they have shown so far on offense and the same is true for the Packers on defense. Quest Field is a very tough place to play, especially for opposing offensive lines due to the noise, and this game is critical for Holmgren’s crew as the next 2 weeks they hit the highway. Take Seattle –2!