I don’t know what to say, but it’s bye week and we’re all in misery.
Bruv, you’re not the one responsible for writing the Saturday inbox during bye week.
Greetings II! What changes do you think the Packers will make coming out of the bye? I remember they moved Clay Matthews to another position after a year. Do you think they will make a change at the linebacker position? Edgerrin Cooper has played well and Quay Walker has not. Cooper seems to shoot through the gaps faster than Walker. Which one do you think has played better when given the chance? Say hello to your old friend, the couch, Sunday.
The Packers need to get healthy in some critical areas, but I don’t foresee any major changes in the near future. As far as inside linebacker goes, it’s a lot to ask of a rookie to play the “Mike.” Krys Barnes did it in 2020, but it’s a huge undertaking. Personally, I like the way the Packers use Cooper in Year 1. This usage allows the second-round rookie to play quickly and freely without being saddled with defense. It also makes it harder for him to keep an eye on the offense.
I loved Mike’s answer to Kemp’s question. I was reviewing the play-by-play of the Detroit game and imploring others to do the same. This really allowed me to see how short the game is despite how long it appears on air. When you say good or great players play great, you’re talking about just a handful of extraordinary plays or key mistakes that can make a team look excellent or miserable. One pick-six can be a 12-point swing. That’s an average of almost 30% of all points scored in a game.
That’s what I was referring to in my Jared Goff response, where Spoff hit the nail on it. I should have avoided the “M” word because I didn’t call Goff a game manager. My point was that he allowed the Lions to keep the lead with his efficiency. Detroit takes the air out of the game and runs out the clock, the recipe that Tom Brady and Co. spent years perfecting in New England.
Rick from Trempealeau, Wisconsin
I’m not sure if this falls under math, which is verboten, but how much younger is the youngest team in the NFL after the departure of Preston Smith?
It’s probably down a few decimal places, but a 31-year-old pass rusher on a 53-man roster isn’t going to drastically change the numbers.
Don’t you think Preston Smith was worth more than a future seventh-round draft pick?
It’s bigger than that, Rick. You also have to consider Smith’s contract.
Wes, I didn’t realize how special Ahman Green was compared to all the other RBs who have prepped for green and gold. How would he perform in today’s NFL?
He would be even better in today’s NFL. Green and Mike Sherman led the way by using an All-Pro running back as a weapon in the passing game.
MarShawn Lloyd has been out for a long time with an ankle injury. It seems like players can usually recover from that injury quickly. How much of him not making the roster is due to the recovery versus the player’s “numbers game”? With Chris Brooks better than expected, hasn’t having a healthy Josh Jacobs, Brooks and Emanuel Wilson made it necessary to bring Lloyd back? Did keeping Lloyd on IR help prevent a guy like Brooks from potentially being picked up by another team?
The Packers won’t keep their third-round rookie pick on IR due to a “numbers game.” Lloyd is injured. I wasn’t in the MRI machine with him to know the full extent of his injury, but the man is hurt. However, based on what Brian Gutekunst said on Tuesday, it appears Lloyd is nearing a return. He’ll be back at 53 when he’s free.
Mike from New Orleans, LA
BG was asked about the open roster spot and said something about waiting to see how Lloyd does. Is it a requirement that every team field a full 53? Could a team in serious cap trouble hypothetically only have 52 players? 45?
I don’t believe being ranked 53 is a requirement anymore, but it is to a team’s detriment if not all roster spots are utilized. Some basic minimum salaries at the lower end of 53 have a marginal effect on the salary cap. I remember before COVID there was a rule that a team couldn’t have a veteran exempt player on its practice squad if there was an open spot on the active roster.
Brandon from Imperial, MO
Good morning, Bill from Clive, IA asked about average rushing yards per game to better quantify eras with different season lengths. I’m too young to have seen JT play (he was my dad’s favorite player), but I also want to mention that the NFL was a very different place in the ’60s. Everyone knew the Packers were going to run, but they couldn’t stop it. Compared to the play-action and deception of the modern NFL, it was much harder to get the yards when the D is waiting for you.
Yes and no. Although the proliferation of passing offenses in today’s NFL was not present at the time, teams still varied their looks to keep defenses off balance. For example, it’s not like the Packers just lined up in an I-shape 25 times and held out for three hours. They got it mixed up too.
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