But three weeks in the preseason, it remains difficult to know whether they will be able to get the ball enough to be a championship-type team.
Aaron Rodgers and Packers was toe-to-toe with Peyton Manning and the supporters of AFC champion Indianapolis Colts to the environment played in the Packers 59-24 win Thursday night at Lambeau Field. With a clutch disk hustle-touchdown in the final 1:33 of the second quarter, the Packers went to the locker room with a 28-17 advantage on one of the most potent offenses in the NFL.
We will never know if the Packers would have held that lead, because their owners did not play in the second half, but Manning and the Colts put the rest of his No. 1 offense in the field of possession in the third quarter. Judging by how the first half was, well, the Packers' defense was just enough to take the lead which have been maintained, though not as bad to assume the opposite either. And this was an exhibition game, so that both teams certainly slows down a lot too.
The Packers played this game without their best pass search engines outside (outside linebackers Clay Matthews corridor and Brad Jones) and among the best (defensive end Cullen Jenkins) against the Colts rule no huddle offense, forcing defensive coordinator Dom Capers to go with their nickel personnel at all times against Manning. Manning, the NFL's reigning MVP, often had his way, led the Colts' offense to 258 total yards and a couple of times did the Packers look bad.
In fact, it seemed that the defense Capers who might be in a disastrous night when the Colts scored two plays in the game. Joseph Addai tore a 49-yard run on the first play of the game and then the no-huddle Manning hit wide receiver Pierre Garcon with a touchdown pass of 18 yards. Garçon freed after nickel cornerback Brandon Underwood ushered him to safety Nick Collins, who was caught too far to the middle of the field to overcome in time to help.
But the defense Capers "regrouped, won a three-and-against Manning, held him to a field goal on the next possession, and has two stops in the second quarter on a punt and an interception by rookie safety Morgan Burnett . The interception was a rare bombing in safety Nick Collins left the shore, and jumped Burnett Manning read hot shot in the place vacated by Collins.
However, the 34-year-old Manning is as formidable as ever in his 13th NFL season and completed 13 of 23 passes for 199 yards, two touchdowns and a 96.1 rating points. Capers was true to form this preseason and did not blitz much, and the Packers did not have the individual search engines to get much pressure on Manning.
Through three preseason games, the Packers' No. 1defense played about five quarters and allowed 52 total points - seven touchdowns and a field goal - a Cleveland, Seattle and the Colts. Several key players have missed significant time - Matthews has not played in the preseason, Woodson and inside linebacker Nick Barnett was lost for rest last week in Seattle, and Jenkins was lost this game. And Capers has been much more conservative than the last preseason, so the game will change when the games really begin.
However, the Packers have allowed travel long enough to raise some red flags, since the crimes have not been game planning for them much. On the night of Thursday, for example, had a difficult time staying with receiver Reggie Wayne, who had six receptions, including a 35-yard catch over cornerback Tramon Williams that set up a touchdown early in the second quarter.
But if nothing else, the Packers think we have a first offense themselves. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has looked like an elite player in the preseason and against the Colts completed 21 of 29 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns, including taking the Packers for an impressive drive that fast, "at the end of first half in which completed seven of his passes.
Through three preseason games, Rodgers has thrown seven touchdowns and no interceptions, and posted a 141.2 passer rating of large dots.
The Packers also got a huge boost from their special teams, which had its first good game of the preseason and put points on the scoreboard when the Colts return man Brandon James muffed the excellent Tim Masthay (hang time of 5.0 seconds) clearance, and fullback Korey Hall recovered in the end zone to give the Packers a 21-17 lead 3:21 left in the half.
0 comments:
Post a Comment