FuzzyLumpkins
The Boognish
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On offense the Cowboys faced a Packers defense that was stout in the front 7 and S with corners decimated by injury.
Early in the game the Packers moved no 76, Mike Daniels, around looking for the best matchup. They started on the other two but quickly identified Leary and by the second quarter those two battled for the rest of the game. The other Packer DL like Clark and Guion are active but none are the force of nature that is 76 who reminded me of greats like Watt, Ngata, and Wilfork with the power power he brings off the ball. A good snap is standing him up and stonewalling him because he simply does not get turned or driven back.
On the edges the OLB have good size particularly Peppers who gave the OL issues and got a strip sack. The ILB are the weakest in the front 7 and were exploited.
Now one thing I am coming to understand is that if a team has poor S play we are going to have a lot of big plays. We were able to take advantage of this against the Bengals but Reid and Bethea of SF were having none of that. Dix, Burnett, and Hyde did a good job limiting plays on the backend this game.
Their corners were a trainwreck and the wheels really fell of after Goodson went down with a groin injury.
I think the go route for a TD to end the first half and the euphoria of the win took the edge off of how inaccurate Dak was on the day. He was much better last week against the Bengals hitting intermediate routes in stride. This game he seemed low and/or behind on many of his throws. For the most part he was functionally inaccurate as receivers were able to slow and otherwise expand their catch radius to complete the pass. To his credit when he did miss he didn't miss high which is what most leads to interceptions.
OTOH, his deep passes to the outside were accurate. More on that later but inconsistent accuracy speaks to inconsistent mechanics which can be remedied in the long term. Outside of accuracy on intermediate throws he held onto the ball longer than I might want but I will take that anyday over throwing the ball into coverage. The pick was just another ball thrown behind his receiver and not a poor decision. His decisionmaking continues to be a plus.
Zeke now has the patience to squeeze the gap before bouncing outside or cutting back that he lacked in the early games. His anticipation downfield can improve but his ability to change direction without losing speed is astounding.
Zeke's hands are great but his route running leaves a lot to be desired. Specifically, he needs to do a better job planting and exploding out of his breaks at the top of his routes. The slant he got a pass attempt at was poorly done. His hands are good on the simple passes out to the flat although I would like to see him wheel upfield.
His pass protection is elite. He stones middle blitzes and his help to the edges has helped tremendously particularly with Doug Free who can be susceptible to power moves. Zeke is able to strike a blow to an engaged DE that can decleat them and still get out into a route for a completion. I don't know that I have ever seen anyone do it better.
Morris had limited carries but lacked the lateral quickness and explosion that Zeke was able to exploit against GB's gap discipline. Quality player but there level of competition highlights the pecking order.
Smith is looking more and more like an NFL FB and likely will stick around the NFL as long as he is healthy. His ability to strike on the move and dig out defenders from the hole is a rare talent in football these days. His route running draws defenders and opened up Beasley's second TD by drawing the underneath coverage.
TWill still jumps to body catch but his explosion out of breaks is exceptional as opposed to previous years. The play that Goodson injured himself was a comeback route where he came up lame trying to change direction to keep up with TWill coming out of the top of the route. He simply could not do that two years ago.
Butler let a well placed ball clang off his hands in the second half but he completed Daks best throw on a nice sideline catch in the endzone at the end of the first half. His blocking on the perimeter was improved over last week and sprung Beasley for a couple of big gains.
Beasley is nigh unguardable on those juke routes that look like NBA crossovers. He is also doing better with a feel to work upfield when the defender is trying to keep up with him laterally.
Lucky's speed was exploited to great effect. The jet sweep gave the Packers fits and several big plays. He was more consistent in his blocking against the GB LBers and S as opposed to the hit or miss we saw against Cleveland. He stepped up to the Lambeau challenge in a big way.
Witten is doing better off the line and securing blocks before the defender can cross his face. When he takes a good angle and the runner sets him up he can block effectively in space. He is still elite finishing at the top of his route using his body, subtle moves, and top notch hands. Had Dak been more accurate he would have had a huge game.
I am going to start calling Swaim the Tick. When he latches onto a block he just doesn't let go. He will get compressed, twisted, uppercut, and otherwise pushed around but he does hold on. His ability to reach blocks staying low on the perimeter is likely why he is playing over Escobar. He does a very good job cutting guys in space.
Escobar is likely to move on like Fasano and Bennett and have a successful career. They used a jumbo package early and often with 3TE and he had his most snaps this season. In line he is able to come off the ball with quickness and power. He was standing up and driving Packers OLB and DE. His issue is he struggles to stay low on the move which is the bread and butter of H-backs. He obviously is not going to supplant Witten either but as far as depth goes we are in good shape should Witten someday miss time this season.
The Packers tried the iso Daniels on TFred first to no avail. I have yet to see TFed get overpowered this year. You have to get him off balance or you have no chance at all.
Martin continues his string of excellence. Not quite as powerful as Fred, his feet allow him to reach blocks with better consistency whereas Fred can find himself on the field from time to time.
Leary was where Capers settled Williams on from about halfway through the second quarters onwards. Watching the two battle for most of three quarters was fun to watch. Williams best effort was making Leary take 3 steps back before he was able to sit down on him. At a certain point I have to think Leary should get pro bowl consideration. He took the Packers best shot for three quarters and won down in down out. He isn't is good as Martin is but he is not that far off either. His upper body strength is remarkable.
Smith looked much more comfortable sitting down in his stance making me believe he is well on the mend. The only issue I saw was when Zeke jarred a guy off his block and he hesitated for a second. It looked more like surprise than anything.
Doug Free is going to give up pressure against power ends. Peppers fits that bill and when he got isolated he got a strip sack off of Free. He lacks ideal upper body strength and when you get inside of him such that he cannot drive with his legs you can run through him Overall I think moving LC or Green to RT and bringing in another guard might be the long term solution. He's not bad mind you but if you are looking to improve on offense here or WR is your best bet.
On defense the Cowboys ran into a well coordinated offensive OL and a QB who, while somewhat inaccurate, was consistent in getting the ball out quickly. We tried stunting gaps as we are wont to do and the Packers were there waiting for it time and time again. Marinelli started rotating at the 3 tech early and throughout the game. First it was Collins then Thornton to varied success then came Irving. We were getting Rodgers to step up with 98 and 90 but were not able to get any push up front until the second half when 95 took over the game.
Coverage remains a breath of fresh air and I am not trying to figure out who deserves more credit: Eberflus or Jackson. In Jackson's favor, underneath coverage is adjusting their drops to run under routes like the 49ers did under his tutelage. It lead to a pick and it stands to reason that the technique is coming from him.
In Eberflus' favor is how the zone coverage is working between units. Underneath coverage is now working in tandem with coverage deep and outside. LBers are buzzing outside routes and creating a real threat to inside routes even if Lee is impersonating a battering ram on Claiborne from time to time doing it and handoffs between zones look more like double coverage nowadays as opposed to the wide open spaces we have seen before. I was wondering if they would make a difference going into the season and they clearly have.
Packers receivers were unimpressive. Nelson still hasn't recovered his quickness coming off the ACL and the other WR are limited in one form or another without the traits to compensate. They have no TE to speak of with Cook out and Lacey is not much of a threat as a receiver. As far as receivers go this was one of the easier tests we have seen this year. SF was similarly unimpressive.
Tyrone Crawford set a nice edge and got Rodgers to step up several times. Not much in the way of stats but he was effective. Played mostly SDE until the last couple of drives where he was a pass rushing DT where he faced double teams.
Jack Crawford is a great guy to have if he is the weakest rusher you have. His tenacity and active hands keep him off blocks but he lacks the length to engage and dictate his path to the QB. He does much things up against the run.
DLaw was inconsistent. He has a few nice rushes where he got some pressure but he had a couple loafs and ended up on the grounds which I know Marinelli hates with a passion. He didn't play much in the fourth quarter.
Mayowa got some snaps at the end and managed to get a hit on Rodgers. He is doing a better job sharpening his rush and getting off blocks. Very small sample this game.
Davis recovered the game clinching fumble and was active getting off blocks. It was garbage time when he did it but you can only compete against what is put in front of you.
McClain is our version of Daniels. He doesn't have quite the explosion or quickness but he can dominate weaker C. Tretter was effective with help though and for most of the game Rodgers had a clean pocket to step up into. Is not fooled twice. Got bogged down on a stretch play on the first drive and then blew the play up working down the line when they tried to run it a few drives later. Long gone are the days of Hayden and there was much rejoicing.
Collins got stuck on blocks and was chasing as opposed to initiating in the first half. He didn't play in the second half. GB is well schooled inside and Collins had his worst game as a pro.
Thornton was moved around to both tackle spots and continues to be a mixed bag. He took over for Collins at the 3 for the 2nd and 3rd quarter. He still seems uncomfortable in his technique and it stands out when he hasn't seen something before. He was surprised by the stretch and ended up on the ground and there were times when the Packers presented a double team and he seemed to have no idea how to attack it. He also had snaps where he got isolated and got nice push. Inconsistency is often the result of inconsistent technique. Might not even be this year that he finally starts to become comfortable in what he is doing.
Irving took over for Thornton in the fourth quarter and took over the game as has been well chronicled. TFL, PD, FF, FR, Sack. He did it all. He has the combination of length, strength and quickness that gives interior OL fits, I expect he will get more snaps moving forward.
Lee lines up at the MIKE more often than the WILL and when he is lined up outside he is aggressively taking on blocks at the line. In the nickel he is the MIKE and Church or another S is lined up at WILL. He seems recovered from the knee sprain and is a missile out there. No one diagnoses and navigates the scrum better than he does. Dropped a pick that I am sure he is kicking himself over. Extremely physical and knocked Adams out of the game. Unfortunately he did the same to Claiborne. Thank goodness for the bye.
Hitchens played a lot more WILL and was okay. He followed Wilson in overrunning a Lacey run early but is very good in pursuit and tackling. Still struggles to anticipate routes.
Durant looks heavier. He anticipates well but doesn't run as well as he used to the last time he was here. He's around the ball a lot but lack of athleticism holds him back from making plays on the ball.
Wilson overran plays but plays with a lot of hustle; he tracked Lacey down himself after he gave up the edge early in the game. He played the opening drive but the coaches seemed more confident in Brown playing the slot after the first quarter. After guys started getting hurt in the secondary they turned to the S depth instead of Wilson. If you struggle with run fills you aren't going to have a long leash on this defense is the moral of this story.
Claiborne went out after running into Lee covering and in route. He was more intent in taking on blocks and I didn't see the business decision that I saw versus the Bengals. Still has the quickness and speed to blanket receivers. Did have the hands to the face penalty but his jam was particularly effective.
Carr is quietly having a solid year. I used to complain about him giving up completions on the in and comeback but I have not done so this year. He still doesn't give up deep plays often. He doesn't get off blocks like Brown does but he does not get pushed around either.
Brown allowed them to stay in nickel and dime packages with his ability to get off blocks and tackle the ball. He played outside when Claiborne went out and gave up a completion misjudging the ball after giving good coverage. Ball skills can be worked on. Keep in mind that he is taking on many of the roles that Jones did last year with coverage out of the slot and outside and is doing a similar job. Not bad for a 6th round pick.
Jones range in deep coverage puts a nice lid on the defense. His ability in man coverage saved our cookie when Claiborne went out. His dynamic skillset is reminiscent of Woodson and although he is not the hitter 28 I don't know that Woody had the arm length to stack on OL like I saw 31 doing. He is still getting comfortable in the position though particularly in the RZ. He gave up another TD when he hesitated off the snap because he took too much time to line up right.
Church's ability to anticipate routes and disguise coverage has taken a leap forward this year. That combined with his tackling and pursuit and Church is having his best year as a pro.
Jackson appears to be resurrecting Wilcox's career. He did fail to wrap up on a second half tackle but he drove the receiver back 3 yards on the hit after shading in coverage to take a perfect angle. I cannot recall the last time he overran something and he used to do that multiple times a game. He is by far our most physical tackler and the only DB that would take Lacey head on without trying to cut.
Heath finally got some playing time. He still hits big as he did after Brown mistimed his jump but he doesn't seem to know to jam in man coverage. They asked him to play slot coverage and was not a liability though. The secondary coaching sees success yet again.
Early in the game the Packers moved no 76, Mike Daniels, around looking for the best matchup. They started on the other two but quickly identified Leary and by the second quarter those two battled for the rest of the game. The other Packer DL like Clark and Guion are active but none are the force of nature that is 76 who reminded me of greats like Watt, Ngata, and Wilfork with the power power he brings off the ball. A good snap is standing him up and stonewalling him because he simply does not get turned or driven back.
On the edges the OLB have good size particularly Peppers who gave the OL issues and got a strip sack. The ILB are the weakest in the front 7 and were exploited.
Now one thing I am coming to understand is that if a team has poor S play we are going to have a lot of big plays. We were able to take advantage of this against the Bengals but Reid and Bethea of SF were having none of that. Dix, Burnett, and Hyde did a good job limiting plays on the backend this game.
Their corners were a trainwreck and the wheels really fell of after Goodson went down with a groin injury.
I think the go route for a TD to end the first half and the euphoria of the win took the edge off of how inaccurate Dak was on the day. He was much better last week against the Bengals hitting intermediate routes in stride. This game he seemed low and/or behind on many of his throws. For the most part he was functionally inaccurate as receivers were able to slow and otherwise expand their catch radius to complete the pass. To his credit when he did miss he didn't miss high which is what most leads to interceptions.
OTOH, his deep passes to the outside were accurate. More on that later but inconsistent accuracy speaks to inconsistent mechanics which can be remedied in the long term. Outside of accuracy on intermediate throws he held onto the ball longer than I might want but I will take that anyday over throwing the ball into coverage. The pick was just another ball thrown behind his receiver and not a poor decision. His decisionmaking continues to be a plus.
Zeke now has the patience to squeeze the gap before bouncing outside or cutting back that he lacked in the early games. His anticipation downfield can improve but his ability to change direction without losing speed is astounding.
Zeke's hands are great but his route running leaves a lot to be desired. Specifically, he needs to do a better job planting and exploding out of his breaks at the top of his routes. The slant he got a pass attempt at was poorly done. His hands are good on the simple passes out to the flat although I would like to see him wheel upfield.
His pass protection is elite. He stones middle blitzes and his help to the edges has helped tremendously particularly with Doug Free who can be susceptible to power moves. Zeke is able to strike a blow to an engaged DE that can decleat them and still get out into a route for a completion. I don't know that I have ever seen anyone do it better.
Morris had limited carries but lacked the lateral quickness and explosion that Zeke was able to exploit against GB's gap discipline. Quality player but there level of competition highlights the pecking order.
Smith is looking more and more like an NFL FB and likely will stick around the NFL as long as he is healthy. His ability to strike on the move and dig out defenders from the hole is a rare talent in football these days. His route running draws defenders and opened up Beasley's second TD by drawing the underneath coverage.
TWill still jumps to body catch but his explosion out of breaks is exceptional as opposed to previous years. The play that Goodson injured himself was a comeback route where he came up lame trying to change direction to keep up with TWill coming out of the top of the route. He simply could not do that two years ago.
Butler let a well placed ball clang off his hands in the second half but he completed Daks best throw on a nice sideline catch in the endzone at the end of the first half. His blocking on the perimeter was improved over last week and sprung Beasley for a couple of big gains.
Beasley is nigh unguardable on those juke routes that look like NBA crossovers. He is also doing better with a feel to work upfield when the defender is trying to keep up with him laterally.
Lucky's speed was exploited to great effect. The jet sweep gave the Packers fits and several big plays. He was more consistent in his blocking against the GB LBers and S as opposed to the hit or miss we saw against Cleveland. He stepped up to the Lambeau challenge in a big way.
Witten is doing better off the line and securing blocks before the defender can cross his face. When he takes a good angle and the runner sets him up he can block effectively in space. He is still elite finishing at the top of his route using his body, subtle moves, and top notch hands. Had Dak been more accurate he would have had a huge game.
I am going to start calling Swaim the Tick. When he latches onto a block he just doesn't let go. He will get compressed, twisted, uppercut, and otherwise pushed around but he does hold on. His ability to reach blocks staying low on the perimeter is likely why he is playing over Escobar. He does a very good job cutting guys in space.
Escobar is likely to move on like Fasano and Bennett and have a successful career. They used a jumbo package early and often with 3TE and he had his most snaps this season. In line he is able to come off the ball with quickness and power. He was standing up and driving Packers OLB and DE. His issue is he struggles to stay low on the move which is the bread and butter of H-backs. He obviously is not going to supplant Witten either but as far as depth goes we are in good shape should Witten someday miss time this season.
The Packers tried the iso Daniels on TFred first to no avail. I have yet to see TFed get overpowered this year. You have to get him off balance or you have no chance at all.
Martin continues his string of excellence. Not quite as powerful as Fred, his feet allow him to reach blocks with better consistency whereas Fred can find himself on the field from time to time.
Leary was where Capers settled Williams on from about halfway through the second quarters onwards. Watching the two battle for most of three quarters was fun to watch. Williams best effort was making Leary take 3 steps back before he was able to sit down on him. At a certain point I have to think Leary should get pro bowl consideration. He took the Packers best shot for three quarters and won down in down out. He isn't is good as Martin is but he is not that far off either. His upper body strength is remarkable.
Smith looked much more comfortable sitting down in his stance making me believe he is well on the mend. The only issue I saw was when Zeke jarred a guy off his block and he hesitated for a second. It looked more like surprise than anything.
Doug Free is going to give up pressure against power ends. Peppers fits that bill and when he got isolated he got a strip sack off of Free. He lacks ideal upper body strength and when you get inside of him such that he cannot drive with his legs you can run through him Overall I think moving LC or Green to RT and bringing in another guard might be the long term solution. He's not bad mind you but if you are looking to improve on offense here or WR is your best bet.
On defense the Cowboys ran into a well coordinated offensive OL and a QB who, while somewhat inaccurate, was consistent in getting the ball out quickly. We tried stunting gaps as we are wont to do and the Packers were there waiting for it time and time again. Marinelli started rotating at the 3 tech early and throughout the game. First it was Collins then Thornton to varied success then came Irving. We were getting Rodgers to step up with 98 and 90 but were not able to get any push up front until the second half when 95 took over the game.
Coverage remains a breath of fresh air and I am not trying to figure out who deserves more credit: Eberflus or Jackson. In Jackson's favor, underneath coverage is adjusting their drops to run under routes like the 49ers did under his tutelage. It lead to a pick and it stands to reason that the technique is coming from him.
In Eberflus' favor is how the zone coverage is working between units. Underneath coverage is now working in tandem with coverage deep and outside. LBers are buzzing outside routes and creating a real threat to inside routes even if Lee is impersonating a battering ram on Claiborne from time to time doing it and handoffs between zones look more like double coverage nowadays as opposed to the wide open spaces we have seen before. I was wondering if they would make a difference going into the season and they clearly have.
Packers receivers were unimpressive. Nelson still hasn't recovered his quickness coming off the ACL and the other WR are limited in one form or another without the traits to compensate. They have no TE to speak of with Cook out and Lacey is not much of a threat as a receiver. As far as receivers go this was one of the easier tests we have seen this year. SF was similarly unimpressive.
Tyrone Crawford set a nice edge and got Rodgers to step up several times. Not much in the way of stats but he was effective. Played mostly SDE until the last couple of drives where he was a pass rushing DT where he faced double teams.
Jack Crawford is a great guy to have if he is the weakest rusher you have. His tenacity and active hands keep him off blocks but he lacks the length to engage and dictate his path to the QB. He does much things up against the run.
DLaw was inconsistent. He has a few nice rushes where he got some pressure but he had a couple loafs and ended up on the grounds which I know Marinelli hates with a passion. He didn't play much in the fourth quarter.
Mayowa got some snaps at the end and managed to get a hit on Rodgers. He is doing a better job sharpening his rush and getting off blocks. Very small sample this game.
Davis recovered the game clinching fumble and was active getting off blocks. It was garbage time when he did it but you can only compete against what is put in front of you.
McClain is our version of Daniels. He doesn't have quite the explosion or quickness but he can dominate weaker C. Tretter was effective with help though and for most of the game Rodgers had a clean pocket to step up into. Is not fooled twice. Got bogged down on a stretch play on the first drive and then blew the play up working down the line when they tried to run it a few drives later. Long gone are the days of Hayden and there was much rejoicing.
Collins got stuck on blocks and was chasing as opposed to initiating in the first half. He didn't play in the second half. GB is well schooled inside and Collins had his worst game as a pro.
Thornton was moved around to both tackle spots and continues to be a mixed bag. He took over for Collins at the 3 for the 2nd and 3rd quarter. He still seems uncomfortable in his technique and it stands out when he hasn't seen something before. He was surprised by the stretch and ended up on the ground and there were times when the Packers presented a double team and he seemed to have no idea how to attack it. He also had snaps where he got isolated and got nice push. Inconsistency is often the result of inconsistent technique. Might not even be this year that he finally starts to become comfortable in what he is doing.
Irving took over for Thornton in the fourth quarter and took over the game as has been well chronicled. TFL, PD, FF, FR, Sack. He did it all. He has the combination of length, strength and quickness that gives interior OL fits, I expect he will get more snaps moving forward.
Lee lines up at the MIKE more often than the WILL and when he is lined up outside he is aggressively taking on blocks at the line. In the nickel he is the MIKE and Church or another S is lined up at WILL. He seems recovered from the knee sprain and is a missile out there. No one diagnoses and navigates the scrum better than he does. Dropped a pick that I am sure he is kicking himself over. Extremely physical and knocked Adams out of the game. Unfortunately he did the same to Claiborne. Thank goodness for the bye.
Hitchens played a lot more WILL and was okay. He followed Wilson in overrunning a Lacey run early but is very good in pursuit and tackling. Still struggles to anticipate routes.
Durant looks heavier. He anticipates well but doesn't run as well as he used to the last time he was here. He's around the ball a lot but lack of athleticism holds him back from making plays on the ball.
Wilson overran plays but plays with a lot of hustle; he tracked Lacey down himself after he gave up the edge early in the game. He played the opening drive but the coaches seemed more confident in Brown playing the slot after the first quarter. After guys started getting hurt in the secondary they turned to the S depth instead of Wilson. If you struggle with run fills you aren't going to have a long leash on this defense is the moral of this story.
Claiborne went out after running into Lee covering and in route. He was more intent in taking on blocks and I didn't see the business decision that I saw versus the Bengals. Still has the quickness and speed to blanket receivers. Did have the hands to the face penalty but his jam was particularly effective.
Carr is quietly having a solid year. I used to complain about him giving up completions on the in and comeback but I have not done so this year. He still doesn't give up deep plays often. He doesn't get off blocks like Brown does but he does not get pushed around either.
Brown allowed them to stay in nickel and dime packages with his ability to get off blocks and tackle the ball. He played outside when Claiborne went out and gave up a completion misjudging the ball after giving good coverage. Ball skills can be worked on. Keep in mind that he is taking on many of the roles that Jones did last year with coverage out of the slot and outside and is doing a similar job. Not bad for a 6th round pick.
Jones range in deep coverage puts a nice lid on the defense. His ability in man coverage saved our cookie when Claiborne went out. His dynamic skillset is reminiscent of Woodson and although he is not the hitter 28 I don't know that Woody had the arm length to stack on OL like I saw 31 doing. He is still getting comfortable in the position though particularly in the RZ. He gave up another TD when he hesitated off the snap because he took too much time to line up right.
Church's ability to anticipate routes and disguise coverage has taken a leap forward this year. That combined with his tackling and pursuit and Church is having his best year as a pro.
Jackson appears to be resurrecting Wilcox's career. He did fail to wrap up on a second half tackle but he drove the receiver back 3 yards on the hit after shading in coverage to take a perfect angle. I cannot recall the last time he overran something and he used to do that multiple times a game. He is by far our most physical tackler and the only DB that would take Lacey head on without trying to cut.
Heath finally got some playing time. He still hits big as he did after Brown mistimed his jump but he doesn't seem to know to jam in man coverage. They asked him to play slot coverage and was not a liability though. The secondary coaching sees success yet again.
