We held Green Bay's offense to 16 points, including one heck of a good and close kick to end the game. I'd say our defense did very well--although I'm still not seeing enough pressure on the QB. Watching that game, I got the impression that pressuring Farve is extremely difficult anyway, because he seems to get rid of the ball quickly, while still managing to throw deep. The guy's just good. They got no help at all from our offense in the 4th quarter. Otherwise, they might have held the Pack to even less.
Offensively? 13 points in a big game at home? 4th quarter equals 3 and out, 3 and out, 3 and out? This was a bad game offensively. I did see a few situations where I would not have attempted running and they did it anyway. It's almost like the coaches sometimes say, "Hey, guys, we're not going to win a lot of games if we can't run, so we're going to run RIGHT NOW. I don't care if it specifically costs us this particular game. We're gonna run." At some point, late in a game like this, you have to realize that running is just a waist of a down. That's all it is. I know that running is very important. I know that they need to try to run in every game, but there comes a time when you must admit that you just can't do it, successfully I mean.
At the same time, I must say that it is, and was against GB also, very freaking obvious that this team needs a running game in the worst way. The passing game is hurting A LOT because there is no running game, but they have to do something and running is only good for resting the receivers at this point. I don't know if it's more because the line can't run block well enough, they're not used to the new scheme, Davis is not used to it, or Davis just isn't that great. I suspect it's a LOT of all of the above. Well, except that Davis does have talent, if he can stay healthy--which I doubt myself.
I must also say that Carr is (as everyone knows) is consistently audibling pass plays into run plays, which are presently useless--so the coaches can't be blamed every time we get 1.1 yds. and a cloud of dust. I hope he's not doing this because of a scary blitz package right into the lane he expects Davis to run through, because that's what it sometimes looks like. "Hey, they're gonna blitz so lets give DD the ball and have him run right into the whole freakin lot of 'em! That'll teach 'em!" I'm sure Carr isn't stupid, but how about audibling to a pass to a receiver or tight end who would've normally been covered by one of those same LBs that is now blitzing (in that area behind the D-line)? Why does every audible have to be a run play and isn't that like telling the defense, "Hey, we're gonna run in right up the gut--right where you're all gonna be, so get ready!"
But, it's all starting with a decrepit run game. Our run game sux. They can focus on the pass all day long and also get a consistent pass rush with 4 down lineman (sometimes 3). I don't know exactly what this team needs to do to fix the run game, but I know that that is our problem--and they need to stop pretending that it's gonna work after it's failed all day long.
