Hey everybody, thanks for logging on today. Plenty to chat about I'm sure. I see questions coming in already so I'll get started.
Just wanted to say thanks for all the hard work in doing the live game blog for all of us who can't watch the game. It's greatly appreciated.
You're welcome, and thanks for tuning in. I just try to provide a little more than a basic online play by play can give those who are trying to follow the game from afar.
I don't think enough credit has been given to the defense for their effort last week. It was extraordinary. They will need more of that on Sunday.
I wouldn't call it extraordinary. As I pointed out in my story Monday afternoon, the D gave up too many explosive plays. But it responded well when those explosives happened, which you have to do.
How much more do you think they will expand the pass play playbook this week?
I would think the longer Malik Willis is the QB, the more they can have in the game plan. Or perhaps better put, the more he will be comfortable with executing.
Hi Mike, regarding the Titans defense I know they are the bright spot of that team? Which Titan players should we be paying attention to when the the Packers and Titans face off?
Jeffery Simmons and Harold Landry are two really good defensive players and they're the foundation of that unit. Both are involved in everything -- stopping the run and getting after QBs.
Any update on MarShawn Lloyd?
*He turned an ankle in the game Sunday and was placed on IR. I don't know the severity of the injury but it's obviously keeping him out at least a month based on the IR move. Hopefully he can come back at some point this season. Tough deal for the rookie. He hasn't had any luck in the health department.
*
What's with all the penalties in the first two game? Not only have there been some costly ones but a lot of bewildering ones that shouldn't be happening? Is it just because it's still early in the season or what?
I'm sure that's part of it, but the Packers did cut down on the penalties in Week 2 compared to Week 1. Hopefully that trend continues. The ones up front on offense look like timing issues more than anything to me.
Packers can not be scared of throwing the ball down field. Keep them guessing on what we are going to do!
I don't think they're scared. They just aren't going to do anything they don't have to do when the backup QB is still totally new to this offense. They'll have plays to take shots downfield and will call them if needed.
Do the Brewers clinch tonight?
I wish they would've last night. I ran down to catch the game with my son, but alas.
Is Jordan Love gonna be back for week 3?
I wouldn't count on it but I honestly don't know anything.
What will the offenses strategy be going into week 3 against Tennessee?
When LaFleur says he's going to do whatever it takes to win the game, believe him. Can the Packers run the ball 50-plus times again? Doubt it. But it doesn't mean they won't find other ways to succeed.
So the coaches are keeping JL's condition pretty close to the vest, but anything at all you can share about how he's doing?
Wish I could, but no. Love hasn't been around during any open locker room sessions, and he's not around during the portions of practice open to the media. My understanding is he's at practice for all the 11-on-11 work, observing and communicating with the QBs.
Hey Mike, I've been thinking a lot about the uneven distribution of snaps for the TEs. However, since they have so many different responsibilities, do you think the concept of TE1 vs. TE2 even matters?
I don't worry about it either way. Game plans will determine a lot of usage. Tucker Kraft is the better blocker of the two, which makes it more likely he'll be out there when there's only one TE on the field.
I was surprised by the success the Packers had running the football against Indianapolis. Was there any specific aspect of that game genuinely caught you off guard, Mike?
The Colts' inability to stop the run when they had a rough day in that department in Week 1 and everyone knew the Packers were going to lean on the run. Their weakness there the entire first half was stunning.
Hi Mike. Wanted to give some props to Christian Watson. 0 touches, 0 targets, and yet on a red zone play where he is WIDE open, he immediately turns to find work to block for his scrambling QB. No selfishness, no hands in the air, no pouting. What a good teammate!
That sounds like that entire WR room to me. That's how those guys are. It's not fake or BS. That's how they're coached, that's how they play, and that's how they'll get more playing time and opportunities.
Before rushing to judgment (pun intended) on our run defense, remember that not every opponent has a dual threat QB AND a tier one RB together in the backfield like Philly and Indy.
Valid point. But when you watch the film, the Packers are schematically in position to stop some of those big runs and for various reasons have been inconsistent at finishing those plays.
Thanks Mike, how strong is Josh Jacobs? I just feel like he can break every tackle or first contact.
He's an impressive combination of power, vision, foot quickness and open-field speed. His ability to dodge tacklers with his feet and always see the open space was repeatedly evident Sunday.
Levis is pretty mobile, but do you think this week presents more opportunities to get after the QB as opposed to a focus on containment?
It does, but I caution against an attack-with-abandon approach. Levis isn't the dual threat Hurts or Richardson is, but he can take off and run when he finds openings. The Packers can dial it up a little bit more but still have to be smart, especially with all the focus on Levis forcing things too much early this season. He may be more inclined to just take off if he's not seeing a good read early in the play.
I hope that Jacob's can handle his work load. What do you think Mike?
The Packers will have to monitor it. Might be 90 degrees in Nashville Sunday.
One thing I'm curious about when 10 comes back - Do we see any Taysom Hill stuff with Malik Willis, or is that a stretch? Didn't really do it before because of 12 being HOFer. But now with what Love is paid - probably not?
I wouldn't count on it. The Packers have plenty of offensive weapons, and any trickery with a backup QB when Love comes back just takes an opportunity away from the other guys.
Do you think Brayden Narveson is going to flourish with the Packers or will he be another Carlson?
He's got to smooth things out, but he just got here and I'm not going to assume anything.
Vic used to make subtle references to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in his column answers. Can we expect any recurring wink and nod references to certain films from you and Wes in the future??
Do you read the column regularly? We refer to inane stuff like that all the time.
Not surprised Packers beat the Colts, they are talented through out the board. What surprised me the most is that Malik didn't make any big mistake or may be even a small one.
He protected the ball and didn't try to be a hero when the Packers didn't need him to be. It helps to be up 10-0 early and maintain a two-score lead throughout the game. Not every game will go like that, but I like the fact that of his 14 passes, none was thrown into harm's way.
Good morning Mike. As a baseball enthusiast and Brewer fan, do you see any similarities between the way that Murphy handles the Brewer's clubhouse and how coach LaFleur interacts with his clubhouse? Thanks for the chat!
Not qualified to answer that without being around the Brewers clubhouse on a regular (any) basis. But how can anyone not be impressed with how Murphy has run that team? Kudos.
Are you surprised by the early success of Darnold and the Vikings?
Yes and no. Not surprised they beat the Giants, but the win over the Niners for a second straight season was something. Kevin O'Connell has shown he can make it work with different QBs. Did so last year as well until late in the year. Honestly, I've been more impressed with Minnesota's defense thus far.
Hey, Mike - thanks for all you do to keep us informed and entertained. When the team is returning from a game, do players receive medical treatment on the plane home?
Not that I know of. The day after games they have specific times they can come into the training room for treatments.
Hope Josh Myers doesn't have another "accident" on the football this Sunday.
The cameras will be watching.
No catches for Watson last week. We fans think target him early, do coaches have that mentality or is it 100% whatever is open regardless?
The coaches put concepts in the game plan they feel are the best way to attack the opponent they're playing. Then it's up to the QB to let the offense work for him and go through his progressions. Then, as the game goes, if something/someone is producing, you find ways to go back to that well maybe with tweaks and adjustments.
I wonder how Jeff Hafley is gonna prepare for the Titans game knowing that they have great receivers in Hopkins and Ridley. I wonder how the secondary will look like against those 2 receivers.
This league is full of quality wide receivers who are capable of being dangerous. I don't see the Packers looking at Tennessee's group any differently.
One comment that Wes made in Unscripted the other day sat with me regarding Narveson without pronouncement of future results: I do agree the ball comes off his foot differently than the others and his misses have been similar very close to the upright. Might be an easier fix fundamentals wise than a kicker that hits wide left or wide right every few kicks.
I don't know anything about the fundamentals of kicking a football, but I do agree with Wes the ball looks different off Narveson's foot. During camp this summer, I saw a difference in that regard for Joseph vs. Carlson.
Is there an exact date Love will be back?
No timeline has been shared.
I was surprised at how poised Malik was, didn't ever seem to panic. That says something about him.
He's been as even-keeled in interviews as any newcomer I've come across, given the circumstances. Seems to just be his nature.
I'm more surprised by the success of Carr and the Saints. (Possibly TB too). Where'd that come from? NFL surprises. Schedule always looks differently after a few games than your initial thoughts of what the season could be.
What the Saints are doing is wild. Ton of points the first two weeks. Playing Carolina in Week 1 is one thing, but they just dismantled the Cowboys.
Heard a veteran front office guy yesterday mention that he feels it takes 4 games for a team to establish its tendencies and settle in for the season. I'd bet if you polled all GMs and HCs, they'd gladly take a 2-2 start with limited injuries and start from there!
After the first four games, opponents have enough film from the current season to look at and understand how a team is built. That'll be the interesting thing whenever Love comes back as far as how opponents prepare for GB. Hard to say how much these games with Willis at QB will help in studying the offense.
Besides Marshawn Lloyd going to IR yesterday, which other players showed new injuries from Sunday's game?
Jordan Morganleft the game with a shoulder injury. LaFleur didn't say Monday whether it was the same shoulder that kept Morgan out for a big chunk of training camp.
Just watching how the game developed, were you surprised coach didn't pull out a go route with Watson or another of the burners at receiver as the Colts kept bringing more defenders into the box?
They took the shot with Romeo Doubs for about 40 yards on third down. Coverages and matchups play into those decisions too.
I saw in the Inbox that you received some nice cookies. Did you get any crappie grubs lately? Asking for a friend.
Ha, yes. Sorry to not acknowledge. Got those record-setters and look forward to trying them next spring.
My favorite bit from WYMM this week was seeing the D protect the Line to Gain on 3rd and long. So refreshing!
Field awareness like that is easier to discuss than execute, but it makes it very difficult on an offense when everyone's on the same page like that.
Do you think we will see more of Emanuel Wilson this week? As much as Jacobs is a workhorse we can't give it to him 30 plus times every week.
I can see Wilson getting worked in more, yeah, especially with it being another hot one coming Sunday.
Rashan Gary was very quiet last week. Did the Colts do something differently to keep him contained?
Thus far, the Packers' pass rush plan hasn't been typical or traditional. I'm sure those guys up front are eager to pin their ears back. As I mentioned earlier, I still think a little caution is advised, but I expect this week to look different.
Last three games, going back to the Niners playoff loss, Packers kickers have missed three FG's in close games. We lost two of the three. This year NFL kickers are making 50 plus field goals at more than 90%.
It is remarkable how strong a start kickers are off to around the league. Hopefully Narveson can get through these little glitches and be right there with them. As I pointed out in Inbox this morning, remember, Carlson made every kick in the first five games last season. I'm not rushing to judgment.
Do you think the packers will be able to run the ball against the Titans as effectively as they did against the Colts?
That's impossible to ask of the running game, to repeat Sunday's effort. The Titans are a better defense in general and certainly better against the run. This will be a major challenge but the Packers still need to stay committed to it.
I really liked Bo Melton getting the ball in space. Think we will see more of that or was that a product of the specific game plan for the Colts?
He's another jet-sweep, end-around option after Reed, so when he's on the field, it gives the defense something else to think about.
Looking at TEN's OL from the last couple weeks, three players I'll specifically have my eye on this week are Gary, Clark, and LVN.
Tennessee has had trouble protecting the QB. I'm sure the Packers are studying all the film.
So, we saw a bit of a rotation at CB with Carrington Valentine/ Eric Stokes, and a bit more balanced rotation up front vs the Colts. Would you expect to see more rotation, especially at LB and safety now? Evan Williams simply looks like he needs to play, and we need a bit more production out of our LBs. Hopper looked good in preseason, and Cooper shows promise.
I consider these issues as constantly evolving. Cooper and Hopper missed a lot of time in training camp, as did Valentine. But they all bring something to the table and I think there will be ongoing competitions for playing time.
Are there any overused superlatives that bother you when watching a game? I despise when a commentator says something like, "No other QB could make that play". I mean, that might be true but we'll never know because that EXACT situation will never be replicated - but for some reason I feel like it's overused.
I think it's a pretty common occurrence in NFL broadcasts that the broadcasters forget all these guys at this level are pretty good. Every team has elite players, some more elite than others. Constantly throwing out superlatives is a waste of breath in a league like this.
As an out-of-state fan, I pay closer attention to the tv broadcast map than others might. Noticed this week it will be shown in my area (yay!) but not an insignificant portion of TN. Just wanted to share that the WISC broadcast areas aren't the only ones that might cause a head scratch…But I'll still follow the blog! :)
That's interesting. I'll have to check to see what game those other portions of Tennessee are getting. Strange.
I love watching (and learning from) WYMM. But even watching a play repeatedly while knowing what to look for, I still sometimes cannot follow everything. It just emphasizes how much is going on during a single football play, and how little most of us really comprehend it. Any tips on how to continue to catch (pun intended) the gist of a play?
I'm with you. Trust me, I have to watch plays over and over, and I still am never sure if I've caught everything significant. TV replays are often zoomed in so closely on a particular player or point of the action that they don't teach much.
We saw a lot of rushes last week but not many from Willis, will this change against the Titans.
Perhaps. It's always an option, pun intended, with a QB like Willis. But I don't think LaFleur wants to expose him to hits unnecessarily either.
Mike, you always stress the week-to-week nature of this league, and injuries play such a role. If AJ Brown was out in the opener (as he was against ATL), it's a totally different ballgame. Colts were missing their starting safety (Blackmon), then Buckner went down early. And it looks like LA will be missing their top WRs and most of their OL when we play them in a few weeks. So it's not just the Packers dealing with injuries….
Nope. Never is. Injuries are part and parcel of this game. If a team isn't dealing with any, give it another week.
Just joined, will go back and catch up, maybe covered already... Good point during live log regarding limited 2 minute playback at the end of first half.
Fans have to understand there's only so much that can be put on the plate of a QB who arrived less than three weeks before he has to play a game. I get the desire to try to score at the end of the first half, but LaFleur's word was the right one -- that would've been reckless given all the circumstances.
Do guys out with injuries travel to away games?
Some do, some don't.
Hey Mike, I imagine you don't have much time to look at the other teams around the league, but how do you think the Bears will size up to the rest of the NFC North after these first two weeks? Keep up the great work! GPG
The Bears need to get better play up front from their offensive line to allow Caleb Williams to settle in. Chicago's defense once again will be formidable.
When the Packers made their final roster cuts, quite a few players were picked up by other teams. Are you aware of any of them flourishing so far in this short season?
Haven't heard much, but when guys are picked up like that, it's not as though they're getting thrust into the starting lineup right away.
I think the Packers need to get Jayden Reed more involved in the offense this week. What do you think?
I think the Colts saw what Reed did in Brazil against the Eagles and were really focused on not letting him do that again, to the detriment of their run defense.
Memphis is getting the Saints instead
Ah, thanks.
I don't like just hoping the Lions and Vikings lose so we can stay in the race. So is it a must win for the Packers?
Stay in the race? It's Week 3. Lotta football left.
The NFL could always go to two games a day and three on Sundays. That way we could all watch everything. There's nothing else on TV worth watching anyway.
Ha.
Realistically, I'd be grateful for a 2-2 come away if it takes that long for our starting QB to be "cleared". How bout you??
I just don't look at it that way. As I said last week with the Colts, the Packers have a winnable game in front of them no matter who's at QB. So they need to find a way to win it.
Did you see Willis developing a particular connection with any of the receivers so far, or is he just spreading the ball around as the game plan directs?
Very much the latter. When a guy is not here at all for OTAs and training camp, those specific relationships aren't likely.
Any plans for Nashville? The restaurants on Broadway are all very good.
We have a pep rally so I'll be there, wherever it is.
Hey Mike, just watched to Rock report, detailing our running game. I noticed a LOT of holding, uncalled. But the OL in question never extended their arms, so the refs either didn't see it, or let it slide. This is similar to a lot of uncalled PIs; don't extend the hands, don't get called. How much do coaches try to drill this into their players? Seems obvious, but we so often see the extension when it's not necessary
If the blocker's hands are within the framework of the defender, and the defender isn't trying to move laterally, holding is rarely called. O-linemen need to know when to let go.
After watching the Colts knock the ball out of bounds on a fumble to keep possession; would it be smart to do that when receiving an onside kick?
Intentionally batting the ball is illegal. When it's near the boundary, if it looks close enough to a recovery attempt even if it gets deflected out of bounds, they aren't going to call it. But an obvious swat at the ball just to get it out of bounds will be flagged.
Please say hi to Rebecca at the pep rally!
Will do.
One game at a time.
Exactly. And with that, I'm going to call it a chat and head out to practice. Thanks for all the questions everybody. Sorry if I didn't get to yours but please keep them coming. Take care and talk again soon.
Best,
Mike
