September 2009 - Posts

  • Packers-Rams: The Happy In-Game Blog

    4th Quarter

    3:00 p.m.  Packers' 4th Drive  2:23
    Drive start: Packers 33
    It's mop-up carry a couple times and get the first down before victory formation time.

    The Rams call a couple time outs just to perhaps think they have a chance....uh, no.

    Grant...Wayne yells "BLASTING" in that Bruce Springsteen-esque growl on a great run.  It's over.

    They keep giving to Grant...he gets to 100 yards, and he earned it.

    2:53 p.m.  Rams' 3rd Drive  4:33
    Drive start: Rams 25
    Boller completes a bunch of two-minute drill style passes in junk time...but it's still scary to see the Packers get decimated by the opponents' passing game.

    A tackle on Boller by B.J. Raji...make that Charles Woodson.  Raji couldn't bring Boller down?  C'mon, top draft pick!

    4th down inside Packers territory and during the timeout, Larry calls Wayne "a lean, mean broadcasting machine."  Wayne: "That's the nicest thing you've said to me in 11 years."

    4th down - broken up and incomplete; Brandon Chillar making the play on Daniel Fells.  Push the dagger into the Rams' cadaver even more.

    2:48 p.m.  Packers' 3rd Drive  6:12
    Rodgers-Kuhn 10 yd TD pass
    Drive start: Packers 26
    Nice end around by Driver, and it's nice to have Grant running, just to get the carries, just to keep the defense honest.

    Rodgers on the dump off to Kuhn....SLICK TD PASS!  Dagger call by Wayne.

    2:45 p.m.  Rams' 2nd Drive  7:32
    Drive start: Rams 15
    Boller INT'd by Woodson.  That's more like it, both for Woodson and Boller.  More like regular form for both.

    2:41 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive  10:35
    Drive start: Packers 7 
    Thanks to another penalty, this one on the good guys, the Packers start their drive deep in their own territory for the third straight drive. 

    Hearing Wayne say "got what he could" again shows the O-line is failing, as they did on first down.

    A run to the Packers 28 again has a flag put down...wait...on the bad guys!  And a HUGE cheer from the Packers fans in the house.  17-yarder by Grant.

    3rd and 9: Rodgers forced to escape the pocket, just missed the first down.  Too much of hearing that.  This offensive line is a HUGE weakness.

    2:33 p.m.  Rams' 1st Drive  12:07
    Drive start: Rams 27
    Like two yard losses on pass plays when they're well diagnosed by Packers' linebackers.

    Oh no.  An away-from-the-play penalty call...illegal formation on the offense.  For once, it's against the bad guys.

    2:27 p.m.  Packers' 1st Drive (extended from 3rd quarter)
    Rodgers 4 yd TD run (PAT missed)
    Keep the running game going, knock off some clock and put points on the board.  Even better, get Greg Jennings a 45-yard bomb.

    Wow....Aaron Rodgers with the pump fake left and he turned into Randall Cunningham to get a first down before sprinting out of bounds.  Nice job getting to the five, but no flip into the end zone.

    He spiked it in the end zone instead on the 2nd down run.

    3rd Quarter

    2:24 p.m.  Packers' 4th Drive  1:12
    Drive start: Packers 15
    Lead blocks by John Kuhn on a seven-yard first down run...love those fullbacks who don't care about carrying the ball.

    Now, the lather grows as the Packers' line finally gets going while the quarter ends. 

    2:20 p.m.  Rams' 3rd Drive  3:23 
    Drive start: Rams 17
    Jackson going right and snagging nine yards.  What is this, Michigan State against John Clay in the 3rd quarter yesterday?

    He's now over 100 yards, and on 2nd down, it could have beeen face mask on the run that got them the first down.

    Way to stay at home by Chillar on the misdirection 2nd down run to force a 3rd and 7.  Great stop.

    2:11 p.m.  Packers' 3rd Drive  6:33
    Drive start: Packers 2
    How does a 98-yard touchdown pass look right now?

    A horse-collar-like tackle on the 2nd down Grant run for a first down.  Could that have been a penalty?

    Rodgers going deep - barely missed him, but on the next play, a HECK of a throw from Rodgers and a diving grab by Nelson.  Great job in traffic.  Aaron has plenty o'confidence in his arm.

    Grant breaks through, finally....oh come on SCOTTIE WELLS!  Jiminy Christmas.  That's why there was a hole to scoot through, for once.

    1st and 20 - not good.  3rd and 15 - even worse.  Another penalty killing Green Bay...so does another overthrow by Rodgers.

    2:06 p.m.  Rams' 2nd Drive  7:56
    Drive start: Rams 41
    Oh does the defense need to make a stop here and regain momentum.  Critical.

    Jackson bouncing outside into Packers territory: the other 41 yard line.  This guy makes Boller effective because of the simple threat of the run; then again, I could be effective with him as my running back.

    3rd-9 at GB 40: The d-line blocking that pass to force the punt.  Boy was that stop huge.

    1:59 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive  8:23
    Drive start: Packers 20
    Oh would that bomb to Nelson have been a momentum changer if he caught that.  Bryan Ramsey here in the room: "you gotta catch that, Jordy!"  Agreed.

    James Jones dropped the second down pass.  What is this, some sort of conspiracy against Rodgers?  Does he have bad breath and you can't stand him in the huddle or something?

    Trainers look at Jones.

    3rd and 10 - another drop here?  Nope, a throwaway after a great Rams blitz with no help in the backfield.

    1:49 p.m.  Rams' 1st Drive  13:57
    Josh Brown 53 yd FG
    Drive start: Rams 20
    I don't like hearing Wayne yelling that Jackson drives piles.  I thought piledrivers were limited to construction sites and WWE.

    I like less when I hear him describing Jackson outracing Hawk for first downs, or "he is shredding the Packers defense at the moment.:"

    4th and inches at the GB 43...whose gonna get it?  Boller?  Why not Jackson?  Because the rest of the planet thought they'd go to Jackson, but they get it anyway.

    Basically with this Rams line, if they get any blocking, Jackson is dangerous.  If the Packers blow up the line, Jackson gets nothing, just like 2nd down.

    3rd and 3 at the GB 35: Jenkins chases Boller like a mouse chasing a piece of cheese with legs, forcing the incompletion.

    1:44 p.m.  Packers' 1st Drive  15:00
    Drive start: Packers 29
    Oh does a score mean something here if they get it, but they're getting squat on the ground.

    Rodgers INT'd on a tip but it's ruled incomplete. Yellow hanky on the flag, too.  Little getting his hands on things too much again.

    3rd down and 10... make that 4th and 10.

    Tweet: @Frank_Grahek
    "need to keep throwing slants and make some defensive adjustments. Chillar looks overmatched in coverage."

    2nd Quarter

    1:28 p.m.  Packers' 3rd Drive  :01
    Drive start: Packers 41
    Rodgers will go take-a-knee formation. 

    1:18 p.m.  Rams' 3rd Drive  1:52
    Boller-Fells 19 yd TD pass
    Drive start: Rams 16
    Giordano flattens the Rams return guy like a pizza.  Hmmm...wonder where we're eating tonight with that blog post?

    The Rams seem willing to just run the football...oh wait...Boller actually throwing it within two minutes.  Burton making two straight catches.  C'mon, defense. 

    What?  Boller leading a two-minute drill?  Embarassing.

    A Jackson run....finally an incompletion.  How sad would it be if this defense gives up a TD here after a darn good first half.

    Ball inside the 33 on 3rd down...Boller scrambles for a first down?  WHAT????

    :08 left...GB 19....ugh.  TD.  Brandon Chillar gets burned twice.

    1:09 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive  4:43
    Rodgers-Driver 21 yd TD pass
    Drive start: Packers 11
    Penalty marker down.  The words that may be the deathknell of this team.  Rookie Brad Jones the guy with the illegal block.

    A nice Rodgers-Driver pass will take care of that, though.  Great completion to the 26.

    WHAT A PASS AND RUN BY RODGERS TO JENNINGS!  Great single coverage pattern thanks to play action.  That will also help take care of pass rush.  To the edge of the red zone.

    Heck of a pass play to the end zone!  A PERFECTLY run keep pass.

    12:59 p.m.  Rams' 2nd Drive  9:53
    Boller-Fells 16 yd TD pass
    Drive start: Rams 23
    Bulger has a shoulder injury and is questionable.  Boller as an NFL quarterback is questionable at best.

    A great catch, though, by Laron Robinson on 3rd down, and a flag down in the middle of the field proves to be a face mask on Woodson.  YEEEEEEEEESSSHHHHH!

    Now in GB territory, the Rams try a bubble screen and the Packers burst it - though they do get five yards.  Could have been a LOT worse.

    Kenneth Garvey makes a heck of a catch on Woodson's coverage to get to the red zone, though Jolly ran him down for the stop.

    Jackson bounces outside and Boller goes blocking?  What does he think he is, that number four guy in Minnesota?

    Boller hits Fells the tight end.  Chillar gets beat.

    12:49 p.m.  Packers' 1st Drive  12:47
    Kuhn 1 yd TD run
    Drive start: Packers 20

    Rodgers with a bomb and Driver with a KILLER one-handed catch while falling down and being INTERFERED with!  My goodness.  His other hand was being held.  47 yards and his arm was being held out of socket during the catch.  Wow.

    Ah, to see Rodgers be smart and run the ball out of bounds after the first down is wonderful to see.

    Will these guys finally be getting on track offensively?  I think we may be seeing it here.

    Kuhn up the middle - TD!

    Tweet: @barbaravey
    Field goals are ok, but I'm ready for a Packer TD!
    (ask and ye shall receive, barbara)

    12:42 p.m.  Rams' 1st Drive  15:00
    Drive start: Rams 23

    Four play, 4 yard drives don't get it done in the NFL because you can't force turnovers in the red zone every series.  But while the offense is slower than molasses, the defense is so far dominant.

    No Bulger in the game - got hurt.  Kyle Boller in the game, not Bulger.

    Jackson around the corner to 1st down territory.  Looks like the old sweep.  Larry even commented on sealing the perimeter.  I do have to say that I don't like Merill Hoge of ESPN ripping Lombardi's "seal here, seal here, run this play in the alley" off.

    AJ Hawk with a BAD off the ball penalty.  He spun Jackson around more than five yards off the line of scrimmage. 

    Nice job of run defense by Woodson cutting Jackson's legs out after Kampman pushed his o-lineman back into Jackson.

    Boller is showing his rust, throwing into coverage - bad throws.

    1st Quarter

    12:37 p.m.  Packers' 3rd Drive  2:00
    Crosby 25 FG
    Drive start: Rams 13

    They also lead the league in stupid offensive line penalties.  Yeesh.  3rd and 13...another bad situation where you have to throw the football in tight quarters...and a great catch by Donald Lee, but not enough for the first down.  At this pace, Mason Crosby's 12 field goals would set an NFL record.

    12:34 p.m.  Rams' 3rd Drive  2:08
    Drive start: Rams 11

    AL HARRIS!  Heck of a recovery on the STL 13!  They lead the league in takeaways.  NICE!

    12:29 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive  3:58
    Crosby 38 yd FG
    Drive start: Rams 15

    Rodgers finding Nelson short...I can live with five yard gains, but I cannot live with all these penalties...wait, it's in the secondary.  Defensive holding. 

    Rams, you can have all the penalties you want.

    Ugh..Rodgers overshot a WIDE OPEN Driver.  Larry: "he beat (the defender) like a drum.  Wasn't even close.  Just an overthrow."

    3rd down: sack.  Leonard LIttle back to the 20.  This time, beating Daryn Colledge.  I'm trying out for the O-line.  (Well, not really.) 

    12:24 p.m.  Rams' 2nd Drive  5:51
    Drive start: Rams 19

    Jackson slams for a big gain that gets negated by a penalty.  Let's hope this isn't a repeat of that dastardly Bengals game with the yellow hanky appearances.

    Jackson goes Wildcat, and Johnny Jolly goes wild on the line, stopping the play so Barnett can flow to Jackson for no gain.

    Now, St. Louis "has" to throw on 2nd and 20. 

    WOW!  3rd and 14 and Johnny Jolly turns Woodson with an INT!  Well, that's thanks to Kampman getting a piece of the pass.  Jolly leads the team in INT's...wait.  A fumble?  C'mon, ref, give him the INT!  Our ball anyway.

    12:11 p.m.  Packers' 1st Drive  10:55
    Crosby 48 yd FG 
    Drive start: Packers 43

    Yes, Ryan Grant got cut down on the first play, but I REALLY want to see the Packers run the football to get the defensive line/pass rush on its heels worrying about the run.

    Nice to see the second down run by Grant, though.  That will help.

    Later, 2nd down change of plays at the line and it turned into a loss on a slam-down in the backfield against Grant.  Kuhn didn't follow through on his block.

    Laurainitis the LB tied up Donald Lee on a 3rd-down pass play.  He was jumping around before the snap like he was doing the Jump Around at Camp Randall before the 4th quarter.

    Great throw to Rodgers in the seam, and great sound by the huge throng of Packers fans at the game.

    Ugh.  Leonard Little has eaten up Allen Barbre all drive long.  He did it again to get to Rodgers on a sack that may have driven them out of field goal range.

    12th time of 3rd and 15+ yards?  Yeeeeesh.

    Rodgers gets to the 30 and increases Crosby's chances at least.

    12:03 p.m.  Rams' 1st Drive  15:00
    Drive start: Rams 40

    Not where you want to start a drive, but a stop by Kampman/Jolly on the physical Jackson for a loss of one will help.  A third down and mid-range: not good when Marc Bulger is beating double teams to get a first down throw in there.

    Oh, when Jackson pounds up the middle on a 3-5-3 defense and gets 12 yards, that ain't good at all.

    A Ryan Pickett stuffing of Jackson on the next play...they are making Richie Incognito VERY Incognito in this beginning.

    Jackson fumbles on the shovel...wait, that can't happen. It's a forward pass, it's incomplete.  If I was an offensive coordinator with a fumble-itis prone back, I'd run LOTS of shovel passes.

    FIELD GOAL BLOCK!  Will Blackmon with the snag out of bounds.  Great job Johnny Jolly with the block!

    Pregame

    11:58 a.m.
    Ah, love Larry McCarren's observations.  He commented that there's never been a Ram in the state of Missouri.  Wayne: "unless one was imported."

    11:44 a.m.
    OT Jason Smith, the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft, won't play today because of his sprained left knee.  Adam Goldberg takes over

    11:33 a.m.
    Mike McCarthy commented that the fact this is the Rams' home opener will make this tougher on Green Bay because of an added jolt of emotion.  That means, what, three extra points, perhaps, so it's a three-score win instead of a four-score win?

    11:26 a.m.
    Inactives today?  SS Atari Bigby, RB Brandon Jackson (DeShayn Wynn will be the team's No. 2 RB today), FB Quinn Johnson (meaning Korey Hall plays), T Breno Giacomini, T Chad Clifton, DE Mike Montgomery.

    Active: DT B..J. Raji!  NICE.

  • To Both Packers and Bengals, "Child, Please!"

    Yes, Chad Ochocinco got his Lambeau Leap into the loving arms of orange-and-black clad Bengals fans.

    But the famous act he committed isn't the most critical Ochocinco-produced theme coming from today's 31-24 Packers loss to his Cincinnati Bengals.

    It's the words "Child, please."

    Those words could have been uttered who knows how many times today, at both teams.

    A sampling:

    1) "Child, please," both teams, for committing 24 penalties.

    As I blogged about, so many penalties were committed, so many flags thrown, that there may not be enough fabric out there to make Brazilian flags after this contest.

    I'm not sure there was a penalty in the NFL rule book they didn't call, and deservedly so.

    So what if Ed Hochuli's crew calls the game tight. This wasn't tight. This was a pair of pre-puberty jeans that a 30-year-old would try to fit in to. You can't call a game so tight that 24 penalties happen.

    This was just sloppy.

    2) "Child, please," Packers' offensive line, for not being able to contain Antwan Odom.

    Allen Barbre doing what he did in allowing Ogunleye last week to dominate is one thing.

    To allow Odom to commit five sacks is simply unconscionable. That's the fault of not only the recently-injured Daryn Colledge, who was often the target of Odom's monstrous rushes.

    This was the fault of a patchwork but still NFL-caliber line which is proving to offer more reason to get Mark Tauscher on the phone and fast.

    3) "Child, please," entire Green Bay rushing defense.

    I am looking at the stat sheet of today's game and feel sick.

    How in the world can the Packers allow Cedric Benson, a Bears reject, run for 141 yards?

    I think of his 29 carries, I can count a handful that were less than five yards. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it just seems that way, after I kept seeing him pound for five, six, nine yards on a super-consistent basis.

    This 3-4 defense was supposed to contain the run, but admittedly, Cincinnati goes against the 3-4 scheme more than half the season, so they may know a little more than most teams on how to block it.

    Still, Cedric Benson, 141 yards? He looked like he was back at Texas running up the score on Baylor.

    You can't contain the run, you can't win most of the time in this league.

    4) "Child, please," Packers fan that flipped the bird to the camera right where Ochocinco did his Lambeau Leap.

    CBS now has gained a reputation for showing R-rated content on its NFL broadcasts.

    First, Janet Jackson's wardrobe "malfunction." Now, that dude right next to Ochocinco in Bengals' fans arms.

    I was looking right at him when "Ocho" did his leap. It seemed like he was going to at least support him up so he didn't hurt himself when coming down.

    Then, I saw the bird.

    Talk about lack of class, something I absolutely believe is NOT representative of Packers fans.

    This isn't Philadelphia, where there's a jail to send the umpteen (not majority, mind you, but umpteen) unruly fans who act up at Lincoln Financial.

    This isn't Chicago, where fans told Saints-lovers during the 2006 NFC Championship Game "Let's finish what Katrina started."

    Whoever you are, you just gave NFL nation an unfairly rotten view of Packers fans who, the huge majority of the time, act with the class that defines the franchise.

    If I'm the Packers organization, I would find where that fan was sitting and remove their season ticket rights.

    5) Finally, "child, please," offensive lineman who committed a false start on the final play that cost the Packers the game.

    It doesn't matter that it's the final moments and the rush of adrenaline that happens there.

    You have to keep your head.

    Even if Rodgers would have downed the ball, it's possible time would have remained, or if it would have been a fake snap-down, he could have thrown a game-tying fade pattern in the corner of the end zone to a receiver who probably would have beaten a defensive back that wasn't prepared.

    You, the run defense, the other penalties, the lack of pass protection, all those things cost the Packers the game.

    And that one particular fan may cost the Packers - a class-filled organization - a whole lot of good reputation.

  • Packers-Bears: The Happy Game Blog

    Postgame

    10:50 p.m.
    On the NBC postgame, Rodgers "to get a win, under these circumstances tonight, big for our team."  Jennings credits the poise of Rodgers and hard work in the offseason.

    4th Quarter

    10:42 p.m.  Bears' 3rd Drive  1:11
    I see Hester move to an upback mode.  Reverse.  Reverse.  Bennett takes the ball to the CHI 38.  Why?  Kick the thing deep!

    OK, defense...keep this lead for once!

    CUTLER INT'D 4th TIME!  HARRIS!  AT LAST!  It's over!  Dagger call by Wayne.

    10:29 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive  2:28
    Green Bay 21, Chicago 15
    Rodgers-Jennings 50 yd TD pass (2-pt play successful on pass to Jennings)
    Drive start on GB 29
    Rodgers' first comeback could come now...in fact, I'll call it - he will.  Calling it.  They'll win on a field goal.

    Why run on 1st down in this situation?  Why wear a lampshade to a Packers game, as NBC just showed?

    Not  a good time for the dropsies, Jordy.  "What did your grade school coach say?  Don't run with it before you catch it?  (Larry comment.)

    Rodgers into the slide at the 50 - NO FLAG ON THE HIT?  Two guys hit him and there's no call?  I think I saw the refs on Rush Street last night.

    3rd down on the 50 - Rodgers deep - TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!!!!  JENNNINGS!!!!!!!!!!

    Finally, Rodgers hits a receiver deep.

    10:11 p.m  Bears' 2nd Drive  10:04
    Chicago 15, Green Bay 13
    Gould 21 yd FG
    Drive start on CHI 28
    So will the Packers get another break?  It looks like the Bears audibled on that fake field goal.  Hmmm......

    Bennett with an 11-yard pass reception - a throw "Kyle Orton just would not make," said Wayne Larrivee.  He compares Cutler to Favre.

    Agh!  Collins nearly got Cutler's 4th pick.  Bigby is down.....and is cringing.  This makes me cringe, as did the video of his left leg while getting accidentally knocked over by Harris.

    Desmond Clark out for the rest of the game with a back injury, NBC says.

    3rd down - flag on the far sideline on a tipped incompletion.  Harris for illegal contact.  Another bail out.  Ticky-tack call.

    Both teams today are playing about a C-minus quality game.

    Uh oh....Hester on the quick pass and he gets to the 30 yard line.  Wayne with a worried wow on a 34-yard pass play.

    If you've got nails, start biting.

    Olsen makes a catch to the Green Bay 23.  Gould now in range, and this is now nail-swallowing stuff.  3rd-2 at GB 23: ugh, first down to McKie.

    Forte to the five..."my goodness," Wayne says.  The Bears are not only eating up yards, but time.  Aaron Rodgers may want to get that first comeback tonight, huh?

    Goal to go now, Forte twice can't get in.  Good to stop him from getting to end zone, but bad for time.  I'd rather have a 1st down TD than a 3rd down TD, but a 4th down FG is better than all of that.

    3rd-goal at three yard line under three minutes, and Cutler missed an open Olsen.  Packers' D finally with a win.

    10:06 p.m.  Packers' 1st Drive
    Green Bay 13, Chicago 12
    Crosby 39 yd FG
    Drive start on CHI 30
    Allen Barbre is giving the Bears every chance to make up for the bad calls by Lovie Smith.  Anderson forcing a three-yard loss.

    3rd-3 at CHI 23: Rodgers w/penalty marker down and gets the first down...holding.  Wayne: "Goodness."  Sitton should sit for that.  We cannot get out of field goal range.

    Rodgers hits Jennings, short, but it gets better for Crosby's range.

    9:57 p.m.  Bears' 1st Drive  14:41
    Drive start on CHI 28
    Cullen Jenkins "has been a man" (quoting Wayne Larrivee) stopping the run.  Well, he is male.

    3rd and 6 at CHI 31: Cutler gets his blasted receiver - but a penalty near the 30.  What is it?  Oh, begging for the arm extended to the north end zone.  Yep...offsides on the offense.  How does a wide receiver line up in the neutral zone?  Duh, Mr. Bennett.

    3rd and 11: incompletion...Bad throw by Cutler.  Nice.

    SNAP TO UPSIDE AND fake punt and Garrett Wolfe is wrapped up!  Why would Lovie Smith do that in his own territory?  Thanks for giving us the ball in great field position.

    Oh no...Green Bay may have had too many people on the field.  Lovie challenging...and losing.  :)

    3rd Quarter

    9:48 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive
    Drive start on GB 29
    Grant gets a hole - finally a good solid run.  14 yards.  This O-line has GOT to have more dominance like that.  Another run to the 50, another to the 46 for a first down.  The Packers MUST have that kind of running this season.

    Wynn on two runs gets four yards.  That's what you get for having to give your top running back a breather.

    Oh my goodness....Clifton?  What the heck - false start to the 37 on 3rd down.  Puhleeze.  Donald Lee makes a catch short of the first down, and a 62 yard field goal attempt for Crosby.  Nah.

    Ball saved by Jarrett Bush - ball downed at the six yard line.  Never mind - Matthews penalty for holding.

    Punt attempt number two...this time at the CHI 27.

    9:35 p.m.  Bears' 2nd Drive 
    Chicago 12, Green Bay 10
    Gould 47 FG
    Drive start on CHI 36
    I'm scared.  This Chicago team now has lots of momentum.  Nick Collins out with cramps - Rouse in the lineup.

    3rd and 2 at the GB 41: Ugh.  Desmond Clark wide open.  Hate seeing those Chicago tight ends get so wide open.  Again and again, we see it.  Year after year.

    Oh, do false start penalties help.  So do GREAT sacks by Cullen Jenkins and Ryan Pickett...and Kampman and Jolly.  The whole four-man-line...oh, wait, three man line and LB Kampman.

    Harris stops Forte at the line, but Chicago can get the lead...47 yarder for Gould. 

    9:29 p.m.  Packers' 1st Drive  10:08 
    Drive start on GB 32
    Rodgers getting sacked again proves that the Packers can have all the skill position guys they want, but if they can't protect the QB and open holes for Grant, it doesn't matter.

    NELSON missed the deep ball of his hands.  This time, it wasn't Rodgers fault.  Well thrown.  He beat Tillman.

    3rd-19 - Rodgers screen INC...boo birds come.  Allen Barbre gives up the pass rush to Ogunleye.  Ugh.

    9:16 p.m.  Bears' 1st Drive  14:55
    Green Bay 10, Chicago 9
    Drive start on CHI 21
    Nice job of tying up Chicago blockers on first down.  On 2nd down, not so good.  It's all about the linemen...if Forte gets going, it could be a long and painful second half.

    Cullen Jenkins' stops like what he just did on Bennett could help.

    3rd down and 13- Bennett heck of a catch past the 50.  A great throw by Cutler through traffic on the far flank.

    3rd-3...Forte stopped at the 36...spot?  Oh, he got it easily.  What?  They rule no!  Shouldn't trust the yellow line on TV.

    4th down....Cutler calls time after the drama....and a commercial airliner flies right above Lambeau.  Could someone have tried to drop off a new Bears QB?

    He tries the QB sneak...the right arm pointing north from the ref not the happiest sign.

    Next play - Cutler with perfect protection, and Woodson and Collins didn't communicate, giving Hester a free run to the end zone.  Collins limps off the field.

    2nd Quarter

    8:58 p.m.  Bears' 5th Drive  :47
    Drive start on CHI 41
    Knox is getting open on mid-deeper pattern.  We have to cover that guy.  Forte hit in the backfield - that will end the half on a good note, assuming the Hail Mary doesn't work...and it didn't.

    8:55 p.m.  Packers' 4th Drive  1:44
    Drive start on GB 11
    Wynn running up the middle is not going to get you the kind of yardage you need to make to get downfield and put up another score.  Do like the Badgers did and chuck one deep to get into field goal range.  They tried - but Rodgers' third missed throw deep downfield to an open receiver.

    8:47 p.m.  Bears' 4th Drive  4:36
    Drive start at CHI 20
    Why didn't Crosby pooch the kickoff?  Get them in bad territory - instead, through the uprights for a 65 yard field goal that isn't.

    Chillar with a HUGE sack on 1st and 10 - going Edwin Moses leaping over Garrett Wolfe to get to Chillar.  Sign him up for the 2012 Olympic team.

    Twitter: @darrickhartman
    "After further review, the Bears Still Suck."

    8:42 p.m.  Packers' 3rd Drive  4:39
    Green Bay 10, Chicago 2
    Grant 1 yd TD run
    Drive start on CHI 3
    Lovie throws a red flag...so they're reviewing a fumble that allegedly happened.  Didn't see any fumble that would have gone out of bounds after the end zone, meaning Bears football on a touchback.  Seeing replay - ball should be at the one yard line, not the three.  Could he have even reached the end zone?

    Review by ref: runner stepped out of bounds at the two.  Ball is at the one.  Nice backfire, Lovie!  Per Larry: "thank you, Lovie!"

    Grant - TD!  Wayne hits high tenor C on the call.  Alex Brown with a 15-yard penalty on the kickoff.

    8:35 p.m.  Bears' 3rd Drive  5:46
    Drive start on CHI 44
    A great return by Hester - I am so sick of saying that - puts Chicago in position.

    Cutler's 3rd pick!  Williams!  YES!  TD?  Nope, but THAT MAKES UP FOR IT!!!

    8:29 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive  6:47
    Green Bay 3, Chicago 2
    Safety, Manning sacks Rodgers in end zone

    Drive start on GB 16
    That was not the most accurate throw to Jennings, who beat a double team deep...it would have been another TD.  Rodgers is uncharacteristically missing receivers open deep.

    The Packers could learn a few lessons on how to get linemen and linebackers free to make stops - Ryan Grant can get almost nothing going.

    Safety - Daniel Manning chasing down Rodgers...how could he now throw the ball away?

    8:24 p.m.  Bears' 2nd Drive  8:13 
    Drive start on CHI 24
    Knox snags a bomb from Cutler...he got huge separation from Woodson.  No TD, but that's a 68-yard bomb.  Ugh.  It proves Cutler has an arm and Knox has moves.

    Packers repulse on 1st and 2nd down...3rd?  PASS INT'D!  Johnny Jolly!  He didn't eat at Kroll's butterburgers!

    8:13 p.m.  Packers' 1st Drive  13:43
    Green Bay 3, Chicago 0
    Crosby 52 yd FG
    Drive start on GB 22
    Just barely getting any running going.  Have they had a run of longer than three yards?  Well, the 2nd down play did.

    3rd down - Driver decided to catch the ball ths time in traffic...that's more like it!

    Grant FINALLY breaks a big run - 15 yarder.  Then, again, ANOTHER RUN, but as Keith Jackson would say, "look at the yellow hanky!  Mike McCarthy needs a straight jacket" after Jason Spitz' holding.  Thanks, former 620WTMJ colleague Ben Sherman for putting that idea in my head.

    Ah, a 3rd and 15, but in field goal range if there's no loss here.  The blitz forced a throw short outside to create a 52-yard field goal opportunity.  YES!!!!

    8:10 p.m.  Bears' 1st Drive  14:52
    Start on GB 20
    Cullen Jenkins ate Matt Forte on 1st down like he was a Kroll's butterburger.  Maybe that's where Williams went for dinner before the game and got his butterfingers.

    Perhaps Bears WR Bennett had the same dinner as he dropped it on 3rd down.  The punt barely got away.  They knocked down the punter, but no flag.

    1st Quarter

    8:05 p.m.  Packers' 4th Drive  :58
    Start of drive: GB 41
    Rodgers sacked again by Ogunleye and he is passing by Allen Barbre "like it's an open door," as Wayne put it.  Can Spitz or Wells play RT?

    ANOTHER drop for Driver...but partially harassed on the throw by Urlacher.

    8:02 p.m.  Bears' 3rd Drive 
    Start of drive: GB 20
    1st down: the exact way the 3-4 should work on stopping the run - linemen tie up linemen and linebackers flow to the football for a one-yard loss.  3rd down: ruled an incomplete pass instead of a fumble, which it might have been, but the whistles blew it deader than a doornail, doorknob, or similar.

    7:58 p.m.  Packers' 3rd Drive  4:05
    Start of drive: GB 43
    Now it's time to take advantage of a short field, but the running game is getting no lather.  The running game needs to use the football version of all the hand sanitizer we used in Madison yesterday.

    Rodgers deep "Driver's out there...the pass incomplete."  He had five yards on Zachary Bowman and if it's accurate, it's 7-0 Packers.

    7:50 p.m.  Bears' 2nd Drive
    Start of drive: CHI 16
    Well, Devin Hester has learned the skill of tip-toeing his feet in bounds on the first play on a 22-yard gain.  Perhaps he's not just a speed demon.

    Just as I think Cutler is getting a rhythm, a great blitz with Williams and Chillar proves that it will be a problem for him to keep rhythm and stay accurate.

    As the Bears move - well, they wouldn't have after Cutler threw a duck to Tramon Williams and he must have had greasy finger food before the game - dropsie disease.  WHAT?  TWICE!  Hang on the 2nd time and the Packers have a pick six!   Possible 14-point turnaround.  (Defensive holding wipted it out anyway.)

    Doesn't matter - thank you Nick Collins for bailing out Tramon!  Huge INT - and from one of our staffers, "Cutler looks like our saving grace...WOW!  Looks a lot like Rex Grossman to me."

    Twitter: @albo60s
    "Didn't the Bears used to wear dark blue pants on the road?"

    During the 80's, yes, and for selected home games - usually when they'd get killed by the Packers in prime time.  They still do pull out the blue sometimes.

    7:42 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive  10:45
    Start of drive: GB 9
    Nice catch by Jennings for a first down catch to get out of the opposite red zone...thrown right at his ankle.  Heck of an adjustment by the O-line to avoid a Lance Briggs blitz for a sack.

    3rd-4 at GB 28: Rodgers does a fantastic job to avoid a sack and he delivered a strike to "MR RELIABLE!" Donald Driver.  Great call, Wayne, on the accurate nickname.

    Agh on 1st down.  Ogunleye sprinted past Allen Barbre like Usain Bolt sprinting past me.  Larry saying Barbre just didn't move his feet.

    3rd-12 at GB 40: Driver was no longer Mr. Reliable on a juggling catch attempt.  Nice contain on Hester, though, on the punt return - just a six yard gain.

    7:39 p.m.  Bears' 1st Drive  11:39
    Start of drive: CHI 39
    Jay Cutler's first pass: incomplete.  Hmm....they're going no huddle.   A little stragedy with Lovie Smith's Flying Circus.  But, it didn't work - two incompletions including a monster overthrow on 3rd down.

    7:31 p.m.  Packers 1st Drive  15:00
    It's just the first play, but a 48 yard kickoff return by Jordy Nelson ain't a bad first play to start the season.  Also like the first play getting Ryan Grant involved for a six-yard gain.

    3rd and 5 at CHI 46: NICE first down to Jennings.  This offense is ramped up.

    The running game didn't do much in its first couple carries, forcing another 3rd and long, and an incompletion.  50 yard FG time for Crosby?  No good.

    Twitter: @LisaManna
    "Ashton Kutcher is at the Packers game tonight."  Just my own opinion, but if he's not in a Packers or Bears jersey, I don't care.

    Pregame

    7:29 p.m.
    Green Bay wins the toss and will receive the kickoff.  Ah, for the Bears to play from behind right off the bat.

    7:22 p.m. 
    As promised, Coach McCarthy decides to introduce the defense.  Nice touch...too bad we can't see it on the tube with Faith Hill's danceround in front of the flashing peacock logos.  Great touch to include some of the 1959 Packers, like Jerry Kramer, in the Packers introductions, too.

      7:21 p.m. 
    Wayne Larrivee mentions on the radio broadcast that it's the Green jerseys with white numbers, gold trim, gold pants, gold helmets.  So glad that will never change.

    7:09 p.m. 
    Twitter: @critterTV
    "Hard to contain excitement."

    7:07 p.m.
    Twitter: @MaceosMama
    "Football.  Nachos.  Beer.  What could be better?"

    6:44 p.m.
    Will Blackmon, Brandon Jackson and B.J. Raji are inactive for tonight.  Not having Raji especially could hurt the depth.

  • Packers at Titans: The Game Blog

    Postgame

    10:58 p.m.
    This isn't good.  B.J. Raji has a sprained ankle.  Coach McCarthy says they hope to know more Friday.  Please know about the injury not being serious.

    4th Quarter

    9:38 p.m.  Titans' 3rd Drive  6:23
    "Man, is LP Field empty," says Larry.  Gee, I wonder why.

    While Aaron Rodgers chats with Jessie Garcia with just the stash and not the beard, the Titans get a 1st down on a third and one.

    While he perfects the "take it one game at a time," Desmond Bishop blasts a runner for a three-yard loss.

    Great blasting through the line by Malone to force a 4th down.

    RUVELL MARTIN MUFFS!  Titans get it back at the GB 34 and he just may have lost a job on special teams.

    Best news I've heard all preseason - the two minute warning.  Trevor Ford hurt after the warning. 

    Victory formation.  Thank goodness.  See you in 10 days!

    9:29 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive  11:21
    Tennessee 27, Green Bay 13
    Crosby 33 yd FG
    Puhleeze, Packers, give us some excitement.

    Mr. Tyrell Sutton, "if there's a sliver of an opening, he is going to get through it" (as described by Wayne) gives it.  Cool.

    3rd and 5 at the TEN 41: Ruvell Martin makes a great sideline catch.  More Brohm goodness.

    Brohm got immediately pressured on another play, but a solid job of getting the ball out and creating something of nothing.  Those are as important as the big plays.

    Brohm makes another smart move - throwing the ball away while getting destroyed by William Hayes.

    3rd and 10 at TEN 21: Brohm gets Swain on a five-yard play.  Regular season, that would drive me nuts.  In this situation, not so bad.

    9:23 p.m.  Titans' 2nd Drive  12:39
    Jarrett Bush doing a good job on pass coverage on 1st down...keeping himself high on the listing.

    The Titans are penalizing themselves like crazy this time....their third stringers are getting tossed off the team at this pace.

    9:19 p.m.  Packers' 1st Drive  14:52
    Brohm continuing to QB - and get destroyed on a sack by William Hayes.  Wasn't he a former president?  No, that's William Jefferson Clinton and Rutherford B. Hayes.

    3rd and 13 on this scrub-fest.  They run a draw with Lumpkin.  That will show you nothing about these players.

    9:16 p.m.  Titans' 1st Drive (continued from 3rd quarter)  15:00
    A punt.  No return.  About as exciting as this half has been.

    3rd Quarter

    9:11 p.m.  Titans' 4th Drive
    "Wayne, the crowd is rather quiet."  Darn right, Larry.  It's a boring preseason game.  If I was in Nashville, I'd leave and head to the Bluebird.  Larry admits he's dazed and confused, though he did catch Brett Swain playing right cornerback.  Another Havner?

    Three and out.

    9:08 p.m.  Packers' 3rd Drive  3:05
    After a Titans' three-and-out, Ruvell Martin in the lineup and Brohm delivers quick to Havner.  Two guys that with good nights would get roster spots - Havner is too valuable as a utility guy on both sides of the football.  He's not Chuck Bednarik, but he could play both ways.

    3rd down: Brohm again with a smart dump-off to Sutton (he would have had his head taken off if not on that screen pass) - short of the first down marker....wait...incomplete. 

    Kapinos has been steady - fair catch inside the 10 yard line.

    9:05 p.m.  Titans' 3rd Drive  4:35
    Alfred Malone is stuffing some guys right now up the middle.  He's playing for his life as a Packer. 

    Ramsey with an incompletion.  Jeremy Thompson playing pretty active on the D-line/linebacker spot.

    8:57 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive  9:29
    Tennessee 27, Green Bay 10
    Lumpkin 5 yd TD run
    It's a real guys-about-to-get-cut fest at this point.  3rd and 4 and Brohm produces another first down - a slant pattern to Jake Allen.

    Lumpkin lumbers back into the game and gets a couple good runs, one for a first down.  And another nine-yarder, tackled by Tough Harris.  Great name.  Like my old H.S. football coach was - Dick Basham.  Just sounds like a perfect football name.

    Brohm is on to Brett Swain inside the red zone....throwing it where he couldn't get it intercepted.

    First and goal at the five - Lumpkin to the end zone!  At last!

    8:49 p.m.  Titans' 2nd Drive  12:02
    Tennessee 27, Green Bay 3
    Ramsey-Edison 31 yd TD pass
    Packers have Titans forced to go 80 yards to the end zone, and they gave up about 25 on one pass play.  Guys getting burned again.

    Ramsey to Paul Williams and Pat Lee gets destroyed on the play again.

    Edison is burning Trevor Ford again - 31 yards on a heck of a catch.

    8:45 p.m.  Packers' 1st Drive  13:33
    Tyrell "Mr. August" Sutton gets in now.  Brohm is continuing to make smart passes - only one bad pass so far tonight.

    Still, 3rd and 8, and Brohm advances on a run, just short of the first down.  Good job to get what he could.

    8:39 p.m.  Titans' 1st Drive  15:00
    Man - the Packers could only run two yards per run in the half, but Brian Brohm has been excellent this half - a 99+ QB rating.

    Patrick Ramsey now in at QB...and it's really mop-up time.  Three and out?  3rd and 4: incompletion.  At last, a stop.

    Brett Swain fighting for a spot - he makes a play on a bouncing ball - which is dangerous.

    2nd Quarter

    8:22 p.m.  Titans' 4th Drive  0:42
    Tennessee 20, Green Bay 3
    Bironas 32 yd FG
    Young moves into the red zone and gets a field goal attempt with 0:02.

    Gotta love the LP Field crew.  "Dude Looks Like a Lady" plays over the speakers.

    8:20 p.m.  Packers' 3rd Drive  0:49
    Brohm in a last-second drive - interesting.  He completed the pass to Devin Moore but cue Keith Jackson...."FUMBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLE!"  Tennessee recovers.

    8:09 p.m.  Titans' 3rd Drive  2:00
    Tennessee 17, Green Bay 3
    Young-Edison 8 yd TD pass
    Chris Henry comes into the game and immediately penetrates Packers territory.  The Titans can run at will on us.  Ugh.  No Clay Matthews or Nick Barnett in the lineup.  No true ugh there - would rather give them some action and let them rest for the Bears on 9/13.

    Who the heck let Edison wide open at the GB 22?  Jiminy Christmas....now Anthony Smith, the free agent pickup, is hurt.  This ISN'T what you want in a preseason game.

    Underwood taking more hits from Chris Henry on a first down run - we are getting manhandled.

    (Anthony Smith gets the blow to the head - questionable for return today.)

    What?  A Packers backup DB covering a pass play well?  At last...Trevor Ford stopping a sure TD pass.

    Take two...fade pattern...TD...beating Trevor Ford.

    8:02 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive  5:48
    Crosby 54 yd FG wide right
    Wynn does the smart thing to let a kick into the end zone stay in the end zone in his possession.  A dumb mistake might cost him his job.

    Brohm back in the game - a 3rd and 2 at the 39...and he delivers a throw to Nelson that puts him in position for a 33-yard pass play.  Does Brohm finally get it?

    Nope, if the next pass says anything.  The only guy near the pass was Tennessee's Vincent Fuller.

    Brohm gets sacked..."had no chance," Wayne Larrivee explains.  Moll "gave up the outside" as Larry says.

    7:45 p.m.  Titans' 2nd Drive  13:17
    Tennessee 10, Green Bay 3
    Young 6 yd TD run
    Are the Packers going to even show their whole scheme arsenal?  They won't get in heavy blitz downs if the Titans keep running down their throat, like they are with Ringer.

    RAJI!  What are you doing?  Breaking the face mask rule on the sack.  He pounded his fists into the ground after seeing the penalty flag come.  All negating a great rush on starting OL Eugene Amato.

    Underwood beaten on a boast route by Edison.  Another time.  Yeeesh.

    Young sprints past the entire Packers linebacker contingent to enter the red zone.  This backup unit of defenders is nowhere near as NFL-ready.

    4th and inches at the GB 7: Young sneaks and gets the 1st down.  3-4 not usually conducive to stopping sneaks with less beef up front.

    NO!  Raji may have gotten rolled over on the play.  He's limping.

    Oooohh..coming back from break on the radio broadcast - Smoke on the Water.  Nice. 

    Young running for the end zone, and Underwood makes a great run stop at the five yard line...but he paid for it.  Shot to the head, inadvertent kick to the noggin by Young.

    Second run, no Packers to inadvertently get kicked in the head while stopping him.

    7:40 p.m.  Packers' 1st Drive  14:52
    Lumpkin in action right now at running back and he didn't get a lot of push from the big uglies up front on first down.

    On a 3rd-2, Lumpkin gets the first down?  Bad spot of the ball.  The refs discuss whether to go to the Opry or the Bluebird Cafe and force the Packers' punting unit on the field.

    Kapinos: 61 yard punt - Patrick Lee failed to keep it in play, end zone, touchback.

    7:37 p.m.  Titans' 1st Drive (continued from 1st Quarter)  15:00
    On 4th down - Young completes a pass, but Tramon Williams stops Edison short fo the first.  Nice!

    1st Quarter

    7:29 p.m.  Titans' 2nd Drive  7:43
    A 44-yard klckoff return won't help guys keep jobs because of special teams play.

    Vince Young now at QB, Raji now at NT for GB.

    Young on a deep pass to Hawkins - the play was actually underthrown, and Hawkins was double covered but adjusted where the defenders didn't.  Mainly Underwood's fault.

    A holding call wipes it out, so that takes away the big play, but not the bad taste in the coaches' mouths.

    Young goes about 20 yards up the gut on a scramble....and for him to get past the blitz and advance that much is a problem.

    They get Ringer on a 3rd down run behind the line of scrimmage, but it's not a good sign to see this team move the football so quickly.

    7:16 p.m.  Packers' 2nd Drive  11:40
    Green Bay 6, Tennessee 3
    Crosby 32 yd FG
    Wynn gains about 29 yards on a kickoff - if he stays consistent at that skill, it could be his ticket on the roster.

    It IS Brohm coming in.  Now we'll see what the guy can do.  He's had three opportunities and blown them.  Can he finally come through and show he's learned?

    We'll discover on a 3rd and 6 - and he makes a smart dump-off of a pass to Two-Way Havner for a first down.

      Another third down - another 1st down completion.  This one to Martin.

    A 3rd and 1 and the Packers run the ball instead - this time, it wasn't Brohm's fault as Wynn couldn't get the first down.

    So they go on fourth at the TENN 33: Wynn makes up for it, losing the helmet, but gaining the first down yardage. 

    Whoa - Brohm has grown!  Great job on first down with a 12 yard completion...staying within himself, seems to have a grasp of what's happening.  No more deer in headlights.

    3rd and 10 at the 18: the good - he completed the pass to Nelson.  The bad - it was NOWHERE NEAR the marker.  But better than it was, in field goal range.

    7:10 p.m.  Titans' 1st Drive  13:31
    Tennessee 3, Green Bay 0
    Rod Bironas 49 yd FG
    Chris Johnson with a 14 yard run into Green Bay territory and that's scary.  Then again, this is the best running team in football.  Still, this isn't a good sign to see.  A 12-yard gain again and I'm worried.

    Three Tennessee drops stall this drive, so I'm not too thrilled.  Then again, remember that the Packers are probably not running the full arsenal on defense - both in personnel and scheme.

    7:06 p.m.  Packers' 1st Drive  15:00
    The Packers wear their white shirts, green letters, gold helmet and pants.  The Titans with the nine uniform combos - tonight it's the white helmets, sky blue jerseys and navy pants.  No, Wayne, it's not the leotard look.

    DeShawyn Wynn takes the kickoff...interesting.  Seeing what they can do with him in specal teams - that's perhaps where he can make the roster.

    Aaron Rodgers with his 151.1 QB rating won't drop it much in one possession.  On a 3rd-3 at the GB 29, its an overthrow of Jordy Nelson.  I think McCarthy will give the #1 offense one more shot.

    Kapinos on the punt?  46 yard punt, but he outkicked his coverage.  Good return/bad coverage.

    Pregame

    7:01 p.m.
    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Green Bay Packers scratched eight players including both starting cornerbacks, while the Tennessee Titans sat four including rookie tight end Jared Cook for their preseason finale Thursday night.

    The Packers sat both Charles Woodson and Al Harris along with receiver Greg Jennings who wasn't due to play after taking a blow to the head in last week's exhibition. The others scratched include safety Charlie Peprah, cornerback Will Blackmon, running back Brandon Jackson and defensive end Justin Harrell.

    Cook is the Titans' leading receiver this preseason with 17 catches for 159 yards. But he rolled an ankle in last week's loss at Cleveland.

    The other Titans scratched include receiver Nate Washington with rookie Kenny Britt starting in his place, rookie cornerback Ryan Mouton (ankle) and linebacker Josh Stamer.

    (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

    5:49 p.m.
    Pretty much one series is expected for Aaron Rodgers, and no series for Charles Woodson and Al Harris.  McCarthy is sitting those last two guys down for tonight.

    5:23 a.m.
    Yes, we blog live on our game blog 13 1/2 hours before kickoff!  It's the Packers' last contest before the real thing begins 10 days from now.

    It's about as unreal a contest as you can possibly get compared to a regular season game, considering Aaron Rodgers and much of the first team won't see more than a series or two of action.

    That means, especially for QB Brian Brohm and the second-team defense which gave up 27 points against Arizona last week, it's time to put up or shut up their chances, in some cases, for a roster spot.

    So, 10 days away, what do you think are the Packers' chances for this year?  http://twitter.com/620wtmjbefore today's game and we'll post the best ones before kickoff tonight.

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