Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers missed a few passes but overall he played quite well. He clearly wasn’t the reason that the Packers lost on Sunday night. He finished with 351 yards, 3 TDs, and 0 INTs for a QB Rating of 115. He also added 33 yards rushing, leading the team in that category. Rodgers has been imperfect lately but he’s clearly still a top-tier quarterback fighting to produce on a very not top-tier football team.
Jared Cook
Cook’s return from a Week 3 injury added some vertical threat to the offense. Cook took over as Rodgers’ no. 1 receiving threat against Washington. He garnered 11 targets, nearly double any other receiver or running back on the roster. He was able to turn all of that attention into 6 receptions for 105 yards and a TD. Unfortunately, Cook may be remembered most for his crucial turnover late in the game. It’s true that that fumble killed any chance that the Packers had to come back but they wouldn’t even have been poised to make a late run if it weren’t for Cook.
Julius Peppers
The 36 year old outside linebacker had his best game of the season on Sunday night, grabbing a sack of Kirk Cousins and batting down one pass. Cousins wasn’t too shaken in the pocket but when he was it was thanks to some sporadic but decent pass rush from Peppers and Nick Perry. The bitter truth, however, is that performances like this are becoming fewer and fewer for Peppers, who is likely riding out his final NFL season with a losing ball club.
Don Barclay
Can we just stop with the Barclay experiment? How many times do we need to see the guy blocking like a wet noodle to realize that he’s not an NFL offensive lineman? Rookie Jason Spriggs came in for Barclay in the second half and held his own. Barclay has been in the league five years now. We’ve seen who he is, and it’s not good. He’s likely a great guy, and I wish him the best, but he has no future on this team.
The Entire Defense
Yes, the secondary is beyond shaky due to injuries. That doesn’t excuse the fact that the Redskins were throwing deep on the Packers at will. Safety play was generally inept and unable to help the young corners. And what has happened to the top five defensive front? They gave up 137 rushing yards and 3 TDs to Rob Kelley.
Earlier in the year, it looked like the defense was improved. While the offense looked anemic, it was the defense that was keeping the Packers in games. Now every wheel has come off of this team. The defense looks absolutely atrocious at all levels. It’s unclear whether the offense or the defense is more routinely embarrassing.
Injuries and Depth
Every team faces injuries throughout the season. The Packers seem to consistently face quite a few. In the past, however, they’ve been able to take a “next man up” approach that has usually worked. It’s clear, however, that this team is severely lacking in depth. The unitary approach to building the roster through draft and develop has left the team young but inexperienced. Injuries have totally sunk the defense. For a team with a MVP-caliber QB and Super Bowl aspirations, this is indefensible.
I have loved Ted Thompson throughout his tenure in Green Bay, but it’s clear that the Packers are in need of some fresh faces and ideas. Many expect that Mike McCarthy, at least, will stay with the Packers, and that if anyone were to go it would be Thompson.
According to Jason La Confora, Eliot Wolf, Director of Football Operations, son of Hall of Fame GM Ron Wolf, and heir apparent to Thompson will likely be fielding offers from teams this offseason. With the Packers struggling, there is absolutely no reason to let Thompson ride out a few more mediocre seasons while jeopardizing the long-term future of the team.
The Packers need to make the move to keep Wolf by giving him the GM job after the completion of the 2016 season. If Thompson wants to aid Wolf in the transition in some way, so be it, but the job needs to be Wolf’s.
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Taylor O\'Neill is a Packer fan born and raised in Oshkosh, WI. He currently lives in Florida and is pursuing his PhD. Taylor is a writer with PackersTalk.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @TaylorONeill87 for more Packer news.
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4 responses to “The Best and the Wurst: Packers at Redskins”
I’ll trust TT and Murphy to come up with a plan. I don’t know the answer to the questions …. If Eliot’s last name was not Wolf, would he be a candidate? and the best candidate?
Dom Capers–GONE, his defenses have NOT improved in SIX consecutive seasons since the ’10 SB winners and that’s despite some 60+ NEW defensive players given to him through draft or signed by Thompson. He CAN’T teach technique ’cause Packers have to be one of league’s poorest tackling teams and McCarthy’s quit calling them out for it after FIVE consecutive years of doing so since it still ain’t fixed. Rodgers is a HEAD case, he needs to focus on GAME, get his heart in offense. We’re tired of EXCUSES. Don’t think Pack will give Thompson’s job to Eliot Wolf yet but Thompson’s got to come up with better ideas and talent. McCarthy is STALE–maybe it’s time to bring back Joe Philbin if available–anybody can read McCarthy’s offense. EVERY DB in Pack’s secondary has ABOVE 118.0% QB COMPLETION RATING–IF that’s not the worst in league, it probably will be. This secondary can’t cover a hot dog with mustard, most of the top 20 College teams could beat this Pack team right DOWN MIDDLE OF FIELD against this pathetic secondary. Run defense? WHAT ‘defense’? Against better teams, they’ve disappeared–there’s NO injuries on that D-line–what’s the excuse? IT’s LACK OF MOTIVATION to play like winners or champs and THAT is the HC’s failure. He’s got a team FULL of bench bums that couldn’t win a job anywhere else–and that’s Thompson’s fault for constantly trying to build CHEAP–letting some better athletes walk in favor of cheaper options–Chad Clifton, Josh Sitton,etc…When you replace them with Marshall Newhouse or Don Barclay, can you really be surprised when they can’t run or protect? Thompson sat on picks and chose QUANTITY over QUALITY and it’s biting the Packers in the ass now. Just don’t see Aaron Rodgers getting a shot at SB again under McCarthy-Thompson regime especially if they don’t run Capers out of GB and get a rough, tough DC who can get results. Offenses score TD’s, DEFENSES WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS, Packers ain’t had one since 2010.
With the same regime, there’s nothing different to expect for 2017. think Thompson will retire and McCarthy will be fired. So much for “draft and develop”.
It’s time to bring in a new DC. Also his staff must be willing to hold every player accountable whether it be DL LB or DB coach. Front to back players must be disciplined and no where to be on the field every down.Let’s not blow up the entire team. There are some bright spots on offense and defense. Look what Dallas did in one draft. Maybe we’ll get two blue chip players in the 2017 draft and a decent free agent or two.We DO have what at least a dozen teams would die for and that’s a franchise QB in his prime. Arod will be 33 Dec. 2nd.Remember he sat the bench until 2008.Losing creates upheaval.I will go to my grave bleeding Green and Gold.Will You?