Pre-Season game number two is now also in the books and on tape. The glaring negative takeaway from the first two games is tackling. The Packers missed 24 tackles in the first game (allowing an extra 170+ yds), and followed that performance with another 19 missed tackles. Packer’s Coach Matt LaFleur stated they needed to focus on tackling technique. Tackling? Is this not the NFL? For those of us who played football in the 60’s and 70’s, did we not learn to tackle in Pee-Wee football? Now “these” professional football players of the 2010’s don’t know how to tackle? We heard this for most of Mike McCarthy’s era….”we must focus on the fundamentals, we must get back to basics,” etc., etc., etc. It became a broken record, that we fans surely grew tired of hearing. I’d like to know where these current NFL’ers did learn to tackle?
There were some positive points in this game, WR’s Kumerow, Lazard, Sheperd had some great receptions. Deshone Kizer had some moments of what a NFL back-up QB should look like. I still maintain he must learn to finish drives with TD’s instead of FG’s. We were left wondering how the first team offense would perform when Aaron Rodgers was scratched by the staff for “back tightness.” Tim Boyle had a few moments as well, but nothing consistent like the Packers are seeking. Boyle hit Darrius Shepherd for a seven yard pass for the Packers lone touchdown. Shepherd is making a serious push for the final 53. The RB position is a shambles and must correct itself before facing Chicago in the opener or the Packer’s won’t stand a chance. Right now that position group is struggling mightily for consistence.
Mike Pettine’s defense continued their streak of takeaways with another Thursday night. MLB Curtis Bolton picked off a pass that was deflected by DB Tony Brown. What Mike Pettine cannot be happy about is the aforementioned missed tackles. It sounds like the Packers, since they won’t live tackle in practice per LaFleur, need to STUDY the art of tackling by watching film of older generation players. This NEW style (of “tackling”) is pathetic. The Ravens plowed through the Packers for 171 rushing yards, after yielding 138 yards rushing to the Texans a week earlier. Needless to say I was expecting big things from the Packers defense and I have been disappointed thus far. Another startling fact to me, was fifteen players didn’t suit up to face the Ravens. Smh.
Next week the Packers will face the Oakland Raiders in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada at Investors Group Field, home of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Staff from the Green Bay Packers will head to the field early in the week for inspection, to determine if any of the players who have been held out lately will be cleared to play. There is a pressing need to get Rodger’s out on a competitive field with the first team offense. There is a need to establish a familiarity and cadence prior to game one versus the Bears. I recently heard a former Packer from the 90’s Favre era, who said those teams, from both sides of the ball, wanted to be together for at least five series during the pre-season. Sounds reasonable to me. Let’s hope Rodgers is cleared to play next week, so the final game can be used to finalize the 53 man roster.
As Always, Go Pack Go!
PackerGreg
PackerGreg Veteran/Go Army @DrGTP on Twitter
2 responses to “Tackling Technique, Again? Packers, C’mon!”
Le-Flower teaches sissy ball. It’s that simple. Let’s hold hands and talk about tackling technique. Let’s hope some anti-bullying crusade stops other teams from tearing us limb from limb.
And let’s hope mindless fans will keep blaming the CBA–a CBA all 32 teams must obey. Let’s keep blaming a common CBA for Green Bay’s uncommon tackling woes.
Excuses. Super-short practices. Crystal-chanting seances channelling technique from long-lost linebackers. Hand-holding group therapy sessions, sobbing about mean boys who tackled us as children.
Le-Flower.
Packer teams haven’t tackled aggressively since Fritz Shurmur was D Coordinator. Packer exemplify the new Rodger Goodell NFL… The National Feminized League…. “All hail the Tackling Donut!”