Post-game thoughts

[Eli]

Personally, I think if that was truly why they re-introduced instant replay into the game, there would be no challenge flag system in the first place. I've always felt instant replay was more about placating people than about getting calls right.

Cynical, but undoubtedly more than a little bit true.

I can understand why the challenge system is tied to timeouts. You can't have every play challenged by one coach or the other. But the system is badly flawed.

I'll bet they eventually just implement play reviews like they do now in the final two minutes. A guy in a heated and air conditioned booth somewhere with ten TV monitors watching the game has a doubt about a call, he hits a big red button that buzzes the field and stops play while it's reviewed. It could actually prove faster than the current system, even if a lot more plays get reviewed. No more "will he or won't he" TV moments? Will they get the play off before the ridiculous red flag is fished out of a pocket and tossed where a ref may or may not see it? Do they have a timeout left, are they out of challenges?

[Purple bruise]

I did not read through the entire posts, so I am sorry if this has been discussed. Clay Matthews is by far the Packer's best defender and I must say that although he was pressuring Ponder all day Ponder's mobility was seemingly quite frustrating to him to deal with. You would see him on the sidelines appearing to be quite winded and of course a lot of that was attibuted to chasing AD all over the field. I would also point out that huge block on AD's last run where he was destoyed by a perfect block. If you get a chance rewatch that play and you will see what I am talking about.
Now about the Packers, by design, holding by their receivers on nearly every route. Man that was so obvious and I am sure that they are getting away with it every week. What an advantage to flood a zone with three receivers and while two of them hold the dbs (usually before the pass is thrown) the third catches the ball and takes off. I hope that crap has been brought to the official's attention. We will see on Saturday.

[Mothman]

Cynical, but undoubtedly more than a little bit true.

I can understand why the challenge system is tied to timeouts. You can't have every play challenged by one coach or the other. But the system is badly flawed.

I'll bet they eventually just implement play reviews like they do now in the final two minutes. A guy in a heated and air conditioned booth somewhere with ten TV monitors watching the game has a doubt about a call, he hits a big red button that buzzes the field and stops play while it's reviewed. It could actually prove faster than the current system, even if a lot more plays get reviewed. No more "will he or won't he" TV moments? Will they get the play off before the ridiculous red flag is fished out of a pocket and tossed where a ref may or may not see it? Do they have a timeout left, are they out of challenges?

I think that approach would be a big improvement.

[smoothoperator]

i think jenkins has made his case to remain on this team. he has stepped it up big time the last couple weeks. i have been extremely impressed with him

[justinkendle]

i think jenkins has made his case to remain on this team. he has stepped it up big time the last couple weeks. i have been extremely impressed with him

keep Harvin, Jenkins, and Wright and everyone else should be on there way towards the door.

[Eli]

Now about the Packers, by design, holding by their receivers on nearly every route. Man that was so obvious and I am sure that they are getting away with it every week. What an advantage to flood a zone with three receivers and while two of them hold the dbs (usually before the pass is thrown) the third catches the ball and takes off. I hope that crap has been brought to the official's attention. We will see on Saturday.

You think the Packers broke out those plays just for the Vikings? I don't think so. Watch how _any_ receiver blocks an opponent and you'll see some holding. I guess you failed to watch the 100 or so bubble screens that the Vikings threw to Harvin earlier this year. Very similar.

It was effective against the Vikings, especially with their safety play after the two CBs were easily scraped off. Mistral Raymond was out of position on nearly every play, and Harrison Smith gets a little too gunned up and tends to overcommit in a lot of situations.

[John_Viveiros]

Green Bay did benefit from that just like the Vikings benefitted from that deep ball Ponder threw that hit the ground @ was ruled a catch

Obviously, you will see it differently, but the ball can touch the ground if the receiver had possession prior to the touch. The replay I saw did not show definitively that the pass was incomplete. If that was also what the referee saw, the ruling on the field would have stood.

Speaking of replay, did anyone else see a lot of ball movement on the reviewed Green Bay TD, when seen from behind, just before crossing the goal line. That view made me think that the ruling on the field might stand also. But of course, it would never happen when the Packers are involved. It seems like the league is trying to make up for the "Fail Mary" every time (and, in a chronological defying sense, even before the Fail Mary game).

[Purple bruise]

You think the Packers broke out those plays just for the Vikings? I don't think so. Watch how _any_ receiver blocks an opponent and you'll see some holding. I guess you failed to watch the 100 or so bubble screens that the Vikings threw to Harvin earlier this year. Very similar.

It was effective against the Vikings, especially with their safety play after the two CBs were easily scraped off. Mistral Raymond was out of position on nearly every play, and Harrison Smith gets a little too gunned up and tends to overcommit in a lot of situations.

Where in my post did it say that the Packers "broke out those plays for the Vikings." I did say that by design the Packers receivers flood a zone with three receivers and while two of them hold the dbs (usually before the pass is thrown) the third catches the ball and takes off. And no not against just the vikings

[PurpleKoolaid]

I don't see the Vikings paying his 3m roster bonus due in March. Now could he be cut and re-signed? Possibly.

I like Jenkins as a depth guy but he shouldn't be starting.

I think both Burtron and Jenkins are gone next year.

[lateral23]

Did anyone pick up the Star Tribune today? The back page of the sports section is a full page tribute to AP for his 2k yards this season. It is very cool. I read the paper at work but didn't notice the last page until I got home. I plan on getting it framed and someday signed. Very cool.

I still can't believe they won even though I did pick them. The momentum of this win streak has been huge and that coupled with the pride that AP brings to this team, I believe, propelled everyone to this awesome victory in what was one of if not the best NFL game of the 2012 season.

I hope they can repeat next week. AP needs to keep being himself, Ponder needs to continue to be somewhere between a game-manager and a play-maker and the D needs to keep applying the pressure. As long as the secondary (hopefully #26 plays) can adjust to the laser arm of Rodgers, I think this spells the key ingredients to a W in the playoffs.

I wonder what Percy is thinking after these last four games.

SKOL

[The Breeze]

The only thing better than beating the Pack and eliminating the Bears? Ending the Packer's season next week.
Easier said than done. While I do believe the way the Vikes play the run game gives them an advatage outdoors in the cold....Rodgers is a really crafty QB. If we don't have Winfield playing it could get ugly. I don't think it can be overstated how much it helps to have him healthy and on the field. Great win for this organization.

[VikingLord]

The only thing better than beating the Pack and eliminating the Bears? Ending the Packer's season next week.
Easier said than done. While I do believe the way the Vikes play the run game gives them an advatage outdoors in the cold....Rodgers is a really crafty QB. If we don't have Winfield playing it could get ugly. I don't think it can be overstated how much it helps to have him healthy and on the field. Great win for this organization.

I think the Packers haven't been the same team outside in the cold the last two post seasons. I think it has to do with the cold. The Packers rely so heavily on their passing game, and when the temperatures have dropped it seems that their receivers have a much harder time reeling in Rodgers' hard passes. Since they don't have much of a running game, they really have nothing to fall back on, either, so if the passing game isn't working, their offense really struggles, and it's happened to them twice now in the postseason.

The most significant factor in this upcoming game might just be the venue and the time the game is played. Outdoors, at night, and very cold. Don't be surprised to see a relatively high percentage of dropped balls by guys that might normally reel in the same catch in better conditions. I'd even go so far as to argue that the game being where it is at the time it is favors a ground-oriented attack like the Vikings.

[VikingLord]

The defense got off to a great start and then had to hang on for dear life but in the end, the team effort was enough to get the win.

Congratulations to the players and coaches for an excellent, completely unexpected regular season. Now go to Green Bay and beat the #@!*% Packers again next week!

I think the defensive struggles in the 2nd half came because of the injuries to Winfield and the Vikings propensity to blitz more than anything else. Rodgers repeatedly targeted Sherels whenever he was on the field and Sherels was completely ineffective. While I don't know if the Vikings blitzed more in the 2nd half, when they did it seemed like Rodgers immediately read it and attacked it. There were also some blown coverages and bad penalties that really hurt the defense. Rodgers was more effective, but if Winfield can somehow stay out there and Williams just lets the front four do it's thing I think the Packers find the going much slower.

Congrats also to Frazier, his staff, and the players. They FAR exceeded my expectations this season, especially over the last 4 games. I didn't expect them to win any of those games and they won them all, sometimes comfortably. When this team's running game is going and the defense is disciplined and tackling well they are a tough out. One could even argue based on the performance against San Fran, Houston, and now the Packers, that they can play with the best. I don't want to get my hopes up, but if this team has shown us anything over the last 4 games it's that they are capable of winning on the road and running successfully against teams that should be able to stop it. If Ponder can continue to play well and they can get some production out of the passing game, they're going to be real trouble as long as they last.

[Eli]

Rodgers repeatedly targeted Sherels whenever he was on the field and Sherels was completely ineffective. While I don't know if the Vikings blitzed more in the 2nd half, when they did it seemed like Rodgers immediately read it and attacked it.

Rodgers destroyed both Sherels and Jefferson. According to TP's game rundown, Josh Robinson only played 14 snaps to Sherels' 32. I don't understand that. Robinson has been playing all year in situational packages and has made some nice plays. Meanwhile, Sherels has been on the bench all year. So Winfield can't play and they put in Sherels instead of Robinson?

[Arma]

Rodgers destroyed both Sherels and Jefferson. According to TP's game rundown, Josh Robinson only played 14 snaps to Sherels' 32. I don't understand that. Robinson has been playing all year in situational packages and has made some nice plays. Meanwhile, Sherels has been on the bench all year. So Winfield can't play and they put in Sherels instead of Robinson?

Robinson isn't a slot guy. We've been keeping Robinson opposite of Cook almost all the time. But from what I've read it sounds like Robinson is getting inside looks this week at practice.