Sharp Cheddar 02/5/14 - Post Super Bowl Edition

Here's the latest episode of the Sharp Cheddar Podcast, fresh off the virtual presses. The guys return from a Packer-less Super Bowl hangover to chat about the crap-tacular big game. General musings on the future of the Packers ensue. There may even be some acapella Sarah Mclachlan...

Sharp Cheddar 11.19.13

We offer up a prayer to the football gods, asking for forgiveness for whatever it is that Packers fans did to anger them so.



Editor's note: I have to eat my words. Bill Murray was not in Operation Dumbo Drop. How I confuse Bill Murray and Ray Liotta is beyond me. I apologize.

Packers Beat Down Browns 31-13

The Packers improved their home winning streak to 10 consecutive games—23 of their last 24—with a convincing 31-13 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Here are some takeaways.

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I would be remiss in not mentioning the heartbreaking injury to TE Jermichael Finley at the top of this post. After a 10 yard catch and run, Finley ducked forward in anticipation of a collision with Browns safety Tashaun Gipson. The defender squared his shoulder and smashed into the massive tight end. As Finley fell motionless to the ground, hearts sank into stomachs both on the field and in the stands. The silence was deafening, and Finley's state disconcerting. After a six minute pause in the action, Jermichael Finley was fastened to a gurney, face mask unscrewed, and immediately taken to an area hospital. It would be premature, not to mention crass, to begin to stipulate on the implications of this injury on Finley's season and career, as well as the team's injury-riddled offense. At this point, the important facts are that after a precautionary stay in the intensive care unit, Finley was able to walk around fine today, and was reportedly in good spirits. Early tests are coming back negative—that's a good thing—and we'll at least know something more by Wednesday's injury report.

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As if Aaron Rodgers needed to further set himself apart from other QB's, his performance on Sunday certainly accomplished that. His numbers were on par in the context of his career—25 completions on 36 attempts for 260 yards, 3 TD's and no picks—but it was the weapons at his disposal, or lack thereof, that make his level of success so remarkable. With primary playmakers like Randall Robb and James Jones sidelined, as well as Jermichael Finley later in the game, Rodgers got it done throwing to Jordy Nelson, Jarrett Boykin, Myles White, and Jake Stoneburner. James Jones may return next week, but it will be a long time before we see either Cobb or Finley on the field. Rodgers' meddle will be tested down the stretch, but he made it look relatively easy piloting a patchwork production against a competitive Cleveland defense.

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Eddie Lacy is a grown man. A powerful, punishing back who out-muscles defenders on first contact, and falls forward every time. In a "quiet" day for Lacy, he racked up 82 yards and 1 TD on 22 caries. The Packers have generally not had this type of production on the ground under Mike McCarthy, and the timing couldn't be better. With Aaron Rodgers bringing a knife to a gun fight—throwing to practice squad players and street free agents—being able to fall back on a reliable rusher is a life saver. Eddie not only occupies the attention of secondary defenders, but his consistent production also proves a boon to the offensive line. The difference in the line's overall swagger with and without Lacy is obvious to anyone who has followed this team over the past few seasons. With long term injuries piling up, the team will need Lacy to continue to produce at a high level in order to stay atop a murky NFC North.

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With Sunday's beat-down of the Browns, the Packers improve to 4-2 and take control of the NFC North. With the Vikings still to play tonight in New York, here is a snapshot of the division.

• 1. Green Bay (4-2) - Next opponent: Minnesota      
• 2. Detroit (4-3) - Next opponent: Dallas                   
• 3. Chicago (4-3) - Next opponent: BYE, Green Bay
• 4 Minnesota (1-4) - Next opponent: New York        

Dinked and Dunked to Death: Packers Fall to Bengals 34-30

In a game full of fumbles, interceptions, and momentum swings, it was the home team Bengals who enjoyed the final pendulum swing, winning 34-30. Despite the tough loss, and falling to 1-2 before entering the bye week, there are definitely positives to glean from this game. Here are a few:

Photo credit: Packers.com

Sam Shields: We highlighted Sam Shields last week in our quick hits from the Redskins game, so this makes it two weeks running that his play has warranted discussion. Shields was tasked with guarding AJ Green, Cincinnati's young number one at wide out. For the most part, Shields did his part to bottle up Green and force QB Andy Dalton to look elsewhere for yardage. Green was held to just 4 catches for 46 yards, 20 of which came on one play, a third quarter TD catch to bring the Bengals within nine (30-21). While Shields took the statistical fall for that play, having lost a step on AJ Green only once in the entire game is no crime—And having no safety help over the top didn't make life any easier on that play. Friend of DDS Joe Tomcheck said on last week's episode of Sharp Cheddar that he thought Shields has been breaking on the ball "phenomenally well" this season. That was illustrated no better than late in the first quarter, when an anxious Dalton thought he had Shields misdirected on a short route left, fired the ball inside to AJ Green, only to have Shields make a tremendous adjustment, pivoting his torso just in time to make a wonderful back shoulder interception. With the help of Shields, the Packers defensive secondary has looked better than it did on paper at the start of the season.

Ground and Pound?! The Packers entered Sunday's contest with just two healthy running backs, James Starks and Johnathan Franklin. Eddie Lacy sat out with a concussion, and even fullback John Kuhn was sidelined with a hamstring. It's worth noting that McCarthy's Packers have been forced to field just two running backs in just one prior instance, a 2011 matchup against the Chiefs—Another tough loss that was within reach late. But the difference here was stark, to be frank (Wow. A double pun. You guys should pay me for this stuff). With run blocking suddenly no longer a deficiency from Green Bay's offensive line, Starks gutted out 55 yards on 14 carries and Franklin surprised everyone with 103 yards and a score on 13 carries. In relief of the injured Starks, Johnathan Franklin wowed everyone with his first meaningful NFL action. He was decisive, slippery, and motored through the line for big gains. And though a twisted ankle late in the game had fans holding their breath, Franklin returned on the next series. He did fumble away the game in the fourth quarter, inexcusable at this level, but Packers faithful suddenly have lots to be excited about out in the backfield. With the bye week upon them, the team has an opportunity to get healthy at running back, and really open up the passing game with a stable of backs that defenses ought to respect going forward.

Washington Rust-skins Buried 38-20 by Pack

The atmosphere at Lambeau Field was electric. Ionized by 7,500 brand new seats and lit aglow by well over 80,000 total attendees, the Packers struck early and often in what amounted to a route of Washington to the tune of 38-20. Gobs of passing yards, stout defense, and a surprise 100+ yard rusher made this game an all around positive. Let's focus on a few keys.

RB James Starks. Photo: CBS.com

The Running Game: If one had said during the preseason that James Starks, not Eddie Lacy, would be the savior to rid the Packers of the stigma of going 44 straight games without a 100+ yard rusher—The last was Brandon Jackson (seriously) on October 10, 2010 (seriously) to this same Washington football club (seriously)—one might have been labeled insane. Yet it happened. Everyone saw it. On his first carry—a 10 yard gallop— rookie Eddie Lacy was struck hard on the helmet by safety Brandon Meriweather, and forced to exit with a concussion. That would be his only carry. The next man up was James Starks, a guy who quietly took precedence over running back Alex Green in training camp, ultimately winning Green's roster spot. Starks hasn't been a household name for many fans since his 2010 breakout performance and subsequent struggles to stay healthy, but it's clear the coaching staff saw enough in the tall running back to warrant a job. Score one for the coaching staff. On Sunday, Starks was decisive. He was elusive. He cut well and made guys miss, carrying the ball 20 times and rushing for 132 yards. Starks also notched something the team has been sorely lacking, a "big play run" on a 32 yard touchdown scamper.

QB Aaron Rodgers. Photo: NFL.com

Up in The Air: It's been communal wisdom among Green Bay fans that if only the Packers could mount a formidable rushing attack, quarterback Aaron Rodgers would have a field day. Well, with RB James Starks gobbling up an average of 6.6 yards per carry, Washington's already suspect safety group was forced to respect the run. What happened next has become so commonplace in Green Bay, that one almost forgets to highlight its significance. Aaron Rodgers was surgical, completing 34 of 42 passes for 480 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. The yardage tied a franchise record set, funny enough, by former backup Matt Flynn. On the strength of Rodgers' arm, Green Bay saw 18 of its 28 first downs come via the pass. While they were only 4-10 on 3rd down conversions, the ratio of 28 first downs to just 10 third downs means that the offense was humming efficiently, already a well-oiled machine just two games into the season. Rodgers has 7 touchdowns and 1 interception through those two games.

S Shields. Photo: Roemerphotoblog.com

Sam Shields Was All Over The Place: At some point between defensive snaps in the third quarter, I scribbled the following exclamation in my notebook: "Sam Shields is all over the place!" And indeed he was. The young cornerback was involved on seemingly every clutch stop. Shields led the team with 8 tackles—5 of them solo— and made three pass breakups in textbook fashion, closing on receivers with perfect timing and playing the ball rather than the receiver. Lacking the quality and quantity of receiver that San Francisco enjoys, Washington's wideouts were contained when it mattered against Sam Shields and fellow corner Tramon Williams. They surrendered yardage late, but this secondary was much improved from last week's flop, and Sam Shields was a key cog in that improvement.

More From The Daily Dope Sheet:

See how our pregame keys shook out relative to Sunday's route over Washington

DDS Podcast: First ever podcast! Talking the 49ers loss, Clay's clothesline, and out-of-market fans.

Packers "Win" "Game" Over Rams, 19-7

Fans despondent over last week's all-around flop, a 17-0 preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals, have reason to feel comforted after an improved effort from the Green Bay Packers last night in the Edward Jones Dome, where they handled the St. Louis Rams 19-7. The offense was sharper, and the defense looked more cohesive as well. Here are few players that stood out.

Eddie Lacy saw his first action on Saturday.

Eddie Lacy: The rookie running back finally got to show his mettle, facing an opposing team's starting defense for the first time. Lacy looked like he belonged and appeared to really resent being tackled, routinely carrying one or two defenders along for the ride after first contact. Overall he received 8 carries and totaled 40 yards for a 5 yard-per-carry average. His first two runs of the game went for 7 and 15 yards respectively. If he can keep this up into the regular season, the very real threat of a capable back could potentially expose opposing secondaries to the wrath of Rodgers.

Jermichael Finley: Is the reformation complete? The imposing tight end has historically irked fans with his brash talk, excessive celebration, and generally not living up to the hype. Finley is reported to have rededicated himself. He has put his nose to the grindstone and is letting his play do the talking. The tight end took hits and grabbed yards after the catch, showing an aggression that's been lacking in the past. He displayed his quickness, slicing through the Rams zone defense for 25 yards on the third play from scrimmage. His extra prep-time spent with Aaron Rodgers appeared to pay off later in the quarter when, after the QB called an audible, Finley knew to look for the quick pass and turned it into a 33 yard gain, absorbing some hits along the way. And no shark-fin dance this time. Maybe Finley knows it's only preseason. Maybe he knows it's a contract year. Whatever the reason, it means positive things for the Packers offense.

Jolly had a batted pass and
an interception on Saturday

Johnny Jolly: Speaking of reformation, DL Johnny Jolly showed glimpses of his old self and reminded coaches and fans of his great instincts for the game. A Jarrett Bush interception can be credited to Jolly batting a pass at the line of scrimmage, something the big man was known for in his past life. Later, cornerback Loyce Means batted a pass, and it was Jolly who came down with the a goal-line interception after he had dropped into coverage. Without missing a beat, he plowed forward and even executed a spin move for a few extra yards. All this excitement in only 15 snaps for Jolly. He's starting to build a strong case to be a 6th DL on this team. He just knows football.

Micah Hyde: Taking more snaps than anyone else on the team (52) Hyde showed his versatility. He played the corner position left, right, and worked in the slot, breaking up 2 passes and collecting a sack and 5 tackles. Hyde did surrender a 57 yard catch and run to Rams WR Chris Givens, exposing a slight lack of speed, but an argument can be made for blown coverage over the top. The real surprise of the night was a chance to return a punt in which Hyde recovered 17 years. Hyde returned punts at Iowa and said after the game, "I feel comfortable doing it." If WR Jeremy Ross continues his bobbling ways, Hyde could see more action on special teams as coaches should be anxious to relieve the dynamic and valuable WR Randall Cobb from his returning duties.



Did you see anyone that stood out? Anything you liked or didn't like? Comment and let's chat about it.

Packers "Lose" "Game" to Cardinals, 17-0

There are differing opinions of the value of preseason football among Packer fans. Those that follow only to chart wins and losses are likely to be disappointed by the Packers ho-hum preseason opener, a 17-0 loss at home to the new-look Arizona Cardinals. But to be sure, preseason games are not about winning at all. Rather, it's important to focus on individual performances. Depth charts are nebulous at this point. The game is largely a televised job interview for tens of players on every team. Coaches and execs look for translation from the practice field to the fight bell. They look for flashes from players previously hidden among the ranks. Most importantly, they pray to the football gods that their guys arise unscathed from every scrum. With that in mind, here are a few thoughts on last night's action...

Datone Jones Sprains Ankle: Tests are pending, but an injury to a first round pick in the first preseason game is a huge blow. Jones was pulled at the slightest hint of injury—later reported as a sprained ankle—and didn't even emerge from the locker room after half-time. It brings to mind a certain first-round defensive lineman named BJ Raji, who also sprained his ankle in his first preseason and missed the majority of the year as a result. Ted Thompson has to be pleading with those aforementioned football gods right now.

DL Johnny Jolly.
Photo credit: totalpackers.com

Johnny Jolly Gets Push: The walking human-interest-story that is Johnny Jolly performed admirably, while seeing snaps for the majority of the contest. Given his extended stay from the game, and the team's massive DNP list (17 players did not participate), Jolly seemed to take advantage of what he well knows might be his last chance ever to make an NFL roster. He was aggressive and got push into the backfield more than a few times, showing that his tank may still have some fuel left after all. Some of his swings and spin moves lacked the obvious savvy of his former
days, but it was encouraging enough to see the big man making his presence felt on the line.

Bakhtiari Shines: With left tackle Bryan Bulaga out for the season already, it was up to rookie David Bakhtiari to show fans why coaches have been so thrilled with the newbie. Bakhtiari blended in, and faded into obscurity. That is to say, that's exactly what an offensive linemen should do— become an invisible wall. His footwork and technique never in doubt, Bakhtiari displayed the strength side of his game, holding up quite well against an opposing team's starting d-line.  

RB Stable Full of Horses: The team erred on the side of caution, sitting RB Eddie Lacy due to a slight hamstring pull. As expected, DuJuan Harris also sat. Johnathan Franklin and Alex Green split the majority of the early snaps. Between the two, it seems the team has a back for every occasion. Alex Green showed encouraging shimmy on the line, cutting like a guy who is no longer favoring a troublesome knee. While Johnathan Franklin struggled to power through the middle of the pack, he was supremely slippery on the outside and in space, darting to and fro like a point guard moving toward the hoop. He showed that he could be most valuable as a screen player, and possibly also as an option at kick returner, if WR Jeremy Ross continues his muffing ways.

No Contest For Kickers: The team would have liked to have a few shots at the uprights to continue their kicking competition. Instead, Mason Crosby and Giorgio Tavecchio were merely spectators. The sole trip to field goal range ended in a turnover on downs at the goal line, as coach McCarthy decided to opt for some fourth-and-goal rehearsal early in the first quarter, and the team never saw another opportunity.

Left to right: Vince Young, Aaron Rodgers
Photo credit: packersnews.com

Backup Bonanza: For only knowing about 12 plays, new arm Vince Young sure seemed poised and out to prove his worth. His series fell flat, but he appeared more in control than the timid Graham Harrell or overzealous BJ Coleman. That's not to say the latter two didn't have their moments, but the battle at backup quarterback still appears to be a game of pick your poison. The word 'yuck' comes to mind...