So, in other words, the Packers can’t prevent teams from getting into FG range when the game is on the line 
I’m no Falcons fan, but I have to say, I find it much easier to pull for them this year than I ever did during the Vick or the “Dirty Bird” eras.
That is pretty much my point, the defense unfortunately does not seeem to be able to make the big stop when needed.
I have to reluctantly admit, the Bears were very impressive. I don’t think the Bears are great, but in a mild NFC they are very good and not to be overlooked.
It’s worth pointing out that, historically, the teams that have had success in the playoffs are the ones that, in the regular season, win blowouts, not the ones that “know how to” win close games. Cite.
And, at least this week, special teams’ inability to prevent the opponent from starting with a short field. In this case, even after putting the kickoff 4 yards deep in the end zone, they gave up a 40 yard kickoff return (with a 15-yard facemask penalty tacked on). When the Falcons only needed a field goal to win it, letting them start that drive in your own territory is a recipe for failure.
Actually, the facemask penalty was a good thing, because the returner would have gone all the way otherwise.
Andre Johnson will not be suspended for beating the crap out of that punk Finnegan.
Yeah, I did think that when it happened. That said, given the Pack’s inability to keep Ryan from completing passes all day, even if that’d been a regular tackle there at the 36, instead of a face mask, I don’t think the extra 15 yards would have prevented Atlanta from getting into field goal range.
Had Weems scored on that return, there would have been around :50 left in the game, with the Packers sitting on 2 timeouts. Maybe that would have been enough time to drive back down and score (though they were awful at getting out of their own end on kickoff returns all day).
It hasn’t been used in a few years, but I think it is time to bring back the “Same old Cardinals” phrase.
Yeah, they look pretty bad.
And yet, they’re only two games out of first place.
Frank Gore out for the season with broken hip. I guess we* can stop wondering when Brian Westbrook will get on the field. At least he’ll be fairly fresh.
*: Us 49er fans and local beat reporters. We’ve been off the national radar for weeks.
Westbrook’s been on the field, getting one or two carries a game (and looking awful). Then he gets 23 carries and looks terrific. I guess the Cardinals will do that.
So Westbrook and not Dixon will be the primary carrier?
Westbrook had 23 carries to Dixon’s 14 last night. Didn’t catch any passes, though, which is surprising considering that was his specialty as a starter.
Woah, I hadn’t heard that. I was watching Singletary’s expression last night when Gore took himself out and Mike asked him what was wrong. That’s not always easy, to tell a coach why you can’t go back in, but Mike looked pretty satisfied.
Arizona did look bad last night, making it a hard game overall to get into. The aftergame interview with the quarterback almost generated more interest than the game itself.
Definitely Westbrook because he has the versatility needed to keep defenses honest. Dixon is really big and will make a good bruiser in a one-two combo; however, Dixon sucks at pass protection at this point. He contributed to Alex Smith’s injury by pursuing his blocking assignment, a linebacker who didn’t blitz, up the field instead of staying back and blocking someone actually rushing the passer.
It’s my hope that this development will force Singletary to allow Johnson to widen the base offense.
Edit: Replacement center David Baas, who’s been playing so well as to perhaps keep the job, may be out for a while with a concussion.
“Sorry, Coach, I know I’m a little slow out there tonight but I can’t seem to shake off this broken leg.”
Actually, he already had something like 40 yards on 5 carries.
52 yards on 5 carries, to be exact, including both a 25 and a 15 yard rush. It was looking like he was going to have an excellent night (but then, what RB doesn’t against Arizona?).