Have teams figured out Packers' offense? Aaron Rodgers says 'one out of five' have
The Green Bay Packers suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday, a 38-10 blowout at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the loss itself wasn’t surprising, the way in which it happened was.
Green Bay’s offense, which had been the highest-scoring unit in the league, was overwhelmed by the Buccaneers defense. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sacked four times after going down three times in the first four games combined, and his passer rating was the third-lowest of his starting career.
The performance led one reporter on Wednesday to wonder if teams had figured out the offense in year two under coach Matt LaFleur.
“One out of five,” Rodgers responded after a small delay and not expanding on the answer.
Rodgers had little interest in talking about the Tampa Bay game, especially this far into the week.
“At this point, we’ve moved on. We’re onto Houston,” Rodgers said. “We can’t be dwelling on the past game. Especially, we’re on Wednesday already. We’re on to the next opponent and moving on. We can’t be feeling ourselves too much when it’s going good and too down on ourselves or hanging our heads when we’re coming off a rough one. We’ve got to deal with each of them. The highs and the lows with a really even keeled mindset and good focus each week.”
The Buccaneers were the best defense the Packers had faced this year, ranking No. 1 in fewest yards allowed per game and No. 7 in fewest points allowed per game. Three of the other four teams they played rank in the bottom half of the league in both of those categories.
“The most important thing is to stick to the process and the plan and the routine,” Rodgers said. “We are creatures of habit and it’s time to move forward. By the time we watch the film on Monday, that’s in the can. We’re on to the next opponent. The last two days we’ve been watching Houston. We’ve been talking about Houston. We’re on to the next situation. The biggest thing we can do is focus on what got us here and this opponent.”
David Bakhtiari doesn’t practice
All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari did not practice Wednesday due to a chest injury suffered against the Buccaneers. Coach Matt LaFleur didn’t offer an update on his status and wouldn’t say how they would approach the position if he can’t play Sunday against Houston.
When Bakhtiari went down against Tampa Bay, Rick Wagner slid into this spot and struggled. Other options include moving left guard Elgton Jenkins. The second-year product started at right tackle in the season opener.
Along with his high level of play, Bakhtiari has been very durable over his career. Since he took over as the starter at left tackle in 2013, he’s missed just six regular season starts, and he’s working on a stretch of 50-straight protecting Rodgers’ blindside.
“There’s always a special relationship between left tackles and a quarterback,” Rodgers said. “A lot of trust goes into it being a right-handed quarterback. If (Bakhtiari) can’t go, then we’re going to have to see who is in there and make sure they feel comfortable from the first snap on.”
https://twitter.com/ZachHeilprin/status/1319018047143878657
Joe & Ebo Experience: Suspension Lifted
Camp Randall Noise (0:00)
Grant Bilse from the Wisco Sports Show (9:01)
Packers D (17:59)
Potential NFL Schedule Changes (31:41)
MLB Rule Changes (38:33)
Packers reportedly add linebacker off of Atlanta practice squad
The Green Bay Packers are adding a linebacker to their roster.
ESPN first reported that the club had claimed James Burgess off of the Atlanta Falcons practice squad.
https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1318659116789846017
An undrafted free agent out of Louisville in 2016, Burgess spent time with five practice squads that year before latching on with Cleveland. He spent 2017 and 2018 with the Browns, starting 11 of 17 games and amassing 83 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and four sacks.
He was cut due to an injury in the middle of 2018 and ended up with the New York Jets where he started 10 games to end the year. The 26-year-old finished with 80 tackles and eight tackles for loss. Burgess resigned with the Jets but was put on the reserve/COVID-19 list in August and was eventually waived in the final cutdown. The Falcons signed him to the practice squad last week.
Green Bay has struggled with injuries at inside linebacker. Fifth-round pick Kamal Martin returned to practice last week but remains on injured reserve, while free agent addition Christian Kirksey is on injured reserve with a pectoral injury. Undrafted free agent Krys Barnes played through an injury in Tampa on Sunday, leaving Ty Summers and Oren Burks as the only healthy players at the position.
In other roster news, the Packers put cornerback Parry Nickerson (hamstring) on injured reserve and signed Kalija Lipscomb to the practice squad.
Wisconsin preparing with piped in crowd noise, vow to bring their own 'juice'
When No. 14 Wisconsin opens its season Friday night against Illinois there won’t be any fans inside Camp Randall Stadium. Not even the families of coaches and players will be allowed in to watch. The Badgers practice inside the empty stadium on an almost daily basis but even they admit it will be different.
“I think we know what’s coming but none of us have experienced it,” coach Paul Chryst said this week. “Like everything, you try to prepare them for what’s coming by talking about it and trying to do things that are similar to it, but I’m sure it’ll be a little bit different, obviously, for everyone.”
Wisconsin held its final fall camp scrimmage last Friday night and piped in the crowd noise the Big Ten plans to allow teams to use during games this year.
“It’s not the same,” tight end Jake Ferguson said. “I was running out of the tunnel and they tried to turn it up, and I was like, ‘This isn’t it.”
There are regulations in place for the sound. According to an Ohio State news release, the Big Ten sent crowd noise tracks to play during games. The volume will hover around 70 decibels during game play and can go as high as 90 during celebrations.
“It wasn’t super loud,” running back Garrett Groshek said. “Probably pretty comparable to when I played in high school (at Camp Randall Stadium), so like having a lower level high school game there is probably as loud as it got.”
No matter the crowd noise, it won’t be like there are 80,000 fans in the stands, meaning the Badgers will have to create their own energy.
“That’s obviously going to be a challenge,” safety Collin Wilder said. “It’s going to be different, but at the same time, we practice like that every day. Our expectation should be B.Y.O.J — bring your own juice.”
Joe & Ebo Experience: Quick Triggering
Packers Exposed (0:00)
Clips & Callers (12:16)
Rodgers' Struggles (26:35)
Packers Insider Rob Reischel (41:37)
Former Badgers Fullback Matt Bernstein (57:11)
The Camp: Oct. 19, 2020
On this week's episode of The Camp, Zach Heilprin and Jesse Temple breakdown the first depth chart of the season, discuss expectations for Graham Mertz's first start, give their game and season predictions, and answer your Twitter questions.
Joe & Ebo Experience: Exposed Clunker
Wisconsin Badgers Football (0:00)
Exposed or Clunker (15:16)
Packers Woes (27:08)
Rodgers Excuse (47:47)
Sports Director Zach Heilprin (54:47)
Buccaneers 38, Packers 10: 2-minute drill
Aaron Rodgers played statistically his worst game in six years as the Green Bay Packers fell 38-10 to Tampa Bay on Sunday afternoon.
Game Balls
Offense: QB Tom Brady
The Buccaneers quarterback didn’t put up flashy numbers but he did what Rodgers could not — make a few plays and not make any mistakes. The future Hall of Famer was 17 of 27 for 166 yards and two touchdowns as he handed the Packers their first loss of the season.
Defense: CB Jamel Dean
The entire Tampa Bay defense played well, but Dean gets the call here because he made the play that changed the game. With the Packers leading 10-0 in the second quarter, Dean stepped in front of an out route and picked of Rodgers. He took it back to the house for a touchdown and it was the jump start the Buccaneers needed on their way to scoring 38 unanswered points.
In Case You Missed It
— Cornerback Kevin King (quad) was questionable for the game and ended up not playing. Josh Jackson started in his place.
— Left tackle David Bakhtiari (chest) was injured in the third quarter and did not return. Rick Wagner replaced him and struggled to slow Tampa Bay’s front seven.
— Safety Darnell Savage (quad) left the game in the second half and did not return.
— Aaron Rodgers’ celebration of his touchdown run (later overturned) went viral, as the quarterback paid homage to a Key and Peele original — the double pump.
https://twitter.com/thecheckdown/status/1317938118331305984
Inside the Numbers
3 — That’s the number of times Rodgers has thrown an interception that was returned for a touchdown.
35.4 — That was Rodgers’ passer rating. It was the third-lowest of his starting career and his lowest in six seasons.
45.7 — That was Rodgers’ completion percentage, also the third-worst of his career and the worst in six seasons.
2 -- That's how many interceptions Rodgers threw in the game -- the first time he's thrown multiple picks in a game since Week 15 of the 2017 season.
13 -- That's how many quarterback hits the Buccaneers got on Rodgers and backup Tim Boyle -- a season-high for a Packers opponent. They also sacked Rodgers four times.
0 — That’s how many penalties Tampa Bay had. It’s just the second time in franchise history the Buccaneers finished with zero fouls.
What’s Next
Green Bay (4-1) will hit the road again, this time heading to Houston (1-5) to take on the Texans next Sunday.
Wisconsin releases its first depth chart of the season
Wisconsin released its first depth chart of the season in advance of Friday night’s opener against Illinois.
Some takeaways:
* Not sure it needs mentioning but it's Graham Mertz so we will anyway. The highest-rated quarterback recruit in school history will make the first start of his career against the Illini. Sophomore Chase Wolf will back him up.
* Senior Garrett Groshek and sophomore Nakia Watson are listed as co-starters at running back. The expectation is that we’ll see Watson on early downs and Groshek serving in the same third-down role he has the last few seasons. Though not listed, sophomore Isaac Guerendo will also likely be involved.
* The Badgers listed the four senior wide receivers on the depth chart, but a fifth guy — freshman Chimere Dike — is the name you’ll want to keep an eye out for. He’s been the talk of camp on the offensive side of the ball and has gotten praise from both coaches and fellow players. Asked to name the biggest pain to deal with in camp and safety Eric Burrell picked Dike.
* Redshirt freshman Hayden Rucci is the second tight end listed behind starter Jake Ferguson. The Badgers will use more than two, of course, but Rucci figures to be the in-line blocking tight end this year.
* After retiring from football only to return a year later, senior Jon Dietzen is back in the starting lineup. A 20-game starter at left guard in his career, the Badgers have him at right guard this season.
Junior Josh Seltzner gets the call at left guard and junior Kayden Lyles will replace Tyler Biadasz at center.
Junior Logan Bruss started 19 games over the last two seasons, most of them at right tackle, and he's listed as a co-starter with fellow junior Tyler Beach. Entering camp, Bruss had been working at right guard.
Former five-star recruit Logan Brown is listed as the backup to left tackle Cole Van Lanen.
* The position held by Zack Baun a year ago will be manned, at least initially, by two players. Junior Izayah Green-May and true freshman Nick Herbig are listed as co-starters at outside linebacker opposite senior Noah Burks. Like Dike at wide receiver, everyone has been raving about Herbig on defense. The four-star recruit’s non-stop motor has been a problem on the edge.
* Inside linebacker coach Bob Bostad said this week he had three rock solid guys and he wasn’t lying. Instead of listing four inside linebackers, the depth chart has just the three, with junior Jack Sanborn and sophomore Leo Chenal listed as the starters, and senior Mike Maskalunas the backup at both spots.
* With Reggie Pearson unable to play this season, most expected Scott Nelson to reclaim his starting spot at safety after missing last season with a knee injury. While that might still happen, the junior is currently sharing the spot with senior Collin Wilder.
* Division III transfer Andy Vujnovich and junior Conor Schlichting are the two punters listed on depth chart. Vujnovich averaged 36.7 yards per punt last season, which ranked No. 72 in the country.
* With Aron Cruickshank transferring to Rutgers last January, the Badgers will use redshirt freshman Stephan Bracey on kick returns. Dike will back him up.
https://twitter.com/ZachHeilprin/status/1317943915111174144
Packers activate WR Equanimeous St. Brown from injured reserve
The Green Bay Packers aren’t just getting Davante Adams back in their wide receiver rotation against Tampa Bay on Sunday.
The team announced Saturday it had activated Equanimeous St. Brown from injured reserve to the 53-man roster and is eligible to play against the Buccaneers.
St. Brown went on IR with a knee injury and missed the first four games of the season. That came after the former sixth-round pick missed the entire 2019 season with a leg injury suffered in training camp. He did start seven games as a rookie, catching 21 passes for 328 yards.
The activation means the Packers will have four of their top five wide receivers available after having only two the last time they played a game. Adams will return after missing two games with a hamstring injury.
In addition to Adams and St. Brown, Green Bay will have nose tackle Kenny Clark back in the lineup. He hasn’t played since Week 1 due to a groin injury.
Cornerback Kevin King (quad) is listed as questionable, as are linebackers Za’Darius Smith (ankle) and Rashan Gary (ankle).
Running back/kick returner Tyler Ervin has already been ruled out with a wrist injury.
