Morning Buzz: How Packers turned it around
Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com. Grab a cup of coffee (or brew some tea, if that’s your thing) and get caught up on everything you need to know about the Packers.
The Packers pulled themselves out of a month-long descent into oblivion with a victory in Philadelphia last night. Pete Dougherty keeps things in perspective with his postgame column.
The talk of firings should die down for a week.
But as we’ve seen watching the ups and downs of the Packers’ season, one good week doesn’t count for much in this league other than putting one up in the win column. It will take a string of them to make a real statement.
Bob McGinn points to the Packers’ efficiency as a key role in their victory over the Eagles.
Discounting two kneel-down possessions at the end of each half, the Packers scored on five of their six other series while converting 10 of 14 third downs.
The Eagles, with a defense ranked fourth in points and eighth in yards, had won all four of their home games by allowing merely 38 points.
This time, they couldn’t get off the field (the Packers’ possession time was 35 minutes, 23 seconds) largely because their rush was stymied by the Packers’ stellar offensive line and instant-rhythm passing.
That stellar offensive line Bob mentions is the subject of this great post from Tom Silverstein.
Ryan Wood takes an extensive look at the long fourth-quarter field goal drive that essentially sealed the game for the Packers.
While Clay Matthews finished the game, it was clear in the postgame locker room that he was not 100 percent. Michael Cohen has the latest on Matthews’ injury.
Speaking of Matthews, this shot from our Dan Powers is not to be missed
Also on the injury front, Silverstein has the latest on the hamstring issue Aaron Rodgers had to deal with for most of the second half.
Great look at the Packers’ success on third down last night from Michael Cohen.
In fact, the Packers were better than pretty much everyone in the league on third down last night:
I took questions on Facebook after the game:
After the game, Jayrone Elliott took to Twitter to comment on his close call on special teams.
Over at Sports Illustrated, Mitch Goldich writes this is how most people thought the Packers would look like back in the summer.
Losing to the Packers may illuminate certain things for the Eagles:
The Eagles didn’t want to put it all on Carson Wentz, but they ended up needing to:
Don’t worry, Eagles fans. You’re not the first team whose season Rodgers basically ended:
At one point in the second half, Rodgers disappeared into a tent on the sideline. Why? What was he doing? What mysterious task was the two-time league MVP undertaking? Former Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk put an end to the mystery.
AJ Hawk (@OfficialAJHawk) | Twitter
Rodgers himself addressed the tent in his postgame presser:
Rodgers did something last night that no other QB has done this season:
Speaking of Rodgers, this touchdown throw to Davante Adams was absolutely absurd:
Jon Gruden gave Adams some love:
Aaron Ripkowski scored his first NFL touchdown last night:
The Packers got the last laugh, but the Eagles started the evening by laughing at the Packers:
Yes, it’s only one win. But the playoffs are still a possibility for the Packers because of it: