Lessons From The Packers

[Enigmatic Evil]

Also posted at my BH Blog: HERE

Watching the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl last night really got me to thinking. How could a team that had FIFTEEN players on the injured reserve, a team that lost THREE more players during the Super Bowl game, win the Super Bowl game?

Last Night was a great game. Watching that game come down to the wire while the Steelers tried multiple attempts to come back. Watching Aaron Rodgers receivers make costly drops time and again while his throws were virtually pin-point perfect. Seeing that Packer D that was riddled with key injuries manage to hold together strong enough to keep the lead and eventually win the Super Bowl with timely big stops. It was a game that any football fan, not just Packer fans would be proud to watch.

Looking back to our team last year which was often in a similar position, especially down the stretch. We had the most players on the IR out of the entire NFL, when those injuries became too much they could be argued as one of the lead contributors that cost Eric Mangini his job as our HC. This isn't about that, just a fair point.

It was the Packer's DEPTH that won them that Super Bowl. When Charles Woodson wen down, that was a bit of a heart stopper moment. the Packers D even seemed to feel the immediate aftershock of that as the Steelers then marched down the field for a Touchdown that seemed rather unrivaled. When the chips were down though, the Packers D kept the Steeler offense in check. It was their Depth that kept them in that. If we were in those shoes, and two of our core elements of our secondary went down. We would have virtually thrown in the towel.

The Packers are a model mold for ALL NFL franchises that are looking to turn it around. Their team was built through the draft, with key Free Agents such as Charles Woodson that were brought in for leadership.

The point in the end here is that we are just beginning our turn around. This is year two. The off-season will give way to the eventual CBA crisis eventually and I expect that will put most everything on hold. We had a great draft last year and if we can continue to build the team with drafts like we had in 2010, we WILL have a team that we will be proud to cheer for, for reasons beyond simple pride and spirit for the Brown and Orange.

We have some of the pieces in place. We've got Mr. McCoy who is a good young QB who will only improve. We've got two important pieces of our secondary in Ward and Haden. A YOUNG D-Lineman in Rubin with more up-side as well IMO. We've got some younger pro-bowl studs as the core of our offensive line which will need to be added upon. I know at times it looks bleak but the foundation the Browns are establishing is what will make us a success in the future.

We will add play makers on both sides of the ball we will eventually add depth to all positions and maybe, just maybe we will have a team that can win close ball games and fight through injuries and MAKE the Playoffs and heaven forbid, make a splash in the Playoffs.

These are lessons learned from the Super Bowl champions. THIS is why I believe the future is bright for the Cleveland Browns.

[Brown Warrior]

Aaron Rodgers is playing at a level that, like Peyton Manning in Indy, can make up for a lot of injuries and shortcomings. Every player matters... but none can make a fraction of the impact that a quarterback can. So if you're "grading" the strength of your team at each position, you have to triple weight the QB position.

Having a 10 at tight end, like Gonzales, is worth 10. Having a 10 at QB, like Rodgers or Manning or Brees or Brady, is worth 30. Having a great quarterback means WAY more than having a great TE or left guard or running back or safety or linebacker.

Having a great defense on the whole... much bigger deal.

And if you have a 4 at QB, you're not behind Rodgers by 6 points... you're behind Rodgers by 30 to 12. It realistically measures the difference in impact on the bottom line.

[YtownBacker]

AS important as a QB is to winning in the NFL, you have to have a defense to stop the other team or you can't win consistantly. Throughout a years schedule you face about 8 very good QBs, if you can't stop or control them you can't win most times. Might be fun to watch a shootout but only teams that can play defense go to the big dance.

Don't get me wrong, you got to be able to score and that starts with a good QB but you also have to be able to stop the other team also. As good as Rogers was last night, the defense created turnovers and put 21 points on the board.

So, as stated on the board elsewhere, it's about balance. You got to be able to play on both sides of the ball or you will come up short.

[Brown Warrior]

Originally Posted by YtownBacker

AS important as a QB is to winning in the NFL, you have to have a defense to stop the other team or you can't win consistantly. Throughout a years schedule you face about 8 very good QBs, if you can't stop or control them you can't win most times. Might be fun to watch a shootout but only teams that can play defense go to the big dance.

Don't get me wrong, you got to be able to score and that starts with a good QB but you also have to be able to stop the other team also. As good as Rogers was last night, the defense created turnovers and put 21 points on the board.

So, as stated on the board elsewhere, it's about balance. You got to be able to play on both sides of the ball or you will come up short.

I agree.

[Enigmatic Evil]

Quarterback had VERY little to do with the point of my post but I'm glad you took of it what you would.

My point was that the DEPTH of a team matters when you are gunning for a Super Bowl. DEPTH was our major weakness this past season. In conjunction with that importance of Depth, I think we have a blossoming young core that will be built upon and hopefully can compete at the highest of levels in what is one of the toughest divisions in football.

[Brown Warrior]

Originally Posted by Enigmatic Evil

Quarterback had VERY little to do with the point of my post but I'm glad you took of it what you would.

My point was that the DEPTH of a team matters when you are gunning for a Super Bowl. DEPTH was our major weakness this past season. In conjunction with that importance of Depth, I think we have a blossoming young core that will be built upon and hopefully can compete at the highest of levels in what is one of the toughest divisions in football.

I was countering. Aaron Rodgers is the reason the Packers could still win after losing Finley, Grant, Barnett, and even Driver and half their defensive backfield. I don't think i t was whoever played TE and while Starks was good for 10 carries, I think he can thank Rodgers, too... because that's who defenses were worried about.

Rodgers is that good. Just like Manning could keep winning after Clark and all his WRs were injured and his defense sucked and they had no running game at all. It defies gravity and just about everything else.

[Sez.EJ]

Lessons I learned from the Packers:

1. If your WR's drop the ball, keep throwing it to them..they will make the plays to help you win games..Lesson: Getting rid of Braylon was a big mistake and we paid dearly for the lack of a real playmaker who is young and still getting better. We are again searching for a #1 WR when we had one.

2. Turning the ball over..wins games. Pressure on the QB caused 2 int's..one was a pick 6. All 3 Greenbay TD's came directly after turnovers

3. Defense is wins championships. See above turnovers. Additionally One of the TD's thown by Aaron Rogers was against a backup db when the starter went out of the game for just 2 plays. That shows how critical having top defensive players is. Also, the Packers won the battle in putting pressure on the QB..Neither team sacked the other much..but the Packers succeeded in hitting Pigben, moving him out of the pocket and generally making him uncomfortable. Pittsuburgh's D was unable to do that well against Rogers and he beat them. Defense,,, or lack thereof by Pittsburgh.. results in a win by the Packers.
* 3A.. having quality depth is critical.. Pittsurghs backup DB gave up a td within 2 plays.. GB's backup db got a sack on a blitz and did not give up any big plays.

4. Rogers is crazy accurate. and Green Bay's only mistake if giving up on the run game after the first quarter when they were averaging over 5 yards per carry.

[dogpaddle]

The two lessons I learned from the Packers:

1) It's nice to have a stud QB drop down to you in the draft.
2) Draft a Matthews whenever possible. They are locks to be studs thanks to family DNA or something.

[Enigmatic Evil]

Sez that's a good point about the WR's. I don't know if Braylon really had it in him to be a threat at any level but there is a small feeling we might have just given up on him to get his cancerous attitude out of the Locker Room, Mangini style.

The praise for Aaron Rodgers is what gives me hope for Colt McCoy. Not that McCoy is at THAT level but his accuracy is one of his biggest attributes and he will only continue to get better as he works at it. The added confidence of being our #1 QB going into camp (presuming there IS a camp this year) will only help him grow, IMO.

[Sez.EJ]

McCoy is never going to have that huge gun Rogers has....Don't take this the wrong way as it's a real reach..McCoy is more of a Montana style. accurate..can move, smart, and has enough arm to make all the throws.. At what level he ends up who knows.. It won't be for his lack of work ethic though.. I believe he will work hard enough tomake the most out of whatever talent he has.. I think that can be pretty darned good..

[Enigmatic Evil]

I agree completely. I really don't like all these Aaron Rogers comparisons which are really only warranted on the basis that Rodgers is maybe one of the most accurate starting QB's in the NFL and McCoy has pretty good accuracy in his skill set. I agree, he will grow to become a much different QB from Rogers.