Lance Allan: Sports Glance with Lance
Packers Successful on the Bear Hunt
And Avoid The Dreaded 0-2 Start
It's early, but the Packers would admit after the Bears game that if they had any visions of competing for home field advantage in the playoffs, they couldn't afford to lose 2 NFC games to start the season.
It's clear to see two things. One, the Packers can get to the quarterback better than last year. Even against the 49ers, when the secondary coverage and communication problems submarined the team...you could tell they were more in the QB's face, sacking a mobile Alex Smith 4 times.
This time around, 8 sacks of Jay Cutler...3.5 for Clay Matthews, who can flex all he wants with 6 sacks in 2 games. And that leads to mistakes, 4 coming from Cutler's arm, two picks for Tramon Williams and Charles Woodson's 55th of his career.
And two, Mike McCarthy likes to gamble a little, and with his bravado likes to take a few chances. Fourth and 26, a fake FG as Tim Masthay pitches to Tom Crabtree to break the TD ice.
Other notes: Good to see Donald Driver's first catch of the year result in his 60th TD of his career.
Cedric Benson ran hard, 20 carries for 81 yards...clearly the 4.0 yards per carry much better than the San Fran game. Plus he added 4 catches for 35 yards, the 20 plus touches something much needed.
Jermichael Finley wasn't the only one with drops, but the tight end certainly draws the ire of fans with that and getting the ball punched out.
Brandon Marshall said good luck to the Packers DB's if they should try to jam him at the line. He should worry more about his hands and mouth, because it clearly fired up Tramon Williams and the rest of the secondary.
James Jones has a tendency to round his routes off, and not come back and go to the ball strong. That has to stop.
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