Unlike the last overtime game the Packers were in, the team got saved by the refs this time.
On third and long in overtime, far from field goal range, with two unblocked rushers coming free to obliterate Rodgers, QB1 tossed a prayer downfield where a receiver ran into a cornerback and got what would really look like a call designed to fix the game… if the refereeing weren’t so p!sspoor and unpredictable all year already.
The Only Thing More Awful…
The only thing more awful that the refs was the special teams play. It’s hard to watch and pay attention to how bad the special teams are:
- The game started with the Packers kicking off short of the end zone again, presumably to try to pun them back, but, of course, they let them out to the 32 because they’re terrible.
- The Packers first drive was their first punt – terrible angles and lane assignments let the Jets take it from the 15 past the 50 (but the Packers got saved by a penalty).
- After the Packers first score, instead of booting it into the end zone and trying their hand on defense, they kicked it to the 1 yard line and let the guy return it 99 yards for a touchdown.
- On their next kick, they still didn’t get the hint and kicked to the 5, letting the Jets return it to the 30, awesome.
- The Packers got a stop before the half and I actually said “Special teams are terrible – the worst thing that could happen is they would fumble this” … and they did. The personal foul was unfortunate – the gunner was coming in to make a clean tackle and Tramon – instead of calling for a fair catch in a situation that clearly and obviously warrants one (it was the reason fair catches were invented) – decides to try to field the punt by ducking down to catch the other guys helmet with his face.
- So since that fumble was overturned, they decided to fumble a kickoff return inside the 20 to set up the fifth Jets touchdown of the day.
- Packers got the ball back and punted, making way for a new way for the Packers special teams to look stupid – the Jets fumbled and no one from the entire special teams unit could get to it before it bounced out of bounds. That’s a fail on the down low.
- When the Jets punted with under 10 minutes left in the 4th, the Packers let it roll to the 6 and didn’t bother blocking the Jets enough to stop them from downing it
- Then – and this one was my personal favorite – with 4:42 left, Packers down 5, Jets with the ball on 4th and 2 in punt formation… Ron Zook gets a brilliant idea, something the Jets would never see coming: the Packers decided not to put anyone over the center OR EITHER GUARD, making it as easy as humanly possible for the upback to take a direct snap and walk into a giant gaping hole for an easy first down, which almost allowed the Jets to run out the clock and win the game. Just look at this picture:
On 4th and 1, Ron Zook figured there was no need to line up a defensive lineman over the middle FOUR offensive lineman. Oh how ever did the Jets manage to convert this fake punt with FOUR ON ZERO blocking!? #Packers #ClownshoeSpecialTeams pic.twitter.com/P6CstSDwzp
— Packers FTW (@PackersForTheWn) December 25, 2018
- The Packers got a stop and took a 3 point lead by converting a 2 point conversion (I don’t think they went for two out of strategic advantage, I think it was just to avoid putting the specials teams squad out there again).
- So, with a three-point lead and hardly any time left, did Zook say “Hey Mason, let’s quit letting them return kickoffs because we’re getting killed on returns because our special teams unit sucks”? No, they kick off to the 12 and let the Jets return the ball 50 yards, pretty much putting them in field goal range, ensuring overtime.
Worst.
Special.
Teams.
Unit.
Ever.
They need to fire Ron Zook after this game, then re-hire him, just so they can fire him again.
— Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) December 23, 2018
Interesting Foil
Watching everything that the Packers kindergarten offense has done all year just makes watching the Jets offense hum along so f#cking frustrating.
The Jets have a far less talented offensive cast, but were able to move the ball a lot easier – not because of the amazing individual efforts of players with superior talent – but because they schemed guys open and played within the system – they made football look easy.
Take, for example, the brilliant play design on their second touchdown: right after the Packers ran their quick screen to Davante Adams for the billion-and-twelfth time this year, the Jets ran the exact same thing… except the “blocking” receiver let both corners blow past him, then took off on a go route while Darnold pumped the quick screen and then lofted the ball to him for a score.
So simple, so effective…
I can’t remember seeing anything like that out of the Packers in a long #ss time. In addition to scoring a touchdown with that play, you make the defense feel stupid for getting burned and make the opponents offense feel pathetic and uncreative (because they are, in this case). It’s demoralizing to the team and the fans.
Brilliant.
I’d hire whoever came up with that play as our next head coach over anyone on the Packers offensive staff. On the Jets fourth touchdown of the day, they got down to the five, then hurried up to snap the ball with 23 seconds left on the play clock to catch the defense off guard after a substitution. 23 seconds!? Who knew the play clock was so long? No one on the Packers, that’s for sure.
The Jets moved the ball up and down the field without needing any of their guys to do anything phenomenal or spectacular – they just had well-designed plays that got receivers open.
Question of the Week
In our preview column we asked:
How many combined rushing and receiving yards will Jamaal Williams get against the Jets, who rank 22nd in the league in yards allowed (369 per game)?
Williams had 95 yards rushing and 61 yards receiving for a total of 156 yards, making the big winner @SwflPacker, who guessed 130.
Speaking Of…
Wouldn’t it be great if the Packers had a dynamic, home-run threat complementary running back to go with Jamaal Williams? You know, someone to take 10 carries and turn them into 70 yards?
Yeah, we had that before they started force-feeding him the ball until he got hurt.
I told you so!
Other Notes
Tramon can still flash at corner at his age
Jamaal Williams and Aaron Rodgers were the only Packers to get any carries and they both averaged over 6 yards per carry
It looked like the Packers main goal for the game was to get Davante Adams enough catches to set a team record without every throwing the ball to him when he was more than 2 yards beyond the line of scrimmage
Davante Adams had 11 catches for 71 yards, giving him an average of 6.45 yards per catch – barely more than the 6.33 yards per carry that Jamaal Williams had and the 6.4 yards per carry that Aaron Rodgers had. Of the other eight players to be targeted for a pass, all of them had at least 10 yards per catch except fullback Danny Vitale.
Leonard Williams getting tossed a s!ssy call by a league that is way to excited about personal fouls for being a contact sport
On the flip side, I love seeing a QB go shove a defensive lineman for a cheap shot on his offensive lineman… even if it wasnt much of a shove
Sam Darnold has some talent and he does the quick simple basic things that our All World QB doesn’t seem interested in anymore
Fadol Brown started on the defensive line and, like pretty much everyone else who plays defensive line for the Packers, got hurt and couldn’t finish the game – that’s how bad things are: losing Fadol Brown to injury is a big deal
Sackrell saved the first drive with a sack and the Jets missed a field goal – it’s ironic that, without that special teams gaffe, the Jets may have won.
Self-Grading
Aaron Rodgers gets 300 yards passing And then some!
Jamaal Williams gets 100+ rushing and receiving Oh yeah!
Jimmy Graham keeps on sucking Three for three! Popped up another ball that was picked (even if it was called back) and looked like a total tool on his end zone fade in the fourth – you know, the kind of jump ball that you throw at former basketball players!
Tyler Lancaster and Dean Lowry do a solid job so it doesn’t look like the whole opening day defensive line is out Yes, I was really happy with how they did, especially considering Fadol Brown even went out. TyLan really blew up the 3rd and 1 to force a 4th down with 4:42 left down by 5 (which would have been huge if special teams didn’t blow it again – see above).
Blake Martinez makes some hustle pays, but some fans will still refuse to appreciate him because he’s not Luke Keuchley I stand by this and don’t understand the haters
Safety play will be solid against the rookie I think “solid” is a good word for it
Special teams will continue to embarrass themselves (yeah, I know I’ve predicted this before, but it’s going to be my prediction every week Zook is calling the shots) I predicted embarrassment, but even I didn’t imagine it could get this bad
Packers 23, Jets 24 It was looking like it might have been this type of game, but I don’t think calling a one point game and seeing it go to OT is all that far off
So this team isn’t going to be this first 0-8 road Packers squad of all time. Sure, you can whine that it impacted their draft position, but I’d rather win.
Don’t worry, there’s only one more week of this.