McCarthy would rather reveal his schematic secrets than admit he coached Sunday’s game with the bye in mind, but it appeared that’s exactly what happened.
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So now comes the week off and the two toughest tests of the season, on the road against teams off to great starts.
– Green Bay is off to a 4-0 start at Lambeau Field for the second consecutive season.
Rookie corner Damarious Randall batted away a potential game-tying catch in the final seconds, as Green Bay escapes with a 27-20 home victory over San Diego.
Well, the tandem of Philip Rivers and Keenan Allen were absolutely on fire at the beginning of the game, as Rivers found Allen for the first three plays of the game, getting a completion on each pass. They picked up 22 yards on those three plays, but then they were unable to keep the drive alive as the Packers shut down the offense and took possession after a punt. Rivers’ two scoring passes wiped out the Chargers’ 14-point deficit before they dropped to 2-4.
Rivers is the first quarterback in National Football League history to throw for at least 500 yards, with no interceptions and still lose. Woodhead broke outside, with Randall trailing from behind. “I can’t blame anybody but myself”, Gordon said, via U-T San Diego. We’re gonna get on a roll at a few point. They lost a heartbreaker Monday night at home to the Steelers.
Head coach Mike McCarthy agrees with Rodgers’ assessment about impending improvement.
The 12-year veteran tied Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger (2009) for second on the list for most yards passing against the Packers.
Rivers walked to the microphone at his postgame news conference on Sunday and sighed. “We knew we were going to have our hands full, but I don’t know if we would’ve anticipated the numbers he put up”, linebacker Clay Matthews said.
Gates had a incomplete pass sent his way on second down and Woodhead lost a yard on third down, before the Chargers took their final timeout with 20 seconds left before the biggest play of the entire game. Datone Jones sacked Rivers on 3rd-and-7 from the Packers’ 40 to end one drive. Rivers led them to the three yard line with four shots at the end zone.
“We just didn’t win the one-on-one matchups today”, Green Bay safety Micah Hyde said.
Where the Packers excelled, though, was in the red zone, defending the final 20 yards of their territory.
As fast as the Packers started, they slowed down their production and San Diego was able to come back. This New Year’s Day matchup was a shootout, as Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns to get the win.
“Packers quarterback San Francisco 49ers” Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes, and running back James Starks rushed for 110 yards, including a 65-yard run that staked Green Bay to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter. The other part of the offense, the one responsible for gaining yards on the ground, entered the Packers game ranked 29th. They did that nearly every play, most likely to see if we were in man (coverage).
“He was checking, seeing what we were in”, Packers cornerback Quinten Rollins said. Or one that has allowed the most points (161) in the AFC, save Jacksonville and Baltimore. “Plus, we wanted them to be old enough to remember it and actually sit through a game”.
We could get mean and mention a defense which was thumped for 8 yards per rushing play.
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One reason the Chargers were unable to seal the win could have been the injury to Allen who was driving the offense, but then fell on his hip and was forced to watch the end of the game from the sidelines. Jeff Janis did make a big 46 yard completion for his first catch of the season and Rodgers was able to go for the deep pass when Jeremiah Attaochu had jumped offside.
