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All season, Packers fans have been asking Aaron Rodgers to utilize short and intermediate routes. We’ve also been asking Mike McCarthy to run the ball more and the entire offense to score touchdowns on long drives. Finally, we’ve been asking James Jones to just catch the damn ball.

The Green Bay Packers’ offense did all of this on Saturday, and the result was a playoff victory over the Atlanta Falcons that will probably stay on my DVR forever.

If you asked me to describe the perfect Packers performance on offense, I still don’t think I could have described something as beautiful as what happened on Saturday. Consider this:  Read more... (627 words + 1 image, estimated 2:30 mins reading time)

• As Gary D’Amato points out (http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/113834124.html), the numbers only begin to tell the story of Rodgers’ dominance. Yes, he completed 31 of 36 passes for 366 yards and 136.8 rating, but it was his rhythm that kept the offense humming. Rarely did Rodgers hold the ball too long and rarely did he wait for something to open downfield at the expense of an uncovered underneath receiver.

• To top it off, Rodgers’ attitude throughout the postseason is something we can all be proud of. Like any top quarterback, Rodgers has a quiet confidence about him (it’s probably fair to call it arrogance if you want), but his refusal to get caught up in the “postseason monkey off the back” story really stands out. When Rodgers speaks, you can tell he is proud of how he is playing, but is far from satisfied. He knows he has taken a giant step forward, but is not yet where he wants to be.

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In triumphant fashion, the Green Bay Packers did the Dirty Bird revenge dance all over the broken-winged Atlanta Falcons today. Yes, there are 52 angry birds in Atlanta tonight.

Tramon Williams started the dance with two interceptions late in the first half, the second being a game changing pick six on an ill-advised play by the Falcons.

Things just got worse for the Falcons in the second half, as the Packers took the opening kickoff and drove down the field for another touchdown.

After that, it was just piling on for more points by the Green Bay offense, which was downright unstoppable today. the Falcons had no answer for the Packers’ passing attack, other than to try to blitz Aaron Rodgers.

That backfired big time, when Aaron Rodgers showed off some ballet-like spin moves to avoid quite a few potential sacks and complete passes on the run for first downs. Dagger after dagger. I think it frustrated the Falcon defense and broke their spirit. The rest is history.

My game day impressions:

PREGAME:

Falcons Fact: On 4th down and less than 3 yds in opponents’ territory: Falcons have gone for the 1st down 13 times and made it 11 times.

Was shocked to not see more down field attempts against the Falcons last game. Speed of the safeties and zero running game were the major reasons. If the Packers can make the safeties have to play the run, watch out.  Read more... (1249 words + 3 images, estimated 5:0 mins reading time)

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The Atlanta Falcons could be described as the antithesis of the Packer’s last opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles are often described as “explosive”; they have perhaps the greatest mobile quarterback ever in Micheal Vick and maybe the greatest “home run” threat in the league at the moment with wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Running back LeSean McCoy boasts a 5+ yards per carry and the rest of the Eagle’s skill position players are filled with speedsters.

To this end, this year’s Eagles ranked as one of the best at big plays of over 20 yards and Vick’s ability to buy time in the pocket and scramble often lead to more opportunities down the field.

On the other side of the spectrum are the Atlanta Falcons, lead by quarterback Matt Ryan who is about as pure of a pocket passer as there is.

At his disposable, running back Micheal Turner is known as a bowling ball and not as a speed demon and wide receiver Roddy White and tight end Tony Gonzalez, aren’t speedsters either but manage very good production with crisp route running and steady hands.

While the Eagles are a high-risk/high reward team, the Falcons are unspectacular, but they are efficient and error adverse and that plays into perhaps their greatest advantage for Saturday’s game: the no huddle offense.  Read more... (958 words + 1 image, estimated 3:50 mins reading time)

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Bring on the Falcons! The Green Bay Packers defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 21-16 in an NFC Wild Card matchup and now move on to the Georgia Dome to face the Atlanta Falcons this Saturday night in the divisional round.
One down, three to go, Packers fans.

In what is becoming a common theme in the Packers’ postseason opponents, they faced the Falcons earlier in the season. On November 28th, the Packers fell to the Falcons 20-17 on a last second field goal. It was arguably the poorest tackling day by an otherwise stout Green Bay defense as Falcons running back Michael Turner gained 110 yards on the ground and scored one touchdown. Quarterback Matt Ryan was also brilliant throwing only four incompletions out of 28 attempts.

You’ve heard it ever since the playoffs began: “Anything in can happen in the playoffs. Everyone’s record is 0-0 and it’s every team for itself.” Perhaps now more was this evident in the 7-9 NFC West champion Seahawks’ upset of the defending Super Bowl Champion Saints in Seattle last weekend.

The Packers stand one win away from their second trip to the NFC Championship Game in four years. This one will be on the road, playing either in Seattle or Chicago depending on the outcome of Sunday’s game at Soldier Field.

Breaking down the Falcons

It’s only been seven weeks since these two teams squared off so the Falcons’ tendencies should still be rather fresh in the mind of the Packers.  Read more... (1504 words + 1 image, estimated 6:01 mins reading time)

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