GAME THREAD - Packers @ Falcons - 7 PM

[Wilford Brimley]

The night the lights went out in Georgia.

[paulpressey25]

I was encouraged by the game we played there two months ago. We've got a chance. Now time to execute.

[Wade-A-Holic]

From Profootballfocus:

Falcons RT Tyson Clabo was at a Pro Bowl level most of the season but has looked a shell of himself down the stretch and may be hampered by an ankle injury.

So since the last matchup, Matthews is much healthier and Clabo is a "shell of himself". Clay was as much of a non-factor as he'd been all season in the first matchup. I think it will be different this time.

Actually, it's pretty crazy how the Packers almost seem like the healthier team coming into this game. A lot of Falcons are banged up right now.

[LUKE23]

So f'ing jacked for this game.

[Captain Erv]

I won't be surprised if we win, I won't be surprised if we lose.

[Wade-A-Holic]

I've had a good feeling about this game all week long.

[LUKE23]

I've had a good feeling about this game all week long.

Same. I feel almost too confident.

[Wade-A-Holic]

I've had a good feeling about this game all week long.

Same. I feel almost too confident.

I'm even to the point where I could see this game playing out like the Giants game. This offense is due to put up a bunch of points on somebody and Atlanta's offense is easy to control if you make them one dimensional.

[Wilford Brimley]

Per Mike Ditka - Matty Ice vs. Aaron Cool.

[Aaron It Out]

I can not wait for this game. Is it seriously still 8 hours away?

[Mags FTW]

Stop the run. It's that simple.

[Wilford Brimley]

We have a fight song - who knew.

http://www.bearsstillsuck.com/lyrics.html

Go! You Packers Go!

Hail, hail the gang's all here to yell for you,
And keep you going in your winning ways,
Hail, hail the gang's all here to tell you too,
That win or lose, we'll always sing your praises Packers;
Go, you Packers, go and get 'em,
Go, you fighting fools upset 'em,
Smash their line with all your might,
A touchdown, Packers, Fight, Fight, Fight, Fight!
On, you Green and Gold, to glory,
Win this game the same old story,
Fight, you Packers,
Fight, and bring the bacon home to Old Green Bay.
- - - by Eric Karll, 1931

[MickeyDavis]

There are different game captains throughout the year. But for playoffs, the team votes for postseason captains for offense, defense and special teams. This year the Packers chose WR Greg Jennings, QB Aaron Rodgers, LB A.J. Hawk and CB Charles Woodson, and CB/S Jarrett Bush and K Mason Crosby.

It might seem that Clay Matthews or Nick Collins, Pro Bowl players, would be chosen. Or Ryan Pickett, Tramon Williams. Why Hawk?

“He’s one of the leaders on our defense,” said linebacker Desmond Bishop. “He’s not really your typical, vocal, emotional leader but he runs the defense in his own way. And that’s the A.J. way. He’s a quiet guy when he’s out on the field. He directs, he gets the call, he lines everybody up, and I think there’s a quality that he has that everybody looks up to: he never panics. He’s never flustered. He’s always calm, cool and collected. And when you’re out there and the game gets so hectic you need somebody like that to get the play called and get everybody lined up.”

• Green Bay FB John Kuhn and Atlanta CB Brent Grimes both played at Shippensburg and were the second and third players, respectively, following retired Green Bay LS Rob Davis, to come to the NFL from that school. Kuhn said it was a big deal for Ship guys to make it in the NFL.

"Yeah. We take a lot of pride in that. It’s pretty big, pretty important to us," he said.

"We spent like three years together. He’s really good. Was one of the best players on our team, yeah. He’s a pretty athletic guy," said Kuhn. "We keep in touch a little bit, knock a text off now and then, or an email."

• Believe it or not, the Packers do make the most of their halftime meeting, as short as it is. Coordinators and assistants hustle down from the press box. The offense and the defense meet separately first and then join together for an overview with coach Mike McCarthy.

“We get a good five, six, seven minutes to go over stuff before we have to go on the field,” said backup quarterback Matt Flynn.

The team has slides on overhead projectors to review the plays while some guys might get treatment and even IVs.

“They talk about any game planning that we need to change or anything we need to tweak with the scheme,” said ulility player Jarrett Bush.

• Heard around the locker room:

The issue of James Jones’ latest drop has been a hot topic. The receivers encourage each other and push each other. Said Jordy Nelson: “We’re hard on each other with the semi difficult catches that you don’t make. The easy ones that you drop, there’s nothing you can say. The non-routine ones, you’ve still got to make a play. When you drop a pass, you know it. Obviously. You know it’s unacceptable. We’ll try to get you to forget about it as soon as possible because you have to move on. But the next one is like, OK, you owe us one. You’ve got to make the catch. But we’ve all done it.”

Talking to Williams and Collins about the speed story, wondering if they eat light before a game to stay fast:

“I can’t eat anything before a game, period,” said Collins.

“It’s a preference,” said Williams. “A lot of guys like to eat a lot before the game. They need the energy maybe. They snack all day. Some don’t eat at all. I eat before the game but I don’t eat heavy. I eat a little something to keep me going.”

Bishop, on lessons learned from the first game at Atlanta: ”If we felt like a play was a good play, we should probably challenge it. That’s about it.”

[MickeyDavis]

the line is down to 1.5. Lots of money on the Pack in the last 24 hours

[Wilford Brimley]

In our first game vs the Falcons, we had:

-More 1st downs
-Higher 3rd down efficiency
-More total net yards (which means the offense and the defense both out played their offense and defense)
-More sacks

[Wilford Brimley]

http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Ar ... adder.html

Great read.

[MickeyDavis]

Yup we talked about CHFF in another thread. The guy was on Homer's show this week talking about INT's. He also said that while they hadn't done the same analysis on fumbles he said fumbles didn't have the same impact because they are more "random". I disagree. Fumbles don't happen as often as INT's but they still have a big impact. INT's are "random" too.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

I feel random is a bad word. I think it is more that fumbles are controlled by the defense most of the time. Landing the helmet right on the ball, punching it out, etc! Interceptions are usually bad placement by the QB. Granted that ignores Rodgers throwing perfect balls that are tipped to defenders.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

So jacked for the game today. It feels like Christmas. I think we are going to play really well today, look for Jones to have a monster game. I'm in Spokane visiting some Gonzaga friends and am going to watch the game at the local Packer bar.

[Wilford Brimley]

SO EXCITED A09SDUF90ASUDFJIOASDJLIGHASDJKGAJLSKDGASLGK;ASHD0GA[9SDUYA-4IJTO;GAKLNDGAJ