Jersey Al's Packers Blog

In this fourth installment of “Studying the Stats”, I’ll be taking a look at the Green Bay Packers’ penalty woes and how they may have affected results.

First, the cold hard stats:
Packers Penalties:

2009    118 (1)        1057yds.(2)
2008    110 (2)         984yds. (1)
2007    113 (4)        1006yds. (2)

Penalty Rankings for Super Bowl teams:

2009 NO (20)      Indpls (31)
2008 Pitt (12)      Arizona (5)
2007 NE (25)     NYG (26)
2006 Chi (5)    Indpls (26)
2005 Pitt (25)    Seat (30)

The numbers in parehtheses are team rankings in penalties with respect to the rest of the NFL teams. As you can see, the Packers have been top shelf producers in the dubious category of most-penalized NFL teams. Looking at the last five Super Bowl contestants, you can see that 80% of the time, the teams were not heavily penalized teams.  Read more... (709 words + 6 images, estimated 2:50 mins reading time)

In this third installment of “Studying the Stats”, I’ll be taking a look at how the Green Bay Packers average starting offensive field position came about and how it affected results.

Click here for…

Part 1 – Interceptions

Part 2 – Fast Starts

On average, the Packers starting offensive field position in 2009 was their own 32 yard line. That sounds pretty decent if you’re just thinking possessions off of kickoffs. But included in the mix is offensive possessions off of punts, defensive interceptions and fumble recoveries, missed field goals, blocked kicks and 4-down defensive stops.

In 2009, the Packers’ defense finished second in the league in average yards per game given up. So we can’t point the field position finger at the defensive unit.  Other than how much yardage your defense relinquishes, the next biggest factor in determining your average offensive starting field position is your specials teams return game. Jordy Nelson did an average job with kickoff returns, finishing 17th in the NFL among kickoff returners with at least 10 chances (an average of 25.4 yards per return).  Read more... (747 words + 6 images, estimated 2:59 mins reading time)

In this second installment of “Studying the Stats”, I’ll be taking a look at how the Green Bay Packers offense did in 2009 coming out of the locker room. In other words, how they started out in each half.

If you remember the 2008 season, there was much consternation about the Packers’ slow starts (here’s just one example).    There were also many Mike McCarthy comments about ‘fixing our slow starts” and promises to “work on” getting out of the box faster.

During the 2009 preseason, McCarthy kept his word. Along with working on the red zone offense, getting out to faster starts was a point of emphasis for the Packers during the 2009 training camp.

Well, I’m here to give credit where credit is due. Mike McCarthy’s offense made definitive progress in this area in 2009. The Packers had the first score of the game 11 times in 2009. Their record over those games was 9-2. Even more impressive, if they continued playing well and took a lead into halftime, the 2009 Packers were 11-1 in those situations.  Read more... (669 words + 6 images, estimated 2:41 mins reading time)

Looking back at the Green Bay Packers stat sheet for the 2009 season, a few items just jump off the page. In some cases  they are negative stats the Packers DO NOT want to see again. In other cases, they are positive stats the Packers would LOVE to repeat.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be taking a look at a few of these eye-openers and discussing what they could mean for the Packers in 2010.

Stat #1 – Interceptions: The Packers led the entire NFL in 2009 with 30 interceptions. In addition, they gained 477 yards and scored three touchdowns on interception returns, with NFL Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson notching all three.

After the 2009 preseason, I wrote that the Packers’ defense would be one that would live and die by the turnover. It seemed to me at the time that opposing teams would be able to move the ball against the Packers’ defense, so they would need the big plays to counter that. Either that or their red zone defense would have to be of the shutdown type, which as I recently wrote about, did not happen in 2009.  Read more... (606 words + 6 images, estimated 2:25 mins reading time)

Few things have impressed me as much so far in 2010 as Green Bay Packers cornerback Al Harris and the You Tube videos of his injury rehab. Besides being a fantastic idea to let fans in on some great behind-the-scenes moments, could there be any better endorsement for Al Harris, the man?

When Harris went down with his injury during the 49er game, the whole Packers defensive dynamic changed, with Jarret Bush and Brandon Underwood suddenly being pressed into action. I wrote about it at the time, and how it would limit what Dom Capers would be able to do for the rest of the season.

It actually started right after Harris went down. As I wrote at the time, “Two plays after Harris went out, Capers blitzed Underwood and Woodson. The result; touchdown to Vernon Davis over the top on a vertical route, covered man-to-man by Clay Mathews with too-late help from Jarret Bush. After the game, Capers said he decided to stop calling for pressure packages at that point to keep Woodson exclusively on Vernon Davis.”  Read more... (838 words + 6 images, estimated 3:21 mins reading time)

It would be difficult to dispute that Mason Crosby had a bad year kicking field goals for the Green Bay Packers. Among kickers with at least 15 attempts, his 75% average field goal percentage (FG%)  was better than only 6 other kickers in the NFL. Towards the end of the season, Crosby collected “votes of confidence” from Packers coaches like Ted Thompson collects wide receivers (more than should be necessary).

Despite his less than eventful 2009, Crosby somehow triggered incentives in his contract that has doubled his salary for 2010, from $500K to 1M. As Don King loves to say, God Bless America!  And from Mason’s perspective, God Bless his agent. What a great contract he negotiated. His client can have a bad year and still manage to earn a 100% raise.

I can only sit and wonder what those incentives were? Did he have to…  Read more... (867 words + 6 images, estimated 3:28 mins reading time)

Hello again Packer fans. After a brief hiatus to re-introduce myself to the wife and kids, I am back to once again discuss all things Packers. I have had several weeks to digest the Packers playoff loss to the Cardinals and their season, in general. As the Super Bowl (oops, “the Big Game”) approaches, I am left to wonder what might have been.

What might have been if the Packers had brought in some experienced DB help (not talking Josh Bell, here) like the Saints did when injuries hit their secondary. The Saints brought three different CBs in until they found the right combination to stabilize their secondary.

What might have been if Ted Thompson hadn’t traded up to pick Clay Matthews. Imagine the Packers defense without his QB pressures, 10 sacks and big plays?  Read more... (772 words + 6 images, estimated 3:05 mins reading time)