10/26/22 Hometown Broadcasting Sports Wednesday
26 October 2022 Sports
Wednesday Sports
From Wayne Mausser
Aaron Rodgers insists a playoff drive remains a realistic possibility for the Green Bay Packers.
“You’re … damn right it does,” the 38-year-old quarterback said Sunday after the Packers 23-21 loss at Washington.
Nothing the Packers have done the past few weeks backs up Rodgers’ contention.
The Packers (3-4) have dropped three straight games and already have matched their highest loss total from any of coach Matt LaFleur’s previous three seasons. They’re 2½ games behind the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North.
“I think collectively we’ve got to do better,” LaFleur said Monday. “We’ve got to coach better. Certainly the detail of how we’re doing some of the things we’re doing is just not to the level of winning football in the National Football League.”
Next up is a trip to Buffalo (5-1) to try snapping the AFC East-leading Bills’ three-game winning streak.
“I’m not worried about this squad,” Rodgers said. “In fact, this might be the best thing for us. This week, nobody’s going to give us a chance. Going to Buffalo on ‘Sunday Night Football,’ a chance to get exposed. Shoot, it might be the best thing for us.”
The Packers’ chances of getting back in the playoff picture would get a huge boost if Rodgers could recapture the MVP form of his 2020 and 2021 seasons. He instead is engineering the NFL’s 23rd –ranked scoring offense.
The Packers aren’t throwing downfield, enabling defenses to focus on stopping the run. Rodgers is averaging 4.2 yards per completion to rank 34th among NFL quarterbacks. Injuries to the receiving group have limited Rodgers’ options along with the loss in the off-season of Davante Adams and Marques Valdes-Scantling.
Rodgers is also dealing with an injured right thumb and working behind a line that’s missing left tackle David Bakhtiari and other players adjusting to new positions.
Rookie fourth-round pick Zach Tom made his first career start in place of Bakhtairi at left tackle, and the rest of the line had Elgton Jenkins at left guard, Josh Myers at center, Jon Runyan Jr. at right guard and Yosh Nijman at right tackle. Myers was the only person in that group who started at that same position a week earlier in a 27-10 loss to the New Yorrk Jets.
After failing to get a takeaway in either of its past two games, Green Bay’s defense scored a touchdown on De’Vondre Campbell’s 63-yard interception return in the second quarter. It was only the second pass the Packers have intercepted all season. The Packers nearly got another defensive touchdown later in the second quarter, but an illegal contact penalty on Eric Stokes nullified Rasul Douglas’ 62-yard fumble return.
The offense has scored just 24 points over the past 10 quarters and receivers have dropped several of Rodgers’ passes. The Packers have been outrushed 345-98 over their past two games. and rank 27th in yards rushing allowed per game (139.6) and 25th in yards allowed per carry (4.8). Green Bay also committed nine penalties Sunday.
As for injuries, OLB Rashan Gary left Sunday’s game and was evaluated for a concussion. LaFleur said Monday that WR Allen Lazard hurt his shoulder during the game and his status is unknown.
The Packers are back on the practice field Wednesday getting ready for Buffalo before finishing their three-game road swing November 6th at Detroit.
Meanwhile, during his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Aaron Rodgers pointed to the mental errors for the Packers’ three-game losing streak — Green Bay’s first three-game skid since 2018.
“We had so many mental errors and mistakes,” Rodgers said Tuesday. “It’s not the kind of football we’re used to playing over the years. There have definitely been seasons where we average four or five, six, maybe seven at the most, kind of mental errors or missed assignments per week. Some weeks you have like four, two sometimes. This season there’s a lot more of that every single week. It’s double digits every single week. Even on the game, we had like 50 plays or something — there wasn’t a ton of plays, they had 37 minutes time of possession — a lot of mistakes.”
Rodgers said on Tuesday it’s on the players, not coaches, to take ownership of the team’s struggles.
“I think when the players really take over, then you’re going to see the possibility of us making a run,” he said. “I’m not talking about the players usurping power from coaches. I’m talking about we take over. We take ownership of what we’re putting on the field. Now, some of that might be in the plan. Some of that might be, ‘Hey, I really want to do this,’ offense, defense, (special) teams, whatever it might be. But the other part is taking ownership of your daily habits and your routines. Just cause we’re a young team, we just can’t write that off as, ‘Oh, we’re figuring it out. The rookies are figuring this thing out. Are they gonna go through that rookie wall?’ And blah, blah, blah.
“We need everybody on the same page to make the plays that are possible. We need them Monday to Saturday to put in the time to be ready to play Sunday. Because there’s too many times in the game where there’s simple, simple things just are not being accomplished.”
Rodgers added more harsh words that should catch the eye of fellow teammates.
“Guys who are making too many mistakes shouldn’t be playing, you know. Gotta start cutting some reps, and maybe guys who aren’t playing, give them a chance,” he said.
Rodgers didn’t name any teammates he’d curtail the time for, but it’s likely clear within the locker room. The QB isn’t immune to mistakes himself, as he’s on pace for career worsts in passing yards per game (228.1) and passing yards per attempt (6.5). And his QBR of 39.8 puts the reigning AP NFL Most Valuable Player at 26th in the NFL.
The Bucks are back in action tonight as they host Brooklyn. Milwaukee (2-0) is coming off a 125-105 win over Houston Saturday night as Giannis Antetokounmpko poured in 44 points. The Nets come in at 1-2.
A Moscow court rejected Brittney Griner‘s appeal of her nine-year sentence on drug charges Tuesday, a completely anticipated result in a trial that U.S. and international officials have called an illegitimate proceeding.
U.S. officials have said they believe Russia will eventually send the WNBA star home in a prisoner swap but have expressed frustration over what they say is Russia’s failure to respond to the “significant” offer the United States made in June.
“We are aware of the news out of Russia that Brittney Griner will continue to be wrongfully detained under intolerable circumstances after having to undergo another sham judicial proceeding today,” U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.
Griner took part in the Moscow Regional Court hearing via videoconference.
In the ruling, the court stated that the time Griner will have to serve in prison will be recalculated with her time in pretrial detention taken into account, meaning Griner will serve about eight years in prison.
The youngest of the three Antetokumnpo borthers brothers began training camp this week with the Herd. Alex joined the Bucks G-League team in Oshkosh via a trade with Toronto this summer.
This is a homecoming for Alex who went to high school in the Milwaukee area. But it’s even more special because there are now three Antetokounmpo brothers in the Bucks organization. Alex said he’s inspired by his older brothers and said when he needs advice, he leans on those older brothers.
“I lived in Milwaukee, so it’s time to come see what Oshkosh is about.”
The Bucks G-League team Wisconsin Herd began training camp practices this week and an Oshkosh native is getting a chance to play in his backyard. Oshkosh North grad Blake Marquardt advanced in the local tryout to join the team.
He spent the last few years playing basketball internationally but is now trying to stay home and make that final roster.“It kind of hit me, like I could be playing here in my hometown with the Herd,” Marquardt says. “I’m a competitor. It’s in my blood, any drill, anything, even off the court, I’m always trying to be in first no matter what.”
“He’s highly efficient,” Herd Head Coach Chaisson Allen says. “He does and knows his role very well, that’s shooting and makes shots. If he doesn’t have a shot, he’s willing to get off the ball. That can fit any rosters.”
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