After re-watching the Packers game, here are three plays that made me go hmmm, for various reasons. In general, I either focus on a theme, more nuanced observations, or just things I didn't notice watching live. These can be but are less likely to be "highlight" plays. I present these to you with a short explanation why I picked them and then let you readers discuss the plays.
Note: I was planning to feature the Evan Williams interception to show you how the secondary shifted post-snap, but Dusty Evely did a full examination which we published here on Monday. Definitely check it out if you haven't seen it.
Edgerrin Cooper - As we could have expected, Edgerrin Cooper was all over the field making plays on Sunday. While there were more impactful plays from Cooper, this was one that stood out for me. Jamyr Gibbs is a heckuva running back. He's got moves that can break a lot of ankles and is almost impossible to bring down one-on-one in the open field. Edgerrin Cooper is a linebacker who is so athletic, even Jamyr Gibbs can't escape him. Cooper closes the space between himself and Gibbs without being out of control and is able to grab his legs and bring down Gibbs. Few NFL linebackers could do this.
Lukas Van Ness - As soon as the unfathomable Micah Parsons news broke, my thoughts immediately went to Lukas Van Ness and what this would mean for him. My first thought was that you would see him line up inside in passing situations together with Devante Wyatt while Parsons and Gary man the edges. That's a lot of pass rush firepower. Van Ness's job would be to use his power rush to collapse the pocket and that's exactly what he does here. Van Ness walks the guard right back into Goff and ends up sharing the sack with Rashan Gary.
Situational Awareness - This is a long standing pet peeve of mine - taking poor percentage shots down the field and ending drives when the situation calls for keeping the drive going. Here's the situation: The third quarter is ending and the Packers lead by eleven points. After a fast start in the first half, the offense had been faltering. The previous two possessions to this one were three and outs. This possession started on the 15 yard line and they used eight plays to get to the Detroit 47 yard line, including a lucky break when Branch's pick six got called back for a penalty. It would make a ton of sense (to Coach Al) to keep the drive going, kill more clock and hopefully pad your lead. Throwing a deep ball to a well-covered receiver on third and five would only make sense if you are planning to go for it on fourth down anyway. But that's not what happened. The pass was incomplete and they punted the ball. Note, I'm not saying they should have gone for it on fourth down there, just that it would be a justification for taking a shot on third and five. For my money, you look for short to intermediate routes that would get you a first down and keep the drive going. OK, I hear some of you saying, "If he caught it, you wouldn't be complaining." You're right, I'd be happy with the result, but I'd still think it was the wrong decision.