Packers heading west to face the Rams

Kicking woes continue for Green Bay

Place kickers around the NFL are doing amazing things - it could be the "Golden Age" of field goal kicking - everywhere except in Green Bay, of course.

Braden Narveson is the only kicker in the league that has missed a field goal under 40 yards. Seeing Packers castoff Greg Joseph go five for five for the Giants this Sunday was just rubbing salt in our wounds. Austin Siebert, who was available when the Packers claimed Narveson, is currently 10 for 10 on field goals and 9 for nine on extra points in three games for the Commanders. That's like dumping an entire salt mine on our wounds.

How much patience will general manager Brian Gutekunst have with his rookie kicker? How many misses that help cost the team games (this Packers team could be 4-0 if they just make their kicks) will be tolerated?

Al Bracco has some thoughts on the kicking and all sorts of other Packers topics in his weekly column, Confessions of a Polluted Mindset.

Love's Career Day Spoiled by Costly Interceptions

Sunday’s game from Jordan Love seemed like a typical up-and-down performance for a quarterback making just his 23rd career NFL start. It was also his first start coming off a major injury. His rustiness in the first half wasn’t too surprising. In 16 years as the Packers starting quarterback Brett Favre never missed a game from an injury and in 15 years, Aaron Rodgers missed games three times from injury (2010 - concussion, 2013 and 2017 - broken collarbone). Love had a career day in passing yards and touchdown passes. It was Love’s third career 300-yard passing day, finishing with 389 yards. It was the most passing yards in a game for the Packers since Rodgers eclipsed 400 yards twice in 2019. Love also had his first career four touchdown pass day.

Unfortunately, Love also put the ball in jeopardy far too often throughout Sunday’s game. As a young quarterback, maybe it’s just part of the learning for Love. But in these critical moments, as was evident last January, questionable decisions can cost the team its season. For the Packers to get to the place it wants to get to, the 4th quarter of close games will need improvement from Love in this area.

5 Takeaways From Packers-Vikings: Jayden Reed Continues to Shine

There is no doubt about it, Jayden Reed has made the ‘second-year leap’. After leading the team in receiving as a rookie, the former Michigan State wideout is now up to 427 total offensive yards and three touchdowns through four games of his sophomore campaign. Reed had his best receiving game of the young season on Sunday, tallying 139 yards and a touchdown on seven catches. For a smaller receiver, Reed plays big, fighting through contact to haul in a score which finally got Green Bay on the board. There might still be questions over who is the Packers’ ‘WR1’, whatever that means, but it sure seems like Reed is simply their best receiver.

Be sure to check out four more takeaways from the Packers loss to the Vikings.

Packer Transplants 283: Time to lock in

CHTV co-founders Corey Behnke and Aaron Nagler move past the loss to the Vikings and prepare for a trip out west as the Packers travel to LA to take on the Rams.

Packers Vs. Vikings - 3 Plays That Make You Go Hmmm

Every week after re-watching the Packers game, Al points out three plays that made him go hmmm, for various reasons. In general, he will focus on a theme, the less obvious, or things he didn't notice watching live. They are not likely to be "highlight" plays.

Be sure to check out three plays that made him go hmmm this week!

The Pass Rush Will Have No Excuses Against the Rams

Green Bay heads to Los Angeles to face the Rams next Sunday. With the Rams' offense decimated by injuries, the Packers have a prime opportunity to capitalize in all three phases of their defense. The Rams enter Week 5 with the third-worst offensive line in pass-blocking efficiency, according to PFF. They've allowed 51 pressures on 144 pass-blocking snaps.

Matthew Stafford is tied as the most sacked quarterback in the NFL. Los Angeles has used 11 different offensive linemen so far this season. Warren McClendon Jr. has allowed nine pressures, three sacks, and four hits on Matthew Stafford, with a PFF pass-blocking grade of 31.2 on true pass sets. Beaux Limmer has given up eight pressures and six hurries on 126 pass-blocking snaps. Kevin Dotson has allowed seven pressures, five hurries, and two sacks on 153 pass-blocking snaps. Rob Havenstein is the Rams' highest-graded offensive lineman in pass blocking, but he still has a lower grade than Zach Tom, Elgton Jenkins, and Rasheed Walker.

The Rams' offensive line is not performing well, and with both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua out due to injuries, it will be more challenging for Matthew Stafford to move the ball downfield. As a purely pocket passer, Stafford's mobility should not be a concern for the Packers. If Green Bay's pass rush plays disciplined football and is able to get early into a rhythm, Sean McVay's offense could face a long day on Sunday.

Carry The G Radio - 10/1/24

Aaron Nagler (Cheesehead TV) and Bill Schmid (973 The Game) discuss the Packers loss to the Vikings and look ahead to the matchup with the Rams!

Check out exclusive Cheesehead TV merch!

Game-Changing Play of the Week: Pick a Missed Opportunity

Much like the week one loss against the Eagles, Sunday's loss against the Vikings wasn't so much the story of a turning point as it was a number of missed opportunities.

We had a hard time picking just one play that turned the game in the Vikings' favor. Really, there were four.

Two missed field goals: Brayden Narveson's missed 37-yard and 48-yard field goals ended up being more than the difference on the scoreboard. There's no guarantees that the game plays out the same way if he makes one or both of those field goals, but it at least is an issue that must be mentioned. At this point, there's no reason to feel any confidence any time Narveson steps on to the field, and the Packers need to be combing over all available kickers to find some competition to bring in. Narveson has missed kicks in every game so far, and the problem appears to be getting worse rather than better.

A dropped Dontayvion Wicks touchdown: Dontayvion Wicks had an absolutely awful day for most of the game until two late touchdowns helped pull the Packers back into it. What's wild is that, had Wicks caught all the balls that hit him in the hands, he would have had the best game of his NFL career. But a fourth-down end zone shot by Jordan Love that could have brought the Packers within a score with much more time on the clock bounced right off of Wicks' hands. Love didn't see Wicks breaking open until late, so he wasn't able to lead him, but he still threw up a perfectly catchable ball that hit Wicks right between the numbers. It's a pass Wicks needs to catch every single time. It's a completely different game if he makes that play.

A dropped Isaiah McDuffie interception: While it's hard to consider a play that happened on the first drive of the game to be game-changing, one has to wonder how this game would have played out differently if McDuffie held on to that awkward Darnold out pass that hit him in the hands. The Packers would not have given up a first-drive touchdown and would have been in prime position to take an early lead. The Vikings have rarely had to play from behind this season, so right off the bat it would have been a different type of ball game.

Too early for Jordan Love to return…?

Check out a great feature on Gathering Place Brewing and Carry The G Cream Ale, the official beer of Cheesehead TV!

In 2022, Gathering Place created a Packers-themed beer, called “Carry the G,” for Cheesehead TV, a digital brand that produces videos, podcasts and blog content for Packers fans around the world. “They (Cheesehead TV) had a trademark for this phrase that Aaron Rodgers had mentioned, about when you are a Packer, you are always “carrying the G” that’s on your chest, so represent the team well,” said Joe Yeado, founder of Gathering Place Brewing Company. Yeado said in the first year of production, every batch of “Carry the G” was pre-sold before it was even canned.

Now, just two years later, production of “Carry the G” has increased by 30% and is sold throughout the state of Wisconsin and is even available in Chicago.

In this week’s newsletter, our Die Hard members can watch an exclusive video preview of Sunday’s game with Aaron Nagler and Andy Herman. What do our Die Hard members get access to? Glad you asked!

• Exclusive video with Aaron Nagler and Andy Herman of Pack-A-Day Podcast

• Exclusive postgame podcasts with Aaron and Paul Bretl of ESPN LaCrosse

• Exclusive postgame written analysis and review from Ken Lass, former Packers Broadcaster.

• Access to our weekly Live Happy Hour (chat with us and other Die Hard fans!)

• 10% discount on all items in the CHTV merch store.

To get all of this, you can upgrade to Die Hard status for just $5 a month!

Subscribe to Die Hard to read the rest.