On today’s show, Andy hands out his full misdeason awards as we approach the halfway point of the season. Don’t miss it!
#Packers #GreenBayPackers #jordanlove
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17 Comments
Sul is the mid-season MVP 😞 Thanks Andy, have a good weekend!
5am pack A Day notifications hit different 💪🏾 Go Pack Go 💪🏾
Aaron Jones has the NFLs 57th most rushing yards. Less than 200 yards. For context Zack Moss has 615 yards. MVP? More like most disappointing player. Super likable guy that has been notoriously underrated for so long that he has apparently become overrated
Dang, I guess Andy suffered a concussion cleaning leaves out of his gutters. To even mention Jordan Love when we have seen QB's like C.J. Stroud and Will Levis look outstanding as pure rookies is absurd. I really like Aaron and he is one of my all time Fave Packers but his time has come and gone sadly. I do not expect a win tomorrow, Chargers are far better than us, then I will have indigestion on Thanksgivng Day watching the Lions destroy the Pack—then the Chiefs….not the best Autumn…lets focus on what we need to improve not bogus "awards".
Andy, as of now, what positions are we drafting with our first 3 or 4 draft picks in the 2024 draft? What will we take in the first? OLT? Center? WR? Safety?
A very fun discussion. I would have a hard time giving out awards due to so many guys not playing up to expectations or ability. I would give the offensive award to Zach Tom who has done better than expected and is a bright spot on a poor O-line. He looks to be a bright spot on the Packers future too. On defense I would award Rudy Ford for playing above expectations. Other than that tough to give out awards this year. On special teams I would give better than expected to Zanders Carlsen. His preseason was very iffy and he showed he belongs in the future of the Packers as their kicker.
Mid Season Review:
QB1
It's been a mix with Jordan Love. He was terrific in weeks 1,2 & 9. No INTs & no lost fumbles.
He lead his team back vs. Saints in week 3. He lost the game with 3 INTS vs Raiders Week 5.
Ran for his life with 2 INTs week 4 vs a much superior Detroit Lions team.
He was less than average vs. Denver Broncos in week 7 & in week 8 vs. the Minnesota Vikings.
He choked in enemy territory with INTs in last minute in both the Broncos & Raider games.
RB
AJ Dillion underperformed for first 5 games but his play is improving past 3 games.
Emaual Wilson has had some minor flashes. But his blocking is improving some.
The absence of Aaron Jones has been decimating to this offense. Their biggest star!
Last week with 24 touches we saw the difference he can make on this team.
Matt has consistently refused to lean into this run game. To run consistently on 1st downs.
Matt has refused to get Aaron Jones 25 touches a game contrary to popular opinion?
The MVP of this team both on and off the field. His success equates to the Packers success!
WR/TE
This team not lived up to it's potential yet on offense especially with the WR/TE group.
With a running game & much better offensive line play hopefully that will change soon.
I still believe Watson will be a stud as WR1 if he can stay healthy. If Matt will throw to him!
That Doubs is a terrific WR2. One of the few who wins 50-50 balls. Endzone monster for TDs.
Dontavonian Wicks & Jaydon Reed both have flashed plus contributed plenty.
Musgraves looks as good as projected. Nice to see Kraft finally showing more lately.
The loss of Tyler Davis was huge for this team. Josiah Degruara abysmal blocking has hurt.
O Line
The O line has been a sore spot for this team. Going from elite to very suspect & poor in 2023.
The loss of David Bakthiarti has been devastating. Hate him or not for being injuried & overpaid.
That on Gutty for giving a player with chronic injuries so much guaranteed contract money.
David Bakthiarti has been & is a HOF quality LT. His loss has been key factor in O line's poor play.
Josh Myers C contrary to Steno's & Gutty's accessment is not playing the best ball of his career.
If he is then he is one hell of a major disappointment for a 2nd round draft pick for damn sure!
Jon Runyan RG had shown so much potential but just continues to regress. Big disappointment!
Elgton Jenkins LG another has underperformed in 2023. Positive news past 2 games much better.
Sean Rhyan (Waldo) was finally sighted on the field last week. A very positive performance too!
Royce Newman should be chained to the bench now that we've seen Rhyan. His play atrocious.
Rasheed Walkers LT has done fairly well for a 7th round pick with no snaps last season in 2022.
His first two games were very good. He struggled allot next 4 games. Played well again last week.
Yosh Nijman 2022 starting right tackle has regressed. A very disappointing 4 mill bench warmer.
Zach Tom the one bright spot on this O line. His play has been consistent week in & week out.
Zach Tom is clearly the MVP on this packers O line. He continues to improve with each start.
Caleb Jones T & Luke Tenuta have yet to see the field this season. Might be able to contribute.
Defense
Gary's comeback has been phenominal for sure! Never would of expected him back so soon.
His play is as good if not better than when he left last season with his ACL injury. A stud!
The pass rush room is deep but overall has disappointed not getting home enough for sacks.
Quay Walker's 2nd year jump phenominal. Devondre Campbell top rated defensive player.
Isiah McDuffie also been stellar filling in when needed. ILB's as good as it gets on any team.
Same as the CBs were until Rasul got traded to Bills. But Carrington Valentine is shining!
The rookie 7th rounder was lights out vs Rams. Jonathan Owens also starred vs. Rams.
Another 7th rounder Anthony Johnson Jr. with a great performance vs Rams in his 1st start.
Jaire Alexander has underperformed by his standards in 2023. Last week was his best game.
The secondary Valentine, Johnson Jr & Jonathan Owens all showing some positive potential.
Rudy Ford has earned extension. His play stellar most of the season one of the unsung heros.
He would be my MVP in the secondary this season. He's proven he is a quality starter.
Back end glaring weakness coming into 2023. Might be much more depth in room than expected.
Other glaring weakness on Pack going in 2023 was it's run defence & inability to stop the run.
D Line has been much improved. TJ Slaton has been a monster especially vs. the run game.
Luke Van Ness hasn't dominated but quietly putting together a solid season. Good run defending.
Karl Brooks & Colby Wooden have made contributions to the success of this defensive line too.
Devonte Wyatt year two jump much better than 2022. Now ranked 4th in NFL in QB pressure.
The run D has look spectacular at times. Consistently stopping the run key for this defense.
Pack ranked top ten in yards allowed per game. Holding opponents under 20 points a game!
Is this defense finally reaching some of the potential it's been expected to for past few years?
Special Teams
The special teams has been a major disappointment so far in the 2023 season for the Packers.
The biggest reason for that has been injuries & way too many undisciplined penalties all season.
The kickers have also been unsung heros for this team. Anders Carlson's kicking been solid.
Punter Daniel Whelan is also having a solid year punting. Both rookies have earned their keep.
Keisean Nixon hasn't been pro bowl return star from last season. But teams avoiding him now.
Jaydon Reed has been solid as a punt returner with a couple of decent returns this season.
Coaching
My biggest disappointment in this team in 2023 has to be the head coach & his assistants.
Matt's play calling has been inept & inadequate ever since the team lost Devante Adams.
Continues to not lean into his run game. To run on 1st downs. Get Jones 25 touches a game.
He is also not getting the ball to his stud WR1 Christian Watson near enough in 2023.
The lack of technique evident on the O line. Poor hand & foot technique. Balance & leverage.
The blocking from tight ends has been inadequate. Deguara's blocking abysmal every game.
Rich Bisaccia suppose to be saviour on special teams but came into week 9 ranked 28th in NFL.
Joe Barry the most hated Packers assistant coach is the MVP of this staff in 2023.
His D stopping the run. Ranked top ten for yards allowed. Giving up less than 20 points a game.
Go Pack Go!
I thought we’d see more from Watson and Doubs in their second year. Disappointing. And I hope we see more from our first round pick, LVN in the second half of the season. Overall a disappointing start with too many injuries and continued player regression.
Andy, I think you did Carlson a disservice by not mentioning him in this video. Yeah kicker is a limited impact position to say QB, but the way he’s looked so far compared to training camp/preseason is night & day. If memory serves, he’s perfect on XP’s & only missed 2 FG’s. Not to mention he gets a lot more touchbacks compared to Crosby on kickoffs. Which for a special teams inept Packers squad not having to cover a kickoff is huge. He’s filled Crosby’s big shoes admirably imo for a rookie.
Aaron Jones as team mvp playing 2 of 8 games means they don’t have an mvp
Happy Birthday Andy Herman!
In light of this episode, and of the season in general, I think an episode on Aaron Jones and the value of his contract would be great, especially because there will be a debate about whether we will keep Jones and his contract next year. There is accepted wisdom that running backs are a dime-a-dozen, and that you shouldn't give a running back a big contract. Doesn't Aaron Jones show that that perspective is wrong or just missing the point? Since Jones has been on the team, we have probably rostered 10 other running backs, and none of them have been close to Jones in ability. I think it's pretty clear that while it might be hard to figure out which running backs are going to be good, it's pretty clear that a few are much better than others. I don't know if you can quantify this better, but I remember you had an episode with Justis Mosqueda where you talked about some ways to distinguish between running back skill and offensive line skill. In that episode it was looking at yards per carry on carries with positive yards, but just an overall episode on running back value and Aaron Jones would be really cool.
If you go with position adjusted EPA, according Sisdatahub, the offensive MVP is Zach Tom with 20 EPA. Aaron Jones is -3 EPA. The position adjusted offensive rookie of the year is Jayden Reed with 6 EPA. He is the Packers highest pass catcher. By comparison, he would be fifth on the Lions. The defensive player of the year would be Rasul Douglas with 21 EPA. Rudy Ford would be the one who is still on the team, at 17. By comparison, Lions rookie S Brian Branch has 25 EPA, and their number one defender is CB Jerry Jacobs with 31.
First half MVP and Rookie MVP are one in the same…Pick 45…Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Karl Brooks!
Biggest surprise…by far…Anders Carlson! Who wouldn't be happy if Mason Crosby had the same stats?
I agree with all of these.
The only one I think that isn't mentioned much and often overlooked is… Anders Carlson. I was most worried about the safety position and kicking going into the season, and he has exceeded my expectations. I would say he is an unsung hero and one of the best rookies on the team.
Points given up. Jacksonville and Jets are tied at 8th. Packers are 0.4 behind them in 10th. MVP coach of the 1st half…Joe Barry!
Biggest disappointment are the penalties bar none. So infuriating!