Monday, November 27, 2006

Packer Gameday: Green Bay (4-6) at Seattle (6-4)

Monday Night Football with Theismann, Patrick and Kornheiser announcing. We've got a nice sleet/snow mix going here. And in case you wonder why "live blogging" means "posting with 45 seconds left in the game" I would like to point out that my wife needed the computer for her job and I needed it for a non-income producing hobby. So... I lost.

The MNF intro has a beautiful woman walking to the camera. All you see are hips. She's what my streetwise, city-livin' friends would call "thick". To no one's surprise they pan up to reveal Beyonce. She's purty.

Kornheiser speaks for 19 straight minutes about Favre and the game and maybe something about the weather and I can't really say anymore because he's still going strong and at this point I'm practicing my "shield throw" as Captain America on a game I don't own (Marvel Ultimate Alliance) on a system I don't own (Nintendo Wii). So both of us are kinda maxing out on doing pointless stuff that bores people. I have a wife by the way.

Suzy Kolber (kiss me) mentions that Seattle is missing their starting Center and Right Tackle. Between the two teams we have 12 linemen missing or something. I dunno, I'm fuzzy with the numbers.

Here's a thinker! Who the hell signs up to be a "fan" while Hank Williams pretends to play the "are you ready for some football" song? Even with Joe Perry, Little Richard, Silvio from the Sopranos and many more I still would have a hard time attending that gig. I don't know if I'd put that on the ol' acting resume. No way those are just regular people. They have to be getting paid. Also, how weird would it be to go from backing up Bruce Springsteen for real to doing 5 seconds in a backing band for Hank as he sings a tv theme song? Artistically speaking, Silvio is falling apart quicker than a play designed for Robert Ferguson. Bada Bing!

1st Quarter

14:12 - Chuck Woodson picks Hasselbeck off. The pass was "deflected" by Ryan Pickett's face for the easy interception. We start around the 25 but it's hard to tell with all the snow on the ground.

12:42 - Ahman goes off left tackle for 6 yards and a touchdown. That kinda rocked.
GREEN BAY 7 - SEATTLE 0.

By the way, Theismann mentioned that because of the snow this will be like a home game for the Packers. Two things - one, we're 1-4 at Lambeau this year so that's not good and two, at home the fans don't create a roar so that you can't hear while you're calling plays. Also, during the commercial we were treated to Pearl Jam bumper music, the space needle and a Starbucks showing. Wow, I feel like I know everything there is to know about Seattle now.

10:35 -
Al Harris cuts off a route and picks Hasselbeck off for the second time in the game. I'd mention where this happened on the field but I have no idea. A little help with the snow fellas? Dr. Z's gonna complain that I'm not marking the ball correctly.

By the way, anyone who got that Dr. Z joke is either a total football junkie or has a boring job like me.

The teams trade drives and look kinda sad doing it. With :38 seconds left in the quarter Bubba can't make a grab in the end zone but Kelly Herndon can. Dagnabbit. Unfortunately he plays for the Seahawks.

2nd Quarter

14:54 - Chuck Woodson, feeling sheepish about catching a tipped ball for his first INT, goes out and earns one by jumping a route. We're on the 25 of Seattle (I think).

14:41 - Ahman goes off left tackle for 14. They like that left side tonight. No huddle. Crap. I can't type that fast. Okay, 2 yard gain off left tackle again for Ahman.

13:12 - Third and goal from the 9 and they run the ball again? WTF?

13:05 - Justice is served. Rayner's FG attempt is blocked. I hate seeing us giving up points but we deserved that after that nutless playcall on third down. Fortune smiles on the bold Mike III, not on those who call three dives off left tackle with a Hall of Famer at QB.

8:36 - Seattle drives for a FG. At some point, probably earlier, they kicked a FG as well. That "probably earlier" comment was a joke as that's the only time it could have occurred. Just thought I'd clear that up for any Bears or Vikings fans reading along. GREEN BAY 7 - SEATTLE 6.

The Packers perform another ugly series with 2 more dives to the left and then a flare pass that misses Driver. Awesome. At least Jimmy Kimmel was in the booth for an interview to brighten my mood.

3:34 -
Another Seattle drive. Another FG. Another long look at the liquor cabinet.
GREEN BAY 7 - SEATTLE 9.

3:23 - Another run to the left for 2 yards. Other than a couple plays early we've run for 2 yards to the left like 19 times in a row. Is this some PS3 version of Madden I'm watching and it's got a glitch? Is the real game on ESPN2?

2:37 - Favre gets hit as he throws and ends another lame offensive series. On the plus side two yuppies are trying to sort out who got a Lexus for Christmas on my tv. Am I the only one who starts to sweat thinking that their wife bought a freaking Lexus and didn't bother to mention anything? What if I bought her something practical like a yacht or a small spanish-speaking country for Christmas and didn't tell her too? The overdraft fees would be barbaric I tells ya'. Where's the communication? Sure we'd laugh about it later but man, who the heck buys a really expensive car for Christmas? Particularly one with no style.

1:55 - KGB hits Hasselbeck as he throws causing a little wounded duck pass. Which promptly lands in Abdul Hodge's arms. 30 yard return for a TD. Welcome to the starting lineup rookie! GREEN BAY 14 - SEATTLE 9.

:28 - Another long kick return and a quick little drive by Seattle. Their drives are really boring affairs. Mostly because they start on the dang 50 yard line half the time and they only kick field goals. There goes another one. GREEN BAY 14 - SEATTLE 12.

3rd Quarter

12:39 - Donald Driver jumpstarts the offense with a 5 yard slant that he turns into a 48 yard TD. I replayed it on tivo and you can just sort of hear angels singing while he runs. GREEN BAY 21 - SEATTLE 12.

11:11 - Make a wish. If you wished for a safety to make a play you are a winner! Marquand Manuel stops by to make a play. He drills Jerramy Stevens to force a drop of what would have been a 30 yard pass on third down. Okay, that's one play Marquand. Now do it again.

6:19 - After two questionable calls go against us DJ Hackett catches a TD over the middle. I'm not blaming the refs, players have to play through that stuff, but it's still annoying. GREEN BAY 21 - SEATTLE 19.

5:29 - Okay, if there was a drinking game that required you to take a drink for every Packer run off left tackle tonight I might be dead. I'd certainly be hammered and there's a 60% chance that I would be living in a mobile home park in Reno... and pregnant. And I'm all man so you can imagine the type of drunkenness it would take to reach that state.

:57 - Okay, 4th and 1 for Seattle on the GB 20. They of course pick it up easily with a dive play to the fullback. Awesome. Also, AJ Hawk was offsides. Double Awesome. You can't get any more awesome without Mr. T being involved.

4th Quarter

14:11 - Darrell Jackson makes a pretty catch in the back corner of the end zone for a TD. Jerramy Stevens, who so believes in over-complication that he spells his normal name abnormally, catches the 2 point conversion as well. GREEN BAY 21 - SEATTLE 27.

12:45 - It's 3rd and 2. Big play. We need some sort of answer. Driver over the middle for 34. That'll do pig, that'll do.

12:12 - Another run to the left. Somebody stage a damn intervention! Seriously! If the drinking game was still going on I not only would still be living in Reno but I would be 47, have 2 kids from different mothers and I'd spend most of my time trying to convince the bagboy at the grocery store that Evan Williams whiskey is just as good as Jack Daniels. Knock it off!

10:54 - Perhaps because we are only playing with 2 downs thanks to our patented "waste one play of every series going off left tackle for 1-2 yards" we have to kick a Figgie. GREEN BAY 24 - SEATTLE 27.

10:41 - Seattle has 491 return yards tonight. They're starting on the 50 or so... Again.

10:15 - 3rd and 9 on the 50. Huge play right here. Cullen Jenkins bursts through the middle and hits Hasselbeck as he throws. No completion. Great stop by the D! And the refs call CJ for roughing the passer. The passer was not roughed in any way. Even Joe Freaking Theismann can figure that out! That was a terrible call. A go home and quit your reffing career kind of call. You're a reffing idiot you stupid reffer! Ref this!

9:08 - Pickett gets held but there's no call. Jerramy Stevens drops the pass. But c'mon, that's two obvious blown calls by the reffing morons. That 10 yard penalty would move the 'Hawks out of FG range and they haven't moved the ball without the reffing idiots help on this drive. Gah!

8:44 - Nick Collins pulls a hammy trying to tackle Shaun Alexander. Tyrone Culver is in. Whoever had "4th Quarter" in the office pool for when the Pack would blow the coverage for a TD has to be feeling 6 shades of awesome right now.

6:13 - Jerramy Stevens catches a TD in the back of the end zone. That entire drive was assisted by the refs. It won't be the reason why the Packers lost this game but man, it sure didn't help. GREEN BAY 24 - SEATTLE 34.

The rest of the game is a steady rotation of three and outs forced by the Defense and Interceptions thrown by Favre. Not our best effort. But at least there was effort this week. We could have stolen this one but the playcall on offense was terrible. I'm still waiting to be impressed by a Bob Sanders defensive effort as well and we're 11 weeks in.

On the plus side I did have this chalked up as a loss going in so I can't say I'm heartbroken. I'm not big on moral victories but I am big on being competitive. The Packers were tonight. We've got 4 winnable games to close out the year remaining. The home fans deserve to see some wins at Lambeau too. Hopefully we'll see it happen. I'm going to bed.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

So when do you think they'll pull Farve? Think that they'll do it at home and let him walk off? He's looked just terrible this year, I'm getting embarassed for him.

Packman said...

Have you watched the same games I have? He has played great, except for last week which he did bad, and the last quarter of yesterdays game. Other than that, he's been solid.

I don't think they'll pull him this year at all, no matter how bad he gets.

Packman said...

Nice post M.F.

That game could have been ours, too many missed chances.