I can honestly see how the refs missed the HELMET to HELMET on Adams if that sort of contact hadn't been such a point of interest for years now. The worst thing about SUNDAY was Boger's team blowing calls and granting chances. This has to end.

After re-watch, I was impressed with Yosh's feet. He is still a little raw, he can improve his technique but this is coachable. His athleticism and feet make up for it as he can recover quickly. I am wondering if they believe Yosh can be the main swing tackle or potentially the future starter at RT if Tuner is a cap casualty. As good as Jenkins is at Tackle, I really prefer him at guard as he plays guard at an all pro level.

I am all in on Stokes being corner 2 now. He was solid, allowed a few receptions but he needs to jump King now and get those reps this season. King needs a change of scenery, maybe a new team, trade him to a team hit with injures at corner before the deadline if possible. Considering a chunk of his contract is voided and monopoly money, this shouldn't be impossible.

I also agree on Rodgers...his misses are more frequent now. Maybe inactivity but he is not the QB he was. Still a very good QB before other posters lose it on me for criticism, but the deep shots are too often now I agree. They don't hit, 3 and out, defense back on the field getting gassed. They NEED to sustain drives with a lead.

I didn't see it live, but you called it in your 3 plays article. How can you not include the missed block in the back on Summers on the kick return? That turned the game around.

I voted something else because i thought they were ALL just horrible, HORRIBLE calls/non calls by the Refs though the two that had me up and screaming at my TV as though they could actually hear me in Northern California was the hit on Adams and the intentional grounding.

Either one was SO blatant, so obvious, I find it impossible to believe they could miss it. That crew should never be allowed to work another Sunday Night Football Game...EVER. Put them on games in Chicago where the team just sucks anyways... Except when GB comes to visit that is.

I refuse to get into bitching about officiating. It is what it is. The officials stink, across the board. My God, they missed a delay of game by about 5 seconds in the Detroit game. That’s the easiest call there is. Roger doesn’t give a crap, bad officiating equals media hits. Deal with it, people.

Yosh -
I was first suprised when they started Yosh. I thought for sure they would move Turner over and have Kelly play RT. Then I was surprised on the first drive when they really didn't give Yosh a ton of help. Yosh did struggle a little, but he did settle in nicely. It did help with TE's and RB's chipping and whatnot. But making his first start, in a tough environment against one of the best pass rushers in the league, he more then held his own.

Bosa -
This wasn't the same Bosa that ruined our game plan 2 times a few years ago. But that being said our game plan this time was perfect. Getting the ball out fast, chipping on Bosa. Making sure he didn't ruin the game for us.

Preston -
Preston may not have a ton of sacks to his name at this point through 3 games (1 sack), but he has been causing a lot of problems for offenses. And not only in the pass game, but in the run game. He has been much better about setting a strong edge.

King -
My guess is he will be thown in the slot now, or if they move Alexander to the slot, they will put him outside there. Stokes is CB2.

Rodgers -
I think the offseason was a bigger issue then the preseason games honestly. Some preseason game work probably would help too, but I think its the offseason. Offseason is where you work on timing and other things. Rodgers didn't have any of that.

A-Mas-ing:
Just thinking back, how many coaches/GMs would would have gotten rid of Crosby when he was struggling. Since then he has been nearly automatic. I don't want any other kicker then Crosby.

Dumb and Dumber -
The part I didn't like was in the 4th quarter, the drive that they kicked a FG to go up by 6. It was 3rd and 4, and Rodgers throws up a bad pass to Adams about 20 yards down field. Whatever happened to when you need 4 yards you aim to get 5? Rodgers has the freedom to do it because has so many times before. I just would have liked to have seen them get the first time and bleed more time off the clock.

Barnes/Summers/Burks -
If Barnes can't go, I am in the McDuffie fan club. I get Summers has more experience, he just simply isn't good enough. I want to see McDuffie in there. No clue if he is going to be any better, I just am tired of Summers.

De'Vondre Campbell -
Campbell has honestly been a pleasant surprise. And I completely agree with Collinsworth. Without Campbell our LB's would look horrible right now. Campbell is a really good fit for this style of defense too.

Referees -
The calls the Packers got were at least legit. Not sure what non calls they got in the first half. The calls that the 49ers got were game changing types. Stokes 1st pass interference was a bad call but can at least see why it got called. His 2nd? That changed the game. They stopped them on 3rd down instead of getting the ball back the 49ers got 35 yards and a first down. The roughing the QB call on Alexander, when he hit the QB in the back with 2 hands. Another first down. And then no hitting a defenseless WR?
It was just a joke which almost cost the Packers a game.

That OL was pretty impressive. Such low draft picks, playing so well together. Exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed this game. It was a good test for a bad Defense. We had to see if this defense is capable. Campbell has filled a big void. But some of these guys just disappeared during the game. I guess you want to give them a pass because they reappeared in the end. But I can't believe you left out Lowrey. Slamming King won't help anything. ThInk positive. AND "How" did Alexander make that Int. Just Wow! No matter how bad the REfs were. I liked the fact; that the leaders on this team stepped up.

DeVondre Campbell was my preseason choice for the underappreciated/undervalued guy on this team. That ILB spot makes all the tackles, whether it was Martinez or even Kirksey, in the 3-4 and is on the field for virtually all the snaps. He's not an all-pro, but he's a better rounded player than they've had in that role (read: coverage) and he's durable (knock on wood). It's possible that if he continues to play well, he might get his contract reworked.

As for Barnes. He just can't stay on the field. Always dinged...shoulders, broken bones, concussions...but even when he went out, the Packers stuck primarily with two ILBs to keep Jimmy G throwing.

Mason Crosby has become so automatic that I don't even worry anymore when he goes out there. At this point, why would he even consider retirement? Consummate pro and all-around good guy.

I was all but certain that with all the OL picks recently and his inability to get on the field in 2020, Nijman's goose was cooked this year and he'd be a cut. I was as surprised as anyone to see him open at LT on Sunday night and expected they'd be shuffling the OL to get him off the field in short order, but he held up well and was a big reason why they won. I don't want to romanticize his play and won't anoint him the future at LT, but I'm eating crow on him.

Packers are looking prescient on Preston Smith at this point, reworking his deal and keeping a valuable depth player rather than chucking him for modest cap relief. He's a good player when used right and if Z's back is a continued problem, who knows what his future holds. I don't think he survives the impending purge in GB, but he might play his way into being a trade piece and getting the Packers a little compensation.

Great win by the Packers and lots of positives from many different sources (except the officiating). A concern continues to be MLF's in-game decision making. If he takes the field goal on the fourth and one at the goal line in the first half, there is no drama in this game. The Packers win without any heroics in the last 37 seconds. MLF violated one of the oldest coaching maxims in the game: Take the points, ALWAYS take the points.

The fans can laugh about this mistake now since the Packers won the game. But what if Crosby misses that 51 yarder? The Packers would have given away a game they should have won without any drama. Coaching maxims hold a great deal of truth. You never know how a game is going to turn out when you are making a decision in the second quarter. ALWAYS take the damn points Matt!!!!

The Packers made that game way closer than it should have been. Needing 37 second heroics and a 50+ yard field goal was not how that game needed to end. We should have put that game in the books by the end of the 3rd quarter. We were running the ball very well, quick passing well and being creative on offense early in the game. By the fourth quarter we were going 3 and out on long balls.

In truth I didn't expect the Packers to go out to San Fran and dominate that team and the 1st half. They showed me something that I suspected was there but not seen enough evidence to hang on to. We cheer the Rodgers to Adams show and Rodgers threading needles at the expense of a well balanced attack that, early in the game, really beat up on a good defense. I'll take the win but ask the why until the team shows that it can play smarter ball.

Excellent piece, Al. Particularly liked the "Dumber and Dumber" section. Just like when they went all pass on the two drives in the NFC Championship Game last January, those 3 passes and the corresponding 3 and out were a massive head scratcher.

How did Matt LaFleur get Rodgers to throw in 2 seconds. MM tried for years and couldn't get 2.5 seconds. This is really a game changer.

Excellent observations Al. Thanks.

Appreciate that someone else noticed the dumb and dumber. Seems like a pattern where we do that a lot in the third quarters. I’d also like to know if this is planned.

Al, good point about the referees. The referees who work the Super Bowl are chosen by their performance during the regular season games. Expect the referees who worked the Packers/49ers game to be sitting on the bench during this years game.

Yosh b’ Gosh - that’s why they develop these guys for years. Every once in awhile someone pans out and helps win a huge game. Good job by coaching staff & scouting dept.

Preston Smith - why they ever had him in coverage is baffling. Smith is good moving forward and setting the edge. Note to Defensive Coordinator, over complicate things!

King - as a backup he will be fine and there will come a time this season when he is needed.

Rodgers - He created his own drama and surely deserves the criticism. But damn, Rodgers can back it up too! Glad he’s here for one more run!

Crosby - The Silver Fox is aging like fine wine 🍷 but Tonyan almost cost them the game with that pathetic whiff that almost got the kick blocked! Definitely a Special Teams teaching moment.

ILB - Campbell has been everything Kirksey was not.
Barnes is steady but has shown a tendency to get dinged a lot! Burks and Summers gotta go! The Packers need to go rummage around at the ILB flea market and find a veteran backup that can actually play football. How the Packers can go year after year without addressing this position is maddening, maddening!!
🤨
ND

Dumb and Dumber

I was disappointed we didn’t do a better job of killing the clock with a six point lead and possession. I mean, burn some time and kick a FG to make it a 9 point game.

I’m a fan of our defense, but it’s unacceptable to lose the lead late in the fourth quarter.

Yosh - I was surprised that he got the start but he did a very solid job against Bosa. He could prove to be our swing OT once Bak returns.

Preston Smith is looking good. I hope Barry continues to use him appropriately.

King - this is a case where our defense is better by subtraction. The less King plays the better our defense will be.

Rodgers - if you are correct AL and Rodgers is going to get better every week the rest of the league is in big trouble.

A-Mas-ing - The Packers have a good chance of losing Crosby, Rodgers and Adams after this season. Yikes!!!

Dumb and dumber - this was the time to try to pound the 49ers with Dillon and maybe even a change of pace with Hill. Even a 3 and out with running plays would up more clock than a 3 and out with incomplete pass plays. In fairness to the play caller Rodgers had Adams on first down and the helmet to helmet call should have been made on that play. On second down MVS pulled up lame and just couldn't complete the play. He may have a hamstring injury. If we hit either of those passes or the penalty is called we're not discussing a 3 and out series. In any case I was expecting the Packers to run the ball in that situation. but with a 6 point lead MLF/rodgers were probably going for the dagger. We'll never know.

Barnes - concussed. Sommers and Burks can't make a complete LB if we combined them into one player. They need to be confined to STs or chucked.

Campbell - is all over the field and is a significant factor in our improving defense.

Referees - terrible officiating. It is ruining my enthusiasm for watching NFL games and is the primary reason why I am down to just watching Packers games while cringing each time a flag is thrown which is far too ofter.

Great job again AL. Thanks, Since '61

The helmet to helmet, maybe maybe not because the defender tried to lead with a shoulder. BUT, Adams couldn’t have been more defenseless. Going down stretched out with a defender on his back.
I think that was the call that was missed.

"To have the lead in the fourth quarter, and take three deep shots to go three and out and hand the ball back to your opponent - I can't think of a stupider thing to do in that situation. LaFleur? Rodgers? Who is responsible?"

I don't have any spackling to do, but I did wake up my wife with my loud reaction...

Something many aren’t talking about is Amos getting called for tripping. Did he do it? Yes. But they never call that. On the same play involving Amos, he was groped so badly it was like watching the Cuomo brothers in a hotel room full of interns. Yet the offsetting holding call would’ve been helpful.

Dumb and dumber, Part 1: Probably Rodgers, because he's been known to get antsy in these situations. Burned a timeout, too; luckily it didn't matter in the end.

Part 2: Not kicking the FG in the first half on 4th and 2 with a 10-0 lead. You're already ahead and you're not going to clinch the victory early in the second quarter anyway, so just take the chip shot FG and accumulate points. Luckily this also didn't matter in the end, or it would be getting a lot more attention.

Mostly agree on all you wrote (as always), but for me is mind bogling how they called the pass over middle in the 4Q at 11:42 completed pass as it was obvious that WR had help from turf. And it was confirmed after challange.

Can anyone explain me that. It was pass that move the chains for 15 yards (to 31 in Packers territory).

All other listed mistakes was somewhat explainable (for me all of them was intentional calls to keep game alive), as they are more or less on referee's discretions. but the one I called is pure sh........

Love your play on Al, with Oh my Yosh. Good one. Whether a person like Rodgers or not one thing is always almost true, he is Clutch. And Crosby is auto Crosby! Been watching Packers since 1958 and only game ever more exciting at least to me was Ice Bowl compared to Sunday evening!

Love your play on Al, with Oh my Yosh. Good one. Whether a person like Rodgers or not one thing is always almost true, he is Clutch. And Crosby is auto Crosby! Been watching Packers since 1958 and only game ever more exciting at least to me was Ice Bowl compared to Sunday evening!

Personally, I'm not all that worked up about the Adams missed call. Yes, according to the NFL emphasis it should have been a penalty. But at some point you need to acknowledge that there will never be a solution to the problem of having to make instant decisions on bang-bang plays that are pretty impossible to judge even in super slo-mo. And I watched it on the all 22 repeatedly from different angles.

There is something a little silly about this "leading with the helmet" schtick. As most people know, the head sits directly on top of the shoulders, and it's pretty darn tough to throw your shoulder out there without bringing your head along for the ride. And given the obvious fact that your head will never be more than just a few inches away from your shoulder, there is virtually no way to keep the helmet from impacting the other player. Did Ward's helmet ever touch Adams' helmet? I think it did. Do I think that Ward was trying to "spear" Adams with the crown of the helmet? No, not at all.

And on top of that, Adams is going down to the ground, and the two players impact at about belt level. It's not like Ward was going up and trying to hit high.

It looked bad because Adams didn't move. But Adams himself admitted that a blow to the head had nothing to do with it. "It wasn't a concussion," Adams told reporters. "I went on the sideline. They evaluated, and saw right away, I was straight. More than anything, on the ground, was my chest. I was having trouble catching a breath. But, definitely good now."

95 times out of 100 that play will be called. And it should be. This time it wasn't. OK, it happens.

To me, the failure to call intentional grounding is much, MUCH harder to explain.