Packers Stock Report: Hundley, Adams Set the Table for Stretch Run
By ChrisWanless
After eight weeks without Aaron Rodgers at the helm, the Packers find themselves having done just enough to stay in contention, with all signs pointing to the two-time MVP’s return to the lineup in week 15. The last two victories were vital to keeping pace in the NFC, and while neither of them were particularly pretty, they both look the same in the win column.
Here is this week’s stock report:
Rising
Davante Adams: What can you say about Adams that hasn’t been said at this point? He’s been the team’s most consistent and productive receiver by a mile in 2017, and his two touchdown grabs—one to tie the game late in regulation, one to win it in overtime—against the Browns probably added to his already increasing price tag. It will be interesting to see whether the targets and production in the passing game start to fan out again if Rodgers returns, but Adams really has nothing more to prove this season.
Josh Jones: He’s been inconsistent at times during his rookie campaign, but he finished the Cleveland game as Green Bay’s highest graded player, according to Pro Football Focus. He made just one tackle, but figured in three pass breakups and made the interception that led to the game-winning touchdown. With the current situation in the Packers’ secondary, a late-season charge from Jones could really give them a boost.
Brett Hundley: Say what you will about the full body of work Hundley has put together—and there were definitely things not to like—during his time as the Packers’ starter, but it’s tough to deny that his clutch play directly led to two absolutely crucial victories the past couple weeks. Hundley was great once again with the game on the line, leading Green Bay down the field and throwing a perfectly placed ball to Adams for the game-tying score. There are seasoned veterans who haven’t shown the late game moxie Hundley has over the past three weeks, and if Sunday was his last game as the starter, he went out on a high note.
Clay Matthews: For all the talk about how cutting Matthews would benefit the team, whether financially or performance-wise, it doesn’t seem to bother the ninth-year veteran. While his impact hasn’t always been visible on the stat sheet this season, his pressure on DeShone Kizer on the overtime interception certainly did, and it probably saved the Packers’ season—for now. His 7.5 sacks lead the team and he seems poised to keep contributing during the stretch run.
Falling
Dom Capers: If there were a game to seal a defensive coordinator’s fate, we saw it on Sunday. At least, that would be the case in most NFL front offices. No one seems quite sure whether Capers will be around in 2018, and some would argue that his scheme isn’t as big a problem as the players at his disposal. The Packers only surrendered 21 points to the Browns, but they were flat out dominated at times by an offense that, coming into the game, ranked dead last in multiple key categories. When that happens, it becomes clear that either the scheme is failing the players, or the person in charge is failing to get the most out of the pieces they have.
Comments (35)
Tundraboy
December 12, 2017 at 11:09 am
DC. It's time. I for one want to see what a new voice, more energetic sideline focused coach would do with this group. It may not only give it a much needed shot in the arm, but also perhaps reinvigorate MM. Looking forward to at least that, and perhaps some draft finds.
Doug Niemczynski
December 12, 2017 at 11:13 am
I don't care who we get as defensive coordinator I just don't ever want to hear the name Dom Capers ever again what about Hue Jackson I'm not sure if he's into defense but the Browns have the 10th ranked defense so they probably won't keep him around being 0_19 over the past year-and-a-half and there's Adam Zimmer I mean there's a lot of coaches who just aren't good NFL coaches but they're good defensive coaches or offense of coaches Packers just have to find one cannot put up with Dom Capers anymore
Slim11
December 12, 2017 at 12:36 pm
Hue Jackson is offense. He was the OC and/or QB coach in Cincinnati before taking the Browns HC job.
One would think John Dorsey will want someone else in there as HC. You might remember he was the Raiders' HC when Reggie McKenzie became the GM in Oakland. Since McKenzie and Dorsey come from similar backgrounds (Green Bay), I suspect there will be a new HC in Cleveland.
PortlandMark
December 12, 2017 at 07:50 pm
Maybe Dorsey will take Capers off the Packers hands. After all, Capers is a DC and has head coaching experience. That may be the only way to move him before he turns 80.
OrganLeroy
December 12, 2017 at 05:26 pm
Adam Zimmer?
dobber
December 12, 2017 at 12:41 pm
With Josh McCown getting hurt in NY, it's likely the Jets will skid to the end, potentially making Todd Bowles available.
marpag1
December 13, 2017 at 05:52 am
Bowles? Do people still want him?
First of all, I just don't think anyone on a board like this has much of a clue about who would be a good coach. Unless we have witnessed them actually working with their team, what can we really know about their ability to coach?
Having said that.....
The Packers give up only 7 yards per game more than the Jets.
The Packers give up modestly fewer points than the Jets.
The Packers turnover differential is +7, the Jets is -2.
The Packers have 43 sacks. The Jets have 39.
In 2016 the Jets were 28th ranked scoring defense, the Packers were 21.
The Jets are perennially one of the league's biggest dog-crap teams.
Bowles is 20-25 as HC of the Jets.
How badly do you want Todd Bowles?
dobber
December 13, 2017 at 07:38 am
We can come up with a litany of really good coordinators who couldn't make it as HCs. Who ended up with teams that couldn't live up to their coach's pedigree as a coordinator, for any number of reasons...and the HC went back to being a coordinator and was quite good.
That said, I didn't have quite that understanding of the Jets current position...and I was under the understanding that Bowles was not calling the defense for the Jets. Turns out he is. Would you rather take your chances with DC in 2018?
marpag1
December 13, 2017 at 01:11 pm
I've been a pretty big supporter of Dom for a while, but it's just getting awfully tough to keep that up. My ideal situation is that we KEEP McCarthy - definitely - and yeah, find a better option than Dom at DC. It's not so much a knock on Capers. I just feel like the breath of fresh air might do the defense good.
I would NOT be very thrilled about any big changes in the defensive scheme. I don't want to waste time from ARod's career because the defense is learning something radically different, or because we need to drastically retool the personnel.
I'm actually a bit excited about the defense's potential. Daniels and Clark - tandem studs are always a big win. The middle backers looks like good run-and-chase sort of guys who can make a ton of tackles. I think King will be a player. Randall seems to have figured it out. Matthews has been healthier and seems a bit revitalized. The safeties as a group are solid and super deep. I think HHCD can get it together. He's just young and in a funk. Burnett is good, and there's great potential with Brice, Jones and the others.
If things go right on the injury front, why can't this D be good... or even better than good?
dobber
December 13, 2017 at 08:12 am
I can't help but wonder if HHCD's funk is because he's in the last year of his rookie deal. Is he thinking too much and/or making it harder for himself? I just don't understand how he takes this step back after moving forward the last couple years.
GBPDAN1
December 12, 2017 at 09:47 pm
Rodgers is back. Sundays just became more fun!
pooch
December 12, 2017 at 11:23 pm
Were is Kevin Greene
dobber
December 13, 2017 at 05:03 am
Hiding out with Carmen SanDiego...
...on a more serious note, he's a position coach with the Jets, I think.
Doug Niemczynski
December 12, 2017 at 11:11 am
I don't understand the Packers that one year think three years ago we had all the ankle injuries then last year I believe we had all groin injuries and now this year we're having all the shoulder injuries I mean it's like every year it's some type of exact same injury that every player gets something wrong here
Doug Niemczynski
December 12, 2017 at 11:20 am
I went Geronimo Allison and he gets eight nine ten yards McCarthy pulls them out and they run a different package in then 5 plays later he brings them back in again and the defensive players just don't seem to line up properly or know which directions to go when the ball is hiked I mean a half a step the wrong direction is he huge. Is Hundley a good quarterback it's hard to say he does a lot of things good and not-so-good things. He definitely has the athleticism but he's not very accurate on his passes when he throws to the outside the ball is on the inside of the receiver he always passes to Davante Adams there was one play where he passed a Devante which it was a completion for a decent amount of yards but if you would have pitched the ball out to the left to Erin Jones it probably would have been a touchdown also I don't know if he's doing the hard count as good as aaron Rogers I mean Aaron Rodgers always got free plays only needs to work on his barking out the calls to get that team offsides and you still having a little bit of problem checking down his receivers the place called the one receiver and it's the receiver he goes to every once in a while he'll check somebody else down that one high pass to Richard Rodgers the defensive player almost took his freaking head off when the past should have been right in the gut and still way way too many dink passes I know McCarthy wants to build his confidence up but it gets a little ridiculous after a while I appreciate the fact that Hunley didn't throw any interceptions but I don't know where he fits in the scheme of things is he going to be a 2nd Stringer 3rd Stringer does he just need a lot more reps and real games or should we trade him for maybe a draft pick I don't know I do think Aaron Rodgers could make an excellent quarterback coach one day that's all for now
Bearmeat
December 12, 2017 at 12:31 pm
Good grief, Doug. 3 comments in a row responding to yourself. Use the edit button, buddy. ;)
FWIW - I wanted Dom gone after 2012. He should have been fired after the Kap fiasco. Part of the problem is Ted swinging and missing on top pass rushers and CBs. And then not using FA to augment the roster like a normal GM.
But the biggest problem is Dom. We have better players than we are showing on defense.
Doug Niemczynski
December 12, 2017 at 12:43 pm
Well I know the problem is Dom Capers but we keep repeating ourselves every month for the past 5 years and Mike McCarthy doesn't want to get rid of him and yet it's the same reason we lose every time in the playoffs.
Does anyone think Hundley is our future quarterback yes or no?
freddisch
December 12, 2017 at 01:02 pm
Hundley is not GBs future QB
TarynsEyes
December 12, 2017 at 02:06 pm
Deep down inside of the Packers stomachs, they cannot wait to get rid of Hundley but hope that the heavy hyping of his ,ahem, heroic play gets them something. Please let's not start the 1st rd pick stupid stuff again though.
dobber
December 12, 2017 at 02:20 pm
Please continue to channel the id of all Packers players and management for us.
TarynsEyes
December 12, 2017 at 03:03 pm
i promise to do my best. : }
dobber
December 12, 2017 at 03:47 pm
That's all anyone can ask for!
dobber
December 12, 2017 at 02:57 pm
On a separate note: Max McCaffrey again off to a new team...
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2017/12/49ers-sign-max-mccaffrey
TXCHEESE
December 12, 2017 at 02:58 pm
Hundley is what he is, a young backup QB gaining experience. He's played against some pretty good defenses, and has taken his lumps just like most anyone would. #12 is the best QB in the league and it's not really close, so there is going to be a really bid drop off between him and most any backup. I like the fact that Hundley keeps firing. I think there will be some interest in him at the end of the year. His work at the end of these last two games is definitely something coaches and GM's will appreciate.
Davante Adams is going to make some real dough this off season.
EdsLaces
December 12, 2017 at 03:24 pm
I'm sorry, but to give Josh Jones all the credit in the world over that int is kinda meh.. There were about 37 other guys there ready to catch that ball. That actually brings me to another point....why on earth can't football players call it in the air like in baseball? I thought for sure that ball was gonna hit the ground and I was gonna kick through my tv.
stockholder
December 12, 2017 at 03:32 pm
His 7.5 sacks lead the team after 9 years. Why? Didn't we sign Perry? Martinez is younger. Ryan is faster. And where is the DL? Many want Mathews gone to help pay for Adams. BS people. Cobb is suppose to take a pay cut to help Adams. BS people. And Capers needs to go. Well 1 out 3 makes sense. But if he gets us to the playoffs. You might eat it again. Let's Just keep things in perspective. TT runs this club. Not the writers.
croatpackfan
December 12, 2017 at 04:15 pm
Why nobody mentioning Damarious Randall? In Rising category, obviously...
Coldworld
December 12, 2017 at 06:07 pm
Because he has already risen? Surely Davis too, since he finally made an impact?
Coldworld
December 12, 2017 at 06:13 pm
Generally, I think it is hard to justify more Capers. It just doesn’t get better consistently or address consistent defects from year to year, roster to roster. Also we clearly have not used 2 former players well, given the performance of Hayward and Hyde over a decent sample of games.
Taken together, for me these point to a clear case for it being primarily coordinator not front office derived performance failings. Therefore it should be new pastures for Dom.
Coldworld
December 12, 2017 at 06:13 pm
Generally, I think it is hard to justify more Capers. It just doesn’t get better consistently or address consistent defects from year to year, roster to roster. Also we clearly have not used 2 former players well, given the performance of Hayward and Hyde over a decent sample of games.
Taken together, for me these point to a clear case for it being primarily coordinator not front office derived performance failings. Therefore it should be new pastures for Dom.
RCPackerFan
December 12, 2017 at 09:34 pm
He’s BACK!!!!
Colin_C
December 12, 2017 at 09:40 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ4VgAneGzA
Packer_Fan
December 12, 2017 at 10:12 pm
Rodgers is coming back. Here's what I want. Rodgers runs the table for the next 6 games and wins the Super Bowl. Then Bennett can slink into his hole
HankScorpio
December 12, 2017 at 10:20 pm
He's getting a running game as a "welcome back" gift.
Ustabeayooper
December 13, 2017 at 02:53 am
The defense just got better with Rodgers coming back. While Hundley got 3 wins in 7 games, there were too many 3 and outs.. The defense ended up on the field too much. With the emergence of a solid running game and improvements in pass protection by the running backs and RT, the offense will control the clock and limit TOP of opponents. Our biggest problem has been getting off the field on third down. Hopefully we can take more chances on defense with an improved offense. I like the fact that we are in desperation mode.There is no reason to play it safe anymore. Release the hounds!