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The Packers offense. Where do I start? Well, let me say first that the offense does not revolve solely around Aaron Rodgers. As good as Rodgers is at QB, he's not the only key to what makes this offense work: a large part of it depends on what the defense gives them to exploit.
In the Packers' game against Chicago, you would think that Mike McCarthy would call on Rodgers to pass for the majority of the snaps against a weak and suspect Cover-2. Out of the 65 offensive plays in the game, 26 were runs while 39 were passes - another indication that this offense isn't necessarily an "air-it-out" one like in the past four seasons.
Versatility is also a common theme in the offense. One main reason they are in 11 personnel (1 TE, 1 RB) so often is that it allows them to move into other formations with motions or audibles. Having 11 personnel on the field also disguises what potential formations that could move in, which in turn forces the defense to over- or under-adjust. For example, the 2nd string TE Tom Crabtree has played plenty of snaps at FB after being motioned from in the slot. WR Randall Cobb will occasionally slide in at RB and even get a few carries during no huddle situations. Whatever the offense can do to confuse the defense, the Packers will try to exploit - a point that was made clear last Thursday when the Packers faked a field goal for a TD.
A large part of why this works, and why the Packers are able to never fall out of the top-10 in offenses since 2007, is consistency. Of the 24 offensive players currently on the roster, only four (C Jeff Saturday, RB Cedric Benson, FB John Kuhn and TE Tom Crabtree) were not originally drafted or signed by the Packers in the first year. Consequently, six of the eleven starters on offense were on the team four years ago -- back when Rodgers made his first start. Add to the fact that five offensive assistant coaches that McCarthy brought with him in 2006 are still under his leadership, and you can't help but draw comparisons to previous offenses with such expertise, namely the 49ers under Montana / Walsh, the Colts under Manning / Moore and the Patriots under Brady / Belichick.
Diversity through consistency. In other words, they are so comfortable knowing what works and what doesn't, that they could take all the risks they want and still come back strong when necessary. If the Seahawks were to successfully compete against them, Pete has to make his adjustments - particularly within the D-Line - carefully and efficiently.
Green Bay Vs. Chicago Charting & Notes:
Bears at Packers Drive Chart, Week 2, 2012
Offense
- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 16. 11, Strong Right, Benson runs right for gain of 2.
- 2nd and 8. Ball on GB 18. 11. Shotgun, Strong Right, RB to right, Benson runs left for gain of 6. NH
- 3rd and 2. Ball on GB 24. 11. Shotgun, Strong Left, RB to left, Passed dropped by J. Nelson. NH
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- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 29. Doubles, 4 WR. Motion in to I-Left. Play action, Pass to Finley for gain of 23.
- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 49. 11, Strong Right, Benson runs right for gain of 1. NH
- 2nd and 9. Ball on 50. 12, Shotgun, Strong Left, RB left. Motion into Shotgun Heavy, Play action, Pass to Nelson for gain of 18. NH
- 1st and 10. Ball on CHI 33. 11, Shotgun, Strong Left, RB Right. Motion into Shotgun Heavy, Strong Right. Cobb runs left for gain of 7. Penalty of 10.
- 1st and 20. Ball on CHI 43. 11, Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Right. Motion into Shotgun Heavy Right. Benson runs middle for a gain of 4.
- 2nd and 16. Ball on CHI 39. 11, Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Left. Rodgers sacked for loss of 10. NH
- 3rd and 26. Ball on CHI 49. 11, Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Right. Pass tipped, incomplete.
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- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 35. 11, Strong Right. Motion into Strong Left. Benson runs left for a gain of 8.
- 2nd and 2. Ball on GB 43. 11, Strong Right. Benson runs middle for a gain of 3. NH.
- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 46. 12, Balanced. Play action. Pass thrown away.
- 2nd and 10. Ball on GB 46. 11, Strong Left. Motion into I Left. Play action, Pass incomplete to J. Nelson.
- 3rd and 10. Ball on GB 46. 11. Trips Right. RB Left. Rodgers sack for loss of 4 yards.
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- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 21. 12, Balanced. Benson runs left, cutback right for no gain.
- 2nd and 10. Ball on GB 21. 12, Balanced. Rodgers pass to Benson for gain of 17.
- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 38. 11, Strong Left. Rodgers pass to Benson for gain of 8.
- 2nd and 2. Ball on GB 46. 11, Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Right. Motion into Shotgun Heavy Right. Benson runs middle for gain of 4.
- 1st and 10. Ball on 50. 11, Strong Right. Benson runs left for a gain of 7.
- 2nd and 3. Ball on CHI 43. 11, Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Right. Motion into Shotgun Heavy Right. Play action. Pass incomplete to J. Finley
- 3rd and 3. Ball on CHI 43. 11, Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Left. Rodgers pass incomplete. NH. GB Challenges for 12 men on CHI, Challenge confirms, penalty of 5.
- 1st and 10. Ball on CHI 38. 11, Strong Right. Pass to Jones for loss of 5.
- 2nd and 15. Ball on CHI 43. 11, Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Right. Rodgers pass to Nelson for gain of 8. NH
- 3rd and 7. Ball on CHI 35. 11, Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Left. Motion into Trips Right. Rodgers pass to Kuhn for gain of 5. NH
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- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 20. 02, Strong Left, I Left. Benson runs right for gain of 1.
- 2nd and 9. Ball on GB 21. 02, Strong Left, I Left. Play action, Rogers pass to Kuhn for gain of 2.
- 3rd and 7. Ball on GB 23. 10. Shotgun, Trips Right, RB Left. Pass to Cobb for gain of 20.
- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 43. 10. Trips Left. Motion into I Left. Pass to Nelson for gain of 6.
- 2nd and 4. Ball on GB 49. 10. Doubles. Motion into I Right. Rodgers pass to Benson for gain of 8.
- 1st and 10. Ball on CHI 47. 12, Strong Left, I Left. Motion into Strong Right. Green runs middle for gain of 2.
- 2nd and 8. Ball on CHI 45. 22, Strong Left, I. Benson runs middle for gain of 5.
- 3rd and 3. Ball on CHI 40. 10, Shotgun, Trips Left, RB Right. Motion into Strong Right. Cobb runs right for 29 yards.
- 1st and10. Ball on CHI 11. 11. Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Left. Motion into RB Right. Rodgers sack for loss of 7.
- 2nd and 17. Ball on CHI 18. 11. Shotgun Strong Left, RB Right. Motion into Doubles Left. Rodgers sack for loss of 9.
- 3rd and 26. Ball on CHI 27. 11. Shotgun, Strong Left, RB Right. Motion into Doubles Left. Rodgers pass incomplete to Cobb.
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- 1st and 10. Ball on CHI 48. 11. Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Left. Pass to Nelson for gain of 8.
- 2nd and 2. Ball on CHI 40. 11. Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Left. Pass to Finley for gain of 1.
- 3rd and 1. Ball on CHI 39. 11. Shotgun, Strong Left, RB Right. Kuhn runs for gain of 1.
- 1st and 10. Ball on CHI 38. 11. Shotgun, Strong Left, RB Right. Pass incomplete to Finley. Penalty for 5 yards.
- 1st and 10. Ball on CHI 33. 11. Shotgun, Strong Left, RB Right. Pass incomplete to Jones.
- 2nd and 10. Ball on CHI 33. 11. Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Right. Pass to Kuhn for gain of 8.
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- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 20. 12. Strong Left, I Left, Motion into Strong Right. Play action, pass to Benson for gain of 5.
- 2nd and 5. Ball on GB 25. 12. Strong Right, I Right, Motion into Strong Left. Benson runs middle for gain of 4.
- 3rd and 1. Ball on GB 29. 02. Strong Right. Benson runs right for no gain.
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- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 47. 11, Shotgun, Strong Left, RB Left. Motion into Shotgun Heavy Split. Play action, pass to J. Nelson for gain of 21.
- 1st and 10. Ball on CHI 38. 11, Shotgun, Strong Right, RB left. Benson runs middle for gain of 11.
- 1st and 10. Ball on CHI 27. 22. Strong Left. Benson runs middle for gain of 4.
- 2nd and 6. Ball on CHI 23. 02. Shotgun Split Heavy. Strong Right, Play Action. Pass incomplete to Jones.
- 3rd and 6. Ball on CHI 23. 11. Shotgun, Strong Left, RB Right. Pass to Finley for gain of 5, fumble, CHI recovers for gain of 4.
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- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 42. 11. Shotgun, Strong Left, RB Left. Benson runs middle for gain of 6.
- 2nd and 4. Ball on GB 48. 02. Strong Right. Play action, pass to Williams for a 7 yard gain.
- 1st and 10. Ball on CHI 45. 11. Strong Left. Play action, pass to Finley for a gain of 5.
- 2nd and 5. Ball on CHI 40. 11. Shotgun, Strong Right, RB Right. Motion to Trips Left. Pass to Jones gain of 4.
- 3rd and 1. Ball on CHI 36. 22. Balance. WR on Right. Kuhn runs for no gain.
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- 1st and 10. Ball on CHI 26. 11. Shotgun, Strong Left, RB Right. Pass to Driver for a 26 yard TD.
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- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 30. 22. Balanced. Play action, pass is intercepted by Jennings.
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- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 20. 22, Strong Left. Motion into Balanced. Benson runs left for loss of 1.
- 2nd and 11. Ball on GB 19. 12. Strong Right. Play action, pass incomplete to J. Nelson.
- 3rd and 11. Ball on GB 19. 01. Shotgun. Balanced, RB Right. Pass to Nelson for gain of 26.
- 1st and 10. Ball on GB 45. 22. Strong Left. Benson runs right, cutback middle for no gain.
- 2nd and 10. Ball on GB 45. 02. Strong Left, motion into strong right. Benson runs middle for no gain.
- 3rd and 10. Ball on GB 45. 11. Shotgun, Strong Left, RB Left. Rodgers sacked for one yard loss.
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- 1st and 10. Ball on CHI 30. 22. Strong Left, Motion to Balanced, WR Right. Benson runs right for a gain of 6.
- 2nd and 4. Ball on CHI 24. 22. Balanced, WR Left. Benson runs right for a gain of 5.