In a game that the Green Bay Packers should have had firmly in hand, Andrew Luck and the Colts were able to engineer an unlikely comeback win for their infirmed Head Coach, Chuck Pagano.
The Packers raced out to a 14-0 lead, and then a 21-3 lead before an interception from Aaron Rodgers seemed to swing momentum and allow the Colts to start eating into the deficit with a string of unanswered points. Eventually Andrew Luck was able to come up with a signature, game-winning drive while Aaron Rodgers and the Packers could only maneuver into position for a 51-yard field goal attempt at the death that Mason Crosby would ultimately shank well wide, leaving the Colts victorious.
Green Bay – Three Performances of Note
Walden Shows Up
I, and indeed the PFF team in general, have never been big fans of the play of Erik Walden but he turned it on in this game, most notably in the passing game. He dropped into coverage on nine occasions and was graded positively on five of them, including a pass deflection and another hit to break up a pass. He also chipped in with three hurries and two knockdowns of Andrew Luck as a pass-rusher. This is probably one of Walden’s finest games in the NFL, with a PFF grade of +4.3 where he looked more confident and decisive in making his move and influencing the play. If the Packers continue to get performances like this from him then we may all have to re-evaluate our opinion.
Quality Coverage
It seems strange to say given the success Reggie Wayne was able to have in this game but the Green Bay coverage was actually pretty good. They essentially shut down everybody except Wayne, and he was at an unplayable level for much of the game. Tramon Williams (+4.3), Sam Shields (+1.2), Charles Woodson (+1.5) and Casey Hayward (+2.1) all graded positively in coverage, combining for seven passes defensed and an interception. Williams led the charge with five pass defenses to himself and allowed 10 yards on two catches from 9 targets on passes intended for anybody other than Wayne in the game. Without Wayne making frankly ridiculous plays all through the game, they would have left Luck with nowhere to go with the ball on numerous occasions.
The Perplexing Packer Offensive Line
The offensive line for Green Bay was a mixed bag in this game, with excellent performances coming from Marshall Newhouse (+3.5) and Josh Sitton (+3.4) but also poor showings from Bryan Bulaga (-1.5) and an iffy display from returning Colt Jeff Saturday (+0.3). In the end, the group accounted for only eight total pressures on Aaron Rodgers, but Bulaga in particular coughed up immediate pressure at key times in the game which made things awkward for the Packers. Pass protection is never likely to be Bulaga’s area of expertise, but Green Bay should be pleased at the development of Newhouse on the other side. At times last year he looked like a lost cause, but he is developing into a reasonable player at one of the most crucial positions on the team.
Indianapolis – Three Performances of Note
Reggie Wayne Master class – Again
In the first game of the season Reggie Wayne put on a show with one of the best receiving displays we’ve graded. This week he bettered it with an utterly ludicrous +7.1 grade. This on its own would put him 7th among WRs for the season on the PFF rankings list as he was the only Colts receiver to get any joy from the Packers defense. It seemed that every time he was thrown at he was making incredible catches, including a one-handed effort deep down field with Charles Woodson busy grabbing him to make sure he couldn’t haul it in. It was fitting that it was Wayne who scored the go-ahead touchdown with seconds remaining, and even more fitting that he had work to do at the time he caught the ball to make it happen. He ended up able to twist out of the grip of the tackle just enough to extend the ball over the goal line and get the points.
Indy's Offensive Line Woes
Who was the last quality offensive lineman the Colts acquired? You’d have to go back a long way, and at some point Andrew Luck is going to need some of them if the Colts hope for him to dominate long-term. In this game only center A.Q. Shipley (+3.0) graded out well with the rest coming in various shades of average or poor. Former first round pick Anthony Castonzo (-5.1) was once again an issue at left tackle as he struggled to keep Clay Matthews quiet. He coughed up three sacks, a knockdown and three more hurries on his own, making life very difficult for Luck in the pocket. The line combined to allow 17 total pressures on their rookie quarterback with the team down to bare bones and replacement players across the unit. The Colts need to start dedicating some major resources into securing linemen going forward.
Behind Wayne
As fantastic as Reggie Wayne was, the players that come after him on the depth chart at wide out were a major disappointment. No one could get open consistently and of the 17 passes thrown at T.Y. Hilton and Donnie Avery only six were completed, for 59 yards with only 11 yards coming after the catch. Both players also had a drop to their names, going some way to explaining their grades of -3.4 and -3.0 respectively. At one point in the game Avery had managed to get behind the defense only for Luck to overthrow him by inches on a play-action pass that could have given him a deep touchdown and a springboard to bigger things in the game. It wasn’t to be though, as the ball sailed inches out of his grasp as he laid out to try and bring it in. That was Avery’s moment in the game and he didn’t have many other opportunities for big plays.
Game Notes
– Both defenses missed six tackles in the game with Morgan Burnett and Jerraud Powers the only players to miss more than one.
– Luck had a passer rating of just 58.0 when under pressure, but the Packers just couldn’t bring enough of it when it counted.
– Andrew Look took seven shots deep (20+ in the air) while Rodgers attempted only two such passes.
Game Ball
No candidate comes close to the performance of Reggie Wayne who was literally the difference between the two sides as he scored the go ahead touchdown.
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