5 Random Post-Falcons Thoughts

Eddie Lacy rumbled through the Falcons defense for solid yards on Sunday. I was all set to watch the Packers and Falcons and do a full recap on Sunday, but then everyone in the world forgot how to drive in the snow and I had to go in to work and remind them. When I finally got home, I was dog tired and made the executive decision to leave the Packers game in the DVR until after work on Monday.

Now that I've finally gotten a chance to watch the game, here are five quick, random thoughts as the Packers come off their first win in more than a month.

1. I love Eddie Lacy's feet. Strange though this may sound, I think the strength of Eddie Lacy's game is his quick, light feet. His quickness allows him to set up blocks easily, and we all know what he can do once he turns on the power. His final yardage totals Sunday were nothing impressive, but he got consistent yardage early when the passing game wasn't slicing off big plays.

2. Jordy Nelson is a bona fide star. Even with Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines for the better part of six weeks now, Jordy has barely missed a beat. With two more catches, he'll set a new career high, and if it weren't for a dud of a game on Thanksgiving, he'd be closing in on a career high for yardage as well. Though he only had four catches on Sunday, he made the most of his opportunities, racking up 85 yards. If he wasn't around, the Packers would have been in serious trouble during their Rodgers-less stretch.

3. The defense can play...sometimes. The play of the defense has been frustrating all year, but perhaps the most frustrating part is that we saw them play well for a few games at the beginning of the year. Then the bottom fell out and the defensive collapse was swift and thorough. On Sunday, though, they got stops regularly, shutting the Falcons out in the second half and turning them away in a timely manner late in the game. You can see there is talent there (and you can also see that the Falcons are truly pathetic), but you can also see how rarely it seems to rise to the top. Frustrating.

4. I want to see more of Sean Richardson.  In all honesty, anybody who says they know something about Sean Richardson is probably lying. Other than a handful of defensive snaps, we've really barely seen him. But the physical dimensions are intriguing. At 6'2" and 218 pounds, he's by far bigger than any of the Packers other safeties. His physical gifts alone merit more attention, and hopefully we get it.

5. I am not yet a believer. The talk was fast and furious after the Packers win and the Lions loss. The Pack is back! Only a half game out of first! Rodgers is coming back! It's just like 2010! Stop it. Don't delude yourselves. The Packers had a top five defense that year, were churning out points offensively late in the season, and could legitimately come up with a stop against a big-time team when they needed it. None of those things describe the Packers this year. Even if they were to rally and make the playoffs, chances are good the result would be another first or second round thrashing rather than a deep run. Don't believe the hype.

At least not yet.

Jon Meerdink