In possible Super Bowl preview, Patriots fall to Packers

In what many were calling a potential Super Bowl XLIX matchup, the Packers were able to hold off the Patriots 26-21. The game lived up to the hype that had been building all week, as the game came down to the wire, but after Stephen Gostowksi missed a FG with only moments remaining in the 4^th quarter the Packers took over and didn’t look back.

Eddie Lacy proved to be a problem for the Patriots as they never were able to shut him down, and even though they held him to less then 100 yards, he gained crucial first down runs at different points in the game. Lacy, who ran for 98 yards on 21 attempts proved to be an excellent alternative option for the Packers offense who had to worry about matching up against the Patriots defense that has been impressive as of late.

Another player that had an impressive day for the Packers was WR Davante Adams who registered for 121 yards on 6 receptions. It was clear throughout the game that with Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner covering Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, Adams was the Packers alternative weapon. Cobb and Nelson were able to find room and get the ball, Cobb gained 85 yards on 7 receptions while Jordy Nelson only had 2 receptions with one of them being a critical 45 yard touchdown pass in the closing minutes of the 1^st half.

On the Patriots side of the ball Tom Brady threw for 245 yards and two touchdowns, although at times he was pressured thanks to the impressive play of the Packers DL. LaGarette Blount led the Patriots backs with 10 rushing attempts for a total of 58 yards. His play continues to get better each week, even if it doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, anyone watching the game can tell you that he fights for every single inch he can. Another man that will scratch and claw for every single yard is All-Pro Tight End Rob Gronkowski who led receivers with 7 catches and 98 yards.

Once again Gronkowski showed everyone how tough and strong he is, this time it was in the final five minutes of the first half where the Patriots were threating to score and Gronkowski fought off at 4 Packers defenders to get within the Packers 5 yard line. Gronkowski’s play continues to amaze everyone, and though he did not find the end zone his presence alone created several opportunities for other receivers to gain yardage.

What this game all boiled down to was the incredible play of Aaron Rodgers who proved without a shadow of a doubt that he is the best quarterback in the NFL right now. Not only is his skill set amazing, but the players around him make him that much better, take for example their offensive line. During a play in the third quarter their was a play where Aaron Rodgers had at least 10 seconds of time to move around and find an open reciever. Giving an elite quarterback that much time to find an open target is a recipe for disaster if you’re the other team, and the fact that Rodgers is afforded that amount of time just makes him that much better.

For the Patriots they obviously can’t be happy about taking a loss, but walking away they can take a few positives from this game. The Packers are clearly the most dangerous and competitive teams they have faced this season, and the fact that they were within one score of winning they can’t be all that disappointed. With that said, they are clearly missing Chandler Jones whose ability to pressure the quarterback was greatly needed in today’s game. Jones does sound like he is close to returning which is good news for Patriots fans as the season winds down and the playoffs get closer, he could be a much needed boost to this defensive unit.

The Patriots offensive line did not look as impressive as it did in weeks prior, forcing Brady to move around the pocket and force balls into tight spots. The best example of this obviously being in the 4^th quarter, where on a 3^rd and 9 play in the red zone Brady was pressured fairly quickly and eventually sacked for a 9-yard loss. Those are the plays that you simply cannot have, especially in the red zone. You can be sure that Bill Belichick will point this out before next Sunday night’s matchup against the San Diego Chargers.

Obviously a tough loss for the Patriots, but if they make some minor adjustments in the coming weeks there is no reason to think we won’t get Patriots-Packers Round 2 in Arizona come February 1.