The Green Bay Packers cruised to a 51-34 preseason victory over the Pittsburgh Steeler Thursday night and there was plenty good on both sides of the ball. Through two games I think what stands out to me is the effect the return of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin has made.
The Packers offense looks very reminiscent of Philbin’s first stint with the Packers when the they won a Super Bowl and the following season had one of the greatest offenses in NFL history. Now I’m not saying that is going to happen again, but there is a definite difference in the offense so far this preseason. Brett Hundley looks markedly better than he did at any point last year. While I only really saw one game from DeShone Kizer last year he looks like the real deal all of a sudden.
The offense was in steady decline since Philbin left to be head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2012. Tom Clements and Edgar Bennett each got three years at the helm and both failed miserably. Through two games this year the offense has been productive no matter who was playing quarterback. I can’t wait to see Aaron Rodgers out there for an extended period of time. Confidence is definitely high on that side of the ball.
On defense the Packers have played very vanilla under new coordinator Mike Pettine, but are showing signs that things are about to change following the malaise days of Dom Capers. Two pick-six’s and two-and-a-half sacks from linebacker Reggie Gilbert bode well for a unit that has been the Packers’ weak link since 2010.
On that note, I have to say this Khalil Mack to Green Bay talk needs to stop. The local media has been obsessed with the Packers’ trading for the disgruntled Raiders’ linebacker who is holding out for a new contract.
The Packers would be making a huge mistake trading anything to the Raiders for Mack. For one the compensation would be way too much. The Packers have two first round draft picks next year, and with those they could move up to the top ten if they wanted to. By no means are those worth a guy who has declined in production the last two years and only had three more sacks than Clay Matthews last year.
Not only that, such player has not practiced once since the end of last year and wouldn’t be ready to play for at least a month. And to get him the Packers would have to make him the highest paid defensive player in the league when they haven’t even signed Rodgers to an extension that will make him the highest paid player in the league. They would have to cut a lot of players to make that work, which would hurt them more than Mack can help them.
Thankfully, I have a hunch general manager Brian Gutekunst is not that stupid.