Gimpysoft

Yesterday was an awesome day full of football, beer, and brisket. The Packers managed to get over .500 for the first time in something like three years. It was an ugly win. Green Bay’s offense never really got clicking. Donald Driver looked awesome as always, but the spectre of Brett Favre making bad throws continues. Favre has always had a problem trying to do too much, and it led to games with truly ridiculous INT numbers. Still, the problems mainly seemed to be with judgment rather than with execution. Maybe he made a throw he shouldn’t have made, but at least it looked like the ball went where he was trying to put it.

Last year, and a bit in this game as well, it looks like he’s making throws that just aren’t going where he wants them to. He overthrew James Jones, who had gotten past his defender and would have walked in for a touchdown. He underthrew receivers a few times as well, and it seemed like receivers were really have to stretch to haul in the passes they did catch. It’s early in the season, but this is something that’s just been bugging me since about the middle of last year. Favre didn’t have the pass protection he’s had in previous years, so I’m guessing that may have something to do with the inaccuracy too.

The defense looked great. Al Harris hurt his elbow, but it sounds like he’ll be back for next week’s game against the Giants. But the game was really won by Philadelphia’s special teams. Green Bay scored 16 points. Seven were from the only touchdown, scored when Philly’s punt returner muffed a punt, which was kicked into the end zone, where a Green Bay player fell on it. Three were from a legitimate nice-loooking drive full of classic Brett Favre heroics. (He looked good, I mean real good, on that drive.) Three were from another muffed punt where the player who waved for fair-catch didn’t get under the ball, so the Packers took over with excellent field position. And three were from another stalled drive that started with a Green Bay interception.

Still, a win is a win. I’ll take it. I had to run to the store at halftime to get food for the barbecue we were hosting for Bex’s parents. I paused the game before I left, and then had to be very careful not to click on the wrong fantasy score lest I ruin the surprise while I watched the game delayed by about half an hour. But I made a delicious brisket. At least I smoked one thing this year.