Green Bay Preseason Review: Does Game Against Colts Confirm Super Bowl Hangover?

Although it may only be preseason, it is still commonly called the "dress rehearsal" for the season. If that's the case, then Green Bay seriously needs to pick it up. They could potentially face a Super Bowl hangover if they aren't already, and the only half-decent victory they've had so far this preseason is at home against the Cards.

Everyone who has faced the Packers so far seem to be giving their absolute best, and it's showing.

The Cleveland Browns Quarterback Colt McCoy threw for 135 yards against the Packers, and Green Bay's offense never really took off until the no-huddle offense came in.

Against the Arizona Cardinals, it was a similar story. Kevin Kolb was effective against Green Bay's secondary, and the Packers offense never showed up until the no-huddle offense came in.

Against the Colts, it seems to have gotten a little better, and a little worse at the same time.

One of the Best Secondaries in the NFL?

I think the word that stands out the most right now is "coverage," because the Packers simply weren't doing any of that tonight.

Facing against a lifelong backup quarterback in Curtis Painter, the Packers should have easily had this one in the bag. Instead, Painter began to find receivers in almost every direction, including a pass to Reggie Wayne where Wayne literally walked into the end zone.

It's only preseason, but when starters like Sam Shields and Morgan Burnett let a receiver gain a distance of nearly 10 yards from every defender, you know something is up.

Painter was 11-for-21, with 171 yards, two touchdowns and no picks for a passer rating of 111.4. Almost reminds me of when Caleb Hanie nearly tied the game against the Packers in the Championship game.

Offense Was Good, but Where's the Protection Already?

Aaron Rodgers played in midseason form with 204 yards. He completed 19-of-23 (82%) passes and threw in a touchdown for a passer rating of 118.1, with 8.8 yards-per-passing attempt.

But despite his stellar play, one question simply demands an answer: Where is the protection?

Rodgers is about to start in his fourth year as the starter, and despite the development of Bryan Bulaga and the potential T.J. Lang, the line looks no better than last season.

It's not just an issue of better protection than last season, but whether it's ever going to be better. I know that on sounds like a frustrated exaggeration, but it really should have been fixed by now.

Rodgers has been sacked 115 times since becoming the starter and was sacked four times against the Colts. I'm legitimately starting to worry if Ted Thompson is ever going to aggressively take care of this problem.

Hopefully, by the time the season starts, the line will get its act together. After all, every time Rodgers didn't get sacked, the protection looked fine, and with time, Lang should only get better. I simply refuse to get my hopes up, however.

Mental Mistakes and Penalties

Forgive me, but I just don't feel like the Packers are past their mental mistakes they were making on a regular basis before they lost to the Bears on Monday Night Football last season.

I was hoping that that loss was the last time I would see so many penalties on a regular basis, but so far this preseason, that seems to be slowly coming back.

Maybe it's because they've spent a whole offseason from camp and haven't had a chance yet to get themselves disciplined and back on track, but eight penalties from their game last week against Arizona, and four penalties—including one that withdrew a touchdown pass—in the first half against Indianapolis is no way to start.

Any Compensation?

Before I go any further, I just want to say that Graham Harrell just made one of the more entertaining preseason games I've seen yet. 4th down pass, then a two-pointer, with only 30 seconds left to tie the game. Then leading the team down the field from an onside kick, to help Crosby into position for a 50 yard game winning field goal. Good stuff. Dare I say we have two good back-up quarterbacks?  

I'm concerned with just how mediocre Green Bay looked tonight, but there are a few things that deserves to be said.

Clay Matthews didn't play for very long, and in the time he played, Curtis Painter only threw for seven yards. 

Jarret Bush was in the backfield when Painter began to find his open receivers, and despite what everyone says about what Bush did in the Super Bowl, it should be a written-in-stone fact that this guy cannot cover effectively.

It's good to know that Green Bay will have players like Sam Shields and Tramon Williams that will be on the field before Bush ever does.

And mostly, remember that we have Aaron Rodgers. Not only has he gotten better as the preseason has gone on, but he also has macho mustache now.