Game thoughts

[greediron]

• Offensive Line won the battle up front.  defenders on the ground, huge holes for the RBs.  That mistake by JJM late in the game where he turned the wrong way, Mason had a massive hole to run thru and seal the game.
  
• JJM's feet give our offense that other dimension.  That TD run was beautiful.  Addison (not Nailor as I said elsewhere) played that well, taking his guy back inside giving JJ the corner.
  
• JJ isn't afraid to throw a tight window pass.  The TD to Jets and the final pass to Nailor.  Those were tight.  And perfect.
  
• Kudos to KOC for bringing the physicality.  The OLine, the RBs, the commitment to the run.  Something we haven't seen from KOC in the past.  That is a winning game plan.
  
• Defense played physical too.  None more that Wilson.  That sack where he just blew up Gibbs.  He looked like D Hunter coming thru there, he seemed massive and it was the determination.
  
• Tackling.  They brought the RBs down when they made contact.  Other than that first TD by the TE where everyone was trying to strip the ball rather than taking out his legs, our D tackled well.
  
• Wilson again.  Might be the FA signing of the year.  
  
• Smith showed up as well.  That edge blitz and knockdown.  Huge play at a huge time.
  
• Special teams: A blocked FG.  Been a while since we had one up the middle.  And the Price is right on the returns.  Seems our ST coach is hitting his stride as well.
  

[StickierBuns]

On JJ's TD run, he set up Anzalone and watched him eat turf as he skated by. He's getting to know the speed of the league. JJ's laser to Hock in the endzone was thrown against his body and was a piss missile. Great throw. When he turned around after that throw and gave a little arm pump, he was feeling it.

[MaroonBells]

Seeing what a difference Eric Wilson has made to this defense makes me wonder if ILB shouldn't be our top pick in the draft. Wilson is a 31-year-old vet on his 6th team. What might this defense look like with a Fred Warner type lined up next to Cashman?

[greediron]

Seeing what a difference Eric Wilson has made to this defense makes me wonder if ILB shouldn't be our top pick in the draft. Wilson is a 31-year-old vet on his 6th team. What might this defense look like with a Fred Warner type lined up next to Cashman?

Yeah, that ability to disrupt the middle of the pocket has been missing since the last #55 was mugging the A gap with EK.

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On JJ's TD run, he set up Anzalone and watched him eat turf as he skated by. He's getting to know the speed of the league. JJ's laser to Hock in the endzone was thrown against his body and was a piss missile. Great throw. When he turned around after that throw and gave a little arm pump, he was feeling it.

Might be my favorite play of the game.

[Canthony]

Seeing what a difference Eric Wilson has made to this defense makes me wonder if ILB shouldn't be our top pick in the draft. Wilson is a 31-year-old vet on his 6th team. What might this defense look like with a Fred Warner type lined up next to Cashman?

I mentioned this in the offseason. MLB is a much bigger need than some realize. Should be at the top of the need area going into 2026 I would guess.

[badgervike]

• Offensive Line won the battle up front.  defenders on the ground, huge holes for the RBs.  That mistake by JJM late in the game where he turned the wrong way, Mason had a massive hole to run thru and seal the game.
  
  

I didn't watch the end of the game but listened to PA and Bercich on Sirius.  Bercich said that Mason patted his chest after the play to McCarthy acknowledging it was his (Mason's) fault.

[purplefaithful]

I didn't watch the end of the game but listened to PA and Bercich on Sirius.  Bercich said that Mason patted his chest after the play to McCarthy acknowledging it was his (Mason's) fault.

Thats what I recall the tv announcers saying too - that one was on Mason. And yah, I could have run through that hole if the execution didnt get messed-up.

[greediron]

I didn't watch the end of the game but listened to PA and Bercich on Sirius.  Bercich said that Mason patted his chest after the play to McCarthy acknowledging it was his (Mason's) fault.

Good to know.

[MaroonBells]

Two unsung heroes in this game were Ben Yurosek and Nick Vannett, both of whom got several snaps each in Josh Oliver's absence. Both Yurosek and Vannett earned 70+ pass blocking grades in the Detroit game.

[greediron]

One other comment, how did Williams get away with a huge push off on his TD against Rodgers? Rodgers was right with him, and suddenly there was significant separation.