Blue 58 - A Packers Podcast

Brian Gutekunst has been on the job in Green Bay for two years and in 2019, we saw the culmination of a lot of his work so far. How’s he been doing? Let’s talk about that.No moves happen in a vacuum (00:57)As we evaluate Brian Gutekunst's moves, it's always good to remember that no move is an island; these things don't just happen. You need look no further than the complicated legacy of Ted Thompson for proof.Further reading: Ted Thompson's Legacy Still Looms Large in Green BayBrian Gutekunst's offseason moves (3:33)Gutekunst made a bunch of moves in the offseason, and in this section of the podcast, that's what we talk about. Not every description has to be profound.How did Brian Gutekunst allocate his draft resources? (10:29)The draft is the NFL's ultimate example of opportunity cost: if you take one player with a pick, you can't use that same pick on another player. As a result, we can evaluate every pick as a question of resource allocation. So how did Brian Gutekunst do?Further reading: Should We Be Concerned About Rashan Gary's Lack of Production at Michigan?Brian Gutekunst's in-season roster moves (25:08)More than his predecessor, Brian Gutekunst has shown a willingness to make in-season roster tweaks. How did those pan out this year?SUPPORT BLUE 58Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.Leave us a 5-Star Review on iTunes - It helps more people find the show!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let’s talk coaches! The Packers have a new one. Let’s meet Jerry Gray, then talk about the two most important coaches on the Packers: Matt LaFleur and Mike Pettine.Packers hire Jerry Gray (0:25)The Packers have added a new defensive backs coach, bringing in longtime NFL assistant Jerry Gray.Further reading: Packers hire former Vikings DB coach Jerry Gray to coach secondary in 2020, per reportsHow should we evaluate NFL coaches? (2:20)The entire NFL turns on the idea that we can correctly evaluate coaching performance. Is that true? And if so, how do we do it?Further reading:How much do coaches matter?Coaching Evaluation CriteriaWas Matt LaFleur's rookie season any good? (11:34)Matt LaFleur was hired to fix Mike McCarthy’s broken offense. Did it work?Was Mike Pettine's coaching better in 2019 or did they just have better players? (20:32)Mike Pettine’s defense was generally better in 2019. Was that due to Pettine or just having better players?SUPPORT BLUE 58Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.Leave us a 5-Star Review on iTunes - It helps more people find the show!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers won’t need to find a new defensive coordinator this offseason. Mike Pettine will return. Let’s talk about why it might be a good idea. Then, let’s talk a little bit about how I’m wrong a lot.Mike Pettine is coming back (0:22)Matt LaFleur put a quick end to any drama, announcing Mike Pettine would return after a brief period of evaluation. What do we make of this?My predictions were very bad (4:03)Blue 58 made a bunch of predictions in 2019. Were they good? No.Further reading: 19 Predictions for the 2019 PackersSUPPORT BLUE 58Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.Leave us a 5-Star Review on iTunes - It helps more people find the show!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re officially in the offseason, folks. Let’s get the lay of the land before diving into the top priority: decisions on pending free agents. But first, some final thoughts on the NFC Championship. Two last thoughts from the NFC Championship (0:25)After a little reflection, let’s put the debacle in San Francisco behind us. But first, two final parting thoughts.The months ahead for Brian Gutekunst (8:20)After working behind the scenes for months, Brian Gutekunst comes into the spotlight. Here’s a look ahead at his calendar.What will the Packers do with their 13 unrestricted free agents? (14:37)Priority #1 for Gutekunst and the Packers front office is making decisions on their 13 unrestricted free agents.SUPPORT BLUE 58Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.Leave us a 5-Star Review on iTunes - It helps more people find the show!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2019 season is over. A strong 49ers team steamrolled the Packers, leaving us to contemplate what happened and, more importantly, what happens next.Are you mad at the ending or mad that it’s over? (0:28)The Packers’ season came to an unfortunate end. How do you feel about that?How did this game go sideways? (5:53)How, exactly, did things go so poorly for the Packers? A few reasons.Should Mike Pettine be safe? (No) (7:43)To say Mike Pettine didn’t finish strongly is a bit of an understatement. Should this be his last game?How does this game affect Aaron Rodgers’ legacy? (12:02)Fair or not, legacies are made in championship games. How does this one affect Rodgers’ standing among the greats?SUPPORT BLUE 58Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.Leave us a 5-Star Review on iTunes - It helps more people find the show!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One game from the Super Bowl, the Packers face a familiar opponent in the San Francisco 49ers. How can they get to the biggest of the big shows? Here are eight ways.What’s changed since the last time the Packers and 49ers played? (3:17)Much has been made about the 49ers' dominating Week 12 win over the Packers, but those teams both barely exist any more. A lot has changed. Here's a quick summary.How can the Packers win? Here are eight ways (6:23)The Packers are decidedly not favored to win this game, but that doesn't matter. They can still win. Here are eight ways it could happen.SUPPORT BLUE 58Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.Leave us a 5-Star Review on iTunes - It helps more people find the show!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 49ers only lost three games this season. The Packers hope to make it four on Sunday. How? Let’s turn to the 49ers losses and see what we can find out.The nuts and bolts of the 49ers’ three losses (1:35)The 49ers’ three losses each had their own unique characteristics. Read more about them here.Further reading: NFL GamebooksWeek 10 - Seahawks @ 49ersWeek 13 - 49ers @ RavensWeek 15 - Falcons @ 49ersWhat do these three games have in common? (7:24)Drawing sweeping conclusions from only three games is dangerous, but they did have a few things in common.What should the Packers do with this knowledge? (15:15)Three things the Packers can implement after studying these losses.A brief word on analytics (22:17)A passive-aggressive war over analytics has Jon wondering how we should use them. A few thoughts.SUPPORT BLUE 58Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.Leave us a 5-Star Review on iTunes - It helps more people find the show!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Don’t look now, but your Green Bay Packers are one game away from the Super Bowl. Let’s talk about how Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, and a timely couple of plays helped stave off the Seahawks.The referendum on Rodgers (00:51)We said Aaron Rodgers was under pressure like never before. Did he deliver?How did Seattle come back? (4:14)For a while, it looked like the 2014 NFC Championship game all over again. Did the Packers' defense let them back in or is Russell Wilson just that good?The brilliance of Davante Adams (9:27)A bit of historical context for Adams's excellent night.Emptying the notebook (13:09)Odds and ends observations from the Packers' win.SUPPORT BLUE 58Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.Leave us a 5-Star Review on iTunes - It helps more people find the show!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For years, pundits have chided the Packers for not giving the Packers a defense. Now they have. What will Rodgers do with it?Russell Wilson leads a dangerous Seahawks offense (4:11)Wilson is having another stellar season, but there are more names to know here.Further reading: How the Seattle Seahawks used D.K. Metcalf against the EaglesNot the Legion of Boom (but who is?) (10:15)The Seahawks defense might be more than the sum of its parts, because a few of those parts are really, really good.Who's gonna win? (16:28)Jon makes his pick.SUPPORT BLUE 58Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.Leave us a 5-Star Review on iTunes - It helps more people find the show!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aaron Rodgers is still pretty good, but a new stat from a source we trust says he’s...the best player in the NFL? Does that make sense? Let’s figure out what to make of Total Points, a new stat from Sports Information Solutions.What's the deal with Total Points (0:45)Sports Information Solutions, a reputable source for advanced football analytics, introduced a new metric recently that says Aaron Rodgers is not only still good, but the best player in the league. Should you trust it?Further reading: Introducing Total PointsPunters are people too! (20:31)Punters can play a big role in field position, and this research paper shows exactly how they affect games. It's in depth, but you should give it a read.Further reading: A flight-based metric for evaluating NFL puntersThe fates of the Packers and Eagles after the 2014 NFC Championship (21:50)How have the Packers and Seahawks fared since they met in that fateful NFC Championship game? They're closer than you might think.SUPPORT BLUE 58Donate to our Patreon - $1 per month offsets our podcast hosting costs.Buy a T-Shirt or Sweatshirt - Look good while supporting The Power Sweep.Leave us a 5-Star Review on iTunes - It helps more people find the show!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A week out from the Packers’ first playoff game since the 2016 season, we’ve got two great listener questions. Is the Packers’ offense too complex? And since the Packers have been bad at returning punts this year, what if they never did it?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Big news for two Packers safeties from very different eras. What does Raven Greene actually bring to this defense? And can LeRoy Butler finally get into the Hall of Fame? Then, we dive into a full season of polling data to find out what Packers fans really think.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The decisions Brian Gutekunst makes this offseason will have a huge impact on the team in 2020 and beyond. Here are four resolutions he should make to guide his process.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your Green Bay Packers won’t be playing in the wildcard round thanks to a Week 17 win over the Lions. It sure wasn’t pretty, but they got it done when it mattered most. Let’s discuss.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers will wrap up their 2019 season this weekend with a Week 17 tilt against the Lions. Let’s dive into the history books and find the best Week 17 performances ever.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The best way to become a better football fan is to learn from smart football people. Here are three books that will help you do just that.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 In a year highlighted by inconsistency and lackluster play, the Packers needed a big win to lock up the NFC North. That’s exactly what they got.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After meeting in Week 2, the Packers and Vikings renew acquaintances in the second-to-last week of the season. This game has a lot on the line...but it also might not affect much of anything. Confused? Me too.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers are 11-3 and cruising for the playoffs, but we should stop and talk about Mike Pettine. Does he have a future in Green Bay? Should he?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers are winners over the Bears again...and this win comes with a bonus prize.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers and Bears are renewing acquaintances for the 200th time, and there's plenty on the line late in the season. What more could you want?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aaron Rodgers has been better in 2019 than he’s been in a few seasons, but some people seem to think he’s a big reason for the Packers’ struggles in the passing game. Do they have a point?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers earned their 10th win of the season but didn’t look all that good doing it. Where does this win leave them heading into a crucial three-game finish?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers have another “should-win” game on the schedule this weekend, but let’s put it this way: it’s probably more accurate to say there’s no way this game should even be close.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers’ offense has been better this year than in 2018. Or has it? In one specific way, Matt LaFleur’s team is behind Mike McCarthy’s.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers took care of business against a bad team. How should we feel about the Packers beating a team they were supposed to beat? Probably fine. More importantly, what big questions are still out there?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s redemption time! The Packers need a win to get back on track in their race for supremacy in the NFC North, and fortunately, the Giants look poised to comply. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you still thankful for the Packers? Of course you are, so let’s talk a little bit about what we’re thankful for in the spirit of the season. But first, following up on a couple storylines from Sunday’s meltdown in San Francisco.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers were roughly handled by the San Francisco 49ers, and how it happened could (and probably should) give us a big reason for concern for the rest of the season.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers are facing one of the top teams in the NFL this weekend. Or are they? The 49ers may be more mysterious than we’ve been led to believe.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers are 8-2 heading into the stretch run of their season. What should be bothering Matt LaFleur and company? I have some ideas.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers are on their bye week, so we need to talk about one big question: what are they?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers hung tough on a wild weather day to move to 8-2. How’d they do it? Let’s discuss.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers have a chance to right the ship before their bye week but to get to 8-2 they have to take down a team that seems perfectly created to exploit their weaknesses.Here's what we talked about in this episode::36 - Panthers overview4:12 - Meet the Panthers' offense8:48 - Meet the Panthers' defense11:55 - Player to Watch - Luke Kuechly13:32 - What happened the last time the Packers and Panthers played?14:27 - Jon's prediction for this weekSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers aren’t getting much from their inside linebacker position right now. Why? And what can they do about it? Spoiler alert: not much.Here's what we talked about in this episode:3:06 - What's the deal with Blake Martinez?8:15 - Will Ibraheim Campbell make a difference?12:32 - Should Ty Summers get a shot?15:04 - Does the future look any better at inside linebacker?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers fall to 7-2 on an embarrassing afternoon in Los Angeles.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers are off to Los Angeles to face the Chargers, a team without an identity, a home fan base, or even a real stadium. But other than that, they’re quite formidable!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Don’t look now, but it’s the midway point of the season. Let’s check in on how the Packers are doing by taking a look at some of the things we’re doing.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers beat the Chiefs 34-27 to move to 7-1. How did it happen and, more importantly, what can we learn?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let’s take a very quick look at the Chiefs. You may have heard they’re without their starting quarterback. You should still be concerned!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt LaFleur was brought to Green Bay to improve the Packers’ offense. Seven games in, how is he doing?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers improved to 6-1 with a convincing win over the Raiders, powered by a statistically perfect performance by Aaron Rodgers. How did it all go down?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's preview the Packers' next opponent: Jon Gruden. And also the Oakland RaidersSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let’s open the history books for a quick stroll down memory lane as the Packers prepare to meet a group of three teams with an interesting shared legacy.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers are 5-1 and in control of the NFC North all thanks to a win over the Lions. How'd they get it done? Let's discuss.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been a while since the Packers have had three wins in the NFC North this early in the season, but they've got a chance to get there on Monday.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Mark Beech joins the podcast to discuss his new book, The People's Team: An Illustrated History of the Green Bay Packers.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers are flying high at 4-1 after a big win in Big D. What made it possible? Let’s discuss.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers head to Dallas this weekend to face their most formidable foe yet.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Packers are preparing to face the Dallas Cowboys and it looks like they’ll be without Davante Adams. Should they trade for a wide receiver? And if so, who? Then, let’s savor some wins over the Cowboys from years gone by.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/blue-58. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.