[saintrules]

Week 11 Packers (8-1) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (3-6)

Pregame Thoughts: We sit at 8-1, a couple games up in the North as they Bears and Vikings are tied at 6-3 & the Lions are 5-4. Philly is a fairly sound team, they won the East in 2017 with much of the same roster as we will see today. The Carson Wentz (83) project didn't take off like many had hoped, but a defense littered with talent makes up for it. Fletcher Cox (96) & Brandon Graham (94) may be the best two punch defensive line duo in the NFC & will be a lot for our line to deal with, especially with Bryan Bulaga out. (R) Saquon Barkley (83) leads the charge for NFC Rookie of the Year at the moment, as well.

Game Result: 17-20 Loss
Game Injuries: Morgan Burnett (5 Weeks), Bryan Bulaga (2 Weeks), Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (1 Week), Martellus Bennett (1 Week)
Game MVP: (R) Saquon Barkley (29 attempts, 100 yards, 1 TD)
Game Thoughts: We've played some very close games the last few weeks & this continued the trend. The Eagles played a really tough game, pounding the rock pretty hard behind their rookie & having Brandon Graham (5 tackles, 1.0 sack) & Jordan Hicks (12 tackles) all over the field on defense. Aaron Rodgers (24/35, 224 yards, 1 INT) looked damn near perfect prior to the Week 7 BYE, but has been pretty rough since then, throwing 6 INT's in the last 4 weeks. Ty Montgomery (23 attempts, 112 yards, 2 TD) did work on the ground, but in the end, the pick lost us the game. Shaun Dion Hamilton (9 tackles, 1 TFL, 1.0 sack) & (R) Tremaine Edmunds (3 tackles, 1 TFL, 0.5 sack) got after Carson Wentz (14/27, 194 yards, 1 TD) a few times in the loss.

Postgame Thoughts: I think we beat ourselves today a bit more than Philly really came out & gave it to us. We have got to sure up the passing woes as they have pretty much been our downfall in both losses so far this season.

Week 12 Packers (8-2) vs. Denver Broncos (3-7)

Pregame Thoughts: The chips haven't fallen the way of Denver all season behind Teddy Bridgewater (83). Their defense, led by Von Miller (99), Chris Harris Jr (95), and Aqib Talib (91), is still as scary as it was in 2017. Bridgewater has got 2018's Receiver of the Year, Demaryius Thomas (87) to look to, should be a tough one to defend.

Game Result: 34-38 Loss
Game Injuries: Morgan Burnett (4 Weeks), Bryan Bulaga (1 Week)
Game MVP: Teddy Bridgewater (28/40, 311 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT)
Game Thoughts: It's been quite a while...actually, this may be the most TD's we have ever given up through the air. Bridgewater looked on point as both of our offenses traded blows through the first 3 quarters of the game. Ty Montgomery (18 attempts, 88 yards, 2 TD), Aaron Rodgers (20/26, 237 yards, 1 INT, 6 attempts, 25 yards, 1 TD), and Jamaal Williams (5 attempts, 20 yards, 1 TD), all recorded scores on the ground. Von Miller (10 tackles, 2.5 sacks) & Shaun Dion Hamilton (19 tackles, 2.0 sacks) lit things up in the backfield & Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (8 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 INT) looked stellar in his return to the field. With under a minute to go, Rodgers tried to lead a game winning drive, but was once again picked off & the game was no more.

Postgame Thoughts: Another loss due to a late game INT. I think the main problem is that we have been so focused on the run game this year that we when fall back to the passing attack, things are a bit rusty. The loss marks our second straight as we fall to 8-3 after a 7-0 start. Things won't get much easier as we host Seattle & their vaunted "Legion of Boom".