The People’s GPA: Packers Edge Ravens

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers needed a pass breakup on a two-point play in the final moments to beat a team without its MVP quarterback, two starting offensive linemen, its best defensive lineman and all five starting defensive backs.
Accordingly, the people were not impressed.
In a postgame Twitter poll, about 50 percent of fans gave the Packers a “B” for their performance against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Because about 43 percent of voters gave the Packers a “C,” Green Bay wound up with a 2.53 grade-point average in the weekly People’s GPA. It was the team’s lowest grade in a victory all season.
“I think at moments like this, it’s important to, as much as you win with class, you have to savor these a little bit. These are special,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who clearly would not have given his team a “C,” said after the NFC North-clinching victory.
Wins are hard to come by in the NFL, regardless of circumstances. Just look at the teams that entered Week 14 tied with Green Bay for the top spot in the NFC. The Arizona Cardinals, who were 7-0 on the road, were crushed at one-win Detroit. The New Orleans Saints, recent losers of five straight, went on the road and shut out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“That’s every week,” safety Adrian Amos said. “This is the NFL. Everybody is good. Any team can beat you. I always like to say the backups in the NFL will embarrass you if you don’t come to play, because everybody is a professional. Each and every week, you’ve got to go out there and play ball. With a team like this, I think this is one of the top teams in the league. I know they’re battling some injuries and things like that but, what was it, two weeks ago, they were the No. 1 team in the AFC. They’re a good team. You have to come out and show up to play.”
That’s what Rodgers and Amos had to say. This is what you had to say.
C for me. The offense (B+) was good for the most part. Ran the ball effectively, Rodgers was Rodgers, even if the last drive was really bad. The defense was atrocious and the ST continues to be a travesty. They have a lot to clean up.
— A-Aron (@A_Aron1983) December 20, 2021
C only because the offense was really good. Defense didn't show up and ST is still 💩. But it's still a good win against a resilient team coached by one of the best.
— St. Genesis (@Genesis_DGK) December 20, 2021
Offense B+
— Logan Scheuer (@LoganScheuer) December 20, 2021
Defense C-
Special Teams C
Impressive road win despite clearly playing far from our best.
Probably should’ve been a C after 2nd thought with ST and DEF gaffes. DEF game plan was bad for speedy running WB, but they did hold in check to get a 14 pt lead and then at least made the last play. ST is bad enough to cost a championship.
— Joel Holt (@joelaholt) December 20, 2021
This was an 84%. Low end of a B. Offense was pretty good today, defense struggled, and special teams…..well……
— Tom Sauve (@TomSauve19) December 20, 2021
C. Started slow, yet again. O played mostly well, D struggled most of the game and missed Clark badly. ST found new and interesting ways to mess up.
— Doric Packers Fan (@DoricPackersFan) December 20, 2021
Too many self inflicted mistakes today for the top grade but at the end....Just Win Baby!!
— Mark Murphy (@Irishterp) December 20, 2021
ST still 🤮. AR missed 2 (possible 3) big throws. Big road win with crippled OL, DL. AR tied record. D big stop on 2pt.
— DBess (@bessde75) December 20, 2021
B. Win is a win. Defense let Baltimore back in the game but got the ultimate stop. Offense had some problems but got more than enough to win.
— Ray Barrington, ret. (@RayBarrington) December 20, 2021
Special teams ... The less said the better. And it was a road win against a pretty good team.
O: B+. Meh start, prolonged greatness, meh end.
— Matt Pickett (@Matttrombone) December 20, 2021
D: B. Not playing up to their current standard, but they got the job done.
ST: B-/C+, but that’s on a curve. Mostly, they didn’t poop the bed too much.
Offense: B-
— Aaron Gramza (@AaronGramza) December 20, 2021
Defense: F
Special Teams: too low to register
Can’t go 3 and out there at the end of the game there. Happens too often in big spots with 12. Special teams is a steamy pile of 💩 Hopefully we can overcome.
— Chris Rasmussen (@chrisraz71) December 20, 2021
Yeah, never mind the four straight TD drives. “Happens to 12 too often”…cherry picking as most of his critics do. Fans expect him to score EVERY time we have the ball. Never has a QB been held to such a standard.
— Kevin Cetera (@kacetera) December 20, 2021
You explained it perfectly my brotha the QB is always extreme difficult to deal with.
— Shamrock Reddington (@KingFizzl3) December 20, 2021
Baltimore is a tough place to play. They made the plays when they had to. Stopped the 2 got the onside. B+
— widespot 🧭 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇮🇱🧀 (@widespot) December 20, 2021
#Packers Special Teams are not very special. But, I am reminded that last year's #SuperBowl winner had the worst Special Teams in the league - so we got that going for us.#GoPackGo #PackersNation #NFLTwitter #NFCNorth #SuperBowlOrBust #LastDance #GBvsBAL
— Dennis Towle, Jr. (@DTowleJr) December 20, 2021
D. Below average performance against a backup QB and practice squad secondary. Deserved a loss.
— Brett Auriemma (@aceofspades42) December 20, 2021
Hey @BillHuberSI it’s the NFL ..every win is a great win and any criticism of the today’s performance is just blowhard noise !!
— Bob Mutranowski (@Bob_Mutt) December 20, 2021
Defense was ATROCIOUS, offense below average and special teams was well special teams. An embarrassing showing against a team full of 2nd and 3rd string players. Pathetic…
— AJ Walkanoff (@awalkanoff) December 20, 2021
B
— Michael Klinck (@Michael_Klinck) December 20, 2021
Offense had a chance to put it away, twice, didnt.
Defense made adjustments in the 2nd half; Andrews wasnt heard much till the Ravens got desperate.
Crosby's converts and FG all looked liked that any issues have been cleaned up. #GoPackGo
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Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.