“Money” Rodgers Earns His Stripes In Victory

It was almost 2008 all over again for the Green Bay Packers Sunday night.

Then Aaron Rodgers showed why he is an elite quarterback poised to erase the late-game struggles of last season.

In a game the Packers likely would have found a way to lose last season Green Bay showed the toughness and resolve they often lacked in 2008, traits that Aaron Rodgers put on full display for a national audience.

With his normally sure-handed receivers dropping passes, Rodgers being uncharacteristically inaccurate at times, and his sieve-like offensive line surrendering pass-rushers all night, No. 12 took his beating like a man and refused to make the big mistake.

And then when it got down to money time, that is precisely what Rodgers was.

Money.

Unlike his counterpart Jay Cutler, who forced an alarming amount of passes and paid the price for his impatience with four costly picks, Rodgers took his hits and just kept balling.

Cutler faded from the rush or tried to jam passes in as opposed to taking his hits, and it cost Chicago the game in a disappointing debut.

Not the smoothest of starts for the supposed missing link in Chicago.

Meanwhile, Rodgers stood in, waited for his moment, and seized it for the Packers with his cold-blooded strike to Greg Jennings on a third-and-1.

I love the mentality to go for the kill as opposed to settling for a long Crosby field goal, and that mentality starts with the confidence Green Bay now has in their quarterback.

A-Rod showed he could put up elite numbers last year, but the victories didn’t accompany the gaudy stats. That’s because the truest measure of a franchise quarterback is how he deals with adversity.

Rodgers dealt with off-the-field issues incredibly well last year but was unable to deliver consistently in crunch time on it.

Elite guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Ben Roethlisberger find ways to win when everything is going wrong.

Big Ben rescued his Steelers Thursday night in a game where the Pittsburgh rushing attack got stuffed all night, and led them to victory against a tough Titans team.

Tom Brady tossed two touchdowns in the final 2:06 of last night’s game against Buffalo after looking out of sync much of the night coming off of knee surgery.

And Manning has been willing the Colts to steal games they have no business winning for a few seasons by now.

Rodgers gutty performance against Chicago fits right in.

His stats (17 for 28, 184 yards) certainly don’t stand out, but the way he persevered in the face of a relentless rush and emerged with a win certainly does.

Rodgers and the Packers took a big step towards fulfilling their preseason promise in their win over Chicago, even if things didn’t go quite as McCarthy and his staff drew it up.

Let’s just hope that offensive line doesn’t make Rodgers prove how tough and poised he is every week.

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Black and Blue Preview: Sizing Up the NFC North Offenses

With final rosters being set over the weekend and the real games finally set to begin in less than a week, I wanted to take a look at where each NFC North team stands at each position, starting on offense.

Looking at starting talent, depth, and potential, here is my positional depth chart for the division on offense. A look at the defense, special teams, and overall predictions will be coming later in the week.

 

Quarterback

1. Green Bay 2. Chicago 3. Minnesota 4. Detroit

Aaron Rodgers is following up his statistically brilliant 2008 with an even better preseason performance to kick off 2009.

The offense punted only once in 13 preseason possessions in large part due to the brilliance of Rodgers, who looks poised to add victories to his gaudy stats this season.

Backup Matt Flynn has also looked much improved this preseason, and while Packer fans hope they only see the former seventh-round LSU product in mop-up duty, he has looked competent enough to keep the offense rolling if pressed into action.

I’m not sure how Ted Thompson was able to pull the wool over the eyes of the entire league and sneak the juggernaut that is Brian Brohm onto the practice squad, but it appears the Packers may go with just two QB’s and promote him if necessary.

The Bears may boast the most physically dynamic quarterback in the division with the acquisition of Jay Cutler from Denver, and he should eventually make their offense far more balanced and dangerous.

It feels like Chicago hasn’t had a elite quarterback since Sid Luckman, and my grandparents think that statement was dated.

With apologies to Erik Kramer and Jim McMahon fans across the nation, Cutler will make a huge impact on how teams gameplan for the Bear offense and offer a dimension they haven’t had in a long time.

However, Cutler is coming to a new team, learning a new offense, and looks to have a lack of playmakers at receiver, which is why I give the edge to Green Bay behind center.

The Bears also have a muddled backup situation, with unproven, undrafted Caleb Hanie set to back up Cutler and no third-stringer on the 53-man roster.

Most teams are sunk if the starting QB goes down anyways, but Chicago and Green Bay will likely need their No. 1’s to stay on the field for 16 games in order to make it to the postseason.

You may have heard that Brett Favre decided to come back and play football, the game that he loves more than anyone has ever loved anything.

But at nearly 40 years old, that makes him only the third-best quarterback in his division.

Coming off a very short preseason and stepping into a new system with new players, there may be an adjustment period for Favre as he goes from throwing to high schoolers in Mississippi to the real deal in the NFL.

While it has been said that he knows the offense well enough to teach a class on it, Favre still needs to develop a rapport with his receivers.

Favre has always relied on ‘feel’ as a passer, and throws a lot of timing patterns at this point in his career. That feel was lacking in the preseason and will need to be ironed out over the first several regular season games.

Luckily, the Vikes have a charmin soft opening schedule, starting with Cleveland, Detroit, and San Francisco.

The Vikings also boast one of the deepest quarterbacking situations in the league, with Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels both possessing extensive starting experience.

With recent rumblings suggesting that some players believe one of those two give Minnesota a better chance to win than No. 4, perhaps that depth will become a problem if Brett gets off to a slow start in 2009.

Detroit comes in last at quarterback, though the position is far from hopeless for the league’s first-ever 0-16 squad.

First, overall pick Matthew Stafford has had a solid preseason and should eventually get the chance to work out his rookie mistakes later in the season.

Daunte Culpepper has slimmed down a bit and looks as good as he has since suffering a devastating knee injury that derailed his promising career in 2005.

And hey, at least Lions fans don’t have to watch Dan Orlovsky forget what that thick white line in the back of the opposing end zone is for.

 

Running Back

1. Minnesota 2. Chicago 3. Green Bay 4. Detroit

The Vikings were an easy choice for the top spot here, with the dynamic Adrian Peterson having emerged as perhaps the best back in the league.

Throw in the fact that Chester Taylor is one of the finest backups in football, and a guy that would likely start for 10-12 teams, and you have a great offensive backfield in Minnesota.

If Minnesota is to have the kind of Super Bowl-type season that many predict, it will undoubtedly be on the legs of their running game.

Chicago’s Matt Forte stepped up in a big way last season, rushing for 1,238 and eight scores with defenses keying on the running game.

Forte also proved to be a multi-dimensional back, catching 63 passes for 477 yards as he carried the offense for much of the season. With Jay Cutler in town to take some of the pressure off, Forte should be more explosive in 2009.

I don’t think 1,500 yards is out of the question for him, unless he ends up catching too many passes to get there.

Backups Adrian Peterson (the other one) and Garrett Wolfe are both solid backups talented enough to give Forte a breather here and there.

Green Bay should improve its running game in 2009 with starter Ryan Grant going through an entire camp and looking much healthier than he did last season.

Grant lacked big-play burst in 2008 and saw his yards-per-carry average slip significantly, but has looked quicker and sharper throughout the preseason.

If he can regain his late-2007 form, the Packer offense will be extremely difficult to slow down.

Backup Brandon Jackson and DeShawn Wynn are both talented but haven’t been able to step up and spell Grant consistently in their short careers.

Jackson has battled injuries and Wynn isn’t exactly known for his work ethic, but both look poised to play more of a role this season in the Packer offense.

Someone needs to emerge to keep Grant fresh, and I think this will be the year that Wynn cashes in on his natural talent.

The Packers also chose to keep three fullbacks. While I would have liked John Kuhn or Korey Hall’s spot go to rookie RB Tyrell Sutton or S Anthony Smith, the Packers opted for more special teams help.

Detroit has a solid if unspectacular starter in Kevin Smith, and made a nice pickup in signing Maurice Morris from Seattle.

However, they lack a guy who can really gash your defense or shape a gameplan around, and that hurts a team looking to break in a rookie quarterback at some point.

 

Wide Receiver

1. Green Bay 2. Detroit 3. Minnesota 4. Chicago

One through five, the Packers may boast the most loaded receiving corps in football.

Greg Jennings has emerged as a big-play No. 1 receiver, and is flanked by a great possession receiver who can still break an occasional big one in Donald Driver.

Jordy Nelson has looked a little more explosive this preseason, hauling in a 76-yard touchdown reception against Arizona.

And James Jones is a proven commodity as well, with prototypical size, speed, and catching ability as the No. 3 or 4 guy.

Brett Swain looks to hang on as a special teams guy and takes Ruvell Martin’s spot at the back end of the rotation, but has shown some ability in camp as a sure-handed option in some five-wide sets.

Detroit lacks Green Bay’s depth, but Calvin Johnson may very well be the best receiver in the division.

Johnson caught 78 balls for 1,332 yards last season and it still feels as though he has only scraped the surface of his potential. At 6’5”, he is going to be a big problem for the division over the next several years.

Bryant Johnson is a solid No. 2 on the other side, and Dennis Northcutt brings experience and speed as a No. 3.

Minnesota has a somewhat suspect receiving corps, but Bernard Berrian is a proven big play threat that teams have to account for.

He is good for close to 1,000 yards and several long touchdowns per season, but can be shut down with a solid gameplan.

Outside of trying to stir up trouble in Chicago, Bobby Wade is more of a No. 3 or 4 guy than a starter, but Minnesota will have to make due with him and Sidney Rice at receiver until Percy Harvin can get up to speed.

Harvin is the wildcard in this group. If he can learn his assignments and get crisp enough with his route-running, his speed and natural ability could really improve this offense.

Otherwise the rest of the guys aren’t too scary.

Chicago may finally have a quarterback, but he won’t have too many options in the passing game.

Devin Hester can outrun just about anyone, but he is still really raw as a receiver. He has no business being a No. 1, but he is the best they have.

Perhaps Cutler can rediscover his rapport with college teammate Earl Bennett as a No. 2 or 3 receiver. Look for Bennett to emerge as the No. 2 as he hooks back up with his old Vandy QB.

Outside of those two, Chicago will rely on Rashied Davis, a serviceable possession guy, and Juaquin Iglesias, a rookie out of Oklahoma to round out an underwhelming receiving corps.

 

Tight End

1. Chicago 2. Green Bay 3. Minnesota 4. Detroit

Greg Olsen is a stud that may very well take the next step and join the likes of Antonio Gates and Jason Witten as an elite TE.

Especially with their shortcomings at WR, I see Olsen catching 70 balls as they line the versatile TE up all over the field. Stopping Olsen will be key to slowing down the Chicago offense, and Cutler is going to wear him out with passes in 2009.

Add in Desmond Clark as a reliable blocker and pass catcher as the No. 2, and the Bears look set at tight end.

Jermichael Finley has been one of the big stories of Green Bay’s offseason, and looks to be a force in the red zone for the Packers this season.

Along with Donald Lee, who is usually good for 40-50 grabs and a handful of touchdowns per season, and the Packers should be able to run some two TE sets harkening back to the days of Chumura and Keith Jackson.

Brett Favre loves his security blanket tight ends, and Visanthe Shiancoe should be a good one for him in Minnesota. He is an athletic guy who should thrive with more touches from Favre.

Backup Jim Kleinsasser is more of a blocking threat and is getting up there in age, and it looks like Minnesota lacks the depth at TE of Green Bay and Chicago.

Tight ends can be a young quarterbacks best friend, but unfortunately for Matthew Stafford, the Lions lack a veteran pass-catching guy at the position.

First-round pick Brandon Pettigrew has great physical tools, but it remains to be seen whether he can produce as the No. 1 guy and be the safety valve Stafford needs.

Will Heller and Casey FitzSimmons are slated to be the top two guys outside of Pettigrew, and neither offer much more than solid blocking.

 

Offensive Line

1. Minnesota 2. Chicago 3. Green Bay 4. Detroit

None of the NFC North offensive lines are particularly dominating, but I still give the nod to Minnesota.

Steve Hutchinson and Bryant McKinnie still anchor a pretty potent left side of the line, and while losing long-time center Matt Birk hurts, they still have the ability to open holes for AP and keep Favre upright.

Which may be critical for the Vikings, with Favre looking a bit slow in the preseason.

If second-round pick Phil Loadholt can hold down the right tackle spot for the Vikes, this could still be a formidable unit.

Chicago added former All-Pro left tackle Orlando Pace to pair with some decent pieces along the line.

If Pace can stay healthy, a big if for the aging tackle, Chicago should have a solid unit with Olin Kreutz anchoring the middle, and Roberto Garza and Chris Williams manning the right side.

Williams has been inconsistent, and the Bears need the former first-round pick to play like one, but I think Chicago just has a little more talent along the line than the Packers.

Green Bay finally seems to have some stability on the offensive line, after moving guys around for a few years. Daryn Colledge has looked solid most of the preseason, and the Packers appear to have settled on a center in the bigger, more physical Jason Spitz.

If anything, the unit should improve with continuity, something they have lacked due to injury and inconsistency in the past.

However, I still feel like this is the weakest link on the Packer offense, and something to watch as Green Bay goes up against some physical fronts later in the season.

Bad teams tend to have bad line play, and the Lions are no exception to this rule.

Detroit surrendered a brutal 52 sacks last season, and Detroit looks like they will be starting four of the same five guys this season.

Adding in the fact that Lions rushers averaged only 3.8 yards per carry, Detroit looks poised to struggle moving the ball yet again in 2009.

For the sake of Matthew Stafford’s future, it may be wise for Detroit to let Daunte Culpepper take some of those licks this season, as it could be another long year for Lions quarterbacks.

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Raji Leaves Green Bay: What a Long Holdout Means for Revamped D

Packers first-round pick and ninth overall selection B.J. Raji was seen flying out of Green Bay last night, a bad sign for fans hoping to see the space-eating 330-pounder in green and gold anytime soon.

With contract negotiations between Raji and the club at an apparent standstill according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, it is unclear when the Packers’ top pick will be back in town, and in uniform.

This is damaging news for the defense, with the line already missing fellow defensive linemen Johnny Jolly and (get this!) Justin Harrell due to injury, leaving the Packers  perilously thin up front.

And with the 3-4 so dependent on the linemen eating up blockers and holding the point at the line of scrimmage, the lack of progress is a bit disheartening.

Raji and Ryan Pickett are pegged to be the key cogs up front for the Pack in 2009, and they need to get those guys reps to establish some cohesion defensively.

While Raji is currently listed as Pickett’s backup at nose tackle, Raji was expected to play left end and team with Pickett in occupying blockers for the linebackers.

The longer the contract negotiations drag out, the greater the risk that Green Bay will be relying on an out-of-shape Raji along with several injury-prone and less-talented linemen.

Where have you gone, Andrew Brandt?

But before you blame Ted Thompson and negotiator Russ Ball for the lack of progress, know that there are more influential reasons for the stalemate.

There is currently a logjam of unsigned draft picks around Raji, including sixth overall pick Andre Smith, and the No. 8-11 draftees.

More specifically, if you want to point a finger at someone, point one at San Francisco wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

The tenth overall selection is throwing a major wrench in the slotting process by demanding to be paid like a top-five pick.

Raji and his people are understandably concerned to sign quickly only to see Crabtree’s contract blow his out of the water.

Without his ridiculous demands (he slipped in the draft after undergoing foot surgery, but still thinks he’s entitled to be paid like he didn’t go under the knife), Raji would likely already be in camp riding children’s bicycles around.

You can also point a finger at Raiders owner Al Davis, who reached for Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey at the No. 7 spot and then shelled out $38 million to sign him, further muddling the slotting process.

Crabtree considers himself a much better player than Heyward-Bey, and has threatened to sit out the season and re-enter the draft in 2010 if he doesn’t get a “fair-market” deal.

It will be difficult to sign Raji until No. 8 pick Eugene Monroe and Crabtree get their contract situations settled.

As it stands, it may be days or even weeks before we see a key piece in the new 3-4 defense get onto the field, a disappointing setback for a defense looking to turn things around in 2009.

Fight Club: More Physical Camp an Encouraging Sign For Packers

It didn’t take long for the physicality of training camp to boil over for the Green Bay Packers.

After going without so much as a skirmish in camp before the disappointing 6-10 campaign of a year ago, it only took four days for several fights to break out during a Tuesday evening scrimmage.

Good.

While I certainly don’t want to see anyone get put on the shelf by getting jacked up in a camp fight, the fact that the Packers’ camp is more physical and intense thus far is a welcome sign for a team that lacked spark and toughness at times last season.

With five of the Packers’ first six practices in full pads, Green Bay is running a much more rugged camp this year, with nose tackle Ryan Pickett stating it is the most physical camp he has been through.

Labeled a finesse team by some, a dirty word in football, the Packers have struggled at times to man up in the trenches in a very physical division.

But this is a new season, and thus far, the Packers and their coaching staff appear to have a chip on their shoulders after a disappointing 2008.

One player who has been turning heads with his impassioned play is middle linebacker Desmond Bishop, who has impressed coaches with his blitzing ability and physicality at the “Mack” position in camp.

He has also been at the center of a few donnybrooks.

Bishop had to be separated from offensive lineman Jason Spitz after a Kregg Lumpkin fumble caused a pileup, and another fight involving Bishop had Outside Linebackers coach Kevin Greene looking for his hat.

That is the kind of hunger you want from an inside ‘backer.

I love the intensity he is bringing to camp so far, and his skills may end up being a great fit for the 3-4 defense inside.

He has been a beast timing his blitzes and blowing people up in the hole early in camp, and has shown the aggressiveness that A.J. Hawk has lacked in rushing the passer.

Bishop was exposed in coverage for being slow-footed at times last year, but with the new defense calling for mostly zone coverages, Desmond could see the field a lot more this season if he keeps crushing people in camp.

The 3-4 defense is always in need of a badass or two in the middle, and Bishop may emerge as that attitude guy at linebacker.

At the very least, maybe he can push the mostly mediocre A.J. Hawk as he looks to find the playmaking ability he showed at Ohio State.

Rookie Quinn Johnson has also brought toughness and physicality to camp at the fullback spot.

While it comes with the territory as a fullback, you want those guys who seem to seek out and relish the car-accident types of collisions in the hole, and he is proving to be a guy that can stand people up so far.

As anyone who played with Lorenzo Neal can attest, a hard-nosed, blocking fullback can make a huge difference in the running game, and may help open things up for Ryan Grant and Co. moving forward.

While a couple of fights in August won’t necessarily lead to more victories in the fall, the hunger that the Packers are showing early in camp makes me believe they think they have something to prove this season.

Maybe it was the Favre distraction in camp last year, or maybe they got too high after their surprise run to the NFC Championship game in 2007, but the team simply seemed to lack intesity at times last year.

So far, they look and sound like a team ready to atone for their lost 2008 season, already showing some of the fire that was missing a year ago.

Five Things I Hope To See in Green Bay’s Training Camp

As the dog days of summer come to an end and training camp is set to commence, there will finally be more to talk about than how “conflicted” Brett Favre is about trading his Wranglers in for a bright purple outfit, or how truly atrocious T.O.’s new reality show is.

That said, here are five issues that need to be resolved in Packers’ training camp.

 

Solidifying the Backup Quarterback Spot

The quarterback situation was even more precarious entering camp last season, but the Packers are still taking a huge gamble by going with second-year signal-callers Matt Flynn and Brian Brohm as the backups to Aaron Rodgers.

Flynn and Brohm both suffered through horrendous preseasons last year, and neither player looked remotely ready to step in if Rodgers had gotten hurt.

Flynn has shown promise and coaches rave about his leadership abilities, but he hasn’t proven that he has the physical tools to play in the NFL.

Brohm has yet to show anything that suggests he is an NFL-caliber quarterback, and after being overtaken on the depth chart by Flynn, he has a lot to prove in order to stick in the league.

Unless one of them takes a major step forward in their sophomore campaigns, the Packers are likely looking at a lost season if A-Rod gets nicked up.

 

Depth in the Secondary

Star cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson are getting a bit long in the tooth, and it remains to be seen whether they can be as effective in a 3-4 system that calls for more zone coverage as opposed to the savage man-to-man that they both excel in.

Both have had recent struggles with injury as well.

While Harris has been an iron man for most of his career, he suffered a grisly spleen injury that forced him out of four games last season, and Woodson has practiced only sparingly over the last two seasons.

If either of those two go down for a significant stretch, what do the Packers have behind them?

Tramon Williams proved to be a big-play corner for the Packers, picking off five passes last season, but corners Jarrett Bush, Will Blackmon, and Pat Lee (looking like a bust,) all struggled at times last season.

Here’s hoping that the injury-prone Blackmon, who has shown off terrific athleticism as a punt returner, can stay on the field and emerge as a reliable cover corner to pair with Williams.

 

Someone to Seize the No. 3 Receiver Spot

This figures to be a battle between James Jones and Jordy Nelson.

Jones has all of the physical tools to be a solid receiver, but his hands leave too much to be desired.

His two critical fumbles cost Green Bay a game in 2007 against Chicago, and he drops too many balls to be a trusted target for Rodgers.

This year is a bit of a put up or shut up season for Jones, who needs to be more consistent and cash in on his potential, or potentially move on from Green Bay.

Nelson isn’t really a big-play threat, but he is a big, physical possession receiver that can open up the outside for Jennings and Driver.

Look for Nelson to take the No. 3 spot and be a more reliable slot guy for Rodgers.

 

The Linebacking Corps Coming Together

The move to the 3-4 creates more questions at linebacker than any other spot defensively for the Pack.

Pro Bowl defensive lineman Aaron Kampman is still a bit disgruntled over the move to linebacker, and it remains to be seen whether he can be as effective rushing the passer standing up, and if he possesses the lateral quickness to avoid being exposed in coverage.

Likewise, the Packers need either rookie Clay Matthews or Brady Poppinga to quickly grasp the scheme and claim the other outside ‘backer spot.

Matthews has all of the physical tools and an NFL pedigree (if that really matters,) but Poppinga played in the 3-4 at BYU and should have a leg up in terms of familiarity with the system.

Oh yeah, and it wouldn’t hurt if new linebackers coach Kevin Greene can light a fire under A.J. Hawk a bit. It’s time for him to earn his draft slot and be the play-making beast the Packers expected in the new defense.

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers deserves the benefit of the doubt considering his stellar track record turning around defenses in Carolina, Jacksonville, and Miami.

But the pieces still need to fit, and this inconsistent group of linebackers are going to have to gel and step up for the defense to be another Capers success story.

 

Improving the Two-Minute Offense

This is a hard thing to prove in training camp, but the Packers were atrocious in their two-minute drills a year ago.

The Packers seemingly had an opportunity to pull out every game with a late drive, but were unable to get the job done behind an offense that was otherwise potent.

In a recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article, offensive coordinator Joe Philbin called the offense “paper champions,” and that the offense was “flat-out bad” on opening drives and in the two-minute offense.

I tend to agree with Philbin.

While the offense put up lots of points, and the defense deserves some heat for many of the close losses, the fact is that the Packers simply failed to execute in their two-minute drill.

That lack of execution comes back to Aaron Rodgers.

The next step for Rodgers is to show the kind of leadership and swagger that elite quarterbacks have in leading their teams to victory late in games.

Green Bay was brutal on opening drives, finishing off the first half, and closing out games in their no-huddle offense, the three most critical times in the game.

Rodgers deserves more time to evolve in that aspect, but this offense is too skilled to repeat last season’s maddening end-of-game futility.

That confidence and belief is built as early as training camp. so look for Rodgers to show greater confidence and command in his second year behind center.

Donald Driver a Surprising No-Show for Packer OTA’s

Donald Driver was a surprising no-show to the Green Bay Packers’ Organized Team Activities (OTA’s) on Thursday and is reportedly unhappy with his contract, according to a Wisconsin State Journal report.

Driver has two years left on his current deal and has approached the team in the past about his desire to renegotiate the deal.

The Packers re-worked his deal in 2007, after Driver made the Pro Bowl. But the 34-year-old receiver is still reportedly displeased with his compensation.

Considering his advancing age, decreasing production, and the Packers wealth of talent at wide receiver, it appears unlikely that Driver will get the upgraded contract he seeks.

The 34-year-old receiver caught 74 passes for 1,012 yards in 2007, his lowest output since 2003.

Meanwhile, the Packers boast emerging star Greg Jennings across from Driver, along with the talented young receivers like James Jones and 2007 second-round pick Jordy Nelson behind them.

The OTA’s are technically voluntary, but only Driver, Charles Woodson, and Nick Collins missed them on Thursday.

Woodson was excused for personal reasons by Head Coach Mike McCarthy, and Collins was absent following the death of his father, according to the report.

McCarthy refused to discuss the absences following the session.

Receivers don’t often age like fine wine, and though Driver has been a stalwart for the Packers both on and off the field, he will likely have to suck it up and play for the $3.9 million he is slated to make this season.

With the talent the Packers have at receiver, Driver has very little leverage to work with.

 

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: A 2009 NFC North Preview

After a disappointing 6-10 campaign in 2008, the Green Bay Packers are looking to return to the top of the NFC North in 2009.

The climb will be arduous however, with the defending NFC North winner Minnesota Vikings looking poised to make another playoff run, and the Bears adding the talented  Jay Cutler to an already solid team.

With the Bears, Vikings, and Packers all looking like potential playoff clubs on paper, the division appears to be as tough as it has been in many years.

Of course, the Lions are still in the division to beat up on, but they have to win a game sometime right?

Here is a look at each team in the division and the threat they pose to the Packers as they look to rebound in 2009.

The Good: Detroit Lions

The good news for Green Bay Packers fans is that the Lions are still around for everyone in the division to kick around, and in spite of a regime change in Motown, that is unlikely to change next year.

While new head coach Jim Schwartz is well-respected in football circles, and the Lions did add some solid talent in the offseason, Detroit is still a few years away from making much headway in the North.

The additions of Larry Foote, Matthew Stafford, Brandon Pettigrew, and the bounty of draft picks Detroit received by trading Roy Williams should ensure that the Lions actually win a few games this season. However, Detroit will be hard-pressed to steal more than a game within the division.

Their defense is still woefully short on talent, and the Lions will find it difficult to stop the likes of Cutler, Rodgers, and Adrian Peterson as they continue to rebuild.

The Lions haven’t defeated the Packers in Green Bay since the elder George Bush was our nation’s president, and that doesn’t appear likely to change next year. The Packers do tend to make things interesting in Detroit, however, and will have to avoid a slip-up in the Motor City to keep pace in the division.

Remember, the score of that 48-25 drubbing in Detroit last season was slightly misleading, as the Packers were actually down at one point in the fourth quarter, before a flurry of turnovers and defensive touchdowns provided the final margin.

The Lions will be improved, but when you go 0-16, that isn’t saying a whole lot.

The Bad: Chicago Bears

Uh-oh.

For the first time since Jim McMahon was doing the Super Bowl Shuffle, the Chicago Bears have a bona-fide star at quarterback in Jay Cutler.

While Cutler may have some maturity issues, he is an immensely talented young quarterback who should stabilize the position for years to come.

Pairing Cutler with a solid running game, led by 1,300-yard rusher Matt Forte, and a normally stout defense means that Chicago will be a formidable obstacle for the Packers in 2009.

The Packers played perhaps their finest game of 2008 in a 37-3 home drubbing of Chicago last season, but they failed to put the Bears away at Soldier Field and will now have to deal with a more balanced offensive attack from the Bears.

The defense also had a surprisingly poor year in 2008, mostly due to being ravaged by injury. If Urlacher’s back holds up and the unit avoids another rash of injuries, it should be ferocious once again.

Overall, Chicago is better than they were a year ago and will pose a serious threat to Green Bay’s playoff aspirations.

The Ugly: Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings won the division a season ago with a 10-6 mark, riding All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson and their traditionally stout rush defense to the playoffs in 2008.

However, their playoff run was cut short by their traditionally lousy quarterback play. 

Starter Tarvaris Jackson went 15-for-35 in the game and threw a crucial interception that Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel returned for a touchdown in a disappointing home loss to Philadelphia.

In the offseason, the Vikings looked to address their quarterback situation by adding veteran signal-caller Sage Rosenfels, while also reportedly looking into adding some guy named Favre to stabilize the position.

They also added perhaps the best playmaker available in the draft in Florida’s Percy Harvin. This gave the Vikings another vertical threat to compliment all-world running back Adrian Peterson.

Considering the fact that nobody can run on the Vikings, few can stop the freight train that is Peterson, and pass-rushing terror Jared Allen and solid corner Antoine Winfield are still wearing purple, the Vikings look poised to make a strong run at the divisional crown again in 2009.

Protecting the home field within the division will be crucial, and the Packers will need to go at least 4-2 against their counterparts to secure the north.

Minnesota appears to be the strongest threat to the Packers ascending to the top of the division, but the Packers have an offense to compete with anyone.

That said, the division will likely come down to how effectively the Packers make the transition to the 3-4 and if they can hold the Bears and Vikings down just enough to outscore them.

The NFC North race figures to be a tight three-team battle that should go down to the wire in 2009. The Packers certainly have their work cut out for them in a strong division.

 

 

 

A Fantastic Voyage: Looking Back on the 1995 Green Bay Packers

1996 is the season that will forever remain etched in the minds and hearts of most Green Bay Packer fans, as they finally brought a title back to Titletown, 29 years after Vince Lombardi raised the trophy that would later bear his name.

The Packers had the best scoring offense and defense in football, raced to a 13-3 regular season record, and steamrolled through the playoffs to capture their first Super Bowl trophy since Lombardi ferociously roamed the sidelines of the frozen tundra.

Reggie White finally captured that elusive championship ring, Brett Favre ran around the Superdome like a giddy 12-year-old, and all was right in PackerLand.

But 1995 was perhaps even more rewarding and enthralling as a fan, as the Green Bay Packers came of age as a championship caliber team, and set the groundwork for the dominant season that would follow.

The season was packed with memorable moments, milestones, and emerging key players that in many ways made the season even more special than the ensuing championship year.

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Quarterback Brett Favre emerged as the elite quarterback he would be for much of the next decade, taking home his first of three consecutive MVP awards while amassing some staggering numbers in the process. 

Favre would put up 38 touchdowns against just 13 interceptions and pass for a career-high 4,413 yards. He also posted the best passer rating of his illustrious career, with a 99.5 mark.

More than just his statistics, however, 1995 was the year that Favre finally put it all together.

From 1992-94, Favre put up big numbers, but also made fans a little queasy with his bravado throwing the ball. He was so erratic at times, that Holmgren had to be talked out of benching him early in his career.

However, beginning in his first MVP season, the spectacular plays far outnumbered plays of the head-scratching variety, and he had mostly shed his propensity to throw the occasional game away.

Favre was an absolute assassin in the mid-1990s and gave the Packers a chance against anybody in his prime.

1995 also saw Robert “Jump in the Stands” Brooks take over for superstar wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, who would never play again due to a scary spinal cord injury, and catch 102 passes for 1,497 yards.

Brooks would become famous for his Lambeau Leaps in 1995, as he found the end zone 13 times in the regular season.

After the Packers were drubbed 35-9 by Dallas in the 1994 divisional playoffs, with the offense looking lost minus their all-world flanker, it was uncertain how the offense would produce without Sharpe, a dominant player who at the time held the NFL record for receptions in a season with 112.

But Brooks, along with Mark Chmura, Edgar Bennett, and others quickly erased those concerns as the Packers displayed an explosive offense even without their stud wideout. 

That offense was never more dominant than against the Chicago Bears in 1995.

At home, Favre famously tossed five touchdown passes on a severely sprained ankle to out-duel Erik Kramer and the Bears 35-28.

Favre was a game-time decision, and began to build his iron-man legacy with the gutty performance.

At Soldier Field, the Packers snuck by Chicago 27-24 on the strength of Favre’s NFL-record-tying 99-yard touchdown pass to Brooks before a Monday Night Football audience.

The Packers also claimed their first outright division title since the strike-shortened 1982 season when Pittsburgh’s All-Pro receiver Yancey Thigpen muffed a lollipop touchdown toss from Neil O’Donnell in the game’s closing seconds, a catch that would have given the NFC Central crown to Detroit.

(Yes, there was a time when the Lions won games and threatened to win division titles.)

Green Bay carried that momentum into the playoffs where they blasted the Atlanta Falcons at home 37-20, leading the Pack into a showdown with the defending Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers.

Few people gave a young Green Bay team a chance to come into San Fran and knock off the Niners, but the Packers made head coach Mike Holmgren’s homecoming a happy one, as cornerback Craig Newsome scooped up a fumble and took it 31 yards for a touchdown in the game’s opening minutes.

The Packers would physically dominate the Niners all day, storming out to a 21-3 lead and claiming a 27-17 victory to shockingly oust the champs on their home-field.

Green Bay would be the only NFC team in the 1990s to win a divisional playoff game on the road, as they began an era of dominance over San Francisco with the win.

Though the ensuing loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys was a bitter pill to swallow (As a nine-year-old, I cried like a baby), especially considering the Packers held a 27-24 lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Packers ascent to the forefront of the NFC was undeniable.

They now had the experience along with the talent to get over the top, and nothing would stop them in 1996.

While 1995 saw the Packers fall just short of their ultimate goal, the season symbolized a giant step in their progression as a championship team.

Almost every champion suffers through the agony of defeat before emerging victorious, and the Packers were no exception.

And in retrospect, having the opportunity to watch their climb turned out to be even more rewarding than seeing them finally reach the summit.

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