The 2009 Green Bay Packers: A Weak Three Review

As week three of the 2009 NFL season draws quickly to it’s climax, the Green Bay Packers can easily be classified as one of it’s surprise teams.

Through their sloppy, ineffective, play the Packers are starting to showcase three glaring weaknesses that could make or break their 2009 season just three games in.  Surprise!

Maybe I should have specified what kind of surprise it was going to be.  Unless your name happens to be Antwan Odom, it’s not a good one.

Let’s take a look at the three weaknesses and the importance for the Packers to overcome them this week against the St. Louis Rams and for the 2009 season in general.

You may want to strap in for this one as it’s most probably going to be a bumpy ride. As a Packers fan, your conductor isn’t in a particularly good mood. Justifiably so, it seems.

All aboard?  All right.

 

Weakness Number One: Mr. Allen Wade Barbre, Offensive “Tackle.”

Though spelling his name Barbre, Allen Wade pronounces it “Bar-ber.”

I’m assuming Allen Wade is spending too much of his time correcting people who pronounce his name “Bar-bray” to devote much thought to playing offensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers.

The obvious solution to this is to bite the bullet and switch the last two letters of his name around.  This should take the pressure off and allow Allen Wade some time to study his playbook.

Either that or he could maybe just go cut hair somewhere and quit totally screwing up my favorite football team; he could do that.

Barbre’s play has been nothing short of awful at the right offensive tackle position for the Packers in 2009, and it’s negative effects on the team have been far reaching and pervasive.

Barbre’s inability to block someone, anyone, man-to-man is extremely disruptive to the Packers offense.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is running for his life this season, having already been sacked 10 times in two games.  When he’s had an extra second to actually throw the ball, Rodgers has been fairly accurate with a 56.7% completion rate for 445 yards.  The fact that he has yet to throw an interception this year is a credit to Rodgers’ toughness and increasingly mature play, as it’s extremely hard to make good decisions with your eyes crossed and your ears ringing all afternoon.

The fact that Rodgers’ has only thrown two touchdowns in 2009 is due primarily to him deciding to keep his team in games instead of risking everything on one play. I believe this to be a sound strategy and it relaxes me a bit as a fan to know that the Packers have someone as smart and talented as him manning the QB position.

What doesn’t relax me one bit is my growing certainty that Rodgers won’t be staying healthy enough to man anything for 16 games this year. 

The play of his offensive line, especially Barbre, will lead to an eventual Rodgers injury.  Even if it doesn’t, and Rodgers grits his teeth and plays through numerous smaller aches and pains (which is probably already the case), the Packers need to understand their star quarterback will be much more safe and effective with help.

Speaking of help, Allen Wade Barbre springs to mind there as well.  He needs a lot, and so far this season he’s gotten it. I know, I know; it makes me sad too.

In two games this season the Packers have thrown guards, tight-ends, and fullbacks over to Barbre’s side to help stem the bleeding. This plan seriously blew up in the Packers faces this past Sunday.

These are tight-ends and fullbacks that are also needed elsewhere. Maybe to help out someone else, like Chad Clifton with his assignment on Cincinnati defensive end Antwan Odom?

Oh wait, don’t worry about Clifton, he’s been hurt. Hurt trying to stop Odom one-on-one, which is a total coincidence.  Don’t worry at all Allen, we’ll just put guard Daryn Colledge in there against Odom and keep sending all the help we can to the right side. Yep, yep, things should work out just fine.

Well, they didn’t. Odom ended up dropping five sacks, all by his lonesome, on the Packers and poor Aaron Rodgers (2 on Clifton, 3 on Colledge).  Odom must have wished he could have stayed out there for an extra quarter or two this past Sunday; who doesn’t like going to Hawaii for free?

Fullbacks and tight-ends are also useful catching passes.  Having them available to do this instead of tied up doing someone else’s job would benefit Rodgers as well.

Running back Ryan Grant might also appreciate some help doing his job. With backup Brandon Jackson still limited by an ankle injury, Grant is the only RB currently on the Packers roster (DeShawn Who? What? Where?). Grant could certainly use the services of his fullbacks to open holes for him and maybe a right tackle who can actually block, or something. I mean, we’re wishing here right?  Might as well go for broke.

Barbre has also had a negative impact on the defense, leaving them out on the field far too long with his drive-killing play. 

The play of Barbre and the rest of the Packers offensive line will be, in my opinion, the entire game against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday, September 27, 2009.  This is a game the Packers are certainly capable of winning; but in regards to their season it’s really a case of how they win.

If they even do. The play of Barbre against veteran Rams defensive end Leonard Little will tell a huge tale for the Packers in the game and 2009 in general. Little is an aging veteran with some memorable games already in his career, who’d always take one more.  Leonard’s veteran savvy and scary intensity will most likely give Barbre fits and Packers fans will probably hear his cries of “Help! Help!” all the way in Wisconsin; about midway through the first quarter most likely.

Will this be the case, over-matched early and often?  If it is, then it leaves Colledge against Rams second-year end Chris Long one-on-one, all day.

Long has shown some promise for the Rams with four sacks and 16 pressures last year, and is looking for one big game to finally prove himself worthy of his high draft status.  Something tells me he’s watching tape of the Packers like wolves watch sheep right now, and Colledge better prepare himself for a “Long” afternoon.  I really hope he’s up to it.

The Packers may actually manage to run up the middle against the Rams defensive tackles and if the fullbacks are at all available to block, Ryan Grant might find some daylight.

This could take pressure off Rodgers, giving him time to throw effectively.  Again, this will all come down to the play of his tackles.

Even if Long and Little end up running all over the Green Bay backfield Sunday afternoon though, the Packers could still win.

Rodgers manages a game well, even under pressure. 

The Green Bay defense has a habit of generating take-aways and points; at least, Charles Woodson does. 

Unfortunately for the Rams, they’re weak at numerous positions and are just a beatable team by anyone’s standards.

Which doesn’t mean they won’t win against the Packers; it just makes it unlikely.  My point is that the Packers don’t just have to beat the Rams; they have to beat them first and foremost with the play of their offensive tackles. The Packers tackles have to stand up (literally; they fall down a lot) and prove they can offer their QB some protection for somewhere between 85 and 100 percent of the time they’re out on the field. I’m not asking for miracles here, but the current 30 to 35 percent ratio is just not cutting it for me. 

Because, ladies and gentlemen, as of right now there’s no help in sight for the 2009 Packers offensive line.

We’ve already mentioned the fullbacks and tight-ends, they’re better off doing the jobs they were actually signed for and there’s no real need to mention them here anyway because it’s not the type of help I’m talking about at this point.

No, the Packers need either a miracle where everyone on the line suddenly realizes they’ve been reading the playbook upside down and backwards the whole time and quickly get’s their (expletive) together or they need an upgrade in personnel.

Either/Or is just as likely to happen for the Rams game this coming Sunday, so dwell on that for as long as it takes you, then we can move on to the Packers next glaring weakness.

 

Weakness Number Two: Injured Safeties Leave No Roster Room

Something weird is going on here. The Packers have made a few roster moves in the last 24 hours and while they’re necessary now, looking back a few weeks they don’t seem to add up.

Let’s take a look at the hard facts right now and leave the weirdness alone until weakness number three.

The first fact is that the Packers have suffered injuries to both starting safeties, Nick Collins and Atari Bigby. Bigby is officially listed as out, while Collins was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice and is a question mark for Sunday against the Rams.

Third-year pro Aaron Rouse is also limited by injury and the fact that Green Bay released him on Wednesday. The latter will probably have a huge impact on his play for the Packers on Sunday against St. Loo.

Replacing Rouse on the 53 man roster is fourth-year safety Matt Giordano, a free agent who has spent his most notable time with the Colts, gathering four starts in something like two years in Indy.

Giordano is currently listed as Collins’ backup and will probably get the nod Sunday if Nick is unable to go.  Relative unknown Derrick Martin, a recent acquisition from Baltimore, will most likely start in place of Bigby. 

The Packers other option at safety is fourth-year man Jarrett Bush. I’m using the term “option” fairly loosely here, with Bush’s only real advantage to Rouse (and the only reason I see to keep him on the roster instead of Rouse) being his ability to avoid injury. This has to do with Jarrett’s instinctive talent of taking several plays off every game, effectively conserving his energy and maintaining his health. A quick penalty is always good for a breather as well. What is it with people who have that last name? 

Aside from Giordano and Rouse, the Packers also made another move with an addition to the scout team by welcoming back undrafted rookie offensive tackle Dane Randolph.  This wasn’t a complete shock as fifth round draft pick Jamon Meredith, another OT, was recently signed from the practice squad by the Buffalo Bills.

With the shuffling at the safety position and the injury to Clifton, the Packers seem certain to head into St. Louis featuring the same offensive line that finished the Bengals game. Barring a trade, their roster has no obvious room for adjustment in the form of offensive tackles and any new additions wouldn’t be ready to help against the Rams anyway.

Which brings us to our third, and last, glaring weakness of the Packers in 2009. It’s a big one.

 

Weakness Number Three: Lack of focus.

This seems to be the term that defines the 2009 Green Bay Packers on the field.

From the linebackers, to the special teams, to the offensive line the Packers can’t seem to get their players to focus. Sloppy, disorganized play has ruled the day for the Pack in 2009 and blame is starting to show up. As Packers fans, we need a place to put it.

Does it belong with the players? Some of it, sure. Certain individuals need to start playing professional football instead of Pop Warner; there’s no doubt about it.

Let me ask you something though; why is someone like, say, Allen Barbre even on the field for the Packers? His terrible play is mostly his own fault, but why is it being allowed to disrupt the entire team on Sunday?

Lack of focus, that’s why. If, by lack of focus, you mean poor coaching and suspicious management and talent evaluation, that’s it right there.

Packers general manager Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy waltzed into this season with a huge hole in their team’s offensive tackle position and this decision has bit them and their team squarely on the behinds so far.

I have to admit, I’ve been a definite Thompson booster in the past and have attributed numerous of his puzzling decisions to the fact that he’s a savvy football operator and competent GM.

I’m starting to fear that so many of his decisions seemed puzzling because they were, in short, bad.

Recently things have gotten, as I mentioned earlier, weird.

Thompson and his staff had an obvious lack of focus regarding the Packers offensive line entering the 2009 season and it’s showing. 

The inability to re-sign veteran tackle Mark Tauscher led to the promotion of third year man Allen Barbre (previously mentioned) into the starting right OT position for the Packers. How could this terrible decision be allowed to happen? Lack of focus? I guess.

The trade of fourth-year tackle Tony Moll to Baltimore for safety Derrick Martin is also a suspicious move. Nothing at all against Martin, who’s played reasonably well for the Packers and is currently needed as a starter, but something isn’t right here.

The Packers traded away the only real depth they had at the OT position with Moll.  The guy they kept, Breno Giacomini, is so highly valued by the team that he hasn’t even dressed for the first two games and will probably not see the field at all against the Rams either, in favor of the terrible Barbre.

I’m not saying Moll is better than Giacomini or Barbre, but as Packers fans we’ll never get to know that. The failure of Thompson to provide his team with options at an important position seems like a lack of focus to me.

The release of veteran free agent safety Anthony Smith before the season started is another troubling move by Thompson. Smith had a fine preseason for the Packers and his release precipitated the Moll trade.

By signing Giordano and releasing Rouse the Packers have shown an extreme lack of focus. The team spent over a day after he worked out for them discussing the possibility of adding Giordano, with the biggest obstacle apparently being who would be released to make room on the roster.

With the eventual casualty being Rouse, it makes one wonder why Smith was ever cut in the first place. If Rouse was so very much on the bubble anyway, releasing him at the end of camp and keeping Smith and Moll on the roster would seem to have been a healthier, more focused, choice for the Packers.

As it stands, the Packer’s only reasonable chance to solve their roster woes seems to be a trade.  From what I can see, the team needs a new starting right tackle and he probably won’t come cheap.

If he’s even entertaining the idea, Thompson will have to give up not only draft picks but active roster players in order to upgrade the OT position this season for the Pack.  Other GMs will be able to smell his desperation and any trade the Packers manage to make will end up sending more overall value the other way than the team will get in return. Such is usually the case with glaring weaknesses and quick fixes regarding the same.

What Thompson will most likely do is eventually release Barbre and either scan the waiver wire or sign a veteran/rookie free agent to take his spot on the roster.  Then Ted will close his eyes, cross his fingers, and hope for the best.

Someone else on the Packer’s staff who seems to be holding to this philosophy is head coach Mike McCarthy. Again, I have been a McCarthy booster in the past and I hope my happiness over him not being Mike Sherman has not blinded me to his short-comings. 

If a team is troubled by a lack of focus on the important aspects of their careers, such as football and the proper playing of, there should always be someone there to offer sage advice and counsel.

Why not make that guy the head coach?  Seems like it would work, right?

Unfortunately for some NFL teams, head coaches are busy individuals who sometimes fail to recognize when their team is lacking direction and focus.

The team is practicing poorly? They got their butts whipped last Sunday? Well, they’re a bunch of grown men, I’m sure they can figure it out for themselves. I gotta go, we’re installing a new jacuzzi tub back at the house!

Situations like that are awful for NFL teams, their players, and their fans. Is McCarthy toeing the “neglectful coach” line? Time will tell, I suppose.

The St. Louis Rams will also tell. Their defense and the ability, or lack thereof, by five Packers to keep it out of the backfield will show Packers fans a lot about their hopes for this season.

The Packers seem to be balancing on a thin edge right now between emerging contender and team in turmoil.  How it will eventually turn out is anyone’s guess, but someone needs to start righting the ship. 

Addressing the offensive line issue seems as good a place as any to start.  This would most likely mean making roster room and the Packers may need to stop focusing so intensely on special teams. Seriously, three fullbacks?  Three?

As far as their lack of focus on everything else, this isn’t a problem that will be fixed by talking. Someone has to pull the reigns tight on the Packers and not allow them to make the mistakes they’re becoming known for. Things such as penalties and sloppy play.

Who is going to take control of the Packers in 2009?  Aside from Aaron Rodgers and Charles Woodson, who’ve already stated their cases on the field, the obvious candidate would be head coach Mike McCarthy.

If he can’t get it done, then I would suggest fresh eyes for the 2010 campaign. I’d prefer to not hear anymore talk about poor practices and a lack of focus from the Packers coaching staff. What I’d like is to see improved play on the field.

With two games in the next six weeks against Jared Allen and the Minnesota Vikings have the Packers Javon Walkered themselves with their inattention to talent and depth at the offensive tackle position?  This is a scary possibility.

Will Rams legend Deacon Jones, whose jersey is being retired by the team Sunday, knock Allen Barbre down in the parking lot before the game a few times just for kicks?  As far as I understand, the Deacon could always spot a duck.

Will the Packers select an offensive tackle with their first pick in the 2010 entry draft?  Almost certainly.

Turmoil or triumph? Failure or focus? Victims or victors? 2009 Green Bay Packers tell me!  What path will you choose?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Top 10: One Man’s Favorite Packers

Fresh off an exciting, albeit uneven, win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football, let’s take a look at some of my all-time favorite Green Bay Packers.

The list ranges fairly far into the past, but for the most part it consists of players either still active or active in the 1996/97 season. Did something happen in that season that would affect my selections? I can’t remember…

The bottom eight are in no particular order; no.’s 1 and 2 are where they are for a reason.

Let’s do this thing.

Begin Slideshow

The 2009 Green Bay Packers: Say Hello To The New Guys

There was some talk around the NFL a few seasons ago that Green Bay had a hard time attracting big time free agent talent.

Packers general manager Ted Thompson has attacked that potential problem in a fairly unique way.

Thompson has sent a message to all veteran FA’s looking for a position with his Green Bay Packers:

“You’re welcome to apply; but be damn sure you’re going to do everything that’s asked of you and more before you think you’re going to stay.”

In a nutshell it reads: “We don’t want you; we’re fine without you.”

Which bears the big questions, really.

Are the Packers fine with their roster comprised mainly of fifth-year or below players?  Are they fine when most of their 53 man roster’s only NFL experience is with those very same Packers?

Thompson drove Brett Favre nuts in their time together with his unwillingness to deviate from his master plan.  No Randy Moss for you, sir! 

With the first season without Favre being a 6-10 one and the entire defensive playbook being thrown into the junk-heap to start the 2009 campaign, there are certainly some questions surrounding Ted Thompson’s Packers this year. 

Will Thompson’s seemingly crazy machinations pay-off?  When?

This season will be the showcase for Ted Thompson’s vision of a truly home-grown competitive football team.  He wants to show that you can be responsible and fiscal while still winning; maybe winning everything. 

This task is as monumental and, perhaps more, difficult than just winning a Super Bowl for your franchise in today’s NFL.

Thompson has introduced 10 new players onto the Packers roster for 2009 and, not surprisingly, they consist of eight rookies, one first year player, and one trade.

The trade is kind of surprising actually; not from a personnel stand-point, just because it’s a trade.  Aside from draft day they don’t happen often.

So who are these fresh faced young Packers, ready to help slay the mighty dragons of the NFC and lead their squad to the glory it so rightfully deserves?

Let’s meet them…

 

Laying it on a Little Thick There Weren’t You?  Dragons?

Point noted.  Moving on.

 

The Packers Made a Trade?  Not on Draft Day?

I know, weird huh?  Tackle Tony Moll was sent to Baltimore for defensive back Derrick Martin (pictured).

Something else that seemed weird at the time of the trade was that Martin was another addition to an apparently stocked secondary.  The subsequent release of veteran free agent pick-up Anthony Smith was the answer to that.

Smith was only useful to the Packers as a reserve safety, sometime starter if injuries hit.

Martin can play either safety or cornerback, depending on need, and is an aggressive special teams performer.

“Tony, meet Derrick he’s new.  No, no, you don’t have to show him around.  Actually, jeez, this is awkward now…”

Sorry Tony. 

According to Thompson, Martin was on the Packers draft board in 2006 and they’ve watched his career in Baltimore with interest after the Ravens grabbed him in the sixth round out of Wyoming.

What About Spencer Havner?  Is He New?

Not exactly.  Tight-end/linebacker hybrid Spencer Havner is listed as a one year veteran but has spent the last three years on the Packers practice squad. 

While he did play four games for the Packers at the end of last year, and is not one of the ten new faces, I’m going to write a bit about him anyway.  Three years on the practice squad!  The guy deserves a bit of recognition.

He was originally signed by Washington way back in 2006 as an un-drafted rookie out of UCLA.  Back in those days he styled himself simply a linebacker; the Packers added the tight end duties this year in the preseason, and all of a sudden Mr. Havner is on the active roster.

He’ll be looked upon this year as a special teams performer primarily but should keep his new offensive playbook close at hand.  The Packers are fairly deep at the linebacker position while only keeping two other TE’s on the roster.  Havner will see time there as a blocker, but can always be thrown at if things break down.

 

Who’s Brett Swain?

Wide receiver Brett Swain is another Packer with one year of NFL experience (there are only three, punter Jeremy Kapinos is the last), but is a new face to the active roster.

Unlike Havner, he spent the entire 2008 season on the practice squad and saw no late season action.  With the Packers relatively healthy and very deep at the wide-out position in 2008, this was not surprising.

With the Packers’ new focus on special teams in 2009, Swain managed to beat out veteran Ruvell Martin for the fifth receiver spot; a surprise move to many, including myself.

Swain was a seventh-round pick by the Packers in 2008 out of San Diego State and his relatively rapid (seventh round pick here people) ascension to the Packers active roster says something about his character.  If that will translate onto the field with solid, noticeable play remains to be seen.

Look for No. 16 on kicks and punts on a television near you this Sunday afternoon.

 

No. 16?  I Thought He Was a Wide Receiver?

He is.  16 is a weird number for a WR.

 

Does Ted Thompson Like Rookies?

Boy does he ever.  A Thompson draft pick always has a good chance to make the active roster; but this seems to have more to do with exhaustive scouting and talent evaluation than it does with simply defending whacko predictions.

This years crop of rookies has fit Thompson’s mold almost perfectly again.  Of his eight draftees for 2009 only one, T Jamon Meredith from South Carolina, failed to make the active roster.  Meredith was subsequently signed to the practice squad and here’s hoping he can follow in Swain’s footsteps for 2010 with the Packers thin at tackle.

Replacing Meredith as a rookie offensive lineman who did make the Packers in 2009 is undrafted rookie guard/center Evan Dietrich-Smith out of Idaho State.

Dietrich-Smith has decent size at 6’2″ and 305 lbs.  He started at tackle his last two years at Idaho and excelled at basketball in high-school, which he says has given him excellent footwork as a football lineman.  He’ll be backing up starting left guard Josh Sitton on the Packers this year and will also play special teams.

 

So, There’s Seven New Faces Left and They’re All Packers Draft Choices?

You’ve been paying attention, excellent.  Let’s cover them from the “bottom” up.

Seventh round choice Brad Jones is a linebacker out of Colorado.  He was a three year starter at CU and played every game.  He’s an apparent special teams wizard; are we seeing a pattern develop here?

 

Kinda.  Special Teams Ahoy!  Sixth Round Choices?

Sixth round choice Brandon Underwood is a cornerback out of Cincinnati.  Another special teams roster decision, Brandon can learn much from his fellow corners Al Harris and Charles Woodson about his NFL defensive duties.

Another sixth round choice was 277 lbs. defensive end Jarius Wynn.  Wynn made the Packers roster as an undersized end out of Georgia, based on his pure pass rushing skills and his familiarity with having a big, stylized “G” on his helmet.  Go Bulldogs!

Wynn is listed third on the depth chart at his position and looks to make his impact primarily on special teams this season, but with the flexibility of the 3-4 he might find himself in the mix often enough defensively, with his size maybe determining how often.

I do seem to remember an end for the Dolphins a while back that everybody said was too light to play his position.  Jason something; wonder what happened to him?

Are There Any NFL Teams With Three Fullbacks on Their Roster?

I think there’s only one; if there’s more, one of them is for sure the Packers.

I doubt there’s another.  Three FB’s is a strange choice.

Quinn Johnson from LSU was the Packers’ fifth-round choice in 2009 and some felt that rang the death bell for either of current fullbacks Korey Hall or John Kuhn’s careers with the Packers.

Well, some were wrong and the Packers surprised quite a few people by keeping all three on their 53 man roster.  Johnson is listed as third on the depth chart and look for him, Kuhn, and Hall to be out smacking people around on special teams for the Pack this year.

 

Are the Packers Thin at Tackle?

Well, that’s now the third time I’ve mentioned it, so at least I think so. 

With the trade of Tony Moll to Baltimore and veteran Mark Tauscher still in un-signed/maybe retired limbo, the Packers have only two players, Chad Clifton and Breno Giacomini, listed as true tackles for 2009. 

Starting right tackle Allen Barbre is actually still listed by the Packers as a guard/tackle, as are many other members of the 2009 Green Bay offensive line.

One of these is 2009 fourth round draft pick T.J. Lang out of Eastern Michigan. 

His current position on the depth chart is backing up Daryn Colledge at left guard but his size, 6’4″ 316 lbs., means that he could make a future transition to tackle.  Lang and quarterback Aaron Rodgers could be working together a lot in the next 10 years or so if Lang assumes this eventual role.

 

Seems Like There’s Only Two Names Left.

Seems like you forgot to ask a question there, but whatever. 

With no second or third round selections made by the Packers in 2009 we can fast forward to everyone’s favorite round: the first.

The Packers traded up to nab USC linebacker Clay Matthews III late in the first round in 2009.  Many have questioned Matthews as a first round selection and I feel it’s just Thompson making a bold decision to address a need and get the player he wants instead of watching him slip away.  Will it pay off?  That’s up to Clay the third.

Matthews is yet another new Packer with an extensive special teams resume from college.  His pass rushing skills will let him see the field quite a bit on the defensive side; he is currently listed as veteran Brady Poppinga’s back-up at right outside linebacker.

Observationally; this kid is a tank.  He looks big even for a linebacker and with his pedigree (both father and grandfather productive NFL veterans) he fills out the “intangibles” column quite nicely.

 

B.J. Raji; With a Name Like “B.J.” I’m Thinking Little Guy?  Am I right?

You are wrong.  Raji, the Packers first first-round draft pick in 2009 from Boston College is a 6’2″ 337 lbs. defensive end/nose-tackle.  337! That’s not little. 

He’s currently listed as both John Jolly’s back-up at left defensive-end and Ryan Pickett’s back-up at NT for the Packers and should see significant playing time this year, even without cracking the starting line-up.

As with every other new face on the Packers roster for 2009, Raji should see time with the specials.

The Packers lost so many games by so few points in 2008, it seems as if Ted Thompson is attempting his own unique version of a “quick-fix” of the Packers special teams unit as one way of addressing this.  Strong special teams play can make all the difference between a four point victory or a three point loss.

The new Packers in 2009 are obviously a big part of that plan and here’s hoping it shows up on the field.

And in the win column.

 

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The 2006 NFL Draft and the Green Bay Packers: The Hawk Has Landed

The 2006 NFL draft has come to a close and the Green Bay Packers…

Pardon me?

Three what?

Years?  Three (expletive deleted) years?! No, oh no.  That “weekend” in Tijuana was a terrible idea. I have to feed my fish! Why am I even writing this?

I’ll tell you why; as we’ve discussed in previous articles, Packers’ general manager Ted Thompson is a firm believer in building his team through the draft and rookie free agents.

Ask current free agent Duke Preston what Thompson thinks of veterans. Preston, who is a center/guard, signed with the Packers this offseason as Thompson’s only veteran free agent offensive pickup in the last two years.

He was one of the first cuts made by the Packers this summer. 

Thompson seems committed to keeping his team young, while increasing talent at the same time. The draft is essential to this, and luckily for Packers fans, it seems as if Ted has a real feel for it—especially in the later rounds. 

The first round, however, has been a bit of a challenge. Paging Koren Robinson, Marcus Tubbs, and Chris McIntosh? 

No response (these picks were all while Thompson was with the Seahawks and yes, yes, I know McIntosh was a Badger…Go Badgers, you guys are great, but it’s still a bad first-round pick).

In 2006, Thompson found himself with the No. 5 pick overall.

Pick number what?  Since when do the Packers draft in the top five? 

Well, as Packers fans might not want to remember but probably do, the 2005 season didn’t go exactly as planned.

Unless, of course, Mike Sherman’s plan for his last season as Green Bay head coach was something like this:

Step #1: Be almost dead last in rushing (30th, bam!).

Step #2: Pass way too much to make up for this and force your all-world quarterback into at least nine more interceptions than touchdowns (Favre finished 20-29 that year).

Step #3: Make sure your defense plays really well for only 50-52 minutes a game. The eight or 10 minutes they take off should only be at really crucial times. If you can, see if you can finish the season first against the pass and 23 against the rush (check!). This last one should really screw with a guy writing an article three years too late.

Step #4: Go 4-12 (Done and done, and I mean that; I really, really do.  Awful season).

This is part two in a five part series looking into all of Ted Thompson’s drafts and their impact on the 2009 edition of the Packers; so if you want to hear it, here it goes.

First-Round, Fifth Pick: A.J. Hawk, ILB, The Ohio State University.

Packers fans are a unique breed.  They seem like really nice folk, and for the most part, they are just that. But buddy, don’t you go messin’ with their football team.

Has A.J. Hawk messed with the Packers?

Of course not. He’s shown some short comings in his game for sure—not looking so crisp in pass coverage from season to season and not showing the speed you’d expect from a top five pick seem to be the biggest knocks against him so far. 

One thing you can say for sure is that he can tackle. Do Packers fans remember the missed tackles from the 2005 season?  You should, because there were quite a few that burned the team pretty badly. Tackle—a linebacker has to do it and Hawk has. Four hundred and five times in three seasons to be exact.

He’s also started 48 games.  If Hawk keeps his nose to the grindstone, he should find himself a bright color in the renaissance painting Dom Capers is making of the Green Bay defense this season.

So why do some Packers fans dislike Hawk so much? 

I believe they feel ripped off. They feel that a top five pick at the inside linebacker position should come in and reshape your whole defensive philosophy; like, say, Brian Urlacher did for the Bears.

That didn’t happen, and while it kind of sucks, I don’t really feel comfortable blaming A.J. Hawk for not being Brian Urlacher. If he was, he’d have a different name on the back of his jersey, and everybody would be really confused when they played the Bears.

Overall, Hawk has played fairly well for the Packers and shows more promise than some of the other projects still developing from the 2006 draft’s first-round. 

Iowa’s Chad Greenway was another first-round linebacker drafted that year and has shown some good signs for the Vikings but hasn’t played nearly as much as Hawk in the last three years (due mainly to injuries), and his numbers show that. 

Ernie Sims of Florida State has been fantastic for a bad Lions team, and Houston made DeMeco Ryans one of the biggest steals in the draft by taking him first in the second-round from Alabama. At this point, it seems as if both of these guys would have been better picks than Hawk at No. 5, but that’s the wonder of hindsight.  Every team in the league passed on Ryans once.

 

Second-Round, 36th Pick.

The Packers traded this pick to New England for numbers 52 and 75. The Patriots used it to select wide receiver Chad Jackson out of Florida.  The Patriots are awesome (ungh!); but a Florida WR?  They should really have known better and got burned.

Second-Round, 37th Pick.

The Packers received this pick in a trade with the Broncos for Javon Walker.  The Broncos should have known better and got burned.

The Packers then sent this pick to Atlanta with pick number 139 for three picks: numbers 47, 93, and 148.

The Falcons finally used the pick to select cornerback Jimmy Williams from Virginia Tech.  They should have known better and were burned as well. Haha!

 

Second-Round, 47th Pick: Daryn Colledge, G, Boise State.

Thanks Atlanta.  He’s no Brett Favre, but he’s also no Jimmy Williams.

The Packers needed some depth on the offensive line and some tattoos. 

They got both in Colledge, who has done nothing but produce for the Pack. He has shown his value in three seasons as a starting guard. He is a lock at the left guard position coming into the 2009 season, and that makes him a great draft pick at number 47.

 

Second-Round, 52nd Pick: Greg Jennings, WR, Western Michigan.

Gee, thanks New England!  In their rush to draft Chad Jackson they overlooked Mr. Jennings who, after three superb years in the NFL, is now a star. 

At the time of this draft, I was in agreement with the pundits that trading Walker to the Broncos was a strange move and everybody knows how that train wreck eventually found its station. Bang, oww, my leg!

Pundits are stupid.

Jennings is far and away the best wide receiver to come out of the 2006 draft.  Yes, Chicago fans, he is much, much better than Devin Hester. I know you love him, but that doesn’t help with the hands.

Wide receiver is almost as difficult to draft for as quarterback, and with Aaron Rodgers the year before and Jennings in 2006, Ted Thompson worked magic.

Fantastic draft pick.

Third-Round, 63rd Pick: Abdul Hodge, OLB, Iowa.

I like Iowa, but to be honest, I don’t really follow college ball much until the draft. When an Iowa player shows up on the Packers’ roster I expect them to be good and to stick.

Hodge was often injured in his time with the Packers and is currently fighting for a starting spot on the Bengals. He did score a touchdown for the Packers in his first career start (against the Seahawks). Not a great draft pick for Thompson, but look at who he picked right before this.

 

Third-Round, 75th Pick: Jason Spitz, C/G, Louisville.

The final nail in the coffin on a brutal draft day trade by the Patriots. With his blend of nastiness and intelligence, it seems as if Spitz has finally unseated Scott Wells as the official center for the Green Bay Packers.

It took him three years, but he filled in a lot for Wells and started a ton of games at guard in that time as well.

Spitz is durable, tricky, and could possibly be the Packers’ starting center for years to come.

Great pick, phenomenal trade for the Packers.

 

Fourth-Round, 104th Pick: Cory Rodgers, WR/KR, TCU.

Dacor Tremaine “Cory” Rodgers was an attempt to kick-start the Packers’ return game.  He is currently shagging passes for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. Burned.

 

Fourth-Round, 115th Pick: Will Blackmon, CB, Boston College.

There was some shuffling around here with the Eagles and Rams, but it ended up being pretty boring. Someone who isn’t boring is Will Blackmon.

In 2008 Blackmon took over Packer kick returns with 55 for 1157 yards, as well as showing himself to be a danger on punt returns with two touchdowns.

He’s shown little as a cornerback, but the Packers don’t need help there nearly as much as they do on special teams, and Blackmon has been reliable with some flashes of brilliance. 

Good pick.

 

Fifth-Round, 148th Pick: Ingle Martin, QB, Furman.

Quarterbacks who are drafted to be backups aren’t usually, umm, good. Martin played in one game for the Packers in 2006, I think it was the last one of the year. Then, he left.

He’s spent time on Kansas City and Tennessee’s practice squads and recently signed with the Broncos to backup Kyle Orton. 

The Packers thought that Brian Brohm was better than this guy and the Broncos are making him their No. 2? I already thought the Broncos were in trouble, but if Orton gets hurt their season is done.

Fifth-Round, 165th Pick: Tony Moll, G/T, Nevada.

Moll has played three years for the Packers, actually starting on opening day of his rookie year at the guard.

Moll is at his most valuable as a backup and special teams contributor and is currently behind veteran Chad Clifton at the right tackle position on the Packers’ depth chart.

Depth on the offensive line is a must, and that makes Moll a great later round pick by Ted Thompson.

 

Sixth-Round, 183rd Pick: Johnny Jolly, DT, Texas A&M.

It seems a rare thing when the Packers take a flier on someone with character issues.  John Jolly was rated a lot higher than a sixth-round pick based on his talent, and I’m truly surprised he didn’t go earlier.

You’d think the Bengals would…n’ahh, too easy.

Anyway, while he has had some legal issues recently, Jolly is definitely in the game when he’s on the field and is looking for a break-out season in 2009. If he can just play football this year, I think this’ll turn out to be one of Thompson’s best draft picks ever in the sixth-round.

 

Sixth-Round, 185th Pick: Tyrone Culver, S, Fresno State.

Culver never stuck in a developing Green Bay secondary.  He is currently backing up Gibril Wilson in Miami in the free safety slot.

 

Seventh-Round, 253rd Pick: Dave Tollefson, DE, NW Missouri State.

Tollefson made the Packers’ practice squad in 2006 and was signed by Oakland in early 2007. When the Raiders placed him on their practice squad, the New York Football Giants showed their keen eye for defensive line skill by snatching him up before the 2007 season could start.

Tollefson has proved a somewhat valuable backup and special teams performer for the Giants. Good pick by Ted Thompson, but he should have stuck by him.

Wow, I think that’s about it.

As in part one of the series, I didn’t include all the endless pick shuffling and compensations from three year old trades. Boring!

The 2006 NFL draft was quite successful for Ted Thompson, the Packers, and the NFL in general. 

Thompson’s eye for talent garnered the Packers seven players, four of who are starting. One of those four, Jennings, is a star.

Of the other five players drafted, four are with NFL teams and Abdul Hodge could start this year for the Bengals.

Dacor Tremaine “Cory” Rodgers is the only player of the twelve Thompson drafted in 2006 who isn’t currently in the NFL, and Rodgers is still playing football, albeit in Toronto.

As a fan of NFL football, the draft is my favorite offseason activity. As a Packer fan, I’m grateful to Ted Thompson for making his drafts so interesting and roster-affecting. It makes it a ton of fun.

Join me soon for part three where we’ll examine the Packers’ 2006 regular season in brief and the 2007 draft in detail.

It’s good to be back Packers fans! 

 

 

 

 

 

The Green Bay Packers Defense: Preseason Surprise?

Something doesn’t seem to make sense here.

Week two of the preseason has come to a victorious close for the Green Bay Packers.  The Buffalo Bills have been left in the dust; victimized by five turnovers from an opportunistic Green Bay defense

The first team offense looked stellar, and was helped immensely by the aforementioned takeaways. Green Bay has managed nine picks in two games and have only given the ball up three times, which is superb.

So what is it? What is it that seemingly makes no sense?

The Packers that’s who. They don’t make any sense at all right now.

This is a team that is supposed to be falling apart; a once proud contender on the decline ready to resume a not so distantly forgotten place in the basement of the NFC.

Their franchise quarterback is playing for a hated rival. They have a mystifying general manager who is attempting to build a team primarily out of rookie free agents and unheralded draft picks. They have a new defensive coordinator with a new defensive scheme, the 3-4, that is unfamiliar to many of the Packers personnel. They posted a 6-10 record last year in the remarkably weak NFC north and so on and so forth.

Surprise, surprise; it seems someone forgot to tell the 2009 Packers these things. Or, more likely, they know and they just don’t care. 

These are some perceptive people we’re talking about here; it’s part of their job to pay attention.

This 2009 Packers squad is so delightfully confusing it’s getting very hard for a fan such as myself to wait as long as September 13th and the Chicago Bears. 

The Packers have taken to Dom Capers’ 3-4 like ducks to water. 

Capers has a history of turning defenses around fast, but I was not aware that positive change would be visible so quickly.

This certainly is a surprise, and a pleasant one. Why are the Packers showing such progress so soon? Just what the Mandarich (perfect substitute for a curse word there people) is going on in Green Bay?

I’m going to run three names up the flag pole here and we’ll see if you salute; or not.

Ted Thompson, Mark Murphy and Bob Harlan.  

Ron Wolf was one of the greatest Green Bay general managers in team history, if not the greatest. He worked side by side with Harlan to rebuild a franchise into a yearly contender and a home for classy, responsible players and coaches. 

Now, Bob Harlan wasn’t perfect. Remember Ray Rhodes anyone? Anyone? 

No. I understand completely. 

Not perfect no, but what I feel about Bob Harlan could fill three pages on its own and most of it would be positive if not down right school girlish.

In brief, Bob Harlan means the past twenty years and the future as well to Packers fans. He built the Brett Favre dynasty and he stayed the course near the end of his career to see that the Packers were in Murphy’s capable hands instead of John Jones.

I think Mark Murphy has done a fantastic job replacing Harlan as Packers CEO. He has joined Thompson in the quest to bring the Lombardi trophy home and their plan is ever nearing fruition.

This plan has become somewhat clearer to me as I’ve been writing a series on the past five Packers drafts. These are men who don’t believe in quick fixes and band-aid solutions. 

Why draft an inside linebacker fifth overall the year after you were last in rushing?  Because you have vision and foresight, that’s why.

Yes, that’s what it ultimately comes down to with the Packers front office these days. Staffed with men of vision, always looking to the future and trying to win in an ever changing financial NFL.

Try to wrap your head around this: Thompson, Harlan and Murphy have been hard at work the last five years at their plans. This might be the year it all comes together. 

The real question for the Packers is can their defense adjust to the change in schemes quickly enough to bring them into contention in the NFC this year?

I think they can, and here’s why. 

The players on the defensive side for the Packers may be a bit more ready for this switch than anybody gives them credit for. Ted Thompson is not a GM who drafts on yearly needs. He’s been looking to the future for a while now; and who really knows how long ago he made up his mind that the Packers would be a 3-4 team in 2009?

I don’t. He does. I don’t have his number; can someone arrange an interview? Oh, he’s busy? Makes sense, really…

It’s possible that the Packers have been, well, waiting for this. The 3-4 is known for putting the right player in the right place at the right time; plays just have to be made.  

I believe the Packers have players who will thrive within this philosophy. Packers fans know them, but they’re not household names on Sunday afternoons. 

Names like Jenkins, Bishop, Hawk and Williams. Is this their year? I certainly hope so.

Preseason predictions are what they are. Someone always seems to mention the Lions at this point and their record over the last few seasons being perfect. 

If you were a Detroit Lion wouldn’t you try to win every football game you were in harder than you ever tried to do anything in your life? 

Think about it. 

I do like to play it safe, but based on what the Packers have shown so far this preseason I have to say I am confident they will fight for and hopefully win the NFC north. They are definitely in the picture.

Of course, everybody’s in the picture right now. Oh God September 13th, won’t you ever come?

The 2005 Draft and The Green Bay Packers: GM Ted Thompson Gets Started

Well, it’s the second week of preseason and I am officially excited for September 13 and the start of the regular season.

The Packers are developing an interesting squad that has the potential to take the NFL by storm. A plan seems to be in place in Green Bay, Wisconsin: a plan for a team with a successful future in the league.

There are some angry Packers fans out there right now. They’re angry at management and former players, angry at other teams in the division, and angry at people who don’t even like football and just happen to be wearing a purple shirt.

Don’t take it so hard Packers fans; it could be a whole lot worse. The Packers could be a team with an uncaring attitude towards drafting felons, or one incapable of winning a single game in a season.

The Packers could be a team with a horrible owner who moves a beloved team away for the simple reason that he doesn’t like the city it’s located in.

Instead the team you root, root, root so hard for is owned by you; you wonderful, amazing, dedicated people who decided to keep their heroes where they belonged—right at home with all of you.

You had a plan, people, and, like it or lump it, it’s a plan that Ted Thompson shares with you all. Thompson has built a strong team around a core philosophy of youth and improvement at every position. This team is vastly different from the team Thompson took over in early 2005.

Let’s take a look at the main way he’s developed the Packers over the last five years—the NFL Draft. 

This will be the first in a five part series, looking at every draft pick Thompson has made in his five seasons as Green Bay GM, starting with the ’05 draft and working upwards to this years crop of rookie hopefuls. 

Here we go!

First Round, 24th Pick: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Cal.

Gee, thanks Ted. This might be the Packers most important draft pick in the last 30 years. 

Ask a Dolphins fan what Aaron Rodgers means to the Packers. They’ll be able to fill you in on a desperate search to replace a legend that goes on to this day. Aaron Rodgers is the future of the Packers at the quarterback position and all signs point to that being a really good thing.

Alex Smith (49ers) and Jason Campbell (Redskins) were the other quarterbacks drafted in the first round that year.  They’re both still with the teams that drafted them and improving. But that improvement is coming slowly, after disastrous and inconsistent starts to their respective careers.

This was not a good year to draft a quarterback, and Thompson scored huge in a weak draft class that included Charlie Frye, some guy named David Greene (good job Seahawks!), and the enigmatic Kyle Orton, picked number 106 in the fourth round. 

Why was this guy traded for Jay Cutler again? The Broncos are nuts. Prove me wrong Denver, I dare you.

Second Round, 51st pick: Nick Collins, S, Bethune-Cookman. 

Oh, Bethune-Cookman, you old football factory you. Collins was actually a cornerback and safety coming out of B-Cook, but I listed him at the position he has held as a starter since joining a woeful Packers secondary in 2005. 

Al Harris is the man, but he couldn’t do everything. What more can I say about Collins, but that he gets better every year and that he’s a great example of Ted Thompson’s eye for defensive talent.

Collins had seven, count ’em, seven interceptions in a unimaginative defensive scheme in 2007 and it seems the 3-4 should keep them coming.

He, Charles Woodson, Atari Bigby, Tramon Williams and the aforementioned Harris compliment each other extremely well in an aggressive, often spectacular Green Bay secondary. Great draft pick.

Second Round, 58th pick: Terrence Murphy, WR/KR, Texas A&M.

Not a great draft pick. Murphy came from a great football school in A&M and the Packers had high hopes for him as a kick return specialist. 

He is currently retired so you can guess how that all worked out. 

Next?

Fourth Round, 115th pick: Marviel Underwood, S, San Diego State.

Unlike Murphy, Underwood is still in football—just not with the Packers. He is currently trying to make an Oakland secondary that might be the only strong feature of that team, aside from it’s running backs. 

Underwood only really played for the Packers in his rookie season as injuries and inconsistencies led to his eventual release in 2007. 

Bad value pick.

Fourth Round, 125th pick: Brady Poppinga, ILB, BYU.

Good value pick. Brady Poppinga isn’t a star but he is a very smart football player who should find a valuable home for himself in the new Green Bay 3-4 defensive scheme this season. 

He certainly needs to if he wishes to remain a Packer as his rookie contract expires at the end of the 2009 season.  

He’s been a steady contributor to the Packers for four years and no matter what his future in Green Bay will be after this season he should have no problem finding a team in need of his services.

On a side note, the real find of the 2005 draft’s fourth round has to go to the San Diego Chargers and their selection of Kansas State running back Darren Sproles with the 130th pick. 

He’s the NFL’s shortest player (5’6″) and man is he a gamer! He backed the Chargers to victory against Indy in last year’s playoffs in place of LaDanian Tomlinson and won a ton of fans, myself included. Go Darren!

Fifth Round, 143rd pick: Junius Coston, C/G, North Carolina A&T.

The Packers traded Marques Anderson to Oakland for this pick in 2005 and all I can say is: good. Marques Anderson was terrible.

Junius Coston managed to start seven games on the Packers offensive line by the 2007 season and was subsequently released.

So much for that. 

The last I heard he was released or not re-signed by the Lions. If the Lions don’t want you, you might be looking for a new career. 

Not a great pick, obviously; but the Packers did dump Anderson onto an unsuspecting Oakland team, so it balances out.

Pick number 162, fifth round, traded to Kansas City for DE Robert Truluck.

Does anybody remember Robert Truluck? I do! I had the insane hope Truluck’s name was some kind of omen for the Packers season in ‘O5 and that he would single-handedly fix the Packers anemic defense.

Remember, this was all based on his name. He had no career stats to back this up, and I was just grasping at straws as a Packers fan starting to smell exactly what the Mike Sherman regime had been cooking in his time there. 

The Chiefs shuffled this pick to the Dolphins who selected T Anthony Alabi with it. Alabi spent a year on the Chiefs, a few out of football and was just signed to a futures contract with the Buccaneers for the 2009 preseason. Nothing ventured…

Fifth Round, 167th pick: Mike Hawkins, CB, Oklahoma. 

I had high hopes for Mike Hawkins as well.  His career stats are: 14 tackles, five teams played for. Currently on the Cowboys roster. Whoops!

Sixth Round, 180th pick: Mike Montgomery, DE, Texas A&M.

This is a great pick by Ted Thompson. Montgomery has earned himself a place in Green Bay with hard work and a do-anything attitude. He’s a solid contributor who might find himself playing an increased defensive role with the Packers this season after years of excellent special teams work.

Aside from the overall weakness of the entire 2005 draft class what makes this a great pick by Thompson is that it’s the other half of the Marques Anderson trade. 

In case you’re wondering, Marques is retired from football.

Sixth Round, 195th pick: Craig Bragg, WR, UCLA.

According to reports, Craig Bragg can run a sub 4.30s 40-yard dash. What I’m assuming happened here is that he outran his football career and it never had a chance to catch up.

He’s never played a game for the Packers, or anybody, and is currently out of football. 

Bragg could have helped the Packers at the time with many questions surrounding their 2005 receiving corps aside from Donald Driver. They certainly do not need him now. 

Pick number 199, sixth round, traded to Kansas City for DE Robert Truluck. 

The other half of a truly inconsequential trade.  The Chiefs used this pick on Baylor defensive end Khari Long, currently playing for the Hamilton Tiger Cats in the CFL.

Seventh Round, 245th pick: Kurt Campbell, LB, Albany.

Albany?  Yep, by way of Jamaica no less. Kurt Campbell’s football odyssey has taken him as far north as Calgary in order to play the game he loves. He is currently a CFL free agent. Come on Tiger Cats, I know you’re looking! 

He never played a game for the Packers.

Seventh Round, 246th pick: Will Whitticker, G, Michigan State.

Whitticker actually started 14 games for the Packers in his rookie season which gives you a great idea of how good fifth round pick Junius Coston was. In fact, Whitticker was such a pleasant surprise to the Packers coaching staff and management that they immediately cut him at the end of that year. 

Whitticker has tried to catch on with several teams in the last few years with no success; most recently he was cut by the Redskins and is a free agent.

So, what does it all add up to?  Two picks traded for one player and another player traded for two picks. 

There was a lot of draft day shuffling with the Patriots, Eagles and Panthers that I didn’t bother to include but after it was all said and done the Packers had added 11 rookies and one veteran, Truluck, to their roster.

Of the 11 rookies, four are success stories.  Rodgers alone makes this a successful draft for Ted Thompson, and the additions of Collins, Poppinga and Montgomery to the roster got the Packers moving in the right direction at some important positions.

I’ll say it again. Rodgers alone makes this a successful draft for Ted Thompson. Do you want Jason Campbell or Charlie Frye starting at quarterback if you can’t have Brett Favre, Packers fans? No? Strange.

We’ll see you soon for part two, in which we’ll look into the 2006 NFL Draft and it’s impact on the Green Bay Packers present day roster.

On a quick closing note, fullback Leonard Weaver went undrafted in 2005 and signed with the Seahawks as a rookie free agent. That would have been a nice pickup for the Packers at that time.  Ahhh, well…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Packers GM Ted Thompson: The Man With a Plan

A familiar and much-loved figure to Packers fans made a return to Green Bay recently.  Former general manager Ron Wolf came back to Lambeau Field to talk to the team in a brief address, check out practice, and just generally hang out and be a legend.

Wolf was the architect of the 1990’s Packers featuring Reggie White, LeRoy Butler and a kid from Kiln, Mississippi via the Atlanta Falcons named Brett Favre who all won a Super Bowl together in the 1996/97 season.

But Ron Wolf brought more than a Super Bowl to Green Bay—that was just the feather in his metaphorical cap.

Starting in 1991, he brought a sense of maturity and responsibility back to Green Bay that had been missing for 26 years. The values and sense of tradition that Wolf and head coach Mike Holmgren instilled into their teams of the early ’90s continue to this day. It still takes a certain type of person to be a Packer and I hope the fans realize what a blessing that is.

As far as his recent visit, Wolf spent some one-on-one time with Ted Thompson observing the new generation of Packers players and, hopefully, sharing some of his vast football knowledge with his (eventual) successor.

Which brings us to Ted Thompson, current GM of the Green Bay Packers.

Yeah, what about Ted Thompson anyway?

Well hey, it’s the question guy. Didn’t think you were showing up for this one.

You’re the one writing the article fella.

That is a little strange, isn’t it?

You’re telling me. Anyway, Ted Thompson?

Born Jan. 17, 1953, in Atlanta, Texas. Current general manager of the Green Bay Packers, a post he has held since Jan. 14, 2005. He took over the position from Mike Sherman, and was responsible for dismissing Sherman from his head coaching duties following the 2006 season.

What was so bad about Mike Sherman, really?

He was the general manager/head coach of an NFL franchise, so there’s a problem right there. Is the man going to sleep four hours a night in order to get done all the things he needs to? 

In principle it makes sense. Being a head coach, you should have more firsthand knowledge of your team’s needs on the field.

In fact what developed was a team filled with disinterested veteran free agents and some remarkably clueless rookies. I won’t say his name again. I won’t.

Ahmad Carroll?

Aaaghhh! What is with you today, question guy? Yes, Carroll stands out in particular.  Anyway, those were the negative effects that were visible to a Packers fan.

Behind the scenes with Sherman must have been a mess too, with assistant coaches bearing way too much responsibility and having no leader to turn to with their questions. He was too busy for them and his front office staff as well, trying to do too much.

The simple solution to this is so obvious it’s a wonder Sherman lasted as long as he did. 

Have one coach and one general manager. Make sure they spend a minimum of four hours a day talking to each other about their team and their players. That leaves each man plenty of time to deal with the hundreds of issues, both large and small, that plague both positions daily.

Ted Thompson tried this system for one season with Sherman before deciding that on top of being too busy, Sherman was just a bad coach with a horrible eye for talent. So, goodbye Mike, hello Mike—McCarthy that is.

This was the first truly important decision made by Thompson at the helm of the Packers, and I feel it was the start of a trend. 

In my opinion, Thompson has continued in his time with the Packers to outweigh his bad decisions with numerous good ones.

What about Favre?

Goddamit, question guy! I was going to get to that in time, maybe throw a few more less volatile decisions out there first, set the table a bit, but okay, whatever. Here we go.

This wasn’t a good decision or a bad decision. This was a decision that had to be made.  Thompson made it, knowing full well he would be vilified by many people. That takes stones, and makes him okay in my book.

Hey, on a slightly more positive note, the draft pick the Packers received from the Jets in return for Favre was traded to the Patriots as part of the package to move up and draft linebacker Clay Matthews III in the first round this year. So one could say the player the Packers received in exchange for Favre was Matthews.

As I mentioned in a previous article, Matthews has an impressive football pedigree, with both his father and grandfather playing in the NFL. Here’s hoping for a long and productive career from the third generation!

That’s it, huh?  You spent more time talking about Clay Matthews than Favre.

Well, I wanted to keep it brief.  There are better articles on Bleacher Report about Favre than this one, and the subject really is resolved. Clay Matthews III is a Packer, Favre isn’t. I still love him and what he brought to the Packers (everything), but bring on the Vikings this year! Hoo-yah!

Question guy? Dead end statements like that last one don’t help me out at all. I need real questions from the question guy or I can’t keep it moving. I mean, you were late, you’re all over the place…I need you to work with me here. Are you with me?

 

I’m good, I’m good!  Let’s do this!  Can we do this?  Are you done with Thompson?!

Not even close. 

Any general manager can luck into a good decision every season or so. Offensive tackle Chad Clifton, defensive end Aaron Kampman, cornerback Al Harris, center Scott Wells and DE Cullen Jenkins prove that. They were all brought in by Mike Sherman, so at least Packers fans can thank him for that. But broken clocks are right twice a day as well, so beans.

Ted Thompson has made plenty of moves in his quest to bring a championship back to Green Bay and I don’t think he’s been relying on luck. Thompson is the man with the plan: Let’s take a look at some of its pieces. 

Has Ted Thompson managed to bring in any free agents? 

Let me preface this by saying that veteran free agents are absolutely not a priority to Ted Thompson, and he is willing to pull the trigger very rarely. As a teenager ,this philosophy would have frustrated me beyond belief. As a maturing fan of this new NFL, I think it’s brilliant.

An example of a poor financial free agent signing is Albert Haynesworth. Does anyone think Haynesworth is really going to fix all that is wrong with the Redskins? He’s one guy getting paid like three. Nothing against Albert, he’s phenomenal and he deserves everything he’s getting. It’s just a bad move by the Redskins is all.

Remember, Ted Thompson brought CB Charles Woodson to Green Bay. Don’t ever forget that.

Ryan Pickett, the Packers starting nose tackle, was also brought in at the start of the 2006 season as a free agent.

Let’s say inside LB Brandon Chillar could be another notable Thompson signing if he continues to develop. Thompson stole him away from a Rams team in desperate need of defense.

This year’s signings are center/guard Duke Preston and safety Anthony Smith, both with good chances at making the team. As far as five off-seasons of veteran free agents go, that’s really it.

This isn’t to say Ted Thompson doesn’t like free agents. In fact he does; a lot.

Steady contributors such as safety Atari Bigby, TE Donald Lee, CB Tramon Williams and wide receiver Ruvell Martin are all Ted Thompson free agents, with one important difference.

They were all un-drafted players with little to no NFL experience. This is very impressive as un-drafted rookie free agents have little to no chance of making NFL rosters. Two of these guys—Bigby and Williams—have NFL star potential in the secondary. Incredible finds!

How does he find these guys?

At the end of every NFL draft Thompson invites an incredible number of un-drafted rookies to camp, in essence creating his own mini-draft with the preseason as his Combine. This is a major part of Thompson’s plan for the Packers, as money is always a concern and these hungry young players come cheap.

The Packers now have something like 25 first- and second-year players that find themselves in the same boat Bigby and the others did a few years ago: un-drafted free agents just looking to distinguish themselves.  

The good news for whoever is willing to put in the work is that Thompson is obviously watching closely and always willing to offer a chance to those who deserve it.

What about trades? 

Aside from the one I already mentioned and the usual draft-day moving around of picks, there has only been one by Thompson that affects the current Packers roster.

Tailback Ryan Grant was picked up from the New York Football Giants prior to the 2007 season for a draft pick.

Oddly enough, Grant was himself an un-drafted free agent with no real pro experience when he joined the Giants. Thompson will even reach out to other teams for these guys.

Guys like S Charlie Peprah, corner Jarrett Bush, and fullback John Kuhn are all waiver-wire pick-ups by Thompson who’ve played a somewhat significant role with the Packers over the last few years.

Alright then. What about the draft?

If un-drafted rookie free agents are an important part of Ted Thompson’s plan, then the draft is the whole enchilada.

This article is far too long already to do it any justice.

Instead, I’m going to do a series over the next few days looking into the last five Packers drafts, all overseen by Thompson.

Come on question guy, I’ll buy you a brat and a beer.

Sweet! Hey, wait up!

Hey Green Bay Packers! We’d Like Some Advice!

Wow, it’s late August already, and the regular season is just over three weeks away.  The Chicago Bears are coming to Lambeau Field on Sunday, Sept. 13 to kick things off in high fashion.

An improved Chicago offensive line should give a new Green Bay Packers’ defense a solid test, while the Green Bay secondary will likely give Chicago’s prized new quarterback fits.

Chicago coach Lovie Smith has said in the past that he’s built teams almost exclusively around the idea of beating the Packers.  It’s the NFL’s oldest rivalry, and these two teams just plain old don’t like each other.

Historically, when Chicago has a successful season it seems to be predicated by their defense, while exactly the opposite can be said about the Packers.

In Green Bay, general manager Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy have decided to address this situation by the hiring of 3-4 defensive guru Dom Capers; trying to bring new life to a group of players that cost the Packers far too many games last season.

Let’s take a look at McCarthy, Capers, and the rest of the coaches offering advice to Green Bay personnel this season.

Oh, and for the record, I’m a big Douglas Adams fan.  He’s not football; he wrote the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, which ended up being five parts.  His initial intention was for a trilogy; so parts four and five had phrases on the cover like: “Part Four of the Increasingly Inaccurately Named Hitch-Hikers Trilogy.”

This is Part Four of the increasingly inaccurately named Three Part Green Bay Packers Preseason Preview!

Make sure to look for Part Five, coming soon, in which I will wax philosophic about Ted Thompson and cover a few things I said I would cover in part three.  Are you having fun yet?  I certainly am!  Here we go!

 

Just who is this Mike McCarthy guy anyway?

Michael John McCarthy is the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, a position he has held since Jan. 12, 2006.  He is also the possesor of one of the coldest stares I have ever seen on a human being.

When I heard the news of McCarthy’s hiring, replacing Mike Sherman at the Packers’ helm, I can only say my immediate reaction was relief.  As a fan far away from the Wisconsin heartland, I had certain unresolvable fears when it came to Mike Sherman.

As the coach and GM of the Packers, who had the responsibility of firing that man?  He certainly wasn’t going to fire himself. Something tells me it was Bob Harlan, director of football operations. Or maybe he gave the task to Thompson as his first thing to do upon taking over.

Either way, in my darkest moments I felt that Sherman would never leave, and the Packers would sink back into NFC obscurity as the leagues laughing stock yet again. 

McCarthy could have been anybody really, as long as Sherman was gone.

As I looked into McCarthy’s resume I discovered a few things. First and foremost was that he’d spent the last five years as the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans’ Saints (2000-2005). 

The Saints posted some interesting numbers in those years, not in the win column of course, but it can hardly be said that their biggest problems were on offense.

Digging a bit deeper showed a familiarity between McCarthy and the Packers, as he spent the 1999 season in Lambeau Field as quarterbacks’ coach. 

McCarthy has worked with many notable quarterbacks in the league, especially in his early days in Kansas City as offensive quality control coach and later as the QB coach.  Names like Montana, Bono, Gannon, and Grbac all ring out to NFL fans.

Now, heading into his fourth year as Green Bay head coach McCarthy has had some success, with an NFC Championship game berth and three straight top-three offensive finishes.

Unfortunately for McCarthy, there are plenty of Packers’ fans upset about last year’s 6-10 record, and he certainly needs to find the playoffs this season to avoid calls for his job.  This might not be the biggest deal elsewhere, but remember, this is Green Bay. These people are his bosses!

 

So what’s your take on Mike McCarthy, overall?

I really like him as head coach of the Green Bay Packers. 

Compared to the woeful Mike Sherman, McCarthy appears to have a definite plan that he is implementing and developing. He is an offensive-minded coach, but seems to be taking steps to improve his defense in the vicious NFC. 

There will come a day when his young, inexperienced team will suddenly be a cohesive, veteran unit that instills the proper fear into their opponents on a weekly basis.

 

What about Winston Moss?

In brief, Moss is an interesting name in Packerland. His current title is Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers, which is a switch from last year, where he oversaw all linebackers along with his assistant head coaching duties.  

At only 43-years-old, with 22 years of NFL experience split evenly between playing and coaching, Moss seems to be on the fast track to success. A strong showing by the Packers this year, especially defensively, could mean a potential head coaching opportunity for him in the future. 

 

Is it time to talk about Dom Capers and the 3-4?

Yep.

It’s here! Oh glory, faith and beggorah, hallelujah, it’s here!  I didn’t think this day would ever come!

Dom Capers has been brought in, and the Green Bay Packers will no longer line up in the four defensive lineman, three linebacker position we as fans are oh so familiar with.

This is a great time for the Packers to make this change for several reasons. 

The first and most obvious one is that 3-4 defenses win games, and Green Bay needs to start winning once in a while with their defense.

Capers brings some fantastic numbers to his new position.  As defensive coordinator of the 2007 Dolphins, his squad allowed a superb 188.7 yards per game through the air.  This is the 2007 Dolphins we’re talking about here folks; not an elite squad. 

In his first year (1999) as Jacksonville’s defensive coordinator, the Jaguars led the league in fewest points allowed, 217, and were fourth in total defense.

They’d been 25th the previous year! Dom Capers fixes defenses!

Another good reason for the 3-4 in Green Bay has to do with the aging secondary.  Al Harris and Charles Woodson still have a lot of football left in them, but may be ready to switch positions to safety in the next several years.  A 3-4 scheme allows more opportunity for multiple defensive back sets.

With a lack of depth at the defensive line, the Packers should also benefit from only having three linemen out on the field at any given time.

 

Who’s coaching the offense?

Joe Philbin is the returning offensive coordinator.  He had a successful 2008 with two 1000-yard receivers, a 1,200-yard rusher, and the emergence of Aaron Rodgers as one of the most talented young quarterbacks in the league.

I hesitated to put the 1,200-yard rusher down as a success, due to the fact that Ryan Grant only averaged 3.7 yards per carry in 2008, which is pathetic.

Philbin’s big job in 2009 is to work with running backs’ coach Edgar Bennett and line coaches’ James Campen and Jerry Fontenot (asst.) to improve the YPC.

Receivers’ coach Jimmy Williams probably has a smile on his face so big the top of his head is about to fall off. Jimmy is blessed with one of the deepest, most talented receiving corps in the NFL, and his job is to keep them on track and producing at a high level.

Tom Clements has done fantastic work as the quarterbacks’ coach with both Aaron Rodgers and Matt Flynn. 

Maybe he can call Bobby Petrino for some advice on Brian Brohm.

 

Are all the defensive coaches new in 2009?

Not really, but there are a few new faces, some people have changed their jobs and there’s one old face that’s new again. 

Defensive line coach Mike Trgovac is replacing someone but actually just got his old job back.  He was defensive line coach in 1999 in Green Bay, the same year McCarthy was QB coach.  Coincidence?  Probably not.

Last year’s defensive quality control coach Joe Whitt Jr. has been promoted to cornerbacks’ coach. An interesting dimension to this is that Joe is 31-years-old. His starting corners are Charles Woodson, 32, and Al Harris, 34, which makes one hope Joe Whitt Jr. is well versed in respect and talking politely to his elders. 

Scott McCurley, Joe Jr.’s replacement at quality control, was last year’s coaching administrator and is in his fourth year with the Packers.  This is his first stint as an actual coach.

Darren Perry comes to Green Bay from Oakland and will coach the safeties.  He and outside linebackers’ coach Kevin Greene are both in their first season with the Packers.

 

Wait a minute, did you say Kevin Greene?

I did indeed.  Isn’t that awesome?  I think this is an inspired choice for a Green Bay Packers’ squad looking to convert to the three-four. 

Looking back to his playing days in Pittsburgh, he practically reinvented the concept of an outside linebacker, which should make his transition to coaching the position a nice fit.

 

Who is Shawn Slocum?

A very important man to the Green Bay Packers.  Slocum is the Packers’ new special teams coordinator, and his squad’s play could make or break the Packers’ season.

He’s in his fourth year as a Packer, with the first three spent as the assistant to his current position.

His replacement at his old position is someone the Packers’ nation will be a little familiar with. Curtis Fuller spent the 2003 season with the Packers as a back-up defensive back, and it’s good to see him again.

Here’s hoping some youth and fresh eyes can get the Packers’ special teams on the right track.

 

 How strong is Dave Redding?

I don’t know, but for an older guy he looks tough!  For those of you who don’t know, Redding is the new Packers’ strength and conditioning coach.

His resume is very impressive, and like I said, physically he looks like a very tough man.  So that’s good; the Packers are a team that is looking to shed a bit of a “soft” label, especially on defense, and the weight room is where that begins. 

If the Packers have a hope of competing in the NFC they will have to be one of the league’s healthier, better conditioned teams.

 

So what’s the final analysis?

I have a lot of faith in Mike McCarthy; I like his passion, his enthusiasm, and his decision making.

I have already stated in a previous article that I don’t believe the Packers will win the Super Bowl this year.  If Dom Capers can work his magic a third time with this defense and the special teams mature rapidly under Slocum and Fuller, I may be forced to eat my words.

Which I will do. Happily.

Alright, Packers’ fans, that wraps it up.  I hope you had as much fun reading as I did writing, and we’ll see you for part five, the Ted Thompson Chronicles!

Hey wait a minute!  Wasn’t this supposed to be a trilogy?

Yeah, I covered that in the intro.  I’m sorry, and I’ll try to be more careful in the future.

All right then.  See that you do.

Jeez.

Hey Green Bay Packers! We Got Some Questions!

Answers, answers, answers.  These pesky little fellas are pretty hard to find around the defensive side of the Green Bay Packers training camp.

Does a 17-0 defeat of the Cleveland Browns in the first preseason game answer anything?

Well, if your question is: “What is a relatively ineffective way to judge a teams defensive capabilities?”, then sure it does.

There are better questions though, a lot of them in fact, so without further adieu let’s get started.

 

The 3-4? Dom Capers and the 3-4 in Lambeau Field all season?

Yes! Yes, yes and YES!  I’m going to cover this more in part three of this series, Special Teams/ Coaches/ Management, so I’ll keep it brief. 

It’s here, I like it and I think that, given a little time, it will work out just fine.

 

What’s the impact of B.J. Rajis’ training camp holdout?

Minimal.  Holdouts do concern me sometimes as far as a player’s attitude goes, and attitude certainly had something to do with this; it just wasn’t B.J.s’. 

Ask Michael Crabtree if you want to know why your first round pick isn’t in camp.  He’ll probably have something to say.  Where do the 49ers find these guys?

Anyway, my hope for Raji is that he spends a lot of time with Justin Harrell discussing proper weight room technique; then does exactly the opposite.  This should ensure a long and healthy career.

 

Is it fair to rip on Justin Harrell?

Probably not.  He was obviously born under a bad star, because he is cursed with injuries.  His limited time on the field has been less than overwhelming; if this is due to the injuries or not, the Packers must be extremely frustrated with this young man.

I am too.  Just throwing a name out there, but the Steelers drafted Lamaar Woodley in the second round that year. Harrell went in the first.

Harrell is a monster at three hundred and twenty plus pounds; if healthy and playing up to a first round picks potential he would be a great fit in the 3-4 as a starting DE and occasional NT.  I think this is his last year to prove something to the Packers, before he finds a new home. 

 

Aside from Harrell how does the defensive line look?

Our starting three should be Raji, Ryan Pickett and Cullen Jenkins.  Together, the three of them weigh in at over 1000lbs.  This is encouraging. 

Jenkins is an amazing athlete for his size, as is Raji apparently. 

Pickett is a huge man, who I feel is something of an overachiever at his position; meaning he gives it all on every play but can be over-matched at times by clever centers and guards.

After these three, things start to look a little thin.  This is no metaphor. 

Aside from John Jolly (312lbs.), who if healthy, is a good option as a second DE and Alfred Malone (307lbs), who is unproven; there is a shortage of beef in the Packers defensive line rotation.

Mike Montgomery, Ronald Talley, Jarius Wynn, Dean Muhtadi and Anthony Toribio are all undersized for their position in a 3-4 defense.  Montgomery is a special teams ace and one of the few veterans the Packers have, so his value is augmented there.

The selection of Wynn with a relatively high draft choice confuses me.  The Packers already knew they were a 3-4 team when they picked him.  They had already begun the conversion of Aaron Kampman and Jeremy Thompson to OLB from DE and yet they feel the need to draft a 277lb end. 

Wiser minds than me have already offered the opinion that the Packers should look into a veteran NT/DE on the free agent market and I tend to agree.  Will Ted Thompson do this?  We’ll see…

 

Are there any outside linebackers in camp?

Right now there are six, two of whom were defensive ends last year.  One of those two has been the Packers best defensive end in recent memory. 

If this was any other player than Aaron Kampman I might be a little worried. 

Statistically it makes no sense to take your best player away from the line and add him to the linebackers, where he has little to no chance of being the best player.

Aaron Kampman makes this argument invalid, though.  He’s an Iowa guy; every team needs one and here’s why.  No matter what you ask him to do he’ll do it without complaint and to the best of his abilities. Totally professional, extremely talented; next?

Jeremy Thompson is the other converted end, and according to all reports he’s thriving in his new position of LOLB.  He’s currently nursing a stinger and didn’t play against Cleveland.  Hopefully we’ll be able to see him in game action soon.

Clay Matthews III has a big time football pedigree and a lot of question marks surrounding his selection by the Packers in the first round.  He’ll be given every chance by the Packers to prove the critics wrong, pushing Thompson for the starting job on the left side.

Brady Poppinga is currently first on the LOLB depth chart with injuries to Thompson and Matthews.  From the way things are looking he’ll start the season as a backup if the other two are healthy.  I think Brady has always been on the bubble as a starter for the Pack, but like Montgomery he can add to his value with Special Teams and that all important veteran presence.

Cyril Obiozor and Stryker Sulak might have a chance at making the team if the injuries continue to mount, but I wouldn’t count on seeing them much, if at all, this year.

 

What about the inside, what’s going on there?

Some interesting stuff.

Brandon Chillar is a great example of quality over quantity.  One of two, count ’em, two veteran defensive free agent signings the Packers have made in two seasons Brandon Chillar always makes me ask one thing:

“What were the Rams thinking letting this guy go?”

Okay, he’s not a star or anything, but for a team as lost as the Rams to let a young, constantly improving player to slip away is just goofy.

He proved last year that he’s better in pass coverage than A.J. Hawk, and seems to be proving a thing or two against the run this preseason. 

As a Packer all he’s ever done is everything that’s been asked of him.  By the end of this season he may give the Packers no choice but to make him the starter.

Desmond Bishop has started to make some waves in Packerland.  A relative unknown until this season, Bishop is turning heads in camp with his aggressive play and attitude. 

The 3-4 is so perfect for nasty mean inside ‘backers that this sudden attention on Bishop could mean big things for him.  Here’s hoping.

I’m going to sum up A.J. Hawk in one word: “Tentative”. 

Someone obviously needs to kick A.J.s’ puppy a few times before every game because there is no emotion there.  When he can show he wants to be out there busting heads wreaking havoc then I’ll take the time to evaluate his talent.

Danny Lansanah was brought in late last year, costing the Packers the services of special teams specialist Jason Hunter (who may actually have a chance to start at DE for his new team, the Lions. Go Hunter!).

I’m not sure why Lansanah was signed unless it was a move by a management unsure of yet another underachieving first round draft pick.

 

What’s your favorite position in all of football?

Aside from Long Snapper?

 

Well Of Course.

It would have to be defensive back.  Darren Sharper was my all-time favorite player (until he signed with the Vikings) but more on that in part three.

LeRoy Butler is another hero of mine.

Oh yeah, there was that morning I woke up and read in the paper that Charles Woodson had signed with the Packers.  There was that.

Charles Woodson, Al Harris, Nick Collins and Tramon Williams make this the most exciting Packers secondary I have ever seen.

I don’t know why Anthony Smith got on Mike Tomlins bad side in Pittsburgh, but his 2007 numbers are really nice.  His 2008 numbers consist of one (1) bench; sit there. Welcome to Green Bay Tony, nice to have you.

Veterans Jarrett Bush and Will Blackmon will receive a strong challenge from youngsters Pat Lee and Joe Porter, with Blackmons punt return skills most likely making the difference for him.

I really like Brandon Underwood.  Okay, I’ve never seen him play and I don’t hang out with the guy or anything but I’ve heard his story a few times and it seems to me like he’s a talented guy just trying to find a future for himself and be there for his family at the same time.  Terms that come to mind are “responsible”, “dedicated” and “mature”.

Does this sound like “Green Bay Packer” to anyone else?

Good luck Brandon!

 

Aren’t you forgetting something?

What’s that?

 

Well, you said something in part one about the coolest name in football and I think you totally missed a starter in the secondary.

That’s next.

 

Oh.

Who else could it be but Atari Bigby! 

His coming out party in the 2007 NFC Championship game made my choice of new favorite player easy.  After an injury marred 2008 he’s healthy and ready to bring the punishment yet again.

Atari, make them fear you!

 

So, are you done yet?

Yep.  I think the big questions for the Packers are at OLB and defensive line, and that the chances for an improved squad in 2008 are better than good.

We’ll see you for part three, soon.

Brett Favre in Purple: Viking Fans Now Certain This Is the Year, But Is It?

Remember Bizarro world from the Superman comics? It was this alternate universe, where Superman was an evil mutant maniac and Lex Luthor was the world’s greatest hero. 

Topsy turvy, right?

Well now, starting in 2008, Miami wins their division. Then Arizona goes to the Super Bowl. Now Brett Favre is officially wearing the purple.

This is good news, obviously, for Lions fans. Because the only thing that’s going to top this escalating, unstoppable NFL weirdness is that the Lions go 13-3, send 10 players to the Pro Bowl, and breeze their way to a Super Bowl victory over the Cleveland Browns.

Ha ha. Seriously, though, that’s not going to happen. 

I know another thing that’s not going happen this NFL season as well. 

The Packers aren’t going to win the Super Bowl this year. Sigh.

I mean, it could happen. The Packers certainly have some talent and a pretty cake schedule, but I think Green Bay has too many questions to answer to compete with the NFC big boys this year. 

Thankfully, it looks like things are moving in the right direction, and with the youngest roster in the league, the future is super bright.

A realistic goal for Green Bay this year is to make the playoffs and to compete with the Vikings for the division.

Which brings us to the Vikings. Brett Favre’s Vikings. 

So bizarre.

Brad Childress now seems to find himself in a situation where he absolutely has to win.  The Vikings are a team used to controversy and offseason soap operas (would anyone care to take a boat ride? No? Just checking), but these last few months have been ridiculous. 

If Favre can’t win for Childress, his team will most likely turn against him. I know the fans and media certainly will.

My thinking is that Childress has to either win the Super Bowl this year or lose his job the next. He could be gone this year if the Vikings stumble badly in the first half.

So, can the Vikings win the Super Bowl to save their coach’s job and validate all this preseason hype and hoopla?

Um, probably not.

OK, OK. Calm down any Vikings fans that are still reading this. I know all the reasons why you can’t be stopped now that you have No. 4. Believe me, I’ve heard them enough.

I said probably not. The Vikings now have a way better shot at the Super Bowl than most teams in the NFC, baring injury. If I think it could happen for the Packers, I’d have to be insane to think it couldn’t for the Vikings just because I detest them.

Oh, there it is. Yup, detest. But hey, I’m a Packers fan—they hate me too, and I’m good with that. 

You guys signed Darren Sharper, my favorite player, away from my team. Granted, he was getting a little long in the tooth, but still, that sucked.

Then Ryan Longwell went to the Vikings, which wasn’t nearly as heart-wrenching, but Mason Crosby still hasn’t fully lived up to expectations, and Longwell was (is?) Green Bay’s all-time leading scorer.

What did the Packers ever do to you, anyway? Was it those Super Bowls they won? Yeah, that was awesome. You should try it sometime.

So, is it all attitude, or do I actually have some reasons why I don’t like Minnesota’s chances, even with the quarterback the Vikings so desperately needed?

Three quick answers to that question are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and New England. 

The Vikings, and every other team in the league, have to figure out how to get past these monsters. I guess you could include the Giants in that group too, because they play hard.

I don’t like the Minnesota secondary much past Antoine Winfield, and its linebackers are a little thin as well. But the defensive line is one of the top four in the NFL, that’s a given.

I’ve been a Packer fan for the last 20 years and I know my Brett Favre. I’ll let you in on some things, Minnesota, just for fun.

Your new quarterback doesn’t do too well on turf. He prefers grass, and I don’t like to think of the pounding someone over 40 is going to take on that surface. 

Favre gets impatient and tries to force things, putting a lot of pressure on his receivers to make great plays—which is awesome when you’ve got great receivers. The Viking receivers are good, but not great. Percy Harvin is an unproven rookie, and the list of highly-touted wide receiver busts is a long and painful one. 

Does anyone remember Jaquez Green? No, you don’t, do you?

The Vikings have great running backs and a huge offensive line, which should offer Favre better protection than he had in New York, which is encouraging if you’re a Vikes fan. 

So, Minnesota has a great running game and is great at stopping the run. Everything else is pretty much question marks. To me, it doesn’t seem to add up to a Super Bowl. But hey, like I said at the start of the article, Arizona went last year. 

Ah, preseason speculation is fun. I suppose one of the reasons I’m a fan of the NFL is that you really can never tell what’s going to happen next. The only thing that is certain is that it’s going to be a heck of a season, no matter who your team is.

Isn’t it always?

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