Alternates: QB Aaron Rodgers, CB Tramon Williams, WR Donald Driver, LB A.J. Hawk, NT B.J. Raji, and G Josh Sitton.
08/12/11
This video should go live with the Packers' visit right about 1:30 Central time.
04/29/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews reactions to 1st round Sherrod pick.
- PFW's NW (on Yahoo) said: OT Sherrod filled "pressing need...might never be an elite performer", but Sherrod can be a long versatile lineman.
-
Sporting News:
Sherrod's athleticism and speed is what makes him a desirable early-round selection. He will need to work on his strength at the next level.”
- CBSSports.com gave a B+ grade for Packers Sherrod pick. "They need a left tackle for the future and they get one here. He will be a good player in a year. The Packers can be patient."
-
ColdHardFootballFact.com (SI.com) said: "If he lives up to his potential, could challenge for the blindside spot and, at the very least, he can upgrade an already scary Green Bay offense."
-
ESPN.com said: "This [potentially gives Packers quality bookends for ten years."
ESPN MCSHAY ON SHERROD
- SI.com: Packers added good depth to offensive line.
- FoxSports.com: Packers "added solid depth to offensive line" and "good value pick and Packers established their bookends for future".
- PFW's Arkush: Sherrod is a "valuable insurance policy and Clifton heir apparent."
- National Football Post: " Sherrod is a great value. Packers starting left tackle of the future. He's a good athlete who displays impressive change of direction skills and balance in pass protection and can create leverage in the run game as well. Better prospect than both Solder and Castonzo."
04/29/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi compiles NFL 1st round choices:
1. Carolina: Cam Newton,QB, Auburn
2. Denver: Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M
3. Buffalo: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
4. Cincinnati: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
5. Arizona: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
6. Atlanta (from Cleveland): Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
7. San Francisco: Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
8. Tennessee: Jake Locker, QB, Washington
9. Dallas: Tyron Smith, OT, USC
10. Jacksonville (from Washington): Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
11. Houston: J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin
12. Minnesota: Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
13. Detroit: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
14. St. Louis: Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
15. Miami: Mike Pouncey, OL, Florida
16. Washington: Ryan Kerrigan, DE/LB, Purdue. 17. New England: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado.
18. San Diego: Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois.
19. New York: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska.
20. Tampa Bay: Adrain Clayborn, DE, Iowa.
21. Cleveland (from Kansas City): Phil Taylor, NT, Baylor.
22. Indianapolis: Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College.
23. Philadelphia: Danny Watkins, OL, Baylor.
24. New Orleans: Cameron Jordan, DE, California.
25. Seattle: James Carpenter, OT, Alabama.
26. Baltimore: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado. .
27. Kansas City: Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh.
28. New Orleans: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama.
29. Chicago: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin.
30. New York Jets: Muhammed Wilkerson, DE, Temple.
31. Pittsburgh: Cameron Hayward, DE, Ohio State.
32. Packers: Derrick Sherrod, OT, Mississipi State. Analysis: Solid blocking tackle.
04/27/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi--possible Packers trades on draft day.
On his philosophy to draft the best player available, GM Thompson said, "Obviously, if there are what we would perceive as needs, that position might get a little extra care or we might re-evaluate things a bit more. But at the end of the day, we still believe drafting the best player on the board is the best policy.” Also, he acknowledged that he may trade down from the first round saying, “If we can move back five spots and still get the same player, then we are not averse to doing that. It kind of goes both ways.” Some fans and mock draft bloggers think that he will trade down because of his early reputation of trading down to gain more draft picks. Yet, in recent drafts, he traded away picks in the last three drafts to move up getting DE Thompson (4th round 2008), OLB Matthews (1st round 2009), and safety Burnett (3rd round 2010).
Next what kind of scenario to move down? Scenario: With the expected run on Des, OTs, & OLBs in the early and middle parts of the 1st round, along with a number of teams looking for solid QB choices available in the 1st and 2nd rounds, he may trade down for more picks. Thus, if top prospects for our top needs are no longer on the board at number 32 and a team exists to deal for good early QB prospect, the Packers may deal to get extra picks by moving down. Maybe.
Either way, fans will know tomorrow night. We will cover the 3 days NFL draft reporting Packers choices and their detailed scouting reports. Amusingly, toward the end of the first round, we're are all going to be bored to death from reading endless nauseating twitter verbiage from those “no lives lonely” bloggers or unemployed “college wanna bes” bloggers (hint: bottom dwellers in Packers bloggers rankings). Thus, as the pick number 32 for the Packers gets close and after, fans can look for instant quality news on twitter and Packers Gab about the Packers choice and more. Go Pack!
04/26/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi--fans choices for 1st round in draft.
Our fan poll about the highest Packers need to be chosen in the 1st round of the NFL draft reached preliminary conclusions. The poll (posted below) shows the fans in the Packers nation favor three major needs in the 1st round choice in the NFL draft: (1) Offensive Lineman (48%) (2) Defensive Lineman (23%) and (3) Outside Linebacker (18%). Interestingly, the poll results reflect the top three priorities in the other polls running throughout Packers bloggers. The top need is viewed as offensive lineman, but the fans are divided about whether outside linebacker or defensive lineman is the next top second need. We are impressed, fans, with your knowledge from following the Packers and sports news. Since the poll is still open, fans are requested to continue voting for final results.
Players (linked scouting reports) that mock drafts see as Packers 1st round draft pick:
Football Fantasy ranking: Packers choice for 1st round based upon mock drafts.
04/25/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reports judge rules to lift NFL lockout.
Clipped from: sports.espn.go.com (share this clip)
U.S. District Court Judge Susan Richard Nelson has granted NFL players their motion for a preliminary injunction: therefore lifting the lockout that was imposed by owners on March 11, league and union sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Mortensen. Neither side had an official reaction, pending the official posting by Judge Nelson but NFL is expected to immediately request a stay of the ruling until it can make its arguments before the US Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. A judicial assistant for Judge Nelson, whose chambers are in St. Paul, declined comment on whether the judge has enjoined the lockout, according to the sources. The NFL is expected to release a statement shortly after Judge Nelson's ruling is posted. The immediate impact of the ruling on the status of an estimated 500 free agent players and other player transactions is uncertain. If the league does not get the court to stay the ruling pending an appeal, the league will have to open its doors for players. The NFL also will have to decide whether to impose a similar system that has been in place under the previous collective bargaining agreement that expired on March 11.
04/25/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi--what Packers position is 1st round priority of draft?
04/24/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews headlines leading to draft day.
NFL Draft Is Deep At Running Back: This isn't the first draft in which people have compared a prospect to the great Emmitt Smith. It happens every so often when a running back is of Smith's modest physical dimensions and speed while at the same time demonstrating some of Smith's instinct, heart and production at the collegiate level. No one ever quite measures up, which is perfectly understandable. Given the ever-more-forward-pass face of pro football, Smith's career rushing record of 18,355 yards might never be toppled. The latest is Alabama's Mark Ingram, easily the best performer in a corps of running backs that is thin at the top but is chock-full of interesting players from Round 2 on.
Packers Worry About White House Visit: After Green Bay disposed of Chicago in last season's NFC Championship game, Packers cornerback Charles Woodson addressed his teammates in the boisterous locker room. "Check this: The president don't want to come watch us to the Super Bowl?" said Woodson, making a quick reference to President Obama siding with his hometown Bears in the game. "Guess what? Guess what? We're gonna see him. Let's get a 'White House' on three. One, two three, White House!"
Wisconsin's Carimi May Go High In NFL Draft: Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi was the Outland Trophy winner, consensus All-American, Big Ten offensive lineman of the year and academic all-Big Ten. In February, Carimi proclaimed himself the No. 1 tackle in the draft, saying, "I'm physically stronger and have more career starts and better knowledge of the game than any other tackle out there." But with the National Football League draft less than a week away, the consensus of teams is Carimi ranks No. 4 on the list of tackles and won't have a successful career if he remains at the left-tackle position that he manned the past four seasons for the Badgers. That isn't to suggest personnel people don't think Carimi will be a good player.”
Amid Lockout, Upcoming Draft Is Packers GM Thompson's Main Focus: Ted Thompson never liked to leave his seat in the war room when the NFL draft ended. The Green Bay Packers general manager preferred to watch his personnel staff work the phones and sign undrafted free agents. That won't be the case this year. When the draft ends a week from Saturday night, the Packers' room will be silent. The lockout means that once the 254 players are drafted, teams cannot sign undrafted rookies. The Packers typically do well in that area. Of the college free agents signed in the hours and days after last year's draft, three made the team coming out of training camp, and two, linebacker Frank Zombo and cornerback Sam Shields, started in Super Bowl XLV.
Packers' Jolly Gets Probation On Drug Charge: Green Bay defensive lineman Johnny Jolly pleaded guilty to one narcotics charge and agreed to enter a drug treatment facility in exchange for five years of probation. The 28-year-old Jolly, whose off-season home is in Houston, appeared in Texas state court there Thursday and pleaded guilty to his 2008 arrest for codeine possession; his second charge from March was dropped. As a result, District Judge Denise Bradley sentenced Jolly to five years of deferred adjudication, a form of probation. If Jolly follows the rules of the probation, he could have his record sealed, meaning it would only be visible to law enforcement. "It is not a conviction," said assistant Harris County District.
Thompson Tight-Lipped On Packers' Draft Plans: Fictional agent and strong arm twister Jack Bauer wouldn't have been able to pry information out of Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson, so you can imagine what it was like for the Packers beat reporters Thursday at Thompson's pre-draft news conference in Lambeau. Basic, logical questions. Kindly, nonspecific responses. The draft is where the seventh-year GM has built the foundation for the Super Bowl champions, scooping up Aaron Rodgers, uncovering Nick Collins, discovering Greg Jennings and nabbing Clay Matthews. Thompson's reputation for protecting his draft strategy is now legendary - just as the draft's popularity has exploded in the media with mock drafts, grades and speculation.
Packers Have Good Shot At Acquiring Needed DL In First Round Of Draft: For NFL teams that play a 3-4 defense, this is one of the most promising drafts in years to get a lineman in the first round. Defensive end also happens to be one of the Green Bay Packers' greatest needs, and with perhaps as many as 10 or 11 defensive linemen carrying a first-round grade for at least some teams, there's a decent chance the draft board will have one worth considering when the Packers select with the last pick in the first round, No. 32 overall. Most likely, a run on the linemen will wipe the top seven 3-4 linemen, including the University of Wisconsin's J.J. Watt.
04/19/11
- Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews Packers 2011 NFL schedule.
|
PRESEASON: |
||||
| Sat., Aug. 13 | @ Cleveland Browns | 6:30 p.m. | State | |
| Fri., Aug. 19 | Arizona Cardinals | 7:00 p.m. | State | |
| Thu., Aug 26 | @ Indianapolis Colts | 7:00 p.m. | CBS | |
| Thu., Sep. 1 | Kansas City Chiefs | 7:00 p.m. | State | |
|
REG. SEASON: |
||||
| Thu., Sept. 8 | New Orleans Saints | 7:30 p.m. | NBC | |
| Sun., Sept. 18 | @ Carolina Panthers | 12:00 p.m. | FOX | |
| Sun., Sept. 25 | @ Chicago Bears | 3:15 p.m. | FOX | |
| Sun., Oct. 2 | Denver Broncos | 3:15 p.m. | CBS | |
| Sun., Oct. 9 | @ Atlanta Falcons | 7:20 p.m. | NBC | |
| Sun., Oct. 16 | St. Louis Rams | 12:00 p.m. | FOX | |
| Sun., Oct. 23 | @ Minnesota Vikings | 3:15 p.m. | FOX | |
| Sun., Oct. 30 | Open Date | |||
| Sun., Nov. 6 | @ San Diego Chargers | 3:15 p.m. | FOX | |
| Mon, Nov. 14 | Minnesota Vikings | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN | |
| Sun., Nov. 20 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 12:00 p.m. | FOX | |
| Thu., Nov. 24 | @ Detroit Lions | 11:30 a.m. | FOX | |
| Sun., Dec. 4 | @ New York Giants | 3:15 p.m. | FOX | |
| Sun., Dec. 11 | Oakland Raiders | 12:00 p.m. | CBS | |
| Sun., Dec. 18 | @ Kansas City Chiefs | 12:00 p.m. | FOX | |
| Sun., Dec. 25 | Chicago Bears | 7:20 p.m. | NBC | |
| Sun., Jan. 1 | Detroit Lions | 12:00 p.m. | FOX |
COMMENTARY: The official Packers schedule is released. On Thursday night, September 8th, the Packers are scheduled to kick off the 2011 NFL against the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field. Also, on Sunday, December 25th, the Packers are hosting the Bears on Christmas Night at 8:20 p.m. EST. BREAKDOWN: Packers would have four prime-time games, including three on NBC's Sunday Night Football and one on ESPN's Monday night Football, along with a fifth national time slot against Lions on Thanksgiving Day. Further, five other games are scheduled for the late-afternoon Sunday time slot. They will be the first team in NFL history to play on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The Packers would play three of their final four games at home, including a Week 16 Christmas Day game against the Bears. Mix in a Week 13 game at the Giants and a Week 15 game at Chiefs, and the final five weeks of the schedule could be in cold-weather conditions. "I think that is awesome," McCarthy said.
04/18/11
Legenndary senior writer jclombardi reviews Packers draft needs, grades talent depth & potential choices.
Packers Top Draft Needs & Talent Depth Grades:
3. OLB—Grade: B-. Talented duo of rush linebackers (Miller and Houston) keeps this year's OLB class from falling into abyss. Team's looking to fill holes outside may need to reach.
7. Guard—Grade: B+. Guard position may lack sure-fire first rounder but depth is strong throughout led by four players with second round grades. The depth is bolstered by three small school prospects.
COMMENTARY: Focusing upon top Packers needs, we liked NFL Draft 101’s impressive brief review of draft talent at positions and depth. After reviewing the depth positions and how each round plays out, the Packers will look at best overall players available compared to top immediate needs. In speculating, one mock draft suggested the Packers are targeting OLB Ayers, versatile DT Wilkerson (strong pass rusher), versatile DE Heyward (average pass rusher), and raw pass rusher DE/OLB Reed. Or, they may simply upgrade interior offensive line getting G Watkins to replace probably gone LG Colledge or get versatile OT Sherrod to play LT. Or, they may even trade back into round two. Finally, the draft could see several Packers reaches and sleepers in the later rounds. In a way, the pros are right describing the draft as a carp shoot. Fans, what do you think?
04/15/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi--probable 1st round Packers draft choice.
Football Fantasy ranking: Packers choice for 1st round based upon mock drafts.
COMMENTARY: These mock drafts believe the Packers will focus first upon defense. We agree that this is a possibility. We like the first two top choices, but DE Hayward is given an overrated ranking for DE: Pros: "Quick and agile first moves. Strong and holds the point of attck well. Uses his long body to gain leverage. High effort player, his motor is always moving. No problem spliting double teams. Shines out on film as best defensive lineman. Has leadership and sets tone with play. Very good bull rush and swim. Strong base, does not give up ground when doubled. Cons: One move player, then resets his plan of attack and tries a new move. Slow DE and can't give standard edge rush speed. Not an elite quick twitch player. Pass rush is average." Fantasy football is correct to only rank him at just number 20 for defensive end. Ah, the fluff Packers press would focus upon him. Meanwhile, as we discussed in previous previews about offensive needs, the Packers may see what quality OT falls to them when its time to choose. It will be very interesting. Fans, what do you think?
04/13/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reports Packers preseason schedule.
Assuming the lockout does not affect the preseason, the highlighted game for the Packers is a nationally televised contest at the Colts. The other specific dates and times are not yet announced:
Aug. 11-15: at Cleveland, time TBA.
Aug. 18-22: Arizona (Gold package; Midwest Shrine Game), time TBA.
Aug. 26: at Indianapolis, 7 p.m. (CBS).
Sept. 1-2: Kansas City (Bishop’s Charities Game), time TBA.
04/11/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Federal judge orders mediation: Judge Susan Nelson appointed Chief Magistrate Judge Boylan to preside mediation between the NFL and the players. The players got what they wanted as mediation will now occur under the umbrella of the federal litigation.
Packers' starting ROLB competition is wide open: PFW says no one has a clue who will be the starter among current roster players: Frank Zombo, Erik Walden or Brad Jones. “Jones and Walden are more athletic and better at dropping into coverage than Zombo, but Zombo is a lot stouter at the point of attack and looks like he will continue to improve as a pass rusher. Don't rule out Jones moving inside should Nick Barnett leave--a possibility HC McCarthy mentioned to team insiders at the NFL Scouting Combine.” Also, in previewing the Packers 2011 NFL draft, the Packer may upgrade the position with a choice like Georgia’s Justin Houston.
Packers draft needs—priorities: According to Vandermause at the GBPG, the top Packers draft need is the defensive line: "Cullen Jenkins, underrated for his inside rushing ability, figures to depart in unrestricted free agency, and Johnny Jolly will be sent packing due to persistent legal troubles," wrote Vandermause. "That leaves the Packers short at a key position and facing some nagging questions. How much longer can 11-year veteran Ryan Pickett hold up? Can second-year prospect Mike Neal stay healthy? Will youngsters C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn continue to improve? As luck would have it, this draft is rich in talented defensive linemen." However, he makes a stronger case for his second top Packers draft need at OLB: “Thompson shocked the world by not drafting an outside linebacker to complement Clay Matthews last year, but don’t expect that to happen again. Frank Zombo and Erik Walden came out of nowhere and shouldn’t be discounted, and injury-prone Brad Jones has potential. But just imagine how much better the defense could be with a bona fide pass-rushing threat opposite Matthews.” Considering the depth at both positions, his third top Packers draft need at offensive line may be the greater immediate need: “If Chad Clifton stays healthy, which is a big if for a soon-to-be 35-year-old left tackle, the Packers could survive for another season. If not, this position becomes extremely thin. Bryan Bulaga can start on either side, but T.J. Lang is largely unproven, and veteran Mark Tauscher’s future is in doubt due to injuries.” We agree that the top Packers draft priorities are offensive line, outside linebacker, defensive end, wide receiver, and kick returner.
Packers focus upon kick return specialists in draft: The coaching staff was never satisfied with Sam Shields and Jordy Nelson on returns, and both players are in line for bigger roles outside of special teams. The return game is one of the few weak spots on the team. Utah's Antoine Smithson and Cal's Jeremy Ross will visit Green Bay in the coming weeks.
04/10/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reports Illinois Gov failing to pay debt!
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Illinois Governor Needs To Pay Debt: If I didn't know better, I'd say Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is trying to get out of fulfilling the bet he lost over the Packers-Bears game. We're still waiting for the Democratic governor to get up here in his mortifying Packers gear and volunteer at a Wisconsin food pantry. That was the penalty if the Bears lost to the Packers in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 23. Had the Bears won, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker agreed he would cross the border dressed as a Bears fan and work at a pantry down there. He might have run into some Wisconsin senators. They need to be honored, preferably before everyone has forgotten about the big game and moved on. So is Quinn going to weasel out of this and hope we all forgot about it? Dude, don't make the bet if you can't pay the debt. "No, no, no, absolutely not," said his spokesman, Grant Klinzman. "He fully intends to live up to the terms of the bet." OK, but when? Quinn's office promised a while back that it will be sometime in the next few months. Klinzman was not able to be more specific than that. "He's a very, very busy guy. I think you guys have been pretty busy, as well," Klinzman said. Quinn was scheduled to fulfill the bet on Feb. 21 at Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, a food bank in Milwaukee. But he canceled because Democrats and Republicans in Wisconsin were at each other's throats at the time. Plus, Walker was trying to steal Illinois jobs. Quinn is welcome to come anytime, said Gina Styer, spokeswoman for the food bank. Will he ever show? "I'd like to think so," she said. "Stay tuned."
04/09/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi writes California honors Bishop & Bush.
Thursday, the California State Assembly passed resolution honoring Super Bowl XLV champs Desmond Bishop and Jarrett Bush. Bishop and Bush grew up in Northern California region.
04/04/11
Legendary writer jclombardi highlights Sportings News review of Packers top draft needs.
Clipped from: aol.sportingnews.com (share this clip)
Brown: The protection is plenty good enough. As Rodgers displayed during his superb playoff run, he gets rid of the ball with uncanny quickness and accuracy, and he also has mobility. Besides, at No. 32, the Packers have little chance to get any of the top four tackles--Tyron Smith (USC), Anthony Castonzo (Boston College), Gabe Carimi (Wisconsin), or Nate Solder (Colorado). What the Packers really need is an impact outside linebacker to play opposite Clay Matthews. Three edge linebackers shared time opposite Matthews last season--Brad Jones, Erik Walden, and Frank Zombo. All did a decent job. But none were special. Think of what defensive coordinator Dom Capers could do with another lethal linebacker that could punish quarterbacks. Look for Packers GM Thompson to make Capers a happy man. Here are three outside linebackers the Packers may target with the 32nd pick -- Brooks Reed (Arizona), Akeem Ayers (UCLA), or Justin Houston (Georgia). Reed in particular could make an immediate impact. What else we believe: The Packers could also use more depth at running back, despite James Starks’ strong postseason. Ryan Williams (Virginia Tech) and Mikel Leshoure (Illinois) are two running backs that Thompson could find intriguing.
Dillon: No player means more to the Packers than Aaron Rodgers, the MVP of Super Bowl XLV and the best quarterback in the NFC. So the team needs to do whatever it can to keep Rodgers healthy and upright. Green Bay drafted offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga in the first round last year. Now, it needs to find a long-term bookend on the other side. Chad Clifton can’t play forever, and Mark Tauscher may not be back. The top-tier tackles probably will be off the board by the time the Packers pick 32nd, so GM Thompson should consider trading up to try and get someone such as Castonzo, Solder or Miami’s Orlando Franklin. What else we believe: With Cullen Jenkins likely to leave in free agency, defensive end is another position the Packers should address. And this is a good year to get a quality defensive end, because the position is deep. An outside linebacker to complement pass-rushing specialist Clay Matthews should be another consideration. While Brad Jones, Frank Zombo and Erik Walden all can play on the other side, none has the ability to dominate like Matthews. Last year’s loss of starter Ryan Grant in the opener handicapped the running offense all season, so Green Bay needs to add a running back for depth, if nothing else.
COMMENTARY: We agree the top needs are OT, OLB & DE. How we get three quality impact players for positions in the coming draft is an open question. Fans, what do you think?
04/03/11
Legendary writer jclombardi's first preview about Packers draft needs.
The cumulative Packers mock drafts have more than 25 different players being picked including 3-4 defensive linemen, 3-4 outside linebackers, offensive tackles, interior offensive linemen, running backs, cornerbacks, wide receivers and safeties. However, we first preview the immediate Packers needs:
1. Offensive Lineman. RT Tauscher and LT Clifton have durability issues. RT Tauscher can’t stay healthy losing his starting job. He may not be back at his 2011 $4.1 million base salary. Bulaga is fine at RT. The Packers need to find aging LT Clifton’s ultimate successor. He is healthy with a bad knee having probably one more year. Granted, the Packers may move Bulaga to LT or LG. Also, they may try T. J. Lang at tackle or guard. Further, with Colledge may be gone, they probably need to find a reliable starter at LG. This is a tough call, LT or LG or both. The top tackle prospects available include Boston College's Anthony Castonzo, Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi, Colorado's Nate Solder, Mississippi State's Derek Sherrod, Villanova's Benjamin Ijalana, and East Carolina’s Willie Smith.
2. Outside Linebacker. We're talking about a starter at OLB. If we get another OLB pass rusher, defenses cannot focus their protection against OLB Matthews forcing many singular matchups that favor the Pack. Poppinga is gone. Zombo and Walden are better options than Jones, but we need a solid stud starter. Two options include Texas Sam Acho and UCLA Akeem Ayers in the late first round. Meanwhile, at ILB, aging Nick Barnett kept getting injured and is probably gone replaced by starters Hawk and Bishop.
3. Defensive Lineman. DE Cullen Jenkins is probably gone. DE Johnny Jolly is gone with legal troubles. DE Ryan Pickett is in his thirties. DE Justin Harrell gets one more chance. Further, the Packers have tenacious and talented DE Neal has the Jenkins-like talents to assume the lead DE role and young prospects C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn. Yet, the Packers could use depth here.
4. Wide Receiver. WR Donald Driver is 36. Free agent WR James Jones wants to be a starter with its consequential salary. Also, the Packers probably like Nelson's 2011 $1.029 cap number better than what Jones is going to get. We need to have another quality top receiver for one of the game's top quarterbacks.
5. Defensive Back. Aging CB Woodson is still fine. CB Sam Shields and CB Williams are solid starters, but CBs Patrick Lee and Brandon Underwood need to improve. We need another quality starter here for the dime position.
Commentary: All right, we are making initial draft preview about potential Packers needs and draft choices. Last year, the Packers drafted to meet immediate needs and good backups. They made good quality choices in tackle Bulaga, defensive end Neal, and safety Burnett with no immediate focus on OLB. Now, this year, fans, what do you think?
03/29/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi sums up Packers 2011 NFL Draft order.
In the graph below, we list the Packers selection order in the rounds of the coming 2011 NFL Draft. The selection numbers include compensatory picks and the pick obtained through Jansen trade.
|
ROUND |
SELECTION |
REVIEW |
|
1 |
32 | |
| 2 |
64 |
|
| 3 |
96 |
|
|
4 |
129 |
|
| 4 |
131 |
Comp. pick for A.K. |
|
5 |
163 | |
| 6 |
197 |
|
| 7 | 204 |
Trade involving Jansen. |
|
7 |
232 |
In the coming weeks, in spite of the lockout distraction, we will review draft needs and possible selections.
COMMENTARY: As fans may have noticed, jclombardi was away for more than a month involving important family obligations on the European continent including stops in Canada and Switzerland. For fans who follow his profile, we have a world wide audience for his writings.
02/14/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi presents defensive players grades.
JC vs JS Report Card.
DEFENSIVE LINE:
DE/LT Green: B- vs C+. "Big Green" became a fixture at RE in the base defense and at LT in the 4-4 defense. The 360-pound big man is an unsung hero of the big veteran pickups. He ranked second on the D-line in tackles per snap (one every 9.5) and surprisingly showed some pass rush. The biggest play of his career was the Super Bowl knockdown of Ben Roethlisberger that resulted in Nick Collins' pick-six.
DE Pickett: B+ vs B. The “Grease” made a solid shift from NT to LE leading the defensive line in tackles per snap. He has good instincts to find the ball. Also, he is great team leader.
NT Raji: A vs A-. The “Freezer” led the defensive line in tackles for loss (4½) and batted balls (3), while he tied Jenkins in sacks (7½) and he was behind Jenkins in knockdowns (six) and hurries (19½). He needs to improve at point of attack, but he is becoming a great inside pass rusher.
DE Jenkins: B vs B. Although he had another nagging injuries year, he led the defensive line in pressures per snap with one every 16.1 snaps. Whether the aging star stays or not, either way, he will get a big payday. He is a great inside pass rusher who can play DE and DT on passing downs.
DE Neal: C vs C+. With a strong start, the rookie has a promising future at right De. He can stack the point, bull rush, and get to an edge.
DE Wilson: C vs C+. With all the injuries, the rookie got to play showing improvement over the season. He ranked third with 12 pressures. He has good instincts finishing rushes and finding the ball. He finished third in tackles per snap with one every 10.67 snaps.
DE Jolly: Incomplete vs Incomplete. He can be eligible for reinstatement. His LE position has been filled capably by Ryan Pickett. Jolly easily could play RE, but the Packers have Green, Neal and Wilson for that position. If Jolly is reinstated, the Packers can give a reduced role to him.
DE Jarius Wynn: D vs D+. He had nine pressures, one for every 18.1 snaps, ranking him second to Jenkins. He may get another chance in training camp.
DT Harrell: Incomplete vs Incomplete. He was a horrible first round draft pick; forget it.
LINEBACKERS:
ILB Barnett: C vs C+: After the fourth week, an injury finished Barnett's season. At his best, Barnett is reckless on the blitz and solid against the run. While he has speed, he is only okay coverage. Since he may not be able to play OLB in a 3-4, his future with the Packers is in doubt. Who goes Hawk or Barnett?
ILB Bishop: A vs B. With Barnett out, LB Bishop came in producing a stellar performance. He is an authentic strong ILB starter with the menacing glare his eye reminding fans of the LBs of old days. He has good instincts. He ranked as the team's top blitzer with one pressure every 5.5 snaps. Although he did not start until the fifth game, he finished second in tackles with 151. He simply must improve his tackling skills to become the perfect ILB.
ILB Hawk: C+ vs B-. An injured Barnett allowed Hawk to become a full-time player commanding the defense. He is not a big hitter, is a mediocre blitzer, and gets stuck on blocks. For any game, he is good for several missed tackles and giving up several complete passes. Yet, he is strong in coverage having not given up touchdown pass in years. Yet, his future is uncertain, since the Packers will not pay him the $10 million base salary (2011).
OLB Matthews: A+ vs A. The all-pro linebacker had a great year. He led the Packers in sacks (17) and pressures (55). He was third in tackles for loss (6½). He had six take-away plays.
OLB Walden: B vs C. Due to injuries, the veteran pick-up he started six games. He had 3½ sacks among his 9½ pressures and did okay in coverage. He improved his run defense at the edge as the season progressed. As advertised, he is a fine backup or fill-in starter meaning he will be back.
OLB Zombo: C+ vs C. The rookie free agent finished fourth on the team in sacks (five) and sixth in pressures (14). He can also hold the edge against the run. He is physical, consistent, smart, and tough. Yet, he must improve his play in space.
ILB Wilhelm: D vs D. Another veteran pick-up who mostly played on special teams. With his contract expiring, he probably won't be back but he has a ring.
ILB Chillar: C- vs C-. Although he began with high expectations, his disappointing season ended with an injury after just eight games. He may be back for training camp.
LB Briggs: D vs D. Another veteran pick-up who mostly played on special teams, he ranked sixth in special-teams tackles with 12. He may be back for training camp.
LB Francois: D vs D. He was a free agent who can play inside or outside position, but he is stronger against run than pass. He may be back for training camp.
OLB Jones: D vs D+. He had the starting job at ROLB, but he suffered a season ending injury after week seven. He has natural leverage against the run, but his pass rusher skills are below-average.
OLB Poppinga: D vs D+. Although a decent backup, he suffered a season ending injury after six weeks. With his age and injury history, he probably will not return. We wish the “Storming Mormon” well.
SECONDARY:
CB Williams: A+ vs A. He played like an all-pro getting rave reviews. He had nine interceptions, recovered two fumbles, and forced another for a total of 12 take-away plays. He became a good tackler.
CB Woodson: B vs B+. His speed has decreased meaning he gave up big plays at times, but the all-pro cornerback led the team in forced fumbles (5), tied for first in tackles for loss (7) and was the third most effective blitzer. Yet, he led the team in penalties (12), missed tackles (20), and TD passes allowed (five).
Safety Collins: B vs B. Collins is an all-pro safety. He had five interceptions dropping five more. He still has good speed passing at a steady stellar pace.
Safety Peprah: B- vs C+. Replacing an injured rookie Burnett, he did an adequate job. While he lacks size and athleticism, he has tough smart instincts. The Packers need him and he may compete with Burnett for the starting job.
CB Shields: B vs B-. The emergence of the rookie cornerback solidified the secondary allowing more press-man coverage. He did play like a rookie, but he got better throughout the season. He is a future solid starting cornerback.
CB Lee: D vs D+. After a solid Super Bowl performance, he improved his chances to be back after a disappointing year.
Safety/CB Martin: D vs D. A solid special-teams teams player who can play safety or cornerback.
CB Gordy: Incomplete vs Incomplete. Small raw free agent rookie CB who can run, turn and cover. He may be a sleeper.
Safety/CB Smith: Incomplete vs Incomplete. Acquired for a conditional seventh-round draft choice, he played briefly in four games and went on injured reserve.
CB Underwood: D vs D-. While he has the size, speed and talent to be a solid cornerback, he has not developed to be a good one.
CB Bell: Incomplete vs Complete. Ditto.
Safety Bigby: Incomplete vs Incomplete. After playing only six games with several players ahead of him, he will probably not be back. No big loss.
Safety Burnett: D vs D+. In week four, rookie Burnett's season ended with an injury. As the starting strong safety, he matured and developed in the four games showing good speed and ball skills.
CB Bush: C vs C. A premiere special teams player leading in tackles with 19, forcing one fumble, drawing several holding penalties, and downing a host of punts. Unfortunately, he is very limited in the coverage game
02/13/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi presents offense grades.
JC vs JS Report Card.
QUARTERBACKS:
QB Rodgers: A vs A. He ranked third in passer rating (101.2), third in quarterback rushing yards (356), seventh in the NFL in yards (3,922), sixth in completion percentage (65.7) and fourth in touchdown passes (28) while throwing 11 interceptions (nine of which came in the first seven games). His leadership, maturity and passing skills showed during the playoff games to the Super Bowl win and MVP award. Considering former coach Sherman considered him to be a disappointment draft, he has come a long ways.
QB Flynn: C vs C+. He showed promise to be a good backup quarterback with two fine backup games. WIDE RECEIVERS:
WR Jennings: A vs A. He had 62 catches for 1082 yards and nine touchdowns averaging 98.4 yards per game. He is a premiere receiver, steady, tough, and competitive.
WR Driver: C vs C+. He finished fourth with 565 receiving yards, while he played through injuries showing his age.
WR Jones: C+ vs C. He had a career high 679 receiving yards with 5 touchdowns. While the critics argue that he is inconsistent with dropped passes, the truth is that entire receiving corps needs to improve in this annoying concern.
WR Nelson: C+ vs C+. He had a career high 582 yards with touchdowns with a big Super Bowl game.
WR Swain: D- vs. D. Forget it.
TIGHT ENDS:
TE Quarless: C- vs D+. For an unprepared rookie, he showed the size and talent to be a playmaker. His season totals of 21 catches, 238 yards, and 1 touchdown were far better than TE Finley’s rookie year. His blocking improved over the season. Still, he had a lot to learn and needs to get stronger.
TE Crabtree: D vs D. He had four catches for 61 yards, but he is the best blocker and a good special teams player.
TE Finley: Incomplete vs Incomplete. While the future all-pro superstar started on fire, his early injury ended his season.
TE Lee: D- vs D. He had a very poor production year, but he caught everything thrown at him. With his aging status, he won’t be back but he got his ring.
RUNNING BACKS:
RB Grant: Incomplete vs Incomplete. In his first game, he suffered an ending season injury.
RB Jackson: B- vs C+. He finished with 1,137 total yards including 731 rushing (3.7) and 406 receiving (8.5). He has a future especially as a third down specialty player.
RB Starks: C+ vs B-. Although he did not play until 12th game, he had a strong 110 carries for 416 yards (3.8) rookie season. Further, he did not cause a fumble, penalty or dropped pass. He has a future behind Grant.
FB Kuhn: B- vs C+. He finished with 439 total yards including 289 rushing (3.2) and 150 receiving (7.1). Further, he converted 10 of 13 third- and fourth-and-1 situations some with extreme extra effort. He is simply an all-around great player.
FB Hall: D+ vs C-. He missed five games due to injuries, but he ranked second in his limited role on special-teams with 17 tackles.
FB Johnson: D vs D+. His disappointing liability on special teams means his solid blocking skills on this West Coast offense may be questionably no longer be needed.
OFFENSIVE LINE:
RT Bulaga: C- vs C. As a rookie, he started the final sixteen games doing an adequate job, although he had too many pressures (33½) and penalties (10). He made the all-pro rookie team.
LT Clifton: B vs B. Although he started shaky, he had an all-pro season. Yet, he allowed a career-high 29 1/2 pressures. He will be back for another year.
LG Colledge: C vs C-. Although his critics talk about his toughness and athleticism, he is reliable playing every game having only 23½ pressures.
RG Sitton: A vs A-. He is the finest linemen in both run and pass blocking. His 17 pressures included a team low two sacks.
C Scott Wells: B vs B+. He is the second best lineman in both run and pass blocking. He gave up 16 pressures, fewest on the team.
RT Mark Tauscher: Incomplete vs D+. The aging veteran suffered a season ending injury in the 4th game of a shaky season. He is unlikely to return.
LG Lang: D vs D-. He was unimpressive in two backup stints at LT in Minnesota and the second half at LG in Detroit. He is tough and smart, but he must get bigger and stronger to become a starter.
C/G Jason Spitz: D- vs D-. In his only disappointing backup stint, he looked awful in the Dec. 12 loss at Detroit, got benched, and replaced by Lang.
C/G McDonald: Incomplete vs Incomplete. He is a raw rookie free agent who never played a down with a future at probably center or guard.
LT Newhouse: Incomplete vs Incomplete. He is a rookie who never played a down finishing on the injured reserve with a future at guard or tackle.
02/12/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi presents Packers team grades.
PASS OFFENSE: A. Led by elite QB Rodgers, the Packers were fifth in passing yards per game (257.8), third in yards per completion (8.0), fourth (tied) in touchdown passes (31), and third in overall passer rating (98). QB Rodgers matured to elite status leading the Packers to win the Super Bowl and MVP award. The wide receivers showed development led by Greg Jennings, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson. The tight-end position suffered the loss of all-pro Finley, to injury, but rookie TE Quarless showed promise to be a good backup.
RUSH OFFENSE: D. In the first game of the year, the Packers lost RB Ryan Grant. The running game was never the same. The Packers finished 24th in rushing yards per game (100.4) and 25th in yards per carry (3.8). RB Brandon Jackson is just too pedestrian. Fortunately, while inactive until Dec. 5, rookie James Starks saved the Packers running game. In his first start against the Eagles, he rushed for a franchise playoff history of 123 yards. He became a Packers postseason star. FB Kuhn is a good all-around player for special schemes.
PASS DEFENSE: A. The Packers stellar defense ranked first in opposing quarterback passer rating (67.2), second in points allowed (15.0 per game), second with 24 interceptions, fifth in passing yards per game (194.2), and seventh in yards per attempt (6.5). Further, with a solid front seven led by NT Raji and OLB Matthews, the Packers had a pass rush tying second in sacks (47). CB Tramon Williams and CB Sam Shields solidified the secondary, while strong safety Charlie Peprah solidified the deep end. Veterans all-pro Charles Woodson and Nick Collins led the defensive team.
RUSH DEFENSE: D+. The Packers regressed from a first rush defense ranking in 2009 (83.3) to 18th in 2010 (114.9). Even a worse statistic, the Packers’ average yield per rush increased from 3.6 in 2009 (3rd) to 4.7 in 2010 (30th). However, the timely additions of DE Green and OLB Walden helped the Packers to improve the rush defense throughout the playoffs to win the Super Bowl. With the injury to ILB Barnett, the stellar performance of LB Bishop solidified the interior linebackers. In 2011, the Packers face hard choices at linebacker positions, including whether to keep Hawk and Barnett. Overall, the Packers were more of a bend defense that never broke, but they must improve in this area for 2011.
SPECIAL TEAMS: D. The Packers’ return units are simply pedestrian as each week became nearly a weekly D-grade horror show. The Packers ranked an awful 26th in kick returns (20.1) and 22nd in punt returns (7.9). The Packers' coverage units ranked 12th (tied) on kickoff returns (21.8) and 25th on punt returns (11.0). The bright spot was punter Tim Masthay who won several games with his field position punts. Kicker Mason Crosby had a good year making 78.6% of his kicks, but he must improve his kickoffs.
MANAGEMENT: A-. GM Thompson made impressive personnel moves using the draft and free agency to add depth in several key positions. The rookies included RT Bryan Bulaga, RB James Starks, CB Sam Shields, DE Mike Neal, OLB Frank Zombo, TE Tom Crabtree, and punter Tim Masthay. The timely veteran pickups of safety Charlie Peprah, OLB Erik Walden, DE Howard Green, and ILB Matt Wilhelm helped the team deal with a season full of key injuries. The decision to let go veteran CB Harris and DE Aaron Kampman were good ones, although they both will be Packers Hall of Famers.
COACHING: A-. McCarthy has problems with clock management, proper challenges, and game plan adjustments. Yet, his steadiness and confidence in his team endured making solid adjustments from key injuries and winning the Super Bowl. McCarthy is a great offensive schemer, but he was wise enough to bring in Dom Capers to run the stellar defense. However, he must find a new special teams coordinator.
OVERALL: A. The Packers had the mettle and resiliency to survive a tough schedule, key injuries, and bad losses winning the Super Bowl. The Packers repeated the performance of the 2007 New York Giants as the only NFC teams to win three straight road games to get to the Super Bowl and to win it. The Packers got their fourth Super Bowl trophy in five appearances and their NFL-high 13th NFL championship.
COMMENTARY: We apologize being away for several days. These reviews are hard work requiring intense research. We have mixed feelings about the 2010 season seeing many important personnel and coaching moves over the offseason. The 2010 Packers season fulfilled Super Bowl expectations, although not in the same way as the prognosticators saw it. The Packers were very lucky getting huge timely personnel moves, blossoming superstars from Rodgers to Sparks to Bishop to Williams, outstanding performances from initial backup players who became stars, and intervening destiny to win the Super Bowl. The Packers have a strong nucleus, solid coaching staff, and strong organization to blossom into several more Super Bowl appearances. It's called a dynasty.
02/08/11
Here are your notable Packer Free Agents for 2011:
Brandon Jackson
Korey Hall
John Kuhn
James Jones
Mason Crosby
Daryn Colledge
Howard Green
Justin Harrell
Cullen Jenkins
AJ Hawk
Jason Spitz
Atari Bigby
Charlie Peprah
Sam Shields
02/08/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews & grades Packers win over Steelers.
Summary: QB Rodgers threw three touchdown passes to get MVP honors and to lead the Packers to a Super Bowl victory. After a fast start building a 21-3 lead in the first half, the Packers offense imploded briefly against a tough Steelers defense allowing the Steelers back in the game at 28-25 late in the 4th quarter. The defense made the big plays creating 3 turnovers that the offense converted into 3 touchdowns for the final score 31-25. The biggest play was by LB Bishop who opened the fourth quarter by recovering a fumble jarred loose by LB Matthews from RB Mendenhall in Packer territory. Then, Rodgers led two fourth-quarter scoring drives: an 8-yard touchdown by WR Jennings and a field goal by K Crosby. These were game-preserving drives giving some breathing room for the defense. The Steelers had a final chance to score a touchdown to win, down by six points with two minutes left, but the defense held for the victory 31-25.
Game balls: QB Rodgers; WR Nelson; WR Jennings; P Masthay.
Report Card–Good, Bad, & Ugly: JC vs SE:
Pass Offense—B vs B. QB Rodgers had a stellar day completing 24-of-39 for 304 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 111.5 passer rating. QB Rodgers earned the MVP honors. The offensive line did an overall solid job, although they allowed 3 (2 were coverage sacks) sacks, 8 hits, and pressures throughout the game. Rodgers was very sharp with big plays including touchdown throws to WR Nelson (1) and WR Jennings (2). Although erratic with several dropped balls, WR Nelson led with 9 receptions for 140 yards and 1 touchdown. WR Jennings was extremely sharp with 4 receptions for 64 yards and 2 touchdowns. WR Jones had 5 big receptions for 50 yards, although he dropped a probable touchdown pass.
Rush Offense—C+ vs B-. The Packers rushed only 13 carries for 50 yards. Yet, RB Starks had 11 carries for 52 yards averaging a solid 4.7 yards making several big runs in the game.
Pass Defense—B vs B+. The front seven never got a strong consistent pass rush. In the second half, QB Roethlisberger was way too comfortable for many pass plays. Facing soft pass pressure, QB Roethlisberger had his moments completing 25 passes for 263 and 2 touchdowns. Yet, in the first half, he threw two big interceptions with one leading to safety Collins score. WR Wallace had 9 receptions for 89 yards and 1 touchdown. WR Ward had 7 receptions for 78 yards and 1 touchdown. In the second half, the Packers struggled with the loss of veteran CB Woodson and CB Shields to injuries. LB Matthews and LB Hawk made impressive athletic plays to tip Roethlisberger passes. Rookie LB Zombo made some good plays including a second-half coverage sack. DT Green got to Roethlisberger once to knock his arm leading to the interception touchdown. Finally, the reserves of Bush, Lee, and company did enough in zone coverage to win the game with time running out.
Rush Defense—C vs C+. The Packers’ front started out playing well, but they had trouble getting any penetration in the game. Although LB Matthews got no knockout plays, he caused a key fumble in the fourth quarter. Overall, this unit did not dominate like the previous games. They had trouble containing Steelers running backs. The Steelers rushed for 126 yards averaging a strong 5.5 yards with the Packers losing containment on many plays giving up some big runs. RB Mendenhall had 14 carries for 63 yards, RB Moore had 2 carries for 13 yards, and RB Redman had 3 carries for 19 yards. QB Roethlisberger added 4 scrambles for 31 yards. Sadly, in the third quarter, the Steelers' 50-yard touchdown drive was completed entirely with running plays. Leading the team, safety Peprah had 10 tackles and LB Bishop had 8 tackles.
Special Teams--D vs D. The Packers managed to win a game in spite of horrid play again by their special-teams units. The game started inauspiciously with Antonio Brown's 38-yard kickoff return out of the end zone, and things unraveled from there. Williams muffed the Pittsburgh punt four plays later when Shields ran into him but he fell on the football at the bottom of an ensuing pile-up. Williams later slapped Anthony Madison across the face mask after standing idly by on a rolling punt drawing one of three special-teams penalties by the Packers in the third quarter. Williams didn't have any return yards on punts. The combination of Lee and Nelson averaged a measly 21 yards in three kickoff returns. Officials flagged Tom Crabtree for a sketchy facemask penalty during punt coverage. They flagged linebacker Diyral Briggs as an ineligible man downfield during another Packers punt. P Masthay had a so-so performance averaging just 40.5 gross yards and 36.3 net yards with one touchback.
02/07/11
:Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers Super Bowl victory.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers holds on to win fourth Super Bowl title: If these Green Bay Packers aren't the most deserving champions of the Super Bowl era, they're not far from it. At the moment of truth Sunday night in Super Bowl XLV, the Packers overcame the first-half departures of Charles Woodson and Donald Driver to vanquish the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25, at Cowboys Stadium. "It's how our season has been since Day 1," linebacker Desmond Bishop said. "We don't blink. We know somehow, some way, somebody will make a play." Everything that made the Packers the startling success story that they became was evident against the Steelers. Aaron Rodgers, the most valuable player, was magnificent. Just when the Packers' chances were starting to become bleak deep in the second half, his powerful arm and remarkable accuracy kept the team afloat. Despite five second-half drops, the Packers' wide receivers also made play after play against Pittsburgh's proud but overmatched secondary. Jordy Nelson had a career performance with nine catches for 140 yards. And then there was the defense, a unit buffeted by injury after injury all season long and again in the finale when Woodson went out with a broken collarbone late in the second quarter and nickel back Sam Shields sat out significant stretches with a shoulder injury. The Packers claimed their 13th championship, most in the National Football League. With four Super Bowls, they now trail only Pittsburgh (six), Dallas (five) and San Francisco (five). McCarthy relished the return of the Lombardi Trophy to Green Bay for the first time since the 1996 season. "The people of our organization who have been there for years know the true meaning of what the Lombardi Trophy means, not only to Green Bay but the NFL," he said. "No disrespect to the Steelers. We respect their football team. We respect the way they play. But we fully expected to win this game. It is our time." The Packers joined the New York Giants of 2007 and the San Francisco 49ers of 1988 as the only Super Bowl champs with a 10-6 record in the regular season.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Rodgers repays debt to Packer organization: Poised, unflappable and resilient on professional football's biggest stage, Aaron Rodgers wrote his own legendary story Sunday and accomplished something Brett Favre never did: win a Super Bowl MVP. Rodgers was simply sensational, leading two crucial drives in the fourth quarter that maintained a fragile lead before handing it over to the Green Bay defense, which managed to shut down the Pittsburgh Steelers after five nerve-racking plays. Rodgers is the second Green Bay quarterback ever to be selected as the Super Bowl MVP. Bart Starr was the MVP of the Packers' victories in Super Bowls I and II. "He played great," coach Mike McCarthy said. "We put everything on his shoulders. He did a lot at the line of scrimmage for us against a great defense. He did a hell of a job." Afterward, Rodgers was humble in his remarks about winning the MVP, giving credit to his receivers and his offensive line and the defense. "This is a great group of men we've put together here. They have a lot of character and we do a lot together. It's just great to share it with them," Rodgers said. Asked the expected question about carving his own legacy in the post-Brett Favre era, Rodgers instead praised the organization for standing by him. "I've never felt like there's a monkey on my back," he said. "The organization stood by me, believed in me, and that's what I did on the podium. I thanked Ted (Thompson), Mark (Murphy, the president and CEO) and Mike for really believing in me and giving me the opportunity. I told Ted in 2005 that he wouldn't be sorry with his pick. I told them in 2008 I would repay their trust and give them this opportunity." That he did. Rodgers was 24 of 39 for 304 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. And all of it came against a Pittsburgh defense that had only allowed an average of 14.5 points per game all season. Rodgers finished the game with a QB rating of 111.5; his career postseason passer rating is now 112.6. Rodgers also set a mark held by Starr. Having surpassed the NFL's minimum of 150 pass attempts to be considered a postseason record, Rodgers has moved ahead of Starr's longstanding NFL passer rating mark of 104.8.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Offense took a fancy to passing: From their first offensive play, when quarterback Aaron Rodgers lined up in the shotgun formation and threw incomplete to Greg Jennings, the Green Bay Packers made a statement. They were not going to waste their time, or precious downs, trying to run the ball in Super Bowl XLV. The Pittsburgh Steelers were going to have to stop Rodgers and the Packers' multifaceted passing game. "It wasn't so much disrespect for their secondary as it was respect for their front seven," said receiver Jordy Nelson. The Packers called only 11 running plays, all carries by James Starks - Rodgers also ran twice - but took advantage of mismatches in the secondary and neutralized one of the Steelers' biggest weapons by keeping safety Troy Polamalu off the line of scrimmage and forcing him into coverage. The Packers made enough plays in the passing game to leave Cowboys Stadium with an immensely satisfying 31-25 victory in Super Bowl XLV. "We wanted to put them in vulnerable positions and get them outside their comfort zone," said receiver Greg Jennings. "We knew it was going to be hard to run the ball. But on the back end and in the middle of the field we were able to expose them and make plays." The Packers' offense overcame the loss of receiver Donald Driver (sprained ankle) in the first half, and Rodgers earned most valuable player honors by completing 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns. With Driver sidelined, Nelson and Jennings came up big, with Nelson catching nine passes for 140 yards - both career highs - and one touchdown and Jennings catching four for 64 and two touchdowns. "We feel there are hardly any defensive backs who can match up with us one-on-one, let alone four-on-four or five-on-five," Nelson said. "Defenses just aren't built that way."
02/06/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reflects about life & football in the game of inches.
02/06/11
Legendary senior writer Jclombardi previews Super Bowl game day & predictions.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers have the horses to exploit Steelers' weaknesses: Other than a mediocre half here or there, the Green Bay Packers have been the epitome of consistent excellence since their defeat in Detroit almost two months ago. Now that the Super Bowl is upon us, there's no compelling reason to think that the Packers can't sustain almost that same level of performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Obviously, Mike McCarthy is feeling it. I ran into him Friday morning as he bounced between interviews at the Downtown Sheraton. When a team has played as well over time as the Packers, its coach can be as loose as McCarthy appeared to be. "The players totally believe what's in front of them," McCarthy said with confidence and just the right touch of bravado at his final press briefing. "We respect Pittsburgh, but we feel that this is our time and Sunday will be our night." Still, the more one analyzes the two teams, the Packers have a better chance to counter the Steelers' strengths than the Steelers do to counter the Packers' strengths. In other words, Pittsburgh has more holes to hide than Green Bay, and that doesn't bode well for the Steelers if the Packers keep doing what they've been doing. For two weeks, the Steelers undoubtedly have been trying to figure out ways to help right tackle Flozell Adams against Clay Matthews. As uncanny as Roethlisberger might be escaping the rush, they know that not even Roethlisberger is physical enough to avoid the relentless surges of Matthews. The best way to slow Matthews would be an effective running game. One of the biggest men I've ever seen, "Flozell the Hotel" can toss Matthews around in close quarters and maybe wear him down physically. Center Doug Legursky, will need help from a guard in pass protection. In the run game, the guard that doubles Raji with Legursky will have to linger longer than usual and figures to be late getting off to the inside linebacker. What this scenario really does is throw open the door for Cullen Jenkins to have an MVP-type performance. For Green Bay, it's a terrific three-pronged rush that, barring a rash of turnovers, will make it difficult for the Steelers to score more than 20 points. Not only will Roethlisberger be confronted inside and outside, he will find conventional completions much harder to come by than a season ago. The Steelers always find ways to spring receivers from their bunch sets, but unless Roethlisberger can get outside consistently he probably won't have time to go deep. "It's almost like getting ready for a different defense," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. "They're more man-to-man press coverage than they played last year, especially on early downs." But Capers will have more than a four-man rush ready. He has been blitzing more and more with each passing week, a direct result of Sam Shields' ability to man cover. In order, coordinator Joe Philbin listed pass protection, turnover avoidance and balance as the main objectives for the offense. He said the Packers had no interest in asking Chad Clifton and Bryan Bulaga to block Harrison and Woodley snap after snap without the threat of a running play. Based on coaches who have played the Steelers, the best way to run on them is from spread sets. No one really has run on their base 3-4. LeBeau must play zone because his three cornerbacks generally can't hold up without a rush. If LeBeau does play man-to-man or run overload blitzes, Rodgers could kill him with his scrambles. McCarthy said he expects Polamalu to be LeBeau's key pressure player. LeBeau does a great job on third down bringing a safety from out of his walk-around defense. If Rodgers spends too much time making dummy calls at the line in a game of cat and mouse, the Steelers are masters at timing their blitzes off the 40-second clock and the quarterback's cadence. Let's say neither team can run the ball. Then it becomes a game of who can protect and which quarterback can figure out the blitzes. The Packers have the better offensive line plus they have a blitz-pickup ace in Brandon Jackson. Pittsburgh's linemen might have to use their hands illegally to slow the rush down, and if the game is closely officiated the Packers should be the beneficiary. And Rodgers should win the cerebral game every time against Roethlisberger. The Packers would seem to have better players at more important positions, and consistency is their trademark. Those are two powerful forces in their favor. What will matter most, of course, is which team plays better under the bright lights of Cowboys Stadium.
02/05/11
Legendary Packers lead blogger & senior writer jclombardi on NY sports pre-Super Bowl show.
On Saturday night, February 5, at 9:40 pm CST, syndicated senior writer and Packers lead blogger jclombardi is scheduled to appear on the "NY Football Blogs Live (Super Bowl Preview Part 2) On The Sports Blog Radio Network." Sports fans and Packers fans can join Steve and Frankie when they preview the Super Bowl game coming up on the next day, Sunday evening. It's the night before the Super Bowl with Steve and Frankie ready to give you their predictions and more. Frankie and Steve's guests will include: Joe Theismann, Karl Mecklenburg and Mark Duper. Also syndicated senior writer & Packers lead blogger jclombardi of Packers Gab, Lambeau Field Insider, & Packer Backer Blog will be back talking about his Packers and more. Fans can call in with your Super Bowl scores and more: 646-716-8896. Fans can listen in at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sportsblogradio/2011/02/06/ny-football-blogs-live-super-bowl-special-part-2.
02/05/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: msn.foxsports.com (share this clip)
Fox says Packers will win Super Bowl: When we made our preseason picks on our weekly FOXsports.com “Cosmic Schein” show, we picked the Green Bay Packers to raise the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLV (FOX pregame at 2 p.m. ET; kickoff at 6). There’s no reason to back off now. Here’s why Green Bay will win it all, Schein 9 style. 9. The Packers’ defense is hot and unpredictable--The Packers’ defense has been on fire down the stretch. Green Bay stops the run and the pass. There is no way that Rashard Mendenhall enjoys the success he had against the Jets. Dick LeBeau rightly gets the accolades for being the best defensive coordinator in the sport. But Capers, from the same tree, does an incredible job getting his club ready, with multiple looks and pressures. 8. The Maurkice Pouncey injury--The fantastic Pittsburgh center suffered a high ankle sprain and a broken bone on Championship Sunday. The Steelers have dealt with a rash of injuries up front all year, putting the line in shambles. Pouncey was the lone rock. If Pouncey can’t go, Raji, Jenkins and company are going to destroy the Pittsburgh line. Green Bay will force mistakes. 7. The Charles Woodson factor--He is a great, multi-dimensional megastar on defense. Woodson will make a couple of game-changing plays on Super Bowl Sunday. Write this one down: Woodson will create at least one turnover via a pick or a forced fumble and record a sack of Big Ben. Woodson and Williams will match up very well with the Steelers’ excellent receivers Mike Wallace and Hines Ward. While his teammates engage in “picture-gate” on Twitter, Woodson is exerting his leadership and preaching focus. 6. Underrated game changers on defense--Let’s assume for a second that Raji and Williams finally are getting the credit they have deserved all year. Jenkins is now healthy. He can help disrupt the Pittsburgh offensive flow. Desmond Bishop makes plays at linebacker with his speed and knack for the ball. A.J. Hawk has enjoyed a renaissance. And Sam Shields was dominant on Championship Sunday. 5. Green Bay has the better quarterback--Give me my guy Aaron Rodgers with his arm, accuracy, footwork, outstanding decision making and flair. He is playing at a fantastic level. Rodgers has dealt calmly and brilliantly with being the Brett Favre replacement in Green Bay. Thus, there is no chance he melts in the “big spot” on Super Bowl Sunday. Forget about the moment being too big. Precedent says he will own it and rewrite it. Rodgers and coach Mike McCarthy are in an awesome zone together as a player and play caller, seemingly three steps ahead of the opposition. 4. Rodgers’ weapons match up very well with Pittsburgh--The genius of how Ted Thompson put together the Pack is on display every Sunday. The Packers’ receivers are dynamic and diverse and have been able to survive a major injury at tight end when the explosive Jermichael Finley was lost for the season. Greg Jennings is the star of the group. But McCarthy likes to tell us, and he’s right, about Rodgers’ incredible knack for making the open receiver his favorite receiver. Donald Driver is the cagey veteran. James Jones, while feast or famine at times, is very athletic. And Jordy Nelson had strong hands. The weakness on the Pittsburgh defense is the cornerback position, compounded by the injury to Bryant McFadden. I think the Packers’ receivers will put an instant, first-quarter dent into the Pittsburgh defense. 3. The Green Bay offensive line is strong--James Harrison is a star. LaMarr Woodley is his perfect complement. LeBeau brings heat. But this Packers offensive line has jelled nicely. And think about the challenges in huge, must-win games down the stretch. 2. The threat of the run--Nobody runs on Pittsburgh. James Farrior, Casey Hampton and company are too good. McCarthy won’t be like Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and stubbornly stick with it early. James Starks will get some carries to give Pittsburgh something to think about, to give these great athletes a pause. It is much more effective than totally being one-dimensional. Rodgers, as a result, will hit a big home run to Jennings or Jones off play action. 1. Good karma--Let’s go through it. Brett Favre’s “Q” rating has never been lower as the Packers get set for the Super Bowl. You know it kills the ego maniac. If Rodgers wins on Sunday, his first three years as the Packers quarterback will be as good or better than any three-year stretch Favre put together. McCarthy, Thompson and President Mark Murphy, all excellent at what they do, finally will be given the kudos forever. “Lombardi” is the hot play on Broadway. Green Bay has endured so much this year, including 17 players going on injured reserve. They are too good, too well-coached and too compelling. It’s Green Bay’s year. The Packers will beat the Steelers by a touchdown.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Confident in team, McCarthy ready for SBXLV: Like McCarthy’s confidence has not changed one iota. The Green Bay Packers coach wrapped up the team’s final practice in advance of Super Bowl XLV on Friday feeling just as good about his club as he did when the team’s charter flight left Green Bay four days ago. “We’ve had an opportunity to go over every situation twice for our game plan, so we’re ready to go,” McCarthy told the NFC pool reporter, Sports Illustrated’s Jim Trotter, before departing Highland Park High School’s indoor practice facility. “The one thing you want to see in your football team is that the players have maintained confidence throughout the process. Our guys have done that. They totally believe what’s in front of them. They believe in what they’ve seen on film. “We respect Pittsburgh, but we feel that this is our time. And Sunday will be our night.” If it is, the Packers will likely do it without right outside linebacker Erik Walden, who had a setback with the sprained ankle he suffered in the Jan. 23 NFC Championship Game in Chicago. Walden did not participate in any meaningful way in practice and is listed as questionable. Rookie Frank Zombo, who started eight games before a Dec. 12 knee injury at Detroit, would regain his starting role. “We’ll take Erik up the game and see what happens,” McCarthy said. “I have a good feel for what he can and cannot do. Sunday I’m going to trust him and the medical staff to make that call.” Zombo, LT Chad Clifton (knees), C Jason Spitz (calf) and WR Donald Driver (quadriceps) are all listed as probable.
01/30/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi on NY sports show about Packers vs Steelers.
On Sunday, January 30, at 8:45 pm CST, syndicated senior writer and Packers lead blogger jclombardi is scheduled to appear on the "NY Football Blogs Live ( Super Bowl Preview Part 1 ) On The Sports Blog Radio Network." Sports fans and Packers fans can join Steve and Frankie when they preview the Super Bowl game coming up on Feb. 6th and relive Super Bowl moments of the past. Guest include: Gregg Gianotti ( 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh ); Former Jets quarterback Browning Nagle; and Syndicated Senior Writer & Packers Lead Blogger J.C. Lombardi of Packers Gab, Lambeau Field Insider, & Packer Backer Blog. Fans can call in with your special Super Bowl moments and questions for our guests @ ph 646-716-8896. Fans can listen in at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sportsblogradio/2011/01/31/ny-football-blogs-live-super-bowl-preview-part-1.
01/30/11
Senior writer jclombardi pictures Packers rising star & CB Woodson's profile.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers Rising Power In NFL.
Clipped from: sports.espn.go.com (share this clip)
Leader of the Packer CB Woodson: He quietly goes about his business while offering words of wisdom to younger teammates. Don't let this chance slip away, Woodson often reminds his fellow Packers. You never know when you'll get another one. Although Woodson is one of two current Packers to have played in a Super Bowl, he is the one whose legacy could be most bolstered by a victory. He's already been to the Pro Bowl seven times and won the league's defensive player of the year award. Now Green Bay's meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV presents Woodson with the final challenge of his 13-year career. He has a chance to prove he's not just another great player who will leave this game without being a champion. He knows that the elite defenders at his position won titles. Woodson's previous opportunity to join that club came in the 2002 season, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blasted his Oakland Raiders 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII. "There isn't a minute when I don't think about what it would mean to win a championship," Woodson said during a recent interview. "My list of accomplishments in this game is pretty long. But when you're done playing, all people want to know is one thing: Did he help his team win a championship?" Woodson's career is best summed up in two phases. The first period was with the Raiders from 1998-2005, when he played in four Pro Bowls but often seemed like a man on cruise control. Nobody was forecasting him as a future Hall of Famer in those days. He was the kind of star who passes through the league regularly, the gifted athlete who shines brightly for a few years and then vanishes without much fanfare. Now fast-forward to what's happened since Woodson's arrival in Green Bay in 2006. Gone are the days when he would sleep through meetings and dismiss the value of offseason conditioning. He's become a serious student of the game, one who has registered 30 of his 47 career interceptions over the past five seasons, while also affecting the game with his blitzing and open-field tackling. Woodson now understands that legacies just don't happen. They are carved out of tough breaks, eye-opening setbacks and the ability to capitalize on the opportunities he and his Packers teammates now have within their grasp. This is why Woodson has been adamant about keeping his current teammates focused on what lies ahead. "We talk about it all the time among the defensive backs," he said. "And I can see that the guys are in the right frame of mind. After the NFC Championship Game win [a 21-14 victory over Chicago], a lot of guys were saying that the feeling [of heading to the Super Bowl] hadn't sunk in yet. That's what you want to hear. You want the guys to be thinking about the next game. Once you get past that point, then you can let all that good stuff sink in."
01/29/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi--Packers vs Steelers rematch in Super Bowl.
Clipped from: www.sportingnews.com (share this clip)
Defensive minded--Steelers’, Packers’ defenses are similar but different: The two Super Bowl defenses are like Earth, Wind and Fire and Chicago. Both bands have the same instruments, but they play different kinds of music. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers both use 3-4 schemes, but there are as many differences in them as there are similarities. With the insight and observations of Jets Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold, who faced the Packers once and the Steelers twice this season, here’s a breakdown of the two Super Ds. How they're alike: Heavyweights in the middle. Both teams have big nose tackles who are hard to move. Casey Hampton (6-1, 325) has been a boulder in the Steelers’ defense for 10 seasons. Green Bay’s B.J. Raji (6-2, 337) is in his second season and his first as a full-time starter. “Casey obviously has been playing at a high level for a long time now, so he has the advantage over B.J.” Mangold said. “Casey plays with fantastic technique compared to B.J., who’s still mostly relying on his (physical) talent.” Stud pass rushers. Outside linebackers Harrison (Steelers) and Matthews (Packers) had a combined 24 sacks in the regular season. “James does a fantastic job of using his leverage and his power. He can get on the edge, but at the same time he’s very quick to come back inside,” Mangold said. “Clay has a little bit more active motor. He’s going to beat you by staying after you the whole time.” Playmakers in the secondary. Troy Polamalu is a strong safety by trade, but he’s versatile enough to play almost anywhere in the Steelers’ defense. He can cover, he can blitz, and he can tackle. Packers cornerback Charles Woodson also is a moveable chess piece. He can cover wide receivers, or he can move up to the linebacker level and tackle running backs. “They’re very similar in that they can be used anywhere on the field and still be effective, which is pretty impressive for a defensive back,” Mangold said. How they're different--The use of personnel. The Steelers stay in their base 3-4 (three linemen, four linebackers and four defensive backs) most of the time; their starters rarely come off the field. They switch to their nickel scheme only when they have to. Green Bay plays in a nickel so much that it is almost their base defense. The Packers substitute liberally and even have a package they call “Psycho,” which is comprised of one down lineman, five linebackers and five backs. “Green Bay seems to be a little bit more exotic on the pressure package out of the 3-4,” Mangold said. “The Steelers are still exotic, but it’s nothing too crazy.” Press or lay off. The Packers play a lot of press coverage with their defensive backs. The Steelers sometimes have cornerback Ike Taylor pressing a receiver, but Bryan McFadden, the other corner, usually plays several yards off the line. A matter of health. Except for end Aaron Smith, who has been out with a torn triceps since late October, and Polamalu, who has been in and out of the lineup with ankle and hamstring injuries, the Steelers’ defense has been healthy. By contrast, the Packers have had to rely on their depth and some free-agent additions to stitch and mend their unit since the beginning of the season. Among the 16 players on Green Bay’s injured reserve list are four starting players. “Green Bay has done a fantastic job of trying to piece it together because of injuries and having to deal with different guys out,” Mangold said. “They’ve taken a beating, but they’re still able to utilize their system pretty well.”
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers prepared to match physical Steelers: Going back to former coach Bill Cowher’s teams in the 1990s, and really to their “Steel Curtain” defenses of the 1970s, the Pittsburgh Steelers year-in and year-out carry the reputation among NFL lifers as one of the toughest and most physical teams in a tough and physical league. And it’s justified regarding this year’s Steelers, according to Mike Holmgren, the former Green Bay Packers coach who just finished his first season as president of the Steelers’ AFC North Division-rival Cleveland Browns. “Physically, yeah, they get after it pretty good,” Holmgren said. “And they tackle. It’s a physical group. Now Green Bay strikes me as the same type of team. They tackle, and they’re good at creating turnovers.” Meeting and winning that physical challenge, then, will be paramount for the Packers in their matchup against the Steelers in the Super Bowl next week. Offensively, the Packers are a passing team, and the Steelers have the NFL’s top-ranked run defense, so it’s hard to see the Packers winning there. But if the Packers prove unable to push around the Steelers’ front seven, they at least must handle the pass rush. Defensively, though, the Packers think they can match any team in the NFL in tough, physical play. Their 3-4 scheme includes a personnel group they use against run-oriented teams on early downs and that features three huge defensive linemen. “We love it, we get after people pretty good,” Pickett said of that grouping. “Pittsburgh deserves it, and that’s what we’re looking for, a reputation for rough, tough guys.” The Packers also have two midseason replacements in their starting lineup in linebacker Desmond Bishop and safety Charlie Peprah who are more physical in defending the run, where the Steelers try to establish physical superiority. They also emphasize run blockers on the line. But the Steelers’ physical reputation on offense is enhanced by other positions as well notably quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and receiver Hines Ward. One of Roethlisberger's greatest assets is keeping plays alive by shrugging off sacks that bring down most quarterbacks. On defense, the Steelers’ earned reputation for physical play comes from several places starting with the NFL’s top-ranked run defense in fewest yards allowed and yards allowed per carry. “We feel like we’re physical, teams that play us probably say the same thing,” Pickett said. “When you play physical, you play to our strength.”
01/28/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Distant replay--Packers, Steelers differ from '09 editions: The biggest reason the Green Bay Packers coach – and, most likely, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin – won’t cull much from the Steelers’ 37-36 victory at Heinz Field on Dec. 20, 2009 in the teams’ last meeting is that both clubs are vastly different from what they were the last time they saw each other. “It's something that will be part of our preparation. But they were a different team last year,” McCarthy said. “They had some injuries last year when we played in Pittsburgh. We also had some injuries going into that game. This will be on a different surface. “So we'll look at that game, and there will be a lot of carry over. … (But) this is going to be a game that's going to come down to one team (having) to play at a very high level to win the football game.” The two offenses played at incredibly high levels in that meeting. The Packers’ Aaron Rodgers completed 26 of 48 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns for a 101.3 rating. But the Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger was even better, setting a Steelers single-game record with 503 passing yards while completing 29 of 46 passes with three TD passes, including the game-winning 19-yard strike to Mike Wallace as time expired. Jeff Reed’s ensuing extra point was the winning margin. Of course, it could easily be argued that the Packers’ defense on that day bears little resemblance to the one that will take the field in suburban Dallas. "We're a totally different team," Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. Not only are the Packers in Year 2 of their 3-4 defense under Capers, but their secondary configuration is vastly different from a year ago. Having lost two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Al Harris to a devastating knee injury less than a month earlier, the Packers were starting Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. While Williams was a starting-caliber player – although not the breakout star he’s turned into this season – the trickle-down from Harris’ injury left the Packers with special-teams ace Jarrett Bush, street free agent Josh Bell and then-rookie Brandon Underwood to play in the nickel and dime defenses. Bush, playing the nickel that day, gave up a 60-yard bomb from Roethlisberger to Wallace on the Steelers’ first offensive play, while Bell, playing in the dime, gave up the game-winning TD when Wallace beat him on a comeback route on a third-and-10 Roethlisberger pass. Today, Bell is on season-ending injured reserve with a right foot injury suffered in training camp, and Bush is back to playing where he’s best – on the special-teams units, although he is the fourth cornerback on those rare occasions that Capers uses the dime. Undrafted rookie Sam Shields has been a godsend to the defense, giving the unit three solid cover guys. The Packers also remember their biggest problem defensively in that game – tackling Roethlisberger. While they registered five sacks on Big Ben, they probably could’ve had twice that had they managed to get the behemoth 6-foot-5, 241-pound quarterback to the ground instead of allowing him to shed would-be sacks and turn them into big plays. “I counted, we had five sacks and a legitimate chance at five other sacks,” Capers said. “He launched a ball up the field for big plays against us. We gave up by far the most big plays there than we did of any game last season.”
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Wolf's view: If there's one guy who knows talent, it is former Packers GM Wolf, the architect of two Super Bowl teams and an era that featured 10 straight non-losing seasons. During his tenure, Wolf drafted, traded for, signed and picked up off waivers the likes of Favre, White, Freeman, Brooks, Jackson, Chmura, Timmerman, Hasselbeck, Brunell, Dotson, Levens and Brown. And that's not close to being the entire list. Looking back on those years, Wolf said the general rule was that at least a third of your team had to be impact players to reach the Super Bowl. "In the system we used, we felt that we had to have 18 to 20 of those players to win a Super Bowl," he said in a phone interview Thursday from his vacation home in Florida. "You should be able to go to the Super Bowl with that team." Wolf used a color system to identify talent and was most concerned with acquiring what he labeled "blue," "red" and "gold-plus" players. Blues are Hall of Fame-type players, reds are perennial Pro Bowl players and gold-pluses are starters with Pro Bowl potential. "Adding Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett (in free agency) improved his defense at least three-fold," Wolf said. "I don't think Pickett gets near the due he deserves for the overall impact he has had on that team. In the most current edition of Pro Football Weekly, a panel of coaches and personnel evaluators helped create a list of the top 50 players of 2010. Of those players, five are Packers, including No. 2, Rodgers, and No. 6, linebacker Clay Matthews. The others were receiver Greg Jennings (35th), cornerback Tramon Williams (38th) and Woodson (39th). The Packers tied the Baltimore Ravens with the most players in the top 50 with five, and no other team had four. Those that had three were the Steelers, Indianapolis, Chicago, Atlanta and Kansas City. In Wolf's mind, the talent goes deeper than the five listed in the top 50, but he wasn't ready to start handing out blue chips to everyone on the roster. He said Rodgers and Matthews have a chance to get there, but longevity and consistency will determine their place in history. Wolf, who said he plans to attend the Super Bowl in Arlington, Texas, identified others like guard Josh Sitton, cornerback Sam Shields, end Cullen Jenkins and nose tackle B.J. Raji as players who have pushed the talent level over the top. He compared them to players like Timmerman, Dotson and linebacker Brian Williams, who were solid starters and core players for the Super Bowl XXXI team. And, he said, the most promising player of the entire bunch might be a guy who won't even be on the field in this Super Bowl, tight end Jermichael Finley.
01/27/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Lombardi's team.
Clipped from: sportsillustrated.cnn.com (share this clip)
Lombardi would have loved this homegrown Packers bunch: His has been a renaissance season of sorts, the kind of fall and winter that only burnishes the legend and brings his always evocative name back to our lips once more. I don't know if you've noticed, but Vince Lombardi is having a pretty good year. Between the smash Broadway play that bears his name -- now in the fourth month of its successful run -- to the enthralling HBO documentary that debuted in December, Lombardi is almost literally back on center stage this football season. It's a coaching comeback for the ages. And can it be mere coincidence that the Green Bay Packers -- and in some ways they will forever seem like his Packers -- are back vying for the Lombardi Trophy? If you don't really believe in the power of karma, there might just be enough forces at work here to convince you otherwise. With so much of the Lombardi mystique in the air these days, I went looking to channel Green Bay's iconic coach. What would Vince say about these Aaron Rodgers-led Packers and their impressive wild-card playoff run? the man every subsequent NFL head coach has been measured by for more than four decades now?
David Maraniss, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of the acclaimed Lombardi biography When Pride Still Mattered, is as well-positioned and seeped in Lombardi as anyone to weigh in on those questions of the day. Especially since Maraniss, whose 1999 book was the inspiration for the Broadway play, has spent the better part of this football season reveling in both the success of the Lombardi theatrical production and the coach's former team (Maraniss is both a Wisconsin native and an unabashed Packers fan, in addition to being a part-time neighbor of mine in Madison, Wis.). "I think this would be one of his favorite Packers teams ever, honestly,'' said Maraniss on Thursday from Washington D.C., where he continues to write a biography of President Obama that's scheduled for a spring 2012 release. "Because it's a real team, in every fashion -- on offense, defense and special teams. You really don't have any superstars. You have Rodgers emerging as a superstar, but he's not a showboat superstar. I think he'd be delighted with this team, because they do it the right way. Even more so than the 1996-97 Packers Super Bowl teams. "That's partly because this team is so homegrown. In the old days, most teams were homegrown. There were some players he picked up early on from Cleveland in his Green Bay tenure. But they became almost life-long Packers in time. This team resembles that in many ways. There's no Reggie White-level free-agent signing. Charles Woodson, yes, but he came in years ago and by now it seems like he's been a Packer forever. This is a team Lombardi could have related to.''
Winning teams almost always have good chemistry, but Maraniss said these Packers seem especially close, and have forged the kind of bonds between teammates that Lombardi always stressed. What was true in the 1960s still holds relevance as one of the keys to successful team-building a half century later. "When I heard that the whole receiving corps went down to Jordy Nelson's farm and spent time together last summer, that really touched me,'' Maraniss said. "Lombardi was great on race and really knew how to build a team. That was one of his strong points. I think this team's unity was symbolized when Donald Driver, and Greg Jennings, and James Jones and their wives all went down to [Riley County] Kansas and spent time with Jordy Nelson and his wife on the farm. "You never really know what's going on inside a team's locker room, but from all indications this team does have that sort of unity, and Lombardi would love that. On a lot of teams, there always seems to be a real division between offense and defense, with some friction there. That doesn't seem to be the case here.'
Lombardi was a well-known perfectionist. But in Rodgers, Lombardi would have found a reliable and play-making presence at quarterback, which has only grown even more so into the game's most pivotal position since his coaching era. Just as Lombardi helped mold Bart Starr into the cerebral and efficient passer he became, Rodgers has become something very similar as the unquestioned leader of the Green Bay offense. "The way Rodgers studies the game is very reflective of Starr, who was a great student and a film-room guy,'' Maraniss said. "Lombardi kind of opened up Starr's brain and poured all this knowledge into it, and Rodgers studies like that, too. But he's got even more talent than Starr. "In some ways, though, they're the same kind of quarterback in that Starr had to win the respect of the coaches and players before he did anything in Green Bay. And Rodgers had to do that, too. The hard way. But he's done it. He didn't come in with any great fanfare. He was a first-round pick, but he was completely overshadowed by Brett Favre when he arrived.''
01/25/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews & grades Packers win over Bears.
Summary: After a fast start building a 14-0 lead in the first half, the Packers offense imploded against a toughing Bears defense allowing the Bears to get back in the game. Yet, the defense created the big turnovers, scored the Packers’ final touchdown score producing the margin of victory on NT Raji’s 18-yard touchdown interception return, and CB Shields’ interception iced the victory in the final minute for a 21-14 win.
Game balls: NT Raji; CB Shields; WR Jennings; DE Jenkins; P Masthay.
Injury Report: OLB Walden (ankle sprain).
Report Card–Good, Bad, & Ugly: JC vs SE:
Pass Offense—C- vs C. After a hot first half performance to lead the Packers to a 14-0 lead, QB Rodgers struggled in the second half. He looked shaky and erratic failing to get the big plays. Overall, he had only 17 completions for 244 yards, 2 interceptions, and a poor 55.4 passer rating. The first interception occurred when the ball that bounced off WR Driver into LB Briggs’ arms. The other interception went into the arms of LB Urlacher on third-and-goal from the Bears six yard line, costing a probable scoring opportunity to put the game away. WR Jennings was super for 130 yards. WR Nelson made clutch catches for 67 yards. Yet, in the final 41 minutes, the offense got nothing on the scoreboard. Their final eight possessions produced a punt, interception, interception, punt, punt, punt, punt, and punt. On big third downs, Rodgers was 1-for-7 with a sack and an interception. For the most part, Rodgers’ protection held up well as the Bears defense got only one sack, three TFLs and three QB hits.
Rush Offense--B vs C. The Packers rushed for a good 120 yards averaging a decent 3.8 ypc. RB Starks had 22 carries for 74 and 1 touchdown averaging 3.4 ypc. QB Rodgers had 7 carries for 39 yards and 1 touchdown averaging 5.6 ypc. In a tale of two halves, in the first half, they averaged 5.8 yards with 104 yards. In the second half, they had only a pitiful 16 yards.
Pass Defense—B+ vs B. The defense thoroughly confused and harassed Cutler without having to use blitz pressure. Cutler was only 6-of-14 for 80 yards, 1 interception and a 31.8 passer rating while in the game. Then, the defense knocked out the Bears’ top two quarterbacks, Jay Cutler and Todd Collins. Third string QB Hanie led a fourth quarter comeback completing 13-of-20 for 153 yards and 65.2 passer rating. The Packers withstood a rally led by Chicago third-string quarterback Caleb Hanie. He led two fourth-quarter touchdown drives, but NT Raji’s interception touchdown return put the Packers up 21-7. Yet, QB Hanie led another scoring drive to make the score 21-14. In Chicago’s final series trying to tie the game, the comeback ended in the final minute when Shields came up with his second big interception. The Packers had 3 interceptions and 2 sacks. CB Shields had two interceptions, 4 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble. DE Jenkins had a whale of a game. So did B.J. Raji. It just shows what pressure up the gut (inside rush) can do to a quarterback. Raji has done it all year and Jenkins is benefiting from that. He’s going against one-on-one blocking. Matthews draws a tackle, as well as help from a tight end or fullback; and, a lot of times, Raji gets the center and the guard. So the backside has one-on-one matchups. Also, in the first half, DE Jenkins stopped two drives alone. He ended the game with a half-sack, two quarterback hits, and two tackles for a loss. The defense, especially LB Bishop, did a great job to limit TE Olsen to only 3 catches for 30 yards. Solid LB Bishop led with 8 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss. Yet, RB Forte had a huge game with 10 receptions for 90 yards. While missing two big coverage assignments in the fourth quarter leading scores, safety Collins had 7 tackles.
Rush Defense—B vs B-. The Bears rushed for only 83 yards. RB Forte got only 70 yards averaging 4.1 yards, but he had several significant runs. Slow LB Hawk seems to be good for one or two missed tackles and one big catch in a game. DE Jenkins had an impressive takedown of Forte for a 2-yard loss on a third-down play with the Bears backed up near their end zone in the second quarter. Bishop was stout at the point of attack, notching a team-high eight tackles (seven solo) and setting up the ill-fated last pass by Hanie by snuffing out an end-around run by Bennett to the left on third-and-3 from the Packers' 27 for a 2-yard loss.
Special teams—B vs B-. Generally, the special teams had a good game limiting returner Hester. He had only one kickoff return for 24 yards and three punt returns for 16 yards averaging only 5.3 yards with a long return of 11. The MVP had to be P Masthay who had a solid game with 8 punts averaging a solid 41.8 yards and 5 inside the 20. Not much else stood out positively for Green Bay's units, however. Starks slipped to the frozen Soldier Field turf on the game-opening kickoff and averaged only 15 yards in two runbacks - Woodson picked up just 14 yards on a kickoff late in the game. Williams muffed two punts, both retained by the Packers, and averaged a meager 4.3 yards in three runbacks.
Coaching--B vs B. The Packers have won five straight elimination games and became the first No. 6 seed to win an NFC title and earn a trip to the Super Bowl. They became only the third team to reach the Super Bowl by winning three straight road games. The last two to do it, the 2007 Giants and 2005 Steelers, got the league championship. The victory sent the Packers to the Super Bowl in Dallas to meet the Pittsburgh. In the early going, the Packers exploited Chicago's soft coverage, and they forged the big lead in the biggest game ever between the longtime rivals. Having the upper hand throughout the game allowed Green Bay to again have good offensive balance. Yet, a familiar criticism is signs of complacency cropped up with his conservative play calling late in the game when the Packers struggled to exhaust the clock and thus kept the Bears in the game. Coach McCarthy must get an improved consistent game plan in the Super Bowl. DC Capers unleashed another effective game plan that featured new wrinkles. Shields assumed the familiar role of Woodson and was sent on corner blitzes a handful of times. The zone-blitz drop of Raji into coverage turned into a stroke of genius with the resulting pick-six. STC Slocum corralled Hester without being bashful about kicking to him.
01/24/11
Tickets are hot right now for the Feb 6 Super Bowl.
All prices are per ticket.
Stubhub: $2500-$15,000
http://www.stubhub.com/super-bowl-tickets/super-bowl-xlv-2-6-2011-970314/
Craigslist Milwaukee: $2600-$7,500
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=super+bowl&catAbb=tia&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=
The Ticket King: $3100-$15,000
Southwest seems to have the cheapest fares to Dallas. Round trip is about $1200 right now via Southwest.com
01/24/11
There's a reason I never go to Chicago for Bears-Packers games. The fans can be Philly-esque.
And one Bears' fan agrees, via his Craigslist ad, entitled "An open apology to Packer Fans from a Chicagoan":
What happened at Soldier Field to the Packer fans was BS. To have a nose sliced or be pushed down stairs just because someone wore Packer colors is awful. I'm a Chicagoan and I'm ashamed at the way my "fellow" Chicagoans acted. I was born in Chicago and wasn't brought up that way. I'm deeply sorry and apologise to the fans of the better team Sunday.
Update:
CBS Chicago has some evidence against Bears fans.
01/24/11
Senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines about triumph against Bears.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
NFC Champions: Packers are on their way back to the Super Bowl and feeling like the best team in the NFL. From the start of a clear, cold Sunday at Chicago’s Soldier Field, the Packers showed why they were 3½-point favorites coming in the NFC championship game even though they were seeded lower than the Bears and playing on the road. And when they’d finally survived the Bears’ shocking rally behind a third-string quarterback, the Packers had earned their 21-14 win and chance to join the pantheon of title teams from the NFL’s smallest city, which has produced 12 NFL champions, including three since the Super Bowl era began in the 1966.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
PACKERS 21, BEARS 14--Tough, Resilient Packers earn trip to Super Bowl: The Packers beat the Chicago Bears, 21-14, in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday because they blocked and tackled. They won three consecutive playoff games on the road because they prepared and executed. They became the first sixth-seeded NFC team to reach the Super Bowl, knocking off the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 seeds along the way, because they had [MORE] superb players on both sides of the ball and were [SOMEWHAT] well-coached. The Packers are going to Dallas because they're tough. They're resilient. They're confident. They are representing the NFC because they are a very good team. On Feb. 6, we'll find out if they're the best team in the NFL. Standing in their way is another proud franchise, the AFC Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers and Bears went at each other with a ferocity befitting the occasion. The Packers dominated in building a 14-0 halftime lead, but the Bears fought back and the outcome was in doubt until the final minute. Only when cornerback Shields intercepted third-string Bears quarterback Hanie with less than 45 seconds left could the Packers and their far-flung fans finally let out a collective sigh of relief. In a sweet bit of irony, Green Bay claimed the Halas Trophy awarded to the NFC champions and named after Bears patriarch George "Papa Bear" Halas. "I'm numb," said McCarthy, the fifth-year coach who called the victory the highlight of his professional career. "It's a great feeling." No team seeded sixth in the NFC had made it to the Super Bowl since the NFL went to a 12-team playoff format in 1990. The Steelers did it in the AFC in 2005. The Packers (13-6) improved their all-time postseason record to 28-16 and will be trying to win their 13th NFL title. They won Super Bowls I, II and XXXI and lost Super Bowl XXXII.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Big-play D gives Packers trip to Super Bowl in Big D: That confidence came from watching the defense do it over and over during a season that will end right where the Packers hoped it would — at Super Bowl XLV. The Packer Nation couldn't rest Sunday until rookie cornerback Sam Shields intercepted a pass with 37 seconds remaining to seal a 21-14 victory over the Chicago Bears before 61,171 fans at Soldier Field. For the first time in 13 seasons, the Packers (13-6) are headed to the Super Bowl. They'll face the Pittsburgh Steelers (14-4) on Feb. 6 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The victory completed a run of three road wins in 15 days and helped Green Bay become the first No. 6 seed from the NFC to make it to the Super Bowl. Fittingly, Green Bay's honorary captain for Sunday's game was Willie Davis, a Hall of Fame defensive end who played for the dominant Vince Lombardi teams in the 1960s. "How fitting is it for the Green Bay Packers to win an NFC championship with defense," said Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji, who scored the deciding touchdown on an 18-yard interception return with 6 minutes, 4 seconds left in the game. "We've talked about it, we've heard about it, we see those old veterans hanging up on the wall every day when we go to work. For us to come out and play great defense, it's a remarkable feeling." Packers won their fifth straight game despite a subpar performance from quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who had been red hot in the postseason. Rodgers was 17 of 30 for 244 yards with no touchdown passes and two interceptions for a passer rating of 55.4, his lowest this season. But it didn't matter because the defense did what it's been doing all season: deliver in the clutch. For the third time in four games, the Packers came up with an interception in the closing minute to seal a victory.
01/23/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi looks at life and football about "game of inches.".
.
01/23/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi previews & predictions on NFL Championship game day.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Preview & predictions: Teams: Packers (12-6) vs. "Windy Carp" (12-5). Time: 2 p.m. CST. Place: Soldier Field, Chicago. TV coverage: FOX. Rankings: The Packers’ ninth-ranked offense finished the regular season ranked No. 24 in rushing and No. 5 in passing. Their fifth-ranked defense finished No. 18 against the run and No. 5 against the pass. The Bears’ 30th-ranked offense finished No. 22 in rushing and No. 28 in passing. Their ninth-ranked defense was No. 2 against the run and No. 20 against the pass. Packers injury report: LB Frank Zombo (knee) is out. C/G Jason Spitz (calf) is questionable. LB A.J. Hawk (knee), LB Erik Walden (shoulder), LT Chad Clifton (knees), RB John Kuhn (shoulder), LB Clay Matthews (shin), DE Cullen Jenkins (calf), CB Pat Lee (hip), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle), CB Charles Woodson (toe) and LB Diyral Briggs (ankle) are probable. Line: The Packers are favored by 3 ½ points. THE BREAKDOWN: FIVE THINGS TO WATCH--Familiarity breeds contempt: With this marking the third meeting of the season, don’t be surprised if you see something unexpected or new from both offenses and both defenses. Just because they know each other well doesn’t mean there won’t be a new wrinkle here or there. Meanwhile, Packers offensive coordinator said the coaches’ intimate knowledge of their opponent cuts both ways. “(Offensively), we've gone through their blitzes. We've had preseason blitzes in '07 that they've run. Coach (Lovie) Smith's been there since '04, so he's been there a long time. We've got some guys on the offensive staff that have been there as long as he's been there. So I think we have a good handle on how they like to play, what their defensive calls are,” Philbin explained. “I think it can help you scheme. It can help you offensively stay out of a bad play potentially because you have a good grasp of what you anticipate from them. But, the surprise element, I'm sure they'll have one or two up their sleeve and I'm sure we'll have one or two. Again, I think when we attempt to surprise, it's going to be about really the execution more than the surprise itself.” Giving opponents headaches: Aaron Rodgers never wants to watch another game from the sideline. Since then, though, Rodgers has been phenomenal. In the four must-win games since, he has completed 93 of 128 passes for 1,179 yards with 11 touchdowns and only one interception (126.4 rating). His least efficient game (one touchdown, one interception) came against the Bears on Jan. 2. Starting fast: Do the Packers need a big play early in the game to ignite them? Anecdotal evidence suggests they do. Philbin wasn’t sure, but the Packers would obviously take a big play early and the momentum it would create. “I think, in the ballgame,” Philbin said. “Certainly there is something to momentum, there is something to confidence. And sometimes we've got to realize well, if we make a mistake or two, it's not the end of the world. We've got to get the mistakes fixed. We've got to move on and be more productive.” Running is his Forte: Matt Forte knows the numbers and he certainly doesn’t mind what they mean: He’s averaging about 18 carries per game in the Bears’ 12 victories, roughly 11 in their five losses. It seems like a safe bet that Forte, who ran 15 times for 91 yards when the Packers beat the Bears on Jan. 2, will get his touches Sunday. At least, that’s what Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers expects and he knows stopping Forte and backup Chester Taylor will be vital to getting pressure on Bears quarterback Cutler. If the Packers can stop the run and force Cutler into more challenging third-down distances, their probability of winning would go up significantly. Laying it on the line: For all the talk about Rodgers and Cutler and the historic rivalry this week, the stark reality is that this game will be decided in the trenches. The smart money says the team whose offensive line has the better game punches its ticket to Super Bowl XLV in North Texas. Left tackle Chad Clifton figures to draw Peppers for most of the game, as he has in the past, while Bulaga warned that Idonije (eight sacks) is no slouch, either. On the flip side, the much-maligned Bears line has done just enough this season with their makeshift outfit, but rookie right tackle J’Marcus Webb has held his own. His matchup with Packers sack-meister Clay Matthews will be key, especially after Webb did a nice job on Matthews with limited help on Jan. 2. THE PREDICTION--Mason Crosby booting a 43-yard field goal in the final minute to send the Packers to their fifth Super Bowl. Packers 23, Bears 20.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers are favorites: No one is giving the Chicago Bears a chance in today’s NFC championship game against the Green Bay Packers. In an informal survey, McClure is the long wolf on the Chicago Tribune’s four-person prediction panel sides with the Bears. Writes McClure: “The Bears return to the Super Bowl thanks to Robbie Gould’s 10th career game-winning field goal. The formula? [WHAT THE BEARS HOPE HAPPENS TODAY] The front four gets to Aaron Rodgers, Matt Forte pounds out 100-plus yards and Devin Hester gives the offense outstanding field position. Not to mention Jay Cutler plays smart. Bears 20. Packers 17.” The entire Press-Gazette prediction panel is picking the Packers to win. Trotter of Sports Illustrated is picking the Packers. All of Pro Football Weekly’s nine-man prediction panel are picking the Packers. Of 15 prognosticators surveyed, 14 say the Packers are going to win. So even though the Bears beat out the Packers for the NFC North crown and have the home-field advantage today, they are the decided underdog. The latest odds by Bodog.com say the Packers are 3½-point favorites.
COMMENTARY: Over the past week, we appeared on sport programs throughout the country about the Packers in the NFL Championship game. It was an absolutely great week seeing the excitement build to Sunday afternoon. For the Packers and Packers nation, we simply say., "Hard work, luck, and destiny have brought you to this glorious day. The title is yours; so go Pack."
01/22/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi previews Packers keys & game plan to beat Bears.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Keys to the game: As red-hot as QB Rodgers is, playing the Bears in Chicago introduces several factors he didn't have to deal with on the fast indoor surface in Atlanta last week. First is Soldier Field, which has tenuous footing and often a biting freezing wind in January. Second is the Bears' Cover-2 defense, which will focus on eliminating big plays and forcing Rodgers to orchestrate lengthy scoring drives. Chicago wants to stuff rookie RB Starks so it can aggressively rush Rodgers, who will have mismatches downfield. Bears QB Cutler is coming off a strong postseason debut, but the Packers' defense sacked him nine times during the two regular-season meetings. The Bears' offense has been far more efficient since offensive coordinator Martz made a concerted effort to be balanced in his play-calling coming out of the team's Week 8 bye. But he largely abandoned the run in the Week 17 loss as Chicago attempted to move the ball through the air too much on first down. Expect RB Forte to get plenty of early touches on the ground and through the air. The Bears don't want Cutler forcing the issue against the strength of Green Bay's pass rush and ball-hawking secondary. Game plan--If head coach/play caller Mike McCarthy can help it, the Packers will continue to be the two-dimensional offense that in the postseason has belied their pass-happy reputation. McCarthy puts more stock in quantity of carries than quality. The Packers are 7-1 when they have at least 30 rushing attempts, but they didn't come close to hitting that benchmark in the two previous games against the Bears. McCarthy probably learned his lesson and won't be so quick to forget about the run, especially if Rodgers endures a cold spell throwing the football in freezing conditions. Rodgers' counterpart and friend has a good idea what he'll be seeing from the Packers defense. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers was relentless with his pressure schemes in the second meeting, leading to six sacks of Cutler and only three points. The Packers have sacked Cutler nine times this season. Don't look for Capers to tinker with the aggression-fueled success, but the threat of Bears running back Matt Forte could be an equalizer.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
THINGS TO WATCH: MEN INSIDE: Cullen Jenkins appears to be almost fully recovered from a calf injury. That could bode ill for LG Chris Williams, who had never played guard until mid-October. "This is a great matchup for Jenkins," a scout for a recent Bears opponent said. "Jenkins can really move this guy. Bull rush him. I think (Williams) is soft. When I think of mismatches, I think inside. This is where the Packers can win, with (B.J.) Raji and Jenkins against (Olin) Kreutz and Williams." RUN GAME: If you add the "Rating the Packers" football totals from the two regular-season meetings, running back was by far the Packers' worst position. "Starks is kind of the X factor," one scout said. "If they can run the ball, now they've got the Bears in trouble. You want to talk about keys to the game, it's 44 (Starks). The Packers didn't have anything going (rushing) the last time they played. The Bears forced them to be one-dimensional." When the Packers run, the scout said they should run right at Brian Urlacher." CAT AND MOUSE: The Bears' defense as coordinated by Rod Marinelli tries to confuse opponents. "The biggest thing they do is disguise their coverages," one scout said. "That's the No. 1 thing they've done this year. But Green Bay has a feel for them. The Packers hold the play clock. When Aaron Rodgers passes, it was going down to 3, 4, 5 seconds left. In the run game, you want to go on quick counts. That will get them out of their disguise. You want to get in and out of the huddle, and you want the quick counts in the run game because they can be a man short. If the Bears have an eight-man front call with the safety coming down (late) in the box, if you're running they ball they'll be a guy short if you quick-count." BEAR FRONT: The Bears will rotate seven defensive linemen. "I truly believe the defensive line is why they're winning," one scout said. "I think there's a powerful influence there by that coordinator on that line. They are very, very well-coached. They're going to be around Rodgers. Those are two premier defensive ends, and if the Packers don't find a way to do something about that they can suffer." MAN UNDER CENTER: Jay Cutler is 1-4 as a starter against Green Bay. In chronological order, his passer ratings were 95.7, 43.2, 74.9, 82.5 and 43.5. "Tice is probably the most valuable coach on their staff," one scout said, referring to the Bears' first-year offensive line coach. "Even more so probably than Martz. Because he has been able to give that guy (Cutler) confidence."
01/20/11
When the Catholic Church is getting in on the action, you know that the hype around this game is getting out of control. But...how big is the game and how big is the rivalry?
We all know the Packers are a big deal in Wisconsin. But how big? We’d need something to benchmark them against. Sure, stores are closing while the game is on, but we’d like to take a more object perspective. Enter Google. Yes...the search engine. With the huge number of users, Google has the ability to tell us a great deal about our collective interests. When using their Insights for Search Tool, we can see what’s on the minds of sports fans across the globe.
Using Google’s tools, we can see that the Packers are VERY popular in Wisconsin. Looking at data as far back as 2004 from Wisconsin residents, it is clear that the Packers are more popular than Oprah and President Obama!
As we all know, the rivalry between the Packers and Bears is well documented and storied. With the national media like ESPN focusing their attention on the game, the nation is awakening to the importance of the game. Since we pounded the Falcons last weekend, Google has been showing a 300% increase in interest in the rivalry in the past week from sports fans all over the country (not just Wisconsin and Illinois) - fueled in large part by the media attention.
Finally, love ‘em or hate ‘em, those Cheesehead hats are as much of a part of the Packer story as Lombardi and the Lambeau Leap. Come Sunday, you can guarantee that the Fox cameras will focus on a few Packer Backers sporting Cheeseheads, right?
As you’d expect, interest in Packers and our unique headgear is exploding - not just in Wisconsin, but across the country. Google shows that searches for [cheeseheads] are up more than 5X over the past 90 days across the country.
While most mainstream outlets are focusing on the trend of rising ticket prices for this huge game, many are missing a success story that’s occuring right under our noses in Wisconsin.
Mike Duda who runs PackerTime.com and is selling cheeseheads through the web and, like a lot of Wisconsin businesses, promoting via Google’s Adwords (those are the listings on Google pages that appear up top or down the right side). While he’s hoping (like all of us) that the Pack win this week - he has extra incentive and is thrilled with the increase in business that might come with a Packers' win. As Mike said:
“With this playoff run, we’ve seen a 4X increase in sales of Cheeseheads. A lot of that business is being driven by Google and Google AdWords. Fans are searching for Packer gear, and - thanks to Google - we’re right there. If you’ve ever run search ads, you understand that we immediately see a direct return on our investment and this is one the most cost effective way to market. As a small business owner, I need to be able to tweak and target my marketing spend towards inventory we’re looking to push. Google has the audience and the tools to make that happen. When people are searching for [cheeseheads], we have to be there up top”.
We’ll revisit the trends next week, after the Packers move on to the Superbowl!
01/20/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi: Bears scouting report & game plan.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Scouting report: Run Offense--OC Martz has committed more to halfback Forte and the run game. Forte is a complete player who rates in the second tier. He finished No. 10 in the NFL in total yards from scrimmage (1,616 yards) and averaged a solid 4.5 yards a carry (1,069 yards rushing). The Bears’ offensive line is average talent but plays better than average. Pass Offense--Forte takes much of the pressure off QB Cutler, who is improving but still is prone to the occasional head-scratching decision. Cutler has big-league arm strength and excellent mobility but isn’t as accurate a thrower. Cutler’s 86.3 passer rating ranked No. 16 in the NFL. He doesn’t have a great receiver, but he has two fast ones in Devin Hester and Johnny Knox. Their deep speed makes it risky for defenses to move up their safeties to play the run. Tight end Greg Olsen remains an auxiliary part in Martz’s wide receiver-oriented offense. Run Defense--Chicago doesn’t have the best front seven in the NFL, but it’s among the top five to eight in the league and the main reason the Bears finished No. 2 in the regular season in fewest rushing yards allowed. Peppers makes plays against both the run and pass. Weak-side linebacker Briggs and middle linebacker Brian Urlacher are among the best at their positions. The Packers gained only 123 yards rushing (3.2-yard average per carry) in two games against the Bears. Pass Defense--The Bears aren’t especially talented in the secondary but tackle well and are extremely well schooled in coach Lovie Smith’s Tampa-2 scheme. Peppers has made all the difference in the world and had a much bigger impact than his eight sacks would suggest. DE Idonije isn’t quick but has extremely long arms and good power as a rusher. Tommie Harris is showing some of the quickness that made him a top defensive tackle. CB Tillman is their best cover man, but he’s best is playing zone, reading routes and stripping the ball from receivers. The other cornerbacks, Jennings and nickel man Moore, are short and small. Safety Chris Harris is slow but has exceptional instincts whereas the other safety, Manning, is fast and athletic but with suspect instincts. Special Teams--Hester tilts the field in the return game. Unflappable Robbie Gould has made 85.5 percent of his field goal attempts in his five-year career. Punter Maynard doesn’t have much oomph but he’s one of the best in placement.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Defense wins championships: Weight stories are tough. They're just so personal. No one wants to talk about what they're draggin' in their wagon. Those weights listed on the Packers roster for some guys are probably about as accurate as what we put on our driver's licenses. But get a load of Green Bay's defensive line: Left end Ryan Pickett, 340 pounds. Nose tackle B.J. Raji, 337 pounds. Right end Howard Green, 340 pounds. That's 1,017 pounds up front - the largest 3-4 defensive line in the NFL. Pickett thought that was possible last week, but when told Wednesday that the numbers had been crunched, and confirmed, he pumped his fist. "Yes!" he mouthed. Then he was asked whether he really was 340 pounds, as he is listed on the roster. "Yeah. Some days!" he said with a roar of laughter. The truth is, Green Bay's defensive line takes a little bit of pride in the fact that it's the biggest and baddest. The line's rare combination of size, strength and speed makes it stand out. "There are few guys in the league who have the size and ability to take on double teams, hold the position and hold your ground and not get knocked off the ball," Green said. "And that's really what it's all about." All of the linemen, including Cullen Jenkins, Jarius Wynn and C.J. Wilson, bring their own strengths to the table. Green and Pickett are the brute strength guys. When Green came out of Louisiana State six years ago, he could bench press 495 pounds, he said. But Raji is explosive and quick, with the bottom half of his body even stronger than his top. "J.W. also has great upper-body strength," Raji said. "Other guys are more lower-body strength. Cullen is more of a quick-twitch guy, so he's not lifting as much weight in the weight room but doing a lot of fast reps just to get his muscles going." The key to their size and great weight is balancing it with the necessary athleticism to play in the NFL. Of all the three linemen, four-linebacker base defenses in the NFL, the Packers are heaviest even if Jenkins resumed his starting spot for Green at right defensive end. But collectively they stand in Green Bay's shadow. "I mean, we make Cullen Jenkins look small," Pickett said. "And Jenkins is really big. He's over 310 pounds." The linemen say the best advantage for all that size up front is when the Packers stay in their base defense and defend the run. Green Bay allowed six rushing touchdowns in the regular season, No. 3 in the NFL. Minnesota's Adrian Peterson and Atlanta's Michael Turner are the only backs to have 100-yard rushing games against Green Bay since Week 3 of 2009. In the playoff game Sunday, however, Turner was held to 39 rushing yards.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Packers Play Study--Chicago runs its Cover-2 defense as well as any team in the league and one play that coach McCarthy can use to beat it: As you can see, the Bears’ primary defensive scheme is quite simple, but reliable with the right personnel and the years of running it under coach Lovie Smith. However, there are gaps in it that can be exploited with the right play-call. The most glaring one is in the middle of the field. Urlacher and Briggs are two talented linebackers who have and can man the middle zone effectively. The other hole is on either sideline (short). The Bears will drop their defensive backs in an effort to prevent the big play, confident in their cornerbacks’ ability to make a tackle and yield only a short gain. Still, this will allow Rodgers to find receivers like Jordy Nelson and Donald Driver on slot outs to the sidelines. Here’s a look at my favorite play inside the Packers’ playbook that they need to run for this type of defense.
This play looks complex, but in reality is quite simple. All five wide receivers are on the field, and all run slight slant routes except for the slot trey receiver and split end. The slot trey receiver runs a strong slant out toward the sidelines, while the split end on the far two-receiver side runs a drag slant in. The object of this play design is simple--stay in front of the defense and find holes after the catch. The two hot reads are the two nonconforming routes. The rest are meant to stretch the defense back enough to open up the two target spots. The Packers ran this to perfection at least twice against the Falcons; once in the first meeting, and once last week during their playoff win--Jordy Nelson’s touchdown. The beauty of this design is that the routes can be moved to different receivers and the formation can be flipped to cause defensive headaches. It’s also hard to jump because Rodgers is so good at reading what the defense is going to do ahead of time and won’t be afraid to pump and go down the field if the situation warrants.
01/20/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi muses about Packers Blogs Rankings.
Recently, after another extensive review and research about Packers Blogs, we reviewed again CHTV and Total Packers rankings about the top Packers blogs in the Packers Blogosphere. Now, for its rankings, CHTV’s criteria: “Relevant, timely information delivered with a clear strong voice. A dedication to Packer fans that includes posting often during the off-season and every day during the season. These qualities separate the bench warmers from the starters.”
Now, as amusing as this subjective criteria sounds to great bloggers and senior writers, Total Packers responded with its list based upon its own traffic criteria. Shockingly, Packers Gab, Packers Chronicles, Lambeau Field Insider, and Packer Backer Blog were not mentioned in the top “Packers blogs” list. “Stunning, shocking! Oh, the humanity of it all!”
Anyway, the fans in the Packers nation begged this famous senior writer and Packers lead blogger to update an accurate top rankings of Packers blogs based upon the lack of vanity, suck-ups, and egos with emphasis on quality narrative writings lacking awful trivia ramblings, delusional self-importance, fancy graphics, and geek heads. Thus, after great soul searching, hard work, and an unbiased professional rankings of the major Packers blogs with the help of a legendary oracle, the official Packers nation list ranking the Packers Blogs is complete:
- Packer Gab (Outstanding).
- Lambeau Field Insider (Outstanding).
- NFL Gridiron Gab Packers (Outstanding).
- Packer Backer Blog (Outstanding).
- Packers Chronicles (Stellar).
- JSOnline Packers Blog (Good fluff)
- Packers Insiders (Good fluff)
- Jason Wilde’s Blog (Outstanding for ESPN)
- Ol Bag of Donuts (Old)
- Packers Chatters (Okay)
- Total Packers (I love LA).
- NFL Fanhouse AOL Packers Blog (Good & Bad).
- Green Bay Packer Nation (Suck Up to CHTV).
- Packer Geeks (Fair Weather).
- Acme Packing Company (Share Zero).
- Tundravision (Lonely Show).
- Cheesehead TV (We're Jealous NYers).
- Jersey Al’s Packers Blog (Lonely Al).
01/18/11
Legendary senior writer Jclombardi reports Florio apologizes.
Clipped from: profootballtalk.nbcsports.com (share this clip)
Florio apology: Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared today on The Dan Patrick Show. During the interview, Rodgers addressed the video that appeared over the weekend on WBAY-TV in Green Bay, with Rodgers walking past Packers fan and cancer survivor Jan Cavanaugh as she sought an autograph. “I’ve met Jan on previous occasions,” Rodgers said. “As the video shows, I didn’t see her. I didn’t sign for her. It turned into something I didn’t really expect.” The images from the now-yanked story shows a terminal at Austin Straubel Airport containing a group of Packers fans, seeing the Packers off to Atlanta on Friday of last week. In the video, Cavanaugh explains that she has a pink hat that she hopes Rodgers will sign it. And the very next image shows Rodgers strolling by with buds in his ears and the “force field” demeanor. When I saw the video for the first time, I cringed. But then I did what we bloggers all too often do. I fired off a rebuke of Rodgers without considering anything else about the other things he has done
Doyel of CBS has provided an excellent look at Rodgers’ good deeds, including his work for Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer. In many respects, he has shown his appreciation of and concern for the citizens of Green Bay and Wisconsin. I apologize to Rodgers for painting him with an unjustifiably broad brush based on a very brief slice of his life. It was wrong to jump to conclusions about whether he treats fans properly, and whether he understands the connection between the fans who support him and the money he makes. Though some have argued that true character is revealed in those fleeting moments, the whole truth about a man falls somewhere between his best days and his worst days. For Rodgers, there’s no reason to believe that the truth isn’t a lot closer to the best than the worst. I apologize to Packers fans for distracting you from the afterglow of a game that has ushered in a new golden age of Green Bay football. With a stirring win over the top-seeded Falcons and a historic postseason contest against the Bears on the horizon, you shouldn’t have had to worry about an opinion that I delivered too quickly, too strongly, and too stubbornly.
I allowed emotions based on my own experiences to overcome reason, and I hope in the future to be able to take a step back before sharing the full thrust of my initial reaction on these pages. I also apologize to Jan Cavanaugh. I should have realized that this would bring attention she doesn’t want or need, and I would have if I hadn’t shared the full thrust of my initial reaction without thinking it through or looking into the good things Rodgers has done. I’ve had two nights to sleep on it and plenty of other time to think about it. And I realized that I’d only feel better if I apologized. Hopefully, we’ve all learned something from this experience. I know I have. And rather than listing, as I ordinarily would, all the other lessons that I think everyone else involved in this situation should learn, I’ll shut up and move on and let folks come to their own conclusions about what they may do differently when confronted with similar circumstances in the future.
01/18/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi analysis with blueprint to beat Culver and Bears.
With the Packers playing flawless football on the playoffs road to the Super Bowl, they will beat the Bears with a methodological game plan. Here is why:
1) QB Aaron Rodgers. While the Bears will play Cover-2 and timed blitzes against QB Rodgers, he will beat it like in the Falcons game throwing for another 300 yards and 3 touchdowns. Rodgers will improvise under good protection to sling and ding to move the West Coast offense into scoring situations. When necessary, he can make long vertical passes to make scoring plays. The offensive line will play their game of their lives with All-Pro LT Clifton helping to deal with DE Peppers and company.
2) The Packers defensive scheme. Like the winning Packers game in Lambeau, the blitz pressure and tight coverage Packers defense will rattle QB Cutler into big turnovers. The best secondary in the league, lead by CBs Williams, Woodson, and Shields, will limit the primary Bears receivers including playmakers WR Knox & WR Hester. Also, safeties Collins and Peprah will help to diminish the Bears receivers including playmaker TE Olson. With the outstanding front seven continuing its stellar playoffs performances, the Packers will limit Bears RB Forte.
3) An improved running game. While the Bears lead the NFC in rushing defense allowing only 90 yards per game, the Packers have rookie James Stark to help establish a productive running game to produce a two-dimensional West Coast offense. They accomplished this against the Phillies and the Falcons.
4) Poor field conditions--Nonfactor. Although the playing surface at Soldier Field is one of the worst in the NFL according to its own players, the Packers are used to playing under adverse conditions. Cold temps and bad turf conditions will present no problem for the Packers and their wide receivers. It’s gonna be a great “Legendary" Packers victory against the “Still Suck” Bears.
01/18/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi: QB Favre says Packers will win Super Bowl.
Clipped from: www.sportingnews.com (share this clip)
Favre predicts Packers win Super Bowl: Legendary QB Favre insists he has "no bitterness" toward the Packers three years after leaving Green Bay on less than friendly terms. In fact, he told ESPN on Monday that he believes his former team will be the champions this year. "I think they will win it all! I hope they do, if you are wondering," Favre said in an e-mail to ESPN reporter Ed Werder. Favre told Werder that he believes Green Bay is "by far" the best team still in the NFL playoffs. "[Packers quarterback] Aaron [Rodgers] is the best QB and the receiving corps is the best ever, maybe," Favre said in the e-mail "But [defensive coordinator] Dom [Capers] and the defense gets the MVP award at this stage." Favre played 16 seasons for the Packers before retiring, then unretiring, then being traded to the New York Jets in 2008. Favre retired and unretired some more as he finished his career with the Minnesota Vikings. It was reported Monday that Favre had filed retirement papers with the NFL. "I'm happy for [the Packers] and very happy and content with my legacy," Favre told Werder.
01/17/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews & grades Packers win over Falcons.
Summary: QB Rodgers threw 3 touchdowns and rushed for 1 touchdown as the Packers crushed the Falcons 48-21. Next Sunday, the Packers face the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game.
Game balls: QB Rodgers; WR Nelson; WR Jones; CB Williams; LB Matthews.
Injury Report: CB Lee (hip). FB Kuhn (neck stinger) and NT Raji (head) are okay.
Report Card–Good, Bad, & Ugly: JC vs SE:
Pass Offense--A vs A-. QB Rodgers was unstoppable making clutch throws while avoiding pressure and throwing accurate deep passes. He completed 36 passes for 366 yards, three touchdowns, and 136.8 passer rating ripping overmatched Falcons secondary. He completed passes to eight different receivers. WRs Jennings, Driver, Jones and Nelson combined for an amazing 26 catches for 331 yards. WR Jennings had 8 catches for 101 yards and 1 big fumble. WR Nelson made 8 clutch catches for 79 yards and 1 touchdown. WR Driver had 6 clutch catches for 76 yards. WR Jones made 4 clutch catches for 75 yards and 1 big touchdown. Also, FB Kuhn had 2 catches for 14 yards and 1 touchdown. While rookie RT Bulaga generally played solid overall game giving up only 1 sack, no pressure, and solid run blocking. RT Clifton struggled in pass protection giving up soft protection and 1 sack.
Rush Offense--C+ vs C. The Packers rushed a pedestrian 96 yards on 31 carries averaging 3.1 yards. RB Starks had his moments running with power and speed getting 66 yards on 25 carries. In the first half, he got only 14 yards on 9 carries. In the second half, he got 4 carries for 27 yards on a big touchdown drive. RB Jackson had 1 carry for 13 yards. FB Kuhn rushed for 1 touchdown. QB Rodgers had 1 red zone touchdown.
Pass Defense--B+ vs A-. DC Capers defensive plan worked getting strong blitz pressure defense to rattle Falcons QB Ryan. Facing blitz pressure and tight coverage, Falcons QB Ryan completed only 20 of 29 passes for 1 touchdown, 186 yards, 2 big interceptions, 1 fumble, and horrible 69 passer rating. WR White had 6 catches for 57 yards and 1 touchdown. In the span of two and one-half minutes before the first half, CB Williams had a touchback interception and then scored on a momentum changing interception. The Packers had five big sacks on blitzes.
Rush Defense—C+ vs C+. In the first half, RB Turner had 9 carries for 37 yards and 1 touchdown. In the second half, with the Falcons facing a rout, he had only 1 carry. For the game, RB Turner had only 10 carries for 39 yards averaging 3.9 yards. The effective weapon against Turner was to force the Falcons into their passing game and make Ryan commit mistakes. CB Woodson had 6 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 sack and 1 QB hit, while LB Bishop had 6 tackles and 1 fumble recovery. OLB Matthews had an overall impressive game with 4 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks and 2 QB hits.
Coaching--A- vs B. Maligned special teams coordinator Slocum can thank his colleagues for bailing him out with a dominating performance by the offense and defense. Head coach/play caller McCarthy had his finest hours in orchestrating the offense on an injury-marred secondary. McCarthy didn't abandon the effective running game to do so intermixing runs to soften up the Falcons even more on play-action. DC Capers also applied the full-court pressure in the indoor venue, shaking, rattling and rolling Ryan out of his unflappable tendencies in the pocket with a heavy dose of blitzes. The Packers finished with big advantages in total yards (442-194) and time of possession (38:19-21:41). The Packers were 8 for 12 in third down conversions and 4 for 6 in the red zone. They had 6 penalties for 65 yards and 1 fumble.
Overall Game—A- vs. A (CBS Sportsline). With the score tied at 14, QB Rodgers took over & never looked back. Rodgers threw for 366 yards and 3 touchdowns. Despite team's No. 6 seed, Packers are likely favorite to represent NFC in Super Bowl.
01/17/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi grades bloggers’ reviews.
Commentary: Based upon massive research and conversations with the great fans in the Packers nation, we present the fair and balanced grades about major Packers’ bloggers articles with their Packers win over Falcons analysis!
| Packers Bloggers | Game Review | Commentary | Grade |
| 1.“Great One” Packers Gab | Packers Rout Falcons 48-21 | Outstanding! | A++++ |
| 2. “Superior” Packers Chronicles | Packers vs Falcons: Report Card | Stellar! | A |
| 2. “Old” Ol’ Bag of Donuts | Divisional Playoff Round.... | Just OK. | A- |
| 3. “I Love LA” Total Packers | Mass Bird Death In Atlanta. | Funny! | A- |
| 4. “Who?” Tundra Vision | Packers Report Card. | Good! | B+ |
| 5. “Lonely” Jersey Al | Packers 48 Falcons 21 | Ramblings! Writing 101 Sug. | C |
| 6. “On Wisconsin” Pocket Doppler | One More Game. | I don’t know why,but gayish! | C |
| 7. “Suck up CHTV” GBPN | In Ted We Trust. What We Learned Against the Falcons. | Laughable! Same Old Act! | D+ |
| 8. “Sharing Zero” A.P.C. | Packers Game Ball.... | Pathetic! My cut?? | D |
| 9. ”Mr. Personality” B.C. | Chips Report | Awful! | F |
| 10. “We're jealous” CHTV | Packers: 48 Falcons: 21 | Awful! | F |
| 11. “Nobody” P.L. | Quick Hits: Falcons. | Awful! | F |
01/17/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi previews "Iconic" Packers vs "Windy Carp" Bears.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Bears win sets up epic NFC title clash with Packers--Hallowed franchises have historic, fire-breathing rivalry: Bring on the Monsters of the Midway, in all their rip-snorting, scratching-and-clawing glory. Bring on Urlacher and Cutler, Hester and Forte. Bring on the ghosts of Nagurski and Halas and Sweetness. Bring on Soldier Field, with its chewed-up turf and its cheek-turning January winds. Bring on all of Chicago, for that matter, and its hordes of sneering Bears fans. Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are ready. They showed their mettle with road playoff victories over Philadelphia and Atlanta, the latter featuring an astonishing offensive display that resulted in a 48-21 victory over the NFC's top-seeded team on Saturday night. The Bears held up their end of the bargain Sunday, battering and Butkus-ing the Seattle Seahawks, 35-24, at snowy Soldier Field to set up an NFC Championship Game the likes of which has never been seen. The Packers (12-6) and Bears (12-5), bitter archrivals who date to pro football's primordial mist, will slug it out at 2 p.m. Sunday at Soldier Field for the right to advance to Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas. The two teams have been smashing each other in the mouth for 90 years but have never squared off in a game of this magnitude. They have met 181 times but never in a playoff game in the Super Bowl era. In fact, they have met in the postseason just once: on Dec. 14, 1941, just seven days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, when George Halas' Bears claimed a 33-14 victory over Curly Lambeau's Packers in a Western Division playoff game necessitated after both teams finished 10-1.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Showdown that'd make Lambeau and Halas proud: If only Curly Lambeau and George Halas could be there to see it. When the Green Bay Packers meet the Chicago Bears in Sunday's NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field, it will mark only the second time in the storied rivalry the teams have played each other in the postseason. Yes, with a trip to Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas, on the line, the 182nd meeting between the Packers and the Bears will be a special one. "It's going to be a shootout," Bears wide receiver Devin Hester said. The second-seeded Bears, who won the NFC North title this season, advanced to the title game with a 35-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The sixth-seeded Packers, who needed a victory over the Bears on the final day of the regular season to secure a wild-card berth, advanced with a 48-21 victory over the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons on Saturday night at the Georgia Dome. "We just look at it as another obstacle," cornerback Charles Woodson said before the Packers knew whether they'd be playing at Chicago or Seattle. "The object is to win. Whoever it is, we look to play our game and come out on top." The Bears lead the all-time series 92-83-6, while the Packers hold a 12-9 edge in NFL titles.
01/16/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi profiles WR Jones & CB Williams in Packers win.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
WR Jones returns to hungry form: Packers wide receiver James Jones got some good advice from an old adviser this week. Keith Williams, Jones' position coach at San Jose State, was blunt in his assessment of his former pupil's play. "He said, ‘You used to play a lot hungrier than you play now,'?" said Jones, who felt miserable all week after dropping what could have been a long touchdown pass last week against Philadelphia. "When I dropped that ball, he said I was too relaxed. When I came out here, every time I lined up, I just said, ‘Be hungry. Go hungry to the ball. Catch the ball with your hands. You've got great hands. You've let a couple go, but you've got great hands and just made some plays.'?" Jones made plenty of plays during the Packers' 48-21 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in an NFC divisional round playoff game Saturday night at the Georgia Dome. He finished with four receptions for 75 yards, including a beautiful 20-yard touchdown grab over Atlanta's Brent Grimes that gave the Packers a 21-14 lead with 42 seconds remaining in the first half. Jones also had a 34-yard reception earlier in the game that set up a 1-yard touchdown run by fullback John Kuhn.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
WR Jones sings redemption song: Packers fourth-year wide receiver caught four passes for 75 yards, including a spectacular 20-yard touchdown grab and a critical 34-yard catch and run, as part of the Aaron Rodgers-led offense’s passing clinic in a 48-21 NFC Divisional Playoff rout of the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. “I had a knot in my stomach for letting my teammates down when I dropped that ball,” said Jones, whose drop in last week’s 21-16 NFC Wild Card victory at Philadelphia came shortly before halftime and would have given the Packers a 21-3 lead at the time. “I just told myself to come out here and make the most of my opportunities and make a play for the ball. It made me feel good that Aaron kept coming to me. He didn’t lose any confidence in me and I was going to go out there and make some plays.” Said Rodgers: “I know he was the sickest person in that locker room after the last game. But I had confidence in him.” Rodgers had confidence in everyone on this night. Taking advantage of the absence of nickel back Brian Williams (knee), Packers receivers Greg Jennings (eight catches, 101 yards), Donald Driver (six catches, 79 yards), Jordy Nelson (eight catches, 79 yards) and Jones had their way with the Falcons’ secondary, which was forced to play little-used cornerback Chris Owens whenever the Packers went to their “Big Five” spread set. “We kind of did what we wanted to do,” Rodgers said. “We wanted to attack the middle of the field early and then once they started taking that away to work the stuff outside, the routes outside. Guys made some big plays.”
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Tramon-dous Cornerback Williams leads defense to NFC title game: Tramon Williams' job was to take away wide receiver Roddy White. Instead, he stole the entire game. Williams, the Green Bay Packers' overnight sensation at cornerback, had two second-quarter interceptions that helped break open the game in the Packers' 48-21 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in a divisional playoff game Saturday night at the Georgia Dome. The first pick came on a Matt Ryan pass to Michael Jenkins in the end zone that looked for an instant that it might be a touchdown. The second came on the final play of the first half when Ryan, trying to pick up a few more yards for a potential field goal try, fired a sideline pass to White that Williams intercepted and returned 70 yards for a touchdown. "That was the play of the game," linebacker A.J. Hawk said. "No one was expecting that to happen. He jumped in front, got a pick and to score going into halftime like that (is huge). You're up two scores, you know you're getting the ball back and then the way the offense is playing, you can't say enough about a play like that." The play gave the Packers a 28-14 halftime lead and set in motion their rout of the team with the best record in the NFC. Coupled with his game-saving interception in the closing seconds of the Packers' playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles the week before, Williams has essentially had his national coming-out party in the past seven days.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
CB Williams bowls 'em over: Williams said, “But that’s one way to shut people up, to go to the Super Bowl instead of the Pro Bowl.” Williams intercepted two passes, one that kept a touchdown off the board, the other that he returned 70 yards for a touchdown to end the first half and break the Atlanta Falcons’ spirits, to lead the Packers to a 48-21 NFC Divisional Playoff victory over the Falcons. “Tramon Williams, he's clearly played at a Pro Bowl level, there's no question about it,” said Packers coach Mike McCarthy. “Just to see your big-time players step up in prime-time games, that's what it's all about. Tramon Williams, he's done it all year. He's been playing at this level all year.” His two plays Saturday night were game-turners. On his first interception, which came with the score tied at 14-14 and the Falcons facing third-and-21 from Green Bay’s 26-yard line, Williams skied to pick off Ryan’s pass intended for Mike Jenkins in the end zone. Williams went high to snare Ryan’s pass. Not only did the play keep the score tied, but the offense then went 80 yards the other way to take a 21-14 lead. The end zone was where Williams ended up on his next INT. The Falcons were moving into field-goal range when Ryan was sacked for a 9-yard loss by Clay Matthews. Facing second-and-19 at the Packers’ 35, Ryan tried to hit White on an out route in front of Williams, only to see Williams recognize the formation and play, undercut the route and pick off the pass, weaving his way 70 yards to push the lead to 28-14 as time expired in the first half. “The play of the game, in my opinion, was Tramon's pick,” said Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who then led the offense on a touchdown drive to open the second half. “That's a 10-point swing, potentially."
01/16/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers victory over Falcons.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Rodgers, Williams star in Packers rout of top-seeded Falcons: Rodgers accounted for four touchdowns, Williams returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown and the Packers erupted for 28 points in the second quarter to rout the Atlanta Falcons 48-21 Saturday night in an NFC divisional round playoff game in front of 69,210 fans at the Georgia Dome. The victory puts the sixth-seeded Packers (12-6) one win away from their first appearance in the Super Bowl in13 years. Green Bay will travel to Chicago or Seattle a week from Sunday for the NFC title. Rodgers passed for three touchdowns and ran for another. Rodgers was 31 of 36 for 366 yards and a passer rating of 136.8 against an overmatched Atlanta secondary. The Packers scored touchdowns on five consecutive offensive possessions and outgained the top-seeded Falcons 442-194 in total yards. The Falcons (13-4) committed four turnovers in all. Two of those giveaways ended up in the hands of Williams, who has three interceptions in two postseason games. Williams, who sealed the Packers' victory over the Eagles last Sunday with an interception in the end zone in the final minute of the game, ended one promising Atlanta drive with an interception in the end zone and returned his second one 70 yards for a score on the final play of the first half.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Rodgers makes it look as easy as paint by numbers: This is what happens when talent, preparation and game-planning meet spot-on execution. In what has to rank among the greatest performances by a quarterback in the Green Bay Packers' storied postseason history, Aaron Rodgers gutted the No. 1-seeded team in the NFC, taking the heart and soul out of the Atlanta Falcons' defense and the starch out of a Georgia Dome crowd Saturday night. Rodgers' numbers only begin to tell the story in the Packers' stunning 48-21 victory in a divisional playoff game. But they were beyond impressive. He completed 31 of 36 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns and finished with a passer rating of 136.8. He also ran for a touchdown. "Oh, my gosh, the guy is a phenomenal quarterback," said Greg Jennings, who atoned for a first-possession fumble by catching eight passes for 101 yards, both game highs. "He played lights out today. He played absolutely lights out." Virtually everything drawn up by coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Joe Philbin worked thanks to the incomparable play of Rodgers and his four receivers. Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones and Jordy Nelson combined to catch a staggering 26 passes for 331 yards. Rodgers also completed passes to tight end Andrew Quarless and running backs John Kuhn and Brandon Jackson. "He was on the money today," Jones said. "If you watch him during the week, this is the way he prepares. We expect that kind of game out of him." Bart Starr in the 1960s and Brett Favre in the '90s had impressive playoff games, but if Rodgers' performance wasn't the greatest ever by a Packers quarterback in the postseason, it certainly has to be part of the conversation.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Williams made two huge interceptions of Matt Ryan to spearhead a dominating defensive effort in victory: In a 48-21 win for the sixth-seeded Packers (12-6) against the top-seeded Falcons (13-4), Williams picked off quarterback Ryan and took it 70 yards to the house as time expired. Green Bay took a comfortable 28-14 lead in front of a stunned crowd of 69,210 in a building in which Ryan boasted a career record of 20-2. That same crowd left in large masses as the fourth quarter began and chants of “Go Pack Go” and green and yellow clothing filled the lower levels of the dome. “I knew they were trying to get into field goal range at that point,” Williams said of his pick-six. “I let the receiver get outside of me and I broke underneath and made the play.” Green Bay quarterback Rodgers called the interception the play of the game, a play set up by one of Clay Matthews two sacks the play before. “The play of the game in my opinion was Tramon’s pick,” Rodgers said, “because that’s a 10-point swing potentially. When we went up three scores, it was just a matter of not turning the ball over and we kept it rolling.” Williams, who has blossomed under CB Charles Woodson's tutelage, made his mentor proud with his third interception of the postseason. “He’s playing great football, and he’s been playing great football all season long,” Woodson said. “He’s coming up with some timely plays when we need them. That play right before the half — spectacular. To take it in and get six points, put six on the board as we go in at halftime, just great football by him.”
01/15/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi--Packers vs Falcons preview, keys & game plan.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Preview: Teams: Packers (11-6) vs. Falcons (13-3). Time: Saturday 7 p.m. CST. Place: Georgia Dome, Atlanta. TV coverage: FOX. The injury report: Packers – LB Frank Zombo (knee) is out. C/G Jason Spitz (calf), FB Korey Hall (knee) and S Atari Bigby (groin) are questionable. LB Diyral Briggs (ankle), RT Bryan Bulaga (shoulder), LT Chad Clifton (knees), WR Donald Driver (knee), DE Cullen Jenkins (calf), LB Clay Matthews (shin) DE Ryan Pickett (ankle) and CB Charles Woodson (toe) are probable. Line: Falcons are favored by 2 ½ points.
BREAKDOWN: THINGS TO WATCH--Stark reality: Rookie James Starks was the talk of the town after his 123-yard performance in Sunday’s NFC Wild Card victory over Philadelphia. The Packers’ offense could certainly use the help. The last time they played in Atlanta, in a 20-17 loss to the Falcons on Nov. 28, RB Jackson ran 10 times for only 26 yards. While the abandonment of the run was because of the matchups, the Packers felt they could exploit in the secondary with their Big Five five-receiver set, the lack of productivity on the ground was an issue.
Running for cover: The Falcons’ ability to run the ball, meanwhile, was vital to their success in the first meeting, with Michael Turner bowling over the Packers defense for 110 yards in what several players termed the unit’s worst tackling performance of the season. According to DC Capers, some of the blame was on player execution, but other plays were the result of his poor defensive calls. Another problem for the Packers in the first meeting was when Falcons OC Mularkey would bring an extra offensive lineman onto the field as a blocking tight end, the way the Packers once did with Kevin Barry in their U-71 package in the mid-2000s. How the Packers counter that this time, with a four-man defensive line, or using big Howard Green more frequently – will also be key. The Falcons were 7-0 in games in which Turner eclipsed the 100-yard mark. As challenging as it may be to tackle him, the Packers must do a better job in order to win.
Getting after it: Turner’s positive runs on early downs were key in the first meeting for another reason, too: They made life easier for quarterback Matt Ryan, who had just four incompletions and was sacked only twice. On the game-winning drive, Ryan was able to get the ball out quickly when Capers went after him with aggressive blitzes, setting up the Matt Bryan’s field goal to win it. The challenge for Capers against the smart and decisive Ryan is to get pressure in him despite his ability to go through his progressions quickly and get the ball out. Because Ryan seldom makes a mistake (eight interceptions), the Falcons finished third in the NFL in 10-plus play drives, meaning they are capable of methodically moving down the field and playing keep-away from opposing offenses. A well-timed pressure that forces a third-down incompletion or interception would be a game-turner. Getting the Falcons to commit turnovers is difficult. They finished third in the NFL in turnover differential (plus-14), largely because they only gave the ball away 17 times – the Packers finished fourth in differential, at plus-10, after turning it over 22 times – and lost only nine fumbles.
In the zone: The Packers loss on Nov. 28, if you ask their offensive players, came down to two failed trips inside the Falcons’ 20-yard line. The red-zone issues were particularly troublesome, but the coaches didn’t need to harp on the importance with the players this week. THE PREDICTION--The post-game locker room from the Packers’ loss to the Falcons on Nov. 28 was one of the more surprising I’ve been in. I went in expecting an angry, irritated team that had led a chance at barging into the NFC’s competition for the No. 1 seed slip away. This team a) is completely convinced it is better than Atlanta and would have won that game if not for two crucial errors; and the Packers, especially Rodgers, prefer to play in the climate-controlled confines of a dome over the chill of Lambeau Field. We’ll see if it works out for them, but the guess here is Packers 27. Falcons 20.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Things to watch: THE PASS GAME--Finish red zone drives. In the Nov. 28 game, the Packers wide receivers gained 138 of their 290 yards after the catch. The Falcons sat in soft zones and Green Bay couldn't finish drives. BALANCED ATTACK: In the first game, coach Mike McCarthy got so sick of his impotent run game that he junked it and used shotgun formation on 66% of the plays. "Starks would hurt Atlanta," an opposing coach said. "If you get Atlanta in regular personnel, you got Mike Peterson in the lineup and he's getting older and isn't as effective (in coverage). The Falcons take John Abraham off the field in two-back. It may change for the playoffs, but Abraham is by far the best player on their defense." Added another scout: "Abraham can be a (expletive). He's not a power guy. He's got the speed, then he counters and spins back inside. I think you want to run at Atlanta."
DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS--CB Woodson must be solid: Because Atlanta has a strong running game, the Packers probably will play more of their 3-4 defense than normal. By doing so, Charles Woodson would be playing outside rather than from the slot. ON TARGET--blitz pressure and tight coverage: On Nov. 28, Matt Ryan completed 24 of 28 passes (85.7%) and had a passer rating of 108. The Packers sacked him twice. TURNER THE BURNER--limit Falcons running game: The common denominator in the Falcons' three defeats was the inability of Michael Turner to break free on the ground. Turner averaged 94.3 yards in Atlanta's 13 victories; he gained 110 against Green Bay.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Keys to the game--With RB James Starks coming off a franchise postseason rookie record 123 rushing yards at Philadelphia, McCarthy can devise a more balanced attack to keep Atlanta off-balance, control the ball more and set up vertical shots. The Falcons put on a clinic in Week 12, with RB Michael Turner rushing for 110 yards and a touchdown to set up a highly efficient passing attack. The Packers' defensive strength lies in their pass rush and ball-hawking secondary. The Falcons will again attempt to establish Turner out of the gate, sustain drives and control the tempo. Ryan spread the ball to nine different receivers while focusing on the intermediate passing game.
Game plan--The Packers could go one of two ways with their diversified offense. They made liberal use of the pass with only 11 rushing attempts by running backs in the narrow loss to the Falcons in Week 12. A preponderance of spread formations, including 18 plays out of empty sets, had the Atlanta defense on its heels. Yet, the Falcons surely have a better handle on that for the rematch. That might mean a heavy dose of running the football with James Starks a second straight week. The Falcons will provide a stiffer challenge up front, so if Starks isn't producing right away, head coach/play caller Mike McCarthy won't be averse to quickly fall into one-dimensional mode and take his chances. The charge for the Green Bay defense is to keep Atlanta from generating methodical drives of five-plus minutes that were the rage in the first meeting. To do so, the Packers will need to speed up the tempo by getting after quarterback Matt Ryan with steady pressure packages and try to rattle him into a rare mistake. Ryan, who was sacked only twice, completed all but four of his 28 passes in the teams' first encounter. Pro Bowl back Michael Turner was a difference maker in that game with 23 carries for 110 yards. To make sure they hem Turner in with enough bodies, the Packers may load the box and trust one-on-one pass coverage on the outside from Tramon Williams and Sam Shields against the explosive Roddy White and Michael Jenkins.
01/12/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi: OLB Matthews is Sporting News NFL Defensive Player of Year.
Clipped from: www.sportingnews.com (share this clip)
2010 SN NFL Defensive Player of the Year: Green Bay Packers OLB Clay Matthews: Beyond his statistics (23-1/2 sacks, 11 passes defended, three forced fumbles and one interception returned for a touchdown in his two NFL seasons), Clay Matthews impacts a game in ways few defensive players can. He is the NFL’s Tasmanian Devil, a player who is in constant motion, attacking from here, there and everywhere. Even while fighting through a shin injury this season, he was the most feared defender in the league.
01/11/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi: Eagles scouting report & Packers improved running game.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Eagles scouting report: Rushing Offense--Coordinator Mularkey calls plays for an offense that ranked No. 16 in total yards, No. 10 in rushing and No. 5 in points. It’s a balanced attack with a pass-to-run ratio of 54.7-to-45.3 in the regular season. Halfback Turner is a key piece in the offense and ranked No. 3 in the NFL in rushing (1,371 yards). He helps the Falcons control the ball and the clock. The offensive line isn’t overly talented, but the whole is greater than the sum of the parts and is well schooled. The right side of the line sets the tough tone and is especially nasty with guard Harvey Dahl (6-5, 305) and tackle Tyson Clabo (6-6, 331). Ovie Mughelli is a Pro Bowl fullback. Passing Offense--Though Matt Ryan’s statistics are only OK, he’s become a premier quarterback in only his third NFL season. His most impressive number is his record at the Georgia Dome, where he’s 20-2 as a starter. His passer rating this season was 91.0 points, which is OK but fails to reflect his standing in the league as a deserving Pro Bowler. They shorten games with ball control but put up points when they get the chance. He has two excellent weapons in the passing game, receiver White and tight end Gonzalez, Pro Bowlers both. Rushing Defense--Just like on offense, coach Mike Smith’s defense is as tough and sound as they come, though it lacks the top playmakers on the other side of the ball. Also like on offense, the Falcons ranked No. 16 in yards allowed but No. 5 in points allowed, which reflects the toughness and smarts to avoid back-breaking mistakes. Passing Defense--Defensive end John Abraham (6-4, 263) still is a force as an outside rusher and is going to his fourth Pro Bowl. His 13 sacks were fifth-most in the league and increase his total to 102½ in his 11-year NFL career. The next-leading sacker is Babineaux with four for a defense that ranks only No. 25 in sacks percentage. The Falcons’ secondary is average and the most vulnerable part of the team. But like the rest of the team, the defensive backs are smart and tough enough to compensate for any physical shortcomings, and the Falcons’ 22 interceptions were fourth-most in the league this season. Special Teams--Eric Weems is the NFC’s Pro Bowl return man. He ranked No. 3 in the league in average per kickoff return. Punter Koenen is a directional, fair-catch punter who had bad numbers, but had only 28 of 74 punts returned. He’s stronger legged on kickoffs and tied for No. 3 in touchbacks. Kicker Bryant is having his best season.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers bring stronger running game vs Falcons: Six weeks ago, coach McCarthy went to Atlanta armed with a game plan so heavy on pass plays that the Packers’ running backs carried the ball just 11 times. McCarthy’s mantra was to spread out the Falcons and let his QB Rodgers distribute the ball to his receivers and tight ends. The game marked the return of the Big Five--five-receiver set and a heavy dose of three and four-receiver sets. Rodgers had his second-most productive game of the season with 344 yards while completing all but nine of his 36 passes. He spread the ball around to nine different pass catchers, seven of which had two or more receptions. But the lack of a running game, Rodgers was the leading rusher with 51 yards on 12 attempts, made the Packers easier to defend when it came time to put the ball in the end zone. They converted just half of their four red-zone drives and came away 20-17 losers. Less than two months later, the Packers will return to Atlanta for Saturday night’s NFC divisional playoff game against the top-seeded Falcons with a more well-rounded offense. McCarthy attacked the Falcons the way he did the last time around because he correctly saw a weakness in their pass defense, which finished the regular season ranked 22nd in yards allowed. What’s strikingly different is the Packers’ running back. He’s rookie James Starks. He’s coming off the best playoff performance by a rookie running back in team history. He rushed for 123 yards on 23 carries in Sunday’s wild-card playoff victory at Philadelphia. “He’ll run the ball against Atlanta, if that’s what you’re asking me,” McCarthy said. “He’s earned that.” The Packers might have beaten the Falcons the first time around had they had a running game like the one Starks provided against the Eagles. McCarthy and his coaching staff no doubt took all of that into account when they spent most of Monday game planning for the Falcons. Likewise, Falcons coach Mike Smith and his staff will have the luxury of studying Starks’ performance and how the Packers used him before they decide how to attack Rodgers and the offense.
01/10/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers win over Eagles.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers defense wins it: The Green Bay Packers' defense blitzed and then backed off into Cover 2. It played coverage for several plays and then ramped up the aggression, bringing pressure from different positions and angles. The whole idea was to confuse and contain Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick in an NFC wild-card game at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. The Packers accepted the fact that Vick was going to break containment from time to time. He was going to scramble. He was going to escape the pocket and complete passes downfield. They just wanted to minimize the damage by Vick, whose ability to ad-lib into explosive plays is unparalleled in the NFL. The Packers played it to the hilt in a 21-16 victory. It was Green Bay's first playoff victory on the road since Jan. 11, 1998. Now it's on to Atlanta for an NFC divisional game against the No. 1-seeded Falcons. The Packers set the tone on the first play from scrimmage, when linebacker Desmond Bishop blitzed the left-handed Vick from the blind side and slammed him to the turf for a 9-yard loss. But coordinator Dom Capers didn't dare blitz on every play, or even most of them. He had to mix up coverages and pressure to keep Vick off-balance. In passing situations, the Packers' main goal was to keep Vick in the pocket. Their secondary goal was to get hits on him; they finished with three sacks and three more quarterback hits. When they did blitz, they tried to make sure Vick couldn't get wide of the pressure, where he is most dangerous. Vick completed 20 of 36 passes for 292 yards and one touchdown. But he rushed for only 33 yards in eight attempts.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Rodgers finally wins one: “First playoff win,” Jennings shouted at Aaron Rodgers, who was only a few stalls away. “It’s about time!” Rodgers smiled, then replied in a slightly quieter tone. “Long drought,” he said. “Yeah, what’s it been,” Jennings said, not giving up, “10 years?” With that, the two Green Bay Packers teammates and friends ended their two-man, one-act play entitled, “A-Rod Wins a Playoff Game – Finally.” “We joke about it now because it’s like, ‘Where in the world is that coming from?’” Jennings said following the Packers’ 21-16 NFC Wild Card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. “The guy has been in two playoff games and everybody acts like he’s been in 20. I’m like, ‘Can he have an opportunity to win a playoff game?’” A year after losing his first foray into the NFL postseason – a 51-45 overtime loss at Arizona in the NFC Wild Card round in which he threw for 422 yards and four touchdowns in a losing effort – Rodgers delivered a less-productive but nearly error-free performance Sunday, completing 18 of 27 passes for 180 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 122.5 passer rating. While he was sacked twice and lost a fumble on the opening possession of the third quarter, Rodgers appeared in complete control of the game from start to finish. It was exactly the kind of efficient performance Rodgers needed to “finally” win a playoff game.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Starks breaks Packers rookie rushing record for postseason--surpasses Travis 'The Roadrunner' Williams' 88 yards in 1967: Starks blew past Williams' record by 35 yards at Lincoln Financial Field, and his huge day - 123 yards on 23 carries (5.3) average - helped the Packers beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 21-16, in an NFC wild-card playoff game. "I really take my hat off to everybody on this team because it is not just what I did," a beaming Starks said in the Packers' locker room. "The offensive line and the receivers did a great job to make this happen. People got body on body and really gave me the holes to run through." Starks' total was a season-high for the Packers and it was only the second time the team had a back go over 100 yards; Brandon Jackson had 115 against the Washington Redskins on Oct. 10. "It was huge," quarterback Aaron Rodgers said of Starks' production. "The way James was running the ball tonight was maybe one of the most important factors in this win. "He ran great, and I was so happy for him. He's a great kid and he has really grown a lot in the last couple weeks. He was big tonight."
01/09/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi looks at Packers vs Eagles game day.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Mettle test rematch game: After a second-half rally came up short in the season opener Sept. 12, the Philadelphia Eagles cornerback let the Green Packers know, in no uncertain terms, that they'd be seeing him again. "We beat them (27-20) and we were kind of celebrating," said linebacker Desmond Bishop. "We were walking off the field and Asante Samuel was angry. He was like, 'We're going to see y'all again in the playoffs. This is Game 1.' I just took it as he was angry or whatever." Samuel's prediction, like that of Aaron Rodgers, has come to pass. Seventeen weeks after Samuel uttered those prescient words, the Packers return to Philadelphia, this time for an NFC wild-card game at Lincoln Financial Field at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. But other than the color of their uniforms, both teams have been so dramatically altered by injury and circumstance that the season-opener might as well have been played five years ago. Vick's passer rating of 100.2 ranks second in the NFC behind only Rodgers' mark of 101.2, and Vick actually has the lower interception percentage (1.6 to 2.3). That's notable because Rodgers is considered among the best in the league at protecting the ball. Besides the Eagles' change at quarterback, the makeup of both teams has been altered considerably by injuries to key players. The Packers lost running back Ryan Grant and tight end Jermichael Finley struggling to replace them, perhaps one reason the offense has been inconsistent. "They are who they are, despite any injuries they may have," said Greg Jennings, the Packers' leading receiver. "Every team goes though that injury phase. They've gone through it, as have we. We don't feel sorry for them; they don't feel sorry for us. They have who they have back there and it's our job to execute and to exploit any opportunity that we have." The constants are that both teams have backups and reserves who have stepped up and sound schemes the coaches and players trust. "A lot of things have changed," Colledge said. "Guys have gone through injuries, guys are playing different football. But they have talent and they have ability and they've done a good job. We're expecting a fight."
Commentary: Elite QB Rodgers can win against a patchwork secondary with the Packers being a more talented team to win a shootout. Also, the Packers blitz pressure and coverage defense is much improved to stop the Eagles passing attack and QB Vick. The Packers run defense can be solid too knowing the Eagles game plan. Coach McCarthy knows where the Eagles will attack and game manage against them. Finally, the Eagles are too banged up, too soft on defense and too ripe for the Packers to lose. It is time for the Packers to get beyond the bad 4-26 memory in the playoffs against the Eagles. Frankly, this game should not be close unless the Packers let it be one by playing down to the competition. It really is about the intangibles in life and football. Go Pack!
01/09/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi: Packers vs Eagles previews, keys & game plan.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Preview:Teams: Packers (10-6) vs. Eagles (10-6). Time: 3:30 p.m. Sunday CST. Place: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia. TV coverage: FOX. The rankings: The Packers’ ninth-ranked offense finished the regular season ranked No. 24 in rushing and No. 5 in passing. Their fifth-ranked defense wound up No. 18 against the run and is No. 5 against the pass. Packers injury report: S Atari Bigby (groin), OLB Frank Zombo (knee) and FB Korey Hall (knee) have been ruled out. DE Cullen Jenkins (calf) is questionable. OLB Clay Matthews (shin), LT Chad Clifton (knees), S Nick Collins (ribs), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle) and CB Charles Woodson (toe) are probable. The line: The Eagles are favored by 3 points. THE BREAKDOWN: FIVE THINGS TO WATCH--Nip and tuck: At no point this season did the Packers trail by more than a touchdown.e all season long. The Packers found themselves in so many close games this season with half of their games decided by four points or fewer. The Packers went 2-6 in those games. Their six losses this season were by a total of 20 points. Meanwhile, much has been made of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ 2-13 record in games decide by four points or fewer, but stats shed more light on how well he’s played in close games. That the Packers under McCarthy and Rodgers are historically inclined to play in close games meaning this NFC Wild Card game is a safe bet to come down to the wire. Small ball: For awhile, the NFL’s trend at wide receiver was toward big, strong, athletic playmakers. But as Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson and Green Bay’s Greg Jennings prove, there’s still room in the game for the little guy. The 5-foot-11 Jennings finished fourth in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,265, while the 5-10, 170-pound Jackson has been among the league’s most electrifying players, whether it’s on punt returns or catching passes. To win, the Packers need to make sure they keep Jackson from celebrating any sort of scores. Pressure key to Vick-tory: While Eagles quarterback put up MVP-type numbers in his first six starts this season posting a league-best 115.1 passer rating with 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions, he’s struggled in his last six games with six INTs and a middling 89.8 passer rating. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Vick has been bothered by increasingly aggressive pass rushes of late. The Packers could adjust their defensive tendencies to take advantage of Vick’s struggles versus extra pressure. Capers has been more aggressive of late and Woodson expects a similar game plan in this game. The real McCoy: While much of the focus this week has been on Jackson and Vick, Eagles RB McCoy could very well decide the game. The Packers went from the league’s No. 1 defense against the run last season to 18th this year. While rushing 207 times for 1,080 yards, he also led the Eagles in receptions and finished with 1,672 combined yards from scrimmage. Running the ball effectively would take some of the pressure of Vick and might get Capers to pull back on some of his blitzing, which McCoy said is part of the plan. Mr. Rodgers neighborhood: For Packers to advance, they’ll likely need him to make some more big plays, especially early, as the Packers have shown a need for early explosions to get their offense humming. Rodgers had one of his worst outings of the season against the Eagles in the regular-season opener, throwing a pair of interceptions and posting a 73.1 passer rating, his second-lowest of the season for a game he finished (his rating was 34.7 after getting knocked out of that Detroit loss before halftime). Rodgers led all quarterbacks this season with 32 passing plays of at least 30 yards. The Eagles have been vulnerable against explosive passing attacks, having allowed a league-high 29 pass plays of at least 30 yards. And while the Eagles pass defense ranks in the top third of the league overall, it has been exploited in the red zone, where Philadelphia has allowed the highest passer rating (115.9) and the second-most touchdowns (23). Rodgers has excelled in the red zone this season, completing an NFL-best 65.8 percent of his passes with 19 touchdowns and just one interception.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Things to watch: INVITING TARGET: At midweek, coach Andy Reid announced that he was going back to Dimitri Patterson at RC. "He's a mess," an executive in personnel for a recent Eagles opponent said. "Lot of breakdowns. Just lacks speed. Can't recover. Best underneath in zones. He's a liability on an island. Plays very soft. When they're in single high coverage he gives up a lot of underneath routes. He will bite on double moves." "He is quick to support the run and he has four interceptions," a scout said. "If you were playing a true Cover 2 where you jam the receiver and support the run and he has a short zone, he'd be a productive starter. But athletically, at the top of routes, he doesn't match up with elite speed." ON THE OTHER SIDE: LC Asante Samuel, 30, is one of the most dynamic interceptors in the NFL. "Plays the game kind of his own way," one scout said. "The only reason he lets go of his man is if he sees something and knows where the quarterback is throwing the ball. He guesses right 8½ times out of 10." Samuel has seven picks this season. "He baits quarterbacks," another scout said. "He plays with big cushion, then will jump it. Very good anticipation. Great ball skills. Doesn't have great speed, but he is so instinctive. He's got great mirror skills. He's just not a physical guy. In the run game, he doesn't want any part of it." THE MAIN COURSE: Can Michael Vick be contained? "He's been stopped.?.?.?by the Vikings," one scout said. "He should have thrown five picks against them. They dropped three. You hit him early, get him thinking, get him looking at the rush, force him into negative plays. He should be (healthy), but if you start hitting him, who knows? I think he's banged up pretty good. I think he's lost a little confidence. You've got to pressure him from different angles and you have to disguise. The Eagles are going to have that (slot blitzes) blocked. You've got to change it up a little bit. I'm sure Capers knows that." Added another scout: "I don't think he sees the blitzes quick or reads coverages fast. I know he's gotten better and Andy's done a good job. Vick is banged up already. I think the Packers can get after him." Offered a third personnel man: "(Dom) Capers can contain him, but it might take an extra person to do it. Now you've got to worry about the hole you leave in your zone or man coverage on the tight end. Or the back chipping and getting out and creating big plays. You've got to match him athletically on the edge and you've got to be disciplined. The difference now is he can make a lot of throws that he didn't make before." SPEED DEMON: WR DeSean Jackson didn't do much of anything in the opener against Sam Shields and Tramon Williams, who played one of his best games. "Tramon Williams doesn't run as well as he does," one scout said. "Neither does (Charles) Woodson. They can attempt to be physical, but sometimes you're going to reach and miss." Another scout was asked if he'd take Jackson or Greg Jennings. "If you need a big clutch throw inside, Greg Jennings will make a play. Jackson can catch it deep." Added a third scout: "He's the most explosive and fastest big-play guy. He is big time. You need to be physical with him." CHANGING OF THE GUARD: The Eagles suffered a tragic loss before the 2009 season when Jim Johnson, their defensive coordinator, died of cancer. He was replaced by Sean McDermott, one of his assistants for nine years. They've got young guys on defense and they're all little. The safeties are little. (Kurt) Coleman is corner size. Samuel is little. The (linebackers) are little. (Mike) Patterson's little."
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Keys and game plan: KEYS--QB Michael Vick took a beating the final month of the season as defenses became more aggressive and the Eagles struggled in blitz pickup. That's a major concern against the Packers, who racked up 47 sacks. Philadelphia combats pressure with a plethora of screen passes and the mobile Vick should be closer to full strength. However, he did turn the ball over eight times in his last five starts and the Packers enter with a plus-10 turnover margin. Rodgers won't be facing the same defense that held him to a 73.1 passer rating to open the season. The Eagles have suffered injuries at linebacker and in the secondary, where CB Dimitri Patterson has been a popular target of late and FS Nate Allen was lost for the season and replaced by fellow rookie Kurt Coleman, who lacks Allen’s range. Rodgers tends to carve up blitzes and the Eagles don't generate much pressure with just their front four, but Green Bay has to guard against becoming too one-dimensional as Philadelphia finished the regular season with 34 takeaways. GAME PLAN-- Unlike the season-opening meeting between the teams in Philadelphia, Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers will have a plan in place to counter daring quarterback Vick. Containment off the edges will be imperative if Capers blitzes liberally to thwart Vick, who ran for 103 yards and passed for 175 in the Week 1 game, on bootlegs and trying to extend plays with his feet. Powerful back McCoy, who had only seven carries but gained 35 yards in the opener, also is a focal point for the defense. The Packers were mostly solid in coverage the last time around against the dynamic receiving duo of DeSean Jacksonand Jeremy Maclin, who had a combined eight catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. The rematch with the Eagles calls to mind that the Packers lost workhorse halfback Ryan Grant to a season-ending ankle injury in the second quarter of the season lid-lifter. Brandon Jackson had some success as Grant's replacement and carried the football 18 times for 63 yards. Getting a high volume of rushing attempts is the stated goal, but coach Mike McCarthy invariably will stick with the bread-and-butter passing game against Philadelphia's pressure-based, gambling defense. The Eagles' propensity for playing off coverage can be exploited with quick throws from Aaron Rodgers and short to intermediate pass patterns by the receivers.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Rodgers, it's goal to go in playoff game against the Eagles: It certainly wasn't a bad season for Rodgers, who again placed himself among the elite quarterbacks in the NFL from a statistical standpoint. But Rodgers wanted more. "With the way I prepared and the way I took care of my body in the offseason," Rodgers said during a candid self-assessment earlier this week, "I guess I was looking for a slightly bigger jump." Rodgers completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 3,922 yards with 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for an NFC-leading passer rating of 101.2. While his numbers in some categories were down slightly from the previous season, Rodgers set the bar pretty high pretty high in 2009 with 4,434 yards and 30 touchdowns to just seven interceptions and a passer rating of 103.2 in 16 starts, one more than he had this season. But Rodgers felt there was too much inconsistency during a season in which the Packers overcame injuries to finish 10-6 in the regular season and make the NFC playoffs as a wild card. Packers coach Mike McCarthy echoed that assessment earlier in the week when he said Rodgers' season was in line with that of an up-and-down offense. McCarthy, whose background is in offense, admitted earlier this week he believes defense wins championships. He also acknowledged it doesn't hurt to have a great quarterback. It's too early to call Rodgers great, but the potential for greatness is clearly there. If he has more to give, now would be a good time. Because for everything Rodgers has done in his first 48 starts since being handed the keys to McCarthy's offense at the beginning of the 2008 season — he's passed for 12,394 yards with 86 touchdowns and 31 interceptions in that span — the one thing missing from Rodgers' resume is success in the postseason. He'll have the opportunity to change that when the Packers face the Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) in an NFC playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field. "I think the greatest quarterbacks are remembered for winning big games, but it's not all about the quarterback," Rodgers said. "Great teams win games, and then the quarterbacks on those great teams are often remembered as being great quarterbacks. "We want to win. Every time we take the field we want to win. It's important to win. That's why we play the game. And eventually, if you want to be remembered as a great player, you've got to win in the playoffs."
01/08/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi looks at Packers keys to victory against Eagles.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Statistically good QB Rodgers must win in pressure playoffs: As the Packers quarterback and his teammates prepare for Sunday’s NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Rodgers is acutely aware of the outside expectations being put on his team--by the passionate fan base (which is still smarting over last season’s overtime loss to Arizona), by experts like Sports Illustrated’s Peter King (who picked the sixth-seeded Packers to reach Super Bowl XLV) and by his critics (who are fond of pointing out that the third-year starter has yet to win a playoff game). So Rodgers broke into his best Will Ferrell imitation on Monday, recalling his character in the ABA-themed movie “Semi-Pro,” when Ferrell’s Moon flips out after one of his harebrained promotions – wrestling a bear at midcourt – goes awry and the bear escapes into the Tropics’ arena. Rodgers’ point? The playoffs are no time to lose your cool. Don’t change who you are just because the stakes are higher. That mindset fell right in line with coach Mike McCarthy’s message to the team when the players returned to work following their back-to-back de facto playoff victories over the New York Giants and Chicago Bears in the final two weeks of the regular season. His message earlier this week was, “Don’t believe the hype,” and Rodgers personifies that mentality. For while Rodgers fully understands that a quarterback’s reputation is forged by what he does in the postseason, he’s not the type to tense up or alter his approach. For Rodgers in 2010, he raised the bar to the point that his regular-season numbers (65.7% completion percentage, 3,922 yards, 28 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 101.2 passer rating) were somewhat disappointing – including to him. A victory over the third-seeded Eagles – followed by an upset of top-seeded Atlanta at the Georgia Dome the next weekend – would do plenty to quell talk about his poor record in close games (2-13 in games decided by four points or fewer) and erase the disappointment of last year’s loss to the Cardinals.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Aggressive blitz defense and contain QB Vick: Antoine Winfield has some free advice for Packers as DC Capers formulates his game plan for containing Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick in Sunday’s NFC Wild Card playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field. Especially if Capers wants to take a page out of the Vikings’ defensive playbook and blitz Vick aggressively, as Minnesota did in its 24-14 victory over the Eagles on Dec. 28. "The rush better get there," Winfield warned in a conversation with the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Chip Scoggins. “If it doesn't, you're vulnerable in the back end." Facing Vick, defenses are vulnerable just about everywhere. His season of redemption has seen him complete 62.6 percent of his passes while throwing for 3,018 yards and 21 touchdowns against just six interceptions (100.2 rating). He’s also run for 676 yards and nine touchdowns and put together several tour de force performances. The question is, how will Capers focus on him? The Vikings’ approach was to blitz on almost half of Vick’s dropbacks with their preferred blitz being bringing Winfield off the slot in their nickel defense. By Winfield’s count, he blitzed 16 times in that game, and as he told Scoggins a few days later, “I don’t think I blitzed 16 times the whole season." The payoff? Six sacks, plus seven more hits on Vick and near-constant pressure. Winfield finished with nine tackles, two sacks, one tackle for loss and a quarterback hit, and he returned the fumble he forced on one sack 45 yards for a touchdown in the final minute of the first half. Considering the Packers have a much more accomplished blitzer who plays their slot corner spot – seven-time Pro Bowler Charles Woodson – mimicking the Vikings’ approach would be logical. Of course, it’s also a safe bet that Eagles coach Andy Reid has spent the past two weeks devising a counter-move to the weakness exposed by the Vikings. Asked Wednesday if the Packers need to be aggressive against Vick, Woodson harkened back to the team’s 51-45 overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals in last year’s NFC Wild Card playoff game, when Woodson felt Capers was too conservative in his game plan. “(Being aggressive is) very important. We know what we’re going up against,” said Woodson, who blitzed more than a dozen times last Sunday against Chicago’s Jay Cutler and finished with a sack, eight tackles and three pass deflections. “We know that dynamic that Vick is. He’s a very big part of what they’re doing right now. He makes a lot of plays with his feet, but we’ve got to make sure we stay aggressive and make him run if he has to and make sure that we do our job in the back end. But aggressive, that’s the way we like to play."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Solid special teams performance: “Jackson’s a very talented guy. He’s in a class all by himself with the talent he’s got,” the Green Bay Packers quarterback said as his team prepared for Sunday’s NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Eagles in Philadelphia. “Obviously, I’m a little biased because I’m from Cal, but the play he made at the end of the Giants game – which really helped us out, allowed us to be in this position right now – that was incredible and he’s a guy we have to account for. I hope our special teams does this weekend.” Now, the Packers’ challenge is to make sure Jackson doesn’t end their season. While containing Vick has been a primary topic of conversation all week, handling Jackson on punt returns could be almost as dangerous. While Eagles special teams coordinator Bobby April wouldn’t say for certain this week whether Jackson would handle all punt returns, it stands to reason that Philadelphia would want him back there given the stakes. Jackson averaged 11.6 yards on 20 punt returns in the regular season, ranking him seven in the NFL among returners with at least 20 returns. The Packers are expecting to see Jackson throughout, and their hope is to contain him the way they handled Chicago’s dangerous Devin Hester last week. Punter Tim Masthay earned a game ball from coach Mike McCarthy for his work against Hester, whom the Packers held in check last week. Punting eight times, Masthay had averages of 43.5 gross yards, 36.6 net yards and 3.86 seconds of hang time, with four punts inside the 20-yard line and one touchback. His longest punt was a 56-yarder. Hester, meanwhile, had only two returns – a 19-yarder and a 16-yarder – and fair caught the only other punt he touched.
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this clip)
Offense must protect and score/score/score: The offensive line needs a strong performance against the Eagles’ pressure-packed defense. Rodgers generally had that time against the Giants two weeks ago, and he had a monster game with 404 yards and four touchdowns. Rodgers didn’t have that time against the Bears last week, and it led to a shaky performance. The Eagles’ secondary is ripe for the picking. Pro Bowler Asante Samuel is one of the best in the business, with an NFC-high seven interceptions despite missing five full games because of injuries. He’s apparently healthy now after being rested last week. The other cornerback position, however, is a mess. Veteran starter Ellis Hobbs went down at midseason with a neck injury. Dimitri Patterson struggled down the stretch – allowing three touchdown passes in the first half against the Giants in Week 15. He’ll start, with 5-foot-9 Joselio Hanson and rookie Trevard Lindley joining the fray when the Packers trot out three and four receivers. If Rodgers has time, the Packers should like their chances of scoring plenty of points.“Obviously, we have some favorable matchups that we think we have but at the same time, when you’re dealing with a team in the playoffs, they’ve seen us from Week 1, we’ve seen them Week 1,” said receiver Greg Jennings, who caught five passes for 82 yards and a touchdown in that game. “You really can’t have a huge gauge off what took place that early in the season. They’ve had some injuries in their secondary. It’s our job to expose them.”
01/07/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi presentsEagles scouting report.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Behind enemy lines Eagles scouting report: Rushing Offense--The Eagles have one of the best run games in the NFL statistically. His running inflate their rushing statistics and the threat of his bootlegs keeps defenses honest and creates running room for halfback McCoy. McCoy is elusive, good in space and finished No. 14 in the league in rushing though he’s a poor blocker in blitz pickup. The Eagles mediocre-at-best offensive line. Passing Offense--The Eagles are 8-3 with Vick as their starter. The offense took off when he replaced Kolb. Vick is a more refined passer. He finished the regular season with the NFL’s fourth-best passer rating (100.2 points), a career-best plus-15 differential in touchdown passes to interceptions (21 to 6) and will be the NFC starter in the Pro Bowl. He has one of the NFL’s strongest throwing arms and his accuracy has improved dramatically. He has excellent speed at both outside receivers with Jackson and Maclin. Tight end Celek isn’t overly fast or athletic but gets open, even downfield, and usually catches well. The Eagles need Vick’s scrambling talent because their offensive line struggles picking up blitzes and stunts. Rushing Defense--Second-year coordinator McDermott runs the 4-3 scheme. but isn’t as exotic or aggressive with his safeties and cornerbacks on blitzes. In McDermott’s defense, he lacks game-changing talent on his side of the ball. Passing Defense--The Eagles rank No. 14 in yards allowed per game and per pass, but their ability to take the ball away has saved them. Their 23 interceptions ranks second in the league behind only New England’s 25. Cornerback Asante Samuel, who’s headed for the Pro Bowl, is a quality cover man. Dimitri Patterson and Joselio Hanson are liabilities at the other starter and nickel corner for a secondary that’s allowed 30 touchdown passes. The best rusher is defensive end Cole who is a big and athletic end. He has 10 sacks this season. No one else on the roster has more than four sacks. Special Teams--The Eagles have one of the game’s most respected special-teams coaches in Bobby April, a premier kicker in David Akers, and the league’s scariest punt returner this side of Devin Hester in Jackson. He’s averaging 11.6 yards on his 20 returns this season. He has four punt-return touchdowns in three NFL seasons. Akers, the NFL’s all-decade kicker of the 2000s, still has a strong legand has made 84.2 percent of his field goal attempts.
01/06/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi profiles unsung hero OLB Walden.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
OLB Walden: Outside linebacker Erik Walden picked up two unexpected things Wednesday: The NFC Defensive Player of the Week award, and another sack from his already impressive performance against the Chicago Bears last Sunday. Now, he’s looking to pick up where he left off last Sunday – 16 tackles, three sacks – and play a key role in the Packers’ NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. "He did it all,” veteran cornerback Charles Woodson said of Walden’s performance against the Bears. “I think he impressed a lot of people around here. When you play at that high of a level, now we expect you to do it all the time. So we look for big things from him coming into these playoffs.” “It’s just nice to have someone in there to make some plays and take a little heat off me,” Matthews said. “I told him he’s doing a fantastic job. He’s been working his butt off since he got here. It’s not easy to come in here halfway through the year. Now he’s starting for a playoff team and making sacks, making plays. More power to him.” “That’s the objective. You have to take your hat off to a guy like Vick, because you never know where he might wind up,” Walden said. “He may roll out to his left on one play, and then he scrambles and breaks out to his right on the next play. It’s going to be a difficult task, but I know we’re going to be prepared to play.”
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Secret's out on Packers' Walden: Erik Walden won't be able to sneak up on the Philadelphia Eagles. Not after the free-agent linebacker's coming-out party in the regular-season finale, in which he racked up 16 tackles and sacked Jay Cutler three times in the Green Bay Packers' 10-3 victory over the Chicago Bears. The Eagles undoubtedly have isolated Walden in film study as they prepare to play host to the Packers in an NFC wild-card playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. "I won't be a secret this week," Walden said with a smile. "I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to make sure I prepare myself to the max and do whatever I can do to help us win." The 25-year-old Walden, a third-year pro from Middle Tennessee State, was named NFC defensive player on the week Wednesday, a stunning achievement considering the Packers signed him off the street Oct. 27. Initially credited with 11 tackles and two sacks against the Bears, the numbers were bumped up to 16 and three after film review. The 16 tackles tied the Packers' single-game high this season. Walden was trying to get used to all the extra attention this week. “Yeah, just with all the phone calls and the texts,” he said. “That was great. And your family being proud of you. At the same time I’m trying to just keep on pushing. This is just the beginning. That’s how I look at it.”
01/05/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews LB Bishop's extension & ILBs.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Bishop nets 4 years $19 million deal: Continuing a trend under general manager Ted Thompson, the Green Bay Packers added linebacker Desmond Bishop to the nest of young, productive players signed to long-term contracts before they reached free agency. Multiple sources confirmed that the 26-year-old Bishop had agreed to a contract extension with the Packers that would bind him to the club through the 2014 season. The deal was agreed upon within the last week and believed to have been signed Tuesday. Through his Twitter account, Bishop confirmed the agreement and thanked friends for their congratulations on the new deal, saying, "I'm EXCITED! BLESSED! & glad to be staying w/ the #PACKNATION. Means more than $." Bishop, a sixth-round pick out of California in 2007, became a starter in Week 5 after Nick Barnett was lost for the season with a wrist injury. He finished the regular season second on the team with 121 tackles (82 solo) and added three sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown. The deal Bishop signed averages exactly the same $4.75 million as the four-year deal fellow inside linebacker Brandon Chillar signed a little more than a year ago. Including Barnett, whose yearly average is $6.6 million, the Packers have three inside linebackers earning starters money through at least the '12 season. Barnett has two years left on his deal at salaries of $6.05 million in '11 and $6.55 million in '12. Chillar has three years left at $2.6 million in '11, $3.3 million in '12 and $3.6 million in '13. The Packers may not be done at inside linebacker either. Still in question is the status of Hawk, who is having his best year as a pro. Hawk has one year left on his contract at $10 million, but when the two sides negotiated the deal they included that high figure to force a renegotiation or a release of Hawk to the free agent market. If the two sides can't reach a compromise in the off-season, the Packers would probably let him go. They won't pay him $10 million next season. The biggest question if all four do come back is whether to move any of them to outside linebacker. Chillar played some there this year but wasn't good enough against the run. Barnett has the speed to play outside but is better going sideline-to-sideline. Bishop could play the position with enough training, but he's not as fast as the typical right linebacker in a 3-4 defense. The Packers won't have to worry about that until next season.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Bishop sign 4 years $19 million deal: The Green Bay Packers were already facing some tough decisions at inside linebacker during the offseason. On Tuesday, those decisions got even more interesting after the team reportedly signed Desmond Bishop to a four-year, $19 million contract extension. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the deal for Bishop, who registered 112 tackles, three sacks, an interception (which he returned for a touchdown against Minnesota’s Brett Favre on Oct. 24) and two forced fumbles after taking over as the starter alongside A.J. Hawk after Nick Barnett was lost for the season to a wrist injury after four games. The team had not announced the contract extension as of Tuesday afternoon. Now, after signing fellow inside linebacker Brandon Chillar to a four-year, $22 million deal last year, the Packers must figure out what they’ll do with Barnett and Hawk in 2011, when Hawk is due a $10 million guaranteed base salary that will force either his release or an extension, and Barnett is due a $5.5 million base salary to a player that has ended two of the last three seasons on injured reserve. Bishop, 26, certainly received starter’s money in the deal, although it would appear the Packers did get a rising player at a discounted rate because of the uncertainty surrounding the negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement between NFL owners and the NFL Players Association. While the previous CBA called for players with four years of accrued NFL experience like Bishop to become unrestricted free agents, the 2010 uncapped year pushed unrestricted free agency to six years of service. “I’m just trying to focus on keeping being productive and keeping getting better. That’s my mindset. All that other stuff will fall into place,” Bishop said when asked about the possibility of a new deal recently. “I definitely feel good about the way I’ve played. It’d be nice to be undefeated and still do good, but at the same time, individual goals are still important.” Inside linebackers coach Winston Moss said Bishop should be applauded for the way he took advantage of an opportunity he’s been begging for after three years of strong preseasons but limited playing time on defense behind Barnett, Hawk and Chillar. “Desmond’s playing at a high level. His production has been right up there with anything that Nick has done,” Moss said. “I’m very pleased with his progress. He’s doing an outstanding job. I’ll put it to you this way. The thing that I’m most pleased with is Bishop is a highly competitive person. There were situations in the past in training camp and during the offseason that he would just compete at an extremely high level. He always thrived going up against the Finleys, the Jennings, the Drivers in some special situations where he’s had to match up against those guys in coverage. You can just always see the intense competitive spirit that he had. He would always compete against those guys very well. "
01/04/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi previews playoffs picture.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Five of the six NFC teams in playoffs can legitimately claim shot at conference title: One word best describes an NFC playoff race in which the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints got in as a wild-card team and the Seattle Seahawks became the first division champion with a losing record in NFL history: Unpredictable. The Atlanta Falcons clinched the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a 13-3 record and are favored to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6 at Cowboys Stadium. But none of the NFC playoff qualifiers could be characterized as dominant and five of the six teams probably have a legitimate chance to win the NFC title. "Our football team is very confident that we can be successful against any of the other five teams in the playoff race," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Monday. "But this time of year, it would be foolish to even attempt to get in front of yourself. We're fully focused on Philadelphia." The Packers (10-6) are the sixth-seeded team and face the third-seeded Eagles (10-6) at Lincoln Financial Field at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. In the other NFC wild-card game, the West Division champion Seahawks play host to the Saints (11-5) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The Falcons and second-seeded Chicago Bears (11-5) have first-round byes. If the Packers beat the Eagles, they will face Atlanta in the divisional round at 7 p.m. Jan. 15 in the Georgia Dome, where the Falcons are 20-4 under coach Mike Smith and beat the Packers, 20-17, on Nov. 28. But the Falcons aren't invincible at home. On Dec. 27, the Saints beat them, 17-14, at the Georgia Dome. "I don't want to say it's wide open," McCarthy said. "But we feel very confident with our chances." The Packers beat the Eagles in Week 1, 27-20, and split with the Bears, losing the first game, 20-17, on Sept. 27 and winning the rematch, 10-3, at Lambeau Field on Sunday. Green Bay has not faced the Saints or Seahawks this season. "I think we're dangerous," said Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop. "When we're hitting on all cylinders, I don't think anybody can beat us. We can beat anybody if we play Packer football for four quarters. If we put it together I think we can take it all the way."
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers counting on defense to lead way in playoffs: Packers coach Mike McCarthy, with his team about to begin preparations for Sunday’s NFC wild-card playoff game at Philadelphia, coming clean about his belief that the key to making a Super Bowl run is defense. Maybe it’s because he knows that stopping Eagles quarterback Michael Vick will be critical to advancing beyond the first round. Or maybe it’s because he has seen how coordinator Dom Capers’ defense finished the season with a dominating six-sack, two-interception performance in Sunday’s 10-3 victory over the Chicago Bears and has kept the Packers in game after game this season while the offense has been on the inconsistent side. Whatever the reason, McCarthy, the former quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator who as a head coach has the Packers in the playoffs for the third time in the last four years, claimed that his team will need its defense to perform to make a title run.“I think it’s important for your team to be noted for great defense,” McCarthy said. “That’s always been the goal in my tenure here, and I think we definitely have reached that.” The Packers finished the regular season ranked second in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing 15.0 points per game. Only the Pittsburgh Steelers (14.5 ppg) were more stingy. Six times this season, the defense has held an opponent under 10 points, including the Oct. 31 road shutout of the New York Jets. “I think that speaks volumes of the improvement we’ve made from last year to this year,” McCarthy said. “Because I think defenses do win championships. Your offense and your quarterback obviously play a big part in that, and you can carry it over to special teams. You have to have all three phases, but it starts with defense. I’ve always looked at defense as the thermostat. When you have a great defense, they keep you in games week in and week out, and it’s the responsibility of the offense to score more points than the opponent.” The second edition of Capers’ defense appears to be more complete. The pass rush has been strong, led by Matthews (13½ sacks) on the outside and Raji (6½) on the interior. If they get Jenkins (seven sacks) back after missing the last four games because of a calf injury, it should be that much better. But Capers also has found other rushers like fill-in OLB Walden, who had two sacks against the Bears. “If you can learn anything from last year, I think we were the hottest team in the NFL and came out and gave up 51 points or something along those lines,” Matthews said. “That’s not indicative of our defense and of our team. So if we can learn anything, it’s to keep this rolling, we can’t back off. We earned the right to be in (the playoffs). Now it’s about taking it to the next step and winning the first game.”
01/03/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers big win over Bears.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers' backups step up big on defense in victory: LB Erik Walden was unleashed on the unsuspecting Chicago Bears on Sunday. With a playoff berth on the line for the Packers, Walden might have been the best player on the field. He led the Packers with 11 tackles, sacked Bears quarterback Cutler twice and helped limit tight end Olsen to 29 receiving yards in Green Bay's 10-3 victory at Lambeau Field. "He did a fantastic job," said linebacker Matthews. "He played a magnificent game. It's hard for a guy to come in halfway through the season, pick up the defense and make an impact. That's what he's doing." Decimated by injuries and challenged by a revolving door at several positions, the defense somehow got better as the season progressed. Green Bay (10-6) now travels to Philadelphia (10-6) for an NFC wild-card game scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Sunday. "It's a combination of the guys upstairs bringing in good players and just being a team," said linebacker Bishop who also got his chance because of injuries to players ahead of him. "Whoever gets plugged in there, they wear the same 'G' on their helmets as the rest of us. We approach the game as one." CB Woodson added, "That has had to happen with the amount of injuries we've had. Backups and practice squad guys who have been called up, they've had to play and play well in order for us to get into the playoffs." The Packers finished the regular season with the No. 2 scoring defense in the NFL, behind only Pittsburgh. The Steelers allowed 232 points for a 14.5 per-game average; the Packers allowed 240 points for a 15.0 average. "We always feel like it's on us," Bishop said. "Even if the offense scores a lot of points, the only way to win is to stop them from scoring. That's our job, and we take a lot of pride in it."
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers' special teams turn tables on Bears: The Green Bay Packers have been dominated many times by the Chicago Bears' special teams. On Sunday, the Packers did the dominating. "We know we got him this time," Jarrett Bush, the Packers' senior-most core player on special teams, said after the 10-3 victory at Lambeau Field. "We executed and played disciplined." It had to be a tremendous moment for Shawn Slocum, the second-year coordinator of special teams whose units had been regarded as the Packers' weakest link. In fact, the steely Slocum acknowledged it probably was his finest hour in Green Bay. "Because of what this game meant and the way we played," Slocum said. "I thought we played a solid game. With that, it feels good to be in the playoffs." The game turned in the third quarter on a punt return of 41 yards was by Tramon Williams, the Packers' dynamic cornerback who unselfishly has handled the punt returns all season. It set up the tying field goal. Hester wasn't really a factor was due to exceptional punting by Tim Masthay and the inspired coverage. "Absolutely, he's our punter," said Slocum. "He's a good player." Masthay was more than that Sunday. Of his eight punts, four finished inside the 20, and Hester was able to return just two. "Lambeau Field. January. Against the Chicago Bears," said Masthay. "The best punt returner probably in the history of the game. That was a lot of fun. I'll remember this forever."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers 10 Bears 3--Nothing comes easy: It wasn’t easy, but then again, nothing has been for the Green Bay Packers this season. From their up-and-down play to an avalanche of injuries to some plain ol’ bad luck, in the end, the Packers (10-6) overcame it all and earned the sixth and final spot in the NFC playoffs, setting up next Sunday’s matchup against the NFC East-champion Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Instead, they’re headed to Philadelphia, and they’ll do so with a defense that saved the day while the offense managed just enough plays to win. From wide receiver Donald Driver’s first-quarter fumble, to right tackle Bryan Bulaga’s second-quarter holding penalty to wipe out a 32-yard gain, to wide receiver Greg Jennings’ drop of a potential 50-yard touchdown pass just before halftime, to quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ third-quarter interception, the same offense that put up a season-high 515 yards last week couldn’t get going Sunday. “I don’t know, maybe guys pressed a little bit or were a little uptight. I’m not sure. But we certainly didn’t execute very well,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. “We didn’t have great rhythm, we didn’t have great tempo, we didn’t make a lot of plays. I don’t want to say we were dysfunctional, but we need to play better if we’re going to help this team. It was a little bit of a disjointed kind of day. We never really got in a good feel that we were executing up to our capabilities.” But punter Tim Masthay (eight punts, 43.5-yard gross average, 36.6-yard net average, four punts inside the 20-yard line against dangerous Devin Hester) and the aggressive, blitz-heavy defense kept the Packers in the game throughout.
01/02/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi scouts Packers vs Bears afternoon game.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Preview: Teams: Packers (9-6) vs. Bears (11-4). Time: 3:15 p.m. CST. Place: Lambeau Field, Green Bay. Packers injury report: S Atari Bigby (groin), FB Korey Hall (knee), DE Cullen Jenkins (calf) and LB Frank Zombo (knee) are out. CB Sam Shields (knee), S Nick Collins (ribs), LB Clay Matthews (shin), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle), CB Charles Woodson (toe), LT Chad Clifton (knees), LB Erik Walden (quadriceps), LB Diyral Briggs (ankle) and C Scott Wells (back) are probable. Line: The Packers are favored by 10 points. THE BREAKDOWN: Things to Watch. Something to play for: A game is about survival for the Packers, who will earn the NFC”s No. 6 playoff seed with a victory over their longtime rivals. The NFC North-champion Bears, meanwhile, have secured the No. 2 seed and a first-round playoff bye. The odds are against them leapfrogging New Orleans and Atlanta for the No. 1 seed, so they likely will have nothing to play for. Still, coach Lovie Smith insisted all week that his team would “play to win,” meaning he wouldn’t rest his starters even if Atlanta and New Orleans win, locking the Bears into the No. 2 seed. ESPNChicago.com reported on Friday citing sources that Bears backups were being told to be ready to play. Tampa-2 faced: Brian Urlacher knows the Packers are on to him and the rest of the Bears’ defense. While Lovie Smith’s Tampa-2 version of the Cover-2 defense has been the basis of much of the Bears’ defensive success over the past seven years, they don’t play the scheme as often as fans might think. Part of the chessmatch Sunday will be the Packers’ ability to know when the Bears are in Tampa-2 and when they aren’t. Quarterback Rodgers said the Bears play more single-high safety more than they play Tampa-2, while offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said calling the Bears a Tampa-2 team a “misnomer.” “Aside from that second half of the ‘07 game … they play a lot of other defenses, obviously. They’ve got a lot of other calls,” Philbin explained. Fun with the run: In their past two games, the Packers running backs have gotten 34 and 33 carries, respectively. For a team that has been very much a pass-first operation, that’s quite the commitment to the run. That said, the Packers do need more productivity out of their high number of attempts. Their backs had 131 yards against New England on Dec. 19 and 93 yards against the Giants last week. But the elimination of negative runs has given the coaches more confidence in the ground game, even if the production hasn’t been high enough. That includes more play-action passes, which the Packers used brilliantly against the Giants, with Rodgers completing 11 of 12 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns (158.3 perfect passer rating) on play-action passes last week. “You have two categories in the way you throw the football, and 50 percent of it is action passing game and the other 50 percent is dropback. Now, that doesn’t mean you go out and throw 20 passes and it’s 10-10 each week,” McCarthy explained. “Play-action is very important. But running the football is important. The attempts in the running game in my opinion is the most important.” Flag day: The Packers left their first meeting with the Bears feeling as if they’d given the game away with their penalties – a team single-game record 18 for 152 yards. Since then, though, the Packers have been among the league’s most disciplined teams in the penalty department. After leading the NFL in penalties (341) and penalty yards (3,047) from 2007 through ’09, the Packers enter the rematch tied for fourth in the NFL for fewest penalties with 74, and with third-fewest penalty yards with 587. Rodgers’ neighborhood: Rodgers’ return from a concussion, suffered Dec. 12 in Detroit, was breathtaking against the Giants. Quarterbacks coach Tom Clements thought it was the smartest game Rodgers has played in his career. It’s hard to argue with completing 25 of 37 passes 404 yards (a career regular-season high) with four touchdowns (matching his career best) and no interceptions for a 139.9 passer rating. He is determined to get his team back to the playoffs. He’s yet to win a playoff game – he lost his only one, 51-45, to Arizona last January despite a career performance – and intends to change that next week. But first, he must play well in this de facto playoff game to get his team into the tournament.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH: CHANGING OF THE FRONT: In the Week 3 meeting, the Packers had three sacks, three knockdowns and eight hurries against Jay Cutler. On Sunday, the Bears' offensive line will be different at three positions. "The first time they played, they were running Mike Martz's offense and the Packers got after their quarterback," a personnel man for a Bears opponent said. "Now they've got Mike Tice running the offense and the protections are better and they've got a running game." DYNAMIC THREAT: "There are times when you hit Hester a great punt and he maybe forces the return and struggles a little bit," an opposing special-teams coach said. "He's the most prolific specialist maybe in the history of the NFL and he's red-hot right now." Hester also has been returning kickoffs of late. "You try to move the ball around and they end up getting such good field position," the coach said. "They've got the No. 1 starting field position in the NFL (31.5). A lot of it has to do with the fact nobody wants to kick to this guy. They can dominate field position with those return guys." STEADY AS SHE GOES: "They just sit in that 'Tampa 2,'?" one scout said. "Lovie (Smith) has said his defense was designed to stop offenses like the Packers'. It's one of the top defenses in the league. The defensive line is generating so much pressure. They have (Julius) Peppers and (Israel) Idonije, and now Tommie Harris is back playing at a high level. He disappeared in the first half of the season and now they've got him back starting. He's rested and flying around." FIFTH MEETING: As a Bronco, Cutler was 0-1 against the Packers. As a Bear, he is 1-2. "He's playing within himself more," one scout said. "They're running the ball more. They've been smart how they've used him and he's playing pretty good. He's got a talented arm." BACK END: One reason the Bears' opponents have just a 73.6 passer rating is the ability of Chicago's three cornerbacks to perform adequately. The Bears have gone with LC Tim Jennings, RC Charles Tillman and nickel back D.J. Moore. "They've been OK," one scout said. "They are helped by the front, and they play a lot of Cover 2. Very sound with it."
MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Packers P Tim Masthay vs. Bears PR Devin Hester. Green Bay special teams coordinator Slocum will have to pick his poison after being burned in Chicago’s win in Week 3. He allowed Masthay to kick to Hester in that game, and the league’s all-time touchdowns leader on returns scored on a 62-yard runback. Masthay has been better the second half of the season with hang time and ball placement, so the Packers don’t figure to tempt fate again by sacrificing some field position in having the first-year punter angle his punts out of bounds. Packers LT Chad Clifton and RT Bryan Bulaga vs. Bears RDE Julius Peppers and LDE Israel Idonije. Clifton and Bulaga had winning performances Sunday in holding the NFL’s top sacks tandem of Umenyiora and Tuck to all of one sack in the Packers’ rout of the Giants. Another dynamic duo comes to Lambeau Field with eight sacks apiece for newly anointed Pro Bowl starter Peppers and Idonije who is having a career-best season.
COMMENTARY: For a rare instance, a fluff Packers press reporter said something smart about winning teams, "On paper, the Bears might not look like an outstanding team. In reality, they are. Ground attacks, pass rush, sound schemes, no injuries, great special teams, confidence and veteran leadership have won a lot of games. Under normal circumstances, this game would be a tossup, with a chance to go down as a classic in the ancient rivalry." If the Packers had the same management style, the fans are correct. The NFC Packers would mirror the AFC Patriots' domination, instead of playing for the 6th playoff spot.
01/01/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi--Packers greatness vs Bears still suck!
01/01/11
Legendary senior writer jclombardi profiles ILB Hawk & linebackers status and future.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Consistent Hawk: Consistent. Hawk chuckled at the word, knowing full well its double meaning. It can be taken as a compliment, speaking to how reliable he has been (never having missed a game during his 82-game NFL career, registering more than 120 tackles in four of his five seasons). Or it can be seen as a euphemism, referring to his lack of big plays (8.5 sacks, six interceptions, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries in his career) and, according to most, his failure to live up to his lofty draft status. “It depends who you talk to,” Hawk said. “I think you can take it either way. Someone could say ‘consistent’ is a great thing; someone could say it’s not a good thing. “Consistency in life and in football, I would definitely look at it as a good thing.” Right now, that’s exactly what Hawk, who enters Sunday’s win-and-they’re-in game against the Chicago Bears aware, that it could be his last with the Packers, has. On the field, he has been the every-down linebacker he’d been earlier in his career, due to season-ending injuries to Barnett and Chillar. Hawk has taken over the huddle’s play-calling duties from Barnett. He also remains on the field for all defensive snaps. “He’s playing at a high level. That’s not a surprise,” said inside linebackers coach Moss who hasn’t been afraid to criticize Hawk in the past because of his lack of “impactful” plays. “In response to all of the distractions that could be going on and to really come on and play at a high level with a lot of production, fulfilling all the roles that he has, (being the) signal-caller, embracing all three downs. You couldn’t ask for anything more. I’m very pleased.” OLB Matthews made it clear that he hopes Hawk is back next year. “I think he is very much underappreciated.” Matthews said. “I think he’s done a fantastic job. In the two years I’ve been here, especially with all the injuries we’ve had this year, he’s kind of been the rock on the defense. He makes all the calls, he gets everybody lined up. The middle linebackers, they’re the stalwarts of the defense. For whatever reason, his contributions go unnoticed."
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
LB Hawk steady through ups and downs: Hawk’s plight is nothing new to Packers fans. He put up strong numbers in his first four seasons, but, to borrow a phrase from cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt, Hawk hasn’t had those “splash plays.” Well, not enough to please some. Hawk’s role was reduced when defensive coordinator Dom Capers was hired and brought in the 3-4 scheme. He started inside in the base package, but was replaced in the nickel — which was used 60 percent of the time in 2009 and even more in 2010. In fact, Hawk never took a defensive snap in the season opener at Philadelphia as Brandon Chillar was on the field for nickel alignments. Fifteen games later, Hawk rarely leaves the field and was awarded the defensive game-ball after recording six tackles and an interception in a 45-17 win over the Giants. “A.J. was obviously wanting to play more before,” Capers said. “I’m sure this brought a smile to his face. To me, it’s a great example, if you hang in there through the course of the season, ups and downs, and you keep working, when you have an opportunity, you take advantage of it. “I’ve said all along, I think A.J.’s a good football player." Hawk’s chance to play a more regular role came the same way as seven other starters through injury. The responsibility of making the calls shifted from Barnett to Hawk and he also stayed in on nickel downs. Inside linebackers coach Moss thinks that is when things changed. “Two things happened,” Moss said. “Philadelphia. Not getting an opportunity to not have any kind of production. So, right off the start, it was almost one of those chip on the shoulders. When he got in there and Nick got hurt, and the defense was now his, the signal-caller, I think he took a lot of pride in that. It all kind of came together, this is my defense now. “It’s taken off from there.” Hawk leads the team with 121 tackles and ranks No. 2 with three interceptions. This makes a minimum of 121 tackles in four of five seasons. Coaches and teammates have always raved about his professionalism, but Moss admitted Hawk has increased his productivity.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers' Desmond Bishop, A.J. Hawk shore up inside linebacker play: When the Packers played the Bears in Week 3, their inside linebackers in passing situations were Nick Barnett and Brandon Chillar. When the Packers line up in their nickel package Sunday against the Bears, they will have Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk on the inside. And there probably won’t be a noticeable difference. Of all the injuries the Packers have sustained, they’ve managed to cover up their losses at inside linebacker just fine. In fact, an argument could be made the Packers are better off now than they were before Barnett was lost for the season to a wrist injury in Week 4 and Chillar to a shoulder injury in late November. Hawk played only in the base defense alongside Barnett on obvious running downs to start the season but when Barnett went down, Hawk inherited the duties of being the defensive play caller, which means he would be on the field for all three downs. He’s been as solid as ever and has even made a few more big plays than in the past. Bishop moved into a starting role after Barnett got hurt and has been decent in coverage, which was Chillar’s specialty, but has become an even bigger playmaker.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers will have to pay to maintain depth at inside linebacker: Not many NFL teams could have lost Nick Barnett for the season after four games and Brandon Chillar to injured reserve after 11 games, and, basically, been no worse off. That’s one argument for holding onto depth rather than trading it. But that depth will take a hit this offseason because of costs. Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk in effect will be free agents — Bishop literally so, assuming the next collective bargaining agreement returns the eligibility minimum for free agency to four years. Hawk is scheduled to make $10 million in 2011, but that obviously isn’t going to happen, so he’ll either reach agreement on a new deal or know he’ll be cut and free to sign with any team. Barnett, 29, is scheduled to make $6.05 million in salary and bonus in 2011, and Chillar, 28, will make $2.6 million. Bishop and Hawk likely will cost in the $4 million range. There’s no way the Packers will pay four inside linebackers starters’ money. At least one will have to go. Chillar is the closest to a lock because he’s the cheapest and the best in pass coverage, a specialized skill that’s valuable to a team that plays nickel a majority of its defensive snaps. After that, any two of three could be back, depending on costs. Barnett is the most dynamic and accomplished player in the group, but he’s played a lot of NFL football as an every-down linebacker (113 games, playoffs included) with an abandon that has to have taken a toll on his 6-feet-2 and 236-pound frame, which is on the small side for his position. At his salary and age, it’s no guarantee he’s back. It’s all about bang for the buck, and the costs for Bishop and Hawk will be a factor there. Hawk never became the playmaker the Packers projected when they drafted him but he’s shown more redeeming qualities this year. He hasn’t missed a game in his five years and in the second half of this season has played his most sound football. If the Packers offered him $3 million to $4 million a year, would he take it or think he could do better on the open market? Regardless, Bishop has been the better player of the two. Since becoming a starter in Week 5, he’s been the team’s leading tackler (74 tackles to Hawk’s 63) and for most of that time has played in the base and nickel defenses. After three long years waiting for his chance, Bishop has proven he’s a starting-caliber NFL player, a guy you can win with, a productive starter for a defense that ranks No. 2 in the NFL in scoring and No. 9 in yards allowed. The Packers want him back, but at what cost? Regardless, it’s hard to see the Packers paying Bishop at the level they paid Barnett. Barnett’s contract, signed in April 2007, paid him $11.5 million in the first year and averages $6 million a season. At the time he signed, he was one of the Packers’ best defensive players and at age 25 had just finished his fifth NFL season, all as a starter. But to get Bishop to forego his likely free agency, the Packers surely will have to pay him at least what they gave Chillar, if not more. In December 2009, Chillar signed a new five-year contract that averages from $3.8 million to $4.2 million a year. If the Packers pony up for Bishop, as their interest late this season suggests they’re inclined to do, then it’s down to Barnett or Hawk. There’s also the chance they’d go without either, draft an inside linebacker and go from there. But as this season showed, depth makes a difference. So the smart money says keep three to help weather any storms.
COMMENTARY: Beyond the fluff Packers press, this is a touch decision because these four quality veteran linebackers are needed in the Packers 3-4 defense. We don't see any of them going elsewhere. We see LB Barnett moving to OLB to complement OLB Matthews. Who may argue with that?
12/31/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi previews Packers vs Bears game.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Bears Scouting report: Rushing offense:OC Martz has curbed his pass-first play and has a 54-to-46 pass-to-run ratio. The Bears are tied for No. 24 in rushing yards. Yet, RB Forte finds a way to make a couple plays most games with a nice combination of power and burst. He’s a complete back who ranks No. 12 in the NFL in yards from scrimmage and No. 14 in rushing. Forte plays behind an offensive line that plays much better than its pedestrian personnel. Passing offense: The Bears have the NFL’s 30th-ranked offense, so they’re obviously not putting up big numbers, but they’ve been much better since Martz adjusted his pass game early in the season from the deeper drops. Martz went to more quicker-read play calls and Cutler’s been sacked only 19 times in the nine games since. In the last five games, the Bears have averaged 28 points. They’ve won the NFC North Division and seven of their last eight games. His passer rating of 90.6 points ranks No. 13 in the NFL. Cutler can stretch defenses with two deep threats, Johnny Knox and Devin Hester. Knox has great straight-line speed and the ability to make big plays. Hester is a premier playmaker with the ball in his hands and has become a competent receiver to go with his game-changing abilities as a return man. Tight end Greg Olsen still is an excellent receiver. Rushing defense: The Bears are one of the hardest teams to run the ball on in the league. Their excellent front seven features playmakers on the defensive line and at linebacker for the NFL’s third-ranked rush defense. Passing defense: Chicago still plays coach Lovie Smith’s Tampa-2 defense, though on early downs the Bears are just as likely to bring up a safety to play the run. They rank No. 17 in passing yards allowed and No. 20 in sacks percentage, so they’re not shutting teams down. But that’s part of the signature of the Tampa-2 scheme. They’re going to make teams execute over and over to get the ball in the end zone. Though their secondary isn’t overly talented, it can make plays on the ball. Special teams: The Bears win this battle every week because they have perhaps the best return man ever in Hester. Punter Maynard at age 36 has lost the pop in his leg, but he places the ball well. K Gould is an accurate, dependable cold-weather kicker.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers defense seeks more pressure: If the Green Bay Packers can get by the Chicago Bears Sunday, they may be able to return to the pass rushing force they were in the first half of the season. Their fearsome twosome of linebacker Clay Matthews (12 sacks) and Cullen Jenkins (seven sacks) would have a chance to reunite and become a terrifying triangle featuring emerging second-year nose tackle B.J. Raji (6.5 sacks). There's even a chance it could become a fearless foursome if linebacker Frank Zombo (four sacks) picks up where he left off before suffering a knee injury. "We definitely have our hands full," linebacker Desmond Bishop said of facing the Bears. "We just have to do what we normally do, and that's play Packer defense." Of late, the Packers defense has consisted of staying back in coverage the majority of the time, using well-timed blitzes to add pressure and relying on the likes of Matthews and Raji to provide the pass rush. From a personnel standpoint, Jenkins (calf) looks doubtful for Sunday and Zombo (knee) is questionable. The Packers will probably have to wait at least a week before they are at full strength. The emergence of Raji and the improving healthy of Matthews have kept their sack game existent (10 in the last four games). It's not the 10 they had in two games before facing the Bears Sept. 27 or the 21 they had after five games, but the arrow appears to be moving upward. They still rank tied for fifth in the NFL with 41.
Commentary: For the playoffs, the Packers must beat the Bears in the final home game. Fate and destiny have smiled on the Pack. It's payback time!
12/29/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reports QB Rodgers is a nominated FedEX Air Player of week.
Quarterback Rodgers of the Packers is a finalist for the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week honors for games played on December 23-28. Rogers completed 25 of 37 passes for 404 yards and four touchdowns in the Packers’ 45 -17 win over the New York Giants. Fans can vote for their great quarterback on NFL.com/FedEx from 9 a.m. EST on Tuesday through noon EST on Friday to determine the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week. The winners will be announced Friday evening on NFL.com. As part of the program, FedEx continues its support of Safe Kids USA by making weekly $2,000 donations in each of the winning players’ names. The funding, allocated to local Safe Kids coalitions in that team’s city, is used for pedestrian safety improvements throughout the year.
12/28/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi announces Packers have 5 players going to NFL Pro Bowl.
The five Packers on the NFL NFC Pro Bowl team are wide receiver Greg Jennings, offensive lineman Chad Clifton, safety Nick Collins, cornerback Charles Woodson and linebacker Clay Matthews.
12/28/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi grades Packers win over Giants.
GAME BALLS: NT Raji; LB Bishop; WR Nelson; FB Kuhn; QB Rodgers.
INJURY REPORT: S Bigby (groin).
Report Card Grades--Good, Bad, & Ugly (JC vs. SE):
PASSING OFFENSE: A vs A. Rodgers threw for 404 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 139.9 passer rating, returning from a concussion to lead the Pack past the Giants 45-17. Rodgers completed passes to nine different targets and challenged the Giants downfield. With good protection and scrambling against a strong pass rush, Rodgers connected seven passes for longer than 20 yards. Though the Giants sacked Rodgers twice, they generally didn’t get much pressure. When they did, Rodgers escaped the pocket and either completed a pass or ran for a first down. WR Jennings had 7 catches for 142 yards. WR Nelson had 4 catches for 124 yards and 1 touchdown.
RUSHING OFFENSE: C+ VS C+. The Packers rushed for 118 yards averaging a poor 2.8 yards. Yet, they kept the Giants defense honest running often enough and well enough to open up play- action pass plays with these running plays and tough yards. The Giants have a swarming defense. And what the Packers essentially did was use their strength against them. They got the Giants defenders running to the ball and then threw over the top of them. It also slowed down the Giants defensive ends on the pass rush. And the Packers accomplished that by the number of times they ran. The ball-carrying committee of RBs Jackson and Nance and FB Kuhn combined for 93 yards in 33 carries. Although FB Kuhn had only 29 total yards, Kuhn scored three touchdowns on an 8-yard run, a 5-yard pass from Rodgers and a 1-yard plunge.
PASSING DEFENSE: B- vs C. The defense gave up two big touchdown pass plays on two freak plays. Manning (17-for-33, 301 yards) did have his good moments and capitalized on one-on-one coverage breakdowns by cornerback Charles Woodson and Williams for touchdown throws of 36 and 85 yards to Nicks and Manningham, respectively. The Nicks touchdown was the plays in culmination of three consecutive which Woodson slipped, committed an illegal-contact penalty and slipped again. Yet, the defense got 6 big takeaways including 2 fumbles. With a decent pass rush against QB Manning, the Packers got good pressure forcing 4 crucial interceptions. Manning completed only 17 of 33 passes for 301 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs, and 63.6 passer rating. The Packers scored 24 points from turnovers. After CB Williams’ interception set up the Packers’ second touchdown, fumbles forced by CB Woodson and LB Matthews and interceptions by CB Shields, S Collins and LB Hawk turned the game into a rout.
RUSHING DEFENSE: A- vs A-. The Packers held the Giants to 21 carries for only 90 yards. The two momentum changing takeaway fumbles were caused by CB Woodson and by OLB Matthews.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B- vs B-. The Giants averaged only 18.6-yard on kickoffs and only 4.3 on punts. Punter Masthay did okay with five punts averaging 39 yards including a 54 yard one. The return combination of Shields on kickoffs (15.0 average) and Williams on punts (3.5 average) looked very average.
COACHING: A vs A. For the game, the Packers were 5 for 6 in the red zone. The Packers had season highs in total yards (515), points (45), and defensive takeaways (six). A second straight week of well-balanced play-calling between the pass and run enabled Rodgers to thrive with play-action and by going deep as the Packers piled up a season-high 515 yards and held the football for more than 37 minutes. The combination of never trailing and controlling the line of scrimmage when the Giants did run allowed defensive coordinator Capers to have his ball-hawking charges zero in on Manning and generate a season-high six takeaways.
12/27/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers win over Giants 45-17.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Rodgers awes Giants: He froze safeties with play-action fakes, beat blitzes with audibles, extended plays with his feet, threw the ball with pinpoint accuracy and even remembered to slide at the end of a scramble. Aaron Rodgers was a video game come to life Sunday, pushing all the right buttons in the Green Bay Packers' 45-17 dismantling of the New York Giants at Lambeau Field. In the biggest regular-season game of his career, Rodgers completed 25 of 37 passes (67.6%) for 404 yards, four touchdowns and a 139.9 rating. "I think the numbers speak for themselves," said Packers guard Daryn Colledge. "It's hard to critique a guy like that." Given good protection from his offensive line and enough production from the run game to make play-action effective, Rodgers shredded the NFL's second-ranked passing defense. He completed passes of 80 and 38 yards to Nelson; 36, 26 and 24 yards to Jennings; 33 yards to Driver, and 21 yards to Crabtree. He spread the love to nine receivers, and Jennings (142) and Nelson (124) both topped 100 yards. "He is a great quarterback all around," said safety Deon Grant. "He can run. He has a great arm, and he has one of the fastest releases you can get, so he wasn't allowing our defensive line to get there. He has a great coaching staff, and he has weapons."
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers defense tough, determined: Fans would have been happy with a victory, but Green Bay's defense decided to make a statement, too. The New York Giants have been in a charitable mood anyway, giving away too many turnovers in recent games. But Green Bay pounced on the Giants and ended up stealing six takeaways Sunday in a 45-17 victory from the fading, flailing Giants. Green Bay collected four interceptions and two fumble recoveries. That was a season high. It was no coincidence that the defense was the group introduced at Lambeau Field before the kickoff against the Giants. "We all knew (what) the magnitude of a loss in the game would have been," said defensive tackle B.J. Raji. "We knew that we needed to win. We needed to look good from a confidence standpoint and to propel us to next week." Green Bay first concentrated on running backs Ahmad Bradshaw (31 rushing yards) and Jacobs (47). "That was our plan. We know that Bradshaw was a great back, and we didn't want Brandon Jacobs to run downhill in to our secondary," said Raji. "He's a tough guy for anyone to bring down, much less a corner or safety." Green Bay's run defense, led by Raji, Ryan Pickett and Howard Green filling in for Cullen Jenkins, kept the tandem out of the end zone. "Our main goal was to stop the run and make Eli throw, and we worked it to perfection," said Matthews. "With our defense, there's really not a whole lot of places to run."
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers dole out lesson in physical education: The finesse football team wearing green and gold uniforms that got manhandled by these same New York Giants three years ago on the same field was nowhere to be found Sunday. In its place, the Green Bay Packers fielded a rugged, no-nonsense outfit that was physically superior in a 45-17 demolition of the Giants at Lambeau Field. Center Scott Wells, one of 11 starters from the club that fell to the Giants in that NFC Championship Game, gathered up the team at one point during pregame warm-ups and spoke his peace. "Scott Wells set the tempo," coach Mike McCarthy said. "They were sick and tired hearing about how physical the Giants were all week. They took it personally." With a bow to the showdown against Chicago a week hence, McCarthy told the press corps to "make sure you do it this week, because it worked. They came out and played big today." Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sacked twice, but just one was protection-related. Rodgers saved himself a few times by scrambling, but overall the protection was excellent against a pass rush ranked third in the National Football League. Offensive coordinator Joe Philbin recalled that the protection for Brett Favre in the 23-20 overtime defeat three years ago was equally effective. The difference in this game, according to Philbin, was the Packers' ability to do something on the ground.
12/26/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi previews Packers vs Giants game, keys, and game plan.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Preview: Teams: Packers vs. "CHTV NYers" Giants. Time: 3:15 p.m. Sunday CST. Place: Holy Lambeau Field, Green Bay. TV coverage: FOX and Packers nation vs NY media. Injury report: DE Cullen Jenkins (calf) and G Marshall Newhouse (back) have been ruled out. OLB Frank Zombo (knee) is doubtful. LB Diyral Briggs (ankle), S Nick Collins (ribs) and OLB Erik Walden (quadriceps) are questionable. C Scott Wells (back), OLB Clay Matthews (shin), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle), QB Aaron Rodgers (concussion), LT Chad Clifton (knees), CB Pat Lee (ankle) and CB Charles Woodson (toe) are probable. THINGS TO WATCH: Close encounters: Packers make the playoffs if they win their last two games against the Giants and Chicago. Since McCarthy took over as coach in 2006, the Packers are an NFL-worst 5-16 (.238 winning percentage) in games (including postseason) decided by four points or fewer. Over the past five seasons, McCarthy has coached in 26 games that were decided by six points or fewer. In those games, the Packers are 9-17. Over the last three seasons, the Packers are 4-15 in such games including 2-6 this year. “You practice it all of the time. Actually our quarterbacks, we spend an extraordinary amount of time on two-minute drills and no-huddle drills,” McCarthy said when asked to explain all the close losses. “Now, the last two weeks we haven’t been able to finish them as far as finish the (final) drives. Our standard of play is high. We just have to get it higher to win these types of games.” Ripe for picking: Manning enters the game with an NFL-high 20 interceptions. Last week against New England, the Packers had a chance for three interceptions. With Manning likely to give them more opportunities, the Packers must capitalize. The Packers enter the game with a plus-5 turnover differential, tied for seventh. Asked about his dropped INT against the Patriots, Woodson was still beating himself up for it, since he might have been able to take it back for a touchdown up the sideline. Running roughshod: The Packers had the best run defense in the NFL last year, but this year the unit is tied for 19th in the 32-team league. That’s a good sign for the Giants’ two-headed backfield monster of Bradshaw and Jacobs who’ve rushed for a combined 1,909 yards this season. "A 1-2 punch,” Packers cornerback Tramon Williams said. “ We’re going to have to come in and stop the run. That’s always the first option.” It’ll be especially important against the Giants who come in with the No. 5 ground game in the league. Welcome back: The Packers couldn’t be more excited about having star quarterback Rodgers back under center. The NFL’s fourth-highest rated passer, Rodgers had been playing at a Brady-esque level before being knocked out by the Lions. For Rodgers to be productive, though, the offensive line will have to afford him quality protection, which won’t be easy against a Giants team that ranks second in the NFL in sacks with 42. PREDICTION--After last Sunday night’s loss to the Patriots, coach Mike McCarthy’s message to the team was simple: The playoffs start now. While they’d rather have clinched a postseason berth already, the Packers couldn’t ask for a better scenario given the disappointing way they’ve played in their six losses and the avalanche of injuries they’ve endured. They get two NFC playoff contenders at home the final two weeks of the season, with the knowledge that if they win, they’re in. The first step is beating the Giants, no easy task even at Lambeau Field. The guess here is that the Packers’ get their first unofficial playoff victory, but it’s only a guess. Packers 27, Giants 24.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Keys to the game: An NFL head coach typically wears many hats — game manager, teacher, disciplinarian, and psychologist. For the Packers, it comes down to gambling like there's no tomorrow. That includes rolling the dice on the health of twice-concussed QB Rodgers. Game plan: The stakes are high for this one in the penultimate week of the regular season. The Giants would be in the playoffs with a win, and the Packers would have to wait till 2011. Green Bay needs to win Sunday and also the following week against the Bears to sew up a wild-card berth. Consequently, it's Aaron Rodgers back at quarterback for the Packers, after he missed a game because of his second head injury in two months. The onus is on Green Bay's inconsistent offensive line to keep the blitz-happy Giants from getting to Rodgers and testing whether he can withstand any more hits. The quick, short passing game that worked well for Flynn as Rodgers' replacement in the narrow loss to New England would be the way to go to neutralize the New York pressure. Coach/play caller McCarthy was uncharacteristically committed to running the football against the Patriots, and the Packers found success. Doing so against the Giants' top-10 run defense may be a different story. Green Bay's defense will be out to try to stifle New York's fifth-rated rushing attack. Look for defensive coordinator Dom Capers to roll the dice with run blitzes and other exotic ploys to crash the line and force the Giants into throwing mode. Although Manning has been sacked just 15 times, tied with brother Peyton of Indianapolis for fewest in the NFL, he has thrown a league-high 20 interceptions.
12/25/10
Senior writer jclombardi wishes happy holidays!
HAPPY HOLIDAY! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
12/25/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reports FB Kuhn, NT Raji, RT Bulaga & QB Flynn news.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Kuhn becomes roles player: "Mr. Versatility," Bennett said before offering several reasons why he believes Kuhn has earned that label during his fourth season with the Packers. "When it's time to jump in there and play fullback, he'll go in and block. You talk about a guy that's capable of doing anything from a blocking standpoint, running the football as well as receiving it out of the backfield. But also a guy that you can trust more than anything. "You've got a guy you can put in any situation and he'll respond." Packers coach Mike McCarthy called last week's 31-27 loss to the New England Patriots the best game of Kuhn's career. He carried the ball six times for 21 yards and set career highs with three receptions for 27 yards, including a touchdown. Kuhn has 74 carries for 259 yards and 12 receptions for 83 yards. Three times during the game, the 6-foot, 250-pound Kuhn hurdled New England players en route to gaining a first down. He also made nifty moves to elude defenders on a six-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter and a nine-yard reception in the red zone on the final play of the third quarter. Until this season, Kuhn was seen as a short-yardage back with a conversion rate of 85.7 percent (6 of 7) on third-and-1 plays that's tied for 10th in the NFL. But both Bennett and Philbin raved about Kuhn's instincts as a runner in the open field. Bennett used the word "passion" to describe Kuhn's running.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
NT Raji Pro Bowler?: Raji’s disappointing rookie year spawned a second season that could have him on the brink of cracking into the NFL’s elite. A NFL scout who has watched extensive tape of the Green Bay Packers said recently that Raji’s improvement has rivaled that of tight end Jermichael Finley. And that was before perhaps the best individual performance of Raji’s young pro career last Sunday at New England, when he had six tackles (five solos and one for a loss), a career-best two sacks, two hits and a pressure. That showing, which came on the NBC Sunday night prime-time game, was the final image Pro Bowl voters would have in their minds when they filled out their ballots this week. Here’s Raji’s case for the Pro Bowl: He leads all NFL nose tackles with 5½ sacks and leads all Packers’ defensive linemen with 58 tackles. The Pro Bowl is also about name recognition, and Raji entered the league as a known commodity and was the ninth overall pick in the draft even though he was somewhat of a disappointment as a rookie. Having a full offseason and training camp has helped Raji immensely.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Rookie RT Bulaga tackles mistakes: At 21, Bryan Bulaga is the youngest player on the Green Bay Packers' roster. He only has 10 professional starts under his belt. All are valid excuses, it would seem, for the mistakes Bulaga made on the critical final series of last week's 31-27 loss to the New England Patriots. But none of them are being used to exonerate the rookie right tackle. "You're a rookie for X amount of time," Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "But now it's Week (16) of an NFL season and we've got to get guys to step up and perform better." Packers offensive line coach James Campen was asked Thursday if Bulaga, a first-round pick, is given any leeway because he's a rookie. "Zero," Campen said. "Whoever's out there playing gets zero leeway. It doesn't matter if you're a rookie or not, you have to do your job and mental errors are inexcusable." If you think Bulaga's coaches are tough on him, you should hear him analyze what happened in the final minute-plus Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
QB Flynn returns to reality: Life has returned to normal this week for Matt Flynn. As the backup quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, he'll get very few reps in practice. And when the team takes the field for Sunday's home game against the New York Giants, Flynn will put on his headset and try to aid starter Aaron Rodgers in any way he can. Flynn is perfectly content in that role, even though it's a much less exciting one than he had last week as he prepared to make his first career start in place of Rodgers, who was sidelined with a concussion. "It's not anti-climactic," Flynn said. "It's the job. It's the backup quarterback's job. I was very fortunate and very happy about last week and being able to play. This week, we've got Aaron back. We're in a must-win situation so it's good to have him back. I'm going to prepare just like I did last week and be ready to go if anything happens."
12/24/10
Senior writer jclombardi previews Packers vs Giants game.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Sunday afternoon showdown: Mike McCarthy announced on the flight home from New England that the playoffs were starting before the team’s charter touched down. The message: Sunday’s game between the Green Bay Packers (8-6) and the New York Giants (9-5) at Lambeau Field is a de facto playoff game. The Packers can ensure a postseason invitation by beating the Giants and then beating the NFC North division champion Chicago Bears (10-4) on Jan. 2. To that end McCarthy wanted to send clear message to the team. After McCarthy acknowledged to his players after Sunday night’s loss to the New England Patriots that winning their final two games was almost certainly their only way into the playoffs. “Our playoffs started when we got on the plane to come home Sunday,” McCarthy said Wednesday. “That’s the way we’re approaching our preparation, that’s the way we’re approaching this game. It’s going to be a playoff-type atmosphere here at home.” That message got through loud and clear to his team, as player after player echoed that sentiment in the locker room following McCarthy’s press conference. “There’s no room for error,” cornerback Tramon Williams said. “Basically, the playoffs start now for us. Either we win or we go home – the next two weeks. It’s like six-week playoffs for us. If we win these two games, then we’re really considered it the playoffs, but it’s just like the playoffs now.” While disappointed with their record, the Packers realize they got some much-needed help last weekend and are thankful to be in contention after a rash of injuries and six losses by four points or fewer. “We control our own destiny. We have everything in front of us. That's all you can ask for at this point of the season,” said quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Commentary: What is at stake? For NFL 2010 season, the Packers self-respect, pride, and everything with the playoff starting now. The Packers lost 3 of 4 last games, play at home, and face the Giants with memories of January, 2008 NFC Championship game. It's time to even the score and move on. They have an opportunity to show the Packers nation, the NFL, and prime time television audience outside of laughable biased NY media that they are a legitimate contender. Story Line---Toughness test. In January, 2008 NFC championship game, the Giants imposed their will against the Packers. They were more physical and dominated the lines in the winter conditions in Lambeau. The Giants are essentially the same team. The Packers need to show that they are tougher than that day. For the Packers playing at home knowing you can determine your destiny, how can they lose knowing the stakes!
12/22/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews QB Rodgers return for Giants game.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Rodgers cleared to practice again: The Green Bay Packers medical staff has cleared quarterback Aaron Rodgers to return to the practice field, and possibly to play Sunday against the New York Giants, after he sat out for a week with a concussion, according to a report. ESPNWisconsin.com said a text message from Rodgers on Tuesday revealed the news. "I've been cleared," Rodgers is quoted as texting. Then the website said he added, after a pause, "It's not that big of a story. Is it?" It is for the 8-6 Packers fighting to get in to the playoffs. Rodgers missed his first start after 46 straight (including a playoff game) on Sunday against New England.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Rodgers back in the game: QB Rodgers says he'll be back in the lineup for the Green Bay Packers' must-win game Sunday against the New York Giants at Lambeau Field. Rodgers, who missed last week's 31-27 loss at New England with a concussion, let his status be known Tuesday in a text message to espnmilwaukee.com. "I'm baaaaaaacckkkk," it read. That means Rodgers has been cleared to play by both Dr. John Gray, the Packers' team physician, and an independent neurologist. Rodgers was hoping to get that clearance last week after suffering his second concussion in a span of 64 days during a 7-3 loss Dec. 12 at Detroit. Rodgers, whose consecutive starts streak of 46 games counting the postseason was snapped, was replaced in the lineup by Matt Flynn. The third-year backup completed 24 of 37 passes for 251 yards with three touchdowns and an interception against the Patriots in his first career start. The Packers (8-6) trail the Giants (9-5) for the second and final playoff berth in the race for an NFC wild card bid. However, victories in its final two games — the Chicago Bears visit Lambeau Field in the regular-season finale on Jan. 2 — would send Green Bay to the postseason for the second consecutive season.
12/21/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi grades Packers loss to Patriots.
GAME BALLS: NT Raji; LB Bishop; WR Jones; FB Kuhn; RB Jackson; QB Flynn.
INJURY REPORT: S Collins (ribs).
Report Card Grades--Good, Bad, & Ugly (JC vs. SE):
PASSING OFFENSE: B vs B-. QB Flynn threw for 251 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 100.2 passer rating showing an impressive performance against the Patriots. His touchdown passes to WR Jennings and WR Jones were great throws. WR Jones had 5 receptions for 95 yards. The backfield quartet of Kuhn (three for 27), Dimitri Nance (two for 16), Quinn Johnson (two for 15) and Brandon Jackson (one for 3) combined for eight catches for 61 yards, one more reception than the combined total of top wide receivers Jennings and Driver. Inexperienced Flynn had two costly turnovers including a critical interception for a touchdown and a critical fumble leading to the loss.
RUSHING OFFENSE: B VS B. The Packers rushed for 143 yards. RB Jackson looked solid getting 22 carries for 99 yards averaging 4.5 yards. FB Kuhn had an outstanding game avoiding tackles and making the big plays to get the necessary yardage. He had 6 carries for 21 yards and 3 catches for 27 yards and one touchdown. While the bruising Kuhn converted two third downs in short yardage in the early going, he failed to plow his way across the goal line on two straight runs after the Packers had first-and-goal at the 2 to start the fourth quarter.
PASSING DEFENSE: B- vs C. The Packers defense held QB Brady to 163 yards and 2 touchdowns getting 3 sacks. The tight end combo of Hernandez (four catches for 31 yards) and Rob Gronkowski (one for 25) did the most damage on a night when mostly Woodson and Tramon Williams kept wideouts Wes Welker (three for 42) and Deion Branch (two for 33) in check, respectively. LB Bishop was solid getting seven tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. NT Raji played solid too getting four tackles and two sacks. The Packers defense held the Patriots to 4 for 10 on 3rd downs.
RUSHING DEFENSE: D- vs D. The Patriots rushed for 113 yards averaging a huge 7.1 yards. RB Green-Ellis made the Packers pay for Woodson's big drop two plays earlier with a 33-yard touchdown. That was the extent of Green-Ellis' production, though, as he managed only 38 yards in six carries. RB Woodhead frequently hit the hole with little resistance and had nine carries for 59 yards, including explosive runs of 14 and 13 yards. TE Hernandez ripped off a 16-yard run on an end-around.
SPECIAL TEAMS: D+ vs C-. On special teams, the initial successful onside kick was a clever surprise to set the early tempos of the game. A Crosby’s squib kick backfired allowing Patriots offensive lineman Connolly to rumble a record 71 yards for the longest kickoff return down to Green Bay’s 4-yard line setting the Patriots up for their second touchdown. K Crosby went 2 for 2 in field goals. P Masthay had a good and bad punting performance, averaging 41.3 gross yards and 38.5 net yards with two punts inside the 20. KR Shields has a solid game with 128 return yards.
COACHING: B- vs B. McCarthy’s game plan for Flynn was both necessary and inspired. The Packers attempted a season-high 38 running plays, and their 143 yards was their second-highest total of the season. And while Flynn threw 37 passes, only eight of them traveled 10 or more yards in the air. That’s a quantitative way of explaining that the Packers wanted to control the ball with the run and the short passing game. The Packers largely succeeded outgaining the Patriots 369-249. Yet, the game came down to the untimely mistakes and the failure to make the big plays to score in the red zone going only 2 for 5. Finally, what ultimately cost the Packers the game was another special-teams gaffe by Shawn Slocum's coverage unit and faulty clock management by McCarthy in trying to direct an inexperienced Flynn to the game-winning touchdown in the culminating 4-minute drive.
OVERALL: B. The Packers lost their sixth close game of the season by four points or fewer. Coach McCarthy’s career record in such games is now 5-16 including an 0-7 mark during the team’s 6-10 swoon in 2008 and 2-6 this season. The Packers had a dominant performance owning a 2-to-1 advantage in time of possession (40:56 to 19:04) and nearly a 2-to-1 advantage in first downs (26-14).
12/20/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights headlines about close loss to Patriots.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Despite Packers' loss, Flynn played like a winner: Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn can look himself in the mirror and have nothing to be ashamed about. Making his first NFL start for the injured Aaron Rodgers (concussion), Flynn played well, threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns and had the Packers poised for a huge upset over the Patriots. With the game on the line and time running out, however, Flynn wasted precious seconds getting the Packers lined up on the Patriots' 15-yard line, then was sacked and fumbled on the final play of the game. And so the Patriots held on to win, 31-27, extending several impressive streaks: six consecutive victories. "He pushed the envelope a little bit too much a couple times tonight," said Packers coach Mike McCarthy. "He did a lot of tremendous things tonight. He gave us a chance to win. "It's definitely something Matt Flynn can grow from. There's a decision or two he wishes he had back. For his first start on a big stage, he did a number of positive things." Flynn completed 24 of 37 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. He threw the one interception and was sacked five times. He finished with a rating of 100.2 and was not outplayed by Brady (163 yards, two touchdowns). Overall, Flynn performed admirably against perhaps the best team in the NFL and in one of the toughest stadiums to win. "I'm speechless," said Packers receiver James Jones. "He came in and took control of this team. He played flawlessly, besides the turnover, which was my fault. He came in and stepped up. He's a great quarterback and he's got a bright future in this game."
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Clock runs out on Packers, who absorb another close loss: Chalk up another close loss for the Green Bay Packers. Like their previous five defeats, the Packers will walk away knowing the result would have been different if not for one or two plays. This time, it was a long kickoff return by an offensive lineman - yes, an offensive lineman - and an interception return for a touchdown that ultimately doomed the Packers. Tom Brady's 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez with 7 minutes, 14 seconds left in the game helped the New England Patriots rally for a 31-27 victory over the Packers at Gillette Stadium. The Packers (8-6) are now 2-6 in games decided by four points or less this season. Their six losses this season have been by a combined 20 points. Afterward, the fact his team, a 14½-point underdog, had given the Patriots (12-2) everything they could handle was of little consolation to Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy. "You're supposed to be in every game," said McCarthy, who is now 5-16 in his career in games decided by four points or less. "I don't think I'd feel better if we lost by 21 points. We compete every week in this league. Every time we line up, we expect to win, period, and we didn't get it done tonight."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
No moral victories: So what did matter to the Packers (8-6), if it didn’t qualify as a moral victory to nearly knock off the Patriots (12-2) with Matt Flynn under center in a place where his counterpart, Tom Brady, has been downright invincible? The fact that they had just lost their sixth game of the season by four points or fewer, dropping coach Mike McCarthy’s career record in such games to 5-16, including an 0-7 mark during the team’s 6-10 swoon in 2008 and 2-6 this season. “We didn’t get it done, once again,” veteran cornerback Charles Woodson lamented. “We’ve got to win a close game. And we haven’t done that – we haven’t shown that we can do that yet. “We’ve got to win a close one. The games, they never get any easier. We’ve got to win a close game.” And while this one might have been against an upper-echelon opponent – as opposed to last week’s loss to Detroit (3-10) or earlier losses to Washington (5-9) and Miami (7-7) – that was of little consolation. “You're supposed to be in every game. I don't think I'd feel better if we lost by 21 points,” said McCarthy, whose record in close games is significantly worse than that of his predecessor Mike Sherman (14-12) and iconic coaches Mike Holmgren (13-14) and Vince Lombardi (19-14-4). “We compete every week in this league. Every time we line up, we expect to win, period. And we didn't get it done tonight. “I don't care what you guys think. We came here to win. We're nobody's underdog. We're 8-6. We need to get ready for the Giants and we need to get our ninth win.” Regardless of Sunday night’s loss, the Packers will still make the playoffs if they can just hold serve at home the next two Sundays against NFC playoff contenders the New York Giants (9-5) and the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears (9-4). With the Packers’ loss, the Bears can clinch the division title with a win over the Vikings (5-8) at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Monday night.
COMMENTARY: ESPN Dilfer assessed the late season Packers. He praised the Packers as one of the better teams in the NFC. Dilfer contends the Packers’ offensive line is the team’s weak link. “Ultimately for the Packers it seems one thing constantly fails them at the ends of games,” Dilfer said. “And that’s their offensive line. They did a pretty good job against the New England Patriots. But you saw the big sack on the last drive, a pass protection breakup on the right side. If you go back, all these close games on offense, when they stall, whether it’s Aaron (Rodgers) or Matt Flynn, that offensive line has to sustain game-winning drives in those must-win situations. They definitely need to fix their offense line.” However, Dilfer sees Green Bay ending its regular season on an upswing. “I’ve learned a lot about the Packers this year,” Dilfer said. “(Sunday night) doesn’t really change my perception. I think they are better than they were last year. Their record at 8-6 is a little bit of an underachievement. But I like this team and I think they will bounce back. I think they will win these next two games.”
12/19/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews Packers playoffs chances.
Sometimes, it is better to be lucky that real inepit shown in the Lions game. Today was a good day for the Packers. The Buccaneers and Giants lost leaving the Packers in a better playoffs position. If they lose tonight at the Patriots, they can still clinch at least a wild-card playoff berth, but they must win the last two games of the season against the Giants and the Bears at home in Lambeau Field. While the Packers could lose out on the NFC North Division title if they lose to the Patriots and the Bears defeat the Vikings on Monday night, they can still make the playoffs.
12/19/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi gives 2010 Christmas wishes.
PLAYERS:
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers: A better dating class of women and a healthy clear head for 2011, not necessarily in that order. Lol.
The Injured Reserve players, especially LB Barnett, RB Grant & TE Finley: A productive 2011 NFL season with Pro Bowl performances, before talking about a Super Bowl appearance.
Wide Receivers, including WR Jennings: "West Coast Offense" playbook by "Payton Manning".
Offensive Line: "Ironwill" legendary coach Vince Lombardi statues.
OLB Clay Matthews: A 2011 NFL season with a NFC championship ring and maybe a Super Bowl ring.
LB Desmond Bishop: Contract extension.
DE Cullen Jenkins: Contract extension.
Defensive Coordinator Capers: Contract extension.
DB Charles Woodson: Chuckie returns to Pro Bowl performance.
MANAGEMENT
President Mark Murphy: Collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Player’s Association with no work stoppage.
GM Ted Thompson: FINALLY, the offseason moves to get the Packers over the top, the NFC Championship and a Super Bowl title.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy: An European vacation, a new game book, a new offensive coordinator, and a new special teams coordinator.
PACKERS NATION:
Packers fans: Happy holidays and new year. Super bowl ring.
12/19/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi previews Packers vs Patriots.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Preview:Teams: Packers (8-5) vs. Patriots (11-2). Time: 7:20 p.m. Sunday, Wisconsin time. Place: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass. The TV coverage: NBC. Injury report: DE Cullen Jenkins (calf) is out. QB Aaron Rodgers (concussion) and LB Frank Zombo (knee) are doubtful. S Anthony Smith (ankle), LB Diryal Briggs (ankle) and CB Pat Lee (ankle) are questionable. LG Daryn Colledge (knee), LB Clay Matthews (shin), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle), CB Charles Woodson (toe, ankle), S Atari Bigby (hamstring), LT Chad Clifton (knees), RG Josh Sitton (knee), LB Desmond Bishop (hamstring) and FB Korey Hall (knee) are probable. The line: The Patriots are favored by 14 points. FIVE THINGS TO WATCH--No Flynn-ching: Starter Aaron Rodgers was ruled out Saturday morning after Rodgers did not advance through the NFL’s designated post-concussion protocol. That means Flynn will be the first backup to start for the Packers since Brett Favre took over for an injured Don Majkowski against the Pittsburgh Steelers 18 years ago. Flynn will face the challenging task of leading the Packers to victory against the NFL’s current Super Bowl favorite. Epic challenge: The Packers defense’s Achilles’ heel last season, when they ranked No. 2 overall in total defense, was their inability to contain elite quarterbacks. This season, while the Packers rank No. 1 in scoring defense, they’ve yet to face a truly elite quarterback. Certainly, nothing comes close to comparing to what they’ll face in the Patriots’ Brady. “It’s the biggest challenge we’ve had,” Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers confessed. Linebackers lament: While there are certainly more dangerous jobs in the world than playing outside linebacker for the Packers, it’s definitely been a difficult year at the position. With right outside linebacker Frank Zombo not expected to play after suffering a knee injury at Detroit, the Packers are down to Erik Walden. Playing for pride: The losing grades were across the board, given to each member of the Packers’ offensive line in the wake of an abominable performance during last Sunday’s loss in Detroit. It marked the first time all season that that’s happened. If the players have anything to say about it, it won’t happen again. And unlike last season, when the group had a number of poor collective performances, Campen believes the unit will rebound against the Patriots. Getting his kicks: Packers punter Tim Masthay had what special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum called an “outstanding” day last Sunday in the cozy, climate-controlled confines of Ford Field, but he’ll face a much greater challenge in the final three weeks, with Sunday night’s game at Gillette Stadium followed by back-to-back home games at wintry Lambeau Field to close out the regular season.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Preview: DUAL TROUBLE: The Patriots haven't had a Pro Bowl TE since Ben Coates in 1998. In 2010, they drafted Rob Gronkowski and Rob Hernandez. Suddenly, a position of glaring weakness has become a position of overwhelming strength. PLAYING BRADY: "Brady's a guy where if you just run standard coverages, then he'll just kill you," Jets coach Ryan said. "We're going to pressure him, mix our coverages, change our blitzes. Sometimes we're going to go all-out blitz, sometimes simulated pressure, sometimes three-man rush, sometimes four-man rush. That's how you play Brady. There are a lot of good quarterbacks, but for my money Brady and Peyton Manning are the two best guys." Dating to November 2006, Brady is 26-0 in home games he has started in the regular season and 3-1 in home playoff games. CAPABLE REPLACEMENTS: The Patriots are getting tremendous mileage from early-down RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, a rookie they signed as a free agent in May 2008, and third-down match-up problem RB Woodhead. ADMIRATION SOCIETY: Ryan and former Minnesota coach Brad Childress discussed their respect for Patriots coach Bill Belichick before games this season. "There are very few coaches that I steal from and Bill Belichick's one of them," Ryan said Dec. 2. "He's so creative. What he does coverage-wise, putting traps out there. That guy's an amazing coach. The best coach in football. It's not even close. SOLID GROUP: The Patriots' offensive line has seasoned starters. "You can tell there's great communication," one scout said. "They play smart within the scheme. Help each other. Rarely out of position. Brady may have a lot to do with that in terms of calls. There's not necessarily an outstanding Pro Bowler in the unit, but they're very well-coached."
12/18/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi--QB Flynn is starting Sunday against Patriots.
The Packers cited the failure to meet medical requirements to pull QB Aaron Rodgers from starting on Sunday against the New England Patriots. Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn will start the game.
Also, they signed QB Graham Harrell to the active roster off the practice squad. Finally, the Packers placed safety Anthony Smith on injured reserve.
12/18/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
'Door is open' for Packers' Rodgers to play--Earlier this week Mike McCarthy said he would decide Saturday if Aaron Rodgers would play. Now it might be a game-time decision--McCarthy says he is making progress from concussion: Aaron Rodgers is listed as doubtful on the Green Bay Packers' official injury report. But Rodgers' playfulness Friday afternoon and one statement by his coach could be viewed as encouraging signs for Packer Nation. Rodgers left last week's game against Detroit with his second concussion of the season and didn't practice at all this week. But Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers is "progressing" and he could wait to make a decision on his playing status until shortly before Green Bay meets New England on Sunday night. Rodgers attended a portion of team meetings before leaving for tests with team physician Gray. Rodgers was at practice as an observer. "But with the late start Sunday, we can leave the door open for that." McCarthy also said if Rodgers plays, he would wear a different helmet that offered greater protection. The Packers continued to prepare as if backup Matt Flynn would be the starter. Flynn took virtually all of the reps with the No. 1 offense for the third straight day and at least publicly has the full backing of his teammates. "He's ready for it," running back Brandon Jackson said of Flynn. "This whole team knows what Matt can do. We have a lot of confidence in him."
Commentary: In sports Greek black theater, the nauseating fluff Packers press went through five endless days into the transition from an abominable loss to lowly "retrograde 50s haircut" coached Lions, to the endless stories about Rodgers’ concussion, to the "full confidence" in backup QB Flynn’s probable start, and then back to "the door is open" about doubtful QB Rodger's play against the high-scoring and winning playoff-bound Patriots (perfect example of where the Packers should be under top management and coaching). We guess that Packers management would like to get game experience for QB Flynn before the miserable season and playoff hopes disappear (played out to the end of season) with “key injuries” headlines excuse. Fan can review “Packers Carry On Despite Injuries“. The question is, "How embarrassing will it be on Sunday night?" Either way, it will not matter. Meanwhile, the Packer nation and fans can get ready for their “super bowl” game against the Bears? Predictably, they won't reach that nauseating fluff press hype for another two weeks. Amusing!
12/16/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi previews QB Flynn show at Patriots.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Flynn likely to start with Rodger's concussion: Matt Flynn is used to dealing with a lot of reporters on Wednesday afternoons. It was a bit different this week because he was actually talking to them. Flynn's cubicle is next to Aaron Rodgers' in the Green Bay Packers' locker room and Rodgers typically addresses the media on Wednesdays. Sometimes Flynn, rendered all but invisible, has to wait for the interview to break up in order to get to his locker. All eyes are on Flynn, the third-year quarterback from Louisiana State who could get his first NFL start Sunday night against Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Rodgers suffered his second concussion of the season late in the first half of the Packers' 7-3 loss at Detroit and was not at practice Wednesday. Coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers would not practice Thursday and that there was a "slim to none" chance he'd practice Friday. Rodgers, who has started 45 consecutive games, won't even be allowed to attend meetings or participate in film study until cleared by doctors. A decision on his status won't be made until Saturday, but the odds of him playing don't appear to be good. Flynn got all the practice reps in team drills Wednesday and will go through an intense week of preparation. "I feel good about it," he said. "It was a good day at practice today and I'm excited. I'm just going to go through the week like I'm definitely going to be playing. "Hopefully, Aaron can get back, but I'm just going to go in there like I'm going to be playing and prepare like it."
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
'The Matt Flynn show': Green Bay Packers backup quarterback likely to start Sunday against powerhouse Patriots: Rodgers is coming off his second concussion of the season last Sunday and likely won’t be cleared to practice at all this week, so his chances of playing Sunday at New England appear remote. That means third-year pro Matt Flynn probably will be the first Packers backup quarterback to start a game since Brett Favre took over the job from injured Don Majkowski against Pittsburgh on Sept. 27, 1992. Rodgers is well behind in his recovery compared to his previous concussion at Washington. The week following that injury, he went through the NFL’s concussion protocol and was cleared for a cardiovascular workout Wednesday, then cleared to practice Thursday, and when he exhibited no symptoms Friday was cleared for the game against Miami. This week, McCarthy said Rodgers’ chances for practicing by Friday are “slim to none,” which means Friday is the earliest he’s likely to be cleared for the cardio workout. McCarthy left open the possibility of Rodgers being cleared to play Saturday, and if the injury wasn’t a concussion, it wouldn’t be extraordinary for Rodgers to miss the full week of practice and still play in the game. However, the precarious nature of head injuries especially of multiple head injuries in a season and the heightened awareness of concussion recovery mandated by the NFL this year, make it appear unlikely he would play if he couldn’t practice all week.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Patriots scouting report--QB Brady on MVP pace while defense slowly improves: Rushing offense: The Patriots have the NFL’s top-scoring offense, but they run the ball mainly to keep defenses honest. Quarterbacks coach O’Brien’s play calling has produced a pass-run ratio of 56-to-44. Second-year pro BenJarvus Green-Ellis (4.3 yards per carry, 786 yards rushing) is the primary back and more physical than his size (5-11, 215) might suggest. Little Woodhead has been a godsend since Kevin Faulk’s season-ending knee injury. He’s been a good change-of-pace, scat-back type runner who also shows some punch near the goal line. Passing offense: Tom Brady is the game’s best player and at the peak of his powers. As he cruises to the second NFL most-valuable player award of his career it’s difficult to overstate how well he’s playing. He has the intelligence and leadership of Bart Starr and arm talent to match most quarterbacks in the league. He’s won 26 straight games at home, which is an NFL record for a starting quarterback in the regular season. He’s now gone eight straight games and 268 straight passes without an interception. Brady’s passer rating of 109.9 points leads the NFL, as does his 29 touchdown passes. Remarkably, they haven’t missed WR Moss, in part because WR Branch has added a much-needed threat to go with slot receiver Wes Welker in what’s become something of a tight end-centric offense. Welker is a pass-catching machine running his mostly short routes with exceptional quickness and change-of-direction. His 80 receptions ties for third-most in the league. But instead of playing off Moss, Welker now plays off rookie tight ends Hernandez and Gronkowski. Rushing defense: The Patriots are by no means a top defensive team and rank No. 17 in points allowed and No. 27 in yards allowed, though they have a good defensive line and have played the run OK (No. 14 in rushing yards allowed, No. 16 in yards allowed per carry) in Belichick’s 3-4 scheme. Nose tackle Wilfork is their best defensive player and key to stopping the run, along with space-eating defensive end Ty Warren. Passing defense: This is a vulnerability in part because Belichick went unusually young in the starting secondary with one rookie (McCourty) and two second-year players (Arrington and safety Chung). That Patriots’ ranking in pass defense, no. 31 in passing yards allowed, No. 26 in yards allowed per attempt, belies their 11-2 record in a passing league. It helps that they’re the top-scoring team in the league, but they’re also playing a little better than early in the year, and their young secondary has made up for its shortcomings by being ball hawks. New England’s 20 interceptions are second-most in the NFL. The Patriots don’t have any standout pass rushers and get their pressure more with scheme than talent. Special teams: The Patriots are solid all around on special teams. Tate is a pure speedster who’s taken back two kickoff returns for touchdowns this season and ranks No. 8 in the league with a 26.3-yard average. Julian Edelman is a small (6-0, 198), quick punt returner who lacks long speed, though his 14.1-yard average would be No. 3 in the league if he had enough returns to qualify. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, a fourth-round pick in ’06, has a plenty-strong leg and has made 84.3 percent of field goals. Rookie punter Mesko ranks No. 15 net average.
Commentary: In sports Greek black theater, the fluff Packers press went through three days with the transition from losing to lowly Lions, to Rodgers' concussion, and to backup QB Flynn's probable start against the (where the Packers should have been under proper management and coaching) powerful scoring, winning, and heading to the playoffs Patriots. How badly did Flynn play against the Lions? Packers fans were curious to see how QB Matt Flynn (-2.4) would perform. He ended up with a terrible performance, only completing three of his ten passes beyond 10 yards and missing on some shorter passes as well. He was only under pressure eight times as the Packers started to use more blockers as the game went on, but in those pressures he threw an interception and got sacked twice. We guess that Packers management decided to get game experience for QB Flynn before the miserable season and playoff hopes disappear (played out to the end of season) with “key injuries” headlines excuse. Fan can review “Packers Carry On Despite Injuries“. Are fans ready for their “super bowl” game against the Bears?
12/14/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi grades Packers loss to Lions.
GAME BALLS: CB Williams. S Peprah. LB Hawk. P Masthay.
INJURY REPORT: OLB Zombo (knee). LG Colledge (knee). QB Rodgers (concussion).
Report Card Grades--Good, Bad, & Ugly (JC vs. SE):
PASSING OFFENSE: D- vs D. In the first half, Rodgers struggled having one of his worst games going 7 of 11 for 46 yards, 1 interception, and 34.7 passer rating. In the first half, the two costly turnovers shutdown the west coast offense. Then, Rodgers started to scramble against the intense Lions rush leading to his concussion. Then, in the second half, backup QB Flynn entered the game. He completed only 15-of-26 passes for 177 yards and one big interception in the red zone. QB Flynn failed to make the big plays and made the bad plays. The Lions racked up four sacks and consistently collapsed the sieve-like pocket.
RUSHING OFFENSE: D- VS D-. The Packers struggled rushing against a dominant defensive front line. The uninspired Packers offensive line was simply dominated by the Lions defensive line. On most plays, the Lions defensive line was in the backfield before the play got executed. The pad level the Packers’ line plays with isn’t conducive to running the ball. When you play against guys who are bigger and stronger like the Packers did Sunday, you’ve got to play with better leverage. Wells, Sitton and Bulaga usually play with decent pad level, but even Sitton struggled in this game and the same with Wells. LT Clifton never gets pad level and Daryn Colledge isn’t much better. When Colledge got hurt, the Packers put in Jason Spitz. He got tossed around like a rag doll. Then T.J. Lang came in and he didn’t give them a boost. For example, with their zone scheme, the Packers are combo blocking at the point of attack almost every play. But if the blockers can’t release because of the penetration of the other team’s tackles, they’re not going to be able to pick off linebackers, who make the plays. Thus, the Packers got a poor 66 total yards. The running backs trio of Jackson, Starks, and Nance had 15 carries for a miserable 31 yards.
PASSING DEFENSE: B vs B. After holding the Lions for three quarters, the defense folded in the fourth quarter giving up the big winning touchdown. 3rd string QB Stanton converted two third downs and went 5-for-6 for 49 yards on the winning 80 yards touchdown drive. At one time in the second half, QB Stanton had a QB rating of zero. He finished 10-of-22 for 117 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions, and 39.4 rating. Safety Peprah and CB Williams each had an interception.
RUSHING DEFENSE: D- vs D. The front line looked awful against seven different rushers. They gave up 190 yards. The running backs of Morris and Best had 24 carries, for 89 yards, QB Stanton had 4 carries for 44 yards, and WR Logan had 4 carries for 30 yards. This was the first game since last year where B.J. Raji appeared to be taking plays off. And as good as Matthews is, he isn’t getting it done when they need someone to get a sack or make a big play when the game is on the line. Where was he on the Lions’ scoring drive?
SPECIAL TEAMS: B vs B-. Packers held dangerous Lions returner Logan to a 27.5 average on kickoffs and 9.3 average on punts. Punter Masthay had a great game with 8 punts averaging 50.5 yards gross, 43.4 yards net, and 3 punts inside the 20. In this game, the Packers return game had a better performance.
COACHING: F vs F. In an old story involving another letdown against an inferior team in a big game, the Packers were outcoached, outplayed, and outmuscled in an abominable performance mirroring a B-grade horror movie. The Packer had a season-low 258 total yards against the league’s 21st-ranked defense. The Packers were successful on just two of 12 third-down conversions. The Packers had three big offensive turnovers giving another close game away.
12/13/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers loss to Lions.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Offensively inept Packers fall to Lions: The NFL's toughest defense to score against did its part Sunday to help the Green Bay Packers continue their dominance over the Detroit Lions. All Mike McCarthy's offense had to do was produce an average performance against a statistically poor unit and the Packers would have sneaked out of Ford Field with a victory. Instead, the Packers were shut down by a Lions team that entered the game ranked No. 25 in the league in scoring defense. The resulting loss left McCarthy pointing the finger at himself for the offense's most disappointing performance of a season in which inconsistency has been a major issue. "We played poor on offense today and that starts with me," McCarthy said after his team was held to a season low in points. "We were poor and I'm not very pleased about it." It was a bizarre day for the offense, which was more productive with backup Matt Flynn in the lineup than it was with starter Aaron Rodgers, who was knocked out of the game late in the first half after suffering his second concussion of the season. The Packers (8-5) finished with 258 total yards - their second-lowest total of the season - and converted at an abysmal rate of 17 percent (2-for-12) on third down against the Lions, who were allowing 25.5 points per game. Rodgers and Flynn were sacked a combined four times, leading to 31 yards worth of losses. But the most disappointing statistic for Green Bay was its three turnovers. That's two more than the Packers had in the past five games combined.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Backup QB Flynn struggles leading offense--moves team but not into end zone: Flynn, who completed 15 of 26 passes for 177 yards with an interception, said he could tell Rodgers was "woozy" after he got up from the scramble, but he said by the time he got to the sideline he was talking and acting normally. The backup entered with the game scoreless and the Packers struggling mightily on offense already. On his first series, with the Packers starting at their own 41 late in the quarter, he directed a three and out that included a 7-yard sack. In the second half, he started to warm up a little bit, hitting tight end Andrew Quarless on a bootleg play for a 20-yard gain to the Packers 48 on the first play. He completed two more passes for 11 and 7 yards, but he failed twice from the 24-yard line to get the Packers any further and settled for a field goal. "I thought he did a good job," McCarthy said of Flynn. "He managed the game very well. He was in some tough spots." Flynn's day went downhill after the field goal. Even though he marched the Packers on drives of 43, 81 and 60 yards in the second half, he couldn't get them in the end zone. Mostly, he was undone by mistakes you wouldn't expect from a starter. Among the bad mistakes Flynn made was an interception thrown right into the hands of linebacker DeAndre Levy, who was 2 yards deep in the end zone in the third quarter. It was a ball he never should have thrown because receiver Donald Driver wasn't open. "I didn't see him," Flynn said of Levy. Among the other mistakes was a third-down running play in which Flynn went the opposite direction of the rest of the team. He said he thought everyone had heard an audible he had made at the line. On the Packers' final series, which started at their own 9 with 3:58 to go, Flynn did just enough to get the Packers in scoring position and just enough to keep them from scoring. On a second-and-11 play from the 8, he gave Driver a hand signal to change his route, but it came so close to the snap count that Driver didn't see it. Flynn threw deep down the middle, but Driver had turned right instead of left. Flynn dug himself out of that hole with five straight completions for a total of 60 yards, getting the Packers down to the Detroit 32 with 1:29 left. After running back Brandon Jackson came up a yard short on second and 2, McCarthy called a play-action pass on third and 1 that had a big gain written all over it. Driver took his route across the field at around the 20 and had a block ahead of him from receiver Jordy Nelson, but Flynn sailed the ball over his head. Given the determination with which Driver scored last week against San Francisco, he would have made it interesting. Finally, on fourth and 1, McCarthy gambled and went for a pass. Jennings ran a slant-and-go pattern and had a step on the defender, but Flynn's ball wasn't accurate, and Jennings couldn't catch up to it. It was a ball you'd expect Rodgers to throw on the money.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Two big turnovers too costly: Two huge first-half turnovers added up to one very bad day for the Green Bay offense. It was so bad Sunday in the 7-3 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field that the up-and-down offense, plagued by injuries all season, seemed doomed even before quarterback Aaron Rodgers was forced to leave late in the first half with a concussion. That you could sense right from the start. On the Packers' first drive of the game, Rodgers found tight end Andrew Quarless for a 12-yard gain on second and 3 near midfield for what appeared to be a big gain for the offense. But Quarless was hit by Lions linebacker Landon Johnson, lost the ball and it was recovered by cornerback Brandon McDonald. The most damaging turnover occurred late in the first quarter. On second and 3 from his 27-yard line, Rodgers sprinted to his right and threw a long strike to receiver Greg Jennings, who had beaten rookie cornerback Amari Spievey in single coverage. Had Jennings held on to the ball, he likely would've scored. Instead, he bobbled it right into the hands of Spievey. "I've to make plays when the ball is in the air," Jennings said. "I've been making plays, and that's what we do. But we didn't do it today, and I let the team down with that big drop. It was a momentum changer." Jennings, who had bounced back from a slow start early in the season to become one of the Packers' top playmakers, had no other explanation for the play that turned the game. "I dropped it, I dropped it, I dropped it," he said. "Disappointing. Very, very disappointing." Fellow wide receiver Donald Driver reflected on the effect the two early turnovers had on the Packers. "We started off fine," Driver said. "Then we got a turnover, and boom. Then we got another, and it seemed like everything went downhill.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
A real pain: Suddenly, what had the potential to be a December to remember has now been thrown into disarray after the Rodgers-less Packers fell to the hapless Lions, 7-3. “It’s almost unbelievable,” nose tackle B.J. Raji said. “It being December football – and we know the importance of playing well in December – for us to come out and have a performance like this, it’s just hard to believe.” Believe it. “It’s obviously disappointing whenever you lose. You play this game to win – and to get yourself in position to make a Super Bowl run. Obviously we took a step back today,” outside linebacker Clay Matthews said. “You hoped that we were past this by now, and if we can take away anything, hopefully it’s a real wake-up call, especially coming into these last three games.” “Our guys played resiliently today. That’s something that we haven’t done the whole season. There’s been some fourth quarters that we’ve let one bad play turn into another. In this game, we found a way to make it.” The good news for the Packers was that the Patriots, next week’s opponent in Foxborough, Mass., throttled the NFC North-leading Bears to allow the Packers to stay within a game of the Bears with three to play. The Packers and Bears will face each other at Lambeau Field in the Jan. 2 regular-season finale, but where the Packers are at by then is anyone’s guess. And if they play the way they did Sunday, even before Rodgers’ concussion, it might not matter. “I didn't like the way we started. They were playing faster than we were and there was no reason behind it,” said Packers coach Mike McCarthy, whose offense didn’t manage its first first down until 9:25 remained in the first half. “I didn't see any signs of this during the week of preparation. I thought the week of preparation was a good week. It wasn't a great week, but I thought they were definitely dialed in. “I made a point of this type of game last night in the team meeting. That's what's frustrating to me, to come over here and the importance of a division game and to start the game the way we did. We need to quit having these types of lessons."
12/12/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi previews Packers keys and game plan against Lions.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Lions: Time: High noon. Place: Ford Field, Detroit. TV coverage: FOX. The rankings: The Packers’ ninth-ranked offense is No. 23 in rushing and No. 6 in passing. Their 10th-ranked defense is No. 18 against the run and No. 6 against the pass. The Lions’ 15th-ranked offense is No. 28 in rushing and No. 8 in passing. Their 21st-ranked defense is No. 25 against the run and No. 16 against the pass. The injury report: Packers – FB Korey Hall (knee), DE Cullen Jenkins (calf) and CB Pat Lee (ankle) are out. S Anthony Smith (ankle) and S Atari Bigby (hamstring) are questionable. LT Chad Clifton (knees, concussion), S Nick Collins (shoulder), LB Clay Matthews (ankle), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle), CB Charles Woodson (toe, ankle), WR Donald Driver (hand), WR Brett Swain (knee) and WR Jordy Nelson (ankle) are probable. THE BREAKDOWN: FIVE THINGS TO WATCH--Close, but no cigar: While the Lions’ record is undeniable at 2-10, it belies the improvement the team has shown. "There’s some similarities between us and Green Bay when it comes to that. Green Bay has four losses this year and all have been by three points. So, they’re a really good team that is right on the fringe of being the best team in the league if they can find their way over those,” Schwartz said [laughable]. Game-changer: The last time the teams met in Green Bay, the Lions might have pulled off the upset if not for Charles Woodson. Unstoppable: Greg Jennings’ season started slowly, but the Packers star receiver has taken off of late playing at a level that no one in the NFL can match right now. All that said, Jennings, a Michigan native and Western Michigan alum, had perhaps his worst game of the season against the Lions on Oct. 3, catching only two passes for 25 yards and 17-yard touchdown while being the intended receiver on a pair of Aaron Rodgers interceptions. Since then, especially since tight end Jermichael Finley was lost for the season, Jennings has been the go-to guy. Starks contrast: The fans who clamored for rookie running back James Starks while the Packers ground game fizzled got their wish last week with 73-yard effort that certainly energized the fan base. Now, Starks will have another week to prove he’s the real deal. Quarterback quandary: Drew Stanton will become his fourth quarterback to start against them, following Daunte Culpepper, Stafford and Shaun Hill. Stafford and Hill have been ruled out. While Stanton played solidly against Chicago last week, and star wide receiver Calvin Johnson is always dangerous, the drop-off is precipitous.THE PREDICTION--The Lions’ record is misleading, and they have played well at home, so a shocker can’t be entirely ruled out. But with what the Packers have in front of them and what they hope to still accomplish this season after their injury epidemic, it’s hard to envision them tanking instead of taking care of business. Packers 31, Lions 13.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Keys to the game: The Packers have won 10 straight against Detroit, a team QB Aaron Rodgers has a 105.3 passer rating against in five career meetings. Rookie RB James Starks (18 carries for 73 yards) had the best debut by a Packers rookie back since 1960 last week and will be part of the backfield mix. Detroit must get a big effort out of DLs Suh and Avril to protect a fractured secondary. The Lions want QB Stanton to make quick decisions with OLB Matthews having a favorable matchup. And RB Best appears to be regaining his big-play burst. Game plan--This alleged trap (spoilers) game against a Detroit team with a 2-10 record comes right before the Packers finish the regular season with a potentially grueling trifecta against the Patriots, Giants and Bears. If the Packers are going to make the playoffs, and perhaps overtake the Bears for the NFC North title, they can't slip up Sunday. Thanks to zero interceptions for Aaron Rodgers the last five-plus games, the Packers are clicking on offense. Rodgers should be able to pass the football with ease against a patchwork defense that has issues in the secondary. The key will be for the interior linemen to neutralize Lions DT Ndamukong Suh. As Green Bay tries to build off the momentum from its last game with a running dimension that came to life thanks to a productive pro debut by James Starks, taking the football right up the gut at the penetrating Suh has worked for other teams to counter his speed. Defensively, the Packers will see a different quarterback, Drew Stanton than last game when Shaun Hill's big passing day nearly carried the Lions to an upset victory. Stanton isn't as dangerous throwing the football as Hill is, especially downfield, but Green Bay will be expecting a heavy diet of passes since Detroit can't run the football. Keeping big-play WR Johnson, productive TE Pettigrew and shifty rookie running back Best in check on Stanton's short to intermediate throws is the focal point. The wild card for the Lions is the diminutive Stefan Logan, who, at 5-foot-6 has played big on kickoff and punt returns. Look for the Packers to kick the football away from Logan as much as possible.
12/11/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights setting sun on legendary Favre watch.
Clipped from: sportsillustrated.cnn.com (share this clip)
A Long, Painful Farewell: Brett Favre has never known how to let go, and as his concerned family watches, he's paying the price in a final season of brutal hits, ugly picks and unseemly scandal. If you must witness an avalanche, do it from a distance. As Brett Favre's career plunges downhill, close family members are waiting in Mississippi, calling him, texting him and watching him lose, waiting for this season to finally, mercifully end. His brother Scott drove from his home in Mississippi to the opener in nearby New Orleans, but that was it. His sister, Brandi, says, "Every other year I wanted him to come back and play. This season can't end quick enough for me. He's averaging a bad injury a game." Anyway, even if they flew up to Minnesota for a game, they wouldn't be able to console (or celebrate with) Brett afterward. He is so wiped out that he usually just heads home, eats a quick dinner and goes up to his room. Deanna Favre lives with Brett near the team's training facility in Eden Prairie along with their younger daughter, Breleigh and still goes to every Vikings home game, but this has not been a fun autumn for her. For years Deanna has enjoyed having a famous husband. Now her marriage is being scrutinized and ridiculed. Less than three years ago Favre was one of the most beloved athletes in America. In the fall of 2007 he broke Dan Marino's record for touchdown passes and John Elway's mark for wins by a quarterback, and, at age 38, extended his own record for consecutive starts by a quarterback to 253. Favre took the Packers to within one game of the Super Bowl that season, losing to the Giants in overtime at Lambeau Field. Then he either forced his way out of Green Bay or was forced out, the first rumblings of the avalanche. "I hate that it ended the way it did," Bonita says. "It was such a wonderful experience, those years in Green Bay. It's just the way it ended ... and he should have stayed retired then. But we can't go back." These people have loved Brett Favre the longest and know him best. The Favres learned long ago that they can't talk Brett into or out of anything. And if he regrets these last three seasons—a 9--7 finish with the Jets in 2008; an '09 run with Minnesota that ended with an interception in the NFC Championship Game; this year's debacle—he has kept it to himself. He has not even told his family. Favre has said this is his last season. "I'm done, I'm done," he told reporters. This time almost everybody believes him. He is, in every way, limping to the finish. Favre's friends and family can't imagine him putting on a coat and tie and goofing around on some TV network every week. He hates traveling, and those studios are usually in big cities. Once he's done, he's done: back to Mississippi for good. Then what? The obsessive mind does not choose to obsess, and it cannot stop obsessing on demand. Brett is three years younger than Scott but looks 10 years older, and Scott has a simple explanation: "He really doesn't seem to enjoy life like he probably should." Nobody thinks Favre will be happy working on his property for the rest of his life. Scott hopes Brett gets serious again about golf. Favre is an avid hunter, and not long ago he brought in deer from Texas for his estate. But he can't bring himself to shoot them. Last spring, Bonita says, Brett found a fawn on his property with no mother in sight, and he kept it in a stall and bottle-fed it—she was a fickle fawn, and she would only take the bottle from him. But Favre still loves to go on hunting trips away from his property, and once in a while he'll shoot a huge buck and give it to somebody. Most of the time, though, he doesn't even fire a shot. It is hard to tell if Brett Favre is hunting or just sitting alone in the woods.
Commentary: Legendary QB Brett Favre will go down in the NFL history books as the one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game. He helped turned the Packers franchise around after almost two decades of losing times. His number four will be retired by the Packers. His name will be put up along side the rest of the Packers legends in Lambeau field. Finally, he will be an instant Hall of Famer. If this weekend remind us of life's intangibles and classic lessons about a flawed Hamlet character, it is to understand the legend and the man.
12/11/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi profiles OLB Matthews.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
OLB Matthews, Performance & Shin Injury: Matthews said he’s not sure when he first injured his shin, but it got bad enough in the week after the Packers victory over the Jets that he hasn’t been able to fully participate in practice since. Coincidentally or not, Matthews recorded an NFL-leading 9.5 sacks through those first eight weeks, but has managed just two sacks since the victory over the Jets. He was shut out in the past two games. Whether it’s the injury itself or the lack of practice time he’s getting, Matthews disputes the notion that he hasn’t been as productive. Against San Francisco, Matthews came close to sacking quarterback Troy Smith twice. On one play, he beat running back Westbrook and had his arms around Smith but the quarterback was able to get the ball to tight end Davis for a 25-yard gain; on the other, he was on the ground and had Smith around the ankles, only to see Smith dump the ball to running back Anthony Dixon for a 4-yard gain. While Matthews has been shut out the last two games, the Packers as a team have registered six sacks: Three by defensive end Cullen Jenkins, two by outside linebacker Frank Zombo and one by nose tackle B.J. Raji. “On those two (near-sacks)....But Jenks got two sacks, Zombo, B.J (got one each). There was pressure all around. We’re getting it done, and if it’s not me, it’s somebody else.” Indeed, DC Capers, outside linebackers coach Greene and Zombo, Matthews’ running-mate on the opposite side, all swore that Matthews’ lack of sacks are the result of attention he’s getting from opponents, not from his injury or lack of practice reps. “Everyone’s talking about Clay’s numbers being down, but he’s taking so much attention,” Zombo said. “That’s why a lot of us other guys are able to make some plays. Clay’s an animal and it’s going to take a few guys to block him.” Greene pointed to Matthews’ back-to-back three-sack game which made him a marked man. “I know he’s getting a lot of attention, and it’s coming from a wide variety of people. It comes with the territory. He just has to be relentless and it’ll come around. The reality is, other guys are seeing the benefits of having a guy like Clay Matthews as a teammate.”
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Are injuries behind Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews reduced sack numbers?: Clay Matthews had 9½ sacks in the first eight games this season, and only two in the last four weeks. Sack production can dip for any number of reasons. Maybe the Green Bay Packers’ outside linebacker is facing more double teams or other game planning to keep him from the quarterback. Maybe tackles have studied film and found better ways to block him. Maybe he’s wearing down, or maybe his shin injury is slowing him. The drop-off in sacks doesn’t mean Matthews hasn’t performed. He has five or more tackles in each of the last four games and returned an interception for a touchdown in one of them. More importantly, the Packers have played some of their best defense of the season. In the last four weeks — against Dallas (No. 10 in points scored), Minnesota (No. 27), Atlanta (No. 6) and San Francisco (No. 30) — the Packers have allowed an average of only 11.5 points. Matthews is their most important defensive player, so he must be making a difference, sacks or not. The issue with his current shin injury doesn’t seem to be on game day.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Matthews plays through pain as shin worsens: Matthews' coaches and personnel people across the National Football League rate his toughness and hustle as superior. He goes non-stop, attacking blockers with a ferocity that seldom has been witnessed from a Packers player. For the first time in weeks, Matthews doesn't lead the NFL in sacks. He has 11½, one-half behind Miami's Wake after registering just one in the last three games. "A lot of people are making a big deal about sacks," said Matthews. "I don't think it's hindered my play at all." Probably a better indicator of Matthews' pass-rushing production is "pressures," which is defined as the combination of sacks, knockdowns and hurries. Through the Jets game, he was averaging 4.07 "pressures" in seven games. In the last four games, he has averaged 2.38. Matthews manned the left outside linebacker position during the walk-through portion of practice Friday. When formal practice started, free agent Walden took his spot. DC Capers has said the missing practice time probably affects Matthews most in the timing of fire-zone pressures. His pass coverage has been solid all season. "I've been able to do some reps, even if you're just going through the motions," Matthews said. "When it comes to that first play on Sunday, I haven't skipped a beat in my preparation. I feel good. I'm just kind of hoping for the best."
12/10/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi profiles WR Jennings.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers receiver Jennings comings out of dark: When the Green Bay Packers spent the off-season tailoring their offense to highlight tight end Jermichael Finley, they didn't think it would leave wide receiver Greg Jennings running routes on a bridge to nowhere. But if you compare Jennings' first five games with his last seven - games in which Finley has not appeared - it's as if he has emerged from a total eclipse. First five games: 14 catches for 183 yards (13.1 average) and three touchdowns. Last seven games: 43 catches for 761 yards (17.7) and eight touchdowns. It just so happens that the start of that seven-game tear - six catches for 133 yards and a touchdown against Miami - coincides with the first game Finley was not in the lineup due to a knee injury. Finley was eventually put on injured reserve and Jennings' numbers immediately skyrocketed. Asked what's been the reason for the sudden increase of catches, Jennings said: "Probably a little bit more eyeballing from the head guy over there, (No.) 12, trying to get the ball to me a little bit more." "I think Mike (McCarthy) had (made it so) Jermichael was not a tight end, he was a receiver and we can use him in a four-receiver set," receiver Donald Driver said. "We didn't have to add another receiver. Now that he's gone, we're able to move to Big Five and Big Four. All our guys stepped up." Other factors have contributed to Jennings' success. Driver's thigh injury limited his output for a four-game stretch, although James Jones and Jordy Nelson picked up a great deal of that slack. Also, Jennings is just red-hot, much like an outside shooter in basketball. "I think he's in a groove," receivers coach Jimmy Robinson said. "I think he's gotten a lot of opportunities in the last few weeks and he's seeing it well, catching it well. It's all kind of clicking offensively. "We're protecting Aaron and he's playing at a high level, taking care of the ball and making accurate throws. It's all working better than it was earlier."
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Jennings shakes off sluggish start: But it was in that game against the Redskins that the Packers lost budding star tight end Finley to a season-ending knee injury. Suddenly, the focus of the passing game would have to shift back to Jennings, who has coming off consecutive seasons in which he led the Packers in receiving yards (1,113 in 2009 and 1,292 in 2008). What followed has been one of the most productive stretches of Jennings’ five-year NFL career. In his last seven games, Jennings has caught 43 passes for 761 yards and eight touchdowns. That followed an opening five games in which he had just 14 catches for 183 yards and three touchdowns. Prorated over a 16-game period, his pace from the last seven games would equate to a season with 98 catches, 1,739 yards and 18 touchdowns. The yardage total would be just 109 yards shy of Jerry Rice’s single-season NFL record. Those numbers wouldn’t have been possible had Finley stayed healthy, and Jennings knows it. It’s why he never thought the Pro Bowl was a possibility this season. It might be now. He’s second in the NFC behind only Atlanta’s Roddy White in receiving yardage and his 11 touchdowns rank second in the NFC, only one behind Detroit’s Calvin Johnson, although his 57 catches ranks just 12th in the conference. In his last three games, Jennings has had 122 yards receiving against San Francisco, 119 at Atlanta and 152 at Minnesota. That resembles the three-game stretch he had in early 2008, when he had 167 yards at Detroit, 115 against Dallas and 109 at Tampa Bay. The loss of Finley, who was a major part of the passing game throughout the preseason and the first month of the regular season, helped shift the focus back to Jennings. On a free play because of an offsides infraction by the 49ers, Jennings went deep last Sunday and caught a 57-yard touchdown pass. "He’s caught the ball extremely well,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. “We’ve always been pleased since the day he got here with his route-running ability and his ability to break away from man-to-man coverage. We’ve seen a good bit of that during this stretch. He’s made the plays that present themselves. The play-action and roll-out type of play that we threw to him (against the 49ers), that’s a heck of a throw and an excellent route. Guys are on the same page. You don’t see a whole lot of those. So he’s playing well.”
UPDATE: After early season wake up call, Jennings masters big plays--Attitude plays a major role as well. At 5-foot-11, 198 pounds, Jennings is the only player among the players ranked among the top 10 in receiving yards who is listed under 6 feet. So how does Jennings make up for the fact he's not among the most physically imposing receivers in the league? "I carry a lot of (swagger)," Jennings said. "Seriously, I don't say much about my individual ability but I know what I'm capable of doing. When I'm out there on the field, I don't feel like I can be covered by any defensive player. That's just the mind-set you have to have when you're out there. It's not about talking about it. It's more so about being about it and letting your actions speak for you." Lately, Jennings has done that in the form of big plays.
12/09/10
Senior writer jclombardi highlights QB Rodgers & emotional game days.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Rodgers gets miffed at mental miscues: Getting on your teammates for mental mistakes is something every quarterback has done, but only some can actually do it and not risk mutiny within the ranks. On Sunday against San Francisco, Rodgers was very demonstrative in pointing out mental errors, dressing down fullback Quinn Johnson, chirping at tight end Quarless and in one instance, seemingly getting irate with wide receiver Donald Driver. Many a quarterback has blown off steam, but most have been careful to contain it. "I think as a quarterback and as a leader, you have to find ways to get through to your teammates," Rodgers said. "Some guys do better with a confrontation, some guys with a pat on the butt, some guys a one-on-one sit-down. I'm an emotional player, and sometimes I share my emotions on the field, sometimes I share them in public. But I think some of the mistakes we've been making are so correctable, it's often most frustrating when I know those are mistakes that shouldn't happen. And when you're playing a tight game, you can't have alignment mistakes." Rodgers was speaking more of the mistakes by Quarless and Johnson. Rodgers patted Johnson on the helmet after chewing him out. Rodgers had to call a timeout because Quarless apparently wasn't lined up right. "Sometimes I say things," Rodgers said. "I guess it's frustrating when it's a little thing and it shouldn't be an issue. You're probably talking about me getting on Quinn a little bit when he couldn't line up in the right spot. To me, that goes back to preparation. To me, physical mistakes are going to happen. I'm going to throw a bad ball, guys are going to drop passes, might not be able to make a play at some point. But the mental stuff, I just have a really hard time with that. Because I just feel like the preparation should be the most important thing for these guys." Driver said he accepts Rodgers for the kind of person he is. He admitted Rodgers is cocky, "but in a good way." "I'm cocky," Driver said. "It goes hand in hand. I think I'm one of the best. He thinks he's one of the best quarterbacks. That's pretty good."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Rodgers--'Sometimes I share my emotions on the field': He’s an emotional guy with high expectations, and that’s not going to change. "I think as a quarterback and as a leader, you have to find ways to get through to your teammates. Some guys do better with a confrontation, some guys with a pat on the butt, some guys a one-on-one sit-down,” Rodgers explained at his locker after practice, as the team prepared for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. “I'm an emotional player, and sometimes I share my emotions on the field, sometimes I share them in public. But I think some of the mistakes we've been making are so correctable, it's often most frustrating when I know those are mistakes that shouldn't happen." The most recent example occurred in last Sunday’s 34-16 victory over the 49ers. With the Packers trying to grind out as much clock with a 31-16 lead, Rodgers was facing a first-and-10 from the San Francisco 38-yard line and had to burn a timeout when fullback Johnson lined up incorrectly. Rodgers didn’t hide his irritation, and it was clear as he came off the field that Johnson was the target. “To me, that goes back to preparation,” Rodgers said. “The way I look at it, physical mistakes are going to happen. I’m going to throw a bad ball; guys are going to drop passes, might not be able to make a play at some point. But the mental stuff, I just have a really hard time with that. Because I just feel like the preparation should be the most important thing for these guys. There’s no excuses in my opinion to (have) that many mental mistakes.” Earlier, in the first quarter, Rodgers had to burn another timeout and appeared to be peeved at Johnson and rookie tight end Andrew Quarless. After the game, Rodgers suggested that a little more preparation might have prevented the mistakes. “When you've playing a tight game, you can't have alignment mistakes,” Rodgers said. “Preparation is the most important thing because the little mistakes are amplified." The most obvious example was at Atlanta, when Quarless and Johnson were both in the same area on a first-and-goal pass from the Falcons’ 2-yard line. Johnson leaped to try to catch the pass, which appeared to be intended for Quarless, and heard about it afterward. While Quarless admitted that it is embarrassing to be chastised in front of fans, he said he believes that Rodgers does it only because he sees potential in him. Rodgers does most of his criticizing in practice and the value he places on practicing well was evident in one of the things. In his response to a question about Starks, Rodgers praised injured running back Grant, injured tight end Finley and four of his five wide receivers for their practice habits. Since Rodgers rarely if ever says something without having thought it through first, his message was undeniable.
12/08/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi profiles QB Rodgers & Center Wells and Lions scouting report.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
QB Rodgers avoided picks--low turnovers translate into wins: The Packers' Aaron Rodgers has become one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League, mentioned in the same category as Philip Rivers and Drew Brees and as someone to look forward to having a career like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. And part of that success is because Rodgers is so good at avoiding interceptions. Look at the Packers' record book in the category of most consecutive pass attempts without an interception: 294: Bart Starr, 1964-'65; 177: Rodgers, currently; 163: Brett Favre, 1995-'96; 159: Rodgers, 2008-'09; 157: Rodgers, 2005-'08; 152: Starr, 1963-'64. QB Rodgers' last interception was at the end of the first half against Minnesota in Week 7. He has not thrown a pick in his last 177 attempts. "It's a testament to how well he's thinking out there, how well he's reacting and how well he's throwing out there," said backup QB Flynn. "And the receivers are doing a good job of being friendly to the quarterback and making plays, running the right routes, not cutting their routes off. Aaron is making good decisions and being real accurate." This is Rodgers' third year as starter and sixth overall. In beating San Francisco on Sunday, Rodgers had his fifth straight game without an interception, a personal-best. "He's been very disciplined; he hasn't thrown the ball up for grabs very often," said offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. "Aaron's playing at a very high level," said coach Mike McCarthy.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Center Wells: The center-quarterback relationship is an intimate one – on the field. It has to be. We have to understand each other 100 percent and be able to anticipate what each other is going to do. From a lineman’s standpoint, I have to be in tune with his checks, so I can anticipate what to call when the check is made, and he has to be in tune with me to understand that I’m going to make the proper adjustment so he’s going to know who we’re blocking. So we have to have that trust and understanding of the game plan. My wife, Julie, been through the highs and lows with me--We’ve been through a lot of life experiences together. We’ll be married 10 years this offseason, so we’ve been through a lot of highs and lows. It’s important, I think, to go through the peaks and valleys in life with someone that’s strong and supportive and there for you and really keeps you grounded. You’re never too high and never too low. With three kids now, my wife and I have to play zone defense. We used to be in man-to-man, now we’re in zone. We try to employ my son to help us out a little bit, which is the curse of being the oldest. My daughter Lola has my personality. Lola is the wild child. She speaks her mind, doesn’t really care who hears it, so I think she gets that from me. Son Jackson has calmed down a lot. The best part about being a dad is, when I come home from work, regardless of how my day went, my kids are excited to see me. When I’m home, I’m ‘Dad,’ and they just want to spend time with me. Watching my 7-year-old son look out for the baby and my daughter thinking she’s the mom, all that stuff’s exciting. My son comes to every game; my daughter comes to all of them except the night games. If it’s a Sunday or Monday night game, she doesn’t come, because she has preschool still. My legacy, you want to be remembered for being a hard worker and doing things the right way. On and off the field. Dependable and reliable, that’s how I wanted to be remembered. Every Thursday night, we have dinner as an offensive line. We all take turns. We start with the oldest and work to the youngest as far as paying the tab. Whoever’s paying picks the restaurant; if we win, we go back to the same restaurant. That’s kind of what we do. During our winning streak, we went to Chives. We ate at Chives every week. Then we had Thanksgiving and we all ate at Chad’s house and we lost. So we went back to Chives. My closest friend on the team is probably Chad Clifton. We probably hang out the most because we’re from the same area, went to the same school, live in the same area in the offseason, our wives get along, our kids play together. I’d say he’s the one I have the most in common with. I always said if I didn’t play football, I’d either be coaching or I’d go to law school. I’ve got history and sociology degrees, so I’m set up to either teach or do post-graduate work. I plan on doing some high-school coaching. I think that’s where my heart is at. I’d love to work at my high school and do some coaching there.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Lions scouting report: Run offense: The Lions are No. 28 in the NFL in rushing yards per game and No. 27 in average yards per carry. They’re average on the offensive line, where the best player probably has been left guard Rob Sims and the weak link is right guard Stephen Peterman. Halfback Jahvid Best is a small, talented but brittle back who’s a poor man’s Reggie Bush. He’s averaging only 3.3 yards a carry but has the quickness and speed to break off a big play at any time. He also catches well out of the backfield (50 receptions), and the Lions try to get him the ball in open space as much as they can. Pass offense: No. 3 quarterback Drew Stanton will make his second straight start. The fourth-year pro played fine in a 24-20 loss to Chicago last week (102.4 passer rating, 178 yards passing, one touchdown, no interceptions). He’s 0-2 as an NFL starter and has a career passer rating of 59.0 points. He has physical tools, a good athlete, decent arm, accurate thrower, but the game sometimes seems to move a little fast for him. The Lions’ passing game plays off receiver Johnson who is a large target with big-time straight-line speed. That threat has opened the way for tight end Brandon Pettigrew’s big year who is tied for second among NFL tight ends in receptions (50). Run defense: The Lions rank No. 25 in rushing yards allowed and No. 28 in yards allowed per carry, but they have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. The anchor is rookie Ndamukong Suh. He’s a big (6-4, 307), square-built player with strength, quickness and instincts. Former Packers lineman Corey Williams has been mostly a rock inside also. The problem is at linebacker, where the only legitimate starter is middle linebacker DeAndre Levy. Pass defense: The Lions rank No. 16 in passing yards allowed, No. 21 in total yards allowed, and No. 25 in points allowed. They rush the passer well because of their talent on the defensive line. They rank No. 4 in sacks percentage, but their shortcomings in the back seven have been a killer. Suh gets great pressure from the inside and has a team-high eight sacks. Defensive end Avril is blossoming. His three sacks last week against Chicago pushes his season total to seven. The Lions could be short-handed for a second straight week, though, because of defensive end Bosch’s neck injury that sidelined him against the Bears. At age 32 he’s not as athletic as he was. He has four sacks this season, but if he doesn’t play this week the Lions will miss his off-the-charts effort. Their best defensive back is safety Delmas who’s more of a hitter than a cover man. They probably won’t have the best player from their weak group of cornerbacks. Starter Smith, who has five interceptions but lacks speed for a short cornerback, injured his shoulder last week. Vasher or Hill probably will start in his place. Nickel back Brandon McDonald, picked off waivers from Arizona in late October, has been OK. Special teams: Stefan Logan has been one of the best returners in the league and is a big-play threat. He leads the NFL on kickoff returns (28.8-yard average, one touchdown) and is No. 4 on punts (12.4-yard average). Former Packers kicker Rayner is 6-for-8 in his four games as Hanson’s replacement with a long of 50 yards. Punter Nick Harris ranks No. 9 in gross average (44.9 yards) and No. 28 in net average (35.5 yards).
12/07/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Starks expands Packers' ground game: Though James Starks made a good first impression in his NFL debut Sunday, 18 carries weren't enough to gauge exactly how good he is or will become for the Green Bay Packers. Starks rushed for 73 yards against a team, the San Francisco 49ers, that had no film on him. On the other hand, when he was on the field the 49ers pretty much knew he was going to get the ball, especially during a clock-eating, 17-play drive late in the game, and he still averaged 4.1 yards per carry. He didn't fumble, was decisive with his reads, mostly got what he should have gotten and had one nice 16-yard run in which he broke two tackles. "Well, I'm not ready to put James' plaque up here," said offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. "But he's off to a good start." What Starks does give the Packers is another option at running back. The rookie joins Brandon Jackson, Dimitri Nance and John Kuhn in a suddenly crowded backfield. It will be interesting to see how coach Mike McCarthy uses them over the final four weeks of the regular season. Will Starks supplant Jackson, who leads the team with 527 rushing yards, as the No. 1 back? How will Kuhn and Nance be used? "There really are no depth charts," McCarthy said Monday. "Brandon Jackson has done an excellent job and will continue to do so. .?.?. I'd really like to get into more of a rotation now that I know I have three halfbacks." Four, counting Kuhn, who plays a hybrid halfback and fullback role and gets most of his carries in short-yardage situations.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notebook: Jenkins--The Packers’ second-best pass rusher almost certainly will be out for Sunday’s game at Detroit and perhaps the following week at New England. Even against the Lions, who at 2-10 are staring at another top-five draft pick, losing Jenkins could be critical. The Lions’ 42.3 pass attempts per game rank second in the NFL, so the Packers’ defense certainly could use Jenkins’ seven sacks. Jenkins had two sacks in Sunday’s 34-16 win against San Francisco, one on a second-and-goal at the 2 and the other on a third down from midfield, giving him three in two games. Without Jenkins, rookie C.J. Wilson, who has played sparingly the last several weeks since the addition of Howard Green, or Jarius Wynn, who has been inactive for the last three games, will get more playing time. Also, fullback Korey Hall (knee spain) likely will miss the game. Receiver Brett Swain (knee contusion) should be fine. Four-point stance-- Game balls went to Rodgers (offense), Jenkins (defense), Diyral Briggs (special teams) and Quinn Johnson (big hit). Punter--Despite Masthay’s rocky introduction to a December day in Green Bay, his net average of 33.0 yards on three punts (one inside the 20, no touchbacks) was better than his standout counterpart, Andy Lee (32.4, no inside-the-20s, two touchbacks). “We need to be better, but that’s what it’s all about playing there at Lambeau Field,” McCarthy said. The Packers also won the battle on kickoffs, starting at their 32-yard line on average compared to the 49ers starting at their 29. Short-yardage situations--Packers went 5-for-5 on third-and-1, with Rodgers throwing two touchdown passes and John Kuhn running for first downs on all three of his attempts. Playoffs--In the race for the NFC North title, Chicago is 9-3 with games against New England, at Minnesota, New York Jets and at Green Bay. Those teams will be a combined 32-16 after tonight’s Patriots-Jets game (barring a tie). The Packers (8-4) close at Detroit, at New England and home against the Giants and Bears. Those teams, depending on the Patriots’ outcome, will be 28-20 or 29-19.
12/06/10
Senior writer jclombardi grades Packers win over 49ers.
GAME BALLS: QB Rodgers; WR Jennings; WR Driver; OLB Matthews; FB Johnson; DE Jenkins.
INJURY REPORT: DE Jenkins (calf--out 2 weeks). FB Hall (knee sprain).
Report Card Grades--Good, Bad, & Ugly (JC vs. SE):
PASSING OFFENSE: B+ vs A-. After a brutal one and one-half quarters, the offense got going making the big plays to score against an aggressive 49ers defense. Through much of the first half, the 49ers’ aggressive defensive scheme of containment frustrated Rodgers with his first nine completions no longer than 11 yards, while he got sacked twice. Rodgers stayed patient, adjusted, and called audibles against the strong pass rush and mixed coverage schemes. Overall, Rodgers threw for 289 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a 135.1 passer rating. In the second quarter, the turning point was WR Driver’s big catch that electrified the stadium with a 61 yards touchdown run. For the game, WR Jennings had 6 catches for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns. WR Driver had 4 catches for 73 yards and 1 touchdown.
RUSHING OFFENSE: B+ vs B+. The Packers rushed for a very solid 136 yards averaging 4.0 yards per carry. Bullish RB Starks had 18 carries for 73 yards averaging a good 4.1 yards per carry. He’s listed at 6-foot-2 and 218 pounds, and he doesn’t dance around. He’s a run-through-the-hole kind of guy. Not great pad level, but a long-strider. That’s what they need: A big, strong guy who won’t have many negative carries. It doesn’t appear that Starks is a blazer. RB Jackson played his productive role as third-down back with 4 receptions for 63 yards. FB Kuhn excelled in short-yardage converting four three-and-one downs and also scoring a touchdown. The left side of the line gets collapsed pretty easily. On Sunday, the Packers were asking LT Clifton, who isn’t very nifty, to come down and block a three-technique, a lineman to his inside. And LG Colledge often struggles in space. But the Packers got good blocking on the right side against what had been a good run defense. At times, RG Sitton and RT Bulaga drove guys off the ball. They really took it to the 49ers. C Wells doesn’t overpower anyone, but he’s so good at turning his hips and shielding defenders from the play.
PASSING DEFENSE: C+ vs C. Although the Packers sometimes had shoddy coverage leading to big plays and dodged some bullets, the defense made the big stops especially in the red zone. Excluding four big passing catches on four 49ers drives totaling 150 yards with the 49ers scoring on them, the 49ers got only 119 yards on 47 plays (2.53 yards per play). The 49ers offense only finished drives with field goals instead of touchdowns. 49rs QB Smith threw for only 194 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, and 64.4 passer rating. He made too many off-target throws and red-zone mistakes. TE Davis had his usual (126 yards) big game with one big touchdown catch due to shoddy coverage by LB Hawk and a whiffed tackle by S Collins. Yet, the rest of the 49er receivers got only 68 yards. While the 49ers using max protection to protect QB Smith, the Packers had 4 sacks and 1 interception. With teams focusing double protection on pass rusher OLB Matthews, he fell back into pass coverage and run support leading the team in tackles. He was really solid against the run making tackles on plays away from him. He pushed the tackle back and helped set others up for sacks. He really had a complete game. He did well in pass coverage. But his spin move just isn’t what it was. Maybe that shin injury is bothering him. Thus, the other defensive players got involved in pass rushing with the defensive line getting 3 of 4 sacks. OLB Zombo continued to get better, played okay at the edge and got pressure getting a sack. Safety Collins had the lone interception. S Peprah had a rough day giving up two of four big plays against the defense.
RUSHING DEFENSE: B+ vs B. Excluding a few big runs, the front seven played well limiting the 49ers run game to 97 yards. Their solid 4.4 average yards per carry was ballooned due to QB Smith getting 28 yards. The stout rush front line defense looked solid clogging the gaps and holding running backs Westbook and Dixon to 64 yards.
SPECIAL TEAMS: C- vs C. Due to missed blocking assignments, K Crosby’s missed an early chip shot field goal, while he hit two other field goals. With punter Tim Masthay’s poor punts, pooch kickoffs, KR Ginn’s good returns, and costly penalties, the 49ers had great field position throughout the game. Crosby was effective with an assortment of short and deep kicks that kept Ted Ginn Jr. from being a game-breaker on kickoff returns. He averaged just 16.2 yards on five touches. Ginn was better on punt returns with two for an average of 15.5 yards. The Packers' Sam Shields muffed one kickoff return, though he recovered it, and averaged all of 19.7 yards, while giving way to Starks on two short kickoffs. Tramon Williams had a 20-yard punt return, but he also threw away yards as he retreated on another runback.
COACHING: A- vs B+. The Packers and head coach McCarthy outplayed a struggling 49ers team. The Packers reestablishing their running and short-yardage games. The Packers were 5-for-5 on 3rd-and-1 in the short-yardage game. The Packers were 9-for-15 in third-down conversions. The Packers wound up with perfect balance with 34 pass plays and 34 run plays. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers also changed things up by deviating from the customary nickel look with six defensive backs and showing a hefty 4-4 front from time to time to choke off the 49ers in running situations. More woes continued to plague Shawn Slocum's special-teams units. The Packers improved to 8-4 to keep a one-game behind pace with first-place Chicago in the NFC North.
12/06/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers vs 49ers game review headlines.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers 34-49ers 16--QB Rodgers' star shines brightest: The most wattage Sunday came from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. And after yet another impressive performance, 21 for 30, 298 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, 135.1 passer rating, to lead his team to its fifth victory in the last six games. If the Packers are only going to go as far as their quarterback takes them, then they should have a playoff berth, an NFC North division title and a Super Bowl berth. “We ask a lot of the guy. He does a lot of things out there for us,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. “He makes a lot of adjustments; there’s a lot on his plate. And he’s really handled it extremely well. I really like the discipline that he’s playing with. He’s doing a good job.” Try a great job. Over the past four games, victories over Minnesota, Dallas and San Francisco and Atlanta loss, Rodgers has completed 96 of 130 passes (73.8 percent) for 1,232 yards with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 131.3. Rodgers has gone five games and 177 passes without throwing an interception, the longest such streaks since Hall of Famer Starr. “Aaron is playing sharp. He’s really in a groove,” said coach Mike McCarthy, whose Packers (8-4) rolled up 410 yards of offense, with Rodgers getting help from rookie James Starks’ 73-yard NFL debut. “Aaron is in a very good rhythm. And really, offensively, our ball security is right where it needs to be and we need to keep it there. I think we’ve had one turnover in the last five games, so I am very pleased with the offense on that aspect.”
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Driver, Jennings deliver: Both made game-turning catches. The difference? One did it for the first time in awhile; the other while continuing the most productive stretch of his career during which the only people who’ve been feeling sick have been opposing defensive backs. The Packers saw vintage Donald Driver and Greg Jennings during Sunday’s 34-16 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field. They welcomed back Driver, who once again reminded everyone that he should never be counted out, even at age 35; and they saw more of the same from Jennings, who delivered his third consecutive 100-yard game and second multi-touchdown performance in three weeks. “You’ve got to have some big plays in the game to kind of make it a game-changing game,” said Jennings, who caught six passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns. “That’s what happened. We had some big plays. I got ‘em on my touchdown. Driver got ‘em on his. Game-changing plays. Sudden change. The defense is back on their toes now, and you’ve got ‘em where you want ‘em.” The Packers’ offense and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have Driver and Jennings right where they want ‘em too: Making plays and delivering the 1-2 punch in the passing game that has been absent largely because of Driver’s decreased productivity. Jennings actually made the first game-turning play. With the Packers looking out of sorts offensively and trailing 6-0, 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks jumped offsides. As they’re taught to do, Rodgers and Jennings recognized the free play and went deep, with Jennings beating cornerback Shawntae Spencer down the left sideline and making a terrific catch for the 57-yard score. But Driver's 61-yard touchdown Sunday not only gave the Packers breathing room at 21-13 early in the third quarter, it also provided proof that the old man still can make plays when called upon.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Packers back to old winning ways: That it took a big play from their oldest player to get the Green Bay Packers going was fitting on a day the team sported throwback uniforms. For a few brilliant seconds Sunday, Donald Driver did some turning back the clock of his own. The 35-year-old wide receiver, whose production has slipped this season, caught a pass and refused to be tackled, willing his way to a touchdown that served as the spark the Packers needed to avoid a loss that would have severely damaged their run to the postseason. Driver's 61-yard touchdown reception on the opening series of the third quarter began a dominant stretch that saw Green Bay turn a one-point halftime lead into a 34-16 rout of the San Francisco 49ers before a crowd of 70,575 at Lambeau Field. Aaron Rodgers threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns as the Packers (8-4), whose uniform Sunday was a re-creation of the one worn by the organization's first world championship team in 1929, remained one game behind the Chicago Bears in the NFC North standings. Two of those scores belonged to red-hot wide receiver Greg Jennings, who caught six passes for 122 yards - his third consecutive game over the century mark - and upped his season touchdown total to 11. But it was Rodgers' other touchdown pass - the one to Driver - that Packers coach Mike McCarthy called the "biggest play in the game" and Rodgers said was "the one of the best plays I've ever been part of." Starting with that touchdown, the Green Bay offense scored on its first four possessions of the second half to break open a game it led 14-13 at the half. The Packers outgained the 49ers 220-95 in total yardage in the second half and held the ball more than 20 minutes during those two quarters to finish with an overwhelming 37:11 to 22:49 cushion in time of possession.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
RB Starks hits the ground running in Packers debut--Packers running back James Starks has 73 yards in 18 carries and also returns two kickoffs for 25 yards in his first NFL action: James Starks sported a big, white bandage on his forehead and a big, wide grin on his face Sunday afternoon. Not only had he just suited up for his first NFL game, but he had played a key role in the Packers' 34-16 victory over the 49ers. Rookie Starks had 18 carries for 73 yards. He was activated from the PUP list Nov. 9 but was inactive the last two games. According to Elias, Starks' 73 rushing yards were the most by a Packers rookie running back in his first game since Ralph Earhart had 78 at Boston on Sept. 17, 1948. "I was just anxious to get out there and play with my teammates, play with 'A-Rod' (Aaron Rodgers), play for the fans here at Lambeau," Starks said. "It was an exciting moment for me. I just took it all in. I was like an excited little kid out there." Whether Starks breathed some life into a struggling running game or the offensive line blocked better after a tough loss in Atlanta, the result was 136 yards on the ground for the Packers. "We established the run today," said receiver Greg Jennings. "I thought we ran the ball really well. We're still not where we want to be. We've got a new kid on the block who is trying to step up and give us that power back. "Our offensive line did an outstanding job opening holes for him, and he did a good job reading them." With Starks shouldering most of the load, starter and Packers leading rusher Brandon Jackson got just four carries and gained 13 yards. He did catch four passes for 63 yards, including 37 on a beautifully executed screen. Starks is a big back at 6 foot 2 and 218 pounds. He might be more powerful than the 5-10, 216-pound Jackson, and he's faster than backup John Kuhn (six carries for 13 yards).
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Jenkins hopes for good news: Packers hoping they didn’t suffer yet another body blow during Sunday’s 34-16 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field. After registering two sacks on 49ers quarterback Troy Smith – giving him a career-best seven on the season – veteran defensive end Cullen Jenkins reinjured his troublesome calf with 1 minute 59 seconds left in the game. Jenkins originally injured his calf during pregame warm-ups against Minnesota on Oct. 24, and he said after the game that it felt worse this time around. “I’m going to visit Doc (Pat McKenzie) to get it checked,” Jenkins said. “We’ll see how it is.” Asked how serious he thought Jenkins’ injury was, coach Mike McCarthy replied, “You really don’t know until tomorrow. Anytime you have a strain, particularly of a muscle … it’s the same one that he’s strained in the past, so that’s the concern there. We’ll have more information for you tomorrow.” Before going down, Jenkins made two colossal plays. His first sack on Smith came on second-and-goal from the Packers’ 2 and the 49ers leading, 3-0. Smith initially eluded Jenkins, but Jenkins spun around and kept after him for the 8-yard loss. Two plays later, the 49ers settled for a field goal.
12/05/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers vs 49ers previews, keys & game plan.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Game scout--Packers vs 49ers: Kickoff--high noon Sunday. TV--Fox. Injury report--CB Pat Lee (ankle) is out. S Atari Bigby (hamstring) and S Anthony Smith (ankle) are doubtful. RT Bryan Bulaga (ankle), LT Chad Clifton (knee), CB Charles Woodson (toe), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle), LB Clay Matthews (shin) WR Greg Jennings (foot), S Nick Collins (shoulder), DE Cullen Jenkins (calf) and RB Dimitri Nance (concussion) are probable. Keys to the game--The 49ers' offensive line dominated against Arizona, and needs another strong performance in front of RBs Brian Westbrook and rookie Anthony Dixon with Frank Gore done for the season. San Francisco isn't as strong in pass protection and doesn't want to expose QB Troy Smith to the Packers' strong rush that has contributed to a plus-seven turnover margin. Green Bay hasn't been able to run the ball effectively since losing its own lead back and will let QB Aaron Rodgers spread the field. A foot strain to red-hot WR Greg Jennings apparently won’t be an issue. Game plan--The Packers are catching a big break with San Francisco's do-everything RB Frank Gore out for the season. Still, the 49ers managed to win game at Arizona and 3-1 surge with Smith at quarterback. He isn't a threat to put up big passing numbers and rarely throws the ball deep. Look for the Packers defense to crowd the box and bring consistent pressure when Smith does drop back to pass as they try to keep him from breaking the pocket and extending plays with his nimble feet. Veteran Brian Westbrook, against the Cardinals, had 23 carries for 136 yards and a touchdown. He has been a thorn in the Packers' side both carrying the football and catching it in previous meetings. Green Bay is going nowhere with its running game, so there's probably no use trying to light a spark against the 49ers' stout and assertive front seven in their 3-4 scheme. San Francisco ranks sixth in the league against the run allowing an average of 98.3 yards per game , on par with the Packers' meager 23rd-rated rushing output of 98.4 yards. That will leave it up to red-hot Aaron Rodgers to fire away in possibly another heavy dose of empty-backfield, four-and five-wideout sets against San Francisco's underwhelming secondary. The Packers will be challenged on third down and is a calling card for the 49ers who are allowing opponents to convert at a rate of just 35 percent.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Five things to watch: Gore no more--The 49ers rushed for 261 yards in their 27-6 victory over Arizona on Monday night, with 31-year-old veteran running back Brian Westbrook doing most of the damage (136 yards on 23 carries) after starter Frank Gore went down with what turned out to be a season-ending hip injury. Gore, one of the league’s top backs, had been backed up by Anthony Dixon; now, it appears Westbrook will get the bulk of the carries, with Dixon spelling him. Defending Davis--When the two teams met last year, 49ers tight end Vernon Davis had a huge day, catching six passes for 108 yards and a touchdown. The Packers tried a variety of coverage approaches, and none worked, with linebacker A.J. Hawk being beaten on a 32-yard catch, defensive back Jarrett Bush being beaten on a 29-yard catch and the combination of linebacker Clay Matthews and safety Atari Bigby giving up 24-yard catch. Against an offense with limited weapons, the Packers must contain Davis. Something to play for--While the Packers and 49ers have diametrically opposed records, they find themselves in the same spot in their respective divisions: One game out of first place. While the Packers are in the NFC mix at 7-4, one game behind NFC North leader Chicago, the 49ers are still in the hunt because of NFC West co-leaders St. Louis and Seattle are both under .500 at 5-6. So while the Packers may be viewed as the true playoff contender, the game is actually a big one for both teams. Running on empty: In Sunday’s 20-17 loss Atlanta, halfback Brandon Jackson rushed 10 times for 26 yards and backup Dimitri Nance had one carry for no gain. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers led the team with 12 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown. It was the second straight game in which the Packers’ backs combined to average less than 3.0 yards per attempt, with Nance (12 carries, 37 yards) and Jackson (14 carries, 28 yards) combining to average 2.5 yards per rush against Minnesota on Nov. 14. Meanwhile, fans hoping to see rookie sixth-round pick James Starks figure to get their wish. Five alive--The Packers ran 14 plays out of their “Big Five” package of Rodgers in the shotgun in an empty backfield with all five active wideouts, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson and Brett Swain, spread out last week against Atlanta. The formation had made its return for two plays against Minnesota on Nov. 21 – it had been in mothballs since tight end Jermichael Finley’s emergence last season. The Packers gained 104 yards and five first downs and scored both their touchdowns, Rodgers’ 1-yard keeper and his 10-yard touchdown pass to Nelson, came out of the formation. THE PREDICTION--The 49ers may technically be in the mix for the postseason, but they’re also on the verge of firing Singletary and starting over. The Packers have seen two coaches fired the day after games against them (Dallas’ Wade Phillips, Minnesota’s Brad Childress), and while that’s unlikely to happen again, the bounce Singletary and his team got from Monday night’s victory figures to be short-lived. Packers 30, 49ers 10.
12/04/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi profiles DC Capers, LBC Greene, and TE Quarless.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Capers defense successful despite Packers many injuries: The rise of the Green Bay Packers to the top rung in scoring defense despite a maelstrom of injuries is a tribute to the players, the coaches and the scheme. Above all, it is a tribute to Dom Capers, who has held firm to his fire-zone scheme and reaped the benefits in Year 2 as defensive coordinator in Green Bay. "He's done an outstanding job," said Mike Trgovac, the Carolina Panthers' defensive coordinator from 2003-'08 who joined Capers as defensive line coach last year. "As an ex-coordinator, the one thing I'm most impressed with Dom is he stays the course. He's never too high. He's never too low. He never panics. He believes in his system." After allowing merely 30 points in the last four games, they lead the National Football League in points allowed with 166. The ranking is a source of pride within the organization, which hasn't finished a season allowing the fewest points since its last championship in 1996 (210). The combination of rush and coverage has enabled the defense to rank second behind only Chicago in opponents' passer rating (70.0). Moreover, Green Bay is tied for seventh in take-aways with 21. Based on rankings, the fall of a run defense from No. 1 in 2009 to No. 18 this year might appear to be a serious blemish. But the yields of 112.6 and 4.50 per carry would be 90.2 and 4.05 if the composite quarterbacks' rushing totals (30-246-8.2) were eliminated. If Capers has said it once in interviews he has said it 100 times, stopping the run is at the core of what he seeks to do each week. "It's a hard team to run against because they play physical up front, they fly to the football and they got a bunch of big bodies," an NFL personnel director said at midweek. "They're smart, they're tough and they're big. "Dom does a great job of mixing up his blitzes and getting to the quarterback. I think they're well-coached. They get more out of less.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Greene focuses on coaching: After his playing career ended, Greene was reluctant to get into coaching. It wasn’t until 2009, when the Packers hired Dom Capers as their defensive coordinator, that Greene got serious about coaching. Greene decided it was the right time to give coaching a shot. He’s turned out to be a perfect mentor for OLB Matthews as well as for young up-and-comers. He’s an intense coach, but also fiercely defends his “kids” at every turn. Greene said of coaching, “(As a player), you're in the flame and you get burned and you feel that. (As a coach), you're standing next to the fire and you feel its warmth. It feels good. There's adrenaline and it feels good. “You just be yourself, and coach from your heart. That's what I think. Obviously the scheme and everything, I know the scheme and can teach it to the kids. But I think you just coach from the heart. I know a lot of little nuances of the position that I can bring to light for some of these kids that another coach may not see." Every Friday, Packers coach Mike McCarthy has one of the assistant coaches address the team. Friday was Greene’s turn, and according to Zombo, the message was “a reality check to everybody on the team. ‘How hard are you really working, on the field, off the field?’ You could tell a lot of guys took it to heart.” McCarthy acknowledged that there was some uncertainty when he interviewed Greene at Capers’ recommendation because of Greene’s limited coaching work, but McCarthy left the interview very impressed and has continued to be impressed ever since. “To me, a lot of the hiring of a staff is about fit,” McCarthy explained Friday. “He had not coached in a full-time position before, but did a number of the internships, so there were a lot of positive recommendations that came Kevin’s way as far as his ability to coach and what he experienced in those training camps. Definitely, the potential was there. It jumped right out at you. “You can see growth all the way through his development as a coach. We were right, and he brings a lot of passion and he’s very good at what he does. It’s very natural for him.”
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Maturity: Andrew Quarless has changed so much that the Green Bay Packers rookie tight end has even changed his name. “Drew. That’s what everybody calls me,” Quarless said. It’s his game that’s changed for the better. “He’s grown up a lot,” Packers coach McCarthy. “I think since the bye week, you really see him starting to make a move. He’s in better shape. His awareness is improving every week. We’re definitely counting on him to contribute here down the stretch.” QB Rodgers was counting on him last Sunday, before the Packers’ 16-play, 90-yard touchdown drive tied the game. Rodgers told Quarless so before the offense went onto the field. Quarless delivered with 11- and 19-yard catches. “He still has a ways to go. He reminds me of a young Jermichael Finley in that he doesn’t quite fully understand the offense yet,” Rodgers said. “But I feel he’s getting better. I went to him on the sidelines before the last drive and I said, ‘Hey, I need at least one big play out of you this drive,’ and he made a big play to get us a first down. Those are the kinds of things you like to see from him. I still think he has a lot of untapped potential that he can dig into if he really dedicates himself to the game plan and getting better each day in practice.” Those comments from Rodgers are similar to the thoughts he had on Finley as a rookie. He struggled to grasp the offense and to gain Rodgers’ faith, something Quarless is doing bit-by-bit now. “That meant a lot to me, for him to have that confidence and that faith in me to say, ‘I’m looking for you,’” Quarless said. “I say it all the time: I was thrown in the fire. I’m just trying to make it out and get better."
12/03/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi: "good vs great" issue about McCarthy era.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers--good vs great: The four losses do beg the question: Are the Packers, under McCarthy and Rodgers, capable of winning the close games? It is within those nip-and-tuck affairs that the good teams, as McCarthy made clear to his guys, become great. “Mike’s talked about from the beginning of training camp, really: The enemy of great is good,” Rodgers said. “Meaning that, you don’t want to be remembered as just a good team, a team that made some plays and couldn’t take that next jump to being an elite football team. I saw something written about us this week that said we were still just a ‘good’ football team. And so obviously that’s not something we want to be remembered as. We e still have a chance to accomplish all the things we set forward at the beginning of the season.” Rodgers went on to explain that close games are often decided not only by plays made as the game clock is winding down in the fourth quarter, but by plays made or not made earlier the game. “The talk to the team was the ability to go from good to great, and the factors that are involved in that,” McCarthy explained. “And it always points back to the fundamentals of football. People may get frustrated that I’m redundant, but at the end of the day, that’s how you play football. You have to block the other guy, you have to finish the block, you have to get off that block when you’re on defense, you have to tackle, you have to break tackles, you have to take the football away, you have to take care of the football. “The difference between winning and losing in this league (is), the little things turn into big things, and the little things turn into real big things when you get into December football. We’re really focused on improving ourselves, the things that we didn’t do well in the area of fundamentals, whether it was blocking, tackling, taking care of the football, taking the football away, making the proper adjustments. That’s really what we’re focused on. We just need to fine-detail our work. We’ve done a lot of positive things as a football team, but it’s the little things that have caught us in the four losses.”
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Rodgers era-2 of 12 in close games: People are going to write what they want,” the Green Bay Packers quarterback said of his 2-12 record as a starter in games decided by four points or fewer. “But the game-by-game, case-by-case breakdown of that, I think, would be an interesting story.” The results? In nine of the 12 losses, Rodgers led the Packers to a tying or go-ahead score at some point in the fourth quarter. And in the other three losses, he set up a potential game-winning field goal, only to see it missed. Now, Rodgers isn’t by any means blameless. In the nine losses in which he tied the score or gave the Packers the lead in the fourth quarter, he also failed later in the quarter or in overtime to deliver the go-ahead or game-winning score. But in four of the nine losses, Rodgers forged a tie or gave the Packers the lead late.
12/02/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi sums up 49ers scouting report & wide receivers profile.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
49ers scouting report: Run offense: The 49ers rank No. 31 in the NFL in scoring, so the loss of their best offensive player, halfback Frank Gore, to a season-ending hip injury Monday night is huge. Gore ranks second in the NFL in total yards from scrimmage (1,305) and No. 11 in rushing (853 yards, 4.2 yards a carry). Gore’s primary replacement is Brian Westbrook. He showed his running talent as Gore’s replacement against Arizona by gaining 136 yards on 23 carries, but he won’t hold up physically under that kind of work load. Anthony Dixon will share carries and is averaging 3.0 yards on 24 rushes. Pass offense: QB Troy Smith replaced injured Alex Smith and has flashed intriguing skills, as he is an excellent athlete and natural leader. The 49ers are 3-1 in his four starts. OC Johnson uses Smith on rollouts and bootlegs as much as possible, and he’s calling conservative games to help protect a green player who had only two starts and threw but 48 passes coming into this season. Smith’s accuracy is shaky. Vernon Davis is an elite tight end (40 catches, 13.7-yard average) who can score from anywhere on the field. Michael Crabtree must be accounted for (35 catches, 13.4-yard average, five touchdowns). Run defense: The 49ers run 3-4 scheme and rank No. 11 in yards allowed and are tied for No. 10 in points. They have the best inside linebacker in Patrick Willis who plays tough between the tackles and is explosive enough to make plays sideline to sideline. A scout said, “They’re very active (in the front seven), they’re very strong. They play well together, they’ve got good team speed, they’re good on the edge, they don’t do things to beat themselves.” NT Franklin is on the small side but is a key player for a defense that ranks No. 8 in rushing yards allowed and No. 5 in yards allowed per carry. Pass defense: There’s no pass rusher offenses have to account, but the 49ers rank an OK No. 12 in sacks percentage. DL Justin Smith (five sacks) gets good pressure from the inside and Willis (five sacks) blitzes well up the middle. The 49ers have an experienced and solid pair of starting cornerbacks in Nate Clements and Shawntae Spencer on a defense that ranks No. 16 in passing yards allowed and No. 19 in yards allowed per catch. Special teams: Kicker Nedney is having an excellent year. Punter Andy Lee is a boomer. Ted Ginn Jr. contributes next to nothing as a receiver but is an OK return man.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Getting their turn in Packers receiving line: Whether Donald Driver's thigh injury is bothering him more than he's letting on or whether the inevitable erosion of athletic skills has begun at age 35, the Green Bay Packers' passing attack hasn't missed a beat. Driver hasn't been the same dynamic receiver who posted his sixth consecutive 1,000-yard season last year, but No. 3 receiver James Jones and No. 4 Jordy Nelson have picked up the slack. In the five games since Driver initially hurt his thigh Oct. 17 against Miami, Jones has 20 receptions for 325 yards and two touchdowns, and Nelson has 21 catches for 203 yards and one touchdown. "I talked a lot in training camp about how our (Nos.) 3 and 4 would be 1s and 2s in most places," said quarterback Aaron Rodgers. "That's a gift that we have, having guys like Jordy Nelson and James Jones." It's a gift that keeps giving. Rodgers' confidence in the 6-foot-1, 208-pound Jones and the 6-3, 217-pound Nelson - and even in No. 5 Brett Swain - is one reason the Packers' four- and five-receiver sets have been so productive.
12/01/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers Headlines.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Williams inks four-year, $33 million deal; Havner, Chillar to IR: CB Tramon Williams stood at his locker and spent 15 minutes talking about anything and everything. Where he might rank among the NFL’s elite cover cornerbacks. Life as a new dad. How far he’d come since joining the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad roughly four years earlier. Whether or not he would be voted into the Pro Bowl. As the discussion wrapped up, the likable 27-year-old wished everyone “Happy Thanksgiving.” Then, as one parting question, someone asked him if he truly didn’t mind if he didn’t get the kind of recognition he deserved. “If I get it, it’s cool, but I like to fly low,” Williams said with his signature wide smile. “I like to fly low, off the radar.” He’s not going to be off the radar for long after signing what an NFL source confirmed is a four-year, $33 million contract extension that will keep him with the Packers through the 2014 season. “I mean, come on, it's Green Bay. One of a kind,” Williams replied when asked if he wanted to stay in Green Bay. “Obviously, that's the case. I want to be here.” Spencer, Havner on I.R.--Meanwhile, the Packers announced that they have put linebacker Brandon Chillar (shoulder) and tight end Spencer Havner (hamstring) on injured reserve after the two players aggravated preexisting injuries during a first-quarter kickoff against the Falcons. Chillar’s and Havner’s roster spots were not immediately filled, leaving the Packers with 51 players on the roster. The team now has 13 players on injured reserve.
11/30/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi grades Packers loss to Falcons.
GAME BALLS: QB Rodgers; WR Jones; WR Jennings; LB Bishop.
INJURY REPORT: TE Havner (hamstring). LB Chillar (shoulder).
Report Card Grades--Good, Bad, & Ugly (JC vs. SE):
PASSING OFFENSE: B vs B+. After an awful first quarter start with two failures in the red zone, QB Rodgers threw for 341 yards, 1 touchdown, and 114.5 pass rating. In the 4th quarter, he led the Packers on a magnificent comeback drive culiminating in a tying touchdown pass to WR Nelson. The game saw the successful return of “Big Five” offensive formation (five wide receivers), three receivers and a tight end, and four receivers’ offensive formations. WR Jennings had 5 catches for 119 yards, WR Jones had 5 catches for 44 yards, and WR Swain had 2 catches for 40 yards.
RUSHING OFFENSE: D- vs D. If the 51 scrambling yards by QB Rodgers are excluded, the rush offense of RBs Jackson and Nance combined for only 26 yards. Simply, the offensive line’s rush blocking completely failed lacking intensity against a fired up Falcons defense. In a telling statistic, the Packers failed to convert on four 3rd and 1s.
PASSING DEFENSE: C- vs C-. The mature QB Ryan threw for 197 yards and 1 touchdown using effective quick short-yardage passing plays. While the Packers shut down WR White, QB Ryan spread his short-yardage passes to other receivers including big target TE Gonzalez. Gonzalez got six receptions for 51 yards and 1 touchdown. Twenty-four completions of his passes went to nine receivers with the completions less than 21 yards. The Packers got very little pressure getting only two sacks with LB Matthews marginalized with maximum protection.
RUSHING DEFENSE: D vs D. The Packers suffered from shoddy tackling making their previous stout run defense appear to be mediocre. Thus, the Falcons were able to run an effective ground game to control the tempo of the game as RB Turner ran for 110 yards averaging 4.8 yards. He had three explosive runs of more than 12 yards with the biggest one to be a 26-yarder off the right side sprung by missed tackles by LB. Hawk and S Collins. Turner completed that long second-half drive with a well-designed 1-yard touchdown run outside left tackle that caught a pursuing Hawk inside on the fourth-and-goal play. The only bright spots were the outstanding performances by LB Bishop and SS Peprah.
SPECIAL TEAMS: F vs D-. The Falcons controlled field position throughout the game helped by 5 Packers penalties. The Packers started many drives inside the 20, while the Falcons averaged starting drives at their 30. With the game on the line at the end, the special teams again failed to prevent the big play after a Packers score. KR Weems took the subsequent kickoff to the 40 yards line. A face mask Packers penalty gave excellent field position to the Falcons at the 49 Packers yards line leading to the winning field goal. KR Weems averaged a decent 31 yards in three kickoffs. KR Shields averaged only 21.8 yards in four kickoffs. PR Williams had two punt returns for two yards. P Masthay’s two punts had a 44.0 gross average.
COACHING: D vs C-. Against a talented disciplined NFC team, coach McCarthy and his management staff were outcoached, outgunned, outdisciplined, and outplayed in the game raising the same old management issues. In glaring examples, the first quarter saw McCarthy fail to make a big game time adjustment admitting to the wrong offensive call (failing to call time out) against Falcons goal line defense in crucial game situation. Later, QB Rodgers’ fumble in the red zone as a game changer. Then, McCarthy dropped the ball with the subsequent failure to challenge (too late, too little) the “trapped” TE Gonzalez reception on the following Falcon scoring drive creating a 14 point swing in favor of the Falcons. In two telling statistics, the Packers converted only 4 of 11 third downs and went 0 for 5 on third down and less than three. Finally, as another “lack of discipline” management issue, the Packers committed untimely penalties and big turnovers to lose the game. We’ve witnessed elite college teams with better prepared game management.
OVERALL: C vs. B (CBS Sportsline). The Packers' defense could not tackle Michael Turner (110 yards, one touchdown), which allowed Atlanta to win the time-of-possession battle. Green Bay had its chances, but a costly Aaron Rodgers fumble on Atlanta's 1-yard line and a turnover on downs in Falcons territory were the deciding factors.
11/29/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi grades bloggers’ reviews.
Commentary: Based upon massive research and conversations with the great fans in the Packers nation, we present the fair and balanced grades about the main Packers’ bloggers reviews with their good, bad, & ugly analysis of the inexcusable Falcons loss. Whew, hard work!
| Packers Bloggers | Game Review | Commentary | Grade |
| 1.“Great One” Packers Gab | Packers Lose to Falcons: Review | Outstanding! | A++ |
| 2. “Superior” Packers Chronicles | Packers Lose To Falcons: Grades. | Outstanding! | A |
| 2. “Old” Ol’ Bag of Donuts | Coaching Failures Cost Game. | Right On! | A- |
| 3. “I Love LA” Total Packers | Packers: Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda. | Good points! | A- |
| 4. “Who?” Tundra Vision | Packers Grades vs Falcons. | Apologist! | B- |
| 5. “Lonely” Jersey Al | Dirty Birds Peck Away…. | Miserable! | C |
| 6. “On Wisconsin” Pocket Doppler | Mixed Bag. | I don’t know why, but gayish! | C |
| 7. “Suck up CHTV” GBPN | What We Learned Against the Falcons. | Same old act! | C |
| 8. “Sharing 0” A.P.C. | Packers Passing Offense Great….. | Duh? My cut? | D |
| 9. ”Mr. Personality” B.C. | Chips Report | Awful! | F |
| 10. “We (N.Y.) are jealous” CHTV | My Ugly Mug: Falcons edition. . | Awful! | F |
| 11. “Teenager Dad” P.L. | Quick Hits: Falcons. | Awful! | F |
11/29/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews Packers loss to Falcons.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Packers lose chance to join NFL elite: The grim reality for the Packers was that another close defeat had just cost them a chance to prove they were among the elite teams in the league. "We're not into moral victories," wide receiver Greg Jennings said after the Packers' 20-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in what felt like a playoff. "It's either we win or we lose, and that's what really matters." Matt Bryant's 47-yard field goal with 9 seconds remaining in the game helped Atlanta (9-2) extend its winning streak to five games and kept the Falcons atop the NFC standings. The loss was the fourth by three points this season for the Packers (7-4). The Packers are now 2-12 in games decided by four points or less since QB Rodgers took over as the team's starting quarterback in 2008, though this defeat could hardly be blamed on him (alone).
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Streak Snapped on Late Field Goal (Deja Vu): QB Rodgers led the Packers to a game-tying touchdown drive in the final minutes but a long return and 15-yard penalty on the ensuing kickoff set up Matt Bryant's 47-yard field goal that won the game, 20-17. Green Bay Packers now face an uphill climb to reach the playoffs in a jumbled conference. The Falcons beat the Packers 20-17 in a hotly contested battle. The Packers saw their four-game winning streak snapped and are 7-4.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers stumble on their Achilles' heel--failures in running game prove fatal--(photo) Packer QB Rogers fumbles the ball on a critical play inside the Falcons' 1-yard line in the second quarter and Falcons recovered the ball in the end zone. The Packers' rushing game was an abject failure Sunday. The inability to gain 1 yard on two occasions at or near the Falcons' goal line cost the Packers 11 points in 20-17 loss. The Packers' ineptitude on the ground caused coach Mike McCarthy to all but abandon the run in the second half. It also raised legitimate questions about whether Green Bay is capable of making a deep playoff run if the offense continues to be one-dimensional. Subtract QB Rodgers' 51 yards on called keepers and scrambles and Green Bay totaled 26 rushing yards. It was in short-yardage situations in the red zone where the inability to convert was most glaring. On the Packers' second possession, they faced a third-and-1 on the Falcons' 4-yard line, trailing, 3-0. Dimitri Nance, who gained 37 hard-fought yards against Minnesota the week before, took the handoff and was met almost immediately by Falcons linebacker Coy Wire for no gain. McCarthy took the blame for the call on Nance's run. "That's a bad play selection on my part, the first third-and-1 down there when we kicked the field goal," he said. "They substituted their goal-line defense late." Midway through the second quarter, with the score still 3-3, the Packers started at their own 15 and drove 83 yards on eight consecutive pass plays. But they couldn't get the final 2 yards on the ground in two tries. On first and goal, Rodgers' pass bounced off the hands of fullback Quinn Johnson and fell incomplete. Rodgers then kept for 1 yard, making it third and goal at the 1. With Johnson and Jackson lined up behind him, Rodgers kept again and was hit at the goal line. He tried to reach for the end zone, and linebacker Curtis Lofton knocked the ball out of his hands and into the arms of teammate Mike Peterson.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers special teams suffer regression--coverage unit botches kickoff coverage in final minute: It was all there for the taking for the Packers. And then it was all gone. Cover a kickoff. Force overtime. Then maybe Crosby applies the finishing touches to a momentous, memorable comeback. Fifty-six seconds remained Sunday at the Georgia Dome. The Packers and Atlanta Falcons were tied, 17-17. The Green Bay sideline was alive with energy because the offense had just driven 90 yards in 16 plays, overcoming two false-start penalties along the way, to score the equalizer on fourth and long. Crosby's kickoff had excellent distance and desired hang time. KR Weems fielded the ball and crashed forward to the 36, a return of 40 yards, before linebacker Wilhelm brought him down by the face mask. As the Packers watched officials march off the 15 yards to their 49, they undoubtedly had a sick feeling. DC Capers rushed at least five on the Falcons' ensuing five passes, but it made no difference. Matt Ryan completed four for 20 yards, positioning Matt Bryant for a 47-yard field goal and sending Green Bay to a crushing defeat.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Mistakes prove costly: KR Weems came out of the end zone and returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards – and drew a 15-yard facemask penalty on Matt Wilhelm – to set up Matt Bryant’s game-winning 47-yard field goal in the Falcons’ 20-17 victory over the Packers at the Georgia Dome. Wilhelm admitted that his penalty was a mistake, but at the same time, it likely saved a touchdown. Weems had nothing but green FieldTurf in front of him had Wilhelm not stopped him. Wilhelm’s penalty wasn’t the only one, though. After committing only eight penalties combined during their four-game winning streak, the Packers were flagged eight times Sunday for 66 yards. The one defensive penalty, a holding call on CB Woodson in the first quarter, helped the Falcons to a field goal on their opening drive. The offense overcame its two penalties, false starts on left guard Daryn Colledge and right tackle Bryan Bulaga, on its game-tying touchdown drive. The other five penalties were on special teams, including a personal foul on an extra point try on defensive end Cullen Jenkins and a questionable unnecessary roughness penalty on kick returner Sam Shields for what seemed to be a legal stiffarm.
11/28/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers keys & game plan to beat Falcons.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Falcons: Kickoff--High noon. Keys to the game--Packers' offense hasn't been as prolific as expected, but it hasn’t been losing games. Green Bay will have to make the most of its possessions because Atlanta will likely dominate the clock. If the offensive line can protect QB Rodgers, he'll find mismatches downfield. WR Jennings has been particularly hot. The Packers have allowed 10 combined points the past three weeks while the Falcons are averaging 31.5 points over their past four games. Green Bay isn't deep throughout the secondary and the Falcons could go with more no-huddle and spread the field. But while Ryan hasn't been sacked in three of his past four games, the Packers are aggressive and enter with 29 sacks. So look for the Falcons to be conservative and feature plenty of RB Turner. Game plan--The Packers and Falcons not only are riding four-game winning streaks, but both teams haven't turned over the football in their last three outings. The setting favors the Falcons at the Georgia Dome. For the Packers to break that streak of invincibility, their opportunistic defense will have to take the Atlanta offense out of its ball-control, mistake-free comfort zone. What's more, the Falcons rank second in the league for time of possession. A high rate of success converting third downs has lot to do with their ability to play keep-away and pounding the football with RBs Turner and Snelling. Green Bay will throw the football and QB Rodgers is red hot. Rodgers has been targeting Greg Jennings with great frequency the last five games, so the Falcons figure to shade coverage Jennings' way. It will be on Rodgers to look off Jennings and spread the wealth with the other key receivers.
11/28/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi previews Packers vs Falcons
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers-Falcons preview: Teams: Packers (7-3) vs. Falcons (8-2). Time: Sunday at noon CST. Place: Georgia Dome, Atlanta. TV: FOX. The rankings: The Packers’ 13th-ranked offense is No. 19 in rushing and is No. 11 in passing. Their 12th-ranked defense is No. 18 against the run and No. 11 against the pass. The Falcons’ sixth-ranked offense is No. 7 in rushing and No. 13 in passing. Their 17th-ranked defense is No. 6 against the run and No. 24 against the pass. The injury report: Packers – S Atari Bigby (hamstring) is out. S Anthony Smith (ankle) is doubtful. LT Chad Clifton (knee), WR Donald Driver (quadriceps), DE Cullen Jenkins (calf), LB Clay Matthews (shin), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle), C Scott Wells (arch) and CB Charles Woodson (toe) are probable. Falcons – RB Antone Smith (hamstring) is doubtful. .DE John Abraham (groin) and S Shann Schillinger (head) are questionable. LB Curtis Lofton (knee), DT Corey Peters (rib), WR Eric Weems (pectoral) and WR Roddy White (knee) are probable. The line: The Falcons are favored by 2 points. THE BREAKDOWN: FIVE THINGS TO WATCH--The White stuff: Tramon Williams’ has emerged as one of the NFL’s top cover cornerbacks this season and he’ll have a chance to prove it against Atlanta’s Roddy White. White leads the NFL with 79 catches and ranks second in the league in receiving yards with 1,017. White uses his strength and leverage to muscle defenders. While the Packers aren’t afraid to match Williams up against the opponent’s top receiver – freeing up reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson to cover the slot receiver and blitz – the Falcons are effective at lining White up in different spots and using bunched formations to prevent such match-ups. D at home on road: The Packers entered the week tied with Chicago as the league’s best scoring defenses having allowed a total of 146 points as a team. The defense has been particularly stingy on the road, where they’ve allowed just four defensive touchdowns in five road games this season. The Falcons will provide a stiff test to that road success. Not only have Ryan and White connected, but with future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez and running back Michael Turner in the backfield, making up what might be the best collection of skill position players the Packers have faced this season. “This is the most efficient offense that we’ve played,” Capers said. “They’re very well coached, they run the ball well, their quarterback is an outstanding decision-maker. … They aren’t just a one-phased offense. We know we’ve got our work cut out for us.” Be quick but don’t hurry: The Falcons utilize the no-huddle offense effectively, which will present a significant challenge for the Packers’ defense. Capers likened what Ryan does to what Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning does at the line of scrimmage. “I don’t think it’s a real fast no-huddle like in 2-minute, but you have to be ready,” Capers said. “It gives a guy like Ryan an opportunity to study your defense at the line. It’s kind of like what Peyton does. He’ll study you, bait you into showing your look, and then get them into the best play against you.” No dome doom: Fresh off of their 31-3 romp over the Vikings at the Metrodome, the Packers now must face a team that is virtually unbeatable at the Georgia Dome, where coach Mike Smith is 18-3 and Ryan is 18-1. But the Packers aren’t too shabby in domes, either. The Packers are 10-3 in domes under McCarthy, which is the best road winning percentage in domes among any team with eight or more dome road games. Rodgers, meanwhile, has a 108.3 passer rating in his eight career starts in domes, where he’s completed 172 of 261 passes (65.9%) for 2,255 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. Arms race: The game pits two of the league’s top up-and-coming young quarterbacks, both of whom are in their third years as starters. Ryan became a starter after the Falcons took him with the No. 3 overall pick in 2008, while Rodgers, who is less than two years older than Ryan, took over in 2008 after three years as an understudy as the No. 24 overall pick in 2005. Both quarterbacks also came into challenging situations, with Ryan taking over after a disgraced Michael Vick was released when his dogfighting ring came to light and Rodgers took over for the iconic Favre.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons--3 keys to the game: 1. Gonzalez Cannot Slip Through--Though Tony Gonzalez at age 34 is no longer is the NFL’s best tight end, he remains a troublesome matchup because of his big frame and still-impressive athletic ability. If defensive coordinator Dom Capers matches cornerback Charles Woodson on White most of the time, Gonzalez probably will face linebackers A.J. Hawk, Desmond Bishop and Brandon Chillar, and safeties Nick Collins and Charlie Peprah. 2. No-Huddle Difficulties--This is the first time the Packers will see an offense that goes no-huddle regularly. The Packers will have to be flexible enough to stop the run with passing personnel and the pass with running personnel. 3. Turnover Battle--Packers have helped themselves immensely by winning the turnover battle, they’re No. 5 in the NFL in turnover differential (plus-8), but they can’t count on prevailing there this week. Atlanta is tied for No. 2 with a plus-10 differential, and their quarterback, Matt Ryan, has thrown only five interceptions in 10 games. Sometimes you have to keep teams off the scoreboard with stops alone, and this looks like one of those games.
11/27/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi profiles Packers LG Colledge and rookie RB Nance.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Colledge An 'Ironman' Along Offensive Line--Daryn Colledge is having a solid bounce-back season for the Packers. Whether it requires a visit to the chiropractor, getting a massage, using the training staff when he needs to, or just plain luck, the fifth-year Packers pro is always ready to go. No one on the Green Bay Packers’ roster better exemplifies Mike McCarthy’s mantra of availability and accountability than offensive lineman Daryn Colledge. The fifth-year guard out of Boise State has yet to miss a game in his pro career and is tied with A.J. Hawk for the most consecutive games played of anyone on the Packers. While Colledge has been a whipping boy at times throughout his career through position changes and penalties, his durability has never been in question. Of the 74 straight games he has played in since being drafted by the Packers in 2006, 70 have been starts. He is the only offensive lineman for the Packers to start the last 43 games. Colledge is having arguably his best season after settling down at left guard. The height of his success and his offensive line-mates came against the Vikings returning to face a defensive line in an environment in which they yielded eight sacks, a penalty and a safety a season ago, it gave up only three sacks and committed no penalties and played nearly flawless over the last three quarters of a 31-3 victory. The Packers’ offensive line was recognized by Hall of Fame coach Madden as being the “top protectors” in Week 11, making the unit contenders for the “Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award” at the end of the season. Said Madden, “The Green Bay offensive line has settled into a good groove and is playing as well as they have all season.” Colledge is part of an interior offensive line that has allowed, by unofficial count, just two sacks this season. Colledge has just one holding penalty and has not committed a penalty of any kind over the last three games.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Nance gets his chance: When a player faces his former team, the player usually has some modicum of ill will or extra motivation for the matchup. That won’t be the case Sunday for Green Bay Packers running back Dimitri Nance faces the Atlanta Falcons. “It wasn’t like I left on really bad terms. It was really just a business thing I had to do,” said Nance, whom the Packers signed off the Falcons’ practice squad on Sept. 14 after losing starter Ryan Grant to a season-ending ankle injury. “It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be interesting to play against them.” It will be especially interesting for Nance now that he’s actually contributing for the Packers. Relegated to largely special teams duty for much of his time after his signing, Nance took over the short-yardage role in the Packers’ backfield last week at Minnesota, picking up a crucial third-and-1 and rushing 12 times for 37 yards in their 31-3 victory. He appears to have taken that role away from converted fullback John Kuhn who did not touch the ball in the game. “Dimitri is doing a great job (and) is going to have an opportunity to play some this week. I know he’s excited to get back down there and play in front of his friends,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy told Georgia reporters in a conference call earlier this week. “I can’t say enough about him. He came in here and had to learn a new offense with totally different terminology, totally different language and he’s done a very good job. He hasn’t gotten as many opportunities as he probably would have liked at this point, but he’s better each week and we’re going to give him some more opportunities.”
Commentary: LG Colledge' story is remarkable considering the fact that he was the "whipping boy" for the local fluff Packers press and a notable "who are you nobody?" Packers blogger over the past five years. We can recall the endless negative barrages week-after-week against him by a fluff Packers writer claiming Colledge is just backup talent. If they had their way, LG Colledge would no longer be around on the Packers. From a mature experienced writers perspective, all linemen have their strengths and weaknesses at their line positions. Fortunately, Colledge improved to become a more than average consistent "ironman" lineman in a very good offensive line. Yet, we agree with legendary ex-Packers QB Favre that it should not take that long to develop an offensive line. Games are won in the trenches. Meanwhile, the rookie RT Bulaga has these "veteran" linemen to help through his difficult transition to tough world of pro football. We gotta go to see an amusing prediction for the game day roster! Our fans, they can't wait! OMG!
11/26/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews funny Favre watch stories.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers 'rid' themselves of Favre, move on: While you never say never when it comes to Brett Favre, it would appear that the Green Bay Packers will never again have to endure the circus that comes with facing their former iconic quarterback on the field – or answer questions about him in the locker room. As the Packers (7-3) prepared for Sunday’s colossal showdown with the NFC-leading Atlanta Falcons (8-2) at the Georgia Dome, their focus was appropriately on extending their four-game winning streak, not on gloating over their two victories over the Minnesota Vikings and Favre, who has said on several occasions that this will be his final NFL season. If anyone needed a reminder about what a pain in the tuchus the entire L'affaire Favre was to the Packers since his unretirement in July 2008, they didn’t have to look any further than coach Mike McCarthy’s curt answer to a question regarding it and the hulabaloo created on the Internet by a post-game photo of quarterback Aaron Rodgers after he and Favre met briefly on the field after the Packers’ 31-3 triumph at the Metrodome. Other than perhaps Rodgers, McCarthy is likely the happiest to have the book on Favre closed. While the quarterback and the franchise he spent 16 glorious years with will someday have to make peace with each other, that was obvious when Associated Press writer Chris Jenkins asked McCarthy, “When you look back to Sunday, that might be the last time you face the circus of Packers vs. Brett Favre. Is it nice to be rid of that?” Replied McCarthy: “I’m rid of it; you need to get rid of it.”
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Rodgers, Favre, and "The Smirk": So as it turns out, the smirk on Aaron Rodgers’ face had nothing to do with what he’d just accomplished. You’ve probably seen the photo somewhere of Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers quarterback, wearing a sly grin and looking directly into Associated Press photographer Hannah Foslien’s lens as he and ex-teammate Brett Favre, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback, went their separate ways following their post-game hug and chat. The look on Rodgers’ face was interpreted by many to be a glimpse into the joy Rodgers was feeling after just having beaten Favre and the Vikings for the second time this season after being swept by them last year. According to Rodgers, who had seen the picture on the Internet and the hulabaloo it created, the explanation was considerably less significant. “That was, Brett and I embraced, and then he made a funny comment about (Packers offensive line coach) James Campen as we were separating,” Rodgers explained Wednesday when asked about the photo at his locker. “And I looked back and smirked about his comment about James Campen and they froze it.” Shaking his head and smiling, Rodgers added, “You can put any tag you want underneath that picture. I can tell you exactly what happened. People are still going to read into that.” Asked how we know that was the real reason for his smile, Rodgers replied, “How do you know? Because that’s never been my personality. Agreed? I looked back to see if James was back there and I had a smirk on my face. I wasn’t smirking at anyone. Maybe James Campen.”
11/26/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers Bishop, Peprah & Zombo profiles.
Commentary: For the 2010 NFL Season, three major players stepped up to replace injured starters on the front line Packers defense. Without their stellar performances on defense, the Packers would not be 7-3 with a prime time showdown Sunday against the Falcons. Although LB Bishop is no surprise considering we recommended that he start long ago along with other Packers bloggers in the Packers nation, the steady performances of S Peprah and OLB Zombo are pleasant surprises. Happy holidays!
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this clip)
LB Bishop: Desmond Bishop was one of three 6th round Packer draft choices in 2007. Today, he is Green Bay’s starting middle linebacker and the team’s third leading tackler. And there isn’t a day that goes by that Bishop doesn’t appreciate his good fortune and try to help others whose lives have taken less favorable paths. “It takes you back to the saying, ‘much is given, much is required,” Bishop said. “I feel like I’m in a fortunate situation where I can give back. There was a time in my life and I think in everybody’s life where I needed help. To give back in a situation where you can I think is good.” Bishop is already been a major role model for many kids back at his high school in his native Fairfield, California, which is 40 miles northeast of San Francisco. Bishop uses football as a teaching tool for young people who may be struggling to find their way. “I do a football camp back home in my high school,” Bishop said. “It’s free, I just want to give back, really teach the kids more about football, but also about life, just tell them my journey and let ‘em know if they have a dream, whether it be about football or whatever you want to be, if you want to be a doctor, a lawyer, stick to your dream and do whatever you think is necessary to reach your goals.” While playing college ball at the University of California, Bishop routinely volunteered to serve food to homeless people. While in Green Bay, Bishop has helped to improve the facilities at Golden House, a local shelter for victims of domestic violence. “Whether you’re home or whatever city you’re in, I feel it’s an important part of being an NFL player.” As one of four roaming linebackers in Dom Capers sophisticated 3-4 scheme, Bishop has to study a lot of film of opposing offenses. But that’s not all he’s studying. Bishop is working on a screenplay.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Safety Peprah: Peprah took over as the starter alongside Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins after rookie Morgan Burnett suffered a season-ending knee injury Oct. 3 against Detroit while former starter Atari Bigby was on the physically unable to perform list. When Bigby was activated Nov. 6, most assumed that he’d reclaim his job. Instead, he simply rotated in for Peprah against Dallas on Nov. 7 and at Minnesota last Sunday before pulling his hamstring against the Vikings. As long as Bigby is sidelined, he’s already been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Falcons, Peprah will hold the job full-time. “Charlie’s played well,” safeties coach Perry said. “He hasn’t been a guy that’s just been lining up. I could probably line up and be in the right place, but I’m not going to make any plays, not at my age. But Charlie’s been productive. He has taken advantage of the opportunity.” Peprah certainly waited long enough for the opportunity. Claimed on waivers, Peprah spent his first three seasons with the Packers playing special teams. He made just one start on defense before suffering a knee injury in training camp last year and reaching an injury settlement with the Packers. He ended up joining the Falcons last November and played in two games. He re-signed with the Packers during the offseason. He entered training camp toward the bottom of the safety depth chart, but he made the roster. Now, the Packers are relying on him to continue his steady play. After a rocky start as Burnett’s replacement, he made two key plays in the Packers’ Oct. 31 shutout victory over the New York Jets and has played well ever since.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
OLB Zombo--hard work, zeal for game make undrafted rookie a starter: A funny thing happened on the way to the practice squad. Injuries swept through the Packers' linebackers like a brush fire in the Hollywood hills, and suddenly Zombo was the last man standing. There was nobody else to play right outside linebacker. He was it. Zombo made his first start in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears replacing the injured Brad Jones. After Jones (shoulder) went on injured reserve Oct. 27, the position was Zombo's for good. Linebackers coach Greene worked to get Zombo up to speed, but for the most part it's been baptism by fire. The 23-year-old Zombo has had to learn a new position on the fly. Zombo ranks sixth on the Packers with 45 tackles including eight against the Vikings and has forced a fumble. "He is doing really, really well," Greene said. "He set a real hard edge against a Pro Bowl player in McKinnie. He made a couple of really nice tackles. He's playing well. He's very self-conscious about how he plays. He wants to learn and get better and it shows." Zombo's pass-rushing skills help him at linebacker. He's strong enough to walk tackles back into the quarterback and has two sacks. "Everybody measures the sacks, but you need people that know how to rush, where they just aren't flying up the field," said DC Capers. "If you put on the tape you'll see a couple times (Sunday) that he had the tackle right back into Brett's lap." Of course, Zombo has made his share of mistakes, too. "There are some fundamentals and technique things that we can improve on," Greene said. "He'll learn that." Like Zombo, Packers inside linebacker Desmond Bishop got his chance to play because of injuries. Now a starter alongside Zombo, Bishop said the two had a lot in common, starting with their passion for the game. Zombo has a deep appreciation for the Packers organization and its storied tradition. He's fallen in love with Green Bay and said he's converted most of Sterling Heights, a suburb of Detroit, into Packers fans.
11/25/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi wishes happy thanksgiving to Packers fans.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
11/24/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers Jennings receiving attention: If ever there were a year for Greg Jennings to distinguish himself from his peers, carry the passing offense and seize his first Pro Bowl berth, this is it. In fact, after the Green Bay Packers drubbed the Minnesota Vikings and Jennings had a seven-catch, 152-yard, three-touchdown day, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he has made a conscious effort to find No.?85 more often. Rodgers is as sure a bet as anyone to make the Pro Bowl. Why wouldn't his top target have a shot as well? Jennings sure has made his case. He has 32 receptions and 520 receiving yards in the last five games, four of which the Packers have won - two of them on a national stage. If Jennings could somehow maintain that pace in the final six games of the year - and this is asking a lot - he would leapfrog over other receivers in the NFC and could even have his best year statistically. His relevance, to Green Bay's offense and success, has never been more evident. But here's the catch - it is not so intentional beyond the quarterback. "We are not designing new plays for Greg or anything like that," said Packers coach Mike McCarthy. "Greg is an outstanding football player, he is an excellent route-runner, and Aaron and Greg have really been on the same page here of late."
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Falcons scouting report: Run Offense--Offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, a former head coach with the Buffalo Bills, runs the power running scheme he learned as an assistant coach with the Steelers. Halfback Michael Turner is a perfect back for the scheme because of his bowling-ball type build and enough speed even at age 28 to break a long run. He’s the NFL’s No. 6 rusher (864 yards, |4.3-yard average). “He runs hard, powerful, guys bounce off him,” a scout said. “I don’t think (he’s elite), he’s second or third tier.” Passing offense--Falcons, who rank No. 6 in total yards and scoring, have one of the league’s top young guns in quarterback Matt Ryan plus two top weapons in receiver Roddy White and tight end Tony Gonzalez. He’s close to the total package, with good size (6-4, 213), plenty of arm talent, a first-rate mind and strong leadership skills. His mobility isn’t great but is good enough. This season he’s thrown 18 touchdown passes to only five interceptions, and his passer rating (92.9 points) ranks No. 13 in the NFL. Run defense-the Falcons run a quickness-oriented 4-3 scheme and this year rank No. 7 in points allowed and No. 17 in yards allowed. A smallish defensive front that mostly tries to shoot gaps rather than hold up blockers. “They just don’t make mistakes ever,” a scout said of the defense as a whole. “Really disciplined.” Pass Defense--the Falcons have only one pass rusher of note, defensive end John Abraham. He’s on pace to hit double digits in sacks again. Cornerback Dunta Robinson is the Falcons’ best cover man. Brent Grimes (5-10, 181), a third-year pro from Shippensburg who entered the league undrafted, is smallish but smart and has three interceptions opposite Robinson. Special Teams--little Eric Weems is a good dual-role return man even though he lacks top-end speed. His 13.6-yard average on punts would rank No. 4 in the NFL if he had enough returns to qualify for the league rankings, and his 26.0-yard average on kickoffs is tied for No. 10 in the league.
11/23/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi grades Packers win over Vikings.
SUMMARY: After a sluggish first quarter, QB Rodgers rebounded to throw for 301 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Packers over the Vikings 31-3. With timely turnovers, the defense shut down QB Favre and RB Peterson holding the Vikings to a field goal.
GAME BALLS: QB Rodgers; WR Jones; WR Jennings; CB Williams.
INJURY REPORT: S Bigby (hamstring). S Smith (ankle sprain).
Report Card Grades--Good, Bad, & Ugly (JC vs. SE):
PASSING OFFENSE: A- vs A-. After an awful first quarter that saw the Packers get only eight total years, QB Rodgers settled down to throw 22 of 31 passes for 301 yards, 4 touchdowns, no interceptions, and 141.3 passer rating. On offense, the Packers adjusted to quick-hitting and vertical passes exploiting the Vikings’ glaring weakness with Allen and rookie Cook at the Nos. 2 and 3 cornerbacks. WR Jennings had 7 catches for 152 yards and 3 touchdowns. WR Jones had 3 catches for 51 yards and 1 big touchdown. If the Packers have a second playmaker in their receiving corps, it’s James Jones who has overtaken Donald Driver as a playmaker. That was a great catch by Jones in the end zone. Driver hasn’t had a 100-yard game since Nov. 26 last year. Maybe the injury is a factor, but that’s what often happens to declining players. They get hurt.
RUSHING OFFENSE: C VS C. The Packers struggled rushing, but they got 91 total yards. Rookie RB Nance looked strong, especially in short yardage, getting 12 carries for 37 yards. RB Jackson had 14 carries for 28 yards. Now, they both will share running time in future games. QB Rodgers scrambled with three runs for 21 yards.
PASSING DEFENSE: A- vs B+. Under constant pressure facing an effective Packers fire zone blitzing, Vikings QB Favre had only a quick small pocket to work with completing only 17 of 38 for 208 yards, an interception, and a rating of 51.2. The inside linebackers did a fair number of double shoots, too, and they might not have gotten sacks, but they had Favre on the carpet from the start. Jenkins, Raji, the inside backers — they were all pushing the pocket and Favre had nowhere to step up. And that’s the way to beat him. He can’t get out on the perimeter and make plays anymore. In the first half, two timely turnovers, a forced fumble by CB Woodson and an interception by CB Williams, stopped two early Vikings drives to set the tempo for the game. The entire defense looked stellar led by CB Woodson with 7 tackles and 1 forced fumble, by CB Williams with his big interception, and by LB Matthews with 5 tackles and 1 sack. Rookie CB Shields looked shaky in three coverage plays involving WR Rice and WR Lewis.
RUSHING DEFENSE: B vs B-. Led by the front seven line, the rush defense schemed to stop the run doing a great job. They limited RB Peterson to 72 yards. The defense was aggressive to limit Peterson from the big plays. The two inside backers, Bishop and Hawk, were really sound in making sure there were no cutback lanes. Nick Barnett was an aggressive player, but he had a tendency to overrun plays and leave lanes open. Both Hawk and Bishop attacked the line of scrimmage, but their run fits also were exceptional.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B vs B. On four returns, KR Harvin had only 69 yards averaging only 17.3 yards. Punter Masthay's gross average was a low 39.2 yards, but he had an excellent net average of 38.2, placing two inside the 20 and forcing three fair catches. The Packers return specialists had no special day.
COACHING: A- vs A. While the early game plan stunk, the Packers adjusted to establish the tempo of the game crushing an important NFL rival sweeping the Vikings series. They stand at 7-3 with the Bears at the NFC top. The Packers converted only 8 of 15 third downs. They were a solid 2 for 2 in the red zone. DC Capers' defense continued to make timely takeaways showing solid performances in the last three games giving up only 10 points.
OVERALL: A vs. A (CBS Sportsline). About the only thing the Packers could have done better is run the ball. Their defense has given up one TD in the past 13 quarters and picked up two more takeaways.
11/22/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Favre watch headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Beaten and battered, Favre faces harsh reality: No matter how you feel about Brett Favre, it was hard not to feel just a pinch of sympathy for him Sunday. Once a three-time NFL most valuable player and just last year still among the best quarterbacks in the game, Favre is finishing out his career with a team in a death spiral and looking every bit like a 41-year-old man in a young man's game. As purple-clad fans fled the Metrodome and Packers fans stayed behind to savor the closing minutes of a 31-3 beat-down of Favre and the Vikings, the chants of "Go, Pack, go!" must have rung hollow in Favre's ear flaps. Favre is a Hall of Famer reduced to irrelevance. As Favre walked off the field, a handful of Packers made their way through a phalanx of photographers to pat the quarterback on the helmet or shoulder pads and wish him well. "One thing we always say is that we miss one another," Driver said. "I asked him if he would be OK and he said, 'Yeah,' and then he said, 'I love you.' I said, 'I love you, too.' And that was it." Safety Nick Collins told Favre to "keep his head up and keep playing." "He said, 'Y'all keep going. You're playing good. You can do it,'?" Collins said. "We've been watching him the whole season, watching everything he's going through," Jenkins said. "You feel bad for him as a former teammate. He's a pretty cool guy. You don't wish bad luck on anybody. It's just one of those things. He's having a tough year and hopefully he'll be able to get past it, whatever direction he goes in after this season."
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Favre to 're-evaluate things' following rout: In 1992, the Green Bay Packers breathed life into Brett Favre's NFL career. Sunday, they may have put that marvelous career to rest for good. The Packers completed a season sweep of their former quarterback with a remarkably easy 31-3 victory over his Minnesota Vikings Sunday at the Metrodome. That evened it up at two wins per team since Favre joined the Vikings in 2009 and it will probably remain tied because Favre doesn't look or sound like someone who has a 21st NFL season in his 41-year-old body. When the unexpected rout was over Sunday, two things were clear: The Vikings as we know them are done and Favre might be, too. Afterward, he wouldn't even commit to playing another game, saying twice that he would go home and re-evaluate. He cracked a joke while declining to say exactly what he would re-evaluate.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
The last goodbye?: If this is it, and Brett Favre left the door slightly ajar to that possibility with his promise to “re-evaluate” his situation, then it was understandable that some folks at Mall of America Field at the Metrodome Sunday afternoon took pity upon the 41-year-old Minnesota Vikings quarterback. None of that sympathy, however, was coming from the Green Bay Packers’ locker room in the wake of their 31-3 whupping of their former teammate and his team, effectively ending the Vikings’ season with six weeks remaining. “None. Not at all,” said Packers veteran cornerback Charles Woodson, who played the 2006 and ’07 seasons with Favre. “This is football, and we’re all after one goal – to win games and ultimately win a championship. What somebody else, another team is going through, means nothing to us. We’re full steam ahead.” Wide receiver Donald Driver, Favre’s teammate and friend from 1999 through 2007, agreed. “Nah, not at all,” Driver said. “I love him, love him to death, but when you play this game, there’s no friends until it’s all over. I think he would have agreed if he would have beaten us. I’m happy that we beat him. Now I can say that I’ve won with him, lost with him and I’ve beat him. I can put that on top of my shelf.” Asked point-blank if he’s fully committed to finishing the season, Favre initially tried to deflect the question with a joke. “As I stand here today, I never expected us to be in this situation,” Favre replied. “I came back for a Super Bowl. I also knew there (was) a chance that wouldn’t happen. Probably a better chance that it (didn’t) – a way better chance that you don’t play near as good as you did last year. It doesn’t mean you can’t have success, but this is a little bit surprising. Again, I’m just going to go home and, I don’t want to say think about this game, just re-evaluate tomorrow.”
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Will Favre play again this year?: Considering the player, the scene was surreal. Brett Favre, with his legendary consecutive starts streak now five away from the landmark 300, stood on the Minnesota Vikings’ sideline with the clock winding down on Sunday. His team was getting trounced 31-3 by his former employers, and most of the fans had headed for the exits long ago. There Favre stood, arm-in-arm with teammates Ryan Longwell and Steve Hutchinson. Then one trainer. And then another. Was Favre, in the middle of a disastrous season, saying good-bye? Whether Favre's season – and career – will end after this game seems unlikely for someone who’s given so much of himself in his career and would forever tarnish his legacy by throwing in the towel with six games to go. But he made no effort to emphatically say he’ll stick with a team that is sinking so quickly that coach Brad Childress’ dismissal after the season seems like a foregone conclusion. Asked if he wanted to finish the season, Favre said, “I don’t want to sit here and tell you I’d love to sit here and tell you I’d love to finish the season and then go out and lose 31-3.” Pressed on the meaning of his going home to “re-evaluate” statement, Favre said: “I have no idea. If I had known it was going to lead to that question, I would have re-evaluated that answer.”
11/22/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines about win over Vikings.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Hot Packers rout reeling Minnesota: If it wasn't already obvious that the teams headed in opposite directions after that game, it became crystal clear Sunday afternoon at the Metrodome. The Packers produced just 14 yards of total offense in their first three drives, with Rodgers misfiring on three of his first five pass attempts. But the Packers scored on their next four possessions, including touchdowns to end three straight drives, to put the game out of reach. Rodgers finished 22 of 31 for 301 yards and his passer rating (141.3) was a season high. QB Rodgers passed for four touchdowns, three of them to Greg Jennings, and the Packers added further pain to their rivals' miserable season with a 31-3 victory before a crowd of 64,120. Green Bay (7-3) scored the final 31 points of the game to record its most lopsided victory ever at the Metrodome. It's going to be tough to slow down the Packers based on the way they've played over the last month. The constant has been a defense that has allowed just one touchdown in its last three games. The only points the Packers allowed Sunday came on a 24-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell midway through the first quarter. Green Bay also had two takeaways, giving the defense 12 in its last 14 quarters. CB Woodson forced a fumble and CB Williams picked off a pass that the offense converted into a crucial touchdown just before halftime.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers sweep Vikings in convincing fashion: The victory, the largest margin for the Packers here since the Metrodome opened in 1982, accomplished so much in one shot. It ran the Packers’ winning streak to four games and their record to 7-3, which keeps them on pace with the Chicago Bears for first place in the NFC North Division. It also capped a satisfying sweep of quarterback Brett Favre and the Vikings, a year after Favre humbled the Packers with a sweep of two hot-blooded games that were the difference in the division race. For the second time this season, Rodgers outdueled Favre with a better passer rating (141.3 to Favre’s 51.2) and exploited the Vikings’ glaring weakness with Asher Allen and rookie Chris Cook at the Nos. 2 and 3 cornerbacks. Cook, the Vikings’ nickel back, was the stumblebum of choice in the first half. Jennings smoked him for a 47-yard catch that set up a field goal. WR Jones did the same for receptions of 39 and 3 yards, the latter a fade for a touchdown with 5 seconds left in the first half that put the Packers up 17-3. The Vikings gave Cook the hook in the third quarter. Jennings, who had three touchdown catches on the day, then torched Allen’s one-on-one coverage for two scores in the second half, a 46-yard catch-and-run on a comeback route that opened the 21-point lead in the third quarter, and a 22-yard fade on a daring third-down call that closed out the scoring in the fourth quarter. Favre, on the other hand, couldn’t solve a Packers defense that has been one of the NFL’s best the past three weeks — coordinator Dom Capers’ crew has given up 10 points total to the New York Jets, Dallas and the Vikings.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers 31, Vikings 3: Williams turns the tide: With Rodgers having thrown for 301 yards and four touchdowns, backup Matt Flynn was in the middle of mopping up the final 6 ½ minutes of the Packers’ 31-3 domination of the Minnesota Vikings. Rodgers, meanwhile, was walking along the Packers’ bench, shaking hands with every defensive player he encountered. With 2:53 left in the game, he arrived at Tramon Williams, whose interception in the closing minutes of the first half had helped turn a nip-and-tuck affair into the blowout it became. Asked after the game what his quarterback had said to him, Williams laughed. He couldn’t remember. In reality, nothing really needed to be said. Everyone inside the Metrodome Sunday knew just how big Williams’ interception of Brett Favre with 1:03 left until halftime had been. “”Huge,” said Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who watched Rodgers direct the offense on a six-play, 53-yard sprint in the next 58 seconds to turn Williams’ interception into a 3-yard Rodgers-to-James Jones touchdown and a 17-3 halftime lead. “I mean, they had a little momentum on the drive; it’s a one-score game. That’s a big play in the game no doubt about it.” Williams’ interception was part of a larger impressive defensive effort, of course, which is why Rodgers was going down the sideline offering his thanks and congratulations.
11/21/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi previews Packers vs Vikings game day.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Vikings preview: Teams: Packers (6-3) vs. Vikings (3-6). Time: Sunday at High Noon. Place: The Metrodome, Minneapolis. TV coverage: FOX Network. Packers injury report--WR Donald Driver (quadriceps), DE/NT Ryan Pickett (ankle) and FB Korey Hall (back) are questionable; LB Desmond Bishop (hip), LB Brandon Chillar (shoulder), LT Chad Clifton (knee), CB Pat Lee (ankle), LB Clay Matthews (shin), TE Andrew Quarless (shoulder), C Scott Wells (arch) and CB Charles Woodson (toe) are probable. FIVE THINGS TO WATCH--No dome doom: While Aaron Rodgers has endured his share of sacks at the Metrodome, he and his line worked in perfect concert during the Packers’ 28-24 victory over the Vikings at Lambeau Field on Oct. 24, when Rodgers wasn’t sacked while completing 21 of 34 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns. He’s 0-2 at the Metrodome and only 9-12 overall (including playoffs) in road games. Return to sender: Sam Shields is the Packers’ kickoff returner. Tight quarters: Since Finley was lost for the season to a knee injury Oct. 10 at Washington, the Packers have watched the tight end essentially disappear from the offense. Noise pollution: McCarthy likened playing in the Metrodome to playing “in front of a bad stereo system. But whether or not the Metrodome’s famously noisy environment impacts the Packers’ performance depends on how apathetic the Vikings’ fans are toward their team or how quickly the Packers get off to a good start to quiet the crowd. The last dance: Favre will be making his 295th consecutive career regular-season start, but it’s hard to imagine a game more important to him than what figures to be his last one against his former team. Having stated on several occasions that he won’t be back for a 21st NFL season in 2011, Favre is facing the Packers for the last time. "It's a big deal,'' Vikings running back Adrian Peterson said.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Vikings preview: Keys to the game--Vikings QB Favre has more than doubled his interception total from last season (seven) with 16, he has a sore shoulder to go with his injured ankle, his receiving corps is banged up and teams are loading the box to gang up on RB Adrian Peterson. So, it's fair to say the Packers' aggressive defense will be attacking downhill. Green Bay rushed 23 times in 58 plays in the first meeting but has been held to less than 4.0 yards per carry in four straight games. With more passes flying and Donald Driver (thigh) gimpy, WR Greg Jennings has at least six catches in each of his last four games. Game plan--Packers can't afford to show up with the Jekyll-and-Hyde offense that they had in squeaking past the Vikings 28-24 at Lambeau Field. Going on the road in a hostile environment to play a division rival that is in desperation mode will require Green Bay to be as crisp in moving the football. Given that Green Bay traditionally doesn't run the football with success in that dome, a barrage of quick, short passes from Aaron Rodgers against Minnesota's soft secondary would be the way to establish the ball control. Defensively, Green Bay's aiming point is running back Peterson who stood out in defeat for the Vikings in the first meeting with 28 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown. Mistake-prone Brett Favre, the league's interceptions leader, can't be sure to have Harvin, Berrian and Rice on the field to throw to for the entire game. So, the Packers could manage to load the box with 8 defenders to account for Peterson and not lose anything by singling up on the receivers.
Commentary: It's early Sunday game day reflecting upon the classic intangibles in life that the Lombardi legends understand beyond the sports business. We reach maybe the final curtain in the Favre watch with the Packers. The old gunslinger has one final last harrah, although he is an iconic Packers legend who will be missed in the NFL heading toward a murky sunset, the Hall of Fame and the retirement of number four in the Packers organization. We share the mutual fact of life that management has inherent limitations with nothing to do with fate and destiny. Like petty competition in sports blogging, they are simply amusing distractions on the journey to greatness and immortal fame. If the Packers want this game, it is a great opportunity to find their post-Favre identity. We hope they get it.
11/20/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this cli
Packers prepare for Favre: It's Brett Favre versus the Green Bay Packers one last time. Or is it? It is fair to wonder if Favre would much rather be riding on his tractor in Kiln, Miss., instead of riding out what has proved to be a most difficult season. Off the field, he has been questioned by NFL officials about accusations of lewd behavior toward a female sports reporter. On the field, the Vikings are 3-6. Favre has been supremely battered. There have been major shoulder, foot and ankle injuries. Network cameras zoom in to record grimaces of a broken warrior who looks like he's just gone 12 rounds with Manny Pacquiao. Wouldn't he rather be throwing passes against the guys in the Wrangler's commercials than being chased by Clay Matthews? Favre's statistics have been consistent with Minnesota's overall plight. He's thrown an NFL-leading 16 interceptions and is ranked 31st in overall passer rating. But even the Packers who are not directly responsible for stopping him on Sunday have watched plenty of video and remain Favre fans. "The man has thrown some interceptions," said WR James Jones. "I mean the man is running around on a broken ankle and he's moving around pretty good. He's throwing the ball like he has for his whole career." "Look at what he did two games ago against Arizona where the Vikings won. That's the Brett we're preparing for," said DE Jenkins. "We know he has it in him. Especially with the talent he has out there. Brett sitting back in the pocket, if you give him time in the pocket, he's going to find somebody open." If this is indeed Favre's farewell tour, many defensive players around the league won't be sorry to see him go. "If he was on my team, yeah," said Jenkins. "Playing against him? A lot of football fans will miss him. I'm not sure if I'll miss playing against him but the game of football will miss him."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Regrets? Favre has a few: It’s hard to imagine things going much worse for Favre since kicker Ryan Longwell, guard Steve Hutchinson and defensive end Jared Allen were dispatched to Mississippi this summer by coach Brad Childress to convince Favre to play one more season and the Vikings upped his compensation to a whopping $16 million, or $1 million per game. Not only are the Vikings a disappointing 3-6 after coming within overtime in the NFC Championship Game of reaching Super Bowl XLIV last season, but Favre has struggled. Through nine games, he’s completed 180 of 289 passes (62.3 percent) for 2,066 yards with 10 touchdowns and an NFL-worst 16 interceptions for a passer rating of 72.2, which ranks 31st in the NFL. Favre has also been playing with two fractures in his foot/ankle, tendinitis in his right (throwing) elbow, stitches in a gash in his chin, and a sore throwing shoulder. His wide receiver corps is a mess. Then, there are the off-the-field issues Favre has dealt with. His alleged texting of sexually explicit photos to former New York Jets employee Jennifer Sterger in 2008 triggered an ongoing league investigation into whether he sexually harassed Sterger while he was the Jets quarterback. His relationship with embattled coach Childress can be most politely described as poor. And wide receiver Moss was released after only four games after engaging in conduct Childress deemed detrimental to the team. It has gotten so bad that Bears LB Urlacher, following Chicago’s 27-13 victory last Sunday at Soldier Field, said he “felt bad” for Favre. “I don’t think I said or did anything that would warrant (Urlacher thinking), ‘He’s fallen off the deep end,’ or something,” Favre said, acknowledging that a loss to the Packers, which would drop the Vikings to 3-7, would essentially end the Vikings’ season after 10 games. “I have no idea what the rest of this season will hold, but it is a now-or-never, do-or-die, our-backs-against-the-wall (situation).”
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Driver, Pickett questionable: Defensive end Ryan Pickett and wide receiver Donald Driver participated in full in practice Friday, but both veterans are still listed as questionable on the Green Bay Packers’ official injury report. Packers – WR Donald Driver (quadriceps), DE/NT Ryan Pickett (ankle) and FB Korey Hall (back) are questionable; LB Desmond Bishop (hip), LB Brandon Chillar (shoulder), LT Chad Clifton (knee), CB Pat Lee (ankle), LB Clay Matthews (shin), TE Andrew Quarless (shoulder), C Scott Wells (arch) and CB Charles Woodson (toe) are probable. Packers coach Mike McCarthy sounded encouraged after watching Driver run several go routes during practice. “Donald Driver looked good. We sent him on a few deep balls,” McCarthy said. “Really, the biggest factor in Donald Driver being available for Sunday will probably be (Saturday’s) evaluation, to see how he responds to the full practice. I would say Ryan Pickett would be exactly in the same category. Ryan did much more team (work) today than he did (Thursday). I’ll be very curious when Dr. (Pat) McKenzie has the opportunity to visit with Ryan and Donald both tomorrow and on game day.”
11/20/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi talks about Vikings vs Packers game.
Introduction: We talked to Nick at Mn Vikings Blog.com about the Sunday Packers vs Vikings game. We present our questions and his answers.
Jclombardi: What are the strengths of the Vikings?
Nick: The biggest strength of the Minnesota Vikings game is by far our run game. Adrian Peterson is no doubt the best running back in the entire NFL. If you can't stop A.P. then he single handedly can win games for the Vikings. Our receiving corps compliment each other very well. Rice and Harvin are both extremely athletic and are just in their early years in the NFL. Shianco is a very physical TE and is a great target in the end zone. Finally our defensive routinely is one of the best in the NFL. While age is starting to get the best of some of our talented players we still are ranking in the top 10 even with the teams struggles this year.
Jclombardi: What are the weaknesses of the Vikings?
Nick: Despite Favre's fantastic play last year the QB situation continues to haunt the Minnesota Vikings this year. While it's easy to place blame on Favre, the reality is that our Offensive line needs improvement. Losing Birk was unfortunate and we have always had an issue with our right guard position. Not resigning Chester Taylor was a mistake and we sorely miss his ability to pick up the blitz. Look for QB and OL to be our main focus on the upcoming draft.
Jclombardi: Do you think QB Favre should have comeback for another year considering the 3-6 record and is this Favre's super bowl or "final harrah" game involving the Packers for his final NFL year?
Nick: Favre had one hell of a season last year. For anyone to hold him to these standards is being ridiculous. But yes, I do believe he should have come b.ack. There was no reason to foresee the issues that this team is having this year. No doubt the last minute surgery to Sidney Rice was unfortunate I blame a lot of our faults on the coaching staff. As for the 'super bowl' against the Packers I do believe Favre will do everything in his power to pull a victory off this weekend. Favre is a very dangerous man when he's motivated. Don't put it past him to pull out some crazy stats this weekend.
Scott Boehm/Getty Images.
Jclombardi: What game plan will the Vikings be using to beat the Packers?
Nick: The Vikings need to run the ball early and often. Setting up the run will have a direct correlation with the success of our passing game. With the Packers having impressive CB in Woodson and Williams it will be very important to get Harvin going over the middle and taking advantage of any Linebacker covering Shianco. The Vikings defense absolutely has to shut down the Packers run game in order to make them one dimensional in the second half. Getting pressure on Rodgers will be a big determinate in how many points the Packers score this Sunday.
Jclombardi: After this disappointing Viking season with the predictable reactions, will coach Childress be fired along with a major front office shake up?
Nick: I personally have never been a fan of Childress since the day he replaced Tice. While you can appreciate the 'no-BS' attitude he has he just isn't a quality coach in this league. I believe his biggest issue is the inability to adapt a game plan to any game in process. I believe Coach Childress holds this team back and his conservative play-calling isn't appropriate for the amount of talent this team has. I don't believe this is a secret to anyone, however the real question is whether or not Zygi Wilf wants to admit that he was wrong for giving Childress an extension mid season last year. To eat that contract would be clearly admitting that he was wrong. We can only hope that Wilf will make the right choice.
AP Photo/Andy Blenkush
Commentary: In his "Weekly Predictions Viking vs Packers", Nick talks about the keys to game predicting the Vikings will win 31-17. We note that Viking Update is the same laughable way ending with a hope for a win against the hard cold realities. In the end, who cares when Favre leaves and/or when Childress is fired, but it is the Vikings super bowl in Minnesota, the NFL drama capital. In the NFL, the only worse fact is that the "unbearable" bad Bears are 7-3. How things have changed in a NFC year. For the Packers, this is a must win game.
11/19/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi profiles rookie CB Shields & Packers injury report.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Shields--"I am getting better, better": To fully appreciate just how far Sam Shields as come – and understand just how much it took for the Green Bay Packers rookie cornerback to get to this point – you have to listen to what Joe Whitt says about him now, and what he was muttering to himself about Shields about six months ago. But first, understand this: Whitt, the Packers’ young and exuberant cornerbacks coach, is not afraid to make bold pronouncements. Before the season, he told anyone who’d listen that Tramon Williams was the team’s best cover corner. After the ultra-fast – but ultra-raw – Shields went undrafted this spring and the Packers signed him as a rookie free agent, Whitt knew what kind of potential Shields had. "Write this down,” Whitt said of Shields, the Packers’ No. 3 cornerback in their nickel defense. “Sam is going to be one of the top corners in this league in two years.” That’s heady stuff for a guy with Shields’ thin cornerback resume, but the Packers’ actions – releasing Harris – spoke even louder than Whitt’s words. “I don’t think anybody can stand here and say Sam Shields was going to be (one of) your starting corner(s) in Week 10, especially the way he arrived here as a free agent,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy, “But you never questioned the ability. He’s a young man that’s been very thorough, very coachable, very detailed in everything he’s doing. He has a tremendous upside, and we’re excited about the progress he’s made.”
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notebook--Shields catches on quickly: When the Green Bay Packers lined up to return the second-half kickoff against the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday, undrafted rookie cornerback Sam Shields broke a cardinal rule. Shields lined up near the goal line and drifted 6 yards deep in the end zone. Normally, the returner should take a knee for a touchback in that situation. “Not normally,” special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum said on Thursday. “But he’s not normal.” Shields, who was timed at 4.20 seconds in the 40-yard dash, is indeed not normal. Shields returned that kickoff 49 yards — “I saw the hole and I hit it” was his matter-of-fact explanation. Because of that one return, he will line up as the kickoff returner when the Packers play at Minnesota on Sunday. Shields’ ability was evident against Dallas. But during the preseason, Shields had fumbled away chance after chance to return kickoffs and punts by routinely dropping the ball in practice and games. Through plenty of extra work before and after practice, Shields has become so sure-handed that Slocum said he wouldn't hesitate to use Shields on punts, too. The Packers rank 21st in punt returns, with Tramon Williams averaging 8.0 yards per return. Packers injury report--Limited participation: WR Donald Driver (quad); FB Korey Hall (back); LB Clay Matthews (shin); DE Ryan Pickett (ankle); C Scott Wells (arch); CB Charles Woodson (toe). Full participation: LB Brandon Chillar (shoulder); T Chad Clifton(knee); CB Pat Lee (ankle); TE Andrew Quarless (shoulder). Coach Mike McCarthy said Pickett did “a lot more” on Thursday than Wednesday, and the goal for Driver is to practice on Friday. Bringing the heat--The Packers are tied with St. Louis for the NFL lead in sacks with 28, with Clay Matthews leading the individual race with 10.5.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers give Shields shot as returner: The Minnesota Vikings have Percy Harvin. The Chicago Bears have Devin Hester. The Detroit Lions have Stefan Logan. The Green Bay Packers? They've ridden up and down with Jordy Nelson and Pat Lee on kickoff returns and treaded water with Tramon Williams on punt returns most of the season. But in an attempt to keep up with Joneses, the Packers plan to break out their own return specialist Sunday against the Vikings. Welcome to the NFC North, Sam Shields. "If he's back there, good luck because he's got some speed," said Charlie Peprah, a regular member of the special teams until his ascension to starting safety. "That will be a good changeup." Over the past five seasons they have ranked 19th, 31st, 22nd, 31st and 32nd in kick return average. This year, they rank sixth in the NFL in average drive start (29.1), but they have lacked the momentum-changing uppercut of a breakaway threat. In his only return of the season against Dallas, Shields broke through a lane for a 49-yard gain, causing coach Mike McCarthy and special teams coach Shawn Slocum to practically hand him the kickoff return job before he reached the sideline. "We're all pretty excited about his capabilities," Peprah said.
11/19/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi discusses Packers vs Vikings game.
Commentary: We had an opportunity to discuss the Packers vs Vikings game with Nick atMnVikingsblog.com, "Sitting Down With The Enemy--Green Bay Packers Edition." I repost our answers to questions:
Nick: This week I am exchanging a 5 questions and answer session with jclombardi. With that said, let’s move on with the questions.
Nick: RB Adrian Peterson is the Vikings biggest threat to spoiling a Packers victory. What needs to happen in order to stop AP from having a monster day this Sunday?
Jclombardi: RB Peterson continues to be one of the best runners in the NFL having both speed and power. He is the NFL’s No. 2 rusher. However, although the Packers run defense has a poor 21st ranking (Football Outsiders), the Packers will focus upon limiting RB Peterson to less than 100 yards with no big plays. The Packers are becoming healthy on defense as DE Pickett and DE Jenkins return to full health. Further, with the addition of DE/DT Green to play along with solid NT Raj and rookie backup DE Wilson, this front seven line is now returning to being a stout run defense as shown in the Jets and Cowboys games.
Nick: Chad Clifton did a great job one on one with Jared Allen the last time the two teams played each other. Jared Allen since has registered 3+ sacks, do you believe the Packers will double team him or give Clifton another opportunity one on one?
Jclombardi: After a shaky slow start, LT Clifton is back to his all-pro veteran self. The Packers will let Clifton handle DE Allen, while they focus on using maximum blocking formations to deal with the Vikings blitz schemes to limit the potent west coast Packers passing offense led by QB Rodgers.
Nick: The Packers run game has arguably been one of their biggest weaknesses this season. Do you see the Packers abandoning the run in order to take advantage of a shaky Vikings secondary?
Jclombardi: The Vikings are the NFL’s premier run defense in the past four years ranking No. 10 now in rushing yards allowed and No. 7 in yards allowed per carry, but they are not great numbers. Teams are successfully running against DE Allen and slowing interior Williams Wall. After losing running back Grant, the Packers are satisfied with their pedestrian running game using RB Jackson and FB Kuhn. The Packers will run the ball when they feel that it helps their drives and game plan. RB Jackson has not gotten beyond 60 rushing yards in the last four games, but he is a big cog in the passing game with 17 catches for 143 yards in the past five games. RB John Kuhn had a big last game with career highs of 13 carries and 50 yards.
Nick: Assuming Sidney Rice plays this weekend what do the Packers have to do to prepare for this play maker? And do you see him as a viable threat coming off his hip surgery.
Jclombardi: If WR Rice plays, he will be rusty. Besides, the Packers have a 1st ranking in pass defense (Football Outsiders). They are led by all-pro defensive cornerbacks Williams and Woodson along with safety Collins to deal with the Vikings wide receivers. WR Harvin is QB Favre’s favorite target, but he has an injured ankle. Depending on the health of Harvin, Berrian and Rice, the Vikings may lean heavily on WRs Lewis and Camarillo who are pedestrian possession receivers. Finally, QB Favre is playing behind a struggling offensive line meaning he is going to have a long, long day against the rebuilt healthy Packers defense. LB Matthews, LB Bishop, and DE Jenkins will have a field day chasing QB Favre.
Nick: Do the last four games including this Sunday have an effect on whether or not Brett Favre officially retires as a Packer? What is your view and the general fan opinion on this matter?
Jclombardi: If the Vikings cannot get motivated against the Bears, how are they going to be motivated against the Packers? Typically, it is just pride, but the writing is on the wall for Favre and Childress for their final Vikings season. Fans are calling this big game against the Vikings to be either Favre’s “last harrah” or “super bowl” final game against the Packers. We agree, but we know that history says he will be forgiven by the fans just like Lombardi and Hudson. After all, the facts are that the Packers will retire his number four as one of the greatest Packers players in NFL history and he is a future NFL Hall of Famer.
Nick: Thanks JC for your great answers and for participating in our first ever ‘Sitting Down With The Enemy’ . While we may have a different opinion on which team will prevail this Sunday we both can probably agree that it will be a fun filled game full of uncertainty.
11/18/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Beaten and bruised, there's still some zing left in Vikings QB Favre: So how much magic does a beat up, 41-year-old Brett Favre have left? Enough that in the second half of a bitterly disappointing, going-nowhere season, he can lead the Minnesota Vikings to a win over the ascending Green Bay Packers? At 3-6, Minnesota might be on the brink of a total freefall, but the Packers know not to count out a quarterback who’s an all-time competitor and holds a major grudge against their front office. “It would probably mean everything to him,” said defensive end Ryan Pickett of Favre’s desire to beat his former team. This, in fact, is looking more and more like the last time Favre will face the franchise that he personified from 1992 to 2007. When it comes to Favre and retirement, never say never, but with how poorly the Vikings’ season is going and how badly beat up Favre is, it’s a relatively safe bet that 2010 actually will be his last season. Ryan Longwell, the former Packers kicker who’s been Favre’s teammate in Minnesota the last two years, said Favre “without a doubt” will retire after this season. Longwell was one of three Vikings players who visited Favre at his home in Hattiesburg, Miss., during training camp to convince him to play another year. “When we went down to Mississippi, the three of us, to talk to him, that was pretty much adamant even before he agreed to come back,” Longwell said. “I have no doubt this is his last year.”
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers receivers adjust pattern: There's been no passing of the torch, officially or otherwise, because Donald Driver is confident he has a lot of good football left in him. But with Driver slowed by a thigh injury that has been at least partially responsible for him not catching a pass since Oct. 17, Greg Jennings has become the go-to receiver in the Green Bay Packers' offense. The combination of Driver's injury and the season-ending knee injury suffered by playmaking tight end Jermichael Finley in Week 5 has left Jennings as quarterback Aaron Rodgers' most reliable target, and the Packers' most dangerous weapon going into their game Sunday at Minnesota. That's not necessarily by default, because Jennings led the Packers in receiving yards in each of the last two seasons. But he doesn't have Driver in the slot to take some of the pressure off him. Jennings has responded well, catching 25 passes for 368 yards and three touchdowns over the last four games. With Driver ineffective and eventually inactive vs. Dallas, Jennings has played out of the slot more than he had in the past. Jennings has caught at least six passes in each of the last four games, a streak that includes an 86-yard touchdown against Miami and receptions of 30 yards against the Jets and 33 against the Cowboys. But as good as Jennings has been over the last month, the Packers' offense would be that much better with the 35-year-old Driver back in the lineup and at full speed. Driver practiced on a limited basis Wednesday, participating in the jog-through outside and then going into the Don Hutson Center to run.
11/17/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this clip)
Fans prepare for Favre's last game: This concerns something far more important in the hearts and minds of those who populate our dairy kingdom: Brett Favre. It has been nearly three years since Favre last took a snap for the Green and Gold, and Packer Nation is still divided on their feelings for No. 4. "I am a fan of Brett Favre, but I'm a Packer fan first," said fan Chris. Much time has elapsed since Favre's famous "un-retirement," an act that left Packer supporters reeling, many of whom find absolution hard to fathom with Favre wearing a purple uniform. "If he had simply stayed with the Jets and left it at that, a lot more people would have forgiven him," said Travis. "But the fact that he purposely went to a rival, a lot of people are still going to be upset about that." "I think the reaction is similar to James leaving Cleveland," said Sarah. "Everyone gets hurt, everyone gets kind of stung. Deep down, everyone still appreciates him but I think they're still a little bitter." As we look into the future on the eve of what is likely Favre's last game against the team that made him famous, after he dons the dreaded purple jersey to knock heads with opponents in the golden "G" helmets for a final time, will Packer fans ultimately forgive Brett for defecting to the other side? "I don't think it will be for two or three years yet," said Curt. "But five or 10 years down the road, I think they will." "I think over time, people will forgive him," said Travis. "They'll retire his number at some point and people will be cheering him on again." Maybe that will happen someday. But it won't happen Sunday. .
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Vikings scouting report--Halfback Adrian Peterson remains a serious threat: Run offense: As long as halfback Adrian Peterson is healthy, which he appears to be, he’s one of the most dangerous runners in the NFL. Peterson (6-feet-1, 217 pounds) has a complete package of speed and power, and he is the NFL’s No. 2 rusher. The Vikings’ offensive line is in decline. Pass offense: The Vikings, who rank No. 27 in the NFL in scoring, are in even worse shape at receiver. They waived Randy Moss. Receiver Percy Harvin has been Favre’s favorite target, but he injured his ankle against Chicago and was unable to return. Depending on the health of Harvin, Berrian and Rice, the Vikings might have to lean heavily on Lewis and Camarillo who are pedestrian possession receivers. Favre also is playing behind an offensive line that’s had trouble protecting. Run defense: What was the NFL’s premier run defense the past four years ranks No. 10 in the league in rushing yards allowed and No. 7 in yards allowed per carry--good but hardly great numbers. Teams always have been able to run at defensive end Allen, but now the Williams Wall at the defensive tackles isn’t making up for it. The Vikings have one of the best 4-3 linebacker corps in the league. Pass defense: Neither Allen nor defensive tackle Kevin Williams is rushing the passer as well as in past years, which has exposed the Vikings’ suspect secondary. The Vikings rank a respectable No. 9 in passing yards allowed, but their No. 18 ranking in yards allowed per catch is more indicative of their play. Cornerback Winfield remains a top player at age 33, but aside from him....“Winfield is really good,” a scout said. “Everyone else is not.” Special teams: P Kluwe gets great hang time and placement on his punts, and he ranks No. 3 in the NFL in net average and No. 11 in gross average. K Longwell is as accurate as ever. Harvin is one of the Vikings’ best weapons as a kickoff returner. Camarillo (9.3-yard average) is a no-nonsense punt returner who will get what’s there.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers backup RBs in a battle--Starks, Nance fight for chances: Running back Jackson is challenging himself to have a strong second half of the season for the Green Bay Packers. The question is whether he'll get any support, beyond backup John Kuhn, from two complete unknowns in the running for the third-string job. Rookie James Starks practiced Monday. Packers coach McCarthy said Starks looked "dang good" in practice. "He's a big, physical, athletic runner. He's got a lot to learn," McCarthy said. "He's competing to play." That means Starks is competing with Dimitri Nance, rookie out of Arizona State who was picked up off Atlanta's practice squad after starter Grant was lost. While Starks took his snaps with the scout team Monday during the portion of practice open to the media, Nance ran a lot of plays with the regular offense. He wasn't on the scout team at all. The sentiment among a few players is that the Packers are in fact still looking at Starks. Basically, the Packers don't know what they have in Starks or Nance until they get some playing time. For now, Jackson has emerged as nothing short of a reliable, effort back. He has 460 yards on 108 carries (4.3 average). He managed to survive the first nine games without getting hurt, an accomplishment for any player given the Packers' luck with injuries this season.
11/16/10
Legendary senior writer Jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers get back to work: The Packers enter Sunday’s game at Minnesota with a chance to bury quarterback Brett Favre and the struggling Vikings (3-6) in the division while also being in the thick of the race for the NFC’s top spot in the wide-open conference. The Packers are tied with the Chicago Bears (6-3) atop the NFC North, but only Atlanta (7-2) has a better record in the NFC. The NFC East-leading New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Philadelphia Eagles are all 6-3. It should help that the Packers are healthier than they’ve been all season. They could have their full 53-man roster to choose from when making game-day decisions Sunday. The only players who did not practice Monday were defensive end Pickett (ankle), outside linebacker Matthews (hamstring/shin), tight end Quarless (shoulder) and wide receiver Driver (quadriceps), although McCarthy said Driver was excused for a personal matter. Cornerback/kickoff returner Lee (ankle) was back at practice, as were left tackle Clifton (hamstring/knee), left guard Colledge (back), safety Collins (knee), defensive end Jenkins (calf), halfback Nance (ankle), quarterback Rodgers (ankle) and cornerback Woodson (toe).
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers are polar opposites of sinking Vikings--Vikings quarterback Brett Favre talks with coach Brad Childress on the sideline during a game on Oct. 31. Favre has gone through a trying season, both on the field and off: There was some pep in their step as the Green Bay Packers returned to practice Monday following their bye week. Coming off three straight victories, rested and healthier than they've been in weeks, the Packers (6-3) control their destiny in the NFC North and are looking forward to playing meaningful games in cold weather. "There's nothing like November and December football," said coach Mike McCarthy. "I think this is what it's all about. This is what you come together in March and prepare for. "Everything we want to accomplish is right in front of us." The Minnesota Vikings, picked by many to win the NFC North, are 3-6 and coming off a dispiriting 27-13 loss to the Chicago Bears. They are a team in turmoil, with an embattled coach in Brad Childress, a beat-up quarterback in Brett Favre and a locker room filled with dissension and doubt. Just about nothing has gone right for the Vikings, most notably a failed four-game experiment with malcontent receiver Moss.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
No country for old men: The player sent the message shortly after the news broke, and it likely summed up the thoughts of more than a few of Al Harris' suddenly ex-teammates. “Wow,” the player wrote after learning that the 35-year-old Harris, a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback and the fourth-longest tenured player on the Packers’ 53-man roster at the time, was being released. “Am I next?” The NFL is a cutthroat business. “It’s part of the game,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy explained. "Mark has had a tremendous career here. They bring so much experience, both to the field and to the locker room. But it’s also the path of our season. Injuries do occur, decisions are made, and we’re always going to operate and do what is in the best interests of the Green Bay Packers from the chairs that we sit in. Al Harris and Mark Tauscher have been excellent Packers, and we appreciate that. But at some point, careers do come to an end and you move on and you appreciate what they have done.”
11/15/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Stick a fork in Vikings and Bears: So what did we learn from the Bears' 27-13 victory? Minnesota is done. The Vikings are an irrecoverable kind of 3-6, too many internal problems and not enough healthy receivers to be much of a bother to anyone for the rest of the season. Of more concern for the Packers is their temporary tie with Chicago. The Bears, however, should be a half-game behind Green Bay at the start of business Sunday. Even if Miami isn't very good at home, Chicago isn't consistent enough to win that game or seriously challenge the Packers for the division. And, like the Vikings, the Bears do not have the proper management team in place. The Packers are getting better as a team at the same time some of the injured are getting better. The Packers players are clearly better than what the Bears are fielding. RB Jackson is getting a little better every week behind a line that has found some rhythm with rookie RT Bulaga. If Rodgers can build off his Dallas performance and the Packers are able to play downhill with the lead now that the weather is turning, you could comfortably project them winning five of the last seven.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Wells' snap decision pays off with Packers: Wells is terrific at making pre-snap adjustments. He's technically sound and almost always in good position. And Wells has become the poster child for how to perform the extremely difficult "reach block." "He's having a great year," said Packers offensive line coach Campen. "He's healthy, always a hard worker who analyzes things really well. Just a sound football player. "He doesn't get in bad positions, he's strong and plays with good leverage. I just think that he's so fundamentally sound that he's rarely in trouble." That's always been the scouting report on Wells. Yet at the start of 2009, the Packers named Spitz their starter and wanted Wells to back up inside. It is because injury opened the door, and Wells made it impossible for the Packers to remove him from the lineup. In Week 2 last year, LT Clifton went out and the Packers reshuffled their line with Wells ending up at center. Wells started the next 14 games, played arguably the best football of his career, and silenced the debate over who should play center. Wells has built on that this season. "He's very sound, does a good job getting the line calls communicated, he's decisive in there," offensive line coach Joe Philbin said. "He's very sharp mentally, does a nice job preparation-wise."
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Christl column--Of all the injuries, only Finley's hurts: Start with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers had as potent a passing attack as any team in the league. But when Finley went down, the domino effect changed everything. Jennings became the No. 1 threat and he probably ranks in the top half of the top 32 receivers, although maybe not top 10. But the rest of the Packers’ injuries haven’t mattered other than the one that knocked Clay Matthews out for a game and a quarter, and resulted in two losses. Bargain-basement fill-ins have been as adequate as the Packers’ previous starters everywhere but at tight end. That’s why they should roll into the playoffs, whether they get healthier or not. Other than Finley, they’re not missing anybody they need. The Packers have replaced one pedestrian running back with another; a solid inside linebacker with one who has improved enough in a month’s time to be almost as good; some big slugs upfront defensively with some different big slugs now that they’ve added Howard Green. And at right tackle and strong safety, the Packers have found more physical and probably better players.
Commentary: After the bye week getting ready for the big "Super Bowl" Vikings game, WR Driver, TE Havner, TE Quarless, and DE Pickett should be ready to go.
11/14/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi profiles LB Bishop and WR Jones.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers Linebacker Bishop finally gets his chance: Sitting in his locker with ice bags on one of his knees, a hip and a shoulder, linebacker Desmond Bishop looked like he definitely got the worst against the New York Jets. Looks, however, can be deceiving. The other guys' running backs managed just 74 yards rushing on 22 carries, and Bishop was a major factor in the Packers shutting out the Jets' offense. He finished with a game-high 13 tackles and broke up two passes including a clutch third-and-1 deflection late in the first half that assured the Jets would remain behind, 3-0. Since he became the starter for injured Nick Barnett, Bishop often comes out of the training room after games entombed in icepacks. He wouldn't have it any other way. "It's a physical game," Bishop said. The 6-foot-2, 238-pound inside linebacker's speed has been questioned, his over-zealousness has gotten him in trouble and his inconsistency has been mentioned often. But his tackling has never been doubted. "He's a play-making tackler," inside linebackers coach Winston Moss said. Bishop has started five games, and those plays that kept making people wonder if he could be trusted as a starter are few and far between. He has had double-digit tackles in four of those games, and scored his first touchdown off an interception thrown by Minnesota quarterback Favre. He has five tackles behind the line of scrimmage to go with two sacks, five quarterback hits, one forced fumble and five pass breakups. All those concerns about him being able to play well on a consistent basis are starting to fade away. Bishop insertion into the defense has added some punch. "Desmond has turned the corner from an execution standpoint, really doing a good job not only executing his assignments but still playing with playmaking mentality," Moss said. "So I'm very pleased how he's been able to step in and add another dimension to our group."
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
He's up, he's down, he's James Jones--inconsistency a problem for Packers wide receiver: Philbin, the Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator, was asked recently how to get more consistency out of fourth-year wide receiver James Jones. Philbin paused, turned a bright shade of red, then realized he didn't really have an answer. "It's a good question," Philbin said. "It's one of those things.?.?.?if I had that answer I probably wouldn't be talking to you right now." But he is. And with Jones now 54 games into his Green Bay career, the Packers still can't fully trust him. The past four games are a perfect example of why Jones has yet to win over his bosses. In wins against Dallas on Sunday and Minnesota on Oct. 24, Jones was terrific. He caught 12 passes for 230 yards and one touchdown in those two games, highlighted by a career performance (8-123-1) against Dallas. In the other two games - a loss to Miami on Oct. 17 and a win at the New York Jets on Oct. 31 - Jones was blanked. That's why no one - not even Jones himself - is fully sure how to get more evenness in his play. "James Jones could play better, yes," Jones said. "But James Jones believes to be up, you need opportunities. I can't throw the ball to myself. I can't do that."
COMMENTARY: LB Bishop and WR Jones are great players and have great futures with the Packers. As far as LB Bishop, he should have played more from day one in games. Further, LB Bishop's play has improved an inconsistent unnamed ILB in the lineup who gets no negative press. WR Jones is right to say that experiences and opportunities improve players overall performances. Meanwhile, the Packers have experienced depth at two key starting positions with two playmaking veterans who would start for any other NFL team. The question may be, "Where will the Packers put LB Barnett when he comes back from another injury year ."
11/13/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers employ 'beefy front' on defensive line to kill run game: Packers’ three-nose-tackle defensive new personnel grouping could become another change-of-pace package for defensive coordinator Dom Capers against several run-oriented opponents in the season’s stretch drive. Capers unveiled the new grouping last week against Dallas. It’s his base 3-4 defense, only with recently acquired NT Green at defensive end in place of Jenkins. That defensive front is especially difficult to run against because there are in essence three nose tackles in the middle of the line: Raji (337 pounds) over center, and Pickett (340 pounds) and Green (360 pounds) over the offensive tackles. Capers deploys defensive personnel based on the groupings the offense puts on the field, so he only plays his 3-4 base when the offense has run-oriented personnel on the field. The Packers also like the grouping because if they use it several snaps or more a game on early downs, it rests Jenkins, which should help his pass rushing in the fourth quarter. Maybe it will become the first-down version of the psycho defense that Capers uses occasionally on third downs.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Tauscher On Injured Reserve; Havner Re-Signed: Veteran right tackle Mark Tauscher had missed the last five games with a shoulder injury. To fill his roster spot, the Packers brought back Spencer Havner. Tauscher started four games this year before sustaining a shoulder injury. Tauscher couldn’t rehab himself back into shape, and with the emergence of first-round pick Bryan Bulaga, the Packers decided they couldn’t save the roster spot any longer. The Packers filled the roster spot by re-signing tight end Spencer Havner. We reported on Tuesday that Havner would be brought back before the team resumes practice on Monday. Havner will add some punch at tight end. Quarless is battling a shoulder injury. Quarless, Lee and Crabtree have combined for only 17 catches in nine games. Havner caught five touchdowns last season including the playoffs. Plus, he’ll fortify the coverage units on special teams. He ranked third on the team with 20 special-teams tackles last season.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Kampman season ends: Former Packers defensive end Kampman brought leadership, tenacity, production and a strong work ethic to Jacksonville's defense this season. Kampman tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during practice leaving the Jaguars without their best pass rusher and their defensive leader. He will be placed on injured reserve.
Commentary: Losing RT Tauscher for the season and maybe seeing the end of his career is a tough one. Seeing Kampman suffering another injured acl on a different knee was tough too. Wisely, the Packers added Havner to make up the offensive loss and to help on special teams. The season in the NFL goes on and moves on.
11/12/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi profiles OLB Clay Matthews and CB Sam Shields.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Matthews' burning desire fuels quest for greatness: In just his second year in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers linebacker has combined that scrapper spirit with a 6-3, 255-pound build, natural talent and relentless motor to lead the league in sacks. A year ago he was in the running for defensive rookie of the year. This year, he's probably a front-runner for the NFL's defensive player of the year honors and maybe even the league's overall MVP. Fans at Lambeau Field began that chant Sunday after Green Bay's defense destroyed the feeble Dallas Cowboys. Since Matthews returned three weeks ago from an injured hamstring, the Packers have won all three games and have allowed just seven points in the last eight quarters. As the Packers head into Week 10 enjoying a bye, the defense leads the league with 28 sacks. Matthews, with 10.5, would love to end the season as the overall sack leader. "Obviously, I know statistics aren't everything," said Matthews. "I'm trying to help my team win. The Super Bowl is what we play this game for. Leading the NFL in sacks is one of those individual achievements, personal goals, that I have." Matthews was named the NFC defensive player of the week. He played on another level against the Cowboys: four tackles, including two for a loss, a sack, two passes defensed and a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers coaching staff impressed with rapid rise of cornerback Shields: Three months ago Sam Shields was an undrafted rookie who could not catch and whose best attribute was the ability to run fast. He could not hold onto punts or kickoffs and had played cornerback for less than a year. Nine weeks into the 2010 NFL season, Shields’ play gave the Green Bay Packers the flexibility to cut a two-time Pro Bowler. That’s an awfully rapid ascension for a 22-year-old. Meanwhile, Shields climbed the depth chart during training camp and started the season as the team’s nickel back — a job he has yet to relinquish. The Packers cut Harris on Monday and coach Mike McCarthy explained the move was in the best interest of the “big-picture” plans of the team. Shields has become a huge part of the painting. Cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt said he never expected Shields to transition so quickly. “When we first got him, he didn’t understand coverages,” Whitt said. “Just base coverages and base techniques. Now he’s a defensive back. He’s not a receiver playing defensive back. “It’s a credit to that young man because he came in here and he does not act like a rookie. He acts like a guy who’s been in the league 3-4 years. He doesn’t know defense very well yet, but he’s learning. He’s a mature man that’s taking a professional approach at his game and his profession.”
11/11/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights interview with "Ginger Wolverine" P Masthay.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Wilde interviews Punter Tim Masthay: Aaron hasn’t given me an opinion on my facial hair other than nickname me “Wolverine.” That’s just his M.O., to call people names like that. I was just “Ginger” for awhile, and then I guess I let my sideburns get a little bit out of control, so now I’ve become “Ginger Wolverine” together. My wife Amanda and I, we both went to the University of Kentucky. We got engaged and got married after college. She’s been everything for me. She’s working at Pioneer Credit Union. It’s just great because my value to her doesn’t change at all regardless of if I’m in the league or out of the league, if I have a job or don’t have a job. She’s just been great. My closest friends on the team are Mason Crosby and Brett Goode. I work with them every day a lot, and we’ve become close. I really cherish those relationships. The game against the Jets, that has to be my best moment as a Packer so far. There’s something about winning on the road. It is just a blast. I mean, it’s fun to win at home, too, don’t get me wrong. I love winning at home. But there’s something special about being able to go into someone else’s house and beat them. That game, a defensive battle, a special teams battle, to have a good game and have Mike (McCarthy) say the things he said to me, that meant a lot. When my career is over, I would like to go back to school. I’d like to go into the Peace Corps. I get back to UK every once in awhile. I may try to go back on the bye week. I’m hoping to go back for their game on Saturday. Lexington will always be a special place to me. I do enjoy going back there and seeing friends and being around the program.
Commentary: Along with regular coffee mix morning headlines, game previews, game reviews & grades, jclombardi is adding a weekly Packers profile for fans. This week, we begin with P Masthay in a great interview. He is a very lucky man to have a wife who values his worth based upon their personal (not fake) relationship, not material things and so on.
11/11/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers in good position at bye: The Packers’ latest bye week in history falls at a time when they are riding a three-game winning streak, their ramshackle defense is finding a way to shut down opponents despite missing a number of key starters and the once-dysfunctional offense is showing signs of figuring things out. Nevertheless, at 6-3 after nine games and enjoying a full week off before returning to work next Monday, the team still has plenty of work to do. The Packers appear to have the wherewithal to make a run in a watered-down NFC. They also hold a half-game lead on the Chicago Bears (5-3) and 2 ½-game lead on the Minnesota Vikings (3-5) entering Sunday’s game between the Bears and Vikings at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Peprah keeps believing--Safety found starting job with Packers: Drafted by the Giants in the fifth round in 2006 and cut. Signed with Green Bay and spent three years fighting for a roster spot and playing on special teams. Reached an injury settlement with the Packers in 2009 and was waived. "The best advice I've been given is, 'Believe in yourself because if you don't, no one else will,'?" Peprah said. "I knew I could play. I just had to keep plugging along and make sure I was always ready. "I never lost confidence." Peprah re-signed with the Packers as a free agent and fought his way onto the roster again. He was on the small side to play strong safety. At 27 years old and with precious little experience on defense. But there is a lot to like about Peprah. He works hard. He prepares well. He does everything by the book. He is reliable and consistent. "A lot of the traits you look for at this level to be successful, he's got them," said Darren Perry, who coaches the Packers' safeties. "He's a pleasure to coach because you know what you're going to get. I love the guy."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Harris finds a new home back home: The Packers chapter of Al Harris’ life officially closed on Monday. By Wednesday, the veteran cornerback was set to begin writing a new one with the Dolphins. The Dolphins certainly had no problem scooping up the two-time Pro Bowler and NFL veteran to add him to their youthful mix of defensive backs on Wednesday. “A player like that comes across your desk and you have the opportunity to get involved with somebody like this, I thought (he) would be really good for our football team,” said Miami coach Tony Sparano. “He’s a quality, quality individual – never mind the kind of player he’s been in this league over the years – (and) the one thing that is important particularly for our young corners right now is the ability to see how it’s done and get a chance to learn (from him). ”Back there at the corner position, I don’t we have that (veteran presence). “This guy can help us in a lot of ways (with) what he does on the field and what he does certainly in the classroom. I felt like this was something we had to do.”
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Matthews named NFC Defensive Player of the Week: For the second time this season and third time overall, Clay Matthews was named the NFC defensive player of the week. Matthews, the outside linebacker who leads the NFL in sacks (10 1/2), won the award Wednesday for his performance in the Packers’ win over Dallas. Matthews had two tackles for a loss, a sack, and an interception he returned 62 yards for a touchdown.
11/10/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Bye week comes at an opportune time for Packers: The week off comes at an opportune time for the Green Bay Packers, who have won three consecutive games to move to the top of the NFC North despite an outlandish rash of injuries that has impacted everything from roster decisions to practice structure to game preparation. "My hope is the injury report goes from two pages to one," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Monday. "I am being sarcastic in a way, but I think this will really help us." The time off presumably will give injured players such as receiver Donald Driver (thigh), cornerback Pat Lee (ankle), tackle Mark Tauscher (shoulder) and tight end Andrew Quarless (shoulder) sufficient time to heal. "Hopefully, this week will help those guys get back and contribute," said Green Bay offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. "We're certainly going to need contributions from everybody." Nines games into the season and two weeks from a rematch with the Minnesota Vikings that could go a long way toward determining the division title, the resilient Packers control their own destiny.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers' offensive line keeping Rodgers upright: But there was no question the Packers - Rodgers, the offensive line, the coaches - wanted to improve this year. And they have. Through nine games, Rodgers has been sacked 17 times, an average of less than two a game. It's still a bit high - there are only nine quarterbacks who have been sacked as many or more times than Rodgers, with Chicago's Jay Cutler leading the league at 28. But the Packers have played one more game than other teams. And the decline in sacks is obvious this year. Rodgers seems to be getting rid of the ball in a pinch. Against Dallas on Sunday, he bolted upfield if a hole appeared in the Cowboys' man-to-man coverage. He also hasn't been holding onto the ball too long, forcing his line to fend off the defense longer than reasonable. "My movement and the line's pass protection was very good, hand in hand," Rodgers said. Aside from what Rodgers is doing, it is clear the offensive line has improved. "We've been doing a much, much better job protecting the quarterback," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Starks activated, Francois released: The team activated rookie running back James Starks from the physically unable to perform list Tuesday, releasing linebacker Robert Francois to make room for Starks on the 53-man roster. The Packers now have three true halfbacks, Brandon Jackson, Dimitri Nance and Starks, on the roster, along with fullback-turned-halfback John Kuhn and fullbacks Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson. The Packers also announced they have released safety Michael Greco from the practice squad.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Packers--Harris didn't fit team's youth movement: Just as they did with Brett Favre 28 months ago, the Green Bay Packers have told another veteran who was once considered one of the team's core players that they're moving on without him. The Packers released cornerback Al Harris on Monday, three weeks after he came off the physically unable to perform list and began practicing for what he hoped would be a triumphant return from a career-threatening knee injury. "It was very difficult," Packers general manager Ted Thompson said of the decision to cut Harris, who started 102 games in the regular season and four in the playoffs since the Packers acquired him in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2003. "Al's a great guy, a really good teammate and he's done a really good job here. It's not a reflection against Al, it's more of a reflection of the job that our young guys have done. And from a roster standpoint, that's just something we felt like we needed to do." Harris and strong safety Atari Bigby spent the first six weeks of the season on the PUP list and finally began practicing Oct. 18. Bigby was activated to the 53-man roster and played on defense and special teams during the Packers' 45-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night at Lambeau Field. "This is not a physical decision," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "This is a big-picture roster decision."
11/09/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi grades Packers win over Cowboys.
SUMMARY: QB Rodgers threw for 289 yards and 3 touchdowns and RB Jackson scored twice as the Packers crushed the Cowboys 45-7. The Packers defense dominated destroying the Cowboys.
GAME BALLS: LB Matthews; QB Rodgers; LB Bishop; WR Jones; CB Bush; S Collins.
INJURY REPORT: DE Pickett (ankle sprain). CB Harris was released.
QUOTE: After LB Matthews’ interception touchdown, NBC’s game commentator Collinsworth said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen somebody humiliate the Cowboys like this,” We sympathize with the Packers nation who suffered throughout the game with the endless biased Cowboys coverage. Who cares if Phillips got fired? The Packers are America’s team.
Report Card Grades--Good, Bad, & Ugly (JC vs. SE):
PASSING OFFENSE: A vs A-. QB Rodgers had a good day throwing 27 of 34 passes for 289 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Rodgers had good command of the pocket with good protection with all linemen, even LT Clifton and rookie RT Bulaga, playing well. Generally, except for one or two plays. Rodgers established great sync with his receivers using high-percentage short and intermediate throws. WR Jones led the receivers with 8 catches for 123 yards and one touchdown. The spread out offense with quick slants and short-passes to wide-outs game plan destroyed the Cowboys passing defense.
RUSING OFFENSE: B VS B+. The Packers struggled rushing, but they got 128 total yards. FB Kuhn had RB Jackson combined for a tough 92 yards. QB Rodgers scrambled for 48 yards.
PASSING DEFENSE: A- vs A-. Cowboys QB Kitna completed only 19 of 30 passes for 183 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions under constant pressure. The interception highlight was the one returned by LB Matthews for a touchdown. Although rookie CB Shields had a great interception, he struggled covering WR Bryant especially on one big offensive series giving up a touchdown. S Collins got fined $50,000 for his inadvertent helmet-to-helmet hit on WR Williams. Rusty S Bigby got into the game, but we do not see him replacing consistent S Peprah.
RUSHING DEFENSE: A vs A. Led by the front seven line, the rush defense returned to its stout days limiting the Cowboys rushing to 14 rushes for 39 yards averaging a miserable 2.8 average. LB Matthews and LB Bishop dominated the inside rush defense. After LB Matthews stuffed RB Barber on a running plays, the Cowboys simply gave up running the ball.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B+ vs B. Although the kickoff coverage was shaky, they came up with two big turnovers. First, S Collins returned a fumble for a 26 yard touchdown (was the player down?).Then Bush recovered another fumble leading to another score. P Masthay had a good day averaging 49.5 gross yards and 47.5 net yards as the two kicks that landed inside the 20. Yet, K Crosby had a 54 early field goal blocked and his late first half kickoff went out-of-bounds gave good field position to the Cowboys leading to their only score. PR Williams averaged only just 4.4 yards. Rookie KR Shields will return kickoffs, especially after he returned his only one for 49 yards. S Bigby and LB Walden both looked rusty on coverage.
COACHING: A vs A. The Packers had their best game of the year with all three units delivering an outstanding performance. The game plan was solid using the simple spread out offense with 3 or 4 receivers. McCarthy focused upon using an effective running game with 34 rushing plays, employing even the old-school three backs backfield. DC Capers called another great defensive game using LB Matthews, LB Hawk, and CB Woodson on effective combination blitz schemes. The Packers go into the bye week 6-3 at the top of their NFC North division.
OVERALL: A- vs CBS Sportsline A-. The only thing the Packers didn't do well was cover kickoffs. It was apparent they were up against a team that had no desire to make a game of it, so it's hard to tell how well they played. The running game was solid and did just enough to keep the Cowboys off balance. The defense caused two turnovers.
COMMENTARY: The Packers are very lucky. GM Thompson did a great job getting replacement and solid backup players, especially from the later rounds in the drafts, the waivers, and free agencies. CB Shields, DE Wilson, S Peprah, LB Zombo, and DE Green really helped the team during a tough injury filled period in the 2010 season. Without them, the Packers would be 3-6 instead of a winning 6-3 record.
11/08/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers victory over Cowboys & CB Harris to be released.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers crush Cowboys 45-7: On Sunday night, the clicking started and never stopped, turning into a drumbeat of efficiency in a 45-7 victory over the downtrodden Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field. Rodgers completed 27 of 34 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns and receivers Greg Jennings and James Jones embarrassed the Cowboys secondary by combining for 15 catches, 203 yards and two touchdowns. Whatever Rodgers threw seemed to wind up in the hands of one of the Packers. "When everything is clicking," said receiver Nelson, "that's what it looks like." The entire offense stepped up, producing 31 points and 415 yards, averaging 5.8 yards per play and converting 10 of 15 third downs (67%). "I think we made some progress," said offensive coordinator Philbin. "When we met as an offense we didn't talk about needing to score 31 points, but we did talk about the need to move the chains and make first downs."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers--complete package win: Throughout their up-and-down, .500 start, the Green Bay Packers kept saying how they were striving to play a game in which all three phases – offense, defense and special teams – played well simultaneously. “We accomplished that tonight,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Sunday night, following his team’s 45-7 utter domination of the hapless Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field. “We played a complete football game tonight. This is the way you want to go into the bye week.” Indeed, with the offense shaking off its inconsistent play, the defense picking up where it left off a week earlier in a shutout of the New York Jets and the special teams units chipping in with a fumble return for a touchdown, the Packers thoroughly outplayed the Cowboys in every phase. The rout sent the Packers (6-3) into their bye week riding a three-game winning streak, a half-game ahead of Chicago (5-3) in the NFC North.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers rout Cowboys: Facing a crumbling team that has given up on its coach and its season, the Packers dominated in every way Sunday night in humiliating the Dallas Cowboys 45-7. “You always set out to play a complete game, and we accomplished that tonight,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “Very pleased with the special teams with two good takeaways. The defense swarmed all over and kept them out of the end zone, and the offense got into a rhythm. I really like the way the run-pass ratio was tonight. Third down was the key. We played a complete football game tonight. This is the way you want to go into the bye week.” The win is the Packers’ third straight and improved their record to 6-3, which keeps them a half-game ahead of Chicago (5-3) and 2½ games ahead of Minnesota (3-5) for first place in the NFC North Division.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Veteran CB Harris to be released: Harris’ career with the Green Bay Packers is about to come to an end. The team plans on releasing the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback on Monday, the deadline for deciding his fate after three weeks of practicing with the team. “Yes, that is what they are going to do,” Harris said in a text message late Sunday night. “I lost my job to injury, but I have only good things to say about Green Bay and everyone I worked with.” Harris, who began practicing on Oct. 19, was not activated from the PUP for the third straight eligible week.
11/07/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi talks about Packers sports blogs.
As fans surmised, I no longer link to a specific Packers blog. I left the specific site moving on to do general Packers sports blogging arrangements. As it turned out, I had two backup plans unfolding, while I left the specific site behind for bigger and better things. Having started at one Packers site, I now syndicate write for several Packers blogs explaining my arrangements in my biography.
Fans deserve an explanation about these changes. As an author and writer who goes back to the Packers Lombardi glory days, I enjoy being a Packers lead blogger observing the comings and goings in the sports culture of bloggers and their issues. As another gentleman sport blogger said, jclombardi writes about his beloved Packers. With impeccable credentials including being an experienced successful author and senior editor, I have no competition with many fans enjoying my quality daily and weekly insights, summaries, analyzes, and reviews.
However, in the competitive sports blogging culture, one will always run into those amusing wanna bes who have only their own agendas. They are outsiders and insiders who do not acknowledge anything, except their own vain delusions about "We talked to 'you know who' on our podcast" and their nauseating repetitive endless "who reads it?" minute carp on sports spyder, twitter, twackle, and so on. Thus, I avoid such petty egos and personalities, preferring to stay above the predictable carp to do my "rave reviews: great job and outstanding job" syndicated Packers sports blogging.
Beyond this expert insider view of sports blogging, fans can always expect the quality daily and weekly expert analysis of headlines, game reviews, and features in my syndicated postings. Go Packers!
Jclombardi Packers Lead Blogger, Senior Editor
11/07/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers vs Cowboys game day headlines.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Week 9 Game Scout-Packers-Cowboys: Time--7:20 p.m. Sunday on NBC. Keys to the game--On the road with a backup quarterback behind an aging offensive line and with a receiving corps that tipped multiple passes that turned into interceptions last week, Dallas must establish the run early. The Cowboys are averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, but the Packers are ranked 25th against the run and Dallas doesn't want to fall behind and force the issue against Green Bay's opportunistic secondary. The Packers' offense is highly one-dimensional and will move the ball if QB Rodgers is protected. Rodgers will be without WR Driver and needs Jones and Nelson to pick up the slack. Game plan--Packers should be able to overcome their never-ending rash of injuries to extend their winning streak and go into the bye week on an upswing as the NFC North leaders with a 6-3 record. Yet, a talented Dallas team can't be overlooked even without star quarterback Romo. The Packers ostensibly catch a break that the aging Jon Kitna will be under center and likely throwing a bunch with little movement in the pocket. That should sway defensive coordinator Dom Capers to dial up the blitzes.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers' Matthews has football in his blood: Every family has its ways. To be a Matthews is to be passionate and supportive and, above all else, absolutely driven to do your best. So driven that it has sent four of its men to the NFL over three generations: Clay Sr., Bruce and Clay Jr., and now Clay Matthews III, the Green Bay Packers outside linebacker who leads the league in sacks. "It's just what we're good at, really," Clay III said. "Who knows if football didn't work out what we'd do? It just so happens we like ramming our heads into other guys out there." Senior Clay Jr. was a linebacker who played on USC's national championship team in 1974. He was an All-American in 1977. In the NFL, he was a four-time Pro Bowl linebacker who put in 19 years with the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons. He is the oldest NFL player to get a sack, at age 40. His last playoff game was at Lambeau Field, Dec. 31, 1995, as he chased an elusive quarterback named Brett Favre. Clay Jr. and Leslie had five children: Jennifer, a former high school valedictorian; Kyle, a former safety at USC; Brian, who writes for a USC sports website; Clay III; and Casey, a linebacker at No. 1 ranked Oregon who has been nominated for the Butkus Award, which recognizes the nation's best college linebacker.
11/06/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers-Cowboys preview: 5 things to watch--Basics: Teams: The Green Bay Packers (3-3) vs. the Minnesota Vikings (2-3). Time: 7:20 p.m. CT, Sunday. Place: Lambeau Field, Green Bay. TV coverage: NBC. FIVE THINGS TO WATCH--Two ships passing in standings: The Packers and Cowboys are headed in opposite directions. After back-to-back three-point overtime losses dropped the Packers to .500 at 3-3, they responded with a colossal win over Vikings and an upset of an elite AFC team in the Jets. The Cowboys, meanwhile, have lost four straight. Getting defensive: Last year, Dallas led the NFC in scoring defense. Entering Sunday night’s game, they’re giving up 26.7 points a game and have allowed a 100-yard rusher four times in the last five games. That said, the Cowboys have plenty of talent on defense. No mo’ Romo: Things weren’t going well before QB Romo suffered a broken collarbone against the Giants. Now, after two more losses, only the lowly Buffalo Bills (0-7) have a worse record than the Cowboys (1-6). Replacement QB Kitna threw for 379 yards and four interceptions against Jacksonville and has the confidence of the Cowboys’ skill position players. Searching for answers: Green Bay’s offense is a dysfunctional mess, but the team is winning in spite of the issues. As big as the team’s 9-0 win over the Jets was, the offense struggled. Rodgers certainly hasn’t been himself ranking in the middle of the pack in passer rating (85.3). “It’s below the standards that I’ve set for myself. Obviously, I think I’m capable of playing better,” Rodgers said. “I point to my preparation and it’s been the same; I prepare hard every week. It’s just my performance hasn’t been as good as the kind of standard I’ve set for my 40 games starting. Obviously, I need to play better." Searching for consistency: With veteran wideout Donald Driver having been ruled out with a quadriceps injury, inconsistent James Jones will get another chance to prove himself. “I think James Jones is no different than some of the other players,” McCarthy said. “They have had some really good games and they have had some games that they wish they could have done a little better job.” Jones isn’t the only player the Packers will need to rise to the occasion. With rookie TE Quarless also questionable, the offense will need Jones, fellow wideout Nelson and tight ends Lee and Crabtree to all pick up the slack.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers' special teams dramatically clean up play: It'd be the equivalent of failing a test one year and acing it the next. The special teams of the Green Bay Packers remained among the National Football League's poorest in the first half of the season. When it comes to penalties, more specifically, holding penalties, the Packers couldn't be any better. Due to the demands of coach Mike McCarthy, the teaching of special-teams coach Shawn Slocum and the diligence of their players, the Packers haven't been hit with a single holding penalty after being tagged with 11 at midseason in 2009.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Offense failing to seal the deal: The common denominator in the six games that went down to the wire is the Packers failed to push the pedal to the metal to either pull away from teams in games they were leading or pull out a win in games they lost in the closing seconds or overtime. Green Bay has been anything but a four-quarter team when the football is in its hands. Its maddening inability to have a closer's mentality makes the Packers' 5-3 record and first-place standing in the NFC North entering Sunday night's home game against the Dallas Cowboys somewhat remarkable. "The biggest thing is we're just not executing as an offense," receiver Greg Jennings said. "Last year, we had our struggles, and then we came on strong -- we were able to execute when it counted. We were really on top of our game and really came out with a mind-set that we couldn't be stopped, and we executed as such. Whereas this year, we haven't gotten into that rhythm and that mind-set to where we're not going to be stopped." The Packers are persevering again in spite of their lethargic offense, taking a two-game winning streak into what no longer has the appeal of a midseason showdown between NFC rivals in prime time.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notebook--Waiting Game Continues: A decision for Sunday's game will be made Saturday on PUP'ers Al Harris, Atari Bigby and James Starks; Charlie Peprah likely will keep his job regardless of Bigby's status; plus much more from Friday. Harris and Bigby have said they’re ready. When Bigby returns, there’s no guarantee that he’ll supplant Charlie Peprah, who has played well the last couple of games — and especially so last week against the Jets. Capers said as much, saying he’s not going to “jerk him out” but there might be more of a rotation, which would give Nick Collins a break periodically, as well. “It’s competitive, and that’s healthy,” safeties coach Darren Perry. A little healthier--Knock on wood, but the Packers’ injury report is improving entering this final game before the bye. Guard Daryn Colledge, who was held out on Thursday because of a sore back, bounced back and was a full participant at Friday’s practice and is listed as probable. On the other side of the ball, defensive end Ryan Pickett is listed as questionable but “looked the best he’s looked in a number of weeks,” McCarthy said.
11/05/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Packers and Cowboys headed in separate directions: Viewers who tune in will witness a team whose season has spiraled out of control playing an opponent that could easily be in that same predicament if it hadn't righted its ship with back-to-back impressive victories. Green Bay (5-3) finds itself atop the NFC North standings after beating the Vikings and Jets. The victories over their biggest rival and one of the best teams in the NFL on consecutive Sundays showed a lot about the Packers' moxie in times of adversity. "This group of guys around here, we just love to fight," Packers safety Nick Collins said. "We love to compete and we're going to compete every week. That's our mind-set. We just love our job. We love what we do. That's how we approach every game." Leader of the pack--There doesn't appear to be a drastic difference between the Packers and Cowboys in terms of talent, so it's reasonable to conclude that having better leadership helped Green Bay avoid a Dallas-like collapse. Safety Anthony Smith has a unique perspective on the Packers' turnaround. "When I came in, there was never any panic," Smith said. "It was just all about eliminating one or two plays, which was the difference in all the games they had lost. Since I've been here, they've been cleaning that up and not giving up big plays. Everything's kind of clicking together now."
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Nelson, Jones have big gloves to fill for Packers: WRs James Jones and Jordy Nelson will be asked to fill the role of Donald Driver who won't play Sunday night. As strange as it may seem without that familiar No. 80 jersey on the field Sunday night, it's the job of James Jones and Jordy Nelson to make people forget Donald Driver is injured. It's a harsh truth in the NFL. When a player goes down, somebody else has to step up. When the Packers go to three-receiver sets against the Cowboys, it will be Greg Jennings, Jones and Nelson. Are Jones, who has been up and down this year, and Nelson, who has come on after a slow start, ready for prime time? Jones said, "So everybody has to step up. It's not just one guy who has to step up and make plays. Everybody is going to get more opportunities. Guys have to step up and meet that challenge." "Obviously, we know we're going to get more plays," Nelson said. "We experienced that last week. (Driver) played some but was out early. I think we'll be comfortable out there. We've just got to go play our game." Jones, 6 feet, 1 inch and 208 pounds, has been plagued by inconsistency. "I think James Jones is no different than some of the other players," McCarthy said. "They have had some really good games and they have had some games that they wish they could have done a little better job in from a fundamental standpoint."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
With Colledge ailing, Spitz next in line: Daryn Colledge has never missed a game in his four-plus NFL seasons, but the Green Bay Packers veteran left guard’s back problems are bad enough that he has coach Mike McCarthy worried about his availability for Sunday night’s game against Dallas. Colledge, who has played 72 career regular-season games, had his back lock up on him during practice on Wednesday, and he missed Thursday’s practice in its entirety. If Colledge can’t go Sunday night, McCarthy could start veteran Jason Spitz, who has started 47 career games but has only seen spot duty this season, including a few snaps against the New York Jets last Sunday when Colledge lost his shoe and needed to have his ankle re-taped. McCarthy said T.J. Lang has also taken snaps at left guard in practice. “Absolutely, if I'm called upon to play, I'm definitely going to play. I look forward to the opportunity. It's been a long time,” Spitz said. “Last week, when Daryn's shoe came off, I'm sitting there watching the JumboTron, the last play, see what happened, and (the next thing I know), he's in my face yelling. I mean, as the backup, you've got to be prepared at all times."
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Masthay gets the drop on the Jets--Packers punter's unconventional technique helped keep ball out of the end zone: When he lined up from his own 36-yard line with 3 minutes, 57 seconds left, Green Bay Packers punter Tim Masthay might as well have been positioned for a 50-yard field goal with one second left. Masthay capped a stunning eight-punt performance with a high, end-over-end punt that landed 41 yards away and bounced out of bounds at the York Jets 23-yard line. Facing 77 yards ahead of them for a go-ahead touchdown, the Jets netted minus-1 on the ensuing drive and Crosby put the final stake in their heart with a field goal. No one could have predicted that a guy who came into the game ranked 21st in gross average and 30th in net would have what coach McCarthy said was one of the best punting performances he had ever seen. Masthay averaged 44 yards gross and 41.5 net on his eight punts, landing five inside the 20. "He's got a big leg," special teams coach Shawn Slocum said. "That's why he's here."
11/04/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Jones--"I want to be more consistent": Greg Jennings knows what James Jones can do. Now, he’d just like to see his fellow Green Bay Packers wide receiver do it on a consistent basis. “I talk to him about it all the time. He knows what he’s capable of getting done, but it’s a matter of getting it done,” Jennings said. “The thing about JJ, he’s harder on himself than anybody.” The issue with Jones is that he is capable of great things, but also capable of disappearing. He caught four passes for 107 yards in the Packers’ last Sunday night game, on Oct. 24 against Minnesota; but he also failed to catch a pass against Miami on Oct. 17 and against the New York Jets last Sunday, when he also dropped what likely would have been a 72-yard touchdown late in the third quarter of the Packers’ 9-0 victory. McCarthy said Wednesday that the fourth-year receiver is not unlike the team’s struggling offense as a whole: Good at times, not so good at others. “I think James Jones is no different than some of the other players. They have had some really good games and they have had some games that they wish they could have done a little better job,” McCarthy said. “James is a talented young man. He is playing different positions. We are asking more of him now than we have in past years, and I’m confident that he’ll step up big against Dallas.”
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers eye healthier days on the horizon: Packers have two important starters (Donald Driver, Ryan Pickett) who might sit out this week against Dallas and thus get two full weeks of rest, plus Jenkins who’s been playing hurt but probably can get close to full strength over the bye if he can get out of the Dallas game healthy. Combined with the return of two defensive backs (Al Harris and Atari Bigby) likely to be activated off the physically unable to perform list by Monday, the Packers have a chance to weather their unusually bad injury storm with a 6-3 record, provided they beat Dallas, and a relatively healthy roster for the final seven games. “We want to get to 6-3, get to the bye and get healthy,” coach Mike McCarthy said. McCarthy said Wednesday that the fourth-year receiver is not unlike the team’s struggling offense as a whole: Good at times, not so good at others.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notes--Driver's streak will end: Veteran receiver Donald Driver, who had his 133-game streak with a catch end two games ago, will be held out of Sunday night's game against Dallas. Harris, Bigby on hold--The Packers released defensive end Montgomery and that spot will remain open to add Al Harris, Atari Bigby or James Starks off the physically unable to perform list. That decision will be made on Saturday, McCarthy said. To add two of the players or all three, corresponding roster moves must be made. The Packers have until Monday to make a final determination on those players. If they’re not added to the 53-man roster by then, they’ll have to be put on injured reserve or released. Packers injury report--Out: WR Donald Driver (quad); CB Pat Lee (ankle). Full participation: QB Aaron Rodgers (ankle). Did not participate: TE Andrew Quarless (shoulder). Limited participation: T Chad Clifton (hamstring/knee); G Daryn Colledge (back); S Nick Collins (knee); DE Cullen Jenkins (calf); LB Clay Matthews (shin); RB Dimitri Nance(ankle); DE Ryan Pickett (ankle); T Mark Tauscher (shoulder); CB Charles Woodson (toe).
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Finley--Knee surgery led to staph and a hurried trip to emergency room: After seeing Finley burning up with fever, Packers trainers rushed Finley by car to Bellin Hospital in Green Bay. It ended up being a blessing that he had not eaten because Finley was able to go into surgery that afternoon to remove the infection. Bellin's emergency room staff was ready for Finley, he said, and he went under the knife immediately "to clean out the infection." A team spokesman said the medical staff identified the infection as staph but that there are varying degrees of severity and that this was considered the common type, not the more serious MRSA. Some NFL teams have had outbreaks of the more serious type of staph infection throughout their training facilities, and that has caused teams to take extra measures to ensure a breakout doesn't occur. The Packers' medical staff follows a strict protocol to prevent infection from spreading, the spokesman said, adding that this latest case had been isolated. Finley's second surgery was first reported by ESPNMilwaukee.com. Finley said Wednesday that he was fine but that the ordeal was very scary. Finley said he is drinking a lot of water now.
11/03/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers focus on rushing defense: In the the halfway point of the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have the No. 1 rushing defense in the NFL, allowing 58.9 yards per game. At the end of 2009, that top spot belonged to Green Bay, which held opponents to an average of 83.3 yards per game. But the Packers aren't anywhere close to that now. Their rushing defense has fallen all the way to 25th at 123.6. Injuries and circumstances have led to the indication, at least statistically, of a defensive drop-off. But despite the numbers, the Packers still feel they have a very good run defense and point to the 9-0 shutout against New York. Coach McCarthy believes in the run defense and great opportunity to improve in the second half of the season. Against the Jets, the defensive line and supporting outside linebackers helped dictate the down and distance, said Capers.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Cowboys scouting report: Running game--Cowboys have been a major disappointment. The Cowboys rank No. 31 in the NFL in rushing yards per game. Their backfield tandem should be good — Marion Barber is 27, which is before the decline starts for most NFL backs, and Jones is 23, but they’re not picking up anything. Barber, the nominal starter, has been reduced to mainly a short-yardage back and is averaging only 3.0 yards on his 65 carries. Jones has a decent 4.2-yard average in his 68 carries, but he hasn’t been the breakaway threat of past years. On the offensive line, LT Free has been fine, but the rest of the group hasn’t. Passing game--Romo is out. The Cowboys will miss his ability to make plays, especially when things break down and he moves outside the pocket. Backup Jon Kitna is a stationary target. He has a decent and relatively accurate throwing arm, but he’s not a playmaker. Running defense--Dallas’ collapse on defense is the biggest surprise of its season. The Cowboys finished last season with the No. 4 rushing defense and No. 2 scoring defense but have dropped to Nos. 24 and 27, respectively, this year. Passing defense--The most damning statistic of a bad year? Jacksonville QB Garrard hitting the Cowboys for four touchdown passes and an astronomical passer rating. Though the Cowboys rank No. 9 in the NFL in sacks percentage, the pass rush hasn’t been lacking. Special teams--Bryant is a big-time threat returning punts and has taken back two of his 12 returns for touchdowns. Rookie kickoff returner Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (21.7-yard average) hasn’t been as dynamic.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers talks about team's renewed confidence: “There was a different feeling in the locker room,” Rodgers said in an interview on the Jim Rome radio show. “That confidence was back. There was an excitement. The urgency from the previous week carried over.” “The guys we’ve brought in have all had the right mindset. They’ve been hungry,” Rodgers said. “We brought in DE Green. He played great for us. Charles Peprah been starting at safety and had a great game Sunday. It’s a combination of the guys filling those voids improving their play and good leadership keeping the guys focused on the things that we can control.” Rodgers also discussed an offense that continues to struggle. The Packers rank No. 16 in the NFL in average yards (335.9), No. 13 in points (22 a game) and tied for No. 25 on third downs (35 percent). “Offensively we can do a lot more,” Rodgers said. “We’ve been hurt by some injuries, obviously, to a couple key players. We still feel like we haven’t made enough plays on offense, and that starts with me. I’ve got to play better in the second half of the season."
11/02/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi grades Packers win over Jets.
SUMMARY: In a tight defensive game, the Packers got stifling defensive team and special teams performances forcing three turnovers and big plays to shut Jets 9-0. K Crosby kicked three field goals. CB Williams and CB Woodson had two big interceptions.
GAME BALLS: LB Bishop; WR Jennings; CB Woodson; CB Williams; S Peprah; S Smith.
INJURY REPORT: WR Driver (calf strain). TE Quarless (shoulder sprain).
Report Card Grades--Good, Bad, & Ugly (JC vs. SE):
PASSING OFFENSE: D- vs D. QB Rodgers had a rough day facing confusing blitz formations on the Jets defense. Pedestrian Rodgers completed only 15 of 34 passes, 170 yards, no touchdowns, two sacks, and a poor 59.7 passer rating. Rodgers failed to make proper play adjustments reacting with bad reads and misfired on throws. The receivers dropped another four passes. WR Jennings had six catches for 81 yards. WR Nelson had 5 catches for 55 yards.
RUSHING OFFENSE: D- vs D-. With the offensive line out-of-sync playing somewhat poorly with poor blocking and bad execution, the rushing game struggled getting 81 total yards. RB Jackson got only 57 averaging a pedestrian 3.7 yards. FB Kuhn was worse getting only 21 yards averaging an awful 2.6 yards. Again, the short yardage game failed especially on a big third and one play.
PASSING DEFENSE: A- vs B. Jets QB Sanchez completed only 16 of 38 for 256 yards, two big interceptions, and an awful 43.3 passer rating. It helped that his receivers dropped seven passes. Cornerbacks Williams and Woodson smartly wrestled away the ball from Jets wide receivers Cotchery and Keller to get key interceptions.
RUSHING DEFENSE: A vs A. The “no-names” defense had a stout performance with a rebuilt big defensive front handling the premier Jets offensive line. They held RBs Tomlinson and Greene to a combined 76 yards on 22 carries averaging only 3.6 yards. LB Bishop had ten solo tackles. Newcomer DE Green played about 35 snaps. Rookies DE Wilson, CB Shields, and LB Zombo played solid games. On a wildcat run by receiver Smith, LB Zombo forced a fumble and recovered by CB Williams. DE Green snuffed out an end-around play causing an eight yard loss.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A vs A-. P Masthay punted eight times for 44.0 gross and 41.5 net yards averages. He placed five punts inside the 20-yard line with the Jets getting zero return yards. With the exception of one long return, the kicking units had a good game. Smith made a great play on the fake punt. K Crosby made three of four field goals.
COACHING: B vs B. Coach McCarthy and staff get credit for great defensive and special teams performances. Generally, Capers game plan used seven or eight men in the box daring the Jets to pass the ball. The defense got big plays and turnovers to win the game. The team played a near-flawless game committing only three costly penalties and posting zero turnovers. Yet, the offense looked out-of-sync again. In the first half, the offense got only 123 net yards, zero third down conversions, and 3 points. For the game, they had only 237 total yards and no touchdowns. Also, they converted a miserable 2 of 14 third downs. At crucial times, the predictable play calling was too conservative with the short yardage and red zone units looking too pedestrian.
11/02/10
Legendary jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers perplexed by inconsistent offense: There’s one nagging, perplexing concern in Green Bay these days: What’s wrong with the offense? A high-powered unit that one year ago set a franchise record for points scored (461) and produced a 4,000-yard passer in Aaron Rodgers, a 1,000-yard rusher in Ryan Grant and two 1,000-yard receivers in Greg Jennings and Donald Driver has been plagued by mistakes and inconsistencies. Injuries have been a factor. But halfway through the season, the offense just isn’t clicking and the reasons go far beyond the season-ending injuries to Grant and play-making TE Finley.The glitches showed in a 9-0 victory over the New York Jets, a game won mainly with a superb defensive effort and solid special-teams play. The best thing that could be said about the offense was that it didn't turn the ball over. The worrisome thing is that the Packers have had eight games to make corrections, tighten up their fundamentals in the running game and their timing in the passing game and get the offense in sync. But, so far, it hasn't happened.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Offense searches for answers: As well as the Packers’ defense and special teams performed in Sunday’s win over the mighty New York Jets, the same burning question remained: Why is the team’s offense so badly out of sync? Entering Sunday night’s game against the reeling Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field, the Packers offense is pedestrian in every way: It ranks 13th in scoring (22.0 points per game), 16th in total yards per game (335.9), 22nd in rushing yards per game (97.0), in a seven-way tie for 10th in yards per rush (4.2), 10th in passing yards per game (238.9) and tied for 14th in sacks allowed (16). “You can tend to get a little too technical. We just were not very fundamentally sound as an offense,” said McCarthy, who said he oversimplified the offense expecting extensive blitzing from the Jets. “We felt that we just weren’t very sharp, whether it was finishing blocks, certain reads, depth of routes and so forth.We need to get back to just playing football the right way and not worrying about what the other side’s doing. We did not play to our standard on offense.”
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notebook-- Green's pays off: New defensive lineman Howard Green spent several hours working with Mike Trgovac on Friday and Saturday; plus, more news from the Monday after the 9-0 win over the Jets. Return relay--With Pat Lee already ruled out for Sunday night’s game against Dallas because of an ankle injury, the Packers will need to find a kickoff returner. The options, according to special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum, are going back to Jordy Nelson, using No. 3 running back Dimitri Nance or adding another job for starting cornerback and punt returner Tramon Williams. Going to Nelson would be the obvious decision but he’s got an expanded role on offense with Donald Driver missing the second half of Sunday’s game with a quad injury. Injury updates--Coach McCarthy said Driver being “questionable” for practice this week. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers shouldn’t miss time with a sprained ankle. The training staff was examining tight end Andrew Quarless’ shoulder sprain, but McCarthy said the training staff didn’t think it was serious. Four-point stance--Packers have until Nov. 8 to make a decision on Harris, Bigby and Starks who remain on the physically unable to perform list. The choices are add them to the 53-man roster, put them on injured reserve, or release them. Game balls went to Greg Jennings on offense, the entire defense and defensive coaching staff on defense and punter Tim Masthay on special teams. Safety Anthony Smith, whose diving stop prevented punter Steve Weatherford from converting a fourth-and-18 on a fake punt, received the big hit award.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Analysis: Team more upbeat than this time last season: A year ago, the Green Bay Packers were sitting at the .500 mark halfway through their regular-season schedule. They’re only one game better at the midway point of this season, but after Sundays 9-0 road victory at the New York Jets, there’s a different feeling around Lambeau Field. They’re only one game better at the midway point of this season, but after Sunday’s 9-0 road victory at the New York Jets and given the circumstances surrounding this season, there’s a different feeling around Lambeau Field. At 5-3, the Packers have a half-game lead over Chicago (4-3) in the NFC North and are tied with New Orleans for the fourth-best record in the NFC. Last season, coach McCarthy said he rallied the team to an 11-5 finish and a wild-card playoff berth by sticking to his principles and staying consistent with his approach. That had to be especially challenging this season after losing 10 players, including five starters, to season-ending injuries. Thompson has had to shuffle the roster, while McCarthy and his assistants have had to spend more time teaching schemes to new players, something normally reserved for training camp. Last week alone, Thompson acquired four new players — two off waivers and two off the street. All but one played against the Jets. Defensive lineman Howard Green played nearly half the snaps, and linebacker Erik Walden played on some key third down snaps.
11/01/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers ailing defense gives healthy performance--shuts down Jets rushing game, hinders Sanchez, and makes key turnovers: Missing four starters on defense and forced to use two players who joined the team last week, the Packers turned in a magnificent four-quarter defensive performance and stunned the New York Jets, 9-0, at the New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday. "I'm very proud of our defense," said coach Mike McCarthy. "I thought they were outstanding." The Packers held the Jets' potent running game in check, limited Mark Sanchez, & came up with three killer turnovers, all in Green Bay territory. "More than anything, I'm really proud of the way these guys fought their tails off," said defensive coordinator Dom Capers. "When we needed plays, they went and made plays. I hope we can be gritty like this the rest of the way." Among the heroes were Woodson and Williams, who wrestled balls out of receivers' hands for interceptions, and LB Walden and DL Green. "It all comes down to stopping the run, man, especially in their place, in a game like this, tight the whole time," said linebacker A.J. Hawk. "You've got to stop the run and take away their No. 1 threat and make them one-dimensional, and we did that." The Packers held Tomlinson to 54 yards in 16 carries (3.4) and Greene to 22 in six (3.7). The longest run by either back was eight yards.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers 9 Jets 0 as Masthay gives Jets the boot: Cornerback Woodson--“Masthay did an excellent job today of kicking it out of our end of the field and getting it to their end of the field, and the teams getting down there and covering. That was an outstanding day of punting, and that played big for us. To have them have to drive 70, 80 yards, that’s the kind of field position we like to go out there with.” On a day when the offense was out of sync and the defense was forcing turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble recovery, plus a pair of fourth-down stops), the Packers’ first-year punter was one of their MVPs. Masthay punted eight times, averaging 44.0 gross yards, 41.5 net yards and 4.51 seconds of hang time, with five of his kicks being downed inside the 20-yard line and only one resulting in a touchback. The Jets were forced to fair-catch three of the punts and registered zero return yards.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Offense struggles--Rodgers, McCarthy shoulder the blame: There wasn't a lot of blame to be assigned after the Green Bay Packers' 9-0 upset of the powerful New York Jets Sunday at the New Meadowlands Stadium, but any blame there was ended up being directed mostly at the offense. After Aaron Rodgers had the lowest completion percentage in his three years as the Packers' starting quarterback and the offense registered season-lows in first downs, yards and points, it was coach Mike McCarthy, the architect of the offense, who took the bullet for scoring only three field goals against the fearsome Jets defense. "Frankly, I'll take responsibility for the offense," McCarthy said. "We (simplified) a lot of things based on the way we viewed them as a defense and we probably over-analyzed certain situations and I thought we played that way in the first half, especially on third down. We just couldn't extend a drive there. Came in at halftime, went back to the basics, thought we moved the ball very well but we had the costly penalties on those first two series. We need to clean things up on offense and obviously be more productive in points. They looked like they were moving fast and we were not. It's like anything in football. You can't go out and try to be right all the time. You need to go out and play, trust your adjustments. We need to go out there, run our base offense against these defenses and let's just go play."
10/31/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights game day headlines.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Jets Preview: Teams: Packers (4-3) vs. Jets (5-1). Time: Noon CT, Sunday. Place: New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. TV coverage: FOX – WITI (Ch. 6) in Milwaukee and WMSN (Ch. 47) in Madison. Rankings: The Packers’ 11th-ranked offense is No. 20 in rushing and No. 8 in passing. Their 18th-ranked defense is No. 23 against the run and No. 14 against the pass. The Jets’ 17th-ranked offense is No. 2 in rushing and No. 27 in passing. Their 12th-ranked defense is No. 7 against the run and No. 22 against the pass. Injury report: Packers – DE Jenkins (calf), DE/NT Pickett (ankle), RB Nance (ankle) and RT Tauscher (shoulder) are questionable. LT Clifton (knee), S Collins (knee), WR Driver (quadriceps), G/T Newhouse (back) and CB Woodson (toe) are probable. Line: The Jets are favored by 6 ½ points. FIVE THINGS TO WATCH: Shuffling the line--can the front seven be stout? RB LT's revenge--how good is he at his age? Best in the business--Jets offensive line. On the mark--how good is Jets QB Sanchez? Keeping up with Jones--can WR Jones had a break out game to help Packers? PREDICTION--A nice little run toward their Nov. 14 bye if Packers could beat one of the AFC’s elite teams and then come home and take advantage of the downtrodden Cowboys. The problem is that the Jets are coming off a bye themselves and they’re the one team the Packers couldn’t afford to be facing with a decimated defensive line. The combination of a run-first offense and a great offensive line against a depleted defense spells trouble for the Packers..
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Jets preview: Keys to the game--The Packers' ability to contain RBs Greene and Tomlinson will determine their ability to stay within striking distance. Green Bay allows 4.7 yards per carry, and lost another defender in OLB Brad Jones this week. If the Jets have their way on the ground, they'll control the clock and methodically wear the Packers down. Green Bay only gives a token nod to its ground game, although RB Jackson is a solid receiver out of the backfield. QB Aaron Rodgers has a difficult task between reading the Jets' pre-snap movement and delivering accurate passes against a secondary finally healthy coming out of a bye week. Game plan--A depleted Packers front seven defense will be on the spot against the Jets' run-heavy offense with rushing monsters Tomlinson and Green. QB Sanchez has been hard to fluster, so the Packers may not be as reliant with their pressure packages. QB Rodgers can expect exotic pass rushes from the Jets. Rodgers will have to be on with his hot reads when Ryan brings the pressure from all angles. The Jets have been susceptible to giving up big chunks of passing yards. Yet, cornerbacks Revis and Cromartie are as disruptive as they come in the passing lanes. Turnovers could be telling with the Jets' boasting of a league-leading plus-10 in the takeaway-giveaway ratio and the Packers struggling at minus-1.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Jets predictions: McGinn-in their last two games, the Jets were on the ropes against the Vikings at home and against the Broncos on the road. Mark Sanchez is holding them back. Injuries or not, the Packers can win with a tremendous three-phase performance, the kind that a Mike McCarthy-coached team almost never delivers. Silverstein: In some ways, this game has a similar flavor to the 2002 victory at New England, when Mike Sherman won with Matt Bowen, Todd Franz and Bryant Westbrook in a patchwork secondary. The Jets are due a bad game and the Packers haven't played a great one yet. This could be their day. Packers 24, Jets 21. Nickel: If they can go 1-1 between the Jets and Dallas next week, the Packers will be 5-4 heading into their bye week, and the way the NFC is playing out so far, that's not too bad. A loss here is not the end of the world. A win would make waves. Jets 31, Packers 24.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers slow start to season fits pattern of McCarthy era: If the Green Bay Packers, a six-point underdog Sunday at the New York Jets, go down as the oddsmakers predict, they will be .500 or worse at the midway point of the season for the fourth time in Mike McCarthy’s five seasons as head coach. Whether or not there’s hope for a second-half performance like last season probably depends on whether the Packers can avoid any more catastrophic injuries, if they haven’t had too many already. McCarthy believes it can happen, but it must depend on Rodgers’ ability to cut down on turnovers and the defense’s ability to create turnovers like it did last season, when it led the league with 40. Rodgers has nine interceptions already this season after throwing just seven all of last season.
Commentary: The Packers sports spin about the final outcome of this big game should be amusing. The bet is that the dominant line is on the depleted front seven defensive line and so on. It will probably go the way of, "If we are 5-4 going into the bye week...." The final outcome will be a true measure of the Packer character under the McCarthy era and Rodgers era. We shall see.
10/30/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers offer contract worthy of top cornerback: Packers have made a competitive contract offer to Tramon Williams that is commensurate with what they've paid Al Harris, the player he is replacing at right cornerback. In the midst of an outstanding season, the 27-year-old Williams ranks at the top of the list of players the Packers want to re-sign for the long haul. The club is willing to pay Williams more than Harris, whose average per year is $5.418 million, but not close to Charles Woodson, whose deal averages $9.73 million. "Whatever happens happens, but I want to be in Green Bay," Tramon Williams said Friday. "Me waiting until unrestricted, I'm not into that. If it happens to go that way, then it does." At present, Williams is playing on a one-year, restricted free-agent tender worth $3.043 million. That ranks 36th among all cornerbacks in the National Football League and 17th among all Packers players. Woodson, 34, ranks fourth among cornerbacks at $9.73 million. Harris, who will turn 36 next month, ranks 23rd at $5.418 million.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Green, Wilson join rotation alongside Raji: Packers have established a four-man rotation for their patchwork defensive line in case neither Jenkins nor Ryan Pickett is able to play Sunday against the New York Jets. Newcomer Green and Wilson would start at defensive end alongside nose tackle B.J. Raji in the base defense. Green also would spell Raji and Wynn would play inside on passing downs. Jenkins (calf) and Pickett (ankle) both were listed as questionable. However, Jenkins practiced on a limited basis all week and Pickett did nothing more than work out with the strength staff indoors. Out again: Cornerback Harris will have one more week of practice before the Packers must decide to activate him from the physically unable to perform list, cut him or place him on injured reserve. Fresh faces: By signing Erik Walden (6-2, 250) Wednesday, the Packers will have to determine whether he or fellow outside linebacker Diyral Briggs (6-2½, 248) is more helpful for the 45-man roster. "Walden is a little bit better on special teams," one personnel man said. "I'd qualify Walden as above average on special teams. He has enough speed and athleticism. He has moments where he flashes. "Briggs may have a little more legitimacy to go into the game and take a few plays in base. But if I had to pick one guy to go into the game and speed rush, I'd say Walden. Both are No. 4 outside linebackers, not No. 3s."
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notebook--good news for defensive line as DE Jenkins thinks he'll play Sunday vs. the Jets and NT Green will be active despite just one practice: Barring a setback, the Packers will have starting defensive end Cullen Jenkins on the field for Sunday’s game at the New York Jets. Ready or not: One practice will be enough for Howard Green. The big nose tackle, who was signed off waivers from the Jets, practiced for the first time on Friday and coach Mike McCarthy said it’s a “safe bet” that Green will be on the 45-man roster for the game. No Harris; maybe Bigby. It will be at least another week for cornerback Al Harris to make his season debut but McCarthy hasn’t ruled out activating safety Atari Bigby from the physically unable to perform list.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers CB Charles Woodson struggling to get back to last season's greatness: His star player who won the NFL’s defensive player of the year award last season hasn’t made the kind of eye-opening plays he did last season. Through seven games, Woodson has just one interception, although he did return it 48 yards for a touchdown in Week 4 against Detroit, and two forced fumbles. “He hasn’t played poorly,” Whitt said on Friday. “He’s actually played better than he did last year.” While Whitt said he didn’t have Woodson’s up-to-date numbers, he said they are better than last season. “I hear everybody saying he’s having a down year,” Whitt said. “He’s covered better. He’s given up less plays than he did last year. Wood gave up some plays last year, but he made so many splash plays that he just overwhelmed them. He’s just not making the splash plays like he did last year.” In addition to the lack of game-changing plays, two things stand out about Woodson’s play. He already has been penalized nine times — one more than he had all of last season, when he led the defense in that category — and he has been on the ground far more than in the past. One of the basic rules of football is to stay on your feet.
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Jets preview: To pull off the upset, the Packers must handle these three-phase keys to the game. Offense--This will be the battle inside the battle. No team blitzes the quarterback as often or with as wide a variety of blitzes as Rex Ryan’s Jets defense. No quarterback beats the blitz like Aaron Rodgers, who led the NFL in passer rating against blitzes last season (112.7) and ranks fifth this season (106.7). Defense--Packers’ defense got by on sheer guts to outlast the Vikings. They’ll have to do so again. The Jets, behind a dominant offensive line and the one-two punch of veteran Tomlinson and mammoth Greene in the backfield, are one of just a few teams that runs the ball more than it throws it. There’s no reason to expect otherwise this week, with Tomlinson and Greene the focal points of what McCarthy called the “best run team that we’ll face so far this year.” Special teams--Ryan says special teams are his team’s strength. Nick Folk has made 13-of-15 field goals. Of Weatherford’s 32 punts, he ranks sixth in net average (40.1). On returns, Leonhard is among the league leaders with a 12.3-yard average on punts and Smith ranks second with a 31.8-yard average on kickoffs. On the other side, nobody would call the Packers’ special teams a strength and they don’t have any special players. Those units have struggled since the second game. While Williams has been pretty good on punt returns (9.1 average), kickoff returner Lee is averaging just 19.8 per runback and Masthay ranks 32nd in net punting (33.8). The team-wide injury problem has deprived coordinator Shawn Slocum’s units of any semblance of continuity, and potentially adding the three new linebackers into the mix won’t help in that regard. Like last week against the Vikings’ dynamic kicking teams, the Packers would do well to play to a draw against the Jets’ special teams.
10/29/10
If NT Howard Green plays with the kind of determination he showed in getting to the Packers facility, the coaches will fall in love with him.
10/29/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Packers hope to silence Jets: The Packers are determined to pull off the former and drive the blustery New York Jets to the latter when the teams meet Sunday at New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey. "We don't really get into all that talking," said Green Bay receiver James Jones, taking a poke at the Jets. "We handle the talking out there on the field with our play. We don't buy into all of that. Hopefully, by the way we play, they won't have too much to talk about." Backing up Jones' confident talk by walking the steady walk on the road may take a colossal effort for the Packers. Despite a rash of injuries to key players and corresponding inconsistent play, Green Bay's lot isn't looking so bad just because of how mediocre its conference and division have been. The Packers snapped out of a 1-3 tailspin by beating Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings 28-24 on Sunday night and caught the slumping Chicago Bears for the NFC North lead at 4-3.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers offense hope to conquer island: The New York Jets' lockdown cornerback refers to the patch of turf he defends each week against top National Football League receivers as "Revis Island" because the Jets almost never roll defensive help his way. Among the many things that have to go right for the injury-depleted Packers (4-3) to upset the Jets (5-1) on the road Sunday is that their receivers must win their share of one-on-one battles with Revis and Jets' other outstanding cornerback Cromartie. The Jets play an aggressive, attacking defense and blitz as much as any team in the league. That often leaves Revis and Cromartie in man coverage. "The Jets probably do more exotic blitzes than you're (normally) going to see," said Packers quarterback Rodgers. "They bring different types of pressure and different types of coverages than you see on a normal basis. The Jets do bring pressure." The Jets take pride in their identity as an attacking defense and are confident that when they bring pressure Revis and Cromartie will win their matchups. They're not going to sit back in Cover-2 all game. "You'll see on Sunday," Revis said. "Can't give away the game plan."
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notebook--new faces hope to help: Having Green available for Sunday’s game against the Jets in New York would be a boost to a defensive line that might be without starting ends Jenkins (calf) and Pickett (ankle). But that might be asking too much considering the short timeframe to get a grasp on the defensive playbook. While Green wasn’t at practice, Walden took some reps at right outside linebacker. At 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, Walden has a better build than the presumed starter, Frank Zombo. The Packers are incredibly shorthanded at that position with only veteran Matthews, 1st year LB Francois, rookie Zombo and newly signed Briggs. For this week, however, his ticket to the 45-man roster will be special teams. Packers injury report--Did not participate: WR Driver (quad), DE Pickett (ankle). Limited participation: S Collins (knee), DE Jenkins (calf), T Tauscher (shoulder), CB Woodson (toe). Full participation: T Chad Clifton (knee), TMarshall Newhouse (back). The only change was Clifton going from limited to full participation. McCarthy said he will need the “full week” to make a determination on Jenkins and Pickett. McCarthy indicated they might not be tested on Friday.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Rodgers & receivers ready for Jets blitz: The Minnesota Vikings defense was playing what Rodgers called a “Catch-2 Man technique”. That made “our route tree a little gray,” Rodgers said, leading he and his receivers to ignore some of their “base rules” on four passes on which everyone inside Lambeau Field and watching wondered what on earth the Packers quarterback and his receivers were doing. Rodgers and the Packers receivers can ill afford to have such different-page moments Sunday against the Jets, whose blitz-heavy defense stresses offensive lines, requires opposing quarterbacks to get rid of the ball quickly and makes it imperative that receivers run precise routes. “Yeah, it’s really important. And that’s something that, once we watched that film, it’s correctable,” Rodgers said. “I think in a situation where you’re playing at home, often because you have an ability to make checks and changes and talk through things, there’s more changes and non-verbal communication than if you play on the road. Whereas on the road, the routes and the adjustments are pretty set in stone. So I’m not as worried."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Having talked, Bishop walks the talk: Being an old linebacker himself, linebacker coach Winston Moss has always had an appreciation for players who can talk a good game, and then would back it up by playing one. So maybe that’s why the Green Bay Packers inside linebackers coach has so thoroughly enjoyed watching Desmond Bishop, as the fourth-year linebacker has seized the opportunity he’s been clamoring for for the last several years. Considering the pressure he put on himself by repeatedly saying he was a starting-caliber player, Bishop has certainly handled his role and his success just fine. “He is ready,” Packers coach McCarthy said. “I am sure he felt that he was ready a long time ago.” Moss added, “When he’s been a role player, or a couple years ago when he started (that) game, those critical errors would come up at the poorest of times, especially in situations at the end of games that were really, really detrimental. Now that he’s a starter, he’s been able to do a great job of maintaining a high level of detail and efficiency while keeping that playmaker mentality.”
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this clip)
Scout--Woodson-Revis a battle to watch: They won’t be on the field at the same time but cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Darrelle Revis will be on center stage on Sunday. The Packers’ Woodson is the reigning NFL defensive player of the year. The Jets’ Revis is considered the NFL’s best cover man, not to mention the player who should have brought home the hardware last season, in the opinion of his head coach Ryan.
.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
RB Jackson can take the ball and run with it: After starting slowly in Grant's absence and even falling behind fullback-turned-halfback John Kuhn for a while, Jackson has used his increased workload to become a more instinctive, decisive runner. McCarthy said the coaches are doing a better job of tailoring runs for the backs and that the run-blocking unit has improved each week, but it is undeniable that in recent games Jackson looks better with the ball under his arm than he ever has in Green Bay. Jackson has stepped up his production. In the past three games, he rushed for 226 yards and 6.5 per carry. In the three games before that, he totaled 74 yards on 2.7 per carry. The jury is still out on whether Jackson is a starting-caliber NFL halfback, but he clearly has provided the Packers offense with a much-needed spark.
10/28/10
Senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
LB Jones on I.R. and 3 LBs & NT added to roster: Outside linebacker Brad Jones became the team’s third linebacker and 10thplayer overall to land on season-ending injured reserve Wednesday. Jones suffered a shoulder injury and will require surgery. When the team claimed NT Green, a sixth-year nose tackle, Jones was placed on IR to make room on the 53-man roster. The 6-foot-2, 340-pound Green played 12 games with the Jets in ’09. He saw action in two of the Jets’ games this season before being waived this week. With Jones and Poppinga both out, rookie Zombo will start opposite Matthews. LB Francois becomes the primary backup at both outside spots. Newcomers Briggs and Walden likely to fill in on special teams if they’re on the 45-man game-day roster Sunday. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Walden played 11 games for the Dolphins in 2009 and two games for them this season before being released. Walden joins Briggs, whom the Packers claimed off waivers from Denver on Tuesday, as emergency backups outside. LB Wilhelm is an eight-year veteran inside linebacker. He’ll back up ILBs Hawk and Bishop along with Chillar.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Notes--LB Jones on I.R.; Packers claim NT Green: The Packers claimed Jets defensive tackle Howard Green from waivers. The 6-2, 340-pound Green has played in 51 games with 12 starts. The urgency to acquire Green came from doubt about defensive ends Cullen Jenkins (calf) and Ryan Pickett (ankle) being ready for the New York Jets on Sunday. Nose tackle B.J. Raji played 65 of 68 snaps last Sunday. If Pickett isn't available, Raji would be in danger of being worn down. The bottom line here is that the Packers don't think DE Pickett (ankle) is going to play this week. DE Wilson and DE Wynn are not big enough to compete down after down against the Jets' running game. Green is a big body to help stop the run against a power-running team like the Jets. With Green next to B.J. Raji, they at least have bigger beef in the middle. Green should be able to fill in for a dozen snaps. Green should be available for Thursday practice. Of the three linebackers that were signed, Wilhelm has the best chance of being active Sunday. In fact, the eighth-year veteran, who has spent the better part of his career playing on special teams, was with the top units in practice.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Veteran OT Clifton: Yet here's 34-year-old "Big Cliff," still standing. Among the foremost concerns for the Green Bay Packers heading into the season were the knees of left tackle Chad Clifton and the calendar working against the 11-year veteran. He has had a long history of battling, repairing and playing through injuries "I feel good. I feel so much better than I did coming into the season," Clifton said. It has really showed. Clifton held Minnesota's Jared Allen at bay, playing him one-on-one for most of Green Bay's 28-24 victory Sunday. Clifton and the rest of the offensive line gave quarterback Aaron Rodgers plenty of time to work and kept him from getting sacked. "That's priority No. 1 for an offensive lineman. We're definitely proud of that," said Clifton. Rodgers appreciated it, especially after getting sacked 14 times in the two Minnesota games in 2009. Rodgers said the play of the tackles, with the play calling of coach Mike McCarthy, kept Minnesota's defensive line of Allen and Kevin and Pat Williams off-balance. McCarthy mixed the screens with straight drop-back throws.
10/27/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Jets--opposite approaches to team building: Ted Thompson, the Packers’ general manager, is the most free agent-and-trade-averse man running an NFL club today. If he wouldn’t trade a third-round draft pick for Marshawn Lynch, he’s never going to do a meaningful in-season deal. It is and always will be all draft and develop as long as Thompson is calling the shots. Jets coach Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum have swung big trading for and signing seven accomplished players who were character, contract or age risks in pursuit of the Super Bowl. The Jets aggressively filled weak areas via trades and free agency, a mindset encouraged by Super Bowl visions after their unexpected 9-7 playoff season in ’09. In that time, they’ve acquired seven veterans of note and three players via trades that carried substantial risk because of character and contract issues. Over the same time, Thompson’s only trade was swapping some picks on draft day. He signed no unrestricted free agents. Thompson is highly sensitive to locker room and organizational harmony, puts forward possibly the most bland public face of any GM in the NFL and is a stoic of the highest order. Ryan, on the other hand, is brash in a league in which boring and uninformative are art forms among the men who front for their organizations. He appears to embrace confrontation and chaos.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Jets scouting report: Run offense--Jets have one of the most balanced offenses in the NFL (193 runs and 188 passes), and the key to their offense is their line which is among the best in the NFL and the backbone of the No. 4-ranked scoring offense in the league. Tomlinson and Greene share the workload for the NFL’s second-ranked run game. Pass offense: Offensive coordinator Schottenheimer does all he can with play calling to help quarterback Mark Sanchez play it safe and manage games (nine touchdown passes, two interceptions). The Jets have a good array of weapons with receivers Edwards, Cotchery and Holmes, along with dangerous tight end Keller. Sanchez has a good skill set and has become an improved manager of the offense in his second season in the league. But he can be thrown off-kilter if teams pressure him. Run defense: The Jets don’t have dominant personnel in their front seven but rank No. 7 in run defense and No. 4 in scoring defense because they play coach Rex Ryan’s aggressive 3-4s scheme well. Pass defense: The Jets probably have the best cornerback duo in Revis and Cromartie. “They really don’t have any true four-down pass rushers,” a scout said. “It’s more about scheme and it’s more about numbers, and they do a good job of that. But if you can protect the passer, they’ll put their corners on the island and they’ll force those corners to play man-to-man, and they’ll put their safeties and linebackers in some man-to-man situations. If you can protect the passer, you have an equal chance to make plays as their defense has to make a play in the downfield passing game.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Capers working wonders with thin defense unit: A series of injuries has forced defensive coordinator Dom Capers to come up with creative adjustments, but the craziness reached new heights Sunday when end Cullen Jenkins strained a calf muscle during pregame warm-ups and couldn't play. Then, early in the game, end Ryan Pickett aggravated a sprained ankle and could go just seven snaps before heading to the sideline for good. That left Capers with three healthy defensive lineman including rookie DE Wilson and DE Jarius Wynn. Though the Vikings gashed the Packers for 196 rushing yards, Green Bay's defense came up with three game-changing interceptions of Brett Favre in the second half and survived a late Minnesota drive to win. Capers, "Those three (ends Wilson and Wynn and nose tackle B.J. Raji) played an awful lot and I'll give credit to those young guys. They fought their tails off in there." It's also a credit to Capers whose coordinating skills have been put to the test.
Two linebackers bolster defense: The Packers put outside linebacker Brady Poppinga and rookie defensive end Mike Neal on season-ending injured reserve. Plus, they released inside linebacker Maurice Simpkins. The Packers signed two players to fill those three spots: veteran inside linebacker Matt Wilhelm and outside linebacker Diyral Briggs. That leaves one spot, which presumably will be used to activate Harris or Bigby. To bring back both, another move will need to be made.
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this clip)
Rookie Bulaga making giant strides: No player is learning more about life in the NFL than Bulaga. And no player’s progress is scrutinized more by the coaches, and the media. I stood at Bulaga’s locker for 10 minutes one day last week among a group of reporters who drifted in and out during a team interview session, and he was asked four different times, “How do you think you’re doing?” Bulaga said. “Every week I’m going to be making improvements on things and getting more comfortable with doing things on the right side.” Then I asked, somewhat sympathetically, “Is it tougher than you thought it would be?” Bulaga smiled, “I think I’m doing an okay job. Obviously, things are a lot different, speed-wise and player-wise. I just need to improve every week, get better at the small things and if I can keep doing that, I’ll be alright.” Edwards and the Vikings didn't lay a finger on Rodgers Sunday night, and the Packers won. "Alright" is clearly good enough for now.
Clipped from: profootballtalk.nbcsports.com (share this clip)
League admits to two touchdown errors in Sunday night game: The availability of replay review is no substitute for getting it right in the first instance. On two separate occasions with scoring plays on the line, the officials got it wrong. On the third occasion, referee Scott Green simply botched the replay review. And all three calls worked against the team that lost by four points. On the second play of the second quarter, a touchdown pass from Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to tight end Andrew Quarless should have been ruled an incompletion. Quarless bobbled the ball after he landed out of bounds. Though Vikings coach Brad Childress inexplicably failed to throw the challenge flag, the officials should be expected to be in position to see whether or not a pass is complete, especially in the end zone. Later in the quarter, Vikings tight end Shiancoe made a diving catch in the end zone, after running back Adrian Peterson bought time for quarterbackBrett Favre with a crushing block on a blitzing linebacker. Though the ball hit the ground, the ball never moved. The call on the field was correct. The Packers challenged, and referee Scott Green took away the touchdown, explaining that Shiancoe had “used the ground to help make the catch.” Whatever that means. The league office apparently doesn’t understand, either.
Commentary: As Steinfeld would say, "That's a shame." Lol. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than very good! Go Pack!
10/26/10
The oddsmakers do not like the Packers this weekend, versus the Jets.
The Jets are already a 5.5 to 6 point favorite for Sunday's Noon game at the Meadowlands (on Fox). Check out the rest of the NFL spreads for Sunday - no other team is getting more points.
And look for the line to worse. The Packers do not match up well versus the Jets running offense. The Packers gave up 131 yards to Adrian Peterson. They could do that and more to the Jets combo of Ladianian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene. The Jets are 5th in the NFL for team rushing and ESPN ranks the Jets 2nd in the latest power rankings.
On the brightside for Rodgers, the Jets are 15th in team defense versus the pass.
10/26/10
Favre: "To me, I think for people who know me, people who’ve played with me, against me, I know for the guys in that room who have had a chance to play with me for a year and a half now, I have numerous guys who we’ve walked off the field, sidelines, say you know, we were always a part of watching you do that on the other side. We just needed to do it again”.
10/26/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi grades Packers win over Vikings.
SUMMARY: The Packers turned two Favre’s third-quarter interceptions into touchdowns erasing a Vikings’ halftime lead and including a 32-yard return by linebacker Bishop. QB Rodgers was 21 of 34 for 295 yards and two touchdowns. .
GAME BALLS: LB Bishop; S Collins; RB Jackson; WR Jones.
INJURY REPORT: DE Jenkins (calf strain). DE Pickett (reinjured ankle). LB Poppinga and DE Neal headed to I.R.
Report Card Grades--Good, Bad, & Ugly (LA vs. SE):
PASSING OFFENSE: C+ vs B-. With solid protection in spread formation offense, QB shaky Rodgers completed 21 of 34 for 295 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Rodgers had three tipped passes by linemen including one for an interception. On at least seven passes, miscommunications led to Rodgers being out-of-sync with his receivers dealing with Vikings coverage schemes. On two passes, he committed two Favre-ish interceptions. WR Jones caught 4 big passes for 107 yards and WR Jennings caught 6 balls for 74 yards and one touchdown exploiting a weak Vikings secondary. Rookie TE Quarless had 2 catches for 16 yards and one touchdown.
RUSHING OFFENSE: C vs C. The Packers had 23 rushes for 84 yards averaging 3.7 yards per carry. RB Jackson had his best game of the year. He rushed for 58 yards averaging 4.5 yards and 4 catches for 46 yards for a combined 104 total yards and one touchdown. After FB Kuhn converted a 4 and 1 down with a two yard run on an earlier play in the fourth quarter, the decision to execute the same exact play in a similar scenario had many scratching their heads. The predictable play led to FB Kuhn being stuffed with no gain by the Vikings defense stopping the Packers drive. Further, he should have kicked the field goal.
PASSING DEFENSE: B vs A-. QB Favre completed 16 of 29 for 212 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions, and 50.4 passer rating. Explosive WR Harvin had 5 catches for 65 yards and one touchdown abusing CB Woodson. CB Williams limited WR Moss to three catches for 30 yards and one touchdown. The Packers pressured Favre throughout the game getting one sack and many quarterback hits. Without reinjured DE Jenkins and DE Pickett, the Packers were down to three defensive linemen who made the necessary big plays. DE Wynn had the big coverage sack. Rookie DE Wilson’s pressure on Favre led to LB Bishop’s interception and score. LB Hawk had 6 tackles and 5 assists. LB Bishop had 5 tackles and 3 assists. LBs Hawk and Bishop each had big interceptions. In the play-of-the-game, LB Bishop returned an interception for a 32 yards touchdown. Also, when the Vikings were driving deep into Packers territory, S Collins made a big interception.
RUSHING DEFENSE: D- vs D. The run defense was absolutely awful giving up 196 total yards. The depleted front seven simply failed to contain all-pro Peterson. Peterson rushed for 131 yards averaging 4.7 yards per carry. The linebackers overpursued on the edges giving inside openings for too many runs.
SPECIAL TEAMS: C vs C-. With the exception of one 48 yard return, the kickoff coverage limited WR/KR Harvin. KR Lee had 5 kickoffs averaging 20 yards including one for 30 yards. The fake field goal was a great play, but the execution failed as backup QB Flynn overthrew the pass to a stumbling TE Quarless. Punter Masthay punted a better game.
COACHING: B vs B. Coach McCarthy and his staff get credit for inspiring the team to beat the Vikings. The games plans were solid enough. The units got the big plays and turnovers to win the game. Yet, in the first half, the Packers had 268 yards and only 14 points to show for it. Also, in the second half, especially the fourth quarter, the offense struggled with two awful executed plays in two offensive series. First, FB Kuhn got stuffed on a déjà vu fourth and 1 from the Vikings’ 34 to halt one drive. Second, QB Rodgers did not come close to completing a pass on third and 3 to keep the final series alive and run out the clock. Instead, the Packers were forced to punt giving a final shot to the Vikings. Again, the offense stood still playing too conservative football and allowing the Vikings to almost catch up. Coach McCarthy finally won two good challenges, although he should have also challenged the 3rd down spot of the ball putting the Packers short of a first down in the 4th quarter.
OVERALL: B vs A+ CBS Sportsline. Ravaged by injuries, especially along the defensive line, the Packers get a win they absolutely needed to have, and pull into a first-place tie with the Chicago Bears in the NFC North.
10/25/10
As compelling as the game was, it was also sloppy, as both Rodgers and Favre – each of whom threw only seven interceptions all of last season and have both surpassed those totals already – made crucial mistakes.
10/25/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers win over Vikings.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers 28 Vikings 24 "It's a Big Win For Us": After the final gun, Rodgers and Favre met at midfield and embraced, with Rodgers saying something into the ear hole of Favre’s helmet that he wouldn’t divulge afterward. “I’ll just keep that between Brett and I,” Rodgers said. “But I have a lot of respect for the way he plays. (It was) a tough game tonight for both sides. I think the fans and TV audience got a great show with two teams that really needed a win.” And the Packers (4-3) got it, putting them in a tie for first place in the NFC North with the Chicago Bears (4-3) and giving them a 1 ½ game lead on the Vikings. Rodgers: “You’ve got to give our defense a lot of credit. When they needed a stop, they were able to get a stop. It’s an important win for us. We’ve still got nine games left. We’re tied for the division lead, and that’s all you can ask for at this point in the season – controlling your own destiny."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Holding the Line: “Another day at the office,” the Green Bay Packers 11-year veteran left tackle Clifton said. Clifton and his linemates pitched a shutout in Sunday night’s 28-24 victory over the Vikings at Lambeau Field. “The fact that Aaron wasn’t sacked today, that’s priority number one for an offensive lineman. So, we’re definitely proud of that,” said Clifton, who single-blocked defensive end Jared Allen. “It was a huge game, a game we needed to win after all of the tough losses we've had. Just to get our confidence back, it was huge.” But it was particularly huge for the line. On the other side, rookie first-round pick Bryan Bulaga shut down Ray Edwards. Said coach McCarthy: “Zero sacks says it all. And they definitely stepped up.” Rodgers finished the night having completed 21 of 34 passes for 295 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions (84.8 rating). The line also opened up enough running room against the Vikings’ stout rushing defense to get Brandon Jackson 58 yards and a touchdown on only 13 carries (4.5-yard average). “We knew it was going to be a grinder, character, gut-it-out type of performance,” said Packers coach McCarthy. “And our guys stepped up big. “I was very, very proud of those guys today.” Bishop delivers: LB Bishop certainly has taken the starting job and run with it. With Favre looking for Randy Moss but absorbing a hard hit from rookie defensive end C.J. Wilson, Bishop was in the right place at the right time and caught Favre’s pass right between the 5s on his jersey, returning the interception 32 yards for a pick-six that gave the Packers a 28-17 lead with 7:45 left in the third quarter. Bishop also was credited with eight tackles. Jackson delivers: Jackson put together a solid game, adding three catches for 46 yards to his 58 rushing yards on 13 carries to finish the night with 104 total yards from scrimmage.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
WR Jones big day: Before Sunday, Packers receiver James Jones had 15 catches for 177 yards. By halftime against the Vikings, he had three grabs for 90 yards and was a major contributor. It was his best game, by far. He caught a big 17-yard pass on third down in the third quarter to finish with four receptions for 107 yards. It was a big game for Jones, who has had too many drops in recent games. "James made a couple of real nice plays," said Rodgers. "I think it was big for his confidence. He was obviously disappointed the last couple of weeks and perhaps with a lack of reps at times."
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers finally beat Favre: The Packers stood strong in front of a national TV audience. They turned back Favre’s fourth-quarter rally and give their own NFC North Division title hopes a boost with a 28-24 win over their bitter rival in front of 71,107 spectators at boisterous Lambeau Field on Sunday night. “It was an excellent team win and an excellent character win,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “Something this team needed.” Though Favre at times was able to stand comfortably in the pocket, his 50.4 passer rating reflected the occasional effectiveness of the Packers’ rush. Even with a defensive line that lost Cullen Jenkins (calf strain) in warm-ups and Ryan Pickett (ankle) in the first quarter, the Packers got to Favre for one sack and several key pressures. The Packers also had the sweet taste of benefiting from the same kind of Favre errors that occasionally cost them during his 16 seasons as their quarterback. They got him three times including a game-turner when linebacker Bishop returned a desperate Favre throw as he was about to be sacked by Brad Jones. It turned into a 32-yard touchdown that put the Packers ahead 28-17 in the third quarter. Linebacker A.J. Hawk had another pick and safety Nick Collins made the third.
10/25/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi briefly highlights Packers win over Vikings.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers win thriller over Vikings: Favre threw three second-half interceptions to his former team and the Packers held on to beat the Vikings 28-24 on Sunday night. Favre appeared to deliver another signature comeback win with an apparent touchdown strike to Percy Harvin with 48 seconds left, but the play was ruled incomplete on a replay review. With one more chance on fourth-and-15 at the 20, Favre threw incomplete out of bounds. Green Bay (4-3) turned a pair of Favre's third-quarter interceptions into touchdowns that erased the Vikings' halftime lead, including a 32-yard return by linebacker Desmond Bishop. It was the ninth interception that was returned for a touchdown in the league on Sunday. QB Rodgers was 21 of 34 for 295 yards with two touchdowns and two big interceptions. "It's huge," Rodgers said. "It's a great night. The crowd was electric, we needed this win. It's a long season, but we had to have this one."
10/24/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines about Favreageddon III.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Vikings preview: When: 7:20 p.m. Sunday. Where: Lambeau Field. TV: NBC. Radio:AM-620. Line: Packers by 3. Weather: 59, showers. Series:Packers lead, 49-47-1. THINGS TO WATCH: On the Move--E Allen & DE Edwards vs OTs Clifton & Bulaga. Tough guy--Struggling Vikings offensive line. Kicking--Vikings have edge. Really? Main Attraction--Vikings all-pro RB Peterson.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Things to watch: Injury report: DE Mike Neal (shoulder) and LB Brady Poppinga (knee) are out. G/T Marshall Newhouse (back) is doubtful. LB Clay Matthews (hamstring), LB Brandon Chillar (shoulder), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle) and RT Mark Tauscher (shoulder) are questionable. LT Chad Clifton (knee), S Nick Collins (knee), WR Donald Driver (quadriceps), LB A.J. Hawk (groin), DE Cullen Jenkins (hand) and CB Charles Woodson (toe) are probable. Close, but...: Aaron Rodgers readily admits he doesn’t have an explanation for it, but he certainly recognizes how ugly the numbers are. Packers quarterback owns a hideous 1-11 record in the team’s 12 games decided by four points or fewer. When roughly a quarter of you 38 regular-season starts have been decided by that margin, and your team has won just once, you can’t avoid the truth. “We need to do a better job. There’s no doubt about it.” Gathering Moss: It’s the man Packers fans love to hate: Wide receiver Randy Moss, who essentially launched his career on a rainy Monday night in October 1998, when he caught five passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Favre’s Packers, is coming back to Lambeau Field for the first time since fake mooning the crowd after a touchdown catch in an NFC Wild Card playoff game following the 2004 season. No turnstile jumping: When someone asked Jared Allen last year which left tackles had given him the best mano-a-mano battles during his career, Allen’s answer was singular: "Me and [Chad] Clifton up in Green Bay,” Allen said, “have had some good battles." Migraine headaches: Having seen wide receiver/returner/running back/jack-of-all-trades Percy Harvin sidelined by migraine headaches more than a few times over the past two seasons, Childress decided he had the perfect name for the offensive plays he’s installed specifically for Harvin. Anytime you have a player who's that multi-dimensional, it poses problems, and you have to prepare for it," McCarthy said. “Percy definitely fits in that category. They're doing a good job with moving him around to create targeting issues with us defensively." Favre factor: When Brett Favre returns to Lambeau Field in a Minnesota Vikings uniform, it still qualifies as huge news. But unlike last year’s Favreageddon, the prodigal quarterback returns with a host of other issues in tow. It will be fascinating to see how he plays when it’s not just the boos that are there to distract him. Prediction: Favre’s second game at Lambeau Field as a visitor ends in a loss. Packers 31, Vikings 27.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Fans expected to tune in as Favre's world turns (amusing, albeit midwest twist, story by lovely Lori): They say it takes two years to get over a divorce. Tell that to Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre fans. It doesn't matter that it has been more than two seasons since Favre left Green Bay and headed to the New York Jets. It doesn't matter that it has been more than a year since Favre then took up a new residence across the border with the rival Minnesota Vikings. They're not over it. Coping, maybe. Exhausted, at times, over discussing the whole thing to death, for sure. But emotional and opinionated and more interested than ever. The anticipation for this Vikings at Packers game Sunday night has been building all season and went on full tilt last week. Conversations at the gym, lunch tables and grocery store aisles have turned away from election races and gorgeous fall weather and on to the game, the Packers and Favre. Green Bay's storied history has meant many great contests against Minnesota and Chicago. But this game has taken on even extra meaning for fans for two unique reasons. Favre has declared that this is definitely his final year in the NFL. That means this game at Lambeau will be, barring a terrific playoff matchup in January, the last chance for the Packers to beat Favre wearing royal purple and gold on Lambeau Field.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Does Rodgers have what it takes to lift Packers in big games? (amusing--from lovely Nickel): Aaron Rodgers has won a lot of games with Green Bay, but critics point to Rodgers and the Packers being 0-5 in overtime games and 1-11 in games that have been decided by four points or fewer. He's won respect for his arm, his discipline and his demeanor. The next challenge awaits: Sunday night at Lambeau Field against the Minnesota Vikings and their legendary field leader, Brett Favre. This particular test comes at a tough time. Rodgers is playing with fewer weapons because of injuries to key players, is throwing more interceptions than he'd like, is just two weeks removed from a concussion and is leading a Packers team that has dropped three of its last four games. But that's what leadership is about, he said - lifting the people around you. Can he win the big one? Others have doubts. Rodgers and the Packers are 0-5 in overtime games and 1-11 in games that have been decided by four points or fewer. And 13 of the last 15 games between Minnesota and Green Bay have been decided by seven points or fewer. Rodgers accepted his share of responsibility last week. Doubts that Rodgers can lead Green Bay in crunch time are not evident among his teammates. "I don't think you can put it all - any of it - on his shoulders," said receiver Greg Jennings. "We win as a team, we lose as a team. One individual can't win or lose a game." Said receiver Donald Driver: "You can't put that all on him. He has 10 other guys around him that have to play at a high level, as well. He's a leader, but it's not just him. That's on all of us." Rodgers knows there is only one way to answer the questions, find the way to lead his team to victory in big, close games. It is the very way he's gotten the last word on critics before. He's always been driven to prove wrong the many people who have doubted him.
Commentary: Lonely lovely Lori raised a good point; as coach McCarthy said, it has become a situation and an issue. The answer involves the intangible things in football and life. Discipline, leadership, visioner, and gamer are important intangible qualities in a leader, whether in the sports, business, or political arenas. For many organizations, they talk a good game about these priceless intangible skills in organizations, but they only pay lip service thinking hard skills are enough. As an example, employees are promoted because they had most experiences, but they lack the soft skills that organizations claim to be looking for these days. How do you spell short and not over the top? Why bother considering the culture? Meanwhile, the results will speak for themselves in a coming brutal part of the schedule. Meanwhile, we doubt anything will change in the long term. For the Packers organization and their wonderful fans, this season will come down to whether or not to blame injuries for its shortcomings and fleeting run toward the playoffs. We shall see.
10/23/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Packers must pressure QB Favre: Packers did not sack Brett Favre in two losses to the Minnesota Vikings last year. But members of this year's defense think they have enough manpower to pressure the former Packers quarterback Sunday night. And the Packers just might have NFL sacks leader Clay Matthews (hamstring) back for the game after missing last week's loss to Miami. "Barring any setback, I think he'll be ready to go," coach Mike McCarthy said Friday. Green Bay's defense, which in recent weeks has been depleted by injuries to several key players, also might have cornerback Al Harris and safety Atari Bigby available. Both former starters returned to practice Wednesday after missing the first six weeks of the season. DE Pickett and LB Chillar are both expect to play Sunday.
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this clip)
Keys to beating Vikings: Offense--If the Packers can protect Rodgers, they feel good about the matchups on the perimeter. Antoine Winfield remains an elite player but fellow starter Cedric Griffin is out with a torn ACL. That means rookie second-round pick Chris Cook, who has played in just one game because of injuries to both knees, will get the start. Second-year player Asher Allen is the third corner and will be forced onto the field a lot by coach Mike McCarthy’s play-calling. Defense--The challenge with facing the Vikings is their offensive versatility. Adrian Peterson is, at worst, the second-best running back in football. So, the defense has to be preoccupied with keeping Peterson in check. Still, it all starts with Peterson: Stop the run, force Brett Favre to pass and empty the defensive playbook on third-and-long. Favre wasn’t sacked in last year’s games, when he threw seven touchdown passes with no interceptions. He’s been sacked 16 times in five games this season and the Packers – with NFL sacks leader Clay Matthews probably back in the lineup -- rank second in the NFL with 21 sacks. Special teams--The Packers’ special teams have been abysmal after a strong start. Aside from a No. 13 ranking on punt returns, the Packers rank 24th in kickoff returns, 18th in kickoff coverage and 30th in net punting. Meanwhile, the Vikings feature the explosive Harvin on kickoff returns. “We did a better job of kicking him into the corner the first time around,” Slocum said. “Second time, we gave him a couple vertical seams and he took advantage of that. Fortunately, we had very fast safeties that tackled him. We need to keep him in the cage of the coverage.”
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this clip)
Behind Enemy Lines--Packers Report Huber vs Viking Update Yotter: Yotter---Beyond recent injuries, what are the Packers’ excuses for not producing in the passing game like they were last year? Huber--It's not a Packers season without chaos on the offensive line. RT Tauscher injured a shoulder a couple weeks ago and Bulaga got thrown in at right tackle. Bulaga did well against Washington but was miserable against the Dolphins. Losing RB Grant didn't help. The Packers have barely run the ball since. Losing TE Finley for the season with a knee injury was a horrible blow. Rodgers just hasn't gotten into a groove with his receivers. Yotter--Is that Aaron Rodgers being slightly off or just a bad stretch for the receivers? Huber--It always fascinates me how teams do business. No Sidney Rice? Go get Randy Moss. No Ryan Grant for the Packers? Sign some guy off the Falcons' practice squad. What else is amazing is the Packers' misfiring passing game. No doubt Rodgers hasn't been sharp but he's not getting a lot of help whether it's from the receivers or the front office. The whole offense is on his shoulders. Rodgers at this stage is the better player but he doesn't have the supporting cast. Huber--How do you see the game playing out? Yotter--One of those games where momentum plays an even bigger role than normal. If the Vikings can keep it close in the first half, I think that plays into their game. They have the more balanced offense of the two teams and are better coming out of the halftime locker room than they have to open games. Also, they have the better special teams, which could make a difference in the battle for field position. It will be on Favre to diagnose the blitzes and make the correct reads quickly. If he does that, the Vikings win. If the Packers get in his head early, the Packers hold the advantage. Huber--Special teams to me is the X-factor. The Packers are horrendous. They can't punt in the clutch, Mason Crosby hasn't proven he can kick in the clutch and the battle of returners is a landslide in the favor of the Vikings. I just can't pick the Packers to win a big game until they actually win a big game.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Return of veteran CB Al Harris: Entitled “It Will Come,” the inspirational message was given to him by then-Packers cornerbacks coach Lionel Washington. The words ring true today as he’s on the cusp of completing his comeback to the NFL, 11 months after a horrific knee injury. Harris on Friday completed his first week of practice since the injury and could be activated off the physically unable to perform list for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. The message, which Washington found on a website called The Daily Motivator and remains inside the door of Harris’ locker, begins: Work patiently toward the goal you’ve set, and it will come. The setbacks are no reason to quit but are confirmation of the necessity to push forward.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Switch in positions for Woodson not likely this year: If Charles Woodson follows the career path of Rod Woodson and eventually does move to safety, it won't be happening before next season. Despite a return to health by fellow cornerback Al Harris, the Green Bay Packers have no immediate plans to move Woodson from left cornerback. The penalty-ridden Woodson is off to the slowest start of his last four seasons in Green Bay. Opposing quarterbacks have attacked. At midweek, an executive in personnel for an NFC team who has viewed every Green Bay game said it was clear to him that Woodson has slipped. "He can't cover anymore," the personnel man said. "He could have been called for 10 more penalties. He's a guesser with great anticipation and instincts. That's why he's been so productive." Tramon Williams has been the team's No. 1 cornerback this season. Whitt acknowledged that Woodson "is not playing to his standards, and to the standards we've set for him." But the third-year assistant coach insisted it wasn't true that Woodson no longer can cover. "He is covering no different than he covered last year," Whitt said. "On my grade, he's given up less plays this year than last year. The biggest difference has been he doesn't have the interceptions that he had last year. He hasn't made the splash plays, and that's what people see."
10/22/10
Atari Bigby doesn’t plan on changing his style of play in the wake of the NFL’s renewed enforcement of dangerous helmet-to-helmet hits and the league’s threat to suspend players without pay even on their first offenses.
10/22/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers want better line of attack: If the Packers are going to have any success against the Vikings on Sunday at Lambeau Field, they're going to have to avoid so many donuts. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers' 3-4 scheme is structured so that the first job of the defensive line is to stop the run, and if they don't get a lot of sacks, it's not the end of the world. But if they don't get pressure, the chances of linebacker Clay Matthews ending plays with a sack go way down. "I think the first thing playing the Vikings, you have to stop Adrian Peterson," Pickett said of the Vikings' star running back. "We know it's definitely the reason we didn't win," Pickett said of failing to pressure Favre. "You have to hit Brett. Look at all the teams that have had success against the Vikings; it all comes down to the same thing. "They all got pressure on him. We realize we have to make it uncomfortable for him."
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers pleased with rookie OT Bulaga's play: In the two games Tauscher has missed, there have been good times and some not-so-good ones for Bulaga, the rookie first-round draft choice. “He’s playing hard,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. “He’s doing a lot of good things. He’s playing physical. Fundamentally, not surprisingly at this stage — Week 6 for a 21-year-old kid — fundamentally there are some things to work on. His punch, etc. He’s got good feet, good balance. “He’s going to get better.”
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Christl column: Don't dump too much on Favre without knowing history of Lambeau, Lombardi: There’s nothing wrong with fans voicing their displeasure or treating Favre as a public enemy for signing with the Minnesota Vikings. And there’s nothing unusual about pundits writing or babbling about subjects on which they have little or no historical perspective. But in truth, the messy divorce between Favre and the Packers is just history recycling itself. And unless human behavior has changed as the result of web rants, around-the-clock sports talk and instant communication, all will be forgiven and forgotten in due time. Want evidence of that? It can be seen in those two imposing statues that greet visitors to the Lambeau Field Atrium. If you’re going to talk about bitter breakups or someone putting the screws to the Packers organization, the conversation probably should start with Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Packers: Officials flags have CB Woodson seeing red: Whitt was particularly frustrated after the Packers' 23-20 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. Whitt felt wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who finished with 10 receptions for 127 yards, was allowed to manhandle Green Bay defensive backs at times. Woodson was called for two penalties while defending Marshall. "It's a slanted field, but we're not going to talk about penalties," said Whitt, who then proceeded to talk about penalties. "We know how they're going to allow (wide receivers) to play. It's not even, but we've got to play with what is happening." Woodson has been visibly frustrated on the field during the past two games. After being flagged three times during an overtime loss at Washington in Week 5 and twice against the Dolphins, Woodson has nine penalties for 76 yards on the season. They could be an indication that physical defensive backs such as Woodson are being watched more closely than ever by officials. Whitt would be fine with that if he wasn't seeing opposing wide receivers being allowed to push off on defensive backs without being penalized.
10/21/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights the legendary QB Favre watch.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Favre remains the man of the moment: If that guy in the Dos Equis ads is the most interesting man in the world, then Brett Favre surely is the most interesting man in the NFL. Whether you love him, hate him or, like many Green Bay Packers fans, are experiencing both emotions simultaneously, you can't take your eyes off him. And thanks to ESPN's obsession with the 41-year-old quarterback, you never have to. Packers' fans are used to it, of course, because their eyes were riveted to Favre for 16 seasons. But after losing a power struggle with management and leaving Green Bay in 2008, Favre somehow managed to raise his already off-the-charts profile. It began when his annual will-he-or-won't-he retirement debate went national, continued with his Fountain of Youth season for the Minnesota Vikings in 2009 and blew up this fall with his diminished performance and the sexting scandal that has made him the subject of an NFL investigation. Favre clearly is damaging his legacy with what's happening on and off the field this year, but it doesn't seem to matter. He remains the NFL's top draw.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Not friends, not enemies: For a time, it was the worst kept secret in town. During their three seasons together with the Green Bay Packers, Brett Favre did little to mentor Aaron Rodgers, and while the two forged a solid working relationship, neither quarterback considered the other a good friend. If it wasn’t before, that was obvious on Wednesday, more than two years since the Packers and Favre’s acrimonious August 2008 split and Rodgers ascension to the starting job. Asked during a conference call with Twin Cities reporters if he has a relationship with Favre since Favre was traded to the New York Jets, Rodgers said no. “I just saw him on the field after we played him last year,” Rodgers replied. Later, Rodgers was asked if he’d like to reconnect with Favre. His answer – or non-answer – was telling. “I enjoyed the three years that we spent together,” Rodgers said. “Now he’s out there and I’m out here.” Packers coach Mike McCarthy was asked about his relationship with Favre – and vice versa – and it was evident that the 2008 split left neither man interested in staying connected with the other, either. “I haven’t spoken to Brett in quite some time, but I had a very positive relationship in our time here,” McCarthy said. “I have a lot of respect for what he’s done and what he’s doing. I wish him the best."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Deanna Favre relying on faith: With her husband, ex-Green Bay Packers and current Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, under investigation by NFL security for allegedly sending suggestive messages and lewd photos to a woman who worked for the New York Jets, Deanna Favre appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Thursday to promote a book she co-authored called "The Cure for the Chronic Life," which is about getting past hard times and patterns of unhealthy behavior. To start the interview, Roberts, a GMA co-host, fellow Mississippi native and friend of the Favres, brought up the allegations that Brett Favre sent inappropriate pictures to former Jets employee Jennifer Sterger – allegations that he has yet to publicly deny. After saying that Deanna Favre had agreed to address the “current allegations” against her husband, Roberts asked, “Deanna, what can you share with us this morning about that?” Deanna Favre replied, “I can tell you that obviously I’m a woman of faith, and faith has gotten me through many difficult struggles, it will get me through this one.”
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this clip)
Favre one of many subplots: Last year, Brett Favre’s return to Green Bay was the story line for the Minnesota Vikings’ annual trek east to face the Green Bay Packers.This year, Favre’s return is just a juicy subplot in one of the NFL’s most bitter and competitive rivalries. For Favre, there’s the controversy involving alleged lewd text messages to former employees with the New York Jets. There’s a surgically repaired ankle and, now, an elbow that have needed injections. There’s also subpar play from the 41-year-old Favre, who has six touchdowns against seven interceptions after a scintillating 2009 campaign of 33 touchdowns against seven interceptions. The usually verbose Favre had no interest in detailing Tuesday’s conversation with the league involving the so-called sexting scandal. Nor did he have any interest in saying if he was “embarrassed” that the allegations have scarred a reputation that had been marred only by his annual play-or-not-to-play charade. “Again, that’s a league issue,” Favre told reporters in Green Bay during a conference call on Wednesday. “As I’ve said, my focus is on the next opponent. Obviously, that’s Green Bay. As I said the other night, I’m reluctant to say that I’m excited about coming back. I know how it feels to play there. It’s a huge challenge. We need a victory. This is a race to the finish. We need it.” That “need for victory” is the big story line this week. The Packers and Vikings, two of the best teams in the league last year and among the top contenders in the NFC entering this season, are off to disappointing starts. With the Packers at 3-3 and the Vikings at 2-3 and both trailing the Bears (4-2) in the NFC North, what’s at stake is obvious.
10/21/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Pressure to pressure Favre: When Brett Favre returns to Lambeau Field in the white and purple of the Minnesota Vikings for the second consecutive season, it's hard not to make the matchup about the melodrama. But come Sunday night, the most important matchup will be between the man with the headset and call sheet in the Packers coaches booth and the 41-year-old gunslinger. There's really no way around it: Favre has the number of Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers. Big time. Favre is a perfect 8-0 when facing a team or defense directed by Capers. It's going to matter more whether Capers' unit has improved over last season. In the two games against the Packers, Favre was 41 of 59 (69.5%) for 515 yards and seven touchdowns (135.9 rating).
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Harris and Bigby practice with Packers: Packers cornerback Al Harris structured his workouts the six weeks he was on the physically unable to perform list with just one thing in mind. Being ready to play against the Minnesota Vikings on Oct.?24. On Wednesday, Harris was back on the practice field performing as though he would be in the starting lineup Sunday. The truth is he's not going to be a starter. If coach McCarthy and DC Capers like what they see from him in practice, he could be part of the nickel package. His timing couldn't be better as Capers sets out to put a net around Favre's targets in a crucial NFC North Division game. Harris was one of three players to begin practicing after spending six weeks on the PUP list. The others were safety Atari Bigby and rookie running back James Starks. Bigby has a chance to be active Sunday but did far less than Harris in practice and might need a little more time.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Capers reevaluates how to cover Vikings QB Favre: Last year, Capers went coverage-oriented instead of blitz heavy in both games of the Vikings’ crucial season sweep. He did it in part to defend halfback Adrian Peterson, in part because of injuries at safety, and in part because of concern that Favre was too likely to gash blitzes for backbreaking plays. In the two games combined, Minnesota put up 68 points and Favre was the difference with seven touchdown passes, no interceptions and a passer rating of 135.9 points. That on the surface should incline Capers toward using more pressure this time. “I don’t know what Dom has in mind, I have no idea,” defensive end Ryan Pickett said. “But I’m sure it will be something different than what we did.” On the other hand, Minnesota hasn’t been the same offensive power this season as last, and its offensive line has had serious issues protecting Favre.
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this clip)
Rodgers--"I've got to play better": Rodgers isn’t playing very well these days. Just ask him. “We haven’t done a good enough job getting seven on the board in the red zone and done a poor job on third down. I’ve got to look at myself first,” Rodgers said. “I’ve got to play better. I’m not playing up to the standard I’ve set for myself. I’ve got to play better.” For Rodgers to play better against the Vikings Sunday night, he’ll need to spend more time standing up passing the football than cradling the ball against the Lambeau turf. Minnesota sacked Rodgers 14 times in the two Packer-Viking games last season. He’s been sacked 21 times in 2010. “That put us in a hole last year because we had to convert some third downs that were tough to convert,” he said. “So we need to find a way to block those guys and hopefully keep the sticks moving this week. You’ve got to be good on first and second down. You’ve got to put yourself in ‘third and manageable.’ I think we’ve had 16 third-and-11-plusses this season and those are tough to convert.” Rodgers knows getting to “third and manageable” won’t be easy against the Vikings defense.
10/21/10
“It was a response that obviously I was hoping not to have, but that’s the way it went. I’d like to think still deep down inside that people would think differently if it hadn’t been the heat of the moment. … I have no idea what to expect, I can’t worry about that, but it won’t change the way I feel about my career there and the organization in general.”
10/21/10
“I enjoyed the three years that we spent together,” Rodgers said. “Now he’s out there and I’m out here.”
10/21/10
Harris, who suffered a career-threatening knee injury last Nov. 22 and missed the remainder of the 2009 season, and Bigby, who underwent surgery on his ankle on Aug. 6, both took some snaps with the No. 1 defense in practice on Wednesday.
10/20/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Williams Elevates Game: After surprising everyone to make the team in 2007, Williams moved his way up on special teams and then as the dime and nickel corner. Last season, he filled in for Harris, who was lost for the season with a knee injury. With Harris out for the first six weeks of this season, as well, Williams has been Green Bay's best and most reliable cornerback - even if his exceptional play has been, once again, buried under the problems of another struggling 3-3 Packers team. With Harris returning this week to practice, Williams is focused on getting the Packers back to winning. "We've got so much other stuff going on around here," Williams said. "The only thing with Al is when he comes back, he's just going to make the team better."
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Rodgers must find ways to win games: Here we are six games into 2010, and Aaron Rodgers, who also is six games into his third season as the Packers’ starting quarterback, isn’t playing well. The Packers are 3-3, and his passer rating is 87.9 points, which ranks No. 13 in the NFL. Clearly, nobody’s kicking around the idea of benching Rodgers, but he’s been far from the potential MVP candidate who looked so dominant in the preseason. He’s directing an offense that bears most of the responsibility for the Packers’ three defeats. It hasn’t been anything like the machine that finished last season No. 3 in the NFL in points scored and No. 6 in yards. There’s also the issue of Rodgers’ poor record in games decided by four points or less. Three of those losses were this year, including in overtime to Washington and Miami, games in which the Packers had the ball with the chance to win in sudden death. So what’s going on with the player who went to his first Pro Bowl last year?
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Rookie OL Bryan Bulaga: There’s a lot of really good guys on this team. T.J. Lang has been great, Josh Sitton. ‘Cliff’ (Chad Clifton) and ‘Tausch’ (Mark Tauscher) have been great. Everyone, really. I don’t know how it was with A-Rod and Brett. I don’t know. But I heard it wasn’t great. It wasn’t great, and with Cliff, it’s nothing like that. He brings me in to help me out, rather than not telling me anything. And outside of meetings and the locker room, he’s a good guy. He takes care of me. If I have any questions, he helps me out. I try to instill confidence in me. When I make mistakes on the field, I’m willing to admit them, learn from them and move on. I’m not making excuses for myself. I never will. When you interview me, you’ll see I’m not that kind of guy. I don’t like to evaluate what I do, I leave that to the coaches. I just go about my business. I’m accountable, I work hard, and I hope people have confidence in me. Because if I’m in there, it’s because they think I can do the job and do it well. I was a communication major, so if football hadn’t worked out, I would’ve wanted to do something in media. And coaching, too, that would be another thing I would’ve liked to have done. Before games, I’m not uptight. I like to talk. I’m relaxed. But here, it’s a very relaxed atmosphere. Every guy has his own space, they can do what they want. When my career is over, I’d like people to say that Bryan Bulaga was a great player for this organization. He contributed a lot, he did a lot of great things for the organization and the community. That’s what I hope. I don’t like to put long-term predictions out there. I take it one year at a time. I don’t like to look too far ahead.
Wednesday injury report:
- All three players from the PUP list were at practice.
- CB Al Harris appears to be the most ready to play. He was in on snaps almost immediately.
- S Atari Bigby seemed to be in more of a reserved role, not quite going full speed. He might not be activated for this game, but he was in the mix and it could happen.
- RB James Starks looked like a guy just acquired by the Packers. He was going through very basic drills with RB coach Edgar Bennett.
- LB Brandon Chillar (shoulder) appeared to go full and will be ready to play barring any setbacks.
- RT Mark Tauscher (shoulder) returned to practice but was very limited.
- LB Clay Matthews (hamstring), S NIck Collins (knee), LT Chad Clifton (knees), CB Charles Woodson (toe), DE Mike Neal (shoulder), LB A.J. Hawk (groin) was in jogthroughs only.
- WR Donald Driver (thigh) and DE Ryan Pickett (ankle) watched practice.
10/19/10
ith a chance at revenge against his old team last season, Favre took full advantage. In Minnesota’s two wins against Green Bay, Favre threw seven touchdowns, no interceptions and had a passer rating of 135.9.
10/19/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
McCarthy says offense lacking in narrow losses: As he assessed Monday what has become a season on the brink, coach Mike McCarthy rejected the notion that the Packers' inability to win two straight overtime games this season as well as other tight affairs falls completely on the shoulders of his quarterback. "Our timing is not where it needs to be, and that is everything," McCarthy said a day after falling to 3-3 with a 23-20 loss to Miami in overtime. "I am talking about the protection, the footwork of the quarterback, the route running. When we do it, we make it look very easy, and when we don't, we have moments like we did yesterday." "It's hard to figure why it is the way it is," said wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson. "We're just not totally in sync here and it seems like we would be at this point. We're six games into the season and it seems like routes have to be a little sharper, timing is a little bit off, protection has to be a little bit better.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Reinforcements on the way: Help is on the way for the injury-riddled Green Bay Packers, at least on defense. Veteran cornerback Harris and safety Bigby, who have spent the season’s first six weeks on the physically unable to perform list, will begin practicing on Wednesday. It’s possible both players could be back in action for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. Rookie running back Starks (hamstring) also got the go-ahead Monday to begin practicing, but it’s unclear how much he can contribute to the team’s scuffling offense. With rookie safety Morgan Burnett having been lost for the year to an Oct. 3 knee injury, Bigby would be the logical choice to replace him in the starting lineup. Also, the Packers traded a conditional seventh-round draft pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars to bring back safety Smith, who could start against the Vikings if Bigby isn’t ready. Safeties coach Perry said Bigby probably won’t be able to play a full game right away. Given that the Packers play their nickel defense roughly 60 percent of the time, Harris could come back as the No. 3 cornerback, replacing undrafted rookie free agent Sam Shields in that role.
Clipped from: www.nfl.com (share this clip)
Injury report: NFL sacks leader Clay Matthews, who missed the Green Bay Packers' previous game because of a left hamstring injury, will return for this weekend's meeting with the Minnesota Vikings, a team source told NFL.com. The return of Matthews, who has 8.5 sacks in five games this season, is even more important. Also, Green Bay's decimated defense could have several more reinforcements for the Vikings game. The Packers re-acquired safety Anthony Smith in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday, and cornerback Al Harris (knee) and safety Atari Bigby (ankle) are eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list this week. Also, injured defensive linemen Ryan Pickett and Mike Neal should be returning this week too.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Harris, Bigby, and Starks set to return: In a season filled with injuries to key players on both sides of the ball, some reinforcements have arrived. The three players who have been on the physically unable to perform list since the start of training camp will begin practicing this week, and the coaches haven’t ruled out the possibility that safety Atari Bigby (ankle), cornerback Al Harris (knee) and running back James Starks (hamstring) could play Sunday against Minnesota, although Starks is probably the furthest away largely because the rookie hasn’t played any real football in nearly two years. Plus, newly acquired safety Anthony Smith, who on Sunday was traded by Jacksonville for a conditional seventh-round draft pick, arrived at Lambeau Field on Monday and will be available against the Vikings. He spent the day reacquainting himself with the team that cut him at the end of training camp last season. Smith has been out of the Packers’ system for more than a year, while Bigby and Harris have been out of football for so long that it’s unclear how quickly they can be assimilated into the plan. Both Bigby and Harris will begin practicing Wednesday. The Packers have three weeks to decide whether to activate the PUP players or put them on season-ending injured reserve.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Masthay on thin ice: So much for Mike McCarthy’s confidence that his Green Bay Packers would be vastly better at punter this season. The Packers coach publicly put punter Tim Masthay on notice Monday after what McCarthy felt was yet another inconsistent performance from the first-year punter. While Masthay’s job isn’t in danger in advance of Sunday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field, McCarthy made it clear that he’ll have to punt better or he’ll be out of a job. “The punting was not good yesterday. I think that’s obvious,” McCarthy said of Masthay, who averaged just 33.4 net yards and 38.0 gross yards on five punts, with a long of 42 yards and with two that landed inside the 20. “Tim has been inconsistent, and my mindset in preparation for Minnesota is to keep working with Tim and get him to be more consistent. Frankly, I thought he did a good job with his inside-the-20 punts going in, but the opportunity to change the field position did not happen, especially when we needed it there in overtime. So he needs to do a better job.”
10/19/10
Favre has been nursing his right throwing elbow through tendinitis and he's taken some big hits. His team is 2-3 in a year the Vikings pulled out all the stops to reach the Super Bowl after falling one game short last season.
And Tuesday, he was scheduled to meet behind closed doors with the NFL over allegations that he sent lewd photos and inviting text messages and voicemails to a female employee of the New York Jets.
And Tuesday, he was scheduled to meet behind closed doors with the NFL over allegations that he sent lewd photos and inviting text messages and voicemails to a female employee of the New York Jets.
10/19/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi reviews and grades Packers loss to Dolphins.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Summary: The Packers lost to the Dolphins 23-20 in overtime when Dolphins K Carpenter hit the game winning 44 yard field goal. The Dolphins won through special teams and beat a worn out injury plagued, patchwork defense. For the Packers, this was the second straight overtime loss losing to Washington in overtime last weekend too. The inability to protect the quarterback and the allowance of big plays by the special teams beat the Packers through field position. In overtime, after holding the Dolphins, the Packers had a special teams penalty setting them back deep in their territory. When the Packers failed to move the ball, a poor 37 yards punt gave good field position to the Dolphins. The exhausted defense faltered allowing the game winning field goal.
Game Balls: CB Williams. LB Bishop. WR Jennings. Lame Balls: Coach McCarthy. P Masthay. CB Woodson. FB Hall.
Injury report: TE Finley is officially on I.R. to make room for S Smith. Meanwhile, this week, CB Harris, SS Bigby, and RB Starks begin practicing after coming off the physically unable to perform list. LB Poppinga had arthroscopic surgery to repair damage to his left knee, probably out for three weeks to season-ending. WR Driver (quad strain) and LB Hawk (groin strain) will miss practice time this week preparing for the Vikings game.
Report Card Grades--Good, Bad, & Ugly (LA vs. SE):
Pass Offense—C- vs C. Under constant pressure, QB Rodgers had his shaky moments. He lacked confidence, failed to stay in the pocket, and failed to step forward to make good throws. He making bad decisions and throws against a cover 2 man underneath defensive scheme. He completed only 18 of 33 passes for 313 yards, 1 passing touchdown, 1 rush touchdown, and 1 interception. The Dolphins brought constant pressure getting 5 sacks. Dolphins OLB Wake had 3 sacks and six hits abusing inexperienced rookie RT Bulaga. Four of the five sacks were drive killers. With two drives into Dolphins territory, two sacks forced punts. The other two sacks came on third downs forcing punts including one in overtime. For almost three quarters, the Packers failed to score a touchdown. Then, QB Rodgers completed a late 4th quarter drive with a 1 yard touchdown run to force overtime. WR Jennings had 6 catches for 133 yards and 1 touchdown. WR Nelson caught 4 balls for 64 yards, but he had two key drops. In third down efficiency, the Packers were an awful 3 for 13. In the red zone efficiency, they were only 1 of 2. Now, Rodgers is 7-13 in games decided by seven points or less. Also, he is 1-11 in games decided by four points or less.
Rush Offense—D vs D. The ground game was very pedestrian getting 76 yards averaging 3.6 yards per carry. RB Jackson running for 53 yards. He never seemed to get going in the game. On the Packers scoring drive late in the 4th quarter, FB Kuhn was stopped twice at the one yard line. Then, the unpredictable quarterback sneak by attentive QB Rodgers finally got the score. In another bizarre call, the screen pass to FB Kuhn was absolutely awful. With the muscle on this Packers roster, they need to use power formations in big running downs.
Pass Defense—C- vs C-. Without pass rusher OLB Matthews, DE Pickett, and DE Neal, the Packers defense no longer looked stout and had no pass rush. They got exposed in the run and coverage. With maximum protection, the slow inaccurate QB Henne completed 23 of 39 passes for 231 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. No one could cover WR Marshall who had 10 catches for 127 yards. CB Williams did make a nice play on his interception. All-pro CB Woodson got constantly exposed along with two interference penalties.
Rush defense—D vs D. The Dolphins rushed 39 times for 150 yards running at the edge against the inexperienced rookie DE Wilson. Eventually, the patchwork Packers defense wore down in the late quarters and overtime. Running backs Brown and Williams combined for 137 yards averaging a solid 4.3 yards per carry. Also, the ILBs had a mixed game looking soft against the middle run game. LB Bishop has an okay game in the gaps and made a few big plays. Yet, he must improve to press the line of scrimmage. LB Hawk simply cannot get off blocks to make dominant plays to press the line of scrimmage. Yet, the inspired patchwork defense played a very competitive game considering its key injuries allowing the Dolphins got only 23 points against the patchwork Packers defense.
Special teams--D- vs D-. The Packers poor field position and key penalties cost game. K Crosby struggled with kickoffs getting only one touchback. KR Lee and KR Nelson combined for a meager 19.8 average on kickoffs. P Masthay punted five times averaging an awful 38 yards (gross) and 33.4 (net). On 24 punts, Masthay’s averages of 43.1 and 33.4 actually are worse than P Kapinos compiled (43.8, 34.1) last year in 66 punts. The bizarre penalty against an inexperienced LB Francois gave a first down to the Dolphins at the Packers 38. Then, the Dolphins marched for a touchdown to lead 20-13. In overtime, after holding the Dolphins, FB Hall’s illegal block on an overtime punt return put the Packers back to their 16. When the Packers failed to move the ball, a poor 37 yards punt gave good field position to the Dolphins. Then, the exhausted defense faltered allowing the Dolphins winning field goal. In one positive note, FB Johnson had a partially blocked punt for special teams.
Coaching--D vs D. The Packers lost a second straight overtime game. QB Rodgers is 0-5 as a starter in overtime. Head coach McCarthy is 1-6. The same old issues continued to plague to Packers including dropped passes, questionable play calls, failed conversion of big 3rd downs, and failed execution of fundamentals. McCarthy and his staff were outcoached, outmuscled, and outplayed against a predictable game plan. The Dolphins controlled the clock and ball possession grinding out the running game, getting more first downs (26 to 16), and having more time of possession advantage (37:56 to 28:03). Thus, the Dolphins dominated the game tempo exhausting a patchwork defense. Finally, the Packers cannot put games away, playing down to the level of the mediocre competition.
Overall Game—D. With a déjà vu atmosphere, in the 4th quarter and overtime, the special teams and sputtering offense units continued to be brutal costing games for the Packers.
Commentary--Improving the offense: If the Packers are to get their offensive back-on-track, they need to find ways to beat the effective Cover 2 man underneath scheme. They need to take more chances and creative play-calling. Further, the Packers could use power formations on big run third downs. Also, they could use four verticals scheme spreading the safeties out away for sidelines plays. Finally, they must neutralize the linebackers and get back to using effective slant formations too.
10/18/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
First Look at Vikings: The Packers (3-3) host the Vikings (2-3) on Sunday at Lambeau Field. The Vikings got right back into the NFC North race on Sunday by edging Dallas at the Metrodome. Oh, and there is that other story line involving a certain quarterback. There will be no lack of story lines with this game considering that it will feature Brett Favre's second return to Lambeau Field as a member of the Vikings.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Downright offensive: But if you’re searching for the biggest reason that the Packers are a disappointing .500 team, a middling 3-3 after their 23-20 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins at Lambeau Field Sunday, look no further than their offense, which came out of the preseason looking dominant but has been dysfunctional through six weeks of games that count. “A big part of being successful on offense is when you are in rhythm. I would not say we are in rhythm on offense right now,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said after watching his team lose in overtime by a field goal for the second consecutive week. “We had a number of favorable third downs, and we had opportunities. Our defense was on the field, I thought they were hanging in there, ‘bend do not break,’ keep them out of the end zone. And we had opportunities (as an offense) to get out in front of that game.” Instead, not only did the Packers lose, they continued their alarming trend of failing in close games. Since Rodgers took over as the team’s quarterback to start the 2008 season, the Packers have played 12 games that were decided by four points or fewer – and have won just one of them. They were 0-7 in such games in 2008, 0-1 in them last year and they’re 1-3 this year, with the lone close victory coming over Detroit (28-26 on Oct. 3).
Clipped from: www.foxsportswisconsin.com (share this clip)
Injury report: TE Finley is officially on I.R. to make room for S Smith. Meanwhile, this week, CB Harris, SS Bigby, and RB Starks begin practicing after coming off the physically unable to perform list. LB Poppinga had arthroscopic surgery to repair damage to his left knee, probably out for three weeks to season-ending. WR Driver (quad strain) and LB Hawk (groin strain) will miss practice time this week preparing for the Vikings game.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Controversial Call Falls in Gray Area: It was an aerial shot of the fateful play, a game-turning illegal formation penalty referee Ed Hochuli had called on his punt return unit, a penalty which played an undeniable role in the Packers’ 23-20 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins at Lambeau Field Sunday. And Slocum, the Packers special teams coordinator, pointed his index finger at linebacker Francois and simply shook his head. “I’ve got this picture which shows me (he’s) one and a half yards (off the line of scrimmage),” Slocum said. “He’s considerably away from the football, which is right there.” And in Francois’ case Sunday, he and the Packers believed he was more than a yard away, meaning the penalty should not have been called.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Rodgers Chips Teeth, Bites Tongue: QB Rodgers had plenty to say to Ed Hochuli. But the Packers quarterback went all Forrest Gump when asked about the conversation by reporters after Sunday’s 23-20 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins at Lambeau Field. The play in question, a bone-crunching and tooth-chipping hit by Miami defensive tackle Randy Starks on Rodgers’ 13-yard completion to Jordy Nelson with 7 minutes left in the third quarter, had not resulted in a flag. Rodgers started the week with his 38-game regular-season consecutive starts streak in jeopardy after being diagnosed with the first concussion of his football career, but after passing all the requisite tests during the week, Rodgers was cleared to play against the Dolphins and wound up completing 18 of 33 passes for 313 yards, including an 86-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings. But he also threw an interception – his seventh of the season, matching last year’s 16-game total after only six games – and was sacked five times, three of them by Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake, who dominated replacement right tackle Bryan Bulaga. He also directed an offense that converted just 3 of 13 third-down situations, an anemic number that was scarcely better than last week’s 2 for 13 effort. “I thought he was prepared. I thought he seemed normal out there. I thought he threw the ball well. I thought he managed the offense,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said of Rodgers’ performance. “But third-down production is a big part of how we have been successful in the past. We’ve been a good third-down team. We’re all part of that. We’re not doing a good enough job there.” “If I don’t know if our unit’s as sharp as we’re accustomed to seeing it or as we’d hoped it would be,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. “I don’t know that it’s a one-guy thing. I think overall offensively, we’re not as sharp or as productive as we’d like to be at this stage.”
10/18/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Help is on the way for Packers defense: The Packers get former starters in cornerback Al Harris (knee) and safety Atari Bigby (ankle) off the physically unable to perform list this week, but the Packers acquired some additional assistance. The Packers traded a seventh-round conditional pick in 2011 to the Jacksonville Jaguars for safety Anthony Smith.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
S Smith acquired, RB Barber next?: An NFL source said Sunday evening that the Packers had sent a conditional seventh-round pick to the Jaguars for Smith, whom the team released in favor of former third-round draft pick Aaron Rouse at the end of training camp in 2009. Now, it appears the Packers have brought Smith back because Bigby, who is on the physically unable to perform list but is eligible to begin practicing starting Monday, may not be ready for action just yet. Bigby had ankle surgery on Aug 6 but Smith’s acquisition hints that he might take longer than expected to return. Cornerback Harris and running back Starks are also eligible to be activated from the PUP. The Packers also need safety help after placing Martin (knee) on injured reserve last week. Meanwhile, with the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, the Packers still could acquire running back help if GM Thompson decided to make a move. An NFL source said the Packers have had talks with the Dallas Cowboys about “one of” their running backs. ESPN’s Mortensen reported Sunday morning that it’s Barber that the Packers and Cowboys have discussed.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Special teams--more problems as key penalty and poor punts derail effort: What kind of Sunday was it on special teams for the Green Bay Packers? Maddening, at least when it came to the illegal formation penalty against linebacker Rob Francois that cost the Packers dearly in a 23-20 overtime defeat at the hands of the Miami Dolphins at Lambeau Field. Disappointing, at least when it came to struggling punter Masthay. The penalty on Francois and Masthay's poorest punt came within a five-play stretch in the fourth quarter. Masthay punted five times, averaging 38 yards (gross) and 33.4 (net). Two of his punts were inside the 20. On 24 punts, Masthay's averages of 43.1 and 33.4 actually are worse than Jeremy Kapinos compiled last year (43.8, 34.1) last year in 66 punts. Masthay's inside-the-20 and touchback efficiency are no better than Kapinos' performance, either.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Another overtime heartbreaker: A few plays here and there can make an ordinary team a great one or vice-versa, as the Packers are painfully discovering during a season that began with high hopes but is on the verge of spiraling out of control. In a matter of 21 days, coach Mike McCarthy's team has gone from Super Bowl contender to mediocre because of its inability to win close games. The latest gut-wrenching setback came Sunday afternoon in front of 70,815 fans at Lambeau Field, where Dan Carpenter's 44-yard field goal in overtime lifted the Miami Dolphins to a 23-20 victory that leaves the Packers with a .500 record after what, at first glance, appeared to be a benign opening stretch of six games. It was the third three-point defeat in four games for the Packers (3-3), who lost in overtime for the second straight game. Even with the three losses by a combined nine points, the Packers are still very much alive in the mediocre NFC North. But with a season-defining stretch of the schedule staring it in the face--Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings visit Titletown next Sunday night--Green Bay somehow needs to figure out how to win close games. "We're a 3-3 football team for many different reasons," McCarthy said. "We've got three losses, they've all been tight games. They've all come down to a critical point in the football game. And we're not getting it done at that particular point." That's a familiar trend for the Packers under McCarthy, who fell to 1-5 in overtime games.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Packers grades: OFFENSE D--Going 3-for-13 on third-down conversions just doesn't cut it. Rookie Bryan Bulaga had a long day blocking premier pass-rusher Cameron Wake. Aaron Rodgers' surprise quarterback sneak to send it to overtime was brilliant. DEFENSE C--Miami had 26 first downs and 381 yards but was held to 23 points by an injury-ravaged defense that simply won't quit. Chad Henne isn't accurate when pressured, but the pass rush was non-existent without Clay Matthews. SPECIAL TEAMS D--Punter Tim Masthay hits more line drives than Ryan Braun. A bogus penalty on Robert Francois and a needless penalty on Korey Hall hurt Green Bay late in the game. Quinn Johnson's partial blocked punt was the only positive. OVERALL D--For the second straight week, Green Bay lost an overtime game it should have won. The defense deserved better, but the consistently dysfunctional special teams and the recently dysfunctional offense did the Packers in.
10/17/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines about loss to Dolphins.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Packers Fall to 3-3, Lose Again in Overtime: QB Rodgers drove the Packers to the tie but miscues put the Dolphins in position to earn the win. The Packers couldn't protect the quarterback and couldn't win the field position battle. Finally, unable to move the ball in overtime again, the defense buckled before the winning 44-yard field goal.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Band Aid Can't Stop Bleeding: The Packers couldn't consistently stop the run and offered no pass rush without OLB Clay Matthews. As a result, the Dolphins finished with 381 yards, an almost 10-minute edge in time of possession and made the key plays in overtime. Not only were the Dolphins able to keep the chains moving on the ground, quarterback Henne took advantage of the Packers’ feeble pass rush. With Matthews sidelined by a hamstring injury, Henne didn’t feel much pressure from a defense. Benefitting from a depleted defense and the offense's decision to use max protection on most plays, he took advantage bycompleting 23 of 39 passes for 231 yards.
.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Gameday--Dolphins 23 Packers 20 OT: The Dolphins (3-2) wear down a Packers defense that has been depleted by injuries. Kicker Dan Carpenter then delivered the knockout punch in overtime, hitting a 44-yard field goal for a 23-20 Dolphins victory. It was the second straight overtime loss for the reeling Packers (3-3), who came into this season with Super Bowl aspirations but have been hit hard by injuries. Now their sputtering offense and dinged-up defense face an emotional matchup with Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings at home next Sunday night. "We've got three losses, they've all been tight games," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "They've all come down to a critical point in the football game. We're not getting it done at that particular point."
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers Lost to Dolphins 23-20 in OT: Where is the offensive juggernaut of the 2010 Packers? Nowhere through the first six weeks of the season, at least not when it matters most, such as getting into the end zone when there’s a chance to open a decent lead or driving for the game-winning score in overtime. The Packers’ attrition-diminished defense held up well enough to win, but where the offense directed by coach Mike McCarthy failed to come through in a 23-20 loss to the gritty Miami Dolphins. “It’s hard to lose, period,” McCarthy said. “It’s hard to lose home games. To lose overtime games--particularly disappointed in the offense, in our production there with the (overtime) series.” Instead of building a nice cushion for the meat of their schedule, the Packers are sitting in the middle of the pack at 3-3, one game behind 4-2 Chicago in the NFC North Division with a critical game against rival Minnesota coming up this week. The Packers are hardly at the breaking point at this early stage. They have personnel relief on the way, assuming their best defensive player, outside linebacker Matthews, can return soon. Safety Bigby and cornerback Harris also are eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list this week and possibly will be ready to play in the next game or two. But the Packers also must be concerned that their offense hasn’t had much rhythm since losing halfback Grant, and that their playmaking has been reduced further without tight end Finley. Nowhere through the first six weeks of the season, at least not when it matters most, such as getting into the end zone when there’s a chance to open a decent lead or driving for the game-winning score in overtime.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers Offense Continues to Sputter: The offensive side of the ball could do enough to keep drives alive in Sunday’s 23-20 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins. Third down has been a huge problem. After converting just 2-of-13 third downs in last week’s 16-13 overtime loss at Washington,the Packers were barely better (3 for 13) against the Dolphins. “You’ve got to sustain drives,” Rodgers said. “You’ve got to get in the red zone, give yourself opportunities to score more points. It’s just about finding a rhythm for us. When you’re not converting those third downs, there’s no rhythm.” Two failed drives against the Dolphins sum up the Packers’ struggles. Leading 10-7 in the second quarter, the Packers drove to Miami’s 40-yard line. Rodgers threw a swing pass to running back Brandon Jackson, who picked up 8 yards on first down. But things went haywire on second-and-2 from Miami’s 32. Rodgers got sacked by linebacker Cameron Wake (three sacks) and lost 12 yards. Then, right guard Josh Sitton cost the Packers 5 yards because of a false start. On third-and-19, Rodgers scrambled for 6, and the Packers punted. Then, in the third quarter, the Packers had a third-and-3 play from the Dolphins’ 8. Rodgers rolled to his right and had Nelson open. But Rodgers threw the ball a tad too far and Nelson couldn’t make what would have been a moderately difficult diving catch. The Packers settled for a field goal that tied the game at 13-13. When asked whether his quarterback has been as sharp as he has been accustomed to, Philbin said: “I don’t know if our unit is as sharp as we’re accustomed to seeing or as we would have hoped they would be. I don’t know if it’s one guy. Overall offensively, we’re certainly not as sharp or as productive as we’d like to be at this stage.” The lack of a running game, 76 yards on 21 carries (a 3.6-yard average), and the loss of Finley surely are factors. Finley’s loss is especially noticeable on third down. Finley went down on the second play from scrimmage against the Redskins and in his absence, the Packers are 5-of-26 on third downs. That’s a conversion rate of 19.2 percent. In the first four games with Finley, they were 21-of-43 (48.8 percent) on third downs.
10/17/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi presents game day headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Dolphins preview--Things to Watch: JUST SAY NO: QB Henne "is a smart, steady player. He's not a guy that you fear. But if you give him time and let him get comfortable, he will move the chains." Henne has passer ratings of 86.2 this season and 77.6 for his career." CFL TO MIAMI: OLB Wake, the Dolphins' best pass rusher, after a 5½-sack season in '09, he became a starter this year. BLOCK THAT KICK: Fields has been the Dolphins' punter every game since he arrived. He entered 2010 with outstanding averages of 46.3 yards (gross) and 39.8 (net). However, he had two blocked during the exhibition season and then one against the Jets Sept. 26 and one against the Patriots. TOUGH MATCHUP: WR Marshall, who made the Pro Bowl the last two seasons playing for Denver, is the man to watch on the Miami offense. BUCKLE UP: The left side of the Miami offensive line, with T Long and G Incognito, is one of the more physical in the NFL. Long has become an elite left tackle and Incognito has never stopped going after people.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Preview: Keys to Game--Even with QB Aaron Rodgers (concussion), injuries are a major factor for the Packers on both sides of the ball. The Packers must get good efforts from WRs Jennings and Driver. The Dolphins have the pass rushers to crash the pocket. The Dolphins haven't scored a rushing touchdown since Week 1. That could well change with the Packers minus LB Barnett and OLB Matthews (hamstring). Game plan--The Green Bay offense won't be as diversified as in games past because of injury issues. That will allow the Dolphins to focus on bracketing wideouts Jennings and Driver. LB Dansby can't be allowed to wreak havoc as a blitzer and run stuffer if the Packers are going to rediscover continuity in moving the football. Green Bay could cut across the grain and try to establish the run against a defense that has been accommodating in allowing an average of 4.5 yards per carry. The Green Bay defense also will be down key personnel with outside linebacker Matthews (hamstring) and DE Pickett(ankle) on the mend from injuries. The Packers struggled to generate a pass rush after Matthews went out. Still, slow-moving quarterback Chad Henne should entice defensive coordinator Dom Capers to apply pressure and limit the throws made to the imposing WR Marshall and the diminutive WR Bess. The Packers are well-rehearsed in defending the Wildcat.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Preview: Stopping The Run May Stop The Dolphins--The Packers have to stop the run without defensive tackle Ryan Pickett. Last year, Pickett and B.J. Raji were the key stoppers in the Packers’ No. 1 ranking in run defense in the NFL. They’re facing a Miami team that will line up and run it. Dolphins coach Tony Sparano is a Bill Parcells disciple who wants to run the ball and play big-time defense. He has two talented halfbacks in Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. If the Dolphins can grind the ball and clock, they have a great chance of winning. Rodgers Needs To Be Sharp--With no TE Finley and minimal running game, quarterback Rodgers carries a bigger load than ever for the Packers’ fortunes. He’ll have to make plays without his best playmaker (Finley), and do it without turning the ball over much. The Packers need Rodgers sharper than he was at Washington and better than he’s been this year. Defense Has Big Shoes To Fill--The numbers from last week tell a scary story. It’s looking like Matthews won’t play Sunday. Brady Poppinga and Frank Zombo probably will take turns replacing him.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers LB Bishop eyes winning script: LB Bishop entered the most critical stretch of his career when linebacker Nick Barnett (wrist) was placed on injured reserve this week. Bishop hasn’t been able to crack the starting lineup for the previous three years, buried behind Barnett and A.J. Hawk. Bishop has earned the nickname “Mr. August” for his strong play in the preseason, but those efforts have never translated into regular-season success. But he’s never had this type of opportunity. Bishop started in the 16-13 overtime loss at Washington last week, stayed on the field for all three downs and posted a game-high 13 tackles. Bishop has an 11-week tryout to prove himself to the Packers. The word that coaches continue to throw around when it comes to Bishop is consistency. It’s obvious he can make plays. In search of the big play, he sometimes loses track of his assignment. That’s what Bishop must show, and last week was a strong start. “The main thing is stay humble,” inside linebackers coach Winston Moss said. “Every week, just try to get better and stay hungry. “Now you want to be consistent. Coaches look at that. What kind of guy can you be on an every-Sunday basis?” “I know it’s my opportunity now to play and kind of take over, so to speak,” Bishop said. “I have huge shoes to fill. But I’m embracing it. I’m ready for it.”
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Refusing to Give Up Ground: McCarthy insists Packers have not abandoned running the ball.
10/16/10
Legendary guest senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers vs Dolphins & headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Dolphins: Teams: Packers (3-2) vs. the Miami Dolphins (2-2). Time: Noon CT, Sunday. Place: Lambeau Field, Green Bay. Injury report: Packers--LB Chillar (shoulder) and TE Finley (knee) are out. LB Matthews (hamstring) and RT Tauscher (shoulder) are doubtful. DE Pickett (ankle) and DE Neal (shoulder) are questionable. LT Clifton (knee), S Collins (knee), WR Driver (quadriceps), DE Jenkins (hamstring/hand), FB Johnson (glute), TE Lee (chest), QB Rodgers (concussion), CB Shields (calf) and CB Woodson (toe) are probable. Things to watch: Health care crisis--The Packers’ injury problems have been most debilitating on defense where they’ll be without Burnett and Barnett, and may be without Matthews (8.5 sacks), DE Ryan Pickett, and rookie DE Mike Neal. It will be interesting to see how defensive coordinator Dom Capers calls the game to compensate for the thin group he has to work with. Offensive headaches--QB Rodgers is good to go. Now, he can focus on fixing the offense. The lack of productivity has vexed the coaching staff, with problems ranging from dropped passes (seven) to decreased yards after the catch by receivers to a spike in turnovers. Special education: The Dolphins might have produced the worst single-game special teams performance in NFL history the last time they played, a 41-14 Oct. 4 loss to New England. The Packers’ special teams units will have their own challenges, with so many core special teamers moving into positions on offense and defense because of injuries, forcing lesser players into more vital roles in the core units. Marshall plan: The Packers figure to match CB Woodson on WR Marshall, although Woodson hasn’t had the kind of brilliant season he put together a year ago. Entering Sunday’s game, he’s been assessed seven accepted penalties in five games. Prediction--The Dolphins come in with a better record away from home. They’re also coming off a bye and much healthier than the beat-up Packers. Sounds like a recipe for a Miami victory. Dolphins 24, Packers 20.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Williams near perfect play could net long term contract: Williams made his desire for a long-term deal known when he skipped the offseason program. He waited until the 11th hour to sign his one-year, $3.043 million restricted free agent tender, putting his signature on the paperwork just before the June 15 deadline when teams can reduce tenders for unsigned players. His play, however, speaks for itself, and it screams dollar signs. Through five games, the Packers’ starting right cornerback has played near perfect football.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notes: McCarthy says there's nothing wrong with how his players are trained. QB Rodgers looks ready for Sunday. Injuries mean shakeup on defense. Defensive shakeup--The Packers figure to be out with two key defensive starters, NFL sacks leader Matthews (hamstring) and defensive end Pickett. Matthews didn’t practice all week and almost certainly won’t play. LBs Zombo, Poppinga and Jones will rotate through the two outside linebacker positions. Pickett didn’t practice all week and the unit’s primary backup, second-round pick Neal, didn’t practice the last two days. The Packers put Barnett on season-ending injured reserve and re-signed defensive end Montgomery.
10/15/10
Legendary senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Rodgers ready to go: QB Rodgers did everything but officially proclaim himself ready to play in Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. Which, of course, meant the Green Bay Packers quarterback had passed another – albeit unofficial – post-concussion test: That he was smart enough not to conversationally paint himself into a corner by saying he will definitely make the 39th consecutive start of his career against the Dolphins.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
LB Barnett on I.R.: Nick Barnett's season is over. The middle linebacker for the Packers was placed on injured reserve Friday, general manager Ted Thompson announced in a statement. Barnett had surgery to repair a wrist injury. The Packers signed defensive end Michael Montgomery to take Barnett's place on the 53-man roster. The team is low on healthy defensive linemen with ends Ryan Pickett (ankle) and Mike Neal (shoulder) nursing injuries.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Injury Report: LB Matthews won’t play Sunday when the Packers play the Miami Dolphins at Lambeau Field. Assuming Matthews is out, LB Jones will start at right outside linebacker and that LBs Poppinga and Zombo will split time at left outside linebacker. Rookie DE Wilson would make his first start at left defensive end if DEs Pickett and Neal can’t play. Pickett (ankle) was walking OK at practice Friday but hasn’t done anything all week. Neal (shoulder) also is questionable but didn’t practice all week. LB Chillar (shoulder), was declared out. Cornerback Shields practiced all week but might not be the nickel back ahead of Pat Lee. Tackle Mark Tauscher (shoulder) will miss another start and be replaced by RT Bulaga. TE Lee took part in the full practice Friday and will play. QB Rodgers did everything in practice Friday and will start. Newly acquired defensive end Mike Montgomery said he was ready to play. Also listed on the injury report were tackle Chad Clifton, safety Nick Collins, defensive end Cullen Jenkins, fullback Quinn Johnson and cornerback Charles Woodson. All are fine.
10/15/10
Legendary guest senior Jclombardi discusses Packers vs Dolphins game.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Commentary: We previewed the Packers vs Dolphins game with the Dolphins Gab writer Brad Houghton. Based upon his edited questions, our answers discussed the West Coast offense, 3-4 defense, key injuries, and predictions for the game. We reproduce the edited content for Packers fans.
A Look At Packers–Packers Gab Writer Jclombardi
Miami faces off against the Green Bay Packers this week, who, like the Dolphins find themselves in a bit of a funk as of now after starting out the season on a hot streak. So to get a better grasp of how things in Green Bay work, we took to Packers Gab senior editor Jclombardi to ask questions about his team.
Brant Houghton: The Packers started hot, and then suddenly have fizzled the past two weeks. Can you tell us what has gone wrong with the Packers?
Jclombardi: Against an early soft schedule, the Packers are only 3-2. The two losses against the Bears and the Redskins are simply the failure to show poise and to get big plays in the clutch, especially in the fourth quarter of the games. Also, big turnovers and penalties in crucial offensive and defensive series created turning points favoring the opposition and to the losses. Finally, injuries took its toll in the Redskins game with the loss partly due to losing two big playmakers–offensive TE Finley and defensive OLB Matthews in the game.
BH: What are the Packers strengths and weaknesses?
JC: Looking at their strengths, the Packers still have a potent passing attack with very good receivers who can move the ball and score. The defense is strong enough to stand against the competition, even with the loss of LB Barnett. The weaknesses include the failure of the veteran offensive tackles to do their jobs leading to the team suffering problems in the running game and pass protection game. Also, with the loss of RB Grant, the running game has struggled although RB Jackson had a great running game against the Redskins. Special teams continue to be average with the Packers struggling to improve it.
BH: With Finley out and QB Rodgers and OLB Matthews’ statuses up-in-the-air, who do you expect to be your main playmakers this week?
JC: Finley is out for eight weeks, probably I.R. for the season. OLB Matthews may miss the Dolphins game. All signs indicate QB Rodgers will play in the game. First, fans can expect to see more of rookie RT Bulaga who is an improvement over injured RT Tauscher in the running game and pass protection to help the offensive line. If OLB Matthews cannot play, rookie OLB Zombo can adequately fill in for him. With this big talent front seven, the Packers can consistently pressure the opposing quarterback. Further, the West Coast Offense should regain its offensive power after several horrible games. With Finley out, the young and inexperienced duo of rookie Quarless and first-year Crabtree remain to adequately carry the load along with TE Lee. Also, McCarthy will scale back his use of two tight ends and lean far more heavily on his four-deep receiving corps.
BH: With RB Grant out for the year, is RB Jackson really a viable starting option for your team? Can your ground game control the pace of the game or is your offense more one-dimensional?
JC: In the Redskins games the Packers had a good rushing game. RB Jackson had an outstanding game getting 115 yards. Green Bay could cut across the grain and try to establish the run against a Dolphins defense allowing an average of 4.5 yards per carry in the last three games. The Packers must stick to the running game along with the spread passing game. However, their biggest problem to overcome is third-down and red zone conversions. Thus, the team can be two-dimensional. The Packers can only hope good backups in the Dolphins game solidify the offensive line and get the passing game back-on-track.
BH: QB Rodgers was sacked 50 times last year, but the line has looked as bad this year too?
JC: The offensive line’s problems are due to aging veteran tackles Clifton and Tauscher who failed to do their jobs causing problems including an inconsistent running game with its backups and awful pass protection in recent games. With rookie OT Bulaga to be a sound replacement for Tauscher, the line is going to be better in future games. If Clifton falters, OT Lang will replace him too.
BH: What’s your game and score prediction?
JC: The game should be close as the Packers look for their post-injuries offense identity. While the Packers struggled to generate a viable pass rush after Matthews went out in the second half of the overtime loss to the Redskins, they should pressure slow-moving QB Henne enough and limit the throws to his two man wide receivers. The West Coast offensive and its receivers should get back on track to generate enough points to win the game. Prediction: Packers 21, Dolphins 20.
BH: We would like to thank JC for participating in this conversation with us. Even though we have different views on the outcome of the game, it should be a good one nevertheless. Good stuff JC, we appreciate your insight, it’s shed a new light on the Packers. I for one did not know too much about them going into this weeks game.
10/14/10
The first quote is from Oct. 12, 2009 – that’s right, almost exactly a year ago – when Jennings was discussing his lack of productivity in the first four games of last season, when he had 11 receptions for 240 yards and a touchdown.
10/14/10
Eight players, including six starters, sat out Wednesday while four others took part in a limited portion of the workout, which was conducted without pads and featured abbreviated team drills.
10/14/10
You get frustrated in the game of football. Opportunities can be misconceived sometimes. Targets - they can be targets but they cannot really be targets. It's a game where, when you get an opportunity, you've got to make the best of it. We're going to make it happen."
10/14/10
Finley is expected to be out eight to 12 weeks, two sources said. It was originally thought he would be out three to six weeks and be back in plenty of time to help the Packers in their stretch run.
10/14/10
Legendary guest senior writer Jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Dynamic TE Finley could be put on IR: Finley, who will miss time because of injury for the third straight season, is expected to be out eight to 12 weeks. It was originally thought he would be out three to six weeks and be back in plenty of time to help the Packers in their stretch run. The Packers won't immediately decide whether to place Finley on injured reserve. Even without Lee, the Packers could stay the course at tight end with rookie Quarless and Crabtree. Quarless has gone from inactive the first two games and no catches in the first four, to four catches for 51 yards after Finley and Lee went out against the Redskins. Quarless had two catches for 30 yards on the final drive of regulation to give the Packers a chance to win. Long-term, however, the absence of Finley could allow Rodgers to get more in sync with his receivers. The Packers rank 12th in the NFL in total offense.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
What concussion?-- Rodgers looks for clearance: Q Rodgers didn’t take a single snap Wednesday, and yet, when the Green Bay Packers quarterback left the locker room after practice, he did so having given subtle indications that he play in Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins at Lambeau Field. Now, nothing he did was proof that he will pass all of his required post-concussion cognition tests, get the go-ahead from an independent neurologist and make his 39th Consecutive start (including playoffs). But when someone suggested to him that he didn’t seem like a guy coming off a concussion, Rodgers smirked. “What concussion?” he said as he walked out of the room.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Spotlight on WR Nelson: When the guys – James Jones, Greg Jennings, Brett Swain and their wives – came to the farm during the offseason, it opened their eyes a little bit. First off, they couldn’t believe anyone could live out there in the middle of nowhere. But I think they enjoyed it. At first, they couldn’t see how anyone could live out there, but then I showed them the land that I bought, and where I’m going to build, and they were like, “It would be nice to live out here in the middle of nowhere.” Town (Manhattan, Kan.) is 20 minutes away, so it’s dead quiet. It’s nice and peaceful. My wife Emily and I started dating at the end of our freshman year in high school, and I’m glad I had her before I got to this situation. I think a lot of guys are in tough situations when they come into this kind of money, this kind of fame. I don’t know how you can ever find anyone that you can trust. Obviously there’s people who’ve done it, but to me, it’d be hard to really know. Obviously you have to take your time to get to know them, but there’s people out there who think, “I’m going to marry this guy and get half his money in a couple years.” Emily’s not like that. At least, she better not be. If she is, she saw something a long time ago in me that I didn’t see.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers make due at practice: Eight players, including six starters, sat out Wednesday while four others took part in a limited portion of the workout, which was conducted without pads and featured abbreviated team drills. With 40% of his roster either absent or banged up, McCarthy got as much done as he possibly could. "It's just another challenge, but I'm very comfortable that we're giving our players the proper time and the looks and just being smart," he said. "I'm listening to the doctors and the strength coaches, talking to those guys way too much, but I think it is in the best interest of the team." Besides tight end Jermichael Finley (knee surgery) and quarterback Aaron Rodgers (concussion), those who missed practice included linebacker Clay Matthews (hamstring), end Ryan Pickett (ankle), tackle Mark Tauscher (shoulder) and tight end Donald Lee (shoulder). Linebacker Nick Barnett (wrist) had surgery in the morning that could sideline him for the rest of the season, and safety Derrick Martin (knee) was put on injured reserve. Barnett's status is dependent on whether the front office is willing to wait two months for him to recover, which seems unlikely. McCarthy said decisions on Finley and Barnett don't have to be made right away. About the only good news McCarthy got was that rookie nickel back Sam Shields was able to take part in the full practice after missing the last two games with a calf strain. It's unclear whether defensive coordinator Dom Capers will go back to Shields as his nickel or stick with Pat Lee, who played there last week.
Clipped from: packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com (share this clip)
Packers offense to see new direction with tight end Finley possibly out for season: McCarthy had built much of the Packers’ offense around Finley’s receiving talents lining him up at various spots and often deploying two tight ends to force defenses into potentially bad match ups. With Finley out, McCarthy probably will scale back his use of two tight ends and lean far more heavily on his four-deep receiving corps, as he did against Washington. By unofficial count, he went with two tight ends on only six of the Packers’ 65 offensive snaps after Finley left the game. “Everybody talks about how good our receiving corps is, now it’s time to show it,” Jones said. “When we had (Finley), that just put an extra guy out there. But when we went 13-3 (in 2007) we didn’t have a sweet tight end. I think we’re up for the challenge.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers' Jennings vents frustrations: Frustration finally set in for Green Bay Packers receiver Greg Jennings in Sunday's overtime loss to the Washington Redskins. Jennings apologized Wednesday for some sideline antics during the 16-13 loss. Jennings wouldn't reveal exactly what he did to feel the need to apologize. Still, Jennings isn't exactly thrilled with the state of the passing offense or his role in it, even though he ranks second on the team with 31 targeted passes. Jennings' 14 receptions tie him for 79th in the NFL. "Frustrated, that's probably an understatement, honestly," said Jennings. "You get frustrated in the game of football. Opportunities can be misconceived sometimes. Targets - they can be targets but they cannot really be targets. It's a game where, when you get an opportunity, you've got to make the best of it. We're going to make it happen." Jennings certainly has a right to be frustrated. He has just two receptions in each of the last three games.
10/12/10
"Anytime you deal with injuries, particularly this time of year, when you get up into the six- to eight-week mark, those are tough decisions to make,” McCarthy said.
10/07/10
Barnett was injured during Sunday's 28-26 victory over the Detroit Lions, and X-rays during the game were negative. But further tests showed damage that confirmed reports of Barnett likely requiring season-ending surgery.
10/04/10
ESPN suggests there's a small riff between Rodgers and McCarthy. Also, Rookie Safety Morgan Burnett is out with an ACL tear.
10/03/10
Chillar and Shields likely out.
10/03/10
Off to another winless start, the Lions face long odds as they try to end a 22-game road losing streak and a 19-game skid in Wisconsin on Sunday.
10/03/10
When: Noon Sunday. Where: Lambeau Field. TV: Fox
10/03/10
Here are PackersNews.com reporters' picks for Sunday's Packers-Lions game
10/03/10
The fact that Finley missed blocks on two running plays Monday night in Chicago doesn't mean he isn't a solid blocker, according to position coach Ben McAdoo. It just means he had two bad blocks.
10/03/10
Here's the thing about the classic, take-what-the-defense-gives-you, 10- to 12-play touchdown drive that so many people associate with offensive dominance. It's a lot harder to pull off than its shorter, deep-ball influenced relative.
10/03/10
Collins is one of the most level-headed and easygoing players on the Green Bay Packers. So whatever happened between him and a Chicago Bears fan on Monday night was obviously significant. Collins knows whatever was said or done to him, he should have turned the other cheek.
09/22/10
Matthews said being a walk-on still is a "driving force" for him. "I still feel I have something to prove each and every play," he said.
09/22/10
Legendary guest senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers running game--by committee and off to slow start: Until something better comes along, the Green Bay Packers may have to accept that their running game will consist of 3 yards and a chunk of sod in the facemask. None of the three runners on their 53-man roster possesses the kind of breakaway ability that keeps jerseys clean or even the occasional breakaway ability that veteran Ryan Grant brought to the offense before suffering a season-ending ankle injury against Philadelphia in the opener."That's the way we look at it. We were OK. It was not to the standard that we feel we can play. We need to do a much better job as we get ready for Chicago."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
McCarthy: Clifton the starter, but Bulaga may start--Chad Clifton remains the Green Bay Packers’ starting left tackle when healthy, coach Mike McCarthy said Monday. But when it comes to deciding just when Clifton will be healthy and whether he’ll be considered healthy enough to start Monday night’s showdown with the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field – that much McCarthy couldn’t say. “He’s our starting left tackle. He’s battling through a rough spot right now medically. We have Bryan Bulaga getting ready.”
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers' Bush hopes versatility makes him special--Defensive back putting penalty days behind him: Bush now generally serves as the sixth defensive back when the Packers occasionally play their dime defense to defend the pass. He's here because of the special teams, playing on punt and kickoff squads as well as both return teams.
Clipped from: www.profootballweekly.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Bear week: Packers-Bears rivalry is wasting no time creating a special buzz — both locally and nationally. When these two longtime division rivals square off on a national stage on Soldier Field next Monday night, the ratings could be off the charts in Chicago and Green Bay for a game with all kinds of subplots. You've got the mighty Packers, considered legitimate Super Bowl contenders by many league observers after their blazing second-half effort in 2009. While they were far from perfect in their victories over the Eagles on the road and at home against Buffalo, they definitely played well enough to sustain their elite status in league circles.
Clipped from: espn.go.com (share this clip)
Packers-Bears I: JayRod reaches relevance: a matchup worthy of hyping. This is what we envisioned all along: Two smart, young quarterbacks with strong arms and favorable schemes leading their undefeated teams into a "Monday Night Football" showdown for sole possession of first in the NFC North. Jay Cutler and his Chicago Bearsare one of the NFL's biggest surprises, while Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packershave thus far satisfied expectations if not exceeded them.
09/21/10
Legendary guest senior writer jclombardi reviews and grades the Packers win over the Bills.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Summary: QB Rodgers threw for 255 yards with touchdown passes to WR Driver and WR Jones and scrambled for another score as the Packers beat the Bills 34-7 at Lambeau Field. The running game struggled as RB Jackson rushed for only 29 yards and one touchdown. FB Kuhn outrushed Jackson gaining 36 yards. Meanwhile, LB Matthews had three sacks to lead a dominant defensive performance. LB Chillar and rookie S Burnett each got a key interception in the second half as the Packers (2-0) held the Bills to 186 yards of total offense.
Game Balls: LB Matthews; LB Hawk; S Burnett; TE Finley.
Report Card Grades–Good, Bad, & Ugly (LA vs. SE):
Pass Offense—B+ vs B. In the first half, the team settled for two field goals on its first two drives. They cannot afford to do that. Then, after a mediocre first half, QB Rodgers rebounded in the second half completing 19 of 29 passes for 255 yards and 2 touchdowns. TE Finley exploited Buffalo’s curious game plan to put only one defender on him and took over with four receptions for 103 yards, including big plays of 34, 32 and 22 yards. Rodgers looked away from an incredibly wide-open Finley for what could have been a 57-yard touchdown in the third quarter. With rookie Bulaga replacing an ineffective LT Clifton in the second quarter, the offensive line played strong allowing no sacks.
Rush Offense—D vs D. The running game epitomized ineptness on the ground. Mike McCarty’s back-by-committee trio of RB Jackson, FB Kuhn and rookie RB Nance combined for 71 yards in 22 carries averaging a poor 3.2 yards. Jackson rushed 11 times for only 29 yards and one touchdown lacking power or decisiveness. He struggled to make the right read and cut to get to the second level. Kuhn was more effective with nine carries for 36 yards. The run blocking was so-so.
Pass Defense—A+ vs A. LB Matthews continued to dominate the defense getting three sacks. DE Jenkins had the fourth sack of QB Edwards who only completed 11 of his 18 passes for a meager 102 yards. Matthews’ performance inspired linebackers Hawk and Chillar. Hawk was on the field for 43 of the Bills’ 54 plays. He made more good plays than bad plays. He stood out on occasion with pressure on Edwards, including a big hit on a tandem blitz with CB Woodson that resulted in the first career interception for Chillar. LB Jones played strong against the run, but he had no pressures. LB Barnett had one pressure and looked generally solid to strip blockers getting to make plays. Rookie S Burnett played better getting his second interception. The coverage teams did a good job holding the Bills receivers to very little big plays. Yet, C Woodson had a mixed day allowing several big plays.
Rush defense—C vs C-. Compared to last year, the Packers seem to lack consistency to stop the Bills misdirection run game. The Bills got 124 rushing yards averaging a decent 3.9 yards, although halftime adjustments helped to shut them down. With two pressures, T Raji looks like a much improved player having found his spot at the nose. While he missed several tackles, DE Pickett showed good lateral quickness in the run game. Rookie S Burnett is improving, but he needs to show more aggressive and to do sure tackling against the run. It will come with time. Meanwhile, DC Capers made a wise move adjusting the defense to play S Collins in the box.
Special teams—B vs B. The special teams had a decent game. KR Nelson averaged a good 30.5 yards on kickoff returns. Yet, PR Williams was irrelevant just averaging just 7.3 yards on punt returns. K Crosby connected on two field goals. On 7 kickoffs, he average 67.3 yards and 4.07 seconds of hang time. P Masthay averaged only 40.3 gross yards and 33.7 net yards on the first miss-hit two punts, but his third pooch punch was a good one that the team failed to down inside the five. The coverage units held their own against Buffalo’s elite special teams. The coverage on Bills KR Spiller was great until his last two returns of 36 yards and 41 yards toward the end of the game.
CHTV Good, Bad & Ugly: Good—Matthews, Finley & Bulaga; Bad—Jackson, Clifton & Collins; Ugly—Bills.
Commentary: With a good early season start, the Packers are 2-0.
Preview: A showdown road game against the unbearable Bears.
09/20/10
Jclombardi’s highlights Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Rogers' day goes from ho-hum to hubba-hubba: The Aaron Rodgers who was uncharacteristically off target in the season opener and pretty mediocre in the first half Sunday against the Buffalo Bills is not the quarterback who will lead the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl. The only guy who has a chance to do that is the Aaron Rodgers who lit up the Bills in the second half of a 34-7 victory at Lambeau Field. It was enough to win the home opener and the second half should stand as some kind of impetus for next week when the Packers travel to Chicago to meet the Bears on Monday night. "We're 2-0, they're 2-0, it's going to be a big game," Rodgers said.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Finley makes Bills pay for single coverage with big day: Packers tight end actually saw the light of day against the Buffalo Bills, who were not as intent on double- and triple-teaming him Sunday in the Packers' 34-7 victory. The result was the return of the big play for the tight end position. Finley grabbed four catches for 103 yards, and while he didn't score a touchdown, all four of his receptions - 34, 32, 22 and 15 yards - came on scoring drives. "He caught the same amount of passes (last week), it was just finding ways to get him the ball in space, down the field," quarterback Aaron Rodgers said.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Green Bay running backs feel loss of Grant--gain only 71 yards: The whole point of this game, said Kuhn, was to build some confidence for the backs - "to know without Ryan we can still be productive," he said. "There's definitely room for improvement out there." "As a group, we could do a little bit better job," said tackle Mark Tauscher. A combination of things went wrong. Jackson confessed that he didn't always hit the hole with the right timing. Jackson admitted that there weren't always major holes at the line, either. "Well, some were there, some weren't," he said. "It was clogged up most of the time, but you've just got to watch the film and learn from it."
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
OT Bulaga gets his opportunity--Clinton hurt: Bryan Bulaga era at left tackle for the Green Bay Packers might get under way much sooner than later. Venerable Chad Clifton was lifted for the Iowa rookie midway through the second quarter and didn't return Sunday in the Packers' 34-7 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Lambeau Field. Clifton clearly struggled in his four-series, 27-play stint. Using subjective judgment, he had nine poor plays before being replaced by Bulaga. "He has an issue with his knee," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I felt that he just didn't look like he was fully recovered, so I thought it was important to get Bryan in there. "He didn't look good today. He didn't look healthy. We'll assess it in the morning and set our plan for next week."
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
LB Hawk goes from zero to prominent on defense: He played almost the entire game at Lambeau Field, matching linebacker Nick Barnett with a team-high nine tackles. The performance came after Hawk expressed displeasure to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he didn't play a snap on defense in the regular-season opener at Philadelphia. Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers said Hawk and Chillar were used in separate variations of the nickel package. Hawk was able to stay in the game more because Buffalo likes to run when in a three-receiver set.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Halftime jolt inspires Packers to rout of Bills: McCarthy was so anxious to get to the locker room that he held on to his only remaining timeout with a minute left in the first half instead of using it to stop the clock. We'll spare you the specific details on McCarthy's dive into the Ryan playbook — the New York Jets coach's foul mouth has become legendary, thanks to HBO's "Hard Knocks" series — but it seemed to have produced the desired result. Playing like an actual Super Bowl contender in the second half, the Packers stomped the hapless Bills. Rodgers had two touchdown passes and ran for another over a span of three drives that helped the Packers (2-0) turn a 13-7 halftime lead into a rout. Afterward, McCarthy's players pointed to his fiery speech as the wake-up call they needed to throttle a Buffalo team that might struggle to win a game this season. "You could see it in his face, the intensity," Packers linebacker Nick Barnett said. "Everybody felt the same. You could feel it in the locker room."
09/19/10
Jclombardi's highlights & rapid reactions about Packers win against Bills.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Summary: QB Rodgers threw for 255 yards with touchdown passes to WR Driver and WR Jones and scrambled for another score as the Packers beat the Bills 34-7 at Lambeau Field. The running game was quiet as RB Jackson rushed for only 29 yards and one touchdown. FB Kuhn outrushed Jackson gaining 36 yards. Meanwhile, LB Matthews had three sacks to lead a dominant defensive performance. Also, LB Chillar and rookie S Burnett each got an key interception in the second half as the Packers (2-0) held the Bills to 186 yards of total offense. The Bills struggled on offense with Q Edwards barely topping 100 yards passing, throwing two interceptions, and getting sacked four times. The running game peaked for a bit in the second quarter, but they couldn't run the ball in the second half, and the Packers pounced on mistakes early and often.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Rapid Reactions:
1. LB Matthews had another monster game with 3 sacks leading a dominant defense.
3. Although TE Finley had 4 receptions for 103 yards, QB Rodgers missed him on two wide open plays.
5. Rookies CB Shields and S Burnett are getting more comfortable in their positions. S Burnett has a key interception turnover.
6. At times, ILBs Hawk and Barnett reacted too slowly contributing to the Bills decent running game in the second quarter. Fortunately, the Packers made the necessary half-time adjustments to shut down the three-pronged Bills running game. After not playing at all on defense last week because the defense played nickel every snap against Philadelphia, A.J. Hawk got ample playing time against Buffalo even in the nickel package. “In our nickel package, as much as they ran the ball out of three-wide-receiver sets – you saw a lot of three wide receivers with two backs -- that spreads you out,” defensive coordinator Dom Capers explained. “We just wanted to make sure that we were stout enough to play the run."
7. Defensive coordinator Capers did a good job pressuring QB Edwards throughout the game mixing blitzes and players. The Packers had 4 sacks.
10. Even Rodgers admitted his Lambeau Leap following his touchdown was “pretty bad.” He estimated it was his third career leap. “The guys were giving me a hard time on the sideline, but I said ‘Look, I was tired. That was a long way to run, my calves are cramping and that wall’s pretty high.’”
09/19/10
Legendary guest senior writer jclombardi's gameday Packers vs Bills headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Week 2 Game Scout: Bills at Packers--Kickoff: Noon. TV: CBS. Injury report: Questionable--LB Bishop (hamstring), G Colledge (illness), FB Hall (hip), DE Neal (rib/side), CB Underwood (shoulder). Probable--LT Clifton (knee), DE Jenkins (hand), S Martin(ankle), LB Matthews (hamstring), CB Woodson (toe). Keys to the game--the Bills simply do not match up talent wise with the Packers, one of the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Last season, Green Bay was one of the best at scoring points and stopping the run; Buffalo was one of the worst in those departments. Green Bay's roster is virtually the same while Buffalo's is weaker with the losses of WR Terrell Owens and DE Aaron Schobel. The only hope for a Buffalo upset is if it can somehow run the ball and limit the touches Packers' QB Aaron Rodgers has with the ball. If the Bills have to blitz an overabundant amount to get heat on Rodgers, he can name his score with the weapons at his disposal.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Preview: Packers vs. Bills--Stout Bills front, but not much Bills pass rush. Overload--good Bills returners.
Packers vs Bills Top Matchups:
1. Donte Whitner vs. Jermichael Finley--After an impressive second NFL season last year, the Packers tight end is poised for a big year in Green Bay’s highly-productive passing attack. Finley is more of a tight receiver than a tight end with great speed for a player his size (6’5” 247). Whitner is likely to serve as the main coverage defender, but the Bills might be wise to mix things up against him knowing how dominant he can be.
3. Lee Evans vs. Charles Woodson--Woodson is dealing with a toe injury so his status is a bit up in the air for Sunday. He’s technically the team’s left cornerback, but figures to be drawing Evans as his primary assignment. Woodson has kicked down into the slot at times, but with Evans being Buffalo’s biggest passing threat, the Packers are expected to put the man who tied Jairus Byrd for a league-leading nine interceptions last season on Buffalo’s top wideout.
Packers Game Plan:
GAME PLAN: Offensively, how much more pass-happy can the Packers offense get now that featured back Ryan Grant is out the rest of the season because of a broken ankle? Conventional wisdom is head coach/play caller McCarthy has the convenient excuse to get greedy and have Rodgers throw at will, especially against an ordinary, short-handed Bills defense. McCarthy won’t stoop to being so one-dimensional and predictable. He has a lot of confidence in Grant’s replacement, Jackson, as an every-down back and will want to get Jackson in the flow of carrying the football. Defensively, the Packers’ priority will be to stop the run as the Bills roll through a triple threat of Spiller, Jackson and Lynch. By putting Buffalo in difficult down-and-distance situations, defensive coordinator Capers can have his pass-rushing charges pin their ears back and force an easily flustered Edwards into mistakes. After Masthay did a terrific job with his directional punts of pinning the Eagles’ Jackson along the sideline in the opener, look for Crosby to angle his kickoffs to one side or the other to keep the dangerous Spiller from being a spoiler.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers' Finley fights to break free: Just about anywhere Finley went last week, he got double-covered. "I think they did a little bit of everything," Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "I think they have a multiple defense and utilized some of those techniques. I'm sure some teams make it difficult to get off the line of scrimmage, get physical and slow him down. Some will give help over the top." Of the 54 official plays in which Finley took part, on 21 of them he was lined up wide as a receiver and on eight he stood up in a slot position. In other words, more than half the plays he took part in were designed to help get him free.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Key Questions: What's the Bills biggest weakness on offense? Offensive tackle. If Packers keep Bills in third and long, Clay Matthews and company should have a field day. 4. What's the Bills biggest weakness on defense? Outside linebacker. If the Bills are blitzing inside linebackers and defensive backs it's because their outside guys aren't bringing enough pressure. Plus they are liabilties in pass coverage (Brandon Jackson could catch 10 balls against these guys).
09/18/10
Jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Bills Preview:BASICS--The teams: The Green Bay Packers (1-0) vs. the Buffalo Bills (0-1). Time: Sunday, Noon Wisconsin time. Place: Lambeau Field, Green Bay. TV coverage: CBS. Prediction--Bills are simply not talented enough to spring an upset. While the Packers suffered a surprising loss at lowly Tampa Bay last season, they won’t make the same mistake in their home opener Sunday. Packers 31, Bills 10.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Terrible Rodgers Looks to Rebound: For 34 games (including playoffs) into Rodgers’ tenure as the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback, his team had never won in spite of him the way they did last week. “I played terrible. It was probably about as bad as I could play, so that's a good thing. It's got to get better,” Rodgers said after he went 19-for-31 for 188 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for a 73.1 rating or almost half of his preseason rating of 141.2. “I missed a lot of throws that I make in my sleep. But we made just enough plays to win."
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notebook: Hawk Back on Defense--Bills will run the ball meaning the Packers will use their base defense which features A.J. Hawk. Plus, the Packers are shorthanded on the defensive line with Mike Neal unlikely to play. Those items and much, much more from Friday.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Coaches Not Worried About Rookie S Burnett's Tentativeness: Packers safety Burnett has demonstrated superior ball skills and coaches expect him to become an aggressive tackler as he gets more comfortable.
Headlines Summaries:
Packers pay Giacomini to stay on: Packers really did want to keep tackle Giacomini in their program and away from the Minnesota Vikings. In perhaps an unprecedented move in Green Bay, the Packers agreed to pay Giacomini an extra $2,300 per week.
BILLS WEEK: Friday update - 5 are questionable: LB Desmond Bishop (hamstring), LG Daryn Colledge (illness), FB Korey Hall (hip), DE Mike Neal(side/rib) did not participate in practice and are questionable for the game. CB Brandon Underwood(shoulder) was limited and is questionable. Charles Woodson and Chad Clifton practiced and are ready to go. Colledge came in sick this morning and will be monitored. Bryan Bulaga would start at LG if Colledge can't go. FB Hall torqued his troublesome hip on Thursday but will be given the 48 hours to get ready for the game.
Notebook: The Woodson move becomes common turnover weapon: Packers forced only one turnover in last Sundays season-opening victory at Philadelphia, but that lone turnover was perfectly executed and has become commonplace for Charles Woodson.
Goska column: Bills futility on third down contributes to losing ways: Third-down conversion rates arent as telling as some of the other statistics bandied about in football circles. But know this: teams that convert at a rate of less than 30 percent over the course of a season rarely emerge with a winning record.
Packers’ Wynn on return: ‘It felt like getting drafted again’: The second-year defensive lineman didn’t survive Green Bay’s final roster cut downs, but was quickly asked back after Justin Harrell was lost for the season to a torn ACL.
Packers notes: Wells doesn’t being center of attention on telecasts: The center wore a microphone during the season opener, something he says the league will have all centers do during high-profile games, and he’s not happy about it.
Oates: Packers’ prospects could be grounded without backfield help.
Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson already made one mistake by keeping only two halfbacks on the roster, and he’s compounding his error — and jeopardizing the team’s chances for a special season — by not getting an experienced backup.
Packers’ Hawk wants to be more than role player: The fifth-year Green Bay linebacker and former No. 5 overall pick did not play at all on defense in the season opener, and his agent is suggesting he would welcome a trade.
09/17/10
Jclombardi highlights Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Crosby made 88.9% of his last 45 kicks between training camp practices and games (his career average is 78%), he booted a franchise-record 56-yard field goal in Sunday's season-opening win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Quite a turnaround for someone most fans were ready to run out of town. So how did it happen? A little soul searching, and some perspective.
ESPN: Countdown Daily Preview--BUF-GB
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers’ special teams crew, coming off a well-rounded performance in last week’s season-opening victory at Philadelphia, must have another strong performance to prevent the nearly two-touchdown underdogs from springing an upset. The Eagles’ special teams, coached by well-respected former Bills assistant Bobby April, were thought to be considerably better than the Packers’ group, and so are the Bills, who are now coached by April’s replacement, Bruce DeHaven.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notes: Packers are no longer the NFL's youngest team plus Nantz update, injury news and more from Thursday.
09/15/10
Favre had befriended and admired Randy for years and the two of them had dreamed of playing together. Here was an opportunity for us to make it a reality. But ultimately, we stood on our principles requiring more than a one-year commitment.
09/15/10
McCarthy said star-crossed defensive end Justin Harrell, the team’s oft-injured 2007 first-round draft pick, is done for the year and will be placed on injured reserve after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
09/15/10
Grant, who had played in 48 straight games since joining the Packers via a trade with the New York Giants at the end of training camp in 2007, ruptured the ligament that holds the bones of the ankle together. Grant will be on crutches for 10 to 12 weeks after the surgery.
09/15/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers morning headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Ryan Grant out for the season: Packers sign RB Nance. GM Thompson viewed available veterans such as Parker, Fargas, Smith and Arrington as poor fits for the Packers' zone running game and liked physical running style of powerful Nance.
ESPN: Impact Of Grant's Injury On Packers
Clipped from: espn.go.com (share this clip)
"It's definitely a big drop-off," Williamson said, "but I also think this is such a running-back friendly offense because of the passing game they have. You don't need a great player there, and I don't even think Grant was a great player." Can Jackson handle the punishment of being a feature back? "I would worry about him over the long term because we haven't seen him do it," Williamson said. "Over time, he's really been productive at no level. But for the short term, I think they can be nearly as potent as an offense. I would worry about short-yardage situations where everyone knows the run is coming, but this is still a really good offense without Ryan Grant." Nance, meanwhile, is a 219-pound, between-the-tackles bruiser.
09/14/10
Jclombardi reviews and grades the Eagles game.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Summary: After a tough fourth quarter, the Packers held on to beat the Eagles 27-20 when MVP LB Matthews made the game-saving stop of QB Vick on a fourth-and-1 keeper with 2 minutes remaining. QB Rodgers connected with WR Driver for a 6 yard score and with WR Jennings for a 32 yard score, as they combined for 10 catches and 112 yards. TE Finley had only 4 catches for 47 yards.
Video Highlights: ESPN.
Game Balls: LB Matthews; FB Hall; FB Kuhn; WR Jennings; WR Nelson. Game ball report--FB Korey Hall on offense, LB Matthews on defense, and WR Nelson on special teams. LB Bishop got the "Big Hit" award.
Turning Point: MVP LB Matthews made the game-saving stop of QB Vick on a fourth-and-1 keeper with 2 minutes remaining in the game.
Report Card Grades--Good, Bad, & Ugly (LA vs. SE):
Pass Offense—C—vs C-. QB Rodgers completed 19 of 31 passes for 188 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 3 sacks, and a poor 73.1 passer rating. Don’t know why he missed so many targets, other than maybe that was the first time this year he had bullets flying around him. It almost seemed as though he was targeting TE Finley too much. At times, he tried to force the ball to him with other guys open. In an awful first quarter, he misfired on the first three throws of the game and threw an interception. In the third quarter, Rodgers briefly rebounded to build a 27-10, but he choked in the fourth quarter. WR Jennings led the receiving corps with five receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown. Generally, C Wells, LG Colledge, and RG Sitton had solid games. Showing their age, the usually reliable veteran duo of RT Tauscher and LT Clifton struggled in the first half allowing 3 sacks.
Rush Offense—B+ vs B. The Packers had 28 rushes for 132 yards averaging a solid 4.0 yards. RB Grant rushed 8 carries for 45 yards before he was injured. Tuesday, he went on injured reserve. Replacement RB Jackson got 18 carries for 63 yards. FB Kuhn had two carries for 15 yards and a touchdown.
Pass Defense—B vs B-. The pass defense had a good game except for CB Shields allowing WR Maclin’s 17-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. QB Vick made a few plays against relentless pressure completing 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown. The Packers 3-4 blitz schemes got pressure throughout the game getting five sacks. Matthews got two and Jenkins, Raji and Zombo got one each. CB Williams had a solid game. CB Woodson played solid and forced a key fumble.
Rush defense—C- vs D. Elusive QB Vick had 11 rushes for 103 yards mainly on broken pass plays causing fits for the Packers defense. DLs Jenkins and Raji had long solid games getting solid pressure with one sack each. LB Matthews dominated the defensive wth seven tackles and two sacks. Overall, LBs Barnett and Chillar had good games. LB Jones had a rough game failing to hold the edge on occasions. The Packers got break when the Eagles kept Vick between the tackles on a delayed shotgun draw instead of running him to the outside on fourth-and-1 at the Packers' 42 inside the two-minute warning. Matthews stuffed Vick for no gain and clinch the victory. McCoy was limited to seven carries but made the most of them in averaging 5 yards and scoring from 12 yards. Burnett is stiff in run support. He whiffed three times. The worst was on the screen pass to McCoy at the end. On McCoy’s touchdown run, Burnett has got to fill. He runs up to the pile nice after the play, but he’s got to want to tackle. He wasn’t even physical
Special teams—A- vs A. The special teams had a great game. The return game had a great game with WR Nelson averaging 31.2 yards on 5 kickoffs. K Crosby made two long fields, but he misfired on one kickoff. K Masthay did okay on 3 of 4 punts and averaged 41.5 (gross), 38 (net) and 3.82 (hang time). PR Williams had good hands making fair catches on most punt returns. CB Bush looked surprisingly sharp forcing two fair catches. Generally, the coverage units played fast and smart keeping Jackson and Hobbs from big returns.
Coaching—B+ vs A-. Head coach McCarthy and his assistants held the team together, as it seemingly was coming undone at the seams by all kinds of adversity throughout the game, including a handful of injuries, to pick up the Packers' first win at Philadelphia in 48 years. In the red zone, they were 2 for 2. In 3rd down efficiency, they were 6 for 14.
Overall Game—B+ vs CBS Sportsline-B. Finally, the Packers won a road game against the tough Eagles.
Preview: A home game against the Bills. Go Pack!
09/13/10
Jclombardi reviews coach McCarthy's press conference and injuries report.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Note--Significant ankle injury to sideline Grant: His long-term prognosis has not been determined but RB Jackson will have to carry the load this week against Buffalo. Meanwhile, injury-plagued DE Harrell's season has ended with a torn ACL going on injured reserve.
Coach McCarthy's day-after press conference: DE Jenkins will play with the cast on the injured wrist. Won't know about DE Neal's availability until Wednesday. Rookie Shields was solid in nickel and so was S Burnett as well, although both tentative at times. QB Rodgers played too fast to start the game and missed some throws early. NT Raji played between 50 and 60 snaps and did well, especially against mobile quarterback Vick.
Report: According to twitter reports, DE Wynn on his way to Green Bay.
09/13/10
Jclombardi highlights Monday morning headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Packers 27, Eagles 20: Packers defense nearly outrun by Vick.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Offense flops, yet team still pulls it off, a good sign: "I played terrible," Rodgers said. I'm capable of playing. It's got to get better. That's the good thing." As Rodgers noted, if he and the offense were that far off their game and the Packers were still able to win, 27-20, as they did against the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener Sunday, that cannot be all bad. "It's nice when the offense isn't playing as well as it can and the special teams and defense steps up like it did," Rodgers said.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Notes: While defensive end Justin Harrell (knee) appears lost for the season, and Cullen Jenkins (wrist) will need to play in a cast for a while, the most significant injury appeared to be the sprained right ankle that knocked running back Ryan Grant from the game in the second quarter. "They capped me," Finley said. "I'd come off and I'd have a linebacker bump me or whatnot and then I'd have a safety over the top. So once they take you out of the game, we have to find a way for Driver, Jennings or Jones to get open. So I guess we're going to have to adjust to that this year."
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Tackles Clifton and Tauscher: Two old pros had shabby first-half showings in the Packers' 27-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Clifton was directly responsible for one sack and probably will be charged with a second. Tauscher gave up a sack. "We were a little surprised," offensive coordinator Philbin said in reference to the early sacks. "I don't know if our guys were nervous. We were a little bit out of sync early in the game as an offensive unit." In first half, not only was Rodgers sacked three times, he was knocked down after six other passes and flushed at least twice. "As the second half wore on I think we got in a better rhythm," said Tauscher. "Obviously, as a group and individually, we didn't play well."
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Special start: So to see the special teams units – from Jordy Nelson’s kickoff returns, to Crosby’s team-record 56-yard field goal, to Tim Masthay’s consistent punting, to keeping dangerous returners DeSean Jackson and Ellis Hobbs from making any game-changing plays – play such a vital role in the Packers’ season-opening 27-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field was as encouraging sign as any from Sunday.“Mason hit the ball well, Jordy did well, the guys blocked very well on a couple of those returns,” special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum said, summing up the day. “We identified as a football team (what) we needed to do to improve – we’ve got a good football team – and one of them is playing good special teams. Our challenge is to play consistent week-to-week and help our team win. I thought we were very solid.”
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
“I did. I did,” Capers replied after watching Matthews register a pair of sacks, knock starting quarterback Kevin Kolb out of the game, make a team-high seven tackles and come up with the most important stop of the game, stuffing Michael Vick on a victory-clinching fourth-and-1 sneak. “He made some really big plays tonight – the biggest one being the fourth-and-1, where he comes down and used up two blockers (and tackled Vick),” Capers continued. “You’ve heard me say before that big players influence the game, with two, three, four plays that make the difference. And I think he certainly did that tonight."
09/13/10
Guess what? Justin Harrell is probably done for the season.
09/13/10
Packers-Eagles Box score.
09/13/10
Eagles suffered 2 concussions, torn bicep and a torn ACL.
09/13/10
JSOnline's post game summary from the Packers-Eagles game.
09/13/10
... Breaks Chris Jacke's old record of 54 yards.
09/13/10
Off the field where Woodson has changed most, going from a lifestyle of hard-partying and heavy-drinking to being a husband, father and philanthropist.
09/13/10
"The people in Green Bay and the organization, unbelievable. Just phenomenal, phenomenal people. My experience there was great. I haven’t gone back and thought about that but I can tell you that every brat that was offered to me, I ate."
09/13/10
Results from JS Online's fan survey of the 2010 Packer season.
09/13/10
Bedard jinxes the Packers with a Super Bowl prediction
09/12/10
Jclombardi's quick review & hits about Packers win over Eagles.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
MVP Matthews: "Impact player and gamer" LB Matthews to the rescue. Matthews finished with two sacks and the game-saving stop of QB Vick on a fourth-and-1 keeper with 2 minutes remaining as the Green Bay Packers escaped the Philadelphia Eagles 27-20 in Sunday’s season opener. With "Choke" QB Rodgers looking shaky under pressure, the offense collapsed down the stretch, after rolling with two field goals and three touchdowns on five possessions spanning the second and third quarters. Thus, QB Vick nearly brought the Eagles back from a 27-10 deficit.
Clipped from: www.nfl.com (share this clip)
Rodgers threw a pair of touchdown passes, Crosby kicked a team-record 56-yard field goal and the Packers beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-20 on Sunday despite a vintage performance by QB Vick. Starter QB Kolb left with a concussion at halftime and so Vick took over. Vick invigorated an offense that was awful in the first half and finished with 175 yards passing and ran for 103 yards.
Clipped from: espn.go.com (share this clip)
Wrap-up: Packers 27, Eagles 20--Hero LB Clay Matthews. Unsung hero–WR Nelson.
Quick Hits:
1. MVP Clay Matthews dominated on defense with 7 tackles, two sacks, and forced fumble. He single-handed won game for Packers in final minutes.
2. FB Kuhn's performance helped win the game too with his runs and one touchdown.
3. Special teams helped win the game with K Crosby's hitting two big long field goals and WR Nelson providing good field position with an outstanding 31.2 yards average on 5 kickoff returns. Punter Tim Masthay didn’t produce great numbers in his NFL debut, with a 41.5 gross average and 38.0 net. But what he did do was take the Eagles’ dangerous punt returner DeSean Jackson out of the game. Jackson had just two returns for 14 yards and two fair catches.
4. Injuries are part of the game, but the injuries to DE Jenkins (broken hand) and RB Grant (moderate ankle sprain) hurt. Grant twittered that he'll be fine. Meanwhile, DE Harrell has a "significant" knee injury. Shocking!
5. McCarthy's run calling plays were bloody awful at times, too predictable.
6. QB Rodgers started slow, bounced a few passes, and threw an interception before getting his rhythm on Packers third possession. In the final quarter, he choked in two big series failing to get first down and throwing an interception. Rodgers said, "I played terrible, probably about as bad as I can play. It has got to get better. I missed a lot of throws that I could make in my sleep. Personally, I made too many dumb mistakes. I got banged around a bit and had no rhythm out there."
7. WR Driver had a 6 yard score and WR Jennings had a 32 yard score. They combined for 10 catches and 112 yards.
8. RB Jackson did an adequate job replacing injured RB Grant rushing 18 times for 63 yards. RBs Grant and Jackson combined for 109 yards on 26 rushes.
9. The old veteran offensive tackles, Clifton and Tauscher, looked a step slow and got pushed around in the game allowing several sacks.
10. Good, Bad & Ugly: Good-Matthews, Raji, & Jackson; Bad--Rodgers, Tauscher, & Clifton; Ugly--Shields.
09/12/10
Jclombardi tells Anna’s story about her love for Packers.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Anna’s story is a great one about life and sports. She is a young 13-year-old from Horicon, Wisconsin in the Midwest. She had a life-threatening heart condition requiring a heart transplant. Early this year, she got the heart transplant.
Credit: Mike McGinnis/ESPN.
On ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown (11 a.m.-1 p.m. ET), Anna’s wish to meet the Green Bay Packers will be featured. Anna attended a Packers practice in August through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She received all-pro treatment from the Packers–Anna got her own locker and jersey, hit the field with the team and Coach McCarthy, posed for a “Lambeau Leap” and enjoyed lunch with her favorite players, Al Harris and Aaron Rodgers. Emmy Award-winning reporter Connelly, who hosts the annualSportsCenter “My Wish” series, interviews Anna and her family about her courageous recovery from a life-threatening heart condition and her adoration of the Packers.
09/12/10
Jclombardi reviews Eagles game day previews.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Week 1 Preview--Packers at Eagles: Keys to the Game: So why won't McCarthy go vertical, even against the Eagles' traditionally exotic, blitz-happy defense that will challenge Green Bay's revitalized offensive line, which didn't allow a sack of Rodgers in exhibition play? Consider that in the three games Rodgers and the No. 1 unit were on the field for a total of 13 series, the Packers carried out 56 pass plays to only 25 run plays (including those nullified by penalties) for a heavily lopsided pass-run ratio of 69-31. Still, McCarthy needs to bring up the confidence of halfbacks Grant and Jackson. Inside the Eagles: QB Kolb's debut and shaky offensive line.
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Clipped from: host.madison.com (share this clip)
Packers at Eagles--5 things to watch: Charles in Charge--CB Woodson. Youth served--S Burnett and CB Shields. Main attraction--Two good tight ends. Cat scratch fever--backup QB Vick and wildcat formation. Get a grip--running backs must grip the ball.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Preview--Packers at Eagles: Second year Eagles defensive coordinator and rookie S Allen. "The thing about them is notoriously they're a pressure team. That puts a lot of emphasis on the free safety. I know it's a lot of zone blitz, but in many cases he's going to be the last line of defense, so to speak. First regular-season game, the lights are on. I'd be worried about him if I was them." Hard to figure--inconsistent Eagles offensive line. Hit and miss S Asante Samuel. Watch out--WR DeSean Jackson is expected to return punts. Strong duo--K Akers and P Rocca comprise one of the oldest best pair of specialists in the NFL.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Eagles Preview--5 Things to Watch: THE BASICS--The teams: The Green Bay Packers (0-0) vs. the Philadelphia Eagles (0-0). The time: Sunday, 3:15 p.m. Wisconsin time. The place: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia. The TV coverage: FOX. Direct TV 713. Prediction: A nine-game losing streak means little to Sunday’s outcome. With an explosive offense and a defense unveiling some looks that weren’t seen in preseason, the visitors have enough to get it done. Packers 30, Eagles 21.
09/11/10
Jclombardi previews Eagles game and highlights headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Eagles Preview--5 Things to Watch: THE BASICS--The teams: The Green Bay Packers (0-0) vs. the Philadelphia Eagles (0-0). The time: Sunday, 3:15 p.m. Wisconsin time. The place: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia. The TV coverage: FOX; Direct TV 713.
Packers vs Eagles: Keys to the Game.
1. Eagle's Zone Blitz Will be Challenge. 2. Jackson Will Test Punt Coverage. 3. Rookies Shields & Burnett Likely To Be Targeted.
Packers-Eagles preview: Five things to watch.
A nine-game losing streak means little to Sunday’s outcome. With an explosive offense and a defense unveiling some looks that weren’t seen in preseason, the visitors have enough to get it done. Prediction: Packers 30, Eagles 21.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Matthews aims much higher in 2010.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
RB Grant Delivers Inside Zone.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Comparing eras: 2010 Packers vs. 1996 championship team.
09/11/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers morning headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
As the Packers get set to embark on a 2010 season with super expectations, the big question is, are they any better in the secondary? Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Woodson and Pro Bowl safety Collins return. Outside of them, the Packers are as much of an unknown commodity. Cornerback Williams has 20 starts under his belt, but he enters a season as the starter.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Notes: Peprah will be the Green Bay Packers' No. 3 safety Sunday when they open in Philadelphia. The Packers will be down to five cornerbacks Sunday because Underwood(shoulder) was ruled out. Listed as questionable were defensive end Neal (side) and linebacker Bishop (hamstring). Neither practiced Friday. Neal seemed optimistic about playing.
Clipped from: espn.go.com (share this clip)
Packers vs Eagles Notes: 1. The Packers recent history in Philadelphia hasn't been great. In fact, the Packers have lost nine consecutive games there. In reality, the Eagles are a team in flux as they transition from McNabb to Kolb at quarterback. Packers quarterback Rodgers is equipped to nullify the Eagles' pressure defense. The Packers will have the better team at kickoff. 2. The Packers should find out whether their pass defense made any progress. They have made personnel moves among them moving Raji to nose tackle, inserting rookie safety Burnett into the starting lineup and shifting Pro Bowl linebacker Matthews to the other side of the line of scrimmage. But depth at cornerback remains an issue with Harris (knee) and Underwood (shoulder) sidelined by injury. Rookie Shields could be the Packers' nickel back. We'll find out if the Packers can handle it.
Summaries:
Vandermause column: Packers try to deflect waves of hype
Everywhere they turn, the Packers are being told how great they are. Many national pundits picking them to win the Super Bowl.
Insider: Line in better shape to keep Rodgers sack-free
QB Rodgers should not get beat up in Philadelphia opener like he did early last season when he was sacked 10 times in the first two games combined.
Around the NFL: Not everyone sold on Packers
The Packers have become a trendy Super Bowl pick in the national media and some observers are getting tired of hearing it.
09/10/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers morning headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Notes--Packers look to improve on punt units: Special teams coach Slocum said that CB Williams and WR Jennings would handle punt returns against the Eagles. Slocum said that WR Nelson & RB Jackson would be kickoff returners. Neal injured--rookie end Neal was added to the injury report with what McCarthy said was a strained abdomen. LB Bishop (hamstring) had a slight setback and will be looked at today. LB Poppinga (knee swelling) and CB Underwood (left shoulder) did not practice.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Putting it all on the line: After a horrendous start last season, the Packers offensive line is hoping to avoid similar struggles to begin this season. With the Philadelphia Eagles' pressure-oriented defensive approach, Sunday's regular-season opener should show whether the line is improved. The starting line--LT Clifton, LG Colledge, C Wells, RG Sitton, and RT Tauscher--get ready for Sunday’s regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notes--Thursday practice: OT Tauscher is a big reason that Packers open their offense won't stumble to start the season. Plus, WR Jennings returning punts & McCarthy's road history.
Clipped from: www.philly.com (share this clip)
Domowitch's prediction: Packers 31, Eagles 24
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
No place like home: NFL's reigning defensive player of the year CB Charles Woodson signed two-year contract extension The deal means he'll finish his career with Packers. Woodson commented, "Life takes you down some different roads sometimes, roads that you can’t explain. And this has turned out to be a great road.”
09/09/10
Jclombardi previews another Packers Super Bowl bandwagon.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: profootballtalk.nbcsports.com (share this clip)
Rosenthal's Super Bowl pick: the Packers have become the consensus pick to win it all. I like the pick. Both the Chargers and Packers will have to blow teams away on offense because their defenses have soft spots. We're living in a golden age of quarterbacks and a Super Bowl victory by the Packers over the Chargers would help point it out. Rodgers and Rivers aren't Manning and Brady, but they don't need to be. They are ready to write their own legacy. Packers 31, Chargers 24.
ESPN Super Bowl Predictions
09/09/10
Jclombardi discussed Packers with Eagles Gab blogger.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Commentary: In the preview for the Eagles game, jclombardi answered questions about the Packers from Mike Burke, blogger for Eagles Gab [adapted]:
Eagles Gab: I had the honor of asking Jclombardi a few questions related to his beloved Packers. Jclombardi is an established writer and contributor to many Packer’s blogs.
EG: Aaron Rodgers used to be known as the guy waiting for Brett Favre to hang it up. He’s now considered to be one of the elite quarterbacks in the game. Does Rodgers deserve this title or is he still a few steps from being on that level?
Jclombardi: During the drama of Favre’s initial retirement in 2008 and trade, the Packers maintained its commitment to Rodgers. He responded with an outstanding season throwing for 4,038 yards and 28 touchdowns with a 6-10 record. In 2009, he followed with 4,434 yards and 30 TDs leading the Packers back to the postseason. Thus, Rodgers deserves the recognition as a new elite quarterback in the NFL. However, commentators are right to ask, beyond the good statistics, can he be both a winner in the season and playoffs?
EG: Many have compared Kevin Kolb’s situation to what happened with Rodgers. Do you see Kolb having the type of success Rodgers has had?
JCL: In the 2010 season, the Eagles hope that their similar handling of QB Kolb will start seeing the same successful payoffs story. After three years in Philadelphia, QB Kolb is now the starting quarterback with three dynamic receivers. Last season, he made two starts in place of an injured QB McNabb topping 300 yards and registering 2 touchdown passes in each game. Kolb is smart, poised, and mobile gamer with good arm NFL strength.
EG: How big of a defensive impact does losing Al Harris and Atari Bigby make? Who will start in their absence, and are you confident in those players?
JCL: Frankly, we do not see it to be a big impact, although the defense will face painful adjustments in the early games. Injuries are part of the game. CB Williams is a fine adequate starter and backup until CB Harris returns. As far as rookie S Burnett replacing veteran S Bigby, the position honestly needed an upgrade. Thus, Thompson drafted rookie S Burnett who showed the painful learning process and his maturing ball hawk skills in the preseason. The Packers are pleased with the Burnett’s progress. He has a great future working with all-pro S Collins.
EG: What areas have the Packers improved upon from 2009? Have they declined in any areas?
JCL: With elite veteran quarterback Rodgers, the team has an improved veteran set of five receivers to go with an elite quarterback. They include WR Driver, WR Jennings, WR Jones, WR Nelson, and TE Finley. Further, future all-pro TE Finley leads them making the offense almost an unstoppable West Coast offense. Meanwhile, with the addition of rookie OT Bulaga, the offensive line has become a solid veteran group with adequate backups. With P Masthay, the Packers have upgraded their punting position. In terms of special teams, they still need to improve and to be consistent. If one decline exists on this team, it is the lack of solid depth at the nickel and dime backs on passing downs. The Packers are now using raw rookie CB Shields ahead of injured CB Underwood and subpar CB Lee.
EG: What worries you the most about the Eagles offense? Eagles defense?
JCL: The Eagles offense had three dynamic weapons including pro bowl WR Jackson, second year WR Maclin, and TE Celek. Further, RB McCoy is becoming a good replacement for released veteran Westbrook. Further, they have solid KR/PR personnel against a weak Packers special teams.
After their drop from the 2008 top five in fewest yards and points allowed per game to the 2009 middle of the pack, the Eagles defense is improved from 2009. They added five rookie defensive players including promising pass rusher Graham. Also, the Eagles rushing defense last year and could be better this year because of upgrades at linebackers including Bradle and Sims. The Eagles improved their secondary to include outstanding cornerback Samuel and veteran cornerback Hobbs. With Samuel and Graham, the rebuilt Eagles defense could create a close game in this contest.
EG: Where do you see the Packers having an advantage on offense? On defense?
JCL: With an elite quarterback, solid offensive line, and great receiver corps, the Packers offense is almost unstoppable even against an improved Eagles defense. They should have a field day against the rookie safety Nate Allen.
On defense, the Packers run defense should continue to be solid with the maturity of NT Raji, DE Harrell, and rookie DE Neal. They should force QB Kolb into long yardage passing downs to create potential turnover scenarios.
EG: What player will be the Packers x-factor on Sunday? Why?
JCL: ILB Hawk–Eagles look to isolate RB McCoy against ILB Hawk in the passing game to create a favorable mismatch. McCoy is dangerous in the open field. Hawk will have to keep McCoy from turning short gains into long ones.
EG: Give me a score prediction.
JCL: Continuing from last year, the Packers offense was dynamite during the preseason. The opposite was true about the Eagles who struggled to develop a good offensive rhythm. QB Kolb will be making just his third ever start this Sunday. However, with the new personnel on the Packers defense, this matchup may become a battle of prolific offenses. The defense that comes up with the big plays and turnovers is likely to be the winner. The Eagles’ defense is much improved, but they cannot stop this great Packer offense. Packers 26, Eagles 23.
09/08/10
Jclombardi looks at Packers headlines & highlights.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: profootballtalk.nbcsports.com (share this clip)
Silva’s Super Bowl pick: My Super Bowl XLV pick has been Baltimore-Green Bay since May, and the ensuing months have provided few reasons to waiver. The Packers’ offense has the look of an indefensible juggernaut. The defense has question marks in the secondary, but reinforcements are on way.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Notes: Ready or not, the Packers' defense will be playing for real on Sunday at Philadelphia. Packers are the popular pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl among national writers, but that depends on the defense. Will a unit featuring three starters who barely played in the preseason and a rookie cornerback who figures to play most of the game be ready for the high-powered Eagles offense. The Packers are very healthy. Bishop (hamstring), Bulaga (hip), Jenkins (calf), Jones (shoulder), Matthews (hamstring) were full participants. CB Underwood (shoulder) was listed as limited but he was not on the field during the portion open to the media. LB Poppinga (knee) did not participate.
Clipped from: www.cbssports.com (share this clip)
Season picks: Pack-ed XLV. MVP: Rodgers. He hasn't won a playoff game, yet people already tout him as one of the game's elite quarterbacks. Slow down. You must win something of consequence before you start taking bows and Rodgers will. My guess is that he produces all sorts of big numbers offensively, and all sorts of big wins and that he leads the Packers to the top of a division that includes two of the best teams in the game. A year ago he couldn't overcome Brett Favre in two starts. This season he will. And he'll jump to the top of the MVP charts.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Rookies Shields & Burnett: Shields won’t be the only rookie in the Packers’ secondary Sunday. Burnett will start at safety alongside Collins, although Burnett has had the benefit of taking every snap with the first-team defense throughout the offseason, minicamp, training camp and preseason games. "We’re young, (but) we have some experience being young. You just really focus on getting them ready,” Packers coach McCarthy said. “Burnett has done a very good job in his time here, and I feel he is ready to go. Shields has done a very good job. He has been getting better in every practice and he needs to play.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Brimming with confidence: There was no talk about how the Packers are the chic pick to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas. Instead, the focus – and McCarthy’s message to his players – had shifted to Sunday’s regular-season opener at Philadelphia, where the Packers haven’t won since 1962.
09/08/10
Jclombardi reviews morning headlines & highlights.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
How we see it: A playoff team, but not a champion. 2010 season for Packers and the rest of the NFL--playoff team, but not a champion. Question--Packers have the pass rush to finish on top of the heap?
Offense preview: Finley poised to emerge as star. Tight end Jermichael Finley appears ready to become an elite player and is a big reason why the Packers could be one of the two or three most explosive teams in the NFL this year.
Season preview: The players by position. 2010 Packers by position.
Philadelphia Eagles scouting report. Scouting report of the Packers, the Eagles, based on interviews with several NFL scouts.
Notebook: Packers take a look at kick returner, safety. 2 potential players who were released in the final cuts on Saturday.
Defense preview: Healthy Woodson focused on winning. CB Woodson sees no reason why the Packers cant put themselves in position to make another run at a Super Bowl. Some of that will depend on his ability to repeat his 2009 performance.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Packers had kick returner Clifton Smith and safety Gerald Alexanderin for workouts according to a league source.
09/07/10
Jclombardi reviews the morning headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Anyone ready to see Jennings return a punt Sunday in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles? While it's unlikely to happen, coach McCarthy did say Monday that Jennings is a candidate for the job along with cornerback Williams. Receiver Nelson will get the start at kick returner with running back Jackson in the mix.
Clipped from: www.espnmilwaukee.com (share this clip)
Packers defense--Matthews, who played in the Pro Bowl after recording 10 sacks as a rookie, missed all four exhibition games with a pulled left hamstring. The other starting outside linebacker Jones missed the final three exhibition games with a shoulder injury, while starting defensive end Jenkins missed the final two preseason games with a strained calf. Monday, it marked the first time all 11 defensive starters worked together since the scrimmage. Matthews and Jones participated in all aspects of practice while Jenkins took part in the jog-through portion at the start of practice.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Before returning to practice Monday, it had been 29 days since Matthews stood at his left outside linebacker position for the Green Bay Packers. And five practices before that, Matthews was playing right outside linebacker. With less than a week before Packers open the regular season at the Philadelphia Eagles, Matthews wasn't fretting at all about making his game debut at a position he has played for less than a week.
Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)
Sam Shields has played a lot in the nickel cornerback position. He said he expected to continue along that role this week. He said he was excited about the opportunity. Punter Masthay won the job in a heated battle. The one good thing, he said, was that the coaches allowed him to get in the proper amount of punting work to prepare for this season. DE Harrell said the back has been good. He was happy he could make it through camp through the majority of practices. He said his goals for the next month are simple: “Any way I can help this team."
Clipped from: www.sportingnews.com (share this clip)
Consider all the elements. Rodgers, after two great seasons, is on the verge of joining the league's QB elite. The Packers have a deep and dangerous receiving unit. Their attack-minded 3-4 defense has a good mix of pass rushers and ballhawks. The Packers are looking to regain control of their division after two years of stalking the Vikings. It hasn't hurt that the Packers have created a lot of buzz with a stellar preseason. Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman expects Rodgers and the team to pick up where they left off in '09. "I would expect his play to continue for the Packers," said Aikman, now an analyst for Fox. "Green Bay is the team to beat in the NFC North." If the Packers had just split with the Vikings last season, they would have won the division. If they had swept, they would have been in New Orleans' position -- the No. 1 seed and in the driver's seat to get to the Super Bowl.
Clipped from: gnb.scout.com (share this clip)
Hey, look, it’s the defense. Matthews didn’t play a single snap in the preseason game with an injured hamstring. Jones played in just one game because of back and shoulder problems. Jenkins missed the final two games with sore calves. On Monday, all three of those key defensive starters were back on the field. The only injured player who watched practice was reserve cornerback Underwood.
09/06/10
Jclombardi reviews practice squad & news reactions.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Practice Squad: They include QB Harrell, LB Francois, S Levine, WR West, LB Simpkins, OT Campbell, and OT Giacomini. The Packers lost decent backups to waiver claims. Predictably, RB Lumpkin was claimed by Buccaneers, LB Obiozor by Cardinals, NT Toribio by Chiefs, LB Havner by Lions, and C Smith by Seahawks. Packers hoped to bring Lumpkin, Toribio and Obiozor back as part of their eight-man practice squad. Packers hoped to bring RB Lumpkin back on the practice squad to be their quasi-No. 3 tailback. Last year, the Packers lost tailback Sutton to the Panthers in the same way.
GM TT Press Conference Highlights:
1. Blackmon--Packers may interested in the return of CB/KR/S Blackmon after the injury settlement and specific time period. We shall see.
2. On returners–Thompson decides to look within roster for return game.
3. Waivers claims--If the Packers plan to make significant player moves before resuming practice this week, it won’t be through the initial waiver process. Packers did not put in waiver claims on any players.
4. Current roster–Potential sticking points: Thompson defends Packers’ choices. TT felt very good about the 53 men on current roster.
5. FBs & TEs--Thompson acknowledged that some of his decisions led to imbalances on the 53-man roster. When questioned about carrying the predictable 3 fullbacks and 4 tight ends, TT said the players earned spots. FB Johnson is “very valuable player” and “dynamic lead blocker” to have for the situational tough yard games. Contrary to dissenters, we agree noting that he has improved his reception skills too. FB Kuhn is a viable option at running back for certain schemes.
6. TE Havner cut–he was released due to the better skills that the other tight ends had to offer for the team.
7. Undrafted OLB rookie Zombo–very impressive young player.
8. Current LBs corps–pretty good group.
9. Practice squad–Monday, the announcement of the practice squad players.
10. Rookie draft choices–Packers kept their seven draft picks. RB Starks is on the physically unable to perform list for six weeks.
Commentaries: List just stinks of not wanting to claim or sign any other team’s rejects without a workout first. In the case of each player who was claimed, Thompson decided to keep a player who is green as grass but arguably has more potential.
Out-of-Bounds Sports News: Joke-of-the-day headline from fluff local Packers press–Packers win battle for Giacomini.
Fans reactions: Fan Kate wrote–“I’m kind of disappointed we kept Harrell and Bush…neither was beneficial to the team.” Fan Jeff wrote–”Havner was a team player…he should have been kept on the team.” Fans are just excited for the start of the regular season expecting big things from the green and gold this season. “There’s no way the Packers don’t win the division,” said fan Satriano.
09/06/10
Jclombardi commentary about final roster and management.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Sports, its business, & management simply reflect the culture. Football is no different watching its bottom business line, personnel, and management. While reviewing the final roster and its cut, sports writer GB seemed to be the only “right on” reviewer:
The label on GM Thompson has always been that he can build a roster to a certain point, but doesn’t make the moves needed to put the team over the top. “Forever building two years down the road and not for the now” is the label [on] Thompson until he proves otherwise. Thompson is carrying five players that aren’t ready to help the Packers if needed this season because of injury: OG McDonald, TE Quarless, OG Newhouse, DE Wilson and OLB Zombo. Wilson, Zombo and McDonald could be good players with development…on the practice squad. Packers need more effective backup experience and/or talent at DE, OLB, CB and S.
For the record, fans may consider blogger TV’s view: It pained Thompson to part ways with Giacomini and Barbre . In his six drafts, Thompson has brought in twelve offensive linemen, and of the ten drafted before this season, only three remain (Colledge, Spitz, and Sitton).
We find such bold frankness to be refreshing and insightful about the state-of-affairs about the 2010 Packers heading into the regular season. Generally, we agree noting also that the nauseating fluff Packers press and the Packers organization need to learn this fact of life, “If you wait for tomorrow, tomorrow never comes.”
Of course, TT can always visit us in a blue suit to donate a nice locker for posterity and for our amusement. Yes, while waiting for the next flight out of Chicago airport and watching the blonde board a plane for Milwaukee at dusk, a fan was right to echo, “It’s not about the money, is it?”
Meanwhile, with the coming regular season, the Packers team face a tough schedule. They better prepare to ride a consistent offensive machine to win games until the defense can sort out its defensive issues with experience and additions with time.
09/04/10
Jclombardi reviews the cuts to final roster & headlines
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Summary: With the deadline approaching, we are getting the official cuts to determine the Packers 2010 final roster. We will update through the final announcements:
- OT Barbre was released with injury settlement.
- DT Toribio released.
- DE Talley released probably to ps.
- RB Lumpkin released.
- OLB Zombo made team.
- OLB Obiozor released.
- S / RET Blackmon released with injury settlement.
- WR Chery released.
- WR Dillon released.
- TE Havner probably released.
- OL McDonald made team.
- OL Dietrich-Smith cut probably to ps.
- LB Joseph released.
- C Spitz made team.
- DE Wynn cut.
- OT Giacomini cut.
- OL Campbell cut.
- LB Simpkins cut.
- Tentatively, OL list is Clifton, Colledge, Wells, Sitton, Tauscher, Bulaga, Spitz, Lang, McDonald and Newhouse.
- Tentatively, DL list is Pickett, Raji, Jenkins, Neal, Harrell and Wilson.
- Tentatively, Packers appear to be going with 2 QBs, 5 WRs, 10 OL, 4 TEs, 5 RBs, 6 DL, 8 LBs, 10 DBs, and 3 STs.
- P Masthay made team.
- Horror-it-all–DE Harrell & S/CB Bush made team due to poor depth.
- *
Remember, the roster on Saturday might not be the roster on Monday. The Packers will go through NFL waivers for potential players or they may still try trades.
*
Official list: Packers released 20 players including punter Bryan, tackle Campbell, wide receiver Chery, cornerback Clark, center/guard Dietrich-Smith, wide receiver Dillon, linebacker Francois, tackle Giacomini, quarterback Harrell, tight end Havner, linebacker Joseph, safety Levine, running back Lumpkin, linebacker Obiozor, linebacker Simpkins, defensive end Talley, nose tackle Toribio, wide receiver West, wide receiver Williams and defensive end Wynn. Tackle/guard Barbre and safety Blackmon will be placed on injured reserve.
Final Roster:
- QB: Rodgers, Flynn.
- RB: Grant, Jackson.
- FB: Hall, Kuhn, Johnson.
- WR: Jennings, Driver, Jones, Nelson, Swain.
- TE: Finley, Lee, Quarless, Crabtree.
- OL: Clifton, Tauscher, Colledge, Sitton, Wells, Bulaga, Lang, Spitz, McDonald, Newhouse.
- DL: Jenkins, Raji, Pickett, Neal, Harrell, Wilson.
- ILB: Barnett, Hawk, Chillar, Bishop.
- OLB: Matthews, Jones, Poppinga, Zombo.
- CB: Woodson, Williams, Underwood, Bush, Shields, Lee.
- S: Collins, Burnett, Martin, Peprah.
- ST: Crosby, Goode, Masthay.
09/03/10
Jclombardi reviews final Chiefs preseason game.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Summary: Thursday evening, in the final exhibition game, the Packers offense, without QB Rodgers and many starters who didn’t suit up for the final preseason game, struggled getting only one touchdown as the Packers fell to the Chiefs 17-13. Chiefs QBs Cassel and Croyle each led touchdown drives leading the Chiefs past the Packers.
Headlines: Chiefs 17, Packers 13. Several starters sit, offense struggles in loss. McCarthy on roster cuts: Its the worst time of year. Notebook: Flynn Replaces Rodgers. Notebook: Shields gets longer look with Woodson out. Backups get the call in lackluster preseason finale. Last chance for Packers’ bubble players. Trade talk centers on Spitz. Insider: Starters didnt miss much. Packers hardly bother in last exhibition game.
Quick Hits:
2. Swain shines–WR Swain finished the game with six catches for 130 yards including a 77-yarder to set up the Packers’ first touchdown. Also, WR Dillon caught six for 85 yards and WR Williams had five catches for 70 yards.
4. Havner everywhere–LB Havner played TE on offense, LB on defense, and on special teams.
7. Blackmon’s status–McCarthy said, “He’s coming off of a major surgery. If you sat in on the doctor meetings, this all falls in the normal protocol, particularly of a perimeter player, that had a significant injury to his knee. He’s going through a tough spot right now.”
8. Crosby solid–Crosby kicked two 41-yard field goals for the Packers.
09/01/10
Jclombardi previews Chiefs game and headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Basics: Packers (2-1) vs. Chiefs (0-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday at New Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Injury report: Packers–LB Matthews (hamstring), LB Jones (shoulder), DE Jenkins (calf), S Blackmon (knee), LB Bishop (hamstring), CB Underwood (shoulder) and OL Barbre (back) are not expected to play.
Things to Watch
1. Impact rookies–rookies S Burnett, OL Bulaga, DE Neal, OL Newhouse, CB Shields, and TE Quarless need to play extensively to get experience preparing for the real NFL season.
2. Nickel & Dime–rookie CB Shields gets a long look at the No. 1 nickel spot and dime spot with CB Harris out. How will CB Lee play?
3. Priority is Big 5 O–Packers need to establish specific routine series lined up with Driver, Jennings, Jones, Nelson and Finley in multiple formations to get repetitive successes. We will have shootout scenarios in a very tough schedule.
4. Running game–How many carries will RB Grant, RB Jackson, and RB Lumpkin get and how will they fare? Will HB Kuhn get many carries?
5. Special teams–as we get closer to the regular season, Slocum must see how well the new and old personnel can consistently do being in the no. 1 units.
6. OLB help–Despite leading the team in tackles (15) and sacks (two), Zombo still has some work to do. He’ll probably get the start in place of Jones. He will get some rushes vs. Chiefs LT Albert who was one of the leaders in sacks allowed last year. Zombo needs to have a strong performance. How about OLB Obiozor?
7. Punting competition–Does heavily favored P Masthay win the job with booming punts and good hang time?
8. Return game–KR/PR Chery gets his chance to make the roster. It’s as simple as having a big game on special teams. His first punt return in the NFL was a 75-yard touchdown, and his second was a nimble running fair catch in traffic. Chery had some trouble fielding the ball in practice, but if he stays fumble-free and gets some yards, he’ll be in the discussion for the 53.
9. Defensive Frontline: DL Harrell, Toribio, Wynn, Wilson and Talley are probably fighting for two spots. Toribio and Harrell are probably fighting for one spot; meanwhile, Wynn and Talley for the other spot.
Headlines: Preview: Packers vs. Chiefs. Five things to watch against the Chiefs. Notebook: Babies, Backs, Facial Hair. Williams ready to get started. With Bigby injured, Packers face difficulty at safety. Packers may deal backup tackle.
08/31/10
Jclombardi reviews roster moves & camp headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Roster Moves: Packers place Starks, Harris & Bigby on PUP, Porter to IR. Harris, Bigby on PUP to Packers Reach 75 Limit. Packers CB Harris to start season on PUP list, miss first 6 games. In no surprise moves to get to the required 75 roster players, the Packers put S Bigby, CB Harris, and RB Starks on the PUP reserve list meaning they will miss at least the first six weeks of regular season. Meanwhile, they put RB Porter on injured reserve. The final season roster must be cut to 53 by 5 p.m. Saturday. Analysis: ”The Packers’ decision to not add either a free agent or a draft pick in the offseason at cornerback looks downright puzzling right now. Packers may make some sort of deal for CB and/or S, like they did with Martin. Rookie CB Shields was a lock to make the roster meaning the cuts make it so that RB Lumpkin and CB/S Bush have just about locked up spots.”
Camp Headlines & Highlights: Tuesday’s practice: The Roundup. Packers relatively healthy aside from a few notable injuries. No. 1 offense and defense will play one series of Thursday night’s game at the Chiefs. Highlights from today’s practice included a finger tip grab in the endzone by TE Quarless and a S Martin tipped interception off of QB Harrell. Looking back at camp–34 players missed at least one practice in camp because of injuries. The offensive side had few injuries except for OT Clifton. The defensive side of the ball has some injuries, especially to the linebackers. However, LBs Matthews and Jones will be ready for the season opener. CB Harris and S Bigby missed the entire preseason. KR/PR/S Blackmon struggled to come back from a severe surgery. DE Jenkins is still recovering from an injury. Positives: with injuries, rookies S Burnett, CB Shields, LB Zombo, DE Neal, OT Bulaga, & WR/KR/PR Chery got preseason game experiences to hopefully help them make immediate impacts when the real season begins; the punting will be vastly improved with probable pick P Masthay; the offense looked super especially Rodgers & Finley. Finale: TT had an outstanding draft knowing his current veteran players, but OLB and CB depth are still issues. Injury report–Out: P Bryan (birth of child), S Bigby (ankle), S Blackmon (knee), CB Harris (knee), CB Underwood (shoulder), RB Porter (knee), RB Starks (hamstring), LB Matthews (hamstring), LB Bishop (hamstring), OT Clifton (knee), DE Jenkins (calf), OL Barbre (back). LB Jones returned to practice today. Horror-of-it-all: Yes, fans, it looks like DE Harrell will be given another year try along with CB/S Bush.
08/31/10
Jclombardi reviews headlines & camp reports.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Headlines: Packers’ Jones says shoulder not a problem. Notebook: D-Line Needs Harrell. Packers give Chery a chance to return kicks, punts. Barnett rests up for regular season. Notebook: TE/FB needs trimming. Chery earns longer look on punt returns. Insider: QB Harrell shows potential. Defensive line depth unclear beyond first tier. Monday extra point: Colledge is best when the heat is on.
Camp Reports: Monday camp report. Doughertys training camp review.
Camp Highlights: Practice in shells not pads. WR Chery will be KR/PR. LB Jones wearing harness. Crosby hit 6-of-8 field goals missing from 45 and 53 yards. CB Underwood still be evaluated for shoulder injury.
Schedule: Tuesday, the final public practice at 10:15 a.m. in shells.
First roster cuts: Tuesday, they are due at 3 p.m. CST as roster must be cut from 79 to 75 players.
08/30/10
Jclombardi previews roster & talks about OLB depth.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Final Roster Version 1.0:
We preview the possible final roster at the beginning of the 2010 NFL season:
Quarterback: Rodgers, Flynn. Bubble: Harrell. Commentary: as the Packers face tough decisions on this roster, Harrell may be headed to the taxi squad.
Running back: Grant, Jackson, Lumpkin. Bubble: Porter, Starks. Commentary: we see Lumpkin on final roster and maybe Porter on IR and Starks on PUP.
Fullback: Kuhn, Johnson. Bubble: Hall. Commentary: we see Kuhn and Johnson to be solid, but Hall will stay if he has solid special teams worth.
Wide receiver: Jennings, Driver, Jones, Nelson. Bubble: Swain, West, Chery. Commentary: the 5th spot is the big question.
Tight end: Finley, Havner, Quarless. Bubble: Lee, Crabtree. Commentary: How many TEs will the Packers carry?
Offensive line: T Clifton, G Colledge, C Wells, G Sitton, T Tauscher, T/G Bulaga, T/G Lang, Spitz, T/G Newhouse, C/G Dietrich-Smith. Bubble: G Nick McDonald, T Chris Campbell. Commentary: Dietrich-Smith is too good for taxi squad & Spitz is a good backup having trade value.
Defensive line: DE Jenkins, NT Raji, DE/NT Pickett, DE Neal. Bubble: DE Harrell, DE Wynn, DE Wilson, NT Toribio, DE Talley. Commentary: after the first four, the rest look very average making this call to be a tough one. Of course, TT may keep “near bust” Harrell around for another year.
Linebacker: OLB Matthews, ILB Barnett, ILB Hawk, OLB Jones, ILB/OLB Chillar, OLB Poppinga, ILB Bishop, OLB Zombo. Bubble: OLB Obiozor, ILB/OLB Francois. Commentary: OLB Zombo looks like a good one with continued improvement, but they may need to trade for a solid backup.
Cornerback: CB Woodson, CB Williams, CB Harris, CB Shields, CB Underwood. Bubble: Lee, Bush. Commentary: Harris may start the season on PUP list. Shields looks like a raw good CB with continued improvement. Lee appears to have fallen behind Underwood who has a questionable shoulder injury.
Safety: Collins, Burnett, Bigby, Blackmon. Bubble: Martin, Peprah. Commentary: Bigby should start the season on the PUP list. While Blackmon is still recovering from a knee injury, he is too valuable as a KR/PR/S.
Specialists: K Crosby, LS Goode, P Masthay. Bubble: P Bryan. Commentary: Masthay is the frontrunner to be punter.
Taxi squad: Harrell; Levine; Obiozor; Clark; Williams; Campbell.
Commentary: OLB thin. Recently, we reviewed an outstanding Packer Update analysis about our OLB situation [adapted]–Poppinga and Chillar are options behind starters Matthews and Jones. You’d be hard-pressed to find a weaker collection of backups in the league. Zombo is a marginal athlete whose lack of lower body strength and explosiveness will be exposed against quality opposition. He will be a No. 4 or 5 outside linebacker like Poppinga. Poppinga holds his own vs. the run, but he’ll be stymied as a pass rusher and he’ll be abused in coverage.
We agree wondering how we can get an adequate backup beyond developing rookie Zombo and average backup Poppinga. We are fortunate with the rapid progress of our rookies and our free agents where Burnett will start and Neal will have a large role among draft picks and immediate impacts from pool of undrafted players [including Zombo and Shields].
08/29/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers camp reports & headlines (updated).
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Practice schedule: 1. Sun., Aug., 29–10:45 a.m. in full pads. 2. Mon., Aug. 30–10:45 a.m. in full pads. 3. Tue., Aug., 31–10:15 a.m. in helmets. 4. Wed., Sept. 1–No practice. 5. Thu., Sept. 2–Preseason game: Packers at Chiefs, 7 p.m.
Other Key Preseason Dates: 1. Aug. 31–Roster cutdown to maximum of 75 players. 2. Sept. 4–Roster cutdown to maximum of 53 players.
Camp Reports: CB Shields has shot at nickel job. Colledge to start at LG. Masthay continues push for punting job. Sunday practice roundup.
Headlines: Colledge to start at left guard. Packers face decision on Harris. Masthay appears to have a leg up in punting battle. Packers’ Tim Masthay continues strong push for punting job. Zombo could bail out Packers. Notebook: Guard Officially Goes To Colledge. Notebook: Promise On Special Teams. Red-hot Rodgers shows MVP potential. Packers’ hard-working Philbin not flashy. Vandermause column: Defense makes noise against Colts. Packers’ QB Rodgers as reliable as always.
Favre Watch: Favre has up-and-down game, but Vikings win 24-13. Favre has up-and-down home debut as Vikings beat Seattle.
08/28/10
Jclombardi’s Packers headlines & grades bloggers’ reviews.
Headlines: Packers’ QB Rodgers as reliable as always. Packers have tons of tight end talent. Blitz is having hard time getting through Packers’ line. It all starts up front. Notebook: Matthews expects to return to practice next week. No rush to decide between punters Masthay, Bryan. Players delighted to have day off after big win. Shields: Ive got to do more to make team.
Commentary: On this day of international headlines, we present the grades about Packers’ bloggers reviews with their good, bad, & ugly analysis about the Colts game:
Packers Blogger Game Review Grade
1. “Senior Writer” Jclombardi Packers Beat Colts: Game Review. A+
2. ”Who?” GPN What We Learned & Game Highlights. B++.
3. “Old” Ol’ Bag of Donuts 2010 preseason game Indianapolis. B.
4. “Fair Weather” PG Thoughts on Indy preseason game. B.
5. “Lonely” Jersey Al Packers 59 Colts 24 – First Impressions. B-.
6. “On Wisconsin” BC The Bucky Five: Fifty-Nine Points. B-.
7. “Keep It Short” TP Observations From Packers Victory. B-.
8. ”Who Cares?” PC Post Game Impressions: Packers vs. Colts. C.
9. ”Nice!” GBPT Recapping Game 3. C.
10. ”Wally?” DD What Did We Learn From Packers? C.
11. “Mr. Share” APC Packers Preseason Recap. C.
12. ”Mr. Personality” BC Film Review: Vanilla & Neapolitan. C-.
13. “We’re jealous” AN My Ugly Mug. C-.
14. “Teenager” PL Quick Hits: Colts. D.
08/27/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers preseason win against Colts.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Summary: While the Packers’ starting defense struggled early against QB Manning and the Colts, the special teams had two touchdowns to lift the team and the Rodgers’ offense machine led the way to the 59-24 preseason victory. The Packers improved to 2-1 heading into the final preseason finale at the Chiefs.
Highlights: Rodgers, offense dazzle in blowout against Colts. Notebook: Special teams score key plays on Colts. Notebook: LG Goes To Colledge. Zombo turning heads with big plays. Masthay, Burnett, Zombo, Shields solid. Packers’ victory does have dark side. Post game notes: Colts-Packers. Insider: Masthay gains edge with magnificent punt. Packers Recover To Clobber Colts. Packers exhibit firepower.
Injury report: CB Underwood (shoulder), LB Bishop (hamstring), DE Wynn (concussion), and RB Porter (knee sprain).
Quotes:
Game Analysis:
1. Special teams improved–hit and miss with two bad returns; yet, they had two touchdowns including the big punt fumble recovery for a touchdown in the first half that turned the game around leading to the blowout. In the second half, KR Chery had a 75 punt return for a touchdown.
2. Rodgers offense stellar–matching Manning’s early firepower, with solid protection, QB Rodgers offense stayed with the Colts while special teams and big plays turned the game around for a victory. Rodgers completed 21 of 29 passes for 195 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Colts. Rodgers preseason stats are an outstanding 41 of 53 passes for 470 yards, 6 touchdowns, and zero interceptions with almost a perfect passer rating of 154.
3. Defense shaky early–they gave up 17 early first half points against Manning. Early, Capers zone coverage was ineffective with the entire coverage corps getting burnt. As a bright spot, excluding the 48 yard run by RB Addai on the first Colts drive, the 1st team run defense was solid. Another bright spot was an improved rush with some pressure. NT Raji looked solid. LB Zombo got a big play sack against Manning with the forced fumble returned for nearly a touchdown.
4. Nickle cornerback job–no clear winner. CB Underwood played two series, CB Lee played one series, and CB Shields finished out the first half with the No. 1 defense. Shields had an impressive quick-reaction interception in the 4th quarter. CBs Underwood and Lee did little to solve the question about who will be the team’s nickel back on opening day, adding even more concern in the secondary given the troubles starter CB Williams had against all-pro WR Wayne.
5. Rookies performances strong–Rookies S Burnett, LB Zombo and CB Shields solidified themselves as legitimate impact players for the final roster with strong performances. All rookies S Burnett, CB Shields, TE Quarless, LB Zombo, DE Neal, and OT Newhouse had good games with some big plays. Rookie S Burnett made two big plays showing good instincts and great range early in the game for nearly one interception and getting a great read interception to pick off Manning. Free agent rookie OLB Zombo finished with a team-high nine tackles (including five solo stops), big play sack, and forced fumble. DE Neal is a force, but he needs to improve on his techniques beyond power rushing. CB Shields looked good in special teams, struggled in coverage, and got an interception. TE Quarless looked solid with a touchdown catch.
6. Running game fine, but fumbles concern– RB Grant had 8 carries for 36 yards and RB Jackson had 7 carries for 14 yards. RB Lumpkin had 9 carries for 26 yards, 1-yard TD run to cap 90-yard drive in the fourth quarter, and 22-yard catch-and-run on a screen pass on that drive giving him 48 scrimmage yards. Yet, RB Grant fumbled for the second straight game. RB Jackson had a huge fumble in the red zone on a big hit too, after the big play interception by rookie S Burnett set up the offense deep in Colts territory. Troubling issue.
7. Punting competition–P Masthay edged ahead with his huge only 53 yard punt with 5 second hang time that was mishandled for a Packers touchdown. P Bryan averaged only 38.5 yards on his two low punts.
08/26/10
Jclombardi previews Colts game and headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Basics: Packers (1-1) vs. Colts (0-2) tonight at 7 p.m. (Thursday) at Lambeau Field, Green Bay on prime time ESPN.
Injury report: Packers–S Bigby (ankle), CB Harris (knee) and RB Starks (hamstring) are on PUP list. LB Matthews (hamstring) is out. RB Lumpkin (hamstring) and RB Porter (ankle) are doubtful. LB Jones (shoulder), OL Barbre (back) and DE Jenkins (calf) are questionable. LB Hawk (ankle) and LB Joseph (quadriceps) are probable.
Things to Watch
1. Maturing rookies–How improved will rookies S Burnett, OL Bulaga, DE Neal, OL Newhouse, CB Shields, and TE Quarless play in their third preseason game?
2. Nickel & Dime–Underwood, Lee, and Shields compete for the No. 3 cornerback job and dime spots with CB Harris is injured. Colts QB Manning is a good test to distinguish among them for the spots.
3. Priority is Big 5 O–Packers must get routine series lined up with Driver, Jennings, Jones, Nelson and Finley in multiple formations to get repetitive successes. We will have shootout scenarios in a very tough schedule.
4. Running game–how many carries will RB Grant Get? How will RB Jackson Fare? Will HB Kuhn get many carries?
5. Pass Protection–good test for the offensive line and backups including the veteran tackles against an elite team. They go against two top rushing DEs to see how they will measure up getting ready for the new 2010 season.
6. Special teams–as we get closer to the regular season, Slocum must see how the new personnel, Shields and Underwood, do being in the no. 1 units tonight.
7. Defense–after two shaky games, the No. 1 defense must show improvement. This game is a good test for the defense’s abilities. How much can rookie DE Neal help? Will NT Raji provide an inside rush? The defense will play at least a half with some starting players out, we shall see how they stand against elite QB Manning.
8. OLB Help–Packers will see how rookie OLB Zombo can perform tonight. If Jones (shoulder) is held out, Zombo probably will start at right OLB. Even if Jones plays, the Packers plan to play Zombo extensively to see if he can help pass rush.
Headlines: Young Burnett just needs to do the job. Preview: Colts at Packers. Video: Five things to watch against Colts. Packers-Colts Preview: Things to Watch. Lee maintains team spirit. Packers’ defensive line finds its Jolly-less form. Vandermause: Training camp evolves to keep players healthy.
08/25/10
Jclombardi reviews camp reports & headlines.
News & reports: Tuesday training camp report. No decision yet on starting Bulaga. Packers’ Bush to have lesser role against Colts. Notebook: RB Starks Can’t Get Healthy. Notebook: LB Chillar gives Packers flexiblity. CB Shields Gets Shot In Nickel Package. Insider: Harrell shows flash of dominance. CB Harris may not be ready for season opener. Barbre, Giacomini may be at the end of the line.
Practice Highlights: Rookie CB Shields promoted to nickel back and special teams, as CB Underwood and CB Lee struggle with performances. LB Chillar is definitely back at ILB especially in base and nickel defenses, but he is 4th OLB. OLB Zombo will probably start with OLB Jones to be a long shot for the Colts game. DE Harrell looked strong in practice. OL Bulaga returned to practice. DE Neal replacing an injured DE Jenkins. Improved rookie OT Newhouse may make team with Barbre, Giacomini may be gone. FB Kuhn will probably get a lot of work as a RB during the Colts preseason game. FB Johnson looked sharp stopping blitzers in practice. K Crosby’s hit 6 of 7 adding to his outstanding 27 of 30 successes in field goals.
08/24/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers camp reports & headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
News & reports: Packers linebackers do practice shuffle–Coaches look for right mix among Chillar, Hawk, Bishop, Zombo. Injury forces Bulaga to take practice break. Notebook: Bulaga, Cullen leave practice. Insider: Prospects not looking good for Bush. Packers linebackers do the practice shuffle. Bulaga Exits Practice With Hip Flexor Strain.
Practice Highlights: Rookie CB Shields & CB Underwood replace CB Bush and TE Lee on special teams. LB Chillar is back at ILB especially in base and nickel defenses. OLB Zombo has a bigger role. OLB Jones may play in Colts game. OLB Matthews hopes to play in final preseason Chiefs game. DE Harrell returned to practice. ILB Hawk worked only with scout team. Departures–OL Bulaga has hip flexor strain and DE Cullen has hip calf strain.
Injury report: Missing practice were OL Barbre (back strain), RB Starks, RB Lumpkin (hamstring), RB Porter (ankle), LB Joseph (thigh), LB Matthews (hamstring), LB Jones (shoulder), CB Harris (knee), and S Bigby (ankle).
08/23/10
Jclombardi’s Packers headlines & grades of bloggers’ reviews of Seahawks game.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Headlines: Monday extra point: Which Packers positions cause concerns? Packers need more from backup cornerbacks. Hopes Still High For Struggling Special Teams. Spitz could be auditioning for other teams. Packers’ running game tough to judge. Woodsons absence exposes secondary in preseason. Determined Crabtree making his mark. Simpkins keeps living the dream.
Commentary: On this Monday afternoon, we present good bloggers reviews with their good, bad, & ugly analysis about the Seahawks game (with our grades about them):
1. “Lonely” Jersey Al has his first impressions of the game. B.
2. ”Mr. Personality” BC’s Blue, Red & Cow Chips column. C-.
3. “Teenager” Ol’ Bag of Donuts Questions and answers from the game. B-.
4. ”Who?” GPN says what we Learned from the game. B+.
5. “On Wisconsin” Bucky Channel says Finley’s Gonna Get Paid. B.
6. “Who am I?” Packer Update Review: Green Bay at Seattle. B.
7. “Anti-Favre” TP says No Need To Panic About Defense Yet. C.
8. “We’re jealous” CHTV’s How To Stop Worrying & Love the Defense. C-.
*
Favre watch: Four whole plays for Favre. Top 10 Favre justifications for his comebacks. Colbert On Favre.
*
08/22/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers preseason victory over Seahawks.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Summary: Packers QB Rodgers completed 8-of-11 passing for 116 yards and two touchdowns in an easy quarter, but the Packers had to rally on RB Jackson’s touchdown for a 27-24 preseason victory over the Seahawks.
Highlights: Breaking down Packers-Seahawks game. Rodgers, offense stay hot while defensive lapses continue vs. Seattle. Rodgers Sharp; Packers Rally Past Seahawks. Thin defense has trouble with Seattle. Rodgers sparks Packers to win. Insider: Finley becoming go-to threat. Injuries cloud Packers’ progress check at linebacker. Notebook: Top linebackers held out of Seahawks game. Offense scores TDs on two long drives.
Quick hits:
1. No. 1 offense and QB Rodgers sharp–with great protection, QB Rodgers completed 8 of 11 for 116 yards and two touchdowns. In his two games, Rodgers has 20-of-24 for 275 yards and three scores with an outstanding passer rating of 154.0.
2. Solid running game–Packers rushed for 174 yards. RB Jackson looked solid having 11 carries for 80 yards and 1 touchdown and averaging 7.4 yards. FB Kuhn had six carries for 30 yards averaging 5 yards.
3. Backup LBs get experience–without key starting LBs Matthews, Barnett, Hawk, and Jones who were held out of the game, the Packers started backup LBs Poppinga, Bishop, Francois and Chillar. Backup LB Havner had a key interception late in the game.
4. Defensive lapses continue–Seattle veteran QB Hasselbeck completed 11 of 15 passes for 127 yards with one touchdown in the first half against a thin defense. Facing little pass rush, Hasselbeck had plenty of time and success picking apart the entire secondary for two touchdown drives out of 5 possessions in the first half.
5. Special teams up and down–Slocum’s units looked awful with penalties, mediocre returns, and bad punts. Packers kickoff return coverage allowed 5 returns for 152 yards for a good 30.4-yard average including KR Wilson’s 54-yard return immediately after Packers’ first touchdown. KR Blackmon made his season debut returning a punt for 12 yards. RB Jackson showed great effort on a 32-yard kickoff return setting a go-ahead field goal in the first half. K Crosby connected on two field goals of 34 and 51 yards.
6. Good players–QB Rodgers, RB Jackson, FB Kuhn, LB Havner, TE Finley, WR Jennings, OL Bulaga.
7. Improving players–FB Johnson is a solid bull blocker and caught one of two passes! LB Zombo has pass rushing skills getting a sack, but he needs to improve on the edge.
8.Struggling (bad) players–CB Underwood and CB Lee struggled throughout the game. Undrafted rookie CB Shields had an up and down game losing a fumble, getting one interception, and having a big hit on special teams. Backup QB Flynn looked only marginally better in this game.
9. Ugly players–CB Bush (shocking!) had a rough game. Backup RT Giacomini had a really bad game in pass protection and a costly penalty at the end of the first half. Backup LT Barbre is just awful.
08/21/10
Jclombardi previews Seahawks preseason game.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Basics: Packers (0-1) vs. Seahawks (1-0) at Qwest Field in Seattle on Saturday at 9 p.m. You can watch on the NFL Network.
Things to Watch:
1. Defense–No. 1 defense looked shaky in pass defense last week against the Browns. This will be a severe test of the defensive line’s ability to stay on its feet. The Seahawks’ offensive line coach Gibbs is the architect of the zone blocking system. It will be a good test for a defensive line trying to dominate in the run game.
3. Key rookies–How well will rookies S Burnett, OL Bulaga, DE Neal, OL Newhouse, RB Porter, and TE Quarless play in their second game, especially S Burnett, who had an ok or up-and-down first game? The rookies must improve in their second game.
4. 3rd receiver–How goes the competition between WRs Jones and Nelson for 3rd receiver?
5. 1st Priority–Big 5 O–Packers need to line up Driver, Jennings, Jones, Nelson and Finley in a variety of spots on the field so defenses can’t predict what will come from specific formations.
8. KR Blackmon returns–Blackmon returned to practice this week and looked good returning kickoffs and punts. Can he answer the bell tonight, and will his knee withstand the rigors of all that cutting and stress?
9. Running game–how well RB Grant, RB Jackson, and rookie RB Porter do to get a decent running game going in the game?
08/20/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers camp reports & headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Practice Reports: Thursday training camp report. Insider: Defense shows nose for takeaways. Thursday’s Packers training camp report. Packers Thursday morning practice roundup. Packers training camp practice, Thursday evening. Photos: Packers training camp practice, Thursday morning.
Practice Highlights: K Crosby shines. Play of the day–DE Raji’s interception.
Headlines: Several Packers receivers to rotate at productive slot position. Bigby may be out up to 8 weeks. Packers punting changes get off on right foot. Notebook: Avoiding interceptions a mindset. Raji solid, not spectacular, but Packers pleased with progress at nose tackle. Packers training 1st round pick Bulaga at guard & tackle. Packers safety Bigby might miss 4 to 8 weeks after ankle surgery.
Schedule: No public practice Friday. The next open (shells) practice is at 6:30 p.m. Monday.
08/19/10
Jclombardi reviews the “Great Big Favre Finale”?
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Favre Practices at Vikings
Favre Headlines: Favre practices with Vikings. Favre decides to give it one last try. Can Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre do it again? A great big Favre finale? Vikings quarterback Favre coming back for 2nd season with team. Packers defense planned on Favre as Vikings QB. Vikings quarterback Favre back in Minnesota. Desperate Vikings did what they had to do to get Favre back. He's baaaaack.
Commentary: Awesome. Brilliant. Theater at its best.
08/17/10
Jclombardi’s breaking news about Favre’s return–updated.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
ESPN's Nichols On Favre’s Return
08/16/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers camp reports & headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Practice Reports: Monday’s Packers training camp report. Monday’s Packers training camp report. Insider: Kuhn proves he’s likely to make roster. McCarthy frustrated with early goings of Monday practice.
Practice Highlights: No. 1 offense looked good. FB Kuhn & LB Zombo shine.
Headlines: Offensive line off to a good start. McCarthy–No deadline picking between Colledge, Bulaga. Back-up running game on less-than-sure footing. Concussion slows Grant. Head injury for Packers Grant sets NFL concussion rules in play. Packers RB Grant recovering from blow to head. Tough as heck LB Zombo works through pain of sprain. QB Rodgers not among Packers’ preseason issues. Monday extra point: Packers look good, bad and ugly.
Practice schedule: Tuesday, practice in shells at 8:45 a.m. & in pads at 6:30 p.m..
08/15/10
Jclombardi reviews the first preseason game loss.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Summary: QB Rodgers and no. 1 offense sharp, defense flops, and Browns beat Packers on two late field goals 27-24.
Quick Hits: Early first game jitters. Deja vu–old defensive issue of coverage and pass rush against (pedestrian) veteran quarterbacks. QB Rodgers, WR Jennings, WR Jones, TE Finley, RB Lumpkin, and CB Underwood had good games. Reserves LB Bishop, LB Havner, and RB Jackson looked solid in the game. While they have a lot to learn, rookies S Burnett, OL Bulaga, OL Newhouse, DE Neal, and TE Quarless looked good for their first game. Special teams and defense have plenty to work on in practice in the coming week after pedestrian showings.
Headlines: Browns 27, Packers 24. Defensively challenged start for Packers. Packers fall to Cleveland Browns, 27-24. How they scored. Browns Prevail On Last-Play FG. Photos: Packers-Browns preseason game.
Analysis: Offense shines, defense flops in preseason loss to Browns. QBs under the gun in preseason debuts. Packers' defense right where it left off. Insider: Jennings thrives with Finley in arsenal. Packers' Grant hit in head, helped off. Notebook: Special teams a struggle. Special teams have ups and downs. Notebook: Grant's Forgettable Night.
Old Defensive Issue:
Commentary: No surprise. It's early game jitters and sloppy preseason football, but they still have old offensive and defensive issues to be dealt with before the 1st official game of 2010 NFL season.
Next preseason game: Saturday at Seattle Seahawks .
Practice Schedule: Monday, 2 p.m. full pads.
08/14/10
Jclombardi reviews ESPN's visit to Packers training camp.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Espn observations at Packers training camp:
Coach McCarthy Interview
08/14/10
Jclombardi previews Browns preseason game.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Preseason game: Packers (0-0) vs. Browns (0-0) in our first exhibition game of 2010 NFL season at 7 p.m. Saturday at Lambeau Field.
Things to Watch:
ROOKIE S BURNETT’S 1ST TEST: Morgan Burnett, a third-round pick (No. 71 overall), will start on the strong side and probably play a lot.
ROOKIE OL BULAGA–First-round draft pick Bulaga is supposed to spend 2010 backing up Clifton at left tackle. Now he’s challenging Colledge for the starting job at left guard.
ROOKIE GEM–How will impressive rookie CB Shields play?
QUARTERBACK PLAY–RODGERS & FLYNN: Rodgers will play a series or two. Then Flynn will finish out the half and start the second. The Browns will startCoach Jake Delhomme and let him play a quarter.
DOUBLE DUTY–TE/LB HAVNER: Linebacker Havner may wind up playing on both sides of the ball. He’ll definitely play in the middle on defense.
PUNTERS–1ST ROUND: First official game in which Masthay and Bryan will punt against one another. Coaches are eager to see how they perform in a live situation.
PROFILES: Burnett filling in nicely for Packers. Change makes difference for Packers’ Jackson. Safety Collins stays hungry despite big contract.
08/13/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers camp reports & headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Practice Reports: It felt like 118 degrees on practice field Thursday. Thursday training camp report. Thursday training camp report.
Practice Highlights: Practice in heat and shells. Rookie CB Shields shines.
Headlines: Insider: QB Harrell shows signs of clicking. Notebook: Havner switches to defensive mode. Packers to expand role of Jenkins. Notebook: Shields Delivers Again. Packers tolerate TE Finley’s candid delivery. Shields a surprise at camp. Packers fan’s wish comes true. Finally healthy, Giacomini ready to show skills.
Practice report: Friday, Packers have meetings to prepare for the Saturday exhibition game against the Browns at 7 p.m.
Favre watch: Jared Allen wants an answer from Favre.
08/11/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers camp reports & headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Practice Reports: Tuesday training camp report. Tuesday’s Packers training camp report. Photos: Tuesday nights training camp practice.
Practice Highlights: Thumbs Up–rookie DE Wilson and DE Wynn. Thumbs Down–”near bust” DE Harrell.
Headlines: Notebook: Driver to earn combined $9.6M in 2011, 2012 . How NFL coaches grade rookie safeties. Insider: Wilson has big day after mostly quiet camp. Brad Jones returns to Packers linebacker spot. Packers confident Flynn has what it takes. Packers WR Nelson comfortable outside spotlight. Notebook: Three Competing at OLB. Williams aspires to be all-around guy as starter. Special Teams.
Practice schedule: Wednesday is their usual day off from practice.
08/10/10
Jclombardi reviews Family Night Scrimmage & Headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Practice Highlights: Monday training camp report. Monday’s training camp report.
Headlines: Hamstring pull could cost Clay Matthews preseason. Bulaga taking reps at left guard. Packers to lose Matthews for two weeks. Nelson competing for Packers’ No. 3 WR spot. Notebook: Blackmon taking it slow in return from ACL surgery. Packers Sam Shields–The Florida Flash. Insider: Nelson resumes impressive camp. Matthews handles hamstring injury with care. Bulaga gets look at left guard. Notebook: Hammy Whammy For CM3. Star tight end tops Packers’ scrimmage hit list. Bulaga excited about chance to play left guard.
08/09/10
Jclombardi presents a nice Family Night Scrimmage video.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
08/08/10
Jclombardi reviews Family Night Scrimmage & Headlines (Updated).
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Summary: Packers held their Family Night scrimmage on Saturday night. The stars for the evening included QB Rodgers, TE Finley, LB Hawk, RB Jackson, rookie CB Shields, LB Jones, LB Bishop, DT Raji, DE Jenkins, and K Crosby. You can review individual player's rankings in a point system scrimmage breakdown.
Practice Notes: RB Jackson returned a kickoff for a touchdown. CB Shields had sensational 98-yard interception TD return. Fans might be calling for playmaking LB Bishop to take over LB Hawk's starting spot, but LB Hawk had something to say about that in Saturday night’s Family Night Scrimmage. LB Hawk was outstanding in limited snaps with a sack, tackle for no gain and a tackle for a loss.
The No. 1 defense had a big night. Packers’ No. 1 offense produced only the one touchdown in three tries. TE Finley continued to excel with four catches for 55 yards. TE Finley’s touchdown catch came on the second of its two series against the No. 2 defense, and when it faced the starting defense in two-minute, it moved into scoring position but couldn’t put the ball in the end zone after having a second-and-1 at the 5. T Tauscher had trouble on at least two occasions as rookie DE Neal showed his strength by shoving Tauscher into the backfield to break up a 3rd-and-1 run and OLB Jones shoved Tauscher back nearly into Rodgers on one rush. QB Rodgers continued to be sharp (9 of 14, 127 yards, one TD), but his backups struggled again--Flynn and Harrell.
From Mason Crosby to the punters to Brandon Jackson, special teams coach Slocum's units impressed during Saturday's Family Night Scrimmage. Kicker Crosby made seven of his eight field-goal attempts, connecting from 26, 31, 36, 41, 47, 51 and 53 yards out with his lone miss from 44 yards. On five punts, P Bryan averaged 50.4 yards and 4.54 seconds of hang time while P Masthay averaged 47.2 yards and 4.42 seconds of hang time. CB Underwood and CB Shields had standout performances at Saturday's Family NIght scrimmage. Their strong play is a promising development for a team with questions in the defensive backfield.
08/07/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers headlines & training camp reports.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Training camp reports: Friday training camp report. Insider: Blocking ability gives TE Crabtree edge. Friday’s Packers training camp report. Photo gallery from Fridays training camp practice.
Training camp notes: Blackmon’s balky knee a concern for return game. Breaking down the punting numbers so far: P Masthay has 34 punts, 48.82-yard average, 4.41 seconds of average hang time and P Bryan has 36 punts, 47.14-yard average, 4.22 seconds of average hang time. Tough call.
Focus on players: Driver’s Next Stop: Packers Hall. ‘Relentless’ Porter standing out at camp. Extension gives Driver opportunity to finish career as Packer. Insider: Blocking ability gives TE Crabtree edge. Rookie Neal draws heavy workload early in camp. Packers extend WR Driver’s contract. Notebook: Knee pain hampers Blackmon. WR Driver signs extension. Matthew talks expectations, lineback shuffle.
Practice schedule: Today, at 6:30 p.m., the Packers conduct their family night intra-squad scrimmage. Fans who are looking for more live tackling drills and were hoping Saturday’s Family Night Scrimmage would deliver will be sorely disappointed. While McCarthy said there will be some tackling, he strongly hinted that it will not be much. The coach doesn’t want to lose any players to injuries.
Sunday, the Packers have the day off. Monday, the Packers return to practice in pads at 2 p.m.
08/06/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers headlines & training camp reports.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Training camp reports: Morning roundup: Veterans get to skip practice. Thursday training camp report. Photos: Thursday morning training camp practice. Insider: Chillar looks good, but punters don’t. Notebook: LBs keep moving, even with Jones back. Notebook: LBs keep moving, even with Jones back. Evening notes: Blackmon departs early. Photos: Thursday evening training camp practice. Thursday’s Packers training camp report.
Training camp notes: Underwood and Lee are waging a spirited battle for the nickel job. Matthews hasn’t been close to a dominant performer. Jones was back practicing but with the No. 2s as Chillar worked exclusively with the starters at ROLB. Rookie safety Burnett showed great coverage skills, almost had one INT, & reeled in a pass that deflected off Driver. This guy is a stud. Quarless’ gain may be Lee’s loss–TE Quarless could be the next Finley. He’s an athletic tight end with above average receiving skills and blocking ability.
Focus on players: Bishop still mulling extension. Safety Battle Over Before It Starts. Packers S Bigby to have ankle surgery. Packers’ secondary takes hit as Bigby will have ankle surgery. Tauscher, Clifton show they still can play. Bigbys offseason further unravels with ankle surgery. Finley wants to catch more; coaches want TE to keep blocking. Colledge in fine position. Packers shuffle LBs as Jones return to practice.
Practice schedule: Today, Packers practice in pads at 2 p.m. Saturday night at 6:30 p.m., the Packers conduct their family night intra-squad scrimmage. Sunday, the Packers have the day off. Monday, the Packers return to practice in pads at 2 p.m.
08/05/10
Jclombardi: Favre & subculture of women preying on heroes.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Legendary NFL QB Favre is now associated with hearsay stories of infidelity similar to the stories about the disgraced golfer Tiger Woods. The latest news in the legendary QB Favre NFL primetime story got an AC, SC, & AL ratings with the Deadspin story--"Favre Once Sent Me C... Shots: Not A Love Story" about the Versus' reporter Sterger. She claimed that Favre had "phone-donged" her. "Phone-donging” is a colloquialism about individuals who send pictures of a person’s penis through cell phone text messages. Generally, this type of inside sports story is a yawner to an expert analyst of the sports culture and the subculture of women who prey on sports athletes. Meanwhile, Sterger "shockingly" claimed:
She gets those types of cell phone interactions by drunk men including professional athletes. One person who was very into cell phone-donging her was Favre. Now, at one point in his career, this news wouldn’t be too surprising. Favre’s time in Green Bay is littered with stories about his boozing and carousing. But gray-haired Favre? Oh yeah, she said. There's no real evidence that Favre's been horndoggin' it throughout the latter part of his NFL career. Maybe he was just lonely while he spent time in New York and sought some companionship with Sterger who does resemble his wife.
Of course this is simply high sports society gossip at its worst reminding us of Deadspin's similar story about the catered sexual habits of pro athletes. Who cares? It is just another story detailing the usually hidden high life world about money and sex behind the scenes in the sports business. Gee, we wondered how "virgin" Sterger humped (pardon the pun) her way to her current sports Versus' job? Hmmm, we enclose an amusing bio hint from the Deadspin story itself:
Sterger is a formerly buxom Florida State Cowgirl who gained internet notoriety for being a buxom Florida State fan who parlayed that popularity into a full-time career. She did Maxim shoots. Playboy shoots. She wrote a "Confessions of a Cowgirl" column for Sports Illustrated. Then, in 2008, Sterger joined the Jets as an in-house sideline reporter.
Commentary: Yawn! While this is inside sports reporting at its worst, the jokes about it reached new lows in twitter with anti-Favre blogs, e.g. "Who Wants To See Favre's C...?" We end this self-serving nonsense ratings story with an amusing scene from the Steinfeld television series:
08/04/10
Pretty sad if it's true. Deanna can't be happy about this one.
From Deadspin: "Sterger received a picture on her phone which was so shocking that she just tossed it across the room." Keep reading...
08/04/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers headlines & training camp reports.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Training camp reports: Tuesday training camp report. Notebook: Fights Highlight Practice. Tuesday's Packers training camp report. Highlights: As Colledge sat out, Spitz started at LG. With Al Harris out indefinitely, Underwood played 3rd cornerback in the nickel defense. Retired GM Wolf watched night practice. P Masthay averaged 55.8 yards and 4.65 seconds of hang time on four punts including one touchback. Crosby made all six field goal attempts ranging from 28 to 45 yards. The highlight fight of the night got McCarthy bellowing, "Shut the (expletive) up. Get over here. We've got work to do." “Spirited practice, I’d agree with that,” coach McCarthy said.
Players focus: Linebackers getting close look. Insider: Nelson puts on show at practice. Colledge as starting left guard, but competition not over yet. Packers linebacker shuffle uses Chillar as outside pass rusher, gets Bishop on field. Packers Flynn, Harrell draw concern about backup quarterback slot. Packers defense expects progress under 2nd-year coordinator Capers. Packers receiver Nelson continues push for No. 3 spot.
Injury report: Players missing practice included WR Moturi (sprained knee), WR Jennings (personal leave), T Newhouse (concussion), G Colledge (hyperextended elbow), DE Harrell (heat fatigue) and LB Jones (back).
Practice schedule: No practice Wednesday. They have meetings. They have some walk-through work. Thursday, practices at 8:45 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. in pads.
Jolly gets plea deal: Jolly's agreement with Houston prosecutors may keep him out of jail and set up his return to the NFL, if he complies with the terms of the deal for a year.
Favre watch: OMG! Favre Quits Again...Maybe. Brett Favre offered more money--Vikings reportedly are ready to increase Favre's salary to get him to hold off on retirement. Sources told the Star Tribune that the Vikings have offered to increase Favre's salary to pay Favre $20 million total for the 2010 season. NFL Network analyst Mariucci said Tuesday that the quarterback hasn't made up his mind on whether to retire or not. "He hasn't told anybody officially, 'I'm done,' " Mariucci said on "NFL Total Access" on the NFL Network. Update: Favre says he'll play if he's healthy. Favre will play this season if healthy, Vikings assistant Bevell, agent Cook say.
08/03/10
Jclombardi talks about the ”End of an Era: Favre Retiring?”
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Favre Watch–It’s Over?: Watching the afternoon sports news, fans saw the bold ESPN and AP headlines: “The Final Goodbye? and ”The Final Farewell?” The news reports stated “Teammate: Favre texted players saying he’s done“, ”Favre’s ready to retire“, and “The Favre saga continues, but coming to an end.” Sources claimed that he had sent emails to his teammates that he is done. After these stories about Favre telling Vikings he won’t play in 2010, ESPN and NFL network began special reports talking about his legendary gunslinger NFL career and ironman legacy.
Classic gunslinger is gone?: Realizing the inevitably of time and age, we understood that human mortality had finally taken its toll on the ageless grey gunslinger. Favre was so long a Sunday afternoon fixture during our NFL games. We could not look forward to more Sunday afternoons watching the legendary Favre play in that horrible purple uniform and playing one more time on a timeless autumn day in the holy stadium. Something great had been lost in the eternal silence of this dog day afternoon summer day in America. The ironman Favre was gone, maybe forever forever? Really?
Skeptical Packers, NFL players & fans reacted with stunned disbelief: Players on Favre retirement: We’ll believe it when we see it. RB Grant: “Get out of here,” Grant said, laughing when told that the reports were, at least for now, true. Really?” LB Matthews: “There’s no doubt about it, if you look at last year’s game, we were able to shut down the run, but unfortunately, Brett Favre got the best of us. He’s an outstanding quarterback. He’s proven that for 20 years now. He’s an outstanding player.” Cowboy QB Romo, who grew up in Wisconsin as a Favre fan, said he was surprised the veteran might hang it up after playing so well last season: “If it is (true), then we were lucky enough to watch an unbelievable talent and great guy.” The Vikings genuinely love the guy and wanted him back. Vikings guard Hutchinson: “I lost to him six straight times. So, right away there was respect in our locker room for who he is and what kind of player he is. Everybody on our team knows how much he means to it.” Packers fans can’t believe Favre won’t return to Minnesota Vikings.
Twitter, Facebook, ESPN, and CBS doubts: sports commentators expressed their doubts expecting Favre to return for his 20th season. By evening, ESPN ran the “Believe it or Not” headline. Writer Florio of profootball.com said, “He’ll be in the Superdome on the evening of September 9, when the Vikings face the Saints to start the 2010 season. He’ll be there. He’ll be in uniform. He’ll play.” CBS: “Favre future ‘fluid;’ retirement reports may be premature.” DON’T Believe Favre Retirement HYPE!
The Future, either way: By the distant haunting voices in the wind blowing through the trees, we were reminded that time heals all wounds. Someday, on future autumn days under golden suns, the Packers fans can look forward to three things: the retirement of number 4; the lifting of the Favre banner among the Packers legendary names in the holy stadium; and Favre’s entrance into the NFL Hall of Fame.
08/02/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers headlines & training camp reports.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Training camp reports: Day 3, practice No. 4 – The Roundup. Monday's Packers training camp report. Practice Notes: Packers change it up at linebacker but for how long? Packers' defense has a strong day, offense misses opportunities. Monday training camp report.
Long overdue defensive idea: A 'Chill' in the air? Packers defensive line shuffle puts Chillar at outside linebacker, gets Desmond Bishop in the game. Package Solves Three Issues-- It's a win-win-win with the Packers' new nickel alignment, Brandon Chillar bolsters the depth at outside linebacker, Matthews gets added flexibility to exploit matchups, and Bishop finally gets a chance to play defense.
Day one of Packers training camp:
Focus on Players: Crosby not a concern, yet. Bishop: Waiting on his world to change. Barnett hates treatment, likes how he’s playing. Packers' offensive lineman Spitz hopeful for future following recuperation. Woodson starts quickly in training camp. Packers' Driver cleans up some issues.
Focus on Players 2--Harrell, not again: McCarthy expects DE Justin Harrell to contribute. Harrell departs early from practice.
Alumni updates: Starr, Brown, Beebe.
Practice schedule: On Tuesday, Packers practice twice--in shells at 8:45 a.m. & in full pads at 6:30 p.m.
08/02/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers headlines & training camp reports.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Training camp reports: Training Camp Day 2 (morning session)–The Roundup. Sunday morning training camp day 2 practice summary. Training Camp Photo Gallery. Training Camp Photo Gallery. Sunday training camp report. Evening Training Camp Report. Photos: Sunday night training camp practice.
Focus on Players: Bishop is a man on a mission. Barnett, Pickett and Poppinga talk season goals. Harris Has No Doubts He’ll Be Ready. Packers players & coaches believe Super season within grasp. Blackmon’s comeback on schedule. Insider: Thumbs up to Neal, down to Crosby.
Defense: Vandermause on Packers defense. Vandermause: Title hopes ride on defense. Defense enjoys good morning practice. Packers call on Pickett, others to replace Jolly.
07/31/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers headlines & blogger news.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
PACKERS: KEY OFF-SEASON DATES:
- July 31--Training camp, first practice; schedule
- Aug. 7--Packers Family Night scrimmage
- Aug. 31--Roster cutdown to maximum of 75 players
- Sept. 4--Roster cutdown to maximum of 53 players
PACKERS: EXHIBITION SEASON
- Aug. 14: Browns at Packers, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 21: Packers at Seahawks, 9 p.m.
- Aug. 26: Colts at Packers, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 2: Packers at Chiefs, 7 p.m.
Bigby, Harris & Starks on PUP: Cornerback Harris (knee), strong safety Bigby (ankle), and rookie RB Starks (nagging hamstring injury) failed their physicals and were put on the reserve, physically unable to perform list. They are eligible to come off when deemed healthy. Packers optimistic cornerback Al Harris will be healthy for regular season. Harris says, "He's ahead of schedule and should be ready by preseason game 3." We shall see, but for now, CB Williams and rookie S Burnett have opportunities to play since the team will be counting on them in 2010 season.
McCarthy Press Conference: Harris is ahead of schedule, but not sure about Week 1 though. Burnett replacing Bigby for now. Havner is full go. Lang will have brace on wrist but full participant. Can they rush passer? Yes mentioning Barnett and Jenkins as strong options. Bulaga only a left tackle and Lang only right side. McCarthy thinks Super Bowl within reach.
Packers by Position: Linebackers--Packers are bidding to join the Steelers, Jets and Cowboys among top linebacker groups employing the 3-4. Green Bay must find other ways to generate heat off the edge besides just Matthews. Capers is hopeful Barnett, Chillar, and Bishop can raise havoc in fire-zone packages. We agree with this hope considering their talents.
Remembering LB Nitschke: APC nominated legendary Packers MLB Ray Nitschke to the SBN Wisconsin Hall of Fame. If our linebackers can play like this great Lombardi legend, who needs to worry about our 2010 season as no power on earth will stop them:
Packers Legendary All-pro MLB Ray Nitschke
Things to Watch at training Camp: Rush passer better; Rodgers must stay on the field; Woodson must continue playing at an elite level; Special teams must improve in every way; and Raji must become a player. We will need an inside rush to improve the pass rush.
Questions to Watch at training Camp: Packer Update asks: Who’ll be the No. 3 wide receiver?; What happens if Grant gets hurt?; Will Raji play like a 9th overall pick?; Will the special teams be better?; Can Harris return and be effective?; Is there a legitimate punter on the roster?; Can Underwood and Lee step up?; Will the offensive line get off to a faster start?; Will the pash rush be good enough?; and Can the Packers win without Rodgers for an extended period?
Training camp trivia: Tips for enjoying Green Bay Packers training camp. Packers open training camp with off-field events.
07/30/10
Jclombardi reports rookie 1st round choice OT Bulaga signed.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
07/29/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers and bloggers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Shareholders meetings: Packers talk development during shareholders meeting. Packers’ expansion plans get mixed reception from shareholders–28 acres close to Lambeau Field to eventually develop an entertainment and sports district aimed at producing revenue and attracting tourists. “Infrastructure, not weather, biggest obstacle for Lambeau Super Bowl says Goodell.” Lack of hotels a concern for Green Bay Super Bowl.
Hot Air Threatens To Suffocate Golden Goose: Scout says, “Commissioner Goodell came to Green Bay for the shareholders meeting on Thursday equipped with nothing more than a bunch of sound bites and empty words. At this rate, the billionaire owners and millionaire layers are going to ruin the game.”
Bulaga signing near: Packers & Bulaga close to agreement; Packers have about $1.2 million of rookie cap space to sign Bulaga.
Packers wear advertising patch: Packers’ practice jerseys to feature advertising patch.
Packers by position: Special teams–vast improvement needed. DBs–Looking for youth to be served. Packers cornerbacks Underwood and Lee may be asked to step up. Packers have great expectations for second-year outside linebacker Matthews. Defensive linemen.
Training camp questions: When DB Harris return and be an impact player? Meanwhile, can DBs Lee, Blackmon, and Underwood improve to strengthen the secondary. Whether Obiozor or Francois will be able to help at OLB? Can an impressive rookie S Burnett replace SS Bigby? Who will anchor the LG position–Colledge or Spitz? Who will be the no. 3 receiver–Jones or Nelson? Can the Packers get a good punter? How many fullbacks (Kuhn, Hall & Johnson) and tight ends (Finley, Havner, Quarless & Lee) will the Packers carry? How about rookie RB Starks? For more detailed previews and questions about the Packers training camp that begins Saturday, see Packer update or OBD part 1, part 2, and part 3 or Midwest Sports Fan.
Cause for optimism: Pocket Doppler likes the Packers 2010 season chances for big things.
FamilyNight Scrimmage: Spotlight on family night scrimmage.
Roster analysis: Fox Sports’ unit by unit analysis. Good training camp preview.
Favre watch: Butler feels sorry for Favre.
Season preview: Packers team should be a Super Bowl contender. If the offensive line holds, they should have one of the top offenses in the league. And if Capers can tinker a little bit in his second season, and if the special teams can even be mediocre, the Packers should go head-to-head with the Vikings for the NFC North title. The Packers must go 6-0, 5-1 against a softy early schedule.
07/27/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers and bloggers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Bigby signs tender: Packers’ safety Atari Bigby signs restricted free agent contract and will report to Packers’ training camp.
Packers by position: Uphill battle for Packers’ injury prone DE Harrell, but four defensive linemen are locks to make it: Pickett, Raji, Jenkins and second-round draft pick Neal. DL: The more you can do. LBs: As good as advertised? Running back Grant on prowl for more big runs. Hopefully, Grant, Starks, Jackson, Johnson, and Kuhn or Hall on the final roster. Offensive line: Coaches confident unit can improve.
Shareholders meeting: Thursday, Packers’ shareholders gather at Lambeau Field to hear from Packers’ management and coaches. Also, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will speak to them.
Training camp preview: Popular Super Bowl pick–one of the league’s deepest rosters. Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports have tabbed Green Bay as early favorites to win the NFC. End of road for Driver? Year two of Capers’ 3-4 scheme–system was a success in year one. With 2009 first-round picks B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews entering their second years, it’s scary to think how good the unit will be in 2010.
Favre watch: Brett Favre was ‘done’ in January, but now he waits. Brett Favre Watch 2010: Track the QB’s path back to Vikings. Favre jokes about playing ’til he’s 50, but TP is not amused about it.
Qs & As with LB Obiozor: GBN’s nice interview with potential OLB Obiozor.
Lone unsigned draftee: Packers round 1 offensive tackle Bulaga.
Amusing Vikings piece: Vikings columnist makes fun of King picking the Packers to go to the Super Bowl.
Harry Galbreath dies: Harry Galbreath, a former offensive lineman for the Dolphins, Packers and Jets, has died. He was 45.
Roster Rankings: Scout does part 13. Read with amusement.
07/26/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers and bloggers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Preview: Football Gameplan's 2010 NFL Team Preview--Packers.
ESPN Power Rankings: ESPN has its training camp power rankings with Vikings at 3: "Favre is waiting for a two-hour TV special to announce his return" and Packers at 6: "Improved pass protection for QB Aaron Rodgers could go a long way."
Lambeau field area expansion: Packers spent more than $27 million in the last five years to acquire more than 28 acres near Lambeau Field [to] become part of a multi-jurisdictional sports and entertainment district. Also, see "Packers spending big on property near Lambeau"--Packers haven't said much about what they'll do with the property. Possibilities include retail, hotels, restaurants, youth sports and health care facilities.
Packers by position: Nausating fluff! Yet, it's a good precamp review. Rodgers primed for NFL's QB elite. QB Rodgers: Leader of the Pack. Packers feel healthier tackles, improved young talent bolsters offensive line. O-line wants to pick up where last season left off. Packers Finley shows promise as star TE. Packers have high comfort level with receivers. The Packers can have an optimal mix with this talented receiving corps to simply outscore opponents in the early part of the 2010 season.
Jolly failed 20 drugs tests?: Believe it or not, bloggers are quoting from the Miller Lite Football Show that Mark Chmura revealed that Jolly failed 20 drug tests. Speechless indeed!
Training camp preview: Packers training camp: Offense preview--good offensive training camp preview with possible members of the final roster.
Training camp blogger headline: By end of week, the 2010 season be underway--holy crap! As we hinted above, we agree with OBN's preview on how to win successfully in 2010 season: "They’re going to be a team that scores in bunches. That will put major pressure on the opposition to keep up. The run defense will ensure that opponents will not be able to turn games into grind-it-out, clock dragging affairs. So, opponents will have to look to the passing game. And although some questions in the secondary, also some big-time playmakers who can kill you. You come away with a formula that should work."
Metaphor failure: This amusing story about the use of proper metaphors goes to the bloggers' file saying, "I don't get it folks." From All Kinds of Time blogger: When Thompson let Favre go, he risked a gloomier present in exchange for the possibility of a rosier future. While Thompson certainly gambled his future with the Packers, he hardly mortgaged his future.
Rooms to rent to attend training camp: Somebody in Green Bay area find a room for AT at PL who says "I still don’t have anywhere to stay. Yet, but I’m going come hell or high water" We feel your pain. We agree that Green Bay should have rooms ready for the bloggers from the Packers nation.
Roster rankings: Scout had another part 12 of roster rankings. Read with amusement.
Bang for the money: Packer Update's "Not Enough Bang for the Buck" has the six worst TT's Sherman-type money deals. Fans can decide if he is right.
07/24/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
2010 Packers Preview: As bloggers observed, Packers are getting a lot of over-the-radar Super Bowl hype. Of course, with the season starting that includes the usual fluff local Packers press: ”Packers Good Enough for Super Bowl”; “This Season Could be Special for the Badgers and Packers”; or “Two football writers from Sports Illustrated have placed the Packers atop their preseason power rankings. Pro Football Weekly did the same.”
NFL Touchdowns has a nice preview with an analysis of the players. They say, ”Inside linebackers A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett are both closer to average than good.” Their preview concludes, “Green Bay is rock solid on both sides of the ball with stars in all the right places. If everyone stays healthy, this team is the Super Bowl favorite in the NFC. Predicted: 1st NFC North.”
Athlon Football provides interesting grades for all positions on 2010 roster. Their analysis: ”The pieces are there. The Packers were a nonfactor in free agency. They drafted with an eye on the future, which means Thompson did little to alter the roster. But then this team made a strong run to the playoffs with an injury-riddled roster a year ago, and a healthy lineup could be even better. Barring another rash of injuries, this team should contend for a berth in Super Bowl XLV.” Their scouts’ preview: “What’s going to be key for them is Tauscher and Clifton. If they can get one more really solid year out of those two guys, then I think they’re going to be a team to beat. I liked what they did with their draft. You know how it is with the D-line guys. It takes ’em a couple years to really start to show you why you drafted them so high.”
According to Xtrapointfootball’s preview, “Season Prediction: 2nd NFC North. The Packers didn’t have to replace any losses, and were able to focus their entire draft on shoring up their weaknesses. Because the Vikings beat the Packers twice last year, and the teams’ rosters changed so little, the Vikings have a slight edge in the divisional race. However, it would be an enormous surprise if the Packers missed the playoffs this year.”
Guide to training camp: Guide to Packers training camp. Day-to-Day schedule here.
Training Camp Preview: Besides NFL.com’s preview, Scout does an outstanding preview in “Magazine Story: From 80 to 53” discussing the training camp battles and the probable 2010 roster. Summary: “ Sports Illustrated’s King and the experts in Las Vegas believe the Packers are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Roster: QB–Rodgers, Flynn. RB–Grant, Jackson, Starks. FB–Kuhn, Hall. WR–Driver, Jennings, Jones, Nelson, Williams. TE–Finley, Havner, Quarless. OL–Clifton, Colledge, Wells, Sitton, Tauscher, Spitz, Lang, Dietrich-Smith, Bulaga, Newhouse. DL–Pickett, Raji, Jenkins, Wynn, Neal, Wilson. OLB–Matthews, Jones, Poppinga, Obiozor and free agent. ILB–Barnett, Hawk, Chillar, Bishop. CB–prediction: Woodson, Harris, Williams, Lee, Underwood, Shields. S–Collins, Martin, Blackmon, Burnett. Specialists–Crosby, Masthay, Goode.” Interesting, they say Johnson, Lee, Bigby, and Harrell are gone at the end of training camp. We tend to agree except for FB Johnson. Do you agree, fans?
Roster Rankings: Scout continues its roster rankings with part 10 and part 11. Read with amusement.
Unsigned Bulaga and Neal: With seven days to training camp, both rookies OT Bulaga and DE Neal are still unsigned. Gentlemen, get on board!
Training camp battles and safeties on roster: So who will the Packers keep at safety positions for the 2010 roster. GBPN discusses the training camp battles at safety positions. We agree when GBPN says, “I have never felt that Bigby was the long-term solution at strong safety.” We say that FS Collins and SS Burnett appear to be the starters, if Bigby continues to be his holdout. What about Bigby, Martin, and Blackmon, fans?
Training camp battles and kicking positions on roster: Another training camp battle will be at punting position. While many fans and bloggers are unhappy with Crosby, we hope he gets his act together in the 2010 season. As far as a legitimate punter, who knows? Scout says Masthay or flip a coin.
Packers 2010 season hopes & pitfalls: OBON does a good piece covering the major pot holes to avoid while we drive on the Super Bowl road–”No one steps up to fill the void created by the Jolly Suspension. Another season of poor special teams play. Mike McCarthy forgets what worked for the offense over the second half of 2009. Confidence is nice, but it’s better to be hungry.”
Packers Movie Night: The Packers announced details for the first annual Packers Movie Night featuring a showing of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” at 7:30 p.m., July 31, in Lambeau Field. Also, a preview of the forthcoming 3rd installment of the Chronicles of Narnia movies “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” will be shown prior to the start of the main feature. The event begins with music and giveaways at 4:30 p.m. in the Tundra Tailgate Zone and moves to Lambeau Field with gates opening at 6:45 p.m. In the evening, a fireworks show climaxes the event.
OMG! Lombardi Story: The play “Lombardi” begins on Broadway in the fall. Vince Lombardi is played by actor Dan Lauria. Lauria, the show’s producer and the show’s director, visited Green Bay recently. The NFL Network recently aired a video of the visit.
TE Finley, future star all-pro: With the coming NFL season, TE Finley is getting rave reviews with proclamations of stellar things ahead for him. We hope so.
Favre Watch: Since Favre is a Packers legendary quarterback who lead the Packers back to elite NFL status, we are saddened at the awful foul postFavre postings, e.g. generally decent Packers blogs PL and TP. We are amused that some bloggers believe themselves to be above human nature and its faults.
For the record, we will decide whether Rodgers is a true stud gunslinger, a gamer, and a postplayoff winner. For the NFL record, the sports facts are that Favre’s number 4 will be retired, his name will hang with the other legends, and he will be considered one of the greatest quarterbacks in the NFL Hall of Fame.
Meanwhile, “Childress: ‘All quiet’ on Favre front.” In “Adrian Peterson: “Favre, I need you back, A.P. says:
Commentary: PocketDoppler ran a best Packers blog poll. We agree with a fan’s reaction to the post, “Can we see the entire List of Choices? What about sites like Tundravision or Packer Report or PackersNews [or Lombardi Ave or Packers Gap or Packer Backer Blog]? I have about 30 websites I go to on a regular basis.” Besides, according to Ball Hype, Lombardi is the no. 3 top Packers blog and Packers Gab is no. 5 top Packers blog. Further, our own objective scientific American analysis & poll results clearly shows Lombardi Ave is the no. 1 Packers blog, Packers Gab is no. 2 blog, and Packer Backer Blog is no. 3.
07/23/10
Jclombardi recalls Packers legend QB Bart Starr.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
As posted earlier, ESPN’s Sabol presents a great review of classic NFL legends including the Packers legendary QB Bart Starr with a brief good description: Classiest Competitor: Bart Starr–If gallantry, generosity and humility were lost in the world, they could be found again in this Hall of Fame quarterback.
As fans know, this Packers lead blogger goes back to the Lombardi era. Since that night that I attended their high scoring Cardinals vs Packers contest in St. Louis (1970), I collected Packers relics over the years. They include two signed autographed pictures from Bart Starr (1975 pic and 1983 pic):
07/23/10
Jclombardi previews Packers training camp.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
NFL.com took a preview at the Packers training camp and examines three major questions about areas needing to show improvements:
2. How will defensive line adjust without Jolly? They might start B.J. Raji on the nose and move Pickett out to end. They could also put second-round pick Neal at Jolly’s spot, particularly in passing situations. The Packers have not gotten much from former first-round pick Harrell, and this could be his last opportunity.
07/21/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Training Camp Previews: “Can Packers turn youth into championships?” NBC Sports presents an overall preview of the Packers training camp with these good points: The linebackers must improve. Breakout player: B.J. Raji, NT. Bottom Line: This team isn’t loaded with difference-makers, but the offense is one of the best in the NFL and the defense has a shot at being solid. If McCarthy can shore up the special teams and back up his offensive tackles, the Packers should have what it takes to compete for an NFC championship.
Favre Watch: "Favre’s right, just ignore NFL training camps.” vs. “If this is to be Favre’s last season, he needs to lead the right way.” “Favre talks about losing weight and Bus Cook’s comments: Favre also tried to explain that the harsh comments Cook made to Men’s Journal were taken out of context, and that Cook was ‘joking around’ when he called Favre a ‘drama queen.’ "
Scout: "The Countdown–Roster Rankings: Part 8 and Part 9.” Read with skepticism.
Rookie DE Neal’ s Qs & As: “Getting To Know a Draft Pick–Mike Neal.”
DEs Need To Mature: Packer update focuses upon the need for our young DEs to show their “potential development” quickly in this key Packers season.
Sports Athletes & Women Subculture: An insider’s sports view by Vanessa Guillemette, the daughter of “Pigskin” Paul Guillemette, about the hidden subculture of women who prey on sports athletes. The perceptive piece’s highlights: “I’ve seen girls with team rosters in their cell phones scrolling through to find out which player is standing across the club from them. I’ve met girls who know every player’s name, age, weight, birthday, how many kids they have, where they went to college, what position they play.” We prefer the blunt truth about this subculture given in the Woods’ expose: “This is the world of high-end nightclub VIP treatment, where velvet ropes guard comfy, cloistered areas with leathery couches and bottles of Grey Goose, everything catered to the wishes of the professional athlete clientele. And that means loading their velvet-roped stable with fake-boobied ponies to screw.”
QB Rodgers, ESPN cover stud: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is on the cover of the latest edition of ESPN the magazine. Rodgers is the only player in NFL history to throw for more than 4,000 yards in his first two seasons as a starter. He is both accurate (his career completion percentage is nearly 64%, not counting practice) and athletic (316 rushing yards in 2009).
Packers Hall of Famer Fleming: “Marv Fleming wins way into Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.” We agree with their point, “As the starting tight end during the Packers’ three consecutive championships from 1965 to 1967 under Vince Lombardi, Fleming was the consummate team player.”
Kramer & Hall of Fame: Sabol lists five-time All-Pro selection Packers guard Jerry Kramer as the best player not in the Hall of Fame. He is the only member of the NFL’s 50th Anniversary All-Time team that isn’t in Canton. We agree.
07/20/10
Jclombardi updates the Favre Watch.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
In the August issue of Men's Journal, we get a full look at the "private world and tough choices" of the former Packer legend QB Brett Favre.
However, the funny part of the story is his leak of the ankle surgery revelation to ESPN, his agent's phone calls to deal with the leak, and Favre's explanation:
“Brett talked to goddamned Ed Werder at ESPN, says he needs ankle surgery. Now why did he do that? I’ve got Childress calling. I’ve got reporterscalling all damn morning. Goddammit, why does he have to be such a goddamned drama queen? Play, don’t play, goddamn, people are getting sick of it. I’m getting sick of it! Why does he have to talk to these people? What good does it do? Ed Werder at ESPN! What’s he ever done for anybody other than say, ‘Look, look, Mommy, I got this first, ain’t I special?’ You got problems with surgery, talk to your wife. Why talk to goddamned Ed Werder?” [After Favre arrives for the interview.] “Hey, Bus,” says Favre. “I guess I screwed up. I didn’t think it was a big deal. I just told him that I might need surgery. He made it into a big thing.” Bus stares him down, but his face crumples into an exasperated grin. “Jesus, Brett. You never learn. You guys go talk. I’ve got goddamn phone calls to make.”
Meanwhile, Monday, Vikings coach Brad Childress was in Favre's hometown of Hattiesburg, MS. Obviously they talked about when the legendary quarterback will rejoin the team. Also, see "No Deadline Given by Childress for Making decision."
07/20/10
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Jclombardi presents NFL NFC North Preview.
ESPN NFL NFC NORTH PREVIEW
07/19/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers Headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
ESPN: Sabol presents a great review of classic NFL legends including the Packers legend Bart Starr with a brief good description: Classiest Competitor: Bart Starr–If gallantry, generosity and humility were lost in the world, they could be found again in this Hall of Fame quarterback.
Rodgers compared to Starr: Meanwhile, in an amusing comparison, Rodgers is compared to Starr in a blogger’s question: “Is Aaron Rodgers a Rising Starr?“ Lombardi Ave will let fans know at the end of NFL 2010 season, as the only statistic that counts is winning the rings.
Scout: The site continues its power rankings of the Packers roster discussing LB Bishop. While bloggers argue about his future bit roles, the Packers do need Bishop in various positive multiple roles. Bishop has a great deal more upsides than any downsides.
Implications of Jolly’s suspension: Bloggers are debating the implications of the Jolly suspension on the Packers defense and its roster. Jersey Al called Jolly’s suspension a blessing in disguise. Most bloggers, including your own Lombardi Ave and Pocket Doppler, said that the Packers prepared for this loss drafting DE Neal and DE Wilson. Two bloggers focus upon the future role of “near bust” DT Harrell. Many bloggers hope DT Harrell can make a backup roster contribution at DE or DT. We have no argument with this hope. Meanwhile, with training camp starting next week, the roster will sort itself out for many “potential” players getting another chance.
Packers Golf: During this past weekend, members tied to the Packers organization, including LB Hawk and QB Rodgers, attended golf’s American Century Championship Tournament. Who cares? They can send a check to jclombardi too.
Lori: She has an amusing “railbird’s guide to training camp” article with great quotes. Fans should check it out for its unique approach getting quotes from former and current players and coachers.
Lori: Meanwhile, Lori ran another “Keeping the Packers staph free” story. OK.
Hall of Fame: During the past weekend, the Packers Hall of Fame ceremonies were held with good stories especially about Churma, Fleming, and Koch with commentaries (GBPG’s MV).
Favre watch: “It’s Hard to Believe that Favre Won’t return.” Who can argue with that?
Breaking down defensive line: We agree with APC and PackerWorld Central that the defensive line starters should be DE Pickett, NT Raji, and DE Jenkins with Neal, (maybe) Wilson, and (maybe) Harrell as backup reserves.
Pass coverage defensive issue: In a brilliant analysis, BC at CHTV does a good job pointing out that our pass coverage remains problematic at LB and DB positions. While we agree with his points, we add that we need a bigger inside rush and rookie SS Burnett may improve things too. We agree with the Packers hope about Lee, Underwood, and Burnett.
Remember, as the song says (and figure it out), “My fans, they can’t wait.” Life’s been good!
07/18/10
Jclombardi reviews NFL DB rankings.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Today, Jason Cole at Yahoo Sports has a NFL DB rankings out. This time, the Packers are ranked at number two with this dated analysis:
However, with the addition of rookie SS Burnett and the return of healthy DB Blackmon and DB Lee back to support the first team, the Packers should have a better coverage team to deal with veteran quarterback foes. Even Fox NFL Sports agrees:
Fans, what do you think?
07/18/10
Jclombardi presents Favre Watch.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Brave Brett Favre Attends to His Fans @ Nokia Live in LA!
07/17/10
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Jclombardi muses about Packers Blogs Rankings.
Recent, CHTV and Total Packers did rankings about the top Packers blogs in the Packers Blogosphere. Now, for its rankings, CHTV’s criteria: “Relevant, timely information delivered with a clear strong voice. A dedication to Packer fans that includes posting often during the off-season and every day during the season. These qualities separate the bench warmers from the starters.” Now, as amusing as this subjective criteria sounds to great bloggers and writers, Total Packers responded with its list based upon its own traffic criteria. Shockingly, Lombardi Ave, Packers Gab, & PBB were not mentioned in either “elite Packers blogs” list. “Oh, the humanity of it all!”
Now, the biggest laugh was “Mr. Personality” B.C.’s response: ”Furthermore, McMahon calls Packers coverage watered down, which I find inaccurate. And then this: ‘The problem I’ve always had with most Packers blogs is they try to be news reporters. If I want to read Packers news, I’ll go to the Journal Sentinel or the Press Gazette.’ Outside of this website and maybe Acme Packing Company, I largely disagree.“
Anyway, the fans begged this famous Packers lead blogger to prepare an accurate top rankings of Packers blogs based upon the lack of vanity, suck-ups, and egos with emphasis on quality narrative writings lacking awful trivia ramblings, delusional self-importance, fancy graphics, and geek heads. Thus, after great soul searching and an unbiased professional review of the major Packers blogs with the help of an oracle, the official Packernation list ranking the Packers Blogs is complete:
- Lombardi Ave
- Packer Gab
- Packer Backer Blog
- JSOnline Packers Blog
- Packers Insiders (Green Bay Press Gazette)
- Acme Packing Company
- Jason Wilde’s Blog (ESPN Milwaukee)
- Ol Bag of Donuts
- Packers Chatters
- Total Packers
- NFL Fanhouse Aol Packers blog
- Green Bay Packer Nation
- Packer Geeks
- Packer Palace
- Tundravision
- Cheesehead TV
- Jersey Al’s Packers Blog
Whew, that was tough, fans!
Now, as the song says (and figure it out), “My fans they can’t wait!”
07/16/10
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Jclombardi reviews Packers Headlines.:
1. NFL suspends Jolly indefinitely and he will miss 2010 entire season: The NFL suspended defensive end Johnny Jolly on Friday for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The suspension will last at least through the 2010 season.
2. Packers’ draft shows they prepared for Jolly scenario.
3. Rookie DE Neal expects to be at Packers training camp.
4. Packers offer Lambeau Field as site for the Big Ten’s title game.
5. Packers sign third round rookie safety Burnett to four year deal.
6. Packers Hall of Fame inductee (Saturday night) Mark Chmura reflects on lessons.
7. Packer nation does a nice q and a with rising star G Josh Sitton.
8. Espn’s Clayton considers WR Jennings pro bowl material.
9. Packers Will Wear Throwback Uniforms at Dec. 5th 49ers game.
07/15/10
Jclombardi reviews the Favre Watch.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
With the approach of the 2010 NFL Season, the Favre watch is into full speed. You will notice below several Packers articles discussing him. Also, you can see an amusing inside look at his Hatfield and McCoy feud with HC McCarthy and GM Thompson in "Men's Journal" magazine leading to the Packers trade with Jets before his next season move to the Vikings:
Other Favre Watch Headlines:
1. Another reason to believe Favre will return.
2. Favre has to determine how badly he wants to kick Pack's ass.
3. Favre: Health not an issue.
4. Favre continues high school workouts.
So the sports nation, Vikings, Packers, and NFL await his decision. The great lesson for people is to remember that life and football are all about the intangibles in life, not always dollars and cents. You can understand things in life simply if you understand economics AND culture in the nation.
Again, as the song says (and figure it out), ”My fans they can’t wait.”
06/26/10
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Jclombardi reviews Packers headlines.
1. Packers Key Offseason Dates:
- June 27-30: NFL Rookie Symposium
- July 17: Packers Hall of Fame Induction Banquet
- July 30: Players report to training camp
- July 31: Training camp, first practice
- Aug. 7: Packers Family Night scrimmage
2. Packers Preseason Exhibition Games:
- Aug. 14: Browns at Packers, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 21: Packers at Seahawks, 9 p.m.
- Aug. 26: Colts at Packers, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 2: Packers at Chiefs, 7 p.m.
3. Packers Family Night on August 7th–Tickets on sale. Event begins at 5:30 p.m. The Packers take the field for warmups at 6:30 p.m. with an intrasquad scrimmage between the offense and the defense at about 7:30 p.m. After the scrimmage, jerseys worn by about 20 players will be given away in random drawing. The event ends with fireworks show. Activities planned include activities for children, including sidewalk chalk and airbrush tattoos.
4. WR Nelson Turns Heads With Stellar Offseason–In his third years, Packers receiver Nelson put together a phenomenal offseason demanding attention with his play in organized team activity practices and minicamp.
5. Favre watch–Favre says he’d love [another try] to beat Saints.
6. Packers Sign 3 Draft Picks–They signed draft picks Newhouse, Starks and C.J. Wilson to contracts. They are the first of the Packers’ seven picks to sign.
7. LB Hawk Hopes to Make Bigger Impact–As Hawk prepares for his fifth NFL season, he’s knows it’s time to take his game to the next level.
8. DE Jolly–ESPN report to focus on Jolly case, codeine drink.
Commentary: Fans, it has been an interesting offseason especially with my return from a big European trip to meet French relatives. The NFL 2010 draft addressed a few concerns especially at LT and creating greater competition for several key positions including DE and SS in the 3-4 defense. Meanwhile, the borish fluff sports articles continue to be sources of amusement, but you should expect it. In a month, we go into full speed ahead into training camp and preseason games leading to the 2010 NFL season. As the song says (and figure it out), ”My fans they can’t wait.”
06/16/10
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Jclombardi reviews Packers mini headlines.
1. Williams signed–CB Tramon Williams accepted $3.128 million restricted free agent tender offer from the Packers. The Packers are simply waiting to receive his signed contract.
2. Minicamp–next week, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the Packers have a mandatory minicamp. With practices open to the public except on Wednesday (media only), the Packers begin at Ray Nitschke Field from 10:45 a.m. for about two hours of practice.
3. Coach McCarthy confirmed DE Jolly signed his tender, but Jolly is excused from next week’s mandatory mini-camp to take care of his legal troubles.
4. SS Bigby is the only unsigned RFA allowing rookie S Burnett to have an opportunity to win the job.
06/14/10
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Jclombardi reviews Packers headlines with commentary.
Packers Headlines:
1. Finley--Looking to take game to next level with offseason training camps.
2. K Crosby's goal: Just make kicks.
3. Safety Bigby's absence could be Burnett's gain at safety.
4. Knee surgery works wonders for veteran Driver.
5. Veterans sit out practice: Barnett & Driver had minor knee surgeries.
Commentary: Since we are just finishing the OTAs with another month to go before the real sorting out of the roster during training camp, the Packer headlines are a bit borish including the legal trouble facing DE Jolly and the foolish legal issue facing CB Underwood. The current buzz around the Packer nation is about who will start at left DE. The choices appear to be among Jolly, Pickett, Neal, Wilson, and Harell. What do you think, fans?
05/18/10
Jclombardi talks about OTAs and minicamp.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Tuesday, the Packers begin their off-season ”organized team activities” (OTAs). They practice with a Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday schedule. Then, next week, they are off returning June 1-3, June 8-10 and June 15-17. The practices open to the public are May 19, June 2, June 9 and June 16. Then, their mandatory mini-camp begins on June 21-23
05/01/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers 2010 Draft grades.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Simply, the Packers beefed up both sides of line. Summary: 2010 Green Bay Packers draft picks. Meanwhile, a brief review of the grades for this draft in the sports nation:
1. Todd McShay (Scout’s Inc.) B-. The Packers' best-case scenario was realized when top-four OT Bryan Bulaga fell to them at No. 23, but things fell apart from there. DT Mike Neal (No. 56) is a reach. We're not sure he's a good fit as a 5-technique in their 3-4 scheme.
3. Pete Prisco (CBS Sportsline) C+. Best pick: Third-round pick Morgan Burnett is a playmaking safety who has the range you want in a modern-day player at that position. Questionable move: Taking defensive tackle Mike Neal in the second round over some other tackles will be a move watched closely. Was he worth a second-round selection? Third-day gem: Defensive end Wilson has a chance to stick as a seventh-round pick. He was a quality player at East Carolina. Analysis: Getting tackle Bulaga to fall to them in the first round was a good thing. 2nd round pick brings the grade down. They reached on that one.
4. James Joyner (Outside The Beltway) C. The Packers needed to get younger at offensive tackle and did so with the Bulaga selection. Neal provides some bulk for the run defense. Burnett is a ball hawk at the back end. He intercepted 14 passes at Georgia Tech.
5. Nolan Nawrocki (Pro Football Weekly) B-. The Packers landed a potential long-term blind-side protector to replace Clifton in LT Bulaga. The brute-strong Neal was tabbed to stack the edges of the Packers' "30" front. Thompson nabbed S Morgan Burnett early in the third round. All three players could see action readily. Fifth-round TE Quarless could develop into a solid role player. OT Newhouse fits the Packers' zone-blocking scheme, as does one-cut runner James Starks. DE C.J. Wilson could also provide depth as a five-technique. The Packers could come away with three starters and recognized value throughout the draft.
COMMENTARY: For the Packers, it was a B- value draft. On this weekend, rookie orientation camp begins for the Packers.
03/07/10
Jclombardi reviews Packers offseason headlines.
Guest senior writer jclombardi @ http://lombardiave.com
Kampman leaving: Florida Times-Union reported late Saturday night that the Jacksonville Jaguars had agreed to terms on a contract with the former Green Bay Packers linebacker.
Clifton returning: Espn. com reported Friday evening that Clifton, an unrestricted free agent, agreed to a three-year, $20 million contract that included $7.5 million of guaranteed money.
Bears make big moves to compete in NFC: Bears signed all-pro DE Peppers and RB Taylor and blocking TE Manumaleuna. By landing one of the league’s top pass rushers and a running back to challenge incumbent Forte, Chicago showed just how serious it is about contending in the NFC.
Packers cut Montgomery and Giordano: Packers cut DE Montgomery and safety Giordano.
Favre watch: Favre tells Leno, “I’m just not going to say anything anytime soon.”
