Pack and Cheese

So... Super Bowl Champions huh?

2011-07-09T01:11:00.003-05:00

A lot has happened since the last time I posted. The best, of course, being the Packers winning the Super Bowl, the worst being the lock out. I will stop neglecting this very soon. Look forward to more.

Packers kick off 2010 with high expectations

2010-08-15T16:03:00.002-05:00

The national media giving the Packers some attention as the young talented team is becoming a little less green coming into 2010. Predictions mean very little at kick off and the Packers struggled early against the Browns in the preseason opener.

The Browns came out on a mission and marched right down the field to score a touchdown on the opening drive making it look easy against the Dom Caper's squad. After a Ryan Grant fumble on the Packer's first play from scrimmage, the Browns were able to take the 14-0 lead.

The Pack settled in and put themselves in position to win, but the final score means very little in preseason.

Rodgers looked excellent completing 12-13, Flynn looked a little rough. The running game and pass rush were both MIA, but there's no reason to panic.

Bulaga looked solid in his first live action. Don't rule out Daryn Colledge but he may be struggling for his position, that will really be something to watch.

It was a bit of lackadaisical game for the Pack but the pre-season exists to hammer out the rough spots.

Draft Day 1

2010-04-22T20:46:00.003-05:00

With the 23rd pick in the NFL Draft the Green Bay Packers select Brian Bulaga, offensive tackle... Iowa. I am a fan of this pick.

Out of this draft, I'd like to see strengthening the offensive line and someone to take the reigns in a year or two as a starting defensive back. A third string Quarterback would be a nice find, but I'm not overly concerned.

More on the draft later this weekend.

Letter to Brett

2010-02-02T15:11:00.002-06:00

Dear Brett,

As the dust is finally settling on your first season with the Minnesota Vikings and with the hurt of my Packers loss finally starting to subside, I feel like I can finally write this to you with my thoughts fully collected.

A lot of things happened after the 2007 season that we, as fans, will never know. It's easy for us to play the blame game, when in reality there was probably some fault both ways. I don't think it's any secret that you didn't like the direction of the team and it's no secret that the front office was afraid that if you played much longer, their talented future Quarterback could slip away.

So you asked to be traded when the Packers finally welcomed you back and you successfully divided the once-united front that was the Packer fan base. After a rough year, many decided that letting you go was the wrong direction for the team.

Then, after your yearly retirement song and dance, you finally settled on playing for Minnesota, the team who many younger Packer fans hate more than long time rival, Chicago. It appears that revenge was a strong motive, but obviously that can't be proven. So for the sake of this letter, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, putting my suspicions aside. There was one thing that I have no doubt of, you knew the dynamic of the fans in Green Bay and you know what the feelings towards the Vikings who beat you so many times. That leads me to say this:

Whether or not you meant to hurt the Packer fans, you knew playing for the Vikings would do that.

Fine, you shouldn't have to base your life decisions on a bunch of people you've never met, no matter how much they idolize you. However, I couldn't believe how surprised you were when you got booed walking into Lambeau Field. Granted, I realize it must have been a weird feeling, in the same place that Matt Hasselbeck said you "are like the Queen of England here," to have the fans jeering you.

I don't know if you're going to play another year or not, I do know that I won't believe the first (or second or third) thing you say about it. But as far as your future with the Packers, it's hard to say. I don't know if the organization still has plans to retire your number.

I do know that your Super Bowl ring will always have a "G" ingrained in the side of it and we'll never be able to watch Super Bowl XXXI highlights without seeing you run off the field with your helmet raised high in the air.

But I also know that, as a fan, I would not not mention your name in the same breath as Tony Canadeo, Don Hutson, Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, or Reggie White. Call me bitter, but your name will always conjure up images of you as a Viking. So I hope the Packer's hall-of-fame never officially inducts you and I hope that your number isn't retired. If those ever happen, don't be surprised if you get booed.

I hope that your life after football is a happy one and I wish the best to you and your family. But you're not a Packer.

-Ben

Packers Play-Offs

2010-01-10T03:55:00.002-06:00

What a season it has been. At 4-4 the Packers seemed to be headed down the road that ended with a below average season and more questions being brought up this off season.

Since then, the Green and Gold have gone 7-1.. and have the best record in the NFC for the second half of the season. Momentum is on our side..

Ever since the return of Mark Tauscher, the offensive line has looked alive... they will be key in determining the success.

Mason Crosby has had a rough year.. but the play-offs are a new season, and he may very well have the chance to give the Packer faithful amnesia. Charles Woodson, who better be the Defensive MVP, will likely be matched up with Larry Fitzgerald, this will be a match-up that will go a long way in determining the outcome.

Aaron Rodgers has had a solid season, becoming only the second Packer ever to end the season with a rating over 100.

Over-all, the regular season was successful. Hopefully they can continue winning in this brand new season. A little revenge against the Vikings in the NFC Championship would be great.

Packers over Bears.

2009-12-13T13:56:00.003-06:00

I'm back after finally finishing up college, I actually will have time to keep this updated. A lot of good has happened in my brief hiatus from the blogosphere; the Packers are in the playoff hunt, controlling their own destiny, and coming into today, at worse, they were guaranteed a .500 record and an improvement from last year.

The game started out with the Packers looking like they were planning on dominating the Bears, but that didn't last for very long. After Jennings caught a huge touchdown pass that was incorrectly ruled incomplete, the Packers' offense countered the bad call by laying down for the majority of the rest of the game.

The defense played an overall solid game, but had you asked me midway through the third quarter what I thought about the defensive performance, I would've had something else to say. Bottom line though, they forced turnovers, held the Bears to only 14 points, and were the real reason the Packers won.

Chucky Dubbs continues to get the national recognition he deserves, and keeps showing that he deserves it. Nick Collins got the interception that set up the last touch down, Clay Matthews got his 8th sack of the season, and Tramon Williams got a sack that helped clinch the game.

Aaron Rodgers looked a little rough, Ryan Grant looked pretty solid to make up for that performance, Jermicheal Finley continues to impress save the fumble at the end of the first half, and Ahman Green still looks weird wearing 34.

Mason Crosby sucks, I really doubt he'll be in the NFL next year, Kapinos needs to be able to drop SOMETHING inside of the 20, but at least we didn't throw it away with special teams today.

Overall, it wasn't pretty, but we got the 9th win of the season and are in a good position.

2009-11-08T15:03:00.002-06:00

This is the most embarrassing thing I've seen it in a long time going in to play against the 0-7 Buccaneers, the Packers started out looking great with a long TD pass to James Jones, in fact 74 yards, the longest of Aaron Rodgers' career.

Then the game goes progressively down hill... an interception leads to a touchdown.. some boneheaded special teams leads to another touchdown on a blocked punt and then the Packers looked like a bunch of high schoolers running around on the field completely confused as to what's going on.

The special teams can't seem to win a single possession battle. The best is when we get a TD and then allow the opponents to return it well into their own territory.

If I were Shawn Slocum I'd be getting pretty nervous right now as it's becoming pretty evident that the special teams is downright incompetent. Everytime they even do something good it's negated by a penalty.

Speaking of coaches who should be worried about their jobs, how about Dom Capers? Yeah that defense sure looked good in preseason.. but not so much since then. The most confusing part of this is how they could possibly make a rookie quarterback look like Brett Favre out there.

No wait. Rodgers looked like Favre out there... 3 interceptions. Smooth.

You'll have to excuse me if I don't really have much hope for this team anymore.. I regained some of the hope I had lost at the end of the game last week when they actually played with heart, but I lost that today. Coming in with a chance to go 5-3, an overall okay record considering the way that they've played thus far, they come in looking sluggish and stupid.

Of course Tampa Bay thinks they won the Super Bowl... congratulations Buccaneers, you should probably dump your coach in Gatorade because you exploited a mediocre (at best) team... yup that's pretty much the same as being champions.

Because when I'm annoyed I like making lists... here's one about why I don't think there's much hope for the 2009 season:

-We can't pressure a quarterback to save ourlives
-We can't protect our quarterback to save his life.
-Oh yeah, and apparently throwing the ball away is a lost art.
-Our 5th attempt at putting together a competent starting line failed.
-When we can run the ball alright, apparently we can't pass it
-Even on a fumbled snap, an offense can manage to gain 3 yards on us
-We don't know how to get and keep momentum
-We just lost to the Buccaneers

Packers Lose To Vikings

2009-11-01T16:49:00.004-06:00

Did you really think you could come in and do everything the same as you did in the first game and win?

We need a better offensive line..
We need to put pressure on a quarterback
We need some better coaching
We need some more heart
We need to play FULL games
We need to learn how to get pumped up for a game.

Last year I think we were in the bottom half of the league. This year I think we're in the middle. At least it's something.

Packers Choke In Dome

2009-10-05T22:29:00.001-05:00

Depending on what the Packers' record is come the end of the season, these two games against the Vikings may be the 2 most important of the season. Hopefully they'll be in contention near the end of the season, so these games are only important for morale.

What I think? The Vikings are a much better team then the Packers, or at least they looked like it tonight. Adrian Peterson was free to run wherever he wanted early in the game...late they picked that up, Favre was given as much time as he wanted to throw, and the receivers were free to roam in the secondary. They made our defense look silly. Sustained drive after sustained drive, I didn't see much from the defense that I liked, outside of a Clay Matthews forced fumble for a touchdown. By the way, you need to work on getting off the field. Your 3rd down defense was the biggest joke ever.

Don't even get me started on the offense. Okay get me started.
1. When you get the ball 2nd and goal on the 1.. you have to score.
2. Donald Lee.. catch the ball. Jermicheal Finley would've caught that.
3. Thanks a lot for deciding that turnovers are okay for this game.
4. Someone send out a search party for the offensive line. They've been missing since the preseason. I think some high school tackles could play better.
5. Rodgers, learn to throw the ball away... yes, your line sucks, but you have
6. Ryan Grant.. where are you?
7. I know that Tyrell Sutton wasn't good at picking up the blitz, but no one is.. I would've rather seen him out their than No-Gain Grant.
8. Yes I know the offensive line sucking has a direct effect on Grant sucking, but I really hate he got that big contract to average barely over 3 yards a carry
9. Can we try....just once... to not commit penalties on every single one of our big plays?
10. You deserve to lose when you can't even get the ball off the 1 yard line.
11. McCarthy, it was really funny when you challenged that play and we got a safety. Cool story brah.
12. I don't think I've ever been this disappointed in this team.

Packers vs Vikings

2009-10-05T12:44:00.003-05:00

Don't have much time to write a preview. But I'm really pumped.

anyway.. enjoy this:

Packers Beat Rams

2009-09-28T00:33:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the lack of a preview post, it was a busy weekend. So busy I didn't even get to watch the whole game.

So of course they win. That's good though, if it takes me not watching for them to win, I'll make the sacrifice.

Donald Driver made possibly the best catch of the year.. and Rodgers looked pretty good despite the fact that the Offensive Line is still yet to get their act together. He had a rating of 126.9 and had almost 40 yards on the ground.

Speaking of the ground game, Grant had almost 100 yards, which is an improvement for him.

The defense had 3 take aways, but in the process, still made it pretty tough to be too confident in them, they did give up 17 points to the RAMS. Still, if they can keep forcing turnovers they'll be feared.

Overall, I think Packer Nation had a big sigh of relief today.

Packers Lose to Bengals

2009-09-20T14:22:00.005-05:00

This game didn't look good from the start.

The whole team was misfiring all game. A couple moments of greatness were snuffed out by a defense that looked confused and sluggish, giving up about 5 yards per carry to a mediocre running back and giving Carson Palmer as much time as you needed to throw it. The Packers looked terrible up front, and of course you can throw in the obligatory "illegal contact" which I'm pretty sure is only called on 3rd down situations against the Packers.

The offense couldn't get anything going, they had 1 pretty decent touchdown drive, the other offensive touchdown came after an interception returned inside the 10. The turning point though was a Ryan Grant fumble when the Packers were driving in the 3rd quarter that turned into the Bengals go ahead touchdown.

They were unsuccessful in stopping anything on defense, but most importantly the offensive line was once again unimpressive, and took a big blow when Chad Clifton went down. But that really didn't matter because they gave up 5 sacks throughout the whole game. Also, it could've been a different game without dropped passes from 4 different receivers. Someone needs to step up on this team or it's going to be a long year.

Packers vs Bengals Preview

2009-09-20T02:59:00.003-05:00

I'm going to make this kind of quick, since it's so late, I doubt anyone is going to really get a chance to read it before the game starts.

The offensive line needs to play better. Give Rodgers more time to help him find a rhythm. Also, the receivers need to limit the dropped passes. I believe there were 3 last week, that's too many. The offense needs to score points because the defense isn't going to win all the games for them this season.

And capitalizing off of turnovers will be huge.

The defense needs to force the turnovers..

Also please shut down Chad Johnson (I refuse to acknowledge his "other" name.. just so you know) We don't want to see any Lambeau leaps from him.

Go Packers

Packers Win 21-15

2009-09-13T22:28:00.006-05:00

"A win is a win." That's what the Packers can take out of this.

The defense looked a lot like they did in the preseason.. They bent a few times, but only broke once. They gave up 13 points, but had 4 interceptions, including one that set up one of 2 TDs, one that sealed the win at the end, and one with their back up against the wall. How about Brandon Chillar hopping over a runningback to make the sack.

The offensive line didn't look good at all today, besides a few good runs from grant, their pass protection was terrible. If I were Allen Barbre, I'd be offering to buy Rodgers a beer, because he owes him at least that. He looked foolish out there. Add to that a penalty that negated a huge run, a safety, and the Rodgers having a hard time getting into rhythm. This wasn't helped by a LOT of dropped passes... even 2 by the usually sure-handed Donald Driver.

They came through when it mattered though and Rodgers connected on a bomb to Jennings to win the game.

Jordy Nelson looked great returning the ball.. The opening kick return looked good and I loved the effort on the last return.

A lot of improvements need to be made, but its good to get a win out.

Packers vs Bears Preview

2009-09-13T03:09:00.003-05:00

It's finally here! The regular season starts today, and the schedule makers didn't give the Packers a break, as they dive right in with their division rivals.

Keys:
Turnovers - They made through the preseason with a very favorable turnover margin, it helped them in some of their dominating performances and they need to carry it over into the season.

Quarterback Pressure - Getting the turnovers is a lot easier if the quarterback is under pressure... We need to make sure Cutler never gets comfortable.

Offensive Line Play - One of the big improvements over last year in the preseason was the play of the offensive line... if they give Rodgers the kind of time to throw as they have the past few weeks he should be able to pick apart the defenses.

More on the game later...

Cut Day

2009-09-05T21:14:00.003-05:00

Tony Moll traded for defensive back Derrick Martin.. I like beefing up the secondary.

Harrell was put on IR.. Can't we just Brohm him already? (Brohm is a verb which means to cut someone who we drafted high but he ended up sucking)...

That brings me to my next point. Brohm was cut. I hope they pick someone up to be 3rd string quarterback. John David Booty was released from Minnesota. He'd be a solid #3 and who doesn't like his last name?

Ruvell Martin cut, Brett Swain stays on task. That's a little surprising but not too much so, Swain has looked good in previous years, and I think they wanted a change. I liked Martin though.

Sutton was also cut, he looked good in the training camp, but I don't think he fit into the staff.

Packers vs Cardinals

2009-08-28T01:26:00.003-05:00

We've seen a lot of good things in the previous two weeks out of the Packers. Right now, it's time to focus on continuing to mesh as a team, but most of my keys are the same as the last two weeks.

I'm hoping to see some more turnovers from the defense.. I need to know that the last two games haven't just been extremely lucky.. and I want to see some more out of Raji.

Sutton is going to get the most time he's seen all preseason, keep an eye on him...especially his pass blocking, I think that could determine his spot on the roster.

Keep an eye on Bishop to have another great game and Poppinga to try to make his case to start once some injuries clear up.

I unfortunately won't be able to watch the game, because I'm stuck working. Don't worry, that doesn't happen during the regular season. But I'll do my best to recap without seeing it.

Packers defeat Bills

2009-08-23T13:54:00.004-05:00

I was at the game, and it's interesting to see how Packer fans have united on the Favre front. I saw probably 3 Favre Vikings jerseys, but a lot of "Judas" shirts, X'd out Favre jerseys, Favre jerseys with the word "traitor" over his name. I bet I know what the most emotional game of the year will be.

Anyway, that's besides the point. The Packers looked great Saturday night, well the first teamers did. Rodgers ended with a QB rating of over 151 and was right on the money, including threading the needle to Donald Driver in the end zone on the run. He showed he could hang in the pocket with patience or hit his receiver on the run. Final stats 8/9 98 yards 2 TDs.

Jermicheal Finley looked good, and is someone we can be very excited about. He had 3 receptions for 46 yards, plus one that as called back for holding.

The offensive line was very good again, they didn't open up the rushing lanes as much as they did last week, but their run blocking was still acceptable. Their pass blocking was great, Rodgers has more than enough time.

Grant looked pretty good 10 rushes for 43 yards with a long of 14 yards.

Brohm looked awful... he got extended playing time, as Flynn was only in for a couple series... I think it's a good idea, because his main problem is that he's uncomfortable and he gets psyched out. He needs as much time on the field as possible to get accustomed to the game.

Flynn didn't look good, but looked better than Brohm. I think both guys would be better, however, if they ever had to play with the starters.

I think Wynn is going to get the 3rd running back position. More or less because they didn't play him for very long, I think they're trying to give the other guys the chance to prove themselves. Sutton looked very good on the ground again, but we didn't really get a chance to see if he could pick up the blitz, which he has been struggling with.

The defense was excellent last night... Well, the 1st and 2nd teamers were at least. I feel I should point out the Packers went 103 minutes 51 seconds into the preseason before giving up their first score. After that though, the Bills found the end zone 3 times.

The defense has a whole had 5 takeaways, including 2 from the starters alone (Poppinga interception, Hawk . They had 4 sacks, including 3 from the starters (2 from Jolly, 1 from Hawk). Oh yeah, they also held the Bills offense to 18 total yards in the 1st half.

BJ Raji looked like he could his own, but I'm waiting to see what he can do after a little more time with the team.

Desmond Bishop is an animal, he was all over the field... I'd like to see what he could do rotating in with the starters.

Here are the teams grades (1st half only.)
Offense - A
Defense - A+
Special Teams - A
Overall - A

Packers vs. Bills Preview

2009-08-22T03:16:00.002-05:00

After watching Brett Favre suck with the Vikings tonight, and enjoying it thoroughly, I'm really ready for some Packers football.

Of course the preseason isn't about numbers or wins or losses, so there are some things I want to see out of the gviame tomorrow. Most of it follow up questions on last week.

The offensive line looked excellent in the first week of the pre-season and I'm looking to see if they can continue that. Rodgers had more than enough time to throw, and the running backs all had a great showing.

The 3-4 defense had a great premier but there's a lot of pressure in the follow up performance. Will we see 4 interceptions? Probably not.. but I want to see a defense that can consistently shut down drives, even without turnovers.

Matt Flynn looked much better than Brohm, and looked much better than last year. Hoping to see more of what he can do if Rodgers were to get injured for a long period of time.

BJ Raji has been seeing reps in practice, but hasn't stood out. Fans will get their first extended look at him and we'll see how worth it the hold out was.

How about that coveted 3rd runningback position? Wynn has the most experience at the spot, Lumpkin was given a roster spot last year only to get injured, and Sutton turned a lot of heads last week. This is an interesting battle to watch. My favorite is Lumpkin, but my mind can be changed pretty easily.

Brett Favre Found Dead in Minnesota Today

2009-08-18T12:52:00.004-05:00

I deleted the picture. Available upon request.

This might as well have been the headline for Packer fans today, as Brett Favre is now a Minnesota Viking (well the deal pretty much done).

I hope Green Bay never retires his number.. and I can't wait for BJ Raji to introduce himself to Brett.

That's all.

(Just should note, this doesn't mean I wish death upon Brett Favre... just lots of interceptions and sacks)

The Favre Drama Continues

2009-08-17T13:40:00.004-05:00

FoxSports is reporting that Favre may still be a Viking this year.

I know that for a news site to get website visitors, they just need to be the first person to break something on Favre. This is even when nothing actually happened.

But I wouldn't put it past him to want to play after missing all of the off season activities and expect a team to accept that.

Packers vs. Browns Recap

2009-08-16T02:30:00.005-05:00

I can't imagine how nervous the players are going into the first game of the season, but it's always really nerve-wrecking for me as a fan because we don't know how they're going to look this year. The preseason gives some answers to those questions, and while the wins and losses don't matter, the way they play tells us a lot.

The new defense was the biggest question, Kampman's performance was a big part of that. They seemed to struggle a little bit, but putting a zero on the scoreboard for the Browns, the amount of pressure on the QBs all day, and the 4 interceptions spoke for themselves. I think it needs polishing for sure, but it was over-all a good premier.

The offensive line was my other huge question. They looked excellent. On Rodgers' touchdown pass, he had all day to throw the pass (with some heads up movement). They also opened up a lot of good holes for the running backs. Grant averaged just over 4.5 yards per carry.

Rodgers looked excellent and Flynn looked pretty good, although he didn't play much... Brohm still looked pretty rough, but that's why he's 3rd string.

How about Tyrell Sutton? The rookie made a pretty good case for himself, he was given 16 carries and turned them into 91 yards (5.6 avg.) I really liked what I saw out of him... I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the final roster. I'm also a big Lumpkin fan, he looked good too. Of course, the offensive line has a lot to do with that.

The Packers were 2nd most in penalties last year, and later in the game they went back to their old ways, but the starters seemed to be pretty well disciplined.

Jermicheal Finley also seemed to make a statement after a mediocre rookie year. He looks like he may have a good year.

Mason Crosby showed off his leg today, although he was 1 for 3... that 60 yard attempt was pretty close and very impressive.

If I were giving out grades..
Offense A- (could've punched it in more.. and Brohm was less thess impressive)
Defense B+ (bend but not break didn't work so well last year. Interceptions helped a lot though)
Special Teams B
Over all B+

I liked a lot of what I saw, next Saturday can't come quick enough.

Packers vs. Browns Preview

2009-08-15T01:12:00.003-05:00

It's finally here. After months of waiting, the Packers will kick off tonight and give us the first look at the 2009 Packers.

There are a lot of things we're going to be watching for.

3-4 Defense - This is the most obvious one. After an atrocious season on defense, the Packers made some big changes. Tonight we get our first look at Dom Capers new defense. I think the most interesting person to watch will be Aaron Kampman. Can't wait to see how he'll adapt to the new job. BJ Raji of course won't be playing, but he'll be one to watch this pre-season as well. Clay Matthews is also in a heated competition, expecting to see some good things out of him.

Offensive Line - The offensive line is a huge question mark. It was less than stellar last year, and there were no major personnel moves to improve it... Apparently Ted thinks they will imrove on their own.

Flynn/Brohm - All the word on these guys is still bad. Rodgers hasn't escaped the "injury prone" label yet, and if he goes down, one of these guys will have to take over.. It'll be interesting to see which one does better, and if either of them are a worthy back up.

Everything starts to really come together tonight. Look for a wrap up on the game tomorrow night or Sunday.

BJ Raji to Sign

2009-08-14T03:33:00.002-05:00

Well, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Raji will sign with the Packers on Friday and end his hold out. I bet he read my blog entry and came to his senses

Obviously he won't be playing on Saturday, but with some injuries on the defensive line, he very well could be the opening day starter.

Check back for a game preview coming up!

Hey Raji.. Get In Here

2009-08-12T04:54:00.003-05:00

Alright, I was annoyed last year when Ryan Grant held out.. and it turned into an injury. (Maybe that's not a fair connection, but it couldn't have helped)

But at least Grant was a proven veteran.

BJ Raji is headed back to Boston to work out there, because there will be no deal with the Packers.

A. You have proven nothing, if you're good, prove it and ask for the money.
B. Working out at a high school in Green Bay/Boston College is not the same as working out with the team. You are falling behind quickly.. YOU ARE A ROOKIE.
C. It's going to be hard to pay for your agent and plane tickets if you don't have a job this fall.
D. This is going to make you as worthless as Justin Harrell (too soon?)

I know this is the business side of football and the Packers aren't being completely reasonable, but hold outs like this really hurt the team.

Can't wait for Saturday.

Justin Harrell Injured Again

2009-08-11T14:48:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure when the front office will figure it out, but I don't think Justin Harrell is ever going to see extended playing time.

Granted, this is only back spasms, he's not going on the PUP list or anything yet, but I really think the Packers need to just cut their losses with him.

More updates coming later this week with the arrival of the first pre-season game.

for more Wisconsin sports perspective, check out our friends at The Bucky Channel and if you're on Twitter you can follow our friends at Wisconsin Sports Talk.

Family Night

2009-08-08T21:11:00.003-05:00

I ordered food in and sat down in front of two TVs tonight, one with the Brewers game, the other with Packers family night ready to watch and see what the 3-4 defense would look like, and see what all the rookies were going to look like.

But nature wouldn't have it... so it will be another week before we see are beloved Packers in action.

Favre is Still a Packer

2009-08-01T16:57:00.002-05:00

One of the fun things about being a Packer fan is all the songs that come out about the Packers. Many of them have charm and are very good. You can decide for yourself on this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsMVssqf0uw

Favre to Stay Retired

2009-07-28T16:36:00.004-05:00

I can type his name without censorship now.

Brett Favre has decided not to be Judas, and will stay retired. There will be no booing of the man as he walks into Lambeau Field wearing purple. Instead he will be sitting at home watching the games on TV, like the rest of us do. The drama is over.

Thank you Brett. Thank you thank you thank you thank you.

B* F**

2009-06-15T20:24:00.003-05:00

F**** showed up on a talk show tonight and candidly discussed the idea of playing for the Vikings.

He referred to the Vikings as "we" at one point.

He also pointed out that Lombardi went to the Redskins.

Well Mr. F****, Lombardi also had a concept of what team meant, he didn't emphasize the individual like you do. It's not supposed to be about the Quarterback, it's supposed to be about the whole team and their interests. Besides the Redskins weren't a division rival that he was going to coach for for the sole purpose of sticking it to Bart Starr.

B**** divided people into 3 groups.
1. Those who will like him no matter what
2. Those who will hate him no matter what.
3. Those who don't give a shit. (He always wanted to say that, apparently)

Let me already say I'm in a 4th group. I used to love him, now I'm on the fence, willing to go back to loving him if he just stays retired, but will hate him if he goes to the Vikings.

Allow me to answer this before anyone asks:
No, I don't think its about a desire to play. If it was about a desire to play he never would've retired the 2nd time. It's about revenge and he's not going to stop until he gets it.

OTA Report

2009-05-29T02:23:00.003-05:00

I made it up to today's OTAs in the Don Hutson center, the practice which was open to both the public and the media was moved inside because the field outside was too wet.

The hot topics in the locker room dealt with the the new defensive scheme and the differences for Rodgers this year.

Most of the defense seemed to be pretty excited about switching to the 3-4, saying they would be ready to play a full game using the scheme by training camp in August. It was promising hearing the reassurance from them. My favorite interview, as always, was Brady Poppinga who's one of the most excited for the new scheme saying it allows him to just pin his ears back and play. AJ Hawk also agreed that the system is more fun to play.

Kampman is refusing to talk to the media leading many to believe that he's not fitting in well. The other players seemed unconcerned and Poppinga said that he made the same transition in college and h said it's difficult but seemed to think Kampman would be just fine. The silence is very uncharacteristic of him, I hope he adjusts just fine.

Hawk also talked about the defenses performance last year, he basically said the performance was shameful last year and that they won't let it happen again. He said that the offense scored plenty of points and that the poor record rests on the defense. I love the accountability and hope the improvement is there.

Raji is absoultely huge, he even stands out among teammates, Clay Matthews sat out today with an injury.

Justin Harrell is participating in the first set of OTAs of his career, sitting out due to injuries the last two years. Is this a sign he's turning the corner? I hope so and he sounded optimistic.

Rodgers says he feels a lot more comfortable this year and Ryan Grant agrees that he's becoming more of a leader. Everyone seems to think his good performance last year gives him credibility with the team.

Someone from Fox 11 asked Greg Jennings if he felt the Vikings' pain in relationship to the B**** F**** situation. Jennings was reserved for a minute and then said that he can feel the pain, that he knows what they are going through and that he feels very bad for Tarvaris (Jackson).

I saw a lot of promise at the OTAs, it was nice that last year's embarrassment is behind and things are getting started again.

Favre To Stay Retired

2009-05-08T02:58:00.002-05:00

I haven't updated on the Favre situation this off season for a number of reasons.

For one, I didn't want any of the awful things I was going to say about him if he went to the Vikings put on record...

Also, if he goes to the Vikings, I would consider all ties with the Packers permanently cut, therefore, not newsworthy for this blog.

A sigh of relief today when the news came down that Favre called Childress and told him to stay in Minnesota, because he was going to stay retired this time.

Of course, that's similar to a meeting that almost occurred last year and didn't because Favre said he was going to stay retired.

But in the end, I just really want this story to go away. He said there will be a press conference that he will explain everything. I hope that's the last we hear from him this summer. Or during any off season for that matter. Just mow your lawn and stop talking about football, don't scratch the itch.

Packers Pick

2009-04-25T16:05:00.002-05:00

"With the 9th overall pick in the NFL draft the Green Bay Packers select B.J. Raji Defensive Tackle Boston College"

Ted Thompson is not known as someone who chooses in the draft for needs. In fact, they're known for trading down and taking players in already saturated position. I'm sure Ted is going to save face here, but he knew he needed someone more for their defensive line.

I think this is a solid first round pick that fills a need and takes a talented player. More on the rest of the draft later.

John Madden Retires

2009-04-17T03:29:00.003-05:00

Football broadcasting changed forever today when John Madden announced that he is retiring, ending the most storied career in football television broadcasting history.

His name sits in houses all over the place being the standard for good football video games and his voice and character are recognized instantly by millions of people.

His knowledge of the game is outstanding, even though he gets knocked for saying stupid things, it's because he's trying to bring it to the casual viewers. Sure I got sick of him from time to time, but that friendly voice will sure be missed.

Pre-Season Schedule Released

2009-03-31T03:06:00.002-05:00

Thankfully the draft is coming up soon! Writing about the Packers in the off season is proving to be very uneventful. There is news to report... well, sorta, it's not all that exciting. The pre-season schedule has been released, at least without specific dates. The earliest they might play is August 13th and their opponents are, in this order, the Browns, Bills, Cardinals, and Titans.

I'm glad to see they have the defending NFC Champions in the game that their starters will see the most time, it'll be a good test. Otherwise, I don't really care about the rest of the games.

George Koonce AD for UW-Milwaukee

2009-03-19T13:40:00.002-05:00

This isn't really big Packer news, but I was always a fan of George Koonce so I figured I'd mention his accepting a position at UW-Milwaukee as AD.

Remember, they're not booing, they're saying "Koonce"

Packers Retain Bush

2009-03-16T21:13:00.002-05:00

The Packers matched Tennessee's offer for Jarrett Bush, meaning he will remain a Packer and sending a message to the fans that they feel he's improving. I hope they're right, he certainly had some better games in 2008 then he did in '07, so here's to hoping he's getting better. I trust Thompson in matters like this because he's not one to keep players around if they're past their prime or not getting the job done.

Should we keep Bush?

2009-03-15T02:40:00.002-05:00

Jarrett Bush signed a deal with the Tennessee Titans Saturday, and as a restricted free-agent the Packers have the right to match the offer. The Packers have plenty of room under the salary cap to match the offer, but it's hard to decide if it's worth it. For one, we don't want him to be better paid than Tramon Williams, Will Blackmon, and Atari Bigby because, well, they're better than him and they probably know it.

Bush is good on special teams, but I think he's pretty replaceable, I don't know what I would do in Thompson's shoes, but Bush has been pretty disappointing, and while he fits in as a decent back-up, I wouldn't want to shell out a whole lot of money to keep him.

Packers Sign Safety

2009-03-07T00:42:00.002-06:00

Anthony Smith, former Pittsburgh Steeler, has signed with the Packers. He's very familiar with the 3-4 system and could end up as a good addition. As a starter in 2007 Smith recorded 69 tackles, but he didn't start this year and only recorded 9.

I like the addition considering some of the problems we had with safeties getting injured this last year.

Next Move: Burnett

2009-03-05T12:00:00.002-06:00

As the Packers try to piece together their new defense, one of the missing spots is linebacker. So they're looking on the free agency market and the name that comes up is Dallas Cowboy's Kevin Burnett.

The Packers are scheduled to meet with Burnett on Saturday but his agent says Burnett may be signed before the meeting and the Packers say while they are interested they aren't going to take drastic measures to get him signed.

I like the team's approach, he's not that great of a player but he'd be a welcome addition. Hopefully we can get him but no big loss if we don't.

Next Move: Igor Olshansky

2009-03-02T14:15:00.002-06:00

The hunt for defensive linemen looks a lot like the hunt for defensive coordinator. A couple of moves get outlined, then they end up going elsewhere. I have to say the next guy on the radar doesn't look bad... Free agent defensive end from San Diego Igor Olshansky.

First off, I absolutely LOVE the fact that he is named Igor.. he just sounds tough. Besides that, he's already worked in a 3-4 scheme and could be a solid addition to our new scheme.

Chris Canty Not To Be

2009-03-01T19:49:00.002-06:00

Chris Canty signed with the Giants today. Really unfortunate for the Packers who are starting to hurt on the already bad defensive line. We'll see where Thompson's next move is, but hopefully he's not too afraid to spend some of that cap space to beef this up. I think the linebackers are pretty comfortable, the advantage to the line is that we only need 3 of them.

Colin Cole to Seattle

2009-03-01T16:34:00.002-06:00

Defensive Tackle Colin Cole has played his last game as a Packer, he signed a five year $21 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Cole played in every game in the 2008 season but did not start in any of them. Many think the loss of Cole will mean the Packers will step up their efforts to get Chris Canty.

Packers in for Chris Canty

2009-03-01T02:54:00.002-06:00

Ted Thompson isn't much for the free agency market but one big move he's looking is to pick up Dallas Cowboys defensive end Chris Canty.

He's averaged 37 tackles per year with the Cowboys but only 2.5 sacks. That's about what we'd want out of him in a 3-4 system where lineman aren't necessarily big pass rushers. He'll have to perform a little bigger.

He has a personal website at www.chriscanty99.com (chriscanty.com was taken.. it redirects to a singer songwriter). He may have to change his domain if he becomes a Packer.. Jeremy Thompson already has #99.

Offers to Free Agents

2009-02-27T03:00:00.004-06:00

The Packers offered deals to Atari Bigby, Jarrett Bush, John Kuhn, Jason Hunter, and Ruvell Martin.

I agree with wanting to keep all of these guys, not a huge Bush fan but he has shown a lot of improvement. The rest of the guys are certainly worth keeping around.

Tramon Williams was offered a one year tender offer. I would like to see them look into a long term deal with him, I think he's worth keeping around.

Otherwise free agency starts today, we'll see what moves Ted Thompson makes, if history says anything, I'm not expecting a whole lot.

packandcheese.com

2009-02-21T01:32:00.003-06:00

So I haven't updated a whole lot lately, not really a lot of Packer news to talk about.. the draft is still months away, and OTAs and training camp are even further away. This is the darkest part of the off season. Our good friends at the Bucky Channel did an article about a Mark Murphy speech. I recommend it.

But, here at Pack and Cheese, we have big news. We've moved! You can now go directly to packandcheese.com to read this blog. Of course, if you so choose, you can still view us at the old site, but a .com is much cooler.. so please update your bookmarks!

Favre Retires

2009-02-11T12:32:00.003-06:00

There's the only picture I have of me and Brett... Taken January 1st, 2006. I was absolutely in awe to be that close to legend.

I remember very clearly the first time Brett retired, less than a year ago, I had been playing basketball at 6 am and I was about to take a nap when I got the phone call with what I considered to be devastating news. I forgot about it enough to get to sleep but I admittedly shed a few tears later that day, to see my childhood hero call it quits.

Now only a few months later, after a ton of drama and a decidedly unsuccessful stint with the Jets, Favre says he's hanging up the cleats for real.

Unlike the last time around, I'm happy to see it. It means I can leave behind the days where I wasn't cheering for him, and we can see him go back to being known as a Packer great, instead of Jets quarterback.

There are so many memories that I associate with Brett... right back to arguing with my dad at the beginning of his career if Favre would be a good quarterback. (I was on the "he's good" side) Right to arguing with people at the end of his career and telling them Brett still has it in him.

I still get chills when I think about the day after his father died when he played the best game of his life in honor of his father. I feel proud to have seen a quarterback throw more touchdowns, completions, and yards than any quarterback before him, even if these records get broken.

He also threw more interceptions than any quarterback ever, but I think I speak for much of the Packer nation when I say that watching him was worth those forehead slapping moments.

I feel honored to see the first 3 time MVP ever. A guy who made all-pro 7 times and the 10 time pro-bowl selection for my favorite team.

I hope the number retirement ceremony can come this year.

My mom always taught me to say please and thank you... so Brett... Thank you for all the memories, please stay retired.

Coaching Staff Complete, Kampman to Linebacker?

2009-02-04T03:00:00.002-06:00

The Packers coaching staff is finally complete. Please click the link if you want to see it all.

In talking about the 3-4 scheme, the Packers have mentioned they're planning on moving Kampman to outside linebacker. No question, he is built like a linebacker, but I'm not sure how good he'll be at that position. Being a good lineman, doesn't mean being a good linebacker. However, the coaches wouldn't do it if it wasn't at least somewhat justifiable.

Trgovac To Be Defensive Line Coach

2009-01-23T17:47:00.003-06:00

Another piece to the Packers defensive coaching staff has been put into place, Carolina's defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac has been hired as the defensive line coach. He coached for the Packers defensive line under Ray Rhodes in 1999 and has been in Carolina for 8 years.

What I find interesting is as Pro Football Weekly reports some are speculating he's leaving Carolina because DE Julius Peppers prefers a 3-4 to Trgovac's 4-3... and he's walking into a brand new 3-4 defense.

Capers to Bring 3-4, Harris Goes Pro-Bowl.

2009-01-21T03:19:00.004-06:00

McCarthy revealed in a press conference that the reason for firing most of the defensive staff was that he felt in order for the defense to effectively move forward, they needed to move into a 3-4 scheme.

I like the idea because I've seen some very good 3-4 defenses and I think we have the linebackers. I don't know if we have the lineman for it, however. We'd be good at nose, but at the defensive ends there are a lot of questions about if even Kampman could play that position. McCarthy however, excused that and said he'd be capable of it.

Oh, and Al Harris is pro-bowl bound. Now if only someone would drop out so Jennings could go.

Capers Signed

2009-01-19T01:54:00.000-06:00

FINALLY, the Packers have a defensive coordinator, McCarthy hired Dom Capers today.

I'm a little nervous because he was so far on the list. But it should be a refreshing change.

Capers Looking Doubtful

2009-01-18T16:47:00.003-06:00

Dom Capers, the Packers 4th choice for defensive coordinator may be going to New York. Reports say Capers is flying out to interview with the Giants who's vacant defensive coordinator position is probably more appealing then the Packers, unless of course, he's looking for a challenge.

Advice for McCarthy... hire the next guy... in his interview, offer him the job, because this is getting ridiculous.

Another note for McCarthy... I'll take the job if you get desperate.

Nothing to Write About

2009-01-17T16:50:00.002-06:00

Nothing to write about today...

but you can help the Packers win the Click For Cans title:

http://www.chunky.com/ClickForCansLanding.aspx

Fuller Added

2009-01-16T15:45:00.005-06:00

After promoting Slocum yesterday, the Packers filled his position pretty quick... Former defensive back for Green Bay, Seattle, and Carolina... and special teams quality assistant coach for the Raiders, Chris Fuller..

They're also interviewing former Houston and Carolina head coach Dom Capers for Defensive Coordinator.

Gregg Williams To Saints... Slocum Special Teams Coordinator

2009-01-15T16:29:00.003-06:00

The clock is ticking on hiring a new Defensive Coordinator, and candidates are starting to drop off the map. Gregg Williams, once considered a top candidate behind Nolan, has accepted a job with the Saints.

Time to hurry, Mike.

Shawn Slocum, former special teams assistant coach has been promoted to special teams coach. Besides having one of my favorite names on the coaching staff, I'm not real happy with it. The hiring of Slocum seems to indicate they are going to "stay the course" on their special teams play, which was unacceptable in 2008.

Finally, the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator position is yet to be filled.

Aaron Rodgers Review

2009-01-14T02:35:00.004-06:00

Jim Biever/Packers.com

If I were to give Rodgers a grade for the season it would be a B+. Most of the people who took part in the poll on my page gave him a B.

I gained quite a bit of respect for him at the beginning of the season when he handled all the drama with more class than anyone would've expected out of him.

Early in the season in a post in which I was worried about how well fans would receive Rodgers, I said that for him to individually have a good season he needed at least an 84 quarterback rating. Obviously he had a 93.8 rating which put him as the 6th highest rated quarterback at the end of the regular season.

On top of that, he threw for more than 4,000 yards, had 2 receivers over 1,000, had 28 touchdowns and only 13 interceptions. As an individual, he had a very solid season.

As a team, they obviously didn't do as well, but that doesn't reflect completely on him. No one is saying Nick Collins had a bad year because, despite his good stats, the team didn't win.

He has things he needs to work on, he needs to start quicker in games, work a little on pocket presence, and get better at the late 4th quarter drive.

I think the last criticism has been over-played a little bit, he lead quite a few drives late in games to give the Packers the lead, only to have to do it again. (for example the Panther game). He also had a couple games that the game winning field goal was missed or blocked (Vikings, Bears).

There's a lot of room for him to grow, but I think he made a big statement this year and I'm looking for more good things out of him in the future.

McCarthy Interviews Jim Haslett

2009-01-14T00:00:00.002-06:00

The search for a defensive coordinator is still underway. The latest interview is Jim Haslett. Word is that he has a very aggressive defensive style which would help with a lot of the defensive problems we had last year in my opinion.

Thanks to The Bucky Channel for this information, it's a wonderful Wisconsin sports blog.

No from Nolan

2009-01-13T04:17:00.003-06:00

Mike Nolan was thought to be the front-runner for the Packers defensive coordinator job... But he was hired by the Broncos, so the search continues.

The more I think of the idea of a 3-4 defense the more I like it. The defensive line is weak and the linebacker corps is stronger, so it plays on the team's strength.

All-Pro's and More Interviews

2009-01-09T22:59:00.002-06:00

Assistant Coach Winston Moss is interviewing with the Raiders... If I were a coach in the NFL, that would be the last place that I would want to go after last year. The coach seems to make a good scapegoat in Oakland.

Long-time defensive coordinator Gregg Williams interviewed with McCarthy, it's looking like it's going to be him or Nolan. More on that when the decision is made.

Charles Woodson and Nick Collins both got named 2nd team all pro. Good for them!

That's all for now

Coaches Interviewing with Green Bay

2009-01-08T14:40:00.003-06:00

Mike Nolan, former San Francisco 49ers coach is the biggest name interviewing with the Packers after this weeks firings.

According to the National Football Post Bill Johnson, former Broncos defensive line coach, but it wasn't specified what position he would be applying for.

Both coaches are reportedly good at the 3-4, which National Football Post is reporting that the Packers are committed to playing next year. I've heard a lot of people mention that they really don't like the 3-4 defense, but I'm open to it. We have a lot of talent in our linebacking corps and not so much on our defensive line, so it may be a good match for us. We'll see where it goes.

Former Kicker Dale Livingston Dies at 63

2009-01-07T03:32:00.002-06:00

Dale Livingston played way before MY time, but he has a special place in Packers football history as he kicked the game winning field goal in the Packers first Monday Night Game. That was October 12, 1970 in San Diego for 14 yards. He passed away at age 63 in a Green Bay hospital.

Five Other Coaches Fired

2009-01-05T13:37:00.002-06:00

Defensive ends coach Carl Hairston, defensive tackles coach Robert Nunn, secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer, defensive nickel package/cornerbacks coach Lionel Washington and strength and conditioning coordinator Rock Gullickson were all fired along with Bob Sanders.

Seeing the D-Ends and D-Tackles coaches go is good to see, since we had such a terrible line this year with the exception of Kampman.

I like seeing this change happen because I think the team is right on the edge of being good, and hopefully this stuff helps push them over the edge

Bob Sanders Out

2009-01-04T21:18:00.004-06:00

After a very disappointing defensive season... The Packers reportedly canned defensive coordinator Bob Sanders.

I, along with many Packer fans am pretty happy to hear this news. It was a much needed move as the defense didn't seem to be able to come through when needed in the last half of the season and the pressure on the opposing quarterback was poor. I hope we can see a more aggressive defense next year!

Vikings vs. Eagles

2009-01-04T03:47:00.003-06:00

If I'm watching college sports, I can cheer for other teams based on being in the same conference as my favorite team. Of course I'm a Badger fan, so I like the Big 10. I'm also a VERY casual UW-Milwaukee Panther and UW-Green Bay Phoenix fan, so I cheer for the Horizon.

This is not true for the NFC North. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the division, but I loathe the Vikings and the Bears... and well, I feel sorry for the Lions.

This said, I will be cheering for Philadelphia tomorrow. Sadly, I think the Vikings will win this game because they seem to be peaking at the right time. I just hope they don't luck their way into 3 more wins.

I can understand why someone would feel differently and want our division's representitive to do as well as possible, but that's not for me.

Packers Make The Playoffs!!!!

2009-01-03T15:20:00.002-06:00

In surprise news today... The Packers make the playoffs... in the Click For Cans contest. It's a pretty win/win situation, you can show your support for the Packers and help feed the less fortnuate all by going to this website.

Here's the link again.

Mike Stock Retires

2009-01-02T17:17:00.003-06:00

Packer fans who were calling for a new special teams coach will get their wish. Mike Stock, who's been in the NFL for 18 years and has been coaching for more than 40 years has decided to retire.

Like the rest of the coaching staff, I didn't know what to think of him this year. He made huge improvements last year but the special teams were less than stellar this year. Most notably they seemed to be very penalty prone.

I'm glad for him for his retirement and I hope we can find someone worthwhile to take his place.

Favre Drama

2009-01-02T14:49:00.004-06:00

A lot of people said it when Favre demanded to be traded from the Packers organization and ended up in New York that the Jets players, fans, and media wouldn't be as forgiving of Favre's mistakes as they were in Green Bay.

Wednesday Jets running back Thomas Jones told a New York radio station he was "pissed off" about the interceptions and said Favre should've been benched in the game against the Dolphins. Another anonymous player called Favre distant from the team. An anonymous source even said the upper management wouldn't be sad to see Favre decide to hang it up.

Jones later clarified his comments. But the rest of the comments stand.

Of course, not everyone in the Jets organization has jumped on the new Favre hating bandwagon... Chansi Stuckey told the New York Times that he'd be calling Favre daily begging him to come back.

This is the first time I've thought that Favre is actually hurting his legacy in his time with the Jets. Of course some of the big media and bloggers talk about how Favre is "overrated" again. I think that's a combination of they're loyalty to other Quarterbacks, the constant love-fest that are the television commentators every game he plays in, and being on a small market team.

I hope Favre retires this year for good. For one, I don't like not cheering for him, and trust me.. I tried. I also would like him to be able to save his character, which seems to be under attack in New York. I don't doubt he could play into his 40s and still have moments of greatness, but I'd like to see him finally hang up the cleats.

Packer Season Recap

2009-01-01T17:26:00.012-06:00

A few days removed from the game, I'd like to take a look at the season as a whole. I could describe the overall season in 4 words: disappointing, heartbreaking, frustrating, and promising.

It was disappointing because whenever you win 7 fewer games than the previous season, you're going to be disappointed. Heartbreaking because of the fashion they lost those games. Even in the 4-12 years a few years ago, they didn't lose so many games they should've been in, they were within 28 points on the season of a 13-3 record. Frustrating because I still can't figure out what the missing link is, the offensive and defensive lines are bad but not THAT bad. I can't think of any other position that may need a complete overhaul.

It was also promising because they put themselves in good position quite a bit and the games barely slipped away. That doesn't make up for 6-10 by any means, but I would be absolutely shocked if they don't make the playoffs next year.

The pre-season brought quite a few surprises, Aaron Rodgers was obviously the biggest question that didn't really get answered in the exhibition season, as he had a couple good games(Bengals Broncos), a poor game(49ers) and a game he barely played in. I was at the Titans game when McCarthy said the starters would play 1 series, and it took one throw for the Packers to find the end zone.

The Packers 2nd quarterback controversy of the year came when Matt Flynn seemed to be outplaying Brian Brohm. The biggest story of the pre-season was who would back up Rodgers for the season. Flynn won the job.

Ryan Grant had a big hold out at the beginning of the season and found himself injured for the entire pre-season, giving the coaching staff a good look at the rest of the running backs. Old favorites Noah Herron, Vernand Morency, and DeShawn Wynn were all cut. Wynn was later put on the practice squad. My favorite runningback on the pre-season was Kregg Lumpkin, and the front office agreed giving him the nod behind Grant and Brandon Jackson. His season ended October 11th when he was placed on IR.

The regular season started off with a bang. In what was going to be Favre's jersey retirement before the offseason drama ended with him going to the New York Jets, Rodgers was able to put together a pretty good performance in the first game. The team looked a lot like 2007's team coming away with a hard earned victory. Then after beating the Lions the season was looking bright, 2-0 overall and in the division, there was optimism in Wisconsin.

The first big test of the season came against NFC rival, the Dallas Cowboys. The Packers came away with a loss, but the optimism hadn't faded. Al Harris looked like he may have ended his season with a spleen injury, but he proved tough and came back later in the season. A road loss at Tampa Bay as the offense was unable to get started behind a poor performance from Rodgers and 20 yards on 15 carries from Grant.

The first regular season game I went to was against the Atlanta Falcons. Rodgers who was injured in the previous week was a game-time decision... and the decision was to play him. They were very unimpressive in this game, and I used the word "un-clutch" for the first time. Who would've thought that would be the defense's defining word for the season.

They snapped the losing streak against former head coach Mike Holmgren and the Seahawks riding a good performance by Rodgers, but a defense that gave up 100 yards. Afterward they played the Colts and absolutely dominated them bringing a ton of optimism into the bye week.

Post bye-week promised disappointment. The game against the Titans brought another unclutch performance by the defense, but they took the only undefeated team left into overtime. The offensive line was awful against the Vikings as the Packers fell in their 2nd straight. The worst part of this game turned out to be losing Barnett for the season.

The Packers played the Bears next and seemingly answered the call with a completely dominating performance. After that, they lost 5 straight games, mostly after taking the lead late, only to give it up.

The season finished against the lowly Lions.. where, besides 3 drops by should've-been pro-bowler Greg Jennings, the team looked pretty good.

I plan to analyze Rodgers' performance at another time, but here are some looks at individuals.

Kregg Lumpkin - I hope he isn't just a flash in the pan, I am a big fan and think he could do big things in the future.

Brandon Jackson - He was much improved over last year, I'd like to see him get more carries.

Ryan Grant - Disappointing for much of the season, but near the end he showed why he wanted the money.

Greg Jennings - What a great season he had! Please give him the money now so we don't have to worry about signing him in the future. If he says healthy, he will be a hall-of-famer.

Donald Driver - Ol' dependable. Another 1,000 yard season for him.

Jordy Nelson - Seriously folks, look for good things in the future. He seemed to be a very strong addition to the team. If this guy is your number 3 receiver, you're in good shape.

Charles Woodson - Well earned pro-bowl appearance. I also really liked his stint at safety.

Nick Collins - Break-out season for him. I thought he'd be a weak spot, but he proved me wrong becoming a pro-bowler.

Tramon Williams - When Al Harris went out, I thought there might be some trouble in the secondary, but he also had a wonderful year. 57 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 5 interceptions. Half of the Harris/Woodson replacement is in place.

AJ Hawk - 86 tackles this season but he didn't look as good as he has in the past. It'd be nice to see more out of him next season.

Look for some more updates to wrap up the season and some important ones in the offseason.

JS Online Shows Frustration

2008-12-30T04:14:00.003-06:00

Well, I missed the Journal Sentinal's article on Sunday's game until it was sent to me, and I'm glad I didn't read it in the first place as the Journal Sentinel wrote an article recapping the game that sounded much more like an angry blogger than a professional writer.

I understand the feeling that it had to be going to that game for Bob McGinn, the JS writer responsible for the article. It's the week between Christmas and New Years and you're covering a team that you may or may not like in a game that has absolutely no implications. You'd rather stay home and avoid the work.

I think you still put personal feelings aside and write a legitimate article. Not one where you make comments like "and they almost lost."

Admittedly, the Lions are bad, but they're still a legitmate NFL team who gave a lot of teams a run for their money and no one you expect to walk all over. The Packers, also not quite as bad as the record would suggest, being 28 points off from being a playoff team. This game was meaningless but it was a hard fought good game where the Packers did a lot write and earned a win.

I don't plan to check on them for further Packer coverage, the Green Bay Press-Gazette does better anyway.

Packers Finish on a High Note

2008-12-29T00:56:00.003-06:00

Firstly, I posted this picture I took from our tailgate spot. The seats were pretty good for watching the game, but not so much for taking photographs, so I'll stick with this one.

I'm extremely tired so.... BULLET POINTS

-My favorite part of the game was the 69 yard field goal attempt, that would've made my life if he had made that... and it was close

-Rodgers seemed to fix the over-throwing problem on the long pass.

-Despite what some of the fans around me were complaining about today, McCarthy was not being conservative. I liked all the 4th down plays and the time outs on the punt.

-Driver touchdown was great.. he made it over 1,000 yards for the season, joining Jennings

-Rodgers went over 4,000 yards on the season today

-Wynn looked good

-Al Harris' clothesline was awesome

-Way to go on the pair of interceptions, pro-bowlers

-Insert joke about Kevin Smith also being the name of a director here-

-You can tell the NFL didn't care about this game by the C-Team officials they sent out... had they not known about the free kick rule, I'd be convinced they were picked up off the street. I'm not saying I think they were biased against the Packers...but they were blowing calls all over. For instance, not blowing that Ryan Grant run dead. Are you even watching?

Packers vs. Lions Preview

2008-12-28T02:20:00.002-06:00

When the Packers first played the Lions at Ford Field the season looked promising, they were 2-0 leaving the game and 2-0 in the division. The Lions were down but not out at this point.

Now, 15 weeks later, the season is almost over and this game means absolutely nothing. Okay, well not nothing but the fact that the Lions are playing to not be the only team to ever go 0-16 and the Packers to not be the only team the Lions beat in their record breaking season.

Since I'm short on time, I'll keep the keys to this game short....

PLAY IN THE 4TH QUARTER!!!

Packers Hate Vikings More

2008-12-22T22:57:00.003-06:00

I figured this one out.. The Packers knew they could beat the Bears, but they thought it would be more funny to play spoiler for the Vikings... so the whole team comes out and just plays a wonderful game in the first half... then the offense decided to continually drive into the Bears territory and come away with nothing... The defense decided that they've really enjoyed the 3 quarter games they've been playing all year... and Mason Crosby kicked it into a hand on purpose.

That has to be it, because this game was way too promising to end the way it did...with an overtime defeat.

By the way.. It's good to see James Jones back making plays.

Loved Jordy Nelson blocking up feild.

Loved Grant's effort on his touchdown reception.

Rodgers didn't play great, but not bad.

2 interceptions for the defense... but they can't finish when it matters.

But the offense needs to score more than 17

Packers at Bears Preview

2008-12-22T05:06:00.002-06:00

Playin' for pride tonight! I'm still excited for the game, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Bears come out with more fire than the Packers who are just wanting the season to end. A couple weeks ago when they still had the chance to make the playoffs.. I was also thinking about momentum for next year, but finishing with two wins isn't going to help anything.

That said, I want to see the best record possible, and I'm sure that's what the team would ideally like as well.

They had the formula 5 weeks ago when they did everything right and demolished the Bears... I'd look for a similar game plan... and hopefully the defense will step up for a change.

Déjà vu

2008-12-14T14:54:00.003-06:00

Wow! Haven't seen this game yet this year....

Close game down the stretch.

Packers score in the 4th quarter to take the lead.

Defense gives up a few big plays and loses the lead.

Offense turns the ball over

Only difference in this one.. is the offense completely sucked too.

That's all, that's it.. that's the entry.

I guess no one should've told them they still had a shot at the playoffs going into this game...because obviously they didn't want to leave any doubt in anyone's mind that they belong home in January.

Ugh Frank Caliendo

2008-12-14T11:55:00.002-06:00

I have a minute here.. 5 minutes before kickoff as the grill is still warming up... and I want to say that I REALLY wish people would stop giving Frank Caliendo jobs... He does a good John Madden impression, which means he's good to be on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno the first week of the season to laugh at John Madden...

I hated all the commercials for his show on TBS when the Brewers were in the playoffs this last year, and I hate having to change the channel during the pregame show on Fox.

Packers vs. Jaguars Preview

2008-12-13T22:48:00.003-06:00

What looked like one of the tougher games of the year when the schedule came out, should be one of the easier ones.... But that said, Jacksonville may be saying the exact same thing about our struggling Packers.

Keys:
Go Quick- The Packers have been averaging the 4th most points in the league this year... but the biggest problem is that they've been starting slow... The Packers have only 44 points through all of their first quarters...

Turnovers Taking the ball away almost saved the game for us last week... as the Packers forced 4 turnovers. Granted, the Texans are very turnover-prone... it was a nice change from the weeks before.

Bend Don't Break David Garrard has put up decent statistics the past few weeks, with one little problem.. Touchdowns, he can't seem to punch it in...something to hold onto on those long drives.

Field Position Kapinos looks a lot better than Frost through one game, and I'd like to see him help the battle a little more.

Nothing Left To Play For

2008-12-08T02:13:00.002-06:00

Yeah, I didn't want to post a picture of me on here.. so I just wrote Pack And Cheese on a piece of paper to prove I was there and on the field.

Okay.. First thing I want to mention as not part of the game is that CBS' crew for this game was just awful. For example, there is a guy who wears orange sleeves whose sole job is to stand out on the field to let the refs know they're on commercials... so there should never NEVER be time when a commercial cuts off part of the game.. this happened in the first quarter...

Oh...and next time we have these announcers... take a drink every time the color guy says the first name of the play-by-play guy.. Gus.. Because apparently it makes you look smarter, for the rest of this entry, I will talk to Gus...but you can listen too... even though this is a conversation with Gus.

The defense was varied today, Gus, they seemed to bend a lot.. and did break a bunch of times, however forcing 4 turnovers is a ver impressive stat.. that said, it's pathetic they still managed to lose, Gus.

Offense was very spotty getting in and out of rhythm.. but the whole game was a microcosm of the season.. many things right, but still couldn't finish the game.

Gus, that seems to be the difference between this year in last.. they hang in all game but just can't finish, Gus.

Sorry if this entry sucks, Gus, but I need to go to sleep, Gus.

Playoff hopes are all but gone but the players say they're just staying focused on the next game.

Packers vs Houston Preview

2008-12-07T00:02:00.003-06:00

I'm going up to Lambeau tomorrow.. leaving in 6.5 hours to be exact so this will be short and sweet.

MUST win.. the season is probably over if they lose today.

Out of the gates... They need a quick start.. if they had a decent first half last week, they would've won.

Field Position.... Derrick Frost is gone... lets just hope we can start winning the field position battle.

Bend but DON'T break!..... Hey defense, let's try to revive the "bend but don't break" and leave behind the "bend and then break" philosophy from recent games.

And...well to be Maddenesque..... lets score more points than we allow.

New Punter

2008-12-05T03:10:00.001-06:00

So the new punter was announced.. Jeremy Kapinos..

They seem pretty excited about him.. although he was just swiped up from spending Sundays in front of the TV.

I don't really have an opinion right now.. but he can't be worse than BJ Sander.....ermm I mean Derrick Frost

Jennings and Driver

2008-12-03T03:50:00.003-06:00

In Sunday's game, both Jennings and Driver caught touchdown passes and after each one... the two got together got on a knee and seemed to say something to each other and then went into the Lambeau Leap.

I really like this display of unity between the two top receivers... and I think it's a very cool gesture that isn't overly extravagant or anything.

It sort of reminds me of the handshake the defensive backs were doing after interceptions. I'm glad Jim Biever came through and got a photo of this one.

Woodson To Play Safety

2008-12-02T14:22:00.003-06:00

On Sunday's game against Carolina, the Packers moved Woodson to Safety where Atari Bigby and back-ups Aaron Rouse and Charlie Peprah were all injured. I meant to comment about it in the game recap... but I was apparently feeling a little too disappointed in the result of the game..and it's implications on the season.

In Woodson's place they started Tramon Williams... Saying this way they had their four best defensive backs on the field. Apparently they thought it worked and plan on sticking with that starting line up.

I LOVED the decision... Woodson was been very effective when put into positions where he can act as a "floater." And I think Tramon Williams is a great cornerback that will only benefit from the extra playing time. He stepped in for Al Harris earlier in the season...and the defense didn't seem to miss a step.

Derrick Frost Released

2008-12-02T04:18:00.005-06:00

Derrick Frost was a nice enough guy...as far as I can tell from the interviews.. but he was completely under performing. Hopefully it'll turn out like the BJ Sander thing...after Bidwell left..we ended up with Ryan, a pretty good punter.

As of now, no new punter has been signed.... I'm hoping for Ken DeBauche... Former Badger and Wisconsin native.. he played high school at Bay Port High in Suamico, WI... about 15 minutes away from Lambeau.

Packers Defense/Special Teams Unclutch

2008-11-30T15:04:00.004-06:00

I don't know how many times this year that I've used the word that I made up "unclutch" to describe the way the Packers defense has played... and today the special teams get that title too.

The Packers were in perfect position to win....needing only one defensive stop... but the kick coverage which was absolutely TERRIBLE all day gave the Panthers good field position... and one big pass put the Panthers in posistion for an easy 1 yard run.

To describe how I feel... both embarrassed and disappointed. I had this hope in my mind that, just like in the movies, a good half time speech would spark the team to get ready for a legitimate playoff run... and in many ways that looked like what happened... right up until they were unable to get into the endzone from 2nd and goal on the 1 yard line... the field goal wasn't enough again.

Rodgers looked great in the 2nd half but it wasn't enough to overcome the big deficit they earned in the 1st half and the terrible play of the special teams/defense all game.

I don't think the playoffs are in the cards for the Packers this year.

The saddest part is that the biggest question mark this year SHOULD'VE been Aaron Rodgers and the offense.. but instead it's the terrible...horrible pathetic defense.... and no, I don't feel unjustified saying that.

Packers vs Panthers Preview

2008-11-30T02:31:00.003-06:00

Well the Packers have backed themselves into a must-win situation. Once again, it's not an ABSOLUTE must win... but it's pretty close. They need to treat every game like a must win situation because they need to win the division to make the play-offs and even winning out they still need a little help.

Keys to the Game:
Something to Prove- The defense was embarrassed last week and I'm looking for the defensive backs and linebackers to have a good game. I believe it's a talented bunch and they're willing to make a statement.

Stopping the Run- The main defensive struggles this year have come in the running game... and that's been a source of success for the Panthers. Against the Raiders, Jake Delhomme threw 4 interceptions in a WINNING effort. The passing game isn't bad, but if I'm at all right about the defensive backs attitude... the running game will need to be the focus.

Keep the Offensive Flow- Last week, the offense was pretty good.. Overall, as of late.. I've been happy to see a running game get going and Rodgers maturing.. They need to just keep that momentum going. It's hard to do that when you're losing the games on the way.

Field Position- I saw an interview with Derrick Frost this week in which I gained some respect... While receiving criticism he said that it's justified and he's doing all he can do -- working hard. That said, I still think we need a new punter.. but who knows, maybe his tables will turn.

Are the Packers Defensive Backs Actually Bad?

2008-11-26T01:15:00.002-06:00

No.. They're still among the league's elite... at least in my mind.

They didn't play well against the Saints.. but they weren't as bad as you might thing.

Breaking it down further.. Wide Receivers only caught 7 out of Brees' 20 completions... That's not a whole lot. Yardagewise.. WR's did account for 194 yards out of the 323.

That means the receivers did most of their damage on big plays.. 140 of their yards came on two plays. One play Atari Bigby got juked pretty badly.. and the other one Woodson got outran and Rouse took a poor angle of pursuit.. Both of those plays went for 70 yards. That means only 54 yards to wide receivers if you take out those two plays.

Granted, those two plays were huge in the game.. and the secondary dropped the ball on them, the majority of the passing game that ripped the Packer's defense apart came from runningbacks and tightends... traditionally, these players are covered by linebackers. I think a lot of the problem in the game came from linebackers blowing coverage.

It wasn't all the line backer corps' fault.. the secondary did play uncharacteristically poorly and Brees was given WAY too much time to throw the ball.

The whole unit has a LOT to prove against a very talented Panther team this Sunday.

Packers Suck Against Saints

2008-11-24T21:44:00.009-06:00

The defense has been pretty good this year... but the one thing they haven't been is clutch.. and in a must-win game for the Packers.. the defense decided to stay in Green Bay this week. It's absolutely abysmal to have your offense put up 21 points in the first half and still be losing.

It seriously felt like watching the Saints offense play against a high school defense... That may be a little harsh on all the high school defenses out there, but I consider it a pretty fair comparison. Atari Bigby, who I thought to be a potential pro-bowl candidate, couldn't get his footing... Hawk proved that maybe there's a reason why he plays outside linebacker. Also.. I find it disturbing that the best tackle of the game came from Rodgers.

The first half ended with what looked a resurgent defense with the line putting pressure on Drew Brees.. then the second half started out with a big 3rd and 15 attempt in which Brees sat back like he was doing a drill and completed a 14.5 yard pass.. and on the plunge against our big guys to get the half yard... the Saints manage to get 5 yards.

Then came the offensive collapse. Rodgers looked like Brett Favre throwing forehead slapping passes to the guys wearing black. 2 interceptions in times that it mattered.. and one after the game was pretty much over.

Oh..and I'd like to come out and say right now that this team wouldn't be missing anything if they cut Derrick Frost.. he's been absolutely bad this season.. and Brian Brohm is probably looking for something to do anyway.

So the Packers give up their share of the division lead... and look absolutely stupid on national TV.

To sum it up in one line: the only big easy in this game was the Packers secondary.

Finally.... the Saints up by 22 points going for 2... that adds up to the most classless team in the NFL.. (seriously.. I was looking for Belichick on the sideline) either that or they have a LOT of respect for the Packers 4th quarter comeback ability.

Playoff chances are starting to look very grim.

Packers vs Saints Preview

2008-11-24T03:42:00.003-06:00

Both the Vikings and Bears won yesterday so it's clear that if the Packers want to keep pace in the race for the division championship..this is a must win. It's not like a loss ends the season.. but with such a tight race, you don't want to give anything up.

Keys
Stop the Pass- Easier said then done? Probably. Drew Brees has been outstanding this year..and the Saints passing offense will likely be the toughest test for this defensive secondary yet.

Don't Ignore The Run- Deuce McAllister is a talented back.. he will be playing. Reggie Bush may also be playing and he has very explosive potential. Over playing the pass will open these guys up to embarass an already bad run defense.

Establish The Run- In the games that the Packers have looked the best in.. it's been with a balanced attack on offense... If they want to win the game they need a strong running game to open up the pass and to help keep the Saint's offense off the field

Can We Please Play Clean?- Offensive penalties have been killing drives all season, coming into the home stretch toward the playoffs its necessary to clean that up. They've won despite the penalties quite a bit this year, I'd like to see them fix it.

Bradshaw on Brett

2008-11-22T16:57:00.004-06:00

Okay, I know that I'm late complaining about this... but I like to wait awhile to let things settle in so I'm not just complaining incoherently.

Last week on the FOX Pre-Game show.. Terry Bradshaw went on a rant about how the Packers would be 7-2 or 8-1 if Brett Favre was at the helm.

I'm quite certain that Bradshaw doesn't watch the Green Bay Packers. I have a firmly held belief that the networks don't really pay attention to the small market teams like the Packers or Vikings. But he confirmed that belief when he said that the Packers have one of the best offensive lines in the league.

One of the best offensive lines... the offensive line that gave up 4 sacks and 2 safeties against the Minnesota Vikings... This line that took half the season to support a running game? This line that has been a huge contributor to the Packers being one of the most penalized teams in the league.... Really?

He also thinks the only thing that has changed is the Quarterback... well last I checked, Ryan Grant held out until the Bye week... the defense has been completely unable to stop the run.. and the special teams has been embarrassing.

Take it from a guy who watches every game religiously... he's not the problem with this team. And this isn't really a bad team at all. In fact.. Rodgers has a 94.5 rating...better than Favre so far this season... has only thrown 6 picks and 15 touchdowns to Brett's 18 TDs and 12 INTs.

Favre is having a good season and I wish him well, but if he was on the Packers, there's no way of knowing how well the team would be playing. Favre had a knack for winning games in big situations, but he also had a knack for losing the games on fore-head slapping throws.

Also he would be a lot less likely to scramble as well as Rodgers. They're two different quarterbacks and it's unfair to compare them... especially when you don't even bother to watch the games.

Packers Answer the Call

2008-11-16T15:08:00.003-06:00

I'm going to assume that the Packers brought up my blog in the lockerroom before this game and showed them that I thought they had something to prove. Well they answered my call. They went from what I would consider the worst game of the season right into the best game of the season as they absolutely manhandle the Bears... winning 37-3.

Ryan Grant was a HUGE part of this game... 145 yards on 25 carries, he certainly looked like he was back to old form today. Along with an offensive line, who, besides a couple harmful penalties early played a great game... evidenced by the 200 yard Packers rushing effort.

The passing game was great today too. Aaron Rodgers was 23/30 for 227 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception earning him a 105.8 rating.

The defense was also spot on allowing only 1 sustained drive that only resulted in a field goal and finally answering the call to stop the run allowing only 83 yards on the ground.

Over-all a dominating performance to move them into the three way tie for the NFC North lead.

I wanted to mention how happy I was with Jordy Nelson today, not neccessarily the 1 catch for 19 yards, but mostly his blocking on one of the big runs from Ryan Grant.

Also like seeing defensive TDs even when they are pretty much meaningless, it still makes a statement as a defense.

Packers vs Bears Preview

2008-11-16T02:34:00.002-06:00

I think I've felt this a lot this season, but this game is extremely important. Is it a MUST win? No.. but losing it puts them 2 games back in the division, and leaves them in a position that every game for the rest of the season WOULD be a must win.

Keys to the Game:
Get Some Offense Going I've posted some pretty obvious ones, but I think this takes the cake. However, if the team is as nervous about the offensive performance, which has been lack since they beat the Colts... they need the confidence boost of an early lead.

Blitz There will be a hole in the line as Chicago tackle Fred Miller is not expected to play in the game.. that should be a good area to target, but some inside blitzes can help an already injured line. *cough*Justin Harrell AGAIN*cough*

Field Position How many of the basics does this team need to work on? The special teams has been letting us down outside of a touchdown return by Blackmon.

In Summary... basics They haven't been losing because they have a few small things to tweek, it's because they can't seem to follow the basics.... not the least of which being penalties.

They're still very much alive to make this season a success, this game goes a long way in determining if it will be.

Excuse Me While I Complain

2008-11-11T14:05:00.004-06:00

Okay, I don't like complaining about officiating in games, and I refrained from doing it for the last two days to make sure that it wasn't something that was going to pass quickly, but I was absolutely disgusted by the job the referees did in the game on Sunday.

No, I don't think they were trying to make the Vikings win... and nor do I blame them for the Packers losing, as I believe officiating is a human element that teams need to play around.

Game changing calls/no calls:

3rd and long... Al Harris gets flagged for "Illegal Contact." They show the play again, the receiver not only initiated the contact, but was swinging at his head. I fully believe that he was called for this based on reputation. It shouldn't have been called, and that penalty over-all is called very inconsistently.

Then came the safety call... "Illegal Forward Pass?" It was a pass that landed close enough to Humphrey and was a LEGALLY thrown pass. I know it seemed like it should've just been ruled a safety, but you can't just make stuff up. SI's Peter King agrees with me.

The officials screwed up an early safety call on the Packers that, obviously, could have been a huge difference in a one-point Green Bay loss. While being upended in the end zone, Aaron Rodgers threw an underhanded pass that landed about three yards from Packers tight end Tory Humphrey, and ref Alberto Riveron called it an illegal forward pass. Only it wasn't, because quarterbacks often make underhanded scoop passes, which this was. After the game Riveron called it intentional grounding, and it wasn't that either, because Humphrey was so close. So this was a gift two points for the Vikes.

Finally, I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be a 15 yard penalty to take your helmet off while on the field. I realize there was a lot of justified excitement for Peterson, one of the most talented players in the NFL today, but you have to call games both ways.

The Packers have a lot to work on. Even if these calls were made correctly, they still deserved to lose. Playing around poor officiating is part of the game. PLEASE get some work done coach McCarthy...

Barnett Injury

2008-11-10T13:45:00.002-06:00

I think it was Troy Aikman who made the comment... "The Packers are about as healthy as you could hope for this time of year" I knocked on wood, but apparently it wasn't good enough.

Packers.com is reporting that Nick Barnett tore a ligament in his knee and will miss the remainder of the season.

Worst Game of the Season?

2008-11-09T15:07:00.003-06:00

Yes. By far.. the worst game of the season

The Packers offensive line gave up four sacks and were flagged 10 times for 80 yards. That is an absolutely disgusting performance by the offense and a pretty decent game by the defense. Peterson was able to get 200 yards, but when the tie of possession is as slanted as it was for this game, with Minnesota being on offense more than 13 minutes longer than them.

The sheer fact they were even in position to win this game is a testament to a wonderful defense. Three interceptions including one that was returned for a touchdown turns into a pretty decent defensive performance. The only thing stopping me from saying it was a "good performance" is the fact that they were unable to contain Peterson, who had more than 200 all-purpose yards.

The offense was worse than they've been all year.. the bright spot being the fact that Grant had a pretty decent game with 71 yards and one touchdown. But besides that a terrible performance from the offensive line.. and an uncharacteristically bad game by Aaron Rodgers (I'm not buying into the idea he played that poorly last week).

Now the Packers have some digging to do... they're back below .500 and have very few positives to move forward with. They have an excellent pass defense, that being the only positive I can really find.. but after watching this game I think any logical person will have serious doubts about their offense, their run defense, and their special teams.

Sure Blackmon had that huge return for a touchdown, but outside of that, they lost the field position battle, it's pretty hard to score points when you start inside your own 20 most of the series (especially if you get sacked 5 times..)

By the way, did I mention they got beat by one player.... Adrian Peterson asked for the ball and he got it. But if not for a pretty decent defensive performance, this entry could've been up in the third quarter, as the game stayed the same.

Okay, now that I've vented about this Packer team who has a serious uphill battle to be a playoff contender... I'm going to try to figure out the positives of this game.

-Rodgers somehow was able to finish the game... at last count he was on the ground 15 times, but he toughed it out.

-Grant seems to be becoming consistently good - I suppose 75 yards isn't a great performance, but he's playing with some explosiveness.

-Amazing secondary.. picks from Chuckie Dubbs, Tramon Williams, and Nick Collins proves that while the rest of the team may be struggling to find footing, they're still dependable.

Packers vs. Vikings Preview

2008-11-09T02:04:00.003-06:00

I've heard a lot this week a lot of people saying stuff like... "This isn't the same Vikings team that the Packers played week 1." It is a aesthetically better team than week one with Gus Ferotte at Quarterback, and they are looking better. But I think a lot of these analysts aren't looking at the other side, this Packers team has been playing much better than week 1 as well. I think considering the game is at the dome, the Vikings are rightfully favored, but I think the Packers can win.

Keys:
Stop A.P. I think the most casual fans could easily point this out. Peterson had a statistically good game, however he was a non-issue... I think a slight improvement over week one would be efficient.

Stop Berrian He's been looking like the guy he was hyped up to be for Minnesota as of late... and the Packer's top notch secondary needs to work to contain him.

Stick to the Offensive Basics In the first meeting of the season, the Packers were able to move the ball efficiently and Rodgers was 18/22... keep doing the high percentage passes and let the receivers move the ball.

Continue the Run Momentum Grant has been performing well in recent weeks, I'm about ready to accept that his contract MIGHT have been worth it, I hope he proves me right on this.. but he wasn't all that effective against the Vikings despite having 92 yards... 57 came on one carry. This is a huge test considering how effective Minnesota is against the run, it'll make a win more achievable and Grant will pass the test.

The injury battle is in favor of the Packers, with no players expected to miss due to injury... Jared Allen will be out for the Vikings for sure.

I think they can win it.. and they'll be passing a huge test if they do.

Jermicheal Finley Apology

2008-11-07T20:49:00.003-06:00

If you haven't heard, on Monday, Jermicheal Finley made some comments blaming Rodgers for the two "bad passes" and asked the coaches to play him more.

After hearing a lot about it from the coaches, he apologized. I think it's forgivable once, since he is only a rookie.. and the coaches did a good job at disciplining him for it. But if he keeps up with it then he's not worthwhile to the team, send him to the Cowboys or another team that approves of that behavior.

Injuries

2008-11-06T03:15:00.003-06:00

Earlier in the year on Wednesdays when the injury list came out, I felt I'd lose the attention to list them all. The Packers are listing only 4 injuries now: Desmond Bishop, Chad Clifton, Aaron Rodgers, and Charles Woodson.

I'm pretty sure they all will be playing. Hopefully they can continue to be this healthy as they tread through the second half of the season.

Packers Force Overtime Against League's Best Team

2008-11-02T14:58:00.004-06:00

...and they lose.

It's hard to find an exact reason why they lost this one. It would be easy to blame the defense for being unable to stop the drive at the end of the game and the overtime drive... but that's not soley the reason why they couldn't come up with it.

Rewind the the first half.. the Packers are only down 3-0 and come up with a big defensive stop forcing the Titan's to punt, but they get called for a stupid penalty.

The offense was in scoring range multiple times but were only able to capitalize with a touchdown one time... and even got picked off once. Add that to multiple sacks during big parts of the game including one deep in their own territory and you have the recipe for a loss.

If there is a such thing as "not a bad loss" I would think this is it. They played pretty well on all parts of the ball.. Donald Driver came up huge for the offense and Ryan Grant played very well.

They almost won. But that doesn't count for anything as they fall back down to .500 and lose their share of the NFC North lead.

I can't decide if I think they played well or poorly... on one hand the offense produced well as long as they weren't in the red-zone.. and the defense played pretty well too.. except when they needed to to win the game.

A coin toss was the difference in this game, but I think the Packers could've and should've won this one.

Packers vs Titans preview

2008-11-02T01:58:00.004-05:00

This game promises to be the biggest test in awhile.. Coming off a bye week in which momentum seemed to be going our way... going into the divisional part of the season. It's not a must win.. but it is a must "look good."

The Titans are undefeated but they aren't undefeatable. In fact, they're getting close to the "due to lose" time. In the preseason, Rodgers connected with Jennings for a TD on the only play the offensive starters were in.

Justin Harrell is back. They cut KGB to make room for him... and he better perform to make fans feel it's worth losing one of their favorite players from the past. They will need him becaues they play their best football when they can stop the run.

Keys to the Game:
Ryan Grant - Why did they look so good two weeks ago? Because they had a running game! They were able to control the clock and run their full offensive set, because Ryan Grant was performing. They'll be a hard team to beat if he can keep moving forward.

Exploit the Defense - Linebacker Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cornerback Chris Carr are both listed as questionable while Linebacker Colin Allred is out and Defensive End William Hayes is doubtful. The Titans' defense won't be full strength so the Packers should have an easier time controlling the ball.

Turnovers - They have 6 interceptions returned for touchdowns this year.... Those big momentum swings mean a lot to the team.

Other notes:
Atari Bigby and James Jones are both back from injury.... and Jordy Nelson is questionable for the game.. hopefully they can get the full 5 soon.

Rodgers Signed Through 2014

2008-10-31T17:49:00.002-05:00

The Packers are apparently happy with what they've seen out of Aaron Rodgers so far this season... as are the fans... they signed him for the next 6 years... And we thought they were committed before.

I hope that this is the right decision. I'm a big fan, but I'm still skeptical on this mood. Apparently TT and friends see something they like!

The Favre Thing

2008-10-28T03:12:00.002-05:00

Brett denies the reports.. no surprise that he did.. whether he did it or not.

At first when I heard the report, I was angry.. But I don't know if I believe it.. There's lots of reason to believe it did happen, but at the same time it hasn't been proved beyond a reasonable doubt, so maybe we let it go.

I think him being on another team is like a bad breakup. There are 3 ways of reacting.

1. Unrequited Love - Watches every Jets game talking about how the Packers ruined Brett Favre. I don't think the guy I saw in Buffalo Wild Wings in La Crosse wearing a Jets Favre jersey and cheering against the Packers was a Jets fan before this year. Well Brett's moved on (we think) it's now your turn.

2. Anger - These people wish the worst for Brett.. they want him to suffer for betraying the Packers. He's supposed to be ours and not theirs.. and it's all his fault!

3. Nothing - This is where I am.. I don't really care how he does with the Jets. I hope for him to not get injured and pad his records, that's about all. I probably won't watch Jets games and I look forward to him retiring for real...so Packer fans can go back to celebrating his career.

Pack and Cheese

So... Super Bowl Champions huh?

Packers kick off 2010 with high expectations

Draft Day 1

Letter to Brett

Packers Play-Offs

Packers over Bears.

Packers Lose To Vikings

Packers Choke In Dome

Packers vs Vikings

Packers Beat Rams

Packers Lose to Bengals

Packers vs Bengals Preview

Packers Win 21-15

Packers vs Bears Preview

Cut Day

Packers vs Cardinals

Packers defeat Bills

Packers vs. Bills Preview

Brett Favre Found Dead in Minnesota Today

The Favre Drama Continues

Packers vs. Browns Recap

Packers vs. Browns Preview

BJ Raji to Sign

Hey Raji.. Get In Here

Justin Harrell Injured Again

Family Night

Favre is Still a Packer

Favre to Stay Retired

B*** F****

OTA Report

Favre To Stay Retired

Packers Pick

John Madden Retires

Pre-Season Schedule Released

George Koonce AD for UW-Milwaukee

Packers Retain Bush

Should we keep Bush?

Packers Sign Safety

Next Move: Burnett

Next Move: Igor Olshansky

Chris Canty Not To Be

Colin Cole to Seattle

Packers in for Chris Canty

Offers to Free Agents

packandcheese.com

Favre Retires

Coaching Staff Complete, Kampman to Linebacker?

Trgovac To Be Defensive Line Coach

Capers to Bring 3-4, Harris Goes Pro-Bowl.

Capers Signed

Capers Looking Doubtful

Nothing to Write About

Fuller Added

Gregg Williams To Saints... Slocum Special Teams Coordinator

Aaron Rodgers Review

McCarthy Interviews Jim Haslett

No from Nolan

All-Pro's and More Interviews

Coaches Interviewing with Green Bay

Former Kicker Dale Livingston Dies at 63

Five Other Coaches Fired

Bob Sanders Out

Vikings vs. Eagles

Packers Make The Playoffs!!!!

Mike Stock Retires

Favre Drama

Packer Season Recap

JS Online Shows Frustration

Packers Finish on a High Note

Packers vs. Lions Preview

Packers Hate Vikings More

Packers at Bears Preview

Déjà vu

Ugh Frank Caliendo

Packers vs. Jaguars Preview

Nothing Left To Play For

Packers vs Houston Preview

New Punter

Jennings and Driver

B* F**