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The Tennesse Titans took a huge step towards the bottom of the American Football Conference as they signed the Packers’ Jarrett Bush (CB – Helen Keller Institute) to an offer sheet. The Packers have seven days to match the offer, it should only take them 7 seconds of thought to decline.
OK, throw this year out and get on to the next one. Let’s look at positions and figure out where we need improvement.
Quarterback – We’re OK here as long as Rodgers stays healthy. We got by with two rookies as back-ups and thankfully they’ve now got a year under their belts. We need to figure out which back-up is going to be a longer term answer and whether we need to get a veteran back-up in case Rodgers gets hurt. We could see Rex Grossman in a Packer uniform. I’m not necessarily happy about that, but I know he’s well thought of by the current administration.
Running Back – Ryan Grant is OK, he should be better next year, but I’m not impressed by his back-ups. Multiple running backs is the new idea in the NFL. We could use an upgrade here.
Fullback – We’re OK here.
Wide Receiver- We’re OK here. Nelson was surprisingly good. I was wrong. Again. Jennings can be a number one. Driver can play for me as long as he wants. Martin and Jones are capable back-ups.
Tight Ends – I think we’re OK if Finley continues to develop.
Offensive Line- It’s time to look at taking a lineman in the first round. Tauscher is probably done, Clifton was not very good this year. Scott Wells gets injured too much. A tackle would be preferable, but a center might be good as well. Less of a need at guard.
Kicker – Crosby hits most of his kicks. He’s no Ryan Longwell, but he’s good enough to keep.
Punter – Keep looking.
Defensive Line – Time to put the Justin Harrell mistake behind us and go after a pass rusher or three to compliment Kampman. A younger, meaner fat guy in the middle might be good.
Linebackers – The fact that we missed Nick Barnett so much proves the need for a new middle linebacker type. Hawk is painfully slow in pass coverage, Poppinga wouldn’t even be on many other teams and there’s no depth. Chillar might be OK on the weak side.
Defensive back – Quality depth is needed. How long can Al Harris and Charles Woodson play? A strong safety who can tackle and cover the myriad of good tight ends in the league would be nice. Please, please, please tell me that you can do better than Jarrett Bush.
Coaches – Funny how good the coaches look when they have good players. The problem, as I see it, all over this team is lack of quality depth. This is especially apparent on special teams, which is why the special teams coach always gets fired. Maybe the backups are just young, as Ted Thompson seems committed to having the youngest, cheapest team he can field. Unless the team spends some money and fills the backup roles with people who are both good and experienced, injuries to starters will continue to weigh this team down.
Defense is where they have the most needs. But, as always, my philosophy is to draft the best player available regardless of position. That being said, all things being equal, I’d say that the Packers should concentrate on defense early in the draft unless there’s a Joe Thomas available at left tackle. A big, fast defensive end or monster inside pass rusher would be my hope. I’m still looking for one in the bowl games I’ve been watching. He may not be in this draft. If he’s not, then the biggest, fastest linebacker you can find. If there aren’t any of those worth first round money, then a center or running back. No defensive backs under 6′2″!
I’ve seen the Packers twice, I’ve seen the Cowboys twice. I cannot envision the Packers keeping up with and outscoring the Cowboys’ offense. That’s not to say the Packers won’t give a good account of themselves. I believe that as good as the Cowboys are on offense, they may find themselves having to outscore a number of teams this year. I’m not sold on Pacman Jones or the rest of the Cowboy backfield. They’re starting a third string safety, as I understand it. To put that in perspective, the Packers’ third string includes the NFL’s only player from the Helen Keller Academy, Jarrett Bush, whom other teams call “Radio”.
For some reason, the prospect of a game with no actual pass completions by either team, only a series of holding penalties and pass interference calls, doesn’t excite me. It will be nice if the Packers can win but I don’t expect it. Cowboys 38 Packers 17.
Look, the entire western world’s financial system nearly collapsed last week which would have led to two decades of depression and now we’re on the precipice of the People’s Republic of Socialist Amerika and you want to get excited over a football game?
Maybe the best thing the world-wide internets ever did for me is give me access to out of town newspapers.
Detroit News: “You saw firsthand what happens when you have competent football people running your organization. Enter the Green Bay Packers.” – Rob Parker
Detroit Free Press: “Honestly, this franchise should rename itself “Disneyland.” It guarantees a magical time.” – Mitch Albom
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“I mean, how do you get blown out twice in the same game?” – Lions Ticker
I wish I could be pessimistic as usual but the Lions are the worst franchise in the National Conference of the National Football League. Only the pathetic Oakland Raiders exceed the fruitlessness of this franchise. Last week, after a 4-0 pre-season they gave their fans false hope (as a Brewer fan, I know false hope) that they wouldn’t be out of the race in September. They were going to play a rebuilding Atlanta team with a rookie quarterback. They not only lost, they didn’t even last for the first quarter.
Mike O’Hara from the Detroit News says it wasn’t the “worst loss ever” and I would agree. The list of worst games ever for the Lions is just too populous to choose just one. Meanwhile, the Packers’ list is three games: two to the Bears and one, ironically, to the Lions on Thanksgiving Day 1962 during a 13-1 season.
Nicholas J. Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press thinks that a Lions’ victory would be “unexpected”, though he gives the Lions’ rushing and running offenses the edge of the Packers’ defense. You can still sense in his article a glint of hope, however. Good for him. A true fan always has some hope.
The Lions will play better today, but the Pack, in front of a crowd of 60% Cheeseheads and Cheesehead supporters will prevail. I will concur with Mr. Cotsonika’s prediction of a 28-24 Packer victory.
Green Bay’s Family Night, which inexplicably sold out in the past, has oodles of tickets remaining.
The news of Brett Favre’s retirement comes as no surprise to me. The last three times he will appear in Green Bay as a Packer will be:
- His retirement announcement in Green Bay.
- The retirement of his jersey and installment to the Packer Hall of Fame.
- The reunion of the 1996 Super Bowl championship team in 2016.
I didn’t get a Journal this morning and the rankings of the Packers’ players is not available for free on-line. So I’ll just say that the Packers out-performed my expectations by at least six wins, so I couldn’t see how anyone could give them less than a solid “A” as a team. You’re a bonehead if you grade them by their last game.
My thinking now is that there’s a 51% chance Favre will be back, so QB is set. We found a running back, the fullback looks ok, but I wouldn’t say no to some depth at either position. The jury’s still out on the guy we drafted. Wide receivers are set. TE is short a player, I think Franks is done. I think we need another offensive lineman capable of starting, I don’t really care where. I know we probably need a guard most, but if he’s a tackle, we can move him inside and have some depth as our tackles age.
On defense, we need the best, fastest cornerback over six feet tall we can find in the draft. Woodson and Harris are getting older and are getting by only because of their reputations. If they were younger guys, the refs would throw a flag on every play. Defensive line … you can never have too many. Draft for depth if there’s a good one available. Linebackers … I can’t name the Packers’ fourth linebacker, so that means we probably need some depth there. In fact, the name of the fourth linebacker should be Brady Poppinga because he doesn’t look to me like someone who should be starting. Kicker did OK, Ryan was surprisingly bad for a Canadian kicker in bad weather.
I have to give Coach Mike III credit because he did better than I thought he would. The big test for the coaching staff will be next year when they’re playing a first place schedule with high expectations. Ted Thompson … I might have been wrong about him.
It’s -10°F at 8:00 a.m. and the NFL is licking their chops for it to stay this cold in Green Bay. Watch the crocodile tears from the NFL if someone dies of exposure. We won’t see a change until someone dies, so drunks: it’s up to you to do something stupid tonight. Pass out in a snowbank while taking a pee and have your rowdy friends not miss you until they’re on I-43 nearing Sheboygan.
As almost always, this game will be lost or won on turnovers. If tonight’s Packers turn out to be those inept, bumbling, frozen Packers we last saw in Soldier Field, then the Giants will win. If Eli becomes the turnover machine I saw play the Vikings, the Packers will win. If the bad Packers and the bad Eli show up at the same time on the same field, I’m switching over to the History Channel.
To be entirely analytical, the Packers should win by more than the 7 point spread. The Giants have key players injured and are playing on the road. Their 9-1 road record this year means nothing other than that they’re due to lose a road game. They’ve won two games in the play-offs, teams rarely win three. The Steelers and Eagles of the past come to mind. These Giants are not those teams. Their QB is more mistake-prone than ours. The Packers have a stout defense. The Giants’ pass rush should be negated by a frozen field. The Packers’ receivers are excellent after the catch and should be even better on a frozen field. The kicking game on both sides will be important. Field position will be important. Half-time adjustments will be important. Are you catching my drift?
Let me tell you what’s not important: this game. It’s a football game. A Game.
The sun rises tomorrow regardless. Seven billion people on the Earth don’t give a flying frack who wins. Your family is more important. Your job is more important. Your health is more important. Today, even the transformer in the box which turns on the boiler to your house is more important. Your daughter’s love life is more important. How your son is doing in math is more important. It’s more important to celebrate your wife’s birthday. And believe me when I tell you this, the phone call at 3:00 a.m. from the hospital asking for your permission to put in a breathing tube: that’s important.
So I’m going to enjoy the games today, but I’m going to probably miss the first half of the Packer game. Because the people I’m going to see and talk to and share with are more important.
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Last Updated Wednesday, Jan 16, 12:05 PM Central Standard Time
It’s gettin’ cold, the radio said.
Let’s go upstairs, go back to bed.
You get the chips, I’ll get the spread.
Now grab the cat. Let’s go to bed.
Grab those olives, smoked oysters too.
Get some Oreos and the Mountain Dew;
Buttered popcorn in bowl,
Got color TV. Got remote control.
Two reading lamps on our headboard,
An electric blanket, an extension cord.
Some flannel sheets, my mandolin,
Eleven pillows and then we’ll jump right in.
Pull up the sheets. Turn on the tube.
Get the Yahtzee game and the Rubik Cube,
More chocolate bars, more chicken wings,
Two Michener books, three Steven Kings.
Call out for burgers, call for Chinese,
Call out for pizza with extra cheese.
‘Cause the radio said it’s gettin’ cold.
But I’m all right, I’m on horizontal hold.
Yes the radio said it’s gettin’ cold,
But I’m all right, I’m on horizontal hold.
“Horizontal Hold” by Peter Ostroushko, Butch Thompson and Garrison Keillor
Game Day Forecast
Few Snow Showers / Wind
Hi Temperature: 4°F
Low Temperature: -3°F
Sunset: 4:44 PM
Probability of precip: 30%
Wind Direction
Wind From the West Northwest at 37 mph
Wind Speed
Strong
Well, if that was Brett’s last hurrah, it was a good one to finish on. Atari Bigby is my MVP just because I didn’t think he was capable of being that good. Al Harris’ and Bigby’s vicious hits were the key to stymieing the Seattle offense. Every time the Seahawks moved a pawn, Bigby or Harris smashed the pawn to powder, crushed the chessboard and stomped on that stupid little clock.
I don’t discount others’ contributions. In a cornerback’s world, if your name isn’t mentioned (knowing full well Harris is a cornerback but jeez, work with me here), it means you’re doing your job. Woodson did his job, I don’t remember him being mentioned. Nick Barnett is a mad, snarling, junk-yard dog as fierce as Nitschke ever was and this is the first time I’ve ever thought that about the undersized Barnett. The defensive line looked smart, tough, fast and aggressive.
The receivers continue to impress with their effort after the catch. The line blocking was excellent. Run your DVR back to Grant’s long run at about 12:30 of the fourth quarter. It looks like the line is pushing a blocking sled while Grant cuts back behind them. The only thing which Grant’s fumbles accomplished was to keep the Seahawks from losing 56-3.
This Seattle columnist was humiliated. This one called a three-inch snowfall “a blizzard“. Despite having four Pro Bowlers on defense, this columnist thinks the defense “turned out to be counterfeit.” They weren’t ready for these Packers in a lake-enhanced snow, that’s for sure. This guy will have to go back to fantasizing about the Sea Gals, instead. The Seattle Times blogger at 1:47 p.m. Saturday promised an update “later tonight” but as of 8:40 a.m. the next morning, he has not yet posted. Perhaps he has an idea of how Marcus Pollard feels this morning. He may have found Little Chicago.
This is as good as the Packers can play. If they play this well next week, they’ll be in Arizona. If they can play this well in Arizona, the Lombardi Trophy comes home yet again. Too much to ask of the youngest team in the league? Probably. But I’d sure like my chances better if the Giants won today. Go G-Men! As for the Seahawks, my advice is to get out of fly-over country as quick as you can and back to Emerald City. At least you’ve still got the Sea Gals.
