Smith and Golic – not the Golic from “Saved by the Bell: The College Years”, as it turns out - both [...]]]> So, I’m watching “NFL Live” – why wouldn’t I be, right? Nothing screams “NFL!” like late June - and during a segment, ESPN’s Michael Smith, Mike Golic and Cris Carter debated which quarterback under 30 is the best in the league.

Smith and Golic – not the Golic from “Saved by the Bell: The College Years”, as it turns out - both put our guy Aaron Rodgers at the top of the list. Carter went with Nasty Ben (aka, Ben Roethlisberger).

You didn’t really think Carter would give love to a Packer, now did you?

Anyways, that got me to thinking: I certainly love Rodgers and have a hard time believing I’d pick any other quarterback under 30 to guide my favorite team. But, being the football geek that I am, I had to investigate it just to make sure.

(Reminder, ladies: I’m single)

My first step: Figuring out the list of candidates.

I came up with seven possible names. Keep in mind, I was pretty inclusive with the first step:

Philip Rivers, Matt Schaub, Eli Manning, Jay Cutler, Matt Ryan, Rodgers and Nasty Ben. Tony Romo just turned 30 in April, so that’s why he’s not on the list. And JaMarcus Russell just barely missed the cut – barely.

Second step: Whittling down the list.

Cutler, Schaub and Ryan were the first three to fall. Cutler lacks discipline and I have major doubts about his ability to be an actual leader. My “Second Coming of Jeff George” feeling about him hasn’t subsided yet.

Schaub is certainly capable of putting up massive numbers. Last season alone, he put up 4,770 yards, 29 touchdowns and just 15 picks. Of course, last season was also the first time he made it through an entire 16 games. He needs to be better at avoiding the injury bug to earn serious consideration.

Truth be told, I think Ryan is headed for elite status…but not quite yet. His numbers from last season aren’t great (2,916 yards, 22 touchdowns, 14 interceptions in 14 games) and, sometimes, he still plays like it’s a Thursday night game at Virginia Tech. In other words, he needs to work on his decision-making. But he’s there as a leader already. He’s one of the main reasons the Falcons kept playing hard even after they were eliminated from the playoffs.

That, of course, left me with four options: Rivers, Manning, Rodgers and Nasty Ben.

Each of the four brought something to the table.

Over the past two seasons, the Chargers have become Rivers’ team. He’s certainly proven he’s worthy of such a title, throwing for over 8,000 yards with 62 touchdowns and just 20 interceptions in that time span. Rivers also has a swagger to his game that I like. He’s cocky, but it never clouds his on-field performance.

Manning’s a great fit for the running game/playaction passing system that the Giants run and has never buckled in the face of pressure that would wreck most of us. Seriously, can you imagine being Peyton’s little brother and playing in New York City? And, oh yeah – he’s got that Super Bowl ring, too, which never hurts your case.

Rodgers has put up two massive seasons and, like Manning, has never been broken by the massive amount of pressure he’s consistently been under. He’s also quieted the naysayers who questioned his toughness prior to taking over as starter. As his skill position players – like Jermichael Finley – continue to grow, he should only get better.

Nasty Ben is capable of putting up ridiculous numbers – I believe us Packers fans saw that firsthand last season – and has great improvisational skills. He’s also, hands down, the toughest quarterback in the league to tackle (there’s no way he plays at the 241 pounds he’s listed at). And if Manning’s one Super Bowl ring is impressive, what can you say about the two Nasty Ben has to his credit?

Again, though, I had to make the cuts.

The first name to go was Nasty Ben’s. The two rings are great, but with a nickname like that – and the allegations that brought on such a nickname – is there any way I could pick him? No.

Down to three. Easy enough, right?

Here’s why I didn’t pick Manning: His overall numbers. In five seasons as a full-time starter, he’s averaged roughly 3,500 yards passing, 24 touchdowns and 16 interceptions a season. Those numbers aren’t bad at all, nor is his completion rate (consistently hovers in the high 50-low 60 percent range), but they don’t necessarily scream “franchise quarterback.” Now I know there’s more to that status than mere numbers, but I wonder how Manning would fare in an offense that was passing-based.

You probably think you know what’s coming next. Guess again.

Here’s why I didn’t pick Rodgers: The postseason. I’m fully aware that he’s only been at the helm for two seasons and that one player – even a quarterback – can only do so much. But with the competition he’s up against here, I had to factor in that he’s 0-1 in the second season. If I was to go back and do this list again in a year or two, Rodgers very well could have some gaudy postseason victory numbers. I hope that’s the case. But, as of now, it isn’t. So, looking at it objectively, he can’t be my selection.

My choice would be Rivers.

He’s got the numbers (see: above) and has had success in the postseason (a 3-4 record, yes, but also an AFC Championship Game appearance). He’s faced his share of pressure – the offense became his only after it was LaDainian Tomlinson’s – and has put up his numbers without the help of a big-time wideout (Antonio Gates is a tight end, remember). Despite his cocky demeanor, he seems like a solid guy off-the-field, as he’s married with four kids. Not that that’s always stopped guys before, but as of now, he’s steered clear of any trouble. All in all, I’d feel the most comfortable handing over the keys to him.

That’s my take. What’s yours?

-Chris Lempesis

There’s a bit of NFL activity (minicamps, OTAs, arrests, blanket apologies, trial delays, accusations, etc.) but overall it’s pretty quiet.

What better time to roll out OBOD’s first ever power rankings, right?

Absolutely!

The NFL odds for the 2010 season have long been up. And about a month ago, Sports Illustrated’s Peter King gave his power rankings [...]]]> So, it’s mid-June.

There’s a bit of NFL activity (minicamps, OTAs, arrests, blanket apologies, trial delays, accusations, etc.) but overall it’s pretty quiet.

What better time to roll out OBOD’s first ever power rankings, right?

Absolutely!

The NFL odds for the 2010 season have long been up. And about a month ago, Sports Illustrated’s Peter King gave his power rankings (with the Pack being No. 1).

Now it’s time for us to weigh in.

Let’s do that right now, shall we?

As always, enjoy.

32. St. Louis Rams – Positives if you’re a Rams fan: Steven Jackson. Negatives: Everything else, especially the fact that your team is going to be handing out roughly $80 million to a rookie quarterback (Sam Bradford) who’s never played in a pro-style offense. At least you have the Cardinals, right guys? Well, until they get swept in the first round.

31. Buffalo Bills – There’s a really good chance Brian Brohm – yes, that Brian Brohm – will head into training camp as the Bills’ No. 1 quarterback. Is there a way a team can finish worse than 0-16? Maybe -3-16?

30. Cleveland Browns – I sincerely hope Mike Holmgren is in it for the long haul in Cleveland, because it’s going to take at least another year – likely two – to get the Brownies back to legitimacy. In short, there just isn’t a great deal of talent there.

29. Kansas City Chiefs – Kansas City had a good draft this season, no question about it, and a good portion of those players will have chances to start – or at least play significant roles – this season. The downside to that? If you have a lot of rookies playing significant roles, that means the rest of your team isn’t very good. Such will be life for the Chiefs in 2010.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – This is going to sound weird, considering I have the Bucs as the fifth-worst team in football right now, but I like the direction in which they are heading. The team’s very solid draft should provide a young nucleus moving forward and quarterback Josh Freeman has some real upside. That said, you have to take your lumps before you learn how to win and I think Tampa Bay will experience a lot of those this year.

27. Oakland Raiders – The silver-and-black only turned in five wins last season, but four of them came against teams that either made (Cincinnati and Philadelphia) or just missed (Pittsburgh and Denver) the playoffs – so that’s good! Seriously, I do think the Raiders are headed in a positive direction. The JaMarcus Russell experiment has finally ended and the team had a pretty darn good draft. But the team is likely still a year away. Come 2011, though, Oakland could be ready to do some things…if there’s football in 2011, that is.

26. Seattle Seahawks – The Pete Carroll/John Schneider regime in Seattle began with a very questionable move (trading waaay too much for quarterback Charlie Whitehurst). Things improved after that, as the Seahawks turned in a very good draft. Still, there isn’t a whole lot of talent on this team – rookies take time, remember – and I continue to wonder just how good of a coach Carroll actually is. It’s third place in the NFC West again for this squad.

25. Detroit Lions – For the first time in, well, ever, the Lions can hang their hats on their very good offseason. This team will get to the quarterback much, much more than it did in, well, ever, and if Matthew Stafford can avoid getting murdered behind that o-line, he’ll make a nice jump in year two. This team is headed for six-to-seven win territory.

24. Chicago Bears – Jay Cutler will be better in 2010, if only because I’m not sure how he could be worse. That, and an intriguing group of young wideouts, will help Chicago’s cause somewhat. The defense, even with new addition Julius Peppers, is going to be pretty bad once again, though, landing the Bears solidly in the six-to-seven win group with Detroit. Make sure that realtor’s number is handy, Lovie.

23. Washington Redskins – The Donovan McNabb/Mike Shanahan Era has begun in D.C. That alone will help Washington’s cause. However, there’s also this: A weak o-line, a cancerous defensive tackle (Fat Albert) and a Larry Johnson/Clinton Portis/Willie Parker axis of terror at running back. Not good at all.

22. Denver Broncos – Will the real Denver Broncos please stand up? Denver, a team that was the toast of the league for the first half of 2009, ran out of gas faster than a BP oil spill during the second half (look at us – we’re being topical!). Can the Broncos regain that magic? Without Brandon Marshall gobbling up passes, the prognosis seems negative. At least the fans can spend their money on Tim Tebow jerseys instead of playoff tickets.

21. Arizona Cardinals – Hands down, the biggest dropoff in the league has been experienced in Arizona. Kurt Warner has moved on to the next phase of his life, leaving Matt Leinart/Derek Anderson to fill the void (gulp). Anquan Boldin is also gone, leaving no one to take heat off Larry Fitzgerald. The defense suffered some losses, too. Bottom line: The Cards will struggle to win eight games this season. Hope you enjoyed the last few years, Cards fans.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jacksonville seemed poised for the postseason in ‘09, heading into the final month at 7-5. The Jags didn’t win a game the rest of the way, though, and finished a disappointing 7-9. Had the team put together a solid offseason, things could have been fixed for this year. The Jags didn’t get it done. Signing Aaron Kampman will help somewhat – provided his knee fully heals – but they didn’t do much else in free agency and their draft was abysmal. Seven wins sounds about right for this team again.

19. Carolina Panthers – Once Carolina finally pulled the plug on Jake Delhomme, the Panthers got it going, finishing 4-1 with Matt Moore at quarterback. The team still has a lethal running back duo (Jonathan Stewart/DeAngelo Williams) and a not-yet-finished Steve Smith. Even though Julius Peppers only showed up half the time, the defense will struggle with him no longer there as Peppers brought a whole lot of attention his way. The Panthers feel like an eight-win team again, but if some things break their way, they could finish better than that.

18. Philadelphia Eagles – The future is now in Philly as the starting QB job is now officially Kevin Kolb’s. Kolb will have his ups-and-downs – not everyone is Aaron Rodgers right off the bat – but should be okay, thanks to a nice corps of playmakers. The defense is going young, though, and will take at least a season to jell. The 2011 season will be when the Eagles arrive…if there’s football in 2011, that is.

17. Houston Texans – The song remains the same for the Texans. The offense will once again be capable of scoring 30-plus points each week, but the defense is still a major question mark (especially with Defensive Rookie of the Year Brian Cushing suspended for the first four weeks). It’s a shame, too, because the defense only has to be average for the Texans to finally crack the postseason. I don’t see that happening this season, though.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers – With Nasty Ben (I’m trying out a new nickname for him – what do you think?) suiting up for all 16 games, the Steelers are much higher in these rankings. But, of course, he won’t be, and with him missing that much time, I’m just not sure how the Steelers can make it back to the postseason. They’re known for their running game/defense, but really, the whole team has centered on Nasty Ben for quite some time now.

15. Cincinnati Bengals – In many ways, the Bengals were the feel good story of the NFL in 2009. They cooled off dramatically as the season wound down, though, and I have doubts as to whether or not they can do it again. Carson Palmer has to be better than he was last year and, really, can Cedric Benson and the defense surprise people like they did last year?

14. Tennessee Titans – I picked the Titans to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl before last season. They paid me back by starting 0-6. Then, inexpicably, Vince Young took over as starting quarterback and the team rallied for an 8-2 finish. Those good vibes, plus the fact that Tennessee has the best running back in football (Chris Johnson), make the Titans a dangerous team heading into 2010. As long as Johnson doesn’t hold out, of course.

13. San Francisco 49ers – Despite the fact that San Fran’s draft wasn’t as good as many “experts” claim it was, I still like the team’s chances this season. The Niners play in the worst division in football, so that alone should equal no less than five wins right there. Alex Smith finally showed some flashes last year and the trio of Vernon Davis/Michael Crabtree/Frank Gore is very, very good. There will be a home playoff game in the Bay this season.

12. Miami Dolphins – Miami owner Stephen Ross went out on a limb recently, saying he thinks his team will reach Dallas in February. I don’t necessarily agree with Mr. Ross, but I do like where the ‘Fins are headed. Chad Henne will make a big step forward, thanks to newly added wideout Brandon Marshall. Miami runs the ball well, plays solid defense and has an underrated head coach (Tony Sparano).

11. Atlanta Falcons – Last year was supposed to be one of greatness for Hotlanta. Then came the season. The Falcons struggled running the ball, Matt Ryan got hurt for a stretch and the defense wasn’t great. Still, I love the way the team played for pride even after being eliminated from the playoffs. That carries over as I feel a bounce back season coming for Atlanta. Ryan’s the real deal.

10. New York Giants – Like the Broncos, the Giants – my preseason Super Bowl champs (double gulp) - were looking like an elite squad midway through last season. A 5-2 record quickly evaporated, though, as Big Blue scuffled to an 8-8 finish. I have a feeling New York will bounce back. The defense will stay healthy and improve and wideout Hakeem Nicks should have a massive year two.

9. New England Patriots – The Pats went young on defense last season, and the growing pains showed mightily at times. That group will be much better this season. Plus, there’s still those guys named Belichick and Brady at the helm, which is nice. If Wes Welker’s knee can heal sooner rather than later, the Pats will be just fine.

8. Dallas Cowboys – Everyone is heaping praise on the Cowboys, some going so far as to say they will be the first team to ever play a Super Bowl in their own ballpark. Dallas is a very good team, no question about it, but it has some holes, namely along the o-line. Plus, to get to a Super Bowl, you have to do well in the playoff games that precede it - something Tony Romo has yet to do.

7. Minnesota Vikings – I love how everyone who makes these rankings says, “Well, the Vikings’ ranking depends entirely on whether or not Brett Favre returns.” Seriously? We all know Favre is coming back. That being the case, the Vikings will be very good once again (with a special assist to some judges here in the Twin Cities). And, yes, I feel sick about writing that last sentence.

6. Baltimore Ravens – Love, love, love what Baltimore has done during the offseason. Adding Anquan Boldin gives the Ravens the big-time receiving threat they’ve seemingly never had. Ray Rice is scary good, an already tough defense was bolstered big-time in the draft and Joe Flacco could very well make “the leap” this season. Don’t be surprised if Baltimore is in Dallas come February.

5. Green Bay Packers – Since this is a Packers blog, I’ll go a little deeper here. As of now, I absolutely love where this team is at. The strong finish to last season, plus the massive comeback against Arizona in the playoff loss, gave us many glimpses of just how scary this team can be. A (mostly) young offense is only going to get better and better and it starts at the top. Aaron Rodgers is right on the verge of becoming a top five quarterback and players like Jermichael Finley and Greg Jennings can easily do the same at their positions. The offensive line has (finally) solidified, for the most part, and top pick Bryan Bulaga provides crucial depth. The defense, tops against the run last season, has a full year of the 3-4 scheme under its belt and I fully expect Dom Capers to roll out a few new wrinkles. Questions exist as to the depth at the corner/LOLB spots, but I think someone will emerge at corner (stay healthy, Pat Lee) and Brad Jones should be fine opposite Clay Matthews. Regardless, in the salary cap era, every team has some holes, but the Pack’s holes don’t appear to be crippling. In the end, I just feel like this is the season Green Bay really arrives. Does that equal Super Bowl? I can’t say – but in a slightly down NFC, the rising Packers certainly have a shot.

4. San Diego Chargers – San Diego’s epic choke job in the divisional round loss to the Jets took a great deal of shine off a team that had won 11 straight games during the regular season. The Chargers will bounce back, led by a top-five quarterback (Philip Rivers) and an improved emphasis on the running game, thanks to first round pick Ryan Matthews. Now, if only Nate Kaeding can hit a few kicks…

3. Indianapolis Colts – As usual, Indy has stayed fairly quiet during the offseason. September will come, everyone will remember, “Oh yeah – Peyton Manning is their quarterback, isn’t he?” and the Colts will rip-off another 12-win season. Sunrise, sunset.

2. New York Jets – The J-E-T-S have added a boatload of talent (Antonio Cromartie, Santonio Holmes, etc.) that contains a boatload of character issues. Those matters clearly mean nothing to head coach Rex Ryan, though, and the real reason the Jets are No. 2 here is this: A proven formula of great running game plus great defense and a young quarterback (Mark Sanchez) with the potential for a breakout season.

1. New Orleans Saints – The Saints haven’t been that busy this offseason - okay, minus that whole Vicodin scandal – but that doesn’t matter. I’m a firm believer in the theory that the champs are the champs until they are knocked out. No TKOs on account of free agency/the draft. New Orleans still has the best coach-quarterback tandem in the league, which doesn’t hurt its cause, either.

So, what do you think of my rankings? Comment, baby, comment!

-Chris Lempesis

I mean, I know they signed a receiver from the CFL recently. But I’m not going to talk about it.

Lately, though, there’s been a slight flurry of activity. And with [...]]]> It’s been a minute since we’ve given our thoughts on any actual, real news surrounding the Green Bay Packers. That’s mainly because, well, there hadn’t been much.

I mean, I know they signed a receiver from the CFL recently. But I’m not going to talk about it.

Lately, though, there’s been a slight flurry of activity. And with it being Friday and all, we figured it’d be a good time to check back in.

(Side note: We’ve been having waaaay too much fun with our Twitter and newly created Facebook pages. We’ve added some new stuff to the Facebook page – some photos of us – and we’d love it if you checked it out.)

• Cushing re-wins DROY award…Matthews re-finishes third

Wednesday, the Associated Press held its unprecedented re-vote for the 2009 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing re-won the award, despite being suspended the first four games of next season for failing a test for PEDs. Green Bay’s Clay Matthews, a good friend and collegiate teammate of Cushing’s, finished third again.

I have a few thoughts on this whole saga. First, I’m not going to lie; Cushing’s failed test does raise some significant questions, at least in my mind, about Matthews. This might be a “guilt by association” situation, yes, but facts are facts: Matthews and Cushing are close friends who spent a lot of time working out together (at least while in college). You have to think they shared secrets about their respective regimens, from time-to-time, and there were questions about both before the ‘09 draft.

I’m not saying we should expect Matthews to suffer a similar fate as Cushing or anything. And, believe me, I hope he doesn’t. But if it does happen to Matthews at any point, I am saying none of us should be surprised.

Secondly, I think Cushing’s an idiot for essentially giving us the, “I don’t know how the hCG got into my system” defense. Seriously, does that work after you turn 10 years old? Didn’t think it did. Just fess up and admit to what you did, Brian. It’ll work to your favor in the longterm. We as a society hate people who lie. We hate cheaters, too, but we ultimately forgive them if they are honest.

Finally, I think the AP is stupid for what it did. That organization has now set a dangerous precedent going forward. They’ll now have to do this every single time a player tests positive for something. Slippery slope, fellas.

• Lang out until training camp

Right tackle T.J. Lang, coming off a promising rookie season, will be out until training camp as he recovers from recent surgery on his left wrist.

This is a fairly serious setback for a player like Lang. It’s good that he won’t miss any time in camp, barring any setbacks in recovery, but he’ll miss a ton of weight room time. For a young player like Lang, that’s crucial. It’s been said over-and-over that players make the most significant leap in strength from year one to year two and I believe it.

Lang can likely still work on lower body stuff, which will help. But I doubt he can do much in terms of upper body strength now and it could take him a bit longer to fully get into game shape. Just another reason why I’m glad Mark Tauscher was re-signed.

• Packers bringing in another Harrell?

Green Bay will reportedly bring in quarterback Graham Harrell for a workout next week. Harrell was a standout at Texas Tech – what QB isn’t in that system, though – but went undrafted in ‘09.

He spent last season playing in the CFL (dammit, I was hoping to avoid any CFL talk in this post), but was released by the Saskatchewan Roughriders recently.

The Packers already have a couple of young, developmental quarterbacks on the roster, as of now. But head coach Mike McCarthy apparently has interest in adding more. I have no problem with that, really, because as I’ve said repeatedly, I truly believe the team is hoping for one more good preseason out of Matt Flynn before attempting to trade him after next season. That being the case, Green Bay needs to find its next Flynn.

Maybe it’s Harrell. Hey, he couldn’t be any worse than Justin…could he??

(Oh, and for those out there who have raised the idea of bringing in JaMarcus Russell, I think it’s a fine idea. You can never have enough depth on the offensive line.)

• Finding chinks in Jared Allen’s armor

Okay, so this last one isn’t really news or anything. But, living in Minneapolis, I’m constantly reminded of how much the people here love Jared Allen. That, of course, only serves to constantly remind me of how much I hate him.

This week, I set out to find a few chinks in his armor. I think I did:

1. Did you know that, last season, Allen only had five sacks against left tackles not named Daryn Colledge, T.J. Lang or…well…whoever plays that spot for the Chicago Bears?
2. Did you know that Allen, in 2008, only had four sacks against teams not named Detroit, Chicago, Green Bay and Houston?
3. Did you know that Allen’s a disgusting redneck – make that “pretend redneck” – with a mullet? Okay, that’s not really a chink, I just wanted to say it.

Finally, if the Packers are looking to rattle Allen this season, I think this guy just showed them a way to do it.

Have a good Friday, everyone.

-Chris Lempesis

In part two, I’ll list the drafts I did not like. Later tonight I’ll wrap this series up with the drafts I am unsure of.

And, in case you were wondering, I’ll put the final touches on the Green Bay Packers’ 2010 draft on Tuesday.

Enjoy.

Dislike

Buffalo [...]]]> Earlier today, I listed the teams whom I felt had good drafts.

In part two, I’ll list the drafts I did not like. Later tonight I’ll wrap this series up with the drafts I am unsure of.

And, in case you were wondering, I’ll put the final touches on the Green Bay Packers’ 2010 draft on Tuesday.

Enjoy.

Dislike

Buffalo – Things got off to a great start with the selection of RB C.J. Spiller. I have questions about the rest of the draft, however, particularly passing on QBs Jimmy Clausen in round two and Colt McCoy in round three. And, seriously, the Bills didn’t address their bad o-line until the fifth round.

Carolina – While Buffalo should have snagged Clausen in round two, Carolina should not have. Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the Panthers close out the season strong with Matt Moore at QB? They needed more help on defense, though I do like the selection of OLB Eric Norwood in round four.

Dallas – Everyone’s raving about the Cowboys trading up for WR Dez Bryant. Bryant brings value there, I agree, but he doesn’t play LT. Neither do OLB Sean Lee or CB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah. Who protects Tony Romo’s blindside?

Jacksonville – The Jags were flat-out ridiculous in selecting DT Tyson Alualu 10th overall. DT Anthony Smith was a bit better in round three. But, once again, Jacksonville fails to add any playmaking talent. At some point, the Jags will do that…right?

Minnesota – The Vikes needed to find a replacement for Chester Taylor. A shifty, quick, pass-catching back would have been nice. What did Minny do? Trade up to grab plodding RB Toby Gerhart (oh, by the way, he’s not a great pass-catcher either). DE Everson Griffen has some potential, but is way too lazy. CB Chris Cook could be good, but has already had injury problems.

San Diego – As I said Thursday night, trading up all those spots to grab RB Ryan Matthews wreaked of, “We’re only one player away,” something San Diego is not. The Bolts needed a nose tackle and some secondary help, but didn’t address those spots until the fourth and fifth round, respectively.

San Francisco – A lot of people have been raving about San Fran’s draft. Am I missing something? The Niners traded up to take an OT, Anthony Davis, with weight problems and questionable commitment. S Taylor Mays is more athlete than football player and OLB Navorro Bowman has a ton of character concerns. G Mike Iupati should be a player, however.

Again, check back later tonight for part three.

-Chris Lempesis

Of course, 31 other teams were hard at work, as well. Some of those teams did well for themselves Thursday through Saturday; others, well, did not.

I’m not smart enough to come up with grades for each of [...]]]> Most of OBOD’s (damn fine) coverage of the 2010 NFL Draft has centered around our beloved Green Bay Packers.

Of course, 31 other teams were hard at work, as well. Some of those teams did well for themselves Thursday through Saturday; others, well, did not.

I’m not smart enough to come up with grades for each of these teams, so I won’t. I’ll simply lump these teams into three categories: Like, dislike and unsure.

In part one, which you are reading, I’ll list the teams whom I feel had good drafts. Part two will feature the “dislike” and “unsure” teams and will run later today.

Should be simple enough, right? I hope so.

(And yes, I know you can’t fully evaluate this stuff until three years from now. But, I’m sorry – writing stuff like this is just too much damn fun for me.)

Like

Atlanta – OLB Sean Weatherspoon, DT Corey Peters and CB Dominique Franks (an absolute steal in round five) will provide immediate boosts to a somewhat sagging defense. Guard Mike Johnson was also a nice pick. 

Baltimore – On first blush, the Ravens appear to have had a grand-slam draft. DT Terrence Cody will team with Haloti Ngata and Kelly Gregg to give Baltimore the feel of a four-man front with just three players. OLB Sergio Kindle will be another pass-rushing terror and TEs Ed Dixon and Dennis Pitts give Joe Flacco two more solid weapons.

Chicago – The Bears made solid impact with limited picks. S Major Wright and CB Joshua Moore (another fifth round steal) should boost the secondary. DE Corey Wootton will help the line in a big way and QB Dan Lefevour is great value as a sixth-rounder. Crap.

Cincinnati – TE Jermaine Gresham, WR Jordan Shipley and WR Dez Briscoe (can’t believe he was still there in round six) will give Carson Palmer the added weaponry he needed. DE Carlos Dunlap is a character risk, but has great upside. CB Brandon Ghee will be a starter eventually.

Cleveland – Nice work, Mikey. Holmgren has now officially rebuilt his secondary with CB Joe Haden and Ss T.J. Ward and Larry Asante (the hardest hitter in this draft). RB Montario Hardesty will provide a change-of-pace and G Shawn Lauvao will help things inside. QB Colt McCoy will lead this team in 2011, if not sooner.

Detroit – DT Ndamukong Suh was the best player in this draft. CB Amari Spievey will likely start right away. RB Jahvid Best is an injury risk, but if he stays healthy, he’s a gamebreaker. LT Jason Fox will start by 2011. Crap.

Kansas City – Looks like Scott Pioli is finally figuring it out. S Eric Berry has “All Pro” written all over him and CB Javier Arenas will also sure up the pass defense in a major way. G Jon Asamoah is a beast inside and RB Dexter McCluster and TE Tony Moeaki give Matt Cassel two safety valves in the passing game.

Miami – A typical Parcells-type draft here (i.e., meat and potatoes-style). DT Jared Odrick and OLBs Koa Misi and A.J. Edds will give a much-needed shot in the arm to the Dolphins’ front seven. G John Jerry is an absolute monster.

New England – God know the Pats had enough picks in this draft (a whopping 12). TEs Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez (nice value in round four) will give Tom Brady two more big targets who can move. CB Devin McCourty, DEs Jermaine Cunningham and Brandon Deaderick and ILB Brandon Spikes are more promising pieces for The Hoodie’s young defense.

New Orleans – The defending champs focused more on depth and did a good job of it. LT Charles Brown and C Matt Tennant will both start eventually, as will CB Patrick Robinson. TE Jimmy Graham steps in when Jeremy Shockey has to call it a day.

New York Jets – CB Kyle Wilson will be the nickel back at first, but could end up a starter by season’s end. G Vladimir Ducasse has major potential. RB Joe McKnight will be the change-of-pace back if LaDainian Tomlinson can’t get it done.

Oakland – No, you are not reading that wrong. I like what the Raiders did. ILB Rolando McClain starts right away and isn’t likely to give up the job for the next decade. DT Lamarr Houston provides another hog up front. OTs Jared Veldheer and Bruce Campbell both need time to develop, but if they do, Oakland will have two massive bookends for quite some time. QB Jason Campbell will be a good fit for Oakland’s vertical passing game.

Philadelphia – The Eagles clearly felt they needed to perform an overhaul on their defense. The players they added should play a big part in that. DE/OLB Brandon Graham has short arms, but a good motor. DEs Daniel Te’o-Nesheim and Ricky Sapp will also help bring pressure on the quarterback. S Nate Allen and CB Trevard Lindley will improve the back end.

Seattle – I was pretty sure John Schneider was a smart guy before the draft. Afterwards, I’m all but certain of it. LT Russell Okung was the best o-lineman in this draft. S Earl Thomas was a steal midway through round one. WR Golden Tate and TE Anthony McCoy (a steal in round six, failed drug test or not) and the trades for RBs LenDale White and Leon Washington instantly improved Seattle in terms of playmakers.

Tampa Bay – DTs Gerald McCoy and Brian Price will form a nice tandem inside for the next five years or so. CB Myron Lewis and OLB Dekoda Watson (not sure how he was still there in round seven) will also help the defense. WRs Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams (talent as big as his character concerns) will help the stagnant offense.

Tennessee – DE Derrick Morgan will fill Kyle Vanden Bosch’s void. WR Damian Williams has good size and hands. DB Alterraun Verner is a bit undersized, but is also a major playmaker.

Again, check back later today for part two.

-Chris Lempesis 

The Green Bay Packers will be making two selections tonight – one in the second and one in the third. Based on some surprising moves Thursday, there is a quite a bit more talent available in round two than originally thought. And considering this was thought to [...]]]> We’ve reached day two of the 2010 NFL Draft.

The Green Bay Packers will be making two selections tonight – one in the second and one in the third. Based on some surprising moves Thursday, there is a quite a bit more talent available in round two than originally thought. And considering this was thought to be a deep draft anyways, that’s saying something.

We’ll be checking in at various points throughout the night – and definitely after the Packers make their two selections.

Before day two officially begins, though, here are some possible round two targets for the Pack:

• Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas
• Taylor Mays, S, USC
• Brian Price, DT, UCLA
• Chris Cook, CB, Virginia
• Dexter McCluster, RB, Ole Miss
• Daryl Washington, OLB, TCU
• Carlos Dunlap, DE/DT, Florida
• Vladimir Ducasse, OL, Mass
• Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest
• Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama
• Ricky Sapp, OLB, Clemson
• Koa Misi, OLB, Utah
• Eric Norwood, OLB, South Carolina
• Perrish Cox, CB, Oklahoma State
• Ben Tate, RB, Auburn

If you have any players you hope the Packers will snag in round two, feel free to mention them.

Again, we’ll be back VERY shortly.

Enjoy night two, everyone.

-Chris Lempesis

And waiting.

And waiting some more, the 2010 regular season schedule is finally out. At long last, we know the dates and times for the Green Bay Packers’ games this upcoming season.

(Quick aside: Sorry we didn’t get this up earlier Tuesday. To celebrate OBOD’s own Adam Somers’ birthday, a large group of us went to [...]]]> After waiting.

And waiting.

And waiting some more, the 2010 regular season schedule is finally out. At long last, we know the dates and times for the Green Bay Packers’ games this upcoming season.

(Quick aside: Sorry we didn’t get this up earlier Tuesday. To celebrate OBOD’s own Adam Somers’ birthday, a large group of us went to the Minnesota Twins/Cleveland Indians game at newly opened Target Field. Man, that is one beautiful stadium right there. The Twinkies really did a nice job with it. And, yes, as a Detroit Tigers fan, it kills me to say that. But it’s true.)

If you haven’t seen the schedule by now – and I’m not sure how you couldn’t have – here it is (reaction to the schedule will follow and all times listed are Lambeau Time):

• Sunday, September 12: at Philadelphia Eagles, 3:15 p.m. (FOX)
• Sunday, September 19: vs. Buffalo Bills, Noon (CBS)
• Monday, September 27: at Chicago Bears, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
• Sunday, October 3: vs. Detroit Lions, Noon (FOX and it’s a gold package game)
• Sunday, October 10: at Washington Redskins, Noon (FOX)
• Sunday, October 17: vs. Miami Dolphins, Noon (CBS)
• Sunday, October 24: vs. Minnesota Vikings, 7:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Sunday, October 31: at New York Jets, Noon (FOX)
• Sunday, November 7: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 7:20 p.m. (NBC and it’s a gold package game)
• Sunday, November 14: BYE
• Sunday, November 21: at Minnesota Vikings, Noon (FOX) *
• Sunday, November 28: at Atlanta Falcons, Noon (FOX) *
• Sunday, December 5: vs. San Francisco 49ers, Noon (FOX) *
• Sunday, December 12: at Detroit Lions, Noon (FOX) *
• Sunday, December 19: at New England Patriots, 7:20 p.m. (NBC)*
• Sunday, December 26: vs. New York Giants, Noon (FOX)*
• Sunday, January 2: vs. Chicago Bears, Noon (FOX)*

(* indicates game time could be changed due to the NFL’s flex scheduling policy)

My thoughts on the schedule:

• If you had any doubts about the Packers being a “sexy” team, one the networks have to pay attention to, you can doubt no more. With four primetime games – and two more set for late afternoon starts – Green Bay is fully back on the national radar.  You could argue the Pack never really left, yes, but this time, they’re on the radar for reasons that have nothing to do with Brett Favre.
• I like the way the first five weeks break for the team. Going to Philly in week one will not be easy, but on the bright side, Kevin Kolb will still be learning the whole “replacing a franchise quarterback” routine and could struggle. Same goes for road games at Chicago (learning a new offense) and Washington (learning a new…well…everything). Better to draw those road games early. The home games against Buffalo (the return of Brohm?) and Detroit certainly feel like wins, at least as of now.
• Green Bay needs to perform well in those first five weeks because, for essentially the next two months, the Packers enter “Meat Grinder City.” Seriously, scroll back up and look again (I’ll wait). We’ll break those two months into two parts as, in many ways, that is where the story of the 2010 Green Bay Packers will be written.
• After the ‘Skins game – there’s a possible OBOD road trip being planned for that one, by the way – the Packers draw Miami (should be much better than last season), Minnesota (need I say more?), the Jets (possibly a 12-win team if Rex Ryan keeps all those personalities in line) and Dallas (should be very good once again). Granted, three of those games are at home, but still, those are four very tough opponents. Luckily, the bye week follows the Dallas game. I have a feeling Green Bay will need a week off after that stretch.
• Coming out of the bye, the Packers will play four of their next five games on the road. Minnesota (again, need I say more?), the Falcons (like Miami, they should bounce back this year) and New England (tough place to play and it’s still Brady and The Hoodie) will all pose big-time challenges for Green Bay. The lone home game in there, against San Fran, will not be an easy one, either, as the Niners should be an improved team this year. Luckily, the remaining road game in that stretch is at Detroit. Again, that feels like a win as of now.
• Love the way the last two weeks set up. I expect the Giants to be better this season, and by week 17, the Bears should have the new offense down pat (even if they don’t, it’s still the Bears and they always play the Packers tooth-and-nail). But those games are both at home. After the brutal five weeks that precede it, the Packers will enjoy the nice boost getting back to Lambeau provides. Hopefully, they’ll be gearing up for the playoffs, as well.
• Lastly, I don’t want any of you to think I’m down on this team all of a sudden. I could see how you might think that after reading my thoughts, but I’m not. I’m just simply pointing out the peaks and valleys of Green Bay’s schedule. In all reality, it’s probably silly to do such a thing in April, anyways. But, hey, what’s the point of having a blog if you can’t be silly every now and then, right?

-Chris Lempesis

Makes sense – this is a Packers’ blog, after all.

But there are three other teams in the NFC North, of course, and we’re going to kick off our draft week coverage – seriously, [...]]]> The last few weeks at OBOD have been dedicated entirely to discussing the upcoming draft as it pertains to the Green Bay Packers.

Makes sense – this is a Packers’ blog, after all.

But there are three other teams in the NFC North, of course, and we’re going to kick off our draft week coverage – seriously, the draft is three days away…holy crap – by taking a look at what those teams could/should do Thursday through Saturday to improve themselves.

(Quick note: I’ll be rolling out a Packers version of this on Wednesday.)

Chicago Bears

Day one: Have everyone over at head coach Lovie Smith’s house to watch game four of Blackhawks/Predators. Study the Blackhawks. Take notes on how to use the draft to build a competitive team, as the Blackhawks did. Feel free to watch game three of Bulls/Cavs during the commercial breaks. Keep Jay Cutler away from the open bar, though.

Day two: During the early part of the evening (i.e., the second round), you can go with either Cubs/Brewers or White Sox/Mariners. Again, you have no picks here and baseball is a good way to pass the time. Personally, I’d go with the Cubs/Brewers game – Adam’s right, I am a closet Brewers fan - but the choice is yours. Once the third round gets rolling later in the night, get excited – you finally get to draft someone!

But who should you draft? Well, you’re lucky in the sense that you’ve got clearly defined needs (offensive line, cornerback and wide receiver). I’d go with an offensive lineman; Cutler’s your biggest asset going forward and you need to protect him much better than you did last season. Ole Miss’ John Jerry should be on the board at pick No. 75 and he’d be a nice fit. He’s an old-school mauler type at 6-feet, 5-inches and 332 pounds. He played right tackle in college, but is likely a guard in the pros. Either way, he’d provide immediate relief to that group.

Day three: I’d hold off on a wide receiver in round four. You’ve got some young talent there (Johnny Knox, Earl Bennett and Devin Aromashodu) and you should give those guys one more year to see if any of them can turn into a true No. 1 wideout. You need to snag a safety or corner. If you go the safety route, I’d look long and hard at Florida’s Major Wright. He’s raw, but his speed, recovery time and zone skills make him a nice fit for your Cover-2 scheme. As for a corner, UCLA’s Alterraun Verner would work nicely. He’s small (5-feet, 10-inches) and a bit slow, but he’s got great ball skills and knows how to play the zone.

In the fifth round, take either a corner or safety (whichever spot you didn’t address in round four). Round out your draft by taking a wide receiver in the sixth round and a developmental quarterback in the seventh.

Detroit Lions

Day one: First, let me say that – for the first time in my life, seemingly – there appears to be a legitimate plan in place in Detroit, one that doesn’t rely on drafting wide receivers. That bodes well for the future.

I’ve had you taking Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh with the No. 2 pick in each of my mock drafts and I’ll stick with that. He’s a dual-purpose difference-maker and could be a force for the next decade. Suh, Corey Williams and Sammie Hill give you a nice three-man rotation at d-tackle. Those guys, along with Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch, will give you a greatly improved d-line next season.

Day two: You have almost no corners. That must be fixed (and for God’s sake, stay away from Pacman!). Alabama’s Kareem Jackson was dominant in a pro-style defense. He brings a real swagger with him and he can play – and make an impact – right away. Take him in the second round. He’ll be around for a long time. 

Now it’s round three and your truly bad offensive line can no longer be ignored. Trading for Rob Sims cleaned things up at the left guard spot. But left tackle Jeff Backus has never been anything special and he turns 33 in September. Luckily for you, your future left tackle resides in-state: Hillsdale’s Jared Veldheer. He’s 6-feet, 8-inches, 312 pounds and boasts the athleticism of a tight end. He could cover Matthew Stafford for the rest of Stafford’s career once he steps in. Some say he needs a year; I think he could be ready by mid-season.

Day three: I like running back Kevin Smith, but more as a dual-option back. You need a true smash-mouth runner to compliment him. He’s a major gamble, no question about it, but Oregon’s LeGarrette Blount would fill that role perfectly. He’d bring great value as a fourth-rounder and I think Jim Schwartz can keep him in line.

Round out your draft with more corner and o-line depth and grab a safety somewhere in there, too, if you can.

Minnesota Vikings

Day one: Before we begin, I just want to reiterate that I hate you.

Okay, with that out of the way, I think you need a corner more than anything. Antoine Winfield is getting older and Cedric Griffin could miss the first six weeks (torn ACL). But I’m just not sure the value will be there. It’s a deep draft at that spot, anyways. Defensive tackle Pat Williams is still very good, but he turns 38 in October. You need to find his eventual replacement. Alabama’s Terrence Cody is a gamble because of his weight troubles, but when you put on the tape, this guy dominates. Cody, Kevin Williams and Jared Allen could be a scary threesome for the next eight-to-10 years.

Day two: We’ve reached the second round and it’s now time to take a corner. Wake Forest’s Brandon Ghee has tremendous speed and is an excellent tackler (he reminds me of Winfield in that sense). His ball skills are a work in progress, but could improve with good coaching.

In the third round, you must fill the void left by Chester Taylor’s departure and find a backup for Adrian Peterson. USC’s Joe McKnight would be a good fit. He’s not an every down runner, but that’s not a big deal – you’ve already got one of those. McKnight has great speed and vision (particularly outside the tackles) and is a very good pass catcher.

Day three: Left guard Steve Hutchinson is an elite player, obviously, but he turns 33 in November. Your other guard, Anthony Herrera, is average. In other words, you could use some depth there. One guy I love as a fourth-rounder is Arkansas’ Mitch Petrus. He’s raw (just converted to guard two years ago), but he’s got the athleticism of a fullback/tight end (the spots he played before his conversion). Plus, he tied the combine record with 45 bench press reps – simply astounding.

I’d round out my draft by looking for depth at safety, outside linebacker and wide receiver.

So there’s my two cents on what the other three NFC North teams should do in the draft.

I can’t wait until later in the week when they take me up on exactly none of it.

-Chris Lempesis

(Quick aside: If more of you want to follow OBOD on Twitter, that’d be cool by us. Come on, guys. Please?)

While surfing around various Twitter sites Thursday evening, [...]]]> The Twitterverse was buzzing Wednesday with the news that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had, finally, created an account. Not surprisingly, Rodgers quickly built a massive following (us included).

(Quick aside: If more of you want to follow OBOD on Twitter, that’d be cool by us. Come on, guys. Please?)

While surfing around various Twitter sites Thursday evening, we at OBOD uncovered a gem of a scoop: Brett Favre also appears to building a Twitter page.

We were only able to uncover a rough version of the page (we’d provide the link, but we’re afraid we’ll get in trouble), but amazingly, Favre already has a solid amount of Tweets up. We highlighted and copied most of what was there – his profile picture, a three-shot of a pair of Wranglers, a Hyundai and the Sears logo unfortunately wouldn’t paste on our site – and are more than happy to share it with you now.

Again, this is an OBOD exclusive (get to the back of the line, Schefter!):

14MillionFor4

Just lined up three more ad deals – Maxi-Pads, Lifetime Television and the Lillith Fair. Reeeal excited about the last 1. Clarkson’s my girl!

about two hours ago via Vikings-issued Blackberry

@EdWerder, TrentDilfer and PeterKing Guys, Im really not sure what I’m goin’ do yet. I wish y’all wud believe me. For reals.

about three hours ago via Vikings-issued Blackberry in reply to EdWerder, Trent Dilfer and PeterKing

Mowin’ the grass. Grass is long. Man, neone ever wonder y grass just keeps on growin’? I do that a lot.

about four hours ago via Vikings-issued Blackberry

I want y’all to know we really is just simple country folk. Oops, gtg, Deanna just got back from Gucci shoppin spree.

about six hours ago via Vikings-issued Blackberry

@JaredAllenHillbilly69 Just finished watchin POTG clip again. LOL

about eight hours ago via Vikings-issued Blackberry

Watchin’ replay of NO game. I still think I made the right call throwin to Sydney. Open receivers are for pussies.

about eight hours ago via Vikings-issued Blackberry

Just stubbed my toe on the cofee table somethin’ fierce. That’s it. I’m comin’ back.

about nine hours ago via Vikings-issued Blackberry

Got my Wranglers on, hangin by the money-filled pool. Eff football. I’m done.

about nine hours ago via Vikings-issued Blackberry

Who the heck is Barak Obama? Is he related to KGB? This is confusing. I’m comin’ back.

about nine hours ago via Vikings-issued Blackberry

@4GotMeMyExtension Chilly, I ain’t playing in no second preseason game. Its two days b4 the 3rd preseason game or nuthin. Don’t argue w/me!

about 10 hours ago in reply to 4GotMeMyExtension

So there you have it, dear readers. It looks like No. 4 just can’t let Rodgers have anything.

Oh, and sorry for the bad language. Don’t blame us – we just printed what he said.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

-Chris Lempesis