Ol' Bag of Donuts

Packers close ‘13 draft going heavy at receiver, linebacker

admin — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 05:37:29 +0000

With their final five picks of the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers opted for a fairly simple approach.

Reinforce the front seven and add depth at wide receiver. No, literally, that was it.

A defensive tackle, two linebackers and two wideouts comprised the rest of Green Bay’s draft Saturday.

We’ll discuss these picks in the order they occurred.

With their second fifth round pick (167th overall, 34th of the round), the Packers tabbed Mississippi State defensive tackle Josh Boyd. At 6-feet, 3-inches, 312 pounds, Boyd likely projects as a 3-4 end in Green Bay. He had a big 2011 season (eight tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks) before falling off quite a bit in 2012 (just 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks). Still, he’s a hard-nosed defender with good burst off the line who should be an asset against the run. That’s important as ends Ryan Pickett and C.J. Wilson are free agents after this season.

The Packers targeted outside linebacker with their next pick, the 25th pick of round six (193rd overall), by selecting Illinois State’s Nate Palmer. Palmer, 6-feet, 3-inches and 240 pounds, recorded 17 sacks over his final two seasons in college. He was drafted as a linebacker but played defensive end in college. Hard to find a ton of information of Palmer, but it sounds like he’ll be in the mix for a backup spot at OLB. That’s a good thing because, as of now, Dezman Moses is really the only backup OLB on Green Bay’s roster.

After fans spent most of day two and day three clamoring for a wide receiver of some sort, Ted Thompson finally obliged.

He used Green Bay’s first two seventh-round picks (it had three total) on the position. The first of those two picks was Grand Valley State’s Charles Johnson (10th pick of the round, 216th overall). Johnson is 6-feet, 2-inches and 215 pounds. He turned in a monster pro day in early March, highlighted by his 4.38 and 4.39 40 times and 39 1/2 inch vertical. In two years at GVSU (GLIAC represent!), he totaled 128 catches for 2,229 yards and 31 touchdowns.

One drawback: GVSU was the third college Johnson had attended. He left his first school, Eastern Kentucky, after being suspended (reasons unknown). He then spent a year, 2008, at Antelope Valley Community College in California (no, you read that right – that’s a real place). After taking 2009 off completely, he spent his final three college years at Grand Valley (redshirting in 2010). So yeah, that’s a tad troubling. But his skill set and collegiate production could make him a real find for the Packers.

The second of Green Bay’s two wideout selections – 18th pick of round seven, 224 overall – was Maryland’s Kevin Dorsey. Dorsey, 6-feet, 2-inches and 207 pounds, had only 18 catches for 311 yards and four scores in 2012. But it sounds like Maryland’s quarterback play was atrocious last year, so maybe you can’t blame him too much for the lack of production. He’s got good size, good hands and decent quickness. He’s not a great route-runner, though, and has trouble gaining separation from corners. A project, for sure.

The Packers capped off the draft by selecting another outside linebacker, South Florida’s Sam Barrington, with the 26th pick of the seventh round (232nd overall). Barrington had 80 tackles (6.5 for loss), three sacks and two forced fumbles in 2012. Barrington was drafted at outside linebacker, but at 6-feet, 1-inch and 246 pounds, you wonder if he wouldn’t be a better fit inside (Desmond Bishop, for example, is 6-feet, 2-inches and 238 pounds).

Okay, that wraps up our coverage of Green Bay’s selections. We’ll be back in a couple days to put a nice bow on the draft. And there’ll absolutely be a draft recap podcast over at the Packers Talk Radio Network, as well. Thanks for hanging out with us this weekend, gang.

-Chris Lempesis

Trade up for Franklin highlight for Green Bay early Saturday

admin — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 21:31:45 +0000

As I type this, the draft is still going on. We’re well into round six, in fact.

But with the Green Bay Packers having so many picks – 10 in all at the start – on the final day of the draft, it seemed like a good time to check in with an early report on the first part of their day.

With their first four selections on day three, the Packers have continued their image overhaul, aiming for improvements on the ground, in the trenches and in terms of measurables.

The highlight of these first four picks, obviously, came when Green Bay packaged fifth-and-sixth round selections to gain a fourth rounder (pick 28 of the round, 125th overall), which it used to select UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin. I had a feeling last night – and wrote as much – that Green Bay would use some of its considerable late-round ammo to gain a third fourth round pick. I had no idea that pick would be used on a running back.

Franklin, 5-feet, 10-inches and 205 pounds, racked up 1,734 yards on 282 carries (6.1 YPC) and scored 13 touchdowns in 2012. He also caught 33 balls for 323 yards and two scores. He loves to get outside and, with his top-end speed, can leave defenders in his wake when he turns on the jets. He’s a durable back who is also quite good in pass protection, something you need if you just gave your quarterback an $110 million extension. If you’re thinking he’ll play lightening to second-round pick Eddie Lacy’s thunder, you aren’t alone.

Franklin, a player some had listed as the second-best back in the draft, provides great value at that spot. He also leaves the backfield situation, seemingly cleared up last night, murkier as of now. If you figure, as I do, that Franklin, Lacy, DuJuan Harris and Alex Green comprise the backs who could be on the roster, well, that’s probably one back too many right? And at this point, Harris is a better bet than Green is if you only keep three. But would they really give up on Green so soon? Remember, he was a third round pick just two years ago. Cutting him so soon goes against the entire organizational philosophy.

The smarter approach would be to cut fan-favorite John Kuhn. Kuhn is a short-yardage back who does well in pass-protection. Don’t Lacy and Franklin, combining their skill sets, make him obsolete? Could you turn, say Ryan Taylor, into an H-back type (OBOD’s Adam Somers made the Jim Kleinsasser comparison here, which really works)? That way you’d keep all four backs and have some real firepower there. Just something to consider.

Green Bay’s other two fourth round picks were spent on the offensive line. With the first of those, the Packers snagged Colorado tackle David Bakhtiari (109th pick overall, 12th pick of the round). Standing 6-feet, 4-inches and 295 pounds, he began his career on the right side before moving over to the left tackle spot for his final two years, where he played well. He’s got a nasty disposition and strong hands but can struggle with edge rushers, causing some to think he’ll move inside to guard. Either way, he’ll be a versatile player who should be expected to man a top backup spot somewhere right away.

The other offensive lineman taken in round four comes from the Ivy League as Green Bay tabbed Cornell tackle J.C. Tretter with the 25th pick of the round (122nd overall). At 6-feet, 4-inches, 302 pounds, Tretter has good feet, a good jump off the snap and a high-level of intelligence (obviously). His size and lack of arm length likely mean a move inside in the pros, possibly to guard but more likely to center. With Evan Dietrich-Smith on just a one-year deal, the best guess here is that Tretter will be groomed to be the center of the future for the Packers. If that’s the case, there’s a lot to like about this pick. You want a guy like this as your center

The last of the picks, for this wrap-up anyways, came in the fifth round when Green Bay selected Iowa cornerback Micah Hyde (159th overall, 26th pick of the round). Hyde provides great size for the corner position, standing 6-feet and 196 pounds. Hyde had 44 tackles (four for loss), 15 passes defended and one interception in his senior year last season. For his career, he picked off seven passes and defended 36.

Hyde possesses many of the traits Green Bay looks for in its defensive backs, namely he has very good ball skills. He also has great football smarts and awareness and is a really good tackler (something the Packers current DBs don’t always do well). He doesn’t have top-end speed, though, leading some to think he’ll be moved back to safety. That could happen eventually, but with his size, it’d be good to at least give him an early look at corner.

Okay, that wraps up those four picks. Unless Ted makes some more moves, there are five more picks to break down and we’ll do so shortly after the draft wraps up.

-Chris Lempesis

Lacy selection the highlight in a day of trading back

admin — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 05:20:45 +0000

“No running backs this weekend, folks.”

Who wrote that just a couple of days ago? Who would say such a thing?

Well, that would be me.

In a move that a lot of Green Bay Packers fans wanted, but one yours truly did not expect at all, the Packers selected Alabama running back Eddie Lacy with the 29th pick in the second round (61st overall) of the draft Friday. Lacy’s selection came after Green Bay traded back six spots with the San Francisco 49ers (more on that in a bit).

Lacy, 5-feet, 11-inches and 231 pounds, was a one-year starter for the Crimson Tide. In that one year, last season, he racked up 1,322 yards on 204 attempts (6.5 YPC), hitting paydirt 17 times. He also caught 22 passes for 189 yards and two scores.

In a conference call with reporters after being selected, Lacy said “everything” when asked what his best attributes are. In reality, he might not be far off. He’s a tough, hard-nosed, physical runner who also brings a very nice, semi-sneaky dose of athletic ability (and boy, oh boy, can this guy spin).

It’s a safe bet that Lacy is already the No. 1 back on Green Bay’s depth chart at this point. He’ll play the role of every-down hammer for the offense. And when it’s 2nd-and-goal on the two-yard line, well, John Kuhn probably won’t be taking the handoffs anymore. DuJuan Harris becomes a change-of-pace back (and a nice one at that) and Alex Green likely serves as a pass-catching, screen-game back (where he probably should’ve been all along). This gives the Packers three backs in three clearly-defined roles, something they haven’t had in awhile. That’s important.

It also likely means the end of the line for James Starks and Cedric Benson in Titletown. But make no mistake, the offense just got quite a bit better with Lacy’s selection, one that I was never against, but rather just didn’t expect. That’s mostly due to how Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy have treated the position in recent years. Outside of drafting Green in the third round two years ago, they’ve mostly tried to scrape by at running back.

But the selection of Lacy, along with first-round pick Datone Jones, shows the Packers are indeed going about building their team a different way. They are emphasizing attributes they’ve previously ignored as the focus now seems to be about getting tougher, more physical, fielding a team that is more capable of winning street fight games against the likes of the 49ers and New York Giants. These two picks don’t put Green Bay ahead of those teams, necessarily, but the Packers are much closer to catching them than they were Thursday afternoon.

As for Green Bay’s other selection Friday, there wasn’t one. In the third round, the Packers moved back five spots, from 88 to 93, in their second trade back of the day with San Francisco. At 93, Green Bay pulled off a deal with the Miami Dolphins, moving out of the third round completely, to pick 109 (12th pick of round four). Those two deals netted the Packers an extra seventh-rounder (from San Fran) and fifth-and-seventh-round picks (from Miami).

Toss in the first trade back deal with the Niners (which gave Green Bay a sixth-rounder) and the Packers now have a whopping 10 picks on the final day of the draft. I’m not at all pleased about allowing arguably your top competition in the NFC to move ahead of you twice, but Thompson definitely has a ton of ammunition for the final day now. With two 4s, three 5s, two 6s and 3 7s, it’s a safe bet Thompson will be looking to move back up on more than one occasion. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Green Bay used some of those later picks to move up early Saturday or even gain entirely new picks early on.

And with the depth that is still left on the board, that may end up being the smart play. Alabama’s duo of center Barrett Jones and nose tackle Jesse Williams are still available, as is Louisiana Tech wide receiver Quinton Patton, all players who would look great in green and gold. Either way, it’s sure to be a frantic final day Saturday and we’ll be recapping all the madness here. As always, stay tuned.

-Chris Lempesis

Packers bolster defensive front with selection of Jones

admin — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:46:32 +0000

Everyone knew the Green Bay Packers needed to use the 2013 NFL Draft to get better along the defensive line.

The Packers definitely have some talent at that spot, some of it high-end (B.J. Raji). But there was still something missing. There wasn’t that consistently fearsome presence off the edge.

There just might be now.

With the 26th pick in the first round Thursday night, the Packers snagged UCLA defensive end Datone Jones. In several ways, Jones fits the mold of what Green Bay needed to come out of this draft with on the line.

First, his size. At 6-feet, 4-inches, Jones (17.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks last season) is instantly Green Bay’s tallest d-lineman. Should Johnny Jolly end up making the roster, Green Bay will be quite a bit taller up front, which is very important. Some will worry about Jones’ weight – at 283 pounds, you could consider him a tad light for a 3-4 NFL end. But there’s plenty of time for him to tack on an extra five-10 pounds, so I wouldn’t worry too much there.

He’s strong, smart, athletic and explosive and should help the Packers tremendously in defending read-option attacks, as well. In my draft primer from Thursday, I said the Packers needed to avoid project-type players and find guys who could make immediate impact at the positions they played in college. Check and check with this pick. If Jones isn’t starting in week one, that’s an upset in my mind.

Last season, Green Bay’s pass rush consisted far too often of Clay Matthews, Clay Matthews and Clay Matthews. This season, though, things could be much different (and much better). If the Packers can get Nick Perry, Matthews, Mike Neal (who really came on as the season progressed) and Jones on the field at the same time, that’s a foursome that WILL get after the quarterback. There’s simply too much there for teams to block all of them consistently.

Add in Raji’s occasional pass rush, Mike Daniels’ year two improvement and the return of Desmond Bishop and all of a sudden, pass rush could be a major strength not just for the defense, but the team as a whole.

You’ve got to love April, folks.

Now we enter into day two of the draft. The Packers have two picks, their own second and their own third and there’s still a lot of talent in this very deep draft left. As for what to look for today, I’m sticking with my primer predictions that had Green Bay going wide receiver and center, though I will adjust it a bit. Instead of strictly going for a wideout, I’d be good with the Packers taking a pass catcher of any kind, so a tight end would work, too.

Some names to consider at wide receiver include Louisiana Tech’s Quinton Patton, Texas A&M’s Ryan Swope, Marshall’s Aaron Dobson and, if Ted feels like taking a gamble, Tennessee Tech’s Da’Rick Rogers. Yes, Rogers has had a ton of issues, mostly related to failed drug tests. But he may also be the most talented wideout in the entire draft. Is he worth the risk?

At tight end, I still love San Diego State’s Gavin Escobar, but Cincinnati’s Travis Kelce and Rice’s Vance McDonald are a pair of other names to consider.

At center, I’m still all about Alabama’s Barrett Jones. Cal’s Brian Schwenke could be a good fit, as well.

What do you think about Jones? Where do you think Green Bay should look today? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter (@Olbagofdonuts).

-Chris Lempesis

Your 2013 Green Bay Packers draft primer

admin — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:55:38 +0000

It’s here. It’s finally here!

Well, almost.

We sit just 18 hours away from the Super Bowl of the NFL offseason. That’s right – it’s just about time for the NFL Draft.

AWWWWWYEAHHHHH!!

(Sorry, I just can’t help myself.)

For fans of our beloved Green Bay Packers, what happens tonight through Saturday is of particular importance. As we know, Ted Thompson treats free agency like DARE pamphlets at a Snoop Dogg concert, so the draft is basically the entirety of Green Bay’s offseason in terms of adding new talent.

Not to mention, the Packers were one of the last eight teams playing this past season, so in order to get further in the postseason next time, Green Bay needs to add some key pieces at some important spots. Here’s where that will (or won’t) happen.

That being the case, I’ve decided to put together a primer for Packers fans for the draft. The following contains things I’d like to see happen and things I’d rather avoid for these massively important three days. Hopefully I can help guide you, my fellow Cheesehead, a little bit here, as well.

Some of these bulletpoints will involve me telling Thompson how to do his job. Inherently insane, considering I’m the guy who said Mike McCarthy should be fired late in the 2010 season? Without question. But I believe what I’m saying has a lot of merit, too.

Okay, let’s tee this thing up, shall we?

As always, enjoy.

Put the projects off this year, Ted

Eschewing free agency, while it may drive us (myself absolutely included) nuts at times, is usually an intelligent approach. Still, it’s awfully hard to look at Green Bay’s top competition in the NFC – Seattle, San Francisco, Atlanta and New York, amongst others – and not think the Packers have fallen behind.

All hope is not lost, obviously, as Green Bay can use these three days to catch up. But only if it approaches the draft a certain way. Namely, that way involves drafting players who can make an immediate impact. By that, I don’t mean we should expect the Packers to snag All-Pros with each of their picks. But we should hope Thompson takes a pass on players considered “projects.” Or “raw.” At least early on. The Packers have to get players who can get on the field in some capacity this year.

A player like SMU defensive end Margus Hunt, for example, has had Packers fans talking for awhile now. Many think he’d be a big-time addition for the Pack’s defensive line. If Green Bay wants him, it’ll likely have to use pick 26 to get him. But Hunt isn’t pro-ready. He definitely has upside, but he won’t contribute much next season. He needs to put on weight. Therefore, the Packers should pass on him.

I could list others, but you get the idea. As for who I would take…well, you’ll just have to keep reading, won’t you?

If it doesn’t fit, you must…pass on that player

The Packers, particularly at a few positions, crave versatility. That’s helped them at times and hurt them at others. They loved T.J. Lang and Daryn Colledge’s versatility at the time of drafting them, for example, but we all know what happened when those players tried to display said versatility in the pros. More often than not, it’s best to take a guy, put him in a spot and let him grow there.

And for the purposes of this draft, the Packers need to select players at the spots they played well in college.

Take North Carolina guard Jonathan Cooper, a player more than one “expert” has pegged to Green Bay in the first round. They’ve said Cooper is good enough to play anywhere on the interior line, basically saying Cooper could take over at center for the Pack (cause Lang and Josh Sitton aren’t going anywhere). Or Syracuse tackle Justin Pugh, another name tied a lot to Green Bay. His size and short arms have many scouts thinking he’d likely have to move inside in the pros, again probably to center for the Pack.

Neither of these players should end up in Green Bay.

While I tend to be more optimistic about the offensive line long-term than most, I’m not against adding a player or two there, maybe even with a high-round pick. But if Thompson goes that route, he needs to take players at the spots they know. Want a left tackle? Take a left tackle, not a left tackle who may or may not be able to play that spot in the pros. Want a center? Take a center. Guys like Cooper and Pugh would have to learn new positions on the fly – all while protecting the best quarterback in the game. Not good at all.

Scheme matters here, too. Last year, in selecting players like Nick Perry, Jerel Worthy and Mike Daniels, Thompson gambled on guys who either needed to learn a new scheme, position, or both. That by no means is to say those players will all be busts, just that they were gambles to varying degrees. If he targets defense again this year, he needs to target 3-4 players who can play the roles they played in college. Again, focus on immediate impact.

Jump back to move forward

Let’s get something out of the way now: Thompson absolutely drafts for need. The “best player available” approach died in 2009 when Ted passed on Michael Crabtree (the top player on his board) and opted for B.J. Raji (the true 3-4 nose the team needed). Okay, maybe it didn’t die, but it’s not the be-all, end-all approach of this organization anymore.

Take last season, for example. Thompson knew he had multiple needs on defense and addressed them. Sure, he was looking for the best available defensive players at the time of his picks, but he was still focusing on need. This year, the Packers have more than a couple needs. Can they fill all those vacancies with the picks they currently have?

Doubtful.

Therefore, it’s in this team’s best interest to move back from round one (pick 26). Acquire ammunition, make yourself flexible. With a draft that, I believe, is about the same from pick five or six all the way through the middle of round two, this is the best approach. And it very well could be there for the Packers to do just that. My best guess? Someone’s going to want to jump back in to round one late to take a quarterback. And it’s there that Green Bay should strike. Trading back with, say, Buffalo (who may want Ryan Nassib), would drop the Packers 16 spots (pick 10 of round two). But it would also net them, at the very least, Buffalo’s third round pick (ninth pick of round three). It could get them even more – maybe, say, a fifth rounder. Never underestimate how desperate a QB-needy team can be.

Thompson then has four picks on day two in a very deep draft. That’d give him a great shot at filling a whole bunch of needs.

Go for these positions/players in these spots

Okay, don’t laugh too hard, but this is the part where I quit stalling and tell you how I’d like the draft to play out. I’ll throw out some specific names in spots too, which will only make this more fun to read when Thompson does the exact opposite of everything I’m writing.

After trading out of round one, I’m putting the Pack no later than 10 picks in to round two. Either way, there will be players there at Green Bay’s most pressing area of need – the defensive line. One player that has been on my radar since the beginning of this whole process? Alabama defensive lineman Jesse Williams. Williams, a 6-3, 320 pound beast of a human, excelled at both end and nose in Nick Saban’s pro-style 3-4 scheme. He and Raji could alternate positions, making the Packers very formidable along the line. If Williams is gone, Georgia’s John Jenkins would suffice just fine. Jenkins, even bigger than Williams at 6-4, 359, has had weight issues in the past (playing as high as 370 pounds last season). He’s also very quick and can play multiple spots, but is likely just a nose tackle in the pros.

With their own pick in round two (pick 25), it’s time for Ted to go to his second round area of expertise. That’s right, wide receiver. The Packers are three-deep there now, but in a year when James Jones’ contract is up and it’s time to extend Randall Cobb, they might not be. A player I love at this spot is Louisiana Tech’s Quinton Patton. Patton, 6-0, 202, isn’t a burner (4.48 40). But he’s a great route-runner with very reliable hands who put up big numbers in an explosive offensive scheme. He’s also a good blocker. Sounds like a Packers wideout, no?

Now, assuming the trade back has netted Green Bay a high third-round selection, I’m targeting center here. And guess what? We’re going back down to ‘Bama for this one. Like Williams, I’ve had Barrett Jones on my radar since this whole process started. Jones is versatile, having played everywhere on the line in his time in college. His best spot is center, though. At 6-4, 305, Jones has perfect size and a nasty demeanor, just what the Packers need at that spot (if you are wondering, nope, still not sold on Evan Dietrich-Smith). He was thought to be a first round pick early in the draft process, but has slipped a little bit, maybe due to some injury concerns. That’s absurd to me. If he’s there, he’s the pick. Lock it up.

With their own pick in round three (pick 88), the Packers will have plenty of options. Safety, tackle, outside linebacker and tight end could all be targeted here. Again, I’m more comfortable with the tackle situation than most and at safety, I really believe Jerron McMillian is going to make a nice jump in year two. I don’t see that as a major need. Tight end, though…that’s a need. Jermichael Finley closed 2012 strong, but has just one year left on his deal. The future is murky there and behind him right now, there are nothing but questions. San Diego State’s Gavin Escobar would help clear both those things up. Escobar has great size at 6-6, 254. He’s also a very fluid athlete with very good hands. He fits the mold for what teams look for at the position nowadays and could be lethal with Aaron Rodgers getting him the ball.

Four picks and I’ve made my team tougher in the trenches and given the best player in the game two more toys to play with. Not bad.

In the interest of time constraints – we’re already at roughly 1,800 words here – we’ll move to the day three lightening round, focusing on positions and less on specific players.

In my scenario, the Packers have an extra fifth rounder from trading back, giving them a four, three fives, a six and a seven. Early on, outside linebacker should be the focus. If Perry gets hurt again, it’s Clay Matthews and not much else (again). Can’t allow that.

Three fifth round picks would allow the Packers to add, say, a safety, tackle and inside linebacker.

Rounding out the draft, I could see Green Bay going for another offensive lineman and maybe another wideout. No running backs this weekend, folks. DuJuan Harris and Alex Green lock down two of the three spots there. The Packers very well may bring Cedric Benson back and could target Ahmad Bradshaw post-draft. James Starks is still in the mix, too.

Okay, that’s all for this post. Thanks for reading this far. We’ll be back with reactions throughout the draft. Get pumped!

-Chris Lempesis

Favre and Rodgers re-unite to present at awards show – where do we go from here?

admin — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 09:17:13 +0000

If you were wondering when – or, maybe, if – we would ever see Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre standing side-by-side again, you got your answer Saturday night.

In a rather surprising turn of events, the pair came together as presenters at the NFL Honors awards show in New Orleans. Outside of four post-game meetings, by all accounts the pair hasn’t really spoken since Favre’s time in Green Bay came to an end after the 2007 season.

Wait a second, wait a second – who am I kidding? “Surprising turn of events”? This was mind-blowing. It was utterly shocking. So shocking, in fact, that yours truly had absolutely no idea how to handle the news of them presenting together when I first heard it. Those two guys? Together in the same space? Were their respective families being held hostage and them going up on stage together was the only way to spare their lives? It didn’t make a whole lot of sense.

But there they were.

And we studied every aspect of their shared screen time. Rodgers seemed careful not to walk too close to Favre as they headed on stage. They had some awkward banter – mostly jokes about comebacks as they were presenting the Comeback Player of the Year award – that would’ve been funnier if it hadn’t been so clearly scripted. They shook hands and said it was nice to see each other. Favre seemed to want to hug it out, too. Rodgers seemed to be wishing he was in Antarctica – anywhere else but on that stage at that moment. And then, it was over.

(Quick aside: Credit to Peyton Manning, winner of that award, for his quip about him and Andrew Luck being up there doing that same thing someday. Now THAT was funny.)

And fans were left to answer the question of what it all meant.

Some fans thought it meant the beginning of a long-term reconciliation between Favre and the team. After all, Rodgers is the face of the franchise and if he’s willing to go up there with Favre, they reasoned, that must mean old scars are finally healing. Others thought it meant nothing. It was a ploy from the NFL Network, producers of the show, to boost ratings. Rodgers was probably forced into going up there by outside parties – or, at the very least, completely begrudging in his acceptance to do so, they reasoned.

After giving it some serious thought, I’d mostly side with the latter group. Unless it comes out that Favre pushed the idea of presenting with Rodgers or vice versa – highly, highly unlikely either way you slice it – then this was an idea carried out by outside forces. That makes it, for the time being, meaningless.

Now you could counter that by saying both guys agreed to it when they didn’t have to, so that must mean something. Not necessarily. Think of how many former co-workers, friends or romantic interests you’ve had to be in the same place with. You damn sure didn’t want to be, but the level of the event – a wedding, funeral, holiday party or whatever it may be – sort of forced your hand. In the end you didn’t want to do it, but you did because, well, you didn’t wanna be a jerk and upset things. That’s the tendency people have, famous quarterbacks or not.

Keep in mind, I’m saying I’m mostly with that line of thinking. Not completely. If in a year from now or two years from now, a full-on reconciliation has happened, we may very well look back at Saturday night as the beginning of it all. I doubt it, but you never know.

But outside of all that, the real question you have to ask is whether or not you’re even ready for a reconciliation.

Me? Not a chance. Not. A. Chance.

I still see everything he pulled from the moment he first retired in 2008. Remember, he wanted to come back AFTER THAT and the Packers were willing to have him back only to have Favre back out AGAIN. Some people, based on tweets I got Saturday night, still hold on to this fairly tale of Favre being pushed out the door. Call a shrink – you need help.

I see the Family Night ‘08 garbage. I see Deanna smiling next to the “Thanks Ted” Vikings jersey. I still see his glee – his sheer, stinking, “up yours” glee – after winning that first Monday night game at the Dome.

And yes, I realize the Packers beat him twice in 2010 on their way to winning the Super Bowl. You don’t need to remind me – I was there. To use the relationship analogy, you can be thrilled with where you’re at in a new relationship and still harbor anger towards your ex because they were a huge jerk. That’s totally logical.

I’m sorry, but one appearance on an awards show – a freakin’ awards show! – with Rodgers isn’t enough. It’s a start of nothing, personally. Besides, him getting along again with Rodgers, Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy and Mark Murphy really means nothing to me, as I’ve written before on this site. It’s still about what it’s always been about – him apologizing to us. Him getting back in our good graces. And I mean really apologizing. The kind you have to make after you destroy a bond that took over 15 years to build.

Could Favre still do that? Could he give us that closure? Yes, he absolutely could. He’s the only one who can, frankly. And the crazy part is it wouldn’t even be that hard. All he would have to say is something like this:

“Guys, look, I’m sorry about everything that happened after I sat up here and cried and told you all I was done back in ‘08. I was never very good at making up my mind, as you all know. But I had always expected the Packers to bend to my whims no matter what I’d decided, I guess. That was my mistake and it was a big one. At some point they had to hold me to my word and I now get that. But at that time, I still had love for the game and to have the only team I’d ever played for tell me I was no longer wanted by them, man, that hurt so bad. It caused me to completely overreact and want to do things and say things to hurt them. They, of course, moved on just fine and I realized the people I hurt the most were you guys, the fans. We had such a special bond. You guys supported me when my dad died, when my wife got sick, when I struggled with addiction. You always had my back on the field, even when I played like garbage. You went to my restaurant and went to my charity softball games. You treated everyone with the last name Favre like they were royalty. You didn’t have to do any of that and yet you guys did. That means the world to me, even if for awhile there it seemed like I hated you guys, too. I never hated you and now I’d like to begin re-building that bond that we had. So, again, I’m sorry. This is such a special place and we brought each other such great times here. I want to be a Packers lifer, like Bart, Paul and Willie are. I want back in, this time for good. Think you guys would be willing to let me back in?”

That’s just over 300 words. He could say it in less than 90 seconds. And I’m willing to bet that even the most hardened Favre haters – if you want to put me in that group, fine – would be willing to let Favre back in the clubhouse, so to speak. I know I would.

That would be a truly great day. That would be what we deserve. That would be justice. And until that happens, no justice, no peace, awards shows be damned.

-Chris Lempesis

So, should we continue talking about the 2013 season? Sure, why not!

admin — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 01:03:59 +0000

I promised you a second part of our early offseason primer for the Green Bay Packers and dammit, that’s what you’re going to get.

Right. Now.

Part one, for those who missed it (shame on you if you are one such person), can be found here. In part two, we’re talking contracts, the draft and free agency, not necessarily in that order. Enjoy!

Question: We’re still a few months away from the draft. But let’s be honest, it’s never too early to talk about the draft, right? What are some areas the Packers could look to bolster in April?

Answer: No, it’s never too early. Never. In fact, I pretty much began my internal countdown to the draft within a day or two of the loss to the Niners (only 95 days away from round one!). Yeah, I’m deranged, I know. I haven’t really started my in-depth research – though I’m going to – so as of now, we’ll look more at positions rather than specific players.

In part one, I said I would love to see the Packers use their first choice – no. 26 overall – on Alabama center Barrett Jones. That remains true now. It’s much too soon to say if he’ll be there at 26, but if he is, he should be the guy. Other positions discussed as potential early targets included wide receiver (as Greg Jennings is almost surely gone) and tight end, should the Packers move on from Jermichael Finley (more on him in a bit).

What about some additional spots we could see the Packers target early? The first place you must look is the front seven, especially after everything that happened late in the year against Adrian Peterson/the Niners. Desmond Bishop (hamstring) should be ready for camp, so that will clear up one inside linebacker spot. But if the team is unsure about the health/upside of D.J. Smith (knee) or decides to move on from A.J. Hawk (more on him in a bit), the other inside spot could definitely be a possibility. Also, this team still needs more big bodies on the front line. Don’t think pass rushers – the emergence of Mike Neal and the drafting of Jerel Worthy and Mike Daniels last year covers that, even with the news of Worthy’s ACL surgery. We’re talking “bigs.” Ryan Pickett (34 in October) probably doesn’t have a ton left in his tank, which really leaves the team with just two good “bigs” – B.J. Raji and C.J. Wilson. Not a bad pair, obviously, but more is needed there.

The last two positions to keep an eye on are safety and running back. These feel like middle-round positions, as of now (but with Ted you never really know). Neither M.D. Jennings nor Jeron McMillian really emerged last year, so adding one more name to the mix couldn’t hurt. And, as I wrote in part one, the middle rounds would be a great time to pick someone up to pair with DuJuan Harris and Alex Green for next season.

Question: Okay, so we all know Ted Thompson despises getting involved in free agency. Could that change this year? If it did, who are some players he could target?

Answer: Don’t get your hopes up. Seriously, don’t. But feel free to read this list of possible free agents and let us know who intrigues you. It’s at least fun to talk about, right?

Question: The Packers sure seem to have some players with bloated contracts. Which of those players could be cut this offseason?

Answer: When addressing this question, you’re really talking about three players: Charles Woodson, Hawk and Finley. All three have big-time cap numbers for next season and all three are questionable to return, in varying degrees.

Of that group, Woodson is least likely to return. He has a $6.5 million salary for next year, plus a $2.5 million roster bonus PLUS $1 million total in weekly roster bonuses. Those are astronomical numbers for a player who turns 37 in October and has broken his collarbone in two of the last three seasons. And when you factor in the wealth of truly young talent Green Bay has at cornerback (Casey Hayward, Sam Shields, Davon House), Woodson seems more than expendable. Don’t bother bringing up a pay cut – Woodson is much too proud to ever take that. That would be a slap in the face to him. He can still play, yes, but his value is trumped by his price.

As for Hawk, it’s really a toss-up. The 2012 season was a bounce-back year of sorts for him, yes, and he’s a guy who you can count on to play every week. Those are the positives. But Hawk is due $5.2 million next season and very few would argue he’s worth that. He’s just not consistently physical enough for his position in this scheme. Again, Bishop and Smith are both set to return, the team has a couple of intriguing young guys there in Jamari Lattimore and Terrell Manning and it could always draft there, as well. In the end, my gut says Hawk is on his way out. Like Woodson, his price trumps his value.

Now, it’s time for everyone’s favorite pinata, Finley. First, the numbers. Finley is due a $4.45 million base salary plus a $3.5 million roster bonus in March. So, overall, his cap number is north of $8 million. Now, if you are talking “first-half of the season” Finley, no way is he worth that dollar amount. That Finley was a big-time off-the-field distraction who turned in small-time performances on it. You want to ship that Finley to Siberia. But, if you’re talking “second half of the season” Finley, that number isn’t so crazy. THAT Finley kept his mouth shut, played really hard and made the most of his chances. THAT Finley makes you wonder what he could do for a full season playing that way. Of course, there will be people who say he only played that way because he knew he could be auditioning for 31 other teams. They could very well have a point. But as of now, my feeling is that he sticks. I don’t think Mike McCarthy will want to lose both Finley and Jennings in the same offseason. And, remember, the team could always work out a longer-term extension to help lower his number for next season.

Lastly, there has been some talk amongst fans as to whether or not Tramon Williams or John Kuhn could be released. Williams has a $5.9 million base salary (plus $300,000 roster bonus) for next year. That’s high for a player who has not been the same guy since 2010, no doubt. But Williams is still relatively young (turning 30 in March), so it feels like he’ll get one more shot to fully bounce back. He was playing much better for a stretch late in the year before going off the rails at the end. And Kuhn…well, yes, his $1.8 million salary and $450,000 roster bonus is a bit higher than you’d like. But as I said in part one, McCarthy loves this guy – he isn’t going anywhere.

Question: The Packers seem to be in good cap shape and will only gain more once players like Jennings leave. Maybe even better if they release some players. Who are some players who could get new deals?

Answer: Yes, the Packers are in solid cap shape, with $7.1 million of available space according to this (quick aside: How in the world do the Bengals have over $55 million in cap space?!?!). That number will indeed go up once Jennings, Driver and some possible cuts like Woodson come off the books. And, yes, it seems certain we will see some players receive new deals.

Obviously, the big three here are Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews and Raji.

They are the three most important players on the team going forward and all are making quite a bit less than they’re worth. That likely ends now. It’s a safe bet that at least two of these three are going to be locked up long-term before camp starts. Raji and Matthews are both nearing the end of their rookie deals, so time is especially a factor with them.

It seems certain that Matthews goes first. Do you know what his salary is next season? Just $1.49 million. That is an utter steal and it’s frankly shocking Matthews hasn’t made more of a public stink. Most guys in the league at his level would’ve by now. That will get taken care of, no question. And if you’re wondering what kind of deal Matthews could get, DeMarcus Ware’s seven-year, $79 million deal ($40 million guaranteed) signed in 2009 is a good place to start. In fact, Matthews could very well want more. With the way the pass rush tanked in his absence this past season, it’s not like the Packers can really turn him down. He’s clearly the second most important player on the team and will finally be paid like it.

Raji is due just over $4 million in 2013, so he’s doing a little better. Still, there aren’t many players who can do what he does and the Packers are getting a bargain on him at that price. Yes, he stumbled in the playoff loss (so did Matthews), but do not forget the lengthy stretch of the season in which it was nearly impossible to block Raji. And he’s only 27 in July, so he could do this for awhile, sort of like Vince Wilfork in New England, the player that most comes to mind when finding a comparison for Raji. Wilfork is also great place to look when figuring out Raji’s possible new terms. Wilfork received a five-year, $40 million deal ($25 million guaranteed) from the Pats in 2010 and those numbers would seem fair for Raji, as well. Raji’s deal could end up being a tad less, as Wilfork is a better player, but only by a hair.

Now we move to The Franchise, Rodgers. He has two years left on the six-year, $65 million ($20 million guaranteed) extension he signed in October 2008. He will make $9.25 million next year and is set for $10.5 million in 2014. Obviously, his contract is going to get torn up, but will it happen this offseason or next? That depends on a few things. One, if the team decides to give Raji and Matthews new deals first, how much money will be left? The Packers still need to sign their draft picks, also. Doing all that could eat up most of the available cash, even after some cuts are made.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Chris, I get giving Matthews a new deal. But Raji before Rodgers? Huh?”

I’m certainly not saying Raji has more value – he doesn’t. No one’s more valuable than Rodgers. But, Raji’s deal may be easier to finish, hence him getting re-done. Remember, quarterback extensions can be rather tricky to pull off. The New Orleans Saints had to franchise Drew Brees in order to keep him from free agency and give themselves more time to re-sign him. They ultimately did that, agreeing to a five-year, $100 million deal ($40 million guaranteed) in July. And you get the sense the Packers have been trying for something with Rodgers for awhile now. Remember LeRoy Butler saying last July that Rodgers had agreed to a five-year, $95 million extension? That turned out to be false, but it’s not like Butler just made that up, either. I’m sure the team had been trying even then.

I don’t think Rodgers’ situation gets as dire as Brees’ was. At least, I hope not. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he waits one more offseason, either, before reaching what is surely to be a gigantic payday. The team is in win-now mode and an extension for Rodgers could jeopardize new deals for almost everyone else, including Matthews. The money will be so big it may need to be a situation where he’s the only deal the team does in that particular offseason. And Rodgers seems to be a team guy, so he may be willing to put it off one more year. Whether it’s this offseason or the next, expect Rodgers to top Brees’ record-breaking deal. Brees was 33 when he re-signed. Rodgers will be either 29 or 30. Simple math there.

-Chris Lempesis

So, should we talk about the 2013 season already? Yeah, we probably should

admin — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 06:46:40 +0000

The 2012 season is over for the Green Bay Packers. And, yes, many are still trying to get over the San Francisco defeat and trying not to think of what could’ve been.

But, as we all know, the NFL never stops. That means it’s time to begin piecing together what the 2013 edition of the Packers could look like. And unlike in year’s past, it stands to reason this team will look much different come opening day. For the first time in a long time, there could be significant turnover on the roster and in the coaching staff.

That being the case, it seems appropriate to go comb over everything and figure out who will be back, who will be gone, who’s getting paid and who’s being paid too much (amongst other things). Consider this your early offseason primer for the green and gold. We’re going to do this in two parts because, frankly, it ended up being too long for one. Part two will run later in the week.

And because I’m obnoxious, I’m going to do it in that style where I ask questions I came up with to myself and answer them myself. We pay for this site we can do whatever we want!

Question: Will Dom Capers return as defensive coordinator next season?

Answer: This is THE topic of discussion amongst Packers fans at the moment, for obvious reasons. After yet another poor – make that disgusting – playoff showing from his unit, most fans are calling for Capers’ head (myself included). To think that is not the mindset of “knee-jerk reactive people”, as Mike McCarthy put it in his season-ending presser Tuesday. That is the mindset of people who are fed-up with a defense that has allowed 82 points and 999 yards in its last two postseason losses. And don’t forget the playoff showing against Arizona in 2010, either. Oh, and also don’t forget that more than one defensive player (namely, B.J. Raji) seemed plenty miffed at the gameplan after Saturday night’s debacle.

But the real question, of course, is whether or not McCarthy feels the same way. He was awfully testy when pushed on the issue by reporters Tuesday, saying he was “appalled” by the questions and felt “very confident” Capers was going to be back. Remember, Capers’ contract is up, so he doesn’t need to be fired, just not re-signed. At this point, however, it sure seems like he’s coming back. McCarthy did technically leave himself a little wiggle room – he didn’t say he was certain Capers would return – but after such a public defense, it’s hard to imagine him changing his mind in a few days or a week. McCarthy can point to the unit’s relative youth and overall statistical improvement this season (11th in total yards allowed this year as opposed to dead last in 2011) as the prime reasons why.

Those come off as merely average reasons. Remember, in five of Green Bay’s six losses this year, the defense surrendered 30 points or more. And all but one of those losses came against playoff teams (the other being the defending champion New York Giants), so it’s not like the defense was greatly improved when it mattered most. Still, look for Capers to return on the hottest of hot seats in 2013.

Question: We all know the offensive line was fairly porous this year. What could the group look like in 2013?

Answer: Expect it to look significantly different. For one, Jeff Saturday won’t be on the roster. He’s due a $1.4 million roster bonus and has a $1.35 million salary. That’s money best saved, so he’ll be cut. Signing him was still the right call, but we learned he just doesn’t have it anymore. Could Evan Dietrich-Smith be the guy there? Definitely possible. He was solid upon taking over for Saturday, turns just 27 in July, can play multiple spots to varying degrees of success and absolutely could improve with a full offseason as the starter. But he’s also set to become a free agent and a team desperate for offensive line help could blow him away with an offer. Plus, you have to wonder how high his ceiling is. If the team thought so highly of him, why did it sign Saturday in the first place?

Could the Packers do better at such a key spot? Would they be wiser to use their first round pick on, say, Alabama’s Barrett Jones? That would be the better call. Jones has the versatility Green Bay looks for, playing all three positions in college and excelling at each one. Jones could also form with T.J. Lang and Josh Sitton to give the Packers their nastiest interior line since the days of Mike Wahle, Marco Rivera and Mike Flanigan. He just fits what this line needs.

Another key spot to watch is left tackle. Considering he was a fifth round pick, the Packers have squeezed a ton out of Marshall Newhouse. And at times, Newhouse plays rather well. He’s also prone to trainwreck showings and when you have Aaron Rodgers as your quarterback, more stability is required at that spot. Luckily, all indications are that 2011 first round pick Derek Sherrod (leg) will be ready for camp. That’s good because it’s time to see if he’s the future there. Hopefully he is and Newhouse can play a key backup role. Right tackle Don Barclay, a player with a bright future, will also fill a key backup spot as Bryan Bulaga (hip) will be ready for camp.

A starting group of, say, Sherrod-Lang-Jones-Sitton-Bulaga looks to be much better than what the Packers had this past season. And the depth would be much better, too. It’s what Rodgers deserves, frankly.

Question: What will the pass-catching corps look like? Probably a lot different, yes?

Answer: It will be different, for sure. A lot of fans are still holding out hope that Greg Jennings will re-up with the team. That, at this point, is a mere pipe dream. This is, you have to think, the last big contract Jennings will get. And with a ring on his hand and Pro Bowl appearances on his resume, he’s likely looking at this as a straight cash grab. Some team will throw big money at him, no doubt, but with his age and recent injury history, there’s almost no chance the Packers will match.

Also, Donald Driver is a free agent now and, having been reduced to an almost-nothing role with the team in 2012, retirement seems the most likely path for him. He could try to catch on somewhere else, but why bother? Best to ride off into the sunset with his health intact and all-time Packers legend status already cemented.

The Packers can, obviously, withstand these losses. A top trio of Randall Cobb (quickly becoming a superstar in this league), Jordy Nelson and James Jones is enough to make most other teams jealous. And Jarrett Boykin and Jeremy Ross are both intriguing young players to keep an eye on. Still, as we learned this year, you can never have enough depth at receiver, so don’t be shocked if the Packers take one high in the draft. Maybe not first round, but definitely in the second or third round. They could come out of the draft with multiple receivers, in fact. And they should.

As for the tight ends, the level of change largely depends on whether or not Jermichael Finley returns. We’ll talk a lot more about that in part two, don’t worry. If Finley is gone, Green Bay could definitely target that position high in the draft (Notre Dame’s Tyler Eifert or Stanford’s Zach Ertz would look great in green and gold). If he returns, the group should remain largely intact. D.J. Williams still has some upside, Tom Crabtree turned in a very solid season and Andrew Quarless (knee) should finally be back for camp. You can’t give up hope completely that Quarless could still become a good player. Perhaps a player like Ryan Taylor is gone, but that’s nothing major.

Question: Who are the running backs for next season? Didn’t this team have like 20 guys play there at some point this year?

Answer: No, it only felt like 20 (attempt at humor: success!). Still, the Packers are going to have to make some decisions there. Cedric Benson – aka D.J. World Peace – is a free agent. He was running well at the time of his injury, but he also turned 30 in December. Hard to see him back. Ditto Ryan Grant. Those two felt like stopgaps, essentially, and nothing more.

DuJuan Harris was really a revelation after being signed to the roster in December. He runs hard, takes on contact, factors in the passing game and is shifty. In a lot of ways, he’s what the Packers expected Alex Green to be. And he hasn’t even been on the roster more than a few months. Have to think Harris is back, though it remains to be seen how he’ll hold up over a full season.

And even though he hasn’t quite developed the way many had hoped, Green is likely back in 2013, as well. Remember, he was a third round pick just two years ago. Can’t see them giving up on him so quick. Green showed flashes of being a good back at times. He just needs more patience and vision. That could come.

That leaves us with James Starks and Brandon Saine as the holdovers who could return. Starks is continuously dogged by injuries, much like in college. He’s an impact player when healthy, yes, but that doesn’t happen nearly enough. How much longer can they wait? Sure seems like a good time to finally cut the cord with him. The coaching staff seems to really like Saine and he could definitely figure in the mix, too, but he just seems like an average player. We all know Ted Thompson loathes drafting running backs, but really this seems like a good year to do so. Maybe not high, but somewhere in the middle rounds. The type of prospect who can grow into something, giving the Packers three young backs with upside heading into 2013.

As for fullback John Kuhn, much has been made of his high salary for 2013 ($1.8 million salary plus a $450,000 roster bonus) and whether or not he’ll be back. But if you watched the playoff game against the Vikings, that tells you all you need to know. McCarthy loves this guy, so even if he drives us mad at times, he’ll be back.

Hope you enjoyed part one. Again, check back here later in the week for part two.

-Chris Lempesis

Takeaways: Defense torched as Green Bay’s season ends

admin — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 23:36:13 +0000

Waking up the day after your team’s season ends feels a lot like waking up the day after being dumped.

The finality. The embarrassment. The sense of failure. It just…it just stinks.

But that’s where we are today, a day after the Green Bay Packers were (quite literally) ran out of the playoffs, losing on the road to the San Francisco 49ers by a 45-31 count.

As much as I maybe don’t want to, I suppose I should give you some takeaways from the season-ending defeat, huh? Okay, here we go:

Even now, a day after the loss, I’m still in shock – and still mortified – as to how badly this defense played. A defense that kept Adrian Peterson under 100 yards last week was completely ripped apart on the ground, allowing 323 – 323! – rushing yards on 43 attempts. In case you were wondering, yeah, that’s 7.5 yards a clip. There was no containment, guys were overplaying things all over the place and getting flat-out fooled by San Francisco’s read-option offense. It was almost as though they had no clue, or no real plan, for what they were up against. It was, in a word, pathetic. In a sense, it looked a lot like Green Bay’s first two games against Peterson. That made last night even more difficult to stomach, as it seemed the Packers had finally figured how to attack a run-first offense. Snake eyes on that roll, huh?
That your defensive coordinator – a man who has been around the game forever – can’t or won’t make any adjustments or have his guys better prepared for what is, essentially, a high school-level offense, says a lot about Dom Capers. Namely, it says he needs to be relieved of his duties. In three of his four years as the man in charge of the defense, Capers has seen his units torn to shreds when it matters most (Arizona in 2010, New York last year and now this). The first two of those are a little more understandable – Kurt Warner and Eli Manning are great quarterbacks who have wrecked a lot of defenses. But to allow a second-year player, making his first postseason start, to account for 444 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns is inexcusable. It should be the final nail in Capers’ coffin in Titletown.
I mean, how often did you even see someone spying Colin Kaepernick last night? I can only really think of one play where Brad Jones was filling that role. It may have happened more and I just didn’t notice it, but it sure didn’t appear that way.
For the “players make or don’t make plays, not coaches” crowd, yes, you have some valid points after this one. Clay Matthews, for example, was far too quiet considering his opponent, left tackle Joe Staley, appeared to be playing with one good arm. Tramon Williams failed to adequately cover for most of the night. Erik Walden was a nightmare to watch. Pretty much anyone not named Sam Shields had a bad night for the defense, really.
Mike McCarthy abandoning the run in the second half really put this offense in a tough spot. It was unnecessary to do and ended up forcing Aaron Rodgers to do everything himself. You knew then this team was in deep trouble.
For the night, Rodgers turned in a solid showing and did his all to keep this team in the game. Considering how badly the defense played, the game would’ve been over much quicker in the hands of a lesser quarterback. He only really made one bad decision and that interception wouldn’t have hurt the team so much if someone would’ve tackled Tarell Brown on his return.
Shows you how little we know – Adam and I both said on our podcast this past week that if the offensive line kept Aldon Smith and Justin Smith in check, the Packers would win. Well, the two only accounted for one quarterback hit and the Niners still romped. For what it’s worth, though, the offensive line did turn in a nice performance as a whole.
Should McCarthy have punted on 4th and 5 near midfield with his team down 14 early in the fourth? Absolutely not. What faith could he have possibly had in his defense at that point? It’s five yards. You have the MVP under center. It’s the playoffs. I’ll never understand that decision. Certainly not his best coaching job overall last night.
So, now it’s over and we’re left with one big question: Was this team really that good? The answer is yes AND no, I’ve decided. The Packers won their division for the second year in a row. They also racked up 11 wins. Those things aren’t easy to do. BUT, they also went 2-4 against playoff teams. The offense took a major step back from its record-setting 2011 pace and the defense – despite overall improvement – was shredded in five of the team’s six losses (allowing 30+ points in each of those five defeats). And, as I said on Twitter last night, for a team and a city that defines itself by titles, this season was indeed a failure. That doesn’t mean you can’t take away good games or moments or say you had fun watching them – it just means the ultimate mission fell short. That’s all.
It’s probably unfair to say this team finds itself at a major crossroads this offseason. But it’s certainly a big one, as numerous changes could loom on the horizon. I’ll be writing about that on this site in the next few days, so be sure to pop back here when you can.
Lastly, thanks to everyone who has started migrating back to our site over the second half of the year. I know we dropped off the radar there for awhile, but we’re back and it feels great to say that. The season is over, but we aren’t going anywhere.

-Chris Lempesis

Takeaways: Packers soundly defeat Vikings to advance to divisional round

admin — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 07:11:51 +0000

There’s just nothing better than a playoff win, huh?

That’s exactly what the Green Bay Packers delivered Saturday night, soundly defeating the Minnesota Vikings 24-10 in a wild-card round contest at Lambeau Field. The Packers now head on the road for the divisional round, where they will face the San Francisco 49ers next Saturday night at 7 p.m. Lambeau Time.

Here are my takeaways from the playoff victory:

If you were like me, you had your doubts as to whether or not the Green Bay defense could slow down Adrian Peterson. After all, the Packers already had two recent chances to do so and had failed each time. This time around, however, the defense came to play. Green Bay held Peterson to an extremely quiet 99 yards on 22 attempts (he’d averaged 204.5 yards per game in his first two meetings with the Packers this season).
The big key to the much-improved showing can be found on the edges. Namely, the Packers SET edges this time. Green Bay didn’t allow Peterson to bounce his runs outside, forcing him to stick between the tackles. Peterson is great, no question, but it’s hard for any back to do much damage if their only real play is to continuously try to slam through the forest of big bodies in the trenches.
Much of the credit for this goes to Erik Walden, Clay Matthews, Dezmon Moses and Charles Woodson.
Great to see Woodson back and making a difference. He isn’t the player he was in his prime – or even his amazing 2009 season – but he brings an intangible element to this defense. You feel safer with Woodson in there. And with fresher legs from all the time missed due to injury, he’ll have a lot in his tank for this playoff stretch. That could prove huge for this team.
Yes, Joe Webb is terrible. But no, Christian Ponder’s presence wouldn’t have made that much of a difference. This defense was ready for a fight and it didn’t matter who was under center for the Vikes.
If teams want to continually play both safeties high and take away the longer stuff from Green Bay’s offense, the Packers are proving they’re just fine with that. Aaron Rodgers completed eight passes to his backs Saturday night for a total of 84 yards. By taking that approach, particularly early in the game, the Packers were eventually able to open up the longer stuff as time went on. What’s that – stubborn Mike McCarthy is adapting and changing his offensive approach a little bit? Yes, folks, that seems to be the case. And it’s happening at the most crucial time.
He’s still a little stubborn, though, especially when it comes to giving John Kuhn the ball in short-yardage spots. Kuhn scored on one of those attempts Saturday night (he’d failed on his first two shots), but even if he didn’t, those plays aren’t going away. It appears we’re just going to have to live with it.
DuJuan Harris – 100 total yards (47 rushing, 53 receiving) and a touchdown Saturday night. What a find this kid has been. It’s too much to say he’s the engine of this offense, obviously, but he’s becoming a big-time component. He brings a shiftiness and intensity this corps of runners hasn’t had in awhile.
Going 22-of-33 for 274 yards, one score and no picks seems very “ho-hum” for Rodgers, but it was anything but. He made some of the toughest throws you’ll see a QB make yet again in this one. Even if the numbers don’t always reflect it, he sure seems dialed in.
Speaking of dialed in, Greg Jennings appears to have regained his groove. Like Woodson, it’s just a different unit with him in there making things happen. He likely won’t be around for 2013, but Jennings can help this team do great things for the next (hopefully) few weeks.
Really great work from the offensive line, all around. A lot of weeks this season, one or two players are just off and it’s really affected things at times. But here, all five played well.
Even watching on TV, the crowd sure seemed loud. Great work, everyone who went to the game. And thank you for keeping the stands largely free of that disgusting purple.
Now, it’s a trip out west for the Pack. Obviously, still sort of digesting (read: enjoying the hell out of) Saturday night’s win, but here are a few early thoughts:
On Twitter as the game ended, I made the analogy of the Packers being Batman and the Niners being Bane (nerd alert!) and I really believe that holds up. The Niners definitely punished the hell out of Green Bay the first time around, as it was clear the Packers were just not able to keep up with San Fran’s physicality. That, obviously, was in week one, a lifetime ago by NFL standards. Has enough changed for Green Bay though?
The Vikings, at least offensively, are sort of a poor man’s Niners. Strong-armed, running QB. Physical run game. So in a sense, Saturday was good preparation for Green Bay. And if the Packers play defense the way they did Saturday, that’ll go a long way in giving them a shot to pull out the win. Yes, the Niners have much better players, but the concepts of what Green Bay will need to do won’t be a ton different.
On defense, the Niners are light-years ahead of Minnesota so that’ll be a completely different – and tougher – challenge. The offensive line, in particular, will face its toughest battle yet. But if they can hold up and the Packers can make things happen with this new-found short-passing game, those big plays downfield will again open up. With this receiving corps now totally healthy, there’s no team that can contain that group for four quarters.
I can almost guarantee you that’s going to be the best game of next weekend. Something tells me it’s going to be much closer this time.
Hang on to your butts, folks. This is what January is all about.

-Chris Lempesis