Week 2: Packers vs Redskins

Some of the stars from Sunday's game:
Nelson, Starks, Rodgers
(Borrowed from Packers.com)

Everyone did pretty great I thought. The Rodgers to Cobb pass on fourth down was pretty fantastic. I like that they went for it on 4th instead of punting it away.
Starks had a great run in the beginning of the game, and then filled in for Eddie Lacy, and had the best run game for the Packers in over three years! Nice job Starks! It reminded me of our Super Bowl Run a couple years back. How excited would I be if our run game came online? VERY.
The helmet-led hit by Brandon Merriweather on Eddie Lacy took him out of the game with a concussion. It looked pretty awful in slow motion, and I hope Lacy is OK. And not that concussions are no big deal, but I'm glad that it wasn't a season ending injury.
Merriweather took himself out of the game with another simmilar hit on Starks a while later. Luckily Starks was OK, but someone really needs to talk to Merriweather, and explain to him the 2013 NFL rule book.
Rodgers had some really nice passes to James Jones, who is getting better and better every year. I like his attitude, work ethic, and the fact that he actually catches most of the balls thrown to him. I know he got that touchback later in the game, but I really don't think that was his fault. He was doing exactly what he was supposed to, and trying to score and the ball was wet. It could happen to anyone.
There was a beautiful Nelson TD called back because Josh Sitton got called for holding. But Rodgers connected with him again and got the 6 back. I don't know what's going on with Sitton. That's four holding calls in 2 games. Not cool dude.
Jermichael Finley and Randal Cobb both had a nice game. The jump for the TD by Finley was pretty great. His Lambeau Leap however, left something to be desired. That's fine by me, I'm just saying.
Davon House got a nice Sack on RGIII. I think our pass rush was a little weak, but I guess they did OK. Perry had some nice plays, as did Hawk. Sam Shields had a great game! He didn't get an interception, but he broke up at least 4 plays that I can remember. I was really impressed.
Mike Neal had a nice interception on the Redskins attempted 4 down conversion.
I missed most of the third quarter because I was rushing around getting dressed, then we had to head into town and find a bar that was playing the game. But I caught the fourth quarter, and it was more of the same.
The Packers showed up, and had a really good game.
But I realize the Redskins are not a very good team, and so while I'm encouraged, I'm not getting too ahead of myself. We still have some work to do in our secondary. And Rodgers did get sacked 3 times, so the offensive line needs some adjusting as well. And the running backs need to block better. Starks is pretty terrible at blocking, but if they could help out the offensive line, I really think it would give Rodgers time to connect more smoothly down field.
But I'll take a win any day! Can't wait until next week! Go Pack!

Week 1: Packers vs Niners

Offensive Line 2013: So far, so good.
(Borrowed from www.sportsmedia101.com)

I'm late in writing this, so I'll make it brief. We lost to the Niners...again. Sigh. We really didn't have a terrible game, but they were just a little too good, and Anquan Boldin had a field day with our secondary. I can't even remember how many catches he had, but it was a lot.
Highlights of the game for me:

Jordy Nelson's beautiful catch and toe drag for a critical first down.
Offensive line held up pretty well, including rookie Bakhitari, and that is a relief.
We kept the Niners run game to almost nothing. GOOD.
Eddie Lacy looked like he was getting the hang of things.
Matthews sack on Kapernick. (Yes, even the late one.)
Rodgers had a pretty good game.

Anyway, I hope we meet the Niners again in the playoffs. And unlike last year, I hope we win.

It's Football Season!

Go Pack!

We played our first pre-season game against the Cardinals last Friday! This year I got the $20 online preseason package from NFL Network, and it worked great! The resolution wasn't perfect on the screen, but I think that's a function of my internet connection, either way it was much better than...nothing, which is what we had in the past.
The good news is the opening drive was AWESOME! That 50 yard pass from Rodgers to Jones was great. The dropped ball by Finley- not so great. And the rest of the game was pretty bad. I wasn't stoked about bringing Vince Young in, but after seeing Harrell and Coleman...well, we clearly need to do something. And Young did play better than I expected. Maybe we can use him to run a few of those read-option plays that Kapernick humiliated our defense with last year.
I think our starters look to be in good shape. I'm a little worried about the left tackle position and how they are going to work that out, but everyone else looked OK. I didn't see a real standout running back among the....5 or six we had out there. They were all decent, but not super great. The defense had some big secondary issues (the backups did I mean), but then they made some good plays as well.
Overall I'm not too worried, but at the same time I think we were the only team to finish the game scoreless. So it wasn't the best start to the season. But who cares?! ITS FOOTBALL TIME!

Happy Football season cards I made!

Dusted off my Packers Gear!

The Playoffs

From NFL.com

Well, It's that time of year again. The regular season is over, and the playoffs have arrived. The Pack won the division, and I was happy about that. But that is the past, and there are  bigger "fish to fry" as the saying goes. A quick recap of wild-card weekend though before I jump into the Pack. First of all I none of the other teams I wanted to win won. I wanted Indie to beat Baltimore (however unlikely it was) because right behind Detroit, I have a soft spot for the Colts. I'm not super bummed that the Ravens won, and actually it was cool to see Ray Lewis win his last game at home, but still. I don't really care either way about the Bengals/Texans game, so I don't have much to say about that. But I really was hoping the Redskins could come away with the win against Seattle. I don't like the Seahawks. Not the players in particular, but Pete Caroll especially on account of the fact that when interviewed and asked about the fiasco of a game they played against us he lied several times about that final play that was clearly an interception. I feel that his coaching style is a little dirty, and I think they take a lot of credit for things they shouldn't. But whatever. They won. I don't know why Shannahan left RGIII in the game for so long with his bad knee, and I really think Washington might have had a chance if they'd pulled RGIII and put in Cousins.
Pack vs. Vikes
Our game went pretty well for a playoff game. We started out strong, and sort of faded toward the end, and that would have to be my strongest criticism of the whole game (i.e. we lost our momentum). I thought the offense played well, Our run game is getting better and Harris is turning out to be reliable. If I were the coach  the thing I'd stress to him this week is maintaining his sterling record of keeping the ball secure. He is doing so well, and I just want it to stay that way.
The offense was on track. Rodgers hit like 8 or nine receivers, and had time to do so thanks to the great play by the offensive line. Sure Rodgers got sacked like...5 times, but I think 3 of those at least were his fault for holding on to the ball too long. James Jones played great Jennings is finishing out the season strong. Jordy didn't get into the game until the second half, and came out with a limp after only a few plays, but did a really nice job.
The defense really showed up. Woodson is back and great, the secondary played well. They corralled AP and only allowed him 100 or so yards, which is not great but much better than 210 he got the week before!
All in all it was a good game, and we move on, but I'm not too excited about the win because I don't think the Vikings are really that good of a team yet, and I don't think they are tat hard of a team to beat. Especially without their starting QB.

Moving on to next week and our game against San Francisco. Now this will be a tough game. Here are a few of my thoughts about what we need to get done in order to win:

• I think the O-line has it's work cut out for them, but as long as they throw Kuhn, or a TE in there to help block I think Rodgers can get some long passes out to the receivers and work his magic. 
• AR needs to get rid of the ball sooner though, especially against the Niners. I know he hates to throw the ball away (which is why he is sacked so often) but sometimes it is the right thing to do. Otherwise people get hurt, and the penalties pile up. 
•  The entire offense needs to be reminded that ball security is going to be critical against the Niners defense. 
• We are going to have to be patient with the run game but stick with it.

On the defensive side of things,

• We need to limit Kapernick from running for 1st downs. 
• And I think that we need to keep Frank Gore to under 100 yards. It was very fortunate that we played the best RB (Adrien Peterson) in the league 3 times in the past five weeks. Hopefully that has prepared the D for the run game.

Hopefully everyone is back on the field and healthy by Saturday.
I hope we beat the Niners, because their fans are becoming a real pain in the butt, shouting at me, making rude gestures, and telling me how terrible my team is. I am not upset by it really, but it is pretty annoying. All I can say is:

NFC North Champs

Our win against the Bears last week made us the NFC North Champs! Hip hip horray! I've been too busy to write about the game, but I liked where the offense was heading last week, and the D came up with some big plays as well. If only Mason Crosby could get his groove back, we'd be in business! Anyhoo, it was a great win, and a good feeling to clinch the division! Go Pack!

Week 13: Packers vs. Vikes

Game Day Mimosa at LG Bar and Grill

Well, yesterdays game started out strong but kind of fizzled, and for a while there I wasn't sure we were going to come out on top. Thank goodness for Morgan Burnett!
The Rodgers to Jones TD in the first quarter was spectacular. Jones really did a great job of hauling that one in. The run game went OK, although Minnesota's run game fared slightly better. Lol. (Adrian Peterson had a record day, with a career long 83 yard run for a TD). I don't think it has so much to do with our running backs lack of skill so much as the offensive line not executing the run blocks effectively. They just can't seem to create the gaps that other teams are able to, and it leaves our backs...well, on their backs. I do like the Starks/Green combination, and I think playing both of them is working out.
Crosby is on his way out for sure. I hate to say it because he has been so awesome for so long, but he almost missed a 30 yard field goal, at home, and then did miss the 53 yarder to end the half. If we are going to make it to the playoffs, we cannot afford to only make a 3rd of our field goal opportunities. I'd be really surprised if they stick with him for the rest of the season. It's too bad, and I feel for him. And I feel awful saying all this but it's true.
The end of the first quarter, beginning of the second was sort of blah. There were a bunch of 3 and outs and then Jordy Nelson hurt his hamstring. GREAT. That's just what we need. At least Greg Jennings is back out on the field.
I thought the play calling was really conservative yesterday, and I didn't care for it. McCarthy was definitely playing it safe all the way. Twice we were at 4th and  inches and McCarthy chose to punt. I know AP (Adrian Peterson) is a threat, but with the Vikes main receiver out of the game, I would have given the offense a shot. I know the decision probably has to do with the backup personnel on the field, and not being exactly sure what the offensive line, in particular, would do. But Rodgers was out there, and Jennings and Cobb, and Kuhn, and Green. I mean for crying out loud one of those guys could have moved the ball 2 inches for a first down. We didn't play an aggressive game, and that annoys me, because that's what football is all about. But anyway.
Then on the first play after the half Crosby made yet again another huge mistake. (The rule is if you kick a ball out of bounds between the 5 yard line and end zone on a kickoff, then the ball automatically gets moved to the 40 yard line.) The next play AP took it all the way down to the 13 yard line in one run. It was around then that I started to get nervous. But luckily Burnett got those two interceptions int he second half. If not, I'm not at all certain we would have come away with the win.
The defense played OK, but not great. The Vikings had a +200 ground game, but our secondary did well against their (almost) non-existent pass game. There wasn't much pressure on the QB, and I was a little frustrated by that but...Oh well.
All in all, I guess it was an OK game. And we got a division win, and the Bears lost. So all of those are good things. I just wish we were playing less sloppy (I think we had between 8 and 10 penalties yesterday), and more confident. And what happened to the no huddle? Is it because of the offensive line issues? We take on the Lions next week, and I really hope the O-line protects Rodgers and gives him time to make some plays. I also hope Matthews is back by then to give our pass-rush a little life.
Until then!

Packers vs. Giants: FAIL

Uggg....I don't even know how to begin. Last night's game was AWFUL. Just terrible. Not since the...beginning of the 2009 season have I seen such a horrendous game! It was so awful in fact that I'm not even going to give much commentary because it was all so awful. I know why it everything collapsed, because key players were out and they were trying to "make do". But shoot. Do we have to melt down while playing the freaking Giants, on Sunday night football? Oh the torture! Oh the suffering! As if the Giant's fans are not obnoxious enough already.
But I am a true fan. And yes, I did watch the entire game, to the bitter, BITTER end. Som looking on the bright side of this train-wreck of a game:
Cobb played well
Kuhn got his longest run
Hawk played solid, like he always does.
Rodgers "Movember" mustache was amazing
McCarthys "Movember" 'stashe was kind of squirrly, but still cool.
Hopefully they figure out what to do with the O-line by next week, and Matthews is back. And...well, that's it. That's all I have this week.

Week 9: Packers vs. Cardinals

We won again! And I'm not just talking about the game. We went to the same bar as we went last week, and just like before there were more Packers fans there (a whopping 5 of us!) so they played the whole game WITH sound!!! Yay! Super cool hu?
Anyway onto the game. The defense started out strong with...Daniels getting a sack early on. (I had to look up who he was because I had no idea. He was our 4th round draft pick, and a rookie DE out of Iowa.) Cobb had an amazing 40-some yard punt return. And I am pleased to say I feel like he is making some great decisions on special teams about when to go for the extra yards and when to take a knee.
I don't know what the deal is with Crosby, but I hope he gets it sorted out soon. he's missed like 5 of his last 9 field goals with the ball swinging widely to the right it seems right at the end of the arc. I don't know much about kicking, so I really cant do much speculating, but something is amiss for sure.
Our running game was the most productive it's been all year. I thought both Starks and Green did a great job moving the ball down the field and setting up pass plays. And they get some nice rushes for more than 2 yards (which it feels like has been our average the last 8 weeks.) I just can't say enough about how happy I am to see the ground game improving.
Rodgers had a pretty good game I thought. He had a couple errant passes that were probably his fault, but the interception was just one of those freak events that are nobody's fault...well, not Rodgers anyway. He made a really great fumble recovery a few plays later too. I saw the ball come out and not a Packer in sight and then all of the sudden there was Rodgers coming from the left, totally horizontal, flying in the air and diving on the ball! LOL. It was pretty amazing, especially since the last time I'd seen him (on the screen) he was way in the backfield. It was a great play, and in my opinion more than made up for the bad passes he made earlier.
I saw Jeff Saturday make a couple great blocks down field. That was cool. And James Jones made another incredible catch for a TD. He is just getting better and better every week. Awesome! Tom Crabtree's TD was nice, especially after he dropped a wide open pass a few plays earlier. Speaking of dropped balls, we had a few of those yesterday that I wasn't so happy about. Driver had one that was right on the numbers, and a couple other guys I can't remember. Randal Cobb had another spectacular game, and I am glad to see that he's not developing a cocky attitude about it. He is a solid, versitele, dependable player, and I am sure Rodgers is enjoying having him on the field. I still don't have anything good to say about Jermichael Finely.
Seeing Nelson go out with a sprained ankle, and then Bulaga with...whatever happened to him, and then Mathews wasn't so encouraging, but at least next week is our bye, so hopefully they have time to heal up.
The O-line did great, especially considering they had to do the old "switcharoo" moving Lang to fill in at right tackle for Bulaga and Detrich-Smith filling in for Lang at guard. To be honest, I almost thought they played better than when Bulaga was in. But I'd have to watch the game again to state that with any certainty.
The defensive line did pretty good, and Williams did a good job in his match up with Larry Fitsgerald. Hawk turned in another solid performance.Walden had a nice game, as did Casey Hayward, and Desmond Moses. All those guys have really stepped up and done a nice job this season. We have a lot of talent on our defense right now. They combined for an interception, and then later in the game Walden made a crucial stop on third down. I think it may have one of the key moves that drove away any last hope the Cards had to come back and win. If that didn't do it then Jarret Bush's recovery on the Mathsay punt certainly did. I don't care for Bush on the D, but he's been pretty great on special teams.
Over all, it was a really good game I thought. All phases were present, and carrying their own weight. I thought the newer guys stepped in and played great, and the veterans performed the way they are supposed to. I thought the play-calling was good (although I generally prefer to see more no-huddle), and for the most part execution was right on. WooHoo! A nice way to head into the bye!

Packers Weeks 7 and 8

I know I have been lax in my posting about the games, but I have had a really busy couple weeks and, to be honest, the games really haven't been that great.
This week was especially terrible mostly because of all the guys that were injured. No Jordy, or Kuhn, or Jennings, or Nick Perry and Woodson broke his collar bone again...great.
Rodgers had a pretty awful game. I'm not too worried about it because I know he is a much better player than that. But I think it was just an off week for him. We all have them.
I was happy to see Driver get some play. He's so awesome! And I love how loud the Green Bay fans cheered for him. He's been a great football player, and from what I've read he's an even better person. Plus he has the best smile ever. You just can't be bummed out when looking at a picture of Donald Driver smiling. It's impossible;)
Special teams made a great play (and then almost lost it by trying to pick it up instead of securing it and going to the ground) and that probably was the difference between us winning and loosing that game. The last time the Pack blocked a punt for a touchdown was in...like 1990 or something. So it was pretty great to watch, despite the fact that I was annoyed that they just didn't fall on it.
I still feel like there is a Bermuda Triangle effect happening to our defense in the middle of the field between the LB's and Secondary. I don't know if it's just that the guys out there don't understand what they are doing, or if Capers is making them play differently. It's weird.
And I don't know why they aren't using the tight ends (or fullback when Kuhn is healthy) to block so Rodgers has more time to get a couple big passes down field. If I was McCarthy I'd be dialing that up every three plays. Have Kuhn, or Cobb, or Crabtree or someone extra to help out the O-line, and give the receivers a little more time to get down field.
I kind of feel like the last two games were pretty much the same, i.e. not so great. They have almost been more stressful than fun to watch, and it's just so mysterious to me why we are struggling for every win. Maybe I was just spoiled last year with all our success.
Anyway, I am hoping we have a good game against the Cards next week. If we can just make it to the bye without anyone else getting hurt, I think the Pack can come back and have a great second half of the season.

Week 6: Packers vs. Texans

AR to critics: "Shhhhhh".

We did it! We won! And Rodgers got six, count 'em six touchdowns (tying Matt Flynn's record from last year.)! Our offense is back! Wheew. I knew they had it in them!
The defense had a pretty good game too. My only concerns there are the multiple injuries we sustained and the difficulty we had holding Houston on third down. But really, the defense really showed up and had a great game! And the back up guys really did a spectacular job.  But let me start at the beginning.
First of all, I thought the play-calling was great on McCarthy's part. I also thought Rodgers had a good game.  He seemed a little fired up, who knows why, but it was really exciting to see some life in the offense. He missed a few throws, but he wasn't intercepted. That one pass to Jordy in the end zone looked like a bullet, and the offensive line did a nice job. Saturday, Lang, all the front guys really gave Rodgers time to get the ball down field. It was a beautiful thing to see. I thought the backs Green and Kuhn did a nice job blocking up front as well (something I think McCarthy should do more often), and Green had a few 9 yard runs that were nice to see. He was able to keep the pass/run balance in check, which is exactly what we needed to get those big plays down the field. It was exciting to see James Starks back on the field too, even if it was limited.

I'm still not liking Jermichael Finley's play. He is dropping too many balls, and being too much of a diva outside the locker room (complaining about not being targeted enough etc.) and I don't like it. He is the only person on offense right now I have a bad feeling about. And those instincts are ones I trust. I don't think he is the right personality for the Packers, and I don't think we should keep him next year. Cobb had a great game. I am glad to see him making good decisions on punt returns, and making plays on offense. I think he's settled down a little since last year, and he appears to be becoming a true professional. Jordy had a great game, and pulled in some great passes, and James Jones had an outstanding catch for a TD (one handed and around the defensive player!) and a nice grab on the sideline too. I can't say enough about how much he has improved this year. The last couple years I've not liked his inconsistency and lack of dependability, but he's had a complete turn around this year, and I really think this could be his break out year. I hope so! Even Tom Crabtree got a TD! It was a great play call, and I am glad he got to see some action other than blocking. Over all the offense was just great. Sure the Texans had a ton of penalties that helped us out, but even if you don't count those, the offense still had a much better game than last week, especially protecting Rodgers.

AJ Hawk bringing the pressure!

Onto the defense. They started out strong,and finished strong, with just a slight decrease in the middle due to injuries. I know they had to adjust because Raji was out, so Pickett moved to nose tackle, and then they shifted other guys around, and so taking that into consideration, I am actually really pleased with the level of play. I would have liked to see a little stronger pass rush, but it was still pretty great. Three sacks on Schaub was great. I loved the one that A.J. Hawk got!
I think Tramon Williams did a good job considering he was matched up with Andre Johnson. And all the guys that had to fill in, McMillian, Hayward, Bush, made some great plays on the ball. Hayward really showed up. They just really did a nice job. The whole team did.
They came together as a team and found their motivation I guess, and not a moment too soon. I'm not sure what happened last week in practice, and will probably never know, but who cares?!? They really got it together and played like I knew they could!!! And what did I say last week? If they just did that, they were sure to win! And they did! Hooray!
In the post-game interview Michelle Tafoya asked Rodgers what he had to say to all the critics after coming up with such a big win. His answer? "Shhhhhh." I was laughing so hard! Good one ARod! Just another reason why I think he's such a great QB, he is hilarious! On a more serious note, I'm glad he's not worried about the team. And I'm glad that he seems to have not been too worried about it last week when I was freaking out (a little) either. That's the true sign of a leader.
Anyway, it was a wonderful Sunday of football (finally) and a wonderful game, and for the first time this season I feel like the Pack is truly back!

Week 4: Packers vs. Colts

It was another disappointing week of football. And taking on Indianapolis was supposed to be one of our "easy" games. So much for that. The Colts played a great game. We did not.
I've been trying to figure what it is that is so different from last year. We have mostly the same guys, the same coaches, if anything an easier schedule. So what could it be? I think it's motivation. I think it's a mind thing. there is a loss of focus. And the more they loose the worse it's becoming. (I believe that is why statistically teams that go 1 and 4 almost never make the playoffs. They loose hope early on and they quit trying even thought the season is only a quarter done.) They seem a little less technical in their play, a little "flabby" in their execution, and sloppy. The defense has come close to making some great plays, but they keep falling short and making rookie mistakes. The receivers have come close to making great catches but close doesn't count. They seem slower and out of sync. The offensive line seems bewildered and embarrassed. Nobody seem excited to be out on the field. And it's not just one side of the ball, it's pretty much the whole team. The only guys I really feel like are playing hard are Rodgers, Matthews, Cedric Benson (who is now injured) and James Jones. I can SEE their effort on the field, but with everyone else it's sort of...blah.
I hope I'm wrong, but I just don't know what else it could be. There is no excuse for being 2 and 3. We have too many good players for that to be the case. I know we should actually be 3 and 2, because of the fiasco in Seattle, but even so. We have the best receiving core in the league. We have Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews! We have Dom Capers and Mike McCarthy....why is this not working?
Part of it could be the play on the field, but most of it is mental I think. At least at this point. I feel like in addition to practicing this week the team needs to sit down and re-discover what motivates teams to win. I think they need to step back and take a minute to remind themselves, who they are as individual players, and as a team. Somehow I think the guys have lost their perspective, they've lost confidence. I think they've gotten bogged down in other peoples expectations, and the hype. But that's not who any of them are. And if I know that, then they should be able to figure it out. And they need to. Soon.
The Packers need a "reset". They need to shake off these first five games, and take the field next week with a focused solidarity and a clear vision of who they, and the Green Bay Packers are, and what they are capable of. If they do, I guarantee they will be victorious.

Week 4 Packers vs. Saints

I realize that I missed posting a blog about week two when we played the Bears. And I know that a commentary on a game with our arch division rivals would have been nice, but I was on vacation! I had so much else going on! But I will comment briefly on that before skipping to this past week.
I thought the defense played great. As a Packers fan, there isn't a more beautiful thing than seeing Clay Matthews gigantic arms wrapped around Jay Cutler. And I believe he got 2.5 sacks in that game. NICE. Offense wasn't where where it was last year, and that was disappointing, but over all I thought it was a great game. Although that might have had more to do with the fact that a.) I was on vacation, b.) I was with close friends and family, c.) they had Bells 2 Hearted Ale on draft, and d.) that I was experiencing my first adventure at Buffalo Wild Wings. Any way you look at it though, the fact remains that we beat our division rivals.
Now skipping ahead to this past week. I thought the first half of the game was great. The offense got to work their no-huddle magic, and after "committing to the run" for a the first couple of drives, the passing game took off.
I guess I should take a minute to talk about Cedric Benson. It's hard to say that he's improved our running game, but at the same time I don't think it's for lack of effort or skill. After watching him run these past few weeks, I get the sense like he has had to fight like hell for every yard he's gained. After some contemplation I have come to wonder if that's because the offensive line is unaccustomed to having to block for a runner since Rodgers mostly passes the ball? I guess I don't know. But I do have this to say: he has gotten better (from averaging 1 yard to about 4), and he has held on to the ball. He's not going to take us to the Super Bowl, but he won't cost us games either. I just wish he could break away for a 20 yard rush! That would really help our strategy.
Going back to the rest of the offense. To be honest I thought Rodgers was spot on. He had a good game. There were a couple dropped passes, and an interception, but I don't feel like...I don't think that he was off. James Jones had a freaking terrific night! That last catch that sealed the game...shoot! I still don't know how you catch a ball when you can't even see it, but he did. He was really great. I know I've said in the past that I don't trust him in critical situations. Well, I still don't, but I'm beginning to see a fluidity in his catches, and an ease in running his routes that I didn't before, and so I'm wondering if he's just settling in now. I have a better feeling about him now than I ever have. So that could be good stuff.
Randal Cobb also did great. Despite that I still hold reservations about him. Don't ask me why because I don't know.
Jordy Nelson had a couple of good plays, but he also lost a couple balls. I have a soft spot for him though because at the beginning of last season I KNEW he was going to be awesome (and that's why I wanted his jersey for Xmas) and then he was, and he is not as show-offy on or off the field...but anyway, he missed a couple catches which bummed me out...a little.
Grahm Harrell's debut was a freaking disaster! I know there is no way I could have known how awful it would be, but I tell you I had a feeling like it was going to be ugly. And it was. It was hideous. But enough of that.
Onto the D!
Well, I guess I should start by acknowledging that they allowed 400+ yards. NOT GOOD. But then I tried to look on the bright side and came up with this. 1.) Drew Brees was QB. He's a gun slinger, and he's so good. 2.) We almost came up with a bunch of picks, but we just couldn't quite get there.
The play that stands out the most (unfortunately) is the one where Morgan Burnett stripped the ball form his fellow Packer Tramon Williams and cost us an interception, but...well, I think that in the heat of the moment the whole idea is to get the ball away from everyone else. It was a missed opportunity for sure, but...Then the Pack made a few pretty great goal line stands. And that is much harder to do than a lot of people realize. They were great defensive moments for sure!
There were a few penalties I didn't like. Don't get me wrong, I am glad the real refs are back, but...well, if they make the same bad calls then...what's the real difference?
The worst one was when they called the punt return (by NO) down by contact when it was CLEARLY a fumble. But I'm not going to blame the refs for this one. Coach McCarthy made an awful challenge in the beginning of the game that he shouldn't have. And if he would have saved that challenge he would have won it on the mentioned play. As it was, the Packers had no challenges left to argue the call that could have made the win much less stressful. It was a bad call, but if McCarthy had been more cautious, he could have challenged it.
We squeaked by with a win. But it wasn't pretty, on either side of the ball. The offense came out strong, but the Harrell fumble changed the momentum. And the defense that played fairly well against Chicago gave up 400+ yards!?!
I say this every week, and I'll say it again. I love my Packers. That being said, I think...I think they have more to show than they have so far this year.

Packers Last Second Victory!

An amazing Jennings interception!!!

I've been trying for an hour to think of what I want to say and how I want to say it. But every time I think about the game last night I just get angry and all the things I feel like saying...well, primarily involve using the same four letter word in all it's versatility as a noun, verb, adverb, adjective, as well as in its traditional expletive form. In short not very nice. I thought a nights sleep would help alleviate some of my frustration, but it has not. Especially after reading the NFL's official statement this morning. An injustice has been done, a trust has been betrayed by the owners of the NFL, and the integrity of my favorite game has been compromised. To say I am angry is an understatement. But I'm going to try again to voice my thoughts because someone has to stand up for "my" guys and "my" team.
Now I am sure all non-sports fans are thinking "so what? whats the big deal?" but let me explain it to you. First of all there are only 16 games in the season, so even one loss could ruin the Packers chance for any post season. Divisions are won, and wild card spots are often acquired, on the difference of a single game. So yes, it's a big deal.
Second, even though it's a game, a trust has been broken. Not by the replacement refs (who are just pawns in this awful mess), but by the owners, and Roger Goodell. I don't care if it's about football, or anything else, when a person or party you trust and respect breaks their promise to you, and goes back on their word, it becomes personal. I'm not so upset for myself. But I feel especially protective of my team, and they guys on it. I hate that MY Packers have to play on in this mess. I hate that they went back on the field for the final point after. Shame on whoever in the Packers management made them do it. I'd rather the Packers maintain their integrity than show supposed "class" by participating in something everyone and god knew was wrong. It was insulting to me and most importantly to them.
Across the NFL all our players are being forced to participate in a game that is no longer fair, and they have no choice but to accept decisions made by people who are unqualified and indisputably WRONG. Never should we bow to what is wrong, I don't care who says it, or what the situation is. Not in politics, not in personal life, not in football. If it's wrong it's wrong. Period. I don't think the Packers players should accept the loss just because a ref didn't understand the rules. It was the wrong call, it was unjust, and they should not be compelled by their owners or contracts to go along with something that goes explicitly against the rules stated by the governing entity they are employed by. What kind of example does that set for the millions of kids who watch their favorite team every Sunday? What does that make them think about their role models when they see some of them accept without comment what they shouldn't, while others, clearly cheating, take credit for something they didn't do? There is a principle being trampled on here, in front of millions of people, and I think it's a discredit to everyone involved, and horribly insulting to the players and coaches to even ask them to keep playing under the circumstances. The more I think about it, the more angry I get. It's like the NFL has become some kind of weird dictatorship funded by greedy, selfish men, ruled over by Goodell, and enforced by incompetent and unqualified generals, and no one has any choice but to bow down to them, keep their mouth shut and keep playing. For those of us who love the game it is a devastating blow to the integrity of something that we trusted and admired, and it has destroyed the essence of what the NFL is about.
The Pack worked hard to come back, and we won the game fair and square with a glorious interception at the last second! I can't even even begin to understand how the NFL is still justifying it's position that the Seattle won. They know they are wrong, EVERYBODY knows they are wrong, but they are not going to take responsibility for it. Roger Goodell had a chance when they released their official statement this morning, and he failed to do the right thing. And maybe that is what angers me the most, that those with the authority  are not owning up to their responsibility. The right thing to do is for the NFL to get the real refs back on the field, have a press conference and apologize to ALL of the players, coaches, and fans (particularly kids), and to officially to recall the win by Seattle and rightfully award it to the Packers. In my opinion, that is the ONLY way they can fix this and retain any integrity. I know it would be unprecedented, but you know what? So is a quarterback winning a game by throwing an interception in the end zone. So is the NFL releasing a statement saying that the call was correct, when it clearly wasn't. Two wrongs don't make a right, and the NFL should be ashamed for lying to the fans to cover up their mess. How can they expect players to take ownership of their mistakes (i.e. the Saints bounty scandal) if the Big Shots won't take responsibility for theirs? How can it justify fining players for breaking the rules (like not wearing NFL licensed merchandise in post game interviews, or tweeting out against the NFL) but turn a blind eye to the multitude of rules that have been wrongly called and enforced by their own hired referees? It's ludicrous. The NFL ownership has become an untrustworthy band of hypocrites, with Roger Goodell as their front man and it disgusts me.

It's like this. How would we feel if suddenly every cop in the country was replaced with shopping mall security guards? AND they had no accountability to the law other than their own personal understanding of what it is. AND they got to be judge and jury and there was no recourse for those accused once the verdict had been made against us? AND the government wouldn't step in to free us even though they know we wrongly accused?!? WTF? Surely we can all see that would be a grievous crime against us all. And I feel pretty certain that none of us would sit back idly and let it happen. Well, that is what the NFL is doing, and getting away with it!
But what to do? I'd boycott watching the games, but it's not our players and coaches who have let us down. Still maybe it's the right thing to do. The coaches and players are stuck, but we as fans could maybe do something if we could just stick together and stand in solidarity. As long as the owners are making money they don't care whether what is happening is right or wrong. But if we could all collectively impact their profits, maybe that would get their attention. It would be a beautiful thing if all the fans from all 32 teams found a way to stand together to defend OUR game and OUR players against blatant injustice. I've often wished I could really be part of the team. I'm sure a lot of other fans have too. Well, maybe it's finally our chance to contribute. I just wish I knew how.
I know it may seem like I'm overreacting and I guess it's your right to have that opinion. But here's the thing. If you mess with my family, or my football team, know that I will defend them until you and I both draw our last breath. And know that yours will probably be coming first.

P.S. Just for the record, I do not accept last nights game as a  Packers loss. I don't care what anyone says. It will always and forever go down in my books as a glorious comeback for an AWESOME last second interception and win. I'm proud of ALL the guys for playing a great second half, for never giving up, and for sealing an amazing victory in the end. Well done boys!!!

Week 1: Packers vs. Niners

Clay Matthews sacks Alex Smith.

After the game last Sunday I was sitting on the couch thinking to myself "I've been waiting months for this?"
First of all I'd like to talk about the replacement officials. Basically they sucked. I know it's not their fault, but really? We need our regular guys back. I want Ed Hochuli! The refing was not (necessarily) the reason I think we lost, since there were bad calls both in our favor and against us, but I will say this. I think the game plan was to start out fast. I saw Rodgers try to go into the no-huddle a few times in the first quarter, and every time the game was stopped for some reason. And I think that just threw the whole offense off. They lost their plan, and were trying to make up a new one on the fly. The flags were comming out late, and calls were being made and then retracted. I was calling penalties from my couch faster than they were being made on the field! That's frustrating to me, so I can only imagine how bad it must be for players and coaches. Like I said it's not the ref's fault that they don't know what they are doing, it just makes for some really awful football.
OK, but onward.
The offense wasn't great. Maybe it's because they got thrown off, but then maybe not. Despite the addition of Cedric Benson our run game is still non-existent. He rushed 8 times for like 19 yards or something. Rodgers got more ground yardage. So...I don't know how that's going to pan out. It's true the the Niners D was best in the NFL last year against the run, so maybe it's not so much that we are bad as it was that they were just really, really good. As for receivers, Jennings had a couple good plays, Cobb had another great night (although his return for TD should have been called back). Finely is back, and I am honestly not too stoked about him. He just rubs me the wrong way, and he had so many drops last year. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm not sure I trust him to play consistently.
Rodgers threw an interception...He only had 6 in all of last year, so hopefully it was a fluke thing. At any rate, I think he will be fine, and otherwise when he could, I thought he made nice plays. He didn't have a great game, but it wasn't terrible either.
The front 7 did OK, but not great. AR was sacked a few times, and hurried and otherwise harassed much more than I would like to see. Especially since he goes down field a lot, he needs to have enough time in the pocket for his receivers to get there.
Moving on to the defense. Again not great. The middle of the field is like...the Bermuda Triangle for the Packers D. There is just always weird things going on, and they just can't make the tackles. I am still so pissed we let Cullen Jenkens go. I knew as soon as I heard it, we would regret it. We lost Nick Collins last year, and now Desmond Bishop is injured. I don't know what needs to happen, but whatever they have set up now is not working. Jarret Bush is not the right guy to have at cornerback I don't think, and I have this feeling like the defense is playing to deep for some reason. Like they are afraid of the hail Mary for a TD, but they are letting all the short yardage passes go.
I will say that I thought A.J. Hawk had a nice game. He made a bunch of great tackles. I think he missed a few too, but I'm trying to be "the glass is half full". Also I thought Matthews had a nice game. 2.5 sacks! He only had 6 all of last year. I am always amazed at how hard he works on every down. You can just see that he gives it his all. It paid off in that game. He was the only highlight in the game as far as I am concerned....well, maybe him and Cobb.
Anyway, it was a disappointing loss. I was pretty bummed out too, because if anything they seem worse than last year, but maybe it was just an off game because of the officiating. I don't know, and it's too soon to tell. Hopefully everything gets sorted out and we get a win against the Bears tomorrow!
Either way I'll still be cheering for the Pack. They are like family. You might not always love what they do, but you stand behind them no matter what.

Found the photo here. 
A  great photographer with a bunch of other shots from the game! If you are interested you should take a look.

Pre-Season Week Four

I just realized I forgot to write about the last pre-season game!
As expected the starters hardly played. Even so B.J Raji managed to get hurt. Not good. Luckily I don't think it's too severe, but you never know. These kinds of injuries can resurface again and again throughout the season and be a real pain in the butt.
What about Graham Harrell?!? I couldn't believe how good he was. It was like night and day from his other performances. It was hard to believe he was even the same guy. Which leads me to two theories I have, both involving aliens. Either a.) He really is an awesome QB but was abducted by aliens for the first three weeks of the season, replaced with a less than savvy "clone", and was only returned to us for game four, or b.) He's a crappy QB, was only abducted last week, and replaced with a super awesome alien clone for week four. I still can't decide which I think it the correct answer. Either way he was awesome. Very Rodgers/ Matt Flynn in his passes and rhythm. I was really impressed. Maybe he did so well because his job was on the line?
There were 4 receivers fighting for one spot, and while I thought they all did great, I am glad the Packers chose Boykin (#11)....Didn't I tell you they would? I knew it! Like I said, the other guys did a really good job, but I think McCarthy made the right choice.
Also McMillian, with his punt block has been impressive all pre-season. I have a good feeling about him, and I look forward to seeing what he's got.
Sam Shields got a nice interception. He hasn't been doing much, but it's good to see him in action. He was great our Super Bowl year.
To be honest, I can't really remember if there were any more highlights I wanted to mention...I guess not.
But before I go, I do have to comment on all the pre-season facial hair I saw on the guys Thursday. Rodgers rocking the handlebar, Bulaga, Lang...all different 'stache styles...Love it. I look forward to it every year!
Also, I saw a video of the "Annual Packers Luncheon" and a bunch of the guys went cowboy style. Again, I love it. Rodgers looked really sharp in his all black outfit. He makes for a very good looking cowboy it turns out. And I loved John Kuhns old style bankers hat. LOL. I love that my Packers like to dress up as much as I do;) All photo's borrowed from Packers.com.

Brian Bulaga Big man, tiny hat.

Detrich-Smith (no relation)

Kuuuuhn!

ARod

Jeff Saturday

I do not get this at all.

Happy Game Day!!!

One of my all time favorite photos of my boys! Happy Game Day everyone!!!

What About Saturday?

Jeff Saturday

I can't believe in all my football talk I forgot to mention Jeff Saturday! What in the heck was I thinking?!? His tenure with Peyton Manning and the Colts was epic, some say they were the best center/QB in NFL history, and I believe it. But that was then, and this is now. Now Manning is a Bronco, and Saturday is a Packer! And I couldn't be happier. Welcome Jeff!
Anyway, from what I have seen he is doing really well. I think he might have missed a tackle in last weeks game that was a little ugly (or was that Newhouse?) but over all I think he's transitioning into the Packers  offensive line pretty flawlessly. And I love that he comes from Indie where Payton Manning ran a no huddle offense most of the time. That is huge because with Rodgers getting more opportunities to call the plays on the field we really need someone at center used to the fast paced tempo. Last year the offense did the best when they ran the no huddle (and it's so much more fun to watch!!!) and I think that can only be improved upon with a veteran like Jeff Saturday snapping the ball. I am very excited.

Pre-Season Game 3

It was nice to see the starters on the field for the first half of the game. Besides one uncharacteristically bad throw by Rodgers that got picked off, the offense was pretty good I thought. I am still not a huge fan of using Cobb as a starter, but OK. Jennings and Nelson, and even Driver had nice catches. And what about Cedric Benson being a Packer?!? I thought he did awesome. Much better than the running backs we've had out there the last couple weeks, although Tyler had a couple good runs later in the game. I really think Benson is going to be key for us. I wish we could get Maurice Jones-Drew who is holding out for contract reasons in Jacksonville, but Benson is good enough for me. Even so Rodgers was the leading rusher of the game, and scored two TD's on his own. The left tackle (Newhouse?) needs to step it up a notch , but I thought the O-Line did ok too.
The D showed up as well. The starters held the Bengals to two field goals in the first half. Tramon Williams had some great saves on the ball, Matthews looked amazing, and Perry seems to slowly be getting the hang of things. I have to say there wasn't much I didn't like about how the defense played. They just need to keep it up.
Then we began the third quarter.....and everything came unglued again. There were several 3-and-outs on both sides of the ball, some bad throws, dropped passes. Our defense looked a little better than the offense, and the interception at the end of the game was nice. Highlights for me in the second-string defense were McMillian, and....crap, I can't remember his name...but the other guy. You know who I mean right? LOL.
Anyway. I feel pretty good now about the starters. Things seemed on track. But pretty much everyone else has me worried. I don't think Harrell will be around by the time the season starts, and that makes me wonder who the Packers would sign as a backup QB. I don't even know who is available.
Oh and one final thing. I love AJ Hawks new haircut! I can't believe how much better he looks. I don't know why, but getting rid of his long hair went a million miles toward making him more handsome. Bravo.
Only one more preseason game left and then it's the real thing. Can't wait!

Preseason Game 2

Rookie WR Jarrett Boykin

I hate to begin a post with OMG, but I'm afraid it's the only acronym that adequately describes my exasperation concerning the Packers and their performance in game 2 of the preseason. What the heck?! We loose by 25 points to Cleveland? Seriously? It's embarrassing (no offense to the Browns). I know that it's mostly the backups that played, but is that really supposed to offer me any comfort at this point? They are the guys that will have to take over the team if any of the starters get hurt! And they were terrible! The first string guys did OK, but almost everyone else was just awful. Our back up QB Graham Harrell has me pretty worried. He threw 2, almost three, interceptions. And we ended both the first half and the game with interceptions! Boo. I mean at this point, if Rodgers goes down, I'd probably be a better back up quarterback than the one we've got on the roster. I am not trying to be mean, and I know it's hard for the back up guys because they don't get as many reps or as much consistency with whom they play with, but still. They need to step up, or do something, they are professional football players after all. I am glad I am not Mike MaCarthy right now. I'd be so stressed out.

So it was another flop of a week. I almost didn't make it through the whole game, but I forced myself to hang on till the bitter, bitter, end, which I mentioned was an interception thrown by our 3rd backup QB. It was his only play of the game. Boo again. 

There was one light in the abyss that was our second string offense, and that was wide receiver Jarrett Boykin. He made some great plays, and in my opinion is going to be a much better performer than Randall Cobb (who everyone thinks is the new up-and-coming wide out). I think Cobb is a lot like James Jones, he makes too many mistakes at critical times and if I were the coach, I'm not sure I'd keep either of them on the team. But we will see. Hopefully they will prove me wrong. But mark my words, Boykin will do well.

One final thought I have is I thought BJ Smith filled in great for the injured Desmond Bishop at the linebacker position. I was a little worried after hearing Bishop would be out for a while, but I think Smith has it under control. Wheew. That's good news. 

We play the Bengals on Thursday. I wish I believed in luck or karma or psychic energy, because then I could send some their way. But I don't. So I guess I'm just going to have to rely on their abilities to improve and do better. Come on guys! You are the Packers. Lets get it done this week!

Happy Game Day (Again!)

Today we are playing the Cleveland Browns. There won't be a live broadcast out here on the West Coast, but I am going to try to figure out when it will be playing on the NFL Network, and catch it then. It's just as well since I have kickboxing tonight and I've been on a roll with it this week. So I might be a little late in my commentary. But per usual, I am wearing my Packers jersey all day to show my team spirit! I decided to wear my Woodson one, even though he probably won't take the field today. Only 24 days till the real season opener against San Francisco (if only they were playing here instead of Green Bay!).
Funny story though- I was at Safeway last Thursday to pick up snacks for the game, and while I was at the checkout the cashier got a call (on the store phone). He answered it, and frowned then hung up and said to me "That was the manager, he told me to tell you that Nelson is a beast? [I was wearing my Jordy Nelson jersey] And he thinks the Packers will win today." LOL...It was pretty funny. He must have saw me on the video cameras above the checkouts.
Anyway, for all y'all that can catch the game, Happy Game Day!