'07 Packers Blog

My Hopes for the '08 Off-Season

I'm just now recovering from the pure devastation resulting from the Pack's loss in the NFC Championship. I will not be watching the Super Bowl, I don't care who wins, and I've now added the Giants to my short list of hated NFL franchises (joining the ranks of the Vikings, Cowboys, and sometimes Bears). However, I still love the Pack and football in general, and do have some opinions I'd like to present on what should happen this off-season. Continue reading if you give a shit.

]]> Following an extremely impressive '07 season that exceeded even my own inflated predictions of Packers' success, I have a new-found confidence in General Manager Ted Thompson. I was VERY critical of TT's decision to pass on the Randy Moss deal last season, and questioned several of his draft picks early on. Additionally, I was slightly annoyed by his stubborn refusal to bring in any free agent of importance last year. All of these decisions, after witnessing nearly every minute of this past season (I missed week one to go golfing at Whistling Straits, I know, I know), turned out to work in our favor. Although Randy Moss had a ridiculous year, I don't think our team could have been much better had he been on the roster.

'07 Secondary Evaluation

How does the Packers' secondary look after the 2007 regular season?

]]> In my opinion, the Packers' starting cornerback tandem is second to none in the league. Al Harris is extremely effective in man coverage. His ability to jam the receiver at the line of scrimmage makes it difficult for any wide out to run an effective route. He is surprisingly strong for his size, and still has the top-end speed needed to match up against today's speedy receivers. An obvious knock on Harris is his poor ball skills, evidenced by his perenial low interception totals. He does pick some balls off every year, but his focus is clearly on preventing a completion, not taking one to the house himself. He does seem to struggle against big, strong receivers (Burress, T.O., Vincent Jackson). Charles Woodson is a natural play-maker that has a nose for the ball. Although he gives up more catches than Harris, he is still solid in man coverage. His superb ball skills allow him to create loads of turnovers. In addition, Woodson supports the run game with his viscious tackling and pure tenacity. The biggest negative for Charles is his inability to stay healthy. While he does not miss too many games, he is a regular on the injury report, meaning his play is likely inhibited by nagging injuries. The biggest downside for this dynamic duo is their age. At 31 and 32 years old, they may not be long for professional football. The laundry list of players who fill the nickel and dime cornerback spots are virtually interchangeable. Williams, Blackmon, Walker, and Bush can all play well in spot duty, but not one is deserving of an NFL starting position. At safety, the Packers are good, but not great. It seems as though the recurring problem at SS has been solved, rather assuaged, for the time being by Atari Bigby. Atari is Japanese for 'attack,' and the shoe fits for Bigby. He is a devastating tackler with a propensity for dramatics. He has made some big plays this year in both coverage and run support, but has plenty of room for improvement. He needs to mature in terms of understanding his place on the field, and simply controlling his emotions. Please keep the crushing hits coming Atari, I can't get enough of them. Across from Atari is Nick Collins, who has been one of my favorite Packers since he was drafted. He plays the game with passion and truly loves what he does. Although his sophomore slump (more accurately, sophomore stagnation) carried over into the '07 season, I believe he will make strides before the start of next year. He is very fast and has an excellent closing burst, his man coverage skills and run support are above-average for a FS, and he flashes good ball skills on occasion. In order to improve, I look for Nick to move from a solid player to a standout player. That is, I would love to see him make more impact plays (i.e. turnovers, 3rd down stops, etc.) during the '08 season. If we don't see this kind of improvement, look for over-achieving backup Aaron Rouse to compete for the starting FS job.

A Little Help O-Line?

So the big showdown in big-D has come and gone, along with the Packers' hopes at home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Although there are still four games to be played in the regular season, we are essentially two games behind the Cowboys because of the head-to-head tie breaker. Tony Romo continued to impress, with another four touchdown performance. T.O. torched our secondary (again), and made Al Harris look stupid. Personally, I don't mind seeing Al get burned, perhaps his ego will sink back into this atmosphere after such a beating. The defense, as a whole, did not play well, and could not come up with the big play when we needed it. The defense, however, is not to blame for the loss. In my opinion, all of the blame should be placed on the trio of the offensive game plan (McCarthy), the offensive line, and (to a lesser extent of course) Brett Favre. I'm too pissed to include a pretty picture.

]]> Let's start with the game plan. Defensively, we knew Dallas was going to get their points. Our game plan focused on containing T.O. and Jason Witten, while keeping enough men in the box to stop the run. We did a great job against the run, a pretty good job on Witten, and got scorched by T.O. Enough said on 'd' for now. Offensively, our game plan was far too ambitious, especially considering the pass-rushing capabilities of the team we were playing. I am aware that our five-man pass protection has been phenomenal this year, but at some point McCarthy has to back off of his game plan. The plan early on was clearly designed to exploit mismatches downfield, while protecting Brett with only five men. This high-risk, high-reward plan clearly did not pay dividends. Favre was under constant pressure, was hit several times (AND INJURED), and the deep routes simply did not have enough time to develop. While I don't necessarily hate the game plan, I do hate the fact that McCarthy stubbornly refused to deviate from it despite the fact the Dallas was obviously prepared for it. McCarthy (a very good coach in my mind) has repeatedly shown a lack of ability (or will) to adjust his game plan early on. Perhaps the coaching staff needs a bit of an ego check and a back-up plan in case this happens again.
The offensive line showcased their worst outing of the season last night. Although most of the blame will be placed on embattled guard Daryn Colledge (who was pulled in the second quarter for playing like shit), it was the entire line that could not keep the Cowboys' capable pass rushers off of Brett Favre. Veteran Mark Tauscher (valiantly playing through a nagging injury) was beat on several occasions, along with all four interior linemen that played. In addition to putting our HOF quarterback in serious danger, the line made it nearly impossible for us to sustain a drive early on. As a result, the defense was on the field far too much, and couldn't keep up with the high-flying Dallas offense. You can't blame the 'd' for having to spend so much time on the field. The line did open some holes for Ryan Grant to attack (which he did with reckless abandon), but we couldn't run the ball as much because of the hole we were in. Overall a very discouraging performance by our young offensive line, which didn't seem to improve much even when McCarthy left a tight end and a running back in the back-field to block.
Finally, I suppose some blame needs to fall on Brett Favre for our early struggles. I understand that he was just adhering to the game plan, and trying to win the game. I understand that he is a gunslinger that never knows when to quit. I also understand that his confidence must have been soaring going into this game. What I don't understand is Favre's unwillingness to take a sack or throw the ball away when there is NOTHING open downfield. Brett took some shots in this game from some very big linebackers. He was under attack and wanted to get the ball out. His two picks were just God-awful balls (admittedly affected by pressure) that never should have been thrown. Why throw the deep ball on the flea-flicker when your man was double covered? This 38 year old QB still has some growing up to do in the pocket. Brett, tuck the ball and take a sack once in a while. I know that nobody but the coaches will appreciate it at the time, but you know how important field-position is in this league. It's time to regroup and embrace the humility of losing a big game. I just hope we get the chance to meet again in the playoffs, only with the help of Charles Woodson and KGB.
On a lighter note, I thought that both Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings played effective, inspired football. Greg fought with every ounce of his being on Thursday, and Packer fans will not soon forget it. This guy is a high-character, high-performance football player that any squad would be lucky to have. Thank you Greg for continuing the legacy of hard-nosed, never quit football in Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers couldn't have been put in a much more difficult situation than last night. Enter a game down by seventeen in which the previous QB (the toughest man to ever play the game) was beaten up so badly that he had to take a seat, and perform at a high level. I was inspired by his play last night, and enjoyed his demeanor on the field. I really hope we don't trade him before he gets his chance to lead the Green and Gold. Montana-Young anyone?

Gadget Play Un-Called For

The Packers' offense has been operating at a high level for most of the season. Over the past few weeks, Brett has been building on a pre-existing chemistry with his receivers and tight ends. This chemistry is allowing Brett to comfortably work through his target progressions on every passing play, and exploit the mismatch he eventually identifies. On top of that, we seem to have finally found a running game with Ryan Grant, who has put up respectable numbers over the past four weeks. Opposing defenses are clearly on their heels, and our defense is proving to be a somewhat dominant counterpart. That being said, I find one particular offensive play call against the Panthers somewhat disconcerting.

]]> It was the first quarter of a game in which our opponent was clearly outmatched on paper. Carolina's most dangerous offensive threat (Steve Smith) was sidelined with an injury, and they were starting a 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde at quarterback. On defense, their starting mike linebacker (Dan Morgan) was also not able to play due to injury. Green Bay should have stuck to their relatively safe passing game, balanced it out with a reasonable amount of running plays, and used what they've already proven capable of to dismantle the Carolina 'd.'
It is for these reasons (among others) that I was completely baffled by Mike McCarthy's gadget play call during the first quarter. Lining up in a three wide receiver, one tight end, one running back set, the Packers looked to be running a fairly routine formation. The first thing that stuck out in my mind was seeing Donald Driver lined up in the backfield, next to Brett Favre. Then, amazingly, McCarthy had the stroke of genius to send Brett in motion to the flat, and snap the ball directly to Donald. Although the play went off as a rather benign five yard run off of the right tackle by Donald, the risks far outweighed the benefits in my mind. First of all, Donald Driver is not a running back. His body is not built to attack the line of scrimmage, and he is not strong enough to sufficiently protect the ball while attempting to burst through the line. I understand that Donald is very talented at picking up YAC, but those yards come downfield, typically away from defensive linemen and linebackers. Second, why take Brett Favre out of the play by splitting him off as a wideout? Does McCarthy really expect Carolina's defensive backs to pay attention to Brett? I'm pretty sure I could out-run Brett, and I might even have better hands. The thought of Brett catching a pass is laughable (yes, I know, he caught his own first pass). I believe, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a football fan who doesn't, that Brett is most dangerous while in the pocket, with options to throw to. Finally, why risk an injury to Brett on a silly play that has little chance at creating an explosive gain? Can you imagine the outrage (not to mention embarassment) in Green Bay if Brett Favre's consecutive start streak was ended on a play where he never even touched the ball? If Brett's career is going to end on an injury, at least let it happen while he's hanging in the pocket long enough to throw a touchdown, or running down the field to throw a block on a reverse like the lunatic he is. Don't put him in harm's way if you don't stand to gain much from it.
The only valid reason I could see for calling this play would be to set up a similar, but potentially more explosive play for later on in the season. Possibly an end-around or an option pass. But honestly, is that what this team is about? Last time I checked, the Mike McCarthy Packers were about playing hard-nosed, smart, physical, and fundamentally sound football. I have yet to see a need for gadget plays in our offensive scheme, and would definitely like to see those plays stay where they belong, the practice field. Now don't get me wrong, I love a great gadget play. By all means, continue practicing whatever tricks you've got up your sleeve McCarthy, and if the perfect opportunity presents itself, take a shot. A shot, however, is exactly what a great gadget play should be. All of this silly trickery for a five-yard gain in the first quarter of a less-than-paramount game seems more than a little reckless to me. Please Packers' coaching staff, don't out-think yourselves. Stick to what you know, don't put your marquee players at unnecessary risk, and respect the fundamentals of the game. I swear, if I see another poorly-planned gadget play end up in a turnover or a crippling injury, I might just have to turn the game off for like two or three minutes.

My Hopes for the '07 Off-Season

The depressing gap between the Super Bowl and the NFL draft is now upon us, and along with it comes the opportunity for massive media speculation. As with most people, I know very little about what is actually going to happen for the Packers this off-season. Similarly, I like to talk about important issues like free agency, trades, and the draft as if I actually do know what is going on. So, in the spirit of football boredom and self-aggrandizing observation, I present my two-cents on what the Packers should do this off-season, starting with trades.

]]> I would like to start with the myriad trade rumors floating about concerning the Packers. I'll begin with my personal favorite, the Randy Moss issue. Is he too old? Can he fit in our system? Will his character issues persist in the city of Green Bay? Do we even want him after all those years with the Vikings? Look, whatever has occured in Randy's past is exactly that, his past. I don't care if he pretended to pull his pants down at Lambeau, or that he knocked us out of the playoffs as a Viking, or that he's publicly embarrassed past coaches and teammates. I don't care. Why don't these things bother me as a rabid Packers fan? Two reasons, Charles Woodson and Koren Robinson. Granted, Koren's previous problems followed him into last season, but he looked to be developing quite a chemistry with Brett Favre. Brett hates the Vikings as much as the rest of us, and he could not have cared less about Koren's past. I am excited for the possibility of his return for another year in Green Bay. The similarities between Woodson and Moss are similarly noteworthy. Both men are aging superstars who displayed their playmaking abilities since day one in the NFL. Both have encountered injuries later on in their career, and a significant drop-off in statistics. Both have been considered obnoxious head-cases that exhibit behavior detrimental to their teams. Do I need to review the fantastic season the Charles had in his first year in Green Bay? The man forced more turnovers than any other player in the league. He didn't speak one negative word about the franchise all year long, and he more than lived up to his potential as a difference maker in our improving defense. That being said, I think it is clear that I would love to see Randy Moss in green and gold.

The question then becomes what do we offer in terms of compensation for such a deal. From what I've heard, a third round pick and a reciever would be involved at a minimum. Naturally, I would love to see us send our third round pick and Robert Ferguson to the Raiders for Moss, and would not be particularly upset if went sent Bubba Franks along with him. We could bolster the tight end position in the draft if we got rid of Bubba, but that topic is for another article.

Another intriguing rumor I've heard involves the acquisition of Tatum Bell from the Broncos. While this rumor has not recieved as much attention as the Moss deal, I find it equally interesting. We clearly have a need at running back, whether we re-sign Ahman Green or not. Green is over thirty, and Vernand Morency is nothing more than a very capable change of pace back. While Tatum Bell is a speedy thrasher, similar to Morency, I believe he would be a great fit in our offense. He is familiar with the zone-blocking scheme, possesses the speed that the rest of our backfield does not, and is young enough to carry the load for years. I haven't heard much about what Denver would like in exchange, and that is what concerns me about this deal. If we send a pick to Denver, I wouldn't want to lose any more picks in other trades. I'm also not sure who the Broncos could want in return, since we don't have a viable option at running back. This trade seems less likely than the Moss deal, but then again, I don't know what I'm talking about.

One player currently on the roster who I would like to see utilized in a trade is defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila. While he has put up staggering sack numbers in the past, he has not been able to perform well enough against the run on a consistent basis. New head coach Mike McCarthy has even gone so far as to relegate him to spot duty on third down passing situations. Versatile defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins took over as the starter after KGB was benched, and played well enough to earn a lucrative contract extension. Jenkins is a powerful pass rusher with the size to be a constant presence against the run, and comes from an impressive pedigree, as his brother Kris is a pro bowl tackle with Carolina. While KGB has never been able to fit perfectly into the Green Bay system, other teams could show a reasonable interest in acquiring him. His moves have not diminished much at this point in his career, and he can still make an impact play. Sometimes players just need a fresh start to revive their passion for the game. How exactly a trade scenario involving KGB might play out, I have no idea, but do know that I would much rather see his value used on the trade block instead of third down.

Pack Fall to Detroit 17-3

The Packers 2005 season began on a seriously depressing note this Sunday with a hard-to-swallow 17-3 loss in Detroit. This game marks only the second time in the last ten meetings of these teams that the Lions were able to win, and they won in a dominant fashion. While the defense showed both promise and immaturity, the offense looked simply anemic. The less than outstanding Detroit defense managed to hold the Packers to their lowest point total since Brett Favre took over as starting quarterback.

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New starting guards Klemm and Whitticker did not live up to the traditionally high standards associated with Green Bay's offensive line, and the offense clearly suffered as a result. Few holes were opened up for the running game, as Ahman Green managed to gain only 58 yards on the ground. Brett Favre was also sacked four times for a total of -31 yards. The Packers attempted to combat this pocket pressure by frequently running short passing routes to allow Brett to release the ball quickly. While this strategy was successful at times, it was clearly a bit too predictable and conservative, as the Packers managed to score only three points.

In order for the Packers to maintain their reputation as a feared offensive unit, they are going to have to provide much more consistent protection for Brett Favre. Games are won and lost in the trenches, and Brett simply needs more time to survey the field and be himself. The Packers offense can pose a serious vertical threat, but not without time for routes and coverages to develop. Oh by the way, the Packers most consistent deep threat, Javon Walker, is done for the season with a leg injury.

On the defensive side of the ball, there was a vast improvement over last season in terms of tackling and overall run defense. Mark Roman exemplified these improvements by racking up ten tackles, several of which were in the open field. Furthermore, highly acclaimed running back Kevin Jones was held to a mere 87 yards on the ground, with a game-long rush of just seven yards. Good run defense is something that Packer fans have not enjoyed for some time now, and it was very refreshing to see.

What was not refreshing was the return of our perpetual secondary offender Ahmad Carrol. What is it going to take for this kid to learn that he simply cannot commit four penalties a game. While some of the calls were admittedly a bit close, there is no excuse for Carrol's consistently embarrassing play. YOU CANNOT PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE OPPONENTS' FACE. How hard is that to understand? If I were Mike Sherman, I would have benched Ahmad some time ago in favor of the even-tempered Joey Thomas. That move could be made on Wednesday, when Sherman announces the starters for next week. That seems unlikely though, since Sherman seems hopelessly enamoured with last year's underacheiving first-round pick.

If the Packers lose the the Browns next week, I don't even know how to finish this sentence. They just better not lose to the Browns next week. Guys, clean up the penalties, block your asses off for the man Brett Favre, open up some holes for Ahman, and keep your heads up. I am confident in the impending success of the offense, and I am hopeful for the continued improvement on defense. But that might just be the cheesehead in me talking. I stick by my prediction of a 9 and 7 season record.

Who Wanted This One More?

A Look at Some New Faces

I was fortunate enough to recieve some great tickets for Thursday's match between the Packers and the Chargers. While I was very excited to see some Lambeau legends (i.e. Brett, Ahman, Donald, and so on), I decided to make an effort to observe the technique and abilities of some of the new recruits. While I did not get a chance to observe rookie wide out Terrence Murphy, I did get a good look at defensive backs Nick Collins and Patrick Dendy, as well as quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

]]> Starting with the defensive backs, I was very impressed with the discipline of the younger players. While Collins did have an interception, that specific play is not what stuck out in my mind. It was the overall control and confidence in body control and position that Dendy and Collins demonstrated that caught my eye. Often times, younger players struggle to hold their position in a zone defense, which is an especially important aspect of the game for safeties like Nick Collins. It was clear, however, that Collins and Dendy were making a strong effort to hold their positions and not over-commit. Both players put up impressive numbers for an NFL debut, as Collins had a fortuitous interception and Dendy piled up four tackles. Dendy, an undrafted free agent, has been a consistently positive surprise since the beginning of training camp. His man coverage far exceeded my expectations for such an un-heralded rookie, and he was not fooled by the Chargers complicated routes. As stated before, Dendy showed great discipline in zone coverage, and I was particularly impressed with his work in a "Cover-2" zone. This scheme requires Dendy (playing second cornerback at the time) to bump the reciever and then allow him to streak past. On one particular play, I saw a split second of doubt when Dendy quickly glanced behind him to make sure the reciever was not going to be forgotten, but there was no movement out of position on his part. He stayed in his area just behind the line of scrimmage, and ended up contributing to a tackle after an attempted screen play fell right into his lap. I saw good things from these young defensive backs, and we can only hope that they continue to improve as the season goes on.

On the offensive side of the ball, I had a chance to get a pretty good look at Aaron Rodgers. While his numbers were nothing to write home about (2 for 6 and a QB rating of 42.4), I did see some promising traits. Rodgers looked remarkably poised in the pocket for a player of his age, and he did not panic under pressure. The one complaint I would have concerning his pocket presence is the fact that he seemed a bit to eager to scramble when the pocket collapsed. While we can't expect him to roll out like Favre yet, we can hope to see some effort in terms of working outside the pocket. His throws were slightly off target, which could be blamed at least partially on the inclement weather. That excuse, however, will simply not fly in Green Bay, where nasty weather is par for the course. Hopefully he will continue to mature in terms of leading his recievers, knowing when to hold on to the ball and when to take off, and learning to deal with the weather in Wisconsin.

A couple other things that caught my attention were the delightfully solid play of Brett Favre and (to a lesser extent) Nick Barnett. Both players seemed to be enjoying themselves and taking the game seriously at the same time. I really hope these guys have a great year. Also present was the perpetual fumblitis of the Green Bay backfield. What is it going to take to get Ahman and company to hold on to the doggone ball? Overall a pleasing start to the season.

D Backs Hawkins and Freeman Manning Up

Walker/Sanity Return

Thank you Green Bay for maintaining integrity in the NFL! It has been reported that Javon Walker, Grady Jackson, and Cletidus Hunt all showed up for a mandatory player meeting earlier this week. This news marks the end of a holdout threat by these players. While the Packers' management has yet to formally dismiss the possibility of contract negotiations, GM Ted Thompson has stated that their position on renegotiation has not changed.

]]> This comes as great news for Packers and Packer fans alike. Not only have these talented players returned to work to honor their contracts, but they have also relieved some harmful stress on the Packer nation. There have been numerous changes made in the Packers organization this season, from a new GM, to a new defensive coordinator, to the loss of several veterans, to the addition of a highly acclaimed rookie QB. It is clear that the Pack have enough issues to worry about, without having to waste time on innappropriate contract disputes.
While this news is clearly a step in the right direction, there is still work that needs to be done. While these players did not officially hold out, they did make their personal contract issues very public. Now these players have to regain their teammates trust in addition to gearing up for the season. Hopefully these players can leave their personal issues in the past and begin to concentrate on what is best for the team.
As far as winning back the fans goes, I think there is only one thing big Grady and Javon can or need to do. FIRE DREW ROSENHAUS! Walker has already made rosenhaus look foolish by completely disregarding his advice to not attend training camp. It's time for these players to take the next step and find themselves an agent with respect for the game of football. Kicking rosenhaus to the curb would immediately win back the hearts of the Packer nation. I know it would put a smile on my face for a good week.

sharper Speaks Out

In a telephone interview on Thursday, darren sharper condemned Brett Favre for his comments on the current javon walker hold-out situation. The former Packers strong safety was overtly critical of the 14-year veteran and future Hall-of-Famer. Not only did sharper question Brett�s right to voice his opinion on the hold-out matter, but also went on to accuse him of conspiring with Packer�s management against his teammate. sharper claims that Favre�s disapproving comments on walker�s hold-out �rubbed him the wrong way. In fact, they rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.� While sharper did not (or could not) name names as far as people who were �rubbed the wrong way,� he did assert that many of those offended by Brett�s comments were current Packer players.

]]> �My reaction is, it�s none of his business,� stated sharper. �javon�s a grown man � besides, it�s not like Brett�s ever been in that position, so he can�t say what he would or wouldn�t do. He�s never been undervalued � so how is it his place to say what javon should be doing?�

It seems to me that there are a couple of mistakes with those forthright comments. First of all, darren sharper is no longer a member of the Packers organization. So it seems rather hypocritical to refer to the situation as �none of (Favre�s) business.� If sharper really thinks (as he stated) that this hold-out situation is �between the player and the team,� then it should be obvious to him that his comments were unwarranted and tactless. Considering walker is one of Brett�s most productive receivers, the hold-out is clearly an issue of concern for Brett and his team. Aside from being the Packer�s leader on the field, Favre has a responsibility to lead his young team off the field as well. It is not only Brett�s business to make his opinion heard, but also his duty to set an example for the rest of the players on the team. sharper is once again mistaken in his assertion that Favre has never been undervalued, considering the year that Chris Miller started over him in Atlanta. This shows a situation in which Favre was clearly undervalued, as Miller couldn't quite manage twenty thousand passing yards or one hundred starts in his illustrious ten year career.

"Players" like darren sharper and javon walker are ruining the NFL. The arrogance of these players is appalling, and they have no respect for the game. What gives sharper the right to accuse Favre of abandoning his "teammate?" walker won't even show up for practice, and has made no recent effort to support his "teammates" in any way. Favre is simply making it clear what he expects of his teammates, and what he considers an appropriate course of action for the current situation. sharper himself recently abandoned his teammates of eight years for their arch rival and a few more bucks. I think sharper and walker need to reassess their idea of a team, and show some respect for both veteran and rookie players alike. It is time for walker to fulfill his contractual obligation to the Packers and the city of Green Bay, and it is time for sharper to concentrate on his new team and teammates. If this pattern of conceit continues, there will be no incentive for Hall-of-Fame players like Favre to return for another season, since they couldn't be sure of who they are playing with, or who is going to throw the next egotistical fit.

walker Skips Mini-Camp

Wouldn't you know it, Packer's wide out javon walker has decided to hold out for a new contract. walker has stated that he is willing to sit out the entire season if he is not offered a new contract. This would undoubtedly be a serious blow to the Packer's offensive unit, as walker provided a career-high twelve touchdowns last season. This audacious move comes as no surprise, as walker recently retained the services of the notoriously confrontational agent, Drew Rosenhaus...

]]> Rosenhaus represents several other egotistical players including Terrel Owens (currently holding out), Anquan Boldin (currently holding out), and Mike McKenzie (held out last season). The news of walker's hold out could not have come at a worse time for the Packers, who are currently working with very little room under the salary cap. While the Packers did draft wide reciever Terrence Murphy out of Texas A & M in the second round this year, walker's veteran experience will be extremely difficult to replace. Despite the fact that walker's presence will be missed, I certainly hope the Packer's management does not cave in to his selfish demands. Considering the fact that walker's current contract earns him at least 1.1 million dollars over the next two seasons, it doesn't seem necessary for him to request money that would ultimately come from his "teammates" salaries. Why doesn't walker play out his contract with continued success, and then demand a lucrative contract based on his consistent performance? Is he afraid that he will only have one good season as a wide out? No matter what benefits walker may recieve through his actions, the entire NFL now knows that he does not honor contractual agreements, and is a risk to abandon his team at any time. Veteran quarterback Brett Favre voiced his opinions on the matter, "If javon wants to know what his quarterback thinks, and I would think he might, I'd tell him he's going about this the wrong way... some guys handle (success) the right way, and some don't... We can win without him." True team players like Favre (who has never held out despite being the only NFL player to win three MVP awards) are few and far between in the NFL today. It seems as though greed, envy, and individual aspirations have become the predominant values for many NFL players, and the game is suffering as a result. Does walker even appreciate the fact that the Packers thought enough of him to draft him in the first round in 2002? In any event, his actions do not coincide with the standards and practices of the Green Bay Packers organization (as demonstrated by the trade of Mike McKenzie last year), and should not be tolerated by Packers management.

Donald Driver on the Run

Ahmad Carroll Doing His Job

Packers vs. Lions Preview

The first meeting of these divisional rivals turned the Packers' season around. Green Bay managed to stifle the ailing Detroit offense, and rolled to a 38-10 victory at Ford Field. Things will be different this time around, however, as the Lions will have full use of their promising rookie weapons Roy Williams and Kevin Jones...

]]> The key to this game for the Packers will be consistently stopping the run. Unfortunately for them, the anchor of their defensive line is listed as questionable for the game. Grady Jackson, who came up huge in the first meeting between these two teams is still nursing a season long knee injury, and will no doubt have a huge impact on this game whether he plays or not. If the Packers can stop the run early on, they will force the Lions to pass more often. If they know the Lions will be passing, they can drop additional people into coverage and neutralize the Lions downfield threat, Roy Williams. Stopping the run, however, is not going to be easy. The Lions rookie half-back Kevin Jones has been on fire lately, and has averaged over one hundred yards in every game he has started. With veteran full-back Cory Schlesinger leading the blocking for the Lions, the Packers' d-line and linebackers are going to have their hands full. In addition to Jackson's injury trouble, Packers' linebacker Na'il Diggs is listed as doubtful for Sunday with a bruised kidney. Diggs is second on the team in tackles, and has been crucial in stopping the run this season. Back-up Paris Lenon is expected to start in his place, which is enough to make any Packers fan more than little uneasy.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Packers are going to need to establish a running game of their own. Green Bay knows that Detroit's linebackers are their greatest weakness on defense, and are likely to run the ball thirty times or more. The Lions' defensive line is led by nose tackle Shaun Rogers, who is quite adept at plugging up the middle. Look for the Packers to bounce the ball outside on toss plays with any of their three running backs. Once the Packers show the Lions that they can run the ball, they can begin to work with play action to open up the secondary. A proficient running game also opens the door for creative play calling, such as reverses and half-back options. Let's not forget that last time these teams met, running back Ahman Green managed to throw a touchdown pass to Donald Driver. Some key match-ups include Al Harris on Roy Williams, and Ahmad Carroll on Tai Streets. Don't be surprised to see Packers' defensive coordinator Bob Slowik switching up the coverage and allowing Carroll to cover Williams. While this may seem like a mismatch on paper, Carroll has experience defending Williams from when the two met in college play.