NFC

This is my final plea.

I am writing this on the eve of the final NFL roster cuts. By 4PM ET on Saturday, 22 Packers will be off the team. Some will return via the practice squad. Some will be picked up by other teams. Maybe some will be traded and some will take that long drive home to Realityville.

But there's one guy that shouldn't be doing any of those things. One guy that I think would be the perfect No. 2 running back on the Packers. Kregg Lumpkin. OK, you can stop rolling your eyes. Sure you've heard this from me before. But hey, I really believe it.

And yet, it seems that everyone is in love with DeShawn Wynn and has Lumpkin gone. Why? What do you all see that I don't?

Both Lumpkin and Wynn have had their injury problems, so lets throw that out. Is he a better receiver that Lumpkin? NO. Is he a better blocker than Lumpkin? YES. Is he a better runner than Lumpkin? NO.

Oh, you don't believe that last one? We'll to me, a good running back is one that gains yards when he has the ball. Lets look at some facts:

In the 2008 preseason, Lumpkin was the Packers leading rusher (38 carries, 153 yards, 4.0-yard average, one touchdown) and also added seven receptions for 59 yards and another TD. DeShawn Wynn was CUT by the Packers in favor of: Kregg Lumpkin.

In this preseason, lets look at these numbers:

Wynn, 17 carries, 49 yards, 2.8 YPC
Lumpkin, 27 carries, 95 yards, 3.8 YPC
Sutton, 40 carries, 191 yards, 4.8 YPC

Obviously, Sutton deserves to make the team. But getting down to that last RB spot (and like Brian Carriveau at Railbird Central, I think the Packers may keep four), Lumpkin offers much more. Lumpkin has moves, picks a hole quickly and is able to bounce outside if needed. Wynn just plods forward.

Watching tape of the Tennessee game, I often spotted Wynn not following his lead blocker, and instead, "running to darkness." Yes, he had six carries for 11 yards in that game. Watching that same tape, you'll see Kregg Lumpkin with some great moves and "running to daylight". He had 9 carries for 34 yards and a touchdown.

All I've heard this preseason is how Lumpkin hasn't show anything. Well what has Wynn shown? Somebody PLEASE tell me.

One of the few allies I have in this area is fellow Packers blogger D. D. Driver, who is on record as saying "BTW, I am a Wynn hater. I don’t know what it is about the guy. I think it is the cult that has somehow grown up around him that see him as some sort of superstar in the making that just drives be batty."

Now, I don't know how he feels about Lumpkin, but it's obvious he doesn't get the Wynn hype, as I don't. More surprising to me is a late change of heart shown by Greg Bedard, a Packers beat writer for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Greg has had little good to say about Lumpkin, yet in his last projected 53-man roster, he has Wynn gone and Lumpkin in. Bedard also points out Wynn's "plodding" style and Lumpkin's ability to always gain positive yardage.

Now if the Packers only keep three running backs and both Wynn and Lumpkin are out, so be it. But if it comes down to a choice for a roster spot between Lumpkin and Wynn, you know where I stand.

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You can find more of Jersey Al Bracco’s articles on several sports websites: Jersey Al’s Blog, Packer Chatters , Packers Lounge, NFL Touchdown and of course,  Bleacher Report.

You can also follow Jersey Al on twitter.

Last week I spoke of tempering my excitement and keeping things at a “McCarthy-like” even keel. Well, after whipping the Super Bowl runner-up Arizona Cardinals in the first half to the tune of 38-10, that’s pretty darn hard to do. But I’m still going to try. So once again, let’s take a calm, rational look at this past week’s winners and losers.

Winners:

Jeremy Kapinos: With his only camp competition (Durant Brooks) sidelined with a hip-flexor injury, Kapinos went into preseason game three as the Packers No. 1 punter. Kapinos had two punting opportunities in the game (thanks to the Brian Brohm-led second team offense) and did well. His punts covered 52 and 56 yards, respectively, with good hang time.

While many people, (including myself) have been writing that the Packers would be scanning the waiver wire after the final team cuts for another punter, perhaps that was never an option.

Here’s what Mike McCarthy had to say in a Sunday press conference when asked if Jeremy Kapinos had won the punting job, “Kapinos has the ball. It’s his responsibility to keep it. He’s battled through this competition. I thought he kicked well in the game.

"I have no interest in going through what we went through last year. We’ll learn from that experience, and I think it’s a great opportunity that he’s handled very well so far.”

The key phrase in there, of course, is the “I have no interest in going through what we went through last year.” That is an obvious reference to last preseason when the Packers cut punter Jon Ryan and brought in Derrick Frost with disastrous results. So it sounds like McCarthy is happy enough with Kapinos to award him the punting job.

While I am a huge believer that winning the field position battle leads to winning in general, if the Green Bay offense is really as good as they’ve shown, then I’m fine with Jeremy Kapinos. The Packers won’t be using him that much, anyway.

Brian Brohm: Nobody has been a bigger critic of Brian Brohm than this writer. While I still don’t think he’ll ever be more than a backup QB in the NFL, I have to give some credit where credit is due. Brohm has actually shown some signs of improvement over the first three preseason games.

In those three games, his QB rating has improved from 0 to 51 to 104.2. Now, I still don’t think he has an accurate enough arm to be successful in the NFL, even if he does get his head straightened out.

I still think that comparatively, Matt Flynn was a steal as a seventh round draft pick. And I still want the Packers to get an experienced backup QB on their roster (as I have ranted about before).

But if there’s one thing I strive for, it’s to be fair. Last week I put Brian Brohm on my ‘winners” list as a bit of a joke, noting how he had improved from a 0 rating to a 51 rating. But this week, I actually mean it. I’m taking him off the “favorite whipping boy” list - at least for this week.

Aaron Rodgers: Duh. OK, so this is an obvious choice, but let me explain. Rodgers makes my list not for his TDs, not for his leadership and not for the results—THOSE are obvious. Rodgers is making my winners list for two less-obvious reasons.

In analyzing Aaron Rodgers play last year, there were three things I thought he needed to improve on. The first one was leadership on the field—and Rodgers showed me that was taken care of in the first two preseason games. The other two things were footwork in the pocket and accuracy on deep passes.

Too often last year, Rodgers took sacks that could have been avoided. He would often turn right into the path of a rusher. Other times, he seemingly couldn’t decide what to do and got "frozen” in the pocket as it collapsed around him. The Aaron Rodgers we saw against the Cardinals looked like a completely different player.

He did an absolutely fantastic job of moving in the pocket and avoiding rushers, all while still going through his progressions. On the long pass to Driver, a fast-rushing Cardinal defender had him dead to rights, but a quick side-step in the right direction avoided the sack and gave him time to hit Driver down the field.

Speaking of the long completion to Donald Driver, that brings me to my third Rodgers observation. There was really only one pass that Aaron Rodgers had trouble throwing last season—the bomb. His long passes did not have enough air under them, consequently, he under-threw some wide-open receivers and made it easier for DBs to break up some of those passes.

His pass to Driver had plenty of height, allowing Driver to shield the defender from the ball with his body, letting the ball to drop safely into his hands. On the touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson, there was no defender to worry about.

In the past, Rodgers might have under-thrown Nelson, allowing the DB to get back into the play. Last night, he led him perfectly. Nelson never had to break stride, resulting in the easy touchdown.

Charles Woodson: Triple Duh. In my opinion, the individual star of the game. Yes, even over Aaron Rodgers. For the last year, whenever I was asked who the Packer’s best defensive player was, I always answered Charles Woodson.

For the past month, whenever I was asked by some fan which Packer defender they should take for their fantasy football team, I have always answered Charles Woodson.

And let me say this one final time: Charles Woodson is NOT “getting old”. I have seen this written multiple times by bloggers and professional sportswriters alike. Charles Woodson has played 11 seasons in the NFL and is 32-years old. He is an incredible athlete, keeps himself in outstanding shape and has shown NO signs of a drop-off.

If anything, he seems to be getting better. Charles Woodson can easily play another 4-5 years at a very high level and probably a few more years after that, if he chooses. So the next guy who writes about how Woodson is not getting any younger and we need to have a replacement for him ready—well, they will feel my wrath.

Losers:

Ruvell Martin: OK, so this really isn’t very fair, but hey, it wasn’t easy finding “losers” in this game. Martin was pressed into holding for field goal attempts and was pretty awful at it. In his defense, he is only the “emergency” holder, but I think the Packers need to look elsewhere in case of emergency.

Martin also was guilty of a mistake near the end of the game, but it’s one you can almost forgive. He recovered the Cardinals onside kick, saw a lane to the goal line and ran it in for a touchdown. A natural reaction, for sure, but the right play would have been to fall on the ball.

By scoring the TD, Martin gave the Cardinals the ball back with an opportunity to go win the game. Falling on the ball would allow the Packers to just run out the clock to win the game. Lets just say I’m glad it happened in preseason.

A.J. Hawk: He is the Packers international man of mystery. Against the Cardinals, he was the invisible man. Looking at the game stat sheet, other than being listed as a starting ILB, Hawk’s name is nowhere to be found. No tackles, no assists, no passes defended, no special teams notes. He did play, didn’t he?

Twenty-five different players are listed on the Packers defensive stat sheet as having accomplished something ( at least an assisted tackle). Hawk’s name is not among them.  Desmond Bishop led the team with 8 tackles.

I don’t have the game to go replay. So maybe I missed something. Maybe he got hurt, but then again, he wasn’t listed in the post game injuries. Maybe he was just rested a lot. Maybe he was semi-benched. If anyone out there knows what happened, please let me know. It’s a mystery to me.

The rest of the NFC North: Ignoring the Detroit Lions (for this season, at least), what do you think the Bears and Vikings were thinking as they gathered around their TVs Friday night? I

’m sure they were curious to see what all the fuss was about with the Packers. After all, this team was 6-10 last year, right? So what do you think was going through their minds as they watched Aaron Rodgers and the Packers first team offense embarrass the Super Bowl runner-up Cardinals?

After seeing the Packers put up 38 points by halftime, surely only two words entered their minds: Oh s***!

You can find more of Jersey Al Bracco’s articles on several sports websites: Jersey Al’s Blog, Packer Chatters , Packers Lounge, NFL Touchdown and of course,  Bleacher Report.

You can also follow Jersey Al on twitter.

There must be something in the water this offseason because NFL wide receivers have been off the chain in 2009.

Plaxico Burress, Donte' Stallworth, Michael Crabtree, Roddy White, and now, Brandon Marshall.

It's ridiculous the level of immaturity being shown by these "grown a-- men"; it reminds me of that scene in Jerry Maguire when the guy is crying to Firestone about how "people just don't understand the kind of pressure that $50 million come with"...Seriously?

Here's the problem, these guys get paid to play a game that comes naturally to them. It's not their fault that they are talented and well-respected for their skills. No, not at all, but some of these guys need a reality check.

Plaxico Burress: you shot yourself in the leg after carrying an unlicensed firearm into a public place. Did the security guard let you in? Yes. Did that make it any less illegal? No. The punishment is jail. It is what it is—you made your bed...

Donte' Stallworth: you got behind the wheel while you were still loaded to the gills. Did the pedestrian jaywalk? Uh huh. Does it relieve you of the crime? No. Why? Because you were more in the wrong than he was simply by being behind the wheel. Did the NFL need to suspend you? Yep. Was it for too long? Nope—you made your bed....

Michael Crabtree: you played a couple nice years at Texas Tech. Your pass-happy offense gave you the benefit that players like A.J. Green of Georgia and Ryan Tannehill of Texas A&M don't have in that you were the primary target on most every play.

You reaped the rewards of that by being a top 10 pick. Does that mean you are a future Hall of Fame candidate? No. It means you have a chance to prove you are not a fluke. Period.

That said, don't be mad because you aren't getting Top Five respect like Heyward-Bey.

Oakland wanted him, not you. Keep being a fool and you will be a free agent like former USC wide receiver Mike Williams—no jersey and no team to call your own.

Roddy White: glad you got your contract, big guy, but you are no Larry Fitzgerald. Never will be.

That said, now that you have your money, Falcons fans and brass alike will expect your best Fitzgerald impression.

That means no dropped passes...when you are wide open...in the end zone.

If you can't manage to maintain or sustain your level of "greatness," expect to be ridiculed and ostracized. Don't be mad if that happens either because you made your bed...

Which brings me to Brandon Marshall.

What the hell?

All he hasn't done is fall on the ground and rock back and forth in the fetal position. He is quickly becoming a lecherous commodity with no value whatsoever in the league.

He's had a couple nice years with Jay Cutler throwing him the ball but even before that, he was getting into unnecessary trouble and making poor choices off the field.

Even Jay Cutler had to call him out on his idiocy at one point—this isn't new behavior from Brandon. The difference now is that he is being a petulant child as opposed to just an immature adult.

I'm actually starting to feel a little sorry for Coach Josh McDaniels; he seems to be losing control over this team at a frenetic pace. It may be time for him to take another page from his former boss Bill Belichick and lay a firm hand down on these guys before it really gets out of hand.

Look at Randy Moss. Obviously Bill knows a little something about petulant wide receivers.

As for our boy Brandon, it's obvious he's feeling a little overwhelmed by a new playbook, a new coach, and a new quarterback. That's okay. However, his refusal to act like a man about it has him looking like he may need some mental health attention.

To him, I say, it's time for you to get your act together and do what's best for your career because, despite what you might think, no one is irreplaceable in the NFL.

But on the other hand, if you choose to continue this stupidity and make yourself into a mockery of a man whom no team—not even the Cincinnati Bengals—would want to claim, well then, you made your bed...

By Derek and Ryan of The Sportmeisters

With the NFL season fast approaching, Sportmeisters Derek and Ryan break out the crystal ball and forsee the future of all 32 NFL teams. Today, Derek and Ryan look at the NFC North, and discuss how they got to their respective decisions. What follows is a transcript of that discussion.

Ryan:

• Chicago Bears: 13-3
• Green Bay Packers: 9-7
• Minnesota Vikings: 7-9
• Detroit Lions: 5-11

Derek:

• Minnesota Vikings: 11-5
• Green Bay Packers: 10-6
• Chicago Bears: 10-6
• Detroit Lions: 2-14

Ryan: Derek, we definitely have some big discrepancies here in the NFC North.

Derek: Ryan, the NFC North will be extra competitive this year, as all four teams have made major upgrades. Even though Detroit is in the league, there is a strong chance for three of the four teams to be over .500.

Ryan: I don’t think its going to shape out that way, and the Brett Favre experiment will backfire, while the Jay Cutler era starts shining in Chicago.

Derek: Chicago went out and traded for their first real 'Franchise Quarterback' in over 20 years. Jay Cutler and a revitalized Brian Urlacher will lead the Bears, and Greg Olsen, Matt Forte, and Devin Hester will have MONSTER years.

Ryan: Absolutely, I am completely sold on the Bears in 2009, making strides reminiscent of their 2006 team, with the most complete team since 1985.

Derek: I’m going to disagree. I think they will lose key divisional games to Green Bay and Minnesota, as well as games vs. Pittsburgh, Seattle, Philadelphia, and Arizona that may hold them out of the playoffs for a third straight season.

Ryan: I’ll agree on Pittsburgh taking down Chicago, but I expect victories over the rest except for Atlanta and Minnesota.

Derek: Speaking of Minnesota, they have now gone out and signed Brett Favre to run the offense and with him at the helm, RB Adrian Peterson may see a few less eight-man fronts, or it could be the other way around and because Peterson is so good, Favre may have his receivers one on one and be able to torch the defense.

Ryan: No way Derek! Favre is going to bust completely for the Vikings. He’s still hurt, he’s missed all of the preseason, he has no respect from his team right now, how can people call this team a Super Bowl contender?

Derek: Even the great Favre won’t be able to win them all, and losses to Pittsburgh, Arizona, Carolina, Green Bay, and Chicago will make this a close race at the end of the year.

Ryan: I feel an under-performing team falls to 7-9, punctuated by losses to Green Bay, Chicago, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and the New York Giants. Then, finally, the Brett Favre era will be over.

Derek: Let’s move on to Brett Favre’s old team, the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay went out and hired a new Defensive Coordinator and will go with the 3-4 this year, moving DE Aaron Kampman to OLB. They have looked sharp so far this preseason, but not as sharp as their offense has looked.

Ryan: I LOVE the 3-4 defense Derek, and Green Bay is adjusting amazingly to it, and I think that will be a huge factor in their 2009 season, helping load some of the work off of the offense.

Derek: Being led by QB Aaron Rodgers should lead them to wins over Chicago, Minnesota, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Detroit, Cleveland, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore.

Ryan: I see one of those games as a loss, but they will still finish second in the division, fighting for the wild card.

Derek: Finally, Detroit will be at the very bottom again, but they won’t repeat their 0-16 season.

Ryan: The Lions have gone to great pains to remove the stench of last year, and behind a new Coach in Jim Schwartz, and a team filled with a lot of new blood, I think five victories is a realistic stretch.

Derek: At best, they get two wins, against St. Louis and San Francisco, as neither team has the secondary to stop Megatron, WR Calvin Johnson, and that’s better than 0-16.

Ryan: I have a little more confidence than you in Detroit, and possibly better success in picking the NFC North.

It has started already.

The rumblings out of Minnesota. A team divided. A "schism" it's being called.

In the words of one Brett Favre has liitle support in Vikings Locker Room">NFL source, Favre has "little support" in the locker room.

Ah, it's music to my ears.

Like Napoleon Bonaparte, the self-proclaimed emperor of France that didn't know when to stop, has Brett Favre gone too far and agitated his own Minnesota minions?

There are many players in the Viking locker room that don't want Favre there. Some resent his riding in on his white horse to seemingly "rescue" the Vikings. "We didn't need rescuing" is the sentiment.

Some resent the special treatment he has received from the Vikings organization and Brad Childress.

What self-respecting NFL coach drives to the airport to pick up a player? None. Except for Brad Childress.

Some are just buddies of Tarvaris Jackson and are incensed at the raw deal he has received. All T-Jack wanted was a fair fight between him and Sage Rosenfels. That scenario is officially dead.

And some are in Rosenfels' corner. They felt he could bring the consistency that T-Jack lacks.

After all, the Vikings did pretty well when unspectacular, but steady Gus Frerotte was at the helm last year. Why not give Sage a chance? That possibility is also dead.

As Abe Lincoln said (borrowed from the new testament, I believe), "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

Will Favre turn the Minnesota Vikings into "Team Turmoil?" It really only depends on one thing—how well he plays. If he is able to play at a high level and lead the Vikings to some wins, most likely all will be forgotten.

I happen to be one Packer fan that still believes he can play and if healthy, he will help the Vikings. But I  don't regret the Packers' decision to go with Aaron Rodgers. That decision is looking better every day.

But if Favre playing well doesn't come to pass, resentment will linger, the "schism" will get larger, and the Vikings divided "house" and season will come tumbling down.

Like the egomaniacal emperor Napoleon, Brett Favre has recorded many victories and conquered many hardships. But will going to Minnesota be his Waterloo and mark the end of his reign as emperor of the NFL?

If so, then perhaps the Packers will conquer the NFC North. As a Packer fan, it's what I have to hope for.

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You can find more of Jersey Al Bracco’s articles on several sports websites: Jersey Al’s Blog, Packer Chatters , Packers Lounge, NFL Touchdown and of course,  Bleacher Report.

You can also follow Jersey Al on twitter.

While many euphoric Packers fans already have the team going to the Super Bowl based only on two preseason games, I am trying to keep a level head. There are some great signs, to be sure, but let's not assume anything. Just ask the 0-16 Lions that were 4-0 in preseason last year.

So, in the spirit of keeping things at a "McCarthy-like" even keel, let's take a calm, rational look at this past week's winners and losers.


Winners:

The "Ones":  The No. 1 defense forced three turnovers in four Buffalo drives, and the No. 1 offense scored three touchdowns in four possessions. But before anyone gets overly exuberant, let's watch this week's game against the Arizona Cardinals. If the Packers "Ones" repeat their dominant play, then I'll personally jump to the front of the bandwagon.

Aaron Rodgers: He finished 8-of-9 for 98 yards and two TD passes for a gaudy 151.6 quarterback rating. Rodgers completed passes to six different receivers and hasn't been sacked or even knocked down yet in preseason. That's a wonderful thing to see, as holding on to the ball too long was one of the few things you could justly criticize Rodgers for last season.

Jermichael Finley: "A completely different person and player this year" is how Mike McCarthy has described him. It is showing with remarkable results on the field.

While we all have witnessed his athleticism and pass-catching ability, he has worked hard on his attitude, blocking, and route running. The results so far have been impressive.

Along with the reliable Donald Lee, when the Packers go to a two tight end formation, there are more options that the defense has to worry about. In this game, the Packers went with two tight ends on 13 of the first 23 plays, when the "ones" were in the game.

Johnny Jolly: Despite seeing limited action due to an ongoing ankle injury, Jolly recorded two sacks and a forced fumble in just 12 plays from scrimmage. What will he do when his ankle is OK?

Jolly is another guy that looks like a completely different player out there. I have been critical of Jolly in the past for taking too many plays off. Let's hope he has found himself in this, his fourth NFL season.

Desmond "The Destroyer" Bishop: If you ever run into Desmond Bishop, just step out of his way. Packer fans have seen flashes of Desmond Bishop's talent the last two seasons, but there were also a plethora of mental mistakes to offset the big plays.

As he starts his third season, it seems his mental game has caught up with his physical game. He has made an inarguable case for more playing time at linebacker, in addition to his role on special teams. I see a nice four-man ILB rotation developing between Hawk, Barnett Bishop, and Chillar, with Bishop earning more time as the season progresses.

Tyrell Sutton: In my mind, I think he has already made the team. The Packers' coaches like the different look he presents to defenses. Sutton seems very comfortable with the zone blocking scheme, picks his holes quickly, and seems to always be getting positive yardage. He's one of those guys that doesn't fit your perfect mold for a running back, but he just makes plays.

Brian Brohm: Hey, he improved his quarterback rating from 0 to 51 in just one week. What's not to like about that, right?

Losers:

Kregg Lumpkin: Besides the rantings of some lunatic blogger (yours truly) that insisted Lumpkin could be the Packers best running back, he has shown little this preseason.

Yet prior to the Buffalo game, he was listed as third on the depth chart at RB, ahead of Deshawn Wynn. That would probably be surprising to many Packers fans, but not to me. I think the Packers' coaches see a lot of things they like in Kregg Lumpkin. Unfortunately, he had an awful day against Buffalo. He better turn it around next week or the practice squad will be looming.

Breno Giacomini: Anytime you let your opponent sack your quarterback, and it results in your quarterback getting hurt, you wear the big L on your forehead.

After the game, Coach McCarthy stated that he will look at the OL closely on film. He hopes to pick his starting offensive line before Friday's game against the Cardinals and let them play together for three quarters. Once he sees the films, look for McCarthy to name Alan Barbe as the starter.

Jeremy Kapinos: Is there anyone on this team with less apparent competition in camp that has such an insecure grip on a job? The Packers worked out four punters during the week before the Cleveland game but kept none of them.

Durant Brooks was scratched for the Buffalo game with a hip flexor injury. Kapinos is the No. 1 punter on the depth chart. And yet, the odds are pretty good that the Packers' punter in 2009 is probably on someone else's roster right now.

Of course, if the offense continues to play like it did against the Bills, who needs a punter, anyway?  I'm just being facetious there; I happen to be a big believer that winning the field position battle leads to consistent success in the NFL. I've watched the Giants do it for years.

Bob Sanders: There was a mini-reunion after the game between some of the Packers players and  former Packer defensive coordinator and current Buffalo defensive line coach Bob Sanders. There were smiles and hugs everywhere, and all the right things were said.

Yet one has to feel sorry for Bob Sanders. If Dom Capers' amazing transformation of the Packers' defense continues, with basically the same players Bob Sanders had, then what picture does that paint of Bob Sanders? How about a loser with a "kick me" sign on his back. I'm not saying it's right, just that it will happen. Even though he deserves better, many Packer fans will turn Bob Sanders into the second-most disrespected ex-Packer still in the NFL.

You can find more of Jersey Al Bracco’s articles on several sports websites: Jersey Al’s Blog, Packer Chatters , Packers Lounge, NFL Touchdown and of course,  Bleacher Report.

You can also follow Jersey Al on twitter.

   

Not all…but I can hear it now from some of my Packer Brethren…”BREAK HIM, BUST HIS KNEES, DO A BRADY ON HIM, BURN HIS JERSEY, FREAKING DIVA…PIECE OF SH#T, LYING BA$T@&D”…and that is probably the nice things.

 

   First let me say I want the Packers to win, think they can do well this season…I want Rodgers to do well & think he will have a successful career…I always thought the gay name calling & boo’s at Aaron were bad & unfair, if you disagreed with the transition, fine, didn’t need to blame Rodgers, this was a decision by Thompson & the organization. This is a business, Packers have gone in there direction, Favre has gone his.  I believe Thompson is a good man & doing what he thinks is best for the team & had the right to do so …I have not been a fan of Thompson regarding many of his team decisions and the 31-33 record, 1 winning season in 4 yrs.…and I don’t have to mention anything regarding the Favre divorce. “But in this article” I will use only 2 statements during a blog from Packer ReportER Tom Silverstein in which he stated:

 

“As for how the Packers could have handled things better, do you truly believe that Bob Harlan wouldn't have handled that situation better than Ted Thompson and Mark Murphy? Harlan would have forced Thompson and Favre to meet and hash out their differences. He would have met with Favre personally if necessary. My guess is he also would have instructed Thompson to stay in touch with Favre during the off-season and make sure his retirement was final. Murphy's decision to go down and try to offer Favre $20 million in a post-retirement deal was ill-conceived. Favre's not an easy guy to handle, but the Packers could have done more to keep the lines of communication open”.

 

 Tom Silverstein - I don't think he should consider the fans in this instance. He's a professional football player. He's a businessman, just like the owner of an NFL team. Do you think the owners are thinking about you when they raise ticket prices? Do you think they are thinking of you when they cut your favorite player? Favre has every right to choose where he wants to play -- if he's able to do so -- and how long he wants to play. You don't have to like the way he has handled his situation and you certainly don't have to be a fan of his. But he gets to make decisions about his life.

 

I have hated the Vikings as much as anyone & I have always been a Packer fan 40+ Yrs. through the good & bad yrs.  I have always been a Favre Fan through the good & bad, while maintaining my cheese head. 

 

I HAVE MANY MIXED EMOTIONS AND IT WILL BE TOUGH, WEIRD, WISHED HE’D STAYED RETIRED….but this is not for me to say….just like it’s not for me to comment about who you should work for our when you should retire. 

Brett made millions yes…but he made the Packers Multiple Times that, helped make Green Bay Businesses millions, gave a few million to charity’s.  His successes helped to turn the franchise around after 25 yrs. of crap. Some say Favre was overrated…yea he was overrated 160+ times for the Pack, 3 X MVP’s, 5 X NFC player of the year, went to 2 Super Bowls & won us 1, and most of the QB records…he still owes the Packers? 

 

Some say Brett threw to many dumb interceptions, yes some were bad, F.Y.I. he threw 9,280 passes & 310 went for interceptions…you do the ratio and compare with the all time greats…I think you will be surprised at Brett’s ranking in percentage.

 

 If you think the stadium tax bill which allowed us to renovate the stadium to make more money & compete with the big boys passes without Favre's led successes…your crazy, it barely passed as the Pack was the winningest team for over a decade before that.  

 

Brett messed up changing his mind mine back & forth yes…I believe he could of used R.I.P. Big Irv & his Father-In Law during these times.  It would have been nice to have him retire a Packer and ride off into the sun set…but the reality of life & sports these days it usually doesn’t end that way.

 

It pains a lot of people but the Viking ownership is rolling the dice…and let’s face it…they are showing some balls.  Vikings are 32^nd in revenue sharing …which means the Wilf’s are spending there own money.  They are trying to get a new stadium.  It is there 50^th anniversary with 4 Super Bowl failures.  They have the best non QB in the league in the running back Peterson…the best runner in the NFL behind a great offensive line.  Receiver’s that will become better & a solid defense.  Brett is probably one of the most competitive players in history & wants to go out on top and win a Super Bowl.  That would stick it to all his critics.

 

Favre has some big Kahunna’s himself …in that he is willing to take such risk’s & chances, and endure the vile comments & criticism, to be successful and go out a winner…or go out on a pile of Sh#t & ridicule and for this I admire his guts, because most of us would be afraid to do it! 

 

After all it is not life or death…it is just football.

 

In the end his legacy is his, his past Packer teammates which I heard several comment today, say they still want to win, and does not change what they are trying to accomplish,.." but "...had nothing but high praise & positive supportive things to say towards Brett. 

If you don’t like it…don’t watch.  This is good for the NFL and I will be willing to bet that Oct. 5^th on Monday night, I’ll know exactly what most football fans will be watching.

 

Let the games begin…and ‘LET THE BEST TEAM WIN”

 

 

 

Sunday November 15th 2009, Lambeau Field. The team I love to hate is coming to town.

I have been a Packers fan for the last twenty years and for the first 10 there was only one team I actually feared to see on the schedule.

Or, inevitably, in the playoffs. 

Oh, those damn Cowboys.

Granted, the last 10 years or so hasn't had the same level of nastiness shown in the early to mid-'90s (oh I hate you Nate Newton!). I have to say I prefer these days to those gone by.

The Cowboys were the team the Packers could never beat. To all you Cowboys fans—I have to give you that. 

It is indisputable. 

Our only chance at redemption was in '96 and you wouldn't even give us that. Do you see why I hate?

Please do not misunderstand me—I wouldn't ever say the Packers didn't do everything right in '96 and absolutely deserved to win the Super Bowl that year. They did and they did and I love every player on that team for it (except one—think "Chewbacca"—yeah, uck right?).

But oh, how sweet it would have been to finally, finally, face the hated Cowboys in the NFC Championship in Green Bay! Oh, to beat Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith and all those hated names from those hated teams!

But no—they had to go and lose to the Panthers in the semis. The Panthers! Come on!

To be fair, conspiracy theories don't fit. I'm sure the Cowboys would have won that game if they'd been able to and honestly, judging by Favre's history against the 'Boys at that point I would have been genuinely concerned over Green Bays chances of a win that day.

It just stung that's all. 

It still stings. 

What did I want more from that season, really? 

A Super Bowl in Titletown? Or a chance to see my boys shut Michael Irvin's big fat mouth for 10 minutes (all right, this is Michael Irvin, two minutes tops)?

I will just have to settle for the sublime pleasure of the Lombardi trophy heading back home for one amazing year.

Which brings us to November 15 and what I hope will be a decisive victory by the Pack over my most hated of NFL teams. 

Leon Lett is long gone but I think a certain Mr. Jones is still signing the checks. If that ever changed maybe my attitude would, too.

Will the Packers be victorious? Come on—it's mid-August; who knows? 

So many things can happen in the next three months it's impossible to tell.

What I can tell is how excited I am for this upcoming season; not only as a Packer fan but as a fan of the NFL. 

Dynamics are shifting, the NFC is quickly improving and dynasties can still be made or broken in the AFC. 

Peyton Manning is playing football for gosh sakes! Do you know how lucky that makes us?

What a glorious time to be alive!

Hey Cowboys fans, good luck this season. What's done is done, let's let the bygones be bygones and we'll see you on November 15.

You better be ready.

It was a great preseason game to start off Coach Mike Singletary's career as a true first-year coach.

Even though we lack a pass rush, and even though our quarterbacks are really pedestrian (though they try hard), I focused on some other relevant subjects at last night's home game.

I noticed that pseudo-Raiders colors have invaded 49ers territory.

Now, maybe they are not silver and black, but they are darn close.

Try white and black.

First I must apologize to the 49ers management for my slight transgression at Candlestick.

When I saw that young fella in black, and what I thought was silver (my eyesight is no longer what it used to be), although it turned out to be white, I catapulted him over the railing.

I've always been the compulsive sort, kind of like fanatical animal-rights nutcases.

Anyway, the young man was OK.

It helped that he fell on that air pillow Jed York so graciously put there for me, knowing that the menace that is me would be in the stands last night.

I immediately realized my mistake when I saw him waving at me as he was losing altitude.

I thought I could make out a 49ers logo on his silver, err white and black jacket.

My suggestion so that such mistaken identities do not occur again is for the 49ers to at least put these ushers in 49ers throwback red and gold.

While they are at it, could they change the tribute to Bill Walsh that is in black and white to red?

You can leave the numbers in black, but there is something offensive about black and white in San Francisco land.

Lastly, York showed he really understands the 49ers and its fan base.

He showed us in the simplest of ways: the throwback uniforms.

It was truly wonderful to see them in the old colors, and I hope the 49ers discard the awful cardinal.

Oh, one other thing.

That Oakland Raider fan who held up his flag last night?

Well, Niner fans, unless you turn out next week, we're gonna be outnumbered.

That would really be pathetic, so buy some tickets.

I’m taking part in the KFAD II, a league that we’ll play out. It’s the second analysis draft KFFL has done this season. I love these drafts because after every pick, we require participants to write a short analysis on their picks. That means you, the viewer, get to read our thoughts on why we made the pick. I know you’re thinking, “What’s the big deal?” The big deal is that these writeups come shortly after each pick, which means you get a fresh and accurate look into each drafter’s mind.

I do have what I’ve termed a “chair” in this draft. I always had KFFL draft with a two-person team. The primary chair was responsible for the league with, the second chair being there to offer feedback on every pick. The chair also helps manage the team when it comes to waivers or if the primary chair can’t manage it for whatever reason. It’s a process that has worked well. My chair is the “Battling Canadian,” Bryce McRae. I’m not sure why I call him “Battling,” but at times he reminds me of a veteran prizefighter who’s seen his share of knockdowns. He just has that gritty look.

In this draft, I wanted to snag a couple of solid receivers early but to also remain on task and draft quality starters and quality running back depth. In the end, despite what many say, you still cannot find quality running backs on the waiver wire! Check out my blog on value-based drafting for my philosophy on running backs entering this season.

As always, feel free to post your comments and let me know if I’m on track. I’ll gather and post the rest of my picks early next week as the draft is just about wrapped up. Enjoy!

KFFL Fantasy Analysis Draft II

1:12) DeAngelo Williams, running back, Carolina Panthers

Reason: Taking the safest running back on the board was our goal and that was Williams. Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook (ankle) is “da bomb” when healthy, but this year that is a major worry of mine. Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis has a lot of wear and tear, and I’m concerned about his ability to hold up at this point in his career. New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush simply looks great on paper, but that’s about it as he can’t stay healthy. In a nutshell I took Williams because of his health. I do have concerns about Jonathan Stewart, but he is not a model of health with a toe issue last offseason and an Achilles’ heel issue this offseason. He remained healthy last year because of the time share with Williams. I’ll bank on Williams having another successful campaign as the Panthers remain a run-first team and have a massive chip on their shoulder after the embarrassing beatdown they took in the playoffs.

Others Considered: Westbrook and Portis. Bush was listed too high in the rankings so his name was looked at but never considered.

Standards Set: KFFL projects 262 rushing attempts, 1,336 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns, 24 receptions, 188 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown for Williams.

2:01) Randy Moss, wide receiver, New England Patriots

Reason: We know running back-by-committee approaches are the new trend, and with wideouts flying off the boards in most drafts, I knew what I had to do. The Arizona Cardinals‘ Larry Fitzgerald and the Houston Texans‘ Andre Johnson were gone, which left me an easy choice. Moss scored 11 touchdowns last year with a backup quarterback who struggled early on in the season before finding his groove. The year before he had 23, and despite his age of 32 he has been healthy the last two seasons. This one was easy to make, and I like this pick more than the Round 1 pick of DeAngelo Williams.

Others Considered: Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, but we liked the team around Moss better.

Standards Set: KFFL projects 89 receptions, 1,335 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

3:12) Ryan Grant, running back, Green Bay Packers

Reason: No matter how you slice it with how “great” wide receivers are in today’s fantasy hobby, you cannot find quality running backs on the waiver wire. Thus, you better have quality starters and depth. I wanted another solid fantasy starter, and Grant was the best on the board. He’s not flashy or spectacular, but what I like about him: Despite his holdout and a nagging hamstring, he still carried the ball 312 times, he thrives in the Packers zone-blocking scheme, and I view his 3.9 yards per carry and five total touchdowns as direct results of his holdout and hamstring injury. For those that say he can’t catch, I won’t argue, but I know this: He only caught eight passes in the first three months of the season, but in the final three games he had nine. He also finished the final four weeks with 20-plus utilizations and a combined 102.5 yards per game. I expect better than average improvement this season.

Others Considered: Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Derrick Ward and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. We felt Ward would share time and is injury prone, while we thought Rodgers could fall to us in the fifth round.

Standards Set: KFFL projects 294 attempts, 1,264 rushing yards, seven touchdowns, 24 receptions, 130 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns.

4:01) Vincent Jackson, wide receiver, San Diego Chargers

Reason: Receivers were flying off the board, and I wanted balance at both running back and wideout. I went with wide receiver whereas I normally stick to running backs or a top-tier quarterback. However, I felt I could still grab a great quarterback in the fifth round and running back committees allow me to hold off a round for my back. Last year Jackson had career highs with 59 receptions, 1,098 yards, seven touchdowns and an incredible 18.6 yards per catch, which led receivers with 50 or more receptions. Jackson can go vertical (he’s a former college basketball player) and caught 16 balls that went through the air at least 20 yards. He’s able to use his size and power to outmuscle smaller defenders, and he’s a huge red zone target at 6-foot-5, 230 pounds. He finished strong in December with 20 receptions, 395 yards and two touchdowns. Finally, he’s young enough (26) to improve and has increased his yards and receptions each of the last three seasons.

Others Considered: I kept looking at quarterback Aaron Rodgers and briefly considered Santonio Holmes, but felt he would last one more round. My chair, Bryce McRae, brought up Chad Ochocinco, but I liked Jackson better as the team around him has fewer questions.

Standards Set: KFFL projects 69 receptions, 1,125 yards, nine touchdowns and even some rush attempts, seven for 25 yards.

5:12) Tony Romo, quarterback, Dallas Cowboys

Reason: Watching quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Donovan McNabb and Philip Rivers go before my pick was brutal. I fully expected one of them to fall to me. Romo will provide the most consistency and explosiveness of those left. He’s a good athlete with a strong arm who can throw on the move from any angle. He just needs to stop making mistakes. The release of wide receiver Terrell Owens is addition by subtraction as Romo will not force as many passes Owens’ way to keep him happy. In fact, tight end Jason Witten, Romo’s favorite target, doesn’t drop passes like Owens does and is more of a No. 2 receiver. Speaking of last year’s numbers, Romo had a quarterback rating of 114.7 in the fourth quarter showing he stays strong throughout the game, and he threw for more yards per game last year than he did in 2007. Some highlights: He had six games of 300 passing yards and six games with three touchdown passes. In total, he had eight multi-touchdown games in 13 starts and averaged 265.2 yards passing per game. No. 1 wideout Roy Williams has a full offseason of the playbook under his belt, and while with Detroit he had three seasons of seven-plus touchdowns with subpar quarterback play. Don’t sell him short based on last year’s play.

Others Considered: Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub; however, he can’t stay healthy, having averaged only 11 games per season as a starter.

Standards Set: KFFL projects 3,865 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 39 rush attempts, 109 rushing yards and one touchdown.

6:01) Jonathan Stewart, running back, Carolina Panthers

Reason: This one was easy. I needed to handcuff my first-round pick of DeAngelo Williams to the big man. If anything happens to Williams, Stewart becomes a stud in the making and, in his own right, is a legitimate No. 3 fantasy or flex position fill-in. Some of the positives I like about Stewart: He was durable last season despite having offseason toe surgery. Based on his sixth-round draft slot he is easily the running back with the most upside to outperform it, much like Williams last year. One positive is that he’s still learning the pro game. Remember, he came from a spread offense in college. There’s the potential for an even split depending on how the season goes, and he’s better suited than Williams to see goal line carries.

Others Considered: None

Standards Set: KFFL projects 227 attempts, 931 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns, 11 receptions, 94 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.

7:12) Kellen Winslow, tight end, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Reason: This was an easy pick. I planned on going tight end, and if Winslow was there, he was going to be the pick I made. The Bucs traded two draft picks, including a second-rounder for him, so he will be a focal point in the offense. The team will split him wide and put him in the slot as well as his normal tight end role. He’s also to be a focal point in the red zone. Remember, he’s a tight end who’s built like a receiver! Wideout Antonio Bryant will demand attention and should allow Winslow the opportunity to post No. 1 reception numbers. I view last season as a fluke, and Winslow did not have to deal with any offseason injuries – another reason I like him entering the year.

Others Considered: No one else was heavily considered as Winslow was the targeted player here. The Seattle Seahawks‘ John Carlson and New York Jets Dustin Keller were briefly looked at and dismissed.

Standards Set: KFFL projects about 71 receptions, 802 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

8:01) Donald Driver, wide receiver, Green Bay Packers

Reason: Another easy one here. I was looking for dependability with my No. 3 receiver before looking toward upside with the rest of my receiver picks. I also have upside already with my first two receivers. Driver has lost a step and may see fewer targets but had a franchise-record sixth 1,000-yard season last year. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks for him in the clutch as four of Driver’s five touchdowns came on third down. He runs great routes, is fluid and while he’s neither fast nor big, is able to use his veteran skills to make the tough catch. He also rarely misses a game. He also had 397 receiving yards in the last five games of the season. Finally, I don’t mind a 34-year-old veteran who can post 13.7 yards per reception and catches 64 percent of the passes thrown his way.

Others Considered: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., Chicago Bears wide receiver Devin Hester and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Josh Morgan were discussed but never really considered. Driver was the most dependable of what was left.

There you have it, my first half picks in what should be a great league. What are your thoughts? Agree or disagree?

Don’t forget, I’m a “tweeter” and post what’s happening in a breaking or timely manner. I also point you to solid links outside the KFFL world that can help you win your leagues. Follow me.