Merry Christmas! Packers Sweep Bears, Clinch Home Field...

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas. I know I did. It's always nice to see the Packers beat da Bears, especially when it's in convincing fashion. And it's even better when that victory comes with home field advantage in the playoffs. Now the road to Super Bowl XLVI goes through Green Bay. Here's my analysis of the Packers' 35-21 victory on Sunday night:

Things I Liked

Aaron Rodgers - He looked sharp again. Throwing for 280+ yards and 5 TDs. It was good to see that last week was a fluke.

Jordy Nelson - Jordy has been consistent this year and it was good to see him step up and grab a couple more TDs. We will need him to be productive to be successful in the playoffs.

James Jones - Jones looked great on Sunday. Grabbing 2 touchdowns and making catches in big spots. I believe this is what my blogging counterpart was thinking Jones would look like at the beginning of the season.

Offensive Line - The offensive line kept Rodgers clean all night. They only gave up 1 sack and it was in garbage time when Matt Flynn was in the game in the 4th quarter. Kudos to them for a great showing against a tough defense.

Special Teams - The coverage unit along with Tim Masthay and Mason Crosby bottled up Devin Hester. It was as if he was wearing Under Armor shoes...

Things I Did Not Like

Defense - The defense gave up over 400 yards again. Against a team with a bad offense who started their 3rd string RB and QB. The tackling was atrocious, there was no pass rush, and aside from 2 INTs the coverage was pretty bad too. I am really hoping that Capers has something up his sleeve to give us a shot in the playoffs.

JerMichael Finley - With the emergence of Tight End prominence in the NFL, there were high expectations for Finley coming into the 2011 season. He has not lived up to them. Coming into the game against the Bears, Finley had 11 dropped passes. I'm sure he recorded at least another 2 on Sunday. I don't doubt that Finley is an elite prospect and has the potential to be the best TE in the game, but he needs to work on his concentration. If he makes the catches that he needs to in big spots, the Packers may have still been undefeated and Finley may have a spot on the Pro Bowl roster. But as it stands now, his contract status is in question, and he is one of the leading players in the league in drops. We need him to step up in the absence of Jennings.

Overall it was a good game. The offense was in sync for the first time in a few weeks. Next week - a meaningless game against the Lions. Will the Packers play to win or rest their starters? That is the question. Go PACK!

Packers Embarrassed by Lowly Chiefs...Fall to 13-1

The first loss of the Packers' season came when nobody was expecting it. We had heard predictions of the Lions being the first and then the Giants and later the Raiders. But none of these were up to the task. No, it was the 5-8 Kansas City Chiefs that welcomed the challenge of facing an undefeated Packers' team. Less than a week after firing their head coach, and starting a recently acquired QB off of waivers the Chiefs looked more prepared, more motivated, and like the better team on Sunday afternoon. The Packers looked flat, unfocused, confused, and sloppy. It was embarrassing. Here's my analysis:

Things I Liked

Tim Masthay - Masthay was the one bright spot in the Packers' debachal of a game in Kansas City. He boomed every punt (he had several opportunities) and one even went for a career best 71 yards!

Things I Didn't Like

Aaron Rodgers - For the first time all season Rodgers completed less than 50% of his passes. He finished with an 80 QB rating. With the exception of the 2 TD drives, he looked nervous in the pocket, out of sync, off target, and had trouble finding open receivers.

Offensive Line - The o-line was beaten up badly. Even before the injuries started, they couldn't protect Rodgers. They opened some nice holes for Ryan Grant to run, but the Packers didn't run the ball that often. Then the injuries started. First Bulaga left witha knee sprain, then his replacement (Derek Sherrod) left for the season with a broken leg. This could be a HUGE problem for the remainder of the season and playoffs. Maybe Mark Tauscher is still available...?

Defense - The defense was not very good. Granted they came up with a handful of goal line stands, otherwise this game would have been even more lopsided, but they made the Chiefs look like a top tier offense. They couldn't tackle, they couldn't cover, and I dont remember them even getting close to Kyle Orton. In reality, the Chiefs have one of the worst offenses in the league and hadn't broken 10 points in over 3 weeks. Pathetic.

Receivers - It seemed like every time Rodgers threw a good pass, the receiver would drop it. And most of them came on 3rd downs. Finley dropped at least 3, Driver dropped 1 and so did Jones, Crabtree, and Nelson. The only player I saw catch all of the passes thrown to him was rookie Randall Cobb. This unit obviously missed Greg Jennings.

I could probably keep going with this, but it's starting to depress me. We're still 13-1 and one more win will give the Packers the 1st seed in the NFC for the playoffs. The season is not over, and if the patchwork offensive line can protect Rodgers at all then I think we will be fine for the playoffs. Jennings should return and this team has good veteran leadership and the ability to motivate itself and rebound from adversity. Up next, the Packers are at home with a chance to sweep the Bears and clinch home-field advantage. GO PACK!

Injury Updates

Greg Jennings- All of Packer Nation let out a sigh of relief when the news broke that Greg Jennings' knee injury is not severe. He is expected to be out 2-3 weeks. I personally see no reason why he should play before the Packers' 1st round playoff game (5 weeks).

Brandon Saine- Saine suffered a concussion against the Raiders and is expected to be ready to play on Sunday at Kansas City.

Ryan Pickett- Pickett is in the same boat as Saine.

Josh Sitton- Sitton is expected to return to practice this week after missing 2.5 games with a knee injury. His status is still in question for Sunday.

Chad Clifton- There is a chance that Clifton could return to practice this week. But I wouldn't get my hopes up. I expect to see Marshall Newhouse and Derek Sherrod split reps again against the Chiefs.

That's all I got. Go Pack!

Packers Stomp Raiders, Easily Move to 13-0...

The Packers quietly moved to 13-0 in the wake of the Bears collapse against the Broncos. The boys in green and gold are 1 win away from clinching home-field advantage. They have already clinched the NFC North Division Title and a 1st round bye. All it will take now is one more victory against either the Chiefs, Bears, or Lions to seal the deal. 46-16 is pretty impressive, here's my analysis:

Things I Liked

DEFENSE - I was shocked to see how well the defense played. True to their form, they picked off Palmer 4 times and forced and recovered a fumble to total 5 turnovers for the game. They also put significant pressure on Palmer, even though they were only able to record 1 sack it was enough to have an effect on the game.

RYAN GRANT - Grant looked like his old self for the first time all season recording 85 yards on 10 carries and 2 TDs. Hopefully he can be consistent and the Packers' running attack will be at full force going into the playoffs.

JORDY NELSON - Jordy has scored a touchdown in every home game so far this season. With Greg Jennings' knee in question, he will be expected to step up even more.

MASON CROSBY - Mason carried his weight yesterday by converting all of his Field Goals. It made me wish i had him on my fantasy team.

Things I Didn't Like

INJURIES - Greg Jennings and Brandon Saine were both injured in the 3rd quarter. Jennings' injury was to his left knee and could be serious. His status is still in question. Saine's looked to be concussion-like and I am not too concerned. I also noticed Ryan Pickett walking to the locker room but don't have any information on that. I noticed that McCarthy quickly pulled Rodgers after that and Matt Flynn finished the rest of the game.

The only other thing I thought i might want to write about here was the offensive line as they gave up 3 more sacks. But I noticed that Derek Sherrod (2011 1st round pick)was getting reps at Left Tackle. So this could end up being a good thing and I will hope for the best on the Packers o-line front. There you have it, my analysis. Next week the Pack travel to Kansas City to take on the now head-coachless Chiefs. GO PACK!

Last Minute Drive Inches Pack Past Giants - 12-0!

In a game that was the most nerve racking since week 1 when the Packers squeaked one out against the Saints, the Packers managed to pull through and crown themselves NFC North Division Champions. It was a sloppy game on both sides of the ball (but more on defense than offense), but the great teams always find a way to win...and the Packers have the look of a great team! Here's my analysis:

Things I Liked

Jordy Nelson - It's becoming common practice for me to include Jordy on this list. He made spectacular catches when other receivers couldn't hold onto the ball, and is becoming not only one of Aaron Rodgers' favorite targets but an elite receiver in the NFL.

Aaron Rodgers - Anyone who had doubts about Rodgers' ability to lead a last minute, game-winning drive was silenced yesterday. Aaron made it look easy, completing 4 of 4 passing to make it an easy game-winning chip-shot field goal for Mason Crosby.

Donald Driver - The old man can still play the game. He was one of the few sure-handed targets that Rodgers had in New Jersey. And he was rewarded with 2 touchdown catches. The second of which was spectacular!

Clay Matthews - In an otherwise under-whelming defensive performance, the Claymaker was the one bright spot. He returned a beautifully anticipated interception for a touchdown, and had a sack/fumble that the Packers recovered at the end of the 1st half to stifle a NYG drive.

Things I Did Not Like

Defense - Wow are they bad!!! I can't believe the Packers have won any games, much less 12 with such a pitiful defense! They can't stop the pass, they can't stop the run, and they can't tackle! It's pretty amazing to watch.

Offensive Line - Granted the Giants have one of the best defensive lines in football and the packers are playing 2 players with less than 10 games of experience on the line, but the showing was not very good. There were no holes for the running backs to run through, and Rodgers was under duress the whole game.

Mason Crosby - I know that Crosby kicked the game winner and that he hasn't had to kick many meaningful field goals this year, but the missed 47-yarder at the end of the 1st half was very makeable and Crosby needs to make that for a few reasons. #1 - it gives the packers more of a cushion going into the 2nd half. #2 - it gives the packers the momentum of being the last to score. and #3 - he's getting paid to make those field goals.

Dropped Passes - Jermichael Finley was awesome and terrible. He had some big catches and good plays and some key drops that killed us. Greg Jennings dropped a couple of key passes as well (I was surprised they ruled the 4th quarter touchdown a catch), and i believe the final total was 6 drops for the whole crew. Unacceptable.

There you have it, my thoughts. Overall, the offense was sufficient. Rodgers posted his first game of the season with a QB rating under 110 (106.2), but I put the blame on the receivers and the o-line for that. I liked Clay's intensity on defense, but the rest of the unit was lacking. I'd especially like to see BJ Raji turn it up a notch. Next up, the Oakland Raiders at Lambeau. GO PACK!

McNabb being released. No, not from prison

A source says that today the Minnesota Vikings will release QB Donovan McNabb. McNabb has been way less than stellar this season. He was replaced early in the year by rookie Christian Ponder.

The rumor mill believes that Donovan's hometown Bears may be a likely destination.

I believe that McNabb is washed up in this league, so he doesn't scare me if he gets picked up by the Bears. However, I would really like the Bears out of playoff contention, simply because I dislike them.

Suh gets 2 Game Suspension, Files Appeal

Ndamukong Suh received the expected 2 game suspension from the NFL, even after his half-ass explanation and childish apology to the Commish.

Suh was advised by both Commissioner Goodell and the NFL Players Association that he should appeal that suspension and he has officially done so.

Up until this incident took place, I was on the fence about Suh and his previous fines, but now its clear to me that he is a dirty player. These fines that he is receiving is not for helmet to helmet hits that are sometimes unavoidable, they are for unnecessary roughness on the quarterback. Don't get me wrong, I dislike how much the NFL is protecting QB's and I don't like some of the penalties for late hits on the QB, but Suh's penalties and play this season is endangering NFL players, and the fines on Suh are clearly not altering his play.

It is in the NFL's best interest to suspend Suh for at least these two games (which I think is too short) before his actions lead to a serious injury to his opponent.

Suh, you are officially the dirtiest player in the NFL.

Packers Tame Lions, 11-0!

Amidst predictions that the Detroit Lions would be the Packers' first loss of the season, the Pack made it clear on Thursday that they were the superior team. The game was a little chippy with 2 ejections and got off to a slow start, but in the end boys from Green Bay surpassed their 2010 regular season win total. Here's my analysis:

Things I Liked

2nd Half Adjustments - I'm not sure what the coaches said or did in the locker room, but the Packers looked like a different team in the final 30 minutes of the game.

Backup Linebackers - DJ Smith and Robert Francois both made their first significant contributions on defense with injuries to starters AJ Hawk and Desmond Bishop. They filled in nicely and came up with some big plays in big moments. Smith was great in run support and Francois had a beautiful interception. They may both start on Sunday against the Giants, so let's hope this continues.

Tramon Williams - Tramon looked like his old self for the first time all season. He shut down Calvin Johnson and had several pass defenses. He could have had at least 2 interceptions, but I'm just happy to see him playing well again.

Aaron Rodgers - It was another "off" day for Rodgers, or more of an off half because he got his act together in the 2nd half of the season. But he put up his 11th straight 110+ point QB Rating and tied the Packers' single-season record for most 300-yard passing games in a season. (Here's a great article on Rodgers' leadership in the locker room: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/rodgers-learns-52-ways-to-motivate-teammates-ep36nlo-134545253.html)

Things I Did Not Like

Ndamukong Suh - It's official...he's a dirty player. I think he will definitely become one of those guys that Packer fans will not like for years to come.

Slow Start - The offense got off to a really slow start in the 1st half with a couple of 3 and outs. Thankfully the defense played well.

Injuries - Not that we haven't seen this before, but injuries to important players could make next week against the Giants difficult. Josh Sitton, AJ Hawk, and Desmond Bishop were all injured in the 1st half. The status of all 3 is in question for the December 4th matchup against the Giants. Sitton is the least likely to play. The fill-ins did a nice job (especially the LBs), but the starters are starters for a reason.

There you have it, the Packers are 11-0 for the first tim in franchise history! Next week the Packers travel to New York to take on the Giants. GO PACK!

Jay Cutler...Injured again...

By all counts, the Bears game was looking like a tough one on the schedule. It had the potential to ruin my Christmas with a loss or even a close game. But on Sunday afternoon Jay Cutler threw an Interception and attempted to make a tackle to stop a touchdown. During the process he broke the thumb on his right (throwing) hand. He is expected to have surgery and miss the rest of the regular season. It is possible that he could return for the playoffs, should the bears make it that far. I never like to see anyone get hurt, but when it's Cutler I don't feel too badly about it.

Injuries: James Starks

Starks was injured with just over 3 minutes left in the 4th quarter. The official diagnosis is a knee sprain. His status is unknown. Hopefully we will have more information later today.

I would assume he will not be ready to play on Thursday against the Lions.

Packers Do Enough to Squeak Past Bucs...10-0 and counting...

Thankfully, ugly wins count. It's the mark of a good team. When everything seems to go wrong and you still come away with a victory. The Packers did not look like an undefeated team yesterday against a sub-par Buccaneers squad, but a win is a win and the Pack are 1 step closer to making the playoffs. Here's my analysis:

Things I Liked

Jordy Nelson - He is becoming an excellent receiver, and just makes it that much harder for teams to defend the undefendable Packers' offense. I wish I had drafted him on my fantasy team.

BJ Raji - Raji didn't do anything special on Defense that I noticed. But it was fun to see him plow through the line on a 1 yard TD plunge for his 2nd career touchdown.

Tim Masthay - Masthay fumbled twice on the same play without being touched...normally this would be a bad thing. But anytime your punter scrambles for a 1st down rather than getting a punt blocked, it's a good thing. I laughed out loud, shook my head, and was happy when it happened. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.

Donald Driver - Driver has quietly been having a solid season and is still an integral part of our offense. Didn't do anything spectacular, but had a few key catches that went relatively unnoticed. I think he deserves the credit for them.

Tramon Wiliams - Tramon came up with 2 Interceptions against the Bucs, making his season total 4. His 2nd also sealed the game for the Pack. As bad as this defense is, they seem to come up with a big play everytime it's needed.

Things I Did Not Like

Aaron Rodgers - Rodgers looked flustered and off target for a lot of the game. Granted he still threw for 299 yards and 3 TDs, but he also threw a costly INT. And when our defense plays that badly we can't afford for him to look bad at all.

Defense, defense, DEFENSE!!! - The defense was just flat out BAD. There is no excuse for there to be a wide open receiver on every play or for LeGarrett Blount to break 6 tackles and run for a 50+ yard TD. I keep expecting improvement, but it's just not happening.

Hopefully the defense comes to play on Thursday against the Lions. Happy Thanksgiving and GO PACK!

8-0 Becomes 9-0 as Pack Stomp Vikings

Sorry for the late post, but with it being a MNF game and things just being a little hectic this week, I am a little behind schedule.



This game was never in question. 45-7 is convincing no matter who you are. Here's my analysis:

THINGS I LIKED

Aaron Rodgers - I think Rodgers has been on this list every week so far and for good reason...Nobody in the league is playing as well as #12. 4 more TDs puts his total at 28 through 9 games. 28 is a really good number for 16 games!

Randall Cobb - It has to be the most improved part of the Packers' team this year, I'm talking about the return game. Cobb took a 1st quarter punt 80 yards for a TD and nearly took another later in the game. This guy has the potential to change a game and that's huge! He also had 3 catches. Good to see him getting more involved in the offense.

Defensive Intensity - The whole defense looked good. They held Peterson to 51 yards and blitzed on over 70% of their plays! Dom Capers must have listened to Charles Woodson.

Clay Matthews - Clay was dominant for the first time all season. He posted 2 sacks, bringing his total to 5 for the year. He also looked great in coverage and on run support. I hope to see this continue going forward.

Charles Woodson - Woodson looked like himself on Monday for the first time all season. He was all over the field and looked like the 2009 Defensive Player of the Year. My only knock on Woodson is that he dropped a sure pick 6...I'll forgive him though.

THINGS I DID NOT LIKE

Muffed Punt - Cobb is a huge Boom or Bust. He either returns a punt for a TD or muffs it and gives the other team a 1st down inside the red zone. In this case, it did not affect the game. But when it comes to playoff time, this could kill us.

Offensive Line - Rodgers was sacked 3 times. It didn't seem to me on any of them that he was holding the ball too long. The line needs to improve to keep Rodgers on his feet. Especially with some good defensive lines on the upcoming schedule (Lions, Giants, Bears...oh my!).

Jared Allen - I just don't like him.

A sweep of the Viqueens is always sweet! 9-0 is sweet too. Next up, the reeling Buccaneers at Lambeau on Sunday. GO PACK!

Packers Out-Shoot Chargers: Move to 8-0...

Wow, what an intense game! One much closer than it should have been. The offense was unstoppable and the defense couldn't make a stop. In the end all that matters is that the Pack came up with another win and are making it harder and harder for other teams to avoid a trip to Lambeau in the playoffs. Here are my thoughts on the game:

Things I Liked

Aaron Rodgers - He is playing out of his mind! Ask anyone who has ever wateched football for any significant amount of time and they will tell you that Aaron Rodgers isn't just a good QB...he's the best one in the NFL right now.

Interceptions - It was the one redeeming factor for the defense. 3 INTs and 2 of them returned for TDs.

Charlie Peprah - Yes, Peprah has been out of position a lot and missed some tackles this season, and he was out of position a couple of times when Vincent Jackson burned the Pack. But I am beginning to see some improvement in his tackling and coverage skills.

Jordy Nelson - Nelson has emerged as the clear cut #2 wideout, which poses major problems for opposing defenses.



Things I Did Not Like

Pass Defense - Wow, I can't really say anything else. They were just awful with the exception of the 3 interceptions, Phillip Rivers just ravaged them.

Tackling - This had been getting better in recent weeks, and I don't know if it was due to the rain or what, but it didn't seem like the defense could tackle Mike Tolbert at all. I'm surprised the Chargers didn't run him more often.

Sacks - Rodgers avoided some sacks with his feet, but it seemed like he was getting pressured a lot of the game. Again, I'm not sure if he's holding the ball too long or if the o-line is just not protecting him long enough but when we play a good team this is going to be a problem.

Charles Woodson - I don't know if it's his toe injury or if age is finally catching up with Woodson, but he is not the player he once was. He has definitely lost a step. He is a key to the defense and if he cannot play at a high level, the Packers will suffer. I expect CB to be a high priority in the 2012 draft.

That's pretty much it. I was very comfortable in this game until the 4th quarter when the pass defense all but disappeared. Next week the Vikings come to Lambeau...this is a Monday night game. GO PACK!

Bye Week - Score One for the Kids...

It was a quiet week for the Packers on their bye. So, this is something totally off-topic to keep you amused until they return to the field on 11/6 against San Diego. One of my favorite commercials of all time.

Injury Update: Alex Green

Rookie RB Alex Green sustained a season-ending knee injury on the opening kickoff against the Vikings. Green did not contribute much to the offense, but has been improving weekly in special teams play. I do not forsee this as being a huge hit to the team so long as the health of Ryan Grant and James Starks remains intact. The Packers are weighing all options to replace Green on the roster. My best guess is that they would re-sign Dmitri Nance who was cut at the end of the preseason.

Packers Outlast Vikings - Move to 7-0...

I have to admit, it was bittersweet for me to watch the Packers pull out a close one against the Vikings yesterday. One one hand, I always want to see the Packers blow the queens out of the water by 50 points. But on the other, Christian Ponder is from my Alma Mater (FSU) and I enjoyed seeing him play well. With that being said, I hope that Ponder's success was temporary and that the Vikings only win against the Bears and Lions for the remainder of the season.

It was disappointing to see the slow start from the Packers, awesome to see the great 3rd quarter 20-point explosion, and then nerve-racking to see them allow the queens back into the game in the 4th. I will elaborate below...

THINGS I LIKED

Aaron Rodgers - Rodgers is playing out of his mind through 7 games this season! He is the only QB in NFL history to post 7 straight 110+ point QB Ratings to start the season (Is it too early to start talking about MVP candidates?). He only had 1 off-target throw vs the Queens...AMAZING!

James Starks - After only posting 20 yards in the first 3 quarters, Starks turned on another gear on the final drive of the game by gaining 3 first downs and guaranteeing the Packers' victory...give the o-line some credit here too.

Randall Cobb - I love that the Packers are starting to use Cobb more. His 42 yard punt return showed his dynamic ability to change the game. I also noticed that he lined up as a RB and took a handoff from Rodgers in the 3rd quarter. I'm expecting him to continue to get more looks in the offense.

Charles Woodson - Woodson added 2 INTs to his amazing career total. This guy can still play and is definitely the best player in the secondary with the injuries to the other guys back there.

THINGS I DID NOT LIKE

Roughing the Passer - I didn't see very many bad calls, but the "roughing the passer" penalty on Clay Matthews was one of the worst calls I've ever seen. I think the league needs to have disciplinary actions for officals who blow calls like that. Luckily it did not affect the outcome of the game.

Run Defense - Up until last week, I thought the Packers weakness was the pass defense because they hadn't given up too many yards on the ground. Adrian Peterson posted 175 yards! I know he's probably the best RB in the league, but with a Rookie QB making his first start, you would have thought that we would have keyed on Peterson a little bit more. Poor tackling didn't help this.

Drops - I counted 3 drops...it's becoming an epidemic. Hopefully this will get fixed over the bye, because it could come back to bite us if it happens in critical game situations going forward.

Randall Cobb on Punts - I love his ability to return punts and that he has no fear. But it finally caught up to him. I'll excuse this one as a one-time rookie mistake. But muffed punts are not acceptable.

There you have it, my thoughts. I am happy about the win, and happy that we have a bye this week to get healthy. Bring on the Chargers (in 2 weeks)! GO PACK!

And Then There was One...Packers are 6-0

After a slow start, the Packers showed that they were the superior team in the 2nd quarter with 3 Aaron Rodgers Touchdown passes. The second half was quiet, leaving the final score at 24-3. Granted, the Rams have not won a game yet this season, so this is not really considered a big win. But every game is important, and this is a conference win that could end up being important in the seeding at the end of the season. Here is my game analysis:

Things I Liked

No Huddle Offense - The Packers' offense just seems to get better and become more complex every week. The no-huddle gives opposing defenses yet another thing to worry about when preparing for the most potent offense in the NFL.

Linebackers - Clay and the rest of the Packers' linebacking corps looked very good on Sunday against the Rams. Bradford was under duress for a majority of the game and Clay Matthews looked the best that I had seen him all season.

Scoring Defense - The D kept the Rams out of the end zone and gave up 2 field goal attempts (only 1 was successful). Bend but don't break has been how the defense has been described this season. I think that is accurate.

Things I Did Not Like

Dropped Passes - I noticed drops by at least 3 receivers on Sunday. Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, and Greg Jennings all dropped passes that hit them in the hands. Jordy's was on a 3rd down, and Jennings' drop resulted in an INT. We can afford to make these mistakes against the Rams, but when we face a legitimate team these situations could be the difference between a win and a loss.

Defense - The defense gave up over 400 yards again yesterday. This is not acceptable. Even though the Rams only put up 3 points, I would like to see the Defense show a little bit more pride in themselves and learn to wrap up and not miss tackles.

AJ Hawk - It was unacceptable to see Hawk's obscene gesture on the field after a first quarter sack on Sam Bradford. He needs to realize that he is on TV and he can't act however he wants. Apparently he will not be fined, although I think he should be.

Not much else to say here, the Packers were the better team from start to finish. Next week the Pack will be in Minneapolis to take on the Vikings. Will we see Christian Ponder make his first NFL start? More to come...GO PACK!

First Half Analysis

Moral of the story: Packers are good; Rams aren't!

It didn't take Aaron Rodgers very long to heat up in this one and he's showing everyone that he's the man, throwing for 3 touchdowns in the first half.

The Defense has not completely stopped the Rams offense from moving the ball, but they are getting a lot of pressure on QB Sam Bradford.

I don't see the second half being much different than the first but what I'm looking forward to seeing is the offense establishing the running game some more and controlling more of the clock. I also am a huge fan of the no-huddle and I think it makes an already unstoppable offense even tougher for opposing defenses.

Familiar Faces Return to Lambeau

When the Packers' offense lines up against the St. Louis Rams this weekend, they'll see a couple of players who contributed to the Packers' success during the past decade.



Cornerback Al Harris who played with the Packers from 2003 to 2009 before a brual knee injury ended his season and kept him out of action in 2010 as well, is slated to start for the Rams on Sunday.



Linebacker Brady Poppinga, who was released by the Packers in July, has also been starting for St. Louis all season.

It should be interesting to see how Harris and Poppinga's familiarity with the Packers' schemes translates into on-field play. The Rams have been decimated by injuries this season, and have yet to win a game. I personally am happy to see that Al and Brady are finding playing time on a team in the NFL, but I am also hoping that they get burned several times by Aaron Rodgers and the offense this Sunday...GO PACK!

Injury Update: Chad Clifton

Mike McCarthy stated that starting Left Tackle Chad Clifton will miss "a number of weeks" with a "significant hamstring injury." This is not good news for the Packers, and it will not surprise me if this is the end of Clifton's career in Green Bay.

The good news is that Marshall Newhouse held up well in his place, and will be the likely starter against the St. Louis Rams this week.

There is a chance that Bryan Bulaga could return against the Rams as well and would likely return at Right Tackle. If Bulaga is unable to go, then rookie 1st round draft pick Derek Sherrod will get the nod at RT.

Both young tackles played well against Atlanta, and if Newhouse continues to improve and protect Rodgers in the coming weeks Clifton will be out of a job by the time he is able to return.

As always, stay tuned for more updates. GO PACK!

"We Can Only Beat Us." Packers reach 5-0...

Donald Driver made the statement after the game on Sunday night that there is only one team capable of beating the undefeated Green Bay Packers...and it's themselves. I agree with this statement and I believe it was a true statement in 2010 as well. When the Packers play the way they are capable, there is no team in the NFL that can beat them.

The Packers moved to 5-0 with a 29-14 win over the Atlanta Falcons last night. It started off rough, but the Pack stayed the course and came up with a big win. Here are my thoughts on the game:

Things I Liked

Defense - The defense finally made the kind of impact we had been hoping they would all year. I would still like to see more pressure on the QB and for Capers to use Clay Matthews in more of a variety of looks. But all in all it was good to see the defense pick it up after giving up 2 quick scores.

Receivers - Rodgers hit 12 of them, tying a Packers' record. Nobody can defend the Packers' passing attack.

Marshall Newhouse & Derek Sherrod - The 2 young tackles were thrust into active duty with injuries to Bulaga and Clifton. I was more impressed with Newhouse who started the game at Right Tackle and then when Clifton went down shifted to Left to allow Sherrod to take over the Right. Rodgers was sacked 3 times after Clifton went out, but all 3 came from interior pressure.

Poise - Being down 14 points is nerve racking. But the team and coaching staff remained calm, stuck with the game plan, and came out on top. It's great to see our team playing with confidence.

Things I Did Not Like

Dropped Passes - Jermichael Finley dropped 2 big-time passes. 1 for a Touchdown and the other for a 3rd down conversion. The 3rd down conversion is less of an issue because he was hit by 2 defenders, nevertheless he still should have made the catch. He redeemed himself with a big catch in the 4th quarter, but it would have been nice to be winning at half time.

Slow Start - The defense missed tackles and assignments, and Ryan Grant fumbled on the first drive of the game putting the Pack in a 14-0 hole. Thankfully this did not ultimately affect the result of the game.

Clifton Injury - The fill-ins were satisfactory at Tackle last night, but it makes me nervous to think that they could be our starters for the remainder of the season. Will Bulaga play Left Tackle when he returns, or will we keep Newhouse at that spot? More on this in the days to come.

Ultimately, I am very happy with the win against a very good team at their stadium. Tune in tonight to find out of the Lions can beat the Bears and remain atop the division (and league) with the Packers. Go Pack!

The Belt...It's Everywhere!

I found this funny...

First Quarter Grades: NFC North

We are 1/4 of the way through the season. Here are the NFC North teams' grades through 4 games:

Green Bay Packers (4-0) - B+



The Packers are undefeated, but I definitely seem room for improvement. The pass defense in particular needs to get better. Granted, Pro Bowl Safety Nick Collins is out and Pro Bowl Corner Tramon Williams missed time too. I am hoping that with time this will improve. Aaron Rodgers and the offense have been stellar, special teams have not given anything glaring up (except the punt return TD in week 1 vs the Saints), and the offensive line has been surprisingly good.

Detroit Lions (4-0) - A-



The Stafford to Johnson combination has been unbelievable, and Ndomakong Suh and the Lions' front 4 are one of the best in the league. They are definitely in the playoff hunt as one of the 2 undefeated teams left in the NFL. They can't seem to get it going in the first half of a game though. They have had to come from behind in 3 of their 4 wins. But as i've said all season, this team's ability to win games hangs on Matt Stafford's ability to stay healthy. If he does, they'll be pushing the Pack in the division race at the end of the year.

Chicago Bears (2-2) - C



The bears still have a tough defense, and probably the best linebacking corps in the NFL. They also have the greatest return man in the game in Devin Hester and an elite running back in Matt Forte. But for some reason, the bears just can't figure out that Jay Cutler is not an elite QB. Forte finally got a bunch of touches against the Panthers and put up over 200 yards! Yet, I guarantee that next week Cutler will be slinging the ball all over the field (and by "all over the field" I mean to the players wearing the opposite color jersey) again...and I'll be happy about it.

Minnesota Vikings (0-4) - F



The Vikings still have Adrian Peterson...but that's about it. Percy Harvin is underutilized and is always bogged down by injuries. Donovan McNabb is washed up and doesn't fit the scheme. The offensive line is old and needs to be rebuilt. The defense is worse than the offense. They have been leading in 3 of the 4 games they have lost at halftime and have found ways to blow big leads. I'm happy to see the queens playing so poorly and I hope they trade AP and Percy to other teams to try to rebuild...and fail.

GO PACK!

Packers Dominate Broncos - Remain Undefeated

The defending Super Bowl champions looked like a well-oiled machine against the now 1-3 Denver Broncos, pummeling them with a score of 49-23. Here are my game notes:

Things I Liked

Aaron Rodgers - Anytime a QB throws for 400+ yards, 4 TDs, and runs for another 2...it impresses me. Rodgers has moved into elite status this year to join the likes of Tom Brady and Drew Brees, and I don't think I would even take one of those guys over him.

Mike McCarthy - We have been critical of McCarthy here at the Malnarn regarding his play calling. He tends to get conservative to try to protect a lead rather than building on it. Mike kept his foot on the gas against the Broncs and drove them into the frozen tundra!

Motivation - This team looks motivated to repeat. I don't see any complacency or apathy in the game. They want to win and are motivated to do what it takes to do it.

Things I Didn't Like

Pass Defense - Again, the pass defense gave up too many big plays. The Broncos aren't a good deep passing team and yet, the secondary still allowed them to gash them with big gains on several occasions.

Dom Capers - It seems to me that he has become the conservative playcaller. I don't know if it's that he's lazy or that opposing offenses are figuring out his schemes, but I'm not seeing the multiple-look dynamics that he used over the past 2 seasons.

That's really it. Not much can be said about a 49-23 blowout except that the Packers were obviously the better team and I don't think it will be long before Brady Quinn or Tim Tebow replaces Kyle Orton as the starter in Denver. Bring on the Falcons on Sunday night! GO PACK!

Jordy Nelson - #2 WR??

The Packers gave Jordy Nelson a contract extension this week, making him a higher paid WR than James Jones. Nelson has certainly made more of an impact on the field this season and is seeing much more playing time than Jones. All signs are pointing to Jordy replacing Donald Driver as the #2 WR on the roster, especially after Driver tweaked his knee Sunday against the Broncos.

Update: Collins Injury

Nick Collins underwent neck surgery on Thursday, September 29th. By all accounts, the surgery went well. According to his doctor, we will not know the status of his future until April 2012. Wishing Nick the best and hoping he can return to football next season.

He still has not been placed on IR. Unsure why because he will definitely not return to the field this season.

Too Many Weapons? Receiver Playing Time

James Jones may be questioning his decision to re-sign with the Packers for the 2011 season as he is 6th in the playing time rankings through 3 games (See Chart Below).

2011 Playing Time: Packers
Player Plays Pct.
Greg Jennings 166 of 204 81.4
Jermichael Finley 159 of 204 78.0
Donald Driver 112 of 204 54.9
Jordy Nelson 106 of 204 52.0
James Jones 38 of 204 18.6
Randall Cobb 36 of 204 17.6
Source: ESPN Stats & Information

I don't know why Jones has been riding the pine for the majority of the season as the Packers definitely made it a priority to re-sign him over other free agents (Cullen Jenkins). It could be his costly drops and mistakes in crucial game situations. Or maybe the other receivers have just looked better in practice. Regardless, I have been surprised to not see Jones on the field more.

As we've seen before, the Packers are only 1 injury away from a backup becoming a capable starter and Jones fits in to that category. There is also the question of how much longer Donald Driver will be able to keep up his amazing pace at the age of 36, in which case Jones would be the logical replacement unless it's Jordy Nelson. But the return of JerMichael Finley, the emergence of Nelson since the Super Bowl, and the presence of dynamic rookie Randall Cobb has put Jones on the bench 81% of the time through the first 3 games.

The Packers are the only team (to my knowledge) where the 6th receiver (including TE) could be a starter on almost any other NFL team. Jones' playing time will be something to keep an eye on as the season progresses. GO PACK!

Update: Bulaga Injury

Coach Mike McCarthy explained that Starting Right Tackle Bryan Bulaga sustained a knee bruise and sprain in Sunday's win over the Bears. The Packers may have "Dodged a bullet" here because on film the injury certainly looked like it could have been season ending. The full extent of the injury is not known as the team doctors will continue to do tests this week.

Although the Packers have not made an official statement on Bulaga's status, I would be surprised if he was able to go against the Broncos this Sunday. If he is not ready, then Marshall Newhouse - who played well against the Bears - will likely get the start. It is likely that we will see 1st round pick Derek Sherrod suit up for the first time in Green and Gold as well. But we hope he doesn't have to get into the game beacuse of injury. Go Pack!

Burnett steps up against Bears

The Packers' pass defense has been absent so far this season and with the season ending injury to Pro Bowler Nick Collins in Week 2, the secondary was looking like it could be the Achilles' Heal for the Pack.

Enter Morgan Burnett! This is Burnett's 2nd season in the NFL and he had a season ending injury that made him miss the majority of last season. Burnett has started 2011 strong, leading the team in tackles against the Saints with 14 and he leads the team thus far with 3 interceptions, two of them coming against the Bears.

I like what I see from Burnett and he seems to be a ball hawking safety that isn't afraid to get in there and make the tackle. I really hope to see more good things from him throughout the season and I think if he can stay healthy that he is going to have a very good career ahead of him.

Leaders of the Pack?

With the upset of the New England Patriots yesterday, are the Packers now the top dog in the NFL?

Since the Packers won the Super Bowl at the end of last season, everyone knew that they would not only be a good team again in 2011, but maybe an even better team with all of the key players returning from injury. The Packers have been projected as one of the top teams up until this point, but after the Bills took down the Patriots, Green Bay looks as if they are the team to beat in the NFL.

Packers Outplay Bears, Move to 3-0

It's always nerve racking for me leading up to the Packers-Bears matchup. Especially the one at Soldier Field. There aren't many things that can slow down the Packers' potent offense, but the bears defense and the crappy field in Chicago seem to do a decent job every year.

But it seemed like McCarthy and the Packers had a great gameplan ready this time to kill the bears...Here are my thoughts:

WHAT I LIKED:

JerMichael Finley - This is the most obvious of anything that we saw in the game. Finley finally showed the dominance we have been expecting of him all season. I expect this to be a trend that will continue and the Packers' offense will only get better the more that Finley is involved in it.

Ryan Grant - Grant put up 89 yards on 15 carries. We had thought up until yesterday that Starks was starting to move into the featured back role for the Packers, but seeing Grant play well is a good sign for us.

Matt Forte - We have agreed all week that the Packers' focus needed to be to stop RB Matt Forte and that if the defense could do that, it would be a W for the green and gold. Forte had 2 yards on 9 carries and only a couple of catches for minimal yardage...impressive.

Morgan Burnett - With the loss of Nick Collins, someone in the secondary needed to step up. Burnett looked great yesterday with 2 INTs. Let's hope this continues.

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:

Charlie Peprah - I understand that Peprah is a significant downgrade from 3-time Pro Bowl Safety Nick Collins, but Charlie was out of position, missed tackles, and was the reason for several big plays for the Bears. I expect him to improve, but we are lucky that it didn't result in a closer game or a loss.

Penalties - Thankfully none of these killed us like they did in the Packers-Bears game last October, but there were too many false starts and delay of games. Simple mental errors that can easily be avoided.

Bryan Bulaga - Bulaga's injury raises concerns with our already shake offensive line. Marshall Newhouse is the backup, and while he didn't make any glaring errors that I saw, I have a feeling that if Bulaga's injury is lingering we may be in for some trouble.

Pass Rush - The Pack's D amassed 3 sacks and a few more hits on Cutler, but I was not impressed. With the Bears depleted offensive line, I was expecting Jay to be on his back all afternoon. This needs to improve for the Packers to get to Super Bowl XLVI.

Special Teams - The crazy play the end of the game concerned me, we got lucky with the holding call. But I just don't understand why we would kick the ball to Hester at all. Crosby needs to kick touchbacks every time and Masthay should just kick the ball out of bounds.

All in all, I am very happy with the win and it's great to be on top of the division (in a tie with the LIONS?! Crazy!). I feel a lot better after the win yesterday than I did before. Bring on the Broncos! GO PACK!

Packers - Bears open thread

So far the Pack looks sharp! Good drive for the touchdown to get the game started right. It doesn't look like the Bears can cover Jennings so far and he is tearing their defense up left and right. It's also good to see Finley get a score early, he was due.

Cutler Cry!

I found this picture on BrentFavre.com and I just couldn't resist posting it. I love the hate for Cutler and in the words of the Black Eyed Peas, I'm addicted and I just can't get enough!

'85 Bears to visit White House?

Well, I am scratching my head right now in amazement. The '85 Champion Chicago Bears are going to be visiting the White House, which they were unable to do after winning the Super Bowl 26 YEARS AGO!!!


I shouldn't be surprised. I have been around Bears fans for a long time now and have lived in Chicago for the last 3 years. Bears fans will never forget 1985 and they won't let anyone else forget it either. They need to get over it already, 26 years of celebrating has got to be exhausting! The other thing I have to say is that Obama should really spend his time more wisely. I think he has more important things to do than be a Bears fan. We already know you love Chicago sports, but you're reaching with this one. Enough said...Go Packers! The Bears still suck!

Black and Blue Division about to get all Black and Blue!

This weekend begins the inter divisional play for the NFC North. The Packers travel to Soldier Field to face off against against their hated rivals in a rematch of last year's NFC Championship game, while the Queens play host to the Detroit Lions.

Lions @ Vikings

The Detroit Lions seem to be everyone's Underdog this season. The hype meter is all the way up on the Lions and for good reason. Having Matt Stafford back is step #1. Step #2 was to surround him with the necessary weapons on offense, and right now Jahvid Best is looking really tough out of the backfield and Stafford has one of the top receivers to throw to in Calvin Johnson. If you add a scary defense to the mix, you're looking at a Lions team that should compete for the division in 2011.

I don't like Donavan Mcnabb, I've never liked the Vikings, and I really don't like their chances this week against the Lions. There has been too much turmoil in Minny over the past year to expect much from them. Lets backtrack... Two seasons ago Brett Favre comes out of the tunnel at the Metrodome wearing Purple. They had a great season and were one of the top teams in the league and expected to do great things. 2010 rolls around and Brett gets hit left and right, gets battered and bruised and struggles throughout the season. Brad Childress brings in Randy Moss...Moss does nothing and leaves after a couple games...Childress gets fired. Then the Metrodome roof collapses in the middle of winter, which seemed fitting for the season that they were having. Brett is now gone. Tavaris Jackson is gone too. So the Queens decide that their best option is Donavan McNabb (I'm giggling to myself right now). McNabb is 0-2 as the starter for the Vikings and his only real weapon is Adrian Peterson, but when you only have 1 weapon, its much easier to stop. That being said, I'm picking the Lions to leave Minnesota with an easy victory.

Packers @ Bears

Being a HUGE Packer fan and living in enemy territory is always scary for me when the Packers play the Bears. Its very nerve racking and for some reason, I always am nervous about the way we match up against Chicago.

The Packers defense has been terrible to this point. We have let up over 400 yards passing both games this season and its hard to imagine it getting too much better with Nick Collins out for the season. However, Jay Cutler has been sacked 11 times in two games and the Bears' offensive line is brutal. Combine that with Gabe Carimi being injured and you just begin to see the holes open up. Although the Packers gave a lot up through the air against the Panthers, the defense was still forced key turnovers in the game against the Panthers, and guess what...Cutler likes to throw the ball to the other team. Lets just not forget that our friend Jay has a lot to prove after the way he finished the last game he played against the Pack.

The Bears defense is another story. As much as I hate the Bears, they have a good defense. Brian Urlacher is simply a beast and runs the show for the defensive unit. They run the Tampa 2 very well and every person on that defense is constantly looking to strip the ball (see 2010 Packers @ Bears fumble by James Jones below). Aaron Rodgers is arguably in the Top 2 or 3 at QB in the NFL and has all the weapons in the world to be successful. The only question is whether or not he gets time to throw, and whether or not we can keep from turning the ball over. I think that the Packers Offense against the Bears Defense is the battle to watch during this game. I'm sticking with the Super Bowl Champions in this one, but I have a feeling its going to be too close for comfort.

Injuries

Just a quick update on this week's injuries. Tramon Williams (shoulder) returned to practice yesterday and apparently looked good. It is likely that he will play this Sunday vs the Bears. Huge!

Charles Woodson (foot) and Clay Matthews (quad) were held out of practice yesterday, we are assuming it is only precautionary as neither seems to have a significant enough injury to keep them from playing the division rival on Sunday.

On a side note - Mike and Mike in the Morning will be broadcast live from Chicago tomorrow (Friday, Sept 23) at the House of Blues. Look for one of the contributors to this blog on TV (ESPN2).

GO PACK!

Nick Collins Out for the Season

We've been here before...It's the same story, just a different year and different players. Mike Neal, Tramon Williams, and Nick Collins are all injured. Hopefully Williams will be back for the Bears game. Hopefully Neal can be back before the end of the season. But our hope for Collins is that he can have a successful recovery and be back to pro bowl form in 2012. As of now, Collins is consulting doctors for surgical and rehabilitative options. He is in our thoughts and prayers. Charlie Peprah will start in his place in week 3 and going forward. I hope this is the last post we have to make about injuries this season. Go Pack!

Packers Do Enough Again...2-0!

It wasn't pretty, but it counts. The Packers join the Lions and Redskins as the only undefeated teams in the NFC. That's right, I said Lions and Redskins...crazy stuff! Anyway, let's get right down to it; here are my thoughts on yesterday's game:

THINGS I LIKED

Poise - Being down 13-0 could have caused reason for panic, forcing poor decision making. But the Packers stayed the course and chipped away at the lead and eventually took control of the game in the 2nd half.

Charles Woodson - The Packers' defense has not been suffocating by any means in these first 2 weeks, but the big plays have been made when we needed them the most. Woodson made 3 of them against the Panthers with 2 INTs and a fumble recovery. Looked like the 2009 Defensive Player of the Year.

Spreading the Ball Around - While this is frustrating for anyone who has a Green Bay receiver on their fantasy team, it is even moreso for opposing defenses. There is no way that any defense in the NFL can cover the Packers' 5 receiver set (or the Tight Ends).

THINGS I DID NOT LIKE

Pass Defense - Some of this was caused by playing a ridiculously elusive QB who could make time with his feet and another part could be the fact that Tramon Williams did not play, but it's inexcusible to give up 400+ passing yards in 2 consecutive games.

Running Game - Not to say that the Packers didn't run the ball well, but I don't think that the effective running game was used enough. James Starks is poised for a breakout year if he gets the touches.

Nick Collins Injury - This was scary as Collins injured his neck while attempting to tackle Jonathan Stewart. He was carted off the field on a stretcher. Apparently he is doing better, but his status is still in question and will not be good to have him and possibly Tramon out against the Bears as Collins is Jay Cutler's favorite target.

Cam Newton - This is unrelated to the Packers, but Newton has proved his worth as the #1 overall pick by posting 400+ yards in 2 consecutive games as a Rookie...impressive.

There you have it. My thoughts. Next week will be the bears...hopefully some of our injured guys can make a quick recovery before Sunday. GO PACK!

There..is..your..DAGGER!!!

This is the first edition of The Weekly Dagger here on The Malnarn. For those of you not familiar with the Packer's Radio Network and commentator Wayne Larrivee, every time that the Pack has a play that seals victory, he refers to that play as "The Dagger" because it kills the other team's chances. Yesterday against the Carolina Panthers the Pack let the Panthers keep the game way too close for comfort, but the long pass to Jordie Nelson late in the 4th Quarter was the play that sealed victory in Week 2. And there is your dagger!

Tramon sits out Friday's Practice

News from the Packers facilities is that CB Tramon Williams is sitting out of practice again today. Williams is yet to practice this week following a bruised shoulder against the Saints over a week ago. The Packers have not given much information as to when we can expect Tramon back, but his status for Sunday is still up in the air.

Urlacher's Mother Passes, Expects to Play Sunday

Brian Urlacher's mother passed away on Wednesday, and we here at The Malnarn are sorry for his loss. There has been a great deal of discussion following this topic as well as the question on whether Urlacher would play following his loss.

Urlacher has already returned to Chicago and is reportedly back with the Bears today and is expected to play Sunday. ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" was discussing how professional athletes deal with these situations, such as death of a family member, or birth of a child. The current situation for Brian Urlacher was compared to Brett Favre's historical performance after the death of his Father on Monday Night Football back in 2003, a night that was inspirational and will be remembered by not only Packer fans, but NFL fans for years to come as one of the greatest moment's of Brett Favre's career.

Our condolences go out to Brian Urlacher this weekend, and although we do not wish for the Bears to be successful, we have great respect for Urlacher and hope him the best this weekend.

James Jones is Frustrated

News out of the Packer Clubhouse is that WR James Jones is frustrated not with his performance in Week 1, but with the amount of playing time he received. Up until last week's game, I had thought that James Jones would be the WR to emerge as the #2 guy behind Jennings, but it was Jordie Nelson who continues to shine ever since his great game in the Super Bowl.

I am not sure what the problem was last week, but I expect for Jones to get more involved in the offense this week and moving forward. Lets not forget that Aaron Rodgers outwardly lobbied for the Packers to re-sign Jones during the offseason. He pointing to Jones as a reason that the team was successful and won the Super Bowl Last season.

Justin Harrell's Heir? Meet Mike Neal

DE Mike Neal, the Packer's 2nd round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, continues to battle with injuries. Neal had his season cut short in 2010 because of injuries, and 2011 looks to be just another chapter in the same sad story. Wednesday it was announced that Mike Neal had surgery this week on his knee, which flared up again after participating in practice last week.

Neal was expected to step in and fill the shoes of former defensive end Cullen Jenkins and be an impact player for the Pack. Unfortunately, Neal's career statistics are at a stand still with totals of 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble in 2 games played. I hope for Mike's sake, that he is able to get healthy and get a chance to show what he can do in the NFL. 

** Please note that this photo is Mike Neal in his college days at Purdue... there are limited pictures in circulation of him in an actual Packers uniform... for obvious reasons. 

Tramon, Neal, Zombo sit out Wednesday's Practice

Tramon Williams, Mike Neal and Frank Zombo are all sitting out of Wednesday's practice. All of these players would contribute on defense if they were healthy. The main thing that we still need to worry about is Tramon getting back on the field. The Packers secondary would really take a hit if he cant recover quickly from his bruised shoulder.

Urlacher on leave for Personal Reasons

Brian Urlacher is away from the team for personal reasons having to do with his mother. Right now it is unclear as to the time frame of the matter and if he will be active for his week 2 Matchup. 

There would certainly be a huge hole to fill should he miss the game. Urlacher made several key plays in week 1 with an interception and a fumble recovery he took for a touchdown. 

Starks vs. Grant

To begin the 2011 Regular Season, Mike McCarthy and the Packers came out with a true two-headed running attack with both James Starks and Ryan Grant splitting carries. In the first game, the Packers started with Ryan Grant getting the majority of the first half carries and Starks taking over as the game went along.

Ryan Grant finished the game with 9 carries for 40 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per carry. Starks had about the same workload and similar results carrying the ball 12 times for 57 yards and 4.8 yards per carry.

First of all, the Packers are the defending Champs. Last season the leading rusher on the team was Brandon Jackson, and now, we not only have 1 healthy and talented running back, but two!! And they are competing for the top spot!! This is great news to me, and aside from trying to figure out which one I want on my Fantasy Football team, I don't care who gets more carries at this point, because they are both better than Brandon Jackson.

After watching the first game, I would have to give Starks the edge, just based on his impressive touchdown run and his strength and size. I think that either of these guys can carry a larger load for the Packers, but one thing is for certain...We are a completely different team with a running game, so everyone else better watch out, because this is a better team than the one that won the Super Bowl back in February!

Tramon Williams Injury Update

It was a scary moment on Thursday night watching the replay of Tramon getting his arm squished in between two players. At that moment the thoughts running through my head were something like this:

"Oh no! Not again. There goes one of our best defensive players and his arm is going to be broken and he will be out for the season."

Well, it turns out that its looking like only a bruised shoulder. We are unsure at this point if he will miss any game time, but Coach Mike McCarthy is scheduled to discuss Tramon's status during Wednesday's press conference.

Also, if any of you are like me and looking for something to take up some time today, check out playerwives.com. Their site provided the image for this post. 

1-0! A Solid Start to a Title Defense...

Packers 42 - Saints 34. The opening game of the 2011 NFL season was nothing short of a thriller. In fact, it came down to the last play of the game where the Packers' worn out defense made a crucial stop on the goal line to bring home the victory and start the season off 1-0. There were a lot of positives in the game, and a few negatives. Here's my take:

THINGS I LIKED-
Randall Cobb - Easily the biggest surprise of the game, the rookie WR out of Kentucky dazzled us all with his 2 touchdown performance. He took in a 35 yard catch and run on a slant (which he admitted after the game was a mistake in that he ran the wrong route) and brought back the first kick return TD for the Packers in over 10 years from 108 yards deep (which he admitted after the game, by team rules, he should have knelt). In spite of these 2 "mistakes", Cobb proved to be another valuable weapon in the arsenal that is the Packers' potent offense.

Aaron Rodgers - Rodgers came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, throwing 3 touchdowns in the first quarter. Granted, he slowed down after that and missed a few throws. But all in all, Rodgers looked sharp and is poised for a great season.

JerMichael Finley - Finley was not as involved as I anticipated he would be, and McCarthy could be easing him back in due to his minor injuries. But when he was on the field, he was impossible for the saints to cover. There is no team in the league that can cover the Packers' receiving corps.

Offensive Line - I will admit that I was concerned about the line going into the season because of the issues I noticed in the pre-season. Even though they gave up a few sacks, I thought that overall they did a pretty good job of protecting Rodgers and opening up running lanes. I believe that they will continue to improve going forward.

Running Backs - It was hard to determine who was the better RB last night. Grant started off the game well, and just when it seemed like he was the sure fire starter, James Starks took over and looked even better. I think that this will cause problems for opposing defenses knowing that they can't just try to cover the pass anymore and will have to deal with the Packers' in 2 different dimensions.

THINGS I DID NOT LIKE-

Missed Tackles - I don't have the exact number, but I'm guessing it was somewhere in the teens. There were several occasions where the defense looked like they were going to make a stop, they were in position, and then bounced off of the ball carrier. This is actually the reason why Tramon Williams is now injured. If AJ Hawk makes the tackle, Tramon is still healthy...This will need to be improved upon if the Packers are going to be successful this year.

Tramon Williams' Injury - The worst part about this is that it could have been completely avoided. We do not know how serious it is yet, but it could potentially have a big impact on the season. Jarrett Bush is a decent CB, but is a significant drop off from Williams. We will keep our fingers crossed that Tramon will be back on the field soon.

3rd Downs - It seemed the defense could not get off the field on 3rd downs. They either missed a tackle or let a receiver get wide open. Granted the saints offense is good and Brees is an elite QB, but elite defenses need to be able to make stops more often than the Packers did last night.

There you have it. My thoughts. It was a great win for the Packers and all-in-all I think the things I didn't like are fixable and will be addressed and improved upon in the coming weeks. For now I am going to enjoy being 1-0 and watching football the rest of the weekend! GO PACK!

Pre-Season Predictions

August is over, so is the preseason. It's less than a week until REAL football starts. So that means it's time for us to make our pre-season predictions.

PACKERS

The Pack return 21 out of 22 starters from the Super Bowl run of 2010. I believe that the loss of Cullen Jenkins will prove to be a mistake, but not a big enough one to lose the division. I predict that Rodgers shreds defenses with the help of JerMichael Finley, the running game is mildly improved (but not substantial), and the defense led by the Claymaker will be top 5 for the 3rd year in a row. Packers win the division with a record of 11-5.

LIONS

I was a believer in the Lions in 2010 and thought that they would finish ahead of the bears until Matthew Stafford went down for the season. This year there is a lot of hype surrounding the defense and Stafford's impressive pre-season performance. I think the Lions are on the verge of making a big splash in the NFL. They have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, but injuries have been their downfall. Even this pre-season they have lost their first 2 draft picks. If Stafford stays healthy, it will be a tight race (but not too tight) at the end of the season. I have the Lions finishing 2nd in the NFC North with a record of 9-7.

BEARS

I think this will be the year that the bears luck will catch up with them. They have historically had a better record than their ability and I find it difficult to believe that they can do it again this year. Cutler will be 2nd in the league in INTs only behind Eli Manning. And the new kickoff rule will kill the bears' field position and take Hester/Manning partially out of the game. Along with an aging defense, I think this will be the beginning of the decline of the bears. Opposing defenses will catch more touchdowns from Cutler than Roy Williams. The Bears finish 3rd in the North with a 7-9 record.

Vikings

The Queens are an intriguing team, but not really that intriguing. The acquisition of Donovan McNabb will bridge the gap between Brett Favre and QB-of-the-future Christian Ponder. The O-line has major problems, and the defense and receiving corps have big question marks. I see the vikings giving up on the playoffs just after midseason and handing the reigns to the rookie QB to gain experience. Last in the division at 5-11.

Those are my predictions for 2011. Make sure you have your brats, cheese curds, and Miller beer ready to go for next Thursday against the Saints. GO PACK!

Clay Matthews Blowing Up Plays

Happy Manlarn Day!

Although we have many loyal followers here at The Malnarn, few actually know the origin of the sites name. There was once a very dear friend to the creators of this blog that we commonly referred to as Malnarn. She was a very nice girl, and although we had a falling out these days, this website was named in her honor, and today is her Birthday!

This will be the first annual edition of The Malnarn Day Preseason Post, full of news, predictions, insight and pure poppycock.

The NFL Lockout is water under the bridge and football is back! The Packers are coming into the season as the team to beat and the favorite to win the Super Bowl, and with good reason as we have some key players coming back from injuries who certainly can improve the team. Much like Malnarn, these players are coming out of hiding in the swamps and are ready to pounce on their competition.

As is typical of the Pack, we did little through free agency this season to improve our squad, and may have arguably moved back a couple of steps with the departure of Cullen Jenkins and Darren Colledge. Jenkins leaves a big hole to fill at DE, and with the injury to Mike Neal, that hole is a glaring one to us at The Malnarn.

Several rookies will be expected to make an impact early in the season. Through two preseason games, Randall Cobb looks like lighting in a bottle. He is already a little banged up with a couple of bruised knees, but he has looked dynamic in the return game and could be dangerous anytime he gets the ball in his hands. I'm excited about Cobb and I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can do this season.

Alex Green is another skill position player who can positively effect our already potent offense. Green is going to be thrown into the running back mix with Ryan Grant and James Starks this season. The Packers seem to really like this kid and want to get him into the mix and get the ball in his hands.

Aaron Rodgers is going to have more weapons that he had last season and I don't think there is a team in the league that is going to be able to cover them all, especially with Finley back in the lineup.

There has been a lot of talk this week about Ryan Grant's future with the organization. I believe this is mostly speculation, but the emergence of James Starks last year in the playoffs and the ability of Alex Green could lead to Grant being less valuable to the Packers. Grant did restructure his contract earlier in the month, taking less money but getting it all guaranteed. This could be a sign that he has a home in Green Bay for at least the 2011/2012 season. We will just have to wait and see what happens as final cuts in the NFL will occur September 3rd.

When it comes to The Malnarn, there is always a lot of discussion about the Packers and the NFL in general between myself and my co-editor. We are often on the same page but there are times when we don't always see eye to eye on topics. For this reason, I am going to make some predictions for the upcoming season that he may not agree with.

#1: James Jones will take over Donald Driver's spot as the #2 WR. It was clear this offseason that Aaron Rodgers wanted to keep Jones around. James Jones has a ton of talent that last season was often trumped by dropped passes. I think that Jones is going to break out this season and show that he is on his way to being a very good wide receiver in this league. I expect him to step up and take over as the #2 WR on the team, and although I still think Driver is going to play a role in the offense and get his catches, I think that Jones will start to take some of his targets.

#2: Clay Matthews will lead the league in Sacks. Last season Clay had 6 sacks in the first two games. It came out earlier this preseason that last year Clay played with a stress fracture in his leg or foot, I don't remember which, but the bottom line is that when he is healthy, there is no stopping him.

#3: Alex Green takes a larger share of running back duties than you expect. One of my favorite things about the NFL is the NFL Draft. I always love watching the draft and waiting to see what the Pack does. I remember hearing a little about Green prior to the draft, but it was nothing compared to what i'm hearing coming out of Green Bay's training camp and what i've seen so far this preseason. The Packers are looking for ways to get the ball into Green's hands and I think that is whats going to happen during the season. We here at the Malnarn see the Pack going with a true "running back by committee" strategy this season and we expect Alex Green to be a surprise this season and prove to be a great draft pick.

#4: The Bears will still suck. Regardless of how the Bears were last season, making it to the NFC Championship, they will always suck. I continue to hate the Bear Nation with a passion and I continue to bash them with every chance I get. Watching Jay Cutler cry on the sidelines to end their season was one of the greatest gives I've ever received. This season the Bears have made some serious moves in Free Agency...just kidding, they got Roy Williams and Marion Barber. This is so laughable because everyone in Chicago thinks that Roy Williams is going to lead the league in receiving, all because out of his lackluster seasons that compile an average at best NFL career, his best season was under Mike Martz, now offensive coordinator for the bears. So obviously, it makes complete sense that after doing nothing in Dallas for a couple years he will come into Chicago and be a top WR. Again, I'm completely kidding. The bears suck, Roy Williams sucks, and I smile everytime I think of him being the #1 receiver. I'm putting Chicago in the #2 spot in the division, but the Bears still suck.

That concludes my predictions for the start of the season. I would imagine they will all be correct. We now have less than two weeks until the Packers season debut against the Saints. All we can do now is sit back, relax, and get ready to defend our title!! That being said, happy birthday to Malnarn and stop back often for more award winning blogging from us at The Malnarn!

It's Official...

FOOTBALL IS BACK! The players and owners have agreed on a new deal that will last until 2021. Sorry we haven't reported much in the offseason, but honestly there hasn't been much to report. We probably should have addressed the draft, so i'll address it quickly right now...

I think that the first round pick was a solid pick just like last year by taking Bulaga. It gives the O-line depth and stability for the future.

I am the most excited about 2nd round pick Randall Cobb (WR). He's a utility guy who will likely play in the slot and should give the return game a boost.

The RB from Hawaii will most likely mean that Brandon Jackson will not be re-signed.

CB Davon House is a potentially good late round pick and gives the defensive backfield some more ridiculous (sub 4.4 40) speed.

I don't anticipate any big free agency signings or trades.

Notable unrestricted free agents are: Cullen Jenkins, James Jones, Mason Crosby, Brandon Jackson, and John Kuhn. I think Crosby and Kuhn are the most likely to be re-signed. The other 3 will only be inked for the right price (which i don't think Thompson will be willing to pay).

Packers players will report to training camp this Friday, July 29th. Got to be excited for football season! GO PACK!

Offseason Post

It's been an eventful, albeit not too exciting, offseason thus far. With all of the labor disputes, there isn't much to post about. But here is how I see things leading up to the draft:

1. Jolly is done for good after being arrested for a second time for possession of purple drank.

2. Cullen Jenkins has likely seen his last day as a Packer due to the fact that management made no attempt to re-sign him before the CBA expired. I believe this to be a mistake in that he is one of the most talented d-linemen in the league. But at this point, I have come to trust Ted Thompson to provide depth on the roster.

3. I see our biggest needs as Offensive Tackle, Defensive End, and Outside Linebacker. I will be happy with any of those 3 positions taken in the first round. With the #32 pick and no serious needs in the draft, it will be interesting to see what Thompson decides to do. You can always count on him to do things that are not that exciting. So it wouldnt surprise me to see us trade back and get multiple picks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

GO PACK!

SUPER BOWL XLV CHAMPIONS!

THE LOMBARDI TROPHY IS BACK WHERE IT BELONGS...GREEN BAY!!!! GO PACK GO!!!!!

It's Playoff Time!

It's been a bumpy road since we last posted, but we made it! The Packers squeezed into the playoffs as the #6 seed, edging out the Giants and Buccaneers with a 10-6 home win against the Bears. The game will be in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon against the Eagles. I think that this is a winnable game for the Pack, but it could be a very tough one. Here are my keys to the game:

#1 - The offense has to get into a groove early. When McCarthy calls plays in the first quarter to get Aaron Rodgers comfortable, he flourishes and the Packers generally win when they score a bunch of points.

#2 - Contain Vick. I'm not concerned about Michael Vick's arm. We have played good passing QBs this year and have won those games. It's his legs that scare me. When a 3rd and 14 play breaks down due to good coverage and the Pack only rushed 3, Vick runs for 20 yards. We need to avoid plays like that.

#3 - Tackle well. The Eagles are one of the best teams in the league at picking up Yards After the Catch. DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy are especially good at this.

#4 - Solid play on Special Teams. Special Teams play has been the downfall of the Packers in at least a few of the close losses this season. It was much improved last week against a dangerous Bears Special Teams with the likes of Devin Hester and Daniel Manning.

If the Pack can abide by those 4 keys, I think they advance to Atlanta to take on the Falcons next weekend. Go Pack!