Thoughts on Favre's Return to Lambeau

Well I typically listen to sports radio and read other people's articles about the Packers and the NFL in general and it is clear that the highlight of Week 8 in the NFL is Brett Favre's return to Lambeau field as a Minnesota Viking. However, the main storyline is not that the Packers are in a position to grab hold of the lead in the division with a win, but rather, how the fans will react to Brett being announced and running out onto the field.

The reason that this question is so intriguing is because I don't think there are very many Packer fans who know at this point how they will feel watching Brett run out of the tunnel on Sunday. I think that the fans at the game will Boo him because they are there, they are in the moment and it will just be a different atmosphere. I on the other hand will be watching from my couch. I will be in the mindset of wanting to kill the Vikings, but I have watched Brett play as a viking 7 times now and I will not be in as intense of an environment. Moral of the story, at this point I don't really care about how the fans handle Brett Favre as I am more concerned with how the Packers defense handles Brett Favre.

That being said, the Packers currently rank #3 in overall Defense in the NFL. However, we have played the Lions, Rams, and Browns to this point. Regardless, this week will be a huge test for the Packers and for Dom Capers as he needs to call the game of his life this week and keep the Vikings off balance. It does help that Atari Bigby will be back in action.

On the offensive side of the ball we are still a little battered on the offensive line, but we are looking better. I think it is unrealistic to expect our offensive like to completely stop the the Vikings defensive line, but I do think that we are better for having already seen them this year, and we are coming off a confidence building game against the Browns where the line let up no sacks. I think that the Packers need to establish the run to take some pressure off of Aaron Rodgers.

There are a lot of things that I would like to see out of the Packers this weekend and i'm sure a lot of them are easier said than done. I think the main thing is to have a game plan and to stick to it and not become 1 dimensional on offense by only passing the ball. Can't wait for this game!

They are who we thought they were!

Well the Packers rolled on the Browns yesterday. No surprise there. The Packers looked good, but that isn't saying much. I didn't watch the whole game because lets be honest, it was pretty boring, but I thought we looked good. We ran the ball well, we played good defense, we kicked two kickoffs out of bounds! Jermichael Finley went out in the first quarter and I have yet to hear anything about him yet. Finley could be a huge loss if he doesn't play against the Vikings this weekend as he has become a great target for Aaron Rodgers.

It is going to be interesting to see how the Packers play this weekend against the Vikings coming off of two games against Pee Wee teams. A part of me thinks that having a Bye, playing the Lions and the Browns will give the Packers some confidence and be able to get in the groove of things so we can tackle the toughest part of our schedule coming up. The other part of me thinks that maybe the easy games we have played recently will let the Packers grow complacent and think that we are better than we actually are coming into what I consider our biggest game of the season given the Packers and Vikings records.

At this point, and i'm sure my thoughts will change over throughout the week, I think that the Packers need to again focus on stopping Adrian Peterson like we did the first time we played them, and second we need to be concerned with Brett Favre. I think that AP needs to be stopped if the Packers want a chance. I think that Brett has been playing very well to this point and he is due for a bad game. That being said, if he has as much time to throw the ball as he did in the first meeting, he will tear us apart like he did the first time. Our defense will need to play their best and our offense has to keep up on the scoreboard. I look forward to this game and can't wait to see what happens when Brett runs out of that tunnel.

Game Day!!!

Hello everyone. And by everyone I mean our two faithful followers, AKA the writers of this blog! Well I have heard that they are still waiting for the Brown fans to show up to the stadium as the majority of the fans at the Cleveland Stadium are Packer Backers.

Jordy Nelson is out, one of the beat writers for the Milwaukee Journal says that B.J. Raji is gonna play but it doesn't seem like his ankle is 100% yet.

The offensive line also remains unhealthy this week as Clifton is inactive and Mark Tausher is inactive. I think that its a good week to have some guys banged up considering that the Browns are just a bad team and they get very little pressure on the QB.

I will really be watching to see who Aaron Rodgers targets today and if Greg Jennings will pick his game up. To this point it seems as though Donald Driver is who Rodgers looks to most often. Maybe because he runs shorter routes and is easier to get the ball to when Rodgers is under pressure. I also am really liking the way that Jermichael Finley has played so far this year. I think that if he keeps it up he could be one of the premiere receiving TE in the league and he will be around for a long time to come as its only his 2nd year in the league.

Bottom line, I think this is a good opportunity for the Packers to be successful, and I think we should expect a blowout in this one. The more important games are the other divisional games as both the Bears and the Vikings could potentially get beat this weekend, making the Packers look a lot better moving forward. Only time will tell.

T.J. Lang to start against Browns

Rookie tackle T.J. Lang is slated to start this weekend for the Browns. He has stepped in the last couple games when Clifton has gotten injured and from what I remember he did a decent job. This is not a sexy story, but it could be a picture of things to come and it will show us what we can expect out of Lang in the future. Lets just hope that he looks good and can improve the line. All I know is that I hope I don't hear much talk about Lang on Sunday, because when you are an offensive lineman they only talk about you when you get beat. I know from back in my days with the Florida Tuskers!

What have I missed?

Well this is my first post in a while because I had some issues getting my wireless router to work. Needless to say, I ended up buying a new wireless router. So I'm just going to rant a bit about what's been going on with the Packers.

First of all, the Packer veterans are coming out of the woodwork! Packers bring back veteran lineman Mark Tauscher. Packers bring back veteran running back Ahman Green. Its a big story for no reason. They aren't going to help us very much so I'm going to move on.

The Packers play the Browns this weekend, it should be a cake walk...but, there are no free wins in the NFL.

Donald Driver broke Sterling Sharpe's Packer record for most all-time receptions. Good for him, he deserves it. Not only did he break the record, but he has been playing great and looks like the #1 receiver at this point for the Packers.

The Vikings are playing the defending champion Steelers and the Bears have the Bengals. This could be a big weekend for the Packers if both of our division rivals were to get beaten. The Vikings would be just 1 win ahead of us and we would be able to settle the score and the lead in the conference the next week when the Queens come to Lambeau.

I think the Packers need to start playing better if they wish to do anything this season. The offensive line isn't very good, but we have to work around that. It is essential that we get the running game going and take some pressure off Aaron Rodgers. There are often times when I am watching him and he looks extremely nervous dropping back for passes. The defense is playing well, but we have the meat and potatoes of our schedule coming up and it would be great to get our shit together playing the cupcake teams so we are rolling into the games against the tougher teams. Only time will tell.

Ahman Green & Gold

The Packers re-signed veteran and 2nd all-time leading rusher for the Green & Gold this week. I'm intrigued by the move, but I believe it's a good one...or at least the idea is good. The packers have had the youngest roster in the NFL for 4 years running and although it's a talented group, when someone gets hurt the youth of this team shows. I don't think that the impact of Ahman Green will be seen directly on the field on Sundays, but it does provide a solid 3rd down back with great hands coming out of the backfield and more importantly it provides veteran leadership to help develop young players like Brandon Jackson, DeSean Wynn, and even Ryan Grant.

The fact is that this team needs to make more moves like this and the signing of Tauscher. Not necessarily to start, but to provide depth and reliability. These guys aren't going to wow you with their play, but they've proven that they can do the job sufficiently enough.

There are still question marks on these guys (Green & Tauscher) as far as their health and ability to keep up with the game at their age (early to mid 30s). But regardless, I think it's good that Thompson is realizing that there is a need for veteran leadership on this team...even if it comes from the bench.

GO PACK!

Optimism: Let's Give It a Try

Here's an interesing article from packersnews.com. I like the positive thoughts. Let's face it, we're 2-2, and bye week adjustments and the return of Atari Bigby could be the boost this Packer team needed to get back into the NFC North divisional race.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20091015/PKR07/91015152/1058/PKR01&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL

GO PACK!

Tauscher back in Green and Gold?

Long time Green Bay Packer and Wisconsin native worked out with the Packers today after being let go this offseason following knee surgery. Rumors say that he is close to a deal with the Packers. I think that Tauscher will provide much needed support on our offensive line if he is healthy and in shape. It was clear against the Vikings on Monday night that our offensive line is just a pathetic group of professional athletes and I’m glad that the Packers are addressing the concern. Let’s be honest though, we just played the top team in our conference and got sacked 8 times!!! Way to be proactive Green Bay front office! This situation is like a car window that gets hit by a pebble and gets a small crack…if you take your car in right away to get the crack fixed, they can do it without replacing the window and you save some money; if you wait, the crack spreads and you then have a shattered window!! The Packers let their window shatter and although we are working to pick up the pieces, the Packers did not address the concern early enough and now we are two games back in the division and have a lot of work left to do.

Packers-Vikings: What happened?

I want Ted Thompson’s head…and I’m serious! Hate is a strong word…and I feel strongly about the way I hate the Vikings. But let me explain myself…

I’m not angry about the way Favre was dealt with last year or that he’s not on the Packers. The quarterback was not the reason for last night’s loss. I am angry about the way our offensive and defensive lines are playing. These are the most critical positions for a championship team. You have to be able to protect your quarterback and put pressure on the one you’re playing against. This is something the Packers have been unable to do for some time now. Rodgers was sacked 8 times last night…EIGHT! And he was hit several other times. I counted 2 times that anyone in a white jersey was even close to Favre last night. Kampman hit him once, but it was still a completed pass, and Woodson tipped a ball on a corner blitz, which was also a completed pass. It’s a miracle that we actually had a shot at tying the game at the end.

Thompson has been the GM for 5 years now. That’s plenty of time to build a solid offensive and defensive line. The problem is that he is not willing to sign free agents. How do you think the queens got their lines to be so good? FREE AGENCY! I’m sorry but there is no way to stay competitive in the NFL without utilizing the free agent market. If Thompson doesn’t realize that, then we need to get someone else in there that does. I’m fine with using the draft for skill players and grooming future starters under proven veterans, but you have to have those veterans on your roster to groom the rookies. That’s my 2 cents on Thompson. Now on to last night’s game…

Things I didn’t like:

- Seeing Jared Allen obliterate our right tackles all game
- Seeing Favre in a purple jersey
- Counting to 10 while watching #4 sit in the pocket and just wait for one of his receivers to get open because there was no pass rush – even the best corners in the world can’t cover a receiver that long every play
- Aaron Kampman getting no pass rush from his standing position - he was much better as a 4-3 defensive end
- Packers receivers dropping very catchable balls (especially the ones in the end zone)
- Greg Jennings still not producing – 3 catches, 31 yds
- Turnovers (Int, Fumble, Downs, Safety)

Things I did like:

- Aaron Rodgers making plays with his feet – scrambling and throwing on the run for 386 yards and a 110+ passer rating
- BJ Raji in the lineup
- Holding Adrian Peterson to 55 yards on 25 carries *see #2
- Jermichael Finley finally breaking out – 6 catches, 128 yds, TD
- Donald Driver passing Sterling Sharpe as the Packers’ all-time leader in receptions
- That there was still a chance to tie the game with less than a minute left in the 4th quarter

The season isnt over at 2-2, but we need improvement from the offensive and defensive lines if we want to be anything more than mediocre. GO PACK!

How Should We as Packer Fans Feel about Favre?

I read a lot of Packer blogs and see a lot of mixed emotions about the once beloved #4 of hte green and gold. There are those out there who still root for Favre even though he's wearing purple, there are those who have stripped their walls of the posters that reflect his image, and then there are those who don't know what to think. I, personally, fall into the second group.

I read an article today on espn.com about how former Packer players feel about Favre playing for the Viqueens, and none of them like it one bit! That to me, leads me to believe that I am in the right by seeing him as a traitor. Players like Jerry Kramer, Fuzzy Thurston, and LeRoy Butler all share the same stance as me. His legacy as a Packer has been tarnished!

TAKEN FROM ESPN.COM

"Sorry Brett. You're on the other side now," said LeRoy Butler, who played with Favre on the 1996 Super Bowl winners, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
"It's not just another person that walked away, it's Brett, whom we all loved and admired and thought the world of, and now he's on the dastardly Vikings," added Jerry Kramer, a guard on Vince Lombardi's back-to-back Super Bowl winners, according to the report.
"The only thing that could be worse for me is the Bears, and I don't know if that would be worse," Kramer said, according to the report. "Brett Favre wearing a Vikings uniform playing the Packers? That's about as bad as it gets."

Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesPackers fans hoped they'd never see Brett Favre in Vikings colors. They'll see a lot more of it Monday night.
Whether they like it or not, Packers fans and ex-players will face the reality of seeing Favre's No. 4 jersey in Minnesota Vikings purple on ESPN's "Monday Night Football." The Chicago Bears may be the Packers' oldest NFL rivals, but the Vikings are the team many Packers players and fans love to hate.
"When you switch to the Vikings, that's the one team you hate and hate's a strong word," said Butler, according to the Journal Sentinel. "That's the one thing you dislike. You enjoy beating the Bears, it's a great rivalry. But when you play the Vikings -- Hatfield and McCoys, that's how it is. All the rules go out. You have to beat them. It's a must-win game. You can live with splitting with Chicago. You can't live and you can't sleep losing to the Vikings."

Sure, he'll go down in the record books for having all the records, he'll still be a first ballot hall-of-famer, but all of us who grew up watching and idolizing him will never be able to look at him the same way.

That's why when he runs onto the field (or should I say astro turf) on Monday night, I will be booing at my TV screen. GO PACK!