The schedule gods were kind to the Packers this preseason, giving a regular dose of high intensity preseason football for 4 consecutive Thursdays. Not since The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers, and Night Court have I been this excited for must see TV (or computer monitor) on a Thursday night for weeks at a time. If only it could last forever.

It is week 3 of the preseason, which is generally regarded aqs the dress rehearsal for the regular season.  The Packers starters (those who aren’t injured anyways) are expected to play the entire first half. The same holds true for the Bengals, as both teams will finally be able to see what 30 minutes of somewhat non vanilla flavored football may look like. Chants of “Go Pack Go!” from the Packer faithful will take on a somewhat more meaningful tone tonight, as this game counts for something. Kind of anyways.

And of course, there is the second half of the game to look forward to, which will include the sub plots of “Will Graham Crack Under Pressure?” and “Will Anyone Pronounce Curenski Gilleylen Properly?” as the battle to see who will make the final 53 takes over the game.

Much like last week, there is a plethora of “5 things to look for during tonight’s game” posts currently circulating the inter webs. I like to be a little different, so once again I am giving the world the 4 things I am not looking for during tonight’s game:

1-Cedric Benson: He’s the starter. It should not even be a question at this point. He was signed for a reason, and that reason is to start. In his Packers debut tonight against his former team, he could rush 20 times for -65 yards, and come tomorrow morning, he will still be the starter. I am not paying attention to his stats one bit. Instead, I may pay attention to how James Starks does, as we may be seeing his days as a Packer come to an end quickly. Oh that’s right, he’s been ruled out. Like I said, Cedric is the starter.

2-Mason Crosby: He missed a field goal last week. Normally I would have jumped all over the chance to complain about this, but it’s preseason. I’ve made every effort not to get upset about how the Packers have played because it is the preseason. He can miss every field goal or extra point attempt tonight if he wants. Squib every kickoff intentionally just for the hell of it. As long as Mason is ready come Week 1 against the 49ers, he gets a pass.

3-Graham Harrell: This is someone who I should be paying attention to tonight, but I won’t. Based on his performances the first two preseason games, it is clear that he is not ready to be a number 2 QB. He may someday, but not this year. Maybe it is because he missed an entire offseason last year because of the lockout. Perhaps it is because the two preseason games are the first time he has been showcased on the field (remember the Packers had Matt Flynn last year as the backup to Rodgers). Or maybe it’s because he just isn’t that good. Whatever the case is, he is not the person I want backing up Aaron Rodgers this year. Any game action he gives tonight is just killing time before the Packers make the move to make B.J. Coleman the number two QB out of camp, or go out and sign a free agent before the start of the regular season. Harrell may have received a vote of confidence from Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy, and Aaron Rodgers in the past week, but that will not mean anything if he struggles again tonight.

4-Jermichael Finley: Always a target ranging from passes to criticism from fans, Finely was expected to play tonight after missing the Browns game with a quad injury. He was with the team in Cincinnati when he tweeted ”A blessing has came into the world! #BabyFin.” His wife Courtney later tweeted “London Dash William Finley is here! So blessed and complete. Thank you all for your blessings.We couldn’t be happier. ” Jermichael is headed back to Green Bay and will not be playing in tonight’s contest. Congrats to the Finleys on the arrival of their son. Packers fans will  have to wait another week for the return on Jermichael to the lineup.

There you have it, the 4 things I won’t be looking for during tonight’s game. I eagerly await the playing of either “We Are the Champions” if the Packers win, or a slow funeral procession if they were to drop to 0-3 in the meaningless preseason schedule.

Go Pack Go!

Okay, so this is probably the most difficult game to get excited about. The final preseason game. If you took all the fourth quarters from the previous games you still probably would have a more interesting game than this entire game. But nonetheless, I am not complaining. I love watching football, I love watching the Packers and I will be sitting there, watching the game until the last second ticks off.

But let’s not kid ourselves. This game will probably not be pretty. And while I can mock it all I want, and struggle (and I DO mean struggle) to find things to look for in this game, I was reminded today about how big of a day it actually is.

With almost every team playing tonight, and as the last game before final cuts, the game is crucial for bubble players. The Packers have a pretty solid core roster; there’s not a ton of spots that are up for grabs. Less than an hour ago, one of those bubble players, Davon House – a player that all of Cheesehead Radio has making the final 52 + 1 – tweeted,

devo_31 

Today can make me or break me. Let get it!

It’s a big reminder, this game is about people trying to make our team, and if they can’t do that, trying to make any team or practice squad.

So, in my attempts to take tonight’s game seriously, here’s my list of things to watch:

1. No injuries. Against my better judgment, Rodgers will be on the field for a drive or two tonight. So starters, run around a little and then go sit down, away from sideline action (don’t want anyone running into you), play some cards, tell jokes or something. But also important on the injury front, I really hope that none of the bubble players get hurt. Nothing harder to watch than a guy fight and fight for his dream to have it ended by an ankle.
2. There are soooooo many, almost too many, people currently on the roster in “ball catching” rolls. We’re stacked there. Will Cobb return from his knee bruises? Will it be Gurley or West? Will all the tight ends make it through the weekend? I expect the Packers to keep 6 WRs, with the out man being Gurley. But tonight will play a big role for them. Whoever has the better game has a leg up. The interesting wrinkle happens if they both have a good game. Will the Packers try to keep both? And if not, will the one cut make it through waivers to end up on the Packers practice squad?
3. The secondary is the Packers weakest spot on the team depth wise. Holdovers from past seasons, like Lee, Underwood, and Peprah have not done enough this preseason to solidify their roster spots. And at the same time, there hasn’t a run of great plays from newer guys to take over their roles. MD Jennings, Gorgy and Ross have all had flashes of potential, but will they be able to convert tonight’s game into a spot?
4. Like the secondary, the linebackers need to step up. I’m definitely most interested tonight in watching the back part of the defense, and really hoping that someone calms the little waves of nervousness in my belly.
5. Will Ricky Elmore find anything?
6. What kind of facial hair will Rodgers be sporting?
7. Will there be a difference in the type of play calling since Philbin not McCarthy will be calling the plays?
8. What does MM look like when he’s actually watching the players?
9. Can Graham Harrell amaze us all by remembering where the line of scrimmage is again?
10. And lastly, how will the field be painted?

As you can tell, I kind of ran out of actual things to watch for…but I think the other options are fun too!

See you all in the game day live blog!

As the teams now have an additional week of practice under their belts, here’s what I’d like to see tonight:

1. Can Bush or Lee separate themselves and show that they can have more than good practices?

2. Will Alex Green be able to “go in motion” aka take over Nance’s spot on the roster?

3. So, um, who’s going to play D line? In a more serious note, what is the Packers plan besides Neal to make up for the loss of Cullen Jenkins? Who can step up behind Neal? Or will it be more of a rotation adjustment?

4. Can Cobb have a repeat performance? Will he be the nail in the Swain coffin?

5. There’s that whole thing at linebacker…again, who will separate themselves?

6. Lang or Sherrod, will the carousel countinue?

7. Speaking of the O line, what the deuce is up with the guy who sounds like a German Beer and Newhouse?? And can anyone lower on the depth chart help Harrell stay on his feet?

8. Tight Ends, are five worth keeping?

9. No INJURIES!!!

and an additional one for the Cards… 10. Who the hell is Kevin Kolb??

What will you be looking for tonight? Share your thoughts here, and come chat with me and fans from all corners of the globe on the Cheesehead TV Game Day blog.

It can be a rather fun, and sometime infuriating time. The afternoon drive time slot is filled with a rotation of three different announcers. Mo – the recent doubter, Lance – the banging on the table guy, and Chick – the one who calls everyone stud. I’m sure it comes to no surprise to Packers fans, or fans of football in general, that what is going on with the Bengals is absolute chaos (with a little hilarity mixed in). On the days that Mo is on the air, we laugh about the Bengals and how silly the organization is. He thinks it would be completely hysterical and wonderful if Carson Palmer decided the show up at some point, just to mess with the team. Lance changes opinions a lot; I think that’s from all the table banging. And Chick, Chick spent the last two times he was on air, chastising Bengals fans for not believing. His argument being that at this point, when nothing has happened yet, there’s really no price to pay for having hope. Caller after caller tried to explain that their twenty years of hoping was the price they already paid and that they were done, but Chick just called them Stud and wasn’t hearing it. The next day, my boss walked in and told me that I should get on board the Bengals train, because it was leaving the station (seriously). For the life of me, after the repeated abuse, I can’t see why anyone would still be out there hoping and believing that this Bengals season could turn out well, but it got me thinking.

So as I was sitting, bored, pondering pre-season expectations and predictions, I noticed a tweet from an oft opinionated and fully dedicated Packers fan, David aka Midwestfan.

While I’m glad football is back, I don’t look forward to four weeks of people overreacting to meaningless games.

And while, as I’m trying to morph into a more analytical fan, I do agree with him, but there has to be a happy medium.

Training camp and preseason is a time for joy, like the night before Christmas (or select other religious holiday or important day – we’re all inclusive here at EMC). You’ve been waiting for this, for months, through grueling hot days when non-important baseball is played and sometimes there’s some golf thing on TV. Finally, football is back. And being a diehard fan, I find it almost impossible to not jump for joy and see massive potential at even the slightest things. But then somewhere, the reality that it’s just August and we’re half a year away from crowning another Super Bowl champ sinks in.

Preseason games aren’t dress rehearsals, they’re tests. They exist to check plays, player formations and to stretch before games count, but mostly they’re rubrics for grading new guys.

So I say to my Cincinnati Bengals fan friends, and to my fellow Packer lovers, optimism is okay. Live in it, love it. I can hope and believe my team will repeat as Super Bowl champs and you can hope your team might have a winning season. It’s natural, and dare I say, I even encourage the excitement about potential. But before we go twisting our ankles jumping up and down after a sweet pass in practice or the defense intercepting the other teams third string quarter back, remember the scores don’t count. What counts are players’ reactions to adversity, noticed growth from game one to game four, and the solidification of the depth chart. And what matters is that no one gets hurt.

So save up some of that over excitement. As we like to say a lot around these parts, “whole lotta ball game left.”

Packers 59 Colts 24

Watch highlights of the game HERE.

Watch Finley’s touchdown HERE.

Quick Hits

We seriously suck opening games. I know a lot of guys are out. Still.

I heard a lot of talk about game planning for this game. Was that all just a lie?

Loved seeing Ryan Grant pound it early.

Driver. Our offense is awesome.

Raji with a nom nom (thanks Dale).

Nice job reading the reverse this week.

Shut up about the stupid rule change. Peyton Manning is a baby.

According to Jon Gruden, Dorsey Levens tore it up tonight. Hilarious.

The Packer run defense is as good as their pass defense is bad. I love hate it.

I am slightly concerned about Tramon Williams.

More screens to Jackson please. To anyone. I love them. Nice work.

Rodgers hanging in there and taking one with a throw to Finley was awesome. Ringo.

Stupid play Barnett.

When Caper dials it up, we win. Period. By the way, Mike Neal rules.

Welcome to the bigs Morgan Burnett.

Why does no one ever realize that Driver is going to make “the move?”

I was just about to say something nice about Brandon Jackson.

Sorry Nelson guys, Jones is the clear number three.

They seriously played YMCA?

Feeling better about Flynn tonight.

Harrell is getting closer and closer to getting a sack. Bustin’ Justin I’m rooting for ya.

Again, what is up with all the helmets flying off this year?

Daryn Colledge didn’t suck.

Sam Shields, this years big question. Boy, I could be wrong.

MVP

Aaron Rodgers

Bottom line, the team started slow and looked downright awesome after the first quarter. I haven’t been this excited in quite some time. Bring on the cuts. Please let Jarrett Bush be one of them.

Packers 27 Seahawks 24

Watch highlights HERE.

Watch Martin’s ejection HERE.

Quick Hits

Nice to see us come out with a stop and a touchdown right away.

Not so much on the ensuing 55-yard kickoff return by the Seahawks. I am officially now hollering for Slocum to go.

Greg Jennings is a superstar.

I could watch Aaron Rodgers throw deep all day, every day.

Ryan Grant is doing a much better job of adjusting to a closed hole.

I don’t know what to say about Finley anymore. Just completely unstoppable.

The young corners looked terrible in the first half. Seriously, Bush is a lost cause. Why do I keep having to say that?

Desmond Bishop was fairly unimpressive.

We could have had Leon Washington, just sayin’.

I noticed Jordy was playing the fourth man.

Bulaga had a nice game, again.

Will Blackmon does make me feel a lot more comfortable. Nice to see him in there. On punts. He sucked on defense. Really sucked.

Wow, Derrick Martin got ejected? Ejected? Wow, just wow. It sounds like he threw a couple of punches. He could miss time for that.

Breno Giacomini really, really struggled. You have to think he’s gone now.

Mike Neal is already getting triple teams. Nice.

The jury is still out on Morgan Burnett through week two.

Who turned on Brandon Jackson? I like it.

Quinn Johnson WILL make this team. Mark it down. Right here. 8.20.10

Justin Harrell played. Guess his back is fine Vandermause.

Matt Flynn gets a reluctant pass from me in the suck department this week.

I have said Sam Shields would never make this team. I still say that.

Mason Crosby sucks huh? I also said he would be just fine.

MVP

Greg Jennings

Bottom line, half of the first team didn’t even get on the plane for the trip. If you want to sit and bitch about scrubs, we certainly can. But I’ve already moved on. Again, the only thing that is going to beat this team is mental mistakes. We made a bunch of them.

Bring on the Colts.

Here are your quick hits.

Packers 24 Browns 27

Watch Aaron Rodgers highlights HERE.

Watch game highlights HERE.

First Half

Love when the game starts by giving up two 17 yard receptions. Nice.

Morgan Burnett made a nice play at the line. Love it. Outside of that, I still need to see more.

I get so sick of watching base in the pre-season.

It took only 6 minutes for the haters to come back. It’s definitely football season.

Wow, one play by the first string offense before a turnover. Just wow.

As of the first quarter, B.J. Raji was getting owned.

I am on the Donald Lee bandwagon.

Greg Jennings rules.

Dude, Aaron Rodgers almost pitched a perfect game. Or, at least a perfect 16 minutes.

The fans in the crowd on the Jennings leap were priceless. Memories were made right there.

Let’s hope that Ryan Grant is not severely injured.

Seriously, why do you refuse to hand the ball off to Jackson? Because he isn’t as good as you keep telling us? Brandon Jackson sucks.

Poppinga didn’t look bad.

Finley is an extreme beast. If he ever mans up and blocks down field after the catch, he will dominate.

Nice kick by Bryan, boomer of a leg.

I don’t think Sam Shields is going to make the team.

Justin Harrell almost looked studly.

Mike Neal played well too.

Matt Flynn does nothing.

The new hats suck.

Second Half

Quinn “Pom Pons” Porter was a cheerleader? Wow.

James Jones showing why he is the real number three.

Sorry, but Nelson dropped that touchdown, flag or not.

I am slowly starting to jump on the “Slocum has to go” bandwagon.

It is apparent we are much deeper on defense.

Justin Harrell continues to impress.

Donald Driver: “When game time calls, I’m ready to play.”

Advantage Byran.

The decision at fullback is going to be tough. Quinn Johnson can blow up a hole.

You can call the third quarter the Kregg Lumpkin show. It got poor ratings from me.

We need serious help on punt returns. If Will doesn’t get in there, we are in trouble.

The special teams were beyond god-awful. That’s my new beef. Get used to it.

Shut up about how filling Jolly’s shoes is so hard to do. Please.

As usual, Jarrett Bush should not be on the field for real plays.

Aaron Rodgers… air guitar hero.

Overall, I think the Browns came out a little more ready to play than the Packers expected. Quite simply, it’s something that we have to stop doing and stop doing now. All the pieces are in place. Now you bring the spirit and the mental adjustments.

The 2010 Packers can only beat themselves. Period.

There is no doubt that I have been overly critical and obsessive about getting a backup quarterback into Green Bay. After watching other admirable performances turned in this week by the likes of John Kitna and (gasp) Rex Grossman, there is no doubt that having an experienced veteran quarterback shows on the field. Something Matt Flynn has yet to prove to me.

This burden of proof was not enhanced on Family Night either. Flynn looked pedestrian, and the throw that was ultimately picked off by Sam Shields was terrible. Seriously, from the time the ball left Flynn’s hands, I swear I could have eaten two burrito’s, some chips, a moon pie, and then washed it down with a gallon milk before the ball got there. He was late and slow, something that you don’t improve on without real experience.

I wish Matt Flynn the best of luck tonight, but he needs to show the Packer’s coaching staff something. We all know the Packers are loaded on offense. We also know that if Aaron Rodgers goes down we are in a world of hurt.

Is Matt Flynn a guy that can lead a championship roster to a winning season? Tonight’s game will be crucial in starting to answer that question. Expect an outcry on Sunday if things go south.

Kudos to Mike McCarthy and Dom Capers for somehow convincing the entire Packer team that last Sunday’s game was a preseason game.

Well, the Packers finally got the quality win that they so desperately needed—their first since the win over the Bears in week one. In between, there was a surprising—but in hindsight, not so bad—loss to the Bengals, two humiliating losses to the Vikings, and an inexplicable loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On the plus side, there were wins against the Rams, Lions, and Browns—three of the worst teams in the league.

What are we to make of all this? It beats the heck out of me. The most encouraging thing is that the defense just played its best game of the season by far. The Cowboys may be notoriously undisciplined and poorly coached, but there’s no denying that they are loaded with talent, and they beat the Packers convincingly in Green Bay last year. So maybe this is progress.

Watching the defense get home on blitz after blitz, I was reminded of those warm summer nights when the Packers were the kings of the NFL preseason. I’ve always thought that, if you know what to look for, the NFL preseason can provide some useful clues about how the regular season is going to play out, but whatever remained of that belief was smashed to bits by this year’s Packer team, as their preseason momentum evaporated almost immediately when September rolled around. It got me to wondering what the most important differences are between the preseason and the regular season. Beyond the obvious difference that the starters don’t play as much in the preseason, there are two factors that stand out: game planning and motivation.

Of course, teams do not game plan nearly as much during the preseason as they do when the games count. This is actually one of the things I like about preseason football. I enjoy watching the one-on-one matchups. I often think that all of the complicated schemes employed by NFL teams may actually detract from our enjoyment of the sport. But the significance of preseason game planning (or lack thereof) for this year’s Packers is that the team’s starters seemed to match up well athletically against all of their opponents–heck, even Allen Barbre showed an ability to block pass rushers–yet when the real scheming began, the Packers suddenly looked like the same sorry team that took the field in 2008. This would not appear to reflect well on the coaching staff.

The struggles of the defense in the regular season have been less surprising than the struggles of the offense. In the preseason the Packers blitzed way more than most teams do, simply because they needed to practice their blitzes. It was expected that opposing teams would be better prepared to handle the blitzes in the regular season. But the decline of the offense has been a little harder to figure out. And maybe that’s where motivation comes in. Nobody is fully motivated during the preseason—or at least they shouldn’t be—but the regular season is what separates the teams that want to win from the teams that REALLY want to win.

On this web site, Jersey Al was quick to question Mike McCarthy’s ability to motivate his players when the Packers began to falter. I was initially skeptical. I’ve always been inclined to let the season play out before passing judgment on coaches and GM’s anyway. But after watching the Packers get kicked around by the Vikings at Lambeau Field, in a game where they HAD to play their best and clearly did not, then watching them crumble up and blow away in the fourth quarter in Tampa, I had to admit that Al may have been onto something. This win against the Cowboys at least gives us some hope, however.

Maybe the motivation needed to come from the players rather than the coaching staff. I would prefer to have a coach who can lift the team’s spirits almost singlehandedly, but if we don’t have that kind of coach, the players need to do it themselves. And maybe that’s what happened in the “Come to Jesus” team meeting after the loss to Tampa Bay. I wouldn’t bet on this new attitude having any staying power, but at least for now, it gives the team something to hang its hat on going into Sunday’s matchup against the 49ers. Maybe the Packers have finally recaptured some of that spark that they seemed to have in August. It seems like that was a long, long time ago.  

Opening day is nearly here. The anticipation has never been greater. Enjoy the emotion of the waiting for that first kickoff. Until then…

… we are still undefeated.

… we are going to the Superbowl.

… Aaron Rodgers is the MVP of the league.

… our fantasy teams are all the winners.

… Greg Jennings is greater than Randy Moss.

… Ryan Grant is going to rush for 2,000 yards.

… the defense is the next best thing since the steel curtain.

… Will Blackmon is the next Devin Hester.

… B.J. Raji is the next Gilbert Brown.

… Aaron Kampman is the next Kevin Greene.

… you are eerily sober.

… your grill calls your name one more time.

… you wait with unbridled anticipation for the next five months of heaven.

… we are all happy.

… until then.

Damn, I have a butt load of homework today. But, that doesn’t mean there isn’t time to suck down a Six Pack. Six Packer related stories that are catching my eye.

The Six Pack

1. He says he doesn’t hate Quinn Johnson but the truth is Carriveau does. Just when you thought it was over, the man at the Rail has continued right where he left off after the draft.

“But boy, I sure would like that fifth round draft choice back. Were the Packers in such bad shape at the fullback position when they went ahead and drafted Johnson?”

Brian, you keep saying you don’t hate Quinn, but at the same time you wish we had taken someone else. That doesn’t make sense to me. I understand you were a big Tyrell Sutton fan, but I don’t think that makes drafting Quinn a mistake. Who knows, perhaps Quinn made Sutton look good. Stop hating on the mighty Quinn.

2. I got an interesting Favre tidbit in the mailbox this week. It seems wearing a Favre jersey to a Brewers game is not advised. Now, I don’t condone this type of fan behavior, but keep it up. Secondly, if you are the guy who was supposed to email me a picture, I didn’t get it. Please try again.

3. I know it’s a little early for the Titletown awards, but I officially cast my vote for my favorite blog Packer Ranter. Again, if you aren’t reading Packer Ranter you are missing out. A gem like this, is extremely hard to find.

4. In case you missed it, Bears fans are staying super classy as always.

5. Packer Update seems to have an inside ear to the coaching staff again. According to their made up and unverified sources:

“The coaches are confident that Jarius Wynn has what it takes to start at DE next season. That’s how impressive the rookie was this summer.”

I guess one has to consider that some pretty good news, if it’s actually true.

6. Finally, it’s not looking good for rookie B.J. Raji to be playing in the opener. Raji, who is suffering from an ankle injury didn’t test out very well yesterday. According to Mike McCarthy:

“It did not go as well as we would have hoped.”

There is a silver lining in that Johnny Jolly has been playing lights out, but if this trend continues, it could seriously come back to bite the Packers in the rear end.

Hello Lounge, this is Mr. Bacon. I would like to reflect on our Packers‘ pre-season.

This season promises to give us the fix we need, as winter rolls into our country during a harsh economic climate in which people are losing their jobs. It’s a great way to forget about our troubles for three hours.

The NFL itself is going through a crisis, as the collective bargaining agreement looks to fall in 2010. Not to mention there is a real possibility that the ghosts of Lambeau will not be reawakened in 2011. To top that off, our brothers in Minnesota, whom we tolerate with their childish antics but not their stupid air horn, might leave the state, although it is just a rumor right now.

That is in the future, and this is now.

On Sunday, the first game of the Aaron Rodgers era begins. I say this because we all know that Rodgers and the team never got a chance to be Packers last year. I am not saying this because of our bad defense, but because the media and fans still connected with Favre as the issue was fresh. Now that we have gotten a full year over the drama, Favre is no longer associated with the present day Packers squad. Instead, he is now a beloved figure who will be always remembered best for marching into the Superdome in Jan of 1997 and helping our team win the Lombardi Trophy.

Now let’s get to the team.

Grant looks to become the #1 RB that Thompson shelled out the money for. Finley looks to become a potential pro-bowl TE as he slowly waits to explode in his second year. Jennings enters this season no longer some no-name kid from WMU connected with Favre’s milestone records, but a growing a WR who is entering the prime of what looks to be a potential Hall of Fame career with first ballot potential. Driver’s days of #1 WR are over, and he takes it with pride. Why should he not, he is surrounded by a solid core, and while Driver is #2, he plays against a #2 CB, which is a mismatch for Driver and his ability to play like a #1. Driver has a very decent chance at making it to Canton himself; he would rather have something else, a ring. Aaron Rodgers is entering his 2^nd full time season, and his story is well known. As the quarterback to study under Favre, he is the first person to arrive and last one to leave. Because of that, he is the heart of the team.

The defense has two aging corners, Harris and Woodson, who even in the twilight of their careers, are still going to be Harris and Woodson. They too look for a ring before it’s time to call it quits. Kampman has gone through the roughest offseason, as his position not only changed but his former high school coach’s life was suddenly taken away. Hawk looks to improve his play, while his bash brother Barnett comes back from ACL Surgery. It might take Barnett a full year to be “Barnett the Terrible” again, but with his teammates around him, he will benefit from not having to do all the work. Barnett would never admit this because he strives to be the best even though he is injured. That’s what a team captain is.

Some coaches are back, as McCarthy is slowly becoming Wisconsin’s best McCarthy, ever. Bob Sanders has been canned, and we get Dom “MacGyver” Capers. He is somehow able to combine a bad defense, a Gatorade cooler, a tub of OxyClean, and turn it into a top 5 defense. Finally, we have Kevin Greene, who ironically, looks like a Viking. In fact, he probably is the only Viking in the Norris.

Then there is Ted Thompson.

When you look at Ted Thompson, you think he looks like Ted “Danson In The Dark” Danson. When you hear Ted Thompson, it sounds like he is drunk, slurring his words. When you hear of the decisions Ted Thompson makes, you lose your Armchair GM IQ.

However, I want you readers to do something for me.

Look at the starting lineup, stop for a moment and think.

I want you to think of this one question.

Which one of the starting eleven on offense or defense are a legit starter anywhere in this league, and not a backup? I am not talking about Pro Bowl or Hall of Fame caliber, but rather taking one of our starters, and placing him on a different team. You can see Ryan Grant starting for the Patriots, Bigby for the Cardinals, and Kampman for the Giants.

That is what Ted has done for us. He has done something every GM wishes to do.

Be able to retrofit a franchise for the future.

We have become big dogs in the NFC. Franchises are taking people away from our practice squad or waivers and putting them on their team. It could not have come at a better time because in every football generation there is a power shift from one conference to the other.

The NFC is starting to become the power. Brady no longer has the desire he did for Championships, and Manning is slowly creeping away as the Colts and Patriots are fading with them. Within the next five years, the NFC will have the teams that are awe-inspiring, and the cycle will continue.

Anyone who says don’t be excited about the Packers this year, isn’t a Packer fan. They are football analysts. It’s not because of pessimism either, it’s because when you’re a true Packer fan, you can feel this team has something special about it.

It’s the same feeling a farmer gets when he knows a storm is coming. Somehow he knows how severe it will be and if he needs to go into the Tornado Shelter.

Now an injury might derail the season, like Cullen Jenkins last year.

However, if we stay healthy…

This is the year when Driver and Woodson can walk off in to the sunset with a ring.

This is the year when Aaron Rodgers becomes elite, makes the pro bowl, and rids himself of Favre.

This is the year that when the world news is filled with bad stories; there is a team in Wisconsin who can provide one good one. It’s a team who retains the All-American values that they preach. Traits like good character, not complaining about being paid less than a higher draft pick, the “me-me” image, steroids, and being humble.

This is the year when the spirits of Reggie White, Ray Nitschke, Don Hutson, Vince Lombardi, and Curly Lambeau will look from above Miami and smile.

This is the year where we add a few pounds to the mantle while telling Pittsburgh that even though you have six Super Bowls, we have 13 Overall Championships.

This is the year the Lombardi Trophy is grasped in the hands of the team, and in the hearts of the faithful. In the hands of folks who share their love of the team with their family through the good times and the bad from generation to generation.

We are the fans with the:

So called “awful” color scheme

With the weird foam cheese wedges on our heads

Site of the “leap”

Crown jewel stadium of the league

Team that you’re realistically never going to get season tickets to before you die

Organization that all 31 teams wish they could be

They are the 2009-2010 Green Bay Packers

And like DeNiro said in Casino.

“…and that’s that…”

It’s back to school day which means back to reality for this blogger. But, I thought I would take a brief opportunity to tell you all to Sutt Up.

I can’t believe the number of people who are up in arms over the waiving of Tyrell Sutton. For god sakes, you would think we just let Ladian Tomlinson go.

Tyrell Sutton was a nice story, the same kind of story we hear every year. He was a long shot that showed a couple of flashes. This is hardly a reason to be crowned by Packer nation as the next greatest thing since Dorsey Levens. We let a third or fourth string guy go, get over it.

There have been a long line of Tyrell Sutton’s in year’s past. Samkin Gado, Travis Jersey, and even Jersey Al’s crush Kregg Lumpkin have been heralded. They all made some splashes against the scrubs, but never panned out in the long run. Even if Sutton had made the squad, barring injury, he would have seen the ball just as much as these guys too, which is coincidentally next-to-never.

Picture this, it’s third and one from the two yard line against the Bears. Jackson, still hurt has sat out the whole game. Ryan Grant, gassed from a 35-yard run hits the sidelines for the final play against the Bears. Who do you want coming in?

I tell you what, it’s not Tyrell Sutton. It’s DeShawn Wynn.

Let’s remember to not get excited about a guy who tears it up in the third and fourth quarters of the preseason. We want a player who already knows how to get it done late in a game that actually means something. I personally would not be comfortable with Sutton in the backfield with the contest on the line. Apparently, Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy were not either.

Tyrell Sutton is just starting to write his legacy. DeShawn Wynn has already read the book.

Good luck in Carolina Tyrell.

In the never-ending irony that is the NFL to the real world, Labor Day weekend has brought unemployment to a host of football players throughout the country.

On this weekend that we celebrate the American worker, the Green Bay Packers sent 22 players to the unemployment line. Some may resurface on other teams or on the practice squad, but others will be looking for a new line of work.

First lets look at the Packers’ moves:

Released Saturday

Quarterback Brian Brohm – This really is a different Ted Thompson we are seeing, isn’t it? Starting with his trading up in the draft to take Clay Matthews to more quickly acknowledging mistakes, he seems to have a greater sense of urgency this year (if that phrase even makes sense in the context of describing Ted Thompson).

I had gotten really sick of hearing people say how it was too soon to give up on Brohm and defending his arm over Matt Flynn’s. Brohm can not complete a pass over 10 yards. Brohm is just a bad quarterback. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck…

Having said all this, if Brohm clears waivers, I do think he will be brought back to the practice squad, mostly because he knows the offense.

Safety Anthony Smith – For most people, this was the shocker. Capers just last week indicated he was competing for the starting job with Bigby and now he’s gone. There had to be more to this than just on-the-field performance. Rumors are swirling of attitude issues and not wanting to play special teams. The new acquisition of Derrick Martin from the Ravens sealed his fate.

Wide receiver Ruvell Martin – Certainly a surprise, but his main strength has always been blocking downfield. Despite having good size, the Packers didn’t often utilize Martin in the Red Zone, and now with Jermichael Finley laying claim to that piece of real estate, keeping the more versatile Swain makes sense.

Running back Kregg Lumpkin – Alas, my favorite Packer running back is gone. When the Packers decided to keep 3 fullbacks, his fate was certainly sealed. He has a good chance to get picked up by another team.
Running back Tyrell Sutton – Another real surprise, but again, keeping three fullbacks for their special teams play and Sutton’s own lack of special teams prowess got him sacked. Now, I do think the Packers hope to bring him back to the practice squad. I also think that by releasing Lumpkin at the same time, they hope that Lumpkin draws the attention of other teams and they leave Sutton alone.

Wide receiver Jake Allen – never had a chance.

Wide receiver Kole Heckendorf – A Wisconsin native, he was the surprise WR in camp. I thought it would be Jaron Harris, but Heckendorf outlasted him. Definite practice squad possibility.

Guard/tackle Andrew Hartline - I predicted that an undrafted free agent offensive lineman would make the team, I just picked the wrong one. I thought Hartline would be the guy, but the choice was Evan Dietrich-Smith. Dietrich-Smith’s experience in having played every OL position in college surely was a big factor, but Hartline just never seemed to distinguish himself in camp. He held his own, but didn’t impress and the Packers have too many guards already.

Tackle Jamon Meredith – Drafted as the possible LT of the future, I think the Packers discovered Meredith to be a far bigger project than expected.  They are probably hoping other teams see that as well and let the Packers slip him onto the practice squad.

Linebacker Cyril Obiozor – This was a tough one. He is nowhere near being ready, but he has the perfect size and demeanor to be a good OLB in the NFL. Much patience will be required and with the Packers depth at LB, there was just no room. Word is that other teams are interested, so he may done with the Packers.

Tackle Dane Randolph – Randolph is a really good guy, hard worker, just too green and too inconsistent.
Nose tackle Dean Muhtadi – He was 4th on the nose tackle depth chart and the first one let go. No surprise.

Defensive end Ronald Talley – A project, but the Packers coaches like Talley and will certainly look to add him to the practice squad.

Nose tackle Anthony Toribio – He is the potential nose tackle insurance if something happens to Pickett or Raji. Practice squad for sure.

Defensive end Alfred Malone – Never had much of a chance. Not skilled enough, just a big body.

Linebacker Danny Lansanah – Good guy, good player, just not good enough.

Cornerback Joe Porter – Fastest player on the team, good run defender but not so good in coverage. Underwood has more upside, so he sticks.

Cornerback Trevor Ford – Was just a camp body. Would have been cut sooner if not for the injuries in the secondary and the resting of Woodson and Harris.

Trade

Packers trade OL Tony Moll to the Baltimore Ravens for Safety / cornerback Derrick Martin

A real WIN for Ted Thompson. Getting a usable player back for a guy that was going to get cut anyway is always a good thing. Martin has been a cornerback and just this preseason made the switch to safety. The Ravens were stacked in the secondary and it became a numbers game for him. Just recently, Ravens coach Jim Harbaugh had this to say about Martin:

“The thing about Derrick Martin that’s interesting is, he’s always the same,” Harbaugh said. “Derrick Martin comes out and plays well in every single practice. Then, he lines up in a game and plays well in every single game.

“He plays extremely fast. He’s made the transition from corner to safety. So, he can play both. Derrick Martin is a valuable piece to that secondary. He’s a guy that’s in the mix to make our roster, and he’s earned that. It’s going to be interesting to see how it shakes out, but I think Derrick Martin has played his way, pretty potentially, onto this football team.”

In the end it didn’t work out for Martin in Baltimore, but his acquisition meant the Packers could cut Anthony Smith. Reportedly the Packers have been eyeing Martin for a while and like him better than Smith. Martin is a special teams gunner and can play cornerback or safety. Overall, he seems to offer more value than Smith.

Placed on Injured Reserve:

Defensive end Justin Harrell

Cornerback Pat Lee

Tight end Evan Moore

Safety Charlie Peprah

No surprises here. Harrell and Lee are annual members of the IR club. Peprah will probably get an injury settlement and be let go.

Green Bay Packers 2009 roster as of Sunday Sep 9th (pending more moves)

Quarterbacks (2): Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn.
Halfbacks (3): Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson, DeShawn Wynn.
Fullbacks (3): Korey Hall, John Kuhn, Quinn Johnson.
Receivers (5): Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Brett Swain.
Tight ends (3): Donald Lee, Jermichael Finley, Spencer Havner.
Offensive linemen (9): Chad Clifton, Daryn Colledge, Jason Spitz, Josh Sitton, Allen Barbre, Scott Wells, T.J. Lang, Breno Giacomini, Evan Dietrich-Smith.
Defensive linemen (6): Johnny Jolly, Ryan Pickett, Cullen Jenkins, B.J. Raji, Jarius Wynn, Michael Montgomery.
Linebackers (9): A.J. Hawk, Brady Poppinga, Nick Barnett, Aaron Kampman, Clay Matthews, Brandon Chillar, Desmond Bishop, Brad Jones, Jeremy Thompson.
Defensive backs (10): Atari Bigby, Charles Woodson, Al Harris, Nick Collins, Jarrett Bush, Will Blackmon, Brandon Underwood, Aaron Rouse, Tramon Williams, Derrick Martin.
Specialists (3): Mason Crosby, Jeremy Kapinos, Brett Goode.

Some Quick Comments

The Packers will look to carry a QB on the practice squad. Brohm will be taken back if he’s not claimed. Could this be the opportunity for a veteran signing (like Jeff Garcia)?

3 Fullbacks: It was essentially an impossible decision to pick one to let go, so the Packers decided to keep them all and only carry 2 QBs and 3 RBs. Considering Kuhn and Hall’s special teams contributions and Johnson’s potential bright future, I’m fine with keeping all three.

Offensive Line: Giacomini probably doesn’t deserve to be there, but with the trade of Tony Moll, the Packers are thin in the tackle department. It has been sugggested by several Packers writers and bloggers that the Packers may look to bring back Mark Tauscher (if healthy) after all.

Defensive Line: I wish the Packers had a better option for that last backup spot than Michael Montgomery, but alas they don’t. Vonnie Holliday was just signed by Denver, so that possibilty is over. This could be a position where the Packers may look to claim a late camp cut from another team. Someone who is a more prototypical 3-4 DE than Montgomery.

I’m sure there is still some tweaking to be done, as Ted Thompson is certainly scouring the waiver wire right now looking for ways to improve the roster. The next few days will likely bring a few more changes. What do you think they could be?

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

There plenty of opinions floating around after yesterday’s cut list. Everyone and their brother seems to have one. Here’s what some of those folks along with yours truly are sayin’.

Aaron Nagler

The esteemed Mr. Nagler has actually been making some keen and intelligent observations. Yeah, I know, I couldn’t believe it either. Anyway, two things coming out of Nagler’s trap yesterday really made me think. First, was Mr. Nagler’s comment that the Packers could be paving the way for the return of Mark Tauscher. It’s a great thought, and I sincerely hope he is right. I was surprised at the amount of lineman the team let go yesterday, and knowing in the back of your mind that Tauscher is coming around would make perfect sense. For once, I hope Nagler is right on this one.

Secondly, he was the first guy I heard mention Jeff Garcia. Shortly thereafter, the clamoring began. I will take this moment to throw my hat into the Jeff Garcia ring. I think it would be a wise move, and one I have called for since the off-season. Bring in Garcia.

It is also notable that Nagler did a pretty nice job on his own cut list.

Brian Carriveau

Sorry Carriveau, you had to be shocked after the Sutton cut went down, especially after writing this:

“Sutton is also “set in stone.” Maybe he needs to work on pass protection some, but he absolutely deserves to have a job in the NFL. If the Packers cut him, they’re nuts.”

I was a little shocked at the Sutton move myself, but you see it every year. Someone really shines in the preseason (Gado) and people start going third string crazy all of a sudden. Did he show some flashes? Yes. Was he a superstar in the making? I highly doubt it. How long Sutton remains out of a job, will go a long way into determining what the rest of the NFL talent evaluators really think of the young man.

Jersey Al

Oh Al, your Lumpkin crusade has officially ended in defeat. You made some hardcore pleas here and here but it wasn’t meant to be. You did however manage to win our bet about the UFA’s, with the signing of Deitrich-Smith. Congratulations, your signed and autographed picture of Dale Z in a g-string is on its way.

What I’m Sayin’

I thought they would keep Brohm for sure, although I am hardly disappointed. I have been advocating a veteran backup since before the draft. Now it looks like that door may have been opened a little bit. That’s fine with me.

It really surprised me that Ruvell Martin got cut. I thought he was a lock. Not because of his talent, but with his off the field chemistry with Aaron Rodgers. I understand that Swain might give the teeny tiniest bit of an upgrade, but professional or not, you have to assume Aaron Rodgers isn’t all that happy. I don’t like this move at all.

I don’t think there was anyone not surprised by the Smith cut and this includes me. I thought the guy played his way onto the team. It will be interesting to see what the underlying story is. Maybe the guy was just a turbo douche. If so, let’s hope Derrick Martin is a horse a piece.

Which leaves us with Tyrell Sutton. I realize that the guy showed a little spark this off-season. So did Lumpkin last year. I was never on or off the Sutton bandwagon, but the cut doesn’t really bother me. We are fine at running back, and if McCarthy starts handing the ball of the Jackson when he’s healthy, I think Sutton will become a distant and irrelevant memory.

Tony Moll is officially gone. Hallelujah.

I’m just sayin’.