Statement made

I told you so. Why do you question me? The Green Bay Packers beat a team I told you they should beat and head in to the bye week with a 4-3 record. I could not be more happy with the way the day unfolded. I guess I would have liked to see the Bears lose because we have the win over the Vikings already, but either way, the last two weeks show the Packers are still a team to be reckoned with in the NFC. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been nothing short of spectacular the first half of the season and the Packers have to be considered one of the favorites to win the NFC.

I don’t know why I felt so confident in getting this win, probably more thinking that the Colts are not that good, but either way, a win is a win and after all the crap that has happened to this Packers team team the first seven weeks, to be 4-3 feels pretty damn good. Rodgers is clearly an upgrade at quarterback and running Ryan Grant is finally getting back to his 2007 form. More importantly, the defense is showing some of it’s teeth, despite injuries to key players.

Things change so fast in the NFL,though. After the Cowboys beat the Packers in week three Dallas was anointed the best team in the league. Now they are long shots to make the playoffs. The Packers were written off after three straight losses and now are right there in the NFC. The NFC East is no longer looking so hot and the Packers and Chicago Bears are starting to look like forces in the conference. Arizona may even factor in the mix yet.

What a great way to enjoy the bye week.

More to come…

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 19th, 2008 at 8:34 pm and is filed under Al Davis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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  • AllAboutThePack

    Haven’t found a good reason to post here yet – lots of BF talk, what we want, what we need and some folks excited about where we are. I fit into the latter. I’m really excited about where we are. I really thought this game was going to be close, right down to the wire, won by turn-overs and field goals. As the point began to pile up for the Packers and the secondary stepping up once again – I was delighted to watch my team rip up a team that, on paper, was right where we are.

    As for all the BF circus – just more of the media works, someone trying to make their name stand-out using another high profile name to do it. Shoot, here in Dallas, T.O. opens his mouth and everything gets bent outta proportion. The media here spins the way he says what he says and then try to read his facial expressions, just so they can twist it to their advantage. So I wouldn’t put too much stock in the version of one person. Until someone else corroberates the story I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. Besides, it didn’t do the Lions any good anyway. :)

    I like that we’re in the bye with a win and our players getting some rest. I really think we have a chance against the Titans. They may have a good record, but really, who have they played to this point? Kansas City (1-5), Houston (2-4), Minnesota (3-4), Cincinnati (0-7), Jacksonville (3-3), Baltimore (3-3). No one over .500 in this list. So how good are they really? We will be the first team they play over .500 this season and this week they play Indy. I see a win for them there as well. So they’re going to be 7-0 coming up against us with not having to have beat a team with a winning record. We haven’t beat a team with a winning record yet either, but I think we’re in a better place coming off the bye week then they will be coming off a game against Indy.

  • Reid

    None of you have intelligently refuted that we wouldn’t be 8-0 with Chuck Norris at the helm. Someone tell me intelligently why?

    You cannot…we’re giving up a SuperBowl and an undefeated season this year and you all can’t admit it!

  • Pete H

    Indy was 3-2 when we beat them….but you’re right. What I like is that they may have a let down post Indy and we are coming off a bye. Getting Bigby back, hopefully Harris and another warm body for the D line in Harrell. Maybe during the bye Grant can learn how to run through an arm tackle. He showed some positives though. I am thrilled with what happened. I honestly thought they would get drummed defensively. As I said earlier though, this has got to be the norm and not the exception. As of now, Rodgers, Woodson, and Collins are the only ones who have showed up consistantly…

  • AllAboutThePack

    I think Tramon Williams is doing a heck of a job out there as well. He seems to be in the right place at the right time and really knows how to break on a pass. Chillar showed up to play as well – he kept Dallas Clark from some big yards on those tosses in the flat.

  • Larry

    My goodness, maybe we have a decent team after all.

  • Larry

    Two weeks away, but lets attack TENN. Haynesworth and Bironas only All-Pros and Kearse the only other “name”. Hit ‘em fast, and hit ‘em hard; put ‘em on their tails. Collins cannot beat our DBs no matter who is in there. Talk about over achievers! They will be favored because of their record and not who they’ve played; got to watch the IND game, more of a test for them than us.

  • JeffN

    Rodgers has played as good or better than any other QB in the NFC. In the games we lost the problems was at O-Line & D-Line, not the QB postion. Having Brett Favre on this team equates to the same record.

    Rodgers in his 4th season = as good as a 38 year old Brett Favre

    Brett Favre in 1996 = one of the best QBs in the history of the NFL

    Let it go guys, times have changed

  • JeffN

    One more thing. I just want to give TT credit for being able to have 2 injuries in the secondary and stocking the team with so many good players that they can have Aaron Rouse and Tramon Williams step in and play like starters. Many teams having their starting corner and safety injured results in as bad of situation as having your starting QB injured. Props to TT

  • Larry

    One need only look to IND and the loss of Saunders to injury. Look at NE and DAL. You cant win the big one w/o going injury free throughout the year. I’m not talking nicks, bumps, or bruises; I’m talking the serious. Don’t give me exceptions, I’m sure over 40 yrs of SBs somebody lost somebody, but they won only because they had a backup who was capable of starting.

  • Pete H

    Again Larry, you talk about Collins can’t do anything against our DBs based on his name and the fact we shut down Manning. We did not shut down Ryan and ATL Griese and TB or Romo and Dall. They have to show me that’s who they are before I declare their defense fixed. Tramon has played quite well. He has made some big plays, but he got fired by Roddy White all day and gave up 2 big playes to Miles Austin.

  • cali cheeez

    Reid you got us on that one. Plus I hear that Norris guy can really kick a ball, freekn’ Frost would really be kicked to the curb. Pete once again we lost 3 close games due to poor line play. Couldn’t stop the run and couldn’t run ourselves plus no pressure on opposing QBs. With no pressure on the QB and any CB will get burned. To me against the cowgirls, the F Jones run was the backbreaker.Two players out of position and he was gone. The long pass to Austin was just a good play, gotta give credit where it’s due. He held off the CB with a push off and made a great play on the ball. The only way to become a “veteran” is to play, not sit on the sidelines.
    WIthout a doubt getting some guys back on the D-line will be a huge plus. Pressure Collins and slow down the run and we will win. GO PACKERS

  • AllAboutThePack

    I agree cali cheeez – we were within one big play of all our loses. Some of those big plays were attributed to losing the chess games while others were just players out of position. Each week the coaches work on those things so with each week our players, starts or backups, should get better with their reads. Get ‘em healthy and get ‘em back on the field, play mistake free football and this game is ours to give away.

  • Larry

    Well, Pete, define shut down. Other than Romo Rodgers outplayed them all, but DAL had 5 sacks. Ryan has caught the league by surprise, however, he had 194yds to Arods 313, Ryan had 2 TDs, Arod had 3. The rest of the stats, like rating etc. all favored us. Our lines are all out of position w/ even Kampman going inside. Still starts and ends in the trenchs. I like our chances.

  • Reid

    Larry – I think what we’re getting to here is that there are some folks on this site who are extremely hurt over Favre not being welcomed back by TT. So they lash out by saying everything TT does is wrong, he’s an idiot, etc. Which doesn’t make sense, because everyone else on the Packers (and the coach) are a result of TT re-signing or drafting them or not cutting them. Those with hurt feelings think this team would be 7-0 and eventual SB champs with the “Favre Factor” in play, BUT, the other 52 players were supplied by TT. It doesn’t add up.

    There is only 1 man on this planet who can win a Super Bowl with 52 teammates supplied by an idiot GM, or 52 girls scouts, or 52 mini-Ditkas, or 52 Christie Brinkley’s (the showers afterwards would be saweet!!). I’ll give you a hint: Colonel James Braddock.

  • http://orlando Mark

    Reid I’m not hurt BF wasn’t wanted. It was all the PR spin to cover TT’s ass. And, for those who blame BF for our playoff losses and were tired of his act are blind to TT’s failings. Namely he had a chance to win and let it slip through his fingers. The future is now was last year and we had rookie offensive linemen and cutrate free agents.

  • Michael Legat

    I can’t even tell you how many people in Green Bay and the media said at the beginning of last season that it was Super Bowl or bust. The Pack were clearly going to be 13-3 and weren’t young and rebuilding at all – we all knew that. That is some powerful hindsight ya got there, Mark.

  • http://orlando Mark

    Michael, BF’s time was running out and he didn’t have many more chances. TT had no pressure to win now. He apperently believed, like you, we had no chance and he was wrong. When is he going to have any pressure to win.

  • http://orlando Mark

    In fairness, I don’t want TT to be so desparate to win now that we end up with a John Hadle or Hershel Walker or Ryan Leaf. But there has to be some urgency to get players that can contribute sooner. Chillar was a good pickup and of course Woodson was a great pickupthat we hailed even at the time he got him. I give TT his due, but a good guard and D-lineman would be just as useful.

  • Pete H

    Again Reid….let it go!!! Why is it that you think that if any move of TT’s is put into question, which is half of the fun of sports, all goes back to being pissed about Favre? Grow up! Lets get down to it. You guys are all right, to a degree. Look, how is it that before the Colts game most here were fearful of how bad tis defense was going to get lit up. They play like studs and now we can go toe to toe every week with anyone. I know Ryan has come on strong, but the point is that their defense has shown up some weeks and hasn’t in others. I want some consistency before I annoint them ready to beat “anyone”. And yes it is all about trenches, and that goes to my point, thank you all who made it for me. Has anyone looked at the Titans trenches lately. I don’t care for the Colledge/Haynesworth matchup. Look, what I am saying is that if we are getting whipped in the trenches by their D-line we can’t run at all. We have seen our offense when we can’t run. If our offense is struggling then our D is on the field all the more, and as we have seen, my WHOLE POINT being that you all keep making for me, that anyone can and has beat this Defense in that scenario…..which has not exactly been a fluky occurance this year. Its all a snowball, which is also my point about showing up EVERY week. By the way, Williams played that Austin play awfully.

  • Reid

    Pete H – I guess I’m just not the kind of person who sits around and bitches all the time. My glass is always half full.

  • TRIP

    Last year, I was pissed at the bye because we lost one game to the Bears and handed them the game. I am humbled this season, brought back to earth, at least.

  • Matt Hayton

    Okay, I am a bonafide TT basher. Here is my issue. He had a chance to bring in Randy Moss last year, pissed around with Oakland, blew that deal and in blowing that deal, he lost a Super Bowl for the Packers.

    Sorry with Moss, we beat the Giants at Lambeau in the Championship Game and beat a Moss-less Patriots team in the SB.

    As far as not welcoming Favre back, it wasn’t what he did, it was how he did it…and it was icing on the cake.

    I think TT is a great personnel evaluator. Top 5 in the league, but he doesn’t have the balls to make the big moves to put a team over the top. He won’t supplement his drafts with free agents or players via trade…resulting in 10-6 teams for the next decade. And ultimately I think his decisions are not driven by what is the best for the team, but by what is best for his ego.

  • cali cheeez

    Pete if you think you could of made that play better than Tremon, tryouts start in June, I’m hoping Chuck Norris shows up.
    REID YOU’RE A MAD MAN …….MAD I SAY ……….MAD …….AHAHHAHAHAHH…..MAD

  • Larry

    Ego my foot; I try not to be personal but if anyone thinks anyone in a management position would make a purposeful dumb move because of their own ego has never been a succesful manager themselves. Further, I don’t care if you’re a manager or have made a million you’re not going to work for me if you feel that way. Reid, I can’t stop LingOL. Hey guys, Chuck lives down the road from me here in College Station and I do resent him being drawn into this, because he is one of the greatest guys you’d ever meet. Lastly, I fail to see how not pulling the trigger on a big trade or spending all your cap and cash equates to no nads. We didn’t need Moss (spell cancer) and talk about nads, it must’ve taken huge ones to tell a future HOFer he’s had it!

  • Matt Hayton

    Hey Larry,
    Nice move, Larry. Insulting my leadership and management capabilities via conjecture. It’s a blog about football for goodness sake.

    I won’t stoop to your level, but I will disagree. It is a rather naive position to believe that a successful manager has never made decisions based upon their ego. Quite contrary, it is often, their undoing.

    Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler from history are some fine examples of leaders undone by their ambition, selfish gain and egos. Mike Holmgren (leaving for all that power in Seattle) and George Steinbrenner (firing Joe Torre after 13 straight trips to the playoffs) are some applicable references in sport of leaders undone by decisions made by their egos and not what was best for the team.

    TT’s decision to not welcome back Favre, will forever be tied to his legacy. The question remains, was it a brilliant move propelling this franchise to another 1, 2, or 3 SB championships or will his decision go down as one of the worst ego trips in sports history, or somewhere in between? It will probably take years to know the answer to that question. I have my opinion and you have yours…

  • Larry

    I think you inadvertantly made my point Matt, in the end they all blew it with maybe the exception of Steinbrenner who until recently was still successful. In any case I’d hardly call despots and dictators managers. I wasn’t around in JC and Naps day but don’t confuse unlimited driving desire for ego or egocentric behavior. Your thesis would indicate you think TT makes decisions alone (like your examples) but I hardly think that thats what goes on in GB. Please support your contention that TT works in a vacuum void of any input from the Personnel people or the Coaches. I apologize if you think I insulted you, but please come down to my level, don’t we both want whats best for the team? No legacy will be based on getting rid of a 16 yr 39 yr old vet who thinks he can still get by w/ throwing into triple coverage and would rather turn the ball over than take the sack.

  • Pete H

    Cali Cheeze, boy thats brilliant! How was your homecoming dance this year? So I suppose if I see a bad movie, I should just say “that was really good because I couldn’t do any better” and certainly if the president makes a decision I might not agree with. More relevant to here, I would like to go back and see if you have EVER been critical of Favre. OOOOPS! Can we please not use adolescent arguments?

  • Pete H

    Hey Reid, my glass is always half full as well….difference is I try to get it all the way full.

  • Reid

    Pete H – trying to get it all the way full means you are seeing it as half-empty. Point made.

    Larry – correction. Chuck Norris is not “one of” the greatest guys you’d ever meet. he “IS” the greatest guy you’d ever meet.

  • Cody

    I think that is enough about Chuck Norris, he has nothing to do with out team, and Chuck Norris jokes haven’t been funny for 2 years. So please stop with them.. for the love of God.

  • Devil’s Advocate…

    But there is no God…..

  • http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/GreenBayPackersSuperBowl1n2nX-X-X-1Champs/ Jim Calhoun

    Its about time the defense got their heads out of their behinds,,now bring an even better game to tenn and we win that one too

    GO PACKERS

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