Another dominating performance

This is getting scary. The Green Bay Packers’ first-string offense looks unstoppable, and the new 34 defense is coming up huge in two preseason games. We all know we have to look at these games with knowing the outcome of the game means nothing, the main focus is to evaluate players. The Packers’ first string offense doesn’t need much evaluating, they are in mid-season form, in fact, they are on fire. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is looking better and better and now he might have another huge weapon in tight end Jermichael Finley, who along with Greg Jennings and Donald Driver make this passing game almost unstoppable.

When Finley made that first catch for a first down he used the classic Keith Jackson first-down motion that brought back great memories. The Packers’ offense is on their way to something special I think. Like the past 18 years in Green Bay if the quarterback doesn’t get hurt the Packers are going to be in the hunt.  The Packers have so many weapons on offense it is ridiculous. There isn’t a receiver on any other NFC North team that would be a starter on the Packers. Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson and Ruvell Martin have to be one of the best receiving crews in the NFL, if not the best.

I know, I know, it is only preseason, and like head coach Mike McCarthy said, “don’t strike up the band”, but how can we not be excited about what we see? Maybe because the Lions went 4-0 last preseason on their way to 0-16? We all know how the preseason works, but the Packers’ ones against the opponents’ ones have been a mismatch. The next two preseason games are on the road so it will be interesting to see how those games play out, but the foundation has been laid.

Certainly confidence is high, Rodgers is looking great and with the weapons he has around him the Packers are only a defense away from greatness. I’m not a patient fan, and when former defensive coordinator Bob Sanders was fired and Dom Capers was hired to bring in the 34 defense, immediate improvement was expected. The Packers’ defense in two games has been great, however, they have faced to horrible offenses, so write home to Momma just yet.

My concerns about the offensive line are still valid. I am not sold on the right side of this unit. Rodgers has praised his line and I love that, but the only weakness of the offense is still the o-line. I guess if that is all I have to worry about on offense I shouldn’t lose a lot of sleep. Rodgers is capable of breaking every passing record in team history, expect one or two of them to fall this year.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    DA, that’s pretty paranoid about wanting to see TT fail. That’s like the guys that hate #4 hoping he’d throw an int. in overtime in the Championship game. Makes no sense.

  • iccyfan

    Mark – that is hands-down the dumbest comment ever posted on this site!

  • http://Orlando Mark

    I admit I never liked the pick of Harrell, I think the fans booed the pick. If you’re honest you didn’t like it either. It was a bad reach. Because of the pick TT felt he had to trade some D-linemen that could have helped us. So it’s not just the bad pick and the waste of money, we might have gotten someone who could have contributed in that overtime loss. I don’t want to dwell on it, or cover it up. But I do want to cut Harrell if he can’t contribute. And, not just carry him because of his contract or TT’s pride.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Iccy, the second dumbest is “waiting/hoping for some guys careerto go to hell so they can do the “I told you so”".

  • Punk

    Anybody on this blog has the right of last opinion, but you guys have been around long enough to know where this could go – do you really want to go there again? Meanwhile, back at the ranch, with Mathews coming back and Thompson close behind (oh, Barnett too), we see Poppinga going back to back up Kampman. Chillar and Bishop coming in on third and five. Is this unit as good as the Fab5(6)? They aren’t going to be sleepers very long.

  • Punk

    Rebuild, reload, retool, call it anything you want, but moving west for a moment, can MIN really be shoping TJ? We could only hope that they are pinning their future on Rosenfels, trade, a FA, or a 2010 draft choice. And you think we’ve got QB problems? One thing sure, Favre is a one year phenom at best (its now or never) and GB, CHI, and DET are at least set at the most important position on the team for many years. Thats giving DET a big pass assuming that kid will pan out.

  • packer_bob

    Why are the opinions on this board so polarized? It’s like you either have to genuflect at the altar of TT or you’re some kind of naysayer. You either hate BF or you’re some kind of starry eyed jock sniffer.

    The Harrell pick was stupid, is stupid and will continue to be stupid in perpetuity. Unless Harrell turned into Warren Sapp, it was going to be idiotic and I was saying that at the time. That doesn’t mean TT is the worst GM ever–they all have their misfires. But let’s call it for what it is, shall we?

    Also, faulting the pick isn’t the same as faulting the player. I believe Harrell has tried his best, it’s not his fault that his back won’t hold up.

    As far as free agency help goes, it’s a tool not a panacea. Those of us that think we’ve missed opportunities in the FA market aren’t necessarily in favor of playing fantasy football ala Jerry Jones or Daniel Snyder. TT’s approach is more conservative and I’d rather have that versus the aforementioned, but it’s not all or nothing. There can be a balance between the two and I don’t think we have that now.

  • Rocky70

    LOL………… I doubt anyone on this board even knew who Harrell was when his name was called…… Now, in hindsight, we have geniuses galore…. Everyone claims to have disliked the pick at the time of the pick…… Gimme a break…. Even the ‘experts’ had to look up the name to see who he was…….

    Here’s a question: — Who would the geniuses have picked instead ?…. Note: A real name of a real player – (no general answers like OT or RB) …. Also, you can’t choose someone who was already drafted ahead of Harrell. …… Watch the geniuses scurry now to find a player who has done fairly well & was drafted after Harrell. … Then the geniuses will claim they wanted that player waaaaaaay back in 2007…. ( Hey, I wanted B. Sanders instead of Mandarich — do I get credit for that ???) ….. LOL
    ___________________

    Per PB:
    “……I don’t think…..”

    This is the most honest statement you’ve made on this blog.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    P-b well said. Also Larry, I realize I’ve overreacted to some of the posts. I know we’re all fans and want the Pack to do well. I hope I wasn’t too offensive.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Rocky, when the experts have to look someone up he’s a reach. Most people wanted Olsen because we wanted a replacement for Franks. At least we could have kept Corey Williams and Colin Cole who were contrbutors.

  • Rocky70

    Corey Williams & Colin Cole are rotational d-lineman who suckered other teams in to paying them big money for ‘average’ play. … Williams might have had a chance to make the Packer’s 2009 roster. …. Cole would have had no chance to make the 2009 roster.

    There have been many relatively unknowns taken in the 1st round who have had good to great careers in the NFL. ….. There are many more well-known 1st round picks who have completely failed in the NFL…… The draft is a crap-shoot…. The ‘Fan’ has this habit of always looking at it in hindsight & then claiming his immense IQ about how to draft…. It’s always funny.

  • Punk

    I don’t care how we got here, we have an excellent QB, fabulous WR corp, good TEs, proven left side and an improved-bigger right side OL. We have the makings of the best LB group in the NFL, excellent corners w/ backups, three potentially great down linemen, teeth jaring safeties – again w/ backup and greatly improved special teams. I’d call that team building and give credit where credit is due. Its now up to those on the field to live up to the hype. Once the season starts there is very little the guys in the upper tier can do to win a game. The last two years of five were 19-13; for you stat crazy guys thats 9-7 average in my book, see, records can say anything you want them to. 63.2% of all stats are made up and pulled out of thin air. Half the people you know are below average (GRD). Hey, I can even make the 19-13 be a 10-6 average if I want. Wow, we’re there, just what every body wanted, a winner. An earlier post said that Flynn was 100X better than Brohm, now there’s a stat. I normally don’t pay much attention to the stats and records because victory is so fleeting and the part luck/injuries play, but I was surprised that AZ went to the SB with a 9-7 regular season record. Talk about getting hot at the right time. Would a 13-3 record and a loss in the first playoff game mean failure – don’t think so. Probably just plain bad luck (again).

  • packer_bob

    Rocky,

    I already said who I would have drafted instead, Greg Olsen.

    You’re quite right, I didn’t know much about Harrell at the time. I believe I said something like, “Yeah, just what we need, another Fat assed defensive lineman, not a pass catching TE that can run.” Then when I found out he was injured to boot I got really upset.

    Hindsight has nothing to do with it, I was pissed at the time. It doesn’t make me a genius and it doesn’t make TT an idiot, but he whiffed on that one big time.

    Do you have a crush on TT or something, why can’t you ever admit he did anything wrong?

  • iccyfan

    packer_bob Says: “Why are the opinions on this board so polarized? It’s like you either have to genuflect at the altar of TT or you’re some kind of naysayer. You either hate BF or you’re some kind of starry eyed jock sniffer.”

    I don’t feel that way at all and that’s exactly why I responded negatively to Mark’s thought, specifically, “That’s like the guys that hate #4 hoping he’d throw an int. in overtime in the Championship game.”

    Nobody who self-identifies as a Packer Fan HOPED for any player to make a mistake which would keep our team out of the Superbowl. I’ll go a step further and say nobody who considers himself / herself a Packer Fan took satisfaction from BF throwing that INT. It may have been cited as justification for actions the team took the following off-season, but NOBODY wished for it or was happy about it at the time it took place. The whole notion is preposterous…

  • packer_bob

    Iccy,

    You may not be one of them, but you don’t agree that there are some absolutist types on this board?

  • Punk

    I remember the pick and my reaction was, who, and then, why? I didn’t have a “Malcom Jenkins” that year so came around to, this could be one hell of a sleeper coup! Well, yeah, here’s a stat, there are (143) others who would have been better picks, lets fire TT. Or we could move on, make the change at QB, give the new QB some good targets (add improving Lee and Finley), work on (I’ll say “modernizing”) the OL, see if we can get Capers to change the D, and beef up the LB corp. Oh, along with all that lets improve the specials while we’re at it. We’ve done all that guys lets move on. Is it enough, who knows, but I’d be willing to be these guys win the Div.

  • iccyfan

    PB – The board has been down this road so many times before that I don’t want to revisit the issue. There are so many positions on the various related topics (TT, BF, TT/BF) and I will agree that people are strongly set in their opinions.

    Do you believe that any Packer fan (including Al the board’s foremost BF hater), hoped for BF to make a mistake that cost the Packers a Superbowl opportunity?

  • Rocky70

    How I view the draft has nothing to do with TT…… How I viewed the draft in Wolf’s time as GM also had nothing to do with Wolf ….. You keep bringing up TT, not me….. The draft is a pure ‘crapshoot’…. Anyone who claims a better pick in hindsight is a fool…

    BTW – Olsen was drafted at 31 by Chicago….. He was the only TE drafted in the first round…. He was considered a reach drafted anywhere in the first round….. I liked him but not in the first round….. In HINDSIGHT, he probably would have been a good pick at # 16. … (that’s my point)

    Why do you hate TT so much that you give him so little credit for anything? (Oh… that’s right…. that little BF Affair…. I forgot)

  • packer_bob

    No, and I never said that, Iccy.

    And Punk, I never said TT should be fired over it, I said he missed badly. That’s exactly what I’m talking about, you can’t even point out TT mistakes without some of you going way over the top.

    If we get the improvement some of you seem to be so sure we’re going to get, I’ll be in favor of keeping TT. 8-8 or worse, I’ll be ready to move on.

  • Michael Legat

    I could be wrong here, but I read Mark’s comment to mean that it’s precisely because he doesn’t believe the anti-Favre contingency was rooting for Favre to fail in Green Bay that he doesn’t think that the anti-TT contingency is rooting for current players to fail. In other words, strong opinions on one side or the other, everyone currently posting here would rather win than be proven “right”. And now that Poster Whose Name Shall Not Be Spoken is gone, I think that’s a fair assessment.

  • packer_bob

    Why do you say I give TT no credit? I’ve given him credit for drafting Rodgers, Jennings and others, said I like the Dom Capers move, gave him huge props on this board for this year’s draft, gave him credit for finding Grant in 2007, I mean should I go on?

    I also feel he’s made some mistakes, sue me.

  • packer_bob

    ” could be wrong here, but I read Mark’s comment to mean that it’s precisely because he doesn’t believe the anti-Favre contingency was rooting for Favre to fail in Green Bay that he doesn’t think that the anti-TT contingency is rooting for current players to fail.”

    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^——Bingo!!

  • Rocky70

    Green Bay doesn’t approach free-agency correctly.
    Green Bay doesn’t draft correctly.

    But yet most NFL teams are closely monitoring GB’s upcoming cuts because many good players will not make the final 53 in GB. …… GB managed to somehow , in spite of themselves, put together a young & deep roster that most NFL teams would love to own.

    (I know…. I know….. 6-10, 6-10…. 6-10. The only argument left is also history revisited over & over)

  • Michael Legat

    PB, I think the point a lot of us are making is that we don’t feel the need to highlight TT’s misses, because it’s understood that GMs will miss on draft picks. There’s a fair degree of tunnel vision going on here, as most of us probably have a depth of NFL knowledge that’s 90-95% Green Bay and 5-10% rest of league. As such, we are intimately familiar with the missteps of the Packers, but are blind to similar situations among the other 31 teams. There’s not a single team in the NFL that isn’t currently stuck with a high round bust or weak depth at a key position or player grumbling about playing time/salary. We just see what’s in our own backyard, which is understandable, but folks like Punk, Iccy, Rock and I choose not to dwell on problems that are unavoidable in the business we call the National Football League.

  • Rocky70

    PB

    Every once in awhile you throw out a kudo to TT but the majority of your posts are anti-TT….. Even now you’ve drawn a line in the sand:

    ” I’ll be in favor of keeping TT. 8-8 or worse, I’ll be ready to move on. ”

    You’re the only poster who’s ready to fire TT…… No one else brings it up, except you….. It’s called obsessive disorder.

  • iccyfan

    Michael Legat Says: “I could be wrong here, but I read Mark’s comment to mean that it’s precisely because he doesn’t believe the anti-Favre contingency was rooting for Favre to fail in Green Bay that he doesn’t think that the anti-TT contingency is rooting for current players to fail. In other words, strong opinions on one side or the other, everyone currently posting here would rather win than be proven “right”.”

    I’ve reread the posting and believe your interpretation requires some context I’m not seeing, but I’m not around to argue semantics and issue a blanket apology to Mark for my crankiness…

  • Punk

    I really don’t care what any of you say on this blog other than throwing “hate” around. By just using the word you get sucked into the political realm, whether you think so or not, because thats where the term is mostly being used today. Whats going on here is total mis-interpretation of ones views, and then taking the easy way out when one disagrees with you by saying “because you hate”. The real fact is none of us “hate” either of the two. Its the other guy who says YOU hate based on their interpretation of what you said. And, that is dumb, you’re not qualified to know. The important thing is are these guys winners or not? We’ll see. How we got to this point is really irrelevant in my way of thinking. Advice? Cool it, you’ll enjoy this season a lot more.

  • Rocky70

    “…..that we don’t feel the need to highlight TT’s misses, because it’s understood that GMs will miss on draft picks. ”

    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^——Bingo!! ………..(As PB would put it)

  • Punk

    Rocky70, you’re probably more right than you realize given the increased interest from other teams’ scout activity. We’re still pretty much under the radar w/ the national press but not the scouting and personnel departments. I’m sure they are concentrating on WRs and LBs but who knows? Getting our desired keepers on development squad this year will be real tough I would imagine.

  • Punk

    I realize the several references to Olsen are in the context of the Harrell pick, but if there was an “Olsen” on our roster there wouldn’t be a Finley (assumption, of course). I would not trade even up. I’ll further state that Olsen has to get the ball more because of the state of the CHI WR corp. I see a senario very much like KC and Gonzalez. I think in the whole time Gonzo was there his totals were exceeded only once and that was by a RB. You’ll beat CHI this year by not letting Hester get behind you, making Forte go wide, and keeping Olsen running laterally.

  • Rocky70

    Punk

    From some of what I’ve read here & there, it’s being suggested that MM won’t neccessarily highlight some players (in the last 2 preseason games) on the bubble in GB for fear that if they do really well it will be impossible to put them on the PS.

    Ref Sutton:

    •RB Tyrell Sutton will get a chance to prove he’s more than just a highlight reel against third-teamers. “I want to see him in the game Friday night with the 1′s. We’ll put him in the game in the first half at some point, and I want to see him play a little bit with that first group,” McCarthy said. “I just don’t know enough about Sutton. He’s young, he’s raw, he’s done some exciting things.”

  • Punk

    Its intriguing, I’m having a senior moment in that I can’t remember that little guy from TB. He lasted as a starter several years and then bounced around a little. He is right in his interview, you can’t see him behind the OL and a FB. Strange coming out of Northwestern, certainly not a Big10 powerhouse. Unless its real deception he has a good chance of being at least #3 RB, or if he can catch #2. But then can you believe the press?

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Iccy, p-b had it right. I was responding to DA, and went over the top. I should have just said what you did. That it was dumb thing to post, that anyone wanted Harrell’s career to be ruined just to show up TT.

  • packer_bob

    Rocky,

    Do you really think if go 8-8 this year or worse I will be the only Packer fan thinking we should fire TT? I believe I’ve read several similar comments on this site before theis current conversation.

    I don’t like TT on a personal level, but I don’t have to like him, I just want results. If we can’t get to 9-7 this year (and at this point I can’t see anyway we don’t) after 5 years of TT, he will deserve to get fired.

  • Rocky70

    Per PFT:

    “Former Packers center Duke Preston wasn’t out of work for long.
    Cut on Tuesday after the team decided to go with Jason Spitz as the starter and Scott Wells as the backup, Preston has agreed to terms with the Cowboys.”
    __________

    ” I don’t like TT on a personal level…”

    I’ve never met TT so I have no opinion of him on a personal level.
    ….Did you have dinner with him or just a few beers ??

  • packer_bob

    We drank some whiskey and the asshole is a lightweight. Can’t stand guys that can’t handle their liquor.

    Seriously, I don’t care for how he answers questions and just have a visceral dislike of him. Obviously I don’t know him personally, maybe if we met I’d have little cartoon hearts popping out of my eyes the way you evidently do.

    But again, I don’t have to like him. I believe he’s made some serious mistakes, but his job is to assemble a team that can win a Super Bowl. If he does that, or is shown to be making some progress in that regard, than I believe he’s getting the job done and should stay. It’s really that simple.

  • JeffN

    PB, you admit to placing bets against the Packers, (which I eventually and reluctantly gave you a pass on) then you admit to not even watching the games, then you come on here and talk up a storm.

    You are not doing a whole lot to allow your opinion to have any creditability. There are too many question marks with you. Do you really think that any of us should care what you think? How many other NFL team blogs are you on talking up a storm?

  • JeffN

    I really appreciate it if everyone stopped resonding to PB on this board. It makes him think that he has creditability with Packer fans. I don’t know if PB is a Packer fan or not. Not sure if he is just a guy coming by to argue or what. The only thing I do know is it would just be nice if he would go away. So let’s treat him like Jon and ignore him. I am sick of the talking in circles and not making any sense. Time to be done with this guy. JUST IGNORE THE PROBLEM AND IT WILL GO AWAY!!!

  • Michael Legat

    JeffN,

    Not all of us live in Wisconsin currently, and I’m willing to bet most of us don’t have NFL Network. My cable carrier doesn’t have it. I haven’t been able to watch any preseason games either. Should I shut up too?

    I do agree that I get tired of the circular arguments, though.

  • Reid

    Speaking of 20/20 hindsight – It would have been pretty cool if Murphy would have come in and fired TT and cut BF at the same time with a statement like “We don’t tolerate the type of behavior and actions that have taken place by these two people to create this type of situation that has hurt the chemistry of the Green Bay Packers Organization, so we have decided to move on without either of them. We believe we will be better off.”

    Michael: I logged on here last Sat night and one of the articles had a comment that had a link to a website where you could log on and watch the game. Kind of grainy on the computer, but better than nothing.

  • Michael Legat

    Thanks, Reid, but when it comes to exhibition, I’m very comfy just reading everything I can about the games and practices. I don’t really feel like I’m missing out anything.

    All about the regular season. My Christmas, 4th of July and New Years are 17 days away!

  • Devil’s Advocate…

    Some of ya like to beat TT down for what he has and hasn’t done. You could do the same for Wolf. Except for being lucky enough to sign REGGIE, he did alot of stuff wrong and could be held responsible for the lack of SB trophies during his time here. Hell, it took years to recover from the Jamal Reynolds pick and the subsequent try at replacing him w/Joe Johnson and so on…………. And if you don’t like to read this, then I don’t like reading about TT’s Harrell pick endlessly. I think everyone is trying their best. Show me some intentional mis-deeds and I could change my mind, otherwise there’s no need to nit-pick.

  • Pack4life

    NFL.com is reporting that the Pack is interested in 1 of the 3 QB’s TB is offering. We should already know that Leftwich wants a starting gig which is out of the question here. That leaves Mcown and Josh Johnson, Mcown is an upgrade over Brohm but then again so are Craig Nall and Doug Pederson. JJ is a rare athlete just think Vick without the baggage.
    I live in Tampa and I am forced to watch these guys Johnson could be threat right away with his great speed and rocket arm. Mcown has actual game expierience in the NFL so he wouldnt be too bad either. For the # 3 Qb all you want is someone who can keep the rig on the road. Based on what I have seen Brohm is a distracted driver.

  • Punk

    Reid I have to take the 3:51 in jest. 1) I don’t recall any statements, behavior, or actions by TT to warrant that action. I do recall, he stayed very aloof from all the hoopla and made no public statement whatsoever. 2) I don’t recall any statements by any of the players to indicate a rift in the locker room. 3) Seems to me the O had pretty good chemistry last year; maybe you were refering to the D. 4) Perhaps you can provide a statement from Murphy to the effect that he thinks we are not better off today than at this point last year. We must not agree on the status of the team as it stands now, but then at that time I aggreed with what the Troika did, too.

  • packer_bob

    There have been 2 pre-season games so far and I have unfortunately had to miss both of them. The first I was going to go out to my buddy’s house but my father decided to come into town with his wife, so my wife and I went out with them. The most recent game, I worked until 8 pm and the game was not televised on cable in my area.

    This is exactly what I’m talking about, someone doesn’t agree 100% down the line with the peanut gallery around here and all of a sudden your bona fides as a fan are called into question. Nice.

    And I post on exactly 0 other boards, thank you very much.

  • packer_bob

    DA,

    Of course Woolf did some things wrong but we did get 2 SB appearance out of the deal, one championship and several playoff runs. That shows the level of success we had during that time and it buys you some credibility for the occasional screw up.

    If TT goes on to anything like that level of success, than he will be cut some slack too. To date I simply consider his record a mixed bag and am not willing to give him more credit than I feel he deserves up to this point.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    DA, luck had nothing to do with getting Reggie. It took a lot of salesmanship, a lot of money and a strong conviction that he was neccessary. I’m sorry but TT couldn’t have gotten that done. No knock on him this time, Wolf was exceptional. TT brought in Chillar, Pickett and Woodson which were great moves but nothing like getting Mr. White.

  • Michael Legat

    In all fairness, the Reggie Whites of the world don’t reach free agency anymore, and no, Albert Haynesworth does NOT count.

  • Rocky70

    Guess what ?

    Ron Wolf’s 1st 4 years as GM in Green Bay —– 31 – 33.
    Ted Thompson’s 1st 4 yrs. as GM in GB ——– 31 – 33.

    It wasn’t until Wolf’s 6th year as GM when the Pack went to the SB. ……… Just drawing on these facts, GB would have to win a SB in 2009 or 2010 in order for TT’s record as a GM to resemble that record of Ron Wolf…. Or you can look at it another way……………………………………

    GB won one SB in Wolf’s nine years as Packer GM……. As a result, TT has 5 more years to win one SB to match Ron Wolf….. Anything after that (say 2 SB wins) he’ll pass the bottom-line record of Ron Wolf.

    What does this mean ?? …. IMO, very little…… When the day ever arises that a team has a GM/player who excells on the field of play, then GMs only have so much impact on the final record of any team…… The players & coaches determine the wins & losses….

  • packer_bob

    True though that may be, Michael, I think Mark has a point both in that it wasn’t dumb luck that we got Reggie in the 90′s and that it is doubtful that a similar type of move would ever be accomplished by TT.

    For example, I give the Bears alot of credit for getting Jay Cutler. (Not saying he’s anywhere near the caliber of player Reggie White was at that point in his career.) We’ll see how it plays out but they knew they had a problem at QB and pulled off something to fix it, which caught even Bears fans completely by surprise. We’ll see how it plays out, but I know the fans in my area are excited about it.

    If we had a problem at QB, say Rodgers wasn’t working out, (I know we don’t and he is, this is just hypothetical) would TT pull off anything like that? I don’t think so. Not that I think a GM should be just about pulling off the big deal, it’s probably not nearly so important as other things they do. Just don’t think it’s in TT’s tool box, for better or worse.