The Green Bay Packers went to the “Show Me” state and took care of business yesterday in rather convincing fashion. They took the Rams’ best punch early then poured it on late. The game was never really in doubt even though the team still has some problem areas. The offensive line was only marginally better against the Rams and the run defense gave up another 100-yard day to Steven Jackson. Heading to the House of Horrors in Minneapolis the Packers will need to improve greatly next Monday night in both areas to beat their arch rivals.

Had the Packers went to St. Louis and struggled to win a close game I would have had serious doubts about their chances in Minnehaha. The fact that they were able to put the loss to my team of destiny – the Cincinnati Bengals, behind them and focus on the Rams without looking ahead to the Vikings bodes well in my book. I think the Packers will try to use the same strategy on offense against the Vikings that they did against the Rams, which was to try and exploit a suspect secondary with the vertical passing game. Against the Rams it was like the other Al Davis was calling plays as the Packers went deep often and burned the Rams with big plays. If they can give Aaron Rodgers the time they should be able to do the same Monday night.

Obviously it is hard to look back at the Rams game with what is facing the Packers a week from tonight, so I won’t even bother. The Packers turned their attention to the Vikings walking off the field yesterday, and getting fired up for this game shouldn’t require many pep talks. For the Packers it is all about getting a win and taking over first place in the division, for the Vikings it all about revenge, at least for one player it is. Of course it should be all about revenge for all the Vikings’ players because since taking over as head coach Mike McCarthy has owned the Vikings, going 5-1 against them his first three years with the only loss coming when Mason Crosby missed a game-winner with 20 seconds left last year.

Everything begins and ends with Adrian Peterson and the Vikings’ defensive line and nothing changed with the addition of Brett Favre. In fact Favre is probably the least of the Packers’ worries as they know him better than he knows himself. McCarthy is the only reason Favre is still playing football today as he was able to take the gunslinger out of Favre and get him to play within his declining skills. The problem was those declining skills were grotesquely on display late in the year and especially in the playoffs, hence the move to Rodgers. Favre’s desire for revenge however, does have him playing with an energy that was never on display last in New York but it is an energy the Packers should be counting on when they face him for the first time. We’ve all seen first-hand how Favre plays when the stakes are high and you can bet McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dom Capers are licking their chops.

I expect Capers to pull out all stops, every scheme they worked on in the offseason may come out Monday night. Favre won’t have a clue where the blitz is coming from and the 3-4 has always been a problem for #4. Having Peterson makes things a lot easier for any QB but there will be times that the Packers will have their shot at Favre and it’s going to be fun to watch. If the Packers can contain Peterson and force Favre into passing another 46 times this week the Packers will have them right where they want them.

It will be a fun week, I can’t wait for Favre’s lies during his conference call with local reporters this week, that will be Comedy Central material right next to his contrived first retirement presser. McCarthy was upfront about the situation today admitting this game is lot bigger than any normal regular season game. Give him credit for not using the “it is just another game” cliche. Stay tuned. It’s Super Bowl week in the fall, and TV ratings will probably reflect that next Monday. I like our chances. In fact, I love them.

NFL futures

Well, at least the offense has come alive but the Packers’ defense is still not good. The worst team in the NFL is hanging around and while the Packers lead 23-14 I am not exactly confident the Packers will hang on. Kyle Boller replaced the injured and ineffective Mark Bulger and sparked the Rams. The Packers still can’t even come close to running the ball and that is going to be a major concern if it continues. Combine that with only a slight improvement in the pass blocking department and the Packers still have a long way to go on offense.

Halftime now and just for once I would like to see the team make some positive halftime adjustments. By the way, sorry for the delayed post, had to take advantage of a gorgeous fall Wisconsin day to play 18 at the County. A Packer win will make it a great day.

2:07 PM: It is officially time to panic. The Packers have come apart at the seams. The Rams will be leading soon and if then the game is over. I can’t believe what I’m seeing.

2:15 PM: The Packers are ripe for the picking today. This is going from bad to worse. Updated prediction – Rams 34, Packers 30.

2:39 PM: Well, so much for my prediction, Crosby can’t even make an extra point. At least we lead by 12 and the defense held.

3:23 PM: The Packers came back and showed some resolve to win 36-17. It was ugly, but they pulled it out. Now they face the 3-0 Vikings in Minnehaha for the NFC North division lead. Monday Night Football no less. You might not hear from me until Monday.

NFL futures

The St. Louis Rams luck could not be much worse. They start the season by traveling to Seattle and getting shut out 28-zip, then they cross the country to Washington D.C. to lose to the Redskins 9-7. Next up they face a caged dog in the Green Bay Packers in their home opener. Since losing to the Bengals Sunday the Packers have been ridiculed nationwide and reduced from playoff contender to also-ran with no chance to compete this year. You have to love the NFL.

Fortunately for Packers’ fans the Rams are not the Cincinnati Bengals. The Rams are in stage one of a major rebuilding project and might be the next team to go 0-16. Other than Steven Jackson they have nothing, and I mean nothing. I hate to even use the word “if” but “if” the Packers lose this game I will officially be off the Mike McCarthy bandwagon. The Packers’ talent level is so far above the Rams it is embarrassing. The only way the Packers could lose this game is if MCarthy has lost total control of his team and the players are either questioning his leadership or have already quit on him. I don’t see that happening, in fact I see just the opposite. McCarthy has been very ugly this week and I have to believe his players feel a lot more of that ugliness than we do.

I can see the Packers’ running game struggling again because, well, that is what they do, but I think the o-line will give Aaron Rodgers enough time to pick apart a woeful Rams secondary. One thing former Packers’ head coach Mike Holmgren was so good at was adjusting his offense to the strengths and weaknesses of his players whether it was the result of injuries or just poor play. If there is one thing that scares me it is McCarthy’s inability to adjust in those situations. This week it won’t matter, but when the Packers travel to Minnehaha next week it will matter big time.

I think the Packers are mad as hell and I think Rodgers really called the whole team out when he questioned their practice habits and in turn their professionalism, something that was certainly needed. We’ll see Sunday how the players respond to their leader on the field, my hunch this time is an easy win. I was right last week when I told you the Bengals would not be pushovers, but this week I think the Rams will be pushovers, not so much because of the difference in talent, but because the Packers need to take some aggression out. Packers 37, Rams 16.

With a day passed since the Packers’ season presumably came to end in a 31-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, I have decided to give the team one more week. I knew the Bengals were to going to be tough, I just didn’t think they would be that tough. Cincy is now my team of destiny – the Arizona Cardinals or Miami Dolphins of 2009. As for the Packers, their big turnaround has taken a slight detour, if they fall to the Rams next Sunday you can say they are officially lost.

The Packers glaring weaknesses are offensive line and running back, and both areas of concern are areas where the Packers’ brass has continually overrated the Packers talent. I think the problem is head coach Mike McCarthy’s goofy blocking scheme that requires smaller more nimble offensive lineman who are drafted to block the zone-blocking scheme but are getting killed in pass blocking. At least so far this year they are. I still think the Packers should have left Wells at center and Spitz at right guard instead of putting two unproven players on one side. Now with Clifton out the Packers are in deep doo.

Of course some of this wouldn’t be so apparent if the Packers had a running back. Ryan Grant hasn’t been the same since the Seattle playoff game two years ago and injury or not he no longer has his explosiveness and his penchant for fumbling reared its ugly head again yesterday. Grant shouldn’t be catching the ball out of the backfield anyway and the Packers idiotic decision to cut Tyrell Sutton even though Brandon Jackson was hurt is coming back to haunt them big time. Jackson has basically stolen money from the Packers since he joined the team and I know if the Packers cut him tomorrow he would never play another down in the NFL. At the very least Jackson should have been put on IR.

I was much more shocked at how bad the Packers defense played Sunday. They can shut down Jay Cutler and Matt Forte but let Cedric Benson and Carson Palmer pick them apart? Go figure? I’m going to give the defense the benefit of the doubt on this one because it was only their second game in the new scheme, however, this isn’t baseball, you don’t get 162 games, this is the only pass they will get from me. To be honest, at this point I might have more confidence in Dom Capers than I do in McCarthy. You guys have mentioned that McCarthy might have hired his replacement and that certainly could be the case if the offense doesn’t pull its head out.

The Packers have some major problems but they can only correct them from within. At this stage of the season rosters are set and only a trade could bring help and who do the Packers have to trade? A.J. Hawk maybe? Johnny Jolly? Pickings are slim and who would even have an offensive lineman they can afford to get rid of? Finding someone who could help right away would probably require too much in return. The Packers better stoke the fire under Mark Tauscher, they need him badly as it appears he was the heart and soul of the o-line.

The Bengals are twice the team the Rams are and if the Packers struggle under the Arch they are in big trouble. The fact that they have the Vikings the following week doesn’t help matters which makes this a perfect trap game. Had the Packers won yesterday I would have been more worried about the Rams than I am now, I expect a bounce-back victory setting up the showdown for the NFC North lead a week from next Monday.

Well, the Packers don’t look sharp early against the Bengals. Two drops already by Finley and Jennings  cost the Packers big plays and early momentum. This high-powered offense appears to still be out of sync. Lets see what the defense can do.

12:17 PM: Wow! The Bengals are here to kick some ass today. They just shredded the Packers new and not-so-improved defense to the tune of 63 yards in four minutes for a 7-0 in just six plays. This could get ugly and quick if the Packers’ offense continues to struggle. Now the Bengals are kicking off at the 50 because of a personal foul on the touchdown pass. What the hell is going on out there?

12:27 PM: That is more like the Packers offense we saw in the preseason. 80 yards in 11 plays for a 7-7 ballgame. Gorgeous TD pass to Double-D. The shootout has begun.

12:34 PM: Holy cow! The defense must have had a major wake up call by that first Cincy drive, they pick off C. Palmer and two plays later the Packers lead 14-7. Packers now have some momentum on both sides of the ball. Ryan Grant looks so much better this year its not even funny.

1:00 PM: Conservative play calling by the Packers to start their drive led to a special teams gaff and a three-play Bengal touchdown drive. 14-all with 10 minutes left in the 2nd. We have ourselves a ball game ladies and gentleman, and the home team needs to pick up the pace. I told you the Bengals weren’t going to be pushovers.

1:07 PM: Another three-and-out by the Packers offense. Same problem as last week, can’t protect the quarterback, in fact, they can barely run a play without a false start or holding penalty. Someone needs to rip this team a new one because they look undisciplined and unprepared at this point of the game. Benson is running like the Packers are throwing popcorn at him. Not pretty.

1:22 PM: I’ve seen everything now. The Bengals have third-and-34 and make the first down with one play. The Packers’ defense is not looking good today. Now a flea-flicker and the Bengals have a first-and-goal. My gut feeling is the Packers lose this game, they are not ready to play today.

1:30 PM: The Packers defense has proven there is a long way to go in learning this new 3-4 scheme. They haven’t come close to stopping the Bengals without making an interception and now have lost safety Nick Collins. The Bengals are the better team right now, and that is not a good sign. The Packers just can’t seem to win two-in-a-row in Lambeau for the life of them. It will take monumental change in fortune for the Packers to win this game. Ryan Grant just dropped another pass and he was wide open. Rodgers throws into quadruple coverageand luckily gets the flag. The 17th penalty of the first half. Get the lead before half and I will feel a lot better.

1:59 PM The Packers will have to win this game with their offense and I think that is going to be a tough task. The best defense on the field today is wearing striped helmets. The Bengals were 12 in the NFL last year and might be even better this year. The Packers’ offense has accounted for seven points today, and if you think about it they have really only scored about 13 points on their own in the first six quarters of the year. Not good. No offense in the second half will mean no win today.

2:10 PM: Ryan Grant just ended any chance the Packers had of changing the momentum of this game. The Packers were on their way to a 95-yard scoring drive and now the Bengals are riding Benson to victory. The Packers’ defense can’t stop Benson and the offense is making mistake after mistake. So much for the easy schedule the Packers have and the great defense I thought they’d have. I was wrong, you all were right. We should have kept Brett Favre.

2:21 PM: High hopes dashed. The Packers are pretenders and not contenders. Ochocinco gets his Lambeau Leap and the Bengals take the lead. The Packers will have to do some serious gut-checking this week. This is not who we thought they were. The offense stinks and the defense is only marginally improved. It’s only one game and its an AFC opponent, but a loss is a loss especially when the Vikings are rolling in Detroit. I would never pick against the Pack but if I did it would have been this week. Completely overconfident right now. Head coach Mike McCarthy thought he had a challenge last year, he doesn’t know what a challenge is. A couple of more games like this and his head will be on the chopping block right next to Ted Thompsons.

2:45 PM: This is by far the worst offensive line the Packers have fielded since 1991 or so. They couldn’t block my grandmother. If Rodgers makes it through four games it will be a miracle, I doubt he even makes it through this game. The bright side I guess is we know where the problem is, but then again, what can they possibly do to fix it now. Training camp is over. Barbe can’t do the job, Sitton can’t do the job. Clifton is out with injury and Colledge has no experience at left tackle. This game is over, it is next week we have to worry about now. Who will line up and where? Instead of a 3-1 start it looks more and more like 1-3.

3:11 PM: This game will either be the springboard to a winning season as a wake up call or just another game in another losing season for the Packers. The inability to build an offensive line is all Ted Thompson’s fault and now the Packers are paying for it. McCarthy is on the hot seat now. This was a bad one. I promise I won’t overrate this team again. Of course, that won’t be hard to do after today.

Over and out.

As much as I would like to think the Cincinnati Bengals would come to Green Bay next week and lay down, I just can’t see it happening. This is a dangerous game for the Packers. The Bengals are steaming mad after getting robbed at home last week by a fluke 87-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds left in a loss to Denver and Kyle Orton no less. The Packers scored a huge divisional win over the Bears but needed every ounce of energy to do so, they could be in for a letdown.

I watched much of the Bengals game against the Broncos and saw the game-winner live, it was a stunner. I was hoping like hell the Bengals would hang on, thinking I don’t want them pissed off coming to Lambeau next week. So much for that. The Bengals obviously didn’t set the world on fire by only scoring one touchdown, but I was fairly impressed with their defense. They completely shut down the Broncos for 59 and-a-half minutes and even the game winner was a fluke. I hope the Packers don’t think their offensive woes from week one will be automatically fixed because they are playing Cincinnati. The Bengals defense was the 12th ranked unit in the NFL last year. Not too shabby for a 4-12 team.

Carson Palmer looked very rusty but Chad Ochocinco looks rejuvenated and as he said today, is ready to take a Lambeau Leap against the Packers Sunday. Still, the Bengals could only put up a TD against the Broncos so I can’t really see them scoring much against the Packers highly spirited defense. Of course one thing is sure and that is the fact Palmer is not going to chuck it around like Jay Cutler did Sunday, the Packers will have to actually work for any interceptions they get against him.

Both teams will be looking to improve upon poor opening week offensive performances but could find the going tough once again this week. I think the Packers might indeed struggle a little again on offense but I’m thinking the pressure the Packers will bring on defense will stymie the Bengals. Palmer won’t throw the pick but can’t escape the sack either. This could be another low scoring affair at Lambeau, which is fine as long as the Packers come out on top. With the horrible St. Louis Rams on deck the Packers shouldn’t be looking ahead so I’m expecting a better performance all-around this week. My gut feeling is Packers 24, Bengals 10.

More to come…

(check me out on Twitter at packernetblog)

Like a golfer who scratches out a respectable score when not having their best stuff, the Packers ground out a victory over the Bears despite not playing well on offense and giving up some big plays on defense. It was a game that was ugly on both sides but the fact that the Packers pulled it out when they had no business winning is still a good way to start the season. The Packers did beat the Bears physically and it has been a long time since we used the word “physical” to describe the Packers.

The Packers’ defense did a good job of shutting down Matt Forte and putting pressure on quarterback Jay Cutler, forcing him into four interceptions. Cutler did burn the Packers for a long TD to Devon Hester and a 68-yard pass to Johnny Knox, who burned Charles Woodson on the play.Woodson didn’t have one of his better games as he was burned on the long one to Knox, had a part in the TD to Hester and almost caused a turnover when he knocked the ball of teammate Tramon Williams’ hand as Williams was trying to score on an interception return. For the life of me I don’t know what Woodson was doing, get out of the way and let the man score. If Williams wouldn’t have stepped out at the two the Bears would have had the ball on a touchback. Wow!

The Packers main problems were on the offensive line, which couldn’t pass block at all. They didn’t run block much better. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was hurried all game and rarely had a chance to set and throw, even on the game-winner he had a guy in his face. He also took a late hit from Bears’ linebacker Brian Urlacher that was blatant and certainly avoidable. If that was Tom Brady Urlacher hit he might have been ejected.

Right tackle Allen Barbre is going to get another shot but after watching the film today I don’t why, probably because the Packers have nobody better to put out there. I wonder where Mark Tauscher is on his rehab? If Barbre doesn’t clean up his act and soon the Packers’ opponents will be taking advantage of him and the Packers will constantly have to be giving him help, which limits what they can do on offense. So much for picking the offensive line early.

I’m not surprised the Packers had trouble running the ball against the Bears but the pass rush they produced was unexpected. If the Packers had been better able to run the ball it might have helped but Ryan Grant could only average 3.8 yards a carry on his 61 yards. There is a lot to clean up offensively heading into week two against the Cincinnati Bengals. Kicker Mason Crosby also needs to get his act together or the Packers may end up looking for a kicker in midseason like they ended up looking for a punter last year. On that note, Jeremy Kapinos had a good night and that problem appears to have been fixed for the time being.

The offense was also hindered by two dropped passes by wide receiver Donald Driver, both would have been huge plays and who knows the positive effect that follows if Double-D makes those catches. When I think about it after all the hype of the preseason this could turn out to be an excellent wake up call for the Packers’ offense. They were the greatest thing since sliced bread for four weeks and were pretty much shut down on opening day. Only the maturity of Rodgers and a great play call by head coach Mike McCarthy saved the day. The third-and-one bomb was perfected by Bart Starr in the 1960s and it was great to see McCarthy and Rodgers pull it off it again and for a game-winner to boot. Good stuff and now Rodgers has a huge monkey off is back and that monkey ain’t no joke. Rodgers just keeps getting better and better, this is going to be fun to watch if the o-line can keep him healthy.

Overall I can’t complain, we got the win and we will certainly will play better on offense than against the Bears, who I still think will have a good defense this year with Lovie Smith calling the shots. Losing Urlacher for the season won’t help, though. The Packers’ defense will have to work on the breakdowns that lead to the big plays the Bears were able to make while keeping the running game shut down. I can’t see them getting four interceptions every game and I especially don’t see Carson Palmer doing that next week when the Bengals come to town.

The Packers beat the Bears on national TV and can’t afford a letdown next week against Cincinnati. I watched much of the Bengals game Sunday and I will give you my take in my next entry.

I’m going to try and send some tweets from Lambeau tonight. You can follow me at packernetblog. Not good at texting, so don’t get your hopes up.

Go Pack!

Boy, I’ll tell you, I have never seen a team rise to such prominence in three preseason games. Don Banks from SI moves them from #19 to #3 in his power rankings just because of the preseason? Wow! One guy on the NFL Network tonight picked the Packers to lose to New England in the Super Bowl. And yet not one regular season game has been played and the Packers were 6-10 last year. What is going on here?

I do expect the Packers to win the division this year and the Bears to be second, but this rising praise from the national media has come out of nowhere. I have to admit I like it but I don’t think it will go over real well in the Bears’ locker room.The Bears will be bringing their best effort Sunday night and the Packers better be expecting no less. The Bears have owned the Packers since Lovie Smith took over as Bear’s head coach and it is time for the Packers to reverse that trend.

I think this game will be one of two halves – the Packers dominate the first half and hang on in the second half. I don’t think there is any chance of a blowout like last year’s 37-3 beatdown the Packers put on the Bears in Lambeau. The Packers’ new defense hasn’t proven anything yet and neither has their special teams which were pitiful last year. I can see Devon Hester having a big night in that department.

I see the Packers jumping out to a 27-14 lead then hanging on for a 27-21 nail-biter. The defense will hold in the last minute. At least that is my best case scenario, the new defense gets tested and shines in its first real test. It would set the tone for the whole season. Of course so would five Aaron Rodgers touchdown passes and a 41-3 win. Guess I’ll take either.