Game can’t come soon enough

I can’t wait for Monday. Win or lose at least the Packers can get on with their season and focus on the task at hand. While I first wished the schedule makers would have brought the Vikings to Green Bay in late December, putting the hype to bed with nine games to go is much better in the long run.

The Packers are focusing on their team goals which hopefully won’t be played out until January. One has to wonder how focused Brett Favre will be after Sunday, especially if the Vikings beat the Packers again. In Favre’s mind, no matter what he says, it would be mission accomplished with half the season to play. The Devil made me do it, but the thought crossed my mind that a loss by the Packers would be almost as good as a win. Thankfully, righteousness quickly returned and I dismissed that thought. Good over evil again.

The fact is this game is as even as they get. Both teams have played almost the same schedule and are separated by only one game in the loss column. The Packers rank higher in on both sides of the ball but have weaknesses on the offensive line. The Vikings have the veteran QB who has injected life into a once one-sided offense, but defensively the Vikings are very one-sided.

All the Packers need to do is give quarterback Aaron Rodgers time to pass and even if the running game struggles, he should pick apart the Vikings secondary, much like he did four weeks ago when he threw for his career high 384 yards against the Queens. I hope T.J. Lang starts at left tackle only because Cliffy has only played much football the last six weeks and hasn’t looked all that good when he did play. A healthy Lang is better at this point.

On the right side I would start Barbre but get Tauscher in for a series or two, or if need be, more. Even coming off a year out of football I feel better about Tausch than I do Cliffy. Why is that? I don’t know.

The Packers will miss Finley if he can’t play but Rodgers has confidence in Havner, so it might not be as bad first thought. With the home field, the crowd screaming every time Favre steps under center, the Packers have a great chance to knock off the division leaders.

I just can’t wait until it is over.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 10:10 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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  • http://www.packernet.com admin

    “I don’t care what happened the last two games.”

    That statement needs no comment.

  • http://www.packernet.com admin

    I couldn’t resist. So what does that mean we are basing this game on? We have to throw out the Packers and Vikings wins over the Rams, Lions and Browns. The Packers beat the Bears and the Vikings beat the Steelers and Packers and have played one more game. So I guess it basically comes down one game – the Packers 30-23 loss to the Vikings four weeks ago. Now I see where you are coming from PB. Well, since both teams are pretty much even, I like the Packers chances at home.

  • Rocky70

    PB

    ” You might even quit wearing your purple #4 jersey to bed every night…. LOL. ……… ”

    I know… I know….. You only wear it on formal occasions………. the can, the couch & your exercise hour in the yard…… LOL… again. …………

  • Rocky70

    PB

    All joking aside, I actually can understand where you are coming from…….. You simply want GB to soundly defeat a good team before you commit completely……… However, with so many lousy teams in the NFL in 2009 …. this is difficult to do.

    Most polls & pundits basically have Indy as the #1 team in the NFL thus far…… It’s hard to argue because they are undefeated & have a red-hot Manning at QB……… But examine their season so far…………. They have only beaten one winning team…… Arizona at 4-2…… The rest of their Vs have come against Jack., Miami, Seattle, Tenn., & St. Louis………. Combined W-L of 11-26.

    GB may very well be undefeated if they had played the Indy schedule to this point……

  • http://www.packernet.com admin

    Damn Rocky, I have thought since about week two that the Colts were the best team in the league. I guess like the Packers and Vikings, we’ll see how beating bad teams either builds confidence or sets you up for failure. I still think two good teams are meeting Sunday in Lambeau and they may meet again in January.

  • Rocky70

    Admin

    ” I still think two good teams are meeting Sunday in Lambeau and they may meet again in January. ”

    Agree. …. Both the Pack & the Vikings are good teams……. Both will be in the playoffs unless one or the other meets disaster in the 2nd half of the season….. Unlikely.

    But I hope you’re wrong about meeting again in January…… After Sunday I want the Vikes & BF to just ‘go away’…… The media blitz centered on BF is so old, repetitive & over-hyped, it is a major distraction from the game (for me)…….. Can’t even get away from it watching the World Series ……… Big Interview this Sunday….. BF & Bradshaw……….. Can’t wait………….. Makes me throw up a little.

  • http://www.packernet.com admin

    Take it with a grain of salt Rocky, Pinocchio has a better track record. Why Favre and not Rodgers?

  • Rocky70

    Congrats to AR for being named “NFC Offensive Player of the Month” for October.

    Why not Drew Brees. ….. Here’s why:

    AROD- 988 Yards, 7 TD’s, 2 INT, 126.6 QB Rating
    Brees- 857 Yards, 5 TD’s, 3 INT, 98.2 QB Rating

    Both only played 3 games in the month of October.

  • iccyfan

    packer_bob Says: “Where did I say I didn’t have time to look it up? I said I wasn’t going to look it up.”

    Instant classic! I’m not going to look it up because I might be wrong. Of course I’d like nothing better than to be wrong, but I’ll have to see it with my own two eyes. Even then I doubt you could really prove I was wrong because the Packers haven’t played the exact same schedule as those teams I think are better. And if the better teams have played the same teams as the Packers, the cupcakes are worse now. So you can’t say I’m wrong… ;)

    You’re wasting your time in sales; I see a natural politician. “I never smoked marijuana because I didn’t inhale” or “that’s not within my definition of sex”. Give it up fellas, we’re in the presence of greatness…

  • Rocky70

    A ‘must-read’ article about TT………… You’ll learn much.

    The Legacy of Ted Thompson

    http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?page=hotread7/TedThompson

  • Rocky70

    ” Fox announced that it will have a camera “isolated on Favre from the second he takes the field against his former team until the moment he runs back into the locker room.”

    Favre leading the Minnesota Vikings against his old team, the Green Bay Packers, is going to be the story of the week in the NFL media, and the folks at Fox are going to milk it for all it’s worth. In fact, if you want to watch three hours-plus of Favre, you’ll be able to see every move Favre makes for the entire game online at either FoxSports.com or NFL.com. ”

    Geez, can I get a DVD copy to have for all eternity……….. My stomach hurts now.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    Here we go again, using the stats when they prove your point and ignoring them when they don’t.

    Having said that the Pack is 4-2, 2nd in the Div and have lost 2 games by 7 each. We have a 125-103 lead in 1st downs; have gained 600 yds more than the other team, over a hundred more rush and 500 pass; we’re 10-7 in TOs.

    Our downfall has been penalties, on the downside of 51-35, and I think about 25 sacks.

    Like I said before, I like Lang, Wells, Mathews, and Bigby starting!

  • Mel e Mel

    I prefer the Grape or Lemonade Kool-aid. If NO is the best team in Football then the Pack is in good company. No one brings up the fact that they have beat up on 2 rookie Qbs. I believe Lang is the answer at LT he already is a better run blocker than Clifton.
    I must admit I have softened up against TT, reading the article about him. Basically no personal life. Hangs out at Bum Phillips Ranch and does chores. The NFC only has a handful of good teams, I believe the Pack is one of them. Time will tell.

  • packer_bob

    Iccy,

    Part of Michael’s post was that since I post “35 times” a day, that I did indeed have time to look it up. I agree about the time element, just denied that I ever claimed I didn’t have the time. Very valid point, imo, because his post called me out on a claim I didn’t make.

    Since I’ve been on my pajama party sleep in for world peace, I have plenty of time to do almost anything. I merely didn’t see how his obvious mistatement should shake me from my enjoyable lethargy.

    More to the point, it doesn’t really matter. I don’t care that Philly lost to the Raiders. I don’t care that Atlanta lost to the Cowboys. What I’ve seen so far, from my team, is that we are capable of wiping the gum of the NFL off our proverbial shoes and not much else at this point.

    I’ll admit we are in a strange situation as far as comparing victories goes. I can’t remember a time when so much of the league was so bad. And I don’t mean record bad.
    A team can be 2-4 sometimes and still be dangerous on the cliche “any given Sunday.” But many of these teams are simply bad bad, as in not even competitive bad.

    Three of our wins are against the detritus of the league. The other was a last minute affair against a team we had three first half TO’s against. Cincy and Minnesota pretty much had their way against us. This week’s game would go a long way towards proving we can actually do something against a reasonably good team.

    So please forgive me for not getting overly hyperactive because of our monumental victories over the litty bitty Kitties B-team at home, and our collossal win over that juggernaut, the Browns, on the road. I’m not down on our squad at this point, just saying it’s time to show it against somebody that resembles anything like a contender.

    We’ve got one this week, at home. I called the first game against the Vikes as a gut check game, and was very disappointed about how it turned out. We will all see if we’ve gotten any better or it was all just a mirage. I have my money on us getting better, literally, and hope I don’t have to break out The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” as I watch the money fly from my wallet.

    We’ll all see on Sunday.

  • packer_bob

    Iccy says: “You’re wasting your time in sales; I see a natural politician.”

    I completely agree. This whole Nobel Prize for not doing anything at all has really opened my eyes to the big picture. My long term goal is to not do anything, win the Nobel Prize, then use that as the lynchpin to justify my own candidacy for higher office.

    Rocky70 says: “Geez, can I get a DVD copy to have for all eternity……….. My stomach hurts now.”

    I’ll buy you a copy if we win this Sunday. If we lose, I’ll buy you all the syrup of ipecac you need to make your tum-tum feel better.

    As long as you video what happens after you drink it.

  • packer_bob

    MeleMel says:

    “I must admit I have softened up against TT, reading the article about him. Basically no personal life. Hangs out at Bum Phillips Ranch and does chores. ”

    Sounds like the set up for a sequel to Brokeback Mountain to me.

  • Rocky70

    “I must admit I have softened up against TT, reading the article about him. Basically no personal life. Hangs out at Bum Phillips Ranch and does chores. ”

    Sounds like TT & BF would get along great after their NFL careers are over…….. Both like working on the ranch doing pretty much nothing……….. TT could design up all the chores for the day & BF could audible out of them, as usual.

    Truth is TT will still be holding down a significant job in the NFL long after BF has rode off into the sunset……. Of the two, I’d say TT’s chances of hoisting up a Lombardi Trophy after a SB V are much, much greater than BF’s………

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    Good god, p_b, sounds like you liked the christians but put your money on the lions. I wasn’t around then but it seems to me that you don’t think the Pack has anything to show this year and won’t win a game against a team with a winning record. After all, the (4) wins don’t mean a damn thing, nor do any of the positive stats. Please, please, stay out of the locker room and away from the tunnel. I wouldn’t want you near any of the team……!
    And don’t give me that “just telling it like it is” crap, this team does not need your kind of encouragement. Or rather, lack thereof.

  • packer_bob

    “TT could design up all the chores for the day & BF could audible out of them, as usual.”

    That’s actually pretty funny, Rocky. Well played sir!

  • packer_bob

    LT,

    I said the Packers should be the favorite at home and have bet accordingly. The reason I think the Pack are favorites has nothing to do with the last two weeks, but rather the faith I have that we will correct the mistakes from the first game and the fact we are at home this time.

    But I do have some skepticism about this team that is based on the first four games of the season, not the last two. For those of you that think that is way out there, all apologies.

    Simply put, I’m saying it’s put up or shut up time. I have my money on put up but I’m not without my doubts, and I think those doubts are reasonable.

    But I guess that makes me a heretic. Burn me at the stake as a witch, it is almost Halloween!

  • ChrisAZ

    Rockey70 said “I’d say TT’s chances of hoisting up a Lombardi Trophy after a SB V are much, much greater than BF’s…..” UMMMM Hasnt Brett Favre already done that??? After all the this over time will heal wounds. Brett Favre is a NFL and Packer hall of famer and Ted Thompson will be remembered as that one guy from those couple years.

  • packer_bob

    Getting back to this:

    “I’m not going to look up every single NFC teams record, but I’ll guess that each of the ones you named has had at least one signature win.”

    49ers–Victory over Cardinals
    Giants-V on the road over Dallas
    Falcons-Blowout win on the road against Niners
    Cardinals- V over Houston, road V in NY
    Vikings-V over Pack
    Cowboys-V over Atlanta

    Hell, even the Bears beat the Steelers. My point was we don’t have any quality W’s yet. Where was I wrong again? Oh yeah, the Eagles don’t have any either.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    OK,p_b, no point in argueing; the Pack has not proven to you they can win, and they have not proven to me they can’t. Tomato, tomahto.

  • iccyfan

    packer_bob Says: “But I do have some skepticism”

    and others might call it playing both ends against the middle (for reasons known only to you)…

    Not to bring religion into this discussion ;) , but as a regular church attendee I have to blindly accept things that I can’t see or prove. Being a Packer fan is a similar experience, and that goes well beyond both events taking place on Sunday!

  • Rocky70

    “……. and others might call it playing both ends against the middle (for reasons known only to you)……. ”

    I call it pure out & out CYA……. You know the common line used by people like PB…… ” I have my doubts but if they win I’ll be really, really happy & supportive.”…….

    PB…… Why do you keep including SF with your lists?….. SF is 3-3 & just changed their starting QB…….. A sussessful season for them will be 6 or 7 Vs.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    Here’s one for the FA FAnatics; Bears benched Omiyale, a 6.3M dollar man. Pace is whiffing but for some unknown reason the Bearse are not giving up sacks. Don’t understand why a guy w/ only 1/2 (one half) sacks against him this year is benched. Maybe the low sack total is because of the INT total? Can any of you Chicago area guys comment?

  • Rocky70

    Let’s examine the 1996 SB Champs GB Packers ……….. 13-3 regular season record.

    The 3 losses were to teams with a winning record ….. Minn., KC & Dallas.
    4 of the 13 wins were against teams with a winning record….. Phil., SF, Den., Minn.
    9 of the 13 wins were against teams with losing records.

    Only 4 “significant wins” in the regular season………. The Vikes were 9-7 in ’96 so maybe that isn’t even a significant win………. That makes 3 out of 13 regular season wins as “significant wins”…………

    Maybe that wasn’t such a great season after all ……. I wonder if the NFL is aware of this………. They wouldn’t take away the trophy at this late date, would they?

  • Rocky70

    LT

    I’m not from Chicago but have seen all but one Bear game……….. Cutler (the New BF) likes to fling the ball instead of being sacked………… I don’t like sacks but Cutler is on pace to throw 26 INTs in 2009…….. If he ends up with 20+, the Bears will have a losing season & Lovie will join Chilly on the unemployment line come January……. Add the fact that the Bears are without high draft picks the next two drafts & I see the Bears falling below the Lions very soon……… Bear Fans are pissed.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    I would think so; the Bearse did exactly, via trade (ie, draft picks) and FA (ie, 6.3 and aged veteran) that several here were asking TT to do. IE; just tweek with a FA here and there. Well, if you are wrong this is what it costs you. Wanna bet on CHI chances within the next 5 yrs?
    Same goes for MIN. Favre, so far, has paid off. So has Allen, especially against us, but if it doesn’t work they both have mortgaged their futures making the coach the scape goat.
    As far as that goes, NYG, NYJ, and WAS aren’t setting the world on fire this year. NE bucks the (what I see is) trend, of course, as did the Wolf Packers. It might take a little longer depending on the draft, but winners have been built that way too.
    Just think how different we would be with a 4-3 with Harrell starting, and Jackson running inside and outside, as well as screens. Ah, that damned ’07 draft……!

  • Michael Legat

    Look, Bob -

    Even the most optimistic people here are very aware of the Packers weaknesses and inconsistencies thus far this year. Even folks like Rocky and Larry have acknowledged them multiple times. I believe that they and Al would acknowledge that our belief that Green Bay can become a great team this year involves some element of faith that they will continue to improve.

    But, good Lord, man, the reason we’d all like to smack you upside the head every now and then is this constant arms folded in front of you, neverending wait-and-see, wet-blanket crapola that you keep having to throw in here. Dude, we know it was just the Lions and Browns. We still kicked their butts and at least I enjoyed watching it. We don’t need you tempering Packer fans enthusiasm at every opportunity, in the name of being “real”. It makes you a across as a “real” jackass.

  • 25 Yrs Pack

    Its getting bloody in here…but back to the game. Is GJ going to finally step up? Aynone? He’s on pace for 59 catches, under a 1000 Yds, and 3 TDs. He has not played against any stiff passing defenses either. Please tell me he’s not a big contract bust. I’ll be keeping a close eye on him as well at the game. If he doesn’t get open against a softened seconday, there are many positions we need improvement on that aren’t a WR. WR are a dime a dozen in this league. But I might be jumping the gun on this one, well see how I feel on Monday.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    Relax, 25, he’s averaging 12 yds a catch with half the games 5 and 6 recepts. He is usually the deep guy so Arod has to have time to see his separation. It’ll come. True, he only had 3 against MIN last time, but you got to figure Jared Allen had a lot to do with that. Look for a chip from a back before Lang engages him which will keep him a lot wider this time. (I would think!)

  • Rocky70

    Jennings is also a streaky WR……. He’ll look like a world-beater for a few games in a row & then settle down to more moderate production for a few more………. However, his numbers may not neccessarily improve all that much the rest of the season………. When you have other options like DD, Jones, Nelson & especially Finley, Jennings will not get as many opportunities………… AR only threw 20 passes against the Browns…… AR is also good at looking off receivers & throwing to the open man……. GJ still gets doubled alot………. so he’s more likely to be covered………….. Another key………. if GBs running game is efficient, no need to throw the ball as much…… It’s actually good if his numbers are modest if the above reasons are evident.

  • 25 Yrs Pack

    Can’t pay big dollars for modest numbers under any circumstance, ever. The only acception being the Def Tckl or Nose Tckl.

  • 25 Yrs Pack

    Man I’m hard to please this year

  • AATP

    Rocky70 – that “must read” article WAS a good read… thanks for that…

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    You maybe right, 25, but Rocky is right too. I know there are obvious strategies where he could be used as a decoy and pull a double team to his side. So much of his production depends on protection of the QB.
    ——————I sure hope Flynn gets a lot of playing time in Sunday! Heh, Heh.

  • Mike from Arizona

    This year’s ViQueens team is the best team I have ever been on. I can only hope the Packers knock BF out of the game. But they do not have too, because the better QB will win this game.

  • Rocky70

    ” I sure hope Flynn gets a lot of playing time on Sunday. ”
    Now I’ve read it all!…………… Wishing injury on AR………… Pathetic.

  • http://www.packernet.com admin

    Rocky – I think he means because we are way ahead. At least I hope so…

  • 25 Yrs Pack

    Or a Louisiana State fan. So a flynn backer would be a rare breed, feeling oppostion twards Arod, yet a fan of TT….

  • Rocky70

    ” Rocky – I think he means because we are way ahead. At least I hope so… ”

    I know…… I know……… Have to keep the old guy as sharp as possible……… LT…….. you need to try and stay awake for the whole game this Sunday if at all possible……..

    GB defense ranked 3rd in NFL (yrd./gm)

    ” It’s been nearly eight full years since a Packers defense found itself that high in the league’s overall rankings, which are based on yards per game. The last time it ranked in the NFL’s top three at any point in the season was 2001, when it ranked No. 3 in Week 9. “

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    You guys are too much. How in the hell could anyone who has been on this site, for all these months, misconstrue what I meant.
    You of all people, Rock. I know you were being sarcastic and I accept that for what it is. You’ve got a point about staying awake during the afternoon, but I sure don’t have any trouble at 4AM; thats when I do some of my best work. Ha-Ha, pup!

  • Sammy

    It entertains me how so many of you, Al and Rocky et. al., are preparing yourself for Packer loss. You aren’t? Go back and read the first post by Al and subsequent posts. This is likely the biggest game of the year and we cannot be swept by the Queens. This game will likely define the rest of the year! IT IS NOT O.K. IF WE LOSE!!

  • Rocky70

    ” IT IS NOT O.K. IF WE LOSE!! ”

    We don’t want to lose………… It would make my day if the Pack absolutely whipped the Vikes but in the grander scheme, nothing will be decided by this one game…… win or lose……… The nine games to follow after Sunday will decide GB’s fate in 2009 ….. not an over-hyped “BF Bowl’ that’s sweet for the media but just one of 16 regular season games………

    The only individual games that are ‘do or die’ are playoff games ……….. Hell, we’re not even to the halfway point of the season yet…………. Having said that……. I’m sticking to GB being 6-2 at the halfway mark ………. It would be great to be 6-2 when the Cowboys come to town in two weeks ……….

  • Rocky70

    Chilly in drag……… Really……… What a clown…… Glad he’s in Minnesota.

    http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/finally-pix-of-brad-childress-as-female-stewardess-26736

  • http://www.packernet.com admin

    Been waiting for that Sammy. Reaching aren’t you? The Vikings’ QB perfected that art before the season and again this week with “being sick since last Friday” shtick. Glad I can be compared to one of the best.

  • http://www.packernet.com admin

    Rock, if that was my coach this would be my last post. Wow! And you all hate McCarthy?

  • http://www.packernet.com admin

    They promptly lost the game so maybe he dresses as a cheerleader this week or something. Did I say wow enough? Wow!

  • TRIP

    If we lose this game, we are in serious trouble. A must win? I don’t see a wild card coming out the NFC North. We need the standings to be Vikes 6-2 Packers 5-2, after this week. Forget Favre, if they go up 7-1 with a tiebreaker on us, and we do 4-3, I think its going to be a long 2nd half of the season.

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