Rocky Mountain High

Can't Catch a Break

Ted Thompson must have pissed off the big man (and I don't mean Bill Belichick) because every time one of Thompson's famous "next man ups" steps forward he get hurt.

James Starks comes up lame

After Eddie Lacy forgot how to run James Starks stepped into the breach two weeks ago and gained 112 yards against the Chargers. He comes back from the bye week off and suddenly he has a hip injury. He is listed as questionable.

Damarious Randall makes the play of the year to save the Chargers game and he suddenly comes up with an ankle injury and is listed as questionable.

Bits and Pieces

EX-Packers:

 

The firing of former Packer Offensive Coordinator Joe Philbin has brought a renaissance to the Dolphins offense turning a 1-3 start to a two-game winning streak under the interim coach. However, the Renaissance turned into the Dark Ages after the thumping by the Patriots on Thursday night.

 

However, the new found offensive excellence hasn't trickled down to former Packers' No. 1 receiver Greg Jennings. Under Philbin the 10-year veteran had caught 7 passes 54 yards (7.7 average) with no touchdowns. Since then he caught 1 pass for 13 yards in the first game - a 38-10 win over the Titans - and then doubled that production to 2 catches for 37 yards (23 long) in the 44-26 win over the hapless Texans. Against the Patriots Jennings was shutout.

 

Greg Jennings tries to tell Ryan Tannehill he's still on the team

He still hasn't caught his first touchdown pass of the season and his per catch average is the second lowest in his career at 10.4. His lowest came in 2012 - his last as a Packer - when he was injured and averaged 10.2 yards a catch. He missed the second game and games 5 through 12 and started only 5 of the other 8 games.

Observations Without Fear

Greg Hardy

With all the issues with the TIT (Trust in Ted) crowd and others (RC Packer Fan) who feel any dissension among the ranks is tantamount to treason and those who have those feelings should be banished forever not only from the not-so-friendly confines of Green Bay and the internet universe watching the circus known as the Dallas Cowboys makes those distractions minor in comparison.

 

Greg Hardy is a very talented pass rusher. He got two sacks in his first game in over a year and continued to be disruptive Sunday against the Giants with another sack and with the disaster that has become the Dallas season since the injury to Tony Romo he is one of the few bright spots for the Cowboys or so they think.

 

However, as a person he is a major league butthole. And it didn't take him long to revert to his actual personality and he is now that child that his parents are afraid of. Grandpappy Jerry (Jones) says everything he says is just fine, he is just misquoted or misunderstood. When he said he would come out "guns a blazin'" against Tom Brady Jones said, now can you believe it, "that he really didn't mean he would carry a gun out on the field,".

 

For an old man he really is flexible having to bend nine ways to Sunday to come up with that explanation as if anyone, and I mean anyone, including my four-year old Grand Nephew Eli, though he meant that.

 

Just to sent the record straight the consternation over that statement was him saying anything about guns considering the problem with the NFL began when he was convicted of domestic violence (since overturned on appeal when the woman was paid off - see my earlier posts on NFL abusers and the legal system) and part of the incident was throwing the woman down on a bed of loaded guns and rifles.

 

 

Now he goes berserk and attacks the special teams coach on TV ("Film at 11") and both Grandpappy Jerry and Daddy Jason (Garrett) both say they didn't see it, so it didn't happen. Even that paragon of virtue Dez Bryant tried to calm him down, but he almost started a fight with him on the sidelines.

 

Making excuses for bad behavior is no way to handle a dangerous child. A child learns real quick who is in charge and how far he can push and Hardy found out he is in charge and he can do anything he wants.

 

I would hope another woman wouldn't be spending any time with him, but we all know there are women lined up at the door salivating to be the next his punching bag.

 

This is sad state of affairs for the modern woman. No matter how far they have come in relation to rights and human dignity the true pioneers and leaders of the movement are undermined daily by the majority of the female population. The first thing that comes to a young girl's mind when she approaches her teenage years is to show off her body. That is where he power comes from.

 

Sex is the determining factor in her relationships with her fellow girls, with boys and with the world in general. Advertising is all about sex and how she looks. Political women are critiqued on their hair and clothing and their looks ("who wants to look at that face every day" - Donald Trump on Carly Fiorina or "Who wants to watch a woman grow old in the presidency" - Rush Limbaugh on Hillary Clinton) and not their views on important matters.

 

Women take up with "bad boys" and accept abuse as part of the ritual as did Hardy's girlfriend. A girl can take being beat up as long as there is a payoff at the end. It all comes down to tradeoffs. There are even women who can't wait to date men in prison. How sick are they? Don't answer that we know.

 

Hardy is a bomb ready to explode. He has been back only two games and is already abusing his teammates and being told it was just being enthusiastic and a good leader The coaches (Garrett and the special teams coach) said there was nothing to it and the owner and GM said the same thing.

 

I can imagine those guys are afraid to be in the same room with Hardy, but since he can help the team on game days they put up with him. I predict he will only get worse and will actually assault a coach or another woman by the end of the season. When it happens Garrett will stick his head up his ass and say he didn't see it, so it didn't happen. Jones will say the coach or the woman deserved it and move on.

 

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it without fear, but I am avoiding the Cowboys compound and locking my door.

Buh BYE

The 'Reach' by Damarious Randall

The bye week couldn't come at a better time for many reasons, but as it refers to me, since everything revolves around me, I don't think I could watch a game this week after that disgraceful performance by the seemingly resurgent Packer defense against the Chargers Sunday afternoon.

 

Up front I will implore everyone to vote for cornerback Damarious Randall as Defensive Rookie of the Week. If he isn't nominated then write in his name.

 

The other good thing that came out of the Chargers game, except for the win, of course, is that the x-rays on wide receiver Ty Montgomery's ankle were negative although it looked like he would be lost for the season when he was carried off the field. It seems the good that came out of this game, besides the win, was something that might not be as bad as it could have be.

 

Now for the bad. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers brief bout of competence lasted all of two weeks in addition to three quarters against the Seahawks and two against the Chiefs.

Offensive Offense and Sublime Solutions

Aaron Rodgers looking for answers

The last two weeks haven't been pretty for the high-powered Packer offensive machine. Aaron Rodgers threw his first interceptions x2 at Lambeau Field since 2012 and, for good measure, lost a fumble also for three turnovers. The Packers averaged just 17 points against the woeful 49ers and the Rams, but still managed to remain undefeated with a little help from their defensive friends. I hope the offense took the defense out for dinner for their titanic efforts.

FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS, PART EKIZ

SUBLIMY SUBLIMNESS

I would say the most sublime event this week would be being 5-0, but that is a cop out since this is supposed to be off the field and not about the current state of Packerness.

So I had to wrack by brain to find something that is sublime and not being about the current state of excellence Mann's Bootleg Brew has been as its new role as being the Desperation Pouring. Ok, that was a cop out too.

So here is the real sublime issue for the week of October 12 to 17, 2015.

REALLY RIDICULOUS

When I tried to Google "pretty packers fans" you would think with all the blonde-haired and blue eyed babes Wisconsin has to offer they would appear first in the queue, but this is what came up, so that is why I am starting with the really ridiculous.

This was the first picture up and he is not pretty

Defensive Resurgence

Dom Capers suddenly has answers

Whether it was Mike McCarthy looking over his shoulder last season, a séance with Phil Bengston or Fritz Shurmur or a head injury from a fall down the stairs or a combination of all three Packers Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers has seen the light and for the last four games the Packers defense has been playing the best since the Super Bowl season.

 

Starting with Seattle the Packers defense has been on the whole very solid. Marshawn Lynn was held to 41 yards on 15 carries (2.7 average) and Russell Wilson 19-of-30 for 206 yards with 2 touchdowns and one interception while being sacked twice officially, but the loss was only for one yard so those were actually being caught behind the line of scrimmage when he attempted to scramble. For the game Wilson was their leading rusher with 78 yards on 10 carries.

Dodged a Bullet

T. J. Lang added to injury list

The Packer injury train keeps chugging along with three new players getting on boards. Right guard T. J. Lang went down on the last drive on the second quarter when he was rolled on a screen pass. Nose tackle B.J. Raji hurt his groin in the second quarter when his foot got caught in the grass and tried to play in the third quarter, but the pain was too much. These two injuries seem to be not serious and the coaching staff has to make the decision whether its worth the risk to play them against the Chargers with the bye week coming up.

First Thoughts on the Shearing the Rams

When You're Desperate Pour a Mann's Bootleg Brew

The Packers are 5-0 thanks to another good defensive performance in the mode of bend-but-don't-break. The Rams made drives, but the Packers were able to keep them out of the end zone in the second half.

 

One reason was the maturation of the Packers secondary along with continuing pressure by the front six and seven. A second reason and the most important in my opinion was because of the Mann's Bootleg Brew Desperation Pouring excellence.

 

You scoff you sorry unbelievers of the pouring - just ask Avery or Therese. The Packers were leading 21-10 at the start of the fourth quarter and had just had Mason Crosby's 47-yard field goal wiped out because of a hands-to-face penalty on Richards Rodgers and Tim Masthay, who evidently doesn't know what a coffin corner is anymore, had just punted from the Rams 39 directly down the middle of the field into the end zone making it essentially a 19-yard punt.

This Could Be a Trap Game

The once safe game against St. Louis has turned into a battle at Lambeau because the Rams are coming off a great game knocking off the previously undefeated Cardinals. This could be a trap game so the Packers have to be on their game to win.

 

Nick Foles

Nick Foles (16-of-24-171) threw three touchdown passes and rookie Todd Gurley (19-146) starting his first game after recovering from a severe knee injury suffered in college couldn't be stopped.

The Definition of Madness

It seems that right tackle Bryan Bulaga is slated to return to the trenches this weekend against the Rams and while in normal circumstances I would rejoice I have reservations about his return at this time.

 

Bryan Bulaga continues to get back up after being knocked down

I've always gone by the credo of when you feel good wait a week before you return to normal activities when it comes to returning from sports injuries. Normally Coach Mike McCarthy has always be cautious about rushing players back on the field.

What the hell is going on out here?

On the whole, except for the later part of the third quarter and fourth quarter against the Chiefs Dom Capers seems to have a clue the past two games. The aggressiveness of the front two and three combined with the outside linebackers has been dominating in both pass rush with 13 (should have been 14) sacks and against the run allowing just 76 yards a game (although at still a high 4.1 carry) and 225 yards passing a game.

 

Over the first two games the Packer defense gave up an average of 154 yards rushing (5.3 average), 215.5 yards passing and 20 points a game.

 

Mission Accomplished

Dunt, Dunt, Dunt, another one bites the dust

The Packer offense had more trouble than anyone figured, but the Packer defense had a better day, but I think it had more to do with how bad Colin Kaepernick played or was allowed to play. But in the end the Packers exorcised their last demon with the defeat of Kaepernick and are now 4-0 with a two-game lead over the Vikings and three games over the Bears.

 

Offensively, Don Barclay had a bad game at right tackle giving up two sacks and the normally solid middle of the line had trouble with holding. Josh Sitton was caught twice and T. J. Lang once.

 

I Finally Figured It Out

I Pity The Fools

The TIT (Trust in Ted) crowd gripes my butt in their criticism of anybody who dares to say anything negative about General Manager Ted Thompson and lately with RC dorkus of any criticism of the Packers in general. But sitting here after I saw my grand nephew play soccer it suddenly came to me why they are the way they are.

 

Now before I give you my revelation about the TIT and rosy glasses crowds I am one of them (or at least some of them) in that I have been to Mount Everest (Lombardi, Holmgren and McCarthy) and in the Mariana Trench (Bengston, Gregg, Infante) and for that matter been to Seattle (Devine and Starr), so I have seen the highest highs (4 Super Bowl titles), the lowest lows (watching the Lombardi players either getting old or being traded away, the last two years of Dan Devine and the first six years of Bart Starr) and the blah years (the last three Starr years and the first two Forrest Gregg years) with many other under .500 seasons in between.

 

Butt and Tattoo Edition

I hated playing the Bears and the Packers won (thank god for Jay Cutler). I hated playing the Seahawks and the Packers won (thank god Dom Capers). I hated playing Monday Night Football and maybe for a little bit the Chiefs because of the fact the Chiefs had never lost at Lambeau Field, but the Packers won (thank god for the Packers Alumni). Next up is the last demon from the first four games and I really hate on this one.

FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS, PART YEDI

(What language is Yedi? Hint, I rip from today's news)

The Packers new Golden Girls the Buege Triplets. Top that Bears

THE SUBLIME:

I didn't die last week and lost four pounds.

Focussed Thoughts From a Random Mind

The Packers were in Beast Mode on MNF

I got up Wednesday morning starving to death (still suffering from the after effects of food poisoning) and wanting to avoid making my picks for this week's prep football games for my newspaper, because I have dropped four back of the new leader after making a terrible mistake in last week's picks during my first day of food poisoning picking a team that had no hope of winning, so I was so bummed that I didn't even open Saturday's paper to see the scores.

 

But life goes on and today is the deadline for the picks, so I made a cup of coffee (which hasn't slaked my hunger) and made my picks and without thinking about it too much (which I do most of the time) put them in stone (clicked) and sent them off.