From Almost Worst to First

I hate it when the Packers are favored. All the talk this week is the Packers winning and that scares me to death. Like I said I don't trust the Packers anymore. Here's what is being predicted:

All 8 ESPN pickers and the computer pick the Packers. All 8 of the CBS Sports pickers pick the Packers. Ben Goessling and Rob Demovsky of ABC Sports picks the Packers. The Big Board at FOX Sports says the Packers have a 54.3% chance of winning. Get the drift.

FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS, PART VINTITRE'

(Italian because that's where the German terrorist was killed)

SUBLIME

On The Set of the "Big Fan"

It seems dating a movie star has given Aaron Rodgers the beginning of Hollywood Fever. After appearing on Celebrity Jeopardy last year Rodgers will appear January 9 on the second episode of the new ABC night time game show "Big Fan" hosted by Conan O'Brien's Ed McMahon Andy Ritcher.

Second Verse Same As The First

Second verse....well maybe fourth verse is more like it...same as the first after the Packers eked out a 30-27 win over da' Bears thanks to Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson and, for that matter, Mason Crosby to keep the Packers not only in playoff contention with their 4th straight win, but also Masters Of Their Own Fate.

After the Washington Redskins lost to the Panthers Monday night the Packers are NOW the sixth and last playoff team ahead of the Bucs, Redskins and the Vikings and just 1 game behind the Lions in the race for the 4th seed and the North title.

This week the Packers (8-6) host the Vikings (7-7), who beat them 17-14 in week 2 while the Lions (9-5) play at the Cowboys (12-2), the Bucs (8-6) host the Saints (6-8) and the Redskins (7-6-1) are at da' Bears (3-11).

The Giants (10-4) are the top wild card leaving the Packers with only the North title and 4th seed to win or the 6th seed to hang onto left to them.

The True Leader of the Pack is Aaron Rodgers

3 weeks ago the Packers were sitting at 4-6 with the prospect of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008 when quarterback Aaron Rodgers said, "I think we can run the table. I really do."

Just like in 2014 when the Packers started 1-2 and Mr. Rodgers quieted the young and the restless with these immortal words that should be enshrined on a plaque outside the main gate to Lambeau Field, "R-E-L-A-X".

The entire phrase from September 24, 2014 was "Five letters here just for everybody out there in Packer-land: R-E-L-A-X. Relax. We're going to be OK."

No truer words were ever spoken at the right time. The Packers went on to advance to the Conference title game and had the Seahawks on the ropes with 5:04 left when Morgan Burnett had his "No Mas  Moment" followed by "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" blowing an onside kick. If the stupidity of those 2 plays had not happened the Packers would have won the Super Bowl.

Season And Future At A Crossroads This Week

I know I've said this before, but the game against the Seahawks at Lambeau Field will determine the future of the Green Bay Packers in the short term and the long term.

 

General Manager Ted Thompson and Head Coach Mike McCarthy have backed the Packers in a corner this season having to win the last six games in order to keep their playoff streak alive and, to be brutally honest, nothing more than that because Thompson has left the 2016 Packers without enough talent to seriously content for the Super Bowl.

 

After wins over the Eagles and Texans following four straight losses to teams the Packers should have been able to beat (Falcons, Colts, Titans and Redskins) and seeing the Packers Power Ranking drop to 24 and sitting not only behind the Lions, of all teams, but also behind the Vikings after letting the Vikings win the North Division with a victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field the current owners of the mantle of Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren have put the Packers on a course the "Tedders" and Ask Vic have been afraid of.

 

Ted Thompson's Record Examined

The first of the mock drafts came out today by Luke Easterling from USA Today Sports. The selections are an indictment on the job that General Manager Ted Thompson has done since the Super Bowl.

 

No. 1. RB Dalvin Cook, Florida State; No. 2. TE Jake Butt, Michigan; No. 3. EDGE Marquis Haynes, Mississippi; No. 4. G Kareem Are, Florida State; No. 5. CB Brandon Facyson, Virginia Tech; No. 6. WR Josh Reynolds, Texas A&M; No. 7. S Weston Steelhammer, Air Force

 

The actual player is unimportant, however, TE Jake Butt is interesting because the rumor is former 49ers coach and current Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is rumored to be in the mix for Mike McCarthy's job next season.

 

Ted Thompson Has Curious Office Hours

Watching the Packers.com transaction section is a mission in frustration. First, Packers.com is the ABSOLUTELY last place to go for timely news. The national news wires have Packers news quicker than Packers.com, so I normally don't check it.

 

Second, General Manager Ted Thompson only does business on Friday and Saturday. He makes moves for the next game at the last minute so whatever player he picks up doesn't have time to get ready for the game, leaving the Packers with one or two players unable to contribute.

 

Once again this happened this week. Cornerback Demetri Goodson, who had finally began to contribute in his third season, was placed on injured reserve after suffering a very serious knee injury three games ago against the Titans.

 

Who Will Run The Ball Against The Texans And Other Stuff

Since Eddie Lacy went down with an ankle injury in Week 6 quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been the Packers leading rusher. He has consistently gained yardage averaging 6.2 yards a carry and saved drives by making 20 first downs most on third down.

 

However, last week in the win over the Eagles Rodgers tweaked his hamstring, so his mobility will be restricted leaving the ground game up to the halfback James Starks, tailback/slot back Ty Montgomery, fullback Aaron Ripkowski and halfback Christine “A Boy Named Sue” Michael.

 

Starks is beginning to show signs of life with 41 yards on 17 carries against the Eagles for 2.8 yards a carry after beginning the season with the worst statistics of his career averaging just 1.8 yards. Starks had some good runs, but he needs to do more this week.

 

If We Only Had Defense

"We could while away the hours, conferrin' with the powers, consultin' with Mike Pence. And my head I'd be scratchin' while playoff thoughts were hatchin' if we only had defense."

 

Prior to the win over the Eagles last Monday Night the Packers suffered through a four-game losing streak, the longest since a 5-game streak in 2008 when Aaron Rodgers became the starter and the team fell to 6-10.

 

While the Packers offense in general and Aaron Rodgers in particular had been dysfunctional at best and downright awful at worse for 14 straight regular season games it wasn't the offense that let a 4-2 record fall to 4-6.

 

Clueless From The Head Down

The old saying, "a fish rots from the head on down" certainly relates to the current state of affairs with the Green Bay Packers. For the first time since 2008 the Packers are under .500 at this stage of the season and besides all the happy talk from CEO Mark "The Laughing Cow" Murphy down to quarterback Aaron Rodgers the fortunes of the Packers over the last six games will not improve by just ignoring the situation and saying it will turn around.

 

Murphy had stayed in his Ivory Tower all season and has made no statements since August until last week when he stuck his head out of his ass and made these statements, "I do hear from a lot of fans. And I tell fans: Like them, I'm disappointed."

 

Really when has he sat down and said anything to the fans directly as he just said he has. I would like any ordinary Packer Backers who have talked to Murphy one-on-one to let me know and I will admit I am wrong, but  I digress, "Certainly, the season hasn't gone the way we had all hoped, but there's a lot of football left to be played." Hold on there buckaroo, it seems "there's a lot of football left to be played" is the catch phrase of the season because Rodgers and few of the other players, Coach Mike McCarthy and General Manager Ted Thompson have used the same phrase. The watchword for surviving a crisis is to stay on message and the Packers braintrust and team leaders certainly are doing that.

 

NOW Invades 1265 Lombardi Avenue

It's been an interesting week after the Packers were embarrassed in Nashville and fell below .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2008. The defense was manhandled and the offense was spotty.

 

After the game Aaron Rodgers came out of the "Sanctuary" and set us stupid idiots straight who are worried about the Packers in general and Head Coach Mike McCarthy in particular by saying this, "I think it's ridiculous. I think people don't understand how difficult it is to win in this league and win consistently. The success that we've had here, it's tough to do. We've set the standard pretty high. But I wouldn't listen to some of those people out there. I mean they're not in this locker room, they're not in the meeting rooms, they're not in the practice environments. They don't know what's going on, they don't know the type of work ethic that we have here and that Mike has here."

 

Well Mr. Rodgers put us in our place telling us unwashed masses that we don't know enough to get in out of the rain. He tells us that we should be grateful the Packers were as good as they were and that we shouldn't expect to be good this year and to "quit your bellyaching."

 

FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS, PART ZWEIUNDZWANZIG

(German because our soon to be ex-president was in Germany this past week)

 

SUBLIME

 

There is nothing sublime in Packerville these days. Actually I am wrong come to think about it. I made Frozen Tundra Chili last week and it was delicious. Here's the recipe:

Not So Frozen Tundra

 

The Current State of the Packers

The Packers have hit their rightful level I'm afraid. They have lost 3 in a row and 4 of their last five to fall under .500 (4-5) for the first time this late in the season since 2008.

 

While the offense hasn't been up to the lofty standards of the Aaron Rodgers era it has seemed to found some sort of productiveness averaging 27.25 point a game over the last 4 games after averaging 22.8 the first 5 games.

 

The ironic part of the offensive explosion is the Packers only score major points in 1 of the 4 quarters during a game - the 2nd quarter - where the Packers have scored 80 points compared to 60 in the 4th, 58 in the 1st and a measly 25 in 3rd quarter.

 

At a Crossroads

The season is at the proverbial crossroads. The Packers are third in the North Division a game behind the Minnesota Vikings (5-3), who have lost three in a row, and a half a game behind the Detroit Lions (5-4), with a 4-4 record. Where the future of the Packers lies literally lies over the next eight games.

 

Do they rebound and win their next 8 games, do they limp alone being Just Good Enough to make the playoffs for the 8th year in a row thusly saving the jobs of Mark Murphy, Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy and Dom Capers. Or do they collapse and  miss the playoffs triggering a needed housecleaning.

 

I am on the fence on where I want this season to go. More than half of me wants the collapse so Thompson and McCarthy are gone. The lesser half of me would hate to see a collapse week in and week out, but unless something drastic happens the Packers Board of Directors will not make any needed changes.

 

Another One Bites The Dust

Every week another starter is lost to the Packers and this week it was starting center J.C. Tretter, who was put on the shelf with a knee injury.

 

Through the first seven games during which the Packers went 4-3 the Packers lost 16 players to injury for a total of  37 missed games. In fact, there hasn't been a week where the Packers didn't have a player out because of injury.

 

Week 1 Josh Hawkins (hamstring), Trevor Davis (shoulder), Chris Banjo (hamstring) and Jayrone Elliott (hamstring) sat out the game. Week 2 Hawkins, Elliott and Banjo were still out with Sam Shields added with a concussion.

 

Trade Deadline or The Day Ted Thompson Sleeps

Tuesday is the trade deadline in the NFL and I only mention this because I would make a blockbuster trade in order for the Packers to right their ship and sail into the playoffs, but normally this is a day General Manager Ted Thompson sleeps.

 

Since the end of last season Thompson has been a busy man. He re-signed OLB Nick Perry and LG Lane Taylor, which at the time I thought was quite bizarre, but little did I know they were destined to be starters with the demotion of All-Pro OLB Julius Peppers and the cutting of All-Pro LG Josh Sitton. Like I've said many times, "what do I know?"

 

He also re-signed NT Letroy Guion, PK Mason Crosby, RB James Starks and OL Don Barclay. Crosby was a no-brainer and so was Guion with the way he played two years ago, but again we didn't know that B.J. Raji would retire (ok, hiatus). Starks hasn't been Starks of the past and is now injured. Barclay found his position during the preseason, but it turned out to be center where the Packers have two good ones (albeit one is on PUP).

 

The Defensive Wheels Fell Off

For the umpteenth time since 2010 the defense let down the Packer offense in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons Sunday.

 

With Aaron "R-E-L-A-X" Rodgers seemingly channeling his old self for the second week in a row it was left to the Ted Thompson/Dom Capers led defense to come up with a big play or shut down the Matt Ryan and the Falcons air game, but as could be predicted, and I did at the time, they didn't and the Packers lost 33-32.

 

Before I get into my analysis I want to say something about the argument being made for why the Packers defense is below par. The Tedders are hanging their "suckup" hats on injuries being the main culprit (i.e. being without Clay Matthews, Sam Shields, Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins), but injuries are part of the NFL and the truly great teams have backups that step in and step up.

 

The Wheels On The Bus Are Coming Off

I've spent the past week and a half avoiding thinking about the Packers. I watched the game against the Bears at my old watering hole The Cellar with a peripheral Packer Backer with whom I've seen two previous games with over the years and liked what I saw from the Packers in general and Aaron Rodgers in particular but......

 

Rodgers had a good game, but only because Mike McCarthy was told (I'm guessing about that) to change his offensive philosophy to fit his current personnel instead of thinking he still had a fast Jordy Nelson, a sure-handed James Jones, a game-changer Jermichael Finley at tight end, a No. 1 receiver Greg Jennings and a No. 1 receiver Donald Driver, instead of a slow Jordy, a slow Randall Cobb, a slow Davante Adams, a slow Ty Montgomery, a slower Richie Rodgers and faster but unused Jeff Janis and Trevor Davis at wideout and Justin Perillo at tight end.

 

However, the Bears are bad and may not win another game this season. Today the Packers play the Falcons, who are ranked 26h in total defense and 31st in passing defense, which should mean Rodgers, during a normal year, would have a field day, but who knows what this Rodgers and this dysfunctional offense will do?

I Don't Know What To Think

Today General Manager Ted Thompson put Eddie Lacy on injured reserve with his ankle injury and brought up rookie Don Jackson. Two days ago All-World quarterback Aaron Rodgers drinking scotch in order to straighten out his slump that has extended to 17 games dating back to the bye week of last season and ignoring the 2016 preseason because he only played 16 snaps in the four games.

 

Tonight the Packers (3-2) play the absolutely terrible Bears (1-5) at Lambeau Field to wind up a 4-game homestand. The Bears are led by Brian Hoyer, who will face LaDarius Gunter, who has been beaten badly lately, and Demetri Goodson, who was just activated for the first time this season last week, as the starting cornerbacks with Sam Shields (IR), Damarious Randall (groin) and Quinten Rollins (groin) out with injuries.

 

With Rodgers not taking his slump and the Packers' offensive slump seriously and with no experienced running backs on the roster with Chiefs 4th-string Knile Davis the new starting running back and Jackson his backup I don't know what to think about tonight's game.

 

Running Game Grounded And Other Cluster...ks

The Packers running game was down to one semi-healthy back Eddie Lacy, a two-year fullback Aaron Ripkowski with two career professional carries ( 2-17-0TD) and a two-year wide receiver Ty Montgomery with five career professional carries (5-15-0TD) coming into the Cowboys game.

 

Against the Boys the wounded Lacy carried 17 times for 65 yards, Ripkowski carried 1 time for no yards and Montgomery 3 times for 6 yards. Lacy should have sat out the game with an ankle injury, but since General Manager Ted Thompson did absolutely nothing to bolster the running back position he had to play and it backfired big time with Lacy joining James Starks on the inactive list for several weeks after hurting that ankle more.

 

It was learned this week that Starks had knee surgery last week and we were NOT told and will miss at least 4 weeks. It was also learned that Lacy had more than a sprained ankle and should not have played against the Cowboys and he is now seeking a second opinion and could miss an extended period of time.

 

It's Getting Snarky On The Packers Bus Heading Into The Cowboy Game

Despite being 3-1 the Packers are not your grandfathers Packers, but are more and more becoming the Just Good Enough Packers the Tedders and Ask Vic have come to know, love and defend.

 

This week Fox Sports reporter Nunzio Ingrassia revealed that Mr. Even Temper Mike McCarthy is getting testy with people (not the Tedders, Ask Vic, Ted Thompson or Mark Murphy), but people who actually watch the actual game and not the game those people think they're watching.

 

When asked why the Packers are ranked 25th in total yards per game and 27th in passing yards per game (209.8) and with the best quarterback in the league and possibly ever Aaron Rodgers is tied with the man who beat him out for the top draft pick in the 2005 draft, but has been just ordinary since Alex Smith for 2oth in quarterback ratings McCarthy replied, "I don't know why the hell I have to come in here and answer questions about what you think went wrong on offense."

 

First of all, MIKE, you are paid to come in here and answer questions like the class individual you used to be instead of the Bill Belichick clone with a nasty attitude.

 

FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS, PART TJUGOETT

(Swedish)

 

The Best Rivalry In Sports In My Opinion

RIDICULOUS

 

George Halas and Curly Lambeau



Recently MSN.com (9/28/16) ran a FoxSports.com list of the 8 Best Rivalries in the NFL Today ranked. Of course, the Packers and Bears, the longest rivalry in sports, was ranked first, as it should be, but I'm getting ahead of the story. Read on McDuff.

 

So now we'll go the list of the Top 8 Best Rivalries in the NFL Today starting with their premise: Familiarity breeds contempt-- an idea that’s reaffirmed between NFL division rivals twice and sometimes three times a year. But especially in the era of NFL parity, rivalries ebb and flow. It helps a rivalry when both teams are riding high, the games are closely contested, the combatants win a relatively equal share of games and there’s a lot at stake. With that in mind, we’ve ranked the top eight rivalries in the NFL today.

 

Vince Lombardi and 'Papa Bear' George Halas

Strange Week and Stranger Conclusions

It's Cowboy week in Packerland and the transactions or lack there of is very strange. Last week in the win over the Giants running back Eddie Lacy sprained his ankle and has been limited in practice. James Starks stepped in and finished the game and would be the starter if Lacy can't answer the bell or will have to play extensively if Lacy is hurt again early in the game, but he missed practice with a mysterious knee injury.

 

In the past, especially the last couple years, Starks has been a rock. He is in 7th season and is 30, which is usually the age and experience when a running back starts to slow down, but in his case he hasn't been a starter, so his shelf life should be doubled.

 

Coming into the season Starks was averaging 4.3 a carry. Last year when Lacy was benched he proved to be a valuable starter (4 games) gaining career-high 601 yards on a career-high 148 carries for 4.1 a carry.