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.

 

Is The Defense Really Good?

The Packers are 3-1 with the defense allowing 20.8 points a game and ranked No. 1 in the NFL in rushing defense allowing just 42.8 yards a game, 24th in passing defense (274.5) and 9th overall (317.2).

 

Under Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers the defense has been ranked 2015-15th (346.7), 2014-15th (346.4), 2013-25th (372.2), 2012-11th (336.8), 2011-32nd (411.6), 2010-5th (309.1) and 2009-2nd (284.4).

 

General Manager Ted Thompson has been trying to improve the defense through the draft with 15 draft picks, including 6 No. 1 picks, 1 No. 2, 2 No. 3, 3 No. 4, 1 No. 5, and 2 No. 6. The remaining 12 of the 27 defensive players are undrafted (9) or street free agents (3), including acquiring former Panthers No. 1 pick Julius Peppers as a street free agent from the Bears. On the practice squad there is a No. 4 pick and a three undrafted free agents.

 

Predictable Packers Hold On Again

It's great the Packers were able to stop the losing streak against Eli Manning and the Giants last night. The offensive line played great not allowing the high priced Giant defensive line to get near Aaron Rodgers and that was the key to the victory.

 

Eddie Lacy was running great behind the line until he got hurt and Randall Cobb and Davante Adams had a great game early as did Rodgers on the first drive. The Packers defense had a good night against a quarterback that has played well against the Packers.

 

I predicted a close score because of the well documented second half swoon of both the offense and defense. However, something happened last night that changed that situation.

 

Predictions

It's Football Night in America with two of the oldest franchises in sports playing each when the New York Giants established in 1925 invade Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin to face the Green Bay Packers established in 1919 and joined the NFL in 1921 to renew their rivalry for the 60th time. The Packers lost the first game in 1928, 6-0, and have lost the last three, but leads the series 31-26-2.

Staty Stuff

The Green Bay Packers (2-1) will host the New York Giants (2-2) at "The Shrine" LAMbeau Field on Sunday Night Football with the most insufferable color man in the business in the broadcast booth Chris "The Best in All of Football" Collinsworth.

 

Aaron Rodgers Needs To Be Back

Aaron Rodgers verses Eli "Packers Killer" Manning is the big matchup with the Odell Beckham, Jr. and his fragile psyche against the banged up Packers secondary the under-card.

Some Cold Hard Facts

The bye week is over and the Packers will now play every week until the playoffs. As much as a late bye is welcomed the Week 4 bye was a blessing.

 

Morgan Burnett Is Back

The Packers have once again and for the umpteen straight season are totally wracked with injuries. Strong safety Morgan Burnett has missed the last two games, essentially, with a groin injury after missing the preseason with a bad back. Right cornerback Sam Shields has missed the last two games with his fifth concussion. Tight end Jared Cook will miss the Giants game because of an ankle injury. Left cornerback Damarious Randall might miss the Giants game with a new groin injury.