The Brett Hundley Era begins when the New Orleans Saints
invade Lambeau Field today at noon. The Packer faithful will get a glimpse over
the next 8 weeks of what life would be without Aaron Rodgers and whether
General Manager Ted Thompson has built a team that is truly a playoff contender
or a team built around just one player who lifted his teammates to that level.
We have nothing to go on as far as whether Brett Hundley is “future
Hall of Famer” like former Thompson No. 1 pick in 2013 Datone Jones, an astute purveyor
of talent if there ever was one, NOT, considering he was a bust and still is
after being cut by both the Vikings and Lions after not being re-signed by the
Packers this year (admitting he was a bust), said this week about his former
teammate at UCLA Brett Hundley.
Jones said, “Brett
Hundley is a great quarterback. He’s a future Hall of Famer. I have no bad
things to say about Brett Hundley. He’s a great guy. Brett Hundley, he’s an
all-star. Brett’s sat behind Aaron Rodgers for a few years now. He could have
easily been one of the top quarterbacks coming out of the draft, so just
learning from [Packers coach Mike] McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers, I don’t think he
has anything to worry about.”
Well, lets hope so. Because Thompson and McCarthy have
decided to go with Brett Hundley and Joe Callahan for the next 8 weeks and not
sign a veteran quarterback as insurance. Thompson compounded the issue by
signing a major project in Jerod Evans, who was waived injured with a foot
injury after the Eagles rookie camp, to the practice squad to replace Callahan.
It seems both men have read their press clippings about how
Thompson is one of the greatest talent evaluators in the game and McCarthy is
one of the greatest quarterback coaches and play callers in the game today.
McCarthy summed it all up when he asked if he was thinking
about signing Colin Kaepernick, “I’ve got three years invested in Brett Hundley, two years
invested in Joe Callahan, the quarterback room is exactly where it needs to be.
OK? We’re fortunate to have a great quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, we’re
committed to the path we’re on. We need to play better as a football team.
Brett Hundley will start this week and Joe Callahan will be the backup”.
The Packers season and fans be damned it seems that is what McCarthy was
saying it is all about me. Any other coach would ask for a veteran to be
brought in if the team was truly a playoff caliber team to help the Packers tread
water until Aaron Rodgers returns for the last 3 or 2 games of the season after
being put on injured reserve designated for return (they don’t actually do that
any more since the rules changed where 2 players can come off injured reserve
after 8 weeks without being designated), so he can save the playoff streak.
But both men have dug in and have refused to wake up and smell the coffee.
Mike Florio said a few weeks ago, “if Aaron Rodgers goes down the Packers don’t
win another game” and others have said this is a one-man team surrounded by
inferior talent.
It seems everyone, including me, can see this, except for Ted Thompson,
Mike McCarthy and Larry McCarren. It does no one any good to blow smoke up all
our collective skirts. I would appreciate a truthful evaluation of the
situation instead of a steady week in and week out diet of “FAKE NEWS”.
However, we all could be wrong. Brett Hundley is “the next Aaron Rodgers”
and the Packers will be just fine and then might let Rodgers sit out the rest
of the year leaving Thompson and McCarthy with a big dilemma of whether to sigh
Rodgers to a new contract, which hasn’t happened yet, or let him go (for
nothing) and start the Brett Hundley Era that will continue the third Golden
Age of the Green Bay Packers.
As far as who will win today the Saints are a 4.5 to 7 points favorites and
I guess that is how it should be.
Today the Packers have two issues. First, Drew Brees should light up the
terrible Packers pass defense. Second, Brett Hundley, the continuation of the
splitting of running duties between Ty Montgomery and Aaron Jones, and the
continuation of the offensive line worries (i.e. left guard Lane Taylor listed
as doubtful with a knee injury, center Cory Linsley questionable with a back
injury and left tackle David Bakhtiari questionable after missing the last half
of last week’s game with his hamstring injury) although Bryan Bulaga returns to
right tackle after missing the last half of last week’s game with his ankle
injury give the Packers three big issues on offense.
So with an extremely questionable offense and the usually questionable
defense if the Packers win today it will be a miracle of biblical proportions.
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