I remember when…..The Packers won the Super Bowl, the
Packers had the No. 1 quarterback in all of football (a Collinsworthism) and
the Packers were ranked No. 1 in the NFL.
2017 NFL Power Rankings:
Post Offseason: 6
While Packers fans railed at Ted Thompson for
initially taking his typical wait-and-see (and
usually-do-nothing-but-re-sign-a-Don-Barclay) offseason, the unflappable GM
didn't blink. Julius Peppers walked. Micah Hyde walked. Then Thompson pulled a surprise on the level of an Alyson Hannigan party revelation. Signing
Martellus Bennett was a shocker, a splash move that
doesn't mesh with Thompson's football DNA. He pulled it off big-time with
Charles Woodson. Somewhat less so -- but still effectively -- with Peppers. Now
Bennett. And the tight end goes from catching balls from Tom Brady to catching
balls from Aaron Rodgers. Wow.
Post-Free Agency: 5 up 1
Tough to decide precisely which team
should sit here in the Power Rankings. For now, we're going with the Packers, who are better
at the quarterback position than the Cowboys and were able to
contribute to a lineup that plays NOW,
beginning with cornerback Kevin King, an outstanding pick at 33rd overall (he could've gone
10 spots earlier) who could end up starting over Davon House, or at least playing in nickel
packages. Expect fellow second-round pick Josh Jones to be getting in on dime packages,
as well. Third-round defensive tackle Montravius
Adams should play right away, too.
Preseason: 3 up 2
If you play fantasy or opine on the
occasional mutterings from head coach Mike McCarthy, then you probably think Ty Montgomery is going
to put Marshall Faulk to shame this year. Tap the brakes, turbo. Don't sleep on
rookie Jamaal Williams, who's already
getting some first-team reps. In truth,
though, with so much focus on Montgomery Washington and nearly lost a massive lead in Dallas
Week 1: 4 down 1
Aaron Rodgers barely played in August. Preseason football, yo. But I
like what I'm seeing. All the hand-wringing about Ty Montgomery getting passed on the depth chart
and losing opportunities to Jamaal Williams is going to go the same place as all those Najeh
Davenport-is-gonna-run-for-1,100-yards takes: in the ... er ... trash. Depth on
the offensive line and at linebacker is problematic, but the secondary --
despite popular belief -- is not.
**Week 2: 1 up 3**
Top of the charts, for now, for the Packers. Here's why:
1) Aaron Rodgers.
2) Forget the stats. Ty Montgomery has zero to prove in terms of handling the workload as an RB1 after running hard between the tackles against the Seahawks' formidable defensive wall.
3) The improvement in the secondary. So often, Russell Wilson couldn't find anywhere to go with the football on Sunday, which -- as opposed to his much-maligned offensive line -- was the culprit behind the pressure he faced.
4) The Patriots were handled Thursday night.
5) Mike Daniels (1.5 sacks, seven tackles and several QB hits) continued to be one of the unsung premier players in the NFL.
6) Aaron Rodgers.
1) Aaron Rodgers.
2) Forget the stats. Ty Montgomery has zero to prove in terms of handling the workload as an RB1 after running hard between the tackles against the Seahawks' formidable defensive wall.
3) The improvement in the secondary. So often, Russell Wilson couldn't find anywhere to go with the football on Sunday, which -- as opposed to his much-maligned offensive line -- was the culprit behind the pressure he faced.
4) The Patriots were handled Thursday night.
5) Mike Daniels (1.5 sacks, seven tackles and several QB hits) continued to be one of the unsung premier players in the NFL.
6) Aaron Rodgers.
Week 3: 7 down 6
The move down is more about team
health than the loss to the Falcons on Sunday night. I think everyone anticipated this being
a stiff road challenge for Mike McCarthy and Co. You try winning against
the defending NFC champs, as they open up their new digs, without your left tackle, right tackle, top wide
receiver and maybe the best defensive tackle this side of Aaron Donald. As the
night wore on, Green Bay
Week 4: 10 down 3
You can't stop Geronimo Allison. The Bengals learned as much on Sunday, when a national CBS audience was introduced to his legend. Tony Romo was quite enthusiastic about Allison's catch-and-run in OT. OK, so maybe the win didn't go the
way the Packers drew it up on Sunday. They were one of a handful of presumably solid teams
that survived near upsets (or fell) in Week 3. Green Bay
Week 5: 5 up 5
Impressive win for the Packers, especially considering that same Bears team upended the Steelers in Week 3. Green Bay Green Bay
plays at Dallas
this Sunday, then at Minnesota
Week 6: 3 up 2
So happy for Davante Adams, who suffered a concussion on a
scary hit just 10 days before logging the game-winning catch on Sunday. While
the Fox broadcast gushed over Aaron Rodgers -- which was deserved -- his receiver made a leaping, twisting grab to bring the Cowboys to
their knees. And, as chronicled by colleague Michael Silver, it was Adams ' suggestion to go right
back to the same route, after Rodgers nearly threw an interception on it the
previous play. Which brings us to another point: Adams '
effort before the game-winning catch was as important -- when he did
everything in his power to stop Jourdan Lewis from picking off Rodgers' errant pass. How may wideouts don't
do that, especially on back-shoulder throws that inadvertently drift too far
inside? By the way, Aaron Jones looks reeaaal nice, Clark .
Week 7: 15 down 12
No question, this is a huge drop.
Yet, until we figure out what the Packers can do with backup quarterback Brett Hundley at the helm, this is where Green Bay
Week 8: 23 down 8
The Brett Hundley era, for however long it will last,
started and then stalled (often) on Sunday. The defense kept the Packers in their game against the Saints throughout (with two early picks of Drew Brees), but Hundley simply could not get the Green Bay
Week 9: 23
How will coach Mike McCarthy alter
the offense to suit what quarterback Brett
Hundley can do well? Running the ball two
downs and throwing to guys on slow-developing patterns won't keep the Pack in
the hunt until (if) Aaron Rodgers comes back from his broken collarbone. Taking advantage
of Hundley's mobility makes the most sense, as long as the rest of the offense
(namely, McCarthy) can adjust. Don't misunderstand me: As a passer,
Hundley is probably better from inside the pocket, where he can step up to
avoid rushers without having to throw on the run. That said, utilizing some
designed runs that the Pack would have never used with Rodgers could be
effective.
Week 10: 26 down 3
Mike McCarthy has time invested in
Brett Hundley -- going on three years, as a matter
of fact. That doesn't mean he has faith in Hundley throwing more than 3 yards
down the field. How will Green Bay
How can a genius and future Hall of Fame General Manager
build a team that was so dependent upon 1 player? I have been screaming from
the Wilderness since 2007 that Thompson
had not only squandered one Hall of Fame quarterback twilight years, but also built a House of Cards around
another and that if it wasn’t for the play of a true future Hall of Famer the
Packers were ordinary at best. Talk about a MVP for the ages.
But no one from "Miss The Mark" Murphy, to "Senile Ted" Thompson,
to "Delusional Mike" McCarthy, to "Incompetent Dom" Capers and the local kiss ass
media led by "Rhinelander Larry" McCarren (the Packers version of Saddam Hussein’s Baghdad
Bob), who never calls out Murphy’s rosy scenarios, Capers or Thompson on their lack
of answers and McCarthy’s weekly “all we have to do is fix it” crap, but digs
deep to find “GOOD NEWS FAKE NEWS” to feed the faithful instead of ripping off
the band aids to reveal the ugly “REAL NEWS” concerning the state of the 2017
Packers.
I have been saying this for years and finally some of the
other Packer Backers are seeing the light, except for the “In Ted We Trust”
militants. Their blind trust and abusement of those who don’t drink the water
Ted Thompson walks on is far below the type of fans I thought the Packers had. With
the rise of intolerance of our national politics over the past 9 years I guess
the intolerants of the North Woods have been given a license to remove their balaclavas and step
into the light since the spring of 2016 to shout down or send death threats to
those who speak out against Thompson and his philosophy. I’m embarrassed by the
“Tedders” and their ilk (for those of you in Rhinelander that means people like
them).
A little over 7
years ago the Packers were riding high after winning the Super Bowl, but 1 man
Thomas Hobbes writing for ALLGBP.com on August 23, 2011 joined me in wondering
about Thompson and his methods. I recommend reading his prophetic plea about
the general direction Thompson was taking the Packers and the rise of the
“Tedders” movement: http://allgbp.com/2011/08/23/packers-fans-do-we-all-think-like-ted-thompson-now/
Hobbes starts with, “Now that General Manager Ted Thompson has won a
Super Bowl using the “Thompson Method ™”, he can apparently do no wrong in the
eyes of the fans. People who had been clamoring for years to get more
veteran free agents and big name signings have quieted down, ready to admit the
error in their ways and venerate the white-haired one. Even the most
staunch Thompson hater is now ready to board the “draft and develop” bandwagon
that Thompson preaches.” (Not all).
Hobbes finishes
with: “I think it’s important as fans
not to just blinding follow Thompson’s thinking. When the Colts won the
Super Bowl in 2008, many people were quick to venerate General Manager Bill
Polian. Colts fans were dismissive of linebackers (since Polian always
seemed to manage to find good ones in the scrap heap of free agency) and
overall people thought Polian was a genius.
Fast-forward to today and I think it has become apparent that the majority of the Colts dominance can be attributed more to quarterback Peyton Manning than Bill Polian. Polian is a great General Manager but hasn’t managed to find a bona fide star in the first round since drafting Dallas Clark in 2003 (while other teams have managed to find stars in the bottom of the 1st round, like Aaron Rodgers 24th in 2005)
In the end, as a Packers fan, keep in mind that Ted Thompson is not a god and you shouldn’t blindly follow him; he’s a really good General Manager but he does not always know what he’s doing. Just look at Justin Harrell.”
 |
| Berres Brothers Coffee Roasters |
Time to
wake up and smell the Berres Brothers Coffee or sip full-bodied Sotéa tea and
start a movement of our own to counter the “Tedders” and get the Packers back
on track building a team around Aaron Rodgers before he retires or is let go
when his contract comes up. You know Ted Thompson hates to spend $ and has a
history of getting rid of malcontent players (anyone remember Brett Favre and
Josh Sitton) and Rodgers has been talking out since last year.
If Favre and Sitton can be let go anyone can. Do you
really want the face of the Packers to be Brett Hundley or Joe Callahan? The
Packers were 4-1 going into the Vikings game and 3rd in the Power Rankings. After
Rodgers was knocked out and the Packers lost with Hundley throwing 3
interceptions the Packers dropped to 15 with everyone thinking Rodgers means a
lot to the Packers success.
 |
| The "In Ted We Trust" crowd is at it again (notice they used a running pic and not a passing one) |
However, Thompson and McCarthy evidently thought Rodgers was
nothing and their system is king, so Hundley could just step in and run the offensive
machine that was averaging 27.4 points a game overall and 35 in each of the
last 2 games, so, of course, Thompson did nothing to shore up the quarterback position.
In fact, Rodgers’ worth is at least 20 points a game, so
it seems the genius Thompson and the greatest McCarthy are WRONG. Hundley is
now officially 0-2, but I put him at 0-3 since he played the majority of the
Vikings game averaging 14.6 a game and most of those points came in garbage
time. The Packers are now 4-4 and sinking fast.
How the Mighty Have Fallen:
In fact again Vegas has installed the Da Bears (3-5) as
the favorite for the 1st time this season. In fact a 3rd time, da Bears haven’t
been a favorite over the Packers since 2008. In fact a 4th time (“Tedders” or
their god Ted doesn’t like facts), the early line was 3 points before the loss
to the Lions and is now 5 points. It might be 10 points by the noon kickoff on Sunday.
SAD.
In injury related news
right tackle Bryan Bulaga’s lost season is officially over after tearing his
right ACL leaving guard Justin McCray as his permanent replacement. However,
McCray injured his ankle on the last play Monday and his availability is
uncertain, which means either tackle Ulrick John or guard Lucas Patrick will
now be at right tackle. In addition former No. 2 pick Jason Spriggs was
designated for return from injured reserve on Nov. 2, but hasn’t been activated
as of yet.
Spriggs has been a bust at left tackle, John hasn’t
played a down this season, but does have experience (he is a 3-year veteran
having been a backup right tackle for the Dolphins for 2 games in 2015 and
again for the Cardinals when he started for 3 games at right tackle because of
an injury to the starter before he was lost for the season because of a
shoulder injury. Thompson signed him off the Cardinals practice squad when
right tackle Kyle Murphy was put on injured reserve. John has been with the
Packers for 5 games being active for 1. He is a former 2014 No. 7 pick by the
Colts) and Patrick is a left guard and backup center. There are NO tackles on
the practice squad. Another genius move of many by Ted Thompson since the end
of last season.
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