Another Packer Loss - This Time The New York Giants

The script is becoming predictable - the Packers lose a game and the reasons are:

Injuries - The next man up is not enough to get a Packer win.

Turnovers - the other team, this time the Giants win the turnover battle.

Tackling - McCarthy is again not happy with the Packer's ability to Tackle!
(Too bad this is tackle football!)

NFC North struggles - Lions lose, Bears win a close one (with a backup QB)

This week I think is the week - lose and it will be get ready for next year!  Can the Packers save the season?  Here are my early keys to victory!

1 - No turnovers by the Pack!

2 - Force at least 2 Vikings turnovers

3 - A defensive TD or special teams TD

4 - Play a great 4th Quarter!

In Green Bay, "The Glass Is Half Full"

In my humble view, in Green Bay, the "Glass is Half Full"!  Why?  Let me give you some evidence!

Eddie Lacy!  The more I see him run & hear him talk, the more I like what I see!
Listen to the Eddie Lacy Interview today at the Packer Website.

I like this guy!

Jordy Nelson!  Is there a more consistent dependable receiver in the NFL?  Great Hands!  Great Speed!  Catches the short pass.  Catches the long pass.  Is a leader.

Listen to a Jordy Nelson interview!

I like this guy!

Clay Matthews!  Just watch him warm up before the game!  ENERGY!  He is a unique athlete!  He reminds of a race horse.  And the things about a race horse, that body is a fine tuned machine & needs care (INJURIES).  If healthy, his athleticism is critical to Packer Defense!

Listen to Clays Interview this week!

I like this guy!

AJ Hawk!  This is our blue collar guy!  Not our most talented, but always there and great leadership!  AJ has had a great year this year keeping this team close!  And he took a PAY CUT  to stay with the Packers!

Listen to his interview with the NFL Network this week!

I like this guy!

Our Head Coach - Mike McCarthy.  No non-sense.  Hard working.  Prepared.  Poised.  Player friendly.
In charge.  Level headed.  When you look around the league, Coach McCarthy, I think is one of the best.

Listen to his press conference today with Mike McCarthy.

His current Won-Loss Record - 79-43 - 65.3%  Playoff Record 6-4 - 60%  Details….
2006  W-8 & L-8      
2007  W-13 & L-3        Playoffs
2008  W-6 & L-10      
2009  W-11 & L-5        Playoffs
2010  W-10 & L-6        Playoffs - Super Bowl Champion
2011  W-15 & L-1        Playoffs
2012  W-11 & L-5        Playoffs
2013  W-5 & L-4          ????????????????????????

So, 7 years, 5 times making the playoffs, & ONE Super Bowl Champion!

I like this guy!

It is GOOD to be a Packer Fan!

What Has AdversityTaught Us About The Packer Roster?

When we go through difficult times we learn a lot about ourselves!  When our team, the Packers go through difficult times were learn a lot about our team!  What have we learned?

The Players
1 - Aaron Rogers is worth every cent we pay him!  The way I count, there are 32 teams in the NFL & only 4 QB's that can change a team into a champion - Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, & Aaron Rogers!  Aaron Rogers is the heart & soul of this team!

2 - Eddie Lacy - Eddie Lacy is an NFL running back!  He takes a hit it gets the all important YAC (Yards After Contact)!  He blocks - this is critical for our QB!  And he seems to be a quality person!  Something Ted Thompson seems to be pretty good at when drafting!  Starks & DuJuan Harris are more than adequate NFL backs, when healthy!

3 - When healthy, Nelson, Jones, Cobb & Finley are GOOD!  They complement each other & seem to be on the same wave length as Rogers!  And Jarrett Boykin is a KEEPER!  The last few weeks he has proven that!

4 - Offensive line is good & I think could be great, if healthy!  Bulaga, Sitton, Dietrich-Smith, Lang, Barclay or Sherrod!  They seem to enjoy run blocking & have given Rogers ample time!

THIS OFFENSE IS GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN ANOTHER SUPER BOWL! WHEN HEALTHY!

1 - Linebackers - AJ Hawk is having a great year!  Without him, we would be in trouble!  Matthews, when healthy, is one of the best!  The others are average at best!

2 - Defensive line - I think is OUR WEAKNESS!  The run stop is better, but, by themselves, NO PRESSURE on the quarterback!  This to me is Ted Thompson's biggest failure!  There are NO ATHLETES, maybe Datone Jones will improve, but the others are all average at best!  NEED A DIFFERENCE MAKER!

3 - Defensive backs - I think are better than they look, because of no pressure.  The corners Williams, Shields, House, etc.  The safeties are the weakness!  Bad ball skills, getting beat deep, poor tackling, what else can I say!

DEFENSE CANNOT CARRY THIS TEAM!  NEED TO DRAFT OR SIGH A FREE AGENT!

Packers Take On the Giants - Another Big Game!

Over the past 3 years the Packers & Giants have had some big games!  And this is another BIG GAME!!  Let's review the past few years of the Giants & Packers football games.

November 25, 2012  Giants 38 - Packers 10
January 15, 2012  Giants 37  - Packers 20
December 4, 2011  Packers 38 - Giants 35
December 26, 2010  Packers 45 - Giants 17
January 20, 2008  Giants 23 - Packers 20
September 16, 2007  Packers 35 - Giants 13

So, over the past six games the teams have split, BUT the Giants have won some BIG games!

In the 2007-2008 NFL season, the Packers crushed the Giants early in the year 35-13!  BUT, do you Packer fans remember the playoff game - January 20, 2008?  I DO!  The Packer Buddies Do!  WE WERE THERE!  Favre's last game!  COLD!!  COLD!! COLD!!  And Favre's last pass, an interception on the right sideline!

The Packer buddies were at the December 4th game, a wild offensive show won by the Pack!  But again, the big game that year, the playoff game, a 37-20 EASY Giant win!

Notice a pattern?  The BIG games, the important games were won by the Giants!  This week is a big game for both teams!  My prediction?  The loser will NOT make the playoffs!  I hope the Packers can win a BIG game against the Giants!

Favre's last pass as a Packer!!!! 

BEAT THE GIANTS IN 2013!!!

Pack Loses To Eagles 27-13

My Packer Buddies and I were in Green Bay this weekend - that's is the GOOD News!  The bad news?  So were the Packers!  First the positive!

Jim, Bill, Dave(Our Eagle fan), Terry, Phil, & John

1 - Great time with my buddies!  We always enjoy our trip to Green Bay!  Whether it's eating at the local restaurants, drinking the local beer or wine(Bill's specialty), or shopping in the local stores for cheaper Packer wear!  Green Bay is a GREAT football town, in fact the BEST!!

2 - Veterans Day Tribute!  WOW!

3 - QB - Scott Tolzien - second week in a row our starting QB gets hurt in the 1st series!  Tolzien did a great job considering the circumstances!

4 - TJ Lang goes to center!  The offensive line suffered it's first crucial in game injury issue!  Lang did a nice job on almost all snaps!  

5 - Datone Jones - 2 sacks!  We need pressure on the opposing QB.  Is Jones turning the corner?

CONCERNS?

1 - Loss! Record 5-4

2 - Injuries, let's see if I can get them all?

     Casey Hayward - the hamstring again!

     Johnny Jolly - groin

     Clay Matthews is not 100% - thumb

     Brad Jones is not 100% - hamstring

     Ryan Picket is not 100% - knee

     Andy Mulumba did not play

     Mike Neal is not 100% - knee

     Nick Perry not 100% - foot

     Evan Dietrich-Smith - knee - did not finish game

     Seneca Wallace - groin - did not finish game

     Don Barclay - knee

     Randall Cobb - still out - back in 2-3 weeks?

     Aaron Rogers - still out - back 2-3 weeks?

     Sam Barrington - out for year

     Bryan Bulago - out for year

     Sederrick Cunningham - out for year

     Kevin Doesey - out for year

     Jermichael Finley - out for year

     Robert Francois - out for year

     DuJuan Harris - out for year

     Greg Van Roten - out for year

     Sean Richardson - out for year

     JC Tretter - out for year

     Jerel Worthy - out for year

3 - 4th Quarter defense

4 - Secondary - interception, ball skills, & getting beat deep!

5 - More QB pressure on opposition!

More to come this week!

Seneca Wallace, What Can The Packers Expect?

We have a new quarterback,  Seneca Wallace!  How about his career stats?

First, 10 years of NFL football.  63 games.  In 2013, he played 13 games, and 10 in 2008 & 2007.  Let's look at those years - 16 TD's & 36 interceptions.  Not too bad.

QB Rating 81, 87, & 99.  That is about average by todays QB stats!

Completion percentage - 65%, 58%, & 67%.  Not bad.

We need Seneca Wallace to be efficient.  We need the coaching staff to coach his up!  What would I do (just in case McCarthy is reading my blog)?

1 - Change the offense to run first, pass second.  That does NOT mean pass only on third down!  But, use Lacy & Starks to "punish" the defense.  Play action passing, draw plays, & get the ball to play makers - Nelson & Jones.

2 - Defense needs to contribute!  Matthews may be back, now the linebackers must create "havoc" blitzing, interceptions, force fumbles!  AND, play hard in the 4th quarter!

3 - Special Teams - we got a sneak peak in the Bear game - the Pack can do some amazing things!  They must be creative, and be aggressive!  All facets, Kick & Kick Return.  MUST try to keep opponents at the 20 & less!  Must return to OUR 30 & more!  Give OUR offense short field & opponents long field - SAME on punts!

Come on Seneca!!!

Packers Lose To Bears

What a difference a week makes in the NFL!  Packers are in first place, the injuries are healing, the running game is starting to roll, and Rogers is as sharp as ever!  Now, one week later NO Rogers!

It looks like at least three weeks - now what?

1 - Seneca Wallace.  The move to give up on our quarterbacks and bring in Wallace was I think unusual.  Now we will see if it was a wise move.

2 - Can the running game continue to grow?  With Rogers you could not load up for the run. And Lacy and Starks were looking like a formidable 1-2 punch!

3 - The defense was coping with many injuries and the lost of the spark plug - Matthews!  Early we didn't have our defensive backs Heyward & Burnett, they are back.  Our inside linebacker Brad Jones went down, Francois is in, he is lost for the year!  Lattimore comes in and does well.  Perry starts to look good at outside line backer, he misses games.  Mike Neal starts to look at home at line backer.   But the "D" does not look like it could stop someone if it had to, and the 4th quarter play is terrible!

4 - The team had a chance to put some space between the Lions & Bears, now a three way tie!

Next up the Dr. Jekyl - Mr. Hyde Eagles!