The Green Bay Press Gazzette's Pete Dougherty has picked up the failure to progress theme. He reviews the following 1st & 2nd year players: Jermichael Finley, Josh Sitton, Tramon Williams, Jordy Nelson, Jeremey Thompson, James Jones, Johnny Jolly, Justin Harrell, and A.J. Hawk. Except for being a tad critical of Hawk and Jolly, it's inconclusive as you would expect. Since it's not evaluation time until years 3 & 4, we might want to try that sometime.
Tom Silverstein at the J/S has been allowed to write about Favre's leadership now that everyone else there has established the QB position is not the problem.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Justin Harrell Polka
Roll on Justin Harrell
Call Up Darrell Bevel for fun
Roll on Justin Harrell
We’ve got Ted on the run!
Sissy Boom la Diva
Bring on the songs & the beer
Cause now it’s time for Harrell
Because Favre’s Not Here!
Call Up Darrell Bevel for fun
Roll on Justin Harrell
We’ve got Ted on the run!
Sissy Boom la Diva
Bring on the songs & the beer
Cause now it’s time for Harrell
Because Favre’s Not Here!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Laboratory Jacksonville
It was interesting to see how the Bigby / Rouse situation at safety worked out. I wrote them both off to injury and didn't make any definitive judgments about there play. If I were giving grades, I would have given them both a Incomplete this year. Rouse's status going in offseason
But then this from McGinn; he was surprised by how fast the Packers "soured on Rouse". It's in the December 10th chat. Clearly that Woodson at safety thing was an attempt to get the best players on the field at the same time. McGinn is calling for Rouse and / or Charlie Peprah at safety. Tramon Williams would go back to full-time nickel back.
I watched the Texans game in Madison at my friend Jay's place. Jay is from Madison. He takes the Packers seriously and actively moderates his opinion. Jay is the antithesis of a football fan that shoots his mouth off as if he were the second coming of Vince Lombardi.
We both praised Tramon before the game started. We seemed to agree the Packers should stick with him after a rough game. “Welcome to the NFL kid. Now have a seat and think about what happened.” Williams gave up five completions for 153 yards and was toasted on the third play of the game where Nick Collins finished Tramon off and the play went for a TD. This guy is in his second season. He seems more agile than Ahmad Carroll or Joey Thomas and usually knows where the ball is.
Do you throw Tramon Williams back up on the horse against Jacksonville or would the Packers be making a smart coaching move by slowing Williams down a bit? I would imagine that depends on Woodson’s toe. If he is less than 90% (turftoe) throw Rouse and Peprah to the wolves and let them play. Maybe let Woodson recover for the Bears game.
At this point in the season, the Packers will need to salvage pride by giving the Bears their A-game and not losing the last game to the Lions at Lambeau. The Jacksonville game is one they can most afford to lose and that means it’s a good game to look at reserves, especially on defense.
Given Desmond Bishop's vunerablity in coverage, whatever the defensive scheme for rest of this year, as long as Bishop is at WBL, he will need help over the top. But the J/S is now reporting that Chiller might start in JAX at WBL allowing the Packers to focus on helping Propingga with the TE at SBL. Also, they say Woodson will remain at safety... well OKKKK?!?! Rouse and Peprah aren't even on the injury report. Who are they going to play in nickel? Jarred Bush? Dime? Bush and Blackmon I guess?
But then this from McGinn; he was surprised by how fast the Packers "soured on Rouse". It's in the December 10th chat. Clearly that Woodson at safety thing was an attempt to get the best players on the field at the same time. McGinn is calling for Rouse and / or Charlie Peprah at safety. Tramon Williams would go back to full-time nickel back.
I watched the Texans game in Madison at my friend Jay's place. Jay is from Madison. He takes the Packers seriously and actively moderates his opinion. Jay is the antithesis of a football fan that shoots his mouth off as if he were the second coming of Vince Lombardi.
We both praised Tramon before the game started. We seemed to agree the Packers should stick with him after a rough game. “Welcome to the NFL kid. Now have a seat and think about what happened.” Williams gave up five completions for 153 yards and was toasted on the third play of the game where Nick Collins finished Tramon off and the play went for a TD. This guy is in his second season. He seems more agile than Ahmad Carroll or Joey Thomas and usually knows where the ball is.
Do you throw Tramon Williams back up on the horse against Jacksonville or would the Packers be making a smart coaching move by slowing Williams down a bit? I would imagine that depends on Woodson’s toe. If he is less than 90% (turftoe) throw Rouse and Peprah to the wolves and let them play. Maybe let Woodson recover for the Bears game.
At this point in the season, the Packers will need to salvage pride by giving the Bears their A-game and not losing the last game to the Lions at Lambeau. The Jacksonville game is one they can most afford to lose and that means it’s a good game to look at reserves, especially on defense.
Given Desmond Bishop's vunerablity in coverage, whatever the defensive scheme for rest of this year, as long as Bishop is at WBL, he will need help over the top. But the J/S is now reporting that Chiller might start in JAX at WBL allowing the Packers to focus on helping Propingga with the TE at SBL. Also, they say Woodson will remain at safety... well OKKKK?!?! Rouse and Peprah aren't even on the injury report. Who are they going to play in nickel? Jarred Bush? Dime? Bush and Blackmon I guess?
Week 13: Texans 24 Packers 21
Week 13: Texans 24 Packers 21
Well that was bloody awful… losing in December at Lambeau to a southern dome team no less. In past years, a score like that means Packer fans would be talking about how they let the Texans hang around. But it was the Texans who controlled time of possession, scored first and played most of the game with the lead. The Texans amassed 549 yards offense – running and passing almost at will but turning the ball over four times.
LeRoy Butler came down harder on the defensive players and coaches citing no efforts at communication between plays, no adjustments from the sidelines, and no hustle. It’s sometimes hard to judge those things on TV. Butler also said they did well to only give up 24 points with the kind of yardage they gave up.
Charles Woodson in the box? What is Bob Sanders thinking? I didn’t criticize trying Woodson at safety on announcement. It got the best guys on the field. But it didn’t really work that well. I hope they scrap this and let Charlie Peprah play. It’s time to see if he can play. That goes for whole lot of guys on defense. Butler says go with Woodson at CB and Rouse at S.
The New Hampshire Packer Backer would like to call your attention to how the Patriot defense is saddled with as many injuries as the Packers yet continues to play at a high level. Desmond Bishop played well but was hopeless in coverage. NHPB also points his finger to the Defensive Coordinator’s ability to work with the personnel available to win games.
Everybody knows my fear about how blaming coordinators for losing undermines player evaluation. A change in coordinators usually leads a team to stand pat on moving players to see how the current roster fits into the new D.C.’s scheme. Greg Bedard doesn’t like the Bates / Sanders defense. I’m more concerned about personnel, but watching the same sort of deterioration that we saw in 2005 should be reviewed.
Bedard also argues that the stop-gap street veterans like the Patriots have signed have worked out for them. Ted Thompson promotes guys from the Practice Squad like Alfred Malone, at DT. Malone is the latest Daniel Muir at the end of the bench. Guys like this are functional back-ups on other teams. With Justin Harrell back in the tub, we’ll get a look another look at what the elite Packer scouting department has come up with in Malone.
As we have seen, top DTs are often top drafted in the first 5 picks of the draft. When you can find a serviceable one on the street you have a real coup. I think you can go back to Gilbert Brown to the last gem in the rough the Packers have found. I think that was 1994 or 1995 when the Grave Digger was picked up from the Vikings. Remember how Mike Sherman shored up the Packer DL with John Thierry who played both DT and DE in 2000? I think Thierry was in camp, but him and David Bowen gave the Packers the depth they needed to be competitive that season.
When Cullen Jenkins when down and Harrell was still hurt, that was really the Andre Rison moment this year. When there was no help from the front office, the grind accelerated. Nick Barnett, playing hurt soon succumbed and was lost for the season. Then Atari Bigby whose injury has rendered him a non-factor. You could observe the tough Mark Tauscher grind down to an ACL on offense. Playing hurt often leads to worse injuries. We really saw too much of that this year, I think.
Well that was bloody awful… losing in December at Lambeau to a southern dome team no less. In past years, a score like that means Packer fans would be talking about how they let the Texans hang around. But it was the Texans who controlled time of possession, scored first and played most of the game with the lead. The Texans amassed 549 yards offense – running and passing almost at will but turning the ball over four times.
LeRoy Butler came down harder on the defensive players and coaches citing no efforts at communication between plays, no adjustments from the sidelines, and no hustle. It’s sometimes hard to judge those things on TV. Butler also said they did well to only give up 24 points with the kind of yardage they gave up.
Charles Woodson in the box? What is Bob Sanders thinking? I didn’t criticize trying Woodson at safety on announcement. It got the best guys on the field. But it didn’t really work that well. I hope they scrap this and let Charlie Peprah play. It’s time to see if he can play. That goes for whole lot of guys on defense. Butler says go with Woodson at CB and Rouse at S.
The New Hampshire Packer Backer would like to call your attention to how the Patriot defense is saddled with as many injuries as the Packers yet continues to play at a high level. Desmond Bishop played well but was hopeless in coverage. NHPB also points his finger to the Defensive Coordinator’s ability to work with the personnel available to win games.
Everybody knows my fear about how blaming coordinators for losing undermines player evaluation. A change in coordinators usually leads a team to stand pat on moving players to see how the current roster fits into the new D.C.’s scheme. Greg Bedard doesn’t like the Bates / Sanders defense. I’m more concerned about personnel, but watching the same sort of deterioration that we saw in 2005 should be reviewed.
Bedard also argues that the stop-gap street veterans like the Patriots have signed have worked out for them. Ted Thompson promotes guys from the Practice Squad like Alfred Malone, at DT. Malone is the latest Daniel Muir at the end of the bench. Guys like this are functional back-ups on other teams. With Justin Harrell back in the tub, we’ll get a look another look at what the elite Packer scouting department has come up with in Malone.
As we have seen, top DTs are often top drafted in the first 5 picks of the draft. When you can find a serviceable one on the street you have a real coup. I think you can go back to Gilbert Brown to the last gem in the rough the Packers have found. I think that was 1994 or 1995 when the Grave Digger was picked up from the Vikings. Remember how Mike Sherman shored up the Packer DL with John Thierry who played both DT and DE in 2000? I think Thierry was in camp, but him and David Bowen gave the Packers the depth they needed to be competitive that season.
When Cullen Jenkins when down and Harrell was still hurt, that was really the Andre Rison moment this year. When there was no help from the front office, the grind accelerated. Nick Barnett, playing hurt soon succumbed and was lost for the season. Then Atari Bigby whose injury has rendered him a non-factor. You could observe the tough Mark Tauscher grind down to an ACL on offense. Playing hurt often leads to worse injuries. We really saw too much of that this year, I think.
Reported injuries being what they are - usually vague - as not to give other teams intelligence, it was interesting to see how the Bigby / Rouse situation at safety worked out. I wrote them both off to injury and didn't make any definitive judgements about there play. If I were giving grades, I would have given them both an Incomplete.
But then this from McGinn. He was surprised by how fast the Packers "soured on Rouse". It's in the December 10th chat. Clearly that Woodson at safety thing was an attempt to get the best players on the field at the same time. McGinn is calling for Rouse and or Charlie Peprah at safety. Tramon Williams would go back to full-time nickle back.
Lasts week I watched the game in Madison at my friend Jay's place. Jay is from Madison. He takes the Packers seriously and activily moderates his opinion. We both praised Tramon before the game started. We should stick with him after a rough game. Welcome to the NFL kid. Now have a seat and think about what happened. Williams gave up five completions for 153 yards and was toasted on the third play of the game where Nick Collins finished Tramon off and the play went for a TD. This guy is in his second season. He seems more aggile than Ahmad Carroll or Joey Thomas.
I think the Packers would be making a smart coaching move by slowing Williams down a bit. If Woodson is less than 90% (turftoe) throw Rouse and Peprah to the wolves and let them play. Let Woodson recover for the Bears game.
But then this from McGinn. He was surprised by how fast the Packers "soured on Rouse". It's in the December 10th chat. Clearly that Woodson at safety thing was an attempt to get the best players on the field at the same time. McGinn is calling for Rouse and or Charlie Peprah at safety. Tramon Williams would go back to full-time nickle back.
Lasts week I watched the game in Madison at my friend Jay's place. Jay is from Madison. He takes the Packers seriously and activily moderates his opinion. We both praised Tramon before the game started. We should stick with him after a rough game. Welcome to the NFL kid. Now have a seat and think about what happened. Williams gave up five completions for 153 yards and was toasted on the third play of the game where Nick Collins finished Tramon off and the play went for a TD. This guy is in his second season. He seems more aggile than Ahmad Carroll or Joey Thomas.
I think the Packers would be making a smart coaching move by slowing Williams down a bit. If Woodson is less than 90% (turftoe) throw Rouse and Peprah to the wolves and let them play. Let Woodson recover for the Bears game.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The Magnificent 2007 Packers
The central premise of this blog is that 2007 was a magnificent and marvelous season. The 2007 Packers weren't merely overachievers... they had the winning mix. They had Field Marshall Favre. The young defense exploded early. Then Greg Jennings. Then Special Teams. Then Ryan Grant and the O-line. And then Favre discovered Donald Lee. Look at how the 2007 Packers won games. It wasn't any particular dominant feature at play, they were just a darn good football team and a lucky one too.
Look at the NY Giants. Plexico helped beat the Packers in the NFC Championship. This year he literally shot himself in the leg! Is there a better metaphor for Packer fans? Some years you win and other years you shoot yourself in the foot... err leg.
This is was not an automatic dynasty. But this summer Bob McGinn of the quoted "an member of the Packer Football Department" talking about a 2-3 year Super Bowl window with Aaron Rodgers at QB. Mike Holmgren didn't even talk about a "Super Bowl window" in 1995. Holmgren forbade talking about it.
It seemed presumptuous. It seemed like this was a management that takes more their fair share of credit from a great season, while failing to recognize the cracks and relied on young players getting better. Young players in the NFL do not always improve. Instead someone in the "football department" went after Favre like he was the main reason the Packers lost to the Giants. That's just weird... just psycho... somebodies been working at the Bates Motel too long.
The cracks were a front seven that couldn't stop good ground games. The O-line couldn't reliably execute zone blocking and lost too many physical match-ups. There was no depth RB past Grant. The OTs and the CBs were veteran players with no proven back ups. Yet the 2007 Packers went 13-3 and hosted the NFC Championship game.
It's not like reserves haven't got on the field this season. Sitton and Moll on the OL... apparently Barbre is hopeless with assignments. All three TEs have played. But they were slow to play Brandon Jackson and now that he's had a few good games, reporters are asking why he didn't play more when Grant was hurting. Obviously, they blew it changing punters and then sticking with their mistake a game or two too long and it cost a win or two.
On the DL everyone has played in 2008 including rookie Jeremy Thompson. LBs Chiller and Bishop have played more than most back ups with some good affect from Chiller. Jolly and Harrell are brittle. Montgomery and Hunter are liabilities.
My point is that it's not WHICH Packers are on the field. They need quality, not quantity in the DL & LBs. There are no "red" guys drafted at DL, LB, or on the OL!!! Cullen Jenkins and AJ Hawk were the only two I could see getting to that level and it hasn't happened. This problem is not going to be completely fixed with a high draft pick or two. There must be a Free Agent worth signing at one of these positions in Spring 2009.
One of the weird things I don't get is how can Pat Lee and Charlie Peprah be hurt? I think they might be on a few special teams units, but they don't play really. Remember how Marvel Underwood and Blackmon were hurt every year for a few straight years? Do the Packers need a full time yoga coach for DBs? Do they need a "flexibility" metric at the combine?
Bright spots this season: Brandon Jackson, Tramon Williams, Nick Collins, Aaron Rodgers, and maybe Jordy Nelson have exceeded expectations, and the new LS hasn't screwed up yet. The secondary is the straight on defense. The WRs are still the best I've ever seen.
It's really hard to remove Favre from Rodgers. But watching the Bears, Lions, and Vikings try to find a real QB year after year, and seeing AR is better than that junk in his first year is a good surprise. Yes - he's being coached not to throw picks, so he does when under pressure. Whatever, I've seen him see some guys and throw some tracers. Plus the poor guy has to put up with McCarthy and that OL and act like he on the "MMTTMM Super Bowl Express". I'm kind of liking Rodgers for that. Maybe next year on 1st down at the 1 yard line he'll audible into play-action and throw the easy TD to win. I bet Favre did that more than once last year. I can't wait for Joe Philbin's tell-all book about these last two seasons.
Look at the NY Giants. Plexico helped beat the Packers in the NFC Championship. This year he literally shot himself in the leg! Is there a better metaphor for Packer fans? Some years you win and other years you shoot yourself in the foot... err leg.
This is was not an automatic dynasty. But this summer Bob McGinn of the quoted "an member of the Packer Football Department" talking about a 2-3 year Super Bowl window with Aaron Rodgers at QB. Mike Holmgren didn't even talk about a "Super Bowl window" in 1995. Holmgren forbade talking about it.
It seemed presumptuous. It seemed like this was a management that takes more their fair share of credit from a great season, while failing to recognize the cracks and relied on young players getting better. Young players in the NFL do not always improve. Instead someone in the "football department" went after Favre like he was the main reason the Packers lost to the Giants. That's just weird... just psycho... somebodies been working at the Bates Motel too long.
The cracks were a front seven that couldn't stop good ground games. The O-line couldn't reliably execute zone blocking and lost too many physical match-ups. There was no depth RB past Grant. The OTs and the CBs were veteran players with no proven back ups. Yet the 2007 Packers went 13-3 and hosted the NFC Championship game.
It's not like reserves haven't got on the field this season. Sitton and Moll on the OL... apparently Barbre is hopeless with assignments. All three TEs have played. But they were slow to play Brandon Jackson and now that he's had a few good games, reporters are asking why he didn't play more when Grant was hurting. Obviously, they blew it changing punters and then sticking with their mistake a game or two too long and it cost a win or two.
On the DL everyone has played in 2008 including rookie Jeremy Thompson. LBs Chiller and Bishop have played more than most back ups with some good affect from Chiller. Jolly and Harrell are brittle. Montgomery and Hunter are liabilities.
My point is that it's not WHICH Packers are on the field. They need quality, not quantity in the DL & LBs. There are no "red" guys drafted at DL, LB, or on the OL!!! Cullen Jenkins and AJ Hawk were the only two I could see getting to that level and it hasn't happened. This problem is not going to be completely fixed with a high draft pick or two. There must be a Free Agent worth signing at one of these positions in Spring 2009.
One of the weird things I don't get is how can Pat Lee and Charlie Peprah be hurt? I think they might be on a few special teams units, but they don't play really. Remember how Marvel Underwood and Blackmon were hurt every year for a few straight years? Do the Packers need a full time yoga coach for DBs? Do they need a "flexibility" metric at the combine?
Bright spots this season: Brandon Jackson, Tramon Williams, Nick Collins, Aaron Rodgers, and maybe Jordy Nelson have exceeded expectations, and the new LS hasn't screwed up yet. The secondary is the straight on defense. The WRs are still the best I've ever seen.
It's really hard to remove Favre from Rodgers. But watching the Bears, Lions, and Vikings try to find a real QB year after year, and seeing AR is better than that junk in his first year is a good surprise. Yes - he's being coached not to throw picks, so he does when under pressure. Whatever, I've seen him see some guys and throw some tracers. Plus the poor guy has to put up with McCarthy and that OL and act like he on the "MMTTMM Super Bowl Express". I'm kind of liking Rodgers for that. Maybe next year on 1st down at the 1 yard line he'll audible into play-action and throw the easy TD to win. I bet Favre did that more than once last year. I can't wait for Joe Philbin's tell-all book about these last two seasons.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Naming names on kickoff coverage
McGinn's article "Unit can't cover its holes: Kickoff team continues slide" he names some names: Jason Hunter, Jarrett Bush x2, Jermichael Finley x2, and Korey Hall. Given the poor TV coverage of special teams plays, that what I have to go on until tomorrow when the grades come out. These are suppose to young athletic guys. Remember how William Henderson played special teams until the end of his playing days?
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