Archive for October, 2009

Jclombardi reviews “Big Game” predictions Basics: Teams: Green Bay Packers (4-2) vs Minnesota Vikings (6-1). Time: 3:15 p.m. Sunday.   Place: Lambeau Field, Green Bay. TV coverage:  FOX prime time afternoon game coverage.   Predictions: GBPG: Three of the four local writers pick the Vikings. JSOnline: Four of the six Online Plus pick the Packers. Yet, their first preview considered “Silver Fox” QB Favre to have the QB advantage over QB Rodgers. Also, NFL brass say, Favre still gets the nod.  All regular staff  pick the Packers.  ESPN: Six of ten experts pick the Packers.    FOX: NFL on Fox Coverage Bonus: See Favreageddon 2: Return to Lambeau.  Matchups & Things To Watch: 1. Favreageddon [...]

Jclombardi’s oracle picks winners.    Packers vs. Vikings.    Broncos vs. Ravens. Texans vs. Bills.   Browns vs. Bears. Seahawks vs. Cowboys.   Dolphins vs. Jets. 49ers vs. Colts.   Giants vs. Eagles. Rams vs. Lions.   Raiders vs. Chargers. Jaguars vs. Titans.   Panthers vs. Cardinals. Falcons vs. Saints.

Jclombardi covers Favre’s homecoming & ”Big Game.”  Previews:  ESPN.   NFL.   FOX.  CBS.  NBC.   Sporting News.  Return to Lambeau:Favre. Cheered or Booed? Interview. Former Leader of Pack QB Favre: Favre’s Top 10 Plays. Retiring No. 4:  Packers will retire Favre’s number.  ”He deserves it,” Murphy said. Favre’s view: “I totally understood the direction they wanted to go in.  But it’s probably best that things worked out the way they did, and it’s worked out for both sides.”   Divided Packers Nation: Fans Stories: Reactions. Mixed Loyalties. Anti-Favre Jerseys.  Favreageddon 2 Prime Time News: USA Today–Favre’s return plays like an ugly family divorce.  Pack fans now like jilted lover. FOX–Favre in for rough [...]

 Jclombardi reviews news & previews. 1. Previews: Preview.  Pass protection paramount.  Beating Vikings.  2. Preview Videos:  Sharpe’s Take.  Boos or Cheers?  Favre’s Homecoming. 3. The Big Game: Beyond a “Pack” house of fans, celebrities, sports stars and Fortune 500 executives will in attendance for the Sunday game. FOX’s pregame show will be about it. Favrecam! The Pack are now a legitimate playoff contender. Right or wrong, Sunday’s game is the ultimate referendum of the Packers’ decision to jettison their iconic legend. 4. Greeting Favre: Players and coaches reactions.  LeRoy Butler advises: Boo him. MJS Editor Howard: Cheer him.  Third way:  Dead and utter silence. MJS poll results: Boo him (44%); Cheer him (36%); and [...]

NFL Power Rankings: Packers. AOL Fanhouse: 8.  In the past five weeks, the Packers have defeated three of the worst teams in football and lost to two of the best.  Getting the Vikings at home, in addition to Favre-mania, will be a good measuring stick for the prospects of this team. NBC/PFT: 10.  Nothing makes a bad offensive line look better than playing a bad defense. Yahoo: 11.   Like old times: Clifton, Tauscher could be back vs. Vikes. Sporting News: 11.  Beating Favre would be sweet, but they cannot lose more ground in NFC North. CBS: 12.  Here comes Brett Favre.  [...]

Summary: QB Rodgers threw 3 touchdowns and RB Grant rushed for 148 yards and 1 touchdown to crush the Browns 31-3.  The revamped 3-4 defense caused 2 key turnovers to shutdown the inept Browns.  The Packers look forward to a NFC showdown in the Favre-A-Palooza 2 Vikings game. Highlights—Video & Game:  NFL.   ESPN.   FOX.  Packersnews Game Ball: 1. CB Woodson 2. QB Rodgers 3. RB Grant 4. TE Havner 5. LB Hawk. Injury Report: 1. TE Finley (mild sprain) 2. WR Swain (out for season). Quotes: 1. Coach Philbin: “Grant ran hard, he had his pads down, he protected the football well, and [...]

QB Rodgers threw 3 touchdowns and RB Grant rushed for 148 yards and 1 touchdown to crush the Browns 31-3.  The revamped 3-4 defense caused 2 key turnovers to shutdown the inept Browns.  The Packers look forward to a NFC showdown in the Favre-A-Palooza 2 Vikings game. Game Highlights:  NFL.com.   ESPN.com.   FOX.com.

 Jclombardi provided fair and balanced answers to good questions from  managing editor at Lebrownstown.com. LBT: How do Packers fans feel about the season thus far? Jclombardi: After the preseason press about the Packers being a strong playoff contender, the fans have mixed feelings and are disappointed in the sloppy performances, the unresolved protection and running game issues, and the 3-2 record.  It’s a mixed bag meaning the slow start was not expected.  Yet, they did lose to two very good teams: Vikings and Bengals.  However, they and Packers bloggers wish the offensive team could solve the protection, penalties, and running [...]

Few fan bases compare to fanatical Browns fans especially in an awful season.   DawgPoundDaily & Lebrownstown.com provided their answers to jclombardi’s questions about the Sunday game against the Browns.   Jclombardi: On defense, the Browns defense is ranked pretty low in the NFL. They just lost LB Jackson.  However, they have some good rushers.  What will the Browns do to prepare defensively trying to take advantage of the Packers weak offensive line and limit the Packers good passing attack and weak running game hoping to make it a competitive close game and to possibly win it? DPD: The Browns are going to do their best [...]

Penalties: In “Penalties Not Killing”, a writer presented statistical analysis proclaiming penalties do not really matter with pass protection being a more important indicator about a successful team. Apologists are a bad ego breed to the Lombardi winning discipline along with their suck-up bloggers reading their reviews.  The answer is yes and no. Penalties can be crucial drive killers in games along with turnovers and poor protection.  Also, both penalties as a sign of bad discipline and bad protection as an indicator reflect on the coaching & create barriers to winning games.    Injuries report: In the injury reports, key players are healing.  Rookies [...]