If you’re a Green Bay Packers fan, you probably have a pretty good feel for the way GM Ted Thompson goes about his business.

For starters, he doesn’t overpay for big name free agents. That has frustrated fans in the past, but I think most have come around on this part of his management strategy. Thompson’s other most visible principle is his use of the draft. Very rarely (if ever) does he reach for a player simply because it fits a positional need for the Packers.

Only when the top of Thompson’s draft board meets with a need do you see the Packers making a selection that makes sense in that way. Case in point, Bryan Bulaga last year.  However, there still is an importance in identifying which position the Packers could make an upgrade at.

I use the term “need” loosely here, but if the Packers had such a thing this off season, these positions would most likely fit that profile.

Outside Linebacker : Clay Matthews (17 combined sacks in 2010-2011) is firmly entrenched on the left side, but the Packers could use another play-maker opposite him.  There’d also be nothing wrong with adding more talent and competition for Erik Walden and Frank Zombo. (more…)

There is a popular NFL adage, “On Any Given Sunday”; it’s meaning is that in the NFL there is a very real possibility that any team could prevail in their weekly Sunday match-up. NFL players and their fans, no matter how big an underdog they might be, truly believe that their team can win. It’s what drives the players and their fans.

It is a rare individual that attains the status of a professional NFL player. Only 1696 achieve that distinction each week of the season. The talent and hard work it takes to make it to the elite status, as an NFL player is extraordinary. What is even more unique is the title of a NFL team owner. That exclusive club is limited to a privileged 32 (31 plus the publicly owned Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers). You don’t become an NFL franchise owner without having won battles in the boardroom and the courtroom.

Unfortunately the players and their union officials are in a game (CBA Negotiations) with the owners, in which they are so over matched that in this case “On Any Given Sunday” probably means that the owners will take a large television rights fee deposit to the bank on “Every Given Monday” during a labor lockout.

Just as the players practice, condition and watch film in preparation to wage war between the lines each week, NFL owners have done their version of game preparation in their offices and boardrooms week in and week out for decades. Where players and coaches draw strategies in x’s and o’s, owners strategies are drawn in dollar signs and zeros by attorneys and MBAs. (more…)

Here’s a preview.. he does a great job, and yes,the rumor is true!

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Be sure to download it today.

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To our soldiers serving abroad, know that we are all thinking of you and giving thanks for your service in protecting this great nation, this country that we call home. Your selfless acts do not go unappreciated, and we all miss you!

With this Thanksgiving I wanted to take a moment to let you know what things that I give thanks for the most. (more…)

The Packers are in a solid position as they control most of their destiny. They beat the Eagles in week one therefore hold the head to head tie breaker there. They lost to Chicago, but have them on the schedule ahead and can even that series for the season. The New York Giants are still relevant and the Packers will play them as well. None of those games however mean anything without a win this weekend.

The Falcons are poised to make a stretch run with only New Orleans standing in the way of what should be a table run. That puts a little more pressure on the Packers to pull this one out and leave Georgia with eight wins. If the Packers can tip the scale towards themselves with this head to head tie breaker, they would stand to position themselves as the front runner for the NFC home field advantage. And we all know, no one but Green Bay likes playing in Green Bay in January. (more…)

Brad Childress - ex Vikings Coach

For the second time in 3 weeks, and after a loss to the Green Bay Packers, an NFL Head Coach has been fired.

The first was of course Wade Phillips, former Dallas Cowboys head coach immediately following the defeat that was handed to them Nov 7th at Lambeau.

This time it’s Brad Childress, Minnesota Vikings head coach and play caller.  I think everyone knew it was bound to happen.  He’s made more mistakes this year than the average NFL head coach makes in a career.  First, bringing back Brett Favre and giving him a huge $20MM salary. Then signing NFL “problem child” Randy Moss for 4 short weeks, then releasing him and throwing away a 4th round draft pick. (more…)

The game looked like it may go down as a tough grinding battle as the Vikings drove the field on their second possession and settled for a field goal when the drive stalled inside the Green Bay 10.  The Packers and Vikings spent the entire first quarter and into the 2nd exchanging three and outs and punts until Mason Crosby tied the game up in the second.  The Packers would score the first touchdown a series later and lead 17 to 3 at the half.  It was over with in the third.

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For those who haven’t the photo of the Green Bay Packers “fake new Nike” jersey can be seen after the jump.  Nike will be the league uniform supplier in 2012, which coincendentally coincides with the Mayan calender event that ends the world.  Maybe that is what the Mayan calendar was foretelling…hmmmmmm.

Anyways, take a look at the uniform and answer the poll on the following page and discuss this in our comments section. (more…)

“I don’t think I can go the whole game but I’m going to play as much as I can,” said Rice

Doesn’t sound as though Rice is all that certain about his hip recovery.

It’s likely that while Rice is on the field however, that Brett Favre will try and feed him the ball.  Rusty or not.  That should serve the Packers well as Rice is not the threat he was last year and the first game back on a team in complete disarray won’t help either.  Rice playing could mean another pick for the Packers.

This game is likely to be the last time that Favre faces the Packers and Aaron Rodgers

It’s hard to believe that the Green Bay Packers are playing the Vikings so soon.  It really seems like a week or two ago that the teams squared off for their first 2010 match-up.  Still, here we are heading over to Minnesota for a re-match of the Packers first win.  Thanks to the goose egg laid by the Miami Dolphins last night, the Chicago Bears sit atop the division awaiting the outcome of Sunday’s game.

For the Packers it should be all about knocking what snot remains in Brett Favre out.  He is done.  He has told some media that this will be his last year.  I believe him…finally.  He doesn’t have the energy the emotion, he is simply a dejected football player who simply should have hung up his cleats a season earlier.  If he could go back in time to the start of the season, there is no way he would have come back. (more…)

Week 11 Packer Fantasy Focus:

Aaron Rodgers - The overwhelming first QB taken off the board in drafts back in August will face the Vikings for a second time this season.  Rodgers threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns in the first meeting back in week 7.  There is no reason to believe that he won’t at least match that same production.  I think that will have a better statistical game this time around.

Brandon Jackson - Sometimes you have to start a 3rd tier runner and that is what Jackson is.  However, he can get you some points when the passing game is working well.  In week 7 Jackson combined for 104 yards and a touchdown.  If your in a bind with some injuries or maybe a key runner doesn’t match up well this week with another defense, Jackson would be safe start to get you some points.

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Matthews needs to get into Brett Favres Head early and often

The Green Bay Packers walked all over the Dallas Cowboys last night. It was ugly. So ugly in fact that after all the harassment that John Kitna took last night, Jerry Jones decided that he has seen enough of Wade Phillips and axed the man that only a week ago was given the dreaded vote of confidence. In his stead will be the fallen boy wonder Jason Garrett who was supposed to be an offensive genius when he left Miami five years ago.

Facing Kitna for the first time since his days in Detroit, the Packers wasted little time picking up where they left off with the ageing QB.

Last night game bordered on being a laugher unless A, you were a Packers fan or B, you owned any member of the Packers defense, special teams, Aaron Rodgers, Brandon Jackson, and/or Clay Matthews on your fantasy team. It was that bad and it was that bad early. The Packers jumped to an early lead that they didn’t come close to giving up.

James Jones who I spoke about earlier this week was lights out in place of the injured Donald Driver until a late game dropped pass had announcer Chris Collinsworth finally finding something to dig on. Rodgers threw only 7 incomplete passes all night, one to the aforementioned Jones. In addition to his 289 yard aerial effort, he added 41 yards on the ground. John Kuhn rushed for 50 yards and Brandon Jackson added 42.

The real cheese had to go to the defensive unit who harassed John Kitna the entire game, left the Cowboys with a total of 39 yards rushing from their three runners, and held Miles Austin to 16 yards on two catches. For their effort, the defense forced two fumbles, sacked Kitna four times, picked him off twice, and returned one of them for a TD. The special teams added another one on a call that should never have been made. (more…)

Dallas visits the Packers On Sunday Night

Sunday night can’t seem to get here fast enough.  If your like me you love Sunday afternoons when you can sit back and watch the other games, follow your fantasy players, and know that the day wraps with a Sunday night under the lights Pack game.  This week, that opponent is the reeling Dallas Cowboys and while on the surface it would seem the Packers have this all but won on paper, we all know that these Packers can’t seem to put anyone away this year.

Starting on the offensive side of the ball, the Packers have a choice to make.  Run the ball, control the clock, and simply beat down the opposition, or throw the ball score points, and beat down the opposition.  The Packers will have that choice simply because the Cowboys offense is not a productive unit these days.

Through the air:

The Cowboys rank 10th in the league in pass defense and Mike Jenkins is starting to show signs that he can become the talent that Jerry Jones thought he was drafting.  He doesn’t have a ton of help on the other side though.  Terence Newman is an up and down corner and teams have been able to throw on him.  With Donald Driver sidelined this week, the task will fall to James Jones who, as we wrote about yesterday, needs to improve his consistency.

Aaron Rodgers should be able to find the soft seams for rookie TE Andrew Quarles and I actually think that statistically he could have a better day than the GB WR’s.  Maybe not yardage alone but receptions, and I think he may score a couple of touchdowns as well.

The Cowboys give an average of 205 yards per game through the air, with 15 TD’s allowed and only 5 takeaways, it may be in Rodgers best interest to exploit those weaknesses. (more…)

Inconsistent Play needs to improve

Forget about the Green Bay Packers anemic running game, the bigger question is where are the wide receivers? Greg Jennings?  Greg Jennings?  Greg Jennings?  Driver? Driver? Driver?  Excuse me, I heard from a friend who heard from a friend…you get the picture, it’s like Ferris Buehler.

If you look on the NFL’s official stats page, you will have to actually scroll the wide receiver list all the way down to number 18 to find Greg Jennings and his 5 touchdown receptions.  You will have to click over to page number two to find Donald Driver at 67, Jermichael Finley at 72, and James Jones at 78.  Now with word that Donald Driver will miss this weekend, it makes you wonder how Aaron Rodgers is in the top 5 at his position.  No really he is.  Aaron Rodgers is 5th in the league in passing yards.

So who exactly is catching all of these passes?

It goes without saying that Rodgers is spreading the ball around but with that comes inconsistent play from your top guys.  Case in point, James Jones who will take over Driver’s role this weekend against Dallas said “I need to be more consistent”.  From the horses mouth.  Even Greg Jennings has taken notice of Jones’ inconsistent play.

“I talk to him about it all the time. He knows what he’s capable of getting done, but it’s a matter of getting it done,” Jennings said Wednesday.  “The thing about JJ, he’s harder on himself than anybody in this room and in this building, quite frankly. I told him after the game, we were on the plane, and I said, ‘When you dropped that ball, I couldn’t even look at you. I was pissed.’ That’s how we are. We hold each other to a high standard of excellence. The bar is set high, and you either match that, or you exceed that. But you can’t fall short of that. That’s just not acceptable.”

Driver was still on crutches when the Wednesday injury report came out so that puts James Jones front and center in Sunday prime-time.  He will need to find that consistency going forward as Driver could experience hiccups all season long.  With the bye-week approaching, the team will try and get healthy but they need to beat Dallas first and they need to find a way to get their WR’s more involved.  The fact is that the GB offense is very good at staying in games but they are not managing the field as well as they should and inconsistent play that includes poorly run routes, poorly thrown balls, and dropped passes, don’t help at all.

For Jones, his play needs to improve.  Behind him sits two youngsters ready to make a leap into that role if he fails.  Jordy Nelson and Brett Swain.  Nelson by the way is ranked 91st and Swain?  I got tired of looking but Brandon Jackson and Andrew Quarles are ranked higher and they were in the 100′s.  Tell me again how Rodgers is ranked 5th?

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Round 1 goes to the Pack

That loud thud you heard late last night was the sound of the door closing on Brett Favre’s career and the season for the Minnesota Vikings.  With his first win against his former “mentor”, Aaron Rodgers made the Green Bay Packers relevant again in the division and in the conference.  It took 3 interceptions by the Packers defense who recovered from the two picks Rodgers threw as well.  At the end when the whistle blew, the Packers were back in the hunt and the Vikings were drifting further away from any shot at a season recovery.

The Chicago Bears are now tied with the Pack at the top at 4-3 while the Vikes’ are now two games back and sliding.  For Green Bay, it was a solid performance against a division rival.  Surely it would have been nicer to see a more lopsided win, but this is divisional football and those games are always tough.  After the Pack took the lead in the 3rd quarter the team simply got defensive and held their ground as the 4th quarter ended scoreless. (more…)