Charles Woodson bids goodbye to Packers Nation. Where will his journey take him?
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

With the news this morning that the Green Bay Packers had decided to release Charles Woodson, he said he’s looking ahead and that wants to play with a contender.

Who wouldn’t? There isn’t anyone more deserving than Woodson. I, for one, would love to see him go out with a winner – just so it isn’t against the Packers.

With two years still left on his Packers contract, one would expect that Sir Charles would want to sign a new contract for at least a couple of more years in the big leagues. Given that he’s 36, he’s easily got two seasons left in the tank. It’s unfortunate the Packers and he couldn’t come to a meeting of the minds on a restructuring of his contract, but we can certainly understand why that didn’t occur. Woodson is a proud guy and when you think about it – with the right team, there’s no reason why his isn’t worth every penny of that $10 million.

With Woods gone, the Packers’ defensive backfield takes on a whole new look.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

So, who will Woodson consider?

The first team that comes to mind is the Kansas City Chiefs because former Packers front office player of personnel guru John Dorsey is now the Chiefs’ general manager. Should they pursue Woodson, the first job of Dorsey would be to convince him to play for a team that won two games last year. However, with new head coach Andy Reid in the house, Woodson might see the opportunity for the Chiefs to go from worst to first in a hurry. So, that’s one possibility.

However, others who have been mentioned in the early going have been the Broncos, Patriots and 49ers. Of those, the worst landing spot for the sake of the Green Bay Packers would be the 49ers for obvious reasons. Easily as disappointing would be to see Woodson in a Vikings, Lions or Bears uniform. That would be tough.

Seeing him land in the AFC would be the best case scenario, but one never knows how these types of player movements turn out.

What’s going to be interesting is watching the teams line up for his services. Without a doubt, this is a Hall of Fame player – the type of player that just doesn’t come around off the street very often.

Stay tuned.

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Take the poll and tell us what you think about the selection of Ben McAdoo as the new Packers QB coach.

In Coach Mike McCarthy we trust.

We’re sure that’s going to be the mantra from here on out when it comes to the selection of Ben McAdoo as quarterbacks coach.

Despite Aaron Rodgers’ public comments about his desire to have a coach with NFL playing experience as his position mentor, McCarthy didn’t look beyond his own staff. He did what he’s done so many other times – he’s promoted from within.

Honorable policy, for sure, but there are many out there who are questioning the pick of McAdoo as the quarterbacks coach. They question just what someone like McAdoo will bring to his new job. Will he have the insight and know-how to instruct Aaron Rodgers – a Super Bowl MVP?

Clearly, McCarthy feels he does.

You might remember that it wasn’t too long ago that there was another guy on the Packers staff who at one time coached tight ends and was also a quarterbacks coach who then went on to become a head coach in the NFL – and a pretty good one.

His name was Andy Reid.

But I digress. Take the poll and tell us what you think about the promotion of  Ben McAdoo to quarterbacks coach.

We thought we had taken our final photographs of Brett Favre leaving a football field. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

This can’t be true … I thought we were done talking about B.R.E.T.T. (Brett Returning Every Time he Turns).

But no … he’s back once again … This time apparently wanting to end up in Philly backing up Mike Vick if Kevin Kolb gets traded.

Howard Eskin of WIP radio in Philly reports that the Eagles could sign quarterback Brett Favre as a backup.

But it seems the Eagles weren’t the first choice of Favre. Though denying the report, there are some who are saying Favre recently approached the Seahawks about taking over for Matt Hasselbeck (how ironic is that?) … The Seahawks are said to have declined.

The signing of Favre in Philly would reunite Favre with Eagles coach Andy Reid who was quarterbacks and tight ends coach in Green Bay before taking the head coaching job in Philly.

This news will also allow Rich Eisen of NFL Network to resurrect the “Favre Watch” segment.

Puh-lease!!!

Plaxico Burress. Photo courtesy of Midwest Sports Fans

The thought of the Philadelphia Eagles taking on another reclamation project in the form of Plaxico Burris is nothing short of scary.
Coach Andy Reid has been known as the big Teddy-Bear and should he decide to bring the controversial Burris into the fold, we’ll have to start considering him the miracle worker. (more…)

Larry Fitzgerald is the best wide receiver in the National Football League, hands down.  I can’t think of anyone else who could come close to him.  Fitzgerald has the right combination of size, speed, and hands.  His statistics from Sunday (9 receptions, 152 yards, 3 TDs) back this up.  The only question I have about the play calling of the Cardinals offense was during the third quarter and first part of the fourth quarter when Fitzgerald was totally written out of the gameplan.  During this stretch, Fitzgerald was barely thrown to and the Cardinals saw their 24-6 lead turn into a 25-24 deficit.  But what did the Cardinals do on their last drive?  They got the ball to Fitzgerald which led to the win.  Watching Fitzgerald was watching a man among boys.  It’s obvious that if the ball is anywhere near Fitzgerald, he will come down with it.  I wonder how Mike Tomlin and Dick LeBeau plan on stopping this one.

I hate second-guessing anyone.  Whether it be an errant Brett Favre throw in the 2008 NFC Championship Game, to play-calling, to the referees.  But here I’m just going to say what I would have done; not what should have been done.  The string of plays concerns the Eagles second-to-last possession that started with about 2:53 left in the game.  With 2:09 left around midfield, the Eagles faced a second-and-ten. Andy Reid called three straight pass plays to end the Eagles last scoring threat.  What I would have done is on second down, with 2:09 left is called a run play.  The run play would get some yardage and put the Eagles in more manageable situations for their offense.  After the second down pass, 2:01 was left on the clock with third-and-ten.  Run the ball, Andy.  Make an easier fourth down situation for your team.  That was my only qualm about Reid’s playcalling.

The Eagles have been searching for big play weapons for Donovan McNabb for some time now, and I think they have finally found them in Kevin Curtis and DeSean Jackson.  Curtis had a great game and was almost the team’s savior on the fourth-and-ten play.  His deceptive speed creates mismatches on defense and he just always seems to be able to get open.  As for his counterpart, I think that Jackson was the steal of the 2008 NFL Draft.  Countless mocks had the Eagles picking him with the 19^th pick in the first round.  Instead, the Eagles traded out of the first round and picked him down in the second round.  That saves a lot of money right there.  Jackson in the first round is a bad pick; Jackson in the second round is a great pick.  He could play too.  He gave McNabb a consistent threat the quarterback hadn’t seen since that #81 character was in Philly.  The only blemish on Jackson’s rookie season was his ridiculously bonehead play against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.  That was really bad.  But he still turned it around, making a juggling 62-yard touchdown catch on Sunday against Arizona.  He’s a game changer any time he touches the ball and no matter how he touches it.

I’m focusing more on the Eagles in this mostly because they’re my second team behind the Green Bay Packers and I know more about them than the Cardinals.  I could tick off the names of most of the Cardinals skill players, but not much more.  That being said, the Eagles have finally found their replacement for L.J. Smith who is on his way out.  It’s tough to see why they even franchised him for this year.  But that’s beside the point.  This man is Brent Celek.  He can play.  Ten catches, 83 yards, two touchdowns.  That’s not the line you expect out of a no-name tight end in the NFC Championship Game.  He’s an athlete too. Numerous times this year we’ve seen him try to leap over guys, and he was at it again on Sunday.  The only thing he needs to work on to become one of McNabb’s favorite targets is to improve his hands and football mindset.  Many times this year he dropped key passes or committed stupid penalties, putting his team in a hole.

Kurt Warner can still play.  Matt Leinart better be taking notes on how Warner goes about his business or he’ll have bust written all over him.  Warner is a professional (I know he had those spats in St. Louis, but that seems to be an isolated incident).  It’s obvious that in his time off he’s out studying the next opponent or out helping his community instead of entertaining college girls in his hot tub.  Warner goes out each Sunday, makes his reads, and gets the ball to his playmakers.  Leinart could never get comfortable in the pocket (maybe thinking about those chicks?) and didn’t seem to realize he has one of the best receiving corps in the NFL around him.  Watching Warner run the offense is like watching an experienced surgeon at work who knows where everything is and what needs to be done.  He doesn’t do just enough to get by, but he doesn’t try to do too much either.  Warner is one of the reasons I’m rooting for Arizona on February 1^st.

Clancy Pendergast is one of the coolest names out there.  He sounds like a 1950s detective.  He’s done wonders with that defense though.  But the cool name nearly trumps that.