Clay Matthews has not yet signed a new contract.
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past two or three weeks we’ve been seeing and hearing reports from folks across the NFL spectrum that both Green Bay Packers stars Clay Matthews and Aaron Rodgers have been on the cusp of signing new long-term contracts that will keep them in Green and Gold for many years to come.

And today, in fact just minutes ago, the fan Twitter account, @ClayMatthewsNews, tweeted this:

Matthews appears to be getting close to signing a new contract with the Packers.

— Clay Matthews News (@CMatthewsNews) April 13, 2013

 

Really?

A quick search of reliable sources reveals nothing.

Which brings us to the point about accurate and timely news that will stand the test of time.

The experts who cover the NFL have the accuracy and timeliness that we can depend on. Let’s allow them to do the job. When we see tweets like this, you know there are going to be peeps out there who are going to believe it … like when the “news” story about Clay Matthews breaking both his legs steamrolled across the Internet … yes, it WAS fake.

So in the meantime, we sit and wait and wonder – Just WHEN will Matthews and Rodgers sign? I guess they will sign when they are ready to sign.

When they do, believe me the guys over at NFL.com, ESPN, CBS, FOX and every other news outlet will be on it. When it happens, we here at Lombardiave.com will also be putting in our two cents.

But we’ll wait for the real news before hyping a tweet.

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.

(more…)

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…)

Matthews needs to get into Brett Favres Head early and often

National media seem to think this game is all about the return of Brett Favre and texting habits.  That was so last year.  This game is about the Green Bay Packers knocking spit out of the Minnie Soda (small pop) Vikings and their Kiwanis club QB.  The texting allegations?  That was a NY Jet thing.  This is football and when it comes to the Packers and Vikings, the only thing that decides the game is on the field.

Both teams come in struggling and it is no reach to say that both teams had aspirations of a Super Bowl appearance.  Many believed these two teams would play each other for the right to rep the NFC.  Oddly enough, the third team mentioned, the Dallas Cowboys, are having their own season meltdown.  Oh, but I do digress.  This week, it’s all about the pain.

The key to this game is simple, stop Adrian Peterson and force Brett Favre to throw.  There was a time that you wouldn’t want to put Favre into that position, but despite the fact that Favre can still toss a few 6 pointers, especially with the addition of Randy Moss, he also has more fumbles than any QB in the history of the NFL and more INT’s.  Put pressure on the passing game by eliminating the running game and the Packers secondary should have a far easier time rolling over the Nordic namesakes.

How they match-up.

(more…)