May 22, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews (52) talks to fellow linebacker Nick Perry (53)

The draft is only a little more than one week away, and it’s time to look at some positions the Green Bay Packers could focus on in the draft.

With the loss of Erik Walden to the Indianapolis Colts and Frank Zombo to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, the Packers are looking mighty thin at outside linebacker. This only leaves the Packers with Clay Matthews, Nick Perry, and Dezman Moses. Green Bay needs to add more young talent to solidify the most important position in Dom Capers‘ 3-4 defense.

There may be a chance the Packers address this need early in the draft, but with more pressing needs at offensive line, defensive line, safety, and running back, and the potential of Perry returning as the starter, I see the Packers taking an outside linebacker in the mid-to-late rounds. Remember, they don’t necessarily need to find a starter here, but rather a player who will add depth and can rotate in with Matthews and Perry. Here are a few outside linebacker prospects Green Bay could select late in the draft that I believe would fit well with their team.

Auburn Tigers defensive end Corey Lemonier (55)

Corey Lemonier: Auburn, 6-3, 255 pounds, 4.60 40 time, 27 reps bench press

A bit too small to play defensive end in the NFL, Lemonier projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Lemonier shows good agility and speed for a player his size. He plays with a high motor and brings a physicality to the field the Packers could use (watch some of his college highlights). Lemonier had a great sophomore season in 2011, recording 13.5 tackles for a loss and 9.5 sacks, but his 2012 season wasn’t as promising, only recording 5.5 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks, dropping his draft stock significantly. Mock drafts project Lemonier to go anywhere from the bottom of the second round to the top of the fifth. If the Packers could get Lemonier at the end of the third or fourth round, this would add another edge rusher to rotate in with Perry at left outside linebacker.

Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles defensive lineman Jamie Collins (8)

Jamie Collins: Southern Miss, 6-3’, 250 pounds, 4.64 40 time, 19 reps bench press

Collins converted from safety to linebacker in college and shows good short-area quickness and movement for an outside linebacker of his size. In his last two years at Southern Miss, Collins piled up 16.5 sacks and 39.5 tackles for a loss, proving he can be a very effective stand-up pass rusher. Mock drafts have Collins going anywhere from the top of the third round to the sixth round. Collins struggled against top tier tackles and lacks ideal upper-body strength, which leaves some scouts concerned about his ability to hold up against the run and be an every down player. Collins’ ability to get to the quarterback would make him a great third down pass rusher and situational player for Green Bay.

August 31, 2012; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal linebacker Chase Thomas (44)

Chase Thomas: Stanford, 6-3’, 244 pounds, 4.91 40 time, 18 reps bench press

Chase Thomas looks like a Ted Thompson-type pick. Thomas is a high-hustle player who played outside linebacker in a 3-4 system at Stanford. Thomas proved to be productive as an edge rusher in the 3-4, posting 27.5 sacks in college, and wouldn’t need a lot of time to adjust playing outside linebacker in the Packers’ defense. Thomas lacks power and flat line speed, pushing him down draft boards despite his playmaking ability in college. Thomas could go as late as the fifth round, making him a great value pick for Green Bay if he falls to them at the bottom of the round.

Oct 6, 2012; Madison, WI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini defensive end Michael Buchanan (99) 

Michael Buchanan: Illinois, 6-5, 255 pounds, 4.78 40 time, 22 reps bench press

Buchanan has ideal length and size for a 3-4 outside linebacker, but showed inconsistent effort as a senior. He had a great junior season in 2011, recording 13.5 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks, but after Whitney Mercilus left Illinois, Buchanan’s numbers dropped off his senior season – only recording 7 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. Buchanan could drop as far as the fifth or sixth round and be a good fit for Green Bay late in the draft. A coach like Kevin Greene could turn a player like Buchanan into a productive player.

Other OLB prospects: John Simon of Ohio St., Sio Moore of Connecticut, David Bass of Missouri Western, and Travis Johnson of San Jose St.

Any of these draft prospects would be great mid- to late-round finds for Ted Thompson and company. They would add some competition to the outside linebacker position and provide important depth needed to have success with a 3-4 system. Keep your eyes open on day three of the draft, and still expect Thompson to do what he does best – finding value late in the draft.

Neither Clay Matthews nor Desmond Bishop will play a role in the Packers defense this Sunday as Green Bay throws a much different defense onto the field against the Giants. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Each week the tendency for Green Bay Packers fans is put Aaron Rodgers front and center – easy to do, considering the television producers and directors make that easy for Packers Nation.

But there are other Packers players who have a huge impact on the outcome of every game.

We’ll concede that we will again be watching Rodgers with great interest, but let’s consider some of the other Packers players who could make a big splash Sunday night when the Packers play the New York Giants.

Here are the players I feel will be of importance Sunday:

James Starks. Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

• James Starks: The Packers running back who made it back on the field in a big way in last weekend’s win at Detroit, Starks will be given the ball in an attempt to soften the Giants’ defensive line and slow the pass rush that has caused Rodgers problems in the past. Whether Starks is the guy Sunday or whether the Packers also try to platoon him with Alex Green, it will be Starks who must be watched. If he can hit the 4-yard-per-carry mark, his job will be done. Not only will that give Rodgers time to throw, but it will also open things up for Green in the open field with quick pitches, screens and checkdowns over the middle.

Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith. Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

• Evan Dietrich-Smith and T.J. Lang: Last week these two offensive linemen played for the first full game without right tackle Bryan Bulaga. Going against a Giants’ defensive line that has historically caused Aaron Rodgers problems, these two players have to hold their own. If they don’t and Rodgers takes a beating, it will be difficult for the Packers to win. They struggled at times last week and will have to play at a higher level this week to be effective.

Randall Cobb.
Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

• Randall Cobb: The Packers’s second year rising star has continually caused defenses difficulties and how McCarthy has designed plays specifically for this special talent is impressive. I’m still waiting for the surprise reverse play to Cobb for big yards. That’s just about the only way the Packers haven’t utilized him. Rodgers is relying more on Cobb for the big play and I don’t expect that to change this week.

Davon House.
Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

• Packers defensive backfield versus Giants wide receivers: The youngsters filling the Packers defensive backfield (Hayward, McMillian, House) have been aggressive, intimidating and consistent as they continue to fill in for the likes of Charles Woodson and Sam Shields. Throw in Morgan Burnett and Tramon Williams to that mix and you’ve got a group of defenders who should compete well with the Giants receivers. The Giants will be facing a different defense than they saw back in January, but it’s different to Packers players and coaches, too. How they respond in this big conference game will tell us a lot about their potential to be playing come Playoffs time.

Dezman Moses.
Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

• Dezman Moses and Frank Zombo: Filling in for the injured Clay Matthews isn’t an easy task, but Moses did quite well last week. The undrafted rookie brings outside speed and strength to the field. The coaching staff says they are going to try to work Zombo back into the rotation, too.

How he responds will be important to his future as well as that of the team. Whichever is on the field at any given time has to show a presence for the Packers to have a chance.

Mason Crosby.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

• Mason Crosby: Need I say more? Maybe it’s time to turn the beer labels out for this guy. There’s got to be some kind of invisible force that’s working against him. He’s always been far from perfect, but he’s got the leg strength to hit those 45-yarders in December. It’s a wonder why he’s missing all those kicks indoors and under perfect conditions. December will be very important to his future with the team and the watching will be intense continuing this Sunday night.

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Frank Zombo (right) will most likely have the opportunity to be activated for Sunday’s game. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Frank Zombo was nearly the forgotten man for the Green Bay Packers – in fact, when was the last time you heard his name?

As one of three on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP list with Andrew Quarless and Derek Sherrod), Zombo’s future was decided today when Ted Thompson announced the move to place him on the injury-plagued Packers roster.

Given the number of players who will be out Sunday, Zombo will most likely be active.

Zombo was hurt before training camp, suffering a hamstring injury and missing all of camp. He was placed on the PUP list and was declared out for at least the first six weeks of the season. He started practicing three weeks ago. The Packers have three weeks past the six-week deadline to decide what to do with all the players on the PUP list. According to many published reports, it seems that Sherrod (broken leg last year in the Kansas City game) is destined for Injury Reserve. It’s not real clear what the future holds for Quarless. He suffered a knee injury last season.

Zombo is an undrafted free agent signed in 2010. He has six career sacks in 19 games. Two of those games were postseason, including one sack in Super Bowl XLV.

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Will A.J. Hawk win the starting inside linebacking position this season? Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Since the Packers moved to a 3-4 defensive philosophy, their defense has been about as consistent as the lineup for the Monday Night Football broadcasters.

In 2008, they were twentieth in yards given up per game. In 2009, they jumped to 2nd, in 2010, they were 5th and in 2011 all way down to last.

While some might point to the presence, or lack thereof of a player like Cullen Jenkins (he played in only four games in 2008 and, of course we know by the unsullied jersey of Eli Manning last January, zero games for the Pack in 2012), the play of their linebackers hasn’t been a stellar example of consistency.

In fact, no position on the Packers defense has had to endure as many rotating starters since 2008 as the linebacking corps. For long periods of time, the following have been completely out or at the very least severely encumbered by injury: Matthews (hamstring, shin), Hawk, Barnett, Walden, Zombo, Brad Jones, Brandon Chillar.

Will D.J. Smith get more playing time or even a starting role this season? Raymond T. Rivard photograph

So it should come as no surprise when we, Packers fans to the enth degree, search for spectacular stability. We’ve had it at almost every other position for years, Rodgers, Jennings, Bulaga, Woodson, and until last year, Collins and to some extent Raji. With a breakout performance by Desmond Bishop last year, we know that spectacular play from the inside linebacking position is possible. That could be what’s suddenly driving speculation that Hawk is in a training camp battle to save his starting position (and therein his roster spot).

Since they lost to the Cardinals back in the 2009-10 playoffs, when it became painfully clear that Hawk just did not possess the speed necessary to track down running backs on the sideline, I’ve never been a big fan of the Ohio State product. But Hawk had a productive year in 2010 and the Packers, on a Super Bowl high, invested a multi-year contract in the linebacker and let Nick Barnett go.

Last season, Hawk was consistently blamed for not making enough big plays. When he did have to sit because of injury, Packer fans were treated to some excellent playmaking by his understudy, a rookie, D.J. Smith. He’s 5-11, 239 pounds, and came out of a small school, Appalachian State.

During his unlimited action last year, he had 40-plus tackles and an interception. It will be very interesting to see if Smith gets more snaps than usual during the preseason, especially if it is with the first team. The Packers will likely say it is to give Hawk a rest, but many will view this as a clue that Hawk has a fight on his hands, which is as good a motivator as there is for someone who has already inked his post rookie payday contract.

Focusing specifically on the Packers, it comes as no surprise that their main focus point will be to determine which 11 guys on defense will give the Packers the best chance to win. If we are just focusing on winning, then the Packers’ defense brought in a record of 15-1.

Unfortunately, this was because the offense carried the defense to victories last season and is how, ultimately, the Packers would fall in the first round of the playoffs against the New York Giants.

So as training camp approaches, nearly every position on defense will have a battle of some sort. Considering how the Packers, this offseason, drafted mainly defensive players and even dipped into free agency for defensive players, there will be a lot of competitors fighting for a job. With that said, let’s break down the key battles Packer fans should keep an eye on for this training camp.

Packers defensive lineman Ryan Picket does a good job at stopping the run, but is limited in the pass rush. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Defensive End: Ever since the Packers lost Cullen Jenkins in free agency last year, the Packers have been struggling to find a replacement. Ryan Pickett on the other side has been doing an adequate job stopping the run but he cannot generate pressure on the quarterback which was severely lacking last season.

Raji in the middle, after the Super Bowl season, was thought to have a breakout year with the Packers but never quite reached the level that most thought he could. Then we had the right defensive end which was a huge question mark all of last season. Players from Mike Neal, C.J.Wilson, and Jarius Wynn all took turns at the position last year but none really stood out from the rest of the pack. Some brought Packers fans a spark of hope for a little while but none of the three had complete consistency. This forced the Packers to make moves by drafting Jerel Worthy in the second round, bringing in Anthony Hargrove from free agency, and bringing in Phillip Merling also from free agency. These are three players who seem to be right in the mix to contend for the starting position in training camp. Players from last year like C.J.Wilson and Mike Neal also have been working hard and should get a fair shot to fight for the position.

Who will take over the outside linebacking position opposite Clay Matthews for linebackers coach Kevin Greene. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Outside Linebacker: Similar to the defensive end position of last season, players on the opposite side of Clay Matthews generated nearly no production and the Packers had to flop starters from week to week in order to find someone who could separate from the rest of the pack. Unfortunately, nobody ever truly stepped from the pack and the Packers’ defense suffered tremendously.

Players who took turns starting last season included Eric Walden, Frank Zombo, and Brad Jones. Also, we must keep in mind that injuries at this position plagued the Packers all season with all three having injuries at different points during the season. The Packers’ management responded by drafting Nick Perry from USC in the first round of this year’s draft. \ Perry has major athleticism and the Packers hope that he could be the missing piece to the defense.

Other players to have a shot in training camp include another rookie in Terrell Manning, second-year veteran in Jarmari Lattimore, and another second year veteran in Vic So’oto who had his moments in his short playing time last year. This will be arguably the most intriguing position battle this camp.

Safety: It’s a lock that Morgan Burnett will hold his starting position this season but losing Nick Collins on the other side threw up another question mark in the Packers’ defense. I have to say that many, including me, believed that Nick Collins was a big part of the defense but never really thought of him as being the leader on defense. Once he went down with his injury, I and many others were stunned at how important Collins truly was for the Packer defense.

With perennial Pro-Bowler Nick Collins no longer with the team, the question about who will replace him is one of the biggest heading into training camp. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

With Collins once being the player who made sure everyone was lined up right on defense being gone, the Packers’ defense seemed lost at times. Many big plays occurred and could have been avoided if everyone was lined up correctly. The player who took over for Collins was Charlie Peprah, who played very well, but the lack of communication hurt the Packers severely last season.

With that said, training camp is approaching and so is a successor to Nick Collins.

But who will it be?

Names that come to mind will be Charlie Peprah, second-year player M.D. Jennings, practice squad standout Anthony Levine, and maybe even rookie Jerron McMillian. Regardless of who it is, it is going to be a very difficult task to replace Nick Collins.

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Clay Matthews was one of the leaders on the Packers' defense this year, but many times was a step away from making the big play. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

It seems like it was just a year ago when the Packers were the #5
pass defense and the #5 total defense in the NFL.

Oh wait, they were…

So what changed so drastically over the course of one year?

Was it because of the NFL Lockout? Possibly, though there were no new players
needing to be implemented into the Dom Caper’s defense.

See more about the defense after the jump and then Like Lombardiave.com on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

(more…)

Green Bay Packers linebacker Erik Walden, the champions’ player arrested last Friday after an alleged altercation with his girlfriend, apologized today to the organization, coaches, fellow players, and fans as he was questioned by a throng of reporters at his locker.

“I want to apologize to the entire organization, my teammates and the fans,” Walden said. “You know, it’s an ongoing process, I respect that process, and it’s just unfortunate that I brought something negative from so much positive that’s going on with this organization.”

He didn’t say anything about the specifics of the incident and indicated he was accepting of the need to let the process run it’s course.

Walden’s girlfriend had originally told police that as she argued with the Packer player that he struck her.

However, she later changed her story to say she hit him first.

The conflicting story has prompted Brown County District Attorney John Zakowski to initiate a more thorough probe of the incident.

Brown County District Attorney John Zakowski said Monday that Walden’s girlfriend originally told police they were arguing and he pushed her but she has since changed her story to say she hit him first.

It’s unclear as to his playing status for Sunday’s game in New York against the Giants, but he did say he’s ready to move ahead.

“I feel terrible about the situation. Just ready to move on and play football.”

Whether he plays Sunday will be up to Coach Mike McCarthy. He is scheduled to talk to the press about it tomorrow. While the league is still looking into the case, it’s not out of the question that the Packers would sit him.

If he doesn’t play, Frank Zombo, who has had injury problems this season, would be his replacement.

Walden’s teammates have been supportive.

“I think everyone’s just behind him on the team, supporting him,” right tackle Bryan Bulaga said. “I don’t know much of the details of the whole thing.”

“…that’s why this team has been so good getting past adversity, whether it’s injuries or whatnot, being able to move on just because of the great leadership.”

Walden has played well this season and has started all 11 games this year. He had a team-leading 10 tackles against the Lions on Thanksgiving.

No formal charges have been filed against Walden though prosecutors are still investigating. Zakowski said he needs more time to interview others to see if this is a case of miscommunication or if the woman is trying to protect Walden.

Walden is scheduled to return to court Dec. 7.

Just when all the talk is about what a thug Ndamukong Suh is, we get news that Packers outside linebacker Erik Walden is arrested for battery in an incident with his girlfriend.

Of course we accept that a person is innocent until proven in a court of law to be guilty. However, this doesn’t look good for Walden or the team.

We can only hope there is some sort of misunderstanding here, but even so, it is time for the team to make adjustments on the field.

Early reports were conflicting. It was originally reported across the Internet that Walden was arrested early Friday morning after an altercation around 2:30 a.m. at the couple’s apartment on Scheuring Road in the town of Lawrence, south of Green Bay.

Those first reports indicated that Walden’s girlfriend was the one who called police about 6:10 a.m. That was after police said she was treated at St. Vincent Hospital for a cut and bump on her head and an injured right hand.

Later reports said hospital personnel were the ones who called the police and that the woman said it was a misunderstanding. Later reports have the woman saying that during an argument with Walden she had accidentally fallen and hit her head on the bed.

Well, this is a story we’ve all heard before … from victims after the fact in an attempt to cover the truth and to protect the perpetrator.

But again, we won’t pass judgment … We’ll let the courts do that.

Regardless, Walden will sit the weekend in jail because of the fact that the Brown County Courthouse won’t be open until Monday.

On the field, Walden hasn’t been dominating at his outside linebacking position, but has been steady in his role.

The position has been manned mostly by Walden this season, but Frank Zombo has also played some downs when he has been healthy.

Right now, the hope is that Zombo can play and stay healthy because of the uncertainty raised by this situation with Walden.

The Packers organization issued a brief statement yesterday saying they were doing more investigation before commenting any more about Walden.

We’re sure the Packers will simply let the system run its course, as they should. Unless some other details come forth and Walden is exonerated in this case, it’s most likely that we’ve seen the last of Mr. Walden readying to rush the quarterback.

He’s most likely going to be readying his own defense.

Judging from past history, Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy won’t stand for this type of behavior and Walden will be packing his bags sooner than later.

Having Gregg Jennings in the lineup is a good thing for the Packers offense, but having Mike Neal in the defensive lineup is even better.

The news out of Mike McCarthy’s mouth today regarding the Packers injury report was better than expected.

Though he wouldn’t commit to whether running back James Starks would play or not, he did say that Greg Jennings will be ready to play Thursday and that linebacker Frank Zombo will again see the field.

However, in my mind, the best news came when he said that defensive end Mikee Neal’s snap count should increase this week. Neal has been out since the start of the season but played in the nickel package for the Packers last Sunday versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Though he failed to have an impact – in fact, he didn’t record a single tackle, having him available is a huge factor.

Not only will it give the Packers a fresh face and fresh legs on the defensive line, it will also allow the Packers coaching staff the option of giving B.J. Raji some snaps off … many feel his production has suffered because of his large amount of time on the field. Last year at this time he had 6.5 sacks compared to the two he has this year.

Anything that could infuse some energy into the Packers’ defense is a good thing and having a healthy Mike Neal back playing with the team will go a long way in making that happen.

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Mike McCarthy likes the way his team is playing, but admits there's much more work to do. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Mike McCarthy just finished his Monday afternoon presser.

Here are some of the highlights from the session with the press:

On the injury front, Sam Shields suffered a concussion when he took a hit while trying to run an interception out of the end zone; outside linebacker Frank Zombo, who played in his first game back after a broken scapula, hyper-extended his knee … McCarthy didn’t know the severity of his injury. He did say that Shields will go through the series of tests that go along with concussion recovery. It is unclear whether Shields will play this week vs. the Vikings.

When asked about the wind and the role it played in Sunday’s game, McCarthy said, “the wind factored in the game … you could see ball moving … It’s something talk about in the pre-game … you have to focus on ball … it was a challenge.”

When asked about the possibility that the Vikings may play rookie Christian Ponder, McCarthy said that the team will prepare for both quarterbacks … they may have to go back to preseason tape to watch Ponder, but that didn’t seem to bother the head coach. “That’s all part of the preparation. We’ll be prepared either way.”

(more…)

James Starks will play an important role in getting today's running game going. He and his teammates will also wear their 1929 throwback uniforms in today's game. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Justin Stine of Ramblin’ Fan queried Lombardiave.com about today’s game against the St. Louis Rams.

Here are Stine’s questions and our answers:

1. The Packers are the defending champs and are undefeated thus far in 2011. Would you call them the favorites again this season, or is there a weakness you see that could cause a problem?

Through five games, I would have to say the Packers performance so far gives them a great chance of repeating their championship from a year ago. It’s a team that’s focused and ready to take it to the next step … another Super Bowl title.

But to get there will be a huge challenge … especially with the many breakdowns so far by their defense. Though the team seemed to pull it together last week after the two early touchdowns by the Falcons, the Packers’ defense needs to show consistency in stopping the big plays and the big players.

They did that last week and if the D can continue to show that type of performance, then they will have a very good shot at repeating. The only ones who can stop the Packers’ offense is the Packers offense. They’ve had some injury issues on their offensive line, but have been able to limp through those difficulties.

(more…)

For the Green Bay Packers linebacking corps, it’s getting to razor sharp.

That’s because it was announced today that OLB Frank Zombo was diagnosed with a broken scapula after last Friday’s preseason game against Arizona.

This injury comes after the Packers have had several changes in the linebacking corps to date.

His injury leaves Brad Jones (who was also injured in last Friday’s game) and Erik Walden battling for the starting spot at the position. It appeared that Walden had the upper hand in starting, but now that Zombo is out four to six weeks and with Jones not 100 percent, the team will continue to audition undrafted rookies Jamari Lattimore and Vic So’oto at the spot.

Both have been having good camps, but will be asked to step it up a notch with the loss of Zombo and the uncertainty of Jones’s situation.

Zombo was the starter at the position last year, but was injured near the end of the season. That’s when Walden was brought into the Packers camp to take over. However, when Walden went down with a bad ankle in the conference championship game in Chicago, Zombo was again called on, starting and playing a solid Super Bowl.

Walden’s injury was actually suffered in warmups when John Kuhn hit Zombo in the back with his helmet.

“I thought it was a bruise,” Zombo said in published comments today. “It didn’t hurt as bad as I thought it would. But you could see (on film) that some plays my arm was hanging a little bit.”

The tandem of Rodgers and McCarthy will provide leadership and smarts to a team seeking to repeat as league champions. The team's quest continues this weekend when they take on the Arizona Cardinals in the second of four preseason games. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

How much should we take from the Packers first exhibition game Saturday night in Cleveland?

Well other than a 27-17 loss, there were probably more question marks, especially with the play of Packers cornerbacks Pat Lee and Jarrett Bush in the first couple of series, than exclamation points. However, if one is going to point to a positive, it’s got to be the initial look at second round pick Randall Cobb.

When he touched the ball heads turned and he made an immediate impact.

He will make the team, there’s no question about it. The question is how quickly Coach Mike McCarthy will implement him into the game plan when the regular season starts.

Cobb started the game with a kickoff return straight up the middle without hesitation and with courage for 32 yards.

His other return was similar, this time gaining him 26 yards. And while he showed his sure-handedness and his ability to catch the ball under pressure on his lone punt return, he also showed quickness of feet in eluding the initial tackler … that’s something Packers fans haven’t seen on special teams since Travis Williams and Willie Wood, and it’s a sure sign that the team should show improvement in special teams play over their dismal numbers last year.

Green Bay ranked 22nd in punt-return average and 26th in kickoff-return average last season.

On the offensive side of the ball, it wasn’t until the backups behind quarterback Matt Flynn hit the field that Cobb began to shine.

He made an impressive diving catch for 13 yards in tight coverage and then later in the first half caught a pass for 19 yards.

On the next play, Cobb caught another ball on a short route and then turned it impressively into a gain of 28. (more…) ]]> http://lombardiave.com/2011/08/14/cobb-shows-the-burst-of-a-star-in-the-making-for-the-packers/feed/ 0 http://lombardiave.com/2011/07/11/a-look-ahead-post-lockout/ http://lombardiave.com/2011/07/11/a-look-ahead-post-lockout/#comments Mon, 11 Jul 2011 21:00:16 +0000 Raymond Rivard http://lombardiave.com/?p=5534   By Jimmy Riley, for lombardiave.com The Green Packers have a number of things to address when the lockout ends, as it is supposed to in the near future.  There are several players whose futures with the Packers may not be so bright. Among them Nick Barnett and Mark Tauscher Nick Barnett What should the [...]

A look ahead, post-lockout - Lombardi Ave - Lombardi Ave - A Green Bay Packers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

 

Does the Packers defense need Nick Barnett? Raymond T. Rivard photograph

By Jimmy Riley, for lombardiave.com

The Green Packers have a number of things to address when the lockout ends, as it is supposed to in the near future.  There are several players whose futures with the Packers may not be so bright.

Among them Nick Barnett and Mark Tauscher (more…)

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I have to say that I am really bummed by this Green Bay Packers loss to the Atlanta Falcons.  Mostly because I forgot what it feels like to lose a game and because I think I may have jinxed the team.

I posted a story this weekend about Rodgers being the only NFL QB with no fumble http://lombardiave.com/2010/11/27/packers-qb-aaron-rodgers-has-a-grip/.  Thinking it was an amazing stat that should be shared among the fans, and having no idea he’d be responsible for goal line rushing attempts.  I think he’d probable still have fumbled, even if I never wrote that piece. But just in case it was MY fault… I’m so sorry PackerNation!

The last 5 weeks have been sheer joy.  The Packers had won 4 in a row with the last two being blowouts.  Now, we’ve lost to the Atlanta Falcons, by 3 points.  Which means that all four of our losses have been by 3 points.

What does this say about the Green Bay Packers as a team?   They’re good, but not great?   We’ve all been good Packers fans, occasionally grumbling when we lost a chance at signing a good RB in free agency or missing the trade deadline to pick up a replacement.  We half-heartily accepted the idea that the coaches know best.  But we can’t ignore the elephant on the field any longer.  We need a running game! (more…)

Good news, Packers fans.  The Packers lead blogger jclombardi of Fansided’s Lombardi Ave is now a regular weekly featured blog contributor to the Packers section of NFL.com’s Blog Blitz. This week, the Packers features article is OLB Frank Zombo Shows Off Pass Rushing Skills.

For more on the Green Bay Packers, you can daily check out the daily news, features, and reviews on Lombardi Ave Packers blog.   Also, you can follow jclombardi1 on twitter.

JC LOMBARDI        PACKERS LEAD BLOGGER