This was the same camp where former Green Bay Packers right tackle Mark Tauscher was selected to the team that will broadcast with a United Kingdom network. While there is only a glimpse

Mark Tauscher was one of the former players who participated in the NFL's broadcasting bootcamp.

of Tauscher listening in during a session, which is somewhat disappointing, there is a nice closeup of former Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga giving a line.

Check out the video. It’s a nice look at the process.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/auto/09000d5d82a3b5ee/Broadcast-Boot-Camp-Behind-the-scenes


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Mark Tauscher, shown here (left) protecting Aaron Rodgers, will take his skills to the broadcast studio. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Mark Tauscher is comfortable with being a walk-on. He’s been doing it his entire life and now he gets another chance to shine.

The Marshfield, Wisconsin, native took his talents to the University of Wisconsin where he started on two Rose Bowl teams, then was drafted in the seventh round by the Green Bay Packers where he started for more than 10 years before age and injuries finally caught up with him.

Now he’s starting on a new venture having been selected to serve as a studio analyst for one of the league’s United Kingdom television partners. He spent four days at NFL Broadcast Boot Camp training and was chosen as one of two  players to work next season as an analyst. The other player chosen was Troy Brown. In all, there were 23 players who were invited to the broadcasting camp program this year, the sixth year the league has offered it. Network broadcasters, executives and producers tutored the players on all aspects of football broadcasting on radio and television.

So, it’s good news for Tauscher and a testament to his intellect and presence. This time he gets to tell people about the game he played so well for so long.

We wish him the best of luck in his new venture.

This past week, Mark Tauscher, the consummate Wisconsin farm boy, made a point to thank his fans – his Wisconsin fans who have loved him from his days as a Future Farmer of America in Auburndale, his days of toiling on a monster offensive line that cleared the way for Ron Dayne at the University of Wisconsin, and of course his long and illustrious career with the Green Bay Packers.

The paid ad that he had published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said it all and said it from his heart. He loves the state of Wisconsin and what a charmed life he has had. Who else has been selected honorable mention All-State in high school, walked on at UW, was drafted by the Green Bay Packers and played more than a decade as an offensive lineman while suffering injuries and continually coming back as an anchor who

protected the likes of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.

Who else can say that he was a member of teams that won both the Rose Bowl and the Super Bowl in his home state – the state where he was born and bred and never left through his entire career? Nobody that I know.

He’s a rare one – needless to say, Wisconsin won’t see another like him for quite some time.

So, here’s to Mark Tauscher – one of a kind – a champions, a fighter, a true class act.

Yesterday I wrote about the travesty of not allowing Mark Tauscher to make the trip with the team to the White House …

I was wrong … yes, I guess once a year isn’t so bad … hahahaha.

Mark Tauscher WAS with the team yesterday when the players, coaches and administrators met with President Barack Obama. What a great decision by the Packers organization. Though they rightfully didn’t extend an invitation to other players cut or signed to other teams during free agency, the Packers did extend the invitation to longtime right guard Tauscher.

If there was one player who deserved it, it was Tauscher. One of the most consistent and honorable Packers players of the past decade, it was great to find out that he was honored. And I’m sure he was truly honored to be there. As a Wisconsin native, a UW-Madison alumni, and just a good all-around good guy, he deserved it.

So, for those who I misled, I apologize. And to Tauscher, I say congratulations.

To the Packers, I say thank you for the thoughtful and considerate decision to include Tauscher.

Yes, I should have known better.

It will be the Packers, not the Bears, visiting the White House and Bears fan President Barack Obama Friday. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

The Green Bay Packers make a special trip Friday to our nation’s Capitol, routing around Cleveland for their much-awaited visit with President Barack Obama.

After the visit, the team will head back to Cleveland for the first preseason game against the Browns Saturday night.

Much has been written about Charles Woodson’s now famous post-game speech that concluded with the promise that if the president wasn’t going to see them play in the Super Bowl that the team would go see him.

That promise is soon to come to fruition. (more…)

Mark Tauscher was a warrior from the first day he joined the Packers. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

If there’s anyone who would deserve to be a first ballot candidate for the Green Bay Packers’ Hall of Fame it’s Mark Tauscher.

The Wisconsin native and UW-Madison graduate spent more than a decade on the island of right tackle for the Packers, helping to anchor some of the best and most consistent lines in all of Packers history.

He was just yesterday featured in a splendid article on jsonline where his modesty, intelligence and class showed through. (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…)

Mark Tauscher (right) is just one of the guys, is well-liked among fans and players and has been a mainstay for the Packers offensive line for years. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Wisconsin’s Gov. Scott Walker has done at least one thing right: Last Friday he declared the day as “Mark Tauscher Day.”
The veteran Packers right tackle who has been nothing short of stellar for more than a decade, was playing at the Merrill Hills Country Club for the Greg Jennings Celebrity Golf Tournament when the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Lori Nickel caught up with him to ask about his future. (more…)

Mid-Season Report Headlines: Wildcard Team At-Best.

Rodgers Headlines: Sore Foot Injury.   Good Statistical QB or Winning Leader?

Offensive Headlines: Tauscher & Clinton To Start?   Spitz Not Progressing.

Defensive Headlines: Jenkins, Jolly Regret Critical Remarks.  Hawk To Replace Injured Chillar.

McCarthy Watch Headlines:  The Case Against Mike McCarthy.

Bucs Game Preview Headlines:  Bucs Like the Bad Old Days.   Jsonline.   Espn.

Music: Dreamcatcher 

But enough introduction, time to get down to the offensive battles to take place on the field:

Fullback
The Packers have a three-way battle for the fullback spot in Mike McCarthy‘s West Coast offense between Korey Hall and John Kuhn, who have been in Green Bay for the past two years, and Quinn Johnson, a draft pick out of LSU.  Both Hall and Kuhn are special teamers who could make the team that way, while the blocking abilities of Johnson will be tested by the coaches at every opportunity.  Ryan Grant‘s yards-per-carry average dropped from 5.1 in 2007 to 3.9 in 2008, so the Packers are looking for the best blocker they can get.  The Packers have kept multiple fullbacks on the roster in the past few years.  My picks: Hall and Johnson, with Kuhn the odd man out.  Hall will be the starter.  Hall has been solid in his conversion from a linebacker at Boise State and continues to progress, while Johnson provides some athleticism as a blocker.

Right Tackle
With long time mainstay Mark Tauscher gone, the Packers have a wide-open competition for that spot.  During OTAs and mini-camps, third-year man Allen Barbre worked with the first unit and many expect him to open camp with the first team.  Rookie T.J. Lang wants to play immediated and will be no slouch for Barbre to compete with, with while second-year man Breno Giacomini is coming off ankle surgery and could steal the job if Lang and Barbre aren’t careful.  My pick: Barbre, on experience.  This battle will be interesting, as Lang, who went to Eastern Michigan, is intriguing, but Barbre’s good performance in OTAs and mini-camps will translate into a good training camp and a starting job for him.

Center
In the past two years, Scott Wells and Jason Spitz have started all the games for the Packers at center, with Wells starting 26 and Spitz filling in on the other 6.  Wells ran into injury problems in 2008, causing the offensive line to be shuffled around as Spitz filled in at center.  This race will go down to the wire and has potential ramifications for the rest of the offensive line, as Spitz can also play either guard position, meaning that if he loses this race, he could jump in one of the guard racers and steal that spot.  My pick: I’m going to have to give it to Wells by a nose.

No. 5 Wide Receiver
The Packers already have their Top 4 lined up, but the Packers want a fifth wide receiver to make their “Big 5″ formaton work.  Ruvell Martin has held down the spot the last three years, but has seen his production decline.  One of the Packers seventh-round picks from 2008, Brett Swain spent 2008 on the practice squad but has been impressive in camps.  Also in the race are Jake Allen, who had a good preseason in 2008 and Kole Heckendorf who “flashed some ability during OTAs” according to the Packers website.  My picks: The Packers carry six receivers, allowing them to go big within the Big 5 with Martin, or smaller with Swain, creating more matchup problems.

No. 2 Quarterback
We were all shocked last year when seventh-round pick Matt Flynn came into training camp and beat out second-round pick Brian Brohm for the No. 2 spot.  However, Flynn’s brief appearances relieving Aaron Rodgers and his subsequent offseason workouts and OTAs have done nothing to secure his spot as the No. 2 QB, allowing Brohm another crack at the job.  Both players have had a year in the system and will be working against a difficult 3-4 defense so they will be tested and able to show much improvement.  Plus, they will see more time in preseason games, as Rodgers no longer needs that starting experience as much as he did last year.  My pick: Brohm leapfrogs Flynn to take the job.

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These OTAs mark a change for the Packers as they try to rediscover the magic they had in 2007, when they went 13-3 and were an errant pass from the Super Bowl. The team comes in with a new defensive coordinator (Dom Capers), new defensive scheme (3-4), new special teams coordinator (Shawn Slocum), and two new, high draft picks (B.J. Raji, Clay Matthews). The Packers are trying to rebound from the dismal 2008 season and keep up with the reloaded Chicago Bears, always dangerous Minnesota Vikings, and the making-an-attempt-at-being-a-football-team Detroit Lions.

So what should we watch for with these OTAs?

First, the obvious: the 3-4. With Capers, Raji, and Matthews coming in, change is happening. How long it takes that change to happen remains to be seen. The only new members of the Packer defense are the two rookies and safety Anthony Smith, who was signed away from the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency. Raji will compete with the incumbent Ryan Pickett for the nose tackle job, where the the team will look to them as space-eaters to free up the linebackers. Both men are listed at over 330 pounds, something absolutely necessary for the scheme to succeed. Pickett has performed solidly in his time with the Packers, but it remains to be seen if he has the athleticism to be more than serviceable in the 3-4. Raji is expected to become an impact player over the course of his career on the defensive line.

Joining Raji and Pickett on the defensive line is the competition for defensive end. Defensive end is a thankless job according to many who have worked with it. Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel of Pittsburgh are regarded as two of the best 3-4 defensive ends in the league, and I’m willing to bet the casual fan hasn’t heard of them. The Packers are hoping that Justin Harrell can make the transition to the 3-4 DE successfully, or else his time in Green Bay will most likely be up. Also expected to have big impacts in the defense are Johnny Jolly and Cullen Jenkins. However, any of the numerous defensive ends on the Green Bay roster currently have the potential to win the job, as nearly everyone is learning something new.

Talking about the Packers defense is like beating a dead horse, so something else to consider: Ryan Grant.

Last year, Ryan Grant rushed for over 1,200 yards, good for ninth in the league. However, we have no idea what Grant can do. After all, he only played half a season in 2007 and in 2008 missed all offseason activities before promptly hurting his hamstring the first week of training camp and never really being at 100%. The backups in Green Bay (Brandon Jackson, DeShawnn Wynn) have shown flashes of brilliance, and I’d expect Mike McCarthy and Joe Philbin to use them to put some pressure on Grant during these offseason workouts. While Grant’s total yards were good for someone who missed time, his yards per game (75.4) and yards per carry (3.9) could definitely use some improvement.

Grant’s performance ties in with the offensive line, obviously. The Packers offensive line in 2008 was banged up and inconsistent. As the younger guys continue to mature and develop, it takes some pressure off of the aging Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton. The trenches are definitely the place to watch for the Packers during these OTAs.

Stay tuned.

The Packers don’t want to give too much too soon to Tauscher, who is coming off of a torn right ACL and is not far enough along in his recovery to pass a physical.  The ideal situation for Green Bay would be to wait for a while, see how Tauscher is progressing, and then sign him to a deal based on his recovery and what they think he can do.

However, this plan is easily thwarted if a team starts pursuing Tauscher, like the Vikings are.  This could easily create a bidding war for a 31-year-old who appears to be starting the downslope of his career.  Even danzinski, over at TVA, has said that Tauscher has a “red flag alert!”

Tauscher’s best purpose for either team would be to serve as stop-gap while the teams develop young talent at the tackle position.  Ted Thompson and the Packers rarely overspend, while Zygi Wilf has some deep pockets.  If it comes down to a bidding war, Wilf could win out with the cash, but Tauscher, a Wisconsin graduate and career Packers, could find it easier to stay in Green Bay.

Stay tuned for this one.

Week 14: Texans vs. Packers Preview

Week 14 Playbook: Solomon Wilcots with Andre Johnson

Weather update: Texans vs. Packers

There we have it.  Go Pack Go!

Aaron Rodgers

Yes, we all knew this one was coming. Rodgers has the hopes and dreams of millions to deal with while leading the Packers offense. The offense (and team most likely) will go as Rodgers goes. If he’s doing well, the team will. If he doesn’t do well, then the team most likely won’t. The main key for him is to stay healthy and stay off of his back. Staying off his back leads to our next key for the season…

The Offensive Line

For Rodgers to be successful, he needs a successful or at least decent offensive line. The Packers offensive line is bookended by Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher who have been through just about everything in the green and gold. The middle three positions of the offensive line is where the concern pops up. Center Scott Wells is listed as questionable for Monday night’s opener against the Minnesota Vikings, which means that guard Jason Spitz will slide over to center, giving Darryn Colledge and Allen Barbre the starting nods, most likely.  The Packers offensive linemen will be the key to Rodgers’ success this season.  If they keep him upright, the Packers win ten games.  If they don’t, then that really sucks.

The Secondary

Al Harris is 33.  Charles Woodson is 31.  They’re obviously nearing the end of their line.  After them is a group of unproven or subpar defensive backs.  Jarrett Bush remains on the team because he can also play safety.  Tramon Williams came on strong at the end of last year, but he will have to back it up this year.  Will Blackmon is usually injured and Patrick Lee is green.  At safety, Atari Bigby has the strong safety spot locked up, but Nick Collins barely beat out the young, big, and athletic Aaron Rouse for that spot.  Expect to see a lot of Rouse this year in the secondary, as Mike McCarthy really likes him.  The Dallas Cowboys come to town Week 3.  The Indianapolis Colts come in Week 7.  Will the secondary be ready to stop these aerial assaults?

If this game had taken place in 2007, there would be much more meaning behind this game, as the Falcons traded some quarterback to the Packers back in 1992 who did a bunch of things while playing 16 years for the Packers. But alas, that quarterback is gone from Green Bay, thus taking much of the mileage that commentators were going to get out of this game. Instead they are going to talk about Atlanta reversing some curse of trading the aforementioned quarterback. Nothing in the NFL is a cakewalk and nothing in the NFL should ever be treated as one, but this game appears to be the easiest game on the Packers schedule to date. The Falcons were a disaster last year. First, Michael Vick. Second, Bobby Petrino. Third, the fact that they just sucked. But things are starting to look up for the team as they have a new face of the franchise in third overall pick Matt Ryan out of Boston College, who has been named the starter for the season. With a rookie quarterback at the helm, the Falcons look to be in for a long season. The key matchups:

Packers defense vs. Ryan: The Packers will have already faced a plethora of decent quarterbacks in the first four games of the season in Tarvaris Jackson, Jon Kitna, Tony Romo, and whoever the Tampa Buccaneers are throwing out there. Having a rookie in his fifth start back there will most definitely be appealing to the defense. Aaron Kampman and Cullen Jenkins will look to give Ryan hell all game long and knock him around, forcing him to make quick decisions. The quick decisions will lead to big play chances for Charles Woodson, Al Harris, Atari Bigby, and the secondary. Ryan does not even have sufficient safety blanket options. Ryan’s main targets are Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, and rookie Harry Douglas. The starting tight end listed on NFL.com is Ben Hartsock. Yeah. Free agent acquisition Michael Turner is probably Ryan’s best option in the offense. In the whole offense.

Packers D-line vs. Turner: As I said before, the Falcons really do not a sufficient supporting cast around Ryan, except for Turner. The Falcons will be counting on Turner to be a horse until Ryan gets his feet under him. Blocking for Turner is fullback Ovie Mughelli, a very talented blocker that is expected to team with Turner to form a very good backfield.  Because of this, the pressure is on for Johnny Jolly, Ryan Pickett,  and Colin Cole to stop the run up the gut while getting support from Jenkins and Kampman on the outside.  The Falcons offensive line is below average, helping out the Packers a little bit and making Ryan and Turner’s lives miserable.

Mark Tauscher & Chad Clifton vs. Jamaal Anderson & John Abraham: The Packers stout bookend tackles face a tall task in this game against the quick Anderson and the skilled Abraham.  Clifton and Tauscher’s performance this season will affect the drafts of the future by Ted Thompson and of course it affects first-year starter Aaron Rodgers.  Rodgers is going to need time to pick apart a weak Atlanta secondary, and the tackles must give him time.  The Packers O-line is a big question mark this year, but if Tauscher and Clifton show up to play, it won’t be that hard for Rodgers to develop.

The Verdict: The Packers win, 35-17.

The Packers are 4-1 through five games.

Week 3 appears to be one of the biggest games on the schedules for the Packers.  Last year the Packers went down the Irving, Texas (wait, I thought they played in Dallas?) to meet the Cowboys in a battle of 10-1 teams.  Many thought this game would be a preview of the NFC Championship Game later in the season.  Unfortunately not, as the Cowboys blew the divisional playoff game against the eventual Super Bowl-champion New York Giants.  The Cowboys started out fast and the Packers could not keep up, with the Cowboys taking the 37-27 victory and eventually control of the No. 1-seed in the NFC.  Not that it helped them, of course.  This game also gave Packer fans a taste of the future.  Former Packers quarterback Brett Favre suffered an elbow injury early in the game, paving the way for Aaron Rodgers to bring the Packers to within three points before the Pack Attack eventually succumbed.

This game showed that Rodgers could (hopefully) handle the pressure of being a starting quarterback in the NFL.  Other than that and some shifting on the Cowboys offensive line, both teams return with basically identical lineups.  This game will be exciting and it will be interesting to see how Rodgers responds in his second nationally-televised game in three weeks.  This will also be the first time John Madden broadcasts a Packers game that does not have Favre as the starter in 16 years.  I’m setting the over/under on Favre references at 20.  And I’m taking over.  Will Madden follow the ESPN approach and just bash, bash, and bash the Packers and Rodgers?  Or will he be rational?  I’m saying he’ll bash, but less than ESPN would.  Let’s get to the keys to this game:

Packers secondary vs. Cowboys wide receivers: In November, the Packers were torn apart by Tony Romo and the Cowboys air attack, as any or most Cowboys fans will be quick to tell you.  However, a large of group people are forgetting that Packers starter Charles Woodson missed this game with a toe injury, leaving Al Harris to fight Terrell Owens on his own.  This also led to botched coverages by Tramon Williams, Jarrett Bush, and whoever the hell else was back there on Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, and possibly Sam Hurd.  Putting Woodson back there changes the landscape of the secondary and makes it more difficult for Romo.  The safety trio of Atari Bigby, Aaron Rouse, and Nick Collins will also be counted on to bring the hammer down on the Cowboys wide receivers.  If Green Bay controls the secondary, they control most of the game.

Packers O-line vs. Cowboys front seven: Favre was absolutely wrecked last year in the pocket in this game.  Actually, there probably never was a pocket for most of it.  The four- and five-wide receiver sets that made the Packers so dangerous down the stretch worked to a disadvantage has Favre held on to the ball too long and allowed the Cowboys to bring an extra rusher, making him force some of his classic throws.  The Packers need their O-line to develop for this game.  Mike McCarthy does not want Rodgers on his back with Greg Ellis, DeMarcus Ware, and Zach Thomas on top of him for most of this one.  Veterans Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher will be counted on again to hold down the fort while the mess that is the interior line gets settled and hopefully gels for this game.  The Packers are also going to have to open up running lanes for Ryan Grant. Grant got in one good run last year against the Cowboys, but was stymied for the rest of the game.  They Packers got to get him going to take pressure off the passing game.

Cowboys secondary vs. Packers wide receivers and Aaron Rodgers: The Cowboys also revamped their secondary this offseason.  They locked up Terrence Newman and Ken Hamlin in the offseason, while Anthony Henry and Roy Williams (a glorified linebacker) return to the fold.  The additions are what makes this group key.  Mike Jenkins was a first-round draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft while Adam Jones (aka Pacman), if reinstated, gives the Cowboys a dangerous secondary for Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, and James Jones to contend with.  This game will turn very physical, so the Packers will definitely need big wide receivers Ruvell Martin and rookie Jordy Nelson to step up and become factors.  Rodgers will need these guys to get open in order to be successful.

The Verdict: There’s so many more keys to this game than the ones mentioned.  The Cowboys really look like they are gearing up for a Super Bowl run this year and they seem to have the mindset for it, so the Cowboys get the nod, 38-24.

The Packers are now 2-1 after Week 3.

Week 1
Monday, September 8, 2008
Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers
7 PM ET
ESPN

This game is what I would call “interesting.” Longtime Packers quarterback Brett Favre was supposed to get his number retired before the game, but whoopsie, someone unretired and is playing for the New York Jets. My biggest curiosity surrounding this game is whether or not ESPN is still going to relocate their entire studio from Bristol, CT to Green Bay. I say no because they will most likely be too busy fawning over Favre’s New York debut to realize that there is a Monday Night Football game on their network. But then again, they do have to be there to criticize every Aaron Rodgers misstep, Mike McCarthy bad call, every Ted Thompson nose pick, and every thing else they can find wrong that’s going on and continue criticizing the Packers after they win. Oops. Did I give it away?

I can see John Clayton or Merrill Hoge talking on NFL Live after the Packers have beaten the Vikings.

“The biggest problem with the Packers now is their lack of experience. They only have one start between their three quarterbacks. I mean that’s ridiculous.”

And remember, they’re going to say that after every Packers game this year. I can see it after Week 17:

“The biggest problem with the Packers is still their lack of experience. There are only 16 career starts between all three of their quarterbacks.”

And then once the Packers make the playoffs:

“The biggest problem with the Packers now is that none of the three quarterbacks on the roster have started a playoff game. How ridiculous is that?”

Hey, guys, you know there was this dude named something like Fav-ray or something and, like, he started for 16 years in Green Bay and, like, never missed a single game, in, like 253 career starts, 270-somethinf if you include playoffs, right?

“I have no recollection of the quarterback you are talking about.”

Anyway, I digress. Less about ESPN and more about the game.

This game signals the big-time debut of an NFC North quarterback rivalry that seems to be in place for years to come: Tarvaris Jackson vs. Rodgers. Both of these players are surrounded by talented casts of offensive weapons. The Vikings have Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor and future-free agent bust Bernard Berrian surrounding Jackson. The Packers have Ryan Grant, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, and James Jones around Rodgers. Both of these defenses are top-notch as well. The Vikings acquired sack machine Jared Allen from the Kansas City Chiefs in the offseason. The Packers have Aaron Kampman. Pretty even.

This game will come down to which quarterback makes the least amount of mistakes. Jackson has a full year of starting under his belt, while Rodgers has two preseason games. Both quarterbacks will be under the microscope for the whole season and will be scrutinized even more in front of a national audience. Rodgers will have a Lambeau Field boost, which should help ease the transition better than a hostile game in the Metrodome.

Matchups To Watch

Rodgers vs. the Vikings secondary: The Vikings secondary is full of ballhawks. Former Packer Darren Sharper mans the free safety spot and will be eying Rodgers the whole game, hoping to capitalize on a bad decision. And he will capitalize. The Vikings also brought in safety Madieu Williams in free agency from Cincinnati. Williams was probably one of the best players on Cincinnati’s defense. Which isn’t saying much. Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin will have all they can handle in Driver and Jennings.

Packers O-line vs. Vikings D-line: The O-line always used to be a strong point for the Packers. This preseason, not so much. Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton can handle or at least contain Allen and the Vikings defensive ends. The pressure falls on the interior lineman such as Scott Wells, Jason Spitz, Josh Sitton, and whoever else is in contention for a spot to contain Pat Williams and Kevin Williams. That will be a key to a Packers victory.

Vikings O-line vs. Packers D-line: The Vikings O-line is top notch. Bryant McKinnie and Steve Hutchinson make up a fantastic left side of the line. The Packers D-line lost Corey Williams to the Cleveland Browns and have had injury problems with Justin Harrell and Colin Cole at defensive tackle. There should be a sufficient pass rush on Jackson with Kampman and Cullen Jenkins. The trenches will most likely decide who wins this.

The Verdict: This is a tough decision. I’m going to take the Packers over the Vikings, 24-21. Yes, this is homerism shining through. But I do not see the Packers losing a Monday Night Football game at Lambeau to the hated Vikings. It’ll be close, but Rodgers will perform well enough to pull it out. Hell, maybe there will be a new “Monday Night Miracle.”

Packers record after Week 1: 1-0.

“We just stunk,” offensive tackle Mark Tauscher said. “You can’t color it and put it in any other light. We flat-out stunk, and from an offensive standpoint, there’s nothing you can say. We flat-out were no good.”

I think that summarizes the overall performance. Since this is not a regular season game, I’m not going to go through and give all the individual stats and such. I’ll just cover the topics that I said I was not concerned about above.

Porous Offensive Line Play
The offensive line has long been a strong point of Green Bay Packers football. It wasn’t last night. Granted, they were playing a talented 3-4 defense, but people, it’s the San Fran-freaking-cisco 49ers. That’s not supposed to happen, even in preseason. The offensive line gave up six sacks last night, four of which were on the first team offensive line. Rodgers’ play was shaky from there on out.  I think the poor quarterback play could be a direct correlation from the offensive line play, but still, it was bad.

Despicable Backup Quarterback Play
So everyone thinks Brian Brohm is the backup quarterback.  Hell, some people wanted the Packers to ditch Rodgers for Brohm.  He had the job locked up from the time he was drafted, right?  Not so fast, my friend.  Brohm has been struggling.  Last night he was 4-9 for 33 yards and a fumble.  Not good.  Matt Flynn has quietly worked his way up into contention and could possibly beat out Brohm.  I’m starting to wonder if Ted Thompson is starting to regret his decision not to bring in a veteran quarterback, but something tells me he isn’t.  If he is doubting himself, he’s screwed as most of the decent backups are off the market.  A trade could possibly be in the works.  Possibly.

Lack of a Rushing Attack
Kregg Lumpkin rushed for 51 yards on 10 carries.  That boy is supposed to be cut by now.  Noah Herron rushed for 35 yards on six carries.  I didn’t think he’d be able to stay on the team either.  His main competition for the number three running back, Vernand Morency, rushed for a single yard on his single carry.  He was the leading receiver for the team, however, with one reception for 20 yards.  Brandon Jackson had 10 yards rushing.  The rushing attack is not looking good.  Ryan Grant needs to get healthy and get his ass back out on the field.  It’s great and all that he came to the voluntary workouts while holding out, but come on man, I’d rather have you skip the voluntary workouts and come into training camp on time.  Grant has set himself, Rodgers, the offensive line, and the offense back by not coming into camp on time.  I am absolutely furious right now about this.  Of course, as I said about the despicable backup quarterback play, the running game’s lackluster performance (except for Lumpkin) can be based off of the offensive line’s horrible play.

Inability to Stop the 49ers Offense
The defense was disgusting this game.  It’s J.T. O’-freaking-Sullivan torching the Packers for 154 yards.  What the hell?  Bring this up to par.  Brandon Chillar may have moved ahead of Brady Poppinga in the race for the final linebacker spot.  Yeah.  I actually had already had this part written but it got deleted and I forget most of it.  The Packers D needs to shape up.  I know it’s only preseason, and preseason does not matter overall, but I am rather concerned.

We do have hope however.  I remember an epic year where the Minnesota Vikings went 4-0 in the preseason, only to sputter, and finish in last place.  So hope remains for the Packers.