Lombardi Ave » Ray Rivard

SideLion’s Snyder sits down with Lombardiave for Packers vs. Lions schedule preview

Raymond Rivard — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 21:12:55 +0000

Aaron Rodgers will be key in the Packers attack against the Lions once again this season. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

In going through the Detroit Lions‘ schedule this year, Sidelion’s Zac Snyder and I exchanged questions and answers about the Packers.

Our Q&A session was recently published on the Fansided.com’s Lions site and is offered up here for your review.

Don’t hesitate to slide on over to Snyder’s excellent site for a plethora of valuable information about the much-improved Lions – or you can take the shortcut and read the Q&A below and then go to Sidelion to see what’s new after you’re done reading.

Detroit Lions 2012 Schedule Preview: Green Bay Packers

Jul 18th, 2012 at 6:10 am by Zac Snyder

Our preview of the Detroit Lions’ 2012 schedule continues with the Green Bay Packers.

To catch up on all the lastest from Cheeseland, I was able to get together with Ray Rivard, editor at Lombardi Ave, and he was kind enough to answer my questions.

1. What is your initial reaction to the Packers’ 2012 draft?

Ray Rivard: I was somewhat astounded, but pleasantly surprised with the tactics employed by Packers’ GM Ted Thompson when he traded up to retool the defense. I was very happy that all but two of their picks were on the defensive side of the ball. Clearly, Thompson not only went with the best players available, but the best defensive players. Thompson would have been hung out to dry by the fan base had he not drafted for defense. Given that the Packers finished dead last in defense last year – that’s dead last in the entire league – obviously it was time to revamp what they had in house. So, to answer your question – I was very pleased with the Packers’ 2012 draft.

2. The NFC North looks to be strong this season, any worries that the Bears or Lions could knock off the Packers as division champs?

RR: I’m always concerned with divisional games. It doesn’t matter how up or down teams are during any given year, those games are always monumental battles. So, the bottom line is that I’m very concerned with the Bears or Lions knocking off the Packers this year. Not only that, but we all know the Vikings could be spoilers this season as they rebuild. But as for the Bears and Lions – both teams have improved themselves significantly in the draft and through free agency and will be vying for a division championship. It will come down to some epic games this year.

3. Where are the Packers most vulnerable and what will be their greatest strength this season?

RR: The Packers’ greatest vulnerability will probably be with the uncertainty of the defense. We all know what’s been done to put the pieces in place for improvements on that side of the ball. However, having the pieces is one thing – to be able to utilize those pieces and fit them into the scheme is another. One thing is for certain – the Packers’ defense can’t get any worse – they can only go up from where they were last year. That said, if we look to the offense, the running game is another vulnerability that will be interesting to watch. With Ryan Grant gone from the scene, the Packers will look toward two players coming off serious knee injuries to be their main men – James Starks and Alex Green. Second-year player Brandon Saine might surprise a lot of people, as well. He catches the ball out of the backfield very well and is big enough to run between the tackles. He will push for more playing time this season.

The team’s greatest strength is a no-brainer. When you’ve got Aaron Rodgers as your quarterback and a receiving corps that’s as deep as the well to hell, there’s no reason why this year’s edition shouldn’t play even better than last year. That’s a scary thought considering the numbers the 2011 edition of the Packers’ offense put up. With the hope that injuries don’t cause issues, this should be a fun team to watch.

4. Have the last two regular seasons changed the way Packers fans view the regular season?

RR: Not really. For the past two decades, which is the time many, many Packers fans have been alive, the expectations have always been for a winning season, if not a divisional championship. There are many fans who only remember Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers as the team’s quarterbacks. Yes, there are many of us who go back 40-50 years with the team, but most are accustomed to winning year in and year out.

5. What are your expectations for the Packers in 2012?

RR: Is the expectation that the Packers will win 15 games again this year? Yeah, that’s the expectation, but the reality is that the team will probably win 12. They will have to win that many for a division crown. If they get 13 or 14, that will be icing on the cake. I expect the team to be playoff-bound again this year, either as the division winner or a wild card. And anything short of a Super Bowl berth will be a huge disappointment. The talent is too deep and the organization too sound to stand for anything else. However, to get there is difficult, as we all know showed through last year with the loss to the Giants in the first round of the playoffs. Packers fans expect the Lombardi trophy to be coming home every year. Our expectations are the highest they’ve ever been, but we all know this is the National Football League where anything can and probably will happen.

Not to go too far out on a limb, I’m saying it will be the Packers vs. the Texans in the Super Bowl this year. Packers 27 Texans 23.

It should definitely be another fun run with the Packers.

Lombardiave Q&A with FantasyCPR – What’s ahead for the Packers

Raymond Rivard — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 20:57:43 +0000

Jordy Nelson is just one player who will be looking to take his game one step higher after his breakout season in 2011.

Zachary Thompson of FantasyCPR and I sat down for a Q&A this past week – talking about the Green Bay Packers and what things look like for the coming season.

Geared toward the fantasy fans out there, FantasyCPR has been talking with all 32 NFL Fansided.com blog editors about their teams to get a feel for the best players and how to rank teams and players for the coming season.

The goal of this website is to deliver consistent fantasy analysis to help fantasy players win.

If you have comments or suggestions about the site, contact Fantasy CPR at fantasyCPR@yahoo.com, and follow them on twitter @fantasyCPR.

So, take a trip over to the site for all your fantasy needs and while you’re at it, check out the Packers preview here or scroll down for the full Q&A.

Green Bay Packers – Fantasy Football Preview 2012

Jul 17th, 2012 at 12:00 pm by Zachary Thompson

Fantasy football leagues are activating across the country and draft dates are being set and obsessed over. Last season, one offense everybody loved owning and a defense they loved playing against was the Green Bay Packers. The Pack are looking to bring back the offense and overhaul the defense. Ray Rivard of Lombardi Ave. was willing to join us and help us get some insider information on the cheeseheads’ outlook for this season.

Zach Thompson, FantasyCPR: The Packers offense was awesome last year. Aaron Rogers emerged as one of the top QB’s in the league to be sure. Is there any reason to think he won’t reduplicate that statistical performance this year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t match or exceed hisperformance of 2011, it will be a huge disappointment. Rodgers has the same weapons coming back with him in 2012 and there isn’t any reason why this team can’t continue to produce huge numbers on the ﬁeld. In fact, without injuries, you can be sure to see Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson continue to put up 1,000 yard-plus seasons. When those two players have backups like James Jones and Donald Driver behind them – players who could be starters on most other teams - this is one high-powered offense. And it’s all led by Rodgers. His skill and uncanny ability to avoid pressure has made Rodgers a step above the best QBs in the league. I can only see him improve in 2012.

Z: Last year, virtually any Green Bay WR was worth owning just because he was on the same ﬁeld with Aaron Rodgers? Jordy Nelson made the leap to a top 20 WR. Do you see Randall Cobb or any other receiver emerging this year as a every-week go-to guy?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Many, including myself, see this as a breakout year for Randall Cobb. I believe the league has only seen a scratching of the surface with this receiver. His work on special teams is known, but he will bring much more to the ﬁeld this year. You will see him on the ﬁeld more often this season and his touches rise signiﬁcantly. If the Packers can’t get the ball into his hands at least 5-10 time per game, it will be disappointing. And depending on how much Donald Driver contributes, you might see either Diondre Borel or Tori Gurley make the 53-man roster and make contributions. They are young guys with huge upsides. I would also like to say that tight end Jermichael Finley will work to improve his play this year and will continue to stretch the ﬁeld for a
Packers offense that will be difficult to stop.

Z: While we’re on receivers, was Jordy Nelson’s breakout a ﬂuke or do you think he’ll match or exceed those numbers this year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Jordy Nelson is no ﬂuke. His teammates like to joke that he’s the white guy on the team who actually has speed and jumping ability. Nelson gets open and his ability to accelerate past defensive backs is fast becoming his biggest strength. Simply put – he’s a stud who can beat anyone matched up against him.

Couple that with the fact that he can catch the ball over the middle when needed and you’ve got the complete package. His only knock is that he drops too many passes. However, his success overshadows that. If you have a chance to take Jordy Nelson in your fantasy draft, don’t pass him up. He will score lots of points for you.

Z: What about the running game? Do you see one back emerging as a feature-back or will it continue to be a time-share? If you think it’sa time-share, what Packer running back would you draft to be on your fantasy team?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: The Packers running game is the wild card for any fantasy team. The Packers are a pass-ﬁrst team, that’s not a secret. However, the Packers have not been totally incompetent on the ground either. Ryan Grant is gone, and the Packers will have two backs, James Starks and Alex Green, coming back from signiﬁcant knee injuries. That is a concern. However, Starks is being looked to as the featured back heading into his third year. Green had a huge upside before his injury, so how he comes back is a huge question mark. He could be one of those players who comes out of nowhere to make a big mark, but I wouldn’t count on it.

Z: Is there a player on the Packers offense you think will have a breakout year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Randall Cobb, hands down. I feel the Packers will call his number more this year and give him the opportunity to show his skills. He was limited last year on offense because of the team’s depth, but with an aging Donald Driver still on the team I see Cobb being more of a factor.

Z: Green Bay’s focus this offseason appears to have been on rebuilding and strengthening their defense, speciﬁcally pass defense. Do you think they did enough? And who do you think makes the biggest impact among the new additions?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Defense was the focus in both free agency and the draft – and rightly so. Ted Thompson did a great job in bringing in players who should contribute immediately – namely Nick Perry, Jerel Worthy, and Casey Hayward. I see all three of these players ﬁtting in immediately with the defense, but I see Worthy as the player who will bring the most to the team in the early going. The Packers’ biggest hole last season was their defensive front. They couldn’t stop teams because they couldn’t pressure the QB.

The loss of Cullen Jenkins was bigger than most thought. With the addition of Worthy, the Packers will add to a line that already includes BJ Raji and Ryan Pickett. Though suspended for eight games, Anthony Hargrove will also help the team the second half of the season – if he makes the roster.

Z: Last one, give me your realistic expectation for the Packers this season, and then your perfect scenario. What is the one key for them taking home the Lombardi Trophy again this year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Realistically the team wins at least 12 games -they will need that many wins to take the division. Ideally, they win 14 or 15 again this year and destroy the competition in the Playoffs
en route to another Super Bowl championship.

However, to do that, the team has got to make large improvements on the defensive side of the football. I think management has put the pieces in place for that to happen. Now it’s up to the coaching staff to put these players in the right schemes to make it happen. It’s funny talking about defense being the difference for a team like the
Packers. While the offense will continue to do what it does best, it will be the defense that will be the difference in the ﬁght for a championship. If the defense doesn’t come through, the team will be left watching like they did last year.

Lombardiave editor on The American Investigator

Raymond Rivard — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:44:05 +0000

Richard Moore, the investigative reporter for The Lakeland Times in Minocqua, Wisconsin, has interests that run the gamut of human entertainment.

One of those, like all red-blooded American boys, extends to the game of football.

Today, Moore spent a few minutes talking football, specifically Packers football, with me. We talk about the Packers draft, the defense, the offense, bountygate and an assortment of other topics on The American Investigator, Moore’s podcast that generally focuses on the world of politics.

Check it out and check out all the other podcasts on Moore’s the American Investigator. His insights into the world of politics will certainly raise an eyebrow or two.