February 9, 2012

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Holmgren sets the wheels in motion for Packers

January 25, 2012 By

The Green Bay Packers were an organization going nowhere for two-plus

Mike Holmgren

decades.  That’s when general manager Ron Wolf hired Mike Holmgren to coach the Packers.  It was that move that set the wheels in motion once again for the Green Bay Packers organization.

Holmgren led the Packers into the playoffs in six of his seven seasons, compiling an overall record of 75-37.  The Packers won the NFC Central three times and NFC Championship twice.  Under Holmgren, the Packers won the Super Bowl in the 1996 season.

Those accomplishments will land Holmgren into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in late July.  Ron Wolf will be Holmgren’s presenter during the July 21st ceremony. [Read more...]

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Raji voted to his 1st Pro Bowl!

December 27, 2011 By

B.J. Raji should have been voted to his first NFL Pro Bowl last season, but the Packers nose tackle missed out.  The former Boston

B.J. Raji

College product had a career best 66 tackles, 36 of them solo to go along with a career best 6 1/2 sacks to lead all NFL nose tackles.

Raji’s reward comes one year, even though his numbers are a fraction of what they were a year ago.  Raji told me earlier this afternoon that he received word that he was voted to the NFC Squad.  The NFC and AFC squads will officially be unveiled by the NFL Network tonight at 6pm.

Raji this season, through 15 games, has 21 tackles and 3 sacks.  He also has a rushing touchdown as well.  But those numbers aren’t close to a year ago.  But that’s the way things go in Pro Bowl voting.  First you have to do something to get noticed and then the rewards will come.

Raji, on top of his outstanding season a year ago, intercepted a pass for a touchdown in the NFC Championship game and followed it up with a first time celebration tabbed “The Raji”.  Soon after, they were writing songs about Raji.  The “Raji”, the songs, and a Super Bowl championship gave the young defensive star his first of what could be many Pro Bowl honors.

A colleague of mine, Justin Hull from AM1570 The Score in Appleton talked with Raji earlier this afternoon about the honor.

AUDIO: The Score’s Justin Hull with BJ Raji today 1:50

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Packers should extend streak of perfection

December 4, 2011 By

I expect the New York Giants to put up more of a fight than they did in last week’s 49-24 loss to New Orleans, but I don’t expect it to be enough to derail the Green Bay Packers perfect season when the two teams hook up in East Rutherford later today.

Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell challenged his troops this week, questioning their effort in that Monday night loss to the Saints.  But does that ever work?  Players will check their ego’s for a while, then as soon as they hit some difficulty, they slip back into that feel sorry for themselves mode.

Neither team is healthy, but the Giants are in far worse shape, missing several players either for the week or for the season.  The Packers will play without Josh Sitton, Chad Clifton, Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk, but they’re already proven they can get it done without all four.

Eli Manning (95.6 QB Rating) is having his best season as a pro, but Aaron Rodgers (127.7 QB Rating) is also having his best season and he just happens to be the best quarterback in football today.

The Giants may get a boost today with the return of Ahmad Bradshaw in the backfield.  He’s missed the last four games with a stress fracture to his foot.  In his absence, Brandon Jacobs has averaged just 48.5 yards per game and 3.2 yards per carry.

The Packers, with 17 straight wins overall and 11 to start this season, are rolling.  They can wrap up a playoff spot with a win today.  A win and a Detroit loss and the Packers wrap up the NFC North Division title.

The Giants have some dangerous receivers and Eli Manning won’t likely get shut down today.  But look for the Packers to do enough to win and extend their perfect season to 12-0, heading to the last quarter of the season.

My Prediction

Green Bay Packers 38, New York Giants 24

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Packers to go with backup linebackers

December 3, 2011 By

Starting inside linebackers Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk have both been ruled out for this Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.  The Green Bay Packers will go with rookie D.J. Smith  and Robert Francois in their place.  Smith will call the plays for the defense.

Smith practiced with the speaker inside his helmet all week and the coaches believe things went well enough to allow him to handle the communication from the defensive coaches. 

Teams can designate two players ever week to have speakers inside their helmets.  Safety Morgan Burnett will be the other defensive player this week to have the communication device.

Last week at Detroit, Bishop and Hawk had the speakers and both were lost during the game, forcing the Packers to get plays into their defensive via hand signals and as Mike McCarthy put it at his news conference last week, a lot of yelling.

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The “Freezer” scores TD for Packers (AUDIO)

November 21, 2011 By

B.J. Raji, playing off of William Perry’s “refrigerator” nickname in Chicago,

B.J. Raji

dubbed himself as the “freezer” when entering on offense during a divisional playoff game for the Green Bay Packers last season.  Raji only had the chance to block on that occasion.

Sunday, Raji entered on offense again, only this time, with the Packers facing 2nd and goal at the 1, Raji took the handoff from Aaron Rodgers and bulled forward into the endzone for a touchdown.  It’s the first touchdown that Raji has scored at any level on offense.

AUDIO: BJ Raji on his 1-yard TD run :11

It’s a play the Packers worked on since training camp and the stars aligned on Sunday for Raji to get his chance.

AUDIO: Mike McCarthy on giving the ball to Raji for a touchdown run :26

QB Aaron Rodgers said Raji didn’t report as an eligible receiver to the officials and the he thought the Packers may have gotten away with something.

AUDIO: Aaron Rodgers on Raji’s TD run :21

As it turned out, the reporting rule only applies to extra linemen when they are used at the line of scrimmage.

 

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