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You are here: Home / Archives for Titletown 2008

The Packers, they are who we thought they were

November 25, 2008 By WRN Contributor

I watch last night's Packers debacle against the Saints and was immediately reminded of Dennis Green's line, we are who we thought they were.  I'm beginning to realized the Packers are who I thought they were.

I'm once again listening to Packers fans go off the deep end, calling for Bob Sanders job and praying for Brett Favre's return.  In fact, one fan told me they should have not allowed Sanders back on the plane and told to find his own way home.  Now that's good.

The Packers dropped 3 of the last 4.  Why, because the Vikings defense at home is better than the Packers offense in a dome.  The Titans are better than the Packers and the Saints are better than the Packers, especially in the Superdome.  Who have the Packers beaten this season?  The Colts at home?  Indy isn't as good as they used to be and Peyton Manning was still returning from his offseason knee surgery and wasn't anywhere close to 100%.

The Packers gave up 51 points to the Saints for two reasons.  Drew Brees is the best quarterback they've faced this season, and the only segment of the Packers defense that has played well at all this season has been their secondary.  For the first time in weeks, that unit had a bad game.  When the secondary went south, so did the rest of the defense.

You can complain about Aaron Rodgers, but his first two interceptions were the result of a receiver falling down and another receiver running a bad route.

Bob Sanders is the same Bob Sanders last week against Chicago as he was this week against the Saints.  The Packers haven't had a pass rush all season long.  Is that Bob Sanders fault?  No.  It's Ted Thompson's problem.  You can blame it on the coaching, but the personnel has been short in that area all season.  When the Packers blitz, they get beat.  Sanders can't call the play and execute it on the field.  The players have to do that.

This team just isn't that good.  But having said that, they may still be good enough to win the NFC North and make the playoffs.  The next five weeks will determine that.  But I don't think the Vikings and Bears are going to run away and hide.  This thing is still there for the taking, and as bad as Monday night was, the Packers are still right in the thick of the battle.  They're just not very good!

 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Titletown 2008

Driver's father improving

November 21, 2008 By WRN Contributor

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver was absent from practice for the second straight day while tending to a family situation in Houston.  His father, Marvin Driver Jr., remains hospitalized after alledgedly being beaten by two Houston police officers.  Marvin Driver's condition has been upgraded from critical to good.

It's not clear if Donald Driver will return to practice today, but he is expected to play in the teams Monday night game at New Orleans against the Saints.  Driver ranks second on the team in receptions with 45 and receiving yards with 572 yards.

Filed Under: Packers Tagged With: Titletown 2008

Former Packers star Jeter dies at 71

November 21, 2008 By WRN Contributor

Former Green Bay Packers defensiveback Bob Jeter died of a heart attack Thursday at his home in Chicago.  Jeter was 71.

Jeter played eight seasons in Green Bay (1963-70) and was a two-time Pro Bowl participant.  He played on the 1965 NFL Championship team and the first two Super Bowls. 

Jeter played wide receiver his first two seasons on the Packers' active roster before Lombardi switched him to cornerback in 1965.  Jeter was a starter for five seasons in Green Bay and made the Pro Bowl in 1967 and 1969.  He was traded to the Bears in 1971 and played three seasons in Chicago.

In 11 NFL seasons, Jeter had 26 interceptions and was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1985.

 

Filed Under: Packers Tagged With: Titletown 2008

Drivers' dad hospitalized after run-in with police

November 20, 2008 By WRN Contributor

Donald Driver Marvin Driver Jr. is in a Houston hospital with injuries his family said were inflicted by two Houston police officers.  Marvin Driver Jr. is the father of Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver (pictured).

Marvin Driver was arrested during a traffic stop because of outstanding traffic warrants on Monday and was set to be taken to jail.  That's where the stories of the Driver family and the police begin to differ. 

The family insists Marvin Driver never made it to jail and was found lying on the ground bloody and unconscious.  Driver is in the hospital and can't speak because of bleeding on the brain.  He is able to communicate through notes where he has described the beating he took at the hands of the Houston police officers.

Houston police say Marvin Driver made it to jail and was found unresponsive there.  He was then transported to the hospital.  Houston police say they will investigate the allegations.

Donald Driver was supposed to get Wednesday and Thursday off to recover from nagging injuries.  He'll now spend some time in Houston with his family and is expected to be back with the team in time for their Monday night game at New Orleans.

 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Titletown 2008

Are the Packers in the NFC North Drivers seat?

November 17, 2008 By WRN Contributor

The Green Bay Packers drew even with the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings atop the NFC North division with their convincing 37-3 thrashing of the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field on Sunday.  With six games left in the regular season, all three teams are tied with 5-5 records. 

Now, the million dollar question(s), is this the Packers team that we're going to see the rest of the way?  Can the defense continue to stop the run?  Will the offensive line continue to pave the way for Ryan Grant at running back and give Aaron Rodgers enough time to throw the ball?  And finally, will this team get their penalty problem under control?  Or, will this team turn out to be the same inconsistent team we've witnessed through the first 9 games?

The Packers schedule, when compared to those of the Vikings and Bears, falls right in the middle.  The Bears schedule looks fairly favorable, and the Vikings a bit more on the difficult side.  All three teams have 2 divisional games left.

For the Packers, it's really an execution thing.  It doesn't have much to do with the other teams.  They already split with the Vikings and I believe they're a better team then the Bears.  If the Packers execute like they did Sunday, they should be able to win the return trip to Soldier Field just before Christmas. 

I thought the Bears played like a team without a real solid plan or purpose on Sunday.  They were 1-game better than the Packers going in.  They've stopped the run but not the pass.  So facing the Packers and their solid wide receivers was a difficult prospect.  Unlike in the Tennessee game two weeks ago, the Bears didn't load the box to stop the run.  They played it in-between, realizing they needed to do something to slow the Packers passing game down.  The result was 200 yards rushing and 227 yards passing.  They'll need a better plan the next time the two teams meet in late December.

Offensively, Kyle Orton may be a much improved quarterback, but that doesn't always tell the whole story.  Orton has nobody to throw to.  His wideouts are lo-grade players in the NFL and had but 1-catch in the first three quarters of Sunday's game.  That's not going to get it done.  I believe the Packers and Bears is a great matchup for the Packers.  If Green Bay doesn't go into a big time funk, they should be able to pull out the division title.

But here's throwing caution to the wind.  When they played two teams with good running games and outstanding defenses, Tennessee and Minnesota, they struggled.  When they got a team that had neither, like Chicago, they won.  How many of those difficult teams that are left on the schedule may tell the real story in the final six games of the regular season.  I believe Carolina is the only one.  Jacksonville hasn't turned out to be anywhere near the team they should be, which gives the Packers a big break. 

Only time will tell, but while I really like the Packers chances down the stretch, they've been known to lay an egg before.  My hunch is they'll play well enough to win the NFC North and be the only team from the division playing in the post season.

 

Listen / Download – Mike McCarthy on being in a 3-way tie for the division lead. :16

Filed Under: Packers, Sports Tagged With: Lambeau Field, Titletown 2008

Rodgers has day to forget, Packers defense struggles against Vikings run game

November 10, 2008 By WRN Contributor

Nick Barnett For the 6th time in 9 games this season, the Green Bay Packers have allowed an opponent to rush for 175 yards or more.  The Minnesota Vikings pushed their total to 220 yards, 192 of those yards coming from 2nd year running back Adrian Peterson, including 29 yards on the game winning touchdown with just more than two minutes to play.

The Packers defense forced three pass interceptions from quarterback Gus Frerotte, but couldn't stop Peterson.  The Packers still got the ball back with a chance to win it, but Mason Crosby's 52 yard field goal attempt sailed wide right and Minnesota ended a 5-game losing skid against Mike McCarthy and the Packers.

Aaron Rodgers was under immense pressure the whole game from the Vikings' pass rush.  When he wasn't being sacked, he was being hurried or knocked down.  His passer rating of 72.9 is one of his worst this season and the Packers converted just 1 of 11 on third downs.  The Packers were also forced into a pair of safeties, although one of the two appeared to be a bad call by the referee. 

But the most concerning aspect of the game is the continued mistakes and penalties.  The Packers were penalized 10 times for 80 yards.

The Packers also suffered a big blow to a member of their defense.  Linebacker Nick Barnett (pictured) is out for the season with a torn knee ligament.  Surgery has not yet been scheduled, but Mike McCarthy confirmed the season ending injury at his Monday News Conference today.  Barnett will be missed.  Adrian Peterson tallied 125 of his 225 total yards from scrimmage on Sunday after Barnett left the game.

The Packers are 4-5 and will host the Chicago Bears this Sunday at Lambeau Field.

 

Listen / Download – Aaron Rodgers on disappointing day. :19

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Lambeau Field, Titletown 2008

It can end just like that!

November 4, 2008 By WRN Contributor

Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila Packer nation was still abuzz about Aaron Rodgers new contract when the Packers needed to make a roster move.  They needed to activate 2nd year defensive tackle Justin Harrell, and needed to remove someone from the roster to make room.  That someone turned out to be the teams all-time sack leader, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila.

Gbaja-Biamila was in his 9th season, struggling to return to health after offseason knee surgery.  It was just last year that Kabeer registered 9 1/2 sacks and passed the late Reggie White as the Packers all-time sack leader with 74 career sacks. 

Gbaja-Biamila's on field accomplishments are extensive.  In 2004, he became the first Packers player to post double-digit sacks in four consecutive seasons.  But for everything Kabeer did on the field, he had done something equally amazing off of it.  Gbaja-Biamila is a religious man, always thanking the "Good Lord" for everything that came to he and his family.  He was equally as giving in return.

When Kabeer was in high school, he was one of 40 student-owners of the nation's first student-run natural food company, 'Food from the 'Hood,' which provided South Central Los Angeles with high-quality organic produce.  He appeared on the cover of Newsweek magazine as a 17 year old in recognition of the group's efforts.

You always knew where Kabeer was coming from.  He was friendly and had time for everyone.  But just because his football playing days are over in Green Bay, doesn't mean the kindness will stop.  This is not an act.  Kabeer is the real deal.

When he was released by the Packers on Saturday, he and his wife Eileen composed some thoughts and put them on paper for one of the team's trainers to read to the players in the lockerroom.  Kabeer wasn't bitter, he was thankful and he let his former teammates know that.  He thanked them for being great teammates and wished them all good luck among other things.  Most would have found it nearly impossible to do such a thing, let alone find the right words. 

Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila is no longer an active playing member of the Green Bay Packers, but he'll be forever remembered for the great things he did both on and off the field. 

 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Titletown 2008

Rodgers signs long term deal with Packers

October 31, 2008 By WRN Contributor

Aaron Rodgers The Green Bay Packers have signed QB Aaron Rodgers to a long-term contract extension through the 2014 season.

Packers general manager Ted Thompson said, "As we talked about in the past, we try to be proactive in our discussions with our current players and we felt like this was an appropriate time to try to come to an agreement with Aaron."  "We feel like this is good for the organization and the players, and we will continue this approach as we move forward."

Rodgers was the Packers' first-round draft pick in 2005.  He has started all seven games for the Packers this season and has thrown for 1,668 yards and 12 touchdowns with a 98.8 passer rating.

Details of the new contract were not released.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Titletown 2008

Jennings looking towards free agency

October 31, 2008 By WRN Contributor

Greg Jennings Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings said he would prefer to wait until after the season to address his contract.  Jennings told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he didn't want to create a distraction for himself or the team.

Jennings and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have been targeted by the Packers for contract extensions.  In both cases, their contracts don't expire until after the 2009 season, but Monday is the deadline for NFL teams to apply any increase in a player's base salary to the 2008 salary cap, which allows them to use up any available cap space they have now. 

Jennings is 2nd in the NFL in receiving yards and is earning a base salary of $445,000 this year.  As a top young receiver in the league, Jennings could strike now and land a big contract.  But it doesn't appear he's going to go that route.  Jennings todl the Journal Sentinel that he would consider talking at the end of the season.

But according to a Wisconsin Radio Network (WRN) source, Jennings wants to become a free agent and test the waters.  Jennings would have no problem remaining a member of the Green Bay Packers, but he wants to see what he could get on the free agent market. 

Certainly such a move is risky.  Jennings still has a year and a half left on his contract.  He could get a new deal now and receive a huge signing bonus which would give him guaranteed money up front.  That would protect him against injury.  If Jennings passes on the opportunity to take the money now, he's risking making it through the next year and a half without a major injury. 

Jennings could change his mind before now and free agency, but right now it looks like he's more about the money than the team.  He's not the first and he won't be the last. 

But Packers fans, keep this in mind.  Jennings would have no problem coming back to Green Bay, but if he hits the open market, there's a good chance somebody will outbid the Packers and Jennings could be wearing a different uniform in the years to come.

 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Titletown 2008

Jolly in court on Tuesday

October 29, 2008 By WRN Contributor

Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Johnny Jolly made a brief appearance in a Texas court on Tuesday and had pre-trial motions in his drug possession case scheduled for a hearing on December 2.

Jolly will have to enter a plea at that point or have his case set for trial.  The 25 year old Jolly was indicted Oct. 1 on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance stemming from his arrest July 8th in Houston for alleged possession of codeine.

Filed Under: Packers Tagged With: Titletown 2008

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