Enough about the pretty boys – let’s talk about the grunts, the hogs, the guys in the trenches. After all, they’re the real reason games are won and lost.

With that said, here’s part three of OBOD’s all-time 53-man roster: the offensive line.

(Note: I [...]]]> The first two parts of our series covered the “skill players” on offense.

Enough about the pretty boys – let’s talk about the grunts, the hogs, the guys in the trenches. After all, they’re the real reason games are won and lost.

With that said, here’s part three of OBOD’s all-time 53-man roster: the offensive line.

(Note: I did not worry so much about whether the player played on the right or left side. I strictly focused on finding the best players at each position.)

Offensive tackle

Starter: Forrest Gregg (1956, 1958-1970) – Gregg was the anchor of Green Bay’s legendary rushing attack, playing in 187 consecutive games. That stood as the franchise record until Brett Favre broke it in 2003.

But did Brett Favre earn “finest player I ever coached” status from Vince Lombardi? No, he did not – Gregg did.

With good reason. Thought to be undersized at 6-feet, 4-inches and 249 pounds, Gregg used his otherwordly athleticism to key the Packers to an average of 151 yards per game on the ground during Lombardi’s time as head coach.

That was enough to earn him nine trips to the Pro Bowl and a 1977 induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Starter: Robert “Cal” Hubbard (1929-1933, 1935) – A tackle in college at Centenary and Geneva, Hubbard moved to d-line while playing for the New York Giants. After being traded to Green Bay in 1929, Hubbard moved back to his natural position.

It was there that he shined. Hubbard helped turn the Packers’ running game into a force as they won world championships in each of his first three seasons.

He was an All-Pro every year from 1931-1933, a member of the NFL’s All-50 Year Team (1970) and a 1963 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Perhaps the coolest thing about Hubbard, though, is this: After his career was over, in 1958, Hubbard became the American League’s umpire-in-chief. His work in that role was so good that, in 1976, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. And, yes, he is the only person ever to be in both hallowed halls. 

Backup: Bob Skoronski (1956, 1959-1968) – Gregg was so good at right tackle, it’s often forgotten who manned the left side for the Lombardi Era Packers. That man was Skoronski.

While never a standout, per se, Skoronski was a tough, solid, durable tackle, playing in 146 games during his time in Green Bay. He played in both Super Bowl wins and five world championships (and earned one Pro Bowl spot). Clearly, Lombardi understood his value.

On an offense with so many stars, it was Skoronski who served as offensive captain from 1965-1968.

Backup: Chad Clifton (2000-Present) – Some will be surprised by this selection, no doubt. After all, we often look at the things Clifton struggles with (injuries, false starts, etc.)

That’s a major mistake, though.

While never dominant, Clifton has been a steady, solid presence at left tackle for over a decade. He played the key position on a line that was amongst the best in the league at both protecting the passer (think of how few times Favre was sacked in the 2000s) and running the ball (see: Ahman Green’s totals from 2001-2004). Obviously, Favre’s quick release and Green’s massive skill set had something to do with that, as well. But you can’t deny Clifton’s ability to excel.

And remember this: Clifton’s career should have been over after the devastating cheap shot he took from Warren Sapp back in 2002. Not only did that hit not end his career, it seemed to make Clifton a better player. To me, anyone who can bounce back from that has to be on this list.

Offensive Guard

Starters: Jerry Kramer (1958-1968) and Fred “Fuzzy” Thurston (1959-1967) – So far, I’ve been listing these players one-by-one. For this spot, I’m making an exception. Some things are just meant to be together.

Such is the case with Kramer and Thurston.

In short, they were the two crucial pieces in the famed “Packers sweep,” one of the most dominant offensive plays in the history of pro football. It’s true that Lombardi’s vision and dedication to running the play correctly were big reasons for its success. But those things would have meant nothing had he not been able to find two players with the total package, in terms of skills, to be able to execute it.

He found them in Kramer and Thurston. Both players complimented their solid size with outstanding athleticism and toughness. Both players earned two All-Pro spots apiece for their efforts and have retained their status as massive fan favorites 40-plus years after their respective retirements.

Neither is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But, really, you can’t always measure impact or importance by a bust in Canton.

Backup: Mike Michalske (1929-1935, 1937) – After playing fullback at Penn State, Michalske transitioned to guard upon entering the pro game (his first two years were spent with the New York Yankees football team. Yes, that was a football team, too, once upon a time.)

As it turned out, his fullback skills were perfect for his new position. Michalske used his quickness and athleticism to become, arguably, pro football’s first truly great guard (he was the first guard inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in 1964).

And talk about toughness. Michalske, nicknamed “Iron Mike”, played 60 minutes of almost every game he was in as a Packer, playing on the defensive side, as well. And how many games did he miss attempting such a brutal feat? Nine out of a possible 104. Wow.

Backup: Gale Gillingham (1966-1974, 1976) – Okay, before we go any further, let’s just get this out of the way: I did not select Gillingham because he and I share an alma matter (the University of Minnesota). That’s not how I roll…although, it is cool. We haven’t produced too many great pros at the U lately.

Gillingham was drafted to follow the legendary footsteps of Kramer and Thurston and he did just that.

Gillingham had it all: durability (played in every game in all but one season), versatility (played both left and right guard) and, of course, outstanding success (five-time Pro Bowler).

That’s why he’s on this team.

Center

Starter: Jim Ringo (1953-1963) – By now, we all know the infamous story of Ringo’s raise demands/near instant trade to the Philadelphia Eagles at the hands of Lombardi. Let’s not focus on that here, though.

Instead, let’s focus on who Ringo was, as a player, for the Packers.

Like Gregg, Ringo was considered undersized at 6-feet, 2-inches and 235 pounds. And, also like Gregg, Ringo used his supreme athleticism and technique to find success. Lombardi knew how to use those skills, too, as Ringo was a key figure in the famous “Packers sweep” until he was traded.

The league certainly took notice. Starting in 1957, Ringo was voted to seven straight Pro Bowls and, in 1981, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Backup: Frank Winters (1992-2002) – Ringo was an obvious selection. Finding his backup proved a bit more difficult as I had to choose between Winters and Larry McCarren. McCarren was “The Rock”, a tough-as-nails player who holds the franchise record for games played at the position.

But, I mean, come on – you didn’t really think we’d leave off our site’s namesake, did you?

And it’s not as though Winters couldn’t player, either. Far from it. A hard-working, hard-nosed player, Winters used his smarts and toughness to become an elite center for the great Packers teams of the mid-to-late 90s. He earned a Pro Bowl spot in 1996 and his fun-loving ways and sharp wit – he once joked that “pizza and beer” were the secrets to his longevity – earned him a spot in the hearts of Packers fans everywhere.

Frankly, I can’t think of a better way to close out the offensive portion of our roster.

That’s all for week one. Starting Monday, we’ll begin listing off the defensive players so make sure to head back here.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

-Chris Lempesis

We’re going a different way here at OBOD.

The Green Bay Packers have been around since 1919 – roughly 91 years – but that isn’t stopping us from selecting OBOD’s All-Time [...]]]> Organizations like to pick nice, even-numbered years to go with all-time teams. Teams will roll these lists out at such grandiose mile-markers as 50 and 75 years.

We’re going a different way here at OBOD.

The Green Bay Packers have been around since 1919 – roughly 91 years – but that isn’t stopping us from selecting OBOD’s All-Time 53-man roster for the Pack.

(See? I told you this series would be a doozy.)

A few notes before we begin:

• This is an idea I’ve had since during the season, but I didn’t begin the process of selecting the names until about six weeks ago. It took a little longer than I first expected.
• In terms of number of players at each position, I’ve tried to duplicate the average NFL roster. That means three quarterbacks, three running backs, etc. I definitely did not keep three fullbacks, for example.
• That, of course, meant there were some tough decisions that needed to be made (imagine having to do this in real life…it must be damn near impossible sometimes). You won’t like my groups for every position, I can guarantee, but just know that I put a lot of time into it and hopefully made the best choices I could. I’m always cool with differing opinions and, hopefully, we can avoid any controversy like we had with last summer’s “12 greatest players” series.
• This series will run over the course of the next two weeks. The offense will be on display this week and next week I’ll shift to the defense/special teams.

Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s tee this thing up, shall we?

Without further adieu, here is part one of our roster: The backfield.

Quarterbacks

Starter: Bart Starr (1956-1971) – If you want to talk “sexy” numbers, Starr isn’t necessarily your guy. In 16 seasons, he put up 24,718 yards passing, 152 touchdowns and 91 interceptions. Not overwhelming, by any stretch.

But if you want to talk efficiency – a huge stat for quarterbacks – Starr is definitely your guy. His 57.4 percent completion rate was, at the time of his retirement in 1971, the best the NFL had ever seen. For good measure, let’s throw in four Pro Bowls, the 1966 Most Valuable Player award and a 1977 induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The real reason Starr is the starter for my team, however, is this: his leadership. On a team full of colorful – and powerful – personalities, Starr was never once doubted as the leader. He was also the only guy unafraid of standing up to head coach Vince Lombardi (speaking of strong personalities) if he felt he was in the right.

That’s who I’d want running this show.

Backup: Brett Favre (1992-2007) – No synopsis or description here. And you all know why.

No. 3: Arnie Herber (1930-1940) – By today’s standards, Herber’s numbers just wouldn’t stand up. He never threw for more than 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns in a season.

Then you remember that he played in the 1930s and, well, Herber’s impact becomes a little clearer. Herber was indeed the first truly great QB the Packers had – despite his tiny hands that forced him to palm the ball when he threw it instead of using the laces - and, along with that guy named Hutson, formed the NFL’s first lethal quarterback-to-wideout connection. Herber-to-Hutson has a lovely ring to it, wouldn’t you say?

He led the league in passing three times and finished his time in Green Bay with 6,749 yards passing and 66 touchdowns (okay, he threw 90 interceptions, too, but come on – they were still figuring out that whole “forward pass” thing back then). Roughly 70 years after his time in Green Bay concluded, his touchdown pass total is still good enough for fifth on the team’s all-time list (although I have a feeling he’ll drop to sixth sometime this season).

The NFL certainly recognized his impact as Herber was a 1966 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Running backs

Starter: Ahman Green (2000-2006, 2009) – I can almost guarantee this is the first choice people will disagree with. But, before you go losing your cool, hear me out. First, it’s important to note that Green is the franchise’s all-time leading rusher (for this franchise, that’s really saying something) with 8,322 yards. He also hit paydirt 54 times and went to the Pro Bowl four times.

Secondly, Green was able to do his damage as, really, the second-option on the team (with Favre, of course, being top dog). For him to be able to do that, that just shows how special he really was. Plus, he wasn’t just a pure runner, either, as he was also an extremely dangerous receiver (2,726 yards).

Finally, remember the skill set Green had. He was lightening fast, for sure, but he possessed very good power, as well. It’s pretty rare to find a guy with both qualities. He had fumble issues, yes, but I’d still feel very comfortable with him being the main ballcarrier on my squad.

Backup: Paul Hornung (1957-1962, 1964-1966) – Players like Cleveland’s Josh Cribbs and Minnesota’s Percy Harvin are looked at as do-it-all players in today’s NFL. Those guys have nothing on Hornung (aka, “The Golden Boy”).

While he never ran for more than 681 yards in a season (1959), Hornung is my No. 2 running back because of his ridiculous versatility. In addition to running the ball, Hornung caught it (1,480 career receiving yards), threw it (383 passing yards and five touchdowns) and even kicked it (66 field goals, 190 PATs). His nose for the endzone (62 touchdowns) doesn’t hurt my case, either. Add it all up and you’ve got the franchise’s fourth all-time leading scorer.

He went to two Pro Bowls, won the 1961 Most Valuable Player award (weirdly, he didn’t get voted to the Pro Bowl that year) and is a 1986 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His fun-loving ways would keep the team loose, too. I feel good about this one.

No. 3: Tony Canadeo (1941-1944, 1946-1952) – Green and Hornung were obvious choices. Selecting my No. 3 was a tough call between Canadeo and Johnny “Blood” McNally. I wanted to pick McNally – for God’s sake, the man lept from a balcony to head coach Curly Lambeau’s window ledge to pick up an advance…and Lambeau was staying on the eighth floor! – but, in the end, I had to go with Canadeo (aka, “Grey Ghost of Gonzaga”).

After spending this first half of his career playing multiple roles (running, passing, defense, punting, returns), Canadeo became the top dog in the backfield upon his return to the game after serving in World War II (can you imagine ANY athletes doing that nowadays?).

Canadeo was a tough, hard-nosed runner, with his career year occurring in 1949 as he ran for 1,052 yards and four touchdowns. His 1,000 yard season was the first by a Packer (and only the third ever in the history of the league at that point). His 4,197 career rushing yards still rank him fourth on the team’s all-time list, he is one of only five players to have had his number retired by the team and he is a 1974 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Fullbacks

Starter: Jim Taylor (1958-1966) – Hornung was “The Golden Boy” for the Lombardi Era Packers, the smooth runner with the nifty footwork. There wasn’t much “Golden”, smooth or nifty about his backfield counterpart, Taylor.

Taylor was a devastating, punishing human being with, to quote an old NFL Films piece on him, “a singular approach to straightfoward mayhem.” He could run around you, yes – but he’d rather go right through you.

That stuff is all great, for sure, but we can’t forget his numbers. Taylor eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark every year from 1960-1964 (recording 66 touchdowns in that time). Those numbers were enough to get him voted to the Pro Bowl in each of those years, as well, and earn him the 1962 Most Valuable Player award.

His 8,207 career rushing yards had him first on the team’s all-time list for 43 years, until Green passed him just last season. And, oh yeah – he’s a 1976 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Backup: Clarke Hinkle (1932-1941) – Hinkle, like Hornung and Canadeo, was extremely versatile. Throughout his career, he played linebacker, kicker and punter in addition to being a brusing ballcarrier and decent receiver.

He racked up 3,860 rushing yards for his career, still good enough for sixth on the team’s all-time list. He also recorded 44 total touchdowns (35 rushing, nine receiving) and even led the league in scoring in 1938.

With Hinkle, though, two things really stand out. First, his mark on the organization was so great that, in 1997, the Packers re-named their practice field in his honor.

And then there’s this: Hinkle was only one of a handful of linebackers tough enough to actually tackle legendary Chicago Bears running back Bronko Nagurski with any regularity. The two had some famous battles in their day, but respect was always there, so much so that when Hinkle was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1964, guess who gave his induction speech?

That’s right – Bronko Nagurski. 

Anyone who can earn that type of respect has to be on this list.

That’s all for part one. Check back Wednesday for part two: wide receivers and tight ends.

-Chris Lempesis

“As far as the Packers, I would love for them to get a change of [...]]]> Last week, we received an e-mail from one of our readers, Tim Wellerritter. After saying some kind words about our site – thanks for that, Tim – he brought up the topic of Green Bay’s situation at running back. His thoughts:

“As far as the Packers, I would love for them to get a change of pace back.  I’m not sure how he would fit in, maybe replace Green, but it seems like years since the Packers have had a real burner back there to change things up.  I may be in the minority but I think the Packers taking a RB in the first round wouldn’t be the end of the world.  If Grant goes down, I’m not sure Jackson could handle the load.  I would hate to change his role from 3rd down back to full time back with Green behind him.  I wouldn’t even mind if the Packers signed Chester Taylor (I know he’s too expensive).”

Tim is not alone in wondering about the group there as the Packers’ running backs have been the focus of much scrutiny from fans and media members alike this offseason. Some don’t think Ryan Grant is a true No. 1 back. Some love Grant, but don’t much care for Brandon Jackson, at least in the sense that they doubt his abilities to be a No. 1 if Grant went down. Some are okay with both those guys, but have no interest in bringing Ahman Green back as they feel he’s too old (and too much of an injury concern) to be much of anything, especially if he was pressed into meaningful duty.

Me? I’m not really in any of these groups. I like the Packers’ situation at running back, but can understand why some might worry.

First, let’s talk about Grant. I don’t agree with those who say he’s not a No.1 runner. Okay, so maybe I did early in the 2009 season. I mean, I am the guy who pushed for the team to trade for St. Louis’ Steven Jackson at the deadline, after all. Somewhere shortly after that, though, I began to change my mind. As soon as this team brought Green back, Grant stepped his game up big-time. He ran with passion and toughness, seemingly getting a step faster along the way. The return of Mark Tauscher helped a lot, too. In the end, Grant finished as the league’s seventh-best rusher with 1,253 yards and 11 scores.

Some fans say that Grant will never be like Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson. To those fans, I’d simply say: Are you sure? Remember, Peterson finished ‘09 with just 130 more rushing yards on 32 more carries and each player averaged 4.4 yards a rush. Sure, Grant hit paydirt seven less times (18-11). You know what else Grant did? He lost five less fumbles (6-1). And he’s still just 27 years old, meaning he can be the guy for at least a few more seasons.

Ultimately, with any top back, you have to ask the question: Can his team win a Super Bowl with him as the main guy? I’m not sure how anyone could answer that with a “no” with regards to Grant.

Now, let’s move on to Jackson. I’m a bit ambivalent about Jackson, to be honest. On the one hand, I love him in the current role he plays. He’s a great blitz buster, a nifty screeen pass guy and can pick up good yards on the ground from time-to-time. As long as he stays in that role, he should continue to develop and provide solid value to the offense. In the event Grant got hurt and had to miss significant time, though, I’m not sure how Jackson would fare as a 20-25 carry-a-game guy. He doesn’t seem to have much in the way of explosion and isn’t very big or punishing. Teams have to respect Grant; they wouldn’t have to respect Jackson, meaning it could be harder for the passing game to do its thing. Still, Jackson is likely on this team for the foreseeable future and I’m fine with that.

Finally, let’s examine Green. I’m on record as saying I think he should come back and I’m sticking to that. He likely only has one year left in the tank, but for that one year you’ll be getting a tough, determined runner who can pick up short yards and hasn’t lost his fastball in the pass catching department. Basically, he does the same things as Jackson, only he also brings a veteran’s savvy to what is now the youngest team in the league. That means a lot. In the previously mentioned situation where Grant gets hurt, Green then becomes the No. 2 back. What would his job be in that situation? Pretty much just more of what he does now. I don’t think he’s that much of a liability in that scenario.

Still, if there’s one guy who isn’t back next year, it’s Green. Who would then replace him?

In his e-mail, Tim brought up two ideas: the high drafting of a back (perhaps one with some real speed) or pursuing a player like Minnesota’s Chester Taylor in free agency (which starts Friday, by the way).

In terms of drafting a back high, it seems unlikely – but with Ted Thompson, anything’s possible. You have to think all the backs, outside of Clemson’s C.J. Spiller, will be available at No. 23. Fresno State’s Ryan Matthews has had himself a very good combine and has the size (6-feet, 218 pounds) to be a player. Cal’s Jahvid Best is pure speed (ran a 4.35 40) and could bust games open but has an injury history already. Other players, like Georgia Tech’s Jonathan Dwyer, Ole Miss’ Dexter McCluster, Tennessee’s Montario Hardesty, Stanford’s Toby Gerhart and USC’s Joe McKnight (was he in New Kids on the Block?) could be there for the taking in rounds two and three.

With major needs at o-line and corner (and minor needs at d-line, safety and outside linebacker), though, I doubt Thompson takes any of those guys. He dropped his “best player available” approach last season and it worked. My guess is that he does so again this year. If he takes a back, it’s probably not unti the fourth round at least (maybe, say, Auburn’s Ben Tate, who ran a 4.45 40 at the combine despite weighing in at 220 pounds).

As for the free agent approach, again, it seems unlikely. Tim’s right to say that Taylor would be costly (likely in the $4 or $5 million a year range) and I also agree with him that Green Bay should at least attempt to get him if he hits free agency. He’s a better version of Jackson, at least at the moment, and snagging him from the Vikes would be a big blow to the team Green Bay’s chasing in the division. That said, I can’t see Minnesota letting him go, especially if it thinks the Packers would go hard after him.

Outside of Taylor, there isn’t much available as many of the top backs who would’ve been unrestricted are now restricted with 2010 being an uncapped year. Houston’s Chris Brown, Cincy’s Larry Johnson and Pittsburgh’s Willie Parker are the best of the bunch. If that’s all that’s there, I think I’d rather just bring Green back.

In the end, I doubt Thompson does much with this group. Drafting a player high means you can’t address an area of need. Spending any legitimate amount of money on a free agent back just doesn’t seem like his style, either. He’s going to go with what he has.

And again, while I can understand some concerns people might have, no one should be down on this group. Like I’ve said before, teams have won Super Bowls with less at the position.

-Chris Lempesis

It’s been a few days since we’ve posted anything. The reason is, well, there isn’t a whole lot going on with the Green Bay Packers at the moment, outside of Ahman Green saying he thinks he’ll be back (fine with me) and some talk that [...]]]> So, the last time we talked, we discussed Brett Favre (blech).

It’s been a few days since we’ve posted anything. The reason is, well, there isn’t a whole lot going on with the Green Bay Packers at the moment, outside of Ahman Green saying he thinks he’ll be back (fine with me) and some talk that Ryan Pickett will be franchised if a long-term agreement can’t be reached by the start of free agency. An agreement will be reached, though. Don’t worry – Pickett isn’t going anywhere.

And it’s not like we won’t have anything up soon, because we will in the next couple of days. We haven’t forgotten about you guys (though we HAVE gotten way into the Olympic hockey tournament. How ’bout the young Americans?).

As for our draft coverage, again, don’t worry because we’re going to be all over that. The reason we’ve waited is because we want to see how things shake out at the annual NFL scouting combine. That has a huge hand in how the draft will look. Well, the combine is this week, so bank on some draft-related posts very shortly (and, just maybe, an early mock draft if you all behave yourselves).

So, now that we’ve checked back in with you guys, we’re going to go outside the box here a little bit and turn the floor over to you. That’s right – YOU!

What do you want to see the Packers do in free agency and the draft? Who should they target? Who should they stay away from? Got any interesting or wild trade theories? Send them our way. We’ve given you our theories on some of these topics, but we don’t want this to be all about us. After all, you guys check us out on a regular basis and we really could never fully explain just how much we appreciate that.

Let us know what you think. You can either post your ideas as a comment or e-mail us at olbagofdonuts@gmail.com. You can go short with it (”trade Jarrett Bush for a pack of smokes”) or really lay it all out (like, well, I’ve been known to do). If we can get enough of them, we’ll compile them all into a post. Consider it our tribute to you.

So, Packers fans…the floor is yours…

-Chris Lempesis

I say that because, on the same day we kicked off our list of the top moments/games of the decade, Green Bay Press Gazette sports editor Mike Vandermause wrote a column in which he listed the top 10 Packers-related stories of the decade. Vandermause’s column also focused on off-the-field [...]]]> Funny how things work out sometimes, isn’t it?

I say that because, on the same day we kicked off our list of the top moments/games of the decade, Green Bay Press Gazette sports editor Mike Vandermause wrote a column in which he listed the top 10 Packers-related stories of the decade. Vandermause’s column also focused on off-the-field stuff, such as the respective retirements of Brett Favre and Ron Wolf, so the list’s aren’t really that similar.

Hopefully, though, the list we came up with at our little dog-and-pony show here will provide a nice compliment to Vandermause’s list in order to give people a more thorough view of the decade that was for the Green Bay Packers.

With that said, it’s time to unveil the final part of our list of the top 10 moments/games of the decade.

(Fair warning: The descriptions for these ones are a bit longer than in the first part, so strap in.)

Again, enjoy.

5. “Dan Marino – Step Aside” – at Minnesota, September 30, 2007. In week three of the ‘07 season, the Packers earned a heartstopping 31-24 win at Lambeau over the mighty San Diego Chargers. It was a huge win as it announced to the rest of the league that Green Bay was, in fact, for real. Lost in all that excitement – at least for a minute or two – was the fact that Favre’s fourth quarter touchdown pass to Greg Jennings was the 420th of his career, tying him with Dan Marino for the all-time mark. He would have a chance to break the record the next week on the road against the hated Vikings. And it didn’t take him long to do just that. With five minutes left in the first quarter, on a third-and-7 from Minnesota’s 16-yard line, Favre made a last-second adjustment before hitting Jennings on a slant route (fitting that it would come on a slant, no?). Jennings did the rest, sprinting into the endzone and allowing Favre to surpass Marino once and for all. The crowd, comprised of at least 50 percent Packers’ fans (I know this because Adam and I were at the game), erupted before Marino himself paid tribute to Favre via a taped announcement on the Jumbotron at the Metrodome. The Packers went on to win, 23-16, improving to 4-0 on the season. Watch it here.

4. “He Did What?!?!” – vs. Minnesota, November 6, 2000. The Packers looked to be in trouble heading into this “Monday Night Football” affair. The game was at Lambeau, yes, but the Pack - under first-year head coach Mike Sherman - stood at just 3-5 while the Vikings came in a pistol-hot 7-1. Green Bay, surprisingly, held its own in the first half, trailing just 13-10 at the break. Trailing 20-13 in the third, the Packers evened the score on a two-yard touchdown run from Ahman Green. It appeared to be all-for-not when Gary Anderson headed out for a 32-yard field goal with just seven seconds left in the fourth. Remember, though, it was raining pretty hard in Titletown that night. That rain caused Minnesota holder Mitch Berger to lose control of the snap and attempt a crazy heave of desperation. Tyrone Williams picked him off and we were headed to overtime. The Pack won the toss and slowly made their way into Minnesota territory. On a third-and-4 from the Vikings’ 43, Favre looked to his right and threw one up for Antonio Freeman. Enter Lambeau magic. At first, Minnesota cornerback Cris Dishman appeared to pick Favre off. But he couldn’t get a grip on it and the ball darted towards the turf, where Freeman was already on his stomach. The ball bounced off Freeman’s shoulder, arm and facemask before finally resting in his right hand. Freeman, realizing the play was live, got up, made a move on a Vikings’ defender and sprinted into the endzone for the game-winning score as the Packers had earned a 26-20 victory. In the more than nine years since that night, I’ve seen the replay of that catch roughly eight million times – and I still have no idea how he caught it. I do know that I’m sure glad he did. Watch it here.

3. “Nate Poole Is Our Hero” – vs. Denver, December 28, 2003. The outlook was bleak for the playoff hopes of the 2003 Packers heading into the final week of the regular season. Here is a quick refresher of what needed to happen. Green Bay, sitting at 9-6, needed to beat Denver and:

A)  hope that a good Seattle team lost to a bad 49ers squad. Didn’t happen. Seattle won, 24-17.

B) hope that a good Dallas team would defeat a mediocre Saints bunch. Didn’t happen. Dallas lost, 13-7 (again, thanks for nothing, Dallas).

The failure of those two scenarios left the Packers with one, and only one, shot to get into the tournament: Beat Denver and hope that the Vikings – somehow, someway – would lose to the 3-12 Arizona Cardinals. Sure, Minnesota (also at 9-6) had sputtered after starting the season 6-0 – but, I mean, come on, the Cardinals? No way the Vikes lose that one. In a delicious bit of scheduling, the Vikings game (at Arizona) and the Packers game (at Lambeau) were both scheduled for late starts. The game itself at Lambeau on this day was not extremely memorable (outside of a 98-yard touchdown run by Green). With the Broncos’ playoff position already solidified, Denver rested most of its starters as the Packers rolled to a 31-3 win. In the desert, though, things were more than interesting. The Vikings, after falling behind 6-0, scored 17 unanswered points and held a commanding fourth quarter lead. It looked like Green Bay was about to walk away empty-handed, despite closing the season on a four-game win streak. Just then, though, Arizona scored. The two-point conversion failed, but the Cards were still within striking distance at 17-12. But there was just so little time left. The Cards would have to recover on onside kick, then go down and score, all in less than two minutes. Well, they got the onside kick and on a fourth-and-25 – fourth-and-25!! – at the Minnesota 27, Arizona quarterback Josh McCown lobbed a prayer into the endzone that was pulled down by Nate Poole with no time remaining. Poole didn’t get two feet in, but it was ruled a score because of the push-out rule (which no longer exists). Cards win 18-17. The news reached a frenzied Lambeau in about .5 seconds. Despite nearly impossible odds, the Packers had made the playoffs as the 2003 NFC North champs. And, if only for a day, Nate Poole was the hero of an entire fan base. Watch it here (and, just for fun, watch this too).

2. “We Want the Ball and We’re Gonna Score” – vs. Seattle, January 4, 2004. Sure, the events of week 17 of the 2003 season played to Green Bay’s benefit. But they simply got the Packers into the playoffs. If they were to advance, they would have to get past a more-than-formidable Seattle team that finished second in the NFC West with a 10-6 record. After 30 minutes of football at Lambeau, the Packers were looking good. Two Ryan Longwell field goals and a 23-yard touchdown pass from Favre to Bubba Franks (not sure if anyone else remembers that pass, but it was an absolute rocket, even by Favre standards) powered Green Bay to a 13-6 halftime advantage. If the Packers could just get one more score, they’d likely have the game in the bag. Then came the third quarter and a pair of one-yard touchdown runs from Seattle’s Shaun Alexander. Green Bay, on the other hand, was held scoreless. This massive sea change resulted in the Packers trailing 20-13 heading into the fourth. The sea shifted again, this time in Green Bay’s favor, in the fourth. Two one-yard touchdown runs from Green gave the Pack a 27-20 lead with just 2:44 to play. The defense just could not hold, though. Seattle ripped off a seven-play, 67-yard drive in less than two minutes, capped off by Alexander’s third one-yard touchdown run of the day. The Packers drained the final 51 ticks off the clock and we were headed to overtime. Seattle won the toss, prompting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to utter eight words that will never be forgotten by Packers fans (and, probably, Seahawks fans, too): “We want the ball and we’re gonna score.” Well, as Gene likes to say, somebody scored alright. On a third-and-11 at the Seattle 45, Green Bay went with an all-out blitz (dubbed the “Thriller blitz” by the defense). Hasselbeck went to his hot receiver, Alex Bannister, who was supposed to cut his route short. He didn’t. Al Harris jumped the route, picked the pass off and returned it 52 yards for the walk-off score. Lambeau erupted as the Packers had advanced with a 33-27 win. Watch it here.

1. “Snowglobe Game” – vs. Seattle, January 12, 2008. If someone had said, 4:59 into this game, that this would ultimately end up as the Packers’ No. 1 moment of the decade, you would have smacked them in the mouth. And, really, you would have had good reason to do so. After all, a pair of Ryan Grant fumbles on Green Bay’s first two drives of the game – which, by the way, happened to be a divisional playoff game AT LAMBEAU – led to two Seahawks’ touchdowns, giving the visitors a 14-0 lead. All the goodwill we’d built up, all the joy we’d experienced during the regular season seemed to be all for nothing. Adam was actually at this game and he said you could hear a pindrop after Hasselbeck hit Bobby Engram for Seattle’s second score of the day. But just then, something happened. The Packers got to driving and ended up scoring on a 15-yard pass from Favre to Jennings. The next Green Bay drive also ended in a score – this time it was Grant from one-yard out – and, all of a sudden, the game was tied. Had we really taken their best punch and remained in the game? As it turned out, we indeed had, as the next four – FOUR! – Packers’ drives all ended in touchdowns. Seattle mustered but two field goals in the midst of that onslaught. The final score? 42-20, Packers. But those aren’t the only reasons this earns the top spot. There was also Grant, bouncing back from his horrendous start to turn in a once-in-a-lifetime performance for a running back (an astounding 201 yards and three touchdowns on just 27 carries). There was the defense holding a good Seahawks’ offense to just 200 total yards. Finally, there was the environment in which the game took place. A wicked snow storm – even by Wisconsin standards – blasted the Fox Cities with inches upon inches of snow that day, turning Lambeau into a snowglobe of sorts as the game went on. People said they had to watch the scoreboard to see what was actually taking place. It was insane (photographic evidence soon to follow). And when you add this all up, could there really be a better moment of the past 10 years? Absolutely not. Watch it here.

That concludes our list. I hope you had as much fun reading it as I did writing it. What will the next 10 years bring us? Aaron Rodgers getting some face time with the Lombardi Trophy, perhaps? As always with sports, you never know. But you can always hope – and that’s the best part.

-Chris Lempesis

There’s a good chance that, in the next week or so, that’s going to change.

That’s because this week, as previously stated, I’m going to wrap up the decade that was for the Green Bay Packers. This is the first part of that, in which I will [...]]]> It’s been awhile since we at OBOD have written anything controversial.

There’s a good chance that, in the next week or so, that’s going to change.

That’s because this week, as previously stated, I’m going to wrap up the decade that was for the Green Bay Packers. This is the first part of that, in which I will select our All-Decade Team. Today, I’ll be naming the offense. Tomorrow it will be the defense and special teams. After that, I’m going to list off the top 10 greatest games/moments of the decade on Wednesday and Thursday.

I’m bound to leave off – or vote on – a player or moment that just baffles one of you, whatever it may be. In other words, somebody is bound to get pissed at me in the next four days for something.

I want you to know that I am fully aware of that and all I can say is that I hope you know I’ve put a lot of thought and research into this. As long as you know that, I’m okay with you disagreeing with me and, as always, I welcome any comments you might have.

Does that cover me on the disclaimer portion of things? Yeah, I think so.

With that out of the way, let’s tee this thing up, shall we? Here is the offensive unit for the All-Decade Team.

(Also, the stats listed for each player are strictly the stats they put up with Green Bay and the years begin with 2000. That player may have been with the team before that, but for this list, that’s where I began).

As always, enjoy.

Quarterback: (Blank). Quick musical history lesson: In 1977, the Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen” reached No. 2 on the charts in the UK. The Pistols were so hated - many considered the group a vulgar, disgusting disgrace – that many listings decided to leave the No. 2 spot blank that week. Yeah, you can probably see where I’m going with this one.

Running back: Ahman Green (2000-2006, Present). One of top running backs the franchise has ever had (he is the all-time leading rusher, after all), Green could kill you in so many different ways. He had great speed, an ability to punish defenders – especially at the second level, where he was just a monster – and was a truly great pass-catching back. His 2003 season, in which he ran for 1,883 yards, is still tied for the eight-best ever by a running back. He is one of only two backs in league history (Bo Jackson being the other) with two 90-plus yard touchdown runs. Oh yeah – he was also voted to four Pro Bowls. Decade stats: 103 games, 8,322 rushing yards (4.5 per), 54 rushing touchdowns, 34 fumbles, 350 receptions, 2,726 receiving yards (7.8 per), 14 receiving touchdowns

Fullback: William Henderson (2000-2006). Sturdy. Dependable. Solid. Those words describe Henderson perfectly. He never ran the ball much (only 123 carries in 12 years), so Henderson decided to make his mark with his great hands, deceptive athleticism (seriously, how many times did he catch a two-yard pass, hurdle a guy and turn it into seven yards?) and underrated blocking ability. Henderson became a fan favorite and lockeroom staple during his time as a Packer. In my mind, he’s up there with San Francisco’s Tom Rathman in terms of greatest West Coast offense fullbacks. Overlooked by fans and writers for years, Henderson finally got his due in 2004 as he was voted to his only Pro Bowl (he made it to the All-Pro team, as well). Decade stats: 109 games, 182 receptions, 1,374 yards (7.5 per), 10 touchdowns

Wide receiver: Donald Driver (2000-Present). Began the decade as a roster afterthought; finished as one of the top five receivers in team history. Driver compliments his speed and toughness with great hands and an almost uncanny ability to find open spaces against every type of defense imaginable. His emotional, rags-to-riches story – along with his now-legendary work ethic – has made him perhaps the team’s most beloved player. He has recorded at least 1,000 yards receiving in seven of eight seasons since becoming a starter in 2002 and, this past season, became the franchise’s all-time leading receiver. Three-time Pro Bowler. Decade stats: 145 games, 643 receptions, 9,019 yards (14.0 yards per), 48 touchdowns

Wide receiver: Greg Jennings (2006-Present). Jennings’ selection in the second round of the 2006 draft came as a surprise to some Packers fans. Jennings quickly proved he was worthy of such a high pick and has never looked back. Jennings’ outstanding speed and knack for making big plays more than counteracts his somewhat diminutive stature (5-feet, 11-inches and 195 pounds). Jennings is arguably one of the top five receivers in the game already and, at just 26 years old, he should only get better. His $27 million contract extension, signed last summer, will make him a Packer for at least the next three seasons. Decade stats: 58 games, 246 receptions, 3,957 yards (16.1 per), 28 touchdowns

Tight end: Bubba Franks (2000-2007). Franks’ selection might come as a surprise at first glance. After all, injuries and a decreased role in the offense upon the arrival of Mike McCarthy caused Franks’ career in Green Bay to come to a rather unceremonious end. But, for awhile there, Franks was a very solid tight end, recording at least 30 catches in each of his first five seasons as a Packer. He had at least seven touchdowns or more in three of those five seasons, as well. Those numbers were enough to earn Franks three trips to the Pro Bowl. Even as his numbers declined later on, Franks still provided value as a blocker. Decade stats: 114 games, 256 receptions, 2,300 yards (9.0 per), 32 touchdowns

Left tackle: Chad Clifton (2000-Present). Left guard: Mike Wahle (2000-2004). Center: Mike Flanagan (2000-2004). Right guard: Marco Rivera (2000-2004). Right tackle: Mark Tauscher (2000-Present). I’ve decided to write one capsule for all five of these guys. Why? Because, simply put, they formed one of the most badass offensive lines in team history. These five could do it all. They protected the quarterback as well as any line in the league, finishing in the top 10 in least sacks allowed every year from 2001-2004 (including two third place finishes and a tie with the Indianapolis Colts for first place in 2004 by allowing a paltry 14 sacks). Green certainly owes these guys quite a bit as he ran for at least 1,100 yards in every year from 2000-2004. The group was also criminally underrated. Of the five, only two were ever voted to the Pro Bowl as Rivera went three times and Flanagan once (Clifton eventually went but not until 2007). Even cooler was the fact that the group had some personality. Tauscher was the all-around good kid – the home-state boy. Flanagan was the wise-cracking center who never met a tape recorder he didn’t like. Rivera was the warrior who’d always be out there on Sundays, no matter how bad his knees were destroyed. Wahle had some seriously badass tattoos and once responded to the question, “Beer, Wine or Whiskey?” by saying simply, “All three.” Clifton was sturdy and somewhat reserved, but also the guy who gained a legion of fans for his ability to battle back from the serious injuries caused by a cheapshot hit from Warren Sapp (again, screw you, Warren). Together, they formed the engine that powered the Packers during some seriously great times. Decade stats: Clifton, 143 games, 138 starts. Wahle: 97 games, 83 starts. Flanagan: 98 games, 64 starts. Rivera: 80 games, 80 starts. Tauscher: 130 games, 128 starts.

And, really, I can’t think of a better way to end part one. Again, check back for part two tomorrow.

-Chris Lempesis

We aren’t really reporters here at OBOD, so consider the following an emptying of my mental notebook (like THAT’S not scary) from the last week or so.

Between writing [...]]]> Reporters write notebooks after games. Basically, it’s their way of touching on a few key topics they couldn’t get to in their game story and sidebar.

We aren’t really reporters here at OBOD, so consider the following an emptying of my mental notebook (like THAT’S not scary) from the last week or so.

• Schneider hired as Seahawks’ GM

Between writing our offseason to-do list and bashing Brett Favre, we completely forgot to write about the news that John Schneider, formerly Green Bay’s director of football operations, was hired as Seattle’s general manager last week.

While his was a name likely unfamiliar to many fans before the news of his new gig, Schneider was a key guy in the Packers’ front office in recent years. He kind of had a hand in everything – including scouting college and pro players and hashing out trades and, truth be told, I was actually surprised Green Bay held on to him this long. Schneider, along with college scouting director John Dorsey, were both very key in building this team. And I’m still shocked no one has made a run at Dorsey given the fact that the Packers have been built almost entirely through the draft.

Regardless, Schneider should do a nice job in rebuilding the Seahawks, provided Pete Carroll actually listens to him. I know this much: He will be a tough guy for the Packers to replace. Congratulations on the move up, John. 

• Is Peterson really the best running back Favre’s ever had?

Even before Favre signed with Minnesota, football analysts were saying, almost across the board, that Adrian Peterson would be the best running back he ever played with – by far.

Something about that never quite sat right with me. It just seemed like they were all forgetting about Ahman Green and how good he really was.

Then I went and looked at the numbers. Turns out, I was right to feel that way.

Some of Peterson’s numbers, through the first three seasons of his career: 4,484 yards rushing (4.9 per carry), 40 touchdowns, 829 yards receiving, one touchdown, 20 fumbles.

Compare that with Green’s numbers in the same categories for the three best seasons of his career (2001-2003): 4,510 yards rushing (4.8 per carry), 31 touchdowns, 1,354 yards receiving, nine receiving touchdowns, 16 fumbles.

Green had more yards rushing (and a lot more receiving yards and touchdowns) and fumbled the ball less (shocking since that seems to be all many of us remember about Green). Peterson had more rushing touchdowns and a slightly higher per-carry average, but that’s it. Peterson’s shown a big play ability, yes, as he holds the league record for most yards in a game. But Green’s 2003 season is still tied for the eight-best ever by a running back, so I’d at least call that a tie for Ahman.

Now, it should be noted that Green’s years came between the ages of 24-26. Peterson is just now 24 years old, so he could ultimately have better numbers than Green did for those same years. And honestly, I wouldn’t be shocked if Peterson did just that – he’s a tremendous talent.

But until he actually does it, I’m saying Green is the best back Favre ever played with – by a decent margin.

• Packers’ ticket prices increase for next season

For the first time in quite some time – three years, to be exact – ticket prices will increase for the Packers, as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last Friday.

The average increase, according to the story, is $9 per ticket, with the increases ranging from $8 to $11 per ticket. Packers’ President and CEO Mark Murphy is quoted as saying the increase was needed to keep the team competitive. The story suggests that the increases will bring in an extra $6.3 million to the franchise. That might not seem like much, on the surface, but to a team like the Packers, it’s a huge amount. That’s almost enough to pay the combined salaries of Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy, for example.

Even with the increases, Green Bay will still likely be below the league average in terms of average ticket price. The article says that, last season, only two teams had a cheaper average ticket price than the Packers ($64.48 per game).

At first glance, some fans might get upset by this, powered by the mindset that, once again, prices go up as the little guy continues to get squeezed out. That’s not really the case, though. Again, it still costs far less to get into a Packers’ game than it does many other NFL games. And if you think about the truly unique, once-in-a-lifetime-type experience that going to a game at Lambeau provides, is an extra $10 really a dealbreaker?

If you haven’t been to a game there yet, trust me on this: Cough up the extra dough. It’s more than worth it.

-Chris Lempesis

That’s right, fans - it’s time to start talking Green Bay Packers offseason plans. The 2009 season is over-and-done with and the 2010 offseason is rapidly approaching.

This looks to be one of the busiest offseasons in recent memory for the Pack. As of now, the team has a total of 17 players scheduled for free agency, [...]]]> It’s time.

That’s right, fans - it’s time to start talking Green Bay Packers offseason plans. The 2009 season is over-and-done with and the 2010 offseason is rapidly approaching.

This looks to be one of the busiest offseasons in recent memory for the Pack. As of now, the team has a total of 17 players scheduled for free agency, either restricted or unrestricted, and is roughly $10 million under the cap (if there even is a cap next year, which we’ll discuss further tomorrow). There are also a few players currently under contract who could be released due to a combination of high salary and underwhelming performance.

In other words, Ted Thompson will have his hands full – and then some. The moves Thompson makes - or doesn’t make - over the next four months will likely play a huge part in how this franchise fares, not only next season but in the foreseeable future.

Yeah, it’s that important.

Since it’s always good to give the veterans their due, we’ll be kicking off our offseason coverage with a look at Green Bay’s unrestricted free agents.

By my count, there are seven players scheduled for unrestricted free agency. The Packers can not tender these players. Their only options are to either hand over new deals, let them hit the open market or use the franchise tag, which can only be placed on one player.

I’ll give a brief history of each player (salary included, if possible), talk about the direction that player is heading in and give a final verdict as to whether or not that player should be re-signed. The players will be listed in order of overall league experience, most-to-least.

Also, this thing ended up being too long to run as one post, so I’ve broken it up into two parts. Part two will be up later today (I promise).

No more stalling. Let’s get this thing rolling.

As always, enjoy.

• Running back Ahman Green, 12 years – Green was brought in on a one-year contract in October (the terms were never announced, but I’m assuming it wasn’t much). His impact on the team was felt in numerous ways, all of which were positive. Perhaps most importantly, Green’s signing lit a fire under Ryan Grant. In terms of his actual play, Green provided solid value with limited touches. As the season wore on, Mike McCarthy made him the guy in third-and-short rushing situations and Green was pretty good in that role. His age (he turns 33 next month) is definitely a factor, but in short doses, Green runs very hard and still has enough left in the tank. He likely wouldn’t cost much and could be a good No. 3 back next season. Verdict: Re-sign Green to another one-year contract
• Left tackle Chad Clifton, 10 years – Clifton made $5.3 million (with an $8 million cap number) in the last year of his six-year, $32.35 million contract. Experienced a bounce back year of sorts after a subpar, injury-marred 2008 season. While he got back to his typical solid, yet unspectacular, ways, injuries were once again a factor as he missed three games. His age is also a big factor. He turns 34 in June and is a good candidate to break down sooner rather than later. The team needs to find its future at the position, either through free agency, the draft or by giving T.J. Lang a shot. Verdict: Shake hands, thank him for his service and send him on his way 
• Right tackle Mark Tauscher, 10 years – Like Green, Tauscher was brought in on a one-year deal in October (the terms were never announced on this one, either, though I’d again assume it wasn’t much money). The hope was that Tauscher could perhaps stabilize the offensive line. He did a whole lot more. It’s not hyperbole to say that once Tauscher got his legs underneath him, the entire offense – not just the line – took off. He was fantastic in all phases, showing no signs of age (he’ll turn 33 in June) or lingering effects of the major knee injury sufffered late in the ‘08 season. He’s a Wisconsin boy, through and through, and you have to think he’d love to come back – at a fairly cheap rate, no less. The Packers have nothing but question marks behind Tauscher at the position (maybe Lang, but he should be utilized on the left side) and you can’t really start 2010 with two new tackles. Verdict: Re-sign Tauscher to another one-year deal

Again, check back later today for part two.

-Chris Lempesis

You know what? I’m going to say that one again, this time with feeling:

THE GREEN BAY PACKERS ARE IN THE (EXPLETIVE DELETED) PLAYOFFS!

YES!!

Sunday’s 48-10 home demolition of the woeful Seattle Seahawks – what’s happened to THEM? – combined with a New York Giants loss puts the now 10-5 [...]]]> The Green Bay Packers are in the playoffs.

You know what? I’m going to say that one again, this time with feeling:

THE GREEN BAY PACKERS ARE IN THE (EXPLETIVE DELETED) PLAYOFFS!

YES!!

Sunday’s 48-10 home demolition of the woeful Seattle Seahawks – what’s happened to THEM? – combined with a New York Giants loss puts the now 10-5 Packers back in the posteason after a one year absence.

The game itself was a mini-vacation to bizzaro world – A.J. Hawk and Jarrett Bush had interceptions and Brandon Jackson and Ahman Green combined for four touchdowns, after all – so we won’t really be focusing on that.

Instead, let’s take a look ahead at the possible playoff opponents for the Packers. Things won’t fully shake out until late Sunday afternoon next week – the numerous scenarios are truly mind-boggling as Gene and I figured out on the phone Sunday night - but for now there are four possible opponents for Green Bay. And here they are, ranked by least-to-most fearful:

1. Arizona Cardinals, 10-5, winners of the NFC West – The Cardinals, who will play the Pack next week, present some difficult matchups, no question about it. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin form the best receiver tandem in the game, Kurt Warner can pick defenses apart with his quick release and the defense is much better than it gets credit for. Plus, this group knows how to win in January. It’s still weird to say that about the Cards, but it’s true. On the other hand, the Cards don’t present much of a threat in the ground game, offensively (27th in rushing) or defensively (19th in run defense). The Packers’ ever-improving run game could take advantage there, allowing Green Bay to eat time up and keep the offense off the field. When Arizona’s offense is on the field, Warner is pretty immobile and prone to turning the ball over at times. The Packers could be able to tee off on Warner, as he plays behind a somewhat shaky offensive line.
2. Dallas Cowboys, 10-5, second place in NFC East – The Cowboys clinched a spot with their win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday night. A win over Philadelphia next week will give Dallas the division. The Cowboys seem to have pulled themselves out of their usual December nosedive, Tony Romo is playing better ball as of late and the front seven can still wreak havoc for opposing offenses. Plus, as Gene likes to say, the mob refs will be in the house for the first playoff game at Jerry Jones’ new palace. Don’t discount the trouble that could cause. On the other hand, Green Bay already proved it could beat Dallas (a 17-7 win in early November saved the Pack’s season). Outside of Jason Whitten and Miles Austin, Dallas doesn’t have much in the way of gamebreaking talent on offense. Quick throws and timely running can stifle the Cowboys’ pass rush. Finally, with all the pressure that will surely be on Romo and head coach Wade Phillips, don’t you think a quick 10-0 or 14-3 deficit would cause Dallas to fall apart fast? I sure do.
3. Minnesota Vikings, 11-3, winners of the NFC North – Believe it or not, the Packers could be in for round three versus Judas in the first round of the playoffs. Just thinking about that almost makes my head explode. Can you imagine? Anyways, obviously we know about the troubles Minnesota presents. In two wins over Green Bay this year, the Vikings got stellar efforts from Judas, the receivers and the offensive line. The defense was pretty good, too, particularly in rushing Aaron Rodgers. On the other hand, this would not be the same Vikings team Green Bay saw earlier. Judas is doing his usual December flopping act (plus, there’s trouble in paradise between him and head coach Brad Childress). Adrian Peterson is still being shutdown far too often. Percy Harvin’s medical issues take away a key Judas target. Most importantly, the defense is not the same monster it was. The front four is tiring considerably as the season goes on and E.J. Henderson’s gruesome knee injury took away the leader of the defense. Most importantly, the Packers proved to themselves in the second half of the second game that they could indeed play with Minnesota. They didn’t know that before, in my mind. A third meeting would give them a chance to see that through.
4. Philadelphia Eagles, 11-4, first place in the NFC East – Without question, the worst possible matchup for the Packers in the first round. Donovan McNabb can still avoid pressure with the best of them and is usually great in January. The defense thrives on pressure and turnovers (much like Green Bay). What scares me the most, though, is the overall offensive speed Philly has. I’m not knocking Green Bay’s defense or anything, but let’s be honest: It’s not the fastest group you’ve ever seen. You saw Minnesota take advantage of that twice already this season. I mean, I see the name DeSean Jackson and I see six catches, 131 yards and two scores against the Packers’ defense. Jeremy Maclin is also a burner and Brent Celek has emerged as a top-five tight end this season. On the other hand, the Eagles haven’t really beaten anybody special as their four biggest wins have come over New York (twice), a Matt Ryan-less Atlanta and Denver. There might not be a playoff team in that bunch if Denver misses out. Philly is also not much of a threat to run the ball, healthy Brian Westbrook or not, and head coach Andy Reid can get tight in big games. A game with the Eagles would almost surely be a high-scoring affair, which could play into Green Bay’s hands because of its ability to run the ball.

Anyway you slice it, the Packers will be in for a fight. It’s the playoffs, after all.

But ever since the loss to Tampa Bay – seven weeks ago, essentially a lifetime in the NFL – the Packers have shown an ability to fight, an ability to battle back from adversity. They’re mentally prepared for what they will face.

So, in the end, maybe we shouldn’t worry so much about our young, sometimes bipolar, Packers. Maybe we shouldn’t worry at all.

Our squad is in the playoffs. The season is already a smashing success.

I know I’m smiling.

-Chris Lempesis