And waiting.

And waiting some more, the 2010 regular season schedule is finally out. At long last, we know the dates and times for the Green Bay Packers’ games this upcoming season.

(Quick aside: Sorry we didn’t get this up earlier Tuesday. To celebrate OBOD’s own Adam Somers’ birthday, a large group of us went to [...]]]> After waiting.

And waiting.

And waiting some more, the 2010 regular season schedule is finally out. At long last, we know the dates and times for the Green Bay Packers’ games this upcoming season.

(Quick aside: Sorry we didn’t get this up earlier Tuesday. To celebrate OBOD’s own Adam Somers’ birthday, a large group of us went to the Minnesota Twins/Cleveland Indians game at newly opened Target Field. Man, that is one beautiful stadium right there. The Twinkies really did a nice job with it. And, yes, as a Detroit Tigers fan, it kills me to say that. But it’s true.)

If you haven’t seen the schedule by now – and I’m not sure how you couldn’t have – here it is (reaction to the schedule will follow and all times listed are Lambeau Time):

• Sunday, September 12: at Philadelphia Eagles, 3:15 p.m. (FOX)
• Sunday, September 19: vs. Buffalo Bills, Noon (CBS)
• Monday, September 27: at Chicago Bears, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
• Sunday, October 3: vs. Detroit Lions, Noon (FOX and it’s a gold package game)
• Sunday, October 10: at Washington Redskins, Noon (FOX)
• Sunday, October 17: vs. Miami Dolphins, Noon (CBS)
• Sunday, October 24: vs. Minnesota Vikings, 7:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Sunday, October 31: at New York Jets, Noon (FOX)
• Sunday, November 7: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 7:20 p.m. (NBC and it’s a gold package game)
• Sunday, November 14: BYE
• Sunday, November 21: at Minnesota Vikings, Noon (FOX) *
• Sunday, November 28: at Atlanta Falcons, Noon (FOX) *
• Sunday, December 5: vs. San Francisco 49ers, Noon (FOX) *
• Sunday, December 12: at Detroit Lions, Noon (FOX) *
• Sunday, December 19: at New England Patriots, 7:20 p.m. (NBC)*
• Sunday, December 26: vs. New York Giants, Noon (FOX)*
• Sunday, January 2: vs. Chicago Bears, Noon (FOX)*

(* indicates game time could be changed due to the NFL’s flex scheduling policy)

My thoughts on the schedule:

• If you had any doubts about the Packers being a “sexy” team, one the networks have to pay attention to, you can doubt no more. With four primetime games – and two more set for late afternoon starts – Green Bay is fully back on the national radar.  You could argue the Pack never really left, yes, but this time, they’re on the radar for reasons that have nothing to do with Brett Favre.
• I like the way the first five weeks break for the team. Going to Philly in week one will not be easy, but on the bright side, Kevin Kolb will still be learning the whole “replacing a franchise quarterback” routine and could struggle. Same goes for road games at Chicago (learning a new offense) and Washington (learning a new…well…everything). Better to draw those road games early. The home games against Buffalo (the return of Brohm?) and Detroit certainly feel like wins, at least as of now.
• Green Bay needs to perform well in those first five weeks because, for essentially the next two months, the Packers enter “Meat Grinder City.” Seriously, scroll back up and look again (I’ll wait). We’ll break those two months into two parts as, in many ways, that is where the story of the 2010 Green Bay Packers will be written.
• After the ‘Skins game – there’s a possible OBOD road trip being planned for that one, by the way – the Packers draw Miami (should be much better than last season), Minnesota (need I say more?), the Jets (possibly a 12-win team if Rex Ryan keeps all those personalities in line) and Dallas (should be very good once again). Granted, three of those games are at home, but still, those are four very tough opponents. Luckily, the bye week follows the Dallas game. I have a feeling Green Bay will need a week off after that stretch.
• Coming out of the bye, the Packers will play four of their next five games on the road. Minnesota (again, need I say more?), the Falcons (like Miami, they should bounce back this year) and New England (tough place to play and it’s still Brady and The Hoodie) will all pose big-time challenges for Green Bay. The lone home game in there, against San Fran, will not be an easy one, either, as the Niners should be an improved team this year. Luckily, the remaining road game in that stretch is at Detroit. Again, that feels like a win as of now.
• Love the way the last two weeks set up. I expect the Giants to be better this season, and by week 17, the Bears should have the new offense down pat (even if they don’t, it’s still the Bears and they always play the Packers tooth-and-nail). But those games are both at home. After the brutal five weeks that precede it, the Packers will enjoy the nice boost getting back to Lambeau provides. Hopefully, they’ll be gearing up for the playoffs, as well.
• Lastly, I don’t want any of you to think I’m down on this team all of a sudden. I could see how you might think that after reading my thoughts, but I’m not. I’m just simply pointing out the peaks and valleys of Green Bay’s schedule. In all reality, it’s probably silly to do such a thing in April, anyways. But, hey, what’s the point of having a blog if you can’t be silly every now and then, right?

-Chris Lempesis

(Plus, as you likely know, we LOVE doing mock drafts.)

Most of the “big fish” free agents have signed their respective deals and, as a result, some teams’ draft plans have changed. Our new mock has [...]]]> Now that we are roughly 12 days into free agency, it seemed like the perfect time to run an updated mock draft.

(Plus, as you likely know, we LOVE doing mock drafts.)

Most of the “big fish” free agents have signed their respective deals and, as a result, some teams’ draft plans have changed. Our new mock has certainly taken those moves into account as there are some major changes from our first mock.

What are those changes? Well, let’s find out, shall we?

1. St. Louis Rams -  Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma. The biggest jump in this current mock belongs to Bradford (whom I previously had going to Buffalo at No. 9). Why the sudden rise? Well, from everything I’ve read, it just sounds like the St. Louis brass rather likes Bradford. Plus, it’s a lot easier to sell the selection of a quarterback No. 1 overall than it is a defensive tackle. I have my doubts about Bradford, but from a business standpoint, I can see where St. Louis is coming from.

2. Detroit Lions – Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska. By signing Kyle Vanden Bosch and trading for Corey Williams, Detroit is definitely putting an emphasis on getting to the quarterback more. Those were both decent moves, but neither of those guys is a game-changer. Suh, on the other hand, surely could be. He’ll be NFL-ready from day one and could be head coach Jim Schwartz’s Haynesworth 2.0.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Eric Berry, S, Tennessee. While there is change with the top two picks, this song remains the same. In five years, Berry could very well end up the best defensive player to come out of this draft. Athletic, fast and rangy, he’s the type of do-it-all player who could make an impact on Tampa Bay’s defense right away. His playmaking numbers dipped a bit last season (just two picks as opposed to 12 combined in the two years previous), but don’t let that fool you. This kid’s for real.

4. Washington Redskins – Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State. Many analysts seem to think the ‘Skins will jump at Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen if he’s here. I disagree. New head coach Mike Shanahan has already said he wants Jason Campbell back. He’ll use 2010 to evaluate Campbell and see if he is, in fact, the future at quarterback. He’ll also give Campbell some added protection. Enter Okung, the most complete – and best – lineman in the draft.

5. Kansas City Chiefs – Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma. My previous mock had the Chiefs going with Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain as Okung, McCoy and Suh were all already gone. This time around, McCoy is available and I can’t see how Kansas City passes on him. He’s not overly big (just 295 pounds), but has explosive pass rushing abilities. Sure, the Chiefs whiffed on Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson didn’t do much as a rookie, but if they just keep taking d-tackles, one of them will hit, right? Maybe?

6. Seattle Seahawks – Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa. A replacement must be found for 35-year old Walter Jones. Originally, I had Rutgers’ Anthony Davis as that guy. But Davis’ weight issues and shaky combine (his character has come into question) make Bulaga the pick now. Some questions exist as to how high Bulaga’s ceiling really is. But the 6-feet, 6-inch, 312 pound Bulaga was also voted Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year last season. A couple of recent winners of that award, Jake Long and Joe Thomas, have done pretty well in the pros and Bulaga should follow suit.

7. Cleveland Browns – Joe Haden, CB, Florida. Another pick that has not changed since our first mock. The Brownies still need secondary help in a major way as they finished 29th in passing yards allowed per game (a whopping 244.7). Haden is, hands down, the best corner in the draft. He’s physical, aggressive and extremely fast and the Browns will jump at him here. Mike Holmgren will find his future quarterback later in the draft.

8. Oakland Raiders – Jason Pierre-Paul, OLB, South Florida. Yet another pick that has not changed, although this one is for different reasons, the biggest being I just do not want to climb into Al Davis’ head and try to figure out what he’s going to do. I’m just not man enough for that mission. I know he loves measureables and Pierre-Paul has those in abundance (6-feet, 6-inches, 265 pounds and lightening fast). Pierre-Paul could team with Kameron Wimbley, recently acquired from Cleveland, at OLB for the Raiders.

9. Buffalo Bills – Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. As they can no longer get Bradford here, the Bills will jump at Clausen. Why? Brian Brohm, Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick, that’s why. That’s the quarterback group for the Bills as of now. None of those three bring any hope for the future, if you’re a Bills fan. And, as I said previously, that’s what Buffalo needs to give its fans here – some hope. Quite frankly, I have major doubts about Clausen as a pro, but I don’t doubt he’ll be the pick.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. Everyone had the Jags going defensive end here before they signed Aaron Kampman. I always thought they’d go with Bryant and, well, I still do. Simply put, Jacksonville hasn’t had a gamebreaking receiving threat since the days of Jimmy Smith. Well, those days are long gone. Bryant is an athletic, tough wideout with very good hands who could loosen the strain on Maurice Jones-Drew.

11. Denver Broncos – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama. Previously, I had Clausen going here. But, by acquiring Brady Quinn from Cleveland last weekend, Denver is no longer in the market for a quarterback (which is good because if things play out like I think, it couldn’t get one here anyways). The Jamal Williams signing beefs up the Broncos’ d-line, but they still have holes in the second level. McClain can remedy that as he is an absolute beast, particularly in stuffing the run.

12. Miami Dolphins – Brian Price, DT, UCLA. Nose tackle was a position of need for the Dolphins before 35-year old Jason Ferguson was suspended for the first eight games of the season (performance-enhancing drugs). Now, of course, it’s even more so, and I still think Price is the guy here. Price is similar in size – Ferguson’s 310 pounds and Price is 300 – and the Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year also has the explosion to get into the backfield on passing downs. He’ll open things up for newly acquired ILB Karlos Dansby.

13. San Francisco 49ers – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers. Yes, the issues surrounding Davis aren’t necessarily good. But he’s also a 6-feet, 6-inch, 325 pound monster who is looked at by many as the best pass protecting lineman in the draft. In other words, his equally large upside will prevent him from falling as far as some analysts think. Plus, something tells me Mike Singletary can keep this guy in line. Just a hunch. 

14. Seattle Seahawks (from Broncos) – C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson. With the combine Spiller had, Pete Carroll and Co. will be doing backflips if he’s still available here. A dual threat back, Spiller could be Pete’s new Reggie Bush (hopefully, minus the whole Kardashian thing). By nabbing Bulaga and Spiller, the Seahawks will have cleared up two of their biggest issues (offensive line and a lack of gamebreakers).

15. New York Giants – Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee. After chatting with my good friend (and huge Giants fan) Matt Anderson, I’m convinced New York will attempt to move up if it feels it’s in danger of losing McClain. But, since I’m not going to predict any trades here, I’ll stick with Big Blue selecting Williams. New York’s d-line wasn’t as good as many (myself included) thought it would be before last season. At 325 pounds and strong as a bull, Williams could go a long way towards fixing that.

16. Tennessee Titans – Derrick Morgan, DE/OLB, Georgia Tech. Originally, I had the Titans addressing some of their needs along the o-line with Idaho’s Mike Iupati. But after losing Vanden Bosch, I now think Tennessee turns to the defensive front, where it struggled last season without Fat Albert. At 275 pounds, Morgan is right on the fence as far as where he can play in the pros (depending on whether or not he adds weight). With 12 sacks and two forced fumbles last season, Morgan could replace Vanden Bosch in a major way.

17. San Francisco 49ers (from Panthers) – Earl Thomas, S, Texas. Having already upgraded at o-line with Davis, the Niners now turn their focus to finding a big-time playmaking safety in the secondary. Thomas’ size (5-feet, 10-inches, just under 200 pounds) isn’t exactly what you’d like at that position. But his numbers (63 tackles, eight interceptions last season) and speed definitely are. By taking Davis and Thomas, the Niners would walk away with a very nice first round haul.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho. Previously, Maryland’s Bruce Campbell was the pick here. But there are some fairly significant question marks on Campbell – like, if he’s so good, why did he receive no votes for All ACC-First Team last season? - and I think he’ll drop a good deal as a result. Still, the Steelers need o-line help badly. The 6-feet, 5-inch, 330 pound Iupati has the strength to be able to play, and flourish, right away. He could end up being very. very good. A typical Steeler pick.

19. Atlanta Falcons – Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas. With Morgan – the player I previously had them taking – off the board, the Falcons will turn to Kindle. At 255 pounds, he’ll play outside linebacker in Atlanta’s 4-3 scheme and he should be very good at that spot. He’s got great athleticism, knows how to get to the quarterback and could be for the Falcons what Brian Orakpo was for the ‘Skins last season.

20. Houston Texans – Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State. I’m not sensing much change at this spot for Houston. As usual, the Texans are set, offensively. Again, as usual, their defense still needs more work if they are to finally get over the top and into the playoffs. Last year’s first rounder, linebacker Brian Cushing, was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, but the team still needs one or two more pieces. Odrick (306 pounds with seven sacks last year) could very well be the nose tackle to open things up for Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye.

21. Cincinnati Bengals – Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida. Believe it or not, I actually left the Bengals off my first mock draft. I’m not sure how that happened, but if you’re a Bengals fan reading this, I am very sorry. Anyways, Cincinnati has major needs on the offensive line, particularly at center and guard. Lucky for them, Pouncey can play either of those spots in the pros. He’s also intelligent and plays with a mean streak that the Bengals’ offense sorely lacks.

22. New England Patriots – Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan. The Pats did not, as some expected, end up with Julius Peppers. They also cut Adalius Thomas, making outside linebacker a huge priority. Truth be told, I think Kindle will be a better pro, but Graham is not a bad consolation prize at all. Over his last three seasons at Michigan, Graham averaged over nine sacks a season, with ever-improving tackle numbers. He’s got short arms, yes, but he’s also a hard-worker who comes at you on every play. The Hoodie will love this guy.

23. Green Bay Packers – Charles Brown, OT, USC. Since this is a Packers’ blog, I’ll go a little more in-depth here. The re-signings of Chad Clifton/Mark Tauscher, at first, had me thinking Ted Thompson might go in a different direction with this pick (i.e., defense). But when I thought about it more, I still think the team has to nab a left tackle of the future. Clifton could break down at any minute and, while we all love T.J. Lang, I’m beginning to think he’s strictly a right tackle. The Packers need someone who can step in if Clifton goes down (which you know he will, if only for a game or two at a time). At just 290 pounds, Brown must bulk up a bit before he’s game ready. But his athleticism and NFL-ready pass protection skills would cover him if forced to play right away. He’s got a ton of upside and could protect Aaron Rodgers’ blindside for the next decade. At some point, this move has to be made. Why not here?

24. Philadelphia Eagles – Everson Griffen, DE, USC. Having whiffed on Kampman and Julius Peppers, the Eagles look to the draft to find their pass rushing end of the future. Previously, I had them going to Graham, but since he’s no longer available, they’ll go with Griffen. Not always the most motivated player, Griffen is still blessed with great athleticism and pass rushing skills. If the Eagles can keep a fire under his butt, he should be a productive player.

25. Baltimore Ravens – Carlos Dunlap, DT, Florida. Baltimore’s trade for wide receiver Anquan Boldin took care of its need for a big-time playmaker not named Ray Rice. That being the case, the Ravens will focus on d-line with this pick. Kelly Gregg is still very good, but will turn 34 during the season and the team needs to find a player to team up with Haloti Ngata for the future. There are some questions surrounding Dunlap (lack of motivation and a DUI arrest in particular). But he’s also had nine sacks in each of the past two seasons.

26. Arizona Cardinals – Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU. Having lost Dansby, you could argue that the Cards should go inside linebacker here. But since there are no real ILBs worth taking at this spot, they’ll stick with Hughes (whom I had them taking in our original mock). Clark Haggans and Chike Okeafor are both aging and merely decent and, with 26 sacks over his final two years at TCU, Hughes has shown a knack for getting to the quarterback.

27. Dallas Cowboys – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. Again, I’m sticking with what worked the first time here. Flozell Adams, for all the hype and money, just isn’t very consistent in pass protection. Plus, he’s getting older, so the team needs to upgrade there for the future. Williams would have gone much higher if not for his subpar 2009 season, but he still has a lot of tools and could be a good pro, if he regains his 2008 form.

28. San Diego Chargers – Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama. In our first mock, I said this pick “could be surprising” considering the Bolts, at that point, still had Jamal Williams. Seeing as though Williams got cut (and signed with Denver), this pick is no longer a shock. In fact, it makes a lot of sense. San Diego needs its next Williams and “Mount Cody” could be just that, provided he stays motivated and keeps his weight down. Remember, Cody dominated for long stretches in the toughest conference in the country.

29. New York Jets – Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri. The names change (previously I had Clemson’s Ricky Sapp here), but the position remains the same. Like I said before, it’s time for New York to just suck it up and admit that Vernon Gholston is a bust and find someone else to go opposite Calvin Pace at OLB. Weatherspoon is not the biggest linebacker, at just 245 pounds, but like his good buddy Clay Matthews, he’s an intense, non-stop player who is good in mulitple facets. He was a leader for Mizzou’s defense and you can never have too many of those.

30. Minnesota Vikings – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State. With the Williams sisters still on trial (and possible facing four-game suspensions), Minnesota could very well look d-tackle here. But with all of the first-round tackles already gone, the Vikings turn their attention to cornerback. Good idea as Antoine Winfield is getting older and Cedric Griffin could miss the first six weeks due to his torn ACL. Wilson is a bit small at 5-feet, 9-inches, but is an aggressive, playmaking corner.

31. Indianapolis Colts – Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland. Charlie Johnson was serviceable at left tackle last season, but is far from the long-term solution there. As I previously mentioned, there are some big questions surrounding Campbell. But he is also a freak, physically (6-feet, 7-inches, 310 pounds, with a sub-4.8 40 time). In fact, some think he’s got the most upside of any lineman in the draft. After a year of learning, he could protect Peyton Manning’s blindside for the rest of Manning’s career.

32. New Orleans Saints – Taylor Mays, S, USC. Darren Sharper’s knee injury/contract demands place his future in New Orleans in doubt. The team needs someone who can play right away in the event Sharper walks and that player could be Mays. Before last season, it would have been unthinkable to have him this low. But a bad 2009 season (just one interception) and doubts about his ceiling land him here. Still, Mays brings great value at this spot.

-Chris Lempesis

With the NFL scouting combine in full swing and free agency set to begin Friday at 12:01 a.m. EST, we at OBOD figured it would be a good idea to pull together an early mock draft. Like we said in our first mock last year, this baby is likely to change a ton [...]]]> Well, it’s time.

With the NFL scouting combine in full swing and free agency set to begin Friday at 12:01 a.m. EST, we at OBOD figured it would be a good idea to pull together an early mock draft. Like we said in our first mock last year, this baby is likely to change a ton between now and the NFL Draft (April 22-24). I will be handling the duties for this first mock; Adam and Gene will be weighing in with their thoughts in the weeks ahead.

You might be asking: Why don’t you guys just wait a little bit longer to write one then?

Answer: These things are just too damn fun to do. We can’t wait any longer.

Besides, we’ll be rolling out a least a few more of these between now and draft day, again, because mock drafts are just the best. And if you’re wondering why we haven’t yet ripped into the NFL for having the draft Thursday-Saturday this year? Don’t worry – we’re going to – very soon.

With that brief introduction out of the way, let’s tee this thing up, shall we?

As always, enjoy.

1. St. Louis Rams -  Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska. The Rams have a defensive-minded head coach who loves to get pressure on the quarterback, particularly from the defensive linemen. It must have killed Steve Spagnuolo, then, to see his team finish with just 25 sacks, third worst in the league. Suh will be NFL-ready from day one and should instantly help remedy St. Louis’ blues (hey, did I just make a hockey reference by accident?).

2. Detroit Lions – Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma. Sort of a similar story here. Jim Schwartz is a defensive guy and likely hated the fact that Detroit went offense with both its first round picks last season. He wants – and needs – to find his Haynesworth 2.0 (i.e., a game-changing d-lineman). McCoy isn’t nearly as big as Fat Albert – just 295 pounds – but is a very good two-way lineman with explosive pass rushing ability.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Eric Berry, S, Tennessee. Everyone’s talking about Suh and McCoy right now. In five years, though, Berry could very well end up the best defensive player to come out of this draft. Athletic, fast and rangy, he’s the type of do-it-all player who could make an impact on Tampa Bay’s defense right away. His playmaking numbers dipped a bit last season (just two picks as opposed to 12 combined in the two years previous), but don’t let that fool you. This kid’s for real.

4. Washington Redskins – Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State. Originally, I had the ‘Skins going with Sam Bradford. Then I read that new head coach Mike Shanahan wants Jason Campbell back. Good decision as Campbell, for all the dogging he takes from ‘Skins fans and the media, could be a good quarterback if given some actual protection. Enter Okung, the most complete – and best – lineman in the draft.

5. Kansas City Chiefs – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama. Consider this curveball No. 1 of the mock as McClain is looked at by many as a mid-first rounder. The Chiefs would likely love to land one of the top two tackles or Okung. But with those three off the board, they turn their attention to finding an impact inside ‘backer, something they desperately need. McClain is an absolute beast, particularly in stuffing the run. And, really, is it a reach if you grab an impact player who fills a need?

6. Seattle Seahawks – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers. It’s been a great, potentially Hall of Fame-type run for Walter Jones. But he’s 35 now and breaking down, physically. A replacement must be found. Davis could be that guy, a 6-feet, 6-inch, 325 pound monster who is looked at by many as the best pass protecting lineman in the draft. Some wonder about his weight issues and love for the game, but his upside is too much for Pete Carroll and Co. to pass up here.

7. Cleveland Browns – Joe Haden, CB, Florida. The Brownies need secondary help in a major way as they finished 29th in passing yards allowed per game (a whopping 244.7). Eric Wright is and up-and-comer on one side, but Cleveland has nothing on the other. Haden is, hands down, the best corner in the draft. He’s physical, aggressive and extremely fast and the Browns will jump at him here.

8. Oakland Raiders – Jason Pierre-Paul, OLB, South Florida. JP-P only played one year at South Florida and didn’t really record major numbers (42 tackles, six sacks and one interception). But what JP-P lacks in numbers, he makes up for in measureables (6-feet, 6-inches, 265 pounds and lightening fast). Well, we all know Crazy Al loves measurables. I’d say more, but really, to do so would be to try and crawl inside Davis’ head. Yeah, no thanks.

9. Buffalo Bills – Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma. Brian Brohm, Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Yep – that’s the quarterback group for the Bills as of now. None of those three bring any hope for the future, if you’re a Bills fan. And, really, that’s what Buffalo needs to give its fans here – some hope. I have my doubts about Bradford (coming off a shoulder injury and played in a spread-style offense), but he will provide optimism.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. Jacksonville hasn’t had a gamebreaking receiving threat since the days of Jimmy Smith. Well, those days were a looooooong time ago. Bryant is an athletic, tough wideout with very good hands who could loosen the strain on Maurice Jones-Drew. He’s got some character concers, but Jack Del Rio doesn’t strike me as a coach who would be swayed by that stuff.

11. Denver Broncos (from Bears) - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. Curveball No. 2 right here. While it’s true that Kyle Orton did a very solid job in his time as starter last season, he’s likely never going to be the type of quarterback who can get on a long playoff run. Who was Clausen’s coach in college? Charlie Weis, who previously was in New England with who? That’s right – Josh McDaniels. Clausen would know this offense and could spend a year or two being groomed behind Orton.

12. Miami Dolphins – Brian Price, DT, UCLA. The Dolphins need some help at nose tackle, where Jason Ferguson is now 35 years old. Price is similar in size – Ferguson’s 310 pounds and Price is 300 – and the Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year also has the explosion to get into the backfield on passing downs. A meat-and-potatoes, Bill Parcells-type of pick right here.

13. San Francisco 49ers – Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa. The Niners are definitely a team on the up, but they could still use some help at o-line. Some questions exist as to how high Bulaga’s ceiling really is. But the 6-feet, 6-inch, 312 pound Bulaga was also voted Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year last season. A couple of recent winners of that award, Jake Long and Joe Thomas, have done pretty well in the pros and Bulaga should follow suit.

14. Seattle Seahawks (from Broncos) – C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson. Filling the offensive line void was key, but it didn’t help the fact that the Seahawks have a major lack of gamebreakers at the skill positions, offensively. Spiller, on the other hand, would help that very much. A dual threat back, Spiller could be Pete’s new Reggie Bush.

15. New York Giants – Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee. Heading into last season, the defensive line was looked at as perhaps the biggest strength for the Giants. Turns out it wasn’t. At 325 pounds and strong as a freakin’ bull, Williams is the type of player who can command double teams and open things up for players like Justin Tuck.

16. Tennessee Titans – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho. The Titans have some needs, defensively, but also have some holes along the offensive line. And since their best player is running back Chris Johnson, they need to ensure he has the best five guys in front of him in order to fully succeed. The 6-feet, 5-inch, 330 pound Iupati has the strength to be able to play, and flourish, right away. He could end up being very, very good.

17. San Francisco 49ers (from Panthers) – Earl Thomas, S, Texas. In addition to o-line, the Niners could use a big-time playmaking safety in the secondary. His size (5-feet, 10-inches, just under 200 pounds) isn’t exactly what you’d like at that position. But his numbers (63 tackles, eight interceptions last season) and speed definitely are. He’s also a very hard worker – something you know head coach Mike Singletary will love.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers – Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland. I’m still shocked the Steelers won the Super Bowl two seasons ago with that offensive line. Their current left tackle, Max Starks, is decent but not great. Campbell is a freak, physically (6-feet, 7-inches, 310 pounds, with a sub-4.8 40 time). In fact, some think he’s got the most upside of any lineman in the draft. He might not be NFL ready just yet, but he could sit behind Starks for a year if need be.

19. Atlanta Falcons – Derrick Morgan, DE/OLB, Georgia Tech. At 275 pounds, Morgan is right on the fence as far as where he can play in the pros (depending on whether or not he adds weight). Either way, Atlanta needs help at both these spots (particularly at defensive end, where Jamaal Anderson has been a major bust). With 12 sacks and two forced fumbles for a team that plays in Atlanta’s backyard, Morgan could help bolster the Falcons’ defense in a major way.

20. Houston Texans – Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State. As usual, the Texans are set, offensively. Again, as usual, their defense still needs more work if they are to finally get over the top and into the playoffs. Last year’s first rounder, linebacker Brian Cushing, was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, but the team still needs one or two more pieces. Odrick (306 pounds with seven sacks last year) could very well be the nose tackle to open things up for Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye.

22. New England Patriots – Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas. This pick changes if the Pats, as some expect, end up with Julius Peppers. If they don’t, though, Kindle could be the guy here. At 255 pounds, he’s an OLB in the pros. He’s got great athleticism, knows how to get to the quarterback and could be for the Pats what Brian Orakpo was for the ‘Skins last season.

23. Green Bay Packers – Charles Brown, OT, USC. Since this is a Packers’ blog, I’ll go a little more in-depth here. While the team could go in a few different directions (corner, outside linebacker and even safety) in this spot, finding a left tackle of the future is paramount of importance, even if Chad Clifton comes back for one more year. At just 290 pounds, Brown must bulk up a bit before he’s game ready. But his athleticism and NFL-ready pass protection skills would cover him if forced to play right away. He’s got a ton of upside and could protect Aaron Rodgers’ blindside for the next decade. It’s a smart, safe choice, one that would pay off both now and in the long term.

24. Philadelphia Eagles – Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan. The Eagles’ linebacking corps, as a whole, took a step back last season. Injuries played a part in that, of course, but still, Philly needs to reinforce the position. Over his last three seasons at Michigan, Graham averaged over nine sacks a season, with ever-improving tackle numbers. He’s got short arms, yes, but he’s also a hard-worker who comes at you on every play. Philly fans will love this guy.

25. Baltimore Ravens – Damian Williams, WR, USC. One thing struck me, more than anything, about the Ravens during last season’s Monday night game with the Pack: Their near total lack of playmakers on offense, outside of Ray Rice. That needs to change if they are ever going to make a serious run at a Super Bowl. Williams isn’t the biggest receiver at just 6-feet, 1-inch, but has very good speed and recorded over 1,000 yards receiving for the Trojans last year.

26. Arizona Cardinals – Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU. If Karlos Dansby is re-signed (and he should be), the Cards are fine at inside linebacker. They still need help on the outside, though, where Clark Haggans and Chike Okeafor are merely decent. Hughes played defensive end in college, but at 257 pounds, he’ll be moved to OLB in the pros. With 26 sacks over his final two years at TCU, he’s shown a knack for getting to the quarterback.

27. Dallas Cowboys – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. In their playoff loss to Minnesota, the Cowboys showed their weaknesses along the o-line. Flozell Adams, for all the hype and money, just isn’t very consistent in pass protection. Plus, he’s getting older, so the team needs to upgrade there, at least for the future. Williams would have gone much higher if not for his subpar 2009 season, but he still has a lot of tools and could be a good pro, if he regains his 2008 form.

28. San Diego Chargers – Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama. At first glance, this pick could be surprising. After all, the Chargers have Jamal Williams at nose tackle and he is one of the best in the league. However, Williams turns 33 in April and is coming off a torn triceps injury that caused him to miss most of last season. They need a future and “Mount Cody” could be just that, provided he stays motivated and keeps his weight down.

29. New York Jets – Ricky Sapp, DE/OLB, Clemson. It’s time for New York to just suck it up and admit that Vernon Gholston is a bust. That being the case, the J-E-T-S need someone to go opposite Calvin Pace at OLB. Sapp was never 100 percent, health-wise, last year, yet he still finished with five sacks. Once back at 100 percent, he could become the pass rushing threat New York’s defense needs to become great.

30. Minnesota Vikings – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State. Antoine Winfield is still very good, but also getting up there in age. Cedric Griffin is steadily improving, but could miss the first six weeks due to his torn ACL suffered in the NFC Championship Game. Wilson is a bit small at 5-feet, 9-inches, but is an aggressive, playmaking corner. He wouldn’t be forced to matchup against great players right away, allowing him to learn the game. In time, he could be very, very good.

31. Indianapolis Colts – Carlos Dunlap, DT, Florida. I said before last year’s draft and I’ll say it again now: Yes, the Colts have two great ends in Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. Between them? Not much. Indy needs to upgrade at tackle and it must do so this season to lessen the strain on the two outstanding ends. There are some questions surrounding Dunlap (lack of motivation and a DUI arrest in particular). But he’s also had nine sacks in each of the past two seasons and can play tackle or end (in the event Freeney or Mathis gets hurt)

32. New Orleans Saints – Taylor Mays, S, USC. Before last season, it would have been unthinkable to have Mays this low. But a bad 2009 season (just one interception) and doubts about his ceiling land him here. With Darren Sharper getting older, the Saints need future insurance and Mays brings great value at this spot.

-Chris Lempesis

Brohm was reportedly signed off Green Bay’s practice squad to a two-year deal with the Buffalo Bills late Wednesday night, according to the Green Bay Press Gazette (the GBPG got its info from a radio station in Appleton).

The move ends the up and (mostly) [...]]]> It looks like we won’t have Brian Brohm to kick around anymore.

Brohm was reportedly signed off Green Bay’s practice squad to a two-year deal with the Buffalo Bills late Wednesday night, according to the Green Bay Press Gazette (the GBPG got its info from a radio station in Appleton).

The move ends the up and (mostly) down saga of Brohm, a 2008 second-round pick out of Louisville. Brohm was handed the backup QB job before training camp in ‘08, only to quickly lose the job to Matt Flynn, a seventh-round pick in that same draft. He never got it back. Brohm was actually released at the end of camp this season, only to quickly re-sign with the practice squad.

Brohm never saw action in a regular season NFL contest as he struggled mightily in grasping the pro game. He was timid in the face of an NFL pass rush and didn’t have great mobility or great arm strength.

Buffalo’s quarterback situation is pretty weak (Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick have shared time at the position this season) so there’s always a chance Brohm could break through.

But, simply put, it was never going to happen for him in Green Bay. For all parties involved, it’s probably a huge relief that this is finally over.

-Chris Lempesis

But it’s not quite the group a lot of us thought it would be.

Saturday’s cutdown from 75 to 53 was certainly chock full of surprises, obviously the biggest being the release of quarterback Brian Brohm (I guess I was wrong when I said Friday [...]]]> The Packers have the group they want to go to war with.

But it’s not quite the group a lot of us thought it would be.

Saturday’s cutdown from 75 to 53 was certainly chock full of surprises, obviously the biggest being the release of quarterback Brian Brohm (I guess I was wrong when I said Friday that the idea of that happening was laughable, huh?)

But since Adam has already done a nice job covering that, I’ll break down the other major moves made instead.

We’ll have full analysis on the final roster later today, so this will just be focusing on the roster cuts/injured reserve moves.

Cuts

To me, the biggest head-scratcher comes in the release of safety Anthony Smith. Smith had a good camp and certainly seemed to be, if not outperforming, at least playing every bit as well as Atari Bigby. He had an intimate knowledge of the scheme from his time in Pittsburgh and would have provided solid depth. Mark Ted Thompson down as 0-for-2 on 2009 free agent signings now as both Smith and center-guard Duke Preston failed to make it to the opening day roster.

Perhaps the Packers feel they’ll be better served, depth-wise, with cornerback/safety Derrick Martin, acquired from Baltimore for tackle/guard/stiff Tony Moll.

Martin, a sixth-round pick in the 2006 draft out of Wyoming, played sparingly for most of his three seasons with the Ravens. His biggest year was 2007 when he recorded 40 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes defended in 16 games. He only played in four games last season, however, and was arrested in June 2008 for posession of marijuana at Hopkins Airport in Cleveland. So that’s nice. At least Green Bay got rid of Moll, a truly mediocre player who would not have done one bit of good for the team, either this season or beyond.

The Smith/Martin moves were certainly suprising, but really, most of the interesting moves occurred with the offense.

First, the running back situation was cleared up as the Packers released both Tyrell Sutton and Kregg Lumpkin. They, for now, seem content on going with three backs. The Sutton move was a big surprise as he had an outstanding preseason (191 yards rushing, fifth best in the NFL) and, in my mind, appeared to be a lock to make the roster. Guess I was wrong there, too, huh?

Lumpkin didn’t play quite as well as he did last preseason when he was arguably the biggest surprise of camp. Still, he was solid and I wouldn’t have been surprised to see him stick.

Green Bay instead decided to stick with all three fullbacks (John Kuhn, Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson). All three played well, yes, but I have to think some type of move is coming shortly. Do teams ever keep three fullbacks? I can’t think of a time when that’s happened.

For as much as Thompson values his draft picks and likes to give them time to grow, the release of rookie tackle Jamon Meredith in favor of guard-center Evan Dietrich-Smith was another sizeable surprise. Meredith certainly struggled, but he was thought by many to be a project before the draft so the Packers couldn’t have been that shocked. Dietrich-Smith had himself a decent camp and he does provide depth at multiple spots. Doesn’t Scott Wells already do that, though?

The receiver position was also shaken up a bit as Ruvell Martin, a solid No. 5 receiver/close friend of Aaron Rodgers’ for the past few seasons, was cut in favor of Brett Swain. Swain was on the practice squad last season, so the team clearly liked him. Swain is probably a little more athletic than Martin, so that will be nice to see. Categorize this one as a minor surprise.

The other 31 teams have until 11 a.m. today to place waiver claims on any of the players released by the Packers. If mutiple teams place claims on a player, it will take an hour to determine where that player ends up as the waiver priority list will then be set based on the records of the teams who put in claims. In other words, we’ll know the Packers’ practice squad by noon.

My guess is that Brohm and Sutton won’t make it through waivers and will end up somewhere else but that Meredith and Lumpkin will. For those two, that might be the best place for them at this point in their careers, anyways.

I.R. moves

The Packers placed four players on the I.R. list Saturday, ending their seasons.

The biggest of those, obviously, is defensive lineman Justin Harrell’s season ending as a result of his bad back.

It was a wild ride for Harrell this preseason.

First, he looked fairly impressive to start camp. Then his back flared up but we were told it was nothing serious. Then Harrell himself told reporters he might never play again. Then we were told it wasn’t career-threatening but rather a pain tolerance issue and that he could play once that level subsided.

Then it was all over.

And you know what? That’s it for me. I’m done with Justin Harrell. Even if his back clears up, this team should cut him as soon as the season ends and just move on. Enough.

(Might as well link to this one more time).

The other big I.R. move was the Packers ending cornerback Pat Lee’s season as a result of back/knee problems. Lee, like Harrell, had a nice start to camp before getting hurt. I’m already sensing a pattern with this guy and I don’t like it. I know Will Blackmon had a similarly rough start, injury-wise, to his career. But he at least got on the field at times through his first two seasons.

The Packers had three picks in round two of the 2008 draft – Brohm, Lee and Jordy Nelson.

Thank God at least one of those guys looks like a player.

-Chris Lempesis

Despite having his best showing of his short pro career on [...]]]> It might have not been the outcome many people wanted or expected, but  Brian Brohm’s time in Green Bay has expired, for now.  After being rumored last night and earlier today, the team made it official by cutting last year’s second round pick this afternoon.

Despite having his best showing of his short pro career on Thursday, the team did not feel he progressed enough to warrant a spot on the 53-man roster.  By all accounts, I would have to imagine Thompson will hope Brohm clears waivers and sign him to the practice squad.  However, that may be unlikely.  There have been no rumors yet if someone will put a claim in on Brohm, but it wouldn’t be surprising him took a flier on the quarterback who just two years ago was talked in the same breath as Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2008 draft.

Brohm’s struggles have been well-documented, including here.  Back in March I did not expect the team to cut Brohm loose this earlier in his career, especially after spending a second-round pick on him.  But as mini-camps and training camp progressed, it became a clear possibility.  This was a critical training camp and preseason for him and he just simply didn’t show enough progression.  At the time, a lot of people mentioned how Rodgers looked about as lost as Brohm after his first season, which was a very fair point.  The big difference is that Rodgers showed major improvement after his second preseason, including flashes of what might be.  Brohm simply did not, even after the team gave him every opportunity to do so.

Brohm’s value dipped so low that Thompson probably couldn’t even field a serious trade offer.  Like I mentioned months ago, Brohm’s trade value was just as important as his value as a backup quarterback.  You draft a quarterback in the second round with the envisions of him being a starter or trade bait.  Brohm proved to be neither.  It is not out of the norm to have only two quarterbacks on the active roster and if you take away Brohm’s second round tag, you have to ask the question: “Does he warrant a spot on the roster over another player who could contribute more on the field this season?” And the answer is obvious.

It appears for now that the team will go into the September 13 opener against Chicago with just Aaron Rodgers and Matt Flynn.  Luke McCown of Tampa Bay was rumored in a trade, but looks like that has fizzled.  However, don’t put it past Thompson to pull a trade at this juncture, similar to what he did with Ryan Grant a couple seasons ago.  I find it hard to believe that Thompson would put in a waiver-claim for a 3rd quarterback when he could have just kept Brohm.  Remember, if a team claims a player on waivers he has to be signed to the 53-man roster.

Look for Thompson to sign Brohm or another quarterback to the practice squad and elevate him to the active roster if there is an injury to Rodgers or Flynn.  One name to watch out for if Brohm is claimed is recently cut Vikings’ backup John David Booty.  With the acquisition of Judas, one of their quarterbacks became expendable and it looks like their will be no more Booty-time in Minnesota.  Booty will have to clear waivers and there is every indication that the Vikings would like to sign him to their practice squad.  However, with the Packers only carrying two quarterbacks compared to three for the Vikings, the situation here might be more appealing.  Again, all just speculation.

We will have more comments and reactions to the final 53-man roster, practice squad signings and any waiver claims or trades after the final cuts are made later today.

-Adam Somers

It’s awkward, you’re counting down the minutes until it’s over and when it’s done, you instantly forget it because it was so meaningless.

(And if it was really bad, you might have [...]]]> The fourth preseason game is a lot like the five-minute conversation you have to have with your irritating cousin at a wedding or family reunion.

It’s awkward, you’re counting down the minutes until it’s over and when it’s done, you instantly forget it because it was so meaningless.

(And if it was really bad, you might have to hit up the bartender for some shots – that is, if you’re irritating cousin is anything like mine.)

Thursday’s preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans wasn’t likely to send anyone running for the Patron bottle (especially not LenDale White, remember), but it wasn’t necessarily the best finish, either, as the Packers dropped a 27-13 decision at LP Field in Nashville.

Green Bay finishes the preseason with a 3-1 record. Quite frankly, I think that is a good thing because now we don’t have to hear any more stupid, “Well, Detroit went 4-0 last preseason” quips from Vikings and Bears fans. As for the Lions fans? If you’re out there, for God’s sake, let us know. No one’s heard from you in months and we’re worried sick.

We started our preseason game recaps with a nod to the great Clint Eastwood and, really, that seemed to be the best way to end them, as well. So here are the good, the bad and the ugly from Thursday’s contest:

The Good

• Brian Brohm. We’ve all been pretty harsh on Brohm throughout his first season and change in the NFL. Most of it was justified, of course, as Brohm has pretty much been a disaster. But his 20-of-28, 154-yard, no interception (no touchdowns) showing – coupled with his decent performance against Arizona last week – at least gives some hope that he might be salvageable yet. At the very least it guarantees he won’t be cut, an idea I always found to be laughable, anyways.
• Jordy Nelson. With three catches for 50 yards – on top of the game he had against the Cards – Nelson is starting to come on at the right time. Again, it didn’t sound like he had a bad camp – just an unspectacular one. But that’s changing a bit, which will just make the Pack that much more dangerous offensively.
• Jeremy Kapinos. Punting was a big problem for the Packers last season and, early on in camp, it didn’t look that much better. Somewhere in there, though, Kapinos started improving and he hasn’t stopped. After soundly beating Durant Brooks for the job, Kapinos closed out the preseason by averaging 52.2 yards on five kicks, placing two inside the 20-yard line.
• Nick Barnett and Clay Matthews. Both returning from injury for their first game action of the preseason, Barnett (knee) and Matthews (hamstring) looked solid. There was some rust there, as you’d expect, but both showed flashes of what they can contribute to the defense. With these two back in the fold, the Packers are looking scary-deep at linebacker.
• Penalties. The Packers only committed two of them in the game, a far cry from the nine they had in the preseason opener against Cleveland. See, you can be aggressive and smart at the same time.
• Offensive injuries. The first teamers only played one series, but still, having none of them get hurt means the entire offense will be ready to go in nine days.

The Bad

• B.J. Raji’s right ankle sprain. Injured on a fourth down-play with roughly eight minutes to go in the first half – why he was still in at that point, I have no earthly idea – Raji left the game and didn’t return. He walked off on his own, albeit with a limp, and returned to the sidelines for the second half in street clothes. Head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters he didn’t have any reason to believe it is a serious injury, but wouldn’t know more until today. The d-line rotation needs Raji in order to be truly successful, so hopefully it isn’t that bad and he’ll be ready to terrorize the Bears.
• The backup offensive linemen. Brohm was under quite a bit of pressure and the run game struggled with this group in there. Hopefully the starting five stay healthy because this group, which is pretty young outside of Scott Wells, clearly isn’t ready for primetime yet.
• Mason Crosby. No blaming the holder for your missed field goal this week, Mason, as Matt Flynn was back in there for you. Yes, 54-yard kicks are hard to hit. But when your “specialty” is the long ball, you’ve got to hit them.
• Pat Lee. After missing a ton of camp with a bad back, Lee again got hurt Thursday. This time it’s his knee. No word on the severity yet, but at some point, Lee’s got to stay healthy and get on the field. It’s always something with this guy.
• The first-team offense finally having to punt. Guess it was bound to happen sometime…

The Ugly

• The second-and third-string defense. After struggling against Buffalo before getting torched by Arizona’s Matt Leinart in the second half last week, those units allowed Vince Young and Patrick Ramsey to go a combined 12-of-20 for 167 yards, two touchdowns and no picks (Young also had five carries for 38 yards and a score) on Thursday. Yes, these guys are backups for a reason. I get that. But when you’re fighting for a chance to crack an NFL roster – fighting for your career, basically – and you put up three really poor showings in a row? That doesn’t say much about who you are as competitors. And spare me the speech that they’re giving it their all. At some point they have to get results, too.
• Aaron Rodgers’ mustache. Dude…no.

With the preseason officially over, we now wait for Saturday as that is the day the Packers have to trim their roster from 75 to 53. Should be an interesting couple of days, indeed.

-Chris Lempesis

He’s had one amazing season (2007’s 13-3 finish that had the Pack within an overtime of the Super Bowl), one disappointing season (2008’s 6-10 mark) and one season that is [...]]]> Over the course of his first three seasons as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, Mike McCarthy has covered the gamut in terms of success.

He’s had one amazing season (2007’s 13-3 finish that had the Pack within an overtime of the Super Bowl), one disappointing season (2008’s 6-10 mark) and one season that is the textbook definition of average (2006’s 8-8 record).

In other words, McCarthy has kind of done it all – for better or worse.

With year four of his regime just over the horizon, it seemed like a good time to take a look at just what kind of coach Mike Mac really is. We’ll be looking at the good and the bad here in order to get, hopefully, a full picture.

(Fair warning, kiddies, this is a long one – so strap in)

The Good

• He’s proven to be an outstanding developer of talent at the quarterback position

Almost all the quarterbacks McCarthy has worked with have flourished under his tutilage. Aaron Rodgers is, of course, the most obvious example of that. Considered talented but with some question marks (arm strength being the most obvious) coming out of college, McCarthy was able to groom Rodgers over the course of the three seasons Rodgers sat behind Judas. Rodgers is now a confident leader who knows the offense inside-and-out. The sky is the limit for him and you have to think McCarthy is a huge part of that. Also give McCarthy credit for molding the offense to Rodgers’ talents and not the other way around.

Judas is another big example. At the tail end of the Mike Sherman era, Judas was in full-on “I throw what I want to who I want when I want” mode. His stats reflected that as he led the NFL with 29 interceptions in 2005. McCarthy came in and got Judas to buy into a system of short-to-intermediate throws that could move the chains and set up the long ball for the appropriate time. That culminated in a brilliant first 11 games of the 2007 season. Judas struggled towards the end, as his arm likely wore down, and we all remember his last throw as a Packer. Still, his career in Green Bay would have ended much worse if McCarthy hadn’t been around.

Finally, take a look at the fairly quick progression of Matt Flynn. A seventh-rounder in 2008 who wasn’t even a lock to make the team last season, Flynn has turned into the unquestioned backup for the Packers. McCarthy has highlighted Flynn’s strenghts (mobility, ability to make plays when things break down) and downplayed his weaknesses (arm strength), turning him into a solid backup.

Sure, he hasn’t had much success with Brian Brohm, but if that’s the only miss, that’s not bad at all.

• He keeps the players playing and practicing hard, despite the particular situation

Two crucial points in McCarthy’s first season highlight this perfectly. After a heartbreaking loss to the St. Louis Rams at home (a game I was at, barf), the Packers stood at 1-4. Coming off a 4-12 season, with an inexperienced head coach, the team could have easily just said “this guy’s a bum” and quit. After a bye week, McCarthy got the team to bounce back and win three of the next four games.

Then, however, he was tested again as the Pack lost three in a row, culminating with an embarassing 38-10 home loss to the New York Jets. Having seen enough, McCarthy told his players that, starting the following day, they all better step it up or a lot of them wouldn’t be around for the next season. It was a watershed moment for him as the Packers closed out the season by winning their final four games, just narrowly missing the playoffs. The outstanding 2007 season then followed.

He was tested again last year. With injuries and close losses mounting, McCarthy was still able to get the team to show up and play hard every week. Numerous teams quit on their coach every season in the NFL and for McCarthy to have dodged three bullets, by my count, shows a lot about who he is.

• He understands when things aren’t working with coaches and doesn’t hesitate to make changes

Think about what happened with Vanilla Bob Sanders. Yes, his defense really struggled last season. Still, it would have been easy for McCarthy to chalk that up as a bad year – especially after 2007 – where injuries definitely played a factor.

But he didn’t. He realized the defense was in bad shape, with a coordinator who pretty much lacked any sense of creativity, and wasn’t likely to get much better even with a healthy unit. So he pulled the plug, brought in Dom Capers and decided to completely re-do things. The defense, and team, look to already be better for the decision. A lot of coaches just would not have done that.

The Bad

• As a playcaller, he’s sometimes either too stubborn, conservative or predictable

The NFC title game (we have to go there, sorry) is a prime example of this. McCarthy’s playcalling was a direct factor in the team losing the game. McCarthy far too often went away from the running game in favor of putting the ball in Judas’ hands (always a good call in big games). Yes, the running game was struggling, but in a cold weather environment, you have to stick with the run. The Giants weren’t running the ball all that well, either, but they stuck with it and put themselves in manageable third down situations. Meanwhile, when the Packers had third downs, they were always third and six, third and seven, etc. That was huge, in the end.

That’s just one example, but I could point to quite a few other games (at Buffalo in 2006, the Sunday night game against Chicago in 2007 and at Minnesota last season, to name a few) where McCarthy either wouldn’t open the playbook or stick with the running game. The result of those games? All losses.

• McCarthy has yet to turn the Packers into a hard-nosed bunch

When he was hired, we heard a lot about McCarthy being a tough, hard-nosed Pittsburgh guy and how he’d turn the Packers into just such a team.

Hasn’t happened yet.

He’s certainly had success at times, but the Packers have never been a tough team. In fact, I’d say they’ve been more towards the soft side. I know what you’re saying: “Well, how can they play and practice hard but not be a tough team?”

That’s easy. You can compete ’til the end and still be soft (look at those St. Louis Rams teams from the late 1990s and early 2000s, if you don’t believe me). And that’s what the Packers have essentially done.

It probably has something to do with the makeup of the particular players he’s had and the scheme’s he run (a West Coast offense and vanilla 4-3 defense don’t necessarily scream “we’re going to kick your ass”). But I think the head coach himself has a lot to do with it, as well. For whatever reason, he just hasn’t instilled that toughness.

• He’s stuck with the zone blocking scheme far too long

The moment Jeff Jagodzinski left for Boston College, after the 2006 season, he took any hope of the Packers being able to become a zone running team with him. Jagodzinski learned the scheme from the master, Alex Gibbs, when both were in Atlanta. But with only one year in Green Bay, he could not have possibly taught the coaches all the ins-and-outs of the scheme.

It would have been wise for McCarthy to keep the stuff he knew about the scheme and chuck the rest. But it seemed like he was intent – there’s that stubborn nature coming through again – and making all of it work, even though it couldn’t. As a result, the running game has struggled, outside of the second half of 2007.

I will credit him, though, because it seems like he’s finally coming around to more of a traditional, physical blocking scheme. As a result, the o-line has looked better during the preseason. But I’ll fully believe that when I see it in games that count.

Overall opinion

In the end, I do like McCarthy and I think he’ll be a very good head coach for quite some time. He’d never been a head coach in the pros before he took the job in Green Bay, so obviously there’d be a learning curve he’d have to experience. He’s gone through it and survived much better than most new coaches ever do.

He’s proven to be very good at some things and the areas in which he’s struggled can be easily fixed, for the most part. Don’t be so conservative on offense, get the guys to stop being so soft and ditch the zone blocking scheme. For a guy as smart as McCarthy, this shouldn’t be much of a problem.

If he can fully clean these things up, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to see him holding a Lombardi Trophy someday.

Or, at least, I hope.

-Chris Lempesis