In other words, I’ll be keeping this one brief (don’t worry – we’ll have a whole lot more reaction to this one later today).

Here are some quick thoughts on the Green Bay Packers’ 28-24 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night [...]]]> As I sit down to write this, the clock has just struck 12:37 a.m.

In other words, I’ll be keeping this one brief (don’t worry – we’ll have a whole lot more reaction to this one later today).

Here are some quick thoughts on the Green Bay Packers’ 28-24 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night at Lambeau Field. In no particular order:

• Man, this one feels good, doesn’t it? Actually, “good” doesn’t describe it, does it? How bout REALLY REALLY (EXPLETIVE DELETED) GREAT?!?!
• Anyone wanna argue about who the best quarterback in the NFC North is now? Yeah – I didn’t think so.
• Aaron Rodgers was not perfect, by any stretch. His first interception was terribly thrown, followed by a terrible decision on his second. He missed badly on a whole bunch of throws, as well. But, throughout the night, he played with confidence and did more than enough good to guide this offense. And, perhaps most importanly, he looked like he was having fun, didn’t he? Facing Brett Favre didn’t feel so daunting to him this time, clearly.
• Game balls – the entire offensive and defensive lines. That one’s easy.
• Speaking of the o-line, I’ve been backing Chad Clifton for much of the season. Sure glad I did. One of the best five performances of his career.
• You saw it tonight: If James Jones can finally put it all together, he can be scary good.
• I never doubted Desmond Bishop for a second. Okay, perhaps that’s not true, but he’s doing what he said he’d do to me on Twitter this summer: Eat my words. And I’ve never been happier to do so.
• If Tramon Williams isn’t an elite cornerback already, he’s damn close. Sure, he had help over the top on Randy Moss a lot of the time, but do not discount the job he did.
• Welcome back, Mr. Matthews. We needed ya. Looks like it could be an easy handoff for 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Woody’ll just have to walk across the lockerroom.
• Welcome to the show, Andrew Quarless, C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn. Huge plays from all three of you guys tonight.
• See, Mike, if you stick with the run, good things CAN happen.
• Brandon Jackson really isn’t that bad. In fact, I think he’s pretty okay.
• Dom, you continue to do wonderful things with a battered group. My hat’s off to you, in every sense.
• I picked the Pack to win, 27-24. Not bad, if I do say so myself.
• At 4-3, the Packers look to be in the driver’s seat in this division. Funny how fast things change in a week.
• I haven’t really mentioned Favre, to this point. I’m going to pass on ripping him for being a washed up loser, both on and off the field.
• Oops, I guess I just did.
• By the way, Brent – you think we’re going to ever forgive you? Not. Bloody. Likely. Go home and stay there. Or, at the very least, don’t ever come back to Lambeau. You’re not welcome anymore.
• Oops, just did it again.
• Finally, to every single Vikings player, coach or fan: You can go ahead and blame anyone you want for this loss. Please, go ahead and blame the refs. Say we got lucky. After all, you’re all losers anyway, so doing such things fits right in with your mentality. But, remember the following two pearls of wisdom: Winners point thumbs when things go wrong – losers point fingers. And, as Bill Parcells liked to say, you are what your record says you are. You’re 2-4. You’re a crap team. See you in a month, losers.
• Fans, what did this one mean to you? Please share your comments below. Would LOVE to hear what you guys have to say about this.

-Chris Lempesis

And, as is the case most of the time with things like these, the news wasn’t particularly good.

Head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Monday that running back Ryan Grant (ankle) is out for Sunday’s home opener with [...]]]> Most of the major news surrounding the Green Bay Packers on the day after their season-opening win over Philadelphia involved injuries.

And, as is the case most of the time with things like these, the news wasn’t particularly good.

Head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Monday that running back Ryan Grant (ankle) is out for Sunday’s home opener with Buffalo. He gave no real specifics on the injury or when Grant would be able to return. He also would not say if surgery was a possibility.

It’s hard to guess how much time Grant will miss. If this injury is what I think it is, the dreaded high ankle sprain, he could be out quite awhile, maybe a month or longer. Grant’s game is based on speed and any loss of mobility – however slight – pretty much wrecks his chances to be effective. You also have to factor in Brandon Jackson’s solid showing against the Eagles and the team’s fairly soft early season slate. In other words, it’s set up well for Grant to fully heal himself and return for, say, the Miami game at home Oct. 17.

Again, though, I’m clearly not a doctor, so I could indeed be off on this. And Grant is known for his durability and will absolutely rehab his butt off in order to return sooner rather than later – particularly if Jackson keeps getting better.

It appears as though the team will stick with Jackson and John Kuhn – more on the reasons behind that in a bit- as the running backs, at least for the time being (practice squad member James Johnson is the team’s only other running back). Remember how I said towards the end of the preseason that I hated the idea of keeping two running backs? Remember how I said the team could be in trouble if either Grant or Jackson was hurt? A lot of people disagreed with me on that. I have to wonder how they feel now that Kuhn could be in line for significant playing time at the position.

The running game should be fine as, again, the schedule isn’t the toughest around for the next month. But if it struggles, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Harrell placed on injured reserve

And Justin Harrell’s time with the Packers is all but up.

Harrell was placed on injured reserve Monday after tearing his ACL in the first half of the game Sunday. To hear some of the coaches tell it, they’d very much like Harrell to return next season. In my mind, this seems fairly impossible.

The Packers were more patient than most regarding Harrell’s oft-troublesome back. That’s one thing. But to add a serious knee injury into the mix? How could the team justifiy bringing him back for year five? It just doesn’t seem feasible. That said, I’m not going to rip Harrell like you might think I’m going to. Honestly, how can you feel anything but bad for him?

Consider how much work he put in rehabbing from all the back troubles. His signing bonus was already cashed. He’d already earned a few years’ salary. He could have easily bagged it, deciding the whole venture was more trouble than it was worth. But he continued to work towards good health, despite all the setbacks which must have been serious blows to his psyche. Was he a bust? Clearly. But you have to applaud him for never giving in.

Harrell truly wanted to be a Packer. It just wasn’t in the cards.

How the d-line will look now

Harrell’s injury obviously opened a roster spot. The Packers have reportedly brought in Jarius Wynn to fill the void.

Similar to the running back situation, I felt the team should have kept another d-lineman. Ultimately, though, the Packers weren’t hurt by going with just six because, well, Wynn was still available. Still, the team is really thin at the position now because it sounds like Mike Neal (abdomen) isn’t as close to returning as we once thought and could very well miss Sunday’s game. 

If that’s the case, the depth on the line consists of Wynn and rookie C.J. Wilson. Yep – that’s it. You can be sure the team will dress all five this week if Neal’s out. Keep in mind, Harrell’s injury cut the depth so low – how low? – that Dom Capers told reporters Monday he was considering going with guard Josh Sitton if Philly ran any goalline formations late in the game. As much as part of me thinks that would have been interesting to see, more of me is absolutely horrified by that prospect.

No action for A.J.

If you were looking for A.J. Hawk on Sunday, you weren’t likely to find him.

That’s because Hawk, for the first time in his pro career, failed to play a single defensive snap in the game. The lack of depth on the d-line forced the defense to go to nickel and dime packages throughout. Hawk does not play in those packages, mainly because he can’t cover, but I digress.

Hawk hasn’t spoken to reporters since the game, so it’s hard to say how he’s feeling. He very well could be furious about it, but it’s hard to see why. He only plays in the base defense. If they didn’t play any base, he wouldn’t play. Simple right?

Besides, Green Bay figures to play more base against Buffalo on Sunday, so Hawk should see plenty of time. Maybe it’s time for him to start making the most of it.

A stat I failed to mention

Lastly, some readers pointed this out in our comments section on my game recap: The Packers committed hardly any penalties Sunday. In fact, they were flagged just twice for 15 yards.

I’m glad they made me aware of it. I mean, I knew they didn’t commit many fouls, but my jaw dropped when I went back and looked at the numbers. For this team to commit that few penalties is nothing short of mind-blowing. Let’s hope it continues, although I probably just jinxed it. Blame me.

-Chris Lempesis

That could be especially true in this one, as the Green Bay Packers take on the Indianapolis Colts and some cat named Peyton at Lambeau Field tonight [...]]]> Well, the third preseason game is here. And, as Denny Green once famously informed us, this is the one that teams do not, in fact, play like it’s bull(expletive), bull(expletive)!

That could be especially true in this one, as the Green Bay Packers take on the Indianapolis Colts and some cat named Peyton at Lambeau Field tonight at 7 p.m. Lambeau Time on ESPN.

As usual in game No. 3, we should see the starters for each team play at least one half. That’ll be good, but here’s what I’d like to see from the entire team – starters, backups and guys who will be bagging groceries in a week:

Offense

• A clear-cut winner emerge in the Daryn Colledge/Bryan Bulaga battle at left guard. Of course, that doesn’t mean I want to see one player struggle more than the other (even I don’t dislike Colledge that much). Rather, I’d like to see one guy turn in a dominating performance and win the job outright. It’s time to get the starting five set.
• A lot of the running game in the first half, Brandon Jackson in particular. We all know what Ryan Grant can do and, while I think he should get a decent amount of carries, Jackson should be the main guy when the starters are in. He’s been good in the first two games, but it’s time for him to be tested against another team’s starters.
• Greg Jennings on the sidelines in sweats, please. Don’t need his back spasms getting any worse.
• Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson and James Jones make some plays in the first half. Those guys have been quiet in the first couple of games – Driver was out last Saturday, though – and it’d be nice to see them become involved.
• Jermichael Finley just keep doing what he’s been doing.
• A clear-cut winner emerge in the Quinn Porter-Kregg Lumpkin battle for the No. 3 running back spot. Both are injured and I’m not sure of either’s status. But at least one of them needs to suck it up and get through this – after all, an NFL job is on the line.
• Matt Flynn build on his nice showing from the Seattle game. These next two games are potentially huge for his future if he wants to be an NFL starter someday.
• Spencer Havner and/or Andrew Quarless make some big plays. The Pack are going to keep four tight ends, as much as that baffles me, so the bottom two might as well be good.
• Breno Giacomini finally add some “Steak” to all the “Sizzle” the coaches have sold us on with him for the entire offseason. His future in Green Bay depends on it.

Defense

• Some pass rush from someone in the starting unit. I know, I know – Green Bay may once again be without its entire starting linebacking corps (A.J. Hawk, Brad Jones, Clay Matthews and Nick Barnett). And I know that it’s really, really hard to get pressure on the great Peyton Manning. But whoever may happen to be starting on defense, it’s imperative that some form of a pass rush gets established here, just so the team can be more sure in that area heading into Philly on Sept. 12.
• B.J. Raji get some real push up the middle. The big fella’s been solid, if unspectacular, during camp thus far. Let’s see a little spectacular tonight.
• Cullen Jenkins join Jennings on the sidelines in sweats, please. That ankle has to be ready for the games that count.
• Manning challenge Charles Woodson at least a couple of times, so we can see what really happens when two elite talents go right at each other.
• Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood be less terrible than they were last week. With Woodson returning, these guys will draw the nickel and dime spots, respectively, and should get a good test against a deep Colts receiving corps.
• Morgan Burnett do better. It’s time for him to start coming around a bit, rookie or not. And, even though it’s a game that doesn’t count, you know Manning will throw right at him.
• Someone emerge at d-line from the group of Justin Harrell, C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn. A key spot in the rotation is there for the taking, fellas.
• Sam Shields make some plays so he can shut all the doubters up. Come on, man – you’re “My Guy” for 2010 training camp. Don’t make me look silly.
• Two words: More Zombo!

Special Teams

• Mason Crosby keep doing what he’s been doing over the past 10 days.
• Everyone else be much, much, much better in every single area. That is all.

And, as usual, I’ll end this with the thing I’d like to see more than any of the rest: NO INJURIES!!

We’ll be back afterwards to wrap it all up. Enjoy the game, everyone.

-Chris Lempesis

Unfortunately, though, it isn’t – it’s merely the preseason opener.

That being the case, we’ll go a different route and merely [...]]]> If Saturday’s contest between the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns – set for 7 p.m. Lambeau Time at, well, Lambeau Field – was a regular season affair, we’d go all out in writing a preview.

Unfortunately, though, it isn’t – it’s merely the preseason opener.

That being the case, we’ll go a different route and merely list some things we’d like to see happen during Packers/Browns.

Offense

• If the starters are indeed to play roughly 20 snaps, obviously, a nice, long scoring drive from that group would be great. Maybe something like a 10-play, 70 yard drive to start the game? Long enough to convince Mike McCarthy that the starters don’t need anymore work than that? ‘Cause, you know, it’s preseason game No. 1?
• Something – anything – positive from the running game while the starters are out there. The ground attack was awful in the “Family Night” scrimmage.
• Donald Lee could ease my mind just a tad on the whole, “Making $2 million this season as a backup tight end” idea by making a play or two.
• Someone step up and begin to take hold of the No. 5 receiver spot. The early money seems to be on either Brett Swain or Charles Dillon. Whoever wins it could become a factor in the offense if there’s an injury to one of the top four (God forbid). And seeing as how the offense appears to be a top-five unit, you’d like to see someone cement themselves there.
• Matt Flynn – you’re going to get a lot of snaps. Be better than you’ve been.
• Graham Harrell – you’ll see some snaps. Keep improving.
• Breno Giacomini – everyone’s talked you up so far. Don’t make them look stupid.
• Quinn Porter – same for you.

Defense

• Again, if the starters are indeed set to play 20 snaps or so, those should be spent overwhelming a putrid Cleveland offense. Not talking about anyone in particular, but rather the group as a whole.
• Actually, stratch that. I’ll be focusing in – if I’m actually able to watch the game, that is – on B.J. Raji, A.J. Hawk, Brandon Chillar and Morgan Burnett. Four guys who can really make this defense scary good if they have good seasons. Show me some flashes here.
• Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood figure to see a lot of time (some of which will be spent as the No. 1 and 2 corners, respectively). It’d be great to see them build on their nice starts. And, Pat – don’t injury anything.
• Justin Harrell – what I said about Lee applies to you tenfold.
• C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn could both provide crucial depth on the line. Each should see the field quite a bit and it’d be great if they could make some plays – or, at least, be beasts in the trenches.
• If you’re tired of being “Mr. August”, Desmond Bishop, you need to be even better than you’ve been in preseasons past. Well, here’s your chance.
• I’ve been the leader of the Sam Shields movement, so I’d love it if he had himself another solid night.

Special Teams

• Mason Crosby – make the damn kicks. No more excuses.
• Chris Bryan and Tim Masthay – neither one of you has claimed the punter job yet. How’s about one of you rectifies that, starting now?
• Someone – anyone – break a big return.

Oh, and I forgot to mention this last one…NO INJURIES!!

We’ll have a recap of the game afterwards, so look out for that.

-Chris Lempesis

The Green Bay Packers practiced just once Monday, but there was still quite a bit going on. Let’s get to that now, shall we?

As always, a thanks to the fine folks [...]]]> And we’re back with yet another heaping helping of training camp stew, your nightly recap of the most interesting bits of information from today’s practice.

The Green Bay Packers practiced just once Monday, but there was still quite a bit going on. Let’s get to that now, shall we?

As always, a thanks to the fine folks at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Green Bay Press Gazette and Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee (a newcomer to the Stew, yes, but Wilde rocks, no question about it).

• The biggest news to come out of Monday’s practice was the update on Clay Matthews’ hamstring injury, suffered during the “Family Night” scrimmage Saturday. According to head coach Mike McCarthy, Matthews will be out at least a couple of weeks (maybe closer to three). Matthews told reporters it’s in the same area of the same hamstring he injured last summer. He also said he won’t push himself in rehabbing the injury like he did last time around.
• The injury, while it will cause him to miss a significant amount of practice time, doesn’t concern me all that much – especially if Matthews takes a smarter rehab approach this time. Frankly, I’d rather not have him play in any preseason games, anyways. One thing I am curious about, though, is how it will alter his recent position swap. Remember, Matthews had spent a lot of his time in camp at a new spot, left outside linebacker, with Brandon Chillar playing the right side. You have to wonder now if the Packers will continue that switch once he returns.
• The other big news Monday comes in the form of first round pick Bryan Bulaga sharing starting snaps at left guard with Daryn Colledge. It sure seems like Bulaga – who has impressed McCarthy quite a bit, from the sounds of it – has a legitimate chance to beat out Colledge for the gig. I’m not sure how I feel about this. Part of me really likes the idea of Bulaga strictly focusing on his left tackle duties, so he can fully learn the position and be ready if/when he’s called to play when Chad Clifton injures his (fill in the blank). Having him play left guard could leave him unprepared in that instance. On the other hand, if Bulaga is flat-out better than Colledge – certainly a possibility – maybe he should be the guy there. After all, the goal is to have the best players out there, right? Definitely something new to focus on as camp progresses.
• There’s more fallout from this potential switch, too. Jason Spitz – who left practice with a calf injury – may end up serving as a “Sixth Man” of sorts for the line this season, as he can play both guard spots and center. Originally, Spitz and Colledge were going to battle it out at LG. T.J. Lang – the guy I originally had filling that “Sixth Man” role – will likely get his work on the right side alone now. We’ll be taking a look at the offensive line situation at some point this week, for sure.
• Now, on to some things that actually happened in practice…
• Kicker Mason Crosby followed up his strong scrimmage performance by hitting six of eight kicks. One was missed from 43, but that was apparently due to a poor hold from Chris Bryan. The other miss was from 53. So, in the end, you could say Crosby was, essentially, six of seven. Not bad – or, at least, not any worse. I’ll take it.
• A.J. Hawk would have had himself a sack of Aaron Rodgers…you know, if people were allowed to hit No. 12. Hawk was a major standout in the scrimmage. It sounds like he might be building on that just a little bit. That’s a positive as, again, it’s a make-or-break year for him in Green Bay.
• Some one-on-one reports: Justin Harrell dominated Lang at one point and Jarius Wynn crushed Allen Barbre at another. It’s really nice to see Harrell contributing in any form (now that I’ve said that, back injury coming in three…two….). As for Barbre’s loss…well, let’s just say he’d be wise to give his realtor a call right about now. He’s not long for this roster.
• Am I concerned about the Rodgers-led offense being 0-for-5 in the two-minute drill so far in camp? Not really – but I wouldn’t mind seeing something more than zero. It’s hard to win when you have to settle for three points everytime, you know?
• Finally, an apology to Donald Driver: We failed to mention his two-year contract extension Friday. We should have. The extension keeps him in green and gold through the 2012 season and Driver himself said he’ll definitely retire as a Packer. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Mr. Driver, we have been extremely fortunate to be able to root for you for the past 11 years. You’re nothing but a class act and you always make us proud to be Packers fans. Here’s hoping you see, not only the end of that deal, but one more, too.

-Chris Lempesis

In short, similar to most teams at this point. The defense is ahead of the offense, which is almost always the case at any level of football six practices in to a season. OTA/minicamps only do so much for keeping a rhythm, after all, [...]]]> So, six practices in – how are the Green Bay Packers looking?

In short, similar to most teams at this point. The defense is ahead of the offense, which is almost always the case at any level of football six practices in to a season. OTA/minicamps only do so much for keeping a rhythm, after all, although it sounds like the Packers made some big steps forward during Tuesday night’s practice. Nothing that’s happened has changed my thinking that the offense will be absolutely lethal this season.

There have been a handful of early positives and negatives, outside of that, and we’ll get to them now, bullet-point style:

Positives

• Jordy Nelson. Everyone else has written about the sterling camp he’s had thus far, so I guess I should, too. Nelson’s really built on his strong offseason and is the front-runner for the No. 3 receiver spot (guess I was wrong to say James Jones would win that battle, huh?). Nelson and Aaron Rodgers are clearly developing a connection, as it sounds like the two hook-up on at least one deep post route every single practice.
• The depth at corner. Pat Lee, Brandon Underwood and Sam Shields have all made their share of plays early on. Extra bonus points for Lee remaining healthy. If these guys can keep it up, a major question mark will begin to fade for the Pack.
• B.J. Raji (RAJI! It’s back!). The big fella is showing both quickness and power early on. Again, can’t wait to see how he continues to develop.
• The depth at tight end. It sounds like every player from the original four - plus Tom Crabtree – has been really good early on. Donald Lee, for as much as I’ve written him off, seems to be making a case that he’s worth $2 million as a backup. I was certain the team would keep only three tight ends, but if five are playing well, how do you cut two? An early situation to keep an eye on, for sure.
• Breno Giacomini. The coaches praised him all offseason and, turns out, they weren’t kidding. It appears as though he’s finally cashing in on his upside, showing increased strength and knowledge. Bad news if you’re Allen Barbre.
• And did I actually read that Brady Poppinga has been making some plays? Okay – it IS early…

Negatives

• The OLB switch caused by Brad Jones’ back injury (pray that isn’t an injury that lingers). I really dislike the idea of moving Clay Matthews over to the left side. Why mess with something that worked so well last season? Why couldn’t the coaches have just plugged Brandon Chillar in for Jones? Let’s hope this switch isn’t permanent.
• James Starks’ lingering hamstring injury. It sounds like it’s far worse than we were originally told. Starks’ pass-catching abilities could make him a key role player for the offense. That hammy’s got to come around quickly.
• Matt Flynn. Flynn hasn’t been good at all thus far, which is troubling as it seemed like he would just continue to develop. This could be a key year for him, too. I’ve said all along that the Packers could trade him during the 2011 offseason to a team looking for a young starter if he had a good camp/preseason. Hasn’t happened yet.
• Mason Crosby. I know he rebounded with a good Tuesday night showing, but his early struggles still make me worry. I’m trying to stay calm about it, but coming off a terrible 2009 season, you’d think Crosby would come in kicking the lights out early to make some sort of statement. He has not done so. The Packers are not going to bring anyone else in – as much as I might want them to – to compete with Crosby. So, come on, Mason – get it done.
• Jarius Wynn. The depth at d-line is thin, obviously, and Wynn being a second-year player, I thought he might come in having made some sort – any sort – of jump. Wrong. And more pressure is now placed on the rookies there (and Justin Harrell, who at least hasn’t been injured yet).
• Nick Barnett saying he doesn’t care who plays QB for the Vikings, be it Tarvaris Jackson, Norman Bates or Jeffrey Dahmer. Throwing Judas’ name in with the likes of Bates and Dahmer? That’s not good Nick, because…oh, who am I kidding? I LOVED that! Good work, Nick – good work!

Now that we’re all caught up, you should see a return of the “Training Camp Stew” series Thursday.

-Chris Lempesis

Truth be [...]]]> The first part of our look at the defensive battles – part three of our series in all, if you’re keeping score – focused solely on the secondary. Makes sense as it’s the one glaring area of concern on this team as it prepares to begin camp in just one day – holy @$*#!

Truth be told, upon further review, there aren’t many more position battles on the defense that I can see (at least as of now). The eight linebackers appear to be in place, as do at least six defensive linemen. Injuries and/or a push from one of the undrafted free agents could change that, but we’ll have to wait a minute to see how those things develop.

(And don’t ask me who I think will win the punting battle, because I have absolutely no idea. I hope it’s the Australian guy, because that’d be kind of cool. Other than that? I got nothing, Jerry.)

That being the case, I’ve decided to look at the last glaring question regarding the defense: Will Justin Harrell make the roster this season?

I’m not going to waste any time talking about his past. We all know the story there. And I’m not going to link to the now-infamous draft day freakout video. Go to YouTube if you want to see it.

Instead, let’s update where we stand: Head coach Mike McCarthy said during the minicamps/OTAs that the team truly believes Harrell is past his gruesome back problems, problems that have wrecked his career thus far. He hasn’t undergone any additional surgeries since the last one, which is extremely positive. He even saw the field a bit during the minicamps/OTAs, from the sounds of it.

But if it feels like you’ve seen this movie before, it’s because, well, you have.

We’ve heard roughly 8,000,000 different, “No, really, his back’s better now!” speeches from McCarthy and Ted Thompson during Harrell’s three-plus years in the league. At some point, I tuned it out, tossing all those speeches into the ol’ “Spam” folder. It’s not that I don’t want to believe it – or that I don’t want Harrell to finally deliver on the promise that made him a first round pick all those moons ago, because I do.

But I also know it’s always just a matter of time before the back flares up and he’s heading to the I.R. Taking what essentially amounts to a flyer on Harrell makes sense with Johnny Jolly in the fold. But with Jolly done for the year, the team is looking thin at the position heading into camp. Thompson and McCarthy could gamble on Harrell staying healthy and playing well – again, the talent is there if he’s healthy – but by doing so, they could miss out on snagging a more reliable option, either via roster cuts or the trade route (the preferred option, if you’re asking me).

And if – or maybe when – the back flares up and he’s done for the year (yet again), even more pressure will be placed on a pair of rookies (Mike Neal and C.J. Wilson) and a second-year player (Jarius Wynn) who did nothing in year one. If those guys can’t get it done, that could spell doom as there is simply no way Ryan Pickett, B.J. Raji and Cullen Jenkins can be effective for an entire season playing the bulk of the snaps.

Remember, the defensive line is every bit the engine on that side of the ball as the offensive line is on theirs. I’m not saying Harrell can wreck that engine singlehandedly. But by choosing him over the possibility of someone who can actually, you know, stay healthy, McCarthy and Thompson are not taking the most calculated of risks.

In the end, I’d say that Harrell sticks, if only because McCarthy and Thompson appear to be hellbent on seeing him achieve some level of success. I’m just not so sure I agree with such a decision.

I hope I’m wrong.

-Chris Lempesis

Still, they are not a team without flaws – no team is in the salary cap era.

Much has been written about the Pack’s seemingly biggest flaw – the pass defense – this offseason. But what are some [...]]]> Most Green Bay Packers fans are extremely high on the 2010 squad. You can include me in that group.

Still, they are not a team without flaws – no team is in the salary cap era.

Much has been written about the Pack’s seemingly biggest flaw – the pass defense – this offseason. But what are some other things that could bring the team down this year? With training camp just nine days away – again, holy crap – it seemed like a good time to take a closer look.

And, as usual, I’ll spare you the obvious “avoiding injuries to key players, particularly Aaron Rodgers” storyline. Folks who tap that storyline are just being lazy.

In no particular order:

• No one steps up to fill the void created by the Johnny Jolly 2010 Suspension Tour

On Monday, I wrote that the team still has plenty of options in terms of filling Mr. Purple Drank’s void. I haven’t changed my opinion on that, but if you’re talking worst-case scenarios for this team, an inability to replace Jolly is certainly one of them.

The starting trio of Cullen Jenkins/B.J. Raji/Ryan Pickett has the potential to be very, very good. But those three will simply not be enough to last an entire season, not to mention the postseason. Players must step up in order to form a rotation, especially when you factor in an injury-prone player like Jenkins.

If no one steps up, you can kiss any shot of repeating as the league’s No. 1 run defense goodbye. Players like Jolly and Pickett were crucial in tying up o-linemen and allowing the linebackers to get to the ballcarrier quickly. Not only that, but the pass rush/pass defense will be even worse, because a tired/ineffective line won’t be able to eat up blocks and allow the rushers to do their thing. And if they can’t, a seemingly thin corner group will be forced to cover longer than they are capable of.

The result of all that? More 300-plus yard passing games for opponents. Mike Neal, C.J. Wilson, Jarius Wynn and Justin Harrell – the time is now.

• Another season of poor special teams play

Am I serious, listing special teams second on this list? You bet I am.

Last season, the Packers were extremely lucky that their atrocious special teams play didn’t hurt them more than it did (and even then, it was a key factor in at least two losses, to Cincinnati and Tampa Bay).

In short, the group did nothing right. That can not happen again, especially when you factor in what appears to be a much tougher 2010 schedule. Two players, in particular, have got to be better: Mason Crosby and whomever wins the punter battle.

Green Bay’s offense should be lethal, but it can not be expected to hit paydirt every single time out. Sometimes, drives stall. If that happens within field goal range, Crosby has to come through. This is a make-or-break season for him, no question about it. I’m sick of the excuses (lack of confidence, a revolving door of holders, etc.). Just make the damn kicks.

And if the drive stalls out of field goal range, the punter has to come through. No more shanks or balls off the side of your foot. Even terrible offenses can put points up if they consistently start at their own 40. Pin them back. Give the defense a chance.

Oh, and if the return units could break one every now and then, that’d be nice too, considering that happened almost never last season.

In today’s NFL, there’s a Kate Moss-thin line between winning and losing. Special teams tilts than line much more than most fans care to admit.

• Mike McCarthy forgets what worked for the offense over the second half of 2009

I like McCarthy, as a coach. Really, I do. The way he kept this team together after the awful start last season was a rather impressive job of coaching.

A big key in that was his ability to change on the fly as a playcaller. He ditched the seven-step drops and went with a precise passing game which let the receivers get the ball in their hands quickly and rack up the YAC.

But I can’t shake this nagging feeling that he’s going to revert back to first-half-of-2009 form, that the seven-step drops and constant home run chasing will return. The offensive line appears to be solidified, which only furthers that nagging feeling.

“Hey, our line’s better now – let’s start heaving ‘em up there again!”

He needs to stick with what worked. If he doesn’t, Rodgers will go back to hanging on to the damn ball too long, which will lead to more punishment – bank on that.

• Confidence is nice, but it’s better to be hungry

The Packers were riding high coming out of the 2009 preseason. We all saw what happened next. The team was lazy, uninspired and just plain unprepared for what happened when the games counted.

And that happened after just a couple of months of everyone blowing smoke up their you-know-whats. Since, seemingly, mid-February, everyone’s been tabbing the 2010 Packers as a definite Super Bowl contender. Imagine the bad habits that can result after THAT long?

McCarthy and the rest of the coaching staff will have to doggedly guard against any overconfidence. Every season, the road is littered with the corpses of teams that were “destined for greatness” only to show nothing once the season started. In many ways, keeping this team hungry will be one of McCarthy’s toughest challenges to date as coach of this team.

You’d like to think these guys could do that on their own – after all, they were the ones that had to go through the players-only “Come to Jesus” meeting last November – but, in reality, that buck will stop with Mike Mac.

My intent here was not to harsh the collective vibe we feel about the team – again, it should be really, really good – but simply to point out some things to watch out for. 

What are some things you guys and gals think could bring the 2010 Packers down? Comment, baby, comment!

-Chris Lempesis

It feels like I’ve been saying that a lot lately. That’s because, well, I have.

My reasons are, of course, legit. First it was vacay-time; then I got sick; and, finally, I’ve been out of town attending my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. I don’t forsee [...]]]> So it’s been a minute since I’ve last written for the site.

It feels like I’ve been saying that a lot lately. That’s because, well, I have.

My reasons are, of course, legit. First it was vacay-time; then I got sick; and, finally, I’ve been out of town attending my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. I don’t forsee any future delays, so we should be good to go from now until the start of training camp (just 12 days away – holy crap).

Again, we apologize for the overall lack of consistency with the posts lately.

So, with that said, let’s wrap-up the past handful of days’ activity surrounding the Green Bay Packers.

• Team releases financial numbers

Last Wednesday, the Packers released their financial numbers for the past fiscal year. As a publicly-owned team, they kind of have to. The numbers showed the team had a significant drop in overall profit, from $20.1 million for the 2009 fiscal year to $9.8 million for the 2010 fiscal year.

The team attributed the dip in overall profit to rising player salaries. Considering the fact that the Packers dished out roughly $80 million in new salaries over the offseason – combined with rising numbers for players like Aaron Rodgers – I’m not surprised. In short, it’s becoming more and more expensive to run a football team.

In order to survive, the team must create new ways to bring in bucks. The idea of hosting an annual Big Ten Championship football game would certainly help, as would adding more seats. I think it’s a lock that more seats will eventually be added, but I’m less sure on the Big Ten title game. It’s a great idea, but I have such little faith in those running college football. I’m sure they’ll figure out a way to screw it up.

The team seems committed to keeping ticket prices reasonable and I have a feeling that will continue. But don’t be surprised if there’s a slight rise in concession prices at some point in the near future. By charging a buck or two more for things, the team can bring in a lot more money. Ultimately, I have no problem with that.

Not surprisingly, the league and the NFLPA are making a big deal of the numbers. But the Packers numbers aren’t necessarily indicative of the rest of the league, so I’m not sure why. This team truly is unique in regards to almost everything – market size, fan interest, etc. - so both sides would be wise to avoid making the Packers an example of anything.

• What to do now that Jolly is gone

Gene wrote about the Jolly suspension Friday. Seeing as how I had zero internet access, I’m glad he did.

And even though it’s been a few days, I figured I’d weigh in quick. Obviously, Jolly’s absence is big. He’s a great fit for the 3-4 and had a really good season last year. I love how, when a player is suspended, everyone instantly downplays his importance. Don’t. Jolly would have been a crucial piece to the defense in 2010 and beyond.

That said, I have faith that someone will emerge out of the group of Mike Neal, C.J. Wilson, Jarius Wynn and – why not? – Justin Harrell. Actually, two players from that group will have to emerge for the line to avoid running out of gas come December. Well, there’s four options, so the odds are in Green Bay’s favor.

My best guess is that the team will use the first couple of weeks of camp to figure out if those two options are in-house. If not, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see Ted Thompson tap some of the team’s depth elsewhere in order to bolster the d-line. Tight end (Donald Lee), offensive line (Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge) or safety (Atari Bigby) are all areas he could look to. 

Either way, the line should be alright, so don’t go panicking. You should still be every bit as high on this team as you were before Mr. Purple Drank got shelved for the year. I know I am.

• Team signs third-round pick Morgan Burnett

I’d just like to say this: See, Atari, safeties can sign contracts.

• I got to be on Cheesehead Radio…and here’s proof

Thursday, the fine folks at Cheesehead Radio had yours truly on as a guest. My LeBron/Judas article, the story of OBOD and, yes, my recent Twitter tussle with Desmond Bishop (who went on record to say he does NOT want to kill me, thank God) were all discussed.

Here’s the link. Sorry about my voice sounding so Lempesis-y. This is why I’m a writer. And thanks again to the CHTV folks for having me on. My Thursday nights are usually open, guys, so…you know, I’m just saying…hint, hint.

• Congrats to our contest winners!

Last week, we had our “Name That Packer” trivia contest here at OBOD.

Two lucky folks were able to answer correctly, winning themselves t-shirts from Sconnie.com.

Kathy Wutkowski nailed our first question after just one clue, correctly guessing Edgar Bennett.

We purposefully made our second question much, muuuuch harder to answer. After a day of misses, JonBob over at JonBobsPackBlog correctly guessed cornerback/safety/bain of EVERYONE’S existence Jarrett Bush.

Kathy will receive a “The Mighty Clay” shirt while JonBob will receive a “We’ll never forget you Brent” shirt. We’re working on getting those out to you guys as soon as we can.

Thanks to Adam for running the contest while I was away, and thanks again to the folks at BrentFavre.com for their assistance.

• Finally…

We’ll begin our “Friendly Fire” training camp series this week, with our “Know Your Enemy” series on the other NFC North teams soon to follow.

Actually, that’s all I had for that one.

-Chris Lempesis

By selecting Mike Neal (Purdue, second round) and C.J. Wilson (East Carolina, seventh round), the team made it clear it felt more size and depth needed to be added up front. And by officially moving B.J. Raji (RAJI!) and Ryan [...]]]> The Green Bay Packers put a significant emphasis on the defensive line in this year’s draft.

By selecting Mike Neal (Purdue, second round) and C.J. Wilson (East Carolina, seventh round), the team made it clear it felt more size and depth needed to be added up front. And by officially moving B.J. Raji (RAJI!) and Ryan Pickett to nose tackle and defensive end, respectively, the Pack will look a lot different as they enter year two of the 3-4 scheme.

This current look will probably only last for the 2010 season, though.

That’s because two key members of the line, ends Johnny Jolly and Cullen Jenkins, are both entering free agency after this season. Jolly signed his one-year RFA tender – worth $2.5 million – last week. Under the current CBA, he wouldn’t be scheduled for unrestricted free agency until after 2011, but you have to think the Players Association will get that rule changed by the time a new CBA is agreed upon.

Jenkins, meanwhile, will earn $3.2 million in the last year of the four-year, $16 million contract he signed in 2007.

Green Bay is clearly hoping one of the two rookies or 2009 sixth round pick Jarius Wynn – no, I’m not doing the “If he’s healthy, Justin Harrell could bring something to the table, too” dance, like some fans are – will play well enough this season to make either Jolly or Jenkins expendable.

Obviously, how those two players perform this season will play a major part in who stays and who goes. Since it’s only, you know, June, we can’t determine that yet. But we can look at some factors that may provide some clues as to which way the team is currently leaning.

First, let’s look at the type of player each is.

Jolly is a powerful – make that ridiculously powerful – lineman. His quickness is perhaps a bit underrated, yes, but Jolly makes his name on his ability to flat-out overpower the man in front of him. He’ll likely never be a big-time pass-rusher – he had just one sack last season and has just two for his career – but he’s still an asset in pass defense. His 11 pass knockdowns last season broke the club record of nine, ironically set by Jenkins in 2007. In many ways, he is a prototypical 3-4 end – not overly flashy, but strong enough to eat up blocks and free the linebackers behind him.

Jenkins is not a weak man by any stretch, but he doesn’t appear to have the raw strength of Jolly. Of course, he’s got very good quickness and has shown he knows how to get to the quarterback, be it 3-4 or 4-3 (his 4.5 sacks last season is a lot for a 3-4 end, believe it or not). He’s a good fit for the scheme, but perhaps not quite as much as Jolly is. Remember, pass rushing skills are a plus, not a requirement, for 3-4 ends.

Let’s now take a look at the ages of each player. Jenkins turned 29 in January, while Jolly turned 27 in February. Not much of a difference in most areas of life, but in the NFL, two extra years of youth can sometimes play a big part in making such decisions.

So far, it would seem the edge goes to Jolly, right? Yes, but this third area could shift things a bit: Negatives on each player.

There are two major knocks on Jenkins: His injury history and his tendency to wear down as the season progresses.

Big things were expected of him in 2007, but he wasn’t very good (outside of the pass knockdowns). Injuries nagged him for most of the season and he finished with just one sack (plus 1.5 sacks in the divisional round win over Seattle). He was lining up a Pro Bowl-type year in 2008 before a torn pectoral muscle put him on injured reserve just four games in.

The tendency to wear down was obvious last season. After putting up 3.5 sacks and three forced fumbles through the first six games, Jenkins all but fell off the map for the final 10: One sack, no forced fumbles. Pass rushing is a luxury for linemen in this scheme, yes, but it wasn’t just there that Jenkins disappeared. You seemed to notice him less and less in every area as the season went on.

And Jenkins was also one of the players that voiced their displeasure with the way Dom Capers was scheming things near the midway point of the season. He quieted down as the defense took off, but you have to wonder if he’s still unsure of his role. After all, he’s a better fit for the 4-3.

Those two knocks are certainly significant, but they pale in comparison to the major knock on Jolly: His character.

The drug charges currently looming against Jolly are certainly troublesome, as is the fact that his trial is seemingly never going to actually happen. Truth be told, though, I’d be willing to look past that. Remember, this is the NFL, and Jolly would definitely not be the first young player to make a foolish off-field mistake involving drugs (allegedly).

The thing I can’t look past, however, is the fact that Jolly is still making foolish mistakes (see: the photos where he appears to be drinking even though he was told not to by the judge). Those photos, in part, earned him an extremely strict curfew from the judge in his case and those are the things that make me wonder if he can ever actually be counted on.

I’m not the only one who feels that way, either. The rumors have been out there for awhile now that people within the organization are worried about handing over a big contract to Jolly. The drug issues play a part in those feelings, but there’s also concern that Jolly has a poor work ethic and could be the type of player to mail it in upon receving that big signing bonus (now more relevant than ever with the current Albert Haynesworth saga in Washington).

And whether or not he’s found guilty in this case, Jolly is almost certain to receive a suspension of some sort from Roger Goodell (even if he’s found innocent, I’m guessing he’ll have to sit out two games). That means the margin for future error with him will be zero – not good if you’re talking eight-figure signing bonuses. 

When you add all of this up, it seems like Jolly is a better candidate to stay until you consider the off-field stuff. Jenkins might not be the better fit for the scheme, but he’s a safer choice. It’s true that the team could keep both players – franchise Jenkins and re-up Jolly – but that is not going to happen. Pickett and Raji already both make big money and the team has invested a lot in the young guys, particularly Neal.

Again, the 2010 season will likely provide the final verdict. But for now, Jenkins has the edge.

-Chris Lempesis