Questions like these have been raised on our site and many other blogs this week in the aftermath of last Sunday’s loss in New England. While I agree mostly with what Gene and [...]]]> Is Mike McCarthy a championship caliber coach? Is he getting too much of the blame? Will the outcomes in close games ever change?

Questions like these have been raised on our site and many other blogs this week in the aftermath of last Sunday’s loss in New England. While I agree mostly with what Gene and Chris have to say on the issue, I am holding my own judgment on McCarthy until after the Giants game Sunday because we will see the true character of this team and more importantly this coach then. In short, I was fuming in how the game ended in New England, but I was far more upset two weeks ago when the scored only three freaking points against the Lions in a game they needed a lot more than the one against New England.

So, until after this Sunday I want to turn my attention to the man whose job this year shouldn’t be questioned or debated by anybody and that is Ted Thompson.

I always hate using injuries as an excuse, but to ignore the Packers’ injury list this year is very hard. It has been said numerous times this year, “if you would have done me at the beginning of the year all of these players would be on IR or miss time, i.e. Rodgers and Matthews and the team would hold their own playoff fate with two games left…”. No matter how much faith you had in the this team it would be a tough sell for this to be believable.

Defensive injuries aside, the team lost two of their top four offensive players in Jermichael Finley and Ryan Grant and have survived. Look at arguably the top two teams in the NFC right now in Atlanta and Philadelphia. Take away Michael Turner and Tony Gonzalez from the Falcons and say LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin from the Eagles; would these teams still be where they are, let alone playoff teams?

Basically, what the Packers have done is pretty remarkable. However, it doesn’t negate their failures in close games because it is obvious that they still have enough talent, despite all the injuries, to compete and beat the game’s best.

All of that credit needs to be directed towards Thompson.

It makes it even more very frustrating to see the team drop close games with all of these guys out and that’s on the coach. Something needs to change quick because the next two games will not be blowouts. But, I don’t want to waste space on McCarthy’s flaws. Thompson deserves more recognition in constructing a team that is competing at a high level (even if it is for only 58 minutes some games) with seven opening day starters on the IR and numerous top players missing time.

Many fans ragged on Thompson for not making a move after Grant went down. Look at Marshawn Lynch’s stats in Seattle: 131 rushes, 445 yards and six touchdowns. Brandon Jackson’s stats: 165 rushes, 645 yards and three touchdowns. Jackson also has 316 receiving yards to Lynch’s 145. Enough about stats though, the fact is that Lynch hasn’t been any better than Jackson, so everyone was wrong on that front. The problem with the running game isn’t the guys the Packers have, it is playcalling. Just look at Sunday’s game on how effective a running game can be when it is a focus.

There are some obvious holes on the roster. The team desperately needs a pass rush opposite of Clay Matthews. The left guard needs a major upgrade and special teams are a mess. But, a lot of these weak areas we knew going in.

Look at the type of players who played major minutes in Sunday’s game against the Patriots. Guys like Eric Walden, Dmitri Nance, and Howard Green. Ever hear of those guys before the season? Well they will all find contracts somewhere in the NFL next year because of their time with the Packers. Even guys we did know like Charlie Peprah, John Kuhn, Sam Shields and Frank Zombo all have bright futures in the NFL because of their strong play this season. I hope Thompson finds the way to re-sign Desmond Bishop and James Jones, but they are both going to get paid handsomely this offseason by the Packers or someone else. The common denominator is that none of these players (maybe except Jones) were expected to play the roles they have the season.

Say what you want about Thompson constantly having one of the youngest rosters in the league and never making a big move in free agency, but he has built one of the deepest rosters in the league. Not a whole lot of teams could have absorbed the blow the Packers have received this year on the injury front.  In the last two losses, talent cannot be blamed even with this depleted roster.

In the middle of this current mess with McCarthy and the debate on his future as Packers head coach, no one should forget about Thompson because he is the reason we are even having this debate. On many other teams McCarthy probably wouldn’t even have a shot at the playoffs right now. Thompson’s patchwork of a team that doesn’t even resemble the one that took the field in Week One is only two wins away from the postseason. Let’s just hope McCarthy doesn’t screw it up.

-Adam Somers

But, frankly, Scarlett, I don’t give a damn. I’m writing one, anyways.

The Green Bay Packers, as always, give us plenty to be thankful for. But what, in particular? Well, let’s get to some things now.

I’m thankful for Dom Capers. The job [...]]]> Yeah, yeah, I know – everyone writes posts like these around this time of year.

But, frankly, Scarlett, I don’t give a damn. I’m writing one, anyways.

The Green Bay Packers, as always, give us plenty to be thankful for. But what, in particular? Well, let’s get to some things now.

I’m thankful for Dom Capers. The job he’s done with what has resembled a JV squad, at times, has been nothing short of astounding. Hopefully, you take the smart approach and avoid any calls regarding head coaching jobs at season’s end. Titletown is where you need to be. And, don’t worry, Dom – the Brinks truck full of extra cheddar should be arriving at your place shortly.

I’m thankful for Mike McCarthy. It’s nice to know we have a strong-willed coach – one whom the players both like and respect – on our side. And kudos for remembering that you can line up and run the football more than just sparringly. Keep on keepin’ them honest, coach.

I’m thankful for Ted Thompson. Period.

I’m thankful for Aaron Rodgers finally hitting his stride. It’s good to see football become fun again for QB12.

I’m thankful for Brandon Jackson’s do-it-all abilities.

I’m thankful for John Kuhn. Okay, so he’s not the greatest player around. But he allows me to yell “KUUUHHHN!” whenever he touches the ball. Gotta love that.

I’m thankful for Chad Clifton proving the doubters wrong. There’s a great deal left in a man I believe to be held together by chicken wire and duct tape.

I’m thankful for Daryn Colledge not being, well, Daryn Colledge this season. Always nice when I don’t have to scream “COLLEDGE!” at the television in fits of rage.

I’m thankful for Greg Jennings regaining his elite status, James Jones being more “Good James” than “Bad James” and Donald Driver for being everything a Packer should be.

I’m thankful for Lambeau Field. See you in 11 days, baby!

I’m thankful for B.J. Raji cashing in on the promise we all knew he had and anchoring the defense. And, yes, I have to say that or else he might eat me.

I’m thankful for me upsetting Desmond Bishop on Twitter over the summer. And you should be thankful for that, too.

I’m thankful for A.J. Hawk turning in his best season yet as a pro. Something tells me this is no longer No. 50’s last year in Green Bay.

I’m thankful for Clay Matthews being an unstoppable, unblockable, long-hair waiving, anger-filled, high-motored – ouch. Matthews just sacked me. The guy is relentless!

I’m thankful for Charles Woodson shaking off his early season slump. And for making a difference in so many areas, some that can’t be seen on a stat sheet.

I’m thankful for Tramon Williams’ emergence. Don’t worry, Big Play Tra – that new deal is en route.

I’m thankful for Charlie Peprah ignoring people like me when they say things like “Charlie Peprah, frankly, does nothing for me.”

(Okay, here’s the part where I get sappy. Deal with it!)

I’m thankful for my cohorts here at OBOD, Adam Somers and Gene Bosling. Fellas, this wouldn’t be 1/1,000th as much fun without you. You are two of the best writers I know, but it’s much more than that. You really are two of the best friends a guy could ask for. Your friendship is something I will always hold in the highest regard.

I’m thankful for our buddies in the Packers blogosphere. You know who you are. We’ll never forget how you welcomed us into this weird, wonderful little universe back in early 2009. And to the newcomers, we’re always more than happy to pay it forward.

I’m thankful for you, the readers. To paraphrase a line from Jay-Z, you could have been anywhere in the world, but for a brief portion of your day, you decide to come check us out. Believe me, we take that very seriously. And we’ll never be able to thank you enough for simply caring about our work. You keep reading them – we’ll keep writing them.

Lastly, I’m thankful for all my friends and family. I love you all dearly. I won’t get to see any of you Thursday, but we’ll see each other at Christmas.

We at OBOD wish you nothing but the happiest and safest Thanksgiving possible. And, yeah, thanks again!

-Chris Lempesis

So, instead of simply griping about it, I’ve decided to go a different [...]]]> We all know the Green Bay Packers are a beat-up bunch. It’s something we at OBOD have tried to steer away from as much as possible because, well, we don’t like making excuses about our team. We’re just so un-Vikings fan-ish that way.

So, instead of simply griping about it, I’ve decided to go a different way. I’m going to rank the nine key players currently on the team’s injured reserve list (sadly, I left Josh Bell out). This is not a ranking of their skills, but rather their overall importance. For example, the No. 1 player listed is the player I’d most like to see healthy. I’ll also take some guesses on where each player’s future with the team stands.

Everyone good? Okay, here we go. As always, enjoy.

1. Jermichael Finley, tight end (knee) - There is simply no bigger reason for the offensive struggles over the past month than the absence of No. 88. Granted, the offense wasn’t looking elite before Finley’s injury, but with him out, the field has definitely shrunk for the rest of Green Bay’s pass catchers. It’s clear the offense never had much of a plan B in the event of a Finley injury. And, most damning, Aaron Rodgers still seems lost much of the time minus his top read. Finley’s stats, projected over a full season: 84 catches, 1,204 yards, four touchdowns. He likely won’t get that fat new contract now, but should be hungrier than ever come next year.
2. Ryan Grant, running back (ankle) - It took all of about three seconds for us to downplay Grant’s importance upon hearing he was lost for the year. Eight games later, I’d like to take back much of what I said. That’s not meant to be a shot at Brandon Jackson or John Kuhn because, actually, those two have been pretty okay. But, either alone or combined, they do not bring the same threat Grant did. Grant, while certainly not an elite back, at least gave opponents something to think about when gameplanning for Green Bay’s offense. He was at least a threat to break the century mark every week. With him gone, Mike McCarthy has been allowed to fully explore the dark side of his “shotgun, five-wide” philosophy. Not a good thing. With such a big salary for next year (he could earn as much as $6 million in salary and various bonuses), you have to wonder if cheaper options won’t be explored by the team.
3. Mike Neal, defensive end (shoulder) - At first, you might snicker seeing Neal this high on the list. Don’t. Despite only playing two games before seeing his season end, Neal showed some flashes of serious potential. Stout and strong enough to play the run - and quick enough to get to the passer - Neal would have been a key cog on the d-line. His presence would have given Green Bay three dual-threat linemen (Neal, B.J. Raji and Cullen Jenkins). It also would have allowed Dom Capers to do a whole lot more mixing-and-matching, depending on the situation. In 2011: Neal, Raji, Jenkins (he’ll be re-signed, fear not), Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly (starting to think he’ll be back). Yes, please.
4. Nick Barnett, inside linebacker (wrist) – The emergence of Desmond Bishop and the improvement of A.J. Hawk knock Barnett a little further down the list than originally thought at the time of his injury. Still, you know those times Hawk goes too high on a tackle or gets caught out of position in coverage? Yeah, those are the times you wish Barnett was still around. And his leadership is still sort of missed, as well, though that void has been filled somewhat filled by committee (Charles Woodson, Clay Matthews, etc.). Hawk is likely gone after this season, so even with a salary approaching the $6 million range, Barnett should return.
5. Morgan Burnett, safety (knee) - Solid, if unspectacular, for the two games he played before getting hurt, it’s highly likely Burnett would just be taking his game up a notch about now. Remember, Burnett has “big-time playmaker” written all over him. Luckily, Charlie Peprah’s emergence and the impending return of Atari Bigby (could happen this week) have made up for Burnett’s loss. With Burnett solidly in the fold for the foreseeable future, it’s likely that either Bigby or Peprah will not be back come 2011.
6. Brad Jones, outside linebacker (shoulder) - Jones played his best game of the season, hands down, in the win over Minnesota. With the luck the Packers have had this year with injuries, it’s darkly fitting that his shoulder injury – problematic since camp – would flair up so bad he’d have to have surgery immediately afterwards. Jones did not provide much pressure opposite Matthews, definitely disappointing. He was good against the run, though, and his pass rushing looked to be improving before he got hurt. Finding a more proven pass rushing commodity to play opposite Matthews – thus keeping Jones in a more limited role – is definitely a possibility in the offseason.
7. Derrick Martin, safety (knee) - As we all know, Martin brings limited value as an actual safety. His true value came as Green Bay’s best special teams player. With the Packers giving up at least one big return in each of the past four games, you can see why he’s been missed. Coming off such a severe injury, his return to the team next season seems in doubt, especially when you consider Green Bay’s considerable depth at the position.
8. Justin Harrell, defensive end (knee) - Harrell would have been a key member of the rotation along the d-line as he turned in a very solid training camp. Of course, we all know what happened next, don’t we? Harrell, as always, was bitten by the injury bug, less than two quarters into the season. Harrell deserves a great deal of credit for continuing to work his way back from injury. Unfortunately, it’s just never going to happen for him in the NFL. The Packers have given him four years. They can give him no more.
9. Brady Poppinga (knee), outside linebacker – Buried on the depth chart to start the season, injuries forced Poppinga into a key role, only he didn’t last long in said role. He showed a bit more potential in the 3-4 than he did last season (example: his huge overtime sack of Donovan McNabb in the Washington game). But when you consider that he’s due over $2 million next season, it becomes clear Poppinga has probably played his last down for the Packers.

What do you think of my rankings? As always, comment baby, comment!

-Chris Lempesis

Why do trade rumors follow around Ted Thompson like Linus and his blanket when he has never had a history of making trades? [...]]]> There has been enough talk about Aaron Rodgers on this site in the past 24 hours and I have nothing left to add to about the Miami aftermath, so I’ll pose a question:

Why do trade rumors follow around Ted Thompson like Linus and his blanket when he has never had a history of making trades?

Jason Wilde mentioned yesterday that Chris Mortensen reported that the Packers and Cowboys have had talks about Marion Barber.  Makes sense on the peripherals. The Cowboys are going nowhere and are splitting carries among three backs. The Packers need a spark and a little more toughness on offense, Barber represents that.  Outside of that none of this makes sense.

We all know Thompson’s reluctancy to trade away draft picks, so we can start there. The Seahawks gave up a 4th and conditional 6th for Marshawn Lynch. If that is the market, I am going to go out and predict that it will take a conditional 5th that can be moved up to a 4th based on incentives and such.

Not a large asking price, but if Thompson didn’t land Lynch, who has a lot more tread on his tires and a history with Rodgers, why would he pull the trigger on Barber? They are different styled backs and Barber would complement Jackson better, but Lynch also carries a far lesser salary, which leads to us the next myth-buster.

Dallas would most likely pick up most of the remainder of Barber’s 2010 salary, so let’s look ahead to the rest of his deal. 2011: $4.25 million, 2012: $5.75 million, 2013: $6.25 million, 2014: $7 million (from: RotoWorld).  Barber is 27, so there is no way he sees the last two years of this contract, probably even the last three.  If Thompson surrenders a pick for Barber, it won’t be for a 10-game rental, so is $4.25 million next season worth it for a part-time back when Grant makes about the same and will be back healthy in 2011? Doubtful.

But let’s focus on this season, would Barber help the Packers in 2010? This one is harder to answer than you would think. As Chris tweeted earlier today, Barber would bring some needed toughness and grit to this offense. He also is great in third and short conversions, which has been a struggle this season for the Packers. As much as I love what John Kuhn has done this year, Barber is a far superior talent and would command more respect from defenses.

All that being said, who says McCarthy would even utilize Barber the way he should? McCarthy does not want to run the ball and it is obvious.  It is not because he doesn’t have the backs or a line, it is because of his stubbornness. Run blocking is far easier than pass blocking and in the past two games whenever Jackson seems to get going it seems that McCarthy says, “That’s enough, my run quota has been met.” Do we even know what we have with Jackson yet? He may be the answer in the running game, but how are we suppose to know if he only gets 10 carries a game?

To quote the great Chris Lempesis from Sunday, “Running backs are like cars in the winter time, you need to let them run a little bit to get them going.”

Based on that analogy if Jackson is a sedan, Barber is a mack truck. He would help on the goaline and in short yardage situations, but if he only gets a handful of carries a game what good will he do? If McCarthy showed any sign in giving the running game a chance, I would be more optimistic about Barber’s effectiveness. In this current scheme, he would be a more talented Kuhn and that’s it.

Don’t get me wrong, I would love to give Barber a chance on this team. I saw firsthand as a fan and reporter what Barber did all through college when my alma mater Minnesota still had a football team earlier this decade. He was a beast and had great work ethic, traits he carried over in the NFL.

However, what proof is there that Thompson would make this trade like this? None. What proof is there that McCarthy would actually utilize Barber? None.

Thankfully the trade deadline is tomorrow, so we don’t have any more rumors to dispel.

-Adam Somers

Let’s get to the rest of it, quick-hit, bullet-point style right now:

Mike McCarthy said he and Aaron Rodgers are “on the same page” [...]]]> Outside of the disappointing news regarding Morgan Burnett – no link, you can just scroll down – there was a lot going on with the Green Bay Packers on Monday.

Let’s get to the rest of it, quick-hit, bullet-point style right now:

• McCarthy downplays Rodgers’ comments

Mike McCarthy said he and Aaron Rodgers are “on the same page” on Monday, a day after Rodgers questioned the playcalling in Green Bay’s win over Detroit. It sure sounds like Rodgers wants to see more of the offensive attack Green Bay ran in its loss to Chicago, one that almost completely relies on Rodgers throwing out of shotgun formations. I agree with QB12 – to a point.

If the team is really committed to going with Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn as its backs the rest of the way, then yeah, having Rodgers throw 90 percent of the time is a smart call. With those two, things should not be like they were Sunday (18 runs, 17 passes, with three runs from Rodgers, also). But I still feel this team needs to run the ball – it just needs a legitimate threat at running back to do so. I still think it needs Marshawn Lynch. McCarthy may not want to run the ball – okay, he really doesn’t want to – but a player like Lynch helps the passing game, too. Teams would have to respect him, thus taking away the option of nickel-and-diming Green Bay to death (something that’s only going to happen more and more). That only furthers the chances of success for Rodgers and Co. And, oh, by the way – Lynch is a pretty good pass-catcher, too.

• Agent: Chillar’s injury may be more serious than initially thought

Great item in the Green Bay Press Gazette Insider’s Blog Monday, in which the agent for linebacker Brandon Chillar, Jim Ivler, said Chillar’s shoulder injury could be rather serious. Chillar injured his shoulder against the Bears.

Ivler, from the post: “I hope it isn’t season-ending, don’t think it is, but I’m not going to rule out that it’s not possible. By Wednesday, we’ll probably have a better idea.”

Unlike those season-ending injuries suffered by Ryan Grant and Burnett, Chillar’s injury would not significantly damage the position he plays at. Linebacker, outside of maybe wide receiver or offensive line, is the Packers’ deepest position. There are more than enough options to fill his void, should his season be over.

And, besides, it’s not like Chillar was setting anything on fire with his play. For all his athleticism, Chillar hadn’t been much of a factor at all so far this season. Even worse, his coverage skills – supposedly the best part of his game – had suffered, for some reason.

• McCarthy thinks the Packers need a dose of reality

Backtracking to McCarthy’s Monday presser, there was another bit of interesting info: McCarthy thinks the Packers need to relax a bit after Sunday’s close win.

McCarthy: “I’ll just say this: I think we need to get a little more realistic, and I haven’t talked to the team yet. I’ll touch on this when I get in there, but we came in the locker room, we always pray when we come back in, and usually there is some excitement. You would have thought we lost in the locker room, and I think that is unrealistic and we need to get in touch with reality.”

You know what? He’s dead-on. Sunday’s win was not wonderful, to say the least, but it’s a win. It’s something to build off of. No point in getting too down over it. I’m sure the folks in San Francisco, Carolina and Detroit would gladly trade places with Green Bay.

• Rodgers voted union rep for the team

Rodgers now replaces Mark Tauscher, who had filled that role for the past couple of years.

Greg Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more about the situation, and what it means as far as the team’s stance in the pending labor situation, here. Sad that you’re leaving us, Greg, but best of luck.

• Packers’ fans in D.C., look out!

OBOD is heading your way this weekend. There is talk of a meet up – or Tweet up, as the kids like to call ‘em – somewhere Saturday night in the D.C. area. We’ll hopefully know more shortly. When we do, we’ll pass it along.

For now, I’m just worried about how I’m going to handle the two-and-a-half hour flight Saturday morning. I’m utterly, completely terrified of flying. Any suggestions? If not, can you at least pray for me?

-Chris Lempesis

It’s a sample, a taste. And whether a team’s start is atrocious, fantastic, or somewhere in between, four games is not enough to determine how things will go the rest of the way.

But it is enough to paint a picture of what kind of team you have.

The Green Bay Packers - a team [...]]]> Four games is four games.

It’s a sample, a taste. And whether a team’s start is atrocious, fantastic, or somewhere in between, four games is not enough to determine how things will go the rest of the way.

But it is enough to paint a picture of what kind of team you have.

The Green Bay Packers - a team now standing at 3-1 after Sunday’s 28-26 win over the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field – are a portrait of a team firmly entrenched in an area between fantastic and the middle. The needle moves quite frantically, though, the Packers shifting between overwhelming - and overwhemingly disappointing – on a seemingly minute-to-minute basis.

Sunday’s contest was a perfect example of that. More than a bit maddening, yes, but still a perfect example.

The offense is, to borrow one from “The Blues Brothers”, powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline – at times. Against the lowly, but quickly improving and vastly irritating Lions (0-4), the Packers managed to throw 21 points on the board in the first half, despite only having the ball for just over 10 minutes. The three scores all came on beautiful plays made by Aaron Rodgers, the young signal-caller connecting with Donald Driver, Jermichael Finley and Greg Jennings.

In the second half, the opportunities were just as limited, but far less successful. Rodgers threw two picks, the first his fault and the other completely on Jennings, and things just fell out of synch. Just then, however, when naysayers like myself were assuring a Green Bay loss, the unit jolted itself back to life, smashing Detroit in the mouth over the final six minutes to put the game away.

Sound familiar to the three games that preceded it?

That’s not even mentioning the run game. While the ground attack was good with the few chances it had - John Kuhn and Brandon Jackson combining for 72 yards on 18 carries, a 4.0 average, the gold standard – it sure doesn’t seem enough to make defenses respect it. That needs to change, Mike McCarthy’s hatred of the ground game or not.

Green Bay’s defense provides another fine example of the needle’s rapid movement. The majority of the group played with little fire or intensity Sunday, though even if it had, it wouldn’t have mattered due to the extremely poor, stubborn playcalling of defensive coordinator Dom Capers. The blitzes were not working, but that meant nothing to Capers. He continued spinning them, even as journeyman backup Shaun Hill proved more than willing to sit back and simply dump off to his backs/tight ends (25 catches for 222 yards from that group). Hill turned in an outstanding day outside of that, also, accouting for 384 yards of total offense.

As bad as all that was – and dear God, was it bad – the defense found a way to step it up when it mattered most, getting great play from the corners, Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. With lesser corners in those spots, the Packers lose this game. Bank on that. Those two were instrumental in holding the Lions to four second-half field goals which, combined with Woodson’s pick-six early in the third quarter, ultimately made the difference in the victory.

Up. Down. Down. Up. Again, does any of this sound familiar?

Throw in another mostly down showing from the special teams – that’s two weeks good, two weeks bad, if you’re keeping score – and it becomes official: the Packers change their tone faster than the weather.

What this means the rest of the way is anyone’s guess.

Glass half-full: Green Bay hasn’t come close to playing its best game yet. When the Packers reach full break in their stride, they are more than capable of running away with a slightly down, wide-open NFC.

Glass something less than half-full: This team is dodging a ton of bullets. With a schedule that gets exponentially tougher from now through the end of November, this team will get crushed more than once if it keeps this up.

Honestly, this writer comes down somewhere in between. Yes, the Packers are, and will be, supremely talented to most teams they line up against. And, sure, they will be terrifying once they play their best game. But, quite honestly, they’ve given us little or no indication that that’s going to happen anytime soon. Until they pull it together for 60 minutes – not 30, or 20, or 50, but 60 – it’s not unfair to be skeptical.

The Packers can’t decide which team they want to be, so why would you?

-Chris Lempesis

Well, fear not – we’ve got Packers football tonight. Green Bay heads into Soldier Spaceship – er, Soldier Field – for a Monday Night contest with the Chicago Bears (7:30 p.m. Lambeau Time).

In this matchup of 2-0 teams, who has the edge [...]]]> Man, Sunday’s kind of stink when there’s no Green Bay Packers game, don’t they?

Well, fear not – we’ve got Packers football tonight. Green Bay heads into Soldier Spaceship – er, Soldier Field – for a Monday Night contest with the Chicago Bears (7:30 p.m. Lambeau Time).

In this matchup of 2-0 teams, who has the edge in the position battles? Let’s take a look now. This is part one; part two will run Monday morning.

Quarterback - It’s been an up-and-down first two games for everyone’s preseason MVP, Aaron Rodgers. By my count, he’s played four really good quarters, three bad quarters and one decent quarter. That’s not to say he’s been terrible, just that he hasn’t been flawless. Jay Cutler has been the Cutler that Bears fans thought they were getting a year ago so far, throwing five touchdowns against just one pick. Mike Martz’s system appears to be suiting him just fine, though it is just two games. Edge: Packers

Running backs - One game into the Brandon Jackson-John Kuhn experiment, things aren’t looking so great. While it shouldn’t hurt the Packers too much, long-term, you have to wonder how the offense will hold up in a game where Rodgers struggles. Matt Forte hasn’t done much better on the ground (2.9 yards per carry), but he is bringing great value in the passing game (12 catches, 188 yards, three scores). He’ll act as Martz’s Marshall Faulk in this offense. Packers fans know Chester Taylor from his Vikings’ days as an outstanding pass-catcher and very good pass protector. Look for him to get involved more than a few times in this one. Edge: Bears

Wide Receivers - Things are going pretty much as expected for Green Bay’s highly touted receiving corps, although you have to wonder why the team is dead-set on making James Jones such a factor. Note to broadcasters: He is not a No. 1 receiver for any team in the league and is only a two for about one-third of the teams. No clear No. 1 has emerged for the Bears yet, but the group of Johnny Knox, Devin Hester and Devin Aromashodu is young with plenty of upside. Upside doesn’t win the day here. Edge: Packers

Tight ends - While he has not set the league on fire, as many expected, Jermichael Finley has still turned in two very good games. Last week, we saw what happens when teams decide to single-cover him. Not sure if we’ll see much of that again. Donald Lee has not been a factor at all and Tom Crabtree is a blocker. Much has been written about how Martz does not like to use the tight ends in the passing game. So far, that seems correct as Greg Olsen has just five catches for 76 yards (and a score). Olsen is very talented, though, and should not be overlooked. At 295 pounds, Brandon Manumaleuna is primarily a blocker and will stay in to help cover Cutler. Edge: Packers

Offensive line - Green Bay’s offensive line has been decent so far, but Rodgers has faced more pressure than you’d prefer . The group needs to reach another level. Chad Clifton (knee) is a game-time decision; if he can’t go, in steps rookie Bryan Bulaga. Either way, Chicago will attack that side of the field. The Bears’ front five hasn’t been great, either, and will be going with a pair of guys, Frank Omiyale (left tackle) and Kevin Shaffer (right tackle), playing out of position due to injuries. If the Bears think they can get away with all those five-and-seven-step drops behind this group, they’re nuts. Edge: Packers

So far, the Packers hold the edge in four of five categories. How will things shake out in part two? Again, check back Monday morning to find out.

-Chris Lempesis

We give out donuts.

And, with the Green Bay Packers improving to 2-0 on the season with a 34-7 win over Buffalo on Sunday, we’d like to do just that.

Now.

(Also, we’re no longer giving away bad donuts to every group. Only one player will get the bad donut from [...]]]> We here at OBOD don’t give out gameballs.

We give out donuts.

And, with the Green Bay Packers improving to 2-0 on the season with a 34-7 win over Buffalo on Sunday, we’d like to do just that.

Now.

(Also, we’re no longer giving away bad donuts to every group. Only one player will get the bad donut from now on.)

Offense

A chocolate covered chocolate donut goes to…Aaron Rodgers. QB12 responded from a weak first half performance rather nicely, chucking the lights out in the second half. Rodgers went 11-of-13 for 145 yards and two touchdowns (plus a rushing score). More importantly, he played with confidence and seemed dead-set on getting the ball to whoever happened to be open, instead of just focusing on one or two players (something he’d done for much of the previous six quarters of 2010). Fans of other teams may mock the love Rodgers receives – yeah, ’cause no one in the press worships Fav-ruh or anything – but with showings like this, it’s easy to see why many feel the way they do.

Defense

A bearclaw goes to…Clay Matthews. Really, do I even need to tell you why anymore? Did you read my game recap? If not, scroll down – I can wait.

Special teams

A multi-colored sprinkled donut (they are the special teamers, remember) goes to…Jordy Nelson. Remember when I said I wanted anyone but Nelson handling return duties before the season started? Yeah, me neither. Nelson only returned a pair of kicks Sunday, but still managed to average 30.5 per return (with a long of 34). He’s averaging 31 yards per return this season, as well. More than just the numbers, though, Nelson is making up for his less-than-blazing speed with great shiftiness, vision and awareness. And, as my father would say, you have to love his straight-line style. No side-to-side crap from Jordy. If he can stay anywhere near where he’s at – and continue to show good ball security – he’ll be a great weapon for this team moving forward. This offense with good starting field position? Yikes.

Finally, a two-day old, plain donut goes to…Brandon Jackson. Didn’t Jackson get a good donut last week? Why, yes he did. But on Sunday, Jackson simply wasn’t very good. A portion of that blame falls on an offensive line that didn’t generate a ton of push, but still, this was Jackson’s first chance to prove the team doesn’t need to make a move for a Marshawn Lynch-type player. Consider him 0-for-1. With just 29 yards on 11 carries, Jackson couldn’t even do enough to keep the team from going to John Kuhn almost as much (nine carries, 36 yards for him). Unless he wants trade geeks like me to keep on talking, he’d better get better in a hurry.

-Chris Lempesis