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Nick Collins Signs Tender Offer

Packers Safety, Nick Collins has signed his tender offer ( 1 year – 3.3 mil) today according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. This is great news for the Green Bay Packers and their fans, who expected Collins to take quite a while to sign the offer.  This breaking news is a good indication that Nick Collins will be back in the fold next season and that him and the Packers seem to be on the same page.  Nick will probably have a new contract by time we see him at OTA’s and Mini-camp this summer.  This deal is another indication that Ted Thompson is committed to keeping last years core in tact and establishing continuity going into next season.  Way to get this done Ted.

Quotes: Nick Collins’ agent, Alan Herman

“Nick really likes it in Green Bay and wants to stay there. Hopefully, this will help us finalize a deal as we move forward.”

“We hope to get things moving as free agency moves forward over the next week or so”

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Clifton Signing Good for Pack Attack

Chad Clifton got the money he wanted and has agreed to stay with the Packers for another three years, most likely guaranteeing that he will retire as a Packer.

That’s definitely good news for the Packers, who saw their NFC North foes beef up their defensive lines yesterday. With Julius Peppers going to Chicago and Kyle Vanden Bosch signing with Detroit, the Packers are going to need all the help they can get on an already shaky offensive line.

It’s obviously tough to know if Ted Thompson plans on signing a free agent whatsoever (early indications are no), but the re-signing of Clifton is a great way to start the free agent period.

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Packers Extend Tender Offers to Nine Players

The Packers have decided to give tender offers to 9 of their restricted free agents. This list includes safeties Nick Collins and Atari Bigby, cornerbacks Tramon Williams and Will Blackmon, guards Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz, end Johnny Jolly, fullback John Kuhn and tight end Spencer Havner. Notably absent were punter Jeremy Kapinos and running back DeShawn Wynn.

What does all this mean? Well, each tender is leveled so the team will receive some sort of compensation from any team who signs one of these players. For example, Nick Collins and Tramon Williams received the highest level tender both money-wise and compensation-wise. If any team gives these players a higher offer, they will have to surrender a both a first and third round pick for either Collins or Williams. Johnny Jolly also received a high first round tender. These moves basically assure that these players will be back with the team next year.

Giving Johnny Jolly a high tender worth almost $3 million dollars for next year seems like a bit of a surprise considering his availability for next year is in question. He has a felony drug charge that has a good chance of netting him a four game (could be more) suspension, with the possibility of jail time. His play on the field last year was undeniably a major factor in why the team would offer him such  a high tender.

Daryn Colledge, who is reportedly angry with the Packers, received a second round tender. This is also a high level tender that will most likely keep away offers from other teams. Colledge had made his desire to test free agency known and is not pleased that his options are very much limited now. Jason Spitz and Atari Bigby also got second round tenders, and will most likely be playing in green and gold next season (for at least the preseason).

Will Blackmon received a fourth round tender, so he will brought back for the preseason with a major opportunity to compete for playing time on defense. It is still up in the air whether the team should keep him or not though.

Low level offers were given to John Kuhn and Spencer Havner.

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Clifton and Kampman Appear to be Gone

Contract negotiations between the Packers and unrestricted free agents LT Chad Clifton and LB Aaron Kampman were not settled by last night’s 11 pm deadline.  As a result, both veterans are now free to negotiate with other NFL teams.

The Packers have stated that they want to retain the services of both players, but it appears the two will be playing elsewhere next season.

Contract negotiations with Clifton’s agent Jimmy Sexton reportedly heated up as the deadline approached, but still no deal was reached before the deadline. Another NFL agent stated that Sexton was seeking a similar deal to what LT Flozell Adams received from the Dallas Cowboys two years ago.

Clifton remains productive despite his age (33 years old) and recent injuries, but Adams’ deal was for six years at an average of $7.17 mil per season. It also included $16 mil in guaranteed money. Adams was a year younger than Clifton at the time of receiving his deal and was also coming off another Pro Bowl and injury-free season in 2007.

It is believed that Sexton is playing hardball with the Green Bay Packers because he is aware of the weak talent pool at tackle in free agency his offseason, and he knows the Packers do not want to be forced to find an immediate starter at the position in the draft.

While it is still very possible that Clifton rejoins the team (hopefully at a better price than listed above), 30-year-old LB/DE Aaron Kampman appears to be as good as gone. Kampman is only four months into his rehabilitation from reconstructive knee surgery, and the Packers really just don’t need him back all that badly.

Kampman appears to have several suitors, including the division rival Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, and Detroit Lions. As well, the news just broke that Kampman is apparently the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ top free-agent priority.

It was also reported earlier this afternoon that Clifton is visiting Washington, D.C. to speak with the Redskins. The Redskins are in need of a LT after the retirement of Chris Samuels, and the Packers are reportedly very firm on an average salary of about $5 mil per season.

If the Redskins’ aggressiveness towards free agency in the past carries over into this offseason, then it’s hard to believe that Clifton will back with the Pack next season. But as I said earlier, Clifton’s agent Jimmy Sexton likes to play hardball.

Other unrestricted free agent news

Punter Jeremy Kapinos was also not retained by the Pack and is not expected to be back next season.

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Should Blackmon Stay or Should He Go Now?

It looks like cornerback/return man Will Blackmon will receive the offer of the low tender in free agency.

This means that the Packer’s have the right to turn down Blackmon if he wishes to sign with another team and the Packers would then be compensated with a 4th round pick. The Packers low tender towards Blackmon consists of $1.76 Million.

However, with Blackmon’s long list of injuries any Packer fan could question on whether Blackmon should stay or go. Overall, I think there are more reasons to keep him around.

Reasons Blackmon should go:

1. The 4th year veteran is made out of glass. In all but one of his seasons he has been injured for seven games or more.

2. As I said before, the Pack get a fourth rounder if he signs with another team. That fourth rounder could be more valuable than the injury prone returner.

Reasons Blackmon should stay:

1. When Will Blackmon has played as a returner, he has been quite  successful. He currently has the franchise record tied with Desmond Howard for most punt return TD’s (3).  While the 08 season was the only one where he wasn’t injured for the majority of games, he had an impressive total of 1,157 yards on kick returns and 398 yards on punt returns.

2. With the uncertain future of Al Harris and with Pat Lee’s unproven  ability, having Will Blackmon fill in at corner couldn’t hurt.

3. If he did sign with another time and became successful, fans would go after Thompson for not resigning him.  One similar player is Allen Rossum, who was not resigned and is still a successful return man to this day.

Although the Pack has given Blackmon many chances, I think one more go around with him is necessary. If he gets injured again this year, it’ll be time for him to go.

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Pack Resign Derrick Martin

In the first move the Packers have made with their eight resticted freeagents, they resigned backup safety and special teams ace Derrick Martin. Martin, who who finished second on the team in special teams tackles with 21, signed a two year deal with the team for an unspecified amount.

While the move appears to be minor, it shows the Packers’ commitment in keeping key special teams players. It also shows that Ted Thompson and company like what they have seen from the 4 year veteran.

Considering how much Martin struggled when he replaced Atari Bigby early in the season (his last significant playing time on defense), he must have shown something in practice to give the organization some confidence in him at safety. Martin’s agent, Brad Cicala, said that his client expects to see more time in the secondary next year. Possibly as a nickel or dime back.

While I’m not quite sure about Derrick Martin playing significant time on defense, I think this is a good signing because he is a valuable special teamer and the Packers don’t have to break the bank with a guy like Martin. He is just as good and cheap as anyone else on the backup safety market.

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If the Saints are Good Enough to Win, so is the Pack.

Watching New Orleans completely force the hand of the Colts late in the game last night made me think of one thing… The Packers really were good enough to do the same thing. You could say, “Oh, well Indy would have torn apart Green Bay’s D,” or “The Packers’ offense is good but it’s not dominant like the Saints.” But let’s look at the numbers shall we.

In the regular season the Saints had the 26th ranked passing defense while the Packers ranked fifth. Okay, maybe ranking in the upper 15% was a bit of a flash in the pan for the Pack because of an easy schedule; but had they faced tougher offenses would they have dropped 21 spots to 26? I don’t think so.

How about the run defense? You could tell last night that the Colts felt pretty comfortable running the ball. The reason being is because New Orleans gives up an average of 122 yards on the ground, good for 21st in league. The Packers? Only the top ranked running defense in the NFL, giving up 83 yards per game.

The turnover margin is also in the Packers’ favor with a league best +24, while the Saints –a team that proclaims to rely on turnovers- sits at +11.  So with all these statistics we can agree that the Packers defense is at least up to par with the “Who Dats?”

Now on to the offensive side of the ball. The Saints were outstanding putting up 6,461 total yards this year. This was the number 1 offense, but the Packers were not too far behind at number six, putting up 6,065 yards. Both teams were led by excellent quarterbacks. Drew Brees’ performance over the last few seasons speaks for itself. A-Rodge’s does as well. He actually put very similar statistics with the ex-Boilermaker. He had more yards and less picks, while Brees had 4 more TD’s and a slightly higher passer rating.

While numbers clearly aren’t everything, they provide a good way gauge a team. And if you’re gauging with these numbers, you could say that the only thing holding back the Packers from the Superbowl was a better defensive game plan against the Cardinals . Either way, with a few minor adjustments, these numbers give Packer fans all the more reason to be excited for next year.

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Packers Fan Announces He Will Return to Drinking for Another Season (Video)

Packers Fan Announces He Will Return To Drinking For Another Season

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The Packers Draft Picks: Picks 1-3

The Green Bay Packers off-season figures to be a an interestng and, most likely, long process.  The buzz is that the Packers are quickly working to grind out deals with NT Ryan Pickett and FS Nick Collins . So Im going to assume that those deals get hammered out and are of no concern come draft day.  So, when referring to Adam “Big A” Maritato’s article, I concluded that the Packers have two glaring weaknesses that they must address on the first day of the draft.  Those two areas of need are Offensive Tackle and Corner-back.  With many of our offensive linemen entering un/restricted free agency, we can’t assume that they will

all be brought back.  The packers have made it clear that they want to build through the draft and avoid long, expensive contracts, especially with the possibility of an un-capped year.  We also cannot assume that CBs Al Harris, Will Blackmon, and Pat Lee will all recover from their injuries and be productive members of this team by next season, if at all.  These positions must be filled and I believe that there are plenty of talented, young prospects in this years draft to fill the void.  So with out further ado…….

The Packers Selections Round 1-3-

Round 1: (in order of preference)

OT Anthony Davis- Rutgers- 6′6, 328 lbs

OT Bryan Bulaga- Iowa- 6′6, 311 lbs

OT Bruce Campbell- Maryland- 6′6, 312 lbs.

I think with the likely departure and age of the packers current Offensive Tackles, this position needs to be addressed in the 1st round of this years draft.  Although, I was quoted on the Podcast saying that the Packers true needs lie in the defensive backfield; this years draft seems to be loaded with 1st round caliber Offensive Tackles and the Packers can’t afford to let one of those gems slip by.

Round 2:

CB Kyle Wilson- Boise St.- 5′10, 190 lbs

CB Devin McCourty- Rutgers- 5′11 190 lbs.

CB Javier Arenas- Alabama- 5′9 200 lbs.

What I love about this group of Cornerbacks is that they are described as strong tacklers.  Part of the reason the packers were great against the run was because

Charles Woodson was exceptional at taking on blockers and making tackles on ball carriers.  Kyle Wilson may go higher than this because his stock is at an all time high Following an excellent showing at the Senior Bowl.  But He, Devin McCourty and Javier

Arenas would easily be able to step in and contribute as a Nickel or Dime back next season.  All of these guys are great athletes and projected as future starters in the NFL, save for a few reviews on Arenas.  All three of these Cornerbacks double as Kick/Punt returners for their respective college teams and all possess “home run” capability.  I would love any one of these picks.

Round 3:

RB  Dexter Mccluster- Ole Miss- 5′8, 165 lbs.

S Darrel Stuckey- Kansas- 6′1, 205 lbs.

ILB Daryl Washington- TCU- 6′3, 234 lbs.

Dexter McCluster may be small, but this little rocket runs a 4.32 40 yard dash.  This Kid has the agility and the speed to break one for a touchdown on any play.  Many compare him to Darren Sproles, which I would have to agree with.  If the packers arent confortable with the playmaking ability of one of their earlier picks and this guy is still on the board; they have to take him.  Darrel Stuckey is known as a safety that can cover a lot of territory in a short amount of time.  Stuckey has topped out at 4.4 in the 40 yard dash but consistently runs around a 4.5.  If he runs 4.5 at the combine, I would expect him to be around in the 3rd round when the Packers select.  Daryl Washington is an interesting pick because he’s got excellent side-line to side-line speed and is described as an excellent tackler.  The Packers need to evaluate ILB, AJ Hawks progression and decide whether this season was just a hiccup in what will be a productive career or if this season was a foreshadow for what to expect long term. I personally feel that a replacement, at the very least, needs to be considered.  AJ hawk repeatedly over – pursues running lanes which results in him getting blocked out of the play entirely.  He’s no stalwart in pass coverage either; AJ struggles in Man and Zone.  If the Packers feel the same way I do,  Daryl Washington makes a lot of sense here in the 3rd round.

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Rankings: Who the Packers should Re-sign?

While the Packers have just finished a successful season ( in most terms) they now must focus on next year and that entails the re-signing of key free agents who made this team become as dangerous as it was.  There are 13 overall free agents while they are broken down into  two different categories of unrestricted, where they are free to sign anywhere, and restricted which are free agents where Packers can match an offer the player receives.  For all the rules of free agency check out the NFL rules here.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (UFA)-

Ryan Pickett

Chad Clifton

Mark Tauscher

Aaron Kampman

Ahman Green

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (RFA)-

Daryn Colledge

Jason Spitz

Johnny Jolly

Nick Collins

Atari Bigby

Derrick Martin

Will Blackmon

John Kuhn

For me Nick Collins is the most important free agent we should retain.  But he may not be the first to be re-signed.  The Packers will try to get there UFAs settled quick and early while negotiations with Collins are supposed to be somewhat of a long ordeal.    For the UFAs, Ryan Pickett and one of either Clifton or Tauscher will be back for sure.  Although we picked BJ Raji with our first pick last year, there is always the need for quality depth along the defensive line in the 3-4 system so I feel Pickett is a priority.  Then we must bring back one of the tackles.  I would prefer Tauscher to re-sign, but i think Clifton would be the first guy they would go after to sign.  I also wouldnt be surprised at all if they both come back, hell, both are old and Clifton aint gunna make it a full season (couldn’t last year).  With TJ Lang backing them up for another year he should be a very solid replacement if one gets hurt or does not re-sign.

Re-signing Aaron Kampman would the wrong move.  Re-signing him is absolutely pointless from both a financial and personnel stand point because it was clearly a failed experiment when the Packers tried to convert him into a 3-4 OLB.  Combine that with the fact that he’s coming off of an ACL tear at age 30 and that he was terrible in coverage before the injury and re-signing him becomes moronic.  Also, you expect players to have career years in their contract year.  Most players do because they know this is their opportunity to get paid.  So I feel we should let him explore free agency, and if he can’t find any suiters, we could then sign him for cheap.  A low risk, potentially high reward type of move.  One team expected to make a run at Kampman is the Chicago Bears.  Which would be just fine with me and almost any other Packer fan I know.

Then Ahman Green also shouldn’t be retained.  One thing with Green though is that Ryan Grant picked up his pace once the Packers signed Green.  In the five previous games to Green signing, Grant ran for an average of 69 yds per game, while after he ran for a little over 82 yds a game.  Although Green pushed Grant to be a better player and ran hard in short yardage situations; re-signing him may take meaningful time away from the playmaking RB the Packers should look to select in the draft.  I expect this “RB to be named at a later date” to help out in the return game (both kicks and punts) and help out in passing situations as well.  Two things Ahman is unable to help with at this point in his career.  .

Now onto the RFAs-

Our main overall free agent priority, as I said earlier, has to be Collins.  He is a 2 time pro bowler and will command a lot of money on the open market.  The Packers have the ability to use thier franchise tag on him ( Which is when you sign the player for the next season and you pay him the average of the top five players at his position in the league).  Collins, on the other hand, wants the security of having a long term deal in place.  Some players do not like the franchise tag because if they get hurt they would lose millions in the following year. Collins is all over the place, hes a ball hawk, and when he gets the ball he knows what to do with it.  We need him on this defense for years to come especially with our cornerbacks getting a year older.

Next on the list is Daryn Colledge.  He played multiple positions but mostly was our Left Gaurd.  I thought he played well and was at his best at Left Gaurd.  He has good lower body strength and gains alot of leverage thats goes along with his technique.  One problem with this here is that Jason Spitz can also play Left Gaurd and he is also a RFA.  Spitz also can play center, so its not unlikely that both could be re-signed.  But it all depends on who the Packers value.  from what I can tell, the Packers value guys who can play multiple positions and both of these guys fit that bill.  Of course Colledge could feel he is being under appreciated and become a UFA next year.  I still think its the Packers best option to sign both of these guys for multi-year deals.  I hear McCarthy always talking about having continuity and familiarity along the OL, this would ensure that for years to come.  Johnny Jolly is also a RFA, this here is a guy who was in a contract year and made the most of his opportunities and had a career year.  He has always shown flashes but this year he was consistent.  Again you cannot have enough depth along the DL.   Jolly plays the end in the 3-4 and his job essentially is to take up bodies and have the linebackers make the play.  Jolly made a living batting down passes this year and made many plays in the opponents backfield.  Jolly was key this season and I want to re-sign him but he does come with baggage.  His legal issues, which consists of possession of 200 grams of Codeine and is still pending decision, raises huge questions about his character.  Also, in every post play scuffle amongst players this season, Johnny Jolly could be found right in the middle.  He’s a good player but his off and on the field issues raise questions and this being his contract year scares me a little.

Next on the list is a big question mark, and his name is Atari Bigby.  He plays strong safety and fills the billing of strong.  Yes, he makes good plays against run and lays the wood when receivers come through the middle, great.  The thing i cant stand about him is that he is just awful in pass coverage and does not have ideal speed to cover alot of ground.  I don’t know how much they will value Bigby, it will also depend on what Nick Collins does on the market.  The Packers cannot lose both safeties because the likelihood of them replacing them with players on the same talent level would be slim to none.  Another safety is Derrick Martin, he played very well on special teams and i wouldn’t mind having him come back for a small fee.

John Kuhn was very valuable in the red zone this year and was a solid blocker.  This is the same predicament that we were in in training camp.  The problem is that we would be carrying 3 fullback on our roster.  I feel that they should bring Kuhn back and let one of either Corey Hall or Quinn Johnson go sometime in training camp.

Finally to me Will Blackmon has no value because he can’t stay healthy for even half a season, let alone a whole one.

Heres how I would prioritize our offseason moves:

1. Collins

2.Pickett

3. Jolly

4.Colledge

5. Spitz

6.Tauscher

7. Clifton

8.Bigby

9. Kampman

10. Martin

11.  Kuhn

12. Green

13. Blackmon

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Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Connecting the Dots

As a resident of Pittsburgh and a native of Wisconsin, I have been indoctrinated as both a fan of the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Luckily for me, these two teams play in different conferences and rarely meet, so I can almost always root for both teams without much contradiction. They have only played each other 26 times dating back to 1940, and the game on Sunday, December 20th, will be only their second regular season match-up in 10 years.

But in my relatively unique situation, I have come to realize how similar these two franchises have become in 2009. In fact, the Packers have much to owe Pittsburgh for their recent success, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

So even though the game at Heinz Field on Sunday will get a lot of hype due to the current Wildcard prospects for both teams, there is a lot more to this story than meets the eye.

FROM “TITLETOWN” TO “SIXBURGH”

When you look at the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s hard not to think about their reputations as championship teams. After all, both teams have set some historic precedents with their past dynasties.

The Green Bay Packers of the 1960’s won five NFL championships over a seven year period under legendary head coach Vince Lombardi. These five titles concluded with the wins in Super Bowls I and II. From this success was eventually born the nickname “Titletown, USA,” which the city of Green Bay boasts on its official seal. Additionally, the Super Bowl trophy awarded to winning teams was renamed to commemorate Vince Lombardi after his sudden death in 1970.

Meanwhile, the 1970’s Pittsburgh Steelers under head coach Chuck Noll became the first team to win more than two Super Bowls, as well as the only team to win four Super Bowls in six years. Along with the championship successes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pitt Panthers, the Steelers helped define Pittsburgh as the “City of Champions” during that decade.

Now, after winning Super Bowl XLIII, the Pittsburgh Steelers lay claim to the most Vince Lombardi Trophies, with six. This, of course, prompted the nickname “Sixburgh” to boast their new NFL record. The Packers, meanwhile, continue to hold the record for the most national football championships of any team, with nine NFL Championships and three Super Bowls wins.

Both teams will be looking to defend their historic reputations in this week’s match-up. The Packers are currently riding a five-game winning streak, while the Steelers are looking to break their five-game losing streak. And each of them will have something to prove on Sunday.

HOMEWARD BOUND

Since Mike McCarthy became the head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 2006, he has professed his desire to make the team tougher and more physical. That type of philosophy is not rare in the NFL by any stretch; however, it seems very fitting for a man who calls Pittsburgh his home.

In 1963, Mike McCarthy was born in Greenfield, PA, as one of five children to a man who made his career as a firefighter and police office. Needless to say, McCarthy learned discipline and pragmatism at an early age. His father, Joe, also owned a bar near a Pittsburgh steel mill, where McCarthy worked odd jobs as a teen.

According to his biography on Packers.com , “it was interacting with the hard-working tavern clientele while also watching a father in uniform dedicated to public service that helped make McCarthy proud of where he came from.”

After serving as the graduate assistant coach at Fort Hays State (1987-1988), Mike McCarthy was hired to work under Paul Hackett at the University of Pittsburgh, where he served as quarterbacks coach (1989-1991) before coaching wide receivers during the 1992 season. His NFL career began when he followed Hackett to the Kansas City Chiefs as a quality control assistant.

Perhaps it comes as no surprise, then, that McCarthy prompted a switch to the 3-4 defense and hired Dom Capers as defensive coordinator. He grew up during the era of the “Steel Curtain” and was leaving his tenure at Pitt when the “Blitzburgh” defense was just beginning to roll. Who could have picked a better team to show him the importance of a hard-nosed, dominating defense than the Steelers?

So when Mike McCarthy takes his team into the Steel City on Sunday, he will get a chance to show his hometown the football lessons he’s taken with him. For as he stated after the Ravens game in Week 13, “It starts with our defense. That’s the face of our football team.”

REAL MEN OF (DEFENSIVE) GENIUS

One of the top stories for this weekend will undoubtedly be the reunion of defensive masterminds Dom Capers and Dick LeBeau. In 1992, these two coaches joined forces with Bill Cowher and Marvin Lewis in Pittsburgh to blaze the trail for arguably the most dominant defense in the past two decades.

Even though Bill Cowher and the Steelers’ defensive staff did not invent the basic 3-4 scheme, they made it their own. LeBeau was tasked with finalizing the product that would be given to the players, and it was his “zone blitz” stamp of success that became the icing on the cake.

Dick LeBeau, however, is no stranger to the Green Bay Packers team, despite coaching primarily the AFC’s Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals, where he first invented the zone blitz. LeBeau spent his 14-year NFL playing career as a defensive back for the Detroit Lions (1959-1972). In that time span, he made 62 career interceptions for 762 return yards and 3 touchdowns, and holds the NFL record for consecutive game appearances for a cornerback with 171. As of 2009, LeBeau is a nominee for seniors’ spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010.

But LeBeau had a little more to do with the Packers than just playing against them for 14 years. From 1976-1979, he served as the defensive backfield coach for Green Bay under head coach and future Pro Football Hall of Fame QB Bart Starr. In his first season Willie Buchanon, Johnnie Gray, Steve Luke and Steve Perry combined for 10 interceptions.

Fast forward 30 years later and Dom Capers is the man behind the Green Bay Packers defense. To say that he has been successful in transitioning the unit to a 3-4 defensive scheme is an understatement. After only 13 regular season games, the Packers allow an average of 272.0 total yards per game (2nd), 187.0 passing yards per game (3rd), 85.0 rushing yards per game (2nd), and lead the league in turnover differential (+18).

The Packers also have one more ace up their sleeve this year with outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene on the staff. After starting his heralded career with the Los Angeles Rams, Greene signed a 3-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1993. Known for his fiery, aggressive play, Greene earned two Pro Bowl selections while with the Steelers and played in Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys. In 1996, Greene followed Capers to the Carolina Panthers, where he lost the NFC Championship Game to the Packers. Now, as a coach for Green Bay, he has been instilling in his players the same fire he once had on the field.

Out of all the teams in the NFL to employ the 3-4 defense, the only other team to employ the Cowher/LeBeau/Capers system is the Arizona Cardinals, which makes the bond between the Steelers and the Packers defenses this year even stronger. Green Bay definitely owes “Blitzburgh” a lot of credit for how far they have come this season, especially considering the quick turn-around from last year’s miserable performances.

SACKING THE CRITICS

It should come as no surprise to Steelers or Packers fans that Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers currently lead the league in sacks at 38 and 47, respectively. And while many people can point to the weak offensive line play on both of these teams, there is one other reason for these numbers that both quarterbacks are guilty of:

Holding on to the football to try to extend plays.

Recently, “Big Ben” Roethlisberger has taken more heat for this after his eight-sack day at Cleveland last week, but earlier in the season, Aaron Rodgers was the undisputed king of making his offensive line work overtime.

Through the first eight games of the season, Rodgers averaged 4.6 sacks per game. His worst game in that time span was at Minnesota with eight sacks. His best game? Zero sacks at Cleveland in Week 7. Since the game at Tampa Bay, however, Rodgers has only averaged two sacks per game – a clear improvement.

Roethlisberger, on the other hand, is a little more consistent with his sacks. Since Week 1, he has averaged 3.2 sacks per game. Only twice has he been sacked in a game only once – never going without a sack in any game so far. But only once has he been sacked more than 4 times in a single game: at Cleveland in Week 14.

Some have argued that the ability to successfully extend the play has saved drives more than they have killed them. Other would argue that taking sacks on such plays has been more detrimental to the offense.

Either way, it is hard to dispute the mobility of these two quarterbacks and their successes outside the pocket when they can escape the pressure. In this respect, these two young quarterbacks are fairly similar in their approach to the passing play.

ODDS AND ENDS

Here are a few miscellaneous facts about some of the bonds between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh:

• Towards the beginning of the 2008 season, ESPN released its “NFL Fan Base Rankings .” The top two teams on the list? You guessed it: the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers.
• Darren Perry , current safeties coach for the Green Bay Packers, began his NFL career when the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him as an eighth round pick (203rd overall) in 1992. Perry played as a Safety for the Steelers until 1998, and was their first rookie since 1955 to lead the team in interceptions. His 32 career interceptions from those seven years are tied for seventh in Pittsburgh history. Prior to joining the coaching staff at Green Bay, Perry also served as defensive backs coach for Pittsburgh from 2004-2006.
• Scott McCurley , current defensive quality control coach for the Green Bay Packers, was born in New Castle, PA, and went to high school in Bessemer, which lies not far from the city of Pittsburgh. While McCurley never had any affiliation with the Steelers organization, he did enjoy a lengthy playing and coaching career at the University of Pittsburgh. After playing as linebacker from 1999-2002, McCurley remained with the program as a defensive graduate assistant.
• Packers FB John Kuhn was signed to the Steelers’ practice squad on November 30, 2005, which earned him a Super Bowl ring after the Steelers beat the Seahawks in Super bowl XL. He was re-signed for the following season but was cut after training camp. He was eventually signed to the Steelers’ active roster on October 31, 2006, and appeared in nine games for them. The Green Bay Packers signed Kuhn the day after being released by the Steelers in 2007.
• Steelers TE Sean McHugh made his NFL debut with the Packers in their 2004 game at Carolina, but only played that one game for them. He signed next with the Detroit Lions, who later released him at the end of their 2008 training camp – the same season they went 0-16. Ironically, the Steelers signed McHugh that same season, and he ended up with a ring for their Super Bowl XL victory.

After taking a look at the relationship between these two teams at this point in their storied histories, the game on Sunday should be that much more exciting. Their past together as franchises might be lacking, but in 2009, the current members of these organizations will make this a game to remember.

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Packers Analysis: What I Noticed During the Monday Night Game (Part II)

• Tramon Williams will more than replace Alshinard Harris. “But Tramon can’t keep his hands to himself,” you might be saying. True story. But the Ravens game featured some of the worst officiating I’ve ever seen. It was a miracle anytime a DB was NOT called for pass interference. Tramon will improve in this area once he realizes that he has more than enough ability to defend without interfering. He has outstanding coverage ability and playmaking skills, and he is a solid tackler with blitzing ability. The sky is the limit for TramonMang. The thing that hurts most about losing Al Harris for the season is not his replacement at starter. Rather, it is the fact that the Packers have no choice but to use Jarrett Bush in nickel and dime situations. If Jarrett Bush packed up his bags and decided to become a dedicated Monk, I think that would be a better career decision than to continue playing football. Good God.

• Charles Woodson led the defense with an outstanding performance once again. Without Chuck, would this defense be clicking? I think not. He makes it all go ’round. Leader of the defense. As of right now, Chuck has got to be the Defensive MVP of the league.

• Win or lose, Nick Collins is going to take his chances. He had a big interception and a missed interception in which he got burned. I am personally willing to take the bad with the good because more often than not it results in a big play. Collins is going to take his chances either way. On his missed interception, Collins cut the receiver’s route off hard hoping for a Pick Six but didn’t get there in time. Not even Primetime in his prime could have made that play (If you’re like me, you may have forgotten just how good Deion used to be…watch this video and you’ll soon remember)

• Dom Capers should win an award Coordinator of the Year. What a great job he’s done in a short period of time. Most people figured it would take the Pack’s D until maybe the half-way point of the season to be up to speed with this new 3-4 scheme, but did anyone really think they would be this good, this fast? I certainly didn’t.

• Aaron Kampman is a goner next year. Whether the Packers let him go in free agency or Franchise him and then trade him, he will not be a Packer next year. We have better linebackers than Kampman for this scheme. Clay Matthews, Brad Jones and Brandon Chillar are all better fits at OLB in this defensive scheme. Kampman will command too much money (and rightfully so) and does not fit our new scheme. He belongs at Defensive End, period. And he is a damn good 4-3 Defensive End — one of the best in the NFL. I just hope the Packers play their cards right with this situation because it would be a shame to lose such a great player without receiving legitimate compensation in return.

• Al Harris has got to be done with the Packers. He was losing steps before his knee injury, and when (if) he returns from his torn ACL, he just won’t be the same. Plus, the Packers are lucky to have an up-and-coming playmaker in Tramon Williams. It’s been great, Alshinard (yes, that is Al’s full first name). If I was coaching a high school football team, I would tell the defensive backs to play like Al Harris. Confident, tough, aggressive. He has not only been a shutdown corner for years, but he has also been a consummate professional and leader. Let’s hope that Tramon follows in his footsteps.

• Monday night was the worst officiated game I have ever seen in my life. Aren’t we all sick of seeing unnecessary pass-interference calls. Monday night was the second most penalized game in the history of the NFL. I honestly feel that only a handful of the pass interference calls in this game were legitimate. Most of the flags were unnecessary and unfair because the receivers were just as physical as the DB’s were. When a DB “armbars” a WR, the refs catch it right away. On the other hand, when the WR “armbars” the DB, it is usually not called. The best receivers in the game are typically great at doing this and getting away with it. There needs to be some serious talks about this pass interference issue because it is often becoming a deciding factor in games.
• Now here is what I propose the NFL does to clean up the sad state of officiating in this league: I’m sure that we can all agree that the NFL has been way too touchy/feely the past few years regarding pass interference penalties in particular. If you are not familiar with Ed Hoculi, he is the muscular referee who looks like he belongs on UFC. I propose that Ed Hoculi makes a case for looser officiating concerning the issue of defensive pass interference. People will most likely listen to him not only because he is ripped as hell, but also because he may be the best referee in the league. What if league executives and officials don’t agree with him, you ask? After all, he is only one man, right? No. He is Ed Hoculi. If you disagree with him, he will change your mind.

• Why is it that “Judgment Calls” cannot be challenged?! Don’t you think that the best “judgments” are made when someone has additional time and information at-hand to make the best judgment possible? I say if we are going to have Challenges available, pass interference calls should be fair-game. I mean, come on, after some of these bullshit pass interference calls, it is ridiculous that they are not open for challenge. I will bet that the refs would have realized their mistakes and over-turned a number of pass interference calls Monday night had they had the chance.

• The Packers have a pretty good-looking road ahead. The Pack are playing a dysfunctional Bears team next week and a banged-up Steelers team the following week. Then they play a shitty Seahawks team followed by a Week 17 match-up with a Cardinals team who very well may be resting their key starters because they may have the division wrapped up and no incentive to risk injuries before the playoffs. Three of the Packers next four opponents could potentially be tough matchups; however, the Packers happen to be playing each of them in a time of weakness. (For the record, I’m super impressed with the Cardinals after the Vikings game, but the 8-4 Cardinals have a three-game lead over the 5-7 San Francisco 49ers…do you really think that beating the Packers in Week 17 will even be the Cardinals’ primary goal for that game?)
  

  Packers special teams need to pick up the intensity and do their jobs (stay in your *&$@#! lane)

• If the Packers continue to play well on both sides of the ball, I don’t see why they should lose any of their next four games. OK — the Pack’s special teams still needs A LOT of work. AHEM-Mason Crosby, AHEM-both coverage units, AHEM-Jeremy Kapinos! The Packers seem due for at least one or two special teams breakdowns in each game. This has got to be cleaned up if the Packers want any chance of competing in the playoffs. With that said, IF the Packers establish some consistency on special teams in the coming weeks, they will be firing on all cylinders in all three phases of the game. THAT equals a dangerous Packers team. And it could lead them to a 12-4 regular season record.

But, as Albert Pacino preached in Any Given Sunday, it’s all about the inches!

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Packers Analysis: What I Noticed During the Monday Night Game (Part I)

• The Offensive Line is playing more cohesively as a unit. Even without T.J. Lang, who I believe will be a good starter for years, the Big Guys up front continue to improve. Tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher are anchoring the line as they have for a decade (yes, they were both drafted in 2000 – ain’t that some shit!?). The running lanes between the tackles are staying open noticeably longer, which is allowing Ryan Grant and now Ahman Green, who has run and blocked very well in limited time, to have more patience behind the line.  Sure, it didn’t hurt the Packers that All-Worlders S Ed Reed and OLB Terrell Suggs were inactive last night. But you can’t help but be impressed with how much this once horrible Offensive Line has improved in the second half of the season.

• The Packers have rediscovered their bread and butter:  the West Coast offense. After straying from their dangerous short passing game for several weeks in the second quarter of the season, the Packers are back at it. The five-yard slants are once again the staple of this offense, which means teams are going to have a hard time stopping the Pack in December. Armed with two of the most dangerous receivers after the catch in the league, Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, the Packers are better off letting their playmakers turn slants into big plays than forcing big plays downfield.
• But the Playmakers need to catch the ball first! While the Packers’ receivers have shown on a weekly basis that they have one of the deepest corps in the league, they have been dropping the ball too much. It seems that Jennings, Driver and crew often forget that they have to catch the ball before they rack up the YAC. (Jermichael Finley, I love you, but this applies to you more than anyone). And the Ravens game is not the only game the Packers receiving corps has had “Troy Williamson Moments” – there have been several “say whaaa” drops in each of the past five games. I know it sounds like I’m nitpicking here, but come January an easy drop in the second quarter could end up spelling the end of the season.

• At times, Jermichael Finley looks like a Pro Bowl playmaking tight end. But other times he looks like a second
  

  Once Finley becomes more consistent...watch out!

  year player who is still adjusting to the fact that linebackers can actually run with him at this level. While Jerry-Mike has the occasional drop and the occasional missed block, he is only a second year player who was drafted out of Texas with the future in mind. As he continues to improve his blocking, the sky is the limit for Finley in this offense (think Mark Chmura pre-high school graduation party). Every game you can see the immense potential this athletic tight end has, and in two years I think GerMickey will be one of the top receiving tight ends in the league.

• Mike McCarthy must take pride in losing challenges.  OC Joe Philbin: “Mike, I’m positive that we didn’t catch that ball.” McCarthy: “You know this is my thing Joe. Losin’ another challenge, one game at a time.” It’s hard to blame Mike on some of his challenges. Some key plays are worth risking a timeout to be sure that they end in the Packers’ favor. But other challenges this year, like the Kelley Washington catch last night, have been flat-out stupid. The ESPN guys should be doing a whole “C’mon Man!” segment on McCarthy’s dumb challenges this year. If McCarthy throws out the red flag, then you know the chances of the Packers losing a timeout and wasting everybody’s time are prettttty pretttty pretttty good.

• The defensive line is playing really well. Cullen Jenkins, B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett, Johnny Jolly, and the whole crew have had the trenches on lock down for several weeks. The D-linemen are putting some pressure on quarterbacks, but most importantly, they are commanding attention opening up lanes for stunts and linebacker blitzes. The negative: Pickett and Raji could miss a few games with injuries.

• Clay Matthews is going to be a pro-bowl linebacker for years to come. The guy just doesn’t quit. I geeked during the play when he literally ran in circles after Joe Flacco. The guy really plays with reckless abandon — he can take on blocks, make all the tackles in the running game, and already looks like a seasoned pass-rusher at times. As Clay continues to gain experience and master some of the nuances of the game that made his position coach Kevin Greene a pro-bowl pass rusher, he is only going to improve. Players with that kind of aggressiveness and intensity don’t fall by the wayside. They flourish.
  

  Clay Matthews has one hell of a future with the Packers

• Brad Jones looks like he has a bright future with the Packers. Size, speed, awareness — Brad Jones has it all. People are probably beginning to wonder how he dropped to the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft. He seems to fit this defense very well and is starting to look like another seventh round steal for the Pack. His pass rushing ability fits our defensive scheme perfectly, and there is a reason why Brandon Chillar, Desmond Bishop, etc. are on the sideline — because this guy is damn good.

• HOLY COLUMBUS!!! Did A.J. Hawk just make a big play!? After being drafted by the Packers #5 overall in 2006, A.J. Hawk has done little to stand during his four years as a starter. While he is, for the most part, a solid “gap responsibility” linebacker, he hasn’t made nearly enough plays to warrant the #5 overall pick. Not only does Brady Quinn’s brother-in-law struggle shedding blockers, but his downfield coverage has been a weakness for years. With that said….A.J. made a big interception on Monday Night Football! And it was actually great coverage. Let’s not expect this often, but it was certainly nice to see a play out of Hawk.

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Packers-Ravens Preview Video (CBSSports)

(Video from CBSSports)

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Playoff Stretch Time for Packers

It’s hard to believe a team with the NFL’s top-ranked defense and the 5th-ranked offense has to battle to make the playoffs with just five games remaining. While the Vikings have all but clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs, the Packers have to compete for a Wildcard spot with the likes of the Falcons, Eagles, Giants, and possibly the Cowboys.

Of those three NFC East teams, Dallas is in the best shape with an 8-3 record, and will likely win that division. They do, however, have a recent trend of poor late-season play. That leaves two available playoffs spots with four teams battling to live to see another day. Will the Pack be one of them? Here’s a list of things that must happen in the remaining five games:

• Stay healthy. The Al Harris injury is big, and the team cannot afford anymore injuries (especially on defense). Coach McCarthy did a good job of trying to rotate subs in against Detroit, but this is not a luxury the team will have against better teams.
• Step it up on special teams coverage. Green Bay ranks dead-last in punt coverage and 7th worst in kickoff coverage. We’ve seen how a big return can alter a game (i.e. vs. Minnesota and Tampa Bay), and even in the games we’ve won there hasn’t really been a great special teams performance yet. These numbers have to improve, or we will lose a game because of it.
• Beat good teams, not just garbage teams. The Pack really only has one quality win under their belt — Dallas. Other than that, they have played 5 games against the four worst teams in the league (Detroit twice, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis). In the final 5 games, the Packers play three good teams (Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Arizona), 1 mediocre team (Chicago), and 1 bad team (Seattle). The Monday Night game against the Ravens will be a real test.
• Mason Crosby, make your kicks. When Ted Thompson drafted Crosby out  of Colorado a few years back, he was supposed to be the kicker that could knock down the 50+ yard field goals and boot it into the endzone on kickoffs. He’s 1-5 on 50+’ers this year. There’s going to be a game (maybe in the playoffs) where he’s going to be counted on to make a long kick with little time left. He needs to improve — on field goals and on kickoffs.
• Keep Bringin’ the Blitz! After a slow start and some locker room grumbling about Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers not using the blitz enough, the Packers defense has entered a whole new stratosphere. Capers now feels comfortable bringing consistent pressure with the blitz (including Corner and Safety blitzes) and the Packers D now ranks #1 overall in the NFL. In particular, allowing Charles Woodson to play closer to the line of scrimmage has put him in position to make some big plays against the run and the pass. If Capers continues to bring the heat — and there should be no reason to stop now — the Packers’ new 3-4 defense just may have what it takes to make a serious run deep into the playoffs.
  

  Capers needs to continue to put C-Wood in position to make plays a la LeRoy Butler in the '90s

First, the Packers need to take care of business in their remaining five games — starting with their Monday night battle against the Baltimore Ravens. If the Packers cut down on the penalties and continue to improve their consistency in all three phases of the game, they will find themselves playing football in January.

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