WST Podcast (2/2/11) Part 1

Duration: 16:21

Topics:

• Story lines preceding the Super Bowl

• Is Aaron Rodgers to blame for the team photo/Twitter controversy

• Defensive Player of the Year award– Should Clay Mathews have won the award?

WST Podcast 1.24.11 (Packer Section)

Duration: 16:11

Topics:

• The WiscoSportsTalk Crew is joined by Dave from SteelersDepot.com and the Terrible Podcast.

• Dave and the WST guys talk about the confidence level of the Packer and Steeler faithful.

• Dave and the guys break down the weaknesses of their respective teams.

• Predictions for the big game.

It wasn’t Aaron Rodgers’ best statistical game, but chalk it up as another road playoff victory on the growing resume’ of the young QB. Bears QB Jay Cutler played terribly, and was yanked in the third after suffering a “knee injury,” giving way to Todd Collins, perhaps the worst backup quarterback in the league. Needless to say, after a few gangly, errant throws, Collins quickly begat 3rd stringer, and rightful 2nd stringer, Caleb Hanie. Hanie’s performance was cute, but he was largely stifled by the smothering Packers defense.

With the win, the Packers are NFC Champions and have earned a Super Bowl berth for the first time since Super Bowl XXXII, a loss to the John-Elway-led Broncos. For young fans like me, whose oldest Packer memories dates back to about 94/95, the victory signifies a return to greatness. The Packers will face the Pittsburgh Steelers, who dismantled the New York Jets last night in the AFC Championship game. The Packers last played the Steelers late last season, an epic shootout that ended in heartbreak with a Ben Roethlisberger game winning touchdown pass.

GB – 10:50 – Aaron Rodgers 1 yd TD run – At the 1-yard line, the backfield resembled a short-yardage TD from last week’s divisional game, with defensive nose-tackle BJ Raji lined up as a fullback and extra blocker. But instead of a hand-off up the gut, Rodgers rolled out to the left on a play action, found the angle, and hustled to the pylon. Credit coach Mike McCarthy with some degree of trickery or reverse psychology, and a risky play-call executed to perfection. GB 7 – CHI 0

GB – 11:13 - James Starks 4 yd TD run – From four yards out, Starks pinballed his way toward the goal line, reaching out at just the right moment to break the plane of the end zone. GB 14 – CHI 0

CHI – 12:02 – Chester Taylor 1 yd TD run – After Caleb Hanie found his nerve, and consequently his throwing rhythm, the Bears found themselves 1 yard away from the score. They called upon former Viking Chester Taylor, who was acquired for just such an occasion. Simple, concise, touchdown. GB 14 – CHI 7

GB – 6:04 – BJ Raji 18 yd INT/TD – Yes, you read that right. Deep in their own territory, Bears QB Caleb Hanie tossed up a nice, fluffy loaf of bread, and a hungry BJ Raji, who had quietly backed off the line and dropped into coverage, nabbed the interception, and chugged his way to a touchdown. He then donned Rodgers’ invisible belt, and proceeded to celebrate in his own unique way. GB 21 – CHI 7

CHI – 4:43 – Earl Bennett 35 yd TD catch – Hanie delivered a well placed zinger into coverage down the near sideline, and WR Earl Bennet took care of the rest. A little delay from Bennet – not quite a stutter-step – and the WR quickly froze and shook off the Packers secondary, trotting in for the score. GB 21 – CHI 14

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A lot of Green Bay Packer Fans can rest easy now that two pivotal parts of the Packers Defense have been extended long term contracts. The news that DL Ryan Pickett and FS Nick Collins both will be extended today came from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s columnist, Greg A. Bedard.

It is reported that DL Ryan Pickett has received a four year extension worth a total of $28 million.  FS Nick Collins accepted a three year extension worth a total of 23 million dollars.

Quotes:

“I signed the papers today, We’ve been working on this off and on for a year.” I’m just happy to stay in Green Bay.” It meant the world to him to be here, his family likes it here; he loves to fish, he’s a small town guy, he loves being part of the Green Bay community.” – Ryan Pickett

“love this defense, I think I was built for it…I think the defense is going to grow leaps and bounds from last year.” – Ryan Pickett

“Our No. 1 goal is to get to the Super Bowl.”- Ryan Pickett’s response when asked if he and Collins made the decision together.

This Move will go a long way in helping the Packers return to the post season and compete for a Super Bowl championship.  Once again, the Ted Thompson haters have to eat a little bit of humble pie after this deal.  He’s done an excellent job of retaining quality talent on favorable deals.  Way to go Teddy. Go 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.

Once The Who clear out of Sun Life Stadium this Sunday, the NFL is left with a seemingly larger problem than a potential lockout in 2011.

You see, The Who is the last “big” classic rock band to play the halftime show, and after them, it’s pretty much slim pickings in the pantheons of rock (personally, my fingers are crossed for a CCR reunion).

Think about it. Since 2002, the NFL already had Paul McCartney, Prince, The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, U2, and Bruce Springsteen. Any NFL fan knows that the league has taken the safe route since we were all granted the privilege of seeing Janet Jackson’s nipple in 2004, and it’s hard to believe that they would change that stance in the immediate future.

Here are a few bold predictions as to what the NFL’s next move is for the halftime show…

1. Jay-Z, Lil’ Wayne, Rihanna, T.I., etc.

In a surprising move, the NFL lets MTV produce the halftime show again. MTV responds with a glorified hip-hop mash-up, much like the one we saw at the Video Music Awards in 2009.

As a matter of fact, MTV just rehashes that same script and applies the theme towards football. Put them all in football jerseys, have them sing about “swagger” and cough syrup, and boom!

I’ve already thought of a name for it too! MTV presents: “We Really Phoned It In 2011.”

2. The Doobie Brothers

You laugh now, but savvy football fans will remember how the Doobie Brothers “rocked it” at the Orange Bowl in 2009.

In 2000, I attended a Doobie Brothers concert with my parents, courtesy of Northwest Airlines and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. I kid you not, after every song, they had to thank one of those sponsors. Nobody in the crowd stood up at any point, and only polite golf claps were allowed in between songs.

Oddly enough, in 2001 I would be starting my own rock band, partly because I vowed that we would be cooler than the Doobie Brothers. The jury is still out as to whether or not I was successful in this endeavor.

That being said, the Doobie Brothers are perhaps the lamest choice the NFL could make. Plus, they’d probably force them to change their name to the “Groovy Brothers” for the evening. You know how the NFL doesn’t like to co-mingle with pot!

3. Led Zeppelin

I’m assuming that Led Zeppelin isn’t reuniting anytime soon because Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones hate money.

But honestly, how hard can it be for them to crawl onstage, rip through a few classics (I’m thinking a medley of ‘Rock n Roll,’ ‘Black Dog,’ ‘Kashmir,’ then ‘Stairway to Heaven’), take their paycheck and go back across the pond?

If anybody can do it, it’s the NFL. Imagine what Roger Goodell’s resume would look like afterwords:

Accomplishments:

-Commissioner of the NFL.

-Personally responsible for cleaning up the league’s tarnished image through swift and severe punishments and suspensions.

-Reunited Led Zeppelin.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Your dream Led Zeppelin halftime setlist? Post em’ in the comments, mmmmk?

For the past few years we have all witnessed what Favre does to his team in the offseason.  He holds the team hostage until training camp (this year it was until after two-a-days), then decides to return.  Year after year he talks retirement and returns to play, but will this year be different? I think not.

This year is eerily similar to the way Favre imploded in the 2007 NFC Championship game.  He then proclaimed that he was retiring, which turned out to be a lie, and wanted to come back after the Pack had moved on.  He tried to hold the whole business/organization hostage even after they presented Favre with a fair offer, which was that he would compete for the starting spot. What more can you ask for?

Nothing is given Brent, everything is earned.  I hope Vikings fans were watching when that drama queen wanted his way because they are in for a parade.  Yes, Favre has proven that he has some fumes left in the tank, but will he finally hang it up?

I caught the beginning of the press conference after the 2010 NFC Championship game last night. Favre held back the water works this time, but he sounded like an old man at the end of his road.  He sounded drained, especially after losing in the manner that he loves ( going down in flames). The gunslinger has lost a few MPHs on that fastball of his – he may need to use that Wrangler Jean wearing brain of his and make better decisions.  But has he ever?  No.  Will he ever?  I hope not (retire!)

It has been a long and storied career for the Ironman, and he should go down as the second greatest QB of all-time – second to Peyton Manning.  Favre should think about his last two shots at getting to the Super Bowl.  Once he threw the ball right to Corey Webster and once into a group of Saints with the same outcome – interceptions that blew his team’s shot at winning an overtime game to get to the Super Bowl.

I think Favre’s main reason for unretiring was to stick it to the Packers, but did he?  Yes, he won both games against the Packers.  Yes, he ALMOST made the Super Bowl which was the team’s goal, but he has also stunted the growth of whomever is going to be the Vikings quarterback – which I appreciate!  He is also the sole reason why Brad Childress got  a contract extension – which I also appreciate!  As a Viking, Favre has done some good for us Packers fans.  But that should all be over now. Let’s enjoy as the Packers control the NFC North for years to come.

I hope the next time i see Favre will be on a “Just for Men” commercial, starring opposite Emmitt Smith.  Now that’s entertainment.