Packer fan thoughts
 

OK, they are now officially 8-0. Did I really think it would go this long? No way. Let's face it, the defense is really stinking up the place - at least in yardage - they get the job done to win games, coming up with big plays to do so, but it is ugly.

I must say that I am pleased to be a Packer fan.

I have been a fan for my whole life. I remember the lean years after Lombardi left. I cheered for lackluster teams. I had individuals who were glimmering start in those dark times, and that made them fun to watch even then. And of course, hope springs eternal.

Then there were the 1990. Favre was fun to watch and the Pack was back. It was great to see them play and they had some great teams. Favre was an exuberant boy on the field, but he was just as likely to sink you as raise you to the heights of glory.

I must say that I am really enjoying watching Mr. Rodgers even more. You're not praying every time the ball leaves his hands, hoping it ends up in the hand of someone wearing green&gold.

I am also very enthused about James Starks, I think he could be very good.

I will admit that I am not sure where the Pack will go this year. I have great hopes, but I am also a realist. We cannot continue to play defense as we are, that's gotta stiffen up. Wherever it may be, I am expecting an exciting season.

Go Pack!

Peace of the Lord be with you.

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I agree that the defense doesn't look great and they give up too many yards and in most games points. That being said I'm truly excited about this team because the offense looks as good as it can be and I think with 8 games left the defense still has time to right themselves. Also the defense has given up a lot but they have also made the big play when it matters in all of the close games. That kind of composure shouldn't be overlooked. So from a pure numbers stand point the defense is a little scary but from a play stand point they are coming out with the big plays late in the game. And I don't really care if it's by a point or 50 points, a win is still a win.

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My thoughts are that there's not one team in the NFL this year that looks, "complete". Sooner or later getting in all these shootouts is going to backfire, but it's nice seeing this team come out in the second half week in and week out and put the hammer down. What's bothersome is that they've looked pedestrian against the run the past few weeks, whereas nobody was running on them (effectively) in the beginning of the season. If teams can sustain drives by running the ball, they can play keep-away from Rodgers, much like teams have done with Manning in the past. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm more concerned about their deficiencies on run defense than their pass defense.

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The game last night was crazy. I am glad that they were able to pull it off in the end. Proud to be a Cheesehead at heart.

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A win is a win, this is most certainly true.

I just wish I didn't have to sweat it so bad, wondering if the "big" play is going to happen to stop a drive. I'd rather know that the D was going to step up and get it done.

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Are you a Cheesehead? Or a Packer fan?

I am a Packer fan and I love cheese, all kinds of cheese.

However, I will never be a Cheesehead. Seriously, yellow Swiss cheese? That's just wrong. And it looks so corny on people's heads.

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This is true, there are no "complete" teams.

I hope the shoot-out method doesn't backfire, but you are probably correct.

Although, I don't know that the Manning scenario fits, for he didn't have as many weapons to throw to as does Mr. Rodgers.

I also want it clearly stated that I have problems with the defense, PERIOD! Run defense stinks the last few weeks, and the pass defense hasn't been decent all season.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

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In my eyes, I can't see anything but replay of Super Bowl 45 this year.
If that does pan out, the Pack's lack of defense and the improvements in Pittsburgh's offense is going to make the difference.
I have to say that I am enjoying NFL football more this year than any of the past five. The parity is such that any team can win any week. There is so much individual talent that every week a new, almost unheard of player steps up and makes a huge impact. There are no juggernauts, just a lot of really good football.
I'm getting so much pleasure out of watching these small, special groupings. Rodgers and Jennings. Roethlisberer and Antonio Brown. Tom Brady and Aaron Hernandez and Ron Gronkowski. Cam Newton!!! Wow. Carson Palmer finally getting a long-awaited chance to make a difference.
There are so many young quarterbacks cutting their teeth, Jackie Battle is an emergent great big back who could be this generation's John Riggins. I could go on forever.
This year has so much more than just "root for the home team". It's just incredible, frustrating, elating, exciting, and full of drama.
And now TO is in trouble again and Dez Bryant is replacing TO in the crazy department. YES!!!
God, how I love football. :D

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Scott, you are correct in the fact that there is a lot of crazy talent emerging and a bunch of good football to watch. But, I'm still a Packer-fan-addict.

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You know, I'm probably the most nervous Packer fan on the planet. These games decided as time expires are going to kill me.:) Towards the middle of the 3rd quarter of last nights game, I couldn't take it any longer. I had to get in my car, drive around town and listen to a Keb Mo cd. Due to the fall back stuff with the time, it was totally dark outside. An observation I noted.....EVERYBODY in town now has a massive big screen television and they all had them tuned to the Packers. As I passed house after house, it became obvious that I could not drive by without pausing and taking a look. It's surprising how easy it is to watch a game and actually catch the score from the street. No, I'm not a peeping Tom.:D I couldn't help myself. Some sort of Packer fan instinct, I guess. I finally decided it would be best to listen the rest of the game on the radio. A nice ending for me, but it did give me a bunch more gray hairs.

Just so you know, I live and die by the Packers but they do create quirky tendencies that I'm not terribly willing to admit. I'm a fan.

Another thought. Those with incredibly large flat panel displays really ought to close their shades at night.

Larry

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Oh, I get that completely. I love my Steelers something awful. It's hard for me to find something to wear that doesn't say Steelers on it and I married the only woman in the world who loves the Steelers and football as much as me (it was the first question on the datin application I made her fill out, lol.)
I'm just ecstatic how good football has been as a whole this year.
Between three fantasy teams, two 33 leagues, two survivor leagues, constant rotowire text messages on my phone, four newsfeeds on my desktop homepage, a solid 12 hours in front of the tv every Sunday and my Monday night games, and an HD antenna I mounted so I can get all the secondary market broadcasts, I qualify as a pretty good all-around fan, too. :D

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Sure he didn't/doesn't have as many weapons (who does?) but the philosophy of, "keep away" is the same. If Rodgers isn't on the field, he can't score points.

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I will grant you, that is a complet truism.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

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The Packers this year remind me of the 2009 New Orleans Saints. Shaky defense that was propped up by causing a lot of turnovers, and a quarterback playing out of this world. Let's hope the end results are the same.:)

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Glad you are enjoying the season thus far. I am not a Packers fan - but certainly not a hater. I like the way Rodgers goes about his business.

Blessings on you and yours, Todd!

:ss

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While 8-0 is an amazing feat, a fantastic play not realized in a few of those games and we could be 4-4 or worse. We talk about correcting the problems and getting the holes shored up, but I'm not seeing it yet.
I just believe if this keeps up, the "bend-but-don't-break" philosophy won't hold up come play-off time. Hope they prove me wrong. :2

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Sometimes the bounces go your way the whole season, right up until they call you the 2010 Patriots. (14-2, out in the first round of the playoffs.)
I was gonna say the 2007 Pats, but they had a good defense. Still, they needed all the bounces they could get to get to 18-0, and just needed one more in the 14-17 loss to the Giants in the Super Bowl. The well was dry.

A couple losses are going to serve them good. They have the 30th softest schedule in football with only the Vikes and Bears being softer.
Despite that they're giving up hoardes of points to mediocre teams and winning by small margins.
That's spooky.
It'd make for more confidence if they were really tested. I mean REALLY tested. Weeks 12-17 don't look like a cakewalk with some of those teams starting to put themselves together and getting confidence. Two matchups with the Lions, it's going to be tough to take both if the Lions can put up some points.

I'm not sure what's up with you' guy's D, whether you've got lots of injuries or a lousy coordinator or if it's the player quality. I can't believe it's your ball players, there's too much pride in that organization for guys to be dragging their feet.

Regardless, you guys have a STELLAR offense that's a joy to watch. You can't help but love every bit of Aaron Rodgers, he's awesome. No matter whether they bring home the trophy again this year, you're definately getting your money's worth.
We'll be happy to hoist the newest version of Lombardi hardware in Burgh. You guys can swing by and see it. :D

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The Pack looks unstoppable this year but I must admit that defense is going to have to tighten up if they are going to make another deep run. I would really love to see a rematch of last years Super Bowl but there is a long road still ahead. We will have to see what shakes out but in so many recent years past the team that looks like the clear favorite always seems to fade and bail out of the playoffs on an early note. We can only wait and see....

Should be an exciting second half of the season for us all!

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Which is drug down by playing a two win Carolina and Minnesota team and a one win St. Louis team. They've played four quality opponents this season (New Orleans, Chicago, Atlanta, San Diego) and have beaten them all. If you look around, not many teams can make that claim (Baltimore if you count both Steelers wins, but that's about it).
Small margins? They lead the league in +/-...
Pretty big talk for a team that's third in it's own division and has only beaten one team worth a warm bucket of spit.:D

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And with you and yours as well. :tu

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I don't think that defensively there are injury problems, coordinator problems, or lack of talent.

I heard someone make a statement today that has a ring of truth to it.

It went something like... "The Pack defense knows what the offense will do, so they're only playing lackluster. When they know they need a stop they do it. But, they don't yet feel the need, so why expend the same effort."

If you watch, you could almost get that impression.

I don't know what to say.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

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The Steelers seem to play that way on both sides of the ball. It's maddening.
Just look at the loss this weekend. They had the whole game to put the game away, all the chances in the world. It's like there's no urgency or killer instinct.
It used to be they'd come out and step on your neck and not let you up for 60 minutes. Now they'd rather dance and have a nice cup of espresso.
In the end I suppose it boils down to "who wants it most?" It just doesn't seem like that anymore.

I suppose we have to realize that the guys don't practice nearly as much as they used to and get far fewer reps to get their timing together. That's why tandems like Rodgers and Jennings are so important and successful. They have years of experience together, tons of reps, they think alike, they're on the same page, and each one knows what the other is going to do.
Lots of the guys on these clubs are just feeling around in the dark compared to how they used to get prepared. It's hard to develop a locker-room spirit if the guys are never in the locker room, ya know?

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I think my youngest, Timothy, hit it on the head too. "Practice once a week with full pads? Geez, I wish we had it that easy. And I'm not even paid as a high school freshman. How can you be good at hitting if you don't practice it? Maybe that's why the tackling sucked on Sunday."

Hmm? Is the new CBA part of the problem?

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But it's a problem that's equally shared by all 32 teams so I refuse to use that as an excuse when there are teams out there that are tackling well. If anything, if I were to venture a guess as to why our pass defense took about 18 steps back this season from the past couple, it's the pass rush (or lack thereof). Cullen Jenkins is now registering sacks on the dream team, and there's nobody opposite Matthews to put any heat on the quarterback. Matthews had as many sacks in the first five quarters last year as he does in half a season this year. He's putting consistent pressure on the quarterback, but there's nobody there to clean it up or vice versa.

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I wasn't ever really sure why we let Cullen Jenkins go.

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Because the Eagles were willing to give him 5 million a year and Green Bay wanted his services for 4 million a year, maybe?
Maybe they figured since they got to the Super Bowl without him they could do without him (even though he was back for the end of the season)?
I'd guess it goes right back to point 1. Money.

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I guess in Ted Thompson's infinite wisdom he thought some combination of Neal (who's quickly joining Justin Harrell in the candybone HOF)/Wilson/Wynn/Guy could fill the void. That, and he knew he had to save some coin somewhere to get some guys locked up long term, which is still a work in progress.

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This is one area that I'm envious of the Steelers. Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward are going to make sure that the Steel Curtain is alive and well for years to come. Yes, the Packers have Raji and I wouldn't trade him for darn near anyone, but there's nothing (young) of worth at DE.

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I hope your 2nd quote pans out and someone steps up opposite Matthews to give some stress to quarterbacks.

Yes, money is a big motivator.

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The last I looked, the three players that had the most sacks on the team after Matthews were the two inside linebackers and a safety. No bueno.

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I have no stake in this game as I am not a fan of either squad but Jared Allen is one bad motha F-er!:banger

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Spoke a bit too soon. I bet Cobb wishes he had that one back. I do like how he responded by just exploding on the following kick off though. The kid has excellent potential. Even with the muffed punt Packers rolling as I expected. Really enjoying this game.

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I'm with you on that one, Mark.

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Enjoying Rodgers sealing my FF Victory! Also hope the Packers are undefeated when we beat them in the NFC Championship in Green Bay! NINERS!!!!!

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packers vs pats in the superbowl would be insane!!

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What a great game to be at last night. Lambeau was electric. Everybody was stoked. OK, not everybody. The Vikings fans who were present were strangely subdued last night. Don't now why? They are normally pretty boisterous and boastful.

Oh yeah. 45-7. Guess they didn't have much to say.

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Mercy.:<

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:)

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There is a local pastor at the church which has a school where my wife teaches and both my sons attended, who is a huge Vikings fan. Had a meeting with him on Sunday, he was bragging about how the Vikings were going to kick Packer butt.

I called him when the Pack scored the touchdown to put them at 37-7 and said, "Dan, wish you were here." He was not in the best of moods.

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Hey folks, I've mentioned before that Tim Masthay and his wife are good friends, and thought you might enjoy a picture she recently showed me!

This is them at Halloween, left to right its Aaron Rodgers, Tim, and Brett Goode.
http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/v...13/packers.jpg

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Cool pic there.

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Aaron and Brett dyed their hair red in support of Tim. :r

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Well, they looked really good against the Raiders. Again, the defense was tough for a bit, then they were letting them gain yards at will. Yes, I know that they come up with big plays and take the ball away. But, what happens when they fail to do that? The defense worries me... BIG TIME!!!

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What are my thoughts? Same as last year around this time...
And what did we draft with that third round pick you ask? A freaking runningback. Eesh...:hn

Marshawn Lynch: 969 yards, 9 TD's
Starks & Grant combined: 966 yards, 3 TD's

You know how easy it should be to run in Green Bay? You know how difficult it must be to run in Seattle? But I digress...

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I'll take our 47 total touchdowns to Seattle's 25 total touchdowns, even if it means we give away 6 rushing td's. :) Seattle has what, 5 guys scoring? We have 10+.