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Donald DriverDETROIT (AP) -- Aaron Rodgers matched a career high with three touchdown passes and Green Bay beat the Detroit Lions 34-12 on Thursday, giving the Packers three straight wins and improving their playoff prospects.

The Lions lost their sixth straight game on Thanksgiving, setting a franchise record, and had an emotional setback after their biggest comeback win since 1957.

Matthew Stafford, playing with a sore non-throwing shoulder, threw one touchdown pass and four interceptions in a rookie-like performance, after passing for five scores in Sunday's win over Cleveland. Detroit trailed the Browns by 21 before coming all the way back.
More: Check Box Score | Woodson's Heartwarming Gesture
Dan Graziano: Pack Should Be Thankful for Rodgers

The Lions (2-9) looked like they were building off that momentum by recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff and with Stafford's TD pass to Calvin Johnson. But the Packers (7-4) scored 27 unanswered points in the second and third quarter to turn the game into a familiar rout.

Detroit lost its previous five games on Thanksgiving by an average of 23.4 points, and eight of nine in the showcase game. The Lions are 33-35-2 on the holiday since 1934.

The Packers have won nine straight against them overall, and coach Mike McCarthy is 8-0 in the suddenly lopsided series.

Charles Woodson returned his second interception for a score late in the game and struck a Heisman Trophy pose in the end zone, just as he did in 1997 at Michigan before going on to win the award. Woodson forced and recovered a fumble on the ensuing possession.

Rodgers was 28 of 39 for 348 yards and connected with Donald Lee, Donald Driver and James Jones for scores. He has played Detroit four times and those passing totals rank among the top eight in his career.

Driver had seven receptions for 142 yards, including a 68-yard catch, and a TD that gave the Packers a 20-7 lead midway through the third quarter.


Green Bay played without cornerback Al Harris and linebacker Aaron Kampman, both of whom had season-ending knee injuries in last week's win, and were just fine without them.

Stafford was only 20 of 43 yards for 213 yards, and his four interceptions were one fewer than he had earlier this year. He was listed as doubtful for the game because of his shoulder injury, but his decision-making seemed to be more of a problem than his health.

Johnson, who was questionable with hand and knee injuries, only had a 9-yard catch to go with his 1-yard score.

In Detroit's last game, Stafford broke an NFL rookie record with 422 yards passing and drew praise for playing hurt on the final untimed play. He also became the youngest player to throw five touchdown passes in a game.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
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Packers Spoil Detroit's Holiday Party originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Aaron RodgersCharles JohnsonMatthew StaffordFanHouse NewswireThu, 26 Nov 2009 16:15:00 EST Woodson Donates $2 Million to Hospitalhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/26/woodson-donates-2-million-to-hospital/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/26/woodson-donates-2-million-to-hospital/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/26/woodson-donates-2-million-to-hospital/#commentsFiled under:

Charles WoodsonANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Charles Woodson wants to be known as more than a football player.

Donating $2 million to the new University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital and Women's Hospital gives him a chance to do that.

The school announced Woodson's gift on Thanksgiving before he played for the Green Bay Packers against the Detroit Lions. The money will support pediatric research by The Charles Woodson Clinical Research Fund in the $754-million, 1.1-million square foot hospital scheduled to open in 2012.

"He's really studied and tried to understand what the issues are in doing research in pediatrics," Dr. Valerie Castle said. "What most people don't know is that less than 10 percent of the National Institute of Health budget goes toward research in pediatric disease.

"When you study those patients, you often times get clues to adult diseases."

Woodson hopes to attract the world's best researchers who want to help children with cancer, heart disease, kidney disorders and autism.

"I want to be part of that symbol of hope," Woodson said. "So that they can say, 'I know I can beat this thing and there's people out there who will help me beat it.'"

Woodson said during a visit to Ann Arbor earlier this month that becoming a father in January motivated him to make the gift, altering his outlook on life.

"It can change a lot," he said.

Lloyd Carr, his coach at Michigan, hopes Woodson's gift pushes his peers to also give back.

"I think it's going to have a significant influence across the athletic world that he decided to do this," Carr said.

Woodson acknowledged feeling awkward about allowing a Fox TV reporter and crew to follow him as he visited patients on an off day in November, but said it was part of his mission.

"Half of the battle is about awareness," Woodson said. "When I signed on board to be a part of this team, that was going to be part of the deal. Part of making it work is me being a face or spokesman.

"I guess what bigger days can we do it to bring awareness to the cause when everybody is watching a Thanksgiving Day game?"

The native of Fremont, Ohio, helped Michigan win the national championship in 1997. He won the Heisman Trophy as a cornerback who also played wide receiver and returned punts - including a signature one against Ohio State when he struck a Heisman-like pose.

His memories from college on and off the field led to him giving back financially.

"It was probably best three years of my life that I can remember, other than having my son," Woodson said. "When people still see me, even though I have been in Green Bay and Oakland, they still talk about Michigan."

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

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Woodson Donates $2 Million to Hospital originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Charles WoodsonFanHouse NewswireThu, 26 Nov 2009 13:56:00 EST Thursday-and-Long: Green Bay Should Give Thanks for Aaron Rodgershttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/26/thursday-and-long-green-bay-should-give-thanks-for-aaron-rodger/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/26/thursday-and-long-green-bay-should-give-thanks-for-aaron-rodger/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/26/thursday-and-long-green-bay-should-give-thanks-for-aaron-rodger/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Aaron Rodgers should have no problem staying upright long enough to pick apart the Lions in today's Thanksgiving Day game.As a man who lives and works in Green Bay, Wis., Aaron Rodgers knows. He's not blind or deaf. He sees the highlights, browses the web, listens to the talking heads. Like each and every one of his green-and-gold-clad neighbors, Rodgers is aware that the 2009 NFL season has been a turbulence-free cloud surf for Brett Favre and the Vikings and a brutal, muddy slog for his own Packers. You could actually argue that nobody knows this better than Rodgers, since no one else in town has (presumably) been sacked 43 times this year.

But since this is a day on which we're supposed to appreciate all the good things we have in life and take a little break from dwelling on the bad, I hereby invite the good people of Green Bay to fry up some Thanksgiving cheese curds, sit back and watch their man Rodgers dismantle the Detroit Lions. And as you watch, take a second to think to yourselves, "Hey, we could have it a lot worse."

The knock on Rodgers is that he's part of the sack problem -- that he holds the ball too long while he looks for the big play downfield at the expense of the often smarter, safer play that's right in front of him. And while this may well be a legitimate gripe, there are uglier warts you could potentially find on a 25-year-old second-year starting NFL quarterback.

Besides, think about what Rodgers is dealing with. The Packers' offensive line appears to be built out of a particularly soft kind of cheese, such as a Brie or a Camembert, only without the tough outer crust. Running back Ryan Grant is solid, but he's not a real option in the passing game. The Green Bay wide receivers, Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, are athletic downfield deep threats, and Rodgers is the kind of quarterback who can (and often must!) scramble, let a play develop and still make the throw, even on the run. Tight end Jermichael Finley, who can play in the slot and provide a shorter-range option when necessary, just missed three games (most of a fourth) with an injury. Add that all up, and it doesn't sound so foolish that a guy might be more inclined to take a few shots down the field.

And it's not as if he's getting them beat there. Rodgers is fifth in the NFL in passing yards, third in yards per attempt and sixth in the league with 19 touchdown passes -- and he's only thrown five interceptions. Just one guy in the league has started all 10 games at quarterback and thrown fewer, and yes, you can be pretty sure somebody in Green Bay has mentioned to Rodgers that the one guy is Brett Favre.

But Rodgers doesn't care. It may not seem fair that 40-year-old Favre and the Vikings get to have this dream season while he and the Packers have had to bleed and sweat and grunt their way to 6-4. But he's doing it anyway. Rodgers just keeps picking himself up off the ground and completing passes. At 25, he's playing and putting up numbers like one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL and he's got his team in the playoff hunt warts and all. And today, he gets to fire away at the worst pass defense the league has.

So Happy Thanksgiving, Aaron Rodgers. And Packer fans...watch, enjoy, and give thanks. Let the old man have his one last big year in Minnesota. The guy you have has been an awfully good replacement, and he's going to get even better.

Giant Headaches

Something just seems wrong with Brandon Jacobs and the Giants this year.Speaking of Thanksgiving games, what in the world is Giants co-owner John Mara complaining about? He's upset that his team has to fly out to Denver and play a game just four days after playing (and finally winning) one on the East Coast. Says this puts the Giants at a competitive disadvantage, especially because the Broncos played at home Sunday and haven't had to fly anywhere. But first of all, Mara was presumably on board with the rest of the owners when they approved the plans for the NFL Network and its Thursday night games. Did he vote thinking his team would never get picked for one?

Something's amiss with the Giants. The attitude around the place is all kinds of wrong. They've been wracked with injuries, sure, and that's a big reason for their struggles. But sometimes you just get a bad vibe from a team, and this year's Giants -- one of the league's biggest disappointments to date -- give off such a vibe. They seem to focus on the wrong things, whether it's Brandon Jacobs complaining that people like Ahmad Bradshaw's running style better than his or the defense fretting over the loss of fading linebacker Antonio Pierce or the owner complaining about having to play on a Thursday. Things just feel screwy around that place these days. Personally, I know they're favored and that the Broncos are in a free-fall, but I think the Giants lose this game tonight, and I don't think they make the playoffs.

Buffalo Hunt

Bills fans undoubtedly enjoy fantasizing about somebody like Mike Shanahan or Bill Cowher coaching their team next year, which is the reason the Bills don't mind letting it be known that they've contacted those guys. But the idea of a team that makes so little money off of its stadium that it has to play a home game in Toronto every year coming up with the cash to pay a Super Bowl champion coach in a competitive market is far-fetched, to put it kindly. There have been some whispers around the league connecting Marty Schottenheimer to the job, which makes a little more sense. But I wouldn't be surprised if, when the dust settled, the three leading candidates for the job were interim head coach (and defensive coordinator) Perry Fewell, well regarded special teams coach Bobby April or -- if the offense can manage to improve over the final six weeks -- even fresh-faced offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who's well liked by the owner and undoubtedly would come cheap.

Hat Tip of the Week -- Sheldon Brown, Eagles CB

An Eagles secondary that was already without defensive backs Joselio Hanson (drug suspension) and Ellis Hobbs (season-ending injury) didn't know how much it could expect Sunday from Brown and his strained hamstring. And in truth, Brown was limited against the Bears and aggravated the injury in the first half. But especially after Asante Samuel hit the bench with a neck injury, Brown insisted on playing, and he said he did so for a reason. "I'm playing mind games with my teammates," Brown told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I want them to know there is no excuse." The Eagles have held up pretty well this year considering an incredible rash of injuries that started with Stewart Bradley in training camp and seems to have infected every part of the defense. If they're to keep it up, toughness has to be a big part of the equation, and the example Brown set by playing on one leg Sunday night can only help.

Three for the Road -- Back on the horse! The three road teams I liked last week -- Miami at Carolina, San Diego at Denver and Tennessee at Houston -- went a combined 3-0 for a brilliant recovery from the week before. The record now stands at 8-4 in the four weeks since I started doing this, and we'll keep it up. Road teams in the NFL went a respectable 7-9 last week but are still just 69-91 for the season -- a combined winning percentage of .431. That (and the fact that I don't like the Giants in Denver) means it was pretty hard to find three non-obvious picks for Week 12. But here they are, the three road teams I like this week:

1. Washington at Philadelphia. Out on a limb here, and nobody's getting rich this year picking the Redskins. But this is a hunch based on a banged-up Eagles secondary, a better-than-you-think Redskin defense and the fact that Washington actually outgained Philly 308-262 in the first meeting five weeks ago. Plus, the Eagles are due for one of these, no?

2. Arizona at Tennessee. Yes, the Titans are hotter than summer on Venus, but did you know the Cardinals are 5-0 this year away from home? They're the only team other than New Orleans and Indianapolis that has yet to lose a road game. For a defending conference champ with a three-game division lead, they don't get a whole lot of attention.

3. New England at New Orleans. Second time in three weeks I'm going to try with the Pats in prime time in the house of an undefeated opponent. The Saints have injury problems in the secondary, and when that's the case you don't want to see Brady, Moss and Welker come to town. This time, I'm just hoping Belichick remembers what the punter is for.

It's Just a Fantasy -- Three guys I wish I had on my fantasy team this week:

1. Aaron Rodgers vs. Detroit. Seriously. He's the highest-scoring QB this year, and did you see how good the Lions just made Brady Quinn look?

2. Thomas Jones vs. Carolina. If the Jets want to take some of the heat off of rookie QB Mark Sanchez, there's no better way than to hand the ball off to their quasi-star RB, who could gain big chunks against a Panther defense that's still weak in the middle of the line.

3. Randy Moss vs. New Orleans. It's Monday night. That's Randy's time.

Traveling Man

My game this week is the Cardinals-Titans game in Nashville. Storylines abound, from Kurt Warner's (is-it-or-isn't-it-a) concussion to Vince Young's renaissance to Chris Johnson's run at the rushing title to whether the Titans can really win 10 in a row and get into the playoff race. I'm looking forward to seeing whether Jeff Fisher's turbo-option offense, with its super-speedy quarterback and running back, can outscore Arizona's aerial attack. And anybody who has any ideas for a good place to eat in Nashville on Saturday night, let me know. I'm sure they have a few.

Thursday-and-Long: Green Bay Should Give Thanks for Aaron Rodgers originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Aaron Rodgersbill cowherBrett FavreChris JohnsonJohn MaraMarty SchottenheimerMike ShanahanRandy MossSheldon BrownThomas Jonesvince youngDan GrazianoThu, 26 Nov 2009 09:45:00 EST Packers Face Defensive Disaster: Harris, Kampman Both Injuredhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/22/packers-face-defensive-disaster-harris-kampman-both-injured/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/22/packers-face-defensive-disaster-harris-kampman-both-injured/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/22/packers-face-defensive-disaster-harris-kampman-both-injured/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With a 30-24 win over San Francisco Sunday at Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers thrust themselves into the thick of the NFC playoff race. At 6-4, Green Bay kept pace with the New York Giants, who also won, and jumped ahead of the team the Giants beat (Atlanta).

However, it was a costly win for the Packers.

The defense may have suffered a couple of major blows with potentially serious knee injuries to outside linebacker Aaron Kampman and cornerback Al Harris.

More: Check Box Score | Lions Get Dramatic Win | Jags Rally Late

"Hopefully, these two injuries aren't as serious as we may think,'' Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported Sunday night that both Kampman and Harris had suffered torn ACLs and would be lost for the season. McCarthy told reporters that the team would know more Monday.

Kampman's left knee appeared to buckle while he was fighting off a block in the third quarter. He was helped off the field, then put on a cart and taken into the locker room.

Harris was running in coverage with San Francisco rookie Michael Crabtree near the Packers' end zone in the fourth quarter. According to Fox's Chris Myers, Harris planted his leg and "keeled over." He was placed on a cart and taken off for X-rays.

After the game, head coach Mike McCarthy didn't offer any specifics on either player, but said the injuries "don't look good."

On his Twitter page, linebacker Nick Barnett didn't get specific, either, but he asked fans to "pray for Kamp and Harris. The knee is serious!!"

The long-term loss of either -- or both -- could be disastrous for Green Bay. Kampman is slowly starting to look more comfortable in the Packers' 3-4 defense, while Harris is having another strong season covering top receivers. There is no question he has slipped a bit from the elite level, but as teams try to stay away from surefire Pro Bowler Charles Woodson, Harris has been getting picked on a little bit.

Now, if Harris is out for any length of time, it will be youngster Tramon Williams getting picked on. If the way Alex Smith and the 49ers picked apart the Green Bay secondary after Harris went down is any indication, it is not going to go well for the Packers.

Packers Face Defensive Disaster: Harris, Kampman Both Injured originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aaron kampmanal harrismike mccarthyBruce CiskieSun, 22 Nov 2009 17:15:00 EST Between the Lines: What's Wrong With the Packers' Line?http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/22/between-the-lines-whats-wrong-with-the-packers-line/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/22/between-the-lines-whats-wrong-with-the-packers-line/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/22/between-the-lines-whats-wrong-with-the-packers-line/#commentsFiled under: ,

Allen BarbreEvery week Between The Lines takes a look at some aspect of offensive line play. This week we look at what's wrong with the Packers' offensive line.

If you're looking for a line to analyze, there is no better subject than the Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers is on pace for 64 sacks which ranks as one of the worst performances of the decade.

So what's the problem with the Packers? Rodgers was only sacked 34 times all of last season while playing behind much of the same line that is blocking for him this year, so it's hard to point the finger at the quarterback. Coming into the season, four of the five starting linemen had starting experience last year as well, so it's hard to say that the line's struggles were obvious.

So what's happened? The Packers problems are proof of how difficult it is to hide a poor offensive tackle. And if injuries then crop up, everything can quickly fall apart.
Rodgers deserves a lot of blame this year. With a bad offensive line, the Packers have relied a lot on Rodgers' excellent mobility and he has bought extra time. But where a good quarterback will often extend the play, Rodgers often holds the ball well past the point of reason. On 14 of the Packers' 44 sacks, Rodgers has held the ball for 3.4 seconds or longer (on seven sacks he's held the ball for four seconds or longer). Around the league, the average sack occurs about 2.8 seconds after the snap--that's the median for the roughly 660 sacks that have taken place this season. Only 17 of Rodgers' 44 sacks have seen him hit in less than 2.8 seconds.

PACKERS SACKS ALLOWED
QB/Play Call
 10
Daryn Colledge
 8
Allen Barbre 6.5
T.J. Lang
 6
Chad Clifton
 2.5
Donald Lee
 2.5
Jason Spitz
 2
Spencer Haver
 2
Scott Wells
 1.5
Mark Tauscher
 1
Ryan Grant
 1
Korey Hall
 1
But the tackles have been the bigger problem. The Packers' tackles have given up 21.5 of Green Bay's 44 sacks (as best as I have been able to determine by watching every sack the Packers have allowed this year). Another 10 sacks can be blamed on the play call or Rodgers entirely. Combine Rodgers tendency to hold the ball and the Packers struggles at tackle and you've pretty much explained why Green Bay is worst in the league in sacks allowed.

The Packers' first mistake came in training camp. Green Bay opted to not re-sign veteran right tackle Mark Tauscher in the offseason, deciding instead to go into the season with third-year pro Allen Barbre at right tackle. Barbre quickly proved that he was not up to the job.

Barbre gave up two sacks in the opener against the Bears. On both of the sacks Adewale Ogunleye just lined up and beat to the outside on speed rushes. It was a home game, so Barbre wasn't getting off the ball slow because of crowd noise and Ogunleye isn't the fastest edge rusher in the league, so it was a sign that Barbre might be a step too slow at right tackle. Barbre gave up another sack in Week Three against the Rams when Leonard Little ran right on by him. He gave up another sack and a half against the Vikings in Week Four, another to the Lions in Week 6 and another in Week 8. By Week 9 the Packers were deciding that maybe Tauscher wasn't as washed up as they had initially thought. They re-signed the 32-year-old, and quickly made him the starting right tackle. He's been struggling to stay healthy, but when he has been in the lineup, he has been a bright spot, giving up only one sack in three starts.

The Packers may have been able to survive Barbre's struggles if it wasn't for the injury to Chad Clifton at left tackle. Clifton injured his ankle in a six-sack disaster against the Bengals in Week Two. When Clifton went down, the Packers lack of a viable Plan B at left tackle became obvious. Green Bay decided to slide Daryn Colledge out from guard to tackle. With Barbre already struggling at right tackle, the Packers were left with a nightmare--you can craft protection schemes to cover for one weak link on the offensive line, but it's nearly impossible to cover for two weak tackles.

Colledge gave up three sacks against the Bengals, part of Antwan Odom's five-sack day. Two weeks later the roof fell in against the Vikings. Jared Allen has made a lot of tackles look bad, but he's a Hall of Famer when he plays the Packers. In Week Four Allen had six of the Vikings' nine sacks. Colledge gave up two of them while rookie T.J. Lang gave up two more to Allen after Colledge went down with a knee injury. Lang, the team's fourth-round pick, is the hope for the future, but he's given up six sacks in limited action.

The Packers best hope to fix this problem is in keeping Clifton and Tauscher healthy. There are no good solutions for the Packers and there is little chance that Green Bay will completely solve its pass protection problems this season. But it's worth noting that in Tauscher's last two starts the Packers have allowed only three sacks, which is a sign that the team is finally getting some of its sack problems under control.

Between the Lines: What's Wrong With the Packers' Line? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Allen BarbreBetween The LinesChad CliftonMark TauscherT.J. LangJJ CooperSun, 22 Nov 2009 09:33:00 EST Brian Brohm: Your Newest Buffalo Billhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/brian-brohm-your-newest-buffalo-bill/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/brian-brohm-your-newest-buffalo-bill/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/brian-brohm-your-newest-buffalo-bill/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Brian Brohm Buffalo BillsBrian Brohm has left the Packers' practice squad and joined the Buffalo Bills active roster, in a move that seems pretty good for both Brohm and the Bills' organization.

According to the Journal-Sentinel in Milwaukee, the Packers attempted to retain Brohm (he was a second round pick two years ago) to the practice squad, but obviously the former Louisville quarterback preferred the notion of actually having a shot at playing with Buffalo when presented with equal contracts.

The crazy thing is, he's got a pretty good shot -- Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick are obviously not preferred choices when it comes to quarterback, and even though Brohm never got any traction with the Packers, he's still a high upside player; it's not like he had any where he could really go in Green Bay in terms of jumping Aaron Rodgers.

In Buffalo, however, he presents at least some possibility of a chance to earn full-time jobs for both he and interim head coach Perry Fewell.

Brian Brohm: Your Newest Buffalo Bill originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brian BrohmWill BrinsonThu, 19 Nov 2009 09:15:00 EST Charles Woodson's Inspired Performance Paces Packers' Defensehttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/charles-woodson-dominates-to-lead-packers-d/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/charles-woodson-dominates-to-lead-packers-d/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/charles-woodson-dominates-to-lead-packers-d/#commentsFiled under: ,

Veteran DB Charles Woodson helped make sure the Packers didn't drop to 4-5 against the Cowboys on Sunday.GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Nobody had to tell Charles Woodson the Packers needed this game. The team didn't have to call any meetings or make any fiery pregame speeches about protecting houses and separating backs from walls. When they showed up for work Sunday morning, the Packers were 4-4 and reeling from an inexplicable loss to the Buccaneers the week before. The mission couldn't have been clearer if it had been tattooed on the insides of their eyelids.

"I don't think anything needed to be said, " Woodson said when it was all over. "But me, I believe in self-motivation."

So Woodson motivated himself into a frothing frenzy and completely took over Sunday's game. He blanketed Dallas tight end Jason Witten. He forced fumbles, made a critical interception and basically made sure he was everywhere he needed to be -- even if that meant being everywhere at once. If there's one player who's the reason the Packers are 5-4 instead of 4-5, it's their still-hungry 33-year-old cornerback.

More Coverage: Cowboys Lay Egg at Lambeau

"Best game I've seen him place since I've been here," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said at his Monday afternoon news conference. "Very impressive. You're impressed when you're walking off the field, and then you're very impressed watching it on film. Very, very impressive body of work from him yesterday."

Woodson's main assignment in Dom Capers' scheme Sunday was Witten. Because Capers decided to go high-pressure against the Cowboys, continually blitzing the middle with linebackers, it was important to Capers that Dallas QB Tony Romo couldn't count on his short-yardage safety valve. So Woodson was assigned to make sure Witten wasn't open. And he was not.

"They put Woodson on me," Witten said by way of explanation for his pedestrian five-catch, 47-yard day. "And I couldn't get him off of me."

The only problem with Woodson focusing on Witten was that big, speedy Roy Williams was matched up against a smaller Green Bay defensive back on most plays. So when Romo had time to throw, he was able to find Williams, who finished with 105 yards and a touchdown on his five catches.

But Williams, as we all know, is a bonehead who can be counted on to make mistakes even when he's not covered. He had a crucial second-half drop that the Packers were happy to accept as a gift. And earlier in the game, Williams cost the Cowboys with a fumble that came at the hands of...guess who. Charles Woodson. After Williams made a potentially game-altering 42-yard catch down the left sideline, Woodson got a hand on the ball and forced it out. Clay Mathews recovered, and the Packers had their critical turnover in a still-scoreless game.

"I wasn't going to be able to tackle him, so I took a shot that I might be able to punch the ball out," Woodson said. "Anybody who's played against me knows I'm going to go for the ball."

This is Woodson's 12th year in the NFL, and the former Michigan Heisman Trophy winner has a well-earned reputation as the kind of defensive secondary player with a "nose for the ball."

"I'm sure a lot of coaches would like to take credit for Charles' instincts," McCarthy said. "But he's a very instinctive player, a very smart and attentive player, and he has the physical skill sets to go along with that and make good on it."

Once the Packers had a lead to protect, Woodson dialed his game up to 11. He came unblocked on a blitz and forced a fourth-quarter Tony Romo fumble (on the play that turned out not to be reviewable, or else Dallas likely would have ended up with the ball instead of Green Bay). And later, after a pass interference call set up Tomo and the Cowboys with a first-and-goal at the one-yard line, Woodson jumped in front of Witten for the interception that sealed the game.

"One of the best games I've seen a defensive player play," Capers said after the game.

And the timing of it couldn't have been better. Of course, Woodson knew that.

"This is no time to get frustrated about anything that's gone on," Woodson said. "(Sunday), we went out there with a lot of fire and a lot of passion that lasted right up until the end of the game. This is how it should look."

If this is how Woodson and the Packers defense is going to look every week, then this team isn't done yet.

Charles Woodson's Inspired Performance Paces Packers' Defense originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>charles woodsondallas cowboysgreen bay packersroy williamstony romoDan GrazianoMon, 16 Nov 2009 14:32:00 EST Cowboys Lay an Egg at Lambeauhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/15/cowboys-lay-an-egg-at-lambeau/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/15/cowboys-lay-an-egg-at-lambeau/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/15/cowboys-lay-an-egg-at-lambeau/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Tony Romo and the Cowboys know they blew a big chance to claim a spot among the NFC's elite teams.GREEN BAY, Wis. -- You could smell this game as far away as Madison, and the part of it that stunk the worst was the Dallas Cowboys offense. On an afternoon in which everybody -- the officials, the head coaches, the offensive lines...everybody -- seemed to be conspiring to set the game of football back 40 years, it was the Cowboys who came up the smallest, committing 10 penalties and converting just 3 of 12 third downs in a 17-7 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field.

"This was an impressive win for Green Bay," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "But it was unimpressive the way we didn't execute, especially early, when we still had a chance to get the game going the way we wanted it to go."

But the most disappointing part for the Cowboys was that, by losing this game, they blew a very real chance to get the season going the way they wanted it to go.
More: Check Box Score | Cards Get Big Win | Chiefs Outlast Raiders

Dallas came in having won four in a row and claiming first place in the NFC East, a division nobody seems to want. Lining up against the Packers, who'd allowed a league-high 37 sacks and just last week became the first team this year to lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Cowboys appeared poised to continue their roll and move to 7-2. With the Eagles losing in San Diego, they'd have had a full two-game division lead and could have made a case for themselves among the NFC's elite, along with Minnesota and New Orleans.

Instead, they slipped on a penalty flag or eight and fell right back to the parity pack.

"You've got to play better than that," Dallas tight end Jason Witten said. "Our defense actually played pretty well, but as an offense, we let them down. How many plays did we have in the first half? Twenty-five? That's not enough."

If you somehow managed to stay awake through the first half Sunday, didn't know anything about the two teams but what you'd seen in that brutal first 30 minutes, and somebody had asked you, "Which of these teams lost to previously winless Tampa Bay last week?", you'd probably have said the team with the stars on their helmets. The Cowboys were awful. They were 0 of 5 on third downs in the first half, possessing the ball for just 11:10 and running a mere 21 plays (sorry, Jason) to Green Bay's 36.


And it's not as if the Packers were setting the world on fire during this time. Green Bay committed seven penalties and was just 2-for-8 on third down in the first half, and only a last-second Mason Crosby field goal prevented what would have been a perfectly justified scoreless halftime tie. The Packers' offensive line was as Camembert-soft as advertised, and the Cowboys' defenders harassed Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers all day. There was more than enough incompetence to go around, including a cornucopia of it by Jeff Triplette and an officiating crew that called phantom penalties and couldn't figure out when the Cowboys and Packers were and weren't allowed to use their replay challenges.

But Dallas couldn't rise above the morass of mediocrity. On the rare occasions when Dallas actually possessed the ball, the Cowboys' own line wasn't able to keep Tony Romo from getting flattened. The most astounding stat of the game may be that the Cowboys yielded more sacks (5) than did the Packers (4).

"We let our defense stay out there and stay out there and stay out there," Jones said. "It was very disappointing, and a reminder to everyone that all these teams have very good athletes and very good players."

The Cowboys are still a good team, of course. They remain in first place, and as we begin to size up the playoff picture, there are reasons to like them better than teams like the Eagles, Giants, Falcons and even the Packers. But what they lost Sunday, in addition to a game, was the chance to puff out their chests and feel like they were somehow above that 5-4 fray. A win here, on the not-yet-frozen tundra, would have given the league reason to view them as a clear Super Bowl contender -- the kind of team that plans to play home games on those crucial January weekends.

And while they may yet be that, after losing this particular game, the Cowboys can consider themselves no better than one of many very similar NFC contenders.

"Just a minor hiccup," Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking said confidently. "That's the way we have to look at it. We've bounced back from our losses in a very positive way this year, and hopefully that's what we do this week coming up."

Oh, it's there for them if they want it. Their upcoming schedule is fertile ground for a recovery -- home games against the Redskins (just three games back!!) and the Raiders before a road game against the reeling Giants. The Cowboys still have a chance to get back on the horse they rode into Lambeau Field on Sunday morning. They need to tighten up their line play, remember how good their running backs are and keep finding ways to minimize the damage the all-or-(usually)-nothing Roy Williams does with his dropped passes and sloppy route-running. They need to play with the confidence they showed over the previous four weeks -- the confidence of a team that knows it's good and dares those stuck in the middle of the pack to try and stop it. They can do it.

It's just that, if they'd actually won this game Sunday -- which they very well could and should have -- that would have been a whole lot easier for them.

Cowboys Lay an Egg at Lambeau originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>dallas cowboysDallasCowboysgreen bay packersGreenBayPackersjason wittenJasonWittenjerry jonesJerryJonesroy williamsRoyWilliamstony romoTonyRomoDan GrazianoSun, 15 Nov 2009 21:45:00 EST NFL FanHouse Week 10 Preview Recaphttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/nfl-fanhouse-week-10-live-chat/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/nfl-fanhouse-week-10-live-chat/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/nfl-fanhouse-week-10-live-chat/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

For weeks, people have asked if the Cincinnati Bengals are for real. The team keeps responding by finding ways to win games, but the questions keep coming in. This week, they get a chance to sweep the defending Super Bowl champions. Green Bay was picked by many to be a playoff team this season, but they've limped their way to 4-4, got worked by a former teammate, and now face a virtual must-win against red-hot Dallas. Meanwhile, the Colts and Patriots are stealing the spotlight for another high-profile meeting.

We'll chat about all of this at 12 P.M. Eastern, and we invite you to join us after the jump!

NFL FanHouse Week 10 Preview Recap originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bruce CiskieFri, 13 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST Between the Lines: Who's Allowing the Most Sacks?http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/between-the-lines-whos-allowing-the-most-sacks/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/between-the-lines-whos-allowing-the-most-sacks/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/13/between-the-lines-whos-allowing-the-most-sacks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Daryn ColledgeEvery week FanHouse looks at some aspect of NFL line play for the weekly Between The Lines feature.

Because of bye weeks, most teams are halfway through their season even as we're getting ready to watch Week 10. The halfway point seems like as good a time as any to roll out complete sacks allowed stats.

These stats were culled by watching each and every sack that has occurred in the NFL this season (with the exception of a couple of minutes of a Redskins-Chiefs game that was lost because of a broadcasting problem). In going back and watching every sack, I timed the time from the snap to the initial hit on the quarterback (then rewound it and timed it a couple of more times to confirm the time) and tried to assign blame to the person responsible for giving up the sack.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm sure a couple of these sacks are assigned to the wrong person. Assigning blame for sacks isn't as cut and dried as adding up rushing yardage--sometimes a blitzer may appear to be one lineman's man, but because of the blitz pickup rules on that particular play, he was actually someone else's assignment. But I do believe those are few and far between, and on most sacks it's pretty easy to figure out who's to blame--he's the offensive lineman shaking his head after the play after his man beat him head-to-head.

If you take the time to add all these sacks up, you'll notice that this list is missing more than 120 sacks. Those are sacks that were blamed on the play call or the quarterback. If a team keeps five in to block against a seven-man blitz and one of those unblocked blitzers hits the quarterback, blame the QB for not getting the ball out or blame the offensive coordinator, but there was nothing the line could do. Also, when a quarterback takes off to try to run after dropping back to pass, it's still charged as a sack if he doesn't get back to the line of scrimmage, but an offensive tackle did his job if he walled off his man, only to see him turn around and run the other way to tackle the QB at the line of scrimmage -- that goes on the quarterback. The same can be said for the rare times that a quarterback just runs out of bounds instead of throwing the ball away (well it's rare for everyone but Seattle's Seneca Wallace, who seems to make it a habit of his).

As you will notice and probably not be surprised to see, a pair of Packers rank among the league's worst. It's worth noting that Green Bay's Allen Barbre lost his starting right tackle job while Daryn Colledge's experiment as the team's fill-in left tackle has also been quickly ended and he was moved inside to the less demanding guard position. San Francisco's Adam Snyder has also lost his job at right tackle although like Colledge he was moved inside to guard.

I've included the median time of each sack to demonstrate that all sacks are not created equal. With seven sacks allowed, Duane Brown seems to be having a bad year for the Texans, but Matt Schaub is not doing him any favors. On five of Brown's sacks, Schaub had 3.5 seconds or more to throw, but his tendency to hold the ball meant that Brown's man eventually got the sack. With Peyton Manning at quarterback, Brown would likely have two sacks allowed at most this year. Carolina's Jordan Gross, on the other hand, wins the award for the big-name offensive lineman having the most problems in pass protection.

See List of Sacks Allowed Sorted by Team

SACKS ALLOWED BY PLAYER
Player Team Sacks Allowed Median Time Player Team Sacks Allowed Median Time
Adam Snyder SF 7 2.6 Jerome Harrison CLE 1.5 1.9
Allen Barbre GB 7 2.6 Jamaal Jackson PHI 1.5 2.1
Jordan Gross CAR 7 2.6 Jason Brown STL 1.5 2.3
Daryn Colledge GB 7 2.9 Louis Vasquez SD 1.5 2.3
Duane Brown HOU 7 3.6 Geoff Hangartner BUF 1.5 2.4
Stephon Heyer WAS 6.5 2.8 Anthony Fasano MIA 1.5 2.5
Levi Brown ARI 6 2.8 Chris Snee NYG 1.5 2.8
T.J. Lang GB 5 2.4 Logan Mankins NE 1.5 2.9
Mike Gandy ARI 5 2.5 D'Brikishaw Ferguson NYJ 1.5 3.1
Sean Ryan KC 5 2.6 Dan Koppen NE 1.5 3.1
Jeff Backus DET 4.5 2.5 Donald Lee GB 1.5 3.1
Jermon Bushrod NO 4.5 2.6 Matt Birk BAL 1.5 3.3
Mario Henderson OAK 4.5 2.7 Jon Jansen DET 1.5 3.9
Jeromey Clary SD 4.5 2.8 Heath Miller PIT 1.5 4.2
Max Starks PIT 4.5 3.7 Chester Pitts HOU 1 1.6
Julius Jones SEA 4 2 Cadillac Williams TB 1 1.8
Lousaka Polite MIA 4 2.2 Cedric Benson CIN 1 1.9
Erik Pears OAK 4 2.4 Kenneth Darby STL 1 1.9
Jason Peters PHI 4 2.4 Knowshown Moreno DEN 1 1.9
Eugene Monroe JAX 4 2.5 Damion McIntosh SEA 1 2
Demetrius Bell BUF 4 2.55 Hank Fraley CLE 1 2
Marcus McNeil SD 4 2.55 Chester Taylor MIN 1 2.1
Wade Smith KC 4 2.65 Brandon Manumaleuna SD 1 2.2
Chris Chester BAL 4 2.7 D'Anthony Batiste WAS 1 2.2
Gosder Cherilus DET 4 2.85 Felix Jones DAL 1 2.2
Alan Faneca NYJ 4 2.9 Joseph Addai IND 1 2.2
Jake Long MIA 4 3 Ladell Betts WAS 1 2.2
Joe Thomas CLE 4 3 Reggie Bush NO 1 2.2
Eben Britton JAX 4 3.05 Zach Miller OAK 1 2.2
Flozell Adams DAL 4 3.05 Jahri Evans NO 1 2.3
Sam Baker ATL 4 3.25 Keydrick Vincent CAR 1 2.3
Bryant McKinnie MIN 4 3.5 Ryan Lilja IND 1 2.3
Chris Kemoeatu PIT 3.5 2.7 Stephen Peterman DET 1 2.3
Floyd Womack CLE 3.5 2.7 Steve Vallos SEA 1 2.3
John St. Clair CLE 3.5 2.7 Vernon Davis SF 1 2.3
Jonathan Scott BUF 3.5 2.7 Corell Buckhalter DEN 1 2.4
Branden Albert KC 3.5 2.8 Jeremy Zuttah TB 1 2.4
Chris Williams CHI 3.5 3.6 John Gilmore TB 1 2.4
Chilo Rachal SF 3 2.1 Kyle Kozier DAL 1 2.4
Michael Oher BAL 3 2.2 Marc Colombo DAL 1 2.4
Anthony Collins CIN 3 2.3 Mark Mason WAS 1 2.4
Larry Johnson KC 3 2.3 Matt Forte CHI 1 2.4
Kyle Williams CLE 3 2.5 Matt Stinchcomb NO 1 2.4
Mike Goff KC 3 2.5 Scott Mruckowski SD 1 2.4
Tra Thomas JAX 3 2.5 Casey Rabach WAS 1 2.5
Harvey Dahl ATL 3 2.6 Jeff Faine TB 1 2.5
Joe Staley SF 3 2.6 Adam Goldberg STL 1 2.6
Michael Roos TEN 3 2.6 Brent Celek PHI 1 2.6
Mike Sellers WAS 3 2.6 Damien Woody NYJ 1 2.6
Tony Pashos SF 3 2.6 Matt Spaeth PIT 1 2.6
Jeremy Trueblood TB 3 2.7 Max Jean-Gilles PHI 1 2.6
Cooper Carlisle OAK 3 2.8 Tyson Clabo ATL 1 2.6
Eric Wood BUF 3 2.9 Aaron Brown DET 1 2.7
Jeff Otah CAR 3 2.9 Brandyn Dombroski SD 1 2.7
Ray Willis SEA 3 2.9 Chris Johnson TEN 1 2.7
Donald Penn TB 3 3.1 Eric Winston HOU 1 2.7
Stacy Andrews PHI 3 3.1 Kevin Smith DET 1 2.7
Travelle Wharton CAR 3 3.1 Steve Hutchinson MIN 1 2.7
Kareem McKenzie NYG 3 3.3 Tim Hightower ARI 1 2.7
Rashard Mendenhall PIT 3 3.3 Ben Grubbs BAL 1 2.8
Phil Loadholt MIN 3 3.5 David Bass SF 1 2.8
Andrew Whitworth CIN 3 3.6 King Dunlap PHI 1 2.8
Winston Justice PHI 3 3.7 Max Unger SEA 1 2.8
Richie Incognito STL 2.5 2.3 Michael Bush OAK 1 2.8
Mike Williams WAS 2.5 2.5 Omar Gaither BAL 1 2.8
Kirk Chambers BUF 2.5 2.55 Roberto Garza CHI 1 2.8
Justin Hartwig PIT 2.5 2.7 Russ Hochstein DEN 1 2.8
Chad Clifton GB 2.5 3 Andy Alleman KC 1 2.9
Jon Stinchcomb NO 2.5 3.2 Maurice Williams JAX 1 2.9
Ben Hamilton DEN 2.5 3.4 Brandon Pettigrew DET 1 3
Chris Samuels WAS 2.5 3.4 Chad Rinehart WAS 1 3
Ryan Harris DEN 2.4 3.35 Jacob Bell STL 1 3
Jason Smith STL 2 2.05 Justin Smiley MIA 1 3
Vernon Carey MIA 2 2.15 Jake O'Connell KC 1 3.1
Leonard Davis DAL 2 2.3 Jason Witten DAL 1 3.1
Brandon Frye SEA 2 2.35 Kevin Walter HOU 1 3.1
Chris Kuper DEN 2 2.35 LeSean McCoy PHI 1 3.1
Steven Jackson STL 2 2.35 Reggie Wells ARI 1 3.1
Naufahu Tahi MIN 2 2.5 Cornell Green OAK 1 3.2
Chris Morris OAK 2 2.55 Jordan Black JAX 1 3.2
Fred Davis WAS 2 2.55 Korey Hall GB 1 3.2
Nick Kaczur NE 2 2.55 Kyle Cook CIN 1 3.2
John Sullivan MIN 2 2.6 Todd Herremans PHI 1 3.2
Ryan O'Callagahan KC 2 2.6 Vince Manuwai JAX 1 3.2
Charlie Johnson IND 2 2.65 Brad Butler BUF 1 3.3
Ronnie Brown MIA 2 2.65 Carl Nicks NO 1 3.3
Mike Pollack IND 2 2.65 Deuce Lutui ARI 1 3.3
Scott Wells GB 2 2.65 Gary Russell OAK 1 3.3
David Diehl NYG 2 2.7 Tony Stewart OAK 1 3.3
Frank Gore SF 2 2.75 Kris Dielman SD 1 3.4
Donald Thomas MIA 2 2.8 Ray Rice BAL 1 3.5
Greg Olsen CHI 2 2.9 Ryan Kalil CAR 1 3.5
Jason Spitz GB 2 2.95 Sebastian Vollmer NE 1 3.7
Fred Jackson BUF 2 3 Casey Wiegmann DEN 1 3.8
Jared Gaither BAL 2 3 Jeff Saturday IND 1 3.8
Rich Seubert NYG 2 3 Chris Spencer SEA 1 3.9
Ryan Clady DEN 2 3 Mike Brisiel HOU 1 4
Alex Barron STL 2 3.05 Tony Richardson NYJ 1 4
Stephen Neal NE 2 3.05 Ryan Grant GB 1 4.2
Trai Essex PIT 2 3.05 Derek Fine BUF 0.5 2.3
Deon Anderson DAL 2 3.15 Derrick Dockery WAS 0.5 2.3
Todd Light NE 2 3.15 Greg Jones JAX 0.5 2.6
Dennis Roland CIN 2 3.2 Maurice Jones-Drew JAX 0.5 2.6
Dominic Raiola DET 2 3.25 Justin Fargas OAK 0.5 2.7
Will Heller DET 2 3.25 Shaun O'Hara NYG 0.5 2.7
Eric Heitmann SF 2 3.3 Brian Waters KC 0.5 3
Garrett Wolfe CHI 2 3.3 Jake Scott TEN 0.5 3
Daniel Loper DET 2 3.4 LaDainian Tomlinson SD 0.5 3
Khalif Barnes OAK 2 3.45 Nick Cole PHI 0.5 3.3
Davin Joseph TB 2 3.6 Frank Omiyale CHI 0.5 3.6
Orlando Pace CHI 2 3.6 Nick Hardwick SD 0.5 3.8
Kasey Studdard HOU 2 4

Between the Lines: Who's Allowing the Most Sacks? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>JJ CooperFri, 13 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST Coach Killers, Week 9: Packers SThttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/coach-killers-week-9-packers-st/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/coach-killers-week-9-packers-st/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/coach-killers-week-9-packers-st/#commentsFiled under:

Every week, NFL FanHouse hits the lowlights from Sunday's action, looking at those players who did the most to move their head coaches that much closer to returning to the Bed and Breakfast business.

My colleague Tom Herrera sometimes talks about this generation of hyper-knowledgeable NFL fans, thanks to the proliferation of fantasy football and better exposure to all 32 teams. And yet there are still large amounts of people who underestimate, outside of your obvious game-changing and/or explosive plays, the impact of special teams on the final score.

So it goes.

For the second straight week, our focus is on a Florida team pulling out a win in which special teams made a large impact. Sometimes that impact was obvious, sometimes it wasn't. Yet it was a constant presence in one of the most embarrassing losses of the season, one which might have broken the camel's back in Green Bay.

Just like almost any NFL game Jake Delhomme's not involved in, Sunday's 38-28 loss to the Bucs was comprised of a few factors. For one, it was another chapter in the "Is the problem Aaron Rodgers or the Packers' offensive line?" debate, which is the 2009 version of the "Is the problem David Carr or the Texans' offensive line?" debate, which is the 2002 version of the chicken or the egg debate.

But in looking at the performance of the Packers' special teams, even a mediocre performance would have made the difference between a win and a loss. And now the talk is very real that Mike McCarthy could be on borrowed time.

First, let's look at the two big plays.

With the Packers holding a 14-7 lead a few minutes into the second quarter, they're forced to punt from their 41-yard line. As you get closer to the end of each half, field position takes almost as big of a role as scoring. With a long field, you're obviously hoping to get points, but more importantly you're hoping for a few first downs to flip field position for a potential two-minute drive. The Packers didn't face a long field -- they started the drive on their own 35 -- but were forced to settle for the field position. Worst case scenario, Jeremy Kapinos can't pin the Bucs and the Packers settle for a touchback. Even then, an 80-yard field for the Bucs offense (before Josh Freeman came along, anyway), would pretty much guarantee another punt back to the Packers.

D'oh.

It's a simple pressure up the middle by Tampa. Fullback John Kuhn, offset to the left of the punter, ignores Geno Hayes blowing through the line to his right and instead goes to help double-team on a block to a less-threatening rusher than Hayes. Big mistake. Hayes practically "intercepts the snap," as Deion Sanders put it, leading to one of the easiest blocked punts and most egregious special teams blocking schemes I've seen in a while. Not only do the Packers lose field position, they lose the lead after the punt is taken back to the house.

On the second, the Packers lead 28-17 immediately after Rodgers' touchdown run. FanHouse's resident Packers expert, Bruce Ciskie, points out that Mason Crosby's kickoff is supposed to pin the Bucs on the sideline, but instead is low and down the middle of the field. The Packers' initial group of would-be tacklers can't get an arm around Smith early, as he finds a nice seam at about the 15. Another would-be tackler lunges at his ankles and can't get anything, then two Packers get Smith pinned on the left sideline at the Packers' 35, but Smith makes them look just pitiful, cutting back and splitting the two. He eventually goes down at the 17, and it takes the Bucs only three plays to score a touchdown that gets them back in the game.

But there were more subtle special teams plays that added to the Packers' woes -- namely four punt returns of Smith; two for 10 yards, one for 15, one for 19. Only one of those punts directly led to a Packers touchdown, but 54 yards over four punt returns are those "hidden yards" that people talk about so often. They matter in the end. Kapinos attempted seven punts in total, and to give up double digit returns in four of them along with a block that's returned for a touchdown is inexcusable.

Even just looking at the two big plays, that's 14 points that are likely off the board if the Packers can give the Bucs a longer field to work with. And those 14 points could have made the difference between an underachieving Packers team that let a bad team stick a little too close, and a Packers team that faces serious questions when they look in the mirror, foremost of which is whether the guy calling the plays is good enough to cut it.

Coach Killers, Week 9: Packers ST originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>coach killers 09CoachKillers09Tom MantzouranisWed, 11 Nov 2009 16:36:00 EST Bucs Find Old-School Mojo in New QBhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/08/bucs-find-old-school-mojo-in-new-qb/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/08/bucs-find-old-school-mojo-in-new-qb/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/08/bucs-find-old-school-mojo-in-new-qb/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tampa Bay BuccaneersTAMPA -- A very amusing story died on Sunday. A better one might have been born.

We came not to bury the Bucs, but laugh at them with their rookie quarterback and creamsicle uniforms. Instead, the joke is on the Packers.

"I don't think it's embarrassing," Packers guard Daryn Colledge said after the 38-28 loss. "The fact is they are a professional football team."

Just barely. The Bucs were so inept in their first seven games they gave us real hope we'd see another 0-16 season.

It's not that I enjoy watching Raheem Morris suffer. It's just that if you're going to stink, you might as well really stink to keep things interesting. These Bucs will never be the novelty act their forefathers were.
More: Check Box Score | Saints Survive Panthers' Upset Bid

The original Bucs started 0-26, and a lot of them returned for throwback Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. The franchise wanted to honor the great Lee Roy Selmon and Tampa Bay's 1979 playoff team. But the day's color scheme reminded everyone of those lovable Yuks teams of 1976 and 1977.

In keeping with the era, disco played over the loudspeakers and a streaker jumped onto the field just before halftime. Nudity is the ultimate throwback uniform, and naked is how Mike McCarthy felt as the game went on.

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As galling as it was to lose to Brett Favre last week, at least he has 480 touchdowns on his resume. Josh Freeman had zero. It's quite a feat to lose to the oldest starting quarterback on earth one week, then to one of the league's youngest the next.

But the 21-year-old Freeman was downright Favre-like. That's not to say he's destined to throw 480 touchdown passes in the next 20 years, but Wrangler might want to lock him up as a spokesman before Levi's calls.

"The guy made plays," wide receiver Michael Clayton said. "You can just tell the kid's going to be something special."

Weren't people saying the same thing about Mark Sanchez?

New York was swooning after the rookie's debut. Then he threw five interceptions in a game and people remembered it takes more than two good games to become the next Joe Namath.

Freeman hasn't had that New York hype, but he has had a lot more skepticism than Sanchez. A lot of scouts thought he should have stayed at Kansas State one more season. They were the ones stifling laughter when the Bucs used the No. 17 pick on Freeman.


It looked like the first of many bad moves by the new Bucs regime. Actually, the first was hiring Morris, a 32-year-old who'd never been a head coach -- Tampa Bay was barely competitive in its first seven games, losing by an average of 15.2 points. It went through Byron Leftwich and Josh Johnson at quarterback, neither of whom made anyone forget those great Bucs quarterbacks of the past. I'd mention their names, but I can't think of any.

Well, Steve Young did toil here for a couple of seasons until the Bucs shrewdly traded him to San Francisco . He never looked right in creamsicle anyway. Tampa Bay fans can rest assured the team will not be trading Freeman anytime soon.

He's 6-foot-6, 248 pounds and can throw about 100 mph. So can JaMarcus Russell, but Freeman showed Sunday he has a definite feel for the game. He continually sensed the rush, rolled out of trouble and ad-libbed plays.

"We brought him in here to lead this franchise," Morris said. "I am sure you guys can feel how poised he was out there. He never rattled."

Not even when Tampa Bay trailed 28-17 in the fourth quarter. Freeman threw a 7-yard score to Kellen Winslow Jr., then drove the Bucs 72 yards for the go-ahead score.

It was seven-yard pass to Sammie Stroughter. On fourth down, no less.

"I didn't do anything spectacular," Freeman said. "I just played within myself. I just played my game."

He certainly displayed the requisite dose of rookie humility, saying he made plenty of mistakes and is already just looking ahead to next week's Miami game.

Don't expect him to throw another three touchdowns in that one. The Bucs will be back in their usual red-and-pewter uniforms and the throwback mojo will be gone.

It was good enough Sunday to ruin a good storyline. Now the Bucs are just another bad team. But they're a bad team with a quarterback who looks promising in any color uniform.

Bucs Find Old-School Mojo in New QB originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Josh FreemanMichael ClaytonDavid WhitleySun, 08 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST Awful Bears, Packers Making NFC North Title Easy for Minnesotahttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/08/awful-bears-packers-making-nfc-north-title-easy-for-minnesota/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/08/awful-bears-packers-making-nfc-north-title-easy-for-minnesota/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/08/awful-bears-packers-making-nfc-north-title-easy-for-minnesota/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Though most had the Minnesota Vikings as the favorites to win the NFC North heading into the season, nearly everyone agreed that either the Chicago Bears or Green Bay Packers -- or both -- would at least pose a challenge to the Vikes' second straight division crown. Instead, we're taking this division race off life support and putting it to rest after Week 9. The 2009 NFC North champions will be the Vikings. They can now focus on securing home-field advantage in the playoffs.

The reason for the above sentiment is that both the Bears and Packers were abysmal, in different circumstances, Sunday afternoon. The Pack went into Tampa Bay and lost to the formerly winless Buccaneers, while the Bears were absolutely manhandled for the majority of the afternoon by a fickle Arizona squad.
More: Week 9 Scoreboard | Updated Standings

With both Green Bay and Chicago falling to 4-4, the 7-1 Vikings, who were idle in Week 9, have a cushy three-game lead atop the division, but the gap is much larger than three games -- that much was evident Sunday.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw three interceptions and completed less than half of his passes. The combination of his penchant for holding the ball too long and Green Bay's lackluster offensive line just proved to be too much, as the Bucs' six sacks were easily a season high (they only had 11 in their previous seven games). The Packers also allowed a punt to be blocked, while their defense gave up three touchdown passes to rookie Josh Freeman, who was making his first NFL start. The Bucs' 38 points were, by far, another season high for a team that came into the game averaging 13.7 points a game.

After a certain period of time, it's almost not even worth asking if Packers coach Mike McCarthy is in over his head anymore. He was out-prepared by a rookie head coach, Raheem Morris, who had never won an NFL game. I don't care about the extra week of preparation, either, because McCarthy's team is infinitely more talented than the crew Morris won with. Worst of all for the Pack, it just seemed like the Bucs -- who, again, were 0-7 before the game started -- wanted it more. The game's last interception was pretty indicative of the whole game.

The Bucs' defender who took it to the house, Tenard Jackson, definitely should have just fallen to the ground instead of chancing a fumble. Instead, he refused to be tackled and the Packers just played like bullfighters ushering him to the end zone. It was a good illustration of how the entire fourth quarter played out.

Speaking of a team wanting it more, I'm surprised the Bears even took the field for the second half. The first half was as miserable an attempt at playing football as I've seen in a long time from them. Oh, wait, they just did that two games ago in an embarrassing loss at Cincinnati. Apparently the Bears don't care, period. It's easy for the masses to pick on Jay Cutler -- after all, the quarterback is the only player who helps his team win or lose, right? -- but the story here was the sieve that was masquerading as a defense.

The Arizona Cardinals set a season-high in rushing yards before halftime. Steve Breaston took a second-man-through reverse 25 yards, and about half the Bears defense gave up on the play after less than five yards. Tim Hightower entered the game averaging 3.3 yards per carry, but the Bears made him look like a Pro Bowler every time he touched the ball -- Beanie Wells also had his way. Larry Fitzgerald is always a man among boys, but he looked like he was facing high school competition in his dominance over Charles Tillman -- before Tillman retreated with injury, and I wouldn't be surprised if the injury was a bruised ego. Kurt Warner appeared to be yawning through much of his five-touchdown effort, not missing injured Pro-Bowl receiver Anquan Boldin for one second. And, of course, you have Tommie Harris getting ejected for a disgraceful action -- blatantly punching an Arizona offensive lineman a mere two minutes into the game. I'm not sure what was more despicable: Harris' punch or the Bears' attempt at defense.


Of course, the defense wasn't supposed to be a concern this year, because Lovie Smith was taking over as the play-caller, and the Bears brought Rod Marinelli onto the staff. If this was Lovie's way of holding himself to a higher standard of accountability, he should be given his walking papers quite soon.

Also, the offensive play-calling was very suspect -- the Bears passed the ball 47 times compared to just 12 rushing plays. Obviously, once they fell behind by a large margin, they were forced to start chucking it, but they didn't run the ball until the eighth play from scrimmage. The entire first drive went without a rushing attempt. Sure, the Bears scored a touchdown in six plays, but there's something to be said for taking some time off the clock and keeping Warner and company off the field. I wonder if Smith will try to reiterate this week, again, that the Bears are a "running team?"

Chicago was provided a glimmer of hope when Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt inexplicably pulled Warner far too early in the fourth quarter. A Matt Leinart interception then set up the third Cutler-to-Greg Olsen touchdown of the game, and the Bears trailed 34-21 with more than nine minutes left. Of course, the next drive ended prematurely when Cutler tossed a pick -- it appeared Earl Bennett cut off his route early, but Cutler was still throwing into double coverage.

All in all, it was a dreadful day for the pair of teams who would be challengers to the Vikings in the North. Minnesota fans can start buying tickets for at least one home playoff game. The team can start playing for the right to host more, because this division "race" is, for all intents and purposes, over. In fact, the Bears and Packers are probably better suited to avoid falling behind the Lions. The gap between those two and the last-place Lions is much closer than it is between the struggling duo and the top.

Awful Bears, Packers Making NFC North Title Easy for Minnesota originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aaron rodgersAaronRodgersbeanie wellsBeanieWellscharles tillmanCharlesTillmanjay cutlerJayCutlerjosh freemanJoshFreemankurt warnerKurtWarnerlarry fitzgeraldLarryFitzgeraldlovie smithLovieSmithmike mccarthyMikeMccarthyraheem morrisRaheemMorristenard jacksonTenardJacksontim hightowerTimHightowertommie harrisTommieHarrisMatt SnyderSun, 08 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST The Case Against Mike McCarthyhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/the-case-against-mike-mccarthy/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/the-case-against-mike-mccarthy/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/the-case-against-mike-mccarthy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Editor's Note: Bruce Ciskie, a lifelong Packers fan, opines about the state of his beloved team.

High expectations greeted the Green Bay Packers in August, as the team arrived at training camp. Practices -- held across the street from Lambeau Field -- were very physical, as the Packers tried to show they wouldn't be bullied around like they were far too often in 2008.

That 6-10 season, we all were told, was a memory. It was a fluke. It wasn't how things would be conducted in Green Bay. Bad tackling, soft defense, poor special teams play, and stupid penalties were going to be a thing of the past.

Or not.

As much as fans would like to warm up to fourth-year head coach Mike McCarthy, it's becoming difficult. The team he is leading couldn't possibly be more insanely inconsistent. They've shown time and time again that they have character, that they won't quit, and they play to the whistle.

Unfortunately for them, those traits aren't enough to win games.

General manager Ted Thompson has given McCarthy talented players to work with. Receiver Donald Driver is one of the top veterans in the game, and youngsters Greg Jennings, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson are all high draft picks. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has done what so many before him have failed at, in that he has stepped in to a position once held by a future Hall of Famer, and he's played exceptionally well.

On defense, Al Harris and Charles Woodson are still top one-on-one cornerbacks who are useful in run support. Linebackers A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett are former first-round picks, and lineman Aaron Kampman has been to multiple Pro Bowls.

The talent is there. What's gone wrong?

For starters, the Packers can't run the ball. McCarthy leans on Ryan Grant at times, but tends to give up on the run way too quickly, sometimes at the first sign of trouble. It allows defenses to tee off on Rodgers, which only makes his job all the more difficult.

McCarthy has preached the importance of running the ball better, but his words ring hollow, because for every game like the easy win over Cleveland in Week 7, where the Packers ran it 41 times for over 200 yards, there are multiple games like Sunday, where Grant spends more time on the sideline or on pass routes than he does carrying the rock.

The Packers used screen passes with great efficiency in the earlier game against Minnesota. Against the same team Sunday, the Packers didn't run any, outside of an attempted screen pass on a two-point play that was batted down.

In the end, however, the biggest issue with McCarthy -- and one that could cost him his job come January if he's not careful -- is discipline.

The Packers have become a penalty-plagued team during his time. In 2005, the final year under Mike Sherman, Green Bay was in the middle of the pack in penalties assessed. McCarthy's first year actually saw them improve, as they were near the upper third of the league in fewest penalties. However, the 2007 team -- one that finished 13-3 -- was fourth in the NFL in penalties, finishing second in penalty yards. The Packers were second in penalties and first in yards marked off in 2008. 2009 isn't looking too much better. So far, they're second in total penalties and third in yards.

Virtually every Monday when he addresses the media, McCarthy talks about how they're going to fix the penalty problem, and the special teams problem. Then, almost on cue, the same issues plague this team every Sunday.

Yes, it can be pinned on the players. Surely, McCarthy isn't telling them to commit dumb penalties, and he and his special teams coaches aren't telling guys to forget about their lanes and blow even the simplest kick coverages. The players aren't doing what they're told.

However, there comes a point where the problem comes back to the coach. When the head man talks a good game about improvement in certain areas, and nothing improves, it has to fall back at his feet. Why can't this team avoid taking dumb penalties, like the one on defensive lineman Johnny Jolly that prolonged a Vikings drive Sunday and turned a likely field goal into a touchdown?

How is it that even players good enough to start on defense can't practice the simple concept of lane discipline when covering a kickoff? Virtually any decent kick returner just has to make one cut against the grain against the Packers, and he's got 35 yards easily.

While the Vikings are clearly better than Green Bay, the most stunning difference between the two teams is the quality of their coaching. The Vikings make mistakes (everyone does), but they rarely make the same error twice in a game. They don't beat themselves with bad penalties, and they are able to make big plays in every phase of the game.

When the 2007 season ended, there wasn't a Packer fan alive who would have traded McCarthy for Brad Childress, and there wasn't a Viking fan around who would turn that same trade down. Childress was about as popular in Minnesota as Favre was. Oh, how things change over time.

Now Childress has to be close to getting his coveted contract extension with the Vikings, and Packer fans are asking serious (and valid) questions about the coach they have in McCarthy.

Blame Thompson for the Brett Favre fiasco all you want, but it wasn't all his fault. Not only that, but no team worth anything is going to fire a general manager who hasn't had a chance to make at least one coaching change. Even Matt Millen got to make coaching changes before being shown the door. Thompson might be the problem, but there should be more fingers pointing at McCarthy at this point. There is still a lot of football to be played.

McCarthy has talked before about constant improvement. While you can't argue that his 4-3 team is much better than they were at the start of the year, there are still nine games left. If this team improves and becomes a true playoff contender, much of this will be forgiven and/or forgotten.

The Case Against Mike McCarthy originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>a.j. hawkaaron kampmanaaron rodgersal harrisbrad childressbrett favrecharles woodsondonald drivergreg jenningsjames jonesjohnny jollyjordy nelsonmike mccarthymike shermannick barnettryan grantted thompsonBruce CiskieMon, 02 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST Packers in Pain After Another Loss to Favre, Vikingshttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/packers-in-pain-after-another-loss-to-favre-vikings/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/packers-in-pain-after-another-loss-to-favre-vikings/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/packers-in-pain-after-another-loss-to-favre-vikings/#commentsFiled under: ,

Aaron Rodgers and Brett FavreGREEN BAY, Wis. -- It was mesmerizing, tantalizing for the fans, the 71,213 of them who filled Lambeau Field -- the most ever in this 52-year-old building. Maybe that was why, late in the fourth quarter, camera bulbs were flashing high and low as if it were the kickoff. Or why Packers fans were still on edge at that point, even though their team was cooked.

Yes, Brett Favre rolled them twice -- once in his new dome in Minnesota, and now here on Sunday on hallowed football ground. The Packers half expected him to show up and play the game in flip-flops to match his mental trickery. You know, this Packers legend, this turncoat in purple -- he had punched them in the gut before.

And after Minnesota's 38-26 win, after Favre had thrown four touchdown passes to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers' three, and after the Vikings swept the season series between these long-time rivals, Favre had earned the bragging rights.

Rodgers had to slip away into the night.

Actually, it was more like he had to limp into the night after the pounding he took. Rodgers endured six more sacks on Sunday, which came on top of the eight he absorbed in Minnesota's Week 4 win over Green Bay.

Favre was not sacked -- in either game.

What does it mean for Rodgers, for the Packers?

"It hurts,'' Packers cornerback Charles Woodson said.

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What exactly hurts, Woodson was asked. "Losing,'' he answered.

Losing to the Vikings hurts. Losing to Favre doubles the pain.

Rodgers tried to explain that without bashing Favre or being swallowed by the big picture. That picture reveals that the Packers ditched Favre for Rodgers.

"You always want to win the home division games,'' Rodgers said. "It's tough to take that many shots, for sure, but you've got to give them credit. I hate losing to the Vikings, especially. They are division rivals and we don't like those losses at home.

"It doesn't matter who you play, though, it's tough to lose."

So was ditching Favre for Rodgers a smart move and who is the better quarterback?

Well, let's see: Rodgers is 10-13 as a starter since Green Bay moved him in, and Favre is 16-8 as an NFL starter since Green Bay moved him out.

Favre is 2-0 vs. Rodgers and the Packers. Minnesota (7-1) is in first place in the NFC North division. Green Bay (4-3) trails.

It could eventually prove a good move for the Packers. But right now, Favre is the better quarterback.

And here is the hammer: The Vikings have a better team than the Packers.

Three different Vikings defensive linemen (Ray Edwards, Jared Allen and Pat Williams) chased down Rodgers in the backfield for first-half sacks that crushed the Packers. Seldom do you see NFL quarterbacks caught from behind like that, simply run down and snuffed out.

This is an explosive Vikings defense.

Brett Favre and Percy HarvinRodgers was working with a line that protected from average to poor. He finally began to complement its strengths by massaging the pocket, by creating new passing lanes, by scooting when required. Those types of moves and decisions took a game that Green Bay trailed 24-3 at one point, and turned it into a 24-20 scrap heading to the fourth quarter.

But Favre had more in store. He had two scoring passes left. He kept topping Rodgers by making quicker and stronger choices.

That is a discernible difference between the quarterbacks -- Favre gets the ball out of the pocket quicker.

"He gets the ball out of there with something on it, quick, right now,'' Woodson said of Favre. "That makes him tough to play for any defense.''

Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe said he saw fans who wore Favre's old Green Bay jersey upside down and others who wore it backward. He said he felt the electric crowd and the playoff atmosphere. He saw Favre enjoying it, too, and said that Favre and his teammates "approached it like a late playoff game.''

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson loved the atmosphere, too, loved coming "with Brett to the place that Brett built.'' Peterson was in awe of his quarterback's "leadership and confidence'' all week long, and especially in this game.

All around him, Favre enjoys a variety of playmakers and difference-makers -- none more than rookie receiver/returner Percy Harvin (84 receiving yards, a 51-yard scoring catch, 175 kickoff return yards).

This is an explosive Vikings offense.

But Rodgers and the Packers offense showed it can produce a pop as well. The Packers defense produced moments similar to the ones Minnesota's defense came up with.

In neither game between the two teams were those things enough to win against Favre.

"Our quarterback has the will to change things and he takes the position that he is not going to let his teammates down,'' Packers receiver Greg Jennings said. "He is not going to lay flat from adversity or because of a stumble. This is a 'We' situation. It is our team, our ownership, our loss.''

You heard the Packers afterward grumbling about how the defensive schemes do not fit the defensive personnel and how the offensive line too frequently folds. But more of them spoke like middle linebacker Nick Barnett, who said his team started slowly in this game, made a strong run, got close, but "could never get home.''

The Packers put so much into this game -- divisional battle, a huge rival. A victory meant evening things in the loss column with the Vikings. It meant ruining a crucial head-to-head tiebreaker that Minnesota could earn.

Now what?

It hurts, losing. The Packers have the ingredients -- a streaky team of great highs and miserable lows -- to duplicate that nasty, late, five-game losing streak that earned them a lousy 6-10 record a year ago.

They were very clear on what a victory would have meant. They seemed uncertain about what their loss would do.

"I'll tell you exactly what I told them,'' Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I told them at halftime that the second half was going to be a turning point in our season. It was important for us to go out there and turn this game around and make a run and win this game.''

A curious thing about Lambeau Field is that there is only one entrance from the locker rooms onto the field. It also serves as the only exit. Brett Favre, kicked aside here, strolled back in through the out door.

One tunnel, two teams -- two quarterbacks going different places.

"It's kind of odd how you mingle going through that tunnel,'' Peterson said. "I say hello to the guys over there I'm friendly with. The ones I'm not, I give that look. That in-game, serious, I'm-out-to-win, get-out-of-my-way look that turns into something back on the field.''

The one Brett Favre put on the Packers.

The one Aaron Rodgers, like his team, is still crafting.

Packers in Pain After Another Loss to Favre, Vikings originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Aaron RodgersBrett FavreCharles WoodsonJared AllenPercy HarvinThomas GeorgeSun, 01 Nov 2009 23:45:00 EST Brett Favre Brilliant in Return to Lambeauhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/brett-favre-brilliant-in-return-to-lambeau/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/brett-favre-brilliant-in-return-to-lambeau/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/brett-favre-brilliant-in-return-to-lambeau/#commentsFiled under: ,

Brett FavreMost of the Packers fans tried their hardest to make Brett Favre feel unwelcome in his return to Lambeau Field on Sunday -- booing him from the moment he emerged from the tunnel in pregame warmups until the final snap. All Favre did in response was play exactly like he always has at Lambeau.

The 40-year-old was spectacular in his first game back in Green Bay, leading the Vikings to a 38-26 win that puts Minnesota in complete control of the NFC North.

"It was emotional," a slightly choked-up Favre said to Fox's Pam Oliver once the game ended. "I had a lot of years here, a lot of great years. It was pretty special."

Favre completed 17-of-28 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns -- including two in the fourth quarter as Green Bay feverishly attempted to rally from a 21-point deficit.

"We played a great game, they played a great game," Favre said. "Obviously I'm glad we won the game. I know what I did here and what I left behind."

Favre's successor in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers, put on a show of his own. Rodgers completed 26-of-41 passes for 287 yards. He also had three second-half touchdowns to pull Green Bay out of a 24-3 hole and bring the Packers as close as four points.

After Rodgers hit Spencer Havner to cut the Minnesota lead to 24-20, though, Favre countered with a 2-yard TD pass to Jeff Dugan to reopen an 11-point cushion. A Rodgers-to-Greg Jennings connection cut that deficit down to 31-26, but Favre again responded and found Bernard Berrian for a 16-yard score with just 3:48 left to bury the Packers.

"I hate losing to whoever's the quarterback for them," Rodgers said.

Any questions about how the Green Bay fans would receive Favre were answered vociferously. Favre received a chorus of boos when he ran onto the field in the pregame, and the fans kept those boos going -- almost non-stop -- through Minnesota's first two offensive possessions.

The fans unrest no doubt grew as Favre picked their Packers apart -- and hampered Green Bay's own postseason hopes.

"Packer fans cheer for the Packers first," Favre said. "I know that. But I hope that everyone in the stadium watching tonight said, 'I sure hate those jokers on the other side, but he does play the way he's always played.'"
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Brett Favre Brilliant in Return to Lambeau originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Aaron RodgersBrett FavreChris BurkeSun, 01 Nov 2009 19:40:00 EST Sunday NFL Live Chat: Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packershttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/sunday-nfl-live-chat-minnesota-vikings-vs-green-bay-packers/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/sunday-nfl-live-chat-minnesota-vikings-vs-green-bay-packers/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/sunday-nfl-live-chat-minnesota-vikings-vs-green-bay-packers/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Since there's no Sunday night game on the schedule this week, we're bumping our weekly live chat up to the afternoon to discuss THE GREATEST GAME EVER.

Yes, that's right, it's Favre Bowl II as Brett Favre makes his first appearance in Green Bay as a visiting starting quarterback. We'll be there for all of the action, so please, join us at 4:00 PM ET for all of the fun.

Sunday NFL Live Chat: Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Adam GretzSun, 01 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST Tom Cable, Brett Favre, Giants vs. Eagles: NFL Live Tweethttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/tom-cable-brett-favre-giants-vs-eagles-nfl-live-tweet/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/tom-cable-brett-favre-giants-vs-eagles-nfl-live-tweet/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/tom-cable-brett-favre-giants-vs-eagles-nfl-live-tweet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tom Cable appears to have a history of physically abusing people he has power over, whether a woman he's in a relationship with or a coach who works for him.

I think about 80% of Green Bay fans will boo Brett Favre today. What do you think? Higher? Lower?

Those are among the observations I've made on Twitter today, and I'll be making plenty more as I follow the early games, highlighted by Giants vs. Eagles, and the late games, highlighted by Vikings vs. Packers. To stay updated on everything happening in the NFL Sunday, follow along below or follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Twitter Updates on NFL Week 8

Tom Cable, Brett Favre, Giants vs. Eagles: NFL Live Tweet originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithSun, 01 Nov 2009 12:50:00 EST Favre's Return to Lambeau Highlights Mistakes Made in Packer Divorcehttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/favres-return-to-lambeau-highlights-mistakes-made-in-packer-div/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/favres-return-to-lambeau-highlights-mistakes-made-in-packer-div/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/01/favres-return-to-lambeau-highlights-mistakes-made-in-packer-div/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Outside of Sunday being a day many Packer fans have dreaded for months, it's just another football Sunday in Green Bay.

The hype surrounding this regular-season battle of NFC North rivals surpasses anything most fans will see in their lifetimes. The reality is that football fans in Wisconsin are stuck in the middle of the tension that developed between Brett Favre and the Packers. It was this way in August of 2008, when the whole thing blew up, and it isn't going to change for some time.

Both sides talk about respect. Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said this week he felt the organization did well in not disrespecting Favre in that summer drama last year. Of course, the trade to the New York Jets simply put off the inevitable.

Was that a mistake? Should general manager Ted Thompson have traded Favre to the Vikings all along?

Absolutely not.

Thompson might have been criticized -- and rightfully so, for the most part -- for his handling of the Favre saga, but he would have been digging his own grave as an executive by trading Favre to a division rival. You're bound to read comments from alleged Packer fans on message boards, blogs, and newspaper sites that say Thompson is ruining the Packers. However, the team has only had one bad season since Thompson began overhauling the organization after the firing of head coach Mike Sherman.

Through all the hoopla surrounding Favre's presence in Minnesota, it's easy to forget that Green Bay is 4-2, and they're coming off back-to-back dominating wins. Yes, those wins came over bad teams, but you can only beat the teams the league puts in front of you, and the Packers have shown throughout the first part of the 2009 season that they're far from a bad team.

As pointed out in the Green Bay Press Gazette, Thompson's biggest mistake may have been reacting to Favre's push to return with virtually no action at all.

In an ideal world, Thompson wouldn't have to treat Favre like anything more than another player on the team. However, he gave 16 wonderful years to the Packers, and he was revered by fans and players alike. Covert attempts to paint Favre as a bad teammate or a disingenuous fellow were simply not going to work. Fans knew he was not a great decision-maker when it came to his retirement, but they weren't going to hold it against him.

While Thompson was right not to "beg" Favre to return, and the organization was right not to hold Favre's job open for him until he had fully made up his mind, Thompson's mechanical reactions and overall lack of outgoing compassion made him an easy target for Favre faithful.

Meanwhile, Favre likely overestimated his value to the Packer organization at the age of 38. While he may act now like he didn't have a problem with the Packers moving on to Aaron Rodgers, that was not the case in 2008. He felt like that job was his, and he was angry the Packers would be willing to move on without him. Of course, when you retire in March, and wait until June to inform the team that maybe you don't want to be retired anymore, it's hard to reasonably expect that the team is going to open their arms and welcome you back unconditionally.

The Packers were upset, as Andrew Brandt wrote on National Football Post, when the NFL cleared the Vikings of tampering charges last year. Favre claimed he was just chatting with his friends, who happened to be Minnesota head coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. It was clear Minnesota was his desired destination, and it turns out his desire to play there was so great that he was willing to play a full season with the unfamiliar New York Jets just to make it happen.

This all brings us to a day Packer fans probably thought they'd never see. Brett Favre dresses in the visitors' locker room at Lambeau Field, and he will face a hostile crowd in his former home for the first time. People have been asking about the potential reception at Lambeau for a long time, but there's really only one answer that makes sense.

During the summer of 2009, former Steelers safety Rod Woodson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In his speech, Woodson referenced Pittsburgh fans, who booed him mercilessly when he returned to Pittsburgh as a rival Baltimore Raven.
I want to say thank you for giving me ten wonderful years there. To the Steeler nation thank you for accepting me. For cheering me on. And after I left, for booing me. No, I'm serious for booing me. Because you know, if you cheered me when I put on a Raiders uniform or a Ravens uniform, I think I would have lost a little respect for the Steeler nation. So I'm glad you booed me, because you should.
This is what Favre should expect today. It's not about blaming Favre for his departure, or absolving Thompson and McCarthy of their responsibility for what happened.

Favre is the enemy now. There would be no greater respect Packer fans could show than to boo him. Respect for the game and the traditions created by rivalries is greater than respect for individual players, and this fanbase is one that understands and respects history. There is a time and a place to cheer Brett Favre. Sunday afternoon is not it.

Favre's Return to Lambeau Highlights Mistakes Made in Packer Divorce originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aaron rodgersbrad childressbrett favredarrell bevellmike mccarthyted thompsonBruce CiskieSun, 01 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST Circle Route Brings Favre Back 'Home'http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/circle-route-brings-favre-back-home/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/circle-route-brings-favre-back-home/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/circle-route-brings-favre-back-home/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Everyone forgets that Brett Favre wanted to play football. He wanted to play football in Green Bay. They did not want him. In life, you go on. I don't think you get mad at the man for still wanting to play football. He was told no on numerous occasions -- 'You are not playing here.'
-- Bus Cook, Brett Favre's agent

The truth on how and why Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers split their 16-year union remains strictly in the eye of the storyteller. Favre and his agent Bus Cook say they were simply kicked aside. The Packers insist that Favre waffled too much about his return that they simply decided to move forward with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and create clarity.

I find this much crystal clear -- from the moment Favre realized he was not going be a Packer, he began angling his way for a return to Lambeau Field.

His last pass in the stadium was not going to be that awful pick by Giants cornerback Corey Webster in overtime that led to the Giants' winning field goal in the 2008 NFC championship game. The pick that induced a fallout and helped turn a longstanding romance into a ruckus.

"It's different from anything in sports in America. ... Any quarterback today could go away and come back and not have as much impact as this does in Green Bay. I am sure it will be odd for him. But once the whistle blows, he will be fine."
-- Bus Cook on Brett Favre's Return to LambeauIt was a circuitous route back to Lambeau for Favre, with a pit-stop at the Jets last season before landing with the Minnesota Vikings this season. The Packers traded him to the Jets a year ago with the idea that Favre would never play in Lambeau for a rival NFC North team. They hoped the 40-year-old Favre would be one more NFL season and done. One more NFL shot -- far away -- and please, be done.

There is little accidental about Favre's return to Lambeau on Sunday when the Vikings (6-1) battle the Packers (4-2).

Favre knows it.

He has already beaten Green Bay in Minnesota this season. This is different. Just the chance to return to Lambeau and beat the Packers on that soil, well, Favre has had this itch to scratch since he was spurned.

In one breath, he said earlier this week that he has "no idea how it will unfold." In another he said he is "well aware of all the stuff that goes with it" and he won't let that "affect me or creep into the team."

OK, if not anger, then certainly payback. If not all raw, then certainly personal.

This is a dream game for Brett Favre.

This is real.

"It's a unique situation for him," Cook said. "It's different from anything in sports in America. There is no quarterback who goes and plays for any other team and former fans feel the way it is with Green Bay and Favre. Any quarterback today could go away and come back and not have as much impact as this does in Green Bay. I am sure it will be odd for him. But once the whistle blows, he will be fine."

In Vikings purple.

"He wanted to play," Cook said. "And find a home. No other team called him."

But one in the Packers' division did. The perfect storm.

We have seen Favre in Super Bowls and as a TV pitchman and marveled over his kid-like approach to the complex NFL game. More often than not, this iconic player has pulled the right strings to land in spots he desired over his 19 NFL seasons.

He called a lot of his shots with the Jets and he is doing that with the Vikings. There is only so much coaching that goes on with this player. It is one of his best traits and one of his worst. It is, in part, why the Packers had enough of him.

Here is one thing you always have to give Brett Favre: he understands entertainment.

He has done his part in giving the NFL a storyline, a scenario that is better than fiction.

The Vikings are all in.

"He works, like all great players, I mean really works," a Vikings management source said of their experience with Favre. "He is here watching tape, taking care of his body. Behind the smiles, he knows he's good and gifted. It happens anywhere from two to five times a game where you say, 'OK, now I see why he is what he is.' Not every play. Just those rare instances where he does rare things. He's been a caring person here. He deals with people in the cafeteria and that clean the building in the same way he does the owner. Everyone here notices that."

Favre is ready to make a new, testy Lambeau leap.

There is nothing accidental about it.

He found a way to get back on Lambeau Field after he was booted from it.

For Favre, that alone is victory.

For the fans who have jumped ship on him (just like he eventually jumped ship to the Vikings), Favre asks "What can I do?"

He already knows the answer. Beat the Packers, trounce them all, in the NFL's version of a Homecoming bloodfest. This quarterback will tell you he knows what it is like to get kicked in the stomach. He will also remind you he has not forgotten how to do the kicking.

Circle Route Brings Favre Back 'Home' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brett favreBrettFavreThomas GeorgeFri, 30 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST