Charles Woodson, All-Pro - Turner and Phillips Are Back For More - Chan Gailey to Buffalo

by Brandon on Jan 19, 2010 7:00 AM CST in Green Bay Packers News

Though it was announced last Thursday, after he was announced as Defensive Player of the Year, I hadn't written that CB Charles Woodson was also named first team All-Pro. I had been looking for a list of past Green Bay Packers to be named on the first team, and I finally remembered to check out Pro-Football-Reference.com. While some of the big name Packers of the 1990s made it (WR Sterling Sharpe, QB Brett Favre, FS LeRoy Butler, DE Reggie White), the last decade was a dry spell with only FS Darren Sharper named in 2000 and FB William Henderson in 2004. So it's another great honor for Woodson.

There isn't much news about the Green Bay Packers right now, but there are a lot of coaching changes in the NFL.

As the story headline says, Norv Turner and Wade Phillips fail in the playoffs, but are rewarded with contract extensions anyway. I'd be rather uninspired by those moves if I was a fan of the Chargers or Cowboys.

I also feel bad for Bills fans. They've already moved onto Plan C in their coaching search. They can't even get an interview with Jets' offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. And now it looks like Chan Gailey is their man, though he was recently fired "relieved of duties" right before the start of the season by the Chiefs. Great quote from Brian at Buffalo Rumblings: "If you can't get The Chin, settle for The Chan."

I'm surprised that defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has resigned from the Broncos. It appears the departure has shocked Bronco fans too. He had done a great job turning around a defense that was a disaster in 2008 under former (and awful in 2004) Packer defensive coordinator Bob Slowik. Nolan was in the mix for the defensive coordinator job last season with the Packers, but he accepted the job in Denver before the Packers hired Dom Capers. Last January, Nolan seemed like the obvious choice for the Packers. Mike McCarthy was Nolan's offensive coordinator back in 2005 with the 49ers. Now it's rumored that Nolan is headed to the Dolphins.

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If there is any good to come out of this past week,

it is the way in which the Saints played. I’m fairly confident that even if the Packers were playing their A game, I dont think they could have held off the Saints.

Packers done...now 3 months of sports hell.

by OznCoop on Jan 19, 2010 8:06 AM CST reply actions

They were playing at a very high level. I just hope Sharper shows up next week and get a pick or two against his old teammate. That would make me smile.

by TrevorR on Jan 19, 2010 10:08 AM CST up reply actions

Yeah

the way the Saints played it comforted it me to know we probably we would have had our asses handed to us by New Orleans.

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by jobe on Jan 19, 2010 12:44 PM CST up reply actions

Nolan

I am quite shocked to hear about this split. I couldn’t get a grasp on who wanted to go, if they wanted him out or if he wanted out. Either way, its another knock against this cocky kid coaching the Broncos. I am sorry but at 33 (which is basically my age), there is NO way he’s ready for all that comes with the job he is in. Seems like its going to be a failure but we’ll see I guess. If he makes it work he could be there longer than Shanahan and STILL be a young HC option for someone!

by TrevorR on Jan 19, 2010 10:07 AM CST reply actions

Crazy right? Denver was in it’s first season transitioning to the 3-4 defense just like us, and he had them playing absolutely great. I think they finished even worse statistically in 2008 on defense then we did, and he helped turn them into a top 10 defense in the league.

There is no denying McDaniels football IQ but it seems like he’s burned quite a few bridges already is his young career, which isn’t a good thing.

by packallday555 on Jan 19, 2010 1:06 PM CST up reply actions

Its a bummer…he could have come here, had probably more talent and not left wanting to stab the coach in the eye. I won’t lie, I was very interested in Nolan..only as a DC though of course.

by TrevorR on Jan 19, 2010 1:20 PM CST up reply actions

Me too

I remember reading a couple of articles that made it seem like Nolan or Gregg Williams were the two guys TT/MM wanted most. I was really hoping for Williams because I wanted us to stay in the 4-3.

by packallday555 on Jan 19, 2010 2:28 PM CST up reply actions

I was hoping for Mike Nolan as well

I was ok with hiring Dom Capers, but I really wanted Mike Nolan and was excited for the switch to the 3-4. I thought our team was better fit for the 3-4. With the exception of Aaron Kampman, my theory proved right. On the other hand, if it was more of Nolan leaving on his terms, then it is a good thing for us that we didn’t get Mike Nolan.

Go Pack!

by Jabooty on Jan 19, 2010 2:34 PM CST up reply actions

I'm also in shock with Nolan leaving Denver

He did a superb job in Denver this year. Obviously, if he can’t explain what went down, so that means something happened betweened him and McDaniels. Otherwise, we would know what the details are. We can all assume this is McDaniels fault here, but that is an assumption largely because he is the Head Coach and this isn’t the first time an issue similar to this has occured.

McDaniels has not done the Denver fans or organization any favors the way he’s running things over there. I’m sure us Packer fans can all be happy with McCarthy in light of that.

Go Pack!

by Jabooty on Jan 19, 2010 2:32 PM CST reply actions

I'm not a Bills fan

but I think its part of our duty as Packers fans to root for the Bills to win as well, and this Chan Gailey hire has infuriated even me. Heres a guy who was a dud head coach at Dallas, a dud head coach at Georgia Tech who lucked into Jon Tenuda being on his staff, and a guy who it was debatable whether he could even be an offensive coordinator in this league.

And Ralph Wilson wants this guy over Marty Schottenheimer. Besides employing Bill Polian and Marv Levy, Ralph Wilson has hurt the Bills on field product more than he has helped it.

by jobe on Jan 19, 2010 5:25 PM CST reply actions

If he was a dud in Dallas, give me more dud. He made the playoffs two for two. We haven’t made the playoffs since 1999.

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by MattRichWarren on Jan 20, 2010 6:02 AM CST up reply actions

Thats a fair point

That was easily his most succesful job in the last decade and things only got really bad after he left and Campo was in charge.

‘Course, he could’ve helped sow the seeds that caused the Cowboys to be so poor from 2000-02. More likely what happened, though was that the triplets got old and retired.

by jobe on Jan 20, 2010 11:15 PM CST up reply actions