Packers News: Practices Begin, Unsigned Free Agents, and May Rankings
by Brandon on May 18, 2010 8:00 AM CDT
in Green Bay Packers News
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Print- OTAs began for the Green Bay Packers but on Monday it was just a day of physicals and meetings. Tuesday is the first day of practice. Some of it might be open to public. I expect it's just the players practicing without pads. The only good information is finding out where the rookies are lining up and who's playing with the first team units. It's not quite as important as last season when the defense was learning about the new 3-4 scheme.
- Who's playing with the first team has a little more importance since there still is no sign of the unsigned restricted free agents: DE Johnny Jolly, CB Tramon Williams, and SS Atari Bigby. They've got until June 1st and then it's their turn to blink.
- At least this didn't appear on the cover of SI. Peter King writes that the best NFL team this May is the Green Bay Packers. I'm not quite that optimistic though I'd be shocked if the Packers miss the playoffs in 2010.
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At least he's not predicting us for the Super Bowl
I’m with Brandon on the King thing. I think the Packers are good, but not the best in the league. The Saints are still very good. The Vikes haven’t lost all that much (however I would agree with King that the O-line is starting to decline), and then there is what those over in the NFC East are doing as well.
The Pack have a good shot this year, but we still need a few guys to step up if we are going to make his claim come true.
I completely disagree.
He is one of the most connected men in the business. But, I’m sure you could do better.
When I retire, I want to have Ted Thompson's job!
re: the Peter King kiss of death
I agree. He’s not a bad writer (he’s certainly not an “idiot”), and I appreciate his columns, but he does seem to be colossally wrong on many if not most of his predictions.
I cringed when I saw that he picked us #1. McCarthy’s teams have always seemed to struggle with high expectations. Whenever they’re the overwhelming favorite, they’ve always had a wake-up call coming. In ‘07, it was the beat-down they got from the Cowboys. In ’08, well… we won’t talk about “the unpleasantness”. In ’09, it was (unfortunately) in the playoffs against the Cardinals. …which is the worst-case scenario (hitting the skids when it matters most)
So, I guess, in the end, I’d prefer to have the expectations-bubble fill up early with all the hot-air crazy-talk so that it can pop early, the team can be humbled/refocused early, and can hopefully make a late run.
So, looking ahead at this year’s schedule…
Sun., Sept. 12 @ Philadelphia Eagles
Sun., Sept. 19 Buffalo Bills
Mon., Sept. 27 @ Chicago Bears
Sun., Oct. 3 Detroit Lions
Sun., Oct. 10 @ Washington Redskins
Sun., Oct. 17 Miami Dolphins
Sun., Oct. 24 Minnesota Vikings
Sun., Oct. 31 @ New York Jets
Sun., Nov. 7 Dallas Cowboys
Sun., Nov. 14 Open Date
Sun., Nov. 21 @ Minnesota Vikings
Sun., Nov. 28 @ Atlanta Falcons
Sun., Dec. 5 San Francisco 49ers
Sun., Dec. 12 @ Detroit Lions
Sun., Dec. 19 @ New England Patriots
Sun., Dec. 26 New York Giants
Sun., Jan. 2 Chicago Bears
I’ll go ahead and predict that we hit rock bottom on Halloween against the Jets, when we take a beating and drop to .500. Then we’ll have an apocalyptic “rock fight” game against the Cowboys, and (win or lose) we’ll go into the bye with some serious soul-searching to do. We’ll come out rejuvenated and win out for the rest of the regular season. Then the talk will start about how we folded in the first round last year, which will put the steely-eyed glare back into the team. Then we’ll make a run, and… who knows.
Do you guys agree? Is rock-bottom coming? And, if so, when?
oh c'mon
You’ve usually got good comments on here. Don’t call sports-writers idiots. That’s so cliche.
by Curly Lambeau on May 18, 2010 1:53 PM CDT up reply actions
I mean, seriously. Idiots drool and wear helmets and ride short busses. Peter King is a respected, nationally syndicated sports writer with whom you apparently disagree often.
…and that’s fine. But I’m just saying… use your words, Mungo.
by Curly Lambeau on May 18, 2010 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm not gonna say he's an idiot
But I don’t really like his writing style and I think he’s boring. (I don’t care how nice Boston looks on a fine fall evening or where the best coffee shop in Seattle is, talk about football)
by Charlie Kelly on May 18, 2010 2:12 PM CDT up reply actions
Actually going to your question
I don’t agree. I think the Pack starts strong, builds a comfortable lead going into the bye. I think you’re right with the struggling against the Jets (although for all we know they could be in full implosion mode by then). Although I do agree that they go in the bye tough, with possibly two or three consecutive losses.
by PackApologist on May 18, 2010 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Well, that's what I would've said too... until this ranking came out.
I think this article will get in their head, I really do. Peter King is often wrong (and usually disagree with him too, btw, Yankees10), but the Monday Morning Quarterback column is probably the most widely-read football column that there is. I guarantee you that every NFL player, coach, and GM reads it. I’d like to think that the Packers could put it in perspective and take it for what it’s worth (i.e. nothing). But, as I pointed out, we’ve always struggled with high expectations since McCarthy’s gotten here. Always. The only only highly anticipated game that I can remember us winning in his tenure is the Cowboys game last year. And there were enough doubts surrounding that one (most were picking us to lose, as I recall), that I don’t really count that one in the “high expectations” category.
Maybe I’m being reactionary, but honestly I think King’s column is going to cost us the first Vikings game. …because I actually think we are as good as King says. And, if expectations had been low, I think we woud’ve started out really strong. But this changes things. …in my opinion, anyway.
by Curly Lambeau on May 18, 2010 2:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Peter King
He might not be as dumb as you think. Just because his picks are often wrong doesn’t mean it wasn’t on purpose. Maybe he enjoys the attention and press he generates when he picks some bizarre scenarios. He’s the shock-jock of sportswriters.
Its a common tactic
It’s easy to predict, in February, that the Yankees will win it all, but it doesn’t really show much insight. However, if somebody, say a creepy little political wannabe from Iowa, writes that the Brewers will win the World Series, he will be mocked and ignored. His shot comes in October — if the Brewers aren’t there, then of course his predictions will have been long forgotten. However, if he manages to have made a lucky guess, he can thump his chest and tell everybody what a genius he is. In short, there is limited downside in making questionable predictions, but a large potential upside. That’s what King is doing here — everybody will argue that the Saints and the Vikings are the best, and if he did the same he’d get lost in the shuffle.
The idea, of course, is that if you make a wild prediction you should be allowed to present it and have people comment on it — you shouldn’t be banned from writing because your prose offends somebody’s small circle of friends.
by ktenreb on May 19, 2010 10:26 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Alright time to get over leroy (or whatever his name is) from Iowa banning you.
You are somewhat right here except that King himself called out his prior year picks and how he was way off on the Bears (had them high) and the Saints (had them at 24). No one will talk about it later because no one cares about predictions when the actual games are happening.
It was Kyle
Loebner.
Things are in the works.
Packer Fan
I think we will be 5-4 at the break. The expected win over the “Boys” will propel the Pack the rest of the way 12-4. I say this only—ONLY if we stay healthy. How much depth do we have? Who will step up when a starter goes down. If the Coaching Staff has a plan in place—we may survive and go deep into the playoffs!!
We will see...
Last team from the NFC North to make and win a Super Bowl? 1996 Packers.
I know the Bears, Packers and Vikings have been in the NFC title game, but the Vikings can’t win that game to save their soul, and the Bears somehow got there with Rex Grossman as their QB. Take that however you want.
The 07 NFC Title game will not be mentioned to avoid tears and possible bloodshed. And the stabbing of Brett Farve voodoo dolls at inopportune times (i.e., job interviews, first dates and things like that)
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on May 19, 2010 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Been saying since the schedule was released
6-3 before the bye, 6-1 after, for 12-4.
NFC North champs; then, anything can happen (and usually does).
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The glass is more than half-full.
High ranking is good
i don’t think this artical is laid out as who his super bowl teams are. It’s more of a who is in the best position to win and be very good with current talent. The packers are stacked when it comes to dept and potential but that doesn’t always win. I agree with his point about Matthew’s being our only rush threat right now but that can change. Let’s look at this artical for what it is, a tool to say “yes, we are going in the right direction.”
by Giant_in_la_area on May 18, 2010 2:12 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
post season
I think the Packers will win the division if the Williams wall is being repaired for the first four games of the season. If they are allowed to play, then I still see them as the team to beat – I’m sorry to say.
Peter King doesn’t do his homework. He’s quite often uninformed and likes to ramble as if his homework assignment has to be X number of words long and he’s got some space to fill. I don’t put much stock in anything he says.
Much was said about Dom Capers ability to come in and quickly turn a defense around. I believe he’s had some trouble maintaining that, however. Am I wrong? I’m not blindly hoping that a number of injured guys are going to come back and not miss a beat. Yet I don’t think a rookie is necessarily poised to make a signifcant contribution either. CM3 rookie year was hardly the norm. All I can say is I hope to be pleasantly surprised.
High rankings...
I can only hope that GB doesn’t pull a Cal this year. For some reason whenever the voters give Cal love and have them ranked high at the beginning of the season, we eventually fall flat on our face. Something tells me GB is much more resilient, and baring a huge letdown on D and another year of shoddy pass and run protection, they should live up to the hype. I am really counting on Raji to step it up this year and be a great run stopper. I know he was hurt last year, but I was really disappointed.
"Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect."
Vince Lombardi
12-4?
A quick look at your schedule shows 8 games I would think should be easy wins and 8 tough games that could go either way. If you split the 8 tough games you could easily be 12-4. I don’t know if that should be good enough to win the division but I would think it would be close if it wasn’t
Top team in the NFL seems unlikely but then I couldn’t pick any one team that should be top (other than the Steelers but I think my opinion is fairly biased on that one) so it could be you will be top team. Definitely top ten and playoff bound barring injuries or key players behaving stupidly (yes, I know… no need to mention names).
How do I break it to the cat that since he has been declawed, the rabbit he sees in our backyard would kick his sorry butt?
by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on May 19, 2010 9:33 AM CDT reply actions
I see 11 tough games
The schedule isn’t as tough as it could have been, but it doesn’t give the same cupcakes we played last year either. 10 – 6 is a realistic goal.
schedule
I side w/ the Steelers fan on this one… 8 tough games are about right. Philly, Miami, Vikes, Jets, Cowboys, Vikes again, Patriots and either SF or the NY Giants. I don’t expect too much problems winning 3-5 of those games, and if we can win the games we’re supposed to that should be anywhere from 11-13 wins. I expect that to win the division and likely a bye and maybe home field advantage.
I don't know why
but I just don’t expect much from the Eagles this year but I have to admit I don’t know enough about the team to make any serious judgment.
How do I break it to the cat that since he has been declawed, the rabbit he sees in our backyard would kick his sorry butt?
by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on May 19, 2010 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions
We get them early…I think that is to our advantage. New QB means they probably won’t be totally in sync with each other yet.
It also means we don’t have much film on him. Remember how Rex Grossman started out looking like the next Sid Luckman? That was because nobody knew his tendencies yet, so he was able to win a bunch of early games. …including an opening day annihilation of the Packers in Lambeau, as I recall.
by Curly Lambeau on May 19, 2010 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions
remember
the tampa game last year? that rookie qb had a pretty good game against us.
I think Philly will do alright, but we are lucky to have them in Week 1, so I'm confident we'll beat them
With Philly’s signing of Darrell Tapp, I think their DL will be better. I think Kolb will run the offense just fine, he does seem to have a little swagger in him. I predict Dallas to get hit with the injury bug along its OL, thus hurting their chances.
WA- 11-5
PH- 10-6
DA- 9-7
NY- 7-9
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
Looks good on paper
But I wouldn’t be surprised if what should have been an easy win turns out a defeat for us. That could happen in 6 of the 8 easy games. I say we gotta prepare for that. You know how overconfident our Pack can get when we are on a roll. Then, we win 4 of our 8 games against the better teams of the league. I say Green Bay goes 10-6. Until our Defense can figure out how to stop the spread offenses in the NFL, we will struggle against them.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
I’ll never forget the day I was eating my morning cereal and looking at the newly published Packers’ schedule for the season after the Cardiac Pack went 10-6 in ‘89. I started counting "that’s a win…that’s a win…" and had us in the playoffs easy. But Majik got hurt, Tony Mandarich turned out to be Tony Mandarich, etc. etc. and we sucked.
Never again.
Counting wins optimistically is… how do I put this? Well, to paraphrase Yoda… “Optimism leads to disappointment; disappointment leads to anger; anger leads to hatred; hatred leads to… suffering!”
I have to agree with that paraphrasing.
That happens in college basketball ALL THE TIME.
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on May 19, 2010 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions
I started counting “that’s a win…that’s a win…” and had us in the playoffs easy. But Majik got hurt,…
Majik held out!!!
’Til the second week of the regular season!
I have always believed that had a significant effect on TWO things:
1. His timing.
All season lomg (at least, until he got hurt) many of his incompletions appeared to me to be due to his timing with his receivers being just a little bit off.
and
2. His conditioning.
I have always suspected that, one way or another, he could have avoided that season-ending injury if he had been in camp from day one.
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The glass is more than half-full.
Alright! Nice to see someone else who's still passionate about the Cardiac Pack
I forgot about his holdout. I DO remember that he got hurt, and that could’ve been related to conditioning. But, either way, he was never the same after that.
And, either way, when you look in the dictionary under “disappointing season,” there ought to be a picture of Blair Kiel or Anthony Dilweg under center for the Packers. I had a friend who made a T-shirt that said on the front “Upon further review…” and on the back it said “Dilweg still sucks.”
And it was after the Dilweg/Keil season that we drafted Mandarich, btw, not after ‘89 as I indicated in my earlier comment. After I posted that, I remember that I did the same thing over cereal in this pre-season too. "Oo, Majik will come back full strength, we’ll have an awesome O-line… everything’s gonna’ work out great!" Yada yada yada, and we went 4-12 again.
…but that did lead to the firing of… well, just about everybody. Enter Ron Wolf, and Mike Holmgren, and several HoF players, who brought a certain trophy named after a certain coach who coached in a certain city on the shores of a certain Bay named for a certain color of its water…
Okay, I’m rambling.
by Curly Lambeau on May 20, 2010 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions
Curly's Pack, Lombardi's Pack, Cardiac Pack or today's Pack; it doesn't matter.
It’s still my our Pack; thus, I’m passionate.
Also, Mandarich actually was a rookie in 1989.
He was the Packers’ first pick that year (following the 4-12 1988 season), and their third choice, which was their second of the third round, was Dilweg (who never played in the NFL again after that infamous 1990 season). :)
FWIW, DE Matt Brock was the guy the Packers took 16 slots before Dilweg, and Don Beebe was still on the board when we took Dilweg.
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The glass is more than half-full.
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