Tex's Mid-Preseason Message

You probably haven't noticed that aside from the occasional link or bit of news, I haven't been around much lately, and I assume that none of you really care why I have been slacking off on my analysis. If I'm wrong and you do care or are even a little curious as to why, I first must ask you, "Really? Why?" And then I would suggest that you check after the jump, where I'll explain myself. Rest assured that those of you who haven't noticed my recent inactivity won't notice that I plan to be back in full force from now on, either.

Now that the foolishness is out of the way, there are two things that I believe after the first two preseason games.

1: Provided they and the key players around them stay healthy, Aaron Rodgers will remain and Jermichael Finley will become All-Pro-caliber players this year.

2: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't panic about the defense...yet. Is there cause for a little concern that they've allowed two of the weaker offenses in the NFL to score on them consistently? Yes. Is it time to start wallowing in self-pity like a Lions fan? Not even close. Keep in mind that what we're calling the "first-team defense" was really the "first-and-a-half-team" against the Seahawks because of the seven starters out with various injuries (Woodson, Barnett, Hawk, Matthews, Jones, Bigby, Harris). Add the unwillingness of Capers to show any blitzing schemes early in the preseason, and you have a very plain defense playing with only half its starters--a combination that any legitimate NFL quarterback should be able to take advantage of.

If you clicked on the jump, you apparently are interested enough to find out what's up that it's worth explaining my recent craziness. In May, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin, and promptly set off on an arduous job hunt, which concluded only recently. Interviews, nervous waiting around for job offers, and working strange hours during the summer kept me busy and away from APC, but I did find a great job and I have relocated to and begun to get comfortable in my new town. I am now a resident of Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, and I will be starting my new job in the healthcare field on Tuesday. This past week has been the first amount of time I've ever spent as a resident of someplace other than Wisconsin, so it has been a rather interesting task mingling with Browns, Bengals, and even Steelers fans around Columbus.

In any case, now that my schooling is finished and I'll have a real, 9-to-5 job, I can devote more time to my efforts with APC. And also, if any of you readers are in the Columbus area and wouldn't mind getting to know a recent Wisconsin transplant and huge Packers fan who knows virtually nobody around here, let me know.