Packer Notes: Walden Wins Award, Contract Extension, Vick's Injury, and Overtime

by Brandon on Jan 6, 2011 7:01 AM CST in Green Bay Packers News

LB Erik Walden ran away from the rest of the field in the vote for the Green Bay Packers game MVP against the Bears. Not only did he have a monster game, it came out of nowhere. The rest of the league was paying attention because he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. It's been quite a whirlwind season for a player that was looking for another team just to give him a chance back in October.

On the heels of LB Desmond Bishop's four-year contract extension, which included a $4 million bonus for this season, the Packers again take care of a key potential free agent in....LS Brett Goode? According to JSOnline.com, it's for two years and $1.6 million, which is small NFL potatoes, but I'd be loving life if I ever made that much money over two years. And he wasn't mentioned once in our recent discussion on the topic of free agents. How could we forget about him?

In the past few days, QB Michael Vick's injured quad has gone from 50%, up to 75%, and now he's all the way back to 100%. Is he a fast healer? Is he just saying that to get the press off his back? Whatever the case, JasonB of Bleeding Green Nation told Ol' Bag of Donuts that the injury certainly bothered Vick during the Vikings game, and that "he's taken a ton of brutal shots this year."

If you love a chalkboard diagram, then check out the graphic and post on the big pass to WR Greg Jennings that set up the lone touchdown against the Bears. The first two points talk about the personnel grouping, and the play-action. But the final point was the key to that long developing play: QB Aaron Rodgers had a ton of time to throw.

I hadn't thought much about the new overtime rules (one possession for each team, college style, before the sudden-death portion begins). Once Rich McKay asks me to join the NFL competition committee, I might make up my mind as to the merit of these NFL-NCAA hybrid rules. But Kevin Seifert pointed out that the Packers have sure been involved in a lot of overtime games in recent years. Four of their last six playoff games have ended in overtime.

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OT Rules and Other Thoughts

One quick thing on the new OT rule – if the team that gets the ball first scores a TD, the game’s over. Only if the first team scores a FG, does the second team get a chance to get the ball. Over at ESPN, the point was made that last year’s game would not have been affected since both teams had a chance with the ball.

I think Jenkins coming back is great news. Raji has been playing great lately and hopefully they can find a way to get them both out there together some and the rotation will be great for keeping them fresh. With them collapsing the pocket from the inside and our edge rushers (esp, Matthews and Woodson), I think we can keep Vick in the pocket which is where we want him. I don’t think he beats us with his arm.

I expect a Packers win this weekend – think the offense will show up and put up a lot of points on the Eagles D and expect our defense to continue the strong play. I’d like for Masthay to punt like he did last week so we don’t have to worry a whole lot about Jackson back there. Masthay had a great week last week

by brafi on Jan 6, 2011 7:48 AM CST reply actions

Rule Change

would not have affected any of our overtime games.

Harris INT TD
Favre pick to dawkins
Favre pick to webster
Rodgers fumble to Dansby

Upon Further Review.........

The Bears Still Suck

by smackwaterjack on Jan 6, 2011 1:06 PM CST reply actions

webster didnt score a td...

The only glove he needs is a batting glove. - RWShow on Adam Dunn signing.

by blackoutsox on Jan 6, 2011 3:49 PM CST up reply actions

The point is both teams had a possession

Greinke: "It’s not about the guacamole itself. I just don’t want to let them win."

by GoGregGo on Jan 6, 2011 3:56 PM CST up reply actions

And as you guys probably know...

the team that gets the ball first only wins 50% of the time right? or there abouts… so you have an equal chance of winning even if you don’t get it first!

Stupid OT rule change.

by PackFaninFL on Jan 6, 2011 1:52 PM CST reply actions

i disagree...

I think you should have to do more than a good kick return and a field goal to win a playoff game….

Packers over the Bears, Illini over the Badgers...

by SpaceGhost34 on Jan 6, 2011 3:01 PM CST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

First team to 6 wins IMO

Fire Slocum

by Goldenarmadillo4 on Jan 6, 2011 4:00 PM CST up reply actions

Wrong wrong wrong - it's NOT 50%

In the past 15 years, winning the coin toss gave you a 60% chance of victory, according to this article:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?confirm=true&id=09000d5d8171b356&template=with-video-with-comments

There was an article about this in ESPN The Magazine a few months back, and basically they showed how winning the coin toss became a greater predictor of victory over time as NFL kickers got longer and more accurate.

by Puddleglumed on Jan 6, 2011 4:51 PM CST up reply actions

If Walden perfoms well against Vick and the eagles....I think he should retain his starting status the remainder of the post season

Packers over the Bears, Illini over the Badgers...

by SpaceGhost34 on Jan 6, 2011 3:03 PM CST via mobile reply actions

I have a hunch Zombo will be ready this Sunday

but I’m not exactly sure. If he is, I would like a rotation between the 2. I wasn’t impressed with Walden against the run and I know Zombo is better at stopping the run. We will be out of the Nickel often, so I’d have Zombo play on 1st downs and short yardage situations. I like Walden’s potential in pass rushing, but that is off of 1 game.

"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi

by Jabooty on Jan 6, 2011 3:13 PM CST up reply actions

Walden led the team with tackles against the Bears and recorded 10 against the Patriots....

I really like the fact that people will have to game plan around more than just CM3

Packers over the Bears, Illini over the Badgers...

by SpaceGhost34 on Jan 6, 2011 4:00 PM CST up reply actions

He had 4 tackles against New England

Look, I’m intrigued by the guy too, but I have a difficult time believing that anyone is gameplanning with Walden in mind when our defense has Matthews, Raji, Woodson, Williams, Bishop, and potentially Jenkins.

Greinke: "It’s not about the guacamole itself. I just don’t want to let them win."

by GoGregGo on Jan 6, 2011 4:10 PM CST up reply actions

Walden

He had a bunch of tackles, but he doensn’t set the edge or keep contain nearly as well as Zombo. It isn’t just about making the tackles, he needs to do a better job setting the edge vs the run. I hardly think they will put any gameplan in to account for Walden. I expect that they’ll let him be singled up all game and take their chances. If Walden has another similar game they might start to account for him a little more! If I were the Iggle I would just make sure that they know what Walden did and not to take him lightly. But game plan for him? That wouldn’t happen yet!

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Jan 6, 2011 4:10 PM CST up reply actions

Yep, and Walden actually struggled to set the edge quite a bit against the Bears. A couple of Forte’s longer runs came from him failing to do so. He was pretty good in every other aspect of the game though.

Fire Slocum

by packallday555 on Jan 6, 2011 6:49 PM CST up reply actions

And he wasn’t mentioned once in our recent discussion on the topic of free agents. How could we forget about him?

Oops. I blame POD. I got the list from over there.

Stupid Lions fans.

Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!

And go Shawn Watson and Barney Cotton! Seriously, leave Lincoln. Now.

by Omaha Sun on Jan 6, 2011 4:52 PM CST reply actions

Hell

Walden winning defensive player of the week is a lot more than Brady Poppinga can say abouth is on-field accomplishments

by Wade V on Jan 6, 2011 7:57 PM CST reply actions

Don't know where else to put this

But Suh will not be playing in the Pro Bowl. So the alternate is, you guessed it, B. J. Ra…Kevin Williams? Seriously?

Greinke: "It’s not about the guacamole itself. I just don’t want to let them win."

by GoGregGo on Jan 7, 2011 1:39 PM CST reply actions

Williams #s

He had only one sack this season, finishing with 49 tackles, nine tackles for loss, seven passes defended and one forced fumble while starting all 16 games.

Raji had 7 sacks 39 tackels, 10 for loss, 3 pass defensed and 1 fumble recovered while starting all 16 games

Raji also plyaed nose tackle vs the under tackle in a 4-3 meaning it is much harder to get stats like his…. Plus the fact Raji actually played for a defense that did anything noteworthy other than beat the eagles…. complete bull is what that is

by Charles Heath on Jan 7, 2011 10:48 PM CST up reply actions

I meant Raji actually played for a defense vs one that didnt do anything noteworthy …. blah blah blah you get it still horrible he should have been selected to begin with

by Charles Heath on Jan 7, 2011 10:50 PM CST up reply actions

Can someone say popularity contest!?

Fire Slocum

by packallday555 on Jan 8, 2011 1:56 AM CST up reply actions

what a joke

by Yankees10 on Jan 8, 2011 10:29 AM CST up reply actions

Walden

I think its awesome he was reconginzed and if Walden can keep this up, with teams schemeing agianst Raji and Matthews… and Jenkins…. It will be awesome. But I was just thinking of the last time we talked about Walden and it was He who had the facemask against the Falcons…. Not saying it is his fault because if he hadnt they would have scored on the return but i just thought it was funny how fast success makes us forget past wrongs.

by Charles Heath on Jan 7, 2011 10:35 PM CST reply actions

Facemask

That wasn’t Walden that had the facemask vs Atl on the kickoff… It was Matt Wilhelm, or something…

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Jan 7, 2011 11:32 PM CST up reply actions

That's correct

From the play-by-play:

Green Bay Packers at 00:56
M.Crosby kicks 74 yards from GB 30 to ATL -4. E.Weems to ATL 36 for 40 yards (M.Wilhelm). PENALTY on GB-M.Wilhelm, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at ATL 36.

The glass is still more than half-full!

I'd rather be correct, than politically correct.
I'd rather be right.

The Bears still suck!

by NorthStarr on Jan 8, 2011 11:11 PM CST up reply actions