Acme Packing Company

How Bad Was P Derrick Frost?

2008-12-02T18:00:06Z

There were two posts yesterday, one by mkcubs21 another by Mitchell, announcing the happy news that Derrick Frost is an ex-Packer. We don't see the practices, but apparently Frost did have a bit of performance anxiety according to special teams coach Mike Stock:

"Is it disappointing for you...
It's disappointing for me because I'm responsible for coaching the kid, obviously. He kicked really well Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, just have to carry it over to Sunday too. That's the problem."

While I appreciate that he's been having some unexplained troubles, I will be glad that he will kick his way out of them, and turn his NFL career around, on some other team.

I'm still not mad they let P Jon Ryan go. He has a big leg, but it's inconsistent. Plus he's the master of the touchback. The Packers can do better than either Ryan or Frost.

It is weird that they didn't even bother to sign someone first. Apparently it's better to go with anyone instead of Frost.

But how bad was Frost? How does he measure up to some of the worst punters and kickers to ever play for the Packers? If you think I'm neglecting a truly awful punter or kicker, please let me know in the comments. But two bad ones came to mind:

P B.J. Sander. Mitchell already brought his name up. Probably the single move that led to Mike Sherman losing his GM job. Drafted in the 3rd round, I think Sherman even traded up to get him, he only lasted two seasons in Green Bay. He was so awful in his first season, Sherman signed P Bryan Barker to actually do the punting. He kept Sander inactive the entire season, apparently he was trying avoid the embarrassment of releasing a player he just traded up for. GM Ted Thompson kept Sander on for the 2005 season, maybe just he was just trying to stick it to Sherman, and it was an awful experience.
K Brett Conway. Boy did GM Ron Wolf miss on him. Drafted 90th overall in 1997, Conway was brought into replace Mike Holmgren's least favorite player, K Chris Jacke. Instead Conway was injured during the preseason and never played in a regular season game for the Packers. I do remember him missing some field goals badly during a preseason game. The good thing that came from this was that they signed undrafted free agent K Ryan Longwell to replace him.

Poll

Who was the worst kicker or punter you've ever seen "kick" for the Packers?

Replacing Nick Barnett with Joe Porter

2008-12-02T06:58:53Z

Well not really.

But the Packers finally put LB Nick Barnett on I.R., along with DE Kenny Pettway. Barnett was injured weeks ago at Minnesota, but there was no rush to use his roster spot. The knee injury to Pettway happened on a kickoff on Sunday vs. Carolina.

Two players were added to the roster from the practice squad.

CB Joe Porter played a bit this preseason and wasn't very good. But with all the injuries at safety (Rouse, Collins, Bigby, and Peprah all have various injuries), another body was needed in the secondary.
DT Alfred Malone is your typical big body in the middle. But after watching all the defensive tackles do hardly anything at all against Carolina, I hope Malone gets some playing time. Might as well see what he can do. He can't do much worse.

About Freakin' Time

2008-12-01T23:47:55Z

Note: mkcubs21 posted the story before I did. Credit goes where credit is due.

Derrick Frost. The man, the myth, the legend...is no longer a Packer . Who's his replacement? No one knows, according to ESPN.com. And quite frankly, there are few that care. This is a move that was somewhat confusing at the beginning, questionable in the middle, and downright bewildering at the end. The freshman goalie at Pewaukee High School would be a more consistent punter than Derrick Frost. And he might even register a timely touchback or two. And I didn't even go to Pewaukee.

Nice move, Ted Thompson. Too bad it was too little, too late. This team's fate is all but sealed.

Poll

Is the next punter going to perform better than Frost?

Pro Bowl Voting

2008-12-01T23:00:07Z

Hey, it's been a rough season but we can do our part to make sure a bunch of Packers can go to Hawaii in February.

CB Jarrett Bush is asking for your support:

Hey guy I'm in the top 5 people for special teams for the pro bowl, i need more votes to get there. Help me out please thanks yard!

I'm glad to help out. You can vote here.

Playoffs? Playoffs?!?

2008-12-01T18:00:05Z

As Jim Mora would say.

Despite what Mitchell said, it's still possible.

Minnesota's the favorite at 7-5. They should win at Detroit next week to go to 8-5. Then they play three playoff teams. At Arizona, then at home against Atlanta and the NY Giants. Arizona is still playing for playoff position, they could be the number 2 seed behind the Giants. Atlanta is still battling for a wild card spot. Unfortunately the Giants might be resting all their starters in week 17. Still, Minnesota isn't known for finishing strong under Brad Childress.

Chicago's loss to Minnesota puts them at 6-6. They have almost the same remaining schedule as the Packers. At home against Jacksonville, New Orleans and the Packers, and week 17 at Houston. The Packers can knock Chicago out of the playoff picture by winning their final four games.

Could Minnesota go 2-2 in their last four games? Can the Packers win their last four games? If they both finish 9-7, then the Packers hold the tiebreaker with only one loss in the NFC North. Those last four games are good matchups for the Packers. I expect they will win them all. The question is whether Minnesota will cooperate and cough up two losses?

Poll

Will the Packers make the playoffs?

Packers 31, Carolina 35

2008-12-01T06:16:55Z

There are a lot of things I could talk about in this game. How do you let LB Brandon Chillar go in deep coverage against WR Steve Smith? How could C Scott Wells be playing with a concussion when he sent a shotgun snap flying over QB Aaron Rodgers' head? What was Rodgers thinking with under 2 minutes to go when he launched an INT into triple coverage? Could they replace P Derrick Frost, please? But I want to focus on two failures.

1. Kick coverage. Carolina's longest drive of the game was 55 yards. The Packers never made them work the length of the field. One drive happened after the bad shotgun snap fumble, but the rest was lousy kick coverage. It wasn't that WR Mark Jones is an awesome return man. He made one cut and ran straight down the field in the wide open running lane. One long return happened when DE Kenny Pettway injured his leg, fell down, and left a wide open running lane. But the rest was just lousy kick coverage. And lousy punts by Frost.

2. Run defense. I read Mike McCarthy's post-game press conference and they didn't ask him one fracking question about it. "Coach, how do you expect to win when your defense allows five fracking one yard TD runs in a single game! Did you practice a goal line stance this week?" It really burns that they get stuffed on two running plays on the 1 yard line by Carolina, and settle for a field goal with under two minutes to go. Then the defense gives up a big play and collapses when they have to stop Carolina on the goal line. They were so out of position on it that DE Aaron Kampman was tripled team at the point of attack. Carolina's tight ends had no one else to block except Kampman.

So many players played well in this game.

RB Brandon Jackson. After they decided to sit RB Ryan Grant in the 2nd half because he has a thumb injury, Jackson stepped in and averaged almost 8 yards per carry. It boosted his yards/carry average up to 5.5 for the season, while . He's been one of the best players on the team this season, but he hasn't had too many chances to show it.
C Jason Spitz. He slides in after Wells injury and plays well. It sure helped him that Carolina's defensive tackles are nothing special.
O-line, backs, and tight ends in pass protection. DE Julius Peppers had two sacks when he beat LT Chad Clifton, but Carolina couldn't get anyone else near Rodgers. There were several blitzes, but they held their blocks and gave him time or room to scramble.
QB Aaron Rodgers. He had a bad pick near the end of the game. Otherwise he threw for almost 300 yards and 3 TDs against one of the best pass defenses in the NFL.
It's really sad because they outplayed Carolina in so many ways.

Team	First Downs	3rd Down %	Total Yards	TOP
Packers	25	50	438	37:52
Carolina	15	40	300	22:08

Poll

Who was the player of the game?

Open Thread Roll Call: Carolina at Green Bay

2008-12-01T05:22:08Z

My thanks to everyone who took part in the open thread.

Name	# of Posts
PackFaninFL	115
rhys	37
PackaCracka	11
Michael M	1

Week 13 Postgame Musings (Abridged Version)

2008-12-01T01:12:07Z

Well, that's it, folks. At 5-7, you can consider this year's Packers team pretty much out of the playoffs. While they still have a viable shot (the division leader will only be 7-5 after tonight), this team simply isn't consistent enough to go on a run and take back the advantage they once had. If they can beat Chicago AND both Chicago and Minnesota have horrible meltdowns, then it's possible. But I wouldn't bet on it.

And I have a cold. Blech.

Poll

Are the 2008 Packers done?

Open Thread: Carolina at Green Bay

2008-11-30T17:13:37Z

Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers
Sunday, November 30th, 2008
Noon CST, FOX
This is an open thread for the game.

Inactives from NFL.com:

Panthers: QB Matt Moore (3rd), CB C.J. Wilson, LB Adam Seward, G Mackenzy Bernadeau, T Frank Omiyale, WR Dwayne Jarrett, WR Kenneth Moore, DT Gary Gibson.

Analysis: RB Jonathan Stewart is active, as expected. He’s a decent flex play based on the favorable matchup.

Packers: QB Brian Brohm (3rd), CB Pat Lee , S Aaron Rouse, RB DeShawn Wynn, LB Nick Barnett, LB Danny Lansanah, T Breno Giacomini, G Allen Barbre.

Analysis: WR James Jones and CB Charles Woodson are active.

S Aaron Rouse practiced all week, but the bad ankle he suffered at the end of the New Orleans game isn't healed yet. S Charlie Peprah might see some action in the dime package in place of Rouse. Lee and Wynn are hurt too, but they are usually inactive anyway.

With Stewart active for Carolina, they've got no notable injuries.

Friday Injury Report for Week 13 vs. Carolina

2008-11-29T18:00:06Z

After a run of good health after the bye week, the Packers place almost half the team on the injury report this week. The loss at New Orleans was a disaster in many ways. Meanwhile Carolina has two guys listed on their injury report with only one guy out.

The good news is that this is just a laundry list. Most everyone should play and almost everyone practiced on Friday. Everyone knew LB Nick Barnett is done for the season. Now it looks like reserve CB Pat Lee has a knee problem, I hope it's not too serious, but his absence doesn't make much difference. 3rd string RB DeShawn Wynn won't play either, but he's been inactive most games this season anyway. Maybe DE Michael Montgomery can't play, which won't help the poor run defense, but it looks like DE Jeremy Thompson is ready to return.

The only two major players who might miss the game are RT Mark Tauscher and S Aaron Rouse. Tauscher expects to play on Sunday. If not, then reserve RT Tony Moll will play and he was fine against New Orleans. I don't know about Rouse, but he did practice all week. There shouldn't be too many bodies missing by game time.

Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Nick Barnett	LB	Knee	Out	Out
Atari Bigby	S	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Jarrett Bush	CB/S	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Chad Clifton	T	Knees	Full Participation	Probable
Nick Collins	S	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Tory Humphrey	TE	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Brandon Jackson	RB	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Greg Jennings	WR	Rib	Full Participation	Probable
Johnny Jolly	DT	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
James Jones	WR	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Pat Lee	CB	Knee	Out	Out
Michael Montgomery	DE	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Probable
Charlie Peprah	S	Calf	Full Participation	Probable
Aaron Rouse	S	Ankle	Full Participation	Questionable
Mark Tauscher	T	Hamstring	Limited Participation	Questionable
Jeremy Thompson	DE	Groin	Full Participation	Probable
Scott Wells	C	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Charles Woodson	CB	Toe	Full Participation	Probable
DeShawn Wynn	RB	Calf	Did Not Participate	Doubtful

Preview: Carolina at Green Bay

2008-11-29T06:51:22Z

After an awful loss last week to New Orleans, the last place team in the NFC South, it's hard to stay optimistic about a game against the 1st place team, Carolina. Especially when I was soooooo wrong last week when I previewed the New Orleans game:

"The Saints match up very poorly against the Packers if they have to throw the ball a lot. They've probably had to throw a lot more in some games because they're defense has put them in a hole and they have to try and comeback. But a lot of pass attempts is just more opportunities for an interception by the outstanding Packer secondary."

The only problem QB Drew Brees had last week against the Packers' secondary was trying to figure out which open receiver to throw to. But it was only one loss, not a true indication of a secondary that had been awesome prior to this game. Let's move on.

Rankings of both teams by category from Football Outsiders and NFL.com:

Teams	FO Ranking	NFL Ranking
Packers Rushing Offense	12	20
Carolina Rushing Defense	23	17

Carolina Rushing Offense	9	7
Packers Rushing Defense	29	26

Packers Passing Offense	10	12
Carolina Passing Defense	5	8

Carolina Passing Offense	13	22
Packers Passing Defense	3	6

Carolina Special Teams	18
Packers Special Teams	12

Football Outsiders thinks these are two similar teams. They both have above average offenses, great pass defenses, and lousy run defenses. The NFL rankings vary, but those are dependent on yards and the number of rushing and passing attempts. Carolina actually has more rushing attempts then passing, so the NFL ranks their run offense a little higher and their pass offense a little lower.

The biggest difference between the two teams has been strength of schedule. Carolina has played the AFC West this season. They've gone 3-0 against San Diego, Kansas City, and Oakland. Not a tough feet against three losing teams. The Packers have played the AFC South and lost at Tennessee and beat Indianapolis. Pull the AFC games off the schedule and Carolina has only one more win than the Packers. That seems about right; Carolina is just a little better than the Packers.

Hopefully playing at home takes away that advantage. The Packers are 3-2 on the season at Lambeau. They've blown out their last two opponents at home (Indianapolis and Chicago). Unfortunately Jaxon says Carolina is going to run the ball a lot:

"If that is your weakness. Williams is the starter and will get 2/3 the carries. He’s a quicker with his moves and cuts better than Stewart. Stewart runs with more power but has speed too, but tends to try and run over people more than Williams.

The Panther run defense was awesome the firth 5 games, holding an impressive list of RB’s to less than 100 yards. They’ve slipped some since allowing both Warrick Dunn and Kevin smith to gain over 100 yards. We will be looking for a return to the tough run defense from the beginning of the season."

At least we can expect a big game for RB Ryan Grant.

The Packers need to get an early lead and make Carolina throw the ball. They also need to keep running the ball, so they can't get too far behind and expect to throw it against a great Panther secondary. It looks like it will be cold and wet on Sunday which I would expect to help the home team. I don't know what to expect, but I just want to see them play hard and bounce back from a lousy loss.

Say It Ain't So Al Harris

2008-11-28T21:58:17Z

As the title at Pro Football Talk says, "Al Harris Thinks He's Done in Green Bay."

“I think that’s going to happen. And not from my performance or anything, but we’re going young,” Harris said. “I haven’t talked to Ted about it. I’ve just got a gut feeling that that’s the direction our team is headed. That’s what happens in the league. I just have to make sure that I’m on top of my game. Every game I play is an audition. I have to make sure that I put good stuff on tape.”

Umm...Huh? The secondary has been playing great this season (New Orleans game excepted). Harris has missed a bunch of games with a torn spleen, but he's come back great. I had been wondering if he's been losing some playing time to CB Tramon Williams since his return, but I can't see all the personnel packages by watching the game on TV. Maybe he's upset about playing time as they might be bringing him back slowly from his injury.

According to the PackerChatters salary cap page, Harris is signed through 2011. The only notable free agent after this season is RT Mark Tauscher. They won't need to slash payroll to fit him under the salary cap. Harris is absolutely saying he expects to be released after this season, but I could see it as a possibility after 2009. There are a number of big names who will be free agents after 2009. LT Chad Clifton, DE Aaron Kampman, S Nick Collins, and WR Greg Jennings are the biggest names. But a number of other good players are potential free agents too like DT Johnny Jolly and KR Will Blackmon, OL Jason Spitz, and LB Brandon Chillar. But, as I said above, that's not what Harris is talking about. He's talking about his gut feeling. And I think he's wrong.

Poll

Will they release CB Al Harris after the season?

Thanksgiving Just Isn't Complete...

2008-11-28T03:35:56Z

...without a mention of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Take it away, NBC announcer people:

The Saints' Running Play Was Never In Doubt

2008-11-27T15:00:07Z

Saints' head coach Sean Payton got credit for taking some chances against the Packers:

"Leading 24-21 on the first drive of the second half, Saints coach Sean Payton had a fourth-and-1 at his own 45. Payton kept his offense on the field, and Pierre Thomas gained four yards and a first down. The Saints went on to score on a touchdown pass to Billy Miller. Mid-game fourth down conversion attempts are somewhat common, though, and it takes more than that to win a Colbert Award. Take, for example, the trickery the Saints attempted in the third quarter. Up by 17 and within shot of a field-goal attempt that would boost the lead to three touchdowns, Payton called for a double-pass, with Lance Moore lobbing a ball to Thomas, which was picked off by Aaron Rouse. We can question the wisdom of the call -- why would you ever want Moore passing instead of Drew Brees? -- but it was undeniably ballsy."

To me, that play was never in doubt. I expected the Saints would have no trouble rushing for one yard against the Packers' defense. Going for it on 4th down on your own side of the field is usually a risk, but not against the Packers.

Week 12 Postgame Musings

2008-11-26T18:55:35Z

I apologize for the tardiness of this weekly feature. The Monday night game's late finish coupled with my travel arrangements on Tuesday kinda ruined any free time I had. But, I am now at home in Wisconsin, and I am here to deliver the goods. Or, in this case, the not-so-goods.

Brandon already had an outstanding wrap-up of the game, and I don't want to re-hash the points he made. I do, however, I want to focus on one player in particular. This player had a performance that is a near-perfect reflection of the Packers season thus far: inconsistent.

Er, wait. I said "inconsistent". Not "terribly horribly God-awful". Is it just me, or does it look like he's looking back behind him to find the ball? And isn't it sad that we halfway believe it when talking about Derrick Frost?

No, I'm not talking about the Packers' sorry excuse for a punter. I'm talking about this guy:

Firstly, let's take a look at the numbers:

WEEK	OPP	RESULT	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP%	YPA	LNG	TD	INT	SACK	RAT	ATT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD
12	NO	29-51	23	41	248	56.1	6.05	29	2	3	2.0	59.8	8	36	4.5	10	1

By his stat line, it looks like Rodgers had a below-average outing. His 3 interceptions ties his season high, and his completion rating and QB rating are much lower than average. The first two drives of the first quarter were especially bad in that Rodgeres missed open recievers on at least two occasions.

But anyone who watched the game knew it was a Jekyll and Hyde performance, where every facet of his play was either magnificent (especially in the first half) or terrible (especially in the second half). Let's go to the game film:

11:48, 1st Quarter - Rodgers pass short right to Grant to NO 29 for 8 yards

The offensive line did a great job giving New Orleans' linemen a good pop before releasing into their screen route. Rodgers looked the defense off by keeping his eyes away from Grant and on the left side of the field. His quick feet keep him away from the pass rush, and he does a good job of putting the pass where it needs to go quickly without too much velocity. Mike Tirico says that Grant got two good blocks from the three lineman ahead of him, but that play should have gone for much more than 8 yards if Green Bay's linemen could finish a screen block properly.

2:10, 1st Quarter - Rodgers pass short middle to Driver to NO 31 for 24 yards

Rodgers took the shotgun snap and was quickly faced by pressure from two blitzing Saints LB's. Luckily, Green Bay kept RB Brandon Jackson in to block, so the rush was an even 6-on-6. Tony Moll did a good job pushing his man to the outside, allowing Rodgers to step up and find Driver about two yards ahead of the LOS, but with room to run. Driver then powered his way for an additional 20 yards before the officials ruled the play dead.

13:47, 2nd Quarter - Rodgers pass short right to Jennings for 7 yards, TD

Green Bay set up with the ball on the left hashmark and two WR's to the right, where there was significantly more room. The Saints, having been gashed by Ryan Grant already, brought 8 men into the box, leaving two DB's out to the right and one safety over the top. The playaction freezes the linebackers and causes the safety in the middle to collapse in, and Driver runs a great route that sets a screen on the safety AND brings his man away from Jennings, who manages to get an inside release and position in the end zone. Rodgers winds up and throws a solid pass to Jennings' chest, which prevents the defender from knocking it away.

1:52, 2nd Quarter - Rodgers scrambles right end for 10 yards, TD

Rodgers takes a shotgun snap and immediately surveys the field, but realizes that the protection advantage he has (6 blockers for 4 defenders) opens up a huge running lane near the right hashmark. Since nobody is open and there are no defenders near the LOS on the right side, Rodgers decides to take off, throwing in a pump fake to freeze the defensive backs who could have tackled him. Rodgers manages to evade a half-hearted diving tackle from one Saints' DB and, using his left hand to maintain balance and propel him forward, he dives for the endzone, extending the ball over the plane while in mid-air.

So that was the Dr. Jekyll portion of the evening. Rodgers led three scoring drives, went 11/17 for 108 yards and two TD's (one on the ground), and had the team down only 24-21 at halftime. Shall we move on to Mr. Hyde?

7:52, 3rd Quarter - Rodgers pass short left intended for Jennings, INT at GB 45

The call is a basic I-Formation playaction pass, and the route Jennings was supposed to run was a 12 to 14 yard comeback to the sideline. Jennings, however, ran the route 5 to 7 yards too deep (presumably to get separation with cornerback Jason David) and didn't stop for the comeback until passing midfield. It is entirely possible that Jennings wasn't running a comeback at all, but the critical mistake was made before the ball was even thrown. Rodgers did something on the play that he rarely does: he locked his eyes on one reciever for the majority of the play. As soon as he came out of the playaction, Rodgers' focus was 100% on the left side of the field. David saw this and read Rodgers' shoulders to predict where the pass was going. When Rodgers wound up for the pass, he noticed that David had jumped the route, and immediately short-changed his follow through in accordance to his instinct. This, however, took more velocity off the ball (as he didn't follow through by pushing off his back leg), and made the interception much easier for David to make.

It does merit mentioning, though, that despite the bad mechanics and decision that Rodgers made, he did run down the play and tackle the defender out of bounds before scoring. I like to see that type of behavior in a quarterback: making a mistake and not sulking immediately thereafter. I'd much rather have him not make a mistake in the first place, but you take what you can get.

6:23, 3rd Quarter - Rodgers pass short left intended for Nelson, INT at GB 29

I commented on the game thread that this interception was both a lazy route by Jordy Nelson (which is surprising, given his hard-working persona) and a bad placement of the pass by Rodgers. After reviewing the film, both these stand true. Nelson's curl route was too easy to key in on, as his break back towards the LOS was much slower than necessary. David recognized this and broke to Nelson's inside shoulder, which was exactly where Rodgers put it. Rodgers should have adjusted after seeing David make a break for the ball and put the ball more towards the sidelines. But, again, as was the case in the first interception, I think Rodgers saw the defender and instinctually pulled back on the throw, once again not pushing off his back leg for velocity.

11:50, 4th Quarter - Rodgers pass short left to Martin for 4 yards, TD

Rodgers made up for his second interception on this play, facing the same type of situation (save for the field position). Ruvell Martin ran a short curl to the inside. Rodgers had enough time in the pocket to start his throw from the legs and saw that the defender had the inside shoulder sealed off. Rodgers then released the ball towards the sidelines, making for an easy grab for the TD.

6:08, 4th Quarter - Rodgers pass deep right intended for Nelson, INT in end zone

Rodgers simply panicked on this play. It was 4th and 16 and he got rattled by quick pressure from the Saints' pass rush. He did get away from the pressure and made room for a deep throw, but it hung in the air too long and was easily picked off. He doesn't face many situations like this, and I certainly hope he uses film of this play to influence his performance in such plays in the future.

So there you have it. Rodgers' performance was truly the tale of two halves. The first half started out poor, but he calmed down and played very well for the remainder. Then two poor decisions in the third quarter resulted in interceptions and put the game firmly out of reach.

One can only hope that Rodgers continues to bounce back from bad games (as he has demonstrated earlier this season) and lead an effective charge against Carolina.

Poll

Do you think Rodgers will bounce back?

AFC + NFC Playoff Preview - Week 12, featuring Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T16:02:29Z

Note: this post is a long one. Save this read for a lunchbreak, a lull in the workday, your morning trip to the bathroom, or some downtime during the holiday.

Football is all about preparation. Sure, you can go out there and try to wing it, relying on your freakish athleticism and overall talent, but when you're faced with an opponent who has done his homework and knows your weaknesses, you'll regret not working harder beforehand. In the spirit of the holiday, allow me to share my most recent experience with preparation.

Realizing that we would once again be spending Thanksgiving apart, my girlfriend and I, along with her/our roommate, decided to host a "Pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving" dinner this past Sunday. Now, I have some experience preparing meals, through both my old job at St. Luke's South Shore in Cudahy and just being a person who likes to cook in general. But let me tell you, there are few things more difficult than preparing a Thanksgiving dinner.

First of all, it takes enormous amounts of forethought. Did you know that the turkey has to roast for anywhere between 2 and 7 hours? And you have to figure that out based on the weight of the turkey, the temperature of the oven, which seasonings you use, and everything else that you put in the pan. And you have to baste the thing every 10-15 minutes so it doesn't dry out. Thankfully, I wasn't alone in the turkey preparation, otherwise I would have gotten lost in the forgotten Thanksgiving battle: preparing the side dishes.

You have to wash things, peel things, chop things, stuff things, boil things, mix things, and any other kitchen-related verb things. It's crazy. And it's time consuming. No wonder people who try to do this alone go insane. Partially because of the stress, but I suspect is has something to do with the heat.

The heat. Holy Moses, the heat. When you have an oven going at 375, four burners boiling pots with various contents, the steam created by those contents, hot water from the faucet used to wash things, AND the fact that you were stupid enough to wear a long-sleeved T under a polo shirt, it's unbearable. It's like going into a sauna fully clothed. Now I understand the saying "If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen."

On top of all that, you have to entertain people, right when you're finishing up every single dish that's going to be served. I highly recommend that, if you're lucky enough to be working with two other people, everyone takes turns distracting the guests while you scramble to finish the stuffing, rolls, two kinds of potatoes, vegetables, and get the table set. There are few things more annoying than having people come into the kitchen while you're furiously mixing and chopping and setting, and they ask questions like "Is it hard?" or "What're you doing that for?" or my personal favorite "Can I help?"

(No. You cannot help. That's why we invited you to come at 6:00. If we wanted you to help, we would have invited you at 1:00 when we were starting the whole process. You know what would help? Not showing up at 5:00. Oh, you always get to places early? Well thirty minutes is just a bit too early. Oh, you brought wine? Here, allow me to bash you over the head with it.)

But, when it's all said and done, when the table was set and everyone sat down and looked over the bountiful feast we were about to consume, it's a pretty good feeling. Because you made that, and you get all the leftovers. Awesome.

Now that I have broken my personal record for unnecessarily long introductions, onto the rankings!

First off, here's the NFC, ranked by their likelihood of making the playoffs based on record, remaining schedule, and overall performance. Starting at the top...

1. New York Giants (10-1) (last week: 1)

They did not destroy the Cardinals, but they didn't have to. All the Giants have to do is keep playing their game, which is run the football until your opponnent keels over in exhausted agony. The 'Skins and 'Boys are 3 games back each, so the Giants have smooth sailing between now and playoff time.

Thanksgiving dish: The incomparable Turkey!

Is there a better type of meat to gorge yourself on? Especially when it's been covered in an herb and butter glaze and roasted for hours? And the feeling you get right before you take your post-meal nap? It's tryptophan-tastic!

2. Arizona Cardinals (7-4) (last week: 2)

Did you know that the Cardinals actually led the Giants at the end of the first quarter 3-0? Neither did I. Too bad they gave up a 17-point 2nd quarter. Larry Fitzgerald has already broken the 1,000 yard marker, and Anquan Boldin has 11 of Kurt Warner's 21 touchdowns, but their rushing offence is ranked 30th in the league. They're definitely making the playoffs. Too bad they're making the playoffs by the craptasticfullness of their division rather than their own considerable merits.

Thanksgiving dish: Mac and Cheese!

I don't know about you, but I simply didn't know that mac and cheese was a popular side dish for our fair holiday. But it is. And it's delicious.

3. Carolina Panthers (8-3) (last week: 3)

A surprising loss to Atlanta by 17 showed flaws in this Panthers team, especially giving up 10 and 28 points in the first and fourth quarters, respectively. But their schedule for the next three weeks is as follows: @ Green Bay, Tampa Bay, and Denver. You could definitely get worse teams, but you could get better ones, too.

Thanksgiving dish: Spice Cake!

Sure, you could do better dessert-wise than spice cake. But you could do worse, too.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3) (last week: 4)

They've managed to work into a tie with Carolina for the division lead. Why are they below the Panthers? Well, Earnest Graham is gone for the year, leaving the Bucs to rely on Warrick Dunn and Cadillac "I thought he was dead" Williams. Which is not necessarily a good thing, considering the Bucs start a stretch of games exclusively against their divisional counterparts: New Orleans, @ Carolina, @ Atlanta. That's a rough stretch by any standard, and it's certainly is much harder than Carolina's next three game schedule.

Thanksgiving dish: Puppy Chow!

Okay, so it may not be a Thanksgiving dish per se, but it's one of those things that people put out for snacks while the actual food cooks. And it's hands-down my favorite part about Thanksgiving.

This has nothing to do with the Buccaneers, I just wanted to mention Puppy Chow.

5. Washington Redskins (7-4) (last week: 5)

A 3-point win against Seattle is far too close a margin for any team taking itself seriously in the playoff race. Seriously, Seattle has more problems than the people responsible for taking "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" off the air on FOX. But as long as Clinton Portis keeps up that 4.9 ypc average and Jason Campbell keeps his interception total unusually low, the 'Skins can keep pace with the Cowboys for the inside track at the first wild card spot. Games against the Giants and Ravens will make this order significantly taller, though.

Thanksgiving dish: Turducken!

You could compare owner Dan Snyder's teambuilding approach to a turducken. You like a bunch of things, but they don't necessarily work together. But screw it, you've got money, you're gonna stuff them together whether they like it or not.

6. Dallas Cowboys (7-4) (last week: 6)

Adam Jones makes his triumphant return (read as: barely managed to avoid a lifetime ban) against the lowly Seahawks on Thanksgiving day. It's good that they get a cupcake opponnent this week, because after that they face Pittsburgh and the New York Giants. Yeesh, that is an unenviable stretch.

Thanksgiving dish: Apple Pie!

There's nothing more American than spending an excessive amount of money on commodities, including new stadiums, disgruntled wide recievers, and law-breaking cornerbacks.

7. Atlanta Falcons (7-4) (last week 8)

I know they beat the division-leading Panthers and that Michael Turner is outperforming LaDanian Tomlinson something fierce. But both Carolina and Tampa Bay have a game up on the Falcons, and this doesn't even consider the Dirty Birds' remaining games against New Orleans (always dangerous on offense), Tampa Bay and Minnesota (two dominant run defenses...unless Kevin and Pat Williams get suspended.)

Thanksgiving dish: Brussels Sprouts!

Gross and unlikely to make it down without incident. Just like the Falcons to the playoffs. Sorry guys, not this year.

8. Chicago Bears (6-5) (last week: 10)

One week after being held to 3 points, the Bears decided to turn the tables and hold their opponnents to 3 points. Which is probably a good thing, since Chicago goes into their own divisional showdown with Minnesota this week. If Chicago wins, the only meaningful game they have left is against the Packers, who will be the last challenger for the NFC North title. If they lose to Minnesota, they will have split their series with the Vikings, who have split their series with Green Bay, who may or may not end up splitting their series with Chicago. I swear, if all three of these teams end up 9-7 or 8-8 and we have to use some crazy tiebreaking mechanism, I will start a petition that prevents any division champion from making the playoffs without a respectable record.

Thanksgiving dish: Carrots!

Whether you like it or not, you need to have a vegetable with your meal. The Bears are the carrots of the NFC Playoff Thanksgiving feast: you need to have someone from the NFC North, it might as well be the carrots.

9. Minnesota Vikings (6-5) (last week: 9)

The good news: Kevin and Pat Williams haven't gotten suspended yet, which means that they will likely be available for this week's game against Chicago. The bad news: They're still in the Wedgie Division.

Thanksgiving dish: Green Beans!

Whether you like it or not, you need to have a vegetable with your meal. The Vikings are the green beans of the NFC Playoff Thanksgiving feast: you need to have someone from the NFC North, it might as well be the green beans.

God, I hate this division.

10. New Orleans Saints (6-5) (last week: 11)

Drew Brees is a human-cyborg sent back from the future to destroy us. He alone gives the Saints a shot at a wild card spot, especially since they're last in the NFC South.

Thanksgiving dish: Car Patties!

...Car patties? Well, it's not really a dish, but it's hilarious, and includes a reference to ex-Packer Najeh Davenport. Kudos to Deadspin for the story.

10. Green Bay Packers (5-6) (last week: 7)

Green Bay's showing against New Orleans could have been worse. How, you ask? Well, let's see. A cyclops could have come and bashed in the Superdome, an outbreak of cholera could have struck, the Reggie Bush/Kim Kardashian feature could have lasted longer (::shudder::), or they could move on from this loss with a game against a really good team that has a solid running game. Oh, wait...

Thanksgiving dish: Green Bean Casserole!

You spend days convincing people that it's good. Seriously, try it! It's delicious! The french onions give it a mouth-watering crisp! But then after dinner's over, there's invariably over 3/4 left in the dish. Because it's really not that good, is it? But you need to have a vegetable with your meal, just like you need to have an NFC North team in the playoffs.

Did I mention that I hate this division?

12. Philadelphia Eagles (5-5-1) (last week: 12)

Donovan McNabb got benched for Kevin Kolb. There really isn't much more to say about the Eagles. Mainly because I don't want to say anything else about the team that's last in the NFC East.

Thanksgiving dish: Halibut!

Halibut? What? That's not Thanksgiving-y at all. Get the hell out of here.

Officially removed from consideration due to dangerous amounts of suck: Seattle, San Francisco, St. Louis, Detroit.

If the playoffs started today, here's how the NFC looks. Any questions? Consult the tiebreaking procedures:

Division - Team [seed (last week) - ranking by record(last week)]
NFC East - New York Giants [1(1) - 1(1)]

NFC West - Arizona Cardinals [3(3) - 4(3)]

NFC North - Chicago Bears [4(unranked) - 6(unranked)]

NFC South - Tampa Bay Buccaneers [2(5) - 2(4)]

Wild Card - Carolina Panthers [5(2) - 3(2)]
Wild Card - Washington Redskins [6(6) - 5(5)]

And now, here's the AFC, ranked by their likelihood of making the playoffs based on record, remaining schedule, and overall performance. Starting at the top...

1. Tennessee Titans (10-1) (last week: 1)

No one is surprised that Kerry Collins couldn't win the game himself against the Jets, not even Kerry Collins.Their recent lack or proficiency in the run game disturbs me, almost as much as giving up 34 to the New York Favres. Lately with Tennessee, something just feels a little bit...off...doesn't it?

Thanksgiving dish: Tofurkey!

It's just not the same...

2. New York Jets (8-3) (last week: 2)

Well, they did it. They felled the Mutant Flesh-Eating Zombies from Tennessee. They can run the ball, pass the ball, stop the run, they can do everything a team needs to do to win. But I would argue that the most important part of their team is the jack-of-all-trades RB Leon Washington. He just has a knack for big plays at important times.

Thanksgiving dish: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes!

I do not like sweet potatoes. I have never liked them. When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, I am a traditionalist: everything for dinner should be some variety of salty, and everything for dessert should be some variety of sweet. Adding a sweet dish to the dinner course? Preposterous!

But then I tasted them. Good golly, Miss Molly. That was a delicious bite. It was like a thick cinnimon streussel, but orange. After a few tries, though, I decided to save them for last, because then I get to have a pre-dessert dessert. How awesome is that?

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) (last week: 3)

Beating the Ocho-Cinco-less Bengals last Thursday is not something to brag about, but an 8-3 record in the AFC North and a 1 1/2 game lead over second-place Baltimore is. The next three weeks will be a test for the Steelers, as they travel to New England, come home for a game against Dallas, then travel to Baltimore for what just might end up deciding the AFC North title.

Thanksgiving dish: Cornbread Stuffing!

Often overlooked but never unappreciated, the mighty Cornbread Stuffing always leaves your palate satisfied and your stomach uncomfortably full. Try it mixed in with your mashed potatoes and vegetables. It's like a starch-party.

4. Denver Broncos (6-5) (last week: 5)

I broke an oath to myself today. Long ago, when I first started making these previews, I vowed to never rank a team that had lost to Oakland in the top-5. (Oh, wait.) So why are they here? Because the AFC West has to send somebody, and the Raiders (3-8), the Chargers (4-7), and Chiefs (1-10) certainly don't look like they're up to it. So I guess we get to see Denver lose to a 6-seed (Indianapolis or New England are my bets) that will use their January victory at Formerly-Known-As Mile High as a platform for a Steelers-esque improbable Super Bowl run.

Thanksgiving dish: Canned Cranberry Sauce!

We serve it because we have to. But we sure don't like it.

5. Indianapolis Colts (7-4) (last week: 4)

Their next three games are @ Cleveland, against Cincinnati, and against Detroit. One word: yummy.

Thanksgiving dish: Pumpkin Pie!

Mmmmm...

6. New England Patriots (7-4) (last week: 8)

Matt Cassel certainly is loading up his resume for his inevitable free agency bidding war in the offseason. The Patriots will, of course, set him loose and let some other poor team overpay for a mediocre quarterback who simply ran a successful system. I hope it's Minnesota.

Thanksgiving dish: Mashed Potatoes!

You're not allowed to have the NFL Playoffs in the 21st century without the Patriots. Likewise, you're not allowed to serve Thanksgiving dinner without a pillowy mound of mashed potatoes.

7. Baltimore Ravens (7-4) (last week: 6)

Thanksgiving dish: Cheesy Onion Casserole!

It's just onions and cheese. That's it. Looks kinda gross, doesn't it? That's probably because it is. You can't have a dish that consists of just onions and cheese. There's no substance. You need a meat or a starch or SOMETHING else in there. This isn't to say that I dislike the Ravens, but given the quasi-top-heavy nature of the AFC, I can see them missing out.

8. Buffalo Bills (6-5) (last week: 9)

And BOOM goes the Bills' offense. 54 points against the Chiefs is expected from a good team, but it's encouraging when it happens for a struggling team like Buffalo. Let's see how they handle San Francisco and Miami before travelling to NYC to take on the Jets.

Thanksgiving dish: Anything containing Cauliflower!

I used to think that cauliflower looked like popcorn. I was told by a family member who shall remain nameless that it tasted like popcorn, too. Never have my tastebuds been more disappointed.

9. Miami Dolphins (6-5) (last week: 7)

Their leading reciever Greg Camarillo is out for the remainder of the season. This is a bad sign for the surprisingly adept Dolphins' playoff chances. That and they're still fighting with the Bills to avoid last place in the division.

Thanksgiving dish: Gravy!

The Dolphins completely and utterly sucked last year. Any success they had this year was considered gravy. And boy, oh boy, did they pour on the gravy.

Officially removed from consideration due to dangerous amounts of suck: Oakland, Kansas City, Cincinnatti, Houston, Cleveland, Jacksonville, San Diego.

If the playoffs started today, here's how the AFC looks. Any questions? Consult the tiebreaking procedures:

Division - Team [seed (last week) - ranking by record(last week)]
AFC East - New York Jets [3(3) - 3(3)]

AFC West - Denver Broncos [4(4) - 6(4)]

AFC North - Pittsburgh Steelers [2(2) - 2(2)]

AFC South - Tennessee Titans [1(1) - 1(1)]

Wild Card - Baltimore Ravens [5(6) - 4(6)]

Wild Card - New England Patriots [6(unranked) - 5 (unranked)]

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Poll

Favorite part of Thanksgiving?

Have a Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T05:20:51Z

Mike Tanier over at Football Outsiders recently asked me for some football memories for his Thanksgiving article:

In the early 1980s, Brandon Benson of the Packers Web site Acme Packing Company loved Thanksgiving as much as any football-obsessed preteen carnivore. But as a Packers fan, he has few good football memories about the holiday. "I became a football fan at age 10, in 1980, back when the Packers' annual trip to the Silverdome involved a good beating by the Lions," he told me. "So if the Packers did play on Thanksgiving, they went to Detroit and it was usually an ugly loss. I doubt Eddie Murray ever missed a field goal against the Packers."

Back then, the Lions were pretty good, but the Packers were mired in the epic drought that lasted from Bart Starr to Brett Favre. Benson said the tables didn't really turn until a 1993 Wild Card game. "Since then, I've been usually expecting a win against Detroit, such as the win last in Detroit last Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving games involving the Packers have become a much more welcomed experience."

This year, I'm only going to be allowed to watch football on Thanksgiving if the toddlers are taking a nap. Otherwise, it's all Wall E and Curious George on the TV in my household. But I'm not sure I want to watch either of these games. Watching Detroit play under any circumstances is an endurance test. I'm not a fan of the Cowboys, obviously, so that game doesn't hold a lot of interest either. Especially since Seattle should be easy pickings. What do you think?

Poll

Which game are you looking forward to on Thanksgiving?

Was Mike McCarthy Embarrassed in New Orleans?

2008-11-26T05:03:14Z

I know he's required to talk in coach speak, but isn't he pissed/disappointed/suicidal after getting crushed in New Orleans? From his press conference:

"There were segments throughout the game that we did a lot of positive things in the three areas, and then obviously there were segments in the game, particularly their offense versus defense, that we didn't do very well. So we'll correct that and move on."

It doesn't sound like his blood is up. We've all agreed to move on.

He was peppered about was the lousy performance by P Derrick Frost. McCarthy answered a bunch of questions that were specifically about Frost by saying WE didn't punt well and WE need to improve. The reporters gave it a couple more tries before McCarthy put his foot down:

"Gentlemen, I understand the point you are making. It's been heard. It's been well-received. We're going to continue to work this week and get ready for Carolina."

The Gentleman from Green Bay has the floor. I did find someone willing to frankly discuss the Packers' punter:

"I’m done mentioning Frost. He’s embarrassing."

At least someone is embarrassed.

Poll

Can you punt the ball further than Derrick Frost?

Packers 29, New Orleans 51

2008-11-25T06:53:08Z

I looked back as far as the 2001 season and I still don't know the last time the Packers allowed over 50 points. It was too depressing to go back any further. But if you think this game was awful, a true sign the team doesn't have it this season, well here's some recent history.

In 2004, they allowed over 45 points three times (vs. Indianapolis, Tennessee, and Philadelphia) and still won the division with a 10-6 record (only to lose to Minnesota in the 1st round).

In 2005, they allowed 48 points to Baltimore while losing 48-3. Another Monday night disaster. This was probably the worst Packer game I ever watched. The team just quit. It probably was the final nail in Mike Sherman's coffin as the Packers' head coach.

In 2007, they lost 35-7 at Chicago. This one really stands out after watching the loss at New Orleans. The special teams had a historically bad game, but the offense was lousy and the defense couldn't stop Chicago when it mattered. They just found a lot of ways to lose the game. They still managed to make it to the NFC Championship game.

The good news is that this game only counts as one loss. The team in 2004 and in 2007 overcame similar losses to make the playoffs. The 2005 game doesn't matter because the 2008 Packers didn't quit the entire game. They played very hard until the end. The playoffs are still in sight, but the remaining NFC North games against Chicago and Detroit are must wins for the tiebreakers. Chicago and Minnesota are, just like the Packers, losing every other week, which could set up all three teams at 8-8. But the Packers, with wins against Chicago in week 16 and Detroit in week 17 would have the best record against the NFC North at 5-1. That might be the difference and get them into the playoffs.

What happened in the loss to New Orleans was a lot like the loss last season at Chicago. They lost in a lot of different ways. The entire team came together to lose this game. All these problems have been there all season, but never before have they all come together in one game.

QB Aaron Rodgers. It was arguably his worst game. It might not have been statistically because he did throw for 2 TDs and run for another. But he only completed 56% of his passes and threw 3 INTs against one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL. His first INT with 7:52 left in the 3rd quarter was the death blow. He was going to need to keep scoring TDs to keep up with New Orleans. Still it's hard to fault a guy who led the team on four TD scoring drives. His struggles were just part of the story.
RB Ryan Grant and the offensive line. Nothing horrible stands out about his performance of 18 carries for 67 yards. But it's not a great. And it came against an average run defense. I counted 7 carries for 2 yards or less, including 2 for negative yards. On 40% of his carries, he struggled to get past the line of scrimmage. Again, it's nothing awful, but he had been running so well the past three games. This wasn't a good game to have a poor one.
DE Aaron Kampman and the defensive line. Kampman got pressure on QB Drew Brees a few times, but no other defensive lineman did. Plus New Orleans would block Kampman with TE Billy Miller, Kampman would let Miller release, and before Kampman could get anywhere near Brees, the ball would be thrown to a wide open Miller. As good as he was at times, his overpursuit was a problem on some plays too. The rest of the defensive line worked hard, but had little to show for their effort.
Linebackers. LB A.J. Hawk has been battling a few injuries this season. They must still be affecting him. His speed is just gone. It's hard to watch him lag behind as the TEs and RBs blow by him on passing routes. LB Brady Poppinga has always been the weak link on defense, but luckily the Packers have locked him up for the next 5 years. LB Brandon Chillar made a couple big plays; the only sack on Brees and the hit on WR Lance Moore that led to New Orleans' only turnover on a trick play. Still I'm no big fan of Chillar because he doesn't seem to have much speed. GM Ted Thompson is going to have to draft some new linebackers next season and either hope Hawk and Barnett rebound next season or let the young guys take over.
Secondary. Everyone who watched the game noticed this. CB Charles Woodson blitzed in the 1st quarter, he left Moore wide open, and he ran around a couple defenders for a big 70 yard TD. Moore also had a 16 yard TD that was all because of his running. It didn't help that S Nick Collins lost his shoe on the play and couldn't keep up. Until this game, Moore wasn't known as a receiver who ran for a lot of yards after the catch. The 70 yard TD reception also showed off S Atari Bigby's lack of speed and he was replaced by S Aaron Rouse shortly thereafter. Although Rouse had the only INT, he also took a bad angle on (another) 70 yard TD pass, this time to WR Marques Colston, and he too showed off his lack of speed. Rouse was then injured and replaced by Bigby for the duration. Woodson was beat on Colston's TD pass, but Brees had an awful long time to throw on that play. Three big plays allowed by a group that had only allowed a couple big plays all season long. They've been playing out of their minds this season. It was a tough matchup, against a QB on pace for a record setting season. Brees has yet to have a QB rating under 116.7 this season in the Superdome. It was a big challenge, but they, along with the rest of the team, picked a bad week to have their worst game.
Special teams. P Derrick Frost was awful, again. How can he have such a weak leg indoors? The kick coverage allowed a big return by KR Courtney Roby at the end of the 2nd half which set up a FG. KR Will Blackmon probably had the best game of anyone with a great punt return and great coverage on punts and kickoffs.

Poll

Acme Packing Company

How Bad Was P Derrick Frost?

Who was the worst kicker or punter you've ever seen "kick" for the Packers?

Replacing Nick Barnett with Joe Porter

About Freakin' Time

Is the next punter going to perform better than Frost?

Pro Bowl Voting

Playoffs? Playoffs?!?

Will the Packers make the playoffs?

Packers 31, Carolina 35

Who was the player of the game?

Open Thread Roll Call: Carolina at Green Bay

Week 13 Postgame Musings (Abridged Version)

Are the 2008 Packers done?

Open Thread: Carolina at Green Bay

Friday Injury Report for Week 13 vs. Carolina

Preview: Carolina at Green Bay

Say It Ain't So Al Harris

Will they release CB Al Harris after the season?

Thanksgiving Just Isn't Complete...

The Saints' Running Play Was Never In Doubt

Week 12 Postgame Musings

Do you think Rodgers will bounce back?

AFC + NFC Playoff Preview - Week 12, featuring Thanksgiving

Favorite part of Thanksgiving?

Have a Happy Thanksgiving

Which game are you looking forward to on Thanksgiving?

Was Mike McCarthy Embarrassed in New Orleans?

Can you punt the ball further than Derrick Frost?

Packers 29, New Orleans 51

Did this loss officially end the season?