Surviving Sunday: News, Notes and Links from the Packers playoff bye week

There’s been plenty of football played over the last four days. Unfortunately, none of it was played by the Green Bay Packers.

To help fill that void, here’s a playoff edition of Surviving Sunday. I’ll cover as many Packers topics as I can, and, as always, mix in a few non-Packers thoughts and opinions that will make you laugh, cry, hurl, or all three.

Packers news, notes and links

  • Don’t get me wrong, it’s not good that Aaron Rodgers is battling an injured calf. However, it’s been interesting watching him operate out of the pocket using quick passes that incorporate the running backs and tight ends these last two weeks. Haven’t we been wanting the Packers’ offense to incorporate more timing routes and check-downs ever since Rodgers took over? Again, I’m not saying the calf injury is a good thing, but maybe it’ll force Mike McCarthy and Rodgers to add yet another wrinkle to an already dangerous offense.
  • The general sentiment out there among Packers fans is that they’d rather avoid playing Dallas next weekend, if possible. I get that sentiment, but that mindset also ticks me off. I hate the Cowboys. They ruined my teenage years by always beating the Packers in the playoffs. Jerry Jones is a terrible person. Their new stadium is an atrocity. It’d be a whole lot of fun to beat the Cowboys in the playoffs and send them spiraling back to mediocrity. Besides, should we really be that afraid of Tony Romo in January, on the road?
  • New Year’s Eve brought news that the Packers have started talking to Letroy Guion about a contract extension. I’ve got no problem with bringing Guion back — I like his athleticism and the job he’s done filling in for B.J. Raji this season. But hopefully the Packers don’t go too overboard on the deal. Guion isn’t an all-pro and I don’t think it’s a given that he can repeat what he’s done most of this season. I’m sure Ted Thompson has a number in mind, and hopefully that number means the Packers could have both Raji and Guion back in 2015 at decent prices.
  • Obviously, Ndomukong Suh is a piece of trash and his stepping on Rodgers’ leg was intentional. But I don’t have a problem with his suspension being reduced to a fine only. Call me insensitive, but I didn’t think Suh’s offense warranted a playoff suspension.
  • J.J. Watt is a helluva football player, but Rodgers should be this season’s MVP. If you’re starting an NFL franchise and your goal is to win right away, you take Rodgers over Watt every time. Plus 10 of Watt’s 20.5 sacks came against the hapless Titans and Jaguars.
  • If you could only bring back one player next season, would you bring back Tramon Williams or Davon House? Williams is the crafty veteran who’s still good. House is the younger player with potential who can’t seem to stay healthy long enough to put it all together. Gun to my head, I’d bring back Tramon. I know that goes against the Packers keep-it-young philosophy, but man, Tramon hasn’t slowed down much and he’s playing with more passion and aggression than he ever has before. I just don’t trust House to stay healthy.
  • Go Pack Go!

Non-Packers news, notes and links

  • Here’s legendary WWF announcer Jim Ross calling the Oregon Ducks blowout victory over Florida State in the Rose Bowl. “GOOD GOD, HE’S BROKEN IN HALF!!!!”
  • This might open up a can of worms, but it’s been bugging me. A police officer shoots an unarmed man in Ferguson and a grand jury doesn’t indict the officer. A police officer chokes out and kills an unarmed man in New York, no indictment. A state trooper is heading to the scene of a motorcycle accident with his siren blaring and lights flashing in Minnesota. A car pulls out in front of him, the trooper hits it, and the two occupants of the vehicle die. The trooper is indicted on manslaughter charges. WTF? To my amateur legal mind, it seems that of the three, the trooper was the least deserving of an indictment. By far.
  • I just finished reading The QB: The Making of Modern Quarterbacks. Highly recommended.
  • I was sick a couple of weeks ago and did nothing but watch true crime documentaries. The best one was Murder on a Sunday Morning. The defense attorney is a total badass.
  • Good to see the best football video game on the market getting some well-deserved publicity.
  • Slate put together a tremendous compilation of everything we were outraged about in 2014. I wonder what the Packers version of this would look like for 2014?
  • Finally, do any of our wonderful readers play board games? The wife and I are always looking for new ways to entertain ourselves now that our lives revolve around our 1 year old instead of which new bar or restaurant to try. I’ve heard good things about Pandemic and Ticket to Ride. Thoughts? Any other board game suggestions? Let me know in the comments.