Remember these types of columns and blog posts following recent Packers playoff exits? If you’re too lazy to click the link, the column calls the Packers “too soft to join the NFL’s elite.”
Defensive issues, particularly in the area of “toughness,” have plagued the Packers since winning the Super Bowl four seasons ago. With the exception of some early-season run defense issues and the last 5 minutes of the NFC title game, the Packers defense took care of most of those issues in 2014.
But after the departure of Tramon Williams, who turned into a gritty and willing tackler after shying away from contact in previous seasons, and spending early-round draft picks on small defensive backs instead of bruising trench players or a hard-hitting middle linebacker, could the Packers’ “toughness” again be questioned in 2015?
“Toughness” is hard to define. Typically, if a team is winning games, their defensive “toughness” isn’t questioned. That’s not always the case with the Packers since their defensive meltdowns in the playoffs have been bad. Really bad. The Packers have been one of the NFL’s best teams, but their “toughness” is still questioned.
Playing defense today is mostly about match-ups and forcing turnovers. Green Bay’s defense has plenty of versatile athletes and playmakers, so they should be well-equipped to excel in both categories. But there are still plenty of good NFL teams that thrive on a strong running game and pushing around smaller, softer teams.
If Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawks steamroll the Packers in week 2, the soft label will make an ugly return to the Packers’ defense. It’ll get worse if San Francisco once again plows through Green Bay two weeks later.
We’ll find out early on just how “tough” the 2015 Packers’ defense will be. If they’re not tough enough, look for changes to be made like they were last season.
Moving Clay Matthews inside, scrapping the “quad” package, playing Morgan Burnett up in the box. Those types of moves improve the Packers on D last season and made them tougher. It’d be nice to not have to do much shifting to get to the right level of “toughness” in 2015.
“Toughness” might be hard to define, but you sure know when your team lacks it.
When we’re looking back at the Green Bay Packers 2015 draft class five years from now, will we be nodding our heads in approval or shaking our heads in disgust at the players Ted Thompson passed up?
Versatility and special teams were the buzzwords surrounding this Packers’ draft. I’m not one of those people who gets all wound up about the draft. I say let’s see these kids play before we get too upset about passing up this player or that player.
But like most football fans, I do enjoy second-guessing. So for this edition of Surviving Sunday, I’ve put together a five-round Packers “Second-Guess Draft.” When I put my second-guessing hat on, these are the players I would have taken instead of the players actually drafted by the Packers.
I doubt my second-guess picks will turn out to be better than Thompson’s actual picks, but it’ll be fun to pull up this post a few years from now and compare.
Round 1
Actual pick: Damarious Randall, DB, Arizona St.
Second-guess pick: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
Many would probably second-guess my second guess in this situation. Inside linebacker Stephone Anthony went to the Saints right after the Packers selected Randall. Obviously, the Packers need all the inside linebacker help they can get. But I want Brown in my second-guess scenario. There’s no guarantee that BJ Raji will be any good coming off injury or that Letroy Guion can repeat the success he had last season. Plus, both of those players are free agents next offseason. Brown seems like the type of big body the Packers need up front.
I had never heard or Quinten Rollins before the Packers selected him. After the selection, I thought, “Great, another basketball player with minimal football experience.” But after doing a lot of reading, Rollins’ ceiling seems so high that I think it’s a great pick. I second-guessed this selection when Thompson first made it, but not any more. I’d stick with Rollins in my second-guess draft.
Round 3
Actual pick: Ty Montgomery, WR, Standord
Second-guess pick: Paul Dawson, ILB, TCU
Here’s where the Packers get their inside linebacker. Dawson’s 40-time was awful, but anybody who spends a minute or two watching game-film of Dawson can see that he actually can play. It’d be tough to pass up the dynamic kick/punt return potential of Montgomery, but my second-guess pick here would be Dawson.
Round 4
Actual pick: Jake Ryan, ILB, Michigan
Second-guess pick: David Cobb, RB, Minnesota
This second-guess pick was a tough one between Cobb and Grady Jarrett, NT, Clemson. I went with Cobb because I think he’ll be a very consistent running back and will be able to step right into the third-down role once James Starks’ time in Green Bay is up. I also think Cobb might be a more steady runner than Starks should Lacy be injured for an extended stretch.
Here is where I would’ve picked up some additional wide-receiver depth in my second-guess universe. Bell has a sweet afro and is the kind of smart, route-running receiver Aaron Rodgers and the Packers seem to like.
Packers News, Notes and Links
If you missed out on all the draft podcasts from the Packers Talk Radio Network, be sure to Packers draft There are a lot of great pods that go in-depth on the Packers’ selections.
This Packers draft post from Acme Packing Co. on the Packers 2015 draftees is also a great read. In my opinion, the immediate best case scenario for this class is they take the Packers special teams from awful to good. Long term best case scenario is Rollins turning into an all-pro and Jake Ryan steadily improving in 2015.
Want to know more about the Packers undrafted free agents? Packers undrafted free agents from Jeff Albrecht has you covered. I’m most excited to see what John Crockett, RB, North Dakota St., can do.
The Packers Nick Perry the fifth-year option of OLB Nick Perry. A good decision by the Packers. Let’s see if putting some pressure on Perry leads to more production.
Bye bye Jarrett Bush The Packers gave Rollins Bush’s No. 24. That likely means Bush won’t be back with the Packers.
Non Packers links and other Nonsense
Turns out Tom Brady likely wasn’t Mr. Innocent in “Deflategate.” I’m not saying the Patriots don’t win the Super Bowl if Deflategate never happens, but this isn’t some little thing to just brush off, either. Obviously, if Brady and the Pats didn’t feel like deflating the football would give them some type of advantage, they wouldn’t have done it. With so many NFL games, especially late in the season, being decided by the slimmest of margins on one or two key players, any little advantage helps. In Brady’s case, it appears that he got that advantage by cheating.
The 2015 NFL draft is complete and the Green Bay Packers are still the best team in the NFC North. But that doesn’t mean we should completely ignore the other teams in the division.
Just like the Packers added a bunch of new players, the Vikings, Lions and Bears now have new faces as well. Let’s recap the draft for the Packers’ divisional foes and ask ourselves if any of these teams are now in position to grab the NFC North title belt away from the Packers.
Are the Vikings ready to unseat the Packers? No, but they’re getting damn close, in my opinion. Mike Zimmer is an excellent coach. Teddy Bridgewater barely scratched the surface of his ability last season. Waynes and Kendricks add to an emerging defense and offer two more weapons to try and slow down Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy & company. Even general manager Rick Spielman seems sensible, unlike Vikings GMs of the past.
With the exception of the Adrian Peterson drama, these Vikings don’t appear to be the bumbling and bungling Vikings we’ve grown to know and despise. They might be a year away from serious contention, but the Vikings are getting closer to being the real deal.
Best pick Waynes. You can never have enough talent in the secondary when you play against the likes of Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Alshon Jeffrey and Clavin Johnson twice per season.
Possible late-round sleeper Clemmings. In addition to Clemmings, the Vikings also drafted two other tackles in the late rounds. All three will provide competition/motivation for former No. 4 overall pick Matt Kalil, who’s regressed big time since his rookie season.
Detroit Lions
1 (28) — Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke
2 (54) — Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska
3 (80) — Alex Carter, CB, Stanford
4 (113) — Gabe Wright, DT, Auburn
5 (168) — Michael Burton, FB, Rutgers
6 (200) — Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas
7 (240) — Corey Robinson, T, South Carolina
Are the Lions ready to unseat the Packers? LOL! No. I know it’s silly to dismiss a team’s draft class before training camp even starts, but I’m not worried at all about an offensive lineman from Duke and a fumble-prone running back doing much to close the gap between Green Bay and Detroit.
I thought last year’s Lions’ draft class, led by tight end Eric Ebron, wasn’t very impressive and I feel the same about the 2015 class.
Best pick Tomlinson. I guess if I had to pick a best Lions’ pick, it’d be Tomlinson. He doesn’t frighten me at the moment, but I could change my mind once he lines up against the Packers’ smallish defensive front.
Possible late-round sleeper Diggs. I almost like this kid more than Carter. He’s got the physicality that seems to frustrate Green Bay’s receivers.
Chicago Bears
1 (7) — Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
2 (39) — Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida St.
3 (71) — Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
4 (106) — Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan St.
5 (142) — Adrian Amos, FS, Penn. St.
6 (183) — Tayo Fabuluje, T, TCU
Are the Bears ready to unseat the Packers? No way. Kevin White was the best receiver in this draft, but he can’t play defense, which is where the Bears needed help in order to prevent Rodgers from constantly carving them up. Having John Fox as your coach should automatically upgrade the defense a little bit, but the Bears need a lot more help on D if they want to even entertain the idea of unseating the Packers.
Best pick White. Why did Packers GM Ted Thompson use his first two picks on defensive backs? Because the receivers in the NFC North keep getting better.
Possible late-round sleeper Amos. The Bears desperately need re-enforcements in the secondary. If they are to have any shot at slowing down the Packes, Amos needs to quickly develop from the rangy prospect he currently is into a contributing player.
When the Green Bay Packers’ turn to pick in the first and second round of the NFL draft came up, there were still several players left on the board who would have provided re-enforcement to the defensive line and inside linebacker positions.
And the Packers selected none of them.
Packers general manager Ted Thompson left many of us scratching our heads after this draft. Who’s he? Why’d they take that guy? Huh? Those questions were uttered by many Packers fans this weekend, particularly after the Packers’ selections in the first three rounds.
To answer some of those questions and hopefully alleviate some of the bewilderment, here are all of the Packers’ draft picks and the reasons why, in my opinion, Thompson made them.
Damarious Randall – Projected cornerback – Round 1, Pick 30 (#30 overall) – Replaces Davon House
Rationale: Ted Thompson and Dom Capers love versatile defensive backs with raw speed and the ability to come on a blitz every now and then. And with Tramon Williams and Davon House gone, the Packers needed to restock the shelf in the secondary.
Versatile, active, good ball skills, fast, center-fielder, blitzer. Do those terms and phrases remind you of anyone? They remind me of Charles Woodson. I’m not in any way saying Randall is the next Woodson, but the Packers love that Woodson type of player, and Randall checks off several Woodson categories.
Micah Hyde and Casey Hayward have Woodson’s skill set as well, but are nowhere near as talented. Could Randall combine that Woodson skill set with an abundance of talent? We’re about to find out.
Rationale: Well, the Packers lost two cornerbacks to free agency, so you have to replace them, right? Either that or Thompson has a well-placed source who is telling him that the NFL is going to switch to flag football this season. Collins is another basketball player. Team him with Demetri Goodson and the Packers should be able to win a game of H-O-R-S-E against any other NFL team.
But in all seriousness, Collins seems like a bit of a project. He plays fast, reckless and aggressive — all desirable traits once they become honed. However, he needs work on technique and knowing when to gamble and when to play it safe. Packers cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt will have plenty of work to do with his two new draft picks, but the tools are definitely there for Whitt to build something out of Collins.
According to Pro Football Focus, only three other players received a higher coverage grade and only two other cornerbacks received a higher overall grade than Collins. Sure, it’s a little frustrating that the Packers didn’t address the middle of their defense in their first two picks, but Thompson has picked up two talented, albeit raw, players to ensure the Packers secondary has a shot at remaining a strength, and maybe even improving.
Rationale: It seems like it’s been forever since the Packers had a stud kick and punt returner. Montgomery had a down season as a receiver, but after averaging 28.7 yards on kick returns and 19.8 on punts during his career at Stanford, a lot of scouts projected Montgomery as the best returner in the draft.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if Montgomery is given the opportunity to line up in the backfield in a Cordarrelle Patterson or Shane Vereen type of role. Mike McCarthy has yet another chess piece to move around as he looks to create mismatches and finally conquer the tough, physical defenses that have been a thorn in the Packers’ side since winning the Super Bowl in 2010.
In the first three rounds of the draft, Thompson has selected two athletic defensive backs and a receiver with a high ceiling as a returner. At the very least, the Packers special teams should be vastly improved in 2015.
Rationale: We’ve been waiting for Thompson to draft an inside linebacker and he finally did! Actually, Ryan played outside his first three seasons at Michigan, but moved inside his final season and was team MVP. Look for him to stay inside in Green Bay.
Can Ryan play right away? Do the Packers need him to play right away? Will he plug the giant perceived hole at inside linebacker? These are all questions people immediately asked after Ryan was picked. The answers are: hopefully, maybe, let’s not put too much on this kid before he’s even signed a contract.
Ryan looks like more of a run-stopper than someone who can blanket a tight end or a running back in coverage, but I don’t have a problem with that. The Packers need more toughness in the middle, and after this draft, they’ve got an overflow of defensive backs to handle pass coverage duties. Let’s see if Ryan can shore up the inside against the run.
Rationale: When Matt Flynn played last season, it was apparent that he didn’t have much left. By trading up to get Hundley early in the fifth round, Thompson gives McCarthy a quarterback project to work on, a competitor for Scott Tolzien in training camp, and extra insurance for his MVP quarterback — who has suffered a significant injury in consecutive seasons.
Hundley has the arm, build, and scrambling ability to play quarterback in the NFL. What he needs to work on is his ability to throw the ball downfield. Fifty-four percent of his passes in 2014 traveled 6 yards or less through the air. He also needs to do a better job of what Rodgers does so well: keeping his eyes downfield as he moves around the pocket, always looking to make a play downfield before running.
The Packers have plenty of work to do to make Hundley into a capable quarterback. Hopefully another Rodgers’ injury doesn’t force Hundley to play before he’s ready.
Aaron Ripkowski — Projected fullback — Round 6, Pick #30 (#206 overall) — Replaces John Kuhn (in a year or two)
Rationale: Notice a pattern to the Packers draft picks so far? All of them should be special teams contributors right away. When McCarthy and Thompson set out to overhaul the special teams, I guess they weren’t kidding.
While Ripkowski works to familiarize himself with the Packers’ offense and whatever Rodgers wants him to do, he should be able to bring some pop to the special teams. Can Ripkowski eventually grow into the type of fullback who can pick up a 3rd and inches or catch a dumpoff pass, if necessary? I’m not so sure. But he does look like a sledgehammer type of blocker, and even played some snaps at tight end.
Ripkowski appears to be the player with the coolest name to come out of this draft for the Packers until…
Christian Ring0 — Projected defensive tackle/long snapper — Round 6, Pick #34 (#210 overall) — Replaces Brett Goode (eventually) and provides depth on d-line
Ringo or Ripkowski: Who’s got the cooler name? It’s a close race, but I’m going with the Pollack.
Ringo put up some crazy good numbers at Louisiana Layfayette, including 11.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles-for-loss as an undersized defensive tackle in 2014. Pro Football Focus ranked Ringo as the most efficient pass rusher in the draft.
Ringo will have to line up as a defensive end with the Packers before he’s small. His ceiling is probably a lesser version of Mike Daniels. If that doesn’t work out, he could become the team’s long-snapper of the future.
In today’s NFL, labels don’t mean much. Sure, a player might have TE, WR or RB listed before their name, but it doesn’t mean those labels confine that player to specific duties. This is especially true when it comes to wide receivers and tight ends.
The line is becoming more blurred. Perhaps a more appropriate title for TE/WRs is “pass catcher.” That’s how I’d prefer to label Backman. He looks like a pass catcher. He’s got tight-end size and he’s labeled as a tight end, but I don’t see him blocking much. If he’s going to contribute, it’s going to be as a pass catcher.
There is very little debate that Aaron Rodgers is Ted Thompson’s best draft pick during his 10 years as general manager of the Green Bay Packers. If Thompson would have passed on Rodgers because the Packers didn’t need a quarterback, the recent history of the Packers would have been quite different.
But who is Thompson’s second-best draft choice? Luckily, if you’re a Packers fan, there have been plenty of prime candidates. Here are the top 5, in my not so humble opinion:
Clay Matthews, 2009 Not only has Matthews been one of the best defensive players in the NFL, Thompson uncharacteristically traded back into the first round to grab him. The rare Thompson trade-up gives Matthews a couple extra points in the race for second best Thompson draft pick of all time.
Josh Sitton, 2008 It’s not often you find a player who might be the best in the league at his position group in the fourth round, but that’s what Thompson did with Sitton. Durable, dependable, and really freaking good — Sitton ranks right up there with the best of Thompson’s picks.
Mike Daniels, 2012 The 2012 draft is one that Thompson would probably like to forget. Nick Perry, Jerron McMillian, Terrell Manning and B.J. Coleman…bleh. But Thompson struck gold once again in the fourth round with Daniels. Imagine how weak the Packers defensive line would have been without Daniels last season?
Nick Collins, 2005 Packers fans didn’t realize how good they had it with Collins at safety until Collins’ career was suddenly ended in 2011. Until the arrival of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix last season, safety had been a black hole in Collins’ absence.
Greg Jennings, 2006 Jennings over Randall Cobb? Yes, Jennings over Cobb, at least for now. With the Packers, Jennings put up big numbers and had several memorable moments, including a ridiculous catch from a ridiculous throw from Rodgers in Super Bowl XLV. Nothing wrong with being mad at Jennings for the way he left Green Bay, but don’t discount his impact on getting the Packers to where they are today.
So, who would I pick as Thompson’s second-best draft choice ever? I say it’s Matthews. It’d be nice if Thompson could draft Matthews a new hamstring, but when you look at talent, impact, energy, hustle and the complete package, Matthews delivers.
The NFL draft kicks off on Thursday and we’ll finally have some new Green Bay Packers players to root for. I’m not a Draftnik, but based on what I’ve read, listened to, seen, heard or thought, here are the top 5 players I’m most excited about possibly landing with the Packers in this year’s draft:
Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota How can you watch this and not get excited about Williams teaming with Aaron Rodgers?
Jalen Collins, CB, LSU If Collins ends up in Green Bay, hopefully he’ll take up drinking Miller Lite instead of smoking weed. If he does, the 6-foot-1, 203-pounder has all the tools to be a star.
Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA This year’s inside linebacker class isn’t jumping off the charts, but Kendricks looks like the type of versatile and athletic player who can complement the aggressiveness of Sam Barrington inside.
Ellis McCarthy, DL, UCLA The Packers are going to need at least one fat guy for the defensive line out of this draft. If they can nab McCarthy on day 2 or 3, I’d be pleased.
Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska The Packers already are overloaded at receiver, but Bell stands out as another later-round find for Thompson as wide receiver.
Packers News, Notes and Links
Which dates do you have circled on the Packers’ 2015 schedule, which was announced on Tuesday? I’ve got Oct. 18 against San Diego because that’s the date for Throwback Weekend 5 and Thanksgiving Night against the Bears because 1) it’s against the Bears, 2) Thanksgiving night at Lambeau is going to be amazing, and 3) the Packers will be retiring the number of some guy named Favre.
Speaking of Packers vs. Bears: Did anyone else notice how pissed off Bears fans on Twitter were when they learned they opened the season against the Packers? Check out some of these tweets. My favorite: “So packers open with a bye week?”
Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is the best dead tree traditional newspaper reporter to read during the lead up to the NFL draft. Here’s McGinn’s profile of Iowa’s Brandon Scherff.
Want more draft insight? Download this week’s “No Huddle Radio” podcast where Jersey Al and Jason Perone break down cornerbacks and inside linebackers with Dan Shonka from Ourlads.com.
CheeseheadTV’s Aaron Nagler recently started a podcast and it’s really good. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was a guest this week.
Packers GM Ted Thompson held a pre-draft news conference this week and, per usual, didn’t say much of anything. But if you want a quick summary of the nothingness, Jason at Acme Packing Company sums it up.
Are any of you planning to drop $100 to watch the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight next week? I love boxing, but I can’t fathom putting more money in Mayweather’s pocket. The guy is a clown and a serial woman beater.
Typically, the storylines surrounding the Packers as the season draws closer focus on three things:
Newly drafted players
Second or third-year players poised to become good or great players
How the Packers will fill the gap at (insert position group)
It’s fun getting to know the newest Packers and speculating which young guys already on the roster might break out. It’s also fun to second-guess general manager Ted Thompson a bit and wonder how the Packers will fare at (insert position group) with no shiny new outside free agent on the roster to help.
But this offseason, the storylines surrounding the Packers have been different, and I don’t expect it to change any time soon. Everyone is still talking about the meltdown in Seattle. They want to know how the Packers are going to respond. What changes will be made to prevent it from happening again? What did the Packers learn? Can they recover? Will they use it as motivation? How in the hell did that happen?
Yes, it gets old hearing about that miserable day over and over again. But we better get used to it, because we’ll be hearing about it for a while. The usual Packers pre-season storylines will still be there, but they’ll take a back seat to the “How will the Packers get over what happened in Seattle” angle.
To think that the Seattle debacle will just go away to make room for another story on the Packers fourth-round draft pick or Casey Hayward is wishful thinking. This Seattle storyline is sticking around for a while. To wish otherwise is the equivalent of wishing that only the positive aspects of government receive media coverage instead of only the scandals. You might have a point, but the scandals and negativity will garner more attention than the feel-good stories each and every time. That’s just the way it is.
If hearing more about the Seattle loss in the buildup to the 2015 season annoys you, you might want to steer clear of Packers’ coverage before the the opener vs. Chicago. The Seattle storylines will be coming fast and hard. And even if (when?) the Packers win 10-13 games — several in memorable fashion — in 2015, the Seahawks meltdown storyline will still be there come playoff time. That’s just the way it is.
Besides not letting a similar meltdown happen again, there’s nothing the Packers can do to stop it.
Why wait until 7 p.m. Central Tuesday night for the 2015 NFL and Green Bay Packers schedules to be announced? An exclusive source has revealed this year’s Packers’ schedule ahead of the official announcement.
Here’s the full Packers schedule, complete with reasoning why the NFL scheduled each Packers game where it did: (Humor)
Sunday, Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m. – Packers vs. Rams The NFL feels bad about the Packers choking away their chances at a Super Bowl in Seattle. To help Green Bay recover, the league is giving the Packers a prime-time Sunday night game against the Rams to start the season. Beating the Rams 64-8 on national TV should be a great first step in helping Green Bay forget about what happened in Seattle.
Thursday, Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m. – Packers vs. Chiefs Because most Packers starters will be pulled by the middle of the second quarter during the demolition of the Rams, the Packers should be adequately rested to play on the following Thursday. Kansas City is the opponent because you can’t put Packers vs. Chiefs on a weekend. These are two of the biggest eating and drinking fan bases in the NFL. If this game is played on a Sunday, both fan bases would eat the entire Midwest section of the United States out of red meat and drink the region dry of Miller Lite by kickoff.
Monday, Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m. – Packers at Bears The Packers are back in prime time once again. The NFL gives the Packers this Monday night game because watching an early-season Jay Cutler meltdown on national TV is always fun.
Sunday, Sept. 27, 3:30 p.m. – Cowboys at Packers The NFL needs to capitalize on the “Dez Bryant is still angry about the not-quite-a-catch call” storyline from last year’s playoffs before Bryant gets arrested and sentenced to life in prison at Guantanamo Bay.
Week 5. Packers bye
Sunday, Oct. 11, 3:30 p.m. – Seahawks vs. Packers This is my wife’s birthday and it’d be a lot of fun to watch the Packers beat the Seahawks on my wife’s birthday. The NFL recognizes this important fact and scheduled this game accordingly.
Sunday, Oct. 18, 3:30 p.m. – Packers at Raiders The Seahawks are a damn good team, so the NFL essentially gives the Packers a second bye week to recover by putting this Raiders game immediately after the battle with Seattle (which takes place on my wife’s birthday).
Sunday, Oct. 25, 3:30 p.m. – Packers at 49ers Since the weather is starting to turn cold in Green Bay, the NFL scheduled the Raiders/49ers games in consecutive weeks so the Packers can just stay in California instead of returning to the cold of Green Bay. Thanks Roger Goodell.
Sunday, Nov. 1, noon – Packers at Panthers There’s never a compelling reason to put a Panthers game in any time slot besides noon on a Sunday, so the Packers finally get out of the prime time/late afternoon slot.
Sunday, Nov. 8, noon – Lions at Packers See above. But replace “Panthers” with “Lions.”
Sunday, Nov. 15, noon — Packers at Vikings See above. But replace “Lions” with “Vikings.”
Monday, Nov. 23, 7:30 p.m. – Packers at Broncos *Hank Williams, Jr. voice* It’s Aaron Rodgers vs. the Corpse of Peyton Manning, here on Monday night!
Sunday, Nov. 29, noon – Chargers at Packers This game seems like it’s better than a noon on Sunday slot, but by this time the Chargers are losing every game by 9 touchdowns because Philip Rivers intentionally throws a pick on every possession to try and get the Chargers to release him so he doesn’t have to play in Los Angeles next year.
Sunday, Dec. 6, noon – Packers Lions This will be the traditional away game in Detroit where the Packers don’t bother showing up and get destroyed. At least three key Packers players will suffer injuries. Hopefully none of them are named Aaron or Rodgers.
Sunday, Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m. – Packers at Cardinals Arizona is everyone’s “sleeper” pick to win the Super Bowl in 2015, which means they’ll have two wins by the time this game rolls around. Look for this game to get flexed to Sunday afternoon.
Sunday, Dec. 20, noon – Bears at Packers
Sunday, Dec. 20, 3:30 p.m. – Vikings at Packers No, that is not a misprint. The Packers play back-to-back games on the same day, first against the Bears, then against the Vikings. Packers president Mark Murphy sold this idea to Roger Goodell as the latest NFL money-making gimmick to squeeze every last dollar possible out of late-season games involving the Lions and Vikings, two teams nobody cares about come December. Mike McCarthy will go for it because once his squad wins both games (easily), it’ll give his team an extra bye week before the playoffs.
What are your thoughts on the Packers 2015 schedule? I’ve been looking at it for the last 23 hours and I still don’t see a loss. Well, maybe the traditional collapse in Detroit, but that won’t be too huge of a deal.
Cobb won’t leave your mouth agape with a fast 40-time or some other feat of strength that looks good at the NFL Combine. His film also isn’t filled with flashy, ankle-breaking moves or scenes of him carrying five tacklers into the end zone for a touchdown. But what Cobb lacks in “wow factor,” he makes up for in production. The Minnesota Gophers’ offense didn’t have much going for it last season, but Cobb still managed a school record 1,626 rushing yards.
What they’re saying about him:
CBSSports.com: “Cobb is only one of several relatively unheralded talents in a potentially outstanding class of running backs. While he is productive, durable and reliable, there isn’t much on tape that separates Cobb from other backs.”
NFL.com: “Cobb’s highlights might bore you, but he’s custom-made for physical running teams. Adjusting his style to the speed of the NFL game might take some time, but Cobb’s downhill, run-finishing style fits what running games are becoming in the NFL and, in the right scheme, he has a shot to be more than just a complementary back.”
Video:
Video Analysis:
Excellent vision. Knows how to set up his blocks and get the most out of each and every carry.
Dependable. You’re not going to get much improvising or dancing around. Cobb knows what the call is, knows where he’s supposed to go, and he goes there. Hard.
He might not look like a bulldozer, but Cobb is strong. Check out the stiff-arms and the would-be tacklers bouncing off Cobb once he gets rolling through a hole.
There isn’t an obvious weakness in Cobb’s game. Sure, he doesn’t have top-tier speed or explosiveness, but that doesn’t mean he’s deficient in those areas. If Cobb played in an era when running backs were move valued, he’d probably be drafted much higher than the fourth or fifth round he’ll likely go in this year’s upcoming draft.
If drafted by the Packers
Cobb is a solid running back who should be able to contribute and help just about any team that drafts him. I’m not sure if he’s the type of back I’d like to have on the Packers, though. I prefer a change-of-pace type of back to come in when Eddie Lacy takes a rest — a back who can hit a hole and outrun the secondary or take a swing pass and surprise a would-be tackler with a burst of speed. Cobb is very similar to Lacy, just not as good. I don’t think he’d bring the explosive element I’d want in Lacy’s backup. That said, Cobb is still solid. If he’s high on Ted Thompson’s board in the later round, I’d have no problem with the selection.
This week’s edition of Surviving Sunday features my annual review of the best video game series on the planet: Out of the Park Baseball. But before we get to learning more about Out of the Park Baseball 16, let’s cover the Packers news and notes from this week.
Packers News, Notes and Links
It’s decision time for the Packers on Sean Richardson. The safety signed a $2.55 million restricted free agent offer sheet with the Raiders, and the Packers must decide if they want to match it by late Monday. If they do, Richardson would be the 13th highest paid player on the team based on 2015 cap numbers. That’s a lot for a backup safety, but let’s not forget Richardson’s special teams experience. If the Packers really want to improve on special teams, they should want Richardson back — event if they have to pay up to keep him.
Don Barclay will be back with the Packers next season, assuming he’s all healed up from his knee injury. I thought Barclay was a tad overrated when he got extensive playing time in 2013, but (if healthy), he should be a much better backup/depth option at tackle and guard than what the Packers had last season.
With Barclay back, the Packers offensive line is shaping up to look like this: David Bakhtiari, Josh Sitton, Corey Linsley, T.J. Lang and Bryan Bulaga starting. J.C. Tretter and Barclay coming off the bench. Is it September yet? Seeing the Packers offensive line return in tact, with Barclay added to the mix and Tretter with a year under his belt, makes me want to watch this team right now.
The Packers will play the Patriots, Steelers, Eagles and Saints in the 2015 exhibition season. That’s a brutal preseason schedule. I bet McCarthy is fired by week 3.
Some interesting insight here from Tex at Acme Packing Co. on how the suspension of Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell could set the standard for whatever punishment the Packers’ Letroy Guion will face.
Non Packers links and other Nonsense
Every year that Out of the Park Baseball (OOTP) releases a new version of its baseball management simulation game, I say the same thing: “This year’s version of OOTP is the best one yet.” Well, call me a broken record, because OOTP 16, released a few weeks ago, takes an already great game and makes it even greater.
With each new version of OOTP, I search hard for game-breaking flaws that would give me a reason to discourage people from buying the game. Every year I don’t find any. And believe me, I look. Closely. A game shouldn’t be this close to perfect, but OOTP 16 is.
If you’re unfamiliar with OOTP baseball, it’s a baseball simulation game that makes you the general manager and/or manager of a baseball team. To put the game in Packers’ terminology, you become Ted Thompson and/or Mike McCarthy — making roster moves, setting team strategies, drafting and developing, signing free agents, building team chemistry, working with a budget – to try and lead your team to championships.
Unlike console baseball games on Xbox or PS4, you don’t mash buttons or use a joystick to achieve success. In OOTP 16, you use your brain and baseball management IQ. OOTP 16 is a thinking man’s game.
The first noticeable improvement in OOTP 16 is its official MLB license. All real player names, modern-day and historical team logos and ballparks come with the game. No more having to download and install user-created mod files. A real-life MLB setup is possible right out of the box.
You’ll also notice several small additions that add to OOTP 16’s immersion. If you play a management simulation game for a certain amount of time, it can feel like you’re staring at spreadsheet instead of playing a videogame. Not the case with OOTP 16. The game’s graphical interface is second-to-none and keeps the game’s appearance fresh and interesting.
New features like improved playoff coverage, player info popups, better-written news stories and manager/coach personalities and traits completely suck you into whatever baseball universe you create.
My personal favorite mode is the random debut feature. You set up a new baseball universe, complete with however many teams, divisions, minor leagues and postseason slots you want, and the game creates a draft pool of players from throughout the history of baseball. When your initial draft is complete, you might end up with Ryan Braun in left field, Bob Uecker behind the plate and Mickey Mantle in center field.
If I had to find one gripe about OOTP 16, it’s the fact that it’s become too immersive. There are so many options to tinker with and features to explore that the game can be intimidating for new users. Heck, sometimes it’s even intimidating for me, and I’ve been playing it for 15 years.
If you read ALLGBP.com, chances are you think a little harder and deeper about sports than your average fan who might read the occasional newspaper column or tune into Sports Center. If that’s the case, you need to try OOTP Baseball 16.
You will get addicted, and before you know it, this period we’re experiencing now with no Packers football will fly by in no time at all.
You can find out all you need to know about OOTP 16, including purchase information, at ootpdevelopments.com.
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