2011 Green Bay Packers, YODTT

[Steve Foss]

If you believe provincialism only occurs in Minnesota, you don't get out much!

What I don't understand is where this attitude even comes from.

Because the Football Forum is overrun by Vikings fans, purple is the color of the KoolAid most everyone is drinking. Thus, it's the color non Vikes fans have the most opportunity to make fun of.

Doesn't mean we don't realize our fan base is just as full of doofuses as any other team's.

But it appears to have hit home in some way. Always nice to get a rise out of the moderator. Must have been a cunning presentation of an amazing artificial drifted across a pool ripe with purple trout.

[Scott M]

Foss, I think there's a snipe hunt you're late for in the bird watching forum

Back to YODTT! I'm liking my James Starks late round pick better and better as the Pack figures out Ryan Grant is diseased.

[Scott K]

Scott, what were you thinking?? How can you argue about the Packers? Dont you know they have the best stadium, the best QB, RB, WR, team over all, GM, fans, and every thing Packers is just the best. Even their uniforms scream "We are the Best"

[JosMN]

According to SI about Lambeau Field:

Affordability & Food - #1

Tailgating - #2

Team Quality - #5

Atmosphere - #1

Accessibility - #4

Overall - #1

How would you rate the hospitality offered to fans of the opposing team?

Poor = 1%

Below Average = 3.2%

Average = 13.2%

Above Average = 31.3%

Excellent = 51.2%

I guess 2 or 3 out of what you mentioned isnt bad. Am I sturrin the pot!!?? JK. ALL IN GOOD FUN!

[CJH]

INJURY UPDATES:

Looks like Tramon Williams practiced yesterday, albeit in a limited capacity. Very positive sign, even if he doesn't play this weekend. The way he went off the field, thought it was more serious.

Also Zombo had an X-Ray and everything was positive, so he should start practicing in the near future - which is why they haven't put him on IR. Plus they really need his pass rushing ability.

Vic So'oto also practiced for the first time since his injury, again in limited action. He did really well in the preseason, even against starters, so looking forward to seeing him get back on the field.

Mathews and Woodson sat out today and may tomorrow, as both are a little banged up but expected to play this weekend. Pretty typical for them, they practice about half the time.

[james_walleye]

Went to Lambeau for the first time last year, week 13, Green Bay was deadlocked with Chicago for the division. Chicago was behind Detroit all game, and we got all those Lions highlights during the commercial breaks and no mention that, ohbytheway, Chicago came back and won. They also showed Favre getting knocked out by Buffalo, which drew a huge cheer, and Jackson throwing a Pick-6 to the Bills. Never got another highlight of the game, just a posting with the rest of the scores that the Vikings won going away.

So as much as some would like to think it's only a Minnesota thing, the purple kool aid, delusional and homer fans, the biased announcers, the homer talk show radio hosts, it happens in all 50 states of the U.S. of A. You just gotta get out to see it, travel a little bit and get some culture

Pretending this is all exclusive to MN, has and always will be a big part of his bit. He knows full well its not the case but admitting that would half ruin his bit. His superiority complex won't let that happen.

[SkunkedAgain]

It should be a good game this weekend versus the Bears. I'm sure that Urlacher, Briggs, and Peppers will put their customary clamp on the Packers offense. The Packer defense should also put it's usual thump on Cutler. Last year Week 3 came down to a Packer record for penalties. You can bet that MM will talk that up this week. Last year Jermichael Finley was the top GB receiver in Week 3, going 9 for 115 yards. In Week 17 and the Championship it was Jennings going 4 for 97 yards and 8 for 130 yards respectively. Finley should continue to be a matchup problem for the Bears defense. Forte will be the major matchup problem for the Packers if he works those screens as well as he did last week in NO, and as well as Sproles did against GB in Week 1.

[RiverFish]

I think the Bears will edge out GB in this one 31-24. Home field advantage for the Bears. Bears coming off a loss=hungry for a win.

[RiverFish]

Guess I was wrong.

Way to go Pack!

[mrklean]

played pretty good but the turnovers could have killed them keep it going

[SkunkedAgain]

Turnovers...penalties...it was a great win but more to work on. At the very least, you can always count on the Bears to bring out your flaws. This shows the progress that Green Bay has made since Week 3 in Chicago last year.

[Steve Foss]

Still the same things to work on. Poor pass defense, mediocre running game. If those things don't improve, all it'll take is for Rodgers to have a slump and face a few excellent passing teams at the same time.

Well, I'd very much rather face those challenges at 4-0.

[mrklean]

doesnt seem like they are getting the QB pressure like they did last year, the secondary is looking ugly

[LABS4ME]

This from a die hard...

WHAT SECONDARY? YUCK!

As far as pass rush... other teams just need to double up Matthews and even hold him, they will not call it and our pass rush is nullified. No one else is stepping up to the plate. Would be nice to have Jenkins back right about now... Where is Hawk? Oh yeah back in pass coverage because we have no scondary! We have serious problems on defense... Offense has disguised those... Still liking the 4-0 start and the next few weeks should be fairly easy... but it is the NFL!

The running game while certainly far from stellar is just enough to keep the opposing defense honest...

Good Luck!

Ken

[mrklean]

im not to worried about the running game i think having Starks and Grant in the backfield is a good combo, just need grant to stay healthy. I bet Jenkins is wishing in was in GB right now.

[SkunkedAgain]

Things are looking good and I'm not even that concerned about the defense. Look at the fantasy season that most offenses are having this season and how most defenses are getting blown down. While discouraging it's what the NFL wants: an offensively dominated game like the NBA.

What has amazed me so far about Randall Cobb is his balance. Thinking back to his Week 1 108-yard return, he had that great ability with Kuhn's help to stay on his feet and continue to the endzone. Against the Broncos, Cobb was twice knocked around and on his way to the ground but found ways to stay up and gain more yardage. That's a great attribute.

I'm excited to see what happens when they are able to start working Alex Green into the mix. This is a talented team at all levels.

[CJH]

Not worried about the running game, we're 14th in the league, which isn't bad at all for a pass first team.

We are #2 in Rush D. The problem with the Pass D is the pass rush. They were expecting Raji/Neal/Zombo to supplement the Claymaker. With Neal & Zombo being out, and Raji playing just about every down, they just aren't getting home often enough. Doesn't help that Collins is out for the season, and Burnett switched to his position and Peprah is playing strong safety. Most of the big plays through the air were mistakes by Burnett, but he will get better. Neal and Zombo are supposed to be back after the Bye, but we will see.

No team is perfect, and they are 4-0, so hopefully they can tighten up the secondary and start generating some pass rush.

[SkunkedAgain]

Good points.

The rank of our rushing defense is misleading because teams give up on the run trying to play catchup to our offense. Our pass defense is leaky because that group spends a lot of time on the field. If Rodgers and company didn't keep hitting 50 yard bombs for scores, the defense could rest a little longer. However, I'll take shootout wins just like I'll take grind-em-out wins!

[Scott M]

A Rodg needs to keep outplaying Matty Ice Pack in Detroit so I can rip through my salcap league.

[CJH]

Forgot to mention the Pack signed Jordy Nelson to a contract extension through 2014. He's basically become the #2 receiver, as Driver is the starter but doesn't play nearly as much anymore. Jordy has the 3rd most receptions on the team behind Jennings and Finley.

Only player left that will be a FA next year would be Finley, and supposedly they are waiting to see if he can stay healthy. Next year they will probably have to do extensions for Jennings and Rogers.

[SkunkedAgain]

It'll be sad to see him go, but they'll be free of Clifton's contract after this season. No matter what they do, they'll have to start letting a few of these great players go in the next year or two because they've been so successful that you just can't afford to keep them all.

[snoozebutton]

5 and 0!!!! Nice adjustments in the 2nd half by both the offense and the defense.

Next 2 weeks we've got the Rams and the Vikings. 7 and 0 before the bye? Sounds good to me.

[CJH]

Not a pretty start, but a great rally. Its not how you start but how you finish!!!

Don't want to jinx them, but there is an interesting stat out there about the Pack starting 5-0, 5 times in the past.

Clifton went out with a hamstring injury - no word yet on the severity of it. However, much better news than if it was one of his knees. Newhouse moved to LT and Sherrod came in at RT. Both were shaky at first, but got better as the game went on. Good to see the young guys improving and that we have some depth. Bulaga should be back in the next game or two - he wanted to play last night but was held out by the doctors.

[mrklean]

happy to see how the line pulled it together i was flipping back and forth and when i saw 14-0 i was nervous

[SkunkedAgain]

I think that the every Packer fan was sweating when they had to put Sherrod into the game. He looked atrocious in the preseason - hence his not even being active on game days until Bulaga got hurt. Now he came in, got some help from fullbacks and tight ends, but pretty much held his own. Newhouse is continuing to impress me, and for some reason reminds me a lot of Earl Dotson...minus the temper.

Green Bay showed how champions fight. They took a few knockout punches from the contender and battled back to win rope-a-dope style!

Alex Green was impressive in his one play last night. He showed good burst and ability to get the yards required. I think that they'll continue to slowly work him into games so that he'll be yet another weapon in the post season.

One Viking-related rant: I heard the 100.3 guys talking this morning about how they think that the Packers are no different than the Colts, one injury to Aaron Rodgers away from being a bad team. Do these guys even follow football? The Packers almost beat the Patriots in NE last season with Matt Flynn. The Vikings keep short-hopping away victories against bad teams with McFlabb. Those radio guys really are a disgrace, because they act like jealous fans instead of informed hosts.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the continued improvement of the Packers secondary. Burnett and Peprah did an unheralded job of containing Jones, White, and the Matt Ryan-led Falcons offense. It would be great to have Nick Collins back but these guys are starting to pull it together.