AllGreenBayPackers.Com

Jarrett Bush

1) Introduction: Like any other player on the Green Bay Packers’ secondary, 2011 was not exactly a banner year for Jarrett Bush.  Still, he recorded a career high in interceptions (two, but hey it’s still a career high!) and recorded his first NFL sack finishing with one and a half on the season.  Known as a special teams ace, Bush once again was a big contributor on an improved special teams unit.

2) Profile:

Jarrett Bush
Height: 6’0”
Weight:  200
AGE: 27

Career Stats:

3) Expectations coming into the season: Bush made a big interception of Ben Roethlisberger in Super Bowl XLV and played decent ball with Charles Woodson suffering a broken collarbone.  Bush’s expectations for 2011 therefore were to keep improving and be ready to play should Woodson suffer an injury.

 4) Player’s highlights/low-lights:  As it turned out, Bush started two games during the 2011 season.  A big highlight for him came during the regular season finale against the Lions with Woodson and many of the other defensive starters resting up for the divisional playoffs.   The Lions were driving deep in Packers territory when Bush intercepted Matthew Stafford and helped the Packers eek out a 45-41 win over their divisional rivals.  Read more... (442 words + 1 image, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)

Get AddToAny

Pat Lee

1) Introduction: Excuse me for sounding like Jon Gruden, but here’s a guy that really needs no introduction.   Pat Lee has emerged as a convenient scapegoat for Packer fans ever since his embarrassing performance against the Detroit Lions.  Throw in multiple mishaps the past couple seasons, and this is likely the final time AllGreenBayPackers.com will be evaluating Lee.

2) Profile:

Pat Lee
Height: 6’0”
Weight:  196
AGE: 27

Career Stats

3) Expectations coming into the season: Lee was expected to be nothing more than a contributor on special teams.  While he’s no Jarrett Bush,  Lee was expected to step it up on a special teams unit that notoriously stuggled throughout 2010 (Dan Connolly anyone?)

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights:  Highlights? Well, he recovered a fumble  against the Chiefs in the preseason.  That about covers it.

Now there are plenty of low-lights. Let’s start with the game in Detroit on Thanksgiving.  Before the famous Ndamukong Suh stomp, Lee was ejected after a punt return when he supposedly took a swing at Aaron Berry of the Lions.  It was a classic case of the second person getting caught, but it still stung to see a Packer player.  Read more... (411 words + 1 image, estimated 1:39 mins reading time)

Get AddToAny

After a very difficult and emotional week, the Green Bay Packers have a playoff game to play.

With the passing this week of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin’s son Michael, the Packers had a tough go during the lead up to  a game they must win or see their outstanding 15-1 season come to an end.

Throw in the unfortunate trash talk thrown in the direction of Lambeau Field by their opponents, the New York Giants, and the Packers have had one of the most unusual weeks before a playoff game in franchise history.

Last week, the Giants defeated the Atlanta Falcons 24-2 at home in an NFC Wild Card matchup.  The Giants played their best defense of the season with the only points for the Falcons coming from an Eli Manning intentional grounding penalty while he was in his own end zone.  The Giants gained a lot of confidence from that performance and led some of their players to guarantee victory against the team that finished the regular season with the best record in the league.

Let’s take a look at New York.

Key Giants Players  Read more... (1080 words + 1 image, estimated 4:19 mins reading time)

Get AddToAny

If someone were to ask either Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson or head coach Mike McCarthy about their legacies, both men would likely scoff at the question and say that they’d rather wait until retirement to reflect on that and instead say they are focused on the present.

They’re right.  Still, with the Packers coming off a regular season in which they won the most games and scored the most points in franchise history as well as making a push for a second consecutive world title, the legacies of both men are coming into focus.

There is no further proof of this than the interest both Thompson and McCarthy’s assistants are drawing around the NFL.  Before last season, I wrote an article wondering if McCarthy would soon be the next head coach to form a “coaching tree” like Bill Walsh and Mike Holmgren.  Both men had assistants go on to long and successful head coaching careers and with McCarthy’s development of Aaron Rodgers, it seemed like a distinct possibility.

Well, with the Packers in position to win a second straight Super Bowl with one of the most potent offenses in the league such a tree is indeed beginning to sprout.  Read more... (822 words + 1 image, estimated 3:17 mins reading time)

Get AddToAny

As the wise philosopher Homer Simpson once declared, “The waiting game sucks! Let’s play Hungry Hungry Hippos!”

That’s the dilemma facing the Green Bay Packers this week as they wait out their first round bye and for their opponent in the divisional round to be determined.  While it’s doubtful the Packers are playing children’s board games in the locker room (well, maybe), we fans can play the wishing game and debate for hours on end who we want to see the Packers play in their first home playoff game since the 2007-2008 season.

(Be sure to cast your vote in the Poll at the end of this post)

The Packers can face one of three teams: the New York Giants, the Detroit Lions or the Atlanta Falcons.  Should Detroit upset the New Orleans Saints the Lions come to Lambeau.  Should the Saints hold on, the winner of Falcons/Giants would get the defending champions next.

So who would be the best matchup for the Packers? Honestly, an argument could be made for all three.  The Packers played (and beat) all three during the regular season, and defeated the Lions twice.  So familiarity with the opponent will be an advantage regardless.  Read more... (987 words + 1 image, estimated 3:57 mins reading time)

Get AddToAny

Will he or won’t he?

That’s the question surrounding Packers coach Mike McCarthy this week as he decides whether or not to play his starters in the meaningless regular season finale at home against the Detroit Lions.

Then again, maybe it isn’t a truly meaningless game for the Packers.  They have the chance to finish 6-0 against the NFC North.  They can force the Detroit Lions into the number six seed and make them open the playoffs in either New Orleans or San Francisco.

Still, it is highly unlikely the first stringers see action for a full sixty minutes.  It’s a safe bet will see Matt Flynn replace Aaron Rodgers for the second half if not sooner.  Injured players that normally would tough it out on game day likely will end up sitting as the Packers try to get healthy for the playoffs.

The Detroit Lions meanwhile are hoping to avoid being the NFC’s sixth seed. The difference between the fifth and sixth seed means avoiding a trip to New Orleans or San Francisco and instead heading to New York or Dallas depending on the outcome of that game.  Read more... (958 words + 1 image, estimated 3:50 mins reading time)

Get AddToAny

Post-Victory. What a Christmas gift!

If there is one thing I have learned growing up in Wisconsin, it’s that when someone offers you a free ticket to a Green Bay Packers game you must say yes or face terrible consequences.

Even on Christmas Day.

First a little background: I work two jobs, both in retail. Obviously the arrival of Christmas was a big relief to me as it’s the sign that the craziness that began the day after Thanksgiving was finally coming to an end.  With both employers being closed, I was looking forward to the day off and quiet time with family and watching Packers vs. Bears on TV before going back in at 5:30 am on the 26^th.

Then the phone rang at about 9 am.

You don’t expect too many phone calls Christmas Day aside from relatives outside the area calling to say “Merry Christmas.” This one, however, was a very different (and honestly a much better) phone call.

It was cousin, ironically from Illinois but a Packers season ticket holder. He had a spare ticket to the game Sunday night and asked if I wanted to go along, no charge at all.  If ever there was a stupid question, this is it.  Read more... (1640 words + 1 image, estimated 6:34 mins reading time)

Get AddToAny