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It doesn’t have the luster of Super Bowl XXXII but the game this Sunday between the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos does have some meaning for the defending world champions.

For example, the last time the Packers were the defending champs the Broncos were the ones who stripped them of their title.  While Kyle Orton is no John Elway, the Broncos are a significant underdog like they were in Super Bowl XXXII when they upset the Brett Favre-led Packers.

At the same time, the Packers need to win this game to keep pace with the Detroit Lions in the NFC North (you have no clue how strange it is to type that).  While some have gone so far as to say the Packers are in control of the division despite being tied with another team, the Packers know firsthand the Lions are not to be taken lightly.

Last week in review

The Packers beat their archrival Chicago Bears 27-17 at Soldier Field.  Jermichael Finley made his presence known by catching three touchdown passes and the defense, though sluggish at times, shut down the Bears offense and the Packers moved to 3-0.  Read more... (1618 words + 1 image, estimated 6:28 mins reading time)

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It’s hard to believe where we were three years ago.

I’m not going to recap the events of training camp in 2008.  They’ve been well documented a thousand times over.  Instead, let’s look in depth at the leader of the Green Bay Packers football operations, general manager Ted Thompson and his transformation from a reviled figure to a revered one.

Heading into the 2008 offseason, Thompson was still not really well liked by a large amount of the Packers fan base despite the team being an ill-fated pass away from a trip to Super Bowl XLII.    Cheesehead Nation had not yet embraced his “draft and develop” method of building a roster and implored Thompson to jump into free agency to bring some “instant talent” to the franchise.  Thompson refused to budge.

Throw in the tumultuous training camp of 2008 where Thompson jettisoned a certain three-time NFL MVP and Thompson’s approval rating amongst Packer fans was at an all-time low.  Throw in a dismal 6-10 season and it was getting close to the pitchforks and torches being brought out and used at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.  Read more... (823 words + 1 image, estimated 3:18 mins reading time)

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Everyone gather around and let me tell you a story:

In 2007 the story goes that Green Bay Packer franchise quarterback Brett Favre approached General Manager Ted Thompson about the possibility of signing wide receiver Randy Moss.  Thompson took to the phones but unfortunately New England offered the best deal and Moss became a Patriot.

In 2011 the story goes that Green Bay Packer franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers approached General Manager Ted Thompson about the possibility of signing wide receiver James Jones.  Thompson took to the phones and fortunately Green Bay offered the best deal and Jones remains a Packer.

Same story, different ending.

So what gives?  Jason Wilde and Bill Johnson from Green and Gold Today on ESPN Milwaukee recently brought up this question, and after admitting they couldn’t figure out an explanation, they concluded that maybe it was because Aaron Rodgers is Thompson’s “guy”, maybe it was the familiarity with the offense, Randy Moss’ history as a locker room killer, the difference in talent between Moss and Jones, etc.  All valid points to some extent, but it doesn’t answer what the difference was between Brett Favre asking for Randy Moss and Aaron Rodgers asking for James Jones.  Read more... (1160 words + 1 image, estimated 4:38 mins reading time)

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has to be feeling good about his sport as the NFL lockout ends.

Roger Goodell was asked today if there were any damages from the NFL lockout that need to be repaired. He said:

“Well, I would say from the Commissioner’s perspective, we know what we did to frustrate our fans over the last several months. They want football and our job is to give them football. We think that through a 10-year agreement here, we’ve secured the future of the game to ensure that pledge to bring great football to our fans. I think we have some work to do though to make sure they understand that we are sorry for the frustration we put them through over the last six months, but our commitment is to bring them better football going forward. I think we ought to make sure that we understand that our bond with our fans is probably the primary issue that all of us have to keep focused on, whether you’re a player, or you’re an owner or you’re the Commissioner.”

While Goodell was giving this beautifully crafted and politically correct answer, here’s what he was really thinking:  Read more... (652 words + 1 image, estimated 2:36 mins reading time)

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With the 2011 season (hopefully) approaching, let us imagine a hypothetical situation that the Packers could find themselves in:  Read more... (1058 words + 1 image, estimated 4:14 mins reading time)

1. Matt Flynn gets traded: Matt Flynn turned some heads last season when he made the quarterback transition look easy with Aaron Rodgers sidelined for the Patriots game. It would be foolish to think that other teams aren’t interested in him and former general manager Ron Wolf was fond of saying it was better to trade a player a year early than a year late (and current general manager Ted Thompson is a Wolf protégé).  It only takes one team to see Flynn as the next Matt Hasselbeck to make an offer that the Packers can’t refuse.  As a point of comparison Hasselbeck was essentially traded away for the 1^st pick of the 2^nd round; would the Packers take Flynn for a 2^nd round draft pick? Definitely.

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The month of July;  it means so many different things for people that live in this great country we call the United States.

For most of the population, the seventh month on the calendar is typically filled with fireworks, hot weather, heading to the cabin or beach, and grilling out. For me, that also includes a birthday (the 25th), but you know what I’m talking about—July is full of normal summer activities.

And slowly but surely, it’s become the annual start to the Brett Favre will-he-or-won’t-he come back to the NFL discussion. Yes, Brett Favre is now a regular contributor to your July NFL news.

To be fair, the first round of Favre discussion started this June when he told the Biloxi Sun Herald that he “can still throw the ball as well as I ever have.” By now, we all should know that everything Brett says to the national media has a purpose, even if he also told the Herald that he’s “been beat up enough.” But whether he wanted the press to eat up that first comment is beyond the point.

If Brett Lorenzo Favre wants to play a 21st NFL season in 2011, he’ll likely have options to do just that.  Read more... (1392 words + 1 image, estimated 5:34 mins reading time)

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It may be like trying to piece together a train wreck you’d much rather not watch again, but given the Packers’ run to Super Bowl XLV, I think we fans can revisit this without cringing too much.

It’s time once again to look at the disgraceful downfall of one Brett Lorenzo Favre. Yes, everyone has beaten the topic to death the past few years but one thing that has not truly been discussed was the exact moment when Favre’s downfall began.  Some say it was in 2005 with the hiring of Ted Thompson.  Others argue it happened with the firing of Mike Sherman in 2006.

I’d have to partially agree with those who mention Sherman, except they have it backwards. I’d argue Favre’s meltdown began when Sherman was HIRED in 2000.

Wind the clock back to that year if you will: Ray Rhodes had just been fired and Favre was coming off a 22 TD pass to 23 interceptions season after battling a bad thumb all season.  Keep in mind this was two years removed from the Packers trip to Super Bowl XXXII against the Broncos.  Favre experienced his first non-winning season of his career as well.  Read more... (1181 words + 1 image, estimated 4:43 mins reading time)

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