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Vic So'oto

1) Introduction: My, what lofty expectations some fans placed on Vic So’oto for the 2011 season.  Coming to the Packers offseason as an undrafted rookie free agent from BYU, So’oto was a converted 4-3 DE who exploded onto the scene during the last preseason game against the Kansas City with 1.5 sacks and an interception against starters who were constantly double teaming him.  During the regular season his star faded considerably since he was oft injured and not fast enough for special teams, So’oto was often deactivated in favor of fellow undrafted free agent rookie Jamari Lattimore

2) Profile:

Vic So’oto

Position: OLB
Height: 6-3
Weight: 263 lbs.
AGE: 24
Career Stats

3) Expectations coming into the season for that player: Low; as a undrafted rookie free agent not much was expected from So’oto, though the Kansas City preseason game showed a glimpse of So’oto potential.  So’oto figured to see some time in obvious pass rushing situations due to his inexperience in pass defense and see a lot of time on special teams.  Read more... (322 words + 1 image, estimated 1:17 mins reading time)

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Mike Neal

1) Introduction: With Cullen Jenkins wearing an Eagles uniform, the Packers turned to Mike Neal to replace Jenkins’ pass rush and grasp of the 3-4 defense. It didn’t work out. Letting Jenkins go and relying so heavily on Neal turned out to be a rare miscalculation by Packers GM Ted Thompson, one that played a huge role in the Packers early exit from the postseason.

2) Profile:

Michael Jamel Neal

Position: DE
Height: 6-3
Weight: 294 lbs.
AGE: 24

Career Stats

3) Expectations coming into the season: Up and coming. Neal was supposed to be the next man up and fill the void left by Jenkins. After starting strong, Neal’s 2010 season was cut short due to injuries. Injuries got the best of Neal again in 2011, and the chiseled DE never came close to replacing Jenkins’ production.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Neal’s only highlight was finally making it onto the field. From there, everything else was a low-light. Neal manged just two tackles in seven games.

5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: The NFL allows teams to put 11 players on the field. When Neal played, it ensured that the Packers took full advantage of this rule. They probably could have put Neal on the bench and only played with 10, but that would have looked silly on TV.  Read more... (348 words + 1 image, estimated 1:24 mins reading time)

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Dom Capers has a lot of cleaning up to do in 2012.

One of the issues discussed on Twitter immediately after the Packers took a dump against the Giants was the track record of defenses coached by Dom Capers. The Twitter chatter focused on the fact that Capers’ defenses generally decline in years two and/or three.

Actually this topic came up before Sunday but now that us Packers bloggers have some extra time on our hands, we can actually look up the numbers and discuss the issue using more than the 140 characters allowed on Twitter.

In the chart below, the numbers represent where the team finished in respect to the rest of the 31 teams.

Let’s take a look:

   Read more... (1239 words + 1 image, estimated 4:57 mins reading time)

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The Falcons are just one of four NFC playoff teams to have lost to the Packers in 2011 and would surely love one more crack at them.

On Sunday night, the seeding for the NFL playoff games was set in stone when the New York Giants soundly beat the Dallas Cowboys in a game that decided the NFC East division champions. Earlier that day, the San Francisco 49ers eked by the St. Louis Rams to maintain their second seed and first-round bye, while the Atlanta Falcons secured the fifth seed after their big win over Tampa Bay and the Detroit Lions’ loss to the Green Bay Packers.

With the regular season complete, we finally have a clear picture of how the playoffs could progress. Before continuing, though, here is a quick list of the final seeding for the NFC:

1. Green Bay Packers (15-1)
2. San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
3. New Orleans Saints (13-3)
4. New York Giants (9-7)
5. Atlanta Falcons (10-6)
6. Detroit Lions (10-6)

The rules dictate that, in each round of the playoffs, the lowest seeded team will travel to face the highest seed, while the second lowest seed will face the second highest. The lone exception is the first round, where the two highest seeds (the Packers and 49ers this year) get a bye for that week.  Read more... (1407 words + 1 image, estimated 5:38 mins reading time)

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Aaron Rodgers has hogged most of the highlights for the 11-0 Green Bay Packers this season, and rightfully so. The frontrunner for NFL MVP had to make a little room for some newcomers in Thursday’s win over the Detroit Lions, however.

Offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith and linebackers Robert Francois and D.J. Smith stepped in after injuries to starters and left their mark on the Packers latest victory. Unknown players stepping up when needed has become a trend for the Packers over the last two seasons.

Who are these latest unknowns and where did they come from?

Evan Dietrich-Smith

How he got here: Cut by the Packers at the end of training camp in 2010, Dietrich-Smith resigned with Green Bay in Week 17 and remained on the roster throughout the postseason. The Packers originally signed Dietrich-Smith as an undrafted free agent out of Idaho State in 2009. He was the only undrafted player to make the team.

Why he’s here: Dietrich-Smith has the athleticism to play all three interior OL positions. He can also handle a zone blocking scheme. At Idaho State, the 6-2, 308-pounder started 44 games and received All-Conference honorable mention four times.  Read more... (765 words + 1 image, estimated 3:04 mins reading time)

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In this week’s installment of “Know Your Packers Enemy,” I talked with Max Ginsberg of Purple Pants, Green Jersey, a blog dedicated to news and information about both the Vikings and Packers. Max also writes on occasion for Cheesehead TV. He’s a great follow on Twitter (@MaxGinsberg) for news and opinions on both franchises.

Enough with the intros, let’s get to some Packers-Vikings talk.

ZACH KRUSE: The big news this week is the transition from Donovan McNabb to Christian Ponder at quarterback. McNabb has historically done well against the Packers, but I think we could all see that this move needed to happen sooner rather than later. What are some of the pros and cons of the Vikings’ decision to start the rookie this week?  Read more... (1325 words + 1 image, estimated 5:18 mins reading time)

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Remember back in the mid-90′s, when every time the Green Bay Packers ventured into an indoor stadium, you knew something horrific was about to unfold? Well, you can stash those memories away. The days when domed disasters were common place are now long gone with Aaron Rodgers under center.

The Packers quarterback has simply taken his game to another level when Green Bay plays in the comfortable conditions of indoor stadiums. In 15 career games indoors, including playoff games, Rodgers has thrown for nearly 4,400 yards with 31 touchdowns and six interceptions. The Packers are just 8-7 in those games, but most of the losses either weren’t Rodgers’ fault statistically or came early in his starting career.

On Sunday in Minnesota, Rodgers aims to continue that streak of statistical dominance indoors as the Packers take on the Vikings at the Metrodome.

Rodgers had one of the best games of his career at the Metrodome last season, as he threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns in the Packers’ 31-3 romp.  The 141.3 passer rating he posted in that game is his highest rating ever in an indoors game.  Read more... (817 words + 1 image, estimated 3:16 mins reading time)

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