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NOTE: This article was written before the recent controversy surrounding Nick Barnett, Jermichael Finley, and the Super Bowl team photo. It is not meant as a commentary on that issue, simply as a reflection of all those players on IR not being able to play in Super Bowl XLV.

That was the tweet from Nick Barnett on Monday after the NFC Championship Game, and it very succinctly described how some of the Green Bay Packers players on injured reserve must be feeling right now.

Barnett was a first round draft selection (29th pick) for the Packers in 2003, and has started for them at inside linebacker ever since. Though he has never played in a Pro Bowl, he was named an alternate for the game in each of his first five seasons. He made himself into a staple of the Green Bay defense and was a part of the 2007 team that was close to winning the NFC Championship.

So you can understand why this trip to Super Bowl XLV brings some mixed emotions.

For the man who made a fad (and pseudo-business) of the “XLV or Die” mantra, he will still only get to watch – and not play – with his team when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dallas.

Jermichael Finley, star tight end for the Green Bay Packers, is another man among the 15 injured reserve players who was calling for this to be a special season. His “YOTTO” (Year Of The Take Over) battle cry was a popular hashtag on Twitter around game time, even after his injury.  Read more... (613 words + 1 image, estimated 2:27 mins reading time)

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As heretical as it may sound, the sheer amount of injuries that have devastated the Packers this season might have just made them a more dangerous team. The Packers of today are essentially an entirely different team than the one that took the field 5 months ago and that has caused confusion for other teams.

One of the most important pre-game preparations is watching game film on team’s and player’s tendencies. The tricky part about playing a team with a new or relatively new players is that there simply isn’t much tape on them.  Couple that with a smart coach who plays to his player’s strengths and the whole team can operate differently.

For instance, the 49ers obviously were at a disadvantage since they had no way of knowing that James Starks was going to be the “hot” running back in week 13 nor did the Bears pay much attention to Erik Walden in the days leading up to the week 17 game.

On the offense, the 3 most significant injuries were to starting running back Ryan Grant, starting tight end Jermichael Finley and starting right tackle Mark Tauscher. Losing Mark Tauscher was perhaps the easiest to cope with; after a disastrous season for the offensive line in 2009, the Packers chose tackle Bryan Bulaga with their first pick and while he has gone through the ups and downs typical of a rookie, he has graded out as the best linemen in terms of pass protection.  Read more... (1288 words + 1 image, estimated 5:09 mins reading time)

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