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While reviewing the game book and watching the film of the Green Bay Packers’ 24-15 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, I noticed something strange. Well, it’s not strange from a football standpoint, but it is very much out of the ordinary for Mike McCarthy’s offenses. He added backup C/G Evan Dietrich-Smith as a sixth offensive lineman on four running plays.

Someone will have to let me know if he’s done this before, but I don’t ever remember McCarthy adding an offensive lineman as an eligible receiver for the running attack. He came to this team with the idea of implementing the zone blocking scheme, and it’s been nothing but a point of contention among fans ever since. Our fearless leader, “Jersey” Al, pointed out the fact that he’s been pulling guards lately, making this new development a rather interesting expansion of the running game.

Here are the four plays where Evan Dietrich-Smith (#62) reported as eligible against the Jaguars:

This is the only time in the first half where EDS plays as eligible. My guess would be that, before going back to it, McCarthy wanted to get a look at not only the execution, but also how the Jaguars would respond to it.

In this instance, the Packers are lined up in a Unit Wing formation before EDS motions left and puts them into a formation that I’m not sure what to call. He’s playing a wingback role, but lined up inside behind the tackle and guard.  Read more... (950 words + 1 image, estimated 3:48 mins reading time)

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If the Packers play this season has you down, just look at James Jones’ sleeveless turtleneck and smile.

The Packers are not a bad football team. At least I don’t think they are.

The Packers are playing bad right now, but I don’t think they are bad.

Then again, maybe the Packers are just bad. I suppose that’s possible. But consider the following:

• Their No. 1 WR has barely played
• 95 percent of all bad calls go against them
• They drop 95 percent of their interception opportunities
• They lost their starting RB, TE and NT last week
• They played a very inspired team last week

Every team goes through stuff like that. I get that. But all of that this early in the season?

• You have to think some of those calls will start to even out
• How many more picks can Woodson and Tramon drop?
• They’ve always adjusted well to injuries and Jennings should come back eventually
• They won’t be playing a team whose coach is in the hospital with leukemia every week

Does this mean the Packers will beat the Texans? Not necessarily. But I think it will be a good game and I wouldn’t consider it much of an upset if the Packers won.

Now that all the positivity is out of the way, let’s get to the stock report. There isn’t much positivity there.

Rising  Read more... (535 words + 1 image, estimated 2:08 mins reading time)

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If the Packers are going to be an explosive offense, they must protect their QB.

Fail Mary. The Inaccurate Reception. Senseless in Seattle.

Whatever you want to call it, the Packers’ Monday Night misfortune has been the topic of the sports world this week. Did the Packers deserve the win at Seattle? Sure, they did. But buried under the outrage surrounding the NFL’s replacement officials are some lingering issues with the Green Bay offense.

Through three games last season, the Packers averaged 33.0 points per game. The wide receivers were constantly making plays, and Aaron Rodgers had racked up eight touchdowns compared to just one interception.

This year, however, the Packers are averaging just 19.0 points per game through three games. Jordy Nelson and Greg Jennings both have yet to catch a touchdown pass, and Rodgers, the reigning MVP, has accounted for only three scores.

So, why such a dramatic decline in production?

Perhaps opposing defenses have caught on to the Packers’ offensive philosophy. Or maybe their lack of a consistent running game has finally caught up to them.

In either case, one thing was quite obvious during Monday night’s game in Seattle–the Packers’ offensive line is struggling mightily.

Rodgers has been sacked 16 times through three games, which is four more times than any other quarterback in the league. Pro Football Focus has only credited the offensive line for allowing nine of the 16 sacks, but the starting line has performed well below league average thus far in 2012.  Read more... (745 words + 1 image, estimated 2:59 mins reading time)

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Aaron Rodgers and T.J. Lang

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Green Bay Packers have agreed to a four-year contract extension with left guard T.J. Lang.

Lang was a fourth-round draft pick out of Eastern Michigan in 2009, and he’s blossomed into a versatile and reliable offensive player with the Packers. After starting all 16 games at left guard last season, the Packers clearly felt that Lang was deserving of a long-term contract.

And although the Packers insist on their reluctance to play “musical chairs” on the offensive line, Lang is likely the team’s best option behind Marshall Newhouse at left tackle. If the Packers found themselves in a position without Newhouse in the regular season, they’d almost certainly do some sort of shifting, whether it be Lang or Bryan Bulaga to left tackle, instead of asking rookie Andrew Datko or journeyman Herb Taylor to protect Aaron Rodgers’s blindside.

The Packers still have bigger fish to fry, as Greg Jennings’s contract is set to expire after this season, but getting Lang’s deal extended before the season is certainly a step in the right direction.

Lang, 24, and right guard Josh Sitton, 26, form one of the league’s top duos at offensive guard. With Jeff Saturday set to replace Scott Wells at center, the interior of the Packers’ offensive line appears to be in great shape headed into 2012.  Read more... (354 words + 1 image, estimated 1:25 mins reading time)

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TJ Lang

1) Introduction: We really should call T.J. Lang by “T.V.”, because his middle name is versatility. Over his first two seasons, Lang played both tackle spots, left guard and even some defensive line in short yardage situations. Even after winning the starting left guard spot this season, Lang was moved around and filled in whenever injuries dictated. Unlike Daryn Colledge, who complained about being used in the same way, Lang seems to have handled it just fine and is no worse for wear.

2) Profile:

T.J. (Thomas John) Lang Jr.

Position: OG
Height: 6-4
Weight: 318 lbs.
AGE: 24

Career Stats:

3) Expectations coming into the season: Lang was being counted on as the primary candidate to start at left guard, taking the spot vacated by the departed free agent Daryn Colledge. Frankly, his job was only to be at least as good as Colledge was. He was also expected to continue his role as an emergency replacement at every OL position except center.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: According to ProFootballFocus.com, Lang’s best game as a Packer was week 17 against the Lions, possessors of one of the top DLs in the league. He also played very well in the playoff game, allowing just one QB pressure against the equally talented Giants’ DL. His lowlights were early in the season, when he was called for five penalties in the first five games. During that span, he also gave up five of the eleven QB pressures he allowed over 17 games.  Read more... (461 words + 3 images, estimated 1:51 mins reading time)

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Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson return to the rising category this week.

I’m still recovering from my Christmas food hangover, so no witty banter from me this week. We’re going straight to the stock report:

Rising

Aaron Rodgers
Welcome back to the rising category, Mr. Rodgers. We missed you last week and I hope you never leave us again. You will likely get to take a breather in week 17 and you’ve earned it. Even though you often make it look so easy, I’m sure it’s a lot of work to throw for 4,643 yards, 45 TDs and only 6 INTs in 15 games. Throwing for five TDs against the Bears is a great way to cap an MVP season.

Jordy Nelson
The Jordy Nelson stiff-arm returned on Sunday night. So did the play where Rodgers fakes a handoff, bootlegs right, and hits Nelson for a long TD after No. 87 runs by two defensive backs. That’s the kind of game Nelson needs to have if Jennings is less than 100 percent for the playoffs.

Scott Wells
No sacks. No penalties. Very few Bears defenders getting close to Aaron Rodgers. It was a statement game for the Packers offensive line and Wells deserves a lot of the credit. Early this season, it looked like the offensive line might be a strength for the Packers (for a change). Then injuries hit and the unit has been up and down. Through it all, though, Wells has been great, so great that Ted Thompson might have to step outside of his comfort zone and pay a guy who’s on the wrong side of 30 years old.  Read more... (582 words + 1 image, estimated 2:20 mins reading time)

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Jermichael Finley caught three touchdowns back in Week 3.

The Green Bay Packers (13-1) and Chicago Bears (7-7) face off in Week 16 of the NFL season Sunday.

The basics 

When: 7:20 CST, Sunday, December 25, 2011.

Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI.

TV: NBC; Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth. Also streaming online at NBCSports.com and NFL.com.

Radio: 620 AM WTMJ (Milwaukee); Packers Radio Network; Westwood One, NFL Sunday Drive.

Series: Bears lead, 85-92-6 (Packers won last regular season game, 27-17, on Sept. 25, 2011 at Soldier Field.)

Five things to watch

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