2018 NFL Week 9: Packers at Patriots Preview & Prediction

Last weekend's excruciating loss to the LA Rams was the stuff of much conversation this past week, locally and nationally. Specifically, veteran Ty Montgomery's decision with about 2 minutes remaining in the game and the Packers trailing by 2 points to take a kickoff out of the end zone after coaches had reportedly told him to take a knee. He didn't. A fumble occurred. Recovered by the Rams. Game over. No chance for one of those patented Aaron Rodgers last second comebacks. Crushing. Give the man the benefit of the doubt that he was trying to make a play. Unfortunately, he took that same opportunity out of the hands of the best player on the field, Mr. Rodgers.

I had opined on Twitter afterward that if Lombardi was the coach Montgomery would have already been cut for that type of disobedience. Well, the Pack didn't cut him, but two days later did trade him to Baltimore for a 7th round draft pick and, we're guessing, a case of cheese curds.

Wow. It was a horrible loss, make no mistake, especially for a game the Packers were certainly in a position to win. But that's been the nature of this season. So close. But...not. And the team is sitting at 3-3-1 going into its game against the 6-2 New England Patriots on the Pats' home turf in less than 2 hours from this writing.

The Packers are again counting on rookie CB phenom Jaire Alexander
to have another big game tonight, this time against Tom Brady and the Patriots.
(Photo: packersnews.com)

Prediction

The Packers are 5-1/2-point underdogs at the time of this writing. Not many are giving the Packers any chance this evening and, to be fair, they really haven't demonstrated that they can play a complete game. But last week, against the undefeated Rams, on the road, they should have won. And I believe they will tonight against all odds.

The Pats are expected to be missing their starting right guard and have other key players also as questionable tonight, including some receivers and Brady fave, TE Rob Gronkowski. So if the Packers can take advantage of those shortcomings -- oh, and did we mention the Pack will also be playing for the first time in a long time without DB Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who also got traded during the week? -- the team should come away with a hard fought win.

If the Pack wants to have any chance of even being able to grab a wildcard spot given current standings, they need this win. Going to 3-4-1 would mean the Pack would have to likely go at least 6-2 in their remaining games. Could they get hot? Yes. But given what we have seen so far, that's iffy. The wiggle room provided by being 4-3-1 going into games against Miami and Seattle and beyond would be huge. The Packers need this game in the win column when it's all said and done.

We're calling it Packers 34 - Patriots 31.

Go Pack Go!!!

2016 NFL Week 17: Packers vs. Lions Preview and Prediction

Happy New Year, Packers fans and those who wish they were! (And, yes, even though the headline says 2016, hopefully you woke up realizing that we are now in the year 2017. Just for a point of reference for those of you who perhaps aren't quite sure right now.) Oh, and in case you were wondering, the Pack beat Minnesota last weekend to set up tonight's division battle. Now that we have that bit of housekeeping taken care of, let's move along, shall we?

The NFL schedule makers really pulled one out of their ying-yangs when they set the final weekend schedule with the Green Bay Packers facing the Detroit Lions, didn't they? Yes, division games have been going on for the last few weeks, but they could have scheduled the lemming-like Minnesota ViQueens or that semi-pro team from Illinois. Instead, the league rolled the dice and set a match between the Pack and the Lions.

Packers and Lions head coaches, Mike McCarthy and Jim Caldwell,
prepare to dance, at least metaphorically, tonight.
Photo by Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A Refresher of Sorts
You'll remember at the start of the season that the Packers were one of the odds-on favorites to go to and, in some quarters, win the Super Bowl. They were favored in virtually every game of the season...before the season began, that is. Detroit was projected to be a playoff team by some, perhaps even a division championship contender and maybe even a Super Bowl contender (a stretch, c'mon). But then teams have to play. The Packers, due to a rash of injuries at key positions, the inability of the offense to find an identity by mid-season and that of the defense to stop big plays particularly late in games, found themselves sitting at 4-6 at their low point after four consecutive losses.

As for the Lions, they were one of the early surprises of the season. Behind in seemingly most of their games, they somehow managed eight fourth-quarter comebacks in their nine wins, an NFL record. With the Pack stuck in the mud, the 'Queens fading after key injuries of their own and Da Bearz still sucking as usual, Detroit jumped out to a two-game division lead for a few games. But coupled with their own two-game road losing streak in Weeks 15 and 16 along with the Packers' resurrection and five-game winning streak down the stretch, the Lions now find themselves tied at 9-6 with the Pack going into this final regular season game...although technically, the Packers have the tie-breaker at this point because of their 34-27 September win at Lambeau Field.

Tonight's Game
Contrary to what some surmise, this is not a "winner-take-all" game, although the build-up to it certainly makes one view it that way. And, perhaps, that's the way the teams and fans should look at it. Winning, for either the Packers or Lions (eeeeewwwww!) gives that team the NFC North Division Championship and a guaranteed home playoff game. But even with a loss, it's possible that that team could still grab a wildcard spot depending upon whether Washington wins or loses today. With a Washington loss, both the Packers and Lions can grab a spot in the playoffs regardless of whether they win or lose. But a win is just so much better, don't you think? Especially if it is the sixth win in a row, led by an offense that is really clicking and a defense that, while suspect, can do just enough to keep an opponent from outscoring the offense. We are, of course, talking about the Packers taking this game for the NFC North Division Championship.

The Packers have gotten healthier over the last several games, especially QB Aaron Rodgers, TE Jared Cook and LB Clay Matthews. Yay. WR Randall Cobb is expected to be in uniform tonight but he may not play much or at all as he's still nursing his injury from a few weeks ago. If the Packers do make a playoff run, a healthy Cobb would be an asset. In his stead, the receiving corp may see more play from rookie Geronimo Allison, who is a big target and caught several passes in last week's win against the ViQueens. It appears as if he and Rodgers are starting build a chemistry and that bodes well short and long-term.

The biggest absence for the Packers this game, as it has been all season, is CB Sam Shields. The secondary has really not had anyone step up to come close to replacing him in terms of consistent pass coverage and closing speed ability. Plays have been made in the recent wins, particularly by Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. But neither of the second-year players, Damarious Randall or Quinten Rollins, has lived up to year-two expectations. Randall, by the way, is questionable for tonight's game. If there has been one constant in the secondary, and generally an overlooked one at that, it has been the play of LaDarius Gunter.

The question mark for the Packers tonight and into the playoffs is their secondary. They have made fourth quarters a Pepto Bismol time for Packer fans everywhere most of the season, playing soft and giving up big plays particularly over the middle. Lions QB Matthew Stafford, despite his recently dislocated middle finger on his passing hand, and the Lions generally proving to themselves and others that they can come from behind late to win games, can take this game down to the wire; he's done it before against the Packers and others.

If the Packers don't put up points early -- and throughout the game -- the defensive question mark as the game goes into the fourth quarter becomes more of a concern. You don't want to keep the Lions hanging around, as the saying goes. The Packers should be able to force Stafford into making at least one turnover somewhere during the game and that may be the difference. Getting a turnover or two in games has been key during the Packers' winning streak, and it may be so again tonight.

Conversely, Detroit can also put up points with Stafford and his receiving corp. The running game doesn't count for much at this point, but the Packers will need a consistent pass rush to pressure Stafford into a bad throw or two. If you give him time, he has the arm to make you pay for bad coverage or an ineffective pass rush. The Packers' front seven needs to really bring it tonight.

Defensively, however, the Lions should be able to be exploited by the Packers offense, particularly if Detroit's top defensive back, Darius Slay, is slowed by his hamstring injury. He'll probably try to go and, if so, look for the Packers to test his coverage ability early. Without Slay, Rodgers should be able to take advantage of that secondary. The Lions linebackers are nicked up, too, so that should open up the middle if the Pack decides to spread things around. Based upon recent history, that's a reasonable expectation today.

Also look for RBs Ty Montgomery and Christine Michael to keep the Lions off balance with a solid rushing game. During the Packers stretch run, the balance between the number of rushing plays and pass plays called by McCarthy has been part of the formula. On a fast track of indoor turf, it would be great to see what Christine Michael might be able to do if he gets loose. We think even the Packers coaches are interested in seeing what might transpire in that regard.

The Prediction
We view this as a high-scoring game. The Packers are favored by 3 points at the time of this writing. We see the Pack going up in the first half and then holding on in the fourth quarter for the win. These are the recent trends for both teams. We'll go with that.

We're calling it 38-34 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers are 5-0 after win over Rams. Begin preparations for Chargers.

For the second week in a row, the Green Bay Packers defense was the difference in a team win versus a possible loss, as the offense continues to struggle...at least by recent Packers' standards, that is. The Pack dispatched the Rams, 24-10. We had the winning margin -- 14 points -- as part of our prediction, but seems as if we were once again a bit optimistic about the overall scoring power of both teams.

Nevertheless, the Pack came away with an important win at home against a team that had taken down two of the supposed early season juggernauts in the league, the Seattle Seahawks (who may be more pretender than contender this season) and the Arizona Cardinals. The win did come at a price, however: more injuries. RG T. J. Lang went down with a knee injury, although it is not believed to be serious...at least if you believe the Tweets he sent out afterward. NT B. J. Raji left the game with a groin injury, also not believed to be serious. OLB Nick Perry sustained a shoulder injury, and was seen with his arm in a sling after the game. Packer fans had been waiting for the former first-round draft pick to make an impact, which he had been doing so far this season: he had accounted for multiple tackles in the first four games and was tied for third on the team with 3-1/2 sacks, trailing only Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews, who both have 4-1/2 sacks.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix gives fellow safety Micah Hyde a congratulatory pat to the head after Hyde's interception against the Rams.
Photo by Associated Press
As noted, the Packers defense has been something to behold so far this season. Believe it or not, they rank seventh in the league in overall defense. Quite a change from what we've seen in recent years, isn't it? Yay. Oh, yay.

Despite injuries in all areas of the defense, including starting safety Morgan Burnett who has missed the last three games, the Packers "D" is stepping up big time. The pressure they are getting on opposing quarterbacks is coming from everywhere on the field. And even rookies are getting in on the act as evidenced by 2015 second-round pick Quinten Rollins who grabbed two of the four interceptions against the Rams, including a pick-six for a touchdown.

Conversely, and as even admitted by QB Aaron Rodgers and other members of the squad, the offense seems to be sputtering. While having generated the third-best rushing stats in the league going into the game against the Rams, the leading rusher for the Packers on Sunday was Rodgers with 39 yards...that's not what you want to see. Yes, the offensive line was playing against arguably the best front four in the NFL, but...c'mon.

The biggest shocker of the day, perhaps, as regards the offense was the play of Rodgers and his receivers. They just didn't seem to be on the same page. Rodgers offered some soft criticism of both himself and his receivers in his post-game comments, saying that he needed to do a better job throwing the ball than he did while his receivers have to run better routes. The result of this confusion Sunday were two interceptions of Rodgers (one tipped and another trapped, which should have been overturned) and a fumble on a stripped ball. These were the first interceptions of Rodgers at Lambeau Field since 2012. The odds finally caught up with him.

Overall, the Rams never really threatened. The Packers defense did give up 159 yards rushing to RB Todd Gurley, with about a third of those yards coming on one run. But overall, Rams QB Nick Foles was under pressure all day. If the Packers defense keeps playing with this level of intensity throughout the rest of the season, it's championship-worthy. We also know that the offense will get things straightened out. The emergence of a downfield threat to stretch the field -- something missing and obviously so since WR Jordy Nelson's injury -- will help a great deal.

Next up at Lambeau: the Chargers
We'll do a game preview a bit closer to the event, but the 2-3 Chargers will be coming to Green Bay for a late afternoon game this Sunday. They are coming off a last-second loss at home against the Steelers. They'll be looking to get back to .500 and perhaps hope to find a Packers team looking past them to their bye in week 7. They shouldn't count on that, though. Whether all (or most) hands are on deck for the Pack or not, we can expect the offense to get back on track and the defense to continue its stellar play.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers Snatch Defeat from the Jaws of Victory in NFC Championship

Fans of the Green Bay Packers witnessed a game yesterday that will go down in Packers' lore...for all the wrong reasons. The team played 56 minutes of good, not great, football against a Seattle Seahawks team they had on the ropes, waiting for a knockout punch that never came. In the end, the beaten and bruised champ rose from the canvas (or turf, in this case) and wound up delivering the sucker punch that ended the game and the Packers' season. The Packers lost in overtime to the Seahawks, 28-22.

The post-mortem on this game will go on and on. For Packers fans, it will live forever. There is no way of setting this monumental collapse aside. It was (insert hashtag here) an epic fail. The Pack all but had their ticket punched to the Super Bowl in Arizona. But unlike in recent weeks where they could close out a game in the waning minutes, the Packers let Seattle hang around, let them back into the game, and then could not hold on for the win. As a result, Seattle is going to its second straight Super Bowl and the Packers are going home for the off-season to ponder what could have been.

What went wrong?
Where do you start to list the series of apparently little things that all added up to the loss? Here's just one writer's list:

• Mike Daniels' 15-yard taunting penalty after Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix's first interception. Instead of first and goal from the 4-yard line, it was first and goal from the 19.
• Failure to punch the ball in on two runs from the 1-yard line.
• Head coach Mike McCarthy settling -- twice -- for field goals on fourth-and-goal rather than going for the touchdowns.
• Getting only six points off five Seattle turnovers.
• Giving up a touchdown off a fake field goal to reignite the Seahawks' hopes.
• Giving up a third-and-nineteen pass completion for a first down.
• Morgan Burnett's interception with about five minutes remaining when he went to the ground rather than pick up, possibly, another 15 yards of open field and field goal range.
• TE Brandon Bostick's decision to not follow his assigned blocking role on an onside kick but rather to attempt to make a play on the ball instead, leading to a recovery -- and quick go-ahead touchdown -- by Seattle with about 2 minutes left in the game. Oh, the designated "hands" on that side of the field and position was Jordy Nelson. Bostick was supposed to block so Nelson could get the ball.
• Giving up 15 points in 44 seconds to let Seattle take the lead late in the game.
• Allowing Seattle to drive 87 yards in six plays for the winning touchdown in overtime.

These are just a few of the miscues that came back to haunt the Packers.

Lost in all this was the exceptional performance of kicker Mason Crosby who went 5 for 5 on the day, keeping the Packers in the game, including a tying 48-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining to take the game to overtime. Had the Packers won, Crosby should have been the game's MVP.

Epilogue
A great season for a very good Packers team came to a crashing -- and crushing -- end. The Packers were the better team for most of the game. Or so it seemed. But all those little things that they did or didn't do added up in the end to a loss to a team that was ripe for the picking. Hats off to the Seahawks for never giving up, despite dismal play most of the day. Their coach played to win, the Packers coach played not to lose. We know the rest of the story.

As Wayne Larrivee, radio voice of the Packers noted on radio this morning, anywhere from 25 to 33 percent of this Packers team will be changed for the coming season. That's how it works on average, he said. Some of those players we've come to know and like -- or not -- will be gone. New players will take their place. Whether that new combination will have the makings to be as good a team as this one came to be over the course of the season, only time will tell.

But as Larrivee also noted, the windows of opportunity in the NFL for a Super Bowl run aren't based upon careers, they are based upon seasons. This was a season in which the Packers could have made it to Arizona for the Super Bowl. They would have had a rematch against the New England Patriots, a team they handled in the regular season. A Super Bowl win was perhaps in the cards. But...not.

The Packers, in the end, handed that opportunity to the Seahawks, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

High Draft Picks Failing to Make Impact in Green Bay

The following is a special guest article...

Historically speaking, few teams have had as much consistent success in the NFL draft as the Green Bay Packers. Dating back to before the tenure of current general manager Ted Thompson, the Packers have consistently selected players who have contributed immensely to the prolonged success of the organization.

That is, up until 2011. In 2009 and 2010 particularly, Thompson hit grand slams by selecting Clay Matthews, Bryan Bulaga, B.J. Raji, Morgan Burnett, T.J. Lang, James Starks, and a slew of other players who remain in productive roles with the team to this day. Since then, however, Thompson’s drafting has been far less dependable.

The downturn began in 2011 with the selection of Derek Sherrod at the back end of the first round. Sherrod was supposed to be the heir-apparent to longtime left tackle Chad Clifton, but three and a half seasons and a gruesome broken leg later, Sherrod’s only impact for the Packers has been negative—epitomized by allowing multiple sacks to Seattle in the 2014 season opener.

The next season found the Packers ranking 22nd in total defense—a horrendous drop-off from their top ranking the season previous. Green Bay sought the services of defenders Nick Perry and Jerel Worthy in the first and second rounds, respectively. Perry’s development has yet to come and he has been replaced for now with veteran Julius Peppers. Worthy is no longer on the team, as the Packers cut their losses by trading him to New England for a low-value draft pick.

The Packers again went defensive in 2013, and selected Datone Jones, who, in two and a half seasons, has only 36 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He, like Perry, has failed to solidify a starting role in Dom Capers’ defense despite it being all but handed to him on draft day.

Until the recent signing of Julius Peppers, Clay Matthews had been the only legitimate pass-rushing threat for Green Bay since Cullen Jenkins’ departure after the 2010 season. Defensive linemen like Ryan Pickett and B.J. Raji have been increasingly ineffective in situational roles, while the aforementioned high-profile draftees Perry, Worthy, and Jones have simply busted.

The secondary has been in a constant state of upturn. Casey Hayward, Davon House, Jerron McMillian, M.D. Jennings, and Chris Banjo have all tried to make lasting impacts in Green Bay’s secondary to no avail. The loss of Nick Collins in 2011 is still hurting the backfield of the Packers defense.

In 2014, the Packers—for the third season in a row—drafted a defensive player in the first round, in hopes of getting the defense in balance with the explosive offense. This time the pick was Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who, aside from some egregious missed tackles, has played well in tandem with Micah Hyde this season. He is off to a better start than the three first-rounders before him, but only time will tell.

As many of the excellent selections Ted Thompson made in ’09 and ’10 reach contract years, it is imperative that reliable, young talent continues to flow into the depth chart. But the days of Thompson’s near-perfect drafting are quickly and clearly becoming distant memories.

About The Author:
Ron is the lead editor of FantasyFootballOverdose.Com – prime source of NFL news and rumors. You can follow his NFL updates at this Facebook page.

Packers Beat Bears, Vikings Up Next

Final score: Green Bay Packers 38, Chicago Bears 17. How sweet it is!

As any good Packer fan knows, even in the team's down years, if there were only two games to win it was the two against Da Bearz. Regardless of record, that's one thing that hasn't changed: beat Chicago. Just. Because. They're. Da. Bearz.

In the first of the two meetings of these teams for this 2014 season, the Packers got the job done in style. While the first half of the game was a bit of a back-and-forth affair, the second half was dominated on both sides of the ball by the Packers.

A key series at the end of the first half seemed to help turn the tide in the Pack's favor. With the ball, timeouts, and seemingly an offense that was moving at will, Da Bearz exhibited horrible time management in the last minute of the half. Moving down the field without much resistance, Chicago amazingly opted not to take any timeouts. On what turned out to be the last play of the half -- which would have put Chicago ahead -- Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Micah Hyde were able to stop Chicago's receiver from stretching the ball across the endzone. Replays -- apparently with only one angle that had Hyde in effect obscuring a clear view of the ball's position -- confirmed the officials' call that the receiver had not broken the plane of the endzone. Oh, and time ran out. Dumb. And, yes, thank you, Chicago.

The second half saw the Packers take charge, with the defense -- despite giving up more than 200 yards on the ground -- pitching a shutout. Part of that effort included intercepting QB Jay Cutler twice, one by Clay Matthews on a deflection by Tramon Williams and the second by Sam Shields. Cutler, by the way, is now 1-10 in his starts against the Packers. He is the gift that keeps on giving.

Chicago dominated both the time of possession and the number of plays; they had something akin to 30+ more plays from scrimmage than did the Packers. The Pack's longest scoring drive of the day was still under 4-minutes in length. QB Aaron Rodgers spread the ball around, throwing for four touchdowns on the day and more than 300 yards. In doing so, he also became the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach the 25,000 yards passing mark (i.e., with the fewest passing attempts).

Causes for concern in the game? Sure. Any time your defense gets shredded on the ground right up the middle, something is wrong. On the flip side, when the offense can't get its top running back uncorked, that also is cause for concern. Still, with Rodgers playing as he did on Sunday, everyone knows that the Packers are in the game. It doesn't take long for the team to score points...a lot of them.

So, Packer fans, we savor the moment as we always do against Chicago, especially. As I noted in my preseason prediction, I expected the Packers to go 2-2 in this first quarter of the season. The team is right where I expected them to be. Quoting Rodgers from the prior week, R-E-L-A-X.

But now it's time to move on.

ViQueens up next
With a quick turnaround, the Packers face the Minnesota ViQueens Thursday night at Lambeau Field. As far as we know, RB Adrian Peterson is still suspended and won't play. Rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will be leading the offense. He led them to a win against Atlanta at home on Sunday, throwing for more than 300 yards. The Packers defense will need to up its game. (I have a feeling that's something we might be saying all season, Packer fans.)

We'll give a more exacting preview and game prediction on Thursday, so be sure to check back here for that then. In the meantime, you can follow all the latest Packer news via our Amazing 2nd Page. Just click that link at the top of this page for darn-near realtime updates from more sources than you can shake a "Packers #1" finger at.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers serve as Seahawks chum in season-opening loss

This is not the way we wanted to start the season, Packer fans. We knew it was going to be a tough game. The Seattle Seahawks were 6-point favorites over the Green Bay Packers. Turns out, that was just mildly understated. The 'hawks routed the Pack by 20 points, 36-16.

The Packers kept the game close for a half, but then the wheels fell off entirely in the second half. The Packers were dominated on both sides of the ball by the Super Bowl Champion Seahawks, who looked every bit the part of a defending champion at home. Former Wisconsin Badgers QB Russell Wilson looked as sharp as he did in the Super Bowl against Denver. RB Marshawn Lynch was in "beast mode" all night long. The 'hawks defense swarmed the Packers offense constantly, runners at the line and receivers downfield.

As head coach, Mike McCarthy, stated after the game, the Packers fundamentals just were not there. On defense, there were missed tackles, open areas for receivers over the middle, lack of any significant pass rush, runners getting around the edges and running right up the middle of the line for more than 200 yards, and untimely penalties (which begs the question: are there ever any timely penalties?).

Fans have not been happy with the defensive schemes proffered by defensive coordinator Dom Capers for several years. The defense was supposed to be revamped this season. If so, it looked pretty much the same as last season. Losing NT B.J. Raji is a bigger hit than perhaps many thought; the Pack was gashed repeatedly up the middle, especially in the second half. Newly-added veteran Julius Peppers seemed to be a non-factor most of the night. Linebacker Brad Jones was more a liability than an asset; he was out of position often, missed tackles, dropped an interception, and had costly penalties. Rookie DB Ha Ha Clinton-Dix showed mixed results, although perhaps what will be remembered most were his missed tackles, particularly one which led directly to a touchdown.

On offense, RB Eddie Lacy was shut down prior to leaving with a concussion in the third quarter, QB Aaron Rodgers was held to less than 200 yards paasing, RT Bryan Bulaga suffered a knee injury (which preliminarily is being called a sprain) and was replaced by Derek Sherrod who got beat repeatedly off the edge. One bright spot, despite one very public tongue-lashing from his quarterback, was the play of rookie center, Corey Linsley. Getting his first start and first game-of-any-kind snaps with the first unit, and in the loudest stadium in the NFL, Linsley performed well and held his own. Yes, losing J.C. Tretter for several weeks hurts the depth of the line. But, as was the case with David Bakhtiari coming on to have a strong year as a rookie in relief of Bryan Bulaga last season, the Packers perhaps have found a real gem with Linsley.

RT Bryan Bulaga and TE Richard Rodgers were injured after colliding.
(Photo by Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Yes, the Seahawks were the better team. Are the better team. All roads to the Super Bowl might go through Seattle this season. But it's one game in a long season. The Packers now have 10 days to clean things up and prepare for their home opener at Lambeau Field against the New York Jets. That should be a game to get them back on track. If they lose that game, they have two tough division road games following, at Detroit and at Chicago. Our season prediction had the Pack going 2-2 in these first four games of the season. Right now, we'd be happy with that result given the performance last evening.

Long-term Prognosis?
One overlooked but possibly disconcerting fact is that the Packers now are 9-11-1 in their last 21 games. Granted, about a third of those were without Rodgers at quarterback and also without some of the Pack's other key players. But, does this indicate a longer-term issue? Were the Packers exposed as pretenders rather than contenders? Does the lack of depth on the offensive and defensive lines present issues for the season? Are the middle linebackers -- particularly Brad Jones -- as mediocre as what was on display last evening?

We'll have to wait until we get a bit further into the season to know for sure. But after this first game, there are more questions than answers as to what kind of team this 2014 squad is.

It's Packers 2014 preseason football time: Pack vs. Titans!

Oh, baby...at long, long last...Green Bay Packers football is about to get underway. The road to the Super Bowl, fellow Packer fans, begins this evening in Tennessee. Our Pack take on the Titans in the first of four preseason games. Expect not to see much of any of the projected starters. Particularly those named Aaron Rodgers.

Tonight, we'll get our first glimpse of the 2014 edition of the Packers. On display will be the work of the two fellows competing to be the primary backup to Rodgers: Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzein. The Packers know what Flynn can do: provide a knowledge of the system and even win games now and then. But we suspect they are more interested in seeing what Tolzein can do now with a bit more experience. They know he has a stronger arm than Flynn. The question is can he be a consistent leader on the field and win. Flynn's steady, Tolzein has a better chance to make a big play. What will shake out by the time the final roster decisions need to be made? This game starts to make that picture come into focus.

The same, of course, can be said for many other players and positions. Safety has been one getting a lot of attention in training camp. Given the lack of production from that unit last season, expectations are much higher this season. Morgan Burnett missed most of this week's camp with a strained oblique and will be held out tonight. As a result, second-year player Micah Hyde and first-round draft pick Ha Ha Clinton-Dix are expected to start, and much focus will of course be placed upon how Clinton-Dix adapts to the pro game.

But don't be surprised if you see third-year player Sean Richardson in the mix with the starters. During his Thursday press conference, head coach Mike McCarthy had this to say about Richardson: "I'll tell you what, Sean Richardson is having a hell of a training camp." Any number of pundits and reporters have noted that Richardson has been very impressive in camp. The coaching staff has taken notice. Richardson was an undrafted free agent who made the team in 2012, but that rookie season was cut short with injuries and he played in only five games. In 2013, he played in just six games. The Packers are anxious to see what a healthy Richardson can do. At 6'2" and 216 lbs., he is an imposing presence in the defensive backfield. I'm one of those rooting for him to stay on the field and make many contributions this season. He's an intriguing player.

Other young players will also be getting a close look tonight. Second-year player J.C. Tretter is slated to be the starting center if all goes according to script. McCarthy says he likes what he has seen from Tretter in practice, so we'll see what happens in live game action. Rookie Corey Linsley will also get a good look at center.

On offense, tight end is a position of interest with the apparent final departure of Jermichael Finley. Jake Stoneburner looks to take a step up in his play, while rookie Richard Rodgers has also received a lot of positive reviews in camp. In the wide receiver corps, expectations are high for rookie Davante Adams who has apparently been nothing but spectacular in camp.

But don't count out rookie Jeff Janis. Janis missed the first week of camp with an illness and practiced for the first time on Wednesday. During that first practice, Janis made a one-handed touchdown catch in the back-left corner of the end zone of a pass from Tolzein. Not to be outdone, Adams followed Janis’ catch with a one-handed touchdown grab of a Matt Flynn pass.

These are just a few of the players to keep an eye on, of course.

A big part of these preseason games for fans is just getting used to new players and new numbers. "Who is that?" will be a common statement tonight, whether on a good or poor play.

For coaches, they want to see what the new young guys may be able to contribute to make this team better. It's a fun and exciting time of the year. Hopes from fans and coaches alike are that no one gets seriously injured. The Pack has already lost wide receiver and returner Jared Abbrederis and offensive lineman Don Barclay to torn ACL's. The Packers have seemed a bit snake-bitten in recent seasons with injuries. Let's hope this early trend doesn't continue.

Packers 2014 Draft Review: Rounds 1-3

While the actual NFL football season is still several months away, the NFL Draft marks the unofficial start of the season for many fans. It sure gets the juices of Packers fans going.

To the surprise of some, GM Ted Thompson -- Trader Ted -- didn't make a move through the first three rounds, choosing instead to stay pat with the team's assigned picks. So, what do we make of the Pack's picks through the first two days? From this vantage point, we're pleased. Let's take a look at the selections, shall we...

ROUND	NUMBER	PLAYER	POSITION	SCHOOL
1	21	Ha Ha Clinton-Dix	S	Alabama
2	53	Davante Adams	WR	Fresno State
3	85	Khyri Thornton	DT	Southern Miss
3	98 (compensatory)	Richard Rodgers	TE	California

Analysis on each player can be found here; kudos to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for providing a great overview of the newest Packers.

What's our take?
As noted earlier, we think the Packers have generally had a good start to the draft. Getting Clinton-Dix, one of the top safeties available, means there is finally a good complement to Morgan Burnett. Perhaps the Pack's safeties will actually record an interception this season. Plus, Clinton-Dix is physical. Being given Charles Woodson's old number -- 21 -- is hopefully a precursor of things to come.

With Adams at wide receiver, the Packers added the nation's reception leader from 2013. He knows how to find the endzone, too. Over the last two seasons, he scored 38 touchdowns with Fresno State. As one pundit stated after the pick, the Packers replaced James Jones with a better version of James Jones. If you were happy with Jones (at least, most of the time), we think you'll be happy with Adams. Our guess is Aaron Rodgers will be, too.

Thornton may have been an unknown commodity to most Packer fans, unless you happen to reside in the South, of course. He was a fifth-year senior and team captain at Southern Miss. The story on him is that he is an athlete. At 6'3" and 304 pounds, he is the type of defensive tackle that could spell relief for B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett, and perhaps be the replacement for one or the other down the road...with Pickett the more likely given his age.

To say we'll have fun with the Rodgers to Rodgers pass-catch duo is an understatement. Plus, both of the Rodgers' attended California...synchronicity! Rodgers (that will be Richard, not Aaron) has played at both blocking tight end and inside receiver. He has versatility, something the Packers value highly in all their players and particularly their receivers. He's not exactly a burner speed-wise (not too many tight ends are), but at 6'4" and about 260, and apparently with very good hands, he should add some needed competition and depth at the tight end spot for the Pack, who will likely be without Jermichael Finley going forward.

So, bottom line: good job, Ted. Can't wait to see what you do today.

At least for now, the remaining selections for the Packers look like this:
Round 4 (121st overall)
Round 5 (161st overall)
Round 5 (176th overall) -- Compensatory
Round 6 (197th overall)
Round 7 (236th overall)

Go Pack Go!!!