SB Nation - Danny Lansanah

Where Are They Now? Recent Packers Released

Brandon — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:26:04 -0000

by John Russell - AP

Probably every Green Bay Packer fan who watched the first two preseason games was hoping or expecting they would keep RB Tyrell Sutton. Instead he was released, and claimed by Carolina. RB Kregg Lumpkin was added to the practice squad. Maybe they preferred Lumpkin after all. They had to know someone would claim Sutton if they tried to slip him through waivers.

The bigger surprise was the release of S Anthony Smith. He had a great preseason, along with a couple dumb 15 yard penalties, but it seemed like he had the job as the top backup safety in hand. Instead he was released and claimed by St. Louis.

LB Danny Lansanah wasn't outstanding, but he was solid this preseason. He had at least one blown play in pass coverage, but at least one devastating hit too. He declined an invite to the Packers practice squad, and instead signed onto the practice squad in Miami.

C Duke Preston, along with S Anthony Smith, were the two veteran free agent signings this offseason. Neither earned a spot on the Packers 53 man roster. Preston was actually released a couple weeks ago. Just like Smith, Preston too wound up on another team's 53 man roster. He's way down deep in the depth chart in Dallas.

Analysis: Down to 53; Look Who Missed The Roster

Brandon — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:00:30 -0000

by John Russell - AP

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I started out by looking at who made the 53 man roster for the Green Bay Packers. But all the talk is about who didn't make the team. It's a big list, with 18 players released and 4 players placed on I.R., but there are three big surprises. I'll be going through the players on I.R. after the jump. Also, it's time to speculate who will make the practice squad.

QB Brian Brohm. It's not everyday a team releases the player who was the No. 57 overall pick less than two years ago. I'm a big fan, I think he's getting better and has a chance to be a good QB, but I can understand why he's out. He doesn't make good decisions and he has trouble throwing the ball deep. He really needs more reps; he'd be a perfect candidate for the old NFL Europe. And I can understand why they weren't able to trade him because his stats during the 2008-2009 preseasons have been bad. Also, GM Ted Thompson probably prefers carrying only two QBs on the roster. He might slip through and find his way back on the practice squad. I couldn't find any legitimate rumor of another team being interested in him.
RB Tyrell Sutton. Mike McCarthy prefers big backs. RB Ryan Grant and RB DeShawn Wynn are big backs. Sutton, at 5'7", is not. His only competition was truly RB Brandon Jackson, and it appears Jackson is a better blocker and receiver. Expect to see Sutton sign with another team very soon.
S Anthony Smith. The former 3rd round pick of the Steelers was a low cost free agent signing. He received no signing bonus, so there shouldn't be a salary cap hit for his release. He's had an outstanding preseason, although he did mix in a couple 15 yard penalties. Then they trade for CB/S Derrick Martin, who seems to be a very similar player, although he can actually play cornerback. I thought Smith had the job as the top backup safety all locked up.

WR Jake Allen. He was on the practice squad last season, but it wasn't enough to get him a good look this preseason. I rarely saw him on the field. He could return to the practice squad once again.
CB Trevor Ford. He was just awful in the game against Tennessee. He wasn't physical at the line and he couldn't keep up with the receivers in coverage. He's the least surprising cut.
OL Andrew Hartline. He had a good preseason, but he just couldn't beat out OL T.J. Lang or C Evan Dietrich-Smith. Although it probably helped Dietrich-Smith that he can play center too. He could return on the practice squad, but it will depend on who else was released around the NFL.
WR Kole Heckendorf. He had a good preseason and it should be enough to get him onto the practice squad.
LB Danny Lansanah. Another 2008 practice squad alum. He's a good player and a big hitter, but there are just too many good inside linebackers currently on the roster. He's another 2009 practice squad possibility.
RB Kregg Lumpkin. The running back everyone expected to be released. I'm still surprised he made the team last season. I'm pretty sure he's not eligible for the practice squad.
DE Alfred Malone. Rinse and repeat: another 2008 practice squad alum who had a good preseason and could make it on the 2009 practice squad.
WR Ruvell Martin. He should have made the team again this season, but he had some preseason miscues. He just didn't offer anything as a receiver that they couldn't get from WR Brett Swain. But while Swain actually showed some promise as a punt returner and as a cornerback (seriously, he wasn't that bad in the Tennesee game), Martin blew his opportunity as a holder and a punt returner (fumbled a punt return at Tennessee). He doesn't seem like a guy who will draw much interest from another team.
OL Jamon Meredith. The 5th round pick had a rocky college career in South Carolina, but the talent has always been there. He played almost exclusively at left tackle this preseason, and it seemed like he's a great run blocker. I'm really surprised they kept Dietrich-Smith over him.
NT Dean Muhtadi. He's under 300 lbs. but he always played at nose tackle. He never seemed like a good fit, but he could be signed for the practice squad.
LB Cyril Obiozor. The undrafted, college defensive end, was always a project, and he got caught in a numbers crunch. Just too many good linebackers in camp. He was probably battling 7th round LB Brad Jones for a spot, and Jones outplayed him. He's another practice squad possibility.
CB Joe Porter. Rinse and repeat: another 2008 practice squad alum who had a good preseason and could make it on the 2009 practice squad.
OL Dane Randolph. The undrafted lineman from Maryland was always a long shot, and he only played 3rd string right tackle this preseason. He's not bad, but there's just no room for him.
DE Ronald Talley. He made a couple plays this preseason, but he got beat out by DE Jarius Wynn, who made a lot of good plays.
NT Anthony Toribio. He spent a lot of time in opponent's backfields this preseason and I was hoping he grabbed one of the final roster spots. He should be playing somewhere in the NFL, but he might slip through the cracks.

Injured Reserve:

DE Justin Harrell. The frequently injured one is the least surprising addition to the I.R. Although this gives him another season to try and rehab, I don't expect he'll ever play for the Packers again.
CB Pat Lee. This sucks. He missed most of the preseason with a back injury, he finally gets healthy for the final preseason game, and he hyperextends his knee. He looked good at cornerback against Tennessee, and he made a great kick off return (on which he hyperextended his knee). With several injured players already in the secondary, they couldn't afford to stash him on the 53 man roster and wait a few weeks for him to return.
TE Evan Moore. He didn't seem hurt in the Tennessee game. He sure didn't play well this preseason (multiple penalties, at least one fumble) so I was expecting his release.
S Charlie Peprah. He played only on special teams in 2007 and 2008, but the coaches apparently like him anyway. He might have been able to return, but as I mentioned with Pat Lee above, they really can't wait.

Preseason Analysis: Green Bay Packers defeat Arizona 44-37

Brandon — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:00:10 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

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The Green Bay Packers were in control for most of the game, they led 38-10 at the half, but a late rally made the game seem closer than it was.

The most important thing to watch out for during the preseason is the injuries. From Mike McCarthy:

Q:Can you give an update on the injuries?
A:Greg (Jennings) had a blow to the head, he did not return. Atari Bigby had a sprained thumb. Mike Montgomery has a broken hand. Brandon Jackson has a bruised shin.

Obviously WR Greg Jennings is the biggest concern. According to Rob Demovsky, the blow to the head is a concussion. Some athletes have problems with reoccuring concussions, so it's something to watch. DE Mike Montgomery actually has a broken thumb and he can probably play with a bandaged club on his hand, if necessary. We won't know until next week the severity of the injuries to S Atari Bigby or RB Brandon Jackson.

Much, much more after the jump.

Packers vs Cardinals coverage; Packers vs Cardinals recap; Packers vs Cardinals boxscore; Revenge Of The Birds

Arizona's head coach Ken Whisenhunt speculated that the Packers game planned for the Cardinals, but Greg Bedard said there was no game planning. I've never heard of game planning for a preseason game, so I'd have to go Greg on this one.

Overall this was the 3rd straight outstanding preseason game for the 1st team offense and defense. Not everything is perfect, but the good has significantly outweighed the bad. I had expected a slight let down because it was the best opponent so far this preseason and the first game outside of Lambeau. With a west coast trip added to it. But there was no let down at all, so this game exceed my expectations.

Sure the 2nd team defense didn't look great, but I'm not worried that their practice squad can beat our practice squad. Also, with the slight exceptation of DE Jarius Wynn and LB Brad Jones, the 2nd team defense can't rush the QB. The Cardinals 2nd team receivers did a good job creating some space between them and the Packers 2nd team cornerbacks. But that doesn't prove a fundamental flaw in the defense.

For my game review, I'm using the play-by-play from NFL.com.

First Quarter:

(12:09) 12-A.Rodgers scrambles up the middle pushed ob at ARZ 6 for 34 yards (21-A.Rolle).

What I loved about this run was that QB Aaron Rodgers wasn't taking any chances. He ran because the field was wide open and he got out of bounds before he could have gotten hit. Just another outstanding game for Rodgers who runs when he should, throws the ball away when necessary, and picks apart the opposing secondary the rest of the game.

(11:04) 30-J.Kuhn up the middle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

If you were following the whole RG Josh Sitton won the starting job from C Scott Wells thing, then this might have shown you why. Sitton has 20 lbs. on Wells and brings more push to the o-line, despite the fact that Wells has probably outplayed Sitton this preseason. FB John Kuhn ran right behind Sitton on the play, although Arizona's defense was completely fooled by the inside handoff.

(9:03) 13-K.Warner pass short left to 85-J.Urban to GB 49 for 9 yards (21-C.Woodson). FUMBLES (21-C.Woodson), RECOVERED by GB.

CB Charles Woodson just makes plays. He terrorized Arizona in this game.

(4:41) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete short right to 42-D.Wynn.

(4:35) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete short right to 87-J.Nelson.

There was nothing there. Rodgers did a good job of just getting rid of the ball and taking the 3 points.

(3:01) 34-T.Hightower right tackle to GB 34 for 23 yards (36-N.Collins).

There's so little redudancy on defense. DE Cullen Jenkins slipped the block, got into the backfield, and missed the tackle. Everyone else was blocked so Jenkins had to make the play. It's a tough break for him, RB Tim Hightower made a nice play to avoid the tackle, but that's how the defense works.

(1:34) (Shotgun) 13-K.Warner pass short middle to 11-L.Fitzgerald to GB 6 for 27 yards (38-T.Williams).

I'm a big CB Tramon Williams fan, but he struggled in this game. It happens, and I expect he'll bounce back next week.

(:04) 13-K.Warner sacked at GB 13 for -7 yards (21-C.Woodson). FUMBLES (21-C.Woodson), ball out of bounds at GB 9.

Woodson is so good at rushing the QB. He did this some last season too when he was 2nd on the team in sacks.

Second Quarter:

(12:19) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass deep middle to 80-D.Driver to ARZ 9 for 55 yards (21-A.Rolle). Penalty on ARZ-56-C.Okeafor, Defensive Offside, declined. Penalty on ARZ-21-A.Rolle, Defensive Pass Interference, declined.

(11:08) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 88-J.Finley for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Rodgers, WR Donald Driver, and TE Jermichael Finley got all the stats, but the offensive line was great. Rodgers had all kinds of time to throw. Although Arizona had problems getting after the QB even before this game.

(8:41) (Shotgun) 13-K.Warner sacked at ARZ 22 for -8 yards (21-C.Woodson). FUMBLES (21-C.Woodson), RECOVERED by GB-74-A.Kampman at ARZ 24. 74-A.Kampman for 24 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

I'd like to use this play to give a shout out to LB A.J. Hawk. He wasn't worth the No. 5 overall pick and shouldn't start ahead of either LB Desmond Bishop or LB Brandon Chillar, but he can still play. He came up the middle on a blitz that was picked up by the running back which left Woodson unblocked from around the left tackle.

This is also a good example of why I'd take Rodgers over QB Kurt Warner any day. Rodgers makes good decisions under pressure and is so careful with the ball, but Warner struggles to avoid the rush and has a big problem with fumbles.

(5:34) 26-C.Wells right tackle for 20 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Arizona impressed me with their offensive line and RB Chris Wells. Their line did a good job protecting Warner and opening up some lanes for their running backs. Wells really surprised me with his open field moves, he cut right past S Nick Collins on the TD run. But despite his 240+ lb. frame, he's going to use his size to escape weak tackles and not to bowl over defenders.

(5:22) 12-A.Rodgers pass deep middle to 87-J.Nelson for 76 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

I had been noticing that the Packers under new defensive coordinator Dom Capers are using their safeties the same way they did last season. They rarely play close to the line of scrimmage, and instead are playing deep to avoid any big plays.

Arizona doesn't play like that. On this big play, Arizona S Adrian Wilson was close to the line and playing the run. When the Packers ran play action, WR Jordy Nelson used it to get past the cornerback and into an area where there was no safety help deep.

(2:33) 23-T.Sutton right tackle to GB 42 for 11 yards (21-A.Rolle).

Undrafted rookie RB Tyrell Sutton had been playing great against the opponents' 2nd team defenses in the first two games, but got the chance to play with the 1st string in this game. It may even be a sign he's moved up the depth chart to 2nd string, and ahead of RB Brandon Jackson.

(2:00) 12-A.Rodgers pass deep right to 89-J.Jones to ARZ 26 for 32 yards (29-D.Rodgers-Cromartie).

WR James Jones had another great game, and almost had a TD reception on this drive too. But Nelson got his first opportunity to play with the 1st team offense this preseason, and he looked great too. I don't see how you can put one of these guys over the other. They'll have to find some way for them to share time this season as the No. 3 WR.

(:21) (Shotgun) 13-K.Warner pass deep left intended for 85-J.Urban INTERCEPTED by 29-A.Smith at ARZ 49. 29-A.Smith to ARZ 11 for 38 yards (36-L.Stephens-Howling).

I wasn't too excited about the low cost signing of free agent S Anthony Smith after Pittsburgh let him go. But he's played great this preseason, and has earned the right to be the top backup.

(:07) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 88-J.Finley for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

This is the 3rd strong preseason game by Finley. While his speed is too much for linebackers, on this play he lined up wide right like a receiver, and had too much size for the cornerback. Although he got away with a slight push.

Third Quarter:

(12:13) (Shotgun) 7-M.Leinart pass incomplete deep left to 19-L.Long (33-B.Underwood). PENALTY on GB-33-B.Underwood, Personal Foul, 15 yards, enforced at GB 49 - No Play.

CB Brandon Underwood is better than I expected. He could become a good cover corner, and he appears to be good in run support. But the Packers have some tough roster decisions to make and drawing a personal foul for an illegal helmet-to-helmet hit has probably hurt his chances. It's a stupid mental mistake that coaches hate.

(12:07) 7-M.Leinart sacked at GB 41 for -7 yards (94-J.Wynn). FUMBLES (94-J.Wynn), recovered by ARZ-63-L.Sendlein at ARZ 43. 63-L.Sendlein to ARZ 43 for no gain (90-B.Raji).

(10:04) 7-M.Leinart FUMBLES (Aborted) at GB 26, and recovers at GB 26. 7-M.Leinart to GB 26 for no gain (59-B.Jones).

This half was a very good opportunity to watch QB Matt Leinart in action. It was a pretty good example of why he's not a good NFL QB. When he can sit back or step up in the pocket, he can find the open receiver. But he had problems whenever Wynn or Jones got after him. Fortunately for him, the Packers blitz was usually picked up by his offensive lineman. A lot of QBs look good if their pass protection holds up.

(10:04) 7-M.Leinart FUMBLES (Aborted) at GB 26, and recovers at GB 26. 7-M.Leinart to GB 26 for no gain (59-B.Jones).

Nice play by DT Anthony Toribio to get into the backfield and create the fumble. I don't think there's room for him on the 53 man roster, but I expect he'll either play for another team or get an invite to the practice squad.

(6:46) 7-J.Kapinos punts 52 yards to ARZ 23, Center-61-B.Goode. 19-L.Long to ARZ 30 for 7 yards (30-J.Kuhn). PENALTY on ARZ-23-W.Fontenot, Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards, enforced at ARZ 25.

Kuhn is still starting ahead of FB Quinn Johnson, and he's also great on special teams. He won't be cut, and the Packers won't keep 3 FBs, so I expect Johnson will be released at some point.

(2:13) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm sacked at GB 25 for -8 yards (93-C.Campbell).

Arizona's offense rarely got off the field in the 2nd half, so there wasn't a lot of opportunities to watch QB Brian Brohm. I'm still a big fan of his because he looks so much better now compared to last season. The Packers would be OK if he had to start a game, although he's still behind QB Matt Flynn on the depth chart. But taking a sack on 3rd down in FG range is a big mistake.

Fourth Quarter:

(15:00) 7-M.Leinart pass short middle to 36-L.Stephens-Howling to ARZ 47 for 8 yards (58-D.Lansanah). FUMBLES (58-D.Lansanah), RECOVERED by GB-94-J.Wynn at ARZ 47. 94-J.Wynn to ARZ 47 for no gain (82-L.Pope). Arizona challenged the fumble ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 7-M.Leinart pass short middle to 36-L.Stephens-Howling to ARZ 47 for 8 yards (58-D.Lansanah).

With all the praise for LB Desmond Bishop this preseason, when Bishop is on the field, LB Danny Lansanah is the other LB who plays alongside Bishop in the 4-2-5 alignment. If it weren't for Bishop, we might notice Lansanah more. On this play, he almost took the running back's head off. The Cardinal player actually suffered a concussion. Lansanah rocked him.

(14:25) 7-M.Leinart pass deep middle to 39-D.Byrd pushed ob at GB 8 for 45 yards (24-J.Bush). PENALTY on ARZ-80-E.Doucet, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at GB 8.

Unfortunately, on the next play, the Cardinals tight end blew past Lansanah in coverage and was left wide open for a big gain. His inability to cover receivers will probably keep him off the 53 man roster.

(4:33) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm sacked at ARZ 30 for -10 yards (59-W.Davis).

Hey, another sack of Brohm in field goal range. A 38 yard FG becomes a 48 yard miss. Although in his defense, on this sack, RB Kregg Lumpkin completely whiffed on the block and the blitzing linebacker came in unblocked.

1-N.Rackers kicks onside 16 yards from ARZ 30 to ARZ 46. RECOVERED by ARZ-1-N.Rackers. PENALTY on ARZ-1-N.Rackers, Delay of Game, 5 yards, enforced at ARZ 46.

Special teams coach Shawn Slocum admitted the special teams players were too far apart. They left the middle of the field wide open for K Neil Rackers. But what the hell was Arizona doing risking their kicker at the bottom of a scrum in a meaningless preseason game?

(:59) (Shotgun) 7-M.Leinart pass short middle to 31-J.Wright to GB 11 for 21 yards (58-D.Lansanah).

This was a rare 2nd half play for big yardage. The 2nd team defense had trouble stopping them on 3rd downs, but Arizona had to slowly work their way up the field. It was all short passing stuff.

1-N.Rackers kicks onside 9 yards from ARZ 30 to ARZ 39. 82-R.Martin for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Making a big play on special teams gets players noticed. It's been a quiet preseason for WR Ruvell Martin, but showing up big on special teams will help him stay on the 53 man roster.

TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 23-T.Sutton rushes left tackle. ATTEMPT FAILS.

It was an interesting opportunity to see how Sutton did in a power situation. He only had one man to beat, and he got stood up by the linebacker right at the goal line. If he made it, he's a lock for the roster. Now the coaches have to figure out whether he has enough strength to succeed in the NFL.

(:12) (Shotgun) 7-M.Leinart pass incomplete deep right to 87-S.Morey.

This pass was a dropped INT by CB Trevor Ford, and a good indication of how lucky Arizona was to get back in the game. Leinart had one INT and at least 3 fumbles, all recovered by Arizona. They could have easily had 5 turnovers in the 2nd half alone. They got lucky that the fumbles bounced their way, but they can't expect to be that sloppy with the ball and win.

A Plea To Curb Your Enthusiasm

Mitchell_M — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:00:19 -0000

And no, this isn't a letter to the producers of Larry David's hilarious HBO show.

Larry must read fast if he can read the New York Times in twenty 30-second trips.

Green Bay beat Arizona 44-37 last night, but the game was 38-17 going into the fourth quarter. As the Packers ' scrubs took the field, Matt Leinart went off for 3 touchdowns and made the game far closer than anyone could imagine. Still, the game wasn't nearly as close as the final score would suggest; it was a thoroughly dominating performance by Green Bay on all fronts, just like the previous two preseason games.

Yes, they have looked spectacular on nearly all fronts. The team is showing the symptoms of greatness. Preseason predictions are transforming into post-season ones, and there's not much opposition. But I'm here to be the proverbial rain on the parade, whether you like it or not.

Don't get me wrong, there's a lot to be excited about. Like how the first team defense only allowed 10 points to the Cardinals, one of the best offenses in the NFL, ending the shutout streak from the first two games. Or how the offense is averaging 4.4 yards per carry. Or how they have a +10 turnover ratio through the first three games. Or how the offensive line hasn't let anyone lay a finger on the starting QB.

Let's talk more about that defense. The Legion of Dom has made life miserable for opposing quarterbacks with superior line play, excellent coverage packages, and disguised blitzes out of the 3-4. How miserable? 11 sacks, 8 interceptions, and 8 forced fumbles worth. And this, which was pretty sweet.

Wanna talk individual performances? How about Charles Woodson? Last night, he had four tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles, recovered one of them, and generally made Shaft look like a sissy. So this is what Chuck looks like when he's healthy, considering his campaign in 2008 was hindered by a toe injury.

Wait, he did what last year? Holy moly.

Defense isn't your thing? Let's talk offense. How about Jermichael Finley, who is turning last year's frustrating performance into a push for Donald Lee's job? In three games, he has 9 catches for 92 yards and 2 scores, but his play cannot be quantified by stats. The only numbers that matter are these: 6'5", 247, 4.76, 29". Those are his height, weight, 40 time, and vertical leap. You add massive improvements to blocking and route running, and you have a big time weapon on your hands. He's a mismatch for anyone who tries to cover him: too fast for linebackers, too big for cornerbacks, too athletic for safeties. And since he can line up in a three-point stance or split out, he's nearly impossible to jam at the line. Words cannot express how excited I am about Finley this season.

And how about the wide receivers? Donald Driver, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson have all combined for 16 catches, 345 yards, and 3 touchdowns. That's including a 76-yard bomb to Nelson, who was matched up against Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, one of the NFL's better corners; when Nelson caught the ball off of the playaction, he was at least 7 yards in front of DRC. In the business, that's what we call a nice play.

And can we talk about Aaron Rodgers for a minute? In three preseason games, he's put up 458 yards on 71% passing, has 12 yards per attempt, and has a TD/INT split of 6/0. Oh, and his QB rating is 151.1. And he can move in the pocket and turn a sure sack into an incompletion at worst. Nearly every ball he's thrown has been perfect. And his best target (Greg Jennings) is gonna be OK after that hit he took last night. He sufferred a minor concussion (then again, when is a brain bruise ever minor?), and will be 100% well before the opener against Chicago.

I don't know about you, but I need to sit down for a second. Get my bearings. There's just too much excitement for me to handle. As I said before, there are signs of greatness on this team. Each skill position is positively stacked, the less talented players are executing well, and the coaching has been superb. There's a chance for the 2009 Packers to be something special.

What I want is for everyone to just calm down.

* * *

Remember, they have not played a dominant running team yet. The Vikings still have ~~Chad~~ Steve Hutchinson and Adrian Peterson, who I think could run for 1,000 yards with just ~~Chad~~ Steve blocking and AP running. Matt Forte is far more potent than Fred Jackson, Jamal Lewis, and Beanie Wells. And Kevin Smith is a top-20 back handicapped by a bad offensive line. Remember how poor the run defense was last season? Don't think that keeping the Bills, Browns, and Cards at bay is a sign of a complete turnaround.

Besides, Beanie Wells had a few highlight plays of his own against our starters. Check out this video, and take notice of the poor angles taken by Packer defenders, the failure to disengage from blockers, and bad attempts at tackles.

Also, they have not played a dominant defense yet. The Bills and Browns are not stalwarts, and the Cardinals are merely above-average on a good day. Yes, the offense was top-10 last season, and they have had an excellent showing in the preseason, but preseason is short for "the defense is going to try to run the right play but not try too hard because they don't want to get hurt just yet."

And don't forget the Cardinals' fourth quarter performance. Matt Leinart singlehandedly willed the Cards back into the game by sparking a 27-point second half, albeit against Green Bay's backups. But this is a sign of a potential depth issue on defense. If a critical player gets hurt, one of these backups is going to have to step up. If the backups allow 360 yards and 3 TD's to Leinart and the Cardinals' second- and third-stringers, how are they going to perform when faced with NFL starters?

All this aside, my biggest concern lies with a few key players.

1. Mason Crosby. The Colorado Kid has dynamite for a leg, but he's struggled with accuracy. He's 4/7 through three games, but his misses are from 29, 48, 55, and 60 yards. The first two are really the only misses that concern me, but his inability to hit the long ball in game situations takes away the option of a 50+ yard attempt later in the season.

2. Quinn Johnson. Johnson hasn't done too much in the preseason. His lead blocking abilities were supposed to open huge holes for the running game, but that really hasn't happened. I liked the prospect of the fifth-round pick blowing linebackers up at the second level, but nobody's seen it yet, which makes his likelihood of making the roster less than a sure thing.

This concern is pointed not only at Quinn Johnson, but at the running game as a whole. While it might be a by-product of the passing game's explosiveness, the offense hasn't fully exhibited the type of ball control offense needed to hang onto close games. Maybe it's because Ryan Grant has only gotten 21 carries, or because the offensive line has just ended the position battles. All I know is that I wanted to see some strong running, and the only back that's shown it consistently is Tyrell Sutton, who should but might not make the roster.

3. A.J. Hawk. There's been a lot of talk about A.J. Hawk in the last two weeks, mainly concerned with his fit (or lack thereof) in the new 3-4 defense. Maybe it's his short arms, or his injury history, or his skill set, or his athletic tendencies. We really don't have much of a clue as to why he's been struggling, or even if he really is struggling and we're just creating the illusion of a problem where there is none.

Here's what it really comes down to; in three preseason games, here's the tackling totals for Green Bay's inside linebackers:

Green Bay ILB
Desmond Bishop	16 tackles, 2 assists, 1 sack
Danny Lansanah	11 tackles, 2 assists
Brandon Chillar	7 tackles, 3 assists
A.J. Hawk	1 tackle, 2 assists

To be sure, this is not the kind of performance expected out of a 5th overall pick who's playing style racks up tackles like Steve Nash racks up assists. He's been around the ball, but he constantly ends up on the ground or pushed in the opposite direction. He hasn't gotten to the quarterback the way people thought he would. He's being outperformed by nearly every linebacker on the roster.

The point of all this talk is this: the coaches need to put the right players on the field to give the team the highest chance of success. If that means A.J. Hawk doesn't fit into that simple criterion, then he needs to be either coached and developed better, benched, traded, or cut.

I am a huge A.J. Hawk fan; his jersey was the first Packer jersey I bought when I started getting money with which I could buy jerseys. (My first actual jersey was an Allen Iverson home jersey...the year before he got traded. That sucked.) I like the way Hawk plays, I admire him for playing as hurt as he did last year, and I think he has the tools to be a solid starter in this league. But I have my doubts as to whether or not he's a good fit for the fast-paced finesse-heavy 3-4 defense that the team is installing.

* * *

To sum up, the Packers have shown a lot of growth and development from last year's 6-10 campaign. Fans are perfectly justified in predicting great things this year; the team has shown several great things in only a few weeks. I myself will go out on a limb and predict that Green Bay will end up with the division.

But don't let the early success get to your head. There are legitimate concerns about parts of our roster. The team to beat is still Minnesota. Chicago is still neck-and-neck with us. Detroit simply won't go without a fight anymore. Nothing is a given, everything is fluid.

So when other fans come over here and talk smack, let them. When other sites post ridiculous articles that make wild assertions about their delusions of Green Bay's shortcomings, don't respond. When media outlets hype up other players and other teams while leaving ours on the side, don't complain about it.

Because come September 13th, the Packers are going to start the season, and you'll see a drop in the smack talk on the site. After September 20th, you'll notice a huge dropoff in the Packer bashing. By September 27th, you might see a Green Bay highlight in the first half hour of SportsCenter.

Then October 5th will come, and it is legitimately the most important game of the year. If Green Bay wants the division, they're going to have to take it from last year's champion. It's going to be a huge event, transcending the sport and focusing on the celebrity component that will dominate the coverage. This game will be a turning point in not just the 2009 season, but the momentum of the rivalry.

2009 figures to be a big year for the Packers. But for now, curb your enthusiasm, and let's focus on Tennessee.

Poll

Will you curb your enthusiasm?

Yes, nothing's yet been proven, and the season is a long one.

484 votes

No, we've taken enough grief, and we have something to boast about.

282 votes

766 votes | Poll has closed

Position Analysis: Linebackers

Brandon — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:00:28 -0000

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In honor of the signing of 7th round draft choice OLB Brad Jones, it seemed a good time to look ahead at the linebackers. And this post does have another boring post title. I do try and spice up the post title on Twitter.

This group was the biggest disappointment last season. There was the promise that LB A.J. Hawk and LB Nick Barnett would make a bigger impact last season, but instead each had his worst season as a pro.

Now the Godfather, Dom Capers, is in town. He's brought with him the 3-4 defense, moved DE Aaron Kampman to outside linebacker, and GM Ted Thompson drafted OLB Clay Matthews to revamp the starting lineup around Hawk and Barnett.

Running defense in 2008. They were 7th worst last season allowing an awful 4.6 yards/carry. They also allowed a 1st down on 26.4% of opponent's rushing attempts; "good" for 3rd worst. They also seemed to collapse at key times last season, such as the overtime loss at Tennessee when the Titans just ran right at them on their first O.T. possession to set up the game losing FG.

As much as they linebackers were part of a bad run defense, Hawk and Barnett deserve credit for their contributions to a very good pass defense.

The run defense was ranked 29th overall by Football Outsiders. The run defense was clearly bad and deserved the bad ranking, but it was good in 2007 (and great in 2006) so it can rebound.

Starters:
OLB Aaron Kampman. The former Pro Bowl defensive end has not said much about his transition to outside linebacker. Mitchell and I have been wondering whether moving him to linebacker is such a good idea. Despite his great career so far, he might be the biggest question mark going into 2009. I expect he'll play on the strong side (over the right tackle) because that is where he played on the defensive line.

ILB Nick Barnett. He was a mystery last season. He was on pace to record his lowest season totals for tackles, sacks, and interceptions before a week 10 knee injury at Minnesota ended it. I have no idea why he slipped so much last season. And now he has to rehab from knee surgery too. As far as I can tell from his Twitter, his rehab is going just fine and he's anxious to get back on the field. At age 28, he should still have some good seasons left in him. I'm looking forward to watching Barnett circa 2003-2007 return in 2009.

ILB A.J. Hawk. He was hurt during training camp and never seemed 100% the rest of the season. It wasn't clear what was bothering him, but based on S Atari Bigby's recent comments, the Packers might have been hiding the full extent of it. His stats dipped in 2008 compared to 2006 and 2007, but the injuries seemed to be his problem. Hopefully he stays healthy and takes a big step forward in 2009.

OLB Clay Matthews. I'm looking forward to seeing him on the field. I would guess he's similar to Hawk, but he's slightly taller and lighter which might make him better suited outside instead of Hawk.

Backups:

LB Brady Poppinga. I've been complaining about him for three seasons and he's finally moving to the bench. But he's not going anywhere because he was just signed to a 4 year extension last July. He'll be asked to be the new special teams ace and probably backup at outside and inside LB.

LB Brandon Chillar. 2008 wasn't a spectacular season, but he was solid. He always seems to be a step behind the play, which was probably why St. Louis didn't fight hard to keep him after the 2007 season. He's got two more years left on his contract, and I don't expect him to go anywhere. He'll probably backup at outside linebacker.

LB Jeremy Thompson. He spent his entire 2008 rookie season at defensive end, but just like Kampman, he's being asked to convert to linebacker. I was expecting he'd have an uphill battle to keep his roster spot due to the switch to the 3-4 defense, but when Matthews sat out with OTA practice with a hamstring injury, Thompson was his backup.

Those seven players should make the 53 man roster, but I expect the Packers will keep eight linebackers (plus another linebacker on the practice squad). So at least two players out of the group of Cyril Obiozor, Danny Lansanah, Brad Jones, Desmond Bishop, and Spencer Havner will make it. Bishop probably has the inside track since he appeared in 15 games (1 start) in 2008, but he hasn't shown a lot of promise either. We'll just have to wait and see them in the preseason.

Friday Injury Report for Week 15 at Jacksonville

Brandon — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:00:07 -0000

The injury report has shrunk the last two weeks. Like it matters now.

Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Atari Bigby	S	Shoulder	Out	Out
Brandon Chillar	LB	Groin	Full Participation	Probable
Chad Clifton	T	Knees	Limited Participation	Probable
Korey Hall	FB	Knee	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Justin Harrell	DT	Hip	Full Participation	Questionable
Danny Lansanah	LB	Arm/ Ankle	Full Participation	Questionable
Ryan Pickett	DT	Illness	Full Participation	Probable
Jeremy Thompson	DE	Ankle	Full Participation	Questionable
Charles Woodson	CB	Toe	Full Participation	Probable

Part of the reason it's shrunk is that CB Pat Lee and RT Mark Tauscher are now on I.R. and not listed on the weekly injury report. OL Tony Moll will start in place of Tauscher and he's not as good.

S Atari Bigby hasn't played since New Orleans, but at least S Aaron Rouse and S Nick Collins aren't listed, so the secondary might be as good as it is going to get for the remainder of this season.

LB Brandon Chillar should be back which is great news. I'm still not convinced he's a long-term answer, but he is their best LB in pass coverage. His absence was really felt last week when Houston's TE Owen Daniels and FB Vonta Leach killed them. This week they really need someone to run after RB Maurice Jones-Drew.

LT Chad Clifton and CB Charles Woodson are always listed; and always play.

I have no idea if the knee injury to FB Korey Hall is a new one or related to the one he's been battling all season. It kept him out some in September. Although not a big loss, he's better than FB John Kuhn. The run blocking seems better with Hall in the game.

I expect everyone will play. Even the trainer's constant companion; DT Justin Harrell.

Poll

Who will be missed the most at Jacksonville due to injury?

S Atari Bigby

8 votes

FB Korey Hall

3 votes

RT Mark Tauscher

14 votes

25 votes | Poll has closed

Friday Injury Report for Week 9 at Tennessee

Brandon — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 04:46:47 -0000

This can't be the Packers injury report? The Packers have had one to three starters out with an injury nearly every week this season. CB Al Harris and S Atari Bigby have been constant old friends on it for weeks. Now nearly everyone is healthy. It's like they're a typical NFL team!

Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Desmond Bishop	LB	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Chad Clifton	T	Knees	Limited Participation	Probable
Jason Hunter	DE	Hamstring	Full Participation	Probable
Danny Lansanah	LB	Hamstring	Full Participation	Probable
Jordy Nelson	WR	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Aaron Rodgers	QB	Right Shoulder	Limited Participation	Probable
Charles Woodson	CB	Toe	Limited Participation	Probable

There are some notable names; Clifton, Rodgers, and Woodson. But those three have been listed for weeks and always manage to play through their injuries. Only Clifton's got so bad that he had to come out during the Atlanta game in week 5. Rodgers and Woodson have been playing great despite their injuries.

It looks like Hunter and Lansanah should be available, but Bishop has a hamstring injury, the Packers are very cautious with those, and he won't play.

The biggest loss is Nelson, who just got hurt during Thursday's practice. Tennessee's pass defense is fantastic, but they have had some problems against number 3 receivers. They're "only" average (15th in the league) against them. But actual number 3 WR James Jones has been back in practice all week, after missing most of the season so far with a variety of injuries. Getting Jones, or Nelson if he can play, involved in the offense early and often is very important because they need to get everyone involved in the offense if they want to beat a defense as talented as Tennessee's.