SB Nation User Blog: jobe

Looking back on a Season: 2001

jobe — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 05:53:43 -0000

From now until training camp there won't be much breaking news if you even consider all the crap we hear from Kiln, Mississippi as news. So I thought it would be a fun thing to just look back on fairly recent, but not too recent seasons for the Packers and reminisce about them. 2001 seems to fit within that criteria, and it was a very good year for the Packers, so why not start with it.

For me, number one, the 2001 season sort of ushered in the second phase of Brett Favre's career with the team. After having average years both competitively and statistically in 1999 and 2000, Favre and the entire team showed marked improvement in 2001. He was far enough away from his substance abuse days that he managed to have an MVP calibur year.

There was barely a dominant receiver on that team. Ahman Green led the team in receptions with 64. There were no 1,000 yard receivers that year. It was both Tauscher and Clifton's second year in the league and the offensive line was really starting to look good. The argument could be made that in the first half of the 2000's, maybe only the Chiefs had a better offensive line.

The defense was really good. They were ranked fifth in scoring defense, and was quite adept at rushing the passer. I think in his first four games KGB had nine sacks, or some crazy number like that, and he only came in on third downs that year. Cletidus Hunt and Vonnie Holliday both showed alot of promise. Darren Sharper again had a very good year, and Mike McKenzie really started to emerge.

The team went 12-4 and made the playoffs as a wild card where they would win their first round game against the 49'ers 25-15. Mike Sherman almost blew it by going for two to make it a ten point game instead of just kicking the pat to go up nine. We missed. were only up eight and the Niner's tied the game. But disaster was averted and for all our trouble we got a trip to St. Louis to face the greatest show on turf.

It was never really a game. We lost 45-17. I'd like to think that the Rams ran the score up on us but I honestly believe we were really just that bad that day.

As good a year as it was, I always thought what could've been if the Bears hadn't had an absolute fluke of a year and we won the NFC Central and got a first round bye. Two games stick out to me that Bears absolutely should've lost that would've potentially put us in front of the Bears: the game were the Bears were down a bunch to a good San Francisco team and came back and then the next week when the Bear scored two touchdowns in the final minute to tie the game with Cleveland and won it in overtime. Of course the Bears showed just how seriously they should be taken by getting just pummeled by the Eagles in their opening divisional round game, and that was that. We swept the Bears that year,and were the much better team, but we didn't get the breaks like they did.

Who knows if our meeting with the Rams would've gone any differently if it had occurred in the NFC title game and not in the divisional round?

Anyway, so that's what I remember from 2001. If people like this enough I'd be happy to write up another one, but your more than welcome to write your own recap for another year.

2002 Browns: How, Why?

jobe — Fri, 29 May 2009 04:44:03 -0000

Hello everybody. I'm a Packers fan and post regularly over at Acme Packing Company. This may sound like a strange request but this is a question that has been vexing my football-centric mind for years. How did the 2002 Cleveland Browns make the NFL playoffs?

I don't remember there being any pro bowlers from that team. 'Course, thats such an unscientific way of gauging roster talent. But I think about the starting lineup of that team and I find average players at best littering the roster. I understand Kelly Holcomb took over Tim Couch and played very well that season, but the guys he had to throw to were no names as well. I mean Quincy Morgan, Kevin Johnson, Dennis Northcutt? Thats not a playoff calibur receiving corps in my mind.

And what about the defense? I can't think of one difference maker on that defense. I mean Kenard Lang wasn't bad, and while Gerard Warren wasn't terrible he never came close to living up to his potential.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this has to be one of the least talented teams to make the playoffs. By no means am I knocking, in fact I found it quite easy to route for that squad. All I want are some answers.

And yes, if you want my opinion on Favre, or how the Packers went 6-10 last year, I'll be more than happy to give it to you.

I'm going to be in an Orioles Commercial

jobe — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 05:13:46 -0000

Just letting everyone at Camdenchat know that we not only have the fifty millionth fan, we're also having one of our own star in an Orioles commercial. At least I think it's going to be an Orioles commercial.

I got the call on monday that I was chosen to star in this spot where I tell my story of going to an Orioles game last year. (It was the giant comeback against the Tigers where Luke hit a walk-off/the Orioles Magic DVD giveaway game) They contacted me because of a comment I made on this very blog about going to that game.

When I went to the studios on Falls Road, I was lucky enough to meet another Camden Chatter, Brotz 13 there, and we preceded to talk alotta football while dressed in our Orioles gear.

I don't really have an idea of how many Orioles spots MASN is running like this though I do know there will be a National's version, too. I'm not completely sure if this is a TV ad, though they told me to condense my story to within thirty seconds at the audition, so I'm assuming so. I even told them, that while I knew the checks they got had Peter Angelos' name on them, i still think he's a godawful owner.

Not much else to report on. So, if you see a husky jewfroed man talking about the Orioles during games, thats probably me.

The 3-4 will create some advantages for the Packers. They haven't been very good up front in the...

jobe — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 05:06:20 -0000

The 3-4 will create some advantages for the Packers. They haven't been very good up front in the 4-3 lately because of injuries to linemen such as Justin Harrell. This should help minimize how much they count on him. Also, no other NFC North team runs the 3-4, and that should help create an advantage for Green Bay.

Reggie Jr.

jobe — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 09:10:06 -0000

Reggie Jr.

If I'm not mistaken, we do lead the NFL in cap room. To me he's the best player in the game, and obvioulsy the best defensive tackle, where we just happen to have a weak spot. Takers, anyone?

The All NFC North Team

jobe — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:06:31 -0000

Not the most talented division in football, but easily my favorite one to follow. I'll write comments under positional races that are close.

Offense

QB: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

FB: Jason McKie, Chicago Bears

Don't know much about McKie, but if he's helped Matt Forte to such a good rookie year, he must be pretty good.

RB: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

LT: Bryant McKinnie, Minnesota Vikings

Chad Clifton hasn't run blocked well enough, or for that matter pass blocked well enough against elite rusher to be called the best Left Tackle in the NFC North.

LG: Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota Vikings

C: Olin Kreutz, Chicago Bears

Scott Wells isn't that far off from Olin Kreutz.

RG: Roberto Garza, Chicago Bears

I'll confess my ignorance. I probably should study up on my Black and Blue right guards.

RT: Mark Tauscher, Green Bay Packers

Because no one else has stepped up.

TE: Desmond Clark, Chicago Bears

Would have better stats if half those passes weren't going to former Orioles closer Greg Olsen.

WR: Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers

WR: Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions

Defense

DE's: Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings, and Aaron Kampman, Green Bay Packers

Allen is the better rusher, Kampman's more complete. Alex Brown, Chicago Bears, isn't that far off. In a preview of things to come, Cullen Jenkins could have gotten a spot here had he stayed healthy, because he was playing almost as well as his brother.

DT's: Kevin Williams, Minnesota Vikings and Pat Williams, Minnesota Vikings

Tommie Harris, Chicago Bears, is utterly disappointing.

WLB: Lance Briggs, Chicago Bears

MLB: Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears

I hate doing this. This is BS, but I had no choice. EJ Henderson was far and away playing the best football, but he's out for the year. Nick Barnett was dissapointing like Urlacher and now he's out for the year. Paris Lenon isn't that bad, but he's still a Lion. I can't give it to AJ Hawk for just one game, can I?

SLB: Chad Greenway, Minnesota Vikings

For how he played against the Packers and Buccaneers the last two weeks. Brandon Chillar would have gotten more consideration had he started more so far this year.

CB's: Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers and Antoine Winfield, Minnesota Vikings

Al Harris has been absolutely lockdown, since coming back from the spleen injury but Winfield's been great this year.

FS: Nick Collins, Green Bay Packers

SS: Darren Sharper, Minnesota Vikings

Special Teams

P: Chris Kluwe, Minnesota Vikings

K: Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers

PR: Will Blackmon, Green Bay Packers

What can I say, Devin Hester? Blackmon's just been better. I can't just automatically hand it to you.

KR: Devin Hester, Chicago Bears

Actually, I can just hand it to you.

Final Numbers

Packers: 8

Bears: 7

Vikings: 10

Lions; 1

Needless to say, Packers and Bears fans love Brad Childress.

Off Topic: Why I love Wisconsin part 1 of ?

jobe — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:34:47 -0000

I'm obviously a Packer fan, but I'm not a Wisconsinite. I'm from the DC suburbs of Maryland. But the Packers aren't the only thing I love from Wisconsin, though. Heres a growing list of people, places, or things I love about Wisconsin.

Michael Feldman-Has a public radio show alot like Garrison Keillor, but seperates himself because 1. from Wisconsin as opposed to Minnesota, therefore better, 2. funnier than Garrison Keillor with a helluva lot less effort at it and 3. he's Jewish, and he's from Wisconsin. How awesome is that?

The accents-With one side of my family from Michigan and the other from Illinois, I'm pretty familiar with how people from Wisconsin talk, but that does nothing to diminish my love for it. GOW BEADGERS!

Senator Feingold-Opposes the Patriot Act, wants universal health care. Sounds like a beast to me. Plus, he's Jewish and from Wisconsin. How awesome is that?

Bob Uecker-This one needs no explanation.

Usingers-Simply the best Bratwurst. God, I could look at those catalogs all day.

Caron Butler-Far and away my favorite Wizard of all time.

Any other suggestions?

A Washington Capitals blog-PLEASE!

jobe — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:43:16 -0000

Us Washington Capital's fans desperately need a blog on the SB Nation. We have plenty of good bloggers in the blogosphere, so it won't be much trouble finding a good one. What about Japer's Rink? I've been forced to meet my Hockey commenting fix on 'Die by the Blade', but I can't just talk Jason Pominville, Ryan Miller and Derek Roy all day. I need a Washington Capitals blog, please.

A look at the Falcon's youth movement

jobe — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:54:23 -0000

It's pretty obvious at this point the Atlanta Falcons are going through a major youth movement. They drafted a couple of pretty good rookies this year that will get plenty of time to play this year for them: LT Sam Baker and MLB Curtis Lofton. I watched and took notes of a preseason game they had with the Tennessee Titans earlier this year, and these were some of my observations.

#50 MLB Curtis Lofton: I liked watching this guy play at Oklahoma. He's short and is very comparable to a London Fletcher or for Falcon's fans a Jessie Tuggle. I remember reading Michael Lombardi not liking the fact the Falcons drafted him in the second round seeing as he was only a two-down player, and he indeed does come out on passing downs. While he quickly identifies plays and really explodes to the line of scrimmage with a good motor, he can get lost in the muck as well. He allowed himself to be cut blocked on a couple of plays and could have identified them better. If the Falcon's consider him that big a linchpin to their defense, they need to put a two gap system in front of him with two big D-Tackles so he can be allowed to move around unencumbered.

#72 LT Sam Baker: He went up against Kyle Vanden Bosch, one of the toughest match-ups for a rookie LT in the league right now. The Falcons called alot of three step drops during the game which allowed the quick Sam Baker to cut Vanden Bosch on a number of plays, and this unsurprisingly got Kyle Vanden Bosch pretty angry. Eventually Vanden Bosch was getting into scrums at the end of every play, obviously frustrated about not being able to get in the face of the rookie QB Matt Ryan and thats how I knew Sam Baker was doing a really good job. When Vanden Bosch beat him inside, he got help from the left guard. They didn't get burned by it because I don't think Albert Haynesworth was playing that night, so Matt Ryan was still allowed to step up into the pocket. If we still had Cullen Jnekins playing tackle on passing downs we could burn them when they do this, but we don't and they may just get away with it. The Falcons will also line up a Tight End on Kampman's side and have the Tight End chip Kampman. Sam Baker probably could have finished off blocks better on the second level, but it was still a pretty impressive performance as he had almost completely taken a very good player out of the game.

#20 CB Chris Houston: The Falcons left Chris Houston out on an island for most of the game, however he will gamble. He jumped a post corner route and the receiver was able to get behind him. However, we may not get a chance to do this if we can't stop the Falcons when they....

Line up DE's John Abraham and Jamaal Anderson on the the same side. This worked pretty well in the game and all of us know just how explosive a player John Abraham can be and so far has been this year. There has been some communication problems on the O-LIne so far for us this year, this is the game we really should start to get this stuff down. Oh yeah, and Grady Jackson makes his triumphant return to Lambeau.

Bottom Line: Even though, we have alot of guys out, this is a very winnable game upcoming against the Falcons.

Thoughts on Final Cuts

jobe — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:06:39 -0000

I was happy to see KGB was not ultimately cut because that means the coaches think he could be healthy enough to play this season. Also glad to see Charlie Peprah was not cut, because I wouldn't be comfortable with carrying just three safeties on the active roster. With Rob Davis, we really didn't know what we had until he's gone. We are going to need to sign a new snapper. Any other thoughts?