So, I'm heading up to Lambeau Field Sunday for the first time! I'm obviously super pumped, and was hoping some of you who have been could give me some advice. I'm about 5 hours away, so the girlfriend and I are thinking we're gonna head down sometime on Saturday. Helps us avoid waking up at the crack of dawn, and gives us the opportunity to spend some time in Green Bay too.

I'm wondering if there are any good hotels anybody would recommend? We've heard it's crazy hard to find parking, so it'd be nice to stay somewhere that's relatively close to the stadium.

Also, any really good restaurants that are a must -- or even just good things to do in general?

Thanks in advance for the advice/suggestions. It's appreciated :)! 

So upon visiting National Football Post earlier today, I found a very interesting article. Now I don't necessarily want to open up the whole Brett Favre situation back up but because of the topic of my post, it may be hard to avoid.

As many know, Brett Favre lobbied hard for the Packers to sign Randy Moss prior to the 2007 season. Many, including myself, believed that Thompson was either; a) not willing to give up what the Raiders were asking for, b) not willing to give Moss the money he wanted. Interestingly enough, it turns out neither of these were the case. Here's an excerpt from the story about Moss written by former Green Bay Packers Vice President Andrew Brandt:

Continue reading this post »

So today the Ravens tendered a 1st round pick to their starting LT Jared Gaither. At 6'9" 340 lbs. Gaither is an absolute mammoth of a man, and a pretty good LT. He is only 24 years old, and is thought to have the potential to become an elite LT in the league. Some of you may see where I'm going with this but if not.....

..I'll make it more clear for you! Why don't we give up our 1st round pick in order to get Gaither? I know it might sound crazy and the thought of losing a 1st round draft pick isn't necessarily a pleasant one but if you think about it, it makes sense.

Continue reading this post »

So I was checking out some NHL news on yahoo and came across a story talking about Cullen being traded to the Senators and Cheechoo being put on waivers by the Senators. I don't know exactly how waivers work in the NHL but I would assume their somewhat similar to the NFL. Do you think it would be a smart move for the Penguins to try and sign Cheechoo? He's been a bit disappointing this year but has been a 50+ goal scorer before in his career. I know the Penguins won't want to shell out a whole lot of money for him but I would have to think he would come relatively cheap after his rather underwhelming play this year.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Puck-Headlines-Cullen-dealt-to-Ottawa-Cheechoo;_ylt=AnQqeZCZ7BAYbWjlQs_jqJx7vLYF?urn=nhl,219340

I'm not sure about you guys, but I never thought our defense would be our strongest unit this year. I thought we might be in a bit of trouble with Kampman and Harris going down, but so far guys have been able to come in and step up. What's most impressive to me is the play of Brad Jones. When he initially started at LOLB for Kampman against Dallas, he was great in coverage but was lacking rushing the passer. It's been kind of a common theme on this blog the past few weeks that our pass rush needs to improve. Specifically, at LOLB. Well Jones sure answered the call tonight.

He had a sack and got pressure on Flacco many times while going against a very good RT in Michael Oher. What really surprised me was the pressure we were able to put on the Ravens tonight. We collapsed the pocket a number of times, and even had some success getting to Flacco when only rushing three guys.

How about B.J. Raji!? The trend of Raji making big time plays is becoming more and more noticeable. The more playing time he gets, the more big plays we see out him. His size and athleticism continue to impress me, and I really have no doubt he is going to turn into a top 3-4 d-lineman barring any injuries.

And there is one more fellow rookie that continues to impress...Clay freakin' Matthews. And too think I was actually a bit skeptical about TT trading up to draft him..He had 2 sacks tonight, giving him 7 on the year and seems to improve more and more every week. He has been good rushing the passer all year but what is most impressive about him is his all round ability. He can cover, he can stuff the run, and he has the rare ability to finish plays off plays.

How about Thompson's 2008 draft? It has resulted in 3 defensive starters, who all appear to have very bright futures with our team. So much for him "not being able to evaluate talent" or "not being able to draft" right?

Then factor in Woodson (who really should be considered for the MVP award), Jenkins, and Collins. This defense really is the real deal and I think we've done enought against two very good offenses to prove that.

P.S.- Don't look now but Hawk is actually starting to look like a very good LB... 

What's up 49ers fans? I just wanted to come over here and talk a little bit about Sunday's upcoming game. I actually have a good friend of mine who is a die-hard 49ers fan and we talked a little bit about the game earlier in the week. I have some questions for you guys if you don't mind.

1. I'm really curious about Alex Smith. I know he came in a few weeks ago and threw 3 Td passes but I have heard he has struggled since. My friend who is a 9ers' fan said he has been throwing the ball pretty well but has had some unlucky breaks. What do all you guys think?

2. That defense of yours really impresses me. I've only seen your games against the Vikes and the Bears and in both games your defense looked tremendous. I love the combination of Willis and Spikes in the middle, and I wish we had some hard nosed ILBs. Is there a particular strength of defense? Do you they do better against the run or the pass, or is it pretty balanced?

3. How is your pass rush off of the edges? As you guys probably know, our o-line is very weak, and has given up the majority of our sacks against is to De/Olb's.

4. And last but not least, what do you think the outcome of this weekend's game will be? My 9ers' friend said he thought it would be 24-17 with Gore, Crabtree, and Davis each getting a Td. I personally feel the end result will be a 24-14 win in our favor.

I was just watching Monday Night Countdown and Adam Schefter reported that the Packers had former Packer running back Ahman Green in for a workout. Of course I know this doesn't mean we're going to sign him but it did make me think a bit about it.

I'm not really sure what to think about it. At this point he is 32, and has been out of football since mid last season. I'm skeptical as too how much he has left in those legs but who knows. But I also think this could be a good fit. He is familiar with the blocking schemes, and definitely has better vision then Grant.

Now while our o-line has been horrendous pass blocking, they have been about average against the run. By no means are they dominating opppsing d-lines but they do open up some holes for us here and there. The only problem is Grant never seems to see these holes.

We have brought a few running backs into workout these past few weeks, and that tells me that MM and TT see a problem with our situation at running back as well. A lot of people, inculding myself, have said we are one big player away from getting to the next level. So the question that arises for me is why don't we trade for a proven running back?

Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, and Steven Jackson are some guys that come to mind and are in situations where a trade could happen. If you look at our team, the only position we really need at this point are some o-lineman. Though I desperately think we need our 1st round pick next year (to use on an T), I think there is a way we could put together a good package for one of these guys. Both teams are lacking at the LB position, so why not give up Hawk, maybe a 2nd and 4th rounder in the 2010 draft, and then a 1st round pick in the 2011 draft?

Imagine what having one of those guys could do for our team. We have been lacking a run game since the beginning of the 08' season, and it has showed. If we could got one of these guys our run game would likely open up, and help out our passing game. And it could really help our protection problems. Right now teams know we are likely going to pass. If we had one of the Jackson's or Lynch in the backfield defenses would have to respect that, and wouldn't be able to just pin their ears back.

Just read an article on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel site that said Tauscher and the Packers are very close to agreeing on a deal.

Obviously, I think this is a huge deal. Barbre sucks. I really don't know how else to put it. Tauscher was good last year until his injury, and Campen said he looked good in his workout (though that doesn't really mean much). Clifton will be back after our bye week, and hopefully Tauscher will be in good enough shape to be starting by week 7, and if not definitely by week 8.

Clifton still is a good LT, and I have to think Tauscher will be better then Barbre. This will also enable us to put Spitz back at C, which will help our run blocking. I also hope Lang plays at LG. Colledge's injury last night didn't look minor, and I would guess he'll be out for a while. If he indeed is then Lang should replace him. He looked good last night, and his natural position is believed to be LG.

All of us wanted TT do something and by going out and signing Tauscher he has done that. I know it doesn't seem like much but Tauscher was one of the best, if not the best available RT in free agency. This move gives me some hope that our oline may actually be able to improve, and if that happens we will see Rodgers throwing for 300+ yards a lot more.

Here is the link to the article I found...http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/63648362.html

I'm disappointed at our play but I also am kind of ok with everything. We have a lot to improve on and that's clear, but it was positive that we were able to stop the best running back in the league. Raji played much more tonight and looked very good. Matthews continues to look like he is going to become something special as well. The run defense looked great, but the pass defense did not. First and foremost Favre had way too much time. On one play he had 7.5 seconds!! That is ridiculous. I was hoping for more pressure but it never came. It's also clear we need to get Kampman with his hand in the dirt rushing the passer more. The guy is a pass rusher, having him drop back 20 yards in coverage just doesn't play to his strengths. Martin looks like he has some potential but it's clear he still isn't very comfortable out there. Getting Bigby back will be huge for us. Caper's will bring more blitzes, which is what we need and there won't be as many lapses in coverage.

Another thing that really killed us was turnovers. Having the ball in their territory 3 times, and not coming up with any points is unacceptable. The blame for the fumble is on Rodgers. Of course it didn't help that Colledge completely wiffed on Allen, but Rodgers has to make sure he holds on to that ball. The interception is also on Rodgers though the play was a terrible play call. You run a comeback or out route on the far side of the field so the wide receiver has space to work with, not to the short side of the field. And the third drive with no points is all on MM and Grant. On that screen pass all Grant had to do was cut it up at the 5 yard line and he walks into the endzone. Instead he goes outside, and then cuts it back to late.

And now it's time to look at MM. On first down he calls a nice play actually. A draw to Grant which gets 3 yards and would probably have been a TD if Grant had any lower body strength. On 2nd down we hand it off to Kuhn, which again I have no problem with. He only had one guy to beat and couldn't do so. So the ball is now at the half yard line on 3rd and goal. Now I'm no rocket scientist but isn't the obvious call a QB sneak? You don't want to hand it off because that gives the Williams' time to bust through the line, and I would think passing would be out of the question also. But lone behold, MM calls a PA, and we end up losing half a yard. So we then go 5 WR, and Rodgers throw one right to Lee's gut and he drops it. That changed the game right there. Had we kicked a FG or scored a TD like we should have, it's a whole different ball game.

I actually did like MM's play-calling throughout the majority of the game. We ran some nice screen passes (which we NEVER ever do), and we started off passing short to open the deep routes up, and to try and hide our oline problems. Looking at this game, I actually feel pretty confident about our next matchup. If we score on one of those 3 squandered opportunities in their territory who knows what could have happened. For the most part our offense moved the ball at will against their defense. Rodgers went for 384 yards, despite having Allen breathing down his back all game. I really kind of feel bad for the guy. Sure, he holds the ball too long sometimes, but keep in mind tonight was only his 20th start. He really looks like a veteran out there, and if we can manage to put an o-line around him, it could be scary to see what he could do.

On a side note, there are some players who I noticed tonight. The first, was Antoine Winfield. I have to say I have never thought he was too good in coverage but he proved me wrong tonight. The guy is an all-around player. The second was T.J. Lang. He looked much better then Colledge tonight and was seeing his first NFL action going against arguably the best defensive end in football.  The third, was B.J. Raji. He played a lot more tonight and looked really good. He was getting good penetration pretty much every time I watched him, and was doing it against Hutchinson who is probably the best Guard in the league. The fourth, was Ryan Grant. It's clear he needs to go. The guy just has no vision. Our oline actually opened up some holes for him, but he never seemed to see any of them. In our zone blocking scheme we need a guy who is quicker, and can make fast upfield cuts. Grant cannot do that. The fifth, was none other then Brett Favre. As much as it pains me to say it, the guy still has it. I think things could have been different had he had any pressure on him throughout the game but he didn't. As much I go against Favre, and say I dislike him and all that, there is still a part of me that has some respect for him.

That's my analysis of the game I guess. Sorry it was so long, and if you read through the whole thing then I'm pretty impressed haha. Would love some feedback on some things you guys thought were big throughout the game.

So due to living in MN I didn't get to see our game. I actually found an online stream at the beginning of the 2nd half, and then it was taken down :( just 3 plays later haha. So I'm curious..Did the offense look better and more in sync? The numbers we put up would indicate that we did but a lot of those plays came from deep shots by Rodgers. Also how did the line look? I know Barbe gave up 2 sacks to Little early but from what I've heard he looked much better after that. Did Colledge look better this?

On defense I don't really know where to begin. I'm probably most interested in Raji and how he played. I'm not so much concerned with his stats, but rather how consistent he got penertation (if he did). So if anybody payed partiuclar attention to that let me know. Also, from what the other guys were saying in our game thread our ILBs looked terrible. It sounds like the dline did a pretty good job up front holding their own but the ILBs weren't able to come up and make stops. Is that how it was or no? I

 was disheartened to see that the Rams scored two TDs on us in the 1st half but the defense did only give them 3 points in the 2nd. Did it look like we actually made adjustments for once at half? What were the reasons we were more successful in the 2nd half then the first? And then last two things I'm curious about are how Bishop and Martin (I think that's his name. The new starting SS) looked? I know the guys I were listening to on a Packers radio broadcast were impressed with Bishop. They didn't really say much about Martin but for secondary guys that's generally a good thing.

Just some questions I had. Basically I guess I just want kind of a summary as you can only get so much just looking at stats and listening to the game on the radio.

The Pack signed Giordano,  and released Rouse to make room for him...Great, so we're still thin at safety as we just swapped Giordano for Rouse. Why not cut Bush if you want to cut a safety? I think this is going to end up being a big mistake for TT. Rouse had potential. He had work to do as far as pass coverage goes but is a good run stopper. I'm praying to god Collins can play this week, and am hoping to see him and a lot of Giordano as opposed to Collins and Bush.

Here is the link: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AhnQ1DxCcbSp2sAEO.1ynDb.uLYF?slug=ap-packers-moves&prov=ap&type=lgns 

So it seems every ones opinion on our team and how our year will turn out is pretty up and down. I still don't really know what to think. We have the talent to be a playoff team and that's obvious, but there are a few things holding us back...

So obviously are biggest struggle thus far has been our o-line. Rodgers has been sacked 10 times already this year and pressured pretty much every play. Barbre struggled big time at RT week 1 but to his credit improved a bit week 2. What really hurt the o-line against Cincy was Clifton going down. We consequently had to shift our whole line putting Wells at C, Spitz at LG, and moving Colledge to LT. Colledge was pretty horrible at LT but to his credit that isn't his natural position, and he has actually been pretty good this year at LG. If our offense is ever going to get going then we're going to need the o-line to give Rodgers some time. Whether that means leaving Grant and Lee back to block, or changing blocking schemes I don't know but I do know we need to change something.

As far as our defense goes that have been "two-faced" so far this year. In week 1 the defense was a very pleasant surprise, and really got us the win. The d-line looked great, especially Jenkins and Jolly, and the blitz packages we brought seemed to always work. We forced Cutler into 4 INTs, and held Forte to an average of 2.2 ypc. We were kind of the exact opposite week 2. We gave up 5.1 ypc to Benson, letting him run all over us for 141 yards, and while our secondary was pretty good getting us 2 INTs, and essentially 14 points, we still allowed Palmer to get way too much. I have a few reasons for why we seemed to struggle so much but I'm certainly no NFL coach so bare with me..

I'm not sure about anyone else but I noticed when watching our defense on run plays it seemed like everywhere aside from where the Bengals were running the ball was swarming with guys. I would see a group of 5-6 guys on both sides of the whole where Benson was running, and would think sweet their about to get him..but instead he seemed to consistently get 3-5 yards. I think there might be a reason for this. I read an article earlier about how the Bengals were "overload blocking" to where they were running. This seems to explain to me why I was seeing guys everywhere but the hole the Bengals were running too. They did a nice job of controlling the gaps they were running to and picking up our blitzes.

The second thing is the Bengals are accustomed to seeing the 3-4 in about half of there games each year. So obviously they have more experience against it, and probably have a better understanding of where the blitzes are coming from, and how the 3-4 attacks their protection schemes. I think this made a difference because all of the blitzes we seemed to run against Chicago worked to perfection, so when I saw our guys up by the line I was excited and was expecting to see the pressure get there the same way against the Bears but again this didn't happen..They picked our blitzes up pretty well, and for the most part really neutralized them.

The third thing is having Rouse and Bush (my least favorite player as some of you probably know) back at safety instead of Bigby and Collins. With Bigby and Collins in there, Caper's seemed comfortable blitzing just about every play, and it seemed to work almost every single play. When Bigby went down against the Bears, Capers became noticeably more conservative in his play-calling. So when Collins went down against Cincy I knew we were in trouble. Caper's got very conservative basically only bringing 4-5 guys to pressure Palmer and dropping the rest back into coverage.

Despite these negative things I feel like we still have some hope left. If we can get Clifton back, and our o-line can continue to gel together, I hope they'll be able to step up and protect a little better. The biggest thing though is Clifton. He is a very good pass blocker (containing Alex Brown against the Bears week 1, who had a huge game against the Steelers with 2 sacks and a few QB pressures.) The o-line has actually been pretty good as far as run blocking goes. Grant looked good against the Bears, and against the Bengals he looked good, getting a couple 8 yard runs, and a good number of 3-5 yard gains. MM got away from the run though as the game went on (like he always seems to do). If this o-line can find a way to give Rodgers just a second or two more, I think we'll see the explosive offense we were all expecting.

Getting Collins and Bigby back on defense is huge. Hopefully Bigby will be back for week 4, and Collins will back this week. The defense also needs to concentrate on tackling, as many times against Cincy we were there to make a stop in the backfield but just couldn't bring Benson down.

I still have hope that we can be a playoff team this year. I think our defense will continue to improve as the year goes on, and our offense will show up as well. With that being said how do you guys think the season will play out? Also, am I way off base as far as why we have struggled these first 2 weeks or do you agree?

I know my post was long (as they usually are) but once I get started talking about my beloved Packers I just keep going, and going. If you read through the whole thing thanks, and I hope it was somewhat enjoyable.

So I was just over on the Pride of Detroit, and ran across an interesting thread. Apparently the Steelers are strongly considering releasing Casey Hampton, who has been their NT for the last couple years in their 3-4 defense. I'm sure you guys now know where I'm going with this..If we have any chance to possibly pick this guy up, we should definitely do it. He is a proven NT in the 3-4, and is probably the best one in the league. I know our d-lineman all have looked great, but signing Hampton could give us some unbelieveable depth. Imagine Jenkins at RE, Hampton at NT, and Raji at LE. Then Pickett, and Jolly coming off of the bench. I have a hard time believing the Steelers would really release Hampton because he is such a great player, but this link backs this rumor up.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/09/02/case-hampton-on-the-outs/

I really don't know what else to say but wow. I found a live feed on the interent at my girl's house, and watched the first half of the Cards game. I don't even know where to begin! Haha

Offense- They look great. Rodgers on a 34 yard scamper haha? Is it just me or does he look MUCH more mobile? He looks a lot better then last year. He is more patient, he is keeping plays alive, and he made some great audibles resulting in positive plays for the offense. He really can do it all, and I think this year is going to catapult him up into that elite class with Brady, Manning, and Brees. All the WRs look great. Driver is his usual self doing it all. Jennings one play out there was a great one. Nelson with a few catches, and a TD. Jones looking like his old self. I don't know if anyone on the team has better hands then him. How about Finley? This guy is a stud. 1 on 1 with Rodgers-Cromartie, and comes up with the TD. All the RBs looked great. Grant looked really good to me. He ran hard and always seemed to fall forward for 2-3 yards after being hit. I love how Rodgers is scrambling around keeping plays alive. The o-line looks much bigger, and is actually moving defensive fronts backwards on running plays (never saw that last year). The TEs also did a great job of blocking as well. The offense really looks like they can do it all. I know it's preseason but I heard the announcers say the Cardinals 1st string defense had not given up a point in their previous two games. We sure as hell ended that tonight.

Defense- This is what really got me most excited. I wanted to see how our defense would do against Warner, Fitz, and Boldin. I wasn't sure how we would do to be perfectly honest, but boy did the defense far surpass my expectations. We caused 3 TOs in the 1st half, against arguably the best offense in the league. I love what Capers has done to the defense. It's so uptempo, agressive, and unpredicatable. There always seems to be 7-8 guys up by the LOS, and you never know whose coming and whose not. I saw us in the 3-4, 4-3, 4-2-5, and 1-5-5. This is exactly what we need because each one plays to certain players strengths. Honestly, Warner didn't know how to handle the pressure, and looked really confused when we came out in the 1-5-5. (He ended up getting sacked and fumbled. Williams picked it up but did not establish possession, as he only had 1 foot in bounds.)

The players that really stood out to me in the new system were Woodson, Jenkins, Jolly, Hawk, Chillar, Kampman, Collins, and A. Smith. Woodson forced two fumbles, recovering one himself, and was all over the field. Jenkins was getting in the backfield on almost every play. Jolly got great penetration as well, and made a great tackle to save what probably would have been a first down on a dump off to Hightower. Hawk looked really good against the run. Chillar is probably who surprised me the most. He is a great blitzer, and was good against the run and pass. This new uptempo system really seems to fit his style, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him starting next to Barnett week 1. Kampman looked good dropping back into coverage, and brought some good pressure off the edge. He also looked great as a DE in the 4-2-5, as we would expect him too. Collins had some nice pass deflections, and seemed to have a lot of tackles. Smith is the SS we picked up from the Steelers this offseason, and he looked great. He laid the wood on a Cards receiver coming over the middle (causing him to drop the ball), and then had a INT, returning it to the Cards 10. Which resulted in a Rodgers TD pass. I think he might be able too challenge Bigby for the starting job. I love how aggressive Capers is in his play calling, and with the ballhawkers we got in the secondary, I am expecting us to have a lot of takeaways this season.

There really weren't too many negatives but I did notice a few. Crosby missed what I thought would be a little chip shot for him. I'm not sure how far away it exactly was, but it was no more the 40 yards. Looked like Ruvell Martin (yes you read right) didn't get the ball down great for him though. Which made me wonder, why in the hell is Ruvell Martin the holder haha?? The defense gives up the big play every once in a while because sometimes the blitzes get picked up, but I think the big plays we create from our pressure will favor us more so then the opposition.

All and all, I'm really excited. The fact that our defense looked this good against the Cards high powered offense really seems promising too me. The combination of getting all of our defensive players back healthy, and our new defensive system has so far proved to be crucial for us. I can't wait to see how the regular season turns out for us this coming year.

P.S.- Sorry this post is so long, and enthusiastic, but I was more then pleased with what I saw tonight.

 So I had my fantasy football draft tonight. It's a 10 team league and the scoring is standard.

QBs- 1 point per 50 passing yards, 4 points per TD pass, -1 point per INT

RB/WRs- 1 point per 10 rushing/receving yards, 6 points per TD

I had the 9th pick in the draft (for the 3rd year in a row haha).

QB- A. Rodgers

RB- B. Jacobs, R. Brown, M. Lynch, W. Parker, T. Hightower

WR- A. Johnson, C. Ochocinco, B. Berrian, D. Driver, D. Mason, N. Washington

TE- J. Carlson

K- M. Crosby

DEF/ST- Tennessee

I'm pleased with my QB and WR's. I think Ochocinco might be good again this yeare with a healthy Palmer, but if he is not I'm confident Berrian, Mason, and Driver will be able to do well for me. I'm not completely happy with my RB's. It was kind of hard because I drafted late in the 1st round and by then all the top tier RBs were gone. I picked Jacobs with the 9th pick, and was considering him, Slaton, and C. Johnson.

Let me know what you guys think. It's appreciated!

 So I had my fantasy football draft tonight. It's a 10 team league and the scoring is standard.

QBs- 1 point per 50 passing yards, 4 points per TD pass, -1 point per INT

RB/WRs- 1 point per 10 rushing/receving yards, 6 points per TD

I had the 9th pick in the draft (for the 3rd year in a row haha).

QB- A. Rodgers

RB- B. Jacobs, R. Brown, M. Lynch, W. Parker, T. Hightower

WR- A. Johnson, C. Ochocinco, B. Berrian, D. Driver, D. Mason, N. Washington

TE- J. Carlson

K- M. Crosby

DEF/ST- Tennessee

I'm pleased with my QB and WR's. I think Ochocinco might be good again this yeare with a healthy Palmer, but if he is not I'm confident Berrian, Mason, and Driver will be able to do well for me. I'm not completely happy with my RB's. It was kind of hard because I drafted late in the 1st round and by then all the top tier RBs were gone. I picked Jacobs with the 9th pick, and was considering him, Slaton, and C. Johnson.

Let me know what you guys think. It's appreciated!

So I had my fantasy football draft tonight. It's a 10 team league and the scoring is standard.

QBs- 1 point per 50 passing yards, 4 points per TD pass, -1 point per INT

RB/WRs- 1 point per 10 rushing/receving yards, 6 points per TD

I had the 9th pick in the draft (for the 3rd year in a row haha).

QB- A. Rodgers

RB- B. Jacobs, R. Brown, M. Lynch, W. Parker, T. Hightower

WR- A. Johnson, C. Ochocinco, B. Berrian, D. Driver, D. Mason, N. Washington

TE- J. Carlson

K- M. Crosby

DEF/ST- Tennessee

I'm pleased with my QB and WR's. I think Ochocinco might be good again this yeare with a healthy Palmer, but if he is not I'm confident Berrian, Mason, and Driver will be able to do well for me. I'm not completely happy with my RB's. It was kind of hard because I drafted late in the 1st round and by then all the top tier RBs were gone. I picked Jacobs with the 9th pick, and was considering him, Slaton, and C. Johnson.

Let me know what you guys think. It's appreciated!

So I have been actively debating with some people in ChemErik's thread talking about Winfield's most recent comments. When I first read the article, and Winfield's comments I honestly found them kind of ridiculous. I look at Winfield, and the first thing that comes to mind is that he is probably the best run stopping CB in the league. When I look at him in coverage I honestly don't know what to think. Teams rarely throw to his side of the field but that could be for 2 reasons. Either he is just a great coverage CB, or teams have recognized that the last 3-4 years the Vikings #2 CB's have been pretty weak (McCauley and Griffin). I personally feel teams avoid Winfield more for the second reason I said then the first, though I do feel teams do avoid him for the first as well. As far as Griffin goes, my feelings on him are kind of mixed. He is a pretty darn good run stopper, but has been known to be pretty weak in coverage. But towards the end of the year last there was noticeable improvement in his game. With those things in mind and after reading some Vikings fans opinions on the tandem I no longer find Winfield's comments ridiculous, though I still don't think there amongst the elite tandem's in the league.

I have decided that I'm going to do my best to rank the top 10 best CB tandems in the league. I think this will be fairly difficult to do, so please bare with me... So here we go!

1. Asante Samuel-Sheldon Brown : I think their the obvious #1 pick. Samuel is excellent in coverage, and Brown is good against the run and pass. I think they kind of compliment each other in their strength's and weaknesses.

2. Quentin Jammer-Antonio Cromartie : Jammer is very strong against the run (he had the 6th most tackles amongst CBs) and Cromartie is excellent against the pass (has 12 INTs the past two years).

3. Charles Woodson- Al Harris/Tramon Williams : Woodson was amongst the top CBs in the league last year with 7 INTs, 2 TDs, and a modest 62 tackles. I list Harris and Williams because they both served time as the #2 CBs. With Harris you don't get an explosive ballhawk but rather a very smart veteran CB who is a shut down guy. Williams on the other hand is more explosive and had a respectable 5 INTs in his second year in the league.

4. Cortland Finnegan-Nick Harper : Finnegan is probably the least known elite CB in the league. Last season he had 5 INTs, 70 tackles, and 1 TD. Harper in my opinion is an underrated CB. In just 13 games last year he managed to put up 71 tackles last year, and also had 3 INTs. Finnegan is a do-it-all CB but is best in coverage, and Harper is very good against the run.Ronde Barber-Philip Buchanon : I think Barber is a very underrated CB. He had 7 INTs and 75 tackles. He was arguably the most balanced CB in the league last year. Buchanon didn't put up great numbers ( 2 INTs and 61 tackles) but he helped Barber lead the Bucs to the 4th best pass defense in the league.

5. Ronde Barber-Philip Buchanon : I think Barber is a very underrated CB. He had 7 INTs and 75 tackles. He was arguably the most balanced CB in the league last year. Buchanon didn't put up great numbers ( 2 INTs and 61 tackles) but he helped Barber lead the Bucs to the 4th best pass defense in the league.

6. Chris Gamble-Richard Marshall : For me this tandem was probably the one who surprised me most, and it was mainly Gamble who I was surprised by. He had 93 tackles and 3 INTs last season. Gamble, statistically is the 2nd best run stopping CB in the league, and is good against the pass as well. Marshall was also good against the run with 75 tackles, but only had 1 INT.

7.Aaron Ross-Corey Webster : Ross has become one of the better CBs in the league and had 3 INTs, 62 tackles, and 1 TD. Webster is kind of similar to Griffin in that he has been targeted by teams in the past but he proved this past season that he is no joke. He had 50 tackles and 3 INTs.

8. Antoine Winfield- Cedric Griffin : Winfield is probably the best run stopping CB in the league, and is good against the pass. He led the league in tackles for CBs with an impressive 95 tackles. He only had 2 INTs but that is good considering teams rarely throw to his side of the field. Griffin is also great against the run, and had 91 tackles. He has been questionable in coverage, and has been the target of opposing teams, but he did improve last year.

9. Ike Taylor-Deshea Townsend- Neither put up eye popping numbers but teams rarely threw to Taylor's side of the field, and Townsend had 3 INTs. I mainly listed them because they played a big part in their pass defense ranking 1st in the league.

10.  Nnamdi Asomugha-Chris Johnson : Though Asomugha didn't put up great numbers he is probably the best CB in the league. Teams rarely threw to his side of the field, and he is the definition of a shut down CB. Johnson had 4 INTs and 34 tackles last year. Neither had great numbers but the Raiders managed to have the 10 best pass defenses in the league.

Like I had anticipated this was very, very diffcult to do. I hope this doesn't disgruntle you Vikings fans too much. Just keep in mind my opinion is a little biased as I am a die hard Packer fan!!!!

I’m kind of hesitant to ask this but I’m going to anyways. A lot of people have questioned whether or not the Bears getting Cutler really will help them because of their wr play. I think it’s fair to ask the same question to you guys if you get Favre. I think the Bears wr core and your teams wr core are kind of similar.

Berrian is a good deep threat but that’s about all he is at this point. Wade is at best a #3 wr in this league. Rice could be good, but he seems to always be injured. I think in 2-3 years Harvin will be good, but at this point he is too raw. Shiancoe is good too, though he has had problems with catching in the past.
I think Hester is virtually the same wr that Berrian is. I don’t think he was as good as him last year, but I believe he will be this year. Rashied Davis is ok. He is a good route runner, but he is kind of slow and old. Earl Bennett is a young guy with potential but he has yet to prove himself. Iglesias seems to be the perfect fit for a slot guy but we will have to wait and see. Greg Olsen is very good young tight end. I think the addition of Cutler will help him a ton and consequently I think he will have a breakout this year. Desmond Clark is a solid tight end as well.

I’m interested to get your take on what Favre’s arrival will do for your receiving core, please share your thoughts!

Editor's Note - Here's a good article discussing one player who could challenge RB Ryan Grant.

He isn't a star running back by any means but I definitely think he could a successful starting running back. He has just been released by the Broncos' probably due to the fact that they just drafted Moreno and that they have a ridiculous number of RB's on their roster.

I think Grant is a good RB and think he should definitely be our starter. He is a north south runner who hits the hole hard and can break some tackles and make some things happen. We bring Jackson in as our 3rd down back, and he is alright but generally 3rd down backs are faster guys who are good receiving and I think Jackson lacks a little in the speed department.

What would everyone think about signing Young to possibly be our 3rd down back? He has good hands, good speed, and he is elusive, which is something I personally feel Jackson or Grant don't provide. He also could come in and run some of the sweeps and stretches we run. As Grant seems to be better when we are in the I-Form and the 2 FB formation we run.

Just a thought. Please share your opinions.

I want to start off this topic talking about our incoming draft class.

Pick #9 B.J. Raji- This is exactly the pick we needed. He provides more depth for us on the D-Line and will probably be a starter. He is about 6'1" 335 lb. with a fairly low center of gravity and is strong as an ox putting up 33 reps at the combine. But enough numbers, I went on youtube and watched some off this guys highlights, and was amazed. He does it all, rush the passer and stuff the run. He gets through the line every single time, and I know they are just highlights and it is college ball but go and watch for yourself I mean he makes it look like it's easy.

Pick #26 Clay Matthews III- I think this was another great pick by TT. He gave up a lot to get this pick but I really think it's going to be worth it in the end. He was a late bloomer starting his career at USC at 166 lbs. and now being 245 lbs. He is a very hard worker and a great athlete. He has a good combination of speed and strength coming off the edge. A lot of people still feel he hasn't reached anywhere near his full potential, so this guy could be really special.

Pick # 109 T.J. Lang- The first OT/OG we took in the draft. I include OG in there because  I have seen some sites that seem to think that's where he'll be best suited in the NFL. A good value pick, as many scouts had him going somewhere in the late 2nd-3rd round.

Pick # 145 Quinn Johnson- I personally thought this pick was a bad one but i have come to be ok with it. He is a FB out of LSU, who is supposedly an excellent run and pass blocker. We have 2 solid FB's now but who knows if this guy could be another William Henderson.

Pick # 162 Jamon Meredith- The second OT we took in the 09 draft. I personally think this was our 3rd best pick and possibly our 2nd best. He was rated by many the 5th or 6th best OT in the draft and was projected to go somewhere in the 2nd round, and we got him in the 5th!! The reason I heard he dropped was because of his desire to play, but I don't think TT would have drafted him had that been a real concern. Should be able to come in and contribute right away.

Pick # 182 Jarius Wynn- He is a DE out of Georgia. He is undersized to play the DE in a 3-4 now but supposedly has the right frame to put on 15-20 lbs. Had a great couple last games at Georgia and scouts are wondering if he'll be able to keep that up.

Pick # 187 Brandon Underwood- A CB out of Cincinatti with good size (6' 1'' 200 lbs.) and speed (4.39 40). Played CB and S his senior year to fill in for injuries. Earned all big east honors at S and could develop into a good player.

Pick # 218 Brad Jones- A OLB out of Colorado who has experience in the 3-4. This is a guy who TT really likes. He has a lot of versatility and like Matthews is a great athlete.

TT went with a defensive draft class and it's exactly what we needed. Raji is going to help the run d right away and Matthews is going to bring a much needed pass rush. I think we now have all the parts in the 3-4 we need. Raji and Pickett can rotate at NT. Jenkins at LE and Harrell, Jolly at RE. Matthews at LOLB, Kampman at ROLB, and Barnett and Hawk in the middle, with Chillar, Poppinga, and Jones providing depth. Though were transitioning into a new sysytem I still think our D will be a lot better than last year.

Even our offense should be improved, and it was already one of the best last year. I know some people are hesistant towards Rodgers b/c of their love towards Favre but even they can't deny his talent. He was one of the better QB's in the league last year and he is only going to improve. I think Grant is a good RB. Many people blame him for the run game but it really wasn't his fault. He was having to make someone miss in the backfield almost everytime he touched it b/c of how poor our O-line performed. With Clifton and Wells back healthy, plus our two OT/OG's we added this year I think we should be much improved.

I don't feel there is any reason that we shouldn't win our divsion, and be Super Bowl contenders next year.

P.S.- Sorry this post is so long, I'm just a die hard fan, and am so excited about next year. Please share your thoughts about either our draft or next season. GO PACK GO!

With free agency beginning at 12:01 a.m. et i am very excited to see how things pan out. I myself feel that its rather obvious that we need to make some moves in this years FA. With us transitioning to the 3-4 i think we have a lot the pieces there but it's obvious that there not all there. The two obvious ones being the ROLB and the LDE. This year's FA has good lb's(Angelo Crowell, Andra Davis, Michael Boley, Bart Scott, just to name a few) and solid DE's( Chris Canty, Igor Olshansky, Weaver). I think we need to sign a guy at both of those positions and if not then at least             The o-line is also something we need to adress depending on what TT is planning to do with Clifton and Tauscher. And there are some very solid o-linemen in FA this year.

I also just got done watching nfl live and Schlereth talked about the best get in FA possibly being Derrick Ward. I know we have Grant and dont get me wrong i like him and i think he is a very solid player. But Ward is a big guy who likes to run north-south and has some speed. I think if we could sign him for a reasonable amount that would be huge.

Just my thoughts, please share your opinions