2012 Week 16 - Packers wallop Titans

I am living quite a charmed life because I got to see my second consecutive Packers game.  Last week I attended the Packers/Bears game in Chicago with Papa Cheese.  This week I attended the Packers/Titans game with Cheesehead Chick, UP, and Sam.  Luckily we all got to enjoy an old fashion butt kicking with the Packers stomping the Titans 55-7, which was the most points they've scored since October 2, 1983 against Tampa Bay and just two points short of the team record for most points scored set in 1945.

I really enjoyed using Peter King's "10 Things I Think I Think" gimmick last week so I am going to use it again this week:

#1) It took some brass balls to bench starting center Jeff Saturday in favor of Evan Dietrich-Smith.  Apparently the Packers wanted to make the move sooner but losing right tackle Bryan Bulaga for the season forced the Packers to move starting left guard T.J. Lang to right tackle and insert Dietrich-Smith at left guard.  Lang looked uncomfortable at right tackle so they moved him back to left guard and inserted undrafted rookie free agent Don Barclay at right tackle.  With Lang and Barclay settled at left guard and right tackle, the Packers felt comfortable inserting Dietrich-Smith in place of Saturday.  It is only one week so take the results with a grain of salt, but Dietrich-Smith looked much better run blocking than Saturday.  Absent an injury, it looks like the starting offensive line left to right for their Super Bowl run will be Marshall Newhouse (LT), Lang (LG), Dietrich-Smith (C), Josh Sitton (RG), and Barclay (RT).

#2) After starting 2-3, the Packers went 9-1 to control their own destiny for the #2 seed.  The Packers jumped the 49ers in the standings so they are in line for a first round bye.  I know the Packers lost last year after a bye but their last month of the season in 2011 they were barely winning shootouts thanks to their porous defense.  This year the defense is much improved thanks to an influx of young talent via the 2012 NFL Draft and some nice rookie free agent pickups.  All that separates the Packers from a #2 seed and a first round bye is a road win in Week 17 against the Vikings, which would most likely eliminate the Vikings from playoff contention too boot.

#3) Let's relax on Ryan Grant's performance against the Titans: 20 carries for 80 yards and two touchdowns along with one reception for 34 yards.  On paper that is pretty impressive but Grant only gains the yards that are blocked for him and not a yard more and fumbled last week against the Bears.

#4) The defense put up some pretty impressive stats: only gave up 180 yards (79 rushing and 101 passing), had 2 interceptions (Shields and Walden), and 7 sacks (Hawk 2, Jones 1, Matthews 1, Neal 1, Moses 1 and Shields 1).  You read that correctly, A.J. Hawk actually registered two sacks to go along with 20 times that he ran directly into the offensive line without creating any pressure.  While the state line is impressive, don't forget the Packers did that against a number of 2nd and 3rd string offensive lineman since the Titans are missing 80% of their starting offensive line due to injury.  That and Jake Locker looks like a bust just two years into his NFL career.

#5) Nice to see the Packers finally hand out a start to finish butt kicking.  Call me greedy but once the score got into the 30's I was much more interest in the shutout than pouring on more points.  Don't get me wrong, it was great to see the offense in sync but shutouts are so rare that it would have been cool to see a shutout at Lambeau.

#6) What would Chris Johnson cost to acquire via trade from the Titans?  Despite his measly output against the Packers (11 rushes for 28 yards), I still remember how explosive Johnson was when he first entered the league.  I know there is the "Curse of 30" for running backs but Johnson is only 27 and hasn't come close to 300 carries since 2010 so he has fresh legs.  The real problem is what Johnson would cost the Packers.  In 2011 Johnson signed a six-year, $56 million deal, which probably makes him to expensive to fit under the salary cap unless Johnson would be amenable to restructuring his contract for the chance to join an already potent offense like the Packers.

#7) I am going to take the wildly unpopular stance that the Packers need to keep Randall Cobb as their return guy in the playoffs, assuming he is healthy, despite the fact that he got hurt returning a punt against the Titans.  Jeremy Ross looked good returning punts after Cobb left injured but he only has a handful of returns under his belt and one of them was a dropped ball in Chicago on a ridiculous fake punt.  Is that really enough experience for a guy to be your main return-man in the playoffs? Say what you want about Cobb besting Ahman Green's all-time single-season record for net yards because Cobb got to include special teams yardage while Green only touched the ball on offense but it speaks to how well Cobb has done in the return game.  How quickly people forget that the Packers have had an absolutely putrid return game for the better part of a decade until they drafted Cobb.  Plus Cobb is a sure handed, smart football player.  Take his heads up play at the start of the second half when he stepped out of bounds before he possessed the ball on the kickoff netting the Packers almost 40 more yards.  It is one thing to know the rule, it is quite another to pull it of as seamlessly as Cobb did.  With so many quality wide receivers (Boykin, Cobb, Driver, Jennings, Jones, Nelson, and Ross) and tight ends (Crabtree, Finley, Taylor, and Williams) I hope the Packers keep Cobb as their main return guy for the stretch run to the Super Bowl.

#8) Speaking of special teams, let's relax on the Crosby is back talk.  Crosby converted from 26-yards and needed a favorable bounce off the goal post from 48-yards to have his first game since Week 6 that he did not missed at least one field goal.  Let's see him go a few weeks without any misses before we start talking about him being back.

#9) Finley is finally starting to put it together for the first time in a couple seasons.  Before the Packers/Bears game my favorite sports writer of all-time Bob McGinn wrote an article that said according to sources within the organization, absent a huge improvement in Finley's play for the rest of 2012, the Packers were going to trade or cut Finley in the off-season.  It is unclear whether Finley read McGinn's article but Finley sure has been impressive the last two weeks.  If the Packers continue to use the no huddle, I would love to see a personnel package of Randall Cobb, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, and Finley.  I know that means the Packers would be without a running back but they could occasionally have Finley line-up as a blocker or Cobb line-up in the backfield as a running back.  As long as the new-look offensive line discussed above can block, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the aforementioned quintet of skill players would be essentially unstoppable.

#10) I am sure that everyone has holiday traditions that they look forward to each year.  In my family we are starting to make new traditions because two of my cousins adopted children from Ghana.  It is amazing to see these little kids embrace the cold weather and snow in Wisconsin because the climate where they were born is the exact opposite for 365 days a year.  I am sure the holidays are rough for some people so I am not trying to rub it in but enjoying the simple pleasures of Wisconsin when we went sledding yesterday still has me smiling a million times more than any Packer victory.  Happy Holidays to everyone.

2012 Green Bay Packers Initial Player Rankings

Welcome to my 3rd annual player rankings of the initial Green Bay Packers 53-man roster (2010 and 2011).  My favorite Packers beat writer Bob McGinn does his own rankings that are relative to just the current Packers roster.  As McGinn explained on his podcast, he doesn't think Bryan Bulaga is the 4th best player on the roster, instead McGinn believes that if the Packers lost Bulaga, he would be the 4th hardest player to replace considering the position he plays and depth on the current roster.
Although that is a valid way to approach ranking a roster, my favorite sports writer Bill Simmons factors in: contract, age, position, and runs in reverse order. Simmons' approach puts all the aforementioned factors together to place a relative trade value on each player.

As I've said, I respect both writers and their approaches but I think Simmons' way is better than McGinn's way.   Keep in mind this list does not include Erik Walden (one game suspension from domestic dispute) or Mike Neal (four game suspension for failed drug test) because they are not on the 53-man active roster thanks to their respective suspensions.  Here are my rankings for the initial 53-man roster for the 2012 Green Bay Packers:

#53) Jarrett Boykin (WR) - Happy to see a Virginia Tech Hokie on the roster but don't have any grand illusions that Boykins will be the next Antonio Freeman.

#52) Brandian Ross (CB) - One of the biggest surprises on the 53-man roster might have to do with the fact that Woodson is moving to safety in the base defense so the Packers are giving anyone and everyone a chance to play cornerback in 2012.

#51) Sean Richardson (S) - I see Richardson as a better version of Aaron Rouse but take that with a grain of salt because I've only seen Richardson play a handful of preseason snaps.

#50) Don Barclay (T) - It is no longer a surprise that undrafted free agents make the roster but in this instance it is a surprise that Barclay is one of those guys because he was merely a campy body at the start of training camp but slowly worked his way up the depth chart with solid play to make him one of only seven offensive lineman that the Packers kept on the initial 53-man roster.

#49) Phillip Merling (DL) - It was a mild surprise that Merling made the roster instead of Daniel Muir as the nominal 6th defensive lineman.  Merling possesses the prototypical body type to play defensive end in a 3-4 scheme but has never been a dominate force along the defensive line.  When currently suspended Mike Neal is eligible for the 53-man roster after Week 4, look for the Packers to decide between keeping Merling or Neal.

#48) Brad Jones (OLB) - Players that are in danger of getting cut need to excel in at least one phase of the game.  Jones is a very good special teams player, which makes up for his lack of big plays on the defensive side of the ball.  Walden is set to return to the roster after Week 1 and despite being a quality special teams player, even that might not be enough to keep Jones on the 53-man roster.

#47) Brandon Saine (RB) - Sharing carries in college is usually a red flag that a running back doesn't have what it takes to play in the NFL but with how injured Saine has been, it is a good thing that he was not exposed to big hits on a full-time basis at Ohio State.  Speed and special teams play is why Saine is in the high 40's not the low 50's.

#46) Rob Francois (MLB) - No matter how much roster turnover there is from year-to-year, some guys just find a way to stick around.  Francois is that guy but that run is in jeopardy of ending this year with the emergence of younger players.

#45) Brett Goode (LS) - Apparently Goode is great friends with Rodgers, which makes him infinitely more valuable to the Packers than any other team.  Long-snapper is the most thankless job in the NFL so at least Goode gets to hang with the best player in the NFL off the field.

#44) James Starks (RB) - Injuries have always been the issue with Starks, so much so that Starks looked like he might not even make the final roster.  That is a pretty far fall from grace from the presumptive starting running back going into training camp.

#43) Ryan Taylor (TE) - The tight end/linebacker combo that excels on special teams reminds me of Spencer Havner but with more upside.

#42)Terrell Manning (MLB) - The Packers dealt three late picks in the 2011 NFL Draft to take Manning but with such an underwhelming preseason, Manning probably would have made it through waiver to sign with the practice squad but that would have been too embarrassing for Thompson to cut a player that he gave up extra picks to draft.

#41) Graham Harrell (QB) - Let me be the next in a long line of people that cover the Packers to reiterate how important it was for Harrell to perform well in the last preseason game.  That said, Harrell looks more like Craig Nall than Matt Flynn.

#40) M.D. Jennings (S) - Despite regressing slightly in training camp, Jennings is set to play a fair amount of defensive snaps because of the lack of veteran presence at safety after Charles Woodson.

#39) D.J. Williams (TE) - Not a physical freak like Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham but with a season under his belt, Williams is looking like an all-around polished tight end in the NFL just like he did in college in route to being named the best collegiate tight end for the 2010 season.

#38) Mike Daniels (DL) - Every team needs an under-sized, high-energy defensive lineman.  The Packers had two on the roster in Muir and Daniels, since Daniels is a rookie he got the roster spot instead of Muir.

#37) Tom Crabtree (TE) - Besides being a funny follow on twitter, Crabtree is shaping up to be the best blocking tight end on the roster, which is great for job security when tight end Andrew Quarless is eligible to return to the 53-man roster following Week 6.

#36) Dezman Moses (OLB) - Looks like a potentially violent situational pass rusher for the Packers in 2012 but let's not forget that Vic So'oto looked poised to fill a similar role in 2011 but flopped.

#35) Jamari Lattimore (MLB) - The Packers are not only good at drafting but also identifying undrafted rookie free agents.  Lattimore is just another one in a long line of those players that will be a force on special teams with a chance to even play on defense in 2012.

#34) Evan Dietrich-Smith (C) - If any of the starting five offensive lineman are hurt, EDS is the first off the bench that could have a chain reaction of moving a few players around on the offensive line since EDS could really only fill in at guard or center.

#33) John Kuhn (FB) - Hard to see Kuhn not taking a pay cut next year when his cap number will be $2.6 million since that is more than the Packers are paying to the four other running backs on the current roster.

#32) Jerron McMillian (S) - Although some pundits thought the Packers reached when they took McMillian in the fourth round, after the preseason, McMillian looks like a violent tackler in the mold of Atari Bigby that might be the biggest impact rookie defender for the Packers.

#31) Cedric Benson (RB) - Seems a little low for Benson right?  Although Benson reportedly turned down offers from a few teams so he could be in the right situation, I am always skeptical of that characterization because of how self-serving it is for the person saying it.  That said, if Benson can hold onto the ball, he is just the right tonic that the Packers have been looking for at running back since Ahman Green left town the first time.

#30) C.J. Wilson (DL) - Being a consistent defensive end in the 3-4 defense that sets the edge gives all the other pass rushers a chance to put up big sack numbers.  Basically that means Wilson will never put up huge tackle or sack numbers but is a very integral part of the defense.

#29) Alex Green (RB) - Usually torn knee ligaments take two years to heal but Green is bucking that trend since he has been much more effective in preseason than I would have expected, especially since Green is less than a year removed from knee reconstructive surgery.  The Packers want to go no-huddle in 2012 so if Green's knee can hold up and he can continue to pickup blitzes, Green might be the perfect combo back for the Packers.

#28) A.J. Hawk (MLB) - As the most overpaid 2012 Green Bay Packer, I can't see a team even offering a 7th round draft pick for Hawk at this point, which is a mighty fall from grace for the 5th pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.  Hopefully that will motivate Hawk to have a turnaround in 2012 because when Bishop is healthy in 2013, Hawk looks like a strong candidate for a pink slip.

#27) Mason Crosby (K) - As advanced NFL stats show, placekicker performance is inherently volatile so the Packers could get about as much for Crosby as they could for Hawk.

#26) Davon House (CB) - A shoulder injury is going to limit House in 2012 much like it did Tramon Williams in 2011, which is too bad because after Week 1 of the preseason it looked like House made the jump to be a starting cornerback for the Packers in 2012.  Instead it looks like House will not be strong enough thanks to the aforementioned shoulder injury to play the requisite bump-and-run coverage for most, if not all, of 2012.

#25) Tim Masthay (P) - The Ginger Wolverine recently signed a four-year contract extension with the Packers.  While Masthay does not have an enormous leg, he hopefully stopped the mediocre punter carousel that dates back to when Craig Hentrich left Green Bay.

#24) Sam Shields (CB) - After a breakout season in 2010 that attracted some national attention, Shields regressed in 2011 so much that his roster spot looked in jeopardy at the start of training camp.  Thanks to a strong performance in the final preseason game this year, Shields vaulted back into the discussion for starting cornerback.  Shields will undoubtedly get a fair amount of playing time in 2012 so hopefully we see the 2010 version not the 2011 version.

#23) Donald Driver (WR) - Not to belabor this point too much but I honestly think DD danced his way onto the roster.

#22) Jarrett Bush (CB) - The leader of special teams each year claims that he is going to take his play at cornerback to the next level.  That happens occasionally (i.e. his INT in Super Bowl XLV) but Bush still has not done it regularly on the defensive side of the ball. Bush is worth having on the roster for his special teams play alone so I look at anything he does on defense as a bonus.

#21) Jeff Saturday (C) - Being Peyton Manning's personal snapper for most of his career is a nice resume builder but since this season might be Saturday's last in the NFL, the Packers are putting tons of faith in a dinosaur.

#20) D.J. Smith (MLB) - Despite racking up 525 tackles at Appalachian State, the Packers were still able to add Smith in the 6th round of the 2011 NFL Draft.  At the time I thought Smith would not amount to anything in the NFL but that was based mostly on seeing only a small highlight tape of Smith's following the draft.  Smith has the potential to be the breakout star of the 2012 Green Bay Packers and I would have ranked him higher but for the fact that middle linebacker has the lowest positional value on the defensive side of the ball.

#19) James Jones (WR) - Certain players fit certain schemes and based on the lukewarm interest in Jones last off-season in free agency it looks like the Packers are just the right system for him.

#18) Casey Hayward (CB) - Cornerback is one of the hardest positions to play in the NFL so Hawyward's up-and-down preseason is understandable.  The said, if Hayward can stay healthy and active this year, look for him to be one of the breakout stars of the defense.

#17) Ryan Pickett (DL) - The second most impressive free agent signing not counting undrafted rookie free agents of the Ted Thompson Era has aged like a fine wine, which is surprising considering the wear-and-tear Pickett's suffered occupying offensive lineman.

#16) Jerel Worthy (DL) - Let's not anoint Worthy as Cullen Jenkins 2.0 quite yet but if Worthy can continue to add moves to his pass rushing repertoire, look for Worthy to at least be Cullen Jenkins 1.5 in 2012.

#15) Nick Perry (OLB) - As I've discussed in the past, the Football Outsiders have a SackSEER 2.0 stat that "projects" Perry as the best pass rusher from the 2012 NFL Draft.  Again that is only a projection and does not factor in that Perry is shifting from defensive end in a 4-3 scheme in college to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme in the NFL.  Dropping into coverage is going to be the biggest issue for Perry in 2012 but if Perry can take even a little pressure or attention off Claymaker, he will justify being a 1st round pick.

#14) Marshall Newhouse (T) - After allowing 10.5 sacks and 41.5 pressures in 2011 when he wasn't even the full-time starter, Newhouse will need to play much better in 2012 or Chad Clifton's agent might be getting a phone call.

#13) Randall Cobb (WR) - I see the Packers using Cobb similar to how the New Orleans Saints use Darren Sproles as a running back, slot receiver, and special teams return man.  The Wildcat looks like a fad that will work on occasion but having a versatile skilled position player like Cobb or Sporles looks like a requirement for high-octane offenses as long as the NFL continues to keep the rules in the offenses' favor.

#12) Morgan Burnett (S) - Became the starting free safety after losing Nick Collins to a career ending neck injury, unfortunately Burnett is no Collins at least his aestheticism to be a ball-hawk if he can stay healthy.

#11) T.J. Lang (G) - Jumping from being the 67th highest paid guard (averaging $750,000 per year) to the 12th highest paid guard (averages $5.2 million a year through 2016) moved Lang down the list a few spots but that was mitigated by the fact that Lang will be asked to play every position along the offensive line if another starting offensive lineman gets hurt.  Lang will only be 29 when the four-year contract extension he just signed expires, which gives Lang a chance to break the bank at least one more time if he continues to perform at a high level.

#10) Bryan Bulaga (T) - Scouts thought Bulaga's arms were too short coming out of college to be a successful tackle in the NFL but so far Bulaga has been a rock at right tackle taking over for fan favorite Mark Tauscher.

#9) Greg Jennings (WR) - Since Jennings is set to be a free agent following the 2012 season, that moved him down the list a few spots.  Absent Jennings suffering a career ending injury in 2012, his agent Eugene Parker did Jennings a great service in getting Jennings a four-year contract extension so Jennings can potentially break the bank this off-season.

#8) Josh Sitton (G) - Knee injuries hampered Sitton in 2011 but he looks fully healthy to start 2012, which is huge for the Packers because Sitton was the weakest link along the offensive line besides the Clifton/Newhouse combo at left tackle in 2011.

#7) Charles Woodson (CB) - With 14 forced fumbles and 37 interceptions in just six season, Woodson is already considered one of the best defenders in franchise history and continues to push Reggie White for the best free agent signing in franchise history.

#6) Jordy Nelson (WR) - The NFL advance stat community is predicting a regression for Nelson in 2012 because of how many big plays Nelson put up in 2011 but if you listen to what Aaron Rodgers said about Nelson lately, Nelson might actually have a better year in 2012 than he did in 2011.

#5) Tramon Williams (CB) - A shoulder injury made Williams a shell of himself in 2011.  Since the injury involved nerve damage, there is a chance that Williams will never be 100% again but he needs to be at least 90% in order to play the bump-and-run coverage that is a huge part of Dom Capers' defensive scheme.

#4) Jermichael Finley (TE) - Following 2011 when Finley caught 55 passes (dropped 13) for 767 yards and eight touchdowns, a down year by Finley's standards thanks to drops and lingering injuries.  I like that Finley and the Packers signed a two-year contract instead of a long-term deal.  A short-term deal gives the Packers a chance to see if Finley can stay healthy for a few years before offering him a huge extension to keep him in Green Bay.

#3) B.J. Raji (DL) - The Packers dramatically overused Raji in 2011, hopefully the rookie reinforcements of Worthy and Daniels will allow the Packers to keep Raji fresh in 2012 so that he can return to the space eating and pass rushing force that he was in 2010.

#2) Clay Matthews (OLB) - 29.5 career sacks in three seasons is impressive but that number could be much higher if the Packers actually have a regular edge rusher opposite Claymaker.  Only time will tell if Perry is that guy, if he is, Claymaker will be the lucky recipient on (more sacks) and off (more money) the field.

#1) Aaron Rodgers (QB) - Expectations have never been higher as Rodgers enters his 5th season as the starting quarterback and 8th season overall with the Packers.  Hard to believe that Rodgers is the second longest tenured Packer behind DD.  While replicating his performance in 2011 is nearly impossible, with how well Rodgers has played since taking over for Favre, winning the NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field seems like a realistic expectation if Rodgers stays healthy this season.

As always, thanks for reading.  Instead of recapping every Packers game this year, I will give my thoughts during games on Twitter: @CheeseheadSN.  I will reserve blogging about Packer games just to games that I attend in-person this season.

2012 Green Bay Packers Roster 2.0

As I've said many times, I am never shy about giving my thoughts on what Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson and company should do with the 53-man roster and the 8-man practice squad.  With one preseason game in the books since my 2012 Green Bay Packers Roster 1.0 post some things have actually changed.  The Packers signed two veterans (Reggie Wells and Cedric Benson) instead of relying on rookies.   Based on what I've seen so far, here are my updated thoughts on what the 53-man roster and 8-man practice squad should look for the 2012 Green Bay Packers:

Quarterback (2): Aaron Rodgers and Graham Harrell
Analysis: Harrell looked okay at best in the first preseason game against the Chargers.  This bolsters what I chatted with Bob McGinn about recently, I am not sure why the Packers don't offer the Cleveland Browns a conditional 6th round draft pick for Colt McCoy.  I get what McGinn is saying about head coach Mike McCarthy wanting to all QB's players in his "vaunted" quarterback camp but based on the way Harrell played versus the Chargers, it looks like he hasn't learned too much.  McCoy is not a long-term answer at the quarterback spot, nor are the Packers looking for anyone besides Rodgers to take snaps at QB in the regular season, but McCoy gives the Packers a better chance to win than Harrell if Rodgers (God forbid) got hurt.

Running Back (4): Cedric Benson, James Starks, Alex Green, and Brandon Saine
Analysis: I would much rather take a flyer on Benson than have to see Ryan Grant carry the ball even one more time for the Packers so yes, I support the decision to sign Benson instead of Grant.

Fullback (1): John Kuhn
Analysis: The Packers no longer lineup in a traditional I-Formation, which doesn't put Kuhn's roster spot in jeopardy but will dramatically curtail his snap count as a true fullback in 2012.

Tight End (4): Jermichael Finley, D.J. Williams, Ryan Taylor, and Tom Crabtree
PUP (1): Andrew Quarless
Keep: Analysis: If Quarless was healthy the Packers would probably keep five tight ends for the second year in a row.  Unfortunately Quarless suffered a gruesome injury at the end of 2011 so now his chances of playing in 2012 are in jeopardy.

Wide Receiver (5): Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Donald Driver, James Jones, and Randall Cobb
Analysis: I floated a random theory recently to my buddy UP that Donald Driver winning Dancing With the Stars helped secure his roster spot with the Packers for 2012.  Don't get me wrong, general manager Ted Thompson is the last guy in the world to bow to public pressure.  Cutting Driver before winning Dancing With the Stars would have been a PR nightmare but after Drive won Dancing With the Stars it became virtually impossible.  Finally with all due respect to every wide receiver currently on the roster, Driver is still currently the third best receiver behind Jennings and Nelson.  Cobb may be better in 2013 or 2014 but Driver is still a better wide receiver in 2012.

Tackle (4): Bryan Bulaga, Marshall Newhouse, Reggie Wells, and Andrew Datko
Pup (1): Derek Sherrod
Analysis: It must have absolutely killed Thompson to sign Reggie Wells because he is a 10-year veteran at the ripe old age of 31, which is 10 years older than the free agents he normally signs.  With all the injuries the Packers have at tackle in Newhouse (concussion) and Sherrod (recovering from a broken leg), it gave Herb Taylor a chance to earn a roster spot.  Unfortunately Taylor struggled against the Chargers to prove that he is not the answer at left tackle so they might as well give Wells (Reggie not Scott) and Datko a shot.  If both Wells and Datko struggle, the Packers might be forced to move Bulaga to left tackle if Newhouse and Sherrod are still out with injuries.

Guard (3): Josh Sitton, T.J. Lang, and Ray Dominguez
Analysis: Since Lang recently signed to a long-term extension, the Packers have both of their guards locked up long-term to give them their most stable offensive guard combo since Marco Rivera and Mike Whale left town.

Center (2): Jeff Saturday and Even Dietrich-Smith
Analysis: ESPN put Jeff Saturday in a horrible spot asking whether he would rather snap the ball to Peyton Manning or Aaron Rodgers during the Packers/Chargers preseason game.  I am glad that Saturday dodged the questions because the obvious answer is Manning but that would have been selling out the guy that currently fondles his butt.

Defensive End (3): Jerel Worthy, C.J. Wilson, and Jarius Wynn
Suspended (2): Anthony Hargrove and Mike Neal
Analysis: When the Packers drafted Jerel Worthy I immediately started hoping Worthy would morph into Cullen Jenkins 2.0.  I understand that is a tall order but if Worthy can give 100% effort instead of 75% like he did in college, I expect him to be a big contributor in 2012.

Defensive Tackle (4): B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett, Mike Daniels, and Daniel Muir
Analysis: The only guaranteed defensive line roster spots are Raji, Pickett, and Worthy.  After that the name of the game is versatility.  That gives a guy like Daniels and Muir a leg up because they look like they can play any spot along the defensive line.

Outside Linebacker (5): Clay Matthews, Nick Perry, Erik Walden, Brad Jones, and Frank Zombo
Analysis: Much like Worthy, because of draft position alone, the Packers are going to give Perry every chance to win a starting spot on defense.  If the Packers go 1-for-2 on Perry and Worthy for 2012, I will be happy.  Assuming Rodgers is healthy all season, if the Packers go 2-for-2 on Perry and Worthy in 2012, you might as well stamp their ticket to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. 

Middle Linebacker (4): D.J. Smith, A.J. Hawk, Robert Francois, and Jamari Lattimore
Analysis: Despite being an all-around good guy, at the start of training camp, I would have totally supported the Packers cutting the Business H.J. (A.J. Hawk) and letting Smith, Manning, and Lattimore fight for the other starting linebacker spots opposite Desmond Bishop.  Unfortunately it looks like Bishop is out for the year, now the Packers are going to not only have to keep Hawk but hope he has a career year.

Cornerback (5): Tramon Williams, Sam Shields, Davon House, Casey Hayward, and Jarrett Bush
Analysis: 2011 was not kind to Williams (injured shoulder), Shields (inconsistent play), and House (injured) so hopefully they can all turn over a new page in 2012.  If they do, with the addition of Hayward, the Packers actually look stacked at cornerback for the first tie in a long time.
 
Safety (4): Charles Woodson, Morgan Burnett, Jerron McMillian, and M.D. Jennings
Analysis: Thanks to absolutely no pass rush in 2011, the Packers were absolutely sieve-like in yielding the most passing yards in NFL history.  Not sure the combo of Woodson and Burnett will stymie that trend though unless Claymaker and Company can get after the quarterback better.

Specialists (3): Mason Crosby (K), Tim Masthay (P), and Brett Goode (LS)
Analysis: Absent injury the Packers are set at kicker, punter, and long snapper for the next five years.

Practice Squad (8): B.J. Coleman (QB), Marc Tyler (RB), Tori Gurley (WR), Shaky Smithson (WR), Sampson Genus (C), Dezman Moses (OLB), Terrell Manning (MLB), and Anthony Levine (S)
Analysis: Normally the Packers have a stacked practice squad but this year it feels a little down becausesome guys have yet to back-up their promise (Genus and Levine) while other rookies (Moses and Manning) don't look ready for the big time yet.

The Packers host the Cleveland Browns on Thursday in a game that will go a long way towards determining some of the position battles and roster spots mentioned above. Check back tomorrow to read my quick thoughts on the Packers/Browns preseason game and next Wednesday to see my updated predictions for who should make the 53-man roster and 8-man practice squad.

Week 5 of 2010 - Packers/Redskins Review via Injuries

Sometimes teams are snake bitten by injuries from the beginning of the season, unfortunately that is what it looks like for the 2010 Green Bay Packers. Going into Week 5, it looked like the Packers' most glaring need was running back. The Packers not only lost in overtime on the road to the Washington Redskins in Week 5, but they suffered a number of injuries to key players leaving notoriously conservative Packers general manager Ted Thompson with a ton of holes to fill.

Instead of going over the Redskins loss blow-by-blow, I will do it in a much more painful way by slowly dissecting the major injuries the 2010 Green Bay Packers have suffered so far. Before the season I ranked the 2010 Green Bay Packers opening day roster 53 to 1 so I put my ranking before each players' name just to show impact of each injury.

Players already lost for the season:
#7) Ryan Grant (RB, ankle): Brandon Jackson, John Kuhn, Dimitri Nance, Korey Hall, and Quinn Johnson are not the answer at running back. Last week, I said the Packers should have acquired Marshawn Lynch. At this point the Packers have too many holes to worry about failing to acquire Lynch. The best that Packer fans can hope for is that rookie James Starks, a guy that has not played in a live football game for over two years, will hit the ground running when he comes off the physically unable to perform list after Week 6.

#23) Morgan Burnett (S, ACL): The health of Al Harris (CB) and Atari Bigby (S) when they come off the physically unable to perform list after Week 6 will determine who fills in for Burnett. If only Harris is healthy then Woodson will move to safety for 2010. If only Bigby is healthy then Woodson will stay at cornerback for 2010. If both Harris and Bigby return healthy then Ted Thompson (along with Packer nation) better thank their lucky stars because that alone will keep the Packers in the Super Bowl hunt.

#43) Derrick Martin (S, knee): The Packers signed Robert Francois off the practice squad, which means they only have two healthy safeties on the roster heading into their Week 6 game against the Miami Dolphins at home. See what I mean about running back not being the biggest hole to fill?

#46) Justin Harrell (DL, knee): Long time Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Packers columnist Bob McGinn wrote a great article on how horrible of a draft choice Harrell was, so let's move on because there is no way I can top McGinn.


Players most likely lost for the season:
#5) Jermichael Finley (TE, knee): This is the good news/bad news story of the day. On the second snap of the Packers/Redskins game Donald Lee fumbled at the end of a 17-yard reception. During the ensuing return Finley tore his meniscus. Originally it was believed that Finley would be out for 3 to 6 weeks because the injury would force Finley to have his meniscus removed. During surgery the doctors realized they could salvage Finley's meniscus, which means that Finley will be out for 8 to 10 weeks instead of 3 to 6 weeks. This does not help the 2010 Green Bay Packers much because Finley will most likely have to be placed on injured reserve. This does help the 2011 through 2020 Green Bay Packers though...see what I mean about good news/bad news? Even with Finley out, the Packers have 4 very dynamic wide receivers. Unfortunately the Redskins game showed that Finley might be the straw that stirs the receivers drink though.

#9) Nick Barnett (MLB, wrist): After getting multiple opinions, Barnett decided to have wrist surgery which means he is out for at least 8 weeks. With Brandon Chillar ailing, A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop hold the keys to the middle linebacker castle...yikes.


Players questionable to play this weekend against the Dolphins:
#1) Aaron Rodgers (QB, concussion): When did Rodgers actually suffer the concussion? The Packers contend it happened on Rodgers' last throw of the game, a back breaking overtime interception. Many people are questioning that theory though. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Packers beat writer (and soon to be Boston Globe lead NFL columnist) Greg A. Bedard put together some pretty interesting numbers that show Rodgers might have suffered a concussion early in the second quarter against the Redskins. It goes without saying that the 2010 Green Bay Packers' season hinges on whether Rodgers can return healthy. Even if it almost guarantees a loss, the Packers should consider sitting Rodgers this weekend against the Dolphins. Concussions are the hot button issue in the NFL and all the medical literature shows that violent hits close to the original concussion are what cause the long-term problems.

#4) Clay Matthews (OLB, hamstring): Despite having Charles Woodson (reigning NFL defensive player of the year), Matthews is the catalyst of the 2010 Green Bay Packers defense. Matthews tweaked his hamstring in the second half against the Redskins and the defense never looked the same. The bad news is that Matthews continues to tweak the same hamstring that kept him out of his first two NFL training camps. The good news is that Matthews' injury is not as severe as first feared. While it might be wise to sit Rodgers this week against the Dolphins, the Packers will need Matthews this weekend if they hope to have any chance to beat the Dolphins.

#8) Ryan Pickett (DL, ankle): Ankle injuries are never a good thing, especially for offensive and defensive lineman. Two things soften the Pickett injury. First, the Packers play a ton of nickel defense meaning only two defensive lineman need to be on the field. Second, the emergence of rookie defensive lineman Mike Neal means that the Packers have four legitimate NFL defensive lineman on the roster.

#17) Mark Tauscher (OT, shoulder): Much like Pickett's injury, the only thing that makes Tauscher's injury bearable is that the Packers have quality at that position. Last week against the Redskins rookie Bryan Bulaga filled in well at right tackle. I know it was only one game but the Packers now know they have their left or right offensive tackle of the future. Rest assured, Bulaga will see extensive playing time this year.

#30) Sam Shields (CB, calf): Although Shields missed the Redskins game because of injury, with how much the Packers play nickel, the Packers are going to rely heavily on Shields in 2010. Shields has all the tools to be a good NFL cornerback in 2013 but he needs to be a good NFL cornerback in 2010 unfortunately.

#40) Donald Lee (TE, chest): It can't be overlooked that Lee's fumble against the Redskins in Week 5 lead to Finley's injury. If that wasn't bad enough, Lee caught a touchdown pass and tried a FedEx Field Leap. That happened to be Lee's last play in Week 5, he missed the rest of the game with a chest injury. Initial reports are that Lee will be out a few weeks which means the injuries to Finley and Lee will allow Ted Thompson to try and justify his selection of Andrew Quarless (TE) at the end of the 2010 NFL Draft. Since Thompson selected Quarless, he cut Spencer Havner (a rare two-way player that played both tight end and outside linebacker). With versatile players at a premium on any roster, especially a roster ravaged by injuries, having a player that can play on offense, defense, and special teams would be amazing. Instead the only healthy tight ends on the current Packers roster are Quarless and second year player Tom Crabtree.


Final Thoughts:
All told that makes it 6 significant injuries to guys I had ranked in my preseason top 20, with 3 of those guys (1 for sure) most likely lost for the season. Yes, the 2010 Green Bay Packers could use an explosive running back. Unfortunately as you can see from all the horrible injury news above, the Packers have a ton of holes at a number of other positions that must be addressed as well.

If the 2010 NFL season is a football game, the 2010 Green Bay Packers just started the second quarter so the Packers will probably suffer even more injuries. Ted Thompson is a notoriously conservative general manager. As a result, I don't expect Thompson to make any bold moves. Since Thompson hates to trade draft picks, here is what I would do if I were Ted Thompson.

First, sign Adalius Thomas in place of Maurice Simpkins (MLB). The Packers desperately need an outside linebacker to play opposite Clay Matthews. Thomas played extensively in the 3-4 throughout his career so his knowledge alone wold be worth having on the roster.

Second, give Al Harris (in place of Jarrett Bush), Atari Bigby (in place of Robert Francois), and James Starks (in place of Quinn Johnson) every chance to be on the 53-man roster as soon as possible. All those guys should be fresh since they spent the last 6 weeks on the physically unable to perform list.

The season is not over, and the 2010 Green Bay Packers still have several key players on the field. For the Packers to meet their 2010 expectations, they will need several role players to take their game to the next level, and for Ted Thompson to acquire a handful of players to fill the holes left by the notorious injury snake.