Building The 53 - 2015 First Round NFL Mock Draft

Welcome to my 6th annual NFL Mock Draft.  I tried to do the traditional "guess what other reams will do" in my first NFL Mock Draft in 2010 but that is futile since I have no real inside information besides ESPN Insider so for the fifth year in a row (2011, 2012, 2013, & 2014) I decided to serve as every team's general manager for their pick (or picks) in the first round.

This draft is particularly interesting on a personal level because it is being held in Chicago, which is where Cheesehead Chick, Lil' Cheesehead Sports Nut, and I live.  Although 2015 marks the eight time that Chicago will host the NFL Draft, it is the first time since 1964 breaking a 50 year streak of having it in New York.  Cheesehead Chick's cousin is getting married this weekend so we will NOT be in Chicago for rounds two through seven since we will be attending the festivities in Columbus, OH.  That means NOT only will I be missing the draft but I will miss a mega-Packerpalooza at Will's Northwoods too.

Quarterbacks always drive the conversation about how the first round will play out.  This year there are two quarterbacks that look like they are worthy of going with the first two picks but there is some debate as to whether they actually will because there are some other defensive lineman/pass rushers as well as wide outs that look Top 5 worthy too.  Without further ado, here is what I would do if I was in charge of each team when they pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft along with some Twitter length thoughts about each pick:

#1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marcus Mariota (QB, Oregon) - Clearly I favor Mariota over Winston, only time will tell whether I am correct.

#2) Tennessee Titans: Jameis Winston (QB, FSU) - Not sure you can win with a journeyman quarterback in the NFL anymore so it is still worth the risk even though Winston's off-the-field issues submarine his career.

#3) Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Williams (DT/DE, USC) - Some think Williams is the best player in the draft so getting him with the 3rd pick feels like a steal.  The question is whether Williams is a poor man's Haloti Ngata or Haloti Ngata 2.0.

#4) Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper (WR, Alabama) - If Al Davis were still alive this pick would be Kevin White instead of Cooper for speed alone but Cooper is a much better all-around wide receiver than White.

#5) Washington Redskins: Dante Fowler Jr. (DE, Florida) - Every year there is a pass rusher that gets a little over-hyped.  There is a chance that Fowler is that guy but his physical gifts are so impressive, I can't pass up this boom-or-bust edge rusher.

#6) New York Jets: Brandon Scherff (OT, Iowa) - The Big Ten, check that, Iowa and Wisconsin continue to churn out impressive offensive tackles.  I see Scherff as Bryan Bulaga 2.0 even if he plays a year or two at guard before moving to right tackle for the next decade.

#7) Chicago Bears: Cameron Erving (C, FSU) - Given that this is a Cheesehead sports blog, you might think this pick is a joke but I actually think Erving has the chance to be one of the best players in the entire draft given that he could conceivably play all five positions along the offensive line. A very rich man's Don Barclay, if you will.

#8) Atlanta Falcons: Randy Gregory (OLB, Nebraska) - Off-the-field issues will most likely push Gregory further down in the draft but if a team like the Falcons can surround Gregory with the right support system, I see him as a double-digit sack guy by his second or third year in the NFL.

#9) New York Giants: Andrus Peat (OT, Stanford) - Really hard to tell whether Schereff, Erving, or Peat will be best offensive lineman from this draft because I have high hopes for all three.  Given that Peat is the only one left, the decision to take him is easy for a team that needs to rebuild their offensive line.

#10) St. Louis Rams: Kevin White (WR, West Virginia) - I am a little worried about taking White this high because he only had one productive season in college, which makes it hard to project how productive White will be in the NFL.

#11) Minnesota Vikings: Trae Waynes (CB, Michigan State) - You are welcome Queens given that Waynes is NOT only the best available player but it actually matches up to a need.  Not sure that Waynes can single-handedly help the Vikings tame all the quarterbacks in the NFC North but at least it is a start.
 
#12) Cleveland Browns: Danny Shelton (DT, Washington) - Despite the fact that Shelton ran a comically slow 40-yard dash in 5.64, I still see enough burst in him that he will be more than just a big bodied gap filler.

#13) New Orleans Saints: Arik Armstead (DE/OLB, Oregon) - Feels a few spots too high for Armstead but the Saints desperately need a guy that can get after the quarterback.  Worst case scenario if Armstead totally flames out as a pass rusher, I could see him moving to tight end and becoming Jimmy Graham 2.0.

#14) Miami Dolphins: DeVante Parker (WR, Louisville) - Much like White, I am not as big on Parker either but tall, fast wide receivers are developing quarterback's best friends so I see this pick as a courtesy to Ryan Tannehill.  Now Tannehill needs to create the proper chemistry with Parker to make sure that they both have long NFL careers.

#15) San Francisco 49ers: La'el Collins (OG, LSU) - After losing Mike Iupati to the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, the 49ers replace Iupati with Collins at a much cheaper price.

#16) Houston Texans: Vic Beasley (OLB, Clemson) - At one point Beasley was talked about being a potential Top 5 pick but the "draft process" hurt his stock. The phrase "draft process" is overused but it is an (un)official Internet rule that if you write a sports blog, you are required to write "draft process" at least once in your first round mock draft. Sometimes going to the right team is better than getting picked higher, which I think is exactly what happened here.  Even if Jadeveon Clowney turns out to be a bust, the mere presence of J.J. Watt along the defensive line should give Beasley a good chance to register double-digit sacks as a rookie.

#17) San Diego Chargers: Malcom Brown (DT, Texas) - Really hard to tell whether Shelton or Brown will be a better pro.  Either way both seem like perfect spacer eaters that will open up lanes for teammates to get after the quarterback.

#18) Kansas City Chiefs: Marcus Peters (CB, Washington) - I know I sound like a broken record talking about off-the-field issues but there is no denying that Peters has the talent to be a starter in the NFL, the question is whether that baggage will undermine his NFL career.
 
#19) Cleveland Browns (from Buffalo Bills): Breshad Perriman (WR, UCF) - I went practical with their first pick so that is why I am swing for the fences with this pick for the Browns.  Sure there is chance that Perriman's production in the lowly American Athletic conference does NOT translate to the NFL but that is a risk worth taking to get a guy with such impressive physical skills.

#20) Philadelphia Eagles: Kevin Johnson (CB, Wake Forest) - I look at Johnson as the safe version of Peters, which means his ceiling is NOT as high as Peters but his floor is much higher too.

#21) Cincinnati Bengals: Dorial Green-Beckham (WR, Missouri) - Could be the next Calvin Johnson or the next Charles Rodgers.  I know that is a pretty wide range but given DGB's physical gifts and off-the-field issues, I really could see his career going almost any direction.
 
#22) Pittsburgh Steelers: Landon Collins (S, Alabama) - This is the perfect ode to Troy Polamalu following his recent retirement because Collins plays a similar style to Polamalu.  Obviously there is a small chance that Collins turns into the next Polamalu but even if Collins turns out to be 75% of Polamalu, this will be a great pick.

#23) Detroit Lions: Ereck Flowers (OT, Miami) - If the Lions want to continue to keep the artist formerly know as The Porcelain China Doll aka Matthew Stafford healthy, they will need to continue to add talent along the offensive line to protect him and Flowers is the best one left.

#24) Arizona Cardinals: Todd Gurley (RB, Georgia) - As long as Gurley is fully healthy by the start of the 2015 NFL season, this is the perfect match of need and value.  In fact, if Gurley was healthy going into the 2015 NFL Draft I would have taken him much higher since he looks like an in-shape, rich man's Eddie Lacy.

#25) Carolina Panthers: Cedric Ogbuehi (OT, Texas A&M) - Speaking of injuries, if Ogbuehi was healthy he would have been a Top 10 pick so the Panthers get a ton of value for the best pure left tackle prospect in the draft.

#26) Baltimore Ravens: Shane Ray (DE/OLB, Missouri) - Oh how the mighty have fallen.  Off the field issues have really hurt Ray's draft stock.  If there is one NFL team that is fine drafting players with checkers pasts, its the Ravens.  The real question is whether too many bad apples spoils the bunch.  Ray will test those limits.
 
#27) Dallas Cowboys: Melvin Gordon III (RB, Wisconsin) - Much like Gurley to the Cardinals, Gordon to the Cowboys is another perfect match of need and value.  Too bad for Gordon that he is NOT 10 years younger because his combination of speed and production would make him a surefire Top 5 pick in 2005 but given how short NFL running back's careers have become, it has changed when teams draft those players.  Mark my words, Gordon will run for 1,000 in at least five NFL season, which makes him a steal at the end of the first round.
 
#28) Denver Broncos: D.J. Humphries (OT, Florida) - Center is a huge need for the Broncos but Erving went in the Top 10 in my mock because of how talented he is and there is a not another center worth taking in the 1st round.  Although tackle might NOT be the biggest need on their roster, it is still worth adding depth in hopes of keeping Captain Forehead upright so he can continue to throw his patented wounded ducks.
 
#29) Indianapolis Colts: Bud DuPree (OLB, Kentucky) - I bet DuPree goes at least 15 spots higher but I am just not as enamored with DuPree as others are because I am not sure that I see DuPree's straight-line speed transnating into sacks as much as others do.
 
#30) Green Bay Packers: Eric Kendricks (ILB, UCLA) - I had a hard time deciding whether to go with Kendricks, Denzel Perryman, or Benardrick McKinney given the lack of the depth the Packers have at middle linebacker.  Although Kendricks does NOT have ideal size, he is the best pure cover linebacker in the entire draft, which is reason enough to draft Kendricks because frankly I am sick of watching running backs slip out of the backfield to catch a three yard pass that turns into a 20-yard gain.  Kendricks is the antidote to that with Perryman as a close second.  On the other end of the spectrum is McKinney because although he is less mobile than Kendricks or Perryman, he is an absolute thumper, which the Packers could also use at middle linebacker.

#31) New Orleans Saints (from Seattle Seahawks): Denzel Perryman (ILB, Miami) - Since the Packers went with Kendricks that opens the door for the Saints to draft Perryman.  It will be really interesting to see how each of their careers pan out because I have them as essentially equal talent at this point.

#32) New England Patriots: Jalen Collins (CB, LSU) - The Patriots have whiffed on a number of defensive back picks over the last half dozen years but their defense thrives on the fact that versatile guys, which is exactly what Collins brings to the table.

I was going to write more pre-2015 NFL Draft thoughts for Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson but Lil' Cheesehead Sports Nut was sick this week so besides this post I was only able to take a look at The 53 and give Thompson a general blueprint for how to approach the 2015 NFL Draft.  Absent a trade, Thompson is on the clock with the 30th pick in the 2015 NFL Draft this evening.  Make sure to check for my thoughts on Twitter tonight and my in-depth thoughts on Sunday when we get back to Chicago just as the draft ends.

The 25 - My First In-Person Look at 2014 Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers currently own the best record in baseball, which is probably the biggest surprise of the 2014 MLB season so far.  Following my first installment of The 25 on opening day, I decided that I would wait for my first in-season update until I saw the Brewers in-person.  Last night I got to see the Brewers play the Cincinnati Reds on the road at The Great American Ballpark with Cheesehead Chick and In-Law Cheese.

The game was poised to be a pitcher's duel given that Gallardo went into the game with a 1.91 ERA while Cueto had a 1.15 ERA. Gallardo turned in his first bum performance of the season given that he allowed more than three runs over six innings for the first time in seven starts in 2014.  Unfortunately for the Brewers, Cueto was stellar for the Reds.  On that topic, a local pizza restaurant runs a promotion that if the Reds strikeout 11 guys they giveaway a small pizza to each ticket holder.  Cueto came close in the 8th with almost the entire stadium chanting PIZZA, PIZZA, PIZZA at the top of their lungs.  A guy a few rows behind us got so excited that he yelled "I JUST WANT TO EAT" at the top of his lungs.  Unfortunately for the Reds faithful, Cueto was unable to seal the deal so although the Reds won, their fans will not be able to get their free small pizza that they apparently desperately need.  High comedy all around.

While we are on the topic of food, the Reds have great food options throughout the stadium.  My favorite spot is next to the right field fair pole.  Not only does the food stand offer the local fair of the opposing team (they fittingly had beer brats) but they also have a ton of tasty Leinenkugel beers on tap that you can mix and match.  My favorite combo is the Honey Bear, which is 1/2 glass of Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss and 1/2 glass of Leinenkugel's Berry Weiss.  The cherry on top is that you can watch the relievers for the opposing team warm up right around the corner from the concession stand I just described.  If the opposing team's fans want to feel at home with some tasty local food and drinks while keeping an eye on their relievers, they should get tickets by the right field fair pole.

Without further adu, here are my updated rankings to The 25 following my first in-person look at the Brewers this season:

Player Rankings

1. Jean Segura (SS, LR 1) 2. Carlos Gomez (CF, LR 2) 3. Jonathan Lucroy (C, LR 3) 4. Yovani Gallardo (RSP, LR 6) 5. Wily Peralta (RSP, LR 8) 6. Kyle Lohse (RSP, LR 5) 7. Matt Garza (RSP, LR 7) 8. Tyler Thornburg (RSP, LR 9) 9. Scooter Gennett (2B, LR 10) 10. Francisco Rodriguez (RRP, LR 20) 11. Marco Estrada (RSP, LR 11) 12. Khris Davis (LF, LR 12) 13. Will Smith (LRP, LR 14) 14. Aramis Ramirez (3B, LR 16) 15. Brandon Kintzler (RRP, LR 15) 16. Logan Schafer (LF, LR 18) 17. Martin Maldonado (C, LR 22) 18. Zach Duke (LRP, LR 21) 19. Lyle Overbay (1B, LR 24) 20. Wei-Chung Wang (RRP, LR 17) 21. Mark Reynolds (1B, LR 19) 22. Jeff Bianchi (3B, LR 23) 23. Caleb Gindl (OF, NR N/A) 24. Rob Wooten (RRP, NR N/A) 25. Rickie Weeks (2B, LR 25)

Disabled List

1. Ryan Braun (RF, 15-DL) 2. Jim Henderson (RRP, 15-DL) 3. Tom Gorzelanny (LRP, 15-DL)

#2) Carlos Gomez (CF, LR 2): Baseball has an unwritten code that Gomez refuses to follow, which certainly gets under the skin of the opposing team.  Sure I wish Gomez ran out sacrifice fly instead of admiring them but every other Brewer comes to his defense on a regular basis so I guess the fact that Gomez bucks the normal baseball trends is fine with me.  Add in that Gomez is becoming one of the best centerfielders in baseball four years later than expected and that makes him the most interesting player currently on The 25. With all due respect to Nyjer "Tony Plush" Morgan, I am not sure there is a Brewer more liked by his team and more loathed by the opposition than Gomez in franchise history.  It is almost as if Gomez was put on earth to get under the skin of sanctimoniousness Cardinals players and fans.

#10) Francisco Rodriguez (RRP, LR 20): Going into the season it looked like Jim Henderson was going to be the closer but after a shaky end to spring training, the Brewers went with K-Rod instead of Henderson.  So far K-Rod is perfect with an 0.00 ERA over 17 innings thanks to 24 strikeouts while allowing just four walks and seven hits.  I am not a huge fan of saves as a legitimate MLB stat but the fact that K-Rod tied an all-time record of most saves before May 1st with 13 just shows you how well things are going for the Brewers so far this season.  Given that K-Rod is currently a perfect 14-for-14, I see a couple rough outings coming up sometime soon but we might as well enjoy the tide till K-Rod falters.

#12) Khris Davis (LF, LR 12): The Brewers are taking the anti-Moneyball approach by trying to do as much damage as possible, early in at-bats, against starting pitchers.  That means instead of working the count, the Brewers are swinging early and often if they see a pitch they like.  That is great if you can get to the starting pitcher but if you don't, that allows starters to work longer into the game since they do not rack up huge pitch counts.  Davis seems like the biggest culprit of the anti-Moneyball approach, which worked last season but has not been as successful this year.  Sure Davis has a ton of time to turn things around but if he continues to struggle it will bring my problems with the Aoki/Myers trade to fruition.

It is only the beginning of May but given the (monotony) length of a baseball season, the fact that the Brewers get along so well is powered by more than just Everybody Wei-Chung Tonight, Pharrell Williams, or just Hank the Dog.  If this trend continues, I see the Brewers actually being buyers at the trade deadline to help jump start their playoff run.

The 53 - First Look at 2014 Regular Season Schedule for the Green Bay Packers

Besides their usual home and away with their NFC North divisional foes (Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings), next season the Green Bay Packers host the New England Patriots, the New York Jets, the Carolina Panthers, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons in non-divisional games while they face the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints on the road.  The date date and time of when the Packers actually play all of those games was announced last night:

Week 1: @ the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, September 4th @ 7:30 p.m.
Week 2: vs. the New York Jets on Sunday, September 14th @ 3:25 p.m.
Week 3: @ the Detroit Lions on Sunday, September 21st @ noon
Week 4: @ the Chicago Bears on Sunday, September 28th @ noon
Week 5: vs. the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, October 2nd @ 7:25 p.m.
Week 6: @ the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, October 12th @ noon
Week 7: vs. the Carolina Carolina on Sunday, October 19th @ noon
Week 8: @ the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, October 26th @ 7:30 p.m.
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: vs. the Chicago Chicago Bears on November 9th @ 7:30 p.m.
Week 11: vs. the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, November 16th @ noon
Week 12: @ the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 23rd @ noon
Week 13: vs. the New England Patriots on Sunday, November 30th @ 3:25 p.m.
Week 14: vs. the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, December 8th @ 7:30 p.m.
Week 15: @ the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, December 14th @ noon
Week 16: @ the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, December 21st @ noon
Week 17: vs. the Detroit Lions on Sunday, December 28th on noon

The three most interesting games on the slate to me when you factor in just the time of the year of the game, where the game is being played, and the current rosters for the other team are:

#3) Week 16 @ the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, December 21st @ noon: For years Cheesehead Chick and I've talked about spending Christmas at Mama Cheese and Papa Cheese's vacation home in Punta Gorda, FL.  This year seems like the perfect year to do it, especially if we take Christmas week off so we can make the short two hour drive north to score easy tickets to see the Packers play in the sun in late December and then spend the rest of the week relaxing poolside, hopefully enjoying the fruits of another Packer victory.  There is no doubt that Week 8 @ the Saints and Week 13 hosting the Patriots look like better games right now but there is always one team that struggles the previous year but wins at least six more games the following year.  The Bucs were 4-12 last year but they cleaned house after last season and brought in Lovie Smith as their new head coach, Jason Licht as their new general manager, and Josh McCown as their new starting quarterback.  I am not sold on McCown despite how well he played in relief of Jay Cutler at quarterback for the Chicago Bears the last few years, mostly because filling in for the injured starter is much different than being the starter from day one. Factoring in all the changes for the Bucs, I could see them turn the corner quickly to become a borderline playoff team next season.  Leaving the glorious possibility of spending Christmas in warm weather in Florida aside, I could actually see this game determining whether the Packers or Bucs are playoff bound in 2014.

#2) Week 12 @ the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 23rd @ noon: The Vikings are finally building a new stadium to replace The Humpty after they knocked it down following the 2013 season.  Mother nature tried to get rid of The Humpty in 2011 but the Vikings kept playing there for two more years.  Without a new permanent home till (at least) 2015, the Vikings are playing at TCF Bank Stadium, the home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers.  Last year Gaber, Nick, Sug, and I sent out The Humpty in style.  The day before, Nick and I got a preview of coming attractions when we saw the Minnesota Golden Gophers beat the Nebraska Cornhusters at TCF Bank Stadium.  Let's not forget, TCF Bank Stadium is where Brett Favre's consecutive games started streak ended at 297 when he took a hard hit on the astro turf at the hands of Buffalo Bills linebacker Arthur Moats.  Despite opening in 2009, the Vikings are still investing money in the field and running beer lines throughout the stadium to make the stadium as modern as possible.  Hopefully Gaber, Nick, Sug, and I can get the band back together to see the Packers beat the Vikings outside at TCF Bank Stadium in 2014, where games should be played in the Midwest.

#1) Week 1 @ the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, September 4th @ 7:30 p.m: This is clearly the easy one to pick for a number of reasons.  Not only is this the first game of the entire 2014 NFL regular season because the Seahawks won the Super Bowl last year, but this also marks the first visit to Seattle for the Packers since they got hosed in the "Fail Mary" game on MNF of Week 3 of the 2012 season.  The replacement refs botched the call at the end of the "Fail Mary" game so bad in front of a national audience that it actually ended the NFL ref's strike.  The front offices of both teams are intertwined given that current Packer's general manager Ted Thompson used to be a prominent member of the Seahawk's front office while the current Seahawk's general manager John Schnieder worked under Thompson in Green Bay.  One game does not make a season but my expectations are low for this game unless Thompson has a stellar performance in the 2014 NFL Draft so if the Packers could somehow beat the Seahawks on the road, it could go a long way towards making 2014 a special season for the Packers.

I will have a much more detailed breakdown of how I think all of the games will play out once I know how The 53 is most likely going to look following the 2014 NFL Draft.  Speaking of which, make sure to check back over the next few week as I start to roll out my in-depth look at draft for Thompson.

I Went There - Irish Course at Whistling Straits

Cheesehead Chick and I needed some down time given all of the craziness at work the last few months so we planned a weekend away in Kohler, WI over Easter weekend.  We stayed two nights and three days at the Inn on Woodlake, which is the other resort that is part of the American Club Resort.  Despite it being Easter weekend, the resorts were very quiet.  We had some down time on Sunday so I called Whistling Straits to see if I could play either the Straits or Irish course while Cheeshead Chick got a massage.

For the uninitiated, the Straits course runs along Lake Michigan while the Irish course runs inland next to the Straits course.  I really wanted to play the Straits course given that I've played it at least 50 times in Tiger Woods 2013 on PS3.  The Straits course hosted the 2004 PGA Championship (attended practice rounds, Thursday, and Sunday with Papa Cheese), 2007 U.S. Senior Open (attended Sunday with Cheesehead Chick, Mama Cheese, Papa Cheese, and Rosati Cheese), and the 2010 PGA Championship (was not able to attend).  Plus the Straits course is set to host the 2015 PGA Championship and the 2020 Ryder Cup too.  Unfortunately the Straits course was not open for the season but fortunately the Irish course just opened.  Normally it costs $190 to play the Irish course but given that the course just opened, I was able to play for just $70.

Given how much I "saved" on the round, I planned to spend that money in the golf shop.  Shockingly, the prices for shirts and hats were higher at Whistling Straits than they were last weekend at Masters so I just got a couple small items.  As I was paying for my round and souvenirs, I found out that you can stay at the resort and play a couple rounds over a weekend in early spring or late fall for what amounts to one night's stay at the hotel in the middle of the summer.  File that nugget away for the future because although the weather can be unpredictable, it seems like a perfect way to cost-effectively play some of the top courses in the world.

Despite it being early in the season, given the rock bottom greens fees, I thought tons of people would want to play.  As it turns out, besides an early morning shotgun, there was only one other guy scheduled to play the rest of the day.  Instead of playing separately, we decided to play together.  The only awkward moment was the fact that my playing partner took a caddie while I decided to carry my own clubs.  Given that I play a slice and usually shot in the 90's, I've always had trouble taking a caddie.  Since we were playing in a two-some, the caddie provided me occasional tips, which was helpful without being intimidating but I didn't have the pressure of the caddied standing over every one of my shots and artificially trying to pump me up on the hopes of getting a better tip.

The Irish course has five tees: red, white, green, blue, and black.  We decided to play from the green tees, which has a slope of 137 and rating of 72.  There is water on almost every hole, which varies from huge lakes to running streams.  Fortunately all of the water on the course seems organic besides the 17th hole, which is Bay Hill-esque given that it was built to ensure the entire course can be watered if they are experiencing an extended drought.

I was very nervous teeing off on the first hole given that I was about to play the best course I've played in my entire life.  Although I didn't catch all of it, thankfully I knocked my drive into the fairway to get the rounds started off on the right foot.  I carded two pars on the front nine on the second (Giants Leap - Par 4, 347 yards, 6th hardest hole) and ninth (Last Gaspe - Par 4, 332 yards, 8th hardest hole) holes en route to shooting a 45 with 20 putts.  The most memorable holes on the front nine for me were the fourth (Sandbanks - Par 4, 432 yards, 2nd hardest hole), fifth (Devil's Elbow - Par 5, 501 yards, 14th hardest hole), and ninth holes.

As we made the turn to the back nine, the caddie told us the back nine is much harder than the front nine.  I started out the back nine with a pair of sevens on the 10th (Shepard's Post - Par 4, 378 yards, 5th hardest hole) and 11th (Lamb Chop - Par 3, 177 yards, 15th hardest hole) holes.  Luckily I settled down and carded three pars on the final seven holes on the 14th (Tullamore Dew - Par 5, 508 yards, 11th hardest hole), 16th (Deep Dye - Par 4, 425 yards, 3rd hardest hole), and 17th (Irish Mist - Par 4, 335 yards, 7th hardest hole) holes en route to shooting a 49 with 18 putts.  The most memorable holes on the back nine were the 13th (Blind Man's Bluff - Par 3, 152 yards, 17th hardest hole), 15th (Frog Water - Par 4, 416 yards, hardest hole on the course), and 18th (Black and Tan - Par 5, 523 yards, 9th hardest hole on the course) holes.

I found the par 4's to be the most forgiving while the par 3's and par 5's were particularly challenging, especially the par 3's on the back nine.  Although we didn't play the blind tee shot on 13, I can only imagine that would increase the level of difficulty from the other tee box.  Putting it all together, the Irish course at Whistling Straits is definitely the best course I've ever played in my life.  Despite just opening for the season a few days earlier, the service was impeccable and the course was in fairly good shape considering it was only the middle of April following the worst winter in the Midwest of the last decade.  Although this doesn't top Sunday at the Masters from last weekend, this does mark the second Sunday in a row that the golf God's were smiling on me.

I Went There - Sunday at the 2014 Masters

As you can tell from the title, I got the once in a lifetime chance to attend the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. The CEO of my buddy Sug's company is a member at Augusta National so his work gets amazing tickets to the Masters every year.  This year Sug's company was not going to use some of their Sunday passes with special access so Sug, Uncle Patty, and Sug's older brothers David and John were the lucky recipients of tickets for Sunday of the 2014 Masters at Augusta National.

I found out about the opportunity on mid-afternoon Friday of the tournament so I booked a flight for Saturday to Atlanta.  Despite having a ton of personal and work balls in the air, Cheesehead Chick knew this was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity so big ups to her for not questioning the decision for a minute.  Mama Cheese was in Chicago for the weekend so we went to dinner on Friday.  I was going to hang with Mama Cheese throughout the weekend but Augusta came calling and luckily she was more than understanding too.  After a nice dinner on Friday night, my sole focus turned to the 2014 Masters.

I had an early flight on Saturday morning from Chicago to Atlanta on American Airlines and even got a free upgrade to first class so for once in my life I can actually thank an airline.  It was my first time flying American in years so may be they were trying to lure me back or were just throwing me a bone since I had to book an expensive last minute ticket.  Either way, despite an early flight, the upgrade made the flight painless.  As I made my way around the Atlanta airport on Saturday, the deluge of Masters gear felt similar to being in Green Bay on the day of a Packer game.

After watching the end of the Fulham/Norwich EPL match in the airport bar, I connected with Sug.  Since Sug is a Starwood Points member, we got a room at the Sheridan Gateway Hotel Atlanta by the airport so he could take a nap.  A few years ago they extended Masters coverage online to allow you to watch the featured group, Amen Corner, or the 15th &16th holes.  The weather was so nice in Atlanta that I couldn't justify watching online so I took the free time to catch-up on Masters reading out in beautiful 75 degree weather, which was priceless given the nightmare winter we've had in Chicago.  After a couple of hours outside, I headed to the hotel bar to catch the start of the coverage of the Masters on CBS that is unfortunately still lead by Jim Nance and "Sir" Nick Faldo.

Uncle Patty made it to Atlanta from Austin, where he moved from Chicago at the end of 2013 because he took a new job, midway through Saturday coverage of the Masters on CBS.  It was great to see him for the first time since he left Chicago.  Sug's older brothers David and John flew in from Milwaukee but were not scheduled to land till later Saturday night so Sug, Uncle Patty, and I started the two and a half hour drive from Atlanta to Augusta.  On the ride to Augusta we caught up, hit up Chick-fil-A for dinner, and started to formulate our plans for Sunday.

We got two rooms at a crappy hotel right in Augusta.  Let's just say there was a reason why there were rooms available for $100 a night on Saturday evening of the busiest weekend of the entire year at that place.  Most people that attend the Masters rent a house within 15 minutes of Augusta National, which is what Sug's work did.  It works out great for patrons because it gives them a comfortable way to stay close to the course and it works out great for home owners in Augusta because it allows them to cover a good portion of their mortgage for the year for one week's rent.  Sug's work got a huge place with an amazing back deck where we had a few beers before meeting up with Sug's brothers and co-workers.

Much like our hotel, Augusta bars have to make hay while the sun shines on Masters week.  Both bars we went to were in the strip malls but somehow were able to charge covers.  The second bar had a long line that we were able to skip thanks to Sug's connections.  After grabbing a few drinks to calm the nerves, Uncle Patty and I headed back to the hotel to get some sleep.  It took us at least an hour to finally fall asleep since we were both so excited to actually step foot on the ground of the famed Augusta National.

Gates at Augusta National opened at 8 am but the first player did not tee off till 10:10 am, which gave us ample time to grab some food and walk the course to get a lay of the land.  Words cannot describe how pristine the course is in-person.  Honestly take what you see on television or in video games and multiple it times ten, now you are close to having a feel for how amazing Augusta National is in-person.

We had unfettered access to Augusta National thanks to Sug's work.  After putting down our chairs for the day on the 16th hole (more on that later) we were able to go into Berckmans Place, which is an exclusive area within one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the entire world. Inside Berckmans Place there are shops, restaurants, and a mini Augusta National Museum that tells the story of how the Masters went from just another golf tournament to arguably the most famous one in the world over the last 80 years.

The highlight of Berckmans Place are the the three putting greens that are scaled replicas of 7 (par 4), 14 (par 4), and 16 (par 3).  We played the "green" hole locations, which were all famous putts/shots in Masters history.  As if that wasn't enough, real Augusta National caddies read the putts for us.  We played back-to-front so we started out on 16 with a putt on the line of Tiger's famous chip-in and awkward celebration with his former caddie Stevie Williams.  We moved onto 14 and finished on 7.  Sug came the closest to one putting on 7, which was a lighting quick side winder to the "Sunday" hole location.  Sure we did not putt on the real course but on the ground of Augusta National we had a chance to putt on the scaled replicas of three holes, amazing stuff.  We finished off our Berckmans Place experience with an all-you-can-eat breakfast that Sug rushed his brother John through so that we could head back out to the course to meet the rest of our group.

We all agreed that we had to walk the entire course since this could be our only trip to Augusta National.  With a full belly we started our deep dive into Augusta National by walking the back nine first, which was the front nine for the first Masters in 1934.  On the 10th hole we stopped at the exact spot that Bubba Watson hit his second shot around a bunch of trees off of the pine straw to within 10 feet for a two-put par to win the 2012 Masters in a playoff over Louis Oosthuizen.

Standing on the 11th tee, you really get a feel for why it was the 3rd hardest hole in 2013.  Add in that the second shot on 11 is a long one to a green guarded by water and if there wasn't a bail out area to the right of the 11th green, it would be the hardest hole on the course.

Next up was 12, which is possibly the most famous par 3 in the world.  That is the most crowded spot on the course because from one spot you can see the 11th green, the entire 12th hole, and the tee shot on the 13th hole.  Despite seeming like the perfect spot to watch, it is still not the most ideal place to sit for the day because of how far you are from the action since you need to sit behind the 12th tee box.

The 13th, a par 5, closes out Amen Corner.  We stood where Phil Mickelson knocked a 6-iron from the pine straw between two trees and onto the green about eight feet from the hole from over 200 yards out (missed the easy eagle putt but still made birdie) en route to his 3rd Masters in 2010.

The 14th hole looks ho-hum until you see how much players have to shape their drive right to left without overdoing it to give themselves a nice look at the green.  The last of the Par 5's at Augusta National is the 15th hole.  Last year Tiger infamously hit his approach shot off the flag stick and made an illegal drop in the 2nd round that was caught by a television viewer.  Tiger lost the 2013 Masters to Adam Scott by the same margin of the penalty he was assessed on 15.  I feel bad for the spouses of people that call in rules violations, how about they just enjoy watching the tournament instead of helping tournament officials by handing out expensive jaywalking tickets.  We stood about 20 yards back from where Tiger's quest for a 5th green jacket went up in smoke.  In person I can see why that shot is intimidating because television does not do justice to how much the green slopes back to front towards the water.

The 16th hole, the last par 3 on the course, is where we put down our chairs for the day.  Everyone is courteous inside August National, so much so that you can leave your chair in the same place for the whole day and return to watch at your leisure without anyone moving your chair.  The pin was in the usual Sunday hole-in-one location, which is another thing I love about the Masters.  Instead of messing with the players on Sunday in an attempt to show that the "course has teeth" like they do at the U.S. Open, at Augusta National they setup the course/pins to challenge the players but also to reward them when they make a good shot.  The favorable hole location on 16 is a great example of that, which makes it fun for the players and viewers.

The course closes with two challenging par 4's that demand very precise drives to even have a chance to get home in two.  I like the look of the 18th hole a little more than the 17th, especially since this was the first Masters without the Eisenhower Tree on 17, which was claimed by an ice storm earlier this year.  Sure the big hitters can bomb their drives over the Eisenhower Tree but it was always nice to see that flowing loblolly pine on television so too bad that I never got to see it in-person.  Everyone wants to get a spot close to 18 but even if we tried to put our seats down right when we arrived at the course, we still would have had an obstructed view of the final putts on 18.  Standing where players hit their 2nd show on 18 you get a feel for the elevation change that adds another layer of complexity to the famous finishing hole.

With the back nine in the books let's take a stroll through the front nine, which again was actually the back nine at the first Masters in 1934.  The 1st hole starts off with a much steeper drop between the tee shots and your second shot than you can tell from television.  Par is a great score given that it played as the second hardest hole in 2013.  The 2nd hole is a huge dog-leg left par 5.  A right to left drive puts players in a great position to go for the green in two.  We stood fairly close to where Oosthuizen holed out from over 200 yards for a double-eagle in 2012.  Birdie is attainable on the 2nd, especially at the traditional back right Sunday hole location.

We spent a fair amount of time on the 3rd hole, which is the shortest par four on the course.  For the 10,000th time, television does not do just to how hard this hole plays.  If players end up on the left side of the fairway, they still have a tricky shot into an undulating green.  We tried to get close to where Charl Schwartzel holed out for eagle en route to winning the 2011 Masters but it was too far from the cross walk to get a great view.

The 4th hole is a long par 3 and I would say is the first ho-hum hole on the course so far.  Don't get me wrong, it is still an amazing hole but there is nothing that stands out other than the fact that it played as the hardest hole in 2013.  The few groups we watched play the 4th hole really struggled to get the ball to the hole because of the length of the hole combined with the menacing bunkers on the front of the green.

The 5th hole serves as a walkway to the main souvenir shop and Berckmans Place so there was tons of foot traffic across that fairway.  I watched Jim Furyk play the 5th hole right next to his wife and former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swan.  At the Masters you have to at least act like you belong so instead of turning into a giddy school girl when I walked the hole with them, I just nodded to both and said good afternoon.

The 6th hole is a par 3 located right next to the 16th hole, which makes for great Par 3 viewing.  We got our first beer of the day there since they didn't start serving been till 12:30.  The neat quirk of the 6th hole is that you can sit in the gully between the tee box and green.  Balls scream over your head towards the green so it is neat to see them drop onto the green out of nowhere.  The back right "Sunday" hole location is one of the trickiest on the court because it sits up on a shelf.  Much like picking your favorite kid, picking a favorite hole at August National is tough but the unique viewing experience on the 6th makes it one of my favorites.

The font nine closes out with a par 4 followed by a par 5 followed by a par 4.  In my opinion, the 7th hole is the hardest of the three closing holes.  We were able to see a ton of cool shots into the hole location that we putted at Berckmans Place earlier in the morning.  With all the bunkers that surround the 7th, par is a great score.  Moving onto the par 5, it really is a three shot hole when the pin is in the back of the green since the hole is a crazy uphill climb the entire way.  The front nine closes out with a tricky par 4 that looks tame given all the space you have to hit a drive but the angle to the green on your second shot is the key.  We put some chairs down on nine, which allowed us to see how hard it is to get the ball close the hole on that back-to-front sloping green.

I hope you enjoyed the walking tour of Augusta National, again I am not sure that words can come anywhere close to describing how amazing the experience is in-person.  Since we saw each hole at least once, we headed to the member/guest area for an azalea, the signature cocktail of the Masters.  I am almost positive they use vodka at the Masters even though the standard Azalea recipe calls for gin with lime juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine.  For how expensive merchandise can be at the Masters, drinks and food cost the same they did in the 1950's, which is a nice perk.  It honestly feels like you are in the 1950's, in a good way, as you walk the hallowed grounds of Augusta National.  Drinking azaleas while strolling through Augusta National is definitely the best sports/drink combo I've ever had in my life.

Uncle Patty had to leave early to catch a flight back to Austin for a week commitment first thing on Monday so we hit the upscale merchandise area in the member/guest area followed by visiting a few of our favorite holes on the front nine as a I walked Uncle Patty to the exit.  It was a bummer that Uncle Patty could not stay for the entire day but to get to spend any time, let alone most of a Sunday at the Masters is just too good to turn down, so I am glad that Uncle Patty was able to join us.

After bidding Uncle Patty farewell, I met Sug and his brothers back at our seats on 16.  Some of the early groups were making their way to 16 while the contenders were teeing off on the front nine.  From our seats at 16 we had a bird's eye view of three other holes: the 6th green, the 15th green, and the 17th tee shot.  This was not Sug's first Masters rodeo so luckily we were able to capitalize on his course knowledge to get the best spot, sorry Amen Corner, to see tons of action.

After a few of the early groups finished on 16, the final group played the 6th hole.  The last group had Watson and young gun Jordan Spieth.  Both players were tied at -5 heading into Sunday.  Speith birdied two of his first four holes while Watson was even on the day through four holes.  Without cell phones or televisions on the course, the only updates you get are on the Wrigley Field-esque manual scoreboards throughout the grounds.  Spieth stumbled with a bogey on the 5th hole to take a one-shot lead into the sixth hole.  Both hit great tee shots on the 6th hole and both canned birdie putts to send out the 6th hole in style.  The roar after an eagle at the Master is amazing and the crowds at the Masters are smart enough to realize that some birdies are as impressive as eagles so the crowd let out a huge roars when Spieth and Watson carded birdies on the 6th hole.

Unfortunately for Spieth, his chance to become the youngest Masters champion ended on the front nine when he bogeyed the last two holes while Watson birded each.  That four shot swing gave Watson a two shot lead at the turn.  It is almost impossible to follow the last group on the course so selfishly it was actually nice that Watson had one arm in his second green jacket as he stood on the 10th tee because it allowed us to sit in our seats on 16 and enjoy the glory of the 15th, 16th holes, and 17th holes.

We saw roughly 20 groups play those holes.  Every player that went long on 15 struggled to chip their next shot onto the green because they were worried about knocking their ball too far and ending up in the water in front of the 15th green. That meant that every player that went long chipped short and ended up on the fringe and scrambling for a two-putt par.  Given how far PGA Tour players can hit the ball now, 15 is a great birdie or eagle opportunity but the severe back to front slope on the green combined with the fact that the green is almost rectangular in shape makes it a very challenging hole if you miss the green with your approach shot.

I am an unabashed lover of all things Steve Stricker.  Obviously the fact that he lives in Madison helps but he is also the most liked player on the PGA Tour because he is one of the last genuine articles in sports.  Stricker struggled on Sunday but almost aced the 16th, which was exciting to see live on the hill left of the 16th green as the crowd jumped to their feet in anticipation of the near ace.

Once Spieth and Watson finished 16, we high-tailed it to the Member/Guest area next to the 1st tee/10th tee boxes and 9th/18th greens.  Sure it would have been neat to watch the leaders play 17 and 18 but we didn't have chairs on either hole so we would have been in the 50th row of people trying to do the same thing.  Instead we got to hear roars of the crowd from 50 yards away as Spieth and Watson hit their second shots into the 18th green while we watched the action on television.  I walked around the Member/Guest area as Watson was putting the final touches on his second win at the Masters in three years with an even bigger grin on my face than Bubba had thanks to all the amazing things I saw over the 10 hours we spent on the ground of Augusta National for Sunday of the 2014 Masters.

I don't often pause in awe of celebrities but there were tons of golfing mukity mucks making their way around the Member/Guest area. After Miguel Angel Jimenez finished an interview with a cigar in his mouth the entire time, we crossed paths and shook hands.  I told him congrats on the 4th place finish and he smiled and winked at me like I was a member of his inter-circle.  I told Watson's wife Angie congrats as she proudly held their adopted son Calieb in her arms, she stopped and actually thanked me too.  Those were just two of many interactions of that nature I had in a Member/Guest area following the conclusion of the 2014 Masters.

There was no sense in rushing to our car and fighting traffic given that we had a two and a half hour drive back to Atlanta so we hung in the Member/Guest area for as long as possible.  Thankfully we had to walk across the entire course to get back to our car.  As the sun was setting, there were less than 100 people left on the course.  We took our time walking because although Sug hopefully gets to return many times, the rest of us knew this could be our last time at Augusta National.  We strolled past the 1st tee, in between the 9th and 18th green, through the 8th fairway, past the 2nd green, through the 3rd and 7th fairways, past the 16th green, and back to the 16th tee box for one last look at the course.

In a crazy end to a whirlwind week where Cheesehead Chick and I went under contract on our first condo together, a crazy stroke of luck thanks to Sug got me to Augusta National for the final round of the 2014 Masters.  It felt like a whirlwind 48 hours getting to the Masters.  Despite Tiger Woods missing the entire tournament due to injury for the first time since 1994 and Phil Mickelson missing the cut for only the second time in his career, the 2014 Masters will no doubt go down as my favorite Masters of all-time.  It will also mark the second of many green jackets for Watson. Honestly the trip was painless and totally worth the effort to get to see Sunday at the Masters in-person.  If you ever have a chance, you should go because there is no question that Sunday at the Masters was the coolest sporting event that I've ever attended.

#TweetBeat - City beat Swansea on the road

Cheeshead Chick and I took it easy last night on New Year's Eve, which made it easier to get up today to catch the early EPL kickoff between Manchester City and Swansea City on New Year's Day.  Much like I did three times earlier this month (City beat Arsenal 6-3, City beat Fulham 4-2, & City beat Crystal Palace 1-0), here are my real-time thoughts via Twitter @CheeseheadSN aggregated as a #TweetBeat post on Man City's 3-2 road victory over Swansea:

Pellegrini names a legit Starting XI for @MCFC against @SwansOfficial. I expect #MCFC to win on the trot on the road today over #Swans.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

So far @SwansOfficial actually look the better side but are forced to make a change less than 10 minutes into their match against @MCFC
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Less than 10 minutes into the match @SwansOfficial are forced to replace @phernandez19 with Roland Lamah against @MCFC.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

@fernaoficial pounds home the second ball off a corner kick to put @MCFC up 1-0 over @SwansOfficial.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Not a fan of @MCFC taking short corners against @SwansOfficial given their height advantage.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Impressive counter-attack by @SwansOfficial but De Guzmán rushed his shot, which was easily gobbled up by @MCFC goalkeeper Joe Hart.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Navas continues to torment @SwansOfficial down the right side, resulted in corner kicks for @MCFC so far, but expect it to net goals soon.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Correct call by ref Phil Dowd not calling a handball on @VincentKompany of @MCFC that would have resulted in a PK for @SwansOfficial.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Close call but looks like @SwansOfficial were just off-sides otherwise they would have tied it 1-1 against @MCFC right before the half.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Wilfried Bony heads home a cross to tie @MCFC & @SwansOfficial at 1-1. Replay shows Wilfried might have been slightly off.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

@MCFC looked the better side in the first half even though they are tied 1-1 against @SwansOfficial. Should be a very interesting final 45.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Driving rain is making the conditions worse for the 2nd half between @MCFC & @SwansOfficial, will be interesting to see if pitch holds up.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

@Kolarov13A looks a little tentative & just gave away a free kick in a dangerous area, @MCFC might want to replace him with Clichy.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Of course it is @Toure_yaya42 that puts @MCFC back up 2-1 over @SwansOfficial.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Unless @_AlvaroNegredo_ is injured, replacing him with @javigarcia06 for @MCFC against @SwansOfficial makes no sense.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Nugget alert from @OptaJoe that @Toure_yaya42 is the first @MCFC central midfielder to score 10 goals in an #EPL season for #MCFC.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

I retract what I said about subbing @Kolarov13A out after his nicked shot found the back of the net to put @MCFC up 3-1 over @SwansOfficial.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Fine w/@MCFC bringing on Milner in place of @SamNasri19 against @SwansOfficial especially since it looks like Masri hurt his left hamstring
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

@MCFC shifted from a 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1 after adding @javigarcia06 & Milner in place of @_AlvaroNegredo_ & @SamNasri19 v. @SwansOfficial.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Jesus Navas makes way for @JackRodwell to give him a rare first team appearance for @MCFC.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Oh my, @MCFC give up a goal to Wilfried as @SwansOfficial pull within a goal at 3-2 in stoppage time.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

Cheapie yellow cards for @SamNasri19 @EdDzeko @VincentKompany @pablo_zabaleta & Milner for @MCFC today against @SwansOfficial.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

@MCFC notch their 4th road league win in 10 matches to temporarily jump @Arsenal to lead @premierleague pending #AFCvCCFC.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

With 10 home & 10 road @premierleague matches in the books for @MCFC they earned 30 points at home but just 14 points on the road. #MCFC
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) January 1, 2014

As my last Tweet explains, Man City have been great at home netting 30 of a possible 30 points but have stumbled a bit on the road netting only 14 of a possible 30 points.  Thanks to their win over Swansea, Man City temporarily go to the top of the table pending the outcome of Arsenal's match later this afternoon against Cardiff City.

Make sure to check back later today for my updated Man City player rankings and commentary as the January transfer window opens.

The 53 - Packers beat Bears to win the NFC North

The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears met for the 188th time on Sunday, which is the most of any two teams in NFL history.  That will continue to be a renewing NFL record unless the NFL makes radical changes to divisional alignment or scheduling.  The official NFL game preview was cut before we knew whether Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was going to play.  As it turns out, we knew by Thursday that the Packers were finally going have the services of Rodgers against the Bears for the first time since Week 9 when Rodgers was injured against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football at Lambeau Field.

The Packers were 5-2 before they lost Rodgers to a broken collarbone and went 2-5-1 using the services of three other quarterbacks (Seneca Wallace, Scot Tolzien, and Matt Flynn) in place of Rodgers.  Somehow the Packers played just well enough to make their Week 17 game against the Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago meaningful.  The winner of the game would win the NFC North, get the 4th seed in the NFC playoffs, and hosts a home playoff game next weekend.  Here were the inactives for the Packers against the Bears: Chris Harper (WR, healthy scratch), Brad Jones (MLB, ankle), Clay Matthews (OLB, broken thumb), Jumal Rolle (CB, healthy scratch), Lane Taylor (G, healthy scratch), JC Tretter (G/C, healthy scratch), and C.J. Wilson (DE, healthy scratch).

As we we all know by now, the Packers beat the Bears in dramatic fashion.  The person that likely suffered the most from the loss, besides the one Bears fan that plays for the Wisconsin Badgers football team, is Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.  For his career, Cutler is now 1-9 (1-8 with the Bears & 0-1 with the Broncos) against the Packers.  Both Cutler and their geriatric but possibly better backup quarterback Josh McCown are both set to become free agents this year.  The sensible approach is the re-sign McCown to a short-term deal and draft a developmental quarterback in the 2014 NFL Draft.  As a Packer fan that lives in Chicago, I hope the Bears resign Cutler so that even if he wins a couple games against the Packers over the next few years he will take up a ton of cap space while driving the entire city of Chicago nuts with his horrible body language that accompanies each of his interceptions.

The Packers and Bears played 186 times in the regular season, the Bears lead the series 92-88-6 but the Packers won nine of their last 11 games against Bears, including six in a row before losing to the Bears earlier this season at Lambeau.  Soldier Field is turning into Lambeau Field South given that the Packers are now 23-19-0 all-time at Soldier Field winning their last four and five of the last six.

Despite playing 186 times in the regular season, the Packers and Bears only met twice in the playoff, both times in Chicago.  The Bears won the first game 33–14 in 1941 at Wrigley Field.  The Packers won the second game 21-14 at Soldier Field in the NFC Championship Game en route to winning Super Bowl XLV.

Their win over the Bears gave the Packers their 3rd consecutive NFC North title and fifth consecutive playoff appearance.  The Packers are now 7-1 in regular season finales against Bears since 1934, wining their last five, with their most notable win in that streak being their 10-3 win at Lambeau in 2010 to start their run toward winning Super Bowl XLV.  It is not just the Bears that have struggled against the Packers in regular season finales.  The Packers won 18 of their last 20 regular season finales, including seven of their last eight against NFC North foes with their only lose coming in a meaningless game on the road against the Minnesota Vikings in 2012 that was quickly remedied by a playoff win the following week over the Vikings at Lambeau Field.

I am often critical of in-game decisions my Packers head coach McCarthy but give him, check that Rodgers credit, for being very impressive at the end of the regular season.  The Packers are now 18-6 in regular season in December/January since 2009, which only trails the Patriots (21-4) and the Chargers (19-6).  Taking a slightly longer timeline, McCarthy has a winning divisional record in all eight seasons in charge of the Packers.  The Bill Belichick coached New England Patriots are the only other team in the NFL to match the Packers.

Without further adu, here are my updated player rankings following the Packers/Bears game:

The 53

1. Aaron Rodgers (QB, LR 1) 2. Clay Matthews (OLB, LR 2)  3. Randall Cobb (WR, LR N/A) 4. Jordy Nelson (WR, LR 3) 5. Eddie Lacy (RB, LR 4) 6. Sam Shields (CB, LR 5) 7. Josh Sitton (G, LR 7) 8. T.J. Lang (G, LR 6) 9. James Jones (WR, LR 8) 10. Tramon Williams (CB, LR 12) 11. David Bakhtiari (T, LR 16) 12. Evan Dietrich-Smith (C, LR 10) 13. Morgan Burnett (S, LR 9) 14. Mike Daniels (DL, LR 11) 15. Micah Hyde (CB, LR 13) 16. B.J. Raji (DL, LR 14) 17. Jarrett Boykin (WR, LR 18) 18. Don Barclay (T, LR 15) 19. A.J. Hawk (MLB, LR 17) 20. James Starks (RB, LR 24) 21. Brad Jones (MLB, LR 19) 22. Datone Jones (DL, LR 21) 23. Nick Perry (OLB, LR 22) 24. Davon House (CB, LR 20) 25. Tim Masthay (P, LR 25) 26. Ryan Pickett (DL, LR 31) 27. Andrew Quarless (TE, LR 27) 28. John Kuhn (FB, LR 30) 29. Josh Boyd (DL, LR 26) 30. Mason Crosby (K, LR 34) 31. Mike Neal (DL/OLB, LR 28) 32. Jamari Lattimore (LB, LR 29) 33. Jarrett Bush (CB, LR 32) 34. Derek Sherrod (T, LR 33) 35. Jerel Worthy (DE, LR 37) 36. Sean Richardson (S, LR 36) 37. Brett Goode (LS, LR 35) 38. Andy Mulamba (LB, LR 38) 39. Matt Flynn (QB, LR 23) 40. M.D. Jennings (S, LR 39) 41. Ryan Taylor (TE, LR 40) 42. J.C. Tretter (C, LR 42) 43. C.J. Wilson (DL, LR 43) 44. Chris Banjo (S, LR 44) 45. Scott Tolzien (QB, LR 41) 46. Victor Aiyewa (LB, LR 45) 47. Jake Stoneburner (TE, LR 46) 48. Nate Palmer (LB, LR 50) 49. Lane Taylor (G, LR 47) 50. Chris Harper (WR, LR 48) 51. Marshall Newhouse (T, LR 49) 52. Kahlil Bell (RB, LR 51) 53.

Injured Reserve

1. Jermichael Finley (TE) 2. Bryan Bulaga (T) 3. Casey Hayward (CB) 4. Johnny Jolly (DL)  5. DuJuan Harris (RB) 6. Jonathan Franklin (RB) 7. Brandon Bostick (TE) 8. Robert Francois (MLB) 9. Greg Van Roten (C/G) 10. Sam Barrington (LB) 11. Myles White (WR) 12. Seneca Wallace (QB) 13. James Nixon (CB) 14. Kevin Dorsey (WR) 15. Sederrik Cunningham (WR)

Cut

1. Jeremy Ross (WR, Lions) 2. Jerron McMillian (S, free agent) 3. Michael Hill (RB, Buccaneers)

1) Aaron Rodgers (QB, LR 1): Bears outside linebacker Shea McClellin was one of my former NFL draft crushes from the 2012 NFL Draft.  McClellin has been somewhat underwhelming so far in the NFL with his more notable play coming when he sacked Rodgers and broke his collarbone earlier this season.  The difference between Rodgers and the three other quarterbacks on The 53 (Flynn and Tolzien) or injured reserve (Wallace) that played meaningful snaps this season is quite dramatic.  The offense averaged almost 9 points less with Wallace, Tolzien, or Flynn under center instead of Rodgers.  The NFL picks league that I am in with my buddy Sug where we pick every game against the spread had the line at +7 for the Packers even though Rodgers was scheduled to play.  Needless to say, we loaded up on that line making it a pick of the year.  I know this sounds like piling on at this point but in case you missed it, here is the video about Rodgers returning to play the Bears, if you didn't get chills watching that video then I can safely say you are not a Packer fan.  Rodgers looked tentative at times on a handful of his incomplete passes and downright rusty on his two interceptions but take a look at his stat line against the Bears after missing essentially eight games: 25 for 39 throwing for 318 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions for a quarterback rating of 85.2 (QBR of 57.7).  I hate the "big time players make big time plays" but it applies to Rodgers against the Bears.  With the Packers down 28-27 with 46 seconds left in the game and facing a 4th and 8 from the Bears' 48-yard line, Rodgers propelled the Packers into the playoffs.  It is really hard to rank the Top 10 plays of Rodgers' career and that doesn't even factor in that I expect him to have a bunch more over the next decade, but when it is all said and done I think you would be hard pressed to keep his game winner to Cobb out of the Top 10, even if he leads the Packers to more Super Bowl win(s).

3) Randall Cobb (WR, LR N/A): After breaking his leg on the road against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6, the Packers placed Cobb on IR designated for return so he could have been added to The 53 for the Packers/Cowboys game.  Unfortunately Cobb was still not healthy enough to play against the Cowboys or in the Packers/Steelers game. That meant that Cobb ultimately missed 10 games before the Packers activated him from the IR designated for return to The 53 yesterday.  The Packers clearly benefited from having Cobb back in the lineup considering he caught two balls that both resulted in touchdowns.  Although the second touchdown is the one that Packers fans will be talking about for many years to come, Cobb's first touchdown catch on 3rd and 4 at the Bears 7-yard line with 7 and half minutes left in the 3rd quarter down 14-13 is something the Packers been missing with Cobb out.  Wide receivers James Jones and Nelson do a great job working outside while Cobb thrives in the slot.  Often people say take this with a grain of salt but in this instance don't take this with a grain of salt, I think if Cobb was out this week the Packers would not have beaten the Bears.

5) Eddie Lacy (RB, LR 4): Another week, another gutty (no pun intended) performance by Lacy playing with a heavily taped sprained ankle: 21 carries for 66 yards and 1 touchdown to go along with 2 catches for 15 yards.  Although that stat line does not seem that impressive given the fact that the Bears have the worst rush defense in the NFL, it is Lacy's mere presence on the field alone that gives the Packers a legitimate running threat, which opens up a number of options in the passing game.  I've said many times that I am not a fan of running draws out of the shotgun but runs like Lacy's touchdown run against the Bears show that sometimes it is in fact an effective play call since it allows a patient running back like Lacy time to bounce a run outside instead of getting tackled for no gain.  Lacy's touchdown run pulled the Packers within two points with just under 12 minutes to play in the game.  At the time I was fine with McCarthy kicking the extra point to make it 28-27 but upon further reflection today, I think McCarthy should have gone for two in that situation to try to tie the game.  Assuming McCarthy went for two, I would have run Lacy up the middle on that attempt instead of calling a passing play like McCarthy did when he actually went for two in the dying moments of the game.  There is no question that Lacy had the best rookie season for a Packer that I can remember, which is why I thought he got snubbed not getting invited to the Pro Bowl.

6) Sam Shields (CB, LR 5): A little over a month ago I broke down how Packers general manager Ted Thompson should approach their impending restricted and unrestricted free agents this off-season.  At that time I thought Sheilds was a long-shot to return to the Packers but my opinion has dramatically changed.  Part of the reason why I thought Sheilds would not be on The 53 for the Packers in 2014 is the fact that the Packers have a number of young, talented cornerbacks on The 53 for the next few years on cheap, combined with the fact that Shields is going to demand a very large contract.  At the risk of pricing Shields out Green Bay, let's not forget that he holds the distinction of coming up with a game ending interception in two of the most dramatic Packers/Bears games of all-time: 2010 NFC Champion Game & last night.  I know this sounds like me being more of a fan than thinking like a general manager but at some point you need to pay players that make big plays, especially when those guys are just entering their prime like Shields is given that he just turned 26-years old.  There is no question Shields is the best cornerback on The 53 right now.  The real question is whether Thompson can fit a five-year, $50 million contract with at least half of that deal guaranteed into the salary cap for 2014 and beyond to keep Shields on The 53 for the Packers long-term.

8) T.J. Lang (G, LR 6): Apparently McCarthy had to be talked into going for it by his offensive line on the first of three 4th down conversions by the Packers on their final drive  Just to set the stage, the Packers trailed the Bears 28-27 where they faced a 4th and 1 from their own 22-yard line with 4:41 to play and only one timeout left.  Had the Packers not picked up the first down, the game would have essentially been over.  I've said many times that one prism that I look through when dissecting coaching decisions is what an educated fan of the other team would not want a head coach to do.  In that instance, I am sure that Bears fans would rather that the Packers punt instead of going for it.  The Packers ultimately picked up the first down on a one-yard run by fullback John Kuhn but I guarantee you that a smart Bears fan, I know that seems like a non sequitur, would rather the Packers punted in that situation.

10) Tramon Williams (CB, LR 12): A gang tackle of Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey by Williams and Business HJ results in a fumble that was recovered by safety Morgan Burnett.  As Burnett scampered tried to return the fumble for a touchdown, he pitched the ball to cornerback Sam Shields.  Ultimately Shields was tackled after running a few more yards.  That is the kind of group defensive play that we came to expect the last few years from the Packers but have not seen so far this season.  The lack of big plays partially falls at the feet of the safties since they went the entire season without an interception for the first time since the 1950's.  Fortunately against the Bears, the defense picked a good time to harken back to their play the last few years.  Taking into account the fact that the Packers need to keep Shields long-term, I see the Packers doing everything possible to get Williams to take a pay cut next season.  If Williams will not take a pay cut, as crazy as it sounds, I could see the Packers actually keeping Williams instead of cutting him like Thompson cut cornerback/safety Charles Woodson last off-season.

17) Jarrett Boykin (WR, LR 18): How many times is a ball clearly not a fumble or a pass clearly dropped but a player still picks up the ball and runs with it acting as if they have a live ball?  Luckily Boykin with a little help from Rodgers and the sideline realized it was actually a live ball so he scooper it up and ran in for a touchdown.  There is a lot that happened on that play so let's break it down piece-by-piece.  The Packers faced a 1st and 10 on the Bears' 17-yard line down 7-3 with just over three and a half minutes left in the first half.  Bears defensive end Julius Peppers knocked the ball out of Rodgers' hand.  In real time it looked like Rodgers' arm might be going forward, which I presume is why Bears linebacker James Anderson didn't scoop up the ball and run.  If Anderson did, the Bears would have been up 14-3.  Instead Boykin recovered the fumble and ran it in for a touchdown to give the Packers a 10-7 lead.  Boykin's post-game comments gave some interesting insight into what is actually happening on the field during an NFL game.  Even though the fans in the stadium were screaming and the entire Packers' sideline was telling Boykin to pick up the ball, he said that the only thing he could hear was Rodgers telling him to pickup the ball and run.  The emergence of Boykin as a legitimate NFL wide receiver is simultaneously a good and bad thing.  It is a good thing because I could see him starting for a handful of teams in the NFL so that is a nice, cheap commodity to have on The 53 as a 3rd or 4th wide receiver.  It is a bad thing because I could see the Packers letting wide receiver James Jones leave via free agency because they have to extend wide receivers Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson in the next year so having a cost-effective third wide receiver makes more sense than having three expensive wide receivers.

20) James Starks (RB, LR 24): Besides the injury to Rodgers, I will remember 2013 as the season that the Packers started being able to run for first downs on 3rd and 1 again for the first time in what felt like a decade. Whether it be fullback John Kuhn, Lacy, or Starks; it seems like the Packers finally have the physically backs on The 53 to pick up their every tricky one yard.  Case and point, Starks' 41-yard run against the Bears.  I would prefer the Packers use Lacy as opposed to Kuhn or Starks but the fact that we are even discussing the Packers picking up first downs on the ground is amazing.  Starks is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent following this season.  When healthy, Lacy is clearly the bell cow at running back.  The Packers have two running backs currently on injured reserve in Jonathan Franklin and DuJuan Harris that are under contract for at least next season so they will most likely be on The 53 in 2014.  I would be shocked if the Packers drafted a running back after drafting Lacy and Franklin in the 2013 NFL Draft.  Since Kuhn and Starks are both set to be free agents after the season, it will be interesting to see if both return in 2014.  Usually the Packers keep four or five backs on The 53.  Given Kuhn's versatility in being able to play special teams and serve as a great blocking back, I see the Packers keeping Kuhn and then deciding whether they want Starks as a 4th running back on The 53 in 2014.

Enjoy the full game highlights & post-game celebration from one of the five best Packers/Bears games of all-time.  As I said earlier, the Packers and Bears have played 188 times, which should put into context how special their most recent meeting was in the history of the NFL's best rivalry.  Thanks to having uncles with Bears season tickets, I've been to a ton of Packers/Bears games over the years including every game since they renovated Soldier Field.  For some reason I did not get tickets from my uncles this year but we still had a great time watching the game with Cheesehead Chick, Fernando, E-Dogg, Bryn, and James.  After the game Cheesehead Chick and I met Dre, Sug, and Tessa at Wells on Wells for some celebratory drinks.  I don't often gives Bears fans credit but at least the Bears fans at Wells on Wells deserve credit because there were still a handful of them in the bar hours after the game was done and all they did was chuckle at us as we danced around the bar like we just won the Super Bowl.

Speaking of the Super Bowl, the 8-7-1 Packers need to re-group because they host the 12-4 San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs next week. The 49ers are 0-2 at Lambeau Field in the playoffs and the Packers are 8-4 in NFL Wild Card games.  In terms of more recent head-to-head comparisons, after the Packers dominated the 49ers for a very long-time winning eight straight, the series shifted in favor of the 49ers the last few years with the 49ers winning three consecutive games including the regular season openers the last two years (2012 & 2013) and the playoffs last year.

I do not expect a ton of turnover to The 53 this week but if there are any changes, check back for full coverage.  Otherwise make sure to check back early next week for my extended thoughts on the Packers/49ers playoff game.