The straw that broke the camels back

[RashanGary]

The injuries this year have been like piling baggage on the camels back. First Johnny Jolly was lost for the year. Then Ryan Grant, Jermichael Finley, Nick Barnett, Morgan Burnett, Mike Neal, Justin Harrell, Mark Tauscher, Brandon Chillar, Brad Jones, Derrick Martin, Brady Poppinga and Spencer Havner. With all of that piled on his back, the camel found a way to stay on his feet. He found a way to carry the load. The heaviest pieces have been Finley, Grant, Jolly and Neal. Running the ball and stopping the run. . . take those away and you take away the camels legs. They still have a back in Rodgers and the passing game, but with Jenkins falling out, the legs have finally given out. A back is no good without legs and the Packers are no good with no run game or no DL.

This season is over. What's in the draft?

[Spaulding]

JH, surprised you're throwing in the towel when there is still the possibility that we make the playoffs. As long as the defense continues to play inspired we're only an executed play or two away from pulling out a victory. Hard to count out a team that has lost five games by a total of 16 points even if things look dire at the moment.

[red]

next years draft is suppose to be one of the weakest drafts in recent history

i can name two players, cam newton (who IMO will blow in the nfl) and that luck guy

[Freak Out]

We need OL help bad....either through FA or the draft we need some studs in front to keep Rodgers upright and open a seam for a first god damn down.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Needs in order of importance........OL, OL, OL, OL, OL, OLB.

Season is over, to many injuries and to many close losses.

[hurleyfan]

Needs in order of importance........OL, OL, OL, OL, OL, OLB.

Season is over, to many injuries and to many close losses.

OL certainly should be a priority.. they knew Clifton & Tauscher were getting long in the tooth..
Not sure there are any high picks worthy, or can step in and start with the scheme and coaching currently in place..

Linebacker is another high priority..

[Scott Campbell]

Zombo is probably out too? Good grief.

[denverYooper]

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

[red]

i think we need OLB bad, and a new left guard for sure. and i have always said i wouldn't mind a bigger center.

IMO if we lose this week and the bears win, we should sit clifton. move bulaga to left tackle for the last 2 games and start lang at RT to see if he can be the guy there or do we need to find someone else

we're also getting close to needing another WR soon. driver will be done any year now, and i'm about ready to give up on JJ. jordy i think is a good #3 maybe a decent #2 but that still means we need a couple more

[Bretsky]

If we lose this week and the Bears win, can we just tank and get in a good enough draft spot to nab the stud T from UW who just won the outland trophy ? Dude's a mauler and will be a stellar pro. As a matter of fact I'd be elated if we get the top two OL on that team. Both Maulers with attitudes

[mmmdk]

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Germans? Try Nippon.

[Joemailman]

If we lose this week and the Bears win, can we just tank and get in a good enough draft spot to nab the stud T from UW who just won the outland trophy ? Dude's a mauler and will be a stellar pro. As a matter of fact I'd be elated if we get the top two OL on that team. Both Maulers with attitudes

I'm not sure how high Carimi will go. I don't think he has the quickness to play LT, and if others think that way, he could fall to the Packers much like Bulaga did. However, it looks like a weak year for OT's, so it's possible some team desperate for an OT could reach and take him in the 1st half of the draft.

[Joemailman]

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!



Germans? Try Nippon.

Not a John Belushi fan?

[mmmdk]

Not a John Belushi fan?

Nope !

But thank goodness that Canada saved Europe from Hitler...

[MJZiggy]

Not a John Belushi fan?

Saved me from digging for it...

[rbaloha1]

Big time running back. More wrs. LBs. Stanley Havii at full back would also be nice.

[SkinBasket]

next years draft is suppose to be one of the weakest drafts in recent history

In other words, there will more productive starters and serviceable back-ups from this draft than any other in recent history. And of course aloha points out what we need more than anything... another fucking FB.

At some point some of you people will come to realize that most of the people who evaluate drafts pre-draft are mostly full of shit. Then, maybe some of those some will try to spread the word to what will still be most people that pre-draft evaluations, especially of entire draft classes, are fucking useless. Eventually maybe we can convince half the people to not be stupid most of the time. But then we'll have to wear colored scarfs or bandannas to identify who we are.

Anyway, the point being that the pre-dratf crowd usually gets real excited about the kind of flashy players that usually end up eating shit, being suicidal, and murdering dogs in the NFL while ignoring the kind of players who are still growing into their potential and have solid fundamentals behind them. So, I think this will be a wonderful draft if you like football as a game instead of a display of egotistical individual physiomasturbation that usually doesn't translate to success in a team sport. Not that it'll matter when there's a lock-out, but whatever. Fuckers.

[Little Whiskey]

i feel better, how about you?

[Kiwon]

i feel better, how about you?

Not really. It stinks to be a Super Bowl favorite and then have it blow up in your face. It is very hard to find much positive to say about this season.

[BobDobbs]

I think its pretty easy. Defense. Coming into the season I thought our offense would be lighting up the nfl, but wondered if our defense could get it together. So far the defense has been carrying the team. That's amazing.

Especially when we account for the injuries. It looks like we have a great coaching staff and top talent at key positions.

Now we get to measure up against the Patriots and see if it's all a bunch of bullshit like last year.

[mraynrand]

I wonder if 8 years from now people will blame McCarthy and Rodgers for the lost season, the way they still blame Sherman and Favre for 2002.

[Bretsky]

CARIMI AND MOFFIT WERE BOTH NAMED 1ST TEAM ALL AMERICANS TODAY ON THE OL
BRING EM BOTH TO GB

HERE I WAS HOPING WE'D NAB GABE CARIMI IN ROUND ONE AND JOHN MOFFIT IN ROUND THREE....PROLLY NOT HAPPENIN

[Tarlam!]

CARIMI AND MOFFIT WERE BOTH NAMED 1ST TEAM ALL AMERICANS TODAY ON THE OL
BRING EM BOTH TO GB

HERE I WAS HOPING WE'D NAB GABE CARIMI IN ROUND ONE AND JOHN MOFFIT IN ROUND THREE....PROLLY NOT HAPPENIN

What's wrong with you, B, you know Badgers don't get selected by GB.

[vince]

If we lose this week and the Bears win, can we just tank and get in a good enough draft spot to nab the stud T from UW who just won the outland trophy ? Dude's a mauler and will be a stellar pro. As a matter of fact I'd be elated if we get the top two OL on that team. Both Maulers with attitudes
The better chance to make the playoffs would be as a wildcard I'd say. The Packers need to beat the Giants and Bears at home, which obviously isn't a slam dunk, but the Giants losing to the Eagles (which would give the Packers the tie-breaker in that instance) is probably more likely than the Vikings beating the Bears.

And I can't help but notice your homerism regarding your Badgers Anti-Homer Rat.

[packrulz]

The better chance to make the playoffs would be as a wildcard I'd say. The Packers need to beat the Giants and Bears at home, which obviously isn't a slam dunk, but the Giants losing to the Eagles (which would give the Packers the tie-breaker in that instance) is probably more likely than the Vikings beating the Bears.

And I can't help but notice your homerism regarding your Badgers Anti-Homer Rat.
UW cranks out good offensive lineman especially for run blocking, the Packers have an open air stadium and running the ball in Dec/Jan is critical to their success, so whether they get an offensive lineman from UW or wherever there is a desperate need there. Clifton/Taucher are at the end of their careers, and the 5th round picks aren't developing that well, Bulaga was a step in the right direction, but a LT in the first round is needed IMO. We could have AP at running back and I doubt he would get many yards with our OL right now.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

There is still a draft if there is no season in 2011 right?

[3irty1]

I wouldn't say the draft is weak. Its a great year to need a QB. The crop of CBs this year has two or three fantastic prospects. AJ Green is the best WR to come out since Megatron. The running back crop isn't bad. The only position that is particularly weak this year is offensive tackle. If Bulaga came out this year he'd be the cream IMO. I wouldn't be surprised to see the first OT off the board in the late teens.

[denverYooper]

I think its pretty easy. Defense. Coming into the season I thought our offense would be lighting up the nfl, but wondered if our defense could get it together. So far the defense has been carrying the team. That's amazing.

Especially when we account for the injuries. It looks like we have a great coaching staff and top talent at key positions.

Now we get to measure up against the Patriots and see if it's all a bunch of bullshit like last year.

THIS.

For this reason, I think that the loss of Finley was the true backbreaker. Grant's loss was equally as damaging but once Finley went down too, the offense really floundered.

I am very interested to see how our D handles the Pats.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Classic

Animal House: Germans Bombed Pearl Harbor (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8lT1o0sDwI)

[Fritz]

I'm not ready to give up on the season. I'm not saying GB wil beat NE, but football is crazy. Hell, we were all penciling in an automatic W against Detroit (except for yours truly, ahem), and look what happened. And we were all penciling in a loss to the Jets, and look what happened.

The bigger point to me is to look at that damn list JH made of injured players, and add to that all the games missed by Pickett, by Jenkins, by Driver, by all the no-names. Do you realize that MM is winning games with guys that were working at Burger King or Mattress King or Ralph King Construction just a month ago?

[mraynrand]

Do you realize that MM is winning games with guys that were working at Burger King or Mattress King or Ralph King Construction just a month ago?

#53 gave me a great deal on a Sealy Posturepedic.

[mmmdk]

Classic

Animal House: Germans Bombed Pearl Harbor (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8lT1o0sDwI)

Hey Thanks - never saw the movie. I might tho'.

[Freak Out]

Hey Thanks - never saw the movie. I might tho'.

You've never seen Animal House? You should be banned until you've seen it. :)

[mmmdk]

You've never seen Animal House? You should be banned until you've seen it. :)

Sorry, no, I actually adore movies and Film Noir & (good) science fiction is my thing. Got a broad palette of taste but somehow the "classic" called 'Animal House' has escaped my attention.

I will put it on my list of must-see-films !

[mmmdk]

'Animal House' has a 7.6 rating from 42.000 voters on IMDB.com ! That's pretty good; officially must-see now. Only knew of Blues Brothers with John Belushi.

[Smidgeon]

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

:D

[cheesner]

Keep in mind, this could be a double draft. If next season is a holdout and they come back the year after, there will be another draft. I would imagine they would use the same draft position from this coming draft. Detroit maybe looking pretty good with a couple of high picks coming in all at once in 2012.

Packers need OL, RB, OLB, CB help in that order.

[red]

Sorry, no, I actually adore movies and Film Noir & (good) science fiction is my thing. Got a broad palette of taste but somehow the "classic" called 'Animal House' has escaped my attention.

I will put it on my list of must-see-films !

IMO animal house is the funniest movie ever made. an absolute classic and the very reason why millions of americans including myself even went to college

[red]

a lot of us have talked about how M3 seems to be able to game plan but not adjust at all. what if instead of looking at just one game we expand that out and look at a full season. it was pretty obvious in preseason that finley was going to be the biggest part of our offense. as soon as he got hurt the offense tanked.

could it be that M3 had his plan for what he was going to do this season and when that plan fell apart he wasn't able to figure out anything else and adjust the offense. i mean how many weeks did it take to get jennings into the flow of things?

[Smidgeon]

a lot of us have talked about how M3 seems to be able to game plan but not adjust at all. what if instead of looking at just one game we expand that out and look at a full season. it was pretty obvious in preseason that finley was going to be the biggest part of our offense. as soon as he got hurt the offense tanked.

could it be that M3 had his plan for what he was going to do this season and when that plan fell apart he wasn't able to figure out anything else and adjust the offense. i mean how many weeks did it take to get jennings into the flow of things?

The second game after Finley was out was Jennings first of seven consecutive games with five catches or more and his first one hundred yard game of the season. So there was one down game between Finley and Jennings.

[Deputy Nutz]

I guess being the youngest team in the NFL has some disadvantages after all.

The bottom line is that the Packers do need help along the offensive line, and going into the season with only Grant and Jackson as the only servicable running backs was a poor choice. Jackson has a roll for this team and it doesn't envolve playing on first or second down. He is a tough running, much better than his previous 3 years in Green Bay, but he isn't suited as an every down back in the NFL. Starks isn't going to be a long term answer either.

the Packers have to get a left tackle, or right tackle in the draft. Buluga looks ok as a right tackle but isn't performing well enough with the hopes of moving him to left tackle. Clifton is finished, he is a good pass blocker, but his lack of ability in the run game is becoming too much to bare.

Colledge is servicable but he won't dominate in the run game ever, Wells is just too damn small, Sitton is a very good player. Right now the Packers have to find two to three new offensive linemen.

Linebackers, injury took a toll this year, but the fact is, the packers need another impact player at OLB. The Packers could do a couple of interesting moves, one would be to move Nick Barnett to OLB, or even Bishop. Hawk and Bishop have done well playing the middle, with Hawk being a free agent the other opportunity would be to draft a player to go opposite of Mathews.

Secondary, always a need. Safety will get deeper with Burnett coming back, but that leaves Burnett, Collins, and Peprah as the only servicable safeties. Bigby is gone after this season. Woodson is amazing, considering his age, but the time is now to look for his replacement. Sam Sheilds has a long way to go, and Underwood, and Pat Lee are using up their worth.

For a team looking to go to the Super Bowl they have some impact positions that they need to fill before the 2011 season. Thompson will go through the draft but I don't know if the Packers will have enough picks.

[RashanGary]

You did a really good job of hitting on the negatives there, Nutz.

But, every team in the NFL, INCLUDING the New England Patriots, have holes in their starting lineups and unready youth at backup positions.

But, for the sake of providing a counterpoint to your argument. . . .



We have an upper tier starting QB with a solid backup

Our WR's are talented at the top and deep throughout

Our TE's with Finley back and Quarless in year two look to be elite

Depending on how of offseason shakes out, Jenkins, Raji, Pickett, Jolly, Neal and Wilson would make up probably the deepest, strongest and most versatile 34 front in the NFL


Every year we come into the season thinking we're screwed at two or three positions only to find somebody from within step up. Nick McDonald, TJ Lang and Newhouse all have chances to step up on the OL. You sell Shields and Starks short. They both have chnaces to be very good players in year two. . .



I don't think it's as bleak as you make it. If we lose Clifton, at this point we're losing just a guy. Driver has been just a guy this year. We're not losing any players. We'll be adding several and getting healthy. Where you see pessimism, I see optimism. There were a lot of tough breaks this year with injuries. That usually doesn't happen two years in a row.

[mraynrand]

It helps a hell of a lot if you shore up one or two of those gaps with a veteran who can play right now. Like a Santana Dotson, a Eugene Robinson, a Bruce Wilkerson, etc. etc. And then whe you get your Craig Newsome or Brian Williams to come on, it's a beautiful thing. Packers will have so much depth next year, it's going to bring tears to our eyes when the season gets torpedoed by a lock out or some other such foolishness.

[Deputy Nutz]

The defensive line should have been a strong point, but how many years has this been that Jenkins, the Packers best overall defensive linemen has dealt with injuries? I totally understand injuries, a team can only take so many of them before crumbling, The defensive line of the Packers is an example of this, just like every team has its holes to fill every off season. The difference is some teams are better at it than others.

Ted Thompson has struggled to put together an offensive line that can control the line of scrimmage. He has struggled to add depth to this roster that can effectively fill the gaps left by injury and to have an above average special teams. Thompson has given this team a quality QB, a good squad of WR, and Finely who has now missed significant time for two straight years, but is still a quality TE. I don't have a lot of trust is Quarless, and I am totally disappointed in Donald Lee. Again I think Thompson is going to have to look for another tight end to fill the vacancy of Donald Lee. Regardless Thompson has done a quality and efficent job, but has nothing to show for it.

This is an above average franchise, but it is not elite and has not been for some time. They are not in the same category as the Patriots, Steelers, and Colts.

[packerbacker1234]

Times like this make me ashamed to be a packer fan. We go from shutting out the jets and talking SB contendor to "season is over" because of a bad loss. There are a lot of scenarios that can play out that will land us int he playoffs. THe dfense has been playing inspired all year - I see no reason for that to stop. This team is built to play better indoors and warm weather than at home - so we have a big advantage if we are a wildcard team on the road, depending on where we play.

Bottom line is that there is a lot of football left. Lets at least wait and see what happens agains the pats before throwing the towel in. What happens if, with Flynn at the helm, we upset the pats on the road? Are we back to super bowl contendor's all of a sudden? A lot can happen.

[mraynrand]

Times like this make me ashamed to be a packer fan. We go from shutting out the jets and talking SB contendor to "season is over" because of a bad loss. .


If it were just the bad loss, I'd agree with you. It's all the bad losses throughout the season, including the two from the Detroit game that make us worried

[Bossman641]

You did a really good job of hitting on the negatives there, Nutz.

But, every team in the NFL, INCLUDING the New England Patriots, have holes in their starting lineups and unready youth at backup positions.

But, for the sake of providing a counterpoint to your argument. . . .



We have an upper tier starting QB with a solid backup

Our WR's are talented at the top and deep throughout

Our TE's with Finley back and Quarless in year two look to be elite

Depending on how of offseason shakes out, Jenkins, Raji, Pickett, Jolly, Neal and Wilson would make up probably the deepest, strongest and most versatile 34 front in the NFL


Every year we come into the season thinking we're screwed at two or three positions only to find somebody from within step up. Nick McDonald, TJ Lang and Newhouse all have chances to step up on the OL. You sell Shields and Starks short. They both have chnaces to be very good players in year two. . .



I don't think it's as bleak as you make it. If we lose Clifton, at this point we're losing just a guy. Driver has been just a guy this year. We're not losing any players. We'll be adding several and getting healthy. Where you see pessimism, I see optimism. There were a lot of tough breaks this year with injuries. That usually doesn't happen two years in a row.

For the most part I agree with JH. We all know the team so well that we are able to easily pick up where the weaknesses are. All team has weaknesses though. The Patriots don't have a gamebreaker WR, their RB''s aren't dynamic, their secondary and pass defense in general is average.

It's so hard to look at this team now with all the pieces missing. Offensively, losing both Grant and Finley changed the way defenses were able to game plan us. Defensively, the DL's has finally started to break down due to injuries. There may not be a game changer between Jenkins, Raji, Pickett, and Neal but they are a very stout run defense. The only game I remember them all being 100% healthy was against Washington when the Skins were held to 51 yards on 21 carries. Shanahan came out of that came saying something along the lines of "that being the most physical front he could remember going against."

Thinking about this season makes me so angry. We have guys starting that wouldn't even be on the team normally.

The only positions that I think need immediate help are OL (Campen) and a better OLB.

[SkinBasket]

Times like this make me ashamed to be a packer fan. We go from shutting out the jets and talking SB contendor to "season is over" because of a bad loss. .

Actually there's no need to be ashamed. Now is the time to feel this way. This team wasn't elite to start the season, and quickly lost the parts and depth that could have hidden our deficiencies. Sure, there's been success stories: Most notably Peprah even with Gimpfucker Bigby McGoo threatening to play a dozen snaps before injuring himself again. Bulaga hasn't looked nearly as terrible as fill-in OL have recently. But this team is depleted. They are a depleted, worn down team with a decrepit OL and the NFL's next Doug Peterson @ QB... if we're lucky. Even with Rodgers in the game, we couldn't score against the Lions.

I thought it was more ridiculous when some people freaked the fuck out after losing to ATL on the road. That was the appropriate time to be ashamed. Now is the time for resignation.

[RashanGary]

Of the most recent dominant teams, only one GM, Scott Pioli, has taken over a team and had immediate SB success. Colbert and Polian both built it up from the bottom, had some down years, but got their teams to the point of consistent success and eventually won SB(s).

Thompson has the team on that brink. A league leading 14 players to IR and we've still been competitive to the end.

I'm disappointed in the season. I'm disappointed in teh possible lockout because of how close we are. I'm disappointed in Ted not going a good job on the OL.

But overall, I'm very excited about this team. They're knocking on the door of greatness.

[SkinBasket]

I think they have the wrong door. They should be knocking on the door of good-enough-most-of-the-time-except-when-they-aren't.

[VermontPackFan]

I was really looking forward to playing the Pats to see how we stacked up against the best the NFL had to offer. Even with all the injuries and players we have lost I thought we still could play with them, make the playoffs and possibly make some noise. Losing Jenkins & Zombo probably for the season and Rodgers short term ends both of those fantasies. While I thought Flynn played well in relief last week and am looking forward to seeing how he does this week, I do not hold our much hope in beating any of the 3 good teams we face over the next 3 weeks.