motife
08-15-2006, 02:39 PM
MONDAY, Aug. 14
Cliff Christl
Packer Insider columnist
With Mike McCarthy's exhibition debut in the books, Cliff Christl answered your questions on the game and on training camp so far.
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Q: Randy of NYC - Does it make sense to keep Favre in almost the entire first half when they are having problems protecting him (2 sacks, 3 knockdowns)? Maybe I'm just being overprotective...
A: Cliff Christl - Randy, you posted first. It is football. But I wondered the same thing. What sense does it make to play a proven, 36-year old qb in that situation? The coaches wanted to get Favre so many plays. But I sometimes think pride gets in the way when a team plays as poorly as the Packers were Saturday. Trouble is I saw Bart Starr essentially ruin Lynn Dickey's career playing for foolish pride at the end of a blow-out game.
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Q: Richard Wuchte of Milwaukee - As a "Bears" fan living in the great State of Packerland, I was licking my chops last evening watching the new and improved Packers, but I saw a team that is going to have one long season in tundra-land. How bad will the "Bears" beat them on 9/10, one day before the day of real infamy?
A: Cliff Christl - The Packers looked bad, no question. And they looked much like they have on the practice field for the past two weeks. But it was just an exhibition game. Jeff Jagodzinski said today that Atlanta's first pre-season game in 2004 was just as ugly -- a 24-0 loss to Baltimore -- and the Falcons wound up leading the NFL in rushing. Yes, the Bears will be favored and should win. But I wouldn't chalk it up just yet based on a game that didn't matter.
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Q: kwed of dubuque - how big is the separation between favre and rodgers at this point? If you throw out experience, how big is it?
A: Cliff Christl - What kind of question is that? That's like asking what's the difference between Heidi Klum and Mimi Boceck (think Drew Carey) if you throw out beauty.
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Q: Carter of Salem, WI - Is there any knowledgeable Packer fan out there who seriously thinks that Ahmad Carroll deserves to be on this team? How about Al Harris earning a bump in pay? This will be one scary year!
A: Cliff Christl - Oh boy! Lose an exhibition opener and it's time to jump off the bridge. Ahmad Carroll got burned for a TD. Al Harris didn't exactly look like a shut-down corner. But Carroll made a couple good plays, too.
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Q: Doug G of Minneapolis - Chris - looks like the O-line needs a lot more help than 2 rookies can provide. I rather feel sorry for Favre and the RBs unless they can really tighten up. Only one EX game, for sure, but saw this familiar routine last year. Your opinion please. By the way, I appreciate the effort you put into your function - you getting paid or not! Thanks
A: Cliff Christl - See today's Camp Report, which has been posted, for today's changes in the offensive line. With two rookies, the offensive line is going to endure some growing pains. But the young guards -- throwing Tony Moll into the mix -- have the ability to get better. Feel sorry for the running backs? The Packers' backs without Green would make any line look bad. Remember this: A great running back will make an ordinary offensive line look good; and bad running backs will make an ok offensive line look bad.
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Q: Mark of Chico, CA - Ok. I heard everything that went wrong. What positives did you see? Give us some hope!!!!!!!!
A: Cliff Christl - There weren't any, but keep the circumstances in perspective. That said, the Packers didn't look any different Saturday night than they've looked in practice. As I've written repeatedly, they don't have any playmakers. They don't have any special players. Without them, you can't expect to win in the NFL. That's what the game is all about today: Big plays and in all three phases of the game.
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Q: Randy of Onalaska by the Mighty Mississippi - Is there any reason to be opptimistic?
A: Cliff Christl - Ahman Green looked pretty good in practice today. If he returns to '03 form, the Packers have a chance to be competitive. They need a running game. They need a back who will keep defenses honest.
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Q: Richard of Oshkosh, WI - Was it our poor blocking or the 3-4 defense that gave us problems. Maybe both?
A: Cliff Christl - Good question. The scheme and the fact the Packers hadn't worked against it much probably was a factor. Just flying to San Diego for a meaningless game probably was a factor. In a situation like that, the Chargers had an advantage. But I also happen to think the Chargers could be one of the best teams in the NFL this season if Rivers is the answer at quarterback. They have special players. Their DT, Jamal Williams, was ranked No. 2 by Pro Football Weekly and the Packers had some problems with him during the early going before he retired for the night.
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Q: Eric of Germantown - With all the negativity that has surrounded Brett Favre during the past year, I still cant help think that if you place him on a team with merely decent talent he would still be a great/very good, super bowl calliber quarterback. Maybe he cant carry a team on his own anymore, but wouldnt you agree that he could still be the difference maker on a number of teams?
A: Cliff Christl - He can't make plays out of nothing the way he did as a young qb. That's the biggest difference I see. But watching the game Saturday, he was all they had on offense. They had no blocking, no running backs, no special receivers. Favre hasn't had a great camp, but I think part of it is that he has few weapons. Green could change that. But that's a big if, considering his injury and age.
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Q: Richard of Oshkosh, WI - I see Carrol is up to his old tricks. He's lucky he was called for more penalties. Took think, we could and should have taken Chris Gamble.
A: Cliff Christl - Have you watched Chris Gamble? He doesn't exactly have the game mastered, either. He really struggled early last year, too.
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Q: James of Grand Forks, ND - Did we draft a strong-side linebacker with the number 5 pick in the draft. Granted, Gates makes a lot of linebackers look bad, but I don't see how Hawk expects to cover anyone if he gets burned by 5 yards on a simple slant route. Looks like another Big Ten linebacker who struggles against the pass in the NFL due to the style of play they're used to in college.
A: Cliff Christl - Gates made Hawk look bad, but Gates is one of the best players in the NFL. The key will be if Hawk learns from his mistakes and improves. At least, he showed some flashes Saturday. That was a plus, although it was against some backup people.
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Q: MAtt of Chicago - ALright Cliff, I'm not ready to jump off a building or anything, but the pass rush looks horrible. Maybe it's just that early and I read that the PAck weren't blitzing, but I didn't see any rush. The Pack could have the best secondary in the league and still get burned if QB's have 5+ seconds to throw. Do you think it was the scheme for this game or is this indicative of how the season will go?
A: Cliff Christl - They don't have a great pass rusher. KGB is their best and he's not anywhere near Dwight Freeney. So they'll have to blitz and do some things to get pressure, but they probably won't show a lot of it in the pre-season.
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Q: David Nawrocik of Cocoa Beach Florida - If the Packers are trying to establish a running game,why not try to run on the fourth down play? Where they trying to cross up San Diago?
A: Cliff Christl - First of all, it was 4th and 2. That's a tough challenge any time. They already had failed on a third-and-one play. Here are their rushing stats for the night: 18 carries, 44 yards and a 2.4 average. What are you going to achieve running the ball?
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Q: PQ of Eau Claire - Hey Cliff, I appreciate these chats and the camp reports. Fans are foolish to call Hawk a bust at this point. Could his play have been better Saturday night? Sure, but he's a 22 year old learning the ropes. On the other hand Aaron Rodgers was impressive. Your thoughts?
A: Cliff Christl - You're right. It would be foolish to call Hawk a bust. But he was supposed to be the one player in the draft who was most ready to play in the NFL. That should be some cause for concern. As for Aaaron Rodgers, he looks much better. But don't forget, he was playing against mostly scrubs.
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Q: Jeff Babcock of Kaukauna - Cliff, I didn't see anything unexpected in the game. I think the biggest issues were lack of pass rush, which has been an issue since the late 90's, and lack of pass protection, but what would you expect for the 1st game with 2 rookies at guard. After seeing Hodge fall on his face in pass coverage, maybe now the fans won't vote him into the Hall of Fame just yet. I think Aaron Rodgers showed a vast improvement over this time last year. Did you see anything positive or negative that surprised you?
A: Cliff Christl - Good assessment. Since day one of camp, I thought this team has looked nondescript. But it's young in some areas. So maybe it has the potential to get better.
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Q: Bob of San Antonio - Lets make sure Ted does a good job of scouting the collge players this fall as it looks likwe will again get a top five pick--what a disaster Mike Sherman over and over, Special teams are worse than last year and where is the pass rush and 74 was never mentioned money went to his head--we will lucke to be 4-12--the Bears will hit Farve so often he will be out the first quarter.
A: Cliff Christl - So you're drawing conclusions about Kampman on one game where the starters were out in the second quarter? That makes sense. And there's more to the Packers' decline than Mike Sherman's draft picks.
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Q: Walter of Kenosha - Look out Brett! I hope thats not our Battle Cry this year! Enough said about our offense. Couple of questions... AJ Hawk, I thought he showed up near the ball more, could ya give me your take on him and how he is progressing, or things you noticed from him good and bad. After Underwood went down, Culver played alot and I thought he really took advantage of the situation of getting more time and showed he was a good pick, I read his speed was suspect, but he seemed to be in the right spots and has a good feel for the game. What do you think about him and his potential, from what you have seen thoughout practices and in San Diego.
A: Cliff Christl - I think Hawk showed some burst and made some plays, but keep in mind that some of them came after the Chargers had started substituting. And they didn't play Tomlinson at all and Gates very little. As for Culver, he could be a player. The coaches said he didn't blow a single assignment. That's pretty good for a rookie. I don't think Culver will ever be anything special, but he could be a solid backup or maybe even an adequate starter some day. He seems to be an instinctive, dependable football player.
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Q: j williams of Milwaukee - Who is this year's Joey Thomas? Last year, he got lots of press about getting better and possibly stepping up into a starting role only to be cut half-way into the season. See anyone like that this year?
A: Cliff Christl - I think Carroll, Horton and Hawkins before he got hurt looked better than a year ago in camp. And I still think they could be ok players. But I need to keep reminding myself that they aren't exactly facing the Arizona Cardinals receivers every day in practice.
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Q: Horrible Hank of volcano island - I'm amazed by the negative media take on Ahmad Carroll. What were Green Bay coaches saying about Carroll's performance after the game?
A: Cliff Christl - That he had one bad play, but also some good plays.
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Q: Brian Murphy of Dallas - Christl, I am not able to see the preseason games, and it sounds like I should be glad I didn't witness this team lose to the LaDanian Tomlinson-less Chargers. My question for you is: How did each of the new OL rookies and youngsters look? Also, is there anyway you can show what Brett Favre's PRESEASON statistics were during his MVP run? Preseason is overrated, or is it? I'd like to see if he performed great in preseason or not, during his "glory" years.
A: Cliff Christl - Colledge struggled and lost his job, at least temporarily. (See Camp Report). The coaches felt Wells, Spitz and Moll played ok or better. I didn't talk to the coaches about Coston or Chris White. But from what I saw, Coston struggled again at left tackle and White wasn't very stout at times.
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Q: Coach Madden of Buffalo - How did Aaron Rodgers go 9-11 but it only led to 3 points? Did he look as good as 9-11 indicated, or more like 3 points in a half indicate? I know if a WR drops a 4th down pass like Jennings was said to have, that can't help.
A: Cliff Christl - He threw an interception and was sacked three times.
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Q: plotko of Henderson, Nv. - I guess my expectations must not be as popular as other Packer fans. The Chargers are a team that can contend for the Super Bowl this year even if Rivers has a very average season. Unless ths Packers start putting two tight ends in the backfield to protect Favre this team will be lucky to win four games. I know there will be improvement as the season moves along but Cliff, Favre and Rodgers must be more nervous back there than Boy George eating a corndog! The d-line is very weak and the secondary average at best. Whoever thought this team might win the division or even 8 games must be trapped in a room with pink smoke. It's obvious, at least to me, that another sub par season with 2-5 wins is in the cards. I just don't see any dominating players on either side of the ball! Cliff, I haven't missed a Packer game on TV since 1960 and consider myself a very loyal fan but I know we are in a three year rebuilding period and will have to suck up some tough times. I do however think there is some nice young talent but not enough to make inroads on an 8-8 season. Thanks for taking my question.
A: Cliff Christl - I pretty much agree with you. They have some good players and some good young players, but so does every team in the league. But, again, I keep repeating the same question: Who on that team is going to make plays? Who is going to score touchdowns?
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Q: Powerball of Texas - Cliff- The other night Nick Collins goes down on concrete that by all accounts says simple common sense shows that the concrete is clearly an injury risk. (Thompson says they are going to try really hard to fix that, but he made that 60 minute job sound like the army corp of engineers needed to be flown in to study the problems and it could be months before it's fixed which to me just seems pathetically stupid) Then in the San Diego mauling that the Packers took, on the first score by San Diego, their is very little room between the endzone and the stadium seating, but laying next to the endzone boundaries was this big metal cart that the players brushed into. It was just laying there and was easily a hazard to any player. In fact the players brushed by it and fortunately did not slam into at full force. Is there just no thinking involved in making things safe for the players. It is mind boggling that the most stupid things like this get overlooked. How is this even possible in today's environment?
A: Cliff Christl - I didn't see the cart. You're more observant than I am. As for the concrete, I believe that has or will be taken care of by Saturday night. But hasn't that been there for years? And if they have to tear out concrete, I've seen projects like that take months on the street in front of my house. So how do you explain it?
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Q: Josh of Princeton, NJ - Hi Cliff -- Tyrone Culver looked pretty good in Saturday night's game. He seemed to be around the ball a lot. But was this just because he was letting balls get caught in front of him a lot, or was he actually playing pretty well? Hawk looked awful on a couple of pass coverages, but seemed to hit pretty well and had some nice stops against the run. What did you think of his performance? Finally, is Aaron Rodgers that much improved over last year, or was it just a consequence of playing against scrubs?
A: Cliff Christl - I think I addressed Culver and Hawk. As for Rodgers, he looks much better than a year ago. But he's still a work in progress. I don't know if he has the tools to be a great quarterback, but he may be able to win by managing a game well and playing within himself. It'll depend on his supporting cast, too. Did he look good Saturday night? Yes, but against backup people. Let's face it, Rivers looked better and he's going to be a first-year starter.
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Q: Doug of San Diego - Cliff, I went to the Packers-Chargers game. Favre took a beating....and berated his offensive linemen as they came off the field. Per my friend on the sideline, he was steaming mad, using expletives and swatting one guy on the helmet. I believe he still can play. His turning something into nothing on the long pass play, his keeping the play alive on the 4th down. But, his recievers continued inability to get open right off the snap is making him hold the ball longer. With two rookie guards, and a center starting for the first time, he is going to get abused this season. (Maybe holding on to Flanagan to have a veteran in the middle would have been a good move). So, question is, do the Packers try to make a trade for a second team lineman elsewhere, or change their offensive philosophy to rollouts to stop Favre from getting killed?
A: Cliff Christl - I think Wells will be fine and certainly as good as the Flanagan of last year. Why is it that Packer fans can't move on? They always want to hang on to players who are sliding or over-the-hill. It's a young man's game. One of the secrets to Vince Lombardi's success was that he was always looking to dump players before they started to slide. As for Favre, they started to roll him more Saturday as the game unfolded, or so it seemed to me. I may be in a minority about this, but I don't know if it's wise to rein in Favre. He's about their only playmaker and there isn't much around him. What's better: To let him take that old gunslinger approach and interceptions be damned or to harness him and watch him get sacked five, six times a game? Maybe that's pretty simplistic after one exhibition game. But if Favre doesn't take chances and doesn't have a running game, the Packers aren't going to score more than three points in a lot of games this season.
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Q: Bob F of Chagrin Falls - Did not see the game live, but the O-line could not protect or apparently open any holes for running. At this point is this a function of trying new blocking technigues or personnel?
A: Cliff Christl - To have a running game, you need a special running back. It's simple as that. If you have LaDainian Tomlinson and the Packers' offensive line, you're going to have a running game. If you're running the ball with Najeh Davenport, Samkon Gado and Noah Herron, you aren't going to have a running game that's going to scare anybody. Now that I've written that do you think I'll hear again from the guy who sent me an email during the off-season questioning me for not believing that Samkon Gado could be as good as Shaun Alexander?
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Q: Bob Hurd of Warrensburg, MO. - Cliff- with a new head coach, O & D coordinators, OL blocking scheme & two rookie guards, fans shouldn't expect miracles this year. Did you see anything positive despite the score? Is Brett's health in jeopardy? (I didn't see the game).
A: Cliff Christl - Good point. When you change coaches and put in a new system, you're going to be behind teams that didn't have turnover and especially one as well coached as San Diego. Of course, you have the nitwits out there who don't think Marty Schottenheimer is a good coach because he hasn't won a Super Bowl, even though his teams have had a history of overachieving.
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Q: San Diego Sal of San Diego - Hi Cliff. Was at the game on Saturday in SD. One thing that stood out was how ineffective Najeh Davenport is. He missed one of the blocks that resulted in the 1st sack, couldnt gain a yard on 3rd and 1, has no moves, no power, nothing. Is Davenport on the bubble? Is this the big name cut of this season? Wouldnt break my heart one bit. The guy is useless. Gado made a great block that led to the 30 yard pass to Ferguson. Also, I though Jennings made some great moves but he looks shocked at Favre's velocity. What do you think, about Jennings and Davenport's performances? The linebacker crew looks interesting but a little lost right now. Ill give them time.
A: Cliff Christl - Davenport hasn't stuck out in practice. I don't think he's a cinch to make it, but who else do they have? Jennings made the biggest play of the game, but also dropped two as I recall. Sorry, I don't have my notes here. Anyway, Jennings has been consistent in practice for the most part. He had a drop today, but that hasn't been typical of his play.
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Q: Scott of Baltimore - Do you like the young lineman the Packers are developing on offense, and how long do you think it will take for them to develop into a proficient unit? With new coaches, let alone new players with new coaches, I have noticed a roughly 5 game window, more or less, for teams to start functioning at a higher level. With new players, that would logically be longer, if at all. Your thoughts.
A: Cliff Christl - I think Spitz, Colledge and Moll all have a chance to be players. Maybe even Bourke, although he plays the one position where it usually takes a special player and he isn't that. But it'll take time for them to develop and become more consistent. It might even take more than a season. How long did Wahle struggle before he found his niche and became a player?
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Q: Evan of Chicago - The defensive line is the spot where the most depth is needed and it seems as if the Packers have plenty of able, rotation type guys. But anyone who thinks that the D-Line is a position ofs strength is mistaken. There is no dominant player and there may only be 1 or 2 legitimate starters (Kampman, maybe Pickett) and a one dimensional (albiet dynamic pass rusher) in KGB. I know there are no better alternatives available at this point but the likes of Cole, Williams, Jenkins, Montgomery et.al are only going to perpetuate the mediocrity of the Green Bay defense as a whole.
A: Cliff Christl - I agree withb you. They don't have a stud defensive lineman and the best lines always have one or two. But teams win in this day and age with average, rotation-type players if they have special players in other places. No, the D-line isn't a strength and I don't believe I've ever written that. But it's not a group that will necessarily perpetuate mediocrity in Green Bay. Seattle got to the Super Bowl last year and they didn't have people a whole lot better. Grant Wistrom might be better than either of the Packers' ends, but he's not a special player. Neither is Rocky Bernard. I thought Washington had a really sound defense last year and they don't have anybody special up front. In fact, the Packers have more top 25 players in the D-line in the Pro Football Weekly ratings this year. It was 3 to 1, I believe. Go look up the names of San Francisco's D-linemen in the Walsh era. Admittedly, they had Dean and then Haley. But the rest were mostly bodies. True, it's a tremendous advantage to have an outstanding defensive lineman or two. They can dominate a game. But I suggest that you also study the personnel on other teams and your NFL history.
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Q: Andrew of waynesville north carolina - Hi Cliff thanks for taking my question. i saw how the packers O line was dominated by the chargers defense do you think it will get any better once they have time to play more in real game situations? Also how do you think the running backs will fare in this new zone blocking scheme?
A: Cliff Christl - If you have young players with ability, there should be an upside there and they should get better. Some times it happens fast; sometimes it takes a year or so. Rookie offensive linemen usually don't come into the league and dominate. But they can be functional and that's probably all the Packers are hoping for this year. As for the running backs, they have one good one in Ahman Green. But he's coming off a serious injury and he's 29, or 129 in dog years, which might be the more appropriate yardstick for running backs.
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Q: Vince of Midlothian, IL - How alarming is the Packers loss to the Chargers and if Underwood is lost for the season how bad of a loss is that for the defense?
A: Cliff Christl - Losing to the Chargers isn't alarming other than that's how they've also looked in practice. Underwood was having a good camp and was much improved. But he didn't figure to be a starter. He just had a chance to be a contributor. They should be able to find somebody just as good or close to it.
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Q: Digger of Andoverf, MN - Hi Cliff: I was disturbed by Barnett's public comments about moving to the outside. He's pretty smug for a player that makes all his tackles 6 yards downfield, never makes a big play and never made all-pro. Many folks, including loyalists to this forum, have suggested for years that Barnett would better suited to the outside. No one can argue that Barnett has speed and durability. But, does a "B-minus" player have the right to name his spot?
A: Cliff Christl - Loyalists to this forum think Barnett would be better on the outside? So what. Barnett has been an average middle linebacker. He offers value in the passing game and with his range in the running game. He's not a Dick Butkus. But then even some of the best middle linebackers in today's game aren't big, take-on players. Like I said last week. Normally, in life, you don't take somebody's job away unless somebody proves they're better. Of course, Packer fans determined after one Family Night scrimmage that Hodge was better. But that's not the reality of the situation. If Hodge actually proves that he's better in the middle, I'm guessing they'll make the move and Barnett will make the most of it. What puzzles me here is why somebody would be disturbed about Barnett's comments. Have you ever grumbled about an expected change at work? If so, should I or any other Tom, Dick or Harry be disturbed about that?
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Q: Joe Schneider of Indianapolis - Cliff, No spin on this exibition, we looked terrible at the point of attack on both sides of the ball. Do you feel that the O an D lines will fare better as we move forward?
A: Cliff Christl - If Ahman Green returns to form, the offensive line could be OK. I see no reason why the defensive line can't be as good as last year. And I didn't think it was anything special last year, but I didn't think it was a weakness, either.
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Q: Rick of Suwanee, Ga - Cliff - My question is around the defensive line. In keeping up with the media coverage on the Packers this year I was expecting to see more of a pass rush & better containment by our Defensive line. What is your assessment of the D-Lines performance yesterday?
A: Cliff Christl - I didn't think Jason Hunter, Dave Tollefson, Montez Murphy and Johnny Jolley and some of the other DTs were anything special, but I saw some flashes even out of some of them. They were playing by the midway point of the second quarter or soon after. How do you assess the defensive line? Cole and KGB had sacks. The Chargers rushed for just 82 yards and 3.2 yards per carry. So was it that bad? But, then again, how do you even measure that when Tomlinson doesn't even play?
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Q: Josh of Phoenix - Defend both of these points: 1)The Packers will win four games again 2) The Packers will win eight games
A: Cliff Christl - If Ahman Green can still break a run and go the distance on occasion and carry 20-25 times a game, I think it would be optimistic, but I also think the Packers might have a chance to win 6 to 8 games. If Green can't do that, I don't see them winning more than four.
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Q: Josh of Phoenix - Cliff---I have been reading your columns for years and I know how much you hate to speculate. You must be in hell with all these pre-season questions that don't amount to much, but I thank you for fielding them anyway. No, really, I do. The speculation part is fun, and I have come to accepts that people can only function when they try to make sense out of their reality, and you help in that pursuit. I might even call you a man of the cloth, but in this case, it is a man of the jersey.
A: Cliff Christl - I appreciate that. And I apologize if I get too cantankerous with some of the questions. But this was an exhibition game. We've got people writing off Aaron Kampman and the play-by-play shows that Dave Tollefson is playing with 9:17 still to go in the second quarter. Or after one scrimmage, they've decided that Hodge is a better player than Barnett. Sorry, but what kind of logic is that?
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Q: WW of Minnesota - I am sick to my stomach after watching Davenports incredibly gutless performance. Watch his efforts on blitz pickup...it was so bad he should almost be cut on the spot (not to mention his drops, and uninspired running except for one play). The guy gets a chance to start and basically plays like he doesn't care and almost gets his HOF QB killed! Does he think no-one will notice? How has he looked in practices so far? I've had nothing against the guy up until watching him yesterday.
A: Cliff Christl - There's some power there, but he's an upright runner. I don't know if any of the unproven running backs are reliable as blockers or receivers. I wrote last week that I haven't seen anything to get excited about from any of the backs. That's why I think so much hinges on Green's return.
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Q: Brian Anderson of Rockford, IL - Greetings, Cliff -- Since you are quite knowledgable in Packers history, would you speculate on what would've happened to the franchise if two things hadn't happened? What if: 1.) They had not built the new City Stadium in 1957, and 2.) Had not hired Vince Lombardi in 1959? Thanks.
A: Cliff Christl - Good question. They might not be here to be honest. The '50s couldn't continue forever. What if they hadn't traded for Brett Favre? Would they have a rebuilt stadium or be on their last legs? You could ask that, too.
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Q: Jimmy of Milwaukee - Although I saw AJ Hawk get freaked by Antonio Gates, he was a more than willing tackler who always seemed to be around the ball. He seems to bring the lumber when he takes on blockers or ball carriers as well. Did you sense a great deal of improvement in his performance against San Diego from what it had been during training camp?
A: Cliff Christl - I thought he looked better. He looked active. Maybe he's thinking too much. But, then again, his first two plays, as I recall, were against a backup tight end and a backup running back.
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Q: Jack of Denver - I'm sure most people will rant and rave about how the season is already over, but I actually saw some big positives in the game, especially Rogers and Jennings. My question is how can a team so far under than cap have such bad options at kicker and punter? It's almost as if they don't want to win that extra game or two...
A: Cliff Christl - Didn't they offer Vinatieri a better contract than the Colts? Who would want to kick or punt in Green Bay rather than a dome? That seemed to be why Longwell wanted out. Green Bay is one of the least desirable places in the league to kick or punt. In fact, maybe the worst place. Plus, the fans jump on your case if your kickoffs don't soar out of the end zone in 10-degree weather. Even if you're one of the most consistent field goal kickers in the history of the game, they won't cut you a break. None of the Packers recent kickers or punters chose Green Bay. They ended up there because they were drafted -- Jacke, Bidwell -- or they didn't have another job: Hentrich, Longwell. No matter how much cap room there is, it still takes two to sign a contract.
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Q: Bill of Austin - One point that you always make regarding the Mike Sherman regime as general manager was that he held on to players with no upside for too long. Case in point--Michael Hawthorne. Today, some fans I spoke to and others on various internet sites have been arguing that, in light of Underwood's season ending injury, Ted Thompson may have dumped Mark Roman too early in training camp. Actually, it seems like it was the best move, regardless of the lack of depth at this point. Roman was a whiny, underperforming free agent bust who had absolutely no upside at this point in his Packer career. Maybe Culver or some other rookie will get torched back there this year, but at least they will hopefully learn from the experience and improve through the season. There's more potential upside in that scenario. Anyway, I haven't heard much about Culver. How has he looked in camp and will he be a serviceable d-back this year?
A: Cliff Christl - You're right. I still consider starting Hawthorne to be perhaps Sherman's biggest personnel blunder. More than any other, it went against the school of thought that I've always heard preached by some of the great coaches and GMs in the history of the game. And, yes, Roman fell into pretty much the same category. The Packers will be better off with Culver, Boger or any young safety with any potential.
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Q: Steve of Pleasant Prairie - It is becoming all too clear that the Packers are in for a long season. If we are going to struggle offensively all year then wouldn't it be beneficial to play our young qb this season and get the growing pains out of the way. What possible benefits are there for sticking with an aging qb that is only going to be here for this season? Allow Rodgers to get the experience now when the team is struggling so when Thompson starts filling the holes, Rodgers is ready to lead this team.
A: Cliff Christl - And what if Rodgers gets sacked 45 times, throws more picks than TDs and loses all confidence like Joey Harrington in Detroit? Would that be the advantage in playing him?
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Q: gopack of Saint Paul - I have to think with the offensive line being so thin that the packers will need to bring somebody in to provide some depth and insurance. I know the pickings are slim, but even a guy like Grey Ruegamer would add some value right now. I hope TT can find some team with lots of depth that would be willing to make a trade. You thoughts on this?
A: Cliff Christl - It won't happen. You might find another Siitupe Peko or Mookie Moore to battle for a backup spot, but you're not going to be able to trade for a quality O-lineman at this point. Grey Ruegamer? Yeah, he'd brighten your future. Maybe they could bring Doug Widell back too? Or how about Bruce Van Dyke? Bart Starr's mentality in '75 when he brought in Van Dyke was similar to yours. Van Dyke was 31 and beat up as they come, but he had been a solid player earlier in his career in Pittsburgh. So Starr filled a hole at guard with him and the Packers averaged 16 points a game, didn't have a back who rushed for more than 434 yards and the qbs were sacked 42 times. Oh, yes, the other guard was another 31-year old stopgap, Pat Matson, who had had some good years in Cincinnati. Let me shout it out this time: A team is better off with young players who can grow even if it suffers in the short term than the Grey Ruegamers of the world.
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Q: Ann of Amherst, NH - Hi, Cliff. The offensive line leaked like a sieve -- no offensive rhythm poosible when that happens -- but the drops are also alarming. Not just in the game, but your training camp reports are always full of dropped passes. Sharp offenses don't drop balls that are right there on your hands, or between your numbers. I know Favre is getting older, but his fast ball still seems to zing -- he had a at least one thrown on a rope in San Diego. Can't anybody in the receiving corps hang on to a ball? Is it contagious? I think Jennings dropped one from Rogers, too. Thanks for the chats. (Even though it IS part of your job, it's a part you do well, and it's one of the features that make the premium coverage worth paying for).
A: Cliff Christl - They had some drops again today in practice and there were cases again where receivers allowed DBs to win the battle of the ball. It's just not a talented receiving corps. There's one solid veteran. There's one good looking rookie. It's probably one of the worst WR units in the league.
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Q: Rob of Victoria, Canada - Saturday's game confirmed one thing. The O-line is in serious trouble! It is sad to think that #4 returned to get his ass handed for sixteen weeks. TT should have done a better job securing talent on the O-line for Brett's last hurrah!
A: Cliff Christl - Shame on Ted Thompson. He should have signed the best guard available in free agency last off-season. He should have outbid the Cleveland Browns for LeCharles Bentley. He should have upped the ante from the $36 million that the Browns paid Bentley. Then the Packers could find room for Bentley on their injured reserve list. If you don't know by now, Bentley, the guard that so many fans and experts thought would be the perfect answer to the Packers' problems, blew out his knee in the first team session of the first practice of training camp and is done for the year.
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Q: C of Monroe - The Packers may not have many playmakers, but how many are in the North Division? Who are they in your opinion?
A: Cliff Christl - The Bears have at least three or four on defense. That's why they're the favorite. With the Williamses, the Vikings could have two at defensive tackle. Actually, Sharper was one last year on defense, but my hunch is that he had one good year left in him. The Lions have Shaun Rogers. You're right, there aren't many on offense in the NFC North. That's why the Bears won the division with defense and the 29th ranked offense in the league last year. Thanks for all the questions and good night.
Cliff Christl
Packer Insider columnist
With Mike McCarthy's exhibition debut in the books, Cliff Christl answered your questions on the game and on training camp so far.
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Q: Randy of NYC - Does it make sense to keep Favre in almost the entire first half when they are having problems protecting him (2 sacks, 3 knockdowns)? Maybe I'm just being overprotective...
A: Cliff Christl - Randy, you posted first. It is football. But I wondered the same thing. What sense does it make to play a proven, 36-year old qb in that situation? The coaches wanted to get Favre so many plays. But I sometimes think pride gets in the way when a team plays as poorly as the Packers were Saturday. Trouble is I saw Bart Starr essentially ruin Lynn Dickey's career playing for foolish pride at the end of a blow-out game.
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Q: Richard Wuchte of Milwaukee - As a "Bears" fan living in the great State of Packerland, I was licking my chops last evening watching the new and improved Packers, but I saw a team that is going to have one long season in tundra-land. How bad will the "Bears" beat them on 9/10, one day before the day of real infamy?
A: Cliff Christl - The Packers looked bad, no question. And they looked much like they have on the practice field for the past two weeks. But it was just an exhibition game. Jeff Jagodzinski said today that Atlanta's first pre-season game in 2004 was just as ugly -- a 24-0 loss to Baltimore -- and the Falcons wound up leading the NFL in rushing. Yes, the Bears will be favored and should win. But I wouldn't chalk it up just yet based on a game that didn't matter.
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Q: kwed of dubuque - how big is the separation between favre and rodgers at this point? If you throw out experience, how big is it?
A: Cliff Christl - What kind of question is that? That's like asking what's the difference between Heidi Klum and Mimi Boceck (think Drew Carey) if you throw out beauty.
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Q: Carter of Salem, WI - Is there any knowledgeable Packer fan out there who seriously thinks that Ahmad Carroll deserves to be on this team? How about Al Harris earning a bump in pay? This will be one scary year!
A: Cliff Christl - Oh boy! Lose an exhibition opener and it's time to jump off the bridge. Ahmad Carroll got burned for a TD. Al Harris didn't exactly look like a shut-down corner. But Carroll made a couple good plays, too.
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Q: Doug G of Minneapolis - Chris - looks like the O-line needs a lot more help than 2 rookies can provide. I rather feel sorry for Favre and the RBs unless they can really tighten up. Only one EX game, for sure, but saw this familiar routine last year. Your opinion please. By the way, I appreciate the effort you put into your function - you getting paid or not! Thanks
A: Cliff Christl - See today's Camp Report, which has been posted, for today's changes in the offensive line. With two rookies, the offensive line is going to endure some growing pains. But the young guards -- throwing Tony Moll into the mix -- have the ability to get better. Feel sorry for the running backs? The Packers' backs without Green would make any line look bad. Remember this: A great running back will make an ordinary offensive line look good; and bad running backs will make an ok offensive line look bad.
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Q: Mark of Chico, CA - Ok. I heard everything that went wrong. What positives did you see? Give us some hope!!!!!!!!
A: Cliff Christl - There weren't any, but keep the circumstances in perspective. That said, the Packers didn't look any different Saturday night than they've looked in practice. As I've written repeatedly, they don't have any playmakers. They don't have any special players. Without them, you can't expect to win in the NFL. That's what the game is all about today: Big plays and in all three phases of the game.
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Q: Randy of Onalaska by the Mighty Mississippi - Is there any reason to be opptimistic?
A: Cliff Christl - Ahman Green looked pretty good in practice today. If he returns to '03 form, the Packers have a chance to be competitive. They need a running game. They need a back who will keep defenses honest.
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Q: Richard of Oshkosh, WI - Was it our poor blocking or the 3-4 defense that gave us problems. Maybe both?
A: Cliff Christl - Good question. The scheme and the fact the Packers hadn't worked against it much probably was a factor. Just flying to San Diego for a meaningless game probably was a factor. In a situation like that, the Chargers had an advantage. But I also happen to think the Chargers could be one of the best teams in the NFL this season if Rivers is the answer at quarterback. They have special players. Their DT, Jamal Williams, was ranked No. 2 by Pro Football Weekly and the Packers had some problems with him during the early going before he retired for the night.
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Q: Eric of Germantown - With all the negativity that has surrounded Brett Favre during the past year, I still cant help think that if you place him on a team with merely decent talent he would still be a great/very good, super bowl calliber quarterback. Maybe he cant carry a team on his own anymore, but wouldnt you agree that he could still be the difference maker on a number of teams?
A: Cliff Christl - He can't make plays out of nothing the way he did as a young qb. That's the biggest difference I see. But watching the game Saturday, he was all they had on offense. They had no blocking, no running backs, no special receivers. Favre hasn't had a great camp, but I think part of it is that he has few weapons. Green could change that. But that's a big if, considering his injury and age.
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Q: Richard of Oshkosh, WI - I see Carrol is up to his old tricks. He's lucky he was called for more penalties. Took think, we could and should have taken Chris Gamble.
A: Cliff Christl - Have you watched Chris Gamble? He doesn't exactly have the game mastered, either. He really struggled early last year, too.
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Q: James of Grand Forks, ND - Did we draft a strong-side linebacker with the number 5 pick in the draft. Granted, Gates makes a lot of linebackers look bad, but I don't see how Hawk expects to cover anyone if he gets burned by 5 yards on a simple slant route. Looks like another Big Ten linebacker who struggles against the pass in the NFL due to the style of play they're used to in college.
A: Cliff Christl - Gates made Hawk look bad, but Gates is one of the best players in the NFL. The key will be if Hawk learns from his mistakes and improves. At least, he showed some flashes Saturday. That was a plus, although it was against some backup people.
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Q: MAtt of Chicago - ALright Cliff, I'm not ready to jump off a building or anything, but the pass rush looks horrible. Maybe it's just that early and I read that the PAck weren't blitzing, but I didn't see any rush. The Pack could have the best secondary in the league and still get burned if QB's have 5+ seconds to throw. Do you think it was the scheme for this game or is this indicative of how the season will go?
A: Cliff Christl - They don't have a great pass rusher. KGB is their best and he's not anywhere near Dwight Freeney. So they'll have to blitz and do some things to get pressure, but they probably won't show a lot of it in the pre-season.
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Q: David Nawrocik of Cocoa Beach Florida - If the Packers are trying to establish a running game,why not try to run on the fourth down play? Where they trying to cross up San Diago?
A: Cliff Christl - First of all, it was 4th and 2. That's a tough challenge any time. They already had failed on a third-and-one play. Here are their rushing stats for the night: 18 carries, 44 yards and a 2.4 average. What are you going to achieve running the ball?
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Q: PQ of Eau Claire - Hey Cliff, I appreciate these chats and the camp reports. Fans are foolish to call Hawk a bust at this point. Could his play have been better Saturday night? Sure, but he's a 22 year old learning the ropes. On the other hand Aaron Rodgers was impressive. Your thoughts?
A: Cliff Christl - You're right. It would be foolish to call Hawk a bust. But he was supposed to be the one player in the draft who was most ready to play in the NFL. That should be some cause for concern. As for Aaaron Rodgers, he looks much better. But don't forget, he was playing against mostly scrubs.
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Q: Jeff Babcock of Kaukauna - Cliff, I didn't see anything unexpected in the game. I think the biggest issues were lack of pass rush, which has been an issue since the late 90's, and lack of pass protection, but what would you expect for the 1st game with 2 rookies at guard. After seeing Hodge fall on his face in pass coverage, maybe now the fans won't vote him into the Hall of Fame just yet. I think Aaron Rodgers showed a vast improvement over this time last year. Did you see anything positive or negative that surprised you?
A: Cliff Christl - Good assessment. Since day one of camp, I thought this team has looked nondescript. But it's young in some areas. So maybe it has the potential to get better.
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Q: Bob of San Antonio - Lets make sure Ted does a good job of scouting the collge players this fall as it looks likwe will again get a top five pick--what a disaster Mike Sherman over and over, Special teams are worse than last year and where is the pass rush and 74 was never mentioned money went to his head--we will lucke to be 4-12--the Bears will hit Farve so often he will be out the first quarter.
A: Cliff Christl - So you're drawing conclusions about Kampman on one game where the starters were out in the second quarter? That makes sense. And there's more to the Packers' decline than Mike Sherman's draft picks.
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Q: Walter of Kenosha - Look out Brett! I hope thats not our Battle Cry this year! Enough said about our offense. Couple of questions... AJ Hawk, I thought he showed up near the ball more, could ya give me your take on him and how he is progressing, or things you noticed from him good and bad. After Underwood went down, Culver played alot and I thought he really took advantage of the situation of getting more time and showed he was a good pick, I read his speed was suspect, but he seemed to be in the right spots and has a good feel for the game. What do you think about him and his potential, from what you have seen thoughout practices and in San Diego.
A: Cliff Christl - I think Hawk showed some burst and made some plays, but keep in mind that some of them came after the Chargers had started substituting. And they didn't play Tomlinson at all and Gates very little. As for Culver, he could be a player. The coaches said he didn't blow a single assignment. That's pretty good for a rookie. I don't think Culver will ever be anything special, but he could be a solid backup or maybe even an adequate starter some day. He seems to be an instinctive, dependable football player.
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Q: j williams of Milwaukee - Who is this year's Joey Thomas? Last year, he got lots of press about getting better and possibly stepping up into a starting role only to be cut half-way into the season. See anyone like that this year?
A: Cliff Christl - I think Carroll, Horton and Hawkins before he got hurt looked better than a year ago in camp. And I still think they could be ok players. But I need to keep reminding myself that they aren't exactly facing the Arizona Cardinals receivers every day in practice.
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Q: Horrible Hank of volcano island - I'm amazed by the negative media take on Ahmad Carroll. What were Green Bay coaches saying about Carroll's performance after the game?
A: Cliff Christl - That he had one bad play, but also some good plays.
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Q: Brian Murphy of Dallas - Christl, I am not able to see the preseason games, and it sounds like I should be glad I didn't witness this team lose to the LaDanian Tomlinson-less Chargers. My question for you is: How did each of the new OL rookies and youngsters look? Also, is there anyway you can show what Brett Favre's PRESEASON statistics were during his MVP run? Preseason is overrated, or is it? I'd like to see if he performed great in preseason or not, during his "glory" years.
A: Cliff Christl - Colledge struggled and lost his job, at least temporarily. (See Camp Report). The coaches felt Wells, Spitz and Moll played ok or better. I didn't talk to the coaches about Coston or Chris White. But from what I saw, Coston struggled again at left tackle and White wasn't very stout at times.
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Q: Coach Madden of Buffalo - How did Aaron Rodgers go 9-11 but it only led to 3 points? Did he look as good as 9-11 indicated, or more like 3 points in a half indicate? I know if a WR drops a 4th down pass like Jennings was said to have, that can't help.
A: Cliff Christl - He threw an interception and was sacked three times.
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Q: plotko of Henderson, Nv. - I guess my expectations must not be as popular as other Packer fans. The Chargers are a team that can contend for the Super Bowl this year even if Rivers has a very average season. Unless ths Packers start putting two tight ends in the backfield to protect Favre this team will be lucky to win four games. I know there will be improvement as the season moves along but Cliff, Favre and Rodgers must be more nervous back there than Boy George eating a corndog! The d-line is very weak and the secondary average at best. Whoever thought this team might win the division or even 8 games must be trapped in a room with pink smoke. It's obvious, at least to me, that another sub par season with 2-5 wins is in the cards. I just don't see any dominating players on either side of the ball! Cliff, I haven't missed a Packer game on TV since 1960 and consider myself a very loyal fan but I know we are in a three year rebuilding period and will have to suck up some tough times. I do however think there is some nice young talent but not enough to make inroads on an 8-8 season. Thanks for taking my question.
A: Cliff Christl - I pretty much agree with you. They have some good players and some good young players, but so does every team in the league. But, again, I keep repeating the same question: Who on that team is going to make plays? Who is going to score touchdowns?
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Q: Powerball of Texas - Cliff- The other night Nick Collins goes down on concrete that by all accounts says simple common sense shows that the concrete is clearly an injury risk. (Thompson says they are going to try really hard to fix that, but he made that 60 minute job sound like the army corp of engineers needed to be flown in to study the problems and it could be months before it's fixed which to me just seems pathetically stupid) Then in the San Diego mauling that the Packers took, on the first score by San Diego, their is very little room between the endzone and the stadium seating, but laying next to the endzone boundaries was this big metal cart that the players brushed into. It was just laying there and was easily a hazard to any player. In fact the players brushed by it and fortunately did not slam into at full force. Is there just no thinking involved in making things safe for the players. It is mind boggling that the most stupid things like this get overlooked. How is this even possible in today's environment?
A: Cliff Christl - I didn't see the cart. You're more observant than I am. As for the concrete, I believe that has or will be taken care of by Saturday night. But hasn't that been there for years? And if they have to tear out concrete, I've seen projects like that take months on the street in front of my house. So how do you explain it?
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Q: Josh of Princeton, NJ - Hi Cliff -- Tyrone Culver looked pretty good in Saturday night's game. He seemed to be around the ball a lot. But was this just because he was letting balls get caught in front of him a lot, or was he actually playing pretty well? Hawk looked awful on a couple of pass coverages, but seemed to hit pretty well and had some nice stops against the run. What did you think of his performance? Finally, is Aaron Rodgers that much improved over last year, or was it just a consequence of playing against scrubs?
A: Cliff Christl - I think I addressed Culver and Hawk. As for Rodgers, he looks much better than a year ago. But he's still a work in progress. I don't know if he has the tools to be a great quarterback, but he may be able to win by managing a game well and playing within himself. It'll depend on his supporting cast, too. Did he look good Saturday night? Yes, but against backup people. Let's face it, Rivers looked better and he's going to be a first-year starter.
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Q: Doug of San Diego - Cliff, I went to the Packers-Chargers game. Favre took a beating....and berated his offensive linemen as they came off the field. Per my friend on the sideline, he was steaming mad, using expletives and swatting one guy on the helmet. I believe he still can play. His turning something into nothing on the long pass play, his keeping the play alive on the 4th down. But, his recievers continued inability to get open right off the snap is making him hold the ball longer. With two rookie guards, and a center starting for the first time, he is going to get abused this season. (Maybe holding on to Flanagan to have a veteran in the middle would have been a good move). So, question is, do the Packers try to make a trade for a second team lineman elsewhere, or change their offensive philosophy to rollouts to stop Favre from getting killed?
A: Cliff Christl - I think Wells will be fine and certainly as good as the Flanagan of last year. Why is it that Packer fans can't move on? They always want to hang on to players who are sliding or over-the-hill. It's a young man's game. One of the secrets to Vince Lombardi's success was that he was always looking to dump players before they started to slide. As for Favre, they started to roll him more Saturday as the game unfolded, or so it seemed to me. I may be in a minority about this, but I don't know if it's wise to rein in Favre. He's about their only playmaker and there isn't much around him. What's better: To let him take that old gunslinger approach and interceptions be damned or to harness him and watch him get sacked five, six times a game? Maybe that's pretty simplistic after one exhibition game. But if Favre doesn't take chances and doesn't have a running game, the Packers aren't going to score more than three points in a lot of games this season.
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Q: Bob F of Chagrin Falls - Did not see the game live, but the O-line could not protect or apparently open any holes for running. At this point is this a function of trying new blocking technigues or personnel?
A: Cliff Christl - To have a running game, you need a special running back. It's simple as that. If you have LaDainian Tomlinson and the Packers' offensive line, you're going to have a running game. If you're running the ball with Najeh Davenport, Samkon Gado and Noah Herron, you aren't going to have a running game that's going to scare anybody. Now that I've written that do you think I'll hear again from the guy who sent me an email during the off-season questioning me for not believing that Samkon Gado could be as good as Shaun Alexander?
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Q: Bob Hurd of Warrensburg, MO. - Cliff- with a new head coach, O & D coordinators, OL blocking scheme & two rookie guards, fans shouldn't expect miracles this year. Did you see anything positive despite the score? Is Brett's health in jeopardy? (I didn't see the game).
A: Cliff Christl - Good point. When you change coaches and put in a new system, you're going to be behind teams that didn't have turnover and especially one as well coached as San Diego. Of course, you have the nitwits out there who don't think Marty Schottenheimer is a good coach because he hasn't won a Super Bowl, even though his teams have had a history of overachieving.
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Q: San Diego Sal of San Diego - Hi Cliff. Was at the game on Saturday in SD. One thing that stood out was how ineffective Najeh Davenport is. He missed one of the blocks that resulted in the 1st sack, couldnt gain a yard on 3rd and 1, has no moves, no power, nothing. Is Davenport on the bubble? Is this the big name cut of this season? Wouldnt break my heart one bit. The guy is useless. Gado made a great block that led to the 30 yard pass to Ferguson. Also, I though Jennings made some great moves but he looks shocked at Favre's velocity. What do you think, about Jennings and Davenport's performances? The linebacker crew looks interesting but a little lost right now. Ill give them time.
A: Cliff Christl - Davenport hasn't stuck out in practice. I don't think he's a cinch to make it, but who else do they have? Jennings made the biggest play of the game, but also dropped two as I recall. Sorry, I don't have my notes here. Anyway, Jennings has been consistent in practice for the most part. He had a drop today, but that hasn't been typical of his play.
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Q: Scott of Baltimore - Do you like the young lineman the Packers are developing on offense, and how long do you think it will take for them to develop into a proficient unit? With new coaches, let alone new players with new coaches, I have noticed a roughly 5 game window, more or less, for teams to start functioning at a higher level. With new players, that would logically be longer, if at all. Your thoughts.
A: Cliff Christl - I think Spitz, Colledge and Moll all have a chance to be players. Maybe even Bourke, although he plays the one position where it usually takes a special player and he isn't that. But it'll take time for them to develop and become more consistent. It might even take more than a season. How long did Wahle struggle before he found his niche and became a player?
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Q: Evan of Chicago - The defensive line is the spot where the most depth is needed and it seems as if the Packers have plenty of able, rotation type guys. But anyone who thinks that the D-Line is a position ofs strength is mistaken. There is no dominant player and there may only be 1 or 2 legitimate starters (Kampman, maybe Pickett) and a one dimensional (albiet dynamic pass rusher) in KGB. I know there are no better alternatives available at this point but the likes of Cole, Williams, Jenkins, Montgomery et.al are only going to perpetuate the mediocrity of the Green Bay defense as a whole.
A: Cliff Christl - I agree withb you. They don't have a stud defensive lineman and the best lines always have one or two. But teams win in this day and age with average, rotation-type players if they have special players in other places. No, the D-line isn't a strength and I don't believe I've ever written that. But it's not a group that will necessarily perpetuate mediocrity in Green Bay. Seattle got to the Super Bowl last year and they didn't have people a whole lot better. Grant Wistrom might be better than either of the Packers' ends, but he's not a special player. Neither is Rocky Bernard. I thought Washington had a really sound defense last year and they don't have anybody special up front. In fact, the Packers have more top 25 players in the D-line in the Pro Football Weekly ratings this year. It was 3 to 1, I believe. Go look up the names of San Francisco's D-linemen in the Walsh era. Admittedly, they had Dean and then Haley. But the rest were mostly bodies. True, it's a tremendous advantage to have an outstanding defensive lineman or two. They can dominate a game. But I suggest that you also study the personnel on other teams and your NFL history.
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Q: Andrew of waynesville north carolina - Hi Cliff thanks for taking my question. i saw how the packers O line was dominated by the chargers defense do you think it will get any better once they have time to play more in real game situations? Also how do you think the running backs will fare in this new zone blocking scheme?
A: Cliff Christl - If you have young players with ability, there should be an upside there and they should get better. Some times it happens fast; sometimes it takes a year or so. Rookie offensive linemen usually don't come into the league and dominate. But they can be functional and that's probably all the Packers are hoping for this year. As for the running backs, they have one good one in Ahman Green. But he's coming off a serious injury and he's 29, or 129 in dog years, which might be the more appropriate yardstick for running backs.
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Q: Vince of Midlothian, IL - How alarming is the Packers loss to the Chargers and if Underwood is lost for the season how bad of a loss is that for the defense?
A: Cliff Christl - Losing to the Chargers isn't alarming other than that's how they've also looked in practice. Underwood was having a good camp and was much improved. But he didn't figure to be a starter. He just had a chance to be a contributor. They should be able to find somebody just as good or close to it.
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Q: Digger of Andoverf, MN - Hi Cliff: I was disturbed by Barnett's public comments about moving to the outside. He's pretty smug for a player that makes all his tackles 6 yards downfield, never makes a big play and never made all-pro. Many folks, including loyalists to this forum, have suggested for years that Barnett would better suited to the outside. No one can argue that Barnett has speed and durability. But, does a "B-minus" player have the right to name his spot?
A: Cliff Christl - Loyalists to this forum think Barnett would be better on the outside? So what. Barnett has been an average middle linebacker. He offers value in the passing game and with his range in the running game. He's not a Dick Butkus. But then even some of the best middle linebackers in today's game aren't big, take-on players. Like I said last week. Normally, in life, you don't take somebody's job away unless somebody proves they're better. Of course, Packer fans determined after one Family Night scrimmage that Hodge was better. But that's not the reality of the situation. If Hodge actually proves that he's better in the middle, I'm guessing they'll make the move and Barnett will make the most of it. What puzzles me here is why somebody would be disturbed about Barnett's comments. Have you ever grumbled about an expected change at work? If so, should I or any other Tom, Dick or Harry be disturbed about that?
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Q: Joe Schneider of Indianapolis - Cliff, No spin on this exibition, we looked terrible at the point of attack on both sides of the ball. Do you feel that the O an D lines will fare better as we move forward?
A: Cliff Christl - If Ahman Green returns to form, the offensive line could be OK. I see no reason why the defensive line can't be as good as last year. And I didn't think it was anything special last year, but I didn't think it was a weakness, either.
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Q: Rick of Suwanee, Ga - Cliff - My question is around the defensive line. In keeping up with the media coverage on the Packers this year I was expecting to see more of a pass rush & better containment by our Defensive line. What is your assessment of the D-Lines performance yesterday?
A: Cliff Christl - I didn't think Jason Hunter, Dave Tollefson, Montez Murphy and Johnny Jolley and some of the other DTs were anything special, but I saw some flashes even out of some of them. They were playing by the midway point of the second quarter or soon after. How do you assess the defensive line? Cole and KGB had sacks. The Chargers rushed for just 82 yards and 3.2 yards per carry. So was it that bad? But, then again, how do you even measure that when Tomlinson doesn't even play?
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Q: Josh of Phoenix - Defend both of these points: 1)The Packers will win four games again 2) The Packers will win eight games
A: Cliff Christl - If Ahman Green can still break a run and go the distance on occasion and carry 20-25 times a game, I think it would be optimistic, but I also think the Packers might have a chance to win 6 to 8 games. If Green can't do that, I don't see them winning more than four.
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Q: Josh of Phoenix - Cliff---I have been reading your columns for years and I know how much you hate to speculate. You must be in hell with all these pre-season questions that don't amount to much, but I thank you for fielding them anyway. No, really, I do. The speculation part is fun, and I have come to accepts that people can only function when they try to make sense out of their reality, and you help in that pursuit. I might even call you a man of the cloth, but in this case, it is a man of the jersey.
A: Cliff Christl - I appreciate that. And I apologize if I get too cantankerous with some of the questions. But this was an exhibition game. We've got people writing off Aaron Kampman and the play-by-play shows that Dave Tollefson is playing with 9:17 still to go in the second quarter. Or after one scrimmage, they've decided that Hodge is a better player than Barnett. Sorry, but what kind of logic is that?
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Q: WW of Minnesota - I am sick to my stomach after watching Davenports incredibly gutless performance. Watch his efforts on blitz pickup...it was so bad he should almost be cut on the spot (not to mention his drops, and uninspired running except for one play). The guy gets a chance to start and basically plays like he doesn't care and almost gets his HOF QB killed! Does he think no-one will notice? How has he looked in practices so far? I've had nothing against the guy up until watching him yesterday.
A: Cliff Christl - There's some power there, but he's an upright runner. I don't know if any of the unproven running backs are reliable as blockers or receivers. I wrote last week that I haven't seen anything to get excited about from any of the backs. That's why I think so much hinges on Green's return.
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Q: Brian Anderson of Rockford, IL - Greetings, Cliff -- Since you are quite knowledgable in Packers history, would you speculate on what would've happened to the franchise if two things hadn't happened? What if: 1.) They had not built the new City Stadium in 1957, and 2.) Had not hired Vince Lombardi in 1959? Thanks.
A: Cliff Christl - Good question. They might not be here to be honest. The '50s couldn't continue forever. What if they hadn't traded for Brett Favre? Would they have a rebuilt stadium or be on their last legs? You could ask that, too.
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Q: Jimmy of Milwaukee - Although I saw AJ Hawk get freaked by Antonio Gates, he was a more than willing tackler who always seemed to be around the ball. He seems to bring the lumber when he takes on blockers or ball carriers as well. Did you sense a great deal of improvement in his performance against San Diego from what it had been during training camp?
A: Cliff Christl - I thought he looked better. He looked active. Maybe he's thinking too much. But, then again, his first two plays, as I recall, were against a backup tight end and a backup running back.
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Q: Jack of Denver - I'm sure most people will rant and rave about how the season is already over, but I actually saw some big positives in the game, especially Rogers and Jennings. My question is how can a team so far under than cap have such bad options at kicker and punter? It's almost as if they don't want to win that extra game or two...
A: Cliff Christl - Didn't they offer Vinatieri a better contract than the Colts? Who would want to kick or punt in Green Bay rather than a dome? That seemed to be why Longwell wanted out. Green Bay is one of the least desirable places in the league to kick or punt. In fact, maybe the worst place. Plus, the fans jump on your case if your kickoffs don't soar out of the end zone in 10-degree weather. Even if you're one of the most consistent field goal kickers in the history of the game, they won't cut you a break. None of the Packers recent kickers or punters chose Green Bay. They ended up there because they were drafted -- Jacke, Bidwell -- or they didn't have another job: Hentrich, Longwell. No matter how much cap room there is, it still takes two to sign a contract.
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Q: Bill of Austin - One point that you always make regarding the Mike Sherman regime as general manager was that he held on to players with no upside for too long. Case in point--Michael Hawthorne. Today, some fans I spoke to and others on various internet sites have been arguing that, in light of Underwood's season ending injury, Ted Thompson may have dumped Mark Roman too early in training camp. Actually, it seems like it was the best move, regardless of the lack of depth at this point. Roman was a whiny, underperforming free agent bust who had absolutely no upside at this point in his Packer career. Maybe Culver or some other rookie will get torched back there this year, but at least they will hopefully learn from the experience and improve through the season. There's more potential upside in that scenario. Anyway, I haven't heard much about Culver. How has he looked in camp and will he be a serviceable d-back this year?
A: Cliff Christl - You're right. I still consider starting Hawthorne to be perhaps Sherman's biggest personnel blunder. More than any other, it went against the school of thought that I've always heard preached by some of the great coaches and GMs in the history of the game. And, yes, Roman fell into pretty much the same category. The Packers will be better off with Culver, Boger or any young safety with any potential.
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Q: Steve of Pleasant Prairie - It is becoming all too clear that the Packers are in for a long season. If we are going to struggle offensively all year then wouldn't it be beneficial to play our young qb this season and get the growing pains out of the way. What possible benefits are there for sticking with an aging qb that is only going to be here for this season? Allow Rodgers to get the experience now when the team is struggling so when Thompson starts filling the holes, Rodgers is ready to lead this team.
A: Cliff Christl - And what if Rodgers gets sacked 45 times, throws more picks than TDs and loses all confidence like Joey Harrington in Detroit? Would that be the advantage in playing him?
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Q: gopack of Saint Paul - I have to think with the offensive line being so thin that the packers will need to bring somebody in to provide some depth and insurance. I know the pickings are slim, but even a guy like Grey Ruegamer would add some value right now. I hope TT can find some team with lots of depth that would be willing to make a trade. You thoughts on this?
A: Cliff Christl - It won't happen. You might find another Siitupe Peko or Mookie Moore to battle for a backup spot, but you're not going to be able to trade for a quality O-lineman at this point. Grey Ruegamer? Yeah, he'd brighten your future. Maybe they could bring Doug Widell back too? Or how about Bruce Van Dyke? Bart Starr's mentality in '75 when he brought in Van Dyke was similar to yours. Van Dyke was 31 and beat up as they come, but he had been a solid player earlier in his career in Pittsburgh. So Starr filled a hole at guard with him and the Packers averaged 16 points a game, didn't have a back who rushed for more than 434 yards and the qbs were sacked 42 times. Oh, yes, the other guard was another 31-year old stopgap, Pat Matson, who had had some good years in Cincinnati. Let me shout it out this time: A team is better off with young players who can grow even if it suffers in the short term than the Grey Ruegamers of the world.
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Q: Ann of Amherst, NH - Hi, Cliff. The offensive line leaked like a sieve -- no offensive rhythm poosible when that happens -- but the drops are also alarming. Not just in the game, but your training camp reports are always full of dropped passes. Sharp offenses don't drop balls that are right there on your hands, or between your numbers. I know Favre is getting older, but his fast ball still seems to zing -- he had a at least one thrown on a rope in San Diego. Can't anybody in the receiving corps hang on to a ball? Is it contagious? I think Jennings dropped one from Rogers, too. Thanks for the chats. (Even though it IS part of your job, it's a part you do well, and it's one of the features that make the premium coverage worth paying for).
A: Cliff Christl - They had some drops again today in practice and there were cases again where receivers allowed DBs to win the battle of the ball. It's just not a talented receiving corps. There's one solid veteran. There's one good looking rookie. It's probably one of the worst WR units in the league.
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Q: Rob of Victoria, Canada - Saturday's game confirmed one thing. The O-line is in serious trouble! It is sad to think that #4 returned to get his ass handed for sixteen weeks. TT should have done a better job securing talent on the O-line for Brett's last hurrah!
A: Cliff Christl - Shame on Ted Thompson. He should have signed the best guard available in free agency last off-season. He should have outbid the Cleveland Browns for LeCharles Bentley. He should have upped the ante from the $36 million that the Browns paid Bentley. Then the Packers could find room for Bentley on their injured reserve list. If you don't know by now, Bentley, the guard that so many fans and experts thought would be the perfect answer to the Packers' problems, blew out his knee in the first team session of the first practice of training camp and is done for the year.
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Q: C of Monroe - The Packers may not have many playmakers, but how many are in the North Division? Who are they in your opinion?
A: Cliff Christl - The Bears have at least three or four on defense. That's why they're the favorite. With the Williamses, the Vikings could have two at defensive tackle. Actually, Sharper was one last year on defense, but my hunch is that he had one good year left in him. The Lions have Shaun Rogers. You're right, there aren't many on offense in the NFC North. That's why the Bears won the division with defense and the 29th ranked offense in the league last year. Thanks for all the questions and good night.