Post game Arizona chat

[Cleft Crusty]

Hi Folks,

Cleft Crusty here. A little late, but I'm still alive and ready to take questions. It was a bit difficult ambulating from the press box down to the Lambeau basement, and I have to share the phone line with the Janitor - who is awaiting a call from his bookie - but let's make the best of it. Fire away.

[Willard]

Thanks for taking my question, Mr. Crusty. Was the "fake" FG attempt really a called play, or did the high snap cause a broken play?

[Fosco33]

Any injury updates?



Also, do you think Detroit will win more than 3 games this year? If not, the Packers won't finish in last place in the NFCN.

When will Millen be ousted?

Is Green gonna implode OR coach another 'game' for the Cards?



Will the Packers be 4-4 playing the Vikes? If so, do the Packers have a shot to beat the Vikes twice, Detroit again, SF on the road and either NE or SEA. If so, then the Pack has a shot at 8-8 or maybe more.

Would Brett come back after 9-7 thru 7-9 or are these the last showings of his career?

[Cleft Crusty]

McCarthy said it was a fake, and dumb call. He said something about a 4th and 6 being a better risk, because the defense might expect it less? Either way it was a quesionable call (Note, I always say it's stupid for fans and sportwriters to question calls, but will then question them anyway).


I do like the idea of getting perhaps a better reward for the risk. A play fake and toss into the endzone had a better chance than the holder trying to pass to Franks in the flat. But really, take the 42 yard attempt.

[Fosco33]

McCarthy said the Packers were waiting for X-ray results on Martin, who injured his jaw. McCarthy also didn't know the severity of an elbow injury to fullback Brandon Miree . ... McCarthy blamed himself for the first-quarter fake field goal. ''It's a bad call by me, frankly,'' he said. ...

[Cleft Crusty]

Also, do you think Detroit will win more than 3 games this year? If not, the Packers won't finish in last place in the NFCN.

When will Millen be ousted?



Fosco, I'll take them one at a time. I think Detroit is on the verge of a breakout. Have you watched Sims play? He's a beat, and Detroit has lost some close games. Millen knows how to evaluate talent. That's waht happens when you spend a lot of time with a play-by-play basketball announcer like Dick Stockton - you learn football the hard way.

[Willard]

Speaking of Franks. Maybe its time to put an APB out on him. He seems to be nowhere to be found. We have already seen a changing of the guards at OG, WR, and FB. Perhaps Martin is now the go-to TE. He seems to have Favre's trust moreso than Franks.

[Cleft Crusty]

McCarthy said the Packers were waiting for X-ray results on Martin, who injured his jaw. McCarthy also didn't know the severity of an elbow injury to fullback Brandon Miree . ... McCarthy blamed himself for the first-quarter fake field goal. ''It's a bad call by me, frankly,'' he said. ...
Thanks for the update Fosco. Do you want my job? It pays 2.50 an hour plus tips, and you get a free pen.

[Cleft Crusty]

Is Green gonna implode OR coach another 'game' for the Cards?


I have no idea, except that the guy did fire his offensive coordinator and you saw the results. He couldn't move the ball through the air against one of the worst secondaries in the NFL. How bad could it get. Still, there's some gamesmanship in firing your O-coordinator. If you get fired, who takes over? Maybe one of the Bidwell grandchildren will get to be coach for a birthday or Christmas present.

[Fosco33]

McCarthy said the Packers were waiting for X-ray results on Martin, who injured his jaw. McCarthy also didn't know the severity of an elbow injury to fullback Brandon Miree . ... McCarthy blamed himself for the first-quarter fake field goal. ''It's a bad call by me, frankly,'' he said. ...
Thanks for the update Fosco. Do you want my job? It pays 2.50 an hour plus tips, and you get a free pen.

I'm an impatient bastard.

Detroit sucks. Bad teams find ways to lose games they 'should' win. That's how the Packers were a lot last year and a few times this year.

I think Detroit may win a total of 3 or 4 games this year - that's it.

The Pack has a shot to be about 6-10 to 8-8 type team.

[Cleft Crusty]

Will the Packers be 4-4 playing the Vikes? If so, do the Packers have a shot to beat the Vikes twice, Detroit again, SF on the road and either NE or SEA. If so, then the Pack has a shot at 8-8 or maybe more.


If the Packers keep playing the dregs of the NFL, with terrible (Harringgton) or rookie (Lienart) QBs, then they could pick up a number of wins. But remember, this team has beaten teams with 3 collective wins. They're not exactly beating the Colts, Denver, or the Bears.

[Cleft Crusty]

Speaking of Franks. Maybe its time to put an APB out on him. He seems to be nowhere to be found. We have already seen a changing of the guards at OG, WR, and FB. Perhaps Martin is now the go-to TE. He seems to have Favre's trust moreso than Franks.

I think the coaches finally recognized that Martin can run patterns and Franks struggles to stay on his feet just getting from the Lockerrom to the playing field. Still, Bubba is an effective blocker, so he has some value.

[motife]

Hi Cleft,

On the one hand :

Arizona could NOT have come off a more demoralizing 2 losses, particularly the Chicago game
Turmoil, asst coach fired, owner implies Green will be fired, rumors abounding
Playmaker Larry Fitzgerald out of the game
Rookie QB playing on the road

on the other hand :
no turnovers
play after play, the Packer running game clicked
Favre throwing smart, varied velocity passes, with good accuracy
David Martin, Ruvell Martin step up to the plate
the OL pass protection adequate (sort of)

what's your opinion of where the program's heaing at this point?

[Lurker64]

Cleft, who are the Cardinals going to draft at number one? It's too early to bail on Leinart, so how far will Quinn drop?

[Willard]

Joe Thomas to the redbirds.......

[Cleft Crusty]

Hi Cleft,

On the one hand :

Arizona could NOT have come off a more demoralizing 2 losses, particularly the Chicago game
Turmoil, asst coach fired, owner implies Green will be fired, rumors abounding
Playmaker Larry Fitzgerald out of the game
Rookie QB playing on the road

on the other hand :
no turnovers
play after play, the Packer running game clicked
Favre throwing smart, varied velocity passes, with good accuracy
David Martin, Ruvell Martin step up to the plate
the OL pass protection adequate (sort of)

what's your opinion of where the program's heaing at this point?

I assume you mean the Packer program. The Cardinal program is in disarray. But that fact makes it a little harder to evaluate the Packers. Arizona has five guys on the defensive line with their hand onthe ground and couldn't stop the run. Not only couldn't they stop the run, they allowed the run game to be as dominant as it possibly could be. The Packers haven't had two 100 yard rushers since Tampa laid down in the snow bowl.

The Packers appear to be pretty solid, but the depth is young, and the skill players making the difference; Favre, Green, and Woodson don't have long shlef lives. Once those guys step down or depart, it could be decades or centuries before they're replaced.

[Cleft Crusty]

Cleft, who are the Cardinals going to draft at number one? It's too early to bail on Leinart, so how far will Quinn drop?

Do I look like a draft analyst? I just watch the games and follow the Packers. If I had the hair for it, I'd be on ESPN spouting crap about the draft, like Mel Kiper. All that speculation seems like a waste of time to me. Most fans seem to focus on players they've heard of, and complain when their team didn't draft the guy they liked.

[billy_oliver880]

Cleft, Do you think this game was a big step for our o-line or where the cards just terrible with their front 7?

[Cleft Crusty]

Cleft, Do you think this game was a big step for our o-line or where the cards just terrible with their front 7?

A little of both, Billy. The cards had to be dispirited to put 5 guys on the line and still get blown away. The Packers did block solidly though. It does raise an interesting thought though. People make a lot of statements about stregth of schedule and who is difficult to play and so on, but a lot of times it depends on when you play a team as much as where or who that team is. A team with a lot of injuries or turmoil may have been tougher a few weeks ago, or looked like a team to beat, but when you play them, they can be as tame a pussycats. That's life in the NFL.