""DISTINCT SENSE OF URGENCY""

[mmmdk]

McGinn???? I don't care about journalists. Apples and oranges.

I think McCarthy said it himself. Still, going 4-0 or 0-4 in the preseason doesn't dictate the season but only a powerhouse can say 'screw preseason wins or not', the rest ain't so fortunate. I have experience in coaching soccer and psychology is part of my everyday work. Psychology is the key here.

Winning breeds winning; epsecially with the talent level being so close in the NFL. Short seasons and fast starts are paramount; saying otherwise doesn't fool facts or me.

Since 1999, here's the Packers pre-season verses regular season records:
1999 (4-0) vs. (8-8)
2000 (2-2) vs. (9-7)
2001 (2-2) vs. (12-4)
2002 (3-1) vs. (12-4)
2003 (2-3) vs. (10-6)
2004 (1-3) vs. (10-6)
2005 (2-2) vs. (4-12)
2006 (1-3) vs. (8-8)
2007 (2-2) vs. (13-3)

Only two years ('99 and '02) were the Packers better than .500 during preseason (and the results were very different). Packers were 1-3 twice ('04 and '06) (with the results varying again).

Winning in the preseason doesn't mean anything at all. Playing well with 1st string means little (as the playbook, tendencies and gameplans are all really basic).

And as Favre has shown in the past - starting the season 1-3 or 1-4 doesn't always mean the season is over.

I don't think we're that far apart; but did we have a legend QB made of kevlar from 1992 till 2007 or do we (now) have a QB with no NFL starts hence no wins? Going 0-4 would matter to Packers 2008 team going into week 1; less with a proven QB.
Also, 0-4 is the record I'd want to avoid. Just 1 win makes a world of a difference.

Winning breeds winning; why should NFL be any different? And why doesn't anybody pick up my notion that IT'S A PROVEN FACT THAT FAST STARTS AND MOMENTUM CARRIES TEAMS TO PLAYOFFS!!! How many teams made the playoffs with slow starts? Not many. Where's the stat guy for the thickheaded?

[imscott72]

The Packers don't have to win the game...but the starters need to outplay the starters of the Broncos.

Another poor showing, and the confidence gained from last years run will basically be gone.

Exactly. Who cares who wins. Let's just hope there is improvement from last week, which shouldn't be too hard. Obviously the lines concern us the most and we need to see a lot of improvement there tonight.

[mmmdk]

The Packers don't have to win the game...but the starters need to outplay the starters of the Broncos.

Another poor showing, and the confidence gained from last years run will basically be gone.

Exactly. Who cares who wins. Let's just hope there is improvement from last week, which shouldn't be too hard. Obviously the lines concern us the most and we need to see a lot of improvement there tonight.

I agree - I just add the winning to the deal. No biggie!

[Gunakor]

I won't wring my hands if the Packers lose the game Friday night, but I won't be happy if I don't see improvement in the play of the starters over last week. If the starters on O move the ball well and score I'll be more than a tad relieved. I also hope to see our D be a little more stingy.

How much can you expect from scrubs? Our starting defensive unit has not given up a single point this year. They didn't even allow Carson Palmer and that explosive Bengals offense a single first down before giving way to the second team defense. The defense you'll see take the field on Sundays from September thru January is incredibly stingy, maybe one of the best in the entire league. I'm not worried about them at all.

[mmmdk]

I won't wring my hands if the Packers lose the game Friday night, but I won't be happy if I don't see improvement in the play of the starters over last week. If the starters on O move the ball well and score I'll be more than a tad relieved. I also hope to see our D be a little more stingy.

How much can you expect from scrubs? Our starting defensive unit has not given up a single point this year. They didn't even allow Carson Palmer and that explosive Bengals offense a single first down before giving way to the second team defense. The defense you'll see take the field on Sundays from September thru January is incredibly stingy, maybe one of the best in the entire league. I'm not worried about them at all.

Dude hope you're right though.

[Noodle]

The only reason the pre-season record counts is because it can drive the media and up the pressure. There's no denying that if the Pack goes 0fer in the preseason, those players are going to get asked every day if they're losing confidence, every day if they wish Favre were back, every day if they still have faith in the GM & coaches, every day if they're ever going to win again.

That kind of crap can make a team up tight and can be a needless distraction. I hate to sound like Tex, who's ideal state would look something like China as far as media is concerned, but the press are the ones who could make this a pain in the arse.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Another poor showing, and the confidence gained from last years run will basically be gone.

Based on what? Your opinion?

Have the players expressed this. What have you seen that would indicate this?

[mmmdk]

I won't wring my hands if the Packers lose the game Friday night, but I won't be happy if I don't see improvement in the play of the starters over last week. If the starters on O move the ball well and score I'll be more than a tad relieved. I also hope to see our D be a little more stingy.

How much can you expect from scrubs? Our starting defensive unit has not given up a single point this year. They didn't even allow Carson Palmer and that explosive Bengals offense a single first down before giving way to the second team defense. The defense you'll see take the field on Sundays from September thru January is incredibly stingy, maybe one of the best in the entire league. I'm not worried about them at all.

Dude hope you're right though.

Defense looks lost!

[Maxie the Taxi]

At least McGinn gave Rodgers his due in his latest column and generally told things as they were not as they might be if the sky fell down.

[Gunakor]

I won't wring my hands if the Packers lose the game Friday night, but I won't be happy if I don't see improvement in the play of the starters over last week. If the starters on O move the ball well and score I'll be more than a tad relieved. I also hope to see our D be a little more stingy.

How much can you expect from scrubs? Our starting defensive unit has not given up a single point this year. They didn't even allow Carson Palmer and that explosive Bengals offense a single first down before giving way to the second team defense. The defense you'll see take the field on Sundays from September thru January is incredibly stingy, maybe one of the best in the entire league. I'm not worried about them at all.

Dude hope you're right though.

Defense looks lost!

We talked about this on another thread. Ryan Pickett and AJ Hawk weren't playing, and that's a big deal because both are important pieces to thier rush defense. KGB wasn't dressed to play, so half of thier formidable end rush was missing on passing downs. Wood got a little banged up, and though he returned to the game you don't know how that may have affected him. 2 starting safeties went down with injury. Harris was less than spectacular, which might be a little worrisome. Barnett has some things to work on, but tackling has never really been a problem for him. Hopefully it was just a bad game and he'll fix whatever he needs to before Week 1.

[mmmdk]

I won't wring my hands if the Packers lose the game Friday night, but I won't be happy if I don't see improvement in the play of the starters over last week. If the starters on O move the ball well and score I'll be more than a tad relieved. I also hope to see our D be a little more stingy.

How much can you expect from scrubs? Our starting defensive unit has not given up a single point this year. They didn't even allow Carson Palmer and that explosive Bengals offense a single first down before giving way to the second team defense. The defense you'll see take the field on Sundays from September thru January is incredibly stingy, maybe one of the best in the entire league. I'm not worried about them at all.

Dude hope you're right though.

Defense looks lost!

We talked about this on another thread. Ryan Pickett and AJ Hawk weren't playing, and that's a big deal because both are important pieces to thier rush defense. KGB wasn't dressed to play, so half of thier formidable end rush was missing on passing downs. Wood got a little banged up, and though he returned to the game you don't know how that may have affected him. 2 starting safeties went down with injury. Harris was less than spectacular, which might be a little worrisome. Barnett has some things to work on, but tackling has never really been a problem for him. Hopefully it was just a bad game and he'll fix whatever he needs to before Week 1.

SMASHING