Gil Brandt's comments on Ted Thompson

[Scott Campbell]

If an average QB can throw for 4,000+ yards, why couldn't Favre the HOF QB throw for 5,000+ with the same offensive strategy?

Why don't you give Rodgers a break?

Who cares how many yards he threw for?

Sounds like a good poll question.

[hoosier]

What I want to know is, why are so many people taking the bait and debating this nonsense about Rodgers? After a moment's thought I think I know the answer: offseason.

[pbmax]

I reiterate.. who cares how many yards you throw for? The Packers couldn't run the ball to save their life last year. There is something to be said for balance.

Furthermore, who cares? It's easy to move the ball inside the 20s.

I don't see why Favre is being brought up at all, nor do I see how Rodgers passing for 4k yards is relevant at all. I personally couldn't give a crap if he threw for 2000 or 4000.

So your point is that a QB who HAS to throw because a team can't run is just racking up meaningless numbers, while the QB who has a running game is racking up truly meaningful passing yards, because the come in addition to a powerful run game? This is the argument?

P, you make many a great point. But then there are statements of non-fact like this:

It's easy to move the ball inside the 20s.
Points in 2007: 435 (4th),
Points in 2008: 419 (5th) [edited to correct year]

The Packers couldn't run the ball to save their life last year.
2007 running game: 388 attempts, 1597 yards, 13 TDs, 4.1 Avg (Ranks: 28, 21, 13, 12)
2008 Running game: 437 attempts, 1805 yards, 11 TDs, 4.1 Avg (Ranks: 14, 17, 24, 18)

The Packers were also clearly a better short yardage team last year than 2007. Someone posted the numbers for 3rd and 4th and short, but I have never been able to find them online.

[pbmax]

Also about 2008 defensive injuries. Jenkins, Barnett and Al missed games. And I should remind everyone, including myself that Al ruptured his spleen and came back and played. Al is great. We should all grow up to be Al, dreads/braids and all.

But the Packers also had other issues: Hawk had a bad chest or rib cage thing, Pickett had a bad arm, Bigby sprained something and Harrell had a bad everything. JH missed even more time than in 2007. I mention him only because I don't think Thompson carried out his offseason like he did (trading Williams) if he had known prior to April that Harrell was toast.

So while I agree that you cannot blame "2008: The Season Without A Run Defense" entirely on injuries, there were more than just three guys affected. Perhaps this year we find out if Thompson has gotten good depth and the scheme/coaching was the issue, or if there simply not enough good players to fill in.

[SnakeLH2006]

Thompson is an excellent evaluator of talent. He really hasn't made a terrible draft choice in his time in Green Bay. Sure, he has made some that didn't pan out...but he doesn't have any BJ Sander type pickups where any bum off the street could've made a better pick.

That said...Thompson hasn't proven he can make the kind of acquisitions to put a team over the top, like a Ron Wolf could. I'm not sure he would be my #1 choice as a GM right now...but he'd certainly have a strong argument to be in the top 5.

Cory Rodgers? http://www.rtsports.com/php/draft-gu...r.php?PN=11977

LOL. Just fucking with ya, Leaper, but overall Snake likes TT as a GM. He's shrewd (we'll never overpay or get in cap hell...definite plus) but he's not the godsend so many think he is in drafting. Throw enough darts at a wall, some will stick.

JSO did an article about his late round pics a month ago...pretty lackluster after round 4. Filler mostly, but that is what we needed to fill our roster in the cap purge after Shermy. I do think he's got good instincts with the draft, but Sporting News hit it on the head a month ago...49 picks...1 blue chipper all-star (Jennings....albeit ARod is close and love him). I'm not bashing TT, but his gloves off treatment of god-dom around here is not as true as some may think on here (not saying you Leaper).

I for one, really loved this draft this year, as it was everything I had hoped, but then again, I'm not an NFL exec. so I'm prob. wrong, but for once TT addressed needs cuz getting 20 late rounders wouldn't help build depth cuz those marginal/potential sleeper prospects are/were there for this year.

He knows that, but really hasn't hit on any big time players if you really look at his later rounds (after 1 and 2) or waiver wire guys like Wolf did (Dorsey, Freeman, Gilbert Brown, Henderson, etc.) that went Pro Bowl. I'm not dissing TT so much as he's an above average draft analyst, but not the godsend so many typecast into being...

The proof is in the pudding, and barring injury Raji and Matthews plug 2 holes potentially on D....and am happy, but damn if TT is not flawless. Go big or go home y'all. Let's win a SuperBowl. Shit, we made playoffs/or won 9-10 games yearly for 15 years, but let's do it again. Proof is in TT's pudding hopefully.

[CaliforniaCheez]

I don't understand why some guys don't respect the General Manager of the Packers.

Compared to Mike Sherman he is pretty good. Some of you complain about the performance of the coach he hired but very little on anything other than that.

Some of you need to wake up that the Packers no longer have to rummage through the scrap heap of free agency for players. Ted has given a few a second chance to perform but knows they really are not needed.

The losing of 2005 is long ago.

Show some respect for the Packers' GM even if you are so misguided as to withold your affection.

[Fritz]

Partial, you just keep getting the crap beat out of you whenever a discussion of Aaron Rodgers begins, but you keep on coming back.

[Bossman641]

Partial, you just keep getting the crap beat out of you whenever a discussion of Aaron Rodgers begins, but you keep on coming back.

And I keep falling into his discussions everytime even though I don't want to.

I can't quit you Partial.

[Partial]

Partial, you just keep getting the crap beat out of you whenever a discussion of Aaron Rodgers begins, but you keep on coming back.

I feel like I'm doing most of the beating

Bossman, you make me blush

[Fritz]

Partial, you just keep getting the crap beat out of you whenever a discussion of Aaron Rodgers begins, but you keep on coming back.

I feel like I'm doing most of the beating

Bossman, you make me blush

I'd say "taking" would be a better word choice. . .

[sharpe1027]

Partial,

I am lost. Are you arguing that Rodgers can't become a superbowl winning QB or just that he isn't there yet? If it is ther first, you admit that one year is not enough to judge a QB, which makes you a hypocrit. If it is the second, thank you captain obvious...

I do not understand what you are trying to say, or what you think the purpose of your arbitrarily defined categories of eliteness are good for.

In three sentences or less...what is your point?

[cpk1994]

Partial,

I am lost. Are you arguing that Rodgers can't become a superbowl winning QB or just that he isn't there yet? If it is ther first, you admit that one year is not enough to judge a QB, which makes you a hypocrit. If it is the second, thank you captain obvious...

I do not understand what you are trying to say, or what you think the purpose of your arbitrarily defined categories of eliteness are good for.

In three sentences or less...what is your point?

I think he pretty much believes that ARod can't do the job. After all ARod is merely average in his mind even though the stats prove him wrong.

[Gunakor]

Partial,

I am lost. Are you arguing that Rodgers can't become a superbowl winning QB or just that he isn't there yet? If it is ther first, you admit that one year is not enough to judge a QB, which makes you a hypocrit. If it is the second, thank you captain obvious...

I do not understand what you are trying to say, or what you think the purpose of your arbitrarily defined categories of eliteness are good for.

In three sentences or less...what is your point?

I think he pretty much believes that ARod can't do the job. After all ARod is merely average in his mind even though the stats prove him wrong.

He's above average now. Haven't you been following?

[retailguy]

I think he pretty much believes that ARod can't do the job. After all ARod is merely average in his mind even though the stats prove him wrong.

Well, he's used the term "average" but he's also used the term "top 12", which to me at least is a fairer assumption.

Top 12 would put Rodgers in the top 60% of QB's in the league, which based on one season worth of work seems fair.

To be truthful, Arod has more promise than production at this point, but all the signs look favorable, and I expect good things from him this year. It would seem that Partial does as well, though to be fair he seems a little more pessimistic than me.

I'd venture to say CPK if we "picked and chose" your words the same way you do with others, you'd be damn unhappy....

[Scott Campbell]

Top 12 would put Rodgers in the top 60% of QB's in the league, which based on one season worth of work seems fair.

I'm not following the math.