Ted Thompson's scalp

[pbmax]

I can't blame McCarthy for the penalties, sure the team is really sloppy right now, but penalties? McCarthy isn't happy with them, but it is against league policy to fine a player for too many penalties. Make them run a bunch, but he isn't the one holding or jumbing off sides. Young teams are going to make all of these mistakes, but most of you can keep telling yourself that it is a good thing to have the youngest team 4 years in a row.

This baffles me. The coach cannot control penalties? Only vets will be able to control themselves? Paying attention is not a talent known only to older players, otherwise no high school or college team could control its penalties. The players need to fear McCarthy more than the opponent.

I don't think player discipline is age dependent. Look at Harris.

Four of the starters on the O line have 3+ years of experience starting on the line. You keep hammering youngest team, but where does the average experience of the O line stack up in the league? I bet its close to average. More than enough to avoid false starts.

[Cheesehead Craig]

[Patler]

I can't blame McCarthy for the penalties, sure the team is really sloppy right now, but penalties? McCarthy isn't happy with them, but it is against league policy to fine a player for too many penalties. Make them run a bunch, but he isn't the one holding or jumbing off sides. Young teams are going to make all of these mistakes, but most of you can keep telling yourself that it is a good thing to have the youngest team 4 years in a row.

This baffles me. The coach cannot control penalties? Only vets will be able to control themselves? Paying attention is not a talent known only to older players, otherwise no high school or college team could control its penalties. The players need to fear McCarthy more than the opponent.

I don't think player discipline is age dependent. Look at Harris.

Four of the starters on the O line have 3+ years of experience starting on the line. You keep hammering youngest team, but where does the average experience of the O line stack up in the league? I bet its close to average. More than enough to avoid false starts.

Didn't TT point out last week that looking at the starters, the Packers are something like the 8th MOST experienced team in the league? It is the bottom of the roster that makes this team the youngest, not the starters.

I don't remember that many of the penalties being called against particularly young players. In the two weeks, Harris has a couple, Clifton also, I believe Woodson and Kampman each have one. Those guys clearly are not young. "Youth" is no longer an excuse either for Bush's 2 (or is it 3?) or for the ones from Kuhn, Poppinga and Spitz. Williams has a couple, I think; and he is sort of borderline on the youth/experience excuse. Mathews has one and so does Sitton for which the excuse may have some validity. That's not all of them, I don't think; but I just don't see it as a problem of youth.

[sheepshead]

I would love to see Tauscher brought back if only because I feel he has been a loyal Packer for years and deserves to retire in the G&G on his own terms and eventually enter the PHOF.

Wholeheartedly agree - when would he be available?

Tauscher is still available because he is still rehabbing. A standard recovery period puts him as ready to practice in October.

I heard he's had a few nibbles from teams and wants to play again.

[pbmax]

I would love to see Tauscher brought back if only because I feel he has been a loyal Packer for years and deserves to retire in the G&G on his own terms and eventually enter the PHOF.

Wholeheartedly agree - when would he be available?

Tauscher is still available because he is still rehabbing. A standard recovery period puts him as ready to practice in October.

I heard he's had a few nibbles from teams and wants to play again.

Perhaps, but something is happening, or more precisely, not happening and probably for a simple reason. Tauscher started banging the drum that he was a record number of weeks ahead of schedule before Spring was over and he still hasn't latched on. He also has been missing from the airwaves in Milwaukee from his normal weekly gig.

The original timeline of a typical recovery put him as available in October. Since he isn't signed, he either isn't ready or hasn't liked the offers so far. He might want to stay in Green Bay. But there is no way to know.

[Waldo]

barbre played better, but was responsible for one of the sacks and several pressures.

What game were you watching.

Rodgers was sacked 6 times. 5 came from Odom, over the LT, he beat Cliffy 2 times and DC 3 times (worth noting that he beat Clady 2 times last week, and Clady didn't give up a single sack last season). The other came from Maualuga, who demolished Corey Hall 1 on 1 on a blitz outside of the LT.

Of course though, 3-4 of those sacks really were because Rodgers held on to it way too long, not because the LT got torched. Only once was DC beat cleanly and quickly. Every other time a faster pass would have resulted in nothing.

Barbre kept his guy in check all day.

[Waldo]

But even if you live that approach to building a team, the roster construction of the offensive line is idiotic. Your backup left tackle is on the practice squad obviously unready to play. And the backup RT is inactive on gameday. And Colledge, unless they practiced it during the closed sessions, has spent no time at Tackle this year.

What a great idea it was to end "the musical chairs" this year 'eh.

Great idea if nobody gets hurt. Terrible idea if people get hurt.

There is no such thing as 1:1 backups, and gameday all teams only carry 7 active OL. There needs to be musical chairs, it is the reality of the 53 and 45 man rosters. Otherwise you end up with a LT that hasn't taken a single snap in 10 months at LT, that needs to be ready at a moments notice, and a LG that hasn't taken a snap at LG in 10 months that needs to be ready at a moments notice. Even if they are regular starters, the footwork is different.

People say it like it's a problem, that we have no backup LT. How many teams in the league don't play their backup LT elsewhere on the line? I would wager zero. Everybody shuffles people when the LT is hurt. It is the reality of the NFL. The 2nd best pass protector is a valuable part of the starting lineup for every team in the league.

Another side effect that we are seeing IMO.....

All summer we ran a 3-4 or 2-4-5 in practice.
Buf played a 4-3
Cle played a 3-4 or 2-4-5
Ari played a 3-4, 3-3-5 hybrid and a 2-4-5
They only played a series against Tn's 4-3

Our scout team 4-3 DE's are linebackers.

Our T's haven't had much work with a DE in front of them yet this season.

[pbmax]

But even if you live that approach to building a team, the roster construction of the offensive line is idiotic. Your backup left tackle is on the practice squad obviously unready to play. And the backup RT is inactive on gameday. And Colledge, unless they practiced it during the closed sessions, has spent no time at Tackle this year.

What a great idea it was to end "the musical chairs" this year 'eh.

Great idea if nobody gets hurt. Terrible idea if people get hurt.

There is no such thing as 1:1 backups, and gameday all teams only carry 7 active OL. There needs to be musical chairs, it is the reality of the 53 and 45 man rosters. Otherwise you end up with a LT that hasn't taken a single snap in 10 months at LT, that needs to be ready at a moments notice, and a LG that hasn't taken a snap at LG in 10 months that needs to be ready at a moments notice. Even if they are regular starters, the footwork is different.

People say it like it's a problem, that we have no backup LT. How many teams in the league don't play their backup LT elsewhere on the line? I would wager zero. Everybody shuffles people when the LT is hurt. It is the reality of the NFL. The 2nd best pass protector is a valuable part of the starting lineup for every team in the league.

Another side effect that we are seeing IMO.....

All summer we ran a 3-4 or 2-4-5 in practice.
Buf played a 4-3
Cle played a 3-4 or 2-4-5
Ari played a 3-4, 3-3-5 hybrid and a 2-4-5
They only played a series against Tn's 4-3

Our scout team 4-3 DE's are linebackers.

Our T's haven't had much work with a DE in front of them yet this season.

You make a fine point about the game day actives. They indeed had seven active (Smith and Giacomini were inactive). But since tackle and center are the two most difficult positions, it should be those two that get the primary backup practice time.

Center is covered. I'd like to know if Colledge spent time at tackle. The only other body who has been at Tackle is Lang.

[Waldo]

Center is covered. I'd like to know if Colledge spent time at tackle. The only other body who has been at Tackle is Lang.

No, McCarthy's highly touted "no musical chairs" mantra this summer kept Colledge exclusively at LG.

Moll got all the backup LT snaps, aside from a couple here and there that Meredith got.

And Moll no longer is a Packer.

Lang has only taken a couple snaps at RT. Most of his work has been at LG. Again, "no musical chairs" might make him a better LG, but it leaves him ill prepared to fill in elsewhere along the line.

[Patler]

barbre played better, but was responsible for one of the sacks and several pressures.

What game were you watching.

Rodgers was sacked 6 times. 5 came from Odom, over the LT, he beat Cliffy 2 times and DC 3 times (worth noting that he beat Clady 2 times last week, and Clady didn't give up a single sack last season). The other came from Maualuga, who demolished Corey Hall 1 on 1 on a blitz outside of the LT.

Of course though, 3-4 of those sacks really were because Rodgers held on to it way too long, not because the LT got torched. Only once was DC beat cleanly and quickly. Every other time a faster pass would have resulted in nothing.

Barbre kept his guy in check all day.

Waldo, perhaps someone should ask you what game you were watching? In the game I watched, Odom had just one sack in the first half, and it came when he lined up at tackle between Spitz and Colledge, not against Clifton. Clifton went out on the Packer's first offensive play, a running play, in the second half. So how Odom got two sacks against Clifton is unclear to me.

Even the coaches have to watch the films over and over to attribute fault when a play breaks down. No need to call out a fan for seeing something different than you did, especially when I have my doubts if your version is correct either. I'm not saying it is wrong, but it's not the way I saw the game.

[Harlan Huckleby]

How many teams in the league don't play their backup LT elsewhere on the line? I would wager zero .

I accept your wager, and will even spot your 10 teams. (This is a safe bet, since it is impossible to verify. )

I bet more than half the teams have a backup LT.

[Harlan Huckleby]

All i am saying iis, on paper , we have the talent.

This a stretch, the offensive line hasn't been particularly strong for several years. I agree there is "hope", but "talent" has to be demonstrated.

I really like Sitton, and Barbre has potential. With no backups at tackle, the offensive line as a group is a problem area.

[Waldo]

How many teams in the league don't play their backup LT elsewhere on the line? I would wager zero .

I accept your wager, and will even spot your 10 teams. (This is a safe bet, since it is impossible to verify. )

I bet more than half the teams have a backup LT.

Yeah, the RT or LG.

1) Why would you put your 2nd best pass protector on the bench?
2) Why would anybody but the 2nd best pass protector be the backup LT and protect the QB's blindside?

[mraynrand]

Harlan would win the bet on a technicality. Packers depth chart as of 9-9 (Note that Colledge is not listed as T depth, which supports Waldo's point):

OFFENSE (25)

WR - Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Brett Swain

TE - Donald Lee, Jermichael Finley, Spencer Havner

T - Chad Clifton, Allen Barbre, Breno Giacomini

G - Daryn Colledge, Josh Sitton, T.J. Lang, Evan Dietrich-Smith

C - Jason Spitz, Scott Wells

QB - Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn

RB - Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson, DeShawn Wynn

FB - John Kuhn, Korey Hall, Quinn Johnson

[Harlan Huckleby]

1) Why would you put your 2nd best pass protector on the bench?

LT is something of a specialty. Why would you expect that centers and guards can play the position?