Leaner Franks is Cookin

[retailguy]

I just can't believe how heavily people latch on to the 4 lowest rated starting positions when they should be weighing in everything.

RB, TE and FB.... all part of a horrible red-zone offense from last year. What have we done to address the problem? if anything, there is an even bigger question mark since Green left.

I can certainly see why people "latch" on to the lowest rated positions. It's a huge concern that many of us have and with good reason.

GBM, I can't believe that you haven't figured this out yet. If you disagree with JH, you're just plain wrong. He's going to "feel" this team straight into playoff contention singlehandedly.

RB, TE, & FB? Ah hell, we don't need 'em. We can plug anyone into those roles and we'll be successful. Don't believe me? Well, Ted said so, so THERE!

Drop the negative attitude, ok? You're bringing the whole board down!

[retailguy]

You would think they have already considered that. With Miree injured (and he wasn't all that impressive to begin with), you would think 3T would open up his change purse. But we do have a lot of rookies in camp so maybe they can play FB. Bring Henderson in to play TE.

It might be a solid move to boost leadership and hopefully morale as well.

Those things are overrated. What's the young guys 40 time, and how little of a contract can you get'em to sign? Now, THAT is important.

Screw all this leadership crap. It doesn't win games.

[Partial]

RG I cannot wait to give the "I Told You So" dance when the Packers are in the playoffs despite a ridiculous schedule. Plenty of teams get by without having studs at every offensive position. The guys they have are going to be just fine.

You guys make it out to seem like they had to max protect every play and scored 5 points a game last year. They moved the ball just fine last year and with a healthy Jennings and a jump ball player in Jones there is plenty of evidence to suggest they will be a very good offensive team.

They have better players at receiver and running back than they did from 1998-2000. They also have a much better defense.

They are going to be able to win games. Even if they don't make the playoffs but look like a good team at the end of the year I will be more than pleased. Remember, SD didn't make the playoffs two years ago despite being a top 5-6 team in the league and winning plenty of big games.

[retailguy]

Partial,

I'll be only too happy to take that abuse. The Packers back in the playoffs is more than I can dream right now and it would be worth all the "I told you so's" that you can muster.

Yes, they moved the ball last year, but didn't score nearly as much as they should have done. The OL was ABYSMAL most of the year, others saw improvement, I didn't. You forget, I was at the Minnesota game. Like you, I watch every game. Last season, I was talking that the team should be marketedly improved by the end of the year. We got to the end of the year and won all 4 games. But, when I looked closely, there were other factors that explained the wins as much, if not more than our improvement.

Did the defense look better? Yes, it did. However, the competition was all in the lower half of the league. These offenses and, offensive lines didn't really inspire fear, did they?

We gave up a pro-bowl running back to get younger. Overall, that's fine, I believe it was ONE SEASON EARLY, but still fine. The OL has to support these young guys. Just don't see it yet. There is a lot of pressure on that line to perform. Lots of pressure on young guys to "take it to the next level". Lots of pressure on coaches to get them ready. Lots of pressure on the limited veterans to lead and demonstrate by example. Lots of pressure on folks NOT to get injured. Can all of that happen? I'm not optimistic. You are. We'll see.

I'll happily take your abuse for a winning season. You'd better say the same... That's only fair over the amount of abuse us "negative" folks have already taken.

[Partial]

Partial,

I'll be only too happy to take that abuse. The Packers back in the playoffs is more than I can dream right now and it would be worth all the "I told you so's" that you can muster.

Yes, they moved the ball last year, but didn't score nearly as much as they should have done. The OL was ABYSMAL most of the year, others saw improvement, I didn't. You forget, I was at the Minnesota game. Like you, I watch every game. Last season, I was talking that the team should be marketedly improved by the end of the year. We got to the end of the year and won all 4 games. But, when I looked closely, there were other factors that explained the wins as much, if not more than our improvement.

Did the defense look better? Yes, it did. However, the competition was all in the lower half of the league. These offenses and, offensive lines didn't really inspire fear, did they?

We gave up a pro-bowl running back to get younger. Overall, that's fine, I believe it was ONE SEASON EARLY, but still fine. The OL has to support these young guys. Just don't see it yet. There is a lot of pressure on that line to perform. Lots of pressure on young guys to "take it to the next level". Lots of pressure on coaches to get them ready. Lots of pressure on the limited veterans to lead and demonstrate by example. Lots of pressure on folks NOT to get injured. Can all of that happen? I'm not optimistic. You are. We'll see.

I'll happily take your abuse for a winning season. You'd better say the same... That's only fair over the amount of abuse us "negative" folks have already taken.

Pro Bowl running back? This isn't 2003 man. Ahman was decent. We'll see how he does this year. I don't foresee big things out of him.

They may not make the playoffs simply because another division in the NFC is going to have the powderpuff schedule the Packers had last year. They will be much improved, though.

I think there is a lot more to football than scoring in the red zone.

I don't know where the negativity comes from because they are such a young team, it is only reasonable to expect them to improve.

[woodbuck27]

You would think they have already considered that. With Miree injured (and he wasn't all that impressive to begin with), you would think 3T would open up his change purse. But we do have a lot of rookies in camp so maybe they can play FB. Bring Henderson in to play TE.

It might be a solid move to boost leadership and hopefully morale as well.

Those things are overrated. What's the young guys 40 time, and how little of a contract can you get'em to sign? Now, THAT is important.

Screw all this leadership crap. It doesn't win games.

He wouldn't want to play now with Ahman Green in Houston anyway.

It has to be tough on William Henderson because he always tried so hard to stay in shape. The changing of the guard.

Bigger and better. Well we'll see.

[4and12to12and4]

If our offensive linemen continue to develop and finally figure out the backside blocking techniques, and we have a healthy fullback in there, Bubba will catch 60 balls this year and score 5 touchdowns. His problem was that he was a blocker 80% of the time last year. It was unfair critisicm of his stats because of what he had to do, and if we can get our blocking scheme in full gear, not needing extra help, both Lee and Bubba will come up big this year, as will our receiving RB's. This is a huge key in the success of our offense, dumping it to TE's and RB's and getting that man coverage on the outside for our speedy young WR's and Driver. We need to get back to a dominating screen game again, once again on the shoulders of the o-line, I think they are up to the task ( until we play the AFC West teams!!)

[KYPack]

RG,

You were at the Viking game, right?

That game is the one I hope Bubba will draw on and bounce back somewhat. You can't play the TE position any worse than Bubba did in that game. I'd think any athlete, let alone a top pro, would not want to be remembered by that bad a ballgame. It was like we had to counter the Vikes and Bubba all day long.

There are several vets that had off years and we should get some payback effort from a few guys. If Bubba, Manuel, Popp (in coverage), Ferg and some of these guys redeem themselves, we could reap the benefits of it.

[woodbuck27]

RG,

You were at the Viking game, right?

That game is the one I hope Bubba will draw on and bounce back somewhat. You can't play the TE position any worse than Bubba did in that game. I'd think any athlete, let alone a top pro, would not want to be remembered by that bad a ballgame. It was like we had to counter the Vikes and Bubba all day long.

There are several vets that had off years and we should get some payback effort from a few guys. If Bubba, Manuel, Popp (in coverage), Ferg and some of these guys redeem themselves, we could reap the benefits of it.

I don't remember ever seing a worse performance by our team.

That was the game from HELL !!

[retailguy]

RG,

You were at the Viking game, right?

That game is the one I hope Bubba will draw on and bounce back somewhat. You can't play the TE position any worse than Bubba did in that game. I'd think any athlete, let alone a top pro, would not want to be remembered by that bad a ballgame. It was like we had to counter the Vikes and Bubba all day long.

There are several vets that had off years and we should get some payback effort from a few guys. If Bubba, Manuel, Popp (in coverage), Ferg and some of these guys redeem themselves, we could reap the benefits of it.

All true KY. "IF" is the key word in GB. IF about 15 of those "ifs" all happen we'll have a great team. How likely is that?

I hope we're improved, I hope we play better all 16 games than we played in that Viking game last season. We were abysmal on all 3 facets of the game. The only reason we won is because the Vikings were more abysmal. And, yes, Bubba stunk that game. It was particularly bad. But so did the rest of the team.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't remember ever seing a worse performance by our team.

That was the game from HELL !!

What? We won the game, and if not for 3 missed kicks and a fumble at the 1, it would have been 23-9. I know we played a below average team, but I've seen much worse. How about the losses to New England and the Jets last year? How about the loss in 1997 to a winless Colts team?

The worst performance for me was the loss to the Titans on Sunday or Monday Night a few years ago.

[Bretsky]

I don't remember ever seing a worse performance by our team.

That was the game from HELL !!

What? We won the game, and if not for 3 missed kicks and a fumble at the 1, it would have been 23-9. I know we played a below average team, but I've seen much worse. How about the losses to New England and the Jets last year? How about the loss in 1997 to a winless Colts team?

The worst performance for me was the loss to the Titans on Sunday or Monday Night a few years ago.

I think it was Sunday night; that was horrific. Just sticks out in memory like the NE and Jets game last year.

At one point Tennessee was on pace to score about 100 points.

[GrnBay007]

The worst performance for me was the loss to the Titans on Sunday or Monday Night a few years ago.

It was Monday. I was there.

[woodbuck27]

I don't remember ever seing a worse performance by our team.

That was the game from HELL !!

What? We won the game, and if not for 3 missed kicks and a fumble at the 1, it would have been 23-9. I know we played a below average team, but I've seen much worse. How about the losses to New England and the Jets last year? How about the loss in 1997 to a winless Colts team?

The worst performance for me was the loss to the Titans on Sunday or Monday Night a few years ago.

What I meant was it was so frustrating to watch. Exhauting !

Thurs., Dec. 21 Minnesota Vikings 7:00 p.m. A win 9-7.

[retailguy]

I don't remember ever seing a worse performance by our team.

That was the game from HELL !!

What? We won the game, and if not for 3 missed kicks and a fumble at the 1, it would have been 23-9. I know we played a below average team, but I've seen much worse. How about the losses to New England and the Jets last year? How about the loss in 1997 to a winless Colts team?

The worst performance for me was the loss to the Titans on Sunday or Monday Night a few years ago.

Dude, you're on drugs if you think it "could have been 23-9".

It should have been 7-0 vikings.

But you bring up a great point. Can this team "sustain" the rookie mistakes that it is bound to make. This game highlighted one of those when Jennings ran the wrong way and Smoot intercepted Favre and returned it 50 yards for the vikings only points.

This team has so far shown that it cannot sustain these mistakes which are bound to happen with such a young team. If they can sustain them, they'll win, and if they can't they won't, because the mistakes will happen. It's just the nature of young teams...