Bleacher Report - Articles by Joshua Skaar

NFC North Outlook 2009

Joshua Skaar — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:10:12 -0400

The NFC North has been living in the shadow of the power house markets of the NFC East divisions since the NFL realigned to eight divisions in 2002. With major personnel and coaching changes made throughout the division the NFC North division looks primed to steal the lime light away from the East in 2009. With the NFC North having the softest combined schedule of all the other divisions, don't be surprised if the division is won by tie-breakers.

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Green Bay Packers 2009 Outlook

Joshua Skaar — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:13:48 -0400

The draft is in the books.

Rookie orientation: done.

Undrafted free agents: signed.

Needs met? Not quite.

The 2009 Green Bay Packers will look very competitive on paper, but will they produce on the field?

We will find out starting in 129 days and throughout the 16 weeks after that.

The Packers had some glaring holes to fill via free agency and/or the draft.

The team is transitioning from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4, which before the draft had plenty of holes. Who would compliment Aaron Kampman, who is transitioning from a defensive end to an outside linebacker under Dom Capers scheme?

Who will shore up the defensive line besides Ryan Pickett, Cullen Jenkins, who is returning from a torn bicep, the oft-injured Justin Harrell, and the possibly suspended Johnny Jolly?

Veteran free agent and long-time right tackle, Mark Tauscher, will probably not be re-signed this offseason due to a slow recovery after surgery for a torn ACL. Who will replace him on the o-line?

Ted Thompson answered those questions by doing what he does best: build through the draft.

In the first round he picked DT/NT B.J. Raji with the ninth overall selection and made the splash of the draft by trading back into the first round and selecting Clay Matthews III, grabbing him with the 26th pick.

Thompson also addressed the needs along the offensive line by drafting OTs T.J. Lang in the fourth round and Jamon Meredith in the fifth round. Both guys are versatile and should develop nicely for the Packers.

The potential in the selections made in this year's draft could turn out to be Thompson's defining class, having drafted for both need and getting value out of his pick. Only time will tell how good this class will be.

But the draft could be as good as it gets for the Packers this season.

With every player on the defensive side of the ball learning a new system and new roles, the defense could turn out to be as big of a liability as it was in 2008.

However, the biggest weakness for the Pack may not be the defensive transition, but inexperience.

The offense should do as well, as it did in '08, under second-year starter Aaron Rodgers, but will need a better performance from running backs Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson.

Due to character complaints by former coaches, fifth-round pick Jamon Meredith saw his stock plummet from his original projections and he fell into the Packers lap on the second day. He could be a potential first-year starter.

The holes filled by the potentially strong draft class and position battles could help the Packers improve, although not enough to get them back to the post season.

20 Questions for Donald Driver

Joshua Skaar — Wed, 06 May 2009 23:26:11 -0400

As part of an application process to find the perfect beat writer for the Green Bay Packers, CBS Sports and Bleacher Report would like to see what questions we would ask any player from the Pack.

Here are the questions I'd ask Donald Driver if I had a sit-down with No. 80.

--In 1999 you were the second pick in the seventh round of the draft by Green Bay, since then you have emerged as one of the all-time great wide outs in Packers history. How has that journey impacted you as a person?

--How did it feel to step onto Lambeau Field for the first time?

--First Lambeau Leap?

--In 2003, you received a hit while in mid-air that sent you landing awkwardly on your neck, can you describe what went through your head while on the ground?

--With the prima donna psyche of a handful of wide receivers in the NFL, what has kept you from throwing fits of Chad (Ocho Cinco) Johnson proportions?

--How does it feel to be as close to setting as many team records for the Wide Receiver position for a historic franchise such as the Packers?

--Which team/NFL record would you most like to set before you retire?

--What does Donald Driver do on an average, out-of-season Sunday?

--What is a high priority show on your DVR/TiVo?

--With the five skilled receivers on the Packers roster, how do you and the other guys mesh together to form a cohesive group?

--What is your favorite city to play an away game in?

--After your pro football career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

--What was the last book you read?

--What was the motivation for taking over the Celebrity Softball game after Brett Favre retired?

--With a full season as a starter under his belt, where would you place Aaron Rodgers on a list of current NFL QBs?

--Where would you place yourself and Greg Jennings on a list of the best Receiving duos in the NFL?

--What do you see happening to the NFL if the 2010 season is has no salary cap?

--How good of a cook would your wife say you are?

--You've been quoted that you want to play until you're 40 years old. Currently at 33, do you still see yourself playing another seven years?

--What is the inspiration for the "Driver First Down Shimmy"?

There you have it. My interview questions for the consummate professional, Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver; Donald Driver

Chicago Bears Get Their Man, Acquire Jay Cutler

Joshua Skaar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:39:54 -0400

"Whatever it takes." That was the motto of Chicago Bears fans all over, in regards to picking up disgruntled Denver quarterback Jay Cutler.

Their prayers have been answered as Chicago Sun Times reporter Mike Mulligan broke the news that the Bears got that elusive franchise QB.

Getting Cutler at the relatively cheap price of a first round draft choice (18th overall,) a third round selection in 2009 and another first rounder in 2010 along with QB Kyle Orton who will battle Chris Simms in Denver for the starting job vacated by Cutler.

Cutler, 25, went to the Pro Bowl for the first time this past season and was a childhood fan of the Bears growing up in Indiana.

This is a franchise changing move that makes the Bears an immediate favorite to win the NFC North and a possible Super Bowl underdog if the team can surround Cutler with some supporting talent, not named Matt Forte.

The Bears have recently brought in All-Pro left tackle Orlando Pace for an interview and are believed to be in contract negotiations.

This move could also be a prelude to Chicago going out to pick up a real threat at the wide receiver position and pick up either Marvin Harrison or Tory Holt.

Packer Fans, Shut Up!

Joshua Skaar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:27:33 -0400

For the last 14 months many Green Bay Packers fans have clamored for the firing of General Manager Ted Thompson—mostly for allegedly driving Brett Favre out of Lambeau Field.

When the most logical argument, "They made a plan to move forward and had already gone through the draft by the time Favre decided he wanted to play," isn't sufficient to ward off the coming onslaught of stupidity and Thompson bashing, just throw in the towel and walk away.

Unless you like your brain cells to deteriorate at alarming rates from listening to a superfluous circular argument.

Everyone has a right to have their voices heard. It's one of the many reasons websites such as our beloved Bleacher Report even exist.

But there is only so much brainless rambling that the human race can endure.

Recently, the Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen announced that the team will be attempting to trade away unhappy QB Jay Cutler.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writer Greg Bedard blogged the story and left the story open for discussion. Huge mistake!

The conversation starts off civil enough, with pseudo prayers that Cutler won't be a member of the NFC North this coming season.

But the comments quickly deteriorated into blurts of insanity: "Packers trade (Aaron Rodgers) for Cutler. That would make the Packers a better team at the QB position," wrote one member of the message board. It only got worse from there.

While Cutler had more passing yards, Rodgers had three more TD passes (28), five less INTs (13), better completion percentage (+1.3 percent), and a better overall passer rating (93.8.)

If trading a steady, smart, and gutsy QB for a whiny gunslinger is an upgrade, I'll stick with my outdated model, thank you very much.

I'm not saying that Cutler is a slouch by any means, but Rodgers has waited for his turn and performed well above most "professional" expectations. Cutler should thrive on whichever team he ends up with.

But Packer fans, please, shut up! Ted Thompson isn't the second coming of George W. Bush. He may have drafted the steal of the 2005 draft.

True, the drafting of Rodgers may have pushed Favre out the door a year or two sooner than he'd have liked. But now the team has a QB who (if he stays healthy) could start the next 10 or more seasons in Green Bay.

How many other teams can say they've had a secure starter at the QB position for nearly 30 years?

Of course that last bit is purely speculation because injuries can and do happen.

Rodgers isn't a flashy QB who threads a needle to make an exciting play, but rather will take the high percentage completion pass and get his team close inch-by-inch, rejoice!

Rodgers is a QB which any team not located in Boston or Indianapolis would be thrilled to have. Fortunately he is happily playing on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field—with Ted Thompson as his boss.

So, sit down. Shut up. And enjoy some Packers football.

Favre Informs Jets He Will Return If Cutler Is Acquired

Joshua Skaar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:48:19 -0400

Unwilling to be upstaged by a younger quarterback, the recently retired Brett Favre has informed the New York Jets front office that if they acquire disgruntled Denver QB Jay Cutler that he will come out of retirement and play one more season.

"I know I can still play. I still want to play," Favre said. "If (Cutler) and I end up on the same team I'd love the opportunity to compete against him to prove that I still have what it takes...But only if I can skip training camp."

EA Announces New Game Modes For Madden 2010

Joshua Skaar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:32:24 -0400

EA Sports, developer of the sporting game juggernaut "Madden NFL Football," has announced some exciting new game modes added to this years game.

In previous years another EA Sports title—"NCAA Football"—has been compatible with the Madden series and allowed you to transfer a created player over to Madden and enter the NFL draft and "live" the life of an NFL prospect and work your way into the Hall of Fame in the Become a Legend mode.

Not this year. Now you can flip-flop on your decision to end your career.

"This year we want gamers to have the REAL experience of an elite NFL player," said EAS Senior VP Steve Chiang. Talking about the new "Flip-Flop" feature: "The only downfall of coming out of your assumed retirement is that your ratings will drop 15 points in every category, and will be a burden on your team."

But that is a small price to pay for one more year of service to the game you love, is it not?

"If you have played as a running back and came out of retirement, you will now hold back all younger backs with better ratings, just because you are a legend," said Chiang.

The biggest add-on to "Madden 2010" will be an offshoot of the popular "Franchise Mode" called "Matt Millen's Franchise." The main focus of this mode is to take on the role of your teams General Manager and create the worst possible product on the field

"This mode will allow you to run your favorite team right to the bottom," said Chiang. "Once you start your season you will have two major choices to make: Sofa or love seat for you office? Or an office with a view of the parking lot, or the field."

"You have to be comfortable with your living conditions while creating a terrible team."

"Your character will receive salary bonuses for having a team win less than seven games, not paying veteran players, making poor drafting decisions, and the biggest prize comes when you blackout your own market!"

Madden 2010 will be flying off store shelves August 18. Reserve your copy today.

Dewayne Wise Wins Leadoff Role for Chicago White Sox

Joshua Skaar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:30:04 -0400

Dewayne Wise is officially the Chicago White Sox opening day center fielder and leadoff man. This news is bittersweet to Jerry Owens, who has yet again failed to secure a job that was all but his for the second consecutive spring.

The hope was that Owens would be able to secure and add some much needed speed to the top of the lineup, but it has faded away with Owens being placed on waivers as of Monday.

This decision still leaves the Sox with a large question mark at the top of the order. Wise is an average defender with speed and a decent arm. But what the Sox really needed to find this spring was a bat. Wise has some pop to his bat, but doesn't seem to have the contact numbers the Sox wanted out of that spot.

With the unproven Wise leading off, the Sox are still left with many questions left to answer through the first few games of the season. If Wise works out, General Manager Ken Williams continues his quest towards another World Series title. If not? Sox fans are going to be in for a long season.

Manager Ozzie Guillen wanted to have the majority of his lineup settled heading into the last week of Spring Training, until Owens is claimed off waivers, the team is settled at 27, with only the backup catcher's position still up for grabs.

Wise won the job over Owens and Brian Anderson, who will fill the role of defensive specialist and come into lineups against tough lefties.

Why Jay Cutler Won't Be a Chicago Bear In 2009

Joshua Skaar — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:21:47 -0400

Bears fans, don't get your hopes up too high. This is not the first time a Chicago-based team has been open to the idea of acquiring a big-name player.

The Bulls were purportedly the only team in the running to attain the services of a discontent Kobe Bryant at the beginning of the 2007-08 NBA season.

As the situation developed, the Bulls did not appear willing to give up what the LA Lakers wanted in return for one of the biggest names in the history of the league.

After the fallout between the Lakers and Bryant seemed to heal, the Lakers' brass went out and picked up Pau Gasol. Creating another dynamic Laker duo that helped lead the team to the NBA Finals for the fifth time in eight years. Leaving the Bulls out in the cold and without a superstar.

Now, sources close to the Chicago Bears have informed several media outlets that the team has allegedly called the Denver Broncos General Manager voicing their interest in possibly acquiring disgruntled Quarterback Jay Cutler in a potential trade, if the new head coach Josh McDaniels and Cutler cannot work out their differences.

Jay Cutler is nowhere near the caliber of superstar that Kobe Bryant is, but he has a lot of upside and is young.

The Bears main competition in the Cutler sweepstakes is division rival Detroit Lions, who hold the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft, but that's about as much trade bait as the Lions hold.

The Bears on the other hand have a mid-round pick at number 18, and could ship Kyle Orton to Denver as part of a deal, plus just about any other player Denver would want.

If Bears GM Jerry Angelo were a smart man he would call up Denver and say "Who/what do you want..? You got it/him!"

There are only two, maybe four players the Bears should not trade in the supposed attempt to acquire a Pro Bowl QB: Running Back Matt Forte, Linebacker Lance Briggs, Wide Receiver Devin Hester (maybe) and Defensive Tackle Tommie Harris (maybe) are the only guys I would not trade if I were the Bears GM.

Of course all of this is speculation, but don't be surprised when push comes to shove the Bears will fold under the pressure of a bidding war with other potential trading partners in Det., Minnesota, New York Jets, and Tampa Bay.

Expect Angelo to pull a John Paxson and claim that whatever the Broncos wanted was just too high of a price to acquire Cutler, and pray that the next time you see him that he's not wearing a powder blue jersey with a lion on the side of his helmet.

An Open Letter to Packers GM Ted Thompson

Joshua Skaar — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 10:15:41 -0400

I am not a Ted Thompson apologist, nor am I a Thompson hater. I simply enjoy watching the Green Bay Packers every Sunday during football season (even in the preseason).

But Thompson's free agency strategy of "wait and see" is getting a little old.

When the decision was made to hire Dom Capers and the Packers switched from a 4-3 defense to something more like the Pittsburgh Steelers' 3-4, one thing seemed obvious: Free agents were going to have to be brought in to help with the transition.

Nearly a full month has passed, and the Pack have picked up one unrestricted free agent: offensive lineman Duke Preston. They also signed former Steelers safety Anthony Smith.

Apparently, two new men is all Thompson feels is necessary to change a team that is still built to play a 4-3 into a contender with a 3-4. And heck, apparently one of them can be on the offensive side of the ball.

Now, the tiny quantity of players signed isn't for a lack of trying on Teddy's part. He asked DE Chris Canty to come in for an interview, but was shunned by the player's agent because Thompson wouldn't dole out estimations on possible contracts without first speaking with the player.

The same issue came up when Thompson asked OLB Kevin Burnett to make a stop in Green Bay; he was again disregarded, told there was a "lack of interest" because he would not discuss terms over the phone.

Are those two missed opportunities going to make or break the Packers season in 2009?

Probably not, but it would have been nice to have two guys with experience in a 3-4 defense.

Currently, the Packers have one player with any experience at all in said scheme: Smith. He was cut as a cap casualty in Pittsburgh, but a Steelers defensive coordinator said that he could not grasp the defense at the time and had occasional mental lapses.

The biggest move the Packers have made since announcing the defensive conversion is the position move of Aaron Kampman, who will now be playing as a pass-rushing outside linebacker instead of defensive end. This was a smart move for the Pack because it will prove easier for Kampman to drop 10 pounds than add 20 pounds to stay on the line. Also, his abilities as a pass rusher would be wasted as an end in a 3-4 scheme.

When the free agent market opened, the Packers were rumored to be interested in bringing back former first-round pick Vonnie Holliday (who played in Capers' 3-4 in Miami) to facilitate the conversion, but those rumors were dismissed almost immediately.

Then a source close to Thompson said that the Packers were interested in DE Kevin Carter, who is three years older than Holliday and not as experienced in the new defense.

Neither of these guys should break the bank to sign, so why not, Ted? Why not?

Mr. Thompson, I hope that this draft class is able to have an immediate impact, because your lack of movement in the market has left this defense with more holes than a block of Swiss cheese.

Favre's Possible Return a Conundrum for Packer Backers

Joshua Skaar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:14:58 -0400

"Being Brett Favre got hard to live up to."

Those were just a few of the words in Brett Favre's retirement speech just four months ago.

Now Favre's agent, Bus Cook, is reportedly on the phone with the Packers front office requesting that Favre be removed from the team's Retired/Reserve list and back onto the active roster.

Upon hearing this news, I began asking myself so many different questions that it is proving difficult to keep my hands on the keyboard.

On one side of this equation there is the fact that if Green Bay were to bring him back, the Packers would almost be immediate favorites for a Super Bowl run this coming season.

On the other hand there is poor Aaron Rodgers, who has spent the last four months being told that this is his team. This is supposed to be his time.

But not if what sources from within the Packers' front office are saying is true.

Team General Manager Ted Thompson has been on vacation, and seems intent to stay that way by not returning calls or even making any kind of comment on the current situation.

Now, I've spent the last four months convincing myself that Aaron Rodgers will do a fine job as the Packers new QB. It seems that I succeeded too (see "Aaron Rodgers Saying the Right Things... For Now"). But you also can't ignore the fact that Favre, a proven commodity, is an absolute upgrade over the inexperienced Rodgers.

All we can do is wait and see what will happen with these reports.

One more issue for the Packers to consider is that if Favre returns, what will this do to Rodgers morale?

Will Favre retire—again—at the end of the coming season, and will Rodgers be able to sit on the bench, quietly, after spending the last four months practicing under the assumption that he is the starting signal caller?

If Favre comes back, fans should welcome him with open arms. But if Favre stays on his riding lawn mower, retire those number four jerseys and pop on that No. 12 and support the Green Bay QB of the future.

Retrospective: Plaschke Calls Chicago Sports "Irrelevant"

Joshua Skaar — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 03:50:52 -0400

On Wednesday Feb. 27, during the ESPN show Around the Horn, a show where sports columnists from the nation’s largest sports cities debate on specific subjects. A regular guest on the show and Los Angeles Times sports writer Bill Plaschke said to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti that Chicago was an "Irrelevant sports town."

It is true that a few of the Chicago sports teams are in desperate pseudo rebuilding phases. The Bulls fell down right out of the gate this past season. But with the acquisitions of Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes, and brand new, number one overall pick Derrick Rose. The Bears and their lack of anything resembling an offense. The White Sox, two years after winning the World Series missed the playoffs by 20+ games in 2006 and are struggling to hold on to their lead in the AL Central. The Cubs have hit the 100 year mark for not winning a World Series and are "celebrating" the 63rd anniversary of the last time they were even in the Series. Finally the NHL residents of Chicago barely missed the playoffs this past season with the dynamic-rookie-duo of Jonathan Toews and rookie of the year Patrick Kane the future looks extremely bright for one of the Blackhawks.

What Mr. Plaschke might not remember is that about four or five years ago the Denver Nuggets were one of the worst teams in the NBA. The Broncos were still trying to find a replacement for John Elway. And not too many people cared about how well the Colorado Avalanche were playing well, and were a couple years removed form winning the Stanley Cup.

But let's take a look at the bright side of Chicago sports for a moment. The Bears are a little over a year removed from being in the Super Bowl. The White Sox brought a World Series title to Chicago for the first time in 88 years, in 2005. The Cubs are giving fans an actual sports related reason to attend Wrigley Field again this year.

There are also the not so major sports: the Chicago Wolves of the AHL/IHL have won 4 championships in the last 10 years, between the two leagues. They have also never had a losing season. The newest addition to the Chicago sports family, the Rush of the Arena Football League, won the AFL championship in Arena Bowl XX and have made the playoffs in every season of their existence, including clinching home-field advantage for the AFL playoffs for the first time this season.

Though Chicago's sports are in a state of limbo and the teams are not as feared as they used to be. But professional athletes still want to be come to Chicago.

Japanese baseball player Kosuke Fukudome (Cos-kay Fook-u-domay) was quoted as saying his two main choices to play Major League Baseball came down to Chicago's north and south side ball clubs and eventually landed with the Cubs.

The White Sox have been no strangers to welcoming foreign players into the clubhouse having 2e Cuban players on th current roster. Picking up a couple Japanese players in Shingo Takatsu and Tadahito Iguchi a few years ago. Plus several players from Manager Ozzie Guillen's homeland of Venezuela.

Calling Chicago an irrelevant sports town is like saying that the sky is green. Bill Plaschke needs to check his history and make sure he wasn't talking about Cincinnati.

Aaron Rodgers Saying the Right Things...for Now

Joshua Skaar — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 13:08:53 -0400

They say you never want to be the man who replaces a legend, but that you'd rather be the guy who replaces the guy who replaced the legend.

Aaron Rodgers, however, is trying his best to put an end to that mantra by any means necessary. Even if that means reaching out to the paradigm of replacement QBs, Steve Young.

Young replaced Joe Montana in San Francisco back in 1991. "I've just got to be me. I'm not Brett, I'm never going to live up to his legendary status regardless of how well I play," said Rodgers. "Steve Young was a great QB in San Francisco. But Joe (Montana) won four Super Bowls. And Steve still had a Hall of Fame career. I want his advice."

Ever since Brett Favre finally said the 'R' word, Rodgers has been under a microscope. His every move has been monitored, and he has taken it in stride. He has answered the same questions every time the press has been allowed access to the locker room after the teams "voluntary" workouts.

When asked what it's like to finally be the starting QB of the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers has given very mature answers, saying "I know the pressure I'm under. I know who I'm following. I know that it's a tough situation and a lot of people are expecting me to fail outside of this locker room," he said after the first OTA. "I'm just trying to get the guys we've got here now to believe in me."

With the "boo-yah!" network (ESPN) over-analyzing the Packers draft selections of Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn—second and seventh-round picks respectively—putting added pressure on Rodgers to succeed. When asked about a potential QB controversy, Rodgers responded confidently, saying "I think that is a false statement, actually. And coach (Mike) McCarthy would say the same thing."

What the "boo-yah!" network seemed to magically forget was that the Pack was in dire need of backup QBs, and the free-agent market wasn't exactly booming with "Packers" material.

General Manager Ted Thompson brought former Minnesota Vikings QB Daunte Cullpepper in for a visit and an interview, but quickly decided against bringing in the injury-prone former All-Pro to the green and gold. "They had to bring in a guy that would back me up," said Rodgers. "It was either going to be through free agency or the draft."

Favre's favorite target over the last several season, Donald Driver, has been quoted as saying "...the transition between Favre to Rodgers has been seamless. Brett; he's not here, but his spirit is here," continued Driver. "Nothing's changing, we're not going to do anything different than what we would do if Brett was here. The play calling is going to stay the same. The cadence is going to stay the same. There's nothing different, you just see a different face, but you all move on."

"One guy I really need in my corner is Donald (Driver.) We've had some really good conversations about getting on the same page. It was obvious with him and Brett—all they needed was eye contact,” Rodgers said "I know the comparisons will happen. Probably for my entire career as a Packer and as long as I play in the NFL...My connection will be the guy who followed Brett Favre," Rodgers knowingly admits.

The Packers have great depth at every offensive position. (They really only lack in experience at QB. But scouts have ranted and raved about Brian Brohm being more than NFL ready, having been a three-year starter and running a West-Coast style offense at Louisville.)

With the emergence of Ryan Grant last year, and with the promising talent of 2007 second-round pick Brandon Jackson looking to secure the backup spot, the Packers are not hurting for offense. The running game looks to be a lot brighter situation than last year, when the Packers were ranked 32nd in the league for rushing average, until Grant broke out against Denver on Monday Night Football in Week Nine.

Their receiving corps isn't bad either, with starters Greg Jennings and Donald Driver being followed by second-year pro James Jones and this year's second-round pick Jordy Nelson from Kansas State. Rodgers will have his pick of the litter with a maturing receiving group.

The drama of Favre's will-he, won't-he un-retire charade has faded, and the post-Favre era of the Pack has begun. From the look of all the attitudes around the Packer's mini-camp, Rodgers should be a more than suitable replacement for the future first-ballot Hall of Famer.

But Rodgers' charisma and good looks will only get him so far in the city of Green Bay. He still has to back up all his talking of "going out and playing his game." And proving his doubters wrong by establishing himself as a durable QB who can play more than four quarters in an NFL season without getting hurt.