Bleacher Report - Articles by Ryan Cardarella

Green Bay Packers: Handicapping the Home Stretch

Ryan Cardarella — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:19:10 -0500

After a rousing stretch in which the Green Bay Packers won three games in 12 days, they enter the final portion of their schedule likely needing a 3-2 finish to assure an NFC wild card slot.

However, the schedule tightens up as the Packers clash with two tough AFC North opponents and the defending NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals. Luckily, the Packers also draw the fading Bears and Seahawks.

Here is a look at how Green Bay's final five games will shake out:

Week 13: vs. Baltimore

This feels like a dangerous game for the Packers.

The Ravens are hungry as they fight for an AFC playoff spot and are coming off a big home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Of course they also needed overtime and a critical interception from third-string quarterback Dennis Dixon to escape with that victory.

Running back Ray Rice is dangerous both as a runner and receiver, and quarterback Joe Flacco is becoming more than just a caretaker on offense.

But it will likely be how the Packers' offense matches up with a stiff Baltimore defense that decides this contest.

I see a close game predicated on, you guess it, protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Baltimore pass rush.

If they can give Rodgers a little time, the Ravens pass defense will be exposed as it has been for much of the season.

In my least confident pick of the bunch, I see Rodgers and his well-rested teammates making just enough plays to squeeze out a tight home victory.

Week 14: at Chicago

Poor Chicago Bears fans. They thought they had the strong-armed, cocksure quarterback the Bears have always lacked when Chicago traded for Jay Cutler.

But behind a suddenly porous and banged up defense, and with Cutler playing like Brett Favre circa 2005, the Bears are well on their way to earning the Denver Broncos an excellent first-round draft slot.

Barring a blizzard at Soldier Field, look for Aaron Rodgers to be the latest quarterback to carve up the Bears' pass defense and bump the Broncos up another draft pick or two in a double-digit win on the road.

Week 15: at Pittsburgh

A loss to the Ravens dropped the defending-champion Steelers to 6-5 and effectively put them on the ropes in terms of making the playoffs.

With upcoming cream puff games against Cleveland and Oakland, Pittsburgh will likely be sitting at 8-5 when the Packers arrive in town. However, in a conference where an 11-5 New England team missed the playoffs a year ago, the Steelers won't yet be patting themselves on the back heading into the playoffs.

Assuming safety Troy Polamalu and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger return from injuries as expected, Pittsburgh will offer a stiff road test with a balanced offense and a dominant-when-healthy defense.

(Side note: The Steelers are undefeated and haven't surrendered more than 17 points in a game with Polamalu in the lineup. They are a different team with him in the game.)

This Packers team still has too many breakdowns and makes too many mistakes to pick in Pittsburgh. The Steelers pull away late and drop the Pack to 9-5.

Week 16: vs. Seattle

Remember when the Walrus still roamed the Seattle sideline and playing the Seahawks meant a tough game?

Those days are as gone as Nirvana and the SuperSonics.

Half of that team is on injured reserve and the players that remain just aren't good enough for Seattle this year, even in the soft NFC West.

Without standout linebacker Lofa Tatupu and All-Pro tackle Walter Jones, and a dearth of explosive skill position players, Seattle doesn't have much that scares the opposition.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is still a solid pro, but receiver Nate Burleson and running backs Julius Jones and Justin Forsett would be backups on most teams.

Against a defense ravaged by injuries and backups stepping into starting roles, the Packers should have little trouble putting up points on the Seahawks.

While this is a team that lost to the previously winless Tampa Bay Bucs, it's hard to see anything but a decisive Packers victory here, especially with so much to play for.

I see 30-plus points and a recovery game after a very tough, physical three weeks of football against the Ravens, Bears, and Steelers.

Week 17: at Arizona

This game could be a bit of a crap-shoot with Arizona likely to have the NFC West locked up by Week 17.

That would be great news for Green Bay fans who fear an Al Harris-less secondary squaring off with Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin with a potential playoff spot at stake.

The Packers win this one by a touchdown, with Arizona resting a few of their regulars in the second half to freshen up for the playoffs.

However, if the Cards falter and need this game, get ready for a nerve-wracking shootout.

Because of the long layoff that serves as almost a second bye week leading into the matchup with the Ravens, along with a potentially meaningless Week 17 game with Arizona, I see the Packers peaking at the right time and finishing 11-5.

For a season that featured such midseason turmoil, hosting a playoff game would stand as an excellent turnaround for a roller-coaster season.

Green Bay Packers: Five Best Second-Half Surges

Ryan Cardarella — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:31:08 -0500

The Green Bay Packers have struggled to "clean up" the problems that have plagued them at the midpoint of the season, and appear hard-pressed to make a playoff push with a difficult second-half schedule.

However, in an attempt to keep the faith, here are five Packers squads that had things come together in the second half of the season.

Perhaps the 2009 edition can follow their lead.

1984

Lynn Dickey and Co. made a ferocious second-half surge, winning seven of their final eight games, losing only at Detroit on Thanksgiving.

The Packers feasted on a relatively weak NFC Central division, winning five second-half games against division rivals, including a Week 16 road win against a Chicago Bears team that would peak a season later in their Super Bowl Shuffle campaign.

The bad news?

They started the season a dismal 1-7 and failed to make the playoffs in one of three straight 8-8 campaigns under Lombardi dynasty-era members Bart Starr and Forrest Gregg.

Outside of a strike-shortened playoff season in 1982, this stretch was as good as it got for Packer fans of the seventies and eighties.

For those of you lamenting the agony of 2009 just remember, it used to be a lot worse folks.

1989

The Majik man gave Packer fans hope as he helped lead Green Bay to a 10-6 record in 1989, including a 6-2 second half.

Quarterback Don Majkowski had a stellar 1989 season, putting up over 4,300 yards passing and throwing 27 touchdown passes, most of them to stud wide receiver Sterling Sharpe.

They also defeated the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park, prevailing 21-17 in one of only two losses for the Niners on the season.

Unfortunately, 10-6 failed to secure a playoff spot for the Packers in an extremely competitive NFC and Green Bay would fail to build on their solid '89 campaign, going 6-10 in 1990 and 4-12 in 1991.

1992

Behind a baby-faced Brett Favre and an improving defense, the 1992 Packers won six straight second-half games to force a must-win game at Minnesota for a playoff berth.

While Green Bay lost 27-7 in that final game, the 1992 campaign laid the foundation for a team that would win big throughout the rest of the decade.

The Packers didn't miss the playoffs again until 1999 and didn't post a losing record until 2005.

Favre's gutsy performance playing with a separated shoulder in a 27-24 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles helped sway Hall-of-Fame defensive end Reggie White to come to Titletown via free agency, and the team steadily improved each season until they brought the Lombardi Trophy back home four years later.

1997

The defending Super Bowl champion Packers went 7-1 to close out the 1997 season, with only a shocking 41-38 road loss to the 0-10 Indianapolis Colts as a second-half blemish.

Packer fans will also fondly remember the hated Dallas Cowboys finally visiting Green Bay in Week 13 that season to receive a 45-17 thrashing at Lambeau Field.

Following a Deion Sanders pick-six to put Dallas up in the second quarter, Green Bay scored 38 of the next 45 points to exact a bit of revenge on their long-time tormentors.

Green Bay also excelled in spite of a tough December schedule featuring three straight December road wins at Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and Carolina.

The Packers would ride that momentum all the way to Super Bowl XXXII...and I'll just leave it at that.

2003

While the 2003 ended in a cruel, soul-crushing loss at Philadelphia, it is easy to forget the incredible run Green Bay had leading up to that game.

Following a Thanksgiving day loss to the lowly Detroit Lions that appeared to end the Packers playoff hopes, Green Bay won their final four games, including the unforgettable Monday Night contest against Oakland following the death of Brett Favre's father Irv.

But it still didn't appear to be enough, as the Packers needed the hated Vikings to lose at Arizona.

Improbably, Arizona quarterback Josh McCown found receiver Nate Poole in the end-zone with no time remaining and the Cardinals pulled out an 18-17 victory after what seemed like a two-hour official review to determine whether Poole was forced out of bounds.

While the season ended in the worst of ways, for a few short weeks it did seem as though the football gods were smiling upon the Green Bay Packers, and still ranks as one of the most incredible stretches in team history from a personal perspective.

Honorable Mention

1972

Closed the season by winning six of their final seven games and made the playoffs for the only time in the decade.

Both of their second-half losses came to the Washington Redskins, who knocked them out of the playoffs with a 16-3 victory en route to the Super Bowl, where they would lose to Don Shula and the undefeated Miami Dolphins.

2007

The 2007 Packers went 6-2 in the second-half of their run to the NFC Championship game.

However, they lose points for having a stronger first-half, and for that ugly 35-7 loss at cold, windy Soldier Field.

Their struggles in Chicago would be a precursor to their poor home performance in the cold against the New York Giants, in what turned out to be the last game of the Brett Favre era in Green Bay.

Where's the West Coast? Finding Flaws in the Packers' Offensive Strategy

Ryan Cardarella — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:52:04 -0500

In lieu of massive offensive line problems and an inconsistent running game, a critical question hasn't come up nearly enough in discussing the Green Bay Packer offense.

What happened to head coach Mike McCarthy's West Coast attack?

Under quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the offense has placed an increasing emphasis on down field routes and cashing in on big plays while easing off of the more fundamental West Coast offense McCarthy employed with Brett Favre.

Remember the quick-hitting slants and hot reads that allowed Packer receivers to rack up copious amounts of yards after the catch with Favre at the helm?

I do, and it was beautiful.

It worked to perfection in 2007 and the Packers still have the personnel to excel with a similar attack, but they continue to look down field and expose their greatest weakness.

Namely their alarmingly porous offensive line.

Rodgers is taking a great deal of heat for holding onto the ball, and with good reason. But it's not as if he enjoys getting beat like a pinata.

His receivers are all down field for the most part, and the offense often fails to hit the hot read out of the backfield, or have one at all.

Or you can use a simpler equation. A bad offensive line coupled with slow-developing routes and a turnover-conscious quarterback (usually) equals Aaron Rodgers getting the crap kicked out of him for sixty minutes.

Sound like a winning formula?

The philosophy also helps explain the decline of Greg Jennings this season. Wonder what happened to him?

It's not a matter of the money going to his head or a sign of slippage in his game, he just isn't being utilized properly.

Jennings is an excellent route-runner and has a knack for piling up yards after the catch. However, he is not an elite jump-ball guy like a Larry Fitzgerald or Randy Moss or a blazing speedster.

If the offense remembers its identity and gets back to timing slants and other quick, precise routes that compliment Jennings' abilities, you will see him re-emerge as an elite receiver.

Donald Driver has had an exceptional year catching some of those slants and turning them into big plays, opportunities Jennings hasn't had nearly enough of.

Driver has also made some spectacular down field catches (the one-hander against St. Louis comes to mind), but he too is more of a after-the-catch type of player.

This isn't to say that the offense isn't still putting up points and picking up yards in bunches.

But the philosophy is flawed.

The line is too porous to avoid giving up a critical drive-killing sack or penalty as the Packers repeatedly attempt to hit the big-play jackpot, and Green Bay will continue to struggle maintaining a consistent attack with their current approach.

Instead of consistently trying to hit a home run, the Packers need to get back to hitting some singles and doubles offensively, which is really what the West Coast offense is all about.

McCarthy is getting away from his own proven offensive blueprint and Aaron Rodgers' body is footing the bill.

Want to Rattle Brett Favre? Cheer Him on Sunday

Ryan Cardarella — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:43:47 -0400

The manner in which the Lambeau faithful greet Brett Favre this Sunday is perhaps more intriguing than the very important divisional game itself.

Will fans stay loyal to the green and gold and boo the man who helped put the title back in Titletown? Or will they cheer the greybeard who still happens to have the best-selling jersey in the state?

Perhaps even more intriguing is how Favre will react to the moment.

Always a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve, I truly believe that the reaction that would impact him the most would be a cascade of cheers.

As a competitor, getting booed voraciously will turn Sunday's tilt into more of a normal football game. It would be Favre entering a hostile environment trying to shut up a noisy crowd not unlike a traditional road game.

Getting booed on the road is par for the course.

And when properly motivated, Favre can be an incredible force on the football field.

He can feed off of that negative energy and use it to do precisely what he went to Minnesota to do—stick it to Ted Thompson and the Packers.

But getting cheered would dull that edge that Favre has been sharpening against the Packers since he left for New York over a year ago.

Would he be able to bring all that angry motivation to the field after hearing the respect and admiration many fans still have for No. 4?

I think it would suck the life right out of him.

Though I believe that true Packer fans should save their applause for Favre until he is inevitably honored at Lambeau or in Canton, I'd love to see how Favre would respond to a classy ovation from the Green Bay faithful before the game.

Either way, it should be a surreal sight on Sunday.

Packers Shine While Division Rivals Show Vulnerability

Ryan Cardarella — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:43:22 -0400

Playing the hapless Cleveland Browns proved to be the perfect elixir for the Green Bay Packers' offensive struggles.

The Packers played their most complete game of the season Sunday, running the ball effectively and keeping quarterback Aaron Rodgers clean and upright for the first time all season.

Rodgers was brutally efficient with time in the pocket, completing 15 of 20 passes for 246 yards and three scores as the Browns struggled to mount a pass-rush against the Pack.

But the real story was the running of Ryan Grant, who finally broke free for 148 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.

Even though the Browns were without standout linebacker D'Quell Jackson, Grant appeared to run with more purpose on Sunday, running tougher than he has in some time.

Perhaps it was the Ahman Green signing that woke him up, or maybe it was just poor tackling, but Grant and the offensive line looked much improved.

Grant doesn't need to put up 150 for the offense to be effective, but he does need to be more productive to take pressure off of Rodgers and the passing game.

A few more solid games from Grant and defenses will at least have to account for the Packers so-far meek running game.

In addition the defense kept up their strong play, albeit against a Cleveland group lacking playmakers and an offensive identity.

Green Bay held their second straight opponent under 150 yards of offense and forced two turnovers, an impressive feat no matter the competition.

The Packers have now beaten their last two opponents by a combined score of 57-3, exactly the kind of dominance you want to see out of your team against inferior competition.

But beating Cleveland convincingly was not the story of the weekend for the Packers. It was the fashion in which two of their main rivals lost on Sunday that may prove to be a turning point in the NFC North race.

Cincinnati dominated Chicago at the line of scrimmage and Carson Palmer led the Bengals offense to scores on all five of their first-half possessions en route to a 45-10 thrashing of the Bears.

The vulnerable Chicago secondary was exposed by Palmer who threw more touchdowns (five) than incompletions (four.)

And without defensive standouts Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris, the Bengals also ran the ball at will on Chicago, with Cedric Benson punishing the team that once cut him for 189 yards and a touchdown.

While Chicago gets a breather next week against Cleveland, injuries have really depleted the Bears defense and the offense has been unable to pick up the slack.

Minus Urlacher and the playmaking defense that Lovie Smith's Bears are known for, it's hard to see them making a strong playoff push unless Cutler, Forte, and the offense can get it going.

After a series of close calls, the Vikings finally lost on Sunday as well, the victim of two costly fourth quarter turnovers that the opportunistic Steelers cashed in for a 27-17 win.

Brett Favre threw 51 times in an alarming trend for Minnesota, as the Vikings have increasingly gotten away from the running game and their all-world back Adrian Peterson.

Minnesota fans got their first taste of the turnover-prone version of Favre Sunday, who coughed up a fumble and a pick for touchdowns in Pittsburgh as the Vikings got away from their bread and butter of running the ball down opponents throats.

At 40, Favre and his historic arm will carry the Vikings only so far.

The Vikings strength is still their running game, and the more that they divert from their gameplan of running AP, controlling the clock, and letting Favre pick apart defenses stacked against the run, the more vulnerable they become.

Though he picked the Packers apart just a few weeks ago, the older Favre often keeps both teams in the game, and the Vikings are a more beatable team with No. 4 shouldering the offensive load.

Let's hope they forget about their defensive back crushing ball-carrier for another week.

Leading into the media frenzy that will be Favre Bowl II, the Packers appear to be slowly improving while their division rivals reveal their flaws.

After all of the issues on the offensive line and a slow start to the 3-4 transition, the Packers are only a home victory away from being just a half game out of first place in the NFC North.

If they can build on their strong performances of the last two weeks and continue to come together, that's not a bad spot to be.

Green Bay Packers: Can Defensive Tweaks Help Carry Flawed Offense?

Ryan Cardarella — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:19:41 -0400

Same strengths, same weaknesses, weaker opponent.

That is the best way to sum up the Green Bay Packers offense against Detroit coming out of their bye week.

Aaron Rodgers and the passing game flexed its collective muscle against the Lions secondary all afternoon to the tune of 358 yards and a pair of scores in a 26-0 romp.

Donald Driver electrified the crowd with several dazzling catches as he overtook Sterling Sharpe at No. 1 on the Packers all-time receptions list as Green Bay piled up well over 400 yards of total offense.

But the same issues head coach Mike McCarthy has vowed to "clean up" all season once again reared their collective heads, even in a comfortable victory.

Costly penalties stalled several drives, Green Bay and its unbalanced offense settled for field goals instead of touchdowns, and the running game failed to give the Packers any kind of production to keep defenses honest.

And the leaky offensive line again failed to keep Aaron Rodgers clean, despite the Lions' dearth of bona-fide pass-rushing talent.

What it all means is that the Green Bay offense likely is what it is for the 2009 season.

An offense highly capable of moving the ball in big chunks, but also one highly susceptible to drive-stalling sacks and penalties that cost the Packers points.

The bye week did little to help the Packers figure out how to plug their offensive line holes, or how to open one for Ryan Grant.

Barring a trade or the likes of T.J. Lang and Mark Tauscher miraculously stabilizing the line, the Packers strengths and weaknesses offensively are unlikely to change a whole lot the rest of the way.

But if pitching a shutout was any indication of things to come, the Packers' 3-4 defense may emerge just in time to Green Bay's flawed offensive attack.

Dom Capers' unit battered an admittedly short-handed Lions offensive Sunday, surrendering only 149 total yards and forcing three turnovers to carry the day.

More impressive was the way they dominated the game.

Capers utilized Aaron Kampman with his hand on the ground more against Detroit, finding a way to integrate his All-Pro caliber pass-rushing ability for the first time in 2009.

Like it or not, Kampman is often a square peg in a round hole playing outside linebacker in the 3-4, and the more ways Capers can find to get Kampman back in his comfort zone rushing the passer, the better for his pressure-predicated defense.

The other obvious difference-maker on Sunday was Clay Matthews. He was simply all over the field.

Finally healthy after fighting through a hamstring injury, Matthews has started to show the immense talent that actually made general manager Ted Thompson move up in a draft.

Two weeks after ripping the ball right out of the monstrous arms of Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, Matthews was all over Detroit's backfield on Sunday, racking up two sacks and applying pressure all afternoon.

Capers's defense has always been critically reliant on forcing pressure on the quarterback.

That point was made clear against Minnesota, as the Packers gave up 30 points despite shutting down AP.

Brett Favre had enough time to retire and unretire two or three times in the pocket, and he did what any good NFL quarterback will do with time to throw, pick a secondary apart.

But if Kampman and Matthews can build on their performances and continue to apply consistent pressure, then the Green Bay defense may once again resemble the dominant unit it showed capable of in the preseason.

Wouldn't it be something if it was the Packers revamped defense that led the team to the promised land?

Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers Can Look at Old Matchup for Monday Night Blueprint

Ryan Cardarella — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:18:54 -0400

For a regular season contest, the stakes seemingly couldn't be higher when Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers invade Brett Favre's Metrodome Monday night.

Yep, that's still pretty weird to read.

Favre. Rodgers. Ted Thompson. Adrian Peterson. The Packers' D finally getting a crack at No. 4.

The game has enough juicy subplots and "sex appeal" that even Tony Kornheiser probably couldn't use enough hyperbole to describe what the atmosphere will be like when the green and gold take on one of the legends of their franchise in prime time.

And when all is said and done, ridiculous snap judgments will be made hinging on the outcome.

If Favre and the Vikings take care of business at home, the ol' gunslinger will have proven Ted Thompson wrong and the Packers' beleaguered general manager may find it difficult to leave his house for work Tuesday morning.

If the Packers and Thompson's drafted successor Aaron Rodgers prevail, TT will be praised for his courage in preventing Favre from playing "Will he or won't he" in Green Bay offseason after offseason and be praised as a genius.

Call me crazy, but I say it's one game. An important divisional game, but one game.

And I rely on history to prove it.

Back on Sept. 11, 1994 in Kansas City, Joe Montana and his Chiefs took on Steve Young and the San Francisco 49ers in a game eerily similar in circumstances to what we will see on Monday night.

Montana, like Favre, led his franchise out of a bleak era and lifted them to glory, winning four Super Bowls as he cultivated his clutch pedigree in the 1980s.

His name was synonymous with San Francisco and Joe Cool was undoubtedly one of the finest quarterbacks to ever play the game.

But nothing lasts forever.

Injuries sidelined Montana for the 1991 and all but one game of the 1992 season, and by that time, backup Steve Young had seized the reins of the Niners' famed west-coast offense.

After an MVP season from Young in 1992, the 49ers did the unthinkable, trading the face of their franchise to Kansas City, with a showdown at Arrowhead following more than a year later.

Just as the Packers 6-10 campaign in 2008 made fans wonder how the team would have fared with Favre behind center, especially in so many tight games, a growing number of 49ers fans pondered how Montana and his reputation as a big-game performer would have impacted crushing playoff losses to the Dallas Cowboys in 1992 and 1993 with Young at the helm.

Meanwhile Montana, along with fellow star veteran Marcus Allen who came over from Oakland, revived Kansas City in leading them to the 1993 AFC Championship game.

Whether it be out-dueling John Elway in an epic battle on Monday Night Football or steering the Chiefs to two playoff victories, Montana still had the proverbial "it," and Niners fans simply weren't convinced Young had those clutch intangibles.

Their Week Two matchup did nothing to dispel that notion.

Young threw two costly interceptions and was sacked for a safety while Montana played an efficient, mistake-free game in a 24-17 Kansas City victory.

The whispers grew to a roar after a horrendous 40-8 home loss to Philadelphia three weeks later, as Young and his teammates were booed off the field.

It appeared obvious that San Francisco had made a colossal mistake in choosing Young over the legendary Montana.

Despite the statistics and two straight NFC Championship game appearances, many fans believed Young just didn't have what it took to be a leader and a champion.

He just wasn't Montana.

Four months later, Young was hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after dissecting the San Diego Chargers for six touchdowns in Super Bowl XXIX.

The Niners lost only a meaningless Week 17 game against Minnesota in between.

Rodgers has a lot of work to do to catch up to Young in terms of on-field credentials, but he faces many of the same questions as Young did in 1994.

Is he just a stats guy or can he be the leader and the winner that his predecessor was? Can he display some of the same intangibles?

Time will tell but no matter the outcome, the answers likely won't come out of this Monday night showdown.

Bottom line, if the Packers lose to Favre and the Vikings, it will be a gut-wrenching loss that will lead to a lot of unanswered questions and hasty judgments about the decision at quarterback and the future of the franchise.

But step back off of that ledge Packers fans.

Rodgers will still be a promising quarterback, and the team will still be one with a great deal of talent and ability, kind of like Steve Young and the Niners were.

And they proved you can never be quite sure what is coming next.

Flawed Approach: How Ted Thompson Miscalculated Building the Packers' O-Line

Ryan Cardarella — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:06:58 -0400

Through two games, it's no secret that the Packers' Achilles' heel is clearly protecting franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers has competed valiantly through two games, but suffering 10 sacks in two games is simply unacceptable in the NFL.

Even when he isn't getting sacked, he is still getting drilled and being prevented from stepping into his throws.

Couple that with the fact that the Packers have struggled mightily in the running game as well, and you have a potentially explosive offense that is getting handcuffed by the line and its inability to allow plays to develop.

Having all of those playmakers at receiver doesn't matter if you don't have time to get them the ball.

As a result, Rodgers is on borrowed time if he continues to get hit like he has, and the holes Ryan Grant needs to break big gains just aren't there.

At least some guys are happy with Green Bay's line play. Antwan Odom sends his regards, Daryn Colledge.

I think he'll send you the really nice watch Rodgers won't be buying you for the extra $10 million you made him on his next free agency deal.

Odom had three sacks last season for Cincinnati—three!—and 17.5 for his six-year NFL career before his five-sack effort Sunday.

I shudder to think what a Jared Allen or Justin Tuck would do to Rodgers at this point. Hide the women and children!

So where did the line play go so wrong?

What it really comes back to is the game plan put in place by general manager Ted Thompson to rebuild the line following the departure of two blue-chippers in Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera in 2004.

Those two were the last All-Pro caliber guys the Packers featured along the offensive line, and while they weren't worth the money they received in free agency considering their age at the time, Green Bay has yet to replace them.

The harsh truth is that Thompson's philosophy since then has been quantity over quality along the line.

While he has spent high draft picks at other less urgent areas offensively on guys like Brandon Jackson and Jordy Nelson (a blue-chipper in the first round for Justin Harrell sure sounds good right now as well), Thompson has used mostly mid-round selections on the line.

Sometimes you get what you pay for.

The result has been an offensive line that lacks physicality and that blue-chip anchor that every unit needs.

The highest pick of the bunch, former second-round pick Colledge, has been mediocre at best on the interior and is now being asked to fill in for Chad Clifton after giving up three sacks at tackle on Sunday.

Hard-working but smallish former seventh-rounder Scott Wells will retake his center spot, while the beefier Jason Spitz will likely slide over to left guard with Clifton out.

Fourth-rounder Allen Barbre, who got beat like a drum by Adewale Ogunleye last week, and fellow fourth-rounder Josh Sitton round out what the Packers will put out there in St. Louis.

Outside of Clifton, who is getting up there in age, the Packers are trusting their potentially prolific offense to a group of young, mid-round picks who haven't shown the ability to consistently perform at the NFL level.

Meaning the Packers offense is sort of like owning a Ferrari in the middle of a Green Bay winter—you've got a sweet car, but you can't figure out how to get it out of the garage.

The other glaring issue along the line has been the Packers' inability to add a quality veteran to a young group.

Thompson is famously reluctant to make free agency splashes, but he has helped stabilize other areas of the team with some key signings.

Obviously, Charles Woodson has been a godsend for the defensive backfield, but the Brandon Chillar signing was huge for the linebacking corps, and Ryan Pickett has been an anchor for the defensive front as well.

But he has made no attempt to bring in a quality veteran to aid his young line, and they are in crisis mode now because of it.

Head coach Mike McCarthy and offensive line coach James Campen have an enormous task ahead of them. Their leaky line is threatening to sink an explosive offense, and they will likely have to fix it without reinforcements.

Maybe they bring Mark Tauscher back, but who knows what he has left?

Teams have no doubt seen what Cincinnati and Chicago have done to the Packers' offensive front and have to smell blood in the water coming after Rodgers right now.

Bottom line, no matter how well the revamped defense plays, this team will struggle if they don't find a way to shore up their line play.

And if they don't, Packer fans may have a familiar villain to blame for the mess.

"Money" Rodgers Earns His Stripes In Victory

Ryan Cardarella — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:09:54 -0400

It was almost 2008 all over again for the Green Bay Packers Sunday night.

Then Aaron Rodgers showed why he is an elite quarterback poised to erase the late-game struggles of last season.

In a game the Packers likely would have found a way to lose last season Green Bay showed the toughness and resolve they often lacked in 2008, traits that Aaron Rodgers put on full display for a national audience.

With his normally sure-handed receivers dropping passes, Rodgers being uncharacteristically inaccurate at times, and his sieve-like offensive line surrendering pass-rushers all night, No. 12 took his beating like a man and refused to make the big mistake.

And then when it got down to money time, that is precisely what Rodgers was.

Money.

Unlike his counterpart Jay Cutler, who forced an alarming amount of passes and paid the price for his impatience with four costly picks, Rodgers took his hits and just kept balling.

Cutler faded from the rush or tried to jam passes in as opposed to taking his hits, and it cost Chicago the game in a disappointing debut.

Not the smoothest of starts for the supposed missing link in Chicago.

Meanwhile, Rodgers stood in, waited for his moment, and seized it for the Packers with his cold-blooded strike to Greg Jennings on a third-and-1.

I love the mentality to go for the kill as opposed to settling for a long Crosby field goal, and that mentality starts with the confidence Green Bay now has in their quarterback.

A-Rod showed he could put up elite numbers last year, but the victories didn't accompany the gaudy stats. That's because the truest measure of a franchise quarterback is how he deals with adversity.

Rodgers dealt with off-the-field issues incredibly well last year but was unable to deliver consistently in crunch time on it.

Elite guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Ben Roethlisberger find ways to win when everything is going wrong.

Big Ben rescued his Steelers Thursday night in a game where the Pittsburgh rushing attack got stuffed all night, and led them to victory against a tough Titans team.

Tom Brady tossed two touchdowns in the final 2:06 of last night's game against Buffalo after looking out of sync much of the night coming off of knee surgery.

And Manning has been willing the Colts to steal games they have no business winning for a few seasons by now.

Rodgers gutty performance against Chicago fits right in.

His stats (17 for 28, 184 yards) certainly don't stand out, but the way he persevered in the face of a relentless rush and emerged with a win certainly does.

Rodgers and the Packers took a big step towards fulfilling their preseason promise in their win over Chicago, even if things didn't go quite as McCarthy and his staff drew it up.

Let's just hope that offensive line doesn't make Rodgers prove how tough and poised he is every week.

Black And Blue Preview: Ranking The NFC North Defenses

Ryan Cardarella — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:36:49 -0400

With the 2009 season set to kick off in mere hours, here is how the NFC North stacks up on the defensive side of the ball.

Defensive Line

1. Minnesota 2. Chicago 3. Green Bay 4. Detroit

Minnesota is loaded up front, boasting the league's stingiest rushing defense and a fearsome pass rush as well.

Pat and Kevin Williams are both space eating run-stuffers that make running up the middle a waste of time against Minnesota.

Defensive end Jared Allen is one of the best in the NFL at getting to the quarterback, posting 30 sacks over the last two seasons.

Left end Ray Edwards is reliable but not a big pass-rushing threat, registering only 13 sacks in three seasons.

The Vikings aren't exceptionally deep up front and may struggle if the league's four game suspensions against both Pat and Kevin Williams are upheld.

But their high end talent inside and outside is undeniable.

The success of Chicago's defense likely rests on the health of Brian Urlacher and defensive tackle Tommie Harris.

Harris has been battling knee problems for some time now, and missed a large chunk of training camp and the preseason in order to be ready for the regular season.

When 100 percent, Harris is one of the most disruptive tackles in football, and if his knee is sound and his speed and quickness return, it will free up Chicago's excellent linebackers to make plays.

Chicago is a bit weak on the outside of the line, with a few players whose names may currently outweigh their level of productivity.

Adewale Ogunleye notched only five sacks last season and is getting a bit up there in years.

Alex Brown is a speed rushing specialist who also registered five sacks last year, but is still a guy that needs to be accounted for off of the edge.

Reserve and fellow speed-rusher Mark Anderson began his career with a bang, finishing with 12 sacks in 2006.

But he has only six since, as teams have learned how to bottle up the one-dimensional end.

The Packers switch to Dom Capers' 3-4 complicates assessing their defensive line, but they rank behind Chicago and Minnesota in terms of proven talent and production.

Nose tackle Ryan Pickett has been a force inside since joining the Packers from St. Louis, and should get some much needed help from first-round pick B. J. Raji.

Holding the point is absolutely critical to the success of the 3-4, and the Packers will need both men to play well and spell each other at times in order to do that.

The Packers also welcome the return of Cullen Jenkins after an injury-plagued 2008 season. Jenkins is a big body that holds up well against the run and the pass, though he will likely see fewer pass rushing opportunities in the 3-4 at end.

Johnny Jolly is another big body who fits the scheme well, and has had a solid camp.

Mike Montgomery and rookie Jarius Wynn fill out the rotation and may need to add a bit of weight to fit into the defense more efficiently.

The Lions appear a bit thin on depth and talent along the defensive line.

Grady Jackson is still adequate as a run-stopping force in the middle, but the Lions lack a game-changing pass-rusher that opposing defenses need to scheme for.

Former Buc Dewayne White is the closest thing the Lions have to a bonafide pass-rusher, and he registered just 6.5 a year ago.

Ex-Packer castoff Jason Hunter is slated to start on the other side, and a host of young players fill out the rest of the unit.

Head coach Jim Schwartz had better bring some of that defensive magic with him from Tennessee. Too bad he couldn't have taken Albert Haynesworth as well.

Linebackers

1. Chicago 2. Green Bay 3. Detroit 4. Minnesota

Though it may turn out to be just a preseason cliche, linebacker Brian Urlacher has proclaimed himself healthy and feeling better than he has in several years leading into the 2009 season.

Reports out of camp have been positive for the veteran, who has been battling a back injury for some time.

If true, Urlacher and fellow Pro Bowler Lance Briggs form one of the best units in the league.

Urlacher is a speedy, ball-hawking linebacker who can run and cover like the safety he was in college.

Briggs has emerged as perhaps the best player on that defense while Urlacher has been battling injuries, and is another guy who can really move sideline-to-sideline.

Adding outside linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, who led the Rams in tackles last season, gives Chicago three fast (albeit undersized) linebackers who hit extremely hard.

If their defensive line can occupy blockers and let these linebackers make plays in space, look out.

Green Bay looks to have an extremely deep group of linebackers, punctuated by the emergence of Desmond Bishop and the continued solid play of Brandon Chillar.

Converted end Aaron Kampman has looked sharp on the outside, and looks poised to retain his playmaking ability standing up in the 3-4.

Bishop has been great on blitzes and instrumental in the Packers turnover creating parade in the preseason.

And Brandon Chillar has quietly filled in very well for Nick Barnett, in coverage and to a lesser extent, in run support.

Jeremy Thompson has also asserted himself well on the outside, and looks to take the starting job heading into the Chicago game.

But the group is not without some question marks.

Bishop has outplayed A.J. Hawk in camp and the preseason but still figures to back him up as the season begins.

Standout Nick Barnett has been extremely limited in camp and the preseason, and it remains to be seen where he is physically and within the new scheme.

And first-round pick Clay Matthews has been injured throughout camp making it difficult for the coaching staff to figure out where he fits in.

In spite of a few questions, the Packers appear to have six or seven guys who can bring it on Sundays.

Not a bad problem to have.

In front of a better line, the revamped Detroit linebacking corps could really be a force.

Ernie Sims has developed into a very good weakside linebacker for the Lions as a fast, hard-hitting enforcer.

Veteran Julian Peterson joins the team as their strong-side 'backer, and while he isn't the same talent he was in San Francisco, he still represents an upgrade at the position physically and as a leader.

Larry Foote will man the inside for Detroit, going from the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers to the first 0-16 team in history.

Good player, terrible decision.

No matter, the Lions significantly upgraded their talent at linebacker and added two solid veterans who should emerge as leaders for a young team.

I may be selling them short, but I see nothing in the Vikings linebacking corps that particularly scares me.

E.J. Henderson and Chad Greenway are both tough, sure-tackling 'backers, but they just aren't big-time play-makers.

Along with weak-side starter Ben Leber, the trio combined for eight sacks and two interceptions last season.

Cornerbacks

1. Green Bay 2. Minnesota 3. Chicago 4. Detroit

Although they are both getting a bit long in the tooth, it's hard to think of two starting corners better than the Packers' Charles Woodson and Al Harris.

Both will be playing a bit more zone coverage in the 3-4 but are still capable of locking up an opposing No. 1. receiver.

No. 3 corner Tramon Williams gave up big plays at times last season, but also had five interceptions and appears ready to step in for significant time if necessary.

Fourth corner Will Blackmon is still probably a better punt returner than he is cornerback, but he is improving and has all of the physical tools to play well in the nickel and dime schemes.

Eleventh-year cornerback Antoine Winfield remains one of the best two-way defensive backs in football, combining excellent ball skills and physical play in pass coverage with ferocity in run support.

Cedric Griffin is also a solid physical two-way corner, ringing up 91 tackles last season on the other side.

It's a good thing Minnesota's corners are physical, because with their stellar run defense, they get plenty of work.

Benny Sapp is a reliable veteran as the No. 3 corner, racking up two picks last season after coming over from Kansas City.

Chicago has taken a bit of a step back in their secondary, finishing 30th in pass defense last season.

Standout Cornerback Charles Tillman is a legitimate No. 1, but is fighting back from offseason back surgery. Beyond him there are a bunch of question marks.

Nathan Vasher has been scorched at times after a promising start to his career and Trumaine McBride hasn't proved he can be a solid starter in this league.

They need Tillman to return to form quickly or teams are going to air it out on the Bears.

Detroit should be improved at cornerback with the additions of Anthony Henry from Dallas and Philip Buchanon from Tampa Bay.

With Terence Newman taking a bit of a step back in Dallas last season, Henry actually looked like their best corner for much of the season.

But while both guys can run and make plays, but neither jumps out as a No. 1 type guy.

Detroit also lacks depth, like most bad teams do, with several retreads and young players trying to fill out the roster.

Look for the Lions to struggle against three and four-receiver sets, as their corners will have a hard time matching up.

Safeties

1. Green Bay 2. Minnesota 3. Chicago 4. Detroit

Nick Collins is an excellent ball-hawking safety that should see his interception numbers and opportunities go up even more with the 3-4 creating more pressure on the quarterback.

He does drop picks from time to time and get caught out of position, but his nose for the ball makes up for it.

Strong safety is a bit of a question mark, with Atari Bigby still favoring his ankle a bit after missing significant time a year ago.

If he can get comfortable and get back to being the feared hitter he was when healthy in 2007, then Green Bay is rock solid at all four secondary spots.

Newly acquired safety Derrick Martin comes over looking to fill the backup role that Anthony Smith excelled in before being a final roster casualty.

Let's hope he can play as well as Smith did in the preseason.

Madieu Williams came over from Cincinnati in 2008 and helped solidify the Vikings secondary. He had only 42 tackles and two picks, but has sound technique and is a reliable veteran.

The Vikings got rid of Darren Sharper, who signed with New Orleans, because they thought second-year safety Tyrell Johnson was ready to play in his spot.

He lacks Sharper's flash and nose for creating turnovers, but is solid and coverage and a good hitter. I think they could have gotten another good year out of Sharper, but Johnson should settle in well enough.

Danieal Manning had a quiet season after two very good ones at free safety for Chicago. He looks to bounce back after having only 33 tackles in 14 games for the Bears last season.

Kevin Payne emerged as a play-maker at strong safety last season in Chicago, accruing 74 tackles and 4 picks for the Bears in 2008.

Look for him to continue to fill the Mike Brown role of making game-changing plays at safety for that Chicago D.

Louis Delmas has been the talk of camp in Detroit, as the second-round pick looks to make an immediate impact in a secondary that needs a shot of play-making ability.

Kalvin Pearson is a prototypical hard-hitting strong safety who struggles in coverage.

Delmas will be the guy relied upon in coverage to make the key plays in Detroit.

Black and Blue Preview: Sizing Up the NFC North Offenses

Ryan Cardarella — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:31:22 -0400

With final rosters being set over the weekend and the real games finally set to begin in less than a week, I wanted to take a look at where each NFC North team stands at each position, starting on offense.

Looking at starting talent, depth, and potential, here is my positional depth chart for the division on offense. A look at the defense, special teams, and overall predictions will be coming later in the week.

Quarterback

1. Green Bay 2. Chicago 3. Minnesota 4. Detroit

Aaron Rodgers is following up his statistically brilliant 2008 with an even better preseason performance to kick off 2009.

The offense punted only once in 13 preseason possessions in large part due to the brilliance of Rodgers, who looks poised to add victories to his gaudy stats this season.

Backup Matt Flynn has also looked much improved this preseason, and while Packer fans hope they only see the former seventh-round LSU product in mop-up duty, he has looked competent enough to keep the offense rolling if pressed into action.

I'm not sure how Ted Thompson was able to pull the wool over the eyes of the entire league and sneak the juggernaut that is Brian Brohm onto the practice squad, but it appears the Packers may go with just two QB's and promote him if necessary.

The Bears may boast the most physically dynamic quarterback in the division with the acquisition of Jay Cutler from Denver, and he should eventually make their offense far more balanced and dangerous.

It feels like Chicago hasn't had a elite quarterback since Sid Luckman, and my grandparents think that statement was dated.

With apologies to Erik Kramer and Jim McMahon fans across the nation, Cutler will make a huge impact on how teams gameplan for the Bear offense and offer a dimension they haven't had in a long time.

However, Cutler is coming to a new team, learning a new offense, and looks to have a lack of playmakers at receiver, which is why I give the edge to Green Bay behind center.

The Bears also have a muddled backup situation, with unproven, undrafted Caleb Hanie set to back up Cutler and no third-stringer on the 53-man roster.

Most teams are sunk if the starting QB goes down anyways, but Chicago and Green Bay will likely need their No. 1's to stay on the field for 16 games in order to make it to the postseason.

You may have heard that Brett Favre decided to come back and play football, the game that he loves more than anyone has ever loved anything.

But at nearly 40 years old, that makes him only the third-best quarterback in his division.

Coming off a very short preseason and stepping into a new system with new players, there may be an adjustment period for Favre as he goes from throwing to high schoolers in Mississippi to the real deal in the NFL.

While it has been said that he knows the offense well enough to teach a class on it, Favre still needs to develop a rapport with his receivers.

Favre has always relied on 'feel' as a passer, and throws a lot of timing patterns at this point in his career. That feel was lacking in the preseason and will need to be ironed out over the first several regular season games.

Luckily, the Vikes have a charmin soft opening schedule, starting with Cleveland, Detroit, and San Francisco.

The Vikings also boast one of the deepest quarterbacking situations in the league, with Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels both possessing extensive starting experience.

With recent rumblings suggesting that some players believe one of those two give Minnesota a better chance to win than No. 4, perhaps that depth will become a problem if Brett gets off to a slow start in 2009.

Detroit comes in last at quarterback, though the position is far from hopeless for the league's first-ever 0-16 squad.

First, overall pick Matthew Stafford has had a solid preseason and should eventually get the chance to work out his rookie mistakes later in the season.

Daunte Culpepper has slimmed down a bit and looks as good as he has since suffering a devastating knee injury that derailed his promising career in 2005.

And hey, at least Lions fans don't have to watch Dan Orlovsky forget what that thick white line in the back of the opposing end zone is for.

Running Back

1. Minnesota 2. Chicago 3. Green Bay 4. Detroit

The Vikings were an easy choice for the top spot here, with the dynamic Adrian Peterson having emerged as perhaps the best back in the league.

Throw in the fact that Chester Taylor is one of the finest backups in football, and a guy that would likely start for 10-12 teams, and you have a great offensive backfield in Minnesota.

If Minnesota is to have the kind of Super Bowl-type season that many predict, it will undoubtedly be on the legs of their running game.

Chicago's Matt Forte stepped up in a big way last season, rushing for 1,238 and eight scores with defenses keying on the running game.

Forte also proved to be a multi-dimensional back, catching 63 passes for 477 yards as he carried the offense for much of the season. With Jay Cutler in town to take some of the pressure off, Forte should be more explosive in 2009.

I don't think 1,500 yards is out of the question for him, unless he ends up catching too many passes to get there.

Backups Adrian Peterson (the other one) and Garrett Wolfe are both solid backups talented enough to give Forte a breather here and there.

Green Bay should improve its running game in 2009 with starter Ryan Grant going through an entire camp and looking much healthier than he did last season.

Grant lacked big-play burst in 2008 and saw his yards-per-carry average slip significantly, but has looked quicker and sharper throughout the preseason.

If he can regain his late-2007 form, the Packer offense will be extremely difficult to slow down.

Backup Brandon Jackson and DeShawn Wynn are both talented but haven't been able to step up and spell Grant consistently in their short careers.

Jackson has battled injuries and Wynn isn't exactly known for his work ethic, but both look poised to play more of a role this season in the Packer offense.

Someone needs to emerge to keep Grant fresh, and I think this will be the year that Wynn cashes in on his natural talent.

The Packers also chose to keep three fullbacks. While I would have liked John Kuhn or Korey Hall's spot go to rookie RB Tyrell Sutton or S Anthony Smith, the Packers opted for more special teams help.

Detroit has a solid if unspectacular starter in Kevin Smith, and made a nice pickup in signing Maurice Morris from Seattle.

However, they lack a guy who can really gash your defense or shape a gameplan around, and that hurts a team looking to break in a rookie quarterback at some point.

Wide Receiver

1. Green Bay 2. Detroit 3. Minnesota 4. Chicago

One through five, the Packers may boast the most loaded receiving corps in football.

Greg Jennings has emerged as a big-play No. 1 receiver, and is flanked by a great possession receiver who can still break an occasional big one in Donald Driver.

Jordy Nelson has looked a little more explosive this preseason, hauling in a 76-yard touchdown reception against Arizona.

And James Jones is a proven commodity as well, with prototypical size, speed, and catching ability as the No. 3 or 4 guy.

Brett Swain looks to hang on as a special teams guy and takes Ruvell Martin's spot at the back end of the rotation, but has shown some ability in camp as a sure-handed option in some five-wide sets.

Detroit lacks Green Bay's depth, but Calvin Johnson may very well be the best receiver in the division.

Johnson caught 78 balls for 1,332 yards last season and it still feels as though he has only scraped the surface of his potential. At 6'5'', he is going to be a big problem for the division over the next several years.

Bryant Johnson is a solid No. 2 on the other side, and Dennis Northcutt brings experience and speed as a No. 3.

Minnesota has a somewhat suspect receiving corps, but Bernard Berrian is a proven big play threat that teams have to account for.

He is good for close to 1,000 yards and several long touchdowns per season, but can be shut down with a solid gameplan.

Outside of trying to stir up trouble in Chicago, Bobby Wade is more of a No. 3 or 4 guy than a starter, but Minnesota will have to make due with him and Sidney Rice at receiver until Percy Harvin can get up to speed.

Harvin is the wildcard in this group. If he can learn his assignments and get crisp enough with his route-running, his speed and natural ability could really improve this offense.

Otherwise the rest of the guys aren't too scary.

Chicago may finally have a quarterback, but he won't have too many options in the passing game.

Devin Hester can outrun just about anyone, but he is still really raw as a receiver. He has no business being a No. 1, but he is the best they have.

Perhaps Cutler can rediscover his rapport with college teammate Earl Bennett as a No. 2 or 3 receiver. Look for Bennett to emerge as the No. 2 as he hooks back up with his old Vandy QB.

Outside of those two, Chicago will rely on Rashied Davis, a serviceable possession guy, and Juaquin Iglesias, a rookie out of Oklahoma to round out an underwhelming receiving corps.

Tight End

1. Chicago 2. Green Bay 3. Minnesota 4. Detroit

Greg Olsen is a stud that may very well take the next step and join the likes of Antonio Gates and Jason Witten as an elite TE.

Especially with their shortcomings at WR, I see Olsen catching 70 balls as they line the versatile TE up all over the field. Stopping Olsen will be key to slowing down the Chicago offense, and Cutler is going to wear him out with passes in 2009.

Add in Desmond Clark as a reliable blocker and pass catcher as the No. 2, and the Bears look set at tight end.

Jermichael Finley has been one of the big stories of Green Bay's offseason, and looks to be a force in the red zone for the Packers this season.

Along with Donald Lee, who is usually good for 40-50 grabs and a handful of touchdowns per season, and the Packers should be able to run some two TE sets harkening back to the days of Chumura and Keith Jackson.

Brett Favre loves his security blanket tight ends, and Visanthe Shiancoe should be a good one for him in Minnesota. He is an athletic guy who should thrive with more touches from Favre.

Backup Jim Kleinsasser is more of a blocking threat and is getting up there in age, and it looks like Minnesota lacks the depth at TE of Green Bay and Chicago.

Tight ends can be a young quarterbacks best friend, but unfortunately for Matthew Stafford, the Lions lack a veteran pass-catching guy at the position.

First-round pick Brandon Pettigrew has great physical tools, but it remains to be seen whether he can produce as the No. 1 guy and be the safety valve Stafford needs.

Will Heller and Casey FitzSimmons are slated to be the top two guys outside of Pettigrew, and neither offer much more than solid blocking.

Offensive Line

1. Minnesota 2. Chicago 3. Green Bay 4. Detroit

None of the NFC North offensive lines are particularly dominating, but I still give the nod to Minnesota.

Steve Hutchinson and Bryant McKinnie still anchor a pretty potent left side of the line, and while losing long-time center Matt Birk hurts, they still have the ability to open holes for AP and keep Favre upright.

Which may be critical for the Vikings, with Favre looking a bit slow in the preseason.

If second-round pick Phil Loadholt can hold down the right tackle spot for the Vikes, this could still be a formidable unit.

Chicago added former All-Pro left tackle Orlando Pace to pair with some decent pieces along the line.

If Pace can stay healthy, a big if for the aging tackle, Chicago should have a solid unit with Olin Kreutz anchoring the middle, and Roberto Garza and Chris Williams manning the right side.

Williams has been inconsistent, and the Bears need the former first-round pick to play like one, but I think Chicago just has a little more talent along the line than the Packers.

Green Bay finally seems to have some stability on the offensive line, after moving guys around for a few years. Daryn Colledge has looked solid most of the preseason, and the Packers appear to have settled on a center in the bigger, more physical Jason Spitz.

If anything, the unit should improve with continuity, something they have lacked due to injury and inconsistency in the past.

However, I still feel like this is the weakest link on the Packer offense, and something to watch as Green Bay goes up against some physical fronts later in the season.

Bad teams tend to have bad line play, and the Lions are no exception to this rule.

Detroit surrendered a brutal 52 sacks last season, and Detroit looks like they will be starting four of the same five guys this season.

Adding in the fact that Lions rushers averaged only 3.8 yards per carry, Detroit looks poised to struggle moving the ball yet again in 2009.

For the sake of Matthew Stafford's future, it may be wise for Detroit to let Daunte Culpepper take some of those licks this season, as it could be another long year for Lions quarterbacks.

Green Bay Packers Must Carry Over Preseason Swagger

Ryan Cardarella — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:18:03 -0400

The Green Bay Packers have attacked the preseason like a team hell-bent on atoning for the missed opportunities and overall disappointment of 2008.

Their first-team offense has carved up opposing defenses to the tune of nine touchdowns in 12 possessions, and Dom Capers' 3-4 has looked sharp and disruptive well ahead of schedule.

And the national media is taking notice.

A glance at today's SI.com main page has the likes of Peter King and Don Banks singing the praises of Mike McCarthy and his Packers, calling them the best-looking team so far this preseason and the team to beat in the NFC North.

I hope they aren't reading their own press clippings.

It's not that the Packers aren't deserving of praise for the brutal efficiency they have displayed in dominating all three preseason games thus far. I just like them better with that chip on their shoulder.

The expectations that came with following up on an NFC Championship game appearance in 2007, along with the Brett Favre saga, appeared to weigh on a young Packer team last season.

But after an offseason during which most pundits called them one of the best 6-10 teams ever, a backhanded compliment if I've ever heard one, the Packers have played with a physical intensity that we haven't seen for some time.

And they seem to have that swagger, especially on offense, that really good teams display. I guess that comes with putting the ball in the end-zone almost every time you touch it.

Mike McCarthy and his players know they are too skilled and too deep to have that kind of record and they have taken it out on their opposition so far.

But there is still work to be done.

Cleveland and Buffalo are two teams likely to finish well under .500, and Arizona has played it close to the vest all preseason, implementing a very limited game plan against the Pack.

The Packers have the personnel to move the ball on anyone, but it would have been encouraging to see them up against a truly stout defense in the preseason.

Tennessee certainly qualifies, but the starters will likely only make cameos before Chicago provides a real test.

Furthermore, Green Bay's special teams have looked ugly at times, with injuries forcing Ruvell Martin into the lineup as a holder for Mason Crosby, who missed two more field goals against Arizona.

Winning double-digit games, wresting the division from the hated Vikings, and making a deep run in the playoffs are all seemingly attainable goals for this Packers team.

I just want to see a little more against stauncher competition before I'm sold on all of the love this 6-10 team is getting from the local and national media.

And I hope that chip stays firmly on their shoulders as they earn their retribution in 2009, one victory at a time.

Green Bay Packers: What We Can Take from Crushing Cleveland

Ryan Cardarella — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:26:56 -0400

The Green Bay Packers unveiled their new 3-4 scheme in style on Saturday, shutting out the hapless Cleveland Browns 17-0 at Lambeau.

The defense wreaked havoc on the Cleveland offense, and the Green Bay running game pounded the Browns to the tune of 230 yards on the ground, looking like a hungrier, more physical team than the 2008 version.

But before people start printing off their playoff tickets, let us remember that it is still just the exhibition season.

Remember, the Lions are undefeated in the preseason over the past two years.

That said, here are a few positives and negatives to take from Saturday's game.

Good: Depth

The preseason serves as an excellent litmus test for roster depth, and after one game the Packers appear to have options at several key positions.

Playing without both starting corners and their two first-round draft picks, the Packers still had guys on the field making big plays from start to finish.

The running backs all had success moving the ball for the Packers, with Tyrell Sutton particularly turning heads with his shiftiness and cutting ability.

Sutton scooted for 91 yards on 16 carries, and looks to be the most elusive of the Packers' rushers.

While it is important to note Sutton was gashing a defense comprised mostly of third-stringers and street free-agents, Green Bay appears to have an excess of capable backs.

Picking between DeShawn Wynn, Brandon Jackson, Kregg Lumpkin, and Sutton is a nice problem to have.

The Packers showed great depth at linebacker as well, with Brandon Chillar and Desmond Bishop stepping up in a big way without Clay Matthews and Nick Barnett available.

There isn't much more you can say about Bishop other than he needs to be in the game somewhere on the interior of this defense.

The guy has been all over the field in camp, and he carried that over to the opener, collecting a sack, a pick, and forcing another interception on a blitz.

Chillar is also having a nice camp on the inside filling in for Barnett, and looks capable of stepping in if Barnett can't get healthy for the regular season opener.

Safety Anthony Smith also made some nice plays, collecting a sack and an interception as well, as the entire secondary played a solid game without Al Harris and Charles Woodson.

To survive the long NFL season and the inevitable rash of injuries along the way, depth is essential to staying afloat.

The Packers appear to have the kind of depth to weather the injury bug in 2009 and push through.

Bad: Brian Brohm

It's a good sign when one of the negatives of the game concerns the Packers' third-string quarterback.

But Brohm was bad enough on Saturday night that I could smell his performance all the way down here in Milwaukee.

Brohm went just three of 10 for 18 yards and tossed two interceptions after both Aaron Rodgers and backup Matt Flynn looked solid against the Browns, following up his poor preseason of 2008 with another stinker.

Worse yet, he looks like the same confidence-shattered over-thinker he was in his rookie season.

For a guy that some thought could challenge Rodgers for the starting spot heading into last season, Brohm is starting to look like a bust.

One has to wonder where the guy that lit up secondaries and set records during a sparkling career at Louisville went?

Or did his game leave with Bobby Petrino?

Good: Defensive Chaos

The first game of the Dom Capers regime couldn't have went much better, with the defense pitching a shutout and forcing a bunch of big plays against a struggling offense.

Capers scheme is predicated on bringing pressure from any and every angle, and the Packers were able to put heat on all three Browns quarterbacks.

Green Bay got two sacks from defensive backs against Cleveland, and the four interceptions were by and large a product of the pressure Capers was able to force on the quarterback.

Another key is that the defense got pressure without suffering any major breakdowns in coverage.

It's fundamental, but Capers talks a lot about being able to make big plays and force turnovers without breaking down defensively and giving up the big plays going the other way.

Heavy pressure can open up holes in coverage down the field, but Green Bay kept that to a minimum against the Browns.

On top of the big plays, you really get the feeling watching and listening to guys on the defense that they love playing in this scheme.

Players like to attack instead of react, and it didn't seem as though everyone bought into Bob Sanders and his vanilla 4-3 set last year.

If the first game of 2009 is any indication, there is no doubt they buy into Capers and the potential of his attacking 3-4.

Bad: Penalties

For a team that led the NFL in penalty yardage a year ago with 984, Green Bay struggled yet again to avoid shooting themselves in the foot at times, collecting nine flags against Cleveland.

While the penalties resulted in only 52 yards of damage, they were partially to blame for the Packers mustering only a field goal after Aaron Rodgers left the game.

I'm not sure why the Packers have such a jumpy offensive line, but those extra yards are often the difference between Crosby sticking a field goal, or missing two long ones like he did on Saturday.

With penalties being a bugaboo for the Packers since McCarthy arrived, it would have been encouraging to see a bit more disciplined performance.

Good: Getting Physical

Head coach Mike McCarthy and his staff have set a more physical tone in training camp this season, and it showed on Saturday night as the Packers owned the line of scrimmage.

They out-gained Cleveland 230-59 on the ground, and the defense was able to get heat on Cleveland quarterbacks all game long.

The Packers were clearly the more aggressive, physical team on Saturday, and will need to carry that over against rugged teams like Pittsburgh, Baltimore and the divisional slugfests.

For a team looking to shed its finesse label, they took a solid step in the right direction on Saturday.

Bad: Competition

Eric Mangini's Cleveland Browns couldn't have looked much worse on Saturday night.

They don't know who their quarterback is, they are short on playmakers, and they really lack a discernible identity.

Moreover, they played with little passion and intensity, and really don't seem to buy into their coach and his philosophy.

In short, they looked like a 3-13 football team.

It was exciting to see Green Bay handle its business out of the gate, but Saturday's game with Buffalo will paint a far clearer picture as to where the Packers are as a team.

J.J. Hardy Sent to AAA, Bill Hall Released as Brewers Shake Up Roster

Ryan Cardarella — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:53:51 -0400

Doug Melvin and the Milwaukee Brewers' brass have seen enough.

After dropping 23 of their last 35 games and doing little at the trade deadline to stay in the wild card race, the Brewers dropped the hammer on Wednesday, demoting shortstop J.J. Hardy to Triple-A Nashville, firing pitching coach Bill Castro, and releasing utility man Bill Hall.

The team has underachieved at the plate all year, with Hall and Hardy being two of the biggest culprits.

After two highly productive seasons at the plate, Hardy has hit just .229 with reduced power this season, and the team finally decided to have a look at one of their prized prospects in Alcides Escobar, who was called up to take Hardy's place, according to JSOnline.

Escobar has great speed, a decent bat, and a stellar glove, and could slide into the lead-off or two-hole nicely in the future.

The move comes just seven weeks before Hardy would earn the right to refuse a demotion to the minors.

Bill Hall hasn't hit since receiving a four-year, $24 million contract after his 35 home run campaign in 2006, and has been close to dead weight on the roster since.

He never seemed to recover from being moved around the diamond after his big year, and has appeared lost at the plate ever since.

He has 10 days to accept his demotion, or be traded or released.

Castro appears to be the scapegoat for a team that boasts the second-worst ERA in the National League, though one could definitely argue that he wasn't given much to work with.

While he wasn't a difference maker, I'm not sure that even miracle workers like Dave Duncan or Leo Mazzone could have patched together that rotation and overworked bullpen for an entire season.

Injuries to starters Dave Bush and Jeff Suppan, along with the lack of quality arms to replace them, appear to have done Castro in.

Triple-A Nashville pitching coach and former Brewer Chris Bosio will assume the same gig in Milwaukee.

After a flurry of significant moves, here's hoping that the Brewers take the youth movement a bit further and see what they have at catcher as well.

Jason Kendall may call a good game (a debatable asset), but he is an absolute liability at the plate, and a poor defender at this point as well.

Veteran leadership is all well and good, but batting .228 with no pop just doesn't cut it with the talent Milwaukee has behind Kendall.

Milwaukee needs to play Mike Rivera and catching prospect Angel Salome to determine what they will have in 2010.

The team would also be well served to get stud third baseman Mat Gamel some additional big-league at-bats as well so they can figure out what his future is with the club.

He was a strikeout machine earlier in the season, and a month and a half of seasoning would be good for his long-term prospects.

It's a shame to say, but it may be time to look ahead to 2010 for the Brewers. They have struggled through the easiest part of their schedule and the pitching staff looks tired and worn out.

It will be exciting to see how Escobar acclimates to the show, and what moves Milwaukee makes in the coming weeks as they decide whether or not to stay in the race.

Perhaps the club can turn its summer swoon into a building block for a deep playoff run this time next season.

Raji Leaves Green Bay: What His Holdout Means To Revamped Green Bay Defense

Ryan Cardarella — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:19:00 -0400

Packers first-round pick and ninth overall selection B.J. Raji was seen flying out of Green Bay last night, a bad sign for fans hoping to see the space-eating 330-pounder in green and gold anytime soon.

With contract negotiations between Raji and the club at an apparent standstill according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, it is unclear when the Packers' top pick will be back in town, and in uniform.

This is damaging news for the defense, with the line already missing fellow defensive linemen Johnny Jolly and (get this!) Justin Harrell due to injury, leaving the Packers perilously thin up front.

And with the 3-4 so dependent on the linemen eating up blockers and holding the point at the line of scrimmage, the lack of progress is a bit disheartening.

Raji and Ryan Pickett are pegged to be the key cogs up front for the Pack in 2009, and they need to get those guys reps to establish some cohesion defensively.

While Raji is currently listed as Pickett's backup at nose tackle, Raji was expected to play left end and team with Pickett in occupying blockers for the linebackers.

The longer the contract negotiations drag out, the greater the risk that Green Bay will be relying on an out-of-shape Raji along with several injury-prone and less-talented linemen.

Where have you gone, Andrew Brandt?

But before you blame Ted Thompson and negotiator Russ Ball for the lack of progress, know that there are more influential reasons for the stalemate.

There is currently a logjam of unsigned draft picks around Raji, including sixth overall pick Andre Smith, and the No. 8-11 draftees.

More specifically, if you want to point a finger at someone, point one at San Francisco wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

The tenth overall selection is throwing a major wrench in the slotting process by demanding to be paid like a top-five pick.

Raji and his people are understandably concerned to sign quickly only to see Crabtree's contract blow his out of the water.

Without his ridiculous demands (he slipped in the draft after undergoing foot surgery, but still thinks he's entitled to be paid like he didn't go under the knife), Raji would likely already be in camp riding children's bicycles around.

You can also point a finger at Raiders owner Al Davis, who reached for Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey at the No. 7 spot and then shelled out $38 million to sign him, further muddling the slotting process.

Crabtree considers himself a much better player than Heyward-Bey, and has threatened to sit out the season and re-enter the draft in 2010 if he doesn't get a "fair-market" deal.

It will be difficult to sign Raji until No. 8 pick Eugene Monroe and Crabtree get their contract situations settled.

As it stands, it may be days or even weeks before we see a key piece in the new 3-4 defense get onto the field, a disappointing setback for a defense looking to turn things around in 2009.

Prince Fielder Nearly Ends The L.A. Dodgers Pennant Hopes

Ryan Cardarella — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:26:37 -0400

A friendly note to Guillermo Mota and the Los Angeles Dodger pitching staff.

Please don't throw at Prince Fielder.

Seriously.

Fielder attempted to enter the Dodger clubhouse last night after being drilled in the ninth inning of a 17-4 L.A. rout of the Brewers.

In a classy move by Mota, he tagged Fielder with two outs in the ninth, admittedly as retaliation for Chris Smith tagging Manny Ramirez with a pitch in the seventh, as the Dodgers try to reclaim some of the manhood they lost from the Philly playoff series last fall.

Hey guys, maybe you should go after Ryan Braun next time.

While he may have a more intimidating nickname, "the Hebrew Hammer" is less likely to try and tear into your clubhouse and destroy members of your bullpen.

You might need those guys in October, Joe.

Luckily for Torre and members of that poor pitching staff, teammates Bill Hall, Casey McGehee, and an army of security guards were on hand to fend Fielder off.

In what may have been his greatest contribution to the Brewers this season, Hall and Co. helped keep Fielder in the lineup and out of jail by restraining him before he smoked someone.

It'll be interesting to see how things play out tonight.

But if the Dodgers know what is good for them, they will pitch the big boy outside and move on with their playoff-bound lives, pitching staff healthy and intact.

Fight Club: More Physical Camp an Encouraging Sign For Packers

Ryan Cardarella — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:54:37 -0400

It didn't take long for the physicality of training camp to boil over for the Green Bay Packers.

After going without so much as a skirmish in camp before the disappointing 6-10 campaign of a year ago, it only took four days for several fights to break out during a Tuesday evening scrimmage.

Good.

While I certainly don't want to see anyone get put on the shelf by getting jacked up in a camp fight, the fact that the Packers' camp is more physical and intense thus far is a welcome sign for a team that lacked spark and toughness at times last season.

With five of the Packers' first six practices in full pads, Green Bay is running a much more rugged camp this year, with nose tackle Ryan Pickett stating it is the most physical camp he has been through.

Labeled a finesse team by some, a dirty word in football, the Packers have struggled at times to man up in the trenches in a very physical division.

But this is a new season, and thus far, the Packers and their coaching staff appear to have a chip on their shoulders after a disappointing 2008.

One player who has been turning heads with his impassioned play is middle linebacker Desmond Bishop, who has impressed coaches with his blitzing ability and physicality at the "Mack" position in camp.

He has also been at the center of a few donnybrooks.

Bishop had to be separated from offensive lineman Jason Spitz after a Kregg Lumpkin fumble caused a pileup, and another fight involving Bishop had Outside Linebackers coach Kevin Greene looking for his hat.

That is the kind of hunger you want from an inside 'backer.

I love the intensity he is bringing to camp so far, and his skills may end up being a great fit for the 3-4 defense inside.

He has been a beast timing his blitzes and blowing people up in the hole early in camp, and has shown the aggressiveness that A.J. Hawk has lacked in rushing the passer.

Bishop was exposed in coverage for being slow-footed at times last year, but with the new defense calling for mostly zone coverages, Desmond could see the field a lot more this season if he keeps crushing people in camp.

The 3-4 defense is always in need of a badass or two in the middle, and Bishop may emerge as that attitude guy at linebacker.

At the very least, maybe he can push the mostly mediocre A.J. Hawk as he looks to find the playmaking ability he showed at Ohio State.

Rookie Quinn Johnson has also brought toughness and physicality to camp at the fullback spot.

While it comes with the territory as a fullback, you want those guys who seem to seek out and relish the car-accident types of collisions in the hole, and he is proving to be a guy that can stand people up so far.

As anyone who played with Lorenzo Neal can attest, a hard-nosed, blocking fullback can make a huge difference in the running game, and may help open things up for Ryan Grant and Co. moving forward.

While a couple of fights in August won't necessarily lead to more victories in the fall, the hunger that the Packers are showing early in camp makes me believe they think they have something to prove this season.

Maybe it was the Favre distraction in camp last year, or maybe they got too high after their surprise run to the NFC Championship game in 2007, but the team simply seemed to lack intesity at times last year.

So far, they look and sound like a team ready to atone for their lost 2008 season, already showing some of the fire that was missing a year ago.

Milwaukee Brewers: Recent Slump May Have Preserved the Future

Ryan Cardarella — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:35:37 -0400

While I'm not advocating giving up on the Brewers making the playoffs in 2009, their recent play should be a clear sign to GM Doug Melvin that trading away the future to take a shot this season is the wrong move.

Failing to make a run against the Pirates, Reds, and Nationals leading into the deadline likely crushed any chances of the Brewers acquiring a pitching savior to lead them back to the playoffs.

That ugly stretch may have been a good thing for the long-term future of the franchise.

The market is incredibly tough for starting pitching right now, and the harsh truth is that the Brewers are more than just a quality arm away from pushing past St. Louis, Chicago, and Houston in the NL Central.

They just have too many holes right now.

Mortgaging the future is fine if the end result is a deep postseason run, but that just isn't likely with a shallow rotation, tired bullpen, and inconsistent offense.

The Brewers post-All-Star-break slump may be remembered as a pivotal moment in the franchise, preventing GM Doug Melvin from emptying his prospect cupboard to take a shot at winning a very crowded NL Central.

Any quality arm was going to cost the Brewers Alcides Escobar or Mat Gamel, and while neither should be untouchable in pursuing an impact starting pitcher, the Brewers just don't look like a playoff-caliber team right now.

Not packaging one of those two prospects for a pitcher that likely still wouldn't have been able to carry Milwaukee back to the postseason puts the Brewers in a more manageable situation.

Perhaps Melvin can deal an Escobar or J.J. Hardy in the offseason when the price isn't so astronomically high for pitching, or at the very worst, hold onto his assets for a potential trade next year if the Brewers are in a better spot.

Rumor has it that the Brewers are in on right-hander Kevin Correia, but he is just an innings guy that will help keep Seth McClung and Carlos Villanueva in the bullpen and out of the rotation.

He also won't cost much and may be a cheap plug-in to the back of the rotation next season.

That is probably as good as it gets for the Brewers at the deadline however, and for all the hope of a Sabathia-like move again in 2009, that may be for the best.

While preaching patience for a team that has been to the playoffs once in 26 years is tough, Melvin is wise to hold firm at the deadline.

This team isn't quite ready to take the next step, and the time just isn't right to make the bold move.

Just Like Old Times: Packers Set at QB While Division Deals with Turmoil

Ryan Cardarella — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:39:01 -0400

Heading into training camp, the Green Bay Packers are the only team in the division not dealing with some level of turmoil at quarterback, a welcome development considering where they were a year ago and a promising sign for a team looking to get back to the top of the NFC North.

Recent reports out of Chicago have new quarterback Jay Cutler and Brian Urlacher at odds, with Urlacher allegedly calling Cutler a fancy word for sissy to Vikings WR Bobby Wade, a former Bear.

The two faces of that franchise also had words at OTA’s, and with Cutler’s recent reputation as a leader with some maturity issues, this can't be the way he wanted to kickoff his career in Chicago.

When the leader of your team is questioning the manhood of your starting quarterback before camp even breaks, it's not exactly the recipe for a Super Bowl run.

Throw in the fact that he is learning a new offense and establishing a rapport with new teammates, it appears that the Cutler era in Chicago may be off to a rocky start.

Maybe Bobby Wade is a genius and planted some quotes to stir things up in Chi-town. If so, he should give Vince McMahon a call when his playing days are over.

But if it’s true and the two do have issues, it’s the kind of squabble that can split a team apart, especially if the Bears struggle out of the gate.

Meanwhile, the Vikings are still trying to pick up the pieces in wake of Brett Favre’s decision to remain on his lawnmower in Hattiesburg.

With veterans Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen, and Steve Hutchinson among others texting Favre throughout the offseason in an effort to coax him out of retirement, how can Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels feel like they have the respect and backing of their teammates?

Head coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell may face some credibility issues as well, as they are both close to Favre and clearly thought they had No. 4 coming in to improve their passing game.

It's pretty clear that they don't have much faith in either quarterback moving forward, and Childress will have to do a masterful job of rebuilding the confidence of whoever wins the job to avoid sabotaging a promising season for the Vikes.

They have spun the situation as an opportunity they simply had to explore, and they can’t be blamed for trying to upgrade to Favre, considering who they have.

But now that it blew up in their faces, it remains to be seen whether the psyche's of their remaining quarterbacks are strong enough to handle being jerked around all offseason.

Detroit is not without problems at quarterback either.

While they drafted their franchise quarterback in Matthew Stafford in the offseason, veteran Daunte Culpepper is still trying to hold onto the starting gig in what appears to be his last shot as a first-string signal-caller.

It is a stretch to call the competition turmoil, but it is clear that Culpepper wants another shot at tossing bombs downfield to Calvin Johnson, and may muddle the Lions plans at QB if he flashes some of his old playmaking ability.

Relying on either a rookie QB or a veteran who still thinks he is an elite guy isn’t usually a recipe for success.

Then again, this is Detroit, where five wins might earn the team a parade.

These issues all seem to bode well for Green Bay, a team solidly behind Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.

The goodwill he earned by keeping his mouth shut through the Favre fiasco of a year ago has garnered him a great deal of respect in the locker room, and along with his stellar play has solidified him as a leader of the team.

Teams can be successful without being tight off of the field, but in a sport where emotion and camaraderie are so vital, the fact that the two chief contenders to the Packers for the division have serious issues at quarterback has to help Green Bay’s chances as they look to return to the top of the NFC North.

Five Things I Hope To See in Green Bay's Training Camp

Ryan Cardarella — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:28:34 -0400

As the dog days of summer come to an end and training camp is set to commence, there will finally be more to talk about than how "conflicted" Brett Favre is about trading his Wranglers in for a bright purple outfit, or how truly atrocious T.O.'s new reality show is.

That said, here are five issues that need to be resolved in Packers' training camp.

Solidifying the Backup Quarterback Spot

The quarterback situation was even more precarious entering camp last season, but the Packers are still taking a huge gamble by going with second-year signal-callers Matt Flynn and Brian Brohm as the backups to Aaron Rodgers.

Flynn and Brohm both suffered through horrendous preseasons last year, and neither player looked remotely ready to step in if Rodgers had gotten hurt.

Flynn has shown promise and coaches rave about his leadership abilities, but he hasn't proven that he has the physical tools to play in the NFL.

Brohm has yet to show anything that suggests he is an NFL-caliber quarterback, and after being overtaken on the depth chart by Flynn, he has a lot to prove in order to stick in the league.

Unless one of them takes a major step forward in their sophomore campaigns, the Packers are likely looking at a lost season if A-Rod gets nicked up.

Depth in the Secondary

Star cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson are getting a bit long in the tooth, and it remains to be seen whether they can be as effective in a 3-4 system that calls for more zone coverage as opposed to the savage man-to-man that they both excel in.

Both have had recent struggles with injury as well.

While Harris has been an iron man for most of his career, he suffered a grisly spleen injury that forced him out of four games last season, and Woodson has practiced only sparingly over the last two seasons.

If either of those two go down for a significant stretch, what do the Packers have behind them?

Tramon Williams proved to be a big-play corner for the Packers, picking off five passes last season, but corners Jarrett Bush, Will Blackmon, and Pat Lee (looking like a bust,) all struggled at times last season.

Here's hoping that the injury-prone Blackmon, who has shown off terrific athleticism as a punt returner, can stay on the field and emerge as a reliable cover corner to pair with Williams.

Someone to Seize the No. 3 Receiver Spot

This figures to be a battle between James Jones and Jordy Nelson.

Jones has all of the physical tools to be a solid receiver, but his hands leave too much to be desired.

His two critical fumbles cost Green Bay a game in 2007 against Chicago, and he drops too many balls to be a trusted target for Rodgers.

This year is a bit of a put up or shut up season for Jones, who needs to be more consistent and cash in on his potential, or potentially move on from Green Bay.

Nelson isn't really a big-play threat, but he is a big, physical possession receiver that can open up the outside for Jennings and Driver.

Look for Nelson to take the No. 3 spot and be a more reliable slot guy for Rodgers.

The Linebacking Corps Coming Together

The move to the 3-4 creates more questions at linebacker than any other spot defensively for the Pack.

Pro Bowl defensive lineman Aaron Kampman is still a bit disgruntled over the move to linebacker, and it remains to be seen whether he can be as effective rushing the passer standing up, and if he possesses the lateral quickness to avoid being exposed in coverage.

Likewise, the Packers need either rookie Clay Matthews or Brady Poppinga to quickly grasp the scheme and claim the other outside 'backer spot.

Matthews has all of the physical tools and an NFL pedigree (if that really matters,) but Poppinga played in the 3-4 at BYU and should have a leg up in terms of familiarity with the system.

Oh yeah, and it wouldn't hurt if new linebackers coach Kevin Greene can light a fire under A.J. Hawk a bit. It's time for him to earn his draft slot and be the play-making beast the Packers expected in the new defense.

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers deserves the benefit of the doubt considering his stellar track record turning around defenses in Carolina, Jacksonville, and Miami.

But the pieces still need to fit, and this inconsistent group of linebackers are going to have to gel and step up for the defense to be another Capers success story.

Improving the Two-Minute Offense

This is a hard thing to prove in training camp, but the Packers were atrocious in their two-minute drills a year ago.

The Packers seemingly had an opportunity to pull out every game with a late drive, but were unable to get the job done behind an offense that was otherwise potent.

In a recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article, offensive coordinator Joe Philbin called the offense "paper champions," and that the offense was "flat-out bad" on opening drives and in the two-minute offense.

I tend to agree with Philbin.

While the offense put up lots of points, and the defense deserves some heat for many of the close losses, the fact is that the Packers simply failed to execute in their two-minute drill.

That lack of execution comes back to Aaron Rodgers.

The next step for Rodgers is to show the kind of leadership and swagger that elite quarterbacks have in leading their teams to victory late in games.

Green Bay was brutal on opening drives, finishing off the first half, and closing out games in their no-huddle offense, the three most critical times in the game.

Rodgers deserves more time to evolve in that aspect, but this offense is too skilled to repeat last season's maddening end-of-game futility.

That confidence and belief is built as early as training camp. so look for Rodgers to show greater confidence and command in his second year behind center.

Packers Need Healthy Grant, Jackson to Power Running Game

Ryan Cardarella — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:54:44 -0400

While the Green Bay Packer offense put up points in bunches behind Aaron Rodgers and a stellar passing attack in 2008, the running game struggled to provide the kind of balance the team will need to be successful in 2009.

The Packers had the No. 17 rushing offense in football last season, and that lack of a running game hurt them as they failed to close out several tight games a year ago.

Green Bay also failed to rush for 100 yards in a game five times, losing each of those contests.

Starter Ryan Grant got off to a rough start in 2008, holding out for the first seven days of training camp before pulling his hamstring, a nagging injury that would hamper him for much of the season.

Lacking the explosiveness that helped drive the Packers to the NFC Championship game in 2007, Grant scored only four touchdowns and saw his yards per carry average drop from a spectacular 5.1 to a pedestrian 3.9 last season.

Finding a quality change-of-pace back wouldn't hurt Grant's production either, as the Packers have struggled to find a second rusher to spell him.

The NFL is trending toward two-back systems, with bruising combo attacks flourishing in Tennessee, New York, and Carolina, and Green Bay needs someone to step up and take some pressure off of Grant.

Backup Brandon Jackson has shown flashes of being that guy, but has been nicked up over most of his short career. Jackson rushed for 5.5 yards per carry last year but had only 45 attempts, 11 fewer than Rodgers.

That number needs to go up significantly if the Packers expect Grant to stay healthy and effective all season.

A factor that should work in Green Bay's favor is the continuing maturation of the offensive line, long one of the youngest, most inexperience units in the NFL.

Now that the line has been through a few bruising seasons in the NFC North, that continuity and experience should lead to more consistency in 2009.

The addition of Duke Preston through free agency, as well as draft picks T.J. Lang and Jamon Meredith provide the line with some much needed depth as well.

For the Packers to return to prominence in the NFC North and win those critical winter games, they are going to have to run the ball better in 2009.

Behind a healthy Grant, the emergence of a second back, and an improving offensive line, they should boast a more balanced attack this season.

What the Brewers Must Do at the Trade Deadline

Ryan Cardarella — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:35:17 -0400

As the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches, it is no secret that the Milwaukee Brewers need to add a starting pitcher if they want to return to postseason play.

The Brewers are tied with Houston and Chicago in second place behind the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals, and need an arm to break away from a crowded division.

But as great as it would be for Milwaukee to be the center of the baseball universe yet again this trade season, the Brewers should show some restraint in trading for Toronto's Roy Halladay or Cleveland's Cliff Lee and aim for an innings-eating fifth starter that won't require a king's ransom.

It is well-known that Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi wants a bounty for Halladay, and it would probably take some combination of Alcides Escobar, Mat Gamel, Brett Lawrie, and others to bring him to Milwaukee.

That is too much to give up, after Milwaukee has made several deals over the past few seasons to deplete their system.

The only way that Brewers GM Doug Melvin can make that trade is if he is certain that Milwaukee can make and win the World Series during Halladay's year and a half with the club.

While I love the philosophy of going for it all, would Halladay atop the rotation make the Brewers better than Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and perhaps a Boston or New York?

With the Brewers other holes, I can't clearly say they pass those clubs.

Boston's Brad Penny or Arizona's Doug Davis would be better fits for Milwaukee at the back-end of the rotation if they can acquire either for a mid-level prospect or two.

The Brewers need a guy that can give their overworked bullpen a blow, and both veterans can give a team seven solid innings most times out.

Milwaukee desperately needs someone to take the place of Mike Burns and his 6.21 ERA, and with Dave Bush at least two to three weeks away from re-joining the rotation, the Brewers need an arm as soon as possible.

Jarrod Washburn has been another name mentioned if Seattle decides to be sellers at the deadline, but his numbers are a bit misleading as he pitches at cavernous Safeco Field with perhaps the most athletic outfield in baseball.

He scares me.

Penny is especially intriguing, considering how good he was for the Dodgers, going 16-4 in 2007 and starting the All-Star game for the NL.

He currently sports a 5.02 ERA in Boston, but escaping the AL East and its brutal lineups can do wonders for a stat-line. Additionally, his contract is up at the end of the season, so it's hard to imagine Boston asking for a whole lot in a deal.

With the Red Sox being one of the few teams in baseball with pitching to burn, the Brewers need to find a way to bring him in.

Milwaukee needs more than just a starting pitcher however, and should look to find another outfield bat and another bullpen arm as well.

Guys like Brad Nelson, Chris Duffy, and Jody Gerut have given the Brewers nothing, and Milwaukee desperately needs to find someone who can get a hit off of the bench.

Milwaukee is currently last in the NL in pinch-hitting, a stat largely attributed to their backup outfielders batting like little-leaguers.

I haven't heard many specific names, but clearly the Brewers need an outfielder that can handle the bat a bit.

If only Tony Gwynn Jr. was still around.

Melvin recently said in a radio interview that the market is so competitive for starting pitching, that he has been looking to upgrade the 'pen as opposed to overpaying for a starter.

With guys like Mark DiFelice, Mitch Stetter, and Todd Coffey seemingly pitching every day, it would be wise to find some cheap reinforcements, especially if the asking price for starting pitching stays so high.

The Brewers have had rumored interest in Baltimore's George Sherrill and can perhaps patch their pitching woes by bolstering their bullpen instead.

With the division still there for the taking, a solid deadline deal may be the difference in a tight Central race.

Doug Melvin has his work cut out for him.

Milwaukee Brewers: Villanueva's Struggles Continue In Loss To Cards

Ryan Cardarella — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:37:11 -0400

Once considered one of the most valuable Brewers in the bullpen, reliever Carlos Villanueva has been a sore spot in an otherwise stellar group for Milwaukee this season.

Villanueva struggled again Thursday, taking the loss in the Brewers 5-1 setback to the St. Louis Cardinals in the rubber match of the three-game set. This wasted a spectacular start from recently promoted starter Manny Parra.

Carlos gave up two runs without recording an out against the Cards, sticking him with his fifth loss on the season while raising his ERA to a putrid 5.08.

Brewer fans clearly remember Villanueva bailing out Milwaukee on several occasions last season in the role of long reliever, often logging three or four solid innings to save the rest of the 'pen after Jeff Suppan or Dave Bush got lit up early.

So far this season, Villanueva has struggled to adapt to his role as more of a one inning guy, and has been giving up runs in bunches.

Manager Ken Macha can't rely on DiFelice and Coffey (who also struggled Thursday but has been solid all year) in the middle innings every game.

Here's hoping Carlos can settle down a bit after the break and pitch the way he's shown capable of in Milwaukee.

Otherwise GM Doug Melvin may have to be in the market for another reliever as well as a starter if Villanueva can't find his 2008 form.

Manny Parra Dazzles in Loss: Mirage or Sign of Maturity?

Ryan Cardarella — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:25:58 -0400

Milwaukee Brewers fans have to be encouraged by the stellar return of left-hander Manny Parra, after he stymied the St. Louis Cardinals for seven innings on Thursday afternoon in a 5-1 loss.

But the (multi) million-dollar question for GM Doug Melvin is whether this outing was just a high water mark in a topsy-turvy career for the enigmatic starter, or a sign that Parra straightened himself out in the minors and is ready to fulfill his promise as a top-flight rotation member.

Clearly, Parra has the raw stuff to be a solid No. 2 starter in the major leagues. That fact has never really been questioned.

Parra rose through the minors as a prospect just a rung below ace Yovani Gallardo, with Parra viewed as a potential lefty complement for "Yo" atop the Brewers rotation in the future.

However, as is the case with many young players, the mental aspect of the game has lagged behind the physical aspect for Parra.

After an excellent pre-All-Star break mark of 8-2 with a 3.78 ERA in 2008—that had fans buzzing about another potential star in the rotation—Parra regressed in an ugly way in the second half, to the tune of a 2-6 record and a 5.32 ERA.

He carried his struggles into 2009, going 0-4 in April and posting an ERA of 16.68 in three June starts before being sent down to Nashville.

At the root of Parra's struggles, is that he tends to nibble around the plate and tries too hard to miss bats instead of simply trusting his stuff. This results in lots of walks and high pitch counts early in games.

Parra's WHIP (walks and hits divided by innings pitched) has been high throughout his career because of his inability to trust his pitches and throw strikes.

He has also struggled to deal with adversity in the big leagues, letting one mistake pitch often snowball into a game-killing rally for the opposition.

The most encouraging aspect of Parra's start is that he walked only one batter over his seven innings, and kept his composure the few times that men were on base for the Cardinals in a tight, tense ballgame.

While his excellent control and calm demeanor in a tight game were encouraging—signs that Parra may have matured a bit in his minor league stint—the Brewers need to see more before they can comfortably depend on him as the No. 2 starter who could carry them into the playoffs.

It still doesn't change the fact that the Brewers need to import another reliable arm to stay afloat in the division.

Having Parra play up to his capabilities is great news, so long as it didn't make Melvin put down the phone.

Ryan Braun, Brewers Need To Toughen Up

Ryan Cardarella — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:40:58 -0400

After dropping three of four to the suddenly surging Chicago Cubs at Wrigley this holiday weekend, All-Star outfielder Ryan Braun took his frustrations with the current roster to the media, calling on GM Doug Melvin to add an arm to a struggling pitching staff.

While few can argue that the Brewers need another quality arm or two to carry them to the playoffs and beyond, calling out the GM before the All-Star break and tossing a playoff-caliber team's pitching staff under the bus is not the greatest display of leadership.

And the timing couldn't have been much worse.

The next three to four weeks are prime trading time, and Braun crippled any leverage or bargaining ability Melvin had by calling him out in the media.

Everyone knows Milwaukee is in the market for a starting pitcher, but Braun's comments likely turned up the heat even more on Melvin to make a deal, and worst of all, rival GMs know it.

The comments also come during a time in which the Brewers are missing two members of their rotation. Milwaukee has had to fill the starts of Dave Bush and Manny Parra with long reliever Seth McClung and Triple-A call-up Mike Burns.

Not coincidentally, Burns and McClung got lit up by the Cubs this weekend, while starters Jeff Suppan and Braden Looper (who both have World Series rings) pitched very well against Chicago.

Criticizing Melvin after two fill-in starters got torched by a talented offense was simply an error in judgment for Braun.

After ace Yovani Gallardo lost two 1-0 games this season, did you hear him ask Doug Melvin to go acquire another bat to drive in some runs for him? He'd probably be an All-Star at 11-3 if not for those two goose-eggs.

More food for thought—would Braun have called out the pitching staff like he did if they would have scored a couple of runs for Suppan in their 2-1 extra inning loss to Chicago?

With a few key hits in that game, they split the big Chicago set 2-2, and all would likely be well in the Cream City.

In defense of Braun, he committed to the team long-term, and has demonstrated the desire to be the leader of this team, which is what you want in a franchise player.

He wants to win, and he wants management to do everything they can to make that happen.

Braun also called out the Milwaukee offense and stated they were out-hit as well, though his comments weren't nearly as pointed.

That said, he needs to be more mature and smarter about when and where he makes these kinds of comments.

Sit down with Melvin behind closed doors and assess the pitching staff there, and implore your teammates to do more instead of calling them out in a negative fashion.

Teams struggle at times throughout every season, and the Brewers are in a bit of a slump right now.

No one is tearing the cover off of the ball offensively, and the Brewers are down two starters right now.

Bottom line, they need to toughen up.

Chicago didn't cower and vent to the media when Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee went down with injuries.

St. Louis has been fighting through injuries for several years now to remain competitive in the Central.

They both simply weather the storm and stay in the hunt.

This is no time to hit the panic button.

In spite of their pitching struggles and occasionally inconsistent offense, the Brewers are right there in the Central.

But they won't stay there unless they focus on their own games, and not on whether Doug Melvin digs them out with another magical July acquisition.

Milwaukee Brewers: A Midseason Status Check

Ryan Cardarella — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:42:15 -0400

Minus their two aces, the Milwaukee Brewers have managed to hang tough atop the NL Central during the first half of the season, due in large part to their lights-out bullpen and the excellence of their two slugging superstars, Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder.

But several potential roadblocks stand in the way of another trip to the postseason for the Brew Crew.

Can several position players snap out of their season-long funks and help pick up the slack for Braun and Fielder? Can the rotation hold up for an entire season?

And can the bullpen duplicate their first half success or will the heavy workload catch up?

Here are a few reasons why Brewer fans can be optimistic looking ahead to the second half, along with some issues that Milwaukee will need to address in order to return to the playoffs in Sept.

Reasons for Optimism

Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder have been spectacular in 2009, significantly raising their OBP and carrying an otherwise struggling Brewer offense.

Fielder is currently second in the majors in RBI (74,) is hitting over .300 for the first time in his career (.307,) and has been far more selective at the plate this season. His nearly 1/1 K:BB ratio indicates that patience and is a main reason why his numbers are up across the board.

His 20 bombs don't hurt either.

Braun is simply raking like he has since he joined the majors, and has also significantly raised his OBP to well over .400.

The probable All-Star starter is hitting .327 with 16 home runs and 57 RBI on the season.

Overshadowed a bit by Braun and Fielder's MVP-caliber seasons have been the strong first halves of Craig Counsell and Casey McGehee.

Counsell altered his light-saber wielding batting stance to a more traditional pose in the offseason, and he has been a pleasant surprise for the Brewers thus far, batting .297 while earning his fair share of starts in the infield.

Not bad for a guy Milwaukee almost didn't bring back this year.

McGehee has been a godsend for the Brewers at second and third base, hitting .325 and showing a little pop with five homers in 114 at-bats.

If anyone is heading down to Wrigley for the upcoming four-game set, go ahead and thank some Cubs fans for their team cutting McGehee loose this offseason.

With Rickie Weeks going down and Bill Hall flailing at just about everything these days, it's safe to say that the Brewers would be looking up at St. Louis and Cincinnati in the standings without these two key contributors.

The Brewer bullpen has also been dominant, with all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman heading up a solid group.

The mix of Hoffman, Todd Coffey, Seth McClung, Mark DiFelice, and lefty specialist Mitch Stetter have turned Brewer games into five and six-inning affairs, a luxury that few teams in baseball enjoy.

With the exception of McClung, who has been thrust into a few spot starts, the other bullpen guys sport ERA's under 3.00, and have helped cover up the struggles of Carlos Villanueva, who was a main bullpen cog a year ago.

The only question will be whether this 'pen can hold up under their heavy current workload and duplicate their success in the second half.

Second-Half Issues to Address

Several Milwaukee position players have had nightmarish starts to their season, and have put immense pressure on guys like Braun and Fielder to carry the offensive load.

All-star outfielder Corey Hart has carried his season-ending slump into 2009, and is hitting only .255 on the season. For a guy that some were expecting a breakout, 30/30 type of season, Hart has taken a step back

That figure looks DiMaggio-like compared to the exploits of J.J. Hardy and Bill Hall however.

Hardy has struggled mightily after a strong 2008, hitting only .233 in the first half and sitting around the Mendoza line for much of the year.

The good news is that Hardy is a notorious streak hitter, and has went on white-hot tears in each of the past two seasons.

History says an adjustment is coming, and Hardy is still a solid bet to do his part in the second half.

The real enigma is Bill Hall, who after hitting 35 home runs in 2006, keeps getting worse every year. Hall is batting .203 on the season with a ghastly OBP of .263.

And he's not even hitting leftys anymore, sporting just a .242 average against the same southpaws he used to crush.

Manager Ken Macha can't pencil this out machine into the lineup too much longer.

With the exception of Hall, guys like Hart, Hardy, and Jason Kendall have a reliable enough history to expect marked improvement in the second half.

The real issue that will make or break Milwaukee's playoff run is whether their shaky starting pitching can keep them in the race.

The Brewers, like many teams, are going to be in the market for another starter, and are perilously thin in the rotation right now.

For all of their organizational depth with position players, the Brewers really have no one else in the pipes to call up if a second half injury occurs, meaning that GM Doug Melvin will likely have to make some kind of move to ensure an injury doesn't derail their playoff aspirations.

Right now beyond ace Yovani Gallardo, Milwaukee is relying on three .500 pitchers in Looper, Bush, and Suppan, and either journeyman Mike Burns or the enigmatic Manny Parra to carry them to the playoffs.

Those names don't exactly instill the fear of God into opposing hitters.

While Burns did manage to out-duel Johan Santana recently, his track record as a fringe major leaguer indicates that relying on him as a rotation guy in a pennant race may be a mistake.

Parra obviously has the raw talent and stuff to be a solid starter, but he hasn't proven to be mentally ready as a major league pitcher.

With Dave Bush currently on the DL and Milwaukee being forced to use long reliever Seth McClung as a starter from time to time, Melvin has been rumored to be kicking the tires on guys like Doug Davis and Jon Garland.

While neither name carries the sex appeal or impact of a Cliff Lee or Jake Peavy, the Brewers will likely have to add another arm or two in the mold of an innings-eater like Davis to help save the bullpen and prevent the team from trotting out a young pitcher that isn't major-league ready.

Brewer fans remember what happened a few years back when Zach Jackson and a young Carlos Villanueva imploded at the back-end of the Brewer rotation and sabotaged a potential winning season for the Crew.

Melvin doesn't seem open to trading another top-flight prospect like Alcides Escobar or Mat Gamel, so Brewer fans need to temper their hopes for another Sabathia-like blockbuster.

Ultimately, if the Brewers can find a No. 5 starter that can chew up innings and produce some quality starts and they can stay healthy, their powerful offense and stellar bullpen should be able to carry them into the playoffs yet again in 2009.

Can the Milwaukee Brewers Bullpen Keep This Up?

Ryan Cardarella — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:26:55 -0400

Entering the 2009 season, the main question surrounding the Milwaukee Brewers was whether their starting pitching could hold up after losing a pair of aces in CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets.

While it was unrealistic to replace the production of Milwaukee's two best starters in 2008, it was uncertain whether the Brewers had the depth and talent in the rotation to remain competitive in the NL Central.

Thanks to solid starts by four of their five rotation members, the Brewers have raced out to an early divisional lead.

But their success is predicated more on who is finishing the games than on who is starting them.

The Milwaukee bullpen has been lights out this season, led by free agent acquisition and future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman.

Hoffman has given up as many runs as you or I this season, and he has turned Brewer games into eight-inning affairs. For the first time since Derrick Turnbow could throw strikes, Milwaukee has a dominant closer.

When "Hell's Bells" hits, it's game over.

With the exception of Carlos Villanueva, who often is asked to pitch several innings per outing, no other current bullpen member carries an ERA over 3.15—stellar numbers for a 'pen comprised largely of castoffs and failures with other clubs.

Seth McClung flamed out as a starter in Tampa Bay when they were the worst team in baseball, but he has turned into a valuable, hard-throwing option for manager Ken Macha.

Mark DiFelice, currently sporting a 1.14 ERA, had been a career minor leaguer until getting an opportunity with the Brewers last season.

He has been virtually unhittable in Milwaukee.

Todd Coffey, who has been a workhorse for Milwaukee this season, was added after four largely awful seasons in Cincinnati.

Add lefty specialist Mitch Stetter, and you have a bullpen that has shown little vulnerability so far in 2009.

The real question is whether they can keep it up. Many of these guys are having career years and may be in for a bit of an adjustment statistically.

Hoffman is going to blow a few saves, DiFelice isn't going to sneak his mid-80s fastball by hitters all year, and injuries are inevitably going to chip away at their depth at some point.

More importantly, the Brewers are going to have to get more innings out of their starters.

Only Yovani Gallardo consistently pitches into the seventh and eighth innings for Milwaukee, and no bullpen can be relied upon to cover three innings all season.

Jeff Suppan, Braden Looper, and Dave Bush rarely give you more than six solid innings, and Manny Parra has been a disaster for much of the season.

He needs to find some consistency and play to his potential, or the Brewers are going to have to bring someone up that can at least give them innings as a fifth starter.

Yet it is difficult to see this bullpen completely collapsing.

Every year, a few teams hit the right mix in the 'pen, guys get comfortable in their roles, and they get the job done.

Tampa Bay went from having a historically atrocious bullpen in 2007 to one of the finest in 2008.

They boasted more power arms than the Brewers, but they nonetheless pieced together a relief corps that led them to the World Series, spearheaded by a veteran closer in Troy Percival.

If the starters can help keep this bullpen fresh, a deep playoff run may be in the cards for the Brewers even after losing two aces.

Jorge Julio Released, Mike Burns Promoted by Brewers

Ryan Cardarella — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:49:16 -0400

After an atrocious outing on Monday night, the Milwaukee Brewers released reliever Jorge Julio and promoted 30-year-old Mike Burns to the big-league club.

Julio entered the game Monday with a 4-2 lead and failed to retire a batter, surrendering five runs (four earned) in the decisive sixth inning of a 7-4 loss to the Marlins.

Manager Ken Macha indicated after the game that it wasn't so much that he had confidence in Julio, but that he simply had nowhere else to turn for an inning.

With ace relief pitcher Mark DiFelice nursing an elbow injury, and pitchers Mitch Stetter and Seth McClung needing some rest, the Brewers were an arm short of victory Monday night.

Julio carried a 7.79 ERA with 15 walks in 17.3 innings as a Brewer in 2009.

As for his roster replacement, Burns is a journeyman who has a 5.88 ERA in stints with Houston, Cincinnati, and Boston.

However, he has had a solid season in AAA, with an ERA under three as a starter in Nashville.

The Milwaukee 'pen has taken a beating of late, being forced into action for 12-and-two-third innings over the last three games due to some short starts by Brewer pitching.

That will need to change starting tonight with the often-erratic Manny Parra toeing the rubber, or the Brewers risk grinding down their relief pitchers even more—a dangerous proposition so early in the season.

The Brewers got more bad pitching news this week, with reliever David Riske slated to have an elbow surgery later today that will likely end his season.

Riske was brought in to compete for the closing job entering 2008, but has battled injuries and ineffectiveness throughout his Brewer career.

Milwaukee Brewers Fans Are Drinking the All-Star Kool-Aid

Ryan Cardarella — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:58:11 -0400

Early All-Star ballot results were released on Tuesday, and the Milwaukee Brewers are poised to be well-represented in St. Louis.

Outfielder Ryan Braun and shortstop J.J. Hardy are the early leaders at their respective positions, with catcher Jason Kendall and first baseman Prince Fielder currently sitting in second place.

Injured second baseman Rickie Weeks sits second in voting as well, and Mike Cameron, Corey Hart, and Bill Hall (Bill Hall?!?!) all reside within the top seven of their position leaders.

The support for Braun and Fielder is not surprising, as they are enjoying all-star caliber seasons and are among the best at their positions.

But the support for many of the other aforementioned Brewers is a head-scratching situation.

Amazingly, Hardy is leading Florida's Hanley Ramirez and Philadelphia's Jimmy Rollins, despite hitting only .247 with five home runs on the season.

Ramirez (8, 22, .320) has been especially dynamic offensively and dwarfs Hardy's contributions at the plate so far.

Hardy does have those beautiful blue eyes though, so perhaps the female vote is carrying him for the moment.

Meanwhile, Kendall trails only the Cardinals' Yadier Molina in voting among NL catchers, even though he carries a .206 batting average and has as many homers as you or I do on the season.

Kendall is great with the pitching staff, but has been a dead spot in the Brewers lineup so far in 2009. He doesn't deserve to be a dead spot in the NL lineup in July either.

Hart and Cameron are enjoying solid seasons, but it is awfully difficult to justify either one of them cracking the top three with guys like Braun, Soriano, Raul Ibanez, and Carlos Beltran patrolling NL outfields.

And Bill Hall has struggled to hold his job in Milwaukee, much less represent the Brewers as an all-star.

As a Brewers fan, you have to love the enthusiasm, but the numbers just don't stack up for many of these leading vote getters.

Will voters come to their senses and vote based on performance? Or will the rabid Milwaukee fans push guys like Kendall and Hardy through to St. Louis?

Time will tell.

Donald Driver a Surprising No-Show for Packer OTA's

Ryan Cardarella — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:30:27 -0400

Donald Driver was a surprising no-show to the Green Bay Packers' Organized Team Activities (OTA's) on Thursday and is reportedly unhappy with his contract, according to a Wisconsin State Journal report.

Driver has two years left on his current deal and has approached the team in the past about his desire to renegotiate the deal.

The Packers re-worked his deal in 2007, after Driver made the Pro Bowl. But the 34-year-old receiver is still reportedly displeased with his compensation.

Considering his advancing age, decreasing production, and the Packers wealth of talent at wide receiver, it appears unlikely that Driver will get the upgraded contract he seeks.

The 34-year-old receiver caught 74 passes for 1,012 yards in 2007, his lowest output since 2003.

Meanwhile, the Packers boast emerging star Greg Jennings across from Driver, along with the talented young receivers like James Jones and 2007 second-round pick Jordy Nelson behind them.

The OTA's are technically voluntary, but only Driver, Charles Woodson, and Nick Collins missed them on Thursday.

Woodson was excused for personal reasons by Head Coach Mike McCarthy, and Collins was absent following the death of his father, according to the report.

McCarthy refused to discuss the absences following the session.

Receivers don't often age like fine wine, and though Driver has been a stalwart for the Packers both on and off the field, he will likely have to suck it up and play for the $3.9 million he is slated to make this season.

With the talent the Packers have at receiver, Driver has very little leverage to work with.