Packers Prospering in Adversity

The storyline looks strangely familiar.

Over the last three seasons, when the situation appears to be particularly bleak, the Green Bay Packers do their best work. Conversely, when they seem to be set up to succeed, they inexplicably find a way not to.

The 2012 Packers seem to be reverting to the 2010 storyline: adversity followed by triumph.

The Packers defeated the Detroit Lions Sunday night, 27-20, improving their record to 9-4. The win gave the Packers sole possession of the lead in the North Division, and calmed a Packer fan base that has been in a nervous frenzy for the majority of the season.

The Packers stumbled out of the blocks this year, dipping to 1-2 after the infamous last-second loss to the Seahawks. Many people in Wisconsin thought the anger over the blown call controversy would spur the Packers, but Green Bay found itself below .500 again just two weeks later after a loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Panic spread quickly in Cheesehead Nation, with fans thinking the unthinkable: this team might not make the playoffs.

Since then, the Packers have won seven of their last eight games, and currently are in position for the third seed in the NFC. If the Packers defeat the Chicago Bears next week, they will clinch the NFC North Division and a spot in the playoffs. 

This all comes after an onslaught of injuries, similar to the 2010 season. In 2010 the Packers lost starting running back Ryan Grant to injury, along with tightend Jermichael Finley, defensive lineman Johnny Jolly, linebacker Nick Barnett, and offensive lineman Mark Tauscher among others. Despite these key injuries, the Packers made a late run, winning five straight on their way to the Super Bowl. The Packers managed to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl, even after losing Charles Woodson in the first half to injury.

The 2011 Packers looked like a team prepared to make a run at the Super Bowl again, with minimal adversity faced the entire season. The Packers lost only one regular season game, and suffered no major injuries outside of a spinal injury to safety Nick Collins. They built momentum over the course of an entire season, only to fall flat in their first playoff game against the New York Giants.

This year, the team has been much more frustrating to watch, but you cannot deny its recent effectiveness. Their 9-4 record comes despite an onslaught of injuries yet again. Running back Cedric Benson, cornerback Charles Woodson, linebacker Clay Matthews, wide receiver Jordy Nelson, wide receiver Greg Jennings, offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga, cornerback Sam Shields, and offensive lineman Derek Sherrod have all missed considerable time due to injury. Yet somehow, the Packers have powered through and found ways to win. With Jennings returning against the Lions, and Matthews and Woodson due back against the Bears, the Packers are slowly returning to a healthier-looking team nearing the playoffs. 

Maybe the recipe in Green Bay isn’t to play great football year-long, but rather to build character along the way and win when it counts. Ironically over the two previous seasons, the Packers did better dealing with adversity than they did dealing with prosperity. Packer fans can only hope that this 2012 team continues to contend with adversity the way that the 2010 team did.  

2010 NFL Draft – Bryan Bulaga to the Packers

With the 23rd pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select offensive tackle from Iowa University…Bryan Bulaga

Did anyone expect Ted Thompson to pick an NFL draft attendee? With four offensive tackles already taken before Bulaga in the first round, it appeared that Ted Thompson still believed he needed to upgrade an offensive line that allowed a league-worst 51 sacks last season.

Look no further than Bryan Bulaga, the Big Ten conference offensive lineman of the year in 2009. The only downside of Bulaga…"I'm an NFC North fan, growing up in Illinois. So I was ecstatic to get the call. I liked the Bears, yeah, but I think my allegiance has changed for sure now."

Ted Thompson announced Thursday night that he would like to see Bulaga enter OTA’s and training camp as the left tackle. With aging left tackle Chad Clifton (34) and right tackle Mark Tauscher (33), Bulaga will immediately step in and challenge the veterans for a starting role and at the same time, prepare to replace them in the near future. Bulaga has even played 5 games as guard on the O-Line in his senior season at Iowa, which shows his versatility.

Was Bryan Bulaga the best draft pick for the Green Bay Packers at 23 overall? Highly touted wide-receiver Dez Bryant, and outside linebackers Sergio Kindle and Jerry Hughes were all potential players still available. I think it was the right pick for Ted Thompson, who needed to address improving his offensive line in case of an injury to Clifton or Tauscher at some point throughout this year.

The thing that excites me the most about Bulaga is that he comes to the Packers healthy, is an excellent pass blocker, and his technique weaknesses will be easily correctable by the coaching staff. Overall, Bryan Bulaga is a great value pick for the Packers and let’s hope that he can be the kind of impact that last year’s 23rd overall pick in the draft was to his respective team…Michael Oher.

(Photo courtesy of JSOnline)

Packers re-sign Clifton

It's been a rather busy day for the NFC North today. The Chicago Bears signed All-Pro defensive end Julius Peppers and former Viking Chester Taylor and the Detroit Lions made a big splash by landing their own All-Pro defensive end, Kyle Vanden Bosch and another former Viking Nate Burleson, along with acquiring former Packer Corey Williams from the Cleveland Browns.

To counter the moves made by their division rivals, the Packers re-signed veteran offensive tackle Chad Clifton. Clifton and the Packers reached an agreement on what ESPN.com reported was a three-year, $20 million deal, including a guarantee of $7.5 million.

It was assumed among most Packers fans that the team would let Clifton go, but all along the Packers were in the hunt for his services. The 33-year-old Clifton did not want to go somewhere else to finish his career and accepted a deal that will pay him slightly more in average pay than his previous contract.


My Take

Whatever the case, the price isn't out of line for a veteran left tackle. This isn't a capped year, so the Packers should have plenty of money to spend.

Though it's a three-year deal, Clifton may only be a starter for one more season. The Packers are likely going to use the draft to build up their offensive line, and this could wind up being a transition year for them. Clifton has indicated that he feels he can play three more years and said that with the exception of an ankle injury that caused him to miss four games, his body felt as good as it had over the past couple of years.

Clifton wasn't the dominating pass blocker he has been in previous years, but he was someone coach Mike McCarthy could rely on. If Clifton stays healthy next year, the Packers will be happy with their investment. Job well done, Mr. Thompson.

(picture courtesy NFL.com)

Packers resign Derrick Martin to 2-year contract

Safety Derrick Martin, a key member of the special teams last year, became the first of eight potential restricted free agents the Green Bay Packers were able to take off the market before the signing period begins March 5.

The Packers and Martin, 24, agreed on a two-year contract extension Monday, ending about two weeks of talks between the two sides, Martin's agent, Brad Cicala, said. Though he wouldn't give specifics of the deal, Cicala said it did include guaranteed money Martin might not have received had he gone into free agency.

“Derrick wanted to stay,” Cicala said. “They were fair with us, and we were fair with them.”

Martin was acquired from the Baltimore Ravens Sept. 5 in exchange for offensive tackle Tony Moll and became an instant contributor on special teams.

Martin started at safety in the fourth game of the season after Atari Bigby injured his knee, and Martin struggled in that game. He played sparingly on defense the rest of the season.

A former cornerback, the 5-10, 198-pound Martin, moved to safety during the 2009 off-season with Baltimore and didn’t have a chance to play corner with the Packers.

Cicala said Martin would like to be more involved with the secondary next year, possibly as a nickel corner, which is where he played most of his first three years in Baltimore.

The Packers' other restricted free agents are: safety Nick Collins, end Johnny Jolly, cornerback Will Blackmon, guard Daryn Colledge, fullback John Kuhn, guard/center Jason Spitz and Bigby.

(story courtesy of JSOnline)
(photo courtesy of Daily Radar Ball Hype)

My Take

The signing of Derrick Martin is a great decision by Ted Thompson. Since acquiring Martin at the beginning of last season, he immediately had a nose for the football and eventually became a special teams playoff captain.

While he may be one of the least important players of the 7 restricted free agents remaining to be signed, he significantly helped a Packers special teams coverage unit that ranked in the bottom half of the NFL.

Martin's agent mentioned he would like to see his client play the nickel corner next year. I would like to see Martin start there if and only if Ted Thompson doesn't upgrade in that postiton and would rely on guys like Jarrett Bush or Josh Bell to play that position instead.....but that's a different rant I will save for another day.

Greg Jennings' favorite NBA team???

My Take

Make sure to add Greg Jennings on Facebook...he is a very nice guy and sometimes you can catch him on Facebook chat and ask him a quick question.

As far as picking the Cavs and Lebron, are athletes that play in Wisconsin required to root and cheer for Wisconsin based teams???

NFL Rumor: Julius Peppers to The Green Bay Packers?

(photo courtesy of NBCSports.com)


With free agency fast approaching, it's an endless list of prospective destinations for defensive star, Julius Peppers.

Peppers made it clear during last year's offseason that he has no interest in finishing his career in a 4-3 defense. A worthy request for a sack machine, as the sack leaders in the last ten years have been primarily based out of a 3-4 system.

At 6'7", 283 pounds, though, Peppers' potential as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense would be exotic, to say the least. The Carolina veteran is undoubtedly a sack-master, finishing second only to Indianapolis' Dwight Freeney in sacks per year (10.1).

The question, rather, is whether or not he can be effective as a coverage man in open field. There are no qualms about his speed or athleticism, but at such a heavy stature, there is a concern that he won't be able to keep up with speedy tight ends or maintain a large area of space in zone coverage.

Rather, my guess is Peppers will find his way to an already successful team that uses a 3-4, a team like the Green Bay Packers or the New England Patriots.

I have my money on the Packers, despite the odds that are stacked against them. General Manager Ted Thompson, nicknamed "tight-wad Ted" has never been the type to shell out loads of money for any one player, something Peppers will most certainly demand as a free agent.

Peppers is, after all, thirty years old and he isn't getting any younger.

(story courtesy of BleacherReport.com)

My Take

Julius Peppers to Green Bay will be almost as unlikely as Brett Favre returning to the Packers under the Ted Thompson regime in the coming years.

I remember hearing these rumors last offseason, but even with the emergence of the Packers defense, which finished as the NFL’s 2nd best this year, no way do I see Ted Thompson bringing in Julius Peppers. Peppers is 30 years old and we all know Thompson loves to build youth from the draft.

Julius Peppers is the equivalent of Aaron Kampman. Kampman could not adjust to the 3-4 defense this past year as a linebacker and was lost for the season due to injury. I do not foresee the Packers organization resigning him or taking a risk on Julius Peppers, considering the type of money he will bargain for. Peppers, like Kampman should be playing as a defensive end regarding the type of scheme due to their production as sack leaders atop the NFL.

The Packers defensive end list currently consist of Johnny Jolly, Cullen Jenkins, Justin Harrell, Jarius Wynn, and Mike Montgomery.

The ONLY way I see Peppers strapping on the green and gold is if Johnny Jolly ends up in serious trouble with his codeine charges or if Justin Harrell is finally released after failing to stay healthy for yet another season.