With the 28th Pick of the 2012 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers Select...

Thursday night the Packers took a big step towards fixing their defensive problems by selecting USC defensive end/outside linebacker Nick Perry with the 28th overall selection. Perry, previously thought of as a top-15 pick fell somewhat in the draft, to the delight of Green Bay.

At 6'2 3/4" and 271 lbs, Perry is what Packers General Manager Ted Thompson called a "tremendous physical specimen." In the NFL combine Perry ran the 40 yard dash in 4.5s, had a 38.5" vertical leap, and benched 225 lbs. 35 times.

“He’s got that kind of juice,” said Thompson. “We’re looking forward to getting him with (outside linebackers coach) Kevin (Greene) and (defensive coordinator) Dom (Capers). He’ll jump in with our guys and compete with our guys and we’ll see how he stacks up.”

A Detroit native, Perry started for two years at USC, and led the Pac-12 with 9.5 sacks in 2011.

As a Packer, Perry will likely play outside linebacker opposite fellow USC alumnus Clay Matthews in the 4-3 scheme, a position that has been weak recently, with Frank Zombo, Brad Jones, and Erik Walden making little impact.

Perry will wear no. 53 for the Packers.

Packers Pre-Draft Roster Moves

With the 2012 NFL Draft only days away, the Green Bay Packers have made several roster moves.

On Monday, Green Bay agreed on a 1-year contract with outside linebacker Erik Walden. Walden started 15 games in 2011, but never made much of an impact, despite receiving little attention playing opposite of Clay Matthews.

In his two years as a Packer, Walden has played in 25 regular season games, and has totaled 85 tackles, six sacks, and a fumble recovery. 

The Packers also parted ways with two very familiar faces, releasing left tackle Chad Clifton on Monday and safety Nick Collins on Wednesday.

The Packers cut Clifton after he failed a physical. Clifton, originally a second-round draft pick in 2000, played 165 games in his 12 seasons as a Packer, the second most by a Packer offensive tackle behind only Forrest Gregg (187 games). Clifton was a Pro-Bowler in 2007 and 2010.

Green Bay has a few options to replace the veteran, with 3rd year tackle Marshall Newhouse the likely candidate took take over the starting role. The Packers' first round pick from 2011, Derek Sherrod, will also compete for the job, and Green Bay will probably select another tackle in this year's draft.

Green Bay also released safety Nick Collins, who suffered a season-ending neck injury in week 2 this past season. Collins underwent neck fusion surgery in September, and while that surgery reportedly went well, the Packers have been skeptical to allow Collins back on the field.

Collins was a second round pick in the 2005 draft, the same draft that brought Aaron Rodgers to Green Bay. In seven seasons Collins has recorded 417 tackles, 21 interceptions, and four defensive touchdowns. Perhaps his most memorable play was his pick-six off Ben Roethlissberger in the first quarter of Super Bowl XLV. 

Collins was voted to the NFL All-Pro Second Team and the Pro-Bowl for three straight years (2008-2010). His presence will be missed in the Packers secondary.

The Packers will most likely look to the draft to replace Collins, as depth at safety is relatively low for Green Bay, and consists of M.D. Jennings, an undrafted rookie in 2011 who only saw special teams action last year, and Anthony Levine, an undrafted rookie from 2010 who has yet to leave the practice squad. Another potential option for Green Bay is to move 14-year veteran Charles Woodson from corner to safety.

Look for Green Bay to address needs at defensive end, outside linebacker, and safety in this year's NFL draft. The Packers will probably also add an offensive lineman, a quarterback, and a running back to replace the likely-departing Ryan Grant.

2012 NFL Schedule Released

The 2012 NFL schedule has been released, and the Packers will host the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field for their season opener.

Some other notable games include a Thursday night game at home against the Bears, a Monday night matchup with Matt Flynn and the Seahawks, and Sunday night matchups at the Texans, at the Giants, and home against the Lions

Pro Bowl Rosters Announced

The rosters have been announced for the 2012 NFL Pro Bowl, and once again the Packers will be well-represented on the NFC team. Seven Packers were named to this year's team, four as starters.

Aaron Rodgers was named the NFC starting quarterback in his second appearance in the Pro Bowl, and fullback John Kuhn will start in his first Pro Bowl. Charles Woodson won a starting spot for his 8th Pro Bowl appearance, and Clay Matthews will start in his 3rd straight year as a Pro Bowler.

Wide receiver Greg Jennings, center Scott Wells, and defensive tackle B.J. Raji were all selected as Pro Bowl reserves.

Seven Packers were also selected as Pro Bowl alternates, including kicker Mason Crosby, wide receiver Jordy Nelson, kick returner Randall Cobb, tight end Jermichael Finley, guard Josh Sitton, linebacker Desmond Bishop, and cornerback Tramon Williams.

The Pro Bowl will take place on Sunday, January 29, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii

2011 NFL Kickoff: Key Position Matchups for the Packers and Saints

On September 8, the 2011 NFL season will open with a matchup of the past two Super Bowl Champions, the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers will attempt to become the 12th straight defending Super Bowl Champion to win their season opener when the Saints come to Lambeau Field Thursday night.

Both teams are preseason favorites to return to the playoffs, and each hopes to open the 2011 season with a huge win over a premier team.

Several positional matchups will be huge factors in the outcome of the game.

Check out the rest of the article here on the Bleacher Report.

2011 NFL Draft: 5 Wisconsin Badgers find NFL Homes

After a Rose Bowl season in 2011, five Wisconsin Badgers were selected in the NFL Draft—the most Badgers taken in a draft since 2006, when five were also taken.


Read the rest of the article here on the Bleacher Report.

NFL Draft: Ranking the Last 10 Green Bay Packers Drafts

I recently wrote an article for The Bleacher Report ranking the past ten draft classes for the Packers. Check it out here.

Roster Moves: Packers Cut A.J. Hawk, Hope to Re-Sign

The Green Bay Packers cut linebacker A.J. Hawk yesterday, with hopes to re-sign him at a reduced salary. Hawk was scheduled to make over $10 million in the upcoming season.

According to Hawk's agent, Mike McCartney, the two sides are "putting the finishing touches" on a deal to bring Hawk back to the Super Bowl champs just one day after his release.

UPDATE: A.J. Hawk and the Packers have agreed upon a 5-year contract, the details of the contract have yet to be released.

Green Bay Packers 2010 in Review: A Look to the Off-Season (Part 4 of 4)

The 2011 off-season has been troubling to date. With the NFL's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expiring on Thursday, the potential for a 2011 lockout looms bigger than ever. It does not appear that the conflict between the NFL team owners and the Player's Union will be resolved and a new CBA will be put into place before the current agreement expires.

If no agreement is reached, the players will be locked out - players won't be able to work out at team facilities, teams can't conduct organized team activities, such as mini-camps, and the free agency period will not begin.

The lockout potential affects all teams as the 2011 season (hopefully) approaches.

The Green Bay Packers

In 2010 the Packers were one of the youngest teams in the NFL. They also experienced a heavy dose of injuries throughout the season. That makes 2011 exciting for Green Bay.

The Packers will experience a talent influx as injured players return to the team. 2010 starters like Jermichael Finley, Nick Barnett and Morgan Burnett will be thrown back into the mix as the team looks to return to the Super Bowl.

One of the problems the Packers will face in the off-season is making room for the injured players to return to the roster. This is most notable at the middle linebacker position.

Nick Barnett and Brandon Chillar, both inside linebackers, had season-ending injuries last year. A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop stepped up to handle most of the middle-linebacking duties. Bishop was rewarded for his play with a 4-year contract extension.

Deciding whether to keep A.J Hawk or Nick Barnett is a different story. Hawk's contract calls for a base salary of $10 million next year. Barnett has suffered season-ending injuries two out of the past three years. It appears that there is not room for both of these players on the Packer roster, one issue Green Bay will have to deal with.

As much as I love Nick Barnett, I feel the Packers need to attempt to re-negotiate a contract that will keep A.J. Hawk in a Packer jersey for years to come. Hawk struggled with the 3-4 defense early in its inception, but has developed into a vital part of Dom Capers' scheme. He led the Packers in tackles in 2010.

Another issue the Packers will need to address is their free agents. The Packers have several players with expiring contracts. Most notable is Cullen Jenkins. It is highly likely Jenkins will not be re-signed by the Packers and will be playing football elsewhere next fall. I would expect Mike Neal to move into the starting defensive end role.

Several other players, including John Kuhn, Atari Bigby, Jason Spitz, Mason Crosby, James Jones, Charlie Peprah and Brandon Jackson are also facing free agency. Expect the Packers to re-sign many of these players to contract extensions.

The Packers have several areas to address in the 2011 NFL Draft. First, another offensive lineman is a necessity. Bryan Bulaga took over for Mark Tauscher last season, but the aging Chad Clifton will soon need to be replaced. T.J. Lang has seen playing time at tackle, but he has been streaky at best.

The Packers also need to address their defensive line. The 3-4 defense Dom Capers runs rotates defensive lineman in and out constantly. If the Pack lose Jenkins to free agency, more depth will be necessary on the defensive line.

Expect the Packers to draft a defensive back, a corner most likely, as well. Charles Woodson is aging, and Jarrett Bush is of more use as a special teamer than a dime-back. Several other positions could be impacted depending on what free agents the Packers are able to re-sign.

After a Championship 2010 season, the Packers rewarded Mike McCarthy with a 3-year contract extension that pays him around $5 million per year, putting him among the top ten highest paid coaches in the NFL. Green Bay's general manager Ted Thompson also received a contract extension (note: of the 53 Green Bay players active for the Super Bowl, 49 were acquired by Thompson, 26 through the draft).

The threat of a lockout has tarnished the end of the 2010 NFL season. If the 2011 season starts as planned, the Green Bay Packers will certainly be a favorite to make a playoff run once again.

Packers 2010:
Part 1: The Regular Season
Part 2: The Playoffs
Part 3: The Super Bowl

Green Bay Packers 2010 in Review: The Super Bowl (Part 3 of 4)

After three road wins, including victories against the top seeded Atlanta Falcons and the rival Chicago Bears, the Packers headed to Dallas to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh entered the playoffs after home victories over the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Jets.

The Steelers were looking to add to their NFL record six Super Bowl wins, and going for their third Super Bowl win in the past six years. The Packers, meanwhile, looked for ring number four in their first Super Bowl appearance since 1997, a loss to Denver.

The Packers opened the scoring on their second drive. Starting from their own 20, Aaron Rodgers drove the Packers the length of the field and found Jordy Nelson on a 29 yard touchdown pass. The Packers took a 7-0 lead.

A penalty on the ensuing kickoff backed the Steelers inside their own 10 yard line. On the following play, Packer defensive tackle Howard Green drove an offensive lineman into Roethlisberger, forcing a bad pass. Nick Collins picked off the underthrown ball, and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown, putting the Packers up 14-0 in the first quarter.



The Steelers added a field goal to make the score 14-3. A few drives later, Roethlisberger was again intercepted, this time by Jarrett Bush.

Four plays later, Rodgers found Greg Jennings for a 21 yard touchdown strike to give the Packers a 21-3 lead with 2:24 left in the first half.

Roethlisberger led the Steelers on an efficient two-minute drill and found Hines Ward for a touchdown with seconds left in the half, making the score 21-10. This drive was significant as it saw both Sam Shields and Charles Woodson leave the game with injuries.

Over halftime, Woodson was given an x-ray which clearly showed a snapped collarbone. Unable to continue playing and overcome with emotions, Woodson was barely able to impress upon his teammates what this game meant to him.

Luckily for the Packers, the extended halftime break (30 minutes instead of 10) gave them enough time to reconfigure their defensive gameplan to make up for the injuries.

In the second half, the Steelers were able to score quickly, thanks largely to running back Rashard Mendenhall. The Steelers closed the gap to 21-17.

The third quarter ended with the score still 21-17. On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Steelers attempted to run at Clay Matthews. Matthews and Ryan Pickett collided with Mendenhaal, and Matthews was able to put a hit squarley on the football, jarring it loose. Desmond Bishop recovered the fumble, and the Packers had great field position near midfield.



The Packers went to work and quickly scored on a second Rodgers to Jennings connection, this time from eight yards out. The Packers extended their lead to 28-17.

Pittsburgh responded on the ensuing drive with a 25 yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace. The Steelers went for two and succeeded, bringing the game to within three points at 28-25.

The Packers drove right back down the field, but their drive stalled inside the ten yard line. On third down, Rodgers missed Nelson by inches and the Pack settled for a field goal to go up 31-25 with 2:07 left in the game.

Hoping to pull off a second two-minute drill touchdown, Roethlisberger and the Steelers started their final drive from their own 17. After giving up some yards, the Packers forced a turnover on downs, with Tramon Williams breaking up a fourth down pass intended for Mike Wallace.

Two kneel-downs later, the Packers were Super Bowl champs.

Aaron Rodgers was named Super Bowl MVP after his stellar performance. Rodgers finished 24 of 39 for 304 yards and three touchdowns, good enough for a passer rating of 111.5. Despite many dropped passes from Packer receivers, Rodgers was able to avoid mistakes and complete passes to eight different receivers.

Jordy Nelson had a career day, catching nine passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. Jennings added four catches for 64 yards and two scores, while James Jones caught five balls for 50 yards.

The packers ran sparingly, but James Starks managed 52 yards on 11 carries.

After a season filled with injuries, the Packers were able to overcome losses of integral players in the biggest stage of all to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to its rightful home.

"We've been a team that's overcome adversity all year," said Greg Jennings. "Our head captain goes down, emotional in the locker room. Our No. 1 receiver goes down, more emotions are going, flying in the locker room. But we find a way to bottle it up and exert it all out here on the field."

Packers 2010:
Part 1: The Regular Season
Part 2: The Playoffs
Part 4: A Look to the Off-Season

Green Bay Packers 2010 in Review: The Regular Season (Part 1 of 4)

Championship seasons rarely follow easy roads. The Green Bay Packers' 2010 Super Bowl season was no exception. This season was filled with injuries, penalties and heartbreaking losses. Despite this, the Packers came together as a team and fought adversity to make it to the playoffs, and eventually the Super Bowl. Substitutes stepped up, team leaders took control and coaches called brilliant games as the Packers fought their way to Dallas, Texas for Super Bowl XLV.

Week 1: Green Bay at Philadelphia

The Packers opened the 2010 NFL season on the road at Philadelphia. The Eagles were coming into the game without Donovan McNabb for the first time in 10 years. Instead, Kevin Kolb led Philadelphia, if only for the first half.

After the Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 lead, the Packers responded with 13 straight points to end the first half: a 49 yard Mason Crosby field goal, a six yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Donald Driver, and 56 yard field goal to end the half from Crosby, which was the longest field goal in Packer history.

The Eagles struggled on offense throughout the first half, thanks largely to the pass-rush presence of Clay Matthews. Matthews was able to sack Kolb twice, with one sack resulting in a game-ending concussion for Kolb.

Michael Vick opened the second half for the Eagles. On the second play of the third quarter, Eagles' wide receiver Eldra Buckley fumbled and Charles Woodson made the recovery. After a short drive John Kuhn scored from three yards out.

The Packers added another touchdown, a 32 yard pass to Greg Jennings. Vick led the Eagles to 17 points in the second half, making the score 27-20 with five minutes left in the game.

The Packer defense was able to hold the Eagles on fourth down in the closing moments of the game to escape with a win.

Ryan Grant, the Packers' starting running back, left the game with an ankle injury. He would later be placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

Week 2: Buffalo at Green Bay

After a close game at Philadelphia, Green Bay rolled over the Buffalo Bills easily in the Packers' home opener at Lambeau Field.

Aaron Rodgers threw for 255 yards and 2 touchdowns on his way to a passer rating of 116.3.

Clay Matthews had his second straight three sack performance, and helped the Packer defense hold the Bills to just 7 points and 186 yards of total offense.

Said Rodgers of Matthews' performance, "Just glad he's on our team."

Week 3: Green Bay at Chicago

The Packers saw their first loss of the season come by the hands of the Chicago Bears in a Monday Night Football game at Soldier Field.

The Packers set a team record by having 18 penalties for 152 yards. They turned the ball over twice, and gave up a Devin Hester punt return touchdown.

Even though the Packers played poorly throughout the game, the Bears barely managed a 3 point victory on a last second Robbie Gould field goal.

Week 4: Detroit at Green Bay

The 2-1 Packers returned home hoping to rebound from the loss to the Bears. The Detroit Lions entered the game 0-3, and hungry for their first victory.

The Pack jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a 29 yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Driver. The Lions tied the game with a Calvin Johnson touchdown reception.

Green Bay would add two more touchdowns, receptions by Jermichael Finley and Jennings, and Calvin Johnson rounded out the first half with his second touchdown of the day for the Lions.

Early in the second half, reigning defensive player-of-the-year Charles Woodson once again made his presence felt. Woodson picked off Shaun Hill, returned the ball 48 yards, and dove into the endzone for an emphatic touchdown, making the score 28-14.

The Packers then played bend-but-don't-break defense for the rest of the half, allowing 4 field goals but no touchdowns.

Despite struggling most of the second half, the Packer offense was able to get it together and mount one final drive to run out the clock. Fullback John Kuhn, recently promoted to part-time running back in the wake of Grant's injury, was able to bull his way for several first downs as the Packers ran out the clock to seal the victory, 28-26.

Rookie safety Morgan Burnett became the Packers' second opening day starter to be placed on injured reserve after the Detroit game.


Week 5: Green Bay at Washington

Green Bay headed to our nation's Capital to take on the Washington Redskins. After poor offensive performances against the Bears and the Lions, the Packers were looking for a spark in their offense.

They wouldn't find it in Washington.

As in the Chicago game, the Packers turned the ball over and committed numerous penalties, yet still managed to play into overtime.

In overtime, however, Aaron Rodgers was intercepted on a play in which he was driven into the ground and concussed. Washington was able to kick a field goal to win the game.

Nick Barnett became the third opening day starter to be placed on injured reserve after the Washington game.

Week 6: Miami at Green Bay

Aaron Rodgers was able to recover from his concussion in week 5 to make the start against the Dolphins. After going down 7-3 early, Rodgers found Jennings for an 86 yard catch-and-run touchdown connection.

Miami would strike back, and leave the Packers down 20-13 with 5 minutes remaining in the game.

Rodgers led the Packers on a 12 play, 69 yard drive capped off by a quarterback sneak touchdown with 13 seconds remaining in the game.

Once again, however, the Packers fell by a field goal in overtime.

Jermichael Finley became the fourth opening day starter to be placed on injured reserve after the Miami game.

Week 7:  Minnesota at Green Bay

Brett Favre and the 2-3 Minnesota Vikings entered Lambeau Field looking to take a victory and bragging rights from the Packers.

The Packers struck first on a 1 yard Brandon Jackson touchdown run. Percy Harvin equalized the game for the Vikings with a 17 yard touchdown run.

A 9 yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Jermichael Finley's replacement, Andrew Quarless, put the Packers up 7. Once again, the Vikings answered, this time with an Adrian Peterson touchdown run. The Vikings added a field goal to go up 17-14 at halftime.

The Packers opened the scoring in the second half with a 14 yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings. On the ensuing possession, Brett Favre was intercepted by Desmond Bishop (replacing Nick Barnett in the lineup) who returned the ball 32 yards for a touchdown, putting the Packers up 28-17.

Late in the third quarter Favre found Randy Moss on a four yard touchdown reception. Both defenses would stiffen and prevent any scoring in the fourth quarter, with the game ending on a Brett Favre incomplete pass on 4th down as the clock expired.

The win helped pull the Packers out of their downward spiral, and winning over Brett Favre and the rival Vikings gave the Packers an emotional boost.

"Our biggest rival and the close score, the way it ended, it was definitely a special night for us," said Aaron Rodgers.

Week 8: Green Bay at New York Jets

The 4-3 Packers headed to New York to face the 5-1 Jets, one of the hottest teams in football.

The game would end with neither team scoring a touchdown, as neither offense ever put a complete drive together. The big difference maker would prove to be turnovers.

The Packers forced the Jets into three turnovers, and hung onto the ball themselves. Mason Crosby's three field goals were all the scoring that took place in the Packers' 9-0 victory.

The win did not come without price, however, as several impact players on defense were left out for the season with injuries: linebackers Brady Poppinga and Brad Jones, and defensive end Michael Neal.

Week 9: Dallas at Green Bay

Green Bay returned to Lambeau to face the struggling Dallas Cowboys.

The Packers got off to a huge start, scoring 28 unanswered points in the second quarter: Brandon Jackson scored on a nine yard reception and a two yard run, Greg Jennings caught an eight yard touchdown and Nick Collins returned a fumble 26 yards for a score.

Dallas was able to score a touchdown in the final seconds of the half, making the game 28-7.

Green Bay added 17 more points in the second half, a touchdown pass to James Jones, a Crosby field goal and a Clay Matthews 63 yard interception return.

The 45-7 victory was the second worst loss in Dallas history, and the Cowboy's 1-7 start was their worst start since 1989.

The Packers lost starting offensive tackle Mark Tauscher to injured reserve in the victory over the Cowboys.

Week 11: Green Bay at Minnesota

The Packers had a bye week to prepare for the Vikings after the rout of the Cowboys. The Packers headed to Minnesota for the 100th meeting between the rivals.

A Ryan Longwell field goal in the first quarter would be the only points scored by Minnesota.

The Pack scored 17 in the second quarter on a Crosby field goal and touchdown receptions by both James Jones and Greg Jennings. Rodgers found Jennings for two more scores in the second half and the Packers rolled past the Vikings, 31-3.

Rodgers finished the game completing 22 of 31 passes for 301 yards and 4 touchdowns, with a passer rating of 141.3. It was Rodgers' first career 4 touchdown game. Jennings caught seven passes for 152 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Week 12: Green Bay at Atlanta

The Packers were now faced with the toughest game of their season to that point. The 8-2 Atlanta Falcon had been nearly perfect at home for the past two seasons.

Both teams traded field goals, then touchdowns to make the score 10-10 at halftime.

The Falcons went up 17-10 on a Michael Turner touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. Late in the game, the Packers answered, tying the game at 17-17 on a Rodgers to Jordy Nelson touchdown pass with one minute remaining.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Packers committed a pivotal 15 yard facemask penalty. The penalty put the Falcons in Green Bay territory, and they were able to get into field goal range and win the game as time expired.

Week 13: San Francisco at Green Bay

Green Bay returned home to face the struggling 49ers. The Packers, sporting their 1929 throwback jerseys, were obviously disappointed in the previous week's loss, and made San Francisco pay for it.

Rodgers was stellar, completing 21 of 30 passes for 298 yards and 3 touchdowns, accumulating a passer rating of 135.1. Donald Driver made the 49er defense look silly on a 61 yard touchdown reception.



Most importantly, Packer fans got their first look at rookie running back James Starks, who saw his first major time after coming off the physically unable to perform list several weeks earlier. Starks carried the ball 18 times for 73 yards, and gave Packer nation a glimpse of the spark he would provide in the playoffs.

Week 14: Detroit at Green Bay

Green Bay followed up the win over the 49ers with a poor performance against Detroit. Aaron Rodgers went down with his second concussion of the season and backup Matt Flynn was unable to pull out a victory for the Packers.

Detroit's sole touchdown proved to be enough to beat the Packers 7-3.

Week 15: Green Bay at New England

With Aaron Rodgers still out with a concussion, the Packers were set to face the Patriots with second-string quarterback Matt Flynn controlling the offense.

Flynn performed well for the Pack, and threw two touchdown passes in the first half to help the Packers to a 17-14 lead going into halftime.

In the second half, Flynn's inexperience showed through as he threw a poor interception that was returned for a touchdown. Flynn bounced back, however, and led the Packers on a scoring drive capped off by a Jon Kuhn 6 yard touchdown reception.

In the fourth quarter the Patriots took the lead and were able to hold off the Packers for the 31-27 win.


Week 16: New York Giants at Green Bay

Now 8-6, the Packers were in a desperate situation. In order to make the playoffs, the Packers needed to win out the season. They would have to beat both the 9-5 Giants and the 10-4 Bears if they wanted a shot at the playoffs.

The Packers didn't disappoint in the win-or-go-home situation. Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes in the first half (Jones and Nelson) and John Kuhn ran in a third. The Packers led 21-14 at halftime.

The second half was all Packers. Rodgers threw two more touchdown passes (Donald Lee and Kuhn) and Kuhn ran in another. The Giants managed a field goal, and the Packers kept their playoff hopes alive, winning 45-17.

Aaron Rodgers threw for 404 yards and 4 touchdowns, John Kuhn boosted his cult-like following by scoring three touchdowns. The Packer defense forced six turnovers, including four interceptions thrown by Eli Manning.

Week 17: Chicago at Green Bay

The Packers' playoff hopes rested in one final game: a rematch of the sloppy, penalty-filled Monday night matchup with the rival Chicago Bears. The Bears, at 11-4, had already won the NFC North division and clinched a playoff birth, first round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Packers simply needed to win to make the playoffs.

The game was classic Green Bay vs. Chicago. Both defenses played lights out and neither team was willing to give an inch. Rodgers was finally able to string together a drive early in the fourth quarter. He found Donald Lee on a 1 yard touchdown pass to put the Packers ahead 10-3.

With the game winding down, Nick Collins intercepted Jay Cutler to end the game and send the Packers into the playoffs.



Regular Season Notes:

The Packers made the postseason despite sending 16 players to injured reserve throughout the season, including six opening day starters.

All six of the Packers' losses were by four points or less, with two of those losses coming in overtime.

The Packers finished 4th in the league in total offense, and 3rd in the league in passing offense. They also finished 3rd in total defense and 3rd in rush defense.

The Packers had six players selected to the Pro Bowl: Chad Clifton, Greg Jennings, Clay Matthews, Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, and Nick Collins.

Packers 2010:
Part 2: The Playoffs
Part 3: The Super Bowl
Part 4: A Look to the Off-Season

My Two Cents on the Favre/Sterger Scandal

As anyone with a computer or TV has heard by now, Brett Favre has been accused of harassing and sending inappropriate pictures to reporter Jenn Sterger during the season Favre played for the Jets. Sterger was a sideline reporter for the Jets at the time.

Now, two years after Favre left the Jets, stories have been surfacing saying that Favre (who is married, by the way) not only called Sterger and left voicemails asking to see her, but had also sent pictures of his genitalia via cellphone. Deadspin broke the story with this article, containing a video with both the voicemails and the pictures.

This is a tricky situation for the NFL.

On one hand, the NFL has an image to uphold. Recent cases of misconduct have been handled very strictly by the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell. Ben Roethlisberger was suspended several games after sexual assault charges, Plaxico Burress is in jail after conviction on illegal possession of weapons, and Michael Vick is attempting to rebuild his career after serving jail time for running a dogfighting ring. Goodell has proven to be a disciplinary commissioner, and has not been lenient in cases of misconduct.

On the other hand, Brett Favre is a much bigger name than any of these players. He has been the posterchild of the NFL for the past 20 years. He currently holds an NFL record for the most consecutive starts by a quarterback, (291) a stat that has bested drug addictions, family crises and numerous injuries. The NFL will be extremely cautious with its decision about Favre, as he has much more national exposure than the majority of NFL players.

This causes a problem.

Sterger is worried, with good reason, that Favre will finish out the 2010 season and retire before he is ever brought to justice for his actions. Favre has already said he will be retiring at the end of the season. While we've heard that before, his performance on the field this season is showing heavy signs of his age, and it appears he may really be done for good at the end of the season. Therefore, the possibility exists for Favre to retire without punishment for his actions.

The NFL has a tough decision to make. Punishing Favre will essentially vilify one of the NFL's most popular figures. Letting him walk away clean will show that the NFL is either not taking the situation seriously or afraid to take action against a high-profile figure.

I think the NFL needs to make a decision before the end of the season.  Sterger's lawyer has stated that the NFL finished its investigation, yet the NFL has stated they are not ready to make a decision.

If no decision is made before the end of the season, Favre will walk away from the NFL. His punishment will not affect his career.

The NFL needs to take a stand, and continue to deal with misconduct in the same fashion as the Roethlisberger, Burress and Vick cases.

Yes, I am a Packer fan. Yes, I was deeply upset that Brett Favre went to play for the Vikings. But don't think this I am writing this to crucify Favre for leaving the Pack. Favre went to Minnesota because that was the best chance for him to win a Super Bowl - how can you blame the guy for that?

Brett Favre and football are synonyms in my mind. I grew up watching and worshiping Favre. I am amazed that Favre still has the desire to compete at the elite level after 20 seasons of bone-crunching hits. The man is simply amazing at what he does.

However, misconduct is misconduct. As a professional human, Favre must take responsibility for his actions.

Mr. Packer in Action

Packers Embarrass Struggling Cowboys

The Green Bay Packers (6-3) demolished the Dallas Cowboys (1-7) on Sunday night. The 45-7 final score marks the second worst road loss in Cowboy history, and Dallas' 1-7 start is their worst 8 game start since 1989. The poor start prompted the firing of head Coach Wade Phillips on Monday afternoon. Defensive coordinator Jason Garrett is taking control of the team from this point on.

The Packers and Cowboys went scoreless in the first quarter before Aaron Rodgers and the Pack exploded for 28 points in the second quarter. The Cowboys scored their only touchdown of the game with 16 seconds left in the first half.

The depleted Packer defense stepped up once again to dominate the Cowboy offense. The Cowboy offense was held to just 205 total yards. The Packers forced four turnovers, including two that resulted directly in touchdowns. Dallas quarterback Jon Kitna started in place of the injured Tony Romo, and was held to 183 yards passing. Kitna threw two interceptions and had a quarterback rating of just 63.6.

Clay Matthews added several stats to his Defensive Player of the Year resume. Matthews had a sack, two tackles for losses, 2 deflected passes, and an interception returned 62 yards for a touchdown. Matthews joked after the game that his Lambeau Leap wasn't acceptable...

"I think I might actually hang back and work on my Lambeau Leap skills," he said.






Charles Woodson added five solo tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble, and Sam Shields recorded his first NFL interception.

Just before halftime Nick Collins recovered a fumble after a Packer kickoff and returned it for a touchdown. Even though the runner was likely down by contact, Dallas could not challenge the play because they wasted all their timeouts earlier in the half.

The Packers played just as well on offense. Aaron Rodgers was stellar, and threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns on 27 of 34 attempts for a quarterback rating of 131.5. Rodgers also ran the ball 5 times for 41 yards. John Kuhn added 13 carries for 50 yards, and Brandon Jackson carried the ball 13 times for 42 yards and a touchdown. Jackson caught an eight yard touchdown pass as well.

Greg Jennings and James Jones had big games with Donald Driver out with a quad injury. Jennings caught seven passes for 80 yards and a touchdown, and Jones caught eight passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Seven different Packers caught at least one pass.

The Packers didn't take the struggling Cowboys lightly, and were able to humiliate them by controlling the ball, forcing turnovers, and limiting penalties.

"This is a big win for us, regardless of the record and regardless of who came in here tonight," said Charles Woodson. "It's a positive for us to go into the bye week like that. It will be good for us to reflect on this game and know what we're capable of as a whole team. If we play the whole game, all three phases of the game, we can have dominant performances like this."

The Packer win keeps them on top of the division going into a much needed bye week. The Packers will have an extra week to get healthy before heading to Minnesota for the second matchup with the Vikings.

Wisconsin Sports Update

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks opened the 2010-2011 season by winning just one of their first three games. Saturday night's win was significant, though, as point guard Brandon Jennings had his first NBA triple-double in the win over the Charlotte Bobcats.

Jennings scored 20 points and added 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

"This is my best game since I've been in the NBA, just the fact that I had a nose for the ball and I was being unselfish and I was everywhere," said Jennings. "I was being a floor general tonight."

The Bucks play Portland on Tuesday night and travel to Boston to face the Celtics on Wednesday.


Wisconsin Badgers


Despite not having a game this weekend, the Badgers jumped up a spot in the BCS standings. Now at #9, the Badgers are the highest Big Ten team in the standings. Michigan State, previously #5, was decimated by Iowa and dropped to #14. Iowa sits at #16, with Ohio State at #11.

The Badgers play at Purdue this weekend.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers relied on strong defensive play to take down the New York Jets on Sunday. The Jets came into the game after their bye week, riding a five game winning streak, and tied for the best record in the NFL. The Packers, who are struggling through several key injuries this season, felt this game was a statement about the team's drive and desire.

"We wanted to come in here and prove to everybody what we're all about,"said Clay Matthews. "We've had a few close losses that we thought we should have won. We let our play do our talking."

Turnovers and penalties were the name of the game. The Packers had their first turnover-free game of the season, and had just three penalties for 15 yards. Both Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams ripped interceptions away from Jet receivers. Williams also recovered a fumble.

Special teams were huge in the Packer win. Mason Crosby hit three of four field goal attempts for the only points of the game. Punter Tim Masthay pinned the Jets inside the 20 yardline five times out of eight punts. On a windy day the field position battle was huge.


The Packers, now 5-3, have sole possession of first place in the NFC North. The Dallas Cowboys (without Tony Romo) come to Lambeau on Sunday night.

Packer Roster Moves

The Green Bay Packers signed three linebackers on Wednesday.

Matt Wilhelm was signed out of free agency. He is an inside linebacker who has played in 82 games over an eight game career, most recently for San Diego. Wilhelm takes the place of Maurice Simkins, who was released by the Packers.

Diyral Briggs was claimed off wagers from the Denver Broncos. He is an outside linebacker who has played in just six games in his career. He takes a roster spot from Brady Poppinga, who was placed on the injured reserve list after the Miami game.

Erik Walden was also signed off the free agency list after being released by Miami earlier this season. Walden has played in 28 career games.

Big Weekend for Wisconsin Sports

Both the Wisconsin Badgers and the Green Bay Packers held on in close games to beat rival opponents this weekend. The 13th ranked Badgers came out of Iowa with a win over the 15th ranked Hawkeyes on Saturday, and Sunday night the Packers beat the Vikings in what was likely Brett Favre's last trip to Lambeau Field.

#13 Wisconsin - 31, #15 Iowa - 30

The Badgers overcame injuries to three huge offensive weapons - Lance Kendricks, James White, and Nick Toon - and still managed to beat Iowa 31-30. This was the first time since 2004 that the Badgers won consecutive games against ranked opponents. Wisconsin ended a two-game losing streak against Iowa as they regained the Heartland Trophy, and evened up the all-time series at 42-42-2.

The loss of James White put John Clay solely in charge of the rushing game. He ran for 91 yards and two touchdowns against one of the best run defenses in the conference. Montee Ball added three carries for 18 yards and the go-ahead touchdown. Ball was also a huge factor in the passing game, catching five passes for 41 yards. Ball proved he still is a valuable asset to this offense, even though his playing time has dropped since James White's emergence.

Scott Tolzein was extremely efficient once again this week, despite throwing an interception. Tolzein finished 20 of 26 for 205 yards and threw a touchdown pass to fullback Bradie Ewing.

The real story this game was coaching. It was obvious Brett Bielema wanted to come away from his alma mater with a win. Bielema's playcalling was phenomenal, and his gutsy calls paid off. Bielema called a fake punt in the middle of the fourth quarter. Punter Brad Nortman ran for 17 yards, and kept the drive alive. The Badgers went on to complete a 15 play, 80 yard drive, with an eight yard touchdown run from Ball, and took a one point lead with a minute left in the game.

Poor clock management by Iowa and a huge sack from JJ Watt kept Iowa out of field goal range. Watt also blocked an extra point attempt early in the game, a play that at the time seemed irrelevant, but turned out to be extremely important.

Bielema was extremely pleased with the way his team has played the past 2 weeks:

“Two pretty good weeks,” Bielema said. “I tell you what, it makes this (bye) week even that much more special.”

The Badgers' record improves to 7-1, 3-1 in the Big Ten, while Iowa drops to 5-2, also 3-1 in the Big Ten. Wisconsin moved to #10 in the BCS standings. The Badgers sit next weekend out, but return to action in 2 weeks at Purdue.

Green Bay - 28, Minnesota - 24

The Green Bay Packers righted the sinking ship on Sunday night by beating the Vikings, ending a 2 game losing streak and putting themselves back on top of the NFC North. The Packers, now 4-2, are tied for first with the Bears, who hold the tiebreaker with their head-to-head victory.

Both the Packers and Vikings came out firing. The first half was filled with offense, as the teams entered halftime with the Vikings leading 17-14. The Pack struck first in the second half with a touchdown pass to Greg Jennings. Then the defense took over.

The Packers were able to pressure Brett Favre into 2 terrible interceptions, both caused by linebacker blitzes.  A.J. Hawk picked Favre for a 21 yard return, and Desmond Bishop returned a Favre interception 32 yards for a touchdown. Nick Collins picked off Favre on the ensuing drive on an excellent defensive play.

Favre managed to bring the Vikings downfield and score a touchdown on the following drive, making the game 28-24. The Packers' defense stiffened on the final drive, not allowing Favre another 4th quarter comeback.

Rodgers was a little off for much of the game, missing receivers and throwing 2 bad interceptions. However, he was 21 of 34 for 295 yards with touchdown passes to Jennings and Andrew Quarless. The rushing game combined to gain 84 yards, with Brandon Jackson rushing for 58 yards and a touchdown.

The Packer defense only managed to sack Brett Favre once, but was able to pressure him in the second half, forcing bad throws.

Vikings' coach Brad Childress criticized Favre's ball control after the game:

"You can't throw it to them, you've got to play within the confines of our system," Childress said of Favre. "Sometimes it's OK to punt the football. You can't give seven points going the other way, not in a game like this."

Aaron Rodgers acknowledged the significance of this victory:

"Our biggest rival and the close score, the way it ended, it was definitely a special night for us," Rodgers said.

The Packers go on the road next weekend to face the New York Jets.