NFL Draft 2009

The 2009 NFL draft took place over this past weekend, where the NFL teams can pick up talented college players. This was an advantageous one for the Packers because they had the 9th pick overall. This gave them a chance to grab a very important addition to their new defense. But, even better, the Packers stepped up to get the 26th overall pick as well by giving their next 3 selections to the Patriots. So, with two picks in the first round of the draft, I was extremely satisfied with the way Green Bay handled this event. With a total of 8 picks in the draft, here are the Packers' results:

Round 1, Pick 9: DT B.J. Raji Boston College

Round 1, Pick 26: OLB Clay Matthews USC

Round 4, Pick 9: OT T.J. Lang Eastern Michigan

Round 5, Pick 9: FB Quinn Johnson LSU

Round 5, Pick 26: OT Jamon Meredith South Carolina

Round 6, Pick 9: DE Jarius Wynn Georgia

Round 6, Pick 14: CB Brandon Underwood Cincinnati

Round 7, Pick 9: OLB Brad Jones Colorado

From the look of it, I think this is the Packers' best draft class in years. With a new defensive scheme that required new linebackers and defensive linemen, Green Bay really seemed to do a great job, getting the exact positions that they needed. B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews are both highly ranked at their positions, which is great. The Pack also managed to get a few additions on the offensive side of the ball to help out the line. Mel Kiper, an ESPN.com columnist, gave the Packers an A grade overall for the draft, one of only two A's that he gave for all 32 teams. With this great draft, I'm really pumped up for the upcoming season, and I can't wait to see how these rookies help out the team!

Favre Retires... For Real This Time

Now that it is officially the offseason, the annual discussion appeared again: Will Brett Favre decide to retire? The answer from Brett: Yes (for the second year in a row).

Favre announced on February 11 that he will finally end his glorious football career. Afterwards, when asked in an ESPN interview if there is any chance at all that he would return, Favre replied that there is no way he will.

After a legendary 18 seasons as a quarterback in the NFL, 16 of those with the Green Bay Packers, future Hall of Famer Favre will leave an everlasting legacy. He holds numerous notable NFL records for a quarterback: Passing yards in a career (65,127), touchdown passes in a career (464), pass completions in a career (5,720), pass attempts in a career (9,280), regular season wins (169), and consecutive starts (269 games). However, the Ironman of football also did set one not-so-great record, interceptions thrown in a career (310).

Although, even with all of these records, Brett Favre was one of the most exciting players ever to watch in the NFL. As a "gunslinger" and "magician," Favre always made appearances on highlight reels with his amazing, eye-catching throws down the field and his elusive, unbelievable escape tactics to avoid attacking defenders.

One of the things that made Favre so lovable to his fans was how "human" he really was. When he wasn't throwing bombs and improvising on the field, Favre experienced many heartbreaking moments while in the NFL. His wife, Deanna, was diagnosed with breast cancer, his brother-in-law died in a car crash, and his beloved father passed away, all within just a few years. What made Brett so incredible was that we saw his passion for not just the game, but life outside football as well. He started in a football game the night after his father passed, and he threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns to defeat the Oakland Raiders. Packer fans were infinitely attracted to Favre's dedication and heart.

While Favre spent his first season with the Atlanta Falcons and his last with the New York Jets, he will always be remembered as the face of the Green Bay Packers. The Packers still plan to eventually retire Favre's jersey with the number 4. Cheeseheads everywhere should be honored to have enjoyed him putting on a show for 16 seasons in Green Bay. Brett Favre will forever be known as a Packer, a hero, and a legend.

Picture: http://www.squibkick.com/brett-favre-is-facing-losing-and-surgery-ouch/

Super Bowl XLIII

As Kurt Warner completed a short slant pass to Larry Fitzgerald who dashed 64 yards up the middle of the field in between two defenders for a touchdown, I thought that the underdog Arizona Cardinals might actually have a chance to defeat the all-powerful Pittsburgh Steelers. After this intensifying, exhilarating play with 2:37 remaining in Super Bowl XLIII, the Cards grasped a 23-20 lead over the Steelers.

But Big Ben Roethlisberger and his Pittsburgh offense still had one more chance to score, and that is exactly what they did. With one last drive, the Steelers plowed all the way to Arizona's 6-yard line. With 48 seconds left in the game, Roethlisberger threw up a desperate pass to wide receiver Santonio Holmes in the back left of the endzone..... and the ball goes through Holmes's hands. Incomplete. But, the next play, Roethlisberger decided to try lobbing the ball again on the other side of the endzone to Holmes. The ball rainbows over one, two, three Cardinals defensive players. Holmes reaches as high as he can without his arms coming out of his sockets. The ball sticks to his gloves with both of his big toes barely grazing the turf inbounds. TOUCHDOWN. With 35 seconds left in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers managed to swiftly take back the lead.

When the Cardinals got the ball back, they failed to make it the length of the field to the Steelers endzone. On the Steelers' 44-yard line, the ball was hit out of Kurt Warner's hand with 5 seconds left, ending the Cardinals' last hopes. The final result: Steelers win, 27-23, in a stunning, mind-blowing, nail-biting, see-sawing, classic Super Bowl.

By winning Super Bowl XLIII last night, the Pittsburgh became the first franchise in the NFL to win six Super Bowls. Santonio Holmes (who caught the game-winning touchdown pass) was honored MVP of the Super Bowl. The game was bland and uneventful for the first three quarters, excluding one spectacular record-breaking play. With one play left in the first half, Kurt Warner threw a pass intended for receiver Anquan Boldin in the endzone, but Steelers' lineman James Harrison reached out, intercepted the ball, and scurried along the sideline 100 yards for a touchdown. The play not only gave the Steelers a dominating 17-7 lead, but it also became the longest play ever in a Super Bowl.

The final few minutes of Super Bowl XLIII put a fantastic finish to the 2008 NFL season, and next season can't seem further away as I await more moments like these!

For highlights of the game and more, follow this link: http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/43/videos/features#video:09000d5d80e86d72

or go to http://www.nfl.com/ for all NFL coverage.

Picture from http://www.super-bowl-gambling-odds.com/images/superbowl-43-logo.jpg

Packers Prepare for Next Year

After a disappointing season with a 6-10 record, the Packers are already preparing for the 2009 season. As the NFL playoffs are going on right now, Green Bay has released 6 assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Bob Sanders. With the 2009 NFL draft just a few months away, the Packers will be looking to take advantage because they have the 9th pick in the draft. They hold nine picks in the draft overall.

Also, the opponents for the Packers next year have been determined. Their home games will be against the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, and Cincinnati Bengals. Their away games will be against the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers. The schedule for these games won't be released until April.

Cheeseheads can hope for no less than maximum improvement in the 2009 season. It sure will be exciting to see the Packers play again!

Picture: http://www.megacalendars.com/images/8010367_fc.jpg

Packers Miss Opportunities

After a disappointing 4 point loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars this past weekend, the Green Bay Packers have lost their last desperate chance to make the playoffs. Unfortunately, their season will end after the regular season is over. What was the killer of the Pack? They couldn't finish games.

As of this week, the Packers have a 5-9 record, an utterly shameful record after last year's amazing record of 12-2 at this point in the season. There are quite a few sad statistics that amaze me. The Packers have lost 6 of their last 7 games. And out of their 9 losses, the Packers lost 6 of them by just 4 or fewer points. Most of these losses are due to fourth quarter meltdowns. In most of their losses, the Packers had the lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter before losing their fire in the finale of the game. In the last three games, the Packers' opponents have scored on their last drive of the game to win.

Throughout the season, tons of missed opportunities have killed the Packers' chance for success. The lack of stamina through all 4 quarters has allowed teams to drive for a comeback to beat the Pack numerous times. The best the Packers can hope for now is a 7-9 record which is still a losing record. This season has been a heartbreaking one for Packers fans looking for a season as good as last year.

Picture: http://i.packers.com/images/logos/packers_jaguars_helmets.jpg

Packers Hunt For Bears

Week 11 was crucial in the NFC North, especially for the Packers who were a game behind both the Bears and Vikings. To add to the intensity, the Packers played the one and only rival Bears on Sunday. I was fortunate enough to go the game at Lambeau Field, and it just happened to be the best game of the season for the Packers.

Lovie Smith, the head coach for the Bears, was 4-0 when facing the Packers at Green Bay until now. Also, since the Bears and Vikings both had a 5-4 record going into week 11, and the Packers were 4-5, this was a much needed win for the Pack to remain a playoff contender. And they got the win, easily. The Bears, with one of the best rush defenses in the league, fell apart against both the pass and the run. Ryan Grant, the Packers' running back who had not had a great game yet this season, rushed his best game of the season for 145 yards and a touchdown against the Bears. The Pack had 200 total rushing yards. Aaron Rodgers also displayed a great performance, throwing for 227 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception. The star receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings combined for 124 yards and a touchdown as the Packers' receiving team ran all over the Bears weakened secondary. The Packers also had the ball much longer than the Bears, being on offense for 37:28 while the Bears were only on offense for 22:32.

One interesting highlight: In the fourth quarter, the Bears had the ball and were trapped on fourth down and desperate for a touchdown. On the next play, Kyle Orton threw an ugly interception, but the play was called back because of defensive offsides. On a replay of fourth down, Kyle Orton then fumbled the ball, and the Packers' defensive end Jason Hunter picked it up, returning it 54 yards for a touchdown.

In the end, this was a clear slaughter and a very important win for the Green Bay Packers, as they beat the Bears 37-3. I was grateful to be there for such an awesome game for my favorite team. Now, the Packers, Bears, and Vikings are once again tied for the NFC North lead, all owning 5-5 records. As the postseason nears more and more, the suspense continues in this tight division.

Packers Lose an Ugly One

Today, the Packers met their rivals, the Minnesota Vikings, for the second time this season. Fighting the undefeated Tennessee Titans last week and losing in overtime was a difficult loss, and today's game was just as tough and much uglier.

Green Bay's defense had another outstanding day, achieving three interceptions (one each for Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, and Nick Collins who brought his back for a touchdown) and a punt returned for a touchdown by Will Blackmon. However, this defensive effort wasn't enough to prevent the Vikings from beating the Packers. This was because of unacceptable mistakes on both sides of the ball.

The Pack's offensive line fell apart as Aaron Rodgers was sacked four times, once for a fumble. This game was the first since 2003 to have two safeties in a game -- both were against the Packers. The Packers defense allowed the Vikings' Adrian Peterson to rush for 192 yards and a touchdown. They also let Chester Taylor have four receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. What killed the Packers in the end? With 28 seconds left in the game, Green Bay's kicker Mason Crosby missed an opportunity to pass up the Vikings with a 52-yard field goal.

This rivalry game was an intense and ugly one, but in the end it was the Vikings who came out victorious, winning 28-27. Hopefully, the Packers can come back from this loss and beat the Chicago Bears next week in another very important rivalry game.

Packers Tied for Division Lead

The NFC North division is up for grabs so far this year, with a three way tie between the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and Minnesota Vikings for first place. The three teams all have a 3-3 record following the sixth week of the 2008 NFL season, while the Detroit Lions are falling way behind with a 0-5 record.

How the NFC North teams did in week 6:

• The Packers pulled off a demanding victory over the Seattle Seahawks, winning 27-17.
• The Bears lost to the Atlanta Falcons by 2 points after the Falcons scored a 48-yard field goal attempt with just one second remaining in the game.
• In an NFC North rivalry match, the Vikings kept the Lions winless by defeating them 12-10.

With the tight competition increasing, there will be much talk of this steady race for first place in the NFC North division.

Packers Dealing with Injuries

As the second quarter of the 2008 NFL season begins, there is much to worry about for the Packers in terms of injuries on both sides of the ball. On offense, the biggest blow comes with Aaron Rodgers' shoulder injury that he obtained last week playing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It hasn't affected him too much so far, but if this injury begins to affect his skills then the Packers will be in a tough position with Rodgers' two backups, Matt Flynn and Brian Brohm, being rookies. Other key players that are currently injured on offense are wide receiver James Jones (knee), tackle Chad Clifton (knee), and fullback Korey Hall (knee).

There is a bigger problem on defense. Both starting cornerbacks, Al Harris and Charles Woodson, are dealing with tough injuries. In Woodson's case, he is dealing with a broken toe which hasn't limited his play too much, but Harris will be out for at least a few weeks with an injured spleen. With both of these top players injured, the Packers defense has faltered a little bit. Also, there are several equally hurtful injuries on the defense: safety Atari Bigby (hamstring), safety Aaron Rouse (knee), linebacker A.J. Hawk (groin), defensive tackle Ryan Pickett (knee), and defensive end Cullen Jenkins (chest).

With many significant injuries hurting the Green Bay Packers from every direction, cheeseheads can only hope that some second or third-stringers will step up and fill in the injured players' shoes.

Following Favre

The Green Bay Packers are off to an average 2-2 start this season in the NFL, and their former star Brett Favre was in New York today trying to bring his newfound Jets to the same record against the 2-1 Arizona Cardinals. How did Brett do?

Well, the first word that came to my mind was phenomenal. Favre had a groundbreaking career-high six touchdowns against the Cards with only one interception. Not only did he lead the Jets to a 56-35 victory, but he completed 24 out of 34 passes for 289 yards and made completions to eight different receivers. After the first four weeks of the season, Brett Favre is putting up a stellar 110.8 passer rating with 12 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and 935 yards.

With the will to win and the fear of failure, Brett Favre is still looking sharp as ever in his 18th career season. As long as he keeps this success up, he can possibly lead the NY Jets to a playoff run and show football fans everywhere that he still has what it takes to achieve victory.

The Green Bay Packers... Without the Legend

Well, if you have paid attention to professional sports at all over the last half a year or so, you most likely have heard nonstop talk about Brett Favre. Whether it has been about his surprising retirement announcement, his split decision to come back a few months later, or the heart-stopping news of his trade from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets. Favre was the heart and soul of the Packers for 15 years, and now that he has unexpectedly left, many football fans have been questionable about the man taking over his job, Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers, a fourth year quarterback in the NFL, has not started a game as the backup behind the legendary Packers leader. So before the start of the 2008 football season, many Packers fans (including myself) were cowering in fear of what would happen with their beloved team now that Favre had departed and the NFC North champion team had been inherited by an unknown youngster.

Now, cheeseheads can finally take a breather. After the first two games of the season, Aaron Rodgers has proven to everyone - and to himself - that he can lead the Green Bay Packers. The Pack has started with a tremendous 2-0 record, with Rodgers throwing 4 touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 117.8 quarterback rating. Fans all over the NFL seem to be impressed by this early success. While Rodgers certainly can't fix the wound left by the future Hall-of-Famer Favre, he can definitely numb the pain.

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