Favre tells Romo to play, and he listens

So after breaking his hand, things did not look good for Tony Romo and the Cowboys.  Suddenly, news comes out that Brett Favre called Romo up and suggested he tried playing with the fracture.  Seemed like a silly story to fill the news wire, but maybe it had an impact afterall.  Now the word is that Romo is telling the coaches he wants to play.  No word on if he’ll be allowed to start or play at all, as he is obviously risking a lot further damage to the hand.

As with many things, there is really two ways this could go.  The likely result is that Romo will attempt to play, struggle and be in horrible pain.  Brad Johnson will have to relieve the QB, people will criticize Romo and the coaches for not letting the hand rest.  Romo will still end up missing 4 weeks and the Cowboys will have to fight for a wild card spot.  The other scenario is that Romo plays, struggles but stays in the game.  The Cowboys keep winning, the receivers step up, they actually run the ball.  The toughness of the QB changes the entire attitude of the team and they go on to actually win a playoff game (maybe several).

McCarthy’s approval rating takes big dive with loss

If you haven’t seen, ESPN.com lets fans vote on the job their coach is doing. Mike McCarthy received a 32% approval rating for week 5.  Not good, but well deserved.  The bad thing, is the logic many fans and reporters are using for the poor performance of the Packers.  Whenever I read articles about the team, the “F” word always comes up.  So many people seem to think that Brett would do a better job run blocking.  They feel he would stuff the middle of the line on defense or get penetration on the end.  Apparently Favre would do a far better job covering the tight end or stopping a running back from turning the corner.  Favre would also be able to punt more consistently and get flagged less often for holding.

Blame Mike for not putting a well prepared team on the field.  Blame Thompson for not filling the roster with quality depth on both lines.  Don’t expect that Favre would fix any of the problems we are seeing right now.

Packers: 2008 vs. 2007

After 3 straight losses, many Packers fans may be saying “what’s wrong?”  This team almost made the Super Bowl last year.  I’m sure many people will blame Rodgers.  Well, more specifically, the fact that he is NOT Brett Favre.  If Favre came back, this was supposed to be a championship team, right?  Well, I don’t know about that.

This time last year, Favre had 1500 yards, 9 TDs, 4 INTs.  Rodgers?  He has 1270 yards, 9 TDs, 4 INTs.  The big difference is the run game has actually produced more yards per game which has allowed Rodgers to throw less.

So what is it?  Two things really.  Sloppy play and no run defense.

Let’s look at penalties:
Last year through 5 weeks – 37 penalties, 269 yards.
This year through 5 weeks – 44 penalties, 419 yards.
How can you expect a team to compete with that many mistakes?  Going into week 5, the Packers were 3rd last in the NFL in penalties, dead last in yards penalized.  I’m sure with 9 for 97 yards today that number will just go up.  They are giving away 84 yards per game so far.  That’s 84 extra yards that either the offense has to move the ball or that the opposing offense gets for free.  There’s no excuse for so many foolish mistakes.

As for the defense… teams are just running wild.  The Packers were giving up the 4th most rushing yards in the NFL coming into week 5.  The Falcons put up 176 yards on them.  I’m sure they will be moving down a few spots when the final stats come out for the week.  The team is obviously going to miss Cullen Jenkins and the trade of Corey Williams is looking worse and worse every week as the middle of the line is constantly pushed backwards.  Last year at this point, the Packers were giving up just over 100 yards a game rushing.  Part of that is they were scoring a lot, but even if you score you still have to stop the other team.  This year, teams are finding that they can give up scores to the Packers and not change their offensive gameplan.  The defense is just getting pushed around, the linebackers look slow and injuries are building up.

If the mental mistakes can get cut in half, the team might be able to be competitive.  That seems to be asking a lot, however.  The announcers this week said McCarthy ran a training camp style practice to go back to basics this week.  I think he might have to go with a Pop-Warner style practice this coming week.

Good riddance, Brett Favre!

I don’t understand Favre going to the Jets.  I don’t think this makes the Jets a contender, even in their own division.  I don’t know if NY has something sneaky up their sleeves like trading Brett back to Minny, but at the moment it seems like Manginni is just really desperate to win and he’s willing to sacrifice his QB of the future to do so.

Either way, I am pumped for two reasons.  1) Favre is gone from not only Green Bay, but the conference.  2) I get to watch the Pats cream him twice this year (and hopefully next year if he is willing to come back).

More signs the Packers are serious about moving on

In some of the best news I’ve heard since “Favre-gate” started, it was reported today (I believe Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Setinel first broke the news) that the Packers are shopping Favre around.  It’s likely a sign that the team is worried that Brett Favre might actually report to training camp.  Word is they spoke to Baltimore so far as well as some other teams.  Sounds like the reasonable compensation is a 3rd round pick, maybe a player (definitely not a starter).  As everyone has said, Tampa is a spot with great potential for Favre.

So now the way this is probably going to play out is 1) Favre will have to show he is serious about playing and report to Green Bay (or do something to indicate he wants to play).  2) Favre will have to agree to play for whatever team the Packers have negotiated a deal with.  3) He will be gone before he ever gets a chance to put on his green and gold uniform.

To show a bit more comitment to the future, 7th round pick Matt Flynn, the QB from LSU, signed a contract today.  He’s probably going to be our #3 guy this year unless he has a fantastic preseason.

Davis/Brand look like dopes, Favre owns a cell phone, Lauren fights with Heidi

Well, the first night of Sabathia in Milwaukee was exciting, but nothing after his arrival was spectacular so it’s on to other things.  Looks like Elton Brand is going to be a 76er.  So much for him saying he wanted to put his pride aside to get a ring ala Boston.  Instead he has gone from one NBA wasteland to another.  Not only that, but Baron Davis opted out of a ton of money to help make things happen in LA with Brand.  Now Baron Davis is the newest star wasting his life as a Clipper.

In other news, why is it news that Favre sent a text message to Ted Thompson?  Can we all just agree to shut up about Favre until something official happens?  I don’t care what he secretly hopes.  I don’t care what teams some idiot sportswriters or braindead fans want him to play for.  I don’t care what color shorts he wore to the bait shop on Thursday.  It’s too much.  We need preseason to start so this can all be brushed aside with the other pointless gossip.

What if Robin got his shot?

Batman and Robin.  Super hero, understudy.  Always has been that way, always will be.  Robin is always an afterthought compared to Batman, because Batman is Batman.  It has nothing to do with what Robin has done or hasn’t done.  In fact, unless you are the type of person who really studied the comics, you don’t know much about Robin at all.  The common person thinks of Robin from the aweful TV show where he was (in)famous for saying things like “holy uncanny photographic mental process, Batman!”  You can’t judge the entire potential of a character on a poorly written spoof sitcom.  Robin still got the bad guy a few times and he always put in a good effort.  Not only that, but he learned from Batman!  It’s not like it was some character with superhuman abilities like Spider Man trying to teach something that can’t be taught.  Sure, there is some inherit ability in being Batman, maybe some good instincts or reflexes.  However, a lot of it is based on experience and a knowledge of his craft.  Let’s face it, large fortune aside Batman is a regular guy like anyone else.  Sure, he’s a tad more pissed off than most, but regular guy nonetheless.  So why is it impossible to believe that someone who maybe has a similar skillset couldn’t learn Batman’s craft?  Maybe if Batman takes a vacation for a month, is it impossible to believe that Robin couldn’t go off and take out Dr. Doom?  Is it even beyond comprehension that Robin could do Batman’s job better?  Or at least, do it better than an old, overweight George Clooney Batman?  Well, obviously I’m not the only one who wondered this, because there was a comic series (maybe more than one) based on the Robin character going solo.

So why can’t this philosophy apply to Favre?  Aaron Rodgers has all the tools necessary to be a quarterback, we know that.  He’s learned from a great quarterback.  Maybe Favre didn’t take on an active role as a teacher, but Rodgers could at least have learned by watching.  On top of that, sure Favre has had some success recently, but he also threw 29 interceptions not too long ago.  McCarthy admitted he has had to shorten up the playbook based on Favre’s abilities (mainly his inability to throw a deep ball).  You don’t have to do that with Rodgers.  I’m not saying Rodgers will be breaking ANY of Favre’s records, ever.  I’m saying, that there is a possibility that Rodgers could have a better next few seasons than a guy who is 14 years older than him.

Favre Comeback – Where do I begin?

Not that it can possibly be a secret at this point, but the word is Brett Favre wants to come back and play again.  The Packers don’t want him, they don’t want to release him either.  They want him retired.  Sorry Brett, should’ve thought of this before you announced your retirement.  Bummer for Brett, but that’s life, right?

Who knows… Even if the Packers want Favre back, you’d think they would put a big front on to make sure Brett really truely wants to come back.  You don’t want to take the guy in and have him change his mind week 2 of pre-season.  You also don’t want your future QB, Aaron Rodgers, to think that you’ll just cast him aside one more year without a second thought if you can get any hope of Favre being around.  And if the Packers don’t want Favre back, that makes sense too.  They’ve invested a lot in turning over the franchise and eventually you have to see that plan into action.

So what are we supposed to make of this?  There’s decent reason for the Packers not to take Favre back.  There’s probably better reason to take him back.  Granted he made some mistakes in that Giants game, as well as several other games, he still did get the team pretty close to a Super Bowl.  He’s also coming into a team that has hopefully improved from last year.  So in theory, taking Brett back puts your team as a top 5 team in the NFL with expectations of making the Super Bowl.  Going with Aaron Rodgers puts you as an expected 2nd place team in the division.  In the end, it’s probably worth giving the old guy another shot.  I guess if he falls apart mid-season you bench him and bring in Rodgers and Favre tarnishes his career a bit but gets some extra assurance that he is done with football.  If you tell him “no” and end up with an 8-8 season, you’ll always be wondering.

Madden 2009 Curse Could be Financial for Packers

Favre on Madden 2009 Cover

It’s reported that Favre will be on the cover of Madden 09.  Obviously the “curse” is a little different when it deals with a retired player.  So what’s the worst thing that could happen as a result of this cover?  Favre could keep playing.  That would mean the Packers would have to keep his $12million salary on their payroll for this season. 

In other news, the Packers are looking at washed up QB Daunte Culpepper to serve as a backup to the surely to be on IR Aaron Rodgers.  Let me help you out, he’s no good!  The only time his career was ever worth anything was when he could blindly hurl the ball downfield to Moss.  Look at his last years as a Viking.  Granted he got hurt, but even when healthy he was horrid without Moss around.  He’s still probably not 100% recovered from his knee injury either.

I understand that you sign a guy like Culpepper because he’s a veteren and not a terrible backup option.  I know that you go into a situation like this hoping that Rodgers will do fine and stay healthy.  I just can’t think of what will happen if Rodgers isn’t fine.  Are we really going to potentially enter the Daunte Culpepper era in Green Bay?

Favre comeback rumors

So there were briefly some rumors about a Brett Favre comeback. Believe it or not, old Bus Cook was thrown out there as part of the story. The claim is that Cook has been trying to work out a trade for the retired QB.

If this is true, it seems to be poorly thought out. If Favre were to play again, I think anyone could agree that he would wantto play for a Super Bowl contender. The problem is, what team out there would be a QB away from potentially making a deep run into the playoffs, aside from Green Bay? The teams that will contend already have that position filled. The teams that don’t, need a lot more help than what Favre could offer. The only fit I could imagine would be Baltimore. If the press runs with this story, I could see the press pushing the Ravens too. The problem is, there isn’t enough talent around the QB and the defense is getting old and worn out. There’s no way a 38 year old guy can fix that.

So if this is just a rumor, Favre needs to prove it and turn in his retirement paperwork. He can’t let this drag out. Bare minimum, his retirement will add a ton of cash to the Packers’ cap that can dramatically effect their draft day plans. Brett says he is done with football, so he needs to do the right thing and make it official.