I would like to see Ted do something other than nothing to address the D-line. I would like to see him go after a free agent. There's a few good ones out there that could make even a slight difference for this team.

Originally Posted by: rabidgopher04 

Oh no. I disagree on the talent end (not to be argumentative at all, but I think this is a common misconception). The 2010 team was FAR more talented. Cullen Jenkins, Nick Collins, Des Bishop, Scott Wells, Chad Clifton, Darren College. Woodson in his prime. Howard Green.

Games are won and lost in the trenches. We've been losing some really big games in the trenches since that SB win. Our DL was Raji, Pickett and Jenkins... with Howard Green as a backup? We had Wilson then too! That's big. We've replaced Jenkins and Green with what exactly? Our OL was also big, and experienced. They weren't the best, but they were big and experienced, and had played together a long time. Who have we replaced those veteran starters with?

We've had nothing close on either line since.

Seems we've lost quite a bit of talent, especially when you throw Nick Collins in there, along with the decline of Woodson through age and injury, and the loss of Bish to injury.

if Ted Thompson wants to continue his draft and develop strategy, I guess we have to ask, will Rodgers get an opportunity to win another SB? It is a team game, and you have to have the talent across the board. I appreciate how good the overall depth of his team is, but it is severely lacking in blue chip starters on both lines. To me, we have 2. Sitton, and Pickett. Raji has regressed himself out of that category. ZERO sacks? Really? Not one?

Originally Posted by: play2win 

Oh no. I disagree on the talent end (not to be argumentative at all, but I think this is a common misconception). The 2010 team was FAR more talented. Cullen Jenkins, Nick Collins, Des Bishop, Scott Wells, Chad Clifton, Darren College. Woodson in his prime. Howard Green.

Games are won and lost in the trenches. We've been losing some really big games in the trenches since that SB win. Our DL was Raji, Pickett and Jenkins... with Howard Green as a backup? We had Wilson then too! That's big. We've replaced Jenkins and Green with what exactly? Our OL was also big, and experienced. They weren't the best, but they were big and experienced, and had played together a long time. Who have we replaced those veteran starters with?

We've had nothing close on either line since.

Seems we've lost quite a bit of talent, especially when you throw Nick Collins in there, along with the decline of Woodson through age and injury, and the loss of Bish to injury.

if Ted Thompson wants to continue his draft and develop strategy, I guess we have to ask, will Rodgers get an opportunity to win another SB? It is a team game, and you have to have the talent across the board. I appreciate how good the overall depth of his team is, but it is severely lacking in blue chip starters on both lines. To me, we have 2. Sitton, and Pickett. Raji has regressed himself out of that category. ZERO sacks? Really? Not one?

Originally Posted by: play2win 

I would like to see Ted do something other than nothing to address the D-line. I would like to see him go after a free agent. There's a few good ones out there that could make even a slight difference for this team.

Originally Posted by: rabidgopher04 

Most of us know that ain't gonna happen unless it's another Howard Green type that comes cheap.

Originally Posted by: yooperfan 

I appreciate your sentiment Zero2Cool. I feel much the same.

I would put them in the top tier of the NFL. Are they "elite" now? No. They've shown themselves to not be competitive with the very best in the league. But, they are close. To me, the Packers lost their "elite" card last year in losing at home to the Giants. It should have never happened.

As a "team," responsibility for our demise and success rests on management first, then trickles down. We've got a decent team, but not a great one that rolls over the competition. SF has that now. No one else seems to have that at this moment. Ravens? We'll have to see, but if they win it all over SF, I will be surprised. I do not consider them the top team in the NFL, but they are close, behind only SF and maybe SEA.

Are the NYG elite? I would consider them to be so, but they didn't even make the playoffs. They've probably suffered the same personnel, coaching, and player gaffes that we did along the way this year. Last year was great until we let up in KC. Why did we do that?

This really points to "killer instinct" and the lack thereof in GB. We don't have it in the front office, clearly, as Ted Thompson is forever leaving his team thin at positions of need, counting on rookie players to perform like Pro Bowl talents. We don't have it in the coaching department, because we are too often unprepared, and too often fail to adjust to an opponent's strengths. We don't have it on the player side with enough consistency. How does one of our top talents, Tramon Williams, not perform better when all the chips are on the table? I was really disappointed in his overall play this season and expected more from him. He is also one of our top paid players. IMO, this is an example of a player not performing with a killer instinct. He played way too soft. Finley must get a mention here as well. You can't just show up in a few games. He had so many missed blocks, whiffs. Took him half a season just to get on the same page with his QB. Greg Jennings seemed to be pouting through most of his last year in a GB uniform. What the hell? Is THAT what he gets paid for? We know better. Raji? I kind of expected him to do more too.

Blame can be assigned all the way down the line. And it is the WHOLE line of personnel that is responsible for our current mess. Thompson needs to get a set and start making some bold moves to better the personnel on his team. There is more to building a team than the draft.

McCarthy has to get a set and start coaching to win, especially the big games. Playing down to the level of lesser teams is inexcusable. Laying down to superior teams even moreso. How are his players often taking the field looking unprepared? 181 yds rushing by a QB? Not to mention another 100 by their RB? Unacceptable. Dom Capers can try to spy Kaepernick with my grandma, but that isn't going to work either. Seems Ted left our D way too thin, in spite of 6 draftees on that side of the ball.

Our players need to get a set and put themselves in a position where they are competitive, game in and game out, with the best teams in the league. Play their best. No mailing it in. Not for a single play.

I would add only one thing, and that is how do we recapture a home field advantage in Green Bay? Something has been lost. Is the venue itself too friendly to opposing teams? Seems so. It has gone so far the other way, that it is almost a disadvantage. Something has to change there as well, if we want to be contenders, elite.

Originally Posted by: play2win 

That's part of the problem. We've got so much dough tied into players who just aren't playing up to their contracts. Woodson. Hawk. Finley. Tramon Williams ( I like Tramon, but I don't think he played all out this past season). Add to that a GM who doesn't believe in adding good, solid, veteran talent via FA or trade...

The whole mindset up there has got to change. Where is our toughness?

Originally Posted by: play2win 

Des Bishop is awesome at MLB. Had 103 combined tackles, 3 sacks, 2 FFs and an INT in 2010 - add another 26 tackles, a sack, a FF and 2 FRs in the playoffs that year. Had 115 combined tackles last year with 5 sacks and 2 FFs.

play2win wrote:

Who should we have signed?

Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins 

Who should we have signed?



FYI. Jones and Smith this year combined, matched Bishop.

Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins