Zero2Cool
14 years ago
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/08/silvas-super-bowl-pick/ 

My Super Bowl XLV pick has been Baltimore-Green Bay since May, and the ensuing months have provided few reasons to waver.

The Packers' offense has the look of an indefensible juggernaut. 23-year-old Jermichael Finley, who led Green Bay in receiving yards, touchdowns, and pass targets in the final eight games of last season, will be the most productive tight end in football if he stays healthy. Aaron Rodgers doesn't miss, and his protection is improved with the return to health of tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher, complemented by the first-round selection of 2009 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year Bryan Bulaga. With Rodgers given more time to throw, Greg Jennings will dominate deep as Finley, Donald Driver, and James Jones control the seams and underneath game.

The defense has question marks in the secondary, but reinforcements are on the way in the form of stalwart cornerback Al Harris and hard-hitting safety Atari Bigby, both eligible for return from the PUP list in Week Seven. Back-four shortcomings will be made less apparent by an improved pass rush. Outside linebackers Clay Matthews and Brad Jones are bound for advancement in their second years. New nose tackle B.J. Raji can also collapse the pocket, and Green Bay already has the run-stopping part down, having led the league in rush defense last season.

An underrated development to Green Bay's preseason was the emergence of No. 2 tailback Brandon Jackson. Jackson, predictably slow to develop after starting for just a half-season at Nebraska, piled up 89 yards and a score on 12 touches against Indianapolis' first-team defense in the third exhibition game after Ryan Grant's concussion. If Grant goes down in the regular season, Mike McCarthy's team can use the Next Man Up philosophy, and they'll be just fine.

Perhaps the most well-run franchise in football, the Baltimore Ravens have worked the trade and free agency markets to precision. G.M. Ozzie Newsome added new dimensions to coordinator Cam Cameron's offense by bringing aboard powerful run-after-catch receiver Anquan Boldin, whose skillful blocking fits perfectly the Baltimore mentality. Late-camp pickup T.J. Houshmandzadeh is quality insurance for 36-year-old wideout Derrick Mason at the very least. Houshmandzadeh, 33, has plenty left in the tank, coming off a 79-catch season for the passing-inept Seahawks.

It all adds up to a potential breakout season for quarterback Joe Flacco. The focal point of the offense, however, remains versatile tailback Ray Rice. Still just 23, Rice topped 2,000 all-purpose yards last season, and will only get better. Like the Packers, the Ravens have a more-than-viable running back replacement in Willis McGahee, who would start for at least 10 other teams.

Baltimore annually fields a top-five defense, and this year will be no different. While Newsome upgraded the offense via trades and signings, he dedicated the first day of draft weekend to defensive youth injections. If venerable nose tackle Kelly Gregg gets hurt, the Ravens can smoothly transition to mammoth second-round pick Terrence Cody. Sergio Kindle's fractured skull was unfortunate, but he'll add pass rush off the edge once healthy.

Middle linebacker Ray Lewis still fills hard against the run, Terrell Suggs looked revitalized in the preseason after a disappointing campaign, and the August 31 swindle of playmaking cornerback Josh Wilson helps to bolster a secondary that's received good news with the quick recoveries of Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb from ACL surgery. Tom Zbikowski will ably hold down the fort until All-Pro free safety Ed Reed (hip) comes off the PUP list.

Ultimately, though, the Packers are the strongest, deepest, most talented team in football. If these two ball clubs do battle in February, look for Green Bay to take home the Vince Lombardi trophy by a score of 31-23.



I kind of went 'huh' reading that last part.
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Greg C.
14 years ago
I'm not sure what to make of the fact that the national media are more optimistic about the Packers than Packer fans are. Did you read the chat in the Press Gazette yesterday? Nothing but bitching from the fans:

http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20100908/PKR01/309070154/Read-the-transcript-Mike-Vandermause-talks-Packers 

I think it is safe to say that the Packers are in the mix this year, along with the Saints, Cowboys, and Vikings in the NFC, and that's the best you can hope for going into the season. There are no dominant teams anymore.

This writer does lose some credibility when he writes that Ryan Grant suffered a concussion in the Indy game. The concussion happened two weeks before that, against the Browns.
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Zero2Cool
14 years ago
I think Packer fans are cautiously optimistic. We look at the team under a deafening microscope where as the media touches base on 32 teams and not too thoroughly. That is evidenced by the "writer" who said Charlie Peprah was a "signification addition" to the roster.
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Zero2Cool (56m) : The menu you expanded to log in, it's the first icon under "PackersHome" .. maybe i should add text to it
dfosterf (1h) : Feelin' pfowish can't find the sun. No big deal, will drag a laptop out when the time comes
Zero2Cool (1h) : if you're on mobile, open the menu and its the "sun" icon
dfosterf (1h) : Can't find the toggle, lol
dfosterf (1h) : I can find that the Microsoft lady rep for Titletown Tech is the philanthropy boss for the entire Microsoft corporation, but. .
Zero2Cool (1h) : There's a toggle for light/dark theme. Super easy.
dfosterf (1h) : The white background beta was hard to read, especially the quotes
dfosterf (2h) : Hopefully the color scheme remains the same
dfosterf (2h) : *Friday*
dfosterf (2h) : 100 million would be 539 million as of Fridsy
dfosterf (2h) : Heck, they could have taken a hundred milliion and invested in DAVE inc. last year (semi random, humor, but real)
dfosterf (2h) : Beer brat and ticket is where the money comes from
dfosterf (2h) : The 40th is Titletown Tech itself. This is a pet project of both Ed Policy and Mark Murphy
Zero2Cool (2h) : New site coming along nicely. The editor is better than what we have here. Oh yeah!
dfosterf (2h) : No profit that I know of. 0 for 40
dfosterf (2h) : The woke reference has to do with the makeup and oftentimes objectives of the companies they invested in
packerfanoutwest (2h) : beer and brats woke? say whom?
beast (2h) : I don't want to get into politics, but how is, beers and brats considered to be "woke"? Food is food...
beast (2h) : That being said, I'm not saying all 100% should be that way, but not surprised if majority are Wisconsin based
beast (2h) : And if everyone has heard of them, then it it probably has less growth potential and less community based
beast (2h) : Well isn't the investing person supposed to invest the money?
dfosterf (3h) : I swear if I were to discover that one of them has invented a virtue signalling transmitter I will not be surprised, lol
dfosterf (3h) : 39 companies so far that I bet no one has ever heard of.
dfosterf (3h) : -Not saying woke, but should- borderline philanthopist venture capital excercise
dfosterf (3h) : Well for one, they are pouring resources into Title Town Tech. Investing beer, brat, hot dog, ticket money into what is pretty much...
beast (9h) : Wow, 95% drop in investment revenue? Would be interesting to hear the details of why...
dfosterf (25-Jul) : It's my one day deal complaint dept. on shareholder meeting day
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Probably a homer access credential intimidation kinda thing
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Meathead "journalists" skip this, concentrating on operational revenue when convenient. They switch when net revenue is more favorable.
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Resulting in an actual drop of net revenue of 12.5%. She is from Minnesota. Just sayin'
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Any plans to hold Maureen Smith (CFO) accountable for a 95% drop in investment revenue?
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : In your face, HBO!
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : @ByRyanWood Mark Murphy: “A great source of pride of mine is that we were never on Hard Knocks.”
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : *years
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : @mattschneidman Mark Murphy says he anticipates “many Packers games” being played in Germany, Ireland and/or the U.K. over the next 5-10 yea
dfosterf (25-Jul) : *cafeteria* I have hit my head also, so I sympathize
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Possibly hit his head leaning into the glass protecting the food in the cafateria
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Maybe a low flying drone
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Did Savion Williams run into a goalpost or something?
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : also, no bueno when a guy starts getting concussions right off the bat in his career
Zero2Cool (25-Jul) : Concussion is worse. Banks probably vet off day via back booboo claim
Mucky Tundra (25-Jul) : @AndyHermanNFL Jordy Nelson out at camp today. No word if he’s in play for one of the two open roster spots ; )
dfosterf (25-Jul) : Is that better or worse than Banks bad back?
Zero2Cool (25-Jul) : Savion concussion ... not good.
packerfanoutwest (24-Jul) : Aaron Rodgers’s first pass of first team period was picked off
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : tbh I didn't hear of his passing
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Cosby Show. Malcom Jamal Warner I think is real name
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : I was thinking of Ozzy and Hulk
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : Who's Theo?
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : How is Theo alliteration?
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