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.
UserPostedImage
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.
blank
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.
UserPostedImage
Fan Shout
Mucky Tundra (11h) : Kaydon Finley, son of Jermichael Finley, commits to Notre Dame
dfosterf (3-Jul) : Make sure to send my props to him! A plus move!
Zero2Cool (3-Jul) : My cousin, yes.
dfosterf (3-Jul) : That was your brother the GB press gazette referenced with the red cross draft props thing, yes?
Zero2Cool (2-Jul) : Packers gonna unveil new throwback helmet in few weeks.
Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : I know it's Kleiman but this stuff writes itself
Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : "Make sure she signs the NDA before asking for a Happy Ending!"
Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : @NFL_DovKleiman Powerful: Deshaun Watson is taking Shedeur Sanders 'under his wing' as a mentor to the Browns QBs
Zero2Cool (30-Jun) : Dolphins get (back) Minkah Fitzpatrick in trade
Zero2Cool (30-Jun) : Steelers land Jalen Ramsey via Trade
dfosterf (26-Jun) : I think it would be great to have someone like Tom Grossi or Andy Herman on the Board of Directors so he/they could inform us
dfosterf (26-Jun) : Fair enough, WPR. Thing is, I have been a long time advocate to at least have some inkling of the dynamics within the board.
wpr (26-Jun) : 1st world owners/stockholders problems dfosterf.
Martha Careful (25-Jun) : I would have otherwise admirably served
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Also, no more provision for a write-in candidate, so Martha is off the table at least for this year
dfosterf (25-Jun) : You do have to interpret the boring fine print, but all stockholders all see he is on the ballot
dfosterf (25-Jun) : It also says he is subject to another ballot in 2028. I recall nothing of this nature with Murphy
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Ed Policy is on my ballot subject to me penciling him in as a no.
dfosterf (25-Jun) : I thought it used to be we voted for the whatever they called the 45, and then they voted for the seven, and then they voted for Mark Murphy
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Because I was too lazy to change my address, I haven't voted fot years until this year
dfosterf (25-Jun) : of the folks that run this team. I do not recall Mark Murphy being subject to our vote.
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Ed Policy yay or nay is on the pre-approved ballot that we always approve because we are uninformed and lazy, along with all the rest
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Weird question. Very esoteric. For stockholders. Also lengthy. Sorry. Offseason.
Zero2Cool (25-Jun) : Maybe wicked wind chill made it worse?
Mucky Tundra (25-Jun) : And then he signs with Cleveland in the offseason
Mucky Tundra (25-Jun) : @SharpFootball WR Diontae Johnson just admitted he refused to enter a game in 41° weather last year in Baltimore because he felt “ice cold”
Zero2Cool (24-Jun) : Yawn. Rodgers says he is "pretty sure" this be final season.
Zero2Cool (23-Jun) : PFT claims Packers are having extension talks with Zach Tom, Quay Walker.
Mucky Tundra (20-Jun) : GB-Minnesota 2004 Wild Card game popped up on my YouTube page....UGH
beast (20-Jun) : Hmm 🤔 re-signing Walker before Tom? Sounds highly questionable to me.
Mucky Tundra (19-Jun) : One person on Twitter=cannon law
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : Well, to ONE person on Tweeter
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : According to Tweeter
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : Packers are working on extension for LT Walker they hope to have done before camp
dfosterf (18-Jun) : E4B landed at Andrews last night
dfosterf (18-Jun) : 101 in a 60
dfosterf (18-Jun) : FAFO
Zero2Cool (18-Jun) : one year $4m with incentives to make it up to $6m
dfosterf (18-Jun) : Or Lions
dfosterf (18-Jun) : Beats the hell out of a Vikings signing
Zero2Cool (18-Jun) : Baltimore Ravens now have signed former Packers CB Jaire Alexander.
dfosterf (14-Jun) : TWO magnificent strikes for touchdowns. Lose the pennstate semigeezer non nfl backup
dfosterf (14-Jun) : There was minicamp Thursday. My man Taylor Engersma threw
dfosterf (11-Jun) : There will be a mini camp practice Thursday.
Zero2Cool (11-Jun) : He's been sporting a ring for a while now. It's probably Madonna.
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : We only do the tea before whoopee, it relaxes me.
wpr (10-Jun) : That's awesome Martha.
Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : How's the ayahuasca tea he makes, Martha?
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : Turns out he like older women
Martha Careful (10-Jun) : I wasn't supposed to say anything, but yes the word is out and we are happy 😂😂😂
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2025 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
COMMANDERS
Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
Browns
Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
Cowboys
Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
BENGALS
Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
Cardinals
Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
PANTHERS
Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
EAGLES
Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
Giants
Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
Bears
Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
RAVENS
Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
Vikings
Recent Topics
4-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

2-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

2-Jul / Fantasy Sports Talk / dfosterf

1-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

29-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

25-Jun / Around The NFL / Martha Careful

23-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

20-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

20-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

20-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

18-Jun / Random Babble / Zero2Cool

16-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

15-Jun / Random Babble / Martha Careful

14-Jun / Around The NFL / beast

14-Jun / Community Welcome! / dfosterf

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.